RUSSIA
Source: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation

Russia's priorities during China's BRICS presidency

On February 23-24, a meeting of BRICS sherpas and sous-sherpas took place in Nanjing, China, the first such meeting this year, in the course of which the proposals and vision that the Chinese presidency introduced into the group's 2017 agenda in the political, economic and humanitarian spheres, as well as related priorities, were considered. Russia was represented by Deputy Foreign Minister and BRICS Sherpa Sergey Ryabkov.

This meaningful and substantive exchange of views confirmed that the approaches proposed by the presidency lay a solid groundwork for furthering strategic partnership in the group of five member countries. They are fully in sync with the Russian line. We welcome and share our Chinese friends' commitment to strengthening the role of BRICS as a major factor in the formation of a new polycentric world order. We support the focus on the continuity of efforts and the institutionalisation and consolidation of cooperation mechanisms.

We believe it is important to continue working together to strengthen solidarity within the framework of BRICS so that the "group of five" can speak in a "single and strong voice" on topical issues of international politics and economics and so that this voice and our coordinated position can be heard in the world and at key international platforms: the UN, the G20, the WTO, the IMF, the World Bank and other multilateral organisations and forums. We are willing to work together along these lines.

We praise the Chinese presidency's proposals on deepening cooperation on the Middle East between the foreign ministries, on foreign policy planning, peacekeeping, the fight against corruption and cooperation between law enforcement agencies. Our priority is to counter the terrorist threat which has reached a global level and requires a collective response.

We share our BRICS partners' evaluations regarding the importance of stepping up cooperation in the financial and economic sphere. There is a sound, solid foundation here: the Strategy for BRICS Economic Partnership. We welcome Beijing's desire to give high priority to its implementation. We will work through concerted efforts to further strengthen financial cooperation mechanisms: the New Development Bank and the BRICS Contingent Reserve Arrangement.

We value China's proposals to expand BRICS humanitarian dimension, which are based on the solid foundation of the traditional cultural values of our five countries and are designed to enrich the cultural and civilisational diversity of today's world.

These are only some of the wide-ranging multilateral cooperation mechanisms that are based on the solid foundation of similar or identical approaches within BRICS toward what is, without exaggeration, a majority of topical issues on the international agenda. It is impossible to address all areas of cooperation during a briefing, due to time constraints, especially since many of them fall within the jurisdiction of other ministries and agencies. We will keep you up to date on Russia's efforts within this association.

Russia is ready for the closest possible cooperation with the Chinese presidency and other BRICS partners to ensure that the upcoming 9th BRICS summit in Xiamen in early September can become another meaningful step forward in consolidating five-nation strategic cooperation.

INDIA
Author: Saibal Dasgupta
Source: Times of India

BEIJING: China wants India and other BRICS countries to accept its idea of "cyber sovereignity" that would allow each country to govern the cyber space in the manner they want without facing interference from other countries. Beijing plans to move a proposal for cross-border agreement on the issue at the next BRICSsummit, which China will host, later this year.

"As BRICS host this year, China stands ready to work together with Russia and other BRICS partners", Long Zhou, Coordinator, Cyber affairs division of the Chinese Foreign Ministry, told journalist today after releasing a white paper on international cooperation in the cyber space. China is due to host BRICS summit later this year.

The idea of "cyber sovereignity" flies against calls for Internet freedom in China, which has banned international sites like Goggle, Facebook and Twitter besides scores of foreign media sites. It is encouraging Chinese versions of these sites like Baidu and Sina Weibo, to operate in China which has the world's highest Internet connectivity.

India may be reluctant to accept the Chinese model because much of the Indian IT industry is linked to western markets, where the Internet is largely free.

The agreement that China is pushing among members of BRICS and SCO (Shanghai Cooperation Agreement), smacks of a pact against what it regards as western hegemony over the Internet world.

China, Russia and Central Asian counties are members of SCO. India and Pakistan which have observer status, are expected to be made a fulfleged member of SCO soon.

China is trying to persuade world governments and international agencies including the United Nations to accept the principal of "cyber sovereignity" that allows each country to govern the Internet in the manner it wants to without interference from other governments. Long said Beijing was trying to extend the existing principal on land, air and sea soverignity, which is recognized by the UN, to the cyber world because the problems and situations are similar.

Chinese officials maintain that the internet is free in China, and only a small section of websites that "undermine" the country's national interests are banned. But officials did not explain how these international sites hurt China's national interests.

"The Chinese Internet is fully open," said Wang Jianchao, International Cooperation Department of the Cyberspace Administration of China. "As long as they comply with Chinese laws and regulations, refrain from undermining China's national interests and interests of Chinese consumers, all Internet companies are welcome in China."

The officials spoke at length about close cooperation between China and Russia, another Communist country, in pushing for the "cyber soverignity" principal at the UN and other international bodies.

Officials said that the "International Strategy of Cooperation on Cyberspace", which was released today, is China's first policy paper on its Internet strategy, which it said was "based on peace, sovereignty, shared governance and shared benefits."

The paper defined China's "strategic goals" as "safeguarding of China's sovereignty, security and development interests in cyberspace; the secure and orderly flow of information on the Internet; improved global connectivity; and maintaining of peace, security and stability in cyberspace."

Long was asked about allegations of Russian interference in the US election, "Especially in recent years, the number of cyber security events throughout the world increasing, posing challenges to all countries' efforts to maintain political, economic stability and protecting all citizens' rights and interests," he said.

"Cyber attacks, cyber espionage, surveillance have become major realistic issues confronting all countries," he said. "Countries in the whole world have increasing concerns in this regard. Cyberspace should not be a space of no laws. At the same time, the international community is also discussing about whether we should produce new international legal instruments to deal with the security situation in cyberspace. For example, how we can crack down on cyber terror or cross-boundary cyber crimes."

China's "plan of action includes promoting the building of rule-based order in cyberspace, expanding partnership with other countries, boosting institutional reform in Internet governance, jointly combating cyber terrorism and crimes, and protecting individual privacy in cyberspace," the White Paper said.

SOUTH AFRICA
Source: www.vukuzenzele.gov.za

Starting from August 2017, South Africa will chair the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and use its tenure to fast-track the implementation of the SADC Industrial Strategy.

The country is accelerating the integration agenda through the implementation of the SADC-Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa-East African Community Free Trade Area.

South Africa will continue with its involvement in mediation efforts, peacekeeping operations, and peacemaking initiatives in Lesotho, Democratic Republic of Congo, Burundi, Mozambique, South Sudan, Somalia and Libya.

Trade with traditional partners in the West remains a significant contributor to the economy. The country will continue to partner with the United States and work together on issues of mutual interest such as the full renewal of African Growth and Opportunity Act.

The country values its relationship with the PRC. China is one of South Africa's most important and key strategic partners. The PRC is recognised 'as the sole government and authority representing the whole of China'.

South Africa has reiterated its position and commitment to the 'One China Policy' and considers Taiwan as an integral part of the PRC.

At continental partnership level, the Joint Africa-European Union (EU) Strategy remains an important long-term framework for continued cooperation.

The Economic Partnership Agreement with the EU came into force in September 2016, thus providing new market access opportunities for South African products.

Almost all South African products, about 99 percent, will have preferential market access in the EU.

About 96 percent of the products will enter the EU market without being subjected to customs duties or quantitative restrictions.

The Southern African Customs Union's Mercosur Preferential Trade Agreement has also entered into force, providing preferential access to over 1 000 tariff lines. This is an agreement that promotes south-south trade.

South Africa's cooperative partnerships with other regions are bearing fruit. The BRICS New Development Bank has recorded encouraging progress.

Government welcomes the Goa Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS) Heads of State and government's decision to establish the BRICS Rating Agency to assist one another in assessing economic paths.

South Africa is also pleased with agreements with its BRICS partners in the field of agriculture. It will implement off-take agreements on the export of pulses, mangos and pork to India.

The country will also export 20 000 tons of beef to China per year for a period of 10 years. It will continue to pursue the reform of the international system because the current configuration undermines the ability of developing countries to contribute and benefit meaningfully.

Brazil
Author: Oliver Stuenkel
Source: Americas Quarterly

With just 18 months left in President Michel Temer's term, Brazil's next foreign minister will face an uphill battle.

José Serra's tenure as Brazil's Minister of Health from 1998 to 2002 was highlighted by a successful effort to overcome the resistance of U.S. pharmaceutical giants and provide Brazilians with universal access to generic AIDS drugs, a move that saved hundreds of thousands of lives. Serra was unable to make such a significant mark in his more recent stint as Brazil's foreign minister – on Feb. 22, he announced he would be stepping down over health concerns after just 8 months on the job.

While Serra's tenure in President Michel Temer's administration was too brief for a meaningful evaluation, three achievements – all of which his successor can and should build on – stand out: First, Serra helped the foreign ministry regain the status it had lost under former president Dilma Rousseff; second, he led the effort to suspend Venezuela from Mercosur – an important step after Brazil's shameful silence in the face of President Nicolás Maduro's repeated attacks on democracy; and finally, he helped shift attention to border security and regional security cooperation, topics often neglected in Brazilian foreign policy debates.

Through it all, Serra faced considerable obstacles, from allegations of his involvement in the widespread Lava Jato corruption scandal to a profound economic crisis that made talk of grand foreign policy strategy unrealistic (not to mention Temer's abbreviated term, which made any long-term projects difficult to implement).

Whoever succeeds Serra can still play a crucial role in helping Brazil overcome its current troubles, but only if he or she picks the right battles. To that effect, Brazil's next foreign minister should focus on three key challenges.

1. Manage the global corruption fallout

One of the biggest international bribery cases in history, the revelations of corruption linked to Brazilian construction giant Odebrecht's global operations are causing a political earthquake across Latin America – and can be expected to produce political uncertainty for years to come. The case has also cast a shadow over Brazil's international reputation; several Latin American governments may avoid working with Odebrecht and other Brazilian firms as a result. Peru, for example, has already said it will no longer work with the company after it "corrupted three Peruvian governments." Serra's successor can expect to deal with continued international backlash from ongoing investigations. One of the best ways to reduce the fallout would be to actively show the world that Brazil has embraced tougher anti-corruption legislation and is willing and able to take a lead in international efforts to curb corrupt practices. More delicately, it will also involve traveling to neighboring countries affected by the scandal to make a public apology.

2. Improve border security and regional cooperation to address transnational crime

Brazil has largely failed to manage security threats at its international borders, including human trafficking and the flow of drugs, weapons and contraband. Serra's successor should focus on cooperating with neighbors to establish a better strategy for combatting transnational organized crime. Yet even creating a plan that details how to secure over 10,500 miles of border with 10 different countries will be a herculean task – especially when organized crime often enjoys political influence through illicit campaign finance on both sides of the border. This will be made even more difficult by a lack of inter-agency communication, and complicated further still by insecurity in Venezuela and a temporary power vacuum in international cocaine trafficking resulting from the FARC's demobilization in Colombia. More than 10 Brazilian government agencies are involved in managing border security, and there is no clear sense of who the ideal counterpart should be in each neighboring country, or how to involve local populations. Despite the challenges, successfully managing the border will prove critical for both domestic and international security. Brazil is the world's second largest consumer of cocaine, the largest consumer of crack cocaine and a gateway for cocaine headed to Europe. An increase in crimes related to drug trafficking helps explain why the number of murders in Brazil increased over 250 percent in the last three decades, from levels comparable to that of the United States in the early 1980s – before the illicit cocaine trade began moving through Brazil – to today, where one person is killed every nine minutes. Regional cooperation will be a critical component to tackling organized crime within Brazil.

