28th of May 2011
The Lion Awakes
Daily News, Culture & Current Affairs about China
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People's Daily
China not manipulating currency: U.S. Treasury
The U.S. Treasury Department said in a report released on Friday that China was not manipulating its currency.
"In China, since the authorities decided in June 2010 to allow the exchange rate to appreciate in response to market forces, the renminbi (RMB) has appreciated by a total of 5.1 percent against the dollar in nominal terms through the end of April 2011, or at an annual pace of approximately 6.0 percent," noted the semi- annual report on international economic and exchange rate policies.
The Treasury said that as inflation in China is significantly higher than it is in the United States, the renminbi has appreciated more rapidly against the dollar on a real, inflation- adjusted basis, at a rate of around 9 percent per year.
See Kaixin's - YUAN REVALUATION & INTERNATIONALISATION
China's strategic intention is to pursue peaceful development: Chinese Ambassador to Australia
China's strategic intention is nothing but peaceful development, Chinese Ambassador to Australia Chen Yuming said on Friday during a speech delivered in an Australian university.
Invited by Australia's National Security Institute of the University of Canberra, Chen delivered a speech entitled "For Peaceful Development and Win-Win Progress".
Chen said China is firmly committed to the path of peaceful development and unswervingly pursues the win-win strategy of opening up, adding that the purpose of China's national defense is to uphold its sovereignty and territorial integrity, protect its over 22,000-km land border and 18,000-km maritime border, and secure a peaceful environment for development.
He said China's development is achieved by promoting economic and social progress at home rather than seeking military expansion overseas.
SAFE simplifies capital account management
BEIJING - China's foreign exchange regulator announced Friday that it will simplify some procedures regarding the management of capital accounts in a bid to encourage trade and investment.
According to the new requirement, which becomes effective on June 1, companies will not need to register with the local foreign exchange authority for deferred payment under the trade credit registry regulation.
See Kaixin's - ECONOMIC CHINA
China the 'most likely' to keep growing
Report suggests that the nation's economic surge is sustainable
BEIJING/HONGKONG - China ranks first among 22 emerging Asian economies as the country most likely to maintain steady and rapid growth over the next five years, according to the Bloomberg Economic Momentum Index for Developing Asia.
China scored 76.2 percent in a ranking of 16 areas, including economic competition, education level, urban migration, high-technology exports and inflation, that measure a country's ability to continue delivering high growth. India was second with a score of 64.1 percent followed by Vietnam at 61.9 percent.
The index suggests China and India's economic surge is durable and will probably continue to drive global growth as the United States, Europe and Japan lag behind. Gross domestic product in each of the top three Asian countries in the index expanded at least 5.4 percent each quarter on average throughout 2008 and 2009 while the US, the eurozone and Japan fell into recession.
Ireland welcomes Chinese investment, tourists
To restore Ireland's crisis-stricken economy, the island nation is looking for investment and tourists from China, which has overtaken Japan as the world's second largest economy, an Irish cabinet minister said Friday.
"I do and I would welcome Chinese investment," said Phil Hogan, Irish minister for environment, community and local government.
"Ireland is on the gateway of the European Union (EU), where there's a market with 500 million population. We have a low corporation tax base, we've a highly skilled labor force and we've a good quality environment and good quality infrastructure," Hogan told Xinhua in his hometown Kilkenny, 120 km from Ireland's capital Dublin.
Shanghai, US to set int'l board rules
BEIJING - The valuations of the initial public offerings (IPO) of foreign companies on China's long-awaited international board are likely to be similar to the level in the markets in which they are already listed, said Duncan Niederauer, chief executive officer of NYSE Euronext, the parent company of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), on Friday.
The exchange is working closely with the Shanghai Stock Exchange in drafting the rules of the board, which will allow overseas companies to raise funds in the A-share market.
The regulator may not allow foreign companies seeking IPOs in the Chinese market to be priced at higher valuations at the time of the issuance, but their stocks may be traded at higher prices over time following the listing, Niederauer said at a news briefing in Beijing.
He said that the US exchange is also in discussions with the Shanghai bourse about the standards and requirements of companies listed on the international board.
China's Chery Auto to set up plant in Myanmar
Chery Automobile Co., Ltd. is planning to set up a car assembly plant in Myanmar, the company said Friday.
The plant will be capable of rolling out 3,000 to 5,000 Chery's QQ3 compact cars annually, said Jin Yibo, a spokesman with Chery Auto.
The company has so far received nearly 10,000 orders for its QQ3 car in the southeast Asian country this year, according to the spokesman.
The automaker based in east China's Anhui province began exporting its cars 10 years ago and has speeded up construction of overseas production bases and sales networks in recent years.
The company has established 16 plants, including four under construction, in 15 countries and regions by the end of 2010.
SAIC green lights 'green' cars
The Shanghai automaker plans to lead in the new-energy vehicle segment
BERLIN - SAIC Group, the largest car maker in China in terms of sales and revenue, will set the pace in the new-energy vehicle segment by launching mass-produced pure-electric and fuel-cell cars during the period of China's 12th Five-Year Plan (2011-2015), said a company executive.
"We will start sales of mass-produced pure-electric mini cars to individuals, with the initial model name of EP 11, under our homegrown 'Roewe' brand next year, and a mass-produced fuel-cell model in 2015," said Gan Pin, the manager of SAIC's new-energy vehicle division.
"The mass-production of pure-electric cars will start in units of several thousand, according to specific orders," said Gan. "And we will expand production step-by-step in line with the rising market requirements."
According to Gan, the pure-electric model, which will be sold in Shanghai first, will be priced at around 200,000 yuan ($31,000).
A Roewe plug-in hybrid car on display at the Shanghai Auto Show in April. SAIC Group will start sales of mass-produced pure-electric mini cars to individuals under its homegrown Roewe brand next year, and a mass-produced fuel-cell model in 2015.
Chinese top legislator calls for deeper business cooperation with South Africa
Visiting Chinese top legislator Wu Bangguo on Friday called for deeper business cooperation with South Africa while addressing Chinese and South African business communities.
China firmly opposes remarks against one-China principle: FM spokeswoman
Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu said late Tuesday that China firmly opposes remarks and actions against one-China principle.
There is only one China in the world and Taiwan is part of China's territory. "This is China's consistent and clear stance on the Taiwan issue, and is also a fact recognized by the international community including the United States," Jiang said in a statement.
"We firmly oppose remarks and actions of some Americans who ignore the fact while violating the one-China principle," Jiang added.
Jiang made the statement in response to a recent comment by Richard Bush, former chairman and managing director of the "American Institute in Taiwan."
See Kaixin's - Where to New America?
Joint Communique on the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations Between China and US January 1, 1979
The United States of America and the People’s Republic of China have agreed to recognize each other and to establish diplomatic relations as of January 1, 1979.
The United States of America recognizes the Government of the People’s Republic of China as the sole legal Government of China. Within this context, the people of the United States will maintain cultural, commercial, and other unofficial relations with the people of Taiwan.
Depressed emotions on rise in old people
More elderly people in Chinese cities are suffering from feelings of depression, which are becoming almost as common in China as they are in developed countries, according to recent research.
Kaixin OpEd - From being respected elders, to being a burden on their family ... in such a short time.
Welcome to the 'west'
Railway passenger scheme during Dragon Boat Festival holiday released
China's Ministry of Railways released a railway passenger scheme for the upcoming Dragon Boat Festival holiday recently.
The transportation time set for Dragon Boat Festival holiday this year is from June 3 to June 6. The dispatched passenger number is estimated to reach 23.1 million, increasing by 2.36 million over last year. The daily dispatched passenger number is estimated to reach 5.78 million, rising 11.4 percent from the same period of last year, according to the railway passenger scheme.
During the Dragon Boat Festival holiday, the national railways will add 17 pairs of through passenger trains, extend a pair of trains' operation section and add 101 pairs of local passenger trains.
In addition, 1,606 bullet trains will be arranged to operate during the Dragon Boat Festival holiday with an increase of 779 year on year, up 94.2 percent from the same period of last year.
