[🇨🇳] China----News & Views

[Saif]

Beijing ready to ‘forcefully’ stop Taiwan independence: China defence chief

Chinese defence minister Dong Jun warned on Sunday that his military was ready to ‘forcefully’ stop Taiwan independence but called for greater exchanges with the United States.......

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Beijing ready to 'forcefully' stop Taiwan independence: China defence chief
02 June, 2024, 08:55

China's defence minister Dong Jun speaks during the 21st Shangri-La Dialogue summit at the Shangri-La Hotel in Singapore on June 2, 2024. | AFP photo.

Chinese defence minister Dong Jun warned on Sunday that his military was ready to 'forcefully' stop Taiwan independence but called for greater exchanges with the United States.

The remarks at an annual security forum in Singapore followed the first substantive face-to-face talks in 18 months between the two countries' defence chiefs.

'We have always been open to exchanges and cooperation, but this requires both sides to meet each other halfway,' Dong told the Shangri-La Dialogue where he met with US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Friday.

'We believe that we need more exchanges precisely because there are differences between our two militaries.'

Dong and Austin met for over an hour at the luxury hotel hosting the forum, which is attended by defence officials from around the world and in recent years has been seen as a barometer of US-China relations.

After the meeting, Austin said that telephone conversations between US and Chinese military commanders would resume 'in the coming months', while Beijing hailed the 'stabilising' security relations between the countries.

This year's Shangri-La Dialogue comes a week after China held military drills around self-ruled Taiwan and warned of war over the US-backed island following the inauguration of President Lai Ching-te, who Beijing has described as a 'dangerous separatist'.

'The Chinese People's Liberation Army has always been an indestructible and powerful force in defence of the unification of the motherland, and it will act resolutely and forcefully at all times to curb the independence of Taiwan and to ensure that it never succeeds in its attempts,' Dong told the forum on Sunday.

'Whoever dares to split Taiwan from China will be crushed to pieces and suffer his own destruction.'

On the South China Sea, which China claims almost entirely and where it has been involved in confrontations with Philippine vessels, Dong warned of 'limits' to Beijing's restraint.

'China has maintained sufficient restraint in the face of rights infringements and provocation, but there are limits to this,' Dong said.

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[Saif]

China's exports grow 7.6pc in May, beating expectations despite trade tensions

China's exports in May grew at their fastest pace in more than a year despite trade tensions, though imports fell short of analyst expectations, according to customs data released Friday. Exports jumped 7.6% in May from the same month last year to $302.35 billion, rising at the fastest pace since

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

China's exports grow 7.6pc in May, beating expectations despite trade tensions
Published :
Jun 07, 2024 15:38
Updated :
Jun 07, 2024 15:38

China's exports in May grew at their fastest pace in more than a year despite trade tensions, though imports fell short of analyst expectations, according to customs data released Friday.
Exports jumped 7.6% in May from the same month last year to $302.35 billion, rising at the fastest pace since April 2023. Imports rose by 1.8% to $219.73 billion, missing estimates of about 4.0% growth.

The uptick in exports is also partly due to a lower base in the same period last year, when exports declined 7.5%.

In comparison, exports grew by 1.5% in April compared to the same period last year while April imports rose by 8.4%.

The strong exports caused China's trade surplus to widen to $82.62 billion, up from April's $72.35 billion.

The growth in exports comes as China faces escalated trade tensions with the US and Europe. The US is ramping up tariffs on Chinese-made electric cars while Europe is considering levying similar tariffs.

"Foreign tariffs are unlikely to immediately threaten exports; if anything, they may boost exports at the margin as firms speed up shipments to front-run the duties." said Zichun Huang of Capital Economics in a note.

Huang also said that exports would be supported by a weaker real effective exchange rate.

"Import volumes were little changed last month, but they will probably rise soon, with increased government spending supporting the import-intensive construction sector," she said.

Factory activity in China slowed more than expected in May, according to an official survey released last week.

