FOCAC Preview - Wang Yi on China-Africa Ties - Future of AI Legislation - BRICS NDB Sets Local Currency Financing Goal
Here are the key reports and articles that I found noteworthy from the People's Daily’s edition on Monday, September 02, 2024.
I. Previewing the FOCAC Meeting
Today’s paper has a lot of preview articles related to the FOCAC summit. The lead article is a piece titled Xi Jinping’s stories with African friends 习近平同非洲朋友的故事. The article calls the FOCAC summit “not only a grand event for China and Africa, but also a significant event for the ‘Global South’ and the entire international community.” 这不仅是中国同非洲的一件盛事，也是“全球南方”和整个国际社会的一件盛事.
The piece informs that since 2013, President Xi Jinping has visited the African continent 5 times, hosted the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation Summit twice, and met frequently with African leaders at home and abroad. The piece also underscores the mantra or principle of “sincerity, real results, affinity, and good faith” in China’s dealing with Africa. The article essentially has details of Xi’s visits and engagements with African leaders. It also references specific projects and initiatives.
Another long article on the page talks about China-Africa cooperation in the Xi Jinping era. There is a lot of interesting stuff in this. Such as:
By the end of 2023, over a 10-year period, China had established 24 agricultural technology demonstration centers in Africa, promoting more than 300 advanced agricultural techniques. These efforts have led to an average increase of 30% to 60% in local crop yields, benefiting over 1 million small-scale African farmers. The 'grain bags' and 'vegetable baskets' of the African people have become more abundant, and agricultural modernization is gradually becoming a reality. 截至2023年底的10年间，中国在非洲建成24个农业技术示范中心，推广300多项先进农业技术，带动当地农作物平均增产30%至60%，惠及100多万非洲小农户。非洲人民的‘粮袋子’和‘菜篮子’丰富了，农业现代化正逐步成为现实.
China has signed cooperation documents on jointly building the Belt and Road Initiative with 52 African countries and the AU Commission, and has deeply integrated it with the AU's 2063 Agenda and the development strategies of African countries. The areas of cooperation between the two sides are constantly extending to emerging fields such as digital, green, aerospace, and finance. 中国已与52个非洲国家和非盟委员会签署共建“一带一路”合作文件，同非盟《2063年议程》及非洲各国发展战略深度对接，双方合作领域向数字、绿色、航空航天、金融等新兴领域不断延伸.
…More than 100 green energy projects under the framework of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation have helped Africa’s green transformation.
The mobile payment platforms built by Chinese companies provide safe and convenient digital payment services to tens of millions of African users; the e-commerce platforms created by Chinese investment in Africa allow local people to ‘buy globally’ and ‘sell globally’ without leaving their homes. 中资企业搭建的移动支付平台为数千万非洲用户提供安全便捷的数字支付服务；中国在非投资创设的电商平台让当地民众足不出户即可“买全球”“卖全球”.
“‘As the world's largest developing country, China understands the situation and challenges faced by African countries best, and is concerned about Africa's urgent needs and solves Africa's difficulties.’ This is the common feeling of many Africans. Faced with a new round of global scientific and technological revolution and industrial transformation, China and Africa are increasingly communicating in the fields of new technology, new energy and emerging industries, bringing new opportunities for cultivating modern industrial talents and promoting sustainable development.” “中国作为全球最大的发展中国家，最了解非洲国家的处境和面临的挑战，急非洲之所急，解非洲之所难。”这是很多非洲人的共同感受。面对全球新一轮科技革命和产业变革，中非在新科技、新能源和新兴产业领域的交流日益密切，为培养现代工业人才、促进可持续发展带来新机遇.