See Kaixin's - The Duanwu or Dragon Boat Festival
China marks 60th anniversary of Tibet's peaceful liberation
Tibet is an inseparable part of China and its fate has always been closely linked with that of this country, said top political advisor Jia Qinglin at a symposium marking the 60th anniversary of Tibet's peaceful liberation on Monday.
Tibet in western writer's eyes
In the past six decades, Tibet has seen the earthshaking changes. How an open and modern Tibet impressed the westerners?
In 2009, a German writer Tom Kahn published a novel titled "Das Tibet Projekt", meaning "Project about Tibet" in English. This book introduces many true stories of Tibet which are different from what most western countries propagated.
Tom Kahn said, "For most of the westerners, the only way to know about Tibet is via the local media reports, which led to a very narrow negative and one-sided understanding of Tibet. The first impression is half the battle. That's why many westerners are still willing to believe what the western media propagandized Tibet."
"As far as I know, the western journalists required by their own television stations only report certain images of Tibet. Like the German proverb described: 'When you hold the hammer in hand, you will see all the problems like nails.' So those journalists usually dig out the negative news, inside of the positive sides. That's how the one-sidedness reports come out."
In April this year, Tom Kahn visited Tibet invited by Chinese government. During the tour, he saw a different Tibet from what most westerners thought. Overall developments have occured on the plateau region, Tibet. And people are making a good living and are contented.
In Tom Kahn's mind, Tibet is a modern place with great developments. The increasing flight courses, and popularized English and newly built beer manufacturing workshops adopting German technology have added vigor to this holy place.
Tibet's economy heads to prosperity in 60 years
Over the past 60 years since Tibet’s peaceful liberation, especially over the past 30 years since the reform and opening up policy was adopted in China, Tibet has taken unprecedented changes in social change, economic growth as well as people's living standard thanks to the Central Government's support, nationwide aid-Tibet efforts and the hard work of all ethnic groups in Tibet.
Among various achievements, economic development is the most obvious yet solid foundation for even greater and wider progress.
Prior to Tibet's peaceful liberation in 1951, Tibet had long been a society of feudal serfdom under theocratic rule with its overwhelming means of production possessed by serf owners led by the Dalai Lama, which seriously fettered the development of productive forces and economic growth. After the liberation, the Central Government has put economic development of Tibet on the top priority of their agenda, making a series of favorable policies to help Tibet’s economic development and construction with nationwide efforts.
In early 1950s, the People's Liberation Army opened the prelude of modern construction in Tibet by building roads, bringing talents and technical personnel to Tibet from various regions in China. Later, Tibet made remarkable accomplishments through democratic reform, change of production relations and the establishment of socialism.
See Kaixin's - CHINA & TIBET
Let go of "WuMaoDang" and "50- cent Party"
By Li Hongmei
WuMaoDang (0.5 RMB Party) is Chinese vocabulary for Internet commentators Or Wu Mao (something of 50-cent in English) Internet commentators, people hired to post comments favorable towards the government policies in an attempt to shape public opinion on various Internet message boards. The commentators are said to be paid for each pro-government posting WuMao (0.5 RMB). On the flip side, there is another Internet jargon, WuMeifenDang (50-cent Party) to describe those, inspired by Western values and even sponsored by some anti-China forces abroad, posting comments to vilify and demonize China.
These two newly coined terms in the Internet age are so popular that they have spurred a lively discussion at the just concluded Sino-German Media Forum in Berlin.
...
It is of no taboo to say---Yes, Chinese society is far form perfect, and malpractice indeed exists in governments at varying levels; and yes, if one day Chinese authorities' performance and their administrative capabilities no longer need WuMaoDang's meticulous make-up and refinements, China will have the courage to present itself to the public as it really is, and the ill-intended "Fifty-Cent Party" will be unable to manipulate public opinion simply by tarnishing China's image.
Quantitative Easing III in the coming
By Li Hong
Quite a few people in the western developed countries hold the fantasy that so long the private banks are flush with money -- including huge appropriations injected by the central bank, the economy will heal on itself, reigniting the sputtering factory engine and regaining lost jobs.
Their analogy is: If a person is lying on the hospital bed for a life-threatening ailment, just give the person a respirator and a blood line, the patient will recover and start to kick around, again.
However, if the patient is cancerous and has been on drug support for many years, it won't save the life by continuing to provide blood while avoiding operation and removing the tumors.
Lately, financial markets from Wall Street to London and Hong Kong all tumbled on news that euro-zone fiscal indebtedness would worsen, as ratings agencies were cutting Greece and Spain, and warned impending risks to cripple Portugal, Belgium, Italy and many more. Some economists have announced that if the European Union, typically Germany and France, won't rush to their bailout, these countries have to default on their prior borrowings.
See Kaixin's - ECONOMIC CHINA
Painting of Chinese artist Qi Baishi fetches $65 mln at auction - VIDEO
A painting by contemporary Chinese artist Qi Baishi has fetched a record price in an auction-- 425 and a half million yuan, or 65 million US dollars. It was sold by Beijing-based China Guardian on Sunday.
It's a record high for a modern Chinese painting and calligraphy.It depicts an eagle standing on a pine tree, and also calligraphy scrolls. It's said to be the largest work of Qi Baishi. Born in 1864, Qi Baishi is one of the most influential artists in China's contemporary and modern art history.
China's Power Shortage - FEATURE
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China Daily
35 million people affected by drought
BEIJING - A severe drought from April has affected some 34.83 million people in five provinces along the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River as of Friday, according to the Ministry of Civil Affairs.
Among them, about 4.23 million are experiencing difficulty in finding drinking water and 5.06 million are in need of assistance, the ministry said, citing reports from civil affairs departments from the five provinces of Jiangsu, Anhui, Jiangxi, Hubei, and Hunan.
See Kaixin's - GREEN CHINA
Ban on free plastic bags paying off
BEIJING - China has saved 24 billion plastic bags since it introduced a ban three years ago on merchants giving them away, the National Development and Reform Commission has said.
The use of plastic bags in supermarkets has dropped by two-thirds since the ban began on June 1, 2008, Li Jing, deputy director of the Department of Resource Conservation and Environmental Protection under the commission, was quoted as saying on Friday by Xinhua News Agency.
Waste recycling in Beijing - VIDEO
According to statistics, RMB 90 billion worth of waste is not recycled but abandoned in China every year, including home appliances, plastic, paper and construction waste. As the recycling of solid waste attracts more attention from communities, recycling centers are being built in more cities in China.Dongsanqi is one of the biggest waste recycling centers in Beijing. At Dongsanqi center, we discovered how the waste was gathered, sorted and transported out of Beijing.
See Kaixin's - GREEN CHINA
Locke breezes through Senate hearing
WASHINGTON / BEIJING - US Commerce Secretary Gary Locke, the nominee for United States ambassador to China, waltzed through his Senate confirmation hearing on Thursday as he told the panelists that balancing the trade deficit and reaching out to the Chinese public will be his priorities.
If confirmed by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Locke will become the first Chinese-American to serve as ambassador to China, where his parents were born. The committee is expected to confirm Locke soon, but the date for a vote has not been decided.
With his whole family, wife Mona and three children Emily, Dylan and Madeline, sitting behind him during the hearing, Locke stated his understanding of the new position and the bilateral relationship as well as his goals.
"Should I be confirmed, I will work to build the positive, cooperative and comprehensive relationship that President Obama and Chinese President Hu have agreed our two countries should aspire to," he said.
Locke said he will maintain a commitment to promote commercial cooperation with China as he has been doing for more than a decade. Improving the investment environment in China, strengthening intellectual property protection and enforcement and seeking more collaboration in clean energy are on his agenda.
More mutual trust and understanding are vital to move the Sino-US relationship forward in important areas such as trade, said Niu Xinchun, a scholar on US studies at the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations.
US Commerce Secretary Gary Locke (right) testifies during his Senate Foreign Relations Committee confirmation hearing as his wife Mona Lee (center) and daughter Mona Lee Locke (left) listen on Capitol Hill on Thursday in Washington DC.
Grads urged to go west for jobs
State Council aims to create work through loans, subsidies, policies
BEIJING - The State Council launched a series of measures on Wednesday to increase employment opportunities among this year's college graduates.
