"Sinocism is the Presidential Daily Brief for China hands"- Evan Osnos, New Yorker Correspondent and National Book Award Winner

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人民日报-论《马关条约》与钓鱼岛问题（厘清钓鱼岛问题①） 张海鹏　李国强 CASS scholars write in today’s People’s Daily about the Treaty of Shimonoseki and the sovereignty of the Ryukyu Islands, including the Diaoyu Islands and Okinawa. Commonly held here belief that Okinawa is China’s as well, this piece may stir things up…

Related: Contempt for China leads to insults, conspiracy theories against Okinawans – AJW by The Asahi Shimbun–April 30–Many of the posters said the Okinawans were deliberately trying to weaken Japan’s defenses and give China the upper hand in the territorial dispute over the Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea. Typical comments were “left-wingers in Okinawa are Chinese spies” and the protesters are “receiving funding from China.”

Why Is a 1995 Poisoning Case the Top Topic on Chinese Social Media | ChinaFile her name is no longer censored on weibo, media are reporting on the case, interviewing her family, still no official statement from government. Beijing has to respond to this in a positive way, but the ultimate media backlash may be severe. The Party does not like to be pushed into a corner// The Zhu case certainly proves that online vigilantism works, at least as far as getting mainstream media attention is concerned. However, it also demonstrates a Catch-22 for those waiting for justice to be done in China—making a splash online may be the only way for victims of crime to get the attention of the public, but online vigilantism could take on a life of its own by reaching a foregone conclusion without the benefit of a full investigation. And that could ultimately cloud the truth.

Related: 永远的22岁 重访18年前清华铊中毒女生朱令和她的亲友们-上海频道-东方网 Liberation Daily reporter visits Zhu Ling and her parents// 本报记者昨晚联系得知朱令父母的明确表态:他们不上网，之前不知道有所谓“白宫请愿”一事，如今的态度是既不参加也不支持，包括前段时间有网友发起的“金融战(做空某公司)”等过激行为，他们都不赞成，他们的生活重心还是在照顾朱令身上，他们也依然相信正规的途径和渠道，所以也一直在拒绝某些媒体的采访。记者此前采访中，也多次听到好几位帮助他们家的志愿者，均有类似表示。一家已帮助朱令家近10年的基金会有关人士昨夜则告诉记者，他们的目标是提供经济援助，而并不以追惩凶手为目的。

Chinese netizens are taking over the Whitle House…petition site: “Hello! Comrade Obama” | Offbeat China this is not helpful in the long run, plays right into the hands of those who see hostile foreign forces attacking China// Seeing the impact, some netizens apparently reach the conclusion that the While House petition is a good, or a fun, tool to attract attention to their appeals. Therefore, after “occupying” Obama’s Google+ page in February, 2012, Chinese netizens now have their eyes on the White House petition site. Among all the petitions submitted by Chinese netizens, there are political ones, environmental ones and even ones that deal with individual rights. But what they care the most seems to be tofu soup (豆腐脑, doufunao).

Mother of China’s Poisoned Victim Insists on Disclosure of Investigation Findings-Caijing Zhu Ling, a Tsinghua university student, was reportedly to be poisoned in 1995 by a suspected roommate with thallium, which led to her permanent paralysis.  Zhu’s mom has been asking for disclosure of investigation results since October, 1995, but was constantly turned down and told “the police has already done what they can”.

大麦歌(朱令作品) if you want a good cry over the Zhu Ling case, watch this video

中共宣传体系大调整将展开_中国_多维新闻网【多维新闻】Duowei says personnel changes underway in Propaganda System, including that the State Information Internet Office will spin out from the State Council Information Office, will be headed by Lu Wei, no official confirmation//  伴随杨振武出任中共机关报《人民日报》的总编辑，中国宣传系统的部门分工与人事调整料将启动。蔡名照将再次出任中宣部与国新办的要职，而年轻的鲁炜则会成为正式独立出来的互联网管理领域负责人。此轮布局是习近平重塑意识形态的重要步骤，究竟会展现出何种新意惹人注目。..了解中共宣传体系的人都清楚，外宣办、国新办、国信办是三块牌子，但属于一个部门。外宣办和国信办更是密不可分，属于传统对外宣称部门。国信办是随着互联网的飞速发展，为适应新的媒体发展形势于2011年5月份正式挂牌，自挂牌以来就一直有传闻称将会独立出去，结束互联网管理“政出多门”的局面。在李克强政府规划中，国信办将正式独立，整合工信部、文化部、广电总局等多头管理局面。

April New Loans Decline, Regulators Alert on Hidden Risks-Caijing Four biggest state-owned banks extended a combined 245 billion yuan in new loans in April, compared with 370 billion in January and 330 billion in March, the 21st Century Business Herald reported, quoting sources from the banks. The four banks—Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, the Bank of China, Agricultural Bank of China, and China Construction Bank—usually account for 30 percent of new yuan loans issued by China’s whole banking system.

