"Sinocism is the Presidential Daily Brief for China hands"- Evan Osnos, New Yorker Correspondent and National Book Award Winner
CCTV’s Bai Yansong had an interesting discussion of the Liu Tienan case on his show last night–《新闻1+1》 20130514 网络举报，打“铁”还需制度“硬”！ Bai and his guests reiterated how important the Internet is to the anti-corruption crackdown, especially when the accusers use their real names, as Caijing deputy managing editor Luo Changping did when he accused Liu Tienan of corruption and posted documentary evidence on his Sina Weibo account last December.
Xinhua agrees with Bai and his guests that Real-name whistleblowing fuels China’s online anti-corruption efforts:
The power of Chinese netizens as an anti-corruption force has been demonstrated once again as a senior economic policy maker was removed from his post after his alleged indiscretions were reported by a journalist on the Internet…
The landmark downfall of Liu suggested the ruling party welcomes netizens to join the anti-corruption campaign in a rational, legal way and encourages them to report officials’ wrongdoing under their real names, according to Zhou Shuzhen, a politics professor with Renmin University of China.
From April 19, a number of major news and commercial portals have provided links on their homepages to official tip-off websites of the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) and the Party’s organization department, as well as the Supreme People’s Procuratorate, the Supreme People’s Court and the Ministry of Land and Resources…
A statement on the portals promotes the use of real names by whistleblowers, warning against fabricated reports, fake evidence and framings. “Those who slander others will be seriously dealt with and even be held legally responsible,” it reads.
Though the role of the Internet in fighting corruption has proved effective, some false or malicious tip-offs offered by anonymous netizens have harmed innocent people, tarnishing the victims’ reputations and breaching their privacy, pointed out Xin Ming, a professor with the Party School of the CPC Central Committee.
The 21st Century Herald reports (刘铁男双重权力审批 寻租空间大增) that Liu Tienan was a candidate to be an alternate member to the Central Committee of 18th Party Congress but was not elected.
It may be noteworthy that an NDRC vice-chairman fell just before Li Keqiang’s important talk on transforming government and administrative functions and streamlining approvals?
Luo Changping has a new book out that examines 120 high-level corruption cases. 《高官反腐录》, published in March by the Nanfang Daily Press, is mostly a collection of stories that appeared in Caijing Magazine over the last few years but does contain some new revelations. Officials from the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and the Supreme People’s court jointly wrote the preface.
Luo, who is only 32 years old, has written an important book for those who want more insight into Chinese politics.
Today’s Links:
THE ESSENTIAL EIGHT
Supersizing Small Cities in China – Economic Observer This is the first in an ongoing series from the EO looking at the issue of urbanization in China. When we talk about urbanization in China, many often think of the rapid expansion of megacities like Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou, but it’s also about the changes sweeping through smaller cities and counties across the country. This week, we look at the debates surrounding plans to encourage the further expansion of the urban population in what was once a small county-level city in the central province of Hunan.
China joins central banks’ call for Bloomberg answers | South China Morning Post Sources close to senior officials at the People’s Bank of China and the State Administration of Foreign Exchange (SAFE) told the South China Morning Post that both institutions had raised concerns with Bloomberg executives in Beijing in the face of a broadening privacy scandal at the data provider.
China’s Li Warns Econ Under Pressure; Little Room For Stimulus | MNI China’s Premier Li Keqiang said the economy is facing downwards pressure but warned that there is little room for stimulus or official investment to take up the slack.
China furious as Japan reopens war wounds – Telegraph Abe associate told the Nelson Report tuesday that Abe did not intentionally sit in the plane w “731” to send any kind of message…damage is done// footage emerged on Tuesday of Shinzo Abe…posing with his thumbs up inside the cockpit of a T4 training jet…On the outside of the jet, however, the number 731 was painted prominently. Largely forgotten in Japan, the number still stirs painful memories in China….It is not clear whether Mr Abe intended the insult, but the video of his tour quickly circulated around the Chinese internet. “This brigade of the Japanese army committed serious crimes during the war and there is ironclad and irrefutable proof of its atrocities,” said Hong Lei, a spokesman for the Foreign ministry.
Related: S. Korea ‘shuts out Japan’ from intl diplomatic meet – The Japan News South Korea has invited U.S. and Chinese officials to an international seminar on diplomatic issues scheduled to be held in Seoul next month, but Japan has yet to receive an invitation, according to government sources. The apparent snub has displeased Japanese officials, and raised fears that Seoul is bypassing Tokyo at a time when they should be presenting a united front against North Korea.
JCCI postpones China visit because of tense bilateral ties – AJW by The Asahi Shimbun The Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry has decided to postpone sending special delegates to Beijing for a meeting scheduled May 26-30 because of the poor state of relations between the two countries, sources said.
Abe cautious on creating new war memorial as Yasukuni substitute – The Japan Times “How bereaved families would feel about such a new war memorial is a very big issue,” Abe told the House of Councilors Budget Committee, although adding that Japan may need a monument that lacks religious affiliation where people can place flowers, noting other countries have such sites.
