China Extends Power Rationing for Factories in Drought

A tree trunk lies on the dried-up riverbed of the Jialing river, a tributary of the Yangtze, that is approaching record-low water levels in Chongqing, China, August 18, 2022. REUTERS/Thomas Peter
A tree trunk lies on the dried-up riverbed of the Jialing river, a tributary of the Yangtze, that is approaching record-low water levels in Chongqing, China, August 18, 2022. REUTERS/Thomas Peter
TT
20

China Extends Power Rationing for Factories in Drought

A tree trunk lies on the dried-up riverbed of the Jialing river, a tributary of the Yangtze, that is approaching record-low water levels in Chongqing, China, August 18, 2022. REUTERS/Thomas Peter
A tree trunk lies on the dried-up riverbed of the Jialing river, a tributary of the Yangtze, that is approaching record-low water levels in Chongqing, China, August 18, 2022. REUTERS/Thomas Peter

Power rationing that forced factories in China’s southwest to shut down has been extended through at least Thursday due to low water at hydroelectric dams, according to a notice reported by news outlets and a company announcement, adding to losses from the hottest, driest summer in decades.

The “tense situation” of power supplies in Sichuan province “has further intensified,” Tencent News reported Monday. There was no public announcement, but the report included a photo of the government notice to companies, The Associated Press reported.

The drought and heat have wilted crops and caused rivers including the giant Yangtze to shrink, disrupting cargo traffic. State media say the government will try to protect the autumn grain harvest, which is 75% of China’s annual total, by using chemicals to generate rain.

The disruption adds to challenges for the ruling Communist Party, which is trying to shore up sagging economic growth before a meeting in October or November when President Xi Jinping is expected to try to award himself a third five-year term as leader.

Factories in Sichuan that make processor chips, solar panels, auto components and other industrial goods were required to shut down or reduce activity last week to conserve power for homes as air-conditioning demand surged in temperatures as high as 45 degrees Celsius (113 degrees Fahrenheit). Air-conditioning, elevators and lights were shut off in offices and shopping malls.

On Monday, LIER Chemical Co. said in an announcement through the stock exchange in the southern city of Shenzhen that its facilities in the cities of Jinyang and Guang'an in Sichuan received an order extending power rationing through Thursday.

Some companies said earlier that supplies to customers weren’t affected, while others said production would be depressed.

The city government of Shanghai said Tesla Ltd. and a major state-owned automaker suspended production due to disruption in supplies of components from Sichuan.

The government says this summer is China’s hottest and driest since it began keeping temperature and rainfall records in 1961.

Sichuan, with 94 million people, is especially hard-hit because it gets 80% of its power from hydroelectric dams. Other provinces rely more on coal-fired power, which isn’t affected.

Economists say if Sichuan reopens relatively soon, the national impact should be limited because the province accounts for only 4% of China’s industrial output.

In the neighboring megacity of Chongqing, bushfires were breaking out and stores shifted to nighttime hours to avoid the high temperatures.

The fire conditions are being fueled by a weekslong drought in the west of the country that is usually hot, humid and rainy in the summer.

Shopping centers would operate from 4 to 9 p.m. to relieve pressure on the electricity grid.

The official Xinhua News Agency said Monday more than 1,500 residents had been moved to shelters, while around 5,000 civilian and military personnel had been mobilized to put out the blazes.

Helicopters have been sent to drop water on the fires, supporting crews on the ground who have in the past been left to their own resources.

In 2019, a wildfire in the mountains of Sichuan province adjacent to Chongqing killed 30 firefighters and volunteers.

No deaths have yet been reported as a result of the heatwave, Xinhua said, although that could not be independently verified. Dehydration, stroke and other health issues can be triggered or exacerbated by temperatures that have exceeded 40 Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) for the past week and longer.

Experts say China's record-high monthly temperatures and droughts are part of a trend linked to global warming.



South Korea President Vows to Build 'Military Trust' with North

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung speaks during a ceremony in Seoul to celebrate the 80th anniversary of Korea's liberation from Japanese colonial rule. Ahn Young-joon / POOL/AFP
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung speaks during a ceremony in Seoul to celebrate the 80th anniversary of Korea's liberation from Japanese colonial rule. Ahn Young-joon / POOL/AFP
TT
20

South Korea President Vows to Build 'Military Trust' with North

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung speaks during a ceremony in Seoul to celebrate the 80th anniversary of Korea's liberation from Japanese colonial rule. Ahn Young-joon / POOL/AFP
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung speaks during a ceremony in Seoul to celebrate the 80th anniversary of Korea's liberation from Japanese colonial rule. Ahn Young-joon / POOL/AFP

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung vowed Friday to "respect" North Korea's political system and build "military trust", a day after Pyongyang said it had no interest in improving relations with Seoul.

Lee has pledged to reach out to the nuclear-armed North and pursue dialogue without preconditions since his election in June -- a reversal from his hawkish predecessor, AFP said.

Speaking at an event marking the anniversary of liberation from Japanese rule, Lee said the South Korean government "will take consistent measures to substantially reduce tensions and restore trust" with the North.

"We affirm our respect for the North's current system," said Lee, adding Seoul had "no intention of engaging in hostile acts".

"I hope that North Korea will reciprocate our efforts to restore trust and revive dialogue," he said.

"North and South are not enemies."

Lee's speech comes a day after North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's sister, Kim Yo Jong, said the North has "no will to improve relations" with the South.

She also denied reports that North Korea was removing propaganda loudspeakers.

Liberation holiday

The South's military said in June that the two countries had halted propaganda broadcasts along the demilitarized zone, adding last week that it had detected North Korean troops dismantling loudspeakers on the frontier.

Friday's August 15 anniversary of liberation from Japan is the only public holiday celebrated in both North and South Korea, according to Seoul's National Institute for Unification Education.

In Pyongyang, North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un also made a speech at a liberation day celebration, urging the nation to overcome "the challenges facing the DPRK for the great powerful country", using the North's official acronym.

However, in an unusual move for a Liberation Day address, he made no mention of South Korea or its "enemies."

The speech was before a Russian delegation to Pyongyang, including the speaker of the Duma, who read a congratulatory letter sent to Kim by Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Kim's speech was a "stark contrast" to his sister's recent "fiery statements," Yang Moo-jin, president of the University of North Korean Studies in Seoul told AFP.

"There were no messages aimed at South Korea or the United States, no references to enemies or hostile states, and no provocative mentions of nuclear forces," said Yang.

"The intention would be to closely observe the moves of neighboring countries in the near term, including President Lee Jae Myung's Liberation Day address," he added.