分析 -受烏克蘭戰爭所震驚，俄羅斯鄰國哈薩克斯坦向西望

Recently Yahoo News on-line reported the following:

Analysis-Shocked by Ukraine war, Russian neighbour Kazakhstan looks west

Thu, November 17, 2022 at 9:10 p.m.

By Olzhas Auyezov

ALMATY (Reuters) - There is little doubt that Kassym-Jomart Tokayev will extend his rule over Kazakhstan by seven years in presidential elections on Sunday. What is less clear is how the former diplomat can reduce his resource-rich country's dependence on Russia without alienating it.

Tokayev – who opinion polls predict will comfortably win reelection at the weekend - has pushed back publicly against territorial claims made by Russian President Vladimir Putin in Ukraine, souring relations between the former Soviet republic and Moscow.

Russia and Kazakhstan share the world's longest continuous land border, prompting concern among some Kazakhs about the security of a country with the second-biggest ethnic Russian population among ex-Soviet republics after Ukraine.

At a forum in St. Petersburg in June where Tokayev shared the stage with Putin, he said his government did not recognize Russian-controlled regions in eastern Ukraine and that Kazakhstan upheld the inviolability of internationally recognized borders.

His blunt remarks took observers by surprise and prompted angry threats from some pro-war commentators in Russian media. And last month, when Tokayev hosted a summit of Central Asia presidents, he held face-to-face meetings with other leaders but no bilateral talks with Putin, amid a cooling in relations.

The 69-year-old Tokayev took office in 2019 after Kazakhstan's previous president resigned amid protests. After surviving unrest in January triggered by fuel price rises, Tokayev unveiled reforms - including constitutional amendments and a hike in the minimum wage - and called snap elections.

Amid popular demand for sweeping change, he has recently accelerated plans to increase the amount of Kazakh oil exported west across the Caspian Sea, avoiding Russia to the north.

Kazakhstan currently relies heavily on the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC), one of the world's largest pipelines that crosses Russia to the Black Sea port of Novorossiisk. Out of total exports of 68 million tonnes a year, 53 million tonnes of Kazakh oil move through it.

While there is nothing to replace that volume, a push announced last week to increase trans-Caspian shipments tenfold in the coming years, to 20 million tonnes, was the clearest sign yet of a move by Tokayev's government to limit economic reliance on Russia.

"We have developed a roadmap to diversify (oil) exports," Prime Minister Alikhan Smailov told reporters. "Work is underway to expand and increase oil export capabilities in all directions."

But meeting that target will not be easy. The chief executive of Kazakhstan's state oil firm KazMunayGaz said this week that the target of 20 million tonnes was a "medium-term" aim.

"Comparing something that is good, cheap, and works (CPC) with something new, unknown, and more expensive: this is not an easy decision to make from the economic point of view," Magzum Mirzagaliyev said.

Kazakhstan's presidency and Russia's foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment on this story. A spokesman for Tokayev said in July that Russia remained a strategic partner and that plans to diversify energy supply routes were not driven by politics.

CAPACITY PROBLEMS

The main alternative route to the CPC is the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) pipeline, which originates in Azerbaijan on the opposite side of the Caspian to Kazakhstan. From Baku, oil can also travel by pipeline to the Black Sea port of Supsa in Georgia and from there onto world markets.

But getting Kazakh oil to Baku requires either tanker shipments across the sea or the construction of a trans-Caspian pipeline. The existing fleet is modest, and pipeline talks between the sea's littoral states have stalled for decades over territorial disputes.

Both options would be needed to reach the 20 million tonne target as Kazakh ports on the Caspian lack the necessary capacity and there is no tanker fleet in place to move such volumes.

Smailov said last week that Kazakhstan would start by sending an additional 1.5 million tonnes a year via BTC starting from 2023, gradually rising to 6-6.5 million tonnes.

He did not detail how the target would be reached. Kazakhstan's Aktau port, the only one equipped to load oil tankers, can handle up to 5.5 million tonnes. Another port, Kuryk, can be used to load train ferries carrying oil.

Smailov said Kazakhstan's biggest oil producer, Chevron-led Tengizchevroil, had doubled its railcar fleet to move crude to Georgia's Black Sea port of Batumi, which is owned by Kazakhstan and can be reached via Russia or the Caspian.

The company did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Three traders said the Kazakh unit of France's TotalEnergies had started regular shipments via BTC since September, taking a hit to profits in favour of stability. TotalEnergies did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Tokayev has also called for oil storage facilities to be built on the Caspian coast, which would prevent pipeline disruptions from immediately affecting production.

To the east, a pipeline running from Kazakhstan to China is currently used to transport about 10 million tonnes of Russian crude a year, roughly half of its capacity, plus some 2 million tonnes of Kazakh crude.

Kazakhstan's ability to fill that pipeline is limited by demand on the Chinese side and pricing, which is reviewed annually.

NEW CONFIDENCE

Since the outbreak of war in Ukraine, Central Asia's five former Soviet republics have increasingly been standing up to Moscow, aware of their new-found leverage as Russia looks to their markets and trade routes in a bid to circumvent Western sanctions.

One senior government official said a resounding election win for Tokayev could embolden him to further distance himself from Russia.

The official, who declined to be named to discuss sensitive political issues, said Tokayev wants to prove he can lead his country of 20 million people without a patron, after he split from his long-serving predecessor Nursultan Nazarbayev in January following the unrest over fuel price increases that escalated into an attempted coup.

Putin backed Tokayev and a Russia-led military bloc sent troops to Kazakhstan at a time when the Kazakh leader could not fully trust his own security forces, prompting criticism that he would now be in Moscow's debt.

His actions since Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine in February suggest otherwise.

Kazakhstan has called for peace and refused to recognize referendums by which Russia claimed to have annexed some Ukrainian regions - votes derided as a sham by Ukraine and the West.

Even before the war, the official said Kazakhstan had resisted a push by Moscow in 2020 for a single currency and joint parliament within the post-Soviet Eurasian Economic Union, as part of a five-year strategic plan.

The official said Kazakhstan's government was reassessing its relations with Russia, although the giant neighbour still has significant leverage.

The CPC has suffered more disruptions this year than at any other time, forcing Kazakhstan to trim its 2022 oil production and exports in a setback to state finances.

The pipeline twice reported damage to mooring points, limiting throughput, and a Russian court also sought to suspend the pipeline's operations, citing spill concerns.

