China’s telecom operators earn $58 million per day in 2017

China’s three leading telecom service providers reported profit of a total of 133.3 billion yuan ($21.19 billion) in 2017, indicating a net income of about 365 million yuan ($58 million) per day, China News reported on March 29.

Among them, the operating revenue of China Telecom saw a year on year increase of 3.9 percent to 366.2 billion yuan and net profit of 18.6 billion yuan, up 3.3 percent. China Mobile achieved an operating revenue of 740.5 billion yuan and a net income of 114.3 billion yuan last year, up 4.5 percent and 5.1 percent, respectively.

The operating revenue of China Unicom hit 274.8 billion yuan in 2017, a year on year growth of 0.2 percent. The net profit of the provider grew by 176.4 percent to 430 million yuan last year.

By the end of 2017, China Mobile, Telecom and Unicom have embraced 887 million, 250 million and 284 million users, respectively.

The leading providers will also make efforts to cut rates for mobile internet services by at least 30 percent this year as advocated by the Chinese government.

In addition, the providers will pilot 5G mobile communications in at least 12 Chinese cities this year.

Rare gazelle species in NW China quadruples to 2057 in past 3 decades

The number of Przewalskii gazelles, a critically endangered species dwelling only in northwest China’s Qinghai Province, has quadrupled to about 2,057 in the past three decades, according to the administration bureau of the Qinghai Lake National Nature Reserve, China News Service reported on March 28.

The Przewalskii gazelle was enlisted in the Red List of Threatened Species of International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the world’s largest global environmental network. Statistics indicate that only 500 were left in the grasslands around the Qinghai Lake in 1988, and 529 in 2003.

The number of the species almost quadrupled in the past three decades, said He Yubang, director at the bureau, adding that the rise is mainly attributed to the local government’s great efforts in protecting the species.

He introduced that in recent years, the local government has tried to protect the creature through multiple approaches, including building designated watering places for the gazelles and dismantling a total of 515,000 meters of barbed wire fences used by local herdsmen to secure pastureland for their own livestock.

The number of the gazelles is now, therefore, stabilizing after surpassing the population mark of 2,000, he noted.

US creates very bad precedent to break rules of global multilateral trade: expert

The US has created a very bad precedent to break the rules of global multilateral trade, Paulo Robel, professor of Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro told People’s Daily.

The US, as the largest economy in today’s global economic integration, will inevitably hurt its own interests through its irrational and unilateral practices, said the professor, adding that such approach will also hurt others without necessarily benefiting itself.

US President Donald Trump recently signed a memorandum, deciding to impose tariffs on imports from China. It has aroused huge attention from the international community.

Many international experts noted that the unilateral move goes against the global trade rules, which will pose a threat to the US, China and even the world. They believe that the US will lose not only the trade war, but also its reputation. As a major country, the US should stay rational and manage differences with China through cooperation, they suggested.

“The decision of the Trump administration to largely impose tariffs on Chinese imports is just the tip of an iceberg of its trade protectionism,” said Daniel Gros, director of the Centre for European Policy Studies. The US used to be an initiator of multilateral trade, but it now is marching against in the opposite direction, the director added.

According to him, the Chinese and the US economies are highly interdependent after 20 years of development, and both of the two will get hurt if one of them starts a trade war.

Henning Vöpel, director of Hamburg Institute of International Economics told People’s Daily that the punitive tariff measures of the US are not only aimed at China. They could be shifted toward the European Union (EU) at any time, so the EU will not stand aside, Vöpel noted.

He pointed out that the trade war might trigger a monetary war, which would bring the most disastrous situation since the global economic crisis in 2008.

Expert Josef Braml from German Council on Foreign Relations explained that the US, driven by trade protectionism, believes global trade is a war to the knife. In addition, the US has avoided the WTO rules and managed to prove the rationality of its policies, which threatens the authority of the WTO. He suggested that the world take actions against the punitive tariff policies of the US, otherwise every exporting country will become a loser in the trade war.

