With New Chinese Leaders in Place, Waiting for an Agenda to Emerge is my China Insider column for Dealbook this week. It looks at the completion of the leadership succession, some of the more pressing challenges, especially with the economy, and concludes that:

Premier Li has so far said the right things. I am somewhat optimistic that by the Third Plenum of the 18th Party Congress later this year, we will see progress on deeper economic reforms, but the new government may have to move faster than it would like.

So it is wait and see time.

Today’s links:

THE ESSENTIAL EIGHT

Analysis: China heads back to the ’90s in economic reform drive | Reuters interesting, seem positive, though some argue that Zhu’s push to build an auto industry and fiscally squeeze the provinces directly contributed to today’s air pollution and local finance problems// China is poised to launch its most serious economic reform drive since the 1990s after a series of top appointments at the weekend put the architects of Zhu Rongji’s clash with state owned enterprises in charge of key economic agencies. Vice Premier Ma Kai, Finance Minister Lou Jiwei and central bank governor Zhou Xiaochuan were all Zhu lieutenants at the State Commission for Restructuring the Economy, which drew up the blueprint to sever the army’s ties with business and make millions jobless as state-owned enterprises (SOEs) were reformed. They headline a clutch of officials in Premier Li Keqiang’s new line-up, who are broadly considered pro-business economic reformers able to finish the work started by arch-reformer Zhu when he was premier in a way that meets the different economic conditions of today.

Beijing dismisses Japan’s ‘radar lock’ media report[1]|chinadaily.com.cn The Ministry of National Defense has rejected the Japanese media’s latest “hype” over the alleged naval “radar lock-on” incident and warned of a hidden agenda behind Tokyo’s recent reports. In the latest chapter of the radar “drama”, the Tokyo-based Kyodo News Agency released an article on Sunday quoting unnamed Chinese officials who reportedly admitted to “locking radar on Japanese ships”. Beijing previously dismissed the allegation as groundless, while the ministry denied the Kyodo report, reiterating on Monday that “the facts are clear”.

王立军“遗产”-财经网 Caijing Cover story this issue on the “Legacy of Wang Lijun”..Caixin gets more recognition internationally but Caijing is still one of the most interesting magazines. Turns out the Wang Boming-Hu Shuli split was good for readers// 如果说，基于省级公安机关负责人的执法权力而产生的“合法伤害权”，还在王立军自由裁量范围内，那么其逾越行政权力而深度介入经济事务，滥用其在一把手机制下的“自许权力”，则突破了权力的基本底线

农行杨琨案移交司法_杂志频道_财新网 Caixin reports that Bank of Agriculture former VP Yang Kun turned over to prosecutors…big Beijing corruption case involves the Solana development and a well-known art collector, among other things

China pours cash into melting Arctic in bid to win influence | World news | guardian.co.uk China has been cosying up to Arctic countries as part of its effort to secure “permanent observer” status on the Arctic Council, an eight-country political body that decides regional policy. Norway was initially sniffy at the approaches because of the Nobel row, but appears to have changed its tune before a formal decision in May. Last week, the Norwegian foreign minister, Espen Barth Eide, told reporters in Oslo that he strongly supported China’s application. The “argument for opening up for more observers in the Arctic Council is that they will then be a member of our club,” he said, according to Norwegian media. “Then the danger of them forming their own club will be smaller.”

Six Reasons Why Weibo Is Powerful, Even If It’s Haunted By Zombies | Tea Leaf Nation According to the Wall Street Journal, a recent study from Hong Kong University found that over 57% of the 500 million-plus registered users on Sina Weibo, China’s favorite microblogging service, may be “zombie” accounts that post no original tweets. The study further found that just over 10% of users appear active in a given week, which squares with information recently shared by Sina Corp itself.  The study may be a blow to Sina investors. But it should not dishearten those who believe that social media has changed China or want to use social media to gauge social sentiment. Here are six reasons why.