(Additional reporting by Tamara Vaal in Astana; Editing by Mike Collett-White and Daniel Flynn)

Translation 

阿拉木圖（路透社）- 毫無疑問，Kassym-Jomart Tokayev 在周日举行的總統選舉將延長他對哈薩克斯坦統治7 年。不太清楚的是，這位前外交官如何能夠減少他的資源豐富國家對俄羅斯的依賴, 而不令它感到憤恨沮喪。

Tokayev - 民意調查預測他將在周末輕鬆贏得連任 - 公開反對俄羅斯總統普京在烏克蘭提出的領土要求，使這前蘇聯共和國與莫斯科之間的關係惡化。

俄羅斯和哈薩克斯坦擁有世界上最長的連續陸地邊界，這引發了一些哈薩克人對他們在前蘇聯共和國中, 僅次於烏克蘭擁有俄羅斯族人口第二多的安全擔憂。

6 月在聖彼得堡舉行的一次論壇上，Tokayev與普京同台發言，他說他的政府不承認俄羅斯在烏克蘭東部控制的地區，哈薩克斯坦維護國際公認邊界的不可侵犯性。

他直言不諱的言論令觀察家感到意外，並引發了俄羅斯媒體中一些支持戰爭的評論員的憤怒威嚇。上個月，當Tokayev主持中亞總統峰會時，他與其他領導人舉行了面對面會談，但沒有與普京舉行雙邊會談,關係正在冷却。

69 歲的Tokayev於 2019 年在哈薩克斯坦前總統在抗議中辭職後繼任。在經歷了 1 月份燃料價格上漲引發的動蕩之後，Tokayev公佈了改革措施 - 包括修正憲法和提高最低工資 - 並宣布提前舉行選舉。

在普遍要求徹底改變的情況下，他最近加快了增加哈薩克斯坦向西穿越裏海的石油出口量的計劃，避開了北部的俄羅斯。

哈薩克斯坦目前嚴重依賴 Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC)，這是世界上最大的管道之一，穿過俄羅斯通往黑海新羅西斯克港。在每年 6,800 萬噸的總出口量中，有 5,300 萬噸哈薩克斯坦石油通過它.

雖然沒有什麼可以取代這一數量，但上周哈薩克斯坦宣佈在未來幾年將跨裏海運輸量增加十倍，達到 2000 萬噸，這是Tokayev政府採取行動收窄對俄羅斯的經濟依賴的最明顯跡象。

總理 Alikhan Smailov 告訴記者： “我們已經制定了使（石油）出口多樣化的路線圖。正在努力擴大和提高各個方向的石油出口能力。”

但實現這一目標並非易事。哈薩克斯坦國有石油公司 KazMunayGaz 首席執行官本週表示，2,000 萬噸的目標是 “中期” 目標。

Magzum Mirzagaliyev 說： “將好的、便宜的、有效的（CPC）的東西與新的、未知的、更昂貴的東西進行比較：從經濟的角度來看，這不是一個容易做出的決定。”

哈薩克斯坦總統和俄羅斯外交部沒有立即回應對此事發表評論的請求。Tokayev的發言人在 7 月表示，俄羅斯仍然是戰略夥伴，能源供應路線多元化的計劃不是由政治驅動。

容量問題

CPC 的主要替代路線是巴庫-第比利斯-傑伊漢 (BTC) 管道，它起源於裏海對面的阿塞拜疆到哈薩克斯坦。從巴庫，石油也可以通過管道輸送到黑海港口蘇普薩格魯吉亞並從那裡進入世界市場。

但將哈薩克斯坦的石油運往巴庫需要油輪跨海運輸或建設跨裏海管道。現有船隊規模不大，沿海國家之間的管道談判因領土爭端而停滯數十年。

由於裏海的哈薩克斯坦港口缺乏必要的能力，而且沒有油輪船隊來運送如此大的數量，這兩種選擇都需要能達到 2,000 萬噸的目標。

Smailov 上週表示，哈薩克斯坦將從 2023 年開始通過 BTC 每年額外發送 150 萬噸，逐漸增加到 600-650 萬噸。

他沒有詳細說明目標是如何去實現的。哈薩克斯坦的阿克套港是唯一一個配備油輪裝載能力的港口，可處理多達550萬噸的貨物。另一個港口库里克可用于裝載運送石油的火車渡輪。

Smailov 說，哈薩克斯坦最大的石油生產商，雪佛龍公司領導的 Tengizchevroil，已將其鐵路車隊增加一倍，將原油運往格魯吉亞的黑海港口巴統，該港口歸哈薩克斯坦所有，可以通過俄羅斯或裏海到達。

該公司沒有立即回應置評請求。

三位交易員表示，法國 TotalEnergies 的哈薩克斯坦分公司自 9 月以來已開始通過 BTC 管道定期發貨，接受利潤打擊以換取穩定。 TotalEnergies 沒有立即回應置評請求。

Tokayev 還呼籲在裏海沿岸建造儲油設施，以防止管道中斷會立即影響生產。

在東部，一條從哈薩克斯坦到中國的管道目前每年用於運輸約 1,000 萬噸俄羅斯原油，大約是其產能的一半，另加有約 200 萬噸哈薩克斯坦原油。

哈薩克斯坦去注滿該管道的能力受到中方需求和每年審查的定價的限制。

新的信心

自烏克蘭戰爭爆發後，中亞的五個前蘇聯加盟共和國意識到他們新發現的影響力, 越來越多地反對莫斯科，因為俄羅斯正在盯着他們的市場和貿易路線以規避西方制裁。

一位高級政府官員表示，Tokayev 在選舉中大獲全勝可能會鼓勵他進一步遠離俄羅斯。

這位拒絕透露姓名以討論敏感政治問題的官員表示，此前因燃料價格上漲不滿而演变成為意圖政變後, Tokayev與長期任職的前任Nursultan Nazarbayev在 1月分道揚鑣, Tokayev希望證明他可以在沒有贊助人的情況下領導他的 2,000 萬人口的國家。

普京曾支持Tokayev，在哈薩克斯坦領導人無法完全信任自己的安全部隊之際，俄羅斯領導的軍事集團向哈薩克斯坦派兵，這引發了批評，認為Tokayev現在欠了莫斯科恩惠。

