Innehållsförteckning för Vol.67/No.44 från Beijing Review

Originally an investment concept, BRICS is now a force to be reckoned with in international governance. At the 16th BRICS Summit in Kazan, Russia, on October 23, President Xi Jinping called on members to build the multilateral mechanism into a primary channel for strengthening solidarity and cooperation among Global South nations. The Global South refers to regions of the world generally characterized by lower levels of economic and industrial development and often located south of more industrialized nations. This summit, the first since the group announced a major membership expansion last year, gathered leaders for discussion on topics ranging from political, economic and cultural cooperation to the defense of multilateralism. The term BRIC was coined by Jim O’Neill, former chief economist at Goldman Sachs, in 2001. In a report, he…

This year is a milestone for economic and trade cooperation among BRICS countries. The group of emerging economies, originally consisting of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, welcomed new members in January, opening up new opportunities and possibilities for the future. However, given the still complex and volatile international situation, the group must jointly address challenges to shape new momentum. Opportunities With the expansion, BRICS countries now account for 46 percent of the global population and 30 percent of the global GDP—the total value of all the goods and services produced in one year. A larger population and market further consolidate the foundation for BRICS cooperation and increase potential benefits of participation. The space for cooperation on energy resources among BRICS countries has been expanded. The new members have…

Sri Lanka’s aspiration to join BRICS marks a significant turning point in its foreign policy evolution—a journey shaped by colonial legacies, non-alignment principles, and the ongoing quest for debt sustainability. During a recent meeting with this writer, Ali Sabry PC, former Foreign Minister of Sri Lanka, articulated the strategic importance of BRICS membership for the nation, saying, “We have established a committee comprising experts from various ministries to evaluate our potential as a BRICS member, and the conclusion was unanimous.” With a new president, Anura Kumara Dissanayake, and the country set to hold parliamentary elections—in which many believe the president’s party, Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna, may secure a simple majority in parliament—it is time to examine the historical perspective of Sri Lanka’s foreign policy as a multipolar world increasingly becomes a…

The Annual Conference of Financial Street Forum 2024 was held in Beijing on October 18-20. Named after Financial Street, a bustling economic hub in downtown Beijing that is home to more than 1,900 financial institutions, the forum aimed to promote communication and cooperation within the financial sector. It was hosted by the Beijing Municipal Government, the People’s Bank of China (PBC), the National Financial Regulatory Administration (NFRA), the China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC), Xinhua News Agency and the State Administration of Foreign Exchange (SAFE). Since its inception in 2012, the forum has become a bellwether of China’s financial reform and development. Against the backdrop of numerous challenges impeding global economic recovery, this year’s annual conference was themed Trust and Confidence—Work Together to Promote Financial Openness, Cooperate for Shared Economic Stability…

Even after several months, Jin Guilian, a resident of Beijing, still became excited when recalling the moment she received the key to her new apartment this May. “I had never imagined that I could live in a new residence in the heart of Xicheng District!” Her home in Building 8, Huapichang Hutong has undergone a remarkable transformation, turning from an old, dilapidated, and dirty building into a brand-new one. Located in Xinjiekou Street, Xicheng District of Beijing, the building was built in the 1970s and suffered from aging infrastructure and peeling exterior walls. In July 2020, Beijing announced a plan to renovate dilapidated buildings through rebuilding, renovation, or appropriate expansions. The government took the initiative to identify needs through site visits, field surveys, and forums, ensuring tailored solutions for each…

In late August, a delegation of 21 Brazilian journalists visited Beijing, Wuhan and Chengdu on a trip organized by the International Department of the Communist Party of China Central Committee. Their visit provided a rich learning experience, with visits to communication institutions, hi-tech companies, universities, research centers and iconic tourist spots. One aspect the group found particularly striking was how technology is already part of daily life for the Chinese. “‘The future in China’ is a bit of a funny phrase because the Chinese future is already now,” said Heloisa Villela, an independent journalist. Villela highlighted how life in major Chinese cities is facilitated by technological solutions, such as battery exchange stations for electric bikes. “China is streamlining life for many workers, especially delivery people,” she said, also emphasizing her…

