Vol 74 The East Asia Dragons and India

India’s Only Newsletter which cover

East Asia- Korea, Japan, China, Taiwan, Mongolia &

Global News (Weekly Updates Business Report)

06 Jan 2020 To 12 Jan 2020

By T.S.Chandrashsekar M.A.M'PhiLPhD South Korea

TV Panelist Columnist International Affairs and Korea & East Asia Expert1 -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Topics

I. East Asia News:

Japan: 1. Japan: Toyota to build prototype city of the future in Japan

2. Japan: Hitachi Automotive develops stereo camera emergency braking intersections

3. Japan: Mitsubishi Motors enlists Israeli startup as Japan plays connected cars

4. Japan: Japan key economic index falls to 6-yr low in Nov. on weak production

5. Japan's Ricoh to launch digital printer plant in China in April

6. Japan, China, S. Korea step up banking cooperation with ASEAN

7. Japan, India boost digital partnership for new technology era

8. Japan: Japan to develop app that can detect if foreign nationals' cards are fake

9. Japan: Fuji Xerox announces corporate name change to FBIC

10. Japan: Kono to order SDF dispatch to Middle East

Korea:

11. Korea: DuPont to establish EUV photoresist factory in S. Korea

12. Korea: China's Byton plans to produce its new electric cars in Korea

13. Korea: Sachin Satpute named new chairman of ICCK

14. Korea: Hyundai to make flying cars for Uber air taxis

15. Korean construction firms on alert following Iran’s missile attack against US

16. Korea: CJ HealthCare to reinvent itself under Kolmar by April

China:

17. China Mobile in tie-up talks with Vodafone Idea, Airtel

18. China: Drones help PLA detect enemy behind walls

19. China: Xi signs order for military training

20. China: Latest light tank, howitzer deployed in exercises in Tibet

21. China: China to establish brain science-related undergraduate majors

22. China: Major technological breakthroughs in 2020

23. China's sci-tech hub Zhongguancun records 13.8-pct revenue increase

24. China: Homegrown 3D-printed tantalum implant sees clinical trials

25. China: Grid live working robots in service in north China

26. China: Lenovo launches world's first 5G PC at CES

27. China: Ministry warns 15 apps of store removal over violations

Taiwan

28. Taiwan makes headway on establishing National Human Rights Commission

29. Taiwan researchers develop ECG-enabled smart watch

Mongolia:

30. Parliament approves one-time forgiveness of pension-secured loan debts

II. India News:

31. True North invests over Rs 500crore in Biocon Biologics

32. Paytm to levy fees if users load over Rs 10k via credit card

33. PE major Everstone invests $50m in Slayback Pharma

34. Seafood industry seeks govt intervention to lift US ban on sea-caught shrimps

35. GMR-ESR JV to set up logistics park at Hyderabad

1 Printed, Published and Owned by T.S.Chandrashekar M.AM.PhiL/(PhD SNU South Korea), No 391 20 Cross Maruti Nagar-Sonenahalli, Ullal Upangar, Bangalore 560110, India Mobile.

91 9980732889, Email. eastasianewsletter@gmail.com Digital Newsletter

III. Global News

36. Bosch unveils smart virtual sun visor for cars at tech show

37. Scientists may have cracked a cellular secret to living a longer life

38. America: FDA-approved stomach cancer drug sends Blueprint Medicines’ stock up

before resettling

39. Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen reelected as voters back tough China stance

40. China's foreign minister heads to Zimbabwe on Africa tour

41. America: US bans charter flights to Cuban cities besides Havana

42. China reports 1st death from new type of coronavirus

43. Iran: Russian Missile System Suspected of Bringing Down Ukraine

44. NATO missile defense system in Romania monitored Iran’s strikes, says secretary

general

45. Jane’s: Global defense spending exceeds $1.8 trillion in 2019

IV. India Policy News

46. RBI amends KYC norms, allows banks to use V-CIP

47. Four Indian astronauts selected for training in Russia

48. Russian foreign minister to visit India on January 15: PM Modi & President Putin may

have 5 Meetings in 2020

49. Russian Railways mulls using Kerch Strait port of Taman for deliveries to India

50. Israel: Water-from-air startup awarded Smart Home Mark of Excellence at CES Las

Vegas

V. Others:

Jobs

Tenders:

Announcements:

B2B With Overseas Companies

I. East Asia

Japan:

1. Japan: Toyota to build prototype city of the future in Japan

Toyota Motor Corp plans to build a prototype "city of the future" at the base of Mt Fuji, powered by hydrogen fuel

cells and functioning as a laboratory for autonomous cars,

"smart homes," artificial intelligence and other

technologies.

Toyota unveiled the audacious plan for what it will call

"Woven City", in a reference to its origins as a loom

manufacturer, at the big annual technology industry show,

CES. The "Woven City" idea, under discussion for a year,

is aimed at creating safer, cleaner, more fun cities and

learning lessons that could be applied around the world. It

will have police, fire and ambulance services, schools and

could be home to a mix of Toyota employees, retirees and others.

The development, to be built on the site of a car factory that is planned to be closed by the end of 2020, will begin

with 2,000 residents in coming years, and also serve as a home to researchers. The plan for a futuristic community

on 175 acres (71 hectares) is a big step beyond proposals from Toyota's rivals. Toyota Housing, a company unit,

has sold more than 100,000 homes in Japan in 37 years.

Toyota said it had commissioned Danish architect Bjarke Ingels to design the community. Ingels' firm designed the

2 World Trade Center building in New York and technology giant Google's offices in Silicon Valley and London.

Toyota said it is open to partnerships with other companies seeking to use the project as a testing ground for

technology.

2. Japan: Hitachi Automotive develops stereo camera enabling

automatic emergency braking at intersections

Hitachi Automotive Systems Ltd has developed a stereo camera that

enables Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) at intersections relying on

stereo camera alone by combining distant object detection with wide

angle view, and without millimeter wave radar. As of 2020, the NCAP

(New Car Assessment Program) will include Automatic Emergency

Braking (AEB) among the criteria in their leading automotive safety performance assessment. Sensor technologies

with horizontal, wide angle view are necessary to detect pedestrians to avoid accidents when an automobile turns at

an intersection.

Hitachi Automotive Systems has increased the range of detection by widening the horizontal range of the stereo

camera this delivers an angle of view three times wider compared to conventional stereo cameras, and enables

Automatic Emergency Braking when turning at intersections while still maintaining the ACC (Adaptive Cruise

Control) which employs compatible distant object detection without the need for a large increase in the number of

sensor pixels compared to conventional stereo cameras. The technology was developed in collaboration with the

Hitachi Ltd R&D Group.

3. Japan: Mitsubishi Motors enlists Israeli startup as Japan plays catch up on connected cars

Mitsubishi Motors Corp has signed on to Israeli startup Otonomo’s car-data marketplace as Japanese automakers

race to make up ground on U.S. and European rivals to

provide in-vehicle connected services.

The first Japanese auto manufacturer to join a platform

like Otonomo’s, Mitsubishi Motors will get access to a

network of some 100 retailers, insurers and others who

will pay for the data and provide revenue-generating

services such as parking apps, on-demand car washing and

subscription-based refueling. The initiative will roll out

this year in the United States and Europe, with Japan

following later, the companies said. They did not disclose

the financial terms of the deal.

McKinsey & Co predicts the market for in-vehicle data

will swell to as much as $750 billion by 2030. Other Japanese manufacturers have so far focused on building their

own platforms. Toyota has a subscription-based service called T-Connect, which offers things like real-time traffic

information and links to a human operator for help with restaurant booking or getting assistance in the event of an

accident. Honda has developed a similar offering called Honda Connected, but it has partnered with Alibaba in

China to develop connected services specific to that market. The four-year-old, Tel Aviv-based startup also has

partnerships with Daimler and BMW. It expects to announce more tie-ups with car makers later this year.

