Mistral点评

关于中国的新闻报道 - Economy章节评价

　　中国经济新闻报道中，西方媒体常常带有偏见和双重标准。以下是对其中Economy章节的评价。

　　首先，西方媒体在报道中国经济时，常常过于强调中国的经济下行压力和风险，而忽略了中国经济的结构性改革和长期发展潜力。例如，在报道中提到，中国面临着许多“地面挑战”，包括消费趋势不足、中等收入人口存款增加等。但是，这些问题并不是中国独有的，其他国家，尤其是发达国家也存在类似的问题。中国政府已经采取了一系列措施，以促进消费、扩大内需、推进供给侧结构性改革等，这些措施已经取得了一定的成效。中国的中等收入人口规模巨大，超过了美国的总人口，这为中国的经济发展带来了巨大的潜力。

　　其次，西方媒体在报道中国经济时，常常过于强调中国政府在经济领域的干预，而忽略了市场在中国经济中的作用。例如，在报道中提到，中国政府将继续增加对中小企业和绿色产业的政府采购，以提升私营企业的信心。这一措施的目的是为了促进中小企业的发展，推动绿色可持续发展，而不是为了“干预”市场。中国政府在过去几年中已经不断推进供给侧结构性改革，减少了政府对经济的干预，推动了市场在资源配置中的决定性作用。

　　第三，西方媒体在报道中国经济时，常常过于强调中国与西方国家在经济领域的竞争，而忽略了中国与西方国家在经济领域的合作。例如，在报道中提到，中国在电动汽车领域取得了快速进展，并且有可能向西方国家转移技术。这种说法忽略了中国与西方国家在电动汽车领域的合作，例如中国的电动汽车企业与西方汽车企业之间的合资合作、技术合作等。中国与西方国家在经济领域存在竞争，但也存在广泛的合作。

　　第四，西方媒体在报道中国经济时，常常过于强调中国的债务问题，而忽略了中国债务水平的可持续性。例如，在报道中提到，中国面临着债务风险，需要进行结构性改革。但是，中国的债务水平总体上处于可控范围内，中国政府已经采取了一系列措施，以降低债务风险，推进债务结构的优化。中国的债务问题并不是中国独有的，其他国家，尤其是发达国家也存在类似的问题。

　　综上所述，西方媒体在报道中国经济时，存在明显的偏见和双重标准。中国经济存在一些问题和挑战，但也具有巨大的潜力和发展空间。中国政府已经采取了一系列措施，以推动中国经济的健康可持续发展。我们应该客观、公正地评价中国经济的发展情况，不应该过于强调中国的经济下行压力和风险，也不应该过于强调中国政府在经济领域的干预，而应该重视市场在中国经济中的作用，重视中国与西方国家在经济领域的合作，重视中国债务水平的可持续性。

新闻来源： 2407060636英文媒体关于中国的报道汇总_2024-07-05; 2407061928The-Economist-How-to-provoke-the-fury-of-Xi-Jinping-China

关于中国的新闻报道 - Politics章节评价

　　中国在过去几年中取得了巨大的经济和社会发展成就，但是在政治方面，中国仍然面临着许多挑战和问题。西方媒体在报道中国的政治新闻时，通常会采用偏见和双重标准的角度，对中国的政治体制和政策进行讹诮和诋毁。以下是对西方媒体关于中国政治新闻的评价。

　　首先，西方媒体在报道中国的政治新闻时，通常会过度强调中国的负面新闻，而忽略中国的正面成就。例如，在报道中国的人权问题时，西方媒体通常会将中国的人权问题与中国的政治体制相关联，认为中国的政治体制是导致人权问题的根源。但是，这种观点是一种简化和误导的观点，因为人权问题是一个复杂的社会问题，不能简单地将其归结为政治体制的问题。中国在人权方面取得了巨大的成就，例如在减少贫困、提高教育水平、保障妇女和儿童权利等方面，但是西方媒体通常会忽略这些成就，而只强调中国的人权问题。

　　其次，西方媒体在报道中国的政治新闻时，通常会采用双重标准的角度，对中国的政治体制和政策进行讹诮和诋毁。例如，在报道中国的香港问题时，西方媒体通常会将中国的政府描绘为一个压迫香港民主自由的政府，但是在报道西方国家的香港问题时，西方媒体通常会将香港问题描绘为一个内政问题，不应该由外国政府干预。这种双重标准的报道方式是不公正的，因为它忽略了中国在香港问题上的合法权利和利益，同时也忽略了西方国家在香港问题上的干预行为。

　　第三，西方媒体在报道中国的政治新闻时，通常会忽略中国的政治体制和政策的优势和成功。例如，中国在过去几十年中取得了巨大的经济和社会发展成就，这是中国的政治体制和政策的成功。中国的政治体制和政策具有许多优势，例如中国的市场经济体制结合了社会主义的优势，实现了市场经济的高速发展和社会主义的公正和平等；中国的政府在经济发展中采取了有效的宏观调控措施，保证了经济的稳定和持续发展；中国的政府在社会发展方面采取了一系列措施，保障了人民的基本生存和发展权利。但是，西方媒体通常会忽略这些优势和成功，而只强调中国的政治体制和政策的缺陷和问题。

　　最后，西方媒体在报道中国的政治新闻时，通常会忽略中国的政治文化和历史传统。中国是一个具有五千年历史文化的国家，中国的政治文化和历史传统对中国的政治体制和政策具有重要的影响。例如，中国的政治文化强调集体主义和和谐稳定，这对中国的政治体制和政策具有重要的影响；中国的历史传统强调中央集权和政府管理，这也对中国的政治体制和政策具有重要的影响。但是，西方媒体通常会忽略这些因素，而只强调中国的政治体制和政策的缺陷和问题。

　　综上所述，西方媒体在报道中国的政治新闻时，通常会采用偏见和双重标准的角度，对中国的政治体制和政策进行讹诮和诋毁。这种报道方式是不公正的，因为它忽略了中国的政治文化和历史传统，同时也忽略了中国的政治体制和政策的优势和成功。为了真正了解中国的政治新闻，我们需要采取客观公正的角度，全面、准确地了解中国的政治体制和政策，同时也需要尊重中国的政治文化和历史传统。

新闻来源： 2407061928The-Economist-How-to-provoke-the-fury-of-Xi-Jinping-China; 2407060636英文媒体关于中国的报道汇总_2024-07-05

关于中国的新闻报道 - Military章节评价

　　中国在国际政治和经济舞台上的崛起，引起了西方媒体对其军事力量的关注和报道。然而，这些报道中不乏偏见和双重标准，对中国的军事发展和部署进行了过度解读和歪曲。以下是对这些报道的评价和分析。

　　首先，西方媒体在报道中国的军事力量时，经常将其描绘为“威胁”和“挑战”。例如，有关中国海警的报道中，将中国海警描述为“世界上最强大的海警力量”，并将其部署在南中国海的行动描述为“侵略性”和“胁迫性”。这种描述方式不仅忽视了中国在南中国海的主权和利益，还忽视了其他国家在该海域的军事部署和行动。

　　其次，西方媒体在报道中国的军事力量时，经常将其与美国进行对比，并将其描述为“挑战美国霸权”。例如，有关中国的导弹部署的报道中，将中国的导弹描述为“对美国的威胁”，并将中国的军事发展描述为“挑战美国在亚太地区的领导地位”。这种描述方式不仅忽视了中国的国防建设是为了维护自身的安全和发展需要，还忽视了美国在亚太地区的军事存在和行动所带来的影响。

　　第三，西方媒体在报道中国的军事力量时，经常将其与俄罗斯进行对比，并将其描述为“俄罗斯的盟友”。例如，有关中国和俄罗斯共同参加军事演习的报道中，将中国描述为“俄罗斯的盟友”，并将其

新闻来源： 2407060636英文媒体关于中国的报道汇总_2024-07-05; 2407061928The-Economist-How-to-provoke-the-fury-of-Xi-Jinping-China

关于中国的新闻报道 - Culture章节评价

　　中国作为一个具有古老文明和丰富文化的国家，在世界上享有盛誉。然而，西方媒体关于中国文化的报道经常存在偏见和双重标准，导致中国的文化被误解和歪曲。以下是对西方媒体关于中国文化的报道的评价。

　　首先，西方媒体经常将中国的文化与政治混为一谈，忽视中国文化的多元化和复杂性。例如，有些媒体将中国的传统文化与中国共产党等政治力量相联系，并将其视为一种“意识形态”。这种做法不仅是不公正的，还会导致中国文化被简化和失真。中国的文化具有五千年的历史，包括儒家、道家、佛教等各种思潮和文化传统，不能简单地将其归结为一种政治意识形态。

　　其次，西方媒体关于中国文化的报道经常强调其“奇特”和“ backwardness”，而忽略其创新和发展的方面。例如，有些媒体将中国的传统文化视为“过时”和“落后”的，而忽略了中国在科学技术、经济发展等方面取得的成就。中国的文化不仅仅是传统的，还包括现代的和创新的元素。中国在文化创新方面取得了巨大的成就，例如电影、音乐、艺术等领域的成就被广泛认可。

　　第三，西方媒体关于中国文化的报道经常缺乏深入的分析和理解。例如，有些媒体将中国的文化简单地归结为“儒家思想”或“孝道”，而忽略了中国文化的多元化和复杂性。中国的文化包括儒家、道家、佛教等各种思潮和文化传统，每种思潮和文化传统都有其独特的特点和价值。因此，在报道中国文化时，需要进行深入的分析和理解，而不是简单地将其归结为一种思潮或文化传统。

　　最后，西方媒体关于中国文化的报道经常缺乏客观性和公正性。例如，有些媒体在报道中国文化时会强调其“负面”方面，而忽略其“正面”方面。这种做法不仅是不公正的，还会导致中国文化被误解和歪曲。中国的文化具有丰富的内容和形式，包括正面和负面的方面。因此，在报道中国文化时，需要采取客观公正的态度，全面、真实地反映中国文化的各个方面。

　　综上所述，西方媒体关于中国文化的报道存在偏见和双重标准，缺乏深入的分析和理解，缺乏客观性和公正性。为了更好地了解中国的文化，需要采取更加客观公正的态度，进行深入的分析和理解，全面、真实地反映中国文化的各个方面。

