Daily fresh information for you! Happy reading ABC Chinese “Headline” from Monday to Friday! Today is Monday, March 6th.
Today’s news feed:
Nearly 20,000 excess deaths in Australia last year, the main driver of the new crown
According to statistics from the Actuaries Institute of Australia, the number of excess deaths in 2022 will be nearly 20,000, and the total number of deaths will be 192,000.
Of the 20,000 excess deaths, more than half were due to COVID-19 (10,300 cases), another 2,900 died of COVID-19 as a cause, and the remaining 6,600 had no mention of COVID-19 on their death certificates.
Most of the excess deaths were over the age of 65. Geographically, most states and territories had broadly similar levels of excess mortality, but Western Australia experienced a delayed increase in excess mortality due to delayed border openings.
Excess deaths are the difference between the total number of deaths in a crisis (including COVID-19) and the expected number of deaths under normal circumstances. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends using the excess mortality rate to estimate the number of people who died from the new crown.
The data shows that the excess mortality rate in 2021 will reach 2%, and there will be 3,000 excess deaths, of which about 1,400 will die directly from the new crown, and 1,600 will die from diseases related to the new crown.
By 2022, the excess mortality rate jumps to 12%. Deaths peaked in late July, then trended downward, before rebounding again in November and December.
The number of excess deaths in 2022 will be the highest in a single year during the three-year pandemic.
Karen Cutter of the Australian Institute of Actuaries’ COVID-19 Mortality Working Group said the figures were “very high” and above normal levels of volatility in non-pandemic times. She doesn’t think Australia has seen so many excess deaths since World War II.
More than a dozen Australian government departments and agencies have implemented a TikTok ban
While the Australian Home Affairs Minister opposes a blanket TikTok ban across all government departments, some government departments are making their own regulations in this regard.
A dozen departments and agencies — including the Department of Education, Treasury, the National Disability Insurance Agency and the Australian Electoral Commission — have banned TikTok entirely on their devices.
Other departments and agencies have told shadow cybersecurity secretary James Paterson they have partial bans in place.
The Department of Home Affairs, the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet and the Foreign Office have previously confirmed the ban was in place across departments.
So far, 11 other government departments and agencies have not imposed any restrictions on the use of TikTok, including Australia Post (Australia Post), the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) and the Commonwealth Science and Industry Organization (CSIRO). CSI has said it will soon ban the app.
The Treasury Department and the Department of Housing and Social Services have not confirmed whether they have banned the use of TikTok, while the attorney general’s office has said it will not use TikTok in government business and will limit use as needed.
Senator Paterson, who has quizzed departments over the past few months, said he had been calling on the government to develop a plan to guard against risks since TikTok acknowledged in July 2022 that Australian data could be accessed in China.
Prior to this, Senator Patterson also urged various government departments to remove more than 900 surveillance cameras made in China.
Senator Paterson said Australia’s close allies including the United States, Canada, Denmark and the European Union have banned TikTok from government equipment.
The Australian federal government has been considering banning TikTok since 2020, when then-Prime Minister Morrison said there was not enough evidence to warrant a ban.
Senator Patterson pointed to reports in December 2022 that employees of Bytedance, the parent company of TikTok, had accessed the data of journalists who wrote stories critical of the company.
Last week, Australian Treasurer Jim Chalmers (Jim Chalmers) said that Australia has not received relevant recommendations from security agencies to follow the example of the United States, European Union and Canada in banning the use of TikTok in government equipment.
“We will take the advice of our national security agencies. There has been no such advice to date,” Chalmers said.
In December, the U.S. Congress voted to ban federal employees from using TikTok on government-owned devices. In fact, many U.S. government agencies, including the White House, Department of Defense, Department of Homeland Security, and State Department, have previously banned the use of TikTok on their own devices.
Canada, the European Union and Taiwan have all banned the use of TikTok in government devices, citing concerns that Beijing could obtain user data collected by TikTok under its laws.
