Jin Xing, transgender actress and one of China’s top TV hosts [SCMP]
Geopolitics
Die Linke party Deputy Leader warns that US and EU maneuvers against China – including fake news and sanctions – are similar to those that have been used against Russia since 2014
According to Sevim Dağdelen, the goal is to prevent China’s economic and political rise, but Germany could pay dearly if it takes imperialist measures
Time Magazine exposes US Congress for financing non-profit organizations behind Hong Kong protestors
Millions in funding, controlled by US Agency for Global Media, that were frozen by the Trump administration are probably “just the tip of the iceberg”, and points to need for recently-enacted National Security Law
UK announces measures against China that could have high political, economic and technological costs if implemented
London says it will begin phasing out Huawei 5G technology and offers extended visas to up to three million eligible Hong Kong residents, with possible pathway to citizenship only after six years.
Nigeria begins construction of the first 200km phase of the TNGP gas pipeline for electricity generation; Bank of China is funding the US $2.89 billion project
Country dogged by power shortages aims to increase its current production of 7,000 MW by 50%; next phase of project will transport natural gas to North Africa
National Politics
Communist Party of China celebrates its 99th founding anniversary with a membership of nearly 92 million people
Rural workers (25.4 million) and professional technicians and managers in public and private sectors (23.8 million) are the largest categories; 49.6% of party members have university degrees and women represent only 27.2%, followed by youth below 30 (12.7 million)
Global Times, 30.06.2020(Infographic about the Communist Party of China)
Transgender employee wins landmark lawsuit against wrongful dismissal after gender-affirming surgery, gaining wide online support
Two-thirds of online poll respondents supported the ruling. China’s estimated four million transgender individuals face three times more unemployment, 40% choose to hide gender identity
Economy
Average annual salary of workers in the information technology and scientific research industries surpasses that of finance professionals, becoming the highest in the country
Researchers earn US $19,060 and “techies” (telecommunication, software and IT) US $22,998, while financial professionals make US $18,760; the digital economy represents ⅓ of national GDP and ¼ of the workforce.
Services sector experiences the largest monthly growth in a decade, bringing optimistic signs for economic recovery but unemployment is still worrying
In June, Caixin’s Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) rose to 58.4 and composite PMI (manufacturing and services) increased to 55.7 (50 and above indicates expansion), but employment continues to shrink
CSI 300 Index of the Shanghai and Shenzhen stock exchanges rose 14% in 5 days and reached its historic peak of April 2015
Sanctions against Chinese companies on Wall Street resulted in the return of investments to China; government protection measures and decreased leveraging in stock market brings optimism
Agriculture and Environment
Chinese agronomist is developing hybrid rice that grows in dry climate and consumes only one fourth of the water needed by regular rice
Planting method is simpler than traditional rice and more profitable than corn and soybean crops (US $172 per mu, or 1/15 hectare); planting trials done in 16 regions including the Ulan Buh desert
Floods triggered by intense monsoon rains in southern and central China have affected 19 million people, causing 121 deaths and damages of US $5.8 billion
The central government sent 13,000 emergency personnel to the regions hardest-hit by the worst floods in decades
Government invested US $3.1 billion in mandatory trash sorting in 2019, which will expand to 46 cities in 2020, after Shanghai and Beijing pilot programs
Incineration facilities transform garbage into energy; these measures decrease contamination in the soil, water and air, but research shows that the population still needs to widely adopt practice
Science and Technology
China produces its first entirely self-developed computer, created by the state-owned aerospace and industry enterprise CASIC
First factory will have the capacity to produce 100,000 units (US $70.84 million); the domestically developed operational system and chip will decrease data leak risks
People’s Life and Culture
Rural students entering top Chinese universities struggle to overcome historical cultural and economic inequality compared to those from urban areas
Even after receiving high scores in the Chinese university entrance exams, gaokao, rural students feel like “losers”; a social media platform for sharing these experiences attracts 1,000 members a day
5 July marked the 60th anniversary of Ghana-China diplomatic relations. Premier Zhou Enlai made the first official Chinese visit to Ghana led by Kwame Nkrumah, 1964