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Thursday, 17 August 2023

Honouring manifesto pledges; ‘Shaping Penang into preferred investment destination’

 

An aerial view of the proposed site for the future LRT station which is beside the Sia Boey Urban Archaeological Park near Komtar.


AFTER the euphoric victory with a two-thirds majority in the 15th state elections, Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow, immediately got back to work.

Chow, who is in his second and final term as the state’s chief executive, has to deliver on promises made by the Pakatan Harapan-Barisan Nasional pact in the Penang Unity Manifesto 2023.

Several grandiose projects planned by the state government are expected to take off while a few will be completed before his term is up.

The following projects are some highlights of the Penang Unity Manifesto.


The Penang South Island Project will be scaled down to just one island (Silicon Island).

Silicon Island

The man-made island project, measuring 930ha and touted as the economic catalyst and new tourism attraction for Penang, is to house the Green Tech Park (GTP) and Heart of the Island (Hoti) business district.

The reclamation effort, in two phases off the southern coast of Penang island, will take between 10 and 15 years to complete.

The GTP will feature research and design facilities, digital technology infrastructure, ecommerce and business process outsourcing.

Hoti, on the other hand, has been planned as a waterfront commercial hub that will serve as the pulse of the island.

Silicon Island Development Sdn Bhd, which is 70% owned by SRS PD Sdn Bhd, has awarded the design, management and construction of the Phase 1 reclamation works of Island A to turnkey contractor SRS TC Sdn Bhd, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Gamuda.

Phase 1 preparatory works commenced on July 1 this year while physical works will only begin once the company secures Environmental Management Plan approval from the Department of Environment (DOE).

Upon completion, the project designed according to environmental, social and governance (ESG) principles, is expected to attract high-impact investments.


. Chow showing a map of Silicon Island during a press conference at Komtar in this file picture.

GBS By The Sea

With a net lettable floor space of about 300,000sq ft, the project in Bayan Lepas is meant to address the rising demand from Global Business Services (GBS) as well as technology and research and development (R&D) companies.

Developed by Penang Development Corporation (PDC), the project comprising a nine-storey office building and a six-storey multilevel carpark is a multi-million ringgit project.

Upon completion in 2024, AMD Global Services will be the major tenant and will occupy about 209,000sq ft for the expansion of its operations.

Chow was quoted by Buletin Mutiara as saying that the project would ensure Penang’s infrastructure could meet the long-term growth of industry players.

Medi-tech City

The project with a RM9.9bil gross development value in Batu Kawan is earmarked to be an integrated, sustainable and high technology medical city and business hub in Penang.

In January last year, Bernama reported that the project occupying a 93ha plot of land in Batu Kawan was slated for completion in 10 years.

Once ready, it will serve as a medical hub providing eco-tourism and global business services with facilities including hospital, medical campus, medical supply hub, corporate suites, rehabilitation centre, retirement village, hotel, wellness centre, sports centre, electrical and electronics sectors, logistics and distribution hub.

Titijaya Land Bhd and Penang Development Corp (PDC) signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to develop this project.

Penang Light Rail Transit

The Federal Government has committed to provide funding for the Penang Light Rail Transit (LRT) project which will be undertaken by Mass Rapid Transit Corp Sdn Bhd (MRT Corp).

It was announced that there will also be a major enhancement in the much anticipated project’s first phase.

Instead of just stretching from Bayan Lepas to Komtar, the LRT line will go all the way to Tanjung Bungah, covering a 29km distance and making 27 stations available.

Work packages are expected to be tendered by the year-end and the project is expected to be completed in five years.

Juru-Sungai Dua Elevated Highway

Under the Penang Transport Master Plan, it has been proposed that the Juru-Sungai Dua Elevated Highway project at the Juru Interchange on the mainland is to be upgraded to a “diverging diamond interchange”.

The upgrading project is important to address severe congestion along the North-South Expressway and at the signalised Jalan Kebun Nenas-Jalan Perusahaan T-junction.

Lane widening and synchronising traffic signal timing at the Jalan Kebun Nenas-Jalan Perusahaan T-junction have also been proposed.

Chow said the dedicated bypass from Juru to Sungai Dua toll project would be a long-term traffic dispersal plan.

