| Today’s China Readings June 23, 2012 Posted: 22 Jun 2012 05:51 PM PDT In Children of Mao's wrath vie for power in China Reuters looks at the impact of the Cultural Revolution, and the role of Beijing's Number 4 Middle School, on the development of Bo Xilai and his contemporaries. Last year's book 暴风雨的记忆 (Memories of the Storm) covered some of these issues. The PRC version, with a preface by Bei Dao, is available on Dangdang for 27 RMB, though according to one reviewer the recently published Hong Kong version is a bit more interesting. The apparent March confidence about Bo may be misplaced: After Bo's dismissal, his wife's sister told friends not to worry about him, said a retired academic who said she overheard their comments at a funeral in March of a fellow princeling…"Don't worry about Bo Xilai, he's been through much worse than this," the academic said, citing the sister's words. "He's been through the Cultural Revolution. This is nothing." A Japanese newspaper reports that Bo's wife Gu Kailai has confessed to murdering Neil Heywood and divulged details about overseas assets. I am very skeptical of this report and its sourcing, but multiple western media have picked it up. Meanwhile, Cambodia won't extradite the Frenchman linked to Chinese political scandal. Detained tycoon Xu Ming is back in the news. In China's Bo Xilai Scandal Fells a Tycoon the Wall Street Journal summarizes much of what is known about Dalian Shide's Xu Ming. The New York Times also had a long piece on Xu Ming in May–Bo Xilai's Fall in China Put Allies in Peril. Caixin reveals a new twist in the case, writing in Postal Bank Facing Fallout from Fraud Probe that: The detentions ordered by party disciplinary officials under China's "double-regulation" system for party and criminal law enforcement were apparently linked to probes of conglomerate Dalian Shide Group's fallen chairman Xu Ming and an ex-vice governor at the Agricultural Bank of China named Yang Kun…A source who asked not to be named said the Xu investigation, which began in March, was a catalyst for Yang's ouster in May as well as the latest probe focusing on PSBC's top management…More suspects are expected to be named as the investigation into banking fraud continues, a senior financial analyst said. I discussed the Yang Kun case in early June, writing that "Caixin would not waste time on this case unless it were big. As they say here, 北京水深 (Beijing waters run deep.)" These waters look to be deeper, and even more full of sharks, and bodies, than expected. Too bad I did not know who Xu's wife (大老婆) was when she was a neighbor in my Beijing apartment compound. The grapevine around here says she fled to the UK in February, but his secondary wives (小老婆) apparently did not get out. The dispute with the Philippines over Huangyan Island/Scarborough Show may have just been a warmup to the real show. Vietnam's new maritime law is causing fits in Beijing, as we can see in the China Daily's China lawmakers slam claim to islands by Hanoi. Unlike the Philippines, Vietnam has a real navy and may believe a skirmish with China now would be beneficial to its long-term strategic position in the region, as the use of force by the PLA would destroy any remaining pretense of the "peaceful rise" theory. John Hempton has written a follow up to the China kleptocracy post that Sinocism discussed on June 12. Of course corruption is a huge issue here, but I find his thesis a bit simplistic and agree with Jeremy Wallace and his On Chinese Kleptocracy: Stationary versus Roving Bandits. As I wrote last year when some were predicting that the Arab spring would spread to China: "The Chinese Communist Party is focused on three basic things. First, staying in power. Second, driving the "Great Chinese Renaissance" and all that entails, from improving standards of living to expanding global influence. Third, getting rich, both personally and as a way of maintaining loyalty to the system, so long as it does not threaten the first and second principles." We should expect the pendulum to swing back from the more egregious corruption. Otherwise the Party is doomed, and they know that better than any outside observers. Hempton cites a recent New York Times article as support for his argument, but in fact that article overstates things. There is still real debate about reform, and one of the examples the correspondent uses appears to be wrong. A speech by Zhang Weiying at the Yabuli China Entrepreneurs Forum earlier this year, which the New York Times says is not available in China, is on Sina here for anyone in China to watch. I assume Zhang made only one speech at the forum… If you are in China you should now be able to access Sinocism here, though only if you have a Chinese IP address, i.e. not through a VPN or proxy. The link may show an error message if your IP address is outside of China. The best way to read this blog is to subscribe by email, especially if you are in China, as Sinocism is still mostly blocked by the GFW. The email signup page is here, outside the GFW. You can also follow me on @niubi or Sina Weibo @billbishop. Comments/tips/suggestions/donations are welcome, and feel free to forward/recommend to friends. Thanks for reading. Today's links: - 海外版望海楼：挑衅一次 就反制一次–观点–人民网
- 地方融资平台拐点乍现曙光之湖南样本|地方|融资|平台_21世纪网
- Shanghai tightens restrictions on home purchase – Xinhua | English.news.cn
Authorities in east China's Shanghai city have shut another door for house buyers seeking loopholes in local restrictions on home purchase in a move to tighten controls on the property sector, a Chinese newspaper reported Friday. - Assets managed by Chinese banks top 14t yuan |Markets |chinadaily.com.cn
China's banking industry has seen a boom in its managed assets following the fast expansion of banks' asset custody business, the China Banking Association said Thursday.
