Focus

June 11， 2013

The Shenzhou-10 spacecraft lifts off from northwestern Chinas Gobi desert， with three astronauts on board – Nie Haisheng， Zhang Xiaoguang and Wang Yaping.

Voices

“China is highly concerned about the Eus anti-dumping and anti-subsidy probes into Chinese photovoltaic products and mobile telecom equipment. The two cases will not only cause severe damage to related industries， enterprises and jobs in China， but also harm the interests of European clients and consumers. Besides， the measures will allow protectionism to have its way. China hopes the Eu will handle the two cases properly， give thought to the overall economic and trade relations between China and the Eu and uphold the principle of free trade.”

Premier Li Keqiang made the remarks in a speech delivered in Zurich on May 24. Li said that the Sino-Swiss foreign trade agreement signed on his trip will not only help boost bilateral cooperation， but also benefit China-Europe relations and set an important example for other countries. China will open up wider and speed up its free trade zone strategy. It holds an open attitude toward any cooperation that benefits the liberalization of trade and investment and regional economic integration， and opposes trade and investment protectionism in all forms.

“Predictions of ‘Chinas economic collapse have been heard recently. I believe that Chinas slowing economic growth is cyclical， not structural， which can be resolved by increasing investment. The Chinese economy is fully capable of maintaining eight percent average annual growth for another 20 years，” said Justin yifu lin， former chief economist and senior vice president of the World Bank， in his speech at the China Economic Forum.

Lin acknowledged that the current slowdown in Chinas economic growth is the longest and most remarkable since the commencement of the countrys opening-up and reform. This， however， is nothing remarkable when seen in the global context. Many developed countries have even experienced negative growth recently. Lin suggested that investing in urban infrastructure in China could generate considerable economic and social benefits. However， economic growth must be based on improving labor productivity. Meanwhile， China should accelerate technical innovation and industrial upgrading.

On Chinese Media

China Reform

Issue No. 5， published on May 1， 2013

Chinas Diplomatic Offensive

From the Korean Peninsula and the Syria conflict to climate change and the global financial system， Chinas stances on matters of global concern are closely followed by the rest of the world. The Asian countrys prominence in the international community has risen steadily over the past few decades thanks to its economy – now the worlds second largest， its colossal foreign trade volume， its huge domestic market， the active role it plays in multilateral organizations， as well as the growing strength of its military.

Opening-up and reform has been the cardinal state policy of China since it was introduced at the end of the 1970s. Every administration since then has pushed the policy further.

While the essential tenets of opening-up and reform remain unchanged， priorities and specific measures adopted within the broader scope of the policy have nevertheless evolved with the times. Adjustments are made to match changes in Chinas economic and political strength and the global geopolitical landscape in general.

For any one country， either overestimating or underestimating its status in the world can be disastrous. Taking a rosy view of ones national strength can lead to reckless economic and social policy at home and unnecessary confrontations on the world stage. Underestimating ones own clout， on the other hand， can result in domestic and foreign policies that fail to properly serve national interests. In either case， the citizens of the country come out worse off than they should be.

The growing economic strength of China is good news for the rest of the world， but just as British Foreign Secretary William Hague has said， the rise of emerging powers means shifts in the international order， which has essentially remained unchanged since the conclusion of World War Two.

In short， the approach Chinas new leadership takes on global affairs will have lasting and profound impacts on the development of foreign relations across the world.

Caijing

Issue No. 14， published on May 20， 2013

The Setting “Golden Sun”

It was four years of good times for Chinas photovoltaic industry. Enterprises benefited from tens of billions of Renminbi in government funding. Today， as global photovoltaic market woes hit Chinese shores， the industrys fortunes look a lot grimmer.

Prior to 2009 Chinas photovoltaic （PV） industry was almost completely reliant on foreign markets for its supply of raw materials， equipment and sales. Over 95 percent of China-made PV modules were exported.

In response to the international financial crisis beginning in 2008， Chinas policy makers saw the need to nurture the domestic market for photovoltaics， deemed a key future industry. The Golden Sun program was subsequently launched， under the auspices of which PV power generation projects were heavily subsidized.

This year the ministries responsible for the Golden Sun program decided not to take on new applications for the program， and to revoke subsidies for projects that fail to be completed on time. In doing so， theyve effectively killed the scheme. Industry players are sitting tight.

South Reviews

Issue No. 11， published on May 22， 2013

Going to Sea

The ocean is the new front in Chinas economic development. In June 2011 the State Council， Chinas cabinet， approved the Zhoushan Islands in the East China Sea as a new district of “national strategic significance，” after Pudong in Shanghai， Binhai in Tianjin and Liangjiang in Chongqing. It is also the only district of its kind earmarked to specialize in the ocean economy.