ByteDance said the concerns were fueled by misinformation and denied using the app to spy on users.
Chinese government sets 5% economic growth target, defense budget rises 7.2%
The first session of the 14th National People’s Congress of China opened yesterday (March 5) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. Premier Li Keqiang released the last government work report during his tenure. The report pointed out that the main expected goal of China’s economic development this year is to increase the gross domestic product (GDP) by about 5%.
The report also mentioned:
- It is expected that China’s consumer price increase will be set at around 3% this year.
- Achieve the goal of creating new urban jobs for around 12 million people
- The stability and quality of imports and exports were promoted, and the balance of payments was basically balanced
- This year’s budget deficit rate increased to 3%, and the deficit amounted to 3.88 trillion yuan
- This year’s defense spending budget increased by 7.2 percent to 1.55 trillion yuan, the highest in four years. In the past three years (2020-2022), China’s defense budget has increased by 6.6%, 6.8% and 7.1% respectively. Between 2017 and 2019, China’s defense budget increased by 7%, 8.1% and 7.5% respectively. In 2016, the national defense budget increased by 7.6%, ending the double-digit growth in the past five years. From 2011 to 2015, China’s national defense budget increased by 12.7%, 11.2%, 10.7%, 12.2%, and 10.1%.
year | Growth in China’s defense spending |
|---|---|
2023 | 7.2% |
2022 | 7.1% |
2021 | 6.8% |
2020 | 6.6% |
2019 | 7.5% |
2018 | 8.1% |
2017 | 7% |
2016 | 7.6% |
2015 | 10.1% |
Year 2014 | 12.2% |
year 2013 | 10.7% |
2012 | 11.2% |
year 2011 | 12.7% |
The government work report also states that:
- Fully implement food security, and unremittingly keep the jobs of more than 1.4 billion Chinese people firmly in their own hands
- Promote the transformation and upgrading of traditional industries, cultivate and strengthen strategic emerging industries, focus on strengthening weak links in the industrial chain, and highlight the dominant position of enterprises in technological innovation
- Effectively prevent and resolve major economic and financial risks, effectively prevent and resolve the risks of high-quality leading real estate companies, improve the status of assets and liabilities, prevent disorderly expansion, and promote the stable development of the real estate industry
- Reduce the cost of childbearing, childcare and education, and will proactively address aging populations and declining fertility rates
After analyzing the government work report published by Li Keqiang, ABC Chinese found that the report mentioned:
- “Development” 134 times
- “Economy” 71 times
- “Stable” 33 times
- “Employment” 28 times
- “People’s Livelihood” 22 times
- “Epidemic” 20 times
- “Technology” 19 times
News background: China’s 14th National People’s Congress
- The nature of the National People’s Congress: China’s legislature
- Date: March 5th – March 13th
- Participants: Nearly 3,000 deputies to the National People’s Congress
- Agenda of the meeting: the government work report will be considered; andMarch 10Elect the President of China, the Director of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, the Chairman, Vice-Chairman and Secretary-General of the Standing Committee of the 14th National People’s Congress, and the Vice-President of China;March 11Appoint a new Premier of the State Council, Vice Chairman and members of the Central Military Commission; elect the Chairman of the National Supervisory Commission, the President of the Supreme People’s Court, the Chief Prosecutor of the Supreme People’s Procuratorate and ordinary members of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress;March 12thAppointment of the State Council, Vice Premiers, Ministers and Committee Directors of the State Council, Governor of the People’s Bank of China, Auditor General and Secretary General of the State Council
Li Keqiang: China should pursue “peaceful reunification” to resolve Taiwan issue
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang stated that the Chinese government should promote the peaceful development of relations with Taiwan and promote China’s “peaceful reunification” process, but it must also take firm measures to firmly oppose “independence” and promote reunification.
