"Sinocism is the Presidential Daily Brief for China hands"- Evan Osnos, New Yorker Correspondent and National Book Award Winner
Today’s Links:
THE ESSENTIAL EIGHT
纪录片《习仲勋》第一集-烽火陕甘 – 网易新闻视频 Episode 1 of the Xi Zhongxun documentary. 55 minutes
Related: 《习仲勋诞生100周年》邮票发行 全套面值2.4元-财经网 pictures of the new Xi Zhongxun commemorative stamp set
Govt offers 5b yuan to fight pollution |Society |chinadaily.com.cn The central government said on Monday it is offering a total of 5 billion yuan ($818 million) in financial rewards to Beijing and its neighboring provinces to fuel their fight against air pollution. The Ministry of Finance announced that the special budget is up for grabs among Beijing, Tianjin and the surrounding areas of Hebei, Shanxi and Shandong provinces as well as the Inner Mongolia autonomous region, where the air quality did not meet national standards for nearly two-thirds of August.// 中央财政安排50亿支持京津冀周边大气污染治理_新闻_腾讯网
The Boris and George Show comes to Beijing – Telegraph An audience of roughly 250 Chinese students enjoys a rare chance to witness the self-styled “yin and yang” of British politics, Boris Johnson and George Osborne.
Related: Osborne offers red carpet to China – FT Editorial Britain no longer has an indisputable claim to seniority in its economic partnership with China. Unpalatable compromises will more often be necessary. However, they should be contemplated only when they advance Britain’s long-term interests, and not merely for the sake of making a fast buck.
Related: China buys up Britain as politics takes a back seat – Telegraph Our politicians should not simply be relieved to be out of Beijing’s doghouse, as they welcome the rush of Chinese money. During their trip, the Chancellor and the Mayor need to press for British companies to have the kind of freedom to operate and expand in China that Chinese companies enjoy here. They must make clear that this relationship has to be a two-way street – if it is not already too late.
Related Boris Johnson visits China – in pictures | Politics | theguardian.com The mayor of London is on a six-day trade mission to China. His visit coincides with that of the chancellor, George Osborne // extremely funny captions
Premier seeks talks over dispute |China-Vietnam Ties |chinadaily.com.cn Premier Li Keqiang said in Hanoi on Monday that peacefully handling the South China Sea issue matters in the big picture of economic cooperation between China and Vietnam. Observers said Li has sent a clear signal during his three-day visit to Vietnam that bilateral negotiation is the “only worthy way” for resolving disputes, and worsening the situation will only harm the interests of Vietnam itself. “Whether the South China Sea issue is properly handled or not is not only an emotional matter between the two peoples, but also a matter of politics and security circumstances for expanding large-scale cooperation, including infrastructure investment,” Li told General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Nguyen Phu Trong.
Related: Philippines Challenges Beijing’s Claims in the South China Sea — in Court – WSJ.com It’s the first time that Beijing has been taken to a U.N. tribunal and China is furious. Most recently, it showed its displeasure by making clear that Philippine President Benigno Aquino III wouldn’t be welcome at a trade event in southern China in August. The Chinese Foreign Ministry didn’t respond to requests for comment on the arbitration action. But Beijing has said it will ignore the legal proceedings, without giving any reasons.
