3,000-year-old arrowhead made from meteorite found near Swiss lake

Recently CNN.co.jp reported the following:

隕石から作られた３０００年前の矢じり、スイスの湖近くで見つかる

2023.08.09 Wed posted at 15:10 JST

Jack Guy, CNN

（ＣＮＮ） スイスで発掘された青銅器時代の矢じりは、隕石（いんせき）から作られていたことが新たな研究で分かった。

ベルン自然史博物館の研究者チームが実施した調査によると、 紀元前９００～８００年に作られたとみられる長さ３．９センチのこの矢じりは、スイスのビール湖に面したメーリゲンにある先史時代の杭上住居群で見つかった。１９世紀に行われた発掘作業でのことだ。

３０００年近い歴史を持つこの加工品は、エストニアに落下した隕石に由来する鉄で作られていると、当該の研究は指摘する。これは隕石由来の隕鉄が紀元前８００年かそれ以前までには欧州で交易の対象になっていたことを示唆すると研究者らは述べ、それほど早い年代に隕鉄の使用が確認されるのは極めて異例だと付け加えた。

「このような証拠から早期の隕鉄使用が明らかになるのは非常に珍しい」と、発見を伝えるニュースリリースは強調する。

当時、人類はまだ酸化鉱から鉄を精錬する技術を使い始めてはいなかったが、一部の隕鉄が隕石の落下地点から見つかることがあったと、研究は指摘する。

隕鉄を使って作った物はこれまでトルコ、ギリシャ、シリア、イラク、レバノン、エジプト、イラン、ロシア、中国で見つかっているが、中欧と西欧でそうした加工品が発見されたのは２つの地点のみ。いずれもポーランドに位置していた。

今回の矢じりの発見で、研究者はメーリゲンを３つ目の発見地と確認した。

隕石の起源

専門家らはかねて、当該の矢じりに使われた鉄について、トワンべルクの隕石に由来するものだと考えていた。この隕石は上記の杭上住居群からわずか数キロの地点に落下した。

しかし、当該の鉄を分析したところ実際はそうではなく、ポーランドに落下した隕石由来のものでもないことが分かったと、研究は説明している。

これまで知られる限り、欧州で化学組成の似通った隕石は３つしかないが、研究者らによると起源である公算が最も大きいのはエストニア・カーリヤルビに落ちた隕石だという。この隕石は紀元前１５００年前後に落下し、「小さな破片を多く生み出した」（研究論文）。

これらの破片の一部はこの後、交易ルートに沿って南西のスイスに移動した。論文の筆頭著者でベルン自然史博物館の地球科学部門責任者を務めるベーダ・ホフマン氏はＣＮＮの取材に答えてそう説明する。

同氏の寄せた電子メールによれば、「青銅器時代に欧州全域で交易が行われていたことは十分に確立した事実だ。バルト海地域産の琥珀（こはく）（恐らく矢じりと同様に）、コーンウォール地方産の錫（すず）、エジプトとメソポタミア地域産の硝子（ガラス）玉が代表的な交易品だ」。

「（交易には）恐らく現在より多少時間がかかっただろう。量も数トンで、数百万トン単位ではなかった」（ホフマン氏）

青銅器時代にスイスの杭上住居群で暮らしていた住民の大半は農業や狩猟、漁労に従事していたが、メーリゲンで青銅の鋳型が見つかるなど、特別な技能を開発した人々もいたとホフマン氏は指摘する。

研究論文はジャーナル・オブ・アーケオロジカル・サイエンス誌に掲載された。

Translation

(CNN) A Bronze Age arrowhead unearthed in Switzerland was made from a meteorite, new research suggests.

According to research conducted by a team at the Bern Natural History Museum, the 3.9 cm long arrowhead, which was believed to have been made between 900 and 800 B.C., was found in prehistoric pile dwellings in Merigen on Lake Biel, Switzerland. It was an excavation carried out in the 19th century.

The study pointed out that the nearly 3,000-year-old artifact was made of iron from a meteorite that fell in Estonia. This suggested that meteorite-derived meteoric iron was traded in Europe by 800 BC or earlier, the researchers said. It added that it was highly unusual to see the use of meteoric iron at such an early date.

The news release announcing the discovery emphasized that "It is very unusual for such evidence that reveals early meteoric iron usage."

The study said that at the time, humans had not yet begun to use the technology to smelt iron from oxide ores, yet some meteorite iron was sometimes found in meteorite impact sites.

Meteoric iron products had so far been found in Turkey, Greece, Syria, Iraq, Lebanon, Egypt, Iran, Russia, and China, but only two sites in Central and Western Europe had found such products. Both sites were in Poland.

With the discovery of the arrowhead this time, researchers confirmed Merigen as the third location.

Origin of meteorites

Experts had long believed that the iron in the arrowheads came from the Twanberg meteorite. This meteorite fell just a few kilometers from the pile dwellings mentioned above.

However, analysis of the iron in question revealed that it was not, and did not come from a meteorite that fell in Poland, the study explained.

Only three meteorites with similar chemical compositions are known to exist in Europe so far, but the most likely source, according to researchers, would be a meteorite that fell in Estonia's Kalyarvi. The meteorite fell around 1,500 BC and "produced many small fragments," according to the research paper.

Beda Hoffmann, lead author of the paper and head of the geoscience department at the Bern Natural History Museum told CNN that some of these fragments subsequently moved southwest to Switzerland along trade routes.

He said in an email that “It is a well-established fact that there was trade throughout Europe during the Bronze Age, amber (probably similar to arrowheads) from the Baltic Sea, tin from Cornish, and glass beads from Egypt and Mesopotamia were the major commodities of trade."

"[The trade] probably took a little longer than it does today. It was in tons, not millions," Hoffman said.

While most Bronze Age Swiss pile-dwelling inhabitants were farmers, hunters and fishermen, Hoffmann pointed out that some people developed special skills, so bronze molds etc. was found in Merigen.

The research paper was published in the Journal of Archaeological Science.

So, a study says that a nearly 3,000-year-old artifact which is made from a meteorite that fell in Estonia has been found. This suggests that meteorite-derived meteoric iron was traded in Europe by 800 BC or earlier. This finding would up-date our knowledge on the trade routes in Europe some three thousand years ago.

中國稱歐洲貿易逆差飆升是它自己的錯

Recently Yahoo News on-line reported the following:

China Says Europe’s Soaring Trade Deficit Is Its Own Fault

Bloomberg News

Tue, August 8, 2023 at 6:09 a.m. PDT

(Bloomberg) -- China has rejected recent comments from the European Union’s top trade official criticizing its economic practices, with Beijing arguing that the soaring bilateral trade deficit is the fault of the bloc’s own export controls.

