CiCM 12th December 2023

NEWS IN CHINA

Xi Jinping’s Vietnam Visit advocates for a Shared Future in China-Vietnam relations: Chinese President Xi Jinping initiated a state visit to Vietnam, emphasizing on the importance of building a strategic China-Vietnam community with a shared future. Xi highlighted the need for strategic communication, leveraging complementary strengths, fostering friendly exchanges, and managing differences. Trade between the two nations has flourished, with Vietnam's export revenues increasing, particularly in agricultural products like durian. China has remained Vietnam's largest trading partner, and bilateral trade in 2022 reached $234.92 billion. Development projects, such as the Chinese-built metro line in Hanoi and the Soc Son waste-to-energy plant, exemplify the growing cooperation. Xi's visit is expected to further boost economic, trade, and investment ties, benefiting both countries and the region. This underscores the alignment of Chinese investment with Vietnam's economic transformation, with implications for areas like high-tech, green development, and e-commerce logistics. As Vietnam seeks foreign investments, both nations aim to strengthen connectivity and cooperation under initiatives like the Belt and Road Initiative and Vietnam's "Two Corridors and One Economic Circle" plan. The comprehensive strategic cooperation is seen as mutually beneficial, promoting modernization and bringing benefits to both peoples.
China Unveils New Strategies in Ongoing Battle for Blue Skies: China's State Council has issued the "Action Plan for Continuous Improvement of Air Quality," marking the third set of measures to combat air pollution. Despite historic achievements in air quality improvement, challenges persist, especially in key areas. The plan outlines goals for 2025, including a 10% reduction in PM2.5 concentration nationwide, controlling severe pollution days to within 1%, and reducing nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds emissions by over 10%. China's industrial dominance in manufacturing, coal consumption, and heavy industries presents ongoing challenges in air pollution control. The plan emphasizes the need for sustained efforts, describing the battle to defend the blue sky as tough and protracted. The plan advocates a continued "combination punch" approach, utilizing legal, market, technology, and policy means to enhance air quality. The emphasis remains on scientific and technological support, financial guidance, tax regulation, and price policies to ensure sustained progress.
Chinese UN Ambassador Tours Gaza-Egypt Crossing to Assess Humanitarian Situation: China's UN Ambassador Zhang Jun, along with ambassadors from Security Council members, visited the Rafah crossing, the sole Gaza-Egypt border point, on a trip organized by the UAE. The aim was to assess the humanitarian situation in Gaza and the challenges faced by Palestinians. The delegation received briefings on ongoing humanitarian and medical assistance efforts, engaged with UN agency heads, and inspected key facilities, including the border crossing, hospitals, and water plants. Zhang emphasized the need to stop the conflict and double humanitarian efforts to aid Palestinians facing an unprecedented catastrophe. He thanked Egypt, the UAE, and UN agencies for their proactive measures. Zhang reiterated China's efforts to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, urging the Security Council to prioritize a cease-fire and expand humanitarian access. The visit coincided with the UN's failure to adopt a draft resolution for a Gaza cease-fire, with the US vetoing it, citing concerns about Hamas and advocating for a durable peace.
China Initiates Groundbreaking Pilot for Digital Transformation in Land and Space Governance: The General Office of the Ministry of Natural Resources has issued a notice announcing the deployment of a pilot project for the "Land Spatial Planning Implementation Monitoring Network." Covering 16 provinces, 29 cities, and 1 district (county), the pilot project aims to enhance the digital governance of land and space. Scheduled until 2025, the initiative seeks to lead digital transformation in land and space management, contributing to the construction of a green and smart digital ecological civilization. The notice emphasizes a demand and problem-oriented approach, urging pilot units to focus on practical applications aligned with critical challenges in land and space development. Collaboration across government, industry, academia, and research is encouraged to facilitate theoretical, technological, and institutional innovation. The initiative aims to build digital ecological infrastructure and enhance the monitoring network’s "smart" capabilities for territorial spatial planning.
Xi Jinping Outlines Strategies for Sustaining China's Economic Recovery during annual Central Economic Work Conference: In a pivotal economic meeting, China deliberated on its 2023 economic recovery, recognizing achievements in constructing a modern industrial system, fostering scientific innovation, and driving growth through consumption, particularly with the impressive 41.7% export growth of the tech-intensive green trio which includes solar batteries, lithium-ion batteries, and electric vehicles. The meeting underscored challenges such as effective demand, overcapacity, and societal expectations, emphasizing the need for vigilance and instilling confidence to maintain an overall positive economic outlook. Looking ahead to 2024, the meeting outlined policies crucial for ensuring stability, fostering growth, and promoting employment. These include a commitment to counter-cyclical macro policies, innovative fiscal measures, and prudent monetary policies to lower real economy financing costs. Prioritizing technological innovation, domestic demand expansion, and a novel development model to address real estate risks were also highlighted. Accelerating foreign trade, adopting market-oriented approaches, and supporting Belt and Road cooperation emerged as key strategies. This meeting serves as a cornerstone, providing strategic guidance towards high-quality development, technological self-reliance, and overcoming economic cycle challenges in the evolving Chinese economic landscape.