S. Korea, China have ‘misperceptions’ about Yasukuni: Abe－ 毎日ｊｐ(毎日新聞) Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said Tuesday that the contentious Yasukuni Shrine is “a quiet commemorative place” and there are “misperceptions” about it amid objections from South Korea and China to recent visits to the war-linked shrine by his Cabinet ministers. “There are a number of misconceptions (about the shrine). If you go there, you’ll see right away if it’s a symbol of militarism,” Abe told the upper house budget committee. “It is a quiet commemorative place.”
China indignant at Japanese politician’s “comfort women” statement – Xinhua | English.news.cn “How Japan treats its past will decide its future,” Hong said, adding that its neighbors, as well as the international community, will have to wait to see what choice Japan makes.
Exclusive: EU to warn China it may levy duties against Huawei – sources | Reuters EU trade chief Karel De Gucht is set to win support from the bloc’s executive on Wednesday to send the warning letter and show China’s new president, Xi Jinping, that Brussels is serious about countering what it says is state support. “We want to send a warning to the Chinese, a letter of intent that if they don’t change their practices, there will be duties,” said one person involved, adding that De Gucht had the full backing of European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso.
Manila to apologise to Taipei over fisherman’s shooting | South China Morning Post Manila will send a senior envoy to Taiwan to apologise for the death of a fisherman killed by the Philippine coastguard, Taiwan’s Foreign Minister David Lin said last night at a briefing attended by Antonio Basilio, the Philippines’ representative in Taipei. Speaking within an hour after the expiry of Taipei’s deadline for a response from Manila, Lin said Taipei would also take part in a joint investigation into the incident last Thursday and hold talks on fishing in the disputed waters.
Why Can’t China Make Its Food Safe?—Or Can It? | ChinaFile Conversation
Related: Chinese premier urges tightened food safety supervision – Xinhua | English.news.cn Li said recent scandals involving adulterated mutton have aggravated public concern over food safety, and a tough approach must be maintained toward such violations. “Perpetrators must pay such a high price that they can not afford,” he said. “Although we have a tight budget, we should invest enough in strengthening supervision measures at the grassroots level,” the premier said.
人民日报-重典治乱才能捍卫餐桌（今日谈） 郑 平 “重拳方有效，重典才治乱”，“让不法分子付出付不起的代价”。在国务院机构职能转变动员电视电话会上，李克强总理关于食品安全监管的一番话，引起强烈共鸣。在掺假羊肉、“毒生姜”等事件接连发生之际，“重典治乱”这一共识更加凸显。
China’s easy riders | Photographers Blog Last weekend, around 1,000 Harley Davidson enthusiasts from all over China met at the exclusive resort of Qian Dao Lake, in Zhejiang Province, southeast of Shanghai, to celebrate the 5th Harley Davidson National Rally in China, as part of the company’s 110-year anniversary.
BUSINESS AND ECONOMY
President makes surprise visit to job fair – Xinhua President Xi Jinping paid an unexpected visit to a job fair in Tianjin on Tuesday, in a move that experts said reflects top leaders’ concerns over the job market. Xi arrived at a human resources center in the port city in the morning, surprising many students and company representatives. “Employment is the basis of people’s livelihood, and is also an issue confronting the whole world,” Xi said when he visited the fair, Xinhua News Agency reported. “Without economic growth, the employment issue can’t be solved.” Talking to village official Yang Daixian, Xi shared his secret for doing a good job — the capability to solve practical issues. “Intelligence quotient and emotional quotient, which is more important? EQ is important for adapting to society, although it should be used together with professional knowledge and techniques,” Xi said.
Big Reforms on the Way for China’s Economy? – Damien Ma – The Atlantic When Deng passed away in 1997, the Chinese economy was just under $1 trillion. It is now an $8 trillion-plus behemoth with far-reaching global interests. The reforms of today, whatever shape they make take, will necessarily be different from those more than 30 years ago, because China itself has transformed dramatically. The expectation of change must also be tethered to the reality of today’s institutional interests and political dynamics. Under the initial burst of reforms, changes were profound both in their scope and speed, largely because China was starting from such a low base.
Chinese austerity hits Diageo’s sales – FT.com Sales of Diageo’s baijiu, a clear grain spirit popular in China, slumped 40 per cent in the first quarter of this year as the world’s biggest distiller became the latest casualty of China’s crackdown on conspicuous consumption. The rapid deterioration in fortunes at Shui Jing Fang, one of the first Chinese household names to be taken over by a foreign company, comes as other makers of high priced spirits have suffered falling sales amid the chill winds of austerity with socialist characteristics.
ANALYSIS: China Data Don’t Show Xi’s Campaign Has Slowed Sales | MNI Anecdotally, there’s no question that the anti-corruption campaign has had an impact: state and private firms are spending less on entertaining officials, while government departments have cut budgets to reflect a more austere political environment. But the data doesn’t support the idea that Chinese retail sales growth is a victim of Xi Jinping’s clean up. Even without the campaign, the data suggest that growth would have continued to slow. A corruption crackdown is a compelling argument for slowing sales, but the data show only a small portion of overall sales are likely affected by it.
