9th of June 2011
The Lion Awakes
Daily News, Culture & Current Affairs about China
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People's Daily
Chinese wrap up glutinous rice, cherish traditions on Duanwu Festival
A man teaches a child to wrap a zongzi (rice dumplings) in Haiyou, capital of south China's Hainan Province, June 4, 2011. As the Duanwu Festival draws near, handmade Zongzi, a kind of traditional food for the festival, became more and more popular. The Duanwu Festival, also known as Dragon Boat Festival, falls on June 6 this year.
Origins of Dragon Boat Festival a tragic tale
There are many different versions about the origins of the Dragon Boat Festival held each year on the fifth day of the fifth Chinese lunar month.
The most widely believed concerns Qu Yuan, an official in the Kingdom of Chu during the Warring States Period (475-221 BC).
See Kaixin's - The Dragon Boat Festival
After the drought, now comes heavy rains
Heavy rains in the lower reaches of the Yangtze River in China have eased the drought in the region, but authorities warned that ensuing floods could further hamper the country's crop production amid soaring inflation.
Provinces that had been ravaged by a long dry spell, such as Jiangxi and Hunan, are expected to experience torrential rains until the middle of the month, the China Meteorological Administration (CMA) said in a statement on Monday, warning related departments to be on the alert against possible floods.
People watch the fast-flowing Jishui River in Dexing, Jiangxi Province after days of rainfall caused the river's water level to surge.
See Kaixin's - GREEN CHINA
How can think tanks boost China's development?
The Shanghai Financial Association recently established two think tanks, a financial and shipping committee and an expert committee, based on nearly an entire year of preparation. The founding of the two think tanks is expected to enhance Shanghai's international influence as a financial hub.
The Shanghai Advanced Institute of Finance
China says IMF race 'open' as Lagarde visits
China's Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi told visiting French Finance Minister Christine Lagarde that the race to lead the International Monetary Fund was "open".
Earlier, China's foreign ministry said the choice of a new IMF chief should be based on "openness, transparency and merit, and better represent emerging markets and better reflect changes in the world economic structure".
Lagarde is the front-runner campaigning to be the new IMF managing director. The French finance minister traveled to Beijing overnight from New Delhi, where a day of talks with Indian leaders did not yield any public endorsement of her candidacy.
See Kaixin's - The Selection of the next IMF President
China rejects 'independent candidate'
China said Wednesday that there is no such a thing as an "independent candidate," as it's not recognized by law, amid ongoing elections starting this year of lawmakers at the county and township legislatures.
The Electoral Law stipulates that candidates for lawmakers at the county- and township-levels should be first nominated as "deputy candidate" and then confirmed as "official deputy candidate" in due legal procedures, said an official of the National People's Congress (NPC), China's top legislature.
The official, head of the Commission for Legislative Affairs of the NPC Standing Committee, made the remarks when asked about campaign announcements by "independent candidates" to run for deputies to the grassroots people's congresses. These announcements were made on the web over the past few weeks.
The Constitution and the Electoral Law grant qualified citizens the right to vote and to be elected, but election activities must adhere with the law and its specific provisions for the election procedures of lawmakers, the official said.
Cold War mentality hinders peace in Asia-Pacific
The 10th International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) Asia Security Summit, also known as the Shangri-La Dialogue, successfully concluded in Singapore on June 5. The attendees had in-depth discussions on bilateral and multilateral defense cooperation during the three-day summit. As a major regional cooperation platform, the dialogue will help dispel suspicion and build up mutual trust among the Asia-Pacific countries, said John Chipman, director-general of IISS, organizer of the Shangri-La Dialogue.
Kaixin OpEd - Proxy War Anyone?
Kaixin's 'The Korean War & China'
Kaixin's 'The Vietnam War & China'
Bin Laden to haunt America: al Qaeda leader
Ayman al-Zawahri，Osama bin Laden's longtime lieutenant, said the United States faces rebellion throughout the Muslim world after killing bin Laden, a YouTube recording posted on Wednesday said.
In the video, Zawahri warned Americans not to rejoice at bin Laden's death. "You should await what will befall you after every celebration," he said.
"Today, thanks be to God, America is not facing an individual or a group ... but a rebelling nation which has awoken from its sleep in a jihadist renaissance challenging it wherever it is," the man said.
Economy to grow by 9.3% this year: World Bank
The economy will maintain its high growth levels and the government still has plenty of room to further tighten monetary policy, World Bank economists said on Wednesday.
The economy is predicted to grow by 9.3 percent this year, before slowing to 8.7 percent in 2012 and 8.8 percent in 2013, the World Bank forecast in its twice-yearly report, Global Economic Prospects, released on Wednesday.
"What we're seeing now is a moderate slowdown," said Ardo Hansson, lead World Bank economist in China.
"A moderation in high growth is something that could be welcome."
See Kaixin's - ECONOMIC CHINA
'EU's scheme could blacken relations'
If the European Union goes ahead with its plan to force other countries to join its carbon-trading scheme, it will affect friendly relations between Chinese airlines, European airlines and plane manufacturers, a senior official with China's top aviation industry guild said on Tuesday.
Chai Haibo, deputy secretary general of the China Air Transport Association, told China Daily that Chinese airlines felt "angry" about the EU's plan that all airlines flying to its member states be included in its Emissions Trading Scheme starting Jan 1 next year.
The system compels polluters to buy permits for each ton of carbon dioxide they emit above a certain cap. It is estimated that Chinese airlines will face a bill of 800 million yuan ($123 million) in 2012, which will more than triple in 2020, but the system has not made it clear yet where the money will go after being collected.
"Chinese airlines felt angry because, with an attitude of cooperation and common development, they have been supportive with Europe and forged a friendly relationship with European airlines, aircraft and aviation engine manufacturers all these years, but the EU suddenly came up with a plan that will hinder their development," he said.
No sign of let up in China's skyscraper building spree
Hong Kong, Shanghai and Shenzhen have the most skyscrapers in the country, according to the first China's skyscraper report released by www.motiancity.com.
Hong Kong has 58 skyscrapers, followed by Shanghai's 51 and Shenzhen's 46. Beijing was ninth place with 13 high-rises.
China has been on a building spree of modern skyscrapers. Five of the world's top 10 tallest buildings are in China. Apart from the tallest 828-meter-high Burj Khalifa in Dubai, the second tallest, the third, the fourth, the seventh and ninth are in Taipei, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Nanjing and Guangzhou.
See Kaixin's - CHINA REAL ESTATE
China to issue first national territory development plan
China will issue a national territory development plan, the first of its kind since the founding of the People's Republic of China, said a government official on Wednesday.
The plan divides the country's territory into four categories: development zones to be optimized, key development zones, limited development zones and prohibited development zones, said Xu Xianping, vice minister of the National Development and Reform Commission, at a press conference.