He said the project should be modelled after the Ipoh Selatan-Jelapang through-traffic stretch, which separates the traffic between the expressway and the slip road to Ipoh city.

Chow was quoted by Buletin Mutiara as saying that the proposed project would be able to address traffic woes in major parts of Penang mainland.

He said traffic congestion in that area (Juru-Sungai Dua) had deeply impacted road users.

This component is still a proposal and subject to approval and changes.

Penang Hill Cable Car

Set to be another iconic tourist attraction, the cable car system will help the tourist-load balancing by complementing the 100-year-old funicular railway from Ayer Itam.

Its lower station will be built near Penang Botanic Gardens. Included are the construction of a public transport station and a multi-storey parking complex.

The system with 43 gondola cabins will have the capacity of 1,000 passengers per hour at a speed of 6m per second.

There will be 15 towers along the line and the journey from the lower to upper station will take 10 minutes.

In June this year, a concession agreement was signed between Penang Hill Corporation and Hartasuma Sdn Bhd, which will own the tourist attraction concession over the next 30 years.

The proposed investment of at least RM245mil by Hartasuma will also include beautification of surrounding areas of Penang Botanic Gardens.

The project is expected to be operational in three years.

Tanjung Bungah-Teluk Bahang Dual Carriageway

The project, popularly known as the North Coastal Paired Road (Package One), is one of the three new roads under the Penang Undersea Tunnel project.

Early reports indicated that the project will be a four-lane road from Teluk Bahang which will end in the L-shaped road bend known to locals as the Vale of Tempe – a two-lane road in Tanjung Bungah.

The North Coastal Paired Road will pass the Batu Ferringhi tourism belt which often experienced gridlock during the holidays.

According to the project’s environmental impact assessment (EIA), the travel time from Tanjung Bungah to Teluk Bahang using the existing road is between 20 and 23 minutes.

The proposed highway will reduce travel time to nine minutes with vehicles travelling at about 70km/h.

The existing federal road that motorists currently use is more than a century old. Sandwiched between private land and public beaches makes the possibility of upgrading and widening it nearly impossible.


The RM851mil (Package Two) bypass measuring 5.7km linking Ayer Itam to Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu Expressway is expected to be completed in 2025. — Filepic

Ayer Itam-Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu Expressway Bypass

The Ayer Itam-Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu Expressway Bypass (Package Two) is one of three road projects that are part of the Penang Undersea Tunnel project.

The 5.7km bypass linking Ayer Itam to Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu Expressway can reduce travel time and bring long-term benefits to Penang residents, especially some 300,000 folk living in Ayer Itam, Bandar Baru Ayer Itam and Paya Terubong.

The toll-free project will stretch 1.8km at ground level while some parts are elevated.

There are viaduct structures (65%), tunnels (20%) and grade sections (15%) on this road.

The entire project is slated for completion in 2025 and is currently 38% complete.

Sungai Bakap Bypass

The 1km bypass will link to Jalan Sungai Bakap from the North-South Expressway (southbound) on Penang mainland.

It is among the initiatives to tackle traffic woes on the mainland via the Seberang Prai City Council Strategic Plan 2023-2030.

Buletin Mutiara reported that the Public Works Department (JKR) had prepared the project’s estimated cost, adding that the department was in the process of coming up with paperwork to be submitted to the Penang government.

The procurement process of appointing a consultant will begin once the project paper is approved by the Penang government.

For now, there are still issues to be resolved with the Malaysian Highway Authority.

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‘Shaping Penang into preferred investment destination’

Based on the manifesto, p-hailing riders are to get personal accident insurance coverage. — KT GOH/The Star

WHILE some believe the “Penang Unity Manifesto 2023” will benefit Penangites, others feel more can be done for lower-income groups.

Property agent Sam Ooi, 43, said Silicon Island development would help boost employment opportunities and attract high-impact investments.

The Medi-tech City and GBS by The Sea projects would benefit the local construction industry, generate employment, and create economic spillover effects, he said.

“The unity manifesto will boost the state’s appeal as the preferred investment destination,” he said, adding that there should also be more affordable housing to help the locals,” he said.

He said Penangites could look forward to high-income jobs and their income would then correlate with their spending.

“With better income, they will be able to buy properties to settle down here.

