Posts tagged ‘Xi JinPing’

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20/01/2015

Tapping China’s ‘Silver Hair Industry’ – China Real Time Report – WSJ

Researchers at Abbott Laboratories in Shanghai are busy testing flavors of nutritional drinks for China’s senior citizens. Kimberly-Clark Corp. has launched television ads for its Depend adult diapers and expanded distribution online. Local e-commerce companies like Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. and JD.com Inc. are rolling out senior-focused marketing pushes.

The companies are after the growing ranks of people born during a Mao Zedong-inspired baby boom that took the country’s population to nearly one billion people in 1980 from 542,000 in 1949. China’s birthrate dropped sharply during the 1970s and 1980s as the government reversed course and implemented a one-child policy.

The boomers are now hitting old age: China’s over-65 population is projected to soar to 210 million in 2030 from 110 million, and by 2050 will account for a quarter of China’s total population, according to United Nations data. By then, the U.N. says, China’s elderly population may exceed the entire U.S. population.

“What has us interested…is that half a billion people over the age of 60 will be living in China over the next 35 years,” said Scott White, president of Abbott’s international nutrition division.

via Tapping China’s ‘Silver Hair Industry’ – China Real Time Report – WSJ.

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12/01/2015

Han cadres required to learn Tibetan language – Xinhua | English.news.cn

Mastery of the Tibetan language will become a requirement for non-native cadres in China’s Tibet Autonomous Region.

All seven prefecture-level cities in Tibet have started organizing Tibetan language training for non-native cadres, according to the regional bureau of compilation and translation on Monday.

Qoizha, deputy director of the bureau, said they have handed out 40,000 books on basic Tibetan language for daily conversation.

President Xi Jinping stressed at a conference on ethnic work in September 2014 that in ethnic regions, ethnic minority cadres should learn Mandarin, and Han cadres should also learn ethnic languages. The language skill should become a “requirement” for cadres.

“One cannot serve the local people well if one cannot speak the local language,” Xi said.

Tibet has adopted a bilingual policy since the regional legislature passed a law in 1987 stipulating both Tibetan language and Mandarin as official languages in the region.

Qoizha said over 90 percent of Tibet’s population of 3 million is of Tibetan ethnicity. Breaking the language hurdle can help non-native cadres better interact with local communities.

In the past 20 years, close to 6,000 cadres and technical professionals from various Chinese provinces and municipalities have been sent to help develop the southwestern autonomous region of Tibet. Cadres usually stay in the region for three years.

via Han cadres required to learn Tibetan language – Xinhua | English.news.cn.

Posted in China alert, Ethnic clash, Internal politics, Politics, Religious clash | Leave a Comment »

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12/01/2015

Northwest set to push Silk Road links – China – Chinadaily.com.cn

China’s northwest regions are planning to invest more in infrastructure, tourism and tourism-related industries to attract more visitors to the ancient Silk Road that linked China with central Asian nations.

Northwest set to push Silk Road links

Shaanxi province, whose capital, Xi’an, was the starting point of the ancient Silk Road, has launched a tourism investment fund of 5 billion yuan ($804 million).

“Thanks to the rising influence of China’s western tourism, the tourism industry of Shaanxi province has enjoyed a fast and steady growth in recent years,” said Bai Aying, vice-governor of Shaanxi province. “Now Shaanxi province has invested a lot to operate major tourism projects with the theme of Silk Road culture.”

Gansu province, with more than 1,600 kilometers of the Silk Road, is rapidly improving its transportation network as well. According to the provincial tourism authority, in the next five years, Gansu will connect major national scenic spots with nearby cities, counties and major transport roads.

Gansu will also work to attract more overseas visitors by facilitating more international airlines and gradually opening international ports of entry at the Dunhuang and Jiayuguan airports.

In September 2013, President Xi Jinping proposed an economic belt that would revive the ancient Silk Road. The trans-Eurasian project is proposed to extend from the Pacific Ocean to the Baltic Sea.