U.S. Accuses China’s Military in Cyberattacks – NYTimes.com To bolster its case, the report argues that cyberweapons have become integral to Chinese military strategy. It cites two major public works of military doctrine, “Science of Strategy” and “Science of Campaigns,” saying they identify “information warfare (I.W.) as integral to achieving information superiority and an effective means for countering a stronger foe.” But it notes that neither document “identifies the specific criteria for employing a computer network attack against an adversary,” though they “advocate developing capabilities to compete in this medium.” It is a critique the Chinese could easily level at the United States, where the Pentagon has declined to describe the conditions under which it would use offensive cyberweapons. //China engaging in cyber attacks or cyber espionage?

Related: U.S. report on China’s military baseless, counterproductive – Xinhua | English.news.cn The U.S. Department of Defense released on Monday a report on China, making groundless assessment on the Asian country’s military and security development. This unwise move is not only self-contradictory as Washington has been claiming to boost military ties with China, but also harmful to the aspiration of both countries to forge a cooperative partnership based on mutual respect, mutual benefit and a win-win situation.

China and Cyberwar – New York Times Editorial But for anyone broadly interested in the possibility of a global disruption caused by government-directed hackers, the report suffers from one conspicuous omission: It does not address America’s own role in the expanding world of cyberwarfare nor that of other countries with active programs, like Russia, Britain and Israel. The report said that the primary goal of China’s cyberattacks on the United States was to steal industrial technology but that many intrusions were designed to obtain insights into American policy makers’ thinking. The report also warned that information gathered on American defense networks, logistics and military capabilities could be exploited during a crisis.

人民日报-抹黑中国难掩“黑客帝国”恶行 钟声 People’s Daily–Zhong Sheng responds to latest US DoD report’s cyber espionage claims about China, takes “pot calling kettle black” line// 在大肆炒作“中国网络威胁论”的同时，美国网络扩军备战的步伐突飞猛进。在大幅削减军事开支的情况下，美国计划将网络司令部编制扩大5倍，2014年美国网络安全经费大幅增至177亿美元。2013年3月，北约推出《塔林网络战国际法适用手册》。该手册虽非北约正式文件，但观点与美国国务院的意见如出一辙，显然是要为美国打网络战披上合法的外衣。

Asia Unbound » Three Thoughts on Cyber and the Defense Department’s Report on the Chinese Military Third, despite the announcement of a U.S.-China working group on cybersecurity during Secretary of State John Kerry’s visit to China, and General Fang Fenghui’s declaration that China was willing to set up a cyberserurity “mechanism” during a meeting with chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Martin E. Dempsey, the report does not give much reason for optimism that the two sides will find common ground on the rules of the road. For the first time, the report calls China out for playing a “disruptive role in multilateral efforts to establish transparency and confidence building measures in international fora such as the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, Association of Southeast Asian Nations Regional Forum, and the United Nations Group of Governmental Experts.”

Unpacking the Riches of the Pentagon’s China Report – China Real Time Report – WSJ Perhaps the DoD report’s single greatest advancement of public knowledge concerns China’s nuclear submarine programs.

U.S. Defense Department criticizes China’s claims to Senkaku Islands – The Japan News  “In September 2012, China began using improperly drawn straight baseline claims around the Senkaku Islands, adding to its network of maritime claims inconsistent with international law,” the Defense Department said Monday.The baselines are drawn to define territorial waters. China has set its baseline around the Senkaku Islands so that it can claim the islet chain is part of its territory. China has submitted its claim to the United Nations without discussions with Japan. Tokyo says it cannot tolerate even the drawing of such a line around the islets. // China responds to this claim–中国公布钓鱼岛领海基线完全符合国际法和国际实践——国防部网站  新华社北京5月7日电  记者许栋诚、侯丽军报道：外交部发言人华春莹7日在例行记者会上表示，中国政府根据《联合国海洋法公约》有关规定，确定并公布钓鱼岛及其附属岛屿的领海基点基线完全符合相关国际法和国际实践。

Beijing to hike taxi fares – Xinhua | English.news.cn According to the plan released by the Beijing Municipal Commission of Development and Reform, the base fare will go up from 10 yuan (1.6 U.S. dollars) to 13 yuan for the first 3 km.Meanwhile, the rate per km after the first 3 km will rise to either 2.3 yuan or 2.6 yuan from the current 2 yuan, according to the plan. To encourage taxi drivers to get behind the wheel in the morning and evening rush hours, the waiting fee charged during traffic jams will also be increased to a rate of 2 km per five minutes from the current 1 km per five minutes.

