9th of February 2011
The Lion Awakes
Daily News, Culture & Current Affairs about China
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China Daily
China hikes interest rates to damp inflation
BEIJING - The People's Bank of China (PBOC), the central bank, announced Tuesday it would raise benchmark one-year borrowing and lending rates by 25 basis points beginning Wednesday.
The rate hikes come amid increasing pressure on the Chinese government to control inflation.
After the hikes, the benchmark one-year deposit interest rate will climb to 3 percent, while the one-year loan interest rate will reach 6.06 percent.
This is the first rise in China's one-year benchmark interest rates this year and signals a renewed effort to cool prices and tighten liquidity.
Analysts said the timing of the hike, immediately after the Lunar New Year holiday, would send a strong signal to the market that the PBOC was paying more attention to inflation.
See Kaixin's - ECONOMIC CHINA
UN: Drought endangers Chinese winter wheat harvest
ROME - China's winter wheat harvest is at risk because of a drought that has also led to shortages of drinking water for people and livestock, the U.N. food agency said.
The U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization said the North China Plain drought is already putting pressure on wheat prices in China, with average flour prices rising more than 8 percent in January compared to the previous two months.
The impact on global wheat production and prices was unclear. FAO said Tuesday that China hadn't exported wheat for the past two years, although there were some exports before 2008 of about 1.5 million tons.
The North China Plain region produces most of China's winter wheat, which is harvested in June. Low precipitation has meant there hasn't been enough snowfall to protect dormant plants from frost, and has affected soil moisture needed for the growing season, FAO said.
A fishing boat flounders on a dried-up part of Xiangjiang River in Changsha, capital of Central China’s Hunan province, on Tuesday, Feb 8, 2011 after the lengthy drought that has affected much of the country lowered the level of the water
Three Gorges water level drops to lowest level
YICHANG, Hubei - The water level at the Three Gorges Dam, the world's largest water control and hydropower project, dropped to 170 meters on Tuesday, the lowest level after it reached its designed highest mark of 175 meters for the first time in October last year.
CCTV Serious drought continues in Northern China VIDEO
Northern China, and areas along the Yellow and Huaihe Rivers, continue to suffer a drought that's now in its fifth month. Conditions are so severe, that nearly a third of wheat farmland in Henan province has been affected, while 130 thousand people living in mountainous areas lack drinking water.
The last rainfall in this area was 150 days ago. These wheat sprouts haven't been watered since they were planted. The farmer is worried...
Li Fengtao, Farmer of Sishui County, said, "These wheat spouts are not growing well. You see it's yellow. They're supposed to be all green."
A lack of water sources, and the high cost and slow process of well-drilling are proving a challenge for local irrigation departments.
See Kaixin's - GREEN CHINA
Google exec behind organization of Egypt's protests
CAIRO - A Google Inc. executive was behind the Facebook page which has helped spark the mass protests in Egypt.
Wael Ghonim, 30, a marketing manager said in a television interview broadcast on Monday after he was released from days of detention that he was behind the organization of the anti- government protesters.
Internet services such as Facebook and Twitter were believed to have played a key role for the organization of the mass protests in Egypt.
Internet service was cut off on January 28 in Egypt, apparently in a bid to stop protesters from using it to spread information. The service resumed on Feb 2.
Opposition demonstrators protest at the Tahrir Square in Cairo
Kaixin OpEd – What!
The darling of the democratic west, in particular America, shuts down the Internet and we hear next to nothing.
The Street in Egypt raised its voice and the powers that be …. suppressed it.
Washington remained stonily silent on the issue, preferring instead to concentrate on criticising China and blaming China for its economic woes.
Readers of Kaixin’s OpEd will know what Kaixin thinks of that.
Food scarcity is stalking the globe.
Riots in Egypt, droughts in China, the world’s poor finding it harder and harder to afford basic food (see below) … are these the first rumblings of an event that will threaten International Peace?
It is commonly believed that access to water will be the cause of the next major conflict.
Perhaps it will be food.
America needs food, China needs food, and Europe needs food. What will they do if they do not have enough?
Oh yes … the poorer nations need food also, but who really gives a toss.
Asia Times Online
'Sheik al-Torture' is now a democrat
By Pepe Escobar
If French philosopher Jean Baudrillard were alive, he would say revolution in Egypt never took place except on the world's television screens. The regime was never shaken to the core - because the army remains in charge and it is comfortable with "acting president" Omar Suleiman (aka "Sheik al-Torture") running the show. So are the democrats in Washington.
Stolen boy home thanks to micro blogs
BEIJING — An unprecedented large-scale online campaign to help parents find their missing children achieved its first big breakthrough on Tuesday, reuniting a father with his 6-year-old son who had been missing for three years.
