Kina - od kopiranja do inovacije

Većina ljudi još uvijek nosi u glavi sliku Kine iz prije petnaestak godina: golema tvornica svijeta, jeftina radna snaga, masovna proizvodnja i kopije tuđih proizvoda. Ta verzija Kine je nestala. U posljednjem desetljeću Kina se transformirala iz zemlje koja kopira tehnologiju u zemlju koja dominira globalnim inovacijama. Prema izvješću Svjetske organizacije za intelektualno vlasništvo (WIPO) za 2024. godinu, Kina je podnijela 1,8 milijuna patentnih prijava – gotovo polovinu svih patenata na svijetu (49,1 % globalnog udjela), što je više nego tri puta više od Sjedinjenih Država.

Ova promjena nije samo statistička. Ona se vidi u tamnim tvornicama (dark factories) koje rade 24/7 bez svjetla jer nema ljudi, u napretku torijskih nuklearnih reaktora, u lunarnoj ambiciji, humanoidnim robotima koji izvode kung fu na nacionalnoj televiziji te u AI modelima koji su izazvali paniku u Hollywoodu. Ovaj moj post istražuje te ključne proboje koje zapadni mediji često previđaju i analizira što oni znače za poduzetnike: tko su novi milijarderi, gdje leže prilike u lancima opskrbe i zašto pozicioniranje u Hong Kongu ili Singapuru može biti najpametniji poslovni potez danas.

Pomak u patentima – od kopiranja do dominacije

Prije samo desetak godina Kina je bila poznata po "reverse engineeringu" i masovnoj proizvodnji. Danas je situacija obrnuta. Kineski ured za intelektualno vlasništvo (CNIPA) primio je 2024. godine 1,8 milijuna prijava izuma, što čini gotovo polovinu svih svjetskih patentnih prijava. Kina vodi i u međunarodnim prijavama, a kineske tvrtke (kao Huawei) zauzimaju vodeće pozicije među najvećim podnositeljima patenata u Europi i svijetu.

Ovaj pomak nije slučajan. Državna strategija "Made in China 2025" i masovna ulaganja u istraživanje i razvoj (R&D) pretvorila su Kinu u inovacijskog diva. Patentni sustav više nije samo zaštita, već oružje u globalnoj tehnološkoj utrci. Kina sada ne samo da proizvodi – ona definira standarde u električnim vozilima, obnovljivoj energiji, AI-ju i robotici.

Proboji o kojima se malo govori

Kineski napredak vidljiv je u više revolucionarnih područja:

• Tamne tvornice (dark factories): Potpuno automatizirane tvornice, posebno u automobilskoj industriji (npr. Zeekr), rade bez ljudske prisutnosti, 24 sata dnevno. Roboti i AI upravljaju proizvodnjom, smanjuju troškove i povećavaju efikasnost do razine koju Zapad teško dostiže. Ovo omogućuje Kinu da dominira u EV sektoru i šire.
• Torijska nuklearna energija: Kineski eksperimentalni torijski rastopljeni solni reaktor (TMSR-LF1) u provinciji Gansu postigao je ključne prekretnice – uključujući dodavanje torija u radni reaktor i konverziju torija u uranij-233. Torij je obilan u Kini i mogao bi osigurati energiju za tisuće godina, s manje otpada i većom sigurnošću od tradicionalnih reaktora.
• Lunarna ambicija: Kina je već izvela prve uzorke s tamne strane Mjeseca (Chang'e-6, 2024.), a planira slijetanje astronauta do 2030. godine. Ovo nije samo prestiž – već korak prema lunarnoj ekonomiji i resursima.
• Humanoidni roboti: Tvrtke poput Unitree pokazale su na Spring Festival Galau 2026. humanoidne robote (G1 model) koji autonomno izvode kung fu, akrobacije i sinkronizirane pokrete. Ovo demonstrira napredak u "embodied AI" – robotima koji se kreću i uče u stvarnom svijetu.
• AI modeli: ByteDanceov Seedance 2.0 i modeli poput DeepSeek generiraju filmsku kvalitetu videa iz teksta, uključujući dijaloge i efekte, što je izazvalo paniku u Hollywoodu zbog prijetnje filmskoj industriji. Kineski AI često dolazi jeftinije i brže, koristeći otvorene modele i masovne podatke.
• Medicinski proboji: Kineski timovi uspješno su "izliječili" tip 1 dijabetes kod pacijenata koristeći matične stanice reprogramirane iz vlastitih masnih stanica pacijenta. Jedna pacijentica nije trebala inzulin više od godinu dana nakon transplantacije.
• Kvantno računarstvo: Prototipovi poput Zuchongzhi 3.0 i Jiuzhang serije postižu "kvantnu supremaciju" – rješavaju zadatke koji bi klasičnim superračunalima trebali duže od doba svemira.