China’s Regulators Crack Down on Violent Scenes in Cartoons Like ‘Pleasant Goat and the Big Big Wolf’ – China Real Time Report – WSJ “Pleasant Goat and the Big Big Wolf,” which has licensing agreements with entertainment companies Imagi International Holdings Ltd. and Walt Disney Co. and has enjoyed immense popularity since it launched in 2005, came under scrutiny in May after two brothers in Jiangsu province severely burned themselves. The brothers said they were mimicking scenes they saw in the cartoon in which characters set one another on fire. The parents of the boys filed suit against Creative Power Entertaining, the Guangzhou-based animation company behind “Pleasant Goat and the Big Big Wolf,” demanding 260,000 yuan ($42,500) to cover medical expenses and a public apology, according to the Shanghai Daily. The parents also requested warnings on cartoon episodes containing violent scenes to help inform guardians. The suit’s current status is unclear. //China needs a local version of the Darwin Awards
Related: Guangdong Alpha Buys Pleasant Goat & Big Big Wolf Producer – Financial and Business News – MENAFN more to the Pleasant Goat rectification than meets the eye? One reader suggests that perhaps the former owners want it back, cheaper // SHANTOU, Sep 23, 2013 (Menafn – SinoCast Daily Business Beat via COMTEX) –Guangdong Alpha Animation and Culture Co., Ltd. (szse:002292), suspending trading from July 23, will spend CNY 540 million in acquiring trademarks and copyrights relating to cartoon images of Pleasant Goat and Big Big Wolf. On September 16, Guangdong Alpha and wholly owned Hong Kong subsidiary inked agreement with Imagi International Holdings Limited (sehk:0585), according to which the Hong Kong subsidiary will acquire 100% outstanding shares in Infoport Management Limited wholly owned by Imagi International for HKD 634.2 million. Meanwhile, agreement has been inked with three natural persons for equity transfer, taking over the 100% stake in Creative Power Entertaining (CPE) held by them for CNY 36.396 million
庞胡瑞：余姚水灾中国网络自媒体信息共计远低于雅安地震–舆情频道–人民网 People’s Daily Public Opinion Monitoring Center researcher on huge drop in volume of weibo activity about flooding in Yuyao, compared to recent natural disasters…people are afraid of being accused of spreading false information, Weibo activity in general is way down // 监测发现，对比今年芦山地震事件和去年北京7.21暴雨，新浪微博中“余姚大水”的信息量为17万条，远低于“芦山地震”的499万条和“北京721暴雨”的61万条，同样，在抽取“芦山地震”中表现活跃的50位意见领袖的微博，在此次余姚水灾中“转发表示关注”的有27位，“发表评论”的仅只有16位。
Ex-Google China Chief Lee Kaifu Under Propagandist Attack – Forbes Disgusting // In a 9,000-words-piece published on the website of “Party Building,” a magazine that claims to be overseen by China’s Central Propaganda Commission, a self-proclaimed macroeconomics analyst unleashed an all-out attack on ex-Google China chief Lee Kaifu. Titled “Ten Questions for Lee Kaifu,” the article questioned Lee’s work experience and citizenship status, accused him of forging family history, and criticized his public commentaries and political leaning…Zhou also pointed a finger at Lee’s friendship with a certain unnamed editor of a website that “frequently praises Lee Kaifu.” Based on other quotes that Zhou referred to, the editor appears to be Zhu Huaxin, a former People’s Daily reporter and currently the secretary general overseeing public commentaries at People.com, a website managed by People’s Daily. Zhu has published a series of online articles echoing calls by scholars and citizens for political reform.
Related: People’s Daily official on anti-rumour campaign and online public opinion management | China Copyright and Media This article by Zhu Huaxin, the director of the People’s Daily Public Opinion Monitoring Unit, was published in People’s Daily last Friday, 11 September. In this article, Zhu takes stock of the recent crackdown on rumours online, noting that the fact that a number of well-known online celebrities have been targeted signifies the end of an era of government passivity in the face of the online sphere, and a renewed initiative to bring this under control.
China News, Business and Culture – Sinosphere Blog – NYTimes.com New York Times launches a China blog // Sinosphere, the China blog of The New York Times, delivers intimate, authoritative coverage of the planet’s most populous nation and its relationship with the rest of the world. Drawing on timely, engaging dispatches from The Times’ distinguished team of China correspondents, this blog brings readers into the debates and discussions taking place inside a fast-changing country and details the cultural, economic and political developments shaping the lives of 1.3 billion people.
BUSINESS, ECONOMY AND TRADE
China’s Biggest Reserves Jump Since 2011 Shows Inflow – Bloomberg China’s foreign-exchange reserves rose last quarter by the most in more than two years, a sign the government’s efforts to protect growth attracted money even as developing nations from India to Indonesia saw capital exit. Reserves were a record $3.66 trillion at the end of September, the People’s Bank of China said yesterday in Beijing, up from $3.5 trillion in June. The median projection was $3.52 trillion in a Bloomberg News survey of seven economists.
Yuan Rises to 20-Year High on Record Fixing, Faster Inflation – Bloomberg The yuan gained 0.21 percent, the most since May 8, to close at 6.1079 per dollar in Shanghai, China Foreign Exchange Trade System prices show. It touched 6.1073 earlier, the strongest since the government unified the official and market exchange rates at the end of 1993. The yuan has risen 35 percent against the greenback since the end of its peg, when it traded around 8.2765, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.
