AI regulation around the world

Countries and economic blocs around the world are at different stages of regulating artificial intelligence, from a relative "Wild West" in the United States to highly complex rules in the European Union.

Here are some key points about regulation in major jurisdictions, ahead of the Paris AI summit on February 10-11:

- United States -

Returning President Donald Trump last month rescinded Joe Biden's October 2023 executive order on AI oversight.

Largely voluntary, it required major AI developers like OpenAI to share safety assessments and vital information with the federal government.

Backed by major tech companies, it was aimed at protecting privacy and preventing civil rights violations, and called for safeguards on national security.

Home to top developers, the United States now has no formal AI guidelines -- although some existing privacy protections do still apply.

Under Trump, the United States has "picked up their cowboy hat again, it's a complete Wild West", said Yael Cohen-Hadria, a digital lawyer at consultancy EY.

The administration has effectively said that "we're not doing this law anymore... we're setting all our algorithms running and going for it", she added.

- China -

China's government is still developing a formal law on generative AI.

A set of "Interim Measures" requires that AI respects personal and business interests, does not use personal information without consent, signposts AI-generated images and videos, and protects users' physical and mental health.

AI must also "adhere to core socialist values" -- effectively banning AI language models from criticising the ruling Communist Party or undermining China's national security.

DeepSeek, whose frugal yet powerful R1 model shocked the world last month, is an example, resisting questions about President Xi Jinping or the 1989 crushing of pro-democracy demonstrations in Tiananmen Square.

While regulating businesses closely, especially foreign-owned ones, China's government will grant itself "strong exceptions" to its own rules, Cohen-Hadria predicted.

- European Union -

In contrast to both the United States and China, "the ethical philosophy of respecting citizens is at the heart of European regulation", Cohen-Hadria said.

"Everyone has their share of responsibility: the provider, whoever deploys (AI), even the final consumer."

The "AI Act" passed in March 2024 -- some of whose provisions apply from this week -- is the most comprehensive regulation in the world.

Using AI for predictive policing based on profiling and systems that use biometric information to infer an individual's race, religion or sexual orientation are banned.

The law takes a risk-based approach: if a system is high-risk, a company has a stricter set of obligations to fulfil.

EU leaders have argued that clear, comprehensive rules will make life easier for businesses.

Cohen-Hadria pointed to strong protections for intellectual property and efforts to allow data to circulate more freely while granting citizens control.

"If I can access a lot of data easily, I can create better things faster," she said.

- India -

Like China, India -- co-host of next week's summit -- has a law on personal data but no specific text governing AI.

Cases of harm originating from generative AI have been tackled with existing legislation on defamation, privacy, copyright infringement and cybercrime.

New Delhi knows the value of its high-tech sector and "if they make a law, it will be because it has some economic return", Cohen-Hadria said.

Occasional media reports and government statements about AI regulation have yet to be followed up with concrete action.

Top AI firms including Perplexity blasted the government in March 2024 when the IT ministry issued an "advisory" saying firms would require government permission before deploying "unreliable" or "under-testing" AI models.

It came days after Google's Gemini in some responses accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of implementing fascist policies.

Hastily-updated rules called only for disclaimers on AI-generated content.

- Britain -

Britain's centre-left Labour government has included AI in its agenda to boost economic growth.

The island nation boasts the world's third-largest AI sector after the United States and China.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer in January unveiled an "AI opportunities action plan" that called for London to chart its own path.

AI should be "tested" before it is regulated, Starmer said.

"Well-designed and implemented regulation... can fuel fast, wide and safe development and adoption of AI," the action plan document read.

By contrast, "ineffective regulation could hold back adoption in crucial sectors", it added.

A consultation is under way to clarify copyright law's application to AI, aiming to protect the creative industry.

- International efforts -

The Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence (GPAI) brings together more than 40 countries, aiming to encourage responsible use of the technology.

Members will meet on Sunday "in a broader format" to lay out an "action plan for 2025", the French presidency has said.

The Council of Europe in May last year adopted the first-ever binding international treaty governing the use of AI, with the US, Britain and European Union joining the signatories.

Of 193 UN member countries, just seven belong to seven major AI governance initiatives, while 119 belong to none -- mostly in the Global South.By Tom Barfield With Afp Bureaus AI regulation around the world

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Ruthless Japan beat China to move to brink of World Cup qualification

A ruthless Japan moved to the brink of qualifying for their eighth straight World Cup after beating old rivals China 3-1 away on Tuesday.

Headers from Koki Ogawa and Ko Itakura put runaway group leaders Japan two goals up at half time before Lin Liangming pulled one back for China early in the second half.

Ogawa snuffed out China's hopes of a comeback with his second of the game six minutes later to silence the crowd of 45,000 in Xiamen.

Loud booing greeted the Japanese national anthem before kick-off and the game was briefly stopped in the first half when a fan invaded the pitch.

"It was tough at times and we knew that the opening goal was going to be key," said Dutch-based striker Ogawa.

Japan were playing their first senior international in China in nine years and there is a long history of rivalry between the two countries.

There was a heavy police presence outside the Xiamen Egret Stadium, where about 750 Japan fans were expected to be in attendance.

"All the players got us this win today," said Japan coach Hajime Moriyasu.

"The players on the pitch, the players on the bench and those that weren't on the bench today -- it was down to their energy that we won."

The convincing victory gave Japan five wins and a draw in Asian qualifying Group C and took them to within touching distance of a place at the 2026 World Cup.

The top two teams in each of the three groups will reach the showpiece in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Second place in Group C is wide open after Indonesia stunned Saudi Arabia 2-0 in Jakarta with Marselino Ferdinan scoring either side of half time.

It left Australia, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia and China all on six points ahead of the Socceroos' visit later Tuesday to Bahrain, who have five.

- Short-lived joy -

Japan made several changes to the team that beat Indonesia 4-0 on Friday with Brighton's Kaoru Mitoma and Crystal Palace's Daichi Kamada among those dropping to the bench.

Ogawa opened the scoring in the 39th minute, planting a firm header past goalkeeper Wang Dalei direct from a corner.

Japan doubled their lead just before the half-time whistle and again it came from a corner.

Koki Machida flicked on Junya Ito's delivery and Itakura was unmarked at the back post to nod the ball home.

Despite being behind China gave a much-improved performance after losing 7-0 to Japan in Saitama in their opening group game.

The hosts pulled a goal back three minutes after the break.

Xie Wenneng cleverly dummied Wei Shihao's pass and Lin slotted the ball past goalkeeper Zion Suzuki.

China's joy lasted just six minutes before Ogawa headed in another Ito cross to restore Japan's two-goal cushion.

Japan are home to Bahrain and Saudi Arabia in their next fixtures in March, with the World Cup within grasp.

"These last two games were difficult as we expected, but it was really positive to get two wins," said Itakura."There are lots of things we need to improve but it was positive and we'll get ready for the next games." Ruthless Japan beat China to move to brink of World Cup qualification

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IANS Analysis: Why no one trusts Chinese?

New Delhi, (IANS): Recently, Microsoft has reportedly banned its employees in China from using Android devices for work, requiring them to switch to Apple devices in September.

The move aims to mitigate cyberattacks and prevent data leaks of corporate resources. The unavailability of Google Play in China, leading to reliance on operating platforms from Chinese companies like Huawei and Xiaomi, is a key factor.