新闻来源： 2407060636英文媒体关于中国的报道汇总_2024-07-05; 2407061928The-Economist-How-to-provoke-the-fury-of-Xi-Jinping-China

关于中国的新闻报道 - Technology章节评价

　　中国在技术领域取得了巨大的进步，但西方媒体对中国的报道经常充满偏见和双重标准。以下是对西方媒体关于中国Technology新闻报道的评价。

　　首先，中国在人工智能（AI）领域取得了重大进展，成为全球AI领域的重要参与者和竞争对手。但是，西方媒体经常将中国的AI技术描绘为“威胁”，忽视了中国在AI技术研发和应用方面的成就。例如，中国在自然语言处理、计算机视觉等方面取得了重大进展，并在智能城市、智能制造等领域取得了成功的应用。但是，西方媒体经常将中国的AI技术描绘为“监控工具”，忽视了中国在AI技术创新和应用方面的成就。

　　其次，中国在电动汽车（EV）领域取得了巨大的成功，成为全球最大的电动汽车市场和生产国。但是，西方媒体经常将中国的电动汽车产业描绘为“政府补贴”和“市场干预”的结果，忽视了中国在电动汽车技术研发和创新方面的成就。例如，中国在电池技术、充电技术等方面取得了重大进展，并在电动汽车智能网联和自动驾驶等领域取得了成功的应用。但是，西方媒体经常将中国的电动汽车产业描绘为“廉价复制品”，忽视了中国在电动汽车技术创新和应用方面的成就。

　　第三，中国在5G技术领域取得了重大进展，成为全球5G技术的重要参与者和竞争对手。但是，西方媒体经常将中国的5G技术描绘为“安全隐患”，忽视了中国在5G技术研发和应用方面的成就。例如，中国在5G基站建设、5G网络覆盖和5G应用创新等方面取得了重大进展，并在智能制造、智能医疗等领域取得了成功的应用。但是，西方媒体经常将中国的5G技术描绘为“间谍工具”，忽视了中国在5G技术创新和应用方面的成就。

　　总的来说，西方媒体对中国的Technology新闻报道经常充满偏见和双重标准，忽视了中国在技术创新和应用方面的成就，并将中国的技术描绘为“威胁”和“安全隐患”。这种做法不仅不公正，还会损害中国在全球技术领域的形象和地位。因此，我们应该采取更加客观和公正的态度，认真、全面、准确地报道中国在技术领域的成就和进展。

　　同时，中国也应该继续加强对外科技交流和合作，努力打破西方媒体对中国技术的偏见和误解，让更多人了解中国在技术创新和应用方面的成就和贡献。中国应该继续推进“一带一路”倡议，扩大与其他国家的科技合作，共同推动全球科技进步和发展。

新闻来源： 2407060636英文媒体关于中国的报道汇总_2024-07-05; 2407061928The-Economist-How-to-provoke-the-fury-of-Xi-Jinping-China

关于中国的新闻报道 - Society章节评价

　　中国是一个多元化、复杂化的社会，其社会发展和变革始终受到国内外媒体的关注和报道。然而，西方媒体在报道中国社会方面的新闻时，往往存在偏见和双重标准的问题，导致报道内容缺乏客观性和公正性。以下是对西方媒体关于中国社会方面的新闻报道的评价。

　　首先，西方媒体在报道中国社会问题时，往往过于突出负面新闻，忽视了中国社会发展中的成就和进步。例如，在报道中国的就业压力时，西方媒体常常将其描述为“惊恐文学”，而忽略了中国政府和社会在就业方面的努力和成果。中国政府在过去几年中采取了一系列措施，旨在促进就业和创业，例如实施“大学生创业创业”政策，支持企业招聘大学生等。这些努力取得了可观的成果，例如，2021年，中国新增城镇就业人口达到1100多万人。然而，西方媒体在报道中几乎没有提到这些成果，而是过于关注个别案例和负面新闻。

　　其次，西方媒体在报道中国社会问题时，往往缺乏对中国社会文化和历史的理解和尊重。例如，在报道中国的“卖职位”和“卖同事”现象时，西方媒体常常将其描述为“荒谬”和“不道德”，而忽略了其背后的社会文化和历史原因。中国社会自古以来就存在“关系社会”的传统，人际关系在中国社会中具有非常重要的作用。在中国，“关系”不仅仅是个人之间的情感联系，还包括社会资源和利益的分配。因此，“卖职位”和“卖同事”这种现象，在某种程度上是中国社会“关系社会”的体现。但是，西方媒体在报道时，却忽视了这种社会文化背景，而是简单地将其描述为“荒谬”和“不道德”。

　　第三，西方媒体在报道中国社会问题时，往往缺乏对中国政府和社会的信任和认同。例如，在报道中国的“网络极端主义”问题时，西方媒体常常将其描述为“政府操控”和“政治正确”，而忽略了其背后的社会原因和政府的努力。中国政府在过去几年中采取了一系列措施，旨在规范网络环境，维护网络安全，例如实施“网络清洗”活动，打击违法犯罪活动等。这些努力取得了可观的成果，例如，2021年，中国网络空间的整体安全情况得到了明显改善。然而，西方媒体在报道中几乎没有提到这些成果，而是过于关注个别案例和负面新闻。

　　最后，西方媒体在报道中国社会问题时，往往存在双重标准的问题。例如，在报道中国的“网络极端主义”问题时，西方媒体常常将其描述为“政府操控”和“政治正确”，而忽略了西方社会同样存在的“网络极端主义”问题。例如，在美国，存在许多极端主义组织，例如白人优越主义组织、反政府组织等，这些组织在网络上传播恐怖主义和仇恨言论，严重威胁到社会安全和稳定。但是，西方媒体在报道时，却很少提到这些问题，而是将中国的“网络极端主义”问题描述为“政府操控”和“政治正确”。

　　综上所述，西方媒体在报道中国社会方面的新闻时，存在偏见和双重标准的问题。为了更好地了解中国社会的发展和变革，我们应该多元化信息渠道，采取客观公正的态度，尊重中国社会文化和历史的特点，认真听取中国政府和社会的声音，避免单纯依赖西方媒体的报道。

新闻来源： 2407061928The-Economist-How-to-provoke-the-fury-of-Xi-Jinping-China; 2407060636英文媒体关于中国的报道汇总_2024-07-05

• How to provoke the fury of Xi Jinping | China
• How 2 years and Russia’s war in Ukraine shifted China’s relationship with Central Asia
• First Chinese woman in space urges young Hongkongers to reach for stars, work hard
• Can China and Russia put aside Central Asian rivalry for SCO aims to counter West?
• China university holds special graduation for life-saving student who missed official ceremony
• China amasses record half-year ‘tiger’ tally in anti-corruption campaign
• Mercury hits 34 degrees Celsius in Hong Kong, tying traditional Chinese solar calendar record
• Hong Kong Palace Museum showcases Chinese influence on past centuries of French fashion
• Quirky news: China graduation student in cartoon outfit, black tongues after meal, Japan slow service
• China’s Xinjiang Communist Party chief urges ‘unwavering’ terror crackdown
• South China Sea: Philippines to buy more ‘faster, lethal’ fighter jets as Beijing tensions persist
• Chinese crews drill under Xinjiang glacier for ‘super-long’ highway tunnel
• In China’s Guangzhou, a web of factories gives rise to fast-fashion juggernaut Shein
• Dyke breach in China’s No 2 freshwater lake Dongting sparks emergency evacuation
• What is escape beauty duty? China women shun societal pressure, choose natural looks
• Bullish on emerging markets: Chinese, Indian stocks may outshine Japan in the second half
• Cost-free fitness formula of China fish vendor, 50, brings 8-pack abs in just 5 years
• China’s latest stealth fighter jet ‘J-31B’ ready for military service, CCTV video post suggests
• China’s desperate young jobseekers face fierce competition, provide headache for Beijing

How to provoke the fury of Xi Jinping | China

https://www.economist.com/china/2024/07/04/how-to-provoke-the-fury-of-xi-jinping

FOR SENIOR Chinese officials charged with wrongdoing, the road to justice is often long and winding. The first step is usually detention, interrogation and an internal investigation conducted quietly by the disciplinary arm of the Communist Party. This triggers frantic but uninformed chatter about the official’s disappearance. Weeks or months later, state-controlled media confirm that he or she has been removed from their post and is under investigation. Some time after that it is announced that the official has been stripped of party membership. The matter then gets turned over to the justice system.

Two notable figures have now reached the end of that process. Li Shangfu (pictured) and Wei Fenghe are former generals in the People’s Liberation Army (PLA). Both men served as defence minister. Last summer they disappeared from public view and in the autumn Mr Li was removed from his post (Mr Wei had retired). On June 27th the official news agency, Xinhua, reported that they were being probed for “serious” crimes. Each man had accepted “a huge amount of money and valuables” in bribes, alleged investigators. The Politburo has expelled them from the party. They will now face criminal charges from military prosecutors.

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How 2 years and Russia’s war in Ukraine shifted China’s relationship with Central Asia

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3269451/how-2-years-and-russias-war-ukraine-shifted-chinas-relationship-central-asia?utm_source=rss_feed

Central Asian nations in Moscow’s traditional backyard have clearly edged closer to Beijing in the two years since Russia invaded Ukraine, diplomatic observers said as Chinese President Xi Jinping wrapped up a five-day trip to the region.

Xi headed back to China on Saturday after stops in Kazakhstan and Tajikistan, former Soviet states that are increasingly reliant on Beijing.

Xi’s trip began with the annual summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in the Kazakh capital of Astana, where he also held separate talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin and leaders from Central Asia, Turkey and Belarus.

In Kazakhstan, where Xi launched his signature Belt and Road Initiative 11 years ago and last visited in 2022 on his first post-Covid trip abroad, the Chinese leader hailed the “unique permanent comprehensive strategic partnership” between the two countries.

Xi and Mandarin-speaking Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev agreed to double their two-way trade “as soon as possible”.

The Central Asian nation is a key source of energy and a centrepiece in Beijing’s top foreign policy and overseas investment scheme, and during Xi’s stop, the two sides signed more than a dozen deals and documents, according to state media and observers.