China Fiscal Revenue Growth Slows to 6.7% in First Four Months -Caijing The lower-than-expected growth in revenue is mainly due to the tepid GDP growth, the structural tax reduction policy as well as a slowing growth in exports, said the ministry. Government spending, on the contrary, registered a robust growth for the first four months, up 13.6% when compared with the same period last year, while the central government and local governments spent 6.7% and 14.9% more from a year earlier.
China Regulatory Imposes More Bans On Internal Bond Trading | MNI China Foreign Exchange Trade System, the Shanghai-based interbank bond market regulator, said in a statement that banks, brokerage houses, fund management companies, insurance companies and trust companies are prohibited from allowing the trade of bonds between accounts opened under the same legal entity.
China boosts regulatory defences before likely end to domestic IPO ban | beyondbrics Steven Sun of HSBC writes in a note on Tuesday that Xiao Gang, the new chairman of the China Securities Regulatory Commission “has clearly demonstrated a bias toward risk control.” Not only did he not attend the annual brokerage industry innovation conference this year, but also he is stepping up its efforts to punish IPO-related fraud, says Sun. Sun highlights the example of Wanfu Biotechnology, a company which was found by the CSRC this month to have manipulated its revenue figure before and after its IPO in 2009.
Errors of Aggression Catch up with Underwriter – Caixin puts the SEC to shame// Ping An Securities Co. has been slapped with a fine by the securities regulator and will lose its stock underwriting license for three months because of its sloppy work in underwriting the initial public offering of a company that turned out to be a fraud…As part of the punishment, CSRC has ordered Ping An Securities to hand over revenue of 25.5 million yuan earned by underwriting the IPO of the fraudulent company, Wanfu Biotechnology (Hunan) Agricultural Development Co. Ltd., in 2011. It also fined the brokerage firm twice that amount. Two individuals who played a crucial role in the underwriting, Wu Wenhao and He Tao, were each fined 300,000 yuan and both barred for life from securities underwriting. Several others who worked on the case were punished. Ping An Securities will also set up a 300 million yuan fund to handle investor compensation.
Trust Regulator Cai Esheng ‘to Step Down’ – Caixin Cai Esheng, the vice chairman of the China Banking Regulatory Commission (CBRC) who has been in charge of regulating trust companies for years, will retire soon, a source inside the regulator says. Cai would be replaced by Yan Qingmin, the assistant to CBRC chairman Shang Fulin, the source said.
前4月房企购地均价涨21% 国五条地方层面被弱化_新浪房产_新浪网 local land sales and prices surging, new real estate rules basically ignored in many cities?// 提要：14日，位于北京西南三环之内的丰台区花乡夏家胡同地块开始挂牌竞价。该地块为二类居住用地，挂牌出让起始价13.1亿元，出让面积14.4万平方米，规划建筑面积7.663万平方米。剔除配建的1万平方米公共租赁房，起始楼面地价约1.97万元/平方米。
“限价令”下不降反增 京住宅预售量涨两成 | 每经网 new real estate repression policies really slowing down Beijing market? combine real housing demand in tier 1 cities with massive money printing and limited investment options, and you just can’t keep people away from property// “国五条”下的限价政策，让开发商遭遇了 “推盘难”，但在经历了一个多月的预售证监管后，北京楼市的预售量却不降反增。 根据中原地产市场研究部统计数据显示，从预售项目看，从4月1日到5月13日，北京预售期房住宅项目为18个，少于2012年同期的25个，但预售住宅的套数明显上涨，4月1日到5月13日，预售套数达5794套，同比2012年同期的4766套增加了21.6%。
China on track to overtake US in non-financial corporate debt – FT.com China is forecast to surpass the US as the world’s largest corporate debt market for non-financial companies in the next two years, according to a report from Standard & Poor’s. The rating agency expects the debt needs of companies in China to reach upwards of $18tn by the end of 2017, accounting for a third of the forecast $53tn in new debt and refinancing needs of global companies in the next five years.
China Aluminium Co. to stop making aluminium… | Black China That’s what it sounds like, according to the news coming out of Beijing this week. Chalco is to sell off at least 8 assets, including it’s mothership smelter in Henan province. The assets being sold include some downstream companies, such as Northwest Aluminium, a rolling mill outside Beijing. But here’s the rub, which hasn’t been made so clear in the official announcements. The buyer for these assets, according to my sources, will be Chalco’s unlisted parent company Chinalco. The press release indicates that Chinalco may be a buyer of some of the assets, but what is in the press release is not what they are planning.