This decision follows Microsoft's earlier offer to around 800 local employees in China, working in artificial intelligence and cloud business, to relocate to other countries. This relocation is in line with the US administration's efforts to restrict Beijing’s access to advanced sensitive technologies due to cybersecurity concerns.

While Microsoft describes this as a “regular part of its global operations,” their February report highlights state-sponsored cyberattack concerns, including hackers from China using Microsoft’s AI tools for intelligence gathering and influencing narratives.

The precautionary measures taken by Microsoft are underscored by criticism from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Cyber Safety Review Board, which cited “a cascade of errors” in Microsoft's failure to prevent security breaches by the Chinese state-backed hacking group Storm-0558. This group targeted email accounts of approximately 22 organisations, including US government officials, and accessed about 60,000 emails from the US State Department.

Cyber espionage is undeniably the most significant national security threat facing the international community today. Recently, China's involvement in cyber espionage has been exposed, despite its covert activities since 2019.

In March, the US and the UK filed charges against Beijing and imposed sanctions, accusing it of using both artificial intelligence and Chinese nationals for malicious cyber hacking operations. These activities compromised the private data of millions worldwide, including businesspeople, lawyers, journalists, academics, politicians, bureaucrats, and critics of the Chinese government.

Similarly, New Zealand and Dutch intelligence agencies have accused China of state-backed espionage campaigns targeting the Wellington Parliament and Dutch military industries.

Beijing’s cyber hacking activities have also extended to neighbouring countries in Asia. This was evidenced in the February document leak from i-Soon, a Shanghai-based cybersecurity company, which revealed the Chinese government’s collaboration with i-Soon’s private hackers for intelligence gathering from foreign governments and organisations.

China's state-supported intelligence operations targeting other nations through cyber espionage are primarily aimed at intellectual property theft (IPT), particularly from Western countries. Due to the lesser emphasis on innovation, Chinese firms, especially those with political connections, have little incentive to pursue innovative paths. This policy effectively promotes IPT theft.

To surpass Western companies in global market competition, Chinese policies permit the acquisition of foreign technology know-how through both legitimate and illegitimate means, with the latter involving cyber espionage.

In 2022, Chinese-affiliated Advanced Persistent Threat (APT) 41 was suspected of conducting cyber operations that resulted in millions of dollars worth of IPT theft from approximately 30 multinational companies across the energy, manufacturing, and pharmaceutical sectors.

Additionally, intelligence gathering has heavily targeted security sectors that possess knowledge of modern warfare's technical capabilities. Emerging Chinese-affiliated APT groups, such as APT 40, have expanded their efforts to gather information for intellectual theft from both government institutions and private companies.

Telecommunication companies like Huawei and ZTE have been controversial due to Beijing's potential use of 5G infrastructure for cyber espionage and IPR theft, posing a significant national security threat.

In October last year, the Five Eyes; intelligence chiefs from the US, UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand accused Beijing of intellectual property theft through artificial intelligence in its hacking operations, which was seen as an "unprecedented threat" posed by China globally.

China's espionage activities extend beyond digital platforms to physical infiltration in target nations. Utilising its diasporic population as part of human intelligence exemplifies this approach.

A 2022 report revealed Beijing's long-term strategy of recruiting prominent scientists of Chinese descent who formerly worked at the US Department of Energy's Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico.

At least 162 such scientists with prior experience at this lab have reportedly been recruited to serve the Chinese government. This represents a broader, time-intensive, unconventional tactic of intelligence gathering, where Chinese researchers and academics are incentivised to advance their expertise abroad and subsequently share their knowledge with Beijing.

Notably, China's Counter-Terrorism Law (2015) and National Intelligence Law (2017) mandate Chinese nationals, institutions, and organisations to support and promote state intelligence activities by acting as informants.

Additionally, the United Front's political role in managing the diaspora abroad aims to extend Beijing's global influence and maintain a favourable narrative about China, highlighting another facet of its influence operations.

China's venture capital (VC) investments in foreign nations have also come under scrutiny for their alleged involvement in human rights abuses and surveillance activities. The policies requiring organisational compliance and intelligence cooperation with the government extend to Chinese entities operating overseas as well.

Earlier this year, a US congressional panel accused five American VC firms of investing over $3 billion in Chinese companies with suspected links to the Chinese government and military. The collaboration between Chinese companies and state-owned enterprises, particularly those engaged in developing advanced and critical technologies, thus serves as a cautionary example.

China's involvement in global cyber espionage, influence operations, and intellectual property theft has faced widespread criticism, particularly from Western nations. This negative perception recently escalated with accusations against China for foreign interference aimed at election meddling.

These hostile tactics have had significant repercussions for China, leading to bans on TikTok and 5G telecommunications networks in multiple countries over national security concerns.

Even among its allies, reports of poor performance and a lack of transparency and accountability in China's defence equipment have contributed to a decline in its global arms exports in recent years.The global view of China is further illustrated by the 2023 Pew Research survey conducted across 24 countries, where 67 per cent expressed a negative opinion of China, and 57 per cent regarded its foreign policy as interventionist. Thus, it can be concluded that trust in China is significantly lacking. IANS Analysis: Why no one trusts Chinese? | MorungExpress | morungexpress.com

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Meet Bao Li and Qing Bao–the National Zoo's Returning Pandas After a Panda-less Year in D.C.

Qing Bao, the female giant panda soon to grace the National Zoo – credit, Smithsonian National Zoo, and Conservation Biology Institute.

In an elaborate announcement video, First Lady Jill Biden broke the news that she’s expecting—the return of giant pandas to the National Zoo.

Following a prolonged period of diplomatic tension with China, all but one zoo in the country was panda-less, but after signing a new 10-year lease agreement for the purpose of scientific research, improving relations, and delighting visitors, D.C. is set to have a new pair of pandas by the end of this year.

2-year-old Bao Li is the son of Bao Bao, the female panda born at the zoo in 2013 to parents who left last year after tensions between the US and China reached a fever pitch.

Bao Li will be joined by Qing Bao, a 2-year-old female who is believed to be a possible breeding partner.

Arriving via FedEx’s special ‘Panda Express’ airline which has been transporting pandas across the world for 15 years, Chinese ambassador Xie Feng dubbed the duo “our new envoys of friendship.”

Washingtonians and visitors to our nation’s capital from across the country will have 10 years to see them under an agreement that will see the National Zoo pay a $1 million per annum lease fee—100% of which goes to panda conservation in China.

“We’ll have a few years just to enjoy these two, and then people can start asking about cubs,” National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute director Brandie Smith told Axios.

‘Panda Diplomacy’ by China dates back to late Maoist rule in China, when First Lady Pat Nixon told the country of the arrival of the first giant pandas in an American zoo in 1972 after she and her husband’s historic visit to Beijing.Far from being just a method of warming relations, China’s cooperation with zoos across the world has yielded some of the most important discoveries in panda biology, that have informed conservation and captivity strategies at home.Meet Bao Li and Qing Bao–the National Zoo's Returning Pandas After a Panda-less Year in D.C

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Chongqing Airlines to resume services to Colombo from 24 June

• Returns after four year hiatus with three weekly flights

China’s Chongqing Airlines will resume its services to Colombo from 24 June with three weekly flights after a four year hiatus.