Why China is welcoming both Israel’s Netanyahu and Palestinians’ Abbas – CSMonitor.com In the Far East we are No. 1, says Yin Gang, one of the countrys most prominent Middle East experts. In the Middle East we are No. 12. // I have some updated comments on China’s role here, yesterday’s newsletter’s statement “In what could be a momentous shift in China’s foreign policy” was not well received by several readers…

Related: Why China Won’t Solve the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict | TIME.com “I can give you a one word answer: ‘No,’” says Gerald Steinberg, professor of political studies at Bar Ilan University in Israel. “The Chinese are trying to be Europeans. They want to be global actors, and the way to be global actors is to claim that you have something to offer. They have good trade relations with Israel, but there’s a huge gap in terms of understanding the perceptions of the region.” The reality, Steinberg says, is that no country except the United States is trusted enough by both sides to serve as broker to peace talks — but especially by Israel, which sees itself as persecuted and misunderstood by a world that does not understand its situation the way Americans do 

China unveils peace plan based on 1967 lines | The Times of Israel China has traditionally maintained a low profile in Middle East diplomacy, but in recent years has tried to play a more active role in the region as part of its quest for markets, resources and diplomatic influence. Beijing has sought stable relations with both sides in the Israel-Palestinian conflict, but Israel’s weekend airstrikes on Syrian military targets created a turbulent start to China’s diplomatic foray.

Abbas concludes visit to China with ‘great success’ – China.org.cn In a news conference on Monday night, Abbas said Palestine agrees with President Xi Jinping’s four point proposal on the Middle East peace process. Abbas has briefed President Xi Jinping about the latest developments in the Palestine-Israel relationship.Abbas said he would not meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during his stay in China, and he asked China to pass on Palestine’s stance to Israel.

‘Prisoner X’ sabotaged spy mission to recover bodies: report | The Raw Story The broadcaster interviewed a Lebanese man, Ziad Al Homsi, a former commander of Lebanese forces in the Bekka Valley, who said he was recruited by Mossad in 2007 after being lured to China for a convention. In Beijing he was contacted by a Syrian named George Attar, who claimed his brother in Europe was working to return the remains of missing Israeli solders.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

China Export Gains Top Forecasts as Imports Exceed Estimates – Bloomberg   China’s export and import growth unexpectedly accelerated in April amid a government probe into reports of inflated trade data. Shipments abroad rose 14.7 percent, the General Administration of Customs said today in Beijing, compared with the 9.2 percent median forecast of analysts surveyed by Bloomberg News. Imports advanced 16.8 percent, while the trade surplus of $18.2 billion was higher than projected.

Latest China bailout reveals risk of local government’s hidden debts | Reuters In the latest case of an apparent bailout, CITIC Trust announced late last month that an unnamed party had agreed to purchase 1.3 billion yuan ($210.87 million) in high-interest loans to a steel plate manufacturer in Hubei province, in central China. CITIC had packaged the loans into a wealth management product (WMP) for sale to wealthy investors at an expected yield of 10 percent. The investors will now be repaid in full. Official media cited unnamed sources predicting the government of Yichang city, Hubei, was the buyer. A senior CITIC Trust executive had previously told Reuters it expected the city government to step in and pay the debt.

Inside Business: China private equity bitten again by Fang – FT.com “There is an overwhelming and still unsated appetite among institutional investors around the world to increase their asset allocation in China,” said Peter Fuhrman, founder of China First Capital. Mr Fang weighed up the arguments for and against returning To the Chinese private equity fold. He concluded the time was right. And the record shows that whichever way Mr Fang goes, the market tends to follow.

China to Press Ahead With Hukou Reform – Economic Observer The reform will make it easier for migrant workers to settle in cities by gradually removing obstacles to obtaining a residence permit and by introducing a uniform system across the country.

