The Chinese confirmed (Xinhua) the Trump-Xi meeting in Mar-a-Lago. Xi will stop in the US April 6-7 on his return from a state visit to Finland April 4-6.

Thursday afternoon, just about 90 minutes ago, President Trump warned on Twitter that next week’s meeting with Xi will be difficult:

The meeting next week with China will be a very difficult one in that we can no longer have massive trade deficits…

…and job losses. American companies must be prepared to look at other alternatives.

I keep hearing the Chinese are willing to deal on trade, so does Trump believe he has a deal, and will now tweet tough for the next week and then declare victory?

What will the US offer in exchange? I doubt Xi will give presents without expecting reciprocal gifts, and respect, in return.

Today’s Links:

THE ESSENTIAL EIGHT

1. Trump Administration Lays Groundwork to Keep Big Tariffs on Chinese Goods – WSJ U.S. officials are preparing a review of China’s “market-economy status” under the World Trade Organization, according to official documents on the Commerce Department website. The review is expected to be announced as early as this week, just days before a high-stakes meeting between President Xi Jinping and President Donald Trump.

Related: China Counters Trump Trade Threat With Binding Economic Ties – Bloomberg with a wild card in the White House, the Chinese want even more leverage should bilateral trade relations get hammered. China’s Ministry of Commerce says it’s working to expand various investment agreements with California, Texas, Iowa and other states, deals it estimates were worth $2.5 billion to U.S. and Chinese businesses in 2016 alone.

2. The South China Sea presents a reality check for America-FT $$ the US has suffered setback after setback in its efforts to rally other countries with competing claims in the region while China has accelerated its militarisation and construction of artificial islands that give it effective control of the territory. Even some US officials privately acknowledge that China has won the battle for the South China Sea without firing a shot. In the annals of American decline, this episode will surely loom large.

Related: China says ‘no such thing’ as man-made islands in South China Sea | Reuters “There is no such thing as man-made islands,” Wu told a regular monthly news briefing. “Most of the building is for civilian purposes, including necessary defensive facilities.” // 吴谦：关于第一个问题，我想强调四点：第一，不存在什么“人工岛礁”的问题。第二，南沙群岛是中国固有领土，中国在自己的国土上是否搞建设，搞何种建设，怎样搞建设，完全是中国主权范围内的事情 from the transcript

3. EU says China, EU must show joint leadership on climate as U.S. pulls back | Reuters China and the European Union need to show joint leadership on climate change and cannot expect the “same leadership” from the new administration in the United States, European climate commissioner Miguel Arias Canete said in Beijing on Thursday. Canete, speaking to reporters after meeting Chinese officials, expressed regret that the United States was rolling back climate policies, but said China and Europe remained committed to “driving forward” the global battle against climate change.

Related: Trump must be urged to save climate deal – Global Times Some Western media now pin their hopes on China to fill the vacuum left by Washington in the fight against climate change. But no matter how hard Beijing tries, it won’t be able to take on all the responsibilities that Washington refuses to take. China will remain the world’s biggest developing country for a long time. How can it be expected to sacrifice its own development space for those developed Western powerhouses? Western opinion should continue to pressure the Trump administration on climate change. Washington’s political selfishness must be discouraged.

Related: China pledges to uphold Paris climate commitments-FT $$ “As a responsible developing country, China’s plan, determination and policy to tackle climate change is resolute,” a foreign ministry spokesman said. While not mentioning the US specifically, the spokesman said every signatory to the accord adopted in 2015 should “fulfil their pledges and implement the agreement with positive actions”.