天津私募调查：集资最高年收益120% 涉案超万人|天津私募调查|跳楼|天津韩驰_21世纪网 big, nasty case of fundraising in Tianjin gone bad…// 核心提示：“如果你错过了浦东、错过了深圳，还能错过天津滨海新区？”， 在这一宣传语的指引下，许多人涌向了“私募天堂”之称的天津，希望可以获得更多的财富。而天津的私募基金给予投资者承诺的年收益最高达120%。如今，这一切都成了噩梦。
统计局林业局酝酿新绿色GDP核算_财经频道_一财网 project to calculate “green GDP” to be restarted? heard last one killed as it showed negative growth in every area in which it was calculating this alternate measure of GDP// 记者本月10日获悉，国家林业局、国家统计局已决定联合启动新一轮“中国森林资源核算及绿色经济评价体系研究”项目。
POLITICS AND LAW
人民日报-在国务院机构职能转变动员 电视电话会议上的讲话 李克强 People’s Daily prints full text of Li Keqiang’s remarks Monday
China firm on transforming gov’t function: paper – Xinhua The Chinese government has resolutely vowed to transform its function and reform the administrative system to create a favorable environment for development, the People’s Daily said Tuesday. Such efforts have seen progress over the last two months, with the abolishment or delegation of 133 administrative approval items, the paper said in a commentary.
Full Text: Progress in China’s Human Rights in 2012 – Xinhua | English.news.cn The Information Office of the State Council, or China’s Cabinet, issued a white paper on Progress in China’s Human Rights in 2012 Tuesday. Following is the full text:
Healthy environment vital, says white paper |Politics |chinadaily.com.cn Environmental protection was an entire chapter for the first time in the central government’s white paper on human rights progress. The government has worked hard to ensure that people can enjoy a good ecological environment, according to the white paper, entitled Progress in China’s Human Rights in 2012.
国土部急令：杜绝暴力征地 引发群体性事件将追责-财经网 Ministry of Housing and Land Resources issues urgent order banning violent land seizures, says officials causing mass incidents will be held responsible // 严格实行监督问责。对违法违规征地、采取暴力方式征地等侵害农民利益行为，引发群体性或恶性事件的，要按照有关规定对有关责任人员严肃追究责任。同时，要严格文明执法，防止因执法不当引发相关恶性事件。
独家：丁薛祥入中办 习近平布局人事盘_中国_多维新闻网 Duowei on another important Xi Jinping personnel appointment, says he has brought Ding Xuexiang, who worked for Xi when Xi was Shanghai party secretary, up from Shanghai to be deputy director of general office of CCP and director of the state chairman’s office. Duowei speculates Ding likely to succeed the much older li Zhanshu at 19th, says Xi still getting his own people in place around him, expects more personnel shifts // 自2012年中共十八大确立以习近平为首的新一届领导层后，中国政坛已经经过历时半年的大规模人事调动，截至目前仍未结束。对此，有接近中共高层的消息人士向多维新闻透露，曾在习近平任上海市委书记一职时任办公厅主任、现任上海市政法委书记的丁薛祥将担任中央办公厅副主任、中国国家主席办公室主任一职。有传言认为他可能在十九大之时接替栗战书，继续辅佐习近平…消息人士透露，虽然习近平接任中共总书记一职已逾半年，但是他目前在中央层面仍然面临着无人可用的情况，因此“习家军成型”的说法很难成立，这也意味着中国政坛的人事调整仍未结束，在接下来一段时间内仍会不断有所变动。对此消息人士表示，从某种情况来说，中办主任一职的选择最能体现习近平这种无人可用的境况。该人士透露，中共决策层之所以在十八大之前“临阵”选择栗战书，最主要的原因在于1950年出生、现任中央委员、又有足够地方执政经验的栗“绝对可靠”，能够“压得住场面”。而且其低调、务实的风格也很符合中办主任这个位置以及习近平本人的要求
‘Not a single person’ persecuted in the Anti-Rightist Movement, says vice director of CASS | South China Morning Post China’s intellectuals, scholars and bloggers were outraged on Tuesday after Li Shenming, a vice director at the China Academy of Social Sciences (CASS), claimed that “not a single person” was persecuted during the infamous Anti-Rightist Movement launched by Mao Zedong in 1957. The remark appeared in an article titled “Appropriately evaluating the periods before and after China’s reform and opening-up”. It was published in the Party theory journal Seeking Truth. In a lengthy essay, the former secretary to Wang Zhen, one of China’s revolutionary commanders who was well-known for his hard-line political views before his death in 1993, enthusiastically defended Mao Zedong’s leadership and economic and political “accomplishments”. // 李慎明：正确评价改革开放前后两个历史时期–理论–人民网 was in Tuesday’s Sinocism, the source is Red Flag Journal (红旗文稿), not Seeking Truth, though it appeared on the Seeking Truth web site
万人迷陈好涉刘铁男贪腐案引关注_中国_多维新闻网 actress Chen Hao (google images of Chen ) caught up in Liu Tienan case?// 多维新闻】近日，中国前发改委副主任刘铁男因涉嫌严重违纪正式接受调查的新闻无疑是网上的热点。刘铁男案更多细节被爆料，女星“万人迷”陈好也牵扯其中，因持股暴富受到关注。
Schoolmaster, official face child molestation charges – Xinhua | English.news.cn A schoolmaster and a government official in south China’s Hainan Province were suspected to have molested children after their alleged “inappropriate behavior” with female pupils in hotels, local police said Tuesday.
