"Sinocism is the Presidential Daily Brief for China hands"- Evan Osnos, New Yorker Correspondent and National Book Award Winner
Just links today:
THE ESSENTIAL EIGHT
知情者：蒋洁敏与薄熙来多有交集 助其提升政绩|中石油|蒋洁敏|国资委_新浪财经_新浪网 21st Century Herald has more on the Jiang Jiemin case, says this investigation started in March, that he had “intersected” with Bo Xilai, that Bo had supported some of his projects, which in turn helped Bo earn “political accomplishments” // 知情者还向本报透露，蒋洁敏与薄熙来亦多有交集，并通过在薄熙来的任职地兴建石油炼化项目等方式，帮助薄“提升政绩”。“薄在辽宁省任省长时，蒋洁敏就推动中石油在辽宁扩建或兴建原有的石油炼化项目；薄后来去了重庆，蒋又如法炮制。” 中石油在辽宁有两个千万吨级的炼油厂，即大连石化和抚顺石化。2007年11月，薄熙来就任重庆市委书记。中石油方面很快即表示在重庆市长寿区投资近150亿元，建设一个具备生产成品油650万吨能力的炼油厂。2009年，中石油又宣布将这一炼油项目的产能提升至1000万吨级。
Related: China Graft Inquiry Sweeps Up Billionaire Oil Entrepreneur – NYTimes.com The entrepreneur, Hua Bangsong, 47, is “now assisting the relevant authorities in the P.R.C. in their investigations,” according to a filing made late Monday to the Hong Kong Stock Exchange by Mr. Hua’s company, Wison Engineering Services. A crackdown on corruption in China has intensified in recent weeks, focusing on the oil industry. Mr. Hua’s company is one of the largest nonstate contractors to the oil and gas industry in China, and counts the China National Petroleum Corporation, or C.N.P.C., as one of its biggest customers. // Group Profile-About Wison-Wison Group…this stock has been a good short lately
Related: SASAC Boss Investigated by Party for Rules Violations – Caixin Sources close to the situation say that a routine post-promotion audit of Jiang exposed problems related to the four oil company executives. Jiang, 58, became head of CNPC in 2006…Usually the so-called economic responsibility audit of out-going SOE heads focuses on a company’s financials, legality of business activities, profitability, internal governance and an official’s record in managing and supervising state-owned assets. In Jiang’s case, the audit covered some “sensitive issues circulated at home and reported by foreign media,” the source with knowledge of the audit said, a reference to speculation that Jiang was the subject of corruption investigations. The audit is carried out by a committee formed of officials from the party’s discipline watchdog; the party’s Organization Department; the central government’s audit office; the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security; and SASAC. If any violations are found, the auditors turn the case over to the party’s anti-graft watchdog, the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection.
Related: 明星电缆连曝高层“失踪” 或均涉石油系统贪腐案|明星电缆|石油系统|贪腐_21世纪网 Another exec from Cable Star “disappears”, looks to be caught up in the Petro Purge // 核心提示：坊间传闻，李广元或与此前已经落马的前四川副省级官员郭永祥有牵连，事因其掌控的明星电缆曾在上市前与石油系统国企保持着大额采购的业务关系。而郭曾浸淫石油行业多年，或间接提供了相关业务帮助。
Related: Corruption probes raise state-owned enterprise reform hopes | South China Morning Post At best, the corruption investigations are reminders that the cosy days of state monopolies are numbered, said Standard Chartered’s Green. “The likely outcome [and the goal of reformers] is that SOE reform will be facilitated, quietly and indirectly, by other reforms. The only problem with evolution is that it usually takes ages – and the results cannot be predicted,” he said.
Related: China’s SASAC Backs Jiang Probe as Vows to Support Xi Policies – Bloomberg Those are the type of companies that Xi and Premier Li Keqiang need to exert control over to help implement policies they seek to adopt at a November party conclave, and the probe into Jiang as well as several CNPC executives indicates Xi is amassing power, Beijing-based economic consulting firm GK Dragonomics wrote in a Sept. 2 report. “Xi should have the ability to push through a strong agenda, judging from the scale of the anti-corruption probes he is overseeing,” the note said.
