China's Week, May 28
Megadrones take off, Fentanyl substitute, 5G satellite videos, Sichuan's 2.5-day weekends, Beijing has 450 bird species..
Science & Technology
Above: CH-YH1000: China’s newest heavy unmanned transport is now in service.
A new gene mutation inhibitor combats non-small-cell lung, colorectal and pancreatic cancers.
The US FDA approved China’s Qamzova, the world’s first long-acting injectable analgesic effective in reducing post-surgical reliance on opioids including fentanyl.
First offshore deepwater carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) captures eight tonnes/hr. of CO2, purifies , compresses, injects it into subsurface oil reservoirs.
303% rally in Cambricon AI Chips after SMIC’s 7nm and 5nm scaled up from 20,000 12-inch wafers/mo to 33,000.
The first 400MWh hybrid energy storage uses lithium and sodium batteries to cover a -20 C – 45 C temperatures and supports 270,000 households, 98% percent green energy.
Economy & Trade
China’s satellite navigation industry grew 7.4% to $80 billion in 2024. BeiDou is used one trillion times daily.
The world’s first direct 5G satellite-to-smartphone broadband video call enables streaming video content directly to phones via satellites. Can the US restrict apps like TikTok?
US tariffs don’t even make the list of the top three challenges for the Chinese economy.
CATL, the world’s biggest listing this year, raised $4.6 billion despite being blacklisted by the Pentagon and grinding through geopolitical storms.
Why Starbucks is failing big in China: market share fell from 41% to 14%. Price is not
the only factor—it’s probably not even the most important one.
UK Ministers discussed using new legislation to wipe out the British Government’s £1bn debt to China’s Jingye Steel but it could damage business confidence in the UK and exacerbate tensions with Beijing.
Society & Environment
Academic Bars serve drinks, host lectures, discussions, and workshops on social sciences, economics and technology, speakers from Harvard and Yale.
Chinese work 4600 hours for each year of retirement, Danes work 6500 hours.
2.5-day weekend proposed in Sichuan city fuels nationwide discussion, with many netizens calling for a nationwide rollout.
New guidelines for elderly protection focus on crimes targeting them, risk prevention, legal aid for elderly victims of abuse, neglect, or domestic violence.
New fertility and childcare support measures in Shaanxi: third children earn a one-time subsidy of 10,000 yuan, while those with a second child will receive 5,000 yuan.
Universities’ Weight Management Programs 21 day intensives and semester options w. scientific exercise regimens, nutritional guidance, and mental health support.
A British conservationist recorded over 450 bird species in Beijing.
Populations of 200 species of endangered wild animals in China have recovered, a record 5 million waterbirds now overwinter and 100 endangered plant species win protection.
China’s 30% electrification rate leads the world, far ahead of US and EU’s 22%. China is a clean energy superpower, with renewables making up 10% of GDP.
A smart microgrid in Jiangsu generates 7MKWh pa – powers an entire industrial park.
Governance
A 25,000 km inland waterway network will be ready by 2035. The new, $44 billion, 767 km Jiangxi–Zhejiang canal will be the most expensive ever built in China.
Beijing bans alcohol, luxury dishes and cigarettes at official events. Stricter Curbs on Official Extravagance.
Diplomacy and Propaganda
Geopolitics
The coronavirus that caused the Covid-19 pandemic did not originate in Wuhan. University of Edinburgh team with 20 researchers from the US, China, EU and Asia analyzed 167 bat coronavirus genomes and traced the origins of the virus that causes Covid-19 to bat populations in northern Laos and southwest China’s Yunnan province, where its most recent ancestor circulated in 2015.
China’s CCXI Agency rated Russia’s debt BBB+g – the first sovereign rating of Russia from non-Western analysts since 2022. Fitch, S&P, Moody's won’t.
Defense
Electromagnetic coil gun firing at 3,000 rpm captured on video. Military experts say its firing capacity could redefine future combat.
In a sea test researchers established error-free acoustic transmission over 600 km through water, major step toward long-range undersea messaging with civilian and military implications.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth says the U.S. Army is getting ready to fight China but, like the Army’s past efforts to pivot to Asia, the initiative is likely to fail.
PLAN retention offers attractive salary/benefits package that include medical care for in-laws and reproductive assistance. The highest-performing rural PLAN enlistees have opportunities to change their hukou to to attractive urban locations.
PLAN researches disposal methods for smart mines. Drones / UUVs work alongside Navy combat divers to search for and locate sea mines. Instructors serve as the “blue team” and lay multiple simulated smart mines for diver training in Great Mulan Lake. Divers, who are not informed about the types of mines they may encounter, work in pairs armed with specialized jamming equipment to disrupt smart mines’ communications.