Indholdsfortegnelse for Vol.67/No.14 i Beijing Review

Nearly 2,000 delegates from over 60 countries and regions attended the Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) Annual Conference 2024. Held in the resort town of Boao, Hainan Province, on March 26-29, the conference focused on the theme Asia and the World: Common Challenges, Shared Responsibilities. Representatives from political and business communities gathered to explore development paths amid global challenges ranging from regional conflicts to extreme weather. In a world fraught with uncertainties, the Asia-Pacific region continues to be a key driver of growth. Last year, the Chinese economy rebounded steadily. Organizations such as the International Monetary Fund and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development have raised their forecasts for China’s economic growth. China continues to be an engine for global growth. The BFA Annual Conference is an important window…

Since last year, concerns about risks in the Chinese market have dampened investors’ expectations. The government work report delivered by Chinese Premier Li Qiang on March 5 has set an economic growth target of around 5 percent for this year and put forward measures to ensure the target is met. These measures lay a solid foundation for the sound functioning of the capital market. To increase domestic demand, the Chinese Government pledges to expand investment and boost consumption. While expanding the scale of government bonds, the government will encourage social investment to enhance investment in infrastructure. Investment in China’s real estate sector is expected to bottom out in 2024. Overall, China will see stable growth in investment this year, with better performance than in 2023. To scale up consumption, the…

The March 22 terrorist attack in Moscow killed at least 143 people, including three children, and wounded 180 more. The massacre erupted minutes before the Russian rock band Picnic was due to perform, with terrorists using guns, grenades and incendiary bombs on the crowd inside. Four suspects who participated directly in the attack were among 11 arrested. In an unverified online statement, the so-called “Islamic State” terrorist group claimed responsibility for the attack, but doubts linger within the international community regarding the true perpetrators. However, rather than focusing solely on identifying those responsible, the main concern should be eliminating the conditions that foster terrorism. The most important thing now for Russia is to strengthen its defenses to prevent the people behind this bloody crime from committing new crimes. “The embassy…

U.S. tech giant Apple Inc. continues to invest in China, the company’s CEO Tim Cook said during the China Development Forum (CDF) in Beijing on March 24. Cook also noted how Chinese suppliers have contributed to the iPhone maker’s carbon-neutral goals, saying they’ve been innovating and figuring out new ways of doing things. “It’s going beyond what we initially can solve,” he said at a symposium on carbon neutrality and global climate governance. The CDF, hosted by the Development Research Center of the State Council, China’s highest state administrative organ, took place on March 24-25. “If you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go further, go together,” Cook said while emphasizing the significant role of Chinese partners in reducing carbon emissions. Better governance Since the early…

In recent years, prices of freshly made bakery products have been surging. A netizen from Beijing complained that she spends at least 100 yuan ($13.9) for just a few baked goods every time she visits a bakery. At the same time, bread and cakes that are not sold are often thrown away by bakeries and supermarkets at the end of the day, causing great waste. The hashtag “How serious wastage is in bakeries” has gone viral online recently. According to a report by Xinhua News Agency, one bakery in west China throws away unsold bread after 10 p.m. every day. The bread is sent to a facility that treats wet waste. This bakery is not alone. In a bakery in Beijing’s Fengtai District, staff members continue loading the shelves with…

China’s state-owned enterprises (SOEs) have established over 8,000 institutions and projects in more than 180 countries and regions worldwide, employing roughly 1.25 million people abroad. Established in 1983, China Nonferrous Metal Mining Group Co. Ltd. (CNMC) was among the earliest SOEs in the country’s nonferrous metal industry to go global, and now operates in over 40 countries. In an exclusive interview with Beijing Review reporter Tao Zihui, CNMC Chairman Xi Zhengping discussed the company’s social responsibility and future development plans. Edited excerpts of their conversation follow: Beijing Review: How do you perceive the significance of SOEs fulfilling social responsibility abroad? Xi Zhengping: SOEs like ours have undertaken major projects with effects in key areas such as overseas infrastructure construction and energy resource development. Our overseas operations strictly adhere to local…

