Beijing Review - May 30, 2019

CDAC REPORT: SIGHTS, SOUNDS & TASTES FROM CROSS-CULTURAL EXCHANGES P.
18
VOL.62 NO.22 MAY 30, 2019 WWW.BJREVIEW.COM
GROWTH POWER
Technological advancement creates new professions
RMB6.00
USD1.70
AUD3.00
GBP1.20
CAD2.60
CHF2.60
JPY188 ᥪԦ̼Ձe‫ڍ‬ЮፑʶѮՁὙ$/(
VOL.62 NO.22 MAY 30, 2019 CONTENTS
EDITOR’S DESK NATION

02 New Professions, New Progress 32 Working in the Clouds
Tibet’s “dead zone” blossoms under
THIS WEEK assistance project
36 Smart and Strong
Changsha shines as construction
COVER STORY equipment base
CDAC REPORT BUSINESS

18 A Feast for the Senses 40 Lap of Luxury
Cultural exchange events bring +LJKHQGJRRGVĶQGDKDYHQLQ&KLQD
Asia closer 42 Market Watch
22 Opening a New Chapter
Publishing industries cross borders to
COVER STORY
grow accord FORUM
24 When Science Meets Art P.12 | Riding the New Tide 46 Return Rule on E-Commerce
Platforms: a Legal Right
Digital exhibition shows new Human-machine integration Or a Loophole?
artistic trends
26 The Magic of Dough produces careers of the future
Lip-smacking images from the Asian ESSAY
Cuisine Festival
P.16 | Connecting All 48 Defending China’s Rights
In the Arctic
WORLD IoT technology creates new demand Efforts to freeze out China have no basis
30 Strategic Ties
At 70, China-Russia ties grow stronger
P.17 | Smarter Treatment
Big data gives a legup to medicare
Cover Design: Wang Yajuan

BUSINESS
P.38 | Robust and Resilient
©2019 Beijing Review, all rights reserved.
Chinese economy on even keel
www.bjreview.com Follow us on
MEDIA PARTNER
BREAKING NEWS » SCAN ME » Using a QR code reader
Beijing Review (ISSN 1000-9140) is published weekly for US$61.00 per year by Cypress Books, 360 Swift Avenue, Suite 48, South San Francisco, CA 94080, Periodical Postage
Paid at South San Francisco, CA 94080. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Beijing Review, Cypress Books, 360 Swift Avenue, Suite 48, South San Francisco, CA 94080
EDITOR’S DESK
A News Weekly Magazine
Published Since 1958
President: Li Yafang
Vice President: Luo Xianyong
Associate Editors in Chief: Li Jianguo, Ding Zhitao
Assistant President: Li Zhenzhou
Executive Editor: Yan Wei
New Professions, New Progress

Associate Executive Editors: Zan Jifang, Liu Yunyun, Ding Ying
Production Director: Yao Bin
Editorial Administrators: Zeng Wenhui, Shi Bosen
Assistant Executive Editor: Li Fangfang
Commentator: Lan Xinzhen
Opinion/Culture Editor: Ding Ying
World Editor: Yu Lintao
Nation Editor: Zan Jifang
Thirteen new professions, mostly hi-tech- The emergence of the 13 new profes-
Business Editor: Deng Yaqing related such as artificial intelligence (AI) sions is a reflection of the vitality of the
Web Editor: Li Nan technician, the Internet of Things (IoT) Chinese economy, as they are injecting
Editorial Consultants: Rebeca Toledo, Sudeshna Sarkar
Staff Reporters: Tang Yuankai, Wang Jun, Pan Xiaoqiao, Yuan Yuan, technician, big data technician and cloud new impetus into China’s development.
Wang Hairong, Ji Jing, Lu Yan, Wen Qing, Li Qing, Li Xiaoyang, computing technician, were jointly released Currently, the Chinese economy is tran-
Ma Miaomiao, Zhang Shasha
Visual Director: Pamela Tobey
by the Ministry of Human Resources and sitioning from high-speed to high-quality
Photo Editor: Wang Xiang Social Security, the State Administration for growth, which poses new requirements
Photographer: Wei Yao Market Regulation and the National Bureau for labor. The release of these new profes-
Art: Li Shigong
Design Director: Wang Yajuan
of Statistics in April. sions indicates that China has successfully
Chief Designer: Cui Xiaodong They are defined as new since they cultivated workers who meet the re-
Designer: Zhao Boyu are not included in China’s Catalogue of quirements for this growth type and will
Proofreading: Ma Xin, Hou Beibei
Professions that was first published in promote sustainable growth.
Distribution Director: Hu Keqiang
Human Resources: Zhang Yajie
1999 and revised in 2015. The catalogue These professions also represent the
Marketing/PR Director: Pan Changqing initially listed 1,838 professions, which hot areas of development for the country’s
Legal Counsel: Yue Cheng were reduced to 1,481 in the revised ver- future. China is gearing up for Industry
North America Bureau sion. 4.0, the fourth industrial revolution featur-
Chief: Yu Shujun The new professions reflect the so- ing automation and data exchange in the
Tel/Fax: 1-201-792-0334
E-mail: yushujun@bjreview.com cial and economic development of the manufacturing industry. The 13 professions
Africa Bureau
country in recent years, as the Chinese represent the new trend. In order to cultivate
Chief: Li Jianguo Government has promoted these emerg- more professionals to satisfy the needs of
Tel: 27-71-6132053 ing hi-tech industries since the 18th China’s economic development in the fu-
E-mail: casa201208@hotmail.com
National Congress of the Communist ture, many Chinese universities have set up
*HQHUDO(GLWRULDO2IßFH Party of China in 2012. The number of majors related to AI and the IoT.
Tel: 86-10-68996252
Fax: 86-10-68326628 professionals employed in these indus- The 13 new professions will not be the
English Edition tries has kept surging, forming a stable last ones. As China’s economy develops,
Tel: 86-10-68996250
Advertising Department
group of employees with high educational more such professions will emerge in the
Tel: 86-10-68995807 levels and strong technological expertise. future. Q
E-mail: ad@bjreview.com.cn
Distribution Department
Tel: 86-10-68310644
E-mail: circulation@bjreview.com.cn
Published every Thursday by
BEIJING REVIEW, 24 Baiwanzhuang Lu,
Beijing 100037, China.
Overseas Distributor: China International Book Trading
WRITE TO US
Corporation (Guoji Shudian), P. O. BOX 399,
Beijing 100044, China
Tel: 86-10-68413849, 1-416-497-8096 (Canada) Send an e-mail: contact@bjreview.com.cn
Fax: 86-10-68412166
E-mail: fp@mail.cibtc.com.cn Please provide your name and address along with your submissions. Submissions may be edited.
Website: http://www.cibtc.com CHINA......RMB6.00 U.S.A.......USD1.70 AUSTRALIA......AUD3.00 UK......GBP1.20 CANADA......CAD2.60 SWITZERLAND......CHF2.60
General Distributor for Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan: JAPAN......JPY188 EUROPE......EURO1.90 TURKEY......YTL5.00 HK......HKD9.30 NEPAL......RS40
Peace Book Co. Ltd.
17/Fl, Paramount Bldg, 12 Ka Yip St, Chai Wan, HK ˞ክӬͮὙ˖‫ܰڍ‬஠ѢྟԦᛠ̂ˉࡌ
Tel: 852-28046687 Fax: 852-28046409 ˞ҨӬͮὙӑ̚ֆઐᇪ
Beijing Review (ISSN 1000-9140 USPS 2812) is published weekly in the ‫ڦڠ‬Ὑӑ̚ࣉ᜴ۡӜᄇʹࣺܷᛣՁᥪᎃὙ
United States for US$61.00 per year by Cypress Books, ᎃ‫͗ށ‬ὙృᬵᔉᎬЎҺృत‫ڍ‬ʷং๞ృ૜߾డ஠ӥ
360 Swift Avenue, Suite 48, South San Francisco, CA 94080 ᇪ᫁Ὑృᬵᔉ
News Postage Paid at South San Francisco, CA 94080
঳ᎃࠈႂពὙ
ԦᛠᦉႂពὙ

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Beijing Review,
Cypress Books, 360 Swift Avenue, Suite 48, Ӿ҄Ὑӑ̚ӧᐎӾ҄థᬌМՂ
South San Francisco, CA 94080 ӑ̚ֆઐᔭ஠ྟࣱኃయ*44/‫ڍ‬ЮፑʶѮՁὙ$/(ᥪԦ̼ՁὙ
ࣸն᝴Ժ᝼Ձӑ̚ࣉయѮᄅ᝭᝼ኃՁ
‫ڍ‬Юᭅ‫͈׫‬Ὑ̠ඞࣈЊ
2 BEIJING REVIEW MAY 30, 2019 http://www.bjreview.com

THIS WEEK
XINHUA
WELCOME BACK HOME
Xiao Liwu enjoys bamboo at the Qingchengshan Base of the China Conservation and Research Center for
Giant Pandas in Dujiangyan, southwest China’s Sichuan Province, on May 16.
The 6-year-old giant panda arrived that day with his 27-year-old mother Bai Yun after the San Diego
Zoo’s conservation loan agreement with China concluded. Bai Yun was sent to the U.S. zoo in 1996.
7KHFHQWHUFRQGXFWHGVFLHQWLĶFUHVHDUFKZLWKWKH]RRIRU\HDUVRQWKHSURWHFWLRQEUHHGLQJDQG
disease control of giant pandas and related public education.
http://www.bjreview.com MAY 30, 2019 BEIJING REVIEW 3

THIS WEEK SOCIETY
XINHUA
terms of the interprovincial on-the-
spot settlement of medical bills
through basic medical insurance
accounts.
Private hospitals will be en-
couraged to conduct cooperation
with public medical institutions in
developing Internet Plus healthcare
models and carrying out remote
medical care services, according to
the statement.
In addition, private hospitals
providing services in communities
will enjoy a reduction or exemption
of fees and taxes in accordance with
related rules.
Food Safety
China unveiled a guideline in May
to enhance the country’s food
safety with a phased plan to build a
modern governance mechanism in
VJG³GNF
Museum Fun
More than 97 percent of the
country’s major produce will need
to pass quality and food safety tests
A child admires a cultural relic at the Hebei Museum in Shijiazhuang, capital city of north China’s Hebei Province, by 2020, while over 98 percent of
on May 18, which was International Museum Day. food will pass through spot checks,
according to the guideline released
by central authorities.
Wildlife Protection 2TQVGEVKQPCPKPVGTPCVKQPCNPQPRTQ³V
animal welfare organization.
State Council executive meeting
chaired by Premier Li Keqiang on
By 2035, China should have
a world-leading set of food safety
Most Chinese respondents in a re- Hundreds of thousands of wild May 22. standards, a marked drop in illegal
cent survey said they would not take animals across the world are taken Deepening reform of the RTCEVKEGUFTKXGPD[RTQ³VUGGMKPI
part in any activities that may have a away from natural habitats, forced medical and healthcare system and globally advanced risk control
negative impact on animals during into captivity and subjected to abuse, and promoting the development capabilities.
wildlife tours, China Daily reported both mentally and physically, in the of private hospitals will help meet Utmost efforts should be made
on May 21. PCOGQHGPVGTVCKPOGPVCPFRTQ³V people’s needs for medical services, in developing standards, conducting
The survey found that more In 2015, World Animal stimulate market vitality and un- regulation, imposing penalties and
than 90 percent of Chinese travelers Protection developed an initiative, leash service consumption potential, seeking accountability, the guideline
who had participated in an overseas calling for animal-friendly tours and said a statement released after the said.
wildlife tour said they would take for tour operators worldwide to keep meeting. It also called for joint contribu-
into account whether their activities wild animals in the wild where they Space for the development of tion from all stakeholders including
negatively affected the animals belong. private hospitals should be expand- governments, enterprises and
before making future tour decisions. By the end of last year, more ed, it said, adding that government consumers.
“Wildlife-friendly travel plays a than 200 companies had stopped departments should not impose
crucial role in the healthy growth of
wildlife tourism. The survey showed
wildlife-related entertainment
services such as elephant rides, ac-
restrictions on the aggregate volume
or layout of private hospitals. Test Area
Chinese travelers would like to be cording to China Daily . The meeting also called for Beijing’s Haidian District, the capital’s
more responsible, which is very GPJCPEKPICRRTQXCNGH³EKGPE[HQT tech hub, is looking to enlarge its
encouraging,” Zhao Zhonghua, chief
representative of the World Animal Private Hospitals private hospitals and establishing a
cross-department approval mecha-
lead in self-driving vehicles with a
plan to create more space for tests.
2TQVGEVKQP%JKPCQH³EGUCKFVQVJG China will improve the develop- nism at all localities by the end of The district will build a dem-
newspaper. ment of private hospitals in a bid to the year. onstration area of 100 square km
The survey was jointly conduct- increase medical service supply and China will beef up policy sup- for self-driving vehicles, said Dai
ed by marketing company CVSC- improve people’s well-being. port for private hospitals and treat Binbin, head of the Haidian District
TNS Research and World Animal The decision was made at a them equally as public entities in Government, on May 19.

THIS WEEK
XINHUA
The area is part of an action legal service website has had 170 mil-
plan issued by the district govern- lion log-ins and more than 6 million
ment to spur the development and registered users, with about 700,000
innovation of driverless vehicles and cases handled online and about 5
intelligent connected vehicles (ICVs).
It will be a place to develop
million inquiries made, said Xiong
Xuanguo, Vice Minister of Justice, at a Tourism
ICVs and smart transportation by
featuring multiple scenarios, cloud
management, simulated tests and
press conference on May 20.
The website has pooled infor-
mation from about 770,000 legal
Peaks
People visit Pingyao
data support, Dai said. service agencies and 1.39 million
Ancient City in north
Companies and researchers will legal workers, and has provided over
China’s Shanxi Province
be able to test technologies in com- 1.8 million answers to inquiries so far,
on May 19, China
muting, logistics and delivery, and Xiong said.
Tourism Day.
road cleaning, he said. Moreover, it also collected law
Haidian will step up interna- texts, government regulations and
tional cooperation in the industry judicial interpretations for use by the
and plans to host a high-level public, Xiong said.
competition of driverless vehicles,
Dai said.
During the past year, Beijing
City Preference
granted road testing licenses to Chinese college graduates increas-
eight automakers: Baidu, NIO, BAIC, ingly favor second-tier cities over
Pony.ai, Tencent, Didi, Daimler and megacities such as Beijing and
Audi. Shanghai due to the latter’s high
According to a government living costs and competitive job mar- more than 231,000 college students 2014, to lower the threshold for set-
plan, test space for ICVs in the capital kets, China Daily reported on May 21. graduated from universities in ting up senior care institutions.
is expected to reach 500 square km Data from Zhaopin, an online Beijing last year, and 37.5 percent of The provincial department of
by 2022, and a total of 2,000 km of recruitment platform, showed that employed graduates chose to work civil affairs will issue relevant policy
roads will also be open for testing. 44 percent of 2019 graduates hoped outside the capital. documents on the registration and
Many Chinese cities, including VQ³PFLQDUKPUGEQPFVKGTEKVKGU supervision of these institutions
Beijing, Shanghai and Chongqing, while only about 30 percent wanted
to work in Beijing, Shanghai and
Elderly Care Market to promote services for seniors in
Guangdong.
have issued car plates for ICV road South China’s Guangdong Province
tests. Guangzhou. China’s elderly care system has
According to the platform, abolished an old regulation on the improved, with 163,800 senior care
college students also have higher market access of elderly care institu- institutions and facilities offering 7.46
Online Legal Services expectations of working in second- tions to boost the development million beds for senior citizens as of
A growing number of Chinese tier cities like Chengdu, Hangzhou, of the industry, local civil affairs the end of 2018.
people have received legal services and Wuhan, which have unveiled authorities said on May 20. A bundle of measures are being
on the Internet since a government- preferential policies for newcomers. #TGIKUVTCVKQPCPF³NKPIU[UVGO taken to accelerate the development
run website was oped a year ago. The newspaper cited a recent will be put into practice to replace of the elderly care service industry,
After its launch by the Ministry report by the Beijing Municipal the previous license system, which including fully opening up the
of Justice in May 2018, the national Education Commission which said was implemented on December 20, senior care market by 2020.
COURTESY PHOTO
Heroes Remembered
Actors present a Peking Opera work which tells about a group of
revolutionaries in east China’s Jiangxi Province at a theater in Nanchang,
capital city of the province, on May 5. The group, led by Zhang Longxiu,
UCETK³EGFVJGKTNKXGUHQTVJGHQWPFKPIQHVJG2GQRNG«U4GRWDNKEQH%JKPC
in 1949. It will be staged in Beijing on June 13.