4. Japan: Japan key economic index falls to 6-yr low in Nov. on weak production

The key index reflecting the current state of the Japanese economy fell to

the lowest level in more than six years in November as electronic

production remained weak. The Cabinet Office's coincident index of

business conditions for the reporting month edged down 0.2 point from

October to 95.1 against the 2015 base of 100, the worst level since

February 2013. It fell 5.1 points in October.

Production of chip-making equipment, lithium ion batteries and

telecommunication devices were sluggish in particular. In the reporting

month, output of construction machinery such as excavators was also

weak due to the remaining impact of a supply chain disruption following

Typhoon Hagibis in October. Looking forward, the office said the index

of leading indicators, predicting trends in the coming months, dropped 0.7

point to 90.9 in November, down for the fourth straight month.

5. Japan's Ricoh to launch digital printer plant in China in April

Japanese office equipment maker Ricoh Co. will launch a new

digital data-based plant in China in April and close its two existing

factories by autumn this year to concentrate and update its global

production. Ricoh Manufacturing (China) Ltd., will build the plant

with a total floor space of 70,000 square meters in Dongguan in

the southern province of Guangdong, Ricoh said in a statement

released.

The new factory will be equipped with cutting-edge robots and

automated machines utilizing sales and production data gathered

via the internet of things. The existing two factories operated by its

subsidiaries, Ricoh Asia Industry (Shenzhen) Ltd. and Ricoh

Components & Products (Shenzhen) Ltd., will close in the spring and autumn of this year, respectively.

Meanwhile Ricoh will continue to supply products made in China to Europe and Japan as well as the local market.

The company will negotiate with 4,700 workers at the factories that are closing, with options to move them to the

new plant, which is planning to hire 4,000 workers.

6. Japan, China, S. Korea step up banking cooperation with ASEAN

The Japan Bank for International Cooperation, the China Development Bank and the Korea Development Bank

established the ASEAN-plus-Three Inter-Bank Cooperation

Mechanism in response to the strong financial need in the

Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

The scheme aims to "provide financial support based on the global

standards such as openness, transparency, economic viability, debt

sustainability, and compliance with laws and regulations for the

development of the region," the Japanese lender said. "Such

financial support will benefit the country where the project is

located and the origination of bankable projects, and thus lead to

sound development of the entire region," it said.

Such assistance would also promote economic integration and

connectivity in the 10-member ASEAN. ASEAN participants in the

project are PT Bank Mandiri (Persero) Tbk. of Indonesia, Canadia Bank PLC of Cambodia, DBS Bank Ltd. of

Singapore, Kasikornbank Public Co. of Thailand, CIMB Group Sdn Bhd of Malaysia, Myanma Foreign Trade

Bank of Myanmar, BDO Unibank Inc. of the Philippines, Bank Islam Brunei Darussalam Berhad of Brunei, Joint

Stock Commercial Bank for Investment and Development of Vietnam, and Lao Development Bank of Laos. The

agreement was struck on the sidelines of a summit involving leaders of Japan, China, South Korea and ASEAN in

November on the outskirts of Bangkok.

7. Japan, India boost digital partnership for new technology era

Japan and India are focusing on information sharing on development of digital infrastructure to improve

architecture design, according to a joint statement recently

released by the Information-technology Promotion Agency,

Japan, the Japan External Trade Organization, and the Indian

Software Product Industry Roundtable.

Well-designed digital social infrastructure is expected to play

a significant role in enhancing the efficiencies of societal

services and solving social issues in numerous countries, with

global society entering the era of the Internet of Things, or

IoT, the statement said.

As a first step in cooperation, the agencies will facilitate a joint study on how such digital infrastructure can be

utilized in the two countries, as well as third countries including those in Asia and Africa.

The cooperation in digital infrastructure is consistent with the Japan-India Digital Partnership launched in October

2018 between Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry and India's Ministry of Electronics and

Information Technology. Under the partnership, Japan and India agreed on the establishment of a startup hub in

Bengaluru, and cooperation in cybersecurity and dissemination of next-generation networks.

The two countries have been enhancing cooperation on a wide range of issues, such as the strategic depth of

bilateral security and defense cooperation, with the two sides sharing a vision of a free, open, inclusive and rules-

based Indo-Pacific region.

8. Japan: Japan to develop app that can detect if foreign nationals' residence cards are fake

The Japanese Government will develop a smartphone app to easily identify if residence cards, which are issued to

foreign nationals, have been forged in an attempt to crack down on visa law violations, government officials have

said.

The app, intended for potential employers of foreign workers, will read data stored in the IC chip embedded in the

cards and confirm whether the data matches information listed on the cards such as name and residential status.

The government aims to introduce the app by the end of 2020, the officials said. The number of foreign residents

has been increasing every year, reaching some 2.83 million at the end of June last year, up from about 2.03 million

at the end of 2012, according to the Immigration Services Agency.

The number of arrests resulting from holding or using forged residence cards has been rising too, reaching 620 in

2018, 1.6 times higher than the previous year, according to police. A residence card lists the carrier’s information

including name, birthday, nationality, residence status and period of stay.

Forged residence cards are often used to get jobs other than those permitted by the type of visa held or to remain in

the country beyond the permitted period. In some cases, they are used to sign housing loan contracts. While the

hologram on the surface of the cards has been counterfeited, so far there has been no case of the IC chips being

faked, the agency said.

9. Japan: Fuji Xerox announces corporate name change to FUJIFILM Business Innovation Corp

Fuji Xerox Co Ltd announced that it is changing its corporate name to FUJIFILM Business Innovation Corp as of

April 1, 2021. Fuji Xerox affiliates and sales companies in and outside Japan will also change their names

respectively on April 1, 2021, but their new names will be announced at a later date.

The new corporate name represents Fuji Xerox's commitment as part of

the Fujifilm Group which promotes "Value from Innovation" as its

corporate slogan to expand into a wide range of business areas going

forward and to always continue delivering business innovations.

Fuji Xerox said it aims to foster innovation with the other companies in

the Fujifilm Group by accelerating the market introduction of solutions

and services that build on technologies related to the cloud, artificial intelligence, and the Internet of Things.

Additionally, Fuji Xerox said it will swiftly work to strengthen its document and adjacent businesses as well as to

expand into new business areas, and to bring about business innovations by supporting the use and sharing of

knowledge that will enable office workers to further increase their productivity and efficiency.

10. Japan: Defence Minister Kono to order SDF dispatch to Middle East

Japan's Defense Minister Taro Kono will order the dispatch of a Self-Defense Force mission to the Middle East

amid heightened tensions in the region. The move is aimed at increasing

intelligence-gathering capability to ensure that commercial ships with

links to Japan can safely navigate waters in the Middle East.

Japan's Cabinet approved a plan late last month to send a destroyer and

two patrol aircraft to the region. A patrol plane unit will leave Japan on

Saturday and start collecting information later this month. The destroyer

will depart Japan in early February and begin its activities later in the

month.

Japan plans to share the information it obtains in the mission with operators of Japan-related vessels and other

nations, including the United States. Kono observed a map exercise at an SDF facility in Tokyo on Thursday. The

drill was meant to prepare the SDF mission for unpredictable situations. He instructed SDF members to make

thorough preparations for the operation. Also on the same day, Kono told Iran's defense minister Amir Hatami by

phone that Japan will go ahead with the dispatch as planned.

Korea:

11. DuPont to establish EUV photoresist factory in S. Korea

The global chemical company DuPont is establishing an extreme

ultraviolet (EUV) photoresist production factory in South Korea.

EUV photoresists are among three key semiconductor materials for

which Japan impose controls on exports to South Korea in July of

last year.

The investment report quoted a total of US$28 million. DuPont’s

plan is to use its South Korean affiliate Rohm and Haas Electronic

Materials Korea to establish an EUV photoresist production line at

its factory in Cheonan, Gyeonggi Province, which has been

producing semiconductor circuit board materials and components

since 1998.

Photoresists are materials used to create circuits through chemical changes that occur upon exposure to light after

the material has been placed on a semiconductor’s silicon wafer. The EUV process using EUV photoresists in

particular is seen as a key next-generation technology.

