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THE ESSENTIAL EIGHT
Commentary: Sincere moves needed to jumpstart China-Japan relations – Xinhua There is no month like September that witnessed so many major events on the bumpy road of China-Japan relations. A recent editorial carried by Japan’s Asahi Shimbun asked China to “be aware of the foolishness” of dredging up “nationalistic sentiments over history-related issues.” Asking Chinese people to let it go at such a time just doesn’t ring the bell, while it will be a wise choice if Japan sends out more positive messages on a tacit understanding. A walk down the memory lane should serve as a reminder that China and Japan cannot discuss the current strained bilateral relations without mentioning history. Sept. 18, 1931 marks the beginning of 14-year Japanese invasion in China. Sept. 3, 1945 is commemorated as the Victory Day of Anti-Japanese War. The Japanese government played a farce of nationalizing the Diaoyu Islands, China’s territory, by purchasing them on Sept. 11, 2012. And the two countries established diplomatic relations on Sept. 29, 1972.
Related: 忘记历史意味着背叛-时政频道-新华网 中国人民对战争带来的苦难有着刻骨铭心的记忆，对和平有着孜孜不倦的追求，十分珍惜和平安定的生活。没有和平，中国和世界都不可能顺利发展；没有发展，中国和世界也不可能有持久和平。抓住机遇，集中精力把自己的事情办好，使国家更加富强，使人民更加富裕，依靠不断发展起来的力量更好走和平发展道路，这是中国维护国家主权、挫败任何外来侵犯的坚实基础。 回顾历史，展望未来，我们既要勿忘国耻、警钟长鸣，更要坚定信心、团结奋斗，为实现国家富强、民族振兴、人民幸福的中国梦砥砺前行。(钟声)
Related: Okinawa Ospreys can be sent to islets claimed by China: U.S. general | The Japan Times The commanding general of the U.S. Marines in Okinawa, Lt. Gen. John Wissler, told Okinawa Gov. Hirokazu Nakaima in a meeting Tuesday that MV-22 Osprey aircraft stationed at the Futenma air station could be dispatched to the disputed Senkaku Islands if needed. “That aircraft has the ability to reach the Senkakus, should we need to support any sort of Japan-U.S. security treaty,” Wissler said during the meeting open to the media.
Related: 中方回应“日考虑击落进入钓鱼岛无人机”_网易新闻中心 洪磊就此表示，由于历史原因，日本在军事安全领域的动向一直受到亚洲邻国和国际社会高度关注。中方希望日方以史为鉴，尊重本地区国家的关切，多做有利于地区和平稳定的事情，停止人为制造和渲染紧张对立，为扩充军备、调整军事策略制造借口。
Related: Japanese hail Chinese student for saving boy from raging river | South China Morning Post Sino-Japanese diplomatic relations may be strained, but a Chinese tourist’s bravery in saving a boy from a raging river has generated much praise in Japan’s online community. The nine-year-old fell into Osaka’s Yodo River in southern Japan at about 5pm on Monday while taking photographs. He was swept 350 metres down the river, which was heavily swollen by Typhoon Man-Yi. Luckily, Chinese exchange student Yan Jun spotted him, jumped in, and swam 15 metres to bring the boy to shore
Related: Xinhua Insight: Sino-Japanese economic ties chill amid political disputes, hopes remain – Xinhua Eighty-two years after Japan’s invasion of China and one year since Japanese government’s “purchase” of China’s Diaoyu Islands, bilateral relations mired in history have witnessed the cooling down of economic exchanges, despite remaining hopes among business people. The phrase “warm economic ties, cold political relations” has been used since the 1990s to describe China-Japan relations. The recent disputes, however, have renewed concerns that economic ties are no longer “warm” amid “cold political relations.”
