Social & cultural | CHINDIA ALERT: You'll be living in their world, very soon

08/10/2012

* Over 660,000 Chinese officials punished in five years

Chinese authorities continue to chase and punish corruption by officials, which the Chinese Communist Party recognises as one of the dangers facing a single-party governing body.

Xinhua: “Anti-corruption bodies of the Communist Party of China (CPC) have punished more than 660,000 officials guilty of disciplinary violations in the past five years, senior leader He Guoqiang announced on Monday.

More than 24,000 officials were transferred to the judicial system for suspected crimes, said He, head of the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection.

Procuratorial and discipline inspection authorities across the country investigated more than 640,000 corruption cases from November 2007 to June this year. More than 630,000 of the cases have been resolved, according to He.

A series of major cases, including those involving former Chongqing Party chief Bo Xilai, former Railways Minister Liu Zhijun and former Shenzhen mayor Xu Zongheng, were relentlessly pursued, said He.

Investigating corruption cases is a long-term task in the process of building a clean government, said the head of the commission.

He urged institutions to put the “handling of disciplinary violation cases” at the top of the agenda and to always crackdown on corruption.

The corrupt ones, no matter who are involved, will be relentlessly followed and will never be given a chance of escaping punishment in accordance with Party discipline and the law, He said.

The head of the commission noted that improvements have been made in the way various departments cooperate to prevent corrupt officials fleeing to foreign countries and to strengthen overseas arrest.

He also urged anti-corruption authorities to learn and grasp the effective measures in the past five years to promote the combat against corruption and to build a clean party and government.

via Over 660,000 officials punished in five years – Xinhua | English.news.cn.

https://chindia-alert.org/prognosis/chinese-challenges/
Bo Xilai expelled from CPC, public office (news.xinhuanet.com)
Chinese anti-corruption official hopeful of improvement (wantchinatimes.com)
China faces challenges when supervising government power (capitalfm.co.ke)

Posted in China alert, corruption | 1 Comment »

Tags: communist party of china, cpc central, politics

08/10/2012

* More Chinese Muslims head for Mecca pilgrimage

Xinhua: “A total of 332 Muslims from northwest China’s Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region flew to Mecca, Saudi Arabia Sunday evening for the annual pilgrimage.

This is part of the government-organized pilgrimage tours that will carry 13,800 Chinese Muslims via 41 charter flights to the holiest city of Islam this year.

Previously, more than 2,700 Muslims from neighboring Gansu Province had flown to Mecca in eight groups.

In Ningxia, one of major regions inhabited by Muslims in China, 2,676 Islamic followers will go on the pilgrimage this year, according to Li Yushan, vice president of the regional Islamic association.

The Mecca pilgrimage, also known as the Hajj, is a Muslim religious tradition that specifies that all able-bodied Muslims who can afford to travel to Saudi Arabia must visit Mecca at least once in their lives.

China has more than 20 million Muslims, about half of whom are from the Hui ethnic group. In addition to Ningxia, Chinese Muslims mainly live in the western provinces of Qinghai, Gansu and Yunnan, and Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.”

via More Chinese Muslims head for Mecca pilgrimage – Xinhua | English.news.cn.

https://chindia-alert.org/political-factors/chinese-tensions/
Chinese Muslims to join in Islamic Cultures EXPO in Istanbul (worldbulletin.net)

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

Tags: China, Gansu, Hajj, islam, Mecca, mecca pilgrimage, mecca saudi arabia, Muslim, muslims in china, Ningxia, religion, Saudi Arabia

04/10/2012

* Chinese gov’t to strengthen int’l cooperation on cyber issues

Xinhua: “The Chinese government will continue to strengthen international cooperation on cyber issues, and work with all countries to build an open and secure cyberspace, said an official here on Thursday at the ongoing Budapest conference on cyberspace.

Given the many challenges presented ahead, Huang Huikang, legal advisor and Director-General of the Department of Treaty and Law to China’s foreign ministry emphasized the importance of cooperation across the entire international community.

Although cyberspace is virtual, it needs rules and norms to follow, Huang said. China holds that the United Nations, as the most universal and representative international organization, is the best forum for elaboration of international norms and rules in cyberspace, he added.

Huang said China proposes that the following principles be observed in strengthening international cooperation on internet related issues.

The first, he said, concerned cyber sovereignty. He said that cyber sovereignty is the natural extension of state sovereignty into cyberspace and should be respected and upheld.

“Every country is entitled to formulate its policies and laws in light of its history, traditions, culture, language and customs, and manage the internet accordingly,” he said.