Peng Gaofeng, a 30-year-old from South China’s Shenzhen city, burst into tears on Tuesday afternoon at the sight of his son in Pizhou city in East China’s Jiangsu province, which is more than 1,000 km from Shenzhen.
"He’s my boy. It couldn’t be wrong. He still recognizes me and knows how to speak our hometown dialect," Peng told China Daily over the phone on Tuesday evening while waiting for the DNA test results that will prove the wonderful news.
His son, Peng Wenle, was kidnapped from Shenzhen on March 25, 2008, and the family had been trying every thing it could think of ever since to get him back.
"It’s a miracle, a miracle that could not be true without the help of netizens," the father said.
"I’ve opened 13 blogs on the Internet and pasted my son’s photo everywhere online, including the micro blogs at sina.com. Now, the efforts have paid off."
Peng Gaofeng hugs his 6-year-old son on Tuesday at a police station in Pizhou city, East China’s Jiangsu province, after he was reunited with the boy who was kidnapped in March 2008.
Beijing tightens grip on fireworks amid safety concerns
BEIJING -- Beijing authorities have cracked down on clandestine sales of shoddy and extra loud fireworks in towns bordering Hebei province to minimize fire risks and injuries in the capital.
With memories of the 2009 fire near the new offices of CCTV, the national television network, still fresh and two deaths last week caused by shoddy fireworks, the municipal public security bureau has set up checkpoints in towns on the Beijing-Hebei border to stop shoddy products from entering the city proper.
See Kaixin's - Firecrackers on New Years Day
CCTV Beijing fireworks incident up VIDEO
There have been twice as many fires in Beijing this year during the Chinese Spring Festival, compared to last year. The total number of incidents reported so far is 194.
An abundance of fireworks were lit on the fifth day of the New Year, marking Po Wu, which is auspicious for businesspeople. Monday's peak was also due to the celebration of the wealth god's birthday.
Helicopters have been hovering over the capital during the week-long holiday, transmitting signals to the fire-control center. As another fire prevention measure, fireworks are only permitted to be lit in certain areas of the capital.
Stamping out corruption among judges
BEIJING - China's top court is set to bring in three new regulations aimed at ensuring judges are not swayed by family ties or other types of relationships when making legal decisions.
The move is the latest salvo in its attempts to deal with judicial corruption and began last year with the Supreme People's Court (SPC) starting to draft the three regulations.
The first regulation refers to avoiding possible conflicts of interest among judges, technically called recusal, because of the involvement in cases of family members who are lawyers.
The second tackles the pleading or interceding of the relatives of judges, their friends or other people.
And the third targets lax management and poor working practices on the part of some local courts and urges court staff members, especially judicial police officers, to perform their duties in accordance with the law.
213 counties will receive free legal aid
Project 'promotes judicial fairness' in poor regions
BEIJING - Free legal aid for disadvantaged groups in 213 poverty-stricken central and western counties, currently without access to lawyers, will be provided this year in an effort to promote judicial fairness, a senior justice official said.
Sun Jianying, head of the legal aid department under the Ministry of Justice, said the ministry will send at least 213 lawyers and 150 college students as volunteers to selected counties in a government-sponsored program.
The government has earmarked 12 million yuan ($1.8 million) in a special fund to guarantee that the program runs smoothly, Sun said.
Ensuring each of the 213 counties has a lawyer will "benefit disadvantaged litigants, including the disabled, the elderly, minors and migrant workers," Sun told China Daily.
Young village head forges new direction
XI'AN - For the village of Gaojie, good things have come in a young package.
Unable to pick a new leader from a crop of older candidates, the villagers roundly threw their support behind a 19-year-old sophomore, who became the youngest and most educated leader the remote village has ever had.
"The villagers hoped to have a young and more educated person lead them into modern production and living," said Bai Yitong, who has now served two years as head of Gaojie village, in Qingjian county, Shaanxi province.
"I have fulfilled some of the promises I made in my campaign speech and I have another year to go, which will give me time to fulfill my other promises," Bai told China Daily.
Over the past two years, Bai has joined her villagers building a 48-kilometer road, 12 baking barns for jujube processing, 13 greenhouses for vegetable growing, two dams for water storage and a breeding base for some 100 ostriches.
"The young girl also facilitated the restoration of our cultural theater stage, originally built in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), and built a new square in front of the stage for our villagers' entertainment," said Bai Fuzhou, director of Gaojie village election committee.
Bai Yitong, then a 19-year-old sophomore, smiles with an old villager on Jan 14, 2009 after she was elected head of Gaojie village, in Qingjian county, Shaanxi province.
Business and tourism bridge Taiwan Straits
XIAMEN - Red jumbu, a tropical fruit from Taiwan, sells for about 100 yuan ($US 14.9) per kg at a supermarket in Xiamen, a mainland city located right across the Taiwan Straits.
And sales are good during China's traditional Spring Festival.
