“Two sessions” offers window for international community to understand China

By He Yin, People’s Daily

This year marks the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China. It is critical for achieving the goals set in the 14th Five-Year Plan. The “two sessions” this year, the annual meetings of China’s national legislature and top political advisory body, has received broad attention from the international community.

By observing the “two sessions,” the international community can deepen its understanding of China’s democracy, gain insight into the pulse of China’s high-quality economic development, and better grasp the opportunities of cooperation between China and other countries.

Observing the “two sessions” helps the international community understand China’s governance. The “two sessions” are a vivid practice of China’s whole-process people’s democracy, and offers an important window for the international community to understand China’s modernization of national governance.

Some foreign scholars believe that by understanding the “two sessions,” one can understand how Chinese democracy operates effectively. The deputies to the National People’s Congress (NPC) and members of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) actively fulfill their duties and responsibilities, with the voices of the people coalescing into a consensus on national governance.

According to statistics recently released by the State Council Information Office, government departments under China’s State Council handled 7,955 suggestions submitted to the NPC and 4,525 proposals submitted to the CPPCC, accounting for 95.7 percent and 96.5 percent of all suggestions and proposals submitted. The departments rolled out over 2,000 policy measures based on some 4,700 suggestions and proposals last year.

China’s whole-process people’s democracy has not only a complete set of institutions and procedures, but also full of participation and practices. It has taken root in China as a political institution, a mechanism of governance and a lifestyle of the people.

This year marks the 70th anniversary of the NPC and the 75th anniversary of the CPPCC. Through observing the “two sessions,” the international community will gain a profound understanding of the wisdom and strength of China’s governance.

Observing the “two sessions” helps the international community understand the quality of China’s economic development.

Achieving high-quality development is one of the essential requirements of Chinese modernization. Over the past year, China’s economy has recovered. With an economic growth of 5.2 percent, higher than the global projection of around 3 percent, China ranks among the top in major economies worldwide. It fully demonstrates the strong endogenous impetus, resilience, and potential of the country’s economic development.

China is vigorously implementing its innovation-driven development strategy and promoting the accelerated development of new quality productive forces, which will continuously inject new impetus into high-quality development.

Against the backdrop of a sluggish global economic recovery, the international community looks forward to China’s “two sessions” further releasing positive signals of an economic rebound and improvement.

Foreign media believe that China’s current goal is to improve people’s living standards through high-quality development and the country is driving the transformation of its economic development towards an innovation-driven model, and accelerating coordinated digital and green transitions, which will set an example for the sustainable development of the global economy.

Observing the “two sessions” helps the international community understand the will of China to cooperate with other countries.

China has implemented five measures to facilitate the entry of foreign nationals into China, lifted all entry restrictions on foreign investment access in the manufacturing sector, accelerated the implementation of 24 policy measures to stabilize foreign investment, signed free trade agreements and investment protection agreements with more countries, and steadily promoted high-quality Belt and Road cooperation with relevant parties.

These measures have sent a clear signal of China’s unwavering commitment to further opening up at a higher level, demonstrating China’s determination and confidence in providing new opportunities for the world through its own new development.

How China will promote higher-level opening up and enhance its ability to participate in the international circulation has become one of the hot topics drawing attention from the international community at this year’s “two sessions.”

The international community is particularly interested in China’s development direction set by the “two sessions” and expects China to continue contributing to promoting peace and prosperity. International observers said that they look forward to gaining a deeper understanding of China’s plans and actions in addressing global challenges through the “two sessions,” and they expect China to provide more stability and certainty to the world.

China’s “two sessions” will allow the international community to see that the country firmly stays on the path of socialist political advancement with Chinese characteristics, and solidly advances whole-process people’s democracy. China is also resolutely pursuing high-quality development to achieve Chinese modernization and promoting high-level opening up to drive common development of the world. Through these efforts, China will make greater contributions to world peace, development, and human progress.

China’s Gov’t departments handle 12,480 suggestions, proposals last year

By Liu Wenxin, People’s Daily

Government departments under China’s State Council handled 12,480 suggestions and proposals submitted by deputies to the National People’s Congress (NPC) and members of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) in 2023, a spokesperson for the State Council Information Office said recently.

In particular, the departments handled 7,955 suggestions, accounting for 95.7 percent of all suggestions submitted, and 4,525 proposals, 96.5 percent of all proposals submitted, said the spokesperson Xing Huina.

