FOCUS

Visitors collect information at the Shanghai Pilot Free Trade Zone’s service center. The launch of the FTZ is regarded as another crucial move in China’s reform and opening-up.

voices

“Chinese reforms are experiencing two types of transition： institutional and developmental. Structural adjustment of GDP is more important than simply pursuing higher GDP numbers，” said Chinese economist Li Yining. Li made a speech on September 16 at the Chinese Cultural Center in Madrid， Spain on China’s present economic situation covering five topics： top-level design and confidence， land rights， income distribution system reforms， urbanization， and balanced development of state-owned and private enterprises. With regards to China’s much-discussed economic growth， Li believes that an annual increase between seven and eight percent is an appropriate pace for China.

“I am very encouraged by the Chinese government’s commitment to reforms to sustain growth and to improve the lives of its people …China is moving from its old model of exportoriented growth toward a less investment-driven and more consumer-driven economy. Instead of focusing on the quantity of its growth， China is now focusing on structural reforms to improve the quality of growth，” remarked World bank Group President Jim Yong Kim.

On September 15， Jim Yong Kim made his second visit to China since his election to the post of World Bank Group President last year. On this occasion he called for the strengthening of cooperation with China on climate change and urbanization， among other sectors. He expressed the belief that the newly established Shanghai Free Trade Zone is another boost to China’s economy.

Outlook Weekly

Issue No. 36， published on September 9， 2013

China Growth Props up the World Economy

The theme of the G20 summit in St. Petersburg， held from September 5 to 6， was on economic growth and employment – one eminently justified considering today’s complex international environment.

The quantitative easing policies adopted by certain developed countries to boost their troubled economies have been effective domestically， but at the cost of transferring risks abroad. Already on the plateaus of the high-tech sector and the industrial revolution， developed countries are securing their advantages by stepping up restructuring and enhancing alliances among themselves. These economic and trade strategies with dual emphasis on the Pacific and Atlantic regions， as spearheaded by the USA， have reversed to some extent the historical， institutional decline of some Western countries.

For emerging economies， the momentum of growth is abating. Lagging economic reforms and homogenous economic structures have led to such problems as capital flight， local-currency depreciation， hiccups in financial markets， and a marked slowdown in economic growth. The tug-of-war between developed and emerging economies has entered a new phase.

In his speech at the recent G20 summit， Chinese President Xi Jinping called on G20 members to build and safeguard an open international economy， and raised pragmatic and candid proposals toward this end. He also detailed China’s position on these issues， its own economic prospects， and the opportunities presented to the rest of the world. This can be seen as a shot of positive energy toward world economic recovery.

It is undeniable that China has been a key engine of world economic growth and recovery， before and since the global financial crisis.

China Economic Weekly

Issue No. 37， published on September 23， 2013

The Big Data Bonanza

One billion computers， four billion mobile phones， and countless internet terminals… One doesn’t have to look to official statistics to be familiar with the explosive growth of information in China. Digitalization is reshaping our daily lives at full speed.

Though the concept of “Big Data”did not receive much attention in China until last year， massive growth is predicted in the next three years. According to CCID Consulting Co.， Ltd.， China’s Big Data market was valued at RMB 450 million in 2012， 40.6 percent higher than the previous year. This figure will top RMB 10 billion in 2016.

Who will surf the waves in the age of Big Data？ China is for the most part now at the same starting point as the U.S. and the U.K.， which could offset the disadvantages it experienced in the new computer and later Internet eras.

Caijing

Issue No. 26， published on September 9， 2013

The Dilemma of GM Foods

Although there is still not enough evidence to show that Genetically Modified （GM） foods are not safe， the general public still believes GM foods may harm human health and the environment， because they are not natural. No matter where， in China or around the world， people’s doubts about GM foods have exerted great pressure on the approval and promotion of such foods.