薄瓜瓜在哥伦比亚大学新照曝光：笑容满面(图)_资讯频道_凤凰网 Beijing Evening News (article now deleted from the BEN site, this version is pulled from iFeng.com. Screenshot) uses the recent picture of Bo Guagua in New York to attack him, asks why given the exposures of his role in corruption related to his family, there is not an international arrest warrant out for him, even if, as the newspaper speculates, his family cut some sort of deal with Beijing…we should know his Dad’s sentence soon…my money is on a harsher punishment than the conventional wisdom says// 在薄熙来审判期间，美国有的中文媒体认为薄瓜瓜为薄案共犯应全球通缉以正视听。文章称薄案将近5天的庭审暴露薄瓜瓜实则涉案极深，不但在父母案件中扮演着关键角色，甚至亲历亲受徐明等人的利益输送。作为一名“在逃”嫌犯，薄瓜瓜既然无勇气为自己漂白，则更无资格自认“政治难民”，在海外为父母摇旗呐喊虚张声势，质疑中共司法。不管薄熙来庭审之前与中共是否达成保护薄瓜瓜的协议，既然立意构建法治国家，便理应发“全球通缉令”将其召回以正视听，为司法公正正名…当年薄瓜瓜披着“红色贵族”的光环，在北大进行了生平第一次公开演讲。在回答“你信仰共产主义吗？”问题时，薄瓜瓜回答说：“我暂时还是无党派人士啊。不过说共产主义，我要看你定义什么叫共产主义。对于我来说，共产主义的精神我当然是完全赞成，我完全是跟随着共产主义精神的，但是具体从一个社会哲学、政治哲学的角度来看，什么叫共产主义，什么叫马克思主义，什么叫列宁主义，这些都是不同的概念。” 看起来薄瓜瓜当年不信仰共产主义，而未来他恐怕也不会信仰共产主义
坚决遏制盲目“造城”之风 本报评论员 《 人民日报 》 One of two front page People’s Daily Tuesday articles (this one a commentary) on resisting blindly building new cities/urban districts…likely another signal that whatever urbanization plan is coming is not going to be the massive infrastructure spend that some local governments are addicted to…step one of investment anonymous is “we admitted we were powerless over easy-credit fueled investment—that our finances had become unmanageable”? Beijing does at least appear to recognize the problems, but the next steps are harder… // “造城”之风，就是发展中的“四风”问题。在教育实践活动中，有的地方问题很多，却硬是看不见问题、找不到问题，自我感觉良好。其实，像这类现实危害深、群众意见大的“造城”之风，就是很大的问题，此事当抓、此风当刹！ 在我国这样一个人多地少、城乡区域差异大、生态环境接近承载极限的国家推进城镇化，路子必须走正，不然就会犯历史性错误。有序推进城镇化，对做得好的要总结推广，对有问题的要加强引导，对错误的做法要坚决纠正，要坚决遏制盲目“造城”之风。
Related: 土地浪费 住房闲置 资金套牢 圈地“造城”虚火当降 《 人民日报 》 the second article // 一位和前述生态城有业务往来的银行负责人说：“地方政府的如意算盘打错了，没考虑有没有人来这生活的问题，花巨资造了个无人岛。”当地一位熟知情况的人告诉记者，“生态城的发展太贪大了，如今债务压身，连利息都还不上，这么多半拉子工程怎么收摊子？” “前几年当地政府为了GDP，卖地搞房地产，现在房子卖不出去，陷入恶性循环，‘空城效应’被越放越大。”东部滨海小镇上的一位退休老人对此很是担忧。 记者采访中，很多群众表达了他们的愿望，在群众路线教育实践活动中，要治治盲目“造城”的虚火症。
Related: Beatings, evictions reveal ugly side of China’s local debt pile | Reuters Wuxi lies in the coastal province of Jiangsu, home to China’s most indebted local government. Public records show provincial, city and county governments in Jiangsu have borrowed heavily from banks and investors to fund big construction projects and investments. Pressured finances may be capping land payouts and fuelling state-sanctioned violence, said Li Guoxiang, deputy director of rural development research at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, a top government think-tank.
Beijing toughens pollution rules to clean up air – Xinhua Beijing on Monday rolled out a slew of measures to curb industrial pollution amid latest efforts to clean up the city’s air. In a five-year clean air action plan (2013-2017), the Beijing municipal government said 1,200 polluting companies will be ordered to upgrade or close parts or all of their facilities in the coming years to 2016. Authorities will identify small polluters in township- and village-level industrial zones and shut them down if they fail to meet pollution reduction targets, according to the plan. The municipal government has pledged to reduce PM 2.5 density by 25 percent or more by 2017 to improve the city’s air quality.
Related: Beijing tightens vehicle emission controls against PM 2.5 – Xinhua By 2017, the number of vehicles in the city is expected to be no more than 6 million, according to the package. Statistics from Beijing Traffic Management Bureau show the city had 5.35 million vehicles by the end of July. By promoting new energy and small displacement vehicles, reducing intensity of vehicle use and strictly enforcing regulations, the government expects to reduce total vehicle fuel consumption by 5 percent or more compared with 2012. The city’s traffic management and environmental protection bureaus will prepare traffic control rules for passenger cars by the end of 2013 which will mainly focus on time and area restrictions. The rules are expected to be implemented in 2014. In addition, vehicles from other cities will be subject to more time and area restrictions from 2014 at the earliest
Related: 北京机动车摇号指标每月或将减少万辆_网易新闻中心 As part of pollution cleanup plan Beijing may reduce the monthy new auto license plate quote from 22,000 to 12,000? // “如果把任务平均分解到每个月，那么摇号指标可能从现在新车指标的每个月2.2万辆减到1.2万辆，减少将近1万辆。”业内专家分析，要达到这一目标，必须严控小客车增速，大量削减每月摇号指标数量。
Related: 北京向PM2.5宣战 今后5年明显改善空气质量 《 人民日报 》 Page 1 People’s Daily–“Beijing Declares War on PM 2.5”
Afghanistan backdrop to Xi’s Central Asia visit -AP The Chinese president visits Central Asia this week amid concerns that a U.S. troop withdrawal from Afghanistan could mean a destabilizing exodus of foreign radical fighters from the war zone to homelands closer to China’s borders. With the pullout deadline just 16 months away, China’s leaders share widespread concerns that Kabul’s own forces won’t be able to maintain security or that foreign fighters who were focused on fighting U.S. troops will now head elsewhere, including other fragile Central Asian nations or even northwestern China.