他的行為自俄羅斯 2 月入侵烏克蘭以來，表明情況並非如此。

哈薩克斯坦呼籲和平並拒絕承認俄羅斯聲稱吞併了烏克蘭一些地區的公投 - 烏克蘭和西方國家嘲笑這些投票是滑稽戲。

甚至在戰爭之前，這位官員就表示，哈薩克斯坦曾拒絕莫斯科在 2020 年推動在後蘇聯歐亞經濟聯盟內建立單一貨幣和聯合議會，這是五年戰略計劃的一部分。

這位官員表示，哈薩克斯坦政府正在重新評估與俄羅斯的關係，儘管這個巨大的鄰國仍然具有很大的影響力。

CPC今年遭受的破壞比以往任何時候都多，迫使哈薩克斯坦削減其 2022 年的石油產量和出口, 打擊了該國財政。

CPC管道兩次報告繫泊點損壞，限制了出口量。俄羅斯一家法院還以洩漏問題為由，試圖暫停該管道的運作。

So,  Kazakhstan will expand its oil exporting route not for immediate economic benefits. From a political point of will, I would say that Kazakhstan’s move is an act of de-coupling, with a view to reduce reliance on Russia. Since the outbreak of Putin’s war in Ukraine, Central Asia's five former Soviet republics have increasingly been standing up to Moscow, knowing their new-found leverage as Russia is busy in finding out ways to circumvent Western sanctions. I think such a development is beyond the expectation of many people, including Putin himself.

中國“最全面”的房地產行業救助計劃提振了股票和債券

Recently Yahoo News on-line reported the following:

China's 'most comprehensive' rescue package for property sector lifts stocks, bonds

Mon, November 14, 2022 at 9:43 a.m.

By Clare Jim and Xie Yu

HONG KONG (Reuters) -Chinese property stocks and bonds soared on Monday as the market cheered Beijing's "most comprehensive" support measures aimed at boosting liquidity in the sector in its latest attempt to stabilize a key pillar for the world's second-largest economy.

The package, which sources say lays out multiple financing measures for the cash-strapped industry, was hailed by analysts as a "turning point" with one even describing it as the equivalent of "soaking rain after a long drought".

China's property sector, which accounts for a quarter of the economy, has struggled with defaults and stalled projects, hitting market confidence and weighing on growth.

Previous efforts by policymakers to help ease the cash crunch have done little to bolster the property market.

The plan comes nearly a month after Chinese President Xi Jinping secured his third term at the helm of the ruling Communist Party at a time when the economy faces a series of headwinds including China's zero-COVID strategy, a property slump and global recession risks.

"We see property being much less of a drag to GDP (gross domestic product) growth in 2023," said Tao Wang, chief China economist at UBS Investment Bank Research.

The Hang Seng Mainland Properties Index jumped more than 13.5% to close at a two-month high, with the share prices of many Chinese property developers posting double-digit gains.

Country Garden rallied 45.5% to hit an over three-month high. Logan Group, KWG Group, Agile Group and R&F Properties all rose more than 30%.

A dollar bond of defaulted Yango Group due 2023 rose 1.787 cents on the dollar to 2.712 in early trade, according to data from Duration Finance. Powerlong Real Estate's April 2025 bond was traded at 9.275 cents, 3.055 cents higher than Friday. Their bonds also surged onshore.

Two sources told Reuters on Sunday a notice to financial institutions from the People's Bank of China (PBOC) and the China Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission (CBIRC) outlined 16 steps to support the property sector, including loan repayment extensions.

PBOC and CBIRC have not responded to Reuters' requests for comment.

Meanwhile, the CBIRC on Friday issued a notice allowing commercial banks to issue letters of guarantee to real estate firms for escrow pre-sale housing funds.

AILING PROPERTY MARKET

Citi said the package signals a major shift in regulators' policy stance on developers, from "imposing restrictions" to "providing support", and "rescuing projects, but not developers" to "rescuing both developers and projects".

The notice "introduced by far the most comprehensive set of support measures for the ailing property market," it said.

Jefferies estimated the package, together with other recent policies, would inject around 1.3 trillion yuan ($183.83 billion) credit into the property sector, largely covering private developers' public bonds and trust products due to mature by end-2023.

Last week, the National Association of Financial Market Institutional Investors said it would widen a program to support about 250 billion yuan worth of debt sales by private firms, including property developers.

Some investors remained cautious about the impact of the latest policy, however, as regulators have already made many attempts to revive the property sector and the macro environment remains weak amid the country's COVID restrictions.

China's property sector has slowed sharply this year as the government sought to restrict excessive borrowing by developers.

The clampdown has triggered falls in property sales and prices, bond defaults and the suspension of housing construction, angering homeowners which have threatened to stop mortgage payments.

Private data released earlier in November showed home prices in 100 cities dropped for a fourth month in October, while property sales by floor area fell about 20% year-on-year.

"At the end of the day, the rebound of home sales is still needed for an ultimate industry comeback," said James Wong, portfolio manager at GaoTeng Global Asset Management Ltd.

Li Gen, CEO of Beijing BG Capital Management Ltd, which specialises in credit investment, said developers that have not defaulted would benefit the most, but the help would be "less meaningful" for offshore property bonds as it remains unclear how offshore financing could be enhanced.

Citi said the package should also help bank shares as it eases investors' concern on developers' credit risk.

Banks with higher exposure to developers including Ping An Bank, Industrial Bank and China Merchants Bank, would particularly benefit, Citi added.

Translation

香港（路透社）- 中國房地產股和債券週一飆升，因市場歡呼北京採取“最全面”的支持措施，旨在提高該行業的資產流動性，這是其穩定世界第二大經濟體關鍵支柱的最新嘗試。

消息人士稱，該一籃子計劃為資金短缺的行業製定了多項融資措施，被分析師譽為 “轉折點” ， 甚至將其描述為相當於“久旱逢甘霖”。

佔經濟總量四分之一的中國房地產行業一直在違約和停滯的項目中苦苦掙扎，打擊了市場信心並拖累了經濟增長。

政策制定者此前為緩解現金緊縮所做的努力對提振房地產市場收效甚微。

該計劃在中國國家主席習近平獲得了執政共產黨的第三個任期近一個月出台，當時經濟面臨一系列不利因素，包括中國的零 COVID 戰略、房地產市場低迷和全球衰退風險。

瑞銀投資銀行研究部首席中國經濟學家Tao Wang表示 “我們認為房地產對 2023 年 GDP（國內生產總值）增長的拖累要小得多了” 。

恆生內地地產指數升逾 13.5%，收於兩個月高位，多家內房股股價錄得雙位數升幅。

碧桂園大漲 45.5%，創逾三個月新高。龍光集團、合景泰富集團、雅居樂集團和富力地產漲幅均超過30%。

根據 Duration Finance 的數據，違約的陽光集團 2023 年到期的美元債券在早盤交易中上漲 1.787 美仙至 2.712 美仙。寶龍地產 2025 年 4 月期債券的交易價格為 9.275 美仙，較上週五上漲 3.055 美仙。他們的在岸債券也飆升。

