MIIT: Chinese Industrial Economy Still Faces Downward Pressure
China May Limit Imports of U.S. Sorghum
Guangming Daily: Ninety Million Chinese Patients Suffer from Depression
Guangming Daily reported on research results from a study on the rate of depression among China’s workforce. The report, which was published during the 7th annual mental health conference, said that 90 million people in China suffer from depression. This accounts for 2.2 to 4.8 percent of the workforce. The article stated that 70 percent of the patients suffering from depression have to take sick leave and close to half of those patients said that they can’t concentrate on their work. Most of the people who took the survey felt that depression is less alarming than cerebral vascular or heart disease, but medical experts warn that the public still does not understand the serious effect that depression has on people’s work.
Source: Guangming Daily, August 24, 2014
http://news.gmw.cn/2014-08/24/content_12738725.htm
Chongqing Morning Newspaper Conducted Survey on Educational Training
Xinhua published an article that was originally carried by the Chongqing Morning Newspaper reporting on the results of a recent online survey of attitudes toward educational training. Over one thousand people participated in the survey. The results showed that close to 28 percent of the survey participants had unpleasant experiences in dealing with training programs. Some of their unpleasant experiences included that their personal information was leaked; they received false information; they had a hard time withdrawing from the class and receiving a refund; and they felt that the results did not meet their expectations. Meanwhile close to 79 percent stated that the most annoying part about the training classes was that they were overcharged. Sixty-one percent felt that the English training market should be the first one to be regulated.
According to the article, in 2012, the size of China’s market for educational training was 960 billion yuan (USD$156 billion). It included programs such as pre-school, PhD, foreign languages, musical instruments, the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) and public servant test preparation. English language training accounted for 15 billion yuan (US$2.4 billion) of the total market. Over 50,000 agencies in the market provide this service.
Source: Xinhua, August 24, 2014
http://news.xinhuanet.com/edu/2014-08/24/c_126909732.htm
CCDI Article: Some High Ranking Cadres Lack a Sense of Responsibility to the Party
People’s Daily carried an article which was originally published on the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and Supervision Department (CCDI) website. The article said that some high ranking cadres lack a sense of responsibility to the Party. They only care about their administrative title and neglect their duties as Party officials. The article said, “Once they lack a sense of responsibility to the Party, it is guaranteed that the resulting loosely organized Party structure will lack discipline. Therefore the fighting power of the Party is sure to be diminished and it will shake the Party’s foundation.” The article stated that Party officials should have a position within the Party before they assume other responsibilities. It also stated that the Party cadres should abide by the law as well as the Party’s disciplinary rules, but the Party cadres should place the Party’s disciplinary rules above the law. The article posted a reminder that all Party members must bear in mind that the Party official’s title is a "political responsibility" rather than a "political honorary title."
Source: People’s Daily, August 25, 2014 http://politics.people.com.cn/n/2014/0825/c1001-25528310.html
Study Times: Re-enforcing the Communist Party’s Control of Companies
Study Times wrote a commentary stating that it is a matter of urgency to ensure the political control of “mixed-ownership enterprises.” These are companies in which different ownership entities have jointly invested. The different forms of ownership may include State-owned, corporate owned, privately owned, and foreign-owned enterprises.
Qiushi: The Conflicts between China and the U.S. Have Been Exaggerated
An official from China’s Academy of Social Sciences wrote a commentary, which Qiushi then published, stating that the conflicts between the U.S. and China have been exaggerated.