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

28/02/2012

* Beijing urban areas to halt underground water extraction

China Daily: “Underground water extraction will be halted by 2014 in the urban areas of Beijing asauthorities seek to prevent further land subsidence, or sinking, in the city.

The 800 water extraction wells within the fifth ring road areas in 2012 will be closed as part ofan effort to conserve underground water, Yu Yaping, a publicity official at the Beijing WaterAuthority, said.

Beijing urban areas to halt underground water extraction

The North-South Water Diversion Project will bring 1 billion cubicmeters of water supply to Beijing in 2014. The water could satisfyone-third of the total water demand in Beijing, which was 3.6 billioncubic meters in 2011.

The water diversion project is designed to take water from China’slongest river, the Yangtze River, to feed the drought-prone areasin the north, including Beijing and Tianjin.”

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2012-02/28/content_14707197.htm

Yet another example of government action on environmental issues.

Posted in China alert, Ecology | Leave a Comment »

Tags: extraction wells, land subsidence, water, water diversion

28/02/2012

* Good news for the world – China aims to cut industrial energy consumption.

China Daily: “China aims to cut its energy consumption per unit of industrial value-added output by21 percent during the 12th Five-Year Plan period (2011-2015), the Ministry of Industry andInformation Technology said Monday.

China is expected to save the equivalent of 670 million tons of coal during the five years,according to the country’s industrial energy conservation plan for the 2011-2015 period postedon the ministry’s website.

The plan also sets detailed targets for cuts by several energy-intensive sectors. The steel,nonferrous, petrochemical and electronics industries are required to reduce their energy useper unit of value-added output by 18 percent from 2010.

The chemical engineering, building materials and textile sectors must cut their energyconsumption per unit of output by 20 percent, while the machinery industry should target a 22-percent fall in energy use per unit of output, according to the plan.

The government has adopted a slew of measures to promote energy savings and emissionreductions and to ease its increasing thirst for energy, including phasing out polluting industriesand building energy-saving buildings.”

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2012-02/27/content_14704395.htm

As I commented elsewhere, China seems to have decided that the Year of the Dragon (c2012) is the year it will crackdown on corruption, migrants’ and individual rights, pollution and other environmental issues.

Posted in China alert, Ecology, Good news | Leave a Comment »

Tags: energy, energy conservation plan, energy consumption, industrial energy conservation, year of the dragon

27/02/2012

* World Bank report: China needs a new economic strategy

AP: “China needs a new economic strategy after three decades of rapid growth and must reduce the dominance of state companies and promote free markets to achieve its goal of becoming a high-income society, the World Bank and Chinese researchers said Monday.

The recommendations in a report on development of the world’s second-largest economy through 2030 come amid debate in the ruling Communist Party over the future course of reform as a new generation of leaders prepare to take office this year.

The report’s emphasis on curbing state industry clashes with Beijing’s strategy over the past decade of building government-owned champions in fields from banking to technology and is likely to provoke opposition.”

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hjJGRvwM6JjBM3uh8Wn0w1OPkONQ?docId=05fed039a6b94f9b8c31ca96f94e4734

This report is cleverly timed to coincide with the top leadership changes later in the year.

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

Tags: economic strategy, leadership changes

27/02/2012

* Legal battle over iPad brand

ABC News: “The battle between an ailing Chinese electronics maker and Apple Inc. over the iPad name is just as much a tale of obsolescence in the fast-moving global technology industry as it is a legal row over a trademark.

When businessman Rowell Yang Long-san launched his own iPAD-branded device in 2000, a decade before Apple unveiled its hit tablet, he declared it received an “overwhelming market response.”

“We are confident that we will be one of the major players in the new post-PC era — the information appliance era,” Yang said in the announcement of his new Internet Personal Access Device, which was jointly developed with National Semiconductor.

But unlike Apple’s iPad, introduced in 2010, Proview’s version failed to hit the market sweet spot that might have made it a hit. Today, the company is deeply in debt and threatened with removal from the Hong Kong Stock Exchange.

But Proview still claims ownership of the trademark in China and is waging its fight on multiple fronts: court cases, asking commercial authorities to ban iPad sales in dozens of Chinese cities, and seeking a ban on exports of iPads from China where Apple supplier Foxconn employs about a million people in manufacturing the sleek tablet computer.”

http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/wireStory/feud-ipad-highlights-faded-tech-firms-woes-15798364#.T0tIfvFmJ8E

This law suit shows that copyright and IPR cuts both ways!

Posted in China alert, Economics | 4 Comments »

Tags: brand, law suit

27/02/2012

* Thousands in lead-laden area to move

China Daily: “Thousands of villagers in the lead-contaminated regions of Lingbao, in Central China’s Henan province, are scheduled to move in May into newly-built houses that area safer distance from lead refineries, local government officials said.

Zhao Tie’an, head of Yuling township in Lingbao, told China Daily that the government has built 102 houses for the residents of Xiayao village, where 355 out of 364 children under age 14 were found to have excessive lead in their blood last July.”

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2012-02/27/content_14696184.htm

There seems to be a concerted effort by Government to counter the effects of pollution and corrusption. This is one of several actions announced in the last few weeks alone.