China’s agricultural breeding is obviously at a crossroads. Although from a scientific perspective， it is unnecessary to clearly label food to show if it is GM， regulations are still there as an expedient to appease current public suspicion. Many people may not object to GM foods if it can be guaranteed that they can buy natural foods as an alternative. The supervisory departments of the EU must also comply with this mindset.

China Newsweek

Issue No. 34， published on September 16， 2013

The Dividing Line for China’s Housing Market

China’s housing market， having been heating up for the last 10 years， is finally approaching a dividing line. On the one hand， housing prices in frontline cities such as Beijing， Shanghai， Guangzhou and Shenzhen are still soaring， as land prices continue to hit record highs. On the other hand， supply exceeds demand in second- and third-tier cities， exposing the risks of a real-estate bubble.

Population flows are the major reason for this dividing line. Land supply in frontline cities has not seen much of a rise in contrast to expanding demand， resulting in high housing prices. In secondand third-tier cities， people keep leaving due to the lack of good job opportunities， and a shortage of public service resources in education and healthcare. Demand will shrink over the medium and long term. The decline of incomes from land sales is marking the end of the old“l(fā)and finance” path for local governments in China.

Economy Nation Weekly

Issue No. 19， published on September 16， 2013

Investigation into Traditional Chinese Medicine Safety

Traditional Chinese Medicine （TCM）– a system of healing from one of the oldest nations in the world – has played a distinctive and irreplaceable role to this day. It is undeniable that some of the international criticism of TCM is due to commercial protectionism and pressure from certain interests. China， as the birthplace and major producer of TCM， however， must devote more effort to boosting the development of TCM， in terms of policy and management.

Sources reveal that the Chinese Pharmacopoeia Commission is modifying the Pharmacopoeia of China， and widening the coverage of testing for pesticide residues in TCM products.

Just as markets will achieve real freedom once regulations and standards are formulated and implemented， so will the TCM market. With the market regulation in place， we expect the TCM industry to embrace thriving development.

Xi Jinping Meets His Venezuelan Counterpart

On September 22， Chinese President Xi Jinping held talks with Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. The two heads of state exchanged views on strengthening the strategic partnership for common development between the two countries as well as on international and regional issues， and reached broad consensus. Xi said that Venezuela is an important country in Latin America， and that China welcomed President Maduro and his administration’s continuation of the friendly policy toward China， regarding the bilateral ties between Venezuela and China as a priority in its foreign relations. Xi emphasized that China and Venezuela will maintain high-level exchanges and close relations between governments， legislative bodies and political parties， and exchange experiences on political party construction and economic development. Maduro said that Venezuela will communicate and coordinate with China on key international and regional issues， support the establishment of the China-Latin America Forum， and play a positive role in promoting cooperation between China and Latin America. After the talks， the two heads of state attended the signing ceremony involving cooperation in several fields including finance， culture， education， training， and personnel exchange.

Second International Forum on Public Diplomacy Held in the Hague

On September 19， the Second International Forum on Public Diplomacy opened in the Hague in the Netherlands， on the theme of “Culture and Understanding in ChinaEurope Relations.” Lü Fengding， chairman of the International Advisory of the Charhar Institute and former ambassador to Switzerland， led a delegation to the two-day event. Mr. Lü said： “Cultural exchange is a bond for creating further understanding and trust. In this regard， public diplomacy can and should play a more active role.” Huang Youyi， editor-in-chief of China International Publishing Group， said in a speech： “There are many cultural activities held by Europe in China， whereas Chinese activities are few in Europe. This could be called a ‘cultural deficit.’ Both sides can improve understanding and appreciation of one another’s culture by jointly working on events， books or films.”The forum released the resultant document， The Hague Consensus.