Did CCTV conspire to smear Apple? – China Media Project At 8:55 p.m. Chinese writer Li Chengpeng posted a short essay to his blog criticizing CCTV for its actions. A partial translation of his piece follows

Closer Look: Parsing the Words of the New Premier – Caixin A close study of quotes from Li, from the seventh premier’s inaugural press conference, gives clues to his future policy and personality. However, whether these initiatives can be carried out successfully depends not only on the government’s resolution, but also how much the public and media are allowed to exert scrutiny.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

China Home Prices Up in Most Cities, Posing Policy Challenge – Bloomberg Prices climbed in 62 cities of the 70 the government tracks in February from a year earlier, the National Bureau of Statistics said today. Beijing prices jumped 5.9 percent from a year earlier, the biggest since February 2011, while they advanced 8.1 percent in Guangzhou, the most since January 2011.

Chinese Stocks Enter Correction as JPMorgan Cuts to Underweight – Bloomberg An index of property stocks in the Shanghai Composite lost 1.4 percent, taking its decline since Feb. 5 to 17 percent, as the broadest advance by new home prices since December 2011 spurred concern the government will add news measures to cool gain. China State Construction Engineering Corp. tumbled 4.3 percent to 3.35 yuan.

China’s Economy Mirrors U.S. on Eve of Financial Crisis, Say Nomura Analysts – China Real Time Report – WSJThe same three warning lights that preceded America’s real estate crash and financial crisis are now flashing over China, two economists say, leaving the government limited time to get out of trouble. In a research note published on Saturday, Nomura economists Zhiwei Zhang and Wendy Chen outline the way that elevated property prices, a rapid build-up of leverage and a slide in the country’s potential growth rate could lead to a systemic crisis.

Uncertainty over Policy Spurs Homebuyers to Rush Purchases – Caixin The price increase was due to supply not meeting demand. A salesman in Fangshan District, in southwestern Beijing, said that his company expects to put 174 homes on the market in late March, but more than 2,000 homebuyers lined up to buy. “We still worry about prices continuing to rise,” a homebuyer said. “We cannot afford to pay even more. Industry insiders have criticized the latest housing curbs. “The impact of housing ownership limits in the long term is to make it difficult for property developers to collect their investments, and they cannot buy more plots to develop,” Meng said. “So the short supply causes prices to rise sharply.” The objective of the housing control policy should be to increase supply, he said. Liu Xiaoguang, chairman of real estate developer Beijing Capital Land, said urban-rural land reform was key. “The government needs to speed up land reform and ensure the adequate supply of the land, which would be the policy to repress housing prices,” he said.

Don’t Fear China Housing Market Measures – Business Insider Alliance Bernstein Analysts// It’s widely believed that rapid urbanization is the fuel for Chinese real estate growth. Just over 50% of China’s population lives in urban areas, compared with about 75% in industrialized countries. Li Keqiang, the next premier who is driving the urbanization move, has stated his commitment to promoting more movement from rural areas to cities. While urbanization is important, it’s only part of the story. In fact, we think housing upgrades account for a much bigger component of real estate demand, based on our view of various market trends. China’s housing stock is dominated by poor quality communist-built blocks. Large-scale residential housing projects only began to take off in the late 1990s, and modern units were only introduced in 2004. With more wealth, people naturally want housing that meets developed-market standards.

北京一楼盘半小时卖光 开发商捂盘惜售6年涨5倍|北京|楼盘|捂盘惜售_新浪财经_新浪网北京一楼盘半小时卖光   排半天队没买到只好 Beijing real estate development sells out latest phase of several hundred units in 30 minutes

北京楼市调控细则有望3月底前后落地_地方经济_国务院颁布房地产调控国五条_新浪财经_新浪网 detailed new real estate rules for beijing expected by end of march, sound harsh// 近日，有关北京版“新国五条”出台的消息引发市场关注。对此，北京市住建委、地税局18日相继表示，并未接到相关通知。中国证券报记者从权威渠道获悉，由于涉及多部门协商和会签，“北京版”调控细则的出台时间或在3月底前后。　据了解，北京曾于此前召开多部门会议，就房地产调控做出部署。知情人士向中国证券报记者透露，按此前提出的“量价齐稳”调控目标，今年北京将对政策执行环节进行强化，并可能针对二手房交易环节，出台相关调控政策。