3. Help accelerate Brazil's economic recovery

While serious domestic reform is needed to ensure Brazil's economic recovery, foreign policy plays a far more important role than most people realize. Reviving the South American sub-regional body Mercosur by suspending Venezuela was a good start. Serra's successor should also actively pursue free-trade agreements, use bilateral agreements to help solve outstanding double-taxation issues and clearly articulate how Brazil intends to fix its economy to international investors. He or she should also cooperate with other ministries (such as those for labor, education, finance, transport and tourism) to aggressively seek funding from the BRICS-led New Development Bank, restart the scholarship program for Brazilian students abroad, facilitate immigration rules to attract and hire skilled workers and slash cumbersome visa rules that have resulted in a remarkably low number of international tourists. By spearheading these reforms, Serra's successor can help ensure that Brazil no longer holds its position as the most inward-looking member of the G20 group of major economies by the end of 2018.

With little more than 18 months in office, Brazil's next foreign minister has his or her work cut out for them.

CHINA
Author: Li Xing
Source: The Global Times

Since its inception, the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa which joined later) bloc has been working together to inject momentum into global growth, and has grown into a significant force for promoting international economic, political and diplomatic development. Despite a decade of hard work and great achievements, there are still many criticisms against BRICS from Western commentators.

The West has attempted to play down the contributions the world's leading emerging economies have made to the global economy and governance. Accustomed to their traditionally predominant role in global affairs, the Western countries feel uneasy and view BRICS' development as a threat to their current status. Their speculations on BRICS reflect their anxiety and concerns about the rise of developing countries, and at the same time, it is a sign of BRICS' importance in the world arena.

BRICS' birth answered the call of emerging markets for a bigger role in the global economy and conformed to the changing international geopolitical landscape. The bloc has many accomplishments. According to the IMF, BRICS countries and other emerging markets and developing countries contributed 80% of global growth in 2016. The New Development Bank and the BRICS Contingent Reserve Arrangement have been established to mobilize resources for projects in developing countries and meet their funding needs. Although BRICS economic performances were far from perfect after the financial crisis, Western countries have encountered much tougher economic challenges.

The world has witnessed drastic changes in recent years, and regrettably, protectionism seems to be reemerging in the West, which is used to be an engine for economic globalization. Donald Trump, known for his isolationist tendency, was elected as US president. The UK voted to leave the EU and right-wing politicians are having more clout in some European countries. Anti-globalization is becoming a growing trend in the West.

In the face of setbacks to economic globalization, BRICS countries, especially China, have spared no effort to promote open trade. Senior diplomats within the bloc voiced opposition to all forms of protectionism during the First BRICS Sherpa Meeting held in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province last week according to media reports. China's State Councilor Yang Jiechi proposed a "BRICS+" model of open cooperation in alignment with the BRICS spirit of openness, inclusiveness and win-win cooperation.

"Commodities, products, markets and consumers - they must remain connected. If this connection is broken at any point, there will be reactions to it. So protectionism is a challenge to open global trade and open global order," Alok A. Dimri, joint secretary of multilateral economic relations at India's Ministry of External Affairs, was quoted as saying during the meeting.

BRICS has attached increasing importance to non-traditional security as well. Take China and Russia, for example. Beijing not only ratified the Paris agreement to reduce carbon emissions, but is also committed to working on an amendment to the Montreal Protocol to curb air-conditioning refrigerants. Moscow has played a vital role in combating Islamic State and other terrorist groups in Syria. With commitments to development, security and equity, BRICS countries have made their voices heard in international and regional affairs.

Facing Western criticisms and suspicions, BRICS countries, while trying to maintain the current growth momentum, should put more efforts into overcoming their respective challenges. The Chinese government can invest more in addressing environmental problems and alleviating the polarization between the rich and the poor. Russia, sanctioned by the West for its role in the Ukraine crisis, is advised to reform its energy-reliant economic structure. Social stability is where Brazil and South Africa should focus on. India, with its successful launches of 104 satellites from a single rocket this year and a spacecraft to Mars in 2013, should try to maintain its current development pace. Above all, BRICS has achieved plenty and will continue to play an important role on the world economic and political arena. Facts speak louder than words. BRICS' contributions to global economy and governance cannot be obliterated by Western countries.

SOUTH AFRICA
Author: Ms Faith Muthambi
Source: Khuluma Afrika

Like all any country, South Africa's foreign policy is crafted within the context of its history, and its current political and socio-economic imperatives. In this regard, there is no doubt that the country's economic and social challenges can be traced to its colonial history of being "incorporated into the world economy as a producer, an exporter of primary products, principally mining commodities…. And that political economy resulted in drawing large numbers of low-skilled people into basic pick-and-shovel work in the mining industry."

Given its internationalist links, the disruption of the apartheid colonial and exploitative economy would necessarily involve global collaboration.

The ruling party argues that its foreign policy is centred on progressive internationalism. Progressive internationalism entails "opposition to the perpetuation of the legacy of global imperialism manifest in the global power asymmetry, the dominance of the global North over the South and the world, structural global inequality and poverty." Subscription to this perspective in international relations is understandable given the party's background as a liberation movement.

Accordingly, the ANC government locates its involvement in global affairs as part of the struggle for "a just, equitable, non-racial, non-patriarchal, diverse, democratic and equal world system."

As fate would have it, the 1994 breakthrough coincided with the seemingly irrevocable shift in global power from the West to the East – epitomized by the decline of the US economic dominance on the one hand, and the rise of China and other emerging powers on the other.

For its part, the 2008 financial crisis has also served as a rude reminder of the non-sustainability of the Washington consensus model. In response to the crises, powerful countries have resorted to the age-old strategy of economic protectionism. Their approach stands in glaring contrast to encouraging the developing countries to open their markets.

Fortunately, and whether by design or strange coincidence, emerging economies have registered economic growth rates that are higher than those of their counterparts in the developing world.

This presents both opportunities and challenges at the same time. It demands flexibility in one's foreign policy. For South Africa, a flexible policy would mean 'building of alliances and solidarity with progressive forces in the South and North fighting for similar objectives in world affairs.' This translates to investing in foreign partnerships that responds to one's interests and dispensing with those that are harmful. It is about ensuring that "our institutions, including diplomatic services, are geared towards strengthening our position in spite of negative trends and to harness opportunities arising from positive changes such as growing South-South cooperation."

In essence, the question is "what does the idea of national interest entail in conditions where global and local realities, principles, values and institutions are interconnected? In this context, how do we reconcile 'national' interest with the pursuit of pan-Africanism and a progressive internationalist movement?"

This is where South Africa's partnership with Brazil, Russia, India, and China become relevant. The importance of South Africa's membership cannot be overstated. For one, this is a formidable forum representing more than half the world's population. South Africa can use the forum to push the agenda of the emerging markets and developing countries in the global multilateral forums. In this regard, South Africa is no longer alone in calling for reform of international institutions such as the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, and the United Nations Security Council.

Given its size, the forum represents a veritable market for all goods and services and for various forms of cultural exchanges to the benefit of its members. The recent BRICS Summit in Goa India spoke to issues that are of interest to South Africa's developmental agenda. The Goa Declaration came up with several commitments. Some of which include the forum's commitment to the agenda of institution building. The forum also committed itself to turning the promise of establishing a BRICS Credit Rating Agency into a reality. The establishment of BRICS Rating Agency will provide the necessary counter-veiling force in the world's financial architecture. Instead of one size fits all, it is expected that the BRICS rating agencies would be informed by consideration of the material realities that speak to the developing countries and/or emerging markets. President Zuma's approach in this regard is nuanced, and advisedly so. For President Zuma, the BRICS Rating Agencies should complement South Africa's own monitoring and evaluation systems.

The setting up of BRICS Agriculture Research Centre, another commitment, is also timely. Food security is a challenge in the continent that mired in territorial conflicts and internecine violence.

The setting up of BRICS Railway Research Network will be of benefit to the continent. It fits with South Africa and Africa's commitment to address the backlog in infrastructure – infrastructure is cited as one of the binding constraints that hinders economic development and intra-trade in the continent. In this regard, the utilization of the New Development Bank to finance infrastructure is laudable.

Finally, the BRICS forum's focus on Micro Small Medium Enterprises is opportune. This adds impetus to South Africa as it tries to reposition the role of Small & Medium Enterprises in the economy. With the Micro Small Medium Enterprises constituting about 40% of the BRICS economies, there are lessons for South Africa to learn from.

The emphasis on the establishment of institutions is to be expected. Any new formation must be underpinned by the establishment of functioning institutions. These are institutions that should carry out BRICS' mandate in between its high level conference meetings.

But South Africa does not approach this task blindly or naively. It is alive to the fact that it is relatively less industrialized than its BRICS partners. It thus requires to maintain policy space to address development issues that are unique to its socio-economic reality.

It is also alive to the fact that some of the big players, China, Russia and Brazil have displayed a tendency to side with positions adopted by developed countries.

Under the ANC government South Africa will continue to use its membership to advance a foreign that factors its own socio-economic interests. The policy will also be undergirded by a vision of a just, equitable, non-racial, democratic and equal world system. It will not squander the soft power it has amassed through its varied membership of multiple affiliations.

• Ms Faith Muthambi is the Minister of Communications in the Republic of South Africa.

CHINA
Source: Business Times

The development bank set up by the Brics group of emerging economies will aim to lend US$2.5 billion to US$3 billion this year, its president K V Kamath told the state-owned China Daily newspaper, nearly double the amount the bank loaned last year.

The New Development Bank (NDB) set up by the BRICS - Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa - will raise funds by issuing rupee-denominated bonds in India, the newspaper said, after it issued yuan-denominated bonds in China last year.

The bank has approved seven projects, Mr Kamath said, according to the China Daily, and welcomes China's modern-day "Silk Road" initiative - also known as the "One Belt, One Road" initiative - to open up new land and sea routes around the world for Chinese goods.

"We see it as something that will clearly spur economic activity in the region, and we think the programme is going to succeed," Mr Kamath said.

China will host a "One Belt, One Road" summit - its key diplomatic event for 2017 - in May and leaders from about 20 countries have already confirmed their participation.

The NDB was created in July 2014 with initial authorised capital of US$100 billion. The lender was officially launched a year later.

CHINA
Source: China Daily

The New Development Bank, a multilateral institution established by BRICS countries, hopes to nearly double its 2016 lending this year in an expansion that is forecast to range from $2.5 billion to $3 billion, according to K.V. Kamath, the bank's president.

The bank is planning to raise funds by issuing bonds in India, denominated in the local currency, the rupee, after it issued renminbi-denominated bonds in China in 2016.

The bank has approved seven projects, which is a rapid and sound start for an organization that started slightly more than a year ago, Kamath said. BRICS is an association of five major emerging economies－Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.

"In 2017, predominantly we'll aim at taking up more lending tools and to raise another $2.5 billion for projects spreading over our member countries that are sustainable and do economic good. Virtually, we will try to double the lending of 2016 this year," he said. Kamath, 69, was a veteran banker before joining the NDB.

The bank's focus is meeting the huge infrastructure needs of its member countries, which also is the key to its expansion plans.

"What we are doing here at NDB is only a small fraction of the need. Beyond lending, we would like to act as a catalyst, to get more parties involved in the lending process for projects that contribute to economic growth and sustainability," he said.