“The market is slowly picking up post pandemic. Many are buying properties not as investments but to live in.

Maison Martell commemorates the Year Of the Rabbit with a spectacular new limited addition to the Zodiac Edition collection of the LOr De Jean Martell 1715 the Assemblage du Lapin Photos Handout


Ooi: Silicon Island, Medi-tech City and GBS by The Sea projects will be a boost to Penang.

“Younger folk tend to buy small units but with the incentives offered in the manifesto, they may be able to afford bigger units,” he added.

Sundry shop manager Mohd Iqbal Abdullah, 33, said more could be done for the B40 group.

“At a glance, only p-hailing and ehailing drivers, taxi and bus drivers will benefit from monetary incentives and personal accident insurance coverage.

“Such aid should be extended to people under the B40 category, or those earning below a certain amount.

“My basic salary is RM2,500. I am now managing with my wife’s help but we will become parents soon, so money will definitely be tighter.

“Perhaps the state can look into having incentives for new parents besides the one-off payment,” he said when met at an eatery in Tanjung Tokong.

Mohd Iqbal said he was interested in the B40 Affordable Housing scheme, which would be sold between RM100,000 and RM150,000, as well as the rent-to-own units.

“I would love to own a home. It will be nice to settle into a home with the baby coming.

“I hope I am eligible for a unit as it is hard to own a home in Penang,” he said.

S. Raakesh, 27, is disappointed as there are no incentives for youths who are in debt because of student loans like him.

“The incentives seem to cater to certain groups only, and are not for everyone,” said the software quality assurance engineer.

“While the affordable housing pledge is great, I hope all of us qualify and can apply for it.”

Business executive Chew Seak Wei, 42, said the LRT project would help ease traffic congestion.

“Hopefully, during the construction stage, the authorities will manage traffic efficiently to reduce congestion, pollution and noise,” he said.


Tan: Medi-tech City will create high-skilled jobs for Penangites.

Bank loan officer Zoey Tan, 40, said the Medi-tech City project would create high-skilled jobs for Penangites.

“This will help improve the household income and increase purchasing power.

“The project will also, in a way, halt brain drain,” she said.

On Aug 1, the Pakatan Harapan-Barisan Nasional pact launched its manifesto comprising 16 main themes, 15 highlights and 50 manifestos.

The 16 main themes cover the people’s welfare, socioeconomic well-being, essential infrastructure development, rural development balance, human capital development, women and youth employment, food supply security, traffic management initiatives, environmental resilience towards climate change and housing for all.

It also touches on boosting high-skilled employment, upholding the Islamic faith based on the Malaysia Madani principle, strengthening the tourism and service sector, promoting multicultural harmony, upholding democracy and protecting Penang’s rights.

Among the highlights are establishing a State Social Development Fund for the needy through collection of medical health fees from foreigners.

Haj pilgrims from the B40 group will also receive a one-off RM1,000 assistance while aid of RM600 per year will be provided to ehailing drivers besides personal accident insurance for p-hailing riders.

The manifesto also pledged to continue assistance of RM600 per year to taxi and school bus drivers.

For education, the manifesto pledged an RM60mil allocation by 2030.

The pledge also mentioned a target of building 220,000 affordable housing units, of which up to 100,000 units will be offered through the “B40 Affordable Housing” scheme priced at RM100,000 to RM150,000 as well as 22,000 rent-to-own units by 2030.

The manifesto also touched on introducing a Special Rental Housing Scheme for youths or single individuals, a one-off RM500 sum for newly-weds known as Golden Couple Programme, and free laptops for B40 students who receive offers to study at public institutions of higher learning.

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It’s time for Penang to reinvent itself; RM70bil to be raised from the 3 man-made islands to finance LRT, PIL infrastruture under PTMP


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Wednesday, 16 August 2023

International community must take action to oppose the 'new Cold War'

 

Illustration: Liu Rui/GT

The direction represented by the US-Japan-South Korea summit is severely misaligned

South Korea has further "Japanized", becoming a more thorough servant of the US. South Korea faces security dilemma of Korean Peninsula, and its prosperity is more fragile than Japan's, requiring greater political wisdom to protect its own development environment: Media professional Hu Xijin


If recent developments in the three major areas of politics and diplomacy, international trade and economics, and military in the US are looked at together, there will be a chilling discovery. This week, the leaders of the US, Japan, and South Korea will hold a meeting at Camp David, a retreat of US presidents. This kind of summit is the first in the history of these three countries, and its target against China is no longer concealed. According to reports from Japanese media, Japan and the US will also agree this week to jointly develop an interceptor missile "to counter hypersonic warheads being developed by China, Russia and North Korea." As for the executive order on introducing investment restrictions on China recently signed by US President Joe Biden, its negative impacts are spreading and fermenting.