网传广州“国五条”细则出炉 国土局否认_房产_南都网 detailed new housing rules for guangzhou expected imminently// 摘要：昨日0点左右，一则名为《网传广州国五条细则：国五条广州新政细则预先知》的帖子在网站和微博上传播开来。广州市国土局于19日凌晨1点03分在新浪官方微博上辟谣，称暂未发布任何相关文件。

Closures Watch | Black China Blog Closures of aluminium smelting capacity intensified in recent days. Specific closures include: Henan Xinwang, Henan Longxiang, Guanxi Investment Corp., Jiangsu Datun, Yunan Qujing, totaling 520Kt. We believe around 1.8-2Mt of excess exists in the market, with more closures to come despite the SRB metal purchases.

肖钢可能面临的“四大难题”_思想频道_一财网 first financial on “4 big problems” Xiao Gang faces at the CSRC// 肖钢将怎么做呢？敢不敢再继续向利益集团拿起改革的手术刀、继续像郭树清一样直面利益集团的挑战呢？这也是肖钢必须面对的大难题。

城镇化贷款大开闸 须防资金暗流融资平台_财经频道_一财网 多名研究人士分析称，银行对城镇化贷款开闸放水的同时，要吸取以往教训，针对不同地区和行业的风险，进行仔细研究，以防范不良贷款的增加。

破解城镇化资金难题：资产证券化大有可为-中国金融新闻网 我国城镇化建设已经进入快速发展的阶段，到2020年，我国还将有大量的农村人口告别农村，进入城市。在十几亿人口的大国推进城镇化，在人类历史上没有先例可循。因此，要用科学发展观统领城镇化建设，推行包括收入分配改革,户籍制度改革,住房体制改革,土地流转制度改革,财税体制改革等在内的一系列改革，走一条新型城镇化道路。而改革投融资体制，创新投融资工具，借鉴资产证券化、市政债等工具融资，破解城镇化的资金瓶颈，应该成为其中重要的一环。

Suntech Defaults on $541 Million Bond, a First for China – Bloomberg this seems like progress, no?//  Suntech Power Holdings Co. Ltd. (STP) became the first company from mainland China to default on its bonds after failing to repay $541 million of notes due March 15, breaching terms of other outstanding loans. The move pushes what was once the world’s biggest solar panel maker into default on credit lines it has with International Finance Corp. and Chinese domestic lenders, Suntech said today in a statement from its headquarters in Wuxi. China Development Bank Corp (SDBZ). has loans to Suntech.

China Seen Canceling Subsidy for Largest Solar Projects: Energy – Bloomberg China, forecast to become the largest solar-power market this year, may abolish subsidy programs for some of its largest projects and target the money instead to smaller ones, an industry official said. Ending subsidies for utility-scale projects would avoid duplication, Meng Xiangan, vice chairman of the China Renewable Energy Society in Beijing, said in an interview. The new policy would preserve aid for less-powerful plants owned by the final user of the electricity, Meng said. His organization acts as a liaison between the government and industry.

Simpler approvals for investment projects |Economy |chinadaily.com.cn The plan to remove administrative approval items will be a major breakthrough for the State Council’s institutional reform. It released 72 specific tasks of the State Council’s reform plan, which outlined the related departments and deadlines.

