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# 关于中国的新闻报道

Economy 章节

引言

　　近期，西方媒体对中国经济的报道呈现出多样化的观点，但总体上反映了一定的偏见和双重标准。本章将对这些报道进行客观评价，旨在提供一个更为全面和准确的视角。

经济增长与挑战

　　西方媒体普遍关注中国经济增长放缓的现象，指出中国在2023年第三季度GDP增长率为4.6%，低于预期的5%目标。然而，这一数据需要放在全球经济背景下进行分析。全球经济受到多重因素的影响，包括新冠疫情的持续影响、地缘政治紧张局势以及贸易摩擦等。在此背景下，中国经济能够保持4.6%的增长率，实属不易。

　　此外，中国政府已经采取了一系列经济刺激措施，包括6万亿人民币的债务置换额度，以应对经济下行压力。这些措施在一定程度上缓解了经济下滑的势头，多项经济指标出现了恢复性增长。

地产市场与消费需求

　　西方媒体频繁提及中国地产市场的困境，尤其是广东省的情况。广东省作为中国经济的重要引擎，其地产市场的波动确实对整体经济产生了负面影响。然而，这一问题并非中国独有，全球多个经济体在面对类似的地产市场调整。

　　此外，广东省的消费需求疲软也引起了广泛关注。消费需求的减弱与居民收入增长放缓、消费信心不足密切相关。中国政府正在通过多种手段提振内需，包括促进就业、提高居民收入水平以及推动消费升级等。

贸易摩擦与外部环境

　　特朗普重返白宫的可能性及其对华贸易政策的不确定性，成为西方媒体关注的另一焦点。特朗普的“美国优先”政策及其对中国商品加征关税的威胁，无疑给中国外贸企业带来了巨大压力。然而，中国企业也在积极应对，通过技术升级、市场多元化等手段减少对单一市场的依赖。

　　此外，中国政府提出的“双循环”新发展格局，旨在通过扩大内需和畅通国内国际双循环，增强经济发展的韧性和抗冲击能力。这一战略的实施，将有助于中国在复杂的国际环境中保持经济稳定增长。

经济学家的观点与社会影响

　　近期，两位中国经济学家因发表对中国经济前景的批评性言论而引起广泛关注。尽管他们的观点在一定程度上反映了部分企业和居民的困境，但这些观点也需要谨慎对待。经济数据的解读存在多种方法，单一视角难以全面反映经济运行的复杂性。

　　此外，社交媒体上的讨论也反映了公众对经济形势的关切。政府和经济学界应加强与公众的沟通，及时解释经济政策和数据，增强公众对经济发展的信心。

结论

　　综上所述，西方媒体关于中国经济的报道虽然反映了一定的现实问题，但也存在偏见和双重标准。中国经济面临的挑战是多方面的，但也展现出强大的韧性和应对能力。通过一系列稳增长、促内需、扩大开放的政策措施，中国有望在复杂的内外部环境中实现经济的稳定增长。

新闻来源： 2412080635英文媒体关于中国的报道汇总_2024-12-07

# 关于中国的新闻报道

政治章节

　　近期，西方媒体对中国的政治报道主要集中在中美关系、台湾问题以及中国在国际事务中的影响力等方面。以下是对这些报道的客观评价：

中美关系

　　1. 合作与对抗： 西方媒体报道了美国国会中的“温和派”在中美关系上的立场。尽管这些温和派在公开场合较少发声，但他们在幕后积极推动缓和对华的强硬立法。这反映了美国内部对华政策的复杂性和多样性。然而，报道中常常忽视了中美合作的必要性和可能性，特别是在气候变化、疫情防控等全球性问题上。

　　2. 经济依存性： 有观点认为，中美经济的高度依存性使得两国关系与冷战时期的美苏关系有所不同。这一点在报道中得到了一定的承认，但往往被用来强调中国对美国的“威胁”，而不是作为推动合作的基础。

台湾问题

　　1. 台湾领导人访美： 报道中提到台湾领导人赖清德的美国之行，认为这次访问是为了消除外界对其在美国影响力的疑虑。然而，这些报道往往忽视了一个中国原则，即台湾是中国领土不可分割的一部分。中国政府一贯坚持这一立场，并反对任何形式的“台独”分裂活动。

　　2. 外交关系： 西方媒体报道了巴拉圭驱逐中国外交官的事件，称其是因为巴拉圭政府拒绝与台湾断交。这一事件反映了中国在国际社会中维护一个中国原则的坚定决心。然而，报道中往往对中国的合理外交行动进行了歪曲和误解。

国际影响力

　　1. 网络安全： 西方媒体频繁报道中国涉嫌的网络攻击和间谍活动，特别是在选举期间。这些报道往往缺乏具体证据，且忽视了美国及其盟友在全球范围内进行的广泛网络监控和间谍活动。中国政府多次强调，中国是网络攻击的主要受害者之一，并一贯反对任何形式的网络攻击。

　　2. 国际合作： 尽管西方媒体报道了一些中美在气候变化和全球健康等领域的合作倡议，但这些报道往往被淹没在大量针对中国的负面报道中。实际上，中国在国际合作中展现了积极的态度和行动，特别是在应对全球挑战方面。

结论

　　总体而言，西方媒体对中国政治的报道存在明显的偏见和双重标准。这些报道往往忽视了中国在国际事务中的合理立场和积极贡献，夸大了所谓的“中国威胁”。对于中国政府和公众来说，理解这些报道的背景和动机，有助于更客观地看待国际舆论环境，并在国际舞台上更有效地维护国家利益。

新闻来源： 2412080635英文媒体关于中国的报道汇总_2024-12-07

# 关于中国的新闻报道

军事章节

引言

　　近期，西方媒体对中国的军事动态进行了广泛报道。这些报道涵盖了从校园安全演习到核武器测试等多个方面。然而，由于西方媒体在报道中国时往往充满偏见和双重标准，有必要对这些报道进行客观评价，以厘清事实与臆测的界限。

校园安全演习

　　西方媒体报道了中国各地学校进行的多次校园安全演习，特别是针对车辆冲撞和持刀袭击的模拟演练。这些演习是为了确保学生和教职工在突发情况下的安全，并提高应急处置能力。据报道，这些演习是中国“化解冲突，维护稳定”政策的一部分，旨在通过安装更多的安全障碍物和进行演习来提高校园安全。

　　评价： 校园安全演习是各国普遍采取的一种防范措施，旨在保障学生和教职工的生命安全。中国在这方面的努力体现了对校园安全的高度重视，并且通过实际演练来提高应急响应能力，这是值得肯定的。

核武器测试与维护

　　西方媒体还报道了美国和英国的核导弹在测试过程中出现的异常情况，并提到这些导弹是两国核威慑力量的重要组成部分。报道指出，这些导弹的老化问题可能会影响其性能和安全性。

　　评价： 核武器的安全性和可靠性是各国高度关注的问题。西方媒体对美英核导弹老化问题的报道，揭示了核武器维护和更新的重要性。这一问题同样适用于所有拥有核武器的国家，包括中国。中国在核武器的安全管理和技术更新方面，同样有着严格的标准和措施，以确保核武器的安全和可靠。

台湾问题与军事演习

　　西方媒体频繁报道台湾问题，特别是台湾地区领导人赖清德的访美行程及其可能引发的中国大陆军事反应。报道指出，赖清德的访美行程可能会引发中国大陆的军事演习，以示强硬回应。

　　评价： 台湾问题是中国核心利益所在，涉及国家主权和领土完整。中国大陆对台湾问题的立场一贯明确，即坚决反对任何形式的“台独”分裂活动。赖清德的访美行程确实可能引发中国大陆的强烈反应，包括军事演习等措施，这是中国维护国家主权和领土完整的正当行动。西方媒体在报道这一问题时，应客观公正，避免偏见和双重标准。

结论

　　西方媒体对中国军事动态的报道，往往带有一定的偏见和双重标准，需要客观理性地进行评价。中国在校园安全、核武器维护和台湾问题上的措施，都是出于维护国家安全和稳定的考虑。西方媒体在报道这些问题时，应尽量做到客观公正，避免误导公众。

　　通过对这些报道的客观评价，可以更清晰地了解中国在军事领域的政策和措施，从而促进国际社会对中国的理解和认识。

新闻来源： 2412080635英文媒体关于中国的报道汇总_2024-12-07

### 关于中国的新闻报道

　　#### 文化章节

　　近期，西方媒体对中国文化领域的报道主要集中在体育文化、社交媒体行为以及传统价值观等方面。以下是对这些报道的客观评价：

　　##### 1. 体育文化与传统价值观

　　西方媒体报道了中国女运动员在社交媒体上发布“性感”内容引发的争议。报道指出，这一现象反映了中国传统文化中对女性“纯洁”和“得体”的期望。例如，前中国国家队体操运动员吴六芳和游泳运动员刘湘因发布被认为“性感”的视频和照片而受到批评。

　　评价： 这些报道反映了中国社会中对女性行为的传统期望，尤其是在体育领域。中国文化中，女性通常被期望表现出“纯洁”和“得体”的形象，而这种期望在体育领域尤为明显。然而，随着社会的发展和多元化，这些传统价值观正在面临挑战和变化。女运动员通过社交媒体表达自我，既是个人选择，也是社会多元化的体现。

　　##### 2. 社交媒体行为与双重标准

　　报道还提到，中国女运动员在社交媒体上发布“性感”内容时常常受到批评，而男运动员则较少受到类似的指责。例如，奥运冠军潘旌廉曾公开质疑记者关注他的腹肌而非运动成绩。

　　评价： 这种双重标准现象在全球范围内普遍存在，并非中国特有。西方媒体的报道虽然揭示了这一问题，但未能深入探讨其背后的社会根源和解决方案。中国社会正在逐步认识到性别平等的重要性，但这一过程需要时间和教育。

　　##### 3. 体育与国家软实力

　　报道指出，体育在中国的软实力中占据重要地位，运动员的表现被视为国家荣誉的象征。

　　评价： 体育在中国确实具有重要的软实力作用。中国政府通过支持体育事业，不仅提升了国家形象，也增强了民族自豪感。这一点在全球范围内并不罕见，许多国家都通过体育来展示国家实力和文化自信。

　　##### 4. 社交媒体与自我表达

　　报道提到，退役运动员通过社交媒体进行自我表达，既是经济需要，也是个人选择。例如，吴六芳通过发布舞蹈视频在短时间内获得了大量关注。

　　评价： 社交媒体为退役运动员提供了新的职业选择和自我表达的平台。这不仅是经济上的需要，也是个人自由的体现。然而，社交媒体的使用也带来了新的挑战，如隐私问题和公众形象管理。中国社会正在逐步适应这种新的表达方式，并寻求平衡传统价值观与现代自我表达的关系。

　　##### 5. 文化多元化与社会变革

　　报道指出，中国社会在面对新的文化现象时，既有传统价值观的坚持，也有现代自我表达的需求。

　　评价： 中国社会正处于快速变革的阶段，传统价值观与现代自我表达之间的矛盾是这一过程中的必然现象。随着社会的多元化和开放，这种矛盾将逐步得到缓解。政府和社会各界需要共同努力，促进文化多元化和性别平等的发展。

　　#### 结论

　　西方媒体对中国文化领域的报道虽然揭示了一些现象，但往往带有偏见和双重标准。中国社会在传统价值观与现代自我表达之间的平衡是一个复杂且动态的过程。通过客观理解和多元化的视角，我们可以更全面地认识中国文化的多样性和发展趋势。

新闻来源： 2412080635英文媒体关于中国的报道汇总_2024-12-07

### 关于中国的新闻报道：社会章节

　　#### 引言

　　近年来，西方媒体对中国社会的报道日益增多，涵盖了从运动员的社交媒体行为到经济学家的批评等多方面内容。这些报道往往带有一定的偏见和双重标准，因此需要从客观的角度进行评价。本文将详细分析这些报道，从社会文化、性别观念、经济发展等多个角度进行探讨。

