Innehållsförteckning för Vol.68/No.5 från Beijing Review

China’s National Bureau of Statistics on January 17 released the country’s economic performance results for 2024. Throughout last year, China’s GDP surpassed 130 trillion yuan ($17.8 trillion) for the first time, approaching 134.91 trillion yuan ($18.77 trillion). The year-on-year growth rate of 5 percent was one of the highest among major global economies, successfully meeting the annual growth target of around 5 percent. These achievements were hard-earned. In 2024, the Chinese economy faced intensified adverse impacts from the external environment, including rising regional conflicts, trade protectionism, and unilateralism. Domestic demand, particularly consumer demand, was insufficient, and investment remained sluggish, particularly in the real estate sector. Additionally, many businesses encountered difficulties in production and operations, highlighting the challenges facing the economy. Despite this backdrop, the resilience and potential of the Chinese…

Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region has consistently been a compelling area of study for scholars both within China and internationally. Zhang Weiwei, Director of the China Institute at Fudan University in Shanghai, has focused much of his recent research on the transformation happening in Xinjiang. In a recent interview with Beijing Review reporter Li Fangfang, Zhang discussed the ongoing changes within the region, its evolving global image and the factors driving these developments. Edited excerpts of their conversation follow: Beijing Review: Your current affairs TV show China Now has highlighted the development and transformation occurring in Xinjiang. The first episode focusing on Xinjiang, Episode 116 in 2021, was titled Xinjiang Is a Great Place, while a recent episode, Episode 240 in 2024, was titled The Development of Xinjiang: Forging the Strong…

For the first time in 40 years, frigid temperatures pushed the U.S. presidential inauguration indoors on January 20. On the dais, with his wife next to him and surrounded by his children, Trump was sworn in as the 47th President of the United States. And so, his second term began. He invited Chinese and other world leaders to his inauguration, an unusual gesture in American political customs. Responding to the invitation, President Xi Jinping’s special representative, Vice President Han Zheng, attended the ceremony in Washington, D.C. A positive start During his stay in the U.S., Han met with U.S. Vice President JD Vance, Tesla CEO Elon Musk, Chair Emeritus of the U.S. Brookings Institution John Thornton and others ahead of Trump’s inauguration. In his meeting with Vance, Han said Xi…

Xiaohongshu (Little Red Book or RedNote), a very popular Chinese lifestyle and e-commerce platform, recently saw a meteoric rise in popularity—almost overnight. When TikTok faced a looming ban in the United States on January 19, a large number of the app’s U.S. users flocked to RedNote to open accounts there and engage with both local Chinese users and their fellow U.S. users. Many of them, referring to themselves as “TikTok refugees,” posted videos explaining their presence on the platform and interacted with the predominantly Chinese-speaking user base. In the days that followed, despite TikTok’s fate oscillating between being banned and having the ban lifted, RedNote users engaged in extensive discussions on a variety of topics, which opened up unexpected avenues for cultural exchange between Chinese and American users. Digital migration…

The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) on January 16 released findings from its Section 301 investigation into China’s alleged efforts to dominate the maritime, logistics and shipbuilding sectors. Section 301 refers to a provision of the 1974 Trade Act that allows the U.S. Government to take action against foreign trade practices that are deemed unfair or discriminatory. The USTR claims that China provides substantial subsidies to its shipbuilding industry, which poses a threat to U.S. interests. As part of its response, the USTR proposed implementing port fees for Chinese-made vessels. In response, China’s Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM), Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), and the China Association of the National Shipbuilding Industry (CANSI) expressed strong dissatisfaction with the USTR’s actions. A spokesperson for MOFCOM stated that the USTR’s…

A children’s folk rhyme describing people’s behavior during the Spring Festival, China’s most important annual holiday which fell on January 29 this year, goes: “They buy meat, sugar, nuts and staple foods, as well as clean the house…” This ancient song is a testimony to the preparations people make to celebrate the Spring Festival, or Chinese New Year. In modern China, people have kept the habit of making big purchases in the lead-up to this time of family reunion and sumptuous meals, and the things they like to buy have become more diverse. “Recently, top-selling goods include snack packs, alcohol, pastries, nuts and fresh fruits and vegetables, as well as indoor decorations,” a customer manager surnamed Wang from Wu Mart, a well-known supermarket chain in north China, told Beijing Review.…