China Metro lines move on to the fast-track–EIU Perhaps it is not surprising then that in terms of total length, the metro systems in Beijing (442 km) and Shanghai (423 km) have surpassed those of London (402 km) and New York (368 km). However, their densities remain low. London and New York have 1 km of subway for every 3–4 sq km of land area, while Beijing and Shanghai have only 1 km for every 12 sq km and 27 sq km of land area respectively. Even if Beijing hits its target length of 1,000 km, that would bring the ratio down to 1 km for every 12 sq km of land in the metropolitan area. Thus there is ample room for further network expansion in China’s megacities.//ride any Chinese subway system at rush hour and then tell me with a straight face they are overbuilding…

More on the Chinese missing millions that may have been laundered through Las Vegas – Quartz There are fresh allegations that some of the money that went missing from a Chinese company once listed on the Nasdaq may have been laundered through slot machines in Las Vegas casinos. As we reported in December, medical equipment maker China Medical Technologies was listed on the Nasdaq from 2005 until February last year, and had the bluest of blue-chip advisers, underwriters, investors and creditors. It was wound up last July after missing interest payments. According to court filings since our last report, the company’s liquidators now claim that $670 million of cash the company raised in its 2005 IPO and subsequent equity and bond sales cannot be located, upping their estimate from a previous $400 million.

 

POLITICS AND LAW

李克强风格_杂志频道_财新网 long Caixin story on Li Keqiang’s style and what we might expect// 步入改革“深水区”的中国面对着经济、社会、政治等全方位严峻挑战。新任总理李克强将以怎样的目标、思路和襟怀施政？答案可从他已展现的执政风格中推知

新华网刊发新任国务院副总理工作照_网易新闻 Xinhua pictures of the 4 new vice Premiers at work..images fit the new work style leadership pushing// 3月16日，经人大投票表决，确定张高丽刘延东汪洋马凯为国务院副总理，3月18日，新华网刊发了四名新任副总理近期工作照。 新华网

《焦点访谈》 20130318 梦想引领未来（一）/爱所至“心”重生_新闻频道_央视网 new series on CCTV News about the “Chinese Dream”..first segment aired last night

人民日报-满怀信心走好中国道路 —— 一论同心共筑中国梦 page 1 People’s daily on building the Chinese Dream, also featured on CCTV Evening News last night

中组部：干部培训毕业后禁搞同学会_网易新闻中心 organization department says cadres forbidden to hold “alumni gatherings” with other classmates from cadre training classes..but aren’t those classes as much about networking horizontally and vertically as about anything else?// 新华网北京3月18日电 日前，中共中央组织部印发《关于在干部教育培训中进一步加强学员管理的规定》，要求各地区各部门按照中央“八项规定”精神，进一步加强学员管理、切实改进干部教育培训学风。

No Major China Reforms in 6-12 Months: Rein: Video – Bloomberg didn’t know bloombergtv did skype video interviews…worked pretty well..Shaun Rein makes some good points about the Internet policies// March 18 (Bloomberg) — Shaun Rein, managing director at China Market Research, discusses China’s change in leadership with Emily Chang on Bloomberg Television’s “Bloomberg West.”

CNPC’s Jiang ‘to head SASAC'[1]|chinadaily.com.cn so rumors of his involvement in ling jihua ferrari-gate false, or he was able to turn to some advantage?// Jiang Jiemin, chairman of China National Petroleum Corp, has reportedly been named as the new head of the country’s top State-owned assets regulatory body after a two-year tenure as chief of China’s largest oil and gas producer and supplier. He will likely become the third chief in charge of the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission, established in 2003 to regulate 118 central State-owned enterprises (SOEs), according to local media reports.

吴仁宝去世_网易新闻_网易网 Wu Renbao, the original Party Secretary of huaxi Village, the richest village in China, has died. Top news on many news portals

李克强主持国务院常务会议 确定领导分工_网易新闻中心 核心提示：李克强18日主持召开新一届国务院第一次常务会议，研究加快推进机构改革，会议研究确定了国务院领导同志工作分工；讨论通过了《国务院工作规则（修订草案）》。会议还将机构方案内容分解细化为72项任务。

China unveils new cabinet amid function reform – Xinhua | English.news.cn The average age of the new cabinet members is 60, nearly three years older than the last lineup. On the whole, however, they have richer work experience in central and local departments and remarkable advantages in terms of their knowledge, education and professionalism. All cabinet members have a college education background, an 11-percent increase over the last cabinet. In the new cabinet, one member has a junior college certificate and three are university graduates. Twenty-one members have post-graduate diplomas, accounting for nearly 85 percent, or 14 percent higher than the previous cabinet. Furthermore, their college majors are more diverse, with a remarkable increase in humanities.