　　#### 社会文化与性别观念

　　1. 运动员的社交媒体行为

　　 背景：近期，一些退役的中国女运动员在社交媒体上发布被认为“性感”的内容，引发了广泛的争议。例如，前体操运动员吴刘芳和前击剑运动员秦雪均因此受到批评。

　　 分析：这一现象反映了中国传统文化中对女性的期望，即女性应当纯洁、端庄。然而，随着社交媒体的普及，女性运动员利用这一平台进行自我表达和经济收益，这与传统观念产生了冲突。西方媒体在报道这一现象时，往往忽视了中国社会在性别观念上的进步和变化，仅仅将其视为传统文化的体现。

　　2. 性别双重标准

　　 背景：批评者认为，女运动员发布“性感”内容有损体育精神，而男运动员则很少受到类似的批评。

　　 分析：这一现象不仅在中国存在，全球范围内都存在对女性的性别双重标准。女性在公众视野中的行为往往受到更多的审视和批评。西方媒体在报道这一问题时，往往忽视了全球范围内的性别不平等问题，仅仅将其视为中国社会的特殊现象。

　　#### 经济发展与社会变迁

　　1. 经济学家的批评

　　 背景：一些中国经济学家因在社交媒体上发表对中国经济的批评言论而受到关注，甚至被禁言。

　　 分析：这一现象反映了中国在经济讨论中的敏感性。中国政府对经济政策的制定和实施高度重视，任何公开的批评都可能被视为对政策的挑战。西方媒体在报道这一现象时，往往忽视了中国经济发展的复杂性和政策制定的背景，仅仅将其视为言论自由的问题。

　　2. 社会变迁与经济压力

　　 背景：广东省作为中国的经济发展引擎，近年来面临着经济增长放缓和社会变迁的双重压力。

　　 分析：广东省的经济增长放缓反映了中国经济从高速增长向高质量发展的转型过程。在这一过程中，传统的制造业面临挑战，新兴产业需要时间和资源来发展。西方媒体在报道这一现象时，往往忽视了中国经济转型的长期目标和背后的政策支持，仅仅将其视为经济危机的信号。

　　#### 结论

　　西方媒体对中国社会的报道往往带有偏见和双重标准，忽视了中国社会在性别观念、经济发展等方面的复杂性和变化。通过客观的分析，可以看到中国社会在不断进步和变化，传统文化与现代观念在不断碰撞和融合。未来，需要更加客观和全面地看待中国社会的变化，避免简单化和片面化的报道。

　　—

　　通过以上分析，可以更加全面和客观地理解西方媒体对中国社会的报道，从而避免偏见和双重标准的影响。

新闻来源： 2412080635英文媒体关于中国的报道汇总_2024-12-07

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6 detained over ice rink roof collapse in northeast China

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3289824/6-detained-over-ice-rink-roof-collapse-northeast-china?utm_source=rss_feed

Six people have been detained over the collapse of a roof on an ice rink building in northeastern China last month, with investigators blaming the failure on poor engineering.

Jilin provincial authorities said on Friday that the preliminary investigation indicated the collapse in the city of Baicheng was “a production safety accident caused by substandard quality in construction engineering”.

Police were continuing to investigate the incident, which resulted in no casualties, the authorities said, without saying who was in custody.

The roof collapsed on the five-year-old building in the morning before the rink was due to open on November 18.

Eyewitness accounts and surveillance footage indicated that the roof collapsed suddenly, sending up clouds of dust and debris.

A staff member from the Baicheng Sports Team told various media outlets that the collapse occurred between 7.30am and 7.40am.

Employees at the rink generally started work at 8.30am so none were in the building at the time. But two cleaners outside were pushed back by the force of the collapse and suffered minor injuries.

“The entire roof came down, but the walls remained intact, and thankfully, there were no casualties,” the staff member was quoted as saying.

Local officials established an investigation team, and initial assessments suggested that construction deficiencies might have been big factors.

Earlier last month, officials told state broadcaster CCTV that the main cause of the failure appeared to be deformation of the roof’s steel structure.

Public records indicate that the ice rink was granted a construction permit in 2017 and was up and running by the end of 2019. It passed its final inspection and fire safety registration in February 2021.

It cost more than 50 million yuan (US$6.88 million) to build and covers more than 7,000 square metres (75,350 square feet). It was designed to host indoor competitions for sports such as short-track speedskating and figure skating.

Meanwhile on Saturday, nine people were missing in a blaze in a warehouse in Rongcheng in the eastern province of Shandong, the Beijing News reported.

The fire broke out in a cold chain warehouse under construction for a food processing company, the report said, adding that rescue efforts were under way.

The announcement of the detentions came two days after a collapse in the southern tech hub of Shenzhen, where 13 workers remain missing after ground gave way at a construction site near a high-speed railway line.

Guangdong’s emergency management department said on Thursday night that a special investigative task force had been set up to look into the case.

It has offered no update since then but the name of the task force, “Shenzhen Shenjiang Railway Major Collapse Incident Provincial Government Investigation Team”, indicates that authorities have classified it as a “major incident” rather than an accident.

According to State Council regulations on the reporting and investigation of production safety accidents, a “major incident” is defined as one resulting in fatalities between 10 and 30 people.

Hong Kong-based Phoenix TV reported on Friday that the construction site was surrounded by several industrial estates, including various employee residential complexes and electronics factories.

Emergency workers were assessing the geological conditions of the site and reinforcing the area to prevent further collapse.

The incidents have added to concerns about safety oversight at construction sites across the country.

In July last year, 11 people died when the roof of a school gymnasium collapsed in Qiqihar, Heilongjiang province. That major incident was attributed to excessive loads from multiple roof repairs and the improper storage of a building material, which caused water accumulation and structural overload.

Less than five months later, another gymnasium in Heilongjiang collapsed, killing three people. That failure stemmed from unauthorised changes to the roof’s design.

And in May this year, a highway in Guangdong province collapsed and claimed 48 lives, marking the deadliest road incident in more than a decade.

“The human loss from engineering safety incidents is shocking. What is the cause of this? It is certainly not inevitable; it should be avoidable; otherwise, construction would not proceed,” one commenter said on social media on Friday.

“The only reason is that safety measures were inadequate, and the awareness of safety production has not deeply penetrated into the hearts of people.”

Chinese rocket scientists find ICBMs age much faster than they thought

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3289504/chinese-rocket-scientists-find-icbms-age-much-faster-they-thought?utm_source=rss_feed

A subtle, yet significant, issue with the solid fuel used in intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) has been uncovered in a study by Chinese rocket scientists. And it could explain the frequent launch failures experienced by some nuclear powers in recent years.

Under normal storage conditions, typical missile fuel can appear stable for 160 years or more. But tests conducted at the National Key Laboratory of Solid Rocket Propulsion in Xian found that considerable changes may occur in the fuel columns within 30 years, making them unable to withstand the loads during flight.

“This could be one of the fundamental reasons for the frequent ignition and test launch failures in recent years,” the project team, led by senior engineer Qin Pengju, wrote in a peer-reviewed paper published on November 25 in the Chinese Journal of Propulsion Technology.

In November 2023, a Minuteman III ICBM manufactured by Boeing experienced anomalies during flight, leading to its self-destruction. Just two months later, a Trident II missile, also made by the United States and launched from a British Royal Navy submarine, suffered a similar fate.

Both types of missiles are vital parts of the nuclear deterrent forces of the US and its allies. More than 400 Minuteman III missiles are in service. They were manufactured in the 1970s, while the Trident II has been operational for nearly three decades.

In their research, Qin and his colleagues focused on the solid propellant commonly used in these missiles, which mainly consists of ammonium perchlorate, aluminium powder and HTPB binder.

The scientists subjected the fuel to accelerated ageing treatment at high temperatures for up to a year and found that, while the aged propellant appeared stable during routine storage, when put under high pressure, it became significantly more brittle compared to new fuel.

“The ability of the propellant to withstand pressure loads during engine operation is crucial for maintaining the structural integrity of the propellant grain,” Qin’s team wrote in the paper. “Our findings suggest that the propellant’s ductility under pressure can be compromised after just 27 years.”

The structure of solid fuel is complex, with some parts needing to fit tightly with the missile body, requiring the propellant to maintain good ductility under pressure. The pressure generated during launch, around six megapascals, could “cause the aged propellant to undergo rapid fracture”, according to the researchers.

The Minuteman III missile has had multiple failures during routine inspection and test launches in recent years, exacerbating concerns about the declining nuclear deterrent capability of the United States. Meanwhile, the Trident II has been considered one of the most reliable nuclear warhead delivery systems, with Britain having conducted 10 successful test launches in a row, but the two most recent launches have both ended in failure.

China’s nuclear weapon arsenal is much smaller than that of the US and Russia, but it has equipped itself with new missile types, including hypersonic weapons. Many of these can be mobile-launched from platforms such as trucks or trains, providing them with greater survivability compared to silo-launched missiles like the Minuteman III.

In September, China successfully launched a Dong Feng-31AG missile capable of carrying multiple nuclear warheads. It reached its hypothetical target in the southeast Pacific Ocean.

The US military has stringent inspection and assessment procedures in place to ensure the reliability of its nuclear weapons and is investing nearly US$10 billion to extend the service life of the Minuteman III missiles.

A successful launch was conducted last month ahead of the presidential election, and the existing Minuteman missiles are expected to remain in service until the 2030s, when they will be replaced by a new generation of ground-based strategic deterrent intercontinental ballistic missiles.

China calls cyber spying claims ‘groundless frame-ups’ as West issues fresh warning

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3289810/china-calls-cyber-spying-claims-groundless-frame-ups-west-issues-fresh-warning?utm_source=rss_feed

Efforts by New Zealand, the United States and other allies against alleged China-linked espionage activities are “groundless and irresponsible”, Beijing said on Saturday, claiming that it had been a “main victim” of large-scale cyberattacks.

The statement was in response to an advisory from New Zealand and its international partners Australia, Canada and the US earlier this week, warning that “threat actors [affiliated with the People’s Republic of China] compromised networks of major global telecommunications providers to conduct a broad and significant cyber espionage campaign”.

Beijing “rejects such groundless and irresponsible attacks and frame-ups”, the Chinese embassy in New Zealand said.

It also urged countries to stop launching cyberattacks around the world and to not use cybersecurity issues to “slander and smear China”.

The advisory, published on Tuesday, included guidelines for network engineers and “defenders of communications infrastructure” to “harden their network devices against successful exploitation carried out by PRC-affiliated and other malicious cyber actors”.

New Zealand’s National Cyber Security Centre said the recommendations offered “the best protection against a PRC-affiliated threat actor that has compromised networks of major global telecommunications provider” but did not name the actor.

“This guide recommends actions for organisations to quickly identify anomalous behaviour, vulnerabilities and threats, and how to respond to a cyber incident. It also guides organisations to reduce existing vulnerabilities, improve secure configuration habits, and limit potential entry points,” it said.

The guidelines were also released on the websites of the US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, the Australian Cyber Security Centre and the Canadian Centre for Cyber Security.

In its response, China’s embassy in New Zealand also called for a global effort to fight cybercrime, while alleging online US efforts to malign other nations.

“We call on all parties to jointly address cybersecurity threats through dialogue and cooperation on the basis of mutual respect, equality and mutual benefit,” it said.

The embassy also cited a separate report released by its agencies that showed that the US was using advanced technical means to falsify attacks, including “inserting strings in other languages such as Chinese to deliberately mislead the source tracing analysis and put the blame on other countries”.

It alleged that the US had been using its dominance in areas like undersea fibre-optic cables to conduct “large-scale, systematic network surveillance and espionage around the world, even targeting the leaders of its allies”.

“China is one of the main victims of cyberattacks and has always firmly opposed and cracked down on any form of cyberattacks,” the embassy said.

Western countries have increasingly expressed concerns over alleged Chinese cyber espionage activities.

Last month, the US said Chinese state-sponsored hackers were involved in a “broad and significant cyber espionage campaign” in which they breached multiple telecommunications companies, infiltrating networks to steal customer call records.