Chinese Suggestions for Improving Internet Disappear – Bloomberg Thriving microblogging culture has become China’s de facto town square. But as more alleged rumors and critical commenters are quieted or deleted this center of civil society becomes a less interesting place to visit. “Sad to say we can’t comment,” wrote a commentator to Pan Shiyi’s original tweet on Tuesday afternoon. “Sina becomes more and more like the People’s Daily,” she added, referring to the newspaper that serves as the official mouthpiece of the Chinese Communist Party. Soon, her comment was gone.
海南家长质疑鉴定前后矛盾：初查5人处女膜破裂_资讯频道_凤凰网 The Hainan student molestation case horrific
Daughter of a Detained Chinese Rights Activist Speaks – NYTimes.com About a dozen other people, many part of the activist Xu Zhiyong’s New Citizens Movement that is calling for officials to declare their assets, have been detained for “illegal assembly.” But Ms. Liu’s charges are more severe; subversion can result in lengthy jail terms (the Nobel Peace laureate Liu Xiaobo is serving an 11-year sentence on the same charge). Reportedly, her detention came after she and several other activists held up banners in public calling on officials to disclose their assets.
Dui Hua Human Rights Journal: China Plots National Verdict Database Appeals for public access to court documents may have gained new ground in China. Following a recent upsurge in reporting on miscarriages of justice, plans to establish a national database of court decisions became the main topic of discussion at a meeting convened by the Supreme People’s Court (SPC) on May 8 and 9. The meeting appears to be part of new SPC President Zhou Qiang’s effort to increase the transparency and credibility of the judicial system.
Censored Sina Weibo posts translated into English by HKU project | South China Morning Post The Chinese internet is a closed book for most English-language speakers,” said Henry Williams, a student from Britain. “By creating WeiboSuite, we want to make a very important part of it much more accessible to journalists across the world.”
‘I am scared’: Chinese creator of White House petition seeks help after police visit | South China Morning Post Please delete the petition,” a security agent told the blogger. The blogger, who did not want to be named, told the South China Morning Post that the agent had tracked her down from her registration information on Weibo and invited her to “tea”, an euphemism for a police interrogation. The agent had insisted that she withdraw the post from the White House website, she said. But the US website does not allow petitions to be deleted.
FOREIGN AND DEFENSE AFFAIRS
Cooling China-N Korea ties hit border town – FT.com “We had been selling scores of these every month, whatever the North Koreans wanted,” Ms Tan says, pointing to a sign with dump trucks, earth diggers, fuel tankers and street-sweeping vehicles. “Now we’re doing well if we can sell five. They no longer have money to buy anything.” Shifting economic tides are partly to blame, but politics cast an even longer shadow.
王传宝：美联社遭窃听，伤了西方新闻自由_评论_环球网 Global Times commentary page weighs in on DOJ’s surveillance of AP phones, says it harms western freedom of the press // 如果不需要美国法庭的允许，擅自进行此类调查，美国媒体引以自豪的新闻自由必将受到巨大伤害，新闻自由的边界一退再退，何时是个头，也是一个问号。所以，美联社必须抗争，其他媒体也不会对此置身事外。白宫新闻发言人卡尼声称白宫没有介入司法部的调查。这或许能够给美联社的抗争找到一点信心。结果如何，拭目以待。（作者是南京政治学院新闻传播系教授）
Suspicious powder found at US consulate in Guangzhou | South China Morning Post “On Monday, we found an unidentified substance in an envelope and we are now carrying out an investigation,” said a consulate employee who wished to remain anonymous. “The office which was affected is closed, but not all the consulate offices are closed,” he added. The envelope was found at the consular section at the Tianyu Garden Building in Tianhe district, which handles visa applications and provides assistance to US citizens in southern China, the employee revealed.
Twitter / yu_miles: The Final Jeopardy question … not the soft power Beijing wants…but none of the three contestants got it right// “Because Internet censors block mentions of this 1989 date, Chinese bloggers write it as “535””
China’s push into Central Asian gas Xu Qinhua, executive director of the Centre for International Energy and Environment Strategies in Beijing and an expert on China’s foreign energy policy, spoke to Interfax about the country’s energy strategy in Central Asia and around the world.
Why Netanyahu and Abbas Went to China – Tablet Magazine Instead of lauding growing Sino-Israeli ties, the media, especially in the Arab world, followed Beijing’s lead and celebrated China’s support of the peace process. To sell this narrative, the Chinese media made sure to underline that Abbas was on a ‘state visit’ in contrast to Netanyahu’s mere ‘official visit.’ Far less attention was devoted to the fact Abbas was invited only six days before Netanyahu arrived in China, with Beijing covering the cost of the Palestinian leader’s brief visit to make it happen. Abbas dutifully played his part, stating in an interview (that was widely circulated in the Arab world) that Netanyahu’s visit would in fact be beneficial to the Palestinians.