Related: Vatican says Trump risks losing climate change leadership to China | Reuters The Vatican urged U.S. President Donald Trump to listen to “dissenting voices” and reconsider his position on climate change on Thursday, saying the United States risked losing its environmental protection leadership to China. Pope Francis has made defense of the environment a key plank of his papacy, strongly backing scientific opinion that global warming is caused mostly by human activity

4. China’s military launches education campaign on upholding Xi’s core status – Xinhua China’s Central Military Commission (CMC) has issued a guideline on launching an education campaign themed on upholding the core and following commands. The guideline said it is a fundamental issue to establish and uphold Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, as the core of the CPC Central Committee as well as the whole Party. 中央军委办公厅印发《关于开展维护核心、听从指挥主题教育活动和推进“两学一做”学习教育常态化制度化的意见》-新华网 

5. Beijing’s New Rules Put Thousands of Homebuyers in Limbo – Caixin Global Under the new rule, if anyone has taken a loan to buy their first home, their next purchase is automatically considered an additional, second home, even though they have already sold the first one and repaid all loans connected to it. The city government hasn’t offered any explanation for this problematic definition so far. “I couldn’t help but cry when I received a phone call from my real estate agent on March 17, telling me that I must now pay an additional one million yuan in down payment to close the deal,” she said. Her down payment amount had gone up to 70% from an earlier 50%, given the size of the house.

Related: Beijing yanks license of Fang Holdings’ unit for defying rules on converted flat listings | South China Morning Post The license cancellation is part of a clampdown on sales of “commercial-converted apartments”, flats that are built on land zoned for commercial or office use. The practise was until recently very common in major Chinese cities where residential land supply is disproportionately low.

Related: 一天内全国6城出手限购 楼市调控风暴正在持续|限购|风暴|住房_新浪新闻 在北京“10天9策”的带动下，全国多城市均出楼市调控大招，更有部分城市在短时间内多次加码政策。仅今天一天，就有山东淄博、浙江丽水、河北承德等6城市出台限购政策及限购加码政策。 //  Comment: 6 more cities rool out more housing purchase restrictions

6. Sometimes a rule of evidence is just a rule of evidence.-China Law Translate This post was written in response to a provocative article by Susan Hennessey and Christopher Mirasola on the Lawfare Blog, entitled “Did China Quietly Authorize Law Enforcement to Access Data Anywhere in the World?”…Now, a new controversy about the Regulation is arising outside of China, with some suggesting that the law quietly authorizes Chinese authorities to search electronic data beyond the nations’ borders. As with the initial controversy, a more careful reading and understanding of the Regulation’s purpose and background shows that the document is probably being misunderstood again. The document is not really concerned with authorizing conduct, as much as procedures for how existing powers are to be carried out.

7. Ban on beards and veils – China’s Xinjiang passes law to curb ‘religious extremism’ | South China Morning Post The law, which takes effect ­on Saturday, bans a wide range of acts including wearing veils or “abnormal” beards, without specifying the term. It will also be illegal to refuse to watch state television and listen to state radio, or prevent children from receiving national education – activities deemed “manifestations” of ­extremism, according to the ­official news website News.ts.cn.

Related: Xinjiang to strengthen preschool bilingual education – Xinhua A total of 4,387 bilingual kindergartens will be built or expanded in 2017 across the region. And 10,000 bilingual teachers will be hired this year, 6,500 more compared with previous years, the regional education department announced Thursday.

8. China Tries Man For Chat Posts Using Satirical Names For President, Chairman Mao A social media user in the eastern Chinese province of Shandong who called President Xi Jinping by a forbidden nickname in an online chat session stood trial on Thursday on charges of “picking quarrels and stirring up trouble.” The trial of Wang Jiangfeng, who reportedly referred to the head of the ruling Chinese Communist Party as “Steamed Bun Xi” in a group message to the smartphone apps WeChat and QQ, took place inside the police-run Zhaoyuan Detention Center on Thursday, his lawyer told RFA.  // Comment: arrested for calling Xi “boazi 包子” (so named for his early, public visit to eat some? I know a lot of people who use that term…

BUSINESS, ECONOMY AND TRADE

Agricultural Bank Agrees Debt-Equity Swaps Worth 70 Billion Yuan – Caixin Global ABC’s nonperforming loan ratio totaled 2.37% at the end of last year, 0.02 of a percentage point down from 2015, according to the lender’s annual earnings report. ABC is one of the creditors of Hong Kong-listed China Huishan Dairy Holdings Co. Ltd., which has been mired in accusations of forged invoices and embezzlement. The company’s stock fell a record 85% in a single day last week, leading Huishan to hold an emergency meeting with its creditors, including ABC. //  Comment: NPL ratio down?