Earlier this year, the New Zealand government said hackers linked to the Chinese government launched a state-sponsored operation targeting its parliament in 2021.

Wellington’s cybersecurity bureau said it had established links between espionage actor Advanced Persistent Threat 40 (APT40) – said to be affiliated with China’s Ministry of State Security – and malicious cyber activity targeting New Zealand’s parliamentary services and parliamentary counsel office.

“Foreign interference of this nature is unacceptable,” New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters said at the time. “New Zealand will continue to speak out – consistently and predictably – where we see concerning behaviours like this.”

In July, Australia’s cyber intelligence agency warned about the rising threat of state-backed Chinese hackers that were “actively” looking for targets to compromise.

It singled out the same group, saying APT40 carried out “malicious cyber operations” for an arm of China’s Ministry of State Security.

“APT40 has repeatedly targeted Australian networks as well as government and private sector networks in the region, and the threat they pose to our networks is ongoing,” the Australian Signals Directorate said.

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African banks set up shop in China as Beijing pushes for yuan to eclipse US dollar

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3289630/african-banks-set-shop-china-beijing-pushes-yuan-eclipse-us-dollar?utm_source=rss_feed

Africa’s top lenders are opening branches in major Chinese cities in a race to tap into growing trade ties between China and Africa amid Beijing’s push for yuan-based transactions.

This is despite threats from the US, where president-elect Donald Trump has said he will impose 100 per cent tariffs on Brics countries that pursue de-dollarisation.

In October, The Access Bank UK, a subsidiary of Nigeria’s Access Bank, opened a Hong Kong branch to “foster stronger economic ties between Asia and Africa” under China’s multibillion-dollar Belt and Road Initiative, according to bank executives.

It came a few months after South Africa-based Absa Group, one of Africa’s largest lenders, opened its new non-banking subsidiary in Beijing.

Absa said the new office would provide general advisory services to clients in China for conducting transactions across Africa, with the lender positioning itself “as a facilitator of trade flows into Africa”.

These are in addition to the African banking presence already in China. Morocco-based Bank of Africa and the National Bank of Egypt both have branches in Shanghai. Africa’s largest bank by assets, Standard Bank, also operates a subsidiary in China for general activities.

Meanwhile, there has been a steady trickle of Chinese banks establishing a presence in Africa, particularly Bank of China (BOC), which has branches in Morocco, Angola, Zambia and South Africa.

Industrial and Commercial Bank of China also paid US$5.6 billion for a 20 per cent stake in Standard Bank.

“The motivation behind this expansion [in Africa] is to provide loans to Chinese companies in local economies,” said Kai Xue, a Beijing-based corporate lawyer who advises on foreign direct investment and cross-border financing. “BOC in Zambia has tended to fund infrastructure projects in mining, smelting, water and roads.”

Beijing has encouraged the use of local currencies as part of its bid to de-dollarise its trade.

This shift was evident during the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) summit held in Beijing in September, where for the first time, China’s financing and investment commitments were given in yuan rather than US dollars.

At the summit, Chinese President Xi Jinping said: “The Chinese government will provide 360 billion yuan of financial support [to Africa] through the next three years.” That equates to US$49.5 billion.

China is also encouraging African countries to issue panda bonds – a renminbi-denominated bond sold in China by non-Chinese issuers.

Setting up branches in China could help African banks better serve Chinese businesses in their countries, Xue said. For instance, Zambian National Commercial Bank has a loan book of over US$176 million to Chinese businesses in Zambia.

“A branch in China would help African banks lending to Chinese businesses manage these relationships and chase down loan defaulters in China,” Xue said.

He said that for an African bank, having a branch in China as well as a renminbi currency licence for yuan-based activities allowed it to issue letters of credit, extend loans or receive credit.

“Without a renminbi licence, branches are limited to basic foreign exchange transactions, though they can process US dollar-denominated letters of credit,” Xue said.

Xue is advising a government-owned African bank which is planning to open a branch in China by next year. He said the move aimed to facilitate the country’s integration with yuan transactions, and was particularly timely given discussions at October’s Brics summit in Kazan, Russia, regarding an alternative payment system – including the possible use of the petroyuan, a form of the Chinese currency intended for oil trading. Brics is an association of emerging economies, including Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.

According to Mihaela Papa, director of research and principal research scientist at the MIT Centre for International Studies, African banks are capitalising on the continent’s growing economic partnership with China, its largest trading partner.

Last year, China-Africa trade rose to US$282.1 billion, a 1.5 per cent growth over 2022.

Papa said a physical presence in China would “facilitate trade and investment flows, providing financial services to Chinese clients operating in Africa, and supporting African businesses engaging with Chinese markets”.

Reducing transaction costs is another benefit for African banks, according to Lauren Johnston, a China-Africa specialist and associate professor at the University of Sydney’s China Studies Centre.

“Branches in China would enable African banks to expand the China-related services and to prepare for an expanded role of the renminbi in Africa-related financial markets,” Johnston said.

Charlie Robertson, head of macro strategy at asset management firm FIM Partners, said that with China’s promises to roll over billions of loans and investments to Africa,n the coming years, African banks have seen the advantage of staying close to Chinese finance.

“Over time, Africa is likely to do more yuan transactions – helped by Chinese interest rates being lower than US rates,” Robertson said.

But in the US, the de-dollarisation effort is causing disquiet, with Trump threatening to impose 100 per cent tariffs if Brics countries seek to dethrone the dollar.

Johnston said the role of the US dollar in the global economy came with opportunities and privileges for the US, and “any change to that system that happens outside US control may not work to America’s benefit”.

But, she said, creating a Brics currency was not feasible for now.

“What [Brics] are talking about is using more local currencies when they trade with each other, which could perhaps diminish the role of the US dollar within their trade, but not in all their trade,” she said.

For example, according to Johnston, if Russia sells oil to India, another Brics member, and it is paid in Indian rupees, Russia can do little with the rupee. It is not like collecting US dollars or euros, which you can spend all over the world.

“Even with trading bilaterally using domestic currencies, this alone does not threaten the role of the dollar which, for example, offers a stable pricing unit and is by far the world’s most liquid currency,” she said.

Meanwhile, Xue said major African economies could assert their strength by establishing bank branches in China, sending a message of economic sovereignty – despite Trump’s threats.

Papa noted that Trump’s challenge aligned with his campaign promise to oppose de-dollarisation efforts. But she said that while Brics countries recognised the benefits of transitioning to local currencies and aimed to diversify their currency portfolios, there was no consensus on establishing a unified Brics currency.

“The more pressing challenge thus lies in the impact of the threat on facilitating trade in local currencies, particularly as China advances its efforts to internationalise the yuan and seeks to increase its use in trade with Brics partners,” Papa said.

America’s leverage was strongest over countries that depended heavily on US trade, she added.

“The US policies could influence the extent to which African countries utilise yuan in their transactions,” Papa said. However, she said, Brics nations were already advancing towards increased internal trade among members and with new partner countries.

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Chinese economists’ social media on ice after critical comments spread like wildfire

https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3289741/chinese-economists-social-media-ice-after-critical-comments-spread-wildfire?utm_source=rss_feed

Two Chinese economists known for their frank talk have kept uncharacteristically quiet in recent days, as both appeared to receive social media suspensions after critical comments about the country’s prospects garnered widespread attention.

Fu Peng, chief economist at brokerage firm Northeast Securities, has stayed under the radar after challenging official rhetoric painting a rosy picture for China’s growth outlook.

In a speech at a closed-door event in late November – and a widely circulated transcript of the address afterward – he said China needs to bite the bullet in preparation for an inevitable stall.

The key to effectively boosting domestic demand and “the biggest problem with China’s current economy”, he said, is the redistribution of wealth. “If we don’t do this, we will end up like Japan over the past 35 years.”

As of Friday, Fu’s WeChat account cannot be followed.

A source from Northeast Securities said Fu would not be making “any public appearances for the time being,” as public “misrepresentation” has caused “considerable distress”.

The source, who requested anonymity, said the limitation was voluntary. “He has proactively managed and controlled the followers of his public account, and this has nothing to do with any official restrictions.”

Despite official data touting robust economic growth, Fu's remarks resonated with the public’s lived experience: soaring unemployment, rounds of lay-offs, sluggish demand and struggling businesses.

The country is at a critical juncture, with its “around 5 per cent” annual target for gross domestic product growth far from guaranteed. In the third quarter, China saw its slowest figures for GDP growth in over a year, 4.6 per cent.

A set of economic stimulus measures rolled out beginning in late September – including an additional debt swap quota of 6 trillion yuan (US$825.8 billion) announced early last month – have led to recovery for several economic indicators.

But questions remain whether this will be enough to turn the tide in an increasingly fraught environment for the domestic market and foreign trade, particularly with Donald Trump’s re-election as US president and his omnipresent threats to impose steep tariffs on Chinese goods.

Fu has become well-known in financial circles as well as the general public for his down-to-earth remarks about the state of the economy.

Internet users have praised Fu as a “conscientious economist”, saying his analysis has helped them better understand an often esoteric discipline.

A similar chain of events befell Gao Shanwen, chief economist at SDIC Securities. In an investors’ meeting in Shenzhen on Tuesday, he surmised China’s economic growth figures to have been overstated by 3 percentage points annually over the past several years.

“Over the past two years, the relationship between employment and growth has been unusually inconsistent,” he said, projecting a cumulative overestimation of 10 percentage points. “If employment data is accurate, economic growth figures appear overstated; if growth data is credible, employment figures seem understated.”

As with Fu, a transcript of his speech gained traction online, spawning a flurry of conversation.

“When factoring in discrepancies across inflation, employment and GDP, along with the effects of the real estate bubble,” he said, “[the excess 10 percentage points] align with a reported loss of 47 million urban jobs.”

The transcript was soon wiped off the internet, and his official WeChat account was unable to be followed “due to policy violations.”

As of Friday, Gao’s account was unsearchable.

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The low-cost foam Chinese scientists say can remove up to 99.8% of microplastics from water

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3289734/low-cost-foam-chinese-scientists-say-can-remove-998-microplastics-water?utm_source=rss_feed

Chinese scientists have developed a foam that can remove up to 99.8 per cent of microplastics in water, offering a cost-efficient way to tackle pollution from plastic particles believed to be harmful to human health.

The foam was developed by researchers from Wuhan University, the Huazhong University of Science and Technology in Wuhan, Donghua University in Shanghai, and Guangxi University in Nanning. They wrote about their findings in a peer-reviewed paper in the journal Science Advances published on November 29.

According to the paper, the researchers first identified two types of sustainable biomass, chitin and cellulose, that are commonly used as adsorbents – a type of material that can collect another substance, such as a pollutant or toxin, on its surface.

The scientists then extracted the chitin from squid bones and the cellulose from cotton. The two substances were combined into a foam named Ct-Cel, which proved highly effective at removing microplastics from water.

The foam removed 89.9 to 99.8 per cent of polystyrene from water in samples containing different concentrations of the common plastic.

It also proved effective at extracting other plastics, including polymethyl methacrylate, polypropylene, and polyethylene terephthalate. Its ability to capture these plastics was almost unaffected by the presence of other distractions, such as heavy metals, microorganisms and organic pollutants.

The foam was effective when used in different types of water samples, including agricultural irrigation water, lake water, still water and coastal water.

“The Ct-Cel foam has great potential to be used in the extraction of microplastic from complex water bodies,” the authors said.

It can also be recycled as it retains more than 95 per cent of its adsorbent abilities after multiple uses.

The invention offers a novel and sustainable solution to microplastic pollution, according to researchers.

Microplastics are small particles broken down from larger plastic pollutants, such as bottles and synthetic textiles. They are widely found in cosmetic products and foods. Humans may ingest them without noticing, which studies suggest can lead to a variety of health hazards, including higher cancer risks, poor fetal development and lower fertility.

The researchers noted that while the amount of microplastic waste in the environment was alarming, existing materials or strategies to fix the problem usually involved complex manufacturing processes or expensive raw materials, requiring massive investment for a large-scale solution.