Back to reality – May 2013 – Armed Forces Journal – Military Strategy, Global Defense Strategy The Chinese regional military threat is primarily conventional and must be checked by conventional capabilities. While it would be foolhardy for the U.S. military to completely forget the lessons of the past decade and refuse to prepare units for counterinsurgency and stability operations, it would be equally myopic to decide that these operations ought to be an organizational priority in years to come. When China has used offensive military force to assert its political will, it has not been a particularly subtle affair in terms of either manpower or effect. Thus, a doctrine and equipment set that is built around small platoons running around the battlefield in up-armored Humvees and MRAPs is a recipe for disaster. The People’s Liberation Army will not be defeated by COIN, and if America wishes to lend credible assistance to its allies, it will need to do so in terms of a conventional capability, supported by adequate training and equipment, that can defeat the PLA on conventional terms.
India, China to order 100 naval ships each by 2032 – Economic Times The new orders would include nuclear and conventional submarines and new aircraft carriers, a balanced mix of destroyers, frigates, smaller units, amphibious and logistics vessels, Coast Guard and maritime patrol forces, said Bob Nugent, the vice-president of AMI International.
AsiaEye – Official Blog of the Project 2049 Institute: China’s Military Power and America’s Poor Pacific Hedge As one former commander of the U.S. 7th Fleet recently remarked, “if you look at the number and quality of U.S. ships and aircraft stationed in the Western Pacific to defend Japan and Taiwan and others from a potentially hostile China, you’ll notice that they are basically the same as they were in the 1990s when China’s capabilities were a fraction of what they are today. You have to ask, are we keeping up? Numbers matter in this business after all.”
Chinese Nuclear Developments Described (and Omitted) by DOD Report – FAS Strategic Security Blog The complete deletion of the table overview of China’s missile forces is striking because the Pentagon for years has been complaining about a lack of transparency in China’s military modernization. Ironically, this complaint was repeated when the Pentagon briefed this year’s report… Instead of assisting Chinese nuclear secrecy, the United States should push for transparency and accountability. Authoritative overviews of Chinese nuclear force developments are important to enable the public to assess implications of China’s nuclear modernization and to counter attempts by those who use the uncertainty created by lack of information to hype the threat in order to justify excessive military spending.
[视频]纪念韩先楚同志诞辰100周年座谈会在京召开_新闻频道_央视网 symposium in Beijing celebrating 100 anniversary of birth of Gen. Han Xianchu held in Beijing, makes CCTV Evening news, big play in People’s daily, PLA Daily// 韩先楚曾任兰州军区司令员，中央军委委员、常委，六届全国人大常委会副委员长，1955年被授予上将军衔。中共中央政治局委员、全国人大常委会副委员长李建国在座谈会上讲话，他在全面回顾韩先楚同志的生平业绩和卓越贡献后说，我们要继承和发扬老一辈无产阶级革命家的光荣传统，谦虚谨慎、艰苦奋斗，埋头苦干、锐意进取，不断夺取全面建成小康社会、加快推进社会主义现代化新的更大的胜利，努力实现中华民族伟大复兴的中国梦
HONG KONG, MACAO AND TAIWAN
Taiwan Runs Short of Volunteers in Military Shift – ABC News A Taiwanese plan to end mandatory military service and shift to an all-volunteer force is running into a problem: not enough volunteers. Such forces are generally considered superior to conscripted ones, because those serving want to be there. Taiwan wants to field a leaner and meaner military of 176,000 volunteers by 2015, in place of its current complement of 235,000 volunteers and conscripts.
Hong Kong’s Anti-Graft Agency Investigates Former Head – Bloomberg Hong Kong lawmakers and Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying earlier said they will review spending at the ICAC under Tong. He spent at least HK$218,000 ($28,000) on gifts during his term in office, including a HK$4,140 ornament to the Supreme People’s Procuratorate of China, according to a document submitted to the city’s legislature.
内地反腐风暴波及澳门赌场：贵宾厅业务持续下滑|澳门|博彩|赌场_新浪财经_新浪网 People’s Daily [CORRECTION, the source is First Financial] says corruption crackdown is hitting the VIP gambling business in Macau
Galaxy Says VIP Demand Improving as Profit Rises – Bloomberg “There have been positive signs that demand in the VIP segment is regaining momentum,” Galaxy said in today’s statement, referring to the high-stake gamblers who provide most of Macau’s revenue. VIP gamblers curbed spending last year as China’s economy weakened.
