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All posts by TGS - 39. page

People’s Daily: Security Officers Are Not Simply for Decoration

On December 2, 1024, People’s Daily published a commentary titled, “Security Officers Are Not Simply for Decoration.” It questioned the competence of security officers on public transportation. 

The commentary stated that, in recent years, security incidents have increased on public transportation. The presence of security officers reassures the passengers. However, some security officers do nothing but repeat, “No inflammable materials allowed.” They even doze off while on the job. The commentary further stated that, in an article in 1984, security officers on the train did nothing but ask the passengers, “Comrade, do you have a bomb with you?” Thirty years later, with increased mobility, there are more security risks. If security officers do not do their job, their presence will simply be a matter of going through formalities. 
Source: People’s Daily, December 2, 2014 
http://paper.people.com.cn/rmrb/html/2014-12/02/nw.D110000renmrb_20141202_8-01.htm
Briefings | | |   Social Stability

Russian Media: China is Taking Advantage of Russia’s Reliance on China

Huanqiu reported that, according to a Russian media (New World website), Russia is enabling China to arm to the teeth. During the recent Russian defense minister’s visit to China several arms sales transactions took place. The visit completed the process of making China a Russian strategic military partner and provided China access to Russian level one important military technology. China now has received small quantities of advanced Russian military products for further research and development. These products are subject to export control in Russia. Many of the advanced munitions that China is interested in purchasing have been developed in recent years and can fundamentally change the balance of power around China, including in part of Russia. Even during the Sino-Russia honeymoon time under Stalin, the trust between the two countries was not as close as the level today. 

Huanqiu further reported that according to the Russian media, Russia felt obliged to offer the technology because it has become trapped due to its long-term reliance on China. “In fact, the Eastern friend of Russia is taking advantage of a geopolitical pattern that is unfavorable to Russia and has been engaged in soft diplomatic blackmail.” 
Source: Huanqiu, November 25, 2014 
http://mil.huanqiu.com/observation/2014-11/5213970.html
Briefings | | |   Defense/Military

State Councilor: China May Fall into a Severe Depression

Xia Bin, a State Councilor with China’s State Council, recently made a speech in Shanghai in which he predicted that China’s growth will slow down over the next three years and China’s economy will fall into a severe depression. 

Xia indicated that the authorities will try to ensure a 7.5 percent rate of growth in China’s GDP this year, but, based on statistical analysis, the growth will slow down this year, next year, and the year after that. The financial reform has not been put in place. However a large amount of funds for infrastructure has been raised, resulting in local government debts that have become a very serious social issue. Creditors hold sit-ins in front of local governments demanding payment. 
Xia said he believes that the real estate boom has ended and that falling house prices have become an inevitable consequence. He predicted that, in the next two years, the growth rate may slide below 6 percent and China will be in a severe depression. 
Xia said that companies and local governments have engaged in Ponzi schemes. They borrow money only to service bank interest rather than to make new investments. The high financing cost of money is not just the problem of banks; it is a problem for the entire system. 
Source: East Money, November 26, 2014
http://finance.eastmoney.com/news/1371,20141126450232052_0.html
Briefings | | |   Economy/Resources

New Urban Planning Guidelines Mean Fewer Super Large Cities

On November 20, 2014, the State Council announced new guidelines on the classification of cities based on the size of their population. 

According to the new classifications, cities with a population of over 10 million are "super large cities." Those having a population between 5 million and 10 million are called "extra large cities." "Large cities" have a population from 1 to 5 million; "medium cities" are between 500,000 and 1 million; and "small cities," have a population under 500,000. As a result, most cities will be downgraded. The number of super large cities will be reduced from the current 140 to 16. The new classifications are meant to redirect the flow of migrants from large cities to smaller cities. 

Source: Beijing Times, November 21, 2014 
http://epaper.jinghua.cn/html/2014-11/21/content_145671.htm

Briefings | | |   Economy/Resources

Huanqiu: The UN Attempt to Bring Kim Jong Un to Justice Is Absurd

On November 21, 2014, Huanqiu published an editorial titled, “The UN Attempt to Bring Kim Jong Un to Justice Is Absurd.” The editorial stated that bringing the North Korean human rights problems to the International Criminal Court (ICC) and trying its leader is a very extreme approach. It would provide new excuses for North Korea to re-enforce its hostility toward the international community. Rather, the key may be to encourage it to open up to the world. To this end, “the United States, Japan, and others must change their posture of intimidation and endeavor to assure Pyongyang that it is safe.” The editorial expressed that, since he has less than three year in power, holding Kim Jong Un accountable for North Korea’s problems is not fair. 

Source: Huanqiu, November 21, 2014 
http://opinion.huanqiu.com/editorial/2014-11/5210224.html
Briefings | | |   Geo-Strategic Trend

China’s Energy Strategy from 2014 to 2020

On November 19, the State Council released the Energy Development Strategy Action Plan (2014-2020). In an effort to restructure China’s energy consumption and production, it has adopted a four-point approach.

The first is to reduce consumption. The plan includes placing a ceiling on the annual energy consumption at 4.8 billion metric tons of the standard coal equivalent until 2020. The second is to be self-sufficient. By 2020, the domestic production of energy will reach 4.2 billion metric tons of the standard coal equivalent. Energy self-sufficiency will be around 85 percent. The third is to go green. By 2020, the share of non-fossil fuels in the total primary energy mix will rise to 15 percent. The share of natural gas will be above 10 percent and that of coal will be reduced to under 62 percent. The fourth is to adopt an innovation-driven strategy. The goal is, by 2020, to build an open, competitive and orderly energy market system. 

Source: Xinhua, November 19, 2014 
http://news.xinhuanet.com/fortune/2014-11/19/c_127228804.htm

Briefings | | |   Economy/Resources

Ministry of Education: Engineering Graduates Lack Hands-on Ability

On November 13, 2014, China’s Ministry of Education released its 2013 report on engineering education, the first of its kind. The report was based on visits to six trade associations and societies, interviews of close to 30 experts, surveys of over 260 employers, and surveys conducted on over 40,000 students. 

The report concluded that over 80 percent of employers were able to recruit college graduates in the engineering field and that close to 70 percent of these graduates now work in areas relevant to their majors in college. The report also found that engineering graduates lack hands-on ability and that engineering graduates need to improve their international competitiveness, management skills, and cross-disciplinary ability. 

Source: Xinhua, November 13, 2014 
http://news.xinhuanet.com/2014-11/13/c_1113239452.htm

Briefings | | |   Economy/Resources

A Reduction in Production Led to APEC Blue

On November 13, 2014, the Beijing Environmental Protection Bureau stated that the measures taken during the APEC period to reduce air pollution brought blue skies to Beijing (APEC blue). According to its press release, during this period, PM2.5 particles were reduced by over 30 percent on a daily basis in Beijing and its neighboring regions. Since there were fewer cars on the road, the automobile speed in Beijing went up from 22 km per hour to 50 km per hour. 

Construction sites were shut down from November 3 to 12. Factories which released a high concentration of pollutants were temporarily closed. The use of privately owned automobiles was subject to daily restrictions based on whether the license numbers were odd or even. Lastly, Tianjin, Hebei, and other neighboring regions also cooperated temporary in helping to reduce pollution. 

Source: Xinhua, November 13, 2014 
http://news.xinhuanet.com/2014-11/13/c_1113239432.htm

Briefings | | |   Economy/Resources