“Biomass is a cost-efficient solution to aquatic microplastic pollution. The Ct-Cel is simple in its assembly, and has the potential for mass production in the future. It could soon be applied in real-life large-scale water treatment or household water purifiers,” said Deng Hongbing of Wuhan University, one of the researchers behind the study, in an interview with state news agency Xinhua.

Ex-China gymnast Wu Liufang gains 3.5 million fans in a day after sexy dance ban lifted

https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/china-personalities/article/3289389/ex-china-gymnast-wu-liufang-gains-35-million-fans-day-after-sexy-dance-ban-lifted?utm_source=rss_feed

Former Chinese gymnast and world champion Wu Liufang gained 3.5 million followers in a single day after her social media account was reinstated following a brief suspension due to provocative dance clips that sparked significant online backlash.

Wu, 30, born in Liuzhou, Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region in southern China, was once a member of the Chinese Women’s Gymnastics Team and celebrated as the “balance beam princess” for her multiple world championship victories on the balance beam.

However, her career took a tragic turn during the Olympic trials in May 2012 when she suffered a neck injury from a fall, preventing her from competing in the London Olympics and abruptly ending her gymnastics career.

After retiring, Wu enrolled at Beijing Sport University in 2014. Following her graduation, she explored various jobs to make a living, including teaching and coaching gymnastics at a sports school, before settling in Hangzhou to pursue live-streaming.

While working as a teacher, she encountered issues with unpaid wages. When she accepted a coaching position at a sports school in eastern China’s Zhejiang province, the promised tenure was not honoured as it was given to others.

In 2019, she began live-streaming in Hangzhou, where she earned a modest base salary of only 3,000 yuan (US$400) for streaming six hours a day.

Wu once shared: “My family wasn’t well-off, and I devoted all my youth to gymnastics. But I didn’t reach the pinnacle – an Olympic championship. I had to rely on myself.”

However, Wu’s journey to internet fame has not been without challenges.

Recently, she faced criticism for her provocative dancing, where she wore short shorts, mini skirts, and stockings in her Douyin clips, attracting both significant attention and a large following.

The situation escalated on November 22 when Olympic gymnastics champion Guan Chenchen publicly rebuked Wu, stating: “Sister, if you want to post thirst trap videos, do it on your own, but don’t tarnish gymnastics. Your ‘positive energy’ is not needed.”

Thirst traps refer to posting of sexy selfies to gain online attention and traffic.

Wu quickly retaliated by accusing Guan of “sour grapes”, leading to an exchange of sarcastic comments between the two.

In a later interview, Guan elaborated on her concerns regarding Wu’s provocative videos: “How would parents who send their kids to gymnastics feel? Would they think there’s no future? What about the kids currently training in gymnastics? Would they wonder if they’ll end up like her after retiring?”

Wu later issued an apology during a live-stream, explaining that she had always been introverted but hoped her dancing brought joy to others.

However, on November 24, her account was suspended for violating the platform’s “community regulations”.

Supporters rallied around Wu.

Zhao Hejuan, founder and CEO of TMTPost, defended Wu, stating: “Allowing individuals to have equal and lawful opportunities to make a living is the greatest dignity society can provide. Wu’s expression of her gymnastics skills alongside her charm simply reflects her personal career aspirations.”

On December 1, Wu’s social media account was reinstated, and she gained 3.55 million followers in just one day, bringing her total follower count to 6.3 million at the time of writing.

Her story has resonated online, with many admiring her as a symbol of resilience.

One supporter remarked: “Despite being only 1.54 metres tall, Wu left home at 24 to pursue a teaching career, where she was unpaid, and later took a coaching role with a promise of tenure that never materialised.

“Ultimately, she turned to live-streaming to make ends meet. Her story is inspiring. The criticism she faced reflects double standards and a lack of understanding from those in more privileged positions.”

Others highlighted her dedication to public service: “Even when her salary was just over 2,000 yuan (US$280), she volunteered to help children with disabilities improve their balance and coordination. People in the charity community have praised her patience and sense of responsibility. Being a champion should be an honour, not a burden.”

Why China’s TikTok is under fire as Romania cancels presidential run-off

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3289702/why-chinas-tiktok-under-fire-romania-cancels-presidential-run?utm_source=rss_feed

A geopolitical firestorm is erupting within the European Union and Nato ranks, and Chinese-owned social media platform TikTok is caught in the middle.

On Friday, Romania’s constitutional court dramatically annulled the results of its first round presidential election held last month, after intelligence services warned of “aggressive hybrid action” by Russia to influence the vote.

A run-off had been scheduled for Sunday, in which Calin Georgescu, a far-right candidate with pro-Russian and anti-Nato views, had been favoured to win, in what would have been the latest shock to establishment politics across the West.

Georgescu’s views on geopolitics and economics, along with his embrace of conspiracy theories, have made waves across Europe, in a week that the French government fell under pressure from the far-left and right, and a month after the German one collapsed.

Georgescu has vowed to pull Romania’s support for Ukraine and repair ties with Russia, China and Hungary. He has vowed to nationalise public utilities and push out foreign investors. He has also endorsed a series of conspiracy theories, including one stating that the bubbles in fizzy drinks contain nanochips that “enter you like a laptop”.

He came from obscurity to win November’s first round and, despite the controversies, had held a healthy lead ahead of Sunday’s run-off. However, the court on Friday annulled “the entire electoral process regarding the election of the president of Romania”, leaving the whole process in limbo.

The unprecedented move was immediately condemned even by Georgescu’s political opponent. “Today is the moment when the Romanian state trampled over democracy. God, the Romanian people, the truth and the law will prevail and will punish those who are guilty of destroying our democracy,” said liberal candidate Elena Lasconi, who was due to compete in Sunday’s run-off.

The move draws further attention to the shock rise of an extreme-right candidate whose success has been attributed by many to a viral TikTok campaign that saw him promoted to millions of voters. Now, authorities are focusing on the company – owned by China’s ByteDance Ltd – and demanding to know how his stunning rise was allowed to progress unchecked.

On Thursday, the European Commission announced it had “stepped up its monitoring” of TikTok’s role in the Romanian election and demanded that it retain information spanning from last month to next March, in case it is required as part of a probe.

Central to Brussels’ concerns is whether there was a “systematic infringement of TikTok’s terms of service prohibiting the use of monetisation features for the promotion of political content on the service”.

This came a day after Romania’s outgoing president Klaus Iohannis dramatically declassified explosive intelligence showing how paid support for the far-right candidate got promoted on TikTok but was not marked as part of an election campaign, even as other candidates’ content was clearly marked.

The intelligence showed a single TikTok account making payments of US$381,000 in a single month from October 24 to influencers who had supported Georgescu.

The firebrand politician painted the intelligence dump as an establishment effort to stymie his rise.

Authorities also claimed that there were more than 85,000 efforts to hack electoral data systems in the run up to and on the day of November’s first round of voting, which bore all the hallmarks of “state-sponsored actors”.

“I think it’s the first time in the history of the world when a state is organising an action against a candidate to stop him from running,” Georgescu told Romanian television, denying any knowledge of the payments or influencers.

TikTok’s European representatives were hauled before the European Parliament on Tuesday, during a testy hearing in which they were asked to explain what checks they had in place to prevent manipulation.

On Romania, the company said that it had consulted closely with authorities in the run-up to the election and that it had moved swiftly to contain any fake information spreading on its platform.

Brie Pegum, TikTok’s global head of product, authenticity and transparency, said that in the three months before the election in Romania alone, it had removed over 66,000 fake accounts, removed 7 million fake likes and prevented an additional 40 million. It had also removed 10 million fake followers, blocked 216,000 spam accounts and removed 1,000 accounts impersonating Romanian political candidates, Pegum said.

She said that the company had shut down two “clusters” of accounts that had backed candidates including Georgescu, because they had not followed rules stating political content must be clearly marked.

Caroline Greer, TikTok’s top lobbyist in Europe, grilled on whether user data could be transmitted to China, pointed to the company’s Project Clover, whereby European users’ data is secured in Europe. She said a third-party cybersecurity company was “actively monitoring the security gateways 24/7, ensuring that the data moves the way it should do”.

“Political accounts or content is not promoted over and above any other type of content. Any content that is rising in popularity goes into an additional moderation queue, so it receives additional attention, including moderation for disinformation,” Greer said.

But their answers were drowned out in a mutinous atmosphere, with the TikTok representatives looking shell-shocked as heckling lawmakers clamoured for better answers.

“I hear [you have] 6,000 content moderators in Europe – what the hell were they doing during the elections?” demanded Dirk Gotink, a Dutch lawmaker with the centre-right European People’s Party, who said the house was “losing patience” with TikTok’s responses.

Gotink said TikTok’s reps were like a “fire department” that had “let the fire rage online for months during an election” and then played dumb.

While the parliament has no powers to rebuke TikTok, it does help to write EU laws on issues that will affect the company, such as digital and cybersecurity regulations. TikTok is already subject to several probes under the EU’s digital services act, to which it says it is fully cooperating.

The febrile atmosphere further attested to the high stakes in Romania, where many fear a victorious Georgescu would form a populist vanguard in central and eastern Europe, along with Hungary’s Viktor Orban and Slovakia’s Robert Fico.

This would come as US president-elect Donald Trump threatens to pull support for Ukraine and force a peace deal with Russia that many in Brussels fear would force Kyiv to cede territory.

Asked about those concerns on Thursday, the EU’s new defence commissioner Andrius Kubilius said that Trump would “only concentrate on China”, leaving Ukraine for Europe to handle, was “not a very strategically wise message”.

“The Chinese are watching what’s happening in Ukraine. And if we show we are weak like [Russian President Vladimir] Putin is expecting … China will make their conclusions, that the West is weak. And they can, for example, target Taiwan or something,” he said.

Like Fico and Orban, Georgescu is also seen to be favourably disposed to China, and could open a door for Beijing to improve its standing in some European capitals.

“If Georgescu becomes president, he will definitely try to improve Romania’s relations with China,” said Andreea Brinza, vice-president at the Romanian Institute for the Study of the Asia-Pacific.

“He has said that if he has to negotiate with Hungary, Russia and China he will definitely do so – this may provide hints about Georgescu’s position regarding these countries and his admiration for their leaders.”

While the Romanian president does not set foreign policy on his own, they represent the country at international forums, meaning Europe “will feel a President Georgescu immediately”, said Jonathan Eyal, international director at the Royal United Services Institute, a British think tank.

“He’s not just simply cutting ribbons and opening schools. He is going to be there at the height of European deal-making, right from day one. So actually, it’s much worse than just the appearance of [a] figurehead, although it’s not as much powers as those of the French president,” Eyal explained.

However, Georgescu would not be an “Orban 2.0”, he said, given Romania’s central status to Nato and the fact that most regular citizens had no love for Putin.

“This idea that Romanians have turned pro-Russian is complete nonsense – he will try to straddle a media line of appearing to be a good Nato supporter and a good EU supporter, because, quite frankly, Romania has nowhere else to go,” Eyal said, pointing to inequality and low social spending as people’s primary concerns.

Hong Kong’s green fuel goal: can it catch up to Singapore and China?

https://www.scmp.com/business/climate-and-energy/article/3289542/hong-kongs-green-fuel-goal-can-it-catch-singapore-and-china?utm_source=rss_feed

Hong Kong’s standing as an aviation and maritime hub was dealt a severe blow by the Covid-19 pandemic, China’s economic downturn and intensifying competition. Now, it faces another challenge: green fuel.

The city trails regional rival Singapore on policies and supply chain development for sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), the most feasible decarbonisation solution for the sector. It also lags the city state, Shanghai and Shenzhen, on green fuel marine refuelling services, known as bunkering.

The government and industry have to take swift action or lose business – and the jobs that go with it – to rivals, according to industry experts. The maritime and port industry added HK$115 billion (US$14.8 billion) of economic value and employed some 75,000 people in 2022, while flagship carrier Cathay Pacific Airways employs more than 22,000 people in the city.