Xing said that the departments rolled out over 2,000 policy measures based on some 4,700 suggestions and proposals last year. This has helped solve a series of problems concerning reform and development and pressing concerns of the people. Progress has been made in the promotion of high-quality economic development, and ensuring and improving people’s livelihoods.

China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) received 1,888 suggestions and proposals in 2023, and took lead in handling 602 of them, said Xin Guobin, vice minister of the MIIT, adding that all of the suggestions and proposals had been handled as scheduled.

The ministry issued about 290 policies based on the suggestions and proposals, which promoted the development of major technologies and equipment, as well as the development of specialized and sophisticated small- and medium-sized enterprises that produce novel and unique products.

Paying high attention to green industrial development, NPC deputies and CPPCC members gave advice on optimizing industrial structure, promoting green development of industrial parks and improving energy efficiency in major industries, Xin added.

China’s Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security handled 962 suggestions and proposals last year. The ministry has introduced more than 40 policies and measures, striving to transform the suggestions and proposals into a sense of fulfillment, happiness, and security for the people, said Li Zhong, vice minister of the ministry

According to him, the policies and measures to stabilize employment have been continuously optimized, and the nationwide pooling of basic pension funds for enterprise employees has been steadily promoted. A series of policies and measures to protect the rights and interests of workers in new forms of employment have been introduced, Li added.

The social security card is a fundamental carrier of livelihood services across the country, Li noted, adding that NPC deputies and CPPCC members have shown great concern for the “one-card-for-all-services” of the social security card.

They have put forward excellent proposals and suggestions regarding enriching application scenarios and developing distinctive services, Li said.

As of the end of January this year, 1.38 billion Chinese, or 97.9 percent of the country’s population, had social security cards. Among them, 970 million had an electronic version of the card, which provided services to cardholders 15.1 billion times last year.

Vice Minister of Transport Wang Gang noted that the ministry handled 775 suggestions and proposals in 2023, covering various aspects such as comprehensive transportation network planning, transportation infrastructure construction, development of new transportation formats, and green development of rural roads and water transportation. All of these suggestions and proposals have been addressed and responded to ahead of schedule.

In recent years, the construction of supporting infrastructure for new energy vehicles has been a focus of NPC deputies and CPPCC members.

“We are accelerating the development of charging infrastructure along highways. By the end of last year, we had already built a total of 21,000 charging stations, and the network of charging infrastructure along expressways has been further improved,” said Wang.

He disclosed that this year, the ministry plans to add 3,000 charging stations and 5,000 parking spaces with charging poles at service areas of highways. The ministry encourages construction of ultra-fast charging and high-power charging facilities at service areas.

Additionally, based on the traffic characteristics during different holidays and in different regions, guidance will be provided to local authorities to offer targeted support measures, aiming to facilitate more convenient and efficient public transportation, Wang said.

“The National Health Commission handled a total of 1,470 proposals and suggestions in 2023, of which approximately 1/10 were related to primary-level healthcare. These proposals and suggestions mainly focused on strengthening investment and support for primary-level healthcare, the construction of county-level medical consortia, the development of primary-level healthcare workforce, and the enhancement of primary-level healthcare service capabilities,” said Li Bin, deputy head of the National Health Commission.

The National Health Commission has made significant progress in handling related matters by fully absorbing and adopting the suggestions and proposals.

For instance, it issued a guideline on comprehensively promoting the construction of county-level medical and health consortia, transitioning the construction of county-level medical and health consortia from a 4-year pilot phase to a comprehensive promotion stage. The commission has also established a task force for the construction of rural doctor teams, recruiting over 6,700 university graduates as rural doctors in 2023.

Starting from 2023, a three-year action plan has been implemented to promote the construction of a number of health centers, addressing deficiencies in medical emergency response, infectious disease control, and pediatrics, among others.

China, U.S. should meet each other halfway, turn “San Francisco vision” into reality

By Zhong Sheng, People’s Daily

In recent times, both China and the United States have been working together to implement the consensus reached by the heads of state of China and the United States at the San Francisco meeting.

They have engaged in dialogues and exchanges in various fields and at different levels, which has helped stabilize the China-U.S. relationship from deterioration and sent a positive signal to the world.

