Skip to content

Information/Technology - 9. page

Chinese Researcher Proposed New Study on Modifying Human Genes

Chinese scientist He Jiankui (贺建奎) might rile the ethics of medical practitioners for the second time.

He shocked the world when he created the first gene-edited babies in 2017 and the Chinese government boasted that he was the “new giant in the world of genetics.” However, the international community heavily criticized him for violating medical ethics. The Chinese government turned around and put him in prison for three years.

On June 29 this year, He tweeted about a new proposal for gene editing in human embryos and claimed that this research was to prevent the Alzheimer’s disease. The document he attached to the tweet said the study would first genetically edit mouse embryos and later human fertilized egg cells or fertilized eggs.

His new proposal has once again raised concerns among scientists and medical ethicists worldwide.

Source: Epoch Times, July 3, 2023
https://www.epochtimes.com/gb/23/7/3/n14027624.htm

Briefings | | |   @CS Information/Technology

China’s Universities Conduct Investigations on Multiple Journal Retractions

Chinese universities have launched an initiative to investigate academically unethical papers published in the past five years. They aim to address the country’s high rate of retractions in international journals. Over 30 universities, including Ningbo University, Hangzhou Normal University, and Chengdu University of Information Technology, have announced their intention to participate in the three-month campaign, following a notice by the Ministry of Science and Technology. The focus will be on local research institutes and universities, particularly papers included in personnel assessments or which were awarded performance incentives.

The investigation will target various forms of misconduct, such as plagiarism, duplication, content fabrication, manipulation of peer reviews, ghostwriting for hire, and inappropriate honorary authorship. China ranked second globally in terms of the the number of papers published in top international journals in 2022, but it also had a significant number of retractions. Out of 5,488 retractions indexed in the Science Citation Index (SCI), 2,879 retractions (52 percent of the total) came from China.

This nationwide self-examination and rectification of academic papers is unprecedented in scale, as previous investigations were conducted by individual universities following international retractions. However, there are concerns that relying solely on self-examination may not effectively address the issue, as there is a problem of institutional protection of academic misconduct in China. This protection is attributed to the allocation of research funding, and it suggests that a more comprehensive solution is needed.

Jia Hepeng, a professor at Soochow University, expressed doubts about the long-term impact of this campaign and the centralized research system that heavily relies on quantitative assessment. Despite these concerns, the initiative is seen as a positive step towards addressing academic misconduct and serves as a wake-up call for the academic community in China. While the effectiveness of the campaign-style investigation is expected to be limited, taking action is viewed as preferable to no action at all.

Source: Central News Agency (Taiwan), June 19, 2023
https://www.cna.com.tw/news/acn/202306190066.aspx

Briefings | | |   Information/Technology

Lianhe Zaobao: UK Government Plans to Remove Surveillance Cameras Made in China

Singapore’s primary Chinese language newspaper Lianhe Zaobao recently reported that the British Cabinet Office will ask all government departments to remove surveillance cameras produced by Chinese companies to stop potential intelligence gathering by the Chinese government. When announcing this decision, the Cabinet Office also mentioned that a timetable will be announced for various departments to follow in order to remove surveillance cameras installed in sensitive places. The British government did not name specific Chinese companies, only saying that surveillance cameras produced by companies subject to China’s National Intelligence Law must be removed. Two people familiar with the matter said that the order is aimed at Hikvision and Dahua, two of China’s largest surveillance camera makers. Cabinet Office Minister Jeremy Quin said the new measures would protect sensitive sectors of the UK from companies that could threaten UK national security and would act as a firm deterrent against hostile acts wishing to harm the UK. He announced the measures as he proposed a series of new amendments to the government’s procurement act, including the creation of a new unit to investigate suppliers who may pose a risk to UK national security and assess whether to ban these companies from public procurement. At least a third of the police forces in England and Wales use surveillance cameras made by Hikvision. Hikvision responded by saying its products have no security issues.

Source: Lianhe Zaobao, June 7, 2023
https://www.kzaobao.com/shiju/20230607/140427.html

Briefings | | |   Geo-Strategic Trend Information/Technology

Global Times: Japan Officially Introduced Export Control Measures for Semiconductor Equipment

Global Times recently reported that the Japanese government officially introduced export control measures for semiconductor manufacturing equipment, which will be implemented on July 23. China’s Ministry of Commerce responded on the same day that this is an abuse of export control measures and a serious departure from free trade and international economic and trade rules. China firmly opposes this. Japan announced in late March this year that it would amend the Foreign Exchange and Foreign Trade Law to strengthen export controls on 23 items of chip manufacturing equipment in an effort to “cooperate with the United States to prevent technology from flowing to China and being transferred to military use.” According to the Japanese Ministry of the Economy, Trade and Industry, the restricted scope includes semiconductor cleaning, thin film deposition, heat treatment, etching, product inspection and more.The Japanese Minister of the Economy, Trade and Industry Yasutoshi Nishimura previously stated that “this is not aimed at any specific country.” However, considering the latest export management trends of countries related to semiconductor manufacturing equipment, public opinion believes that this is a measure against China. While Japan’s restrictions on semiconductors are less extensive than in the United States, about ten Japanese manufacturers will be affected to some extent by the new rules. The spokesperson for the Ministry of Commerce of China stated that the measures announced will seriously damage the interests of Chinese and Japanese companies, seriously damage the Sino-Japanese economic and trade cooperation, disrupt the global semiconductor industry structure, and impact the stability of the global industrial supply chain.

