News » Society » Cold air to sweep north China
News » Society » Cold air to sweep north China |
- Cold air to sweep north China
- China paper carries Onion spoof
- China 'not currency manipulator'
- More Tibetan blaze suicides
- Four more Tibetans have set themselves alight in protest at China's rule, overseas media and a rights group said yesterday, taking the total to more than 20 this month.
- Euro satellite aims for stars
- China defense chief says military buildup no threat to the world
- China Resources Announces the First Nine Months of 2012- Retail, Beer & Beverages Divisions
- Wal-Mart tight-lipped on closure reports
- Starbucks Plays to Local Chinese Tastes
- Have You Heard…
- Former palaces born again
- Party chief pays tribute to head of jets program
- The latest craze takes off online
- Officials sacked over pupils' bread and milk lunch
- Crowds mourn cop who died to protect others
- Fashion website accused of dealing in fake goods
- Distiller suspends production
- Scandal-hit liquor maker suspends packaging lines
- Model punished for faking cop in sexy photos
| Posted: 27 Nov 2012 07:08 PM PST COLD air front moving eastward will sweep China's northern regions during the next few days, bringing strong winds and big temperature drops, the National Meteorological Center (NMC) forecast today. From Wednesday to Thursday, north China, northeast China and regions along the Yellow River and the Huaihe River will experience strong winds and temperature drop ranging from 4 to 8 degrees Celsius, the NMC said. In some central and northern parts of northeast China, there will be light to moderate snow on Wednesday and temperatures will plunge by 14 degrees Celsius during the next two days, according to the center. The country's southern regions will see persistent rainfall during the next three days. Some regions are expected to see moderate or heavy rains. |
| China paper carries Onion spoof Posted: 27 Nov 2012 02:53 PM PST The online version of the Chinese Communist Party's newspaper appears to fall for a spoof hailing North Korea's Kim Jong-un as the Sexiest Man Alive. |
| China 'not currency manipulator' Posted: 27 Nov 2012 01:41 PM PST The US decides not to declare China as a currency manipulator but says that the yuan remains "significantly undervalued". |
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| China defense chief says military buildup no threat to the world Posted: 27 Nov 2012 10:37 AM PST  Source: Reuters By Terril Yue Jones (Reuters) – China's military buildup poses no threat to the world, Defense Minister Liang Guanglie said on Tuesday, in an effort to allay fears among Asian neighbors amid long-running maritime disputes. "There is absolutely no need for that," Liang told Reuters, when asked about neighbors' concerns. "The Chinese military must develop, but there's no 'worry' or 'fear' as the outside world says," he said before a meeting with visiting U.S. Navy Secretary Ray Mabus. "That's not what China is about." China's growing military influence has coincided with a more assertive diplomatic tone, evident in rows with Japan and Southeast Asia over disputed islands. China has also told the United States, with President Barack Obama's "pivot" to Asia, not to get involved. Liang, speaking at China's Defense Ministry, stressed the need for cooperation between Beijing and Washington, which has called on China to share more about its military ambitions. "We should develop the ties between us, between our two militaries, touch on some of our differences, resolve conflicting views," Liang said before meeting Mabus. "We should push forward the development of our two powers, and push forward the development of a new China-U.S. military relationship," he said. "Our two countries' ties are very important." The modernization of China's army in particular has raised concern in the region. China's People's Liberation Army, which encompasses all branches of the military, has launched a new wave of technology and hardware this year. It has test-flown its first two stealth fighters, and launched its first aircraft carrier, which it bought from Ukraine and refurbished. This month, it unveiled a new attack helicopter. China has also been raising its profile in the South and East China Seas this year, reasserting its sovereignty over islands or waters also claimed by the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Japan and others. China ushered in a new generation of leaders this month at the 18th Communist Party Congress in Beijing, with outgoing President Hu Jintao making a pointed reference to strengthening China's naval forces, protecting maritime interests and the need to "win local war". Both Vietnam and the Philippines have previously complained about Chinese activity and even harassment in contested parts of the South China Sea. China, Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan all claim territory in the sea, which covers important shipping routes and is thought to hold untapped oil and gas reserves. China's claim is by far the largest, forming a vast U-shape over most of the sea's 648,000 square miles (1.7 million square km), including the Spratly and Paracel archipelagos. Sino-Japanese relations are also under strain after the Japanese government bought disputed islands, triggering violent protests and calls for boycotts of Japanese products across China. |