The international community has positively evaluated the constructive interaction between China and the United States. It is believed that both countries are taking concrete actions to effectively implement the “San Francisco vision,” which is beneficial for the well-being of their respective peoples and also contributes to global peace, stability, and prosperity.

Last November, Chinese President Xi Jinping and U.S. President Joe Biden held a summit meeting in San Francisco. The two heads of state had in-depth exchange of views on strategic and overarching issues critical to the direction of China-U.S. relations.

The two sides reached more than 20 deliverables in such areas as political affairs and foreign policy, trade and finance, people-to-people exchange, global governance, and military and security, and embraced a future-oriented San Francisco vision. These efforts have pointed the way and drawn a blueprint for the development of China-U.S. relations.

These important deliverables are further proof of the broad common interests of China and the United States and the mutually beneficial nature of China-U.S. relations. They demonstrate that dialogue and cooperation is the only right choice for the two countries.

The most important task for both China and the United States at present is to follow the strategic guidance of the two heads of state and make the San Francisco vision a reality, so as to promote the healthy, stable and sustainable development of the bilateral relationship.

The two sides decided to resume military-to-military communication, started economic, financial, trade and climate actions, and established a working group on counternarcotics cooperation. The Chinese side also invited young Americans to China on exchange and study programs, and government talks on artificial intelligence has been initiated. The dialogues and exchanges between China and the United States have received wide attention.

To turn the San Francisco vision into reality, the right approach for the two sides is to respect each other, coexist in peace and pursue win-win cooperation. The two sides should jointly develop a right perception, manage disagreements effectively and advance mutually beneficial cooperation.

In the past 45 years since establishing diplomatic relations, China and the United States have experienced ups and downs in their relationship, which has maintained a positive momentum in general. The two sides have achieved fruitful results in their cooperation, bringing tangible benefits to the people of both countries.

China and the United States have engaged in beneficial cooperation on various regional hotspots and global issues, promoting world peace, stability, and prosperity.

This year marks the 45th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the United States. The two sides should take this opportunity to sum up experience and draw lessons, treat each other as equals instead of in a condescending way, build common ground and shelving instead of highlighting differences, and respect instead of undermining each other’s core interests. Both sides should work together toward mutual respect, peaceful coexistence, and win-win cooperation, finding the right way for China and the United States to get along with each other. This is a natural requirement of historical evolution and a universal expectation of the international community.

David Lampton, professor emeritus of China studies at Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies, believes that currently, the relationship between the United States and China is in a state of dynamic evolution. Both countries need to steer this evolution towards a better rather than worse direction and strive to find common ground.

To turn the San Francisco vision into reality, the United States should view China’s development in an objective and rational way, persue a positive and pragmatic China policy, and honor commitments with concrete actions.

The China-U.S. relationship is the most important and complex bilateral relationship in the world. To responsibly manage the relationship, the U.S. side must form the right perception of China, and reflect on the fundamental and overarching issue of whether the two sides are adversaries or partners.

There is but one China in the world, and Taiwan is part of China’s territory. This is the true status quo of the Taiwan question. It is the “Taiwan independence” separatist activities and the connivance and support of external forces that are trying to change this status quo. The United States should abide by the one-China principle and the stipulations of the three China-U.S. joint communiques, and follow through on its commitment of not supporting “Taiwan independence”.

The attempts to “de-China” in the name of “de-risking” and to build “a small yard with high fences” to “decouple from China” will ultimately backfire on the U.S. itself. The U.S. side should lift its illegal unilateral sanctions against Chinese companies and individuals and refrain from doing things harmful to China’s legitimate development rights and interests. It should stop the unwarranted harassment and interrogation of Chinese citizens and do more things conducive to enhancing mutual understanding between the two peoples.

The world today is undergoing major changes unseen in a century, and finds itself in a new period of turbulence and transformation. The humanity is facing many challenges. The international community needs a stable China-U.S. relationship now more than ever.

China and the United States need to have a sense of responsibility for history, for the people and for the world, and plan the next stage of interactions at all levels between the two countries under the strategic guidance of the two heads of state.

Both sides should meet each other halfway, strengthen dialogue and communication, actively cooperate with each other when there are opportunities, resolve problems when they arise, and manage differences where they exist. Only by doing so can they benefit themselves as well as the people of both countries, and jointly promote world peace and development.

(Zhong Sheng is a pen name often used by People’s Daily to express its views on foreign policy and international affairs.)