Xi JinPing vists Italy, Cuba, Uruguay & Chile
Why China should seek after Inclusive Rise?
By Li Hongmei
President Hu Jintao has called at various occasions for Asia's inclusive development and made it one of the themes of the country's 12th five-year development plan, underscoring how China will reorient its growth model to make economic benefits more widely shared.
The idea was initiated by the Asian Development Bank in 2007 and enshrined by the United Nations as one of its millenium goals.
The questions popping up here are how China could translate this into more tangible policy actions, and why China is supposed to pursue the route of inclusive development and rise.
...
"Desensitize" Three Gorges, face up to reality
By Li Hongmei
The State Council, China's cabinet, said on May 18 that the Three Gorges faced "urgent problems" of geological disaster prevention, relocation and ecological protection, noted the negative impact on downstream water supplies and river transport, and vowed to restore things to order within the next eight years.
The spectacular dam has been dubbed as China's most impressive man-made wonder since it came into being in 1992, second only to the Great Wall, inviting boundless respect and admiration. But it seems that, all of a sudden, "the national pride" became a "problem child" just overnight.
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.
America's dogfight over debt woes
By Li Hong
The dogfight between the two major U.S. political parties over whether to raise the federal deficit ceiling and avoid an immediate default on American debts has just begun.
The stakes are high that, if no agreement is reached in due time, the U.S. would be sent to another financial crisis, and the global economy would face the dim prospect of another great recession, just three years after a devastating economic catastrophe caused by a sub-prime mortgage debacle done by the Wall Street.
China, now holding more than 8 percent, or nearly $1.2 trillion U.S. Treasury bonds, is certainly concerned about the potential default quagmire, as the security of the debts repayment is on the line.
Currently, Chinese online chat-rooms are awash with ordinary people's demands for Beijing to draw down its purchase of American debts, and shift to other securer investments including buying more oil and resources as strategic reserves.
China's Power Shortage - FEATURE
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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."
Dragon boat races breathe life into festival
Participants prepare for a dragon boat race on a river in Zhucun village in Guangzhou, South China's Guangdong province, June 2, 2011. More than 50 dragon boats took part in the race to celebrate the upcoming Dragon Boat Festival, which falls on the fifth day of the fifth month in the Chinese lunar calendar, June 6 this year.
People wearing Han clothings to worship Qu Yuan
People dressed in ancient costumes of Han ethnic group participate in a ceremony worshipping Qu Yuan, a patriotic poet during the Warring States period (475 B.C.-221 B.C.), in Nanjing, capital of east China's Jiangsu Province, June 5, 2011. Chinese traditional Dragon Boat Festival, or Duanwu Festival, falls on June 6 this year, which is held to pay homage to Qu Yuan who drowned himself to protest his fatuous king.
Beijing Dragon Boat Culture Festival - VIDEO
The Third Beijing Dragon Boat Culture Festival kicked off at Shunyi Olympic Rowing-Canoeing Park over the weekend. Visitors were treated to a whole series of cultural folk displays, dragon and lion dances a cultural heritage bazaar and three days of dragon boat races at the Olympic water sports venue.
Enter the dragons - China Daily FEATURE
See Kaixin's - The Duanwu of Dragon Boat Festival
Economy to grow by 9.3% this year: World Bank
BEIJING - The economy will maintain its high growth levels and the government still has plenty of room to further tighten monetary policy, World Bank economists said on Wednesday.
The economy is predicted to grow by 9.3 percent this year, before slowing to 8.7 percent in 2012 and 8.8 percent in 2013, the World Bank forecast in its twice-yearly report, Global Economic Prospects, released on Wednesday.
"What we're seeing now is a moderate slowdown," said Ardo Hansson, lead World Bank economist in China.
"A moderation in high growth is something that could be welcome."
Chinese professionals prefers domestic firms
SHANGHAI - With the growth of the national economy and the continuous development of Chinese enterprises, more middle- and high-level professionals in China now prefer to work for domestic companies rather than foreign-owned enterprises, human resources experts said.
"Multinational companies have long been in a favorable position in the recruiting market due to their liberal reward and advanced management culture," said Chen Jiewei, senior consulting manager with China International Intellectech Corporation (CIIC), a Shanghai-based HR services company.
"But over the past five years, Chinese companies have been doing excellently and many of them have been listed abroad. They have demonstrated their competitive strength," Chen told China Daily, "Now they can offer salaries and bonus plans that are competitive with foreign companies, which makes them increasingly attractive for high-level management professionals."
Designed in Japan, but made in China
BEIJING - China is likely to see a new wave of Japanese companies transferring their domestic production lines to the country, as a result of the devastating earthquake and tsunami in March. That's according to Dai Hakozaki, the deputy director general of the Japan External Trade Organization Beijing.
Hakozaki told China Daily that, in the light of China's rapidly rising domestic consumption, the country will continue to be the most attractive destination for Japanese outbound direct investment. Moreover, that will play a part in promoting Japan's economic recovery.
HK tops skyscraper rankings
In the first ever Chinese City Skyscraper Rankings, released on Monday in Shanghai, Hong Kong topped the list with its 58 skyscrapers, and Shanghai got second with 51 skyscrapers, the Oriental Morning Post reported Tuesday.
People walk near the World Financial Center and Jin Mao Tower in Shanghai
Country striking up patriotic tunes
BEIJING - Red songs are no longer the exclusive property of Southwest China's Chongqing municipality.
The whole nation has begun a musical campaign to mark the 90th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China, which falls this year.
Red songs, the name given to songs written in praise of the Party, the country and the spirit of revolution, have inspired several generations to struggle for the prosperity of the country, and now are filling China with vigorous new strength. They can be heard in schools, communities and villages - even in canteens and jails.
Women rehearse a dance in praise of the Communist Party of China in Tianshan community of Shanghai's Changning district on June 3
Asia Leadership Roundtable
The roundtable, held on June 2, is entitled "Hong Kong and the Internationalization of the RMB". Debate over the internationalization of the yuan has moved forward from speculating on whether it will happen to looking at how China will manage the process. What is the role of Hong Kong in helping the currency play a more important role in the global economy?
Ten photographers amazed by Tibet
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.
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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
Dragon Boat Festival - FEATURE
Chinese vice premier visits exhibition on environmental protection achievements
BEIJING, June 8 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Vice Premier Li Keqiang on Tuesday visited an exhibition in Beijing that displayed the achievements the country made between 2006 and 2010 on environmental protection.
"China made remarkable progress in environmental protection during the 11th Five-Year Plan period, but the current environmental protection situation remains grave," said Li, who is also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China.
Li said greater efforts must be made to draw up a specialized plan for environmental protection during the 12th Five-Year Plan period starting in 2011.
See Kaixin's - GREEN CHINA
China carefully defines functions of regions to sustain development
BEIJING, June 8 (Xinhua) -- The nation's top economic planner, the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), said Wednesday that the central government has carefully defined the functions of regions at local levels with differentiated policies to sustain the country's development.
