CiCM 28th June, 2024

NEWS IN CHINA

CPC Expels Former Chinese Defence Ministers Li Shangfu and Wei Fenghe: Li Shangfu, the former minister of defence, was expelled by the Communist Party of China (CPC) leadership due to a major infraction of law and Party disciplines. A meeting of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee revealed that Li, a former state councillor and member of the Central Military Commission (CMC), lost his eligibility to be a delegate to the 20th CPC National Congress. The investigation's findings indicate that Li committed grave infractions against organizational and political discipline. He exploited his offices to pursue inappropriate benefits for himself and others, requested improper benefits for others through personnel arrangements, and received a substantial sum of money and goods in exchange. His transgressions of the law and disciplinary measures severely harmed the Party's agenda; the advancement of the armed forces and national defence. In addition, Li's predecessor Wei Fenghe was also expelled from the CPC for "serious violations of the Party discipline and law". He held the positions of a state councillor and member of the Central Military Commission (CMC) between 2018 to 2023. He was also denied the right to represent in the CPC National Congress as a delegate. Wei is charged for utilising his positions for personal gain, and accepting enormous sums of money and items in return. The investigation, launched in September 2023, found that Wei's actions affected the political culture in CMC and harmed CPC's drive for military modernization. When the CPC Central Committee meets for the third plenum in mid-July, it will ratify the disciplinary action that would result in Li and Wei's expulsion from the Party. The Political Bureau also decided to transfer both cases to military procuratorial bodies for investigation and prosecution.

A New Law Ensures Accurate Report of Emergencies: China's new law on emergency response, adopted by lawmakers, mandates transparency and accountability in managing crises. Effective from November, the law compels governments to promptly disclose pertinent information and decisions during emergencies. It strictly prohibits concealing information or obstructing its reporting. Key provisions of the law, finalized during the 10th session of the 14th National People's Congress Standing Committee, emphasize the timely release of accurate information by governments and departments. This ensures clarity and prevents the dissemination of false or incomplete information during crises. The law supports media in conducting interviews, reporting objectively, and overseeing public response measures. Under the legislation, news outlets are mandated to ensure their reporting on emergencies is timely, accurate and impartial. Any attempts to delay, falsify, conceal, omit or hinder the reporting of information are strictly forbidden.

Xi stresses improving systems for exercising full, rigorous Party governance: Xi Jinping has placed a strong emphasis on enhancing the procedures for enforcing strict and comprehensive Party governance. He emphasized the necessity of maintaining the CPC Central Committee's centralized unified leadership. Days before the CPC marks its 103^rdanniversary of foundation on 1^st July, the session was held. He mentioned that to guarantee that directives are communicated clearly and consistently, it is necessary to improve the processes by which the Party Central Committee makes important decisions and plans. Additionally, initiatives to investigate and improve Party building among groups in novel work as well as in new categories of social and economic institutions should be undertaken. According to Xi, the Party's conduct issues must be addressed in a way that strengthens the supervisory system. He stated that the accountability system must be improved and the cage of rules that limits authority must be strengthened and should follow the requirements of strengthening Party building in all areas. He called for members of the Political Bureau to lead by example in implementing strict and comprehensive Party governance.

The scale of China's foreign debt has risen steadily under the influence of multiple factors: Recently, the State Administration of Foreign Exchange released China's foreign debt data for the end of March 2024, revealing insights into the country's economic landscape. Wang Chunying, Deputy Director and Spokesperson of the Administration, addressed key questions from reporters regarding China's external debt situation. As of March 2024, China's total external debt reached $ 2512.6 billion, marking a 2.7 percent increase from the end of 2023. This growth was driven largely by a substantial rise in bank external debt, which surged by $ 82.6 billion during the first quarter of 2024 alone. The structure of China's external debt remained stable, with local currency-denominated debt accounting for 48 percent and medium to long-term debt maintaining a steady 44 percent share. Wang Chunying attributed the steady increase in external debt to several factors, including the gradual easing of monetary policies in major developed economies and the ongoing recovery of China's domestic economic activities. This rebound has been consistent since the fourth quarter of 2023, reflecting broader economic trends and policies. Looking ahead, Wang expressed optimism regarding the stability of China's external debt scale. Favorable external conditions such as global decline in inflation growth and interest rate cuts in developed economies like Canada and the Eurozone are expected to support this stability. Domestically, China's swift and effective implementation of macroeconomic policies aims to further consolidate economic recovery, thereby fortifying the foundation for maintaining stable external debt levels.