China sees increasing demand for sports among senior citizens

By Fan Jiayuan, Sun Longfei, People’s Daily

Despite the chilly weather in early spring, swimming enthusiasts have already started jumping into the Yimin River in Hulunbuir, north China’s Inner Mongolia autonomous region. Among them, there are many elderly people.

According to a survey conducted by the Hulunbuir elderly sports association, over 70 percent of the citizens in the city aged 60 and above participate in sports activities on a regular basis. There are over 600 indoor sports venues suitable for the elderly, and nearly 1,000 outdoor fitness locations available in the city.

In recent years, there have been an increasing awareness for health and a growing demand for sports products and services among the elderly population in China. At the same time, there has been a rise in the development of fitness facilities and equipment that are tailored for the elderly and incorporate smart technology. This has created new opportunities, generated new prospects, and unleashed new potential.

Liu Guifang, 71, lives in Qinhuangdao, north China’s Hebei province. He often plays tennis with his friends and has a passion for sports photography. He has even purchased professional equipment such as single-lens reflex cameras and computers to take photos of some sporting events.

Last year, after photographing the Cup of China ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating which took place in Chongqing municipality, Liu took the opportunity to embark on a 20-day trip in Chongqing and Chengdu, capital of Sichuan province.

“Engaging in sports, watching games, and going on deep travels, my life after retirement is truly fulfilling,” Liu said.

As sports and fitness become increasingly popular among the elderly, the sports consumer market has shown significant growth. According to data from Tmall, an online shopping platform under Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba, in the fourth quarter of 2023, the transaction volume of skiers in their fifties increased by 65 percent compared to the previous year, while that of skiers in their sixties increased by 131 percent.

In recent years, outdoor activities such as camping, hiking, and cycling have flourished, and some products that combine sports and cultural tourism have become popular among elderly consumers.

Ctrip, a Chinese online tourism service provider, has launched a travel product that combines mountain climbing and golf specifically designed for the elderly on its platform, and over 1,000 people have inquired and signed up since its launch.

“Nowadays, the elderly no longer settle for tourist attractions, and the inclusion of sports activities provides them with a richer experience,” said Fang Zexi, an industry analyst with Ctrip.

Meanwhile, sports events for the elderly are becoming increasingly diverse. According to Wen Wen, vice chairman of the Chinese Veterans’ Sports Association, many regions have seized the opportunity to launch high-quality tourism routes and products related to sports events, which have been well received by the elderly.

On Jan. 24 this year, an outdoor intelligent fitness center for the elderly, covering an area of about 500 square meters, was established in Zhongshan Park, Wuhan, central China’s Hubei province. In less than a week, it attracted thousands of users to come and experience it.

With the voice guidance of the intelligent devices, a senior citizen surnamed Zhang completed a physical fitness test and received a report. She said, “It suggested that when my heart rate exceeds 130, I should pay attention to my running speed. It even reminded me during the test.”

Zhang Jiahua, Chairman of Good Family, the developer of the equipment in the park, said that one important function of the elderly fitness products is to customize exercise programs for the elderly.

“Many elderly people find it difficult to control the intensity of their exercise. Digital and intelligent fitness equipment can provide timely advice and reminders. The long-term accumulation of exercise data helps users manage their health,” Zhang noted.

In addition to common elderly fitness activities such as walking, practicing Tai Chi, and square dancing, more and more elderly people are becoming interested in indoor fitness. Since 2021, the Shanghai Municipal Bureau of Sports and the Shanghai Municipal Civil Affairs Bureau have jointly launched an elderly sports program that has now built 120 sports centers for the elderly in 16 districts of Shanghai.

Wang Hailong, chairman of board of the company executing the program, said that all fitness equipment has been adjusted to cater to the physical characteristics of the elderly. They also provide exercise interventions for chronic diseases and rehabilitation training.

“Recently, we have also developed and introduced elderly yoga courses, and the elderly have shown great enthusiasm for them,” Wang added.

In the sports industry, the renovation of fitness facilities for the elderly, the integration of sports and healthcare, and the organization of sports events for the elderly have become hot topics.

“The demand for sports among the elderly has always existed, and sports consumption is showing a trend towards diversification and specialization,” Wang told People’s Daily. With China entering an aging society, developing the “silver hair economy” and meeting the sports needs of the elderly will help them enjoy healthy and happy twilight years.