Related: China’s World: Beijing’s Middle Eastern Dilemma – WSJ.com It’s increasingly clear that picking the wrong side in that region has been costly for China. It’s complicated Beijing’s relations with populist governments that have emerged from the turmoil sweeping the Middle East, and it’s put at risk the prospects of Chinese energy and engineering companies. More generally, say Western diplomats and foreign policy analysts, China’s instinctive support for the status quo has left it flat-footed as events rapidly unfold. In one crisis after another, China has reacted to initiatives from Washington and other Western powers, despite its aspirations to be seen as a global peer of the U.S.
Critics of ‘rumour’ crackdown point to history, as police voice dissent online | South China Morning Post The Guangdong High Court posted a translation from classical Chinese of an ancient tale alluded to in the deleted Guangzhou police post. It recounted the tale of Zichan, a fifth-century BC philosopher who opposed the destruction of a building where people would gather to discuss politics, arguing that knowing the population’s opinions was vital to ruling them.
Related: 学习时报_2013-09-02_党校教育专刊 综合文化_防民之口，甚于防川 历史的发展一再告诉我们：那些不把人民群众放在眼里的领导者，人民群众也不会把他们放在心里！而且，说到底，他们的所谓“官运”，是由“民心”决定的！因为，归根到底，社会发展是由人民群众的意志决定的，人民群众是历史进步的真正动力。这是历史唯物主义的一个根本原理。
Related: “子产不毁乡校” 8月31日9时49分，广州-公安微博表态：“谣言必须打，打击须依法，严防扩大化”，微博称：“散布谣言的客观后果要足以引起群众恐慌，干扰了国家机关以及其他单位的正常工作，扰乱了社会秩序，才能适用治安处罚法，而一些歪曲历史事实的谣言，不是现实的，没有扰乱公共秩序。子产不毁乡校。打击造谣要防扩大化，若人人噤若寒蝉，道路以目，显然是噩梦。 ”..这条微博包括@广东政法 在内的各界参与转发，两小时内转发量便已过万，但在次日凌晨零时许被删除。..9月2日，广东省高级法院也发出微博力挺：“子产不毁乡校，出自《左传·襄公三十一年》。对于乡人聚会议政的乡校，然明主张毁掉，子产不同意，他说，‘其所善者，吾则行之，其所恶者，吾则改之，是吾师也。’子产把乡校作为获取群众议论政事的反馈信息的场所，而且注意根据来自公众的意见，调整自己的政策和行为。”..如果延伸阅读，还能看到一些官媒的表态。如@解放日报 引述《学习时报》的文章：“‘防民之口，甚于防川’这个典故的寓意很深，它说明一个很重要的道理：无论是在什么时代，不要以为掌握了大权，就可以为所欲为，就能够把老百姓的嘴巴堵住；当然，这可能得逞于一时，但是，终归是要被老百姓赶下台的。”…@人民网 的“人民微评”称，河北女子网上询问“是否发生命案”被拘留事件，引发各界忧虑，整治谣言是一件利网利民的好事，要警惕一些地方混淆概念、突破法律边界造成“捕谣比赛”，防止谣言定性的随意化与打击范围扩大化。@广州公安 微博所云“子产不毁乡校，打击造谣，若人人噤若寒蝉，显然是噩梦”。
Related: 于涛：打击“网络谣言”须防范执行跑偏_评论_南都网 摘要：要把握好打击谣言和保证公众知情权、参与权、表达权、监督权的平衡，必须严格以事实为依据，以法律为准绳，避免随意性 要把握好打击谣言和保证公众知情权、参与权、表达权、监督权的平衡，必须严格以事实为依据，以法律为准绳，避免随意性。
Related: Attack on rumours a step backwards for transparency | South China Morning Post Instead of blaming bloggers for spreading malicious rumours, mainland officials should hold a study session of paramount leader Deng Xiaoping’s wisdom, specifically pages 144-45 of volume two of his Selected Works. In an important speech titled “Emancipating the mind … looking to the future” made on December 13, 1978, Deng said: “One thing a revolutionary party does need to worry about is its inability to hear the voice of the people. The thing to be feared most is silence. “Today many rumours – some true, some false – circulate through the grapevine inside and outside the party. This is a kind of punishment for the long-standing lack of political democracy.”