Xu Xianping, vice minister of NDRC, said at a press conference that local governments must optimize, accelerate, restrict or prohibit industrial development in different regions according to the defined nature.
According to NDRC's function-dividing plan, economic development must be optimized in the regions of the Bohai Rim, the Yangtze River Delta and the Pearl River Delta, where gross domestic product (GDP) accounts for about 40 percent of China's total.
Priorities are given to development in 18 zones in central and western China, where resources are rich and the environmental capacity is good for further urbanization.
China's listed banks report 33 pct rise in net profits last year
BEIJING, June 8 (Xinhua) -- The consultancy firm Ernst & Young said on Wednesday that net profits of China's 17 listed banks rose 33 percent year-on-year to 687.3 billion yuan (104.35 billion U.S. dollars) last year.
China's central bank rebuts report of "canceling home purchase limit"
BEIJING, June 8 (Xinhua) -- China's central bank on Wednesday said the media report that some "central bank researcher" forecast the cancellation of the home purchase limit within two years was factually incorrect.
See Kaixin's - CHINA REAL ESTATE
More arbitrators needed amid soaring labor disputes
BEIJING, June 8 (Xinhua) -- As China's labor dispute cases tripled from 407,000 in 2005 to 1.287 million last year, the country needs more arbitration centers to protect employees' legitimate rights and sustain steady and rapid economic growth, a senior official said Wednesday.
"Labor disputes cases rocketed to more than a million in 2008 and remained so ever since," said Li Xiaohu, vice-director of labor dispute arbitration branch of the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security (MOHRSS).
Labor arbitration became a free service across the country in 2008 when the labor dispute intermediation law went into effect.
"The soaring cases show that enterprises and workers are getting used to solving problems in a legal way," said Zhou Tianyong, a professor of social insurance at the Party School of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC).
See Kaixin's - ECONOMIC CHINA
French finance minister woos China's backing for IMF bid
BEIJING, June 8 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Vice Premier Wang Qishan met here Wednesday afternoon with visiting French Minister of Economy, Finance and Industry Christine Lagarde.
Lagarde said she wanted to introduce her bid for the top job at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) during her visit to China.
"I am here not to officially ask for China's backing, but I hope to introduce my bid," she said at the beginning of the meeting, adding "China is very important for the IMF."
Lagarde said she highly values an open, transparent and merit-based process that needs to be abided by during the selection for the position.
See Kaixin's - The Selection of the next IMF President
China willing to work with Portugal to advance China-Portugal strategic partnership: FM spokesman
BEIJING, June 7 (Xinhua) -- China is willing to work with Portugal to advance the two countries' comprehensive strategic partnership, Foreign Ministry Spokesman Hong Lei said Tuesday.
"China-Portugal relations have always been friendly and enjoyed smooth development," Hong said at a regular news briefing.
Xi's visit expected to boost Chinese investment in Chile: Chilean official
SANTIAGO, June 8 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping's upcoming visit to Chile is expected to boost China's investment in the South American country, a senior official of Chile's Foreign Investment Committee (CIEC) has said.
"The visit of Vice President Xi and the visit of Chilean President Sebastian Pinera to China last year are consistent signals of the friendship between the two countries," Matias Mori, CIEC's executive vice president, told Xinhua in an interview earlier this week.
"It is very important that our country is on his agenda, it's a powerful signal, taking into account that he will only visit four nations on this trip," Mori added.
China, Ireland pledge to strengthen ties, cooperation
DUBLIN, June 8 (Xinhua) -- Irish President Mary McAleese met here Wednesday with senior Chinese legislator Wang Zhaoguo, with both sides pledging to continue efforts to promote bilateral cooperation.
McAleese said the relations between Ireland and China show a good development momentum all these years, adding that the two sides have seen a rapid development of mutually-beneficial cooperation in various fields.
She said such cooperation have brought actual benefits to the two countries and peoples.
McAleese said Ireland attaches great importance to its development of relations with China.
China, Iran celebrate 40th anniversary of diplomatic ties
BEIJING, June 8 (Xinhua) -- China and Iran held a reception in Beijing on Wednesday to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the establishment of their diplomatic relations.
Ban on individual mainland tourists to Taiwan to be lifted by June
TAIPEI, June 8 (Xinhua) -- Tourists from selected cities in the Chinese mainland will be able to travel across the Taiwan Strait as individuals by the end of June, said a senior mainland negotiator Wednesday.
The mainland-based Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Strait (ARATS) and its Taiwan counterpart Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) have reached a common understanding on this issue, said Zheng Lizhong, ARATS vice president, at a press conference here.
Yet tourism associations on both sides still need time to finalize the technical details and exchange the documents before the policy officially takes effect, Zheng said.
See Kaixin's - CHINA & TAIWAN
19th Kunming Import, Export Fair opens in SW China
KUNMING, June 5 (Xinhua) -- The 19th China Kunming Import and Export Fair kicked off Sunday evening in Kunming, the capital city of southwest China's Yunnan Province.
Chinese State Councilor Dai Bingguo officially opened the five-day fair, which will conclude on June 10.
FEATURE - China steps up food safety supervision
FM press conference on 7th June
CCTV
Duanwu Festival, also known as Dragon Boat Festival, is a traditional and statutory holiday associated with Chinese and other East Asian and Southeast Asian societies as well. The festival is also celebrated in countries with significant Chinese populations, such as in Singapore and Malaysia.
Interview: China insists on political solution - Libya
For more on Abdul Ati Al-Obeidi's visit to China and China's stance on the Libyan crisis, we are joined on the phone by Professor He Wenping, Director of African Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.
Q1, Thank you for joining us, Professor He. What stance does China take on Libya's political crisis? Does the meeting between Chinese diplomats and the Libyan opposition send any signal at all?
Q2, Among the major powers, only China and Russia maintain contact with both sides. What role can this play?
Libyan envoy kicks off China visit
The Chinese Foreign Ministry says a Beijing visit by Libya's Secretary for Foreign Liaisons and International Cooperation, Abdul Ati Al-Obeidi, will last from Tuesday to Thursday.
Obeidi, who's serving as a Special Envoy for his country's government, is scheduled to meet with Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi during the trip. Both sides will discuss the current situation in Libya, and discuss finding a political solution to Libyan crisis.
Hong Lei, Spokesman, Chinese Foreign Ministry, said, "China urges all sides to call an immediate ceasefire, and resolve the Libyan crisis through political channels. We believe the future of Libya should be decided by the Libyan people, and China respects the Libyan people's choices. We hope all sides in Libya can focus on the interests of the country and its people, fully consider the mediation proposals put forward by the African Union, and mitigate the situation as soon as possible."