“Kenyan economist Hannah Ryder believes that a distinctive feature of China’s cooperation with Africa is that it is ‘driven by Africa’s needs,’ which has also encouraged more countries to ‘be willing to listen to Africa's voice and establish equal partnerships’.” "肯尼亚经济学家汉娜·赖德认为，中国对非合作的鲜明特点是‘以非洲的需求为驱动’，这也带动了更多国家‘愿意倾听非洲声音、建立平等的伙伴关系’"
“In the 1960s, Senegal’s founding president and poet, Léopold Sédar Senghor, proposed the idea of building a Museum of Black Civilizations. He actively advocated for the ‘spirit of black tradition’ and promoted African traditional culture and values. Over 50 years later, Senghor’s dream finally became a reality. In December 2018, the Museum of Black Civilizations, built with China’s assistance, officially opened in Senegal. The unique value and contributions of Black civilization are presented to the world in a comprehensive and vivid manner. The museum’s director, Hamady Bocoum, stated that the museum is committed to gradually completing the ‘decolonization of knowledge related to Africa and Black communities’.” 上世纪60年代，塞内加尔开国总统、诗人桑戈尔提出了建设一座黑人文明博物馆的设想。他一直积极倡导“黑人传统精神”，弘扬非洲传统文化和价值观。50多年后，桑戈尔的梦想终成现实。2018年12月，中国援建的塞内加尔黑人文明博物馆正式开馆。黑人文明的独特价值和贡献，以一种立体而饱满的姿态呈现在世人面前。馆长哈马迪·博库姆说，这座博物馆致力于逐步完成“与非洲和黑人群体相关知识的非殖民化”.
The article talks about Red Hall Forums 红厅论坛 being held in Kenya and South Africa after the third plenary session. These led to exchanges of “insights that China’s path to modernization offers to Africa” and discussions about the “opportunities that Chinese-style modernization brings to the ‘Global South’.” 在肯尼亚和南非，两场“红厅论坛”相继举行。从中国式现代化道路对非洲的启示，到中国式现代化为“全球南方”带来的机遇，一次次真挚热烈的交流讨论，让人们更加坚信，中非双方通过伙伴关系和互学互鉴，将携手实现繁荣和现代化.
Inspired by socialism with Chinese characteristics, Namibia’s SWAPO party has written the goal of building socialism with Namibian characteristics into its party constitution, calling on all members to ‘stay true to the original aspiration’ and ‘put people at the center’. Visiting Liangjiahe village in Shaanxi, Central African Republic President Touadéra gained a deep understanding of the local poverty alleviation methods and praised China’s experience as ‘highly inspirational’. Visiting high-tech enterprises in Shenzhen, Tunisian President Saied learned about China’s cutting-edge technologies in smart cities, clean energy, artificial intelligence and other fields, and experienced the vitality and dynamism of contemporary Chinese society.” 受中国特色社会主义启发，纳米比亚人组党将建设纳米比亚特色社会主义的目标写进党章，要求全体党员“不忘初心”“以人民为中心”；走进陕西梁家河村，中非共和国总统图瓦德拉深入了解当地脱贫做法，称赞中国经验“极具启发性”；探访深圳高新技术企业，突尼斯总统赛义德了解中国在智慧城市、清洁能源、人工智能等领域的前沿科技，感受当代中国社会的生机与活力.
The piece also refers to Africa as an important pole of world political, economic and civilizational development.
The key narratives from these two articles are rather clear:
China’s engagement with Africa is on equal terms, as a friend, and it is strategic in nature. It has not only been beneficial for Africans directly, but also indirectly led to other actors focussing on Africa
China’s economic engagement in African countries is creating value and opportunities for African people and businesses. Both sides are also identifying and investing in new drivers of growth
Xi Jinping is deeply, personally invested in deepening China-Africa engagement
Deepening China-Africa engagement represents the rise of the Global South, and not just in a material sense but also in a sense of civilisational distinctness
Increasingly, African countries are being inspired by and are learning from China’s economic and political experience
On Page 6, there’s an article by Wang Yi, previewing the FOCAC summit. Wang says that the forum will “draw up a new blueprint for the common development of China-Africa relations and write a new chapter of unity and cooperation in the ‘Global South’.” He calls it the most important diplomatic event being held domestically.
