Archive for December, 2013

« Older Entries  |   Newer Entries »
28/12/2013

China’s IT sector to gross 12.5 trillion yuan – Chinadaily.com.cn

The sales revenue of China\’s information technology sector will hit 12.5 trillion yuan (about $2.04 trillion) this year, a Ministry of Industry and Information Technology official has forecast.

English: Logo Information Technology

English: Logo Information Technology (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

In the first nine months of 2013, the sector\’s sales revenue reached 8.98 trillion yuan, up 14 percent year on year, said Ding Wenwu, chief of the ministry\’s electronics and information department, at the 13th China Tianjin Information Technology Exposition, which opened in Tianjin on Thursday.

China\’s information technology sector has maintained stable growth in the past three years, with its output of mobile phones, computers and color TV sets world leading, according to Ding.

With new developments such as the Internet of Things, cloud computing and big data, the information technology sector faces new growth opportunities, he said.

The ministry will underscore innovations in the sector to enhance its core competitiveness and promote the consumption of information products and services, and deep integration between industrialization and informationization, the official added.

China aims to boost the consumption of information products and services and make the sector a new engine for domestic demand and economic growth.

via China’s IT sector to gross 12.5 trillion yuan – Chinadaily.com.cn.

Posted in China alert, Economics, Internet, IT, Technology | 1 Comment »

Tags: , , , , , , ,
28/12/2013

Photos of Xi Jinping eating at a popular Beijing restaurant go viral | South China Morning Post

Fans of China\’s President Xi Jinping said they were pleasantly surprised after photos of him dining in a popular Beijing steamed bun restaurant went viral.

baozi1.jpg

Pictures, taken and shared by fellow diners, showed a casually-dressed, smiling Xi queuing up at a Qingfeng steamed bun restaurant in the capital. Xi, who appeared to be dining alone, was seen to have placed his own order at the counter, paid for it, and carried his tray before sitting down to enjoy his meal in the room full of people.

Diners, after realising who they were sitting close to, strove for a glimpse of Xi. Many used their phones to record the unusual encounter, which Xi didn\’t seem to mind.

\”Only leaders who care about ordinary guys will do this, and he will win respect and care from his people,\” wrote one blogger.

\”I can\’t believe my eyes – President Xi lined up, paid his own bill, and fetched his own food,\” read a message posted on the official Weibo page of the People\’s Daily.

Others, however, weren\’t so impressed.

\”It\’s just a show and people should stop reacting like they were slaves\” one microblogger wrote .

\”Start thanking him when China has fixed the food safety issues,\” read another comment.

An average meal costs 16 yuan (HK$21) at a Qingfeng steamed bun restaurant, a popular chain store in the Chinese capital, according to restaurant review websties.

via Photos of Xi Jinping eating at a popular Beijing restaurant go viral | South China Morning Post.

Posted in austerity, China alert, frugality, Social & cultural | 1 Comment »

Tags: , , , , , ,
28/12/2013

China’s railways mileage tops 100,000 km – Xinhua | English.news.cn

China\’s railways network topped 100,000 km in total mileage on Saturday, as several new high-speed rail links started operations ahead of one of the busiest travel seasons next month.

The newly opened links include the Xiamen-Shenzhen railway, Xi\’an-Baoji railway, Chongqing-Lichuan railway, and others in southwest China\’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and have a combined mileage of 2,000 km.

Of the 100,000 km of track, more than 10,000 km are highspeed, said Hu Yadong, vice general manager of the China Railway Corporation.

The expanded railways network increases passenger capacity during the 40-day spring travel peak, which starts on Jan. 16, by 7.9 percent, said Yang Chuantang, minister of transport.

Yang forecast that 257 million trips will be made on the railways during the period, as people go home to their families for Spring Festival on Jan. 31.

A total of 2,667 pairs of trains will be operating before the Spring Festival, an increase of 157 from last year.