Studio interview: Time for university education reform
For more on the college entrance exam, we're now joined in the studio by our Current Affairs Commentator, Raymond Zhou.
Q1: University enrollment is reaching historic levels in China, with more than 70 percent of high school students set to enter college this year. On the other hand, the number of students taking the test has fallen below 10 million. Many institutions of higher learning are working hard to attract enrollees, but some analysts say this trend offers an opportunity to conduct education reform. What's your take on this view?
Jade carved in Shanghai style unveiled in Beijing
Now, as you may know, Chinese people love jade. Scholars say the affection goes back as far as the Neolithic Age. Having that much legacy, jade carvings are not simply for decoration. They are a widely revered art form in the country.
And now artists from Shanghai have brought their unique styles to their counterparts and jade lovers here in Beijing.
Shanghai-style jade carving goes back to the 1840s. The last 160 years have seen Shanghai artists take the legacy and imbue it with their own features. They have been influenced not only by China's traditional art like shadow puppets and paper-cutting, but also western art forms like oil painting, sculpture and photography. And it's clearly seen in a contrast with Beijing style known for its delicacy and rich colors.
Jade carving artist said, "Whether the carving is about natural scenery or a portrait, the key is to express your heart and your feelings."
And the carving depends on what you've got on hand. You won't get the same stone a second time, so each design is tailored for each work. And one mistake, even a small one, could spoil the entire piece.
Students prepare for college entrance exam
The college entrance exam is known as the most pressure packed test in the world. The exam is a make or break moment for youth across the country. CCTV takes a look at the lives of the most promising students in one of the most competitive regions for test takers.
The gao kao; A marathon examination taken by millions. For the successful it offers a road to a bright future. A Chinese rite of passage, and every step counts. The number taking the test is falling. But for those who do, the competition is as fierce as ever. Expectations are high. Only a fraction will make it to the top universities in the country. The result of the two-day test could define their fate in a fast changing world. They will face their fears and some will conquer them. With the support of a nation, the future rests on the shoulders of a generation coming of age; The Chinese college entrance exam.
Shangri-la dialogue: Asia's regional security not only the regions' top concern but the worlds'
Defense ministers from Asia-Pacific countries are gathering in Singapore for the Shangri-La Dialogue, an important forum to security challenges and cooperation. Chinese Defense Minister Liang Guanglie is currently attending the conference. CCTV correspondent Andy Saputra reports from Singapore.
Military and political leaders from over 28 countries are gathering in Singapore this weekend, for a major security conference that has been known as the Shangri-la security dialogue.
The event has transformed itself into one of the most prominent security dialogue in the region.
Live crossover: Hot topics on agenda of 10th Shangri-La Dialogue
For the latest on the Shangri-La Dialogue, we now go to our correspondent Andy Saputra in Singapore. Hi, Andy.
Q1: The dialogue is to begin within an hour, what are the hot topics on the agenda ?
Q2: Chinese Defense Minister Liang Guanglie is going to the security summit for the first time, while it will be the last time for US Defense Secretary Robert Gates, who retires in June. What are the two likely to discuss in terms of security issues?
Long-awaited rain eases drought along Yangtze River
After experiencing one of the worst droughts in decades, residents along the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, are finally welcoming rainfall.
The downpours started in Jiangxi and Hunan provinces on Friday night, followed by a heavy storm in Anhui early Saturday morning. This is easing the effects of the long dry spell.
The precipitation level has reached 50 millimeters in northern Jiangxi. The water mark at Poyang, the nation's largest freshwater lake, is also starting to rise, after recently hitting the lowest point in recorded history. Local farmers are using more than 500 agricultural machines to seed rice and replant cotton.
See Kaixin's - GREEN CHINA
China faces severe environment challenges
China still faces grave environmental challenges ahead, despite some progress being achieved in 2010.
The State Council's information office has issued a report on China's environmental situation over the last year. Officials say environmental quality has partially improved, but on the whole the problems are pressing. Acid rain, agricultural pollution, a deteriorating ecological system and surface water pollution are some of the major concerns.
In the meantime some environment protection projects have met or even exceeded their targets, such as the reduction of sulfur dioxide with emissions falling 14 percent compared to 2005. However as China starts its 12th Five Year Plan this year, it will be under growing pressure to solve multiple problems.
See Kaixin's - GREEN CHINA
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.
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.
China threat in Asia-Pac: US
A Chinese analyst said on Wednesday that the US had exaggerated Beijing military threat to exacerbate frictions between China and its neighbors, as Leon Panetta, director of the Central Intelligence Agency, said China appears to be building the capability "to fight and win short-duration, high-intensity conflicts" along its borders.
"China's near-term focus appears to be on preparing for potential contingencies involving Taiwan, including possible US military intervention," Bloomberg quoted Panetta as saying in a hearing with the Senate Armed Services Committee.
Meanwhile, The New York Times (NYT) said, "China is trying hard to make up for its diplomatic setbacks in 2010, when, in quick succession, it picked territorial fights with Vietnam, the Philippines, Japan and India, and angered South Korea by not condemning Pyongyang's aggressions."
Shi Yinhong, director of the Center of American Studies at the Renmin University of China, told the Global Times that the US has been active in Southeast Asian affairs in the past few years. Panetta's comments could be seen as a provocation by the US to exaggerate tensions between China and its neighbors.
Although there were some frictions between China and its neighbors, the Chinese government has put a strong emphasis on improving regional relations this year, Shi said.
China has dialogue mechanisms on defense, security with 22 countries: minister
China has established consultation and dialogue mechanisms on defense and security with 22 countries, and has military-to-military exchanges with more than 150 countries, Chinese Defense Minister Liang Guanglie said at a regional security dialogue on Sunday.
Speaking at the Shangri-La Dialogue organized by the London- based International Institute for Strategic Studies, Liang, also a State Councilor, said China has been promoting mutual trust and common interests with other countries through defense and security cooperation, with close to 400 military delegations to and from China each year.
China signed an agreement with Russia in 2009 to notify each other of missile launches. Between the defense ministries of China and the United States, direct phone link has also been set up.
Govt denies plan for local debt write-off
Authorities denied media reports that China is going to write off trillions of yuan in local government debt to reduce mounting risks of local government bankruptcy.
A report by Reuters on Wednesday said Chinese central authorities are planning to shift 2 to 3 trillion yuan ($308 to 463 billion) of debt borne by local-level governments to the central government and banks from June to September, after years of liberal lending by State-owned banks led to massive amounts of bad debt.
The news agency quoted sources close to the government.
However, it was denied by Wu Xiaoling, a deputy director of the Financial and Economic Committee, National People's Congress (NPC), who said it was misinterpreted because the government was only trying to work out a clear map of debt borne by local governments, sina.com reported last night.
"It was not possible to make the huge transaction within three months," Wu was quoted as saying.
See Kaixin's - ECONOMIC CHINA
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.
