The Sunday Mail
Manyika Kangai
12 detained over Beijing hospital fire
Twelve people, including the hospital chief, have been detained after a fire broke out at the Beijing Changfeng Hospital, leaving 29 people dead, according to the Beijing Municipal Health Commission. The fire broke out on Tuesday afternoon and was extinguished within an hour. The dead included 26 patients, one family member of a patient, one hospital caregiver and one nurse. Thirty-nine others who were injured in the fire were being treated in other hospitals. According to the preliminary investigation, the fire was caused by sparks from a construction project that ignited volatiles produced by combustible paint. Further investigation into the cause of the accident is underway.
China’s economy grows in Q1
China’s gross domestic product (GDP) grew 4,5 percent year-on-year to 28,5 trillion yuan (about US$4,14 trillion) in the first three months, according to data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) released on Tuesday. The pace accelerated from a 3 percent GDP growth for 2022 and a 2,9 percent increase in the fourth quarter of last year. The service sector rose 5,4 percent year-on-year in the first three months, with rapid expansion in the accommodation and catering sector, which surged 13,6 percent year-on-year in the first quarter, in sharp contrast to a decline of 5,8 percent in the fourth quarter last year. Retail sales of consumer goods went up 5,8 percent year-on-year in the first quarter, reversing a decline of 2,7 percent in the final quarter of last year. China has set a GDP growth target of around 5 percent for 2023. The International Monetary Fund last week projected that China’s economy would grow 5,2 percent in 2023.
China sees surge in trips
Immigration authorities across China handled nearly 65,07 million exits and entries in the first quarter of the year, a year-on-year increase of 116,2 percent, according to the National Immigration Administration (NIA). Of the total, 32,35 million were made by Chinese mainland residents, 29,49 million by Chinese residents in Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan, and 3,23 million by foreign nationals. Air passenger trips also recovered significantly during the first quarter, according to the Civil Aviation Administration of China. 129 million air passenger trips were made, rising 68,9 percent year-on-year. Among them, 126 million were domestic air passenger trips, a year-on-year increase of 66,6 percent, accounting for 88,6 percent of trips taken during the same period in 2019 while 2,24 million were international air passenger trips, a year-on-year increase of 717 percent, equivalent to 12,4 percent taken during the first quarter in 2019.
China’s crackdown on IPR infringements
China’s public security authorities cracked 27 000 criminal cases involving Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) infringements and the production or selling of fake and defective goods in 2022, according to the Ministry of Public Security, which has launched multiple special programs to crack down on violations of intellectual property rights and illegal activities related to counterfeit products since 2022. An official from the ministry said China’s police will continue such special programs this year and strengthen efforts in this regard to better protect the rights and interests of the public and enterprises.
Canton Fair opens
The on-site activities of the 133rd China Import and Export Fair, known as the Canton Fair, commenced in Guangzhou, and will run until May 5 in three phases. With the exhibition area and number of exhibitors at record highs, the fair welcomed purchasers from over 220 countries and regions, covering markets in Europe, the United States, and emerging markets along the Belt and Road. This year’s offline exhibition venues, spanning 1,5 million square meters, are hosting close to 70 000 booths for about 35 000 exhibitors. Launched in 1957 and held twice yearly, the fair is considered a major gauge of China’s foreign trade.
Manyika Kangai has over 15 years of experience facilitating and advising on China-Africa trade and investment deals. He is dedicated to helping African businesses and governments realise the full potential of the vast opportunities China presents.