China and ASEAN Countries Promote Cooperation in Education

On September 16， the Sixth ChinaASEAN Education Cooperation Week opened in Guiyang， Guizhou Province. The conference called for comprehensive and practical cooperation between China and ASEAN in education， implementing the “Double 100，000 Students Plan，”strengthening cooperation in vocational education， improving the integration of higher education in China and ASEAN countries， and realizing accreditation recognition among colleges and universities. In 2010 at the First China-ASEAN Educational Ministers Roundtable， China first put forward the “Double 100，000 Students Plan.” Its goal is to increase the number of students from China and ASEAN studying in one another’s regions to 100，000 by 2020. To date， all ASEAN languages are taught in Chinese universities. China has also promoted Chinese language study in ASEAN countries. There are now 29 Confucius Institutes and 15 Confucius Classrooms in ASEAN countries. China has also established 10 training centers to cultivate qualified personnel for the economic and social development of ASEAN countries.

On September 22， Foreign Minister Wang Yi visited the headquarters of the United Nations in New York and met Secretary General Ban Ki-moon.

On September 23， Wang co-chaired the Third Round of China-Africa Ministerial Political Consultations at the UN. The meeting was co-chaired by his South African counterpart Maite Nkoana-Mashabane， and attended by foreign ministers or their representatives of over 40 African countries.

In a speech delivered at the 68th Session of the UN General Assembly general debate on September 24， Wang introduced the stance on development and foreign policies of the new Chinese government， comprehensively elaborated China’s claims on major international and regional issues， and made clear that China is willing， along with all member states of the UN， to contribute to defending world peace and the development of humankind.

On September 25， Wang gave a speech at the UN Special Event on the Millennium Development Goals （MDGs）. He said China has actively implemented the MDGs： It is the first developing country to meet the poverty reduction goal ahead of schedule and has made an important contribution to South-South cooperation.

Figures

US $56.5 Billion

During the first eight months of this year Chinese companies undertook US $56.5 billion of Overseas Direct Investment （ODI） in 3，583 overseas enterprises in 156 countries and regions – a year-on-year increase of 18.5 percent. US$39.11 billion， or 69.2 percent， of this sum went to seven major economies – Hong Kong， ASEAN， the EU， Australia， the U.S.， Russia and Japan. Other than in Hong Kong and Japan， which experienced a dip in investments from the Chinese mainland， these bodies reported substantial increases： 260.3 percent in the U.S.， 109.3 percent in the EU， 85.1 percent in Australia， 36.4 percent in Russia， and 24.2 percent in ASEAN.

399，600

The total number of Chinese studying abroad reached 399，600 in 2012， according to a Ministry of Education official. This makes China the world’s largest exporter of international students. Chinese undergraduates can be found on campuses in 100 or more countries. Europe， Asia and North America are the top three destinations. These students spend an average 1.9 years abroad. Economics and management are the most popular majors.

64.8 billion CFA Franc

China has offered Gabon a preferential loan of 64.8 billion CFA Franc （more than US $133 million） for the construction of a 93-km road in the enclosed region of Port Gentil， Gabon’s commercial capital. The largest proportion is earmarked for construction of a road linking Port Gentil to Omboue. The remainder will be spent on construction of a bridge over the Ogooue River. Gabon will repay the loan over 20 years with a grace period of seven years at an interest rate of two percent. Port Gentil is one of the most enclosed Gabonese towns. Currently， aircraft and boats are the sole means of transport to this town.

93，800 Metric Tons

The Ministry of Land and Resources has stipulated a maximum 93，800 metric tons of rare earth oxide exploration in 2013. The cap accords with a national plan to save resources and protect the environment. Although China is the world’s largest supplier of rare earth it has only 23 percent of global reserves. Decades of excessive exploitation have seriously damaged the environment. To curb environmental degradation and protect resources， China has also capped export quotas， applied stricter emissions standards and levied high resource taxes in recent years.

Stronger Measures Afoot to Check Air Pollution

The National Development and Reform Commission， the Ministry of Environmental Protection and four other ministries have jointly issued an action plan addressing air pollution in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region. Its goals are to reduce PM2.5 density in these areas by 25 percent of the 2012 level， and to control that in Beijing to around 60 micrograms per cubic meter by 2017. By the end of 2017， public transport is expected to constitute 60 percent of autos on the road in Beijing and Tianjin. Purchasers of new-energy cars will be exempted from license plate quotas and also eligible for subsidies. The plan also states that Beijing will cease approving labor-intensive manufacturing projects and relocate those in existence. An estimated 1，200 highly polluting operations will be moved away from the capital by the end of 2017.

