Chinascope – Page 1009

More U.S. Investors Withdrawing from China’s Real Estate Market

The International Herald Leader published an article reporting that U.S. investors are withdrawing from China’s real estate market. The weather is getting colder, bringing winter to the Chinese real estate market. Housing prices in Shanghai, Beijing, and other cities have fallen up to 30%. At the end of September, the U.S. investment firm Blackstone sold its 95% ownership of the commercial real property, the Shanghai Shopping Channel 1, for 1.45 billion RMB to a Hong Kong investor, Cheng Yu-tung. Recently, over a dozen U.S. individual investors jointly sold over 70 suites in a Shanghai hotel for 126 million RMB. “The collective action of the U.S. individual investors to sell their property and the Blackstone’s divestment of its real property in Shanghai confirm the rumor that foreign capital is accelerating its withdrawal from China’s real estate market.” At an interview with the newspaper, Ye Chuhua, a financial expert stated that those who are withdrawing today have already missed the prime time and that those who still own real property are trapped and will have to sell at a loss.

Source: Xinhua, October 31, 2011
http://news.xinhuanet.com/herald/2011-10/31/c_131215728.htm

Briefings | | November 3, 2011 | US-China Relations

China Has the Most Elderly People in the World; 30 Million Men Will Have to Remain Single

On October 28, 2011, Xinhua republished an article originally from Xinmin Evening News titled “China Has the Most Elderly People in the World; 30 Million Men Will Have to Remain Single Due to the Gender Ratio Imbalance.”

According to last year’s national census data, 70% of China’s population is between 15 years old and 59 years old. Meanwhile, children under 14 years of age account for only 16% of the total population. Over the next 10 years, the proportion of young people in China will significantly decrease. In the 21st century, China will always have more elderly people than any other country in the world.

In addition to an aging population, another major challenge facing China is the gender imbalance at birth. At present, there are 15 million more males than females in China. The imbalance in the sex ratio will continue to rise over the next 10 years. As a result, nearly 30 million men will not be able to get married.

Source: Xinhua, October 28, 2011
http://pdf.news365.com.cn/xmpdf/20111028/XM111028A106.pdf
http://news.xinhuanet.com/society/2011-10/28/c_111131402.htm

Briefings | | November 2, 2011 | Economy/Resources

Rural Villages Disappearing and Farmland Abandoned across China

On October 29, 2011, Radio Free Asia published an article based on China’s official media reports regarding the rapidly declining rural population in China. From 2005 to 2009, China lost over 7000 rural village committees each year. An average of 20 administrative villages disappeared each day. Due to the large numbers of the rural laborers migrating to cities, the problem of abandoned arable farmland is very serious, affecting the stability and security of the country’s agriculture and food supply.

China’s farmers do not own the land they work on. On behalf of the state, local authorities can take away their farmland legally or illegally, at any time. According China’s Ministry of Land and Resources, in the first three quarters of this year alone, local authorities across China took away 37,000 farms for other illegal uses, an increase of more than 4% compared to the same period last year, .

As the authorities grab more and more farmland, farmers have lost interest in farming. They simply do not know when developers will confiscate their land in order to sell it. Besides, Chinese farmers cannot make much money or even lose money from farming due to the fact that the prices for seeds, pesticides, and utilities are increasing so rapidly.

Source: Radio Free Asia, October 29, 2011
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/jz-10292011003613.html

Briefings | | November 2, 2011 | Economy/Resources

Globe: Cloud Computing Will Control Future Wars

Globe, a magazine under Xinhua News Agency, recently published an article that painted a picture of how future wars will be fought. The battlefields, whether on land and sea or in the air and in space, would be integrated and the different army branches would have to blend into each other to form a unified force. It would require extremely powerful computing capabilities and models. The author thought that cloud computing would be the most suitable to handle the functions for central command. Cloud computing offers the best model for information and resource sharing, which translates into better coordination, as well as a competitive advantage. The article also pointed out that cloud computing is very useful for simulating wars for training purposes, which is especially helpful for countries that cannot constantly deploy their military in real wars like the United States does.

Source: Xinhua, October 25, 2011
http://news.xinhuanet.com/globe/2011-10/25/c_131211905.htm

Briefings | | November 1, 2011 | Defense/Military

Xinhua: Strategic Memo Signed between China and the Gates Foundation

On October 26, 2011, in Seattle, Washington the Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology signed a strategic cooperation memorandum with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. The two parties decided to cooperate in the fields of modern agriculture and global health. The plan includes developing high quality and low cost agricultural plants and animals, as well as bio-medicines and vaccines – to be used in China and in developing countries that lack natural resources, such as in South Asia and Africa. This is the first time for the Ministry of Science and Technology to work with an international NGO on a large scale in these fields. Bill Gates commented on the initiative, saying that China can play a key role in fostering innovation to reduce hunger and poverty, especially in today’s tough global economic environment. It was agreed that both sides will make monetary and labor contributions.

Source: Xinhua: October 27, 2011
http://news.xinhuanet.com/2011-10/27/c_122202204.htm

Briefings | | November 1, 2011 | Government/Politics

Li Changchun Calls for Forging Cultural Soft Power to Protect China’s Cultural Security

Li Changchun, member of the Standing Committee of the Politburo and the Propaganda Chief of the Chinese Communist Party Central Committee, elaborated on the “Decisions by the CCP Central Committee regarding Further Promoting Reform and Development of the Cultural System,” which passed on October 18 during the Sixth Plenary Session of 17th Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party.

Li addressed the issue of “strengthening the country’s soft power by developing socialist culture with Chinese characteristics” and called for “forging cultural soft power in order to protect China’s cultural security.” Li said, “China must continuously expand its international cultural influence in order to forge its soft power, which will be compatible with its international image and protect China’s cultural security.” According to Li, culture is a key measure of a nation’s overall power. Whoever takes the lead and possesses strong cultural soft power will gain the advantage in the world’s competition.

Source: China News Service, October 27, 2011
http://www.chinanews.com/gn/2011/10-27/3419185.shtml

Briefings | | October 31, 2011 | Government/Politics

Xinhua Commentary Series: Spotlight on the U.S. Presidential Election

Wu Guoguang: Xi Jinping’s Reversal of the Course, Will China’s Transition be Peaceful or Marked with Bloodshed?

Cheng Xiaonong: U.S.-China Strategic Relations Have Crystallized

Xinhua Commentaries: “Exposing the Three Major Political Deficits of the U.S.”