Related: 人民日报人民论坛：“大V”标签不是违法挡箭牌–观点–人民网 People’s Daily page 4 Tuesday—The “BigV label is not a shield for lawbreaking” // 毋庸讳言，在某些网络“大V”眼里，粉丝多也是一种身价，不仅希望它成为精神财富，更希望它转化为现实中的特权。这种认识和期待，正如鲁迅先生所言，“掣维新之衣，用蔽其自私之体”。摆脱这种“特权幻觉”，坚守住法律底线，“大V”的身份才会有真实的分量，才会成为推动社会进步的正能量。
With Labs Pumping Out Legal Highs, China is the New Front in the Global Drugs War | TIME.com The 2C-E that LaMere purchased online is part of the latest drugs scourge of new psychoactive substances (NPS), dubbed “legal highs,” to blight not only the U.S. but countries all over the world. Their growing popularity opens up a new front in the drug war, shifting the front line from the Colombian jungles, Afghan hills and Winnebagos of New Mexico to the laboratories of Shanghai and other Chinese cities, where, according to the DEA, legal highs are typically produced. Almost 90% of countries surveyed for the 2013 U.N. World Drugs Report attributed synthetic drugs a significant market share. Suburban laboratories around Chinese port-cities are the principle source, from where they can be easily shipped to Europe or North America using regular international courier services.
Shanghai free-trade zone to launch later this month | South China Morning Post Government sources familiar with the plan told the South China Morning Post that it will launch on September 27, when senior central government officials will fly to the city to attend a ceremony planned to mark the occasion. Ai Baojun, currently a vice-mayor of Shanghai in charge of the city’s economic and industrial development, will be named the head of the new commission to oversee the development of the free-trade zone, according to the sources.
BUSINESS AND ECONOMY
Economists React: China Looks Set for Good Numbers in August – China Real Time Report – WSJ Good news from the PMIs follows upside surprises on exports, industrial output and fixed-asset investment in July, and adds to the chance that China will post strong growth for the third quarter. Government moves to step up investment in infrastructure and soft-pedal controls on the housing sector, coupled with a gradual recovery in the developed world that boosts demand for China’s exports, seem to be responsible for the turnaround.
Rattled by investigations, foreign firms in China beef up compliance | Reuters Corruption probes have targeted the pharmaceutical industry while authorities have also launched a major investigation into China’s leading oil and gas company. One executive from a foreign-listed medical device maker told Reuters he canceled his summer vacations plans and instead spent the past month criss-crossing China to make sure the company’s operations were not violating any Chinese laws. Lawyers in China say client enquiries related to a five-year old anti-monopoly law – suddenly being enforced with zeal – have jumped, including requests for antitrust audits.
葛兰素史克编织合规外衣行贿：鼓励员工以身试法|葛兰素史克|行贿|跨国药企_新浪财经_新浪网 Xinhua–Another GSK executive confesses, says GSK made a mockery of compliance…article has more details on the corruption…how did global HQ not know what was going on? // 新华网长沙9月2日电(记者邹伟、谭畅)“一方面在制造假象，教育员工让大家合规；另一方面又把这样惊天的事实掩盖起来，我觉得这是一种纵容，甚至说就是暗中鼓励……极度扩张导致招聘成本剧增、巨额费用用于行贿，都在推高药价，最后全部是患者买单。” 8月31日，湖南长沙，涉案人员之一、葛兰素史克(中国)投资有限公司(以下简称GSK中国)人力资源部招聘总监郭某这样表达自己的忏悔。
心脏支架滥用：出厂价3千卖2.7万 回扣高达45%|医疗器械|回扣|价格_新浪财经_新浪网 which firms profit the most from stents in China? First Financial has a report on the overuse of stents and the windfall profits on them in China…price cuts and reduction in use ahead? // 种种迹象表明，2013年开始，一直处于医药价格高点的高值医用耗材价格开始被搅动——这些以心脏支架、心脏起搏器、血管介入和骨科植入等为代表的医用医疗器械产品，由于技术复杂、科技先进，且具有专利保护，在市场上也享有优待的定价权，获利丰厚。
China Revises Down GDP Growth for 2012 to 7.7Pct From 7.8Pct-Caijing The National Bureau of Statistics in China revises down 2012 GDP growth in the world’s second-largest economy by 0.1 percent to 7.7 percent. According to a statement released by the NBS, GDP in 2012 was 51.89 trillion yuan, 38 billion less than the previous calculations. Output growth in secondary industries was 0.2 percent lower than the previous figure.
China’s August Home Prices Rise Amid Land Sales, SouFun Says – Bloomberg Some buyers, who had waited expecting prices to fall, entered the market recently because some cities started easing property policies, SouFun, the nation’s biggest real estate website owner, said in the statement. China is facing “relatively large” pressure for property prices to rebound, the official People’s Daily newspaper reported on its microblog on Aug. 28, citing the National Development and Reform Commission’s Chairman Xu Shaoshi.