This year has been set as the Silk Road Tourism Year by the China National Tourism Administration. It is expected to facilitate regional cooperation, deepen mutual understanding and establish mutually beneficial ties for all nations involved

Li Shihong, head of the administration’s marketing and international cooperation department, said CNTA will introduce a three-year plan to coordinate the Silk Road tourism development around the country. It also will help to leverage the economy in less-developed regions.

Industry insiders said they believe this is a new opportunity for China to reintroduce its western regions and upgrade tourism facilities and services.

“The Silk Road is one of the early tourism brands that China introduced to the world. It has cultural meanings and global reputation,” said Dou Qun, a tourism industry professor at Beijing Union University. “And China has developed tourism products along the Silk Road for more than 30 years that all provide a solid foundation for another round of development this year.”

“Besides marketing, tourism authorities should also work closely with other departments including culture, transportation and public facilities to expand the current tourism products and improve the tourism experience,” Dou said.

via Northwest set to push Silk Road links – China – Chinadaily.com.cn.

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12/01/2015

Sri Lanka’s President Loses an Election—and China Loses an Ally – Businessweek

China has spared no effort to make friends with Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa. The island nation has more than $4 billion worth of Chinese-backed investments, including a $1.4 billion project now under construction of offices, hotels, apartment buildings, and shopping centers on reclaimed land in Colombo that is the largest foreign investment in the country’s history. The leading provider of loans to Sri Lanka, China is also financing a $1.3 coal power plant and $1 billion highway.

Supporters of Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa on January 8, 2015 in Colombo, Sri Lanka

For Chinese President Xi Jinping, who visited in September, cozying up to Rajapaksa has been a twofer. Building a Chinese presence in the country helps further Xi’s ambitions to build a “maritime Silk Road” expanding China’s reach in the Indian Ocean.

At the same time, China’s expansion in the Indian Ocean country has provided a useful way to irritate Sri Lanka’s big neighbor and China’s regional rival: India. China and India have a longstanding border dispute, and China has been eager to take down India a notch by focusing on Sri Lanka and other small countries that have traditionally been in India’s sphere of influence. India, for instance, was displeased last year when two Chinese submarines docked at a Chinese-funded port terminal in Colombo.

via Sri Lanka’s President Loses an Election—and China Loses an Ally – Businessweek.

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03/01/2015

How Chinese leader Xi Jinping turned Tasmanian toy into a bear essential | South China Morning Post

When Chinese President Xi Jinping stepped on to the airport tarmac in Australia‘s smallest state Tasmania, he was handed a purple fluffy toy called Bobbie.

President Xi Jinping receives the purple bear in Tasmania. Photo: AFP

Stuffed with lavender and wheat, the teddy bear has since captured the hearts – and wallets – of Chinese consumers.

Bobbie has become an overwhelming success in China with a remarkable following – helping creator Robert Ravens, owner of the lavender farm in the state’s northeast, secure an inaugural Australia-China business award for entrepreneurship.

Tasmania has long had the nation’s weakest economy, but is hoping to boost its fortunes by using its natural resources to attract an affluent Asian market looking for quality products.

When Ravens bought the Bridestowe Lavender Estate in 2007, his first goal was to return it to the peak farming condition it was in several decades ago.

He was also keen to boost the tourism potential of the farm. “We looked to create new products which would attract young visitors, and that came through food,” Ravens said.

An early product, lavender ice cream, started to attract Chinese tourists to the 105-hectare farm, an hour’s drive from Tasmania’s second-largest city Launceston.

But it was through the bear that Ravens, a former chief executive of a leading chemicals firm, struck a winning formula.

“We were experimenting with various shapes and colours. One day, five years ago or more, we showed a bear to a young Chinese girl in a shop,” he said.

“She said ‘so cute’ and she was carrying it like a baby, and you could see the bond form. As soon as we saw that, the light went on and we knew that was the right configuration.”

Even the name was designed to attract Chinese consumers, Ravens said, adding: “You can say Bobbie phonetically in Cantonese and Mandarin.”

Ravens courted the celebrity market and when a Chinese model posted a picture of herself with the bear online last year, demand for the furry creature – which doubles as a heat pack – reached stratospheric levels.