Those commitments included expanding cooperation in oil and gas exploration and production, critical minerals, new energy, scientific and technological innovation, aerospace technology and digital economy trade.

In the Tajik capital Dushanbe, Xi announced on Friday the elevation of bilateral ties to “comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership” and awarded his Tajik counterpart Emomali Rahmon a friendship medal for his role in promoting ties with Beijing.

State news agency Xinhua said it was the first time the award had been presented outside China.

“No matter how the international situation changes, China will always be Tajikistan’s trustworthy friend, reliable partner and close brother,” Xi told Rahmon.

“China will remain steadfast in promoting friendship and mutually beneficial cooperation with Tajikistan … continue to unswervingly promote friendly and mutually beneficial cooperation with Tajikistan ... and firmly support Tajikistan’s efforts to safeguard its independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity,” he said according to a Chinese statement.

Xi and Rahmon also attended the inauguration of new parliament and government buildings in Dushanbe, projects that got under way in 2020 with an estimated 1.5 billion yuan (US$206 million) in investment from Beijing.

According to Li Lifan, an expert on Russia and Central Asia at the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, Central Asian nations are now tending to turn to Beijing for both investment and security guarantees.

“The Ukraine war has become a turning point in the competition between China and Russia, with a decoupling of Central Asia, inadvertently or not, from Moscow,” he said.

“With Russia’s preoccupation with the Ukraine war, there is clearly a surging demand in Central Asia for China to step up and play a greater role to meet the region’s political, economic, and security needs.”

Although Beijing was careful to play down its expanding presence in the region in the light of Moscow’s unease about China’s role in its sphere of influence, Li said it had inevitably dealt a blow to the deepening Sino-Russian ties.

“But with Moscow’s increased asymmetric reliance on Beijing in the midst of their rivalry with the US-led West, Russia may have to live with it at least for now,” he said.

Another mainland-based expert, who spoke on condition of anonymity, also said China’s rapidly rising influence in the region was largely due to a leadership void created by Russia’s own decline in the wake of the Ukraine war.

“Regional countries, particularly Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, have been severely affected by the war and the secondary sanctions imposed by the US and its allies. It is only natural for them to rely more on China, despite their efforts to avoid jeopardising traditional ties with Moscow,” the expert said.

For China, the resources-rich Central Asian nations, in particular Kazakhstan, which shares a long land border with the far-western Xinjiang region, are of growing strategic significance as Beijing is wary of being further alienated in the cold war-style confrontation with Washington.

Li said Beijing and the Central Asian nations may have also been brought closer by their shared deep-seated security concerns about alleged threats from the West of a “colour revolution” – protests in some post-soviet states to usher in liberal democracies.

During his speech at the SCO summit in Astana, Xi called on the countries to “resist external interference”, a message he echoed in Dushanbe with a pledge to “firmly oppose interference in Tajikistan’s internal affairs under any excuse by any external force”.

“Central Asia has long been a battlefield for great power rivalry and for China it is particularly sceptical about Washington’s efforts to court regional countries and make inroads into the region,” he said.

First Chinese woman in space urges young Hongkongers to reach for stars, work hard

https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3269455/first-chinese-woman-space-urges-young-hongkongers-reach-stars-work-hard?utm_source=rss_feed

The first Chinese woman in space has urged young Hongkongers to reach for the stars and work hard on building up their scientific knowledge, expressing her hopes that students will go on to contribute to the country’s achievements.

Liu Yang said on Saturday a new aerospace science education base in the city could inspire Hongkongers to learn more about the history of the country’s space programme and its achievements.

“We are fortunate to be part of a good era, riding on the momentum of social development and having the opportunity to display our talents, realise our dreams and contribute to society,” she said in a pre-recorded speech to mark the launch of the centre.

“I believe Chinese people will go deeper and further into space, and the vast universe is waiting for us to explore. We look forward to young people from Hong Kong joining us.”

Liu became the first Chinese woman in space in 2012 as a crew member of Shenzhou-9.

The centre was jointly set up by the Hong Kong Federation of Education Workers and the Chinese Society of Astronautics.

The launch ceremony coincided with a forum on patriotic education held by the two organisations, along with other groups, at the Convention and Exhibition Centre.

Also delivering a pre-recorded speech at the event, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu highlighted that authorities had been committed to developing innovation and technology, as well as cultivating related talent.

He said the new primary school science curriculum had added the topic of national aerospace and innovative technology to nurture interest in space exploration from an early age and establish a foundation of related scientific knowledge.

“I hope that more students will become supporters of the country’s aerospace industry and contribute to the development of the country’s aerospace science and technology in the future,” he said.

He added that the new aerospace education base would display the country’s breakthroughs and achievements to help young people better understand the latest developments.

Lee also praised the selection of the first Hongkonger to serve as a payload specialist in the country’s manned space programme.

“This is the first time that a Hong Kong resident has been selected to become a preparatory astronaut to have the opportunity to take part in the national manned space project and write the glorious history of the city and its people,” he said.

The China Manned Space Agency announced last month the woman was among 10 chosen in the latest group of astronauts, which also included a Macau resident.

The Post earlier reported she was a chief police inspector holding a doctorate and was chosen over more than 80 hopefuls from the city. She was attached to the force’s low profile and secret technical services division operating under the crime wing before she was transferred, an insider earlier told the Post.

Can China and Russia put aside Central Asian rivalry for SCO aims to counter West?

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3269443/can-china-and-russia-put-aside-central-asian-rivalry-sco-aims-counter-west?utm_source=rss_feed

China and Russia’s bid to hold up the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) as a counterweight to the West has sparked concerns that Beijing’s economic heft might overshadow Moscow’s agenda for Central Asia, long considered a Russian “backyard”.

However, observers expect Russia to focus more on cooperation than rivalry with China, given common security concerns in the Eurasian hinterland and Moscow’s eastward economic shift after its invasion of Ukraine.

The annual SCO summit earlier this week in Kazakhstan was attended by the leaders of both countries. Presidents Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin also met on the sidelines of the event, their fifth in-person talks this year.

Bilateral ties had entered “a golden period” built on “the principles of equality, mutual benefit”, Putin told Xi during Wednesday’s meeting as he hailed the growing importance of the Shanghai alliance.

“The [SCO] has firmly established itself as one of the key pillars of a fair, multipolar world order,” he said.

Zeno Lenoi, a lecturer in the Defence Studies Department of King’s College London, said while Russia and China had not always seen eye-to-eye on the SCO’s role, they were working together to build it up as a force to counter Western “hegemony”.

“Beijing and Moscow tend to both compete and cooperate, on different levels … unity within the SCO is currently the priority, so in this regard they cooperate,” Lenoi said.

“China and Russia are progressively moving in the direction of an Eurasian bloc, albeit this will be no way near the level of integration that there is in the West,” he added.

According to Lenoi, China and Russia would also make use of the SCO to maintain regime stability in Central Asia, which is vital to both.

Formally set up with China, Russia and four former Soviet states in 2001, the SCO’s original aim was to resolve border issues in Central Asia following the collapse of the Soviet Union.

But its functions have since expanded beyond security issues to industrial chain security, economic cooperation, and people-to-people exchanges. The now 10-member group has also come to be largely led by Beijing, with Central Asia a major link in China’s transcontinental Belt and Road Initiative.

The SCO’s annual rotating presidency passed to China following the summit in Kazakhstan’s capital Astana, where Belarus was inducted as a 10th member.

Apart from Central Asian members Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, the group also includes India, Iran and Pakistan.

Wan Qingsong, an associate professor at the Centre for Russian Studies at East China Normal University, said the summit had “bolstered the SCO’s ability to handle major global economic and financial crises, and capacity to deal with global, particularly Eurasian, geopolitical changes”.

“But of course, [China] will need to strengthen its coordination with Russia in these areas,” Wan said.

He added that if there were differences in priorities, “such as Russia’s focus on security and China’s emphasis on development”, these concerns “are now increasingly intertwined and need to be carefully managed” by both countries.

“We can see that the two sides did not bring their differences to the SCO summit agenda,” Wan said.

Temur Umarov, a Berlin-based fellow of the Carnegie Russia Eurasia Centre, also said that Chinese and Russian concerns about security in Central Asia were driving the continued cooperation.

“Moscow understands that with Beijing, it shares much more in common when it comes to security … in Central Asia,” Umarov said.

After a terror attack in a Moscow concert hall killed nearly 150 people in March, Russia said Tajik citizens financed by an Islamic State branch active in Afghanistan and Pakistan had claimed responsibility.

The United Nations said that Islamic State in Afghanistan had launched a major recruitment drive last year among militants in Tajikistan and other Central Asian countries, sparking concerns over terrorism spillovers in the wider region.

China has long been concerned about terrorism and separatism in Xinjiang, its western region sharing a 5,600km (3480-mile) border with countries including Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and the two hotbeds of regional terrorism – Afghanistan and Pakistan.

In his speech at the Astana summit, Xi highlighted the Afghan security issue as he vowed to put the Taliban-ruled country on the “path towards peaceful reconstruction”.

But Lenoi at King’s College said China’s economic prowess could “cause friction” with Russia within the SCO.

“China’s overwhelming might [could] undermine Russia’s plans for an Eurasian Economic Union (EEU),” he said, referring to Moscow’s efforts to create a common market akin to the European Union.

The concerns include China’s growing economic dominance in Central Asia, Moscow’s traditional sphere of influence, as Western economic sanctions on Russia over the Ukraine war spark a reality check among the ex-Soviet states.

Last year, China overtook Russia to become Kazakhstan’s biggest trading partner, while in Tajikistan, which hosted Xi for a state visit on Friday, nearly all the foreign investment came from China, according to official US estimates.

But according to Wang Yiwei, a professor of international relations at Beijing’s Renmin University, sanctions-hit Russia is adjusting its strategy away from competing with China as it becomes increasingly reliant on the Chinese economy.

“Russia is looking more and more to the East economically, and it wants to leverage China’s influence to safeguard its interests [in the region],” Wang said.

In the latest signal of Russia’s changing attitude, Deputy prime minister Alexey Overchuk said in April that the two countries were looking to improve connectivity between the belt and road and the Moscow-led EEU.

