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All posts by LKY - 144. page

Over 26 Million Chinese People Suffer from Depression

On April 8, 2012, Guangming Daily reported on a two week random survey conducted in 2011 on 1800 professional workers and students. The survey projected that over 26 million Chinese people suffer from various levels of depression syndrome. Over 50 percent of those surveyed had symptoms of depression syndrome or might have the syndrome. Of those surveyed, 90 percent did not realize that they had depression. The study suggested that depression could become the second largest deadly disease. By 2020, 2.6 to 3.9 million people who suffer from depression in China might choose to end their lives because of it.

Source: Guangming Daily, April 8, 2012
http://legal.gmw.cn/2012-04/08/content_3923808.htm

Briefings | | |   Information/Technology

Internet Society of China: Resisting Internet Rumors

On April 8, 2012, the Internet Society of China published an open statement calling for the Internet industry to resist the spread of rumors on the Internet and create a civilized Internet environment that would abide by the law. The statement asserted that Internet rumors had become a public threat and had caused serious harm to the public interest, national security, and social stability. It asked for the industry to exercise measures to resist the rumors and create a healthy and civilized Internet environment.

Xinhua also followed up with another article titled “Crack Down on Internet Rumors; the Public Actively Supports and Vows to Uphold a Clean Internet Environment.” It described the dissatisfaction that the general public has towards the rumors and quoted a number of people who use the Internet as supporting the statement that the Internet Society of China issued.

Source: Xinhua, April 8, 2012
http://news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2012-04/08/c_122944865.htm
http://news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2012-04/08/c_111750277.htm

Briefings | | |   Social Stability

Shanghai, Beijing, and Guangdong ranked the top three in Openness

The China National Development and Reform Commission published the results of a study of 31 provinces, municipalities, and autonomous regions that measured economic, technological, and social openness. Shanghai, Beijing, and Guangdong were ranked the top three with scores of 84.7, 68.1, and 56.9 respectively while Guizhou, Qinghai, and Tibet were ranked the bottom three with scores of 3.4, 6.5, and 7. The report showed Beijing tied with Shanghai on social openness and on technological openness; it scored the highest among the top three. However, its economic openness was far behind Shanghai and Guangdong. Among the four economic zones, the Pearl River Delta and the Yangtze River Delta had the highest scores in openness but the Bohai Economic Rim and the Sichuan/Chongqing district lagged behind.

Source: Xinhua, April 1, 2012
http://news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2012-04/01/c_122916340.htm

Briefings | | |   Economy/Resources

People’s Daily’s Commentary Called for Stability in the Mist of Challenges

On March 30, 2012, People’s Daily published a commentary titled “Let’s be Firm in Making Progress While Maintaining Stability.” It called for stability in the midst of challenges. The article highlighted the central administration’s key focuses for 2012 which are: to be persistent in “making progress while maintaining stability” and to be persistent in “scientific development.” The article then called for the nation to be "clear minded… be firm in our stance… not to be distracted by noise and rumors … and to firmly unite with the central administration” in facing the challenges from the “ever changing international political and economic environment and the constant new developments in domestic economic movements.”

Source: Xinhua, March 31, 2012
http://news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2012-03/31/c_122911503.htm

Briefings | | |   Social Stability

China Shuts Down 16 Internet Websites and Arrests 6 for Fabricating or Disseminating Online Rumors

On March 30, 2012, the spokesperson from the State Internet Information Office reported that 16 websites had been shut down for allegedly fabricating or disseminating online rumors about “Military Vehicles Entering Beijing… Beijing is in trouble.” Those Websites included www.meizhou.net, www.xn528.com/forum-40-1.html, www.dadongyang.com, and www.ezeem.com. Microblog sites on Sina and Ten Cent were given warnings; they were ordered to take additional measures to manage the Internet.

The Beijing Public Security Bureau confirmed that 6 people were arrested for spreading rumors on the Internet. The Security Bureau warned that netizens should “abide by the law, not trust and spread rumors, and be timely in reporting rumors.”

