Category: Flash News

On February 2nd, the third-generation semiconductor materials represented by silicon carbide (SiC) are the driving factors and important guarantees for the transformation and upgrading of China’s manufacturing industry. The reporter learned from the Institute of Microelectronics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences that China has successfully verified the first domestic silicon carbide (SiC) power device in space, and the third-generation semiconductor materials are expected to drive the upgrading of China’s aerospace power supply. According to Liu Xinyu, a researcher at the Institute of Microelectronics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, power devices are the core of power conversion and control, known as the “heart of power electronic systems”, and are one of the most basic and widely used devices. As the performance of silicon-based power devices approaches their limits, third-generation semiconductor materials represented by silicon carbide (SiC), with their unique advantages, can meet the high energy efficiency, miniaturization, and lightweight needs of space power systems, and have important strategic significance for the development of new generation aerospace technology. Industry experts believe that China’s successful verification of power devices made from third-generation semiconductor materials in space signifies that under the demand for space payloads measured in grams, silicon carbide (SiC) power devices are expected to drive the upgrade and replacement of space power systems, providing a new generation of power devices for China’s future lunar exploration projects, manned moon landing, deep space exploration, and other fields. Xinhua News Agency

On February 2nd, the National Development and Reform Commission recently released the National Natural Gas Operation Report for December 2024. In December 2024, the apparent consumption of natural gas in China was 37.84 billion cubic meters, a year-on-year increase of 0.5%. In 2024, the apparent consumption of natural gas in China reached 426.05 billion cubic meters, a year-on-year increase of 8%.

On February 2nd, the State Administration of Financial Supervision and Administration recently released data showing that in 2024, the total assets of banking and financial institutions were 436.4 trillion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 6.52%, and the total liabilities of banking and financial institutions were 400.22 trillion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 6.5%. Among them, the total assets of commercial banks amounted to 372.53 trillion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 7.2%, and the total liabilities of commercial banks amounted to 343.17 trillion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 7.22%.

On February 2nd, during the Spring Festival holiday, the two major international airports in Shanghai continued to experience a peak in inbound and outbound passenger flow. According to the Shanghai Border Inspection General Station, as of 5:00 pm on February 1st, the Shanghai border inspection authorities have inspected a total of 520000 inbound and outbound personnel at the ports of Pudong and Hongqiao International Airports. Among them, 293000 people left the country, 227000 people entered the country, and the total number of inbound and outbound personnel at Pudong Airport port reached 478000.

February 2, Qatar’s Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammed held talks with visiting Turkish Foreign Minister Ferdan in Doha, the capital, on February 2 local time. In addition to bilateral relations, the two sides focused on the situation in the Gaza Strip, Syria and other issues. At the joint press conference held after the talks, Mohammed and Fedan both said that Qatar and Türkiye opposed the idea of “clearing” the Gaza Strip proposed by President Trump of the United States, calling it inhuman. On January 25th, Trump proposed the idea of “emptying” the Gaza Strip, stating that he hoped Egypt and Jordan would accept and resettle Palestinians from the Gaza Strip, and that such resettlement could be temporary or long-term. Mohammed also stated at the press conference that relevant parties need to initiate the second phase of negotiations for the Gaza Strip ceasefire agreement as planned, ultimately achieving regional peace and stability. Mohammed said that Qatar is ready to initiate the second phase of negotiations. According to the agreement previously reached by the relevant parties, the second phase of negotiations will begin on the 16th day of the implementation of the first phase agreement, which is February 3rd. (CCTV News)

On February 2nd, it was learned from Guangzhi Travel, a subsidiary of Lingnan Group, that with the end of the holiday, the procurement prices of tourism resources have significantly fallen, and the prices of routes have generally decreased by 10% to 30% compared to the Spring Festival period. This is the time for cost-effective travel throughout the year; From the Spring Festival to April, the booking volume of outbound tourism products continued to rise. After the Spring Festival Golden Week, as the number of tourists decreases, major tourist destinations gradually enter the traditional off-season. Affected by changes in supply and demand, airline and ground service fees have been reduced, which has become the main reason for the decrease in outbound travel prices after the holiday. (Pengpai News)

On February 2nd, Eastern Time, the United States imposed a 10% tariff on Chinese products imported to the United States, citing issues such as fentanyl. The Chinese business community deeply regrets and firmly opposes this. The unilateral imposition of tariffs by the United States seriously violates the rules of the World Trade Organization, which will result in a large number of American companies and consumers paying for it, disrupt normal economic and trade cooperation between China and the United States, and impact the stability of the global industrial and supply chains. There are no winners in trade wars or tariff wars. The wrong approach of the United States is not conducive to solving its own problems, not conducive to bilateral relations between China and the United States, and not conducive to the development of the world economy. We strongly call on the United States to immediately correct its erroneous practices, move towards the same direction as China, strengthen cooperation with other countries, create a favorable international environment for mutual benefit and win-win cooperation between the two countries and even the global business community, and inject more stability and positive energy into the development of the world economy.

On February 2nd, according to a research report by CITIC Securities, carbon nanotubes are a key conductive material for improving lithium-ion charge and discharge performance and cycle life. Benefiting from the increasing penetration rate of new technologies such as fast charging, solid-state batteries, and silicon anodes, carbon nanotubes are expected to see an increase in usage and product upgrades. At the same time, new products with better performance, single-walled carbon nanotubes, are expected to be released in large quantities, opening a new growth cycle for the industry. We estimate that the carbon nanotube industry will have a space of 41.9 billion yuan by 2030, of which single-walled carbon nanotubes contribute 41% and are the main driving force for industry growth. Based on industry demand and the production capacity of Russian single-walled pipe manufacturer OCSiAl, CITIC Securities estimates that the industry will experience a significant supply gap in the next two years, and new domestic production capacity urgently needs to be released. The industry is approaching a turning point. We believe that domestic manufacturers of single-walled carbon nanotubes will fully benefit from their layout.

On February 2nd, Qatar’s Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammed held talks with Jibril Rajoub, Secretary General of the Central Committee of the Palestinian National Liberation Movement (Fatah), in the capital city of Doha. The two sides focused on discussing the situation in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. Mohammed reiterated Qatar’s permanent support for the Palestinian people and emphasized the importance of ending internal divisions in Palestine and strengthening the Palestinian National Authority. Mohammed urged the Palestinian people to unite, realize their legitimate national rights, and establish an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital.

February 2, the Ministry of Defence of Türkiye issued a statement on February 2 local time, saying that the Turkish security forces killed 23 members of the Kurdish Workers’ Party and the Syrian Kurdish armed “People’s Protection Force” in northern Syria. The PKK, founded in 1979, has been seeking to establish an independent state by force in the Kurdish populated areas on the border between Türkiye and Iraq, Iran and Syria. Türkiye lists the organization as a terrorist organization and believes that the Syrian Kurdish armed “People’s Protection Force” is a branch of the Kurdish Workers’ Party in Syria.