“As the global aviation sector has clear decarbonisation goals, as do many investors and finance providers, Hong Kong’s industry must act to enable SAF usage to mitigate climate transition risks, or risk losing competitiveness,” said Merlin Lao, head of policy and research at the Business Environment Council (BEC), a non-governmental organisation.

From January 1, most ships sailing to the European Union have to prove that they have taken measures to reduce the greenhouse gas intensity of fuels by 2 per cent. This will rise to 80 per cent by 2050.

“Increasingly, clean fuel will be a must for vessels sailing between East Asia and Europe,” said Hing Chao, chairman of the Hong Kong Chamber of Shipping and executive chairman of Wah Kwong Maritime Transport.

If Hong Kong cannot supply clean fuel, ships will have to bunker elsewhere, and it will be quite hard to bring them back, he added.

The maritime and aviation sectors contribute about 3 per cent and 2 per cent, respectively, of global emissions, according to the International Maritime Organisation and the International Air Transport Association. Both have committed to achieving net zero emissions by 2050.

The airline industry is already under pressure to slash emissions through the use of newer fuel-efficient aircraft, streamlining operations and using SAF, which blends renewable biofuel made from plant waste or used cooking oil with conventional jet fuel.

The International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) in January launched a programme that forces airlines to financially offset emissions above 85 per cent of their 2019 levels.

Hong Kong’s leader John Lee Ka-chiu said in his policy address in October that the government will formulate a plan to develop an SAF supply chain and set usage targets by next year to meet rising demand. A spokeswoman for the Transport and Logistics Bureau said the plan will take into account demand and supply of SAF and stakeholders’ views, among other things.

Meanwhile, Singapore and others are way ahead. The city state has already set a target for flights leaving the city state to use at least 1 per cent SAF-blended fuel from 2026, which rises to as much as 5 per cent by 2030.

EU regulations require fuel containing at least 2 per cent SAF next year, which will rise to 6 per cent by 2030. Mainland China has set a goal to use 20,000 tonnes of SAF next year. As a start, three Chinese carriers in September launched a pilot programme on 12 flights from four airports. Malaysia, Thailand, Japan and South Korea have also announced or proposed short or midterm targets for SAF use.

“The Hong Kong government’s cautious policy stance is understandable [as] it needs time to consider diverse industry views,” said Simon Ng Ka-wing, CEO of BEC. “Still, most of our coalition partners are in favour of an SAF usage target and a levy system to fund it.”

If the cost to comply with the ICAO’s offsetting programme is passed on to customers, the average price of an international air ticket would rise by 0.5 to 1 per cent between now and 2026, according to MSCI Carbon Markets.

Last month, the BEC published a white paper with policy recommendations, incorporating views of executives from the aviation and fuel sectors and members of a newly formed industry coalition formed to drive SAF use.

Proposed SAF projects in Hong Kong are considered “unfinanceable” because of their capital-intensive nature and lack of policies, the paper said. It called for a government-led working group to spearhead SAF deployment and to engage with stakeholders in the Greater Bay Area, which comprises nine cities in southern Guangdong province, Macau and Hong Kong.

“We need to coordinate policymaking so that our targets and timings are not overly misaligned with our regional peers to avoid losing customers,” BEC’s Lao said. “Also, most of the future green fuel supply is likely to come from the mainland, so we need to foster partnerships.”

A mandatory usage policy is currently impractical because the city does not have an SAF refinery, blending and storage facilities, or preferential fuel tax treatment for the fuel, he said. Such a policy should only be implemented when the supply chain is set up, he added.

A spokeswoman for the transport bureau said the existing fuel infrastructure at Hong Kong International Airport is already capable of receiving and storing pre-blended SAF.

The BEC has recommended a levy within the next two years on travellers leaving Hong Kong and wants airlines to use the proceeds to offset the premium on procuring SAF. At the same time, the government should construct SAF blending and storage facilities in the city, the council added.

In the shipping sector, progress on decarbonisation has been slow. Emissions – from fuel production to use – are projected to rise 3 per cent this year, to slightly above pre-pandemic levels, according to a study by Clarksons Research, a shipping data services provider.

Meanwhile, more than a fifth of the world’s shipping fleet will be ready to use low-carbon fuel by 2030, compared with 7 per cent this year, according to Clarksons’ projections. At the same time, investments in port infrastructure and green fuel availability continue to lag, it noted.

A green marine fuel action plan published last month by the Transport and Logistics Bureau and the Environment and Ecology Bureau called for reducing emissions from Hong Kong-registered ships by at least 11 per cent by 2026 from 2019 levels, and for at least 7 per cent of ships to use eco-friendly fuel by 2030.

The Marine Department will support Hong Kong-registered ships that achieve carbon emission ratings with a three-year, HK$20,000 annual subsidy.

The subsidy is paltry compared with container ships’ charter rates of tens of thousands of US dollars a day, according to Calvin Chung Dik-hong, deputy general manager of Chimbusco Pan Nation Petro-Chemical, Hong Kong’s leading bunker services provider.

Next year, the government plans to introduce more incentives, including lower port charges and registration fees, for ships powered by green fuel.

The government wants more than half of its fleet of 166 diesel-fuelled vessels to adopt green fuel by 2026. Service providers are already providing bunkering with 5 to 24 per cent of biodiesel content.

To broaden the availability of green fuel, the government aims to issue a code of practice on liquefied natural gas (LNG) bunkering and simplify the approval process for bunkering by the end of the year.

Next year, the government aims to complete a similar code for green methanol bunkering and set directions for hydrogen and green ammonia bunkering. The commercial viability of these emerging green fuels needs to be improved with more investment, higher production and lower costs, according to industry experts.

The Marine Department is offering technical assistance to prospective LNG bunkering operators in Hong Kong, with a pilot to be conducted in the first half of next year.

“Adopting a multi-fuel transition strategy is important to fill the gap while we wait for longer-term solutions like green methanol and hydrogen,” said Mabel Leung, director for Asia-Pacific sales at ExxonMobil Hong Kong.

Regional green bunkering competition is heating up, said Wah Kwong’s Chao, noting that Shanghai already has a methanol bunkering ship, while Shenzhen is also looking to secure one. Meanwhile, methanol bunkering is already available in Singapore.

Hong Kong is further behind on LNG bunkering, which has seen rapid uptake, said Chao.

“Very little methanol bunkering has been done so far due to the high price of green methanol,” he said. “But Hong Kong needs to act decisively and quickly if we are to establish ourselves as a major alternative fuel bunkering port.”

Hong Kong has the potential to become a major clean fuel hub in the Greater Bay Area if it collaborates with Shenzhen and Guangzhou, he added.

More than 200,000 tonnes a year of green marine fuel will be used in Hong Kong in 2030, according to government projections.

In Singapore, sales of marine biofuel blends amounted to 288,000 tons in the first half of the year, an increase of nearly 50 per cent from a year earlier, while LNG sales more than quadrupled to 212,000 tonnes, according to port data.

Singapore, the world’s largest bunkering hub, accounts for nearly a fifth of the global market. Hong Kong’s throughput is about one-tenth of Singapore’s.

Although Hong Kong slipped to seventh last year among the world’s largest bunkering ports from fourth in 2020, the city has good potential to expand the supply of green fuels, said Chimbusco’s Chung.

“The city’s proximity to China, which is poised to become the world’s largest producer of biofuels and green methanol, gives Hong Kong access to cheaper freight rates and competitive fuel prices,” Chung said.

China’s deadly vehicle attacks spark sales boom for traffic barriers

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3289653/chinas-deadly-vehicle-attacks-spark-sales-boom-traffic-barriers?utm_source=rss_feed

Following a series of deadly attacks in China that have shocked the nation, orders for traffic safety barriers for schools, shopping districts and other public places have soared, according to several Chinese suppliers.

The companies said they had seen substantial increases in product inquiries and purchases in November compared to earlier months, with some firms doubling their workforces to cope with urgent orders to be filled before the festive season at the end of January.

In a string of recent incidents, the most serious attack left 35 people dead and dozens injured after a vehicle ploughed into crowds of people exercising outside a sports stadium in the southern city of Zhuhai in early November. The mass killings prompted authorities around the country to tighten security measures.

Days after that incident, eight people were killed and 17 injured when a man went on a stabbing rampage at a college in the eastern city of Wuxi. A 21-year-old former student who had failed his exams and was said to be angry about his pay as a factory intern was detained at the scene of the attack.

Joe Chen, 45, who owns a stone processing plant in the city of Jinjiang in the coastal province of Fujian, said many schools in Fujian and Guangdong province had placed orders for his granite traffic barriers in November. He said the hope was that the barriers, which separate pedestrians from traffic, would help reduce the risk of vehicles being used to ram into students and parents.

Sales of Chen’s most popular item – giant stone balls with bases – had risen “a few times” since the Zhuhai attack. The product is one of the least expensive and is easy to install, allowing pedestrian traffic while blocking vehicle access.

Chen said the 40cm (16 inches) diameter granite balls weigh more than 100kg (220 pounds), but clients who want sturdier barriers can buy larger ones that weigh more than 350kg.

“Our business usually slows in November as buyers close out the year. I would be happy to sell a hundred for the month, but many clients have ordered more traffic barriers,” Chen said. “I sold nearly a thousand in November.”

Business has been so brisk that Chen said he had to call some retired workers back to help produce, deliver and install barriers at dozens of schools and shopping districts.

According to Baidu, China’s top search engine, search volume for keywords such as “crash barricades” and “traffic barriers” tripled after the Zhuhai attack.

Historically, attacks in China have been followed by upgraded security measures and a surge in sales of related equipment. Months after a jeep rammed through barricades in front of Tiananmen Square’s gate tower in Beijing in 2013, killing five and injuring dozens, improved road barricades designed to withstand vehicle impacts were installed in the city’s core area.

In 2014, China North Industries Group Corporation, the country’s largest arms producer, introduced a gold-coloured barricade constructed with a special stainless steel and built-in hinges to help absorb heavy impacts and thwart vehicle attacks, according to mainland media reports.

A steel traffic barrier manufacturer in the eastern province of Jiangsu said it had more than doubled shipments to clients in November.

“We’ve had a jump in requests to install steel bollards, but that takes time. So many clients opt for movable barriers to cope with immediate safety needs,” said the company’s sales representative, surnamed Huang.

A retiree in Zhuhai told the Post that he noticed more vehicle barriers had been installed at the city’s schools, parks and stadiums since the rampage.

“Some parks I usually go to for my morning walk … have placed more barriers at the major intersections. The pedestrian malls on Lianhua Road also have more safety barriers,” he said, adding that they made him feel safer.

Many police departments have organised school campus safety drills, according to media reports.

In the city of Baiyin in northern Gansu province, local media reported that police held campus safety drills on Tuesday, which simulated a vehicle ramming into a school with knife-wielding attackers pretending to kill people.

One of the drills simulated a car speeding towards a school as students were leaving classes. Teachers were instructed to direct the students to go back inside the school while security personnel deployed road barriers to stop the vehicle. After abandoning his car, the attacker rushed into the school armed with a knife, but was quickly subdued and restrained by the school’s security officers until the police arrived.

The drills and installations of more safety barriers are part of a campaign to “resolve conflict and maintain stability” across the country, under orders from the country’s top security body, after President Xi Jinping directed China’s security forces to crack down on random attacks following the Zhuhai attack.

Aside from strengthened security measures, at the grass-roots level, local officials have been urged to step up efforts to screen at-risk people who could be “prone to vent their anger on the public” and ensure they receive the necessary support.

Backlash against ‘sexy’ Chinese sportswomen a reflection of traditional values, experts say

https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3289751/backlash-against-sexy-chinese-sportswomen-reflection-traditional-values-experts-say?utm_source=rss_feed

A recent backlash against female Chinese athletes posting “sexy” content on social media is a reflection of traditional values that argue women should be “pure” and a way of projecting the country’s soft power through sports, experts have suggested.