兩名消息人士周日告訴路透社，中國人民銀行 (PBOC) 和中國銀行保險監督管理委員會 (CBIRC) 向金融機構發出的通知概述了支持房地產行業的 16 項措施，包括延期償還貸款。

中國人民銀行和銀保監會尚未回覆路透社的置評請求。

與此同時，中國銀保監會周五發布通知，允許商業銀行向房地產企業發出預售住房公積金託管保証函件。

房地產市場不景氣

花旗表示，該方案標誌著監管機構對開發商的政策立場發生了重大轉變，從 “施加限制” 到 “提供支持” ，從 “救項目，不救開發商” 到 “救開發商和項目” 。

花旗稱，該通知 “為不景氣的房地產市場推出了迄今為止最全面的一套支持措施” 。

Jefferies 估計，該一籃子計劃連同其他近期政策將為房地產行業注入約 1.3 萬億元人民幣（1,838.3 億美元）的信貸，主要用於覆蓋將於 2023 年底到期的私人開發商的公共債券和信託產品。

上週，National Association of Financial Market Institutional Investors 表示，將擴大一項計劃，支持包括房地產開發商在內的民營企業發行價值約 2,500 億元人民幣的債券。

然而，一些投資者對最新政策的影響仍持謹慎態度，因為監管機構已經多次嘗試重振房地產行業，而宏觀環境在該國的 COVID 限制下仍然疲軟。

由於政府試圖限制開發商的過度借貸，今年中國的房地產行業已大幅放緩。

打壓導致房地產銷售和價格下跌、債券違約和住房建設暫停，激怒了房主, 他們威脅要停止支付抵押的貸款。

11 月初公佈的民間數據顯示，10 月 100 個城市的房價連續第四個月下跌，而按建築面積計算的房地產銷售同比下降約 20%。

 GaoTeng Global Asset Management Ltd 的投資組合經理 James Wong 表示： “歸根結底，房屋銷售的反彈仍然需要行業的最終復甦。”

專門從事信貸投資的 Beijing BG Capital Management Ltd 首席執行官 Li Gen 表示，沒有違約的開發商將受益最大，但對於離岸房地產債券的幫助將 “意義不大” ，因為目前尚不清楚離岸融資如何進行強化。

花旗表示，該方案還應該有助於銀行股，因為它緩解了投資者對開發商信貸風險的擔憂。

花旗補充說，平安銀行、興業銀行和招商銀行等對開發商敞口較大的銀行將尤其受益。

So, Beijing will introduce its “most comprehensive" support measures aimed at boosting liquidity in its latest attempt to stabilize the country’s economy. Some experts think that the rebound of home sales is still needs an ultimate industry comeback. Let’s wait and see how this new round of booster will help China’s economy.

Note:

1. Jefferies Group LLC is an American multinational independent investment bank and financial services company that is headquartered in New York City. The firm provides clients with capital markets and financial advisory services, institutional brokerage, securities research, and asset management. (Wikipedia)

2. National Association of Financial Market Institutional Investors

National Association of Financial Market Institutional Investors helps develop the Chinese interbank bond, interbank lending, foreign exchange, commercial paper and gold markets. The association's membership includes policy, commercial, and credit cooperative banks, insurance companies, securities houses, fund management companies, and trust and investment companies. (https://www.bloomberg.com/profile/company/NATASZ:CH)

World Population Exceeds 8 billion - Significant Increase in India and Africa

Recently NHK News on-line reported the following:

世界の人口 80億人突破 インドやアフリカなどで増加が顕著に

2022年11月15日 5時00分

国連によりますと、世界の人口が15日、80億人を突破します。人口の増加はインドやアフリカ諸国などで著しく、来年にはインドが中国を抜いて世界で最も人口が多くなるとみられています。

世界の人口は、平均寿命の伸びや母子の死亡率の低下を背景に増加を続けていて、この12年でおよそ10億人増え、国連は15日、80億人を突破するとしています。

国連によりますと、南アジアの一部の国やアフリカなどでは今後も人口の大幅な増加が見込まれていて、来年にはインドが中国を上回り、世界で最も人口が多くなるとみられています。

また、今後2050年までに増える世界の人口の半数以上は、アフリカのサハラ砂漠以南の国々になる見通しだということです。

一方で日本を含む61の国や地域では、出生率の低下などから2050年までにそれぞれ人口が1％以上減少すると、予測されています。

世界全体の人口増加のペースも徐々に鈍っていて、2080年代におよそ104億人のピークを迎えたあとは、減少に転じる可能性があるとみられています。

国連の経済社会局は、人口が急速に増加している国では若者の教育や就労機会の確保が必要だとする一方、人口の増加が見込めない国では少子高齢化などに備える必要があると指摘しています。

2050年までに人口が大幅に増加するのは8か国

国連は、今後2050年までに人口が大幅に増加する国として、インド、ナイジェリア、パキスタン、コンゴ民主共和国、エチオピア、エジプト、フィリピン、タンザニアの8か国をあげています。

こうした国々で大幅な人口の増加が見込まれる要因として、国連は平均寿命が伸びる一方で、乳幼児などの死亡率が低下していることをあげています。

一方で急速な人口の増加や高い出生率が続くことについて、国連の経済社会局は、子どもたちへの教育が追いつかず、社会の発展を妨げるおそれがあるとしています。

そのうえで、ジェンダーの平等などを推進することで、高すぎる出生率をより安定したレベルに移行させることが可能になるとしています。

インドの人口増加の背景は

インドの現在の人口はおよそ14億人。

政府は1950年代以降、人口を抑制するため、夫婦の子どもを2人までとすることなどを目標にした政策を展開し、避妊手術なども行われましたが、現在は国としての厳格な制限はありません。

人口は最近毎年1％増えていて、背景の1つには衛生環境の改善などによる乳幼児の死亡率の低下があるとみられています。

政府の統計によりますと、乳幼児が亡くなる割合は2000年には1000人当たり68人でしたが、2020年には28人へと大幅に減っています。

それに加えて、高い経済成長が続く中、平均寿命も1970年代前半には49.7歳だったのが、2000年代後半には69.7歳へと、20年も長くなっています。

人口構成も、これから子どもを持つことが想定される若年層の割合が高い「釣り鐘型」になっていることなどから、当面は人口の増加が続くとみられていて、2050年には16億人を超えるという推計も出ています。

