Bloc politics undermines peace, stability in South China Sea

By Zhong Sheng, People’s Daily

The United States, Japan and the Philippines recently issued a so-called Joint Vision Statement in Washington, distorting facts and confusing right and wrong on the South China Sea issue, the East China Sea issue and the Taiwan question, and arbitrarily smearing and attacking China.

This is completely against the public statement previously made by the U.S. side that the Japan-Philippines-United States Trilateral Leaders Summit and their trilateral cooperation are truly not aimed at China.

What the three countries intend to do is to establish an exclusive bloc for bloc politics and stoking confrontation, which hurts other countries’ strategic security and interests, and brings serious risks to regional peace and stability.

The merits of the South China Sea issue, the East China Sea issue and the Taiwan question are very clear. Some relevant countries’ attempt to challenge justice by establishing small blocs is doomed to fail.

The Taiwan question is purely China’s internal affair. Resolving the Taiwan question is a matter for the Chinese ourselves that no one can interfere. The biggest threat to cross-Strait peace now is the separatist activities of “Taiwan independence” forces and external connivance and support for them.

Some countries always talks about “peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait,” but remain silent on opposing “Taiwan independence.” This only emboldens the “Taiwan independence” separatist forces and undermines peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.

China has indisputable sovereignty over Diaoyu Dao and its affiliated islands, as well asNanhai Zhudao. Its activities in the East China Sea and South China Sea are lawful, justified and beyond reproach. China has unwavering determination and will in safeguarding its legitimate rights. China does not accept relevant countries’ groundless accusation and deliberate smears against it on the East China Sea and South China Sea.

The root cause of the rising tensions in the South China Sea lies in the fact that some Philippine politicians have disregarded the interests of their country and people, seeking support from external countries to embolden themselves, and constantly provoking conflicts over issues such as Ren’ai Jiao.

Despite the Philippines’ efforts to portray itself as a “victim,” this cannot conceal its true provocative and troublemaking nature.

The Philippine side has continuously spread disinformation and hyped up the situation. Going back on its words, it refuses to tow away its illegally grounded warship in Ren’ai Jiao. It arbitrarily breached the understanding it had reached with China on properly handling the situation on Ren’ai Jiao, and made repeated attempts to send construction materials for large-scale repair and reinforcement of the warship, in an attempt to permanently occupy Ren’ai Jiao.

The Philippines has been violating China’s sovereignty and the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC), especially Article 5 which says refraining from action of inhabiting on the presently uninhabited islands and reefs.

China will not accept the wanton provocation by the Philippines and will resolutely stop it in accordance with law and regulations to uphold China’s sovereignty and the sanctity of the DOC.

The recent escalation of tensions in the South China Sea is also a result of the meddling of external forces. The United States, driven by geostrategic considerations, has been fanning the flames, instigating disputes, inciting confrontation, and even forming cliques to conduct so-called joint patrols and military exercises in the South China Sea, wishing nothing but chaos in the region. Japan is not a party to the South China Sea issue, but it has deliberately intervened in it for its own expansion, which fully exposes the danger of its strategic direction.

In order to whitewash their actions that undermine peace and stability in the South China Sea, these external countries frequently cite the so-called South China Sea arbitration. The Arbitral Tribunal violated the principle of state consent, exercised its jurisdiction ultra vires and rendered an award in disregard of law. It gravely violates United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and general international law. The award is illegal, null and void. It is for the purpose of upholding the integrity and authority of the UNCLOS that China does not accept or recognize it, and will never accept any claim or action based on the award.

Recently, more and more people with insight from ASEAN countries and the Philippines have been voicing rational views, opposing external countries’ instigation of disputes and escalation of tensions in the South China Sea. They believe that “if your foreign policy is crooked or favors one country and is sometimes hostile because you are with America, then everything is wrong.”

Peace and stability in the South China Sea have been maintained thanks to the collective efforts of China and ASEAN countries.

China’s position on the South China Sea issue is very clear and consistent. It will stay committed to properly handling disputes through dialogue and consultation with countries concerned, and would like to work with ASEAN countries to fully and effectively implement the Declaration on the DOC, advance the consultation on a code of conduct in the South China Sea and jointly safeguard peace and stability in the region.

China hopes the Philippines will act on the understandings and consensus between the two sides, and observe the DOC. The Philippines needs to stop infringing on China’s rights and making provocations, stop pulling forces outside the region into matters of the South China Sea, return to the right track of properly managing the situation through negotiation and consultation, and act responsibly for the peace and stability in the South China Sea.

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

Robust start of China’s economy boosts global economic prospects

By He Yin, People’s Daily

China’s gross domestic product (GDP) in the first quarter of this year grew by 5.3 percent year-on-year, an increase of 1.6 percentage points from the previous quarter, according to statistics released by the country’s National Bureau of Statistics on April 16.

The Chinese economy has kicked off a steady start in 2023 with continuous recovery and stable growth, which further enhances the international community’s positive expectations for China’s development prospects.

It is reported by international media outlets that China’s economy has got off to a good start and confidence is keep recovering.

Currently, the positive factors supporting the continued recovery and improvement of China’s economy are accumulating, laying a relatively good foundation for achieving the goals and tasks for the whole year.

In the first quarter, the four major macroeconomic indicators of growth, employment, inflation, and international balance of payments generally remained stable.

The growth of fixed asset investment increased by 1.5 percentage points compared with that in 2023, and the total retail sales of consumer goods and services went up by 4.7 percent and 10 percent, respectively. Imports and exports hit a new high in the past six quarters, and per capita disposable income of residents increased by 6.2 percent.