Total trips during the period will break a new record by reaching 3.62 billion, including waterways, roads, railways, and air routes.

China\’s first railway was built in 1876 in Shanghai and first independent railway was constructed in 1881 in Tangshan in north China\’s Hebei Province. When new China was founded in 1949, there were less than 22,000 km of lines and but only half of that was serviceable.

According to the national railway network plan, highspeed rails will reach 19,000 km by 2015. By 2020, the total railway mileage will top 120,000 km.

via China’s railways mileage tops 100,000 km – Xinhua | English.news.cn.

Posted in China alert, Economics, Transport | Leave a Comment »

Tags: , , , , ,
28/12/2013

Indian PM expresses concern about quality of higher education – The Hindu

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Saturday expressed concern about the quality of higher education; pointing out that even Indian premier institutions do not figure among the best in the world. Addressing the Diamond Jubilee function of the University Grants Commission (UGC) in New Delhi, he urged all stakeholders in the higher education system to urgently consider issues of quality.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh lighting the lamp to inaugurate the diamond jubilee function of University Grants Commission in New Delhi on Saturday.

Another issue the premier flagged as an area of concern pertained to shortage of faculty; more so since the problem was likely to become even more acute with the expansion that is planned in the coming years. Further, according to him, the university system needs to dwell more on research, and enhancing the number and quality of doctoral programmes.

Pointing out that inter-disciplinary perspectives are the cornerstone of present-day research, Dr. Singh said this should become a part of the culture of Indian universities. “We must reverse today’s situation where individual departments largely operate as islands, and there should be greater focus on problems that engage the faculty in inter-disciplinary research.’’

Similarly, he stressed the need for strengthening the university-industry interface to give a fillip to Research and Development. Of the view that this would be beneficial to both the university system and the industry, he asked academics to make a detailed study of how this interface works in ot

via PM expresses concern about quality of higher education – The Hindu.

Posted in education, India alert, Social & cultural | Leave a Comment »

Tags: , , , , ,
28/12/2013

Small jet makers see big chance as China prepares to open skies | Reuters

Ferraris and Rolls-Royces have become common sights in China\’s cities as a new class of super-rich indulge a growing appetite for luxury, but tight regulation has meant the private jet, the ultimate status symbol of the global elite, remains rare.

Guests walk next to aircrafts as they attend the Shanghai International Business Aviation Show at the Hongqiao International Airport in Shanghai in this April 16, 2013 file photo. REUTERS/Carlos Barria/Files

Recent rules changes, however, indicate that China is preparing to open its skies to private aircraft, in a move that may herald the greatest expansion of business and private aviation in the last 30 years.

Last month, China\’s aviation regulator simplified flight approval procedures for private aircraft and lowered the threshold for obtaining a private pilot license.

via Small jet makers see big chance as China prepares to open skies | Reuters.

Posted in Affluence, China alert, Economics, luxury brand | Leave a Comment »

Tags: , , , , ,
28/12/2013

China targets cement, batteries, metals in anti-pollution push | Reuters

China will raise standards for the production of cement, batteries, leather and heavy metals as part of its efforts to cut air, water and soil pollution, the environment ministry said on Friday.

The sun is seen behind smoke billowing from a chimney of a heating plant in Taiyuan, Shanxi province December 9, 2013. REUTERS/Stringer

Beijing, facing growing public anger over smog, contaminated food and unclean water, has said it will tackle the environmental costs of more than three decades of unbridled growth.

It has promised to get tough with under-regulated industries such as cement, iron and steel and coal but the central government has traditionally struggled to impose its will on powerful industrial sectors and local governments.

via China targets cement, batteries, metals in anti-pollution push | Reuters.

Posted in carbon emission, China alert, Ecology, Economics, Environment, Green, greenhouse gas, Pollution | Leave a Comment »

Tags: , , , , , , , , ,
28/12/2013

Taking power in New Delhi, ‘common man’ leader talks of revolution | Reuters

There was no motorcade, and none of the traditional trappings of power: the leader of India\’s upstart \”common man party\” arrived on a crowded metro train on Saturday to be sworn in as chief minister of Delhi, India\’s capital.

Arvind Kejriwal, leader of Aam Aadmi (Common Man) Party (AAP), shouts slogans after taking the oath as the new chief minister of Delhi during a swearing-in ceremony at Ramlila grounds in New Delhi December 28, 2013. REUTERS-Anindito Mukherjee

Tens of thousands of jubilant supporters watched as Arvind Kejriwal, a mild-mannered former tax official, was anointed after a stunning electoral debut that has jolted the country\’s two main parties just months before a general election.

The emergence of Kejriwal\’s Aam Aadmi (Common Man) Party, or AAP, as a force to be reckoned with barely a year since it was created on the back of an anti-corruption movement could give it a springboard to challenge the mainstream parties in other urban areas in the election due by next May.

That could be a threat to the front-runner for prime minister, Narendra Modi of the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), who is counting on strong support from urban, middle-class voters.

\”Today, the common man has won,\” Kejriwal said in a triumphant speech at Delhi\’s Ramlila grounds, the very place were huge protests over corruption erupted in 2011, opening the way for the birth of the AAP.

\”This truly feels like a miracle. Two years ago, we couldn\’t have imagined such a revolution would happen in this country.\”

In a December 4 election to the legislative assembly of Delhi, a city of 16 million people, no party won the majority of seats required to rule on its own.

The impasse that ensued was broken after the AAP – in a display of citizenship politics – consulted the people of the city. It then agreed to lead the Delhi government with \”outside support\” from the Congress party, which heads the national ruling coalition.

Opinion polls show that Congress, the party of India\’s celebrated Nehru-Gandhi dynasty, will be punished in the general election because of disgust with a government whose two terms have brought corruption scandals and stubborn inflation.

via Taking power in New Delhi, ‘common man’ leader talks of revolution | Reuters.

Posted in India alert, Internal politics, Politics | Leave a Comment »

Tags: , , , , , , ,
28/12/2013

BBC News – China: More than 500 resign over election fraud

More than 500 municipal lawmakers in one Chinese province have stood down following an electoral fraud scandal, according to state media.

A teller counts Chinese yuan notes

The 512 officials resigned after accepting bribes from 56 members of the provincial assembly to elect them to their posts, Xinhua news agency said.

The 56 disgraced lawmakers for central Hunan Province were also dismissed.

President Xi Jinping has vowed to fight corruption – warning it could topple the Communist Party.

\’Vile impact\’

Municipal officials have the power to appoint representatives to the local People\’s Congress, the provincial parliament that rubber-stamps decisions.

Local authorities dismissed 56 representatives of the 763-strong Hunan People\’s Congress for being \”elected by bribery\”, state television channel CCTV said on its Twitter account.

An initial investigation revealed that 110m yuan ($18.1m, £11m) was offered in bribes to lawmakers and staff in the province\’s second city of Hengyang, Xinhua reported, citing a Hunan government statement.

\”The fraud, involving such a huge number of lawmakers and a large amount of money, is serious in nature and has a vile impact,\” Xinhua quoted the statement as saying.

\”This is a challenge to China\’s system of people\’s congresses, socialist democracy, law and Party discipline,\” it said.

It named Tong Mingqian, the former Communist Party chief of Hengyang, as being \”directly responsible\” for the election scandal.

President Xi has launched an anti-corruption campaign, pledging to target both \”tigers and flies\” – high and low ranking officials in the government.

There have been bans on new government buildings and lavish banquets, as Mr Xi demands officials cut down on waste and extravagance.

via BBC News – China: More than 500 resign over election fraud.

Posted in China alert, corruption, Politics | 1 Comment »

Tags: , , , , , , , , ,
28/12/2013

Communist Party orders ‘core socialist values’ on the curriculum | South China Morning Post

Educational institutions – from primary schools to universities – will be a major target of a sweeping Marxist education campaign announced yesterday by the Communist Party.