Li Keqiang pointed out in his government work report to about 3,000 delegates at the National People’s Congress that we must adhere to the Party’s overall strategy for resolving the Taiwan issue in the new era, and adhere to the one-China principle and the “1992 Consensus.”
“We should promote the peaceful development of cross-strait relations and advance China’s peaceful reunification process.”
China says Taiwan, now a democracy, is its territory, and Beijing has also increased military activity near the island over the past three years to protest what Beijing says is “mutual collusion” between Taipei and Washington, Taiwan’s main international Supporters and arms suppliers.
Last August, China conducted military exercises around Taiwan in response to a visit to Taipei by then-U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
Taiwan says China should respect commitment to democracy
In response to Li Keqiang’s speech, the Taiwan government said China should respect the Taiwanese people’s commitment to core concepts such as sovereignty, democracy and freedom.
In a statement, Taiwan’s China policy-making body, the Mainland Affairs Council, called on the Beijing authorities to face up to the fact that “the two sides of the strait are not affiliated to each other” and to handle cross-strait affairs pragmatically with a rational, equal, and mutual respect attitude.
The Mainland Affairs Council of Taiwan believes that the Beijing authorities should adopt a more open attitude, devote resources to improving people’s livelihood and well-being rights, promote democratic reforms and checks and balances, respect the power of civil society, and assume the responsibility for maintaining regional peace. This will help prevent decision-making and governance risks and respond to complex situations.
Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen has repeatedly offered to hold talks with China but has been rejected because Beijing considers her a Taiwan independence separatist.
Taiwan’s government strongly rejects Beijing’s claims of sovereignty and says only the island’s 23 million people can determine their future.
Li Keqiang Talks about Hong Kong and Macau Issues
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang also mentioned in the government work report that new progress has been made in the work of Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan in the past five years, such as the effective implementation of comprehensive governance rights over the SAR, the formulation and implementation of the “Hong Kong National Security Law”, the implementation of the principle of patriots governing Hong Kong, and the promotion of Hong Kong’s entry into Hong Kong. From chaos to governance, to the stage of governance and innovation.
Li Keqiang suggested that the government should unswervingly implement the principles of “one country, two systems”, “Hong Kong people governing Hong Kong”, “Macao people governing Macao” and a high degree of autonomy this year, and safeguard the constitutional order of the Special Administrative Region as determined by the Constitution and the Basic Law.
Australian military aircraft patrolling South China Sea encounter increasingly ‘aggressive’ behavior by PLA
The Australian Air Force said tensions were escalating in the strategically important waterway in the South China Sea, with PLA aircraft showing a trend toward more dangerous behaviour.
The Air Force provides psychological counseling and counseling to Australian pilots after encounters with Chinese military aircraft during patrols in the South China Sea.
RAAF Commander Air Marshal Rob Chipman said: “There’s been a trend lately where we’ve seen a more aggressive stance and when that happens we go through Diplomatic channels to raise these issues, to express these concerns.”
Lieutenant General Chipman said he had no communication with the PLA Air Force chief, but had regular conversations with allies who, like Australia, have encountered Chinese forces in disputed waters claimed by Beijing.
In May last year, a Royal Australian Air Force P-8 spy plane was dangerously intercepted by a Chinese military plane, which released aluminum foil that was ingested by the P-8 spy plane’s engine.
Senior sources in the Australian Defense Department pointed out that the incident, which was strongly condemned by the then-incumbent Albanese government, may have been the result of miscalculations by Chinese J-16 fighter pilots.
RAF air traffic controller Major General Darren Goldie said the flight and crew were briefed after their missions in the South China Sea.
“The mental health of our pilots and our people … when they’re intercepted or they get jammed on the radio, things like that … when they come back, and we talk to them about that, it’s important,” he said.
Major-General Goldie said that Australian pilots would do a lot of preparations before carrying out patrol missions in the South China Sea.
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) also learned that Australian military aircraft usually notify the Chinese military before performing missions in the South China Sea.