SOCIAL MEDIA CHATTER IN CHINA

China's 11-Year-Old, Studying in the Open, Gets Own Bedroom, Thanks to Heartwarming Community Support: An 11-year-old girl named Xinyi in Zhejiang province, China, who had been living in cramped conditions with her grandparents, now has her own bedroom, thanks to the kindness of her local community. The family shared a four-meter-square room used as a kitchen, living area, and bedroom, making it challenging for Xinyi to study. Unable to afford a desk, her grandfather had to place one outside, forcing her to do homework outdoors or on a bunk bed during rainy days. Xinyi expressed her desire for a personal space where she could study and sleep. Upon hearing their plight, the local community committee took action. They identified a vacant room used by the elderly for reading newspapers, cleared it, initiated a crowdfunding campaign, and engaged residents to furnish the space. Xinyi's new room, measuring about nine square meters, now includes a bed, chair, bookcase, and other essentials. The committee ensured she can stay there rent-free until she turns 18. “I’m happy. The room is good, and I can finish my homework faster,” Xinyi said. Her gratitude and improved spirits demonstrate the positive impact of community support on her well-being and academic aspirations. This heartwarming story has resonated widely on mainland social media, with one person expressing, “It’s so heart-wrenching, but heart-warming too.” This sentiment captures the emotional impact of the community's kindness, emphasizing the transformative power of local support on Xinyi's well-being and academic aspirations.

INDIA WATCH

Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar reiterated India's "long-standing position" on the Israel-Palestine issue during a conversation on 9^th December 2023 with Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammed Shtayyeh. Expressing deep concern about the situation in Gaza and the West Bank amid the Israel-Hamas conflict, Jaishankar emphasized India's support for direct negotiations to establish a sovereign, independent, and viable Palestinian state. Both leaders agreed to stay in touch regarding the ongoing conflict, reaffirming India's consistent stance on advocating peace and dialogue. Although India’s diplomatic stance on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has remained more or less consistent, political sentiments have undergone subtle shifts over the years, particularly under Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Historically supporting Palestine, India initially opposed Israel's UN admission. However, normalization of relations occurred in 1992 under Prime Minister P V Narasimha Rao. Modi's personal touch became evident with his 2007 visit to Israel as Gujarat's chief minister. In 2017, his departure from the past was marked by omitting a balancing trip to Ramallah, signaling a change in India's Israel-Palestine ties. Modi's support for a "sovereign, independent, united, and viable Palestine" before his Israel visit reflected nuanced adjustments in India's stance. During the recent Israel-Gaza violence, Modi expressed solidarity with Israel, condemning the Hamas attacks as a "terrorist act." While affirming support for the two-state solution, India subtly differentiated its stand, addressing the conflict's complexities. Prime Minister Modi's conversation with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on October 19 also reiterated India's concern about the conflict and emphasized a peaceful resolution. India, recognizing the State of Palestine in 1988, has maintained diplomatic ties with both Israel and Palestine, emphasizing a diplomatic approach for lasting peace in the region. In response to the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict, China too has taken a similar diplomatic stance, condemning acts that harm civilians and advocating for a two-state solution. Additionally, Foreign Minister Wang Yi underscored historical injustices against Palestine and expressed China's readiness to support their cause. Analysts posit that China's position is shaped by its strategic and economic interests in the region. Notably, while China has strengthened ties with Palestine, it also maintains a robust economic relationship with Israel, ranking as its second-largest trading partner. This nuanced approach reflects China's evolving diplomatic engagement in the Middle East, positioning itself as an alternative player with the capacity to navigate complex geopolitical dynamics.

Prepared By

Elias Sebin

Elias Sebin is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in International Relations from South Asian University, New Delhi. His areas of research interest include the geopolitics and social dynamics of the Latin American, West Asian, and African regions as well as gender dynamics and intersectional feminism in South Asia. An avid traveller on a shoestring budget, his short fiction and travelogues have previously been published in several online publications including LiveWire, The Reading Room Co., and Gulmohur Quarterly.