Las Vegas Sands Loses Trial Over Macau License Claims – Bloomberg The jury in Las Vegas today returned a verdict in the second trial over Richard Suen’s claim that meetings he helped arrange for Adelson with Chinese government officials in Beijing were instrumental to Sands getting permission to operate casinos in the former Portuguese colony in 2002. The Nevada Supreme Court in 2010 reversed a $43.8 million jury award for Suen
TECH AND MEDIA
Hon Hai Profit Misses Estimates on Slowing Apple Orders – Bloomberg Weakening orders for Apple Inc. (AAPL) products and a slowing global computer market drove revenue down 19 percent from a year earlier. Sales may decline further this period as Hon Hai awaits new products to be introduced in the second half.
YHOO: Goldman, Cantor Up Targets to $30 on Alibaba Value – Tech Trader Daily – Barrons.com Goldman–Reflecting its continued growth acceleration, we are raising our estimated valuation for Alibaba to $70 bn from $35 bn, based on 8X our estimated 2013E sales. Comparable Chinese internet companies Baidu (BIDU) and Tencent (are currently trading at an average of 6X 2013E sales. Alibaba’s 2010-2013E revenue CAGR of 75% is 1.4X the average CAGR for Baidu and Tencent. We note that for each $10 bn appreciation in the value of Alibaba, the implied value of the Yahoo! stock accretes by $1.25.
人民日报-网络经济吸纳千万人就业（寻找经济增长新亮点） People’s Daily page 1 on Internet industry employing 10m+ people, part of continuing series about new bright spots for economic growth
Jing Daily: Fan Bingbing’s Star Power Crosses Borders At Cannes Can’t wait for her new movie, out this summer, directed by eva jin // She is being pursued by many international luxury brands and fashion designers alike, according to The Hollywood Reporter, which will be awarding her with its International Artist of the Year award on the third day of the festival. According to the publication, “Fan’s reputation as an actress and trend-setter stretches across China and the world.” She previously attended this year’s Oscars with producer Bill Mechanic and Chopard’s Caroline Scheufele, and has attracted attention for her bold fashion choices at previous Cannes festivals.
‘Django Unchained’ Reopens in China With Nudity and Screenings Reduced – The Hollywood Reporter Django’s shortfall could be accredited to the scale of its release, with the film taking only 10.3 percent of the 68,000 screenings across the country on Sunday. The film was slated to take up about 17 percent of shows in China for its original release on April 11 before the country’s film regulators intervened.
SOCIETY, ART, SPORTS, CULTURE AND HISTORY
The Silk Road of Pop The Silk Road of Pop” tells the story of Ay, a young music fan. Apprehensive about her own life choices as a young Uyghur woman in China and curious about the outside world, she turns to music for answers and is drawn to musicians who mirror her struggles in their songs. The film follows the trails left by Ay’s interest in music, documenting her influences and portraying her musical idols. A breathtaking journey unfolds, leading to traditional musicians uncovering the age-old roots of the Uyghur music culture in Kashgar, metal bands combining local folk music & Western hard rock in their wild performances, and hip-hop crews honing their skills in the smoky basements of communist block towers.
Family of writer Lao She donates paintings by Qi Baishi – People’s Daily Online The descendants of writer Lao She have donated 16 pieces by the renowned artist Qi Baishi, their family friend. Eight paintings went to the National Museum of Modern Literature, and another eight will be auctioned for charity at the China Guardian Spring auction in mid-May.
Lao She’s Art Collection Auctioned Amid Enthusiasm – NYTimes.com For China’s newly rich and hungry art collectors, the combination of Lao She, one of the country’s most beloved 20th-century writers, and Qi Baishi, one of its most famous 20th-century painters, was irresistible: on Saturday evening, the second day of the China Guardian 2013 Spring Auctions in Beijing, 16 paintings from the private collection of the writer who killed himself during the Cultural Revolution sold for 167.6 million yuan, or $27 million, the auction house said.
Angry owner destroys Maserati Quattroporte in China | CarNewsChina.com – China Auto News The owner choose today, May 14, as the day for his ‘protest’ because it coincides with the start of the local Qingdao International Auto Show.The smashing took place at 10:30 this morning, straight in front of the exhibition hall. Many Chinese auto journalists in town, so maximum publicity was guaranteed.
ENERGY, ENVIRONMENT AND HEALTH
Fake-condom factory busted in Fujian |Society |chinadaily.com.cn Police confiscated more than 2 million bogus condoms labeled Jissbon, Durex and Contex in the factory and its warehouse. While a knock-off prophylactic is priced at 1 yuan (16 cents), it costs less than 0.2 yuan to produce. In February, police noticed that prices of brand-name condoms sold at a store on taobao.com, the country’s biggest e-commerce marketplace, were unreasonably low, and they bought some products to check, according to a police officer surnamed Xu with the bureau’s economic investigation team, which handled the case. After the products were proven to be fake, police took action. // who buys condoms on Taobao? perhaps Zhang Yimou could use this as a defense?
