The government gives itself a report card for 2017 – China’s latest political and current affairs news

The State Council’s website published an infographic (in Chinese) with a title that can be translated as “This year’s government work report — these assigned tasks have ALREADY! BEEN! COMPLETED!” The infographic has been widely promoted in both state and commercial news media. Some of the achievements are difficult to check up on, but whether they are real or not, the list gives a good idea of one way the government sees its priorities. The completed tasks listed are:

1. Reduced types of value-added tax rates from four to three
2. Built demonstration bases to encourage people to start their own businesses and to innovate
3. Constructed 11 high-level, high-standard free trade zones
4. Increased financial subsidies for health insurance for both urban and rural residents
5. Increased basic pensions for retirees
6. Raised subsidy standards for state scholarships for master’s and Ph.D. students
7. Increased annual taxable income limit for small and micro enterprises (SMEs)
8. Revised the industry guidance catalogue for foreign investment
9. Cleaned up and regulated government funds
10. Stopped central government administrative fees for companies
11. Reduced charges on internet service and international calls
12. Cleaned up production and services licensing
13. Increased the research and development expenditure of science and technology SMEs
14. Granted disaster insurance to farmers
15. Expanded pilot areas for planting more feed crops

• Kenya
  Kenya’s new $3.2 billion railway frustrates customers ahead of polls / Reuters
  “The Chinese-built line is plagued with administrative problems,” but that didn’t stop Xinhua from releasing a high-budget, 30-minute propaganda film (in Chinese) on the building and positive effect of China’s railway projects in Kenya.
• Vatican
  Pope ‘loves China,’ Vatican official says on trip to China / Reuters
• Human rights
  China sentences journalist Lu Yuyu to four years in prison / CPJ
  Chinese academic who called Mao a ‘devil’ says he was sacked / Reuters
• India, Bhutan, China border dispute
  Doklam standoff: China warns India, says restraint has ‘bottom line’ / Hindustan Times
  With live-fire drill, China warns India not to test Beijing / Bloomberg
  Race to Renew India Submarine Force Amid Rising China Threat / Bloomberg
  Commentary: Why China cannot back down in the Doklam standoff / Xinhua
• Censorship
  China holds drill to shut down ‘harmful’ websites / Reuters
  China’s internet censors play a tougher game of cat and mouse / NYT (paywall)
• Climate change and geoengineering
  China builds one of the world’s largest geoengineering research programs / MIT Technology Review
  “The researchers are assessing the impact of employing technological means of altering the climate, and exploring related policy and governance issues.”
• North Korea
  U.S. may soon expand UN talks on North Korea sanctions, signaling China deal: diplomats / Reuters
• South China Sea
  Vietnam, yielding to Beijing, backs off South China Sea drilling / NYT (paywall)
  “Unlike the Philippines and Japan, Vietnam is not a treaty ally of the United States.”
  ASEAN must stand up to China’s island-building, Del Rosario says / ABS-CBN