Today’s China Readings July 31, 2012

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

Just links today, on the road:

  • 江泽民为《简明中国历史读本》作序(全文)_资讯频道_凤凰网
    Jiang Zemin wrote a preface for the Concise History of China, get lots of media coverage. What signals is he sending, beyond "I am still active"?
  • China’s First-Time Home Buyers Catch a Break – WSJ.com
    SHANGHAI—China’s banking regulator has pledged credit support for the construction of small- and medium-sized homes and loans for first-time home buyers, in another sign of selective government help for the ailing real estate market.
  • 人民日报-中国经济仍在适度增长空间 ――上半年经济形势述评(上)
    Long page 2 article in today’s people’s daily about how the economy is still ok
  • 人民网评:庐山景区酒店变别墅,到底谁在装糊涂?–观点–人民网
  • Professor shown to be a fraud |Hot Issues |chinadaily.com.cn
    A man assumed the academic identity of a Yale University assistant professor who has the samename as him for several months.
    Lu Jun joined Beijing University of Chemical Technology as a professor in November. Hisresume listed seven articles published by top English-language academic journals, includingNature, Development Cell and Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
  • China promotes 6 officers to general – Xinhua | English.news.cn
    President and CMC Chairman Hu Jintao presented the officers with certificates of command at a promotion ceremony. An order for the promotions was announced by CMC Vice Chairman Xi Jinping.
    The senior officers include deputy chief of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) General Political Department Du Jincai, political commissar of the PLA National Defense University Liu Yazhou, political commissar of the Jinan Military Area Command Du Hengyan, political commissar of the Chengdu Military Area Command Tian Xiusi, commander of the armed police force Wang Jianping, and political commissar of the armed police force Xu Yaoyuan.
  • Siris, Guerrilla Capital Settle SEC Suit Over China Firm – Bloomberg
    Peter Siris belongs in jail, instead gets slap on wrist from sec
  • SEC Charges N.Y.-Based Fund Manager and Others With Securities Law Violations Related to Chinese Reverse Merger Company
    Washington, D.C., July 30, 2012 – The Securities and Exchange Commission today charged New York-based investment manager Peter Siris and two of his firms with a host of securities law violations mostly related to his activities with a Chinese reverse merger company, China Yingxia International Inc.
    The SEC alleges that Siris, an active investor in Chinese companies and former newspaper money columnist, misled investors in his two hedge funds through which he invested $1.5 million in China Yingxia. Siris understated his involvement with the company particularly after it went out of business, and used his insider status to make illegal trades based on nonpublic information as he received it. In an attempt to circumvent the registration provisions of the securities laws, Siris also received shares from the China Yingxia CEO’s father and improperly sold them without any registration statement in effect. Siris further engaged in insider trading ahead of 10 confidentially solicited offerings for other Chinese issuers.
  • New low for Politico – Salon.com
    The gossip rag devotes substantial space to publishing a sleazy McCarthyite screed by Newt Gingrich
  • China Busts Huge Porn Site, Thousands Arrested
    Police are reportedly especially concerned about the number of minors accessing the site — called “MM Apartments” — regularly. In fact, it only came to the attention of authorities after a Beijing mother who noticed her son’s high school grades sliding did a little snooping and discovered he was spending time looking at porn. The Beijing police set up a special unit to investigate, but the case eventually required the cooperation of police from more than thirty different localities.

    The site was hosted in the United States, but its operators and viewers were both primarily domestic, police found. It changed URLs frequently to avoid police detection, and had been in operation since 2009. It apparently was arranged like a bulletin board, and had accrued over 8 million posts. Police ultimately downloaded more than 1 TB of pornographic material from the site, and discovered that some of its operators were underage, including a few under the age of 14. The site also encouraged minors to help participate in content sharing, as members needed to either pay (which most students couldn’t do) or make posts of their own.