2050年までには4人に1人がアフリカの人々と予測

人口増加の波はアフリカにも押し寄せていて、国連によりますと2022年のアフリカの人口は14億人余りと、世界全体のおよそ18％ですが、2050年までには24億人を超え、世界の人口の4人に1人がアフリカの人々になると予測されています。

人口急増の背景にあるのが高い出生率で、国連のデータによりますと、サハラ砂漠以南の国々では1人の女性が一生のうちに産む子どもの数の指標は平均して4.5となっていて、世界平均の2.3を大きく上回っています。

さらに、アフリカでは人口が増加するだけでなく、平均年齢も世界全体と比較して若いのが特徴で、市場としての魅力も高く、世界から注目されています。

近年はインターネットの普及を背景に、保健医療や物流、農業などこれまで課題を抱えていた分野で新たなサービスを生み出す現地のスタートアップ企業も多く生まれていることから、世界から投資が集まっていて、日本も官民をあげて投資を増やす動きを活発化させています。

一方で、増え続ける人口に教育や雇用が追いつかず、格差の拡大も大きな問題となっているほか、貧困や飢餓が深刻さを増している国もあり、アフリカの人口問題は世界が取り組むべき課題になっています。

国連人口基金「人口の増減のデータに基づいた政策を」

世界の人口が80億人を突破することについて、日本を訪れていたUNFPA＝国連人口基金のコミュニケーション・戦略的パートナーシップ局のイアン・マクファーレン局長はNHKのインタビューに対し「人々が長生きし、女性が出産で命を落とすことが減ったことを、まずは祝福すべきだ。一方で、環境への負荷など世界への影響を懸念する声もあがるだろう」と述べました。

そのうえで、食料不足や格差拡大への懸念については「人口の増減について状況を正確に把握するとともに、人々が平等にサービスを享受でき、社会に貢献できるような法的枠組みも必要だ」と述べ、各国が取り組む課題や責任も生じるとして、人口の増減のデータに基づいた政策を進める必要性を指摘しました。

また「出生率が最も高い国の1つのニジェールでは、女性1人当たりから7人近くの子どもが生まれていて、多くの場合、女性はこれほど多くの子どもを望んでいない」と述べたうえで「女性や少女が保健サービスや避妊方法へのアクセスを保証され、結婚や出産について自分の意思で決める環境をつくることが変化をもたらす」として、女性に教育や選択肢を提供する重要性を強調しました。

Translation

According to the United Nations, the world's population had exceeded 8 billion on the 15th. Population growth was significant in India and African countries, and it was expected that India would overtake China to become the world's most populous country next year.

The world's population continued to grow against the backdrop of increased life expectancy and a decline in maternal and child mortality, with an increase of approximately 1 billion people over the past 12 years, and the United Nations said it had exceeded 8 billion on the 15th.

According to the United Nations, the population in some South Asia countries and in Africa was expected to continue to increase significantly in the future, and India was expected to surpass China next year and become the most populous country in the world.

Also, by 2050, more than half of the world's population was expected to be in countries south of Sahara Desert in Africa.

On the other hand, in 61 countries and regions including Japan, it was predicted that their populations could drop by 1% or more by 2050 due to declining birth rates and other factors.

The pace of global population growth was also gradually slowing, and it was believed that there could b a possibility of a decline after reaching a peak of about 10.4 billion people in the 2080s.

The United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs said that countries with rapidly growing population need to secure education and job opportunities for young people, while countries that did not expect population growth needed to prepare for declining birthrates and aging populations.

Eight countries would experience significant population growth by 2050

The United Nations had identified eight countries that could experience significant population growth by 2050: India, Nigeria, Pakistan, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Egypt, the Philippines, and Tanzania.

In these countries, a factor that would be expected to significantly increase population as pointed out by the United Nations was that while the average life expectancy was increasing, the mortality rate of infants etc. were decreasing.

On the other hand, the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs said that the rapid population growth and continued high birth rate could hinder the development of society because the education of children could not keep up.

On top of that, by promoting gender equality, etc., it was said that it could be possible to shift the birth rate that would be too high into a more stable level.

The background of India's population growth

India's current population was approximately 1.4 billion.

Since the 1950s, the government had implemented policies aimed at limiting the number of children for married couples to two to curb the population, contraceptive surgery was also performed, but currently there were no strict restrictions as a country.

Recently, the population was increasing by 1% every year, and one of the reasons believed was a decrease in infant mortality rate due to improvements in the sanitary environment.

According to government statistics, the infant mortality rate dropped from 68 per 1,000 people in 2000 to 28 per 1,000 in 2020.

In addition, as the economy continued to grow rapidly, the average life expectancy had increased from 49.7 years in the early 1970s to 69.7 years in the late 2000s, an increase of 20 years.

The population structure was in a bell shape, with a high percentage of young people who were expected to have children in the future. The population was expected to continue to grow for the time being, and projected to exceed 1.6 billion by 2050.

By 2050, 1 in 4 people would be Africans

The wave of population growth was also hitting Africa, and according to the United Nations, the population of Africa in 2022 could be over 1.4 billion, about 18% of the world's total, and over 2.4 billion people by 2050. It was predicted that 1 in 4 of the population could be African.

High fertility rates were behind the rapid population growth. According to United Nations data, countries south of Sahara had an average index of 4.5 children per woman in their lifetime. This was well above the global average of 2.3.

Furthermore, in Africa not only the population was increasing, but had a special feature that its average age was younger than the rest of the world, making it a highly attractive market and drawing attention from around the world.

In recent years, against the backdrop of the spread of the Internet, many local start-up companies were born to create new services in fields that were facing issues until now, such as healthcare, logistics, and agriculture. Investments from all over the world were attracted here, and in Japan the public and private sectors were actively moving to increase investment.

On the other hand, education and employment could not keep up with the ever-growing population, and widening disparities had become major problems. In addition, poverty and hunger were becoming more serious in some countries. Africa's population problem had become an issue that must be addressed by the world.

United Nations Population Fund “Policies Based on Population Change Data”

Regarding the world population surpassing 8 billion, Ian McFarlane, Director of the Division for Communications and Strategic Partnerships of the UNFPA = United Nations Population Fund, who was visiting Japan, told NHK in an interview that "On the fact that people live longer and fewer women die in childbirth, first of all, we should congratulate that. On the other hand, there will also be voices of concern about the impact on the world, such as the burden on the environment."

On top of that, regarding concerns about food shortages and widening disparities, he said, "In addition to accurately grasping the situation of population fluctuations, we need a legal framework that allows people to enjoy services equally and contribute to society." He pointed out the need to promote policies based on data on population fluctuations, as issues and responsibilities to be addressed by each country could arise.