"The sales of all fruits imported from Taiwan has increased by at least 50 percent compared with normal days," said Wu Yanping, salesperson for Taiwan fruit supplier Demei, which is based in southeast China's Fujian Province. Other popular fruits from Taiwan include dragon fruit, star fruit, sugar apples, oranges and grapefruits.
When visiting family members and friends during the Spring Festival, many Chinese would bring a basket of fruits as gifts. "Taiwan fruits have established a reputation for good quality, so our customers regard them as decent gifts that would earn them 'faces'," Wu said.
"Because of the high price, Taiwan fruits may not be an everyday choice, but on special occasions like festivals, customers would like to pay. I am confident of good business this year," she said.
An artist from Sichuan province performs “fire spraying” at a fair in Taipei on Sunday.
See Kaixin's - CHINA & TAIWAN
CCTV Mainland visitors travel in Taiwan during Spring Festival VIDEO
During the Spring Festival, Mainland visitors can be seen at almost every hot tourist spot in Taiwan. And the enthusiasm for Taiwan travel hasn't declined in the year since cross-Strait tour packages became available.
The Taipei Palace Museum is a place most Mainland visitors would choose to go. In the past, among the museum's 5,000 visitors per day, Mainland visitors made up only about one third. But during this Spring Festival, almost all the visitors are come from the Chinese Mainland.
"Our whole family came here for Spring Festival. The festive atmosphere is great, similarly to our hometown. I love it so much." Visitor said.
"I think staying in Taiwan for the festival makes no difference from staying at home." Visitor said.
Although the price for a flight and hotel are high during the Spring Festival, the enthusiasm for coming to Taiwan is unchanged. Last year, about 40 thousand Mainland visitors travelled to Taiwan. But this year, the total is expected to be more.
Carrying on family traditions
NEW YORK - For 28-year-old Jerry Sun, the opportunity to spend the Chinese New Year with his immediate family every year is not to be missed.
"It is part of our family tradition, wherever we live or spend it," said Sun, who kicked off the preparations for this year's celebration a couple of weeks ago.
"It's part of my Chinese roots, and I shouldn't lose that," Sun said. "Spending the festival in the most traditional way is what we can do to preserve the culture."
Sun said he would keep the traditions in the future, when he has his own family and kids.
My red Year of the Rabbit
Looks like it is going to be an interesting new Year of the Rabbit for me.
For a start, it will be my year - I was born under this Chinese zodiac sign.
My red Year of the Rabbit
According to some astrologers, this means 2011 will be "a stunning and most memorable year for the Rabbit, especially in work". I will also have "a truly wonderful time in love, art and just about everything else".
But wait, the soothsayers also portend that inauspicious events could occur during my ben ming nian or the year of my zodiac sign. Rabbits will have to go through some tough times, with "unlucky and evil stars lurking to present many obstacles".
That means I'll have to stock up on red socks, shirts, underwear and other attire or similar paraphernalia to help ward off bad luck.
Romance for rent
For young, single city professionals, the Spring Festival holidays present many reasons to be fearful: standing in line for hours to get a train ticket, exhausting long journeys, stuffing red envelopes with cash. Arguably the No 1 reason is the prospect of turning up at home alone. Not only does it give parents the opportunity to nag - "Your classmates and cousins are married and have children. What's wrong with you?" - but it is also likely to result in a holiday spent on blind dates. To ease the pressure, Chinese singletons are simply paying people to pose as partners for their holiday homecoming.
Tang Yongxue waves a placard as she looks for a fake boyfriend for Spring Festival in Chengdu, Sichuan province. She offered 10,000 yuan for five days's work.
See Kaixin's - Marriage in China - Ancient & Modern
See Kaixin's - Women in China
'Empire' shines for Lunar New Year - VIDEO
The Empire State Building in New York lit up its tower red and gold to celebrate the Chinese Lunar New Year on Feb 2 and 3.
Since 2001, an annual lighting ceremony of the Empire State Building for the Chinese Lunar New Year has been held as a tradition.
CCTV New York celebrates Chinese New Year VIDEO
Everything is big in New York. The Buildings, the cars, the roads and even the food is super sized and according to the Mayors office so is the population of Chinese that call NY york home. So it was these good folks, who Crystal Fisher went in search of, to celebrate the lunar new year...the Chinese way!
Glitter rain, dancing dragons and colorful traditions welcome in the Chinese new year in New York City....
"It's about bringing the family together, eating, playing and having fun." New York resident said.
And the fun's just getting started according to the Commissioner of Cultural Affairs for the New York City Mayor's office.