Recently, international financial institutions such as the Asian Development Bank (ADB), Goldman Sachs, and Morgan Stanley have raised their forecasts for China’s economic growth rate this year. Asian Development Outlook April 2024 released by ADB predicted that from 2024 to 2025, China will account for 46 percent of the economic growth of Asian developing countries and remain the largest contributor to the global economic growth.

The Q1 economic performance of China showed new progress made by new quality productive forces in industries, business activities, and products.

In the first quarter, the value-added by high-tech manufacturing enterprises above designated size grew by 7.5 percent year-on-year, an increase of 2.6 percentage points compared with that in the fourth quarter of last year. Investment in high-tech industries grew by 11.4 percent year-on-year, up 1.1 percentage points from 2023. Investment in high-tech services was up by 12.7 percent.

Despite rapid growth in previous years, the output of new energy vehicles in the first quarter of this year grew by 29.2 percent. In the same period, the output of charging piles, 3D printing equipment, and electronic components surged by 41.7 percent, 40.6 percent, and 39.5 percent year-on-year, respectively.

China’s accelerated development of new quality productive forces not only creates new momentum and advantages for its own development, but also injects new impetus for international cooperation.

China’s exports of electric vehicles, lithium batteries, photovoltaic products, and others have enriched global supply, eased global inflationary pressures, and made a tremendous contribution to global efforts to address climate change and the green and low-carbon transition.

The continued rebound of the Chinese economy is an important positive factor for the world economy. Steven Alan Barnett, senior resident representative in China of the International Monetary Fund, estimates that 1 percentage point more growth in China fuels 0.3 percentage points of growth elsewhere. He said the Chinese economy still remains an important engine driving the global economy.

In the first quarter, China’s total trade with Belt and Road partner countries grew by 5.5 percent, continuing to be an important driver of global trade growth.

The positive outlook for China’s economy is also attracting more multinational companies to come and explore opportunities and seek cooperation. Leaders of over 100 multinational corporations visited China. The 4th China International Consumer Products Expo attracted over 4,000 brands from 71 countries and regions. Over 60,000 overseas buyers were present at the 135th session of the China Import and Export Fair on the event’s inaugural day. In the first two months of this year, the number of newly established foreign-invested enterprises in China increased by 34.9 percent year-on-year, reaching the highest level in the recent five years.

Oliver Zipse, chairman of the Board of Management of BMW AG, believes that China is BMW’s largest global market, and it is where the future lies.

For some time, there have been voices deliberately exaggerating the challenges facing China’s economy and hyping up the so-called”China Peak Theory,” which are complete misreading of China’s economic situation and development prospects.

China’s economy has a solid foundation and various strengths. It has great resilience, vitality and potential. These characteristics remain unchanged. The fundamentals sustaining China’s long-term economic recovery and growth also remain unchanged.

A China that continues to promote high-quality development and advance Chinese modernization will not only bring a better life to the Chinese people, but also make greater contributions to the recovery and development of the world economy.

Exhibition on China-France exchanges in 17th, 18th centuries hosted at Palace Museum

By Zou Yating, People’s Daily

An exhibition focusing on the exchanges between China and France in the 17th and 18th centuries recently kicked off in the Hall of Literary Glory (Wenhuadian) of the Palace Museum in Beijing, capital of China.

The exhibition “The Forbidden City and the Palace of Versailles: Exchanges Between China and France in the 17th and 18th Centuries” was jointly held by the Palace Museum and the Palace of Versailles.

It features about 200 works from the collections of the two museums and other institutions, attracting many who are interested in Chinese and French cultures.

In the second half of the 17th century and the 18th century, centered around the Forbidden City and the Palace of Versailles, there were extensive and profound exchanges of personnel, ideas, and cultures between the two countries.

The exhibition showcases some rare ancient booksincluding “Nouveaux Mémoires sur l’état présent de la Chine” by Louis Le Comte and a collection of correspondence by French astronomer Jean-Jacques d’Ortous de Mairan. These books have provided information about China, disseminated Chinese culture, and deepened Europe’s understanding of China, leaving a profound impact on Europe.

“From the rich cultural relics, it can be seen that the exchanges of science and art made up the majority of China-Franceexchanges in the 17th and 18th centuries,” said Guo Fuxiang, a research fellow at the Palace Museum and the Chinese curator of the exhibition.

Inside a black lacquered square box exhibited, there are more than 30 instruments, including a plotting scale, a ruler, a carpenter’s square, a compass, a protractor, and more. The box also contains a copper-gilded triangular stand and a blue enamel water container.

These drafting instruments, comprised of both Chinese- and French made ones selected by the imperial workshop of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), make up a complete and practical set.

French culture had a significant influence on the science, art, architecture, medicine, and cartography development of the Qing dynasty, as reflected by the items collected by the Palace Museum, including Euclid’s Elements and Si yang-ni okto-i bithe (Handbook of Western Drugs) in Manchu language, the etchings of structures in the Yuanmingyuan Park, or the Old Summer Palace, as well as French clocks, multifunctional mirrors and essential oil.

At the same time, a large number of Chinese handicrafts and books entered France, sparking a “Chinese-style art” trend centered around the Palace of Versailles and spreading to various European countries.

Chinese porcelain was highly admired by Europeans, and the French would even decorate and modify porcelain ware to better suit their taste. For instance, Parisian craftsmen added Rococo-style gilded copper ornaments to the top, rim, and base ofChinese celadon perfume bottles, giving them a fountain-like shape.