“The EU restrictions on export of high-tech products to China in recent years directly limited the EU’s ability to tap the potential of export to China and led to unbalanced trade,” the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement Tuesday. The surplus “is a natural result under the combined influence of different industrial structures, industrial specialization, ways of trade and external factors.”

In an interview with the Financial Times this week, the European Commission’s trade chief, Valdis Dombrovskis, said the deficit with China had reached a “staggering” level and that he would be pushing Beijing to reduce barriers to European goods when he traveled there in September. “The level of openness from the Chinese side is not the same as the level of openness from the EU side.”

The EU had planned to sign an investment accord with China that would seek to level the playing field for European firms in the world’s second-largest economy. But that deal was frozen in 2021 after the two sides imposed sanctions on each other due to accusations of human rights abuses in the Xinjiang region in China.

Since then, European firms in China have become increasingly pessimistic, with a record 64% saying in a June survey that it had become more challenging to do business in the country.

The EU is mulling new curbs on outbound investments for strategic rivals such as China in sensitive sectors like semiconductors that could enable Beijing to build a world-class chip industry. Earlier this year, the Dutch government said it would prohibit Europe’s most valuable technology company, ASML Holding NV, from shipping some of its machines to China.

China’s trade surplus with Europe soared during the pandemic as Europeans bought more goods such as personal protective equipment or electronics to allow working from home. From 2020 to 2022 the surplus more than doubled, hitting $277 billion last year. That has since narrowed somewhat as European demand has cooled, with the surplus falling to $19 billion last month, according to Chinese data released Tuesday.

The statement by Dombrovskis echoes that of French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire, who recently said in Beijing that his nation was looking to “get better access and more balanced access to the Chinese market.” Former US President Donald Trump was also highly critical of the deficit with China, with the trade deal signed in January 2020 meant in part to address that imbalance.

The Chinese statement did not detail which specific restrictions it blamed for undercutting European exports, but during the trade war with the US, China also said that it would import more from the US if Washington would drop restrictions on the export of high-technology goods.

Translation

（彭博社）- 中國拒絕了歐盟最高貿易官員最近批評其經濟做法的言論，北京方面辯稱，雙邊貿易逆差飆升是歐盟自身出口管制的錯。

中國外交部周二在一份聲明中表示： “近年來歐盟對中國高科技產品出口的限制，直接限制了歐盟接上對華出口潛力的能力，導致貿易不平衡” 。順差 “是不同產業的結構、產業專業化、貿易方式和外部因素綜合影響下的自然結果” 。

歐盟委員會貿易主管Valdis Dombrovskis 本週在接受英國《金融時報》採訪時表示，對華貿易逆差已達到 “驚人”水平”，他將在9 月份訪問中國時敦促北京減少對歐洲商品的壁壘。  “中方的開放程度與歐盟的開放程度不一樣。”

歐盟原計劃與中國簽署一項投資協議，尋求為歐洲企業在世界第二大經濟體得到公平的競爭環境。 但在因指控中國新疆地區侵犯人權而相方相互實施制裁後，該協議於 2021 年被凍結。

此後，在華歐洲企業變得越來越悲觀，6 月份的一項調查顯示，創紀錄的 64% 企業表示在中國開展業務變得更具挑戰性。

歐盟正在考慮對中國等戰略競爭對手在半導體等敏感行業的對外投資實施新的限制，這投資可能使北京能夠建立世界級的芯片產業。 今年早些時候，荷蘭政府表示將禁止歐洲最有價值的科技公司 ASML Holding NV 將部分機器運送到中國。

疫情期間，隨著歐洲人購買更多個人防護設備或電子產品等商品以方便在家工作，中國對歐洲的貿易順差飆升。 從 2020 年到 2022 年，盈餘增加了一倍多，去年達到 2,770 億美元。 根據中國周二公佈的數據，隨著歐洲需求降溫，這一數字有所收窄，上個月盈餘降至 190 億美元。

Dombrovskis的聲明呼應了法國財政部長Bruno Le Maire的言論，後者最近在北京表示，法國正在尋求 “更好、更平衡地進入中國市場” 。 美國前總統唐特朗普也對對華貿易逆差提出了嚴厲批評，2020 年 1 月簽署的貿易協議在一定程度上是為了解決這種不平衡問題。

中國的聲明沒有詳細說明哪些具體限制削弱了歐洲的出口，但在與美國的貿易戰期間，中國還表示，如果華盛頓取消對高科技產品出口的限制，中國將從美國進口更多產品。

So, China’s trade surplus with Europe soared during the pandemic. From 2020 to 2022 the surplus more than doubled, hitting $277 billion last year. I think the reason for the trade imbalance has been identified by European Commission’s trade chief, Valdis Dombrovskis who notes that  “The level of openness from the Chinese side is not the same as the level of openness from the EU side.”

China SNS - a post saying that “There is no problem with the release of treated water into the ocean" was deleted

Recently NHK News on-line reported the following:

中国SNS “処理水の海洋放出は問題ない”とする投稿を削除か

2023年8月25日 19時26分

福島第一原発にたまる処理水が海へ放出されたことについて、中国のSNSでは「科学的に問題ない」などと投稿されたコメントが削除され、中国政府が神経をとがらせているとみられます。

削除されたのは、中国の原子力専門家を名乗るアカウントから24日に投稿されたコメントです。

コメントでは「中国国内の原子力発電所で、中国当局が定めるトリチウムを放出する上限は福島第一原発の8倍であり、心配するに値しない」などと説明し、処理水の海洋放出は問題ないと結論づけています。

しかし、このコメントはすでに削除され、投稿したアカウントも閉鎖されたとみられ検索しても見つからない状態になっています。

ただ、SNS上には投稿内容を保存した写真が拡散していて、「内容が間違っているならば反論すればいいのになぜアカウントまで閉鎖するのか」とか「国民の素質が向上するのを待つしかない」などと削除を疑問視するコメントも書き込まれています。

アカウントが閉鎖された理由について、運営会社は「SNS上の規定に違反した」としていますが、中国政府が国内の世論に神経をとがらせているとみられます。

Translation

Regarding the matter that the treated water accumulated at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant was discharged into the sea, comments posted on Chinese social media saying that the discharge had ``no scientific problems'' etc. were deleted, and the Chinese government seems to be getting nervous.

The deleted comment was posted on the 24th from an account claiming to be a Chinese nuclear expert.

The comment explained that "The upper limit of tritium released by Chinese authorities is eight times that of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, so there is no need to worry about it" and so on, and concluded that there was no problem in releasing treated water into the ocean.