China to Withstand Emerging Stocks Rout After QE, BofA’s Lu Says – Bloomberg The world’s second-largest economy has low foreign debt, “huge” foreign exchange reserves, a “sustained” current account surplus and high savings that shield it from capital outflows, wrote Lu Ting, a Hong Kong-based economist at Bank of America, ranked first for Asia research in 2011 by Institutional Investor magazine. The government may postpone widening a trading band for the yuan and slow the pace of removing capital controls to ensure economic and financial stability, said Lu.
Indofood Offers $383 Million Cash for Rest of China Minzhong – Bloomberg Indofood bid S$1.12 apiece for Putian, China-based Minzhong, the Jakarta-based company said today in a statement, giving the stock its biggest gain since its debut in 2010. The price is more than double the 53 Singapore cents that Minzhong fell to on Aug. 26 before the stock was suspended from trading.
China Wuhan Debt-to-GDP Ratio at 185.64Pct-Caijing Debt-to-GDP ratio in Wuhan, the capital city of South China’s Hubei province, could stand out at 185.64 percent, among the highest in Chinese cities, local media said. The city is one of a lengthy list of Chinese cities which are under the inspection of the National Audit Office for their debt piles, starting from early August amid fears of a government debt crisis.
Chinese Banks Contribute 70Pct of Profits in Services, Raising Concerns over Structural Imbalances-Caijing Extra-high profitability in Chinese banks, most of which are state-owned or state-backed, has raised concerns about structural imbalances in services, a sector that has been attached much importance in steering a growth model away from exports to consumption. Chinese banks have generated nearly 70 percent of profits in total among the top 500 companies in services, although the number of banks only accounts one tenth of total, a report issued by the China Enterprise Confederation (CEC) over the weekend showed.
Copper Rally Reversing as Glut Expands to ’01 High: Commodities – Bloomberg The biggest rally in copper in three months is reversing as analysts predict that the largest glut in 13 years will overwhelm consumption from an accelerating Chinese economy, which uses two in every five tons. Production will exceed demand by 408,000 metric tons next year, the most since 2001, compared with 167,000 tons in 2013, the average of 15 analyst estimates compiled by Bloomberg shows. Futures rose 3.2 percent in August, the most in three months, on signs of an expansion in Chinese manufacturing. Prices will drop 6 percent to $6,800 a ton by the end of December, the median of 13 analyst and trader predictions shows.
Copper Rises Most in Three Weeks on China Manufacturing Growth – Bloomberg Copper for delivery in three months gained 2 percent to $7,241 a metric ton by 5:19 p.m. on the London Metal Exchange. Prices rose as much as 2.5 percent, the most since Aug. 8. Copper for delivery in December added 2 percent to $3.2965 a pound on the Comex in New York, where floor trading is closed today for the Labor Day holiday. Holdings of copper in bonded warehouses, which aren’t officially reported, slid to 350,000 tons from 1.1 million tons about a year ago, Bank of America Merrill Lynch said. Those comments were “supportive,” according to RBC.
New deadlines for outdated production capacity removal – Xinhua The list marks the second batch of companies required to remove and permanently scrap their out-of-date production capacities this year. The second batch of companies on the list all belong to the paper making sector. The ministry in July publicized its first batch of companies, totaling more than 1,400 in a wide array of sectors including steel, coke, ferro-alloy, cement and paper making.
Cooper’s Chinese workers lock out U.S. managers to protest Indian buyout | Reuters Workers at a Cooper Tire and Rubber Co (CTB.N) joint venture factory in China locked out their U.S. managers to protest against a $2.5 billion buyout by India’s Apollo Tyres (APLO.NS) that they say will put their jobs at risk. Foreign managers could face the risk of “bodily injuries”, Yue Chunxue, director of the labor union at Cooper Chengshan Tire Co in China’s eastern Shandong province said.
Piraeus investment deal eases privatization prospects | Reuters China’s largest bulk shipper COSCO Holdings Co Ltd (1919.HK) (601919.SS) has agreed a multi-million euros expansion of its container operations at Greece’s biggest port Piraeus (OLP) (OLPr.AT), easing the way for the port’s privatization. Under a deal announced by Greek officials on Monday, COSCO will be excused paying fees to OLP in return for making the investment, removing a question mark over growth at the port and taking the state a step closer to selling its 74 percent stake.
