Society

Poverty Alleviation through Education

At a recent international conference, an official from China’s Ministry of Education revealed that poverty alleviation through education will be a priority for the Chinese government over the next five years. In order to achieve this goal, rural schools will be staffed with more teachers to close the urban-rural education gap.

According to Wang Dinghua, director general of the Teachers’ Affairs Department of the Ministry of Education, the state will recruit trainee teachers from the least developed regions around the country – particularly the 832 prefectures/counties classed as “impoverished” – and encourage them to work in their hometowns after graduation.

Graduate teachers will be offered various incentives, including reimbursement of their tuition fees. Emphasis will be placed on the training of teachers in disciplines which are in high demand but short supply, like special education teachers and bilingual teachers in regions with large ethnic minority populations. The state hopes these measures will help rural schools to recruit sufficient teachers, retain their staff and improve teaching quality.

Healthy China 2030: Goals Set

The recently released “Outline for a Healthy China 2030” program sets national health goals for 2030. These include increasing the average life span to 79 years, creating healthy living and working environments for Chinese citizens, and ensuring food and drug safety.

The country will also upgrade its healthcare system and fitness service system, boost science & technology innovations in the health sector, and build a bigger, stronger health industry. Meanwhile laws and regulations will be made or improved to enhance the nation’s management and governance of its health sector.

The outline also listed a number of achievements China has made in public health. By 2015 the average life span for Chinese people had increased to 76.34 years. China’s infant mortality rate fell to 8.1 per thousand, the mortality rate of children under five fell to 10.7 per thousand, and the rate of death in pregnancy was stated as 20.1 in every 100,000. These figures are all above the average level for mediumincome and high-income countries. These improvements have laid a crucial cornerstone for the construction of a well-off society in all respects.

RMB

7.994 Billion

Since the establishment of the Central Anti-Corruption Coordination Group in 2014, China has extradited 2,210 criminal suspects and recovered RMB 7.994 billion in illicit assets.

Job Creation Target Hit

China created 10.67 million new urban jobs in the first nine months of this year, reaching its annual target of 10 million ahead of schedule. In addition to this, 1.25 million people from disadvantaged backgrounds were assigned jobs, exceeding the annual target of 1.2 million.

At the end of the third quarter of 2016, the urban unemployment rate stood at 4.04 percent, below the 2016 target of 4.5 percent, and there was a surplus of jobs in 100 Chinese cities. Incomes have steadily increased. At the end of September, nine provinces had increased the minimum wage by an average 10.7 percent. Shanghai now has the highest minimum wage in the country at RMB 2,190 per month.

First Cybersecurity Law Adopted

On November 7, 2016, China’s top legislature, the National People’s Congress (NPC), adopted a cybersecurity law to safeguard cyberspace sovereignty, national security, and the rights of citizens.

The government will take measures to “monitor, defend and handle cybersecurity risks and threats originating from within the country or overseas sources, so protecting key information infrastructure from attack, intrusion, disturbance and damage,” the law states.

The law has clarified responsibilities and obligations for governments, enterprises, operators and individuals, “and increased the protection of personal information,” Yang Heqing, deputy director of the Office for Economic Law, part of the NPC Standing Committee’s Legislative Affairs Commission, said at a press conference.

The Cybersecurity Law will come into effect on June 1, 2017.

China Establishes Cross-border E-commerce Quality-Monitoring Center

A national quality-monitoring center for cross-border e-commerce was launched at the end of October in Hangzhou, China’s e-commerce capital.

The platform monitors the quality and safety of cross-border commodities, analyzes relevant data and identifies potential risks, creating a safer and more trustworthy e-commerce environment.

China has stepped up its supervision of cross-border e-commerce in order to reduce risks to health and safety posed by fake products sold on e-commerce platforms through illegal channels. These products are often made from poor quality materials or use rancid animal or plant ingredients.

Wang Yichen, an official with the Hangzhou Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Bureau, said that the center monitors the development of the industry, conducts quality source tracing, and evaluates various risks brought about by new technologies and products.

The center’s first partnership is Alibaba’s cross-border retail import platform Tmall International, where staff spot-check goods in Alibaba’s bonded warehouse in Zhejiang Province before they are sold online.