Major challenges for the bank lie in the changing global economic situation, which is seeing interest rates rise in developed countries. But developing countries' fast economic growth will help to offset the effects, said Kamath.

"A large part of global economic growth is driven by the members of this bank, the BRICS countries. More than two-thirds of global incremental economic growth comes from our five member countries, particularly India and China. As Brazil, Russia and South Africa start growing faster, which I am sure they will, more opportunities will be brought in," he said.

Kamath also called the China-led Belt and Road Initiative a sound economic program that brings benefits across several countries by investing in a significant way and creating economic momentum. "The program also brings synergy, making regions come together all along the Belt and the Road," he said. "We see it as something that will clearly spur economic activity in the region, and we think that the program is going to succeed."

The seven projects approved by the bank's board of directors in member countries amount to more than $1.5 billion. All projects are coherent with its mandate of supporting infrastructure projects, with more than 75 percent of projects dedicated to infrastructure that will provide such renewable benefits as energy generation, Kamath said.

The bank received an institutional rating of AAA from China Chengxin Credit Rating and China Lianhe Credit Rating. The bank also is in discussions with international rating agencies regarding future projects.

UK
Author: Matthew Staff
Source: Asia Outlook Mag

The continuous development of both India and China as Asia's two BRICS nations is one rife with economic challenges, and for every sign of progress, a stumbling block awaits

As documented last year, 2015's meeting between Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi and former US president, Barack Obama sent a message out to not just the rest of Asia, but indeed the rest of the world; as the former stated: "India is not simply emerging; it is emerged!"

At the time, it was widely acknowledged that India was indeed the 'last BRIC standing'; alluding to the stunted growth of its fellowship - Brazil, Russia, China and South Africa. Labelled as a 'star performer' among emerging market economies, it was outperforming -most notably - its Asian counterpart, China; a label that was validated in becoming the only BRIC nation to see notable improvements across its economic performance in 2015.

"Now's the time to dip your toe back into emerging markets", said Aakash Ohri, Executive Director of DLF, one of India's biggest property and development companies. "India, the biggest success story of the BRICS, presents a particularly profitable growth opportunity for investors."

He continued: "The market suffered a slump... but now the sector is making a recovery as India's economy stands firm amongst other emerging markets and large economies.

"The country's real estate market has proven that it's able to accommodate global, regional and local economic dynamics. With the relaxation of rules on foreign direct investments, there has been no better time to invest in the Indian property market [in particular]."

It was expected that India's rise to economic prominence would lead to an abundance of employment opportunities in particular, and while 2016 did indeed prove to be a year of solid growth for sectors such as real estate and from an FDI perspective, the notion that India is alone in heralding such achievements may - at first glance - be a bit of an oversight.

Vision 2025

China's shortfall in relative terms has always been the inherent expectation that a country as big and perceivably dominant as that should already be among the established elite. The reality is of course that - while this is true in some cases - there is still an inordinate amount of work to be done to be economically successful on such a vast scale. Russia and Brazil have similar logistical problems of course.

One industry set to salvage the BRICS focus for China however, is the tech domain, with its commitment to digitisation and technological evolution set to have ramifications on a much more all-encompassing scale when comparing its growth to that of India's.

Across Asia-Pacific and certainly China, areas of smart cities, the Internet of Things and cloud computing are setting them apart as developed nations on the tech front; arguably the most significant front there is in generating long-term financial growth.

Trend Micro explained: "Set to redefine the way we live and work, smart cities integrate IoT technologies such as virtualisation, big data and cloud. Smart cities reduce the strain on local government finances and promote sustainability through advanced, connected systems.

"One such example would be smart water systems in Singapore that utilise sensors to continually track the pressure, flow and quality of water within the network. This helps end-users monitor their water usage, and at the same time aids the Public Utilities Board in predicting and minimising pipe bursts."

As far as China is concerned, this one-off example may seem irrelevant, but it is precisely initiatives like these which will sow the seeds of technological prowess and, consequently, economic development in the digital age; all encompassed within the country's Vision 2025 plan.

"China is well set to accomplish the goals of its Vision 2025 plan, with its Chengdu smart city placing the nation at the forefront of industrial automation. Urban planners in China have initiated an Urban Data Lab to collect government information, existing urban plans, mobile phone metadata from carriers, and behavioural data from location-based services, that brings up concerns of sensitive data abuse," Trend Micro continued.

No ground for exuberance

If you're looking for proof, then look no further than news of China's economy growing 6.7 percent in 2016; a statistic that matches India - supposedly the last BRIC nation left standing.

"Chinese policy makers will take heart from the new economic growth data," Kamel Mellahi, Professor of Strategic Management at Wawrick Business School noted.

The expert in Chinese business continued: "Despite the overall slowdown in 2016, economic growth during the last quarter rebounded significantly.

"But although the Chinese economy has picked up again, there is no ground for exuberance. The Chinese economy is subject to massive uncertainties that could have a significant impact on its growth in 2017."

So maybe it is these uncertainties and the still lack of seemingly sustainable parameters that keeps forecasters erring on the side of Indian caution.

"It's widely expected that Chinese policy makers are going to push through some painful structural reforms to address the root-causes of a number of economic problems, particularly rising debt in order to secure a stronger and more stable economic future. The impact of such reforms will be reflected in slower growth in both the short and long-terms," Mellahi continued. "But the biggest unknown, without question, is the looming trade war with the US. The current ping-pong rally of accusations and hostile political rhetoric will no doubt leave its mark on the China-US business relationship.

"The impact of subtle hostilities may not be so immediate and so dramatic but it should not be overlooked. If subtle hostilities persist, businesses may choose to invest in alternative locations, and key talent may resist moving to countries where they are not made to feel very welcomed."

Unforeseen variables including the recent US election may after-all bring us back full circle when comparing Asia's two dominant areas. Maybe the truth is that the BRICS nations are still actually on the same footing as they were when the term was initially coined: nations with untold potential, still looking for emergence to turn into emerged.

And while both India and China can both justifiably claim to have made inroads towards the latter over the past 12 months, it's more realistic to state that neither are any closer to achieving complete emergence when assessing the grander present-day picture.

USA
Source: SB Wire

The BRICS region represents a major segment of the global market.FMI forecasts that the overall oral care market in BRICS will grow at a moderate single-digit CAGR between 2014 and 2020.

Valley Cottage, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 02/28/2017 -- Future Market Insights (FMI) in its latest offering, "BRICS Oral Care - Market Analysis and Opportunity Assessment, 2014–2020", provides in-depth analysis and strategic recommendations on the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) oral care market. Personal care includes categories such as skin care, hair care, cosmetics, oral care and toiletries. The global oral care market represents 15% of the personal care market in 2014, and is expected to account for almost 20% of the overall market by 2020. Organised retailing, rising per capita income, increasing consumer spending on personal care products and consumer preferences for value-added products are some of the factors contributing to growth of the BRICS personal care market. The BRICS region represents a major segment of the global market.FMI forecasts that the overall oral care market in BRICS will grow at a moderate single-digit CAGR between 2014 and 2020.

Product-wise, the BRICS oral care market is broadly segmented into primary oral care and secondary oral care products. The primary oral care products segment comprises toothpaste and toothbrush. The secondary oral care products segment includes dental floss, mouthwash, denture care and others. The others segment includes whitening strips, dental chewing gums and mouth fresheners.

"Increasing consumer awareness with regard to better oral hygiene is the primary driver of the overall BRICS oral care market. Furthermore, dentist recommendations for adoption of various-related products is projected to lead to a shift in consumer preference from basic oral care products to secondary oral care products in the coming years," said Vipassa.K

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Growing awareness about better oral hygiene opens up ample opportunities for international players operating in the BRICS oral care market to introduce enhanced and innovative products, further increasing competition among the players in this region. This has led key players to adopt various approaches to increase product visibility in modern retail formats, coupled with branding and advertisement to sustain in the competitive oral care market in BRICS. As a result, demand for secondary oral care products in BRICS is expected to increase considerably between 2018 and 2020.

Product-wise, toothpaste, in the primary oral care product segment currently dominates the BRICS oral care market and is expected to grow substantially between 2014 and 2020. This growth can be attributed to the fact that the BRICS region consists of emerging nations and awareness of basic oral hygiene is currently growing rapidly, supported by product launches in the region. Hence, consumers are demonstrating greater demand for primary oral care products such as toothpaste and toothbrush, as compared to that for secondary oral care hygiene products in these nations.

Furthermore, dentist recommendations will add to the rising consumer awareness about secondary oral hygiene products towards the end of the forecast period. This will result in growing preference for mouthwash, thereby driving the demand for this product category among the expanding middle-class population in the BRICS. Thus, secondary products in the BRICS oral care market such as mouthwash and dental floss will demonstrate an above-average annual growth percentage.

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Some other factors such as adoption of digital marketing and introduction of product variants at affordable prices are also expected to contribute to growth of the BRICS oral care market. Research results reveal that in 2013, the top key distribution channels, which are general merchandise retailers and direct selling, accounted for around 50% share of the BRICS oral care market.

Players in the BRICS oral care market are widening their distribution channels and strengthening partnerships across the value chain to enhance profitability and increase adoption of oral care products in the region.

SOUTH AFRICA
Author: Helmo Preuss
Source: The BRICS Post

The audience at the fourth Independent Power Producers (IPP) and Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) Conference at the annual Africa Energy Indaba conference in Johannesburg heard this week that the BRICS countries were important in Africa's power supply equation.

The IPP and PPA conference was sponsored by Herbert Smith Freehills, an international law firm with extensive experience in advising IPPs in Africa.

There is huge international investor focus on IPPs due to the power shortages and load shedding in Africa with two-thirds of Africans not having any access to power. To address this need, opportunities for energy projects using both renewable and thermal technologies are expanding.

South Africa's Department of Energy's Renewable Energy Power Producer's Procurement Programme (REIPPPP) launched an IPP development boom in Africa which has spurred investment in Africa in various technologies.

Wikus Kruger from the Graduate School of Business at the University of Cape Town told The BRICS Post that Professor Anton Eberhard had done a major study for the World Bank which showed that South Africa led in terms of the number of IPPs concluded in the past five years, but China was also a significant player when it came to BRICS members involvement in African IPPs.

"The World Bank study showed that China is a significant player, while India and Russia are just starting," he said.

IPPs are now present in 18 Sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries. Currently there are 59 projects of greater than 5 Megawatts (MW) capacity in SSA countries other than South Africa with a committed capital investment of $11.1bn and 6800 MW of installed generation capacity.

Including South Africa, this adds 67 more IPPs, bringing the total to 126, with an overall installed capacity of 11,000 MW and investments of $25.6 billion.

In addition to IPPs, significant increases in generation capacity have stemmed from Chinese-funded projects. Chinese-funded generation projects can be found in 19 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Eight of these countries have IPPs as well as Chinese-funded projects.

Between 1990 and 2014, there were 34 such projects in Sub-Saharan Africa, totaling 75,000 MW. Chinese-funded projects far exceed IPPs in terms of total megawatts, especially for the years 2010–14, with an average size of 226 MW, in contrast to the IPP average of 98 MW.

The majority of Chinese-funded projects are large hydro-power projects for which Chinese engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) contractors such as Sino Hydro have become renowned globally.

The typical project structure involves a contractor plus a financing contract. The majority of these projects received funding from the China Export Import (ExIm) Bank.

Paddy Padmanathan from ACWA Power said in his keynote address that SSA countries needed $45 billion per year for generation capacity augmentation and a further $25 billion per year for transmission and distribution needs, but the socio-economic benefits are vast as the removal of 60 per cent of wood stoves will deliver $20 billion to $30 billion per year saving on health spending on respiratory diseases.