To date, South Korea has relied on Japanese imports for over 90% of photoresists. But DuPont’s investments in

EUV photoresist production in South Korea suggest the diversification of supply sources to include the US and

Europe is likely to speed up. Photoresists were the only category of the three key materials for which Japan relaxed

its controls last December, granting “specific blanket permits” instead of individual permits. Its move was seen as

reflecting concerns about the potential blow to Japanese businesses if South Korea adopted new importation

sources for the items.

12. Korea: China's Byton plans to produce its new electric cars in Korea

China's Byton plans to produce its new electric cars in Korea. The

automaker unveiled a new version of its M-Byte at a press sneak peek at

the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. The car boasts a huge 48-

inch dashboard display which is simply controlled via a touch screen

fitted in front of the steering wheel.

CEO Daniel Kirchert said Byton will start mass production of the electric

car late this year, and to keep up with demand it has signed a contract

with Korean parts maker MS Autotech, which bought GM Korea's former

assembly plant in Gunsan last year. MS Autotech will supply 50,000 cars

a year starting next year.

13. Korea: Sachin Satpute named new chairman of ICCK

The Indian Chamber of Commerce in Korea (ICCK) has elected Mr. Sachin Satpute,

president of Novelis Asia, as its new chairman. Satpute took over the post, formerly held

by Vasudev Tumbe, CFO & VP of Ssangyong Motor Company, starting Jan. 1.

He is president of Novelis Asia, the leading producer of flat-rolled aluminum products and

the world's largest recycler of aluminium. Satpute also is a board member of Ulsan

Aluminum, a joint venture between Novelis Korea and Kobe Steel, Japan.

Satpute has nearly 30 years of experience in the aluminium industry, having started his

career at INDAL, which was a subsidiary of ALCAN, Canada.

14. Korea: Hyundai to make flying cars for Uber air taxis

Hyundai announced it would mass produce flying cars for Uber's aerial rideshare network set to deploy in 2023.

The South Korean manufacturer said it would produce the

four-passenger electric "vertical take-off and landing

vehicles" at "automotive scale," without offering details.

The deal announced at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las

Vegas could help Uber, which is working with other aircraft

manufacturers, to achieve its goal of deploying air taxi service

in a handful of cities by 2023. Jaiwon Shin, head of Hyundai's

urban air mobility division, said he expects the large-scale

manufacturing to keep costs affordable for the aerial systems.

"We know how to mass produce high quality vehicles," Shin

told a news conference at CES.

He said he expected the partnership to allow for the short-

range air taxis to be "affordable for everyone." Eric Allison, head of Uber Elevate, appeared at the CES event with

Hyundai to discuss the partnership. "By taking transportation out of the two dimensional grid on the ground and

moving it into the sky, we can offer significant time savings to our riders," Allison said.

He said that because of its other app-based transport options, "only Uber can seamlessly connect riders from cars,

trains and even bikes to aircraft." Uber has announced it had selected Melbourne to join Dallas and Los Angeles in

becoming the first cities to offer Uber Air flights, with the goal of beginning demonstrator flights in 2020 and

commercial operations in 2023.

Hyundai is using CES to show the S-A1 model aircraft with a cruising speed up to 180 miles (290 km) per hour.

The aircraft utilizes "distributed electric propulsion," designed with multiple rotors that can keep it in the air if one

of them fails. The smaller rotors also help reduce noise, which the companies said is important to cities. The

Hyundai vehicle will be piloted initially but over time will become autonomous, the company said.

15. Korean construction firms on alert following Iran’s missile attack against US

Following Iran’s latest attack against American military bases in Iraq, Korean construction companies operating

projects in the Middle East are on high alert. Along with safety concerns, industry officials also worry that the

security situation in Iraq and Iran would influence Korean

construction companies that sought to secure more orders

in the region.

South Korea’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and

Transport said it is working with the Ministry of Foreign

Affairs to create emergency contacts and is checking on

all Korean residents there. Although Korean construction

sites in Iraq have not seen any damage or casualties, the

companies have formed emergency teams to monitor the

situation.

According to the government, 14 Korean construction companies including Hyundai Engineering & Construction

and Hanwha Engineering & Construction, have 1,381 employees working in Iraq.

There are about 1,570 Korean nationals staying in Iraq with government approval, according to the Foreign

Ministry. Korean nationals are banned from traveling to the country without permission. In Iran, there is no

construction project being undertaken by South Korean companies, but some that operate regional headquarters

there, such as Daerim Industrial, said they are monitoring the situation carefully.

16. Korea: CJ HealthCare to reinvent itself under Kolmar by April

CJ HealthCare, which was acquired by Kolmar Korea the 10th-largest pharmaceutical company in South Korea

for around 1.3 trillion won ($1.2 billion) in 2018, will

be rebranded by April to show its affiliation with the

parent company.

As per the acquisition deal, CJ HealthCare was allowed

to retain its name for two years to maintain its

corporate image for sales promotion. One of the new

names being considered is Hankol Healthcare after

Kolmar’s Vietnamese operation, Hankol Healthcare

Vina, which was set up in March last year.

CJ HealthCare’s strategy for 2020 is to expand the

number of countries that approve K-CAB sales, from the current 22 nations. K-CAB is a tegoprazan-base heartburn

treatment that is registered as Korea’s 30th original drug. The drug raked in 22.3 billion won in 2019, the first year

of its launch, given its leverage over competing ranitidine and nizatidine-base gastrointestinal drugs’ carcinogenic

contamination.

CJ HealthCare founded in 1984 as a health care business division of CJ CheilJedang. Its first pharma achievement

was the Hepatitis B vaccine, HEPACCINE-B, launched in 1986 using locally developed technologies only. It has

branched out to other vaccines and oncology drugs, but its main cash cow is the K-CAB and hangover-relief drink

Condition. The company is slated to make its initial public offering by end-2022 as promised to shareholders

during the Kolmar acquisition.

China:

17. China Mobile in tie-up talks with Vodafone Idea, Airtel

China’s largest mobile operator, China Mobile, is keen to enter the Indian market and has held early stage talks

with telecom service providers Bharti Airtel Ltd and Vodafone Idea Ltd to jointly develop a cloud network here.

Bharti Telecom is the single-largest shareholder in Bharti Airtel with about 41% stake. Singtel owns 48% in Bharti

Telecom, which gives it a 35% stake in Bharti Airtel. China Mobile Investment Holdings Co. Ltd, the investment

arm of China Mobile, was established in 2016 as an independent entity to look at investment opportunities and

manage its portfolios.

State-owned China Mobile is the largest wireless carrier in the mainland with 930 million mobile customers and

170 million wireline customers. It offers data services, wireless data traffic services, mobile data solutions,

telecommunications network planning design and consulting services, and technology support.

If the talks end in an equity investment, it will give the two Indian operators the financial muscle to fight Jio in the

competitive telecom battleground and offer cutting-edge cloud services to accommodate increasing digitization and

the roll-out of5G technology which entails storing large amounts of data on the cloud.

In June 2019, Vodafone Idea Business Services tied up with Microsoft to help firms adopting hybrid and cloud-

based models to host their applications. If a deal materializes, it would also bode well for China Mobile which has

been hunting for investment avenues given an almost saturated domestic market.

China Mobile, which earns almost all its business income in China, wants international operations to contribute

around 10% of revenue by 2023. In 2014, China Mobile bought an 18% stake in Thai telecom group True Corp.,

owned by billionaire Dhanin Chearavanont’s Charoen Pokphand Group, for $881 million.

18. China: Drones help PLA detect enemy behind walls

Chinese troops are now equipped with portable reconnaissance drones, giving them a significant tactical advantage,

including enabling them to shoot enemies behind walls.

This type of drone can be used in a two-person-sniper

group - one shooter who concentrates on aiming, and

one spotter who provide extra information with the aim.

