CNAD-#97- China's ???????????????Updates about ????+(????????????????) & ???????

Everyday Briefing: 2024-06-27

????China Internal??

??Chinese lawmakers are considering a draft law to make kindergarten admission for disabled children easier. The law stipulates that non-profit kindergartens should admit children with disabilities who can adapt to kindergarten life and provide assistance. If parents or guardians dispute admission, the county-level government education department and health department should collaborate to assess the child's physical condition and ability to adapt to kindergarten life.

??China's director of the Central Science and Technology Commission, Ding Xuexiang, has urged the promotion of science and technology progress. He emphasized the need for a new nationwide system, major research tasks, and accelerating research on key core technologies. He also called for developing new, quality productive forces, strengthening enterprises' dominance in science and technology innovation, and deep integration of science and industrial innovations. He emphasized the need for institutional reform, policy refinement, and resource coordination. China plans to work with the rest of the world to promote science and technology progress through cooperation, exchanges, and an open environment for global competitiveness.

??Chinese Premier Li Qiang has urged countries to jointly explore new drivers and pathways for global economic growth, addressing challenges posed by trade protectionism and unilateralism. He urged countries to create an even, fair, and nondiscriminatory environment for scientific and technological innovation, developed on the basis of intellectual property rights protection. China has strongly supported basic research and development, placed great emphasis on the development of national strategic scientific and technological strength, and vigorously promoted corporate innovation to enhance capacity for original innovation. The country is home to over 400,000 high-tech enterprises and over 100,000 specialized and sophisticated small and medium-sized enterprises producing new and unique products. Li stressed the importance of fully leveraging the power of the market to play a decisive role in resource allocation and creating a favourable environment for innovation and entrepreneurship. China is committed to addressing climate change and has been proactively developing green industries that align with the global technological revolution and green development trends.

??Chinese Premier Li Qiang has urged nations to maintain an open mindset, enhance cooperation, and explore new economic growth frontiers. He emphasized the importance of finding new growth drivers, such as artificial intelligence, biotechnology, and green energy, in the face of sluggish global economic recovery. China's proposal to implement the "artificial intelligence+" action aims to boost economic development through the extensive empowerment of artificial intelligence. He emphasized the importance of interconnectivity in the global economy for common progress, while shutting oneself off from others can lead to regress. The World Economic Forum (WEF) is committed to strengthening international cooperation and collaborating with China to work for stable and healthy global economic development.

???China's intellectual property (IP) talent pool reached 860,000 by the end of 2023, according to Zhang Zhicheng, the country's top IP regulator. Over 30,000 professionals were involved in IP protection, with over 2,200 staffing IP protection centres. The country has 34,000 practising patent agents and 76,000 qualified agents in IP applications. The number of IP experts in enterprises, universities, and research institutions has increased, accelerating the effective utilization of IP assets. China has trained 270 talents as international patent examiners and selected over 150 educators specializing in international IP affairs and 119 experts in overseas IP dispute resolution. The country also focuses on new domains like big data and artificial intelligence and handling international IP disputes. Over 250 IP training sessions have been held since the 14th Five-Year Plan period, benefiting over 57,000 participants.

??Shenzhen Peng City secured a 3-2 home victory over Zhejiang FC in the 16th round of the Chinese Super League (CSL). Behram Abduweli scored the winning goal in the 97th minute, marking the 21-year-old Chinese international's first goal of the season. The game was marked by a thrilling match, with goals from Jean Evrard Kouassi, Franko Andrijasevic, Edu Garcia, and Thiago Andrade. Abduweli ran through the opponent's defence to score the decisive goal. Meanwhile, Shanghai Port maintained its top position, while Henan FC defeated Qingdao West Coast.

?? China's final central government accounts for 2023 showed stability and progress in financial reform and development, according to a report by Finance Minister Lan Fo'an. The government's general public budget revenue was 9.96 trillion yuan, accounting for 99.4% of the budget, and expenditure was 14.11 trillion yuan, or 97.9% of the adjusted budget. By May, China transferred payments totalling 8.84 trillion yuan to local governments, constituting 86.6% of the annual budget.

??Science and Technology??

??China's dairy and food technology advancements are expected to bring opportunities and benefits to the global market, according to experts at the 17th annual Global Dairy Congress. The event, held on June 25 and 26, discussed global dairy markets, sustainability, and innovation in dairy products. Yili Group won four out of 17 awards for dairy innovation at the event. Richard Hall, chairman of consulting firm Zenith Global, praised China's advancements. Yili Group has 15 innovation centres globally, integrating international intellectual resources to enhance its research and development capabilities. The UK's ageing population necessitates personalized nutrition and protein-rich tasty products, which could stimulate innovation in the dairy market.

??Business China??

??Chinese automaker BYD has unveiled its third electric vehicle (EV), the SEAL, in Japan. The SEAL will be available in two versions with a battery capacity of 82.56 kWh. The base model, priced at 5.28 million yen, offers a driving range of about 640 kilometres, while the all-wheel-drive version is available for 6.05 million yen. Delivery is expected by the end of July for the base model and August for the AWD version. The SEAL is positioned as an "e-sport sedan" and aims to boost sales in the third and fourth quarters of the year. BYD has already introduced two models, the DOLPHIN and the Atto 3, to provide Japanese customers with a wide range of vehicle experiences. The company plans to launch a new model in Japan every year to become a frontrunner of EV imports to Japan.

??The Chinese government's consumer goods trade-in program has boosted sales of cars, home appliances, and furniture. As of June 25, the Ministry of Commerce received 113,000 subsidy applications for vehicle trade-ins, with new applications reaching 36,000 in the past week. Car sales in China, the world's largest auto market, increased by 8.7% YoY in May, while new energy passenger vehicle sales soared 38.5%. Home appliance retail sales reached 74.3 billion yuan, up 12.9% YoY, and furniture sales rose by 4.8% YoY. The program aims to boost domestic demand and support economic growth.

