CiCM 3rd January 2024

NEWS IN CHINA

China’s tourism market revenue surpasses pre-pandemic levels: 2024 started on a good note for China as it experienced growth in its tourism, surpassing pre-pandemic levels. The Ministry of Culture and Tourism said that domestic destinations had welcomed 135 million visitors from Saturday to Monday, which is 9.2 percent more than pre-pandemic levels. The tourism-related revenue fetched China around 79.7-billion-yuan, equivalent to 11.23 billion dollars. This revenue is also 5.6 percent more than what was recorded before COVID-19. The National Immigration Administration stated that all departures and entries amount to 5.18 million in three days. The tourism market has significantly increased during these three days and made a remarkable revenue. It was noted that there was a surge in overseas trips as well, particularly to places with shows and concerts. As per estimates according to China Tourism Academy, China will undergo remarkable growth in tourism both in visitor number and revenue. The academy also released a report stating that China's domestic visits will reach over 6 billion and income will exceed 6 trillion yuan in 2024. There is one more notable observation about the city of Harbin commonly, known as the ‘ice city’ which experienced great tourist turn over on the New Year holidays. It welcomed nearly 3.05 million visitors generating an income of 5.91 billion yuan.
China’s central SOEs have chosen their top ten megaprojects for 2023: China's state-owned assets regulator published a list of megaprojects completed or under construction by the country's central state-owned enterprises (SOEs) in 2023. Super engineering projects include the Shenzhou-17 spacecraft, China's HL-3, and the Hualong. One nuclear power unit exemplifies advanced technology and high-confinement operations. The list also consists of the Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Railway, a cross-sea underwater tunnel connecting Shenzhen and Zhongshan, a key project in enhancing the greater Bay Area's power supply. Projects like the intelligent computing centre and ethylene project have also made it into the top ten. The intelligent computing centre, an ethylene project, an eco-friendly offshore oil field, and a commercial service supporting 5G terminals and satellites made it into the top ten as well. The selection was made based on public opinion and expertise.
China is keen to modernise its aircraft industry: According to Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC), amid increasing tensions in its neighbourhood and deteriorating security environment, the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) has significantly increased the warplane production. China is enhancing its military equipment and the state-owned Aviation Industry Corporation (AVIC) as well as Chengdu Aircraft Industrial (Group) Co Ltd (CAC), Xi'an Aircraft Industry Group Company Ltd (XAC) and Shenyang Aircraft Company Limited (SAC). All these companies have exceeded their targets in their annual production. The CAC delivered its last aircraft on December 27, XAC finished its final test flight 2023 on December 20, and SAC completed its annual batch production and did testing flight missions on November 25. These companies have also completed their annual scientific research and production missions. China's increased production capacity is likely due to new technologies such as pulse assembly, which is faster and ensures better quality. This enabled China to use more advanced tools to deal with defence emergencies.
China is willing to assist Japan during these challenging times: Li Qiang, the Chinese Premier, has expressed his sympathies on behalf of the Chinese government for the powerful earthquakes that struck Japan. He added that China would provide essential assistance to Japan in overcoming these challenging times. Li also added that he strongly believes in PM Fumio Kishida's leadership. He opined that the people in disaster-affected areas will be able to overcome obstacles and restore their houses as quickly as possible.
Eight officials from Nanshan township named as “leisurly lying flat”: The party committee of Nanshan township became the topic of debate after the committee named and shamed officials coasting in their roles. They published a list containing the names of eight officials and asked the people who disagreed with their findings to file their grievances within a week. The notice stated that the officials were "leisurely lying flat". The phrase is used to criticise people who are not innovative nor attempt to develop. The usage of catchphrase in the official document caught the attention of netizens. Some raised doubts regarding the impartial nature of the list, and some argued that publicising the official names in such a manner has broken the existing disciplinary standards. Responding to these arguments and doubts, the committee stated that making the list public was part of a carefully designed strategy to urge officials to work harder and better serve the people.

SOCIAL MEDIA CHATTER IN CHINA

A kindergarten boy gifts gold worth 15,500 US dollars to a girl in his class as “engagement” gift: The news of a kindergarten boy from China who had gifted gold worth 15,500 US dollars to a girl in his class is trending in China. Earlier, the boy's parents told him the gold was for women he would marry. The boy misunderstood his parents' words and gave gold to his classmate as an "engagement" gift. This incident happened in Guang'an, Sichuan province. A video of the girl holding the gift box containing two gold bars is trending in China. In the viral video, the girl's mother asks what they are, and the girl innocently replies, "I don't know". The girl's parents had returned the gold box to the boy's parent. This video has caused so much sensation and amusement among the people of China. The netizens were amused by seeing the little boy’s courage in giving away 200 grams of gold so casually.

INDIA WATCH

According to the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), India's travel and tourism will surpass pre-pandemic figures in the coming year. The revenue earned before COVID-19 was 15.7 trillion US dollars, while the current statistics amount to 15.9 trillion US dollars. India's domestic aviation capacity also surpassed pre-pandemic levels in 2023, says OAG data. It also stated that daily e-commerce spending on travel-related goods and services has exceeded 2019 since September 2023 but has yet to recover fully. Though there is an increase and improvement in the tourism sector, India has yet to surpass the number of visitors from 2019 levels. As per data, India's tourism sector is in a vital recovery phase and steadily increasing; though foreign exchange earnings from tourism improved well, they have yet to reach pre-pandemic figures fully. On the other hand, China has surpassed its pre-pandemic levels in the tourism sector. There is an increase in both the number of tourists visiting China and tourism-related revenue. Tourism-related revenue brought China approximately 79.7 billion yuan or 11.23 billion dollars. This revenue is also 5.6 per cent more than before COVID-19. The number of visitors also increased by 9.2 per cent from 2019 levels. The reasons for India's failure to surpass pre-pandemic levels in the tourism sector are varied. It might be because of infrastructure limitations, lack of development, particularly in tourism hotspots, improper transportation networks and tourist facilities, and visa complexities.

Prepared By

Siva Kumar Nichenakolla

Siva Kumar is a committed and aspiring international relations scholar with a strong desire to know global dynamics. Siva has a strong academic foundation in international relations and has shown a deep interest in understanding the complexities of international relations.