新土改概念股集体遭杀跌 三中全会或出土地流转政策框架|三中全会|土地流转政策_21世纪网 21st Century Herald is now reporting that some sort of land framework will be on the agenda at the Third Plenum. Earlier reports that it was off the table killed Shanghai stocks that were seen as plays on possible land reform// 9月17日，一则有关“新土改或无缘三中全会议程”的消息，让涉土改概念股早盘开始全线下跌。而有关“新土改或无缘三中全会议程”的消息出处，则是来自于媒体当日一则相关报道。“目前尚未有此说法。”9月17日，一位接近于国土部的人士向记者否认了该说法，“之所以出现类似说法，应为市场的误读。” “据目前的有关情况来看，新土改的有关框架性思路和改革方向，将在三中全会上成形公布的可能性非常大。”上述人士坦言，“熟悉和了解中国国情的人都应该知道，新土改对于中国改革的意义，同时也因为涉及到土地问题，其推行也必将是一个长期的、循序渐进的过程，从试点到普及的过程，而目前有关试点工作也正在各地如火如荼地开展。”
State Internet Information Office Director Lu Wei outlines stronger focus on Internet governance | China Copyright and Media In an article in today’s People’s Daily, SIIO director Lu Wei has provided concrete information on Internet governance measures that can be expected over the following months. This follows from Xi Jinping’s speech at the recent Propaganda and Ideology Work Conference, which confirmed recent trends that Internet governance is put front and centre….according to Lu, and as already indicated in recent Red Flag articles, it seems that the enforcement of existing regulations will be upped, and new licensing structures brought in for information and communication platform providers. These measures will also include the enforcement of the real name registration system for microblogs, as well as website registration. Lastly, the Party will strengthen various related measures, including mandatory training and certification for key positions within enterprises and a continuing crackdown on online rumours and other undesired content.
Related: What’s Behind China’s Recent Internet Crackdown? | ChinaFile Conversation good group of contributors
Related: The ‘Legalization’ of China’s Internet Crackdown – China Real Time Report – WSJ In recent months Beijing has launched a multi-pronged offensive against online criticism of current policies and institutions that includes a propaganda campaign, arrests and a duplicative new legal rule that attempts to justify the response and deter future online critiques. This call to battle is not new, but its codification in legal dress is disturbing and represents a magnified threat to online discussion and dissent in China.
Related: Chinese Corruption-Busting Microblogger Boss Hua Detained – China Real Time Report – WSJ The official newspaper of China’s military, Liberation Daily, reported on its verified feed on Sina Corp.’s Weibo microblogging site that the microblogger known by the pen name “Boss Hua Has Lost His Golden Cudgel” was being interrogated by police in Beijing’s eastern Chaoyang district, though it did not say when or why he was taken away…Boss Hua, a watch aficionado whose real name is Wu Dong, became famous last year after he started identifying the luxury watches worn by officials in photographs posted online. He is widely credited with helping bring down Yang Dacai, a former official known as “Brother Watch” because of his penchant for expensive time pieces.
Related: “Eradicate the Breeding Ground of Rumors” by Wang Erping | An Optimist’s Guide to China translation of an article published by Wang Erping in “Seeking Truth” titled “Eradicate the Breeding Ground of Rumors”. The author is a researcher at the Chinese Academy of Science’s Institute of Psychology.
Related: Most Influential Emotions on Social Networks Revealed | MIT Technology Review Anger spreads faster and more broadly than joy, say computer scientists who have analysed sentiment on the Chinese Twitter-like service Weibo.
Related: 官方网络反腐正从幕后走向台前 民间反腐似遇冷_证券时报网 近期多个曾参与网络反腐的“大V”被抓。曾风光一时的微博、论坛等平台上网民反腐似乎遇到“寒冬”。与此同时，新版中央纪委网站上线，接受网络信访举报是其六项主要功能之一。新浪等门户网站也推出统一的网络举报专区，这个平台上拥有纪检、组织、两高、国土等部门的网络举报入口。网络反腐的正规军渐成“建制”。 专家认为，在网络反腐上，官方正从“幕后”走向“台前”。
CMC vice chairman urges better military guidance of online opinions – Xinhua Central Military Commission (CMC) Vice Chairman Xu Qiliang has asked the Chinese military to better guide opinions online, saying the Internet is “a new battlefield” for ideological struggle. “(The military) should take initiative in seizing the new battlefield for ideological struggle — that is, the Internet,” said Xu when addressing a meeting on Monday. He called for enhanced efforts on ideological education and leading online public opinion so as to “build a strong line of defense” against infiltration and sabotage from hostile forces.