THIS WEEK ECONOMY
Financial Openness are in line with the level of opening
up, the PBC added.
yuan ($260.3 billion) of bonds in the
country’s interbank bond market, up
would need to pay 9 percent.
Customs data showed more
China has made remarkable prog- As China enters a new era of de- 31 percent from a year earlier, and than 1,500 import enterprises in
TGUUKPQRGPKPIWRKVU³PCPEKCNUGEVQT velopment, further opening up the held 5.4 trillion yuan ($782.5 billion) Zhuhai and Zhongshan in south
and will continue to promote the ³PCPEKCNUGEVQTKUCRCVJVJCVKVOWUV QH[WCPFGPQOKPCVGF³PCPEKCN China’s Guangdong Province,
process, the central bank said. follow to integrate into the global assets, up 19 percent year on year, enjoyed lower VAT rates in April,
The country will adopt an economy, according to the PBC. according to the central bank. with their VAT reduction totaling 190
approach of pre-establishment From a domestic perspective, as million yuan ($27.5 million).
national treatment with a negative
list and pursue coordinated progress
the economy is transitioning from
high-speed growth to high-quality
Lower Tax Burden In northeast China’s Liaoning
Province, more than 4,000 enter-
KP³PCPEKCNQRGPKPIWRTGHQTOKP FGXGNQROGPVGZRCPFKPI³PCPEKCN Import enterprises have seen their RTKUGUDGPG³VGFHTQOVJGTGFWEVKQP
the exchange rate formation regime opening up will help build a diversi- VCZDWTFGPUKIPK³ECPVN[TGFWEGF amounting to 958 million yuan
and the process of advancing capital ³GF³PCPEKCNU[UVGORTQOQVG after China lowered value-added tax ($138.8 million) in April.
account convertibility, the People’s ³PCPEKCNTGHQTOCPFDGVVGTUGTXGVJG (VAT) rates, according to the General According to earlier estimates
Bank of China (PBC) said on its real economy, it said. Administration of Customs. by customs authorities, the total VAT
website. The PBC also noted that open- Starting on April 1, taxpayers reduction in imports is expected to
The country will also pay close KPIWRVJG³PCPEKCNUGEVQTJCUFTCYP subject to a 16-percent VAT rate on reach about 225 billion yuan ($33.5
CVVGPVKQPVQ³PCPEKCNTKUMEQPVTQN a positive market response. imported goods had it dropped to billion) this year.
CPFOCMGUWTGVJCVVJG³PCPEKCN As of the end of March, overseas 13 percent, while those who were
oversight and regulatory capabilities investors bought a net of 1.77 trillion subjected to a 10-percent VAT rate
Poverty Relief Funds
China’s central budget has allocated
an additional 35.12 billion yuan ($5.1
billion) for poverty relief, according
to the Ministry of Finance.
This has increased the Central
XINHUA
Government’s assigned funds to
126.1 billion yuan ($18.3 billion) in
VQVCNVJKU[GCTHWN³NNKPIVJGIQXGTP
ment’s allocation target, the ministry
said.
6JG³IWTGOCTMGFC[GCTQP
year increase of 18.85 percent from
2018 and an annual increase of 20
billion yuan ($2.90 billion) for the
fourth year in a row.
China has vowed to eradicate
absolute poverty by 2020. As the
deadline approaches, the country
is focusing on the nation’s poorest
people, who mainly live in deep
mountains with adverse natural
environments and backward infra-
structure, or have special needs.
The central budget also chan-
neled funds to support sectors such
as education, healthcare and social
security by prioritizing poverty-
stricken areas.
Frequent Upgrades
Industrial Transfer Chinese authorities will revise the
negative list for market access on an
Villagers work in a garment factory in Yanshan County, north China’s Hebei Province, on May 16. The factory is among annual basis and will unveil the 2019
a group of enterprises relocated from Xiongan New Area that will perform Beijing’s non-essential functions. They have version later this year.
created 17,000 job opportunities in Yanshan since 2018. To upgrade the negative list,

THIS WEEK
Intelligence Congress held in north
XINHUA
The company has placed its
center of gravity on pick-up stores China’s Tianjin on May 16-19.
located in areas with high demand Liu Gang, CINGAI chief
HQTEQHHGGUWEJCUQH³EGDWKNFKPIU economist, said China’s academic
commercial areas and university communities are trying to construct
campuses. synergistic innovation to bolster the
AI industry.
AI Academic Ecology Among 745 Chinese AI enter-
prises, 75.2 percent are involved in
6JGFGXGNQROGPVQH%JKPC«UCTVK³EKCN the application of related technolo-
intelligence (AI) industry is getting gies. Only 2.8 percent are involved
a strong boost from the academic in basic knowledge study while
³GNFCEEQTFKPIVQCTGRQTVTGNGCUGF 22 percent conduct technology
by the Chinese Institute of New research.
)GPGTCVKQP#TVK³EKCN+PVGNNKIGPEG In the application sector, there
Development Strategies (CINGAI) on are 18 varieties, including intelligent
May 18. OCPWHCEVWTKPI³PCPEKCNVGEJPQNQI[
As of February, 94 Chinese digital content and new media, new
universities had set up AI schools or retail and intelligent security.
research institutes, with 40 of them “Application-oriented academic
)DFHWR)DFHó'HDO inaugurated in 2018. Together
they published 19,374 papers on
research has played a big role in
giving a technological boost to the
A foreign exhibitor introduces products to visitors at the Expo Central China AI studies in 2018, which surpassed development of AI enterprises,” Liu
2019 in Nanchang, east China’s Jiangxi Province, on May 18. The event the U.S. said.
concluded on May 20. In addition, there are 75 institu- CINGAI was established by the
tions nationwide engaged in AI basic Chinese Academy of Engineering
research, technology development and the Tianjin Municipal
and talent cultivation, according to Government during the First World
a report issued at the Third World Intelligence Congress in 2017.
China will set up a mechanism all market players.

that combines annual revision China announced the 2018
with dynamic adjustments, the version of the negative list last
National Development and Reform December.
XINHUA
Commission said in a statement.
By doing so, the country will
keep the list in line with its latest
Coffee on Board
Chinese coffee startup Luckin Coffee
Bridge
reform developments and respond
to calls from market players to
QH³EKCNN[YGPVRWDNKEQP0CUFCSQP
May 17.
Over the
Yangtze
continue relaxing market access The company priced its initial
requirements, it added. public offering (IPO) at $17 per
It will work to apply the same American depositary share (ADS),
negative list around the whole coun- The Qingshan Yangtze
which is at the high end of its previ- River Road Bridge in
try and ensure that all legal and ously announced target range of
effective management measures are Wuhan, capital city of
$15-$17. The deal size of the IPO also central China’s Hubei
included. came in larger with 33 million ADS
“We will resolutely eliminate Province, is completed
instead of its originally planned 30 on May 16. At 7,548
illegal market access approvals, million. Each ADS represents eight
covert access thresholds and nega- meters, it is the world’s
Class A shares. longest cable-stayed
tive lists on access made by local After fees, the company raised DTKFIGYKVJC´QCVKPI
authorities,” the statement assured. approximately $571 million from the system.
The negative list for market IPO and concurrent private place-
CEEGUUQWVNKPGUUGEVQTU³GNFUCPF ment to Louis Dreyfus Company B.V.
businesses off-limits for investors. As of March 31, Luckin, founded
+PFWUVTKGU³GNFUCPFDWUKPGUUGUPQV in 2017, had set up 2,370 stores in 28
on the list are open for investment to cities in China in 18 months.

THIS WEEKWORLD
XINHUA
¼
¼
BELGIUM TURKEY
Representatives from China and the People gather in front of the mausoleum
European Union shake hands after signing of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, a national hero,
milestone agreements on civil aviation to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the
in Brussels on May 20 beginning of Turkey’s War of Independence
in Ankara on May 19
XINHUA
XINHUA
6:,7=(5/$1'
7HGURVó$GKDQRPó*KHEUH\HVXVó'LUHFWRUó
General of the World Health Organization,
attends the opening ceremony of the 72nd
World Health Assembly in Geneva on May 20

THIS WEEK
,1',$
Prime Minister Narendra Modi (right) celebrates victory in
the 17th general elections at the Bharatiya Janata Party
KHDGTXDUWHUVóLQó1HZó'HOKLóRQó0D\ó
XINHUA
XINHUA
XINHUA
¼
UKRAINE
President Volodymyr Zelensky holds the
presidential mace, a Ukrainian symbol of
SRZHUóGXULQJóKLVóVZHDULQJLQóFHUHPRQ\ó
in Kiev on May 20
REPUBLIC OF
KOREA
$óWUDGLWLRQDOó&RPLQJóRIó$JHó'D\ó
ceremony is held in Seoul on May 20.
The event is held when a person turns
19, the legal age for voting
in the country

THIS WEEKPEOPLE & POINTS
¾ :25/'ó5(12:1('ó$5&+,7(&7ó3$66(6ó$:$<
Renowned Chinese-born architect Ieoh Ming Pei, popularly known as I. M. Pei, died on May 16 at age
Stabilizing
102.
Pei’s modern designs and high-profile projects made him one of the most prominent architects of
the 20th century.
Pei was born in Guangzhou, south China’s Guangdong Province, and raised in Hong Kong and
Shanghai before moving to the United States in 1935. He studied architecture at the Massachusetts
Employment
Institute of Technology and Harvard University. Outlook Weekly
Since the 1940s, he was the mastermind behind a wide variety of famous buildings including
the glass pyramid at the Louvre in Paris, the Bank of China skyscraper in Hong Kong and the John F.
May 20
Kennedy Memorial Library in Boston. Employment in China remained stable in the first
Pei won the Pritzker Architecture Prize, known as the Nobel Prize of archi- quarter of 2019, with 3.24 million newly added ur-
tecture, in 1983. ban jobs registered, completing 29 percent of the
The Committee of 100 (C100), a premier U.S. organization of Chinese- yearly target.
American leaders from different fields, issued a statement on May 16, Multiple factors have contributed to stable
mourning the passing of the acclaimed architect, who was also a co-founder of employment. The emergence of new industries
the C100. DQGEXVLQHVVPRGHOVVXFKDVELJGDWDDUWLĶFLDO
intelligence and the Internet of Things have
created new job opportunities, especially for
Night Economy ferent regions of the country. First- and second-
tier cities see a prospering night economy
college graduates whose number is expected
to reach 8.34 million this year.
Guancha.gmw.cn whereas it is still at a preliminary stage of devel- An increasing number of migrant workers
May 15 opment in third- and fourth-tier cities.
To develop the night economy, service in-
KDYHUHWXUQHGWRWKHLUKRPHWRZQVWRĶQGMREV
or start their own businesses under govern-
The night economy refers to a category of dustries such as catering, entertainment, leisure ment preferential policies, which increased
economic activities that occur from 6:00 and tourism should be boosted to provide more employment in rural areas. Moreover, the home
p.m. to 6:00 a.m. that include dining, nightlife, comfortable experiences for consumers. service industry has developed rapidly and be-
arts, music, theater, entertainment, festivals, According to Beijing’s government work come a driver for employment as a result of the
events, activities and tourist attractions. It has report in 2019, the city will unveil measures to changed birth policy and the increasingly seri-
become a new driving force for consumption promote the night economy in order to boost ous aging problem.
and contributed to economic transforma- consumption. It is encouraging shopping malls, However, China still faces huge employ-
tion and upgrading. According to Ministry of supermarkets and convenience stores in major ment pressure. On the one hand, the number
Commerce statistics, over two thirds of catering commercial districts to extend their hours of of working-age people is large, with an average
industry sales in southwest China’s Chongqing operation. Other cities like Tianjin, Chengdu and of over 15 million new members being added
Municipality take place at night and 55 percent Qingdao have all come up with similar policies. to the labor force every year in urban areas till
of service industry sales in Guangzhou, south The development of the night economy 2020. On the other hand, the structural prob-
China’s Guangdong Province, come from the requires the guidance of the government lems of employment are still prominent. For
night economy. and participation of various market entities. instance, some college graduates lack the skills
However, China’s night economy lags be- In addition, the government should provide a required by certain jobs.
hind many other countries, with a gap in the guarantee of public security at night to clear
development of the night economy among dif- obstacles for the night economy.
“China objects to the generalization “Why is investment from any

of the national security concept and other part of the world a good thing, but
WKHóFUDFNGRZQóRQóUHJXODWLRQDELGLQJó from China, it turns evil?”
Chinese firms.” Asad Umar, Chairman of Pakistan’s National Assembly
Gao Fengó0LQLVWU\óRIó&RPPHUFHóVSRNHVPDQóRQó0D\óó Standing Committee on Finance, questioning the double
urging the U.S. to halt its actions and create conditions standard of certain countries on investment and rebutting
for normal trade and cooperation between enterprises the “debt trap” allegations in a recent interview
in the two countries with Xinhua News Agency

THIS WEEK
Electronic Products Aiding Education
People’s Daily
May 16
Whether children should use electronic products is a question of concern for many parents.
According to a survey, 60 percent of teenagers think their friends are addicted to smart-
phones and 33 percent would rather communicate with their friends online than meet them
face to face.
A healthy body and sound brain are the basis for innovative talent. Unfortunately, ex-
cessive use of electronic products may lead to memory degradation, headaches and sleep
disorders in children. The fragmented information and short videos which bombard children
every day may affect their ability to think independently, while easy access to information may
damage their desire to explore, as curiosity and the desire to learn are the essential qualities
for innovative people. Moreover, as many children are used to social networking online, they
may become shy in real life and lose the ability to participate in teamwork, which is an impor-
tant quality today.
However, as every coin has two sides, the Internet also has its bright side. It has tran-
scended geographical restrictions to enable children anywhere to access the best educational
resources. All kinds of homework apps have also increased interactions between students and
teachers online.
Schools and parents should therefore give proper guidance to children in using electronic
In order to stabilize employment, the gov- products in order for them to be useful study aids.
ernment should offer better services to college
graduates by providing them with job informa- ¾ )250(5ó723ó6(&85,7,(6ó5(*8/$725ó6855(1'(56
tion and giving them guidance on seeking jobs
or starting their own businesses. Liu Shiyu, China’s former top securities regulator, has surrendered to anti-corruption
Enterprises have a crucial role in stabiliz- authorities, according to the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI).
ing employment. The government should He is cooperating with the CCDI and the National Commission of Supervision in the
reduce the social insurance contribution rate investigation of suspected violations of disciplines and laws, the CCDI said in a state-
of enterprises and give subsidies to enterprises ment on its website on May 19.
that absorb workers having difficulty finding Liu, born in 1961 in east China’s Jiangsu Province, was the second ministerial-
employment. It should also support the growth OHYHORIĶFLDOWRVXUUHQGHUWRDQWLFRUUXSWLRQDXWKRULWLHVVLQFHWKHWK
of emerging industries to create more job National Congress of the Communist Party of China in 2012.
opportunities. He served as assistant to the governor of the People’s Bank of
Professional skills training should be China, vice governor of the People’s Bank of China and chairman of
strengthened by providing more government the Agricultural Bank of China. In 2016, he was appointed head of the
funding and expanding the enrollment of voca- China Securities Regulatory Commission.
tional schools to solve the structural problem of Liu was replaced by Yi Huiman, former Chairman of the Industrial
employment. and Commercial Bank of China.
“The commitment of European “As a matter of fact, although the U.S.

businesses to the Chinese market in spite has been threatening to raise tariffs
of challenges from trade tensions has on Chinese products for more than a
shown the importance of China in the year, foreign investors’ enthusiasm in
strategies of many companies.” China remains high, and they are still
Denis Depoux, head of Roland Berger Asia, in response to the optimistic about the Chinese market.”
European Business in China Business Confidence Survey 2019 Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lu Kang, in response to a
released by the European Union Chamber of Commerce TXHVWLRQóDERXWó86ó3UHVLGHQWó'RQDOGó7UXPS·VóFODLPóWKDWó
in China on May 20 tariffs on Chinese goods were causing companies to move
production out of China to other countries ,
at a news briefing on May 21