| China Resources Announces the First Nine Months of 2012- Retail, Beer & Beverages Divisions Posted: 27 Nov 2012 10:34 AM PST  Source: China Resources Hong Kong, 21 November 2012– China Resources Enterprise, Limited (HKEx: 00291) announced its unaudited financial and operational review for the nine months ended 30 September 2012. The Group's retail division recorded turnover of HK $63,067 million and attributable profit of HK $2,242 million for the review period, representing increases of 21.2% and 64.4% year-on-year respectively. Excluding the after-tax revaluation surplus and the disposal of the non-core assets, the division's attributable profit decreased 0.5% year-on-year. The division achieved a same store sales growth of 4.6%. The opening of new stores and the contribution from the newly acquired Jiangxi Hongkelong Department Store Investment Company Limited also contributed to the sales growth. In order to control operating costs, the retail division has implemented various initiatives such as enhancing bargaining power over leases by leveraging synergies arising from its multi-format business, establishing an energy management system to promote energy savings at its retail stores, as well as improving its labor structure and hiring system. The division also stepped up its effort in establishing coverage in new regions and fostering strategic cooperation with national developers to bring in its multiple retail formats to various high-quality commercial properties. In addition, a number of convenience stores will soon be opened at metro stations in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province. To further enhance its market share, the division will strive to expand into third-to-fourth tier cities, countries, towns and villages. The division will further improve the operation of new stores and loss-making stores in order to boost sales and profitability through organic growth. Besides, concerted efforts will also be made to enhance the standardization of retail formats, optimize management flow and implement lean management measures. Beer Division The Group's beer division recorded turnover of HK $23,786 million and attributable profit of HK $878 million for the review period, representing increases of 7.6% and 1.7% year-on-year, respectively. Total beer sales volume increased by 5% to approximately 9,062,000 kiloliters during the first nine months in 2012, of which sales volume of "Snow" brand accounted for over 90% of the Group's total beer sales volume. As the division's newly-built and acquired breweries in Henan, Shanxi and Zhejiang commenced operation, the Group operated over 80 breweries in China with an aggregate annual production capacity of more than 17,000,000 kiloliters as at the end of September 2012. The greater frequency of rainy weather conditions across regions, where the Group has dominant market share, has affected the overall sales volume growth and average selling price of beer. The beer division continued to carry out effective marketing campaigns to boost the sales of its beer and optimized its product mix through enhancing the sales of premium beer products to stabilize profitability. Besides, by leveraging its economies of scale and centralized procurement, the division further enhanced its production and energy efficiency to alleviate cost pressures. The division will continue to launch marketing campaigns for the "Snow" brand to reinforce its reputation and customer loyalty. In addition, the division will further optimize its product mix and strengthen its centralized purchase system by reinforcing the promotion of its premium beer. It will also continue to seek and evaluate investment opportunities while pursuing organic growth, so as to capture a larger market share and fortify its market leading position. Beverages Division The Group's beverage division reported a turnover of HK $3,908 million for the review period, representing an increase of 58.7% year-on-year, while attributable profit decreased by 26.7% to HK $88 million. This was mainly resulted from diluted earnings contribution from the