Skip to content

All posts by LKY - 177. page

Beijing Real Estate Market Remains Slow

Beijing’s real estate sales have significantly dropped as housing price continues to soar. Statistics show that sales were down 54 percent in August despite various promotional plans introduced by developers. Buyers are holding off the buying decision hoping prices will drop. Some experts predict that October will bring the volume of sales back up if there is a lucrative discount offered.

Source: China News, September 18, 2008
http://www.chinanews.com.cn/estate/gdls/news/2008/09-19/1386889.shtml

Briefings | | |   Economy/Resources

Experts Warn Foreign Investments Pulling out of China

As the financial giants Lehman Brothers, AIG, Merrill Lynch, and Morgan Stanley have started to sell out their business and real estate investments in China, experts are concerned about its impact on China’s financial order. The latest statistics released by China Bank suggest that China’s funds outstanding for foreign exchange were down 50 percent in August compared with the first seven months of 2008, which is an obvious indication that foreign investments have started to back out of China. The experts warned that the real estate downturn and the large swing on the stock market have pushed the yuan to go up. If foreign investors and companies started to cash out their investments, it will have immeasurable impact on China’s financial order.

Source: Wenweipo, September 21,2008
http://paper.wenweipo.com/2008/09/21/CH0809210001.htm

Briefings | | |   Economy/Resources

Latest Photos from Sanlu Group Headquarters

A number of photos taken from the headquarters of the Sanlu Group in Shijiazhuang (Hebei Province) were found on quite a few Chinese BBS sites, though some have since been taken down.  The photos showed that the factory was crowded with people, mostly waiting in line to return baby formula. Some photos show banners hanging on the factory buildings with messages such as: "Produce High Quality Dairy Products, Make a Contribution to the Society"; "Focus on Product Quality, Promote a Harmonious Society"; "Quality is under our control, Customers are in our heart"; "Care about Product Safety, Ensure Public Well-being". One photo shows a urine test result of a 6 months old baby boy displaying “positive” test result.

Source:
Various BBS sites from China, September 18, 2008
http://bbs.cztv.tv/Html/2008/9/18/21034857072.html
http://forum.datuu.com/viewthread.php?action=printable&tid=58278
http://www.xici.net/b651692/d77449197.htm

Briefings | | |   Social Stability

Infant Formula in U.S. in High Demand to be Mailed to Mainland China

Following the tainted formula scandal in China, stores in New York’s Chinatown area saw a sharp increase in formula sales. Some of the stores were completely sold out. Most of the customers are immigrants who have sent it to babies back in their hometown in China. Those parents rushed to the stores right away and bought one to two years worth of supplies to be mailed back to China. Some customers were asked by friends and families from mainland China to buy formula for them.

Online formula sales also jumped. Chinese websites in New York City area received a number of postings from the parents in China who were seeking channels to buy infant formula from the US.

Source: Ming Pao, September 18, 2008
http://www.mingpaony.com/htm/News/20080917/nb0101.htm

Briefings | | |   Economy/Resources

Live photos from Chendu: City Officials Trapped by Angry Crowd

A group of photos show a standoff at the front entrance of the Sichuan Conservatory of Music. A fight broke out between officers from Chendu City Management Administration office and students and faculty from Sichuan Conservatory of Music at 6pm on September 18.

It started out when a staff member from the school attempted to stop the officers of the city administration from violently exercising their duty in an office supply store next to the school. As more and more students joined the standoff, the city management administration officers had to retreat into their vehicle which was almost turned over by the angry crowed. Students shouted slogans at those officers. Initially there were only four policemen at the scene. An eyewitness said that at one point in time a police officer had to fire a gun shot to take control. Finally, after more police officers arrived, they helped the city administrative officers leave the scene.

Source: Boxun, September 18, 2008
http://news.boxun.com/news/gb/china/2008/09/200809190407.shtml

Briefings | | |   Social Stability

The Luxury Performing Arts Center is criticized for Lack of Practical Uses

Pu Chunxi, a renowned Chinese actor recently openly criticized the National Centre for the Performing Arts or the “The Egg” for too much extravagance and lack of practical uses.  Pu listed a number of flaws in the design and questioned “Who is the China National Opera Built for?” Pu’s criticism was widely posted by Chinese media and website and drew warm responses from the visitors.  Some called him “Artist with Conscience”.

Designed by French architect Paul Andreu with construction started in December 2001, National Centre for the Performing Arts held the inaugural concert in December 2007. The project is said to be pushed forward by former President Jiang Zemin.

Source: Nan Fang Weekend, September 3, 2008
http://www.infzm.com/content/16780

Briefings | | |   Economy/Resources

Official Media Praises Obama’s China Think Tank as Pragmatic and Moderate

Xinhua carried an article sourced from Shanghai Morning Post which praised Obama’s “China Think Tank” to be “programmatic and moderate”. It said: “Among those 15 Obama’s China Think Tank members, majority of them came from Clinton’s foreign policy cabinet. They are very familiar with China affairs. Most of them are programmatic and moderate with good relationship with China.”

The article then introduced a few key members led by Senator Biden. The article cited: “Mr. Biden disagrees with ‘engagement and containment’, the two words that Bush administration uses in its China Policy. But rather, Congressman Biden favors ‘compete and cooperate’, which can be used to summarize what Obama’s China policy would look like. "

Source: Xinhua, September 12, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/world/2008-09/12/content_9935978.htm

Briefings | | |   US-China Relations

State Media Silent on Anniversary of Mao’s Death

September 9 marked the 32nd anniversary of the death of Mao Zedong, the former Chairman and idol of China. Chinese state media had little coverage and remained low key on the anniversary of Mao’s death. Mao’s name has apparently been one of the sensitive names about which the government discourages the open discussion. One posting on the issue was found on house.focus.cn titled: “Chinese people will never forget Mao Zedong”. But when the posting was opened, a message jumped out: “this posting has been deleted after inspection.”

Source: Voice of America, September 9, 2008
http://www.voanews.com/chinese/w2008-09-09-voa47.cfm

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics