China alert | CHINDIA ALERT: You'll be living in their world, very soon

27/01/2013

* India wary of China’s telecom forays in Nepal, Maldives

Times of India: “The growing presence of Chinese telecom companies in Maldives and Nepal has put security agencies on alert over fears that equipment used for infrastructure development there might be bugged and misused for intercepting any communication between India and the two countries.

The concerns by the central security agencies which have been conveyed to the telecom department here came against the backdrop of about $5.70 crore loan given by China to Maldives to implement its information technology (IT) infrastructure project, according to official sources.

The Huawei Technologies (Lanka) Co. Ltd, China enterprise business group and the National Centre for Information Technologies, Maldives have already signed an MoU to develop the IT Infrastructure in Maldives under the ‘Smart Maldives Project’, they said.”

via India wary of China’s telecom forays in Nepal, Maldives – The Times of India.

Maldives Moving Away From India? – Analysis (eurasiareview.com)
China’s Quietly Sinks New Delhi’s Influence in the Indian Ocean (irrawaddy.org)

Posted in China alert, Chindia Alert, Digital communications, Economics, GeoPolitics, India alert | Leave a Comment »

Tags: China, climate, Huawei, India, internet, Lanka, Maldives, Nepal, politics, technology

27/01/2013

* China’s jumbo air freighter test flight a success

Xinhua/Reuters: “China has conducted a successful test flight of its first domestically developed jumbo air freighter, the official state news agency Xinhua reported on Saturday.

The Yun-20 during its first test flight. (Photo/Xinhua)

The Yun-20, or Transport-20, is designed for long-distance air transport of both cargo and passengers, Xinhua reported.

“The successful maiden flight of Yun-20 is significant in promoting China’s economic and national defense build-up as well as bettering its emergency handling such as disaster relief and humanitarian aid,” Xinhua said, adding that further test flights are scheduled.

China is determined to reduce dependency on foreign firms such as Boeing (BA.N), Airbus (EAD.PA), General Electric (GE.N) and Rolls Royce Plc (RR.L) for the country’s soaring demand for planes and engines.

Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC), the country’s dominant military and commercial aviation contractor, has lobbied for Beijing to back a multi-billion dollar plan to build a high-performance engine.

Meanwhile a host of design flaws has delayed approval by the Civil Aviation Administration of China for the country’s homegrown 90-seat ARJ21 regional passenger jet.

English: Model of the Comac C919 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

At last November’s China Airshow, China unveiled 50 new orders for its COMAC C919 passenger jet which is designed to challenge Airbus and Boeing in the largest segment of the $100 billion annual jetliner market.

The orders for the 150-seat jet boosted the official tally to 380, reaching the state-owned Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China‘s declared breakeven point of 300-400 orders.

However, analysts say it will be some time before the aircraft, due to make its maiden flight in 2014, proves both its technical worth and its financial viability.”

via China’s jumbo air freighter test flight a success: Xinhua | Reuters.

Comac teams up with reborn Eastern Air Lines for C919 (wantchinatimes.com)

Posted in Aerospace, China alert, Economics, Technology, Transport | 1 Comment »

Tags: air freighter, aviation, Aviation Industry Corporation of China, China, civil aviation administration, Civil Aviation Administration of China, COMAC C919, General Electric, Rolls Royce Plc, transportation

26/01/2013

* China to expand rural medical insurance coverage

Xinhua: “China will include more serious diseases in its existing rural medical insurance system in 2013, the Ministry of Health said in an annual work agenda published on Friday.

Insurance (Photo credit: Christopher S. Penn)

According to the agenda, pilot programs will be launched to ensure that rural children with two types of severe urine disorders, among other diseases that the plan did not elaborate on, have their medical expenses reimbursed under the rural cooperative medical cooperative program.

China launched the rural insurance scheme in 2003 to ensure that the country’s vast number of rural residents have access to affordable medical treatment and to reduce disease-triggered poverty. Under the program, both governments and individuals contribute.

As of 2012, the scheme covers 20 serious diseases, up from two in June 2010, when serious diseases were first included in the reimbursement plan.

According to the ministry’s agenda, the annual government subsidy for participants in the rural health care scheme will be raised by 40 yuan(6.43 U.S. dollars) to 280 yuan in 2013.

Participants will have 75 percent of their inpatient expenses reimbursed under the rural cooperative medical program and coverage for outpatient costs will be boosted, it said.

The ministry requires that the minimum annual reimbursement for rural inhabitants subsidiary should be no less than 80,000 yuan.

In 2013, individuals will each pay a 60-yuan premium, bringing the total funds pooled for each person to 340 yuan, up from 290 yuan in 2012. In 2003, the average fund pooled for each person was 30 yuan.

Official statistics show that the number of people covered by the program skyrocketed from 80 million in 2003 to nearly 900 million in 2012.”

via China to expand rural medical insurance coverage – Xinhua | English.news.cn.

* China Pledges Rural Reforms to Boost Incomes, Consumption (chindia-alert.org)
You: Health insurance to cover 95% of rural residents (english.people.com.cn)
* Wealth gap to be cut, Han Changfu tells Central Rural Work Conference (chindia-alert.org)
China revises occupational disease classifications (wantchinatimes.com)

Posted in China alert, Economics, Good news, medical insurance | Leave a Comment »

Tags: China, Disease, Health insurance, Insurance, Ministry of Health, Rural area

25/01/2013

* Tibet to invest $563m to protect environment

China Daily: The government of the Tibet autonomous region plans to invest more than 3.5 billion yuan ($563 million) in 2013, 10.5 percent more than last year, in environmental protection.

Potala Palace, Lhasa (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

According to the draft budget of 2013, which the regional finance department submitted for the legislature’s approval on Thursday, the investment will also support the building of an ecological safety screen on the plateau.

More than 3.23 billion yuan will be used for major forestation projects and for compensating and rewarding locals who protect and grow grass and forests and conserve wetlands, lakes and water resources.

More than 50 million yuan will be allocated to support environmental improvement projects and preserve resources, according to the draft budget.

According to the autonomous region’s environmental protection department, the plateau’s fragile and sensitive environment faces a worsening situation of land desertification, soil erosion and threats to deteriorating biodiversity.

New challenges are emerging from increasing urban pollution related to tourism, traffic and mining.

However, environmental protection has also received “unprecedented” attention over the past five years, the department said.

The State Council, China’s cabinet, listed the protection and building of a safety screen of environment in Tibet as a State-level major eco-project in February 2009.

The project aims to pour in 15.5 billion yuan to basically finish building the screen by 2030.”

via Tibet to invest $563m to protect environment |Society |chinadaily.com.cn.

Posted in China alert, Climate change, Economics, Green, Politics | Leave a Comment »

Tags: Central Tibetan Administration, China, Erosion, Lhasa, State Council of the People's Republic of China, Tibet, Tibet Autonomous Region, Tibetan people, Water resources

25/01/2013

* Chinese engineers to repair Haryana power plant

Times of India: “Chinese engineers will repair the second unit of 300MW capacity of YamunaNagar power plant, which is non-functional since last year.

Map of India showing location of Haryana (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Haryana power minister Ajay Yadav said the plant, which is based on Chinese technology, is expected to be functional by February-end after it is repaired.

Yadav said 15 engineers from China will come to Haryana by month-end to resolve the problem cropped up at Yamuna Nagar power plant.

Engineers will remain here till power plant start running properly, he added.

The power plants at Yamuna Nagar and Khader (Hisar) were fitted with Chinese machinery.

Ajay Singh Yadav said Yamunanagar thermal power plant started functioning in 2008-09 but last year the plant stopped generating power because of fault in Chinese rotor which could not be repaired in India.”

via Chinese engineers to repair Haryana power plant – The Times of India.

Posted in China alert, Chindia Alert, Economics, India alert, Technology | Leave a Comment »

Tags: China, Electricity generation, energy, Fossil-fuel power station, Haryana, India, Nuclear, Power station, technology, YamunaNagar

25/01/2013

* China’s Huawei Creeps up on Apple, Samsung

WSJ: “As Samsung Electronics Co. and Apple Inc. try to defend their dominance in the smartphone market, the latest data show China’s Huawei Technologies Co. coming third in terms of market share for the first time, indicating that a rapid increase of smartphone users in China and other emerging markets may be starting to alter the global landscape.