China has roughly 7，000 islands of 500 square meters or more within its territory. Traditionally islands have been valued for their significance to national defense. But as the nations land area becomes increasingly crowded and the exploration and exploitation of terrestrial resources approaches a peak， many see a maritime future for Chinas economy.

Economy and Nation Weekly

Issue No. 10， published on May 13， 2013

Curbed Spending on Government Cars

Dong Yang， secretary general of the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers， reported to media that the government would soon release new standards for the procurement of government vehicles that aim to rein in official spending.

Last year the central governments outlays on official receptions， business trips abroad and vehicle purchasing and maintenance totaled RMB 8.095 billion. RMB 4.43 billion was spent on vehicles.

Policy makers have made efforts to reform the governments automobile purchasing process， loopholes in which are partly to blame for budget blowouts. The new standards being drafted aim to improve the governments image among the public and boost domestic automobile brands. However the government is yet to shed light on important information concerning the standards； for instance on whether they will distinguish between joint venture models and domestic brands.

21st Century Business Review

Issue No. 10， published on May 24， 2013

Real Estate Trust Worries

Chinese investment trusts are walking a fine line these days. As the countrys benchmark interest rate moves higher， real estate trusts， long a favorite investment destination for domestic funds， are beginning to look a lot less attractive. Some even fear a nationwide bust in the near future.

By the end of the last decade cheap money was fueling a domestic building spree. The financing needs of property developers grew， and with them the size of real estate trusts. The market peaked in 2009 and many investors panicked as they saw the value of bricks and mortar fall.

Real estate trusts weathered the 2009 freeze relatively well. The general investor publics confidence in their ability to perform has stayed strong. Some worry this confidence is misplaced， however； regulation on trusts， unlike on outright property purchases， remains lax. The line between the official and the shadow banking system where trusts are concerned has blurred， and regulators alarm bells have been ringing. Recently the China Banking Regulatory Commission issued regulations to tighten risk controls on non-standard credit assets， including trusts. Whether trusts are heading for a rough patch is yet to be seen.

Liu Yunshan Meets with DPRK Special Envoy

On May 23， Liu Yunshan， member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee， met in the Great Hall of the People with Choe Ryong Hae， special envoy of DPRK leader Kim Jong Un. Liu said it is the consistent position of the CPC and the Chinese government to consolidate and develop friendly relations between the two countries. He pointed out that peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula is in line with the common interests of all countries in the region. He expressed hope that all relevant parties should persist with the goal of denuclearization， focus on maintaining peace and stability on the peninsula， resolve problems through dialogue and consultation， and restart the six-party talks. Choe said the DPRK is ready to work with China to push forward the development of bilateral relations. He said the DPRK hopes to concentrate its efforts on developing its economy and improving peoples livelihood， and is ready to create a peaceful external environment for this. The DPRK highly appreciates the effort that the Chinese side has made in maintaining peace and stability on the peninsula and bringing the Korean Peninsula issue back on the track of dialogue and consultation. The DPRK is willing to take Chinas advice to engage in dialogue with all relevant parties.

China Vows to Further International Cooperation on Disaster Reduction

On May 23， Jiang Li， Chinas vice minister of civil affairs， said in a speech at the Fourth Session of the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction in Geneva， Switzerland， that the Chinese government is willing to work with the international community to strengthen cooperation in disaster prevention and relief， push forward the Hyogo Framework for Action and share disaster prevention and risk reduction experience. China will lend its support at the UN to including disaster risk reduction in the international development agenda. It will actively participate in formulating the post-2015 international disaster risk reduction framework， so as to facilitate the stable， healthy and sustainable development of all nations. Initiated and held by UNISDR（the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction）， the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction is a key international mechanism for countries and stakeholders to share experience and formulate strategic guidance. Jiang Li was also invited to talk with Margareta Wahlstrom， special representative of the UN Secretary-General for disaster risk reduction. They exchanged opinions on the partnership between the Chinese government and UNISDR and problems of common concern， reaching extensive consensus.

