Indholdsfortegnelse for Vol.66/No.37 i Beijing Review

China, a developed or still developing country? That is the question. Some claim that China, the world’s second largest economy and a global leader in hi-tech development, should be considered a developed country; others argue that China cannot be considered a developed country because its per-capita economic indicators rank low globally. Neither international law nor international organizations offer official definitions of developed or developing countries. But, in practice, one of the most common metrics used to determine if an economy is developed or developing is per-capita GDP. In 2022, China’s per-capita GDP stood at $12,741, one fifth the average for developed economies and one sixth that of the United States. Another commonly used metric is the UN’s human development index, which goes beyond the economic realm to look at indicators…

In February, U.S. Congress introduced 10 acts to restrain China’s development, and raised extensive concerns domestically and internationally. Much of the acts’ content is a mere restatement of earlier acts, with limited substantive impact on China. It’s important to avoid falling into the trap of the U.S. discourse while making clear China’s own priorities and addressing risks and challenges. Acts targeting China In February, at a hearing held by the U.S. House Financial Services Committee on combating the “economic threat” from China, these acts were proposed and discussed before being passed roughly a month later. The move appears to have been carried out hastily while indicating a sense of intentional planning. The 10 acts, related to finance, the Taiwan region and public health, mainly fall on the four domains. First,…

Chinese Minister of Commerce Wang Wentao held talks with visiting U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo in Beijing on August 28. The two parties “engaged in rational, candid and constructive communication regarding the implementation of the consensus reached by the two heads of state at their [November 2022] meeting in Bali, Indonesia, focusing on China-U.S. economic and trade relations, as well as economic and trade issues of common concern.” It goes without saying that regardless of U.S. policies, the U.S.-China economic relationship should theoretically be a cornerstone of global economic stability, confidence and security. The two countries represent the world’s two largest economies in terms of GDP, and any disruption or challenge between them has a consequential and inevitable impact on other countries. The world economy is interdependent. However, the U.S.…

‘I have a faith in the Chinese people, fundamentally great, honest, frugal, industrious, cheerful, independent, tolerant, friendly and courteous, and the soldiers, too.” That’s the Chinese people in the eyes of former United States General Joseph Stilwell, who served as Commander in Chief of the U.S. armed forces in the China-Burma-India Theater during World War II, some 80 years ago. “And I might add we still see that in the Chinese people today,” John Easterbrook, grandson of Stilwell, recently told Xinhua News Agency. Stilwell was an old friend of the Chinese people, who gave active support to China’s cause of liberation and progress and made positive contributions to the friendship between the two peoples, which the Chinese people will never forget, Chinese President Xi Jinping wrote in a reply letter to…

‘Are you an I person or an E person?” This question has increasingly become an opening line for many people when they want to know more about another person they just met. Hu Xiaofan is no exception. In the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), a system that categorizes people based on their traits, tendencies and other characteristics, Hu is an INFJ. On the official website 16personalities.com, where MBTI is explained in detail, INFJ persons are described as “quiet and mystical, yet very inspiring and tireless idealists.” After reading the detailed explainer of the type, Hu believes the testing described her perfectly. “The assessment not only makes a lot of sense, but also saves me from awkward silences when I have to socialize with strangers,” the 25-year-old Beijing master’s degree candidate told…

NEW HEAD OF POLICE ASSOCIATION Veteran police officer Xu Ganlu has recently become head of the Police Association of China, a national, nonprofit social organization. Since joining the Xiamen Municipal Public Security Bureau in Fujian Province in 1980, Xu has worked in the public security sector throughout his career. He became vice governor of Henan Province and director general of the provincial public security department in 2015. Xu has been vice minister of public security and commissioner of the National Immigration Administration since 2018. Established in 1992, the Police Association of China is an organization representing police officers. It is committed to fostering strong relations between police and public and engages in exchange with counterparts around the world. Specialty Swap Workers’ Daily August 29 Chinese millennials have recently picked up…

