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People’s Daily: What Does It Tell You When Kids All Want to Be Government Officials?

Wang Jingwu, a member of the National People’s Congress and Director of the People’s Bank of China, Guangzhou Branch, commented [during the 2013 National People’s Congress], "Today’s kids all want to be government leaders or officials. Those who want to become a scientist are few and far between." 

Wang stated, “Children’s ideal future careers represent the most straightforward projection of the social atmosphere. When the adults are all talking about careerism and how to become government leaders and make money, it will inevitably get into the children’s heads and influence their developmental thinking.” 

In support of Wang’s statement, the article cited a survey about primary and secondary school students’ dream jobs, mentioned at the 13th annual meeting of the China Association for Science and Technology held in 2012. That survey showed that nine occupations could be selected, including teacher, civil servant, and scientist. Scientist ranked in seventh place. The best occupations turned out to be "government official" and “high-level leader.” 
Source, People’s Daily, March 14, 2013 
http://opinion.people.com.cn/n/2013/0314/c1003-20788025.html

BBC Chinese: Parties from Various Social Groups Call for Internet Control Management

Wu Bangguo, Chairman and Party Secretary of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, recently spoke at the National People’s Congress. Wu said that the parties from various social groups called for Internet control management and for employing harsh measures against online crimes. Wu stated that the People’s Congress has implemented an Internet user identification system and has played a key role in safeguarding the stability of China.

Internet users had mixed reactions to Wu’s speech. Some favored Wu’s speech while others questioned it. One posting on the Ten Cent micro blog asked, “What does it mean that the central administration will employ Internet management? They will not allow us to speak up.” Another posting asked, “Wu’s statement said that parties from ‘various social groups’ are calling for Internet management. What does ‘various social groups’ refer to?” One posting advised, “We should consider studying the advanced Internet management technology from North Korea.”

Source: BBC Chinese, March 8, 2013
http://www.bbc.co.uk/zhongwen/simp/china/2013/03/130308_wubangguo_internet.shtml

Lack of Trust: Tension Soars between Doctors and Patients

Xinhua carried an article on the increased tension between doctors and patients. The topic had been brought up during the meeting the delegates from the medical field held at the National People’s Congress. It was reported that one study conducted among 30 hospitals in the eastern part of China suggested that only 10 percent of patients trust their doctors. The statistics released by the Department of Health suggested that, from 2006 to 2010, the number of violent incidents that resulted from medical disputes increased by 70 percent. Among those, 70 percent of the incidents were due to a lack of communication and a heart of caring between doctors and patients.

According to the article, a poor and high risk work environment has caused some doctors and medical school students to give up their medical practice. The investigation suggested that close to 80 percent of the doctors “would discourage their children from going to medical school.” Among the existing medical students in the medical schools in Beijing, only 50 percent are willing to practice clinical medicine.

The article said that in order to reduce the work load in the hospitals in urban regions, the central administration has initiated medical reforms and has invested over 60 trillion yuan (US$9.65 trillion) to support the hospitals and clinics in rural towns and counties. The results were not significant. The delegates called for reform in a number of areas to ease the tension.

Source: Xinhua, March 9, 2013
http://news.xinhuanet.com/health/2013-03/09/c_124436141.htm

Chinese Infant Sex Ratio (M/F) Declines but Remains 10 Points Higher Than the Warning Level

Data from the National Population and Family Planning Commission reported that the sex ratio (M/F) at birth in China has remained high for more than 30 years. Since 2009, however, the ratio has seen four consecutive years of decline. According to data released by the National Bureau of Statistics, in 2012, the sex ratio at birth in China fell to 117.7 newborn boys to every 100 baby girls, from a high of 121.20 in 2004. 

The sex ratio at birth is also called the infant sex ratio. Under normal circumstances, for every 100 girls born, there are 103 to 107 boys born. Since the mortality rate for boys is higher than for girls, the number of men and women tend to be equal by the time they reach the age for marriage and child-rearing. The sex ratio at birth in China climbed from 108.47 in 1982 to the record high of 121.20 in 2004. In 2009, the ratio started to decline and dropped to 119.45. The downward trend continued and dropped to 117.94 in 2010, 117.78 in 2011, and 117.7 in 2012. The current sex ratio is still hovering over 10 percentage points higher than the warning level. 

Source: Xinhua, March 5, 2013

http://news.xinhuanet.com/local/2013-03/05/c_124415625.htm

87 People Arrested Since March 1 for Violating HK Baby Formula Limits

A new amendment to Hong Kong’s export and import law took effect on March 1, 2013, which allows persons who are 16 years old or above to carry only two cans, or 1.8 kg, of baby formula with them when they leave Hong Kong. Violators face fines of up to HK$500,000 (US$64,500) and two years in prison. In the past two years, the shortage of baby formula in Hong Kong has been acute because the milk that is widely distributed in Mainland China is often tainted. Mainland Chinese parents no long trust the quality of mainland-produced infant formula, so they come to Hong Kong to purchase baby formula because of its high quality and inexpensive price.

In the past several days, 87 people have been arrested in Hong Kong for violating the new limit on the amount of infant formula that can be taken to the mainland.

Source: Xinhua, March 5, 2013
http://news.xinhuanet.com/gangao/2013-03/05/c_124419631.htm  
http://www.hkcna.hk/content/2013/0305/181785.shtml
http://www.hkcna.hk/content/2013/0304/181666.shtml
http://ph.news.yahoo.com/hk-sets-baby-formula-limits-033002438.html

CASS: 80 Percent of Poor Families Did not Receive Low Income Subsidy

The China Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) recently released its 2012 Social Security Green Book, reporting the results of a survey it had conducted. Close to 80 percent of the households surveyed, who were at the poverty level, did not receive a low income subsidy. The survey was conducted in five provinces. Of the 8,777 surveys returned, 23.5 percent were from households at the poverty level. The results also revealed that over 60 percent of those that received a low income subsidy were not households at the poverty level. However, close to 80% of the households that were in poverty did not receive any low income subsidy.

Source: The Beijing News reprinted by People’s Daily, February 24, 2013
http://politics.people.com.cn/n/2013/0224/c70731-20579608.html

Xinhua: Degree of Mutual Trust in Chinese Society Fell Significantly

Xinhua recently reported that the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences released the latest bluebook entitled, "Chinese Social Mentality Research Report 2012-2013." The research, which involved a survey of over 1900 people, showed that the overall trust level among Chinese people fell below 60 points, which is the redline, or bottom line for trust among people. Only around twenty percent of the people surveyed suggested they might trust a stranger. The conclusions in the bluebook triggered strong responses from the Chinese public. In addition to the distrust among individuals, the research showed that the trust degree between consumers and commercial businesses has reached a low point. The trust relationship between citizens and the government, people and the police, and between patients and doctors has also worsened. Experts pointed out that the research results demonstrated clearly that the moral standard in today’s Chinese society is rapidly slipping downwards. The report called for reforms in the legal and the social systems, as well as stopping the government’s abuse of power.
Source: Xinhua, February 17, 2013
http://news.xinhuanet.com/fortune/2013-02/17/c_124352323.htm