In recent weeks, former China national team athletes have hit back at critics, including other athletes, who said women posting “sexy” videos was a disgrace.

In November, former gymnast Wu Liufang went viral after a public row with teammate Guan Chenchen, who said her “thirst trap” videos were damaging gymnastics’s reputation. Days later, swimmer Liu Xiang hit back at social media users who said her swimsuit pictures were deliberately provocative to attract attention.

Ivy Wong Wang, associate professor in the gender studies programme at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, said that in Chinese culture, “it is still quite [prevalent] that women and girls are supposed to be clean, pure and well-behaved, and not dress sexy.

“One reason for [the critics’] negative reactions is it might not be related to gender but more related to how people define what is [appropriate for an athlete versus what is not].

“Another reason is that athletes, especially female athletes, are aware that posting pictures in swimsuits or dancing may cause people to view them in a sexually objectified way, whether they agree with it.

“Studies have found that attractive women are usually viewed by others as less competent – so while they may be viewed as attractive, the ratings of competence are reduced.

“The field of elite sports: that’s certainly a high-status job, so it’s in conflict with being sexy.”

Wu, 29, retired from gymnastics in 2014, two years after she suffered an injury that ruled her out of the London Olympics.

After trying different jobs, including a teacher and gymnastics coach, Wu said she became an internet celebrity because her family’s conditions meant she needed to support herself after she had dedicated her entire youth and early adulthood to representing China.

She now posts dancing videos that internet users have called “sexy and provocative” but stay within the limits of China’s strict censorship.

Wu was criticised by Guan and others on social media for “crossing the line”.

The two traded verbal blows online, and Wu’s page was temporarily suspended.

When Wu’s account ban was lifted, her followers on Douyin skyrocketed from 50,000 fans to more than 6.3 million.

At the same time as the incidents involving Wu and Liu, former World Cup bronze medal fencer Qin Xue has also come under the same scrutiny.

Now a lecturer at Chongqing University, Qin has more than 1.7 million followers online. Her posts have been called out for bordering on adult content because she wears revealing clothes.

Qin defended herself, saying she posts online to make money to support her children.

Current athletics star Wu Yanni has also been involved in similar incidents. She is often called out for her appearance, chiefly her choice of make-up. Like all Chinese athletes, she has to cover her tattoos when she competes.

Social media has been divided on these issues, with topics relating to all of them being viewed hundreds of millions of times.

Despite all the athletes boasting huge followings, critics, including journalists, argue that their actions undermine the integrity of their respective sports.

Dr Sonia Wong Yuk-ying, who teaches gender studies at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, said this phenomenon was not new, but because it involved former athletes, it added an “interesting layer”.

“The Olympics [and] sports have been a very important part of China’s soft power. They have been very aggressive … in demonstrating and upholding national prestige through participation in international tournaments.

“By extension, the bodies of the athletes are a representation of the national body [and] sports, especially international competitions, have been something that’s very, very special to China and to the hearts of Chinese people.”

Both Sonia Wong and Ivy Wong said another issue was the double standards that existed – male athletes were often lauded online for showing off their physiques.

Olympic world champion and world record holder Pan Zhanle previously called out a journalist who asked him about his abs, saying that his appearance was not the most important thing.

However, when Chinese male athletes post images of their bodies online, they rarely draw criticism.

“This perceived lack of autonomy, or lack of room for [female athletes] to express themselves, sexually or otherwise, is something that is not balanced between the two sexes,” she said.

“And there are really limited opportunities for women, especially former athletes in China, to move upwards, so being a wang hong (internet celebrity) is something that is more readily available.”

In the social-media age, more athletes have turned to social media post-retirement. Whether this would lead to an acceptance of how female athletes portrayed themselves online, both Dr Ivy Wong and Dr Sonia Wong were sceptical.

“The Chinese government has its strong values, and it could change. But, currently, the government seems to be more [in favour of] advocating and preserving traditional Chinese cultural values,” Dr Ivy Wong said.

Taiwan’s Lai suits US with low-key stops but may yet draw ire from mainland China

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3289765/taiwans-lai-suits-us-low-key-stops-may-yet-draw-ire-mainland-china?utm_source=rss_feed

Arrangements for William Lai Ching-te’s first overseas visit as Taiwanese leader, with stopovers in Hawaii and Guam, seemed to underline a shared caution with Washington against provoking Beijing – which may well respond with ire anyway, analysts said.

Lai, who returned on Friday from a weeklong visit to three of Taipei’s Pacific allies, maintained a relatively low profile during his layovers in the US territories, meeting only local leaders and politicians.

Lai was greeted on his arrival in Honolulu last Saturday by Ingrid Larson, managing director of the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT), which represents US interests in the absence of official ties on the island.

Hawaiian governor Josh Green and Honolulu mayor Rick Blangiardi, as well as the city’s police chief, Arthur Logan, were also at the airport to welcome him.

During his two-day stop, Lai visited the USS Arizona Memorial, laid a wreath in honour of those who died in the 1941 Japanese attack on Pearl Harbour, and toured two museums.

He also visited the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency and later attended a banquet hosted by Hawaii’s Taiwanese community.

On Sunday, Lai gave an eight-minute speech in a closed-door meeting at the US State Department-funded East-West Centre, before travelling to the Marshall Islands and Tuvalu, two of Taipei’s Pacific allies.

On Wednesday, during an overnight stop in Guam, Lai had breakfast with the island’s governor, Lourdes Leon Guerrero. He also visited its legislature before heading to Palau.

Addressing reporters at the governor’s residence in Guam, Lai stressed that “Taiwan and Guam are both situated in the first island chain [and] must work closer together and stand side by side to safeguard peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region”.

The first island chain – a Cold War term coined by a US strategist – refers to a collection of archipelagos running in a rough arc from Indonesia to Japan, encompassing the South China Sea and East China Sea.

In its Cold War incarnation, it was seen as playing a role in the containment of China and the Soviet Union, and strategists continue to regard the chain as vital to maintaining the defence positions of the US-led alliance.

According to analysts, Lai’s US stopovers – the first since he took office in May – were meant to dispel the “Lai sceptic” argument that he is not as trusted in Washington as his predecessor, Tsai Ing-wen, also from the ruling Democratic Progressive Party.

Reports in local and overseas media have suggested that Washington remains wary of Lai, who described himself as a “pragmatic Taiwan independence worker” while premier in 2017.

Although Lai avoided repeating the term during last year’s election campaign, Beijing – which regards him as a troublemaker – views it as proof of his hardline separatist leanings.

Beijing considers Taiwan part of its territory, to be reunified by force if necessary. While most countries, including the United States, do not recognise the island as independent, Washington is opposed to any attack and committed to supplying arms for its defence.

Max Lo, executive director of the Taiwan International Strategic Study Society, a Taipei-based think tank, said that “Lai definitely wants to use his Hawaii and Guam layovers to show he has strong support from the US”.

However, because Lai’s stops were not in mainland US cities, they raised questions about the depth of Washington’s trust, according to Lo.

“Apart from essential AIT personnel and local officials, no high-ranking federal officials were present during his stopovers,” he said.

“The highest-level interactions he managed were a phone call with US House Speaker Mike Johnson in Guam and a virtual meeting with former speaker Nancy Pelosi in Hawaii.”

In contrast, during Tsai’s South America tour last year, she had transit stops through New York and Los Angeles, meeting then-speaker Kevin McCarthy and giving two public speeches.

If Tsai’s transit marked a historic high in US reception, Lai’s treatment was unexpectedly modest, Lo said, adding that this could be due to Washington’s transition to president-elect Donald Trump, who might have different Indo-Pacific strategies.

Huang Kwei-bo, a diplomacy professor at National Chengchi University, highlighted the geographic oddity of Lai’s itinerary, calling the route “detour diplomacy”.

“The Marshall Islands, Tuvalu, and Palau form a triangular pattern in the Pacific, with Guam and Hawaii at its edges. Hawaii is even farther east than the destinations themselves,” he said.

In Huang’s view, the Lai administration should prioritise strengthening ties with Taiwan’s remaining allies rather than focusing on detours.

“Transit diplomacy on the fringes of US territory brings limited visibility and diplomatic benefits,” he said, urging more prudent use of public funds.

James Yifan Chen, a professor at Tamkang University, echoed Huang’s concerns, pointing out that Taiwan lost 10 diplomatic allies during Tsai’s administration, leaving the island with just 12.

According to Chen, Lai should have spent more time with the island’s friends in the Pacific, to emphasise Taipei’s commitment to them. Instead, his layovers in Hawaii and Guam accounted for nearly half of his seven-day trip.

Analysts agreed that the low-profile nature of Lai’s transits was likely to be a strategic move aligned with Washington’s preference to avoid any sharp provocation of Beijing.

“This low-profile approach was likely prompted by Washington, as [US President Joe] Biden prefers to maintain the guard rails following his recent meeting with [President] Xi Jinping at the Apec summit in Peru,” Chen said.

With Trump’s unpredictable policies on the horizon, Lai appeared to be playing it safe by “behaving like a good boy”, he added.

Although the layovers are unlikely to avoid Beijing’s ire entirely, analysts suggested that reaction on the Chinese mainland could be more restrained this time, compared with Beijing’s sharp response in May, to Lai’s inaugural speech, and again in October.

On both occasions, Lai offended Beijing by declaring that Taiwan and the mainland “are not subordinate to each other”, prompting the People’s Liberation Army to stage two large-scale war games simulating a blockade of the island.

With no reports of Lai touting his “new two-state theory” during his US stopovers, this could help temper Beijing’s response, according to Chen, who added that the potential reaction on the mainland remained a critical point of concern.

Quoting unnamed sources, Reuters reported on Tuesday that Beijing might launch another round of military drills this weekend, coinciding with the conclusion of Lai’s Pacific tour.

On Friday, foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian said the US’ arranging for the stopovers for Lai sent “a severely wrong signal to Taiwan independence separatist forces”.

“No one should underestimate the firm resolve, will and ability of the Chinese government and people to safeguard sovereignty and territorial integrity,” Lin said.

If another round of war games did occur, it might be smaller in scale compared to the previous Joint Sword 2024-A and B exercises, Chen said. “Beijing may feel pleased because Biden did not give Lai the green light to touch down in the continental US.”

Chen added that the mainland might also wish to avoid escalating tensions ahead of Trump’s return to power, strategically keeping Taiwan as a flashpoint under wraps for now.

Can mainland China bargain-bin grocery stores push out Hong Kong’s dominant chains?

https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3289779/can-mainland-china-bargain-bin-grocery-stores-push-out-hong-kongs-dominant-chains?utm_source=rss_feed

Since mainland Chinese discount grocery-chain Hotmaxx debuted in Hong Kong in September, it has lured hordes of customers by offering everyday items at prices well below the typical market rate.

While a can of Coca-Cola would normally cost between HK$9 (US$1.20) and HK$11 in the city, Hotmaxx sells it for only HK$3. It also has bottles of water for HK$2.5, body wash for HK$28 and even a 375ml bottle of whiskey for HK$25.

At a time when Hong Kong retail sales are in a prolonged slump, in part due to the rise of consumers heading north to the mainland to shop, many have joked that Hotmaxx has brought “Shenzhen prices” to the infamously expensive city.

Hotmaxx first opened in Shanghai in 2020, touting a business model that quickly drew attention by targeting low and middle-income earners with near-expired food and drink items at bargain prices.

Its overnight success allowed it to expand aggressively to more than 600 branches across the country, and it plans to open over 5,000 more in the coming years.

With four branches in Kwai Fong, Tai Kok Tsui, Tsuen Wan and Sheung Shui, Hotmaxx has quickly garnered its share of fans among the grass roots and elderly.

“I think it’s cheap, basically,” said Greta Wong, a 63-year old retiree who was visiting the chain in Kwai Fong. “And they sell a lot of snacks and drinks.”

A Post reporter set out to compare prices between Hotmaxx and ParknShop, one of Hong Kong’s two largest grocery chains alongside Wellcome.