Space lotus leads county in China’s Jiangxi to prosperity

By Zhu Lei, People’s Daily

In the early spring dawn, the white lotus distribution center in Guangchang county, east China’s Jiangxi province, is already bustling with activity, with buyers and sellers bargaining among mounds of white lotus seeds.

Guangchang has been cultivating lotus since the Tang Dynasty (618-907) and planting the aquatic plant on a large scale since the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911).

Today, a specialized white lotus market has taken shape here, with thousands of agricultural brokers engaging in the trade and transportation of white lotus seeds and the average daily trading volume of white lotus seeds reaching about 50,000 kilograms. The county has become a distribution and pricing center for white lotus seeds in China.

So far, Guangchang’s white lotus has been promoted nationwide with a growing area of 20 million mu (1.33 million hectares). In addition, the county has established a white lotus industrial chain with an annual comprehensive output value of more than three billion yuan ($416.8 million). Behind the thriving white lotus industry are magic space-bred seeds.

Established in 1984, the Guangchang White Lotus Research Institute strived to cultivate new varieties of lotus seeds. However, no matter how hard researchers tried, the yield per mu of lotus seeds remained at around 50 kilograms.

To break through the bottleneck problem, the institute had to take a different approach. In 1994, Liu Guangliang, the then head of the institute, attended a meeting in Beijing and learned that China was conducting space breeding to mutate genes of seeds in the special mutagenesis environment in space, so as to create new varieties.

That year, researchers sent 442 lotus seeds selected from over 10 lotus varieties into space by a retrievable satellite. The lotus seeds were subjected to space mutation for 14 days and were then mailed back to the institute. After categorizing and numbering the seeds by variety, staff members sowed each seed in a separate breeding container.

Unexpectedly, over 180 lotus seeds failed to germinate initially. After extensive consultations and research, researchers realized that cosmic rays in space were strong enough to result in the failure of germination of some weak seeds.

To ensure that the remaining lotus seeds would sprout, Liu and team members got to the institute early and stayed late. Lacking temperature-controlled incubators, researchers got up at 5 a.m. to put seed trays in the sun. Several months later, they achieved encouraging results: some varieties showed early ripening, with flowers being more than that of ordinary varieties, which indicated a very high yield potential.

These unique varieties were then propagated several times. After four years of careful breeding, a new variety named “No. 36 space lotus” was created, with longer growth duration, more flowers, larger lotus seedpods, higher ripening rate, and better quality. The per-mu yield of seeds of the new variety exceeded 120 kilograms.

In 1999, Guangchang started the experimental planting of the No. 36 space lotus in over 20 planting bases. At first, farmers who used to grow traditional lotus varieties were not interested in the new variety. Encouraged by technicians from the institute, Xie Changjun, the then head     of Xialan village in Xujiang town, Guangchang, took the lead to plant the space lotus on four mu of land.

When summer arrived, the space lotus grew beyond Xie’s expectations, with the average yield of lotus seeds per mu of farmland reaching 130 kilograms that year. This made a splash in the whole town as crowds of people lined up in the fields to purchase Xie’s lotus seedlings.

In just a few years, the planting area of the space lotus in Guangchang exceeded 100,000 mu. Since then, the No. 36 space lotus has made its name and has been promoted to production areas of lotus seeds across China.

“A number of lotus varieties bred using the space lotus as the main breeding material have become the top choices for aquatic landscaping in China, driving the development of the country’s lotus tourism,” said Jie Zhihui, director of the white lotus industry development center in Guangchang.

Jie added that the No. 36 space lotus has been promoted across the country with a growing area of more than 20 million mu, accounting for over 80 percent of the total cultivation area of lotus seeds nationwide.

In Guangchang alone, the annual output of dried white lotus seeds reaches 9000 tons, generating an output value of 800 million yuan. In addition, the county receives 2.7 million tourist visits annually, with its tourism revenue surpassing 700 million yuan.

Guangchang is now home to several manufacturers of automatic lotus seed processing machinery, over 20 white lotus product processing enterprises, and more than 130 white lotus cooperatives, with the annual comprehensive output value of the white lotus industry exceeding three billion yuan.

To continue expanding production and strengthening brand building, Guangchang has placed importance on attracting talents and promoting innovation.