发改委徐林：城市群不是规划出来的_经济频道_财新网 NDRC researcher Xu Lin–and urban class can’t be “planned” into existence..interesting comments on urbanization in China// 【财新网】（记者 霍侃 于宁）新型城镇化被许多人认为是未来十年中国经济社会发展最为重要的战略之一。政府在其中需扮演怎样的角色？国家发改委发展规划司司长徐林表示，城市群不是规划出来的，更不是人为划定的，而是市场力量和技术力量推动形成的。在这个过程中，政府可以做一些顺势而为的事，但必须小心翼翼。

China Said to Tighten Approvals for Local Government Bond Sales – Bloomberg The National Development and Reform Commission, which approves bond sales by companies that local governments set up to finance projects, will more strictly review applications for debt with credit ratings below AA+ sold by issuers with debt-to- asset ratios exceeding 65 percent, said the people, who asked not to be identified as they weren’t authorized to speak publicly about the order.

鄂尔多斯近半煤矿停产 遭遇10年来罕见萧条_网易财经 bad times for coal, even worse times for Ordos// 5月7日，沈川石告诉记者，煤炭贸易之外，其另一主要业务为煤炭汽运，但很多个体的煤矿都关掉了，只有神华、冀中能源、兖煤集团等在当地的大矿还在勉强生产，“下游要煤的人也寥寥无几”。

“中国最好银行”换帅 王歧山前秘书接任|马蔚华|王歧山|招商银行_21世纪网 China Merchants Bank head Ma Weihua stepping down, to be replaced by a former secretary of Wang Qishan?// “行里通知明天召开高层干部会议，说行领导有变化，”招行某高层向本报记者称，“马行长因为到了退休年龄，也很正常。”对此，马蔚华5月7日向本报记者回应称，无可奉告。“董事会还没有召开，也没发公告。”

北京4月楼价涨幅全国居首 最严限价令挂钩“乌纱帽”|楼价|限价令|乌纱帽_21世纪网 Beijing officials under real pressure to rein in property prices// 核心提示：现在北京2013年趋稳的年度房价控制目标已经分解到各区县，工作不力的，将进行约谈和问责。上述接近北京住建委的人士表示，据其了解，北京市相关领导已经放话，房价控制目标直接挂钩相关负责人的“乌纱帽”。

A Shift in the Goals of China’s Rich Abroad – China Real Time Report – WSJ Three out of five wealthy mainland Chinese are looking to immigrate out of China while another third own investments abroad, Bain said in its “China Private Wealth Report, 2013,” based on a survey conducted earlier this year of 3,300 “high-net-worth individuals” with at least 10 million yuan (US$1.6 million) in investable assets.

西藏2000亿交通投资盛宴开席 多家公司受益-交通建设 交通基础设施 西藏旅游 西藏经济 西藏发展-东方财经-东方网 200 Billion RMB in infrastructure investment planned for Tibet// 西藏自治区政府近日召开会议，将加快公路交通基础设施跨越式发展，到2020年力争完成公路建设投资2000亿元，全区公路总里程突破11万公里，一级及以上公路里程超过1200公里。目前，西藏多地已开始加快上马市政交通基础设施项目

 

POLITICS AND LAW

Supreme People’s Court judge urges end to wrongful convictions | South China Morning Post One of China’s most senior judges has called for an end to miscarriages of justice by the nation’s courts after two cases of wrongful convictions have highlighted inadequacies in its legal system. “If more of these wrongful criminal convictions appear, they will become an unprecedented challenge to the People’s Courts,” Shen Deyong, the executive vice-president of the Supreme People’s Court, wrote in the People’s Court Daily on Monday.

Condemning innocent worse than sparing guilty: senior justice – Xinhua | English.news.cn A senior Chinese judge has called for efforts to prevent miscarriages of justice, saying it is even preferable to spare guilty people than to hand down wrongful punishment to the innocent. Shen Deyong, executive vice president of the Supreme People’s Court (SPC), made the remarks in an article published in the Monday edition of the newspaper People’s Court Daily.

Lawyers get an advocate[1]|chinadaily.com.cn Shen Deyong, vice-president of the Supreme People’s Court, has called on judges to respect the role of lawyers, especially defense lawyers, who are part of the legal community and can help judges avoid handing down wrongful verdicts. “We should fully understand that lawyers are an integral part of the legal community, an ally of the courts and an irreplaceable force in preventing wrongful convictions,” Shen said in an article published on Monday in People’s Court Daily, a newspaper affiliated with the top court.