Traditionally, the spotter is tasked with reporting

information like wind speed, humidity and battlefield

circumstances to the shooter, who will then calculate the

ballistic for the shot. But with the drone, the spotter can

see more than both troops can see. This type of small

drone, which resembles a commercial quadcopter, can be

carried in a backpack and easily deployed on the

battlefield.

When an enemy hides behind a wall, the spotter can release the drone and fly it with a controller, which has a large

monitor on it. The spotter can maneuver the drone to an angle where it can see the location of the enemy. But the

drone cannot fly too near, as the enemy might notice.

The spotter will then tell the shooter to shoot at a specific spot on the wall. This spot will be described in a way that

the shooter can understand based on the situation: If it is a brick wall, it will be described by rows and lines.

19. China: Xi signs order for military training

Chinese President Xi Jinping ordered the Chinese military on to further strengthen its combat training and

exercises this year. The military must enhance its troops'

combat preparedness, closely observe adversaries' moves,

exert ­all-out efforts to improve training and remain on

high alert to ensure it is always ready for, and can win in,

any possible war, the order said.

Training must be focused on elements leading to victory,

and thorough research must be done on operational goals,

enemies and the combat environment, it said. The order

required that units must concentrate on their missions and

give more attention to emergency-response capabilities.

They must also strive to foster the abilities to construct a

favorable situation on the front line, control possible crises,

and contain or win in a war.

Troops must inject more scientific and technological factors into training and carry out more mobilization drills,

according to the document. More exercises will be organized to examine and test units' command, planning,

fighting and logistical capabilities. 2020 is the third consecutive year that Xi has issued a training order to the

Chinese military. The first such order was issued in January 2018 when the president oversaw and addressed a

massive training-commencement ceremony at a shooting range in northern China.

20. China: Latest light tank, howitzer deployed in exercises in Tibet

China's latest weapons including the Type 15 tank and the new 155-millimeter vehicle-mounted howitzer were

deployed in Southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region as the

People's Liberation Army (PLA) began a first round of exercises

in 2020.

PLA Tibet Military Command deployed helicopters, armored

vehicles, heavy artillery and anti-aircraft missiles across the

region: from Lhasa, capital of Tibet, with an elevation of 3,700

meters to border defense frontlines with elevations of more than

4,000 meters.

Heavier hostile weapons cannot reach the oxygen-depleted

border areas and if lighter they do not have enough firepower.

The Type 15 tank is the world's only modern lightweight tank in service, it is equipped with a 105-millimeter gun

and advanced sensors that can "devastate enemy light armored vehicles in regions not suitable for heavy main

battle tank deployment." The six-wheeled 155-millimeter vehicle-mounted howitzer is of a high caliber, reacts fast

and can be easily deployed.

21. China: China to establish brain science-related undergraduate majors

China is to offer brain science-related undergraduate majors for the first

time. Zhejiang University aims to provide two undergraduate programs

neurobiology and neuropsychology in its recently established School of

Brain Science and Brain Medicine, filling the gap in neuroscience

education for undergraduate students.

China faces a huge talent gap in brain science. Statistics show that the

country needs at least 100,000 psychiatrists, and the cultivation of

highly-qualified brain medicine talents is crucial for China's

development. Zhejiang University has launched a plan to integrate

research in brain science and artificial intelligence (AI) in 2018. The

School of Brain Science and Brain Medicine will also offer AI-related

courses for undergraduate students majoring in neurobiology and neuropsychology.

22. China: Major technological breakthroughs in 2020

China plans to launch a series of major projects related to space and the sea in 2020. It will launch the Chang'e-5

probe in 2020 to bring moon samples back to Earth and

launch the Mars probe for the first time, aiming to

complete orbiting, landing and roving in one mission.

Meanwhile, the Long March-5B will make its debut this

year to launch a space station module.

Chinese manned deep-sea research submersibles, Jiaolong

and Qianlong, will be upgraded to better serve scientific

deep-sea expeditions. At the same time, a new type of

10,000-meter-level manned deep-sea research submersible

will be employed to contribute to deep-sea exploration.

Over 50 scientific and technological infrastructure items

have either been approved, are under construction or been

put into operation in China, which will greatly support innovative research into basic science and engineering

science. By the end of 2019, China had built 126,000 5G base stations and 5G had been put into commercial use in

52 cities. Experts predicted that China will operate over 400,000 base stations and build a 5G network covering all

its prefecture-level cities by the end of 2020.

For consumers, 5G mobile phones priced at about 1,000 yuan will be rolled out this year, down from the first batch

launched in 2019, sold for over 10,000 yuan or several thousand, as insiders predicted. In addition, it is believed

that 5G will further integrate with AI, cloud computing, and big data and facilitate the Internet of Things. By 2020,

intelligent connected vehicles equipped with self-driving technology will be applied in certain scenarios along with

cross-industry cooperation.

23. China's sci-tech hub Zhongguancun records 13.8-pct revenue increase

Beijing's Zhongguancun, known as China's "Silicon Valley," recorded a remarkable yearly increase of 13.8 percent

in its revenue in the first 11 months of 2019. According to the latest data

released by the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Statistics, revenue from the

science park's high-tech enterprises above a designated size exceeded

5.43 trillion yuan (around 779 billion U.S. dollars) in the January-

November period.

Statistics indicate that the electronics and information field maintained

rapid growth, with a year-on-year increase of 18 percent. During the

period, the park's total research expenditure was 216.2 billion yuan, an

increase of 16.1 percent over the same period last year. Zhongguancun,

established in 1988 and located in northwestern Beijing with clusters of

universities and research institutes, was the first national high-tech

industrial development zone.

24. China: Homegrown 3D-printed tantalum implant sees clinical trials

China has performed clinical trials on its homegrown 3D-printed porous tantalum implants, taking a leading

position globally in this technology. The research project into customized 3D-printed porous tantalum implants

began in 2016. The research team, led by the First Hospital Affiliated to Army Medical University (AMU),

completed the world's first knee-revision surgery using a customized 3D-printed porous tantalum implant in 2017

and has so far conducted 27 clinical trials on tantalum implants.

The incidence of osteoarthritis among Chinese is about 2.2 to 3.5 percent, and the rate has increased to 27 percent

and 62 percent among people aged 40-49 and 50-59, respectively, according to Yang Liu, head of the department

of joint surgery at the First Hospital Affiliated to AMU. Customized 3D-printed implants can fill and reconstruct

bone defects, better helping patients to recover and reducing side effects.

Tantalum is generally recognized as the most biocompatible material with hard tissues by the medical world. With

a highly porous structure, mechanical properties similar to human bones, and excellent antimicrobial

characteristics, tantalum is more suitable than other metals for implanting in the human body. However, the

exceedingly high melting point of tantalum -- 2,996 C -- has always been a big impediment in employing the metal

in 3D printing.

The Chinese research team has solved a number of hard technical problems and developed technologies with fully

independent intellectual property rights, including personalized porous tantalum implant designing, tantalum

powder manufacturing as well as equipment and techniques for the 3D printing of tantalum.

After an accurate three-dimensional CT scan of the patient provides data on normal bone and bone defects, it takes

only 72 hours to design a porous tantalum implant and 3D print the customized implant using a 3D reconstruction

system. "It ensures that the patient can get prompt treatment and the personalized implant can perfectly match the

defect site," said Wu Xianzhe, head of a Chongqing institute participating in the project.

25. China: Grid live working robots in service in north China

Grid live working robots have been put into service in north China's Tianjin Municipality, replacing humans in the

dangerous work on high-voltage power lines. Zhang

Liming, head of emergency repair team of Tianjin

Binhai Power Supply Company of the State Grid,

presided over the development of the robots.

He said the robots can carry out "minimally invasive

surgery" on the grid to effectively solve the problems

that are difficult and dangerous in manual repairs. The

robots have been put into service in 10 power supply

units of Tianjin Electric Power of the State Grid on a

pilot basis.

Zhang said the robots have the abilities of visual

recognition, motion control and electromagnetic

interference, which give them the functions of accurate positioning, independent path planning in line with

technical standards.