The actions and policy measures of the US mentioned above are all marked by a strong "new Cold War" color and exhibit a trend of continuity and escalating intensity. Can they be characterized as "new Cold War" thinking or actions? This can be discerned through the following four criteria. First, is it confrontational zero-sum competition or cooperative mutual benefit? Second, does it involve ideological delineation or equal exchange, mutual learning, and peaceful coexistence among different civilizations? Third, does it create cliques and alliances for confrontation or does it promote openness, inclusivity, and the construction of a community with a shared future for mankind? Fourth, does it resort to containment and suppression against perceived competitors, or does it engage in benign competition within the scope of international rules and principles? Upon comparison, the answer becomes self-evident.

Just as the drumbeats of the "new Cold War" are becoming more frequent and the smell of gunpowder more suffocating, prominent figures in the White House, including President Biden, have been emphasizing on various occasions that the US "does not seek a "new Cold War"," that "the US must reject neo-containment," and that "Washington should learn from the lessons of the Cold War and the old Cold War construct of blocs is not coherent." This has created a strange scene where there is not just a departure but even a contradiction between the actions and statements of the US, as well as between US self-assessment and the real impressions of the outside world about it. This issue goes beyond American hypocrisy or lack of self-awareness; it harbors a significant underlying risk.

There are at least two possibilities. The first one is that the US knows it is engaged in a "new Cold War" and is well aware that people all around the world, including Americans, strongly oppose and are deeply concerned about a "new Cold War." In other words, the US realizes that this is a highly risky undertaking and therefore would never admit to it. Instead, it might label its actions with a new term to deceive the world.

The second scenario is that the US has actually initiated a "new Cold War," but it does not really think that it is engaging in a "new Cold War." This will have more serious consequences than the first scenario, because the US not only refuses to make a reflection and change its course, but also will gain a stronger "moral drive" from self-hypnosis. In order to wake the US up from its pretended or genuine sleep, the international community needs to strengthen its resistance and criticism against the US' initiation of a "new Cold War" and take actions.

Regardless of what the US diplomatic strategists say or think, their actions speak louder. When faced with international challenges, especially when dealing with countries that have similar power with the US but different political and cultural backgrounds from the US, they habitually and unconsciously refer to the Cold War experience. They sometimes even directly resort to Cold War tactics, without taking off the "Cold War glasses" to view the world and era that have already undergone tremendous changes, even though they may also know that this is wrong and dangerous.

An article in the American magazine Foreign Affairs points out that Cold War history has become a straitjacket constraining how Americans perceive the world, including making Americans struggle to understand gray areas between friend and foe, making negotiations with rivals appear to carry impossibly high stakes and making it hard for Americans to imagine a less-militarized foreign policy.

The deeper the misunderstandings of history and reality, the stronger the limitations and misguidance of Cold War thinking on American foreign policy decision-makers. Binary thinking makes it impossible to understand the complexity and richness of a multipolar world, and severely lacks imagination for the future. The diplomatic strategies and approaches formulated based on this have distorted international politics.

More specifically, Washington has misunderstood history, misjudged the times, and misunderstood the Communist Party of China and the Chinese people. The destructive power of "new Cold War" is world-class, and the fate of all humanity stands at a crossroads. American political elites may believe that the US was the winner of the Cold War, which is controversial, but it is certain that the US cannot be the winner of the "new Cold War" and must bear historical responsibility for today's choices.

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Sunday, 13 August 2023

Malaysia, China aim to enhance Research and Education; Malaysian hospitality a win for varsities

 



GEORGE TOWN: Malaysia and China will explore the need to increase collaboration in research and education, besides the export of durians, says Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

The Prime Minister said during a closed-door meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi that they also touched on regional matters such as an “Asean mechanism” for addressing pressing issues in the South China Sea.

