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China operates a democratic system that covers a population of more than 1.4 billion from 56 ethnic groups. What are the challenges? And steeped in a continuous civilization spanning thousands of years, how does Chinese culture influence its modern political system?
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"You can't eat democracy," Zambia's President Hichilema put it bluntly last year. It is a stark reminder that governance isn't just about abstract ideals; it's also about putting food on the table. An international survey on democracy conducted in 30 countries found that people in developed countries have lower levels of trust in their politicians and don't believe they work in the best interests of the people: That's 29% in the U.S., 20% in the UK, 12% in Japan. But the numbers are much higher in developing countries. China, for instance, leads by a whopping 76%. This is a clear slap in the face for Western politicians who speak of democracy incessantly. We delve into how China's democracy is able to win that high-level of trust.
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As the Chinese society has turned nearly cashless, newcomers may find it hard to enjoy their stay to the full, had they not prepared to adapt to the new digital scenario. To solve this problem, China has taken a series of measures including boosting the acceptance of overseas bank cards in venues where foreign visitors frequent. On March 14th, the People's Bank of China published a bilingual step-by-step guide to payment services in China. How effective have these measures been in facilitating payments for inbound travelers? What further improvements can be made?
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Hong Kong is set to pass its own national security law, finally fulfilling the region's constitutional duty. Nearly 27 years after the handover, the outstanding loopholes in this regard are to be plugged with a bill called Safeguarding National Security. After a month-long public consultation period, the bill, as stipulated in Article 23 of the Basic Law of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, was introduced in the legislative council on March 8th, with majority support. It has not been passed yet, but it has come a long way. Now, on the heels of the bloody unrest that rocked the city in 2019 and 2020, the central government in Beijing enacted a National Security Law, or NSL, for the region in June of 2020. Why does the region introduce its own bill? What are the new offences that have been outlawed? And why are Western governments and mainstream media making so much noise about the bill, as they did nearly 4 years ago when the NSL was about to be introduced?
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Global trade was expected to have shrunk by nearly 5% in 2023, according to a UN estimate last December. The UN report shows geopolitics as having greater impact on global trade patterns. The most vivid example is "friend-shoring," that is trading with politically aligned partners. Meanwhile, China will strengthen its major trading partner status with over 140 countries, with new energy vehicles, solar panels and lithium battery exports growing rapidly. How will these contradictory dynamics affect all of us? How can global governance on trade catch up with the ever evolving challenges?
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The White House recently announced an investigation into whether Chinese EVs present "national security risks," drawing a parallel with "smartphones on wheels" that could collect sensitive U.S. data, and potentially being manipulated remotely by Beijing. The 25% tariff on Chinese-made cars, implemented by the Trump administration, persists under President Biden. Do Chinese EVs really pose a national security risk to the U.S.? With China emerging as a leading EV manufacturer and exporter, could these protection measures accelerate American carmakers' competitiveness?
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Some media outlets are trying to paint a bleak picture of China's economy. However, China saw a GDP growth of 5.2% last year, hitting the government's own target. Despite facing challenges, China's economy achieved steady growth in 2023. How to evaluate China's growth last year? And how will China's economy perform in the coming years?
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Exactly how much did the U.S. GDP grow last year? On January 25th, Wall Street Journal said "U.S. economy grew 3.1% last year," but on the same day, U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, the official agency responsible for the analysis and reporting of economic data, put the number at 2.5%. Which number shall we believe? With the U.S. media often leading the charge in highlighting worst-case scenarios for China's economy, are they doing the opposite when it comes to the U.S. economy?
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Who is winning two years into the Russia-Ukraine conflict? Maybe it's neither. From the latest numbers, the winning party seems to be big U.S. corporations. A fact sheet released last month by the State Department shows that U.S. arms transfers and defense trade hit a record $240 billion last year. U.S. President Joe Biden told the media bluntly that U.S. "aid" to other countries and regions supports American jobs through arms production. Is the U.S. profiteering from the conflict in Ukraine? Is peace then bad for business? What's the implication for China?
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How will AI change our world? In the past week, one name has been on the lips of everyone: Sora, a text-to-video tool that generated the one-minute video of a woman walking down a night-time street in Tokyo. The images, unveiled by OpenAI, the San Francisco start-up which also launched ChatGPT at the end of 2022, sent instant shockwaves around the world. While the inception of Sora excites many, the question looms for many more: what kind of uncertainty will the technology bring to our future? What kind of actions is needed to keep Sora and its counterparts a force for good?
