CiCM 19th July 2024

NEWS IN CHINA

CPC Third Plenum Outlines Comprehensive Reform Plan for Chinese Modernization: The Communist Party of China (CPC) has concluded its third plenary session of the 20th Central Committee, adopting a significant resolution on deepening reforms to advance Chinese modernization. The resolution outlines over 300 important reform measures across various sectors, focusing on economic structural reform as the spearhead. Key objectives include building a high-standard socialist market economy by 2035, pursuing high-standard opening up, and refining systems underpinning the market economy. The plenum emphasized developing a unified national market, improving macroeconomic governance, and enhancing policy support for childbirth and old-age care. Reforms aim to strengthen property rights protection, market access, and credit supervision, while improving fiscal relations between central and local governments. China also plans to expand unilateral opening to least-developed countries and gradually open its goods, service, capital, and labor markets. The reforms underscore the importance of whole-process people's democracy and the rule of law in Chinese modernization. These comprehensive measures are designed to adapt China's economic and social structures to modernization needs, with the ultimate goal of building China into a great modern socialist country by 2049.
China Criticizes Japan's Defense White Paper: China's Ministry of National Defense has strongly condemned Japan's recently released defense white paper, accusing Japan of using China as a pretext to justify its military expansion. Ministry spokesman Zhang Xiaogang expressed "strong dissatisfaction and firm opposition" to the document, which labeled China as Japan's "greatest strategic challenge". The white paper, approved by the Japanese Cabinet on July 12, claimed that China's military activities are extending beyond the "first island chain" to the ‘second’ and raised concerns about tensions in the Taiwan Strait. Zhang refuted these claims, asserting that China's sea and air activities are conducted in accordance with international and domestic laws. He reiterated China's stance on the Diaoyu Islands and Taiwan, emphasizing that Taiwan is an inseparable part of China. Zhang also defended China-Russia defense cooperation, stating it contributes to regional and international peace. The spokesman urged Japan to "deeply learn from history" and cease interfering in China's internal affairs, warning the international community to remain vigilant about Japan's military intentions.
China Intensifies Trade Measures Amid Global Economic Tensions: China has announced significant trade-related actions, highlighting growing economic tensions with global partners. The Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) has initiated an anti-dumping investigation into certain pork and pig by-products imported from the European Union (EU), employing a sampling method due to the large number of involved parties. The probe, launched on June 17, will examine imports from January 1, 2023, to December 31, 2023, and investigate potential damage to Chinese industries from 2020 to 2023. Concurrently, China has declared its intention to impose anti-dumping duties on propionic acid products from the United States. Starting July 21, a 43.5% duty will be levied on all related U.S. companies for five years, following an investigation that concluded substantial damage to domestic industry due to dumping. These actions come amid broader trade tensions, including the EU's recent announcement of additional tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles. Chinese officials have criticized such moves and vowed to protect domestic interests. The investigations and duties underscore China's assertive stance in international trade relations and its commitment to safeguarding its economic interests in the face of global competition and trade disputes.
New Think Tank Launched to Promote Global Security Initiative: Beijing has established a new think tank, the Center for GSI Studies, to focus on the Global Security Initiative (GSI) proposed by President Xi Jinping in April 2022. The China Institute of International Studies, which organized the launch, issued the first "Report on the Implementation Progress of the GSI". Foreign Minister Wang Yi stated that the center aims to strengthen research, facilitate GSI implementation, and provide think tank contributions to promote world peace and security. The GSI, which advocates solidarity and political settlement of security issues, has gained support from over 100 countries and international organizations. Vice-Foreign Minister Chen Xiaodong outlined plans to strengthen international security exchanges and cooperation, including leveraging multilateral mechanisms like BRICS and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. The initiative focuses on 20 priority areas for cooperation, including the UN's role, nonproliferation, information security, and combating transnational crime.
China Launches New Earth Observation Satellite: China successfully launched a new Earth observation satellite, Gaofen-11 05, on Friday, July 19, 2024. The satellite was sent into space at 11:03 a.m. (Beijing Time) from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in north China's Shanxi Province, using a Long March-4B carrier rocket. According to official reports, the satellite entered its planned orbit successfully. The Gaofen-11 05 satellite is designed for multiple applications and will be used for various purposes including land surveys, urban planning, road network design, crop yield estimation, and disaster relief. This versatility highlights the satellite's importance in supporting China's economic development and environmental management efforts. The launch was significant not only for its payload but also as a milestone for China's space program, marking the 528th flight mission of the Long March carrier rocket series. This achievement underscores China's continuing advancements in space technology and its commitment to expanding its Earth observation capabilities.

SOCIAL MEDIA CHATTER

Chinese Swimmers' Anti-Doping Tests Spark Online Discussion: A social media post by Yu Liang, the national swim team nutritionist, has gone viral on Chinese platforms. Yu's post on Sina Weibo detailed the intensive anti-doping testing regime faced by Chinese swimmers preparing for the Paris Olympics. According to Yu, 31 athletes underwent nearly 200 tests administered by the International Testing Agency (ITA) in just 10 days while training in France. The post highlighted the disruption to athletes' routines, with tests occurring early mornings, during rest periods, and late at night. This intensive scrutiny comes in the context of ITA's mandate that Chinese athletes be tested at least eight times from January 1, 2024, to the start of the Olympics, double the frequency required for athletes from other countries. While the original post was later deleted for unspecified reasons, it has been widely circulated, prompting discussions about the impact of such rigorous testing on athlete preparation and well-being. The viral nature of this post has brought attention to the experiences of Chinese athletes in the lead-up to major international competitions.

INDIA WATCH

Microsoft Outage Disrupts Flights and Hospital Operations in India: China's news agency Xinhua reports a global Microsoft outage on Friday caused significant disruptions across India, affecting various sectors including aviation and healthcare. One of India's major private airlines, IndiGo, was forced to cancel over 250 flights, with many more delayed at airports nationwide. The airline cited the "worldwide travel system outage" as beyond their control and temporarily suspended options for rebooking or refunds. The impact extended to the healthcare sector, with some private hospitals, including the Max Healthcare chain, facing operational difficulties. According to the report, in the financial sector, the Reserve Bank of India reported that 10 banks experienced minor disruptions, which were either resolved or in the process of being addressed. Passengers across Indian airports faced inconveniences, with some receiving hand-written boarding passes. As per the article, the Minister of Electronics and Information Technology, Ashwini Vaishnaw, stated that the federal government was in communication with Microsoft regarding the situation.

Prepared By

Vanshika Patel

Vanshika is a recent graduate from Ashoka University with a degree in Economics and a minor in Computer Science. Her interests lie in understanding the global economy and its impact on international communities, policy-making, and the social sector. She is particularly drawn to quantitative analysis and has a keen interest in international economics, aiming to contribute to data-driven decision-making in global economic contexts.