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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:
Oil production amid political complexity
Does Chinese navy pose threat to US?
China's aspiration to be an innovative country
THE MAKING OF A WORLD-CLASS UNIVERSITY
SHANGRI·LA DIALOGUE ON ASIA SECURITY
The 10th IISS Asia Security Summit, the Shangri-La Dialogue has successfully concluded in Singapore. The Dialogue ran from 3-5 June, 2011.
International News Sources
The Age
Revising the great revisionist's work
Australian historians have started to debunk Deng's creation myth.
'WITHOUT Deng Xiaoping there would be no opening-up policy," former prime minister Kevin Rudd told Deng Xiaoping's eldest son at the opening ceremony for the 2008 Beijing Olympics. "No opening up, no Olympic Games," continued Rudd, as he recounted his conversation with Deng Pufang to Caijing magazine. "And I think that is true if you look at the last 30 years since the Third Plenum of the 11th Congress of the Communist Party of China in 1978."
Kaixin OpEd - I asked Xiaosui what she remembered about Hua Guofeng.
She was very clear in her thinking, Hua Guofeng was not up to the job. He made no impression on her or China. He was an appointed of Mao’s. Indeed it is now thought in China that we was an illegitimate son of Mao. 
She remembers Guofeng’s photo going up in her classroom besides Mao’s photo. In particular, she remembers that she didn’t pay it any attention because he so resembled Mao, it was like having two photos of Mao on the wall.
She remembers that no-one had heard of him in China before his appointment by Mao.
She remembers that has ineffectual.
Apart from that, she never remembers him.
He would have had powerful people behind him in Beijing. The fact that they let him go in favour of Deng speaks volumes as to what they thought of him.
She admires Deng for what he achieved for China.
Western Kaixin found three of her observations interesting in the context of this article.
The first was that Hua Guofeng immediately ordered the arrest of the Gang of Four. Xiaosui comments that this probably came from Mao and could not have been achieved unless Mao had sanctioned it before he died.
The second is that Hua Guofeng started to reform the education system in 1977 and also started to bring the students back from the country.
The third is that she clearly remembers the first two changes Deng implemented: i) giving back the property that Mao had taken into State ownership, in effect, changing property rights from communal to private. ii) Opening up Guangdong. Guangdong because the people in Guangdong had many relatives overseas.
Deng started as he meant to go on, implementing capitalism in China.
Hua Guofeng sank without trace until about three years ago when Xiaosui remembers talk of him being Mao’s son starting to surface.
The Wall Street Journal
Beijing Allows Bank of China to Bring Yuan Back to Mainland
BEIJING—Bank of China Ltd. has received its first approval to bring yuan it accumulated offshore back to mainland China, in a rare move that is part of Beijing's plan to promote the global trading of the country's currency.
See Kaixin's - YUAN REVALUATION & INTERNATIONALISATION
IMF Candidate Presses Case in China
France's Lagarde Continues to Seek Support Outside Europe; Emerging Nations Hesitate to Declare
BEIJING—French Finance Minister Christine Lagarde met with top Chinese economic policymakers, but Beijing offered no immediate indication whether it is ready to back her bid to lead the International Monetary Fund.
See Kaixin's - FOLLOW THE DEBATE The Selection of the Next IMF President
Stores Push for Chinese Tourists
Visitors From China Are Big Spenders in U.S. but Visa Red Tape Means They Often Opt for Europe
The luxury business is counting on Chinese demand to drive growth—but a big chunk of that spending isn't happening in China.
Chinese tourists are an increasingly important part of the equation, and U.S. retailers are feeling left out, thanks to a clunky visa process that can force would-be tourists to wait months for permission to travel.
Last year, 38% of Chinese travelers on long-distance trips visited Europe, according to the U.S. Travel Association. Just 13% came to the U.S.
Chinese visitors spend on average more than $6,000 apiece when they are in the U.S., more than twice their counterparts from ...
Unmanning the Mines of Australia
MELBOURNE—The largest iron-ore mine in Australia will take a leap in efficiency starting next April: 10 automated trucks, one remote driver.
With demand from China and other steel-hungry industrializing economies rising, the massive trucks—programmed to haul ore and waste around the pit using the global positioning system—are part of a push by Rio Tinto PLC to to adopt automated technology to cut costs and ramp up production even in the face of a labor shortage.
Traveling precise routes around Yandicoogina mine and operating 24 hours a day, the trucks will be under the supervision of a single worker in a ...
'China Is the New Dot-Com,' Says Outgoing Securities Chief
HONG KONG—The outgoing head of Hong Kong's securities regulator warned investors against rushing headlong to buy shares in Chinese companies, calling China "the new dot-com" of the investment world.
Big Funds See Red in China
A Wall Street Journal review shows that some big-name investors, from Fidelity Investments to Carlyle Group, in recent years snapped up shares in Chinese companies that trade on Western exchanges.
Ontario Regulator Investigates Sino-Forest Case
TORONTO—The Ontario Securities Commission, Canada's largest provincial securities regulator, said it is investigating issues related to Sino-Forest Corp., a Hong Kong-based tree-plantation company whose shares have plummeted since it was accused of fraud by short seller Muddy Waters Research.
Buffett-Backed BYD Nears Shenzhen IPO
SHANGHAI—BYD Co. Ltd., the Warren Buffett-backed Chinese car maker, on Thursday will kick off investor meetings for its domestic initial public offering, in which it plans to sell up to 79 million yuan-denominated shares.
The Chinese company, which already has shares listed in Hong Kong, didn't say how much it plans to raise in the IPO but said it will use the proceeds from the offering to fund three projects that require a total investment of 5.38 billion yuan ($828 million): a facility for lithium-battery production, a research-and-development center for car manufacturing, and the expansion of its auto unit.
The ...
Pay Attention to China’s Marxist Revival
By: Russell Leigh Moses
... But now there may be reason for concern in the ranks of the leadership. It’s not that Beijing is facing a whole bevy of mini-crises in various sectors; that is nothing new. What’s striking is that the Party is showing splits about how to keep progress going.
Two voices are sounding out from the political chorus.
One side maintains that nothing succeeds like past success.
But there are some cadres who bemoan the lack of enthusiasm for the Party.
Russell Leigh Moses is a Beijing-based analyst and professor who writes on Chinese politics. He is writing a book on the changing role of power in the Chinese political system.
Sina Weibo: Competition for Twitter?
Chinese microblog operator Sina Corp. already has what seems an unassailable lead over Twitter in China, thanks to the fact that Chinese government blocks access to the U.S. website for fear it could be used to spread political dissent. Now, as Sina aims to recharge its business growth by investing heavily in its microblog site, Weibo, some are speculating that the company intends eventually to take on Twitter overseas—where China’s censorship rules could flip things around and put Sina at a disadvantage.
