THIS WEEK

Chinese artists perform at the opening ceremony of the National Day of China Pavilion during the Expo 2020 Dubai in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on January 10.

The pavilion showcases China’s cultural elements and cutting-edge technology to visitors to the first World Expo set in the Middle East,which runs from October 2021 to March 2022.

The UAE is China’s second largest trading partner in the Middle East.The pavilion is hailed as a platform to advance bilateral ties.It also gives center stage to a futuristic vision for the better life of humanity.

THIS WEEK SOCIETY

In Good Feather

China has published an English language edition of,a book recording 885 species of freshwater and marine plants in China,Xinhua News Agency reported on January 10.

While China’s diversity of aquatic plants is among the highest on earth,botanists around the world know little about it,owing largely to the language barrier.This new edition,compiled by the Wuhan Botanical Garden,under the Chinese Academy of Sciences,covers all 240 genera of China’s freshwater and marine plant species.The book records the distribution and habitat of each of the plants,as well as the latest research results and new classifications.It also contains 843 color pictures of the plants,their flowers and fruits,as well as their habitats.The researchers conducted extensive field investigation,specimen collection and identification throughout the country in order to produce the book,which is expected to enhance the understanding of China’s aquatic plant diversity at home and abroad.

China has released a list of 20 outstanding grassroots police officers and nominated 17 others for awards as part of celebrations to mark the second annual Chinese People’s Police Day on January 10.

The list of officers along with their stories was released by the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the Ministry of Public Security.

Some of the awardees work in police stations,some serve as criminal investigators and detectives,cyber police,border police,or traffic and railway police,and some have participated in United Nations peacekeeping missions.

“They have maintained the nation’s security and social stability with hard work and sacrifice,and some have risked or lost their lives while carrying out their duties.They are the best representatives of the Chinese People’s Police,” said a statement released by the authorities.

The Chinese People’s Police Day was established in 2020 in recognition of the extraordinary work of China’s police.Its date was chosen to correspond with China’s national emergency hotline number 110.

The water quality of Baiyangdian Lake,the biggest fresh water lake in northern China,significantly improved in 2021,according to the Department of Ecology and Environment in Hebei Province,where the lake is located.

Surface water quality in China is divided into five classes,with Class I being the highest quality.In 2021,the overall water quality of Baiyangdian Lake was upgraded to Class III (good quality) from Class IV.

The lake’s water quality is currently better than at any time since testing began in 1988.The lake had been completely dry between 1983 and 1987.

Prior to 2019,the lake’s water had long been graded as Class V for its poor water quality.

Last year,the lake’s major pollutants showed a sharp decrease and its total phosphates dropped 30.4 percent year on year.

In April 2017,China announced the establishment of the Xiongan New Area,which is about 100 km southwest of Beijing and spans three counties in Hebei Province.Improvement of the lake’s ecology began to accelerate after development of the New Area began.

China’s average life expectancy is expected to reach 78.3 years in 2025,up from 77.3 years in 2019,according to the country’s 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25) for Public Service.

The total number of beds in aged care facilities will reach 10 million in 2025,according to the plan,which was issued on January 10 by 21 government departments,including the National Development and Reform Commission.

In 2025,100 percent of newly built urban areas and residential communities will have supporting facilities for the elderly and the coverage of basic pension plans will reach 95 percent,the plan read.The area covered by local sporting facilities will also increase,reaching 2.6 square meters per capita in 2025.

According to a white paper released in August 2021 by the State Council Information Office,China’s average life expectancy rose from 67.8 years in 1981 to 77.3 years in 2019.

Workplace safety in China’s mining industry continued to improve in 2021,with the number of accidents and casualties dropping from the previous year,Xinhua News Agency reported on January 10,citing official data.

The number of coal mining accidents and casualties declined 15.8 percent and 13.9 percent year on year,respectively,data from the National Mine Safety Administration showed.

The average death rate for producing 1 million tons of coal fell by 24 percent from 2020,and no major gas explosions have been reported in the last two years.

Noting the positive momentum achieved in coal mine safety last year,the administration said that the country still faces risks and challenges including intensive mining,and called for striking a balance between development and safety.

China will build more subsidized rental homes and renovate old residential communities in the next few years to ensure housing for those in need,according to the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development.

Closer Connections

During the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25) period,China plans to add 6.5 million government-subsidized rental homes in 40 key cities to help an estimated 13 million people in need of affordable housing,Pan Wei,an official with the ministry,said at a press conference on January 11.

Around 219,000 old residential communities built before the end of 2000 in urban areas will be renovated by 2025 to afford more comfort to residents,said Pan.

The ministry also announced plans to repair structurally unsound rural homes or upgrade those in earthquake-prone rural areas,while the housing provident fund,a compulsory savings plan to help Chinese employees afford homes,is expected to cover more people in the workforce.

