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Wu Guoguang: Xi Jinping’s Reversal of the Course, Will China’s Transition be Peaceful or Marked with Bloodshed?

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Cheng Xiaonong: U.S.-China Strategic Relations Have Crystallized

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Xinhua Commentaries: “Exposing the Three Major Political Deficits of the U.S.”

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The CCP’s Performing Arts Troupes in the U.S.

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CRN: Clear Road Map Needed for Upgrading China’s Economy

China Review News (CRN) recently published a commentary discussing how to realize Chinese Premier Li Keqiang’s “Upgrading of the Chinese Economy.” The commentary suggested that Li apparently acknowledged concerns about the low efficiency and the high risks associated with the current Chinese economy. The commentator referred to a large quantity of data to demonstrate the “as-is” version of the economy as well as the “to-be” version, which is based on world leaders like the United States. However, the pathway between the two ends remains uncertain. The author offered some suggestions focusing on areas like financial market reform, research and design, system integration, privatization, high-end manufacturing, and new government policies. The article called for a clearer road map for the “Upgrade.”
Source: China Review News, April 4, 2013
http://www.zhgpl.com/doc/1024/9/1/2/102491286.html?coluid=53&kindid=0&docid=102491286&mdate=0404080734
Briefings | | |   Economy/Resources

Dead Fish Found in Rivers in Shanghai

People’s Daily reported that, starting at the end of March, dead fish have been found in the Si Jing Tang River in the Songjiang District of Shanghai. The number has continued to grow until, in recent days, it reached over a thousand dead fish found within one hundred meters (328 feet) of the river. It has caused concern over the safety of the drinking water in the area. The Authorities in the Songjiang district claim that the water quality remains normal and an investigation is being conducted into the cause.

Source: People’s Daily, April 7, 2013
http://society.people.com.cn/n/2013/0407/c86800-21045466.html

Briefings | | |   Economy/Resources

Volume of Used Home Sales Dropped 50 Percent in Beijing

On March 30, 2013, the Beijing Municipal government introduced new measures to cool off the overheated real estate market. The measures included limiting unmarried singles to owning no more than one home and imposing a 20 percent capital gain tax on those who own multiple homes.

Xinhua reported that, as of April 7, the statistics showed that the transaction volume for used homes was down 50 percent compared with the week prior to the measure being introduced. Experts speculated that the slowdown was because both buyers and sellers are delaying their decisions as the result of the new measures. It is expected that the used home market may loosen up in the next six months.

Source: Xinhua, April 7, 2013
http://news.xinhuanet.com/fortune/2013-04/07/c_115294819.htm

Briefings | | |   Economy/Resources

Qiushi Theory Commentary on Xi Jinping’s “China Dream”

On April 5, Qiushi Theory carried a commentary on Xi Jinping’s “China Dream” ideology. The commentary stated that in order to properly manage a giant country like China, no one can afford to make mistakes and cause instability. “…only when we properly take one step at a time to solve the issues and move forward with reform can we ensure that we are taking the right path to lead the country.” The commentary also called for the new administration to take action to "improve governance, resist corruption, curb housing price increases, reduce the disparity between the rich and poor, and deal with environmental issues." The commentary concluded that, in order to reach Xi’s China Dream, China must follow the path that has Chinese characteristics.

Source: Qiushi Theory, April 5, 2013
http://www.qstheory.cn/yw/201304/t20130405_221205.htm

Briefings | | |   Government/Politics

Editorial: China Needs to Improve Its Ability to Adapt to the North Korean Nuclear Problem

China’s state media published an editorial discussing China’s position in the escalating North Korea nuclear crisis. The article said the following about China’s part: 

“On the North Korea nuclear issue, China is in a ‘normal passive’ position. That is to say, China’s passivity is not more serious than that of any other country in the region. There are no true ‘active countries.’ China needs to further increase its national power, including its military and economic power. China’s continual accumulation of power will eventually ease the current embarrassment substantially and China will have more flexibility strategically.
 