Related: 许其亮:积极抢占网络这一意识形态斗争新阵地_网易新闻中心 许其亮指出，实现强军目标基础在基层，活力也在基层。要针对意识形态领域复杂形势，更加扎实有效地抓好举旗铸魂、坚定信念工作。要从兵之初、官之初抓起，从根子上筑牢官兵理想信念，打牢理论根基、铸牢强军之魂、树牢宗旨意识、加强道德修养，使红色基因植入官兵血脉，一代代发扬光大。要注重提高官兵认识问题、明辨是非的能力，及时掌握部队思想动态，做好解疑释惑工作，增强官兵政治免疫力。要积极抢占网络这一意识形态斗争的新阵地，加强网络思想教育和网上舆论引导，筑牢防范敌对势力渗透破坏的防线。要从纯洁基层风气入手坚定官兵理想信念，抓好艰苦奋斗、尊干爱兵、遵纪守法等专题教育，对官兵反映强烈的问题一抓到底、决不手软，确保基层风清气正。
Related: 党媒频提“敌对势力” 称不会任其扳倒中国_中国_多维新闻网 【多维新闻】北京时间9月16日，中共重要思想理论阵地《求是》杂志官方网站发表署名为“石平”的文章称，“我们不会坐视敌对势力利用互联网‘扳倒中国’”。近期《求是》密集发表了多篇解读“8·19”讲话的文章，而“敌对势力”一词自9月12日《人民日报》提及后，也成为了党媒频繁引用的关键词。有观点指出，“石平”即是“时评”的谐音，可能代表了该杂志社基本态度和观点。
China August Home Prices Rise as Major Cities Post Record Gains – Bloomberg Prices climbed in 69 of the 70 cities the government tracked last month from a year earlier, the National Bureau of Statistics said in a statement today. The number of cities that posted increases last month matched that of in July, June and May, which was the most since August 2011. Prices jumped 19 percent in Guangzhou, while the capital city of Beijing and financial center of Shanghai both rose 15 percent from a year earlier. In Shenzhen, prices rose 18 percent from a year ago.
Related: 地王频出或引调控加码 住建部下月赴各地督导_证券时报网 surge in new “land kings” paying record prices for land in cities to spur government to strengthen real estate controls? // 8月份房价与天气一样火热。中指院百城价格指数显示，全国100个城市新建住宅平均价格8月同比上涨8.61%，而环比也已经连涨15个月。9月土地市场亦十分火爆，北京农展馆地块的楼面地价超过每平米7万元，浙江、上海的地王记录也相继被刷新。
Related: Smallest Ships Profitable Again as Logs Feed China Boom: Freight – Bloomberg China uses most of the wood in construction and the amount of floor space being developed is the highest for this time of year since at least 2002, government data show. Global trade in dry-bulk commodities is rising to a record as demand strengthens for everything from coal to iron ore. That’s helping absorb the biggest capacity glut in shipping since at least 1986
Related: 武汉地产界做假资料避限购令：售楼员带来本市户籍|限购令|武汉_21世纪网 21st Century Herald look at how the real estate repression rules are subverted in Wuhan // 本报记者多方调查还获悉，通过做假资料避开限购令，在武汉地产界已是潜规则。随着“金九银十”再次到来，围绕限购令的“攻防战”逐渐升级。
Xinhua Insight: China explores ways to make political task ecologically right – Xinhua | English.news.cn Professor Li Hongwei with the Marxism-Leninism Department of the Party School of the Communist Party of China Central Committee said that a number of county-level officials that had trained in his school had been hesitant or perplexed about how to implement the ecological blueprint upon their arrival. “Some county-level officials attending ecological civilization courses in our school had thought it was too early for the Party to bring ecological civilization to such a high level. A few indicated it was sort of separated from the actual conditions of China,” said Li Hongwei…Xu Zhihong, chairman of the China National Committee of Man and Biosphere Program, said many local government officials misinterpreted the mission to build mega infrastructures in nature reserves and ignored the significance of raising people’s ecological awareness.
Related: China’s Choking Cities Means Job Cuts at Steel Town: Commodities – Bloomberg Cities like Tangshan, about 98 miles southeast of Beijing in Hebei province, are marked for cuts. The U.S., Canada and Mexico combined have 32 operating blast furnaces for making steel, according to the Association for Iron & Steel Technology. Tangshan alone has 156. Eliminating capacity means winning over regional governments reluctant to crack down on industries that provide tax income. Mass unemployment brings other concerns. “That’s always been one of the biggest hurdles of China taking curtailment actions, it’s the job losses and potential social unrest,” said Vanessa Lau, a senior analyst at Sanford C. Bernstein & Co. in Hong Kong. “For local governments, unless you really force them, they’d rather not.”