谛都董事长被捕前：林作敏谎报债务 上百个电话打不通|谛都|债务_21世纪网 A Zhejiang Real Estate developer detained after firm collapses…looks to be charged with at least illegal fundraising // 核心提示： 让市场颇为关心的是，林作敏缘何最后选择逃跑的不归路，其在人身自由的最后10个月里到底为其一手多年打造的谛都集团做了什么？
POLITICS AND LAW
Party discipline agency opens official website – Xinhua The Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the Ministry of Supervision jointly opened an official website Monday. Opening the website is to smooth communication and interaction with the public, said a statement from the agency. The website,www.ccdi.gov.cn, consists of ten sections, including an online forum where the public can leave their opinions and proposals as well as ask questions about anticorruption work. The website receives tip-offs about corruption cases, and publishes latest information of important meetings, campaigns and investigation of graft. // the site: 中央纪委监察部网站
[视频]王岐山强调 突出纪检监察特色 架起与群众沟通桥梁_新闻频道_央视网 CCTV Evening News Monday reports on Wang Xishan’s inspection of the new CDIC website…the CDIC employees in the video, including Wang, look remarkably skinny compared to some other officials… // 央视网消息(新闻联播)：中共中央政治局常委、中央纪委书记王岐山9月2日在调研中央纪委监察部网站建设时强调，要贯彻落实习近平总书记在全国宣传思想工作会议上的重要讲话精神，把网站办出特色，确保严肃、准确、及时、权威，架起与群众沟通的桥梁，不断提高党风廉政建设宣传水平，展示我们党与腐败作斗争的坚定决心。
中央纪委公布组织机构图 内设27个职能部门_财经频道_一财网 CDIC org chart
Guangzhou Mulls Making Internet an Official Tool for Fighting Corruption – Caixin Guangzhou is taking steps to become the first city in China to make the Internet an official graft-fighting tool, a development a former judge and a legal expert have welcomed. The southern city plans to formally write into law that the Net can be used as a legitimate source of tips for anti-graft investigators. A draft amendment to a law regarding corrupt officials was submitted to the local people’s congress for review on August 27. It says: “Government agencies should collect, analyze, research online information on corruption, take necessary measures and respond in a timely manner to problems that have significant social influences.
又放鸽子 住房信息联网触痛了谁的神经？！_地产观点_最新鲜_地产人 a bad sign for the corruption fight and control over local governments…they just keep ignoring Beijing’s mandate to put housing ownership information into a national database, as it would show too many officials who have too many properties they could not possibly have acquired legally…// 据了解，我国自1985年以后就没有再对个人住房情况进行全面普查，而当前各地方的网络住房信息均来自于2005年之后的房屋买卖。也就是说，这其中有近20年的电子信息断档。在这巨大的空白期，那些通过不正当渠道得到房产的人员已经成为最享受的食利阶层，他们并不愿意看到住房信息的联网，这一方面相当于财产部分公开，另一方面也阻碍了他们继续添置房产。 为此住建部在推进住房信息联网工作的过程中，已经开始与地方政府签订“数据采集和使用安全协议”。住房信息联网采集的数据仅用于宏观分析，且住建部不设房屋产权查询端口，亦不拥有查询权限，个人住房信息的查询权仍保留在地方政府，这就是一种无可奈何的妥协。
十八大后反腐提速 16名高官落马_特色频道_财新网 nice Caixin infographic on 16 relatively high-level officials who have gone down for corruption since the 18th party congress
“名人八卦”当休矣（今日谈） 詹 勇 《 人民日报 》 page 1 People’s Daily calls for media to tone down its coverage of “celebrity gossip”, focus instead on “positive energy” // 市场经济条件下，追求发行量、收视率、点击量本无可厚非，但媒体更要守住社会责任的底线。一味迎合市场低俗炒作，尽管会有一时之利，但却丢了品质、失了人心，最终毁了公信。在改革攻坚、矛盾凸显的关键时期，媒体更应唤起“责任自觉”，多传播正能量，多发出好声音。须知，受众需求是多样化的，大千世界更是多彩的，走出名人隐私的偏狭角落，天地广阔，大有可为。
Banks Employing ‘Princelings’ Played Roles in Big Hong Kong IPOs – WSJ.com Another U.S. bank, Goldman Sachs Group Inc., GS -0.98% played a key role in the Agricultural Bank of China deal. Goldman banker Hong Ning was lauded by higher-ups for his work on that IPO, according to a person who worked with him. Hong Ning’s wife is related to Wang Qishan, who previously helped coordinate China’s financial policy and in late 2012 became the party’s chief anticorruption enforcer. Mr. Hong joined Goldman in 2005 and was named partner in 2010, the same year Agricultural Bank raised its billions in a listing in Hong Kong and Shanghai. A former colleague said Mr. Hong was well-connected but that he was a hardworking banker. Mr. Hong, who is still with the firm, declined to comment. A representative for Agricultural Bank declined to comment on the matter.
‘Princelings’ of the Law–The Asian Lawyer lawyers say princelings are rare in the legal profession. One obstacle is that lawyers at major firms are generally required to have more in the way of formal training and education than their counterparts at investment banks and private equity funds. More importantly, the potential financial rewards at the latter are far greater. “Investment banks and private equity funds pay more and value origination and relationships more,” says one law firm partner in Beijing. “As a lawyer, one has to work too hard, and the princelings, especially the younger generation ones, do not like do so.”