Future Leader’s Wife Steps Further Into the Limelight
It is often said that Peng Liyuan, the wife of Xi Jinping, China’s likely next president and Communist Party chief, is more famous than her husband inside China.
Voices From the Conference
Jack Ma, chief executive officer of China-based Alibaba Group Holding Co., on whether non-Chinese companies can make it big in China:
"There's Nokia, there's Microsoft, there's IBM, they're all very successful. If you want to do well in China, like any other place in the world, you should send the best people, the entrepreneurs, and serve the customers, instead of serving your bosses. There are a lot of hedge funds or gamblers—if they want to make quick money, I show no sympathy. Sorry about that. Gambling is difficult everywhere in the world."
Kaixin OpEd: This is advice from a highly successful Chinese businessman.
Alibaba's Jack Ma Full Session Video from D9 6/4/2011 3:00:00 PM
The full session interview of Alibaba's Jack Ma with Kara Swisher at the D9 Conference in Rancho Palos Verdes, California.
The New York Times
Execution In a Killing That Fanned Class Rancor
BEIJING — A 21-year-old music student who accidentally struck a young woman with his car, then silenced her by stabbing her to death on the roadway, was executed Tuesday in Xian, in northwestern China, the state-run Xinhua news agency reported.
The student, Yao Jiaxin, had lost an appeal of a death sentence handed down by a Xian court on April 22. The crime had fanned deep public resentment against the “fu er dai,” the “rich second generation” of privileged families who are widely believed to commit misdeeds with impunity because of their wealth or connections.
Kaixin OpEd – The response from America is somewhat subdued …… could it have anything to do with the death penalty in America I wonder?
Kaixin followed this trial with interest.
The 'fu er dai', the only children of the new rich, are one half of the problem. The other half is the only children of the powerful.
Only children are only children the world over.
Spoilt and self-centred. (Disclaimer: western Kaixin is an only child)
Kaixin has heard several stories over time about the only children of the rich and/or powerful getting away with, at times, murder.
Certainly, their behaviour was anti-social and needed to be curbed.
The legal system in China is not yet robust and independent, so money and/or power will generally do the trick. That is changing and it is not the policy of Beijing or the majority of Chinese, but the change is slow and at times frustrating.
It is not a class struggle as the NTY fondly hopes. It is the New China coming to terms with its growing wealth.
Intersected with an un-intended, but predictable, consequence of the one-child policy …. spoilt children without bounds, and a father who will do anything to protect them from the consequences of their actions.
It was an issue in China that needed to be addressed by Beijing. It was certainly causing social disquiet …. but far short of a class struggle.
After a series of similar incidents, Beijing finally decided to act and send a clear message.
Should we have pity for the student?
He ruthlessly killed another human being, a mother, because he did not want to be bothered dealing with her.
That arrogance must have come from his parents. The death of their child is a consequence of their poor parenting, of not teaching their child human values and responsibility.
He was caught up in events larger than himself or his parents.
China has a huge population, which needs strong laws.
Consistently enforced …… but that is another issue.
The death of this young man will not change the attitude of the only children of the rich and/or powerful.
It may curb their behaviour.
Caixin Online
Hong Kong Slips on Yuan's International Road
Banks in Hong Kong are brimming with yuan, but the currency's go-global journey isn't exactly paved with gold
Yuan-denominated bank deposits in Hong Kong could rise to 1 trillion yuan by the end of the year, nearly double the 510 billion yuan peak reached in late April, according to market analysts.
See Kaixin's - YUAN REVALUATION & INTERNATIONALISATION
Grubby Land Grab
Local officials in a county near Beijing used threats and forged documents to cheat farmers and benefit developers
It's become an old story in modern China: Local government officials get rich quick by ignoring property laws and grabbing land rights from hapless farmers. The shenanigans go unpunished and perhaps unnoticed beyond the borders of the village, district or county they're supposed to serve.
See Kaixin's - CHINA REAL ESTATE
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
Asia Times Online
SINOGRAPH
Sharp relief for a flat world
By Francesco Sisci
A cadre writes to his boss that a nuanced view of the stirrings for democracy in the Arab world allows these events to be seen as a blessing in disguise for China's leadership. Most Chinese, yearning for stability behind the Great Wall, will emerge more pro-government, our cadre writes, even as American pundits and flat-earthers are fooled into believing otherwise.
Kaixin OpEd - Kaixin sent this letter to Mr Sisci
I found the article - (For the naive, gullible ones: it is a fake! aside) – most interesting.
My wife Xiaosui and I, Graeme, publish a website Kaixin
It has taken some time, but we finally found our voice, the voice of middle-China, the view from the street.
Xiasosui was born in 1966, spent a fair amount of time on prison farms during the Cultural Revolution, went to university in the 1980’s, became a teacher, opened her own small school in Nanning.
For her miss-deeds or good-deeds, she married an Australian ren and came to live in Australia in 2007.
Xiaosui is immensely proud of being Chinese and of what China has achieved in the last 30 years. She lived through it all and in her small way helped build the China we see today.
Her background is distinctly middle-class, as is mine.
The view about the spread of the unrest in the Middle East and how it is perceived in China is, in general, her view and the view of her family, friends and colleagues in China.
Nothing is ever that simple in cross-cultural terms, but close enough.
I was particularly interested in the following:
‘People can call from China to America, or vice versa, but still people carry on speaking their own languages. One speaks Chinese and the other English, and often they do not speak each other's language and do not understand each other.
Moreover, even when they do so, they rarely understand each other's culture and anthropological background. It is something that involves individual psychologies that most people carry within themselves, totally unaware. We do know from practical experience that direct communications, if involving something more complex than buying or selling a certain item, can create many misunderstandings and false perceptions of each other's reasons and motives.
Before direct communications, these misunderstandings were more difficult because interaction was harder and because people proceeded to keep in touch with extra caution, better aware of differences in culture and psychology.’
That rang loud clanging bells for me.
I have not promoted Kaixin to date, concentrating on developing the content and finding our ‘voice’.
However I do make and entry into Facebook and Twitter every day. The response from Facebook (where every female seems to be a romance novelist) and elsewhere in America ranges from no interest to hatred. There are some who seem to have open minds, but in general no.
This is disturbing.
Kaixin is a small voice hoping to shed some light ……….
Fight or flight in the South China Sea
By David Brown
In matters of sovereignty over the South China Sea, China has a split personality. At the weekend, Defense Minister Liang Guangjie was murmuring familiar, comforting mantras about Beijing's outlook on reefs and islands from south of Taiwan to the Malacca Straits. Scarcely days earlier, the Chinese coast guard was engaged in unprecedented thuggery.
China's scramble for the African Union
By Derek Henry Flood
The new African Union headquarters being built by China in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia's capital, will become a towering symbol of Beijing's entry into supra-national African politics. The shiny complex is a free (for now) "gift" - like so many others across the continent - but as Maoist visions of post-colonial solidarity fade, it offers leverage for China to make less brotherly demands of Africa's next generation.
