#accelerate#Assistant#Partnership
On August 24, 2021, Assistant Foreign Minister Deng Li announced the china-africa Digital Innovation Partnership plan on behalf of China at the China-Africa Internet Development and Cooperation Forum.
Deng said that President Xi Jinping pointed out at last year's Special Summit on China-Africa Solidarity against COVID-19 that China is ready to work with Africa to expand cooperation in digital economy, smart cities, 5G and other new business models. Earlier this year, During his visit to Africa, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi put forward the initiative of China and Africa to jointly build a "digital Africa". China is ready to work with Africa to formulate and implement the China-Africa Digital Innovation Partnership Plan.
First, strengthen digital infrastructure to open up the information artery of economic and social development. China will share digital technology achievements with Africa and promote digital infrastructure connectivity. We encourage Chinese enterprises to cooperate with African countries to participate in digital infrastructure such as optical fiber backbone networks, cross-border connectivity and new-generation mobile communication networks. We will help popularize Internet access in remote areas of Africa and build the "last mile" of information connectivity.
Second, develop the digital economy and promote the integrated development of digital technologies and the real economy. We will support Africa in enhancing the digitalization of its public sector and enterprises, and advance Africa's industrialization process by applying cloud computing, artificial intelligence, the Internet of things, mobile payment and other new technologies. We should strengthen e-commerce cooperation, help high-quality African products enter the Chinese market, and speed up the integration of African information chains and industrial chains through cross-border e-commerce.
Third, carry out digital education to solve the "talent bottleneck" of digital innovation. China will implement a series of programs such as the "International Youth Excellence Program" and the "Vine Program" to strengthen china-africa distance education cooperation, further support Africa in cultivating outstanding young people in the digital field, and encourage Chinese enterprises to strengthen exchanges and cooperation with African innovative talents.
Fourth, enhance digital inclusion and serve ordinary Africans. We will support African countries in applying digital technologies to transport, healthcare, finance and other livelihood areas, building "smart cities", and enhancing national governance and epidemic prevention and control through digital technologies. We will encourage Chinese enterprises to participate in the development of public service platforms such as e-government, e-payment and digital currency in Africa.
Fifth, jointly create digital security and enhance digital governance capacity. Welcomed the party to participate in "hand in hand to build the network space fate community initiatives," and "global data security initiative, willing to work with the parties in the network security emergency response, Internet laws and regulations, etc, to strengthen the dialogue communication, hand in hand to create open, fair and non-discriminatory digital development environment, to explore and develop the global digital governance rules.
Sixth, build a cooperation platform to promote digital progress through exchanges. China will discuss with Africa the establishment of a High-Level dialogue platform on China-Africa digital cooperation, strengthen communication and exchanges with African governments and organizations such as Smart Africa, continue to hold events such as the Innovative Tour of Young African Scientists and Scientists to China, and support the development of a China-Africa innovation cooperation center.
Deng emphasized that China's initiatives will never stay on the "vision" or paper, and China will work with Africa to formulate and implement the China-Africa Digital Innovation Partnership plan to achieve early harvest as soon as possible. Recently, a number of china-africa cooperation optical fiber backbone network projects will be launched in Africa. From September, the E-commerce Promotion Season for African products and the China-Africa Beidou Cooperation Forum will be held. China will also work with Africa to design practical measures for digital cooperation in the next three years, which will be included in the outcome document of the new session of focAC.
Hosted by the Cyberspace Administration of China, the Forum was attended by minister-level officials in charge of digital and telecommunications from African countries and the African Union Commission, diplomatic envoys to China, scholars and entrepreneurs from Both Sides.
#accelerate#government#efforts#Australia
The Australian government should step up efforts to phase out coal or climate change will seriously harm the country's economy, Selwin Hart, a UN special adviser, said on Friday. Australia has long relied heavily on coal-fired power, making it one of the world's biggest carbon emitters. But the government has remained staunchly supportive of the fossil fuel industry, arguing that tougher carbon curbs will cost jobs. "While mining only accounts for 2 per cent of all employment in Australia, I fully understand the important role of coal and other fossil fuels in the country's economy." Reuters quoted Hart as saying. "But we have to have a broader, more honest and rational conversation about Australia's national interests." The UN has called on all OECD and developing countries, including Australia, to phase out coal by 2030. Most other countries have committed to net zero emissions by 2050. In July, G20 energy and environment ministers failed to reach an agreement to phase out coal by 2025. But experts say some progress could be made at the upcoming United Nations climate talks in Glasgow in November. Scott Morrison, the prime minister, has said Australia ison a path to net zero emissions but has not specified a time frame. The country will update its carbon emissions projections at a climate change conference in November. "The Australian government should seize the opportunity to transition to renewable energy." Hart said. "If coal is not phased out globally quickly, climate change will wreak havoc on the entire Australian economy
#accelerate#Brussels#Russia
Xinhua News Agency Brussels, December 16 (reporter Ren Ke) NATO secretary General Jens Stoltenberg on Thursday called on Russia to take steps to ease the situation in Ukraine and its surrounding region, and reiterated the alliance's support for Ukraine. Stoltenberg met with visiting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at NATO headquarters on the same day. At a later news conference, he said the two sides discussed Russia's military buildup in and around Ukraine and reaffirmed NATO's support for Ukraine, but said it was not a threat to Russia. Stoltenberg called on Russia to take actions to de-escalate the situation and respect Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity. He also said NATO was preparing for dialogue with Russia and renewed an invitation to return to the NATO-Russia Council. Mr. Stoltenberg also said the decision on Ukraine's membership in NATO should be made only by Ukraine and all NATO members. The deterioration in Russian-Ukrainian relations has accelerated recently, with both sides deploying large numbers of military personnel and equipment along their border. The United States, Ukraine and NATO say Russia is massing troops near Ukraine's eastern border in what they call an "invasion." Russia denies this, saying NATO activities threaten its borders and that it has the right to deploy troops to defend its territory. Ukraine has been seeking NATO membership for years, but Russia has adamantly opposed it. Russian President Vladimir Putin said in a video interview with U.S. President Joe Biden on Tuesday that NATO's eastward expansion and the deployment of offensive weapons in Russia's neighboring countries violate Russia's "red line."