In addition to porcelain, the French actively drew inspiration from Chinese culture in various fields such as painting, textiles, lacquerware, architecture, and gardens. China became an important source of inspiration for French artists and intellectuals.

An engraving in the 17th century just depicted how beautiful the Trianon de Porcelaine was. Inspired by the Porcelain Tower of Nanjing in China, France built the Trianon de Porcelaine in 1670. Located on the outskirts of the Palace of Versailles, the Trianon de Porcelaine was adorned with blue and white ceramics, with ornate roofs featuring vases, children, and animal figures. The interior of the palace was decorated with silk fabrics featuring Chinese floral patterns.

Cultural exchange has never been a one-way process, but rather a dynamic interaction that sparks innovation and vitality.

In the second half of the 17th century, France began to take an interest in and study Chinese porcelain-making craft. In the mid-18th century, with the discovery of kaolin deposits, the Manufacture nationale de Sevres of France successfully produced hard-paste porcelain. The shapes and decorative patterns of these porcelain pieces were heavily influenced by Chinese porcelain, yet they also possessed their own unique characteristics. France presented Sevres porcelain masterpieces as diplomatic gifts to other countries, including China.

“Although China and France are thousands of miles away from each other, they have had continuous cultural exchanges throughout history,” said Guo. Even today, this interaction and exchange are remembered and constantly writing new chapters.

The Forbidden City and the Palace of Versailles are witnesses to the historical exchanges between China and France, as well as symbols of their respective cultures. Today, they continue to tell stories of mutual learning and exchange.

Wang Xudong, director of the Palace Museum, noted that through the exhibition of precious cultural relics, people can appreciate the history of cultural exchanges between China and France, in which the two countries have learned from each other. This exchange has not only had a significant impact on the cultures of both countries but also provided an example of mutual learning and exchange between civilizations.

China’s hydrogen energy industry gains momentum for development

By Liu Yiqing, Shen Xiaoxiao, People’s Daily

China’s first hydrogen-powered urban train recently completed a test at a speed of 160 km/h in Changchun, northeast China’s Jilin province.

The train, developed by China’s CRRC Changchun Railway Vehicles Co., Ltd., is equipped with a built-in hydrogen power system and an independently developed hydrogen-electric hybrid energy control system.

During the test, the train’s average energy consumption was 5 kWh per km, with the maximum range exceeding 1,000 km.

“Compared to urban vehicles powered by internal combustion, hydrogen-powered trains emit water while running. Over the entire lifecycle of a hydrogen-powered train, carbon dioxide emissions can be reduced by approximately 50,000 tons, which is equivalent to the emissions from 50,000 cars driving 5,000 km simultaneously,” said Wang Jian, deputy director of the new technology research department of the engineering research center of CRRC Changchun Railway Vehicles Co., Ltd.

Hydrogen energy is a secondary energy source that is abundant, environmentally friendly, and widely applicable. Its development and utilization are crucial for building a clean, low-carbon, safe, and efficient energy system.

China is the largest producer of hydrogen in the world, with a production of 35.33 million tons in 2022, accounting for over 1/3 of the world’s total.

The hydrogen energy industry in China is experiencing a promising growth trajectory. The country has initially mastered key technologies and techniques for hydrogen production, storage, transportation, hydrogenation, and system integration. In some regions of China, hydrogen fuel cell vehicles have been put into use for demonstration on a small scale.

China Hydrogen Alliance estimated that by 2025, the output of China’s hydrogen energy industry will reach 1 trillion yuan ($138.2 billion). By 2050, the demand for hydrogen will approach 60 million tons, which is expected to reduce approximately 700 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions; hydrogen energy will account for over 10 percent of China’s end-use energy system, with the industrial chain generating an output of 12 trillion yuan.

The Chinese hydrogen energy industry has also seen rapid progress in international cooperation. In recent years, an increasing number of foreign companies have entered the Chinese market and engaged in cooperation with their Chinese partners. For instance, carmakers like Hyundai and Toyota are working on their hydrogen fuel cell projects in China; multinationals including Cummins and Siemens have started hydrogen production through electrolyzers in China. At the same time, Chinese companies are also expanding the global market and forging partnerships and collaborations with their foreign counterparts.

For example, China Energy Engineering Corporation has signed an agreement with the Egyptian government, according to which it will build a green hydrogen plant worth $6.75 billion in Egypt’s Suez Canal Economic Zone. The plant is expected to generate 1.2 million tons of green ammonia and 210,000 tons of green hydrogen each year.

The Egyptian government believes that the green hydrogen plant will significantly contribute to Egypt’s energy transition and sustainable development. Egyptian Ambassador to China Assem Hanafi noted that the joint efforts of Egypt and China in promoting hydrogen energy cooperation will lead to a green transition that benefits everyone.

In April 2023, China Energy Investment Group and Électricité de France signed an agreement to jointly build a 1.5GW offshore comprehensive smart energy island demonstration project in Dongtai, Yancheng, east China’s Jiangsu province.

In early 2023, Jiangsu Guofu Hydrogen Energy Equipment Co., Ltd. reached a strategic cooperation agreement with Brazil’s YDRO. The two sides will establish a joint venture and build an electrolyzer-producing factory in Brazil in 2024. The factory is expected to build more than 50 water electrolysis hydrogen production systems by 2025.

Besides, companies like CRRC Zhuzhou Institute Co., Ltd. and Feichi Technology based in Foshan, south China’s Guangdong province have supplied hydrogen-powered buses and light rail vehicles to a hydrogen energy transportation demonstration project in Malaysia.

