31st of May 2011
The Lion Awakes
Daily News, Culture & Current Affairs about China
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People's Daily
China's 2011 foreign policy puts greater emphasis on Asia
Over the last two weeks, China has seen a train of high-profile receptions for leaders and senior officials visiting from four major Asian nations, reflecting its greater emphasis on relations with neighboring countries.
Experts say China's foreign policy is becoming more active and open in the wider context of profound changes in the international and regional situation.
China's gold output ranks first for consecutive four years in world
China has become the world's largest gold producer for consecutive four years, and China's explored gold reserve rank third in the world, said Zhang Yongtao, the vice-chairman of the China Gold Association.
Home prices likely to fall by more than 10 pct this year: analysts
Analysts said Chinese home prices are likely to fall by more than 10 percent this year, due to the government's prudent monetary policy and other tightening measures, the Beijing News reported Monday.
See Kaixin's - CHINA REAL ESTATE
With policy support, China's wind industry growing exponentially
China's wind power output rose more than 60 percent to 18.8 billion kilowatt-hours in the first quarter of 2011, growing 30 percent to 50 percent faster than the output of thermal power, hydropower and nuclear power in the same period, according to information from the National Energy Administration.
Shi Lishan, director of the New and Renewable Energy Department of the National Energy Administration, said that the significant increase in the wind power output in the first quarter exemplifies China's flourishing wind power industry. The country's total installed wind power capacity doubled for five consecutive years since 2005.
See Kaixin's - GREEN CHINA
Beijing loses its allure as grads put off by expense, pressures
University graduates are shunning major cities like Beijing due to heavy work pressure and high living costs, according to a new study.
China's capital used to be a top destination for young people fresh out of college. Just five years ago, 80 percent of graduates from University of International Business and Economics alone wanted jobs in Beijing, said Zhuang Hongyan, deputy director of its career center.
However, research shows that roughly half of all grads would now prefer to work in smaller cities, such as provincial capitals.
Shanghai schoolchildren getting very fat very fast: survey
Obesity among Shanghai schoolchildren has increased 24.4 percent in the last decade, according to a survey by the Shanghai Jiao Tong University.
As many as 13.3 percent of primary schoolchildren are overweight and 6.5 percent obese – higher than the world average – Shanghai Evening Post quoted the survey as saying. The report did not define overweight or obese.
Kaixin OpEd - With prosperity comes obesity.
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.
See Kaixin's - CHINA & TIBET
Western "containment", an outdated kick
By Li Hongmei
"Containment" both as a political term and as a means to countering expansion of rivaling strengths should have put to an end, with the end of the Cold War.
...
But since People’s Republic of China was founded in 1949, "containment" has also become the basic formula of U.S. policy toward China. This has not gone unnoticed in Beijing, as, after all, the West is still not ready to accept China’s emergence, and want to thwart its "ambitions" by containing it.
...
Seeing how things stand, it might be true when some US high-ranking officials always state that they have no intention to "contain China’s rise", as there is nothing about China inviting their "containment", at least, it is manifest that China, bent on its economic development and harmonious society buildup, has no intention of "expansion".
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.
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
China's Power Shortage - FEATURE
Kaixin Search Engine
Research China
You can SEARCH the WWW but there is no QUALITY CONTROL of the articles. This can waste a lot of time. ALL of the articles in Kaixin are substantive and come from well-respected sources. No dross, means no loss (of time) to you.
The powerful Google Kaixin Site search allows you to search Kaixin by topic, key word, name, specific date ...
China Tibet Online
China Daily
FEATURE - The past is another country as reports take us back in time
How the world media covered events in China three decades ago
To much of the world, China remained a mystery in the summer of 1981, when China Daily came into being.
By 1986, colorful skirts and fashionable sandals had grown common for summer wear in Beijing
Kaixin OpEd: Xiaosui smiled when she saw this picture. She was about the age of the young women in the photo and at university "Yes, it was just like this."
Industry faces rising power cost
BEIJING - Electricity prices for industrial use will be raised on Wednesday in 15 regions to combat power shortages, amid concerns over increasing manufacturing costs and a slowdown in production.
The National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), the nation's top economic planner, announced that prices will rise by an average 0.0167 yuan (0.25 cents) per kilowatt-hour in the first retail power price rise since 2009.
The electricity price for residents remains unchanged, the NDRC said.
See Kaixin's - ECONOMIC CHINA
Drought fuels food price increases
SHANGHAI - The impacts of China's worst drought in 50 years have been served up on the nation's dining tables as the price of rice and vegetables from drought-hit provinces have skyrocketed.