Chinese New Year
2011
The Year of the Rabbit
Watch the CCTV Spring Festival Gala
Video: CCTV HOLDS FIRST ONLINE GALA
CCTV - VIDEO: More than 30,000 fireworks display staged in HK
CCTV VIDEO: Beijing international temple fairs feature foreign flavors
CCTV Video: Spring Festival Far Away
CCTV VIDEO: Traditional Spring Festival decorations
CCTV Migrant travel in South China VIDEO
Getting back to the cities is the focus for many migrant workers Tuesday - the sixth day of the Chinese New Year. As the Spring Festival comes to an end, will it be chaos on the roads and rails? CCTV reporter Qu Shang is at Guangzhou Railway Station.
CCTV Events held across China to mark "Po Wu" VIDEO
Events are being held across China to mark the fifth day of the Lunar New Year - or "Po Wu" as it's known in Chinese.
Traditionally celebrations start on New Year's eve, and go on until the fifth day of the lunar calendar's first month. A big part of " Po Wu" is getting up early to clean houses and also to eat dumplings. Some are filled with nuts or candies, and it's believed whoever eats them will have good fortune for the year. It's also the birthday of the Chinese god of wealth, so businesspeople usually go back to work and let off fireworks to ensure prosperity.
"Po Wu" is extra special this year as it marks a celestial phenomenon - Jupiter and the moon have now moved to the same longitude creating the shortest distance between the two planets.
CCTV China suffers worst drought in 60 years VIDEO
Minimal rainfall or snow this winter has crippled China's major agricultural regions, leaving many of them parched. Crop production has fallen sharply, as the worst drought in six decades, shows no sign of letting up.
Shandong province has seen only 12 millimeters of rain since last September, fifteen percent of the normal level.
Despite more than 4-thousand pumping stations continuing to supply water, the situation is severe.
More than half the 4 million hectares of land used for growing wheat have been hit by drought.
Special funds are now being allocated to combat the situation.
CCTV High-speed railway gains popularity VIDEO
The Spring Festival travel rush may be a headache for many passengers, but Shanghai residents now have a novel option for their holiday trips. A new high-speed train line to Hangzhou, the capital of east China's Zhejiang Province, is now in operation. Jay Nuttall tells us what commuters think about it.
For some east China residents, the first item on their Spring Festival "to do" list, is boarding the new Shanghai-Hangzhou high-speed train line.
Stations in the two cities have experienced major passenger volume increases since the holiday period began.
These trips are different from typical outings around the country at this time of year, with many families traveling together and carrying gifts for their relatives, rather than carting around loads of heavy luggage.
Most say the main reason for these getaways is having fun.
CCTV China attracts more foreign travellers VIDEO
China has surpassed Spain as the world's third-most popular tourist destination. And the country is turning on the charm to boost its international image and attract even more foreign holidaymakers.
With its long history spanning thousands of years, diverse culture and culinary delights, China is now the world's third-most popular holiday destination. The UN World Tourism Organization says China saw over 55 million tourist arrivals last year, marking a 10 percent increase. But the country is not resting on its laurels. China wants to soften its international image, by promoting its culture and lifestyle. It's hoping to attract more visitors, and cushion the impact of its growing assertiveness in global politics.
CCTV Ferryman passes on the family barge pole VIDEO
Wan Qizhen is a ferryman, whose family has transported local villagers across the Dashahe River in Hubei province for generations. He recently became a well known media name, following his retirement after many years of service. Let's finds out how the old man spent his first Lunar New Year on dry land.
It's New Year's Eve in the Chinese lunar calendar. Local villagers paid early visits to the river crossing, to celebrate the holiday with their ferryman.
Wan Qifeng, Villager, said, "He is a very responsible ferryman. The entire village has come here to celebrate the Spring Festival, wishing him health and good luck."
Villagers say that Wan Qizhen would always help them cross the river whenever he was needed. He would even wait at the crossing during harvest time, when things were busy.
Thousands of lanterns light up night of Spring City
Photo taken on Feb 6, 2011 shows lanterns at the Daguan Park in Kunming, Southwest China's Yunnan province. A lantern show was held during the Spring Festival holiday here at the Daguan Park.
Leap of adventure
Two geologic wonders far from the urban crowd offer scenery, exhilaration and adrenaline, as Suzanne Ma reports
For first-time visitors to China, Beijing and Shanghai are the default destinations. But for tourists who like to mix city travel with outdoor adventure, two natural landmarks stand out - Yellow Mountain and Tiger Leaping Gorge. Both are among the country's most popular attractions. Yellow Mountain, or Huangshan, has been an icon in Chinese culture for centuries. Tiger Leaping Gorge in Yunnan province ranks among the deepest gorges in the world.
Yellow Mountain
Standing amid billowing clouds high atop Yellow Mountain, you will want to reach out and grasp the silvery wisps in front of you.
Then the clouds part to reveal a stunning mountain range of yellow granite ranging as far as the eye can see. A moment later, the scene changes once again as clouds drift on to reveal a canyon filled with a sea of peaks. The peculiar crests jut out amid smooth boulders. Tall Chinese pines appear rooted in the rocks.