Special Adviser to the UN Secretary-General on Climate Action Selwin Hart, noted that China will continue to play an active role in the development of green energy sectors such as the hydrogen energy industry, which will make renewable energy accessible to more people in the world.

China continuously expands high-level opening-up

By Peng Fei, People’s Daily

In the eyes of many foreign companies, investing in China means investing in the future.

A survey conducted by the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade showed that over 80 percent of surveyed foreign-invested enterprises rated China’s business environment in 2023 as “satisfactory” or above.

In the annual China Business Climate Survey released by AmCham China in February this year, half of the 343 members surveyed placed China as their first choice or within their top three investment destinations globally.

With a continuously optimized business environment, foreign companies in China can better enjoy the opportunities brought about by the country’s high-quality development and high-level opening-up.

A sound business environment is crucial to high-level opening-up. At present, China is working to build a market-oriented and world-class business environment governed by a sound legal framework, so as to enhance its ability to attract domestic and international factors of production and resources.

The rule of law is the best business environment. Whether foreign companies will face discrimination and unfair treatment when participating in regional development and investing in related projects is a common concern of them.

Recently, an action plan aimed to further attract and utilize foreign investment was issued, proposing a series of pragmatic measures to make competition fairer, including improving the bidding system.

In recent years, China has enacted and implemented the Foreign Investment Law, made its legal system related to foreign affairs more open and transparent, and strengthened intellectual property right protection.

China has worked to improve its institutional framework, promoting higher-level opening-up on the basis of the rule of law. This has created a more stable, fair, transparent and predictable investment environment for foreign companies.

A country or region’s degree of openness to the outside world and its level of connectivity with the external environment to some extent decide its ability to attract foreign investment and are important parts of its business environment.

In 2013, the first edition of China’s negative list for foreign investment had 190 items. Currently, the national version of this list has only 31 items, while the version for pilot free trade zones has just 27 items. This contrast highlights China’s solid steps towards greater openness to the outside world.

The shortening negative list for foreign investment, the exploration of mutual recognition of standards with major trading partners, the high-quality implementation of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, as well as the efforts made to promote institutional opening-up, achieve high-level alignment with international economic and trade rules, and advance a broader agenda of opening-up across more areas and with greater depth… All these endeavors will open up vast opportunities for the development of foreign companies, bringing new opportunities to the world with China’s new development.

The real test of how good a business environment is lies in the services provided. When a foreign entrepreneur first arrived in Shanghai, he needed to register and file taxes but could not find multilingual application channels.

In January this year, an English version of the International Services Shanghai website went into trial operation, providing not only consulting services for taxation, accounting, etc., but also integrating various information resources.

“I can even recommend this website directly to my grandmother when she travels to Shanghai. I no longer have to worry about translating a large amount of information,” said the entrepreneur, highlighting the progress in Shanghai’s government services and the optimization of China’s business environment.

Establishing a round-table conference system for foreign-invested enterprises, implementing five measures to facilitate foreigners coming to China, solving mobile payment issues for foreigners in China…These services address practical problems for foreign companies and personnel, and will help fully unleash their innovation vitality.

China has become a synonym of the best investment destination, and that the “next China” is still China.

In the future, China will take multiple measures and make unremitting efforts to continuously improve its business environment and steadily promote higher-level opening-up.

It is believed that the country will continue to be a hot destination for global investment, and make new and greater contributions to global development.

Agricultural technologies contribute to tomato planting in Shouguang, “China’s Hometown of Vegetables”

By Wang Zhe, People’s Daily

Inside the Liangze Agricultural Cooperative’s greenhouse in Geshang village, Shouguang, east China’s Shandong province, tomatoes in red, orange, yellow, and green are thriving.

“This year’s tomatoes are well-shaped and have an exquisite taste,” said farmer Han Yougong. He told People’s Daily that these tomatoes typically sell for over 5 yuan ($0.69) per jin (one jin equals 500 grams), bringing in an estimated income of 100,000 yuan per mu (one mu equals 0.07 hectares).

Taking the opportunity to build a demonstration base for agricultural whole chain standardization, Shouguang has vigorously modernized and standardized the tomato planting industry by employing advanced breeding techniques and intelligent technologies.

It has developed an operational model, which covers tomato breeding, seedling cultivation, planting, and sales, to enhance the competitiveness of its tomato planting industry.

In 2023, Shouguang’s tomato output exceeded 500,000 tons, supplying both domestic and international markets. Currently, the city has independently cultivated205 vegetable varieties, including 113 tomato varieties.

“This one has a rich, layered flavor,” said Han, as he plucked a tomato in the greenhouse. “The fruit is exquisite yet plump. It is crisp with a perfect balance between sweetness and sourness.”

Han attributed the good taste to the efforts made in breeding.

In a molecular breeding laboratory of the R&D center of Shouguang Vegetable Industry Holding Group, project leader Yu Caiyun was staring at test tubes, concentrating on a tomato DNA isolation experiment.

“We are breeding new varieties of tomatoes with improved texture and enhanced disease resistance,” Yu said.

The R&D center of Shouguang Vegetable Industry Holding Group is equipped with a high-standard germplasm resource library and a molecular breeding laboratory. It also includes a tomato breeding research group that continuously focuses on tomato seed development and cultivates new varieties to assist farmers in selecting seeds and seedlings. Led by Yu, the group has successfully developed multiple new tomato varieties with improved taste, and their market share keeps expanding.