China Has over 200 “Cancer Villages” due to Water Pollution: Expert-Caijing Heavily-polluted underground water system has resulted in the existence of over 200 “cancer villages” across China – small communities where cancer rates have soared far above the national average, a water expert said. 55 percent of monitored water stations report polluted underground water, mostly in provinces of Gansu, Qinghai, Zhejiang, Fujian, Jiangxi, Hubei, Hunan and Yunan, Wang Hao, a fellow with the Chinese Academy of Engineering, told a forum held by Cajing on Tuesday.
Related: Xinhua Insight: Pilot compensation program helps clean river – Xinhua | English.news.cn The improvement is attributed to an eco-compensation scheme launched in November 2011, by the country’s finance and environmental protection ministries. Under the program, a compensation fund of 500 million yuan (81.2 million U.S. dollars) was set up for protecting water quality of the Xin’an River. The pot of money included 300 million yuan from the central budget and 100 million yuan from Anhui and Zhejiang each. If water quality in Anhui reaches the agreed basic standards, including the limits for chemicals like ammonia, nitrogen and phosphor in water, Zhejiang gives its 100 million yuan to Anhui. If the water quality in Anhui fails to meet standards, Anhui compensates Zhejiang 100 million yuan.
For China, a New Kind of Feminism – NYTimes.com Ms. Huang and Ms. Ye say China is ready for “Lean In,” regardless of the tight political atmosphere. “I think everything we do in the Lean In circle is positive,” Ms. Huang said. “We’re not in violation of anything, so we should be O.K.”Ms. Ye said: “I’ve thought about it because I’m very careful. I think if the government allowed Sheryl Sandberg to promote her book, then the government supports the content of her book.”
Related: World Economic Forum Panel Debates Role of Women as Leaders, in Society, Workforce – China Real Time Report – WSJ He Zhenhong, a female and the president of China Entrepreneur Magazine, said Friday in Dalian that social views create continuously reinforced stereotypes, making it difficult for women to break out of their perceived roles. But Rui Chenggang, an anchor for China’s state broadcaster China Central Television, disagreed and said while moderating the panel he believes women are acting of their own accord when leaving careers to be with their families. “They choose deliberately to give up their positions,” Mr. Rui said. //So Rui can not only represent Asians, he can also represent women?
BUSINESS, ECONOMY AND TRADE
China in fresh push on market reforms – FT.comChina has quietly embarked on a new push for financial reform, unveiling a series of measures in recent days that advance the cause of capital market liberalisation. Regulators have tripled the size of a trial programme that allows investors to short shares, and indicated that they want to let more private cash into the state-dominated banking sector. They also have taken steps to support the issuance of local government bonds and opened the country’s closely guarded capital account a little wider.
Preferred Shares for Banks Supported, but Direction from Gov’t Lacking – Caixin Despite overwhelming support for preferred shares in the banking industry, there is no consensus yet over how the financing instrument should be designed and regulated. Many banks have been preparing to launch preferred shares, but they need regulators to clear away legal ambiguity, sources from banks said
China Developer’s 20% Loan After Bank Rebuff Signals Risk – Bloomberg Regulators, in an effort to clamp down on speculative lending after a record credit boom in the first quarter, allowed a cash crunch in June that sent money-market interest rates to record highs. It had little effect on entrusted loans, which accounted for about 24 percent of total credit in July, the highest proportion since 2007, before dipping to 19 percent in August. “In the short term it is positive for growth,” said Dong Tao, head of economics for Asia excluding Japan at Credit Suisse Group AG in Hong Kong. “However, compared with bank loans it has less transparency and bigger risks. It is a blind spot of regulation.”
How China Lost Its Mojo: One Town’s Story – WSJ.com Like other local leaders faced with slowing exports, Yantian’s chiefs have turned to real estate to bolster the economy. On a main drag here, three major residential projects are under way, with scaffolding and cranes already up. The town is also shifting into financial services, investing in a loan guarantee company and planning a small loan company that could provide more capital for entrepreneurs. Local leaders say such moves are a way to make efficient use of the town’s savings, better than languishing in low interest bank accounts. But given widespread concerns about China’s rising debt levels, it could be a risky time to move into the credit business.