Chinese Bank Profits Improve, But Interest Is Fading – WSJ For the first time since at least the 2008 global financial crisis, major lenders earned less in 2016 from interest payments than a year earlier, spurring them toward riskier investments in search of yield, even as regulators narrow routes to easy credit such as mortgages and interbank funds.

Private Firm Teams With Government to Tackle Toxic Debt – Caixin Global Chengtong Huan Investment Co. Ltd. — a tie-up between Shoreline Capital’s Huan Investment Co. Ltd. and the China Chengtong subsidiary China Chengtong Asset Management Corp. (CCTA) — plans to raise 10 billion yuan from unspecified investors and use 70% of that amount to buy non-performing loans. The toxic debt, including outstanding loans to state-owned companies and local government financing platforms, would then be re-sold to other investors.

Shenzhen’s shield around Vanke should ward off hostile takeovers | South China Morning Post The developer at the centre of China’s most controversial takeover tussle is now a state-owned business under Shenzhen’s local government

China to Push Merger Talks to Form $241 Billion Energy Giant: Sources – Bloomberg China’s state-owned enterprise regulator has asked coal mining giant Shenhua Group Corp. and power generator China Datang Corp. to discuss a possible merger, according to people with knowledge of the situation.

滴滴停止向非京牌网约车派单 改牌、租牌业务兴起|滴滴|网约车|京牌_新浪科技_新浪网 滴滴方面昨日在官方微博表示，因近期运力减少，可能会在一定程度上对用户在部分地区、部分时段的打车成功率、等待时长等体验造成影响，滴滴对此表示歉意。滴滴称，会采取技术等多种手段提升效率，希望尽可能满足更多用户的出行。 // Comment: expect to wait longer for DiDi rides in Beijing as it implements new rules banning it from using non-Beijing registered drivers or car

China securities regulator hands out record high fine – Xinhua China’s securities regulator slapped a 3.47 billion yuan (about 504 million U.S. dollars) fine on a company chairman for stock market manipulation, an all-time high for a fine. Xian Yan, chairman of P2P Financial Information Service Co., formerly Shanghai Duolun Industry Co., will also be banned for life from trading on the Chinese securities market, according to the penalty decision announced by the China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC) on Thursday.

POLITICS AND LAW

CPC issues document to strengthen theoretical study – Xinhua The general office of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee issued a document Thursday to guide theoretical study undertaken by core study groups of various levels of Party committees (Party groups). The document tasked the core study groups, which are made up of leading Party members, with acquainting themselves with a variety of theories and issues, including Marxism, the speeches made by Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, Party rules and guidelines as well as economic and social topics related to socialism with Chinese characteristics. 中共中央办公厅印发《中国共产党党委（党组）理论学习中心组学习规则》 

China uses confessions of officials to educate cadres – Global Times “The previous educations of Party members emphasize positive guidance. Confessions of corrupt officials would serve as a warning to violators and other Party members,” Xu Xing, a professor of politics at the Zhou Enlai School of Government of Nankai University, told the Global Times on Wednesday. The notice also mentioned that Party members tasked to question officials should share the details at democratic intra-Party meetings, and violators should reflect deeply.

In the Name of the People: First episode of China’s anti-corruption TV drama viewed 350 million times — Quartz “In the Name of People,” produced by the Film and TV Center under the Supreme People’s Procuratorate of China, premiered on provincial station Hunan Satellite Television yesterday (March. 28)

Chinese mother of man wrongfully executed over rape and murder gets 2.7m yuan payout | South China Morning Post The amount is far less than the 13.9 million yuan demanded by the family of Nie Shubin.

新的历史条件下我们党治国理政的总方略-人民日报 Zhen Zhanmin, vice president of the Central Party School, on page 7 of 3.30.17 People’s Daily on the Party’s overall strategy for governing the nation in the “new historical conditions”  //  问题是时代的声音，战略是对问题的回应。党的十八大以来，以习近平同志为核心的党中央着眼党和国家事业长远发展，把握时代和实践提出的新课题新要求，不断深化全面建成小康社会、全面深化改革、全面依法治国、全面从严治党的各项部署，提出和确立了“四个全面”战略布局。“四个全面”战略布局体现了历史逻辑与时代逻辑、理论逻辑与实践逻辑的有机统一，体现了以习近平同志为核心的党中央宽广的政治视野和强烈的历史担当，成为新的历史条件下我们党治国理政的总方略。- （作者：甄占民 中央党校副校长）

Chinese local governments admit to major cover-up of 2012 flood deaths | South China Morning Post Authorities of Liaoyang and Anshan, two prefectural level cities in Liaoning province, publicly admitted that the previously released death tolls were deliberately underreported, but did not provide updated numbers.