Over the past few years, the volume of China’s cross-border e-commerce has flourished, with an annual increase of 30 percent. China currently has over 5,000 cross-border e-commerce platforms. The Ministry of Commerce predicts the volume of cross-border ecommerce will reach RMB 6.5 trillion by the end of 2016 and that it will soon account for 20 percent of China’s foreign trade.

China-Georgia FTA Negotiations Wrapped up

The Chinese Commerce Minister Gao Hucheng and the Georgian First Vice Prime Minister Dimitry Kumsishvili (who is also the Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development) signed a memorandum of understanding in Tbilisi, Georgia in early October, signifying that China and Georgia have finished substantive negotiations on a bilateral free trade agreement (FTA).

The FTA negotiations began in December 2015, and consisted of three rounds of official negotiations and three informal consultations. The two parties have agreed on zero tariffs for most commodity trade and pledged to open markets in the service sector, improve trade rules and identify key areas for enhanced cooperation.

The agreement consists of 17 chapters, covering such areas as commodity trade, service trade, and intellectual property, and including emerging issues like e-commerce and the environment.

The Ministry of Commerce has stated that the China-Georgia FTA is expected to boost bilateral ties in economy and trade, benefit the peoples of both countries, and promote the implementation of the Belt and Road Initiative.

The FTA still has to go through a series of legal procedures. It is expected to be officially signed in mid-2017 and take effect at the end of next year.

30 Billion

China’s courier service industry is expected to handle 30 billion orders this year, with an estimated annual revenue of RMB 400 billion; up 50 percent and 40 percent respectively.

Annual Limit to be Set on Rare Earth Mining by 2020

China will limit its annual mining quota of rare earth to within 140,000 tons by 2020 in an attempt to crack down on illegal exploitation. This new target was announced in a Rare Earth Development Plan for the 2016-2020 period, released by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT).

The government will continue to investigate and punish anyone involved in illegal mining, processing or trade in rare earth metals. Market access will also be subject to improved controls.

Rare earth comprises a class of 17 mineral elements, which are non-renewable resources. These elements are some of the most sought-after metals due to their extensive application in areas like new energy transport and electronics.

With its abundant rare earth resources, China has become the world’s largest rare earth producer and exporter.

However, the industry is beset with problems, such as illegal mining and processing, as well as smuggling and a lack of homegrown technologies. Excessive exploitation has also caused significant environmental damage. During the 12th Five-Year Plan period (2011-2015), 14 illegal rare earth mines and 28 companies were shut down. More than 36,000 tons of illegal rare earth products were seized, and fines amounting to RMB 230 million were imposed, according to statistics from the MIIT.

To upgrade and optimize the structure of the industry, the MIIT plans to improve efficiency in resource management and technological innovation by 2020, focusing on developing high-end materials and equipment.

Pharmaceutical Sector Maintains Rapid Growth Towards 2020

China’s pharmaceutical sector will maintain rapid growth as it heads towards 2020, with its main business revenue showing a healthy annual growth of more than 10 percent, according to the Planning Guidance for the Pharmaceutical Industry jointly released by multiple government departments, including the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and the Ministry of Commerce.

From 2011 to 2015, added industrial value in the sector grew at 13.4 percent year on year. Business revenue in the sector registered an average annual growth of 17.4 percent and annual profit expanded by 14.5 percent, both much higher than other sectors.

Statistics show that pharmaceutical enterprises above the designated scale invested about RMB 45 billion in research and development in 2015, quadrupling that of 2010. The document proposed that companies increase their investment in research and development to a level accounting for more than 2 percent of their combined revenue by 2020.

The guidance states that by 2020, the enterprises’ capability for innovation should be substantially enhanced, their product quality should meet higher standards, and international cooperation should be increased. The sector’s energy consumption, carbon emissions and water consumption, meanwhile, should drop to below the 2015 levels.

The guidance also encourages the development of big data in the healthcare and pharmaceutical industries; the incorporation of rehabilitation equipment assisted by artificial intelligence; the use of cloud services; and a long-distance clinical healthcare system, which would enable patients to have consultations, book appointments and view test results online.