Also, he said. "In one of the countries with the highest fertility rate, individual woman has nearly seven children, and in most situation, women don't want that many children"; and supposed that “To guarantee women and girls access to health services and contraceptive methods, and also to create an environment where they can make their own decisions about marriage and childbirth will bring about changes to the situation” and stressed the importance of providing education and options to women.

              So, the United Nations has announced that the world's population exceeds 8 billion. Population growth is significant in India and African countries, and it is expected that India will overtake China next year to become the world's most populous country. I am interested in knowing how China leaders will react to a declining population in the country.

Note:

1. UNFPA is the United Nations Population Fund, formerly the United Nations Fund for Population Activities, it is a UN agency aimed at improving reproductive and maternal health worldwide. (Wikipedia)

2. Niger or the Niger is officially known as the Republic of the Niger. It is a landlocked country in West Africa. It is bordered by Libya to the northeast, Chad to the east, Nigeria to the south, Benin and Burkina Faso to the southwest, Mali to the west, and Algeria to the northwest. It covers a land area of almost 1,270,000 km2 (490,000 sq mi), making it the second-largest landlocked country in West Africa after Chad. Over 80% of its land area lies in the Sahara. Its predominantly Muslim population of about 25 million live mostly in clusters in the further south and west of the country. The capital Niamey is located in Niger's southwest corner.  (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Niger)

德國的舒爾茨訪問越南，因為製造商的目光從中國向外轉移

Germany's Scholz visits Vietnam as manufacturers eye shift from China

Sun, November 13, 2022 at 7:02 p.m.

By Francesco Guarascio

HANOI (Reuters) - German Chancellor Olaf Scholz discussed energy and trade ties with Vietnam's Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh during a visit to Hanoi on Sunday, the first for a German leader in more than a decade.

Scholz's stop in Vietnam on his way to the G20 leaders' summit in Indonesia, highlights Vietnam's growing role in global supply chains as many German firms consider diversifying their manufacturing operations by expanding their presence beyond China, their main hub in Asia.

At a joint news conference with Chinh, Scholz said Berlin wanted deeper trade relations with Vietnam and would support the country's transition to a greener economy, including through the expansion of the metro system in Hanoi, Vietnam's capital.

The Hanoi visit follows Scholz's trip to China last week, the first by a Western leader in three years since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. He will next visit Singapore before heading to the G20 summit on Nov 15-16.

Vietnam and Singapore are the only countries in Southeast Asia that have a free trade agreement with the European Union. As a result, they are the EU's biggest trading partners in the region.

Germany is Vietnam's second-largest trading partner among EU states after the Netherlands, with exchanges worth $7.8 billion last year, according to law firm Dezan Shira - far less however than the United States, China, Japan and South Korea.

About 500 German firms operate in Vietnam, of which around 80 have manufacturing plants in the country, according to the German chamber of commerce in Vietnam, AHK.

Among them are engineering giant Bosch, energy firm Messer, and several smaller companies involved in the global automotive supply chain.

Many more are looking to diversify some of their activities away from China where about 5,000 German companies operate, AHK head in Vietnam, Marko Walde, told Reuters.

Over 90% of German firms planning such a move look at Southeast Asia as their preferred choice, Walde said, noting that Vietnam and Thailand were favourites in the region.

(Reporting by Francesco Guarascio; additional reporting by Sarah Marsh in Berlin)

Translation

河內（路透社）- 德國總理舒爾茨在週日訪問河內期間, 與越南總理范明正討論了能源和貿易關係，這是十多年來德國領導人首次訪問河內。

舒爾茨在前往印度尼西亞參加 G20 領導人峰會的途中在越南停留，這突顯了越南在全球供應鏈中日益重要的作用，因為許多德國公司正在考慮通過將業務擴展到亞洲主要樞紐 -中國- 以外的地區來實現製造業務多元化。

在與范明正的聯合新聞發布會上，舒爾茨 表示，柏林希望與越南建立更深層次的貿易關係，並將支持該國向綠色經濟轉型，包括通過擴建越南首都河內的地鐵系統。

河內訪問是舒爾茨繼上周訪問中國之後進行的，這是自 COVID-19 大流行開始之後三年來,西方領導人的首次訪問。他接下來將訪問新加坡，然後前往 11 月 15 日至 16 日舉行的 G20 峰會。

越南和新加坡是東南亞唯一與歐盟簽訂自由貿易協定的國家。因此，它們是歐盟在該地區最大的貿易夥伴。

根據 Dezan Shira 律師事務所的數據，德國是歐盟國家与越南的第二大貿易夥伴, 僅次於荷蘭，去年的貿易額為 78 億美元，但遠低於美國、中國、日本和韓國。

據越南德國商會 AHK 稱，約有 500 家德國公司在越南開展業務，其中約 80 家在該國設有製造廠。

其中包括工程巨頭Bosch、能源公司Messer以及參與全球汽車供應鏈的幾家較小的公司。

AHK 在越南的負責人 Marko Walde 告訴路透社，還有更多的人希望將他們的一些活動從中國轉移到中國以外的地方，在中國有大約 5,000 家德國公司。

Walde 說，超過 90% 的德國公司計劃採取這樣的行動，將東南亞視為他們的首選，並指出越南和泰國是該地區的最愛。

So, about 5,000 German companies are operating in China and some people has estimated that over 90% of German firms plan to diversify their activities away from China to Southeast Asia and that Vietnam and Thailand are their favorite locations. I am wondering how this will affect China’s production activities.