Nationwide Smog Monitoring Network Imminent

There are plans afoot to assess the impact of air pollution on public health through a nationwide monitoring network. This latest measure aimed at dealing with China’s persistent urban smog crisis is expected to be complete within three to five years. The 43 monitoring stations to be set up in the 16 provinces and municipalities most frequently engulfed in smog will facilitate research into air pollutants in different regions. They will also gauge the impact of smog on the health of vulnerable groups and so contribute to the study of related diseases.

Dense， hazardous smog has hit 17 provinces and municipalities whose population totals 600 million. China recently laid out RMB 1.75 trillion on a plan to improve air quality within five years by reducing the number of heavily polluted days and improving air quality in major city clusters.

Curb on Conference Extravagance

China has issued a new regulation pledging to streamline government work and to curb extravagant expenditure on official conferences. The regulation will take effect on January 1， 2014. It is applicable to the central organs of all political parties， the top legislative and political advisory bodies， central government departments and publicly funded organizations overseen by the central authorities.

The relevant organizations must include conference expenditure in their annual budgets， in the form of projected itemized lists. Budgets must be strictly adhered to.

Meetings of fewer than 50 participants should take place in the organizer’s conference room rather than at hotel venues， and larger gatherings will not feature elaborate decorations. Meals during government conferences will not include costly dishes or beverages.

The regulation states that sightseeing trips and souvenirs are no longer to be offered to participants. Also that， unless they entail confidential government information， related organizations must publish the name， topic， participants and costs of conferences.

Chinese Cartoon and Animation Show in Moscow

The Dream of Moving Shadows exhibition of contemporary Chinese cartoon and animation arts took place in Moscow from September 24 to 30. The show was split into three sections – animated features， cartoons and electronic games. Exhibits included pictures， texts and objects， screenings， and interactive programs. All chronicled the growth of China’s cartoon and animation industry， highlighting the latest developments， such as 3D films and new media animation. The show also included applications of animation technologies in realms ranging from architectural design， urban planning， visual information， medical science and education to artistic antique restoration. More than 30 artists and 40 or more businesses participated in the exhibition. Exchanges and cooperation between China and Russia have escalated since the two countries established a comprehensive strategic partnership. Russia

held its Chinese Language Year in 2010.

Activity

Verdi’s Attila

Date： November 7-11

Place： Shanghai Grand Theater

Price： RMB 1280/880/680/480/280/180

This threeact opera tells of Attila， king of the Huns， and his invasion of Italy in AD 425. Ignoring a starkly prophetic dream， Attila sets his sights on winning Rome. After eventually agreeing to an armistice， he is assassinated by the Italian Odabella during celebrations in the Hun camp. Verdi composed this dynamic， powerful opera early in his career. The latest version by the Shanghai Grand Theater， in cooperation with the Hungary Palace of Arts and Shanghai Opera House， made its successful première on April 28 at the Béla Bartók National Concert Hall. It will be the Shanghai Grand Theater’s opening performance on November 7 upon completion of refurbishments.

Geneva Grand Theater Ballet Giselle

Date： November 8-9

Place： National Center for Performance Art

Price： RMB 600/500/450/400/350/220/100

Giselle is the tragic story of the beautiful peasant girl Giselle. She dies of a broken heart upon discovering that her lover is not the humble villager Loys but Albrecht， a nobleman who is promised to another woman. But her love for Albrecht lives on to save him from the Wilis – the spirits of women whose lovers have betrayed them that haunt the forest. French composer Adolphe Adam wrote the music for the ballet in 1841.