The average price of staple foods in 50 cities has increased significantly, and the price of some leaf vegetables has jumped 16 percent in one month, according to data from the National Bureau of Statistics.
Decreased production because of the drought has been cited as the major reason for price increases, and the prices of rice and vegetables may not drop soon, according to a report by the Ministry of Agriculture.
Relax overseas investment rules: experts
WENZHOU, Zhejiang - Experts have suggested that the government should remove restrictions on private-sector businesses and individuals making direct overseas investments, pointing out that it could benefit the domestic economy.
Trade unions set wage talks target
BEIJING - Unions will introduce collective wage negotiations by 2013 in at least 95 percent of enterprises set up by Fortune 500 companies operating in the country, a senior union official said.
Among the approximately 4,800 corporations of Fortune 500 companies in China, 93 percent have already established unions, said Guo Chen, a division chief overseeing grassroots organizations with the All-China Federation of Trade Unions (ACFTU), the top union organization.
"A greater union presence in Fortune 500 companies is a priority and we will introduce collective wage negotiations in all companies that have unions in the next three years," Guo told China Daily.
China's Trade Union Law stipulates that a corporate unit with 25 employees or more should set up a union. The primary task of a union is to boost collective contract agreements and to mediate labor relations through negotiation between employees and employer.
In 2008 the ACFTU intensified its campaign to boost union presence in Fortune 500 companies. Consequently, unions were set up in firms such as Wyeth Pharmaceutical Co Ltd, Morgan Stanley and Marubeni China Co Ltd.
Wal-Mart established unions in all of its outlets in China in 2006 following demands by employees.
Checks on land trades to control prices
BEIJING -- The Ministry of Land and Resources (MLR) said Monday that it will check land transactions completed since the beginning of the year to monitor unusual price fluctuations and prevent rebounds in residential land prices.
See Kaixin's - CHINA REAL ESTATE
Int'l New Energy Equipment Expo opens in Lanzhou
Photo taken on May 29, 2011 shows visitors operating on an equipment during the 4th China Northwest International New Energy Equipment Manufacturing Expo in Lanzhou, capital of northwest China's Gansu province. The 4th China Northwest International New Energy Equipment Manufacturing Expo opened here on Sunday.
Justice in a makeshift village court
Judge Wu Xiangbo (third left) hears a divorce case with Tribunal Clerk Feng Guangjian in a makeshift court in a village in Xishui county of Northwest China's Guizhou province, May 23, 2011. A Chinese banner reads "Mobile court of Xishui People's Court". A China's national emblem which is usually hung on the wall of a Chinese courtroom is displayed on a table under the banner. Wu and Feng, judges with the People's Court of Xishui County, go to the county's remote villages to hear cases, so that villagers don't have to travel a long distance to a court to submit lawsuits. "It's always been difficult for people living in remote rural areas to make lawsuits, and it's hard to enforce judgment in these areas. (As a result,) A mobile court helps us to hear local cases that are simple and clear," said Wu Xiangbo.
Kaixin OpEd - Barefoot Lawyers?
Chery Auto to build $200m factory in S America
BEIJING - Chery Automobile Co will break new ground in Latin America when its $200 million factory in Venezuela starts producing vehicles for the region later this year, a move seen as further enhancing foothold in the overseas market of the automaker, a top company executive told China Daily.
Someone older, someone new
'Most elderly people are a lot of fun,' says girl who volunteered for 12 yrs
SHANGHAI - The first time she was to perform in front of the gathered seniors, 9-year-old Xue Tingting was too shy to sing the Shaoxing Opera she had learned, and even cried a little.
Now Xue, a sophomore at East China Normal University in Shanghai, has come to enjoy spending time with the seniors so much that she's been doing it for 12 years.
"People tend to expect elderly people to be boring, which in most cases isn't true," Xue said. "Most elderly people are a lot of fun.
Drought affects 35 million, no end in sight
BEIJING - The drought that has affected 35 million people and caused an economic loss of almost 15 billion yuan ($2.3 billion) in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River is a persistent "yellow alarm", the National Meteorological Center said on Sunday.
Fishing boats are stranded on grassland, which was once the bed of Poyang Lake — China’s largest fresh water lake, in Jiujiang, East China’s Jiangxi province, on Saturday. Because of a severe drought, the area of Poyang Lake has shrunken to less than half its usual size.
Outsourcing expected to raise billions of yuan
Outsourcing of backroom services expected to raise billions of yuan
SHANGHAI -The morning sun breaking through the dense mist casts a surreal glow on the rows of low-rise glass-and-steel buildings in this sprawling industrial park that is the pride of Hefei, capital city of Anhui, one of the less developed provinces of China.
