CBN丨Record 13m students sit China’s “gaokao” college entrance exams

Hi everyone. I’m Stephanie LI.

大家好，我是主持人李瑩亮。

Coming up on today’s program

重點提要

• 2023 gaokao begins today with a record number of applicants;
• China's foreign trade grew 4.7 percent year-on-year in the first five months.

Here’s what you need to know about China in the past 24 hours

中國經濟要聞

A record number of Chinese students on Wednesday begins sitting the world's toughest college entrance examinations known as “gaokao”, the first since the country optimized its COVID rules last year.

China’s education ministry says a record of nearly 13 million students have registered for the national exams, spiking 980,000 from last year. Their exams will last from two to four days, depending on their choice of subjects.

The ministry has called upon local authorities to ensure the exam takes place safely and fairly. Some localities have taken it a step further to facilitate test-takers, including prohibiting cars from honking and imposing temporary traffic control near exam sites, and suspending operations at nearby construction sites.

They have also ramped up anti-cheating security, with several provinces this year installing facial recognition technology to detect “surrogate” hired to take the exam for someone else, and reducing signal transmission power near exam sites to block electronic cheating methods. The scanners will also detect electronic equipment such as hidden cell phones, earpieces and electronic watches.

China's college admission rate fell from over 90 percent to 85 percent last year, but it still means most students got the opportunity to receive higher education.

According to data from Chinese search giant Baidu, college disciplines related to engineering remain popular, while management-related majors are gradually losing the charm.

In recent years, the popularity of majors in the medical field has also been increasing. The latest data for the 2023 Baidu trending search show that clinical medicine is the most popular major this year. From 2019 to 2021, the proportion of medical enrollments exceeded 7 percent, marking an increase of 0.45 percentage points over a span of two years.

6月7日，2023年全國聯考正式拉開大幕。

今年聯考報名人數創曆史新高，達到1291萬人，比去年增加98萬人。至此，全國聯考人數已連續5年突破千萬。

近期，多地出台措施保障考生順利考試，同時，為保證考試安全，多部門開展淨化涉考網絡環境、打擊銷售作弊器材、打擊替考作弊等專項行動，綜合治理考試環境。

今年聯考，各地都将防範手機作弊作為重中之重，多地考場首次配備使用智能安檢門、5G信号屏蔽儀、金屬探測儀等裝置，配置視訊監考室和視訊監考員。考試期間，還将啟用無線信号監測裝置，對考點周邊可疑信号進行巡回監測，嚴防各類高科技舞弊。

為給考生營造良好的考試環境，多地出台措施，靜音、降噪，調整上班上學時間，緩解交通壓力。多地還開啟“靜音模式”，如對考點周邊公共汽車禁止鳴笛、禁止使用車輛報站機外擴、禁止進行施工作業及其他噪聲污染活動等。

根據國家統計局公布的曆年普通本專科招生數估算，2022年普通本專科錄取率約為85%，比上年降低7.8個百分點，降至90%以下。

過去9年，藝術專業人氣越來越高，工科招生人數穩坐第一。今年聯考季，臨床醫學成為熱度最高的專業。從具體專業來看，據百度熱搜資料，工學類專業逐漸在聯考熱門專業排行榜上占據主導地位，管理學專業正慢慢從榜單上消失。

此外，近年來，醫學專業人氣持續增加，2023年最新資料顯示，今年臨床醫學專業熱度第一。從上述學科招生占比資料也能看出，2019-2021年，醫學招生占比突破7%，兩年提高0.45個百分點。

• China's total imports and exports grew 4.7 percent year-on-year to 16.77 trillion yuan in the first five months, data from the General Administration of Customs (GAC) showed on Wednesday. Exports grew 8.1 percent to 9.62 trillion yuan in the first five months compared with the same period last year while imports rose 0.5 percent to 7.15 trillion yuan, the administration added.

  In May alone, foreign trade expanded 0.5 percent to 3.45 trillion yuan. Export witnessed a 0.8 year-on-year decrease to 1.95 trillion yuan while import climbed 2.3 percent to 1.5 trillion yuan, GAC data showed.

  The Association of Southeast Asian Nations remained China's largest trading partner with bilateral trade up by 9.9 percent year-on-year to reach 2.59 trillion yuan in the five-month period, while trade with the EU, its second-largest trade partner, grew by 3.6 percent. Meanwhile, private enterprises have played a larger role in driving up foreign trade, accounting for 52.8 percent of the country's total. And it’s worth noting that export of automobile maintained strong momentum, which soared by 124 percent.