The second concerned the free flow of information, which he called a “double edged sword,” adding that it was no excuse for the “illegal and irresponsible information rampant on the internet,” which threatened national security, social orders and the lawful rights of people.

Huang also called for peaceful use of cyberspace, equitable development, and international cooperation, noting that all countries were equally entitled to share in the management of critical Internet resources. He proposed that international cooperation could be initiated in areas where there were common needs, such as in combating cybercrime and enhancing cyber security.

There are 540 million internet users in China now, making it the world’s top user quantitatively. But only 40 percent of the Chinese people had access to the internet. In 2011, e-commerce in China amounted to 930 billion U.S. dollars, or 12.5 percent of its annual gross domestic product.”

via Chinese gov’t to strengthen int’l cooperation on cyber issues: official – Xinhua | English.news.cn.

CISPA: Cyber Security or Big Brother? (digitalsurgeons.com)

Posted in China alert, cyberspace, Good news, Politics, Security | Leave a Comment »

Tags: internet, politics, science

01/10/2012

* Dalits see smallest rise in wages

One day in the distant future, India may turn its back on the Aryan invented caste system of which the Dalit is the lowest caste. In fact it is even lower than that as it is actually outside of the caste categories. Until then, inequalities will continue and a large percentage of the Indian population will not contribute to the national economy to the extent that they have the potential to do.

We know that in theory, the caste system is not supposed to be applied. We also know about the positive discrimination that central government and the education system applies. But until the common man and woman on the street decide that the caste system is centuries out of date and to be shunned, news items like the one below will continue.

Times of India: “Dalits have once again lost out, this time on wages in rural areas. A first-of-its-kind data released by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has revealed that during the last eight years – between April, 2004 and March, 2012 – the daily wages of cobblers in rural areas rose by 95%, the worst show among the 17 categories listed by the government’s Labour Bureau. The all-India data compiled recently is, however, limited to wages paid to male workers.

Similarly, sweepers, who are also dalits, saw wages rise 109% to Rs 106 a day last March compared to a tad less than Rs 51 when the UPA came to power in mid-2004.

When it comes to actual wages, they remained the second worst paid after herdsmen, who were the only category earning less than Rs 100 a day till March. In terms of growth, sweepers managed to marginally pip blacksmith, whose wages jumped 108% and saw the second slowest rise.

Where the wages have really boomed is in farm-related activities with winnowing and picking topping the charts with a growth of 169% and 158%, respectively. Unlike cobblers or sweepers, in rural areas wages for unskilled workers also shot up 153% to Rs 151 a day.

What may come as a surprise to many is that the wage increase in the top three segments — winnowing, picking and unskilled labour — was more rapid that the rise in per capita income during this period.

According to Central Statistics Office, per capita income at current prices was estimated at Rs 24,143 in 2004-05, which went up 151% to Rs 60,603 in 2011-12. In terms of daily income, the rise was Rs 66 in 2004-05 to Rs 166.

via Dalits see smallest rise in wages – The Times of India.

See also:

Separate electorate for Dalits still relevant, says Mavalli Shankar (thehindu.com)
A ray of hope for Dalit women (thehindu.com)
Dalit women at the receiving end (thehindu.com)
What can a ‘sincere’ Dalit do? (drambedkarbooks.wordpress.com)
Stop Attacking Dalit Statues and Dalit Pride (drambedkarbooks.wordpress.com)
Dalits in want of basic needs (thehimalayantimes.com)
What can a ‘sincere’ upper caste person do? (drambedkarbooks.wordpress.com)

Posted in Dalit, Economics, India alert, Inequalities, Low income, Obsolete practices, religion, Social & cultural | 2 Comments »

Tags: BR Ambedkar, Caste, caste system, Central Statistics Office, Dalit, India, indian population, labour bureau, positive discrimination, Reserve Bank of India

29/09/2012

* Bo Xilai expelled from CPC, public office

China Daily: “Bo Xilai has been expelled from the Communist Party of China (CPC) and removed from public office, according to a decision made at a meeting of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee on Friday.

The meeting also yielded the decision to transfer Bo’s suspected law violations and relevant evidence to judicial organs for handling.

The decisions were made after attendees at the meeting deliberated over and adopted an investigation report on Bo’s severe disciplinary violations, which had been submitted by the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI).

At a meeting held on April 10, members of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee were briefed on the investigation into the incident in which former Chongqing Vice Mayor Wang Lijun entered the US Consulate General in Chengdu without permission as well as the reinvestigation into the suspected murder of British citizen Neil Heywood by Bogu Kailai, Bo’s wife.