Ovi proboji pokazuju da Kina više ne prati – ona predvodi u ključnim tehnologijama budućnosti.

Što to znači za tebe (poduzetnika)?

Ova transformacija mijenja globalnu ekonomiju. Troškovi proizvodnje padaju zahvaljujući automatizaciji, energija postaje jeftinija i čišća, a AI i roboti omogućuju nove poslovne modele. Poduzetnici koji ignoriraju Kinu riskiraju zaostajanje.

Drugi poduzetnici – novi milijarderi

Umjesto tradicionalnih tvorničkih magnata, novi kineski milijarderi dolaze iz AI-ja, robotike i kvantnih tehnologija. Osnivači DeepSeeka, MiniMaxa, Unitreeja i sličnih tvrtki brzo ulaze u klub milijardera zahvaljujući IPO-ovima i ulaganjima. Ovi mladi tehnički talenti (često iz Tsinghua ili sličnih sveučilišta) grade kompanije koje izazivaju OpenAI i Nvidia. Oni su dokaz da inovacija + državna podrška + masovno tržište stvaraju nove bogataše brže nego ikad.

Zašto se sve kreće tako brzo?

Brzina dolazi iz kombinacije faktora: masovnih državnih ulaganja, vertikalno integriranih lanaca opskrbe, ogromnog domaćeg tržišta za testiranje, talentirane radne snage u STEM-u i manje regulativnih prepreka u nekim područjima. Dok Zapad raspravlja o etici AI-ja, Kina ga primjenjuje u proizvodnji, medicini i svemiru. "China Plus One" strategija (diverzifikacija lanaca) prelazi u "China Plus Many", gdje Kina ostaje jezgra, a regija se povezuje oko nje.

Što sve ovo znaći za Republiku Hrvatsku?!

Preklapanja su ograničena, ali postoje u nekoliko konkretnih područja. Hrvatska je mala EU članica s ograničenim izravnim utjecajem na kineske inovacije, no može se pozicionirati kao periferni igrač u kineskim lancima opskrbe i zelenoj tranziciji.

1. Infrastruktura i logistika (najjače preklapanje)

• Pelješki most — najpoznatiji kineski projekt u Hrvatskoj. Izgradila ga je kineska kompanija China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC), financiran uglavnom EU sredstvima. To je simbol suradnje unutar EU pravila i pokazao je da kineske tvrtke mogu konkurentno graditi u Europi.
• Hrvatske Luke: Kineski ulagači (npr. Luxury Real Estate) imaju većinski udio u Zadarskoj luci (kontejnerski i kruzerski dio). Postoje projekti u Ploče (bulk terminal) i interes za diverzifikaciju kineskih dobara iz Kopra prema hrvatskim lukama na Jadranu. Hrvatska se tako može uključiti u Maritime Silk Road (dio Belt and Road Initiative) kao logistički hub za Srednju i Istočnu Europu.
• Hrvatska Željeznica i ceste: Kineske tvrtke (CRBC) sudjeluju u natječajima za hrvatske željezničke i cestovne projekte (npr. Dugo Selo – Novska). Hrvatska planira ulaganja od oko 6 milijardi eura u željeznicu do 2030.

2. Zelena energija i torijska nuklearna energija

• Vjetroelektrana Senj (156 MW) — najveća kineska investicija u Hrvatskoj do sada (Norinco International, završena 2021., vrijednost oko 230 milijuna eura). Primjer suradnje u obnovljivim izvorima.
• Postoje razgovori o daljnjoj suradnji u zelenoj energiji, uključujući solarne projekte i općenito zelenu tranziciju.
• Torij — nema direktne suradnje. Hrvatska nema torijski program, a energija se oslanja na obnovljive izvore, plin i uvoz. Međutim, jeftina kineska čista energija (uključujući torij u budućnosti) mogla bi indirektno utjecati na cijene električne energije u Europi i hrvatsku industriju.