However, this comment had already been deleted, and the account that posted it seemed to have been closed, so it could not be found even if you do a searching.

However, on SNS, photos that had saved the content of the posts were spreading, saying, "If the content is wrong, you can refute it, so why are you closing the account?" There were comments such as that “there is no choice but to wait for the quality of the people to improve,” and had comments that questioned about the act of deletion.

Regarding the reason why the account was closed, the operating company said that “it violated the rules on SNS,” but it seemed that the Chinese government was nervous about domestic public opinion.

              So, in Chine comments posted on SNS saying that the discharge had ``no scientific problems'' etc. were deleted, and the Chinese government seemed to be getting nervous. Such action is not surprising as there is not much freedom of speech in the country. It seems that China is politicalizing the matter to put pressure on Japan.

印度禁止軍用無人機製造商使用中國零部件 (2/2)

Recently Yahoo News on-line reported the following:

India bars makers of military drones from using Chinese parts (2/2)

Updated Mon, August 7, 2023 at 10:11 p.m. PDT

By Krishn Kaushik

(continue)

MANUFACTURING HURDLE

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has sought to build India's drone capability to thwart perceived threats, including from China, whose forces have clashed with Indian soldiers along their disputed border in recent years.

India has set aside 1.6 trillion rupees ($19.77 billion) for military modernization in 2023-24, of which 75% is reserved for domestic industry.

But the ban on Chinese parts has raised the cost of making military drones locally by forcing manufacturers to source components elsewhere, government and industry experts said.

Sameer Joshi, founder of Bengaluru-based NewSpace Research and Technologies, a supplier of small drones for India's military, said 70% of goods in the supply chain were made in China.

"So if I talk to, let's say, a Polish guy, he still has his components which are coming via China," he said.

Switching to a non-Chinese pipeline pushed up costs dramatically, Joshi said, adding that some manufacturers were still importing material from China but would "white-label it, and kind of keep the costs within that frame".

TECHNOLOGY GAPS

India relies on foreign manufacturers for both parts and entire systems as it lacks the know-how to make certain types of drones.

A government-funded program to produce an indigenous Medium Altitude Long Endurance unmanned system is delayed by at least half a decade, said Y. Dilip, director of the state-run Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE).

The platform, called Tapas, has met most requirements but needs further work to fulfil the military's goal of a drone that can reach an operational altitude of 30,000 feet and remain airborne for 24 hours, Dilip said.

"Primarily we were constrained by the engines," he said, with neither those built domestically nor international models available to India up to the job.

Apart from Tapas, which is expected to begin military trials this month, ADE is working on a stealth unmanned platform and a High Altitude Long Endurance platform, but both are years away.

To fill these gaps, India announced in June that it would buy 31 MQ-9 drones from the U.S. for over $3 billion.

R.K. Narang, a drone expert at the government's Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses, said "there has to be coherent national strategy to fill the technology gaps" to deliver commercially viable products.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman pledged in February that one-quarter of this year's the 232.6 billion rupees ($2.83 billion) budget for defence research and development would be for private industry.

Still, Narang said there was little investment in research and development by India's big private-sector companies. Joshi said venture capitalists eschewed military projects because of long lead times and the risk that orders may not eventuate.

The senior defence official said India would need to accept higher costs to boost domestic manufacturing.

"If today I buy equipment from China but I say I want to make it in India, the cost will go up 50%," he said. "We as a nation need to be ready to help the ecosystem build here."

Translation

（繼續）

製造障礙

印度總理莫迪一直在尋求建立印度的無人機能力，以挫敗潛在的威脅，其中包括來自中國的。近年來，中國軍隊在有爭議的邊境地區與印度士兵發生了衝突。

印度已預留1.6萬億盧比（197.7億美元）用於2023-24年軍事現代化，其中75%預留給國內工業。

但政府和行業專家表示，中國零部件的禁令迫使製造商從其他地方採購零部件，從而提高了本地製造軍用無人機的成本。

總部位於班加羅爾的印度軍方小型無人機供應商 NewSpace Research and Technologies 的創始人 Sameer Joshi 表示，供應鏈中 70% 的商品是中國製造的。

他說: “所以，如果我問一個波蘭人，他都會擁有通過中國進口的零部件” 。

Joshi表示，轉向非中國管道極大地推高了成本，並補充說，一些製造商仍在從中國進口材料，但會 “對其進行白標，並將成本控制在該框架內”。

技術差距

印度在零部件和整個系統方面都依賴外國製造商，因為它缺乏製造某些類型無人機的專業知識。

國營航空發展機構 (ADE) 主任 Y. Dilip 表示，政府資助的本土中高度長距航行無人系統生產計劃至少推遲了五年。

Dilip 說，一個名為 Tapas 的平台已經滿足了大部分要求，但還需要進一步的工作來實現軍方的目標，即無人機可以達到 30,000 英尺的操作高度並在空中持續 24 小時。

他說: “我們主要受到引擎的限制” ，印度國內和國際製造的引擎都無法勝任這項工作。

除了預計本月開始軍事試驗的Tapas之外，ADE正在開發隱形無人平台和高空長航時平台，但這兩個平台都還需要數年時間。

為了填補這些空白，印度於 6 月宣布將以超過 30 億美元的價格從美國購買 31 架 MQ-9 無人機。

R.K. Narang 作為政府的 Manohar Parrikar 國防研究與分析所的無人機專家表示， “必須制定一致的國家戰略來填補技術空白” ，以提供商業上可行的產品。

財政部長 Nirmala Sitharaman 在 2 月份承諾，今年 2326 億盧比（28.3 億美元）的國防研發預算中的四分之一將用於私營企業。

儘管如此，Narang表示，印度大型私營企業在研發方面的投資很少。 Joshi表示，風險投資家避開軍事項目是因為交貨時間長，而且存在訂單可能無法落實的風險。

這位高級國防官員表示，印度需要接受更高的成本來促進國內製造業。

他說: “如果今天我從中國購買設備，但我說我想在印度製造，那麼成本將上升 50%” 。 “作為一個國家，我們需要做好準備幫助在本地建設生態系統。”

So, India tries to avoid their military drones from using Chinese components. The reality is that the cost will go up 50%. India officials hold the view that as a nation they need to be ready to help build a manufacturing system domestically. It is shocking to know that a supplier of small drones for India's military has said that 70% of goods in the supply chain are made in China.

印度禁止軍用無人機製造商使用中國零部件 (1/2)

Recently Yahoo News on-line reported the following:

India bars makers of military drones from using Chinese parts (1/2)

Updated Mon, August 7, 2023 at 10:11 p.m. PDT

By Krishn Kaushik

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - India in recent months has barred domestic manufacturers of military drones from using components made in China over concerns about security vulnerabilities, according to four defence and industry officials and documents reviewed by Reuters.