China New Yuan Loans Top Estimates as Money-Supply Growth Slows – Bloomberg M2, China’s broadest measure of money supply, rose 14.2 percent from a year earlier, the Beijing-based central bank said in a statement on its website. That compared with the median economist estimate of 14.2 percent in a Bloomberg News survey and 14.7 percent in August. New yuan loans were 787 billion yuan, compared with the 675 billion yuan median analyst estimate and 623.2 billion yuan a year earlier. Aggregate financing, the government’s broadest measure of credit, was 1.4 trillion yuan, compared with the 1.35 trillion yuan median projection and 1.65 trillion yuan a year ago.
影子银行收缩拉低融资规模 货币政策再现两难_财经频道_一财网 First Financial says the September loan data show that the crazy growth in the shadow banking sector has been contained…// 当前，非信贷渠道又主要以信托贷款、委托贷款等影子银行构成，9月数据显示，影子银行狂飙态势似乎得到遏制。
China September Electricity Consumption up 10.4Pct on Year-Caijing Electricity consumption, a common indicator of economic activity, rose 10.4 percent to 444.8 billion kilowatt hours in September, figures from the National Energy Administration showed today. The year-on-year growth rate slowed slight from the August figure of 13.4 percent, which was the fastest of the year so far.
Dalian Exchange to Start Iron Ore Futures for Physical Delivery – Bloomberg Chinese steelmakers, the world’s biggest iron ore buyers, earlier this year questioned the reliability of a price index provided by Platts that became a benchmark after producers including Vale SA and Rio Tinto Group scrapped annual contract price talks in 2010. China started its own spot trading platform last year, introducing a weighted average daily price in March. “Trading iron ore futures may take off quickly because investors are already familiar with steel-related products including rebar contracts on the Shanghai Futures Exchange,” said Wang Yongliang, an analyst at Beijing CIFCO Futures Co.
China May Allow Foreign Firms to Sell Shares in Free-Trade Zone – WSJ.com The proposed platform, effectively an over-the-counter market, is likely to serve as a test for the Shanghai Stock Exchange’s international board, which would allow foreign companies to sell shares via initial public offerings ahead of listings in China. Shanghai Equity Exchange, in which Shanghai Stock Exchange owns 29%, is considering developing a platform that would enable foreign companies registered in the free-trade zone to sell shares, the second person said. A time frame hasn’t been specified.
地方债露冰山一角 苏州城建偿债能力成疑_财经_腾讯网 Tencent Finance questions the finances of a Suzhou LGFV// 中诚信在给腾讯财经的书面说明中解释称，腾讯之所以会有虚高的质疑，是因为没有将苏州政府给予苏州城建的回购资金纳入计算。但腾讯财经发现，在苏州城建的现金流量表中，无法找到苏州政府这笔资金的进出记录。何况自2010年以来国务院，一直有文件规定，坚决制止地方政府违规担保承诺行为”。
Danone Paid China Medical Staff to Promote Milk, Government Says – Bloomberg Danone’s (BN) Dumex baby milk business made improper payments to medical workers in China’s northern city of Tianjin for promoting its infant formula, according to a statement by the local government. An official investigation found that 116 employees in 85 medical institutions had broken rules since 2011 and accepted payments from the French infant formula maker, according to a post on the city’s official microblog today.
外资药企“外包行贿”：亿腾医药涉嫌代行商业贿赂_21世纪网 Pharma MNCs also use third party firm Eddingpharm to bribe their way to sales? so says 21st century business herald // 核心提示：有知情人士向记者透露，国内知名的销售外包企业亿腾医药涉嫌在其代理品种的销售推广过程中，向医生提供商业贿赂。其中涉及葛兰素史克（GSK）、德国贝朗等制药企业的品种。
“债券女王”孙明霞被查 或因宏源高管牵连_21世纪网 cleanup up of fixed income market corruption ongoing // 核心提示：国信证券11日晚间的公告并未公布具体调查原因，不过有业内人士表示，孙明霞被调查或由宏源债券高管被调查而牵扯出。
Guangdong Eyes a Huge Free Trade Zone of Its Own – Caixin The government of Guangdong Province is mulling a free trade zone that would include its special economic zones, Hong Kong and Macau, an official in Shenzhen says. Tao Peng, director of the trade promotion department of the Shenzhen Qianhai Administration Bureau, said Guangdong will propose a plan to the central government. The plan involves a free trade area that links the Shenzhen Qianhai Special Economic Zone, the Guangzhou Nansha Special Economic Zone, the Zhuhai Hengqin Special Economic Zone, Hong Kong and Macau.