Zheng Xingwen, a genetics PhD student at Wuhan University’s College of Life Sciences in central China, is one of the outstanding talents introduced to Guangchang.

“The space lotus means utilizing the special mutagenesis environment in space to mutate genes of lotus seeds and create new varieties after space-bred seeds are brought back to earth. Today, we use gene technology to combine favorable lotus genes, so as to create new varieties,” Zheng said.

At the repository for the preservation of lotus species of a park exhibiting lotus in Guangchang, lotus varieties collected from across China are planted in thousands of large containers.

“We collect germplasm resources nationwide for purification. We have so far collected over 1,000 pieces of germplasm resources to enable genomic selection in molecular breeding. In the future, even better new space lotus varieties may emerge here,” Zheng said hopefully.

US, UK should stop interfering in Hong Kong’s Article 23 legislation

By Zhong Sheng，People’s Daily

Recently, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government’s public consultation on the legislation of Article 23 of the HKSAR Basic Law successfully concluded. Out of over 13,000 public opinions, more than 98 percent expressed support or positive views, fully reflecting the strong consensus among the Hong Kong public to expedite the completion of Article 23 legislation. However, the US and the UK have turned a blind eye to this and continue to attack and smear Article 23 legislation.

The US and the UK’s interference in Article 23 legislation obviously violates the basic norms governing international relations. Hong Kong is part of China, and Hong Kong affairs are purely China’s internal affairs. No foreign country has the right to interfere in Hong Kong affairs. The US and the UK should respect China’s sovereignty, abide by the principles of international law and the basic norms governing international relations, and immediately stop interfering in Hong Kong affairs which are China’s internal affairs. It is worth pointing out that the UK’s attempt to intervene in Article 23 legislation by invoking the Sino-British Joint Declaration has no basis in international law. The Sino-British Joint Declaration by no means puts the UK in a position or gives it any right to interfere in Hong Kong affairs. 

The US and the UK’s sensationalist view that Article 23 legislation will weaken the rights and freedoms of the Hong Kong people is completely inconsistent with the facts. One of the principles of Article 23 legislation is to protect the rights and freedoms enjoyed by Hong Kong residents in accordance with the Basic Law of the HKSAR and the provisions of relevant international covenants as applied to Hong Kong. There is a clear line drawn between acts that constitute an offense that endangers national security, and normal commercial exchanges and activities in the fields of economy, culture, and science and technology. The normal activities of foreign institutions and personnel in Hong Kong will be protected in accordance with the law. Article 23 legislation is considered a necessary step to effectively prevent activities that compromise national security and protect the safety of life and property of the Hong kong public. It will also improve Hong Kong’s business environment, and better attract businesses and investors to Hong Kong.

The US and the UK have enacted numerous laws to safeguard national security, yet they hypocritically criticize and label Article 23 legislation, which is blatant political manipulation and double standards. The extraterritorial effect of Article 23 is in strict compliance with international law and the common practices of all countries and regions. The definitions of “state secrets” and “external interference” have been fully considered based on the actual situation in the HKSAR and common practices in various countries, and are reasonable, legal, and beyond reproach.

“Ensuring security and development” and “speeding up legislation and boosting the economy” are the most prominent demands of Hong Kong society. The HKSAR government and legislature will surely meet the expectations of society and push forward Article 23 legislation in an orderly manner and as soon as possible. Attempts by any country to obstruct Article 23 legislation will only end in vain.

CSO Commends NSCDC’s 20 Years of Reforms

…passes vote of confidence on Corps leadership

In keeping with its mandate of engaging proactively with government agencies in the areas of good governance and policy reforms, a rights group, Save Nigeria Movement says it has understudied the activities of the National Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) over the last 20 years and has found the Corps deserving of commendation.

The NSCDC which is tasked with safeguarding national assets, coordinating intelligence gathering and sharing with sister security agencies and performing other counter-insurgency and anti-terrorism operations towards serving civilian lives has over the years become a household name because of the professionalism of officers and men of the Corps

In a press release duly signed by its Convener Rev. Solomon Semaka and made available to journalists in Abuja, the group revealed that it has done some due diligence on the reforms of the security outfit and is confident that the Corps has performed beyond the expectations of Nigerians.