In the first section, Wang recalls a bit of history. He then talks about FOCAC being established in 2000, adding that:
“China-Africa practical cooperation has yielded fruitful results, with trade volume increasing from $10.5 billion in 2000 to $282.1 billion in 2023, an increase of nearly 26 times. China’s investment stock in Africa has increased from less than $500 million in 2000 to more than $40 billion at present. Over the years, China-Africa cooperation has built and upgraded nearly 100,000 kilometres of roads, more than 10,000 kilometres of railways, nearly 1,000 bridges and nearly 100 ports.” 中非务实合作硕果累累，贸易额从2000年的105亿美元增至2023年的2821亿美元，增长近26倍。中国对非投资存量从2000年不足5亿美元，增长至目前超400亿美元。多年来，中非合作新建和升级近10万公里公路、超1万公里铁路、近千座桥梁、近百个港口.
In the second section, Wang makes five points.
First, he talks about how Xi has been personally engaged in promoting China-Africa relations.
“Guiding the building of a China-Africa community with a shared future through head-of-state diplomacy. Since becoming President, Xi Jinping has visited Africa five times, presided over two Forum on China-Africa Cooperation summits, as well as the Extraordinary China-Africa Summit on Solidarity Against COVID-19 and the China-Africa Leaders' Dialogue, among others. He has also welcomed numerous African leaders to China. Through high-level exchanges with ‘visiting relatives’ and ‘family portraits’, China-Africa relations have entered a new era. During his visit to Africa, at the Johannesburg Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation in 2015, President Xi Jinping repeatedly emphasised that China and Africa have always been a community with a shared future. In 2018, at the FOCAC summit in Beijing, President Xi Jinping proposed to build a China-Africa community with a shared future that features ‘joint responsibility, win-win cooperation, delivers happiness for all, enjoys cultural prosperity, enjoys common security, and promotes harmony between man and nature’. The leaders of China and Africa unanimously agreed to work together to build a closer China-Africa community with a shared future.” 以元首外交引领中非命运共同体建设。习近平主席就任国家主席以来已五次访问非洲，主持召开两次中非合作论坛峰会以及中非团结抗疫特别峰会、中非领导人对话会等，还接待了众多非洲领导人来华访问。通过“走亲戚式”“全家福式”的高层交往，引领中非关系迈入新时代。习近平主席访问非洲期间以及在2015年中非合作论坛约翰内斯堡峰会上，多次强调中非从来都是命运共同体。2018年，习近平主席在中非合作论坛北京峰会上提出构建“责任共担、合作共赢、幸福共享、文化共兴、安全共筑、和谐共生”的中非命运共同体，中非领导人一致同意携手构建更加紧密的中非命运共同体.
“African leaders have publicly praised the concept of building a community with a shared future for mankind on bilateral and multilateral occasions, and African countries have voted enthusiastically to include this concept in the UN General Assembly resolution.” 非洲领导人在双多边场合纷纷公开赞赏构建人类命运共同体理念，非洲国家踊跃投票支持将这一理念写入联大决议.
Second, he argues that seeking development and cooperation is the common pursuit of China and African countries. Under this, he mentions the linking of BRI with the AU’s Agenda 2063. He also mentions the ‘10 Cooperation Plans,’ ‘8 Major Initiatives,’ and ‘9 Projects’ under FOCAC. Wang adds:
“Africa is the first continent to collectively welcome and support the Global Development Initiative, with 33 countries joining the Friends of GDI group, accounting for over 40% globally. Africa is a demonstration region for the high-quality joint construction of BRI and the implementation of GDI, and has become the most proactive and enthusiastic region in the world in responding to China’s major initiatives and proposals.” 非洲是首个整体欢迎和支持全球发展倡议的大洲，33国加入倡议之友小组，全球占比超过40%。非洲是高质量共建“一带一路”、落实全球发展倡议的示范区，已成为当今世界响应中方重大倡议主张最主动、最积极的方向.