High-quality seeds are the foundation for the development of the tomato planting industry, and expansion of the industry relies on the improvement of the entire supply chain. In recent years, vegetable companies in Shouguang have been continuously improving the tomato industrial chain, aiming to enhance the value of their products.

In 2021, Shouguang Vegetable Industry Holding Group set up a food processing base, which includes a food processing workshop covering 60,000 square meters. Tomatoes freshly harvested from greenhouses are immediately transported to the workshop, where they undergo deep processing and are made into various products such as dried tomato. These products are then sold to downstream markets. In 2023, the tomato food processing output of Shouguang Vegetable Industry Holding Group exceeded 5 million yuan.

“Ventilation, shading, watering… you can operate almost everything with just one click,” said Xiao Airong, an employee of Shouguang Agricultural Industry Holding Group, while managing an intelligent greenhouse on her mobile phone.

After a few taps, fans in the greenhouse started running at high speed to ensure good air circulation, and skylights were opened to allow more sunlight to bathe the tomatoes. On a control panel, information was displayed in real time, including light intensity and carbon dioxide concentration.

In 2020, Shouguang Agricultural Industry Holding Group built intelligent greenhouses on a piece of land totaling 120 mu(8 hectares). Compared to traditional greenhouses, the land utilization rate of these new facilities increased by over 30 percent and production efficiency by 50 percent. As of now, more than 80 percent of the tomato greenhouses in Shouguang have installed intelligent equipment, turning into “green workshops.”

Intelligent technologies have not only made planting more convenient and efficient but have significantly improved efficiency in sales and quality check.

Outside a greenhouse, automated guided vehicles carrying baskets of ripe tomatoes lined up in front of a fruit sorting line. On the sorting machine, tomatoes of different weights were graded and transported to multiple platforms, then packaged and sent to wholesale markets.

At the same time, Chen Haijian, an official with the agricultural product quality and safety supervision division of the Shouguang bureau of agriculture and rural affairs, was conducting sampling inspections.

The samples would be sent to the city’s inspection and testing center, and the final test results would be uploaded to the integrated management service platform for vegetable supplies. Chen said that each batch of tomatoes can be traced back to its source on the platform via mobile phones.

The integrated management service platform for vegetable supplies was established in 2022, which includes 14 modules such as “vegetable seed industry” and “fruit and vegetable variety rights trading.” Information about the lots on which tomatoes are grown can also be accessed with a single click.

Thanks to the platform, more than 5,000 tomato greenhouses across the city have achieved intelligent supervision and management, said Wang Lixin, head of the Shouguang bureau of agriculture and rural affairs.

CSO Disagrees with IGP over Call for NSCDC, FRSC Merger

… describes it as counterproductive

A civil society organisation, Save Nigeria Movement (SNM) has described the call by the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr. Kayode Egbetokun for the merger of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) as counterproductive and ill-advised.

Recall that the IGP made the call at a National Dialogue for strengthening security and the role of the NPF, organised by the House of Representatives in Abuja with the theme ‘Pathways to Peace: Reimagining Policing in Nigeria’.

Represented by the Assistant Inspector General of Police, Ben Okoro, the IGP said that the NSCDC and the FRSC were duplications of the police force.

In a statement signed by Rev. Solomon Semaka, the Convener, Save Nigeria Movement, and made available to journalists in Abuja, the group berated the IGP for contemplating such an absurd thing when the Nigerian Police Force is in dire need of reforms.

According to the release, “we are duty bound to express our strong disapproval and outright rejection of the ill-motivated and ill-timed call for the merger of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC). While it’ll be inimical to national security to merge those agencies, we are particularly alarmed by the very thought of merging the NSCDC with the Police and view this suggestion as an attempt to undermine the extraordinary work the NSCDC is doing.

“It is also strange that an already overwhelmed Nigerian Police Force (NPF) would be looking for more duties when it’s obvious she’s shirking her original responsibilities. Instead of focusing on reforming the rot in the NPF, the IGP chose rather to play to the gallery in a deliberate attempt to malign the NSCDC.

While vehemently opposing the unpopular views of the IGP, the rights group praised famous Nigerian leaders including President Goodluck Jonathan who affirming their support for the NSCDC and calling for efforts to strengthen it in line with the Oronsanye report towards better and efficient service delivery.

“It is rather disheartening that despite the clear position of our the famous Orosanye Report which called for the strengthening of the NSCDC to enable it perform it’s mandate creditably, the IGP regrettably holds a contrary view. Is the IGP questioning the authority of the Oronsanye report that recommended for the strengthening of the NSCDC? Is he just playing on the intelligence of Nigerians who overwhelmingly welcomed the report and are looking forward to it’s full implementation?”, the statement queried.

The CSO enumerated various achievements of the NSCDC which have greatly enhanced the security and economic well being of the country and wondered what could be the IGP’s motive aside inter-agency rivalry.

“The NSCDC has been over performing in recent times. Only few weeks ago, the NSCDC destroyed over 10 illegal refineries in the country. This is clearly in line with the Mr. President’s economic recovery plan and the need to meet Nigeria’s OPEC quota as well as the desire for Mr President to push up oil production to two million barrels per day.

“Again, the NSCDC has responded to the incidences illegal mining by introducing the Mines Marshals to curb illegal mining and boost revenues. This is unprecedented and worthy of commendations. Even with these high impact achievements, does the IGP prefer a merger to strengthening the Corps to continue to expand on its mandate of restoring Nigeria’s economic glory by thwarting saboteurs?