COVER STORY
RIDING THE NEW TIDE

Industrial upgrading creates new occupations By Li Xiaoyang

3LORWVRSHUDWHGURQHVWRVSUHDGIHUWLOL]HURQZKHDWĶHOGVLQDQ
agricultural demonstration zone in Gucheng County, north
China’s Hebei Province, on April 1
one of the new occupations that have

emerged amid the industrial restructuring
in China. The Ministry of Human Resources
and Social Security (MOHRSS), the State
Administration for Market Regulation and
the National Bureau of Statistics recently
announced 13 additions to the national
occupational inventory. They also include
AI technician, IoT technician, big data
technician, cloud computing technician,
electronic sports specialist, unmanned
aerial vehicle (UAV) pilot and agricultural
manager.
According to Yang Weiguo, a profes-
sor at the Beijing-based Renmin University
of China, new jobs are being created in
the current era of digital economy due to
the development of new industries and
people’s increasing demands.
“The official recognition of the new
occupations will help improve the profes-
sionalism of related service and product
providers,” he said.
Embracing change
The catalogue of occupational classifica-
tions in China was published in 1999. It
listed 1,838 job titles. From 2010, the list
began to be revised with outdated occupa-
tions removed and new ones added.
XINHUA
The MOHRSS said revising the national
W
occupational inventory is necessary since
hen Wang Feifei worked the smart logistics park, 700 robots can the focus of the economy is shifting from
at a warehouse of Cainiao function simultaneously. The park uses high-speed growth to high-quality devel-
Network, e-commerce gi- technologies such as the Internet of Things opment. As new occupations continue
ant Alibaba Group’s logistics ,R7DQGDUWLĶFLDOLQWHOOLJHQFH$,DQGLVĶYH to emerge in various industries, regular
arm, he had to labor eight times more efficient than traditional ones releases on new occupations will boost em-
hours every day, carrying and sorting pack- relying on human workforces. ployment, reform educational and training
ages. But since last September, things have “I used to work with over 20 colleagues systems and improve labor market policies.
changed. to sort packages but we could handle maxi- The birth of new occupations is also
Wang now operates industrial robots in mum 6,000 orders per day. Now, a robot closely related to the changing division of
Cainiao’s logistics park in Jiaxing, Zhejiang can deal with 700-800 orders per hour,” he labor and expanding markets. To keep pace
Province in east China, freed from the said. with domestic economic and technological
drudgery of monotonous manual labor. In Industrial robot system operator is development, jobs requiring simple and re-
V
V

petitive work have been phased out, such have replaced human labor in factories, The digital trend
as telephone and paging operators. In the there is an increasing need for people to The Report on the Work of the Government
meantime, new jobs promoted by emerg- operate and maintain the robots. According delivered by Premier Li Keqiang at this
ing service industries such as ride-hail WRWKH02+566ĶHOGVVXFKDV$,WKH,R7 year’s session of the National People’s
drivers and express delivery workers have big data and cloud computing badly need Congress, the national legislature, in March
come up. technicians, given the wide application of
New technologies have re-equipped highlighted that state departments need
these technologies. WRVWUHQJWKHQVXSSRUWIRUßH[LEOHHPSOR\-
traditional industries. With the rapid de-
As UAVs are widely used in plant pro- ment and new kinds of jobs.
velopment of industrial robots, traditional
fields such as vehicle manufacturing and tection, mapping, photography, supervision The rise of the digital economy has
casting are embracing automatic operation of farmland and logistics, the demand for given a strong impetus to the employ-
ZKLFKFDQODUJHO\LPSURYHZRUNHIĶFLHQF\ UAV pilots has also grown rapidly. ment scenario. According to a white paper
Work that may cause harm to humans such Since agricultural communities such released earlier this year, there were 191
as spraying pesticide has been gradually as farmers’ cooperatives have burgeoned, million digital economy-related jobs in
taken over by drones. agricultural managers are playing an in- China in 2018, representing 24.6 percent
Yang Lijun, a welder in a unit of Sany creasingly bigger role in farming activities. of all jobs. Following the trend, occupations
Heavy Industry Co. in Changsha, Hunan Focusing on production, facilities, tech- such as website designing and online mar-
Province in central China, has seen the nologies as well as processing and sales of keting are becoming the new market craze.
number of robots increase in the engineer- agricultural products, these managers need Becoming online store owners is also a top
ing machinery manufacturer’s workshop. choice for many who want to be their own
to have both professional knowledge and
These welding robots are agile enough to boss.
work experience on farms.
FRPSOHWHWDVNVGLIĶFXOWIRUKXPDQZRUNHUV Due to changing concepts and life-
Tang Yiwu, an official with the styles, some occupations that were once
“Now 90 percent of my work has been
Department of Agriculture and Rural marginalized and unrecognized now stand
taken over by the robots. The advantage
in using robots is that they can keep work- Affairs of northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur out, indicating increasingly equal treat-
ing efficiently and produce high-quality Autonomous Region, said agricultural man- ment for professionals from all walks of
SURGXFWVZKLFKLVGLIĶFXOWIRUXVKXPDQVq agers can organize farmers to carry out life. Most notably, e-sport, organized online
Yang said. massive production and improve yields. competitions like video gaming, has been
As low-skill jobs fade away, job hunters “Improving the number of agricultural RIĶFLDOO\UHFRJQL]HGDVDFRPSHWLWLYHVSRUW
need higher educational levels and abilities. managers is important for vitalizing China’s and shows great market potential, giving e-
Since a rising number of industrial robots rural areas,” he said. players greater opportunities.
XINHUA
The Chinese team competes with the Thai side in Arena of Valor, an e-sports demonstration event, at the 18th Asian Games in Jakarta, Indonesia, on August 26, 2018

According to China’s Occupation Skill
XINHUA
Testing Authority, e-sports professionals
include players participating in tourneys,
trainers, analysts providing data analyses
for the industry and designers who design
new games.
Data by Internet giant Tencent shows
that the total size of the e-sports industry
in China was worth some 8.4 billion yuan
ELOOLRQLQ7KHĶJXUHLVH[SHFW-
ed to reach 20 billion yuan ($2.9 billion) in
2020, more than doubling in two years.
However, Wang Fei, an operation and
management staffer of an e-sports club in
Shanghai, cautioned that e-sports jobs are
not as easy as they may seem. Professional
players often need to train for over 10
hours per day. For most of the year, they
have to participate in various competitions
under great pressure.
Individual interests and diverse needs
have also generated novel occupations
such as providing the service of organizing
messy wardrobes and walking pets. The
trend suggests that consumption upgrade
is creating blue ocean markets.
“Internet-based new business modes
will continue to generate more new occu-
pations, promoting restructuring of service
industries and improving the quality of
people’s life,” Yang Weiguo, the professor,
said.
Better meeting demands

The new occupations have improved
China’s job market. For the rising number A smart robot carries packages to be distributed in a warehouse of Cainiao Logistics in Wuxi, east China’s Jiangsu Province,
of Chinese graduates each year, the em- on November 8, 2018
ployment pressure will be offset by rising sports majors, it remains to be seen how ply and demand, some people engaged
new opportunities. A report by education practical these courses are. in traditional occupations may not yet be
consultancy MyCOS last year said there ready to embrace new occupations and
To better meet the market need for
were rising demands for majors such as worry about losing their jobs. As the use of
high-level and specialized talents, domes-
information security, software engineer- modern technologies becomes more wide-
tic colleges need to introduce or upgrade
ing, network engineering, IoT engineering, spread, unskilled human labor forces are
technical courses. “Since most of the 13
digital media technologies and telecommu- IDFLQJDJUHDWUHVKXIßH7KRVHRQWKHORZHU
nication face. The jobs carry high salaries new occupations focus on the digital econ-
omy and AI, an urgent task for Chinese end of industrial chains will be gradually
and work satisfaction. squeezed out.
According to Cai Yuezhou, a researcher colleges and vocational schools is to add
the courses into the current curricula,” But Yang Lijun doesn’t fear that he will
with the Chinese Academy of Social be replaced by robots. “Humans can create
Sciences, the demand for professionals Deng Qingning, the principal of a vocation-
al school in Guangdong Province, said. new things and perform complicated and
providing high-level and customized ser- personalized work. Although automation is
vices such as psychological consultants Efforts should also be made to regulate
the development of new occupations and a major trend in industrial manufacturing,
and industrial designers will also continue human labor forces still have their edge,”
to rise. better protect workers’ rights and interests.
As Fu Yifu, a researcher with the Suning he asserted.
But though the new occupations bring Cai foresees synergy between man and
more options for job seekers, the gap be- Financial Research Institute, highlighted,
measures to improve social security are machine. Robots may partially replace hu-
tween demand and supply of talents needs mans and lead to unemployment in some
to be narrowed. In the case of the e-sports needed to cushion the transformation of
areas but as technologies become more
industry, for instance, according to Tencent occupations. New occupations, which have
sophisticated, the future will see comple-
data in 2018, China had only 50,000 pro- different skill requirements, also make it
mentary cooperation between human
fessional players while there were 260,000 necessary for individuals to explore their
forces and robots, he said. Q
vacancies. By 2020, it is estimated that own professional areas and enhance per-
around 500,000 players will be needed. sonal skills. Copyedited by Sudeshna Sarkar
Although some colleges have added e- Given the current gap between job sup- Comments to lixiaoyang@bjreview.com

COVER STORY
CONNECTING ALL
The development of the Internet of Things creates demand for new professionals
By Evan Li
COURTESY PHOTO
Chen Fang, an engineer with China Mobile IoT Co. Ltd.,
gives a presentation at an IoT seminar in May 2018
golden era, the report said.

The fast growth of the IoT market in
China can be attributed to a rise in the
use of smartphones, wide usage of the
Internet, cost reduction, infrastructure im-
provement as well as demand.
Smart cities, the industrial IoT, the IoV
and smart homes have become new indus-
tries. Data from the National Development
and Reform Commission show that around
500 cities in China had launched smart city
projects by the end of August 2018.
According to Qianzhan, a Beijing-based
A
fter joining China Mobile as an Internet “The rise of mobile payments around industry consultant, China’s IoT industry
of Things (IoT) engineer in 2010, Chen 2013 triggered a great change in the IoT is predicted to exceed 1.5 trillion yuan
Fang found that the Machine-to-Machine mode,” Chen said, referring to the large- ($217.2 billion) in 2020.
Center where he worked had only about a scale application of the quick response The IoT industry boom has generated
dozen employees. Now, the number stands at code which, on being scanned by smart- a greater demand for talent. Vocational
over 200. phones, enables people to make payments schools across China have added
“At that time, I worked to develop and get access to products or services they Internet-related courses to produce more
modems and sensors for smart home want. personnel. Universities have also developed
appliances,” said Chen, who received his According to a recent report by the courses on the IoT and even established
master’s degree in communication en- Ministry of Industry and Information departments.
gineering from Chongqing University of Technology, China’s IoT business saw its In the next few years, the demand
Posts and Telecommunications. “The IoT revenue increase by around 73 percent in for IoT professionals will exceed 200,000
had just begun to develop in China back 2018 from the previous year. At the end of whereas the actual number of IoT gradu-
then.” last year, China Telecom, China Mobile and ates produced annually is fewer than
It was not until April this year that IoT China Unicom—the three major Chinese 100,000, Zhao Fu, a researcher with the
engineer was officially incorporated into telecom service operators—saw their IoT Chinese Academy of Sciences, said.
China’s inventory of occupations. users totaling 671 million, increasing by Also, as Chen pointed out, many new
Chen has witnessed the rapid growth 400 million from a year earlier. employees in Internet-based industries
of the IoT, which aims to create a network China Mobile has developed OneNET, have only theoretical knowledge, but little
of physical objects equipped with sensors, its open IoT platform that can be used for hands-on experience. Therefore, the gap
software and other connectivity measures a variety of functions like environmental between the market demand for employ-
so that they can collect and exchange data. monitoring, smart agriculture, intelligent ees with practical abilities and the actual
“By following new trends in the IoT in- home devices and logistics tracing. supply needs to be narrowed.
dustry, I have gradually developed product The company is also reaching out to the The rapidly changing IoT industry poses
research, project management and market global market. “Given China’s thriving trade higher requirements for its personnel to
development skills,” he said. ties with other countries, we are working with keep pace with the times. They need to
In addition, the focus of his work has foreign telecom operators to provide users with specialize to meet specific needs in the
expanded to the Internet of Vehicles (IoV), IoT SIM cards that can be used both at home IoT-related industries, Chen said.
which aids driving by providing real-time in- and abroad,” Chen said. “Graduates need to identify their pref-
formation. As product director of the Smart Technological and Internet giants such erences while seeking jobs, since the IoT is
Connection Department of Chongqing- as Huawei and Alibaba have also entered a mega concept,” he added. Q
based China Mobile IoT Co. Ltd., he leads the industry. Along with the development
a team developing and promoting IoT ser- of new technologies such as artificial in- Copyedited by Sudeshna Sarkar
vices and products for millions of users. telligence, the IoT industry has entered a Comments to yanwei@bjreview.com

COVER STORY
SMARTER TREATMENT
How a computer science major switched to medical big data analysis By Li Xiaoyang
A medical worker conducts blood tests to develop smart
XINHUA
records of residents’ health status in Qujing, Yunnan

Province, on May 13
The adoption of big data has largely re-

newed the medical industry and made data
SURFHVVLQJPRUHHIĶFLHQWDQGDFFXUDWH,W
can help doctors search patient records for
diseases, past diagnoses and surgeries as
well as develop customized medical treat-
ment plans. Meanwhile, analyses of data
collected during clinical trials enable enter-
prises to produce drugs which can better
meet market demands.
From a long-term perspective, big data
will assist doctors in collecting patient in-
formation across the country, such as their
gender, age and length of hospital stays,
which can contribute to scientific and
medical research.
China has seen initial gains in promot-
ing the utilization of the Internet and big
data through pooling resources. It has the
largest number of big data professionals in
the world, accounting for 59.5 percent of
the total, according to a report released at
B
the 2019 Tianfu International Forum on Big
ig data engineer Li Kun’s routine work in- from specialized colleagues,” he said. With
Data and the Digital Economy in Chengdu,
volves analyzing medical treatment data, expanding technological and medical ex-
Sichuan Province, in May.
once an area entirely unfamiliar to him. pertise, Li sees brighter prospects.
However, of the country’s total working
Majoring in computer science at the Chinese As the Internet permeates all areas
population, those who work in the big data
Academy of Sciences, Li has risen to his current of society, big data has injected strong sector account for only 0.23 percent, lower
position through his steady efforts. impetus into traditional industries and gen- than the rates in the U.S. and the Republic
“I used to work on the research and erated demands for technicians with more of Korea, which stand at 0.41 percent and
development of database and data storage specialized knowledge. According to a re- 0.43 percent, respectively, the report said.
systems. Then I shifted to big data analysis, port on the outlook of big data released by To encourage more people to work
a job that is more intensive, and have been the think tank China Center for Information in the big data sector, Li said that college
focusing on the medical treatment field Industry Development, core industries in education and market demands need to
ever since,” Li told Beijing Review. The en- the country’s big data sector are expected be seamed closer together, for work like
gineer, in his 30s, has worked on databases to be worth more than 720 billion yuan his calls for both data processing skills
for four years and spent three years on ($106.3 billion) this year, with the sector and knowledge of the medical profession.
data analysis. set to register growth between 25 and 30 :LWKRXWWKHODWWHULWZRXOGEHKDUGWRĶQG
In the past, it could take doctors over a percent. sustainable growth in the industry.
day to search through patients’ records for Big data has been applied in various As the technician suggests, profes-
diseases; now, big data-based technology areas such as government affairs, retail, sionals should develop in an all-round way
allows them to retrieve pertinent informa- transportation, medicine, education and through both enhancing their technology
tion in minutes, according to Li. public governance. prowess and improving their knowledge in
Personal interest and learning on the “Traditional industries and big data related areas. Q
job have played a key role in Li’s growth. greatly complement each other, which has
“I acquired medical knowledge mainly promoted the upgrading of the former,” Li Copyedited by Rebeca Toledo
through reading books and seeking help said. Comments to lixiaoyang@bjreview.com

