News » China » Wen urges more support for growth

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• Wen urges more support for growth
• China conditionally approves Google-Motorola deal
• Host may sue over xenophobia claim
• Detained Chinese fishermen released
• Students call for equality for AIDS patients
• Senior CPC official on cultural industry development
• China, Croatia vow mutual support, to expand ties
• State councilor visits heroic teacher
• Energy brings wealth to west China
• Spike in agricultural trade with Africa
• Fans hold Plants vs. Zombies wedding ceremony
• Uygur women pursue a different path in Xinjiang
• China reports spike in agricultural trade with Africa
• Premier Wen urges efforts to maintain growth
• Taiwan preparing to embrace more mainland tourists
• 210,000 grads-turned village officials in China: report
• China reports spike in agricultural trade with Africa
• Miner found alive after 17 days underground
• Ensure cultural rights for disabled: vice premier
• Ma Ying-jeou urges further cross-Straits cooperation

Wen urges more support for growth Posted: 20 May 2012 12:08 PM PDT Premier Wen Jiabao, an alumnus of the China University of Geosciences, chats with students at the university in Wuhan on Saturday. During a weekend trip to the industrial city, Wen promised to boost domestic consumption and strengthen Beijing's economic controls. [Zhou Chao/Changjiang Daily/For China Daily] Premier focuses on maintaining economic vibrancy in weekend tour Premier Wen Jiabao called for greater efforts to support growth, through more monetary fine-tuning and fiscal incentives, amid signs of the economy further cooling. While economic growth is still on track, development will face more complex domestic and global hurdles, Wen said during a weekend inspection tour to Wuhan, capital of Central China's Hubei province. "The relationship between maintaining growth, adjusting economic structures and managing inflation, must be properly handled," Wen said in comments reported by Xinhua News Agency. "We should continue to implement a proactive fiscal policy and a prudent monetary policy while giving more priority to maintaining growth." The government, he said, will continue to carry out anticipatory adjustments and fine-tuning, boost domestic consumption and promote steady and relatively fast economic growth. Wen visited several local enterprises during his visit and exchanged views with company representatives. Wen's comments came as a series of lower-than-expected economic indicators showed that the economy is facing further downside risks. Domestic industrial output for April was at its lowest level in nearly two years while retail sales were also the weakest in 14 months, according to the National Bureau of Statistics. Exports rose by 4.9 percent in April, barely half the rate which economists had forecast, while imports fell far short of expectations. In addition, foreign direct investment slid lower in the first four months of 2012. To make matters worse, fixed asset investment growth reported its slowest pace in a decade. "The premier's words came at a vital time, and have sent a strong signal of further policy easing," said Lu Zhengwei, chief economist with the Industrial Bank. "If the economic slowdown in the first quarter was still acceptable, as part of efforts to tackle inflation, further economic downturn will cause concerns for the authorities," Lu said. He stressed that although Wen's comments were mostly reiterating previous policies they will undoubtedly help boost confidence in the economy. Wen said China will continue implementing structural tax cuts and replace sales tax with value-added tax. Loans to key projects will be increased and credit support boosted for small and medium-sized enterprises, he said. Banks issued 681.8 billion yuan ($108 billion) in new loans in April, nearly one third less compared to that for the previous month, according to the People's Bank of China. Although the bank has again cut reserve requirements for lenders in a bid to free up more liquidity in the market, Lu said a key measure would be to increase the loan-to-deposit ratio, the amount of deposits allowed for lending. A declining deposit base was the main reason for less credit, he said. But a more effective therapy to tackle a possible economic downturn may still be investment incentives. The premier has again encouraged more private investors to be involved in monopoly sectors. Because of a drop in investment in infrastructure and railway projects, these two sectors, need more investment, Lu said. Less government revenue could be good news for economic reform, as authorities will be forced to give the market more say, Lu said. However, apart from domestic policy adjustments, "the most severe downside risk for the economy was from external demand," Wang Tao, chief China economist with UBS AG, wrote in a research note. "The policy easing may lead to a bounce back in business activities in the economy, accompanied with further retreating inflation, which is bullish for the stock market ... but the worsening debt crisis in Europe is adding more pressure to the market in the short term," Wang said. If the global economy hits a sudden setback, it will result in Chinese GDP falling to 7 percent in 2012, Wang predicted. Some companies Wen visited are facing difficult business conditions due to weakening demand in developed economies and rising costs at home. Liu Cunyuan, general manager of Wuhan Haier Electronics, said home appliance sales fell by about 13 percent year-on-year during the first quarter of 2012, as the subsidy program ended. Xinhua contributed to this story.