Through the initiatives, the government is encouraging graduates to consider setting up their own businesses. Grads seeking self-employment can apply for loans of up to 100,000 yuan ($15,400), said the State Council, China's Cabinet.
Provincial governments are being urged to provide favorable policies for graduates wanting to start up enterprises, such as offering subsidies or tax rebates.
Kaixin OpEd – “Go West young man, Go West …”
The economic, and possibly the socio/political story of the 21st century will be the unlocking of Western China.
This vast area has been ignored for 5 millennia. It has never been developed; its economic, natural and social reserves have never been unlocked.
As the education level in the Western/Rural Regions of China improves, then so will follow the call for a greater say in how China is run …. and so will come a call from the people for what the ‘west’ would recognise as democracy.
However, it will be democracy that arises from the will of the Chinese people, not some bastard child foisted on China by America or the ‘west’.
It will therefore develop and take hold because it is Chinese ….. Democracy with Chinese characteristics.
Watch this space.
Kindergarten kids get to act up in class
Professional performers help pupils learn art of traditional Peking Opera
Thursday is Xu Hao's fifth-favorite day of the week because that is when the kindergarten pupil gets to play soldiers.
Saving kidnapped kids from streets of crime
Rescuing children kidnapped from the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region and forced into a life of crime in cities across the country has become a national priority.
The children often roam in gangs and face exploitation and severe punishment from their so-called minders.
Their presence on the streets of big cities across the country has been a major problem for the authorities.
"When I think of Xinjiang, the first thing I think of are the delicious lamb kebabs. But what worries me the most is the vagrant Xinjiang children," said Xu Weilun, 26, a lawyer from Xi'an, capital of Shaanxi province.
There are many of these children in Xi'an, he said, and they are often found lifting wallets or mobile phones.
Akbar Yusup, 10, is made to feel at home at the Urumqi SOS Children's Village on May 2 where Shiedat (left), a teacher, looks after him. He was the first Xinjiang child to be returned home by the government after a campaign was launched to rescue children from criminal gangs.
Alleviation strategy gives priority to reducing cycle of child poverty
'Difficult experiences in childhood can have lifelong consequences'
Hangzhou - China will give priority to poverty reduction and development issues for children as part of its rural poverty alleviation strategy during the next 10 years, said a senior official.
Students at a primary school in Fengshan county, South China's Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, have only rice as their lunch
Three Gorges Dam's first power unit starts operation
YICHANG - The first power unit underneath the Three Gorges Dam, the world's largest hydropower project, began generating electricity at 12 am Tuesday to better harness the water discharged during the flood season on the Yangtze River.
The 700,000 kw unit has been undergoing a test run for 72 hours and its performance is up to operating standards, said Xiang Ke with the China Three Gorges Corporation.
The construction of the underground hydropower station started in July 2001 and is expected to house six units with 700,000 kw capacity each, said Xiang.
Also, the Three Gorges Dam has begun increasing its water release to ease the severe drought plaguing downstream rice-growing areas since the Yangtze River basin received 40 percent less rainfall than the past 50-year average.
"The underground power units will be turned on and off according to the actual situation. They are built to make better use of water during the upcoming flood season," Xiang said.
The Three Gorges Project consists of a dam, a five-tier ship dock and 26 hydropower turbo-generators. The project generates electricity, controls flooding by providing storage space and adjusts shipping capacity.
See Kaixin's - GREEN CHINA
No evidence that dam causes drought: experts
WUHAN -- Specialists said Wednesday there is no evidence to support the hypothesis that the Three Gorges Dam, the world's largest water conservation project, is to blame for the severe drought currently plaguing central China.
'Big dam enhances risks of natural disasters'
BEIJING - China's land watchdog has asked local authorities to strengthen efforts in monitoring potential geological disasters in the Three Gorges Dam region.
Until June 10, the Three Gorges Dam plans to increase water discharges up to 12,000 cubic meter per second (about 3,000 cu m per second more than water flowing in), which enhances the risks of landslides and bank collapses, China National Radio quoted Guan Fengjun, director of the department of geological environment under the Ministry of Land and Resources, as saying on Wednesday.
"The sudden increase of water discharges from the dam will crash the bank, making the shores unstable," Guan said.
Experience shows newly built reservoirs face intensified landslides, shore collapses and flooding in the first three to five years after operation, and the Three Gorges Dam is no exception.
Drought strands 1,300 boats on Grand Canal
Ships stranded due to low water levels are seen near the Zaozhuang section in east China's Shandong province, along the famous Beijing – Hangzhou Grand Canal on May 22, 2011. About 1,300 boats were stranded in the section as of 1 pm on Sunday.
Ten photographers amazed by Tibet
Witness of Tibet Photography Contest and Exhibit
2011 marks the 60th anniversary of the peaceful liberation of Tibet, and the magazine China's Tibet and Federation of Literary and Art Circles of Tibet Autonomous Region are jointly holding a "Witness of Tibet, 1950-2010" photography contest. In addition to prizes, all winning works will be exhibited in Beijing and Lhasa in May 2011.
See Kaixin's - CHINA & TIBET & Jambhala (Photographer)
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mychinastory@chinadaily.com.cn.
Photos of the author or the story are also welcome.
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XinHua News
China not manipulating currency: U.S. Treasury
WASHINGTON, May 27 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. Treasury Department said in a report released on Friday that China was not manipulating its currency.
Chinese, Austrian leaders exchange congratulatory anniversary messages on 40th anniversay of ties
BEIJING, May 28 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Hu Jintao and his Austrian counterpart Heinz Fischer exchanged messages of congratulations on Saturday to mark the 40th anniversary of the establishment of bilateral ties.
Hu said China and Austria formally set up diplomatic relations 40 years ago which opened a new chapter for bilateral ties.
Chinese vice president stresses innovation, scientific literacy
BEIJING, May 27 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping on Friday called on science and technology workers nationwide to continue to push forward the country's innovation drive while promoting scientific literacy among the public.
Pakistani PM gives exclusive interview to Xinhuanet
China to spend almost four times as much on water conservancy over next 10 years
CHANGCHUN, May 23 (Xinhua) -- China's investment in water conservancy projects from 2011 to 2020 is expected to reach 4 trillion yuan (615 billion U.S. dollars), almost four times as much as that spent during the past 10 years, a senior water official said Monday.
The increased investment shows the government's determination to transform the nation's backward and inadequate water-related infrastructure, Chen said at a national work conference held in Changchun, capital city of northeast China's Jilin Province.
See Kaixin's - GREEN CHINA
CCTV
US expected to support French candidate for IMF chief
As the race for the top job at the IMF continues, European nations are expected to support a candidate from the region, so as to continue the agency's uninterrupted support to the debt-laden region. But they face challenges from new emerging economies seeking a bigger say in the IMF. Meanwhile, the U.S. is widely expected to throw its support behind French candidate, Christine Lagarde.
Analysts say the new IMF chief is more likely to be European. That's due to two factors. The IMF has been led by Europeans since the global lender's founding, and it's become something of an established tradition. More pressingly, the lingering Eurozone debt crisis has become the IMF's most immediate priority. European countries will put their weight behind a European chief, so as to guarantee the agency's support to the region.
But new emerging economies, headed by Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, are laying down the gauntlet. In a joint statement, the BRICS countries say the selection of the new IMF chief should disregard the criteria that the successful candidate must come from a European country. They're also calling for a greater representation of developing countries within the IMF.
See Kaixin's - FOLLOW THE DEBATE: The Selection of the next IMF President
Indian PM urges developing countries to stand united for IMF overhauls
Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is urging developing countries to stand united, in order to foster reforms at the IMF, and other Bretton-Woods institutions. He adds that this process is not a "one-shot operation."
He said, "The reform of global institutions, and that includes the Bretton Woods institutions, has been high on the agenda of developing countries for a long time. But we have also to recognize that international relations, beyond a point, our power relations, and that those who wield power do not wish to yield ground very easily.
So, I am not very well-informed about what is going on with regard to the successor, to the Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund, but I do recognize that the struggle for the transformation of global institutions, including the Bretton Woods institutions, is not a one-shot operation. It is a long process, in which all the developing countries have to stand united."