3. Trgovina i lanci opskrbe

• Bilateralna trgovina raste: 2023. oko 2,53 milijarde USD, s velikim hrvatskim deficitom. Kina izvozi strojeve, elektroniku, čelik; Hrvatska izvozi prerađeno drvo, prehrambene proizvode (vino, Vegeta, tuna, med), mramor i specijalna vozila.
• Hrvatska može biti dobavljač sirovina ili komponenti za kineske lance opskrbe (npr. drvo za ambalažu ili specijalizirane dijelove), ali nije ključni igrač.
• Kineski izvoz u Hrvatsku rastao je značajno (npr. +52% u veljači 2026. u odnosu na prethodnu godinu).

4. Tehnologija, AI, roboti i patenti

• Preklapanja su minimalna. Hrvatska ima male, ali rastuće tvrtke u robotici i automatizaciji (npr. AIR-RMLD – dronovi, Optimus Drive – industrijska automatizacija, Romb Technologies – navigacija za AGV/AMR, Visor – machine vision). Neke od njih već izvoze u Kinu ili surađuju s kineskim partnerima.
• Nema značajnih zajedničkih projekata u AI-ju, humanoidnim robotima ili kvantnom računarstvu. Hrvatska ima nisku razinu patenata u advanced tehnologijama u usporedbi s EU prosjekom.
• Medicinski proboji (npr. dijabetes) — nema poznate suradnje.

5. Poduzetničke prilike i pozicioniranje (Hong Kong / Singapur)

• Za hrvatske poduzetnike: Male izravne prilike. Bolje je koristiti EU fondove + kineske partnere za infrastrukturu i zelenu energiju.
• Hong Kong i Singapur nisu direktno relevantni za Hrvatsku (Hrvatska nema posebne veze s njima kao gateway-ima prema Kini). Umjesto toga, hrvatske tvrtke mogu koristiti Zagreb ili Rijeku kao logističke točke, ali bolje je razmišljati o suradnji preko većih EU hubova.
• Potencijal leži u nišama: izvoz hrvatskih prehrambenih proizvoda na kinesko tržište, turizam (kineski turisti), ili partnerstva u drvenoj industriji i obnovljivim izvorima.

Realna slika za Hrvatsku

Hrvatska je više korisnik kineske infrastrukture i investicija (most, vjetropark, luke) nego partner u visokotehnološkim probojima iz eseja. Suradnja je selektivna, uravnotežena s EU pravilima („de-risking“) i usmjerena na infrastrukturu i zelenu energiju.

Najveće prilike za hrvatske poduzetnike:

• Sudjelovanje u kineskim logističkim lancima preko jadranskih luka.
• Partnerstva u obnovljivoj energiji.
• Izvoz nišnih proizvoda (hrana, drvo) na kinesko tržište.
• Praćenje kineskih tehnologija (jeftini roboti, AI alati) za modernizaciju vlastite male industrije.

Zaključak

Kina više nije samo "tvornica svijeta" – ona je postala laboratorij budućnosti. Od tamnih tvornica i torijske energije do humanoidnih robota i AI-ja koji mijenja Hollywood, ovi proboji preoblikuju globalnu konkurenciju. Za poduzetnike to znači prilike u lancima opskrbe (komponente za EV, robotiku, energiju), partnerstvima s kineskim inovatorima i pristupu novim tržištima.

Hong Kong i Singapur idealne su točke za pozicioniranje: Hong Kong kao super-konektor s pristupom Greater Bay Area, niskim porezima, jakim pravnim sustavom i CEPA sporazumima za bescarinski pristup Kini; Singapur kao hub za financije, logistiku i AI, s rastućim kineskim ulaganjima. Odatle možete pratiti kineske lance opskrbe, privlačiti talente i skalirati poslovanje bez izravnog ulaska u kontinentalnu Kinu.

Stara slika Kine je prošlost. Nova realnost je brža, inovativnija i puna prilika – za one koji su spremni vidjeti je i djelovati. Poduzetnici koji se danas pozicioniraju u Aziji mogu biti dio sljedećeg vala milijardera i transformacija. Vrijeme je za akciju, jer Kina ne čeka.

Željko Serdar, HCOIE

BRICS currency

 

Russian President Vladimir Putin unveils BRICS prototype currency. Putin was seen holding a mock-up of the “BRICS bill,” featuring the flags of the five member nations – Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa – interconnected in a circle.

