No. 108 | 23.07.2022

Tourists in Beijing experiencing a temperature of 36°C recorded at noon [China Daily]


Dear reader,

We are happy to announce the launch of The Crane: An Africa-China Podcast!

Hosted by collective members Mikaela Erskog and Amadeus Musumali, they explore relations between Africa and China. You can give it a listen on all audio streaming platforms (including Apple & Spotify), with a new episode out every two weeks. Musumali also recently spoke to By Any Means Necessary about a new study rebutting western accusations of China practicing “debt-trap diplomacy” in Africa. 

This week, our co-editor Marco Fernandes talked with Elias Jabbour, in the program Meia Noite em Pequim (“Midnight in Beijing”), about China’s role in building alternatives to the US dollar for the Global South, and other perspectives for building a multipolar order. 


Dongsheng editorial collective


Geopolitics

Nigeria inaugurates its first deep-water port at Lekki, 60 km from the capital Lagos, financed by the China Development Bank

Built by a consortium of several countries (China, Singapore, Nigeria), the new port will have a high degree of automation and increase container volume by almost sevenfold; Lekki Free Trade Zone will plummet freight costs, generating over US $201 billion for the government

Nikkei Asia, 15.07.2022

Indian government accuses smartphone maker Oppo of evading US$551 million in taxes, amid targeting of Chinese tech companies

Accusation comes amid investigations and allegations against Chinese tech giants such as Xiaomi, ZTE, and Vivo that began in 2020; experts feel that pressure against Chinese companies could jeopardize 5G network development in India

Caixin Global, 14.07.2022

Global Times, 14.07.2022

India’s imports from China (US$57.51 billion) soar 34.5% year-on-year in the first half-year, expected to hit an all-time high by 2022

With exports to China (US$9.57 billion) falling 35%, India’s trade deficit reached US$47.94 billion; major Chinese goods were electrical and mechanical machinery, industrial chemicals, active pharmaceutical ingredients, auto parts and medical supplies

The Hindu, 14.07.2022

National Politics

With homebuyers stopping mortgage payments on delayed projects, government directs banks to ease credit access for real estate developers

Stock shares of developers soared following this announcement, first since August 2021 central bank loan cap; ¾ of most heavily indebted developers have missed project completion deadlines prompting homebuyers of 100 projects in 50 cities to stop their mortgage payments

South China Morning Post, 18.07.2022

China plans to build 461,000 km of highways by 2035 and continue expansion until 2050, making it a world-class network

Highway network will cover cities and counties with over 100,000 inhabitants, linking road, rail and air systems; between January and April, China’s fixed asset investment (US$2.26 trillion) – an important growth engine for the country – increased 6.8% year-on-year

Global Times, 21.07.2022

Economy

Despite government’s fintech regulations, market penetration rate of online microlending services balloon from 0.4 to 69.2% (2014-21)

China’s underdeveloped banking system enabled private lenders to grow, particularly affecting the youth, offering microcredit for everyday transactions (subscriptions, purchases, travel booking, etc.) totaling 2 trillion yuan (US$300 billion) last year; credit cards (51%), fintech (19%), and state-owned banks (13%) make up country’s consumer credit loans (2021)

South China Morning Post, 16.07.2022

Category Icons

Agriculture and Environment

China’s national carbon market – the world’s largest – completes one year, with 194 million tons traded (US$1.26 billion)

Still restricted to the energy sector (2,162 companies with 4.5 billion tons of CO2), by 2025 the market should include seven other energy-intensive industries – iron and steel, construction materials, non-ferrous metals, petrochemicals, chemicals, papermaking, and aviation

Global Times, 17.07.2022

China Daily, 18.07.2022

Despite 2021 floods, summer grain harvest increases 1% to 147.39 million tons

Wheat production stood at 135.7 million tons, up 1% from the previous year; in addition to favorable weather conditions and technical support, increased central government funding for grain production – US$2.3 billion more than in 2021 – were key to the good harvest

China Daily, 15.07.2022

Global Times, 14.07.2022

People’s Life and Culture

Government authorizes use of old bunkers to provide residents relief amid record high temperatures

Equipped with ice-cold drinks, Wi-Fi, televisions, newspapers, microwaves, and medical assistance, underground shelters remain at temperatures of 24 to 26°C, even with more than 40°C on the surface; China’s “three ovens,” cities of Nanjing, Chongqing, and Wuhan have the highest summer temperatures

Sixth Tone, 15.07.2022

China Daily, 16.07.2022

2017 hit series on anti-corruption campaign sparked popular resurgence of “positive dramas” as online forms of viewer participation emerge

Zhengju TV genre often focuses on values and themes linked to campaigns like poverty alleviation (Minning Town) and CPC history (The Age of Awakening); politicized youth, high production quality, and cultural phenomena (bullet comments, reaction GIFs, and memes) contribute to popularity

Sixth Tone, 14.07.2022

Social media stickers made by fans of popular anti-corruption show, In the Name of the People [Sixth Tone]


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