He also references Chinese investments and projects in Africa.
“China has maintained its position as Africa’s largest trading partner for 15 consecutive years. Since the establishment of FOCAC, China has helped Africa build a large number of landmark projects and ‘small but beautiful’ projects, which have effectively enhanced the well-being of the African people. China and Africa have actively promoted the transformation and upgrading of pragmatic cooperation, from government-led to market-oriented, from commodity trade to production and supply chain cooperation, and from engineering contracting to investment and operation. China-Africa cooperation in new industries and new formats such as digital economy, green development, and blue economy is in full swing and contains huge opportunities.” 在共同发展战略引领下，中非合作破浪前行，生机蓬勃。中国连续15年保持非洲最大贸易伙伴国地位。自中非合作论坛成立以来，中国帮助非方建成一大批标志性工程和“小而美”项目，有力增进了非洲民众的福祉。中非双方积极推动务实合作转型升级，从政府主导向市场化转型，从商品贸易向产供链合作升级，从工程承包向投资运营迈进。中非数字经济、绿色发展、蓝色经济等新产业、新业态合作更是方兴未艾，蕴藏巨大机遇.
Third, cooperation between the two sides in international affairs. Wang writes:
“China is the largest developing country, and Africa is the continent with the highest concentration of developing countries. China and Africa share similar historical memories and shoulder common historical responsibilities. These have fostered a sincere friendship of good friends, good brothers and good partners. The two sides have closely cooperated in international and regional affairs, and have firmly trusted and supported each other on issues involving each other’s core interests and major concerns.” 中国是最大的发展中国家，非洲是发展中国家最集中的大陆，中非拥有相似的历史记忆，承担着共同的历史责任，孕育出好朋友、好兄弟、好伙伴的真挚情谊。双方在国际和地区事务中密切配合，在涉及彼此核心利益和重大关切问题上坚定相互信赖支持.
“China advocates an equal and orderly world multipolarity and inclusive economic globalisation, which has won high praise and positive response from Africa. China and Africa jointly defend true multilateralism, oppose unilateralism, hegemonism and protectionism, firmly safeguard the international system with the United Nations at its core and the international order based on international law, firmly safeguard the basic norms of international relations such as the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, firmly safeguard the common legitimate rights and interests of the ‘Global South’, and contribute to the cause of world peace and development. With the joint efforts of China and Africa, the African Union has become a formal member of the G20, Egypt and Ethiopia have joined the BRICS family, and the 19th Summit of the Non-Aligned Movement and the Third South Summit have been successfully held in Africa. In March this year, scholars from 50 countries in China and Africa jointly issued the ‘China-Africa Dar es Salaam Consensus’, promoting the improvement of the global governance system, calling for the reform of the international financial architecture, and maintaining an open and inclusive multilateral trade mechanism. This is an international consensus born in the South, which has expanded the options for developing countries to modernise and expressed the common voice of the ‘Global South’.” 中方倡导平等有序的世界多极化、普惠包容的经济全球化，赢得非方高度赞赏和积极响应。中非双方共同捍卫真正的多边主义，反对单边主义、霸权主义和保护主义，坚定维护以联合国为核心的国际体系和以国际法为基础的国际秩序，坚定维护和平共处五项原则等国际关系基本准则，坚定维护“全球南方”的共同正当权益，为世界和平与发展事业作出贡献。在中非双方共同努力下，非盟成为二十国集团正式成员，埃及、埃塞俄比亚加入金砖大家庭，不结盟运动第十九次峰会、第三届南方首脑会议在非洲胜利召开。今年3月，中非50国学者联合发表“中非达累斯萨拉姆共识”，推动完善全球治理体系，呼吁改革国际金融架构，维护开放包容的多边贸易机制。这是诞生于南方的国际共识，拓展了发展中国家走向现代化的途径选择，表达了“全球南方”的共同心声.
Fourth, peace and security cooperation. Wang writes that the “global political and security situation is becoming increasingly complex.”