China: Major Tibetan Buddhist Institution Faces Further Demolitions | Human Rights Watch “China is aggressively dismantling religious freedom along with religious life at Larung Gar by subjecting many expelled monks and nuns to forced re-education,” said Sophie Richardson, China director at Human Rights Watch.

8省市调整省级党政领导 2名干部自中央“空降”–地方领导–人民网 人民网北京3月30日电 （唐嘉艺）近日，中央密集调整地方党政领导，继前两日调整11省区市省级党委常委后（点击查看相关文章），再次集中调整8省市党政领导。其中，履新北京市委常委的阴和俊，履新陕西省委常委、省纪委书记的贺荣均由中央“空降”。 //  Comment: Party leadership committee personnel changes in Shaanxi, Beijing, Hubei, Guangdong, Hainan and Chongqing, including officials sent from the center to Beijing and Shaanxi

最高法在全国推行跨域立案诉讼服务–法制网 法制网泉州（福建）3月30日电 记者 蔡长春 3月30日至31日，全国法院“跨域立案诉讼服务”试点工作培训会在福建泉州召开。最高人民法院副院长景汉朝在会上强调，要深入学习习近平总书记重要讲话精神，认真贯彻十二届全国人大五次会议精神，切实落实最高人民法院党组关于推行跨域立案诉讼服务的指示，积极回应新形势下人民群众多元司法需求，进一步提升诉讼服务便民、利民、为民的水平。

中央驻地方直属单位公务员十大飙泪点！ 一般人听到这些高大上名字，特别是上访后回到村里炕上一唠嗑，中央驻地方直属单位（戏称：中央军），就变成了一个人人向往的地方，但实际上……工资待遇比地方低，春节回家，七大八大姨一定叽叽喳喳你们国家干部待遇多好多好，殊不知地方的亲儿子们，已经超越了姥姥不疼舅舅不亲的中央军公务员了。同样是收税的，国税就是地狱，地税就是天堂。

FOREIGN AND DEFENSE AFFAIRS

牵动国际视线的重大外交行动（钟声）–国际–人民网 Comment: 3.31 People’s Daily “Zhong Sheng” on Xi’s upcoming visits to Finland and the US  //  得其大者兼其小，登泰山则众山小。正因为中美关系对两国、对世界都很重要，双方在把握和设计两国关系走向时，尤其需要有历史纵深感和未来前瞻力。从历史视角看，中美建交以来，两国关系不断向前发展，给两国人民带来了实实在在的利益，也促进了世界和地区和平、稳定、繁荣。事实证明，合作是中美两国唯一的正确选择。当前，中美关系发展面临重要机遇，世界对中美关系保持稳定发展也充满期待。英国《金融时报》不久前即在评论文章中着重指出，世界的未来取决于中美关系，两国之间存在着共同利益。

Chinese military serious about opposing THAAD deployment: spokesperson – Xinhua and it is “absolutely not just saying it,” said Wu Qian, spokesperson for the Ministry of National Defense on Thursday.

Will Trump stand up for South Korea with China’s Xi Jinping? – The Washington Post With a changeover in government coming to Seoul soon that could see a much more China-friendly leadership take power, the Chinese intimidation campaign is ramping up and the United States has largely remained silent. Republican lawmakers in both chambers of the U.S. Congress are calling on the Trump administration to do more. “The Chinese are trying to use this moment to rattle the nerves of an incoming administration in South Korea. If there’s any time that we need to protect our ally, it’s now,” Cory Gardner (R-Colo.), chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations subcommittee on Asia

Chinese women golfers may shun LPGA event amid China-South Korea tensions | Reuters Chinese golfers on the U.S. women’s tour may decide not to play in a tournament next month in Hawaii sponsored by South Korean conglomerate Lotte Group, a sign that fallout from a diplomatic row between Beijing and Seoul over a missile defense system is increasingly spilling into the sports world.

