China: Facts, Events, Opinions (42/2022/1)

chiny24.com 2 years ago

Economics (经济), Business (生意)

Inflation Not Terrible

In November this year, inflation measured by consumer price index CPI (chin. 居民消费价格指数. Consumer Price Index) shows a downward trend for the second period in a row.

A November reading of inflation on the basis of consumer price changes indicated an increase of 1.6% in the year-to-year ratio (year/year). The average of 11 months since the beginning of the year is 2.0%. This means that inflation in China is inactive under control and below the 3% average for this year.

Data: State Statistical Office (国家统计局) r/r – year per year; m/m – period per month)

The ex-factory index (PPI) besides shows a downward trend. In November, ex-factory prices of PPI decreased by 1.3% in relation to year/year. The average of 11 months of this year is an increase of 4.6% y/y. Although the beginning of the year did not indicate that they would return to a calm level.

Data: State Statistical Office (国家统计局) r/r – year per year; m/m – period per month)

Source:

http://www.stats.gov.cn/tjsj/sjjd/202212/t20221209_1890857.html

GDP forecast

As usual in December, the Academy of Social Sciences of China (chin. 中国社会科学院) presents its forecasts of economical improvement for the following year. This time, China's GDP is projected to increase by 5.1% y/y in 2023. This year, the Academy was mistaken, and it was a lot. Will the projections for next year be closer to the real condition of the economy? We'll see next year.

Source:

Motorization (汽车)

Car Record

At the end of November, more than 500 million cars were registered in China. China is the largest global car market.

Source:

https://item.btime.com/464fur73c1880o95ge5k336fds0

Science (科学), Education (教育)

First underwater spectroscope

The Institute of Oceanography of the Academy of Sciences of China (chin. 中国科学院海洋研究所) built the world's first deep-water spectroscope – Multi-Channel Raman Insertion Probes strategy (Multi-RiPs), which passed successfully the first trials in the sea depths.

This device is utilized to test the structure and chemical composition of the seabed, which allows to detect possible areas of mineral deposits or energy resources. The camera can be placed at a depth of up to 4,500 metres below the water surface, which fundamentally allows to penetrate the full bottom of the South China Sea. The equipment was tested there, and it will work there in the close future.

Source:

https://www.chinanews.com.cn/gn/2022/12-07/909566.shtml

Society (社会)

The number of marriages falls

All the demographic problems presently facing China are being addressed by the declining number of married couples. In 2021, for the first time in 37 years, this figure fell below 12 million per year – amounted to 11,578 million. This is simply a decrease of as much as 708,000 of the relationships concluded than in 2020.

During the 3 quarters of this year, the marriages in China were 7.5% little than in the same period of the past year.

Most fresh marriages were registered in GuangDong 广东, HeNan 河南, JiangSu 江苏, SiChuan 四川 and ShanDong 山东 provinces.

The least in the provinces of JiLin 吉林, interior Mongolia 内蒙古, HeiLongJiang 黑龙江, XinJiang 新疆维吾尔族, and in ChongQing 重庆 (a town separated by provincial laws).

Young Chinese later and later marry. The average age of spouses last year in China was 28.67 years. That's 3.78 more than in 2010.

Data: State Statistical Office (国家统计局) – Statistical Yearbook 2022.

Source:

Foreign Affairs (外交事务)

Xi in Saudi Arabia

The reception that president Xi JinPing had during a fresh visit to Saudi Arabia, which took place on 8.-10.12.2022, was linked to the first summit of the format of the Chinese-Arab States and the next summit of the Cooperation Council of China-Persian Gulf, was not reported in Chinese media. Xi, as the head of state, was accepted with the highest honors in the frame that states as wealthy as Saudi Arabia can afford. Xi's admission was a large contrast to welcome US president Joe Biden, who visited Saudi Arabia a fewer weeks earlier. Of course, the expression of both visits, others, and luminaires, was different, but the imagery and many gestures made left no uncertainty to whom the Saudi Arabia's interest and the full region were directed.

When the Air China aircraft of the Chinese delegation landed at the Riyadh airport, and Xi Jinping appeared at the jet's open door, the sky cut off a squadron of fighter jets painting streaks in the skies in China's national colors, and the battery of the department donated honorary volleys. An armored Hongqi N701 Xi JinPing limousine accompanied members of the Saudi horse defender on their way from the airport to the royal palace, holding in their hands a tree with flags of both states. The talks with Xi JinPing were led by both King Salman bin Abd al-Aziz al-Saud and Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia in 1 person, namely Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdel Aziz Al Saud.