According to research firm IDC, Samsung’s smartphone market share in the fourth quarter through December rose to 29% from 22.5% a year earlier, while Apple’s share dropped slightly to 21.8% from 23%. Meanwhile, Huawei’s share rose to 4.9% from 3.5%, ahead of Japan’s Sony Corp. , whose share also increased to 4.5% from 3.9% a year earlier. Another Chinese company ZTE Corp., came fifth with 4.3%.

“The fact that Huawei and ZTE now find themselves among the Top 5 smartphone vendors marks a significant shift for the global market,” said IDC research manager Ramon Llamas.

via China’s Huawei Creeps up on Apple, Samsung – China Real Time Report – WSJ.

Posted in Affluence, China alert, Digital communications, Economics, innovation, patents | Leave a Comment »

Tags: android, Apple, China, gadgets, Huawei, huawei technologies, International Data Corporation, mobile, Samsung, samsung electronics co, Smartphone, technology, ZTE

25/01/2013

* License plates for automobiles in Shanghai can cost as much the cars

WSJ: “A Shanghai license plate now costs as much as a new mid-range sedan.

The average price for a Shanghai plate soared to 75,000 yuan ($12,000) at the city’s license plate auction over the weekend, roughly equal to the retail price of a brand new, fully loaded Geely MK-II sedan. Shanghai plates went for an average of 50,000 yuan a year ago, meaning prices have risen nearly 2,000 yuan a month.

Yolanda Dong, a market manager at a Japanese firm, paid 77,000 yuan for her plate. By comparison, her Peugeot 307 cost her 100,000 yuan.

“I had to buy the plate no matter what,” said Ms. Dong, who bought her car four months ago and has been bidding to get a Shanghai plate since then. “I can’t have my car sitting there doing nothing.””

via License plates for automobiles in Shanghai can cost as much the cars they are intended to adorn. – China Real Time Report – WSJ.

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

Tags: Automobile, license plate, Shanghai, transportation, Vehicle registration plate

25/01/2013

* China detains woman at disused mortuary for three years

BBC News: “China detains woman at disused mortuary for three year

A Chinese woman who petitioned the authorities over the treatment of her husband at a labour camp has been detained at a disused mortuary for the past three years, state media report.

An SVG map of China with Heilongjiang province highlighted in orange and Yichun city highlighted in red Legend: File:China map legend.png (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Chen Qingxia had already served 18 months at a re-education camp for her campaign, but continued to fight and so was confined to the mortuary.

Reports of her ordeal in the province of Heilongjiang have triggered an outcry on social media.

Ms Chen is said to be in poor health.

But correspondents say that it looks likely that restrictions on her will be relaxed soon – a committee has been formed in the city of Yichun to re-examine her case.

There has also been some speculation in recent weeks that the Chinese authorities might reform or rethink its system of re-education through labour.

Ms Chen’s ordeal began in 2003 when her husband was imprisoned for attempting to breach a quarantine during a Sars epidemic, according to the Global Times newspaper.

After he was freed, media reports say, his body was bruised and his mental health had deteriorated so much that Ms Chen decided to travel to the capital, Beijing, to complain to the central authorities about the treatment he had received.

The move led to her being put through a re-education camp for 18 months. After finishing the sentence, she was kept in the mortuary because she was still determined to continue her campaign.

A China National Radio report says that Mrs Chen has been allowed minimal contact with relatives.

Her husband was eventually admitted to hospital for treatment for his mental-health problems, the Global Times said.

The Communist Party’s district chief has been quoted by local television as saying local officials should bear responsibility for Mrs Chen’s treatment.”

via BBC News – China detains woman at disused mortuary for three years.