Assets under the management of Chinese banks reached a record 14.15 trillion yuan ($2.25 trillion) by the end of 2011, an increase of 49.27 percent from a year earlier, according to a report released by the association. - China lawmakers slam claim to islands by Hanoi|Asia-Pacific|chinadaily.com.cn
The Foreign Affairs Committee of The National People's Congress expressed its position concerning Vietnam's Thursday move in a letter to the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the Vietnamese National Assembly, Xinhua reported on Friday. - Bo's top aide left out of leadership | SCMP.com
Xu Ming (not that Xu Ming), who oversees Chongqing's emerging hi-tech development zone, and propaganda chief He Shizhong have been dropped from the standing committee - Facebook's Painful IPO Felt Even in China, Says AdChina Boss | PandoDaily
that and deal was overpriced and investors were no biting//
The CEO of China's leading online advertising platform says Facebook's disappointing IPO played a major role in its late decision not to go public. - The Jamestown Foundation: China Deploys Pugilistic Foreign Policy with New Vigor-Willy Lam
- The Jamestown Foundation: China's Air Force Female Aviators: Sixty Years of Excellence (1952-2012)
- The Jamestown Foundation: Central Party School's Critiques Suggest New Leadership Dynamics
True systemic political reform may not be in China's near future; however, the discussion inside China suggests the status quo is increasingly unacceptable to China's leaders. Structural political reform may remain elusive, but the CCP appears to be engaged in a serious debate about the future of China—serious enough that Beijing is concerned leadership splits may emerge that would damage Chinese stability. Without a loyal PLA, the party leadership may not have the confidence to continue their discussion, leading once again to political stagnation. The Central Party School attacks could indicate a new alignment between Hu and Xi, disrupting conventional wisdom about factional divides. Although uncertain, this possible realignment would have profound implications for the makeup of the next Politburo Standing Committee and the prospects of even limited CCP-centric reforms. - Will Apple Face Punishments in China for 'Unfair' Maintenance Terms ? » M.I.C. Gadget
The China Consumers Association issued a statement pointing out "unfair" clauses in the maintenance terms for Apple's iPhone. The Association said that Apple had 'unfair' repair clauses regarding the use of spare parts, the ownership of old spare parts and compensation for repairs. - The One Child Policy–Sinica Podcast
Kaiser Kuo, who is joined in our studio by Alexa Olesen, a long-time China watcher and journalist for the Associated Press who has written extensively on how China's family planning policies work at the local level. We're also delighted to be joined by Evan Osnos, staff writer for the New Yorker, - 新疆精河县举行维稳处突演练 配发巡逻车_网易新闻
pictures of a stability preservation/sudden incident handling exercise in xinjiang - 62-Year-Old Buries Himself in Protest Against Destroyed Forests-Caijing
Zhou Juehai, a 62-year-old man in South China's Guangdong Province buried himself to get attention after the forests he had been farming for 30 years was destroyed two years ago in a conflict with neighbouring villagers and his efforts for a compenstaion ended in vain. - The Hindu :China, Bhutan 'ready' to establish diplomatic ties
Chinese and Bhutanese leaders have expressed willingness to establish formal diplomatic ties following a first-ever meeting between the heads of government of the two countries on Thursday, Chinese State media reported. - Burmese Days by Christian Caryl | The New York Review of Books
- China's Evergrande mulls legal defense against fraud accusations | Reuters
Who did the research for Citron?//
Shares in Evergrande Real Estate (3333.HK) fell more than 4 percent early on Friday, extending a sharp slide in the previous session, and China's second-largest property developer by sales said it was considering legal action against Citron Research, a short seller which alleged it was insolvent. - China telecom firms may be subsidized: U.S. lawmaker | Reuters
Two of China's top telecommunications companies may be selling subsidized gear in the United States, and legislation could be proposed to deal with any related national-security threat, the head of the U.S. House of Representatives' Intelligence Committee said on Thursday.