Australian Professor Feng Chongyi’s daughter asks China to allow ‘kind, generous’ father to return home – ABC News Speaking to ABC News in her first interview since her father was questioned by Chinese officials, Feng Yunsi has appealed for his speedy return.

China blocked Sydney academic from leaving to ‘safeguard national security’ | Reuters “In order to safeguard China’s national security, the relevant departments took measures in accordance with law against Chinese citizen Feng Chongyi to prevent him from leaving the country,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said at a regular press briefing in Beijing. “Feng Chongyi is a Chinese citizen… If this was an Australian citizen, and Australian authorities wanted to open an investigation, then (the citizen) would also be obliged to comply.”

Julie Bishop condemns colleagues over China extradition treaty collapse-Sydney Morning Herald “If we are going to say these safeguards are worthless, that means we will never have an extradition treaty that doesn’t have the same legal system as our western democracy.  // Comment: Did she also condemn the Chinese for their treatment of Feng Chongyi?

China steps up university influence effort-The Australian As recently as last week, in the days before Dr Feng Chongyi was interviewed by Chinese officials, the head of a Chinese government ­department aimed at influencing Chinese people living abroad toured Australian universities. The Overseas Chinese Affairs Office director, Qiu Yuanping, toured Australia, meeting with University of Sydney leaders, and UTS donor Huang Xiangmo. The Australian can reveal that despite resigning as chairman of the UTS Australia China Relations Institute last year amid controversy over Chinese “soft power” in Australia, Mr Huang has become an adjunct professor with the institute.

First China-built carrier on target for April 23 launch | South China Morning Post China’s defence ministry has confirmed that the country’s first locally built aircraft carrier has entered its final stage of construction before the hull is launched, which media reports suggest could be as early as April 23, the founding anniversary of the navy.

China building navy’s biggest amphibious assault vessel, sources say | South China Morning Post The 075 Landing Helicopter Dock is now under construction by a Shanghai-based shipbuilding company, the sources said. The amphibious vessel is far larger than similar ships previously constructed for the PLA Navy.

China hack cost Ottawa ‘hundreds of millions,’ documents show – The Globe and Mail China’s state-sponsored cyberattack on the National Research Council’s computer infrastructure cost Ottawa hundreds of millions of dollars, according to federal documents that shed light on fallout from the 2014 breach.

Inside the Ring: Pentagon tightens security on China contacts – Washington Times Security officials also are urging Defense Department travelers to avoid transit through the communist state after several incidents involving Americans who were detained or harassed on the way to third countries. The changes to the DoD Foreign Clearance Guide for prior approval of all contacts with Chinese involving technology. The new rules also limit travel by Pentagon workers to or through China.

[视频]中宣部授予徐立平“时代楷模”称号_CCTV 近日，中共中央宣传部授予航天科技集团四院7416厂职工，从事火箭发动机固体燃料整形工作的国家高级技师徐立平同志“时代楷模”荣誉称号。徐立平参加工作30年来，一直从事航天发动机燃料微整形工作，他亲手修整的发动机，为我国多型运载火箭，战略战术导弹武器提供动力，保证飞行的精度和安全。

Reading North Korea news in China: Conspiracy theories and “bathroom language” | NK News – North Korea News not enough attention was granted to a more important and interesting pursuit: essays and editorials published in Chinese before and during Tillerson’s visit, all of which provide insight into China’s approach to the North Korean issue.  This article will try, partially, to remedy the imbalance, and to demonstrate a handful of the problems facing the Trump administration as it tries to calibrate how far China is willing to go in restraining North Korea.

Chinese vice premier attends Arctic forum – Xinhua

HONG KONG, MACAO AND TAIWAN

China says weapons won’t stop unification with Taiwan | Reuters “Separatist Taiwan independence forces and their activities are the greatest threat to peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait,” Chinese Defence Ministry spokesman Wu Qian told a monthly news briefing. “It is futile to ‘use weapons to refuse unification’, and is doomed to have no way out,” he added, without elaborating.