浙江5名青年坐冤狱17年续：官方称已锁定真凶_新闻_腾讯网 浙江高院立案复查1995年萧山5青年劫杀出租车司机案有了最新进展。3名假释者已从浙江高院获悉，复查结果有望6月出炉，再审程序将视复查结果启动。 新京报记者获悉，劫杀出租车司机案嫌疑人项生源，去年底被萧山警方抓获后，目前已由杭州市公安局移送嘉兴市检察院审查起诉，案由是“涉嫌故意杀人”。

陕西“房姐”曾为两个孩子办北京户口 被骗67万_资讯频道_凤凰网山西籍一男子自称能帮人办北京常住户口，两年来骗取他人150多万元。近日，榆林市中级人民法院对该案进行审理宣判。这起诈骗案件中，“房姐”龚爱爱也是受害人之一，她为两个孩子办北京户口被骗67.2万元。

人民日报-改革需要“狮子型”干部（人民论坛） 韩文君 Reform needs lion-like cadres—people’s daily // “政治路线确定之后，干部就是决定的因素。”如何使用干部推动改革发展？最近一位地方领导同志提出：要重用那些政治上强、能够驾驭全局、敢抓敢管的“狮子型”干部。这一形象的提法引人深思，因为现实中“狮子型”的干部能干事、能成事，却往往“一将难求”。

人民日报-用什么终结“一闹就停”困局（人民时评） 金苍 commentator in People’s Daily on how to better deal with citizen concerns over large industrial projects like PX plants// 全面深化改革，怎么改、改什么，或许还有争议，但从矛盾最突出的地方改起，却是肯定的。从这个角度说，PX项目的冲突，既揭示了中国社会当前的矛盾纠结，也指出了改革的突破口和切入点。虽然从政务公开到微博问政，新形势下交流对话的尝试也取得了很好的效果，但与群众的权利诉求相比，仍有距离。统筹各个职能部门、统筹中央部门和地方政府，建立公众表达的平台、疏通权利救济的渠道，才能下好这盘大棋。 习近平同志曾说，要防止出现“把我们党和人民群众隔开”的无形之墙。让权力与权利平等对话、政府与公众良性互动，才能打掉这堵无形之墙。

Video: Evan Osnos on the ‘High Bar’ of the New ‘Chinese Dream’ | Asia Society But what is the Chinese Dream? Who can realistically attain it? What are the obstacles Xi faces in trying to turn dream into reality? We asked these questions and more to Evan Osnos, China correspondent for The New Yorker and 2007 winner of Asia Society’s Osborn Elliott Prize.

21 Chongqing officials punished over sex video – Xinhua | English.news.cn A total of 21 government officials and executives of state-owned enterprises (SOEs) in southwest China’s Chongqing Municipality have been punished over a sex video scandal, local authorities said on Tuesday. Of the 21, 15 are government officials and six are SOE executives, according to a statement issued by the information office of the Chonqing municipal government.

重庆拟对雷政富给予开除党籍、开除公职处分_网易新闻中心 拟对雷政富给予开除党籍、开除公职处分，对其涉嫌犯罪问题于今年1月依法移送司法机关，目前检察机关正在审查起诉中；南岸区原区委书记夏泽良已由司法机关另案处理；长寿区原区长韩树明涉嫌严重经济问题，正在接受组织调查；其余18名党员干部因严重违反社会主义道德，分别受到党内警告、严重警告等纪律处分，正在履行相关程序。

Whistleblowers providing bulk of China’s corruption clues – Xinhua | English.news.cn Of all the corruption cases handled by discipline watchdogs in 2012, the public has contributed 41.8 percent of the clues, according to Zhang Shaolong, deputy director of the letters and calls office under the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI).

中纪委5年收到网络举报30.1万件次 随着互联网的普及，网络监督日益成为一种反应快、影响大、参与面广的新兴舆论监督方式。通过网络曝光，纪检监察机关确实筛选出一些党员干部违纪违法案件的线索，也查处了一批腐败分子。同时，也要看到，网络信息具有较为明显的不确定性，有的网络信息内容还不够真实，有的是情绪的宣泄，有的客观上造成了案件线索的泄露，给调查核实带来不利的影响。我们认为，通过网络曝光违纪行为，不属于法定的举报行为，纪检监察机关也难以防止曝光者遭受打击报复。我们希望公众按照相关法律法规的规定，通过正规渠道反映问题，参与和支持反腐倡廉建设。纪检监察机关将进一步加大信访举报核查力度，提高信访举报办理水平，以实际成效取信于民

中纪委官员：严禁到公共场所拦截正常上访者_网易新闻中心 中新网5月7日 中央纪委信访室正局级纪律检查员、监察专员兼副主任张少龙今日表示，各级纪检监察机关要坚决杜绝一切“拦卡堵截”上访群众的错误做法，严禁到来访接待场所和公共场所拦截正常上访群众

Chinese Maoist tour group ridiculed for travelling to North Korea | South China Morning Post The Maoist nostalgics visited China’s reclusive northeastern neighbour from April 13 to 16, when tensions between North and South Korea brought the peninsula to the brink of war. The tour was organised by people behind neo-Maoist website Utopia. The trip was chronicled in a travel diary written for the Southern People Weekly. The anonymous traveller’s depiction of the journey, however sarcastic, is a testament to how much ultra-leftists have adapted to the freedoms and affluence of modern China.