The US, violating trade rules, is pressuring its partner by protectionism, Robel said, adding that it has greatly damaged the global trading system. The practice of the Trump administration will inescapably cause negative impacts on the country’s reputation, one of its core competitiveness, he noted.

Trump once declared that trade wars are good, and they are easy to win. But indeed, the reality is just the opposite, said Paul Krugman, a New York Times Op-Ed columnist.

China’s trade surpluses, in other words, are largely a statistical illusion. In fact, many of the Chinese imports are just products fabricated from parts made in other countries, especially South Korea and Japan, said Krugman.

IPhones are a good example to prove the columnist’s point. These phones are made in China, but China only accounts for less than 4 percent of their price, Krugman explained. Therefore, nearly half of the US’s trade deficits may come from those countries exporting parts to China.

Former US Ambassador to China Max Baucus told People’s Daily that the Trump administration is promoting more antagonistic policies toward China, which will increase the tension between the two countries. However, both the peoples of China and the US hope to maintain a sound relationship with each other, because economic cooperation with China is important for the US. Therefore, the trade war is not in line with the interests of the two countries.

“The next phase is critical, and I hope the two countries could stay calm and focus on important matters: employment and livelihood,” said Baucus, expressing concerns toward the emerging trade war. He stressed that the tariffs are both wrong and dangerous, and such approach will not help solve the trade issues between China and the US. The two countries should stay clear and seek solutions through cooperation, he suggested.

China’s fighter J-20 jet ready for combat at any time: chief designer

China’s stealth fifth-generation fighters J-20 are ready for combat at any time, said Yang Wei, academician of Chinese Academy of Sciences and chief designer of the aircraft.

A J-20 stealth fighter is seen at a 2016 air show in Zhuhai, Guangdong province. (Photo/China Daily)

The fifth-generation fighter jet was officially commissioned into China’s air force last September, significantly improving the country’s air combat capability.

According to Yang, the fighter jet has been well accepted by the pilots, and they all expressed their liking for the aircraft.

After coming into service, the J-20 has shown its high performance in stability, stealth capability and fire control. Yang noted that the aircraft will be serialized in the future, which conforms to scientific laws and meets the demand of the country.

He said that J-20 is a flagship aircraft of China’s air force, and is on par with the fifth-generation fighter jets from both the US and Russia. He hopes that the fighter jet can fulfill its mission when the country needs it.

Yang also disclosed that the next-generation fighter jet will be highly mechanized, informationized and intelligentized.

After developing a series of major weapons such as J-20, large military transport aircraft Y-20, as well as fighter aircraft J-15 and J-16, China has established a research and development system for digital aircraft, Yang said.

Now China is in exploration of new technical paths, hoping to establish its own standards, he added.

Eight facts both Chinese and US citizens should know about trade war

The trade war between China and the US has been a hot topic in recent days, and stock markets of many countries even crashed because of the dispute.

However, what’s behind the trade war? How will China respond? Here are eight facts that both Chinese and Americans should know.

1. The trade war was started by the US.

US President Donald Trump signed a memorandum that could impose tariffs on up to $60 billion of imports from China and restrictions on Chinese investment in the US on Mar. 22. The trade war has erupted as a result of the violations of international rules on the behalf of the Trump administration, and it was forced upon China.

There might be multiple reasons behind the trade war, but one thing is clear that China has no other option. Compromising will never bring peace.

2. China has confidence and is fully prepared.

Through the responses by China’s Foreign Ministry, embassies, and Ministry of Commerce, it is easy to see that the country is well prepared for the trade war diplomatically and economically, even politically and militarily.

The Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said during a regular press conference on March 23, 2018 that China will fight to the end. It is not at all talk, it is supported by China’s true capability. The Ministry of Commerce announced on the same day that it was considering higher tariffs for imported US products worth about $3 billion, and the country is currently planning to increase tariffs on a wider range of imports from the US including aircrafts and computer chips.

