CiCM 7th November 2023

NEWS IN CHINA

Chinese growth of Import Export by 0.03%, for the first 10 months. : From the month of January 2023 to October 2023, the volume of China’s import and export grew by 0.03%, reaching a total transaction of 34.32 trillion yuan ($4.72 trillion).There was a growth in export by 0.4 % while a decline in import by 0.5%, of export of 19.55 trillion yuan, and import of 14.77 trillion yuan. The largest trading partner remains ASEAN, following the EU and US. ASEAN trading grew by 0.9 % of 5.23 trillion yuan, with EU it declined to 1.6% of 4.59 trillion yuan, and with US it declined by 7.6 % to 3.86 trillion yuan. It is also worth noting that China’s import of US goods increased by 0.2% of 948.87 Billion Yuan.In the month of October alone, 3.54 trillion yuan was transacted, with export of 1.97 trillion yuan and import of 1.57 trillion yuan.
China Brings regulation to rare earth exports : The Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM), on Tuesday announced a revision to the list of bulk commodities, whose import and exports needs to be reported. While the Ministry official statement intends it is to gain information for statistics purposes, which is at standard with the West, of effective statistics and surveys, contributing to precise understanding of trends of import export of bulk commodities and the status quo, ensuring for a stable foreign trade. Rare earth elements dubbed as “Industrial gold” are a group of 17 chemical elements used in wide range of products including high end consumer electronics to weaponry. Currently China is the provider of 85% of global rare earth, while also controls two-third of global supply chain, it also has large rare earth reserves. Despite the importance of these rare earth metals, as the market is in its early stages, prices are relatively low and are pushed down, and sold at “dirt prices”. This move by the Ministry of Commerce, will strengthen regulations, formulate policies to elevate competition of this Chinese industry in the international discourse.
Party School of CPC Hosts Inter-Civilisational Communication and Global Development Forum : The Party School of the Communist Party of China hosts the Inter-Civilisational Communication and Global Development Forum in Beijing on Tuesday. This three day event has three sub forums civilisational communication between China and Europe, communication between China and Central Asia, and communication between China and the Arab World. These sub forums would focus round table conference on civilisational communication for modernisation development, and leadership building. The meeting would also be attended 150 politicians, think tank experts, scholars, diplomats, cultural celebs, from more than 30 countries.
Anti-Corruption cooperation deepens between Vietnam and China : Li Xi, Head of Central Commission for Discipline Inspection of Communist Party of China, and Tram Cam Tu, Head of Anti Corruption Body of Vietnamese Communist Party met to transfer expertise in graft busting to Vietnam, on 7th November 2023. Xi’s anti-corruption drive is now in its second decade and is currently focusing on Financial Sector, Health Care, and Armed Force. Since 2012, Xi coming to power, the anti graft campaign has snared thousands of officials. Nguyễn Phi Tong during his term as General Secretary of Vietnamese Communist Party launched anti corruption in 2011, and since then two prime ministers and a president have stepped down and hundreds of business people and officials have been sacked or imprisoned. Li stressed on China’s commitment for a “Clean Silk Road” intending to keep the massive BRI project free from bribery and corruption.
Gymnasium Collapse kills 3 : In China’s Northeast Heilongjiang Province, three people were confirmed dead and others slightly injured , while three people escaped by themselves, after the collapse of gymnasium parts. Further investigations are underway, meanwhile the head of the gymnasium has been detained police custody. A total of seven people were at the scene during the collapse, which took place at 7:20 pm Monday at the Yeucheng Fitness.

SOCIAL MEDIA CHATTER IN CHINA

Videos of Celebs speaking foreign language on social media sparks discussion : On the Chinese Social media, various videos of both Chinese Celebs and Western Celebs speaking fluent foreign language sparks discussion. A video of of Goo Degang, a famous Crosstalk performer, in China, can be seen doing crosstalk in fluent English, while videos of Western Celebs such as US Singer Taylor Swift, and Rachel Brosnahan actor from hit TV drama, The Marvelous Mrs Maisel, can be seen speaking fluent Chinese. Later it was revealed that these videos were doctored with the aid of an AI Software, by simply uploading the original video and selecting the language in which you want the person in the video to speak. The use of AI has sparked up conversation, with many deeming the skeptical use of the Internet as a double edged sword, and concerns with causing reputation harm. In recent years, AI has also been used in content creation with AI Faceswap and changing voice, used in TV drama production. Previously, China’s seven authorities, including Cyberspace Administration, National Development and reform commission, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, Ministry of Public Security and National Radio and Television Administration released an interim measure for the management of Generative AI Services, and enacted it on August 15th.

INDIA WATCH

The recent mayhem in the Chinese Social Media space, on the emergence of doctored videos of celebrities of Western and Chinese origin speaking fluent foreign language, with the aid of AI, has raised the question of regulations in this space. China has been one of the early adopters of regulating this space, with the seven ministries of Chinese Administration enacting management for Generative AI, which further led to the official entry of a competitive space for innovation in this field. Public releases of various generative AI models, by major Chinese firms such as Baidu also indicate China’s adoption of such measures. The Chinese AI regulation has been quite different in its approach than its Western Countries, like the EU, and the US, which are leading towards a more “risk-based approach to regulation” wherein various use cases of AI would be estimated, and categorised with their risks pertaining to privacy and other social values; the higher the risk, the higher the restriction on that particular use of AI.

Meanwhile, for India, the Niti Aayog (India’s statutory Planning body) has circulated three discussion papers, and are primarily examining the prevalent AI systems across the world. Furthermore, recently a similar incident of a fake video doctored by the use of AI software of an Indian Celeb Rashmika Mandanna circulated the internet. The Ministry of Information Technology, Government of India, reacted by immediately issuing a warning to the platforms hosting the video to take down such content. The IT Ministry also said that “impersonating online was illegal under Section 66D” under IT Act 2000, while the IT Act 2021, also prohibits hosting any content that impersonates any other person. But what seems to be the case is the lack of any particular guidelines specifying conditions to regulate the usage of AI. While China had already initiated the solicitation of Public Opinion on National Security requirement for Generative AI, aiming to enhance security standards, India has had no mention of AI even in its latest IT Act 2021. It is a high time for the Indian Executive and Legislature, to bring together the opinion of experts, from the business, education sector, and various stakeholders of the society to bring about a common consensus in bringing about an implementation and regulation of AI.

Prepared By

Subhayan Acharya Majumdar

Subhayan is an Intern at the Organisation for Research on China and Asia . He is a postgraduate in International Relations with Political Science from Jadavpur University, Kolkata. His area of interest includes subaltern security studies with a focus on labour (formal and informal) studies especially in the developing countries with context to Asia and Africa. He could be reached on his email subhayanmajumdar@protonmail.com