CDB Faces Pressure to Stop Conversion to Commercial Lender – Caixin Almost six years have passed since China Development Bank (CDB) started transforming itself from a policy bank into a commercial lender. Now it seems it is under increasing pressure to reconsider the strategy. Sources close to the CBD say some executives at the bank have been trying to persuade policymakers that it should return to acting as a policy bank, which lends on the government’s orders and receives tax support. Bankers at commercial lenders are also unhappy with the CDB’s activity in their field. However, the Ministry of Finance opposes switching back, apparently because it dislikes being responsible for vouching for the bank’s loans, the sources say
China targets 8-trln-yuan health service sector – Xinhua China has set the target of increasing the gross value of its health service sector to over 8 trillion yuan (1.31 trillion U.S. dollars) by 2020, according to a guideline issued by the State Council on Monday. More measures will be taken to boost this sector, which will serve to improve people’s wellbeing as well as shoring up growth, said the guideline.
十八届三中全会前瞻之一:推进涉外经济体制改革_网易新闻中心 another report speculating foreign trade reforms may be on agenda at the third plenum // 涉外经济体制改革红利巨大，但阻力可能甚于国内经济体制改革。要想顺利推进涉外经济体制改革，必须找准突破口。首先要着力推进自由贸易园区试点，调动地方政府积极性，实行一揽子涉外经济体制改革试点。 涉外经济体制改革，既是改革，也是开放。国际形势与我国比较优势的新变化，对深化涉外经济体制改革提出了迫切要求。只有深化涉外经济体制改革，才能打造对外开放升级版，同时倒逼国内经济体制改革，释放改革红利。
PCAOB deal with Hong Kong? | China Accounting Blog | Paul Gillis Doty also said that negotiations with China are continuing and the two sides will meet in the coming 6-10 months. But if no agreement is reached in a reasonable period, the PCAOB will need to take the appropriate action. That probably means deregistering the accounting firms, which leads to delisting the companies from U.S. exchanges. In other words, the nuclear option is back on the table. // Why is the SEC approving IPOs of Chinese firms while this issue remains unresolved?
POLITICS AND LAW
As China Moves to Lower Professor’s Profile, Colleges Are Seeking to Raise Theirs – NYTimes.com The effort to silence Professor Xia has thrown into sharp relief the challenges facing elite colleges and universities like Peking University, caught between political controls at home and their ambitions to gain international respect as grand centers of learning. In recent years, the university has waged a muscular and well-financed effort to raise its global profile through partnerships and exchanges with some of the world’s top institutions. Last year, Stanford University opened a $7 million research center on the Peking University campus, and a growing list of other colleges and universities, including Cornell, Yale and the London School of Economics, have established dual-degree programs or enhanced academic collaboration.
Chinese official sacked after receiving piggyback during visit to flood victims | South China Morning Post A post published with the image said the official, surnamed Wang, was being carried because he was wearing a pair of high-end shoes
Six Sentenced for Drowning of Chinese Corruption Suspect In a verdict made public on Monday, a court in eastern Zhejiang province sentenced the six to prison terms of four to 14 years. Officials believe the convicted men repeatedly dunked Yu Qiyi, 42, in a tub of icy water in an attempt to get him to confess to suspected crimes related to a land deal.
Religion as the Solution to China’s Moral Decline Hard Pill to Swallow for Communist Party – China Real Time Report – WSJ As longtime China watcher Karla Simon notes in an impressive new book, “Civil Society in China: The Legal Framework from Ancient Tiems to the ‘New Reform Era,’” China has already begun to see a proliferation of nonprofit, nongovernmental organizations that express values based on ethical, cultural, scientific, religious and philanthropic principles. By the end of 2012, Simon writes, there were about 460,000 social organizations registered with the Ministry of Civil Affairs. Some are closely linked to government agencies, while others have greater autonomy. But she estimates there are probably around “ten times that many” in existence.