The three services are on Monday, Wednesday and Friday with a stopover in Malè.

As Chongqing is the largest commercial and industrial centre in Southwest China, more cultural, investment and tourism exchanges are expected to be brought to Sri Lanka via the scheduled three weekly services between Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport and Bandaranaike International Airport.

China remains the fifth top source market for Sri Lanka with 52,498 tourists’ year-to-date.

The airline last operated services to Colombo in 2020. In December 2018, Chongqing Airlines commenced direct flights to take advantage of non-stop scheduled three weekly services between Chongqing and Colombo.

The flights were operated by modern Airbus A320 neo with three-class cabin configuration – Business Class, Premium Economy and Economy Class.

Chongqing Airlines is represented by Acorn Aviation Ltd Chongqing Airlines to resume services to Colombo from 24 June | Daily FT

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US President Joe Biden imposes heavy tariff on Chinese electric vehicles and batteries

US President Joe Biden has imposed heavy tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles, batteries, steel, solar cells, and aluminium, saying it would ensure that American workers are not held back by unfair trade practices. These include a 100 per cent tariff on electric vehicles, a 50 per cent tariff on semiconductors, and a 25 per cent tariff each on electric vehicle batteries from China. In his address to the nation from the Rose Garden of the White House, Mr Biden said the US can continue to buy any kind of car they want, but it will never allow China to unfairly control the market for these cars. He said the US wants fair competition with China, not conflict. He said Washington is in a stronger position to win that economic competition of the 21st century against China than anyone else.  

Mr Biden alleged that for years, the Chinese government has poured state money into Chinese companies across a whole range of industries: steel and aluminium, semiconductors, electric vehicles, solar panels, and even critical health equipment, like gloves and masks.

The tariff increase will cover 18 billion dollars in Chinese products. Tariffs on EVs, steel and aluminum, and solar cells will take effect this year, and next year for chips.

United States Trade Representative Katherine Tai said the administration has provided pre-notification to Beijing.US President Joe Biden imposes heavy tariff on Chinese electric vehicles and batteries

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Electric cars pile up at European ports as Chinese firms struggle to find buyers

Tom Stacey, Anglia Ruskin University

China’s automotive industry has revolutionised over the past decade, from producing basic western clones to making cars that equal the world’s best. As the manufacturing powerhouse of the world, China is also producing them in huge volumes.

However, Chinese cars are facing difficulties in finding buyers in Europe. Imported cars, many of which are Chinese electric vehicles, are piling up at European ports, with some spending up to 18 months in port car parks as manufacturers struggle to get them onto people’s driveways.

Why is this, though? Chinese electric vehicles in particular are getting positive reviews. Having driven them myself, I can attest to them matching, or even exceeding, the well-known European brands in range, quality and technology.

But entering an established market as a challenger is a complex operation. Chinese makers will have to contend with buyer wariness, a lack of brand image, trade protectionism and rapid outdatedness.

Lack of buyer faith

China’s automotive expansion programme draws parallels with the moves made by Japan in the 1960s and 70s. At that time, the product coming from Japan was commendable but lacked the finesse, design and longevity of their western counterparts. Japanese cars were thought of as tinny, underpowered and susceptible to rusting, as well as looking very generic compared to stylish European designs.

Memories of Japan’s involvement in the second world war were also fresh in (particularly American) buyer’s minds, who were slow to forgive a nation that launched the Pearl Harbour attacks. However, by constantly focusing on a reliable, relatively cheap and increasingly stylish product, Japan slowly turned this around to become the automotive powerhouse of the 1990s and 2000s.

China is viewed with suspicion by many westerners, and its carmakers are similarly hampered by their recent legacy of producing both endorsed and illegal clones of European cars. But with the lessons of the Japanese to learn from, Chinese cars are rapidly advancing to match and exceed existing alternatives.

Strategic purchases of brands like Volvo, Lotus and MG have also given China existing brands that are respected and, more importantly, have some of the best engineering knowledge in the world.

Yet, even after buying up western brands, Chinese automakers have proven unable to buy loyalty from existing customers of brands like BMW, Porsche, Ferrari and Ford. For these buyers, the history of the brand in terms of known reliability and even things like motor sport success is something that Chinese makers, like the Japanese, will have to build up over time.

Ford has a rich racing history. Grindstone Media Group/Shutterstock

It was Ford dealers who, in the 1960s, coined the phrase: “Win on Sunday, Sell on Monday”. The phrase is as an adage to attest the fact that if buyers see a car winning a race, they’ll be motivated to go out and buy one.

Existing manufacturers also have a legacy of reliability that buyers have experienced for themselves, giving a huge brand loyalty benefit. Add to this a lack of an established dealer network outside of China and you see how Chinese makers struggle against the established competition.

A challenging trade environment

China has a price advantage compared to Europe or the US. Economies of scale, excellent shipping links and cheap labour mean that Chinese cars are cheaper both to make and buy.

However, in many countries they are subject to high import tariffs. The EU currently imposes a 10% import tariff on each car brought in. And in the US, car imports from China are subject to a 27.5% tariff.

These tariffs may well rise further. The EU is conducting an investigation into whether its tariff is too low. If it concludes this later this year, higher duties will be applied retrospectively to imported cars.

Cars, and specifically electric vehicles, are also in a phase of their development where they see rapid changes and updates. Traditionally, vehicle models would see a market life of between four and seven years, perhaps with small updates in trim, colour palette or feature availability.

But Tesla has turned this on its head. The Tesla Model S, for example, has seen almost continuous product updates that make it barely recognisable in terms of hardware from a car released in 2012. Chinese automakers have taken note. They are bringing out new models around 30% faster than in most other nations.

Tesla is supporting owners of older cars with upgrades, at extra expense, to bring them in line with the latest hardware. Without guaranteed software support like this, the rate at which Chinese automakers are bringing out new models could make buyers wary that the product they have bought will soon become outdated compared to buying a car on a more traditional update cycle.

How to succeed

Many of these factors can be fixed. They also chime more with private buyers than business buyers, who are more concerned with cost. Chinese makers would be well-advised to push harder into this market.

In the UK, the fleet market dwarfs the private market, and the situation is similar in Europe. Selling en masse to fleets and rental companies gets more cars on the road and allows more data about reliability to feed into the market.

The road to succeeding in a new market such as the EU will be slow and bumpy. But it’s clear that China is laser focused on its global push. It remains to be seen whether this lack of buyers can be turned around.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

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China Mobile’s three-pronged strategy to boost the 5G-A ecosystem

Viewpoint:

The world’s largest service provider in terms of network scale, number of subscribers and revenues, China Mobile has taken a leadership position in the evolving 5G-A (abbreviation of 5G-Advanced) space. It plans to focus on a three-pronged strategy to accelerate the development of the 5G-A ecosystem.

The first part of the three-pronged strategy is to work on 5G-A innovation to develop cutting-edge technology. Second, to jointly promote a mature 5G-A industry value chain to encourage collaboration. Lastly, to jointly create innovative 5G-A business models to fast-track commercial success. China Mobile’s Executive Vice President, Gao Tongqing, elaborated on the service provider’s strategy during a recent event.