“Only by adhering to the concept of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security can we embark on a path of universal security. In April 2022, President Xi Jinping put forward the Global Security Initiative. Adhering to the core principles of respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries, paying attention to the legitimate security concerns of all countries, and resolving differences and disputes between countries in a peaceful manner, these core principles are consistent with Africa’s principles of solving African problems in an African way, playing a leading role in regional peace and security affairs, and promoting the ‘silencing of guns in Africa’, which has received support and praise from many African countries. 随着百年变局加速演进，全球政治安全形势更加错综复杂。只有坚持共同、综合、合作、可持续的安全观，才能走出一条普遍安全之路。2022年4月，习近平主席提出了全球安全倡议。坚持尊重各国主权、领土完整，坚持重视各国合理安全关切，坚持以和平方式解决国家间的分歧和争端等核心要义，同非方坚持以非洲方式解决非洲问题、坚持在地区和平安全事务中发挥主导作用、推动“消弭非洲枪声”等理念相融相通，得到众多非洲国家的支持和赞誉.
China is not only the proposer of GSI, but also an active implementer. China has constructively participated in African peace and security affairs, and actively promoted regional countries to engage in dialogue and cooperation on hot-spot issues such as in the Sahel, the Horn of Africa, and the Great Lakes region. In response to hot-spot issues in the Horn of Africa, China proposed the ‘Outlook on Peace and Development in the Horn of Africa’, appointed a special envoy to mediate for the cause of regional peace and development, and successfully held two Horn of Africa Peace Conferences. In response to non-traditional security challenges such as food security, China has provided Chinese solutions for world food security governance and strengthened international exchanges and cooperation through multilateral mechanisms such as the United Nations, the G20, and the BRICS. We are concerned about the urgent needs of our African friends and have provided emergency food aid to Africa many times, meeting challenges together with practical actions.” 中国不仅是全球安全倡议的提出者，也是落实的行动派。中方建设性参与非洲和平安全事务，积极推动地区国家就萨赫勒、非洲之角、大湖地区等热点问题展开对话合作。针对非洲之角地区热点问题，中国提出“非洲之角和平发展构想”，任命特使为地区和平发展事业奔走斡旋，成功召开两届非洲之角和平会议。针对粮食安全等非传统安全挑战，中方通过联合国、二十国集团、金砖国家等多边机制，为世界粮食安全治理提供中国方案，加强国际交流合作。我们急非洲朋友之所急，多次向非洲提供人道主义紧急粮援，以实际行动共迎挑战.
Fifth, he talks about cultural exchanges. Under this, he talks about Luban workshops, China-Africa Conference on Dialogue of Civilizations, GCI, vocational education, tourism culture, sports, etc.
“As of the end of 2023, 19 African countries have incorporated Chinese into their national education systems, and 47 countries have established 77 Confucius Institutes and Confucius Classrooms. By the end of March 2024, China had sent a total of 25,000 medical team members to Africa, treating approximately 230 million patients. Through the continuous efforts of several generations, the foundation of public opinion supporting China-Africa friendship has become more solid, and the bonds of friendship between China and Africa are tightly connected.” 截至2023年底，非洲19国将中文纳入国民教育体系，47国建立77所孔子学院和孔子课堂。截至2024年3月底，中国累计向非洲派遣医疗队员2.5万人次，诊治非洲病患约2.3亿人次。在几代人的接续奋斗下，中非友好民意基础更加牢固，中非友好情感纽带紧紧相连.
Finally, on China-Africa ties, Wang met with South African Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Ronald Lamola and Senegal’s Foreign Minister Yacine Fall respectively in Beijing. Xinhua says:
Wang said that “China firmly supports African countries in defending their legitimate rights to development and revitalization, and is committed to jointly promoting the building of an equal and orderly multipolar world, along with universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization. Noting that under the strategic guidance of the two heads of state, the relationship between South Africa and China has been upgraded to a comprehensive strategic partnership, Lamola said South Africa firmly adheres to the one-China policy, supports China’s series of global initiatives and is willing to work together with China to promote solidarity and cooperation among Global South countries. Fall said that the Senegal-China relationship is exemplary, with both countries demonstrating ongoing respect for one another. Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye will pay a state visit to China during the summit, marking his first visit to a country outside Africa, Fall said, adding that Senegal looks forward to using the visit to deepen Senegal-China comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership.”