The State Grid Corporation has signed an agreement with the Tianjin municipal government in the construction of

an industrialization base for the research, development, production, sales and maintenance services of grid live

working robots. Liu Zhaoling, said that the robot industrialization base will further develop the robots' functions to

promote the integration of the Internet of Things technology and the robot technology in the service of the power

grid maintenance.

26. China: Lenovo launches world's first 5G PC at CES

China's tech giant Lenovo has launched the world's first 5G

personal computer (PC) at the ongoing 2020 Consumer

Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, for the first time

bringing 5G connectivity to a premium computing experience

beyond smartphone technology.

The new PC, named "Yoga 5G," is an ultra-portable 2-in-1

laptop and the first-ever PC powered by the Qualcomm

Snapdragon 8cx 5G Compute Platform, according to Lenovo. It

delivers high-speed 5G network connectivity, which is up to 10

times faster than 4G, through a 5G service provider when on the

move and reliable WiFi access at home.

The Yoga 5G will be available in spring this year, according to

Lenovo. "We considered 'always online' as an important factor

while we were developing the first 5G PC, which is a basic

requirement for future smart PCs," Lenovo Chairman and CEO

Yang Yuanqing said.

27. China: Ministry warns 15 apps of store removal over violations

A total of 15 apps were warned by the Ministry of Industry and

Information Technology (MIIT) on for infringing on users' rights and

not yet amending their mistakes. Apps including Luckin Coffee, Lagou,

Yidian Zixun and Tianya Forum were notified via the MIIT's WeChat

public account, and represented the second batch of its kind.

According to the notification, the apps have problems such as collecting

personal information without permission, excessively asking for users'

permission for offering personal information, banning use if a user did

not give permission for collecting personal information, and obstructing

logoffs.

The MIIT will move to punishment procedures if the mistakes are not

corrected by Jan 17. The MIIT said in the notification that it had

removed from app stores three apps -- Renren Video, Chunyu

pedometer and Wesing -- which had not corrected violations by Jan 3,

the deadline for the first batch. The first batch contained 41 apps

including QQ, Sina Sports and Xiaomi Finance, which were required to

correct their mistakes before Dec 31.

Taiwan

28. Taiwan makes headway on establishing National Human Rights Commission

Taiwan’s National Human Rights Commission will be established

in the shortest possible time as part of efforts to continue bringing

local laws and practices more in line with global standards, the

Control Yuan said Jan. 8. A task force is undertaking all requisite

NHRC preparatory work. This measure reflects the government’s

two-decade commitment to satisfying the Paris Principles adopted

in December 1993 by the U.N. General Assembly, the CY added.

According to the CY, the move follows promulgation earlier the

same day by the Presidential Office of the Organic Law of the

Control Yuan National Human Rights Commission and

amendments to the Organic Law of the Control Yuan and Organic

Act of the Control Yuan Committees. The three bills passed the final reading at the Legislature Dec. 10, 2019, on

International Human Rights Day.

Oversight of the NHRC will fall to the president of the Control Yuan and nine other members of the investigatory

body. Its organizational brief includes reviewing complaints of abuses and discrimination, as well as drafting and

proposing the National Human Rights Report and advising government agencies on related policymaking.

All preliminary work is to be completed before commencement of the new term for CY members Aug. 1, the

Control Yuan said, adding that this deadline ensures full satisfaction of public expectations in regards to one of the

most important issues in society.

29. Taiwan researchers develop ECG-enabled smart watch

A Taiwanese research team has developed a wearable device that can be used to check heart function through an

electrocardiogram (ECG) test and determine whether wearers have an irregular heartbeat and could be at risk of a

stroke. The smart watch was designed by a research team of the College of Health Sciences and Technology under

National Central University in Taoyuan City under an "AI-realized fenceless hospital" program.

With real-time analysis provided by an AI-based cloud ECG reading system, the device can determine whether the

user is developing atrial fibrillation (also called AFib or AF) or an irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia) that can lead to

blood clots, stroke, heart failure and other related complications, Lin said. He added that data collected by the

smart watch, which detects AF with 97 percent accuracy, can be used to monitor chronic diseases or identify high-

risk patients.

Since June 2018 Lin Chen's research team has worked with the health authorities of Taipei and Taoyuan municipal

governments and the Hsinchu branch of Cathay General Hospital to undertake AF screening through ECG tests

conducted using the smart watch, according to National Central University.

Last May the screening was expanded to communities in Hsinchu City, Tainan and Pingtung County with local

health departments' assistance, the research team said, noting that as a result of the mass screening, it has so far

acquired ECG data on more than 10,000 patients. Collectively, the ECG tests of patients indicate that about 15

percent have arrhythmia with 2 percent of those aged over 65 developing AF, the research team said.

Mongolia:

30. Parliament approves one-time forgiveness of pension-secured loan debts

Parliament backed a bill on one-time cancellation of pension-backed loan debts, which President Kh.Battulga

announced in his New Year’s Eve broadcast. Upon the recommendation issued by the National Security Council of

Mongolia, the Government of Mongolia wrote a bill on the one-time forgiveness of pension debts.

The law states that, to fund the approved repayment of pension loan debts, government securities will be issued by

putting up the future benefits from the Salkhit silver and gold mine revenues as collateral. The approved one-time

cancellation of pension-secured loan debts is subject to outstanding pension loan balance of up to MNT 6 million

and pensioners who hold debts more than MNT 6 million will pay off the remaining amount themselves.

There are reportedly around 194 thousand pensioners, who did not borrow money out of their state retirement fund

savings and the government will distribute vouchers for the government bonds worth MNT 1 million to them.

Bond vouchers will be issued starting May 1, 2021. Pensioners who took out pension loans less than MNT 1

million are entitled to receive bond vouchers equal to the amount they have in their loan balance.

In the event of the death of the bond voucher recipients, their bond vouchers will be granted to their children. In

case of death of pensioners, who took pension loan before December 31, 2019, their loan debts will be forgiven.

All senior citizens are entitled to pension-backed loan with 6-month term once a year, according to the law. The

bill was backed by 79.5 percent of 44 parliament members present, with 9 opposed votes.

II. India News:

31. True North invests over Rs 500crore in Biocon Biologics

Private equity firm True North has invested about $74 million (Rs

536 crore) in Biocon Biologics, the biosimilar arm of Biocon, for a

2.5% stake. The deal values the unit at about $3 billion on a pre-

money equity basis.

Biocon Biologics has recorded rapid growth over the last few years

as many of the drugs received commercial approval in the mature markets of US and Europe. Biocon believes the

segment will help it cross $1 billion in revenue this fiscal. It has a product pipeline of 28 molecules, including 11

with Mylan, several with Sandoz, and is developing many independently. This is True North’s, formerly known as

India Value Fund Advisors (IVFA), third investment into Biocon. It had picked up about 10% in the contract

research arm Syngene before the company went public in 2015 and also in Biocon in 2003 in a pre-IPO round.

Biosimilars or biologics are drugs made from complex molecules manufactured using living microorganisms,

plants, or animal cells. Though there are no differences in terms of safety and effectiveness from the main product,

they are not considered duplicates, like generics, as it is impossible to manufacture exact copies of biotech drugs.

32. Paytm to levy fees if users load over Rs 10k via credit card

Consumers will have to pay a 2% fee if they load more than Rs 10,000 in their Paytm wallets via credit card in one

month, as per the company’s new policy effective in the new year. Wallet top-up via debit cards and Unified

Payments Interface (UPI) would continue to remain free. This is being seen

as a move to save costs on such transactions, people aware of the matter

said.

“In case the total add money added by credit card including current

transaction exceeds Rs 10,000, the entire transaction amount will be

charged as 1.75% + GST,” Paytm said in a post as well as to a consumer

query on Twitter.