See Kaixin's - The Selection of the next IMF President
Studio interview: Lessons DPRK can take from China
There's been plenty of reaction abroad on Kim Jong-Il's visit to China, to gauge it, we are joined again by current affairs commentator Zhang Chuanjie.
Q1. Both South Korean and western media say Kim's trip is to study China's economic development, and encourage DPRK to launch its economic reform at home, but some doubt whether the trip achieve this aim. What's your view on this? And what are the factors that hamper economic reform in DPRK?
Q2. There has also been a lot of speculation overseas on the DPRK's nuclear issue. Both leaders have said they want to restart the "six party talks" over denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. However, no new proposal has been made. So what's the major obstacle in restarting the talks? And what driving forces are needed?
Defense Ministry clarifies "Cyber Blue Team"
Some people call it a professional unit of the People's Liberation Army fighting on the Internet. At a recent press conference held by the Defense Ministry, a spokesman clarified the team's role.
Geng Yansheng, Spokesman of Defense Ministry, said, "At present, Internet safety has become an international issue. It not only affects our civil societies but also the military. China is also a victim of Internet attacks. Right now our Internet protection system is still relatively weak. Improving Internet safety is one of the most prominent tasks of our military training. The purpose of the "Cyber Blue Team" is to improve our ability to safeguard Internet security."
The Defense Ministry also emphasized that the "Cyber Blue Team" are not hackers and that the International community should not misunderstand the purpose of it. "Cyber Blue Team" is just a nickname used within the military training routines and is not an actual unit within the PLA.
Yangtze River suffers worst drought in 50 years 
Little rain is expected in the coming 10 days, and high temperatures are likely to hit Central China's Hubei province. The region continues to suffer from the worst drought since 1954.
In central China's Hubei province, Honghu Lake is drying up, making fishing a problem for local residents. Now many fishermen are standing in the water to catch fish, something they had never done before.
This couple just returned from fishing. They have about 10 kilos of crayfish on the boat. The wife says this is a full month's work, but in the past they could catch this much in one day. She says the fish are now drying up on the lakebed.
Reporting from Wuhan: Should Three Gorges Dam be blamed for drought?
For the latest on the severe drought in Hubei Province, we're joined on the line by reporter Fan Qing from Wuhan TV. Hello,Fan Qing, thanks for joining us.
Q1: Could you give us some details on the latest drought conditions there?
Q2: Some blame the Three Gorges Dam for recent deteriorating environmental. How have experts responded to that?
Studio discussion: How will power shortage affect China's economy?
For more on China's power shortage, joining us is Li Yong, Assistant Chairman of the China Association of International Trade. Welcome back to the program Mr Li...
Q1: China has been suffering power shortages more or less on a yearly basis. But it seems this year's shortage has come earlier and is more urgent than before. Why is that?
Q2: The China Electricity Council estimates this summer's shortage might be 30 gigawatts, the worst since 2004. How will it impact the country's industrial sector, and the economy overall?
Q3: What's your suggestions for solving what's become a chronic headache for the authorities?
CCTV insight: Reasons behind power shortage 
For more on China's power shortage, our reporter Guan Xin joins us in the studio. Hello, Guanxin.
Q1: Many provinces in China are facing power shortages. Can you briefly explain to us the current power shortage situation in China?
Studio discussion: What are the criteria for becoming IMF chief?
For more on the race to lead the IMF, we are now joined in the studio by our current affairs commentator, Professor Liu Bao-cheng, from the University of International Business and Economics. Thank you very much for being with us, professor.
Q1: Several European countries are promoting French Finance Minister to be the next IMF leader. But some developing countries say it's time to choose someone from outside Europe. So what exactly are the criteria for becoming IMF chief?
Q2: How will the succession issue affect the future of EU economy, especially the bailout plans for Greece and Portugal?
See Kaixin's - Selection of the next IMF President
Tele interview: Tibet's change in foreigners' eyes
For more on the 60th anniversary of the peaceful liberation of Tibet, we are joined on the line by Dawa Tsering from the China Tibetology Research Center.
Q1, Flag raising, playing the national anthem and laying flowers. The ceremony in the morning seemed very simple and short. What was the significance behind it?
Q2, You have talked to many westerners visiting Tibet. What do they say, are the most significant changes that strike them the most?
See Kaixin's - CHINA & TIBET
Reporting from Tibet: Locals' views on Tibet's dev't 
For more on the 60th anniversary of Tibet's peaceful liberation, we cross over to Wang Guan, our reporter in Lhasa，hello, Wang Guan.
Q1: The past 60 years have seen all-round development in Tibet, what do local people say about the profound changes that have taken place in the region?
Q2: You've been in Tibet for a week, how do you see the ongoing modernization drive's role in improving people's lives?
See Kaixin's - CHINA & TIBET
Tibetans re-discover their roots
Monday marks the 60th anniversary of peaceful liberation of Tibet. Over the decades, there have been vastly different views on the merits of the modernization of Tibet being carried out by the central government. CCTV Reporter Wang Guan finds out how development has given Tibetans more choice in life and offers them innovative ways to preserve their culture.
Tibet--one of the most religious places in the world.
Now, on the fast track to modernization...
Modernization has meant an influx of non-religious people from other parts of the country, and subsequent commercialization...
It also means 21st-century infrastructure and perhaps more importantly-- modern-day education.. that gives young Tibetans more possibilities, and better chances to live their dreams.
See Kaixin's - CHINA & TIBET
Interview: China in relation to US-Pakistan ties
To further discuss China-Pakistan ties, we're now joined on the phone by Professor Su Hao, from China Foreign Affairs University. Good evening, Professor Su.
Q1: Premier Wen Jiabao has assured his Pakistani counterpart,Yousuf Raza Gilani, of China's "all-weather friendship." How have bilateral ties evolved over the years, and where is this relationship headed in the future?
Q2: Do you think the close gestures seen in Beijing this week might affect the US-Pakistan relationship?
Thanks for your analysis. That was Professor Su Hao, from China Foreign Affairs University.
Reporting from Washington: China-US military ties 
For more on General Chen Bingde's visit to the US, we can cross to our correspondent Daniel Ryntjes in Washington. Hello Daniel...
Q1. Military bands from China and the US performed together in Washington on Monday - the first public event of the General's visit. Do you think it was an attempt to set a lighter tone for the week-long trip?
Q2. General Chen is scheduled to visit several US military facilities during his stay. Can you give us more details on ...
Three Gorges Dam helps fight drought 
The Three Gorges Dam, the world's largest capacity hydro power station in Central China's Hubei Province, is once again stepping up its anti-drought effort to discharge more water.
In the next two days, the reservoir will increase its water discharge volume to 95-hundred cubic meters a second. That's more than 30-thousand cubic meters a second more than the previous volume. According to staff,low rainfall has reduced water flow along the Yangtze River by 40-percent. It reached a record low on Tuesday. So far, the Three Gorges Dam is doing all it can to help ease the drought along the Yangtze River.
It's the second water dispatch this year, following the first one on May 7th, which saw 400-million cubic waters dispatched to the middle reaches of the Yangtze River.
See Kaixin's - GREEN CHINA
See Kaixin's - China & Tibet
Global Times
The UK taught the world how to produce in the 19th century, the US showed the world how to consume in the 20th century, and China needs to demonstrate how to develop in a sustainable way in the 21st century.
Kim Jong-il reportedly in Beijing
North Korean leader Kim Jong-il was reportedly in Beijing Wednesday ahead of talks with Chinese leaders on economic cooperation and aid. His visit coincided with a US delegation's trip to Pyongyang to assess the North's food shortages.
Both China and North Korea have not openly acknowledged Kim's visit, but both have a history of remaining quiet on such visits until they are complete.
South Korean President Lee Myung-bak said Wednesday that he views Kim's frequent visits to China in a positive light, while urging the North to act more responsibly in inter-Korean affairs, Yonhap reported.
See Kaixin's OpEd below - WSJ
Mega oil rig changes game
China has inaugurated its most advanced deep-sea oil platform capable of operating at up to 3,000 meters under the surface of the ocean.
This move boosts the country's offshore tapping capabilities and enhances its leverage in securing marine resources often contested by other regional players.
