"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
1. Leader Asserts China’s Growing Role on Global Stage – NYTimes.com The speech to the senior party cadres combined many of those elements, but there was one outstanding motif, said Christopher K. Johnson, senior adviser on China at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington. “Xi is telling the assembled audience that China now is a great power, and should start acting like one,” Mr. Johnson said. Under Mr. Xi, China would no longer stand by the famous dictum of one of his predecessors, Deng Xiaoping, that China should wait its turn on the world stage and “hide and bide,” an idea that has remained popular among some party officials. “Xi is clearly rejecting that thinking,” Mr. Johnson said.
Related: Xi Jinping’s speech: More diplomacy, less raw power – Lowy Interpreter Media coverage will probably be quick to recognise that Xi Jinping’s latest speech on Chinese foreign policy is a big deal. But the headline writers are missing the story if they focus on his pledge to uphold China’s claims in maritime disputes. As someone who has done more than his share of professional worrying about the strategic implications of China’s rise, I’ve surprised myself by reading this speech quite differently. Yes, it is a challenge to the world order we know, but not a confrontational or a jarring one. It’s subtle, and other countries should be relieved, as well as cautious.
Related: 七常委超规格开外事会 三大反常信号酿变动_国际-多维新闻网
Related: 人民日报评论员：
Related: 党报批美5连发：四处插手维持霸权 小心引火烧身新闻腾讯网 People’s Daily Overseas edition criticized the US on front page five days straight from 11.25-29. Perhaps people shouldn’t get too excited about the positive Obama-Xi meeting or any claimed softening of approach at the recent foreign affairs work conference…seek truth from facts as Mao liked to say // 人民日报连续5天在头版刊发文章，分别为：
2. China Drafts Bank Deposit Insurance in Move to Free Rates – Bloomberg The government will insure deposits of as much as 500,000 yuan ($81,367) per saver at each bank covered, the People’s Bank of China said in a draft rule on its website yesterday. It didn’t give a start date or detail what premiums banks may pay, saying only that they may differ depending on lenders’ management and risk conditions. The PBOC is seeking feedback through Dec. 30…The insured amount proposed will be enough to cover all the bank deposits of 99.6 percent of savers, the central bank said in a separate statement. BNP Paribas SA has estimated that a system of the type planned may cover 46 percent of deposit balances, based on past PBOC data.
Related: 经济参考网 – 存款保险条例或明年二季度实施 “隐性”存款担保时代将终结 Economic Information says new deposit insurance plan likely to be launched in Q2 2015
Related: 存款保险知识专家问答－中国人民银行 Off
3. 新形势下强军兴军的科学指南 essay in latest Qiushi from General Political Department on a scientific guide to the building a strong and rejuvenated military, in the wake of the recent PLA political work conference in Gutian…looks like some tense times ahead for the PLA, though not sure we will see purges at the level of those after Mao’s Gutian Conference 85 years ago // 以整风精神解决部队中特别是领导干部中存在的突出问题。
Related: 人民军队生命线的时代丰碑–
4. Hong Kong Protesters Surround City Leader’s Office in Renewed Confrontation – NYTimes. A night of seesaw battles in the political heart of the city ended weeks of anxious calm at the protesters’ main street camp, and threw into question how much longer the Hong Kong government would tolerate hundreds of tents in Admiralty neighborhood, a stone’s throw from the city’s administrative and legislative complex. Student protest leaders, who have dithered and debated over the direction of their movement, said their patience had expired.
Related: Occupy supporters and police clash as Hong Kong protests escalate | South China Morning Post He said he was not afraid of the police. “Two months on, I’ve got used to the pattern. we advance, police use pepper spray or batons and we step back. Those behind then forward.” Schoolgirl Fish Chan, 16, said she had attended despite being urged to stay away by her mother, who feared she would be hurt. Earlier, a group of secondary school pupils staged a barefoot walk around the government headquarters. They knelt down after every 28 steps and walked around the buildings nine times to remember the police’s use of tear gas on September 28.
5. 张全景：弘扬红色文化，掌握意识形态工作主动权–理论-
Related: 砸锅论再起 高官揭秘反共“四大武器”_中国-多维新闻网 Duowei On Zhang Quanjing’s Red Flag Journal article// 继中央文献研究室原主任逄先知公开呼吁进行“反右”运动，
Related: To make sense of modern China, you simply can’t ignore Marxism – The Conversation The missing element in all this is Marxism. China remains a socialist country, with the Communist Party effectively operating a one-party state with Marxist values. Many continue to dismiss Marxism in China, whether in terms of a repressive and inadequate ideology or as empty words in which no one “believes” any longer. This is a great mistake and risks neglecting what is arguably one of the most important factors for understanding China.
6. Coal tax reform to ease burden on producers, environment – Xinhua China, the world’ s leading coal producer and consumer, is to levy resource tax on coal on the basis of sales instead of production from Dec. 1, in a move to shore up the dim industry and improve the deteriorating environment. The key to the reform, however, is to clear out charging fees involving coal. Due to historical reasons, Chinese coal producers pay taxes as well as fees under various names, such as coal price adjustment funds, compensation fees for native minerals, and fees for local economic development.
