CiCM 18 January 2024

NEWS IN CHINA

Tianzhou-7 launch achieves success, bolsters Tiangong Space station resupply mission: China's Tianzhou-7 spacecraft successfully entered its preset orbit after a 10-minute flight, marking the first of four planned manned space program missions in 2024. The Long March-7 rocket, dubbed the "space station cargo express," launched the cargo spacecraft, loaded with over 260 items, including 5.6 tons of cargo. This cargo includes living essentials for taikonauts (Chinese astronauts), experimental payloads, and items for in-orbit scientific experiments. The spacecraft boasts the world's largest active cargo transportation capacity and the highest freight efficiency, with upgrades allowing ultrafast rendezvous and docking with the China Space Station. The mission aims to deliver 16 standard cargo packages and conduct 33 scientific experiments in areas such as space life science, materials science, microgravity, fluid physics, and combustion science on the Tiangong, advancing China's space exploration capabilities. The Long March-7 rocket is scheduled for additional launches in 2024, supporting China's space station objectives.

A Chinese company to supply official uniforms for Paris 2024 and Milano-Cortina 2026 Olympics: China's Hengyuanxiang Group has been reconfirmed as the official supplier of formal uniforms for International Olympic Committee (IOC) members and administrators at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games and the Milano-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games. The announcement follows a meeting between IOC President Thomas Bach and Hengyuanxiang (HYX) founder Liu Ruiqi and President Chen Zhongwei. Expressing satisfaction with their collaboration during the Tokyo 2020 and Beijing 2022 Games, Bach stated, "We look forward to wearing the formal uniforms with pride in Paris this year and in Milano Cortina in 2026." HYX, established in 1927 in Shanghai, is a prominent privately-owned textile SME that operates in the personal goods sector and oversees a consortium of franchise factories. The company has a history of supporting sports, including sponsorship of the Beijing 2008 and Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics. Additionally, HYX partnered with the Chinese Olympic Committee from 2009 to 2016 and served as an IOC supplier from 2019 to 2022.

Premier Li Qiang signs an order for amendment of Administrative Regulations and Decisions: Premier Li Qiang has signed a State Council order announcing the "Decision of the State Council on Amending Some Administrative Regulations and Decisions," effective immediately. This decision aligns with the March 2023 "Plan for the Reform of Party and State Institutions" issued by the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council. To ensure consistency and efficiency in the administrative regulatory system and expedite transformation in government functions, the State Council has revised financial field regulations. Key amendments include:

Modifications to the Regulations of the Monetary Policy Committee of the People's Bank of China, aligning with the establishment of the State Financial Supervision and Administration. Changes involve adjusting committee member units, clarifying responsibilities, and improving working procedures to enhance the committee's effectiveness and adherence to Communist Party leadership.
Amendment of the "Decision of the State Council on Implementing Access Management of Bank Card Clearing Institutions", replacing "China Banking Regulatory Commission" with the "State Financial Supervision Administration" to reflect institutional reform requirements.
Amendment of the "Decision of the State Council on Implementing Access Management of Financial Holding Companies", transferring daily supervision responsibilities from the People's Bank of China to the State Financial Supervision and Administration Bureau; the approval and supervision body has also changed accordingly.

Heilongjiang expands green food production with 7 new national Standardized bases: Heilongjiang has made significant strides in promoting high-quality agricultural products and ensuring food safety through the establishment of seven national green food raw material standardized production bases, covering a total of 2.48 million acres. As of December 2023, Heilongjiang boasts a total of 70.935 million acres in national green food raw material standardized production bases, ranking first in the country. Emphasizing the theme of high-quality development, the province has focused on increasing the supply of green, high-quality agricultural products while prioritizing quality and safety. To achieve this, the provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Affairs has implemented a comprehensive approach, encompassing the establishment of a full-process quality control model and the construction of national standardized production bases for green food raw materials. Key initiatives include the formulation of strict supervision systems, the registration of base administrators, the registration of production and operation entities, and the recognition of high-quality and efficient national green food pilot projects. To date, commendations have been given to 31 bases and 280 administrators, reflecting the province's commitment to advancing its agricultural sector.

Unexpected rise in newborns brings relief to milk powder and maternal-infant companies: The National Bureau of Statistics revealed that the number of new births in 2023 accounted to 9.02 million, surpassing the milk powder industry's initial prediction of 8 million by 10%. This unexpected increase offers hope to the struggling infant milk powder and maternity product sectors. While companies such as Feihe, Ausnutria Dairy, Junlebao, and Mengniu have not yet commented on this development, the industry has been grappling with declining birth rates for an extended period. Listed companies like Beingmate, China Feihe, and Junlebao have reported decreasing revenues, prompting them to seek ways to overcome this challenge. While the birth rate uptick provides relief, the industry still faces ongoing market shrinkage and fierce competition. The implementation of new national standards for infant milk powder has led to a second round of adjustments, with smaller companies exiting the market. Analysts predict that 30% of infant milk powder companies had exited in 2022. Despite challenges, some leading companies, like Yili, expect positive growth in the fourth quarter, signaling a potential recovery.