The announcement, seen as a major technology breakthrough, will serve a national energy ambition as authorities now look to the high seas for answers to soaring energy demands.
See Kaixin's - GREEN CHINA & ECONOMIC CHINA
North Korean leader visits China: reports
North Korean leader Kim Jong-il paid a surprise visit to China Friday, South Korean media reported, amid a series of confusing reports about who accompanied him and the purpose of the trip.
Kaixin Oped - An insight into how China sees the issue of the Korean Peninsular
Three Gorges Dam problems revealed 
The central government has for the first time acknowledged downsides to the Three Gorges Project, but vowed to correct the mishaps and improve disaster prevention mechanisms, as a severe drought in central and southern China threatens millions of people.
In a statement issued after a meeting presided over by Premier Wen Jiabao, the State Council said the project had played a key role in flood prevention and power generation, but admitted it had caused severe problems to the environment, shipping, agricultural irrigation and water supplies in the lower reaches of the Yangtze River, an area of 633,000 square kilometers shared by eight provinces.
It added that the government would properly handle all negative effects caused by the Three Gorges Project, the largest hydropower project in the world, and improve long-term mechanisms for geological disaster prevention, ecological preservation and the promotion of biological diversity.
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Dialogue
A 30 Minute Current Affairs Programme on CCTV - 9 (In English) where current issues are discussed by experts from China and Internationally:
China, Japan, South Korea trilateral summit
Europe struggles to handle crisis
China debates personal income tax
3rd Strategic & Economic Dialogue
Premier Wen's tour of southeast Asia
International News Sources
The Wall Street Journal
Should the U.S. Sell More F-16s to Taiwan?
At a time when some in Washington’s foreign policy firmament are suggesting the U.S. reconsider its commitment to defend Taiwan, nearly have of the U.S. Senate joined in sending a letter Thursday to President Barack Obama urging the government expedite the sale of new F-16 C/Ds and upgrades to Taiwan’s existing 145 F-16 A/Bs.
Kaixin OpEd - .... and as those Senators are only glove puppets for the American people it is an indicator or where America public opinion is on China.
See Kaixin's - CHINA & TAIWAN
Chinese Confident About Growing Old – Study
Having watched their economy rise to become the world’s second largest, Chinese citizens are far more optimistic than their U.S. counterparts, where only 22% of citizens believe the quality of their lives in retirement will surpass their parents’, perhaps because they’ve spent the last few years reading headlines about the economic downturn and stubbornly high employment rates.
Saving the Secret Towers
The ride from Chengdu to Danba Valley is one to be endured, not enjoyed. The journey is by a smoke-filled bus with tiny seats that barrels deep into the mountains of western Sichuan province, shaking and rattling on a single-lane road that is often strewn with fallen rocks. A hair-raising view out the window is of the Dadu River below.
China’s Privileged Rule-Breakers
Yiyi Lu, an expert on Chinese civil society, discusses local governments’ use of the Internet in China. Ms. Lu is an associate fellow at the U.K.-based Chatham House. She is the author of “Non-Governmental Organisations in China: The Rise of Dependent Autonomy” (Routledge 2008).
There are different views on what constitutes the biggest threat to stability in China. For anyone who follows China’s domestic news on a daily basis, it doesn’t take long to figure out that many of the social disturbances and much of the popular discontent can be attributed to two things: the unbridled privileges claimed by officials and an almost universal disregard for rules.
Kim Jong Il in Beijing for Stealth Summit
SEOUL—Leaders of two of the world's most secretive countries—China and North Korea—met Wednesday, leaving people in other countries wondering anew how their unusual, unconfirmed-but-visible summit will affect the security and economy of East Asia.
Kaixin OpEd – The Korean War in the 1950’s, like the Vietnam War in the 1960’s, was essentially a civil war.
America’s finger remains soiled after sticking into what were essentially a domestic affairs, which, in all probability would not have morphed into such a damaging and divisive conflict if America had not intervened.
America then, as now, had the same agenda, to contain China.
The civil wars ended in a stalemate.
For decades Vietnam impoverished, and is only now is rising from the ashes.
Korea is still divided.
America sees itself as the saviour of South Korea. It trumpets the economic success of South Korea and never misses an opportunity to point out how impoverished North Korea is under the communist dictator, Kim Jong Il, backed by that other evil empire, China.
If Korea had been left on its own to work out the politics in the 1950’s, who knows what the result would have been.
However a united Korea is a distinct possibility.
North Korea is the bastard child of America’s constant meddling in Asian affairs under the guise of halting communism.
Was the spread of Communism a real probability?
Russia was still recovering from WWII and did not have the means to wage war through the Pacific. China had only just become united again. Russia had vowed never to allow and invading army onto Russian soil, after the horrors inflicted on it by Nazi Germany. China was equally determined not to be raped, tortured and impoverished by a foreign power after the atrocities inflicted on it by Japan in the 1930’s and with the memory of Colonial Powers from Europe sucking the very life out of China still fresh in the National Consciousness….. wafts of Opium smoke still lingered in the air.
Those at the extremes of this debate will not consider any other possibilities. However those in the centre might like to consider the issue of North Korea in a new light.
See Kaixin's - Korean War and China (a Précis from Wikipedia)
‘Princeling’ General Attracts Notice with Criticism of Party
A senior Chinese general whose father was once President and heir apparent to Mao Zedong has accused Communist Party leaders of “betrayal,” and urged them to allow more open debate within the Party in a rare example of a senior military figure speaking out on domestic politics.
From Wikipedia:
Born into a moderately rich peasant family in Huaminglou village, Ningxiang county, Hunan province, Liu attended Ningxiang Zhusheng Middle School (宁乡 驻省 中学 Nìng-xiāng zhù-shěng zhōng-xué), and was recommended to attend a class in Shanghai prepared for studying in Russia. In 1920, Liu and Ren Bishi joined into a Socialist Youth Corp; and in the next year, Liu was recruited to study at the Comintern's Sun Yat-sen University in Moscow. In 1921 Liu joined the newly formed Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
...
Liu and Deng, along with many others, were denounced as "capitalist roaders" Liu was labeled as a "traitor," and "the biggest capitalist roader in the Party." In July 1966 Liu was displaced as Party Deputy Chairman by Lin Biao. By 1967 Liu and his wife, Wang Guangmei, were placed under house arrest in Beijing. Liu was removed from all his positions and expelled from the Party in October 1968. After his arrest Liu disappeared from public view.(He died in prison)
After Deng Xiaoping came to power in 1978, Liu was politically rehabilitated. In February 1980, over a decade after his death, Liu was given a belated state funeral.
Liu Shaoqi (with hat) is seen with other top Chinese leaders, including Deng Xiaoping and Zhou Enlai, at the Beijing airport in 1963. Liu’s son, Liu Yuan, is a high-ranking general in the People’s Liberation Army.
SMH 23/5/2011 - Chinese general rattles sabre
By John Garnaut
A RISING star of the People's Liberation Army has called for China to rediscover its ''military culture'', while challenging unnamed Communist Party leaders for betraying their revolutionary heritage.
General Liu Yuan displays sympathy for Osama bin Laden, says war is a natural extension of economics and politics and claims that ''man cannot survive without killing''.
His essay, written as a preface to a friend's book, says ''history is written by blood and slaughter'' and describes the nation-state as ''a power machine made of violence''.
In Shanghai Glass Museum, Message Not Always Clear
Glass is one of the few inventions from ancient times that didn’t originate in China, but a newly opened Shanghai museum exhibits the fact the Middle Kingdom is now the world’s No. 1 producer.
The Economist
Liberalism under attack in China
Boundlessly loyal to the great monster
But at least the liberals are fighting back
...
A relative liberal, Wen Jiabao, the prime minister, in a meeting with a visitor from Hong Kong in April, said two forces were causing difficulties for China’s reform efforts. One, Mr Wen said, was “vestiges of feudal society” (party-speak for conservatism). The other, he added, was the “pernicious influence of the Cultural Revolution”. Apologists for that orgy of violence, destruction and persecution in the latter years of Mao’s rule abound in China’s Maoist circles. Qin Xiao, a former chairman of China Merchants Bank and a prominent moderniser, warned in an interview this month that the “evil habits” of the Cultural Revolution were in danger of resurfacing. At least this time, in contrast to earlier hardline crackdowns, some liberals are fighting back.