China conditionally approves Google-Motorola deal Posted: 20 May 2012 12:08 PM PDT Updated: 2012-05-21 01:30 ( Xinhua) BEIJING - China's anti-trust authorities have approved Google Inc.'s acquisition of Motorola Mobility Holdings Inc. with conditions, clearing the regulatory barrier for the search engine giant to grow its mobile business in a market with the world's largest number of Internet users. The Ministry of Commerce (MOC) said in a statement on its website Sunday that to win the approval, Google shall fulfil obligation to keep its open-source Android model on a free and open basis. The MOC ruling came almost eight months of two extensions of an anti-monopoly review of the acquisition since Google and Motorola Mobility submitted a collective application in China last September. Google announced last year that it would buy Motorola Mobility, the Illinois-based maker of mobile devices and other hardware, for about 12.5 billion U.S. dollars. During the review period, the MOC found that the merger may have an effect of excluding or limiting competition in the Chinese smart mobile operating system market. Google made commitment to the MOC that it will continue to license the use of Android platform on a free and open basis and treat all equipment manufacturers in a non-discriminatory way. After the acquisition completes, Google shall continue to observe Motorola Mobility's obligations on patents in its currently fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory manner. The MOC said it could monitor the market situation of China's smart mobile operating system after the five-year term due and determine future moves after assessment. According to the MOC statement, Google should submit a report to the MOC every six months within the five-year term.

Host may sue over xenophobia claim Posted: 20 May 2012 12:08 PM PDT Updated: 2012-05-20 22:19 By Zheng Xin ( chinadaily.com.cn) A Chinese broadcaster tonight said he is considering legal action against a blogger who accused him of being a xenophobe for comments he made on Sina Weibo. Yang Rui, who hosts Dialogue, an English-language show on CCTV News, said Charlie Custer, editor of China Geeks, had "damaged his reputation." The row stems from a Sina Weibo micro blog posted by Yang on Friday that read: (note: publish below quote in full, check only for spelling, grammar.) "The public security bureau wants to clean out the foreign trash. To arrest foreign thugs and protect innocent girls, they need to focus on the disaster areas of Wudaokou (a student area) and Sanlitun (a bar area). Cut off the traffickers, including those who can't find jobs in the US and Europe that come to China to take money, engage themselves in human trafficking and illegal immigration. Identify foreign spies, who live with Chinese women while collecting intelligence and GPS information for Japan, South Korea, the United States and European countries while holding a tourist visa. That foreign bitch has been expelled and closed Al-Jazeera's Beijing bureau. We should kick out those who demonize China." In response, Custer, a blogger from the United States who is fluent in Mandarin, launched an online campaign calling for the Dialogue host to be fired. "These vicious lies do not represent the vast majority of foreign citizens in China," Custer wrote on Sina Weibo. As of Sunday night, the post had been forwarded 3,600 times. Custer declined to comment when contacted by China Daily. "His remarks are nothing but libel against a sincere and conscientious host who has been devoted to international cultural exchanges for 13 years," Yang said in a telephone interview. Read more in Monday's China Daily.

Detained Chinese fishermen released Posted: 20 May 2012 12:08 PM PDT Updated: 2012-05-20 22:12 ( Xinhua) PYONGYANG - All detained Chinese fishermen and their vessels had been freed, the foreign ministry of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) said Sunday. Counsellor Jiang Yaxian with the Chinese embassy to Pyongyang told Xinhua that the DPRK foreign ministry had notified the embassy of the latest development. It was reported that the fishing boats and their crews were held in custody by he DPRK on May 8. Related Stories DPRK urged to guarantee rights of fishermen 2012-05-18 08:09 China in close contact with DPRK on seizure of fishermen 2012-05-17 22:16