Based on Bo’s mistakes and responsibilities in the two cases, as well as evidence of his other discipline violations uncovered during the investigations into the two cases, the CPC Central Committee decided to suspend Bo’s membership in the CPC Central Committee Political Bureau and the CPC Central Committee and the CCDI filed the case for investigation.

Investigations have found that Bo seriously violated Party disciplines while heading the city of Dalian, Liaoning Province, and the Ministry of Commerce and while serving as a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and as Party chief of Chongqing Municipality.

Bo abused his power, made severe mistakes and bore major responsibility in the Wang Lijun incident and the intentional homicide case of Bogu Kailai.

He took advantage of his office to seek profits for others and received huge bribes personally and through his family.

His position was also abused by his wife Bogu Kailai to seek profits for others, and the Bo family accepted a huge amount of money and property from others.

Bo had or maintained improper sexual relationships with a number of women.

He was also found to have violated organizational and personnel disciplines and made erroneous decisions in the promotion of personnel, resulting in serious consequences.

The investigation also uncovered evidence that suggests his involvement in other crimes.”

via Bo Xilai expelled from CPC, public office[1]|chinadaily.com.cn.

Tags: Bo Xilai, Bogu Kailai, China, Chongqing, communist party of china, CPC Central Committee Political Bureau, Dalian, Liaoning, politics

15/09/2012

* Coalgate: Supreme Court issues notice to Centre over coal block allocations

The Times of India: “The Supreme Court has issued notice to the Centre on coal block allocations and has asked the govt what action it proposes to take against illegal allotments and those allottees who breached the contract.

The apex court has asked the coal secretary to file affidavit answering 6 questions on a PIL seeking cancellation of all 194 coal mine blocks under controversy.

The apex court’s posers to the government includes —

Why competitive bidding process was not followed for allocation of coal blocks?

What were the guidelines for allocation of coal blocks and whether there was any deviation during actual allocation?

Why so many politicians and their relatives figure among the alleged irregular allottees?

Whether the guidelines for allocation overlooked the safety mechanism to render the allotments as largesse in favour of private parties?

Whether govt’s objective in coal block allocation has been achieved through the present mode of allocation, which was faulted by the CAG?

The apex court has asked the coal secretary to file a response in 8 weeks.

Turning down the Centre’s plea that the court should not go into the issue as it is being looked into by a Parliamentary committee, the apex court said “these are different exercises.”

A bench of justices R M Lodha and A R Dave said the petition raised serious questions and “it requires explanation from the government”.”

via Coalgate: Supreme Court issues notice to Centre over coal block allocations – The Times of India.

Posted in corruption, Economics, Illegal practices, India alert, Inequalities, Justice, Nepotism, Politics, Rule of law | Leave a Comment »

Tags: Coal, Government, India, politics, Public Interest Litigation, Supreme Court

06/09/2012

* Beijing Updates Parables, ‘The 24 Paragons of Filial Piety’

NY Times: “Reading it now, six centuries after Guo Jujing wrote this paean to parental devotion, “The 24 Paragons of Filial Piety” comes off as a collection of scary bedtime stories. There is the woman who cut out her own liver to feed her sick mother, the boy who sat awake shirtless all night to draw mosquitoes away from his slumbering parents and the man who sold himself into servitude to pay for a father’s funeral.

While the parables are even more familiar to most Chinese than Grimms’ Fairy Tales are to Americans — the text remains a mainstay of educational curriculum here — they have understandably lost much of their motivational punch.

But when the government, in an effort to address the book’s glaring obsolescence, issued an updated version last month in the hope that the book would encourage more Chinese to turn away from their increasingly self-centered ways and perhaps phone home once in a while, it wasn’t quite prepared for the backlash.

Compared with its predecessor, the new book brims with down-to-earth suggestions for keeping parents happy in their golden years. Readers are urged to teach them how to surf the Internet, take Mom to a classic film and buy health insurance for retired parents.

“Family is the nucleus of society,” intoned Cui Shuhui, the director of the All-China Women’s Federation, which, along with the China National Committee on Aging, published the new guidelines after two years of interviews with older Chinese. “We need family in order to advance Chinese society and improve our economic situation.”

So far, those good intentions appear to have prompted mostly ridicule. But they have also unintentionally kicked up a debate on whether the government, not overextended children, should be looking after China’s ballooning population of retirees.