CDAC REPORT
1 2
4 3
XINHUA
A Feast for the Senses

Food, tourism and culture exhibitions bring Asians closer By Ji Jing

CDAC REPORT
the 2019 Asian Cuisine Consumption Trends

Report published by Meituan-Dianping, China’s
largest on-demand service platform, the num-
ber of Asian restaurants in China has kept an
annual growth rate of 50 percent. In Beijing
alone, there are now more than 4,000 Asian
restaurants besides regular Chinese restaurants,
according to the Beijing Municipal Bureau of
Commerce.
In terms of the number of Asian restaurants
in China, the top three are Japanese, Korean
and Southeast Asian cuisines, while restaurants
of South Asia, West Asia and Central Asia fla-
vors are also rapidly expanding, according to
the report. People from Shanghai, Beijing and
Guangzhou frequent those Asian restaurants
most, while young people born after 1990 ac-
count for 54.97 percent of their patrons and
those born after 1980 make up 27.46 percent
of the total number of customers.
1. Visitors arrive at the Asian Enjoying local food has become an impor-
Culture and Tourism Exhibition in tant component of Chinese tourists to other
Beijing on May 16 Asian countries. Thailand, Japan, Indonesia, Viet
Nam and the United Arab Emirates occupy the
2. An Indian demonstrates yoga WRSĶYHVSRWVZKHUH&KLQHVHWRXULVWVVSHQGRQ
poses at the exhibition
local cuisines.
In addition, Chinese food has gained in-
3. The Cambodia booth at the creasing popularity in other Asian countries.
exhibition In 2018 the number of Chinese restaurants
in Asian countries reached over 44,000, a
4. The Xi’an stop of the Asian Film 120-percent increase from 2015. Over 40 time-
and TV Week opens in the capital honored Chinese restaurant brands such as
city of northwest China’s Shaanxi Quanjude Roast Duck and renowned hotpot
Province on May 17
restaurant Donglaishun have opened in 21
Asian cities, while modern restaurant chains
such as Haidilao Hotpot have set up branches
in 17 Asian cities.
“Asia is where multiple cultures and ethnic
groups converge. Over 40 countries on the
continent have diverse culinary cultures which
not only provide rich gourmet experiences for
Asian people but also contribute to human
culture,” Jiang Junxian, Chairman of the China
Cuisine Association (CCA), said at the Asian
Cuisine Culture Forum.
L
aksa, a noodle dish popular in Malaysia Civilizations (CDAC), the Asian Civilization Week According to the Asian Cuisine Development
and Singapore on display at the Asian also consisted of performances, film and TV Report jointly released by Global Times newspa-
Cuisine Festival in Beijing in mid-May, program screenings, parades and exhibitions, per and the CCA at the forum, Chinese cuisine
HSLWRPL]HVWKHLQßXHQFHRIFXOWXUDOH[FKDQJHV PDQLIHVWLQJWKHEULOOLDQWDQGGLYHUVLĶHGFXOWXUHV has become one of the most competitive
the dish is made with herbs and spices from 36 on the continent. cuisines in Asia, and has gained widespread rec-
countries along the ancient Silk Road. ognition from customers on the continent.
The Asian Cuisine Festival on May 16-22 “Food is a forerunner in communication
was literally the most delicious part of the Culinary delights and integration among countries,” Cai Xiaojun,
Asian Civilization Week. An important compo- Other Asian cuisines have become increasingly DQRIĶFLDOZLWKWKH%HLMLQJ0XQLFLSDO%XUHDXRI
nent of the Conference on Dialogue of Asian popular in China in recent years. According to Commerce, said.
V
V

CDAC REPORT
Booming tourism implement a plan to promote tourism in Asia Sushil Kumar Singh, Assistant Director of
to boost economic development and deepen the India Tourism Office in Beijing under the
Along with food, tourism also plays a crucial role
friendship among Asians. Ministry of Tourism of India in charge of the
in cultural exchanges among Asian countries. India booth at the exhibition, told Beijing Review
With its long history and glorious cultures, Asia The Asian Civilization Week also included
the Asian Culture and Tourism Exhibition in that China is a very important tourism market
has abundant tourism resources. for his country. “People are very interested in
President Xi Jinping highlighted the role of Beijing on May 16-18 to showcase the latest
going to India. They want to learn yoga, which is
tourism in promoting cultural exchanges and tourism achievements in Asia and to pro-
so popular in China that there are thousands of
mutual learning in his keynote speech at the mote tourism between China and other Asian \RJDVWXGLRVLQWKHFRXQWU\,QGLDQĶOPVDUHDOVR
opening of the CDAC on May 15, vowing to countries. popular in China.” Last year, Chinese tourists
made 247,000 visits to India.
WEI YAO
As a whole, Asia is the top tourist desti-
nation for Chinese people. In 2018, over 70
percent of Chinese overseas tourist trips were
to Asian countries, according to the Asian
Tourism Cooperation and Exchanges Report
released by the China Tourism Academy (CTA)
at the Culture, Tourism and People-to-People
Exchange Forum of the CDAC.
The Philippines, with its idyllic tropical is-
lands, is very attractive to Chinese tourists. Last
year, they made 1.2 million trips to the country,
ranking second in terms of total international
tourist arrivals.
Tomasito G. Umali, Tourism Attaché of
the Philippine Department of Tourism Beijing
Office, said to Beijing Review, “The Philippines
and China are ocean neighbors. We have a long
history based on artifacts like porcelains found
in the Philippines which archaeologists said
belonged to China’s Song Dynasty (960-1279)…
Our mission is to make the Philippines known to
Chinese people not only as a tourist destination
but also as a people and a nation so that more
friendship will develop between China and the
Philippines.”
The Belt and Road Initiative has helped
boost tourism between China and other par-
ticipating countries. Syed Muhammad Mehdi,
Managing Director of the Pakistani company
One World which organizes conferences, exhibi-
tions and festivals, said that the infrastructure of
Pakistan is growing fast thanks to the initiative.
For example, the travel time between capital city
Islamabad and the tourist city Gilgit shortened
from up to 15 hours six months ago to eight
hours today, with the road becoming much saf-
er. As a result, it is expected that more tourists
will choose Pakistan. Moreover, Central Asian
countries such as Tajikistan and Azerbaijan are
attracting more Chinese tourists because of the
initiative.
“Most people want to travel abroad to see
other cultures and countries. It helps people
of different cultures and nationalities to under-
stand and know each other. Certainly it helps
intercultural dialogue,” Shashin Shahbazov,
Chief Advisor of the Ministry of Culture and
Tourism of Azerbaijan, told Beijing Review at the
exhibition.
“I think countries in Asia must start open-
ing their borders to each other. We have to
The Asian Cuisine Festival is held in Beijing on May 16 solve visa problems among Asian countries. If
CDAC REPORT
XINHUA
7KHGLDORJXHRIĶOPSURIHVVLRQDOVDWWKH%HLMLQJ:RUNLQJ3HRSOHoV&XOWXUDO3DODFHRQ0D\
Asian countries can do things like the European promoting people-to-people exchanges and Through Time about a high schooler who ac-
Union, Asia will be stronger,” he added. mutual learning among countries over the past cidentally acquires the ability of time travel, and
Asian countries and regions are also the 20 years. Compared with exchanges of techni- the 2018 Turkish drama The Wild Pear Tree,
most important tourism market for China. The cians and students, tourism has a larger scale, which uses a young man’s postgraduate experi-
number of overnight visits by tourists from higher frequency, lower threshold and wider ence to pose thoughtful, engaging questions
other Asian countries to China has maintained coverage, which altogether provide a steady about life in modern Turkey as well as the rest
an annual average growth rate of 7.2 percent basis for people-to-people bonds. of the world.
over the past 15 years, reaching 15.09 million in Simultaneously, 100 Asia-themed docu-
2017, according to the CTA report. Other highlights mentaries, TV dramas, animations, films and
“The rising tourism between China and reality shows were beamed on multiple chan-
The Asian Film and TV Week on May 16-23
Asian countries has increased mutual political nels to showcase the colorful cultures in Asia
LQFOXGHGDGLDORJXHDPRQJĶOPSURIHVVLRQDOVLQ
trust. Tourism has promoted cultural exchang- and represent Asian aspirations for a better life.
$VLDDIRUXPIRU$VLDQĶOPSURGXFHUVDVZHOODV
es and mutual learning among Asian countries The programs included the 1993 Vietnamese
WKHVFUHHQLQJRIĶOPVDQG79SURJUDPV
and become the public basis for people- film The Scent of Green Papaya about a girl’s
Held at the Beijing Working People’s Cultural
to-people exchanges,” Dai Bin, President of observations as a household servant in two dif-
Palace on May 16, the film dialogue attracted
the CTA, said at the forum. “Tourism con- ferent Saigon families during the 1950-60s.
massive participation, including more than
sumption has boosted social and economic A series of Asian culture conventions which
10 iconic figures. Among them were Chinese
development. The large-scale cross-border featured concerts, dances and plays were also
director Chen Kaige, actress Zhang Ziyi, Indian
consumption has expanded the market in the held in various theaters in Beijing during the
star Aamir Khan and Oscar-winning Japanese
food, accommodation, transportation, com- week, including Japanese singer Lisa Ono’s con-
director Yojiro Takita.
cert at the National Center for the Performing
merce and cultural and leisure sectors of the 'XULQJWKHZHHNRYHUFODVVLFĶOPVIURP
Arts on May 18. Q
target countries, which has created jobs and more than 30 Asian countries and regions were
increased local people’s income,” he added. screened in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou,
The report also said the development of Chengdu and Xi’an. They included the 2006 Copyedited by Rebeca Toledo
Comments to jijing@bjreview.com
tourism in Asia has played an important role in Japanese animated film The Girl Who Leapt
CDAC REPORT
Opening a New Chapter

Experts call for more exchanges and better translations to promote mutual
understanding among different cultures By Li Xiaoyang
W
hen Wang Xiaobo (1952-97) wrote The popularity of Wang’s works in Arabic- collection of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s
about his dream of visiting an speaking countries reflects the growing speeches, conversations, instructions and
Egyptian desert in his novella The curiosity about China. Besides its current letters, outlines China’s development philos-
Silver Age in the 1990s, the Chinese writer development, China is also attracting wide ophy. To date, there have been 30 versions
perhaps did not imagine he would become a attention for its traditional culture. LQODQJXDJHVRIWKHĶUVWDQGVHFRQGYRO
rage in that country decades later. Learning more about foreign readers’ umes of the book.
“You may not believe this but the most preferences can help China better promote Books about China enable people from
popular contemporary Chinese writer in its books and improve its soft power, Soliman other countries to gain a full image of China.
Arabic-speaking countries today is Wang said. “To know about the Chinese culture and
Xiaobo,” said Ahmed Mohamed Elsaid spirit, it is very important to read Chinese
Soliman, General Manager of Egypt’s Wisdom Window to China writers, philosophers, historians and business
House Cultural Investment Co., talking of The conference, convened under the theme people so that we can understand China in
the writer known for his allegorical style and promoting exchanges and mutual learning a much better way,” Kaushal Goyal, General
black humor. among Asian civilizations, put the signifi- Manager of the New Delhi-based GBD Books,
Soliman, who came to China in 2010 and cance of cultural exchanges in the spotlight. said at the seminar.
is still here promoting cultural exchanges As a major approach to enhancing cultural In response to the demand, more books
between China and Arab states, was speak- understanding, publication and export of on China are being circulated in other
ing at the 10th Seminar on Publishing for books are playing an increasingly important countries. According to Lu Cairong, Vice
International Readers hosted by China role, according to the participants in the President of the Beijing-headquartered CIPG,
International Publishing Group (CIPG) in seminar. there were over 40,000 English book titles
Beijing on May 17. Publishing industry pro- With China becoming increasingly ac- on China in 2018, a huge rise compared to
fessionals from Asia, South America and tive on the world stage, readers in other about 20,000 in the previous year. Apart
Africa attended the event on the sidelines countries are expanding their focus on from English-speaking countries, publishing
of the Conference on Dialogue of Asian China’s economy, politics and development industries in countries that speak other lan-
Civilizations. path. Xi Jinping: The Governance of China, a guages are also focusing more on China.
According to the seminar, Chinese liter-
ary classics such as Romance of the Three
XINHUA
Kingdoms, a panoramic 14th-century his-

torical novel by Luo Guanzhong, as well as
books on ancient philosophy and traditional
Chinese medicine (TCM) account for a large
part of China-related books meant for for-
eign readers. In recent years, Chinese herbs
and TCM have started getting popular in
many countries.
Besides classics that continue to grip,
Chinese contemporary literature has also be-
come popular with foreign readers, providing
a window to China’s present, like the works
of Mo Yan, who won the 2012 Nobel Prize in
Literature. His novels like Red Sorghum and
The Republic of Wine recorded upheavals
in Chinese society, weaving folk tales and
imagery with satire. Mo’s books have been
translated into at least 40 languages.
For publishers worldwide, declining sales
of books in the digital era remain a com-
mon concern. According to Kim Seung Il,
President of Gyeng Ji Pressing in the Republic
of Korea, the publishing industry in his coun-
Readers visit the Chinese booth at the Thessaloniki Book Fair in Greece on May 11
try is declining due to the impact of mobile
CDAC REPORT
WEI YAO
The 10th Seminar on Publishing for International Readers hosted by China International Publishing Group in Beijing on May 17
apps which provide online reading content. between countries. “Just like the future of publishing Chinese historical, social, politi-
It is the same with China’s publishing our world, the future of our industry depends cal and cultural books in English and Hindi,”
industry though new opportunities have on diversity and intercultural cooperation,” he pointed out.
also emerged. Internet forums such as she said. Goyal highlighted that Chinese and
WuxiaWorld.com have made Chinese online Diversity is all about creating variety, Indians should jointly promote cultural
stories about the feats of martial art heroes she added. From a global perspective, it also exchanges to bring the two neighboring
accessible to foreign readers by translating means that readers from various parts of countries closer. Therefore, mutual learning
them. Founded in December 2014, the web- the world hope to see contents relevant to about the Chinese and Indian publishing
site has millions of page views every day. them. industries is necessary since publication of
According to China Writers Association’s Although China is no longer a mystery books in both the countries’ languages will
latest report, the number of registered au- for many foreign readers, their understand- help the two sides seek common ground
thors of online literature in China exceeded ing of the country is still limited. Goyal held while maintaining individual characteristics.
14 million as of 2018, providing a new up Indian readers as an example. Many facets The Chinese publishing industry needs
chance for the traditional publishing industry of China remain unfamiliar to Indians, who improvement and exchanges with other
to develop more digital platforms and pro- are interested to know more about Chinese countries on content generation, transla-
mote online writing. policies such as reform and opening up and tion, design and outbound promotion, Lu
the Belt and Road Initiative as well as China’s said. “We need to publish more high-quality
culture and business growth, he explained. work to better meet demands of foreign
The diversity approach “Indians have learned about Confucius, readers and bridge China with the rest of
According to Laura Prinsloo, Chair of the Lao Tzu [the founder of Taoism] and Sun the world,” he concluded. Q
Indonesian National Book Committee, Tzu [famed for his Art of War] but have
the publishing industry plays a key role in not heard of other great Chinese philoso-
weaving the threads that hold the global phers like Mencius and Chuang Tzu [the
community together and bringing different Taoist philosopher]. We can increase their Copyedited by Sudeshna Sarkar
Comments to lixiaoyang@bjreview.com
cultures closer. This calls for more exchanges awareness about China by translating and
CDAC REPORT
When Science Meets Art

Exhibition shows how technology can invigorate ancient civilizations and
traditional art help science visualize the future By Ge Lijun
S
FHQHVIURPGDLO\OLIHßRZRQDPH Dialogue of Asian Civilizations that opened in with cultures.”
ter-high screen where the audience Beijing on May 15. Fan called the exhibition a platform for
witnesses how they are transformed The month-long exhibition with Asia dialogue between culture and technology,
into the square characters of Chinese as its theme has gathered 30 artists from embodying the diversity and inclusiveness of
calligraphy. China, Turkey, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Asian civilizations, and using emerging me-
This is Chinese artist Xu Bing’s animated Singapore, Viet Nam and beyond. With their dia such as digital technology to give a new
video, The Character of Characters, in which different cultural backgrounds and styles, look to ancient civilizations.
each Chinese character is presented as a they shed light on how Asian civilizations co-
picture. Through hand-painted animation,
the video illustrates how the Chinese writing
exist and nurture one another and how the Going beyond Asia
cultural genes of Asian countries resonate “We are holding the exhibition in the hope
system has originated and evolved.
and reverberate. that artists and scientists can come togeth-
Xu said the work was derived from ob-
serving and analyzing the work of the 14th- p7KHH[KLELWLRQPLUURUVWKHDUWLVWVoUHßHF er,” Fan said. “We hope to see them bridge
century calligrapher Zhao Mengfu, and then tion of and response to cultural traditions,” the differences in cultures and disciplines to
adding imagination to it. Fan Di’an, the exhibition’s academic advisor focus on today’s and future Asia.”
The video harnesses science and tech- and President of the Beijing-based Central According to Wang Naiyi, executive cura-
nology to express the profundity of Chinese Academy of Fine Arts, said. “It aims to pro- tor of the exhibition, in the beginning, only
culture in a way that is easy for the audience vide a unique experience for the audience Asian artists were supposed to be invited.
to understand. That is also the purpose of through creative integration of digital imag- “But then we found that we expected not
the Asian Digital Art Exhibition, a major event LQJLQWHUDFWLYHGHYLFHVDUWLĶFLDOLQWHOOLJHQFH just an exchange between Asian civiliza-
under the framework of the Conference on (AI), virtual reality (VR) and other technologies tions,” Wang said.
WEI YAO
Chinese artist Xu Bing’s

animated video The Character
of Characters is shown at the
Asian Digital Art Exhibition in
Beijing on May 16