Danger lurks in China's safari
By Antoaneta Becker
While the Arab Spring has rocked China's business interests in Africa, moves by Chinese contractors to quickly isolate themselves from the violence have reinforced accusations of neo-colonialism. As the financial fallout from the unrest spirals, Asia is being touted as the new centerpiece of China's investment strategy. However, the struggle with the West for African influence is far from over.
US breathes life into a new cold war
By M K Bhadrakumar
Just as the Greek Titan god Prometheus was released from captivity, the United States is being "released" from the chains of Afghanistan and is pursuing with renewed vigor its Eurasian energy strategy. A Russian-Chinese initiative to embrace Pakistan and India could deal a devastating blow to the US's drive, coupled with tapping into Turkmenistan's massive gas reserves.
Russia's Libya role irks China
By M K Bhadrakumar
Russia's u-turn in support of the United States claim in Libya that Muammar Gaddafi must go shows United States-Russia discourse is becoming distinctly conciliatory. While the change of heart leaves China frustrated that Russia has effectively dumped a "joint cooperation" project on the Middle East, on final reckoning, Libya is just a blip in the relationship.
India deepens Africa role
By Sudha Ramachandran
India's involvement in Africa, where it denies vying with China for influence and resources, is set to deepen with a pledge of billions of dollars in lines of credit, help in building infrastructure and additional assistance in developing the skills of the continent's young people.
France BRICS up emerging economies
By M K Bhadrakumar
Russia, India and China, core members of the BRICS grouping also comprising Brazil and South Africa, have joined with Western countries that have closed ranks and staked their claim in unseemly hurry to keep the top International Monetary Fund job as their exclusive preserve, in the form of French Finance Minister Christine Lagarde. The saga has badly bruised BRICS and dented its credibility.
Mao's army on the attack
By Kent Ewing 
Mao Zedong romanticists are so worried that the mythology of the Great Helmsman may be officially debunked they are calling for the growing band of Mao bashers to be prosecuted. The campaign is unlikely to gain official traction though: China's leaders, including Red Book-waving Chongqing party boss Bo Xilai, use Mao's words, never his policies, and only when it suits them.
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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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
Dragon Boat Festival Folk Culture Festival opens in Jiaxing, China's Zhejiang
Actresses perform a dance at an evening party in Jiaxing City, east China's Zhejiang Province, June 3, 2011. The 2011 China Jiaxing Dragon Boat Festival Folk Culture Festival opened Friday in Jiaxing. The traditional Dragon Boat Festival falls on June 6 this year.
See Kaixin's - The Duanwu or Dragon Boat Festival
Sowing time on watery terraces in SW China
Farmers plant rice in fields after days of rain soaked the terraces at Gaopo village, Southwest China's Guizhou province
A lesson in hardship for migrant kids
It is 11 o'clock in the morning in Xinli village, Daxing district, Beijing. Zhou Xiaohong sits on the roadside, hands propping up her chin.
She's a little sleepy, but she tries to follow every move of her 3-year-old son, Tong Tong. He is entertaining himself beside her, using chunks of wood as building blocks.
Tong Tong has a 3-centimeter scar on his right cheek. The scar is the result of an accident on May 9, three days after the Xinshijie kindergarten, which Tong Tong had attended for almost a year, closed.
Xinshijie was one of about 200 illegal kindergartens - those without business permits and sanitation licenses - that the Daxing district education bureau closed in the first week of May.
Most of their pupils were children of migrant workers, who appreciated the lower fees and the flexibility of attendance hours.
After the kindergarten was shut down, Tong Tong was locked at home alone while his parents went to work. He broke a glass and fell on the shards.
A boy enjoys riding his bike around Xinli village in Beijing's Daxing district. There's much time to kill, or explore, since the forced closing of about 200 illegal kindergartens
A 'mistress' just means more work
Wives know that playing away will result in having one more mouth to feed -- literally
Wiping the last, fuzzy vestiges of sleep from my face, I shuffled into the kitchen and fired up the stove. When the oatmeal was cooked I poured a cup of coffee and carried the tray over to my husband. A quick kiss of gratitude in return and I went back to make my own breakfast. It struck me then why polygamist marriages consist of many wives but only one husband: serving one man is more than enough.
From the daily news bringing us tales of celebrity men and their mistresses, to the predilection of well-dressed women scouring the lobbies of office buildings at lunchtime for a speedy "language lesson", it's clear that a significant proportion of married men have rationalized away the bonds of monogamy -- but what about the wives?
See Kaixin's - Marriage in China: Ancient & Modern
Experts' insight on Jokhang's restoration - VIDEO
Jokhang Temple is the key center of Buddhist pilgrimage for centuries. In the past centuries, the temple complex has undergone several important expansions and renovations. But experts on cultural heritage protection have pointed out that it's really a piece of work.
The wooden structure used to appear extremely shabby.
Time has worn out the wooden beams and rafters as visible signs of distortions, crevice and moth-eaten fabric are everywhere.
Now, the decayed wooden components have been replaced and the askew ones are adjusted. They have also undergone rot-proofing and moth-proofing treatment.
Tibetan monastery gets face-lift - VIDEO
The Tashihunpo Monastery is one of the six big monasteries in the southwestern Autonomous Region. With a history of over 600 years, the monastery is the main venue where generations of the Panchen Lama carried out religious and political activities.
A major renovation project started in 2009, trying to restore the luster of the ancient construction.
Located at the foot of Mt. Tara, the Tashihunpo Monastery was founded in 1447 and was expanded by the fourth and successive Panchen Lamas.
In the center of one of its major halls stands the world's tallest bronze statue with a height of 26 meters. The monastery is a big draw for Buddhist followers as well as tourists from around the world.
See Kaixin's - CHINA & TIBET
Taiwan Cultural Week kicks off in Xi'an - VIDEO
Visitors to Xi'an International Horticultural Expo are invited to embark on a musical and cultural romp through the island of Taiwan. As one of the headline events at the Expo, Taiwan Cultural Week was kicked off over last weekend.
A performance of the "Wild Fire Music" Band from Taiwan opened the Taiwan Cultural Week on Sunday.
"Wild Fire Music" is one of the few bands in Taiwan that work diligently on promoting traditional music among the island's indigenous communities.
Brightly dressed with ethnic costumes, the singers were crooning a folk ballad with a refreshing and intoxicating melody.
Next, another art group presented a modern rendition of playing diabolo, or the Chinese yo-yo. With a combination of multi-media projection and superb techniques, the program has been well received during its tour to thirty countries.
See Kaixin's - CHINA & TAIWAN
Kesi silk craftworks exhibited in Shanghai
Another tradition worth preserving is "Kesi" -- a style of Chinese silk tapestry, admired for its extremely detailed pictorial designs, lightness and clarity of double-sided pattern.