Taiwan and the Missile Defense Dilemma – Taiwan Sentinel Missile defense continues to play a major role in Taiwan’s defense plans, and getting it right as the threat matrix evolves will be a great challenge for defense planners here.

TECH AND MEDIA

Why China Can’t Get Enough of Elon Musk – WSJ “He’s not an ordinary genius: There are less than 10 people alive who can do what he does and think what he thinks. He is most likely the next Thomas Edison or Jeff Bezos in this generation,” says Joe Chen, chief executive of social-networking and financial-technology company Renren.  // Comment: Sad that the WSJ quotes a CEO who is in the process of looting his company’s most valuable asset from shareholders of US-listed renn by dramatically underpaying to take it private. I bought shares for the exposure to SoFI, Chen and his cronies on the board are now screwing shareholders as hard as they can, with impunity.

China’s ‘League of Legends’ Criticized for Rewriting History | Sixth Tone even though the game has been a massive hit, the Guangming Daily journalist was less than excited, writing in an article on Tuesday that while the game’s characters were named after historic heroes, their depictions were a far cry from historical accuracy. Consequently, the article argued, the game could have a negative influence on its youngest players, leading them to confuse fantasy and history.

Tencent Leads $200M Round In Chinese Digital Healthcare Firm Haodaifu – China Money Network The investment is the latest in a string of healthcare sector deals by Tencent over the past two years. In 2015, the Chinese Internet giant led a round worth tens of millions of RMB in mobile healthcare app Miaoshou Doctor. It also participated in a US$300 million series E round in online hospital appointment service provider Guahao during the same year.

Hong Kong Owner of Forbes Media Plans to Maintain Control: Source – Caixin Global The Hong Kong-based owner of Forbes Media is interested in selling a stake in the company but wants to maintain a controlling share of the U.S. publishing giant, a knowledgeable source told Caixin.

SOCIETY, ART, SPORTS, CULTURE AND HISTORY

China has an irrational fear of a “black invasion” bringing drugs, crime and interracial marriage — Quartz The past year or so has seen heated debate among black people living in China about what locals think of them. In interviews with Quartz, black residents referred to online comments and racist ads as more extreme examples, but said they are symptomatic of broader underlying attitudes.

Archaeologists in China believe they have found ancient Silk Road capital | South China Morning Post Archaeologists in Xinjiang believe an ancient city and three tombs they unearthed in the Lop Nor area of a desert was the capital of the Loulan Kingdom along the ancient Silk Road.

Dashan Dishes on the Challenges of Standup Ahead of March 30 Bookworm Gig | the Beijinger The famed crosstalk star and CCTV Spring Festival gala mainstay sometimes recounts this funny debacle during his recent and upcoming Chinese language standup shows like his forthcoming April 13 Melbourne International Comedy Festival gig, along with occasional English language appearances

Five reasons why the NHL in China will (and won’t) be successful-China Sports Insider A large contingent of NHL executives made the trip out to China this week to announce the league’s first initiatives in the country: preseason games between the LA Kings and the Vancouver Canucks in Shanghai (Sept 21) and Beijing (Sept 23), kicking off an eight-year slate of games, which could be upgraded to regular season match-ups as early as 2018. Let’s take a look at some of the factors that might help the NHL in China, as well as the obstacles that lie ahead.

ENERGY, ENVIRONMENT, SCIENCE AND HEALTH

Two Chinese Reactors’ Construction on Track Despite Westinghouse Bankruptcy Filing – Caixin Global SNPIC has been working with Westinghouse to build state-of-the-art nuclear plants in Sanmen, Zhejiang province, and Haiyang, Shandong province. The reactors at the sites will have Westinghouse’s AP1000 technology — third-generation technology touted as far safer than the second-generation reactors commonly used worldwide.