The Comments on this article in the Economist are most informative.
LINK to the Article in Chinese
LINK to the Article in Kaixin with an English Translation
See Kaixin's - For whom the Bell Tolls - Mao, Tiananmen 1989, The Cultural Revolution
See Kaixin's - Mao’s Last Swimmer - Chairman Mao's swim anniversary Nanning China
Chatham House
Discussion VIDEO - One Hour
The West and the Rest: the Changing Global Balance of Power in Historical Perspective
Participants
Niall Ferguson, Laurence A Tisch Professor of History, Harvard University and William Ziegler Professor, Harvard Business School
Chair: Professor Michael Cox, Department of International Relations, The London School of Economics and Political Science
TOPIC
With China projected to overtake the United States in terms of economic output within the next ten years, many commentators are speaking of a new 'Asian century' and the 'decline of the West' long ago predicted by Oswald Spengler and others. The speaker will draw on his work on the last 600 years of world history to offer an insight into the changing global balance in terms not only of economics, but also of geopolitics and 'soft power'.
The New York Review of Books
Kissinger and China
By Jonathan D. Spence
It is hard to fit Henry Kissinger’s latest book, On China, into any conventional frame or genre. Partly that is because the somewhat self-deprecatory title conceals what is, in fact, an ambitious goal: to make sense of China’s diplomacy and foreign policies across two and a half millennia, and to bring China’s past full circle in order to illuminate the present. In form, the book is highly idiosyncratic, for it is not exactly a memoir, or a monograph, or an autobiography; rather it is part reminiscence, part reflection, part history, and part intuitive exploration.
'Societies and nations tend to think of themselves as eternal. They also cherish a tale of their origin. A special feature of Chinese civilization is that it seems to have no beginning. It appears in history less as a conventional nation-state than as a permanent natural phenomenon. In the tale of the Yellow Emperor, revered by many Chinese as the legendary founding ruler, China seems already to exist.'
The Diplomat
Why China Needed Bin Laden
By Frank Ching
September 11 distracted the United States from China’s rise. Without the attacks, China wouldn’t be where it is today, says Frank Ching.
With the demise of the Soviet Union, the George W. Bush administration came to office in January 2001 seeing China as the next enemy. The new US government’s intention was to strengthen ties with US allies in Asia, especially Japan and South Korea, and to bolster Taiwan’s political and military position.
While Washington’s attention has been focused on the Middle East and Afghanistan, China has focused its attention on developing its economy and cultivating relations with countries around the world, many of them neglected by the United States.
From 2001 to 2010, China more than quadrupled the size of its economy.
Kaixin OpEd –In respose to some of the opinions expressed in the discussion forum for the article.
‘Western’ Kaixin grew up in the 1960’s and watched his fair share of westerns.
Kaixin is disturbed by the anger and hatred that many Americans display towards China. It is clearly seen in responses to articles such as this. Not all, Kaixin has also experienced the big heart for which Americans are renowned.
... America at times now reminds me of one of those ‘onery critters who sits alone at the end of the bar, sipping his rye juice and just a-itch’n to shoot someone.
China is busy making friends in the bar room (the world). That won’t stop the ‘onery
critter tak’n ah pot shot, but maybe China’s friends will urge restraint. Some may even come to China’s aid.
Why China’s Leaders Fear Inflation
By Minxin Pei
With the Communist Party leadership transition coming next year, China’s leaders are nervous about anything that could stoke instability.
Inflation is universally viewed as a scourge. But it appears to be seen as a worse scourge in China than in other countries. At the moment, Beijing is obsessed with keeping the annual inflation rate below 4 percent, its declared target. Yet based on the latest figures, the government is losing the inflation fight.
I.H.T. Op-Ed Contributor
China Is Key to America's Afghan Endgame
By ANATOL LIEVEN
LONDON — The affairs of Afghanistan and Pakistan are becoming the biggest test of whether the United States and China can cooperate to maintain global peace and stability in the 21st century.
They are an even bigger test of this than the Korean Peninsula, for the security equation there is largely frozen, whereas in Afghanistan and Pakistan it is very volatile indeed, as circumstances surrounding the death of Osama bin Laden have emphasized.
The New York Times
Once Again, U.S. Finds China Isn’t Manipulating Its Currency
WASHINGTON — The Obama administration said Friday afternoon that China was not manipulating the value of its currency, choosing once again to avoid any escalation in the long-running trade dispute between the two countries.
See Kaixin's - YUAN REVALUATION & INTERNATIONALISATION
Saab Resumes Production With Push From Chinese Partner
Pang Da Automobile provided crucial aid to get Saab back online after the collapse of a previous deal left the Swedish carmaker scrambling to stay alive.
Caixin Online
Ours or Theirs
By Liu Qing
The incongruous arguments held up by both proponents and opponents of the Western Model's application have ignored the sequence of development in China
Two years ago, a British author, Martin Jacques, published a book titled, "When China Rules the World," which galvanized many to reconsider their notions of China's strategic development. However, Chinese professor Zhang Weiwei's recent best-seller, "China Shock" has not created the same shock and intrigue. China's rise is an indisputable fact. Professor Zhang's most important contribution in this work is his comprehensive overview of the China Model.
Property Tax Pilot Program Not to be Expanded
Pilot programs for property taxes in Shanghai and Chongqing will not be extended to other cities this year over the question of tax base and legal barriers
(Beijing) -- China will not expand its pilot program for property ownership taxes this year, Caixin learned from a taxation official.
How to Distort a Business Zone Land Auction
By selling key Central Business District parcels, Beijing officials netted 22 billion yuan and sowed utter confusion
(Beijing) – Property developers from around the world with eyes on a Beijing prize enthusiastically ran a race for six, precious development plots last year in the city's Central Business District.
See Kaixin's - CHINA REAL ESTATE
Bend the Trajectory, Slow China's Growth
By Andy Xie
After years of breakneck GDP speed, an economic slowdown is beginning that will benefit China long-term
China's economy is slowing from a high base. A further slowdown, probably substantial, is likely in the second half of the year.
Don't be alarmed. This trend is good for China's economy overall, ...
For the Yuan, Fear of Flying Beyond Hong Kong
Some say Hong Kong should not be the only overseas center for yuan trade settlement and banking, but others disagree
Hong Kong has been China's exclusive springboard for yuan internationalization since 2004, when the mainland government started giving banks in the city permission to offer yuan-denominated accounts.
Now, international financiers in Singapore and London are vying for a piece of the action.
See Kaixin's - YUAN REVALUATION & INTERNATIONALISATION
The Age
It's a steel, old China
John Garnaut
The country's seemingly endless boom and insatiable demand for iron ore have given Australia its most favourable trading conditions since colonial times.
IF THE centre of Australia's economic universe is no longer London or New York, then it's possibly a gritty industrial town called Tangshan.
IMF candidates named by mid June
The International Monetary Fund will publish the names of the candidates seeking to become the next IMF managing director by June 17, a spokeswoman said on Thursday.
See Kaixin's - FOLLOW THE DEBATE: The Seleciton of the next IMF President
Asia Times Online
China drops the Gwadar hot potato
By Peter Lee
Reports emerged during Pakistan Prime Minister Yusuf Gilani's visit to China that Beijing would not only take over operations at Pakistan's Gwadar port in Balochistan province, it would also build a naval base there. The news set off alarm bells around the world, but China promptly issued a denial. Gwadar spells bad economics, premature geostrategic confrontation with the United States and the prospect of becoming the target of a burgeoning insurgency that might be receiving covert support from Washington and New Delhi.
North Korea plays it both ways
By Donald Kirk
Even as Dear Leader Kim Jong-il is visiting the high-tech zone of eastern and northeastern China and enjoying the embrace of President Hu Jintao, United States human-rights envoy Robert King is in Pyongyang on a "fact-finding" mission. The North Koreans are clearly pulling out all the stops to convince both their closest ally and their worst enemy that this time they really want to be good.