One of the primary issues with the “BRICS Bill” lies in its inconsistent representation of member nations. For instance, the bill features Pashto text referring to the “Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan” (the Taliban regime), yet it bears the flag of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. Since the Taliban regime is not internationally recognised and has limited diplomatic acceptance, this inconsistency highlights the challenges of unifying such diverse nations under a single currency framework. Additionally, many BRICS members, including India and South Africa, are reluctant to formally engage with unrecognised governments, further complicating the bill’s acceptance.

Using the “BRICS Bill” for economic exchanges would introduce significant limitations for member states, many of which are not the most economically powerful. Forcing reliance on a shared currency would hinder BRICS countries’ ability to freely trade with non-member states. This limitation is exacerbated by the bloc’s ongoing efforts to reduce dependency on the US dollar while simultaneously maintaining global trade relations. According to the Johannesburg Declaration, BRICS nations are exploring mechanisms to increase trade in local currencies, but the creation of a shared currency remains a distant goal.

A major concern among BRICS nations is the potential destabilisation of national currencies. If a shared “BRICS Bill” were to be introduced, it could lead to inflation and depreciation of national currencies, especially for smaller economies like South Africa or Brazil. A potential decline in the value of national currencies would negatively impact economic stability, making the adoption of a shared currency an unattractive option.

Despite the challenges surrounding the “BRICS Bill,” discussions about creating a digital BRICS currency are gaining momentum. Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has been a vocal advocate for a digital currency to facilitate trade among BRICS nations without replacing national currencies. However, even this idea faces significant hurdles, including the logistical complexities of implementing a digital currency across a diverse bloc of nations. It remains to be seen whether a digital BRICS currency will materialise, but discussions on the topic are still in the early stages.

Adopting a shared “BRICS Bill” could lead to negative consequences from Western countries, including the imposition of sanctions and higher tariffs. BRICS’ growing influence is already viewed as a challenge to Western financial dominance, particularly in light of the bloc’s ongoing expansion. Introducing a shared currency could escalate tensions and lead to economic retaliation from key global players like the US and the European Union. Such risks have led BRICS leaders to exercise caution when considering a shared financial instrument.

The BRICS Bill is more symbolic than practical, and adopting it as a currency would likely harm member states’ economies by destabilizing national currencies and reducing economic independence.

Clean Energy Transition - Net Zero by 2050

China has the largest carbon market in the world and Hong Kong can help connect it globally by establishing an Asia-focused carbon standard and developing a futures market. As a major carbon emitter, the power sector plays a crucial role in realizing the goal of carbon peaking and carbon neutrality. Although there has been a local expansion of wind and solar projects, this is limited due to the environment. It is possible that Hong Kong could create more opportunities for clean energy transition by buying energy from clean sources and supporting renewable energy businesses.  Over the last 7 days, the Renewable Energy industry has dropped 1.3%, driven by a pullback from China Power International Development of 3.6%. The industry has fallen 5.1% in the last year. As for the next few years, earnings are expected to grow by 18% per annum.

What are the most urgent challenges for the sector over the next three years?

1. Cost of Transition

High capital costs associated with clean energy transition are a challenge to the oil and gas industry in Asia, particularly among smaller and emerging markets. Even in developed economies such as South Korea, cost can be a challenge slowing the pace of change.

2. Ongoing demand for fossil fuels

There is an ongoing and – especially in the case of China for example – a growing demand for fossil fuels in Asia. It was unlikely that the majority of local businesses would be able to accommodate a fall in the use of oil and gas in the next few years.

3. Lack of renewables infrastructure

Infrastructure transformation poses challenges in dealing with legacy liabilities as well as significant investment in ensuring electricity grids can store and transmit electricity generated from renewable resources.

Governments around the world have set targets for reducing carbon dioxide emissions. As economies make the move towards sustainable development, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), the backbone of the world economy, are adjusting their supply chain strategies to help them embark on the road to zero carbon with a measurable carbon footprint.

Burning fossil fuels to feed our energy systems accounts for 75% of the world’s total greenhouse gas emissions. The transport and processing of oil and gas alone resulted in 5.1 billion tonnes of emissions in 2022, accounting for just under 15% of the total produced by the global energy sector.

Interestingly, in the year that the US goes to the polls to elect a new president, geopolitics could be a factor that potentially slows clean energy transition in the next few years. 