  前5月大陸外貿總值同比增長4.7%：海關總署6月7日釋出資料顯示，今年1-5月，大陸進出口總值16.77萬億元人民币，同比增長4.7%，實作了穩定增長。其中，出口9.62萬億元，增長8.1%；進口7.15萬億元，增長0.5%；貿易順差2.47萬億元，擴大38%。從單月來看，今年5月份，大陸進出口3.45萬億元，增長0.5%。其中，出口1.95萬億元，下降0.8%；進口1.5萬億元，增長2.3%；貿易順差4523.3億元，收窄9.7%。前5個月，外貿出口結構持續優化，大陸對東盟、歐盟進出口增長，對美國、日本下降；此外，民營企業進出口比重超五成；從具體商品來看，汽車出口再次成為出口核心拉動力之一，汽車出口達2667.8億元，增長124.1%。

• The World Bank on Tuesday raised its 2023 global growth outlook as it said China and other major economies have proven more resilient than previously forecast. The global economy is set to climb 2.1 percent this year, up 0.4 percentage point from a forecast in early January, according to the World Bank's latest Global Economic Prospects report. Meanwhile, the bank significantly lifted China's growth forecast to 5.6 percent in 2023, up 0.5 percentage point from April's forecast. However, the development lender cut its 2024 global growth forecast to 2.4 percent from 2.7 percent in January, citing the lagged effects of central bank monetary tightening and more restrictive credit conditions that were reducing business and residential investment.

  世行上調中國經濟增長預期：當地時間6月6日，世界銀行在最新的《全球經濟展望》報告中表示，上調中國2023年經濟增速預期至5.6%，較今年4月《東亞與太平洋地區經濟半年報》的5.1%顯著提升。同時，世界銀行将2023年的全球經濟增長預期從1月報告的1.7%提升至2.1%。發達經濟體的經濟增速預期上修0.2個百分點至0.7%，其中美國的經濟增速預期上調0.6個百分點至1.1%，而歐元區的經濟預期也從0%上調至0.4%。在上調2023年全球經濟預期的同時，世行将2024年全球增長預測從1月份的2.7%下調至2.4%，理由是貨币政策收緊的持續影響，尤其是在減少商業和住宅投資方面。

Moving on to regional highlights

區域觀察

• The 14th Annual Meeting of the New Champions, also known as the Summer Davos Forum, is set to be held in north China's Tianjin Municipality from June 27 to 29, the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) announced Tuesday. Themed "Entrepreneurship: The Driving Force of the Global Economy," this year's Summer Davos Forum has attracted over 1,500 participants from politics, business, academia, social organizations and international organizations, according to the NDRC.

  夏季達沃斯論壇27日在津開幕：國家發展改革委6日表示，世界經濟論壇第十四屆新領軍者年會（又稱“夏季達沃斯論壇”）将于6月27日至29日在天津舉行。據介紹，本屆論壇主題定為“企業家精神：世界經濟驅動力”，來自政界、商界、學術界、社會組織和國際組織的1500多位全球領袖和創新人士将出席論壇。今年的夏季達沃斯論壇，核心目标是重新激發亞洲和世界各地的創新活力和企業家精神，探尋經濟複蘇、健康可持續發展之道，幫助與會者及時了解中國和整個亞洲的經濟前景。

• Disney is rumored to build its third theme park in China and Qingdao, the coastal city in East China’s Shangdong province, is on the list of potential locations. Qingdao’s Culture and Tourism Bureau responded yesterday for the first time that they highly valued the investment and construction of theme park projects and have had multiple communications with Disney regarding the introduction of Disney projects. But currently, there is no plan for Disney to settle in Qingdao and invest in projects, said Pan Feng, the city’s tourism chief.

  青島回應“第三座迪士尼落戶”傳聞：近日，網傳迪士尼要在中國建設第三座迪士尼度假區，有望落戶青島，話題引發網友熱議。對此，青島市文化和旅遊局黨組書記、局長潘峰表示，青島市文化和旅遊局一直高度重視主題樂園項目的招商和建設工作，今年就引進迪士尼項目曾與迪士尼公司進行過多次對接。目前，還沒有迪士尼公司落戶青島并投資項目的計劃。

Next on industry and company news

産業及公司新聞

• A new-energy light rail train that's to be exported to Jujuy in Argentina rolled off the production line on Tuesday at CRRC Tangshan Co. This marks the first time that China's new-energy light rail trains are to be used within a foreign country's transport system, according to its manufacturer. The train can run at a maximum speed of 60 kilometers per hour with a passenger capacity ranging from 72 to 388. With electric locomotives at both ends, it allows for two-way driving, the company said.