CDAC REPORT
Works by artists from Germany, the
WEI YAO
U.S. and Australia are also on display. They
illustrate elements such as the Chinese
characters, kungfu and Peking Opera, dem-
onstrating traditional Chinese culture digitally
and reflecting the impact of the Chinese
civilization on Asian and global art.
Australian artist Jeffrey Shaw’s work
Kungfu Visualization uses VR to present the
performance of martial arts maestros.
Shaw, who teaches at the City University
of Hong Kong, is fascinated by martial arts
moves and tactics. “I have been doing aug-
mented reality (AR) and VR-related art work
for many years,” he said. “I am wondering
whether it is possible to renovate martial arts
this way.”
Shaw worked with his colleagues and
students to capture the masters’ move-
ments from different angles for a digital
and multimedia visualization of martial arts.
Kungfu Visualization provides six different
angles of view. The audience can choose any
or all of them on the touch screen to view
the dynamics of the moves and experience
the aesthetic visual impact of kungfu.
Tobias Gremmler, a German artist who Visitors explore Chalkroom, a virtual reality interactive work co-created by U.S. artist Laurie Anderson
works in Hong Kong, straddles both Asia and and Huang Hsin-chien from China’s Taiwan, at the Asian Digital Art Exhibition in Beijing on May 16
Europe. His Chinese Calligraphy in Motion
demonstrates how the spirits of man and
nature converge in Chinese calligraphy, while like human memory, which fades,” a mem- aggressive creature.
Virtual Actors in Chinese Opera shows how ber of Huang’s team said. Zhang hopes to explore the connection
costumes and motion can virtually reshape a The world of the blackboard is a huge between humans and machines, intuition
human body. virtual space consisting of numerous black- and reason.
His third piece, Kungfu Motion boards, which seems like a maze of memory. Liang Wenhua, a graduate from the
Visualization, depicts the philosophy of kung- When visitors wearing VR helmets enter this Central Academy of Fine Arts, China’s most
fu by using an inductive tracking device. The world, they feel like they are dreaming and prestigious art university, explores the
action, strength and movement in writing, ßRDWLQJ7KHPDLQSXUSRVHLVWRDOORZYLVLWRUV relationship between people and various ar-
performance and motion are thus captured to explore the connection between words tifacts in his work Meeseeks Box. “It is also a
and dynamically presented in a creative way. and memories, according to the creators. prediction for our future living environment,”
Another work, titled When Cultures Compared with the static exhibitions that Liang explained. “When art or technology
Create Beauty Together, combines visuals people are more familiar with, in digital art encounters bottlenecks, the other discipline
from Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) silk scrolls can guide artistic creation or scientific re-
exhibitions they “can be involved in the work
with projects under the China-proposed search forward.”
and become part of it, which is a new experi-
Belt and Road Initiative, unfolding the mov- Fan said by combining culture and art,
ence,” Wang said.
ing stories behind them with digital and science and technology will develop in a
As ideas like digitalization and the digital direction that is more conducive to the prog-
interactive technologies. The audience can
participate in the work by clicking to see the economy advance, digital art is becoming ress of the human civilization. “It will bring
details of each project. known to a wider public. Industry insid- a better life for humanity, who can benefit
ers point out that digital art is not a single from culture and technology,” he said.
industry, but a multi-integrated composite
An interactive experience industry of design, technology and more.
While technology can reinvigorate an-
cient civilizations, art can show the future.
Experience and interaction are major fea- “The combination of science and art can
tures of the digital art exhibition, where
visitors can interact with the exhibits. A potent combination help people understand culture and history
Zhang Huan’s Artificial Intuition is a kinetic and imagine the future,” he concluded. Q
In Chalkroom, a VR interactive work co-
created by U.S. artist Laurie Anderson and sculpture that interacts with human motions.
Huang Hsin-chien from China’s Taiwan, a Installed in a corridor, it has robotic tentacles
huge blackboard symbolizes human memo- fitted with AI, sensors and motors to block Copyedited by Sudeshna Sarkar
people when they try to pass, turning into an Comments to dingying@bjreview.com
ry. “It can be wiped over and overwritten, just
CDAC REPORT
1 2
The Magic of Dough

A
t the Asian Cuisine Festival started south China’s Guangdong Province, Hangzhou
on May 16, an event affiliated with in east China’s Zhejiang Province and Chengdu
the Conference on Dialogue of Asian in southwest China’s Sichuan Province.
Civilizations, dough was spotlighted. An ordinary Extraordinary cuisines, a part of Asia’s bril-
ingredient, it turned into various dishes with liant civilizations, have contributed to cultural
distinguishing flavors in the hands of chefs exchanges and mutual learning among the
from around Asia, telling the story of different continent’s countries and regions. Q
civilizations. (Photos by Xinhua News Agency)
The main venue of the six-day festival was the
square by the National Stadium, or Bird’s Nest,
with six added locations around Beijing and Copyedited by Madhusudan Chaubey
three cities outside the capital—Guangzhou in Comments to liqing@bjreview.com
1. Ma Xiaolin, a lamian master, pulls noodles 3. A chef demonstrates how to make Malaysian
by hand at the Asian Cuisine Festival in Beijing durian cheesecake
on May 16
4. A chef makes pizza
2. A chef from India makes roti prata, a fried
ßRXUEDVHGSDQFDNH
5. Dumplings of different colors on display

CDAC REPORT
3

WORLD
Strategic Ties
&KLQD5XVVLDóUHODWLRQVóHYROYHóDJDLQVWóWKHóEDFNGURSóRIóDóFKDQJLQJó
international landscape By Ding Xiaoxing
are reluctant to see the two come closer and which is an important factor in maintaining
have tried to sow dissension, propagating global stability.
The author is director of the
that the ties would inevitably deteriorate and China faces the important task of nation-
Institute of Eurasian Studies
that the friendship is not in the actual inter- al rejuvenation, which requires focus on the
at the China Institutes of
ests of the two countries. problems caused by unbalanced and inad-
Contemporary International
But the fact that the China-Russia equate development in the new era. Russia
Relations
comprehensive strategic partnership of co- also hopes to revitalize its status as a great
ordination has been operating at a high level power, restore its economic strength and
for many years belies these thoughts. The resolve domestic problems. Both countries
O
ver the past seven decades, diplomatic current bilateral relations have a solid foun- need a stable surrounding environment.
ties between China and Russia have dation for cooperation. On the road to national rejuvenation,
gone through an extraordinary journey. the two countries can learn from each other
Since the disintegration of the Soviet Shared interests and provide complementary advantages for
Union, China-Russia relations have made a China is the most populous country and common development.
smooth transition, becoming more stable Russia the largest country, and they share Both Chinese and Russian leaders have
and mature. China and Russia have carried complicated internal and external situations. attached great importance to developing
out pragmatic cooperation in various fields Both China and Russia advocate a multi- bilateral relations over the past decades.
based on equality and mutual benefit. This polar world and share similar views on major During his visit to China in the early 1990s,
has achieved win-win results, benefiting issues. They have maintained close coopera- Boris Yeltsin, then Russian President, pushed
people in the two countries. tion in the UN, the Group of 20, BRICS and for a strategic partnership that would take
Some in the international community the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, the bilateral ties into the 21st century.
In 2001, then Chinese President Jiang
Zemin and Russian President Vladimir
XINHUA
Putin signed the landmark Treaty of Good

Neighborliness and Friendly Cooperation.
Putin has talked about the importance
of cooperation with China on many occa-
sions. In a published article, Russia and the
Changing World, in early 2012, he pointed
out that China’s development is not a threat
to Russia, but rather, it offers opportunities,
and that Russia needs a prosperous and
stable China, while China holds the same ex-
pectations from Russia.
After his election in 2013, Chinese
President Xi Jinping chose Moscow as the
first foreign capital to visit, where he had
eight hours of candid and pragmatic ex-
changes with Putin, opening a new chapter
in China-Russia relations. Since then, the two
OHDGHUVKDYHEHHQPHHWLQJIRXURUĶYHWLPHV
a year, having met 27 times in the past six
years.
The two neighbors have established a
communication mechanism at all levels,
5XVVLDQVWXGHQWVWDNHWKH+6.&KLQHVHSURĶFLHQF\WHVWLQ0RVFRZRQ0D\ ranging from regular meetings between
WORLD
XINHUA
A Russian warship arrives in Qingdao, east China’s Shandong Province, on April 29 for a joint naval exercise
prime ministers to cooperation on energy, for 10.54 percent of its total foreign trade, put capacity of 21 million tons. It will be an
investment as well as strategic security. The which rose to over 15 percent in 2018. important international corridor connecting
mechanisms have ensured smooth com- Energy cooperation has become a pillar China with Russia and the rest of Europe.
munication between China and Russia and of China-Russia economic cooperation. At In the field of aviation and aerospace,
enhanced mutual trust. the beginning of 2018, a second line of the the China-Russia Commercial Aircraft
China-Russia relations used to be de- China-Russia oil pipeline began commercial International Co. Ltd. has been set up as a
scribed as “hot politics and cold economics,” operation. Russia exported nearly 70 million joint venture to develop wide-body aircraft.
indicating the level of political dialogue had tons of crude oil to China last year, becoming Joint research and development of heavy-lift
far outpaced economic relations. But since China’s largest oil exporter. helicopters has made progress.
Russia stepped up its pivot to the east, the $WWKHHQGRIWKHĶUVWSURGXFWLRQ Agricultural cooperation is a new
economic cooperation with China has en- OLQHRIWKH<DPDOOLTXHĶHGQDWXUDOJDV/1* highlight. Russia’s agricultural sector has
tered a new stage. project was officially put into operation. continued to grow with Russia becoming
After the Belt and Road Initiative was pro- China National Petroleum Corp. (CNPC), a the world’s largest wheat exporter. Its agro
posed, Putin came to China twice to attend major stakeholder in the project, received exports to China have also increased. With
the Belt and Road Forum for International WKHĶUVWVKLSPHQWRI/1*IURP<DPDOLQ-XO\ the trade friction between China and the U.S.
Cooperation. The proposed integration of 2018. affecting U.S. agricultural exports to China,
the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) and in the future, China and Russia can conduct
By the end of 2019, the China-Russia
the Silk Road Economic Belt, the overland extensive cooperation in agricultural invest-
east-route natural gas pipeline will be com-
prong of the Belt and Road Initiative, has be- ment and deep processing of agricultural
pleted. The pipeline is expected to provide
come a new driving force for the economic products.
China with 38 billion cubic meters of natural Local cooperation between the two
cooperation between China and EAEU gas from Russia annually. In April, China and
members. sides has also grown. In 2018, China and
Russia reached an agreement on CNPC’s Russia decided that the next two years
participation in Russia’s Arctic LNG 2 project, would be designated for local cooperation
Trade milestones demonstrating the huge potential of coop- and exchange. China has taken part in 30
In 2018, trade between China and Russia eration between the two sides on energy. projects in the construction of a leap-forward
topped $100 billion, marking a milestone. In terms of connectivity, the first cross- development zone in Russia’s Far East, with a
,QWKHĶUVWTXDUWHURILWVWRRGDW river railway bridge connecting China with planned investment of over $4 billion. It has
billion, up 4.4 percent year on year. China Russia will be completed in 2019. The bridge become the largest source of foreign invest-
has been Russia’s largest trading partner across the Heilongjiang River will connect ment in the region. Q
for eight consecutive years, with its share in the city of Tongjiang in northeast China’s
Russia’s foreign trade on the rise. In 2013, Heilongjiang Province with Nizhneleninskoye Copyedited by Sudeshna Sarkar
Comments to yulintao@bjreview.com
Russia’s trade volume with China accounted in Russia, with a designed annual through-

NATION
:RUNLQJ in the Clouds

Assistance program for the development of Tibet creates miracles
in the autonomous region’s ‘dead zone’ By Li Nan
L
iang Nanyu, Deputy Mayor of Shuanghu, ensuring greater income for the impover- is known as partnership assistance. And
a county in southwest China’s Tibet LVKHGUHVLGHQWV$OVRKHZDVWKHĶUVWWRJHW eight years later, 17 leading state-owned
Autonomous Region, which is also the the county’s students enroll in free seats in enterprises (SOEs) joined the program. The
highest county in the world, has the distinction schools in big cities. China National Petroleum Corp. (CNPC) was
of initiating several “firsts” in the past three The 39-year-old arrived in Shuanghu in RQHRIWKHPDQG/LDQJRQHRILWVRIĶFLDOV
years. July 2016 as part of a Central Government was subsequently assigned to Shuanghu.
He made it possible for the county, program to assist in the region’s develop- Shuanghu is located at the heart of
with an average altitude of 5,000 meters ment. In 1994, the Central Government the Changtang National Nature Reserve
above sea level, to have its first C-section set a new policy to rally greater support for on the Tibetan Plateau, 700 km northwest
operation that created a medical record. Tibet. Certain provinces were given respon- of Lhasa, capital city of the autonomous
He broke the monopoly in the local sibilities to help specific cities or counties region. It is China’s youngest county, estab-
economy’s pillar industry and upgraded it, in the autonomous region. The program lished in 2013. Though vast, it is scarcely
COURTESY PHOTO
A research team from Ocean University of China takes a group photo with Liang Nanyu (sixth left), Deputy Mayor of Shuanghu County in southwest China’s Tibet Autonomous Region,
after collecting brine shrimp egg samples from Kyêbxang Co Lake on June 21, 2018

NATION
Liang Nanyu (left), Deputy Mayor of
COURTESY PHOTO
Shuanghu, gives free traditional Chinese
medicine to local residents on January 3.
The medicine was provided by the Beijing
Yuruomu Charity Foundation
populated.
The CNPC has donated 390 million
yuan ($56.42 million) for 113 projects
in Shuanghu, most of them to improve
infrastructure. But after Liang took office
in Shuanghu, he advised the local govern-
ment and the CNPC to make some changes
to the partnership assistance projects in
Shuanghu, focusing more on healthcare
services, education and income-generating
industries.
Based on his suggestions, assistance
funds were more used in projects related
to improving people’s lives and creating
jobs.
:RUOG·VóKLJKHVWó&VHFWLRQ
Pasang Norbu, 21 months old, has two ailments, not major diseases. So Liang in Shuanghu have performed a dozen of
names. His Tibetan name, Pasang Norbu, recommended that surgery be introduced. operations in the past three years.
means sweetheart of the Pasang family. 7KHĶUVWRSHUDWLRQGRQHLQWKHFRXQW\ Changdren, head of the People’s
The Han-style name Huo Dangsheng de- was a C-section. “Many thought it was an Hospital of Shuanghu County, said the
notes the baby born by Shuanghu’s first impossible mission,” Liang said. The prepa- county hospital now has more qualified
C-section operation conducted by a doctor ration took 10 months. A team from the staff and advanced machines, offering bet-
surnamed Huo. People’s Hospital of Shuanghu County was ter service to locals.
“The birth of this child set a record for sent to the CNPC Central Hospital in Hebei In the coming years, the aim is to ensure
C-section done at the highest altitude in Province to receive training. that common diseases can be treated in a
medical history—4,962 meters,” Liang Some 1.13 million yuan ($162,749) timely manner in Shuanghu. As Liang said,
said. from the CNPC’s assistance fund was “If we cannot ensure people’s health, we
:LWKLWVLQKRVSLWDEOHWHUUDLQDQGUDULĶHG earmarked to buy equipment for the op- cannot achieve moderate prosperity in all
air, Shuanghu is also known as the “dead eration such as respirators. respects.”
zone.” The average life expectancy of its August 23, 2017, was a landmark day
residents is 58 years, 10 years less than the for both Shuanghu and Liang. At 19:30, an A game changer
regional average. “Locals suffer from wide- expectant mother was sent to the opera- Assistance projects, especially to develop
spread high-altitude illnesses and newborn tion room. new industries, have become a major way
deaths,” Liang said. Liang, together with the patient’s fam- to fight poverty in Tibet. From 2013 to
Before Liang’s arrival, there were no ily, waited outside. “I felt more anxious than 2017, over 1,700 assistance projects worth
surgeons and no functional surgical equip- when my own baby was born eight years 14.35 billion yuan ($2.08 billion) had been
ment in the local hospital. If a woman went ago,” he said. launched, according to a white paper on
into difficult labor, she had to be taken At 20:33, a newborn’s cries broke out democratic reform in Tibet released by
to Nagqu, a bigger city 550 km away and and when the baby was carried out of the &KLQDoV6WDWH&RXQFLO,QIRUPDWLRQ2IĶFHLQ
nearly seven hours’ journey due to the room, all those waiting outside smiled in March.
bumpy road. relief. Shuanghu is a poverty-stricken county
From 2009, a medical team sent by Today, with the CNPC’s help, 28 doc- with 21.9 percent of the population living
the CNPC began visiting the county once tors from Shuanghu have been trained to under the poverty line. “Our target is to
a year to provide free medicine and treat- do appendicitis operations. Teaming up bring all of them out of poverty this year,”
ment. But they addressed just short-term with a medical team from CNPC, doctors Liang said.
V
V