Although the name Huangshan, which means Yellow Mountain, suggests a single mountain, it is actually a range that spans 150 square kilometers in southern Anhui province 480 kilometers southwest of Shanghai. Set aside at least two days for a visit.
Yellow Mountain is actually an entire mountain range spanning 150 square kilometers in southern Anhui province.
Tiger Leaping Gorge
As you hike Tiger Leaping Gorge, you will breathe crisp air under a high-altitude sun, gaze at snowcapped mountains in the distance and hear the churning, wild waters of the river somewhere down below. You probably will step in donkey manure, too.
This is a frontier adventure, after all, and a little donkey dung was not going to stop me, not even on the infamous 24-Bend Path, a rough and rocky road that spirals upward before finally reaching flatter terrain.
Local men who rent the donkeys targeted the women in our group, telling us we would be too weak to make it all the way up.
"Don't put yourself through it. Just hop on," they incessantly beckoned. But adrenaline and pride only goaded me forward and before I knew it, I had finished the 24th bend.
I stood 3,960 meters above the Jinsha River, hiked 29 kilometers on a rocky trail past cascading waterfalls and climbed down rugged cliffs on worn but sturdy ladders.
All the while, panoramic views beckoned of majestic green mountains dotted with the humble villages and terraced rice fields of the southwestern province of Yunnan. We came across plenty of goats and oxen in the fields but only a handful of other human beings on the way.
A tourist looks up at a cascading waterfall along a rocky trail in Yunnan's Tiger Leaping Gorge.
Famille Rose: something novel, something subtle
When western explorers first made contact with the Chinese, they returned with word of many fascinating art forms, products, and innovations. One of these art forms was Chinese porcelain, which subsequently became known as what else - china. The making of china is an art that goes back centuries in China, and it is one that evolved with the various dynasties that make up Chinese history. Over the years, the type of glazing and enamel applied to China changed as new designs and colors became fashionable.
It also became common for designs originating in China to become widely popular in Europe. In fact, many Chinese porcelain innovations were trend setters for the European markets. One of these innovations was the color "family" known as Famille Verte. But European influences can also be found to have influenced Chinese designs; this is the case with the color family and designs associated with Famille Rose.
Relics of the Tang Dynasty
On the Relics of the Tang Dynasty – the Exhibition of the Hoarded Classic Excavations from Hejiacun village opened at Shannxi Historic Museum, over 300 selected hoarded excavations from Hejiacun village were displayed, including the Gilded Ox Head Agate Cup, the Gold-decorated Handled Silver Pot with the Pattern of Parrots, the Gold-decorated Silver Kettle with the Pattern of a Dancing Horse and the Gold Bowl with the Pattern of Mandarin Ducks and Lotus Petals. For more than half of these items, this show marked their debut.
The Gilded Jade Armlet
CCTV Travelogue - Discovering Shangri-La
Literally meaning "sun and moon in heart" in Tibetan, Shangri-la, an ideal home only found in heaven, is located at the meeting point of Tibet, Yunnan and Sichuan.
- The Forbidden City
- Experiencing Japan
- Portraying China
- The seven sages in the bamboo grove
- The Story of Wu
A BRIEF HISTORY
OF
CHINA
Global Times
What will Year of the Rabbit bring?
For Chinese people, the New Year doesn't officially start until after the Spring Festival. In two days, the year of the Rabbit will kick off. An event-laden January may cast some predictions for the year ahead.
The frozen rain in the South and drought in the North suggest natural disasters will continue to be the biggest challenge to China. The No. 1 Central document has outlined a timetable for water control. The central government released tighter measures to tame the property market, including levying a property tax in Shanghai and Chongqing.
Tests for the government will also be controlling inflation and reducing Beijing's clogged-up roads.
Chinese President Hu Jintao visited the US in January, signing a joint statement framing the bilateral relationship as a cooperative partnership and reversing the 2010 downward trend in bilateral relations, giving hope for growth this year.
A year ago, China became the world's second largest economy, a title that has not translated into effective comparative might. In coping with challenges from natural disasters to reducing misunderstandings held by the outside world, China appears to be scrambling for solutions.
China is far from an ideal state. We should both avoid overreaching and an inferiority complex. In the year of the Rabbit, domestic and diplomatic conflict will most likely still happen. As long as China's development is not disrupted, we have reasons to believe this year will be a positive one.
There are several major tasks that the government should try to score points on. Securing a good agricultural harvest and ensuring the upgrading of the irrigation system are high on the list. In addition, there should be immediate efforts to control inflation and the property market. With a positive start of the Sino-US relationship, this year should see fewer diplomatic troubles.