The measure comes amid tensions between the nuclear-armed neighbours and as New Delhi pursues a military modernisation that envisages greater use of unmanned quadcopters, long-endurance systems and other autonomous platforms.

But as the nascent Indian industry looks to meet the military's needs, the defence and industry figures said India's security leaders were worried that intelligence-gathering could be compromised by Chinese-made parts in drones' communication functions, cameras, radio transmission and operating software.

Three of these people and some of the six other government and industry figures interviewed by Reuters spoke on the condition of anonymity as they were not authorised to talk to the media or because of the topic's sensitivity. India's defence ministry did not respond to Reuters questions.

India's approach, reported by Reuters for the first time, complements phased import restrictions on surveillance drones since 2020 and is being implemented through military tenders, documents show.

At two meetings in February and March to discuss drone tenders, Indian military officials told potential bidders that equipment or subcomponents from "countries sharing land borders with India will not be acceptable for security reasons", according to minutes reviewed by Reuters. The minutes did not identify the military officials.

One tender document said such subsystems had "security loopholes" that compromised critical military data, and called for vendors to disclose components' origin.

A senior defence official told Reuters the reference to neighbouring countries was a euphemism for China, adding that Indian industry had become dependent on the world's second-largest economy despite concern about cyberattacks.

Beijing has denied involvement in cyberattacks. China's commerce ministry, which last week announced export controls on some drones and drone-related equipment, did not respond to questions about India's measures.

The U.S. Congress in 2019 banned the Pentagon from buying or using drones and components made in China.

(to be continued)

Translation

新德里（路透社） - 據四名國防和工業官員以及路透社查閱的文件稱，出於對安全漏洞的擔憂，印度近幾個月禁止國內軍用無人機製造商使用中國製造的零部件。

這項措施是在核武器鄰國之間關係緊張之際出台的，同時新德里也在追求軍事現代化，設想更多地使用無人駕駛四軸飛行器、長時間航行系統和其他自動化平台。

但隨著新興的印度工業尋求滿足軍方的需求，國防和工業界人士表示，印度負責安全的領導人擔心情報收集可能會受到中國製造的無人機通信運作功能、攝像頭、無線電傳輸和操作軟件中的中國部件所不利影響。

其中三人以及接受路透社採訪的其他六名政府和行業人士的發言人要求匿名，因為他們無權與媒體交談或由於話題的敏感性。 印度國防部沒有回應路透社的問題。

首次由路透社報導的是, 有文件顯示印度做法是對自 2020 年以來, 對無人偵察機補充分階段的進口限制，並正在通過軍事招標的方式實施。

據路透社查閱的會議記錄，在2 月和3 月舉行的兩次討論無人機招標的會議上，印度軍方官員告訴潛在投標者，出於安全原因，來自“與印度有陸地邊界相連的國家”的設備或子部件將不被接受。 會議紀要沒有透露軍方官員的身份。

一份招標文件稱，此類子系統存在“安全漏洞”，會危及關鍵軍事數據，並要求供應商披露組件的來源。

一名高級國防官員告訴路透社，用鄰國代稱是對中國的委婉說法，並補充說，儘管擔心網絡攻擊，但印度工業已變得依賴於世界第二大經濟體。

北京否認參與網絡攻擊。 中國商務部上周宣布對部分無人機和無人機相關設備實施出口管制，但沒有回應有關印度措施的問題。

2019年，美國國會禁止五角大樓購買或使用中國製造的無人機及零部件。

（待續）

菲律賓告訴中國它不會放棄在有爭議的珊瑚礁上的淺灘

Recently Yahoo News on-line reported the following:

Philippines tells China it will not abandon post in disputed reef

Updated Mon, August 7, 2023 at 4:47 a.m. PDT

By Neil Jerome Morales and Albee Zhang

BEIJING/MANILA (Reuters) -The Philippines told China it will not abandon a disputed shoal in the South China Sea after it accused China's coast guard of using water cannons and "dangerous" moves to prevent Manila from sending supplies to its troops occupying the reef.

Likening the Aug. 5 incident to a "David vs Goliath situation", Jonathan Malaya, a senior Philippine National Security Council (NSC) official said China's increased presence at the Second Thomas Shoal will not deter the Philippines' resolve to protect its position there.

"We will never abandon Ayungin Shoal," Malaya said, using its local name, as he dismissed China's call for Manila to remove its warship from the atoll, which was intentionally grounded in 1999 to reinforce the Philippines' sovereignty claims.

"We will continue to resupply troops in the grounded vessel as long as it takes," Malaya said in a joint news conference with the military, Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and foreign ministry.

"It is our right to bring what is necessary to maintain the station and to be sure that our troops there are properly provisioned."

China said it had earlier told Manila not to send ships to the shoal and not to send "construction materials used for large-scale repair and reinforcement" to the warship after it learned of this recent supply plan, the Chinese coast guard said in a statement on Monday.

China's Foreign Ministry said that the Philippines' move violated China's sovereignty and the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea. It said the vessel was stopped in "accordance with the law."

It detailed a statement from the U.S. State department on the issue, which it said attacked China's legitimate maritime rights protection and law enforcement actions and endorsed the Philippines' "illegal provocative behavior, which China firmly opposes."

China claims sovereignty over almost the entire South China Sea, an assertion rejected internationally, while Malaysia, Vietnam, Brunei, Taiwan and the Philippines have various claims to certain areas.

The Chinese Coast Guard's use of water cannons on Saturday was not the first, as it also sprayed water at Manila's boats on a mission to supply food and water, for a handful of troops living aboard the rusty warship on Nov. 2021.

China's latest actions, which the Philippine military described as "excessive", undermine efforts to strengthen trust between Manila and Beijing, and underlines the "dire need" for a code of conduct, the foreign ministry's spokesperson said.

Ties between the Philippines and China have grown tense under Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr, with Manila pivoting back to its traditional ally, the United States, which has expressed its support for Manila and accused China of "threatening regional peace and stability."

Marcos said his country had relayed its complaint to the Chinese Ambassador in Manila, whom the foreign ministry had summoned.

No one was hurt during the Aug. 5 incident at the shoal, but one of the two Philippine boats, which were transporting supplies, failed to complete its mission.