China Policy Institute Blog » Premier Li Keqiang’s many challenges One ingrained problem facing every Chinese head of government is that he has much less power than prime ministers in most other countries. Firstly, the Chinese premier has direct oversight over only ministries and departments related to the economy. He has little control, for example, over the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the police and state-security apparatus, or departments handling culture, ideology and propaganda. More significantly, major matters of state are decided by the seven-member PBSC, where General Secretary and State President Xi is the undisputed first among equals. The relationship between Xi – who heads the so-called Gang of Princelings (a reference to the kin of party elders) in party politics – and Li is said to be cordial… Equally crucial is the fact that the premier has limited personnel powers. Senior administrators up to the level of heads of ministries and departments are selected by the CCP’s Organization Department, which is currently under the control of PBSC member and Head of the Central Committee Secretariat Liu Yunshan, a noted conservative.

网曝贫困县县委书记配百万豪车 并上假军牌_网易财经 NPC over, netizen exposes of corrupt officials restart? // 近日，有网友爆料，辽宁省西丰县闫姓县委书记超标配150万元豪车，套用假军牌，且多次将公车停靠在大酒店门前。据了解，西丰县是省级贫困县，有网友对此调侃“再穷不能穷领导”。

不动产统一登记制或重构中央部委职权_中国经营网_中国经营报 记者了解到，中央编制工作委员会办公室（下称“中编办”）已经开始依据《方案》编制国务院各组成部门、特设机构、办事机构的“三定方案”。在本次大部制改革中得以保留的住房和城乡建设部（下称“住建部”）、国土资源部等部门的有关职权，或将围绕“建立不动产统一登记制度”进行重新整合与调整。　此前，住建部已经完成了40主要城市之间房屋产权、交易信息的联网，并着手逐步将联网覆盖至所有地级城市。不过，由于该项工作实现的技术路径尚未得以最终确认，“不动产统一登记制度”是否围绕住建部为主，展开相关职能的整合，还未最终确定。

Defense attorneys in China securities cases look for an exit Facing shareholder lawsuits in the United States, drawing protests from plaintiffs’ lawyers who say that the departures would hurt their cases. In both cases, the defense firms said they are having trouble collecting fees, according to court filings in the litigation. Loeb & Loeb has asked to withdraw as counsel for China MediaExpress Holdings Inc, an advertising company facing a proposed class-action lawsuit by investors who accuse it of overstating its financial condition.

China’s Premier Li meets the press – but no unscripted questions, thank you – CSMonitor.com Having attended six of these annual charades, and knowing how they work, it still astonishes me that the leader of a country such as China, which aspires to a serious place at the top table of world affairs, does not dare to take unscripted questions from journalists. Li talked a lot about reform this morning; he could do worse than start with the way the government relates to the local and foreign press.

 

FOREIGN AND DEFENSE AFFAIRS

China’s New Leaders to Meet U.S. Treasury Chief Lew in Beijing – Bloomberg Lew will meet with President Xi Jinping, Xu Shaoshi, head of the National Development and Reform Commission, and Finance Minister Lou Jiwei, Treasury spokeswoman Holly Shulman told reporters traveling with the U.S. delegation. Xi was named to the top post last week, completing a once-a-decade power handover within the Communist Party.

China criticizes U.S. anti-missile North Korea plan | Reuters and demonstrates to Beijing the damage that support for the DPRK is doing to its strategic interests// The anti-missile issue has a direct bearing on global and regional balance and stability. It also concerns mutual strategic interests between countries,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei told a daily news briefing. U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel announced plans on Friday to bolster U.S. missile defenses in response to “irresponsible and reckless provocations” by North Korea, which has threatened a preemptive nuclear strike against the United States.

