Microblog Postings Down 70 Percent Since Suppression Was Launched
VOA reported that, according to the results of a survey that The Daily Telegraph published, the number of postings on microblogs dropped 70 percent from 2011 to 2013. VOA stated that the Information Technology Institute of East China Normal University conducted the research at the request of The Daily Telegraph. They analyzed the usage information of 1.6 million microblog users from 2011 to 2013. The information revealed that, before March 2012, these users posted 83 million blogs each day. However, after the real name registration system was adopted in that same month, the number of postings dropped by at least 50 percent. The number dropped further again after a few well known bloggers were arrested.
Source: Voice of America, January 31, 2014
http://www.voachinese.com/content/china-crack-down-cut-weibo-traffic-20140131/1842253.html
Buddhist Temples Jack up the Price of the First Incense of the New Year
China News carried an article about a phenomenon that took place on the eve of the Chinese New Year: tens and thousands of people lined up outside of Buddhist temples overnight to fight for the opportunity to burn the first incense while making their New Year wishes. At the same time, the temples grasped at the chance to raise the price. It was reported that, this year, one temple in Zhejiang Province priced the first incense at 118,000 yuan (US $19,470). Due to overcrowding, numerous accidents have occurred each year, causing security concerns. In Yangzhou, Jiangsu Province, the police force was called in to guard people’s safety. The article said that people carry misconceptions and are misled by the belief that the first incense will make their New Year wishes come true.
Source: China News, February 1, 2014
http://finance.chinanews.com/life/2014/02-01/5801751.shtml
State Council to Introduce Merger and Acquisition Plans for State Owned Enterprises
China National Radio reported that, according to an inside source from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the State Council will soon introduce the “State Council’s opinion on further optimizing the market environment for the merger and acquisition of State Owned Enterprises.” The opinion will provide merger and acquisition guidance mainly to the steel, cement, vessel, photovoltaic, and baby formula industries. The article said that the current structure of these industries is in small scattered locations. There is no centralized planning; they often are deficient; and they have a serious excess production capacity. In these industries, these issues have been a major obstacle to reform. However, mergers and acquisitions in these industries also face serious difficulties, including heavy merger and acquisition taxes, financing, and a lengthy approval process. The opinion requires that the state should simplify the approval process while instituting policies that will provide optimized solutions on these issues.
Source: China National Radio, February 2, 2014
http://china.cnr.cn/ygxw/201402/t20140201_514778867.shtml
More Securitization of State-Owned Enterprises to Come
China Securities reported that local governments may securitize state-owned enterprises in amounts up to 20.7 trillion yuan in their efforts to raise funds for local expenditures. In the past, local governments resorted to borrowing and the sale of government land in order to raise funds. The central government has recently made the local government’s debts a focus of attention.
More Poor Counties Today than 27 Years Ago
In spite of China’s rapid economic development, the number of officially designated poor counties in China has increased from 331 in 1986 to 592. Counties that are designated as poor each receive subsidies from the central government of between 30 and 50 million yuan every year.
http://news.nandu.com/html/201401/29/743105.html
People’s Daily: China Made Major Breakthrough in Aircraft Carrier “Electromagnetic Slingshot”
In the past few years, the statement, "China is developing an electromagnetic catapult," has been circulating in the rumor mill on the Internet.
Qiushi: Three Major Risks Affecting China’s Political Stability
Qiushi, a theoretical journal for the Chinese Communist Party, published an article listing the three major risk factors that can potentially change the political landscape of China: