The Sunday Mail
Manyika Kangai
China Expels Canadian Diplomat
A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson declared a diplomat of the Consulate-General of Canada in Shanghai persona non grata. The spokesperson said that on May 9, the Canadian government declared a diplomat of the Consulate-General of China in Toronto persona non grata. China has strongly condemned and firmly opposed this and has lodged a formal complaint with Canada. As a response to Canada’s move, China decided to declare Jennifer Lynn Lalonde, consul of the Consulate-General of Canada in Shanghai persona non grata. She has been asked to leave China before May 13. The spokesperson added that China reserves the right to further react.
China Braces for Flooding
China launched all-out flood relief efforts in its southern regions, including the Jiangxi and Fujian provinces, where the water levels of 22 rivers rose above alert levels due to heavy rains. The Ministry of Water Resources sent working groups to regions impacted by flooding, including the worst-hit province of Jiangxi. The lives of 536 000 residents in east China’s Jiangxi Province have been affected, according to the provincial Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters. Heavy rain and floods forced the evacuation of 16 000 people across Jiangxi, causing direct economic losses of 670 million yuan (about US$96,9 million). More heavy rains were forecast in parts of southern China from Wednesday to Saturday, posing flood risks in rivers in Guangxi and Guangdong. The ministry will ramp up forecasts, early warnings and contingency planning to guard against further flooding.
China’s Foreign Trade Up
China’s total imports and exports expanded 5,8 percent year-on-year to 13,3 trillion yuan in the first four months of 2023, according to official data from the General Administration of Customs released on Tuesday. Exports grew 10.6 percent year-on-year, while imports rose 0,02 percent in the first four months. In US dollar terms, total foreign trade came in at US$1,94 trillion in the period, down 1,9 percent year-on-year. In April alone, foreign trade increased 8,9 percent year-on-year.
China’s NEV Sales Surge
Retail sales of New Energy Vehicles (NEVs) in China jumped 85,6 percent year-on-year in April, according to data from the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA) released on Tuesday. A total of 527 000 NEVs were sold in China last month, down 3,6 percent from March. NEV sales of major domestic brands accounted for 70,5 percent of the total NEV sales in the country. China exported 91 000 new energy passenger vehicles last month, jumping 1 028,5 percent year-on-year and up 29,4 percent from March. In the first four months of the year, retail sales of NEVs in China rose 36 percent year-on-year to top 1,84 million units.
China Successfully Lands Reusable Test Spacecraft
China’s reusable experimental spacecraft successfully returned to its scheduled landing site at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre in northwest China on Monday, according to an announcement made by Xinhua News Agency. The spacecraft returned after 276 days of in-orbit operation. The announcement added that the success of the experiment marks an important breakthrough in China’s research on reusable spacecraft technologies, which will provide more convenient and affordable round-trip methods for the peaceful use of space in the future.
*Manyika Kangai has over 15 years experience facilitating and advising on China-Africa trade and investment deals. Feedback: Muvambi SA (Pty) Ltd/
+27743487997/www.muvambi-sa.co.za