Asia accounts for a large part of this, with China alone acting as the largest producer and consumer of energy in the world. Although coal accounts for the greatest share of the total energy supply in Asia (48%), oil is second with 23% and natural gas 11.6%. In terms of oil refining, Asia accounts for 38% of the global share.

However, in addition to being a big producer and consumer of fossil fuels, Asia also generates a significant amount of electricity from renewable resources. In 2021, the International Energy Agency (IEA) calculated that 23.5% of the region’s electricity was generated by hydro (13.7%), wind (5.6%) and solar (4.2%). This compares to just 11.8% of electricity generation by oil and gas combined.

China is a key player in many clean energy supply chains and both Japan and Korea have devised plans for decarbonisation.

Of course, Asia is a large continent with different needs, strengths, and drivers across markets, and different perceptions of challenges and opportunities. For example, when we asked our underwriters whether geopolitical issues might impact the transition to clean energy in the local oil and gas industries, our specialists in China said “probably, yes”, whereas in Thailand, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, and Korea the response was, “not so much”.

The oil and gas industry could not shift to clean energy in the short term due to high costs and supply issues. The fact is, it is hard to build a business case for consuming more expensive electric energy from renewables if cheaper oil and gas are on tap.

More than 80% of Taiwan's electricity came from fossil fuels in 2022, making the country’s official pledge to achieve Net Zero by 2050 a big challenge. While there is still significant demand for oil, natural gas, and coal, the industry is increasingly facing pressure from the growth of renewable energy sources, as well as concerns over climate change and environmental impacts, with many companies and governments investing in carbon capture and storage technologies, as well as exploring alternative sources of energy.

Geographical issues do influence which energy sources are most commonly used by different countries in the region. For example, Japan's primary energy source is oil, amounting to about 36% of the country’s overall energy fuel mix, followed by coal (25%) and natural gas (21%). There is a local high dependency on fossil fuels, but this is partly due to the suspension of nuclear power plants since the earthquake in 2011. Domestic demand for oil is getting weaker due to a decreasing population and the growth in alternative energy sources. Meantime, the greenhouse gas emission target is 46% compared to the 2013 level, revised from 26% in April 2021.

What are the greatest opportunities for the sector over the next three years?

1. Growing demand for sustainability

Consumer demand for environmental sustainability presents a good opportunity for long-term growth for industry players who invest in diversification.  What’s more fossil fuels are a finite resource, which means diversification into renewables and other income streams is vital for business sustainability.

2. Repositioning role as energy companies

Some large oil and gas companies are set to make a switch to energy companies that supply a diverse range of energy services, particularly electricity.

3. Improved brand image

Oil and gas companies that pivot towards clean energy transition may benefit from an improved brand image and may be more likely to attract public and private capital from investors, especially those seeking to promote and support greater environmental and social responsibility.

China's renewable energy in Latin America

China’s growing influence over global clean energy supply chains and its leverage over countries’ energy systems have raised international concerns. But the relationship between China and Latin America is also increasingly complicated as Latin American nations try to secure their resources and their own clean energy futures. Alongside international investments, Latin American countries are fostering energy innovation cultures that are homegrown, dynamic, creative, often grassroots, and frequently overlooked. These range from sophisticated innovations with high-tech materials to a phenomenon known as frugal innovation.

Chile is an example of how Latin America is embracing renewable energy while trying to plan a more self-reliant future.

New geothermal, solar, and wind power projects – some built with Chinese backing, but not all – have pushed Chile far past its 2025 renewable energy goal. About one-third of the country is now powered by clean energy.

But the big prize, and a large part of China’s interest, lies buried in Chile’s Atacama Desert, home to the world’s largest lithium reserves. Lithium, a silvery-white metal, is essential for producing lithium-ion batteries that power most electric vehicles and utility-scale energy storage. Countries worldwide have been scrambling to secure lithium sources, and the Chilean government is determined to keep control over its reserves, currently about one-half of the planet’s known supply.

The independent Chilean startup Reborn Electric Motors has developed a business converting old diesel bus fleets into fully electric buses. Reborn was founded in 2016 when the national electromobility market in Chile was in its early stages before China’s BYD ramped up electric bus use in local cities.