In this year, perhaps every one of us should reflect. China is much stronger than before, however, what makes us feel vulnerable so often? We are leading better lives, yet we are seemingly less happy. We hold higher hopes for the country's future, but it should not become an unpractical goal.
China will continue to be scrutinized in this year. It will not be an easy task. If faced with uncertainty, let us face it with hope.
Color revolutions will not bring about real democracy
In a sense, democracy means to convey all grass-roots sentiment to the government level, but many existing governments do not do this. The more extreme elements exist in a society, the harder it is for a government to maintain a reasonable line. The Middle East is the region where beliefs and viewpoints clash most with the Western world view. Hence, Western countries support non-democratic governments who play into their hands.
Most Western democracies matured over a long period. Japan and South Korea, though implanted democracies, have to pay the price of accepting foreign armies on their territory. Some other countries have had an even tougher time in adopting a democratic system.
In general, democracy has a strong appeal because of the successful models in the West. But whether the system is applicable in other countries is in question, as more and more unsuccessful examples arise.
In the West, democracy is not only a political system, but a way of life. Yet some emerging democracies in Asia and Africa are taking hit after hit from street-level clamor.
Democracy is still far away for Tunisia and Egypt. The success of a democracy takes concrete foundations in economy, education and social issues.
As a general concept, democracy has been accepted by most people. But when it comes to political systems, the Western model is only one of a few options. It takes time and effort to apply democracy to different countries, and to do so without the turmoil of revolution.
Dialogue
A 30 Minute Current Affairs Programme on CCTV - 9 (In English) where current issues are discussed by experts from China and Internationally:
See Also - The New York Times 31/1/2011
China Might Force Visits to Mom and Dad
Under a proposal from the Civil Affairs Ministry, adult children would be required by law to regularly visit their elderly parents. If they do not, parents can sue them.
Kaixin OpEd – ‘Once ensconced in intimate neighborhoods of courtyard houses and small lanes and surrounded by relatives and acquaintances, older people in China are increasingly moving into lonely high-rises and feeling forgotten, he said.’
Welcome to the west!
This proposed law is founded in compassion but will be dashed on the rocks of reality.
Xiaosui and our friends in China agree that the elderly are being forgotten, however a law will not address the issue. It will take either a change of attitude or the revival of the old ways where the elderly were treated as respected members of the family, not burdens.
How do you ‘prove’ in a court of law such a proposition? What defences will be allowed?
The first generation of only children are far more mobile, often live in different cities and are facing increasing costs of living. Many have neither the time nor means to visit their parent, even if they wanted to.
Will lack of money be a defence?
The elderly in China, and Asian societies in general, feel an obligation to their children. It is why the suicide rate is climbing. They are lonely and isolated, but do not want to be a burden on their children.
High quality aged care is probably the answer. The west has some good models to work from.
It is not ideal, but perhaps it is better than being alone and isolated in a high rise apartment.
China's Spring Festival transport rush
Revolution: Wealth redistribution
International News Sources
The Wall Street Journal
U.N. Says Drought in China Puts Wheat Crop at Risk
SHANGHAI—A United Nations agency said this year's wheat crop is at risk in at least five Chinese provinces, echoing continuous warnings from China that its major northern wheat growing areas are facing an epic drought.
China's government maintains major stores of wheat, which amounted to at least 53 million metric tons at the end of 2010, said Ma Wenfeng, an analyst with Beijing Orient Agribusiness Consultant Ltd., an agency that closely tracks China's grain markets. While Beijing was a net seller of reserves last year, the reserves give cushion to China to alleviate shortages.
Farmer Qi Aiyun checks on her withered wheat plants in a dry field on the outskirts of Juancheng, Shandong province
The New York Times 7/2/2011
Op-Ed Columnist
China, Twitter and 20-Year-Olds vs. the Pyramids
By THOMAS L. FRIEDMAN
Of course, China per se is not fueling the revolt here — but China and the whole Asian-led developing world’s rising consumption of meat, corn, sugar, wheat and oil certainly is. The rise in food and gasoline prices that slammed into this region in the last six months clearly sharpened discontent with the illegitimate regimes — particularly among the young, poor and unemployed.
Kaixin OpEd - Kaixin has noted for some time the emerging crisis in food supply for the world.
While the world has been distracted with other issues, this issue has been slowly heating like a pot of boiling water. It would appear it is near boiling point.
It this the first signs of the pot boiling over?
The price of food (and water) will come down to simple economics, supply and demand. The price will rise as demand outstrips supply.
Those who can pay, will, those who can't, will go hungry.
No .... of course it is not that simple.
Will a country let its food be exported if it cannot feed its own people?
What if foreign countries or nationals own the land on which the food is produced? Is it not their food?
Will governments see their people go hungry or starve rather than take control of that land?
Will foreign countries with very big armies allow that to happen?