China’s Bosses Size Up a Changing Labor Force – Businessweek “In the 1990s, if you hung a job advertisement out on the street, hundreds of people would swarm for jobs. Ten years ago, if you put up a sign, some would still come, but not as many,” says Kevin Chang, general manager of Concord Ceramics. “Five years ago, if you hung a sign, almost no one would come. Today you have to proactively look for people.” Chang runs two midsize factories making ceramic decals in southern China. Like Liu, he sees stark generational divisions. “Workers born in the 1970s typically had limited education; they grew up when China was still backward and had little exposure to the outside world. Workers born in the 1980s have more technical expertise and depend heavily on working in a particular industry,” he explains. “Those born in the 1990s don’t even want to work. Even many with college degrees don’t know what they want. Single children are pampered, and they often stay home in their parents’ homes. They make very unstable workers.”
‘Shanghai’ in Name Adds $45 Billion in Value Amid Bubble Concern – Bloomberg Shares with the word Shanghai in their names, including those linked to the free-trade zone, led gains in Chinese equities since Aug. 22 amid record volumes. The companies have added $45 billion of market value, more than Vietnam’s entire stock market, in a 27 percent rally that’s almost five times bigger than the 5.7 percent gain for the benchmark index. Shanghai Dragon Corp. (600630), a maker of underwear and suits, and Shanghai Haibo Co., a taxi company, jumped at least 28 percent.
Shanghai Free Trade Zone details to be delayed |Economy |chinadaily.com.cn details of the reform guidelines in the FTZ would not come along with the official launch of the FTZ at the end of September but will be gradually released before the end of this year and into next year. Chen Bo, an expert on the FTZ with Shanghai University of Finance and Economics, said the detailed plans will involve 98 pilot programs, which will be divided into two parts. “The first part will not have much content about financial reform,” Chen said.
7.6%: What China’s slowdown feels like | Marketplace.org small businesses could care less about the GDP data. business has been tough for many for more than a year…how many have already adjusted or are well along in their adjustment process? // What’s this look like on the ground? Marketplace’s China correspondent Rob Schmitz checked back in at the Street of Eternal Happiness to see how business owners there were faring. One man, Mao Guoqiang, has had a men’s clothing shop on the street for 10 years and says his business has never been this bad. He’s being squeezed on both ends: As wholesale clothing prices are going up — thanks to rising raw material costs — customers also want to spend less, leaving him with less profit.
香港商报：前首富宗庆后被砍 疑因报复-财经频道-新华网 Wahaha founder, billionaire Zong Qinghou slashed near his home by someone seeking revenge? He does hot have security guards? // 据《香港商报》报道，记者谢国平、程凯报道：据杭州网友huhangbob在杭州本土论坛口水楼市爆料，经本报证实。中国前首富，杭州娃哈哈集团董事长宗庆后上周五清晨在家附近，被人砍断左手四个手指的肌腱。有医学方面人士称，肌腱断裂可以通过手术来修补的，后期经过康复性锻炼可以恢复手指功能，不会致残。
市民谈以房养老政策：儿女还眼巴巴看着房子_网易新闻中心 lots of kids will not be happy with parents mortgage their homes for retirement…// 你留下房子，我为你养老。从明年开始，以房养老的试点工作即将启动，老人们可以将自己的产权房抵押给银行等金融机构，定期获得一定数额的养老金。以房养老真的能够解决中国人的养老问题么？未来我们在退休之后，依靠房产就能踏踏实实地养老吗？做这样的尝试，需要我们跨越哪些现实的难题？央视财经频道主持人沈竹和著名财经评论马光远、刘戈共同评论。
Danone, Novartis Units Probe Claims Staff Paid China’s Doctors – Bloomberg “Corrupt practices among doctors, hospitals and drug companies in China have unnecessarily increased the burden on people trying to get medical services, so this is a very basic livelihood issue,” said Joseph Cheng, a political science professor at the City University of Hong Kong. Hitting out at the medical sector “can also help make the new leadership more popular,” he said in a telephone interview.
China to Strictly Limit Building of More Photovoltaic Capacity – Bloomberg New solar manufacturing that “purely” expands capacity will be strictly banned, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology said in a statement on its website today. Annual spending by companies for research and development and upgrading equipment combined must be no less than 3 percent of revenue and no less than 10 million yuan ($1.6 million), according to the statement.
In China, the Devil doesn’t wear Prada | Reuters “Some companies, like Richemont, had a lot of exposure to sectors that have taken a big hit in China this year, especially luxury watches,” said James Roy, senior analyst at China Market Research Group in Shanghai. “Many luxury clients here are moving away from more loud or bling-focused luxury brands like Gucci or Louis Vuitton, towards things that are a bit more subtle and sophisticated without the flashy logo,” he added.