Reborn’s retrofitted buses are technologically advanced and significantly cheaper than their Chinese counterparts. While BYD’s new electric bus costs roughly US$320,000, a retrofitted equivalent from Reborn costs nearly half, around $170,000. The company has also secured funding to develop a prototype for running mining vehicles on green hydrogen.

China’s solar capacity is now 228 gigawatts (GW), more than the rest of the world combined, according to Global Energy Monitor. And wind capacity, at a whopping 310GW, also leads the world. With another 750GW of new wind and solar projects in the pipeline, China will hit its 2030 target of 1,200GW – an unimaginable number when proposed just a few years ago – five years early.

Bolivia’s “tiny supercheap EV” developed by homegrown startup Industrias Quantum Motors is another example of frugal innovation in electric vehicles. The startup aspires to bring electric mobility widely to the Latin American population. It offers the tiniest EV car possible, one that can be plugged into a standard wall socket. The car costs around $6,000 and has a range of approximately 34 miles (55 kilometers) per charge.

In April 2023, Chile’s president announced a national lithium strategy to ensure that the state holds partial ownership of some future lithium developments. The move, which has yet to be approved, has drawn complaints that it could slow production.

However, the government aims to increase profits from lithium production while strengthening environmental safeguards and sharing more wealth with the country’s citizens, including local communities impacted by lithium projects. Latin America has seen its resources sold out from under it before, and Chile doesn’t intend to lose out on its natural value this time.

Developing its own renewable energy industry has been a priority in Chile for over a decade, but it’s been a rough road at times.

In 2009, the government began establishing national and international centers of excellence – Centros de Excelencia Internacional – for research in strategic fields such as solar energy, geothermal energy, and climate resilience. It invited and co-financed foreign research institutes, such as Europe’s influential Fraunhofer Institute and France’s ENGIELab, to establish branches in Chile and conduct applied research. The latest is a center for the production of lithium using solar energy.

The government expected the centers to work with local businesses and research centers, transferring knowledge to feed a regional innovation ecosystem. However, reality hasn’t yet matched the expectations. The foreign institutions brought their own trained personnel. And except for the recently established Institute for Lithium, officials tell us that low financing has been a significant problem.

Chile is home to one of Latin America's largest public incubators and seed accelerators, StartUp Chile. It has helped several local startups that offer important innovations in food, energy, social media, biotech, and other sectors.

Often in South America, this kind of innovation is born and developed in a resource-scarce context and under technological, financial, and material constraints. This “frugal innovation” emphasizes sustainability with substantially lower costs.

Phineal is another promising Chilean company that offers clean energy solutions, focusing on solar energy projects. Its projects include solar systems installation, electromobility technology, and technology using blockchain to improve renewable energy management in Latin America. Many of these are highly sophisticated and technologically advanced projects that have found markets overseas, including in Germany.

Chile is also diving into another cutting-edge area of clean energy. Using its abundant solar and wind power to produce green hydrogen for export as a fossil fuel replacement has become a government priority.

The government is developing a public-private partnership of an unprecedented scale in Chile for hydrogen production and has committed to cover 30% of an expected $193 million public and private investment, funded in part by its lithium and copper production. Some questions surround the partnership, including Chile’s lack of experience administering such a large project and concerns about the environmental impact. The government claims Chile’s green energy production could eventually rival its mining industry.

With plentiful hydropower and sunshine, Latin America already meets a quarter of its energy demand with renewables – nearly twice the global average. Chile and its neighbors envision those numbers only rising.

The story of renewable energy’s rapid rise in Latin America often focuses on Chinese influence, and for good reason. China’s government, banks, and companies have propelled the continent’s energy transition, with about 90% of all wind and solar technologies installed there produced by Chinese companies. China’s State Grid now controls over half of Chile’s regulated energy distribution, enough to raise concerns in the Chilean government.

China has also become a major investor in Latin America’s critical minerals sector, a treasure trove of lithium, nickel, cobalt, and rare earth elements that are crucial for developing electric vehicles, wind turbines, and defense technologies.

In 2018, the Chinese company Tianqi Lithium purchased a 23% share in one of Chile’s largest lithium producers, Sociedad Química y Minera. More recently, in 2022, Ganfeng Lithium bought a major evaporative lithium project in Argentina for US$962 million. In April 2023, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and Chinese President Xi Jinping signed around 20 agreements to strengthen their countries’ already close relationship, including in the areas of trade, climate change, and energy transition.