Strategic U.S. bombers fly practice nuclear strikes in Korea | Washington Free Beacon Pentagon press secretary George Little told reporters that B-52 bombers from Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, conducted a training mission over South Korea March 8 during war games known as Exercise Foal Eagle. “It’s not any secret that we are in the midst of sending a very strong signal that we have a firm commitment to the alliance with our South Korean allies,” Little said. Deputy defense secretary Ashton Carter said during a visit to South Korea on Monday that the bomber flights are part of the U.S. “extended deterrence”—the use of U.S. nuclear forces to deter North Korea, which conducted its third underground nuclear test Feb. 12.

Japan fears French copter device may aid China’s Senkakus campaign – AJW by The Asahi Shimbun Japan and France are at odds over a French company’s sales to China of a cutting-edge helicopter landing system that Japan fears will be deployed around the Senkaku Islands. At issue is French defense contractor DCNS SA’s landing grid, which allows helicopters to land on or take off from a ship without crew assistance even in bad weather. Japan expressed its concerns to France that the equipment will be used on Chinese ships intruding into Japanese waters around the Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea, sources said.

Xi to talk with Putin to set future direction |Politics |chinadaily.com.cn President Xi Jinping will establish the direction of future China-Russia ties with Russian President Vladimir Putin during his first foreign visit to the country on Friday. The two leaders will push the China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination to a higher level, Chinese and Russian experts said on Monday during a video conference held by Russian Information Agency Novosti.

The Associated Press: Amid tensions, Chinese fruit a turnoff in Vietnam HANOI, Vietnam (AP) — Jack Nguyen had sold 20 of his 30 containers of imported American grapes when fresh rumors hit the Internet and state-run media: Chinese fruit on sale in Vietnam might look good, but it contains deadly levels of preservatives and pesticides. Shoppers quickly stopped buying imported fruit altogether, believing it all tainted or falsely labeled. The last 10 containers rotted.

中国军网_扬眉剑出鞘 ——记广州军区某集团军特战旅作战二营一连连长刘珪（上篇)

A Chinese jihadist in Syria? | FP Passport The purpose of the video — posted by a YouTube user who reposts jihadist videos — seems to be to allow Bo (if that’s his real name) to threaten China about the cost of its support for Bashar al-Assad’s government. “As a Chinese Muslim, I’d like to deeply apologize” to the Syrian people “in utter misery from the flames of war,” he says. “Also,” he continues, “I am representing all of the Muslims in warning the Chinese government to immediately stop all forms of aid to Bashar, including selling arms to them, including economic aid.” Otherwise, after the victory of the Syrian revolution, “all Islamic countries will join together to implement economic sanctions on China,” he adds. It seems like an odd threat, not to mention an impossible one. One wonders why he didn’t threaten a good old-fashioned terrorist attack.

WATCHDOG ALERT: FBI arrests NASA contractor employee trying to flee to China | WashingtonExaminer.com Bo Jiang, the Chinese national scientist employed by a NASA contractor for work at the space agency’s Langley Research Center, was arrested Sunday by the FBI at Dulles International Airport as he tried to flee to China, according to Rep. Frank Wolf, R-VA. Wolf said during a Capitol Hill news conference today that Jiang’s work at the NASA facility had given him access to information that “would be of the greatest interest to foreign spies, including China.

建着黑客部队炒着”中国网军” 美国居心何在? – 新华国际 – 新华网 明明网络部队磨刀霍霍，美国却始终让自己扮演网络受害者的角色不断向中国泼脏水，这种用毁中国名声为本国组建网络部队剪彩的做法缺少对中国起码的尊重。中国是大国，是美国的最大贸易伙伴之一，也是美国在亚太甚至全球外交离不开的合作者。美国政府导演的这场“贼喊捉贼”的把戏着实令人失望。

U.S. Sharpens Tone on Cyber Attacks From China | Defense News | defensenews.com will China and other Cyber actors need a demonstration? Talk is cheap and shame not usually a motivating factor with the folks who do this// The U.S. national security apparatus, long hush-hush on its offensive cyber capabilities and resistant to naming China as the source of numerous cyber attacks and intrusions, is starting to become more open about what it can do in cyberspace, and who it might do it to.