Owing to improved economic conditions, Chinese people are paying more attention to health-related services. China’s huge population and aging society has created an enormous market. New Internet-related technologies will revolutionize the sector. It is expected that the gross value of China’s healthcare sector will exceed RMB 8 trillion by 2020.

New Heavy-lift Carrier Rocket

On November 3, China launched its new heavy-lift carrier rocket, Long March 5. The rocket blasted off at 8:43 pm Beijing Time from the Wenchang Space Launch Center in South China’s Hainan Province. The payload was sent into its preset orbit about 30 minutes after lift-off. The State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense (SASTIND) and China National Space Administration (CNSA) later announced the complete success of the launch.

The successful launch has propelled China to the forefront of the world in terms of rocket carrying capacity, and marks a milestone in China’s transition from a major player in space to a major power in space.

With a 5-meter diameter core stage, Long March 5 is much thicker than China’s previous carrier rockets which had 3.35-meter diameter core stages. Long March 5 is a large, two-stage rocket with a payload capacity of 25 tons to low-Earth orbit and 14 tons to geostationary transfer orbit, making it China’s largest carrier rocket. Its geostationary transfer orbit carrying capacity is 2.5 times. The new rocket is about 57 meters long, with a takeoff weight of 870 tons and a thrust of 1,060 tons larger than previous models.

Experts say Long March 5 will also lay the foundations for future rockets with heavier payload capabilities. With a heavy-lift carrier rocket, China will be able to build a permanent manned space station, as well as explore the Moon and Mars. In 2017, China will launch the Chang’e 5 probe to the Moon, which will bring back lunar samples to Earth. The 20-ton core module of China’s first space station will also be delivered by the rocket in 2018. The rocket will launch a Mars probe around 2020.

15

The Third World Internet Conference highlights 15 top-notch achievements, including an advanced driver assistance system and artificial intelligence.

China Launches 33rd Antarctic Expedition

China launched its 33rd Antarctic expedition on the morning of November 2. The research vessel and icebreaker Xuelong (Snow Dragon) set sail from the Shanghai docks.

A 256-member team embarked on a 161-day trip covering 31,000 nautical miles, according to Sun Bo, deputy director of the Polar Research Institute of China and leader of the team. They will visit Zhongshan, Kunlun, Taishan and Changcheng stations, performing various research tasks. The team will also carry out an environmental clean-up around the stations.

The expedition has a list of 72 tasks to perform, including preliminary site selection for China’s new base on the Ross Sea and scientific investigations on fixed-wing aircraft.

The Xuelong will arrive at Zhongshan station in east Antarctica in early December. After unloading at Zhongshan, Kunlun, and Taishan stations, the ship will head to Chile to resupply. In late January it will survey the Ross Sea, returning to Zhongshan station in late February before departing for home in early March. The team is scheduled to arrive in Shanghai on April 11 next year.

New Tibetan-language Input Software

New Tibetan-language input software was released in Lhasa, capital of Tibet Autonomous Region on November 3.

The new software was developed by a speech and language laboratory at Tibet University. With Tibetan-language speech and handwriting recognition technology, the software provides a more convenient and accurate input method for Tibetans. The

software can instantly recognize and produce standard Tibetan, with an accuracy rate of 97 percent.

Lozang Ganden, a professor at Tibet University, said: “Unlike traditional spelling input software, this software has dramatically improved our work and learning efficiency.”

China to Launch First E-commerce Satellite in 2017

China plans to launch its first e-commerce satellite in 2017, with the primary purpose of using satellite data in agriculture. The plan was announced by the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology, China Aerospace Museum, and Juhuasuan, an arm of e-commerce giant Alibaba, on October 31 during an international aviation and aerospace forum in Zhuhai, Guangdong Province.

“In an era of space economy, the potential of a commercial space industry is immeasurable,” Han Qingping, president of Chinarocket Co., Ltd., said at the forum.

In 2015, the value of the global space industry amounted to US $330 billion, 76 percent of which was derived from commercial activities.

Chinese authorities are making efforts –including drafting legislation – to support and regulate the development of a commercial space industry.

“China is speeding up the making of Space Law, with the aim of drafting the new law by the end of this year,” said Hu Chaobin, an official from the State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense.