1. Strengthening and expanding distinctive advantageous industries in China's western region

 

The meeting of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee reviewed a document comprising specific measures to further drive the development of the western region and step up the forming of a new pattern of well-coordinated environmental conservation, according to a statement released. Emphasis should be placed on strengthening and expanding distinctive advantageous industries, enhancing technological innovation capabilities, and promoting the transformation and upgrading of traditional industries.

 

2. Creating an accommodating environment for cultivating skilled laborers

 

Laborers with professional skills are instrumental in transforming scientific and technological innovation into practice. To cultivate a team of high-quality skilled laborers is a key issue at present. These laborers should be able to adapt to the progress of the times and meet the needs of technological evolution. Thus advancing vocational education is one of the solutions.

 

 

 

1. China's latest negative list on foreign investment access, jointly released by the National Development and Reform Commission and the Ministry of Commerce on September 8, has reduced the number of restrictive measures from 31 to 29. It did away with the last two restrictions on foreign investment in manufacturing, and will come into effect on November 1. 

 

2. The formation of a wholly foreign-owned hospital (other than a traditional Chinese medicine hospital and not by a merger or acquisition of a public hospital) is to be permitted in Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai, Nanjing, Suzhou, Fuzhou, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, and Hainan, including the entire Hainan island, according to the notice by the Ministry of Commerce, the National Health Commission, and the National Medical Products Administration of Launching a Pilot Program of Expanding the Opening of the Medical Field.

 

 

 

1. The 24th China International Fair for Investment and Trade (CIFIT) opened on September 8 in the city of Xiamen, Fujian Province. Covering around 120,000 square meters, the four-day event draws visitors from 119 countries and regions, of which about 80 percent are Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) partner countries.

 

2. At the opening ceremony of the 2024 Pujiang Innovation Forum, Shanghai announced the establishment of a future industry fund with a total scale of RMB 10 billion, aimed at boosting confidence in the technology investment market at the early stage led by government investment.

 

3. Data shows that the overall amount of scientific and technological achievements transformation in Chinese universities has shown an upward trend. The total contract amount for the transformation of scientific and technological achievements through transfer, licensing, valuation investment, technology development, consulting, and services has increased from RMB 108.59 billion in 2019 to RMB 205.44 billion in 2023.

 

4. On September 9, the National Bureau of Statistics released data showing that in August, the national consumer price index (CPI) rose by 0.6 percent year-on-year, an increase of 0.1 percentage point from the previous month.

 

5. According to customs statistics, from January to August, China's total imports and exports of trade in goods were RMB 28.58 trillion, a year-on-year increase of 6 percent.

 

6. According to data released by the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers on September 10, the production and sales of new energy vehicles in China reached 1.092 million and 1.1 million units respectively in August, an increase of 29.6 percent and 30 percent year-on-year, respectively.

 

7. According to the latest data from the State Post Bureau, the development index of China's express delivery in August was 407, an increase of 12.6 percent year-on-year.

 

8. According to China National Railway Group, from January to August, the national railway completed RMB 477.5 billion of fixed assets investment, up 10.5 percent year on year, and the construction of modern railway infrastructure system was accelerated.

 

9. According to the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council on September 11, from January to August, there were nearly 3 million personnel exchanges between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait, a year-on-year increase of 70 percent.

 

10. As of September 11, the cumulative number of inbound and outbound personnel at Qingdao Airport has exceeded 2 million this year, with passenger and flight volumes increasing by 125.52 percent and 76.55 percent respectively compared to the same period last year.

 

 

(Source: Economic Daily)