POLITICS AND LAW
Closer Look: A Railroad Corruption Trial Raises More Questions than Answers – Caixin Zhang was a stranger to academia, so he tried a back door: book publishing. He gathered experts from the China Academy of Railway Sciences, Southwest Jiaotong University and Beijing Jiaotong University at an expensive hotel in Beijing in 2007. He paid them to write books and application materials in his name, all of which were intended for use on his CAS application. “Room and board [for the writers] was paid by a state-owned firm doing import-export business on behalf of the rail ministry,” the source said. “They started work in March and spent two months writing three books.” Fraud was piled upon fraud in this endeavor. The three books written in Zhang’s name were given fake publication dates – January 2007 – so it would appear they were not directly linked to his application.
CCTV makes cuts to gala amid austerity drive – Xinhua China Central Television (CCTV) has cut heavily its cast for the annual Mid-Autumn Festival gala, while major local TV stations have canceled shows. State TV will also abandon fireworks during this year’s festival that will fall on Sept. 19, according to a Tuesday statement from the broadcaster.
Li Jie: The Successes of Mao Zedong in Exploring the Path of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics May Not Be Written Off. | China Copyright and Media Essentially realizing that Chinaese Socialism made the great historical shift from a highly concentrated planned economic structure into a Socialist market economy brimming with vitality, and from “taking class struggle as the key link” into putting economic construction at the centre, is historically placed on the shoulders of the Chinese Communist Party members with Deng Xiaoping as representative, and thus a new era of reform, opening up and modernization construction began from there, which initiated the second historical leap of the Sinification of Marxism.–(The author is a vice-head of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and the head of the Modern China Research Department)
Journalist for hire – CHINA – Globaltimes.cn “I’m a senior reporter with extensive experience and I’m not frightened by powerful people or violence …I will be an independent investigative reporter, not attached to any media agency. I will be together with Net users when I’m online and when I’m reporting at the scene. I want to report the news that Net users want to know,” read a Weibo post from investigative journalist Yin Yusheng on Thursday. “If you are tired of listening to some media praising achievements or fed up with some Web media flattering the world, it’s time for us to change this situation!” By Friday, Yin had collected 5,000 yuan ($833) from Net users, which was enough for him to begin his freelance story, and potentially pioneer a new form of reporting in China. Funded by and designed for Net users, Yin aims to bypass traditional media models and deliver news directly. But he faces a rocky road ahead.
河北一官员边吃龙虾边骂百姓被免 曾被评为廉政标兵–地方领导–人民网 The Chengde official secretly filmed gorging and saying mean things about the common people has been removed from his post. He was once lauded as a model of clean governance…reports that the tape was made by a relative of local businessman who had a problem with the official…can’t imagine things will end well for them either
Chinese Dissident Arrested After TV Interview–SkyTV Hu Jia, 40, criticised his government in the interview and in a daily stream of blogs on social media. He agreed to speak to Sky News in the knowledge that he could face arrest, but in a phone interview this morning he said he did not think the interview alone had prompted his arrest.
黑老大聂磊获知执行死刑当晚连抽5包烟 见母大哭_网易新闻中心 Qingdao mob boss Nie Lei executed, did not sleep the night before, smoked 5 packs of cigarettes, sobbed when he saw his mother, says the official report
FOREIGN AND DEFENSE AFFAIRS
China Increased Holdings of Treasuries in July as Yields Surged – Bloomberg China’s stake increased by $1.5 billion in July, or 0.1 percent, to $1.277 trillion, after declining the prior month, according to Treasury Department data released yesterday. Treasuries held by Japanese investors, who have the second largest stake in U.S. government debt, rose to a record.
Immigration reopens case on Labor donor–The Age A reader from Oz says this is not a small scandal in Australia // Despite the apparent fear of persecution, Ms Liu has regularly returned to China to do business and was loaned millions of dollars by the Bank of China. She also swore in a Federal Court affidavit in 1997 that her father was a ”ranking official” in the Chinese government and many other of her relatives occupied ”high-level positions in the Chinese government”. The bogus marriages mean statutory declarations sworn by the Chinese pair for the purposes of obtaining residency through marriage to an Australian were false, an offence which can result in imprisonment or revocation of citizenship.
China says will give U.N. Syria report ‘thorough review’ | Reuters “China attaches great importance to the contents of the relevant report and will give it a thorough review,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said at a daily news briefing in Beijing. “At the same time, we consistently advocate that the relevant investigation should be carried out by the U.N. investigation team in an impartial, objective and professional manner.”