The key to successful IPPs was the allocation of risk to those best able to mitigate the risk.

ACWA Power's philosophy is to focus on cost so that the customer can get the lowest possible tariff.

"This philosophy is reflected in large differences in between the tariffs we submitted and those of the highest tariff with the variation as much as 31 per cent," Padmanathan noted.

USA
Author: Molly Lempriere
Source: Future Power Magazine

The New Development Bank was established to support the BRICS countries - Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa - and has the responsibility of setting energy investment targets for some of the world's biggest consumers of both renewable and fossil fuel-derived power. Here we speak to energy analysts to find out what part the bank has played in the renewable revolutions currently taking place across the varied countries.

CHINA
Sources: China Daily

XIAMEN - The BRICS New Development Bank (NDB) is interested in lending to technological innovation projects, the bank's vice president Zhu Xian said Saturday at a financing forum held in east Chinese city of Xiamen.

Established to meet emerging economies' funding needs, the multilateral lender approved loans worth $1.5 billion last year, mainly to finance clean energy and infrastructure developments in BRICS countries - Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa.

The BRICS share of the world economy shot up from 8.2 percent in 2002 to 22.2 percent in 2015. The BRICS now represents two thirds of the developing world's economy.

Zhu said the bank aims to foster technological innovation in developing nations through its financing, capability building, and knowledge sharing.

He said such lending priority will set the bank on a new path different from the one taken by traditional multilateral financial institutions.

The developing nations account for more than 35 percent of the world economy, but lacks an equal share of deciding power in traditional multilateral lenders, Zhu said. Trillions of fund is needed every year as the developing world strives to upgrade industries and develop new energy sector.

"That will be the priority of BRICS NDB and Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB)," Zhu said.

He said China has accumulated rich experience in technological innovation on infrastructure projects and is open to share such experience with other developing nations.

"We will frame the BRICS NDB as a knowledge bank, through its project financing and knowledge sharing," Zhu said.

The BRICS NDB was established in 2014 with an initial fund of $100 billion pooled from five BRICS countries. The bank was launched in Shanghai in July 2015 and issued its first loan in April 2016.

INDIA
Author: Ananth Krishnan
Source: India Today

Defending its curbs on global websites such as Facebook and Twitter, China has released a new white paper on its cyber strategy that underlines Beijing's emphasis on "sovereignty" as opposed to a truly global Internet.

China's paper underlined how many countries, such as China and Russia, are pushing the vision of "sovereign" nationally-administered and controlled cyberspace communities, that are challenging the vision of a truly global and open worldwide web.

CYBERSPACE GOVERNANCE

Chinese officials said on Thursday that as China hosts the BRICS Summit later this year, a cyber security working group will meet to discuss "cyberspace governance".

The "International Strategy of Cooperation on Cyberspace" is China's first policy paper on its Internet strategy, which it said was "based on peace, sovereignty, shared governance and shared benefits."

The paper defined China's "strategic goals" as "safeguarding of China's sovereignty, security and development interests in cyberspace; the secure and orderly flow of information on the Internet; improved global connectivity; and maintaining of peace, security and stability in cyberspace."

Cybersecurity officials on Thursday, in a rare meeting with journalists, stressed that China believed in its "sovereignty" over how it administered the Internet.

WEBSITES 'UNDERMINING' CHINA'S NATIONAL INTERESTS

While the white paper said China "supports a free and open Internet", its officials were asked why they blocked some of the most globally used websites such as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. They suggested these sites were "undermining" China's national interests, presumably by allowing for the free flow of information.

"The Chinese Internet is fully open," said Wang Jianchao, International Cooperation Department of the Cyberspace Administration of China. "As long as they comply with Chinese laws and regulations, refrain from undermining China's national interests and interests of Chinese consumers, all Internet companies are welcome in China."

CHINA'S BIGGEST FEARS

One of China's big fears is social media being used both for terrorism and to coordinate mass protests, as was the case in Xinjiang in 2009, where riots prompted the blocking of Facebook and Twitter. Chinese authorities believed extremist groups were behind spreading information that led to the violence, that claimed at least 197 lives.

Long Zhou, Coordinator, Cyber affairs division of the Foreign Ministry, said China was "deeply worried that around the world cyber attacks are increasing".

When asked about allegations of Russian interference in the US election, Long said, "Especially in recent years, the number of cyber security events throughout the world increasing, posing challenges to all countries' efforts to maintain political, economic stability and protecting all citizens' rights and interests."

"Cyber attacks, cyber espionage, surveillance have become major realistic issues confronting all countries," he said. "Countries in the whole world have increasing concerns in this regard. Cyberspace should not be a space of no laws. At the same time, the international community is also discussing about whether we should produce new international legal instruments to deal with the security situation in cyberspace. For example, how we can crack down on cyber terror or cross-boundary cyber crimes."

China appears to be canvassing support for its view of the Internet among like-minded countries such as Russia. Later this year, as China hosts the BRICS Summit, a working group on cybersecurity will also meet, said Long.

"As BRICS host this year, China stands ready to work together with Russia and other BRICS partners", he said, to explore partnerships on cyber governance.

The white paper said China's "plan of action includes promoting the building of rule-based order in cyberspace, expanding partnership with other countries, boosting institutional reform in Internet governance, jointly combating cyber terrorism and crimes, and protecting individual privacy in cyberspace."

CHINA
Source: National Bureau of Statistics of China

Department of Service Statistics of NBS China Federation of Logistics and Purchases (CFLP)

In February 2015, China's manufacturing purchasing managers index (PMI) was 49.9 percent, 0.1 percentage point higher over last month.

In view of the sizes of enterprises, the PMI of large-sized enterprises was 50.4 percent, increased 0.1 percentage points month-on-month, stayed above the threshold; that of medium-sized was 49.4 percent, decreased 0.5 percentage points; that of small-sized enterprises was 48.1 percent, up by 1.7 percentage points month-on-month, stayed below the threshold, but reduction had narrowed to varying degrees.

Among the five sub-indices composing PMI, the production index and new orders index were higher than the threshold, while that of the employed person index, supplier delivery time index and main raw materials inventory index were lower than the threshold.

Production index was 51.4 percent, decreased 0.3 percentage points month-on-month, and was higher than the threshold, indicating that due to the factor of "Spring Festival Holiday", most of enterprises get closed, the manufacturing production pace slowed down, but continued to maintain expanding.

New orders index was 50.4 percent, increased 0.2 percentage points month-on-month, and stayed above the threshold, showing that the growth rate of market demand of manufacturing sector slightly increase.

Employed person index was 47.8 percent, decreased 0.1 percentage point month-on-month, continued to stay below threshold, indicating that the labor employment of manufacturing enterprises reduced.

Main raw materials inventory index was 48.2 percent, stayed below the threshold, indicating that the raw material inventory for manufacturing production continued to fall.

Supplier delivery time index was 49.9 percent, decreased 0.3 percentage points month-on-month, stayed below the threshold, indicating that the delivery time of manufacturing raw material suppliers slowed slightly.

CHINA
Source: National Bureau of Statistics of China

In 2016, faced with the complicated domestic and international environment and the heavy tasks to maintain the development, reform and stability, under the leadership of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China with General Secretary Xi Jinping as the core, people from all regions and departments followed the guiding principles of the 18^th National Congress of the Communist Party of China and the third, forth, fifth and sixth plenary sessions of the 18^th Central Committee of Communist Party of China, implemented the decisions and arrangements made by the CPC Central Committee and the State Council, carried forward the overall plan for promoting all-round economic, political, cultural, social and ecological progress as well as the "Four Pronged Comprehensive Strategy" in a coordinated way, adhered to the general work guideline of making progress while maintaining stability, followed the new vision of development, insisted on supply-side structural reform as the mainline, appropriately expanded the aggregate demand, staunchly advanced reforms, properly responded to risks and challenges, and shaped good social expectations. As a result, the national economy has achieved steady and sound development, getting off to a good start during the 13^th Five-Year Plan period.

I. General Outlook

According to preliminary accounting, the gross domestic product (GDP)[2] in 2016 was 74,412.7 billion yuan, up by 6.7 percent over the previous year. Of this total, the value added of the primary industry was 6,367.1 billion yuan, up by 3.3 percent, that of the secondary industry was 29,623.6 billion yuan, up by 6.1 percent and that of the tertiary industry was 38,422.1 billion yuan, up by 7.8 percent. The value added of the primary industry accounted for 8.6 percent of the GDP; that of the secondary industry accounted for 39.8 percent; and that of the tertiary industry accounted for 51.6 percent, 1.4 percentage points higher than that in the previous year. The per capita GDP in 2016 was 53,980 yuan, up by 6.1 percent compared with the previous year. The gross national income[3] in 2016 was 74,235.2 billion yuan, up by 6.9 percent over the previous year.

By the end of 2016, the total number of Chinese population at the mainland reached 1,382.71 million, an increase of 8.09 million over that at the end of 2015. Of this total, urban permanent residents numbered 792.98 million, accounting for 57.35 percent of the total population (the urbanization rate of permanent residents), and 1.25 percentage points higher than the previous year. The urbanization rate of population with household registration was 41.2 percent, 1.3 percentage points higher than that at the end of 2015. The year 2016 saw 17.86 million births, a crude birth rate of 12.95 per thousand, and 9.77 million deaths, or a crude death rate of 7.09 per thousand. The natural growth rate was 5.86 per thousand. The number of population who live in places other than their household registration area[4] reached 292 million, of which 245 million were floating population[5].

At the end of 2016, the number of employed people in China was 776.03 million, and that in urban areas was 414.28 million. The newly increased employed people in urban areas numbered 13.14 million. The registered urban unemployment rate was 4.02 percent at the year end. The total number of migrant workers[7] in 2016 was 281.71 million, up by 1.5 percent over that of 2015. Of which, the number of migrant workers who left their hometowns and worked in other places was 169.34 million, increased by 0.3 percent, and those who worked in their own localities reached112.37 million, up by 3.4 percent.

The overall labor productivity[8] was 94,825 yuan per person in 2016, an increase of 6.4 percent compared with that in 2015.

The consumer prices in 2016 went up by 2.0 percent over the previous year. The producer prices went down by 1.4 percent and the purchasing prices for manufactured goods went down by 2.0 percent. The prices for investment in fixed assets dropped by 0.6 percent. The producer prices for farm products[9] went up by 3.4 percent.

In December, out of the 70 large-and-medium-sized cities, 65 cities showed a year-on-year rise in sales prices of new commercial residential buildings, and 5 cities experienced a decline. 46 cities showed a month-on-month rise which was 19 less than the highest record in 2016; 4 cities remained unchanged, and 20 cities experienced a decline.

The general public budget revenue reached 15,955.2 billion yuan in 2016, an increase of 682.8 billion yuan or up by 4.5 percent over that of the same coverage[11] in the previous year. Of this total, the taxes collected in the whole year reached 13,035.4 billion yuan, an increase of 543.2 billion yuan or up by 4.3 percent.

At the end of 2016, China's foreign exchange reserves reached 3,010.5 billion US dollars, a decrease of 319.8 billion US dollars as compared with that at the end of 2015. The average exchange rate of the year was 6.6423 RMB to 1 USD, depreciated by 6.2 percent over that of 2015.