“China should also continue shouting the slogans for the denuclearization of the peninsula. As long as we no longer seriously pursue it, it will be a lot easier. China’s strategic goal should be that a big war does not occur on the Peninsula. 
“All kinds of accidents will happen on the Korean peninsula in the future. China does not have the ability and will not have the opportunity to prevent them from happening. We can only continue to get more resilient from the accelerated growth of our national strength.” 
Source: Huanqiu, April 3, 2013/4/4
http://opinion.huanqiu.com/editorial/2013-04/3792108.html 
http://military.people.com.cn/n/2013/0403/c1011-21011531.html
Briefings | | |   Defense/Military

Person Who Had Contact with a Diseased H7N9 Patient Developed Symptoms

As of the end of April 4, 2013, Shanghai had reported four more H7N9 bird flu cases with four fatalities and two undergoing treatment, bringing the total number of cases in Shanghai to six. According to the local authorities, there is no connection between the six cases. One person who had contact with a diseased H7N9 patient has developed a fever, running nose and an itchy throat, and is presently undergoing treatment.

On April 4, China’s agricultural authorities announced that they had detected the infectious H7N9 avian flu virus in some pigeon samples collected at a marketplace in the Songjiang District of Shanghai, where agricultural products are sold.

[Editor’s note: So far, China has confirmed 14 H7N9 cases, six in Shanghai, four in Jiangsu Province, three in Zhejiang Province and one in Anhui Province. Of all, four died in Shanghai and one died in Zhejiang Province.]

Source: Xinhua, April 5, 2013
http://news.xinhuanet.com/2013-04/05/c_124541810.htm

Briefings | | |   Social Stability

China’s Rivers May be Disappearing

China’s Ministry of Water Resources and the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) released the first official survey on the nation’s water resources. According to the survey, China’s rivers may be disappearing. The survey shows that China has 45,203 rivers that each cover an area of at least 50 square kilometers and 22.909 rivers that each cover an area over 100 square kilometers.

Pang Jinwu, representative of the China’s Ministry of Water Resources, stated that the survey corrected some statistics that had been used since the 1950s. For example, based on the estimates of the experts in 1950s, China had over 50,000 rivers that each covered an area of at least 100 square kilometer. That number was more than double the figure from the first official survey.

Source: Xinhua, March 27, 2013
http://news.xinhuanet.com/politics/2013-03/27/c_115183982.htm

Briefings | | |   Economy/Resources

Housing Sales 6.4 Trillion Yuan in 2012; Chinese Government and State Banks Received 5 Trillion

A rough estimate, based on official statistics, shows that, in 2012, the Chinese government and the state banks’ revenue from real estate amounted to 4.8 trillion yuan (US$0.8 trillion). This was about 75 percent of the total real estate sales for the year of 6.4 trillion yuan (US$1.0 trillion).

In 2012, China’s commercial housing sales were 6.4456 trillion yuan, an increase of 10 percent over the previous year. Zhou Jiangong, editor-in-chief of the Chinese version of Forbes magazine, posted an online message that included comprehensive statistics from the National Bureau of Statistics and the Ministry of Finance. It said: "In 2012 real estate sales were 6.4 trillion yuan (US$1.0 trillion), with paid deed taxes of 287.4 billion yuan (US$46.3 billion), property taxes 137.2 billion yuan (US$22.1 billion), business taxes 405.1 billion yuan (US$65.3 billion), and land appreciation taxes 271.9 billion yuan (US$43.8 billion) for a total of about 1.1 trillion yuan (US$0.18 trillion) in tax. The bank mortgage balance of 12 trillion yuan (US$1.9 trillion) generated interest payments of 840 billion yuan (US$135.4 billion), plus land sales revenue amounted to 2.8517 trillion yuan (US$0.46 trillion). The government and the banks revenue from real estate totaled 4.7917 trillion yuan (US$0.77 trillion), accounting for 75 percent of the total revenue of 6.4 trillion yuan (US$1.0 trillion)."

11 types of taxes are involved in real estate development and maintenance: the business tax, value added tax, land appreciation tax, property tax, urban land use tax, deed tax, farmland tax, corporate income tax, personal income tax, stamp duty, the urban maintenance and construction tax, and the education surcharge.

Source: Guangming Daily, April 4, 2013
http://economy.gmw.cn/2013-04/04/content_7209230.htm

Briefings | | |   Economy/Resources