If you are so interested, Page 2 is full of quotes by Xi Jinping over the years on China-Africa ties.
III. Party School’s Fall Semester
There’s a report on Chen Xi’s remarks at the opening ceremony of the 2024 fall semester of the Central Party School. Chen emphasised the need to thoroughly study and implement Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, study and implement the spirit of the Third Plenary Session, and study and implement General Secretary Xi Jinping’s series of new ideas, new viewpoints, and new propositions on comprehensively deepening reform, firmly support the ‘Two Establishments’, resolutely implement the ‘Two Safeguards’, be determined to reform and innovate, and be brave to overcome difficulties, transform the Party Central Committee’s strategic deployment on further comprehensively deepening reform into a powerful driving force for promoting Chinese-style modernization, and work tirelessly for the comprehensive promotion of the construction of a strong country and the great cause of national rejuvenation. 1日举行2024年秋季学期开学典礼，中央党校（国家行政学院）校长（院长）陈希出席并讲话，强调要深入学习贯彻习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想，学习贯彻党的二十届三中全会精神，学习贯彻习近平总书记关于全面深化改革的一系列新思想、新观点、新论断，坚定拥护“两个确立”、坚决做到“两个维护”，锐意改革创新、勇于攻坚克难，把党中央关于进一步全面深化改革的战略部署转化为推进中国式现代化的强大动力，为全面推进强国建设、民族复兴伟业不懈奋斗.
Chen added: “Leading cadres should consciously unify their thoughts and actions with the spirit of the plenary session, continue to deepen their study and understanding of the rich connotations and spiritual essence of General Secretary Xi Jinping’s series of new ideas, new viewpoints and new propositions on comprehensively deepening reform, and effectively transform the learning results into a firm determination and mission to promote reform, continuously enhance the initiative of reform and innovation, implement reform with a spirit of nailing nails, and turn the reform blueprint into reality one step at a time.” 领导干部要自觉把思想和行动统一到全会精神上来，持续深化学习领会习近平总书记关于全面深化改革的一系列新思想、新观点、新论断的丰富内涵和精神实质，切实把学习成效转化为推动改革的坚定决心和使命担当，不断增强改革创新的能动性，以钉钉子精神抓好改革落实，一步一个脚印把改革蓝图变为现实.
III. AI Legislation
On Page 9, there’s an article by Zhang Jiyu, Associate Professor of Law School at Renmin University of China, on the promotion of AI-related legislation. The article argues that:
The ‘Decision’ of the Third Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee proposed ‘instituting oversight systems to ensure the safety of artificial intelligence’, which is of great significance for ensuring the safety, reliability and controllability of AI. In order to thoroughly implement the spirit of the Third Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee, we must adhere to the comprehensive rule of law, accelerate the process of AI legislation, promote the legalization of AI governance, thereby better leveraging the role of the rule of law in guiding, regulating, and ensuring the healthy development of AI.” 党的二十届三中全会《决定》提出“建立人工智能安全监管制度”，这对于确保人工智能安全、可靠、可控具有重要意义。深入贯彻落实党的二十届三中全会精神，必须坚持全面依法治国，加快人工智能立法进程，推进人工智能治理法治化，更好发挥法治对于人工智能健康发展的引领、规范和保障作用。