formation of a joint venture with Kirin Holdings Company, Limited in mid-August 2011. With its flagship "C'estbon" brand of purified water and the active promotion of the beverage products of the "Kirin" operation, total sales volume of the Group's beverage division rose by 36% year-on-year to approximately 2,859,000 kiloliters for the review period. The bottled water operation delivered rapid growth in both sales volume and turnover, especially in provinces such as Guangdong, Hunan, Sichuan, Jiangsu, Guangxi, Fujian and Hainan, further strengthening the leading position of the Group's purified water operation in southern China. The "Kirin" operation started to sell its existing products through the existing distribution channels of the packaged water operation in Guangdong, Hunan and Sichuan, and has picked up growth momentum in sales volume in its existing markets. The beverage market in China continues to demonstrate considerable growth potential, which paves the way for the beverage division to maintain relatively high growth in sales volume. Outlook Mr. Chen Lang, Chairman of the Company, concluded, "We expect the short-term operating environment for the consumer goods business in China to remain under pressure. However, we are optimistic about the future development of the industry as the central government's '12th Five-Year Plan' has been effective in stimulating domestic consumption. In addition, our strong cash position has enabled us to accelerate our future expansion as well as to benefit from the rebound in China's economy. Looking ahead, we will continue to push forward our expansion plans and to intensify our control in the areas of risk management and cash and asset management in order to cope with the changes in the global economic environment." About China Resources Enterprise, Limited China Resources Enterprise, Limited is listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange and is one of the constituent stocks of the Hang Seng Index in Hong Kong. The Group focuses on the consumer businesses, including retail, beer, food and beverage in China. |
| Wal-Mart tight-lipped on closure reports Posted: 27 Nov 2012 10:33 AM PST  Source: By Wang Zhuo Qiong (China Daily) As Wal-Mart Stores Inc expanded its internal bribery probe to developing markets including China, the world's largest retailer refused to comment on recent reports that the company will close 100 stores that are not making money. The retailer said it would be inappropriate to comment on the specific allegations until the investigations are completed. Wal-Mart said that there is no correlation between the slowdown in the development strategy in the Chinese market and the extension of the internal probe in developing markets beyond the company's Mexican unit to Brazil, China and India. Wal-Mart said last year said that the US Justice Department and Securities and Exchange Commission were investigating whether Wal-Mart's Mexican division bribed officials to ensure market dominance. The company has spent more than $35 million on its global anti-corruption review efforts over the past 18 months. Last month, Wal-Mart CEO Mike Duke said in Beijing in an interview with China Daily that although the company is slowing its expansion pace, it plans to open more than 100 additional stores and more distribution centers in China in the next three years. The less-ambitious plan is a preemptive adjustment based on the changing macroeconomic climate, Wal-Mart China said. In October, the company downsized the number of its merchandizing offices to eight to upgrade its supply chain and operational efficiency. China's retail sector witnessed declining growth this year because of weak consumption, saturated regional markets — particularly in first- and second-tier cities — and the rising costs of labor and rent, Guo Geping, director of the China Chain Store & Franchise Association, said earlier this month. Wal-Mart China's newly appointed CEO, Greg Foran, said earlier that Wal-Mart is embarking on a transformation process of its China operations to create a simpler business that is more effective and to grow with a focus on business fundamentals. Wal-Mart declined to comment on local media reports that the company is expected to gradually close 100 unprofitable stores between 2013 and 2015. With 370 stores as of March, Wal-Mart's sales in 2011 ranked fourth in China among the top 100 foreign-chain retailers, according to the China Chain Store & Franchise Association. The retail giant temporarily closed 13 stores in Chongqing last year over a pork-labeling probe. Compliance with the law in developing economies is crucial for foreign retailers, which are supposed to have higher management levels than their local rivals, said Zhao Ping, deputy director of the consumption and economic research department of the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation. |