II. Agriculture

In 2016, the sown area of grain was 113.03 million hectares, a drop of 310 thousand hectares compared with that in 2015. Of this total, the sown area of wheat was 24.19 million hectares, an increase of 50 thousand hectares; the sown area of rice was 30.16 million hectares, a decrease of 50 thousand hectares; the sown area of corn was 36.76 million hectares, a decrease of 1.36 million hectares. The sown area of cotton was 3.38 million hectares, a decrease of 420 thousand hectares; the sown area of oil-bearing crops was 14.12 million hectares, an increase of 80 thousand hectares; the sown area of sugar crops was 1.68 million hectares, a decrease of 60 thousand hectares.

The total output of grain in 2016 was 616.24 million tons, a decrease of 5.20 million tons or down by 0.8 percent over the previous year. Of this total, the output of summer crops was 139.20 million tons, down by 1.2 percent, and that of the early rice was 32.78 million tons, down by 2.7 percent over the previous year. The output of autumn grain was 444.26 million tons, down by 0.6 percent. The output of cereal was 565.17 million tons, a decrease of 1.2 percent, among which the output of rice was 206.93 million tons, down by 0.6 percent; that of wheat was 128.85 million tons, down by 1.0 percent; and that of corn was 219.55 million tons, down by 2.3 percent.

In 2016, the output of cotton was 5.34 million tons, a decrease of 4.6 percent over the previous year, that of oil-bearing crops was 36.13 million tons, an increase of 2.2 percent and that of sugar crops was 122.99 million tons, a decrease of 1.6 percent, and that of tea was 2.41 million tons, up by 7.4 percent.

The total output of meat for the year reached 85.40 million tons, down by 1.0 percent over the previous year. Of this total, the output of pork was 52.99 million tons, down by 3.4 percent; that of beef was 7.17 million tons, increased by 2.4 percent; and that of mutton was 4.59 million tons, an increase of 4.2 percent, and that of poultry was 18.88 million tons, an increase of 3.4 percent. The total output of eggs was 30.95 million tons, up by 3.2 percent. The production of milk was 36.02 million tons, down by 4.1 percent. At the end of the year, 435.04 million pigs were registered in the total stocks, down by 3.6 percent, and 685.02 million pigs were slaughtered, down by 3.3 percent.

The total output of aquatic products in 2016 was 69.00 million tons, up by 3.0 percent over the previous year. Of this total, the output of cultured aquatic products was 51.56 million tons, up by 4.4 percent; and that of fished aquatic products was 17.44 million tons, down by 1.0 percent over the previous year.

The total production of timber for the year 2016 reached 66.83 million cubic meters, a decrease of 7.0 percent compared with the previous year.

Over 1.18 million hectares of farmland were newly equipped with effective irrigation systems and another 2.11 million hectares of farmland was newly equipped with water-saving irrigation systems.

III. Industry and Construction

In 2016, the total value added of the industrial sector was 24,786.0 billion yuan, up by 6.0 percent over the previous year. The value added of industrial enterprises above the designated size increased by 6.0 percent. Of the industrial enterprises above the designated size, in terms of ownership, the value added of the state-holding enterprises grew by 2.0 percent, that of the collective enterprises down by 1.3 percent, that of the share-holding enterprises up by 6.9 percent, that of the enterprises by foreign investors and investors from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan up by 4.5 percent and that of private enterprises up by 7.5 percent. In terms of sectors, the value added of the mining industry dropped by 1.0 percent, that of manufacturing up by 6.8 percent and that of the production and supply of electricity, heat power, gas and water rose by 5.5 percent.

In 2016, of the industrial enterprises above the designated size, the value added for processing of food from agricultural and sideline products was up by 6.1 percent over the previous year; for textile industry up by 5.5 percent; for manufacture of raw chemical materials and chemical products up by 7.7 percent; for manufacture of non-metallic mineral products up by 6.5 percent, for smelting and pressing of non-ferrous metals down by 1.7 percent; for manufacture of general machinery up by 5.9 percent; for manufacture of special purpose machinery up by 6.7 percent; for manufacture of automobiles up by 15.5 percent; for manufacture of electrical machinery and equipment up by 8.5 percent; for manufacture of computers, communication equipment and other electronic equipment up by 10.0 percent; for production and supply of electricity and heat power up by 4.8 percent. The value added of strategic emerging industries [12] increased by 10.5 percent. The value added of the high technology manufacturing industry[13] was up by 10.8 percent over the previous year, accounting for 12.4 percent of that of industrial enterprises above the designated size. The value added for manufacture of equipment[14] was up by 9.5 percent, accounting for 32.9 percent of that of industrial enterprises above the designated size. The growth of the value added for the six major high energy consuming industries[15] was 5.2 percent, accounting for 28.1 percent of the value added of industrial enterprises above the designated size.

By the end of 2016, the installed power generation capacity was 1,645.75 million kilowatts, up by 8.2 percent over that at the end of 2015, among which[18] the installed thermal power generation capacity was 1,053.88 million kilowatts, up by 5.3 percent; the installed hydropower generation capacity was 332.11 million kilowatts, up by 3.9 percent; the installed nuclear power generation capacity was 33.64 million kilowatts, up by 23.8 percent. The installed grid-connected wind power generation capacity was 148.64 million kilowatts, up by 13.2 percent and the installed grid-connected solar power generation capacity was 77.42 million kilowatts, an increase of 81.6 percent.

The profits made by the industrial enterprises above the designated size in 2016 were 6,880.3 billion yuan, an increase of 8.5 percent over the previous year. By ownership, the profits of state-holding enterprises were 1,175.1 billion yuan, up by 6.7 percent; those of collective enterprises were 47.7 billion yuan, down by 4.2 percent; those of share-holding enterprises 4,719.7 billion yuan, up by 8.3 percent; those of the enterprises by foreign investors and investors from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan 1,735.2 billion yuan, up by 12.1 percent; and those of private enterprises were 2,432.5 billion yuan, a rise of 4.8 percent. In terms of different sectors, the profit of mining was 182.5 billion yuan, down by 27.5 percent compared with the previous year; those of manufacturing 6,239.8 billion yuan, up by 12.3 percent; those of the production and supply of electricity, heat power, gas and water 458.0 billion yuan, down by 14.3 percent. In 2016, the cost for per-hundred-yuan turnover of principal activities was 85.52 yuan, 0.1 yuan less than that of the previous year. At the end of 2016, the asset-liability ratio of the industrial enterprises above the designated size was 55.8 percent, 0.4 percentage point less than that at the end of 2015.

In 2016, the value added of construction enterprises in China was 4,952.2 billion yuan, up by 6.6 percent over the previous year. The profits made by construction enterprises qualified for general contracts and specialized contracts reached 674.5 billion yuan, up by 4.6 percent, of which the profits made by state-holding enterprises were 187.9 billion yuan, up by 6.8 percent.

IV. Investment in Fixed Assets

The total investment in fixed assets of the country in 2016 was 60,646.6 billion yuan, up by 7.9 percent over the previous year. The real growth was 8.6 percent after deducting the price factors. Of the total investment, the investment in fixed assets (excluding rural households) was 59,650.1 billion yuan, up by 8.1 percent. By regions[19], the investment in eastern areas was 24,966.5 billion yuan, up by 9.1 percent over the previous year, in central areas 15,676.2 billion yuan, a growth of 12.0 percent, in western areas 15,405.4 billion yuan, a growth of 12.2 percent, and in northeastern areas 3,064.2 billion yuan, down by 23.5 percent.

In the investment in fixed assets (excluding rural households), the investment in the primary industry was 1,883.8 billion yuan, up by 21.1 percent; that in the secondary industry was 23,182.6 billion yuan, up by 3.5 percent; and that in the tertiary industry was 34,583.7 billion yuan, up by 10.9 percent. The investment in infrastructure[20] was 11,887.8 billion yuan, up by 17.4 percent, accounting for 19.9 percent of the investment in fixed assets (excluding rural households). The private investment[21]in fixed assets was 36,521.9 billion yuan, an increase of 3.2 percent, accounting for 61.2 percent of the total investment in fixed assets (excluding rural households). The investment in high technology industries[22] was 3,774.7 billion yuan, up by 15.8 percent, accounting for 6.3 percent of the total investment in fixed assets (excluding rural households). The investment in the six major high energy consuming industries was 6,637.6 billion yuan, up by 3.1 percent, accounting for 11.1 percent of the investment in fixed assets (excluding rural households). The investment in agriculture, forestry, animal husbandry and fishery, water conservancy, environmental protection and other weak areas grew rapidly.

In 2016, the investment in real estate development was 10,258.1 billion yuan, up by 6.9 percent. Of this total, the investment in residential buildings reached 6,870.4 billion yuan, an increase of 6.4 percent, that in office buildings was 653.3 billion yuan, up by 5.2 percent, and that in buildings for commercial business was 1,583.8 billion yuan, up by 8.4 percent. At the end of 2016, the floor space of commercial buildings for sale was 695.39 million square meters, 23.14 million square meters less than that at the end of 2015; the floor space of the commercial residential buildings for sale was 402.57 million square meters, 49.91 million square meters less than that at the end of 2015.

In 2016, 6.06 million housing units were started to be rebuilt in rundown urban areas nationwide. The number of housing units rebuilt in rundown areas and public rental housing built was 6.58 million. In rural areas of China, among the poverty-stricken households that had their economic status registered at the local governments, 1.58[25] million of them had witnessed their dilapidate houses rebuilt and renovated in 2016.

V. Domestic Trade

In 2016, the total retail sales of consumer goods reached 33,231.6 billion yuan, a growth of 10.4 percent over the previous year, or a real growth of 9.6 percent after deducting price factors. An analysis on different areas showed that the retail sales of consumer goods in urban areas stood at 28,581.4 billion yuan, up by 10.4 percent, and that in rural areas reached 4,650.3 billion yuan, up by 10.9 percent. Grouped by consumption patterns, the retail sales of commodities was 29,651.8 billion yuan, up by 10.4 percent, and that of catering industry was 3,579.9 billion yuan, up by 10.8 percent.

Of the total retail sales of commodities by enterprises above the designated size, the year-on-year growth of sales for grain, oil, food, beverage, tobacco and liquor was up by 10.5 percent, for clothes, shoes, hats and textiles up by 7.0 percent, for cosmetics up by 8.3 percent, for gold, silver and jewelry the same as that of the previous year, for daily necessities up by 11.4 percent, for household appliances and audio-video equipments up by 8.7 percent, for traditional Chinese and western medicines up by 12.0 percent, for cultural and office appliances up by 11.2 percent, for furniture up by 12.7 percent, for telecommunication equipments up by 11.9 percent, for building and decoration materials up by 14.0 percent and for motor vehicles up by 10.1 percent. The retail sales of petroleum and petroleum products went up by 1.2 percent,

The online retail sales[26] were 5,155.6 billion yuan in 2016, an increase of 26.2 percent compared with the previous year. The online retail sales of commodities were 4,194.4 billion yuan, an increase of 25.6 percent, accounting for 12.6 percent of the total retail sales of consumer goods. Among online retail sales of commodities, the sales of food increased by 28.5 percent, clothing by 18.1 percent and daily necessities by 28.8 percent.