ASTRONOMER HEADS UNIVERSITY Chang Jin, an accomplished astronomer, was appointed president of the University of Science and Technology of China in mid-October. Chang was born in July 1966. He graduated from the same university, based in Hefei, Anhui Province, with a Master of Science degree in 1992. After graduation, he joined the Purple Mountain Observatory of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, the first modern astronomical research institution established in China. He served as its director from 2019 to 2020. In 2023, Chang became vice president of the CAS. Chang has long been engaged in the detection and research of gamma ray emissions and high-energy charged particles that come from outer space. He is one of China’s pioneers of space astronomy, the branch of astronomy that…

On October 14, the China National Computer Virus Emergency Response Center, the National Engineering Laboratory for Computer Virus Prevention Technology and 360 Digital Security Group jointly released a report, Volt Typhoon III: A Cyber Espionage and Disinformation Campaign Conducted by U.S. Government Agencies, to unveil the U.S.-staged so-called “Volt Typhoon” farce. This is the third strike China conducted in 2024 on the Washington-style play script of Catch Me if You Can. Here is a brief overview of the incident: In May 2023, the cybersecurity authorities of the Five Eyes alliance countries (the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and New Zealand) issued a warning, citing a report released by Microsoft on the same day. The report claimed that a hacking organization based in China codenamed “Volt Typhoon,” which had…

It is hard to imagine that, just one year ago, Meng Chao was teaching at Tsinghua University. Today, he is a leader of a village in northwest Beijing. Some 70 km from downtown Beijing, Nanshan Village, located in Nandulehe Town, Pinggu District, sits in a 3-km-long lush valley in which a river quietly flows. Beyond one of the mountains behind the village is Beijing’s neighboring Tianjin Municipality. “Like many northern mountain villages, Nanshan once struggled to fund infrastructure. The roads were rough and the prices of locally produced persimmons, walnuts, and hawthorns declined year after year,” Jia Jingyu, an official from the township government, told Beijing Review. Young people left to work elsewhere, leaving many homesteads quiet and empty, he added. Decreasing prices of rural produce and the resulting departure…

Amid the continuous rollout and implementation of a series of financial and fiscal policies, China has released its third-quarter economic results. Can it meet its economic growth target for the year as expected, and what direction should the economy take in the future? To explore these questions, Beijing Review reporter Zhang Shasha interviewed Bank of China’s chief researcher Zong Liang. Edited excerpts of their conversation follow: Beijing Review: Following the U.S. Federal Reserve’s decision to cut interest rates, China rolled out a comprehensive package of financial and fiscal policies. Do you believe there is a connection between the two? In what ways do they influence one another? Zong Liang: Broadly speaking, China’s policy decisions are made based on the country’s own circumstances. At each stage, policies are formulated through a…

For the first time, China hosted the SWIFT International Banker’s Operation Seminar (SIBOS), a premier annual conference organized by the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication (SWIFT), in Beijing from October 21 to 24, bringing together leaders from finance, technology and policy. SWIFT is a global provider of financial messaging services. China’s ascent as a global financial power has been one of the most significant developments in recent years. As the world’s second largest economy, China’s influence on global trade and investment has grown rapidly. The hosting of SIBOS in Beijing signals China’s commitment to further integrate itself into the global financial system. One key area where China is leading the charge is in digital innovation. The country has been at the forefront of fintech development, with companies like Ant…

Recently, the Tsinghua University School of Law and the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) jointly launched a master’s degree program on intellectual property (IP) and innovation policy, welcoming the first batch of students in the current fall semester. “IP has become a tool to promote global innovation and economic development, and China has become a pacesetter in the application of industrial IP rights,” WIPO Director General Daren Tang said. A complete IP education system has taken shape in China, and now the system will become more internationalized, thanks to the new master’s program. “China is advancing its innovation-driven development while increasing efforts to protect IP rights. A large group of high-caliber professionals are needed and this program, taught in English and open to students from across the globe, aims to…