UNESCO Announces Hangzhou Declaration

On May 17， UNESCO concluded an international congress on “Culture： Key to Sustainable Development” in Hangzhou， Zhejiang Province. Over the course of the three-day meeting， over 400 representatives from 81 countries and 20-plus international organizations debated and finally formed the Hangzhou Declaration， calling upon the world to make culture the core of sustainable development policies. It is the first time since the Stockholm Conference in 1998 that UNESCO has held a conference dedicated to the promotion of cultural policy. The Hangzhou Declaration put forward seven measures on culture， including the integration of culture into all development policies and plans， facilitating the role of culture in poverty reduction and inclusive development， and the development of culture to promote environmental sustainability. Hao Ping， Chinas vice minister of education and chairman of the China National Commission of UNESCO， said that the measures proposed by the declaration represented the latest points of view of the international community on culture and sustainable development， would have a significant impact on the worlds post-2015 development agenda and mark a milestone in the global history of cultural development.

Arctic Council Grants China Permanent Observer Status

On May 15， the Arctic Council granted permanent observer status to China， India， Italy， Japan， the Republic of Korea and Singapore at its eighth ministerial meeting in Kiruna， Sweden. Gao Feng， special representative for climate change talks of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs， said at the conference that China first applied for observer status in 2006 and the goal has been finally realized after seven years. Though lacking the power to vote， a permanent observer is automatically invited to the groups meetings. A permanent observer has the right to speak， put forward project proposals， and participates in the working teams affiliated to the council. Gao Feng said Chinas chief aim is to learn more about the arctic region. The Artic Council is an important conduit through which to push forward international cooperation in the area. The council was founded in Ottawa， Canada in September 1996. It aims to protect the environment of the Arctic and promote economic and social well-being in the region. The membership includes Finland， Sweden， Norway， Denmark， Iceland， Canada， the U.S. and Russia.

Figures

4.6 Percent

The Employment Promotion Department of the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security recently revealed its job creation targets for 2013. Measures will be taken to help at least nine million urban residents start their careers， five million laid-off workers return to work and 1.2 million people with disadvantages enter the workforce. The registered urban unemployment rate is expected to stay below 4.6 percent.

RMB 10 Billion

According to the Ministry of Education， undergraduate students at universities and junior colleges in central and western China account for 65.5 percent of the national total. Institutions of higher learning in these two regions are however well behind their peers in the rest of the nation in terms of teaching excellence. To improve their academic performance the state has implemented a plan covering the regions for the period 2012-2020. According to the plan， China has earmarked RMB 10 billion for undergraduate programs in 100 universities in central and western China in the period 2012-2015， and more will be on the way.

20.2 Percent

A bulletin from the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security announced that 25 Chinese provinces raised their minimum monthly wages by an average 20.2 percent last year. The highest minimum monthly wage is in Shenzhen of Guangdong Province， at RMB 1，500. Many regions allow a three-month buffer period for local enterprises when mandating a rise in the minimum wage.

US $7.1 Billion

Smithfield Foods， Inc. and Chinas Shuanghui International Holdings Limited announced that they have entered into a definitive merger agreement that values the Virginia-based company and worlds largest pork producer at approximately US $7.1 billion. Shuanghui International is the dominant shareholder of Henan Shuanghui Investment & Development Co.， which is Chinas largest meat processing enterprise and largest listed meat products company.

Society

Forbidden City Goes Smoke-free

On International Museum Day （May 18） Shan Jixiang， curator of the Palace Museum， announced that the Forbidden City would for the first time in its 600-year history have a total smoking ban. Punitive measures will be handed out to staff members who break the rule， and tourists who light up on the property and refuse to abstain when cautioned may be arrested. Though no-smoking signs had been set up previously across the mostly wooden palace complex that housed 24 emperors during the Ming and Qing dynasties （1368-1911）， it is not uncommon to see tourists puffing on cigarettes on the premises and endangering these centuriesold buildings.

Migrant Workers on the Rise

A report by the National Bureau of Statistic says that the population of Chinas migrant workers reached 262.61 million in 2012， 9.83 million more than the previous year. Their average age is 37.3 years， and those aged below 40 account for 59.3 percent， compared with 70 percent in 2008. As many as 60.5 percent of this group have nine years schooling. The majority have not received any vocational training.

Manufacturing， construction and service industries remain the top employers of these former farmhands， with manufacturing accommodating 35.7 percent of them. Eastern provinces still have the largest presence of migrant workers at 64.7 percent， or 169.8 million. Their average monthly salary stood at RMB 2，290 at the end of 2012， up RMB 241 over the year before.

China Issues Human Rights White Paper

The Chinese government released a white paper detailing the progress made in human rights in 2012， stressing its achievements in improving living standards and expanding room for citizens to express their opinions.

