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

30/01/2013

* Panicked property fire sale in China amid corruption fight

Sydney Morning Herald: “Thousands of Chinese communist officials have been panicked into a fire sale of their illicit properties and billions of pounds have been smuggled overseas as the country’s new leaders intensify a campaign to root out corruption.

Corruption-fighter Chinese Vice Premier Wang Qishan in Beijing, China.

Luxurious properties are being dumped on the market in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou for anyone able to pay in cash as officials try to cover their tracks. A report by the party’s anti-corruption unit, the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, said “a wave of luxury home sales began last November and has accelerated since December”.

It said the volume of deals had intensified by “a hundred times” after Xi Jinping, the incoming Chinese president, warned that corruption could kill the party and put one of the country’s most vigorous and resolute politicians, Wang Qishan, in charge of stamping out graft.

Fu Zongmo, an estate agent in Sanya, Hainan, said his colleagues had sold two houses recently for government officials. In recent years, the tropical beaches and golf courses of Sanya have attracted plenty of speculators but recently the market has stalled.”

via Panicked property fire sale in China amid corruption fight.

Corrupt Chinese Politicians are Buying Billions in U.S. Real Estate (libertyblitzkrieg.com)
China’s Xi says ‘no leniency’ in corruption fight (sinodaily.com)
China Communists to Control Size of Party Amid Corruption Fight – Bloomberg (bloomberg.com)

Posted in China alert, corruption, Economics, Politics | 2 Comments »

Tags: Beijing, China, China Communists, economy, politics, Wang Qishan, Xi JinPing

27/01/2013

* China could prove ultimate winner in Afghanistan

SCMP: “China, long a bystander to the conflict in Afghanistan, is stepping up its involvement as US-led forces prepare to withdraw, attracted by the country’s vast mineral resources but concerned that any post-next year chaos could embolden Islamist insurgents in its own territory.

Cheered on by the US and other Western governments, which see Asia’s giant as a potentially stabilising force, China could prove the ultimate winner in Afghanistan – having shed no blood and not much aid.

Security – or the lack of it – remains the key challenge: Chinese enterprises have already bagged three multibillion dollar investment projects, but they won’t be able to go forward unless conditions get safer. While the Chinese do not appear ready to rush into any vacuum left by the withdrawal of foreign troops, a definite shift towards a more hands-on approach to Afghanistan is under way.

China is the only actor who can foot the level of investment needed in Afghanistan to make it succeed and stick it out

Beijing signed a strategic partnership last summer with the war-torn country. This was followed in September with a trip to Kabul by its top security official, the first by a leading Chinese government figure in 46 years, and the announcement that China would train 300 Afghan police officers. China is also showing signs of willingness to help negotiate a peace agreement as Nato prepares to pull out in two years.

It’s a new role for China, as its growing economic might gives it a bigger stake in global affairs. Success, though far from guaranteed, could mean a big payoff for a country hungry for resources to sustain its economic growth and eager to maintain stability in Xinjiang.

“If you are able to see a more or less stable situation in Afghanistan, if it becomes another relatively normal Central Asian state, China will be the natural beneficiary,” says Andrew Small, a China expert at The German Marshall Fund of the United States, an American research institute. “If you look across Central Asia, that is what has already happened. … China is the only actor who can foot the level of investment needed in Afghanistan to make it succeed and stick it out.””

via China could prove ultimate winner in Afghanistan | South China Morning Post.

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

Tags: Afghanistan, Central Asia, China, Kabul, politics, Xinjiang

27/01/2013

* Grandparents without borders

Another aspect of the on-going migrant workers issue that needs resolving by the government soon – before it blows up in their faces.

China Daily: “Migrant grandparents who leave their homes to live in the cities and take care of their children’s children are a growing demographic. Liu Zhihua highlights changes they have to face in adapting to their new lifestyles.

Grandparents without borders

In villages across China, grandparents have set aside their dreams of retirement to raise children left behind by their reluctant parents, who migrate to the cities in pursuit of making more money than at home. At a totally different level up the economic pyramid, in urban households, grandparents are now migrating from their homes to take care of their grandchildren in cities hundreds and thousands of miles away – as families scatter across a rapidly transforming China. Their children need to work, and are reluctant to hire a full-time babysitter, either due to distrust of a stranger, preference for family, or financial restraints.

As a result, grandparents, especially grandmothers, shoulder the responsibility of being primary caregivers, when they could be at their leisure after retirement.

But it’s not always easy to adapt, especially at what may be a relatively advanced age.

While staying in Shanghai last year to take care of her pregnant daughter, and later, her newly born grandson, Deng Chengying, 55, felt as if she was in a prison.

Xiong Jiayi enjoys quality time with his grandmother. [Provided to China Daily]

The Jingzhou native of Hubei province doesn’t understand the Shanghai dialect, but in the community where the family lives, nearly all the elderly neighbors speak only Shanghai dialect.

Deng does have one frequent visitor, a friendly old woman who is an empty nester , but conversation is difficult because she speaks only the Shanghai dialect.

If it wasn’t for the traders in the morning market speaking Mandarin, Deng would have few opportunities to speak her native tongue with those in her community.

When her daughter and son-in-law go to work and the housework is finished, she generally stays in the apartment and plays online games.

“I’m so thrilled I just jump if I meet someone whose language I understand,” Deng once confided to her relatives at home in Jingzhou during a phone call.”

via Grandparents without borders |Society |chinadaily.com.cn.

Tags: China, Grandparent, politics, Shanghai, society

27/01/2013

* China’s mobile phone users reach 1.11 billion

China Daily: “The number of Chinese mobile phone users reached 1.11 billion as of the end of 2012, according to official data unveiled Thursday.

China's mobile phone users reach 1.11 billion

The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) said in a statement that mobile phone users represent 80 percent of all phones users in the country.

A farmer in Huojiatai village, Yongdeng county, Northwest China’s Gansu province, receives a text message on his phone from the local agricultural technician about growing vegetables, Jan 22, 2012. [Photo/Xinhua]

The number of mobile phones owned by every 100 people reached 82.6 by the end of 2012, up by nine from a year earlier, according to the statement.

Last year, the country recorded 125.9 million new mobile phone users, among whom 104.38 million were 3G mobile phone users, bringing the total number of 3G users to 232.8 million, the MIIT said.

The ministry said the number of Internet users rose by 51 million to 564 million people, among whom 74.5 percent, or 420 million people, surf the Internet with their mobile phones.

The Internet penetration rate reached 42.1 percent by the end of last year, up 3.8 percentage points from a year earlier.”

via China’s mobile phone users reach 1.11 billion |Economy |chinadaily.com.cn.

MIIT Shares China’s October Numbers: Internet Gets More Mobile, Land Line Phones Dying (techinasia.com)
Research and Markets: Mobile Phones in Asia-Pacific (sys-con.com)

Posted in China alert, Digital communications, Economics, Technology | Leave a Comment »

Tags: China, Internaut, MIIT, Ministry of Industry and Information Technology of the People's Republic of China, mobile, Mobile phone, mobile phone users, number of internet users, technology

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

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

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

Categories

Blogs I Follow

Posts tagged ‘China’

* Panicked property fire sale in China amid corruption fight

* China could prove ultimate winner in Afghanistan

* Grandparents without borders

* China’s mobile phone users reach 1.11 billion

* 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

Tags

Creative Commons

Archives

Meta

Blog Stats

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

Categories

Blogs I Follow

Posts tagged ‘China’

Related articles

Related articles

Related articles

Related articles

Related articles

Tags

Creative Commons

Archives

Meta

Blog Stats