Donald Kirk, a long-time journalist in Asia, is author of the newly published Korea Betrayed: Kim Dae Jung and Sunshine.
Timing is key in Pakistan-China aerobatics
By Chris Zambelis
The symbolism underlying Pakistan's joint combat aircraft exercises with China this month is obvious given Islamabad's deteriorating relationship with the United States. Though a crucial US ally in the Afghan mission, Washington's consistent meddling in Pakistani affairs and perceived special treatment for India have driven Islamabad further into the arms of "all-weather friend" Beijing.
SINOGRAPH
China syndrome and Strauss-Kahn's fate
By Francesco Sisci
The fate of Dominique Strauss-Kahn (innocent until proven guilty, remember) is globally relevant. If Strauss-Kahn was put away, any belief in China that it was through conspiracy to eliminate a possible political scenario for Europe and the world would push Beijing further away from the West - and at a critical juncture when China would be deciding its strategic course for the next 10 years.
Taiwan caught in China-US diplomatic speak
By Jens Kastner
Taiwan dominated the agenda of General Chen Bingde's week-long visit to the United States. Through guarded remarks, the People's Liberation Army officer revealed that the weight of China's reaction to F-16 fighter sales or upgrades to Taipei is largely shaped by domestic politics, and that Beijing rather optimistically hopes the Taiwan Relations Act's days are numbered.
Taiwan steps up FTA race
By Jens Kastner
The opening of free-trade talks with Singapore is a small but significant step for Taiwan as it tries to catch up with agreements forged by South Korea, its arch rival in trade. If negotiations with Singapore proceed without being used to make Taiwan look like a formal state, Beijing will likely stand aside again.
A SCO canopy for South Asia
By M K Bhadrakumar
The Shanghai Cooperation Organization is well on its way to turning the United States' neglect of a "Great Central Asia" strategy to its advantage, with China and Russia tempting Afghanistan to step under the security group's umbrella and bringing in India and Pakistan. With such wider reach, Russian-Chinese coordination on strategic issues is graduating to a qualitatively new level.
Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar was a career diplomat in the Indian Foreign Service. His assignments included the Soviet Union, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Germany, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Uzbekistan, Kuwait and Turkey.
By Sreeram Chaulia
In terms of the high-level attendance of American and Chinese government and business officials as well as the breadth of issues under the scanner, the latest United States-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue in Washington stood out as ground zero of global policymaking. Yet, the elephant in the room of this most consequential of all diplomatic forums was literally the elephant - India.
Russia and China challenge NATO
By M K Bhadrakumar
Growing unease that North Atlantic Treaty Organization intervention in Libya aims to perpetuate the West's historic dominance in the Middle East fueled the weekend announcement by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov that Moscow and Beijing would act in concert. Both share concern that the United Nations hierarchy may acquiesce to a ground invasion in Libya without a Security Council mandate.
Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar was a career diplomat in the Indian Foreign Service. His assignments included the Soviet Union, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Germany, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Uzbekistan, Kuwait and Turkey.
DISPATCHES FROM AMERICA
Is the world too big to fail?
By Noam Chomsky
Just what is taking place both in the decaying industrial heartland of the richest and most powerful country in human history, and in what former United States president Dwight Eisenhower called "the most strategically important area in the world" - the Middle East? And more important, is Earth, as we humans have organized it, too big to fail?
THE ROVING EYE
An extreme traveler, Pepe's nose for news has taken him to all parts of the Pepe Escobar globe. He was in Afghanistan and interviewed the military leader of the anti-Taliban Northern Alliance, Ahmad Shah Masoud, a couple of weeks before his assassination
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See Over for the 27th of May 2011
CULTURAL CHINA
Articles of interest from the week's news
Insights into China's Society & Cutlure
A selection of photos published
by
CCTV9 - Rediscovering the Yangtze River
WSJ - A Romantic Twist in China
At a key moment in “A Beautiful Life,” Shu Qi explodes into a teary outburst over her failing relationship with a married executive, who dumps her.
That’s about as spectacular as the action gets in this tear-jerker from director Andrew Lau, who is best known for high-energy action movies. Set against a backdrop of China’s bustling, smoggy capital, “A Beautiful Life” plays out like a 1930s Hollywood soaper: an unlikely romance between an honest Beijing cop, played by Liu Ye, and a materialistic Hong Kong woman, whom he rescues from her self-destructive life.
Shu Qi and and Liu Ye as fated lovers in ‘A Beautiful Life.’
Kicking Up a Stink
On eating cheese in China.
By Fuchsia Dunlop
Food writer Fuschia Dunlop brings stinky European cheeses to Shaoxing, capital of “stinking and fermented” (chou mei) delicacies, and compares tastes with the locals. From Slate (originally published in the Financial Times):
At the Xianheng, a waitress cut the cheeses into pieces, and the assembled tasters began to pick them up with their chopsticks, sniffing and tasting. And where I had been impressed by what cheese and stinky soya products had in common, these culinary professionals were immediately struck by their differences. "Although in some ways you could say the flavours of cheese and fermented beancurd are similar," said Mao, "vegetable stinky foods are very clean and clear in the mouth (qing kou), and they disperse quickly, while milky foods are greasy in the mouth (ni kou), they coat your tongue and palate, and they have a long, lingering aftertaste."
Two other chefs said the cheeses had a heavy shan wei (muttony odour), an ancient term used by southern Chinese to describe the slightly unsavoury tastes associated with the northern nomads. Another said that the selection "smells like Russians". "The difference," he added, "is that the stinky things Chinese people eat give them smelly breath, while stinky dairy things affect the sweat that comes out of your skin."
Kaixin OpEd - A lenghty and informative article, well worth the read.
Taoist Wudang Mountains lure foreigners
SHIYAN, Hubei - On a sweltering afternoon, a group of Europeans in traditional white Chinese shirts and dark baggy pants sit in a big circle on a lawn meditating. After about half an hour, they start to practice tai chi in pairs, pushing each other's hands.
They are from the Wudang Five Dragons Tai Chi School in the Wudang Mountains, Central China's Hubei province. The mountains attract tens of thousands of foreign kungfu fans every year, not only for its deep Taoism culture but also for its legendary Wudang tai chi martial arts.
Unlike other kungfu schools in Wudang, the two teachers are both German, rather than Chinese.
Norman Torok (L) and Ismet Himmet, both from Germany, practice tai chi at the Five Dragons Palace in the Wudang Mountains, Central China's Hubei province
Saving stage beauty
Students and teachers at Peking University are committed to keeping Kunqu Opera, one of the world's oldest and most refined art forms, Han Bingbin reports.
Crowned as the mother to many forms of Chinese opera, Kunqu Opera has been refined by musicians and literati through hundreds of years until it is now considered one of the world's most precise art forms. However, like many old art forms, the opera style is being crowded out by modern artistic tastes. Experts and teachers have realized that the best way to preserve and promote Kunqu Opera is to rely on the vitality of youth and teach and perform it at colleges.
Peking University launched its Kunqu Opera Inheritance Project in 2009, aiming to spread the word among students within five years through performances, lectures and workshops.
单雯 Kunqu Opera -- " The Peony Pavilion • Broken Dream"
Meeting with famous pianist Lang Lang
Virtuoso Pianist Lang Lang has been telling CCTV of the childhood pressures he endured before becoming a worldwide star. The 28 year-old classical pianist is in London for a record breaking concert with 100 children and 50 Steinway pianos. He joined our London Correspondent Richard Bestic to share memories of his childhood and his happiness at inspiring a new generation.
Lang Lang was in playful mood for this unprecedented event.
100 children drawn from the length and breadth of Britain learning from the Master at London's Royal Festival Hall.