Giselle is regarded as the touchstone of modern ballet. The Geneva Grand Theater production is the brainchild of Swedish choreography and director Pontus Lidberg. Its underlying theme is that， despite the fragility of myth， love is a force to be reckoned with. Lidberg’s Giselle in a contemporary setting illustrates this with a narrative that ranges from the realistic to the fantastic.

economy

Real Economy Index Improves

China Railways Corporation statistics reveal that the average daily loading of state railways reached 133，018 railcars in August， gaining 2.2 percent from the previous month， and 4.4 percent higher than the same period last year， the largest yearon-year increase since 2012. In August， industrial electricity demand was up 12 percent compared to the same time last year， and 3.9 percent more than in July. By the end of August， medium- and long-term loans to households had grown by RMB 190.8 billion， RMB 4.3 million lower than July； while medium- and long-term loans to non-financial companies and other sectors were up by RMB 231.2 billion， falling by RMB 11.9 million from July.

Based on these three indicators of the real economy， it is generally believed that China’s economy is recovering. Foreign investment institutions altered their earlier pessimistic estimates of the economic situation in China. Merrill Lynch， the investment banking and wealth management division of Bank of America， has adjusted China’s 2013 GDP growth forecast to 7.7 percent.

Release of China Charity and Donation Report 2012

China Charity and Donation Information Center （CCDIC）， a nongovernmental organization under the Chinese Ministry of Civil Affairs， recently released its China Charity and Donation Report 2012. It shows that China received RMB 81.7 billion of donations in 2012， from both domestic and international sources. Education and poverty alleviation are still two of the most popular fields attracting donations.

It is worth noting that China’s total amount of donations declined in 2012 for the second consecutive year. Donations to the Red Cross Society of China （RCSC） dropped 20 percent in 2012. The decline is due to a combination of the economic downturn， fewer severe natural disasters， lingering impact of a 2011 scandal that shattered RCSC’s credibility， and the decline of impulsive donations.

More than 70 percent of donations went to non-governmental organizations， with enterprises still being the major donors. And minor donations via the Internet have proven to be a new force in the fundraising market.

First Moon Rover Unveiled

Chinese scientists unveiled the country’s first moon rover on September 25 and invited the public to come up with a name for it.

Zhao Xiaojin， director of the aerospace department of the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation， described the lunar rover as carrying the dreams of Asia. It is an orbiter adaptable to harsh environments， a highly efficient and integrated robot， and a high-altitude “patrolman.”

The Chang’e-3 moon mission， named after the Chinese lunar goddess， will take place in December. It will be the first time a Chinese spacecraft has soft-landed on a celestial body.

The rover has two wings， stands on six wheels， weighs 140 kg and will be powered by solar energy. It is equipped with numerous detectors and information gathering systems such as a panoramic camera and radar measurement devices. The rover will patrol the earth’s natural satellite for about three months.

The data collected by the rover， such as 3D images， infrared spectrums and lunar soil analysis， will lead to greater understanding of the moon.

China to Build New Manned Submersible

Chinese scientists have launched a program to build a new manned submersible expected to dive as deep as 4，500 meters and capable of carrying out scientific research on a large proportion of the earth’s seabeds.

The key parts of the new submersible， such as robotic arms and a high-pressure crew compartment made of titanium alloy， will be developed independently by Chinese scientists.

It will have a number of new features compared to the Jiaolong， which dived successfully to a depth of 7，062 meters. The new model will have five windows for observing the seabed from different angles， and its manned capsule will have three seats and a ladder.

The new submersible will be easier and more comfortable for the crew to operate. Additionally， the new craft will be flatbottomed， making it easier for the vessel to be moved on board its carrier.

The new research program was recently inaugurated by the Ministry of Science and Technology， and the China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation will be responsible for development of the new submersible.

