China news roundup / Nachrichten 2024-03-04
Two sessions: Can a rubberstamp parliament help China's economy?
"The Chinese government is under massive pressure to come up with solutions for its troubled economy."
--- Yeah, right. & who is exerting said pressure?
"It is, for the most part, a political performance which rubber-stamps decisions already made behind closed doors."
--- Exactly. So, why all these nonsensical speculations about pressure, impending changes & 'widespread unhappiness'?
"there are "rumours swirling about the government looking for a large statement of some kind to restore confidence and lift growth. There is widespread unhappiness about the state of the economy, and in turn about the direction Xi Jinping has set for the country""
--- Rumours, oh my... & there is always unhappiness inside the CCP, because usually only one faction is in power & the other factions want to get there. Doesn't mean that anything changes, since the balance of power is clearly favouring emperor Xi at the moment.
"One interesting aspect of Mr Xi's "new productive forces" was when he told the Politburo in January that such forces would be "freed from traditional economic growth mode and productivity development paths", which would seem to suggest that the coming high-tech breakthroughs could be organised by and for the Party."
--- High-tech breakthroughs 'organised' by the CCP... Hmm, I think innovation & invention work slightly differently.
‘Two sessions’: China scraps a decades-long political tradition as Xi tightens control amid economic woes
"It also will include a significant break with precedent: the scrapping of a closing press conference with China’s premier, a political tradition that has featured in the gathering for three decades – at a times providing a rare window into the thinking of China’s number two leader, who is nominally in charge of the economy."
--- Goes to show that emperor Xi is only concentrating more power on himself. Giving the PM an opportunity to shine doesn't fit into this.
Anyway, the rest of the article is just the usual speculation like in many other news outlets. Because it's really too much to ask from them to actually wait 1 or 2 days & then report what happened.
US-based dissident conference seeks plan for a democratic China
"Wei said he believes that Chinese Communist Party rule is "on the verge of collapse," and that democracy advocates in exile need to be ready with a plan."
--- At the moment, that is just wishful thinking. Just remember what disasters Mao caused without being ousted, let alone the CCP collapsing. But it's of course always good to have a plan ready in case something unexpected happens.
Myanmar junta, resistance officials attend China-brokered peace talks
"Junta forces agreed to let the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army manage Shan state’s Kokang city, according to local media reports. The reports said junta officials asked the ethnic armed group to avoid harming China’s interests in order to allow them to reopen the border gates.
[...] Political analyst and former regime army officer Hla Kyaw Zaw told RFA that the current ceasefire talks are solely due to pressure from China and are not a satisfactory situation for both sides."
--- Because China has only its own interests at heart. Wherever & whenever China comes in as a 'mediator' somewhere, you can bet that it's almost entirely to safeguard Chinese interests. Everything else is just a side effect.
Over 20,000 kg of tainted chili powder products recalled: FDA
"chili powder supplied by New Taipei-based Bao Hsin Enterprises Co., which was imported from Sanhe Drug Co. in China's Henan Province, contained the carcinogenic Sudan III and was sold to multiple downstream businesses
[...] As of Saturday, 59 batches imported before Dec. 11 had been inspected, with 10 found to contain Sudan III, while 14 are still undergoing inspections"
--- Not only Chinese software & electronics are to be avoided, even with food stuff you have to be very careful. In China, food fakes are very common, from fake eggs to dyed meat. Most of these fakes don't get exported, though, because many countries have some controls in place. That's no guarantee, though, so be careful.
Several Chinese boats seen daily around Taiwan’s Kinmen island after fatal incident, Taipei says
Iron Ore Price Plunge Threatens Chinese Steelmakers Amid Economic Uncertainty
--- CNA: "China scraps premier's annual press conference in break with tradition"
--- CNBC: "Investors eye Beijing on stimulus as China holds annual parliamentary meeting"
--- China Uncensored: "As China Declines, India Rises"
EU will Solarpanel-Herstellern helfen
"Die EU würde sonst womöglich ihre Klimaziele nicht erreichen können. Die allermeisten Solarpanele und Vorprodukte kommen aus China."
--- Abhängigkeit von China ist OK, wenn es um's Klima geht...
Lernfähigkeit = null.
Volkskongress sagt wichtige Pressekonferenz ab
"China hat für den diesjährigen Volkskongress überraschend eine wichtige Pressekonferenz abgesagt. Ministerpräsident Li Qiang werde das Treffen mit Journalisten zum Ende der einwöchigen Tagung nicht abhalten"
--- Weil Kaiser Xi alle Fäden in der Hand halten will. Da passt es nicht, dem Premierminister eine Bühne zu bieten.
"Die Pressekonferenz war in den Jahren zuvor stets eine seltene Gelegenheit, bei der der Regierungschef sich den Fragen von Reportern stellte."
--- Vorher abgesprochene Fragen von KPCh-nahen 'Reportern'. War nur Selbstdarstellung, Fragen von unabhängigen Medien gab es selten.
„Weniger Stoff in größerer Tiefe vermitteln – das wäre wichtig!“ PISA-Chef Schleicher im News4teachers-Interview
"Schleicher: Ich war im Februar in China unterwegs. Das ist in Deutschland ja kein so beliebtes Vergleichsland. Aber wenn Sie sich anschauen, was dort an projektorientiertem und auch digital gestütztem Lernen passiert, das ist schon spannend. Und in jeder Schule sehen Sie etwas anderes. Ich habe mit einer Schulleiterin gesprochen, die einfach alle Stundenpläne abgeschafft hat. Ich habe sie gefragt, ob sie denn eine Genehmigung dafür bekommen habe. Und sie sagte mir: ‚Wissen Sie Herr Schleicher, in China sind viele Sachen nicht erlaubt, aber viele Sachen sind auch nicht verboten. Und in dieser Grauzone können wir doch alles machen.‘ Es geht letztlich um die Resultate."
--- Auf den Pisa-Chef würde ich in Bezug auf China eher nicht vertrauen. Pisa scheint sich da von der KPCh an der Nase herumführen zu lassen. Die Naivität zeigt sich auch hier wieder. Anscheinend hat man ihm da einige Potemkinsche Schulen vorgeführt & er ist angemessen beeindruckt.
Vor Volkskongress der KP - "Arbeiten muss man immer"
Chinas Jugend: Im Schwebezustand