The service provider is all set to emerge as the first service provider to launch commercial 5G-A services and aims to bring the services to 300 cities by the end of this year. By accelerating the development of the 5G-A ecosystem, China Mobile will play a crucial role in the country’s efforts to build a Digital China.

China Mobile’s commitment to 5G-A is sure to inspire other telcos to adopt and promote the technology. The service provider announced plans to develop over 20 million 5G-A device users and more than 20 million phone models this year. China Mobile also plans to create 100 benchmark 5G-A industry applications within a year to speed up the development and deployment of 5G-A.

It will also offer 5G-A users improved speeds, tiered experience assurance, and multi-metric charging models. China Mobile’s commitment to 5G-A will play a critical role in building global momentum for the technology.

Compelling features of 5G-A

China Mobile’s thrust on 5G-A is based on the advanced features of the technology. 5G-A is a critical phase in 5G’s evolution towards 6G, which provides better speeds, more connections, and significantly lower latency than 5G.

By incorporating new-age technologies like integrated communications, computing, and intelligence, and space-air-ground integration, 5G-A expands the boundaries of 5G capabilities to take our digital lives to the next level and enables the intelligent digital transformation of enterprises.

There are some crucial features of 5G-A that make it a compelling technology for the telcos:

• Greater Speeds: 5G-A offers improved peak rates of 10 times more than that of 5G.
• Improved Services: With 5G-A, the end users will have access to tiered key service assurance that meets the communication service requirements of specific forms or customer groups.
• Innovative Products: 5G-A enables accelerated real-time 3D rendering, game loading and cloud collaboration, which is known to improve the performance of 5G New Calling, cloud phones and cloud computers.
• Massive Connections: Passive IoT technology enables a transformation from single-point communications to ultra-long-distance and ultra-large-scale passive connections of things, meeting customers’ requirements for efficient management of modern assets.
• Improved Control: 5G-A’s deterministic networks ensure highly reliable and low-latency transmission of key data, meeting customer needs for superior network performance that supports precision control and collaborative operations.

These capabilities make it imperative for the telcos across all geographies to fast-track their plans to deploy 5G-A so they are able to delight their enterprise and retail customers by bringing innovative use cases.

China Mobile’s strategies to accelerate the 5G-A ecosystem

China Mobile has emerged as a global technology leader and innovator. The operator has taken several initiatives to boost innovation in 5G-A, including leading the formulation of 60 international 5G-A standards.

A crucial component of the development of 5G-A is to collaborate with several partners to build a vibrant ecosystem. To this end, the service provider is partnering with several industry partners. It has established the 5G-A Innovation Industry Alliance and Glasses-free 3D Industry Alliance. These collaborations have led to the development of several glasses-free 3D devices, including mobile phones, tablets, car screens, laptop PCs, and monitors, as well as many more achievements in content applications, technical platforms, and ecosystem capabilities. The service provider plans to focus on many more such collaborations to develop innovative 5G-A applications and services.

To enhance the adoption of 5G-A, China Mobile has created showcase service centers where end users can experience innovative 5G-A applications and use cases. The service provider is also offering exciting value propositions to the users to explore 5G-A. For instance, China Mobile’s customers can apply for commercial 5G-A gift packages free of charge through its app to join the experience program. Around 10,000 users can experience 5G-A as part of this initiative.

In closing

The last two to three years have seen China Mobile transform into a true technology leader. Over the coming years, China Mobile will continue to maintain its momentum and take several significant and crucial steps to advance the development of the 5G-A ecosystem in China and other geographies

Source: https://totaltele.com/china-mobiles-three-pronged-strategy-to-boost-the-5g-a-ecosystem/

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Five Things Chinese Investment Means for Zimbabwe

• By Fani Zvomuya Correspondent: President Mnangagwa recently toured the Manhize Steel Plant, a bustling investment near Mvuma that is the face of steel manufacturing revival in Zimbabwe; and the lofty position the country will attain as Africa's giant.
• The Manhize Steel Plant is owned by Chinese company Tsingshan Holding's local subsidiary, DINSON Iron and Steel. The steel plant has just begun production of pig iron and will in the course of the year manufacture steel billets and bars, all necessary for the steel industry which supports various sectors of the economy such as construction, agriculture, mining and so on.
• Dinson's Manhize plant will be the biggest in Africa at its peak, according to its projected phases; and this fact bears quite some symbolism, as China helps Zimbabwe to rise from the ashes and become a shining example.
• The country's own steel manufacturing had been battered because of the collapse of a State entity, Ziscosteel; and massive de-industrialisation that has taken place in the past two decades, mostly due to sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe by Western countries. Zisco was among entities initially put under the embargo.
• While addressing stakeholders during the Manhize Steel Plant, the President underlined the importance of Chinese investments in the southern African nation.
• He said: "I applaud companies from the People's Republic of China for the continued investments in our economy. This investment through Dinson Iron and Steel Company signifies more than just financial support; it represents a shared vision for a brighter future between Zimbabwe and China."
• This article unpacks the significance of Chinese investments in Zimbabwe, and the benefits of greater cooperation between the two countries.
• In particular, there are five key attributes of Chinese investments that underline the importance of Chinese foreign direct investment as a function of the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two sides.
• From size and speed, to spreading tentacles in Africa
• The first key attribute of Chinese investments in Zimbabwe, which Manhize steel project signifies is size.
• China is one of Zimbabwe's major source of Foreign Direct Investment, and it is no surprise that the biggest projects that the country has set up have come from China to the Manhize steel project is worth US$1.5 billion.
• What is important to note is that it is at the apex of a value chain comprising of production of ferrochrome and coking coal, which means that Dinson is the only company with such a well-knit business concept, worth close to US$3 billion.
• Dinson sister companies, Afrochine (ferrochrome) and Dinson Colliery (coking coal) have been the major producers and exporters of their respective products in Zimbabwe.
• The Dinson group also owns Gwanda Lithium as it pivots to new energy materials as part of its investment portfolio, which may include other minerals such as copper.
• Size matters. The Tsingshan group, the largest steelmaker and a Fortune 500 company, is showing the extent of Chinese investments in the country.
• There are a number of investments that are also big in size and scale.
• These include two major mining projects in the lithium sector through Sinomine Bikita Lithium, and Zhejiang Huayou Cobalt's Prospect Lithium Zimbabwe which have opened over the past two years.
• The projects were worth close to US$2 billion combined in investments.
• The biggest future and prospective investments in Zimbabwe will likely to be Chinese.
• These include a battery manufacturing plant in Mapinga, Mashonaland West; as well as the US$1 billion floating solar farm in Kariba.
• The second key attribute of Chinese investments in Zimbabwe is speed.
• Many projects done by Chinese companies have been completed in record time, as they have breezed through construction to begin operations quickly and efficiently.
• Rapid progress seen on Chinese projects has been seen by many locals as a thing of marvel.
• It is China speed. Projects such as Prospect Lithium Zimbabwe's Arcadia lithium plant, which was constructed in under one year, when ordinarily it would take at least 18 months, have attested to the sense of urgency and purpose as well as unmatched work ethic of the Chinese.
• The third attribute is that Chinese investments are impactful.
• The impact of Chinese investments has been huge. Zimbabwe has over 100 large and medium scale companies involved in various significant economic endeavours.
• China has also become an employer across various sectors. Apart from providing jobs and steering the economy through revenue streams to the fiscus, Chinese investments have come with social impact through corporate social responsibility assisting communities with education, health and other social needs.
• Sinomine Bikita Minerals has in the past year drilled nearly 40 boreholes in Masvingo Province, as well as upgrading roads. The company will also build a bridge in Manicaland.
• Bikita Minerals has also brought electricity to local businesses and homesteads, which are benefiting from its investment in power infrastructure valued at millions, something similar to what Dinson Iron and Steel has also done through a 90 kilometre 400kva power line from Sherwood in Kwekwe to the plant.
• Bikita Minerals has a football team that won promotion into Zimbabwe's top flight, the Premier Soccer League, underlining the diversity of its impact portfolio, as football is not just a social force but also an employer in itself.
• Chinese companies have also had impact on activities that have enhanced local value chains, becoming a key cog in running Zimbabwe's economy. Add to this, the transfer of skills and technologies that are benefiting local people.
• Fourth, Chinese companies are transformative. Chinese companies are assisting Zimbabwe modernise its economy and pushing industrialisation, with Manhize steel being the metaphor for the industrialisation drive as steel is at the centre of development.
• Historically, steel is a key driver of industrialisation and a Chinese company is at the centre of it all.
• Dinson Iron and Steel managing director, Mr Benson Xui -- captured it succinctly when he described the transformation power of the company's investment, relating that: "I saw mountains of iron ore and saw an opportunity for us to achieve the steel project in Zimbabwe and for Zimbabwe." (This was corroborated by President Mnangagwa stating that, "Over the years, the full potential of our iron ore resources and value chains have remained largely untapped.
• "However, under the Second Republic, the milestones we are realising through exceptional teamwork, focus and determination from both public and private sector have seen the establishment of this national strategic project."
• He also said it was pleasing that Zimbabwe's iron ore will be fully exploited, value added and beneficiated locally so as to realise maximum benefits from local natural resources, while also capitalising on the value chains including processing, manufacturing and the supply of high-value finished steel goods and products.)
• Value addition is key to economic transformation and this is being driven by Tsingshan investments in Zimbabwe, which has lots of natural resources and a yet to be realised value of unmined assets, added to vast human resources, a perfect climate and a huge repository of human capital.
• In this process, there is massive development of infrastructure and support services, which are set to impact on the whole of southern Africa, particularly in the south and south east where a value addition park will be established and attracting interest globally.
• Lastly, Chinese investments in Africa and in Zimbabwe particularly are stimulating and diffusional. Zimbabwe is thus positioned to become a nodal country, placing it firmly at the centre of the region, and becoming the gateway to Africa for investors attracted to opportunities linked to the exploitation and utilisation of natural resources.
• Zimbabwe and Africa are rising, and this fits neatly into the global economic matrices espoused in concepts such as China's Belt and Road Initiative and Global Development Initiative.
• Read the original article on The Herald.Five Things Chinese Investment Means for Zimbabwe

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Nuclear output to reach new record by 2025, says IEA

Unit 1 of Turkey's Akkuyuy plant is due to start up later this year (Image: Akkuyu NPP)

Global nuclear power generation is forecast to grow by almost 3% annually on average through to 2026, reaching a new record high by 2025, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA). More than half of new reactors expected to become operational during the outlook period are in China and India.

According to the IEA's Electricity 2024, which provides forecasts for electricity demand, supply and CO2 emissions up to 2026, global electricity demand is expected to grow at a faster rate over the next three years as the clean energy transition gathers speed, with all the additional demand forecast to be covered by technologies that produce low-emissions electricity.

While global growth in electricity demand eased slightly to 2.2% in 2023 due to falling electricity consumption in advanced economies, it is projected to accelerate to an average of 3.4% from 2024 through to 2026. About 85% of the increase in the world's electricity demand through to 2026 is expected to come from outside advanced economies - most notably China, India and countries in Southeast Asia.

However, record-setting electricity generation from low-emission sources - including nuclear power - should reduce the role of fossil fuels in providing power for homes and businesses. Low-emission sources are expected to account for almost half of the world's electricity generation by 2026, up from a share of 39% in 2023.

By 2025, nuclear power generation is forecast to reach an all-time high globally - exceeding the previous record set in 2021 - as output from France climbs, several plants in Japan are restarted, and new reactors begin commercial operations in many markets, including in China, India, South Korea and Europe. The IEA expects global nuclear generation to be almost 10% higher in 2026 compared with 2023.

Between 2024 and 2026, an additional 29 GW of new nuclear capacity is expected to come online globally. Asia remains the main driver of growth in nuclear power, with the region's share of global nuclear generation forecast to reach 30% in 2026.

The IEA says the increase in electricity generation from renewables and nuclear "appears to be pushing the power sector's emissions into structural decline". Over the next three years, low-emissions generation is set to rise at twice the annual growth rate between 2018 and 2023. Global emissions from electricity generation are expected to decrease by 2.4% in 2024, followed by smaller declines in 2025 and 2026.

"The power sector currently produces more CO2 emissions than any other in the world economy, so it's encouraging that the rapid growth of renewables and a steady expansion of nuclear power are together on course to match all the increase in global electricity demand over the next three years," said IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol. "This is largely thanks to the huge momentum behind renewables, with ever cheaper solar leading the way, and support from the important comeback of nuclear power, whose generation is set to reach a historic high by 2025. While more progress is needed, and fast, these are very promising trends."

In its updated Net Zero Roadmap, released in September last year, the IEA revised upwards the role of nuclear power. In the updated net-zero emissions (NZE) scenario, nuclear generating capacity more than doubles to reach 916 GWe in 2050.

At the COP28 climate change conference that concluded in December 2023, more than 20 countries signed a joint declaration to triple nuclear power capacity by 2050. Globally, that would mean an addition of 740 GW of nuclear capacity to the current stock of 370 GW.

According to the IEA, achieving this goal will require tackling the key challenge of reducing construction and financing risks in the nuclear sector. It also notes that momentum is also growing behind small modular reactor (SMR) technology. While technology's development and deployment "remains modest and is not without its difficulties", R&D is starting to pick up, it said.Researched and written by World Nuclear News. Nuclear output to reach new record by 2025, says IEA : Energy & Environment - World Nuclear News

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WTO conference ends in division and stalemate – does the global trade body have a viable future?

Jane Kelsey, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau

The 13th World Trade Organization (WTO) ministerial conference in Abu Dhabi has failed to resolve any issues of significance, raising the inescapable question of whether the global trade body has a future.

The three-day meeting was due to end on February 29. But late into a fourth extra day, the 164 members were struggling to even agree on a declaration, let alone the big issues of agriculture, fisheries and border taxes on electronic commerce.

The closing ceremony was sombre, and the ministerial declaration bland, stripped of the substantive content previously proposed. Outstanding issues were kicked back to the WTO base in Geneva for further discussions, or for the next ministerial conference in 2026.

Briefing journalists in the closing hours, an EU spokesperson noted how hard it would be to pick up the pieces in Geneva after they failed to create momentum at the ministerial conference. She predicted:

[Trade] will be more and more characterised by power relations than the rule of law, and that will be a problem notably for smaller countries and for developing countries.

Restricted access

That imbalance is already evident, with power politics characterising the conference from the start.

There were accusations of unprecedented restrictions on non-governmental organisations (NGOs) registered to participate in the conference. These bodies are crucial to bringing the WTO’s impacts on farmers, fishers, workers and other communities into the negotiation arena.

A number of NGOs have submitted formal complaints over their treatment by conference host the United Arab Emirates. They say they were isolated from delegations, banned from distributing papers, and people were arbitrarily detained for handing out press releases.

Critical negotiations were conducted through controversial “green rooms”. These were where the handpicked “double quad” members – the US, UK, European Union, Canada, China, India, South Africa and Brazil – tried to broker outcomes to present to the rest for “transparency”.

Influence of power politics

These powerful countries largely determined the outcomes (or lack of them). The US, historically the agenda-setter at WTO ministerial conferences, appeared largely disinterested in the proceedings, with trade representative Katherine Tai leaving early.

The final declaration says nothing about restoring a two-tier dispute body, which has been paralysed since 2019 by the refusal of successive US Republican and Democratic administrations to appoint new judges to the WTO’s appellate body.

The EU failed to secure progress on improvements to the appeal process. Likely Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump has already announced he would impose massive WTO-illegal tariffs on China if elected.

China, Japan, the US and EU – all big subsidisers of distant water fishing fleets – blocked an outcome aiming to protect global fish stocks, an issue already deferred from the last ministerial meeting.

The six Pacific Island WTO members lobbied tirelessly for a freeze and eventual reduction in subsidies. But the text was diluted to the point that no deal was better than a bad deal.

The EU, UK, Switzerland and other pharmaceutical producers had already blocked consensus on lifting patents for COVID-19 therapeutics and diagnostics, sought by 65 developing countries. A deal brokered in 2021 on COVID vaccines is so complex no country has used it.

Domestic and global agendas

India’s equally uncompromising positions also reflected domestic priorities. The 2013 Bali ministerial conference promised developing countries a permanent solution to prevent legal challenges to India’s subsidised stockpiling of food for anti-hunger programmes.

A permanent solution was a red line for India, which faces an election next month and mass protests from farmers concerned at losing subsidies.

Agricultural exporters, including New Zealand, tabled counter-demands to broaden the agriculture negotiations. The public stockpiling issue remains a stalemate, without any real prospect of a breakthrough.

India and South Africa formally objected to the adoption of an unmandated plurilateral agreement on investment facilitation.

The concerns were less with the agreement itself and more with the precedent it would create for sub-groups of members to bypass the WTO’s rule book. This would allow powerful states to advance their favoured issues while developing country priorities languish.

Crisis and transformation

The face-saver for the conference was the temporary extension of a highly contested moratorium on the right to levy customs duties at the border on transmissions of digitised content.

Securing that extension (or preferably a permanent ban on e-commerce customs duties) on behalf of Big Tech was the main US goal for the conference. Developing countries opposed its renewal, so they could impose tariffs both for revenue and to support their own digital industrialisation.

The moratorium will now expire in March 2026, so the battle will resume at the next ministerial conference scheduled to be held in Cameroon that year.

But there is every likelihood the current paralysis at the WTO will continue, and the power politics will intensify. As the previously quoted EU spokesperson also mused:

Perhaps the WTO needed a good crisis, and perhaps this will lead to a realisation that we cannot continue like this.

Ideally, that would result in a fundamentally different international institution – one that provides real solutions to the 21st century challenges on which the WTO is unable to deliver.

Jane Kelsey, Emeritus Professor of Law, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

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India slowly taking export market share from China, study shows

Smartphone with Chinese applications is seen in front of a displayed Indian flag and a “Banned app” sign in this illustration picture taken July 2, 2020. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo

• 28 February 2024, (Bloomberg) — India is chipping away at China’s dominance in electronics exports in some key markets as manufacturers diversify supply chains away from the world’s factory to other parts of Asia, a new study shows.
• The impact is most pronounced in the UK and US, where geopolitical tensions with China have increased in recent years.
• India’s electronics exports to the US as a ratio of China’s increased to 7.65% in November last year from 2.51% in November 2021, according to London-based Fathom Financial Consulting. In the UK, the share rose to 10% from 4.79%.
• India’s government is luring electronics manufacturers to the country with heavy incentives, such as tax cuts, rebates, easier land acquisition and capital support. The aim is to expand the domestic manufacturing industry in order to export more, and help businesses grow to global scale through partnerships.
• India houses Samsung Electronics Co.’s biggest mobile phone factory, while Apple Inc. makes at least 7% of all its iPhones in India through its contract manufacturer Foxconn Technology Group and Pegatron Corp.
• The rise in electronic exports is “likely the result of Foxconn’s increasing investment in India,” Andrew Harris, an economist at Fathom Financial Consulting, wrote in a note last week.
• India’s progress in gaining market share has been more limited in Europe and Japan, “suggesting a move towards dual supply chains (China plus one) rather than a complete abandonment of China-based production, at least for now,” Harris said. The report shows that India’s electronics exports as a ratio of China’s was 3.38% in Germany and 3.52% globally.
• Indian companies have been touting their role in multinationals’ ‘China plus one’ strategy, which sees manufacturers developing back-up capacity in other countries.India’s rising market share is a boost for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has touted his ‘Make in India’ plan as a way of creating jobs, expanding exports and making the economy more self reliant by reducing the need for imports. He’s widely expected to win a third term in office in elections due within a few months. India slowly taking export market share from China, study shows

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Visa waiver for five countries to boost tourism

Citizens of China, Russia, India, Thailand, and Indonesia are to benefit from new move as per Cabinet proposal

In a joint effort to reinvigorate its tourism industry, the Government has tabled a ground-breaking proposal for free tourist visas targeting visitors from five countries.

The countries set to benefit from this potential visa waiver program are China, Russia, India, Thailand, and Indonesia.

The initiative, as outlined in a statement from the Tourism Ministry, seeks to draw a significant influx of tourists, positioning Sri Lanka as a leading global travel destination. The proposal, jointly presented at the most recent Cabinet meeting, reflects the collaborative endeavour of Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena, Tourism Minister Harin Fernando, Public Security Minister Tiran Alles and Foreign Affairs Minister Ali Sabry.

This forward-thinking measure aligns seamlessly with Sri Lanka’s overarching strategy to revive the tourism sector, which has grappled with multiple challenges in recent times, since 2019. By waiving tourist visa fees, the Government anticipates a surge in visitor numbers, projecting positive impacts on economic growth and employment opportunities within the tourism industry. The authorities have set their sights on increasing arrivals to 5 million by 2029 and earning an impressive $ 21.6 billion within seven years. As part of its long-term strategy to welcome 5 million visitors, it hopes to lift the average spending per visitor to $ 4,000, with 2.5 million of them spending over $ 500 per day, indicating a concentration on luring high-end tourists. Visa waiver for five countries to boost tourism | Daily FT

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Alibaba stock plummets as former CEO abruptly departs cloud unit just before IPO

• Alibaba’s stock on the Hong Kong stock exchange dropped more than 4% on Monday, 11 September 2023, following the unexpected resignation of Daniel Zhang, the former CEO of the Alibaba Group, from his role in the company’s cloud computing division.
• 
• The abrupt resignation has left investors unsettled and raised concerns about its potential impact on the subsidiary’s plans for an initial public offering (IPO) in the coming year.
• A mere two months after focusing solely on the cloud division, Zhang’s departure has paved the way for Eddie Wu, the newly appointed CEO of the Alibaba Group, to step in as the acting CEO and chairman of the cloud unit. This change comes at a challenging time for the Cloud Intelligence Group, which has been grappling with sluggish sales growth, which does not augur well for its planned IPO next year.
• The Cloud Intelligence Group holds a significant position within Alibaba, being the second-largest revenue source after domestic e-commerce. It contains some crucial assets, such as the generative artificial intelligence model Tongyi Qianwen and the messaging app Dingtalk.
• The unit experienced a 2% drop in revenue in the January–March period due to delayed projects and other factors. Analysts estimate it to be China’s largest cloud provider with a 34% market share.
• Despite facing these challenges, the cloud unit is on track for a substantial IPO, with an estimated value ranging from $41 billion to $60 billion.
• Meanwhile, concerns loom that the unit’s extensive data management responsibilities could draw regulatory scrutiny, especially in the light of growing concerns over data security and geopolitics.
• Alibaba has stated its commitment to proceeding with the spinoff of the cloud unit under a yet-to-be-named management team. The process is expected to be completed by May 2024.
• Citi analyst Alicia Yap noted that Zhang’s departure could have a temporary impact on Alibaba’s share price until a successor is appointed. She expressed concerns about the timing and process of AliCloud’s spinoff.
• Zhang, who succeeded Alibaba co-founder Jack Ma as group CEO in 2015 and chairman in 2019, assumed leadership of the cloud unit in December following a significant service outage. However, his tenure as group head was marked by intense regulatory scrutiny. His departure is seen by some, including Vey-Sern Ling, managing director at Union Bancaire Privee, as an opportunity for the cloud business to reset and start anew.
• Alibaba’s stock price fell by as much as 4.4% to HK$86.85, marking its lowest point since August 23. Ling has cautioned investors that the stock remains vulnerable to macroeconomic and geopolitical pressures.
• Alibaba made the announcement of Zhang’s departure from the cloud unit in a letter to staff on Sunday without specifying the reasons behind his decision. It was on the same day that Zhang was scheduled to pass on the group CEO role to Wu and the chairmanship to co-founder Joseph Tsai.
• Eddie Wu, one of Alibaba’s 18 co-founders, who began as a technology director in 1999 and now holds various key positions within the company, including CEO and chairman of Taobao and Tmall Group, as well as directorships in its Local Service Group and Alibaba International Digital Commerce Group, has been appointed to lead the cloud unit. Wu’s appointment is seen as a positive move for Alibaba, as he is closely aligned with Jack Ma and brings fresh energy to the business, according to Union Bancaire’s Ling.Alibaba stock plummets as former CEO abruptly departs cloud unit just before IPO

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Brazil's president proposes common currency for BRICS nations

• The President of Brazil, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, popularly known as Lula, proposed the idea of establishing a common currency among the BRICS nations.
• BRICS is a grouping of the economies of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. The predecessor of this group, before South Africa joined the other four in 2010 was known as BRIC.
• President Lula’s proposal aims to mitigate the susceptibility of the economies of most countries to the fluctuations in the value of the US dollar in trade and investment transactions.
• Lula put forth the suggestion on 23 August 2023 during a BRICS summit held in Johannesburg, South Africa.
• However several experts and officials have commented that there are formidable challenges associated with this initiative. Chief among them, they have said, are the significant economic, political, and geographical differences among Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa.
• Lula holds the view that nations not using the dollar should not be compelled to engage in trade using that currency. He expressed support for the implementation of a shared currency within the Mercosur bloc, which comprises South American countries.
• Addressing the opening session of the summit, he stated that a BRICS currency would ‘expand our payment choices and diminish our exposure to vulnerabilities.’
• South African officials had previously stated that the discussion of a BRICS currency was not included in the summit's agenda.
• Back in July, India's foreign minister, S. Jaishankar, had asserted that the concept of a BRICS currency did not exist, and the agenda would include discussions on enhancing trade in the respective national currencies.
• Russian President Vladimir Putin, who participated in the gathering via video link, said the discussions would revolve around transitioning trade between member nations from the dollar to their respective national currencies. On the other hand, China has yet to provide a statement regarding this idea.
• President Xi Jinping, during his address at the summit, emphasized the importance of advancing ‘the reform of the international financial and monetary system.’
• During an interview with a radio station in July this year, Lesetja Kganyago, governor of the South African central bank had described the creation of a BRICS currency as a ‘political endeavor’. Kganyago has emphasized the need to establish of a banking union, a fiscal union, and the attainment of macroeconomic convergence before a common BRICS currency can be created.
• 
• A mechanism for enforcing compliance among countries is required, especially for those that deviate from the established framework. Also, the creation of a common central bank raises the question of its geographical location. Not an easy decision to reach.
• Trade imbalances pose a significant challenge, as highlighted by Herbert Poenisch, a senior fellow at Zhejiang University, in a blog post for the think-tank OMFIF.
• ‘All BRICS member nations primarily engage in trade with China, with minimal trade occurring among themselves.’
• BRICS leaders have expressed their desire to increase the use of their respective national currencies instead of relying heavily on the dollar. This shift has gained prominence, particularly after the substantial strengthening of the dollar last year due to the Federal Reserve's interest rate hikes and Russia's involvement in Ukraine, resulting in increased costs for dollar-denominated debt and imports.
• The sanctions imposed on Russia, leading to its exclusion from the global financial system last year, also heightened speculation that non-Western allies might transition away from the dollar.
• ‘In Tuesday's summit,’ Putin emphasized, ‘the relentless process of reducing our economic dependence on the dollar is gaining traction.’
• According to data from the International Monetary Fund, the dollar’s share of official foreign exchange reserves dropped to a 20-year low of 58% in the last quarter of 2022, and it fell to 47% when accounting for fluctuations in exchange rates.
• Nonetheless, the dollar continues to hold a dominant position in global trade, being involved in one side of nearly 90% of worldwide foreign exchange transactions, as reported by data from the Bank for International Settlements.De-dollarization would necessitate a widespread shift, with numerous exporters, importers, borrowers, lenders, and currency traders worldwide making independent decisions to opt for alternative currencies. Brazil's president proposes common currency for BRICS nations

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President Biden issues order restricting technology investments in China

• By Aniket Gupta, On 9 August 2023, US President Joe Biden signed an executive order that enforces restrictions on certain new American investments in China, specifically targeting sensitive technologies such as computer chips. The order also mandates government notification for investments in other technology sectors in China.
• The eagerly anticipated directive grants authority to the US Treasury Secretary to forbid or limit American investments in Chinese enterprises in three key sectors: semiconductors and microelectronics, quantum information technologies, and specific artificial intelligence systems. The order stated that the constraints would be applicable to ‘narrow subsets’ of the three domains, but exact details were not disclosed.
• The presidential order aims to prevent the utilization of American capital and knowledge to advance China's military modernization efforts and pose a threat to America’s national security. It seeks to reduce the involvement of private equity, venture capital, joint ventures, and new business ventures in China.
• The next day, the Chinese government expressed profound concern about the order and declared its right to undertake appropriate actions in response. The ministry said the US should uphold the principles of market economy regulations and fair competition and not artificially impede international economic and trade interactions and collaboration or introduce barriers.
• The proposal centers on investments in Chinese enterprises engaged in the creation of software for computer chip design and the development of manufacturing tools for such chips. The leading countries in this area are the US, Japan, and the Netherlands, while the Chinese government has been actively engaged in developing its own indigenous alternatives.
• According to the White House, that President Biden engaged with US allies over the proposal and took input from G7 nations.
• The executive order will exempt certain transactions and require investors to inform the government about their intentions for other deals. The treasury department indicated it might grant exceptions for specific transactions, which may include publicly traded instruments and transfers between US parent companies and subsidiaries.The order is set to be implemented in 2024 after several rounds of public input, which would include an initial 45-day comment period. Source: https://www.domain-b.com/, Image: https://pixabay.com/