Booz Company： China Becoming a Global Innovation Hub

The world’s leading management consulting company Booz Company released its 2013 China Innovation Survey on September 24. The report states， the innovation ability of Chinese enterprises is growing rapidly， and China is becoming the next global innovation hub. Booz Company conducted a survey of 264 senior managers of both local and international companies operating in China. Two thirds of the respondents from international companies pointed out that the innovation ability of their Chinese rivals has become very competitive. Booz Company considers the growth of Chinese enterprises’ innovative ability to be a result of the government’s innovation strategy. In the survey， 66 percent of the respondents from international companies said their Chinese operations had begun to develop products targeting foreign or the global market – last year the figure was 51 percent. Moreover， respondents hold optimistic attitudes towards the coming years. Among respondents， 74 percent estimated their companies would launch global innovation projects in China in the next decade， a marked rise from last year’s 65 percent.

64th International Astronautical Congress Held in Beijing

On September 23， Chinese Vice President Li Yuanchao called for peaceful exploration and use of space so as to serve the interests of peoples and countries all over the world.

Addressing the opening ceremony of the 64th International Astronautical Congress （IAC 2013）， Li said space resources are the common wealth of mankind， and all countries enjoy equal rights to use such resources.

With its theme “Promoting Space Development for the Benefit of Mankind，” the event attracted around 3，600 people including leading space scientists， academics， researchers， industry and commerce executives， students and young professionals from 74 countries and regions.

China is willing to share its experience in using space technology with other countries to boost economic development， the vice president said.

He added that， adhering to the concept of collaborative space exploration， China will boost international exchange and cooperation so as to achieve peaceful use of space and common development of humankind.

China’s First Resource-based Commodity Futures Go Public

Thermal Coal （TC）， a resource-based commodity future， came onto the market at the Zhengzhou Commodity Exchange on September 26. It is the first licensed resource-based commodity future in China. Industry insiders argue that the listing of TC is significant， not only for deepening reform of China’s resource market， but also for streamlining the country’s coal pricing mechanism.

The apparent consumption of thermal coal reached 2.826 billion tons in 2012. At the average price of RMB 550 per ton， its annual market value is as high as RMB 1.6 trillion， making it the largest of China’s commodity futures. Furthermore， the thermal coal industrial chain has generated nearly 100，000 enterprises， including major coal producers and electricity suppliers.

Building of Marine Life Germplasm Bank Begins

China announced the construction of a state-level germplasm bank of marine medicinal plants and animals in the southeastern coastal city of Xiamen.

“Our germplasm bank is very much a ‘Noah’s Ark’ for marine life，”said Lin Xiangzhi， a researcher with the State Oceanic Administration and head scientist of the germplasm bank.

With a storage area of 2，000 square meters， the bank will be used to preserve more than 20，000 seed and gene samples from marine medicinal plants， animals and microorganisms. “If some marine plants become extinct， we could take seeds from the germplasm bank to cultivate them anew，” Lin said.

Researchers from more than 20 universities and research institutes will join the bank to develop key technology for collection， storage， utilization and sharing of the seeds and other materials in the germplasm bank.

The germplasm bank is scheduled to be completed by December 2015.

Cloudy Furniture Collection CIRRUS

Ever dreamed of floating away on a soft cloud？ A CIRRUS sofa is partway to making that dream come true. The gentle shapes of clouds are the inspiration behind this upholstered furniture range. Virtually spontaneous composition of elements creates a perfect sofa for various seating and lounging positions. Curved shapes and sophisticated ergonomics define this unconventional contemporary piece and add to its functionality and comfort. Traditional upholstery composition with a rigid frame， the use of a sinuous spring system in the seat and backrest， and high quality flexible PUR foam compose a product that lasts a lifetime.

Handshaking Charger

Burn calories while recharging your phone. By vigorously shaking this charger for one minute you can obtain an emergency power supply lasting 30 seconds， just enough time to make that urgent phone call or text message in times of need.

Simple Corn Peeler

Corn is a nutritious and much-loved snack； but it can sometimes be hard work stripping the kernels from cobs. With this tool， the entire cob can be peeled in one go and the kernels collected with no mess. See for yourself and give your teeth a break.