The uncertain death of “constitutionalism” – China Media Project The platforms making original anti-constitutional posts — aside from Haijiang Online — were principally Red Flag (run by Seeking Truth), Party Construction (published by the Central Propaganda Department) and the overseas edition of the People’s Daily (of course under the People’s Daily banner). We must understand that Red Flag and Seeking Truth Online are not entirely the same things as Seeking Truth (the journal), and that the overseas edition of the People’s Daily is not entirely the same thing as the People’s Daily. ..In summing up the controversy over constitutionalism over the past four months, there is one another important fact to note. The writers who have argued for constitutionalism have all used their real names. All are well-known scholars who have for years written about constitutionalism and political reform. Their articles reaffirm general understandings they have held for years. Most of the writers for the anti-constitutional camp, on the other hand, have not used their real names. The writing is ragged and poor, and full of brow-beating language reminiscent of that during the Cultural Revolution. Some of the writings are even crude, as though off the cuff. I find it very hard to believe that these could really be a concerted strike against a “reactionary current” by an elite team of CCP theory wonks. There is little question, given the powerful push behind these articles, that they enjoyed powerful political backing. But exactly what sort of backing remains a serious question. Why, after all this time, haven’t the People’s Daily and Seeking Truth said anything?
China Debates Effect of Trial’s Rare Transparency – NYTimes.com Some liberal legal scholars, though, have praised the relative transparency of the trial, because party leaders unexpectedly allowed many of the edited court transcripts to be posted on a running court microblog even if crucial testimony that implicated other leaders was kept secret. “It was open, and the defendant’s rights were well protected,” said Zhang Qianfan, a law professor at Peking University. Another scholar, Tong Zhiwei, said: “The Bo trial was more open than any other corruption trial of high-ranking officials in China.”
Will the US tackle corruption in China’s oil industry? | Business blog Mr Zhou was a backer of Bo Xilai, the fallen party secretary of Chongqing, so the inquiry serves as a crackdown on Mr Bo’s allies. It is also being seen as an effort to discipline state-owned enterprises, which have crowded out private enterprises since the 2009 economic stimulus. But it raises the question of how far the Department of Justice or other US authorities want to get involved in investigating corruption at CNPC. Were PetroChina a western group, these arrests would alert those responsible for enforcing the US Foreign and Corrupt Practices Act.
Asia Briefing: Father of the Great Firewall retires – | The Irish Times – Last week saw the retirement of Fang Binxing, the father of the “Great Firewall of China”, as president of Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications. His departure is unlikely to be widely mourned by China’s online citizenry, many of whom hate him for introducing the loathed system of controls….Local reports say Mr Fang (53) has cancer.
Shark fin soup off the menu: China’s crackdown on extravagant banquets gives sharks a second chance – Asia – World – The Independent what about abalone and sea cucumber? // Consumption of shark fin, the key ingredient in the pricey and extravagant banquet staple shark-fin soup, has dropped by 70 per cent since the end of last year, according to Ministry of Commerce data.
Baijiu-Maker Kweichow Moutai Sobers Up – MoneyBeat – WSJ Kweichow Moutai Co.’s shares plunged by the 10% daily limit in Shanghai on Monday morning, after the company reported its slowest half-year gain since 2001. The maker of moutai, a high-end baijiu, or white liquor, said Friday its first-half net profit rose 3.6%. “The result was lower than expected. As demand for high-end catering has slowed, the company will face greater uncertainty in stabilizing the prices of its products,” said Guotai Junan Securities in a note.
意识形态领域阵地决不能丢 Beijing Daily page 1 on ideological struggle, threat from Western values and ideology // 主旋律是社会的精气神，正能量是发展的动力源。实现“中国梦”的漫漫征程，伴随着前所未有的挑战和考验，永远需要精神力量的强大支撑。在新的历史起点上，党的思想宣传优势必须增不可减，意识形态领域阵地必须顶得住、打得赢，我们一定要有这样的共识，也一定要有这样的决心！
FOREIGN AND DEFENSE AFFAIRS
日本，侵略历史翻不了案 钟 声 《 人民日报 》 Zhong Sheng on how Japan can not overturn its history of invasion, on the 68th anniversary of the celebration of victory in the war of resistance against japan…lucky for Japanese in China that this year’s 82nd anniversary of the 9.18.21 Mukden incident falls on the mid-autumn festival holiday?// 9月3日是抗战胜利纪念日。1945年9月2日，日本政府代表在停泊于东京湾的美军密苏里号战列舰上正式向同盟国签署投降书，宣告了日本侵略者的彻底失败，标志着中国人民抗日战争暨世界反法西斯战争的最终胜利。
Manila: China set impossible conditions for visit – AP Philippine President Benigno Aquino III canceled a trip to a Chinese trade fair after Beijing demanded that he first withdraw a legal complaint over disputed territories in the South China Sea, Filipino officials said on Sept. 2. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and two other diplomats relayed conditions for Aquino to attend the annual China-ASEAN Expo, which opens on Sept. 3 in the southern city of Nanning, Department of Foreign Affairs spokesman Raul Hernandez told a news conference.