“We discussed education since Malaysia hosts a substantial number of Chinese students at about 60,000, while there are about 7,000 Malaysian students studying in China.

“The Chinese minister also acknowledged the potential for further academic exchanges that could contribute to the growth and development of both countries,” he told reporters when met after the meeting here yesterday.

Anwar said despite sharing strong ties with China, Malaysia would strive to enhance normal diplomatic engagements through a strong, strategic partnership.

“Our strong relationship makes it easier for us to discuss other things because of the good ties we have,” he said, adding that he and Wang Yi touched on various aspects of cooperation and collaboration with a focus on investments, education and regional issues.

“Together with other Malaysian ministers, we also spoke on matters involving the strengthening of relationships on both sides.”

He also thanked Wang Yi for his role in facilitating significant Chinese investments in Malaysia, such as petrochemical giant Rongsheng and carmaker Geely, along with other key players.

The Chinese minister was in the country on a courtesy visit to meet Anwar.

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Malaysia and China to deepen ties in various fields









Malaysian hospitality a win for varsities



Home away home


Vibrant culture, lower cost, and ease of getting a visa among reasons more international students are flocking here.

MALAYSIANS are a friendly bunch and this, according to a recent global survey, is a pull factor for youths from other countries to study here.

The Global Student Experience Survey, conducted by the United Kingdom-based Tribal igraduate, found that overall, 89% of international students were satisfied with Malaysia, which is 2% more than the global benchmark.

In terms of making friends who are locals, 83% of those surveyed said they were satisfied. When it comes to making friends from other countries, 88% of the respondents said they were satisfied, while 85% said they were satisfied with how easy it was to make friends who were their countrymen.

These responses were all above the global average (see infographic), said Tribal igraduate Asia director Guy Perring.

“The friendliness aspect is a real positive for Malaysia,” he told StarEdu.

PerringPerring  

When international students go to the UK or Australia, they can sometimes find it difficult to make friends with the local British or Australians.

“Our data indicates that Malaysians are very friendly people and I think it’s because the country comprises a multicultural society,” he said, adding that the international students surveyed wanted to build a network and not just obtain a paper qualification from their places of study.

“They want to build a network as well as make friends for the future. Our survey contains 150 questions but in terms of friendliness, only three questions were asked.

“We asked about making friends. We asked if they were satisfied about making friends from Malaysia, from their home countries and from other countries.

“If they make friends from other countries, it shows they are in a good international university. If they are making friends from Malaysia, it shows they are integrating well into the society,” said Perring.

Of those surveyed, 84% described their courses as “value for money”.

The survey also showed that more international students were keen to study here with figures from the last quarter of 2022 showing that there was a 17% rise in the number of applications compared to the same period in 2021.

Perring said the nationalities most common in Malaysia – from China, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Nigeria, India, Yemen, Pakistan and Sudan – were drawn here by a combination of culture, cost and the relative ease of getting a visa.

“As well as the presence of overseas campuses from Australia and the UK, there is little doubt that the growth is likely to continue,” he said.

According to the survey report, there has been a sea of change in the student experience for both domestic and international students caused by investments in new campuses and facilities, as well as a greater desire to listen to the student voice and ensure student views are incorporated in long-term strategies and appropriate investments.

The rise in international student numbers is due to positive word of mouth, said Perring, adding that about 70% of the students surveyed said they would encourage their friends and family to study in Malaysia.

The three survey questions on friendliness, he said, can be used as a guide for institutions of higher learning to foster greater integration on campus and to provide the necessary social support in terms of social activities.

“While international students should be encouraged to make more local friends, they also need friends from their own home countries,” he said.

The survey was carried out from September to December 2022, with the next round scheduled to be conducted from October to December this year.

Over 120,000 international students and 69,400 domestic students from 146 universities across 17 countries took part in the survey.

NovieNovie

In Malaysia, about 3,500 of the 12,441 international students studying here were involved in the survey.

Commenting on the findings, Education Malaysia Global Services (EMGS) chief executive officer Novie Tajuddin said the warm culture and hospitality of Malaysians make the country a great place to study.