Xi Jinping Highlights Significance of Five Principles of Peaceful Co-existence: China commemorated the 70th anniversary of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence with a conference emphasizing their enduring relevance and global acceptance. First articulated by Premier Zhou Enlai in 1954, these principles — mutual respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, mutual non-aggression, non-interference in internal affairs, equality and mutual benefit and peaceful coexistence — have become foundational norms in international relations, transcending cultural and ideological differences. President Xi Jinping highlighted the role of these principles in fostering international peace, security and cooperation, calling for their continuation to build a community with a shared future for humanity. Xi underscored China's commitment to peaceful development, enshrined in its constitution and exemplified by its policy of no first use of nuclear weapons. He outlined China's efforts in proposing the Global Security Initiative, advocating dialogue over confrontation and partnerships over alliances in global security issues like the Ukraine crisis and Palestinian-Israeli conflict. Moreover, the principles have guided cooperation among developing countries, notably through China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). He further added that projects such as the China-Laos Railway and Kenya's Mombasa-Nairobi Railway illustrate the initiative's transformative impact on infrastructure and economic growth in participating nations. Looking forward, Xi proposed initiatives to strengthen cooperation with the Global South, including increasing training opportunities and expanding free trade arrangements. Emphasizing inclusivity and collaboration, he urged Global South countries to lead in shaping a shared future for all humanity.

China to Launch Asteroid Probe in 2025: Soon, China intends to launch many large-scale space initiatives, a top China National Space Administration official said. The Space Administration is currently developing three deep-space exploration missions and two new lunar expeditions, according to Bian Zhigang, Deputy Head of the agency. These missions have been authorized by the Chinese government to help scientists further their understanding of the solar system's formation and development. For Tianwen 3 and Tianwen 4, mission plans and critical technologies are now being developed by scientists and engineers. Tianwen 1, launched in July 2020 successfully landed on Mars on May 2021. Tianwen 2 aims for 2016 HO3, the smallest and nearest quasi-satellite to Earth. After returning to Earth's orbit, Tianwen 2 will let go of its re-entry module, which will then descend to Earth with the samples inside. The orbiter will continue its scientific investigation missions by moving in the direction of a main-belt comet known as 311P.

SOCIAL MEDIA CHATTER IN CHINA

A Pregnant Student in China Wrongfully Diagnosed with Kidney Disease Dies: The 23-year-old college student who passed away was seven months pregnant when she was mistakenly diagnosed with renal illness. The woman, given the pseudonym Lili, was a second-year student who was spending the Lunar New Year with her parents in her hometown. She underwent a course of treatment that included hormone therapy and antibiotics to cure an infection. Her health worsened, however, and on February 11, she was sent to Nanyang First People's Hospital immediately. The diagnosis was changed to pregnancy, which led to heart problems and a 31-week intrauterine foetal demise. The Dengzhou Health Commission issued its investigation's findings on June 1st and found the hospital and the family to be at fault. The event that Benliu News reported has sparked a flurry of public debate. The hospital was held accountable by many. Others criticized the taboo of premarital pregnancies in culture, claiming Lili's life was at risk as her family chose to "save face" by denying her pregnancy. One Weibo user said, “This is absurd. How could a seven-month pregnancy be mistaken for kidney disease? Or was she ill during the pregnancy and hid it, leading to misdiagnosis?” another responded with, “I study medicine. Apart from the patient statements, basic tests like blood and urine HCG are essential. Clinically, some inexperienced women do not realise they’re pregnant.”

INDIA WATCH

India's civil aviation ministry to probe roof collapse at Delhi airport: An article from Xinhua reported the roof collapse incident which occurred on the morning of 28^th June at the Delhi airport that left one person dead and eight others injured. The collapse has also led to a suspension of flight take-offs and delays. There have been reports of several roads collapsing, cars stuck in deep waters, flooding of roads and disruptions to metro services. India's Federal Civil Aviation Minister, Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu, stated on 28^th June that his government will look into the matter. The report also stated that Kinjarapu declared the roof collapse a "very serious incident" and noted that the aviation authority and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) would conduct a comprehensive investigation. Based on the live images making rounds on social media, there was damage to four automobiles parked in the pick-up and drop-off section of the terminal when the canopy and support beams gave way due to heavy rainfall. The collapse of several large pillars resulted in many cars being crushed. The article also cited local media reports that indicated a driver inside one of the smashed cars.

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.