Warm Celebrations

THIS WEEK ECONOMY

Core digital economy industries are expected to account for 10 percent of China’s GDP in 2025,up from 7.8 percent in 2020,according to a plan unveiled by the State Council on January 12.

By 2025,the country will see the digital transformation of industries reach a new level,digital public services become more inclusive,and the digital economy governance system improve noticeably,as per the document.

It details key tasks in eight areas,including optimizing and upgrading digital infrastructure,pushing forward the digital shift of enterprises,and expanding international cooperation on the digital economy.

China will strengthen its support of 6G research and development,enhance innovation in strategic fields such as integrated circuits and artificial intelligence,and facilitate the development of new business modes,the plan said.

The country will also explore the establishment of regulations in the fields of cross-border data flows,market access,antimonopoly,the digital yuan and privacy protection in the digital era,drawing on international rules and experience.

The number of new-energy cars registered in China reached 7.84 million in 2021,up more than 59 percent year on year,according to data from the Ministry of Public Security (MPS),released on January 11.

The figure represents 2.6 percent of total car ownership in the country,the ministry said,adding that the number of newly registered new-energy cars increased rapidly over the past five years.

A total of 2.99 million newenergy cars were sold last year,up 169.1 percent year on year,the China Passenger Car Association said.

Data from the MPS also showed that 36.74 million motor vehicles were registered nationwide last year,bringing the total ownership to 395 million,including 302 million cars.

The number of cities with more than 1 million registered cars had reached 79 by the end of last year,with Beijing,Chengdu and Chongqing having crossed the 5-million threshold,according to the ministry.

Nationwide steel output declined in 2021 amid China’s endeavors to achieve carbon peaking and neutrality goals,the China Iron and Steel Association said on January 10.

The country produced an estimated 1.03 billion tons of steel last year,down 35 million tons from 2020.

In the first 11 months of 2021,steel production reached 946 million tons,decreasing 2.6 percent year on year.The steel and iron industry’s combined profits surged 86.46 percent year on year to 351.7 billion yuan ($55.25 billion)during the period as rising costs and demand pushed up prices.

The industry has accelerated green and low-carbon transformation,with considerable reduction in energy consumption and sulfur dioxide emissions per ton of steel produced,the association said.

This year,as investment in the real estate sector is expected to slow down while infrastructure investment picks up,total steel demand is likely to remain flat from 2021,according to the association.

The outstanding inclusive loans to small and micro businesses totaled 18.7 trillion yuan($2.94 trillion) at the end of November 2021,up 24.1 percent year on year,according to the China Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission.

Over the January-November span last year,new loans hit 19.2 trillion yuan ($3 trillion) with a focus on manufacturing and infrastructure construction.

China will take market-oriented approaches to strengthen financial support for micro,small and medium-sized enterprises,according to a State Council executive meeting in December 2021.

($1=6.37 yuan)

China’s Producer Price Index Growth (%)

China’s Consumer Price Index (CPI) Growth(%)

China’s first high-speed railway controlled by private capital went into operation in Zhejiang Province on January 8.

The Hangzhou-Shaoxing-Taizhou intercity line is among China’s first group of high-speed railway projects funded by a public-private partnership (PPP),with the private sector having a holding status.

With a total investment of nearly 44.9 billion yuan ($7 billion),the 266.9-km railroad was designed with eight stops and to facilitate speeds of up to 350 km per hour.

Its construction began in 2017,with track-laying work completed in June 2021.

Beijing’s retail sales of consumer goods in 2021 rebounded to pre-COVID-19 levels,a local official said on January 7.

Overall volume was expected to reach 1.5 trillion yuan ($235 billion),according to Guo Wenjie,Deputy Director of the Beijing Municipal Commerce Bureau.

From January to November last year,total consumption and services-related spending in the city increased 13.1 percent and 15.5 percent year on year,respectively.

Beijing aims to transform itself into an international consumption hub with global influence and competitiveness,and a global reputation by 2025,Guo said.

Chinese commercial banks posted a declining bad loan ratio at the end of November 2021,official data showed.

The non-performing loan ratio of financial institutions in the banking sector stood at 1.89 percent,down 0.04 percentage point from the beginning of last year,according to the China Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission (CBIRC).Their provision coverage increased 10 percentage points to 192.9 percent.

Key risk indicators of the banking sector remained within the reasonable range,the CBIRC said.

Domestic assets of Chinese banks totaled 335.2 trillion yuan ($52.59 trillion) by last November,up 7.6 percent year on year,while their liabilities increased 7.4 percent to 306.2 trillion yuan ($48 trillion).

The risk in the insurance sector was under control as the average comprehensive solvency ratio of 179 insurers came in at 240 percent at the end of the third quarter of 2021,according to the CBIRC data.