人民日报：国人大多不了解PX项目 容易“有罪推定”_资讯频道_凤凰网 People’s Daily commentary contributor on the Kunming PX concerns, says PX projects “misunderstood” // 事实上，“信任”的确是此次PX风波的关键词。心理学研究表明，隔着一层“无知之幕”，出于自我保护的本能，人们总是倾向于相信坏消息。虽然PX属于低毒类化学物质已是世界常识，其生产、运输、贮存的技术也相当成熟；虽然早有美国休斯敦PX工厂距城区仅1.2公里、日本横滨PX工厂与居民区只一路之隔诸多实例，但对于我国大多数公众来说，PX还是一个陌生概念。缺乏对PX相关信息的充分了解，缺乏对企业和地方环保承诺的信任，公众猝然接触PX，心理上容易对PX项目“有罪推定”，甚至视之为洪水猛兽，也就难免催生恐慌心理、负面想象，甚至出现各种“风波”。
Mixed signals and smokescreens: Kunming’s government responds to Anti-PX protests | East by Southeast Despite pressure, public response is mounting and the local government’s efforts to stem the next protest are only providing more publicity for it by drawing more attention to the protesters’ cause. Organizers are passing messages through the social media sites Weixin and Weibo on how to prepare for the protest scheduled two days from now in front of the highest government administration complex in Yunnan (let’s see if that gets blocked). Also on Kunming’s streets, EbSE is noticing more “No PX” stickers and posters attached to car doors and inside car windows.
北京要求“两桶油”等83家企业自行公开污染数据_网易财经 Beijing Municipal Environmental Protection Bureau requests that 83 enterprises, including petrochina and sinopec, disclose pollution data// 昨天，北京市环保局印发通知，要求在今年11月底前，北京市范围内的83家国家监控的重点污染源企业自行公开其废水、废气的自动监测数据。这83家企业包括中石化、中石油、蒙牛、燕京等大企业。
China’s Tangshan to Cut Power to 199 Polluting Plants Next Week – Bloomberg The city, 170 kilometers (106 miles) east of the capital Beijing, will cut power from May 20 to iron and steel facilities including three ore-sintering lines of Tangshan Iron & Steel Group and two at Guofeng Iron & Steel Group. In addition, it will shut outdated facilities at 31 companies, 136 unlicensed quarries and 28 other illegal manufacturers by May 31, according to the statement.
China’s Hukou System: A Passport to Health (Part 1/3) | Asia Health Care Blog Despite reforms to the hukou system in the last 30 years, however, discriminatory policies towards China’s rural population still exist. Current hukou policies are having unintended consequences on the health and well-being of over 260 million rural-to-urban labor migrants;[1] nearly 20% of China’s population.[2] This special three part series attempts to describes the current hukou system’s effect on social determinants of health by exploring three separate phenomenons affecting rural-to-urban labor migrants: (1) access to health services, (2) access to housing, and (3) access to child education
China’s Hukou System: A Passport to Health (Part 2/3) | Asia Health Care Blog In Part I, Bradley explained how the Hukou system impacts access to care. In this installment Bradley tells us how the hukou system impacts the ability to get housing, and how that, in turn, further impacts health outcomes.
FOOD AND TRAVEL
国内贴牌洋奶粉乱象:交5100元可贴新西兰商标_网易新闻中心 针对目前国内贴牌洋奶粉乱象，昨天，央视新闻直播间播出了记者关于贴牌洋奶粉的调查。调查中，记者只需交5100元就可贴新西兰奶粉商标，只需花一万多元，就可拥有一个原产地新西兰的品牌
东海渔业资源濒临绝境 鱼苗刚放下海就被捞掉了_网易财经–来源: 钱江晚报(杭州) fishing stocks in East China Sea nearly depleted?
BEIJING
Hubert Keller’s Burger Bar in Beijing: Mongolian yak never tasted so good | Beijing Boyce Two likely reactions of diners at Burger Bar when it fully opens in Parkview Green. One: these burgers are awesome! Two: where can I sell a kidney to pay for them? Burger Bar is the brainchild of chef Hubert Keller, known for his restaurant Fleur de Lys in San Francisco, and first opened in Las Vegas. It has been / will be holding private tastings and should be officially grilling burgers in Beijing within a month.
BOOKS AND LITERATURE
Amazon.com: Anxious Wealth: Money and Morality Among China’s New Rich: John Osburg Who exactly are China’s new rich? This pioneering investigation introduces readers to the private lives—and the nightlives—of the powerful entrepreneurs and managers redefining success and status in the city of Chengdu. Over the course of more than three years, anthropologist John Osburg accompanied, and in some instances assisted, wealthy Chinese businessmen as they courted clients, partners, and government officials.
Book Review: China’s Economy, in Thrall to its Underworld | Tea Leaf Nation Anxious Wealth examines relationship cultivation and gender roles among contemporary Chinese elites. The book draws upon several years of ethnographic data culled from countless evenings accompanying businessmen entertaining clients, partners, and state officials. While the book locates itself in the context of anthropological literature on consumption and social class, there are insights here useful for businesspeople, policymakers, as well as cultural observers.