CiCM 23rd July 2024

NEWS IN CHINA

Beijing Hosts Landmark Reconciliation Dialogue for Palestinian Unity, Endorses Beijing Declaration: A three-day reconciliation dialogue took place in Beijing from July 21 to July 23, during which representatives from 14 Palestinian factions reached an agreement. Fatah and Hamas representatives attended the dialogue, and Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning was present at the signing of the Beijing Declaration. The declaration marks a momentous step towards intra-Palestinian reconciliation and unity. Fatah representatives acknowledged China’s key role in the process. The Palestinian Liberation Organisation (PLO) was named as the only legitimate representative of the Palestinian people, highlighting the need for their national integrity to be respected. In his speech, Foreign Minister Wang Yi proposed a three-pronged response to the current conflict. He recommended a comprehensive ceasefire, post-war governance by Palestinian representatives, and membership in the United Nations. China’s active participation in the Palestine-Israel war marks cooperation and trust between the countries and China’s support for Palestine’s internal reconciliation and independence.
SCO Holds First All-Member Anti-Terrorism Drill in Xinjiang to Counter Rising Threats: All member-states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) recently partook in an anti-terrorism drill in China to counter rising threats from terrorism. The Anti-terrorism Interaction-2024 took place in Northwestern China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. China, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, Belarus, and Uzbekistan jointly conducted the first all-member states anti-terrorism drill. The drill included a simulation of sabotage activities, live forces, target signs of terrorist organizations, a training course, and a special operation for eradicating terrorist groups. Aerial drones and robot dogs were used for the drill, and soldiers and police personnel were equipped with assault rifles, pistols, riot shields, all-terrain vehicles, and helicopters. The threat of terrorism is rising in Central, West and South Asia. China is also facing the challenges of potential terrorist threats. This joint exercise signifies the SCO’s cooperation and interoperability in anti-terrorism and its capabilities in anti-terrorist operations. The all-member drill underscores the SCO’s commitment to anti-terrorism.
China Advances Fusion Energy with BEST Tokamak, Attracts Major Investments: China’s next step towards industrialising fusion energy, following the success of EAST (China’s “artificial sun”), is BEST (Burning Plasma Experimental Superconducting Tokamak). Controlled Nuclear Fusion, a relatively new experiment that was previously limited to laboratories, is now open to commercial investors. Its commercial viability stems from its potential to transform the energy landscape and address energy scarcity. Operations have commenced at a fusion reactor in Hefei, and a new facility, the Burning Plasma Experimental Superconducting Tokamak (BEST), is under construction to focus on generating electricity through fusion energy. NeoFusion, central to BEST, has attracted investment from the state-owned China National Petroleum Corporation, the Chinese Academy of Sciences Hefei Science Island, and other sources, propelling the company to unicorn status. Similarly, Startorous Fusion from Tsinghua University and Energy Singularity from Shanghai have secured funding for major projects. Fusion energy by-products are already improving human health and public safety. According to the Fusion Industry Association (FIA), the global fusion industry has attracted over $7.1 billion in investment. Fusion energy is also highlighted in China’s energy technology roadmap, reflecting the modernisation goals set during the third plenary session.
China Adds 6.98 Million Urban Jobs in H1 2024; Urban Unemployment Stable at 5%: The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security released statistics related to urban employment on 23rd July. A sum of 6.98 million new urban jobs were added in the first half of 2024. The survey stated that urban unemployment was 5%, with the rates of employment remaining relatively stable. China aims to keep the urban jobless rate at 5.5% for this year. Urban employment showed an annual decrease of 0.2% which was regarded as a positive trajectory by the ministry. They predict that this growth will continue in the second half of the year as well, underscoring China’s commitment to creating favourable policies. The employment rates among college graduates and migrant workers have been stable and 30 million people belonging to an impoverished background were employed. These positive trends are owed to a continuous economic revival, rising service consumption and expansion of advanced manufacturing sectors such as new materials and high-end equipment. At the same time, the ministry has outlined hurdles that continue to persist such as a complex international environment, falling domestic demand, and operational pressures. Furthermore, they have mentioned how certain industries may face hardships in providing employment.
China Introduces New Rules for Implementing State Secrets Law, Effective September 1: A decree of the State Council to unveil the rules for implementing the Law on Guarding State Secrets was signed by Chinese Premier Li Qiang. The law is due to take effect on September 1. The set of rules has six chapters and 74 articles that outline the implementation of the law. The regulations state that they attempt to fine-tune leadership and management mechanisms regarding state-secret protection and attempt to present a nuanced responsibility of involved parties. The rules describe classified items and protection of state secrets lucidly, and state the need to increase supervision of related work. Furthermore, the rules state that organizations and individuals who have practised the safety of state secrets in an emergency or have reported on the illegal acquiring or leaking of secrets will be rewarded. Internet operators have also been instructed to follow confidentiality laws and protocols. They have been encouraged to create and implement structures that tackle violations or leakage of state secrets. They have included incentives for furthering the research on confidential scientific technology. The rules emphasize the importance of regular risk assessments and the legitimacy of information equipment in classified information systems. The rules also state that government employees cannot violate the law by using non-confidential information systems or equipment to store, transmit or process state secrets. Additionally, the rules call for strict checks and state that individuals in violation of the law will be held accountable.