VOA called the arrests Beijing’s revenge. Based on the comments it gathered from the media scholars outside of China, China’s media control is far from opening up.

Source: Xinhua, March 30, 2012
http://news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2012-03/30/c_122911337.htm
http://news.xinhuanet.com/legal/2012-03/30/c_122911330.htm
Voice of America, March 31, 2012
http://www.voanews.com/chinese/news/20120331-China-Cracks-Down-on-Websites-145377595.html

Briefings | | |   Social Stability

Survey Showed 93.4 Percent Would Like Ticket Prices for Cultural Events to Be Lower

China Youth Daily recently conducted a survey of 12,234 people from 31 provinces and regions about the ticket prices for culture oriented leisure events. Of those surveyed, 85.8 percent complained that the prices for movies, stage plays, and concerts were too high. Of those who were interviewed, 52.6 percent were born after the 1980s; 26.7 percent were born after 1970s; and 84.8 percent are currently employed.

The survey results showed that 74.8 percent rarely have any culture oriented leisure activities. Of those surveyed, 86.1 percent believe that those activities shouldn’t be luxury items and 93.4 percent would like to see prices lowered; 71.2 percent are concerned that the high ticket prices will keep ordinary people away; 64.8 percent of those surveyed believe that when cultural events are overpriced, the pricing structure is at fault; 49.7 percent think it is due to high production costs; 47.7 percent think that the government didn’t provide funding or support; 73.7 percent suggest having more cultural activities for the public that are tailored toward the general public.

A comparison between the movie ticket prices in the U.S. and in China showed that low to middle class people in the U.S. with a monthly income of US$3,000 would spend about 0.2 percent or US$7.94 on one movie ticket. In China, people who make 3,000 yuan (US$476.10) a month would spend 2 percent of their monthly income or 60 yuan (US$9.52) on one movie ticket.

Source: China Youth Daily, March 29, 2012
http://news.xinhuanet.com/newmedia/2012-03/29/c_122905861_2.htm

Briefings | | |   Information/Technology

Intensive Training to be held for 3,300 District Political and Legislative Bureau Members in Beijing

Xinhua reported that, according to the Party’s Political and Legislative Affairs Committee, training sessions have been planned for the political bureau members at the provincial, city, and county levels for the first half of this year. The goals are to “further study and carry out the scientific development concepts as well as the key messages from the Two Conferences; to further strengthen the members’ understandings of politics, the overall situation, their responsibilities, and legal and clean governance; and to improve their leadership skills.” The first session will be held in Beijing starting next week. The news report stated that the large scale training will start at the end of April. Over 3,300 political bureau members at the provincial, city, and county levels are expected to participate.

(Ed. The order did not mention Zhou Yongkang who is the head of the Political and Legislative Affairs Committee.)

Source: Xinhua, March 22, 2012
http://news.xinhuanet.com/local/2012-03/22/c_122865300.htm

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

Income of State Owned Companies Grew 9.9 Percent in January and February

The Ministry of Finance published the January and February financial report on State Owned Enterprises (SOE). The report indicated that in the first two months of 2012, the SOE’s income was 7.5 trillion yuan, which was 9.9 percent higher than the same period last year. The SOE’s profits amounted to 363.5 billion yuan, which was down 10.9 percent from the previous year. Profits for SOEs for the full year of 2011 were 2.2 trillion yuan, which was up 12.8 percent from 2010. The industries that had the largest growth in profits were tobacco, posts & telecommunications, while steel, petroleum & petrochemical, real estate construction, and mechanical industries had the largest declines in profits.

The SOEs included State-controlled share-holding companies, 117 central enterprises, and those SOEs at the local levels. The report did not include the State Owned Finance Industry.

Source: Xinhua, March 20, 2012
http://news.xinhuanet.com/fortune/2012-03/20/c_122855448.htm

Briefings | | |   Economy/Resources