  • 明鏡新聞網: 中紀委二把手何勇另外兩個接班人選浮出水面
  • The Devastating Beijing Floods Reveal A Tale Of Two Urban Chinas – Business Insider
    Despite talk of over-investment in infrastructure and China’s propensity to build "bridges to nowhere" it is evident that Chinese aboveground infrastructure has benefited at the cost of underground infrastructure, namely drainage, subway and social housing, according to Bank of America’s Ting Lu.
    Lu writes that there is a huge disparity between "profitable and visible infrastructures" (aboveground infrastructure) and infrastructure which is "good for social welfare and long-term economic health" but less profitable in the short-term (underground infrastructure).
  • How does China’s Monetary Policy Committee influence monetary policies? – A brief history (1) | Institute for New Economic Thinking
    Nowadays we see overwhelming comments on China’s monetary policy in the local press every day. These comments could be from the government officials, college professors or research analysts, but one specific group of people have been paid particular attentions to – the monetary policy committee members of the People’s Bank of China.   Inspired by similar studies focused on the Fed’s Open Market Committee, we try to analyze the public remarks of the monetary policy committee members to gain some insights. This series of articles will briefly go through the structure and history of the Monetary Policy Committee of the People’s Bank of China and we will analyze the function of this committee as well as each member’s policy stance and the impact.
  • What’s Cooking With China’s Inflation? – China Real Time Report – WSJ
    Inflation was supposed to be off the radar screen of China’s policy makers after the consumer price index fell to a mild 2.2% in June from a peak of 6.5% in July 2011. But they have recently turned the heat on cooking-oil producers, telling them not to raise prices – unless they really have to.
  • Qidong Protest Prompts Anti-Japan Sentiment – China Real Time Report – WSJ
    Protests in the eastern Chinese city of Qidong ended with victory for opponents of a government-run pipeline project that they claimed would increase pollution in local waters . But it also appears to have exacerbated anti-Japanese sentiment both locally and on the Chinese Internet.
  • China Thermal Coal at Lowest Price Since 2009; Demand Drops – Bloomberg
    China’s benchmark price for power- station coal fell for a 12th week to the lowest level since 2009 as electricity demand slowed and hydropower output increased.
  • China Increases Railway Spending Plan for Second Time – Bloomberg
    China announced a jump in planned railway spending and the State Council called for private investment in utilities and health care as Premier Wen Jiabao tries to reverse an economic slowdown.
    The Ministry of Railways, the nation’s largest corporate debt issuer, plans to spend 470 billion yuan ($74 billion) on railroads and bridges this year, according to a bond prospectus issued yesterday. That’s the second increase in July, making a combined gain of about 14 percent from the previous figure.
  • China Rongsheng Plunges 17.14Pct on SEC Allegation-Caijing
    The SEC alleged Rongsheng was engaged in trading of shares of Nexen Inc.on the NYSE, while in possession of nonpublic information related to its proposed $15.1 billion acquisition by CNOOC
  • China Local Province Sold its Own Bonds for the First Time-Caijing
    The eastern province of Zhejiang is planning to issue 10.4 billion yuan of its own bonds, the first among Chinese local governments in a trial program launched last year.
  • China’s CPI Growth to Drop further; More Loose Monetary Policies Expected-Caijing
    The chance for a third time interest rate cut is still open despite that the People’s Bank of China had cut the interest rate twice this year to bolster an economy that’s widely expected to cool down
  • Ye Shiwen’s world record Olympic swim ‘disturbing’, says top US coach | Sport | guardian.co.uk
    Chinese 16-year-old who swam faster than Ryan Lochte compared to East Germans
    • John Leonard says gold medal time was ‘not believable to many people’
  • Troop deployment row halts China-N. Korean island project – AJW by The Asahi Shimbun
    SHENYANG, China—A much-hyped plan by China and North Korea to jointly develop two small islands in the Yalu river has been quietly put on hold because of disagreements about troop deployments.