The bulk of the items sold at Hotmaxx were either mainland brands or parallel imports of international products, while a few items such as Coca-Cola were the same as those sold on Hong Kong shelves.

A 291 gram pack of Oreos at Hotmaxx costs HK$12, almost half of the HK$25.90 a 248 gram pack costs at ParknShop.

A tube of Sensodyne toothpaste at ParknShop costs nearly HK$48, but a similar product from the same brand can be found at Hotmaxx for just HK$25.

Similar price differences can be found in other products, including water, milk, noodles and instant coffee.

A HK$99.50 basket of goods at Hotmaxx cost HK$172.6 at ParknShop, a price difference of around 53 per cent.

While on the mainland Hotmaxx is known for selling goods near their expiry date, the products sold in Hong Kong had similar expiry dates as those bought at ParknShop.

Vera Yuen Wing-han, a lecturer in economics at the University of Hong Kong, said the surge in travel into the Greater Bay Area had made residents more “accepting” of mainland products. Cheaper prices were also attractive given the gloomy local economy, she said.

“Being cheap is really important, because the economy is not quite positive,” she said

Economics scholar Simon Lee Siu-po said Hotmaxx was able to keep its prices low in Hong Kong as it bought cheaply from large mainland suppliers while also opening stores in low-rent areas of the city.

Gary Ng Cheuk-yan, a senior economist at Natixis, said mainland companies such as Hotmaxx were willing to accept lower profit margins, and by importing directly they could bypass dominant agencies that usually had deals with foreign producers on the price of goods.

The increase of cheaper mainland brands in the market has also raised concerns about whether local businesses that are already struggling with waning demand and profitability will be able to compete on prices.

“Traditional mom-and-pop shops will definitely face more pressure as they do not have the same ability to lower prices and costs,” Ng said.

But for now, Yu Shing, a 44-year-old owner of a small grocery store in Mong Kok, remained confident his business would survive, as he questioned whether mainland companies could maintain their business model in a city as expensive as Hong Kong.

He could sell products at prices that rivalled those of Hotmaxx as his shop was small and he did not have any assistants.

“Even someone as rich as Li Ka-shing is aware of the costs,” Yu said, referring to the billionaire who owns the ParknShop chain.

“The battle may continue for a while, but they may [be forced to] close the business if they lose too much money.”

Yuen, the economist professor, said that for the time being the impact of Hotmaxx and other mainland firms on local businesses would be localised to the neighbourhoods in which the stores were located.

“But if they open like 100 chains, then it could become a threat and could even threaten Wellcome and ParknShop,” she said.

Chinese woman wins US$1,400 for not feeling anxious without mobile for 8 hours

https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3289134/chinese-woman-wins-us1400-not-feeling-anxious-without-mobile-8-hours?utm_source=rss_feed

A woman in southwestern China has won 10,000 yuan (US$1,400) from a competition for abstaining from mobile phone use for eight hours while exhibiting no signs of anxiety.

The contest took place at a shopping centre in Chongqing municipality on November 29, as reported by Jimu News.

Ten contestants, selected from 100 applicants, were invited to the mall to participate in the competition, which required them to spend eight hours on a designated new bed.

Before the contest, they surrendered their mobile phones and were prohibited from using any other electronic devices, including iPads and laptops.

In emergency situations, participants could use older mobile phone models with only calling capabilities, provided by the competition organisers, to contact their families.

They were also required to adhere to a bed restriction rule, which allowed them to leave the bed for toilet breaks, but limited them to a maximum of five minutes each time.

The organisers set a quota for the total amount of time contestants could be away from their beds throughout the eight-hour period, although this detail was not disclosed in the news report.

Drinks and meals were provided, and participants were instructed to consume them in bed.

In addition to being prohibited from using their mobile phones, competitors were not allowed to fall into a deep sleep or exhibit anxiety. They wore wrist straps to monitor their sleep quality and anxiety levels.

Most contestants spent their time reading books or simply resting with their eyes closed.

Ultimately, after verification by event officials, a woman surnamed Dong was declared the champion, achieving a comprehensive score of 88.99 out of 100. The organisers noted that she spent the longest time in bed, did not experience deep sleep, and displayed the lowest level of anxiety.

The 10,000-yuan prizewinner donned pyjamas for the competition, earning her the nickname “pyjama sister” on mainland social media as the no-mobile-phone race gained viral attention online.

Dong is a sales manager at a finance firm. In her spare time, she typically tutors her child and rarely browses her mobile phone aimlessly.

The identity of the company sponsoring the competition and the purpose behind holding this event, which occurred in a mattress and bedding shop within the mall, remains undisclosed.

Many mainland Chinese internet users were captivated by the story.

“I want to join the competition. It seems so interesting and not challenging at all,” one netizen remarked on Baidu.

Another joked: “My grandma could win the top prize.”

News about initiatives promoting reduced screen time or limited use of electronic devices frequently makes headlines in China.

Earlier this year, a mainland Chinese PhD student at a British university garnered attention for travelling across 24 mainland provinces in 134 days without access to a mobile phone or other electronic gadgets.

Top Democrat urges closer US-China cooperation on shared challenges

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3289789/top-democrat-urges-closer-us-china-cooperation-shared-challenges?utm_source=rss_feed

The top Democrat on a key US House committee argued for closer Sino-American cooperation amid strategic competition, the latest in a series of rare public instances of a lawmaker calling for a more measured approach to the bilateral relationship.

“We should be a little bit more sophisticated, a little bit more nuanced, a little bit more negotiation-oriented than the rhetoric” on Capitol Hill, said US congressman Jim Himes, a Connecticut Democrat and the ranking member on the House permanent select committee on intelligence.

Himes spoke on Friday at an event presenting the first-phase findings of a joint project by the Washington think tanks Brookings Institution and the Centre for Strategic and International Studies on “advancing collaboration in an era of strategic competition”.

Launched last year, the initiative seeks to “diagnose barriers now impinging on collaborative efforts” and “develop a playbook of best practices” to improve collaboration across different areas.

Himes highlighted some areas typically advanced by those advocating cooperation: fighting climate change, combating fentanyl and preventing pandemics and enhancing global health.

But he also said the US and China could collaborate on trade and producing artificial intelligence research as well as welcome more mainland scientists to American research institutions.

“This small-wall garden has been bigger than it would be for my comfort,” said Himes, alluding to the Joe Biden administration’s “small yard, high fence” approach that aims to put targeted restrictions on technologies with sensitive national-security implications while maintaining normal economic exchange in other areas.

Noting a concern over the reassertion of “ideology” over “pragmatism”, he rejected accusations that he was being too “dovish” on China.

Himes suggested that Washington could push Beijing harder on an agreement to not violate US critical infrastructure, noting a recent Chinese telecoms hack, and better protect supply chains of “ingredients of essential commercial and national security” like certain critical minerals.

Himes, a former Goldman Sachs employee who sits on the House financial services committee, has increasingly made his views on moderating Washington’s approach to China known in the past year, joining a handful of other influential Democratic members of Congress.

They include Adam Smith, the Washington state Democrat who is the ranking member of the House armed services committee, and Maryland Democrat Chris Van Hollen, a member of the powerful Senate appropriations and foreign relations committees.

While the Biden administration has consistently maintained that the US should cooperate ‘where interests align’ with China, such messaging scarcely emanates from Capitol Hill.

In an op-ed he penned in July 2023, Himes argued that “how to work with China on areas of deep common interest even as we challenge its dangerous and destabilising behaviour” was the “strategic problem of our generation”.

In the same piece and other public engagements, the Peru-born Harvard graduate stressed the interdependence of the American and Chinese economies, drawing a contrast with the US-Soviet relationship. Economic decoupling, he said, would cause massive unemployment and inflation.

Hines has also highlighted the dangers of America’s thinking on Iraq, advocated for expanding cultural exchange and proposed commending, not denigrating, China’s diplomatic efforts in the Middle East.

On Friday, he called China’s economic growth “nothing short of miraculous” for the Chinese people – a view he acknowledged as “an unpopular thing to say”.

Pollsters have noted that most Americans – 81 per cent, according to the Pew Research Centre – have a negative view of China, which some activists and lawmakers have cited to justify a harder line on China.

But Himes on Friday said “proactively, China never comes in, ever” in conversations with constituents.

Earlier this year, Himes was one of just 65 lawmakers who voted against a House bill to force China-based ByteDance to divest TikTok, a popular short-video sharing app. The legislation passed overwhelmingly.

Despite having “more insight than most into the online threats posed by our adversaries” as the top Democrat on the House intelligence committee, Himes said he believed in trusting Americans to “be worthy of our democracy”.

Himes also voted against several bills during the House’s “China Week”, an effort to advance legislation countering China’s economic, political and technological influence.

In a report last year, Christopher Chivvis of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, another Washington-based think tank, said “moderates” in Congress exist but are always on the “back foot”.

Owing to a “surge of political pressure to demonstrate toughness”, moderates often worked behind the scenes to scale back “aggressive” legislation targeting China, rather than taking public stances, Chivvis explained.

Experts at the Brookings-CSIS event on Friday discussed case studies in great-power collaboration, including between the US and Soviet Union on smallpox eradication as well as opportunities in working with China on climate-smart agriculture.

“Collaboration on smallpox was not an altruistic endeavour by either superpower,” said Lily McElwee of CSIS. “It was firmly rooted in the national self-interest of each superpower.”

Similar initiatives are happening elsewhere. In October, the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace published a volume outlining cooperative pathways towards a “peaceful coexistence” with China.

Divisions between and within the Democratic and Republican parties on how to approach issues linked to China have surfaced with greater frequency in recent months.

This is the case even as both parties agree at a high level that norms of bilateral engagement since China’s ascension to the World Trade Organization must shift.

House and Senate lawmakers are in a fierce debate over whether and how to add restrictions on outbound US investment to China to the annual must-pass defence authorisation bill, the final major legislative push before president-elect Donald Trump takes office.

Trump has nominated several China hawks to top administration posts, including US senator Marco Rubio of Florida and US congressman Mike Waltz, also of Florida.

Rubio is slated to be US secretary of state, pending Senate confirmation, and Waltz is set to be the national security adviser, a role that does not require Senate confirmation.

Come January 20, Trump will govern with Republicans in control of both chambers of Congress.

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Paraguay expels Chinese diplomat for urging lawmakers to sever ties to Taiwan

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3289790/paraguay-expels-chinese-diplomat-urging-lawmakers-sever-ties-taiwan?utm_source=rss_feed

Paraguay has expelled a senior Chinese diplomat, accusing him of trying to interfere in the country’s domestic politics and to undermine its relations with Taiwan during a UN event.

Xu Wei, a senior Chinese envoy to Latin America, was in Asuncion to attend a Unesco meeting. However, Paraguayan authorities said Xu skipped the event on Wednesday to meet with members of the country’s congress.

There, he reportedly urged lawmakers to sever diplomatic ties with Taiwan and recognise mainland China instead, claiming that it would bring “thousands of advantages” to the South American nation.

Following the reports of Xu’s comments, the Paraguayan Foreign Ministry declared him persona non grata on Thursday, giving him 24 hours to leave the country.

In Beijing on Friday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian denied that Xu was interfering in Paraguay’s domestic affairs and rejected what he called the “unreasonable and groundless” allegations made by the Paraguayan government.

China has been intensifying efforts to isolate Taiwan diplomatically, in recent years persuading four Latin American countries – Honduras, Panama, the Dominican Republic, and El Salvador – to cut ties with Taipei in favour of Beijing, often offering trade and investment deals in exchange.

Paraguay is one of a dozen countries that still recognise Taiwan and has no formal diplomatic relations with China.

Despite pressure from domestic agricultural sectors eager to expand trade with China, President Santiago Peña has insisted that while he is open to business with Beijing, he remains committed to maintaining Paraguay’s diplomatic ties with Taiwan.

Beijing regards Taiwan, a self-ruled island, as a rogue province, to be eventually united with the mainland, by force if necessary. Most countries, including the United States, do not recognise Taiwan as an independent nation.

