Chinascope – Page 659

Hurun Global Chinese Rich List 2015

Recently the Hurun Research Institute released its Hurun Global Chinese Rich List 2015, a ranking of the richest Chinese in the world, sponsored by China-based asset manager Hanya Capital.

Spread out over 18 countries and regions, Hurun Research found 1577 individuals with wealth of CNY 2bn. Of those, 302 were from outside of mainland China. The total wealth came to a staggering US$2.1 trillion, the equivalent of the GDP of Russia, or 1.5 times that of South Korea.

Of these individuals, 1,254 live in mainland China and have a total wealth of US$1.4 trillion. They represent 67 percent of the total list. 99 live in Hong Kong, with a total wealth of US$290 billion. 89 were born and grew up in Taiwan.

Real estate is the main resource for the wealth of the listed billionaires from non-mainland China, representing 24 percent of the list. The manufacturing industry follows, with 16 percent. IT and food & drink each comprise 9 percent of the list, ranking third.

Source: Xinhua, September 10, 2015

http://news.xinhuanet.com/house/bj/2015-09-10/c_128214025.htm

Briefings | | September 9, 2015 | Economy/Resources

A Sampling of How Xinhua’s International Sphere Reports World News

International Sphere, an online magazine under Xinhua, is dedicated to reporting on international topics under a major theme in each issue. It has published 615 issues so far. Below is list of the titles of the most recent issues:

09/09/2015 [issue 615]: Can the U.K. and France’s Bombing of IS Solve the Refugee Crisis? [The Answer is no.]

09/08/2015: “Opening the Door” for Refugees. Will Europe Be Able to Resolve the Crisis?

09/07/2015: The Death of a Little [Boy] Refugee Raises Questions about U.S. Tyranny and Indifference

09/06/2015: The World’s Praises: China’s Military Parade Is All for Peace

09/03/2015: Behaving Willfully. What Is [Shinzo] Abe’s Administration Up to?

09/02/2015: The European Refugee Crisis: The Struggle between Morals and Ability

09/01/2015: A Million People Protesting. Is Abe Deaf?

08/31/2015: What Is Japan Hiding behind the “Revival” of the Warships That Invaded China?

08/28/2015: With the Backing of the U.S., the Philippines Can Act at Will?

08/27/2015: What Is the Intention in Making Irresponsible Remarks about the China-Russia Military Exercises?

Source: Xinhua, September 9, 2015

http://www.news.cn/world/hqlft.htm

Briefings | | September 9, 2015 | Geo-Strategic Trend

Caixin: Chinese Manufacturing PMI Numbers Dropped

Well-known Chinese financial news site Caixin Media recently released its official August numbers for the Chinese manufacturing PMI (Purchasing Managers Index), which was formerly known as the HSBC PMI. The August Manufacturing PMI dropped to 47.3. Both total new orders and new export orders declined. Manufacturers are reducing procurement of materials while customer demand is going down. Employment in August also continued its decline. Caixin Think Tank Chief Economist He Fan suggested that macroeconomic adjustments need to continue and that structural reform must accelerate.

In the meantime, well-known Chinese news site Sina reported on the government’s official PMI numbers released by the National Bureau of Statistics, showed that August Manufacturing PMI was 49.7. This is the lowest government PMI in three years. Normally the government PMI stays above 50. PMI is an indicator of financial activity reflecting purchasing managers’ acquisition of goods and services. A PMI number below 50 typically reflects a decline.

Sources: Caixin, September 1, 2015

http://economy.caixin.com/2015-09-01/100845536.html

Sina, September 1, 2015

http://finance.sina.com.cn/china/20150901/090023135412.shtml

Briefings | | September 8, 2015 | Economy/Resources

Xi Jinping Called for Resumption of the Six-Party Talks

Well-known Chinese news site Sina recently reported that Chinese President Xi Jinping called for resuming the halted Six-Party Talks, which included North and South Korea, China, Russia, Japan, and the United States. Xi made the suggestion when he met with South Korean President Park Geun-hye. Xi also said that China is against any activity that will intensify the situation on the Korean Peninsula. He emphasized that China sticks to the denuclearization of the Peninsula and to the process of using dialogue to resolve conflicts. All parties should make an effort to resume the Six-Party Talks. President Park Geun-hye’s office issued a statement advising that the situation on the Korean Peninsula remains tense.

Source: Sina, September 3, 2015

http://finance.sina.com.cn/money/forex/20150903/150723155741.shtml

Briefings | | September 8, 2015 | Geo-Strategic Trend

BBC Chinese: The U.S. Asked China to Release Human Rights Lawyer

BBC Chinese recently reported that the United States confirmed that the Chinese police arrested human rights lawyer Zhang Kai, along with two of his assistants, just before he was to meet with David Saperstein, the U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom. The U.S. government asked the Chinese authorities to release Zhang. Ambassador Saperstein described the arrest as “outrageous” since the Chinese government had encouraged his visit to China, suggesting to him that he “hear from people with different opinions.” Zhang Kai served as the lawyer representing Christians in Zhejiang Province, where crosses atop Christian churches were being removed. Zhang Kai also organized a lawyers’ group named “Defend the Cross.” The Police refused to allow the lawyers who support Zhang to meet with and to represent him, citing the sensitivity of the charge of “endangering national security.”