(Reporting by Albee Zhang in Beijing and the Beijing newsroom, Farah Master in Hong Kong and Neil Jerome Morales in Manila; Writing by Karen Lema; Editing by Sharon Singleton)

Translation

北京/馬尼拉（路透社） - 菲律賓指責中國海岸警衛隊使用高壓水槍和“危險”舉動阻止馬尼拉向佔領該礁的軍隊運送物資後，告訴中國，它不會放棄南海有爭議的淺灘。 。

菲律賓國家安全委員會(NSC)高級官員Jonathan Malaya 將8月5日的事件比作“以弱勝強”，他表示，中國在仁愛礁增加的出現,不會阻止菲律賓決心保護那地方的立場。

Malaya用當地的灘名字說道: “我們永遠不會放棄Ayungin 淺灘” ，他拒絕了中國要求馬尼拉將其軍艦從該環礁上撤走的呼籲。該島於1999年故意擱淺，以加強菲律賓的主權主張。

Malaya在與軍方、菲律賓海岸警衛隊和外交部舉行的聯合新聞發布會上表示： “只要需要，我們將繼續向擱淺的船隻補給部隊。”

“我們有權攜帶維持該駐守站所需的物品，並確保我們在那裡的部隊得到適當的補給。”

中國海警週一在一份聲明中表示，中國在獲悉近期的供應計劃後，已告知馬尼拉不要派遣船隻前往該淺灘，也不要向該軍艦運送 “用於大規模維修和加固的建築材料”。

中國外交部表示，菲律賓此舉侵犯了中國主權，違反了《南海各方行為宣言》，並稱攔截該船是“依法做出來的”。

中國詳細介紹了美國國務院就此問題發表的聲明，稱該聲明攻擊了中國正當的海洋維權和執法行動，並支持菲律賓的 “非法挑釁行為，中方對此堅決反對”。

中國聲稱對幾乎整個南海擁有主權，但這一主張遭到了國際社會的拒絕，而馬來西亞、越南、文萊、台灣和菲律賓則對某些地區提出了不同的主權主張。

中國海警週六使用高壓水槍並不是第一次，2021 年 11 月，中國海警還向馬尼拉一艘船隻噴水，因為它向一艘生鏽軍艦上的少數部隊提供食物和水。

菲外交部發言人表示，中國的最新行動被菲律賓軍方形容為“過度”，破壞了馬尼拉和北京之間加強信任的努力，並突顯了“迫切需要”制定行為準則。

在菲律賓總統小馬可斯的領導下，菲律賓和中國之間的關係變得緊張，馬尼拉轉向傳統的美國，美國表達了對馬尼拉的支持，並指責中國“威脅地區和平與穩定”。

小馬可斯表示，他的國家已將其投訴轉達給中國駐馬尼拉大使，外交部已召見了他。

8月5日的淺灘事件中沒有人員受傷，但兩艘運送物資的菲律賓船隻中的一艘未能完成任務。

So, the Philippines tells China it will not abandon a disputed shoal in the South China Sea. Ties between the Philippines and China have grown tense. China claims sovereignty over almost the entire South China Sea, and this claim forces Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to turn back to its traditional ally, the United States.

美國和歐洲對中國湧入傳統芯片領域日益感到震驚 (2/2)

Recently Yahoo News on-line reported the following:

US, Europe Growing Alarmed by China’s Rush into Legacy Chips (2/2)

Jenny Leonard, Ian King and Alberto Nardelli

Tue, August 1, 2023 at 2:36 a.m. PDT

(continue)

“The United States and its partners should be on guard to mitigate nonmarket behavior by China’s emerging semiconductor firms,” researchers Robert Daly and Matthew Turpin wrote in a recent essay for the Hoover Institution think tank at Stanford University. “Over time, it could create new US or partner dependencies on China-based supply chains that do not exist today, impinging on US strategic autonomy.”

The importance of legacy chips was highlighted by supply shocks that roiled companies at the height of the Covid pandemic, including Apple Inc. and carmakers. Chip shortages cost businesses hundreds of billions of dollars in lost sales. Simple components, such as power management circuits, are essential for products like smartphones and electric vehicles, as well as military gear like missiles and radar.

The US and Europe are trying to build up their own domestic chip production to decrease reliance on Asia. Governments have set aside public money to support local factories, including the Biden administration’s $52 billion for the CHIPS and Science Act.

But domestic producers may be reluctant to invest in facilities that will have to compete with heavily subsidized Chinese plants. The Biden administration and its allies are gauging the willingness of Western companies to invest in such projects before they decide what action to take.

While the US rules introduced last October slowed down China’s development of advanced chipmaking capabilities, they left largely untouched the country’s ability to use techniques older than 14-nanometers. That has led Chinese firms to construct new plants faster than anywhere else in the world. They are forecast to build 26 fabs through 2026 that use 200-millimeter and 300-mm wafers, according to the trade group SEMI. That compares with 16 fabs for the Americas.

Heavy investments have allowed Chinese companies to keep supplying the West, despite rising tensions between Washington and Beijing. China’s chipmaking champion, Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp., got about 20% of last year’s sales from US-based clients, including Qualcomm Inc., despite being blacklisted by the American government.

“When you think about electrification of mobility, think about the energy transition, the IoT in the industrial space, the roll-out of the telecommunication infrastructure, battery technology, that’s all — that’s the sweet spot of mid-critical and mature semiconductor,” Peter Wennink, chief executive officer of Dutch chipmaking equipment supplier ASML Holding NV, told analysts in mid-July. “And that’s where China without any exception is leading.”

--With assistance from Jillian Deutsch, Gao Yuan, Jane Pong, Katharina Rosskopf and Peter Elstrom.

(Updates with EU’s comment from the fifth paragraph)

Translation

（繼續）

研究人員Robert Daly 和Matthew Turpin 最近在斯坦福大學胡佛研究所智囊團的一篇文章中寫道： “美國及其合作夥伴應該保持警惕，以減輕中國新興半導體公司的非市場行為” 。 “隨著時間的推移，這可能會導致美國或合作夥伴對中國供應鏈產生新的依賴而衝擊美國的戰略自主性。而這種依賴目前並不存在” 。

在新冠疫情最嚴重的時期，供應衝擊令包括蘋果公司和汽車製造商在內的公司陷入困境，這突顯了傳統芯片的重要性。 芯片短缺給企業造成了數千億美元的銷售損失。 一些簡單組件例如電源管理電路, 對於智能手機和電動汽車等產品以及對導彈和雷達等軍事裝備至關重要。

美國和歐洲正試圖建立自己的國內芯片生產，以減少對亞洲的依賴。 各國政府已撥出公共資金支持當地工廠，其中包括拜登政府為 CHIPS案撥款 520 億美元和定立科學法。

