Innehållsförteckning för Vol.65/No.52 från Beijing Review

When reviewing global developments in 2022, the following trends have stood out: Pursuing development in a tumultuous world. The conflict between Russia and Ukraine, which broke out in February, still shows no signs of ending. It has plunged the Western world into turmoil, with food and energy crises bringing difficulties to the lives of many people. High inflation in Western economies and substantial interest rate hikes by the U.S. Federal Reserve have also increased uncertainty. Against this backdrop, China remains committed to stability and development. In October, the Communist Party of China convened its 20th National Congress, electing a new Central Committee and outlining goals for Chinese modernization in the next five years and beyond. The Fifth China International Import Expo in November, as well as other trade and investment…

Shortly after taking office as the top leader of the Communist Party of China (CPC), Xi Jinping elaborated on the Chinese dream. “Achieving the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation has been the greatest dream of the Chinese people since the advent of modern times,” Xi said during a visit to an exhibition on November 29, 2012. The phrase, “the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation,” was first expressed by then President Jiang Zemin in 2001, in a speech marking the 80th anniversary of the founding of the CPC. Since its introduction, it’s become a stock phrase used to describe the fundamental mission of the Party, state and people, as well as the context through which achievements are assessed. Revive, restore, rejuvenate Although Jiang was the first to express it this…

Tropical Fare Visitors take a closer look at tropical fruits at the 2022 China (Hainan) International Tropical Agricultural Products Winter Trade Fair in Haikou, Hainan Province, on December 15. Agricultural products from 1,200 companies in 18 Chinese provinces were on display at the four-day fair, including fruits, vegetables and coffee. Business models, including cross-border e-commerce, were also featured. Agricultural Training An international agricultural training course on green technology and new agricultural varieties took place in Hefei, capital of Anhui Province, from December 19 to 20. Cohosted by the Rice Research Institute of Anhui Academy of Agricultural Sciences (AAAS) and Anhui Hua’an Seed Industry Co. Ltd., the course attracted over 200 agricultural scholars, experts, and students from more than 15 countries, including China, Pakistan, Bangladesh, India, Viet Nam, Kenya, and Rwanda.…

PRESIDENT OF THE CHINESE BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION Yao Ming was reelected as the president of the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) on December 17. The 42-year-old former National Basketball Association (NBA) star, who took the helm of the CBA in February 2017, will now serve a second term. Born in Shanghai in September 1980, the 2.26-meter-tall Chinese basketball player became an international star as a center for the Houston Rockets in the NBA. The Chinese men’s national team will strive for a berth at the Paris Olympic Games in 2024, while the Chinese women’s team, which was runner-up at the World Cup this fall, will aim to reach the top four, according to Yao. “We also hope that more Chinese players can go abroad to play in high-level professional leagues and that…

American President Joe Biden’s latest slip of the tongue was a most unfortunate one. In his speech at the U.S.-Africa Business Forum on December 14, a key part of the long-overdue Second U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit (December 13-15), Biden announced he would “work with Congress to invest $350 billion to facilitate more than almost half a billion dollars in financing to make sure more people across Africa can participate in the digital economy.” This figure far exceeded the $55 billion in aid to Africa the United States had promised to send over the next three years on the first day of the summit. The official transcript of the president’s remarks was later posted on the White House website, where $350 billion became $350 million, with the sum announced by Biden marked…

December is the most wonderful time of the year—to flip through the pages of young China’s “2022 lookbook” and remember the trends that made up the year in fashion. Flashing before the eyes: a barrage of fishnet—though not tights—and other gauzy fabrics, all-weather-proof outerwear that lets one blend in with one’s natural surroundings, and many more items that seemed to be pulled straight from the wardrobe of British adventurer and TV presenter Bear Grylls. Given these style statements have been spotted not only in the great outdoors but also throughout the nation’s urban jungles, the question is: What has inspired China’s sudden lust for layers? A hike in hashtags Earthy-tone safari jackets, multi-pocket vests and drawstring bucket hats… These made up the typical mood board of the fall season’s mainland…

Data Systems On December 19, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council jointly released a guiding document for the better management of the nation’s data resources. The document lays out 20 specific measures to improve systems in this area to cope with new challenges arising from the increased use of data in business, administration and governance. An official with the National Development and Reform Commission said the document is “a landmark, overarching, and strategic move” to continue deepening China’s reform and opening up in the new era. It will help give full play to the role of data resources, empower the real economy, promote high-quality development, and help strengthen, improve, and expand the digital economy. It will also respond to the technological revolution and…

As the largest and highest-level diplomatic event between China and the Arab world since the founding of the People’s Republic of China in 1949, the First China-Arab States Summit on December 9 was an epoch-making milestone. In his keynote speech, President Xi Jinping called on China and Arab states to foster a closer Sino-Arab community with a shared future by staying independent and defending the common interests of both sides, focusing on economic development and promoting win-win cooperation, upholding regional peace and striving for common security, and increasing exchanges among civilizations to enhance mutual understanding and trust. Arab countries expressed hopes to work with China to continue to promote cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative, step up communication and coordination on international and regional affairs, and respond to climate…

‘The Ninth Review Conference of the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) saw China’s in-depth participation and utmost effort to facilitate the adoption of its outcome document,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said at a press conference in Beijing on December 19. “China proposed establishing a verification mechanism to ensure BWC compliance, promoting the peaceful use of biotech, and making biotech more inclusive. These proposals reflect the common will shared broadly by states parties, especially developing countries.” The BWC, which went into effect on March 26, 1975, was the first multilateral arms control agreement to outlaw the development, production, acquisition, transfer, stockpiling and use of biological and chemical weapons. As a convention of unlimited duration, the BWC had 184 states as parties, as of February 2022. It is seen as the cornerstone…

‘Choosing to open a business in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region was a sensible choice. There may not be another location on the entire globe that could provide me with such an opportunity,” said Danny Camiel Decombel, a 59-year-old Belgian businessman. For him, Xinjiang serves as both his second home and an ideal location for his business. Set up a company in Xinjiang Decombel grew up in a seaside town in Belgium and never imagined growing up that he would build a connection with China. However, undertaking a bachelor’s degree in agricultural engineering, his goal was to work in a developing nation. On the day of his graduation in 1986, the head of the department called Decombel into his office and told him about an open position at a Shenzhen-based feed…

The Omicron sub-variants currently prevalent in China are becoming more transmissible, but they are much milder than previous strains, with more than 98 percent of those infected showing mild symptoms or being asymptomatic. The mortality rates are much lower than with previous strains. Most young and middle-aged patients are recovering within seven to 10 days after becoming infected. Those who have been inoculated against COVID-19, particularly those who have received booster shots, suffer from less severe symptoms. In this context, it’s no longer suitable for this category B infectious disease to continue to be treated with prevention and control measures designed to target category A infectious diseases. The management of infectious diseases is based on their contagiousness and virulence. Diseases with high transmissibility and pathogenicity are classified as category A…