Chinascope – Page 539

Zhu Rongji’s Son: China Has Overbuilt Houses for 300 Million People

Zhu Yunlai (Levin Zhu), son of former Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji, is an outspoken banker in China. He recently commented on China’s housing market.

“Actually according to the Statistics Bureau, if you add each year’s numbers together, China’s current total housing capacity can supply 1 billion people, at an average rate of 30 square meters per person. Counting even people living in small towns, China has only 700 million urban dwellers. That means there is a 300 million over-capacity.”

“The nationwide average housing price is 7,000 yuan (US $1,000) per square meter. The average income for urban residents is 30,000 yuan per year. Taking out expenses and taxes, 10,000 yuan can be used for house payments. The housing price has way exceeded the general public’s purchasing capability.”

“Then why are houses so expensive? It is because of the financial factor. China has issued 160 trillion yuan. The number is still rising. So the housing price for sure is rising – that’s called asset inflation.”

“People eventually will realize that even if you have the money to buy a property, you won’t be able to sell it later because the general public, that is those who are really in need of a house, cannot afford one. So the housing assets will not increase in value and people may be forced to sell at a loss.”

Source: Sina, June 25, 2017
http://cj.sina.com.cn/article/detail/2192180454/296831?column=realty&ch=9

Briefings | | July 12, 2017 | Economy/Resources

China’s Aerospace Industry Faces Serious Problems

On July 2, 2017, China’s second Long March 5 rocket, carrying an experimental communications satellite, failed after it took off. This was the last test of the Long March 5 rocket before being used to launch the Chang’e 5 Lunar Probe later this year.

China had another satellite launch failure on June 19.

Sina republished an article analyzing the quality problem that China’s aerospace industry is facing:

“The young people especially (in the aerospace industry) … fight each other. … They don’t feel any responsibility for their work and lack a rigorous attitude toward research. Their reports are full of mistakes. They don’t want to take on real work. They only prefer to direct others.”

“The quality of work has dropped dramatically. When similar experiments were done back in the 1980’s, they were reported clearly with thorough analyses. Now the reports have vaguely drawn conclusions and even the author is not sure if his test results are correct.”

“The whole society is like this.” “Good people are not rewarded and those who do nothing are not reprimanded, either.”

Sources:
1. Sina, July 2, 2017
http://news.sina.com.cn/c/nd/2017-07-02/doc-ifyhrxsk1562298.shtml
2. Sina, July 7, 2017
http://cj.sina.com.cn/article/detail/1444893750/310439

Briefings | | July 11, 2017 | Information/Technology

BBC Chinese: 6-Month Implementation of China’s New NGO Law Brought Disruption

BBC Chinese recently reported that China’s new NGO (Non-Government Organization) law that went into effect on January 1 resulted in disruption. A large number of NGOs suspended operations, cancelled activities, or lost sponsorship. The new law required that all NGOs, including those dedicated to environmental protection and charitable activities, must register with the police before they can operate. The police maintain a list of organizations that help overturn the government or support separatists. Financial and operations audits are needed before registration. It is estimated that there were around 1000 permanent NGOs in China and around 6000 NGOs working on short-term projects. So far only 139 NGOs have officially registered. Many NGOs refused media interviews, citing concerns about blockage from the police. Some anonymous NGOs mentioned “major bureaucracy” in the registration process. China’s Ministry of Public Safety refused to comment on this matter.

Source: BBC Chinese, July 7, 2017
http://www.bbc.com/zhongwen/simp/chinese-news-40528289

Briefings | | July 10, 2017 | Government/Politics

BBC Global Survey: China’s International Image Worsens

BBC Chinese recently reported that the BBC World Service just completed its global survey of country images among people from 19 nations. Compared to the same survey done in 2014, the number of people with positive views on China declined from 43 percent to 41 percent, and those with negative views grew by two percent to 42 percent. On a country level, Canada, the U.S., Britain, France, Germany, Spain, Turkey, Indonesia, and India have negative views on China, while Mexico, Peru, Brazil, Greece, Russia, Nigeria, Kenya, and Pakistan hold positive views on China. According to the survey, people from the U.S. have the highest percentage of negative views on China (70 percent). In some countries, negative views grew significantly, such as India (from 35 percent to 60 per cent). For the first time, Indonesia has more negative views (50 percent) than positive (28 percent). In the meantime, 61 percent of the people in China gave the U.S. negative views. They gave Russia 74 percent positive views and Britain 73 percent positive views (this was after Brexit, with a 34 percent increase from 2014). China also gave North Korea 76 percent negative views and Japan 75 percent negative views (from 90 percent in 2014). China’s negative views against South Korean changed dramatically, from 32 percent (in 2014) to 71 percent.

Source: BBC Chinese, July 6, 2017
http://www.bbc.com/zhongwen/simp/chinese-news-40522666

Briefings | | July 10, 2017 | Geo-Strategic Trend

Frequent Appearances of Former Prime Minister Suggests Rally behind Xi for the Upcoming 19th National Congress

According to an article in the Epoch Times, the recent frequent appearances of former prime minister Wen Jiabao suggests that Wen is trying to rally behind Xi for the upcoming 19th National Congress. The article reported that, on July 6, Wen was spotted visiting the China University of Geosciences. In April Wen went to Lu Liang of Shanxi Province. A couple of months later, in June, Xi Jinping also visited Lu Liang and a poverty stricken village in the region. Xi’s visit was interpreted as his using Wen’s political power to extend the influence of his new leadership. According to the article, Wen and former President Hu Jintao are considered Xi’s major allies. Wen assisted Xi in taking down a number of political opponents who are part of former President Jiang Zemin’s faction. Wen and Hu Jintao have often appeared in public during the critical timing when Xi took down members of Jiang’s faction during the campaign to combat corruption.

Source: Epoch Times, July 8, 2017
http://www.epochtimes.com/gb/17/7/8/n9369270.htm

Briefings | | July 10, 2017 | Government/Politics

Noble Prize Winner Liu Xiaobo Still Wishes to Leave China to Receive Medical Treatment Overseas

According to an article that Radio Free Asia (RFA) published, Nobel Prize winner Liu Xiaobo is in critical condition because he has reached the late stage of liver cancer. Both Liu and his wife have continued to express their wishes to leave China to receive medical treatment overseas. Liu was sent to the hospital from Jinzhou prison where he was serving an 11 year jail sentence. Since June 7, he has been hospitalized at the First Hospital of China Medical University in the city of Shen Yang, Liaoning Province. On June 26, 2017, he was granted medical parole after being diagnosed with terminal liver cancer. The daily updates that the hospital has issued have never mentioned the family’s intent to have him seek treatment overseas. Based on an interview with RFA, a close friend of Liu’s wife told RFA that the official news release from Liu’s family has been strictly controlled by the officials; they could only say whatever the officials wanted them to say. The article also mentioned that Liu’s medical condition took a sharp turn in April after his wife disclosed the latest situation of his family members to him: his wife has been suffering from severe depression and her brother was sentenced to 11 years in jail.

Source: Radio Free Asia, July 7, 2017
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/renquanfazhi/ql1-07072017101142.html

Briefings | | July 9, 2017 | Government/Politics

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.”

The CCP’s Performing Arts Troupes in the U.S.