US plans to purchase 100,000 shells from South Korea for use in Ukraine

Recently CNN.co.jp reported the following:

米、韓国から砲弾１０万発の購入を計画　ウクライナ供与用に

2022.11.12 Sat posted at 18:00 JST

 （ＣＮＮ） 米国がウクライナに供与する砲弾１０万発を韓国の兵器メーカーから購入する計画であることが分かった。米当局者が明らかにした。ウクライナでの高烈度戦闘に使用可能な兵器を確保する幅広い取り組みの一環となる。

米国は１５５ミリ榴（りゅう）弾砲弾１０万発を購入し、これが米国を通じてウクライナに引き渡される形となる。

この取り決めにより、韓国は殺傷力のある兵器をウクライナに供与しないという公約を維持できる。韓国国防省は１１日午前の声明で、ウクライナへの武器供与に関する立場は変わっておらず、砲弾のエンドユーザー（最終使用者）は米国だと信じていると述べた。

韓国国防省の声明では、「米国の１５５ミリ弾の在庫不足を補うため、米国と韓国の企業の間で砲弾の輸出に向けた交渉が続いている」と説明。米国防総省は声明で、韓国から購入した砲弾を米国が「売却する可能性」について協議中だと明らかにした。

ただ、韓国と米国の声明は、数カ月前から続く交渉が最終決定に至っていない点を明確にしている。特に北朝鮮による最近のミサイル発射や兵器実験を考慮すると、これほど大量の砲弾の購入は、韓国にとって非常に敏感な問題となる。

韓国は米国が設立した「ウクライナ防衛コンタクトグループ」の参加国だが、ウクライナへの殺傷力ある兵器の供与を公には拒んでおり、医薬品や防弾チョッキなどの非殺傷支援や人道支援にとどめている。

今回の件については米紙ウォールストリート・ジャーナル（ＷＳＪ）が最初に報道した。米国はこのところ、北朝鮮がウクライナ戦争で使う砲弾をロシアに秘密裏に供給していると警告している。

Translation

(CNN) It was understood that the United States had planned to buy 100,000 rounds of artillery for Ukraine from a South Korean weapons maker, a U.S. officials made clear that. It was part of a broader effort to secure weapons that could be used for high-intensity fighting in Ukraine.

The United States would purchase 100,000 155mm high-explosive shells, which could be in the form of handing over them to Ukraine through the United States.

The deal would allow South Korea to maintain its pledge not to provide lethal weapons to Ukraine. South Korea's defense ministry said in a statement Monday morning that it had not changed its position on not supplying weapons to Ukraine and believed the United States would be the end user of artillery ammunition.

The south Korea’s Defense Ministry said in a statement that "Negotiations continue between US and South Korean companies to export artillery ammunition to fill US stock shortages of 155mm ammunition", the Pentagon in a statement said it was discussing a "potential sale" of ammunition purchased from South Korea by the United States.

However, statements from South Korea and the United States made it clear that negotiations that had been going on for months and had yet to be finalized. Buying such a large amount of ammunition would be a very sensitive issue for South Korea, especially given North Korea's recent missile launches and weapons tests.

South Korea, as a member of the U.S.-established “Ukraine Defense Contact Group”, had publicly refused to provide lethal weapons to Ukraine, confining it to non-lethal aid such as medicines and bulletproof vests, as well as humanitarian aid.

About this case, it was first reported by the Wall Street Journal (WSJ). The United States had recently warned that North Korea was secretly supplying Russia with ammunition for use in the Ukraine war.

So, South Korea previously has publicly refused to provide lethal weapons to Ukraine. I am interested in knowing how the US will overcome this political inconvenience as I believe that the American will eventually get the artillery ammunition.

Japanese believed to have fought in Ukraine dies - Government official

Recently NHK News on-line reported the following:

ウクライナで戦っていたとみられる日本人男性死亡 政府関係者

2022年11月11日 4時54分

ロシア軍との戦闘に参加するためウクライナに入り、現地で戦っていたとみられる日本人男性が死亡したことを日本政府関係者が明らかにしました。

日本政府はウクライナでの戦闘で日本人が死亡したという情報を受けて現地の日本大使館を通じてウクライナ側に情報提供を求めていました。

その結果、日本政府関係者によりますと、ウクライナでの戦闘で20代の日本人男性が死亡したことが分かったということです。

男性はロシア軍との戦闘に参加するためウクライナ側にたって戦っていたとみられていましたが、今月9日、死亡したということです。

ウクライナのどの地域の戦闘で死亡したのかなど詳しい情報は分かっていません。

現在、大使館が日本にいる家族との連絡などを行っているということです。

関係者によると、ロシアによるウクライナ侵攻で日本人が死亡したのはこれが初めてだということです。

SNS上ではロシア軍との戦闘に参加する『義勇兵』の日本人がウクライナで死亡したという情報が投稿され、松野官房長官は10日の記者会見で事実関係の確認を行っていることを明らかにしていました。

日本政府は、ウクライナ全土に退避勧告を出しており、どのような目的であっても渡航はやめるよう呼びかけていました。

Translation

A Japanese government official said that a Japanese who was believed to have entered Ukraine to fight against the Russian army had died.

After receiving information that a Japanese had died in the fighting in Ukraine, the Japanese government requested information from the Ukrainian side through the local Japanese embassy.

As a result, according to Japanese government officials, it was understood that a Japanese in his 20s died in the fighting in Ukraine.

The man who was believed to have fought on the Ukrainian side to join the fighting against the Russian army died on the 9th of this month.

No further details were known, including in which part of Ukraine he died in the fighting.

Currently, the embassy was contacting his family in Japan.

People involved said that this was the first time a Japanese died in Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Information was posted on social media that a “Japanese volunteer soldier” who had fought against the Russian army died in Ukraine. Chief Cabinet Secretary Matsuno at a press conference on the 10th confirmed the facts to make clear the case.

The Japanese government had issued an evacuation advisory from Ukraine, and called on people to stop traveling there for any purpose.

              So, a Japanese who was believed to have fought for the Ukrainian against the Russian army died.   My salute goes to this Japanese volunteer soldier.

Ukrainian War Accelerates Shift in Energy Sources, a Major Transformation - said IEA

Recently CNN.co.jp reported the following:

ウクライナ戦争でエネルギー源移行が加速、大転換とＩＥＡ

2022.11.05 Sat posted at 17:30 JST

  （ＣＮＮ） 国際エネルギー機関（ＩＥＡ）は５日までに、ウクライナに侵攻したロシアの化石燃料の輸出が減少の一途をたどっていることを受け、より持続可能で安定したエネルギー源確保への移行が世界規模で加速する可能性があるとの報告書を公表した。

年次の「世界エネルギー見通し」で指摘したもので、国際エネルギー市場は「大きな方向転換」の最中にあるとの認識も示した。

ロシアから欧州へのエネルギー源の輸出がしぼんだことを受け、多くの国が新たな事態への適応を図っているとし、世界規模の二酸化炭素の排出量は２０２５年に最高水準に達する可能性があるとも予想した。

また、ＩＥＡのエネルギー源需給などに関する予測としては初めて、全ての化石燃料への世界的な需要は２０３０年代半ばに頭打ちとなる前に、ピークあるいは横ばいの水準に到達する可能性があるともした。

ＩＥＡのビロル事務局長は、エネルギー市場や関連政策はロシアのウクライナ侵攻を受け変質したとし、その波及効果は当面の期間の問題ではなく今後数十年にも及ぶと指摘した。