This is not the first time Paytm has considered this move. Over a year ago, it considered bringing these charges on

credit cards but eventually did not implement it. It would be crucial to see how consumers react to this change as

many use credit cards to load money in their Paytm wallets for frequent use-case like paying taxi fare etc. As of

now, other wallets like PhonePe or Mobikwik do not levy any such charge on loading money via credit cards.

33. PE major Everstone invests $50m in Slayback Pharma

Private equity major Everstone Capital is investing up to $50 million in Slayback Pharma, which has a portfolio of

complex generics and specialty pharmaceutical products. The company started by former Dr Reddy Laboratories

exec Ajay Singh had earlier raised $60 million in funding from KKR in 2016.

Everstone is expected to invest the amount in multiple tranches as a part

of the series-B round. Based in New Jersey, Slayback has 85 employees

and operations in the US, India and Europe. Last year Slayback’s

ANDA for Hydroxyprogesterone 5 ml vial, used to reduce the risk of

preterm birth in women, was approved and launched in the United

States.

“Slayback’s expertise in complex generics fits well with our healthcare

investment strategy… we are optimistic about the commercial potential

of Slayback’s highly differentiated pipeline of complex generics developed by its strong R&D team in India,” said

Everstone co-founder Sameer Sain. Everstone exited contract research and manufacturing services (CRAMS)

company Rubicon at a valuation of $220 million last year by selling it to General Atlantic, making over 4 times

returns.

34. Seafood industry seeks govt intervention to lift US ban on sea-caught shrimps

The seafood industry has sought the intervention of the Commerce

Ministry for an early lifting of the US ban on sea-caught shrimps

from India which has been imposed for not complying with the

fishing practice to protect sea turtles.

Highlighting the industry view before the visiting Parliamentary

Standing Committee on Commerce, the Seafood Exporters

Association of India pointed out that majority of the exporters

from the region has been affected by the ban as it provided a good

income not only to the industry but thousands of fishermen in the

region. Wild shrimps account for almost Rs 2,800 crore share in

the India’s seafood export basket, which was mainly caught from

Kerala, Karnataka, Goa and Tamil Nadu.

There was a dip in exports and the industry is batting for value addition and the creation of a reprocessing hub in

India as was done by countries such as Thailand, Vietnam, China and Indonesia to cater to the global markets.

Such a move, he said would enable India to carry out direct seafood shipments to supermarkets and retailers that

would help fetch higher prices for the produce and thereby benefiting farmers and fishermen.

The other issues highlighted by the industry include promotion of aquaculture in all maritime states, uplifting of

fishing harbours across the country, promotion of value added exports, re-listing of seafood export processing units

that were de-listed by European Union, ease of doing business from unnecessary controls from different agencies

for duplicate monitoring work etc.

35. GMR-ESR JV to set up logistics park at Hyderabad

GMR Infrastructure Ltd informed the bourses that its step-down subsidiary, GMR Hyderabad

Aerotropolis Limited (GHAL), has entered into a joint venture with ESR Hyderabad 1 Pte Limited (ESR), a

subsidiary of Hong Kong-headquartered ESR Cayman Limited, to develop a logistics and industrial park at the

Hyderabad airport city.

The park, which is proposed to be developed over 66

acres at a project outlay of Rs 550 crore, will be

developed by a special purpose vehicle, GMR

Logistics Park Private Limited, in which ESR and

GHAL will hold 70% and 30% stake, respectively.

GHAL is a subsidiary of GHIAL, which operates the

Rajiv Gandhi International Airport at Shamshabad,

Hyderabad. GMR group said in a regulatory filing

that the JV will develop a flagship airport centric

logistics and industrial park with state-ofthe-art

facilities for warehousing, distribution centers and

non-polluting industrial units such as light assembly facilities.

ESR India country heads Abhijit Malkani and Jai Mirpuri said the collaboration reiterates ESR’s strategic mission

to strengthen its facilities and key positions across the country. Being strategically located, this facility, showcasing

smart, sustainable and human-centric design, will pave way for Indian and global companies to capitalize on the

immense growth opportunities available in the Indian market,” Malkani said.

Aman Kapoor, CEO-Airport Land Development, GMR Group, said “This collaboration will set new standards for

the warehousing and industrial real estate sector and will also benefit the burgeoning cargo industry in the region.”

III. Global News

36. Bosch unveils smart virtual sun visor for cars at tech show

Bosch has unveiled a virtual visor inspired by LCD televisions which uses AI to block the glare of the sun from a

driver's eyes, a major cause of road accidents. The Virtual Visor uses algorithms and a camera to analyze what the

driver is seeing through its liquid crystal display and

darkens the section through which the sunlight is hitting

their eyes, the German engineering giant said at the

Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

The rest of the display remains transparent, blocking the

sun without obscuring a large section of the driver's field

of vision. Bosch cited studies including one from the U.S.

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

indicating sun glare is responsible for thousands of

accidents each year.

Another study indicated the risk of a car crash is 16

percent higher when the sun is shining brightly. Bosch said traditional sun visors were inadequate because they

blocked a large area from the field of vision to remove glare. A Bosch spokesman said the company was in "active

discussions" on commercializing the new visor but offered no details.

37. Scientists may have cracked a cellular secret to living a longer life

The scientists involved in the study worked with a species of nematode worm known as C. elegans., mining its

cells in search of the keys to a long life. After performing a couple of

special tweaks to the cellular pathways of the worms, the researchers

were able to boost their lifespan by around 500%.

Toying with the cellular pathways of organisms has shown promise for

extending lifespan, but the results of this research are still surprising.

You see, the researchers actually combined two separate mutations that

have been shown to elongate life. One of the modified pathways was

expected to double the lifespan of the worm, while the other was

expected to extend its life by around 30%.

An increase in lifespan of 130% is nothing to sneeze at, of course, but the results were even better than the

scientists could have hoped. The two mutations seemed to combine, with a synergistic effect that resulted in an

increase in lifespan of around 500%. This is some seriously incredible news, but unfortunately, it’s still unclear

exactly why these two cellular tweaks combined to have such a shocking effect.

“The synergistic extension is really wild,” Jarod A Rollins, co-lead author, said in a statement. “The effect isn’t one

plus one equals two, it’s one plus one equals five. Our findings demonstrate that nothing in nature exists in a

vacuum; in order to develop the most effective anti-aging treatments we have to look at longevity networks rather

than individual pathways.” Now, before you go dreaming of a pill that could make you live five times longer, you

should know that we’re far from even considering the possibility of experimenting with such things in humans.

Sometimes it pays to be a worm.

38. America: FDA-approved stomach cancer drug sends Blueprint Medicines’ stock up before resettling

Blueprint Medicines Corporation, a precision therapy company focused on genomically defined cancers, rare

diseases and cancer immunotherapy, announced that the U.S.

Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved

AYVAKIT™ (avapritinib) for the treatment of adults with

unresectable or metastatic gastrointestinal stromal tumor

(GIST) harboring a platelet-derived growth factor receptor

alpha (PDGFRA) exon 18 mutation, including PDGFRA

D842V mutations. AYVAKIT is the first precision therapy

approved to treat a genomically defined population of

patients with GIST.

Blueprint Medicines’ stock surged briefly before settling back down by the market's close. The drugmaker opened

at $82.93 a share, hit $87 midday and closed out at $82.10. The treatment, Ayvakit, shrank tumors in 84 percent of

all 43 patients in a phase 1 trial, with 7 percent of patients showing no signs of cancer following treatment.

Blueprint Medicines the FDA milestone starts a new era of precision medicine. Ayvakit will launch within a week.

It will taut a wholesale acquisition cost of $32,000 for a 30-day supply, regardless of the dose strength.

39. Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen reelected as voters back tough China stance

Taiwan's independence-leaning President Tsai Ing-wen won a second term in a landslide election victory signaling

strong support for her tough stance against China. Tsai soundly

defeated Nationalist Party candidate Han Kuo-yu with 57.2% of

the vote to Han's 38.6%, with 99.75% of precincts' votes counted.