| Starbucks Plays to Local Chinese Tastes Posted: 27 Nov 2012 10:33 AM PST  Source: Wall Street Journal by Laurie Burkitt BEIJING—After nearly 14 years of working to persuade China to buy into its foreign coffee culture, Starbucks Corp. is aiming to become more Chinese as it plans a rapid expansion in the country. The company aims to capture a larger market by going more local and applying its cultural insights, Ms. Wong said. For instance, whereas kiosk-sized stores work well in the U.S., where office workers grab bacon-gouda sandwiches to go in the morning on the way to work, Starbucks has learned that Chinese consumers value space and couches on which to relax in the afternoons. The coffee company is adding some stores that are nearly 3,800 square feet and can seat consumers who come with groups of friends and business partners. Starbucks also has discovered that Chinese tastes for coffee go only so far. It plans to introduce new Chinese-inspired flavors, building on existing favorites like red bean frappuccinos. Localization is a critical factor in the success or failure of foreign companies in China. Yum Brands Inc. has thrived in China by adding fried shrimp and soy milk, among many other Chinese items, to its KFC outlets and fresh seafood bacon pizza and Thai-style fried rice to its Pizza Huts. Businesses that have failed to grasp the local culture, importing alien models, have fallen out of favor. In September, Home Depot Inc. closed all seven of its remaining big-box stores in China after years of losses, having discovered that the do-it-yourself home improvement model doesn't work well in a do-it-for-me Chinese culture. Best Buy Co. closed its nine China outlets in February 2011 after discovering consumers needed washing machines, not espresso makers or stereos. Home Depot said it is focusing on specialty stores in China now, having recently opened one paint-and-flooring store and one home-decorations outlet. Best Buy said it is working with its Chinese subsidiary, Jiangsu Five Star Ltd., to sell more appliances.  Starbucks's Ms. Wong said the Seattle-based company understands the complexities of operating in a country where consumers in smaller cities are just getting their first Starbucks and where established big-city coffee drinkers already need upgraded stores. The coffee company has recently hired local graffiti artists to redecorate one of its older stores in Beijing's popular Sanlitun Village, a shopping district that, like New York's Soho, attracts the young and wealthy and sparks trends. Starbucks is also coming to the realization that family expectations will have a big impact on its success. To retain its employees, whose parents would rather their children be working behind bank counters than serving up Sumatra, Starbucks earlier this year launched a family forum, inviting parents to hear testimonies from managers who have worked their way up the career ladder. "We don't do one size fits all," said Ms. Wong, noting that over the past two years Starbucks has opened a Chinese design center to build out its new stores and has launched a research and development center to fill the stores with sandwiches like the Hainan chicken and rice wrap or the Thai-style prawn wrap. The company is aiming to cater to noncoffee drinkers like Cheng Xiaochen, a 27-year-old English teacher who hates coffee but occasionally meets his students and business partners at Starbucks in the afternoon. "It's a good place to meet people," said Mr. Cheng. "But the coffee is so bitter it tastes like Chinese medicine." Mr. Cheng said he sticks to mint hot chocolate and looks for other sweeter flavors. China remains a tea-drinking nation, but coffee sales rose 20% in 2011 from a year earlier, reaching 6.25 billion yuan ($995 million), according to market research firm Euromonitor International. China is an important growth market for Starbucks, whose executives want the country to become its largest market outside the U.S. The company doesn't break out China sales, but executives said this month that China-based sales have increased 52% year-over-year. They didn't offer further details. Industry watchers say that although Starbucks has been successful in China, it faces challenges. Food companies from U.K.