News in Brief

CHINESE MEDIA

China Releases New Database On Biodiversity

China has released an updated national species database,known as theCatalogue of Life China 2022 Annual Checklist,according to the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) on May 22.

The checklist of this year added 10,343 species compared with the 2021 checklist,bringing the total number of species to 138,293,including 68,172 animal species,46,725 plant species,and 17,173 fungi species,among others.

The species checklist provides data basis that is beneficial for biodiversity research,conservation and policy-making,said an official with Biodiversity Committee under the CAS,adding that China is the only country that publishes the biological species checklist every year.

Cambodian,Chinese Entrepreneurs Meet to Explore Business Opportunities

The 2022 Cambodia-China Trade and Investment Forumwas convened in a hybrid format on May 18,exploring ways to further boost business relations.

Held under the theme“Share Development Opportunities and Create Regional Prosperity,”the forum was attended by some 100 business executives in person and dozens of others via video link.

Speaking at the event,Cambodian Ministry of Commerce’s Secretary of State Seang Thay said China is the largest investor and top trading partner of Cambodia.

Chinese Vice Minister of Commerce Qian Keming,who participated in the forum via video link from Beijing,said the meeting was very important to promote the development of China-Cambodia economic and trade relations.

Indonesia Removes Outdoor Face Mask Mandate

As the number of reported COVID-19 casesis showing a declining trend,the Indonesian government announced on May 17 that the use of face masks would no longer be mandatory in outdoor spaces.

“The government has decided to lift more restriction policy.Wearing face masks is no longer mandatory when doing outdoor activities or gathering in outdoor spaces.However,people still have to wear masks indoors and inside public transportations,”Indonesian President Joko Widodo said.

The Southeast Asia’s largest economy has claimed that it already has the COVID-19 cases under control,with its Health Ministry saying it recorded 182 new COVID-19 cases and six deaths during the past 24 hours.

First TCM Herb Train from Vietnam Arrives in China

A train loaded with herbsfrom Dong Dang in northern Vietnam arrived in south China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region on May 8,marking further cooperation in the traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) industry between China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

The ASEAN is a significant market of TCM products.Cardamom from Indonesia,Caulis Spatholobi from Vietnam,and Scaphium scaphigerum from Thailand are well-received herbs among Chinese pharmaceutical enterprises.China exports TCM products such as extracts,healthcare foods,and herbal medicines to ASEAN countries.

Customs data showed that Guangxi imported over 6,809 tons of TCM herbs from ASEAN countries in 2021,an increase of 329 percent from a year ago.

World Bank to Provide Laos with 395 mln USD Funding Support

The World Bankexpects to support 11 projects in Laos at a cost of about US$395 million from 2022 to 2026,theVientiane Timessaid on May 5.

A report on funding was presented on May 3,when the World Bank Group’s Country Director for Myanmar,Cambodia and Laos,Mariam Sherman,began her first visit to Laos,meeting Lao Minister of Planning and Investment Khamjane Vongphosy.

“Thank you to the World Bank for its continuing support and assistance,especially for the implementation of the socio-economic development plans which are linked to the strategic cooperation plan formulated between the government and the World Bank for 2017-2021,with the plan to continue for 2022-2026,”Khamjane said.

VOICES

“In response to the fast-changing global economic landscape in the post-pandemic era,ASEAN and China are moving towards a new forward-looking partnership.”

—ASEAN Secretary-General Lim Jock Hoisaid on the 70th anniversary of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT)

“I strongly hope that the outcome of this meeting will include a strong policy stance regarding the recovery of the regional economy after the COVID-19 pandemic,from where we should emerge stronger than ever in order to cope with future crises.”

—Thailand’s Deputy Prime Minister and Commerce Minister Jurin Laksanavisitsaid while addressing the APEC Ministers Responsible for Trade Meeting on May 21 and 22

“China is playing a leading role:the vast majority of the world’s electrolysers are made in China,and China is rolling out more renewable energy than any other country,including more hydro.”