The farm had to limit sales to one per customer, temporarily halt online shopping and even contend with fake toys piggy-backing on Bobbie’s fame.

Visitor numbers have soared from 23,000 in 2007 to more than 65,000 last year, and it now produces 40,000 bears annually.

“In Australia, you become successful and you have 26 million potential customers. In China, you have a billion. The scale is so phenomenal,” said Ravens. “The answer is to be authentic and to target the market as acutely as you can. We are aiming always to be a boutique market, not a mass market.”

via How Chinese leader Xi Jinping turned Tasmanian toy into a bear essential | South China Morning Post.

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19/12/2014

Xi Jinping Wins the Popularity Contest – Businessweek

A recent survey on the popularity of global leaders is providing rich fodder for the Communist Party of China’s propaganda machine. The study, which canvassed some 26,000 people in 30 countries on their attitudes toward 10 world leaders, shows President Xi Jinping was rated higher by the people of China than any other leader in the survey was rated by the people of his or her respective country.

Chinese President Xi Jinping

“Chinese President Xi Jinping was the highest-rated world leader in many fields,” China Daily reported on Wednesday, commenting on the study (PDF), which was published by the Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation at the Harvard Kennedy School and carried out by Japanese research firm GMO. “Chinese respondents showed the highest confidence in regards to how their leader handled domestic and international affairs.”

Among the national rankings, where people rate their own leader, Xi averaged 9 out of 10, higher than any other head of state, with 94.8 percent of Chinese expressing confidence about how he handles domestic affairs and 93.8 percent saying the same about international affairs.

Xi was followed by Russian President Vladimir Putin (8.7), Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi (8.6), South African President Jacob Zuma (7), and German Chancellor Angela Merkel (6.7). U.S. President Barack Obama came in seventh place, with only a 6.2 ranking. Just 51.7 percent of Americans were confident about Obama’s handling of domestic affairs, while 49.1 percent said the same regarding international affairs.

But while Xi’s high popularity is getting lots of attention in China’s party-controlled press, the possible reasons behind it are not. Leaders in countries that hold a high degree of state control over the media would naturally rate higher, the Harvard study says, a conclusion ignored by China Daily and other Chinese publications.

via Xi Jinping Wins the Popularity Conest – Businessweek.

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16/12/2014

China jails businesswoman in railway graft case for 20 years | Reuters

A court in China sentenced a well-known businesswoman to 20 years in jail for corruption on Tuesday, saying the woman with ties to a disgraced former railways minister was guilty of bribery and illegally running a business.

Ding Yuxin, also known as Ding Shumiao, helped 23 businesses win railway construction contracts and funnelled 49 million yuan (£5 million) worth of kickbacks to former railways minister Liu Zhijun, state media has previously reported.

She also “offered sexual favours to Liu by arranging an unidentified number of women for him”, the official China Daily reported last year.

In a brief statement on its microblog, a Beijing court said the evidence in the case against her was clear, ordering she also pay a fine of 2.5 billion yuan and have assets worth 20 million yuan confiscated.

It gave no other details.

via China jails businesswoman in railway graft case for 20 years | Reuters.

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14/12/2014

With Oil Prices Falling Venezuela Needs China More Than Ever – Businessweek

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro had a Plan B in the event the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries declined to back his country’s proposal to cut output to boost prices.

Downtown Caracas, Venezuela

The day after OPEC’s Nov. 27 decision to maintain production at current levels, a move that drove oil prices to new lows, a somber-looking Maduro went on national television to tell the Venezuelan people he was dispatching Finance Minister Rodolfo Marco Torres to Beijing. Torres spent the first week of December in China, during which he tweeted photos of his meetings with Chinese officials and bankers.

via With Oil Prices Falling Venezuela Needs China More Than Ever – Businessweek.

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14/12/2014

China Has a ‘New Normal’ Too – Businessweek

China’s Communist Party leaders are known for their turgid jargon, much of it dating back decades to when Mao Zedong still dominated dogma. But sometimes, apparently, they feel the need to borrow from less hoary, more capitalistic sources.