Film project to spotlight ethnic groups |Society |chinadaily.com.cn The central government has announced plans for a series of movies featuring the country’s ethnic groups. The project, led by the State Ethnic Affairs Commission and China Writers Association, is aimed at promoting the unique cultures of ethnic groups in China and enhancing national unity.
《焦点访谈》 20131011 证难办 脸难看_新闻频道_央视网 CCTV “Focus” report of unresponsive bureaucrats has become a symbol of mass line campaign…guy in Beijing had to go home to Hebei get a passport, tried 6 times, every time got nowhere with the bureaucrats, who have since been disciplined..CCTV likes these hidden camera reports, the official with her newspaper is a classic moment
全民痛陈事难办 中共整风遭遇现实拷问_中国_多维新闻网 【多维新闻】在名为“群众路线教育实践活动”的整风运动狂潮中，近期，央视《焦点访谈》节目曝光河北衡水以及江苏丰县两位市民办证难情况，一时间一众网友在网上分享自己“办证难”经历，纷纷痛陈最基层的政府职能部门“门难进、脸难看、事难办”现象，这无疑是给中共此轮轰轰烈烈的整风运动提了个醒——并非高官们相互不痛不痒的“揭揭短”，隔靴搔痒的“出出汗”就能解决现实问题，让官员们真正成为“人民的公务员”，而不是依仗手中公权力作威作福、愚弄百姓，这样习近平的整风运动才能真正称得上产生实效。
首都机场爆炸案一审宣判 被告人冀中星获刑6年_网易新闻中心 6 years in jail for Ji Zhongxing, man who set of small bomb in Beijing airport last summer
Businesses Besieged during Bo’s Reign See Some Assets Returned – Caixin Some assets confiscated or frozen by the Chongqing government during the rule of toppled party chief Bo Xilai have been returned to private owners, although official redress of these cases still seems far off. A private developer in the municipality in southwestern China, Junfeng Real Estate Co. Ltd., had 200 million yuan frozen by the Chongqing government in 2011, when it became a target of a sweeping anti-organized crime campaign headed by Bo and his then police chief, Wang Lijun. The government has returned the money in 14 batches to the real estate company over the last 12 months, but it paid no interest. A separate seizure, involving 66.8 million yuan confiscated by the police, is still out of Junfeng’s reach.
China to recruit 19,000 national-level civil servants – Xinhua In 2013’s exam, 20,839 positions were open to application. According to authorities, the 2014 public service selection will continue favoring candidates who have worked in grassroots communities. Most positions in government agencies above provincial level will require two years of grassroots working experience. About 10 percent of all vacancies will be set aside for college graduates-turned-village-heads.
Orient Group Owner Denied Li Xiaolin’s Involvement in Zurich Insurance’s Blurry Chinese Deal-Caijing “The Ms Li, mentioned in the report, has never been involved in any commercial activities in my company, as well as related companies,” according to a statement released yesterday by Orient Group, in the name of Zhang Hongwei, chairman of the company. Therefore, the reporting was “purely malicious slander,” it said.
FOREIGN AND DEFENSE AFFAIRS
China bypasses American ‘New Silk Road’ with two if its own – The Washington Post Washington Post’s Simon Denyer is my new favorite foreign correspondent in Beijing// “China is making a pretty bold move,” said Chris Johnson of the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington. “Xi Jinping sees a huge gaping hole in terms of trade and economic opportunities that the U.S. has so far failed to take advantage of.”
Philippa Brant | Chinese Charity Begins at Home | Foreign Affairs For these and other reasons, there is little prospect of a “Beijing consensus” or Chinese aid model displacing Western assistance. Nor will the West be able to make China play by the same rules of international aid. In a sense, that is a good thing: Developing countries get to choose their donors, thus exerting more influence over international aid priorities and practices. There is no question that China will continue to become an even bigger player on the global development scene. But fears that it will come to dominate that scene should be put into perspective. China may not accept aid rules, but it is not going to make new ones either.
Did China Clone a U.S. Apache Attack Helicopter? — War is Boring — Medium Nearly three dozen U.S. Army Apaches would crash or be shot down in Iraq, and more than two dozen others have been lost in Afghanistan. Perhaps one was recovered, fixed up and exported to China. Or maybe it’s just a movie prop. Or it may be a perfect copy, which is a real possibility. China has already shown its ability to create clones of America’s most advanced weapons systems.