  中國首次出口阿根廷新能源輕軌車輛：6月6日上午9時許，中國中車出口阿根廷新能源輕軌車輛首列車在中車唐山公司下線，将服務于阿根廷胡胡伊省。該列車這也是中國新能源輕軌車輛首個出口項目。這款新能源輕軌車圍繞觀景、智能、綠色三大主題，以高端旅遊列車工業設計打造，是面向中低運量城軌交通和旅遊觀光的平台化産品。列車采用成熟的六軸鉸接平台，DC750V锂電池供電，最高運作速度60km/h。列車兩端設有駕駛室，可雙向駕駛，載客定員從72人到388人靈活調整。

• Visa applications by Chinese citizens had returned to 35 percent of the amount in 2019 before the pandemic as of May 20, media reported today, citing a visa services agency owned by US private equity giant Blackstone. Now that international travel curbs are being lifted as Covid-19 wanes, Chinese people’s appetite for overseas travel is increasing, VFS Global said. Canada, Germany, UK and the US are the most popular destinations for long-distance travel and Japan, South Korea and Thailand are the most sought-after neighboring countries that people want to visit.

  出國簽證申請量恢複至疫情前35%：鑒證服務機構資料顯示，截至2023年5月20日，中國的整體簽證申請量達到2019年疫情前同期的35%。6月6日，簽證服務機構威孚仕VFSGlobal簽證中心媒體溝通會透露，中國遊客簽證申請需求量較大的目的地包括加拿大、德國、意大利、英國和美國。在離中國較近的國家中，日本、南韓和泰國需求量較大。

• China's Tongwei and Longi Green Energy Technology, the world's largest suppliers of high-purity polycrystalline silicon materials and monocrystalline solar wafers, respectively, announced capacity expansion plans in the middle and lower streams of the supply chain to balance their industrial layout. Tongwei intends to build solar cell and module plants in China's southwestern Chengdu with a total fixed asset investment of 10.5 billion yuan, the firm said in a statement late yesterday. On the same day, Longi announced that it will invest 12.5 billion yuan to build solar silicon rod and battery production plants and a global innovation center in the northwestern Chinese city of Xi'an.

  兩大光伏龍頭雙雙擴産：6月6日晚間，通威股份釋出公告，公司在成都市雙流區投資建設年産25GW太陽能電池暨20GW光伏元件項目，該項目預計固定資産投資105億元，分兩期建設，其中一期為年産25GW電池項目，預計固定資産投資75億元；二期為年産20GW元件項目，預計固定資産投資30億元。一期項目預計将于2024年内建成投産，二期項目預計将于2025年内建成投産。同日，隆基綠能釋出公告稱，公司在陝西省西安市投資建設年産20GW單晶矽棒、24GW單晶電池及配套項目。該項目總體規劃分為三期，其中一期為年産20GW單晶矽棒項目、12GW單晶電池項目，二期為年産12GW單晶電池項目，三期為預留擴産和配套産業鍊項目；同時配套建設隆基全球創新中心項目，合計總投資約125億元。

• Rio Tinto has teamed up with China's Sichuan University to conduct innovative research on carbon mineralization techniques that would allow the international mining giant to reduce its carbon footprint. The pair will explore an optimal method for carbon mineralization and apply the new technology to solid waste disposal, turning waste into marketable products, according to a deal the two signed on Monday.

  力拓集團與四川大學開展CCUS技術合作：6月5日，力拓集團與四川大學簽署研究協定，雙方将共同開展二氧化碳礦化工藝的創新研究，緻力于降低二氧化碳排放和減少固體廢物産生量。力拓與四川大學将基于力拓相關項目探索二氧化碳礦化的最佳途徑，并應用這一技術對固體廢物進行處理，使其轉化為可銷售的産品。作為二氧化碳捕集、利用與封存（CCUS）的重要技術之一，二氧化碳礦化工藝通過将二氧化碳資源化以産生經濟效益，進而提升其大規模工業化的應用潛力。

• Carrefour China confirmed that the hypermarket chain operator, majority owned by Chinese retail giant Suning.Com, has temporarily restricted payments with gift cards to as much as 20 percent of the bill in some cities to prevent scalpers from cashing out. The policy will be eased again when the share of payments made with gift cards falls, Carrefour China added.

