The Sinocism China Newsletter For 11.02.12

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

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Site issues this morning, just links today, but at least the Internet still works:

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

China Voice: Income distribution reform an imminent task for China – Xinhua | English.news.cn – According to officials close to the reform, the plan will focus on improving earnings for low-income groups and capping high wages by breaking up monopolies through opening up state sectors to private investors. It will also regulate the sectors by levying higher tax rates on state-owned enterprises.

China PMIs are stumbling upwards with mixed conviction | FT Alphaville – Two of the other components stand out to us as taking the shine off the overall positive figure. Firstly, the component with the biggest jump is “input prices”, now at 54.3 from 46.1 just two months ago. At least they’re no longer indicating deflation. But is this the component that you want to see improving most rapidly? Employment meanwhile is only slightly better — up to 49.2 from from 48.9.

Macau’s Casino Revenue Reaches Record After Holiday Week – Bloomberg – Casino revenue in the Chinese city increased to 27.7 billion patacas ($3.5 billion) in October, topping a record 26.85 billion patacas in the same month a year earlier, according to data from Macau’s Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau today.

China Poised for Growth Rebound as Luggage Maker Puts Lid on ’12 – Bloomberg – Months before China closes the lid on the Year of the Dragon, Guangzhou Aoking Leather Co. is ramping up luggage production, adding to signs that the slowdown in the world’s second-largest economy is poised to ease.

China Suspends Coal Mines for Congress, Boosting Prices – Bloomberg – “The latest enforcement of mine closure is much stricter than before,” said Mu Wenxin, senior analyst with Custeel.com, another independent research firm. “The halt is set to push coal prices higher along with seasonal demand from steelmakers.”

Report: Chinese Banks may Embrace Less Than 10Pct Growth in New Bad Loans-Caijing – Chinese commercial banks are likely to see their non performing banks grow less than 10 percent from a year ago, with their non-performing loan ratios at 1-2percent, according to a report issued by China Orient Asset Management.

Pan Shiyi: Another real estate mogul sex scandal | Danwei – And once again we can feast our eyes on the mistress of a real estate mogul, this time Pan Shiyi (潘石屹). Revelations of Vanke real estate company chairman Wang Shi’s divorce and new girlfriend scandalized the nation’s newspapers on Tuesday. On Wednesday, a story and photo appeared on Weibo saying that Pan Shiyi had fathered a child with a former mistress. Like Wang Shi, Pan Shiyi is said to have met his lover while studying for an EMBA (executive MBA) at Cheung Kong Graduate School of Business.

 

POLITICS AND LAW

China’s ruling families: Riches exposed | The Economist – why does the economist assume that the publication of articles calling for reform is “failure” of media control?// The party’s attempts at media control have failed to stem a spate of articles in official newspapers highlighting what many liberal intellectuals perceive as mounting social tensions. They are calling for faster political reforms. The calls appear designed to press Mr Xi to be more daring than the ultra-cautious Mr Hu. The writings of the 19th-century French historian, Alexis de Tocqueville, have been enjoying an unusual revival in bookshops and in the debates of intellectual bloggers. His argument that revolutions tend to occur not when conditions are harshest but when they are improving appears to have struck a chord among those fretting about where the country is heading.

China struggles for solution to growing NIMBY movement | Reuters – As China’s increasingly affluent urban population battles back against the breakneck growth-at-all-costs model that has fuelled the economy for three decades, environmental activists say the apparently straightforward narrative that has played out several times in recent years – government backs down, citizens win – is simplistic.

Panjin Killing Prompts Call for Investigation – – The shooting of an unarmed man by police has led four prominent legal scholars to call on lawmakers for an investigation. The scholars, led by Jiang Ping, a former president of China University of Political Science and Law, submitted a letter to the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress.

China’s ‘firefighter-in-chief’ ascending – FT.com on Wang Qishan – Married to the daughter of Yao Yilin, a senior leader who voted to deploy the army against student protesters in 1989, Mr Wang is considered a princeling – part of the Communist aristocracy – through this connection.

人民日报总编辑吴恒权调任中宣部副部长_网易新闻中心 – people’s daily chief editor wu hengquan gets new job, now the vice minister of propaganda. switched jobs w cai mingzhao, who is the new chief editor of the people’s daily

China dissident gets eight years for subversion ahead of congress | Reuters – The court in the southwestern city of Kunming sentenced Cao Haibo, 27, for “subversion of state power”, his lawyer, Ma Xiaopeng, said. Cao had called for democracy and had tried to form a party called the “China Republican Party”, Ma said.

 

FOREIGN AND DEFENSE AFFAIRS

Clinton Warned of Military Danger in China-Japan Dispute – Bloomberg – The festering dispute between China and Japan over five uninhabited islands could spin out of control unless the countries improve their communication with each other, according to a confidential report submitted to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton this week by a delegation of former U.S. officials.