但國內生產商可能不願意投資那些必須與接受大量補貼的中國工廠競爭的設施。 拜登政府及其盟友正在衡量西方公司投資此類項目的意願，然後再決定採取什麼行動。

儘管美國去年 10 月出台的規定減緩了中國先進芯片製造能力的發展，但基本上沒有影響該國使用 14 納米以上技術的能力。 這使得中國企業比世界其他任何地方都更快地建造新工廠。 據貿易組織 SEMI 稱，預計到 2026 年，他們將建造 26 座使用 200 毫米和 300 毫米晶圓的晶圓廠。 相比之下，美洲有 16 家晶圓廠。

儘管華盛頓和北京之間的緊張關係不斷加劇，但大量投資使得中國企業能夠繼續向西方供應產品。 儘管被美國政府列入黑名單，中國芯片製造冠軍中芯國際去年約20%的銷售額來自包括高通公司在內的美國客戶。

荷蘭芯片製造設備供應商ASML Holding NV 首席執行官Peter Wennink 於7 月中旬對分析師表示: “當你想到用電力產生移動能力時，請想想能源轉型、工業領域的物聯網、電信基礎設施的推出、電池技術，就是這些 - 這就是中臨界和成熟的半導體的最佳點”。 “這就是中國毫無例外地處於領先地位的地方。”

 So, US and European officials are concerned about China’s accelerated push into the production of older-generation semiconductors that are still essential throughout the global economy, these semiconductors are critical components for everything from smartphones and electric vehicles to military hardware. They worry Chinese companies could dump their legacy chips on global markets, driving foreign rivals out of business like in the solar industry. Let us wait and see how western countries will respond to this.

美國和歐洲對中國湧入傳統芯片領域日益感到震驚 (1/2)

Recently Yahoo News on-line reported the following:

US, Europe Growing Alarmed by China’s Rush into Legacy Chips (1/2)

Jenny Leonard, Ian King and Alberto Nardelli

Tue, August 1, 2023 at 2:36 a.m. PDT

(Bloomberg) -- US and European officials are growing increasingly concerned about China’s accelerated push into the production of older-generation semiconductors and are debating new strategies to contain the country’s expansion.

President Joe Biden implemented broad controls over China’s ability to secure the kind of advanced chips that power artificial-intelligence models and military applications. But Beijing responded by pouring billions into factories for the so-called legacy chips that haven’t been banned. Such chips are still essential throughout the global economy, critical components for everything from smartphones and electric vehicles to military hardware.

That’s sparked fresh fears about China’s potential influence and triggered talks of further reining in the Asian nation, according to people familiar with the matter, who asked not to be identified because the deliberations are private. The US is determined to prevent chips from becoming a point of leverage for China, the people said.

Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo alluded to the problem during a panel discussion last week at the American Enterprise Institute. “The amount of money that China is pouring into subsidizing what will be an excess capacity of mature chips and legacy chips — that’s a problem that we need to be thinking about and working with our allies to get ahead of,” she said.

While there’s no timeline for action to be taken and information is still being gathered, all options are on the table, according to a senior Biden administration official. A US National Security Council spokeswoman declined to comment, while a European Commission spokesperson said the agency will take necessary measures to preserve its interests and was working to reduce the region’s dependence on foreign firms for both mature and advanced chips.

The most advanced semiconductors are those produced using the thinnest etching technology, with 3-nanometers state of the art today. Legacy chips are typically considered those made with 28-nm equipment or above, technology introduced more than a decade ago.

Senior EU and US officials are concerned about Beijing’s drive to dominate this market for both economic and security reasons, the people said. They worry Chinese companies could dump their legacy chips on global markets in the future, driving foreign rivals out of business like in the solar industry, they said.

Western companies may then become dependent on China for these semiconductors, the people said. Buying such critical tech components from China may create national security risks, especially if the silicon is needed in defense equipment.

(to be continued)

Translation

（彭博社）- 美國和歐洲官員越來越擔心中國加速推進老一代半導體的生產，並正在討論遏制該國擴張的新戰略。

拜登總統對中國獲取為人工智能模型和軍事應用提供動力的先進芯片的能力實施了廣泛的控制。 但北京方面的回應是向工廠投入數十億美元，生產尚未被禁止的所謂傳統芯片。 此類芯片在整個全球經濟中仍然至關重要，是從智能手機、電動汽車到軍事硬件等各種產品的關鍵組件。

據知情但因私穩要求匿名人士透露，這引發了人們對中國潛在影響力的新擔憂，並引發了進一步控制這個亞洲國家的討論。 知情人士稱，美國決心阻止芯片成為中國的籌碼。

商務部長Gina Raimondo上週在美國企業研究所的一次小組討論中提到了這個問題。 她表示： “中國投入大量資金, 去補貼成熟芯片和傳統芯片的過剩產能，這是我們需要思考並與盟友合作解決的一個問題。”

拜登政府一位高級官員表示，雖然沒有採取行動的時間表，並且仍在收集信息，但所有選擇都已擺在桌面上。 美國國家安全委員會發言人拒絕置評，而歐盟委員會發言人則表示，該機構將採取必要措施維護其利益，並正在努力減少其地區對外國公司在成熟和先進芯片方面的依賴。

最先進的半導體是採用當今最先進的 3 納米蝕刻技術生產的半導體。 傳統芯片通常被認為是採用 28 納米或以上設備製造的芯片，該技術是十多年前推出的。

這些人士表示，高級歐盟和美國官員對北京出於經濟和安全原因主導這一市場的行為感到擔憂。 他們表示擔心中國公司未來可能會將其傳統芯片傾銷到全球市場，從而將外國競爭對手趕出市場，就像太陽能行業一樣。

這些人士表示，西方公司可能會在這些半導體方面變得依賴中國。 從中國購買此類關鍵技術部件可能會帶來國家安全風險，特別是如果在國防設備上需要矽。

（待續）

Awakening from a sleep of 40,000 years – Nematodes in Siberian permafrost begin to move again

Recently NHK News on-line reported the following:

4万年の眠りから覚醒 シベリア永久凍土の線虫 再び動き出す

2023年7月28日 10時05分

ロシアのシベリアにある永久凍土から掘り出された細長い生物、線虫の一種が、凍った状態からとけたところ再び動き出し、研究チームは休眠状態となる生物としては最長の、4万年以上の間、休眠した状態で生き延びたのではないかと分析しています。

この研究はロシアやドイツなどの研究チームが27日、アメリカのオンライン科学雑誌「プロス・ジェネティックス」に発表しました。

研究チームはシベリアの永久凍土から掘り出した細長い生物、線虫の一種を凍った状態からとかして観察したところ、再び動き出しました。

詳しく調べたところ、この生物はおよそ4万6000年もの間、「クリプトビオシス」と呼ばれる休眠状態だったとみられることがわかったということです。

低温や乾燥といった厳しい環境になると同じように長期間にわたり休眠する生物としてはクマムシなどが知られていますが、研究チームは、こうした生物の中で最も長い期間、生き延びたのではないかと分析しています。

研究チームによりますと、動き出した線虫の一種は繁殖を繰り返し、数千匹に増えたということで、DNAの解析から新種だということも判明しました。

研究チームは「こうした研究は生物がどのようにして厳しい環境に適応してきたかを解明するのに役立つ可能性がある」としています。

Translation

A type of nematode, an elongated creature unearthed from the permafrost of Siberia in Russia, thawed out of its frozen state, and then started moving again. A research team had analyzed that it might have survived in a dormant state for more than 40,000 years, the longest period for a dormant organism.