In the new era, China has formulated laws such as the Cybersecurity Law, the Data Security Law, and the Personal Information Protection Law, which have involved AI safety supervision to a certain extent. In addition, relevant departments have also issued regulations, such as the ‘Internet Information Service Algorithm Recommendation Management Regulations’ and the ‘Internet Information Service Deep Synthesis Management Regulations, which have played a positive role in AI governance. However, considering the growing demand for legal frameworks for AI safety supervision, the relevant regulations still have some shortcomings and deficiencies. For example, the legal framework is not yet fully developed, lacking specific laws for AI safety regulation, and there are legislative gaps on key issues related to promoting development and ensuring safety. Existing rules are scattered across various laws and departmental regulations, and some rules lack sufficient coordination and alignment with each other; and so on. In order to promote the rule of law in AI governance, we must deepen the promotion of scientific legislation, democratic legislation, and legislation in accordance with the law, summarize the experience of AI governance, gather strength and wisdom from all parties to accelerate the AI legislation process, and ensure that AI always develops in the direction of continuously improving people’s well-being. 适应现实需要。新时代，我国制定了网络安全法、数据安全法、个人信息保护法等法律，在一定程度上已经涉及人工智能安全监管。此外，有关部门还出台了《互联网信息服务算法推荐管理规定》《互联网信息服务深度合成管理规定》等部门规章，在人工智能治理中发挥了积极作用。但是，与人工智能安全监管日益增长的法治需求相比，相关规范还存在一些短板和不足。比如，法律体系还不够完善，缺少人工智能安全监管的专门法律，在一些促发展、保安全的关键问题上还存在立法空白；现有规则分散在众多法律和部门规章中，一些规则相互协调衔接不足；等等。推进人工智能治理法治化，要深入推进科学立法、民主立法、依法立法，总结人工智能治理经验，汇聚各方面力量和智慧加快人工智能立法进程，确保人工智能始终朝着不断增进人民福祉的方向发展.
With the vigorous development of new-generation AI technologies such as generative AI, AI products and services are becoming increasingly commercialised, accessible, and widespread. As a result, the potential safety risks of AI are becoming more pronounced, and the people’s demand for ensuring AI safety, reliability, and controllability is growing stronger. To accelerate the AI legislation process and promote the legalisation of AI governance, we must adhere to the guidance of Xi Jinping Thoughts on Rule of Law, adhere to the people-centred development philosophy, provide a more complete legal basis for AI security supervision, and create a good legal environment conducive to the healthy development of AI. It is necessary to clarify the concepts and basic legal principles that should be followed in the research, development, use, and governance of AI technology, establish the correct value orientation of AI governance, and provide value guidance for the interpretation, application, and improvement of AI legislation. It is necessary to establish the basic legal rules for AI governance, help remove institutional barriers to AI development, provide a legal basis for the formulation of AI governance laws and regulations, and provide authoritative guidelines for AI safety supervision, law enforcement, and judicial activities, and promote the implementation of the Global AI Governance Initiative. 确立治理依据。随着生成式人工智能等新一代人工智能技术蓬勃发展，人工智能产品和服务正日益商业化、大众化、普及化，人工智能的潜在安全风险随之更加突出，人民群众对确保人工智能安全、可靠、可控的需求更加强烈。加快人工智能立法进程，推进人工智能治理法治化，要坚持以习近平法治思想为指导，坚持以人民为中心的发展思想，为人工智能安全监管提供更加完备的法律依据，营造有利于人工智能健康发展的良好法治环境。要明确人工智能技术研发、使用、治理应当遵循的理念和基本法律原则，确立人工智能治理的正确价值导向，为人工智能立法的解释适用和完善发展提供价值指引。要确立人工智能治理的基本法律规则，助力破除人工智能发展的制度障碍，为制定人工智能治理法规规章等下位法提供法律依据，为人工智能安全监管执法、司法活动提供权威准则，促进落实《全球人工智能治理倡议》.