7. Miners ‘Covering Their Eyes’ on China’s Commodity Cliff – Bloomberg As China moves to a consumer-led from an investment-led economy, there may be a substantial absolute drop in commodities demand, not just slower growth, he said. “This is happening now,” Tao said. “It’s just people are covering their eyes and refusing to believe that what is happening now is not just a cyclical story, but also a structural story.”
Related: China’s Slowdown Hits Price of Iron Ore – WSJ Topping the list are big commodity players Australia and Brazil, but also resource-rich countries, such as Guinea, Indonesia and Mongolia, where minerals make up a disproportionate share of the economy and employment. In countries specializing in crucial commodities, such as iron ore and coal, sluggish demand and falling commodity prices are reducing government tax revenue, increasing trade deficits and affecting currency values.
8. 楼继伟：推进各级政府事权规范化法律化–理论-人民网
BUSINESS, ECONOMY AND TRADE
China Manufacturing Gauge Drops Amid APEC Factory Shutdowns – Bloomberg The government’s Purchasing Managers’ Index (CPMINDX) was at 50.3 in November, compared with the 50.5 median estimate of analysts in a Bloomberg survey and October’s 50.8. Readings above 50 indicate expansion.
经济参考网 – 水利工程有望成明年稳增长抓手 三天三次见诸高层会议和文件，“水利”成投资热词 Econom
中国高速公路1年收费4000亿 利润超金融房产_网易新闻中心 Xinhua asking uncomfortable questions about the now 400B RMB in road tolls collected annually, as local governments keep extending their toll collection periods // 核心提示：据悉，
China’s harsher workplace safety law to take effect – Xinhua China’s revised Workplace Safety Law, which imposes harsher punishment on offenders, will take effect Monday. Adopted in August, the amendment stipulates fines ranging from 200,000 yuan (32,500 U.S. dollars) to 20 million yuan for enterprises involved in serious workplace accidents, depending on the resultant losses. Under the old law, fines for enterprises violating the law were no more than 100,000 yuan or less than five times the income earned from the illegal operations.
Paths Diverge for China ETFs – WSJ Investors plowed $259 million into U.S.-listed China-focused exchange-traded funds in November, turning them into net buyers for the year, according to Markit, a provider of financial data. They are betting that a wave of money flowing into China from big asset managers using the Stock Connect program will help lift the Chinese market. In the same month, though, Hong Kong investors were selling, withdrawing $1.6 billion from Hong Kong-listed, China-focused ETFs. To be sure, investors in Hong Kong had gotten in earlier, buying $2.5 billion in the year to date. Still, during October and November, the month when Stock Connect started, they scaled back investments in China after markets there recorded sharp gains.
北京土地收入超1900亿 一线城市土地市场热度仍高财经频道一财网 revenue from land sales in Beijing has crossed 190B RMB for 2014 through 11.30, a record // 北 京市土地整理储备中心数据显示，截至11月30日，
POLITICS AND LAW
CPC sends out inspectors in new round of anti-graft checks – Xinhua The third round of inspection for 2014 targets 13 state organizations: the Ministry of Culture, the Ministry of Environmental Protection, China Association for Science and Technology, All-China Federation of Industry & Commerce, China Radio International, China Southern Airlines, China State Shipbuilding Corporation, China Unicom, China Shipping Company, China Huadian Corporation, Dongfeng Motor Corporation, Shenhua Group and Sinopec. These inspectors will be stationed in their respective target unit for about one month, aiming to uncover officials’ misconduct, especially that concerning corruption, undesirable work styles and personnel selection and appointment.
在全面推进依法治国中更好地肩负起实践者推动者的责任 Meng Jianzhu has the lead essay in the latest Qiushi, on “comprehensively advancing governing the country according to the law” // 核心要点：■ 政法机关作为执法司法机关，要把学习好、宣传好、
What you should know about foreign-related cases in the Chinese courts post 4th Plenum | Supreme People’s Court Monitor The Supreme People’s Court (Court) recently held its 4th National Work Conference on Foreign-Related Commercial and Maritime Adjudication (4th National Work Conference) in early November, shortly after the 4th Plenum. This is a conference that the Court organizes occasionally for judges hearing commercial and maritime cases involving foreign parties. The Court uses work conferences to transmit the latest central legal policy, harmonize court practices consistent with those policies, and find out what the latest difficult legal issues are. (This is a practice similar to other Party/government agencies). The 4th National Work Conference highlighted some of the provisions of the 4th Plenum:
1.4 mln apply for Chinese civil servant jobs – Xinhua Nevertheless, the exam is still considered one of the most competitive tests in the country, as there are only 22,200 vacancies in national government agencies, their affiliated public institutions and local branches. Earlier reports said most positions open this year 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 who became village officials. There were 7.1 million civil servants in China at the end of 2012.