3. What’s behind the trade war is a fear the US has regarding the rise of China.

The intention of the US is clear: to contain the rising of China, which conforms to its mentality as an established power.

China’s nonmilitary approach to handle relations with major countries is a rational choice, and also an unavoidable process for a developing country. China should brace itself for this process.

4. To urge its allies to escalate pressure on China is merely a case of wishful thinking on the US side.

In order to seek for help from its allies, Trump on March 22 granted tariff exemptions on steel and aluminum to Australia, Canada, the European Union (EU), and South Korea until May 1, 2018 as discussions continue.

However, German newspaper Die Welt warned that if the EU compromises this time, Trump might become more irrational and even aim at the EU in the future.

Most countries in the world lack strategic confidence in the US, yet at the same time they are maintaining good trade relations with China. They will never be puppets of the US for the maximization of their national interests.

5. The trade war is not only unfairly aimed at China, it also violates global trade rules.

On Mar. 8, Trump signed a tariff order to impose tariffs on imported steel and aluminum but offered relief to some U.S. allies including Mexico and Canada.

This action is a violation of the international trade rules, which will bring damages to its own image and reputation.

6. The trade war will only hurt others without necessarily benefiting the US itself.

According to US media, the trade war will increase the living cost of US consumers and cause negative impacts on major enterprises. The countermeasures to be taken by China will further worsen the situation, especially in the fields of manufacturing, employment, and imports and exports.

Australian scholars predict that the GDP of the US will drop by 5.2 percent if countermeasures are taken by every country, leading to a loss of $933.2 billion.

7. Starting the trade war, the US goes against the whole world.

If Trump insists on starting the trade war, the whole international society will suffer a loss from it. Research by the Brookings Institution indicated that if the US increases tariffs by 10 percent, the GDP of most economies will drop between 1 and 4.5 percent. The research further pointed out that a 40-percent increase in the tariffs would trigger a global economic crisis.

8. The victory belongs to China.

China will take targeted measures to counter the unilateral move of the US and safeguard its interests through legal approaches.

Large trade war will hurt both the Chinese and the US economies, but it also spurs China to transform its economy in a better direction. China has nothing to be afraid of. As long as the Chinese are united, the victory will belong to China.

Chinese martial arts novel highly acclaimed by foreign readers

The famous Chinese martial arts novel Legends of the Condor Heroes has been highly acclaimed by foreign readers after its first volume A Hero Born was for the first time published in English by the MacLehose Press this February.

It has been rated over 4 stars on Amazon.com. In the UK, it received an average rating of 4.2 stars.

The book is sold at 14.99 pounds on the official website of the MacLehose Press. “If you are a fan of Lord of the Rings and are looking for the next best thing, A Hero Born is definitely the book for you,” says the introduction of the book on the publisher’s website.

A reader who goes by the name Diana O commented that she only had two words to describe this book: pure greatness, adding that she absolutely loved it.

Another reader Nathaniel Gardner-Blatch gave a top rating of five stars over the book, saying the novel is mesmeric and a fantasy of the highest quality.

However, some readers attributed the hot sales of the book to its marketing since it has been frequently compared to the Lord of the Rings during its promotion.

According to the MacLehose Press, the translated work will come in 12 volumes, covering three books.

China firmly says no to foreign waste

It seems like China’s decision to stop imports of “foreign garbage” has once again stung the hearts of some US officials.

China recently adopted a policy banning the import of solid wastes. However, US officials expressed concerns over China’s decision on March 23 at the WTO Council for Trade in Goods meeting, saying that China’s import restrictions on recycled commodities has caused a fundamental disruption in global supply chains for scrap materials. China seemed to be violating WTO obligations, the officials said.

At a regular press conference of China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs on March 26, the spokesperson Hua Chunying responded that the so-called “concerns” of relevant US officials are unjustifiable, illegitimate and have no legal basis.

China is a trade surplus country that manufactures products for the world. But it is also the largest importer of garbage. Each year, about 56 percent of global exported waste ended up in China.