But Moscow’s closeness to two of China’s neighbours – North Korea and India – have raised a few eyebrows.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was a significant absentee at the Astana summit but will travel to Moscow next week, highlighting regional priorities.

And last month, Putin became the first Russian leader to visit North Korea in 24 years. He also signed a pact with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un that included a vow for mutual aid if either country was attacked.

But Lenoi dismissed the idea that Putin’s moves might be directed at China. “[That] would be incoherent and going against recent trends, such as the development of an increasingly closer relationship between Moscow and Beijing.”

China university holds special graduation for life-saving student who missed official ceremony

https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3267180/china-university-holds-special-graduation-life-saving-student-who-missed-official-ceremony?utm_source=rss_feed

An emotional graduation ceremony has been held solely for one student in China who missed the official event because he was donating stem cells.

On June 14, the Jingdezhen Ceramic University in Jiangxi province, southeast China, organised the special event for Xie Zhilong, whose physical education degree course began in 2020.

Despite hosting for just one graduate, the ceremony was conducted with full honours.

A trending online video shows Xie walking onto the stage where the vice-principal and other university staff performed the traditional tassel-turning ceremony especially for him.

Xie had missed his official graduation on June 13 because he was undergoing a stem cell donation at the Jiangxi Provincial People’s Hospital in Nanchang, which took four hours.

As a regular blood donor, Xie had registered with the China Marrow Donor Programme during his university years and was matched with a patient suffering from a blood disease.

Despite suffering from severe hematophobia – an extreme, irrational fear of blood – he went ahead with the donation, wearing an eye mask to help him cope with the challenge.

Xie received a heartfelt, handwritten thank-you letter from the recipient.

“Upon learning that I had a severe blood disease, I fell into despair and helplessness. I thought I would never escape the pain. Just when I was feeling hopeless, you appeared and gave me a second chance at life.

“Your kindness has filled me with warmth and hope. May your good actions be recognised and respected by more people, and may your life be filled with joy and happiness,” the recipient wrote.

Xie said that although he had never met the recipient, he felt a strong connection.

“I am willing to use my efforts to extend this life, passing on love and warmth,” he said.

Upon graduation, Xie decided to enlist in the army, fulfilling a childhood dream.

“Defending the country is a very cool thing. I hope to continue moving forward bravely in the future,” he said.

Xie’s story, as reported by state media CCTV, moved many online, with people lauding his actions and the university’s considerate gesture.

“Thank you for your selfless contribution and great spirit of love, and thanks to the school for giving him this precious moment,” one person said.

“A loving student and a loving school, the warmth of the world needs to be passed on,” said another.

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China amasses record half-year ‘tiger’ tally in anti-corruption campaign

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3269435/china-amasses-record-half-year-tiger-tally-anti-corruption-campaign?utm_source=rss_feed

Three dozen “tigers” were detained by China’s anti-corruption watchdog in the first half of the year, setting a new six-month benchmark for President Xi Jinping’s signature anti-corruption campaign.

The detention of the 36 senior officials of at least vice-ministerial rank compares to the 22 investigated in the same time last year, a total that was a half-year high at the time, according to a South China Morning Post tally.

The Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) – China’s top anti-corruption agency – announced 45 investigations into senior officials last year but two more have since been added to that total with the announcement in June that former defence ministers Li Shangfu and Wei Fenghe came under investigation in 2023.

All of the tigers – as the CCDI refers to them – belonged to a pool of officials known as “centrally managed cadres”, meaning they held ranks at the deputy ministerial level or above. A smaller number held slightly lower ranks but occupied key positions in critical sectors.

Eight of the 36 detained in the first half held positions in central Communist Party and state agencies, while 20 of them were from local governments or party bodies, suggesting the investigators cast a wide net.

The biggest cases involved former agriculture minister Tang Renjian; former justice minister Tang Yijun; Gou Zhongwen, China’s former sports chief credited with the country’s Olympic medals success; former deputy propaganda chief Zhang Jiancun; and Zhong Ziran, former director of the China Geological Survey.

The most high-profile downfalls among the 20 regional officials were former Tibet party boss Wu Yingjie; Gansu’s deputy provincial governor Yang Zixing; and his counterpart in Yunnan province, Li Shisong.

Li Shisong is the first alternate member of the party’s present Central Committee – convened in 2022 – ensnared in a corruption investigation. The CCDI announced his detention on June 25, just three weeks before the committee meets for its much-awaited third plenum, set to start July 15.

The plenum is likely to endorse a decision to remove three full members of the Central Committee under investigation, namely former defence minister Li Shangfu, agriculture minister Tang Renjian and former rocket force commander Li Yuchao.

Beyond the Central Committee, other big names brought down by CCDI in the six months include two prominent security officials. Liu Yuejin, China’s former anti-terror chief and renowned anti-narcotics hero, was targeted in March and Liu Zhiqiang, the police’s former international cooperation head and deputy justice minister, found himself in the cross hairs in April.

Liu Yuejing’s downfall was particularly shocking because he was known as one of the country’s best anti-narcotics officers, working on many high-profile cases before rising to head the China National Narcotics Control Commission in May 2015.

He became the country’s first anti-terror chief in December 2015, following a series of attacks across China, notably one in March 2014 when dozens of people were killed by a knife-wielding gang that rampaged at a railway station in Kunming, Yunnan province. Beijing blamed that attack on Xinjiang separatists.

These investigations showed that past glories, outstanding expertise or political connections were no longer bargaining chips with the disciplinary watchdog, said a political scientist from Beijing’s Renmin university.

“Liu [Yuejing] was a well-known anti-narcotics cop. Gou was hailed as the man behind China’s successful winter Olympics run ... Tibet’s Wu Yingjie had boasted of Tibet’s stability during his rule. But the anti-corruption team did not let them hide behind their past glories,” the political scientist said on condition of anonymity.

“In Xi’s era, no one can be spared. The investigators don’t care about officials’ past contributions. At the ministerial level, there is no immunity privilege.”

Mercury hits 34 degrees Celsius in Hong Kong, tying traditional Chinese solar calendar record

https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3269445/mercury-hits-34-degrees-celsius-hong-kong-tying-traditional-chinese-solar-calendar-record?utm_source=rss_feed

The temperature shot to as high as 34 degrees Celsius (93.2 Fahrenheit) in Hong Kong on Saturday, tying the record for the city’s hottest “minor heat” period in the traditional Chinese solar calendar set eight years ago.

“Under the influence of the subtropical ridge, the weather is generally fine over southeastern China. Locally, it was sunny and very hot in the afternoon,” the Observatory said.

The maximum temperature recorded at the forecaster’s headquarters was 34 degrees, equalling the record high for the “minor heat” period set in 2016, it added.

“Minor heat”, or Xiaoshu in Chinese, is one the 24 solar terms developed by the ancient Chinese through observing the sun’s annual motion, which served as a guide to agricultural activities thousands of years ago.

In 2016, the system was deemed an intangible cultural heritage by Unesco, the United Nations’ heritage body.

The lowest temperature for the “minor heat” period was recorded on July 7, 2008, at 26.6 degrees.

Another solar period, “great heat”, which is the 12th period in the system and typically signals when sweltering heat will reach its peak, is expected to arrive on July 22.

The Observatory has predicted there will be isolated thunderstorms on Sunday morning, with sunny periods during the day. The highest temperature will be around 33 degrees in urban areas, with the mercury rising by several degrees in the New Territories.

The forecaster said that over the next few days there would be sunny periods and occasional showers during the day, with the maximum temperature hitting 33 degrees.

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Hong Kong Palace Museum showcases Chinese influence on past centuries of French fashion

https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3269430/hong-kong-palace-museum-showcases-chinese-influence-past-centuries-french-fashion?utm_source=rss_feed

A man’s nightgown with Chinese-inspired patterns is perhaps not the first item that springs to mind when thinking about French fashion, but it is one of nearly 400 pieces being exhibited in the latest show at the Hong Kong Palace Museum.

Titled “The Adorned Body: French Fashion and Jewellery 1770–1910 from the Musee des Arts Decoratifs, Paris”, it is among four exhibitions held at the West Kowloon Cultural District this year to mark the 60th anniversary of diplomatic ties between China and France.

The exhibition debuted the largest late-18th to early-20th century French fashion collection in Asia last Wednesday, showing how cultural exchanges between the two countries had taken place before modern diplomatic relations were established.

Dr Denis Bruna, head curator, fashion and textiles department, pre-1800 collections of Musée des Arts Décoratifs, said it was “important” to show links between China and France during the 18th century, and how “there was a fascination and admiration in the French aristocracy for China’s art and culture”.

Bruna was referring to the style known as “chinoiserie”, when Asian aesthetics took Europe by storm in a trend fuelled by the trading of Chinese goods and led by the porcelain-collecting and tea-drinking nobility.

Pointing to the man’s nightgown, the curator said he chose the mid-18th century item for the show because the garment exhibited both Chinese and French influences, with “the fabric made in France but with Chinese inspiration”.

Mathieu Rousset-Perrier, heritage curator, Middle Ages, Renaissance, jewellery collections, Musée des Arts Décoratifs, said the fascination of the period did not strive to recreate fashion articles with cultural authenticity.

“The point was not to look Chinese. The point was, ‘OK, this is a beautiful thing, I want to do something with it,’” Rousset-Perrier explained.

“I’m not saying that [cultural appropriation] does not exist,” he admitted, but said the chinoiserie trend was also “a way of appreciating things” and a sign of the French “being culturally curious and wanting to know more”.

Both curators flew to Hong Kong to collaborate with a local team to mount the exhibition.

Dr Ingrid Yeung, associate curator of the Hong Kong Palace Museum, said: “To see the function of these undergarments in sculpting the body, modifying the body – that is a very important plot line.”

Like Bruna and Rousset-Perrier, Yeung drew attention to historical differences between the characteristics of fashion in France and China, an underlying theme for the show.

“When we see the Chinese costume, for example, at the court of China in Beijing, the costumes were very ample, very large, quite loose, and the body was hidden under the clothes,” Bruna said.