New study shows children of officials earn more in first professional job – CHINA – Globaltimes.cn Recent graduates whose parents work for the government are more likely to receive a higher starting salary, mainly because of their parents’ political influence and resources, according to recent research from Tsinghua University. Researchers found that graduates with officials in their family can earn 15 percent more at their first job out of college than others with the same academic abilities, the Beijing Evening News reported on Monday.

政务微博“大V”之道：会卖萌、有态度、干实事_财经频道_一财网 根据《2012年新浪政务微博报告》，目前全国已有超过6万政务微博。这还不包括在其他微博平台（如腾讯、搜狐）上的数据。数万官方微博呈现出来的面貌也不尽相同，有的一本正经“板着脸”，有的则被网友追捧大赞“说人话”。 从2010年开始，政务微博也经历了一个从最初个别新鲜存在到如今遍地开花的发展过程，在此背后，政务微博每天都在发生着什么样的故事？《第一财经日报》记者调查显示，这是一个充满想象力的新型舆论场。

马晴燕：微博在中国的真相-中国政治发展　无论如何，诸子百家，百家争鸣，百花齐放，是标准的盛世特征。微博在中国成为各种异见表达的合法平台，微博在日益扩大社会对多元政治观点的容忍度，这是中国式民主的进步。 微博，说到底是人类通讯方式的一种发明，是科技进步。传说“阿拉伯之春”是靠“面簿”和“推特”推动的，这种说法并不可信。在需要使用鸽子、鸡毛信、没有电话的年代，无数次革命也发生了。如果没有推特，“阿拉伯之春”恐怕还是会发生吧？同样，中国的未来会怎么样，跟微博的关系也不会太大。

 

FOREIGN AND DEFENSE AFFAIRS

China Cuts Ties With North Korean Bank – NYTimes.com The state-controlled Bank of China said on Tuesday that it had halted all dealings with a key North Korean bank in what appeared to be the strongest public Chinese response yet to North Korea’s willingness to brush aside warnings from Beijing and push ahead with its nuclear and ballistic missile programs

How China and Russia Came Together on Natural Gas Deal – Caixin Previously, Russia dominated the talks with China, industry analysts said. However, as the world’s natural gas situation has changed over the years, China gradually gained leverage. European countries have been Russia’s main natural gas export destinations for years, but this has changed. Europe’s import channels have become more diversified as it can import gas from the regions such as the Middle East and West Africa. Also, there has been friction between Russia and countries such as France, Germany, Italy and Austria over gas prices. This has spurred Europe to be less dependent on Russian gas, which changed the Sino-Russian talks. “This time the negotiations ran smoothly,” the source close to CNPC said.

No apology from Downing Street over Dalai Lama meeting – Telegraph In an escalation of the row between China and the UK, Downing Street made it clear that ministers “will decide who they meet and where they meet them”. Beijing is demanding a public apology after the Prime Minister last year held talks with the Tibetan spiritual leader. There are fears that the dispute could put at risk Chinese investment in Britain, which was worth £8billion last year.

Chinese Cyber-spying on QinetiQ Probed by Pentagon – Bloomberg The U.S. Defense Department is investigating intrusions by Chinese cyber-spies into the computer systems of defense contractor QinetiQ North America, the Pentagon said. For three years, hackers linked to China’s military infiltrated QinetiQ’s computers and compromised most if not all of the company’s research, which includes work on secret satellites, drones and software used by U.S. special forces in Afghanistan and the Middle East, Bloomberg News reported May 2.

Top US Admiral Says Shift to Asia on Track Despite Budget Cuts | Defense News | defensenews.com Adm. Jonathan Greenert told AFP in an interview he will seek to “reassure” partners during a nine-day trip to Japan, Singapore and South Korea that mounting pressure on military spending will not derail Washington’s much-publicized shift towards Asia. Of the navy’s current fleet of 283 ships, 101 are deployed and 52 are in Pacific waters, with plans to increase the US presence in the region to 62 ships by 2020, he said.

