China Roundup: Hottest August on record, China-Africa forum, espionage case
Hottest August on record
China recorded its hottest August on record last month, with several provinces, including Shanghai and Jiangsu, facing unprecedented temperatures, correlating with Japan's warmest summer documented so far. The extreme heat event, driven predominantly by climate change, has led to an increase in heat days across major urban centres while concurrently causing catastrophic flooding in other areas. The meteorological agency in China noted that July was the hottest month since records began in 1961, indicating an alarming trend. As forecasts predict that 2024 could be the hottest year globally, the ramifications of escalating temperatures are becoming increasingly evident, VOA reports.
Leaders arrive for China-Africa forum
The China–Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) summit, marking the largest convening since the COVID-19 pandemic, has welcomed over a dozen leaders and delegations. China, the second largest economy in the world, is Africa’s largest trade partner. The nation has provided billions in loans for infrastructure and development in Africa, including securing natural resources like copper, gold, lithium, and rare earth minerals.
China-Singapore joint naval exercise
China and Singapore have activated a comprehensive joint naval exercise, dubbed Exercise Maritime Cooperation 2024, taking place in Zhanjiang, Guangdong province. The exercise encompasses coordinated anti-surface strikes, replenishment operations at sea, and search and rescue initiatives which are designed to enhance further trust and operational synergy between the allied forces. It comes alongside heightened regional tensions, notably recent confrontations between Chinese and Philippine coastguard vessels near the contested waters of Sabina Shoal, South China Morning Post reports.
Green tech exports to Africa
China is poised to enhance its promotion of green technology exports to African nations during the impending China–Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) summit involving 50 countries in Beijing. This initiative aims to stimulate demand for environmentally friendly technologies, particularly electric vehicles and solar panels before anticipated Western export restrictions materialise, according to the Business Standard. African leaders are expected to actively seek clarification regarding China’s previous commitment to a $300 billion goods purchase and the status of ongoing infrastructure developments. In transitioning its focus from substantial funding towards the marketing of advanced green technologies, China plans to revise its loan conditions to prioritise investments in solar energy, EV production facilities, and 5G infrastructure.
Members of Chinese firm jailed espionage
China's Ministry of State Security disclosed that members of a Chinese technology firm have faced imprisonment for allegedly supplying sensitive railway data to a foreign entity under the guise of market research. This foreign company had to circumvent personnel restrictions imposed by COVID-19 measures by outsourcing data procurement to domestic vendors. Investigators revealed that the foreign firm's connections to intelligence and military sectors heightened the risk associated with the data exchange. According to the South China Morning Post, the Chinese firm, drawn by lucrative prospects, collected an extensive 500 gigabytes of data over a month, encompassing sensitive communications and Internet of Things (IoT) signals, demonstrating a significant breach of national security protocols.