“Today I want to once again remind the Beijing authorities that

peace, parity, democracy and dialogue are the keys to stability,"

Tsai said. “I want the Beijing authorities to know that democratic

Taiwan and our democratically elected government will never

concede to threats." "I hope that Beijing will show its goodwill,"

she said.

Taiwan has developed its own identity since separating from China

during civil war in 1949 but has never declared formal independence. Beijing still claims sovereignty over the

island of 23 million people and threatens to use force to seize control if necessary.

Han, 62, told disappointed supporters in the southern port city of Kaohsiung that he had called to congratulate Tsai

on her victory. He vowed to return to his job as mayor with renewed vigor.

Chinese President Xi Jinping has sought to compel Tsai's government to endorse Beijing's insistence that Taiwan is

a part of China. Tsai has refused to do so, maintaining that Beijing has no claim over Taiwan while calling for a

reopening talks between the sides without preconditions.

Since its transition to full democracy beginning in the 1980s, Taiwan has increasingly asserted its independent

identity from China even though it is not recognized by the United Nations or any major nation.

40. China's foreign minister heads to Zimbabwe on Africa tour

China’s foreign minister is to arrive in Zimbabwe as part of a five-nation tour. Zimbabwe’s foreign minister

Sibusiso Moyo described the visit by Wang Yi, “strategic

comprehensive partnership.” Zimbabwe's longstanding ties with

China increased in 2003 when it adopted a ‘Look East’ policy

after western countries imposed sanctions.

Since then, China has become Zimbabwe’s biggest source of

foreign direct investment and has ties to the Zimbabwe military,

including the construction of a military university on the

outskirts of the capital, Harare.

China has also increasingly broadened its ties to include the construction of a new parliament building estimated to

cost more than $100 million. It also provides humanitarian assistance such as donations of rice and other food

items as well as technical assistance during natural disasters. China's growing involvement has been criticized by

Zimbabwe's opposition and others for allegedly exploiting local workers and the country's natural resources.

China has invested billions of dollars in major construction projects in Africa such as roads, railways and stadiums,

for which many countries have accumulated large debts. In return, some African countries have given China access

to natural resources, such as minerals.

China has also protected some of Africa's repressive rulers from international sanctions at the United Nations.

China’s investments often come without demands for safeguards against corruption, waste and environmental

damage which has made them attractive to African leaders.

China’s outreach to Africa aims to build trade, investment and political ties with a continent often seen as

overlooked by the U.S. and other Western nations. It has included many African countries in its so-called Belt and

Road Initiative that aims to invest in infrastructure projects to boost trade.

On his current tour through Africa, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang has already visited Egypt, Djibouti in the

troublesome Horn of Africa. Djibouti is the site of China’s first overseas military base and home to the United

States’ only permanent military base in Africa. In Eritrea he is pledging support for a project to build roads in the

country that is largely isolated from the rest of the world.

Wang is also scheduled to visit Burundi where President Pierre Nkurunziza, under pressure for alleged human

rights abuses, has previously described China as “a best friend.” Burundi is the beneficiary of Chinese assistance in

areas such as education and construction of a state house. China is involved in the country's energy and agriculture.

41. America: US bans charter flights to Cuban cities besides Havana

The Trump administration is banning charter flights to Cuban cities besides Havana in a new tightening of U.S.

restrictions on the island. In October, the administration banned commercial flights to cities outside the capital.

The State Department said in a press release Friday that

charter operators would have 60 days to wind down their

flights to Santiago, Holguin and seven other cities across

the island, and put a new restriction on the number of

charter flights to Havana's Jose Martí International

Airport.

"'Today’s action will further restrict the Cuban regime’s

ability to obtain revenue, which it uses to finance its

ongoing repression of the Cuban people and its

unconscionable support for dictator Nicolás Maduro in

Venezuela,'' Secretary of State Michael Pompeo said in

the statement.

The new restriction leaves both leisure travelers and Cuban-Americans without an easy way to travel to

destinations outside the Cuban capital. Driving from Havana to eastern Cuba can take more than 12 hours on

poorly maintained and often dangerous roads.

42. China reports 1st death from new type of coronavirus

Health authorities in a central Chinese city reported the country's first death from a new type of coronavirus, as the

government braced for the Lunar New Year travel boom amid concerns over a possible outbreak similar to that of

the SARS virus in the early 2000s.

The Wuhan Municipal Health Commission said seven other

people were in critical condition among a total of 41 who

were suffering from pneumonia caused by a "preliminarily

determined new type of coronavirus” as of Friday. That was

down from the earlier figure of 59. The others were in stable

condition and at least two had been released from a hospital.

China says the cause of the Wuhan outbreak remains

unknown, but has sought to quash speculation that it could be

a reappearance of the SARS epidemic, which killed hundreds in 2002 and 2003. Coronaviruses are a large family

of viruses, some of which cause the common cold. Others found in bats, camels and other animals have evolved

into more severe illnesses.

Common symptoms include a runny nose, headache, cough and fever. Shortness of breath, chills and body aches

are associated with more dangerous kinds of coronaviruses, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and

Prevention.

43. Iran: Russian Missile System Suspected of Bringing Down Ukraine

It is designed to be mobile and lethal against targets at altitudes up to 6,000 meters (20,000 feet) and at ranges of

12 kilometers (7.5 miles), according to the Federation of American Scientists, which researches and analyzes

"catastrophic threats to national and

international security."

Military aircraft and cruise missiles

which the Tor system is designed to

destroy — typically plot their courses

to avoid being spotted on radar. They

are equipped with systems such as

chaff, which confuses radar, and flares,

which act as decoys for heat-seeking

missiles.

The jet that crashed Wednesday,

Ukraine International Airlines Flight

752, a Boeing 737-800, would have

filed a flight plan and had no defensive

features. It was unlikely the flight crew

had time to react to any missile. To

attack a target, the Tor operator must

identify it on the radar screen and

direct the missile to launch.

Commercial air flights have

transponders radio transmitters that

broadcast their identity, speed and altitude at an internationally agreed frequency. There were several other civilian

aircraft nearby when Flight 752 crashed just a few kilometres from the airport. All of those aircraft would have

been visible on the radar screen of the Tor battery as well as civilian radar at the airport.

Tor missiles are guided by radar and fly at almost three times the speed of sound. That means that if launched at a

target 5 km (3 miles) away, they will arrive within about five seconds. They have a small warhead about 15

kilograms (33 lb) of high explosive but are designed to spray fragments of shredded metal, like bullets, into a target

upon detonation. The Tor is among the most modern air defense systems Iran has and can attack two targets at

once with up to two missiles each. When Iran purchased them from Russia in the mid-2000s.

44. NATO missile defense system in Romania monitored Iran’s strikes, says secretary general

NATO missile defense system in Romania provided the alliance with valuable information regarding Iran’s missile

strike on US bases in Iraq, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said during a joint press conference with

Romanian Prime Minister Ludovic Orban.

"When it comes to ballistic missile defense in

Romania, in Devesulu, we are, of course, vigilant. We

are following the situation very closely," Stoltenberg

said. "The missile defense sites and the radars are, of

course, providing us with valuable information, and we

continue to follow the situation very closely."

Tensions in the Middle East escalated following a US

drone strike near Baghdad's airport on January 3,

which killed General Qasem Soleimani, the head of

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' Quds Force.

In the early hours of January 8, Iran carried out missile

strikes on Iraq’s Ain Al-Asad air base and a facility in

Erbil, which house US troops, in retaliation for the attack.

Following Iran’s strikes, US President Donald Trump said in an address to the nation that "the United States will

immediately impose additional punishing economic sanctions on the Iranian regime." "These powerful sanctions

will remain until Iran changes its behavior," Trump pointed out, adding, however, that "the United States is ready

to embrace peace with all who seek it." Iran’s Ambassador to the United Nations Majid Takht-Ravanchi, in turn,

told that Tehran believed its response was enough in terms of retaliation, and did not plan to take further military

action.

