CHINA
Chinese E-Commerce Giant JD.com Launches Enterprise-Level Blockchain-Based Smart Contracts
Chinese e-commerce giant JD.com, also known as Jingdong, has successfully launched two enterprise-level applications, including blockchain-based smart contracts, and the protection of commercially confidential information. These two applications were launched on JD’s independently-developed proprietary blockchain, JD Chain. The JD Chain blockchain framework was made open sourced around a year ago, five months after the company launched the JD Blockchain Open Platform enabling companies to use JD’s platform using pre-built APIs. The blockchain protocol has been opened up to allow enterprises to built custom solutions.
Chinese Government to Consider Cross-Border East-Asian Stablecoin for Hong Kong Amid Implementing Controversial National Security Law
Chinese officials to consider a cross-border stablecoin in Hong Kong, to facilitate a cross-border payment network between three Asian countries, and four currencies China, Japan, and South Korea. The world’s second-largest economy is aiming to build Hong Kong into an international financial center in the digital economy era. At China’s annual “Two Sessions,” also known as the National People’s Congress, China’s most important annual political event in Beijing, officials set the decision to impose new national security legislation on Hong Kong.
“We Can’t Let China Beat Us,” Document shows US Regulators Want to Pass a National Blockchain Bill
Lawmakers in the US are coaxing the federal government to consider a national blockchain strategy for regulation and growth, citing China’s Blockchain Service Network as an example.
Crypto Powerhouse Binance Returns to China with an "Education-First" Blockchain Approach
Cryptocurrency exchange Binance, famously exiled by China in early-2018 and later set up in Malta, is moving back to the country, choosing a blockchain-centric strategy over crypto.
China to Build ‘Digital Central Bank’ Infrastructure, Striving to Become the World’s Leader in Digital Currency Development
China’s Central Bank, People’s Bank of China (PBoC) is planning to look into building a digital central bank infrastructure to improve the standards of financial services in the country. On May 18, the Chinese Central Bank’s 2020 video conference on scientific and technological work was held in its capital, Beijing. The meeting focused on the technological achievements made in 2019, an in-depth analysis of the current situation and challenges, and the upcoming key plans for 2020.
China’s WeBank Makes its First Move to Take its Blockchain Global, Partnering with Singapore's OpenNodes
China’s top digital bank WeBank has announced its partnership with Singaporean government-backed OpenNodes. This partnership will allow China’s FISCO BCOS blockchain platform to be brought to Singaporean academics for innovation and new initiatives. FISCO BCOS was deemed to be China’s version of Hyperledger Fabric when it was launched in 2018. The Financial Blockchain Shenzhen Consortium (FISCO) is backed by more than 100 Chinese organizations, including Huawei, Tencent, JD Finance, and WeBank, which is partly backed by Tencent. Developed by FISCO, the enterprise blockchain protocol was the first blockchain to be supported by China’s Blockchain Service Network.
China’s Central Bank to Develop Blockchain-Based Trade Finance Platform for the Greater Bay Area
China’s Central Bank, the People’s Bank of China (PBoC) announced its development plans for outlining a blockchain-based trade finance platform for the Greater Bay Area that links Hong Kong, Guangdong, and Macao. Governing entities in China, including the PBoC, China Banking Regulatory Commission, China Securities Regulatory Commission, and the Foreign Exchange Bureau came together to issue the official document for the proposal. The entities submitted their suggestions on financing the construction of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, focusing on global trade and finance.
China’s Central Bank Official Urges the Acceleration of Digitization of the Chinese Economy with Blockchain
China’s central bank, the People’s Bank of China (PBoC) Financial Technology Committee held its first meeting of the year this week, after months of delay due to the coronavirus pandemic. Fan Yifei, the PBoC’s deputy governor echoed President Xi Jinping’s call for the acceleration of the country’s blockchain development adoption. The president pointed out that it is necessary to strengthen fundamental research of blockchain technology and enhance innovation, enabling China to take a leading position in the blockchain field. The bank’s deputy governor met with the central bank’s officials as well as the heads of their affiliated financial institutions. Fan emphasized the importance of blockchain and financial technology (FinTech) industries and wanted to ensure China’s adoption plan would be laid out and implemented by 2021 to be in line with the deadline they have set out.
US-China Cold War Could Benefit Bitcoin
An internal Chinese report presented to Chinese Leader Xi Jinping and his top party members on May 4, concluded that anti-China sentiment is currently at its highest since the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown according to Reuters.
China Accounts for 65 Percent of Bitcoin’s Hash Power, New Research Reveals
An interactive map published by the University of Cambridge’s Alternative Finance Center (CCAF) revealed Chinese miners accounted for 65 percent for the global hashing power used by Bitcoin. The CCAF tracked mining data for over a year from websites like BTC.com, ViaBTC, and Poolin, with the premier university claiming the map is the first-of-its-kind effort in visualizing hash power data by geography.
Crypto Miners Allege Chinese Bitcoin Mining Giant Delivered "Defective" Product
Ahead of Bitcoin’s much-awaited halving event on May 12, a group of miners alleged Bitmain’s latest “Antminer” deliveries were defective and led to losses for investors.
Bank of China’s Former President Lists Four Key Conditions For Digital Yuan to Replace Cash
The former head of the People’s Bank of China announced that the soon to be launched Digital Yuan will be able to replace cash if certain key conditions are met.
VeChain and Alipay Join China-Australia Blockchain Supply Chain Project for Sustainable Shipping
A joint Australian-Chinese supply chain and trade finance project got a major boost last week as AliPay, Mastercard, and crypto firm VeChain joined the initiate.
China's Bitmain shows Bitcoin Mining remains Profitable After Posting $300 Million in Revenues
Bitmain, one of the largest mining equipment makers globally, has reported revenues of $300 million thus far in 2020. While its business has faced turmoil in recent times, the core strategy continues to reap benefits.
China Allows Building of Hydroelectric Plant in Well Known Bitcoin Mining Town
Government authorities in China have allowed construction to go ahead to increase the capacity of current hydroelectric plants in the Ya'an district of Sichuan, a town popularly known in cryptocurrency circles to be teeming with Bitcoin miners.