China Issues Blue Alert for Typhoon Gaemi as Typhoon Prapiroon Hits Guangxi: On Tuesday morning, China’s national observatory announced a blue alert for Typhoon Gaemi. The typhoon is forecasted to hit China’s southern region and is supposed to bring strong winds and heavy rainfall. The typhoon was located southeast of Yilan County in Taiwan at 5 a.m. and is estimated to move northwestward at 20 km/hr while gradually increasing in intensity. Heavy rainfall from Tuesday to Wednesday is expected in certain regions of Taiwan and Guangxi. Windstorms are expected to hit parts of the East China Sea, South China Sea, Bashi Channel, Beibu Gulf, and Taiwan Strait. The centre has instructed local authorities to be prepared for typhoon emergency responses and be vigilant of flooding and other geological disasters. South China’s autonomous region of Guangxi Zhuang was hit by Typhoon Prapiroon on Tuesday morning, 23rd July. The typhoon brought rainstorms and strong winds that caused the suspension of trains and the closure of popular destinations. The meteorological department reported that the typhoon was located in Vietnam on Tuesday morning. Cities near Guangxi, like Fangchenggang, Qinzhou, Beihai and Chongzou, were ridden by heavy rainfall and torrential rains. Strong winds and gusts in the coastal region caused the closure of 20 ferry routes and a few scenic destinations.

SOCIAL MEDIA CHATTER

Controversial Nike Advertisement Stirs Discussions On Social Media: In anticipation of the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, Nike launched a campaign with the tagline “Winning Isn’t for Everyone”. In the advertisement, a female table tennis player licks the paddle. The advertisement was posted on Sina Weibo on 19th July, and the hashtag for “Nike promotional video licking table tennis paddle” has been viewed 81 million times on Sina Weibo. This has stirred heated conversations about the nature of the advertisement among Netizens. Nike’s customer service acknowledged the mixed reactions and said they would provide feedback regarding the advertisement. However, they do not currently have an answer on the matter. On the one hand, the discussion among netizens revolved around their distaste and confusion regarding the advertisement and they questioned how the sport was portrayed. On the other hand, others regarded the online community’s reaction as excessive and suggested not to overanalyse the portrayal of the sport in the advertisement.

INDIA WATCH

Indian Union Budget 2024-25: Key Highlights and Fiscal Implications: Xinhua, a Chinese news agency, reported that the Indian Government’s Union Budget of 2024-25 was presented on Tuesday, 23rd July. The estimated expenditure reached 48.21 trillion Indian rupees and the estimated fiscal deficit of 4.9% of India’s gross domestic product (GDP). The article quoted the Finance Minister, Nirmala Sitharaman, stating that this fiscal year’s budget will emphasize employment, building skills, MSMEs (micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises) and the middle class. She uncovered a package of five schemes aimed at facilitating employment, building skills and creating other opportunities for the 41 million youth over the next five years. The article reported that 2 trillion Indian rupees have been allotted to enable these initiatives. As per the Union Budget, the cost of three essential and expensive cancer medicines, Trastuzumab, Deruxtecan, Osimertinib and Durvalumab, will be reduced as the 10% customs duty imposed has been lifted. The cost of mobile phones and chargers will be reduced because the customs duty levied was cut by 15%. Imported precious metals will also become cheaper because of reduced customs duty. The article stated that the prices of plastic goods and telecom services would increase because the customs duties levied upon them increased. The duties for plastic goods were increased from 10% to 15%, and raised from 10% to 25%for telecom services.

Prepared By

Sanjana Shah

Sanjana Shah is a graduate in International Studies with a minor in Journalism from FLAME University, Pune. Her interests lie in exploring the nuances and intricacies of geopolitics and understanding the complexities that arise from the socio-political-economic nexus. She is deeply interested in history, defence and security studies, and humanitarian studies.