Poster for the UN’s COP15 Convention on Biological Diversity in China [People’s Daily]
Dear reader,
For this week’s News on China, we share work done by Marco Fernandes who writes on the conglomerate HNA Group and the jailing of its founder (English) and updates us on the failure of the US trade war against China (English) in Brasil de Fato. Tings Chak publishes an article in Capire Magazine on the role of women in China’s poverty alleviation programme (English, Portuguese, Spanish, and French).
–Dongsheng editorial collective
Agriculture and Environment
China announces US $233 million fund to protect biodiversity in developing countries at UN COP 15 Convention on Biodiversity
Held in Kunming (Yunnan), China’s most biodiverse province, the Convention set 21 new goals, which included protecting at least 30% of land and sea areas globally and US $200 billion annual financing (2021-31)
National Politics
Chinese government implements measures to contain the energy crisis, increasing coal production and imports and lowering energy prices
Shanxi, Inner Mongolia, and Shaanxi regions will increase production by 145 million tons, with 4 billion tons national consumption last year; government will allow energy price increases of up to 20%, without adjustments for households, agriculture, and public goods
President Xi advocates peaceful reunification with Taiwan at 110th anniversary meeting for 1911 Revolution that established China’s first republic
Xi said that “the Taiwan issue is entirely China’s internal affair, and no external interference can be condoned”; Taiwanese leader Tsai Ing-wen responded “nobody can force Taiwan to take the path China has laid out for us”
South China Morning Post, 09.10.2021
Global Times, 10.10.2021
Hong Kong government announces “Northern Metropolis” plan to provide up to 926,000 housing units for 2.5 million people over 20 years
Plan aims to advance the city’s integration with the mainland, develop new “Silicon Valley”, provide 650,000 jobs with IT sector focus, and address severe housing crisis, which some blame for contributing to 2019 protests
Government fines food delivery platform Meituan US $533 million for monopolistic practices, demanding exclusivity from merchants
Regulatory agency force the company to modify fee mechanisms, algorithm rules, and guarantee merchants’ rights, who will receive US $200 million compensation; in July, Meituan was ordered to increase wages and benefits for delivery drivers and allow unionization
Geopolitics
CIA creates intelligence center dedicated to China and will double mission centers for Iran and North Korea established by Trump
In line with Biden’s assertions that confrontation with China is one of the nation’s highest priorities, the CIA will invest in more language experts and technicians around the world to gather intelligence and counter China’s interests
Economy
Investment in real estate – with high prices and speculation – drove Chinese GDP growth, but government must look to consumption for new engine
In 2018, 87% of home buyers already owned another property (only 30% in 2008) and 78% of Chinese assets are in real estate (US, 35%); household debt/GDP grew from 26% to 61% (2010-21), posing challenges to advancing consumption
People´s and Life Culture
Last year, 8.13 million couples registered marriages, down 40% and the seventh consecutive annual decline from the 2013 peak
Out of 3,000 urban residents (age 18-26) surveyed, 1/3 did not want to enter a relationship due to high living costs, while 44% of female respondents are reluctant to marry, mostly not wanting to have children
National Holiday hit, The Battle of Lake Changjin, set to be highest-grossing Chinese film ever, as domestic industry surpassed the US’s in 2020
For six years in a row, Chinese films have exceeded foreign productions in domestic box office, reaching US $3.9 billion in first half-year; country limits imported films (34 ann.) and streaming content (30%)
China celebrates 110th Xinhai Revolution anniversary, that established the 1st Chinese Republic and ended 2000-year-long imperial rule
After failed uprisings and Western and Japanese imperialist incursions – where Hong Kong and Taiwan were ceded – the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) was overthrown by a national democratic revolution, headed by Sun Yat-Sen, modern China’s founding father
Revolutionary leader Sun Yat-sen after the 1911 Xinhai Revolution [Wikimedia Commons]
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