如何认识西方“大市场小政府”的市场经济模式- He Zili, Deputy Director, School of Economics, Nankai University in latest Red Flag Manuscript on understanding the “big market, little government” market economy model he says is common in the West (tell that to the GOP), on learning the correct lessons from it…hint, it has to do with sticking with Socialism with Chinese Characteristics, avoiding the pitfalls with the Western model that lead to unfairness and extreme wealth gaps, among other things… // 来源： 《红旗文稿》2014/22 作者： 何自力- “大市场小政府”
新媒体传播中历史虚无主义“导向”不容忽视 Fujian Professor Lin Shuhong in latest Red Flag Manuscript on dangers from “historical nihilism” in new media… // 总之，防范历史虚无主义在新媒体平台上的泛滥已刻不容缓。
把爱国主义作为文艺创作的主旋律 Li Bing, Party secretary of the Chinese Writers Association, in the latest Qiushi on making patriotism the main theme of literature and arts, in the wake of the recent symposium // 把爱国主义作为文艺创作的主旋律，不是对创作题材的限制，
China’s Xinjiang passes rules, plans fines to curb unrest: Xinhua | Reuters China’s Xinjiang region has banned the practice of religion in government buildings and will fine those who use the Internet to ‘undermine national unity’, in a package of regulations aimed at combating separatism in the north-western province.
胡喬木女兒：革命后代要全力支持習近平反腐–安徽頻道–
FOREIGN AND DEFENSE AFFAIRS
China, Japan to destroy chemical weapons | Business Spectator China and Japan will on Monday begin the destruction of chemical weapons abandoned by Japan in northeast China at the end of World War II. An estimated 330,000 pieces of weaponry are buried in the Harbaling area of Jilin Province, where the work will begin, Xinhua news agency cited China’s Foreign Ministry as saying.
TECH AND MEDIA
Obstacles overshadow flourishing culture sector – Global Times Third, more efforts are needed to enhance awareness of copyright protection. Such efforts would not only combat piracy but also increase profits. Compared with Western markets, copyright awareness is relatively weak in China, while the implementation of relevant laws and regulations is also far from satisfactory. This damages the urge to innovate and curbs the development of the industry. For example, a youth art team named “NIKO EDWARDS” recently accused Chinese video steaming website youku.com and social networking company Momo Inc of stealing their idea for a commercial advertisement. In response, youku.com said it would seriously deal with the issue to protect creative works and Momo has stopped broadcasting the video.
优酷短片涉嫌抄袭 少年团队发视频指责-财经频道-新华网 Youku in crisis PR mode, says investigating charges it stole Niko Edwards’ short film idea. Looks like Youku got caught red-handed. // 上周末，优酷和陌陌卷入了创意抄袭风波。
Katie Leung Stars in ‘One Child’ by Guy Hibbert – NYTimes.com It was so important to the British screenwriter Guy Hibbert to preserve the unexpected ending of “One Child,” a television drama about executions in China, that he waited years for a financial backer who agreed to do so. “People wanted us to change the ending,” Mr. Hibbert said in a telephone interview. “I refused.
《对话》：曹国伟雷军刘强东“乌镇论剑”|世界互联网大会
“专车”公司招聘车主带车加盟 涉违规运营深度新京报网 近来，打车软件上的“专车”
SOCIETY, ART, SPORTS, CULTURE AND HISTORY
延安投资千亿削平33座山头造新城 slideshow of Yan’an’s progress in building its new district. 33 mountain tops flattened to make way for it
ENERGY, ENVIRONMENT, SCIENCE AND HEALTH
China records 497,000 people with HIV/AIDS – Xinhua The number of people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) in China had hit 497,000 by the end of Oct., with 154,000 deaths, according to latest official figures. Highlighting an obvious increase in the number of HIV carriers and AIDS patients, Wang Guoqiang, vice director of the National Health and Family Planning Commission, revealed the figures Sunday at an HIV/AIDS awareness promotion event, ahead of World AIDS Day on Dec. 1.
China to expand input to fight HIV: Premier – Xinhua Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Sunday promised more work on prevention and treatment of AIDS and is willing to cooperate with other countries to combat HIV. Li made the remarks when visiting Beijing’s YouAn Hospital, home to a center for HIV/AIDS treatment, just ahead of World AIDS Day on Dec. 1.
China co-ordinates planning rules to prevent wasteful growth | Zhang Chun – China Dialogue Faced with numerous often incompatible plans from different government departments, China is trialing planning system mergers to encourage the rational use of land and greater environmental protection
BOOKS AND LITERATURE
Black Holes – Caijing He Jiahong’s Black Holes, a Chinese legal whodunit in English translation, is an almost unique entry in its small sub-genre. Black Holes tells the story of criminal lawyer Hong Jun defending a young equities trader from a charge of fraud. Nothing is as simple as it seems, of course, and the roots of the case lie back in the Cultural Revolution. The sections of the backstory about the life of “educated youth” sent to the countryside – Heilongjiang – during the Cultural Revolution are detailed and readable, if not necessarily revelatory.
BEIJING
北京大风吹落建筑外墙材料 致1人死亡1人重伤_网易新闻中心-网易新闻客户端 huge winds in Beijing Saturday, blew off large section of the outer wall covering at the Joy City Mall in Chaoyang District, one person killed. Hope the they arrest someone from the developer for shoddy construction