A technology and manufacturing facility in Shenzhen, China

That is what Xi Jinping has done with his “new normal” theory of the Chinese economy, now getting lots of play in the state media. The phrase, first popularized by Pacific Investment Management Co., or Pimco, the giant Newport Beach (Calif) bond fund manager, referred of course to the lackluster economic growth following the global financial crisis.

Earlier this year Xi used the then-already tired cliché while on a May inspection trip to Henan, the province southwest of the Chinese capital. Then it got a real airing during a speech he gave at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum last month. “A new normal of China’s economy has emerged with several notable features,” Xi said, speaking before more than 1,500 global business executives in Beijing, reported the Party-owned Global Times on Nov. 10.

“First, the economy has shifted gear from the previous high speed to a medium-to-high-speed growth. Second, the economic structure is constantly improved and upgraded. Third, the economy is increasingly driven by innovation instead of input and investment,” the paper wrote, paraphrasing Xi.

Translation: Yes, the economy will not grow at the hyper rates all of you had gotten used to—still, no need for alarm. We are making the transition to a healthier, more sustainable version, this one driven more by consumption, services, and, oh yes, innovation. “The ‘new normal’ theory elaborated by Chinese President Xi Jinping would be one of the hallmarks to be engraved in history,” the Global Times ambitiously predicted.

“We must understand the new normal, adjust to the new normal, and develop under the new normal—coming to terms with the new normal will be the ‘main logic’ for economic growth for some time,” the official Xinhua News Agency wrote today, in a report on the three-day, high-level Central Economic Work Conference that closed Thursday. “The new normal has not changed the strategic importance of a period that will see great achievements,” it promised.

via China Has a ‘New Normal’ Too – Businessweek.

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14/12/2014

Set aside hate, China’s Xi says on Nanjing Massacre anniversary | Reuters

China and Japan should set aside hatred and not allow the minority who led Japan to war to affect relations now, Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Saturday, as the country marked its first national memorial day for the Nanjing Massacre.

Chinese President Xi Jinping (C) and other leaders attend a memorial ceremony at the Nanjing Massacre Museum in Nanjing, Jiangsu province December 13, 2014. REUTERS/Aly Song

China and Japan have long sparred over their painful history. China consistently reminds its people of the 1937 massacre in which it says Japanese troops killed 300,000 people in its then capital.

A postwar Allied tribunal put the death toll at 142,000, but some conservative Japanese politicians and scholars deny a massacre took place at all.

Ties had deteriorated sharply over the past year following Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe‘s visit to the Yasukuni Shrine honoring war criminals among Japan’s war dead. The two are also involved in a spat over islets in the East China Sea.

But both countries, mindful of the economic stakes, reached agreement last month to try to reset ties during an ice-breaking meeting between Xi and Abe in Beijing.

Speaking at a memorial in the eastern city of Nanjing, a somber Xi said that while history must never be forgotten, the future was just as important.

“The reason we are having a memorial for the Nanjing Massacre victims is to recall that all good-hearted people yearn for and hold fast to peace, not to prolong hatred,” Xi said, in comments carried live on state television.

“The people of China and Japan should pass on friendship from generation to generation,” he added.

“Forgetting history is a betrayal, and denying a crime is to repeat a crime. We should not hate a people just because a small minority of militarists set off an invasion and war.

“… but nobody at any time should forget the severe crimes of the invaders.”

Doves to signify peace flew overhead once Xi, wearing a white flower on his lapel to signify mourning, finished speaking.

Next year is the 70th anniversary of the end of World War Two, and China has already promised memorials, offering the potential for further Sino-Japanese friction.

In recent days, China has released heart-rending accounts of the violence from its archives.

“With the issue of history having become an unavoidable hurdle in Japan’s relations with neighbors, the best way for the island nation to proceed is sincere acknowledgement and repentance of its war-time past, rather than futile attempts to reject it,” the official Xinhua news agency said in a commentary.

via Set aside hate, China’s Xi says on Nanjing Massacre anniversary | Reuters.

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