  家樂福會員卡消費被限額：6月6日消息，據報道，6月起，全國範圍内多家家樂福門店進一步收窄會員儲值卡的使用限制。據了解，北京多家門店結帳台均有放置提示闆，稱即日起使用購物卡結賬時可用額度為總金額的20%，其餘金額需要用其他支付方式另行支付。北京家樂福相關負責人回應表示，為杜絕近期黃牛集中擠兌商品套現等行為，公司對部分城市購物卡消費政策做了臨時性調整。後續将根據購物卡消費占比的回落情況，随時優化相關政策。

Switching gears to financial news

金融市場消息

• Several Chinese state-owned banks will lower deposit interest rates for the yuan and the dollar, according to media reports on Tuesday, citing sources from the banks. The interest rate for yuan demand deposits will be reduced by 5 basis points, and the interest rate for certain time deposits will be lowered by 10 basis points. In the case of dollar deposits, some banks will cap the interest rate for 1-year time deposits above $50,000 at below 4.3 percent, compared to the previous ceiling of 5 percent.

  國有大行将下調存款利率：據媒體7日報道，多家國有大行近日将下調部分存款利率，涉及人民币、美元币種。其中，人民币活期存款利率或将調降5個基點，部分定期存款利率或将下調10個基點；美元定期存款根據不同期限和不同規模亦有調降，5萬美元（含）以上的1年期定期美元存款利率不高于4.3%，此前有的大行該品種利率最高可達5%左右。

• Shanghai Fosun Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., a unit of private Chinese conglomerate Fosun Group, secured two loans totaling 50 million euros (about 380 million yuan) from the International Finance Corp. (IFC) to fund a project in Côte d’Ivoire, West Africa. The loans will support Fosun Pharma’s construction of a pharmaceutical production facility and distribution center in Abidjan, the largest city of Côte d’Ivoire, according to the World Bank’s IFC on Tuesday.

  複星再獲境外貸款：6月6日，國際金融公司（IFC）宣布，将向複星醫藥的子公司提供兩筆總額為5000萬歐元（約合人民币3.8億元）的貸款。IFC稱，此次提供的貸款将先用于複星醫藥在科特迪瓦最大城市阿比讓附近建設一座抗瘧疾藥物和抗菌藥物的生産設施。該設施将成為科特迪瓦最大的藥廠，年藥物産量可達50億片，配套的分銷中心也将在附近落成。

Wrapping up with a quick look at the stock market

股市收盤情況

• Chinese stocks ended mixed on Wednesday with the benchmark Shanghai Composite gaining 0.1 percent, while the Shenzhen Component shed 0.6 percent. Hong Kong stocks were on the rebound thanks to a rally in Chinese tech firms. The Hang Seng index climbed 0.8 percent and the TECH index jumped 2.3 percent.

  A股分化港股走強：周三大盤全天震蕩分化，滬指震蕩微漲，創業闆指受甯德時代影響大跌。截至收盤，滬指漲0.08%，深成指跌0.6%，創業闆指跌1.61%。滬深兩市全天成交額合計8145億元，北向資金全天淨買入25.11億元。港股全天維持強勢，三大指數連續反彈。恒指收漲0.8%，恒科指收漲2.26%

Biz Word of the Day

财經詞彙劃重點

• CCUSstands for Carbon Capture Utilization and Storage. It is a set of methods to stop carbon dioxide from reaching the atmosphere. The captured carbon dioxide can then be used for various purposes such as enhanced oil recovery, producing chemicals or fuels, or stored underground.

  碳捕集技術是指通過一系列技術手段，将二氧化碳從工業排放源、發電廠、鋼鐵廠等大氣污染源中捕集出來，然後進行利用或封存，以減少大氣中的二氧化碳濃度，緩解全球變暖的問題。碳捕集利用與封存（CCUS）是實作碳中和的必要技術手段之一。

Executive Editor: Sonia YU

Editor: LI Yanxia

Host: Stephanie LI

Writer: Stephanie LI

Sound Editor: Stephanie LI

Graphic Designer: ZHENG Wenjing, LIAO Yuanni

Produced by 21st Century Business Herald Dept. of Overseas News.

Presented by SFC

編委: 于曉娜

策劃、編輯：李豔霞

播音：李瑩亮

撰稿：李瑩亮

音頻制作：李瑩亮

設計：鄭文靜、廖苑妮

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