In a fast-aging nation where hundreds of millions of people have left their former homes in the countryside in search of jobs, “The New 24 Paragons of Filial Piety” strikes many as nearly as out of touch with the problems of modern China as the old parables.”

via Beijing Updates Parables, ‘The 24 Paragons of Filial Piety’ – NYTimes.com.

See also: China’s aging population

Posted in Affluence, China alert, Migrant workers, One-child policy, Population | 1 Comment »

Tags: China, Chinese culture, Filial Piety, Government of the People's Republic of China, Parent

04/09/2012

* Healthcare system to get 400b yuan injection

Chronic Disease (Photo credit: tamahaji)

China Daily: “Increase in cases of chronic diseases can mean opportunities for medical firms

Deng Jianping currently spends around 500 yuan ($79) a month on medicine for blood pressure, diabetes and coronary heart disease.

The 68-year-old Beijinger said his wife has more chronic diseases and her medication costs even more, while his two sons, 42 and 38, also need to take medicine every day for hypertension and heart illness.

Wang and his family are among the more than 260 million Chinese people, around a quarter of the nation’s population, who have been diagnosed with chronic diseases, including cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, cancer and chronic respiratory diseases.

The Ministry of Health said that around 10 million people in China have contracted chronic diseases every year since 2002.

“Prevention and control of chronic diseases will be one of the seven top tasks of China’s medical care reform by 2020,” said Health Minister Chen Zhu.

The central government will invest a total of 400 billion yuan by 2020 in the seven key projects, which also involve improvements to the grassroots healthcare system, psychological disease prevention, the construction of a digital public health information network, medical device innovation, the development of traditional Chinese medicine, and the training of general practitioners.

According to the ministry, 85 percent of deaths in China are caused by chronic diseases, with expenditure on the treatment of these accounting for 69 percent of China’s total healthcare costs last year.

Foreign pharmaceutical companies have an advantage in this sector, according to Song Yingtong, a senior analyst at Beijing Chnmed Consulting Co Ltd, a domestic pharmaceutical consulting firm.

“They have accumulated rich experience in chronic disease treatment in developed markets,” he said.”

via Healthcare system to get 400b yuan injection |Hot Issues |chinadaily.com.cn.

Hot on the announcement of expanded care is news of cash injection to make it real. President Obama “eat your heart out.”

https://chindia-alert.org/2012/08/31/insurance-to-cover-serious-illnesses/
260 million Chinese suffer chronic diseases: report (wantchinatimes.com)
Chronic Diseases Cause 80 Percent of Deaths in China, Says Report (theepochtimes.com)

Posted in China alert, Good news, Health, Social & cultural | 1 Comment »

Tags: Beijing, China, chronic, chronic disease treatment, chronic respiratory diseases, Conditions and Diseases, health, Heart disease, medical device innovation, medicine, Ministry of Health, research

03/09/2012

* China probes ‘gutter oil in medicine’ claims

BBC News: “Chinese officials have told pharmaceutical firms to check their suppliers after claims that some have used “gutter oil” to make antibiotics, state-run media report.

Officials are looking into firms that reportedly use the cheaper gutter oil rather than the more expensive soy bean oil in the production process.

Gutter oil is reprocessed kitchen waste dredged from restaurant drains.

It has been part of a series of recent food safety scandals in China.

The government said it would release its findings soon, without giving further details.

It is not clear whether these antibiotics pose a risk to public health, but the incident highlights how some firms cut corners to pursue profits, says the BBC’s Martin Patience in Beijing.

Scandals over contaminated food – most recently gutter oil – have caused considerable public alarm in China in recent years.

In April, state-run media reported on how officials cracked down on underground workshops that used decomposing animal fat and organs to produce gutter oil.

Police said that most of the oil was sold to oil manufacturers for food production and making hotpot soup in restaurants.

In September last year, police arrested 32 people in an operation to prevent the sale of gutter oil as cooking oil.”

via BBC News – China probes ‘gutter oil in medicine’ claims.

There seem to be no limits to the unethical behaviour of some Chinese business people. Central government is trying to do its best, in pharmaceuticals,and food production, but the miscreants carry on.

China to export gutter oil for jet fuel (indiavision.com)
* China arrests 1,900 in crackdown on fake drugs (chindia-alert.org)
Could China’s ‘Gutter Oil’ Be Used To Save The Environment? (ibtimes.com)
From the gutter to the sky: KLM to fly on Chinese waste oil (wantchinatimes.com)

Posted in China alert, Crime, Economics, Food safety, Health, Illegal chemicals, Illegal practices | Leave a Comment »

Tags: Beijing, China, Cooking oil, fake drugs, food safety, medicine claims

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