Staff at a Nanjing-based animation design and manufacturing company work on computers under an outsourcing deal with a Japanese company.
Kaixin OpEd: "We want to leapfrog into the same higher-value-added services industry … "
When Deng Xiaoping set China on its way in 1979, China had basically one surplus – a surplus of low-cost, unskilled labour.
China now has a new surplus - a surplus of graduates.
The three major cities of Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou absorbed most of the graduates in the first 30 years.
Now they are becoming unemployed in those cities.
The Central Government (Beijing), in partnership with many regional governments, is promoting the benefits for those graduates of moving to other cities.
This includes that benefit of being able to move back closer to their families: An intangible benefit, but also an economic one.
This meshes with the current 5 Year Plan to develop Rural & Regional China.
For the first 30 years of China’s re-emergence into the world China exported its low cost, low skilled, un-educated labour in the form of cheap widgets.
Now China will use the resource of educated graduates to generate export revenue: higher cost, highly skilled graduate labour will be one of the new exports.
This new stream of revenue will be more evenly spread throughout China, and will help to boost both the economic development of rural/regional China and domestic consumption.
The saying for these graduates will soon be:
Move near Mum, have a son (well, it IS China) and make plenty of Mon
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)
The China Daily website is inviting foreign readers to share their China stories with our worldwide audience. Please send your story with your contact information to:
mychinastory@chinadaily.com.cn.
Photos of the author or the story are also welcome.
Kaixin Search Engine
Research China
You can SEARCH the WWW but there is no QUALITY CONTROL of the articles. This can waste a lot of time. ALL of the articles in Kaixin are substantive and come from well-respected sources. No dross, means no loss (of time) to you.
The powerful Google Kaixin Site search allows you to search Kaixin by topic, key word, name, specific date ...
XinHua News
CPC gears up for its 90th anniversary with major promotional campaign
BEIJING, May 30 (Xinhua) -- As the 90th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China (CPC) approaches, the International Communication Office of the CPC Central Committee announced Monday it will hold a series of press conferences for domestic and international media on the Party's history and development as part of the celebration.
China aims to boost scientific literacy in next five years
BEIJING, May 30 (Xinhua) -- China plans to have 5 percent of its population attain a basic understanding of science and technology by the end of 2015.
The plan was revealed Monday at the eighth national congress of the China Association for Science and Technology (CAST).
China, Maldives eye on boosting parliamentary cooperation to foster bilateral relations
MALE, May 30 (Xinhua) -- Chinese top legislator Wu Bangguo left here on Monday for home, wrapping up his 12-day Asian-African trip which has also taken him to Namibia, Angola and South Africa.
Nigerian president meets Chinese president's special envoy
ABUJA, May 30 (Xinhua) -- Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan met with Chinese President Hu Jintao's special envoy Sheng Guangzu in Abuja, the capital, on Monday.
FEATURE - China steps up food safety supervision
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
Hubei drought may lead to a year of water shortages
As one of the areas worst hit by the drought, Central China's Hubei Province has many paddy fields thirsty for water. CCTV reporter, Shen Le travelled to one village to find out how the dry spell has affected this year's rice harvest.
This is the biggest water reserve in Loukou village. It hasn't rained for more than 3 months and there's very little water left.
Shen said, "Usually it’s the season to fight floods, local villagers would ride on these boats to reinforce dams along the way. However, the drought has reduced water levels significantly, and as you can see, all the boats are stranded."
Studio discussion: A look into sea-faring China
The highlights of today's operation will be a close look at the main structure of the ancient vessel-- the bow, stern, masts, sails, and possibly anchors and cargo cabins.
Many legends surround China's greatest sea-farer Zheng He and his amazing voyages and fleets. All these marvellous feats were accomplished almost 6 centuries ago, much earlier than any western sea-faring nations.
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
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.
Graft probe hits telecom giants
A graft probe of the country's telecom industry may widen after high-level officials and executives were detained, causing an outcry to reform the lucrative sector where the monopoly of State-owned companies has long gone unchallenged.
Senior executives in three telecom giants – China Mobile, China Telecom and China Unicom – were all required to hand in their passports as authorities seemed determined to clamp down on corruption, according to a report by Caixin Magazine on Monday.
Investigators from the Commission for Discipline Inspection of the CPC have been deployed and stationed in all three companies as their anti-corruption campaign is set to last until June, the report said.
Recruiting them young
Along with the study-abroad craze, gaining Party membership has seemingly become the latest trend among a growing number of university students in China.