Final thoughts

China has put business first, turning a blind eye to corruption and governance concerns. That cannot be good for Latin America. Washington is right to insist on democracy and transparency but it needs to offer carrots as well as brandishing a big stick. Unless it can commit to a much bolder agenda on trade and investment and a rethink of policy on Cuba and Venezuela, the US will find itself increasingly outmaneuvered in its own neighborhood by Beijing.

As for the rest of the world, global persuasion for China to shift its course on coal is critical. Climate diplomacy won’t be pain-free, but it is the only way to tackle the defining global crisis of our times. Countries in the West also need to learn from China, even if there is no simple cut-and-paste solution for them. It is a blessing that a template for success exists. Refusing to learn from each other, in a world where countries are more interested in fighting one another than climate change, would be futile.

Coronavirus (COVID-19) and 5G

Many people claims that Wuhan, China, the centre of the new coronavirus outbreak, was where 5G was first rolled out. It suggests that 5G has damaged peoples’ immune systems and so boosted the virulence of the common cold. The main implication of the claim—that 5G can impact immune systems—is totally unfounded. There is no evidence linking the new coronavirus to 5G.

It’s true that Wuhan does have some 5G coverage. 

The local government listed a number of venues with 5G coverage in August 2019. We can’t find evidence it was the very first city with 5G but we’ve seen reports saying Wuhan was one of several Chinese cities where early 5G trials took place. Another said Wuhan was “one of the first pilot cities of the 5G network in China”.

Claim

Wuhan is where 5G was rolled out first.

5G wrecks immune systems and that is why people in Wuhan are suffering with this illness.

Venues with 5G coverage in Wuhan now

Source: hubei.gov.cn 08/27/2019 15:08:10

With the debuts of 5G mobile phones, a growing number of consumers begin to concern about where they can have access to 5G service in Wuhan.

At present, the venues for the 7th CISM Military World Games, airport, railway station and major business circles, some universities have achieved 5G coverage, according to the three major communication operators, China Mobile, China Telecom and China Unicom in Wuhan on August 26. (hubei.gov.cn by Ruan Xinqi)

http://en.hubei.gov.cn/news/newslist/201908/t20190827_1409062.shtml


China completes third phase of national 5G trial program

Chinese vendors Huawei and ZTE as well as the country’s three state-owned carriers took part in the trials
China’s IMT-2020 (5G) Promotion Group said it has completed a third phase of non-standalone trials, Chinese press reported.

The tests were based on 3GPP’s Release 15 standards unveiled last year.

Tests in this phase included both indoor and outdoor trials, core network and base station functions. Huawei, ZTE and the China Information and Communication Technologies Group completed trials using the 3.5 GHz and 4.9 GHz frequency bands, according to the reports.

The IMT-2020 Promotion Group said that more than 20 companies participated in the third phase of China’s 5G trials, including Ericsson, Nokia Shanghai Bell, Samsung, Qualcomm, Intel and Rohde & Schwarz.

The group’s next step is to conduct interoperability tests on system and chip system terminals.

China’s 5G R&D tests started in 2016 and have involved three phases: key technologies testing, the verification of technology and solution and 5G system verification.

The IMT-2020 (5G) promotion group was jointly established in 2013 by the Chinese Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the National Development and Reform Commission, and the Ministry of Science and Technology, based on the original IMT-Advanced Promotion Group. In China, it is the primary platform through which 5G research and international exchange and cooperation is conducted.

Operators participating in the IMT-2020 Promotion Group include China Mobile, China Telecom, China Unicom and Japanese telecoms operator NTT DoCoMo.

The IMT-2020 Promotion Group completed the initial phase of its trial program in 2016. That phase included testing wireless technologies including massive multiple-input-multiple-output, novel multiple access, new waveforms, advance coding, ultra-dense network implementations and high-frequency communications. The trial phase also included network slicing, edge computing and network function reconstruction. The second phase of the national 5G tests were fully completed during last year.

Earlier this year, the Chinese government had authorized carriers to test 5G technology in major cities across the country. Under this initiative, state-run telcos have been deploying 5G networks in 16 cities to trial the technology.

China Mobile, the world’s largest mobile operator in terms of subscribers, had plans to carry out external field test in the cities of Hangzhou, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Suzhou, and Wuhan and deploy more than 100 base stations in these locations. China Mobile also has said it would conduct 5G network application demonstrations in 12 cities including Beijing, Chengdu, and Shenzhen.