NATION
While looking for industries that could are perfect for aquaculture. Since the large, slashing the price of the processed
provide a sustainable way out of poverty, he 1990s, selling raw brine shrimp eggs has product in half. Liang was prepared for the
chanced upon the local brine shrimp egg been the main source of Shuanghu’s rev- worst: If the tender failed again, they would
industry. Some saltwater lakes in Shuanghu enue and local residents’ income. “It’s the outsource the raw materials to make the
are home to the brine shrimp whose eggs purse of Shuanghu,” Liang said. ĶQLVKHGSURGXFW
He planned to upgrade the industry. Before the bidding, he hit upon the
$IWHUDULJRURXVWKLUGSDUW\VFLHQWLĶFVWXG\ idea of circulating the tender notice by e-
and dozens of market surveys, he mapped mail. In an accompanying letter, he said:
Partnership Assistance out a three-tier trajectory for the industry’s p&DWFKLQJEULQHVKULPSHJJVPHDQVĶVKHU
growth: first, to build a factory to process men have to camp by the lake in below
For Tibet Autonomous the eggs, which would fetch more profit; zero-degree Celsius temperature for a
Region second, to produce a specialty food with
the eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) present in
month. It is not easy money. Selling the
eggs is a key way to pull Shuanghu out of
(1 yuan=$0.147) the eggs, a fatty acid that can lower the risk poverty. It’s our duty to fetch a good price
,WLVHVWLPDWHGWKDWĶQDQFLDODLGIURPWKH of heart diseases and help regulate blood for local residents…I hope you will seize the
central budget totaled fat and sugar as well as prevent insomnia; opportunity and work with us to create a
ĶQDOO\WRGHYHORSDGUXJZLWKWKH(3$ win-win future based on mutual trust.”
Before 2015, most of Shuanghu’s brine And his efforts paid off. Ten bidders at-
shrimp eggs were snapped up at a very low tended the public bidding. “We recorded a
price by one businessman from a neighbor- price of 70,000 yuan ($10,126) per ton, the
1.24 tln yuan ing province. To end the monopoly, Liang highest in the history of Shuanghu,” Liang
from 1980 to 2018,
organized two public tenders in 2017 and said.
making up
2018, but both failed, allegedly due to the Next, he advised the CNPC to donate
trader’s interference. 13.8 million yuan ($2.06 million) to build a
But Liang didn’t give up. He continued processing factory in Nagqu City, which is
91% to prepare for the third public tender in expected to be ready in July. Then the eggs
RI7LEHWoVĶQDQFLDOH[SHQGLWXUH January 2019. At that time, the volume of will be processed and bring more profits
imported brine shrimp eggs in China was than the raw material. Every Shuanghu resi-
To date, a total of
18,000 Partnership Assistance Program

officials and professionals
from supporting provinces have been
involved in the assistance campaign.
Assistance to Tibet Autonomous Region To date, a total of 18,000 officials and
More than from some provinces, autonomous regions, professionals from supporting provinces
municipalities directly under the Central have been involved in the assistance cam-
Government, as well as large and medium- paign. Since 2015, assistance by educational
sized enterprises began in the 1960s. and medical personnel from across the
Since the start of reform and opening country has contributed to social develop-
10,000 up in 1978, assistance from developed prov- ment in Tibet. More than 10,000 projects are
projects inces and cities has increased. receiving support, representing a total invest-
are receiving support, representing a In 1994, the Third National Symposium ment of over 40 billion yuan ($5.8 billion).
total investment of over on Work in Tibet set down the principle of ral- With deeper reform and opening up, the
40 bln yuan. O\LQJQDWLRQDOVXSSRUWIRU7LEHWDQGVSHFLĶHG economic and cultural ties between people
the assistance pattern of allocating responsi- in Tibet and those in the rest of the country
bilities to certain provinces and rotating them have become closer, with an increasing
in regular intervals, giving more impetus to number of mixed communities and a closer
Tibet’s development. emotional bond.
(Source: Democratic Reform in Tibet—
Sixty Years On; designed by Pamela Tobey)

NATION
COURTESY PHOTO
7KHĶUVWEDWFKRI7LEHWDQFKLOGUHQIURP6KXDQJKX
start their studies in Lhasa on August 31, 2017,
with free tuition and accommodations provided
dent involved in the business is expected

to earn an extra average income of 3,990
yuan ($594) per year.
A specialty food has been developed
from the eggs by Ocean University of
China and Yantai University in east China’s
Shandong Province and is expected to be
available in the market soon.
In addition, Shuanghu County Government
plans to seek partnerships with big domestic
pharmaceutical companies to develop a drug
with the EPA found in the eggs.
“Processing the eggs will create a reli-
able and long-term route out of poverty,”
Liang said.
Dawn of education
Although children in the autonomous re-
gion enjoy a 15-year free education, while
most places in the country implement a
nine-year compulsory education, the high
mechanism. And it created a strong impact Beijing doctor who worked at the People’s
school enrollment rate in Shuanghu was
in Shuanghu. Hospital of Lhasa in 2012. Insomnia and
less than 10 percent since most parents,
When the local government selected headaches resulting from the lack of oxy-
herdsmen by profession, didn’t think edu-
two students to study in Lhasa in 2018, 12 gen in the air are other common problems.
cation could ensure a promising future for
parents came to monitor the selection. “It Even after almost three years’ accli-
their children.
was beyond my expectations. From show- matization in Shuanghu, Liang still gets
Twenty-one provinces and cities out-
ing little interest in education to monitoring insomnia and headaches.
side Tibet offer free classes for meritorious
the selection procedure, the local parents But though his tenure is to end in July,
Tibetan students. However, from 2013 to
showed a pleasant change,” Liang said. Liang has decided to ask for another three
QRVWXGHQWIURP6KXDQJKXTXDOLĶHG
years’ extension. “It’s a critical moment
for the free classes.
Then in 2017 and 2018, because of Mission continued in our fight against
poverty. I will stay on
Liang’s efforts 25 students were sent to Due to the high altitude and the ensuing
to develop the local in-
study in Lhasa and Beijing for free. When GLIĶFXOWLHVRIĶFLDOVDQGSURIHVVLRQDOVIURP
dustry and accomplish
the first batch of students was selected supporting provinces, government depart-
my tasks,” he said. Q
in 2017, no parents came to witness the ments and SOEs are deployed in Tibet for
selection. Nobody cared whose child would three years. During their tenure, more than
be selected since studying in Lhasa wasn’t 30 percent of them suffer from high blood Scan here to watch the video
considered a good enough opportunity. pressure, hyperlipidemia—abnormally
Last year, three students passed the high fat levels in the blood, and hyperuri-
Copyedited by Sudeshna Sarkar
tests to get into the free Tibetan classes in cemia—abnormally high levels of uric acid Comments to linan@bjreview.com
other provinces thanks to a new incentive in the blood, according to Shao Zhengyi, a
NATION
Smart and Strong

Changsha forges ahead as a production base for construction equipment with a
JOREDOóDQGóLQWHOOLJHQWóRXWORRNóBy Wei Hongchen & Xia Yuanyuan
People visit Case Corp.’s pavilion at the Changsha International Construction Equipment Exhibition in the capital city of central China’s Hunan Province on May 20 XINHUA
A
fter participating in Bauma 2019, the founder of Sany Heavy Industry Co. Ltd.,
including 24 world leaders, displaying their
largest construction machinery trade China’s leading heavy equipment manufac-
latest products.
fair in the world held every three years turer, moved his factory to Changsha, with
After more than a year of preparation,
in Munich, Germany, Case Corp., a major U.S. many other companies soon following suit.
the exhibition has nudged Changsha, a
manufacturer of construction and agricul- Since 2010, Changsha’s construction
major base of construction equipment
tural equipment, wasted no time and headed equipment industry scale has ranked first
manufacturing in China, into the spotlight,
straight to China for another major exhibition. in China. In 2018, its industrial output value
an honor long overdue.
,WZDVWKHĶUVWWLPH&DVHKDGSDUWLFLSDW reached 166 billion yuan ($24 billion), ac-
ed in the Chinese exhibition and also the counting for 26 percent of the total value
first time Changsha, capital city of central Heavy industry of the Chinese construction equipment
China’s Hunan Province, had hosted such The development of Changsha’s construc- industry and 10 percent of the global value.
a big event. The Changsha International tion equipment industry goes back to Matteo Calo, product manager with
Construction Equipment Exhibition, held ZKHQWKHĶUVWUHVHDUFKDQGGHYHORS Case, told Beijing Review that China’s
on May 15-18, brought together the gi- ment base for construction equipment was construction equipment industry has
ants in the industry, with 1,150 companies, set up in the city. In 1991, Liang Wengen, developed very fast with a large export
NATION
An aerial view of the Changsha International
XINHUA
Construction Equipment Exhibition on May 15
volume. “The quality of China’s products is

getting better,” Calo said. “We are here to
learn and seek partners.”
Andreas Braun, Business Development
Manager, Greater China Area from Wacker
Neuson, made the trip to Changsha from
the company headquarters in Munich for
the major exhibition.
With a history of 170 years, Wacker
Neuson specializes in the production of
small excavators and small equipment for
road construction. It is one of the world’s
leading manufacturers of light and com-
pact equipment. In 1997, it set up a wholly
owned subsidiary company in Hong Kong
to start business in the Chinese market.
Braun said Wacker Neuson attaches
great importance to the exhibition and
hopes to explore China’s market. “Changsha nologies and products, has very stringent 6DQ\LVDPRQJWKHFRXQWU\oVĶUVWJURXS
has a preferable environment for the requirements for competitors. Six years of pilot enterprises for intelligent manu-
construction industry,” Braun said. “Major after the founding of the company, it sold facturing. Its No. 18 Factory in Changsha
companies including Sany and Zoomlion LWVĶUVWH[FDYDWRUWR6ZHGHQ Industrial Park is known as the smartest
are based in Changsha. It is a city of great “To compete in the international mar- factory and one of the largest intelligent
opportunities.” ket, we must work hard to get rid of the manufacturing workshops in Asia.
low-price competition mode and win with Under the traditional production mode,
Stepping out high quality and outstanding technologies,” one production line can produce only one
In 2008, when the domestic market was at said He Qinghua, President of Sunward. VSHFLĶFLWHP,QWKLVIDFWRU\KRZHYHUWKHUH
its peak, Changsha Exploration Machinery In 2014, the company set up a sub- are eight flexible assembly lines that can
Factory decided to explore overseas mar- sidiary in Belgium which helped to radiate produce 69 kinds of products, which meet
kets. Cui Yunpeng, who had just started business throughout Europe. WKHGLYHUVLĶFDWLRQRIPDUNHWGHPDQGLQDQ
working at the company and had very little Following the Belt and Road Initiative, intelligent way.
experience, began to search for foreign cli- Sunward set up subsidiary companies in ZValley Science & Technology Co.
ents on the Internet. Indonesia, Viet Nam, Cambodia and Laos. /WGDIĶOLDWHGWR=RRPOLRQ+HDY\,QGXVWU\
His efforts proved effective when, after “Sunward’s products have been used in Science & Technology Co., China’s lead-
many projects in Belt and Road participating construction machinery manufacturer,
a long wait, the company received an or-
ing countries,” said Peng Hui, a manager of integrates the industrial Internet of Things,
GHUIURP/LE\DPDUNLQJLWVĶUVWRUGHUIURP
the company. cloud computing and big data technology
abroad. The buyers were a father and his
and can provide customers in-depth data
two sons who bought a drilling rig for their
analysis of their whole production process.
fledging business to drill wells for local Smart manufacturing Xu Dazhe, Governor of Hunan, said the
households. In Changsha, vigorously developing the province will strive to build a world-class
“They were a business startup,” Cui smart manufacturing has become the industrial cluster, improve the level of in-
said. “And we were new in the overseas consensus of the local government and telligent manufacturing and enhance the
market.” enterprises. competitiveness of enterprises.
Gradually more orders came in from In 2015, the city took the lead by “We invite leading enterprises in con-
Africa, including Kenya, Uganda and South launching a three-year action plan (2015- struction equipment and key components
Africa. Under the Belt and Road Initiative, 18) for smart manufacturing focusing on to invest and develop in Hunan so that we
the company’s products have been used in the transformation of leading enterprises can jointly overcome core technological
infrastructure projects in more countries in to enhance its industrial competitiveness. difficulties and explore the international
Africa and in Southeast Asia. The municipal government proposed market,” Xu said. Q
The Sunward Equipment Group, also building the city into a “national intelligent
based in Changsha, had its eye on a differ- manufacturing center” and creating a
Copyedited by Rebeca Toledo
ent market—Europe. It set the bar high “Changsha model” for promoting intelli- Comments to zanjifang@bjreview.com
since Europe, with very advanced tech- gent manufacturing.
BUSINESS
Robust and Resilient