Deliveries at Tesla’s Shanghai Gigafactory stood at 484,130 vehicles in 2021,an increase of 235 percent from 2020,the U.S.electric carmaker said on January 11.

Last year,over 160,000 of made-in-China Tesla cars were exported to over 10 countries and regions in Europe and Asia.

The localization rate in the Shanghai plant reached 90 percent,with 92 percent of battery metal parts capable of being recycled.

China’s CPI Growth by Type December,2021 (% y.o.y.)

THIS WEEK WORLD

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BRITAIN

NICARAGUA

UNITED STATES

PAKISTAN

GREECE

THIS WEEK PEOPLE &POINTS

former acting chairman of the Tibet Autonomous Regional Government,was appointed the region’s chairman at the Fifth Session of the region’s 11th people’s congress on January 7.

An ethnic Tibetan,Yan was born in 1962 in Qinghai Province.Following his graduation from Qinghai Minzu University with a bachelor’s degree in Chinese language and literature in 1982,he has been working in Qinghai for almost four decades,in schools,educational institutions,government departments,and as deputy head of Qinghai.

In January 2021,he was appointed secretary of the Communist Party of China Lhasa Municipal Committee.In October that same year,during a conference of the standing committee of the region’s 11th people’s congress in Lhasa,Yan was chosen to become the region’s vice-chairman and acting chairman.

January 10

A recent survey on average college graduate income by Peking University shows that the higher the college degree,the higher the starting salary.A vocational degree brings in about 2,000 yuan ($314) less than an undergraduate degree and 6,000 yuan ($943) less than a master’s.Income divergencies may help explain why vocational education remains unpopular,despite its promising employment outlook.

The income gap reflects how employers generally still overemphasize higher degrees.The past two decades have seen a surge in college graduate numbers,providing a much bigger talent pool for companies to tap into.As a result,many keep raising the threshold for staff recruitment:Jobs perfectly suited for junior undergraduates often require a postgraduate level.

Transforming China into a big manufacturing power cannot be done without the benefits of vocational education.It’s important to moderate the desire for high gradations by weakening the link between degree and salary and strengthening that between personal capability and income.

,Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister,during his visit to Colombo,Sri Lanka,on January 9

,former executive director of the United Nations Environment Program,at the Greater Bay Area Development Forum (Guangzhou) &Vision China on January 12

January 6

The newly announced list of China’s Happiest Cities reveals a common denominator:resident happiness closely links to the quality of urban development.Cities are not mere concrete constructions or mechanic combinations made up of social resources,but an organic and complicated ecological system.

Though economic growth is indeed a precondition for a happy urban existence,material wealth will not necessarily satisfy residential demands across the board.The listed cities offer up some successful examples for others to follow.

These cities,big and small alike,all focus on different industries and enjoy different statuses on the country’s economic map;all are trying their best to make their surroundings more sustainable and comfortable to live in.They harbor good working and business environments so that people dare dream of an even better life in the future,supported by a strong social safety net.Another pro is that their ever-improving public services make life more convenient with every step along the way.

Prospects hold that everyone enjoys good health and steady income.Of course,this bright picture does require every urban dweller to make their own contribution to their city’s construction.

January 9

To urge parents to take due responsibility for their children,a law to promote family education recently went into effect.The law stipulates that parents,or appointed guardians,of minors should organize their kids’ schedules so that they incorporate study,recreation and physical exercise.

The longstanding neglect of family education has come at a high cost,such as an increasing drop in the age of minor offenders and a rising proportion of children suffering from depression.Family education makes up the foundation of the modern education system.If parents,for whatever reason,are unable to provide emotional support and a harmonious environment for their offspring’s development,this will entail a series of negative consequences.They are thus obligated to learn how to properly nurture their children.

Another positive aspect of the new law is that families mired in difficulty will start receiving regular support from the government,school and society by large.This in turn will help them create a better atmosphere for their children’s healthy progress.

the mother of a Chinese student named Jiang Ge murdered in Japan in November 2016,won a lawsuit against her daughter’s former roommate Liu Xin on January 10,as the court ruled that Liu should bear all responsibility for intentionally locking the victim outside the apartment,leaving the latter to be stabbed to death by Liu’s stalker exboyfriend .

The roommate,who changed her name to Liu Nuanxi after the tragedy,was ordered by a court in Qingdao,Shandong Province,“to compensate the plaintiff Jiang Qiulian a total of 696,000 yuan ($109,341),for financial losses and emotional suffering.”

The court said that Liu should bear the corresponding civil liability of compensation for her obvious fault of failing to inform Jiang Ge of the danger her ex-boyfriend posed and locking her outside of the apartment when facing the threat of death.

,Assistant Director of the Center for Forecasting Science of the Chinese Academy of Sciences,at a recent news conference in Beijing

Iran’s Deputy Minister of Communication and Information Technology,on the China-Iran relationship on January 10