世界エネルギー見通しによると、多くの政府はエネルギー危機に直面し短期的な消費者保護対策だけでなく長期的な展望を踏まえた措置を講じているとも分析。一部政府は原油や天然ガスの調達元の多様化の拡大を図り、多くはエネルギー政策に関する構造的な変化の加速も見据えているとした。

ＩＥＡの予測によると、クリーンエネルギーへの世界規模での投資は２０３０年までに年間で２兆ドル以上に膨らむ可能性がある。現状と比べ５０％以上の増加を意味する。

ＩＥＡは、化石燃料の最大の輸出国であるロシアが国際的なエネルギー市場での強固な足場を取り戻すことは決してないだろうとも予測した。ウクライナ侵攻に伴って欧州市場との関係が破綻（はたん）し、エネルギー市場での大きな地位低下にさらされることになったと断じた。

事務局長は３日には、世界や欧州のガス市場でみられる直近の傾向や予想し得る事態の進展を踏まえれば、欧州が来年の冬、ガス調達でより厳しい試練に遭遇する方向にあることが見てとれるとも主張。

欧州の各国政府がさらなるガス不足を回避するために迅速な行動に出る必要があるとし、エネルギー使用の効率向上や再生可能などのエネルギー開発の加速に早急に取り組むことが重要と説いた。ガス需要を構造的に減らす他の措置の導入も訴えた。

Translation

  (CNN) On the 5th, the International Energy Agency (IEA) said Russia's incursion into Ukraine had led to a shift to more sustainable and stable energy sources as fossil fuel exports continued to decline. A report released said that a global transition to more sustainable and stable energy sources could be accelerating.

As highlighted in the annual “World Energy Outlook”, its analysis saw a recognition that the international energy market was in the midst of a "major shift".

As many countries were trying to adapt to new conditions after Russia's energy exported to Europe had dwindled. It also expected that global carbon emissions could hit a record high in 2025.

Again, as the first time for the IEA to forecast energy resource supply and demand, it said that there was a possibility that global demand for all fossil fuels could reach a peak or flat level before reaching a plateau in the mid-2030s.

Energy markets and related policies had been transformed by Russia's invasion of Ukraine, said IEA Director General Birol, noting that the repercussions would not only be a problem for now but would also last for decades to come.

According to the World Energy Outlook, the analysis was that many governments facing the energy crisis were taking measures based not only on short-term consumer protection measures but also on long-term prospects. It said that some governments were looking to diversify their oil and natural gas sources, and many were also looking to accelerate structural change in energy policy,

The IEA estimated that global investment in clean energy could swell to more than $2 trillion annually by 2030. It would mean an increase of 50% or more compared to the current situation.

The IEA also predicted that Russia, the largest exporter of fossil fuels, would never regain a strong foothold in international energy markets. It said the invasion of Ukraine had broken its relations with the European market, and judged that this would expose Russian to a significant loss of status in the energy market.

The director-general said on the 3rd that based on recent trends and foreseeable developments in global and European gas markets, he would claim that in the coming winter Europe were poised to face greater challenges in gas procurement.  

IEA stressed the need for European governments to take swift action to avoid further gas shortages, and stressed the importance of urgent action to improve the efficiency of energy use and to accelerate the development of renewable energy. It also called for the introduction of other measures to structurally reduce gas demand.

              So, according to IEA, Russia's incursion into Ukraine has led to a shift to more sustainable and stable energy sources as fossil fuel exports continue to decline. It also predicts that Russia may face a significant loss of status in the energy market.

Canadian Public Broadcasting to close Beijing bureau - visa not issued by Chinese government

Recently NHK News on-line reported the following:

カナダ公共放送 北京支局を閉鎖へ 中国政府からビザ発給されず

2022年11月4日 7時18分

カナダの公共放送CBCは、中国政府から記者のビザ発給が受けられないとして、北京にある支局を閉鎖すると発表しました。これについて中国外務省は長期間、常駐記者がいないと業務を終えたとみなされると主張しています。

カナダ公共放送CBCは2日、40年以上にわたって開設してきた中国の北京にある支局を閉鎖したと発表しました。

CBCによりますと、新型コロナウイルスの感染拡大をきっかけに北京に駐在する記者が帰国したあと、2年前の2020年10月に後任となる記者のビザを申請し中国側に働きかけてきたものの、発給されなかったということです。

これについて中国外務省の趙立堅報道官は3日の記者会見で「CBCの記者は2年前にみずから離任している。規定では10か月以上、常駐記者がいない場合、業務を終えたとみなされる」と主張したうえで「中国の法律を順守しなければならない」と強調しました。

中国とカナダの関係を巡っては4年前、カナダ当局が中国の大手通信機器メーカー、ファーウェイの副会長を逮捕した一方、中国当局がカナダ人2人を拘束するなど一時、緊張しました。

また、中国政府は去年、イギリスの公共放送BBCの国際放送について、真実に反し国家の利益を損なったなどとして中国での放送を禁止するなど、海外メディアの報道に神経をとがらせています。

Translation

Canadian public broadcaster CBC announced that it would close its branch office in Beijing because the Chinese government was unable to issue journalist visas. China's foreign ministry claimed that as there were no resident reporters for a long time, it supposed that the reporters had finished operation.

Canadian public broadcaster CBC announced on the 2nd that it closed a branch office in Beijing of China which had been open for more than 40 years.

According to the CBC, after a journalist stationed in Beijing returned to home due to the spread of the new coronavirus, two years ago in October 2020 a successor reporter applied for a visa, and although he had appealed to the Chinese side, it was said that the visa had not been issued.

Regarding this, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian said at a press conference on the 3^rd that ``CBC reporter left the post two years ago by himself, and according to regulations, if there are no resident reporters for more than 10 months, they consider the office has finished its work"; and he emphasized that ' Chinese laws must be complied with.'

Four years ago, Canadian authorities arrested the vice chairman of Huawei who was a major Chinese telecommunications equipment maker while Chinese authorities detained two Canadians, there was tension for a while.

In addition, China government last year about British’s public broadcaster the BBC international broadcasting, was not pleased with its overseas media reports and regarded them as contrary to the truth and harmed the interests of the country, had banned BBC broadcasting in China etc.

So, CBC announces that it will close its branch office in Beijing because the Chinese government does not issue journalist visas. Four years ago, Canadian authorities arrested the vice chairman of Huawei, and since then the relation between the two countries has not been smooth. I always think that Canada, Australia and England are trouble makers in the eyes of China.