CiCM 13th June 2024

NEWS IN CHINA

Gansu Improves “One-Click Poverty Reporting” to Prevent Large-Scale Return to Poverty: On June 13th, the State Council Information Office held a series of press briefings on “Advancing High-Quality Development.” During these sessions, Ren Zhenhe, Deputy Secretary of the Gansu Provincial Party Committee and Governor, highlighted the province's ongoing efforts to prevent a widespread return to poverty. Over the past few years, Gansu has focused on revitalizing rural areas and supporting impoverished populations. A significant achievement in this endeavor is the increase in average disposable income per person in impoverished rural areas, which rose from 9,395 yuan in 2020 to 12,107 yuan in 2023, reflecting an average annual growth rate of 8.9%. Ren Zhenhe emphasized the province's commitment to innovation by enhancing the “Gansu one-click poverty reporting” system. This system utilizes digital tools for real-time monitoring, aiming to prevent poverty relapse and provide timely assistance to those at risk. To further support these efforts, Gansu plans to improve industrial support, foster labor cooperation, develop new projects, and promote talent exchanges. These initiatives are part of a broader strategy to facilitate collaborative development between the eastern and western regions in this new era.
Shanghai's Advancements in the Automobile Industry: Shanghai has seen significant growth in its automobile sector, adding 353,500 new vehicles and achieving a market penetration rate of 67%. This brings the city's cumulative total to 1.367 million vehicles, accounting for nearly 10% of the national total. This growth highlights Shanghai's success in promoting and integrating new energy vehicles into its market. In 2023, the city's eight vehicle manufacturing enterprises produced 2.156 million vehicles, underscoring its role as a major hub for automotive manufacturing in China. Among Shanghai's 177 municipal intelligent factories, 42 are dedicated to the automotive field, significantly enhancing quality and efficiency through intelligent upgrades. These advancements have positioned Shanghai as a leader in automotive innovation and manufacturing excellence. Looking ahead, Han Dadong emphasized that Shanghai will continue to implement the vehicle terminal driving strategy to foster high-quality development in the automobile industry. The city will focus on developing car-grade chips, addressing technical challenges, and accelerating the application of intelligently networked vehicles. Additionally, Shanghai aims to promote the rapid development of fuel cell vehicles, a promising direction for sustainable transportation. Through these efforts, Shanghai aims to maintain its leadership in the automotive industry and continue its trajectory of innovation and high-quality development.
Chinese Researchers Utilize Gene Editing to Combat Wheat ‘Cancer’: A team of researchers from China has employed gene editing technology to enhance wheat's resistance to stripe rust, a devastating airborne fungal disease often referred to as the "cancer" of wheat. Led by Professor Wang Xiaojie from Northwest Agriculture and Forestry University, the team has successfully edited the gene TaPsIPK1, transforming the wheat's susceptibility to stripe rust from high to medium or high resistance, without significantly affecting yield. Moving forward, the research team aims to use gene editing to bolster wheat's resistance to multiple diseases simultaneously, including stripe rust, powdery mildew, and gibberellic disease. This breakthrough represents a significant step towards sustainable and high-quality agricultural practices, ultimately contributing to global food security.
China National Gold Group Corp to Focus on Strategic Resource Acquisition and Exploration Expansion: China National Gold Group Corp, the only state-owned enterprise in China’s gold industry, will continue to concentrate on securing strategic mineral resources and is ready to take advantage of acquisition opportunities. The primary activities of China National Gold Group include the mining and refining of gold, silver, copper, and molybdenum. The group will boost its efforts and investment in geological exploration, which, as per Lu Jin (Chairman), could yield significant benefits at a low cost. The group also intends to strengthen its resource reserves by enhancing strategic and geological exploration cooperation with provinces abundant in resources, such as Liaoning Province in Northeast China and Anhui Province in East China. China National Gold Group has experienced a notable performance improvement in recent years. For instance, in 2023, China National Gold Group Gold Jewellery Co achieved sales revenue of 56.36 billion yuan ($7.95 billion), marking a 19.61% year-on-year increase, and its profits reached 1.2 billion yuan, reflecting a 27.04% increase. In the first quarter of 2024, the company’s sales revenue amounted to 18.25 billion yuan, up by 13.08%, with its profits surging by 24.21% to 445 million yuan.
China's Economic Resilience and Global Impact Highlighted Amid Global Uncertainties: China’s economy is poised to progress and withstand challenges despite complex and volatile global circumstances, stated Lin Jian, a spokesperson from China’s Foreign Ministry, on June 13th. Lin emphasized that the nation is ready to share the benefits and opportunities of high-quality development with the world. The increased GDP growth projections by various international organizations reflect global confidence in China’s economic expansion. The World Bank noted that China’s merchandise exports and other economic activities have exceeded expectations. Data from China’s General Administration of Customs showed a 6.3 percent year-on-year increase in the country's foreign trade of goods during the first five months of this year. As the world’s second-largest economy, China has played a significant role in global economic growth over the long term. The steady expansion of the Chinese economy has substantially supported the global economic recovery, Lin noted. Previous IMF research indicated that, on average, a 1 percentage point increase in China’s GDP growth could boost the output levels of other economies by 0.3 percent over the medium term.

SOCIAL MEDIA CHATTER

Former One Direction Star Zayn Malik Reveals Chinese Secret Behind His Voice: Zayn Malik has surprised the Chinese social media community by revealing that he always carries a traditional Chinese herbal syrup. In a recent "What's In The Bag" segment with British Vogue on YouTube, Malik showcased the contents of his Fendi duffle bag, which included a teddy bear, antiperspirant, a toothbrush and toothpaste, and a perfume bottle. Notably, he also revealed a bottle of Nin Jiom Pei Pa Koa, a traditional Chinese herbal remedy used for coughs, sore throats, fever, and aphonia. Malik described the syrup as his “special elixir” that is “incredibly beneficial for your vocal cords,” and mentioned he always carries it, especially when singing. During the 2018 flu season in New York, the remedy gained popularity, causing the price of a 300ml bottle to rise to US$70. The syrup contains ingredients like fritillary bulb, loquat leaf, liquorice root, fresh ginger, and honey, which are believed to benefit throat health. Following China's relaxation of its zero-Covid-19 policy in December 2022, the product sold out due to a surge in infections. One Weibo user commented on Malik's use of Nin Jiom Pei Pa Koa, saying, “It’s like witnessing two different universes converging.”

INDIA WATCH

Modi’s New Cabinet Emphasizes Stability and "Neighbours First" Policy: China Daily reports that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has retained his top four ministers in his new cabinet, signaling continuity in major policies. The positions of the Federal External Affairs Minister, Home Affairs Minister, Defence Minister, and Finance Minister will remain unchanged. This decision underscores a commitment to stability and the ongoing implementation of key initiatives. A central focus of Modi's administration is the "Neighbourhood First" foreign policy, originally introduced over a decade ago. This policy is now a priority for all government departments managing India’s regional relations. Regarding China, External Affairs Minister Jaishankar highlighted that resolving border issues will be a key focus. In dealings with Pakistan, the emphasis will be on addressing cross-border terrorism. With Modi’s party no longer holding an absolute majority, it will need to collaborate with partners in the National Democratic Alliance, reinforcing the importance of coalition politics in the current term.

Prepared By

Diksha Takale

Diksha is currently an undergraduate student at FLAME University, Pune. She is pursuing her degree in BA with a major in Literary and Cultural Studies and minor in Sociology. Writing is a part of her primary focus in building her career and one way to cater to that is by diversifying her academic reach in a field such as international relations. She is an avid reader and writes fiction in her leisure time.