Chinascope – Page 832

BBC Chinese: The Wall Street Journal’s Chinese Language Website is Down

On August 4, BBC Chinese reported that the website for the Chinese language edition of the Wall Street Journal was down and might be blocked in China. Chinese Internet users posted complaints stating that they could visit the English website but not the Chinese one. BBC Chinese said that it was not clear whether the website was down due to technical issues or the actions of the Chinese authorities.

The website of the Wall Street Journal’s Chinese website was launched in 2002. On a number of occasions in the past, the Chinese authorities blocked some of its contents. In 2010 and 2012, there were reports that the entire website had been blocked. In 2012, the English and Chinese websites for Bloomberg and the New York Times were blocked because they published information that the family members of Xi Jinping and Wen Jiabao were involved in money laundering.

Source: BBC Chinese, August 4, 2013
http://www.bbc.co.uk/zhongwen/simp/china/2013/08/130804_wsj_china.shtml

Briefings | | August 12, 2013 | Government/Politics

BBC Chinese: Beijing Built US$500 Million Large Container Terminal in Colombo, Sri Lanka

BBC Chinese reported that China invested US$500 million in a large container terminal in Colombo, Sri Lanka, the first large cargo ship harbor in Sri Lanka. The official start date for the terminal to be in operation was Monday August 5. According to the report, in addition to this investment, Beijing signed an agreement in January to take over management of the Gwadar seaport. China also invested US$14 million to construct a dry port in Larcha in Nepal and in June 2012, provided financial and technology assistance to build a deep water harbor in Hambantota in southern Sri Lanka. By cutting through Sri Lanka, the route in the Indian Ocean is supposed to shorten the water time by four days. Also, historically, Sri Lanka has been considered an important stop in the maritime silk route.

Source: BBC Chinese, August 4, 2013
http://www.bbc.co.uk/zhongwen/simp/business/2013/08/130804_china_srilanka_port.shtml

Briefings | | August 12, 2013 | Geo-Strategic Trend

China’s Current Organ Transplant Situation

On August 8, 2013, the State Health and Family Planning Commission of China announced the list of hospitals that have been approved to implement the human organ transplant project. They include the Beijing Union Medical College Hospital and the China-Japan Friendship Hospital, with a total of 165 hospitals nationwide. At present, China has become the world’s second largest organ transplantation country. Each year more than 8,000 transplant surgeries are performed. There is a huge gap between supply and demand. There are about 300,000 organ failure patients each year.

Source: Xinhua, August 8, 2013

http://news.xinhuanet.com/local/2013-08/08/c_116870528.htm

Briefings | | August 9, 2013 | Economy/Resources

Government Official: China Has Many Ghost Towns

Qiao Runling, Deputy Director of the Cities and Small Towns Reform and Development Center, which is under the National Development and Reform Commission, confirmed that “ghost towns” exist in many places in China.

Qiao observed that many cities in China do not have businesses, markets, or residents. He stated that it is not just Ordos. “Many ‘ghost towns’ exist throughout China." There are even ghost towns between Beijing and Tianjin.

"According to our survey, vacancy rates in real estate development projects in some cities range between 40 and 60 percent. For the central and western regions the vacancy rates run as high as 70 to 80 percent."

Source: Shanghai Securities News reprinted by Xinhua, August 7, 2013

http://news.xinhuanet.com/fortune/2013-08/07/c_125127835.htm

Briefings | | August 9, 2013 | Economy/Resources

Jeju’s Immigration Policy Makes Chinese the Largest Land Buyers in South Korea

Chinese have become most generous buyers in South Korea’s land market. As of the first quarter of this year, the area of Chinese-owned Korean land reached 5.7 million square meters, far more than that held by Europeans and Americans. What the Chinese want most out of the purchase of a property in Korea’s Jeju Island is immigration.

With Jeju’s weak economy, the island launched a preferential immigration policy. Starting in February 2010, as long as foreigners invest 500 million won (about 2.7 million yuan, US$0.37 million) in Jeju’s resorts, hotels, and other "residential facilities for the purpose of holidays and rest," they will be qualified to live on Jeju Island for five years, after which they will be granted permanent residency in South Korea, enjoying the same education and health insurance benefits as Korean citizens. After the implementation of this policy, the number of Chinese buyers increased substantially. Chinese-owned land increased from 49,000 square meters at the end of 2010 to 485,000 square meters at the end of March 2013, almost 10 fold in two years.

Chinese buyers of Jeju land come mainly from three areas. The first is northeast cities such as Shenyang; the second is from Beijing; and the third is the Yangtze River Delta cities, including Shanghai and Nanjing. All these three areas are within a two hour direct flight from Jeju.

Source: Beijing Youth Daily, reposted on Xinhua, August 8, 2013
http://news.xinhuanet.com/2013-08/08/c_125133562.htm

Briefings | | August 8, 2013 | Economy/Resources

For the First Time, Chinese Maritime Police Expel Japanese Ships from the Diaoyu Islands

On August 7, Chinese Maritime Police Surveillance Ships 2350, 1126, 2102, and 2166 expelled Japanese patrol ships from the waters of the Diaoyu Islands. This is the first time that Chinese maritime police have expelled the Japanese patrol ships since the conflict started. [1]

Regarding Japan’s "quasi-carrier" 22DDH helicopter destroyer, "the cloud’s," launching ceremony on August 6, Chinese Military expert Li Jie stated that the Diaoyu Islands are within the coverage of China’s military missiles and that Japan’s quasi-carrier service will not have a decisive impact on the regional situation or pose any serious threat. [2]

Sources:
[1] CRI online, August 7, 2013

http://gb.cri.cn/42071/2013/08/07/3245s4210109.htm

[2] People’s Daily, August 7, 2013

http://military.people.com.cn/n/2013/0807/c1011-22476669.html

Briefings | | August 8, 2013 | Defense/Military

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.