Data show Chinese economy remains stable despite protracted trade tension
with U.S. By Wang Jun
XINHUA
Tourists pick loquats in a village orchard in Zhijin County, southwest China’s Guizhou Province, on May 16
R
eleasing the regular monthly figures for quite complicated,” the impact of the trade on-year increase of 6.5 percent, which was 2.7
the economy’s performance in April, the friction between China and the U.S. is un- percentage points lower than that in the previ-
National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) said der control, Meng Wei, spokesperson of the ous month. Of the total, the value of exports
the momentum of progress continues. National Development and Reform Commission was 1.3 trillion yuan ($193.49 billion) and that of
“The economy performed within a rea- (NDRC), said at a press conference in Beijing on imports 1.21 trillion yuan ($179.65 billion), up by
sonable range and sustained the momentum May 17. 3.1 percent and 10.3 percent, respectively, year
of progress in overall stability… with growing on year. The trade surplus stood at 93.6 billion
positive factors in April,” the NBS said in a press External challenges yuan ($13.84 billion), a decline of 43.8 percent
release on May 15. Meng said the trade friction, starting in March over a year ago.
According to the data, in April, the index of 2018, has made some impact on China’s eco- This round of U.S. tariffs is what China does
service production increased by 7.4 percent nomic growth, but it is, overall, controllable. not want to see because it is unfavorable for
year on year, the second highest monthly China’s capability to address external challenges both the two countries and the whole world,
growth since September 2018. The total value is strengthening as corporate confidence be- Meng said, referring to the Donald Trump ad-
added of industrial enterprises above the desig- comes increasingly stable, market expectations ministration raising tariffs from 10 percent to 25
nated size grew by 5.4 percent year on year, 3.1 become rational and the measures taken by percent on $200 billion of Chinese imports in
percentage points slower than in the previous the Central Government begin to take effect. May.
month but 0.1 percent point faster than in the “The Chinese economy has shown suf- In response to the U.S. measure, the
ĶUVWWZRPRQWKV ĶFLHQWUHVLOLHQFHPDVVLYHSRWHQWLDODQGUREXVW Chinese Government has announced new
While the NBS statement cautioned that vitality,” she said. tariffs on $60 billion of U.S. imports and at the
“increasing instabilities and uncertainties are In April, the volume of imports and exports same time, is taking proactive measures to en-
clouding the external environment, which is totaled 2.51 trillion yuan ($373.14 billion), a year- hance reforms and strengthen the economy.
BUSINESS
A container ship leaves Tangshan Port in north China’s
XINHUA
Hebei Province on May 20. The port’s cargo throughput
reached 212 million tons from January to April,
up 11.42 percent year on year
Meng said to address the pressure of any

economic downturn, China will focus on devel-
oping a modernized economy. Continuity and
stability of the macro policy will be ensured and
counter-cyclical market management strength-
ened. Taxes will be cut and fees reduced further,
while sufficient liquidity will be maintained.
Market vitality will be stimulated through inten-
sifying reform and opening up.
The total retail sales of consumer goods
reached 3.06 trillion yuan ($443.47 billion) in
April, a year-on-year growth of 7.2 percent, for 42 percent of the annual target. In April, the
1.5 percentage points slower than in March.
However, the number of holidays in April was
surveyed urban unemployment rate was 5 per- Monthly Growth Rate of Total
two days less than in March. If the effect of this
cent, 0.2 percentage points lower than in the Retail Sales of Consumer
previous month.
on consumption is deducted, the total retail 7RDGGUHVVSRVVLEOHßXFWXDWLRQVLQPDUNHW Goods
10
sales of consumer goods in April would have expectations, the NDRC will, while improving 8.6 (%) 8.7
gone up by 8.7 percent year on year, the same the macro policy environment, provide more 8.1 8.2 8.2
as in the previous month. targeted support to private enterprises as well 8 7.2
as small and medium-sized enterprises to solve
$óSRZHUIXOóPDUNHW their difficulties, ensure important products’
supplies and prices remain stable, and promote 6
To encourage consumption, the government
will improve its stimulus mechanisms. Supply energy supply.
channels of quality products and services will be “History will eventually show that the 4
GLYHUVLĶHGDQGFRQVXPSWLRQXSJUDGLQJERRVWHG Chinese economy is able to grow stronger de-
spite external headwinds,” Meng told the press
in rural areas. 2
conference.
To ensure stable investment, the use of
In addition to resilience, massive potential
investment under the central budget will be
and robust vitality, China also has an important 0
accelerated, infrastructure and public services
advantage, NBS spokesperson Liu Aihua said at Oct Nov Dec Jan-Feb Mar Apr
improved and technical transformation and
a press conference on May 15. “We have ample 2018 2019
equipment upgrading in the manufacturing
room for the macroeconomic policy,” she said.
industry realized.
/LXSRLQWHGRXWWKDWWKHLQßDWLRQDQGGHĶFLW
In addition, the business environment will
rates in China are now at a low level, and there Total Value of China’s Imports
be improved. The government is committed to
protecting intellectual property rights, facilitat-
DUHVXIĶFLHQWIRUHLJQH[FKDQJHUHVHUYHVOHDYLQJ and Exports
substantial room and adequate tools to imple-
ing investment and promoting sustainable and ment the macroeconomic policy. This is an
($bln)
sound development of private investment. important guarantee that there will be steady
In the first four months of 2019, fixed as- 395.98
sets investment (excluding rural households)
and sound economic growth in the future, she 400 364.70 373.14
said.
totaled 15.57 trillion yuan ($2.26 trillion), a year- In April, the consumer price index went
on-year increase of 6.1 percent, 0.2 percentage up by 2.5 percent year on year and up by 0.1 300 266.36
SRLQWVVORZHUWKDQLQWKHĶUVWWKUHHPRQWKVEXW percent on a monthly basis; the producer price
0.2 percentage points faster than in 2018. index went up by 0.9 percent year on year and
Concerning possible fluctuations in em- 200
up by 0.3 percent on a monthly basis.
ployment, Meng said the NDRC will strengthen “China’s positive economic fundamentals
monitoring and early warning on the job and long-term trajectory remain unchanged, 100
scenario. Policies to ensure stable jobs will be its space for development continues to expand
implemented, such as providing unemploy- and its capability of addressing external chal-
ment insurance and giving more support to lenges is improving, creating a solid foundation 0
college graduates and people facing problems Jan Feb Mar Apr
for the Chinese economy to maintain steady
in finding employment to address structural 2019
and sound development,” Liu said. Q (Sources: National Bureau of Statistics and
unemployment.
In the January-April period, 4.59 million new Copyedited by Sudeshna Sarkar General Administration of Customs;
jobs were created in urban areas, accounting Comments to wangjun@bjreview.com designed by Pamela Tobey)

BUSINESS
Lap of Luxury
International brands pin hopes on Chinese consumers for robust sales growth
By Zhang Shasha
I
magine the chemistry that occurs when big woman takes out her Estee Lauder compact to Many global brands are incorporating
brands embrace Chinese elements. Like for powder her nose and the case glitters with the Chinese elements in their product designs to
instance, a Burberry scarf with the Chinese pig drawn on it with Swarovski crystals, a special cater to Chinese tastes and occasions and tap
character fu emblazoned on it in vivid red to edition launched during the Chinese New Year the huge Chinese market.
denote good fortune. Or when a well-heeled of the Pig. Steadfastly in 2012-18, China accounted
for more than half the global growth in luxury
spending, and is expected to deliver 65 percent
of the world’s additional spending heading into
3HUVRQDOó/X[XU\ó*RRGVó0DUNHW 2025, according to UnionPay transaction data
for the McKinsey China Luxury Report 2019.
(Yuan) Established in 2002, China UnionPay is the larg-
3.117 tln Estimated compound est bankcard network in the world, with nearly
annual growth rate 7.6 billion cards issued.
2.609 tln 2020-25 Such growing momentum in purchases
is making all luxury brands woo the lucrative
2.406 tln Chinese market and the thinking is that those
who win Chinese consumers’ hearts will win the
Total: 2% fashion battle.
1.779 tln
Splurging trends
In 2018, Chinese consumers at home and
abroad spent 770 billion yuan ($115 billion)
Other on luxury items, equivalent to a third of the
1.227 global spending, with each luxury-consuming
worldwide tln
consumers 921 bln household splurging an average of 80,000 yuan
40% ($11,635). This outlay is set to almost double to
770 bln 35% 6%
32% 1.2 trillion yuan ($173.5 billion) by 2025, when
Chinese 334 bln 40 percent of the world’s spending on luxury
consumers 19% goods will come from Chinese consumers, ac-
cording to the report.
2012 2018 2020 2025
(estimated) (estimated)
The growth can be primarily driven by an
explosion of the upper middle-income group,
Note: /X[XU\óJRRGVóLQFOXGHóUHDG\WRZHDUóDFFHVVRULHVóZDWFKóDQGóMHZHOU\óDQGóEHDXW\ whose population is rising at a compound an-
nual growth rate of 28 percent from 2018 and
China’s Luxury Consumers and Spending will do so till 2025, taking the number of people
in China with a $2,600-3,900 disposable income
(In 2018, by generation) per month per household to 350 million. In
DGGLWLRQ&KLQDoVDIßXHQWSRSXODWLRQZLWKPRUH
Post-65/70s Post-80s Post-90s than $3,900 disposable income per month will
almost triple to 65 million by 2025.
Total The report said about 70 percent of them
number 7 mln 10.2 mln 6.7 mln
will be doing their luxury spending overseas.
of luxury 29% 43% 28% One reason is that outbound travel is becoming
consumers
more common for Chinese.
In 2018, a total of 149.72 million Chinese
Annual 185 bln yuan 415 bln yuan 170 bln yuan made outbound trips, up 14.7 percent from the
luxury
22% 56% 23% same period last year, according to the Ministry
spending
of Culture and Tourism. The number accounted
for more than 10 percent of outbound travel-
Note: )LJXUHVóPD\óQRWóDGGóWRóóSHUFHQWóEHFDXVHóRIóURXQGLQJ ers around the world, based on World Tourism
(Source: China Luxury Report 2019, McKinsey & Company; designed by Pamela Tobey) Organization statistics.
Another reason is the price differential
BUSINESS
XINHUA
Shoppers try out cosmetics
at a duty-free shop in Haikou,
south China’s Hainan Province,
on April 20
resulting from China’s import tariff regime and

the brands’ own pricing strategies. However, the
ratio may shift in favor of domestic spending as
a result of measures to cut luxury import tariffs.
The import tariffs on nearly 1,500 con-
sumer products ranging from cosmetics to
household appliances were slashed on July 1,
2018. This included some luxury brands as well.
French fashion house Louis Vuitton has lowered
its product prices in China by 300-1,500 yuan
($43.4-216.8) with an average reduction of 3-5
percent. Brands like Hermes and Gucci are also
adjusting their retail prices to narrow the price
gap between China and other countries and person annually—56 percent of Chinese con- commerce, demands on online purchasing have
boost consumption in China. sumers’ total luxury spending, while the post- also increased, necessitating the luxury brands to
However, the worsening trade friction be- 90s buyers spent 25,000 yuan ($3,616)—23 innovate their ways of marketing and localization
tween China and the United States is likely to percent. strategies.
impact the situation. After the United States in- “Young generations do not hesitate when While luxury consumers in China may get most
creased tariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese they buy luxuries,” Jean-Paul Agon, Chairman of their information from online sources, they still
goods on May 10, China was forced to impose and CEO of international cosmetic company buy in brick-and-mortar stores. “More than 90 per-
additional tariffs on $60 billion worth of U.S. L’Oréal, said. cent of purchases are in fact made offline today,”
products, which will go into effect on June 1. The reasons for their passion for luxury Kim said. “This does not mean Chinese consumers
The news stirred the stock market and goods vary. The luxury buyers were born into are not ready to make the shift to digital… We ex-
some U.S. luxury brands’ parent companies China’s urban middle class and as members of a pect luxury online sales to grow by two or threefold
such as Tapestry, Tiffany and L Brands saw their single-child generation are often showered with from what it is today by 2025.”
prices plunge by 4-7 percent. not only affection but financial support from Daniel Zipser, a senior partner in McKinsey’s
“If the United States continues to go its their extended families, Aimee Kim, a senior Shanghai Office, said it is a very exciting time for
own way, China will have to respond, which will SDUWQHULQ0F.LQVH\oV6HRXORIĶFHVDLG7KH\DUH global luxury brands in China. “We see enormous
seriously undermine the competitiveness of also well-educated, exposed to Western culture opportunities for brands with the right strategies to
U.S. products in the Chinese market,” Guo Bin, and grew up in a world of digital technology and capture a bigger slice of this rapidly growing mar-
a researcher with the Rhodium Group, an inde- social media. ket,” he added.
pendent research provider, told Jiemian.com, an While brands continue to have the biggest
“Luxury makes young consumers feel
online media. “The bullying tactics the United influence on consumers making luxury purchases,
confident, sophisticated and different. It is a very
States used in bilateral trade consultations is Zipser added that younger consumers, however,
powerful form of social capital for them. It also helps
likely to infuriate Chinese consumers, which will value brand less. Some post-90s consumers even
them to form a very close bond with their best
undermine the development of U.S. brands in said they would be willing to try out Chinese brands.
friends in their WeChat groups,” Lan Luan, a partner
China.” Young consumers also trust recommenda-
with McKinsey, said, referring to the most used so-
Guo said the fluctuation in capital assets WLRQVE\NH\RSLQLRQOHDGHUVLQßXHQFHUVIULHQGV
cial media app in China.
and prevailing uncertainties will make both in- and family. In-store assistants play a critical role
She also said Chinese consumers are super
vestors and consumers more cautious. too, not only in the store, but also through so-
digitally and socially connected. They get informa-
cial media platforms. Therefore, it is imperative
tion from a large variety of sources, from online to
Tapping young buyers offline, overseas to domestic. On average, luxury
for global brands to have insights into their con-
sumers and put forward strategies accordingly.
The solid performances of international luxury splurgers spend 3-5 hours a week reading about Kim said luxury brands will need to trans-
brands in China are mostly attributable to the luxury items and access around 16 different infor- form their approach to product innovation and
strong purchasing power of Chinese consum- mation sources. marketing and learn how to better use digital
ers, especially the younger generations who “In the past, the luxury industry was relatively technology and data analytics to deliver the
constitute the backbone force. closed. But in the era of the Internet, people have kind of brand and product experiences young
According to the McKinsey report, the post- access to ample information, which boosts the Chinese luxury consumers seek. Q
80s and 90s generations together accounted growth of their consumption desire,” Zhou Ting,
for 79 percent of Chinese consumers’ total lux- Director of Fortune Character Research Institute, a
ury spending in 2018. The post-80s consumers lifestyle consultant organization, told the media. Copyedited by Sudeshna Sarkar
Comments to zhangshsh@bjreview.com
spent an average of 41,000 yuan ($5,931) per She said with the rapid development of e-
BUSINESS MARKET WATCH
+XDZHL·Vó3URGXFWVó6KRXOGó1RWó%Hó/LQNHGóWRó3ROLWLFV
Ren Zhengfei, founder and President of Huawei
7HFKQRORJLHV&R/WGĶHOGVTXHVWLRQVIURPUHSRUWHUV
at the company headquarters in Shenzhen, south
China’s Guangdong Province, on May 21
hancing its own research and development

(R&D),” he said.
The executive also said that he appreci-
ates the support over the years of a large
number of U.S. component suppliers, who
are currently lobbying for the easing of U.S.
Government-imposed restrictions.
Huawei is also in talks with companies
like Google to seek potential solutions, he
stated.
The U.S. restrictions will have an impact
on Huawei’s low-end products, but will not
affect its high-end products, particularly in
the 5G sector, Ren said, adding that rivals
XINHUA
will not catch up with Huawei’s 5G technol-

ogy for another two to three years.
H
uawei is a commercial company with the Huawei will maintain mass produc- Huawei should not be restricted just
choice to use its products left to con- WLRQRIVSHFLĶFNH\FRPSRQHQWVLQFOXGLQJ because of its leading technology position,
sumers’ personal preferences and not to chips, so the U.S. ban will not result in he remarked.
be linked to politics, said Ren Zhengfei, founder negative business growth, Ren said. p2XUZRUNLVIRUWKHEHQHĶWRIDOORIKX
and President of Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd., The company posted 39 percent year- manity,” he said, adding that Huawei’s 5G
on May 21. RQ\HDUUHYHQXHJURZWKLQWKHĶUVWTXDUWHU equipment would greatly reduce the cost
After the U.S. Department of of the year, but the growth slowed to 25 of global telecom network construction.
Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and percent in April. The company has established dozens
6HFXULW\SXW+XDZHLDQGLWVDIĶOLDWHVRQLWV The slowdown will not hurt the com- of R&D centers around the world and is still
Entity List, restricting the sale or transfer of pany since slower but positive growth has NHHQRQWDNLQJSDUWLQJOREDOVFLHQWLĶFUH
U.S. technologies to the company, it issued search, he said.
been projected for this year, Ren said.
Even a setback to the company’s fi-
a 90-day temporary license on May 20, Huawei has received widespread global
nances will not affect its spending on R&D,
which loosened restrictions on business support, he said, noting that although
he said, since the firm has thousands of
deals with the Chinese telecommunica- Huawei never wants to “walk alone,” it has
experts in basic research and nearly 70,000
tions giant. made adequate preparations for any ad- senior engineers.
The ban has triggered opposition from verse circumstance. In response to U.S. questions about
markets worldwide. “Huawei was prepared for extreme situ- Huawei’s governance structure, Ren said
Huawei is lodging a lawsuit against ations even before the Chinese Lunar New its ownership structure is transparent and
the U.S. Government over previous sanc- Year,” he said. in line with Chinese laws. Moreover, over
tions and restrictions, Ren told reporters at Ren also indicated that Huawei will not 80,000 employees recently participated
Huawei’s headquarters in Shenzhen, south stop buying products from the U.S. supply in a vote to elect employee shareholder
China’s Guangdong Province. chain, citing its 2018 announced purchase representatives. Q
In response to the temporary license, of 50 million chips from Qualcomm.
Ren said what is most important for Huawei “As long as the U.S. Government allows This is an edited excerpt of an article by Xinhua News Agency
is to do its own thing well. “We cannot con- U.S. companies to export components, Copyedited by Rebeca Toledo
Comments to dengyaqing@bjreview.com
trol what the U.S. Government will do.” Huawei will continue to buy them while en-
MARKET WATCH BUSINESS
NUMBERS
($1=6.9 yuan)
Fixed Assets Investment Growth in China

