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“People’s Forum” magazine: China May Have Become an M-Type Society Due to High Apartment Prices

"People’s Forum" Magazine, which is under People’s Daily, published an article on June 1, 2010, titled “High Apartment Prices Make the Middle-class Fall – China may have become an “M-Type” society." Here is a partial translation from the article:

  1. "Recently, ‘the ant race’ has become one of the most frequently used terms on the Internet and in society. “The ant race” refers to the college graduates who have no jobs or low-income jobs after graduation and have to live together in a crowded place at the outskirts of a big city, near the countryside. These people were born in the 1980s. The growth of the “ant race” is primarily caused by high apartment prices."
  2. "China’s social structure may have turned into an ‘M-type’ differentiation one due to the growth of the ‘ant race.’"

Source: "People’s Forum" Magazine, June 1, 2010
http://house.people.com.cn/GB/11753145.html

Over 30% of China’s Richest People Involved in the Real Estate Industry

A report by the Chinese Alumni Association website showed that 30% of the Chinese whose assets are 100 million Yuan ($17 million) or more are involved in the real estate industry. The report analyzed China’s magnates based on Hurun’s China’s top 100 richest people and Forbes’s China’s billionaire club from 1999 to 2009. The report also showed that over 50% of these richest people concentrated in three industries: real estate, energy, and IT. The number of elite without overseas experiences is significantly more than those with overseas experiences.

Source: Xinhua, May 26, 2010
http://news.xinhuanet.com/fortune/2010-05/26/c_12144157.htm

China on Western Development

The Political Bureau of the CCP’s Central Committee held a meeting on May 28 to study further implementing the Western Development strategy and policy measures. Hu Jintao presided over the meeting. The meeting concluded that the development and stability of the western region of China is critical to different ethnic groups in China and the long-term stability of the country. The meeting stressed that due to its significant strategic position, the western region should receive special policy support from the central government. The policy measures should cover fiscal measures, tax, investment, financial industry, production industry, land, pricing, human resources, ecological construction, and government subsidies.

Source: Xinhua, May 28, 2010
http://news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2010-05/28/c_12154095.htm

Ministry of Education Will Send 10,000 Chinese Students to the U.S.

People’s Daily website republished an article by the China National Radio, reporting that in the next four years, the Ministry of Education will send 10,000 Chinese students to the U.S. for doctoratal studies. The ministry will also sponsor 10,000 American to come to China, including visits by elementary and middle school principles, summer camp for high-school and college students, advanced studies by the Chinese language teachers in the U.S., and Confucius Institute scholarships. In 2009, nearly 100,000 Chinese went to the U.S. to study. The number is expected to grow to 130,000 for 2010.

Source: People’s Daily, May 27, 2010
http://politics.people.com.cn/GB/1027/11708853.html

Recent School Killings in China

A new crime wave stunned China recently. From March 23 to May 19, seven school killings across China were reported by news media. These pre-meditated crimes appeared to be random killings targeting innocent children (see box).

The sudden outbreak of senseless crimes highlighted China’s already shaky security condition and growing social discontent, and prompted high profile official reactions.

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The Party Agency Calls for Intensified Social Control

The ever deepening social instability, as shown in recent killings of school children and other incidents, has caught the Party’s attention. The Committee for Comprehensive Management of Public Security (CCMPS), an agency under the Central Committee of the Party in charge of societal control, is having a national conference for directors of provincial offices of the Committee. CCMPS is headed by Zhou Yongkang, the Party’s security czar and also head of the Political and Legal Committee. 

The conference calls for “enhancing the capacity to solve social conflicts, preventing the root cause,” “enhancing management of the migrant population, mental patients, drug addicts, and former prisoners,” and “enhancing management of the Internet, new social organizations, and new economic organizations.” 

Source: People’s Daily, May 27, 2010 
http://politics.people.com.cn/GB/1026/11705663.html

Beijing to Bring In 1000 High-Level Experts from Overseas

In December 2008, the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party (CCCCP) issued the Suggestions on the Implementation of Introducing High-Level Overseas Talent. A “1000-Talent Project,” implemented by the Organization Department of the CCCCP has since been underway to bring experts from other countries into China. At present, as many as 662 high-level overseas experts have been recruited. Among them, there are 448 overseas Chinese that already acquired foreign citizenship and 20 non Chinese. The 662 experts include 293 full professors, 9 associate professors, 72 research fellows in top research institutes such as Harvard, MIT, and Bell Lab; 75 high-level research personnel, and 43 senior management staff from multinational corporations, such as Boeing, GM, and Morgan Stanley.

Source: People’s Daily, May 25, 2010 
http://politics.people.com.cn/GB/1026/11683361.html

National Talent Working Conference

In a very rare meeting attended by all of the nine members of Standing Committee of the Politburo, Hu Jintao gave a lengthy speech about the importance of talent to the country. The National Talent Working Conference held in Beijing on May 25 and 26 was also televised to Party and government agencies at the provincial level. While stating that talent is the “paramount resource,” and “the talent issue is the key issue that matters for the development of the cause of the Party and the country,” Hu emphasized to “adhere to the principle that the Party controls the talent.” 

In 2009, the Party issued the Development Plan Outline for Medium and Long Term Talent Development (2010—2020), sketching out the strategies to build up the country’s human resources. 
Source: People’s Daily, May 26, 2010 
http://politics.people.com.cn/GB/1024/11705655.html