-based Whitbread PLC's Costa Coffee to Korean SPC Group's Paris Baguette, are expanding rapidly across China, said Torsten Stocker, an analyst for consultancy Monitor Group. "All of these are not only fighting to increase their 'share of stomach,' but also for top real-estate locations and the talent to expand and manage their stores," said Mr. Stocker. Experts agree that corporate localization in China is crucial, as most consumers have culturally entrenched tastes that differ from Western ones. While China has an elite band of consumers who buy only foreign brands, the typical consumer is more parochial. Still, some caution that Starbucks can't veer too far from its Western image. "It's extremely critical to keep authenticity and consistency," said Vincent Lui, a partner of Boston Consulting Group. Such worries would be misplaced, Ms. Wong said, as Starbucks aims for the authentic experience. While Starbucks is planning to hype Chinese New Year more than ever this year, it has just rolled out its U.S. Christmas cups for the Chinese stores. |
| Posted: 27 Nov 2012 10:31 AM PST Have You Heard…   |
| Posted: 27 Nov 2012 08:56 AM PST A visitor admires a Buddha statue at the Zhongzheng Palace, whose reconstruction was completed yesterday along with Yuhuage and other Tibetan Buddhist palaces and buildings in the northwest corner of Beijing's Forbidden City. Traditional materials and techniques were used to restore the buildings to how they looked in the Qianlong Period (1736-1795). The palaces served as the central area for Tibetan Buddhist activities during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) but were destroyed by fire in 1923. They will now house a Tibetan Buddhism research center and exhibition halls. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Party chief pays tribute to head of jets program Posted: 27 Nov 2012 08:39 AM PST CHINA'S Party chief Xi Jinping yesterday paid tribute to the 51-year-old head of production for China's J-15 fighter who died on Sunday and asked all Party members and officials to learn from Luo Yang's spirit. "I deeply grieve for Luo's death and have sent sincere condolences to his family," Xi, also chairman of the Party's Central Military Commission, said. Xi said Luo had made outstanding contributions to the aviation industry and his death was a great loss to the country. Xi asked relevant departments to take good care of Luo's family. Luo, chairman and general manager of the Shenyang Aircraft Corp, died a day after he witnessed the successful take-off and landing of two fighter jets on China's first aircraft carrier, the Liaoning. Yesterday, he was awarded the title of "Aviation Industry Hero and Model," for his contributions to the aviation industry, the state-owned Aviation Industry Corp of China announced. Luo's wife's last words to her husband, before the body was taken to a funeral parlor on Monday evening, were: "Luo Yang, I know you were too tired these days." Wang Xili recalled: "The last words he told me during our last call on Saturday were 'the experiments have been successful, all the missions have been accomplished'." She said it was the only call Luo made to her during the eight days of exercises designed to test the J-15's take-off and landing ability on the carrier. "Luo always had little time to accompany his wife and daughter because he had to work from early morning till midnight every day," said Ren Zhongkai, Luo's secretary. He said Luo had only once asked for leave - a half day to accompany his daughter when she sat the national college entrance examination. Luo had been on the carrier since the morning of November 18, shortly after he attended the Zhuhai air show in southeast Guangdong Province. On the carrier, Luo stayed within 20 meters of the jets to closely observe the take-off and landing, despite the deafening roar from the engines, said Meng Jun, chairman of AVIC Shenyang Liming Aero-Engine (Group) Corp Ltd. The Shenyang Aircraft Corp held a special ritual on Sunday night for Luo. His body was driven in a hearse around the research institutes, warehouses and factories where Luo had worked. Thousands of workers came from home to mourn their late boss, CCTV reported. Luo graduated from the Beihang University in 1982, majoring in aircraft design. He had been a designer with the Shenyang aircraft design and research institute since 1982 and became deputy director in 1997. He was appointed chairman and general manager of the SAC in 2007. Thousands of Chinese netizens paid tribute in microblog entries. "I just could not control such mixed feelings on a day when we should have had thousands of reasons for celebration," one wrote. "Under unimaginable pressure, Luo sacrificed himself to turn J-15 jets' take-off and landing into reality." |
| The latest craze takes off online Posted: 27 Nov 2012 08:34 AM PST
