CiCM 15th-16th July 2023

NEWS IN CHINA

First phase of the project ensuring water availability in drought-hit Northwest China by connecting two tributaries has been carried out successfully. It will connect the Hanjiang River, the largest tributary of the Yangtze and the Weihe River, a tributary of the yellow river. This has been considered to be amongst the most challenging engineering projects as they were required to make tunnels beneath Qinling Mountain. The project has estimated to have cost around 7.2 billion USD and took 12 years to complete phase one. In the second and third phases, the water is to be sent to other places in Central Shaanxi. Once the project is completed, it will benefit 14.11 million people, covering cities such as Shaanxi, Xian, Xianyang etc. Besides fulfilling water requirements, the project will also nourish the area's industry.
Beijing hosted a national meeting on work concerning Cyber Security and Informatization on July 14. President Xi Jinping’s instructions were delivered by Deng Xuexiang, of the Standing Committee. Xi Jinping emphasized the importance of boosting China’s cyberspace prowess and advancing the high-quality development of cyber security and informatization. He also stressed the progress China has made in recent years to achieve self-reliance in Science and technology while also strengthening the law-based governance of cyberspace. He gave instructions to adhere to the paramountcy of the party in cyberspace and Internet governance. This meeting was also attended by Cai Qi, Li Shulei, Shi Taifeng, He Lifeng, Zhang Youxia, Wang Xiaohong, Zu Zhenglong and officials from the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Industry and Technology. Additionally, the Ministry of Public Security in collaboration with cybersecurity authorities has launched a campaign to combat online rumours in order to make cyberspace safe for the citizens.
The National Security System Commendation Conference was organised in Beijing this past week. Chen Wenqing, the Secretary of the Central Political and Legal Committee stressed the point that Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era should be the guiding principle for all National Security organs. He elaborated that the need of the hour was to be unswervingly loyal to the party and the people and to build a robust security structure for a strong country and national rejuvenation. Political and Legal Committees and all concerned departments were also instructed to focus on the hidden front and to perform their duties lawfully.
The Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC) hosted the third China-Africa Future Leaders’ Dialogue in Beijing on Friday. It was the first time the dialogue happened in person. It welcomed about 100 participants including Chinese and African Youth Representatives in light of the 10-year anniversary of the Belt and Road initiative. This year also marked the 60th anniversary of China's deployment of its first medical aid team to Africa, post its initial medical worker group's arrival in Algeria in 1963. The Vice President of the CPAFFC Jiang Jiang added that The BRI would put its focus on development, which would be in line with the needs of the times and the aspirations of different countries for faster growth. Jiang also touched upon how the China-Africa collaboration was facilitating greater cooperation in areas of infrastructure, trade and cultural exchange. Didier Dacko, ambassador of Mali to China communicated that in the current global state, China and Africa's cooperation towards High-quality Belt and Road Initiative becomes more essential. This meeting also marked the 60th year anniversary of China's first deployment of medical aid to the continent.

China’s National Observatory upgraded the alert level for Typhoon Talim to orange over the weekend. The typhoon is expected to bring torrential rains to the southern coastal parts of the country. The National Meteorological Center announced in a statement that the typhoon was observed over the South China Sea and is expected to move towards the mainland at a speed of around 15 Km/h. It is expected to arrive between Guangdong and Hainan province early in the week and residents have been asked to avoid outdoor activities. Heavy rains are also forecasted to hit Guangdong, Hainan, Jianxi, Guanxi, Hunan.

SOCIAL MEDIA CHATTER IN CHINA

Tattoo parlour offers to ink contact details on Alzheimer patients: The story of a tattoo parlour inking details on the body of elderly Alzheimer’s patients has gone viral on social media in China. Zhang, owner of the three parlours in Guangdong provinces posted a story on social media stating that all three of her shops would provide the service free of cost. Alzheimer patients are subjected to memory loss and incapability to perform daily tasks and thus she was of the opinion that it was a more reliable way than medical cards that such patients are advised to wear in case they get lost or confused. Zhang also mentioned that she got inspiration from some other parlours in the region and she would conduct these procedures with the consent of the patients and their family. So far the procedure has been conducted on 40 people. Netizens on social media however have had mixed opinions. Some have applauded the gesture on social media while On the other hand, some users have also shown discomfort with the initiative as it could cause a lot of pain and stress to the patients.

INDIA WATCH

China’s cyber capability has become a raising concern to India and its integral national security interests. The discourse around non-conventional threats has become real in the last two decades specifically due to the tense relationship between the two neighbouring giants. China's quest for modernisation is the result of its strategic competition with the USA. It was in the Gulf Wars, that the world witnessed the technological superiority Americans have come to acquire. It was the trigger point for China to develop its strength in modern technology such as Informationization Warfare. In 2004, China’s National Defense policy argued for using informationization as a warfighting tool. In 2013, the Academy of Military Science in a study emphasised the role of cyber warfare. In this context, recent cyber attacks on the Indian power sector, seaports, UIDAI, Madhya Pradesh Police Network and much more have gone on to prove the efficiency and preparedness of the Chinese hackers. The writing on the wall is clear that if India does not act swiftly on securing itself with adequate countermeasures, the implications will be grave. So far, the steps taken by the government have been unsatisfactory as India continues to face more cyber-attacks than ever. Thus, India needs to act proactively to secure its sensitive systems by utilising upgraded technology. Successively, India can expand the jurisdiction of the National Critical Information Infrastructure Protection Centre to cover more sensitive infrastructure. It is imperative that we minimise the use of foreign hardware and software in critical infrastructure. Additionally, India can also use its weight in international politics to push for more stringent sanctions on the enterprises associated with hackers and their patrons.

Prepared By

Rahul Kheswa

Rahul Kheswa has recently completed his MA in East Asian Studies with a specialisation in China from the University of Delhi. For his BA, he majored in History and Political Science. During his MA, he learnt elementary Mandarin Chinese through elective course. Rahul’s research interest lies in Chinese society and continental philosophy.