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An annual survey released ahead of the Munich Security Conference seems to show a strong sense of anxiety among G7 citizens in contrast to their emerging country counterparts. What explains this divergence in security risks? And, Volkswagen cars were impounded at U.S. ports due to an electrical component allegedly being produced in Xinjiang, and thereby in violation of the U.S.' "forced labor prevention act". Why is the U.S. fast and furious in stopping imports from Xinjiang, and in vain?
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For the Chinese people and people of Chinese descent, the Chinese New Year is about snow, ice, firecrackers, and big family meals around steaming hot dishes. In this special edition of The Point, ambassadors of three Caribbean countries share their perspectives on their traditional festivals and their China experiences.
Spoiler alert: Their China connections run deep, although they are all incredibly young.
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For the Chinese people and people of Chinese descent, the Chinese New Year is about snow, ice, firecrackers, and big family meals around steaming hot dishes. In this special edition of The Point, ambassadors of three Caribbean countries share their perspectives on their traditional festivals and their China experiences.
Spoiler alert: Their China connections run deep, although they are all incredibly young.
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Home, sweet home. With the Chinese New Year just around the corner, hundreds of millions of Chinese are on massive move again to join their families for celebrations. And, visitors to China are often surprised by its advanced cashless payment system. Two airports in Beijing are rolling out payment demonstration zones for those in need of help. How far can these zones help travelers in scanning their way through China?
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U.S. spy chief CIA Director William Burns mentioned China at least seven times in a recent article published in Foreign Affairs, calling China's rise both a geopolitical challenge and a “big long-term threat”. Burns revealed that the CIA "has more than doubled the percentage of its overall budget focused on China over just the last two years" and a China mission center has been set up, making China the only country in the world with its own center under the CIA. How can China safeguard itself against what some perceive as America's "Orwellian surveillance"? What's the implication for the world?
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Ping-Pong Diplomacy played a pivotal role in normalizing diplomatic relations between China and the United States. Now 45 years later, ties between the two countries have become one of the most important bilateral relationships in the world. Can we expect improvement to the relationship in this crucial election year in the United States? Is it still possible to manage differences?
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During the summit between the presidents of China and the U.S. in San Francisco last November, both sides agreed to promote people-to-people exchanges. Chinese President Xi Jinping extended an invitation for 50,000 U.S. students to visit the country over the next five years. Since then, groups of U.S. students have made the trip. More Chinese students are also getting the opportunity to see America for themselves, including a group from Beijing Foreign Studies University. But some members of the delegation had to go through hours of interrogation at U.S. customs. This came after the Chinese Ambassador to the U.S. had protested over mistreatment of Chinese students with valid visas upon entry into the U.S. What has been the experience of the delegation from Beijing Foreign Studies University? What have they learned about the U.S. and bilateral ties?
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The International Court of Justice, or the ICJ, which is the UN's highest court, has delivered an interim ruling last week on South Africa's case against Israel's offensive in Gaza. With an overwhelming majority, the court's 17-judge panel voted in favor of six emergency measures, ordering Israel to do everything in its power to prevent genocide in Gaza, among others. U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken reaffirmed U.S. support for Israel and pointed out that the court did not support South Africa's request for an immediate ceasefire. In the global battle for hearts and minds on this issue, is the US-led West framing the ruling to suit their interests and narrative?
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China and the Pacific Island nation of Nauru signed a joint communique on the resumption of diplomatic relations. Nauru's move reduces the number of so-called "diplomatic allies" of the Taiwan region to only a dozen. Including Nauru, 10 countries have cut formal relations with Taiwan over the past 8 years. The U.S. however, expressed isappointment over Nauru's choice. Why is that?
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Have you heard of fur-skiing? What's special about skiing in Xinjiang, China? French photographer Nico de Rouge and Moroccan architect Hasnaa Rhazlaoui experienced both forms of skiing while making their five-part documentary "World's Ultimate Frontier." How fascinating is the oldest form of skiing on Earth? What enabled them to connect deeply with the locals? And what are their takeaways from the journey?
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