“After years of unremitting efforts， China has reached a higher level in terms of living standards， democracy， rule of law， cultural development， social security and environmental protection，” the white paper says. It points to economic development as the key to solving existing problems and facilitating the progress of human rights in China. The country has prioritized peoples rights to subsistence and benefiting from economic development and made efforts to promote the comprehensive and balanced improvements of their economic， social and cultural rights， as well as their civil and political rights， it notes.

World No. 2 Diamond Consumer

China is now the worlds second largest diamond consumer after the U.S. Last year the value of diamond sales in Shanghai grew by 63 percent， overtaking other global diamond trade centers such as Antwerp， Tel Aviv-Yafo and Mumbai. Furthermore， figures from De Beers Diamond Jewellers show that total diamond sales across China rose by 20 percent in 2012.

The spike is attributed to a surge in weddings – over 10 million Chinese couples have tied the knot every year since 2011. Another factor is that the precious stone has become a new favorite of Chinese investors amid increasing uncertainties in the stock and real estate markets.

NCPA Production Il Barbiere di Siviglia

Date： July 18-21

Place： National Center for Performance Art

Price： RMB 880/680/600/550/380/280/100

Il Barbiere di Siviglia， or The Barber of Seville， is a two-act comic opera composed by Gioachina Rossini with a libretto by Cesare Sterbini. The opera tells a story of smart and meddlesome barber Figaro in the city of Siviglia who contrives to help two lovers come together.

Based on the eponymous French play by Beaumarchais written four decades earlier， it premiered in Rome in 1816， and has stood the test of time to be a mainstay of operatic repertoire. The production to be performed at the NCPA in Beijing this July is a collaboration between the center and the Castleton Festival.

BBC Concert Orchestra： A Night at the Proms

Date： July 18

Place： Shanghai Oriental Art Center

Price： RMB 80/180/380/580/880/1280

The BBC Concert Orchestra has a history stretching back to the 1930s， performing music programs that have been broadcast over the radio and later on television. Famous for their versatility， the players can turn their hands to genres as varied as classical， jazz and film music. As part of the BBCs annual series of summer concerts， the Proms， the orchestra will be broadcasting straight from their tour of China. On July 18 they will perform British masterpieces by such greats as Edward Elgar and Vaughn Williams conducted by veteran music director Barry Wordsworth. Chinese audiences will also get the opportunity to hear Julian Webber， one of the worlds most celebrated living cellists， in the flesh.

Economy

China Introduces Carbon Tax

The draft of the Law on Environmental Protection Tax of the Peoples Republic of China has been sent to associations of concerned industries， namely those that are high polluting and high energy consuming such as steel， electricity， non-ferrous metal and coal. The proposed law incorporates Chinas first carbon tax into the existing environmental protection taxation system. In addition， pollutant discharge fees have been increased.

In order to reduce resistance to the reform， the taxation will first cover certain regions and items that have established mature technical standards and are in need of greater control. Later the scheme will be expanded to the whole country and other items. China will set the carbon dioxide tax collection schedule in light of Chinas climate change mitigation responsibilities and international negotiations.

With tax cuts in other areas， the new policies will not increase the overall tax burden on businesses. Trade associations of involved industries have complained that extra taxes will cost their members hundreds of billions of Renminbi every year. The power industry claims that it will be unable to make ends meet under the weight of these new levies.

Three Consecutive Months of FDI Growth

Foreign investment in China has maintained relatively steady growth this year. In the January-April period， foreign investment in actual use reached US $38.34 billion， up 1.21 percent year-on-year. US $8.435 billion of this lot occurred in April， gaining 0.4 percent year-on-year， marking three consecutive months of growth.

In the first quarter of this year， foreign investment realized in the sector of communication devices， computer and other electronic apparatus increased by 12.08 percent， and that in transport equipment manufacturing rose by 29.33 percent. Strong growth was also reported in retailing， transport services and electricity， gas and water industries –32.79， 57.29 and 146.2 percent respectively. For the same period， the figure for real estate decreased by 6.32 percent year-on-year.

Sci-Tech

New Dinosaur Species Found in Xinjiang

Biologists have discovered fossilized remains of a baby dinosaur in China. The dinosaur is a new species of small theropod. Named Aorun after the mythical Dragon King of the Western Sea， it lived more than 161 million years ago. Its small， numerous teeth suggest that it ate prey like lizards and small antecedents of todays mammals and crocodiles. In a research paper published in the Journal of Systematic Paleontology， researchers explained that they were able to recover a partial skeleton including the skull and mandible of the dinosaur in 2006， in a remote region of Xinjiang. It measured just one meter long and weighed 1.3 kilograms.