In a video of the successful take-off and landing exercises on board the carrier at the weekend, two crew members are seen down on one knee and stabbing their right arms in the air to give the green light to the J-15 jet pilots. Pictures of people imitating the gesture in various situations soon flooded the Internet. Dubbed "Hangmu Style," or "Carrier Style," netizens across the country uploaded pictures showing their take on the gesture regarded as "cool, powerful and confident as well as amusing and comical," according to one microblog entry. "Hangmu Style" has rapidly eclipsed the online craze for copying the "Gangnam Style" music video, with more than 8 million web users retweeting posts in just one day, ensuring the craze stayed top of the list of hot topics on Weibo.com. Shanghai residents made the gesture beside Metro trains. Stock exchange workers did it in front of share-price graphs. Students at Tongji University posed in front of a jet model on campus. There was even a picture of babies kneeling in line in a parody of the crew's actions. A dairy producer in Zhejiang Province dressed in a cow costume did it to promote his products. In north China's Tianjin Municipality, tourists at an aircraft carrier park wore overalls and safety helmets as they copied the gestures on the deck of the former Soviet aircraft carrying cruiser Kiev. Even firefighters have been taking part, giving the green light to a fire engine leaving a station in Beijing. "Although the gesture has often been seen in movies, I couldn't restrain my excitement the first time I saw it used in instructing a fighter jet to land and take off from China's first aircraft carrier," said Han Lu, editor of a car website. "The gesture has actually been carefully designed," Li Jie, a researcher with the China Navy Military Academy said. The crew members go down on one knee and incline their upper body to resist the strong blast from the jets. Meanwhile, the arm gesture makes sure the pilots can clearly see the signal, Li said. The basic requirements for the signals are that they shoul be "timely, accurate and standard," said Li Xiaoyong, deputy chief of the carrier's aviation section. More than 30 different gestures with various meanings are used, because the noise of the jets makes verbal communication impossible. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Officials sacked over pupils' bread and milk lunch Posted: 27 Nov 2012 08:32 AM PST
The miserly meal cost no more than 2 yuan (about 32 US cents), 1 yuan less than the national allowance. Suode Primary School, in Hunan Province's Fenghuang County, is one of the beneficiaries of a charity project aimed at improving the diet of primary and middle school students in remote areas. The "Free Lunch for Children" project was initiated by Deng Fei, a Phoenix Weekly reporter, in September 2011 and is now operated by the China Social Welfare Foundation. The State Council announced its own rural nutrition program on October 2011, earmarking 16 billion yuan a year to feed 26 million students in 680 impoverished counties and cities, each of whom would get a free lunch worth 3 yuan every school day. However, the more than 100 children at Suode Primary School were given just a small bun and milk, a volunteer teacher identified as Diaoya disclosed on her Weibo microblog. "Is the combo worth three yuan? We all remain doubtful," she said. The school has three teachers and three volunteers. Diaoya said the students had also been left hungry for two days when meals hadn't arrived, and the school had handed out expired milk on one occasion. The news triggered a public outcry with many people suspecting that local officials might be in collusion with the company supplying the food, with funds being diverted from the free lunch program. "It is not that bad if children indeed really get a two-yuan meal. After all, some people want to gain a fortune," Deng said, implying that the actual situation could be worse, People's Daily reported. Deng said he had suggested building a school canteen, but local officials refused. "It is so strange," he said. "We would like to use public donations to cover all of the expenses, but this was rejected." Wu Yuangui, newly-appointed director of the Fenghuang Education Bureau, announced that the headmaster, two deputy heads and two county education officials had been fired and admitted that there had been "management loopholes." But he dismissed allegations of corruption. A school volunteer said they had received donations from the public of up to 20,000 yuan in the days after the news broke and there were plans to recruit a chef to cook for the children for the rest of the semester. It is estimated that more than half the schools qualifying for the free lunch program employ cooks while 35 percent give the job to outside caterers and 12 percent distribute the allowances to parents. In June, China published regulations regarding the implementation of the program, pledging safe and nutritious lunches, following public concern after several food poisoning cases, Xinhua news agency reported. In Jiangsu Province, about 40 middle school students developed food poisoning symptoms after eating a free lunch at their school's canteen in April. Yunnan Province has also reported four food poisoning incidents in schools since March. |