The manufacturing purchasing managers index from the China Federation of Logistics and Purchasing fell to 49.5 from 50.4 in April on a scale up to 100 where 50 marks the break between expansion and contraction.

China has struggled to bounce back after the Covid-19 pandemic, as it grapples with weaker demand globally after the US Federal Reserve and other central banks raised interest rates to counter inflation. A slump in China's property sector also is weighing on growth.

China has set a target of around 5.0% for economic growth this year, an ambition that will require more policy support, economists say.​

 

[Saif]

A stable China will provide a "solid foundation" for foreign companies to develop in China

China has released its official economic performance for April, The added value of industrial enterprises above designated size grew by 6.7% year-on-year, 2.2 percentage points higher than that in the previous month. The expected index of enterprise production and operation activities remained in a

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

A stable China will provide a "solid foundation" for foreign companies to develop in China
LIU QING
Published :
Jun 12, 2024 11:00
Updated :
Jun 12, 2024 11:00

China has released its official economic performance for April, The added value of industrial enterprises above designated size grew by 6.7% year-on-year, 2.2 percentage points higher than that in the previous month. The expected index of enterprise production and operation activities remained in a relatively high boom range; Business activity in the services sector has been in the boom zone for four consecutive months... A series of data has outlined an upward curve, indicating that China's economy is running smoothly, continuing its upward trend, and positive factors are accumulating.

For business, the market means profit. How is China's hyperscale market doing? From January to April, the total retail sales of consumer goods increased by 4.1% year-on-year, and hot spots such as digital consumption and cultural and travel consumption added new impetus to the recovery of the consumer market. During the same period, online retail sales of physical goods increased by 11.1% year-on-year, demonstrating the vitality of the world's second largest online retail market. During the Qingming Holiday in early April, the number of domestic tourism trips and the travel expenditure of domestic tourists increased by 11.5% and 12.7% respectively compared with the same period in 2019. It is the first time since the coronavirus outbreak that Chinese tourists have spent more per capita on holiday travel than in 2019, indicating that consumption in the world's second-largest economy is recovering.

When we look at a country's economy, we also need to see the strength and resilience of its development, which mainly comes from the impetus of innovation. As China strives to develop new quality productive forces, new growth drivers are taking shape at a faster pace. In April, the value added of equipment manufacturing industry above designated size and high-tech manufacturing industry accounted for a continuous increase in the proportion of all planned industries; From January to April, the year-on-year growth rate of investment in manufacturing technology transformation and high-tech industry was faster than that of all investment. From the perspective of products, in April, the output of 3D printing equipment, new energy vehicles, and integrated circuit products increased by more than 30% year-on-year. For foreign companies, China's development of new quality productive forces has brought more room for open cooperation. Agustin Pederoni, general manager of Bridgestone (China) Investment Co., LTD., a Japanese tire brand, said that the company will invest 560 million yuan in the Chinese market in the next three years, focusing on strengthening the construction of production bases to meet the needs of the rapid development of China's new energy vehicle industry.

At the same time, China's foreign trade performance has also brought warmth to the world. China's imports and exports of goods rose 8 per cent year on year in April. The scale of imports and exports from January to April reached a record high in the same period. In terms of exports, the export advantages of mechanical and electrical products continued to consolidate, including integrated circuits and automobiles, the export growth rate exceeded 20%, indicating that the internal structure of the Chinese economy continued to optimize. At a time when the global economic recovery is weak, China's import and export performance is more resilient than expected, boosting the confidence of foreign investment.

Liu Qing is a reporter at China Global Television Network（CGTN）​

 

[Saif]

China opens tit-for-tat anti-dumping probe into EU pork

China has opened an anti-dumping investigation into imported pork and its by-products from the European Union, a step that appears mainly aimed at Spain, the Netherlands and Denmark, in response to curbs on its electric vehicle exports. According to a Reuters report, the investigation announced by

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

China opens tit-for-tat anti-dumping probe into EU pork
Published :
Jun 17, 2024 23:07
Updated :
Jun 17, 2024 23:07

China has opened an anti-dumping investigation into imported pork and its by-products from the European Union, a step that appears mainly aimed at Spain, the Netherlands and Denmark, in response to curbs on its electric vehicle exports.
According to a Reuters report, the investigation announced by China's commerce ministry on Monday will focus on pork intended for human consumption, such as fresh, cold and frozen whole cuts, as well as pig intestines, bladders and stomachs. The probe will begin on June 17.