VI. Foreign Economic Relations[27]

The total value of imports and exports of goods in 2016 reached 24,338.6 billion yuan, down by 0.9 percent over the previous year. Of this total, the value of goods exported was 13,845.5 billion yuan, down by 1.9 percent, and the value of goods imported was 10,493.2 billion yuan, up by 0.6 percent. The balance of imports and exports (exports minus imports) was 3,352.3 billion yuan, a drop of 330.8 billion yuan over the previous year. The total value of goods imported and exported to countries along the Belt and Road[28] was 6,251.7 billion yuan, an increase of 0.5 percent over the previous year. Of the total, the value of goods exported was 3,831.9 billion yuan, an increase of 0.5 percent; that of the import was 2,419.8 billion yuan, an increase of 0.4 percent.

The total value of imports and exports of services[29] in 2016 was 5,348.4 billion yuan, up by 14.2 percent. The export value of services was 1,819.3 billion yuan, up by 2.3 percent. The import value of services was 3,529.1 billion yuan, up by 21.5 percent. The deficit of exports minus imports of services was 1,709.7 billion yuan.

The year 2016 witnessed the establishment of 27,900 enterprises (excluding banking, securities and insurance) with foreign direct investment, up by 5.0 percent over the previous year; and the foreign capital actually utilized was 813.2 billion yuan (126.0 billion US dollars), up by 4.1 percent. Among the enterprises, 2,905 of them were directly invested by investors from countries along the Belt and Road, up by 34.1 percent; and the foreign capital directly invested in China was 45.8 billion yuan (7.1 billion US dollars).

In 2016, the overseas direct investment (excluding banking, securities and insurance) by Chinese investors was 1,129.9 billion yuan, or 170.1 billion US dollars, up by 44.1 percent over the previous year. Among the investment, Chinese investors directly invested 14.5 billion US dollars in countries along the Belt and Road.

In 2016, the accomplished business revenue through contracted overseas engineering projects was 1,058.9 billion yuan, or 159.4 billion US dollars, up by 3.5 percent. Among which, the accomplished business revenue from countries along the Belt and Road was 76.0 billion US dollars, an increase of 9.7 percent, accounting for 47.7 percent of the accomplished business revenue through contracted overseas engineering projects. The number of labor forces sent abroad through overseas labor contracts was 490 thousand, down by 6.8 percent.

VII. Transportation[30], Post, Telecommunications and Tourism

The total freight traffic reached 44.0 billion tons, up by 5.7 percent over the previous year, and the freight flows were 18,529.5 billion ton-kilometers, up by 4.0 percent. The volume of freight handled by ports above the designated size throughout the year totaled 11.83 billion tons, up 3.2 percent over the previous year, of which freight for foreign trade was 3.76 billion tons, up 4.1 percent. Container shipping of ports above the designated size reached 217.98 million standard containers, up by 3.6 percent.

In 2016, the total passenger traffic reached 19.2 billion persons, down by 1.2 percent over 2015, and the passenger flows were 3,130.6 billion person-kilometers, grew by 4.1 percent.

The total number of motor vehicles for civilian use reached 194.40 million (including 8.81 million tri-wheel motor vehicles and low-speed trucks) by the end of 2016, up 12.8 percent, of which privately-owned vehicles numbered 165.59 million, up 15.0 percent. The total number of cars for civilian use stood at 108.76 million, up 14.4 percent, of which privately-owned cars numbered 101.52 million, up by 15.5 percent.

The turnover of post and telecommunication services[31] totaled 4,334.4 billion yuan, up 52.7 percent over the previous year. Of this total, post services amounted to 739.7 billion yuan, up 45.7 percent, and telecommunication services 3,594.8 billion yuan, up 54.2 percent. In post services, the number of mail delivery reached 3.62 billion, parcel delivery 30 million and express delivery 31.28 billion. The revenue from express delivery reached 397.4 billion yuan. In telecommunication services, the newly increased capacity of mobile phone switchboard[32] was 73.18 million lines with the total capacity reaching 2,183.84 million lines. By the end of 2016, there were 1,528.56 million phone subscribers in China, of which 1,321.93 million were mobile phone users. Mobile phone coverage rose to 96.2 sets per 100 persons. The number of fixed broadband internet users[33] reached 297.21 million, increased by 37.74 million over the previous year. Of this total, fixed fiber-optic broadband internet users[34] amounted to 227.66 million, an increase of 79.41 million. The number of the mobile broadband users[35] was 940.75 million, an increase of 234.64 million. Mobile internet traffic was 9.36 billion G, up 123.7 percent over the previous year. The number of internet users was 731 million, grew by 42.99 million. Of the total, 695 million were mobile internet surfers[36], an increase of 75.50 million. The coverage of Internet was 53.2 percent nationwide and 33.1 percent in rural areas. Software revenue of software and IT services industry[37] totaled 4,851.1 billion yuan, up 14.9 percent.

The year 2016 registered 4.4 billion domestic tourists, up 11.2 percent over the previous year. The revenue from domestic tourism totaled 3,939.0 billion yuan, up 15.2 percent. The number of inbound visitors to China totaled 138.44 million, an increase of 3.5 percent. Of this total, 28.13 million were foreigners, up 8.3 percent; and 110.31 million were Chinese compatriots from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, up by 2.3 percent. Of all the inbound tourists, overnight visitors counted 59.27 million, an increase of 4.2 percent. Earnings from international tourism topped 120.0 billion US dollars, up 5.6 percent. The number of China's outbound visitors totaled 135.13 million, up 5.7 percent. Of this total, 128.50 million were on private visits, a year-on-year rise of 5.6 percent; and 83.95 million visited Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, down by 2.2 percent.

VIII. Financial Intermediation

By the end of 2016, money supply of broad sense (M2) was 155.0 trillion yuan, reflecting an increase of 11.3 percent. Money supply of narrow sense (M1) was 48.7 trillion yuan, up 21.4 percent. Cash in circulation (M0) was 6.8 trillion yuan, up 8.1 percent.

In 2016, the increment of social financing[38] reached 17.8 trillion yuan, increased by 2.4 trillion yuan over 2015. Savings deposit in Renminbi and foreign currencies in all items of financial institutions totaled 155.5 trillion yuan at the end of 2016, an increase of 15.7 trillion yuan compared with that at the beginning of the year. Of this total, the savings deposit in Renminbi stood at 150.6 trillion yuan, an increase of 14.9 trillion yuan. Loans in Renminbi and foreign currencies in all items of financial institutions reached 112.1 trillion yuan, an increase of 12.7 trillion yuan. Of this total, loans in Renminbi were 106.6 trillion yuan, an increase of 12.6 trillion yuan.

Loans in Renminbi from rural financial institutions (rural credit cooperatives, rural cooperation banks and rural commercial banks) totaled 13,421.9 billion yuan by the end of 2016, an increase of 1,389.5 billion yuan as compared with the beginning of the year. The loans in Renminbi for consumption use by domestic households from all financial institutions totaled 25,047.2 billion yuan, an increase of 6,099.8 billion yuan. Of the total, short-term loans totaled 4,931.3 billion yuan, an increase of 834.7 billion yuan, and medium and long-term loans reached 20,115.9 billion yuan, an increase of 5,265.1 billion yuan.

Funds raised in 2016 by enterprises through issuing stocks and share rights on stock market amounted to 2,334.2 billion yuan, an increase of 508.8 billion yuan from the previous year. Of this total, 248 A-shares were issued, raising 163.4 billion yuan worth of capital altogether. The refinancing of A-shares (including public newly issued, targeted placement[39], right issued, and preferred stock) raised 1,338.7 billion yuan worth of capital, an increase of 461.8 billion yuan from 2015. The listed companies financed 832.1 billion yuan through issuing corporate bonds and convertible bonds on Shanghai and Shenzhen Stock Exchanges, increased by 41.4 billion yuan. In 2016, 5,034 companies were newly listed on National Equities Exchange and Quotations[40], raising 139.1 billion yuan, up by 14.4 percent.

In 2016, 8.22 trillion yuan corporate debenture bonds[41] were issued, an increase of 1.50 trillion yuan over the previous year.

The premium[42] received by the insurance companies totaled 3,095.9 billion yuan in 2016, up 27.5 percent over the previous year. Of this total, life insurance premium amounted to 1,744.2 billion yuan, health and casualty insurance premium 479.2 billion yuan, and property insurance premium 872.5 billion yuan. Insurance companies paid an indemnity worth of 1,051.3 billion yuan, of which, life insurance indemnity was 460.3 billion yuan, health and casualty insurance indemnity 118.4 billion yuan, and property insurance indemnity 472.6 billion yuan.

IX. Living Conditions and Social Security

In 2016, the national per capita disposable income[43] was 23,821 yuan, an increase of 8.4 percent or a real increase of 6.3 percent after deducting price factors. The median[44] of national per capita disposable income was 20,883 yuan, up 8.3 percent. In terms of permanent residence, the per capita disposable income of urban households was 33,616 yuan, up by 7.8 percent, or a real growth of 5.6 percent after deducting price factors. The median of per capita disposable income of urban households was 31,554 yuan, up by 8.3 percent. The per capita disposable income of rural households was 12,363 yuan, up by 8.2 percent, or 6.2 percent in real terms. The median of per capita disposable income of rural households was 11,149 yuan, up by 8.3 percent. Grouped by income quintile[45], the per capita disposable income of low-income group reached 5,529 yuan, the lower-middle- income group 12,899 yuan, the middle-income group 20,924 yuan, the upper-middle-income group 31,990 yuan and the high-income group 59,259 yuan. The per capita disposable income of rural households in impoverished areas[46] was 8,452 yuan, up by 10.4 percent, or 8.4 percent in real terms. The per capita monthly income of migrant workers was 3,275 yuan, increased by 6.6 percent.

The national per capita consumption expenditure was 17,111 yuan, up by 8.9 percent, or a real growth of 6.8 percent after deducting price factors. In terms of permanent residence, the per capita consumption expenditure of urban households was 23,079 yuan, up by 7.9 percent, or 5.7 percent in real terms. The per capita consumption expenditure of rural households was 10,130 yuan, up by 9.8 percent, or a real growth of 7.8 percent after deducting price factors. The Engel's Coefficient was 30.1 percent, down by 0.5 percentage point over the previous year, with that of urban and rural households standing at 29.3 percent and 32.2 percent respectively.

By the end of 2016, a total of 378.62 million people participated in urban basic pension program for staff and workers, a year-on-year increase of 25.01 million. A total of 508.47 million people participated in basic pension insurance program for urban and rural residents, an increase of 3.75 million. A total of 748.39 million people participated in basic health insurance program, an increase of 82.57 million. Of this total, 295.24 million people participated in basic health insurance program for staff and workers, a year-on-year increase of 6.31 million, and 453.15 million people participated in programs for residents, an increase of 76.26 million. Some 180.89 million people participated in unemployment insurance programs, an increase of 7.63 million. The number of people receiving unemployment insurance payment stood at 2.30 million. A total of 218.87 million people participated in work accident insurance, an increase of 4.55 million. Of this total, 75.10 million were migrant workers, an increase of 0.21 million. A total of 184.43 million people participated in maternity insurance programs, an increase of 6.72 million. Minimum living allowances were granted to 14.799 million urban residents and 45.765 million rural residents, and 4.969 million rural residents living in extreme poverty[47] received relief and assistance. A total of 56.206 million people were financed to participate in basic medical insurance system and medical assistance was granted to 30.998 million cases. National subsidies and allowances were provided to 8.772 million entitled people. According to the rural poverty line of annual per capita income of 2,300 yuan (at 2010 constant prices), the population in poverty in rural areas numbered 43.35 million in 2016, or 12.40 million less[48] than that in 2015.