| Crowds mourn cop who died to protect others Posted: 27 Nov 2012 08:03 AM PST THOUSANDS of people turned out yesterday to bid farewell to a 24-year-old police officer in Xuzhou, a city in eastern Jiangsu Province, who sacrificed his life to save other officers from an armed attack, officials said. Huang Sheng and three other officers from Zifang community questioned a man surnamed Liu last Thursday in Bingzhou in Shandong Province as part of a fraud case investigation. Liu, upset by the questioning, decided to attack the officers shortly after they left, authorities said. Liu gathered a group of people who used three off-road vehicles to box in the officers, smashing their vehicle's windows and beating the officers. Huang, trying to protect his colleagues, was slashed in the back and later died at a hospital emergency room from excessive blood loss, according to a preliminary investigation. There were no details on the other officers' injuries. Shandong police have arrested 15 suspects, China Central Television reported. Huang's heroic acts deeply moved the public and crowds showed up to mourn him. Five police motorcycles led a hearse carrying his body in a funeral procession that went around downtown Xuzhou around 9am before going to the funeral home. Locals lined the road, some with banners with messages such as, "You will always live in our minds." Hundreds of police queued outside the funeral home and saluted Huang's portrait. Police officers, government officials and local residents lined up to pay tribute, many with tears in their eyes. "He was such a great guy! I am so sad that he passed away just two years after he started working with us," a senior police officer told People's Daily. Huang graduated from Jiangsu Police Institute in 2010 and was assigned to Zifang police station. His devotion and outstanding performance earned him praise from the Xuzhou Public Security Bureau as a star officer. His girlfriend, called Sunny Tianrandai on the Internet, posted nearly 40 messages and pictures on Weibo. "Baby, you always wanted me to support and encourage your work. Now I will never hinder you." |
| Fashion website accused of dealing in fake goods Posted: 27 Nov 2012 08:00 AM PST A FASHION and luxury products online retailer has been accused of selling fake products, exposing a legal vacuum in supervision of online shopping websites and questionable purchasing by sellers. The accusation was lodged after a Hangzhou consumer surnamed Gao, who bought a pair of NewbarK shoes and a D&G T-shirt from Shenzhen-based Xiu.com, complained the shoes were broken after a week, and the T-shirt was poorly sewn, Hangzhou Daily reported this week. "The T-shirt looked like those bought at roadside booths," Gao said. She was told by NewbarK through an email that the shoes were counterfeit. The producer of handmade shoes said it never used a light-colored shoe pad and lining, according to the newspaper. The brand's women's shoes are priced at 1,399 yuan (US$225) to 2,599 yuan on the website, much lower than those sold at department stores. The website denied the allegation in a statement, saying all the products it sells are genuine. "We have drawn some similar complaints when there were big orders, but our supply channels are legal and we check each batch of products. Therefore, there should be no problem," said Huang Jing, its chief strategy officer. But a former employee of Xiu.com who asked to remain anonymous said the company usually did not check every product it sold as it was time-consuming and costly. Also the staff could not tell whether the products are genuine or not for some brands. Similar complaints were posted on Weibo.com. A Beijing resident identified as qianniuhuamama said she bought a Bottega Veneta wallet at the website, only to find its leather was different from those sold at department stores. China's Administration for Industry and Commerce has started drafting a law to regulate the online market, with a possible cap on discounts. |
| Posted: 27 Nov 2012 08:00 AM PST