After cohosting the Seventh China-Australia Foreign and Strategic Dialogue in Canberra on March 20 with Wang Yi, a member of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and Chinese Foreign Minister, Penny Wong, Australian Foreign Minister, hosted a press conference. “A stable relationship between Australia and China doesn’t just happen, it needs ongoing work, and this was the latest meeting in that process,” she stated. “From pandas to produce tariffs, all issues were on the table” is how the Australian Associated Press described the foreign ministers’ meeting, which was a significant step toward resuming comprehensive dialogue and cooperation in diplomacy, economy, trade, technology, and education between the two countries. Wang’s pivotal and comprehensive meeting with Wong was his main engagement during what was his…

In 1993, American political scientist Samuel Huntington proposed a theory that people’s cultural and religious identities will be the primary source of conflict in the post-Cold War world. More than 30 years after Huntington’s article expounding the theory, The Clash of Civilizations?, was published in Foreign Affairs journal, Wang Yiwei, a professor of diplomacy at Renmin University of China (RUC), has shared his belief that, through China’s consistent efforts, there will be a “clicking” rather than a “clashing” between civilizations. Wang made the statement in his new book on China’s public diplomacy practices, titled China’s Approach to People-to-People Connectivity. The book was launched in Beijing on March 19. “The guiding principle of China’s public diplomacy activities is to facilitate understanding and communication between different civilizations, maintain the peaceful coexistence of…

FIRST FEMALE OLYMPIC SURFER Yang Siqi is set to make history as China’s first female surfer at the Olympic Games in Paris 2024. The 15-year-old secured her Olympic spot at the recent World Surfing Games (WSG) in Arecibo, Puerto Rico. This achievement ensures her place among the 24 women who will compete at the Paris Games. Yang was introduced to surfing at the age of 9. In 2019, Yang made her international debut at the World Junior Surfing Championships, and then showed significant progress at the 2022 WSG. She ranked 31st out of over 130 female surfers at the 2023 WSG, but still failed to secure a ticket for Paris 2024 until her performance this year. Included in the Olympic Games in 2016, surfing is a relatively new sport in…

China and Honduras celebrated the first anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations on March 26. In a recent interview with China Hoy, a Spanish monthly published by CICG Americas, Chinese Ambassador to Honduras Yu Bo said over the past year, bilateral relations have shown robust vitality as well as yielded tangible results, already benefiting the two peoples. Edited excerpts of the interview follow: China Hoy: As a participant in the process of establishing diplomatic relations and China’s top envoy to Honduras, what does this first year mean to you? Yu Bo: China and Honduras established diplomatic relations on the basis of the one-China principle, which demonstrates again that it is a consensus accepted by the international community. At the same time, the two countries uphold similar views on development,…

Apple Inc. opened a new flagship store in Jing’an District, Shanghai, on March 21, the largest of the company’s retail stores in China and second only to its largest one in New York City. Tim Cook, CEO of Apple, was present on the day to open the store and usher in fans, who packed the street for hours and cheered for Cook’s arrival. Cook’s visit to China is an indication of the importance Apple places on the Chinese market. The Chinese market matters so much to Apple not only because of its huge consumer base, but also thanks to China’s key position in the global supply chain. During his visit, Cook emphasized the need for close cooperation between Apple and the Chinese supply chain, and Apple’s long-term commitment to the…

People listening, people talking, people standing on tiptoes to get a clear view of the keynote speakers… This was the scene that unfolded at the venue of the China Development Forum in Beijing on March 24. Economists and business leaders from China and abroad, top Chinese officials and representatives from international organizations attended the event with a strong desire to exchange ideas on the Chinese economy. “BMW has been involved with the forum since 2017, with Oliver Zipse, Chairman of BMW’s Board of Management, serving as the cochair in 2021. For us, it’s a great platform,” Sean Green, President and CEO of BMW Group Region China, told Beijing Review on the sidelines of the conference, adding the company wants to connect with other global businesses, but also with the experts…

A recent criminal case has thrust the issue of juvenile delinquency into the spotlight in China, provoking public outrage. On March 10, in Handan City in Hebei Province, a 13-year-old middle school student was brutally murdered by three male classmates. The body of the victim, surnamed Wang, was discovered buried beneath a vegetable greenhouse. The discovery shocked the local community and triggered condemnation nationwide. The three suspects were detained the next day. Wang was later revealed to have been a long-time victim of school bullying, a fact adding another layer of complexity to an already heartbreaking situation. This heinous act has brought the issue of juvenile delinquency to the forefront of hot social media topics, prompting intense discussion and grave concern. Campus tragedy According to a report by China Central…