Global public opinion poll reveals an increasingly negative view of China | South China Morning Post First up the good news for China: around the world people increasingly see the country as an emerging superpower, or indeed a superpower already. The bad news? They don’t much like China. Public opinion, especially in the US, towards China is at an all-time low. That’s according to a recent survey by the Pew Research Centre
New bridge to boost China-DPRK trade – Xinhua A new bridge will link China and the Democratic Republic of Korea (DPRK) by 2014 and greatly boost exchange and trade between the two countries, officials said Monday. A new border trade complex, complete with customs services, border control and quarantine services, as well as office buildings, hotels and markets will also be operational by 2014, according to Shi Guang, mayor of Dandong city, where the bridge is located.
Infrastructure spending in Thailand: Fast train coming | The Economist The centrepiece of the spending plan is a network of high-speed railway lines to connect the country’s four main regions with Bangkok. (Smaller dollops of cash are to be earmarked for roads and ports.) Two of the lines are part of a broader plan to link China’s Yunnan province with Singapore…China has been looking for reassurances from Ms Yingluck’s government that Thailand’s future really can be expected to pull into the station by 2020. That is when China plans to connect Vientiane, the capital of Laos, to Thailand. In the meantime China plans to sink $6.2 billion into a passenger and freight railway that will run from Kunming to Vientiane, tunnelling through 196km of mountains to get there.
BBC News – Visa rules for Chinese coming to the UK will be relaxed Under the new plan for visas, Chinese nationals visiting the European Union will not need to submit separate visa applications for Britain, if they book with selected travel agents. Currently, visitors can apply for a single visa to visit much of Europe, but a separate one is required to travel to the UK.
HONG KONG, MACAO AND TAIWAN
央视曝光42集团军对台作战地图引台媒关注(图)_网易新闻中心 CCTV discloses map of war plan against Taiwan…hanging on the wall in the background. Taiwan media notices…
TECH AND MEDIA
Press merger could open new door |Society |chinadaily.com.cn The two main press groups in Shanghai, the birthplace of China’s newspaper industry, are to merge, in a move that experts predict will produce new products in digital media. Shanghai Newspaper Group is to be formed from the merger of Jiefang Daily Group and Wenhui-Xinmin United Press Group, according to Zhu Changyuan, director of the distribution center for Jiefang Daily Group. While news of the merger has not been officially announced by either media group, strong indications were given by the Shanghai Party committee, which published a list of the future company’s managers on Monday.
‘Gravity’ to Get China Release in November (Report) – The Hollywood Reporter the movie is sympathetic to China — in one scene, Bullock’s character finds refuge in a Chinese ship, and there are several nods to China’s technological abilities throughout. The daily Beijing News said the movie had been approved by the censors. The Film Bureau could not be reached for comment.
WPP Is Said to Purchase Digital-Ad Agency in Chinese Expansion – Bloomberg IM2.0, which has offices in Beijing and Shanghai, creates online strategies and ad campaigns. Its clients include Dell Inc., Adidas AG, coffee maker Mondelez International Inc. and appliance manufacturer Qingdao Haier Co. It has a staff of 230 people and assets of about 200 million yuan ($33 million), the person said.
凡客拖欠供应商货款 被指欠李宁上千万_财经频道_一财网 is one-time e-commerce darling Vancl in trouble? word going around of large unpaid debts to suppliers, rumors that Lei Jun, a large investor in the firm, has been spending time at HQ trying to fix things, offices have moved from downtown Beijing to Yizhuang to save money…// 10月11日，电商经理人王泽旭在微博爆料：有凡客供应商声称，如果在14日前，凡客再不结账，将出现过激行为。此外，还有消息称凡客拖欠李宁上千万货款，而其拖欠部分网店的货款甚至达到500万。 拖欠供货商货款的消息令外界怀疑凡客的资金链出现问题，甚至有消息称，雷军已经奔赴凡客援助自己的好友陈年，不排除其接盘凡客的可能。
Movie Review – Jia Zhangke’s A Touch of Sin | China Law & Policy But with its emphasis on China’s increasing violence, A Touch of Sin questions one of the central tenants of the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) rule: that the Party’s specific type of leadership is necessary to promote “social stability.” But with the Party’s inability to deal with the rampant corruption and the increasing inequities in Chinese societies that leave individuals with no other choice but to resort to violence, the myth that is the Party’s promise of social stability becomes apparent. Jia is looking for an alternative. Religion, including Catholicism and Buddhism, deftly punctuates key scenes. Traditional Chinese culture including opera plays and old novels keep returning in each scene. And Jia has repeatedly mentioned that without a fair legal system, people are left with vigilante justice….It is this conclusion – that the Party’s version of social stability is a mirage and that there needs to be an alternative be it religious, cultural or legal – that ultimately makes A Touch of Sin subversive and could railroad its showing in China. For our readers outside of China, make sure you see this one as it is a thought provoking, beautifully shot film.
