Chinascope – Page 709

Global Times: Qualcomm May be Fined US$1 Billion

Global Times recently reported that the National Reform and Development Commission (NDRC) has been conducting an antitrust investigation against U.S. chip maker Qualcomm, who may be fined US$1 billion for abuse of its monopoly power. NDRC accused Qualcomm of price gouging and misusing its standard-setting power in the wireless communications market. According to Chinese antitrust laws, NDRC can fine the company in the range of 1 to 10 percent of its annual sales amount. As the largest wireless communications chip maker in the world, Qualcomm’s fiscal year 2013 sales income in the Chinese market was US$12.3 billion, which was half of its global sales total. China is in the process of upgrading its nationwide wireless network infrastructure to 4G technology, which requires Qualcomm-patented chips that are widely used in smartphones. Some analysts suggested that the Chinese antitrust move had the intention of influencing the negotiations on licensing the Qualcomm patents.

Source: Global Times, December 26, 2014

http://china.huanqiu.com/News/mofcom/2014-12/5302952.html

Briefings | | December 30, 2014 | Geo-Strategic Trend

CASS Predicts Soft Landing in the Housing Market in 2015

On December 26, 2014, the China Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) published its Housing Green Paper, the China Housing Development Report (2014-2015). The report made a number of predictions: that the restrictions on house purchases will be eliminated in 2015; that, with upcoming government incentives, there is hope that the housing market will have a soft landing; and that half of the developers will no longer be in business.

The report predicted that, in the next couple of years, the housing market will continue to decline. In the last 5 cities (Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Sanya) that currently have restrictions on the number of houses one may be allowed to purchase, these restrictions will be removed within a year. Ni Pengfei from CASS commented that once the restrictions are eliminated, the assumption that it is a seller’s market and the myth of ever increasing housing prices will be completely shattered.

The report predicted that the central and local governments will promulgate policies to facilitate a soft landing in the housing market. Such policies may include removing any restrictions on how many houses one can buy, loosening the lending requirement for those who own two or more houses, and reducing transfer fees and personal income taxes.

Ni Pengfei held that, given the low returns on housing investment and the surplus in the housing market, government incentives would not stop the decline of the housing market. The report expressed the belief that, with the surplus of houses on the market and the surplus of developers’ capabilities, more than half of future developers will change their line of business or otherwise disappear from the market.

Source: China News Service reprinted by Xinhua, December 26, 2014

http://news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2014-12/26/c_127338644.htm

Briefings | | December 29, 2014 | Economy/Resources

Some Chinese Schools Prohibited Students from Celebrating Christmas

On December 24, 2014, someone placed a notice online that, at Northwest University (a university in Shaanxi Province, China) some banners about Christmas had been displayed on campus. The contents included such statements as: "Be cautious about Christmas"; "Oppose Western holidays that are in poor taste"; and "Resist the expansion of Western culture." The Communist Youth League Committee of the university and the students’ associations authored the banners. Some netizens posted that, on Christmas Eve, all of the students were organized to watch videos inside the classrooms. The videos were related to traditional Chinese culture. The teachers stood guard at the classrooms. It was said that whoever celebrated Christmas would be disciplined.

Coincidentally, the Board of Education of Wenzhou City, Zhejiang Province issued a circular that required schools "not to hold any Christmas-related activities on campus." An official from the Board of Education said, "In the past, we offered guidance on this kind of foreign holiday. This is the first time a more explicit notice has been issued."

Source: China National Radio, December 25, 2014

http://edu.cnr.cn/list/20141225/t20141225_517209183.shtml

Briefings | | December 29, 2014 | Government/Politics

Chinese University Prohibits Students from Celebrating Christmas

Beijing News reported that, on Christmas Eve, the Modern College of Northwest University, located in Xian, Shaanxi Province, made it mandatory for students to watch propaganda programs and indicated that it would punish those who celebrated Christmas.

According to Beijing News, several students told its reporters that, on Christmas Eve, school instructors were on site at the propaganda multimedia program with many others standing guard around the building so that they could stop the students from leaving. Any students who left would be counted as being truant three times.

The Communist Youth League of the college posted on its weibo on December 25, “Last night our college watched the college multimedia program in an organized way only to hope students would not blindly emulate foreigners and would instead pay attention to China’s traditional culture. We hope we can take a rational look and take the glory of the school as our own glory. Do not spread rumors or create rumors. Strive to become a glorious modern person."