Hacker group in China linked to big cyber attacks: Symantec | Reuters Symantec Corp said the group, which it dubbed “Hidden Lynx,” was among the most technically advanced of several dozen believed to be running cyber espionage operations out of China. Unlike a previous report by another company, Symantec did not accuse the Chinese government of involvement in the cyber attacks. Symantec’s 28-page report described Hidden Lynx as a “professional organization” staffed by between 50 and 100 people with a variety of skills needed to breach networks and steal information, including valuable corporate secrets.
New takeoff and landing test of J-15 fighter held on Liaoning aircraft carrier – Xinhua | Slideshow
China’s Maritime Disputes nice presentation from the Council On Foreign Relations
HONG KONG, MACAO AND TAIWAN
ICAO observer status remains a goal for Taiwan: official | Politics | FOCUS TAIWAN – CNA ENGLISH NEWS For a non-U.N. member state to gain observer status, it needs the support of four-fifths of ICAO members, a barrier that has proved too high to scale considering the clout of China, which suppresses Taiwan’s participation in the international community. Shen will lead a delegation of CAA aviation administrators and experts to the ICAO assembly under the designation “Chinese Taipei,” hoping to obtain the latest global aviation security information, Hsieh said.
UK intelligence still active in HK: reports – CHINA – Globaltimes.cn Mother in law has been saying for months that the Brits have been using stay behind agents in Hong Kong to stir up trouble…// “China will not allow any external forces to interfere in Hong Kong’s internal affairs and damage Hong Kong’s prosperity and stability,” said Hong at a daily news briefing, adding that China has the ability and determination to safeguard national security. Hong’s remarks came as two papers claimed that Britain’s intelligence agency has been strengthening their activities on the territory since China resumed sovereignty over Hong Kong in 1997. Hong Kong-based newspapers Ta Kung Pao and Wen Wei Po Monday released simultaneous reports that both retired and active spies from Britain’s Secret Intelligence Service, commonly known as MI6, serve in Hong Kong in the capacity of consuls or employees at economic and cultural departments, and they are headquartered at the British Consulate-General in Hong Kong. // 香港文汇报:大批英国特务渗入港府抢夺管治权–时政–人民网
TECH AND MEDIA
Form 8-K for Tencent Investment in Sogou–SEC Edgar Also on September 16, 2013, Sogou entered into (i) a Repurchase Option Agreement with Sohu Search, exercisable commencing March 15, 2014, granting to Sogou the right to purchase 24,000,000 Series A Preferred Shares of Sogou held by Sohu Search for an aggregate purchase price of $78.8 million; (ii) a Repurchase Option Agreement with Photon, also exercisable commencing March 15, 2014, granting to Sogou the right to purchase 6,400,000 Series A Preferred Shares of Sogou held by Photon for an aggregate purchase price of $21 million; and (iii) a Repurchase/Put Option Agreement with China Web Search (HK) Limited (“China Web”), also exercisable commencing March 15, 2014, granting to Sogou the right to purchase, and China Web the right to put to Sogou, 14,400,000 Series A Preferred Shares of Sogou held by China Web for an aggregate purchase price of $47.3 million. Sogou expects to exercise its rights under each of these agreements when they first become exercisable. // what exactly does this mean? according to one analyst Sohu gets around $90 million while the rest goes to Charles Zhang, other execs, and Jack Ma, with more cashing out coming in 2014. So not clear this is a good deal for Sohu shareholders. How much of Alibaba’s investment in Weibo went into the pockets of Sina insiders?
No, Apple – China Is Not The Answer To Your Problems – Economic Observer But things have changed. When Apple launches a new version, it depends on its existing customers to upgrade, while at the same time facing competition from Samsung and other strong brands that are also fresh and trendy. This is particularly true in the Chinese market, where the low-cost advantage of its local smartphones is hard to shake. If Apple products don’t offer a major breakthrough — and if the price remains high — users won’t support the company. It seems unlikely that Apple’s new models in China will do much to change its standing there.
【台电P89 mini】台电（Teclast） P89 mini 7.9英寸平板电脑(Intel 2.0G处理器 -京东商城 An Intel-powered Android tablet, the TPad for 999 RMB. Friend at intel has one, when I first saw it last night I thought it was an iPad mini. Played with it, works fine. How is Apple going to stem its decline in China tablet sales in the face of a tsunami of cheaper and improving Android tablets?