A banquet was held in honor of Xi.

But more crucial than the royal reception in Riyadh are the effects of Xi JinPing's journey to the Persian Gulf. These are just as awesome as the kind in which the head of the mediate State was hosted. First of all, president Xi and King Salman personally signed an agreement on a comprehensive strategical partnership (which was highlighted especially due to the fact that it is an highly uncommon practice).

A number of strategical agreements have besides been concluded, including:

about the participation of Chinese construction and technological companies in the task of building the futuristic city of the future NEOM on the shore of the Red Sea (worth USD 500 billion, i.e. about PLN 2,226 trillion);
with HuaWei (华为) about technological cooperation and the improvement of 5G networks;
to establish a Joint Committee of the advanced Level of China and Saudi Arabia at Prime Ministers level.

In addition, Chinese and Saudi companies have concluded 34 agreements on trade, economical cooperation, investment, among others in the automotive, arms, logistics, green energy, IT, cloud services, housing, transport, hydrogen, “Pasa and Trail”, law and education, with a full value of over USD 30 billion (approx. PLN 133.59 billion).

Both leaders (Xi and Prince Salman) besides declared that Saudi Arabia is an crucial associate of the arabian and muslim world, an crucial independent force in the multipolar planet and a strategical partner of China in the mediate East. president Xi stressed that China powerfully supports Saudi Arabia in protecting national sovereignty, safety and stableness and in following the improvement path, in line with its own circumstances. China will strengthen communication and coordination with Saudi Arabia on energy policy, increase the scale of oil trade and strengthen cooperation in its operation, construction of infrastructure, promotion of industrial parks and another major infrastructure projects. Both leaders agreed to meet regularly all 2 years and measure the advancement of cooperation.

President Xi Jin Ping during his stay in Saudi Arabia took part in a gathering of the Gulf Cooperation Council and the first summit of China-Arab States. He held bilateral meetings with leaders including Palestine, Egypt, Somalia, Mauritania, Qatar, Comoros. Tunisia, Djibouti, Iraq, Sudan, Kuwait, Yemen, Lebanon, Oman, Algeria, Bahrain.

President Xi proposed:

the introduction of oil and gas settlements in RMB;
increase the import of oil and liquefied natural gas from the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, while strengthening their cooperation in oil and gas exploitation, as well as the improvement of clean and low-carbon energy technologies;
promoting cooperation in the field of financial investment and setting up a joint investment fund;
expanding innovation and technology activities, in peculiar the joint construction of the large data and cloud services centre, as well as the improvement of 5G and 6G technologies;
enhancing aviation cooperation and cognition of language and culture;
the creation of the China-Gulf Free Trade Zone.

It is presently China's largest diplomatic and economical activity in the arabian planet since the creation of the People's Republic of China. China has signed cooperation agreements with 20 arabian countries under the Belt and way initiative and 17 arabian countries have supported the Chinese Global improvement Initiative. Saudi Arabia is the world's largest oil exporter. China is its most crucial recipient. About a 4th of all Saudi exports are sent annually to the mediate State. In 2021 the value of trade between both countries amounted to USD 80 billion (about PLN 356.24 billion).

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In the margins (顺便提一下)

Cases

On 11 December this year, the ashes of the late erstwhile president and secretary general KPChn Jiang ZeMina 江泽民 (died 30.11.) were scattered at sea, at the mouth of the Yangtze River (chin. ChangJiang / 长江). He was accompanied on board the warship by members of the closest household (including his spouse and son) and Cai Qi 蔡奇, a associate of the permanent committee of the KC KPCh Political Office.

Cremation and dumping of drugs into the sea were reportedly the individual want of the deceased. I am writing “saying” due to the fact that the same want was to be made by the late president Deng Xioping 邓晓平 in 1997. An interesting case, especially considering that the founder of People's China and the first leader of the country, Mao ZeDong 毛泽东, who died in 1976, was mummified and placed in the mausoleum on the finger of TianAnMen 天安门 in Beijing 北京. And he's the only dead leader in the PRC who's been treated this way after death. possibly it is simply a manifestation of Confucian hierarchy. possibly only the most equal among the equal were the top privileges and honors after death? They're paying him back so far.

Or is it simply that the anticipation of another leader’s cult being born in the embryo? To everyone who deserves it.

I can be wrong, of course.

I think the oldest of the surviving erstwhile leaders, Hu JinTao 胡金涛 (80 l.) besides has the want that his body should be cremated after death and the ashes scattered. Of course, I want him long years in wellness and prosperity.