Chinese medical experts and supplies arriving in the Democratic Republic of the Congo,
23.05.2020 (SCMP)
Geopolitics
China announces temporary suspension of debt repayments for 77 developing countries and regions in an effort to combat the economic effects of the pandemic
Beijing has not yet released details, as it tries to bring the G20 into the same agreement and organizes cooperation mechanisms with 30 African hospitals.
Nigerian researcher says China needs to play a decisive role in overcoming the crisis on the continent, which could lose up to 100 million jobs due to the pandemic
One of the central themes is the debt of 49 African countries with China, which total USD $146 billion and bears annual interest of around USD $8 billion
India and Australia begin military cooperation, which includes base sharing and joint operations, in the midst of tensions on the Sino-Indian border
Agreement revitalizes the security strategy of the so-called “Quad” (which includes US and Japan) and suggests a tactic of encirclement of China
Visa restrictions imposed by Trump on Chinese science and technology students and researchers could cause economic and technological damage to the US
350,000 Chinese students contribute USD $13 billion annually, in addition to fostering an important exchange of knowledge
China takes an important step towards the creation of the“Digital Silk Road”, with the launch of the largest blockchain ecosystem in the world and a plan for digital currency
System will allow the integration of tools such as 5G, artificial intelligence and big data, aiming at the digital sovereignty of the country and its allies in the face of the American domain
Science and Technology
Government report on Chinese pandemic response refutes US accusations and reaffirms government transparency and commitment to fighting the virus, inside and outside China
Largest medical mobilization in the country’s history had 42,600 health workers and 29 medical teams sent to 27 countries
Chinese pharmaceutical company built factory for annual production of 200 million doses of the inactivated COVID-19 vaccine, still in testing phase
The company currently produces 80% of Chinese vaccines, and already works with WHO and 20 countries to meet the goal of making the anti-COVID-19 vaccine a global public good
Economy
In May, Chinese exports fell 3.3% annually and imports fell 16.7%, but the country had a record surplus of USD $62.93 billion
Falling prices of commodities (mainly oil) helped in the surplus and a jump in the export of medical equipment (88.5%) contradicted more pessimistic forecasts about export performance
China overtook Brazil and became Argentina’s largest trading partner in April, with a total of USD $920 million, after a sharp drop in trade between South American neighbors (44.7% annually)
China was the destination of 11.7% of Argentine exports (mainly soy and meat) and origin of 14.7% of imports; Chinese surplus was USD $1.2 billion (January-April)
Chinese investment in Australia plummeted to USD $3.4 billion, representing an annual drop of 62% (2018-19) and the lowest level in a decade
Fall reflects Australian stance restricting Chinese investments in recent years, and tends to worsen with Canberra’s current alignment with Washington
National Politics
Women-led proposals at “Two Sessions” meeting advance civil rights of women and children, but women’s political representation still lags behind
Women comprise 24.9% of the National People’s Congress (NPC), 20% of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC)
With the initiatives of some cities, the central government relaxes restrictions on street vending across the country with the aim of creating up to 9 million new jobs in 2020
Alibaba and Tencent to facilitate e-money transactions and cities will need to do planning
Agriculture and Environment
Scientific report shows progress in sustainable agriculture, with improvements in the ecological system and living conditions in rural areas, but more long-term efforts are needed
Monitored areas (10.5 million hectares) showed improvement in land quality, waste treatment and basic sanitation, in addition to the decrease in the use of pesticides
For the first time, a variety of hybrid rice grown in salt water was planted in saline soil at 2800m altitude, in Qinhai province
If the experiment by Yuan Longping’s team (“father of hybrid rice”) succeeds, it will enable huge expansion of rice cultivation in China and other countries
People’s Life and Culture
Writer Mai Cang publishes personal diary of the first days of quarantine in his small village in Shandong province, shortly after the Wuhan lockdown
Among details of everyday peasant life and family portraits, it shows how the village of Taiping responded to the start of the pandemic during the Chinese New Year
Life under lockdown in the northern Chinese village of Taiping in January 2020
(Mai Cang, The World of Chinese)