See Kaixin's:
- Lang Lang plans Listz Hungarian Rhapsody
- Lang Lang play's Schumann Abegg-Variations
- Lang Lang plays Chopin - Grand Polonaise Brillante Op.22
- Lang Lang plays Chopin's Grand Polonaise brillante
- 10 Questions for Lang Lang
- Lang Lang plays Debussy Prelude "Les Collines D'Anacapri
- Lang Lang plays Beethoven's Sonata Appasionata
- Lang Lang at the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize
- Guo Gan and Lang Lang at Carnegie Hall
- Lang Lang and his father (on Er Hu) play the famous Chinese piece Horse Race
- Lang Lang Encore at the Berlin Phillhamonic
- ANDREA BOCELLI & LANG LANG - Io Ci Saro / I Will Be There
- Lang Lang plays Hungarian Rhapsody No2
- Lang Lang plays Chopin's Valse Brilliante
- Herbie Hancock & Lang Lang play Rhapsody in Blue
- Lang Lang plays Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No 1
- Lang Lang plays Liebestraum No.3 in A Flat Minor by Franz Liszt
Video: Touring Hengdian, World’s Largest Outdoor Film Studio
Welcome to “Chinawood,” the world’s largest outdoor film studio in the fastest-growing film market. At more than 2,500 acres, Hengdian World Studios, as it is officially known, is larger than Universal and Paramount Studios combined, boasting a full-scale replica of the Forbidden City, a Qin Dynasty palace and an evening variety show involving volcanic explosions.
An old poem chanted by 1,000 young voices
Pupils sit together whilst reading aloud classical works of Sinology - China Studies - on the ground of Bianbjinglu primary school, Kaifeng city, Central China’s Henan province, May 20, 2011. Nearly a thousand pupils gather to read the ancient traditional Chinese poetry to mark the start of the local “Reading Festival” and the establishment of the Dongfang Youth Sinology Academy in Bianjinglu primary school.
Twenty days in Tibet - VIDEO
If you love a place, it's the people who are responsible - that's what reporter Feng Xin experienced during her 20-day backpack multimedia reporting in Tibet. In her travelogue, she tells you what her biggest barrier was and what struck her most in Tibet.
See Kaixin's - CHINA & TIBET
Stinky corpse flower blooms in Beijing - VIDEO
Flowers are usually popular for their beautiful colors and sweet scents. But there is one flower at the Beijing Arboretum that's attracting visitors for a different reason.
The plant is called the Amorphophallus titanum. But most people know it by its more common name, the corpse flower, because it exudes the smell of rotten flesh.
Originally native to the tropical rainforests on the Indonesian island of Sumatra, the plant rarely blossoms, even in the wild. In terms of artificial cultivation, there have been only 134 recorded blooms worldwide. And in China, this is the first.
This plant is now growing by ten centimeters everyday, but its flower is yet to bloom to its full potential, which is when the smell becomes the worst. Park staff expects this flower to fully bloom on May 26 or 27. And once that happens, the flower's full bloom lasts no more than 48 hours.
So if you want to get a closer look – or smell – of the flower that smells like a corpse, you'd better hurry up.
Past and present:Xibe's use of a bow and arrows - VIDEO
The bow and arrow played a big part in the history of human development. Not only are they hunting tools, they are also good fighting weapons. In the developing history of ethnic groups, bows and arrows are very frequently mentioned. Xibe, which is located in Xinjiang's Qapqal Xibe autonomous county, is an example of such history.
1764 AD, Xibe took orders from Qianlong, the emperor of the Qing dynasty, to move west to guard the country’s frontier. Their excellent archery skills made them a very strong group.
Wedding customs exhibited in Ninghai, China's Zhejiang
A decoration for traditional Chinese wedding is seen at a museum in Ninghai, east China's Zhejiang Province, May 18, 2011. A museum in Ninghai, highlighting objects related to the wedding customs in east Zhejiang Province since Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 AD) and Qing Dynasty (1616-1911 AD), opened to public on Wednesday. The wedding customs of east Zhejiang Province was enlisted as one of the national intangible cultural heritages.
See Kaixin's - Marriage in China - Ancient & Modern
Suzhou: Heaven on Earth
Time-tested adages sing praises of Suzhou.
Many cities have slogans to entice you to visit and spend your tourist dollars. These are usually written by some tourism office or travel agency, and no matter how clever or well thought out, they often fall on the deaf ears of seasoned travelers or the cynical.
But there are adages that are time-tested - like this one, which roughly translates to: Up in the sky there is heaven, down on earth there is Suzhou and Hangzhou.
That's a pretty bold declaration when you consider the size of China and the many beautiful places to see within its borders. Yet, Suzhou's beauty has won it boasting rights.
Suzhou, built in 514 BC, has a storied past.
Marco Polo spent time there in 1276 while on the Silk Road. Sun Tzu wrote The Art of War in Suzhou when it was the kingdom of Wu.
Wooden pagoda seeks for world heritage status
TAIYUAN - Authorities in north China's Shanxi Province said Sunday that they would finish the application for the Sakyamuni Pagoda, the oldest wooden structures in the world, by July for it to be included on the UNESCO list of cultural relics by 2013.
The Sakyamuni Pagoda, also known as the Yingxian Pagoda as it was housed in the Fogong Temple of Yingxian County, is the oldest full-wooden pagoda still standing in China and believed to be the oldest of its kind in the world.
Standing 67.31 meters tall, the octagonal pagoda was built in 1,056 AD during the Khitan-led Liao Dynasty.
On-line Dating：A New Craze Sweeping China
Due to the dating pressure, millions of China’s singletons log on dating websites to find love, especially for men, which has been driving a major boom in on-line dating business.
Where does this dating pressure come from? As a Chinese saying goes,”A man should get married on coming of age, so should a woman ” Nowadays, Chinese parents commonly expect their daughters to be married by the time they’re 25 and sons by the age of 30. There’s even a word for those who are not married by the time expected: Shengnan and shengnv, literally a “left-over man” or “left-over woman”. Shengnan and Shengnv are bearing all aspects of pressure coming from their worried and pushy parents as well as their busy jobs. “I was very busy; my life circle was very small” Ada Zhang, one of my ex-colleagues, said, “So I turned to on-line dating, and I made it, now I’m married. I believe everyone can find their true love on the internet” She is just one of millions of Chinese people who are turning to on-line dating as a solution to their relationship woes in a society where the pressure to find a partner can be very oppressive.
According to research by the National Women's Union and Baihe.com in 2010, China currently has 180 million bachelors, 23.8% of who are going on dates arranged by their parents, the rest are looking for dates by themselves. A male netizen makes a joke of his being-busy in his blog,“if I’m not on a date, I must be on the way to it”. Among 180 million bachelors, some ask for dates from matchmakers, some “sneak” into dating agencies in a low profile, some even step out and chat up with girls on the streets, however, up to half of whom are thought to be looking for love on-line.
By Jan, 2011, there are three main stream on-line dating websites: Jiayuan.com with 32 million registered members, Baihe.com and Zhenai.com with 26 million members each, which all together account for nearly half of singletons in China.
Those numbers mean big business. In china, the combination between the immense demand of finding love and the advanced network has started generating the windfall profits. Every on-line site now is like a 24-hour convenient store, collecting and selling their member’s information. What makes people jealous is that those websites are taking in billions of revenues annually, with the annual growth rate at 200%. Every year, there are 20 million singletons who would become the potential clients for the on-line dating sites. According to Time.com, it's estimated that online dating sites attracted three million paying customers in 2010, who collectively spent more than $150 million.
See Kaixin's - Marriage in China - Ancient & Modern
Gan En Store in Sichuan - VIDEO
Liu Anrong runs a store called Gan En Store in Sichuan, which was hit by a massive 8.0 magnitude earthquake three years ago.
She named the store Gan En to show her gratefulness to those who have been offering help to the quake zones.
Old Beijing hutong reopens with new look
After years of renovation, the much noted Xianyukou Hutong in the bustling Qianmen area of downtown Beijing is welcoming visitors with a whole new look.
Xianyukou is literally translated as Fish Street. It's an appropriate name because it was the fish market for old Beijing.
The alley, packed with time-honored brands of Beijing snacks, was once among the most frequently visited places by locals.
See Kaixin's - Beijing Hutongs
Miao ethnic singer Song Zuying debuts in Taiwan
Song Zuying, one of the most capable singers on the Chinese stage, held her first solo concert in Taiwan on Sunday night.
The success of her concerts could blaze a trail for more top singers from the Chinese mainland to perform in Taiwan.
Clad in glamorous costumes, Song Zuying performed a program of Chinese folk songs for her debut in Taiwan.
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