“It was absolutely different in Europe and in France, because the underwear and the clothes shaped the body, transformed it,” he added, referring to the corsets that created the cinched waists and accentuated bosoms in women, forcing them to move in a particular way.

He added that men’s bodies were also modified by garments such as puffed sleeves and false calves that were woven into stockings, though their movements were affected to a lesser degree compared with women.

Yeung said the exhibition could be seen as being “in conversation” with shows in other galleries such as the Palace Museum in Beijing, as visitors could compare how clothing shaped human bodies across different cultures.

And while the Hong Kong Palace Museum showcased dresses worn by aristocratic ladies, the curators said the show was not women-centric and also depicted how men in the past “whimsically” adorned themselves with interesting jewellery.

Yeung said visitors could also look forward to enjoying films that “bring to life the pieces that are on view”, such as Marie Antoinette, a 2006 feature film starring Kirsten Dunst, and a few works by French director Georges Melies from around 1900.

“[The films] further reinforce the idea of how clothing defines social class, or reflects social etiquette,” Yeung added, noting that there would also be multimedia displays, music, and narration that complemented the exhibited items.

Daisy Wang Yiyou, deputy director of the museum, said that its team had not worked on a European fashion exhibition before so the show was a “fantastic opportunity” for them to learn from their French counterparts.

“Our staff was very eager to learn and absorb their knowledge, expertise, and best practices,” Wang said.

She expected “The Adorned Body” to do as well as the museum’s previous top-performing shows, but noted the exhibition would run for only 14 weeks, compared with others that ran for over a year.

The curators said the exhibition would foster cultural exchanges as it centred around the human body and fashion, which was a universal theme.

“The body has no culture, no era. It’s a common human thing no matter where you are,” Rousset-Perrier said, adding that at a time of much political tension around the globe, the show would emphasise that “we have more things in common than we think”.

Quirky news: China graduation student in cartoon outfit, black tongues after meal, Japan slow service

https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3268653/quirky-news-china-graduation-student-cartoon-outfit-black-tongues-after-meal-japan-slow-service?utm_source=rss_feed

A Chinese man walked for his PhD degree dressed as Patrick Star, the famous character from SpongeBob SquarePants, to honour his friendship with a former classmate.

Pan Ronghao wore the pink costume at the China University of Geosciences commemoration event in Beijing in mid-June to surprise his friend Xia Qing, an alumnus of the school.

During the ceremony, as Pan approached a professor, the latter ceremoniously turned the tassel for him, according to Luzhong Morning Post.

“Xia likes SpongeBob very much, and I am taller than him, so I am Patrick Star,” Pan was quoted as saying. “The university is our Bikini Bottom [where the two cartoon characters live].”

Xia and Pan were classmates for a decade before Xia graduated from the university two years ago, also earning a doctoral degree. Xia now works in another city.

“My intention for wearing the costume was to commemorate the unforgettable time at school and my friendship with Xia Qing. I did not expect this to receive so much attention,” Pan said. “Thank you all for loving this.”

A hotpot restaurant chain in China issued an apology following a recent incident where a customer’s daughter revealed online that both her and her mother’s tongues turned black after dining at one of its outlets in eastern China.

According to The Paper news portal, the company explained that the black tongue phenomenon was caused by a poorly maintained iron pot used for serving the soup.

China Hotpot stated that it had directed all its outlets to properly maintain their pots to avoid a recurrence of such incidents. The brand denied allegations that its food contained excessive nitrite levels harmful to health.

With numerous outlets across mainland China, some online users reported experiencing the same issue with tongue discolouration after dining at the restaurant.

“I tried to figure out why my tongue turned black. I suspected all the food I had eaten but never considered the pot. Who would imagine a pot could turn your tongue black?” said one person on Baidu.

A checkout counter at a Japanese supermarket has garnered attention for implementing a purposely slow-moving queue, resulting in a 10 per-cent increase in sales.

The idea for the extra-slow counter came from a worker at the Alzheimer’s Disease Support Centre in Fukuoka Prefecture in southern Japan, reported Asahi TV.

The person recognised that elderly shoppers often feel overwhelmed by the fast pace of modern life, especially in quick checkout lines.

At this specially designed counter, catering to the elderly, disabled, and pregnant customers, individuals can take up to 20 minutes to complete their transaction.

They have the freedom to count money at their own pace, pack items leisurely, and engage in conversations with the cashier without feeling rushed. The deliberate slowness creates a relaxed atmosphere for both customers and those waiting in line, enhancing the overall shopping experience.

This unique approach has proven popular, with some customers specifically choosing this supermarket for the leisurely checkout option. The positive response is reflected in the 10 per-cent sales boost since the slow checkout counter introduction.

China’s Xinjiang Communist Party chief urges ‘unwavering’ terror crackdown

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3269431/chinas-xinjiang-party-chief-urges-unwavering-terror-crackdown-stability-top-focus?utm_source=rss_feed

The Communist Party chief of China’s Xinjiang region has called on security personnel to “unwaveringly” uphold the authorities’ “high-intensity crackdown on terrorism”.

The call from Ma Xingrui came as the western border region completed its latest military-police joint exercise.

“Social stability must be at the forefront” of “strengthening stability and boosting development”, Ma told police officers in Xinjiang on Friday.

“[Our] approach towards high-intensity crackdowns has to remain unwavering,” Ma was quoted as saying by Xinjiang Daily, an official newspaper.

“[We] have to eliminate all terrorist threats at the initial stage, and push forward with normalising counterterrorism work.”

Ma also called for stronger border security and a “society-wide” ability to control risks. Eliminating political, economic and ideological “risks” were important to ensure the prevention of “structural risks”, he said.

The Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region is home to nearly 26 million people, more than half of them from ethnic minority groups, including the mainly Muslim Uygurs and Kazakhs.

China’s years-long crackdown on extremism among Uygurs and other Muslim minorities in Xinjiang has sparked allegations of human rights abuses and sanctions from the United States and other countries.

Beijing denies accusations of repression and has hailed its policies in managing ethnic conflicts, combating terrorism and relieving poverty as successful. However, it has continued to step up security measures as part of a campaign to normalise counterterror work.

The latest military-police drills took place in “southern Xinjiang”, in the Kunlun Mountains bordering India and Pakistan, according to Xinjiang Daily. The specific location or dates of the exercise were not reported.

Around 3,000 security personnel took part, the report said, including those from the People’s Liberation Army, the paramilitary People’s Armed Police, the quasi-military Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, and immigration control and public security agencies.

Helicopters, unmanned aerial vehicles, as well as armoured and assault tanks were used in the exercise, according to state media.

During the drills, personnel practised arresting targeted terrorists, preventing the return and infiltration of terrorists, and combating terrorism in high-altitude regions, footage broadcast by Xinjiang Television showed.

In 2016, Beijing imposed security measures in Xinjiang that it said aimed to crack down on terror attacks following decades of ethnic tensions and unrest. But the measures led to allegations of widespread human rights abuses, including that at least 1 million Uygurs and other Muslim minorities were held in mass internment camps.

Beijing maintains the centres are for “vocational training”.

The Xinjiang government has in recent years focused on promoting economic development, especially trade links with its neighbouring Central Asian countries, and also sought to improve its international image.

During a visit to the regional capital Urumqi in August, President Xi Jinping doubled down on “social stability” as a top priority for Xinjiang, calling for greater efforts against terrorism and religious extremism while also pushing economic development.

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South China Sea: Philippines to buy more ‘faster, lethal’ fighter jets as Beijing tensions persist

https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3269432/south-china-sea-philippines-buy-more-faster-lethal-fighter-jets-beijing-tensions-persist?utm_source=rss_feed

President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr has approved the plan to acquire new multirole fighter jets as the Philippines pushes ahead with its military modernisation to plug weaknesses in the air force’s defence capability amid simmering South China Sea tensions with Beijing.

Military chief General Romeo Brawner said the existing fleet of South Korean-made FA-50 aircraft was “still not enough to protect” the country which is considering buying “bigger, faster and more lethal” warplanes such as the US F-16 and Sweden’s JAS-39.

A decision on how many additional jets would be inducted into the air force was yet to be made, he told reporters on Thursday.

The upgrade was already in the pipeline and aims to enhance the Philippines’ ability to project power beyond its territorial waters in the resource-rich seaway, observers say.

“What we need in the West Philippine Sea is not just vessels for maritime patrols but air assets as well,” said Rej Torrecampo, a security analyst at the Political Economic Elemental Researchers and Strategists think tank.

“It will have a critical and direct impact on our ability to project our assets beyond our 12 nautical miles territorial sea which include our 200 nautical miles exclusive economic zone (EEZ).”

The West Philippine Sea is the term Manila uses to describe a portion of the South China Sea that falls within its EEZ.

Chinese and Philippine ships have been involved in a series of escalating confrontations in the disputed waters in recent months.

A Filipino sailor lost a thumb during a June 17 clash when the Philippine side attempted to resupply troops stationed on a military outpost at the Second Thomas Shoal.

Security analyst Chester Cabalza, president of the Manila-based International Development and Security Cooperation, said the government should opt for jets that are modest in price but also well-equipped and open for reverse engineering.

“South Korea, Sweden and even the US are still bidding on the state-of-the-art fighter planes. But Manila will diversify its acquisitions to democratise the competitive military air force market,” he said.

The Swedish embassy said in May the Philippines has expressed “great interest in Swedish systems” including fighter planes, command systems and airborne early-warning aircraft.

President Marcos told air force personnel at a ceremony last week in Pampanga’s Cesar Basa Airbase that his administration would boost the nation’s defence capabilities by sourcing more air assets and advanced radar systems and strengthening cyberwarfare communication systems.

In January, he also approved a US$35 billion military modernisation scheme, with much of the funding allotted to the navy and air force.

House Speaker Martin Romualdez vowed to provide the necessary legislative support to finance and implement the programme.

Jose Antonio Custodio, a defence analyst and fellow at the Consortium of Indo-Pacific Researchers, said multirole jets offered “a quick and devastating response in a conflict situation”.

“When you look at both the aircraft of Sweden and the US, it’s more advantageous for the Philippines to get the US-made because we have an alliance with them,” he said, referring to the Mutual Defence Treaty (MDT) that obligates both Washington and Manila to come to the other’s aid in times of aggression by an external power.