The phenomenon has also spurred debate: Are the Party membership seekers more like those who go abroad in the hope of advancing their careers, or do they truly share the high-minded values and selfless spirit that is supposed to personify Party members.
Grass-roots candidates rally online
The nation has seen a wave of independent grass-roots candidates seeking to be elected as deputies to local people's congresses, a phenomenon propelled by the Internet and cautiously welcomed by analysts.
The trend started Wednesday with an entry by controversial blogger, writer and sports commentator Li Chengpeng, declaring he would run as an independent candidate in September for deputy to the people's congress of Wuhou district in Chengdu, Sichuan Province.
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"Before I studied the law, I wasn't aware that I had so many political rights," Li told the Guangzhou-based Yangcheng Evening News in a previous interview. "What a pity if I never used them."
Chinese law states that all citizens over 18 have the right to vote and be elected, with the exception of those who have been deprived of their political rights.
Kaixin Search Engine
Research China
You can SEARCH the WWW but there is no QUALITY CONTROL of the articles. This can waste a lot of time. ALL of the articles in Kaixin are substantive and come from well-respected sources. No dross, means no loss (of time) to you.
The powerful Google Kaixin Site search allows you to search Kaixin by topic, key word, name, specific date ...
Dialogue
A 30 Minute Current Affairs Programme on CCTV - 9 (In English) where current issues are discussed by experts from China and Internationally:
DPRK's economic development and regional peace
Top leaders of China and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) pledged to seek stronger bilateral ties and pass on their traditional friendship to the next generation when Kim Jong Il visited China for the third time in the past year. The DPRK is now concentrating on economic development, and regional stability is important for this goal. Pyongyang appreciates Beijing's efforts at pushing for the resumption of the Six-Party Talks and safeguarding peace and stability on the peninsula.
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
Has China’s Yuan Drive Taken a Wrong Turn?
China’s effort to make the yuan an international currency is running into complications, including the deeply ironic outcome that it is actually boosting the country’s massive stockpile of foreign currency. As awareness builds of these unintended consequences, prominent voices are now calling on Beijing to take a step back and slow the pace of yuan internationalization.
Kaixin OpEd - See OpEd below: 'Thirty years does not rate as an itch on a rhinoceros’s bum'
See Kaixin's - YUAN REVALUATION & INTERNATIONALISATION
Western Graduates Head To China for Internships
Asian Work Experience Helps Résumés Stand Out in Tough Market
In a crowded job market, having work experience in China on your résumé can make a big difference.
Recent graduates in industries from engineering to finance in both Europe and the U.S. are making their way to the country, hoping to land their first jobs faster and more easily than their competitors.
HSBC Expands Yuan Offerings to Australia
HSBC Holdings PLC plans to offer customers in Australia yuan-denominated financial products as part of the bank's efforts to roll out services using China's currency across the region.
HSBC: Room for More Yuan Trade Settlement
BEIJING—Nearly eight in 10 companies in mainland China that have yet to use yuan to settle cross-border transactions are planning to use it sometime in the future, a survey released Sunday by HSBC shows, suggesting ample room for further growth in the international use of the currency.
Use of the yuan to settle international transactions is growing rapidly, rising to around 7% of total foreign trade in the first quarter of 2011, up nearly 20 times compared with the same period a year earlier, partly due to strong encouragement by the Chinese government.
On the back of that momentum, HSBC ...
Hong Kong Exchanges Seeks Input on After-Hours Trading
HONG KONG—Hong Kong Exchanges & Clearing Ltd. published a consultation paper seeking market views on a proposal to introduce after-hours trading for three futures contracts.
The New York Times
China’s Economy Slows, but Inflation Still Looms
CHANGSHA, China — China’s economy is starting to slow, after two years of torrid growth achieved following the global downturn.
...
But other experts worry that inflation is already so entrenched that the government may be forced to continue braking the economy for a considerable time.
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 Kaixin with an English Translation + OpEd
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 Myth of the Internationalisation of the Yuan
by
Chi Lo
CEO of HFT Investments Honk Kong
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Kaixin OpEd: In reponse to the article
Thirty years does not rate as an itch on a rhinoceros’s bum
Beijing has always stated clearly and consistently that China is a developing Economy …. of course it is not strong enough or developed enough to take on the role of a reserve currency.
The people who question this stance, that China is a developing economy, seem to take a schizophrenic approach to China. On the one hand they strenuously demand that China take an international role as the worlds second largest economy. They often demand all sorts of things and all too often show a profound ignorance of China. On the other hand they snigger at China’s first steps to internationalise the Yuan: China, they say, does not have a fully developed economic, bond or banking structure. Its current account is not fully convertible.
