On February 28, 2014, People’s Daily published a commentary on the recent political events in Ukraine, titled “Be on Guard against the Trap of Democracy and Loss of Control.”
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Beijing New Home Sales Dropped Drastically in February
According to Xinhua, in February, Beijing’s new home sales were particularly disappointing. As of February 23, new home sales were 1,545 units, a 61.5 percent drop compared to same period last year. The monthly sales were even below normal weekly sales. Existing home sales were equally disappointing. As of February 25, there were 4, 224 existing home sales, a 45 percent decline compared to the same period last year. The fourth week in September last year saw 4,201 home sales, three times the monthly sales of February 2014. In November and December 2013, the weekly sales were above 1,500.
Report on Indices of Government Transparency
On February 25, the Institute of Law under China’s Academy of Social Science (CASS) and the Social Sciences Academic Press jointly released the Annual Report on China’s Rule of Law (the Blue Book on the Rule of Law).
Report: The Top Ten Percent Owns Sixty-Four Percent of the Wealth
Yixin Wealth (Credit Ease) and the Lianban Finance Institute recently released a report on the distribution of wealth in China. According to the report, the top 10 percent of the population owns 63.9 percent of the wealth in China.
In January the Number of Housing Transactions in Beijing Hit Second Lowest in Nine Years
The Yahao Real Estate Selling and Consulting Solution Agency recently released statistics on the Beijing housing market. According to those statistics, in January 2014, there were a total of 6,908 transactions in the Beijing real estate market. These properties covered 744,200 square meters. In terms of the number of transactions and the total square meters of the properties involved in the transactions, the figures represented a 40 to 50 percent drop compared to December 2013 and to the same period in January 2013.
Bird Flu Leads to Shut Down of Live Poultry Markets
As of February 15, 2014, the main district in Hangzhou City, Zhejiang Province, permanently closed its live poultry markets. Starting in July, other main cities in Zhejiang Province will close all live poultry markets as well. As bird flu spreads, there are still 4 million chickens ready for sale in Hangzhou, yet they cannot be sold. The total loss is estimated to be nearly 100 million yuan. About one-third of the poultry businesses in Zhejiang Province faces bankruptcy. The local Hangzhou authorities indicated that frozen poultry businesses will replace the live poultry businesses.
New Forced Labor Camps in Disguise
Beijing News reported that Henan Province has established a few forced labor camps in disguise. People who petition the authorities for redress of grievances are subjected to “24 hour non-stop admonitions, warnings, education, and persuasion.”
Chinese Man Taken into Custody for “Spreading Rumors” Online about Bird Flu
Xinhua reported that a Mr. Zhou was taken into custody because he forwarded an online message that a doctor in Yichang City, Hubei Province died of bird flu.