General Liu: Diaoyu Islands war not yet at hand- China.org.cn The general voiced support for China using its maritime police force to engage the Japanese Coast Guard, thus reducing tensions between China and Japan. “But I will reiterate my position – fighting wars are my duty. But I also have an obligation to educate our government, foreign countries and citizens what fighting a war will mean. We will not engage in wars to solve our problems, but we will fight and win if necessary,” Liu noted.

涉谷俊山案？徐才厚缺席两会传言盛行_多维新闻网【多维新闻】Duowei notes that gen. Xu Caihou did not appear during the two meetings, speculates may be related to rumors of involvement in Gen. Gu Junshan case// 3月17日中国人大闭幕大会上，习近平、胡锦涛等中国国家新旧领导人最后一次同时亮相，刚卸任的领导人胡锦涛、温家宝、吴邦国、贾庆林齐齐出席，还有政协前副主席王刚、人大前副委员长王兆国，但是，军委前副主席徐才厚和全国政协副主席董建华都缺席，引起外界猜测。 主席台的一边坐着现任两名军委副主席范长龙和许其亮，但是在另一端只有军委前副主席郭伯雄，前国防部长梁光烈亦在主席台上，独未见徐才厚。早前曾传出徐才厚牵涉解放军原后勤部副部长谷俊山腐败案而受到调查的消息，有指他“不便出席”两会而“被请假”，但消息未能证实。闭幕式他再度缺席，令传言再被提起。

China starts commercial use of Northern Sea Route | Barentsobserver According to Chinese longer-term scenarios, 5 to 15 per cent of China’s international trade, mostly container traffic, would use the route by 2020. Ten per cent of China’s projected trade by 2020, for instance, would be worth €526 billion. “If the route is constructively prepared … then the demand is there, it could be a huge number,” Huigen Yang said at a conference about the Arctic in Oslo, organized by The Economist magazine.

 

HONG KONG, MACAO AND TAIWAN

Friction With Beijing as Hong Kong Seeks More Democracy – NYTimes.com Willy Lam, a longtime Chinese politics specialist, said that the new team installed at the Party Congress in November was united in its hostility toward greater political pluralism in Hong Kong. They also share a deep suspicion that democracy advocates are being manipulated by the United States so as to create trouble in China’s backyard at a time of geopolitical tensions in the region, as China asserts its territorial claims in the East China Sea and South China Sea. “There’s no difference at the top regarding Tibet, Hong Kong and Taiwan; there are no liberals,” Mr. Lam said.//did people think there were?

The Vatican and the Other China – NYTimes.com So as Pope Francis prepared for his inaugural Mass on Tuesday, President Ma Ying-jeou was there too, with a high-level team from Taipei. The event is a rare opportunity for Taiwan’s leader, head of a state recognized by just 23 nations around the world, to mix with other world leaders, dozens of whom are expected, including Joe Biden, the U.S. vice president, and Angela Merkel, the German chancellor. The Vatican is the only state in Europe that recognizes Taiwan.

 

TECH AND MEDIA

Apple Attack Backfires for State Broadcaster – China Real Time Report – WSJ Weibo and CCTV often work together to coordinate discussion on the social networking site, asking high-profile Weibo users with large numbers of followers to comment after programming or to weigh in on big issues, according to a person who reports having been approached to help stimulate such conversations. But neither Weibo nor CCTV direct comments or offers payments to high-profile people, the person said.

