CiCM 24th June 2024

NEWS IN CHINA

China Aims to Start Construction of World’s Biggest Particle Collider in 2027: According to a recently released design report, China intends to start building its Circular Electron-Positron Collider (CEPC) in 2027, in line with the nation's fifteenth five-year plan. Comparing the project's estimated cost of 36.4 billion yuan ($ 5.2 billion) to Europe's $17 billion Future Circular Collider (FCC), the project is significantly less expensive to develop and operate. The Chinese particle physics community proposed CEPC, a circular Higgs factory, in 2012. It constitutes a key element of the global high-energy physics strategic plan. When finished, it will promote cooperation between scientists worldwide and improve our basic knowledge of the cosmos. The CEPC team hopes to submit the CEPC proposal (which includes an accelerator, detector, and engineering) for the Chinese government to select around 2025 or thereabouts, according to the technical design report (TDR). Around 2027, work on the CEPC is expected to begin, taking eight years to complete.
Provincial Government Launches 50.6 Billion Yuan in Strategic Development Funds to Boost Venture Capital and Emerging Industries: Several policies and measures to support the high-quality development of venture capital were recently released by the General Office of the State Council. The provincial government and party committee diligently carried out the decisions and assignments made by the State Council and the Party Central Committee, fully utilised government investment funds as a guiding tool, encouraged the growth of strategic emerging industries in the province, hastened the development of future industries, and worked to establish a key position for the creation of new, high-quality productivity. A news conference featuring the heads of municipal governments and pertinent provincial ministries was organized on June 24^th with permission from the provincial government's top brass. The purpose of the event was to provide an update on the fund's status and address any inquiries from the media. With a total value of 50.6 billion yuan, the first batch of 14 strategic developing sector special funds will be formally signed and launched. The province’s strategic emerging industry parent fund is now in the process of signing and implementing the first batch of industrial special funds.
Xi Presents China’s Top Sci-Tech Award, Delivers Speech on Innovation and Technology: On 24^th June, President Xi Jinping presented China’s top science and technology awards and delivered an important speech at the National Highest Science and Technology Award Conference. All members of China’s Politburo Standing Committee were present at the event, where Xi presented awards and medals to Li Deren of Wuhan University and Xue Qikun of Tsinghua University who won the 2023 National Highest Science and Technology Award. Li Deren is a photogrammetry and remote sensing expert, while Xue is an expert in the field of condensed matter physics. In his speech, President Xi emphasised the importance of scientific and technological innovation for improving people’s livelihoods and called for strengthening global cooperation in areas like poverty reduction, food security, clean energy, and digital literacy to drive the implementation of the UN’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Research on the computational prediction of topological electronic materials and 48 other achievements were honoured with the State Natural Science Award. Additionally, more than 100 projects were issued the State Scientific and Technological Progress Award and a total of 10 foreign experts also received the International Science and Technology Cooperation Award.
China's National People's Congress Reviews Draft Laws on Emergency Response, Education, and Accounting: Reviewing several draft laws and legislative modifications, the Standing Committee of China's top legislature, the 14th National People's Congress, convened for its tenth session on 25^th June. Reviewing draft laws on emergency response and management, organic laws for rural collective economies, financial stability laws, preschool education laws, and proposed amendments to accounting laws are among the items on the session's agenda. At a news conference on the 21st, Huang Haihua, spokesperson for the National People's Congress Standing Committee's Legal Affairs Committee, announced the legal bills to be reviewed by the Standing Committee. The draft emergency response management law aims to restore the Emergency Response Law to its original name, improve provisions on determining emergency response levels, expand public participation, and enhance emergency publicity and education. The Accounting Law Amendment's second draft introduces stricter penalties for ten categories of infractions, including failing to establish required accounting books and forging accounting documents. The Preschool Education Law's second draft prioritizes public welfare, protects preschoolers' rights, and encourages social participation in preschool education. The updated Public Security Administration Punishment Law incorporates public feedback, addressing issues such as juvenile offenses, illegal dog ownership, and noise disturbances.
China Releases Measures to Boost Consumption in Catering, Tourism, and Community Services: The General Administration of Market Supervision, along with the Ministries of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Commerce, Culture and Tourism, and the National Development and Reform Commission, recently released the "Measures on Creating New Consumption Scenes and Cultivating New Consumption Growth Points." These policies aim to boost consumption in catering, cultural tourism, shopping, health care, and community services, integrating new models, products, and consumption formats to enhance high-quality lifestyles. The six key measures include developing consumer categories for catering, investigating local speciality foods, issuing food regulations, and promoting traditional Chinese cuisine; modernizing catering with smart technologies, improving market research, client acquisition, and encouraging digital transformation. Then, enhancing creative tourism models, promoting "music + tourism," ice and snow tourism, ocean tourism, self-driving camping, red tourism, study tourism, and wellness tourism; improving the quality and effectiveness of urban and rural cultural tourism; increasing the convenience of inbound tourism; and expanding spaces for sports and entertainment activities.

SOCIAL MEDIA CHATTER

Chinese Student's Budget Travel Adventure from Shanghai to Singapore Sparks Debate: Jiang Xia, a 23-year-old university student from China, spent 29 days traveling by bus from Shanghai to Singapore for 3,000 yuan (around $400). This unique challenge, undertaken before his graduation, divided opinion on Chinese social media. Jiang's journey began in April, and he arrived in Singapore in late May. Previously, in January, he had traveled by bus from Shanghai to Mohe in Heilongjiang. From Singapore, Jiang continued his travels, flying to Indonesia and then continuing by bus and train through the country, on to East Timor and Cebu in the Philippines before returning to Shanghai. Chinese netizens had mixed reactions to Jiang’s adventure. Jiang Xia's budget travel adventure sparked a lively debate among Chinese netizens, highlighting differing perspectives on spontaneity, resourcefulness, and the value of unique experiences. Despite criticisms that argued 3,000 yuan was a substantial sum for a student, his journey struck a chord with many who admired his adventurous spirit and openness to exploring non-traditional routes. Ultimately, Jiang's story served as a reminder of the diverse attitudes towards travel and the boundless possibilities that await those willing to embark on unconventional journeys.

INDIA WATCH

India and Bangladesh Sign Agreements on Teesta River Cooperation Amidst Growing Chinese Interest: Over the weekend, India and Bangladesh finalized several agreements aimed at enhancing cooperation, including one where India will send a technical team to oversee and protect the Teesta River in Bangladesh. The Brahmaputra River, a 400 km tributary flowing through parts of both countries, has been a source of contention. An agreement to share the Teesta's water resources was originally set to be signed in 2011 during then-Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's visit to Bangladesh, but it was postponed due to objections from Mamata Banerjee, Chief Minister of West Bengal. In a new development, China expressed interest in the Teesta River management project in 2020 and reaffirmed its commitment in December 2023, offering a revised proposal that was more cost-effective than its initial one. But, India's decision to send a technical team has sparked discussions in Chinese media. According to the Global Times, this move is seen as a strategic calculation to counter China's influence in the region. Analysts suggest that India's proactive engagement with Bangladesh over the Teesta River is an effort to assert influence in response to China's expanding footprint in South Asia. And, this strategic shift could complicate future interactions between India and China.

Prepared By

Diksha Takale

Diksha is currently an undergraduate student at FLAME University, Pune. She is pursuing her degree in BA with a major in Literary and Cultural Studies and minor in Sociology. Writing is a part of her primary focus in building her career and one way to cater to that is by diversifying her academic reach in a field such as international relations. She is an avid reader and writes fiction in her leisure time.