“Nigerians and indeed the entire Civil Society community is unanimous in acknowledging the enormous contributions of the NSCDC in all aspects of national life. They have distinguished themselves in the area of counterterrorism, prevention of vandalism, combating crude oil theft in the Niger Delta region, providing and sharing intelligence towards resolving complex cases of kidnapping and ransom taking by breaching the logistics chain of kidnappers and bandits in country.. It is therefore unacceptable to us that such a suggestion is even contemplated at all.

The Safe Schools Initiative of the NSCDC has clearly brought us results in the safety of our school children as they’ve made schools safe and secured across the country. The Nigerian Police Force does not have the capacity to safeguard our schools and other critical national assets especially our oil assets in the Niger/Delta region. By seeking a merger, the IGP is simply seeking to expand the mandate of the NPF and possibly does not care about the security of lives and property beyond the hypocrisy of ‘the Police is on top of the situation’ that has never taken us anywhere.

“With the introduction of the Commandant General’s Special Intelligence Squad (DG’s SIS), high-tech surveillance of critical national assets and the Mines Marshals, the NSCDC has pioneered modern techniques in surveillance and has collaborated and clearly complimented other security agencies in intelligence gathering and sharing to enhance national security. Asking for the merger of an agency with sterling track record is an unpopular thing that should not be entertained. It is our informed opinion that this merger proposal can’t help the country and should be discarded entirely and completely”, the statement added.

The CSO ended the release by canvassing support for he NSCDC including increased funding and a pledge to always support the initiatives and programmes of the Corps by mobilising other civil society organisations to oppose any and all clandestine efforts aimed at undermining the NSCDC.

“We make bold to state that this clandestine move to usurp the mandate and modest vision of the NSCDC can not stand especially at a time like this when the nation is looking up to the NSCDC to scale up its interventions that have seen a sharp reduction in vandalism, crude oil theft and school abductions amongst other laudable achievements. The NSCDC has clearly established itself as a credible security outfit in a class of it’s own with well spelt out duties and responsibilities. The NSCDC has come to stay and if any organisation feels challenged by their professional prowess, they should step up their game and perform better rather than becoming a stumbling block.

“It is imperative that the the NSCDC must remain an independent security entity. In fact, without the NSCDC, the Nigerian Police Force will clearly be overwhelmed as it is clearly not equipped to engage productively with civilians and gather intelligence like the NSCDC. The Nigerian Police Force should therefore seek to learn from the NSCDC towards improving their engagement with civilians and rather than seeking a merger which will not benefit the country.

“Our collective resolve is rather to call for the strengthening of the NSCDC by the federal government to carry out its mandate effectively and compliment the other security agencies in enhancing national security. More logistic facilities including the establishment and equipping of more Command and training Centers across all the Local governments that make up the country will go a long way in solidifying their presence and creating the necessary impact. This is more patriotic and productive than a merger, the statement concluded.

Mutual visa exemption agreement between China, Thailand boosts tourism recovery

By Zhang Jinruo, People’s Daily

The Wat Arun, a Buddhist temple by the Chao Phraya River, Bangkok, was crowded with sightseers, including Yu Fan, from east China’s Zhejiang province, who was looking for the best angle to take photographs, wearing a traditional Thai outfit with a matching Thai-style hair pin.

She told People’s Daily that her trip to Thailand was inspired bya mutual visa exemption agreement between China and Thailand.

“I’ve already been to attractions like Siam Square and Wat Paknam in Bangkok, and in a couple of days I’ll be going to Phuket as well,” she said.

On March 1, the mutual visa exemption agreement between China and Thailand officially took effect, leading to a continuous rise in the enthusiasm for travel between the two countries.

According to Thailand’s Ministry of Tourism and Sports, as of March 31, Thailand received over 9.37 million foreign tourist visits this year, generating around 454.7 billion Thai baht ($12.38 billion) in revenue.Over 1.75 million visits were from China, making China the biggest source of tourists for Thailand during this period.

The arrival of Chinese tourists has driven the revival of Thailand’s tourism industry. Zhang Zhechen works in the hotel industry in Pattaya, Thailand, and has clearly felt the continued recovery of the local tourism sector since March of this year.

“Since March, the occupancy rate at our hotel has exceeded 90 percent, and there are noticeably more Chinese tourists on the streets and beaches of Pattaya,” he said.

Adith Chairattananon, secretary general of the Association of Thai Travel Agents, stated that in 2023 there were around 3.5 million Chinese tourist visits to Thailand. Driven by policies like the mutual visa exemption agreement, the number is estimated to increase to 6 to 8 million this year, he said.

In February this year, Thailand’s Ministry of Tourism and Sports partnered with the National Institute of Emergency Medicine under the Ministry of Public Health to announce a 50-million-Baht medical funding to assist foreign tourists in case of accidents while traveling in Thailand.

Thapanee Kiatphaibool, governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand, said that China has always been a major source of visitors for Thailand, and Thailand hopes to demonstrate to Chinese tourists itscontinuous efforts to improve tourism safety standards, as well as the unique charm of Thailand as an ideal travel destination.

The mutual visa exemption between China and Thailand has also boosted the enthusiasm of Thai tourists to travel to China. Statistics showed that this March, the number of Thai nationals entering China through the Xishuangbanna airport in the southwest province of Yunnan increased by 1,183.87 percentfrom a month ago.

On the afternoon of March 1, Thai tourist Santi posted a photo of his passport cover on social media, showing his successful entry into China. The photo garnered tens of thousands of likes. Santi stated that the mutual visa exemption is excellent news for those who enjoy traveling to China.