Australia’s gold output reached 313 tons last year, and the output in the past 40 years has exceeded 9,500 tons
Melbourne-based gold analysis agency Surbiton Associates (Surbiton Associates) has released its analysis report on Australia’s gold production in 2022, with a total of 313 tons and a total value of about 26 billion Australian dollars.
313 tons is equivalent to about 10 million ounces. This is down slightly from 315 tonnes in 2021 and a record 327 tonnes in 2020.
The Boddington mine in Western Australia was Australia’s most productive gold mine last year with a total output of 798,000 ounces.
The Australian gold industry produced 78 tonnes in the fourth quarter of last year, up slightly from 76 tonnes in the third quarter.
Sandra Close, managing director of Surbiton Associates, published a book last year chronicling the past 40 years of Australia’s gold industry. She said the industry’s output had risen dramatically from less than 20 tonnes in 1982.
Dr Cross said Australia had produced about 9,500 tonnes of gold over the past 40 years.
Once the acquisition plan is approved by foreign mining companies, it will control more than half of Australia’s gold industry
Meanwhile, on February 6, US mining giant Newmont Corporation launched an acquisition of Newcrest Mining, Australia’s largest gold producer, with a total value of 24.4 billion Australian dollars.
In a statement to the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) on February 16, Newcrest’s board rejected the offer, saying the acquisition was “not valued enough”.
Foreign ownership of Australia’s gold industry could increase to more than 50 per cent if the A$24.4 billion takeover bid for Newcrest Mining is successful, a mining analyst said.
Newcrest was founded in 1966 as a subsidiary of Newmont Mining Corporation in Australia and was originally known as Newmont Australia.
After the company merged with BHP Gold in 1990, it changed its name to Newcrest Mining.
Australian Asian migrants drive badminton popularity
Among the many sports, badminton is one of Australia’s uncompetitive sports. However, badminton has grown in popularity across Australia over the past two years.
Figures show that the number of badminton players will increase from 226,000 in 2020 to 311,000 in 2022. The sport is extremely popular with Asian immigrants.
In Canberra’s north, badminton is booming.
According to census data, 13 percent of the Gungahlin district’s population was born in South Asia, almost double the figure in 2016.
Daniel Akkidasari has seen first-hand how the sport thrived due to the arrival of immigrants.
When he moved to Canberra from India eight years ago, finding somewhere to play badminton was one of his priorities.
He loved playing badminton since he was a child, and when he immigrated to Canberra, he hoped the sport would help people from different backgrounds really come together and create a sense of community.
A few years later, when he wanted to enroll his daughter in badminton, he was temporarily unable to join because the club was too crowded. This shows that the popularity of this sport has greatly increased.
“I had to wait anywhere from six months to almost a year.”
To help alleviate the demand for the game of badminton, Mr Akdasari decided to create a club himself for teenagers who wanted to play the sport.
Now, after a year of operation, he is also facing the same problem, that is, he is unable to recruit more new students.
Mr Akdasari said he started the club early last year with just three members and has now grown to more than 26 children, with many more signing up.
Mr. Akdasari said that his priority now is to do everything possible to create opportunities for children to realize their dreams.
Why do Western Australian black swans abandon their chicks every summer?
In Western Australia, wildlife crews rescued hundreds of stranded little black swans this summer.
At this time of year, as the wetlands in and around Busselton in and around Western Australia dry up, those cygnets who have not yet learned to fly are abandoned by their parents in the wild, facing neither food nor water. .
That’s when locals like Brad Fish come out to scoop up the birds. Many of the chicks then end up in volunteer backyards or in foster care at rehabilitation facilities run by Wildlife Needing Aid (FAWNA).
Ms Suzi Strapp, head of the agency, said if the birds were already flying, there would be no problem. They can fly to other places to get food and water.
Ms Strapp said the key was to look carefully at the size of the birds’ wings and determine whether they were adults or fledglings.
ABC Chinese “Headline” is still being updated, so stay tuned!
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