???China-Foreign Affairs??

?? Kenyan fishermen are turning wild anchovies into snacks for supermarkets across over 30 countries. Jinzai Food Group Co., Ltd., based in central China's Hunan Province, has become one of the largest importers of these products since 2022. The company's sales of dried small deep-sea fish have surpassed 1 billion yuan (around 140 million U.S. dollars), and tens of thousands of tonnes of fish are imported each year. Jinzai has set up a fish-processing factory in Kenya, supports the local government in conducting fishing surveys, and trains fishermen into skilled industrial workers. Hunan has maintained an annual growth rate of 23.1% in economic and trade cooperation with Africa. The five other central provinces of China are encouraged to establish inland reform and open highlands, accelerating the development of platforms for deepening economic and trade cooperation with Africa.

???? Beijing, China's capital, hosted a promotional event in 2024 to celebrate the 45th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two cities. The event featured speeches, folk music, and a photo exhibition of Beijing. New York was the first American city to form a sister city relationship with Beijing, and the two cities have enjoyed close economic cooperation, cultural exchanges, and frequent interactions. Xia Linmao, executive vice mayor of Beijing municipality, highlighted the strategic partnership between Beijing's National Center for the Performing Arts and New York's Carnegie Hall, which led to the establishment of the World Association for Performing Arts. The Universal Beijing Resort, jointly developed by NBC Universal and Beijing, has attracted over 20 million visitors since its opening in 2021. Xia invited New Yorkers to share development opportunities in Beijing, strengthen business and trade cooperation, deepen cultural exchanges, and contribute to sub-national exchanges between China and the United States.

????The Lancang-Mekong Cambodia TCM Center for Diagnosis, Treatment and Cultural Exchange was launched in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. The center aims to promote Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) in Cambodia, Southeast Asia, and countries along the Belt and Road. Director Tan Sokun said that the center aims to promote the culture of TCM and help Cambodian patients understand the efficacy of TCM treatment. China has sent its TCM medical aid team to help Cambodia fight the COVID-19 pandemic since March 2022. Two batches of the TCM medical aid team have completed their missions in Cambodia, providing free medical checkups and treatment, and organizing short-term training courses on TCM for local medical practitioners. TCM, which consists of therapies like acupuncture, moxibustion, and Tuina remedial massage, has gained popularity in Cambodia due to its efficacy in treating various diseases. The center will serve Cambodian people in TCM diagnosis, treatment, education, and scientific research, contributing to the improvement of Cambodia's medical level.

????China is ready to work with Hungary to implement a consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries and keep China-Hungary relations at the forefront of China-Europe relations. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi announced the elevation of China-Hungary relations to an all-weather comprehensive strategic partnership during President Xi Jinping's visit to Hungary. He congratulated Hungary on its upcoming rotating presidency of the European Union (EU). He hoped that the EU side would pursue a rational and pragmatic policy towards China, uphold an open stance, and work with China to ensure the sound and steady development of China-Europe relations. Hungary is believed to play a positive and constructive role in the sound interaction between China and Europe. Szijjarto said that Hungary's visit to Hungary was successful, demonstrating that deepening cooperation with China aligns with Europe's fundamental interests.

????The China-Romania Joint Laboratory for Cooperation in Agriculture was officially inaugurated at the University of Agronomic Sciences and Veterinary Medicine (UASVM) in Bucharest. The initiative, built by the Institute of Environment and Sustainable Development in Agriculture under the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences and the UASVM, aims to enhance collaborative research in agricultural science and technological innovation. The laboratory has been instrumental in promoting green agricultural development and supporting cultural exchanges, technology promotion, and production capacity cooperation between the two nations. Since 2019, the joint laboratory has completed various projects, including a plant factory with artificial light, a double-layer energy-saving greenhouse, and an edible fungus factory.

??Cultural??Insights ??

???China's inbound tourism market is recovering and is expected to reach 80% of pre-pandemic levels in 2019, according to a report by the China Tourism Academy. The report highlights the significant increase in overseas tourists searching for flights and accommodation in China, indicating a growing travel demand. The report also highlights the importance of Chinese culture, high-quality life experiences, and attractions like delicacies, healthcare services, and shopping. The National Immigration Administration reports a threefold increase in foreigners coming to China in the first quarter of this year, with 1.98 million foreigners enjoying visa-free entry during the first three months.

??The Firenze Cultural Exchange is launching a multimedia exhibition in Taipei featuring a digitalized and animated version of the famous Chinese painting "Riverside Scene at Qingming Festival". The exhibition will showcase the city life of Bianliang, the imperial capital of the Northern Song Dynasty, from the 12th century. The exhibition will feature 1,068 figures moving, trees swaying in the wind, and horses and donkeys running, allowing viewers to learn about ancient China's literature, arts, architecture, geographic details, and military arrangements. The exhibition aims to educate more people, particularly young people, about the masterpiece.

??China's visa-free policy has increased passenger flows from Schiphol Airport to China, with major airlines expanding capacity to meet the surge. The number of weekly flights to China has increased to 42 from 29 last year, with Schiphol Airport ramping up security and ground handling staff to accommodate the surge. China Southern Airlines plans to increase weekly flights from Amsterdam to Beijing and Guangzhou to 14, using the latest Airbus A350 wide-body aircraft. Other airlines have also increased or plan to increase flight frequencies in response to the growing demand. China extended its visa-free policy until Dec. 31, 2025, for Dutch and 11 other countries.

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