It was prompted by a complaint submitted by the China Animal Husbandry Association on June 6 on behalf of the domestic pork industry, the ministry said.

Following the European Commission's June 12 announcement that it would impose anti-subsidy duties of up to 38.1 per cent on imported Chinese cars from July, global food companies have been on high alert for retaliatory tariffs from China.

Spain is the top supplier of pork to China and its pork producers group Interporc said they would fully cooperate with the investigation by Chinese authorities.

"The EU and China have plenty of time to reach agreements," Interporc said in a statement.

European pork producers should be able to keep exporting to China tariff-free while the investigation is underway, pending a decision and a tariff announcement by the Chinese side.

China's commerce ministry said that the investigation should be completed by June 17, 2025, but could be extended by another six months if required.

Lobby group Danish Agriculture& Food Council warned on Monday that the country's pork sector would be "hit incredibly hard" by any restrictions on sales to China.

Pork suppliers from South America, the United States and Russia could be among those gaining market share if Beijing restricts imports from the European Union.​

 

[Saif]

How can China’s Digital Silk Road facilitate metaverse education?

The DSR can make a significant contribution to advancing and broadening metaverse education.

www.thedailystar.net

How can China's Digital Silk Road facilitate metaverse education?

VISUAL: FREEPIK

The "Digital Silk Road" (DSR) was introduced in 2015 by an official Chinese government white paper, as a component of Beijing's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). The DSR represents China's strategy for enhancing information exchanges and digital collaboration with emerging nations. DSR support is allocated to enhance beneficial countries' networked communications, AI capabilities, cloud computing, e-commerce, mobile financial services (MFS), technological surveillance, smart cities, and high-tech sectors, among others. Around 40 countries, including a majority of the world's developing nations, have already signed Memorandums of Understanding (MoU) in the DSR. The expanding reach of the DSR offers a chance to influence the technological initiatives of multiple nations, including the advancement of innovative educational systems like metaverse education.

A metaverse framework for education offers students the opportunity to go beyond reading and experience the facts and details hands-on. Metaverse technologies hold immense promise in revolutionising educational settings, lifting skilled trades, and opening up novel avenues for lifelong learning. The metaverse has the potential to transform the world into a virtual global school, however, there are significant challenges to adopting metaverse education, such as a lack of technology architecture and network infrastructure, and a dearth of learning management systems. Hence the DSR can make a significant contribution to advancing and broadening metaverse education by improving digital infrastructure, promoting technical cooperation, and enabling access to proficient educational materials.

The DSR prioritises the expansion of broadband networks, including optic fibre and 5G technologies, to accommodate the high velocity of data transfer needed for metaverse education. Furthermore, the allocation of resources towards cloud infrastructure facilitates the efficient storage and analysis of substantial volumes of data, which are crucial for creating engaging educational experiences within the metaverse. By committing to technical surveillance, Chinese technology firms can facilitate the broad accessibility of cost-effective virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) devices, hence expanding access to these technologies to prospective students and educational institutions.

The DSR's growth may provide a variety of educational content from other cultures and places to the metaverse, enhancing inclusivity and depth in the learning process. Students may get insights into many cultures via immersive educational programs provided by metaverse education. DSR can help with more topics and customise learning methods for diverse learning styles and preferences via metaverse education. Through professional growth and learning, the DSR may help students employ metaverse technology in real-world learning. The primary aim of DSR-supported metaverse education is to minimise the digital divide by introducing modern digital technology to underprivileged regions. This might ensure that students from all socioeconomic backgrounds have access to excellent education, which is in line with Sustainable Development Goal 4 (Quality Education).

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