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India’s diplomatic influence rose in 2022 due to leadership, says Australian think tank; China displacing India as South Asian investor

The index also cited what it asserted was India’s “displacement by the United States and China as a top investor and trade partner for several South Asian neighbours in recent years”.It noted that the US displaced “India as a top investor in two South Asian economies: Bangladesh and Nepal”. Pakistan ranks 15 on the Index, Bangladesh 19, Sri Lanka 21, and Nepal 25.

By Arul Louis Feb 08, 2023, India’s diplomatic influence rose last year with experts giving high marks to its leaders’ ability to pursue the nation’s interests in Asia and globally, a leading Australian think tank that ranks influencers in the region reported Sunday.

The Lowy Institute’s Asian Power Index2023 said, “India’s Diplomatic Influence rose in 2022, with experts rating it highly for its leaders’ ability to prosecute the country’s national interests both in Asia and on the global stage”.

However, it also said that India “underperforms in relation to its resources” with its influence “concentrated in South Asia” and its possible role in East Asian flashpoints “unclear”.

Looking ahead, the report said, ”Its sheer size means the country is almost certainly destined to be a major power behind only the United States and China”, which occupy the top spots on the index, which ranks them as “superpowers”.

“New Delhi’s Diplomatic Influence rose by one ranking in 2022 and is now just behind Japan in fourth place”, the institute said.

“India scores highly in the Future Resources measure, reflecting its likely greater share of economic, military and demographic weight in the decades to come,” the index said.

The Lowy Institute’s Asia Power Index now in its fifth year evaluates 26 countries and territories for the power they wield in the Indo-Pacific region based on eight factors ranging from military capability and future resources to economic power to cultural influence.

The US received the top rank, followed by China, which, it said, “registered the largest decline in comprehensive power of any country in the Asia Power Index 2023” as a result of its “tough zero-Covid policies that sharply curtailed its global and regional connectivity”.

China’s “core economic strength and ability to use the economy to geopolitical advantage”, it said, “is at its lowest level since 2018, with the United States again leading on this measure”.

On the other hand, Beijing "emerges more militarily capable than ever”, it said.

“The United States maintains an enduring advantage as the most powerful country in Asia and widened its lead slightly over China for a second year”, the Lowy Institute said.

Russia followed India on the index at the fifth spot, but “risks growing irrelevance” due to “Moscow’s loss of reputation and its strategic preoccupation with the invasion of Ukraine” and the war’s heavy impact on its military-industrial capacity which will affect its defence equipment trade, the report said.

India’s influence is "weighted towards security ties”, the index said, while also asserting that “India makes an uneven strategic contribution to the regional balance”.

“Its interests in balancing China overlap with those of Washington, including through the Quad partnership with Australia and Japan”, while also noting that “as for India, Japan’s contribution to a collective balancing strategy in response to China’s rise may be less than the United States hopes”.

A significant drawback cited by the report is in India's economic relations with others in the region that “hamper its influence”, with it ranking ninth in that segment “in part due to its absence from the region’s major free trade deals”, it said. India stayed away from the ten-nation Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement that came into force last year.

The index also cited what it asserted was India’s “displacement by the United States and China as a top investor and trade partner for several South Asian neighbours in recent years”. It noted that the US displaced “India as a top investor in two South Asian economies: Bangladesh and Nepal”.

Pakistan ranks 15 on the Index, Bangladesh 19, Sri Lanka 21, and Nepal 25.

In what seemed a contradiction to India's overall diplomatic influence, the institute reported that the country's “diplomatic service continues to receive low marks from the Index survey of experts, ranking tenth in the region. (SAM), Source: https://www.southasiamonitor.org/

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Hongyanhe district heating project into final stages : Energy & Environment

The Hongyanghe plant (Image: CGN)

The China Nuclear Energy Association, citing the Dalian Daily newspaper, said that construction has progressed well since July for the project which is jointly funded and being built by Liaoning Hongyanhe Nuclear Power Company and State Power Investment Northeast Electric Power Company.

Liaoning Hongyanhe Nuclear Power Co is responsible for the renovation of the heat source on the site and the construction of the primary pipe network and ancilliary facilities, while State Power Investment Northeast Electric Power Co's subsidiary Dalian Dafa Energy Branch is responsible for the construction and operation of the secondary network - including a secondary pipe network of 5.7 kilometres - production and operation centre and heat exchange station.

The demonstration project is scheduled to be completed on 25 October, operating in a hot state on 1 November and reaching the official heating standard on 5 November.

According to China Environment, in a report also cited by the China Nuclear Energy Association, it had been told that the project "has been completed about 95%" and that at the start it will cover Hongyanhe Town, 10 kilometres away from the nuclear power plant, with a heating user area of more than 240,000 square metres. In total about 20,000 residents will benefit from it.

The environmental protection benefits from the completed project are estimated as the reduction of annual coal consumption by 12,100 tonnes, smoke and dust emissions by more than 209 tonnes, sulphur dioxide by more than 60 tonnes, carbon dioxide by more than 14,000 tonnes, nitrogen oxides by more than 85 tonnes, and ash by more than 0.26 tonnes.

This is the first district heating project in the north-east of China. The Chinese government has made clean-energy heating a priority. In 2017, the authorities issued guidance on clean heating in winter in northern China. The National Energy Administration released a five-year plan, covering 2017-2021, highlighting the innovation of clean heating technology and consideration of nuclear heating.

China's Haiyang nuclear power plant in Shandong province officially started providing district heat to the surrounding area in November 2020. A trial of the project - the country's first commercial nuclear heating project - was carried out the previous winter, providing heat to 700,000 square metres of housing, including the plant's dormitory and some local residents. This year the Haiyang Nuclear Energy Heating Project began providing heating to the entire Haiyang city.

The first phase of a district heating demonstration project at the Qinshan nuclear power plant in China's southern Zhejiang Province was commissioned in December 2021. The project is divided into three phases. The initial phase now provides nuclear energy-generated central heating to 460,000 square metres of accommodation in three residential areas and 5000 square metres of apartments for nearly 4000 residents of Haiyan County. The overall project goal is to have a nuclear heating area of ​​4 million square metres by 2025, covering the main urban area of ​​Haiyan County and the entire area of ​​Shupu Town.

Russia, several East European countries, Switzerland and Sweden have all had nuclear-fuelled district heating schemes, and heat from nuclear power plants has also been sent to industrial sites in several countries. Researched and written by World Nuclear News Source: World Nuclear News

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