    China was to have constructed an industrial complex on Hwanggumpyong and Wihwa islands but the project, which began last year, fell apart because China would not consent to allowing North Korean troops on the two islands.

  • US should not cross the line to intervene in maritime disputes – People’s Daily Online
  • Former NSA Official Disputes Claims by NSA Chief | Threat Level | Wired.com
    LAS VEGAS — A former NSA official has accused the NSA’s director of deception during a speech he gave at the DefCon hacker conference on Friday when he asserted that the agency does not collect files on Americans.
    William Binney, a former technical director at the NSA, said during a panel discussion that NSA Director Gen. Keith Alexander was playing a “word game” and that the NSA was indeed collecting e-mails, Twitter writings, internet searches and other data belonging to Americans and indexing it.
  • Apple adopts ridiculous repair policy for iPads – People’s Daily Online
    Apple Inc. has recently revised or deleted its unfairmaintenance terms for iPhones sold in China afterbeing criticized by the China Consumers’ Associationand its local associations in Tianjin, Beijing, Shanghai,Chongqing, Jiangsu, and Shandong. However, someconsumers have complained that there are also someridiculous hidden rules regarding the repair of iPads.For example, Apple will refuse to repair an iPad for freeif it has a scratch longer than 4 millimeters.
  • Hong Kong: Tens of Thousands Rally Against National Education · Global Voices
    The new “red” elementary school curriculum controversy continues to ferment in the past week and parent groups have joined in with the concerned student and teacher groups to stop the government from introducing the curriculum in this September.
    Yesterday on July 29, 2012, tens of thousand Hong Kong people took to the streets to protest against the brainwashing nature of the curriculum. Despite warnings of extremely hot weather, many parents brought their babies along. Below is a selection of yesterday’s rally photos, all with permission to use
  • The Chinese Are Making An Offer For North Sea Oil That Britain Cannot Refuse – Business Insider
    money is not the only consideration in purchases of this kind, which will have to be signed off by the UK Government, among other authorities around the world. Eyebrows inevitably raise at the political niceties of having North Sea energy reserves in the hands of Beijing.
    Consultancy Wood Mackenzie calculates that together the two Chinese firms will directly own 13pc of all UK oil production if both deals go through.
  • 党刊:王朝灭亡主要原因不在贪官_多维新闻网
    【多维新闻】中共中央党校机关刊物《学习时报》7月30日刊发署名史海威的评论文章,大谈为官之道。文章特别提到,历代王朝灭亡主要是亡于庸官而不是贪官。当前,中国正处于全面建设小康社会的关键时期。行非常之事,建非常之功,需非常之人。

