NIAS Area Studies
PAKISTAN READER
Photo : Kaieteur News
IN BRIEF
Avishka Ashok and Arshiya Banu
INTERNATIONAL
The EU: Spokesperson demands a reason for detention of staff member at Beijing mission
On 1 May, the Strait Times reported that the European Union has called for a “proper answer” from the Chinese authorities for arresting a local employee at the mission in Beijing in September 2021. The EU spokesperson Nabila Massrali confirmed the arrest via email and also revealed that the Chinese police had not given any explanation on the arrest or the charges. Massrali said: “We will continue inquiring until we get a proper answer.” The French newspaper Le Monde reported that An Dong, an IT department employee was arrested for picking quarrels and provoking troubles. (“EU demands 'proper answer' over detained staff member in China,” The Strait Times, 1 May 2022)
The UK: Hydrogen energy cooperation Forum kick-starts in virtual mode
On 2 May, Xinhua Net reported on the Chinese Ambassador Zheng Zeguang’s statements on the cooperation on hydrogen energy between China and Britain during the opening ceremony of the China-UK Hydrogen Energy Cooperation Forum. Zeguang encouraged the development and pushed for more beneficial cooperation in the future. He said: “In recent years, China and Britain have carried out joint projects in hydrogen fuel cells and hydrogen industrial parks, and such mutually beneficial cooperation in hydrogen energy has huge potential and broad prospects for further growth.” Zheng also called on the local government bodies to increase their engagement and communication in order to contribute to a sustainable and healthy development of the energy, (“China-Britain hydrogen energy cooperation enjoys huge potential, broad prospects: ambassador,” Xinhua Net, 02 May 2022)
Portuguese-speaking countries: China views Forum Macao to increase cooperation
On 1 May, Xinhua Net reported on the potential of the cooperation between China and Portuguese-speaking countries and highlighted food security, sustainable energy and connectivity of goods, services and people as the top-most areas for conducive opportunities. The Associate Dean of the Institute of Research on the Portuguese-speaking countries in City University of Macao Francisco B. S. Jose Leandro stressed on the Forum Macao and its role in promoting the cooperation between the countries. He also placed emphasis on Macao’s role as a city that links the countries and provides areas for cooperation and called for greater visibility of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. (“China, Portuguese-speaking countries have co-op potential in multiple areas: experts,” Xinhua Net, 01 May 2022)
INTERNAL
Mount Everest: China plans to establish a meteorological station at 8,800 meters
On 1 May, Xinhua Net reported that Chinese scientists were attempting to set-up a meteorological monitoring station at a height of 8,800 meters on Mount Qomolangma, popularly known as Mount Everest. The Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research said that the new station would replace the US and British station at 8,430 meters as the highest in the world. The Institute revealed that the plan is to distribute the dismantled equipment in such a way that each mountaineer carries seven kilograms which will be then used in the establishment of the station. The plan also includes establishing eight elevation gradient meteorological stations other than the highest one. In 2021, four stations were set up at 6,500 meters, 5,800 meters and 5,400 meters while three more were established at 7,028 meters, 7,790 meters and 8,300 meters in 2022. (“China Focus: World's highest automatic weather station to be set up on Mt. Qomolangma,” Xinhua Net, o1 May 2022)
Youth League: Data reveals 43.81 million students engaged in the organization
On 2 May, the Communist Youth League of China Central Committee revealed that as of December 2021, the body now consists of 73.7 million members across the country. The data revealed that 43.81 million members are students while the rest are engaged in enterprises, public institutions, urban and rural communities, social organizations and other sectors. The Youth League has 3.68 million organizations under it, as of 2021. (“Communist youth league of China has over 73.7 mln members,” Xinhua Net, 02 May 2022)
Hunan: Sixth survivor rescued from the building collapse
On 1 May, The Strait Times reported that the rescuers pulled out the sixth survivor from the collapsed building in Changsha city in Hunan Province after 50 hours. The building that collapsed on 29 April housed a hotel, apartments and a cinema theatre. On 30 April, the authorities reported that 18 people had been trapped in the building debris while 39 were missing. In response to the collapse of the building, the police have arrested the building’s owner and three others for providing a false safety report on the building safety audit of the hotel. President Xi Jinping also commented on the incident and has called for a thorough investigation and a search “at all cost”. (“Sixth survivor pulled from China building collapse, dozens still missing,” The Strait Times, 01 May 2022)
Social Media: China bans Weibo and WeChat accounts of China strategist
On 1 May, the Strait Times reported that the WeChat account of Bocom International Holdings’ China strategist Hong Hao has been suspended since 30 April 2022. The account was suspended for unknown violations and the recent reports on the country by Hong. Hong’s Weibo account with three million followers was also suspended. However, it is still unclear which of Hong’s posts crossed the line with the Chinese government. In the past few months, Hong has blamed the government’s crackdown on tech companies for the crash in Chinese ADRs. The WeChat account posted on the account and said that Hong’s account violated the company’s public account service rules. (“China analyst Hong Hao's social media accounts frozen,” The Strait Times, 1 May 2022)
ECONOMY
Sanctions: Chinese domestic and international banks discuss strategies against the US and the West
On 1 May, the Financial Times reported that China’s regulators gathered the local and foreign banks to discuss their strategies to evade the sanctions on Chinese assets in foriegn countries. The conference was held on 22 April and was attended by officials from the Central Bank of China, the finance ministry, and executives from the local and international lenders such as HSBC. A senior official from the finance ministry expressed alarm within the Chinese administration on the capabilities of the US and the West to freeze the Russian assets during the war with Ukraine. (“China meets banks to discuss protecting assets from US sanctions,” Financial Times, 1 May 2022)