中国军网_美国的道德标准有几重？ ■罗朝文 does the US government ever complain about criticism of the US in official Chinese media? // 从来就没有什么救世主。美国的多重道德标准，表面看来只是反映出其一贯的霸道和自私，而在更深层面上则是根深蒂固的“美国例外论”在作祟，自信是“上帝的选民”，美国就可以违反常规、特立独行。然而，事实告诉我们，美国当不了世界的救世主，美国的道德标准也不可能衡量一切，所谓“光荣与梦想”的光环下，也许只有对自身利益最大化的追求，才是所谓“上帝的选民”孜孜不倦秉持的最终标准。

中国军网_打赢“舌尖上的战争 ”军人作战饮食区别于一般饮食的特殊之处，是其明确的军事目的、特殊的保障群体、独特的保障形式。即便是在异常艰苦的作战环境中，军人饮食也必须适应打仗需要。这方面，我军有更多的发言权。抗美援朝期间，志愿军战士“一把炒面一把雪”的吃苦精神值得我们永远景仰。同时，我们也不应忘记，志愿军在远离后方、长驱转战的作战环境中，在生火做饭即遭敌机轰炸的战场态势下，正是炒面这种虽然近乎原始但便于携带、取食方便的战时食品，维持了官兵作战的基本体能所需。

解放军报–中华民族共同坚守的理想信念–——论中国梦的精神实质和丰富内涵作者：国防大学中国特色社会主义理论体系研究中心–National Defense University Socialism With Chinese Characteristics Theoretical System Research Center page 1 in today’s PLA Daily on the Chinese Dream//

 

TECH AND MEDIA

Chinese giant Tencent is relying on WeChat to fuel international growth, with a strategy influenced by Facebook – The Next Web CEO Tony Ma explained during his keynote at the Global Mobile Internet Conference (GMIC) in Beijing today, he believes that the mobile messaging app will determine the fate of Tencent’s long-term strategy.

Tencent Finds ‘Preliminary’ WeChat Solutions for Carriers – Bloomberg Tencent worked with operators for the past month to resolve the situation, Ma said at the Global Mobile Internet Conference in Beijing yesterday without providing details. Tencent’s move comes as the popularity of its WeChat service eats into the text-messaging revenue of carriers including China Mobile Ltd. (941), the world’s largest phone company by subscribers

Competitors Try Curbing China Mobile’s 4G Urge – Caixin The wireless Internet technology race is intensifying a long-standing rivalry between China’s largest mobile phone operator, China Mobile, and its smaller competitors China Telecom and China Unicom. Since 2011 China Mobile customers in 15 cities nationwide have been accessing the Internet through the telecom’s exclusive, high-speed, 4G application network called TD-LTE. It’s a trial service the telecom hopes to expand nationwide after winning a government license, probably by the end of the year.

Evernote Says Cyber Breach Which Cost Millions Wasn’t From China – Bloomberg The attack wasn’t state-sponsored and appears to have come from identity-theft groups, Chief Executive Officer Phil Libin said in an interview in Beijing today. An investigation with the help of U.S. security firm Mandiant Corp. is nearly finished and details will be available in a few weeks, he said.

Evernote Takes on China With Apple’s Singular IPhone Approach – Bloomberg The strategy has paid off for Evernote in China, which will overtake Japan as Evernote’s largest user base outside the U.S. in the next few months, Libin says. There are four million Evernote users in China and five million in Japan. The company’s China service, which started a year ago, is adding more than 10,000 users daily, accounting for more than 10 percent of global user growth.

If you aren’t using Sina Weibo with your Chinese students, you’re missing out. | LukeWrites.com Sina Weibo, China’s most popular microblogging website. Given the growing number of Chinese students in western universities and high schools, knowledge of Weibo (pronounced “way-bwuh”) is essential – if you work with Chinese students, Weibo  is without a doubt the best way to extend learning outside of class.

China busts website with “unprecedented” piracy scale – Xinhua | English.news.cn Beijing police have arrested 11 suspects allegedly involved in a major online provider of high-definition film downloads, whose scale of piracy was described by anti-illegal publications authorities as “unprecedented.” Illegally run under a Beijing-based technology company allegedly set up by the main suspect surnamed Zhou, silu.com reportedly boasted more than 400,000 registered members and offered unlicensed downloads of 18,772 films and TV series that ranged from arthouse world cinema to domestic and foreign blockbusters, according to a statement released on Tuesday by the National Anti-Pornography and Anti-Illegal Publications Office.

Alibaba’s quarterly revenues surge 80% – FT.com In a note to its own quarterly accounts filed on Tuesday, Yahoo reported that Alibaba’s revenues in the final three months of 2012 had climbed to $1.84bn, while net income rose by 156 per cent to $650m. The disclosure revealed that headlong expansion had not slowed at Alibaba despite the company’s increasing size. The 80 per cent growth rate in the quarter topped the 74 per cent seen in the 12 months to last September and almost equalled the 81 per cent advance in the 12 months to September 2011.