The Web Behind The Wall, TechNode Publication Debuted At the TechCrunch Disrupt The mission of this book is to really make it easy for foreign companies to transition and localize in China says Chen, the lead author, it contains comprehensive information on how the internet works, who uses it, what innovation means in China, and how you can make money from it. The book is a true distillation and accumulation of the stories and events that sets the trend and pave the way for future entrepreneurs who wants to compete in the international stage.// the interactive book, free
China’s Dalian Wanda Group donates 20 million USD to AMPAS museum – Xinhua | Chinese firm Dalian Wanda Group has donated 20 million U.S. dollars as a gift to a museum affiliated with the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences ( AMPAS). The sum is the second largest commitment the Academy Museum has ever received, the institution said in a statement on Tuesday. The Academy will name the museum’s film history gallery The Wanda Gallery in recognition of the move
Chinese Woman’s Rom-Coms Boost $2.8 Billion Film Industry – Bloomberg When it comes to romantic comedy in China, it’s a woman’s world. That’s the view of Jin Yimeng, who wrote and directed the rom-com “One Night Surprise,” which opened in Hong Kong on Sept. 12 and stars Fan Bingbing.
SOCIETY, ART, SPORTS, CULTURE AND HISTORY
Chin Peng, Malaysian guerrilla who led long, brutal fight against British colonial rulers, dies – The Washington Post The son of a bicycle dealer who had emigrated from China, he was born Ong Boon Hua in the northern Malay state of Perak. The reported years of his birth range from 1920 to 1924. He joined the Communist Party of Malaya in his teens, inspired after reading Mao Zedong’s manifesto “On Protracted War.” He was described as studious, learning four Chinese dialects as well as Malayan and English, and was deeply offended by what he perceived as the economic exploitation of the country’s Chinese and Indian ethnic minorities.
On the tourist trail of China’s Jews – FT.com In fact, the story of Jews in China has remarkably little anti-Semitism in it, says Israeli Dvir Bar-Gal, whose vocation is researching and publicising Jewish life in Shanghai – including searching for thousands of desecrated Jewish gravestones that peasants have used as threshold stones, or to beat laundry against, since the cultural revolution. “There is no anti-Semitism here – here everything is about business,” he says, as he guides us through the streets of Jewish Shanghai on one of his daily tours, which take in some of the most famous buildings on the Shanghai Bund (built by Baghdadi Jews early in the last century) but also the Jewish ghetto.
ENERGY, ENVIRONMENT, SCIENCE AND HEALTH
China issues stricter regulation on vehicle exhausts – Xinhua The Ministry of Environmental Protection on Tuesday issued a stricter regulation on light vehicle emissions, the fifth of its kind in the country, which will be fully implemented nationwide on Jan. 1, 2018. Beijing now has a supply of low-sulphur fuel and is qualified to implement the new regulation. The State Council, China’s Cabinet, has approved Beijing to carry out the new standard immediately after its release. Cities with such fuel supply are encouraged to implement the fifth standard in advance, the ministry said.
China Renews Electric Vehicle Subsidies Without Adding Hybrids – Bloomberg “The new policy is basically the same with the previous one and doesn’t really address the underlying problems with the adoption of such vehicles,” said Han Weiqi, an analyst with CSC International Holdings Ltd. in Shanghai. “Unless there are follow-up measures to step up support for hybrids, today’s policy is not expected to spur the EV market.”
500亿药方虚实调查：中国金方的“王林式”发家史|500亿药方|中国金方|王林式_21世纪网 核心提示：一个“气功大师”般的虚假医疗机构如何登堂入室，成为众多中央级媒体竞相报道的对象？
FOOD AND TRAVEL
Chateau Hansen in Inner Mongolia: Paumard predicts good vintage, cellar barrels toward completion | Grape Wall of China Inner Mongolia winery Chateau Hansen, just over the border from the Helan Mountain wine area in Ningxia, is looking at a good vintage, says winemaker Bruno Paumard. While there were some issues with flowering and with millerandage (grape clusters with berries that are not uniform in size or ripeness), he says there is more concentration this year. Paumard is targeting 6000 tons of grapes. On his vineyard, he has reduced yields to boost quality and will supplement it by buying from other growers, the amount depending on price per kilo. He adds that Hansen’s substantial cellar — it already has 2500 barrels — is nearly complete.
BEIJING
北京常住人口逾2000万 其中1297万有北京户口_网易新闻中心