Recent Breakthrough in Olfactory Associative Learning Has Sweet Smell of Success – Caixin Global Zhang’s team has used recently developed optogenetic technology to show for the first time what individual neurons do when the brain pieces together spatial and nonspatial information about a new environment. Zhang’s project is a sign that China’s neuroscience labs are catching up with top institutes elsewhere in the world, Tsinghua University professor Guan Jisong told Caixin…“Neuroscience and brain research” is one of four major arms of the Scientific and Technological Innovation 2030 plan announced by China’s State Council last year. Following in the footsteps of the EU and the U.S., which have made large investments in neuroscience, China has drafted its own national “brain plan

“2+26”城市今年大气污染治理任务公布-新华网 “2+26”城市是指京津冀大气污染传输通道，包括北京，天津，河北省石家庄、唐山、廊坊、保定、沧州、衡水、邢台、邯郸，山西省太原、阳泉、长治、晋城，山东省济南、淄博、济宁、德州、聊城、滨州、菏泽，河南省郑州、开封、安阳、鹤壁、新乡、焦作、濮阳。

9th batch of national parks announced The State Council issued the ninth batch of national parks on March 29, covering 19 scenic spots in 12 provincial regions.

China to promote garbage classification The State Council issued a plan to promote garbage classification on March 30, setting a goal for the recycling rate in cities where household garbage is sorted to reach 35 percent by 2020. The first batch of cities that are required to sort garbage by 2020 include Beijing, Shanghai, Tianjin, Chongqing and all capitals of provincial regions.

最高检开展破坏环境资源犯罪专项立案监督–法制网 Comment: Supreme People’s Court launches inspection campaign for enforcement of environmetal resourse destruction laws  //  法制网北京3月30日讯 记者刘子阳 最高人民检察院日前召开全国电视电话会议部署开展新一轮破坏环境资源犯罪专项立案监督活动。此轮专项立案监督活动将突出监督重点，紧盯问题严重的领域和影响重大的案件，重点监督人民群众反映强烈的空气、水体等方面的犯罪，盯住重点区域尤其是污染严重的京津冀、长三角、东三省、长江流域。

Defense Ministry’s regular press conference on March 30 Question: According to media reports, Ouyang Guohua, a professor of the PLA Academy of Military Economics, and his team, have made a major breakthrough in eliminating smog by employing meteorological methods. If this new technology is applied, can we expect the smog in Beijing to disappear? Answer: As I have learned, experts of the military have conducted relevant research on employing meteorological methods to eliminate smog, and some of the findings have gained national patents. However, it takes time before these research findings can be applied. We hope that by employing scientific methods and treating both the symptoms and root causes, we can see more and more blue skies year by year.

AGRICULTURE AND RURAL ISSUES

Agriculture fintech’s potential RMB three trillion market in China – TechNode China’s agriculture financing has an RMB three trillion gap, according to a report released by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (in Chinese). Fintech companies are eyeing the potentially lucrative market but first, they need to overcome the unique challenges that the industry poses.

EDUCATION

Requirements for post-graduate degree-granting credentials to tighten – Xinhua As China’s post-graduate education has rapidly developed in recent years and the number of students enrolled continues to increase, the document also calls for controlling the number of institutions with degree awarding-qualifications.

FOOD AND TRAVEL

Tourists from just one nation say politics makes them want to visit US more since Trump took office: China | South China Morning Post Many international travellers are citing the political climate in the US as a reason not to visit this year – but Chinese tourists are bucking the trend and say it makes them more likely to visit since Donald Trump took office, according to research by the tourism marketing agency Brand USA.

BOOKS AND LITERATURE

Liberating China’s Past: An Interview with Ke Yunlu | by Ian Johnson | NYR Daily | The New York Review of Books Ke currently lives in Beijing’s western suburbs with his wife, Luo Xueke. Since the crackdown on the Qigong movement in 1999, many of his most popular books have been banned and he has lived as a recluse, communicating with the outside world only sporadically through his blog, and refusing all interviews. For over a year, however, I conducted a formal interview with him by email, which Ke consented to have published.

JOBS AND EVENTS

Big Daddy Dough’s China Rap Album Launch Party Tickets, Fri, Apr 14, 2017 at 6:30 PM | Eventbrite Fri, April 14, 2017 6:30 PM – 9:30 PM MEI BAR Rosewood Hotel Beijing

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