    这篇题为《时代需要更多有担当敢负责干部》的文章分析称

  • 学习时报_2012-07-30_党的建设_时代需要更多有担当敢负责干部
    作者:史海威 来源:学习时报 字数:1660
        处非常之时,行非常之事,建非常之功,需非常之人。当前,我国正处于全面建设小康社会的关键时期、改革发展的攻坚时期,面对艰巨繁重的改革发展任务、纷繁复杂的矛盾问题、可以预料和难以预料的风险挑战,需要大批科学理论武装、具有世界眼光、善于把握规律、富有创新精神的各级领导干部,尤其需要那些敢于担当、勇于负责的领导干部。
  • 中共定罪谷开来谋杀而非洗钱大有文章_多维新闻网
    【多维新闻】中国司法部门于北京时间7月26日对已被双停职务的原重庆市市委书记薄熙来妻子谷开来提起公诉,指控她谋杀英国商人海伍德(Neil Heywood),为这起中国近年来最轰动的刑事审判做好准备。对此有分析人士指出,鉴于种种原因,除故意杀人罪外,中共或不会对谷开来的经济问题进行进一步的对外通告。
  • China Rongsheng Declines to Lowest Level on Record – Bloomberg
    China Rongsheng Heavy Industries Group Holdings Ltd. (1101) plunged to its lowest level since 2010 in Hong Kong trading after the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filed a complaint accusing a company owned by Chairman Zhang Zhi Rong of insider trading.
    The nations largest private shipbuilder tumbled 16 percent to close at HK$1.17, the lowest level since it was listed in November 2010. The stock has fallen 45 percent this year, compared with a 6.2 percent rise in the Hang Seng Index.
  • Africa’s Top Media Company Looks Beyond Tencent, Mail.ru – Bloomberg
    As Africas largest media company, with 5.6 million pay-TV subscribers today and a potential market of hundreds of millions more, Naspers Ltd. (NPN) would appear to have almost limitless room for growth. Investors, though, seem to place little value on the South African companys primary publishing and broadcasting business.
    Investments in Tencent Holdings Ltd. (700), Chinas biggest Internet company, and Mail.ru (MAIL), the largest Russian-language Internet firm and a 1.5 percent owner of Facebook Inc. (FB), account for almost 90 percent of Naspers $23 billion market value.
  • 谁陷害了新东方_杂志频道_财新网
  • "China’s Reliable Rise" by Heleen Mees | Project Syndicate
    CommentsSkepticism about official Chinese data may help the West to assuage its unease about Chinas rise, but it eventually will have to come to grips with economic reality. Chinas official numbers may bend the truth, but they dont lie.
  • 京畿洪患-财经网
    北京今年的这场暴雨来得格外凶猛,至少造成77人死亡、160余万人受灾,但这一现实,无法简单归于一场天灾
  • 官媒:“什邡—启东”模式必须打破_多维新闻网
    距什邡事件不到一个月,28日江苏南通启东市上演了几乎完全相同的一幕。官媒《环球时报》30日刊发社评将这两起群体事件成称为“什邡—启东模式”。并提醒说,如果“什邡—启东模式”蔓延开来,将不仅仅是社会稳定的损失,中国今后的发展也将面临空前挑战。
  • 多维调查:薄熙来会被如何处理?_多维新闻网
    多维新闻电话采访了中国最高法院的一位高层人士,这位要求不能透露姓名的高层人士告诉多维新闻,尽管薄熙来还在由中纪委调查阶段,但据他了解到的案件信息,薄熙来被移交司法体系是迟早的事情,而这也同时意味着薄熙来将注定会被“双开”处理——开除党籍、开除公职,薄此前已经被停止了所担任的政治局委员和中央委员职务。..
    具体到薄熙来会移交司法后会被以哪些罪名提起诉讼。这位人士说“那要看他的具体犯罪事实以及高层在这件事情上如何进行政治切割。一旦案件移交到我们这里,政治上的事情就已经处理完毕,法院系统会完全按照相关法律条款进行调查审理,届时法律将是唯一准绳。”
  • In Chinese Politics, a Fall—and a Rise – WSJ.com
    if only 7 in 18th pbsc i doubt wang yang gets on. and surprised this article makes no mention of the massive ongoing corruption crackdown in guangdong
  • UC Berkeley to offer Three Kingdoms course with online gaming|Culture|News|WantChinaTimes.com
    The University of California, Berkeley will open in fall semester an elective course on exploring Chinese history and culture through playing the Chinese online game Legends of the Three Kingdoms, reports Guangzhou’s Southern Metropolis Daily.
  • Use of mobile phone wiretapping software common in China|Society|News|WantChinaTimes.com
    Wiretapping mobile phone conversations using commonly available software is widespread in China and enjoys a considerable market, the state-run China News Service reported on its website.

    X-Turncoat, an eavesdropping application banned by the authorities in 2006, had been installed on at least 1 million mobile phones in the last six years, reported CNS.

  • China-US Relations in China’s Overall Diplomacy in the New Era
    Cui Tiankai,Pang Hanzhao

    China-US bilateral relations take a special and important position in China’s overall diplomacy. To maintain and promote a healthy and steady development of China-US relations is a priority in China’s foreign policy.