Posted in China alert, Human rights, Illegal practices, Justice, Petition, Politics, Reform, Rule of law, social media | Leave a Comment »

Tags: Beijing, China, China National Radio, Heilongjiang

25/01/2013

* China, Japan move to cool down territorial dispute

Reuters: “China and Japan sought to cool down tensions over a chafing territorial dispute on Friday, with Communist Party chief Xi Jinping telling an envoy from Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe that he was committed to developing bilateral ties.

Natsuo Yamaguchi (L), leader of Japan's New Komeito party, delivers a personal letter from Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to China's president-in-waiting Xi Jinping during a meeting at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, January 25, 2013. REUTERS-Ng Han Guan-Pool

Xi will consider holding a summit meeting with Abe, Natsuo Yamaguchi, a senior lawmaker and head of the junior partner in Japan’s ruling coalition, told reporters after his talks with the Chinese leader.

The meeting came as China took the dispute over a series of uninhabited islands to the United Nations.

It was not immediately clear if the U.N. involvement would increase the likelihood the row would be resolved peacefully. But launching an international legal process could reduce the temperature for now.

At China’s request, the United Nations will, later this year, consider the scientific validity of a claim by Beijing that the islands, called the Diaoyu in Chinese and the Senkaku by Japan, are part of its territory. Japan says the world body should not be involved.”

via China, Japan move to cool down territorial dispute | Reuters.

Tags: Beijing, China, Japan, Natsuo Yamaguchi, Prime Minister of Japan, Shinzō Abe, United Nations, Xi JinPing

25/01/2013

* U.N. to consider validity of China’s claim over disputed islands

Strange that a few days ago China objected to the Philippines taking their disputed islands to the UN, but now it is taking a similar action over islands in dispute with Japan.

Reuters: “The United Nations is planning to consider later this year the scientific validity of a claim by China that a group of disputed islands in the East China Sea are part of its territory, although Japan says the world body should not be involved.

A handout photograph taken on a marine surveillance plane B-3837 shows the disputed islets, known as Senkaku in Japan and Diaoyu in China, December 13, 2012. Picture taken December 13, 2012. REUTERS/State Oceanic Administration of People's Republic of China/Handout

Tensions over the uninhabited islands – located near rich fishing grounds and potentially huge oil and gas reserves – flared after Japan’s government purchased them from a private Japanese owner in September, sparking violent anti-Japanese protests across China and a military standoff.

Taiwan also claims the islands, known as the Diaoyu islands in China, the Senkaku islands in Japan and Tiaoyutai in Taiwan.

It was not immediately clear if the U.N. involvement would increase the likelihood the China-Japan dispute would be resolved peacefully. But launching an international legal process that should yield a neutral scientific opinion could reduce the temperature for now in Beijing’s spat with Tokyo.

In a submission to the U.N. Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf, China says the continental shelf in the East China Sea is a natural prolongation of China’s land territory and that it includes the disputed islands.

Under the U.N. convention, a country can extend its 200-nautical-mile economic zone if it can prove that the continental shelf is a natural extension of its land mass. The U.N. commission assesses the scientific validity of claims, but any disputes have to be resolved between states, not by the commission.

China said the “Diaoyu Dao upfold zone” – the islands – is located between the East China Sea shelf basin and the Okinawa Trough. “The Okinawa Trough is the natural termination of the continental shelf of (the East China Sea),” it said.

China also told the commission that it was still negotiating with other states on the delimitation of the continental shelf.

“Recommendations of the commission with regard to the submission will not prejudice future delimitation of the continental shelf between China and the states concerned,” said the executive summary of China’s submission published on the commission’s website.”

via U.N. to consider validity of China’s claim over disputed islands | Reuters.

Tags: Beijing, China, Continental Shelf, diaoyu islands, East China Sea, Japan, military standoff, Okinawa Trough, Senkaku Islands, United Nations

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* India wary of China’s telecom forays in Nepal, Maldives

* China’s jumbo air freighter test flight a success

* China to expand rural medical insurance coverage

* Tibet to invest $563m to protect environment

* Chinese engineers to repair Haryana power plant

* China’s Huawei Creeps up on Apple, Samsung

* License plates for automobiles in Shanghai can cost as much the cars

* China, Japan move to cool down territorial dispute

* U.N. to consider validity of China’s claim over disputed islands

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