A student disagreed with the school response in his comments to The Beijing News. "The school does not let us celebrate Christmas. We have not said anything, but the school should not respond from the perspective that not letting us celebrate Christmas is to promote Chinese traditional culture. Actually they ‘forced’ us to watch the national propaganda films on that day. We are very unhappy about it."

Beijing News reported that banners were strung up around the campus reading, "Strive to be outstanding sons and daughters of China, oppose kitschy Western holidays," and "Resist the expansion of Western culture."

Sources: The Beijing News, December 24 and 25, 2014 http://www.bjnews.com.cn/news/2014/12/24/347168.html http://www.bjnews.com.cn/news/2014/12/25/347351.html

Briefings | | December 26, 2014 | Social Stability

Housing Market Continued to Decline in November

According to the latest data released on December 18 by the National Bureau of Statistics, November saw prices for new homes fall, when compared to the prices in October, in 67 of the 70 medium and large cities. There was no change in the remaining three cities. Thus, November is the third consecutive month of overall decline with no price increase across the board. Compared to November 2013, the prices for new homes dropped in 68 of the 70 cities.

With respect to existing houses, when compared to prices in October, November prices dropped in 58 of the 70 cities and in 67 cities when compared to November 2013.

Source: National Bureau of Statistics, December 18, 2014 http://www.stats.gov.cn/tjsj/zxfb/201412/t20141218_655220.html

Briefings | | December 26, 2014 | Economy/Resources

After Ling Jihua, Who Else Will Fall?

On December 22, 2014, after the announcement was made that Ling Jihua was under investigation, Mr. Ho Pin, CEO of the Mirror Media Group, told VOA that the next downfall of a big tiger (corrupt high official) could be Guo Boxiong, the former vice chairman of China’s Central Military Commission (a Jiang Zemin supporter). Mr. Ho Pin did not release the name, but he said that another big tiger will be exposed after Guo Boxiong.

In an interview with Epoch Times on December 23, 2014, Dr. Li Tianxiao, a political critic of China issues, predicted that (Xi Jinping’s) next step to combat corruption will focus on the forces of Jiang Zemin’s fraction (Jiang Zemin was the General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party from 1989 to 2002 and President of the People’s Republic of China from 1993 to 2003). He stated, “The ultimate goal of Xi Jinping’s movement to combat tigers (the anti-corruption movement) is to target Jiang Zemin himself.”

Source: Voice of America, December 22, 2014 and Epoch Times, December 23, 2014
http://www.voachinese.com/content/voaweishi-1222-voaio-1/2568973.html
http://www.epochtimes.com/gb/14/12/23/n4324397.htm

Briefings | | December 24, 2014 | Government/Politics

Huanqiu: Ling Jihua, Now under Investigation; Owes a Sincere Apology to the Entire Society of China

On December 22, 2014, the official Xinhua News Agency published a brief announcement about the investigation of Ling Jihua for “suspected serious disciplinary violations.” Ling is vice chairman of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, director of the Central United Front Department of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), and former chief of the Communist Party’s Central Committee’s General Office.

According to an editorial that Huanqiu (the Chinese edition of Global Times) published on December 23, 2014, Chinese netizens cheered across the Internet that same night. There had been speculation as to whether Ling would get into trouble. He was removed from his position as the former chief of the Communist Party’s Central Committee General Office prior to the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China held on November 8, 2012. The editorial hinted that Ling’s downfall was related to “a Ferrari Car Accident” in Beijing on March 18, 2012. His son died in the accident. “Yesterday’s news released a strong message, ‘Anti-corruption will not stop or pause. Regardless how high and how powerful an official is, or how big a tiger, as long as he is verified as being a corrupt official, he will not be exempt.’” Huanqiu‘s comments continued, “We hope that he (Ling) has a deep feeling of guilty now. He owes too much to the public, including a sincere apology to the entire society (of China).”

Source: Xinhua, December 22, 2014 and Huanqiu, December 23, 2014
http://news.xinhuanet.com/legal/2014-12/22/c_1113737137.htm
http://opinion.huanqiu.com/editorial/2014-12/5277334.html

Briefings | | December 24, 2014 | 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.