Without much ado, not even a press conference, Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd. quietly launched the latest model in its flagship Mate Pro smartphone series, namely, the Mate 60 Pro, on August 29. Based on tests conducted on the smartphone, Chinese website AnTuTu Benchmark identified the 5G chip used in the Mate 60 Pro as the Kirin 9000s from Huawei’s chip design unit HiSilicon. The Mate 60 Pro further features download speeds on par with those of Apple’s latest iPhones. It would further seem Huawei, which has been under United States-imposed sanctions for years, pointedly released the phone during U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo’s visit to Beijing. And global public opinion generally views Huawei’s move as a counterattack against these American sanctions designed to prevent China from…

An inspiring roundtable discussion took place on September 4. Liu Meiying, one of the top officials with the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Commerce, introduced the basic information of the China (Beijing) Pilot Free Trade Zone and the Integrated National Development Zone for Opening up the Service Sector, as well as the two zones’ pioneering and innovative policies. She then took questions from several representatives from a dozen chambers of commerce in China. These business leaders called for more concrete measures in Beijing and across China to implement the 24-Point Guideline. On August 13, China issued the guideline to further optimize the foreign investment environment and strengthen efforts, including 24 specific measures in six aspects, to attract foreign investment. For example, the government will provide convenience for foreign executives, technical personnel…

On the night of the Qixi Festival, Chinese Valentine’s Day, which fell on August 22 this year, Yao Xiaofang, a 71-year-old pearl wholesaler, livestreamed until midnight, later than usual. She did so because of the extraordinary enthusiasm of her viewers. With the username Pearl Grandma on video-sharing platform Douyin, China’s TikTok, she has more than 1 million fans and has gained popularity online for her profound knowledge of pearls. Pearls, once regarded as jewels for older generations, have unexpectedly become popular among young people in China in recent years. “I am fascinated by pearls,” a young woman from Beijing surnamed Wang told National Business Daily. She further divulged she had bought three pearl necklaces and a pair of pearl earrings on one day in June at a local jewelry market.…

The number of retired people in China who are skilled and educated continues to grow; these retirees are considered social treasures. What’s more important is that most of them have a strong sentimental attachment to their rural hometowns. The past three decades have also seen an exodus of young workers to cities, leaving rural areas depleted of the fresh, vibrant development potential they are in dire need of. The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs and the National Development and Reform Commission, along with several other government agencies, have recently issued a document calling on retired government officials, teachers, doctors and other professionals to return home to push the rural revitalization goal. Since China eliminated absolute poverty in late 2020, focusing on this goal has become a part of its…

The standoff between Japan and countries concerned about the release of nuclear-contaminated water from the damaged Fukushima nuclear power plant now resembles a game of table tennis. Of course, the results of a table tennis match are not likely to affect global health. But when water containing a radioactive substance that cannot be destroyed is flushed into the Pacific Ocean (and might be for the next three decades to come), major health issues might ensue. In 2011, the most powerful earthquake ever recorded in Japan triggered a massive tsunami that destroyed the Fukushima plant’s cooling systems, causing three reactors to melt and contaminating their cooling water, which has been leaking ever since. The water has been collected, filtered, and stored in approximately 1,000 tanks, which will reach capacity in early…

Chinese authorities in late August released a slew of favorable policies to stimulate the real estate market. The minimum down payment ratios for first and second home purchases nationwide have been lowered to 20 percent and 30 percent, respectively, according to a document issued by the People’s Bank of China, the country’s central bank, and the National Administration for Financial Regulation. The previous rates were 30 percent and 40 percent, respectively. The criteria for identifying first-time home buyers have been adjusted. As long as they or their spouse do not own a home in the city where they wish to purchase a new home, home buyers will be considered first-time buyers when applying for a mortgage loan. Previously, however, a home buyer would have been considered a second home buyer…