业内称网售化妆品80%是假货 鉴定证明成护身符 _要点新闻 _光明网 80% of the cosmetics sold online in china are fake claims a new report// 中国电子商务研究中心数据显示，2012年化妆品网购交易额占化妆品零售总额的21.9%左右。化妆品行业协会公布的2012年国内化妆品零售额为1000亿元，如果按21.9%的占比来看，网购销售额应该在219亿元左右。但艾瑞发布的2012年网购化妆品全年销售额为576.6亿元，那么多余的357.6亿元网络销售的化妆品从何而来？丽人丽妆CEO黄韬对《中国经营报(微博)》记者直言：“多数是假的，目前网上销售的化妆品80%都是假货。”

 

SOCIETY, ART, SPORTS, CULTURE AND HISTORY

北京中小学减负令实施 学生：减不减都压力大_网易新闻中心 核心提示：被称为“史上最严”的北京中小学减负令今起正式实施。东城、西城、石景山三个城区3月18日也出台了细则。有学生表示，虽然“现在作业比去年少了”，但还是压力大。还有的同学称他们要忙着开始应付不同的初中选拔考试。

Billion Yuan Baby #1: Welcome to the Thunderdome : Shanghaiist Billion Yuan Baby is a regular column by Shanghaiist editor James Griffiths, focusing on his experiences and those of his fellow competitors’ training for Brawl on the Bund. The next Brawl on the Bund takes place on June 15, 2013 at Hyatt on the Bund. The event is in support of Leo’s Foundation, which cares for newborn infants with respiratory problems.

 

ENERGY, ENVIRONMENT AND HEALTH

Beijing’s sky during the two sessions – China.org.cn A combination of 14 photos taken at Tiananmen Square from March 4 to March 17 record the different shades of blue and grey skies that shroud the Chinese capital during the two sessions

药监人员披露假药产业链 新华社——经济参考网 regulators expose the production chain of fake medicines in China to Economic Information// 编者按  《经济参考报》记者近日分赴北京、上海、广东、山东、浙江、江西、安徽多地追踪调查假药案件发现，目前国内不法分子已将制售假药产业化，甚至一些具有医学背景的专业人士也参与了造假，涉案金额巨大。本报自今日开始刊登假药追踪系列稿件，以飨读者。

独家:浙北-福州特高压撬动200亿投资 中国证券报记者3月18日独家获悉，浙北-福州特高压交流项目已经过会，相关文件正在主管部门内部流转，不日将正式下发核准批文。官方预计，这条工程投资在200亿元的线路将于2014年建成。　此外，有市场消息指出，国家电网可能被拆分为华东、华北、华中、东北、西北等区域电网公司，与南方电网一起形成六家区域电网公司。但对于该消息，能源主管部门和国家电网没有做出任何回应。

人民日报-3月18日，上海市政府通报已打捞死猪逾万头，本报记者 解析“死猪漂浮”疑团（走转改·一线调查）People’s daily explains the Shanghai “Pig float”

Of pigs, pork…and China’s stubborn food safety problem | Video | Reuters.com Dead pigs keep showing up in Shanghai’s Huangpu River. Where are they coming from? Officials aren’t talking, but the media is. Jane Lanhee Lee looks into the root of China’s food safety issues.

 

BOOKS AND LITERATURE

the Anthill | a writers’ colony the Anthill is a new home for narrative writing from or on China. We post fiction, narrative sketches, titbits and vignettes – following stories, not the news

 

JOBS AND EVENTS

Employment Opportunities–The Congressional-Executive Commission on China The Commission is seeking professional staff members to assist in monitoring and reporting on substantive issues pertaining to the freedom of religion and criminal justice portfolios. The professional staff member will assist in assessing China’s compliance or noncompliance with international human rights standards and Chinese domestic law. Successful candidates should have substantive background and/or an interest in one or more of these issue areas. Successful candidates should also possess the necessary Chinese language, English writing, and communication skills to effectively research, analyze, and explain such developments to U.S. policymakers and the broader public.

Digital Video Producer at Reckitt Benckiser in Beijing City, China – Job | LinkedIn We’re looking to hire a full-time, in-house Video Producer to produce a wide variety of video content for some fun, very popular brands (like Durex, Dettol, and Veet) that already have a huge social media following on the Chinese internet.

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