美日在强制军购和驻日美军费用分摊问题上也存在冲突，自2012年安倍再次上台以来，日本安全战略转型步伐加快，日本从美国购买军品国家逐年增加，特朗普上台后进一步要求日本增加对美军购，并采取军售与贸易挂钩的政策，试图增加军售以“创造更多就业机会”。美国和减少日本对美国的贸易顺差，同时“变得更安全”。美日以有偿对外军事援助（FMS）形式进行的军火交易数量猛增，美国走在了前列，美国可以单方面改变价格和交货时间，以及寿命武器和维修设备必须委托给美国，这意味着日本将继续为未来从美国购买武器支付越来越多的费用，无法管理成本，也无法积累技术。以2017年11月美日峰会后日本承诺从美国采购的改进型舰载拦截导弹3Block 2A为例，日本防卫省估计该导弹的采购价格为16仅在量产阶段（2017-2024财年）高于初步估计，美国对日本“买卖”武器的明确政策在日本引发了强烈反对，日本指责武器销售是“被迫”的价格太高，日本政府担心将美国军事工业的利益置于日本国家安全的必要性之上并被迫从美国购买尖端武器的政治后果受到压力。此外，特朗普竞选以来，一直要求日本政府承担美军驻日费用，指责日本未能履行盟友责任，与美国其他盟友相比，日本所占比例最高。和金额的资金为美国的军事存在。在响应上述请求的特朗普管理，日本回应说，“有必须介于日本和美国适宜共享”并坚持位置不仅轴承全部负担。但是2017年，在美国的压力下，日本为驻日美军支付了7897亿日元，比上年增加了255亿日元。
#accelerate#pharmaceutical#ensure
Some Japanese pharmaceutical companies are speeding up the development of their own COVID-19 vaccines, with the Japanese government giving a strong push to vaccine development. Health ministry officials said this was to ensure domestic vaccine supplies.
Japanese government sources told reporters in late May that the government decided to provide subsidies to pharmaceutical companies to promote vaccine development and large-scale production.
"In terms of securing the necessary dose of vaccine, it would be better to have domestically produced vaccines from Japanese companies," Kyodo news agency reported on June 3, citing a health ministry official.
According to the World Health Organization, there are more than 120 vaccine candidates in development worldwide, a small number of which have begun clinical trials. However, given global demand, Tokyo is concerned it may not be able to secure domestic consumption if it relies on foreign suppliers.
Shionoyoshi is working on a recombinant protein vaccine, which it expects to have clinical trials by the end of the year and be available next fall. Shiono plans to produce enough vaccine for 10 million people starting in 2021.
KM Bio, a unit of Meiji Holdings LTD., focuses on inactivated vaccines and is preparing to start clinical trials next spring or later. The company is collaborating with the University of Tokyo and the National Institute of Infectious Diseases in Japan to conduct animal tests and is expected to complete them by March next year.
Meanwhile, KM Bio said it is willing to open its production facilities to any company that successfully develops a COVID-19 vaccine. The facility could produce enough new influenza vaccine for 57 million people within six months.
Tanabe's Canadian arm is looking at plant-based vaccines, currently in animal trials. ID Pharmaceutical based in Tokyo is also working with the National Institute of Infectious Diseases in Japan to develop a vaccine.
In addition to vaccines, Japanese drug companies are also pushing research into treatments. Companies such as Takeda Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. and Japan New Drug Corp. have released plans to develop new drugs.
Around the world, many countries are pushing ahead with vaccine research. Experts stressed that strengthening international cooperation is crucial to speed up COVID-19 vaccine efforts.
The Gamalya National Research Center for Epidemiology and Microbiology and the Ministry of Defense expect to complete clinical trials of a COVID-19 vaccine by the end of July, said Sergei Borisevich, director of the 48th Central Scientific Institute under the Ministry of Defense.
TASS reported Thursday that Russia is currently developing nine vaccines from three research institutes, eight of which have been registered with the World Health Organization.
Wendy Sammons-Jackson, director of the MILITARY's Infectious Disease Research Program, said Tuesday that "some form of vaccine" could be available before the end of the year for certain groups in the United States.
The U.S. military is working with a number of international drug companies to develop the vaccine, including Astrazeneca, Johnson & Johnson and Modena. In addition, the U.S. National Institutes of Health and the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Agency are assisting companies in developing COVID-19 vaccines and treatments.