EMGS, he added, is consistently working on promoting Malaysia and its tertiary education sector in untapped markets.

“To maintain the quality of our education providers, monthly engagement sessions with universities are held to ensure everything is okay.

“We also open the door and streamline Malaysia and various countries in terms of course accreditation. This will enable international students to study here seamlessly,” he said.

National Association of Private Educational Institutions (Napei) secretary-general Dr Teh Choon Jin said the country’s diversity creates acceptance and inclusivity, which make international students feel welcome.

TehTeh

“Malaysia, with our diverse culture and society, has a friendly environment so it is not surprising that international students rate us higher than other frontier markets known predominantly for being destinations for international students,” he said.

He said Malaysian universities that are very successful in attracting international students put great emphasis on enriching students’ experience and ensuring high student satisfaction.

Outside of the classroom, multicultural activities also take place on campus, he added.

With support from the universities, cultural activities and respective national days are celebrated on campus as part of student activities throughout the year, he said.

“Such events usually see a great number of students from different nationalities participating. When we see students of diverse backgrounds gaining an understanding of the many cultures that are different from theirs, it is evident that we have created a successful integration model.

“Our local students also benefit from the enriching learning experience, where they have friends from different countries which would help them in their future careers,” he said.

Asia Pacific University of Technology & Innovation (APU) chief executive officer Datuk Parmjit Singh said apart from a harmonious learning and living environment on campus, students benefit strongly through their engagement with those from various cultural backgrounds, as this provides them with perspectives on how people from different cultures respond to situations and how to communicate effectively with each other.

Parmjit

Parmjit

He said the varsity’s strategy has always been to achieve strong and meaningful integration rather than assimilation.

“Students are encouraged to maintain and showcase their rich cultural heritage while at the same time learning about other cultures and sharing their unique cultural identities. “To make this happen, mental and cultural barriers have to be broken from day one,” he added.

Parmjit said throughout the international students’ time at APU, they are encouraged to appreciate their own cultures, tolerate other cultures and learn from each other.

“These broaden their horizons and ensure that our students graduate as well-equipped global citizens who are capable of adapting to different challenges within the global business environment,” he explained.

APU, with its student body of over 130 nationalities, took part in the Global Student Experience Survey.

Almost half of the students at APU are international students.

Commenting on the survey, Parmjit said both the varsity’s Malaysian and international students experience a diverse cultural mix as global citizens and create long-lasting friendships in Malaysia.

“On the whole, all of APU’s students, regardless of nationality, are very positive about their multicultural experience.

“International students view their Malaysian counterparts to be very friendly and most of our students develop lifetime relationships across the continents that last well beyond graduation.

“APU has always believed in bringing together as many communities of international students as possible from all around the world, without allowing any one country to dominate,” he said.

CLICK TO ENLARGECLICK TO ENLARGE

'I find the people in Malaysia to be generally friendly and welcoming. They often display warm hospitality towards international students, which has made my stay here more enjoyable. The locals are open-minded and accepting of different cultures, making it easier for me to connect and build friendships with them. The country has a diverse and vibrant culture, so it is not at all difficult for me to adapt. I really feel at home here. Additionally, the affordable cost of living and tuition fees compared to other countries allows me to pursue quality education without breaking the bank. While studying in Malaysia has been a rewarding experience overall, I did face some challenges. Language barriers have always existed, especially considering I’m not well-versed in the local language. This made it difficult to get along with some of my coursemates and do classroom activities, and interact with the staff. '– Quazi Isha Nafisa, 24, Bangladesh

'I’ve been here for four years and while the people are friendly, the language barrier is sometimes an obstacle for me to get along with people. The thing that first attracted me to study here is the fact that it has universities that are globally well ranked, and on top of that, they are affordable compared to universities in other countries with the same rankings. As a Muslim, I don’t face many challenges in Malaysia. I find many similarities between Malaysia and my home country. It is very convenient living here.' – Omar Elmanzalawy, 22, Egypt

'Malaysians are known for their warm hospitality and open-mindedness, which have made it easier for me to adjust to this new environment. Additionally, the university’s diverse student community has provided me with the chance to meet people from all over the world, and we’ve formed lasting friendships. The people around me have also been incredibly friendly and welcoming.' – Manaal Kurrumbacus, 21, Mauritius