Sisdivachr Cheewarattanaporn, president of the Association of Thai Travel Agents, said that the mutual visa exemption agreement will promote the development of the tourism industries in both Thailand and China, and facilitate business exchanges between the two countries.

Korn Dabbaransi, former Deputy Prime Minister of Thailand and president of the Thai-Chinese Friendship Association, noted that the mutual visa exemption between Thailand and China reflects a further enhancement of the friendly relations between the two countries, which will bring more benefits and opportunities.

The facilitatedexchanges between the two peoples will drive growth in tourism revenue, promote cooperation in areas such as economy, trade, culture and education, help deepen understanding and friendship between the two peoples, and lay a solid people-to-people foundation for the long-term development of the two countries’ bilateral relations, he said.

Promoting people-to-people exchanges puts right “first button” of China-U.S. relations

By Zhong Sheng, People’s Daily

In the past few months, China-U.S. relations have shown signs of stabilization under the strategic guidance of the consensus reached by Chinese and U.S. heads of state during their meeting in San Francisco.

“Jointly promoting people-to-people exchanges” is an important part of the “San Francisco vision.” From the students of Muscatine High School joining exchange activities in Beijing, Hebei and Shanghai, to some 20 students from Lincoln High School and Steilacoom High School of the U.S. state of Washington visiting Beijing, Shiyan in Hubei province, Guangzhou and Shenzhen in Guangdong province, and to the members of U.S. business, strategic and academic communities paying a visit to China this spring, the increasing exchanges and interactions between people from both countries help accumulate consensus for the stable, healthy, and sustainable development of China-U.S. relations.

The history of China-U.S. relations is one of friendly exchanges between the two peoples. Its existing chapters are written by the people, and the future will of course be created by the people.

In November last year, Chinese President Xi Jinping delivered a speech at a welcome dinner hosted by friendly organizations in the United States. He said the foundation of China-U.S. relations was laid by the two peoples; the door of China-U.S. relations was opened by the two peoples; the stories of China-U.S. relations are written by the two peoples; the future of China-U.S. relations will be created by the two peoples.

He stressed the importance to galvanize the Chinese and American peoples into a strong force to renew China-U.S. friendship, advance China-U.S. relations, and make even greater contributions to world peace and development.

What he said articulated the foundation for the development of China-U.S. relationship as well as the future direction it should take.

China announced to invite 50,000 young Americans to China on exchange and study programs in the next five years. As “envoys of friendship” of these programs, high school students from the states of Iowa and Washington visiting China would help build a future-oriented bridge of understanding for the development of China-U.S. ties.

After the students of Muscatine High School wrapped up their visit to China, they sent a letter to Xi to share with him their joy during their China trip and thank him for the invitation.

Through their visits, the students from Lincoln High School and Steilacoom High School gained a more enriched and multi-dimensional understanding of China. After returning to the United States, they enthusiastically shared their experiences, observations, and feelings from their time in China with family, friends, classmates, and the media, saying friendship was the most precious thing they gained in China.

The stable, healthy and sustainable development of China-U.S. relations cannot be achieved without the joint efforts and sincere commitment of people from all walks of life in both countries.

Many American business executives traveled to Beijing to attend the China Development Forum 2024. Howard Schultz, the founder of Starbucks, came to China to promote new products. Tim Cook, the CEO of Apple, witnessed the opening of Apple’s largest retail store in Asia in Shanghai. The frequent visits to China by members of the American business community have vividly underscored that the China-U.S. relationship is one of the most consequential bilateral relationships in the world.

Members of U.S. business, strategic and academic communities believe that the U.S. and Chinese economies are closely interdependent, and the two countries can only achieve their own development and prosperity through peaceful coexistence.

They said the United States and China must cooperate and find the right way to get along, which is very important for both countries and the world.

“The economic and trade relations between the two countries are exceptionally important. Decoupling is definitely not the right path. We should continue to seek cooperation in order to achieve a win-win outcomes,” some of them noted.

These remarks clearly indicate that China and the United States share extensive common interests. The so-called “Thucydides trap” is not inevitable. Pursuing “decoupling and severing supply chains” under the guise of “de-risking” does not serve the common interests of both sides.

Over the past couple of years, the China-U.S. relationship experienced some setbacks and serious challenges, from which lessons should be learned. The ups and downs of the development of China-U.S. ties prove that the issue of strategic perception is always fundamental to China-U.S. relationship, just like the first button of a shirt that must be put right.

To stabilize and improve the China-U.S. relationship, a right strategic perception must be jointly developed. China always believe that two big countries like China and the United States should not cut off their ties or turn their back on each other, still less slide into conflict or confrontation. The two countries should respect each other, coexist in peace and pursue win-win cooperation.

The United States should not insist on positioning China, which is committed to peaceful development, as its primary competitor or most significant geopolitical challenge. It should not insist on suppressing China’s high-tech development or depriving China of its legitimate right to development.

Instead, the United States should work with China in the same direction to jointly explore the right way for them to get along. They should jointly and effectively manage their differences, promote mutually beneficial cooperation, provide more support and facilitation for people-to-people exchanges, and shoulder major-country responsibilities for world peace and development.

China-U.S. relationship cannot go back to the old days, but it can embrace a brighter future. The two countries should work to meet the common expectations of the people of both countries and the people of the world. They must value peace, prioritize stability, uphold credibility, and practically implement the consensus reached by the two heads of state.

They need to strengthen dialogue in a mutually respectful way, manage differences prudently, advance cooperation in the spirit of mutual benefit, and step up coordination on international affairs in a responsible way, so as to bring more benefits to the two peoples and inject more stability into the world.

