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Manyika Kanagai
China-Arab States Cooperation Forum
The 10th ministerial conference of the China-Arab States Cooperation Forum (CASCF) was held in Beijing.
The conference was attended by Heads of State of Bahrain, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Tunisia as well as foreign ministers from other Arab League nations.
It adopted the Beijing Declaration, the CASCF execution plan for 2024-2026, and a China-Arab states joint statement on the Israel-Palestine conflict.
During the conference, China also signed a number of bilateral and multilateral cooperation documents with the participating countries and the General Secretariat of the Arab League.
China Releases Report on US Human Rights Violations
China’s State Council Information Office released a report titled ‘The Report on Human Rights Violations in the United States’ in 2023. The report calls on the US government to take concrete measures to tackle its human rights problems and respond to the expectations of the American people and international concerns.
The report said the human rights situation in the United States continued to deteriorate in 2023 and draws attention to worsening problems, including gun violence, partisan fights, police brutality and ineffective police enforcement.
IMF Raises China’s GDP Growth Projection
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has raised its forecast for China’s GDP growth in 2024 to 5 percent from the April projection of 4,6 percent, according to IMF’s First Deputy Managing Director Gita Gopinath at a news briefing in Beijing.
She told reporters that the upward revision was driven by a strong first-quarter GDP growth and recent policy measures.
Gopinath said the Chinese government has appropriately focused on addressing vulnerabilities in the property sector, local government debts, and smaller financial institutions.
BYD launches new technology
Chinese New Energy Vehicle (NEV) manufacturer BYD has released its fifth-generation Dual Mode (DM) hybrid technology for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles with a comprehensive driving range of 2 100 kilometres, thermal efficiency of 46 percent, and a fuel consumption of 2,9 litres per 100 kilometres, even when in an electricity-deficit state.
According to BYD chairman Wang Chuanfu, plug-in hybrid vehicles can lead globally. BYD also unveiled two models powered by the new technology, the Qin L DM-i and the Seal 06 DM-i, which use only a third of the fuel consumed by traditional cars and triple the range. Prices range from 99 800 yuan (about $US 14 000) to 139 800 yuan (about US$ 19 611).
China’s growing flower industry
China’s Dounan Flower Market in the city of Kunming in Yunnan Province is Asia’s largest fresh-cut flower trading market. Dounan witnesses 40 million flowers of 1 600 varieties traded every day, with about 1 5 million hectares dedicated to flower cultivation and more than 5 million people involved in the industry.
China has become the world’s largest flower producer, and an important flower trader and consumer. Yunnan produced 18,97 billion fresh-cut flowers in 2023, generating an agricultural output value of 47,2 billion yuan (US$6.6 billion), according to the provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Affairs.
The booming demand is being driven by a growing number of online florists, allowing urban consumers to order flowers with just a few taps on their smartphones.
Manyika Kangai is dedicated to helping African businesses and governments realise the full potential of the vast opportunities China presents. He has over 18 years of experience facilitating and advising on China-Africa trade and investment deals.
Online Reporter