CiCM 7th June 2024

NEWS IN CHINA

Strengthening Ties- Pakistan PM's Official Visit to China: Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met with Zhao Leji, Chairman of China's National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, during his official visit to China. Zhao emphasized the deep, enduring friendship and strategic partnership between the two nations, expressing China's willingness to enhance cooperation across various sectors and strengthen legislative exchanges. Sharif echoed these sentiments, supporting China's key initiatives and the one-China principle. He aimed to boost bilateral cooperation through meetings with Chinese corporate executives and participation in the China-Pakistan Business Forum in Shenzhen. His visit, which included stops in Beijing, Xi'an, and Shenzhen, focused on upgrading the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), attracting Chinese investment, and fostering economic and agricultural ties. Sharif's visit underscored the commitment to deepening the China-Pakistan partnership, with discussions aimed at enhancing trade, security, and cultural exchanges. The visit also aimed to accelerate CPEC projects, demonstrating Pakistan’s steadfast support for China, including its stance on Taiwan.
China’s Foreign Trade Sees Robust Growth in Early 2024: China’s foreign trade showed strong growth in the first five months of 2024, with total imports and exports increasing by 6.3% compared to the previous year, reaching 17.5 trillion yuan (about $2.46 trillion). Exports grew by 6.1%, while imports rose by 6.4%. In May alone, trade expanded by 8.6%, driven by high-end and environmentally friendly products. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations remained China's largest trading partner, accounting for 15.8% of total trade. Trade with countries involved in the Belt and Road Initiative surged by 7.2%. Private enterprises played a significant role, with their trade rising by 11.5%, making up over half of the total. Machinery and electronic products dominated exports, with significant increases in data processing equipment, integrated circuits, and automobiles. This trade growth supports China's goal of achieving around 5% economic growth for the year, bolstered by solid economic fundamentals and supportive policies.
13.4 Million Students Take Record-High Gaokao Exam in China: Over 13.4 million students in China have begun the rigorous "gaokao" exam, known as the world's toughest college entrance test. This year marks the highest number of participants ever, surpassing last year's 12.9 million. The two-day exam includes subjects such as Chinese literature, math, english, and sciences, with students vying for spots in top universities. Given the country's slowing economy and high youth unemployment, the pressure to perform well is immense. In Beijing, special measures like traffic redirections and noise control around exam sites were implemented to create a conducive environment. Across China, various regions made adjustments to the exam format, offering students some choice in subjects. The gaokao is seen as a fair test rewarding hard work, with significant support from society to ensure its integrity and fairness. Measures include special provisions for disabled students and advanced technologies to prevent cheating. Despite the intense pressure, the exam remains a key pathway to higher education and better job prospects in China.
Financial Incentives for Home and Parking Space Purchases: Nanning is introducing measures to stabilize its real estate market, including financial subsidies for purchasing new homes and parking spaces. From June 1 to August 31, 2024, buyers of their first or second newly built homes can receive up to 10,000 yuan in subsidies, while new parking space buyers can get up to 1,000 yuan. The subsidies cover the actual deed tax paid if it’s below these limits. The city is also allowing residents to use their housing provident fund for down payments on new pre-sale homes in specific districts from June 2024 to May 2025. Additionally, Nanning is optimizing loan standards, making it easier for families, including those with multiple children, to be recognized as first-time homebuyers, even if they have other properties or loans. To further aid the market, developers can delay payments for urban infrastructure fees and special maintenance funds until 2025. New policies also permit unsold community parking spaces to be offered to the public after meeting certain conditions, aiming to increase available parking. These initiatives are designed to boost homeownership and ease the financial burden on buyers, while also supporting the real estate market's health and stability.
Guidelines for Responsible Reporting on Mental Health Released in Hong Kong: Hong Kong's Equal Opportunities Commission has released guidelines urging fair and unbiased reporting on mental health issues to prevent stigmatization. The guidelines advise against using derogatory terms or sensationalized headlines and emphasize the importance of accurate portrayal and language usage. Media are urged to refrain from delving into private lives or depicting incidents as tragedies. Instead, they should include information about support services and share stories of personal growth. The initiative aims to combat discrimination against the mentally ill and promote understanding in society. These guidelines, developed in collaboration with mental health experts and media representatives, seek to ensure responsible reporting and raise awareness about mental health challenges.

SOCIAL MEDIA CHATTER

Social Media Boosts New Zealand-China Tourism: Social media is driving the revival of tourism between New Zealand and China as travel picks up post-pandemic. Platforms like Xiaohongshu and WeChat are key in attracting visitors by showcasing unique travel experiences. Chinese tourists are now exploring lesser-known parts of New Zealand, influenced by social media campaigns such as "Escape the Heat and Head to New Zealand." Activities like visiting Hobbiton and hiking in Queenstown are gaining popularity. Study tours during China’s summer holidays are also promoted online, aligning with New Zealand’s off-peak seasons. For New Zealanders, social media highlights China’s cultural experiences and travel conveniences, like easy payments through Alipay and WeChat. This has sparked increased interest in visiting China. Tourism providers in both countries are collaborating with influencers and launching digital campaigns to attract tourists. This social media strategy not only boosts tourism but also strengthens cultural and business ties between New Zealand and China.

INDIA WATCH

China Reminds India on One-China Principle Following Modi's Comments: China’s Global Times covered a reminder from the Chinese government to India about respecting the one-China principle after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed interest in closer ties with Taiwan. Modi's remarks followed congratulations from Taiwan's regional leader, Lai Ching-te, on Modi's election victory. Modi recently won his third term in office, though with a reduced majority. Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning emphasized that India, which has diplomatic relations with China, should avoid official interactions with Taiwan. Mao reiterated that Taiwan is an integral part of China, a stance widely accepted in international relations. Chinese experts suggested that Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) faces challenges in pushing economic reforms due to their lack of an outright majority. They speculated that Modi might leverage nationalist sentiments to strengthen his political position. The message from China underscores the importance of adhering to previously made commitments and the potential geopolitical tensions arising from deviations.

Prepared By

Kriti Rai

Kriti is an undergraduate student at FLAME University pursuing Data Science and Economics. She is proficient in C++, Python, MySQL, and data visualisation tools such as Tableau. Her areas of interest lie in building predictive models and utilising machine learning to enhance decision-making and tackle real-world challenges.