I fear the world is headed for what the Chinese saying warns against: "May you live in interesting times"
Cost of Feeding World's Poor Leaps
LONDON—The cost of feeding millions of starving people increased markedly in 2010 as rising grain prices pushed up the cost of staple foods, data from the World Food Program showed Tuesday.
See Kaixin's - GREEN CHINA
China Raises Interest Rates
BEIJING—With the fireworks still echoing from China's Lunar New Year holiday, the central bank said it would raise interest rates for the third time in four months, putting markets on notice that it intends to further step up its fight against accelerating inflation.
See Kaixin's - ECONOMIC CHINA
Asia Fights Inflation With Stronger Currencies
SINGAPORE—Asian currencies are expected to continue hitting multiyear highs amid bets that central banks will rely on a combination of stronger currencies and higher interest rates to temper a worsening inflation problem.
Indeed, that notion could gather steam after China increased its key interest rates for the third time since October, a sign that authorities remain concerned about rising prices.
See Kaixin's - YUAN REVALUATION & INTERNATIONALISATION
Video: U.S. Urges Brazil To Pressure China
U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner traveled Monday to Sao Paolo, where he asked Brazilian officials to help pressure China to let the Yuan appreciate. On Asia Today, WSJ’s Jake Lee and Asia Pacific Finance Reporter Alison Tudor discuss the news and examine how the economies of Brazil and China intertwine.Also, U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke raises concerns about India’s restrictions on solar-power-technology imports:
Chinese Demand Lifts U.S. Wood Sales
Much of the $30 billion U.S. timber industry is still depressed because of weakness in the housing market, but some companies have found relief in a nontraditional customer: China.
U.S. timber exports to China are suddenly surging, especially from mills around the Pacific Northwest, giving a boost to companies like Weyerhaeuser Co. and Plum Creek Timber Co. Helping to spur the increase: One of China's biggest timber sources—Russia—increased tariffs on its wood exports in 2007, leading Chinese buyers to turn increasingly to the U.S. and Canada for wood amid the country's construction boom.
"Everybody in the Northwest is talking about ...
Financial Times
Brazil’s China stance: buying time
If the old marketing cliché “the customer is always right” was true in all situations, then Brazil’s latest moves regarding China would look like madness.
When a country is your biggest trading partner, accounting for 12.5 per cent of your exports, is it really a good idea to complain?
US seeks Brazil’s support on renminbi
The US is attempting to enlist Brazil in a united front against China’s allegedly undervalued currency, as Latin America’s largest economy struggles with a flood of cheap Chinese goods and a surging Brazilian real.
Brazil and China trade tensions set to rise
Tensions have surfaced after China last year also emerged as one of the biggest sources of cheap imports into Brazil, helped by a surge in the value of the real, which is undermining the competitiveness of domestic industry.
This prompted Guido Mantega, finance minister, this year to call for a revaluation of the renminbi.
ChinaDialogue
Brighter outlook ahead?
New data from an American research group suggests China’s energy demand will peak by 2030. Linden Ellis asked Mark Levine, the man behind the numbers, about their implications.
The Los Angeles Times
A tempest in Tibetan temples
Allegations of spying and media manipulation lay bare the divisions in Tibetan Buddhism and tensions between China and India. Mistrust between rival Karmapas belies the image of a placid religion.
Karmapa Ogyen Trinley Dorje is seen in Dharamsala. The leader of Tibetan Buddhism's most wealthy sect is in the middle of a controversy following a raid by Inidan authorities in which they said they found large amounts of cash.
The New York Times
U.N. Issues Warning on China Drought
HONG KONG — The United Nations’ food agency issued an alert on Tuesday warning that a severe drought was threatening the wheat crop in China, the world’s largest wheat producer, and resulting in shortages of drinking water for people and livestock.
China Raises Interest Rates to Quell Inflation
The move, the third since October, is the latest sign of authorities’ intensifying efforts to temper the pace of growth and curb inflation.
Distinct Mix Holds On in a Corner of China
The Macanese, whose roots are found in many places of the former Portuguese empire, retain their own culture and their own tongue, Patuá.
The Age
Central planning is high on China's agenda
John Garnaut
The Chinese Politburo is unlikely to give up its partiality to organising the economy and workers in every detail.
Cai isn't game to say whether China's control-obsessed leaders will follow the Japanese path to stability by loosening their grip and giving workers authority to organise themselves.
But at least they are listening.
Kaixin Oped – Awww, I dunno …
Kaixin sees definite signs that the unskilled migrant labour market is starting to flex its bargaining powers.
Kaixin also sees definite signs that industrial unions are becoming stronger.
Remember, just 30 years ago China was under the repression of a Mao led China. It has come a long way in that time in many areas including labour reform.
Kaixin is not saying it has got there yet, but it is moving in the right direction.
The fact that such a senior figure as Professor Cai Fang is promoting the issues would seem to indicate that it has standing.