Source: BBC Chinese, September 2, 2015

http://www.bbc.com/zhongwen/simp/china/2015/09/150902_us_china_church_lawyer

Briefings | | September 8, 2015 | US-China Relations

Chinese Expert Discuses the One Belt and One Road Initiative and Sino-U.S. Competition

China Review News reported on China’s think tank expert Wang Wen’s discussion of the first "Hundred People Forum on the One Belt One Road Initiative.” Wang is the Executive President of the Chongyang Institute of Finance at the People’s University of China (also known as Renmin University). The following is the report on Wang’s discussion.

Wang said that Sino-U.S. relations are gradually entering the first-ever global scale, three-dimensional competition of big countries. China’s diplomacy is entering a new normal state of “bracing up and pressing ahead (奮發有為).” The major projects and planning for the “One Belt and One Road" initiatives are gradually entering the implementation and promotion phase. China and the U.S. are in an unprecedented policy contact and interests collision worldwide at a number of different points, lines, and surfaces. How to avoid combat between China and the U.S. that is too intense and too close so the relationship does not deteriorate into a full scale competition is a test of both countries’ wisdom.

Wang said that, in the U.S. view, China is the only rising power in history that is close to the level of the United States in national power. The U.S. is unable to broaden the gap. In contrast, the United States cannot make the determination to inhibit the development of China, and cannot find a way to deal with China’s rise. The U.S.’s "boxing" attitude against China in the military field often encounters the Chinese "Tai Chi" attitude as a response [in boxing the goal is to "knock out" the opponent; in Tai Chi one diffuses the opponent’s attack]. More than US$500 billion in economic and trade exchanges hold the mainstream American business and industrial community in check. Since the financial crisis, the U.S. has been less and less confident in its political system and has no clout to dictate to China about its system and social development path. However, no matter how much the two countries do not want to see the China and U.S. competition intensify, that China and the U.S. are competing at the global level has become a basic fact.

Wang said that in 1500 years of history, there has always been an existing dominating power colliding simultaneously with an emerging power in all three areas of ideology, military security, and financial currency. China and the U.S. are gradually entering the first-ever global scale, three-dimensional competition of great powers.

At present, some U.S. media and politicians frequently manifest a hardline attitude on the South China Sea, currency, cyber security, and ideology. For the sake of maintaining stability in Sino-U.S. relations, China must pay great attention to and cannot lose sight of a potential “black swan event” in the interaction of big countries.

Source: China Review News, August 11, 2015

http://hk.crntt.com/doc/1038/8/4/1/103884133.html?coluid=202&kindid=11695&docid=103884133&mdate=0811002819

Briefings | | September 4, 2015 | US-China Relations

Xi Jinping: China to Cut Military by 300,000

On September 3, at the military parade to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the World War II victory, Xi Jinping announced that China will cut its military by 300,000. At a press conference thereafter, Yang Yujun, spokesperson for the China Ministry of National Defense, provided additional information about the decision. Yang said that the Chinese military consists of about 2.3 million and will be reduced to 2 million. The move will mainly target troops equipped with outdated armaments, administrative staff, and non-combatant personnel. The purpose is to optimize the structure of the Chinese forces. The disarmament will be carries out step by step and will be completed by end of 2017.

Source: Xinhua, September 3, 2015

http://news.xinhuanet.com/mil/2015-09/03/c_1116458395.htm

Briefings | | September 4, 2015 | Defense/Military

Li Keqiang: Global Volatility Puts Pressure on China’s Economy

On August 28, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang chaired a State Council special meeting on new developments in the global economic and financial field and their implications for China and China’s policy responses. It was the first time that he called for such a special meeting, indicating that China faces tough issues in the area of economic growth.

Four vice premiers, three State Council members, the President of China’s central bank, the minister of finance, the head of the Development and Reform Commission, and the Chairman of the China Securities Regulatory Commission attended the meeting.

Li said that recent world market volatility has created new uncertainties for the global economic recovery. The growing implications for China’s financial market as well as for imports and exports have placed new pressure on the Chinese economy. Financial stability affects the overall Chinese economy. Risk management needs to be improved and perfected to defend the bottom line of preventing regional or systemic risks.

Source: The Central People’s Government of China, August 29, 2015

http://www.gov.cn/guowuyuan/2015-08/29/content_2922012.htm

Briefings | | September 3, 2015 | Economy/Resources

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.”