Last year, China Mobile announced plans to deploy more than 10,000 5G base stations by 2020. The telco expects to launch a pre-commercial 5G service this year.

China Unicom’s 5G trials plans center around 16 cities including Beijing, Tianjin, Qingdao, Hangzhou, Nanjing, Wuhan, Guiyang, Chengdu, Shenzhen, Fuzhou, Zhengzhou, and Shenyang.

China Telecom has also said it plans to test 5G technology in six cities including Xiong’an, Shenzhen, Shanghai, Suzhou, Chengdu and Lanzhou.

https://www.rcrwireless.com/20181004/5g/china-completes-third-phase-national-5g-trial-program

Hubei sets up over 300 5G base station

WUHAN, May 27 (Xinhua) -- Central China's Hubei Province has built more than 300 5G base stations and achieved full 5G signal coverage in its prefecture-level cities, local telecom sources said.The China Mobile's Hubei branch said more than 300 5G base stations have been built since February 2018, and a dozen 5G experience centers have been completed in cities including Xiaogan, Yichang and Jingmen.In the experience centers, visitors can learn knowledge about 5G technology and are allowed to experience 5G networks and high-tech products such as VR glasses, robotic arms and robots. Visitors will also learn about the close connection of 5G products in their daily lives.Wuhan, capital of Hubei, is one of the first pilot cities of the 5G network in China. So far, 5G technology has been applied in various fields in the city, including intelligent education, intelligent medical treatment, driverless vehicles, intelligent tourism, smart transportation and intelligent enterprises.

http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2019-05/27/c_138094302.htm

In October 2019, China’s three state telecoms companies announced they would be rolling out phone services that use 5G, and that big cities including Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Hangzhou were already covered by the network.5G is the next generation of wireless network technology, following on from 4G. Like 4G, 3G and 2G before it, 5G mobile data is transmitted over radio waves—a small part of the whole electromagnetic spectrum (which includes microwaves, visible light and X-rays).These radio waves are non-ionising, (meaning they don’t damage the DNA inside cells), as X-rays, gamma rays and UV rays are able to do. 5G, although at slightly higher frequencies than previous networks, is still in this radio part of the electromagnetic spectrum.

BEIJING (Reuters) - China’s three state telecoms on Thursday announced the roll-out 5G mobile phone services, marking a key step in Beijing’s ambitions to become a technology superpower at a time when it remains locked in trade tensions with Washington.China Mobile’s, China Unicom and China Telecom’s said on their websites and online stores that 5G plans, which start from as low as 128 yuan a month, will be available from Friday, allowing Chinese consumers nationwide to use the ultra-fast mobile internet service.Beijing had originally said it would launch the ultra-fast mobile internet service, which promises to support new features such as autonomous driving, early next year. But it accelerated its plans as tensions with the United States, especially over its boycott of telecoms giant Huawei Technologies, heated up.

“China will have the largest commercial operating 5G network in the world on Friday, and the scale of its network and the price of its 5G services will have a pivotal impact throughout the supply chain,” Bernstein said in a report this week.Authorities have said that they plan to install over 50,000 5G base stations across 50 Chinese cities in the country by the end of this year, and that big cities, including Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Hangzhou, are already covered by the 5G network.Chinese companies from Xiaomi to Huawei have also unveiled new products in anticipation of the 5G roll out, with Huawei saying that it anticipates to start seeing a revenue uplift from the sector next year.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-telco-5g/chinas-state-telecoms-to-launch-5g-services-on-friday-idUSKBN1XA0JC

As for the claim that the new coronavirus observed in Wuhan is the “normal cold” with boosted virulence—that is simply not the case. 

5G?

Conclusion

Wuhan was one of the first places with 5G trials, as well as several other large Chinese cities, like Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou but we don’t know if it was the first.These days 5G is blamed for everything, from cancer to bushfires, so it is not surprising that conspiracy theories that 5G caused, or helped spread coronavirus have been shared into the anti-5G groups.
Some people claimed Wuhan was where 5G was first rolled out, and 5G “wrecked immune systems and thereby boosted the virulency of the normal cold”. Wuhan was one of a few places where 5G was rolled out in China in 2020, along with other parts of the world. There is no evidence (yet) that 5G weakens immune systems or is harmful to humans. Novel coronavirus is probably with us beyond this season, beyond this year.