—Malcolm Turnbull,chair of the Green Hydrogen Organization and former Australian Prime Minister,said at the first-ever Green Hydrogen Global Assembly and Exhibition on May 18,where China was hailed as“a green hydrogen powerhouse”for its strides in developing clean hydrogen

12.28 %

The share of Chinese yuan in the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF)Special Drawing Rights (SDR) basket has risen from10.92 percentto12.28 percent,China’s central bank said on its official website on May 15.The SDR is an international reserve asset supplementing members’ official reserves,which can be exchanged among governments for freely usable currencies.In 2016,the IMF included the yuan in its SDR basket as a fifth currency,along with the U.S.dollar,the euro,the Japanese yen and the British pound.At present,Chinese yuan ranks third in terms of the weight in the SDR basket,after the U.S.dollar and the euro.

1,741,251 people

The Chinese Embassy in Zimbabwe and United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) Harare Office signed a project completion certificate on May 6 for the Chinese government-established South-South Cooperation Assistance Fund(SSCAF) which sought to improve health delivery to pregnant women and newborn babies.Cumulatively,1,741,251 peoplewere reached,with447,138 children under fivereceiving growth monitoring.A total of216,722 women and childrenwere reached with integrated maternal,neonatal,child health and nutrition services at outreach points.

57.8 %

The gross enrollment rate of China’s higher education hit57.8 percentin 2021,compared with30 percentin 2012,said the Ministry of Education on May 17.Over44.3 million studentsare studying at higher education institutions across the country,the ministry told a press conference,adding that China now has the world’s largest higher education system.A total of240 million peoplein China have received higher education so far,according to the ministry.

ASEAN MEDIA

VNAMay 24,2022

Hanoi Strengthens Consumption Stimulus Programmes

Hanoi plans to strengthen promotion programmes to stimulate consumption,thereby supporting businesses and enhancing economic growth.

Hanoi is implementing a series of promotional programmes for 2022,focusing on May,July and November at more than 2,000 sales points of businesses.

Notably,the businesses have registered more than 10,000 promotion programmes with the Department of Industry and Trade in May,worth nearly 20 trillion VND.

“The most important stimulus solution is to ensure the quality of goods and increase incentives for customers,and at the same time,the enterprises must enhance the production of high-quality goods,”Tran Thi Phuong Lan,acting director of the Hanoi Department of Industry and Trade.

Bangkok PostMay 25,2022

Airports on Alert for Monkeypox Symptoms

The Public Health Ministry has issued alerts instructing all international airports to step up their screening of arrivals,especially from 17 countries where monkeypox cases have now been confirmed,according to its deputy minister,Sathit Pitutecha.

“Each airport has a disease control unit and officials will intensify measures against monkeypox by being more vigilant,”he said.

Skin disease and sexually transmitted disease clinics will be asked to watch out for monkeypox as Mr Sathit urged the public to keep abreast of the situation from the Department of Disease Control (DDC).

The ministry has not declared monkeypox a dangerous communicable disease yet and no domestic cases have been reported.However,it will meet to assess the risk of infection,he said,adding the ministry has not considered a vaccination programme.

TheJakartaPostMay 23,2022

Huawei Pivots to Asia-Pacific with Greater Investment in Talent,Cloud Technologyl

Huawei has pledged to increase its commitments in the Asia-Pacific as executives of the Chinese telecommunication giant expressed optimism about the company’s prospects in the region.

In the company’s first post-pandemic major tech event,which took place last week with hundreds of senior government officials,experts,researchers and business partners gathered,Huawei’s leadership touted its next plan for the region in building digital infrastructure,promoting digital inclusion and low-carbon development.

Data from Huawei showed that the company has provided connectivity for more than 90 million households and 1 billion mobile phone users in the Asia-Pacific.Huawei’s cloud computing market share ranks number four in the emerging Asia-Pacific market.

The Strait TimesMay 25,2022

Singapore’s Services Exports to Continue Growth in 2022

The Republic’s services exports are expected to continue expanding this year amid the easing of border restrictions and higher global demand in line with post-pandemic recovery.Services exports took a longer time to recover to pre-COVID-19 levels,compared with recovery following the SARS pandemic of 2003 and the global financial crisis from 2008 to 2009.

Exports of services grew 7.1 percent year on year in the first quarter,due to the increase in other business services exports,travel receipts,as well as receipts from the charges for the use of intellectual property,trade agency Enterprise Singapore noted in a release on May 25.

Overall,services exports rebounded in 2021,recording a 6.7 percent increase after shrinking 1.6 percent in 2020 with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.