Chinascope – Page 749

Government Think Tank: China Faces Extended Slow Growth

Cai Fang, Director of the Institute of Population and Labor Economics under the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, published to rebuttal to the prediction that the bubble of the Chinese economy may burst. He also admitted that China’s economy is in for a period of slow growth.

Cai wrote that, over the years, there have been significant changes in the demographic structure of China’s population. After the growth rate of the population between 15 and 59 peaked in 2010, it then slowed down and has since fallen. On the other hand, the dependency ratio is increasing. This fundamental demographic change has led to a general shortage of workers, persistent wage increases, a substantial surge in manufacturing costs, and the disappearance of China’s traditional competitive advantage. More importantly, because there is no unlimited supply of labor, the returns on capital have been decreasing. The returns on investment have fallen considerably. The gradual reduction of surplus agricultural labor will also slow the labor reallocation of resources, thereby reducing any improvement in productivity. Therefore, China is expected to experience a period of slow growth in its economy.

Source: Qiushi, July 15, 2014

http://www.qstheory.cn/dukan/qs/2014-07/15/c_1111595037.htm

Briefings | | July 17, 2014 | Economy/Resources

Study Times: Developing the Party in the Non-Public Sector

Study Times published an article on further developing the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in non-public economic entities. The article highlighted a few areas on which to focus. The first area it discussed was the leadership structure. The article pointed out that nearly one third of the provinces in China have used the Provincial Industry and Commerce Association as a vehicle to establish Party committees. They can be set up and given the responsibility to oversee the Party’s development in the non-public sector. The second area was the enterprise’s role as a provider of capital. Business owners have, to a large extent, influenced the progress of the CCP’s development in their enterprises. The CCP should absorb personnel into the Party, strengthen people’s belief in the socialist path with Chinese characteristics, and arrange political positions for them as a reward. Finally, the article emphasized the role of the Chamber of Commerce. The Chamber of Commerce has become more and more important in acting as the CCP’s base for CCP members in small businesses and in educating investors to support the Party’s development in their private businesses.

Source: Study Times, July 7, 2014
http://www.studytimes.cn/shtml/xxsb/20140707/5703.shtml

Briefings | | July 16, 2014 | Government/Politics

China’s New Think Tank Model Different from the Models from the Former Soviet Union and the U.S.

On July 14, Study Times, a journal of the Party School of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party, published an article on developing China’s new think tanks with Chinese characteristics. The 3rd Plenary Session of the 18th Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party (Nov. 9 – 12, 2013, in Beijing) stressed the need to “strengthen the Chinese characteristics of new think tanks and build a sound decision-making advisory system.” According to the article, the model for China’s new think tanks with Chinese characteristics is different from the "Soviet Union model," which had a close relationship to the government and gave advice to the former Soviet Union government directly, using its research results; it is also different from the "American model," which is independent from the U.S. government.

According to the article, China’s think tanks are diversified and complementary. “Providing service to the decision makers is fundamental and giving moderately advanced predictions is the key.” Think tanks help to improve the quality of how public policy performs in China and they enhance China’s international influence. To ensure a think tanks’ high quality service, the article suggests building up four mechanisms: “the Incentive mechanism, the competitive mechanism, the cooperation mechanism, and the oversight/supervision mechanism.”

Source: Study Times, July 14, 2014
http://www.studytimes.cn/shtml/xxsb/20140714/5762.shtml
http://www.qstheory.cn/politics/2014-07/14/c_1111601002.htm

Briefings | | July 16, 2014 | Government/Politics

Huanqiu Editorial: Any Country That Is Hostile to China Will Have to Pay a Huge Price”

On July 14, 2014, Huanqiu (the Chinese edition of Global Times) published an editorial asserting that the U.S. has sided with Vietnam and the Philippines against China in the South China Sea disputes. The editorial was in response to the U.S. proposal on July 11 that Asian nations should freeze building new outposts or expanding existing ones in the South China Sea to prevent more tensions and conflicts.

The Huanqiu editorial asked the United States to stay away from the South China Sea disputes. “After all, the South China Sea is not the Caribbean. China has the capability to ensure there is a difference between these two seas.” The editorial suggested that China give the United States some unexpected lessons so as to “let the U.S. swallow its grievances like a dummy, without being able to speak out for himself.” The editorial continued, “China must be self-confident!” “Any country that is hostile to China will have to pay a huge price; it must be very clear on this point.”