Students call for equality for AIDS patients Posted: 20 May 2012 12:08 PM PDT BEIJING - About 200 students from 21 universities lit candles in remembrance of those who have died from AIDS-related illness at an AIDS candlelight memorial service held in Beijing Sunday. They also called for equality for those infected with HIV or AIDS at the campaign launched by the Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), the China Red Ribbon Foundation and the China Alliance of People Living with HIV/AIDS at the University of International Business and Economics (UIBE). "The campaign we launched this year is different from previous ones, as this is the first time we held the memorial on campus," said Ye Dawei, vice secretary general of the China Red Ribbon Foundation. We hope to unite young people's strength to spread the spirit of caring for AIDS patients and opposing discrimination, Ye said. Volunteers from the 21 universities signed a petition at the event to oppose discrimination against those with HIV or AIDS. "I have learned more about the living conditions of AIDS patients by participating in the memorial service," Wang Yuanyuan, a student from UIBE, said, promising to spread AIDS knowledge and call on more people to care for AIDS patients in the future. "The young people are a group that is susceptible to being infected with the AIDS virus," said Meng Lin, a member of the China Alliance of People Living with HIV/AIDS. It is essential to inform young people about AIDS awareness and prevention, Meng added. China has made great achievements in AIDS protection in recent years. Hopefully, the country can pay more attention to protecting both the privacy and equality of AIDS patients in the future, Guy Taylor, an official with UNAIDS, said as he addressed the event. By the end of 2011, an estimated 780,000 people were living with HIV/AIDS in China, including 154,000 AIDS patients, according to figures released by an expert panel consisting of members of China's Ministry of Health, the World Health Organization and UNAIDS. The International Candlelight Memorial has been held annually on the third Sunday in May, a day dedicated to people who have died of AIDS and those living with HIV, since 1983.

Senior CPC official on cultural industry development Posted: 20 May 2012 10:39 AM PDT Li Changchun, a senior official of the Communist Party of China (CPC), has said more innovative ways must be adopted to boost the growth of cultural industry, a national development strategy.

China, Croatia vow mutual support, to expand ties Posted: 20 May 2012 05:39 AM PDT Wu Bangguo, chairman of the National People's Congress Standing Committee, the nation's top legislative body, shakes hands with Croatian President Ivo Josipovic in Zagreb, May 19, 2012. [Photo/Xinhua] China and Croatia pledged to support each other in a series of crucial issues, including the reform of the United Nations and climate change, at a reception in the Croatian capital Zagreb on Saturday. Visiting top Chinese legislator Wu Bangguo praised the support between the two countries on issues including territorial integrity, national security, stability and development, and he urged that both coordinate their stance on international and regional affairs. Croatian President Ivo Josipovic said at the reception that his country expects to expand its ties with China and undertake pragmatic cooperation. At the reception commemorating the 20th anniversary of diplomatic ties being established between the two countries, Wu also called attention to bilateral trade and economic exchanges in boosting relations. Wu, chairman of the National People's Congress Standing Committee, the nation's top legislative body, is on a six-day visit to the Balkan country, and has met with Josipovic, Prime Minister Zoran Milanovic and Speaker of Parliament Boris Sprem. Saying the two countries have many opportunities to cooperate in industries such as infrastructure construction, mutual investment and tourism, Wu called upon the Chinese government to continue its support for domestic companies to invest in Croatia, especially in harbor, railway and power station construction . Wu said Croatia has a superior geographic position and a wealth of forest and water resources. He said the two countries, which have a sound industrial basis of tourism, shipbuilding and medicines, are complementary, adding that Croatia will become an attractive destination for China's overseas investment "Both should make full use of established cooperative trade committees to improve overall planning and expand exchanges," he said. Wu urged that both work toward a breakthrough in fundraising for potential investment. China announced a $10 billion credit line for Central and Eastern Europe in late April to support cooperative projects in the region's infrastructure. China has also announced plans for a $500 million fund to help Chinese business ventures take root in the region. "Croatia should seize this opportunity to initiate several landmark cooperative projects and thus accumulate experience little by little and expand cooperation," he said. The six-day tour, which started on Wednesday, marks Wu's first time to visit Croatia. Calling for more economic exchanges in the future, Wu stressed that political trust will always be fundamental to developing bilateral relations, and he expressed the Chinese government's appreciation for Croatia's adherence to the one-China policy and its support in crucial issues such as Taiwan, Tibet and Xinjiang. He said Sino-Croatian relations have been elevated to a new chapter, after a comprehensive cooperative partnership was established between the two countries in 2005, followed by President Hu Jintao's visit to the country in 2009. Croatia is now China's largest trade partner in southeastern Europe. In 2011, trade between the two surpassed $1.6 billion. Chinese tourism in Croatia increased to more than 22,000 visits in 2011, almost doubled that of 2010, according to statistics provided by the Chinese embassy. Croatia, now at the threshold of the European Union, will become another "reliable" friend of China in the Union, experts said. Croatia is the second leg of Wu's four-nation European tour, which will also take him to Luxemburg and Spain. Before this, he paid a three-day visit to the Netherlands. zhaoyinan@chinadaily.com.cn