However, the Hunan Jiugui Liquor Co, based in central China's Hunan Province, has said it would not be recalling liquor already on shelves, the Beijing News reported. Last week, the company apologized to customers and investors for the plasticizers found in samples of its products. But it said the liquor was safe to drink and claimed media reports had caused "confusion and misunderstanding" among its customers. "Our products would not be recalled because the company wants to focus on the current modification works and risk control," Xia Xinguo, the company's general manager, told the newspaper. The report said that vendors across the country had expressed concern as there would now be few customers for the liquor and they could not return it to the producer. Some Beijing vendors told the Legal Evening News that no one had been buying the liquor recently and the company refused to take back the product. "We are stuck in the business as we may lose dealership for the products in the future if we insist on returning all the products piling up in storage," said a vendor surnamed Sun. Last week, quality watchdogs in Hunan said they detected plasticizers in samples of Jiugui liquor and urged the producer to determine the source of the toxic substances, believed to impair male sexual function and cause liver cancer. |
| Scandal-hit liquor maker suspends packaging lines Posted: 27 Nov 2012 02:56 AM PST A Chinese liquor maker suspended its packaging lines today after being hit by a plasticizer scandal. Initial investigations indicated that liquor produced by Jiugui Liquor Co., Ltd. might be contaminated with plasticizer during the packaging process -- from plastic tubes and corks, according to Xia Xinguo, general manager of the firm. Xia said only the packaging lines are suspended while the production lines are still in operation. The scandal broke a week ago when a business news website (www.21cbh.com) reported that one kind of Jiugui liquor contained 1.08 mg per kg of dibutyl phthalate (DBP), a type of plasticizer. The report prompted an investigation by the food quality watchdog of the Tujia-Miao Autonomous Prefecture of Xiangxi, in Hunan Province, where Jiugui is based. The results found the DBP in Jiugui liquor was higher than the 0.3 mg per kg standard, a provisional regulatory limit set by the Ministry of Health (MOH) in June 2011. The food quality watchdog urged the liquor maker to determine the source of the plasticizer and make sure other products were not tainted. Plasticizers are used to thicken liquids but alcohol products do not need them, according to health experts. The chemicals can cause male reproductive problems as well as damage to the digestive and immune systems. The scandal sent Jiugui's shares tumbling and some of its products taken off the shelves. Shares closed at 34.69 yuan (US$5.52) per share by midday today. It marked a third consecutive trading day its shares have dropped by the daily limit on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange. Most liquor companies have seen their shares contract over 10 percent since the scandal erupted, including Wuliangye Yibin Co. and Hebei Hengshui Laobaigan Liquor Co. The least-affected company, Kweichow Moutai Co., has slumped 3.3 percent. The China Alcoholic Beverage Association said last week that large-scale tests on China's liquor showed that almost all alcohol products contained plasticizers, with an average level of 0.537 mg per kg. High-end liquor products contain more plasticizers than low-end ones. Some industry observers defended the liquor makers because there is no law or formal regulations on the levels of plasticizers liquor products are allowed to contain. Dai Qi, an official of Hunan Provincial Administration of Quality, Inspection and Quarantine, said the MOH has not put the provisional regulatory limit into the production standards for liquor products, so legally it is impossible to say whether Jiugui contain "excessive" amounts of the plasticizer. |
| Model punished for faking cop in sexy photos Posted: 27 Nov 2012 12:11 AM PST A young woman who struck sexy poses in police uniform and posted her photos online has been sentenced to nine months in prison with a one-year reprieve, today's Beijing News reported. The woman surnamed Wang was convicted of the crime of cheating and bluffing. Prosecutors said her real profession was modeling. Wang posted the photos on her Weibo microblog with a nickname of Xing'er Hui'an. She said she felt pressure working as a policewoman because she had to accompany local leaders at banquets. Photos showing her wearing a police jacket in bed and pulling on black stockings had been retweeted more than 500 times and commented by about 300 posts. Police in Nanjing, capital of Jiangsu Province, said they checked their database and failed to find any information about the policewoman. Weibo operator also confirmed that the woman's user account was faked. Other Weibo users also doubted the woman's claim even before official verifications were announced. |
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