China's cutting-edge organ transplant method unleashes full potential of donor organs: A groundbreaking organ transplant technique, Ischemia-Free Organ Transplantation (IFOT), developed by Professor He Xiaoshun at the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University in Guangzhou, China, is gaining global attention for its potential to address donor organ ischemic injury in transplantation surgery. IFOT eliminates the traditional method's ischemic damage by using a "multi-organ normothermic perfusion device" developed in 2016. This device mimics the human body, providing blood and nutrients to donor organs, keeping them fresh ex vivo for an extended period. The hospital hosted a liver transplant operation in December, attracting transplant experts from Germany, the United States, and the World Health Organization (WHO). Professor He's team previously achieved worldwide milestones with ischemia-free liver, kidney, and heart transplants in 2017, 2019, and 2021, respectively. The innovative technique has significantly reduced post-operative complications, enhanced organ utilization, and garnered attention in international medical journals and conferences.

China's CBC boosts presence in Bolivia's lithium mining sector: Bolivia and the Chinese consortium CBC, featuring battery giant CATL, strengthened their collaboration by signing a deal aimed at enhancing their involvement in one of the world's largest lithium reserves. Bolivia's President, Luiz Arce, expressed the country's desire to engage in the entire battery production chain and not just mining. The new agreement follows a previous deal in January 2023, where CBC committed over $1 billion to establish two industrial direct lithium extraction (DLE) plants in Bolivia. The recent pact involves an additional $90 million investment, expanding CBC's role in Bolivia's emerging lithium industry, located near the Uyuni salt flat. The agreements encompass the development of a pilot plant with an initial production capacity of 2,500 metric tons per year, with plans for a future industrial plant capable of producing 25,000 metric tons annually. CBC's representative highlighted the strategic significance of the pilot, aiming to position Bolivia as a vital global centre for the lithium battery industry. Bolivia has also partnered with Chinese companies CBC and Citic Guoan, along with Russian firm Uranium One Group, to construct industrial facilities for lithium carbonate production. Additionally, an agreement with India's Altmin focuses on developing cathode material technology for lithium batteries.

SOCIAL MEDIA CHATTER IN CHINA

Outrage as HR Executive admits to illegal firing, sparks controversy at Beijing chip design company: A video capturing a human resources executive unlawfully firing an employee and openly admitting to breaking the law has gone viral with over a billion views online. The incident occurred at a chip design company in Beijing, where the HR executive, surnamed Jing, arrogantly acknowledges the illegal termination and threatens to hinder the employee's future job prospects. The video sparked trending hashtags on Chinese social media, prompting the company, NeoNexus Technologies Limited, to issue a statement apologizing for the executive's inappropriate remarks. While defending Jing, citing an "emotional state," the company asserted the legal basis of the termination, citing the employee's alleged lack of competence and poor performance. The former employee, Sun, maintains his desire for an apology and to cease the alleged slander. Despite a district labor inspector stating that Sun had not filed a complaint and had reached a severance agreement, the controversy has elicited mixed online reactions, with condemnation for the company's actions and concerns about Sun's employment prospects.

INDIA WATCH

India has not lagged far behind China in organ transplantation technology. In 2022, the unveiling of the first prototype drone for human organ transport, spearheaded by Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, aimed to address airport–hospital road transportation constraints, revolutionizing last-mile organ delivery and enhancing land and air connectivity. However, despite the progressive Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues Act in India, which recognizes brain death to encourage deceased organ donation, challenges persist—living donor transplants dominated the 15,561 organ transplants in 2022. This trend is driven by the private sector, particularly large corporate hospitals; public sector hospitals have witnessed a lack of incentives and de-prioritization. Factors such as high costs, religious and cultural considerations, and hospital reluctance contribute to the limited availability of cadaver donations. The situation underscores the need for comprehensive reform to address the increasing disease burden in the light of relatively few organ transplants. Analysts have emphasized the critical role of government initiatives in transforming India’s organ transplantation landscape, and the Indian government is actively pursuing such initiatives to improve organ donation logistics. The ongoing restructuring of the National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (NOTTO), which includes the development of a transplant manual and training for coordinators, reflects a commitment towards addressing systemic challenges. While the drone prototype represents a step towards efficient organ transportation, systemic reforms are essential for a more comprehensive and sustainable impact.

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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.