In 2016, China imported 7.3 million tons of plastic waste that was worth $3.7 billion, and over 70% of the world’s electronic wastes went to China every year.

China’s imports of foreign wastes started in the 1980s because of the lack of raw materials. It was considered an economical method at that time.

For instance, imported waste paper pulp made up 24 percent of China’s total paper pulp in 2016. The recycled pulp has been made into everyday commodities and parcel packages, greatly benefiting the exporters.

However, such solutions have been overdeveloped by unscrupulous traders. Wasted needles and tubes re-emerged on the Chinese market after being cleaned, and slag from nonferrous metals has been exported to China for smelting.

An illegal economic chain therefore has been established, along with counterfeits, increasing health risks, and irreversible damages on soil, water and air.

Of course China has taken measures to handle the situation, but they were not forceful enough to fight against the huge illegal profits. Even today, the smuggling of worn-out clothes and electronic wastes can still be heard in the news.

Obviously, China’s decision this time is a comprehensive action against this illegal industrial chain. Those individuals and enterprises who managed to gain profits from the industry will inevitably experience a hard time. But such hard time is worthy.

China still sees huge demand for raw materials such as paper, metal, rubber and plastic. After the ban, the price for domestic wastes will go up, which will lead to the rise of domestic recycling rates and revenue in the industry.

Making use of more wastes will further reduce pollution and better protect the environment. China has the capability to achieve it.

This article is edited and translated from Xiakedao, the WeChat account of the People’s Daily’s Overseas Edition.

Shanghai aims at being Belt and Road investment and financing center

Shanghai will strive to become an investment and financing center of the Belt and Road Initiative by actively pushing forward reform and innovation of free trade zones (FTZs), said chief economist of the Shanghai Development and Reform Commission, Xinhua News Agency reported on March 27.

If financial risks are controllable, the city will further improve its ability to serve the Belt and Road Initiative financially and build itself into a global financial service center with a focus on renminbi-denominated financial products, said the economist Qin Liping, at a seminar of Belt and Road Initiative financial services on March 27.

By the end of 2017, Shanghai’s Cross-border Interbank Payment System (CIPS) had already attracted 508 indirect participators from 41 countries and regions. The second phase of the CIPS was launched in Shanghai on March 26 to promote the global use of the Chinese currency as well as the Belt and Road Initiative itself.

Financial integration is an important aspect of the Belt and Road Initiative. By the end of 2017, a total of 288.6 billion yuan worth of transactions between China and countries and regions along the Belt and Road have been handled via free trade accounts.

Shanghai is actively taking measures to draw more financial institutions to join the construction of the Belt and Road, and strengthening financial ties with countries and regions along the Belt and Road, said Li Jun, deputy head of the Shanghai Municipal Financial Services Office.

The city will also build a reserve warehouse for major Belt and Road projects, and establish a global risk management platform to involve more parties into managing risks for Belt and Road projects, said Zhong Gang, President of China Development Bank (CDB) Shanghai Branch.

This year, Shanghai will extend the range applicable entities for free trade accounts to more enterprises in need, including entity companies involved in the construction of the Belt and Road as well as companies with demand for international settlements and financing.

China’s artificial forest coverage tops world

China has made globally remarkable achievements in forest recovery, and the country’s coverage of artificial forest has reached 69.3 million hectares, the largest size in the world, an official disclosed at a meeting of forest rehabilitation, China Economic Net reported on March 27.

About 6.6 million hectares of forest have been planted each year in China in the past three decades, with the country’s forest coverage rising from 8.6 percent in 1949 to 21.66 percent in 2017, said Peng Youdong, deputy head of the State Forestry Administration, at the 10th anniversary celebrations for the Asia-Pacific Network for Sustainable Forest Management and Rehabilitation.

The Kubuqi Desert in north Inner Mongolia is China’s 7th largest desert. The desert is a typical example and vivid practice of the country’s massive efforts to promote afforestation, combat desertification and strengthen ecological construction.