PIONEERS IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY HONORED The Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) on January 16 announced that Chen Liquan (left) from the CAS Institute of Physics and Chen Xianhui from the University of Science and Technology of China had received the Individual Achievement Award, part of its 2024 Outstanding Science and Technology Achievement Prize, for their contributions to major science and technology achievements over the last five years. Chen Liquan, a member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, has dedicated over four decades to lithium battery research, beginning in 1976. His contributions both laid the foundation and subsequently paved the way for the continuous advancement of China’s lithium-ion battery industry. Chen Xianhui, a member of the CAS, has made significant strides in the frontier fields of quantum materials. His pioneering…

The World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting 2025 began in Davos, Switzerland, on January 20, coinciding with U.S. President Donald Trump’s inauguration in Washington, D.C. From January 20 to 24, nearly 3,000 attendees from around the world, including Trump, participated in this unofficial economic forum—known as the world economic barometer—either in person or virtually. As Borge Brende, WEF President and CEO, remarked before the event, the world is facing the highest level of global uncertainty in a generation, driven by geopolitical tensions, economic fragmentation and accelerating climate change. In the face of such immense uncertainty, finding solutions to these challenges has become the key focus for the global elite in 2025. Global risks In 2024, the world economy had still yet to substantively recover from the impacts of the COVID-19…

The annual local Two Sessions, one session of the people’s congress and one of the committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) in each provincial-level region, serve as a crucial window for observing the economic and social development of various regions. Since mid-to-late January, provincial-level Two Sessions have been convened intensively, unveiling the blueprint for local economic and social development this year. By January 19, 20 province-level regions had concluded their local Two Sessions and announced their economic growth targets for 2025. The provincial-level Two Sessions are typically held in January or February. During these meetings, participants review regional economic and social development in the previous year and formulate plans for the upcoming year. Subsequently, in March, delegates from the regions to the National People’s Congress (NPC) and…

In a very diversified global community, culture has acted as a powerful binding force that keeps the world from falling apart. And China, with a rich tapestry of culture that continues to absorb, adapt and evolve, has been a major player in facilitating global cultural exchange and fostering human connection at a deeper level. In recent months, Shanghai appears to have become the new darling of young adults from the Republic of Korea (ROK), an increasing number of whom are flocking to China for short weekend getaways. According to data from Chinese online travel agency Trip.com, bookings by people from the ROK for travel during the Chinese New Year holiday, from January 28 to February 4, has seen a year-on-year increase of 452 percent. This drastic surge in ROK travelers…

The Chinese zodiac, consisting of 12 animal signs, is a quintessential part of traditional Chinese culture. On January 29, the Year of the Snake began according to the Chinese lunisolar calendar. The snake is a powerful cultural symbol associated with wisdom, healing and good fortune. On December 6, 2024, the opening ceremony and Zodiac Culture Forum for the “Year In Year Out: Global Zodiac Design Competition Invitational Exhibition” took place at the Beijing Overseas Cultural Exchange Center. At this event, designers creatively merged traditional Chinese culture with contemporary daily life, offering new interpretations of the snake. Let’s take a look at the winning designs from this competition. BR Comments to wangruohan@cicgamericas.com…

Some universities in China and around the world are making adjustments to the ways in which they deliver liberal arts subjects, with some subjects being suspended or canceled altogether. These changes have sparked a lot of discussion in China with some questioning the value of these subjects and others saying their cancellation is leading to a global decline in the liberal arts. Tong Dezhi (Huanqiu.com): Universities have the right and the responsibility to ensure their courses best equip their students to maximize their opportunities in the job market. The adjustment of liberal arts education did not suddenly begin in 2024, but has been ongoing for a number of years. Over this time, enrollment in liberal arts subjects has continued to decline. Education resources tend to be concentrated into science and…