According to the release, “as watchdogs of the society, we have a sacred duty to hold government agencies accountable for their policies and operations especially where they are fail to meet the expectations of Nigerians. It is our duty to call them to order when they go below expectations and when they’re performing brilliantly, we must not shy away from commending and encouraging them. The NSCDC has consistently done well as an emerging security outfit with a unique mandate which it has pursued with passion and dedication over the last 20 years.

“Before the establishment of NSCDC, Nigeria faced an array of security threats against public assets including sabotage and vandalisation of electrical installations, oil pipelines, railway tracks, stealing from government hospitals, schools and offices as well as the expropriation of natural resources amongst others. It was in order to stem the tide of continuous theft and sabotage of national assets that the Federal Government established the NSCDC as a formidable para-military agency to help tackle this challenge. We are delighted to inform Nigerians that most of these crimes have now become a thing of the past as the NSCDC had other security agencies have collaboratively deployed their collective intelligence and competence in tackling these crimes”

The rights group hailed the leadership of the Corps and particularly expressed confidence in the current NSCDC Commandant General (CG) NSCDC, Dr. Audi Abubakar and all the 36 Commands including the FCT for upholding a high level of professionalism and effective civil engagement.

“The NSCDC has continued to win accolades and recognition all over the world for the professional conduct of its officers and men. The recognition of the European Union and other Election Observer groups shows that the NSCDC is corrupt free, professional in the discharge of its mandate and result oriented. The NSCDC has maintained strict discipline and periodic trainings over the years to ensure compliance with international best practices, conventions and protocols regarding civil relations. Indeed the NSCDC is Nigeria’s flagship security agency and we urge it always to continue to deliver quality service to Nigerians”, the statement added.

The CSO revealed that the NSCDC has demonstrated competence by the deployment of digital surveillance gadgets and technology towards curbing vandalism, theft and illegal mining of natural resources across the country as well as other laudable initiatives that have drastically tackled crimes such as kidnapping, terrorism and sundry crimes.

“The NSCDC especially under its current leadership has achieved milestones that has changed the face of the agency. The digital surveillance system deployed by the NSCDC has continued to outsmart criminals, rendering their enterprises useless. To have covered the entire country with its web of surveillance high-tech is commendable. In no distant time, real-time surveillance of the entire country can be made possible through this pioneering work of the NSCDC in collaboration with other sister security agencies.

“It is also on record that the NSCDC has pioneered the Safe School Initiative in response to the incessant cases of kidnapping and abduction of school children that became very rampant because of widespread insecurity especially in the northern part of the country. This initiative has, since its inception, drastically reduced the incidence of school abductions as it has deterred criminal elements who once exploited the porous nature of most schools especially in the rural areas for their criminal enterprise. We must therefore, support the NSCDC especially by providing critical intelligence to enable them respond proactively to threats.
Save Nigeria

“The establishment of the Commandant General’s Special Intelligence Squad (CG’s SIS) has been a breathe of real fresh air. This units has functioned effectively, leading to high profile successes including the thwarting of kidnapping attempts and other criminal operations across the country. This elite squad has galvanised intelligence sharing to another level. This is what Nigeria needs to fight terror and insecurity headlong.

“Worthy of mention as an achievement of the Corps over the last 20 years is the interventions of the NSCDC and other sister security agencies in the Niger Delta region which has minimize crude oil theft and the vandalisation of critical oil and gas installations in the region in line with Mr. President’s economic recovery plan. the statement added.

The CSO also hailed the current leadership of the NSCDC for “the establishment of a Special Female Arms Squad by the NSCDC. The success recorded by these brave women has shown that women have what it takes and given the right training, motivation and opportunities, can contribute to nation building. By this singular act, the NSCDC has joined the list of very few security agencies who have prioritised women and give them opportunities to achieve their full potential.

While passing a meritorious vote of confidence on the NSCDC over the past 20 years, the CSO adviced the leadership to prioritize and maintain “the prompt payment of salaries and timely promotion as well as training courses for personnel, the establishment of training commands across the country, office accommodation and residential quarters to maintain output and productivity of personel.

This in no small measure, will motivate the officers to dedicate themselves to duty and it’ll be a great disservice for us as a CSO not to acknowledge and promote excellence and professionalism in return. Rev Semaka added.

NASU Urges Timely Payment of Withheld Salaries or Faces Shutdown

The National Association of University Staff (NASU) has called on President Bola Tinubu to ensure the payment of four months’ withheld salaries within the next two weeks, warning of a potential shutdown if the demand is not met. The call was made by the National President of NASU during an emergency meeting of NASU branch chairmen and Inter-University Centres in Abuja.