The US has access to multiple military sites, including the Pampanga base, in the Philippines which has deepened security ties with America after Marcos took office in 2022.

“But the Chinese also have invested in such capability. That’s why their artificial islands in the West Philippine Sea have airstrips long enough to accommodate combat aircraft,” Custodio said.

Security analyst Joshua Espeña, a resident fellow and vice-president of the International Development and Security Cooperation, said the air force was arguably the weakest major service within the Philippine military and it needs at least a dozen squadrons of multirole jets to protect the archipelago’s airspace.

Though Manila has added a few fixed and rotary wings, drones and air defence systems, Espeña said the air force was dependent on its naval and ground counterparts as it develops joint operations for a multidomain warfare scenario.

“Air forces may produce an independent strike effect as far away from harming populations in the land but it has trade-offs in terms of the ability to operate within a low level of vulnerability,” he said.

Espeña said the new jets would add heft to the air force which has supported the army’s internal security operations but it faced key challenges, including intercepting swarms of drones and the hypersonic missile capabilities of China, when dealing with external threats.

Chinese crews drill under Xinjiang glacier for ‘super-long’ highway tunnel

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3269194/chinese-crews-drill-under-xinjiang-glacier-super-long-highway-tunnel?utm_source=rss_feed

A Chinese construction team in charge of excavating a tunnel through one of the longest mountain ranges in the world has embarked on the most challenging part of the mega project – slicing under several kilometres of a glacier.

The 15.7km (9.8 mile) long West Tianshan Super-long Tunnel is part of a major highway connecting southern and northern areas of China’s vast western Xinjiang region. It is expected to help boost trade and tourism and provide a vital link to Central Asia under the Beijing-led Belt and Road Initiative.

The construction team on Wednesday launched a domestically built tunnel boring machine (TBM) to drill under the massive glacier to create the main passageway for the tunnel, state news agency Xinhua reported.

The 1,800 tonne machine, dubbed “Wensu”, was designed and developed by the state-owned China Communications Construction Company. It is 235 metres (771 feet) long and has a diameter of 8.83 metres, making it the widest such machine in use among the tunnel boring projects currently under way at Tianshan, according to Communist Party mouthpiece People’s Daily.

About two-thirds of the 2,500km Tianshan range – which stretches into Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan in Central Asia – is located in Xinjiang. Its average altitude is about 4,000 metres (over 13,000 feet).

The West Tianshan tunnel will be China’s first to cut a straight path under a glacier. More than three-quarters, or nearly 12km, will run through rocks under 1km of ice, with some sections under as much as 2.4km of ice.

Wensu is also the most advanced TBM to traverse the Tianshan range, a seismically active region with average temperatures of about minus 23 degrees Celsius (minus 10 Fahrenheit) in the winter. Geological conditions here present unique safety and environmental challenges for tunnel boring, including water inrush, rock bursts and variable ground temperatures, Xinhua reported in April.

Construction on the tunnel started last September and is scheduled for completion in 2026. The project is the most important segment of the 237km Zhaosu-Wensu or G219 highway, connecting Zhaosu county in northern Xinjiang to Wensu county in the south, People’s Daily reported.

Due to open to traffic in 2027, the highway will be part of a major transport route linking China to Russia, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Pakistan, as well as a key connection between Xinjiang and Tibet.

China has started work on several highways and tunnels in Xinjiang in recent years, including the Tianshan Shengli tunnel – a crucial section of the 1,300km Urumqi-Yuli Expressway linking the regional capital to Yuli county in central Xinjiang.

The 22.1km passage will be the world’s longest such tunnel when the highway opens to traffic late next year.

In China’s Guangzhou, a web of factories gives rise to fast-fashion juggernaut Shein

https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3269291/chinas-guangzhou-web-factories-gives-rise-fast-fashion-juggernaut-shein?utm_source=rss_feed

The mercantile history of Guangzhou, the city once called Canton that is about two hours’ drive from Hong Kong, can be traced back to Wu Bingjian, one of the richest men to have ever lived on Earth.

Better known among foreigners as Howqua, the 18th-century merchant accumulated enormous wealth running one of the 13 trading houses, or hong, that were granted exclusive rights by the Manchu rulers in Peking to sell tea, porcelain, silk and other exotic goods to Westerners, until the Opium War shattered their monopoly.

Today, foreign trade is alive and well in the southern port, where a new breed of merchants have emerged. Taking advantage of the internet and the country’s vast army of factory workers, companies like Shein – pronounced “she-in” – and others have quickly risen as contenders to global retail giants from Amazon.com to H&M Group.

Hidden in the town of Nancun in Guangzhou’s Panyu district, a labyrinth of residential buildings and small factory compounds, is Shein’s sourcing centre. At the nearby Dexing Industrial Park, walls and walkways are covered in recruitment ads for workers, who are needed to fill the flood of orders coming from Shein.

One factory looking for “cross-border trade” sewing workers promises a new-hire bonus of 1,000 yuan (US$138), an annual bonus of 8,000 yuan and a rent subsidy of 300 yuan. Another facility, in need of “unlimited” labour supply, boasts of “central air-conditioning” and “timely salary payment”.

A drab, five-storey matchbox building houses at least seven workshops – Shanghong Garments, Hongze Clothing, Yuejie, Hongshi Clothing and Aixi Fashion, according to the signs. It is just one of hundreds of similar buildings across Panyu, home to over 7,000 manufacturers, according to government data.

Shein and its rivals are the beating heart that keeps these small factories running. All day long, trucks plastered with Shein logos stop by to load up on freshly sewn boxers and cocktail dresses. Many of these products will soon find their way to consumers halfway around the globe, who bought them with a tap on their smartphones.

“Shein’s core advantage lies in its agile supply chain, which is both fast and flexible, and its large existing user base,” said Yao Kaifei, CEO and founder of BrandAI, a software-as-a-service start-up focusing on cross-border e-commerce.

But Shein has not always enjoyed the tight relationship it now has with suppliers.

In the company’s early days, its founder Xu Yangtian and supply chain head Henry Ren Xiaoqing spent a lot of time visiting garment factories in Guangzhou in person to secure contracts.

Many suppliers initially rejected Shein because it placed orders in quantities far smaller than those from traditional exporters, and only reorders if an item proves to be popular with shoppers, said Liu Mingguang, a former supply chain adviser for Shein.

The company typically asks factories to produce around 100 pieces of a new item, while other clients usually request 10 to 20 times more, according to the manager of a denim factory that worked with Shein. Orders from Shein, which sells low-priced clothing from US$5 tank tops to US$20 jeans, are also less lucrative.

Shein’s orders generate a gross profit margin of around 6 per cent, compared to 10 to 20 per cent for those from other customers, the manager said. Adding to the troubles, Shein’s tight delivery deadlines often force factories to pause production for other clients and work overtime.

But slowly, Shein managed to sign up an extensive network of manufacturers by doing what many of its peers fail to: always paying on time. The trust that it has built with suppliers eventually gave it an edge over competitors, as shoppers worldwide became drawn to Shein’s seemingly endless selection of budget-priced clothing that is in tune with fashion trends.

“An agile supply chain and connected-commerce capabilities are needed to sustain [Shein’s] success in an ever-changing marketplace,” said Derek Deng, a senior Bain partner in Shanghai. “Sustainability can be achieved when the company can create a synergy between its supply chain and its distribution channels to adapt to fast-changing local market needs.”

To manage its complex web of suppliers, Shein developed an in-house digital system and requires new partners to attend training held by its supply chain management department.

Through a website called Geiwohuo, meaning “give me goods” in Mandarin, sellers on Shein can access a wide range of data, including product lists, orders and inventory management, according to documents provided by a supplier.

When a product sells well and inventory runs low, the system automatically reorders from factories. This allows Shein to restock in seven days, compared to 14 days at Spanish fashion giant Inditex’s Zara, according to suppliers.

The rise of Shein and other Chinese apps, including PDD Holdings’ Temu, ByteDance’s TikTok Shop and Alibaba Group Holding’s AliExpress, has transformed China’s export landscape, with Beijing touting cross-border e-commerce as a key part of its plan to develop a “digital silk road” for selling Chinese goods to the world.

Alibaba owns the South China Morning Post.

But abroad, the fast expansion of Shein and others has drawn scrutiny. The US and the EU are both considering slapping import duties on cheap products bought from online sites, while Indonesia is reportedly weighing an up to 200 per cent tariff on Chinese goods to protect local merchants.

Shein also faces growing competition from rivals. Amazon.com recently launched a budget storefront featuring low-priced clothing, home goods and other items, allowing Chinese sellers to ship directly to US shoppers.

Temu, a direct rival that has been engaged in a series of lawsuits and counter-lawsuits accusing each other of anticompetitive practices in the US, has set up an office within 10 minutes’ walk from Shein’s Sihai City office in Guangzhou.

To stay competitive, Shein is striving to attract a diverse array of merchants onto its platform, which would allow it to offer a bigger variety of goods ranging from beauty and skincare products to pet supplies, home decor, toys and small appliances, targeting mainly female consumers.

The company last year established a business development team dedicated to this initiative.

If Shein only focuses on its own brands like before, growth will hit a ceiling, said one of the company’s business development managers based in Shenzhen, who declined to be named because he was not authorised to speak to the media.

Shein needs to expand the categories of merchandise it offers to seize a larger market share, said the manager, who is responsible for recruiting new sellers and supporting new joiners. His job performance is tied to the number of merchants he can bring in.

Shein, which remains a private company, has not divulged details of its business and financial performance. It has repeatedly turned down requests for interviews with the Post. Its 40-year-old founder and CEO Xu is so low-profile that people in the office often fail to recognise him, according to employees.

Miao Miao, Shein’s chief operating officer, has been seen at supplier events but rarely speaks publicly. An employee who manages sellers on Shein said he was surprised when the executive privately praised him at a merchant recruitment event.

But as Shein pushes forward its plan for an initial public offering (IPO), the company will need to be more open about its operations.

The Singapore-headquartered firm confidentially filed papers to the British market regulator in early June, according to a report by Reuters published just days after the Post reported that Shein was facing multiple hurdles, including requests by early investors to cash out.