X. Education, Science & Technology and Culture & Sports

In 2016, the post-graduate education enrollment was 1.981 million students with 667 thousand new students and 564 thousand graduates. The general tertiary education enrollment was 26.958 million students with 7.486 million new students and 7.042 million graduates. Vocational secondary schools[49] had 15.991 million enrolled students, including 5.933 million new entrants, and 5.337 million graduates. Senior secondary schools had 23.666 million enrolled students, including 8.029 million new entrants, and 7.924 million graduates. Students enrolled in junior secondary schools totaled 43.294 million, including 14.872 million new entrants, and 14.239 million graduates. The country had a primary education enrollment of 99.130 million students, including 17.525 million new entrants, and 15.074 million graduates. There were 492 thousand students enrolled in special education schools, with 92 thousand new entrants and 59 thousand graduates. Kindergartens accommodated 44.139 million children. The number of students graduating from compulsory education reached 93.4 percent of the total enrollment and the gross enrollment rate in senior high schools reached 87.5 percent.

Expenditures on research and development activities (R&D) was worth 1,550.0 billion yuan in 2016, up 9.4 percent over 2015, accounting for 2.08 percent of GDP. Of this total, 79.8 billion yuan was appropriated for fundamental research programs. 1,163 science and technology projects and 42 priority projects were arranged under the national key research and development program. A total number of 224 subjects were arranged under the national science and technology major project and 41,184 projects were financed by the National Natural Science Foundation. By the end of 2016, there were altogether 488 state key laboratories, 131 national engineering research centers, 194 national engineering laboratories, and 1,276 national enterprise technical centers. The National fund for Technology Transfer and Commercialization established 9 sub-funds, with the total size reached 17.35 billion yuan. 3,465 thousand patent applications were accepted from home and abroad, and a total of 1,754 thousand patents were authorized. Till the end of year 2016, the number of patents in force was 6.285 million, of which 1,103 thousand were invention patents from home. The number of invention patents per 10,000 people was 8.0. A total of 320 thousand technology transfer contracts were signed, representing 1,140.7 billion yuan in value, up 16.0 percent over the previous year.

The year 2016 saw 22 times of satellite launches. New models of carrier rockets, Long March-5 and Long March-7, succeeded in their first trip. Tiangong-2 space laboratory and Shenzhou-11 manned spacecraft were successfully launched and the astronauts returned to the Earth safely after staying in the orbit for 30 days. The new generation geostationary meteorological satellite Fengyun-4, the synthetic aperture radar satellite Gaofen-3 and three Beidou navigation satellites were successfully launched.

By the end of 2016, there were altogether 34,487 laboratories for product inspection, including 681 national inspection centers. There were 312 agencies for product quality and management system certification, which accumulatively certified products in 152,525 enterprises. There were 3,933 authorized measurement institutions in the year, enforcing compulsory inspection on 78.78 million measurement instruments. A total of 1,763 national standards were developed or revised in the year, including 1,255 new standards.

At the end of 2016, there were 2,046 art-performing groups and 3,060 museums in the cultural system throughout China. A total of 3,172 public libraries received[50] 647.81 million people. There were 3,338 culture centers. Subscribers to cable television programs and digital cable television programs numbered 223 million and 197 million respectively. Radio broadcasting and television broadcasting coverage rates were 98.4 percent and 98.9 percent respectively. A total of 14,768 episodes of 330 TV series and 119,895 minutes of TV cartoons were made in 2016. The country produced 772 feature movies and 172 science, educational, documentary, cartoon and special movies[51]. A total of 39.4 billion copies of newspapers and 2.7 billion copies of magazines were issued, and 8.6 billion copies of books were published. The average number of books possessed per person[52] was 6.27 copies. By the end of the year, there were 4,193 archives in China and 133.88 million documents were made accessible to the public.

In 2016, Chinese athletes won 107 world championships on 23 sports events and broke 9 world records. In Rio Olympic Games, China won 70 medals with 26 gold ones, ranking the third on the gold medal tally and the second on the overall medal standings. Chinese physically-challenged athletes won 237 world championships in 17 international sports competitions. In Rio Paralympics, China's athletes won 107 gold medals, topping again both the gold medal tally and the overall medal standings.

XI. Public Health and Social Services

By the end of 2016, there were 993,000 medical and health institutions in China, including 29,000 hospitals. Of all the hospitals, 13,000 were public, and 16,000 were private. Of the 931,000 medical and health institutions at grass-root level, there were 37,000 township health centers, 35,000 community health service centers, 217,000 clinics and 642,000 village clinics. Of the 29,000 professional public health institutions, 3,484 were epidemic disease prevention centers and 3,138 were health monitoring institutions. There were 8.44 million health workers in China, including 3.17 million practicing doctors and assistant practicing doctors and 3.50 million registered nurses. The medical and health institutions in China possessed 7.47 million beds, of which, hospitals possessed 5.75 million and township health centers had 1.23 million. The total number of medical visits[53] and hospital discharges[54] in 2016 reached 7.80 billion and 220 million respectively.

By the end of 2016, there were altogether 31 thousand social welfare institutions providing accommodation, of which 28 thousand were elder-caring organizations and 713 were children caring organizations. The social welfare institutions provided 7.166 million beds[55], of which 6.800 million were for the elderly and 100 thousand were for children. There were 24 thousand community service centers and 130 thousand community service stations.

XII. Resources, Environment and Work Safety

In 2016, the total supply of state-owned land for construction use[56] was 520 thousand hectares, a decrease of 2.9 percent over the previous year. Of this total, the supply for mining storage was 120 thousand hectares, down by 3.2 percent; that for real estate[57] was 110 thousand hectares, down by 10.3 percent; and that for infrastructure facilities was 290 thousand hectares, up by 0.2 percent.

The total stock of water resources in 2016 was 3,015.0 billion cubic meters. The annual average precipitation was 730 millimeters. At the end of 2016, the 614 large reservoirs covered by monitoring program in China stored 340.9 billion cubic meters of water, decreased slightly over that at the end of last year. With an increase of 0.8 percent over 2015, the total water consumption reached 615.0 billion cubic meters, of which water consumption for living purposes rose by 2.7 percent, for industrial use decreased by 0.4 percent, for agricultural use up by 0.7 percent, and for ecological water supplement grew by 1.9 percent. Water consumption for every 10 thousand yuan worth of GDP produced[58] was 84 cubic meters, a decline of 5.6 percent over the previous year. Water consumption for every 10 thousand yuan worth of industrial value added was 53 cubic meters, down by 6.0 percent. Per capita water consumption was 446 cubic meters, up by 0.2 percent.

In 2016, a total of 6.79 million hectares of forests were planted, of which 3.81 million hectares were afforested by manpower, accounting for 56.1 percent of the total. Forest tending areas reached 8.37 million hectares. By the end of 2016, there were 2,750 natural reserves including 446 national ones. A total of 54 thousand square kilometers of eroded land was put under treatment programs, and 16 thousand square kilometers of land was closed for nurture and protection in areas suffering water and soil erosion.

Preliminary estimation indicated that the total energy consumption in 2016 amounted to 4.36 billion tons of standard coal equivalent, up 1.4 percent over 2015. The consumption of coal declined by 4.7 percent; crude oil, up 5.5 percent; natural gas, up 8.0 percent; and electric power, up 5.0 percent. The consumption of coal accounted for 62.0 percent of the total energy consumption, down 2.0 percentage points over 2015, while clean energy consumption, such as hydropower, wind power, nuclear power and natural gas, accounted for 19.7 percent, up 1.7 percentage points. The national energy consumption per 10,000 yuan worth of GDP went down by 5.0 percent. The comprehensive energy consumption per ton crude copper of industrial enterprises went down by 9.45 percent, that of per ton steel declined by 0.08 percent, per unit caustic soda, down by 2.08 percent, and per ton cement, down by 1.81 percent. The standard coal consumption per kilowatt-hour of thermal power generation was decreased by 0.97 percent.

Monitoring of oceanic water quality at 417 offshore monitoring stations indicated that oceanic water met the national quality standard Grade I and II in 73.4 percent of the stations; water quality at 10.3 percent of the stations met Grade III standard; and water of Grade IV or inferior quality was found at 16.3 percent of the stations.

Of the 338 cities monitored, 24.9 percent reached the air standard and 75.1 percent failed. The annual average concentration of particulate matter (PM2.5) for cities at prefectural-level and above that failed to meet the standard stood at 52 micrograms per cubic meter, down by 8.8 percent over the previous year.

Of the 322 cities subject to noise monitoring program, 5.0 percent enjoyed fairly good environment, 68.3 percent had good environment, 26.1 percent had fair environment and 0.6 percent had poor environment in downtown areas.

The average temperature in 2016 was 10.49℃, down by 0.13℃ compared with that of the previous year. Typhoon hit China 8 times in 2016.

At the end of 2016, the daily treatment capacity of city sewage reached 148.23 million cubic meters, up 5.6 percent over that at the end of 2015. City sewage treatment rate was 92.4 percent, up 0.5 percentage point. 95.0 percent of municipal solid waste was treated without causing pollution, up 0.9 percentage point. The floor space with central heating systems in urban area amounted to 7.07 billion square meters, up 5.2 percent. The green area totaled 1.971 million hectares in urban built-up area, increased by 3.3 percent. Greenery coverage reached 36.44 percent of built-up area, up 0.08 percentage point. Per capita green area of parks reached 13.45 square meters, an increase of 0.10 square meter.

In 2016, natural disasters hit 26.22 million hectares of crops, of which 2.90 million hectares of crops were demolished. Flood, waterlog and geological disasters caused a direct economic loss of 313.4 billion yuan. Drought caused a direct economic loss of 41.8 billion yuan. Disasters from low temperature, frost and snow made a total direct economic loss of 17.9 billion yuan. Oceanic disasters caused a direct economic loss of 5.0 billion yuan. The country recorded 18 earthquakes with magnitude 5 and over, 16 of which caused disasters, causing a direct economic loss of 6.7 billion yuan. The year 2016 witnessed 2,034 forest fires, with 6 thousand hectares of forests damaged.

The death toll due to work accidents[59] amounted to 43,062 people. The death toll from work accidents for every 100 million yuan worth of GDP was 0.058 people, decreased by 10.8 percent over 2015 on a comparable basis. Work accidents in industrial, mining and commercial enterprises caused 1.702 deaths out of every 100 thousand employees, down by 2.3 percent over 2015 on a comparable basis. The road traffic death toll per 10 thousand vehicles was 2.1 persons, the same level as that of the previous year. The death toll for one million tons of coal produced in coalmines was 0.156 person, down 3.7 percent.

CHINA
Source: National Bureau of Statistics of China

In February 2017, China's non-manufacturing purchasing manager index was 54.2 percent, a decrease of 0.4 percentage points over the previous month, and continued a rapid growth trend generally.

In view of different industries, non-manufacturing purchasing manager index of service industry was 53.2 percent, a decrease of 0.3 percentage points over the previous month, and the overall operation of the service industry was stable. Of which, the indices of transport via railway, telecommunications, broadcasting, television and satellite transmission services, Internet, software and information technology services, monetary financial services, insurance, continued to be positioned in the high level of the range which above 55.0 percent. The indices of retail trade, transport via road, restaurants, real estate, resident services and repair, were below the threshold, and the total business decreased. Non-manufacturing purchasing manager index of construction industry achieved 60.1 percent, a decrease of 1.0 percentage point over the previous month, while still being positioned in the high level of the range.