Sources:
(1) Global Times, May 24, 2023
https://3w.huanqiu.com/a/de583b/4D17o6aPvPe?agt=11
(2) Xinhua, May 23, 2023
http://www.news.cn/fortune/2023-05/23/c_1129640086.htm

Briefings | | |   Geo-Strategic Trend Information/Technology

Chinese Police Demand to Inspect Students’ Phones to Remove Chat Apps like Telegram

Chinese authorities have issued notifications in several regions, urging parents, under the pretext of “preventing online crimes,” to check their children’s mobile phones in order to remove “secret chat apps.”

According to reports from state media outlets like Guangming Daily Online, the official WeChat public account of the Nanjing Public Security Bureau stated on the 16th that secret chat apps, known for their strong encryption and features like “disappearing messages,” provide criminals with a convenient means to destroy evidence, making these apps a “gray area.”

Law enforcement agencies have expressed concern that criminals exploit secret chat apps to manipulate minors through deception, coaxing them into providing personal information and engaging in illegal activities. In some cases, individuals who assist in such online crimes can be charged with “assisting information network criminal activities,” which carries a penalty of up to three years’ imprisonment, detention, or a fine for serious offenses.

Apart from the Nanjing police, similar warnings have been issued by authorities in various locations, including Fuzhou City in Fujian Province, Dazhou City in Sichuan Province, Hainanzhou in Qinghai Province, Hezhou City in Guangxi Province, Tongliao City in Inner Mongolia, and Lanzhou City in Gansu Province.

Some notifications also urge teachers and parents to check if their children have installed such apps on their phones, warning that their children may be assisting overseas fraudsters in illegal activities. If any installed apps are discovered, it is advised to take the matter seriously, inform the child about the potential harm, and accompany them to the nearest public security agency to investigate whether they are involved in any illegal activities.

The mentioned problematic apps include WhatsApp, Telegram, and Twitter, which are commonly used overseas.

Source: Central News Agency (Taiwan), May 22, 2023
https://www.cna.com.tw/news/acn/202305220035.aspx

Briefings | | |   Information/Technology

CBN: LinkedIn to Shut Down Chinese Jobs App

China Business Network (CBN) recently reported that Microsoft’s workplace social media network, LinkedIn, just announced layoffs and that it will shut down its job-seeking application service in China. The company further said it plans to cut 716 jobs as demand fluctuates. It is worth noting that LinkedIn continues to downsize its business in China. The company decided to withdraw most of its Chinese business in 2021, and it shifted its business focus in China to meet the needs of job hunting and recruitment, and no longer produce content. After the latest business adjustment, LinkedIn said that, due to fierce competition and a challenging macroeconomic environment, it will take its only remaining application InCareers offline on August 9. However, a company spokesperson said LinkedIn would maintain a presence in China to help companies with operations in China recruit and train workers abroad. LinkedIn CEO Ryan Roslansky said in a letter to employees, that the company will be offloading more work to external partners in the future, who will then take on some of LinkedIn’s current work. The company also said the move to cut positions in sales, operations and support teams is aimed at simplifying the company’s operations and will move towards a more flattened management structure for faster decision-making. Microsoft acquired LinkedIn in 2016 for an estimated US$26 billion. According to Microsoft CEO Nadella previously revealed that, in 2021, LinkedIn’s global annual revenue was about US$10 billion.

Source: CBN, May 9, 2023
https://www.yicai.com/news/101751217.html

Briefings | | |   Information/Technology US-China Relations

China Times: Austria Joins Countries Banning TikTok from Business Phones

Major Taiwanese newspaper China Times recently reported that the Austrian Federal Interior Minister, Gerhard Karner, announced that the government will ban civil servants from using the Chinese-owned short video sharing application TikTok on their official mobile phones. This means another country joins the growing list of those who have banned the use of TikTok, Including the United Kingdom, the United States and several European Union (EU) member states. Many Western countries have banned the use of TikTok on official devices based on national security concerns. The EU’s two largest decision-making bodies also imposed a ban on TikTok in March. When Gerhard Karner was interviewed before the regular weekly cabinet meeting today, he was asked whether Austrian government officials could continue to use TikTok. He told reporters that official mobile phone use will be banned. However, using TikTok with private mobile phones outside the federal network is still possible. TikTok is owned by the Chinese company ByteDance. It is under scrutiny from a number of governments and regulators amid concerns that the Chinese government could use the app to collect user data or advance its own interests.

Source: China Times, May 11, 2023
https://www.chinatimes.com/cn/realtimenews/20230510006402-260408?chdtv

Briefings | | |   Geo-Strategic Trend Information/Technology

HKET: Germany is Checking All Chinese Components in Its 5G Network

Hong Kong Economic Times (HKET), the leading financial daily in Hong Kong, recently reported that, German Interior Minister Nancy Farser said the ministry is checking all Chinese components already installed in Germany’s 5G network. The practice is to protect the country’s communications network. The three priorities of the inspection are to identify risks, avoid crises and avoid dependencies. She emphasized that relevant inspection is particularly important for key 5G network infrastructure. This could be an important move by German authorities to deal with security concerns. Domestic German media earlier quoted sources as saying that Berlin is considering banning certain components from Chinese companies such as Huawei and ZTE in the telecommunications network. The Ministry of the Interior later denied it, emphasizing that it only comprehensively reviewed all suppliers to avoid over-reliance on individual suppliers. The Chinese embassy in Germany responded that China firmly opposes Germany’s generalization of the national security concept, abusing state power to interfere in the free market, and undermining the principle of fair competition.

Source: HKET, April 16, 2023
https://bit.ly/41AvDUC

Briefings | | |   Geo-Strategic Trend Information/Technology