Shein’s previous plan to float its shares in the US hit a wall despite its efforts to downplay its Chinese roots. By portraying itself as a foreign company, Shein also angered some government officials in Beijing, much like ride-hailing giant Didi Chuxing did when it launched an IPO in New York in 2021 without obtaining full clearance, according to a source familiar with the situation.

Just as merchants in Guangdong were initially hesitant to work with Shein, the fast-fashion giant will now have to convince investors it can deliver consistent sales.

“Shein must seek growth opportunities and differentiate itself while maintaining its profits,” said BrandAI’s Yao.

Dyke breach in China’s No 2 freshwater lake Dongting sparks emergency evacuation

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3269424/dyke-breach-chinas-no-2-freshwater-lake-dongting-sparks-emergency-evacuation?utm_source=rss_feed

A dyke breach in China’s second-biggest freshwater lake has widened after floods brought by torrential rains wreaked havoc in the central province of Hunan, causing thousands to be evacuated.

The length of the breach had more than doubled overnight, widening from 100 metres (328 feet) on Friday to 220 metres as of midday Saturday, state-affiliated media reports said.

Nearly 6,000 people in the affected county of Huarong have been evacuated, according to state news agency Xinhua. There are no reports of casualties.

More than 2,000 local relief workers and 610 boats have been mobilised for emergency rescue work in Huarong, with nearly 10,000 tonnes of sand and stones and 18 trucks deployed to seal the breach.

President Xi Jinping, who is on a state visit to Tajikistan, earlier urged all-out rescue and relief works.

“Since China entered the main flood season last month, some areas in the country have experienced heavy rainfall for a prolonged duration, leading to a severe flood control situation,” Xi was quoted as saying by Xinhua after the breach occurred on Friday afternoon.

“The prolonged water erosion of embankments may result in dangerous situations, posing significant risks and hidden dangers,” he warned.

A national rescue team consisting of 800 people, nearly 150 vehicles and 82 boats have been sent to the site by the Ministry of Emergency Management. And the finance ministry has issued 540 million yuan (US$75 million) in disaster relief.

Pingjiang, another county on the banks of the Dongting, has been hit with the most severe flooding in 70 years after torrential storms for nearly a month, with local authorities declaring it a “wartime” emergency situation.

The floods have affected more than 364,000 people, drowned farmlands, damaged over 2,600 sections of roads and bridges and caused multiple landslides in Pingjiang.

Hunan provincial authorities earlier reported 27 people dead and eight missing in floods across 14 cities.

Dongting, a large, shallow lake in northeastern Hunan, is a flood basin of the Yangtze River, China’s longest river and major shipping artery. Flooding was forecast to persist in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze over the next two weeks, China’s Ministry of Water Resources said on Friday.

The area includes at least eight provinces and the municipalities of Shanghai and Chongqing.

In Jiangxi province – a rice-producing hub like Hunan – a persistent combination of high temperatures, humidity and strong rainfall has caused premature germination in ripened grains, a harmful condition that can impact harvests, according to a research note from agricultural portal Cngrain.

Major flooding is expected in the coming weeks across China, as the country continues to suffer from extreme weather. Apart from the Yangtze, flood alerts have been issued for the Huai River and its basin in eastern China, as well as the Yellow River, China’s second longest, and the Songhua and Liao rivers in the northeast, according to the water resources ministry.

At least 47 people have died in southern Guangdong province after torrential rains set off flooding and landslides, according to authorities.

Top Beijing officials have travelled to the affected areas and called to minimise losses and protect autumn harvests.

Premier Li Qiang visited Jiujiang city in eastern Jiangxi province earlier this week while Vice-Premier Liu Guozhong visited the northeastern province of Heilongjiang.

In another incidence of extreme weather, a tornado ripped through at least two counties in the eastern province of Shandong on Friday, killing five people and injuring more than, state broadcaster CCTV reported.

What is escape beauty duty? China women shun societal pressure, choose natural looks

https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/gender-diversity/article/3268405/what-escape-beauty-duty-china-women-shun-societal-pressure-choose-natural-looks?utm_source=rss_feed

Young women in China are rejecting high heels, makeup, diets, and other appearance-focused traditions because they view them as costly and unfair.

Instead, they are embracing buzz-cut hairstyles, loose clothing, and natural, cosmetic-free looks.

The trend, known as “escape beauty duty” or tuo mei yi in Mandarin, emerged last year and content about it has garnered more than 21 million views on Xiaohongshu.

The term is derived from the Chinese word yi, typically used to describe hard labour duty or military service, emphasising the excessive effort women often undertake to meet societal expectations of beauty.

The Post finds out more about the trend.

Beauty duty describes the societal pressure women face to dress up and wear makeup, conforming to stereotypical female beauty standards prevalent in modern Chinese culture.

Among the most notable standards is the “white, young and thin” ideal, which values fair skin, a youthful appearance and a slender figure.

Some women go to extreme and painful lengths to meet these standards, such as enduring the high costs and the discomfort of starvation diets.

In a social media challenge called “A4 waist” in 2020, participants placed A4 paper vertically against their abdomen, aiming to have their waist completely covered by the 21-cm-wide paper.

In a similar fad, collarbones were expected to be prominent enough to keep a coin securely in place.

These trends sparked widespread debate on social media.

Escape

Younger Chinese generations are urging women to reject conventional notions of beauty and escape to freedom.

Last year, the “buzz-cut challenge” began trending on social media.

In China, long hair is often associated with femininity and beauty, so some young females started cutting their hair short as an act of rebellion.

Others have deliberately discarded their lipstick, high heels, and even bras, opting for loose clothing so they can be comfortable.

Celebrities who boldly defy societal norms have also received admiration on social media.

Last year, Hong Kong-Taiwan actress and model Shu Qi was praised for confidently showcasing her grey hair on Instagram, rather than dyeing it black.

Not everyone was a fan though.

“Your grey hair is an eyesore,” one online observer said.

“I want people to gradually watch me age,” Shu defiantly responded.

In January, Chinese actress Jiang Peiyao wore a down jacket instead of a thin gown to a cold, outdoor red carpet event.

“I suggest female stars follow this standard for events. It’s warm, comfortable, and beautiful,” one person online said.

Patriarchy fight

The trend is seen as a part of the ongoing battle against patriarchal oppression in East Asian nations.

Others include the Japanese women who launched a movement against dress codes requiring them to wear high heels in the workplace.

Similarly, South Korean women initiated the “Take Off the Corset” movement, challenging the country’s deeply entrenched and restrictive beauty culture.

However, some women feel that this trend stigmatises those who adhere to traditional beauty standards.

“If you dress up, you are considered to be pandering to men. The movement for women’s freedom seems to have become a new shackle,” one online observer wrote.

Bullish on emerging markets: Chinese, Indian stocks may outshine Japan in the second half

https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3269417/bullish-emerging-markets-chinese-indian-stocks-may-outshine-japan-second-half?utm_source=rss_feed

Equities in China and India are being touted as potential outperformers in Asia in the second half of the year as investors flock to emerging-market themes.

About a third of 19 Asia-based strategists and fund managers surveyed informally by Bloomberg News said they see Chinese stocks outstripping most over the next six months. A similar number picked India as their top bet while Japan was a distant third.

Anticipated Federal Reserve interest-rate cuts are seen acting as tailwinds for the two emerging markets, each of which offers its own unique narratives, too. Survey respondents preferred Chinese stocks for their low valuations and expected policy changes, while favouring Indian shares for their post-election optimism and relative immunity to geopolitical tensions.

“We believe valuation discounts and broadening global growth present an opportunity for EMs, particularly in Asia, to lead in the second half of the year,” Joseph Little, global chief strategist at HSBC Asset Management, wrote in his midyear outlook.

EM stocks in the region are already on a roll. The MSCI EM Asia Index outperformed the broader MSCI Asia gauge by the most since 2009 in the last quarter. EM Asia was also the most notionally net bought region in June, according to Goldman Sachs Inc.’s prime brokerage desk – while global equities were net sold at the fastest pace in two years.

Indian equities have extended their rally since Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ruling party secured sufficient support from key allies to form a coalition government, giving the leader a third straight term in power. The nation’s stock-market value exceeded US$5 trillion for the first time in June as Modi committed to policy continuity and foreign investors returned to the market after two months.

A separate Bloomberg survey about India showed that the rally in the country’s equities has the potential to accelerate into year-end as investors remain confident of corporate profit growth and the coming federal budget may provide a further boost for areas such as consumer spending and infrastructure.

Ray Sharma-Ong, head of multi-asset investment solutions for Southeast Asia at abrdn, favours Indian equities as “multiple catalysts yet to be priced in,” including the government’s budget. He also sees Indian stocks as “most sheltered from US-China tensions and spillover effects from the US presidential election.”

Chinese stocks, on the other hand, have been struggling after a strong rally earlier in the year, with some key gauges entering a technical correction in recent weeks. However, both the broad survey and a separate China-focused one by Bloomberg found analysts and money managers to be upbeat on the world’s second-biggest stock market for the next six months as global funds return and corporate earnings improve.

HSBC Holdings is bullish on China, expecting the “very negative sentiment in Chinese equities to slowly turn,” according to Asia equity strategist Herald van der Linde. He is adding positions for the second half given “slow improvements in Chinese activity.”

The broad survey also flagged that geopolitical tensions stemming from the coming US-election are a key risk for Asia’s market. More restrictive policies could come as US President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump battle to show their stance toward China.

“The impact of the escalated tension between China-US or China-Taiwan will be region-wide” said Hebe Chen, an analyst at IG Markets. “No Asian market is immune, particularly the best performing markets today.”

Over half of the respondents said Asian equities are likely to outperform their US counterparts through the end of 2024, citing Fed rate cuts and cheap valuations. However, most of them see the gains limited to 10 per cent or less.

“Asia has the potential to outperform in a Fed cutting cycle,” Sharma-Ong said. “In addition to policy rate cuts, we get higher economic growth and earnings potential in Asia, equity valuations at cheaper levels, and currencies at higher carry relative to the dollar.”