NASU emphasized that the payment was essential for maintaining industrial harmony in the sector, highlighting that other unions had already received their withheld salaries in accordance with a directive from President Tinubu. The union had previously gone on strike, and during negotiations, an agreement was reached in a Memorandum of Action (MoA), assuring no victimization of the members.

The National President appealed to government agencies to honor the agreement and ensure the payment of the four months’ arrears to avoid any disruptions in industrial peace and harmony. NASU expressed concern that its members were yet to receive their withheld salaries, while some other unions had been fully compensated.

The General Secretary of NASU, Peters Adeyemi, raised questions about the delay, noting that the office of the Chief of Staff had reportedly approved payment to another union. Adeyemi emphasized that NASU members deserved prompt payment, given the agreement with the government that included a no-victimization clause.

While acknowledging the challenges faced by the government, NASU urged President Tinubu to issue a directive for the immediate payment of the outstanding salaries. The union warned that if the salaries were not paid within one or two weeks, they would be compelled to shut down operations.

Nigerian Lawmakers Express Displeasure as Binance CEO Declines Committee Appearance

Lawmakers in Nigeria have expressed their discontent after the CEO of Binance, a prominent online financial company operating in the country, refused to appear before them during a hearing on alleged crimes. The hearing was initiated based on a petition by the Empowerment Fund for Nigerian Youth Initiative and the Niger Delta Youth Council of Nigeria, accusing Binance of various offenses, including involvement in terrorism, tax invasion, and money laundering.

During the proceedings, Dogonyaro, who moved the motion, informed the committee that despite an initial invitation, the CEO of Binance failed to appear to respond to the allegations. The committee extended another opportunity for the executive to appear on March 4, 2024, but the CEO once again declined.

Dogonyaro expressed his dissatisfaction, stating that the refusal to appear was an insult to the committee and the Nigerian people. In response, the Legal Counsel to Binance, Senator Ihenyen, mentioned that the company had provided written responses to all the allegations and was willing to furnish additional written answers if needed. He cited concerns for the safety of company officials in Nigeria following the recent arrest of two senior executives by the National Security Adviser’s office.

The committee’s Chairman, Rep. Ginger Obinna, announced that legal representation from Binance would not be entertained, and the committee had decided to recommend invoking constitutional powers to issue a subpoena and warrant for the arrest of Binance executives. This decision was made to compel them to appear and address questions related to terrorism, money laundering, financial crimes, and tax evasion as raised in the petition.

The chairman expressed gratitude to the petitioners for bringing attention to the alleged financial crimes and exploitation of 20 million young Nigerians over the past six years.

Nigerian Agricultural Engineers Assert Local Solutions for National Challenges

Prof. Joshua Olaoye, the National Chairman of the Nigerian Institution of Agricultural Engineers (NIAE), emphasized the need for homegrown solutions to address Nigeria’s economic challenges. In an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos, Prof. Olaoye, a Professor with the Department of Agriculture and Biosystems Engineering at the University of Ilorin, highlighted that many nations have achieved development by looking inward.

He stressed that the solutions to Nigeria’s problems are within the country and urged the government to provide an enabling environment for local professionals and institutions. Prof. Olaoye expressed the institution’s desire to guide government policies and called for a greater reliance on the expertise available within the country.

The NIAE Chairman criticized the plan to import 2,000 tractors annually for five years to boost agricultural mechanization, advocating instead for the utilization of the National Centre for Agricultural Mechanization in Ilorin. He suggested challenging Nigerian professionals to produce tractors locally, creating jobs and contributing to the nation’s development.

Prof. Folarin Alonge, a past Chairman of the NIAE, and Dean of the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Uyo, echoed the sentiment, emphasizing agriculture as the backbone of Nigeria’s economy. He identified policy inconsistency as a significant challenge and called for a reduction in the nation’s thirst for foreign goods, promoting the patronage of locally made products.

Alonge cited the success of local rice production during the border closure, which was later eroded when borders were reopened, emphasizing the importance of supporting domestic industries. He urged the government to prioritize Nigerian products, citing the example of Innoson Motors, a local automobile manufacturer, as a showcase of the country’s capabilities in production.