This research was published on the 27th by a research team from Russia and Germany in the American online science magazine Pros Genetics.

When the research team observed a kind of nematode, an elongated creature excavated from the permafrost of Siberia from a frozen state, it began to move again.

Upon closer examination, it was found that the creature appeared to have been in a dormant state called 'cryptobiosis' for about 46,000 years.

While Water bears and others were known to be dormant for a long period of time in harsh environments such as low temperatures and dryness, but the research team analyzed that this one might have survived for the longest period among these organisms.

According to the research team, one type of nematode that started to move had repeated breeding and increased to several thousand, from DNA analysis it was also found to be was a new species.

The research team said, ``Such research may help clarify how organisms have adapted to harsh environments.''

So, a type of nematode unearthed from the permafrost of Siberia in Russia could start moving again and even repeat breeding. The research may help clarify how organisms have adapted to harsh environments. It is an interesting scientific finding.

中國年輕人選擇擺脫國內的激烈競爭和壓力，追求全球游牧生活方式 (2/2)

Recently Yahoo News on-line reported the following:

Young Chinese opt out of the rat race and pressures at home to pursue global nomad lifestyle (2/2)

Fri, July 28, 2023 at 2:14 a.m. PDT

(continue)

Armonio Liang left the western Chinese city of Chengdu in landlocked Sichuan province for the Indonesian island of Bali, a popular digital nomad destination. His Web3 social media startup was limited by Chinese government restrictions while his use of cryptocurrency exchange apps drew police harassment.

Moving to Bali gave the 38-year-old greater freedom and a middle-class lifestyle with what might be barely enough money to live on back home.

“This is what I cannot get in China,” said Liang, referring to working on his laptop on the beach and brainstorming with expatriates from around the world. “Thousands of ideas just sprouted up in my mind. I had never been so creative before.”

He also has enjoyed being greeted with smiles.

“In Chengdu, everyone is so stressed. If I smiled at a stranger, they would think I am an idiot,” he said.

Life overseas is not all beach chats and friendly neighbors, though. For most young workers, such stays will be interludes in their lives, Thompson said.

“They can’t have kids, because kids have to go to school,” Thompson said. “They cannot fulfill their responsibilities to their parents. What if their aging parents need help? They eventually will get a full-time job back home and get called back home because of one of those things.”

Zhang said she faces pressure to get married. Liang wants his parents to move to Bali with him.

“It’s a big problem,” Liang said. “They worry they will be lonely after moving out of China and worry about medical resources here.”

Huang Wanxiong, 32, was stranded on Bohol Island in the Philippines for seven months in 2020 when air travel halted during the pandemic, and he spent his time learning free diving, which involves diving to great depths without oxygen tanks.

He eventually flew home to the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou, but lost his job at a private tutoring company after the government cracked down on the industry in 2021. His next gig was driving more than 16 hours a day for a ride-hailing business.

“I felt like a machine during those days,” Huang said. “I can accept a stable and unchanging life but I cannot accept not having any hope, not trying to improve the situation and surrendering to fate.”

Huang returned to the Philippines in February, escaping family pressures to get a better job and find a girlfriend in China. He renewed his Bohol Island friendships and qualified as a dive instructor.

But without Chinese tourists to teach and no income, he flew home again in June.

He still hopes to make a living as a diver, possibly back in Southeast Asia, though he also may agree to his parents' proposal to emigrate to Peru to work in a family-run supermarket.

Huang recalled he once surfaced too quickly from a 40-meter (131-foot) dive and his hands trembled from a dangerous lack of oxygen, known as hypoxia. The lesson he took was to avoid rushing and maintain a steady climb. Until his next move, he plans to use that free diver discipline to counter the anxieties of living in China.

“I will apply the calm I learned from the sea surrounding that island to my real life,” Huang said. “I will maintain my own pace.”

(Yucheng Tang, The Associated Press)

Translation

（繼續）

Armonio Liang 離開中國西部內陸城市四川省成都，前往印度尼西亞巴厘島，這是一個受歡迎的數字游牧目的地點。 他的 Web3 社交媒體初創公司受到中國政府的限制，而他使用的加密貨幣交易應用程序則招致了警方的騷擾。

搬到巴厘島給這位 38 歲的他帶來了更大的自由和中產階級的生活方式，而他的錢在家鄉只可能勉強維持生活。

Liang 說: “這是我在中國得不到的” ，他指的是在海灘上用筆記本電腦工作並與來自世界各地的外籍人士進行頭腦風暴。 “成千上萬的想法在我的腦海中湧現。 我以前從未如此有創造力。”

他也很享受到微笑的歡迎。

他說: “在成都，每個人的壓力都很大。 如果我對陌生人微笑，他們會認為我是個白痴” 。

不過，海外生活並不全是海灘聊天和友好的鄰居。 Thompson說，對於大多數年輕工人來說，這樣的停留將是他們生活中的插曲。

Thompson說: “他們不能生孩子，因為孩子必須上學” 。 “他們無法履行對父母的責任。 如果年邁的父母需要幫助怎麼辦？ 他們最終會在國家裡找到一份全職工作，並因為其中一件事情而被叫回家。”

Zhang說她面臨著結婚的壓力。 Liang希望他的父母和他一起搬到巴厘島。

Liang說: “這是一個大問題” 。 “他們擔心離開中國後會感到孤獨，擔心這裡的醫療資源。”

2020年，由於航空旅行在病毒大流行期間停止，32歲的Huang Wanxiong在菲律賓Bohol Island滯留了七個月，他把時間花在學習自由潛水上，即在沒有氧氣瓶的情況下潛水到很深的地方。

他最終飛回了中國南方城市廣州的家，但在2021 年政府打擊家私人補習公司行業後，他失去工作。他的下一份工作是每天駕駛超過16 小時的網約車業務。

Huang說: “那些日子我感覺自己就像一台機器” 。 “我可以接受穩定不變的生活，但我不能接受沒有任何希望，不能接受不努力地改善現狀，向命運投降。”