State councilor visits heroic teacher Posted: 20 May 2012 05:39 AM PDT Updated: 2012-05-20 19:36 ( Xinhua) HARBIN - Chinese State Councilor Liu Yandong on Sunday visited Zhang Lili, a middle school teacher in northeast China's Heilongjiang Province who was injured in an attempt to save some students. Zhang, whose legs have had to be amputated after she was run over by the bus, has regained consciousness but must wait for the most opportune time to undergo further surgery. Liu visited the hospital where Zhang is being treated and extended sincere greetings and best wishes to Zhang on behalf of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and the State Council, China's Cabinet. The CPC leaders are concerned about Zhang's situation and wish her an early recovery so she can return to her beloved students, Liu said. Liu talked with the medical team members in charge of Zhang's treatment and called for all-out efforts in Zhang's treatment and future rehabilitation. She also called on teachers nationwide to take Zhang as an example and foster noble ethics. Liu also met with Zhang's family members. Zhang, a 29-year-old teacher at the No. 19 middle school in the city of Jiamusi, was crossing the road just outside the school's gate when a bus suddenly came rushing toward nearby students on May 8. Zhang pushed two students out of the way of the bus, but she herself was run over.

Energy brings wealth to west China Posted: 20 May 2012 05:39 AM PDT URUMQI - While on a break from his university studies, Li Boyuan visited his hometown in Qerchen County, located in the Tarim Desert in China's far west, and was surprised to see that the streets once left dark due to power shortages are now bathed in light. A lack of adequate funding for power plant construction in the past left the small town unable to access the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region's massive power resources. But now a national energy transmission network aiming to bring electricity, oil and coal to the booming coastal areas is also bringing benefits to underdeveloped counties in western China, including Qerchen. "We used to rely on a small hydro-power station and a gas power plant. We had to ration power in winter when the river froze," Li said. The inconveniences brought by power shortages stopped a month ago when a power transmission project, which was funded by increased government revenues from energy sales, began operating. Luo Zhiguo, a jujube farmer in neighboring Qarklik County, plans to build a refrigerator this year. "Thanks to the stable power supply, the annual profits are expected to grow by 25 percent to 1 million yuan (about $158,028)." On May 13, construction began on an 800 KV ultra-high-voltage power transmission line with the world's largest designed capacity. The 2,210-km line, which connects southern Luntai county and Xinjiang's energy base Hami with the central city of Zhengzhou, Henan Province, will have the designed transmission capacity of a world-record-setting 8 million KW upon its completion in 2014. The construction boom on ultra-high-voltage power transmission lines comes amid the country's efforts to transmit electricity from the energy-rich west to the booming central and eastern regions. It has also proved a boon for local economic development. Local governments' purses are expanding thanks to energy sales and a resource tax, which, rolled out in June 2010, allowed Xinjiang to levy a 5-percent tax on the region's sales values of oil and gas. The resource tax has added about 3.6 billion yuan to local government revenues annually, official data shows. Xiao Renjun, head of the energy office with the provincial economic planning body, said the construction of the energy network has played a positive role in attracting investment, providing jobs and boosting downstream industries. The ultra-high-voltage power grid projects have spurred power plant construction. A total of 36 million KW of thermal power and 10 million KW of wind power are to be installed in Xinjiang by the State Grid, China's grid-building giant, according to Xiao. "It could attract investment of 300 billion yuan and create 30,000 jobs," Xiao said. In the meantime, Baicheng County in Xinjiang's Aksu Prefecture is using pipelines to supply eastern China with the county's rich natural gas resources. The county's fiscal revenue has jumped more than 18 times, from 40 million yuan in 2003 to 754 million yuan in 2011. The increase in fiscal revenue has boosted local governments' abilities to channel more money into social projects, thus substantially improving the lives of local people. According to statistics released by the regional government, 167.1 billion yuan, or 30 percent of the budgeted fiscal expenditure, was spent on improving people's living standards in 2011. As a result, by the end of 2011, more than 1.2 million farmers and herdsmen moved into government-subsidized and quake-resistant housing that boasts access to tap water, electricity and natural gas -- amenities many of the new residents had never dreamed of. More than 6 million people, or 90 percent of residents in cities and towns, have been covered by government-subsidized medical insurance. In Hotan Prefecture 99.66 percent of school-aged children are now attending primary school, although many used to drop out due to poverty. About 74 percent of junior high school graduates matriculate into high schools, up from 10 percent just five years ago, according to statistics released by the education bureau of Hotan Prefecture. Meanwhile, Li Boyuan is currently studying in a college in coastal Jiangsu Province, an industrial, developed area that has also been plagued by power shortages. "The energy transmission project is bringing adequate power and wealth for both China's west and east. It's a win-win scenario." Li said.