China responds to Japan’s provocation – FT.com – do the Japanese agree with the Chinese that there was a 1972 “agreement”?// Worshipping war criminals is serious, but unjust territorial claims are dangerous. Japan’s politicians now claim it has “sovereignty” over Diaoyu Dao, a group of islands belonging to China. They have decided to ignore the agreement reached when China-Japan relations were normalised in 1972. This agreement stated that our two countries would be leaving the issue of Diaoyu Dao “to be resolved later”. The writer is China’s ambassador to the UK

China Presents Plan to End Syrian Conflict – NYTimes.com – the fact that China’s announcement came one day after the United States made it clear that the Syrian opposition needed new leadership underscored a subtle shift in international attitudes toward resolving the conflict.

Nations fail to agree plan to protect seas around Antarctica | Reuters– Some fishing fleets are looking south because stocks nearer home are depleted and some nations worry about shutting off large areas of the oceans. CCMALR comprises 24 member states and the European Union.”This year, CCAMLR has behaved like a fisheries organization instead of an organization dedicated to conservation of Antarctic waters,” said Farah Obaidullah of Greenpeace.

CHINASCOPE – China News Week: American Groups, in the “China School Camp” (Pro-China) or the “Anti-China Camp”? – China Newsweek published an article that categorized a handful of American organizations into one of two camps: the “China School (pro-China) camp” and the “anti-China camp.”

Is low-profile strategy outdated for China? – People’s Daily Online – rigid adherence to the low-profile strategy can easily lead to “few accomplishments.” At the same time, overemphasis on “accomplish something” and appearing aggressive may damage the overall situation of Chinese diplomacy. China should maintain a flexible low-profile strategy, and play a reasonably active role in world affairs.

Locke’s visit shows US ready to play Tibetan card one more time – Globaltimes.cn – The US has ignored China’s feelings and always acts on its own will. We don’t exclude the possibility that politicians from other countries may follow the US lead and try to extend their influence in China’s Tibetan areas. Nonetheless, we needn’t be over-concerned about Locke’s influence. The West has its own problems to tackle, such as the economic downturn. If they try to make something of this issue, the only possible result is the losses will outweigh the gain

 

TECH AND MEDIA

EBay Is Said to Plan China Push Through Partnership With Xiu.com – Bloomberg – EBay Inc. (EBAY), owner of the world’s largest Internet marketplace, is looking to expand in China by teaming up with luxury retailer Xiu.com, according to a person with direct knowledge of the pact

 

SOCIETY, ART, SPORTS, CULTURE AND HISTORY

University exams: Fighting for privilege | The Economist – Residents clash over plans to let the children of migrants sit exams in the capital

Reverse brain drain: China engineers incentives for “brain gain” – CSMonitor.com – Chinese who found it hard to fit in at the water cooler abroad feel newly valued at home as China creates a reverse brain drain of financial incentives for native talent to return.

部分华人富豪为避税欲弃美国籍:后悔当初移民|避税|国籍|富豪_新浪新闻 – many chinese who got us green cards or passports did not know the us had global tax. whoops, now they regret it// 吴女士不愿意透露自己的全名,却不介意透露自己的心声:“我后悔死了,我所有的朋友都后悔死了。”在谈起自己的美国身份时,她的后悔之情溢于言表。她说自己开始考虑放弃美国国籍已有一年有余,更赌咒发誓地说“我再也不会回去了”。

Australia Targets China’s Rich With ‘Millionaire’ Visa – China Real Time Report – WSJ – The only catch is that the A$5 million must be invested in state and territory Australian government debt, privately-owned Australian companies and managed funds that invest in Australian assets regulated by the Australian Securities & Investment Commission for four years.

Ancient Art Tells China’s Modern Tale – NYTimes.com – big fan of Liu dan. he has an amazing studio// A main attraction of the British Museum show this summer, for example, was Liu Dan’s “Dictionary” (1991), a monumental painting of a dictionary from around 1937. It is open just enough to reveal that its definitions were written in traditional Chinese characters, with all their complex strokes

 

ENERGY, ENVIRONMENT AND HEALTH

Chinese public more familiar with climate change – Xinhua | English.news.cn – A survey released on Thursday shows that a majority of Chinese people are familiar with issues related to climate change and they believe it has been caused by human activities and inflicts suffering on the country, but especially farmers

Wings of hope – Globaltimes.cn– For centuries, Luoxiao Mountain has served as a passageway for migrating birds. Each year, millions of them fly over the mountain and head south. However, this passageway has now become a death trap for the birds.  Between one and three tons of migrating birds are captured and killed each year, according to local reports..

 

FOOD AND TRAVEL

Bird’s nest taken off menu for travelers |Society |chinadaily.com.cn – Fines are being imposed on individuals attempting to bring bird’s nest, a traditional delicacy, into the country as new regulations came into force on Thursday.

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