Over the past 30 years, under the concerted efforts of governments at various levels, local enterprises, social organizations and the local people in Inner Mongolia, about 646,000 hectares of desertified land was rehabilitated, and 15.4 million tons of carbon was sequestrated.

The amount of water conserved reached 24.3 billion cubic meters, the size of oxygen released was 18.3 million tons, and the value produced by bio-diversity conservation reached 349 million yuan. More than 102,000 people involved in the efforts were pulled out of poverty, and more than one million jobs were created.

The Asia-Pacific Network for Sustainable Forest Management and Rehabilitation, or APFNet, was launched in Beijing in 2008.

Carrying forward China-North Korea friendship benefits both sides

Kim Jong-un, chairman of the Workers’ Party of Korea and chairman of North Korea’s State Affairs Commission, paid an unofficial visit to China March 25 to 28, and was warmly received by Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and Chinese president. The two leaders held candid and friendly talks, stressing the need to inherit and carry forward the traditional China-North Korea friendship. Denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and safeguarding peace and stability on the peninsula were also top on the agenda.

Undeniably, the Xi-Kim meeting opened a new chapter in friendly China-North Korea relations.

China and North Korea are neighboring countries with unusual ties. In the past century, the two countries were mutually dependent and stood together through all the miseries in Asia’s history. Their collaboration in wars contributed to their unusual friendship.

The outside world also regards China and North Korea as a community of common interests. Given the sophisticated geopolitical environment in Northeast Asia, the historic traditional Beijing-Pyongyang bonds and their realistic political and economic ties have been a focus of widespread attention, and have affected the way other forces assess the regional situation.

Despite trials and hardships, the basic elements of friendly China-North Korea ties are solid and unshakable.

To begin with, Beijing and Pyongyang respect each other and are equal partners. The China-North Korea state-to-state relationship is led by their party-to-party relationship. Their friendly ties have a solid political basis. The Chinese party, government and mainstream society respect the North Korean people’s political choice, respect North Korea’s spirit of independence and self-reliance, and firmly oppose other countries’ attempts to interfere in North Korea’s political system. The two countries have a profound basis for friendship and immense room for cooperation.

Due to historical and geopolitical factors, Beijing-Pyongyang ties have been cemented strategically. The two countries’ leaders have made strenuous efforts to strengthen their strategic partnership. Friendly China-North Korea relations carry great significance despite changing focal points in Northeast Asia. It turns out that maintaining a friendly relationship between China and North Korea is an important strategy to protect their interests.

Friendly Beijing-Pyongyang ties inject positive energy and ensure the strategic stability of Northeast Asia, which can enhance regional balance and eliminate some unrealistic motives. Stability paves the way for better communications and solutions to problems as well as serving as an effective method to prevent risks.

The international community should support such visits – relatives-style interaction between the two countries across the Yalu River – as it may highly likely become a strong driving force to lead the peninsula toward reconciliation and prosperity from the current deadlock. In the foreseeable future, friendly ties between Beijing and Pyongyang will undoubtedly be the most stable channel to help ease tensions on the peninsula, which should be cherished and supported by various forces that truly care about peace there.

Some international forces have been attempting to obstruct and undermine China-North Korea relations. They affix a variety of labels to the friendship between Beijing and Pyongyang, and spread rumors that distort bilateral relations. However, the deep roots of the China-North Korea relationship are solid beyond their imagination. The Xi-Kim meeting will renew their understanding of the bilateral relationship. It’s believed those with a sincere hope for peace and stability on the peninsula will welcome today’s China-North Korea relations.

It is hoped that the traditional friendship between Beijing and Pyongyang will continue to flourish, serve the interests of people from both sides as well as regional peace and stability. It is believed that the bilateral friendly relationship will surely keep moving forward in the future.

North Korea has not only consolidated its independence and autonomy over the years, but also demonstrated tenacity and considerable progress in economic and social development. China and North Korea, who once fought side by side in war, should be partners in jointly establishing a safe and prosperous community.

Source: Global Times