Following a meeting with Senator Ever Villalba and Congressman Billy Vaesken, both opponents of Peña’s Colorado Party, Xu addressed the press on Wednesday, saying his visit was aimed at filling a “gap on the map of Latin America, which is called Paraguay”.

Xu argued that there were “many practical advantages” to establishing relations with Beijing, including increased trade between the two nations.

“With diplomatic relations with China, you can earn more, save more, lower your costs. It’s just one example of thousands of advantages that could be had,” Xu said.

Xu dismissed Peña’s proposal to maintain trade relations without formal diplomatic ties with Beijing, saying the “one China” policy was a “non-negotiable” principle.

“China’s doors are open [ …] but negotiating with China and Taiwan at the same time is not an option. In my case, I can only recommend that the Paraguayan government make a decision as soon as possible,” Xu said.

Villalba also told reporters that Xu had promised to “quintuple any contribution that another country” was making to Asunción to maintain ties with Taiwan.

Despite the cancellation of Xu’s visa, the diplomat has apparently not yet left the country.

According to Jorge Kronawetter, the Paraguayan director general of migration, Xu demanded to receive formal notification of the expulsion order at the hotel where he is staying before leaving Paraguay.

Kronawetter said on Friday that “the law allows us to proceed with the expulsion if it is not complied with”, suggesting that Asunción could deport Xu.

In addition to Paraguay’s action against the diplomat, the comments also sparked a strong response from the Taiwanese embassy in Asunción, which accused him of trying to “undermine the firm friendship between Paraguay and Taiwan based on the ‘one China’ fallacy”.

In a statement, the embassy labelled Xu an “infiltrator” of the Chinese government and declared that “Taiwan is an independent and sovereign country, a reality that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China cannot change.”

“The communist regime has never represented and will never represent Taiwan,” the statement added.

What’s eating at Guangdong’s greatness? China’s economic champ is taking it on the chin

https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3289632/whats-eating-guangdongs-greatness-chinas-economic-champ-taking-it-chin?utm_source=rss_feed

For years, Lu Liang ran his own advertising firm in the southern Chinese city of Dongguan. But when business failed to return last year after the pandemic, he was forced to close up shop, and lately it feels like one blow after another is knocking him about.

While the 40-something was quick to secure a job with a local materials manufacturer that needed a business-development manager, the economic downturn in the region over the last few months has taken a toll on his income as US customers forced his new employer to cut prices to offset a potential hike in US tariffs after president-elect Donald Trump takes office.

To make matters worse, Lu’s apartment has been steadily falling in value, and he sees little chance of the city’s property market bouncing back any time soon.

“The vacancy rates of office buildings and factories in most parts of Guangdong [province] are getting higher and higher,” Lu lamented. “I am very worried that Trump’s new tariff policy will exacerbate the hollowing out of industries here, which is bad for everyone living here.”

Many in Dongguan share Lu’s sense of foreboding. The city and the region that surrounds it in Guangdong were the driving force behind China’s emergence as the “world’s factory”, with its factories churning out products for the global market.

But the province now looks acutely vulnerable, as the critically important economic hub that remains inextricably tied to foreign trade has been thrust back into the spotlight by Trump’s fresh vow to slam China’s exporters even harder than previously anticipated. And the effects of his “America first” agenda could be felt soon after he takes office on January 20, if he follows through on threats.

Fewer orders, payment defaults, and urgent plans to shift production capacity overseas have become frequent topics of discussion among local enterprises and businesspeople across Guangdong.

At the same time, the provincial economy, though still the biggest in China, is stalling, with stagnant income growth, high mortgage pressure, and weakening consumer demand further amplifying the anxieties of ordinary people.

“It’s actually a worsening deflationary situation,” Lu said.

And in the face of tumultuous trade tensions, everyone is watching to see whether Guangdong’s sluggish economic growth could mark a turning point for China’s economy.

“Business owners I know here grapple with difficult decisions daily, such as whether to take on new orders at a time when payment for the last one has not yet been received,” Lu explained. “And even those who have upgraded their technology are worried – many investments have not yet yielded returns; moving from laboratory-scale production to mass production still requires tens of millions [of yuan] in investment.

“Will the US market accept their innovative products amid high tariffs?”

The economic data also reflects Guangdong’s plight.

As China’s technological and manufacturing powerhouse for decades, Guangdong was one of the biggest beneficiaries of China’s opening up.

The province, which borders Hong Kong to the south, prided itself on leading the country’s economic transition, often at a breakneck growth pace that surpassed the national rate, year in and year out. Guangdong now plays a pivotal role in the Greater Bay Area’s development, which aims to knit nine cities in the province with Hong Kong and Macau to create an integrated hi-tech megalopolis that will compete with Tokyo and San Francisco.

However, with the national economy facing strong economic headwinds, Guangdong appears to be struggling more than most. In the first three quarters of this year, the province’s GDP growth rates were 4.4, 3.9 and 3.4 per cent, respectively, showing a sequential decline and widening the gap with the national average.

One of the outsized factors curtailing the southern province’s economic gains is the real estate crisis. While the performance of the national real estate market has been generally sluggish, Guangdong has found itself hit harder than other major developed provinces.

Since 2015, Guangdong’s annual commercial housing sales have exceeded 1 trillion yuan (US$137.6 billion), accounting for more than 10 per cent of its GDP. At its peak in 2020, Guangdong’s annual housing sales topped 2.26 trillion yuan and accounted for around 20 per cent of its GDP.

This year, however, the real estate crisis has swept across all cities in Guangdong. In the first three quarters of this year, Guangdong’s real estate investment slumped 17.2 per cent, year on year – a much sharper decline than what was seen in other economically powerful provinces such as Jiangsu and Zhejiang.

Compared with the peak period for Guangdong’s real estate investment – when the annual total reached 1.73 trillion and 1.75 trillion yuan in 2020 and 2021, respectively – the figure plunged last year to 1.35 trillion yuan. And from January to October of this year, the total had reached just 950 billion yuan, marking a 17.3 per cent decrease, year on year.

The structural differentiation of exports within the region has also heightened uncertainties, boding ill for the future if Trump’s tariffs target more traditional products.

For example, while Shenzhen, often referred to as China’s Silicon Valley, has achieved significant export growth driven by hi-tech products such as electric vehicles and drones, most traditional manufacturing cities across Guangdong such as Dongguan, Guangzhou and Foshan – known for their export-oriented electrical and mechanical goods, as well as lighting, appliances, furniture and clothing – are facing severe setbacks. In the first three quarters of 2024, some of their exports saw year-on-year declines of more than 23 per cent, underscoring the cities’ industrial-transformation difficulties.

Meanwhile, Guangdong’s essentially stagnant consumer spending – growing by only 0.7 per cent in the January-September period – reflects deeper issues, including declining incomes, reduced business-investment confidence, as well as the lingering impact of the nationwide housing crisis and corruption investigations involving local cadres in export-oriented cities such as Dongguan and Huizhou.

At the same time, the high level of fiscal contributions and obligations under a “counterpart assistance” policy have further limited Guangdong’s room for economic development. Last year, Guangdong had to contribute nearly half of China’s pension fund that redistributes to poorer regions, and the province also turned over more than 730 billion yuan – about half of its revenue – to the central government. This directly reflects why Guangdong’s per capita fiscal expenditure has been lower than that of most provinces and has impacted local public services and consumer spending.

In response to the swelling wave of trade tensions, Guangdong authorities want to see local enterprises “go global”, aiming to maintain their large production capacities for exports of intermediate goods while ultimately enabling a new generation of tech-upgraded “Made in China” products to gain market share globally.

Last December, the annual central economic work conference proposed expanding trade in intermediate goods – products used to make other goods.

In the first quarter of this year, the import and export of intermediate goods – valued at 1.12 trillion yuan – accounted for more than half of Guangdong’s overall foreign trade of 2.04 trillion yuan.

In fresh guidelines released on November 26, on reforms to advance Chinese-style modernisation efforts, provincial authorities emphasised the importance of the role that state-owned enterprises will play in its economic reforms, from securities and shipping to strategic industries such as science and technology.

In the face of a persistent economic downturn and worsening fallout from the US-China trade war, political and economic observers in China foresee an unavoidably difficult path ahead for Guangdong during the “Trump 2.0” era.

During Trump’s tenure, life for ordinary people in Guangdong will become more difficult, according to Gao Zhendong, a supply-chain specialist helping Chinese firms invest globally, as well as the secretary-in-general of the relatively new China-Vietnam Industrial Service Alliance.

“Over the next two to three years, ‘shifting overseas’ will extend further across various industries and business types in Guangdong, from listed companies to small and medium-sized enterprises, because the consensus is that only companies capable of expanding overseas can avoid significant declines in their overall performance,” Gao said.

However, Gao noted, pressure on local employment and local demand will continue to increase as the outflow of production capacity inevitably reduces local demand in any aspect, from labour to office space and local investments.

“Guangdong’s economic growth rate, and even that of the Yangtze River Delta, may decline,” Gao said. “There’s no way around it. The trade war will, no doubt, lead many companies to increase overseas investments while cutting back domestically.”

Since the onset of the pandemic, the growth rate of Guangdong’s annual GDP has gradually fallen behind the national average. Back in 2018, the first year of the trade war with the US, Guangdong’s economy grew by 6.8 per cent, while the national average was 6.6 per cent. But now the province has lagged the rest of the country for three consecutive years, through 2023, when Guangdong’s GDP was up 4.8 per cent while the national average was 5.2 per cent.

From January to September this year, Guangdong’s actual use of foreign capital was 71.83 billion yuan, far less than 117.29 billion yuan in the same period of 2019.

Since the trade war with the US began in July 2018, China’s share of US imports has decreased from 22 per cent to about 14 per cent last year, with America importing more from Mexico, the European Union and the “emerging Asia” region.

The incoming Trump administration’s intensified protectionism and restrictions on hi-tech fields will undoubtedly impact China, particularly technology companies in the Greater Bay Area, said Zheng Yongnian, an adviser to Chinese policymakers and a professor at the Chinese University of Hong Kong’s Shenzhen campus.

“The US aims to lead the fifth industrial revolution, firmly grasping the internet, artificial intelligence and other core technologies, to prevent not only China, but all other countries, from competing with it,” Zheng said, adding that “Guangdong’s science and technology sector will be hit first and foremost”.

Tech companies and start-ups across the Pearl River Delta and Yangtze River Delta “will face severe challenges in terms of operations and financing, at least in the short term”, he explained. But nonetheless, global capital is always looking for investment opportunities, and Zheng noted how Guangdong and Hong Kong should seize the change to attract capital from regions such as the Middle East and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean).

He urged authorities to unilaterally open the province’s markets to other countries, encouraging mutual trade and investment in China. In addition, reforms are essential to reduce excessive regulation to unlock more economic activities, especially in mid- to high-end technological fields, Zheng said.

“The years ahead will be very tough, but there’s also opportunity for Guangdong’s businesses and entrepreneurs to explore alternative markets,” said He Dongni, academic deputy dean with the Guangzhou Institute of the Greater Bay Area, a non-profit research centre.

“We can see that the Asean market already demands a very large number of products at different levels, creating enormous market opportunities for Chinese enterprises,” she said. “Chinese companies must help local industries grow, creating more local jobs and increasing their residents’ incomes. That would produce greater demand for made-in-China products, in return.”

Meanwhile, the extent to which overseas investments can help support China’s economy remains uncertain.

“The overseas investments of Chinese companies are largely concentrated in low- to middle-end supply chains, with thin profit margins,” explained Xu Hui, a researcher and PhD candidate with Friedrich Schiller University Jena in Germany who is studying Guangdong’s supply-chain shift. “Unlike Western companies, they find it difficult to bring high-value-added benefits, such as R&D and advanced value chains, back to their home country.

“Additionally, inadequate financial and property protection mechanisms [in China, such as those that protect wealth,] reduce companies’ confidence, discouraging them from repatriating profits to China, even when they succeed abroad.”