Huang 於二月回到菲律賓，逃離了家庭要求在中國找到更好的工作並找到女朋友壓力。 他與Bohol Island 恢復了情誼，並獲得了潛水教練資格。

但由於沒有中國遊客上課，也沒有收入，他於6月再次飛回國。

他仍然希望以潛水員的身份謀生，可能會回到東南亞，儘管他也可能會同意父母的提議，移民到秘魯，在一家家庭經營的超市工作。

Huang回憶說，有一次他從 40 米（131 英尺）的潛水中浮出水面，速度太快，雙手因嚴重缺氧（稱為低酸素症）而顫抖。 他吸取的教訓是避免匆忙並保持穩定的爬升。 在下一步行動之前，他計劃利用自由潛水員的紀律來應對在中國生活的焦慮。

Huang說： “我將會從島嶼周圍的海洋中學到的平靜運用到我的現實生活中。” “我會保持自己的節奏。”

              So, there is a growing number of young Chinese moving overseas to escape the country’s ultra-competitive work culture, family pressures and limited opportunities after the strict pandemic policies are over. Southeast Asia has become a popular destination given its proximity, relatively inexpensive cost of living and tropical scenery. I am wondering how this change in living style among youth people may impact on the society as a whole.

中國年輕人選擇擺脫國內的激烈競爭和壓力，追求全球游牧生活方式 (1/2)

Recently Yahoo News on-line reported the following:

Young Chinese opt out of the rat race and pressures at home to pursue global nomad lifestyle (1/2)

Fri, July 28, 2023 at 2:14 a.m. PDT

BANGKOK (AP) — Shortly after China opened its borders with the end of “zero-COVID,” Zhang Chuannan lost her job as an accountant at a cosmetic firm in Shanghai and decided to explore the world.

“The cosmetics business was bleak,” said Zhang, 34, who explained everyone wore face masks during the pandemic. After being laid off, she paid $1,400 for an online Thai course, got an education visa and moved to the scenic northern Thai city of Chiang Mai.

Zhang is among a growing number of young Chinese moving overseas not necessarily because of ideological reasons but to escape the country’s ultra-competitive work culture, family pressures and limited opportunities after living in the country under the strict pandemic policies for three years. Southeast Asia has become a popular destination given its proximity, relatively inexpensive cost of living and tropical scenery.

There is no exact data on the number of young Chinese moving overseas since the country ended pandemic restrictions and reopened its borders. But on the popular Chinese social media platform Xiaohongshu, hundreds of people have discussed their decisions to relocate to Thailand. Many get a visa to study Thai while figuring out their next steps.

At Payap University in Chiang Mai, around 500 Chinese began an online Thai course early this year.

Royce Heng, owner of Duke Language School, a private language institute in Bangkok, said around 180 Chinese inquire each month about visa information and courses.

The hunt for opportunities far from home is partly motivated by China's unemployment rate for people ages 16 to 24, which rose to a record high of 21.3% in June. The scarcity of good jobs increases pressure to work long hours.

Opting out is an increasingly popular way for younger workers to cope with a time of downward mobility, said Beverly Yuen Thompson, a sociology professor at Siena College in Albany, New York.

 “In their 20s and early 30s, they can go to Thailand, take selfies and work on the beach for a few years and feel like they have a great quality of life,” Thomson said. “If those nomads had the same opportunities they hoped for in their home countries, they could just travel on vacation.”

During the pandemic in China, Zhang was cooped up in her Shanghai apartment for weeks at a time. Even when lockdowns were lifted, she feared another COVID-19 outbreak would prevent her from moving around within the country.

“I now value freedom more,” Zhang said.

A generous severance package helped finance her time in Thailand and she is seeking ways to stay abroad long-term, perhaps by teaching Chinese language online.

Moving to Chiang Mai means waking up in the mornings to bird songs and a more relaxed pace of life. Unlike in China, she has time to practice yoga and meditation, shop for vintage clothes and attend dance classes.

(to be continued)

Translation

曼谷（美聯社）- 隨著 “零新冠” 結束，中國開放邊境後不久，Zhang Chuannan 失去了上海一家化妝品公司會計的工作，決定探索世界。

34 歲的Zhang說： “化妝品生意很慘淡。” 他解釋說，疫情期間每個人都戴著口罩。 離職後，她花了1,400美元參加了在線泰語課程，獲得了教育簽證，搬到了風景秀麗的泰國北部城市清邁。

Zhang是在有越來越多的中國年輕人移居海外中的其中一人，這不一定是因為意識形態原因，而是為了逃避, 在中國競爭激烈的工作文化、家庭壓力, 和嚴格的疫情政策下生活了三年後縮小了的機會。 東南亞因其地理位置優越、生活成本相對低廉和熱帶風光而成為熱門目的地。

自中國結束疫情限制並重新開放邊境以來，並沒有關於移居海外的中國年輕人數量的確切數據。 但在中國流行的社交媒體平台小紅書上，數百人討論了他們移居泰國的決定。 許多人獲得了學習泰語的簽證，同時制定了下一步計劃。

今年年初，在清邁帕亞普大學，大約 500 名中國人開始了在線泰語課程。

曼谷私立語言學院杜克語言學校的老闆 Royce Heng 表示，每月約有 180 名中國人詢問簽證信息和課程。

遠離家鄉尋找機會的部分原因是中國16至24歲人群的失業率在6月份升至歷史新高21.3%。 好工作的稀缺增加了長時間工作的壓力。

紐約奧爾巴尼錫耶納學院社會學教授 Beverly Yuen Thompson 表示，對於年輕員工來說，選擇退出是一種越來越流行的應對向下流動時期的方式。

Thomson說: “在 20 多歲和 30 歲出頭的時候，他們可以去泰國，玩自拍，在海灘上工作幾年，感覺自己的生活質量很高” 。 “如果這些游牧民族在自己的祖國有他們希望的同樣的機會，他們就可以纯去度假。”

在中國疫情期間，Zhang曾一度被困在上海的公寓里數週。 即使解除封鎖，她仍擔心再次爆發新冠肺炎 (COVID-19) 疫情會阻止她在國內四處走動。

Zhang說: “我現在更看重自由” 。

一份慷慨的遣散費在財政上幫助支撐她在泰國的日子，她正在尋找長期留在國外的方法，也許是通過在線教授中文。

搬到清邁意味著早晨在鳥鳴聲中醒來，享受更輕鬆的生活節奏。 與在中國不同，她有時間練習瑜伽和冥想、購買復古衣服並參加舞蹈課程。

（待續）