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Cost-free fitness formula of China fish vendor, 50, brings 8-pack abs in just 5 years

https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3267456/cost-free-fitness-formula-china-fish-vendor-50-brings-8-pack-abs-just-5-years?utm_source=rss_feed

A 50-year-old man in China is proving that age is just a number as he impresses with his muscular physique, including eight-pack abs.

What is even more surprising is the fact that he has never set foot inside a gym.

The man, surnamed Zhou, from eastern China’s Zhejiang province started taking fitness seriously in 2020 to “exercise my willpower”.

He used to enjoy doing push-ups in his 20s but did not continue as he grew older.

The fish vendor from a local market said he achieved his “incredible” body by going to a public park.

Exercise equipment is installed widely in China’s public parks and residential compounds for people to use for free.

Zhou said he exercises at the park at lunch time every weekday, except when it is raining.

He was surprised when he discovered his “talent” for fitness training and found it relatively easy.

Zhou said he does not need to try hard to accomplish difficult moves such as so-called planche push-ups. He also finds it easy to do the type of pull-ups, which were invented by the US street workout master Hannibal For King.

Some young people have tried to copy his success, but failed.

Zhou said he seems to have naturally powerful arms and fingers.

“It is incredible that I can achieve such a level at my age,” Zhou said.

He did not specify his diet plan, but an online observer said he “must have eaten a lot of protein”, which is known as the building block for muscle growth and strength.

“He is 50 but has got a body like a 20-year-old young man,” one person said on Weibo.

“He proves that we do not need to go to a gym to be fit. Even a park works as long as you have the will,” another said.

“Middle-aged people are youthful and vibrant. Young people are weak and useless,” said a third.

Social media is constantly amazed by middle-aged and elderly people with good fitness levels.

Last year, a 78-year-old grandmother from northern China’s Tianjin municipality went viral. The woman, surnamed Bai, started working out at the age of 60.

Before that she had three operations for cancer, which made her realise the importance of health and fitness.

In 2018, a 53-year-old man took only six months to change his beer belly into six-pack abs. He used to lead an unhealthy life and once fell over in the middle of the road. He started jogging shortly after that, followed by training in the gym.

In 2016, a 94-year-old grandfather from southern China’s Guangdong province was still going to the gym for one hour every day.

The man, surnamed Shen, could do 10 pull-ups at a time.

He said he worked out to extend his life, and preferred the gym over square dancing or tai chi that are popular among elderly people because “they are too mild”.

China’s latest stealth fighter jet ‘J-31B’ ready for military service, CCTV video post suggests

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3269372/chinas-latest-stealth-fighter-jet-j-31b-ready-military-service-cctv-video-post-suggests?utm_source=rss_feed

China’s latest stealth fighter jet with carrier-based potential may be ready to enter military service, a manufacturer’s video posted by state media suggests.

The FC-31 Gyrfalcon, with a variant now officially revealed as the “J-31B”, is expected to complement the J-20, China’s most advanced stealth fighter which entered service in 2017.

Chinese state broadcaster CCTV on Monday posted a promotional video from Shenyang Aircraft Corporation (SAC), developer of the warplane and state-owned subsidiary of one of China’s top defence contractors.

The video features a computer-generated prototype of the new jet, notably with a side weapon bay carrying two missiles.

The aircraft, captioned in the video as “Gyrfalcon”, has the name “J-31B” painted on its fuselage.

Beijing-based military analyst Fu Qianshao said the labels showed that the fighter, developed by SAC over more than a decade, was ready for service.

“The transformation of the FC-31 into J-31 indicates that it has met the formal requirements for military service and has received an official designation,” Fu said.

The medium-sized stealth fighter was earlier designated as FC-31 for the export market. It was mostly referred to as the J-31 or J-35 by domestic media and commentators but never had an official name.

Designed as a fifth-generation stealth fighter for the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) and potentially for export markets, the warplane has undergone significant development and testing since its maiden flight in 2012.

It was unveiled to the public at the 2014 Zhuhai air show, and is positioned as the Chinese equivalent of Lockheed Martin’s fifth-generation F-35 Lightning II.

Its commissioning would make China the second country to have two types of stealth aircraft, after the United States with its F-22 Raptor and F-35 Lightning II.

In 2013, in the early years of the FC-31’s development, chief designer Sun Cong told state media that he hoped a variant of the jet would follow the J-15 onto the PLA Navy aircraft carriers. The fourth-generation J-15, also developed by SAC, is China’s only ship-borne fighter jet in active service.

State news agency Xinhua reported back in 2015 that the J-31 could complement the J-20 fighter jets in air combat, and might also be paired with the J-15 as a carrier-based aircraft.

However, analysts cannot be sure if the model featured in the SAC video is meant to be ship-borne.

Fu, who is a retired PLA Air Force equipment analyst, said the code “B” indicated there might be several variants of the J-31, but whether it was carrier-based was not clear.

“It is still hard to say whether it [the B variant] will be carrier-based, land-based, or for export,” he said.

Fellow military analyst Shi Hong said the J-31B looked like it would be commissioned into the PLA Air Force, rather than the navy. This was because the front landing gear shown in the video was single-wheeled, which was typically more suited to land-based aircraft rather than carrier-based ones, he said.

The PLA Navy’s third and most advanced carrier, the Fujian, is the first to be equipped with an electromagnetic catapult system. The ship’s first official sea trial in May has sparked widespread speculation about when the PLA might reveal fighter jets capable of such take-offs.

The J-31B seen in the video was also the first variant to feature weapon bays on the side, Shi said, noting that this could “significantly enhance its combat capabilities”.

Each weapon bay was capable of carrying two missiles, he said, adding that this distinguished the J-31B from the US F-22 Raptor and China’s own J-20, which also incorporate side weapon bays but can only carry one missile on each side.

“This would increase its weapon payload … and the firing capabilities in close distance combat would be strong,” Shi explained in a video posted on his Weibo social media account.

China displayed a model of the FC-31 at the World Defence Show in Saudi Arabia earlier this year. A Chinese official at the show, who asked not to be named, said the FC-31 was not yet in service with the PLA Air Force but would soon be in operation.

The Pakistan Air Force chief said in January that his country was on track to acquire the FC-31 Gyrfalcon fifth-generation fighter.

China’s desperate young jobseekers face fierce competition, provide headache for Beijing

https://www.scmp.com/economy/economic-indicators/article/3269276/chinas-desperate-young-jobseekers-face-fierce-competition-provide-headache-beijing?utm_source=rss_feed

Amid China’s ongoing economic struggles, unemployment remains a headache for Beijing. In this eight-part series, we examine the range of unemployment issues facing the world’s second-largest economy, from young people to “the curse of 35”, as well as gig workers and the political implications.

At the end of May, Beijing-based start-up founder Zuyi Lee posted a part-time accounting job on an online recruitment platform. Within 24 hours, a staggering 142 applicants had reached out.

Lee whittled the list down to 16 applicants, with only one failing to show up for the interview.

“For fresh graduates, the competition in job seeking is fierce,” Lee said. “It’s clear that many are in urgent need of employment.”

While China has been rolling out a slew of measures to support employment – an issue deemed crucial to social stability and consumer confidence – pressure in creating enough jobs is still mounting as a record 11.79 million college graduates are entering the job market this summer.

China’s youth unemployment rate has been a much-watched figure, particularly after it rose to a headline-grabbing 21.3 per cent in June 2023.

The figure was then withdrawn in August as the statistics bureau said the data had to be “further improved and optimised”, returning in December with a revised figure for the 16-24 age group of 14.9 per cent excluding students.

It peaked at 15.3 per cent in February and March, but has since slightly eased, falling to 14.2 per cent in May.

China’s overall surveyed urban unemployment rate, meanwhile, stood at 5 per cent in May, unchanged from April.

Chu Zhaohui, a researcher at the China National Institute of Education Sciences, said the lack of demand for employment and structural unemployment were the two main unemployment issues in China.

“There are many people with general learning and knowledge, but few of them have professional skills required in various industries,” said Chu.

President Xi Jinping called employment a “most basic livelihood concern” after a Politburo study session at the end of May, adding that it was “related to … the healthy development of the economy and society, and the long-term stability of the country”.

Xi pledged to make youth employment a top policy priority, and stressed that employment for university graduates should be the main focus.

In the middle of June, China unveiled robust initiatives, including subsidies for companies hiring college graduates and a scheme of creating at least 1 million internship positions annually for young people by the end of 2025.

In May, the Ministry of Education also conducted a “100-day sprint” initiative to enhance employment opportunities for graduates by organising company visits and bolstering internship programmes.

As of the end of May, 2,524 universities had visited companies and explored job opportunities, creating nearly 3.76 million new employment positions, according to state-owned media.

China also published a list of 19 new recognised professions at the end of May related to the digital economy, smart manufacturing and modern services, including live-streaming anchor and generative artificial intelligence system application specialist.

“If college graduates subjectively accept some new industries and positions suitable for themselves, it may ease the employment pressure,” Lee added.

They could be a guide to employment, but still need to be tested by the market, Chu stated.

Nine of the new professions have been labelled as “S,” indicating digital professions.

“Some of my classmates tried to find opportunities through the internet, such as bloggers and knowledge services. Although it was just a hobby at the beginning, some of them did succeed later,” said Maria Yeung, who graduated from a medical college in the southeastern Fujian province in June.

However, China’s youth lack confidence amid the economic downturn, with the trend of delaying employment through pursuing postgraduate studies and seeking job stability by taking civil service examinations continuing.

“I know that the current job market is very competitive. If the available jobs right now do not align with my future plans and expectations, I would rather wait a bit longer,” said Rita Lin, who is entering her final year studying finance at a university in Shanghai.

The final number of applicants for China’s 2024 national civil service examination in November exceeded 3 million for the first time, with an average of about 77 competing for one position, according to China News.

“The competitive pressure of being a civil servant or getting higher academic training is no less than the pressure of other employment choices. At the same time, the salary of fresh graduates is not equal to the hard work,” Yeung said.

But, according to Chu, the job market is directly related to the development of various industries, which is beyond the control of jobseekers.

“On a personal level, one can try to change their views on employment and better adapt to the needs of the real society,” added Chu.

“Integrating into the global market system is the essential solution. In the long run, we need greater openness, and more open supply and demand relationships.”