Source: Huanqiu, July 14, 2014
http://opinion.huanqiu.com/editorial/2014-07/5061932.html

Briefings | | July 16, 2014 | US-China Relations

Tianhe One Supercomputer Has Been Collecting Dust for a Year

The well-known Chinese news site Sina recently reported that the award-winning Chinese supercomputer Tianhe One has been sitting in the building of its home site for a year without even being powered on. In 2010, with its speed of 2,750 trillion basic calculations per second, the Tianhe One won the title of the fastest supercomputer in the world. However, in its permanent new home in Changsha City, Hunan Province, different parties have been engaging in major disputes on land ownership, operating costs, and political fights. After one year of delay, the government of Hunan Province finally pushed through the completion of the construction of the hosting site and powered on the machine for a test run. The current top-speed supercomputer in the world, the Tianhe Two (located elsewhere) is seeing a 34 percent utilization of its computing power.

Source: Sina, July 11, 2014

http://finance.sina.com/bg/tech/sinacn/20140711/01501075483.html

Briefings | | July 15, 2014 | Information/Technology

Xinhua: Development Bank Plan Expected to Be Finalized at the BRICS Summit

Xinhua recently reported that the Sixth BRICS Summit will be held in Brazil on July 15. It is widely expected that the Summit will finalize the plan to establish the BRICS Development Bank and the BRICS Contingency Reserve Fund. The initial capital investments into the Bank will total US$50 billion. Each member country is expected to supply US$10 billion. The Reserve Fund will have US$100 billion to handle unexpected emergency situations. China is expected to provide US$41 billion to the Reserve. Russia, Brazil, and India will contribute US$18 billion each and South Africa will supply US$5 billion. Brazilian officials indicated that the two new mechanisms are in response to the lack of democracy in the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The BRICS Bank is planning to focus its investments on infrastructure-building in poor countries. The World Bank commented on the news that it welcomes the new BRICS Bank and the effort to fight poverty. While the BRICS member countries together will always hold a minimum of 55 percent of shares, the Bank welcomes other UN members to join.

Source: Xinhua, July 10, 2014

http://news.xinhuanet.com/world/2014-07/10/c_126736409.htm

People’s Daily, July 9, 2014

http://world.people.com.cn/n/2014/0709/c1002-25261295.html

Briefings | | July 15, 2014 | Geo-Strategic Trend

BBC Chinese: State TV Report Labelled the iPhone “Dangerous”

BBC Chinese recently reported that, on Friday (July 11), as part of its national news program at noon, China Central Television (CCTV) broadcast news that labelled the Apple iPhone a "national security threat." CCTV criticized the "frequent locations" function of the Apple’s iOS 7 operating system, saying that researchers believe data points recorded by the feature could give those with access to this data knowledge of Chinese intelligence and even "state secrets." The TV report said, “The location data are very sensitive.” BBC Chinese mentioned in its report that official Chinese media have frequently criticized Apple about such issues as the “poor customer service” incident that occurred not long ago. [Editor’s note: On July 13, Apple responded to the CCTV report stating emphatically that the company has never and, in the future, will not obtain users’ “frequent locations” data and that the firm has never created a "backdoor’ in any of its products.”]

Source: BBC Chinese, July 11, 2014

http://www.bbc.co.uk/zhongwen/simp/china/2014/07/140711_china_cctv_apple_iphone.shtml

South China Daily, July 13, 2014

http://tx.southcn.com/tongxin/content/2014-07/13/content_104130252.htm

Briefings | | July 15, 2014 | US-China Relations

Report Shows Internet Speeds Below Standard and Compensation Policies Lacking

According to a 2014 investigative report on Internet speed in the Beijing region, over 97 percent of the customers signed a contract for an Internet speed of over 10 megabits per second (Mbps). Among those, three percent chose a 100 Mbps contract and 11 percent chose 50 Mbps. The report showed that the download speed that most of the Internet companies claimed to provide was below the standard, especially for the ones who claimed to carry the 100 Mbps broadband width. The report said that most of the Internet carriers, especially the second or third tier carriers, are frauduent. In the meantime, most of the Internet users are unaware of the slower speed. The report stated that only one Internet company in Beijing has a compensation policy (to reimburse subscribers) if the internet speed goes below the standard.

Source: Xinhua, July 13, 2014
http://news.xinhuanet.com/fortune/2014-07/13/c_1111588264.htm

Briefings | | July 14, 2014 | Information/Technology

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.