SOCIETY, ART, SPORTS, CULTURE AND HISTORY
为心道歉-中国青年报 Chen Yi’s son Chen Xiaolu apologizes again to his high school teachers for mistreating them during the Cultural Revolution, this time in an “apology meeting” on October 7. Long story in China Youth Daily // 讲起这段往事时，陈小鲁朝校园里看了一眼。国庆长假还没有结束，除了几个保安之外，学校里空空荡荡的。 “现在的孩子们可能对‘文革’没有什么概念了。我挺希望他们能了解那段历史，哪怕知道我们八中曾有过这么一段黑暗的时期也行，不要再去重演这段历史，不要斗争老师，不要斗争任何人。”陈小鲁叹了口气，从刻着“北京八中”四个大字的校门前走过。
社科院副院长：驳《晚年周恩来》对毛泽东的丑化_资讯频道_凤凰网 近些年，有人借“反思”之名任情曲解“文革”，实在不应该。高文谦先生的《晚年周恩来》一书，多处罔顾历史事实，用个人想象代替客观描述，用断章取义代替理性分析，用成见和情绪化看法代替公允的结论，这样的“反思”，究竟有何价值和意义？这里我们仅就此书中涉及毛泽东的一些问题，稍加分析，相信读者从中可一斑窥豹，明辨是非。
如何翻译“土豪”才不至于“一竿子打翻一船人”_UGC精选 on how to translate “土豪” // 大部分英译者阐释下“土豪”的内涵，是“有钱没教育”的暴发户。作者认为，对于“土豪”们需区别对待，分别出其间有文化没文化的，对子孙有眼光没眼光的，对周围社区有爱心没爱心的，这会是个较好的起点。//how times have changed…around minute 30 of episode 1 of the Xi Zhongxun documentary is a discussion of him fighting “土豪”, which back then really mean local tyrants
ENERGY, ENVIRONMENT, SCIENCE AND HEALTH
Water: All dried up | The Economist ask an environmentalist what is the country’s biggest problem, and the answer is always the same. “Water is the worst,” says Wang Tao, of the Carnegie-Tsinghua Centre in Beijing, “because of its scarcity, and because of its pollution.” “Water,” agrees Pan Jiahua, of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. “People can’t survive in a desert.” Wang Shucheng, a former water minister, once said: “To fight for every drop of water or die: that is the challenge facing China.”
Bathhouse ban bid makes waves |Society |chinadaily.com.cn UNAIDS’ China office has expressed concern with a draft regulation from the Ministry of Commerce that would ask bathhouses to ban people with HIV. The draft regulation on managing bathhouses, on which public opinion is being sought until Nov 11, stipulates that bathhouses, including those offering spa baths and foot care, should put up signs saying that people with HIV/AIDS must not enter.
Is the Shanghai Tower the world’s first eco-friendly skyscraper? | Nicola Davison – China Dialogue Though still shrouded in scaffolding, the world’s second tallest building already overshadows its companions in the crowded Shanghai skyline. Located in the Pudong financial district, the Shanghai Tower’s spiralling trunk represents China’s emergence as an economic superpower. But the elegant shape has a more practical application: it works with the win
《焦点访谈》 20131014 绝户网 何时绝_新闻频道_央视网 CCTV Focus on the continued use of incredibly destructive fishing nets that catch everything
BEIJING
北京楼市重现“日光盘” 开发商：燕郊不“日光”都不好意思宣传-财经网 several new housing projects in Beijing have sold it on the first day // 望京·金茂府、华润公元九里、润枫领尚、北京风景、旭辉E天地5个项目创下日光的销售佳绩。据悉，这5个项目既有每套70万起低总价项目，也有单价最高突破6万元的高端项目，开盘后均获热销。