  • China company official jailed for leaking data: report | Reuters
    China has sentenced a company official to five and a half years in jail for leaking economic data, the Beijing News reported on Friday, the latest move in a crackdown on the unauthorized release of market-moving numbers.
    Beijing’s first intermediate people’s court had charged Wu Zhiwen, former general manager of Beijing-based Jinmailong Asset Management Co., for "illegally obtaining state secrets", the state-run newspaper said.
  • Special Report: In Himalayan arms race, China one-ups India | Reuters
    Asia’s two great powers are facing off here in the eastern Himalayan mountains. China has vastly improved roads and is building or extending airports on its side of the border in Tibet. It has placed nuclear-capable intermediate missiles in the area and deployed around 300,000 troops across the Tibetan plateau, according to a 2010 Pentagon report.

    India is in the midst of a 10-year plan to scale up its side. In the state of Arunachal Pradesh, new infantry patrols started on the frontier in May, as part of a surge to add some 60,000 men to the 120,000 already in the region. It has stationed two Sukhoi 30 fighter squadrons and will deploy the Brahmos cruise missile.

  • People attend funeral of Li Fanghong in Beijing’s Fangshan District – Xinhua | English.news.cn
    People attend the funeral of Li Fanghong, a police inspector who lost his life while trying to rescue villagers trapped by floodwaters, at the Babaoshan Revolutionary Cemetery in Beijing, capital of China, July 29, 2012. Li, 45, was electrocuted by a live wire that had fallen into the water after rescuing 63 people in the village of Fenghuangting in the suburban Fangshan District on July 21, when the heaviest rain in six decades battered the capital city
  • China’s biggest freshwater lake exceeds warning level – Xinhua | English.news.cn
    Part of Poyang Lake, China’s largest freshwater lake, has seen its water level exceed the warning level, as flooding on the upper and middle reaches of the Yangtze River has been pushing up the water level of the lake.

    The water level at the lake’s Huxingzi Station in Jiangxi province had risen to 19.01 meters as of 8 a.m. Sunday, marking the highest level in the past two years and measuring 0.01 meter above the warning level, said Tan Guoliang, head of the provincial hydrographic bureau.

  • Greyjing? Air pollution fouls Beijing’s name | Reuters
    With its parks, centuries-old palaces, history and culture, Beijing should be one of the more pleasant capitals of the world. Instead, it’s considered among the worst to live in because of chronic air pollution.
    Lung cancer rates are rising among the 20 million residents of China’s capital, health officials say. For many multinational companies, Beijing is considered a hardship posting and, despite the extra allowances that classification brings, some executives are leaving.
  • 抢注“国酒茅台”商标 贵州茅台再惹争议|贵州茅台|国酒茅台|商标初审通过_21世纪网
    核心提示:依照正常程序,对于初步审定的商标注册,有3个月的公示期,如果“国酒茅台” 注册申请未遭行业反对,则会通过。
  • 赛富基金隐瞒与雷士照明的关联交易?|雷士照明|赛富基金|_21世纪网
    more potential trouble for saif and andy yan over the nvc lighting deal. allegations of undisclosed related party transactions
    核心提示:记 者近日收到多份文件,这些文件显示,赛富亚洲基金的员工,为雷士照明两家关联公司的主要股东之一。
  • Used Lamborghinis Linger on H.K. Lots Amid China Lull – Bloomberg
    Waiting lists for ultra-luxury cars in Hong Kong are getting shorter and used-car lots are cutting prices on Lamborghinis, Ferraris and Bentleys in the latest sign of China’s slowdown.
    At first glance, the numbers are deceiving: Sales of very expensive new autos surged 47 percent in the first six months, according to industry analyst IHS Automotive. Look more deeply, however, and another picture emerges, especially in the city’s used-car lots.

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