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

County-level city in E China becomes hot destination for German investment

By Liu Zhonghua, People’s Daily

The number of German companies in Taicang, east China’s Jiangsu province reached 500 as Beumer Group settled there earlier this year.

During the past three decades, Taicang has consistently seized business opportunities with the German companies based there and created an optimal business environment for them and its successes have been recognized by the authorities in both countries.

In November 2008, Taicang was named a “Sino-German Enterprise Cooperation Base” by China’s Ministry of Commerce and by Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development and remains the only city to be recognized that way by both sides.

Why can this county-level city attract numerous German companies to settle and thrive there?

The sound business environment and professional services that Taicang offers are one of the secrets to the city’s appeal. “Meticulous government services” and “unimpeded communication between the government and enterprises” are the most frequently mentioned terms by German enterprises in Taicang when they speak of the city’s business climate.

Jan Assmann, general manager of the Taicang company of Bernstein, a leading supplier of industrial safety and enclosure technology from Germany, has been living in Taicang for nearly 20 years. He told People’s Daily that the government of Taicang has provided abundant favorable policies for German enterprises and the business environment there is getting better and better.

He believes German companies flocking to Taicang has created a cluster effect. For example, automotive parts manufacturers settling in the city have attracted machine tool manufacturers, which then attracted mold manufacturers. In this way, Taicang has gradually established an industrial chain and supply chain centered around automotive parts and machine tools, Assmann said.

The German Center Taicang was set up in the city in 2016, which provides one-stop business services for nearly 50 enterprises including those from Germany.

“We were attracted by Taicang’s excellent business environment and the professional services provided by the government,” said general manager of the center Marieke Bossek.

According to Bossek, Taicang High-tech Industrial Development Zone has assigned a service specialist to every German enterprise, who the enterprises can turn to for assistance whenever they encounter difficulties or challenges.

“This efficient service has left a deep impression on me,” she said.

In recent years, German companies in Taicang have strengthened their localization strategies, which not only advanced their own development, but also helped with the standardized and massive production of local enterprises. The rapid development of local suppliers has helped German companies reduce production costs and improve supply chain efficiency.

Chiron Group, a leading manufacturer of high-speed CNC machine tools, is considered an “hidden champion” in this industry. The group set up a factory in Taicang in 2012 and later moved its China headquarters to the city, said Willi Riester, chief technology officer of Chiron Machine Tool (Taicang) Co., Ltd.

“Our machine tools require extremely high precision, and it is essential to maintain close communication with both upstream and downstream customers. Thanks to the cluster effect of the China-Germany industrial parks in Taicang, the supply chain here is stable, allowing us to conveniently and swiftly obtain high-quality components,” Riester said.

Currently, over half of the German companies in Taicang place R&D locally, and over 90 percent of the early settlers have completed capital increases and expanded production. The average output value per mu (about 667 square meters) of German companies has reached 14 million yuan ($1.93 million).

At the end of 2023, the New Energy Phase II Factory of a manufacturing base of German manufacturer of rolling element bearings Schaeffler Group was officially inaugurated.

Matthias Zink, CEO Automotive Technologies of Schaeffler Group, noted that the group has expanded its investment in Taicang 13 times, which totaled over 11 billion yuan. Taicang has become one of the group’s largest manufacturing bases globally, Zink added.

Over the past 30 years of cooperation with Germany, the local government of Taicang has paid more and more emphasis to the exchange between Chinese and German cultures, providing a comfortable, well-built, and convenient business and living environment for German companies and their employees.

For instance, Taicang has built a Rothenburg Street, where German bakeries and restaurants can be found almost everywhere.

“The cityscape of Taicang is constantly improving, and the environment has become more beautiful,” Assmann said. “When I’m free, I often take a stroll with my family along the Haiyundi Road and the Rothenburg Street.”

Taicang also hosts events such as beer festivals, marathon races, Sino-German artist salons, and Sino-German table tennis tournaments on a regular basis. It has built service facilities like a Sino-German friendship kindergarten, attracting an increasing number of Germans to settle there.

A series of policies that China released recently have signaled the country’s determination to expand high-level opening-up. It has rolled out five new measures to simplify the process for foreign nationals seeking to visit China, revised the national version of negative list for foreign investment, and lifted all restrictions on foreign investment access to manufacturing.

It also put forward 24 specific measures to further optimize the foreign investment environment and intensify efforts to attract investment, and made continuous efforts to build a market-oriented and world-class business environment governed by a sound legal framework. These efforts are welcomed by German companies in China.

A recent report released by the German Institute for Economic Research showed that direct investment from Germany to China increased by 4.3 percent in 2023, reaching a record high of 11.9 billion euros ($12.79 billion).

Another report released by the German Chamber of Commerce in China earlier this year highlighted that over 90 percent of surveyed companies plan to continue their business operations in China, with 54 percent of them intending to increase their investments in the country.

“Since settling in Taicang in 2004, OASE has seen a continuous increase in actual investment,” said Shen Ya, general manager of Oase Living Water (Taicang) Co., Ltd.

“Over the past three years, our business has grown at an average annual speed of 30 percent. In the future, the group will continue to seize opportunities in China, increase investment in China, and deepen our presence in the Chinese market,” Shen added.

“China’s commitment to expanding high-level opening-up has strong appeal to foreign-invested enterprises. As global economic recovery remains sluggish, China’s economy has shown a positive growth momentum. We hope that more German companies can seize the opportunity and continue to invest in China,” Assmann said.