Spike in agricultural trade with Africa Posted: 20 May 2012 05:39 AM PDT Updated: 2012-05-20 18:53 ( Xinhua) CHANGSHA - China-Africa trade on agricultural products has gone through years of fast growth and the trade volume reached 4.78 billion U.S. dollars in 2011, a Chinese official said Saturday. The figure marked a 40.2-percent rise from the trade volume of the previous year and was 7.7 times that of 2001, said Wang Ying, the director of the Department of International Cooperation of the Ministry of Agriculture. Wang delivered a speech during the China-Africa Business Cooperation Forum, which was held Saturday to encourage further cooperation on agriculture between the two sides. China exported 2.45 billion U.S. dollars in agricultural products to African countries in 2011, up 35.7 percent year-on-year, and imports increased 45.2 percent to reach 2.33 billion U.S. dollars, according to Wang. To help Africa raise local agricultural productivity and enhance food security, China has also set up 25 agricultural demonstration centers and trained more than 4,000 agricultural technicians and practitioners there since 2006. Wang said the Ministry of Agriculture will continue to promote such cooperation on farming technology and personnel training and encourage more domestic companies to invest in Africa. China is now Africa's largest trading partner, as well as the continent's top FDI source. The bilateral trade value exceeded 160 billion U.S. dollars in 2011, according to a document presented at the forum.

Fans hold Plants vs. Zombies wedding ceremony Posted: 20 May 2012 05:39 AM PDT A young couple dressed as characters in the video game, Plants vs. Zombies, walks a red carpet during their wedding ceremony in Qingdao, East China's Shandong province, May 19, 2012. The groom and bride are both fans of Plants vs. Zombies and work in the same company. They became better acquainted by sharing their playing skills after work. A traditional wedding ceremony will also be held when the couple goes back to their hometowns, Qingdao Morning News reported. [Photo/CFP]

Uygur women pursue a different path in Xinjiang Posted: 20 May 2012 02:49 AM PDT It has been two years since Hawagul Ibrahim returned home to take a post as a village official in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region -- a decision that both surprised and divided her friends and family.

China reports spike in agricultural trade with Africa Posted: 20 May 2012 02:42 AM PDT China-Africa trade on agricultural products has gone through years of fast growth and the trade volume reached 4.78 billion U.S. dollars in 2011, a Chinese official said Saturday

Premier Wen urges efforts to maintain growth Posted: 20 May 2012 01:38 AM PDT Premier Wen Jiabao urged more efforts to maintain relatively fast economic growth as the world's second-largest economy has shown signs of further slowing.

Taiwan preparing to embrace more mainland tourists Posted: 20 May 2012 01:26 AM PDT Taiwan has been a mysterious place for Chinese mainlanders for the past several decades. But since the launch of individual tours for mainland residents, travelling to Taiwan has become much easier.

210,000 grads-turned village officials in China: report Posted: 20 May 2012 01:07 AM PDT As of the end of 2011, the number of college graduates serving as grassroots village officials in China's rural areas topped 210,000, according to Sunday's People's Daily, the flagship newspaper of the Communist Party of China.

China reports spike in agricultural trade with Africa Posted: 20 May 2012 01:53 AM PDT China-Africa trade on agricultural products has gone through years of fast growth and the trade volume reached 4.78 billion U.S. dollars in 2011, a Chinese official said Saturday.

Miner found alive after 17 days underground Posted: 20 May 2012 01:53 AM PDT A miner has miraculously been found alive after being buried underground for 17 days following a colliery flood in northeast China's Heilongjiang Province.

Ensure cultural rights for disabled: vice premier Posted: 20 May 2012 01:14 AM PDT Chinese Vice Premier Hui Liangyu has called for more efforts to ensure the basic cultural rights of the country's disabled people.

Ma Ying-jeou urges further cross-Straits cooperation Posted: 20 May 2012 01:05 AM PDT Taiwan leader Ma Ying-jeou said on Sunday that both sides of the Strait should open new areas of cooperation and continue to promote peace, prosperity and mutual trust in the next four years.