 

SOCIETY, ART, SPORTS, CULTURE AND HISTORY

SPIEGEL Interview with Chinese Artist Ai Weiwei – SPIEGEL ONLINE Ai Weiwei of China is one of four artists who will represent Germany at the Venice Biennale in June. In a SPIEGEL interview, the artist discusses how he will participate in the event despite a travel ban imposed on him by the Chinese government.

 

ENERGY, ENVIRONMENT AND HEALTH

Japan, China, South Korea to exchange pollution info – The Japan News Japan, China and South Korea agreed Monday to launch a policy dialogue to combat air pollution problems such as particulate matter PM2.5, which is especially serious in China. In a joint statement adopted at a two-day annual meeting among their environment ministers here on the same day, the three countries said their working-level officials will promote exchanges of information on measures to tackle the problems and technologies for monitoring air pollution to reinforce three-way cooperation further.

Where there’s smoke there’s China–The Age China, which emits one-quarter of the world’s greenhouse gases, is about to embark on a massive and ambitious experiment in emissions trading.

The Silence Around Tibet’s Ecological Crisis – Hongxiang Huang – The Atlantic China faces serious environmental challenges nationwide, and Tibet is no exception. As announced in the country’s 12th five year plan, Tibet was slated to become a mining center and a hydropower engine. While the environmental impacts of mining are well-known, those of hydropower are less so.

China reports four more bird flu deaths, toll rises to 31 | Reuters Four more people in China have died from a new strain of bird flu, bringing to 31 the number of deaths from the mysterious H7N9 virus, with the number of infections rising by two to 129, according to Chinese health authorities.

 

FOOD AND TRAVEL

Police destroy counterfeit red wines in Shanghai – Xinhua | English.news.cn Police destroy counterfeit red wines in Shanghai, east China, May 7, 2013. Local police smashed over 3,000 bottles of counterfeit red wines worth of more than 40 million Yuan (approximately 6.5 million US dollars).

I had a qu today | 300 Shots at Greatness The guy pulls a brick off the top and takes it into the sunlight for better viewing. He cracks it in half so I can check out the dark veins of microorganisms and the mold forming inside. The source of all baijiu was right there in front of me and, unexpectedly, he offered it to me. Explaining that it could be awkward to carry around, he said he’d have someone stick it inside of a plastic bag for me.

 

BEIJING

凯德集团北京地安门项目易主 万科接盘延续高端路线 | 每经网 公告中“御府”项目原系新加坡凯德集团旗下所持有的一个住宅项目，之前的案名为“御府77”，这一项目虽然体量不大，占地面积仅为0.4万平方米，但由于紧邻景山公园，稀缺性不言而喻。 “此次出售项目所获收益将用于新项目以及加强现有业务运营能力。”凯德集团相关负责人6日就项目出售一事回复《每日经济新闻》记者称，此举系集团正常的资产策略考虑，也符合凯德一贯坚持的本地收入用于本地投入的原则。而根据凯德方面发布的消息显示，因该项目转让所获得的利润为4600万新币，折合人民币2.3亿元。

Beijing’s Ditan Book Market Bites the Dust – Economic Observer For 22 years Beijing’s book lovers have been heading to Ditan Park, a former temple to the god of Earth just to the north of the city’s center, to pick up bargains at an outdoor book market that’s held every Spring and Autumn. However, organizers say that the cost of holding the market has now become too high and that retailers, under pressure from online stores and piracy, are no longer willing to take part. For the second year in a row the market will not be held this Spring.

 

BOOKS AND LITERATURE

Ginger vendor’s memoir attracts spotlight |Books |chinadaily.com.cn It was a dream come true for Yao Qizhong when his book Diary of a Ginger Vendor was published in March. The 40-year-old Fuyang native, from Anhui province, was no different from other migrant workers who hailed from all over China to work in Beijing. But he became a media sensation in 2012 when he wrote a 200,000-word book about his life. The book, published by Beijing TimesChinese Press, is a memoir about Yao’s poverty-stricken childhood and his life as a migrant worker in Beijing after 2002.

Shanghaiist Book Club: Badlands, by Paul French: Shanghaiist We are proud to announce a new monthly feature: The Shanghaiist Book Club. Here’s how the book club will work: Shanghaiist staff and readers select a China-related book each month (we’ve chosen the first one ourselves). You read the book. We create a special book club post to talk about the books and you join the discussion in the comments.

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