Villagers performing the dragon dance and lantern show during the Duan Wu festival in Xiachong, Hunan province. 25.06.2020 (Xinhua/Cao Zhengping)
Geopolitics
US State Department strips four more Chinese outlets of their media status, now considered “foreign missions”
China Central Television, China News Service, People’s Daily and Global Times join five other outlets placed under US administrative supervision – required to report their employee and real estate details – leading to possible Chinese countermeasures
White House exposes internal disagreements over trade relationship with China
Peter Navarro (presidential advisor) declared that trade deal with China was “over,” which was soon denied by Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Trump, concerned about the economic crisis and re-election votes
Germany exported similar amounts to China (US $107.7 billion) and to the United States (US $133.5 billion) last year and German engineering plays a crucial role in the economies of the two economic powers
Washington pressures Berlin into anti-China front, but recent research shows that Germans believe in the need to maintain good relations with both countries
China and India seek consensus after conflict, but tensions and suspicions have grown in recent years with greater Indian military presence on the border
In addition to signing military agreements with the United States and blaming China for the pandemic, India claims territory that is the only link between the Chinese Autonomous Regions of Xinjiang and Tibet
Economy
Annual online shopping festival “618” had revenues of US $2.38 trillion in 18 days (42% more than in 2019), boosted by new virtual technologies
Expansion of consumption in small towns was highlighted, indicating a new trend in the Chinese market
From January to May, new loans to the manufacturing sector grew 10% in annual comparison and reached US $197 billion, the highest growth since 2014
Loans to small and micro businesses grew 27.6% annually and totaled US $1.85 trillion, with policies to encourage debt renegotiation
State-owned enterprises invest US $46.34 billion in Hubei and play a central role in the economic recovery of the province most affected by the pandemic
Among the 72 projects, energy generation, ecological and environmental protection, infrastructure and intelligent manufacturing stand out
In May, purchases of Chinese bonds by foreigners doubled compared to April, reaching US $19.4 billion, the largest increase in 18 months
Purchases of the yuan increased 61% to US $23.8 billion, reflecting confidence in the Chinese economy and its currency
Agriculture and Environment
Grain production increases and is expected to reach 670 million tonnes this year, thanks to state measures such as guaranteeing agricultural supplies during the pandemic and pest control
High technology and investments of US $225.6 million in crop monitoring enabled water, pesticide, and fertilizer-saving
According to the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, the second national census on pollution revealed improvements
Compared to the first census 10 years ago, there were declines in the levels of sulfur dioxide (72%) and nitrogen oxide (34%) in the air, and of chemical oxygen demand (42%) in water
Science and Technology
Long March-3B rocket launches Chinese satellite that completes the BeiDou navigation system, matching the country’s sovereignty in the sector to that of the US, EU, and Russia
“Chinese GPS” services are expected to move more than US $56.51 billion in 2020. Military use is strategic for national defense
People’s Life and Culture
China’s mass mobilization against epidemics has roots in the Mao Zedong-era “Patriotic Health Movement”
In 1949, life expectancy was 35 years and the 540 million-population was attended by only 40,000 doctors trained in Western methods, compelling the creation of grassroots disease-control campaigns
2,000-year-old Duan Wu (“Double Fifth”) Festival celebrated across China on the lunar year’s 5th day of the 5th month
Popularised by dragon boat races, the festival honors China’s first patriotic poet Qu Yuan who died by suicide in 278 BC after the capture of his homeland by invading forces
Ethnic minorities in Yunnan receive vaccinations conducted by the Patriotic Health Movement
in the 1950s (The World of Chinese)