Accelerating the process of AI legislation and promoting the legalisation of AI governance are aimed at promoting the healthy development of AI. Rules should be improved in areas such as technology research and development, data utilization, computing power supply, innovation incentives, and technology sharing to better meet the institutional needs of AI industry development and the deep integration of AI with economic and social development. AI legislation should coordinate development and security, focus on resolutely safeguarding national security and social stability, improve safety supervision rules, strengthen tiered and classified supervision, strengthen dynamic analysis, assessment and early warning of relevant risks, and improve AI safety supervision capabilities. It is necessary to support the participation of diverse entities—government departments, industry organizations, the general public, and others—in AI governance, clarify the legal rights and obligations of relevant parties, establish the legal boundaries and legal responsibilities of behavior, and prevent the abuse of AI; at the same time, appropriate space for innovation should be preserved to avoid unreasonable rules that might hinder AI innovation, promoting a human-centred and ethically beneficial approach to AI. AI legislation should promote international exchanges and cooperation in AI and enhance China’s voice and influence in participating in global AI governance. 发挥制度功效。加快人工智能立法进程，推进人工智能治理法治化，旨在促进人工智能健康发展。应从技术研发、数据利用、算力供给、激励创新、技术共享等方面完善规则，更好满足人工智能产业发展、人工智能与经济社会发展深度融合的制度需求。人工智能立法要统筹发展和安全，着眼于坚决维护国家安全和社会稳定，完善安全监管规则，加强分级分类监管，加强对有关风险的动态分析、评估预警，提高人工智能安全监管能力。要支持政府部门、行业组织、社会公众等多元主体参与人工智能治理，明确相关主体的法定权利、义务，确立行为的合法边界及法律责任，防止滥用人工智能；同时为创新保留适当空间，避免不合理的规则阻碍人工智能创新，促进以人为本、智能向善。人工智能立法要推动人工智能国际交流合作，提升我国参与人工智能全球治理的话语权和影响力.
IV. BRICS NDB Sets Local Currencies Financing Target
On Page 15, there’s a report on the BRICS NDB’s Ninth Annual Meeting of the Board of Governors. It essentially highlights this bit from Dilma Rousseff’s speech.
“The use of local currency is therefore one strategic option. The availability of credit in local currency and/or currency swaps helps to tackle exposure to exchange rate and interest rate risks. The fact is that the hegemonic currency has two roles: an international and a domestic one. When the US faces inflation the monetary policy is used raise interest rates, creating a lot of trouble to EMDCs. If the US economy needs, they can use a strong dollar what can provoke a debt soar on EMDCs. The volatility is the rule not the exception. By promoting transactions in local currencies, we also facilitate investment growth, helping governments and the private sector overcome the cash flow mismatch between projects and financing. This approach provides greater predictability and reduces the high costs associated with hedging needs. That is the reason why expanding the use of local currencies is one of the New Development Bank’s (NDB) key strategic objectives for the 2022-2026 period. The bank is putting in place local currency sustainable development-oriented platforms and recognizes the urgency of making green financing available to the member-countries. Therefore, it aims to provide 30% of total financing in the local currencies of borrowing members.”
While on BRICS and local currencies, do check out this report from The Hindu a while back. It says that:
“With most BRICS countries strongly pushing for use of national currencies for trade and financial transactions within the bloc in an attempt to ‘de-dollarise’ their economies, India may consider the proposal favourably provided the decision is non-binding and it is free to choose the members with which it wants to do currency settlement with while ignoring some others such as China, sources have said… ‘New Delhi is examining an appropriate response based on the extent to which it would benefit economically and diplomatically from the proposals without increasing its vulnerabilities vis-a-vis China,’ the source said. South Africa is likely to soon host a meeting of Finance Ministers and Central Bank officials of member countries to deliberate further on the matter so that they could give their inputs to BRICS leaders at the October summit, the source added. At the last BRICS summit meeting in Johannesburg in August 2023, Finance Ministers and/or central bank governors were asked to consider the issue of local currencies, payment instruments and platforms and report back at the next summit. Initially, India was not keen on use of national currencies for trading with BRICS partners because of the China factor. But as the idea took shape within the BRICS, it now appears that the decision will be non-binding, the official said. This means that India and other members may pick and choose.”