'When I came to Malaysia, I spoke zero English. I thought I would feel like a stranger and everyone would judge me or not bother befriending me. However, it was completely the opposite. They made me feel like my English proficiency was not a barrier to forming friendships. I was treated like an old friend they’d known forever. Although they all spoke better English than me, it was not an issue to them. Instead, they would teach me English words. Each and every one of them acted like a teacher who is a friend. I will never forget how much it helped me to gain my confidence and build my self-esteem. Malaysians are very welcoming and kind. Most of the people here, be they local or from other countries, bring such a wonderful energy to the conversations we have. Everyone is trying to enjoy their time on campus and get the best out of the experience.' – Mohammed Adel Mohammed Ba Hamid, 22, Yemen

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Saturday, 12 August 2023

US' ban on high-tech investment cannot stifle China's high-tech development

Backfiring moves.Illustration:Liu Rui/GT

US President Joe Biden signed an executive order on Wednesday restricting investments in China, intended to further stymie China's advances in three cutting-edge technology areas: semiconductors and microelectronics, quantum information technologies and certain artificial intelligence systems. The "decoupling" of high tech from China began under Donald Trump, and the Biden administration has continued that ambition. However, the new order doesn't target US investments already invested in China, but the new ones.

The Biden administration has repeatedly claimed that the US restrictions will be narrowly targeted and will not "have a fundamental impact on affecting the investment climate for China." Biden's new executive order is still subject to consultation with the US business community and the public and is not expected to take effect until next year.

The order has been brewed for a long time and has generated a lot of publicity. But almost no one believes that this executive order will deal a new practical blow to Chinese high technology, because almost everyone knows that China needs American technology more than American money. The order has gained much attention because it is seen as part of a broader trend of the US drifting away from China.

The promulgation and brewing process of the executive order reflects the strong desire of American political elites to suppress China's high-tech development, as well as a fierce game between those supporting the executive order and the concerns of the technology and economic sectors about a potential backfire on the US. It is a kind of compromise. Washington obviously hopes that major allies will follow Biden's executive order. The UK's Sunak government has made cautious statements, stating that it is consulting business and the financial sector before deciding whether to follow suit.

In fact, China also has the ability to influence the extent to which Biden's executive order is implemented, as well as the extent to which the US will go in terms of "decoupling" from China. We are definitely not just passive recipients of US policies. American political elites are eager to "decouple" from China as quickly and deeply as possible, but they fear two things:

First, this will immediately damage the performance of relevant high-tech companies in the US, undermine their influence and further innovation. The current Biden administration, in particular, does not want to incur strong resentment from Silicon Valley and Wall Street toward the escalating "decoupling," which will ultimately lead to the loss of support for the Democratic Party.

Second, they are afraid of pushing China toward more resolute independent innovation to achieve breakthroughs in key technologies such as chips. If the US "decoupling" policy gives birth to major technological achievements in China, it means that Washington will completely lose the gamble: They originally wants to stifle China's high-tech development, but ends up strangling their own companies.

What China needs to do next is to fully unleash our innovation vitality, continuously reduce our dependence on high-tech products from the US, and prove that as long as we are determined to achieve independent innovation, we have the ability to accomplish things. We need to prove that being pressured by the US will only make us stronger. As long as there are several solid proofs of this trend, the US policy community will fall into unprecedented chaos, and their panic will be much more severe than when they saw the rapid expansion of the Chinese economy before Trump started the trade war.

Regardless of the future of China-US relations, the current battle will be the key battle that determines the future competition between China and the US. China can only win and cannot afford to lose. High-tech products such as chips are not isolated. The innovation power of China's entire manufacturing industry and the creative vitality of the whole society are the foundation for shaping these key achievements. When pressured by the US, our society needs to generate confidence and resilience from all directions, and we need to accelerate and seize every opportunity, rather than shrink and simply defend. Otherwise, the US will gain the upper hand in momentum, and we will truly be in a passive and defensive position.

We must see that the US is on the offensive, but its offensive is becoming weaker and weaker, and it is always hesitant with each step. What is presented to China are difficulties and risks, but also the dawn of victory. 

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The author is a Chinese media professional. opinion@globaltimes.com.cn 

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