A recent report said that migrant works now receive more income per month than first year graduates. Indeed, there is a shortage of labour and a surplus of graduates in China.
Naturally, where there is a shortage, the bargaining power of the commodity – in this case, unskilled migrant labour – increases. This trend will only continue as conditions in rural China improve under this current five-year plan. Workers will not want to, or need to, move to the city.
An interesting factor in this transformation of rural China is the surplus of graduates. They have lost their bargaining power. Beijing is encouraging them to move to rural areas to find work. This will lead to more and more opportunity in rural areas and less and less need for people to move from those areas to the city.
Hence, the price of unskilled labour will inexorably rise, along with their industrial bargaining power.
The free ride the west had on the backs of those workers is now over. This will be reflected in increasing prices for goods made in China.
It’s a pity the west squandered that window of economic opportunity.
China did not.
The west has huge deficits, where as China has trillions of dollars.
Back to basics, fellas, hard work and thrift.
The New York Times
Op-Ed Columnist
China, Twitter and 20-Year-Olds vs. the Pyramids
By THOMAS L. FRIEDMAN
Of course, China per se is not fueling the revolt here — but China and the whole Asian-led developing world’s rising consumption of meat, corn, sugar, wheat and oil certainly is. The rise in food and gasoline prices that slammed into this region in the last six months clearly sharpened discontent with the illegitimate regimes — particularly among the young, poor and unemployed.
...
The Arab world has 100 million young people today between the ages of 15 and 29, many of them males who do not have the education to get a good job, buy an apartment and get married. That is trouble. Add in rising food prices, and the diffusion of Twitter, Facebook and texting, which finally gives them a voice to talk back to their leaders and directly to each other, and you have a very powerful change engine.
Kaixin OpEd - In China Kaixin calls it Tech-Democracy. The voice of the people shouting to the small group of people in control of the world that they have had enough.
Is this a call for democracy?
This is where it is important to define just what 'democracy' means.
Define clearly what it means to each person, to each group of people, to each stratum of society ...
Define what each person hopes democracy will achieve for them as individuals.
Define what benefits democracy will bestow on a country and the various social stratum within that country.
You see, Kaixin believes that most people do not have a clear idea what democracy means. Oh yes, they have a hazy notion that it means the right to vote, but it goes little further than that. Such notions as the finer points of democracy do not mean much to the majority people in the west who live very comfortable lives.
It is when you life ceases to be comfortable that you look around for an effective voice.
The Internet and mobile phones have provided an effective platform for everyone to voice their opinion. If that opinion resonates then it spreads quickly and cannot be stopped by governments or rulers in any country.
Kaixin defines democracy as the voice of the people being heard. Kaixin considers that in the west that voice has been smothered for some time, however life is still too comfortable, so the voice of the disaffected does not resonate.
In China Tech-Democracy has given a strong voice to the people, a voice that was lost under Mao but has slowly emerged over the last 30 years. It is interesting, and frustrating to many in the west, that the voice in China does not call for 'democracy'. Tech-Democracy is being used to address specific issues in China, but those issues do not provide a basis for revolution. Life is becoming more and more comfortable in China .... why rock the boat?
Egypt has clearly shown that the voice on the street has not been heard for many years. It is now demanding to be heard and is questioning the legitimacy and effectiveness of the current system of government. A system propped up by the 'west, in particular America, for its own ends. The voice on the street now has Tech-Democracy. The issues in Egypt do go to the heart of people's concerns and do resonate, hence the mass riots.
The small ruling elite in the Arab world are doing a Marie Antoinette, "Let them eat cake", and shovelling money at the voice .... money they don't have it would seem.
It has worked before, will it work this time?
Kaixin has noted for some time the emerging crisis in food supply for the world.
While the world has been distracted with other issues, this issue has been slowly heating like a pot of boiling water. It would appear it is near boiling point.
It this the first signs of the pot boiling over?
The price of food (and water) will come down to simple economics, supply and demand. The price will rise as demand outstrips supply.
Those who can pay, will, those who can't, will go hungry.
No .... of course it is not that simple.
Will a country let its food be exported if it cannot feed its own people?
What if foreign countries or nationals own the land on which the food is produced? Is it not their food?
Will governments see their people go hungry or starve rather than take control of that land?
Will foreign countries with very big armies allow that to happen?
I fear the world is headed for what the Chinese saying warns against: "May you live in interesting times"
Asia Times Online
A Snow Dragon in the Arctic
By Joseph Spears
China is stepping up its activities in a warming and changing Arctic Ocean Basin. While Beijing's interests and policy objectives there remain unclear, it is increasingly active and vocal on the international stage on issues concerning the region.
To that end, China is actively seeking to develop relationships with Arctic states and participate in multilateral organizations such as the Arctic Council.
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