AP Interview: Wang coy on past, confident on canal – Yahoo! News The baby-faced Chinese businessman behind plans to slash a canal through Nicaragua has invested millions in telecommunications and mines. But he won’t say how he made his fortune. Wang Jing says he once studied traditional Chinese medicine. At which school? He won’t say. Nor can he put a dollar figure on his current business interests.
U.S. briefs China on chemical weapons use evidence in Syria “The U.S. side briefed China on what evidence the U.S. had in relation to the use of chemical weapons by the relevant party in Syria as well as the relevant decision by the United States,” China’s Foreign Ministry spokesman, Hong Lei, told a daily news briefing. He did not elaborate on what China thought of the evidence it had been shown.
HONG KONG, MACAO AND TAIWAN
MACAU DAILY TIMES – August gambling revenue second highest in this year New figures released by the Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau show a 17.6 percent year-on-year rise for Macau’s monthly gross revenue in gambling, the second highest increase in this year so far. August’s revenue amounts to MOP30.7 billion, a MOP4.6 billion rise in comparison to the same month last year and over a billion patacas more than the previous month. The accumulated gross revenue also saw a 16.2 percent surge to MOP231.6 billion. The figures echo analysts’ optimistic outlook on the future of Macau’s economy.
TECH AND MEDIA
Unfinished Business – China Mobile’s Corruption Woes Roll On – Economic Observe rSummary：The chairman of China Mobile’s most profitable branch has been placed under investigation for corruption. Xu Long marks the 14th executive at the company to fall to such charges since 2009, again illustrating how much space there is for illicit earnings at the state-owned telecom.
TechInAsia–Yahoo has pretty much given up on the Chinese market with shutdown of Yahoo China portal While Yahoo is technically still operating in China, it has few products remaining. Its music and MP3 site for China shut late last year. Its search engine is now in the deadpool now too, having limped along at approximately 0.25 percent market share – yes, a quarter of one percent – for a while.
SOCIETY, ART, SPORTS, CULTURE AND HISTORY
Chinese Educators Look to American Classrooms – NYTimes.com That message appears to be getting through to Chinese education officials, who are moving toward the American model of hands-on science learning. This summer, the Ministry of Education launched the latest in a series of campaigns aimed at shifting the focus away from standardized testing. The ministry said the systemic fixation with testing “severely hampers student development as a whole person, stunts their healthy growth, and limits opportunities to cultivate social responsibilities, creative spirit, and practical abilities in students.
Simple mistake sparks global drugs scandal- | Global Times | Today’s Paper But here’s the thing: The original source for the “story” was Li’s own autobiography Fighting Alone. If she had indeed taken an illegal substance, would she really have written about it in her book? Common sense could have avoided an awful lot of irrelevant column inches.
ENERGY, ENVIRONMENT, SCIENCE AND HEALTH
Mentally-ill patients to be placed in database – Xinhua Patients suffering from serious mental illness should be recorded in a national database in order to gain better medical treatment and help prevent them from harming others. The National Health and Family Planning Commission (NHFPC) issued Monday a document managing patients suffering illnesses such as schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, persistent delusional disorder and paranoia schizophrenia. They are among six categories of severe mental disturbance in the country’s first Mental Health Law that took effect in May.
Amazon: Meltdown: China’s Environment Crisis eBook: Sean Gallagher How can you make sense of the enormous scale of China’s environmental problems? With a delightfully affable and knowledgeable personal guide. Through beautiful images and engaging storytelling, award-winning photojournalist Sean Gallagher takes readers on a tour through China to places both familiar – like big megalopolises – and hidden, such as ancient cities wiped off the map by desertification. Gallagher captures everything from the lifestyle of nomadic herders of Tibet and some of China’s iconic animals and landscapes before they may disappear forever. Four chapters—one each on wetlands, forests, desertification and the Tibetan Plateau—move you 10,000 miles through China, from delta to glacier. Multimedia features including maps and videos allow readers to can see China as Gallagher does – beautiful and endangered. // I bought, $1.99
BEIJING
Beijing prepares for September gridlock|Society|chinadaily.com.cn Based on previous years’ traffic statistics, the Beijing Commission of Transport said that September will witness some of the heaviest traffic congestion due to the new school semester, as well as the Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day holidays. Road congestion is expected reach serious levels on nine days this month, with the traffic congestion index expected to reach above 8.5. The index measures congestion on a scale of 0 (no congestion) to 10 (heavily congested). The days surrounding the Mid-Autumn Festival and the National Day holiday, Sept 17, Sept 18, Sept 22 and Sept 29, are expected to hit above 9.0, the statement said. Mid-Autumn Day, which falls on Sept 19 this year, has become a popular holiday for people to send gifts, so many cars from outside Beijing are expected to come to the capital.