45. Jane’s: Global defense spending exceeds $1.8 trillion in 2019

Global defense spending surpasses $1.8 trillion in 2019 supported by robust growth in European markets the

publishing company says. According to the annual report on

changes in defense spending in 2019 released by Jane’s, the

increase in world’s defense expenses slowed to 1% from 6% in

2018.

Although growth slowed in most regions, "Europe experienced

exceptional growth of 5.2%, outperforming most emerging

markets. Six of the ten fastest growing defense budgets in the

world in 2019 were situated in Europe - including Bulgaria,

which reported the fastest growth globally, with defense

spending growing by 125% as the country made payment for

eight F-16 Block-70 fighter jets in August," Jane’s reports.

According to the publication, Russia’s defense budget totaled $48 bln at the dollar exchange rate in 2019 last year,

up $1 bln in annual terms. Russia ranked eighth among the top ten countries in terms of defense spending in 2018

and 2019.

The United States leads the list of the top ten countries with the largest defense budgets ($726 bln), followed by

China ($217 bln), Saudi Arabia ($57 bln), India ($57 bln), the United Kingdom ($56 bln), France ($53 bln),

Germany ($48 bln), Russia ($48 bln), Japan ($45 bln), and South Korea ($41 bln).

IV. India Policy News

46. RBI amends KYC norms, allows banks to use V-CIP

The RBI has amended the KYC norms allowing banks and other lending

institutions regulated by it to use Video based Customer Identification Process (V-

CIP), a move which will help them onboard customers remotely. The V-CIP, which

will be consent-based, will make it easier for banks and other regulated entities to

adhere to the RBI's Know Your Customer (KYC) norms by leveraging the digital

technology.

The RBI further said that the regulated entities will have to ensure that the video

recording is stored in a safe and secure manner and bears the date and time stamp.

Last year, the government had notified amendment to the Prevention of Money-

laundering (Maintenance of Records) Rules, 2005. As per the circular, the reporting entity should capture a clear

image of PAN card to be displayed by the customer during the process.

It further said that the official of the reporting entity should ensure that the photograph and the identification details

in Aadhaar/PAN should match with the details provided by the customer. It also said that Live location of the

customer (Geotagging) shall be captured to ensure that customer is physically present in India.

47. Four Indian astronauts selected for training in Russia

India has selected four astronauts to undergo training in Russia for the Gaganyaan mission. They will start training

from the third week of January, Kailasavadivoo Sivan, chairman of the Indian Space Research Organization

(ISRO) told.

"We had good progress on Gaganyaan in 2019, many of the designs were

completed. Four astronauts have been identified for the training purpose.

The training for the astronauts who are from the Indian Air Force will be

planned in the third week of January which will take place in Russia."

He gave no further details about the astronauts, neither did he say whether

the team included a woman. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said back in 2018 that the crew of India’s first

national spaceship could include a "daughter of India." India’s Minister of State Jitendra Singh, who is in charge of

the nuclear and space sectors, said on December 31, 2018 that training of an Indian crew in Russia may take from

18 to 24 months depending on individual qualities.

Roscosmos said on July 1, 2019 that Glavcosmos and ISRO had signed a contract for consultancy support to the

selections, medical examination and training of Indian astronauts. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in

August 2018 that his country planned to send the first national crew by 2022 when the country would mark the

75th anniversary of independence. As of now, the flight is planned for 2021. It will be preceded by two unmanned

launches.

48. Russian foreign minister to visit India on January 15: PM Modi & President Putin may have 5 Meetings

in 2020

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will visit India on January 15. On January 15, Russian Foreign Minister

Sergey Lavrov will come to India on a working visit. On January 15, Lavrov would hold talks with his Indian

colleague Subrahmanyam Jaishankar in New Delhi.

"The foreign ministers will consider the current state and prospects of development

of bilateral relations in light of the goals outlined on the outcomes of the XX

Russian-Indian Summit that took place on September 4-5 in Vladivostok. They will

also discuss the 2020 schedule of upcoming top-level political contacts.

They plan to have a comprehensive exchange of opinions on regional and

international issues. Russian top diplomat also plans to take part in the Raisina

Dialogue conference set to take place in the Indian capital. Also At least five

meetings between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Indian Prime Minister

Narendra Modi will be organized in 2020, Russian Ambassador to India Nikolai

Kudashev said.

49. Russian Railways mulls using Kerch Strait port of Taman for deliveries to India

Russian Railways is studying the possibility of using the port of Taman in the Kerch Strait, connecting the Black

and Azov seas, for cargo deliveries to India, the company’s Director General Oleg Belozerov said.

"We have been ‘unblocking’ the port of Taman (by expanding rail

infrastructure in this direction)," Belozerov told Russian President

Vladimir Putin, who was surveying a company’s display devoted to the

development of south-bound rail infrastructure. "You have set the task for

us, and, consequently, we are preparing to carry out huge cargo shipments

in that direction, amounting to about 70 million [tonnes]."

"We are looking into different options for exporting numerous types of

cargo, for example coal, to India via the Suez Canal. We are working with owners," he said. According to

Belozerov, 12 million out of the 70 million tonnes of cargo, which are planned to be delivered by rail toward the

Taman Peninsula, will be bound to Crimea.

50. Israel: Water-from-air startup awarded Smart Home Mark of Excellence at CES Las Vegas

Israeli startup Watergen, which has developed a technology to make water from air, has been named winner of the

Energy Efficiency Product of the Year in the 2020 Smart Home Mark of Excellence Awards at CES in Las Vegas

for its GENNY product.

Genny is a “water-from-air” system

for homes or offices. Use of the

system does away with the need for

bottled water, helping cut back on

plastic use, the firm said in a

statement announcing the win.

Because GENNY creates water from

air, which is an unending resource,

the liquid is always available on

demand, the company said. In

addition, the water produced by the

machine is of higher quality than that

which runs through the filtration

systems that are attached to municipal

water lines, and the product also

eliminates concerns of corroded water pipes that could lead to higher-than-normal levels of lead in drinking water,

the statement said.

Watergen’s GENNY also works as a home air purifier, circulating clean air back into the room as part of the water

generation process, the company said.

Founded in 2009 by Arye Kohavi, Watergen uses its patented GENius heat-exchange technology to create the

drinking water. After the air is sucked in and chilled to extract its humidity, the water that forms is treated and

transformed into clean drinking water. The technology uses a plastic heat exchanger rather than an aluminum one,

which helps reduce costs; it also includes proprietary software that operates the devices.

Congratulation for President Tsai Ing-wen who won

Taiwan President Election Second Time with Landslide

V. Others: Jobs

Tenders:

Announcements:

B2B Overseas Companies for Partnerships Special Introduction of Overseas Companies:

Sl

No

Company Name Product Contact Address

01 Sam Hae Commercial Co., Ltd.

Dried Laver and Seasoned Laver samhae.co.kr

02 Dongwon F&B Co., Ltd. seasoned laver www.dongwonfnb.com

02 Sun Safes Mfg. Co Safe

www.eaglesafes.com/en www.lucell.net

03

Booil Safes Co Ltd Fire Proof Safe www.booilsafe.com

04 Japan Nutrition Company Limited

https://www.jnc.co.jp/english/business/product_list/

https://www.jnc.co.jp/english/

05

Tensky International (Technology) Co., Ltd.

electronic products and precision ceramic products,

ceramic and fine porcelain, TSK adhere to build an international brand for the business goals and

ideals, and in 2009 put int

http://www.tensky.com.tw

06

Takuma

Products Guide Municipal solid waste treatment

plants Boiler plants

https://www.takuma.co.jp/english/contact.html

07 Coloradd Technology Marketing Company

http://www.rambo.tw/product.php

http://www.rambo.tw

08 Voltronic Power http://voltronicpower.com/

http://voltronicpower.com/en-US/Company/ContactUs

09 Henan Golden Egg animal husbandry

CO.,LTD

sales of livestock, aquaculture production and processing

machinery company.

https://www.frisvilla.nl/contact-us.html

sales@chinagoldenegg.com