08ba1baa8c8acc0a24c5d9b99e4d0e21.jpg

The unusually detailed action plan released by the ruling party\’s General Office was seen as an attempt by party boss and President Xi Jinping to fight against public scepticism and fill a perceived moral vacuum opened by decades of breakneck economic growth.

The document called on almost every sector of society – from schools to the media to social organisations to the business community – to promote the so-called socialist core values.

The 24 values, which include prosperity, democracy, social harmony, credibility and rule of law, were detailed by last year\’s national party congress. The values were divided into three groups, known as the \”three advocates\”.

\”Xi is trying to leave his own legacy by pressing the whole society to embrace the \’three advocates\’ with specific action plans for a variety of social institutions,\” said Zhang Ming, a political science professor at Renmin University. \”But the question remains whether the public will buy it. It is impossible to carve them into the brain.\”

In 2006, former party chief and president Hu Jintao similarly released a set of moral principles known as \”eight honours and eight shames\”, which urged cadres to be patriotic, serve the people and follow science.

This latest document called for the core values to be incorporated into the education system, stressing that ideological education from primary schools to universities must be strengthened.

The mass media should be further utilised, with major broadcasters designating specific programmes for spreading socialist ideologies, as well as encouraging more public service advertisements, it said.

Zhang Lifan , a Beijing-based commentator, said the stress on ideology was triggered by controversies that have shaken the party\’s authority, such as the debate over constitutionalism, or making the party subject to an overarching system of laws.

\”The party has lost faith among the public,\” Zhang said. \”And the ultimate fear is that it will lose its power.\”

via Communist Party orders ‘core socialist values’ on the curriculum | South China Morning Post.

Posted in China alert, education, Politics, Socialism | Leave a Comment »

Tags: , , , , , ,
26/12/2013

Navy lauded for foiling pirates[1]- Chinadaily.com.cn

Commander-in-chief calls missions in gulf a success ahead of anniversary

In his 201-day stint fighting pirates in the Gulf of Aden in 2012, Cheng Wengang said the most intense mission was picking up 26 hostages who were released after being kidnapped for 19 months.

English: Map showing the location of the Gulf ...

English: Map showing the location of the Gulf of Aden, located between Yemen and Somalia. Nearby bodies of water include the Indian Ocean, Red Sea, Arabian Sea, and the Bab-el-Mandeb strait. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

\”I could see they were terrified from their eyes when we finally met at the beach on the Somali coast,\” said Cheng, a 34-year-old helicopter pilot on the 12th Chinese naval escort flotilla.

\”They were skinny with scraggly beards and long, tousled hair. They were barefoot as the pirates took away their shoes in case they escaped.\”

Most of the hostages burst into tears after they boarded the Chinese frigate. Some of them kneeled down and kissed the deck, said Cheng.

\”Two sailors from Vietnam said, \’Thank you, Chinese navy,\’ again and again in Chinese,\” Cheng said.

What Cheng described is just one accomplishment of the Chinese navy during its five-year escort mission in the Gulf of Aden.

Dec 26 is the fifth anniversary of the Chinese fleets\’ escort mission in the Gulf of Aden.

Since 2008, authorized by the United Nations, the navy of the People\’s Liberation Army has sent 16 escort flotillas, including 42 frigates and destroyers, to the gulf. More than 15,000 soldiers and officers have participated in the missions.

via Navy lauded for foiling pirates[1]- Chinadaily.com.cn.

Posted in China alert, GeoPolitics, Politics | Leave a Comment »

Tags: , , , , , , ,
« Older Entries  |   Newer Entries »
CCChang

Law of Unintended Consequences

continuously updated blog about China & India

ChiaHou's Book Reviews

continuously updated blog about China & India

What's wrong with the world; and its economy

continuously updated blog about China & India