“All that was exposed on the surface was a bit of the leg，” said Professor James Clark of the George Washington University. “We were pleasantly surprised to find a skull buried in the rock too.”

Microscopic details of Aoruns bones showed that the animal was less than one year old when it died on the banks of a stream. This is the fifth new theropod discovered at the Wucaiwan locality by the team Clark and Xu Xing of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

Large Tungsten Mine Discovered in Jiangxi

More than one million tons of tungsten and associated copper have been confirmed at a mine in the Zhuxi mineral area of Fuliang County in northeastern Jiangxi Province. The average grade of tungsten ores is 0.64-0.65 percent， with the maximum at eight percent. This is five times the minimum mining grade.

Jiangxi is also home to the worlds largest tungsten mine in Wuning County， Jiujiang City， whose reserves total 1.06 million tons. Geologists said they expect to find more tungsten at the newly discovered mine， which could oust the

mine in Wuning County as the worlds largest.

Marine Economy Will Mature after 2030

Chinas Ocean Development Report（2013）， released by the China Institute for Marine Affairs under the State Oceanic Administration， has forecast that Chinas marine economy will come of age after 2030.

The output value of Chinas marine sector increased 7.9 percent to more than RMB 5 trillion in 2012， accounting for 9.6 percent of the countrys GDP. “In the next 10 to 20 years， strategic emerging marine industries will usher in sustainable and healthy development of the marine economy，” the report stated. It also pointed out some conspicuous imbalances， such as neglect of more distant， deeper offshore developments in favor of those closer to the coast， and prioritizing exploration of resources over the health of the marine environment. Furthermore， it highlighted that achieving green growth is becoming the major challenge for the current and future marine economy.

China and the U.S. Cooperate on Cross-border Financial Supervision

The China Securities Regulatory Commission （CSRC） and the Ministry of Finance announced that China has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding （MOU） with the U.S.s Public Company Accounting Oversight Board （PCAOB） to officially cooperate in cross-border investigation and law enforcement concerning accounting and audit.

According to the MOU， after going through procedures with the CSRC and the Ministry of Finance， in situations meeting certain conditions the PCAOB can request China to provide audit documents from Chinese accounting firms registered with it whose business in the U.S. is embroiled in criminal cases. China hopes this will help crack down on criminal activities and avoid baseless accusations against Chinese companies listed overseas.

Promising DNA Findings Unveiled

Chinese scientists have revealed in a thesis published in Cell that it is the DNA methylome of sperm， not oocytes， that are inherited by offspring.

The discovery was made by a team led by researcher Liu Jiang and associate researcher Ci Weimin from the Beijing Institute of Genomics under the Chinese Academy of Sciences. The research team conducted experiments on zebrafish， which share 85 percent of their genetic material with human beings. They found that sperm DNA methylome， as well as parental DNA， are inherited by zebrafish embryos and guide embryonic development.

The results have overturned a previous theory that the maternal methylation pattern is maintained throughout early embryogenesis， Liu said.

This research will help provide a theoretical foundation for medical research including the development of new treatments for certain diseases and advances in fertility treatment.

China Mapping Organization Wins International Award

The National Administration of Surveying， Mapping and Geoinformation （SBSM） was presented the award for National Mapping Organization of the Year 2012 in the 2013 Geospatial World Forum held in the Netherlands last May. The biennial Geospatial World Forum is a premier event for the global geospatial community， showcasing state-of-the-art technology and its use in the world economy. In previous years the award has been won by the surveying and mapping administrations from the UK， Canada， Switzerland and New Zealand for their contributions to surveying and mapping.

SBSMs plans for 2013 including the establishment of an information service platform for global land cover remote sensing and mapping by the end of the year will fill in current blanks in global mapping geoinformation.

Cool Gadgets

Ice Cream Doorstop

Dont get upset or run for the mop and bucket before mom gets home – that half melted ice cream cone is actually plastic！ This fun design can double as both a playful prank and a handy doorstop.

Air-O-Swiss Ultrasonic Travel Humidifier

The cool new Air-O-Swiss Ultrasonic Travel Humidifier is compact， lightweight and harnesses ultrasonic technology to create a fine cool mist and a comfortable environment. The space-saving device fits easily into your luggage. It is perfect for travelers heading for dryer climes or for boosting the humidity in your office or bedroom.

ITap Phone Charger

Those bored with dull， utilitarian chargers need look no further. The iTap is shaped just like a faucet and adds a sense of humor to the mundane task of charging phones and tablets. Just plug it into any socket and twist the top to start the power flowing from its USB slot to whatever device you choose – its as simple as that！