5.8% (% y.o.y.) 63.06 mln tons
Year-on-year growth 12 China’s crude oil output
of China’s electricity LQWKHĶUVWIRXUPRQWKV
consumption, a key 10 of the year, up 0.6
barometer of economic percent year on year
8 7.0
activity, in April 6.3
6.1 6.0 5.7 5.9 5.9 6.1 6.1
6 5.5 5.3 5.4
1.11 bln tons 0

Jan- Jan- Jan- Jan- Jan- Jan- Jan- Jan- Jan- Jan- Jan- Jan-
43.8 bln yuan
China’s raw coal Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Feb Mar Apr Total revenue of
production in Q1, up 0.6 2018 2019 consumer tech
percent year on year company Xiaomi in Q1,
Fixed Assets Investment Growth by Sector up 27.2 percent year
January-April (% y.o.y.) on year
10 Primary industry: Agriculture, forestry,
DQLPDOKXVEDQGU\DQGĶVKHU\
7.9
$761 mln 8 Secondary industry: Mining, manufacturing,
construction, and electricity, thermal, fuel gas and
1HWFDSLWDOLQßRZIURP water production and supply
foreign investors reported 6 Tertiary industry: Services 4.3%

E\&KLQHVHĶQDQFLDO Year-on-year growth of
institutions in Q1 4 China’s second-hand car
2.8
sales volume in April
2
-0.1
0
Primary industry Secondary industry Tertiary industry
4.54 bln yuan Fixed Assets Investment Growth by Region 4.74 mln tons
Total revenue of social January-April (% y.o.y.) China’s imports of
e-commerce platform plastic, paper and
Pinduoduo in Q1, surging 9.4
10 metal waste during the
228 percent year on year 6.4 January-April period,
5 4.2 down 33.1 percent
from the same period
last year
0
-5
-6.6
-10
East China Central China West China Northeast China
(Source: National Bureau of Statistics)

FORUM
Return Rule on E-Commerce

Platforms: a Legal Right or a Loophole?
R
ecently, a buyer sought to return 18 abusing the trust between businesses and grievances against their purchases.
dresses to the online shop she had customers. As long as this woman returned her
bought them from, saying she did not But some people came to her support, goods in accordance with the rules, she
like them. However, she had already posted sev- saying that as long as the clothes were re- can do so. I don’t think she has a low moral
eral photos of herself traveling, wearing those salable, she was within her rights to return standard just because she returned the
clothes. them since the shop’s own rules allowed clothes. The platform allows her to so, so
According to e-commerce platform her to do so. Since it was the shop that had why can’t she? The shop needs to obey the
Taobao’s rules, buyers can return their pur- made those rules, it should follow them rule and accept the return of the goods,
chases within seven days without having to itself. instead of taking her to task over her
give any reason as long as the merchandise morality.
is intact.
So the woman’s excuse was that she
Unacceptable behavior The buyer took advantage of the
seven-day rule, which is common in online
was returning the clothes, though worn, in Gao Yazhou (guancha.gmw.cn): This shopping. People also vie to grab discount
good condition. woman insisted that she only “tried on” coupons and exploit system loopholes to
However, she didn’t see her action those clothes, invoking the condition that buy products at low prices. That doesn’t
would trigger a massive negative reaction. sold items can be returned within seven necessary mean their morals are bad.
The shop disclosed her personal informa- days. However, many people think that In such cases, both consumers and the
tion on the Internet and she received trying on clothes is different from wearing online shops benefit. Some e-commerce
a barrage of rebukes from netizens for them and traveling around in them. Her platforms even encourage consumers to
behavior will definitely affect the resale of take advantage of discount coupons and
those clothes. DFWLYLWLHVZKLFKKHOSWRERRVWWKHLUWUDIĶF
There seem to be two schools of Buyers should not be criticized just be-
Dear Readers, thought on this. One group says to travel cause they take advantage of e-commerce
around in those clothes was absolutely platforms to grab coupons, buy cheap
Forum is a wrong and she was taking advantage of the products and even return products they
column that return-within-seven-days rule. The second have used. They are sometimes the ele-
provides a space group says that though trying to take ad- ment the platforms and the shops need to
vantage of a loophole in Taobao’s rules is make online shopping lively.
for varying not right, it, however, does not necessarily As long as the woman did not vio-
perspectives on mean that she is wrong. late any rules, the shop that sold her the
While this consumer utilized the loop- clothes should take them back. She was
contemporary hole, in the final analysis, the rules are kind of mean to exploit the rule but she is
Chinese society. incomplete, leaving gaps that buyers can allowed to do by the rule.
We invite you to exploit. Whether the transactions are made
online or at brick-and-mortar shops, the
submit personal regulations must be clear and precise to
Rules to be perfected
viewpoints on past ensure the legitimate rights of both sides. Yuan Shan (Chengdu Economic Daily): Is
While consumers’ rights should be pro- the return-within-seven-days rule good or
and current topics tected, the tendency to deliberately exploit harmful for consumers, online shops and
(in either English loopholes in the system at the expense of e-commerce platforms? It is designed to
protect all of them.
or Chinese). the shops is unacceptable.
Online shopping is now a common
dingying@bjreview.com practice. Generally speaking, consumers
Morality not the issue buy things they really need and want to do
Please provide your name Li Donglou (baijiahao.baidu.com): While so in a safe environment where their le-
and address along with most people despise this woman’s behav- gitimate rights are well protected. In brick-
your comments ior, they themselves will use this return- and-mortar stores, shoppers can try on
within-seven-days rule when they have clothes, but online shopping will inevitably
FORUM
LI SHIGONG
lead to the return of some goods. of people taking advantage of the system So the suggestion is to change the sev-
The seven-day return rule was written or loopholes, like the woman who wanted en-day rule. While the rule is meant to give
into the Consumer Protection Law in 2014. to return all the 18 garments she wore consumers greater freedom while buying
However, some online shops have added during a long-distance trip. However, her online, the vast majority of shoppers are
a list of goods that can’t be returned. Also, behavior, though deplorable, doesn’t make reasonable enough not to purchase 18
sometimes there are disputes on how to her action illegal as she has not breached clothes and then want to return all of them
decide whether a returned commodity is the seven-day rule. after wearing them and traveling in them.
intact or not. Online shops can take countermea- There is still a gap between the ideal
In 2017, the State Administration for sures against such immoral behavior. They e-commerce environment consumers
Market Regulation detailed the products can reduce or even stop selling their goods hope to see and the actual one. Some
that can be returned, which means a lot of to such buyers and share the latter’s details online shops sell defective or expired com-
products are not covered by the seven-day with other online shops, which will result in modities and are reluctant to provide good
rule now. her being blacklisted. after-sale service. So the seven-day rule
The rule is meant for two-way protec- However, the shops can’t go too far. was made by the state to create a safe on-
tion. While giving buyers the right to return It’s doubtful if they can actually block such line shopping environment that consumers
purchases in a legal way, it also gives online buyers. It can then be construed as dis- can trust. It’s just that the loopholes need
shops clear standards to avert disputes. crimination and if the buyer takes the shop WREHĶOOHGVRWKDWWKHLQWHUHVWVRIWKHYDVW
Standardizing the e-commerce market and to court, it will face legal consequences. majority of consumers and online shops
making it more transparent will strengthen E-commerce platforms have to follow are protected. Q
consumers’ confidence in online shop- a bottom line while doing business. Too
ping and promote healthy development of many restrictions will discourage custom-
e-commerce. ers. Also, the platforms can’t modify state
Copyedited by Sudeshna Sarkar
But there are always a small percentage regulations.

ESSAY
Defending China’s
Rights in the Arctic
By Lan Xinzhen
I
n his remarks at the opening ceremony of the 11th In 2004, it set up the Arctic research base Yellow
Ministerial Meeting of the Arctic Council, U.S. Secretary River Station in Ny-Alesund on the Spitsbergen archi-
of State Mike Pompeo chided China for its participa- pelago. By relying on platforms like vessels and stations,
tion in Arctic affairs, claiming that China is not an Arctic China has built a multidisciplinary observation system,
nation and has no claim to the region. In response, Geng including the ocean, ice and snow, the atmosphere,
Shuang, Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesper- biology and geology. In 2005, China hosted the Arctic
VRQVDLGWKDWFHQVXUHIURPWKH86LVLQFRQßLFWZLWKWKH Science Summit, a high-level conference on Arctic-
facts and goes against the historical trend of peaceful related issues, and in 2013, the Arctic Council admitted
cooperation in the Arctic. China as a formal observer.
Though geographically China does not have any ter-
ritory in the Arctic region, it is a near-Arctic state.
China will not All of these boil down to the fact that China has al-
ways been engaged in Arctic affairs. Pompeo’s remarks
The Arctic refers to the region north of the Arctic interfere with aim to stress the U.S. demand for oil, gas, gold and other
resources in the Arctic, but it’s ridiculous and ground-
Circle (approximately 66.34 degrees north latitude).
Under international law, the Arctic includes the north- affairs that less for Washington to highlight its interests by negating
ern land and islands adjacent to the Arctic Ocean. Eight
countries have sovereignty over this land of over 8 million
are exclusively China’s status in the Arctic.
There is no international treaty to govern affairs in the
square km: Canada, Denmark, Iceland, Finland, Norway, Arctic nations’, Arctic yet, but international treaties like the UN Charter, the
UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the
Russia, Sweden and the United States. The Arctic also
includes more than 12 million square km of ocean area. but it will Spitsbergen Treaty fill the gap. Countries outside the Arctic
domain do not have sovereignty over land, but according
A larger part of the Arctic Ocean falls into the categories
of high sea and international sea-bed areas. also not be to UNCLOS and relevant international treaties, they have
Simply put, the Arctic is composed of areas subject
to the sovereignty of the eight nations and also interna-
absent from the right to conduct scientific research, open shipping
routes, fly, fish, build marine cables and pipelines in the Arctic
tional parts under the sovereignty of no country. WUDQVUHJLRQDOó Ocean’s high seas, along with the right to explore and de-
velop resources in the sea bed. Moreover, signatories to the
In recent years, global climate warming has accel-
erated the thawing of ice in the Arctic. At a time when and global Spitsbergen Treaty are allowed to enter designated Arctic
globalization and regional integration keeps deepening,
WKH$UFWLFoVYDOXHLQWHUPVRIVWUDWHJ\HFRQRP\VFLHQWLĶF
issues related zones and enjoy equal right to conduct commercial and pro-
duction activities like hunting, fishing and mining.
research, environmental protection, sea routes and vari- to the Arctic. China has always pursued an open, cooperative
and win-win principle in the Arctic region. Its activities in
ous resources, is rising. Issues related to the Arctic are
thus no longer limited to national or regional spheres, but It’s always WKH$UFWLFKDYHH[SDQGHGEH\RQGVFLHQWLĶFUHVHDUFKWR
involve the interests of countries outside the Arctic re-
gion and the entire international community. The survival
ready to play global governance, regional cooperation and bilateral
and multilateral mechanisms, covering environmental
of all of humanity and its development is tied up with the a constructive protection, climate change, economic development and
cultural communication. China’s Belt and Road Initiative
Arctic too.
The natural conditions and changes in the Arctic role also includes the Polar Silk Road, which aims at promot-
have a direct bearing on China’s climate system and eco- ing connectivity and communication in the Arctic region
logical environment, which affect its agriculture, forestry as well as social and economic sustainable development.
and sea. Therefore, China has a big stake in the Arctic China will not interfere in affairs that are exclusively
region. Arctic nations’, but it will also not be absent from trans-
Moreover, China has long been engaged in Arctic- regional and global issues related to the Arctic. It’s always
related affairs. It signed the Spitsbergen Treaty, or the ready to play a constructive role, according to Geng.
Svalbard Treaty, in 1925. China’s exploration in the region The proper way to conduct Arctic affairs is for the
is ongoing and cooperative. In 1996, China became a international community to jointly protect, know, make
member of the International Arctic Science Committee, use of and manage the Arctic so as to consolidate its
IXUWKHUERRVWLQJLWVVFLHQWLĶFDQGUHVHDUFKDFWLYLWLHV:LWK peaceful, stable and sustainable development. Q
the research vessel Xue Long as a platform, China has
VXFFHVVIXOO\FRQGXFWHGVHYHUDOVFLHQWLĶFH[SORUDWLRQVLQ Copyedited by Rebeca Toledo
the Arctic since 1999. Comments to lanxinzhen@bjreview.com

Beijing Review - May 30, 2019

Caricato da

Informazioni sul documento

Titolo originale

Copyright

Formati disponibili

Condividi questo documento

Condividi o incorpora il documento

Opzioni di condivisione

Hai trovato utile questo documento?

Questo contenuto è inappropriato?

Copyright:

Formati disponibili

Beijing Review - May 30, 2019

Caricato da

Copyright:

Formati disponibili

CDAC REPORT: SIGHTS, SOUNDS & TASTES FROM CROSS-CULTURAL EXCHANGES P.

VOL.62 NO.22 MAY 30, 2019 WWW.BJREVIEW.COM

EDITOR’S DESK NATION

CDAC REPORT BUSINESS

Cover Design: Wang Yajuan

Executive Editor: Yan Wei

New Professions, New Progress

2 BEIJING REVIEW MAY 30, 2019 http://www.bjreview.com

http://www.bjreview.com MAY 30, 2019 BEIJING REVIEW 3

4 BEIJING REVIEW MAY 30, 2019 http://www.bjreview.com

http://www.bjreview.com MAY 30, 2019 BEIJING REVIEW 5

6 BEIJING REVIEW MAY 30, 2019 http://www.bjreview.com

China will set up a mechanism all market players.

http://www.bjreview.com MAY 30, 2019 BEIJING REVIEW 7

8 BEIJING REVIEW MAY 30, 2019 http://www.bjreview.com

http://www.bjreview.com MAY 30, 2019 BEIJING REVIEW 9

“China objects to the generalization “Why is investment from any

10 BEIJING REVIEW MAY 30, 2019 http://www.bjreview.com

“The commitment of European “As a matter of fact, although the U.S.

http://www.bjreview.com MAY 30, 2019 BEIJING REVIEW 11

RIDING THE NEW TIDE

12 BEIJING REVIEW MAY 30, 2019 http://www.bjreview.com

one of the new occupations that have

The MOHRSS said revising the national

http://www.bjreview.com MAY 30, 2019 BEIJING REVIEW 13

14 BEIJING REVIEW MAY 30, 2019 http://www.bjreview.com

Better meeting demands

http://www.bjreview.com MAY 30, 2019 BEIJING REVIEW 15

golden era, the report said.

16 BEIJING REVIEW MAY 30, 2019 http://www.bjreview.com

records of residents’ health status in Qujing, Yunnan

The adoption of big data has largely re-

http://www.bjreview.com MAY 30, 2019 BEIJING REVIEW 17

A Feast for the Senses

18 BEIJING REVIEW MAY 30, 2019 http://www.bjreview.com

the 2019 Asian Cuisine Consumption Trends

http://www.bjreview.com MAY 30, 2019 BEIJING REVIEW 19

Opening a New Chapter

Kingdoms, a panoramic 14th-century his-

When Science Meets Art

Chinese artist Xu Bing’s

24 BEIJING REVIEW MAY 30, 2019 http://www.bjreview.com

Works by artists from Germany, the

The Magic of Dough

26 BEIJING REVIEW MAY 30, 2019 http://www.bjreview.com

http://www.bjreview.com MAY 30, 2019 BEIJING REVIEW 27

Putin signed the landmark Treaty of Good

http://www.bjreview.com MAY 30, 2019 BEIJING REVIEW 31

:RUNLQJ in the Clouds

32 BEIJING REVIEW MAY 30, 2019 http://www.bjreview.com

Liang Nanyu (left), Deputy Mayor of

http://www.bjreview.com MAY 30, 2019 BEIJING REVIEW 33

18,000 Partnership Assistance Program

34 BEIJING REVIEW MAY 30, 2019 http://www.bjreview.com

dent involved in the business is expected

Smart and Strong

An aerial view of the Changsha International

volume. “The quality of China’s products is

Robust and Resilient

Meng said to address the pressure of any

http://www.bjreview.com MAY 30, 2019 BEIJING REVIEW 39

resulting from China’s import tariff regime and

hancing its own research and development