Posted in China alert, Ecology, Pollution | Leave a Comment »

27/02/2012

* Indian Defence Minister reacts to China’s statement on Arunachal Pradesh

Times of India: “Defence minister A K Antony on Monday slammed China for raising objections to his visit to Arunachal Pradesh, describing Beijing’s comments on the issue as “most unfortunate” and “really objectionable”.

He said Arunachal is an integral part of India asJammu and Kashmir and as defence minister it is his right and duty to visit the state, which has recently celebrated 25th anniversary of its statehood.

“I was surprised to see such a reaction. I feel it is most unfortunate and, at the same time, it is really objectionable,” he told reporters here.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Chinas-objection-to-Arunachal-Pradesh-visit-most-unfortunate-A-K-Antony/articleshow/12054594.cms

See my post yesterday on this topic from Xinhua

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

Tags: border dispute, defence minister, statehood

26/02/2012

* China asks India to cooperate to maintain border stability

Xinhua: “A Foreign Ministry spokesman on Saturday asked India to work with China to maintain peace and stability in border areas.

Spokesman Hong Lei made the remark when asked to make comment on a news report of Indian officials participating in activities organized by the so-called “Arunachal Pradesh” region.

The report said the officials pledged to guarantee the “safety” of the strategically important region.

Hong said China’s stance on Sino-Indian border issues, including disputes regarding the eastern section, has been consistent and clear-cut.

China advocates seeking a fair and rational solution through equal and friendly negotiations, the spokesman said.

He also called on India to refrain from taking any action that could complicate the issue.”

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/china/2012-02/25/c_131431503.htm

Unlike all other countries with which China has a shared border, India is the only country that has stoutly insisted on honouring a British (McMohan) drawn border and refuses to re-negotiate.

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

Tags: border dispute, indian border, rational solution

23/02/2012

* China finally realises that migrant workers are not a transient matter

China Daily: “China has clarified its residence policies to facilitate domestic migrants’ settling in small and medium-size cities as permanent residents, a move intended to further push theurbanization drive.

In cities of county-level or below, people who have stable jobs and residences may apply forpermanent residence permits, along with their spouses, unmarried children, and parents,according to a State Council circular posted online late Thursday.

In medium-size cities, people who have stable jobs for three years, stable residences, and havepaid social security insurance for at least one year, can also apply for permits to live in the citypermanently, the circular said.

That means many of China’s millions of migrant workers may be formally accepted as urbanresidents, giving them more access to public services including welfare housing and medicalinsurance, which are currently only open to holders of permanent residence permits in manycities.

Ushered in some 30 years ago, China’s reform and opening-up drive established a pattern oflabor flowing from rural to urban areas, and the country now has more than 200 million ruralmigrants working in cities.

Meanwhile, the circular said China will continue efforts to control the population of major cities,including those directly under jurisdiction of the central government, many of which are alreadyover-populated based on their existing facilities and services.”

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2012-02/24/content_14687152.htm

Some would regards these moves as a natural progression towards recognising the needs and rights of this important 20% of the Chinese population. Others, more cynically, would ask: “Why now?” and come to the conclusion that in the year of top leadership change, minimising the causes of internal conflict is of prime importance.

Posted in China alert, Economics, Politics, Reform | 4 Comments »

Tags: compulsory education, household registration system, internal conflict, migrant worker, migrant workers, urbanisation

23/02/2012

* China passes regulations to curb nepotism at work

China Daily: ” China has issued regulations to limit public servants’ association with their spouses and relatives at work, a move hoped to curb corruption and interferences with their duties.

Civil servants and their spouses, relatives within three generations or relatives-in-law can not hold two posts which report to the same director, nor should they have the director-subordinate work relationship, according to the regulations.

In terms of geographical limitations, the regulations say that civil servants may not serve as heads of prefecture-level Communist Party of China (CPC) committees or governments in their hometowns.

Civil servants are also not allowed to assume top posts in prefecture-level discipline inspection commissions, procuratorates, courts or police departments in their hometowns, according tothe regulations.

Civil servants are also asked to avoid situations such as recruitment, promotion or demotion of staff, taxation and approval for going abroad, that involve their relatives.

Those who do not abide by the regulations could be removed from office, according to the regulations jointly issued by the Organization Department of the CPC Central Committee andthe Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security.

If two civil servants marry or form a new relationship that “should be avoided,” their posts will be adjusted, according to the regulations.”

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2012-02/23/content_14679918.htm

Posted in China alert, corruption | Leave a Comment »

Tags: civil servants, communist party of china, nepotism, public servants

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

Chindia Alert: You’ll be Living in their World Very Soon

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* Beijing urban areas to halt underground water extraction

* Good news for the world – China aims to cut industrial energy consumption.

* World Bank report: China needs a new economic strategy

* Legal battle over iPad brand

* Thousands in lead-laden area to move

* Indian Defence Minister reacts to China’s statement on Arunachal Pradesh

* China asks India to cooperate to maintain border stability

* China finally realises that migrant workers are not a transient matter

* China passes regulations to curb nepotism at work

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