New orders index was 51.2 percent, down by 0.1 percentage point over the previous month, and was higher than the threshold, indicating that the market demand of the non-manufacturing industry kept growing, while the growth slowed down. In view of different industries, the new orders index of service industry was 50.5 percent, increased 0.2 percentage points over the previous month, and continued to be higher than the threshold. The new orders index of construction industry was 54.8 percent, decreased 2.3 percentage points over the previous month, but was still positioned in the expansion range.

Input price index was 53.7 percent, down by 1.4 percentage points over the previous month, and was still higher than the threshold, indicating that the input price during the process of production and operation of non-manufacturing enterprises continued to increase, while the amount of increase narrowed. In view of different industries, the intermediate input price indices of service industry was 52.2 percent, decreased 2.7 percentage points over the previous month. The input price index of construction industry was 61.6 percent, an increase of 5.1 percentage points over the previous month.

The sales price index was 51.4 percent, up by 0.4 percentage points over last month, still positioned in the expansion range, indicating that the overall level of non-manufacturing sales price continued to increase, and the amount of increase expanded. In view of different industries, the sales price index of service industry was 51.1 percent, an increase of 0.5 percentage points over the previous month. The sales price index of construction industry was 53.3 percent, an decrease of 0.4 percentage points over the previous month.

Employment index was 49.7 percent, decreased 0.1 percentage point over the previous month, and staying below the threshold for two consecutive months, indicating the labor employment of non-manufacturing enterprises decreased. In view of different industries, the employment index of service industry was 48.4 percent, a decrease of 0.2 percentage points over the previous month. The employment index of construction industry was 57.1 percent, an increase of 0.9 percentage points over the previous month.

Business activities expectation index was 62.4 percent, an increase of 3.5 percentage points over last month, and was positioned in the high level of the range.

Annotations:

1. Explanatory Notes

China non-manufacturing purchasing manager index system constituted by 10 sub-indices, they are business activity index, new orders index, new export orders index in hand orders index, stock index, input price index, sales price index, employment index, supplier delivery time index, and business activities expectation index. Due to the lack of synthesis of non-manufacturing integrated PMI index, the international society often used business activity index to reflect the overall changes in non-manufacturing economic development, A PMI reading above 50 percent indicates expansion from the previous month, while below indicates contraction.

2. Statistical Coverage

The survey involves 31 non-manufacturing industry divisions in the "Industrial Classification for National Economic Activities" (GB/T4754-2011), and was conducted in 4000 sampling enterprises of the non-manufacturing sector countrywide.

3. Survey Methods

Non-manufacturing purchasing managers' survey was conducted in PPS ( Probability Proportional to Size) sampling method, using the non-manufacturing sectors as the selecting layers, distribution of sample size was according to their value-added accounted for the proportion of total non-manufacturing value-added, and samples within layers and the main business revenue of the enterprises were selected by the PPS.

The survey was organized and conducted by staff members of survey offices, monthly through Online Reporting System of NBS by sending survey questionnaires to the purchasing managers of the selected enterprises.

4. Calculation Methods

Non-manufacturing purchasing managers survey involves 10 questions on production, new orders (business required), export, existing orders, finished goods inventory, intermediate input price, subscription price, employees, suppliers delivery time, and business activities expectation. Diffusion index was calculated on each question, i.e. percentage of positive answers in number of enterprises plus half of the percentage in the same answers.

5. Seasonal Adjustment Note

The purchasing managers survey is a monthly survey, great fluctuations of data which affected by seasonal factors. The sub-indices of non-manufacturing PMI data released currently were all seasonally adjusted.

INDIA
Source: Brand South Africa

The second edition of the RapidLion film festival opens on 5 March, giving Johannesburg film lovers an opportunity to watch the best African and BRICS films.

The RapidLion film festival is riding the wave of shifting political and cultural change, believes director and festival founder Eric Miyeni. As eyes turn to Africa, the Rapid Lion festival seeks to uplift and celebrate African auteurs and the continental film industry.

As Miyeni points out, there are no continental film festivals that deal with the African industry and South African film especially. RapidLion exists to showcase the best of African film, as well as give South African audiences an opportunity to watch movies from BRICS countries they would otherwise not to see.

African auteurs are gleaming stones in a mosaic, and it is time to celebrate all the stories of the diaspora, he says. For Miyeni, RapidLion is a space where the full diversity of the African experience is celebrated without apology.
The industry outside North America is blooming, says the director, and the quality of productions is getting better. "A film like the Nigerian 93 Days matches Hollywood quality and style. This trend has also made it easier for western audiences to embrace, and understand, Africa more easily."

It was important for the festival panel to select films from South Africa's BRICS partners. Miyeni explains: "African and BRICS directors are making great and important films. We wanted films that you could not see at Cinema Nouveau, movies that you had to watch and not in a distracted manner like you would a Tom Cruise movie."

And those are the films you will see at RapidLion. Africa offers something different, he says. "Africa has always told stories. It's the way we pass on culture and traditions. It is how we teach." RapidLion, he argues passionately, is a way for Africa to expand its story.

He also anticipates that filmmakers will grow to understand the importance of marketing. It's an overlooked part of the process for them, he believes. Something as simple as the festival's Q&A panels will spread the word and build audiences. "Filmmakers don't see it as important, so they don't give it the support it needs. In the end it does not matter that we are making better films if we don't reach an audience. We need to help filmmakers understand the importance of buzz. We need to have audiences salivating before a premiere."

Miyeni hopes that visitors to the festival – which runs from 5-12 March at the Market Theatre in Johannesburg – will feel as he does about the selection of films on show. They may be, in most part, relatively obscure but they are all richly rewarding experiences. "Come see something you wouldn't normally or something you don't believe will be interesting. You will discover, and there is nothing more beautiful or important."

No single film or evening can define the festival. Rather, it is the broad range of films from around the world that best captures its spirit. There are surprises among the schedule of films at RapidLion. An audience unfamiliar with films outside the Hollywood machine will find excellence. Miyeni believes there are films no-one should miss. "These are personal favourites, from South Africa's BRICS partners. These are films that you are unlikely to see anywhere else."

In the Shadow of the Hill – Brazil

Daniel Jackson's documentary spotlights crime and corruption in Brazil. Jackson uses the disappearance of Amarildo, a father of six, to highlight the resilience and solidarity of the residents of Rocinha, Brazil's largest favela, as they protest against the government's pacification programme in the run-up to the World Cup and the Olympics.

Skulls of my people – South Africa

This is Vincent Moloi's documentary about the struggle for the return of skulls taken by German scientists from Namibia after the 1904 genocide. It is a David against Goliath story of a small Namibian tribe fighting the mighty and powerful German government.

Norjmaa – China

A charming comedy about peace and forgiveness, the sweeping Mongolian Highlands are its background. Set during the Second World War, it's the story of goat herder Norjmaa who nurses two injured soldiers back to health, even as they try to kill each other.

Aligarh – India

The bio-pic is about Dr Shrinivas Ramchandra Siras, a language professor in the city of Aligarh, who is suspended after his sexual preferences are revealed by a newspaper. It is the story of Siras and the journalist, Dipu Sebastian, who humanised him for an entire sub-continent.

Russia
Source: Altai State University

Nazrikhudzha Saidaliyev, a student at the 4th year of study at the Faculty of Mass Communication, Philology and Political Science at Altai State University, took part in BRICS Scientific and Educational Youth Forum, which was held in M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State University (MSU) on 16–18 February 2017.

BRICS Forum is a series of scientific and cultural events for students, postgraduates and young scientists dedicated to research of BRICS and development of new development strategies. The participants included students from Brazil, India, China, Republic of South Africa and Russia.

The topic for ceremonial opening of the forum was achievement of stable development objectives within the BRICS platform.

Forum plenary session hosted such speakers as Dean of MSU Faculty of Public Administration, Chairman of State Duma Committee for Education and Science, Chairman of Russkiy Mir Foundation Vyacheslav Nikonov; Head of MSU Department of Strategic Communications, Counsellor of Head of Russian Presidential Administration, academician at Russian Academy of Arts Andrey Khazin; Executive Director of National BRICS Research Group Georgy Toloraya; Chairman of National Council for Russian Youth and Children Associations Grigori Petushkov; Director of Ibero-American Institute Vicente Barrientos; Vice-Head of MSU Department of State Policy Maksim Vilisov; Vice-Chairman of Russian Youth Union Tatiana Seliverstova.

The second day was devoted to scientific and practical seminar, in the framework of which young specialists in international relations, economy and policy attended 6 workshops ("Economic Aspects of BRICS Countries Activity: Development of Trading Relations", "Young People and Youth Policy", "Humanitarian Cooperation for Resolution of Social Problems", "BRICS Innovative Capacity", "Maintenance of Ecological Security" and "Removal of Communication Barriers").

"Development of Education in BRICS Countries as a Factor of Sustainable Global Development" Round Table was organized on the last day of the forum. Participants discussed such issues as development of education systems in BRICS countries on the basis of UN concept of sustainable development, experience in international student exchanges, creation of open systems for information access, and usage of unified educational standards.

"Such events facilitate building of relationships between international students, help them adapt to the surrounding environment. As for the program of the forum, it was very educational. Intensive seminars and workshops provided us with useful information on international cooperation," noted Nazrikhudzha Saidaliyev. "At the forum I got acquainted with the supervisors of Association for International Students of Russian Universities and asked whether there is an opportunity for ASU Association of International Students to join it. It was pleasant to hear that participants and experts of the forum consider Altai State University to be one of the most active Russian higher education establishments in the sphere of international youth events organization.All in all, the event turned out very effective and interesting. Every participant had a chance to show themselves. I have been participating in similar events for 4 years already. It was exciting to visit Moscow and see the sights and fascinating architecture. I would like to express my deep gratitude to administration of Altai State University for a chance to participate in BRICS Forum. I would also like to thank organizers of the forum from Moscow State University for creating warm atmosphere. I made a lot of new friends from China, Brazil, India, Nigeria, Tajikistan and other countries of the world. I am happy that organization of the forum was at such a high level!"

INDIA
Source: United News of India

Panaji, Mar 2 (UNI) Goa chief secretary Dharmendra Sharma has submitted before Goa Human Rights Commission (GHRC) that to date no payment has been made to M/s Amonkar Classic Caterers, who were allegedly involved in the supply of substandard food to the police personnel deployed on duty during the BRICS Summit held in Goa in October last year.

In his written reply to the complaint filed by advocate Aires Rodrigues, the chief secretary submitted that the decision with reference to the required penalty would be taken as per due procedure only after the conclusion of the proceedings before the GHRC.

The GHRC, headed by retired District Judge A D Salkar and a member J A Keny, has adjourned the matter to March 15.

The complaint was filed by Adv Rodrigues alleging that there was food scam.

The chief secretary in his report had stated that police officers -- Serafin Dias, Mahesh Gaonkar and Jivba Dalvi -- had complained that the food served to the police personnel during the BRICS summit was of poor and substandard quality, which was not good for consumption while the packaging itself was unhygienic.

Inspector Nolasco Raposo had visited the site at Verna where the food was prepared and found it to be very unhygienic and in an open space.

The chief secretary stated that police inspector Roy Pereira had complained of food poisoning after consuming chicken biryani on October 16 and that staff deployed at Naval Airport had also orally informed that substandard food was supplied to them.

Adv Rodrigues in his complaint to the GHRC last year had submitted that the contract of a whopping Rs 51.60 lakh, given to Amonkar Classic Caterers, was sub-let to a roadside contractor who clandestinely had prepared the food in an open place owned by the police department next to the Verna Church Cemetery.