Of course its not. The tiny panda bear would be torn to shreds by that rather large and powerful American Eagle if it ventured onto the playing field too soon.
Beijing is clearly taking small steps towards the internationalisation of the Yuan. Whether that results in the Yuan becoming a reserve currency is perhaps not the immediate concern of Beijing.
For the moment bi-lateral trade agreements include the use of the Yuan as a medium of exchange.
That is enough for to be getting on with.
Time frames are important.
The ‘west’ seems to take a caffeine approach. All jerky and immediate.
China seems to take a tea approach. Considered, quiet and patient. A good conversation and a cup of tea in the garden, that is what life is all about.
Discussing a poem by Li Bai beside a pond filled with gold fish (yes, I deliberately separated gold and fish ….. think about it).
Sending a servant out to deal with those impatient tradesmen from across the seas, the wai guo ren, in particular the impatient beautiful ones.
China has been around for around 5,000 years or so. The detail is not relevant and can be debated. The fact is that China has been around for 1,000s of years.
The dark period under Mao does not define China.
In terms of China’s history, thirty years does not rate as an itch on a rhinoceros’s bum.
The rise and rise of China since 1979 has been stellar.
That rise will continue, but it will slow down.
The economic potential of 1.4 billion people has not yet been seen on this planet.
The economic potential of rural China has never been tapped.
The oft reported reply by Zhou Enlai, when asked for his assessment of the 1789 French Revolution - "It is too early to say" is perhaps not fully understood.
Three hundred years is not long in terms of China’s history and it shows clearly the time frames Zhou Enlai considered relevant.
Also, perhaps the French experiment in communism has not yet been played out …. in terms of thousands of years. Perhaps it kicked something off and got the ball rolling, perhaps the ball is still rolling. After all, communism comes at the end of capitalism and capitalism is till the dominant economic philosophy ……. at this time in history.
While the servant deals with the tradesmen, China will contemplate Li Bai and allow things to develop at their own pace.
The outcome is both inevitable and full of possibility.
Where will the Elephant and the Bear be at the end of the 21st century?
Will Europe’s changing demographic demand an about face towards Mecca?
Will the Eagle moult or grow stronger …… or show some maturity and learn to share the planet. (Note: 30 years, 50 years and the rhinoceros’s bum – America has only been a world power for 50 years or so. China was the dominant economic power for 18 of the past 20 centuries.)
The Age
Is Australia in danger of biting the Chinese hand that it feeds?
By John Garnaut
The Australian government, he [Clive Palmer]says, has “racially discriminated” against Chinese investors and he will save them by investing on their behalf.
"They've brought in things like the Foreign Investment Review Board in Australia, which is an outstandingly racist legislation designed to slow Chinese growth, and it's a national disgrace,” he said at the weekend.
Caixin Online
Dominique Strauss Kahn and the IMF
Of all failures that haunt the IMF, the one that looms largest comes from its institutional insularity
Those who hoped for serious reform of the International Monetary Fund have to be very disappointed by the allegations of sexual assault against its director, Dominique Strauss-Kahn. If the charges prove true, this will end Strauss-Kahn's efforts at reforming an institution that is badly in need of reform.
Most people around the world do not realize the power that the IMF has in controlling their lives.
See Kaixin's - FOLLOW THE DEBATE: The Selection of the next IMF President
Shanghai's International Board to Launch Soon
A source close to the matter ruled out speculation that Hong Kong-listed mainland companies may be among the first listed companies on the international board
Beijing) – After four years of preparation, the Shanghai Stock Exchange's international board is poised to launch, giving foreign firms a platform for listing on the mainland for the first time.
Beyond a Buyer's Market, Renting Makes Sense
By promoting a rental market and protecting tenants, China can provide more adequate, affordable housing
April housing data from the National Bureau of Statistics not only failed to clear up doubts but added to confusion over where property prices in China may be headed, and whether government market controls are working.
Two things are certain: Market watchers expect prices to remain elevated, and housing demand remains strong.
See Kaixin's - CHINA REAL ESTATE
Analyst: Home Prices to Fall, Gov't Bailout Unlikely
Nie Meisheng, chairwoman of the China Real Estate Chamber of Commerce, said property prices are expected to fall on increasingly tightened policies
(Beijing) -- Property prices are expected to fall by 10 percent as the government will not rush to bail out the market amid inflationary pressures, said Nie Meisheng, chairwoman of the China Real Estate Chamber of Commerce in a forum here on May 29.
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.
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, ...
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.
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.
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.
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 30th 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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