Now in order to arouse public attention of the traditional craft, an exclusive exhibition for Kesi products was held for the first time in Shanghai last week.
First appearing a thousand years ago in the Tang Dynasty, the popularity of Kesi tapestry reached its height during the Ming and Qing Dynasty. The highlight of the exhibition falls on several calligraphy works of kesi, as well as three replicas of an emperor's gown from the Qing Dynasty.
Unlike continuous weft brocade, each color in Kesi style is woven from a separate bobbin, making the method both technically demanding and time-consuming. However, according to one expert, that's also where the charm comes from.
Complex craft fights to survive
Few people would argue that the craft that most represents China's Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) is cloisonne enamelware.
The mainly blue metal artwork that requires more than 100 steps to finish used to be recognized as something reserved for the royal family and the nobility, not only because of the complicated process needed to make it, but also because of its price, which took into account the cost of pure gold and lots of copper, things ordinary folk could hardly dream of in that era.
Completing a piece of cloisonne is time-consuming. Craftsmen say it takes about three months to finish a vase only 15 centimeters high; pieces as large as 1 meter take much longer.
"There are roughly six major steps," said Zhang Li, a staff member of the Beijing Enamel Factory, the only time-honored brand in this industry. "The most important one is the second, pinching copper wire, which is the first thing we do in our factory."
Inner Mongolia protects grassland culture
The Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region government is stepping up efforts to preserve and promote local ethnic culture. Some of the initiations underway include introducing folk music into the college curriculum, setting up intangible heritage protection centers, and encouraging people to make money with their craftsmanship.
Let's find out what's being done to rejuvenate the precious grassland culture.
This is a lecture on Long Tune given to students in the Arts College of the Inner Mongolian University. Long Tune is a distinctive style of folk song sung by generations of nomadic herdsmen. It has also been inscribed into the UNESCO Intangible Heritage List.
The Wall Street Journal
Louis Vuitton’s Intrepid Effort to Court China’s Tourists
Louis Vuitton is making a pitch to consumers in a spot no Western brand has ventured before: the National Museum of China.
A guide looks in from the entrance of a hall for a Louis Vuitton Voyages exhibition at the National Museum of China in Beijing May 31, 2011. Photo Jason Lee/Reuters
National museum, Louis Vuitton reject criticisms of design exhibition - CCTV VIDEO
The New York Times
UN names Chengdu 'Role Model for Resilient Development'
Chengdu became the first Chinese city to be named "Role Model for Resilient Development" by the United Nations.
The award was presented on May 11, 2011, during the 3rd UN Conference Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction at the Geneva International Conference Center in Switzerland. The lobby of the conference center displayed dramatic pictures of the disaster relief and post-disaster reconstruction work of Chengdu following the deadly 2008 Sichuan earthquake.
Words and pictures captured the incredible challenge of a region where 1 million people were left homeless by an earthquake that caused an estimated economic loss of 124.7 billion yuan. Chengdu immediately began responding, leading rescue and renovation work involving 14 million people.
Chengdu 成都) is the capital of Sichuan province, of Southwest China, maintaining sub-provincial administrative status. Chengdu is also one of the most important economic centres, transportation and communication hubs in Western China. According to the 2007 Public Appraisal for Best Chinese Cities for Investment, Chengdu was chosen as one of the top ten cities to invest in out of a total of 280 urban centers in China.
More than four thousand years ago, the prehistorical Bronze Age culture of Jīnshā (金沙) established itself in this region. The fertile Chengdu Plain, on which Chengdu is located, is also known as "天府之国" (Tiānfǔzhi Guó), which literally means "the country of heaven", or more often seen translated as "the Land of Abundance". It was recently named China's 4th-most livable city by China Daily.(Wikipedia)
Clockwise from top: Anshun Bridge on the River Jin; Jinli Street near Wuhou Temple; Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding; and Huaxi campus of Sichuan University
Care bears - Chengdu
The protection of giant pandas is a black-and-white issue for the 'pambassadors' who recently graduated from a training program in Chengdu. Matt Hodges reports
Having spent the previous few days tracking wild pandas in a remote Chinese jungle, Florida resident Ashley Robertson returned to the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding to find her cubs all grown up.
Robertson, one of six "pambassadors" who graduated from a five-week training program at the base to promote panda protection on Nov 5, found the cubs she had taken care of were bigger, naughtier and devouring stacks more bamboo.
Sweden's Ali Shakorian has a close encounter with a giant panda.
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?
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.
Ten photographers amazed by Tibet
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."
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
Top five boutique and designer hotels in Beijing
Tired of those characterless business hotel chains or comfort-deprived inns? The capital offers some marvelous choices for you. Hotels are no longer a place to sleep, but also a place to experience luxury and uniqueness. For the sake of thorough pleasure, we have selected 5 top boutique and designer hotels to maximize your enjoyment during your time in the capital.
Exotic flavor at Horticultural Expo Garden
Performances by international participating organizations are scheduled throughout the ongoing Horticultural Exposition in China's host city of Xi'an. The photo taken by a CRI reporter on location shows Samba staged by Brazilian dancers.
Truly, madly, deeply
A love story that had its beginnings in 1953 Hangzhou, survives personal and political upheavals, to come to fruition decades later. Liu Zhihua reports
It was in the autumn of 1953 that Danny Li met Yuan Dibao in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, and fell in love. But fate intervened forcing the pair to live on two different continents for 54 years. Miraculously, in May, the couple came together again and got married in September.
Their story became a hot news on Chinese newspapers and TV stations. Netizens declared their love "was the purest in the world".
"It was like a dream. I never expected to see him ever again," 83-year-old Li says.
Li was born in Beijing in 1927, to a French mother and Chinese father.
Yuan Dibao, 82, and Danny Li, 83, come together again and get married after separating for more than half a century. Feng Xiao Fei From Dongnan Morning Newspaper / for China Daily
Yuan Dibao and Danny Li in the 1950s. Provided to China Daily
Thirsty Fenghuang town goes in caves for water - CCTV VIDEO
In Chinese, Feng Huang stands for Phoenix. The mythical bird is a good omen of longevity. The town of Feng Huang gets its name from a legend saying these fantastic birds flew over the town and found it so beautiful they hovered over it. Located on the western edge of Hunan Province, Feng Huang's beauty lives up to the story.
Split painting reunited in Taipei - CCTV VIDEO
One of China's best ancient paintings is to be restored. After a separation of 359 years, the two pieces of "Dwelling in Fuchun Mountain," are being brought back together again. To mark the occasion, there will be an exhibition at the Taipei Palace Museum from June 1st to September 5th.
After a separation of 359 years, the two pieces of "Dwelling in Fuchun Mountain," are being brought back together again.
SPLIT PAINTING REUNITED IN TAIWAN - CCTV VIDEO
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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