The committee is investigating what some U.S. officials suspect are close ties between the Chinese government and each of the firms, Huawei Technologies Co Ltd and ZTE Corp. - Milan drops plan to honor Dalai Lama on China concerns | Reuters
Italy's financial powerhouse Milan has dropped plans to give honorary citizenship to the Dalai Lama due to concerns the decision could anger China, expected to feature prominently at the Universal Exposition due to be held in Milan in 2015 - 辽宁抚顺称投资近3千万大桥坍塌与质量无关|抚顺|大桥|坍塌_新浪新闻
Liaoning bridge section collapse blamed on worker error. Workers removed supports on new section too early - 政法委书记十八大"入常"的玄机_多维新闻网
duowei–politics and law committee may be weakened at 18th party congress, plus a brief history of the 政法委 - Visions of the 18th century: The charms of Qing TV | The Economist
Few of the million or so people who watch "Bu Bu Jing Xin" or "Zhen Huan Zhuan" this weekend will worry about the fate of empire or about whether the Qing emperors spoke Manchu or not to their concubines and wives. But the Manchus still matter. And with over 10m Manchu-language documents sitting in the Imperial Archives in Beijing, there is much research on Manchu rule and the Qing era yet to be done. - The Battle for China's Low-End Smartphone Market – WSJ.com
surprised no mention of xiaomi, its recent financing, or the political implications of tens/hundred millions more smartphones and the corresponding exponential increase in censorship load - Fan Bingbing on Fashion and Red Lipstick: "It Makes Me Look Alive" | Style | Vanity Fair
Fan Bingbing's first inspiration was Greta Garbo, but today her aesthetic is a seamless fusion of Dita Von Teese's high-gloss pinup doll and Lady Gaga's demented artiste. Yet her look is wholly her own, that of a kooky sophisticate whose favorite designer remains Alexander McQueen. - Bankers need to follow the money into China | Reuters
China's mainland is the new battle ground for global banks. Goldman's new vice chairman Mark Schwartz is set to be based in Beijing, and others will follow. Mainland exchanges account for the majority of this year's initial public offerings in Asia. The challenge for global banks will be finding their niche, and adequate talent. - Big Brother is watching Facebook and Twitter – tech – 21 June 2012 – New Scientist
With these aims in mind, officials at the Department of State issued a procurement notice on 1 June asking software developers to submit bids for a contract to supply tools that provide "deep analysis of topics, conversations, networks, and influencers of the global social web". These tools will analyse conversations taking place in at least seven foreign languages, including Chinese and Arabic. - 警惕"软排华" 维权当主动–海外网–人民网
People's Daily Overseas. Be wary of soft chinese "exclusionism" - Climate change: Warmed-up numbers | The Economist
FOR those who live in China and are forced to breathe in its air every morning, the findings of a recent report may come as no surprise, but to climate analysts it will make for uncomfortable reading. According to a new paper published in the journal Nature Climate Change, China may be under-reporting its annual carbon emissions by as much as 1.4 billion tonnes a year—roughly the amount that Japan, the world's fourth-largest emitter of carbon dioxide (CO2), pumps out each year. - The one-child policy: The brutal truth | The Economist
A shocking case of forced abortion fuels resentment against China's one-child policy - 十八大中共或调整经济战略_多维新闻网
some say big shift coming in economic strategy towards more support/less obstacles for private enterprise at 18th party congress - 人民日报：政府处理国内问题时要考虑国际影响_国内新闻_环球网
interesting from people's daily arguig that when dealing with domestic issues the government should pay attention to the international impact. perhaps some reconsideration of the march to the own goal world cup? good - 或受陈事件牵连 山东省公安厅厅长被免职_多维新闻网
Shandong PSB head Wu Pengfei removed from post, maybe due to Chen Guangcheng, or normal rotation? - Investigators say Bo Xilai's wife admits to killing Briton – AJW by The Asahi Shimbun
Asahi have good sources in China?// - Apple's China Success: TIME Asks the Wrong Question | China Hearsay
There is no Communist cabal in China waiting in the wings to sabotage every successful foreign invested enterprise. Even that suggestion smacks of ignorance and misguided ideology. Apple is not being "allowed" to do well in China, it simply is doing well. - China: Mobius on bicycles, cars and oil | beyondbrics
- Brazil and China agree currency swap – FT.com
Brazil and China announced the R$60bn (US$29bn) local currency swap after a bilateral meeting between Wen Jiabao, the Chinese premier, and Dilma Rousseff, Brazil's president, on the sidelines of the Rio+20 environmental summit in Rio de Janeiro..Among the education agreements, China will grant scholarships to 200 Brazilian students a year and the two countries will promote the instruction of their languages in each other's universities.They will also open cultural centres and will launch a "Brazil month" and "China month" in each other's countries starting in 2013. - U.S. Luxury Real Estate Courts the Chinese Buyer – WSJ.com
Buyers from China are pouring billions into residential property—and developers are courting them with everything from feng shui to lucky numbers. - Cambodia Won't Extradite French Citizen Linked to China's Bo – Bloomberg
Cambodia decided not to extradite a French citizen linked to the family of ousted Chinese politician Bo Xilai, Foreign Ministry spokesman Koy Kuong said. - A Beating on Everest Raises Tensions in Tibet – Page 1 | Mount Everest | OutsideOnline.com
A brutal beating high on Everest threatens to raise tensions in Tibet..
The details are sketchy. The incident occurred on May 22 on Tibet's North Col route up Everest, according to a British climber who witnessed it. The climber in question, a Han Chinese whose name we still don't know, drew suspicion when he camped apart from the other two Chinese expeditions on the mountain. ..
They literally kicked him down the ropes. It was a disgusting example of a pack of bullies egging each other on and literally beating him down the hill. It was absolutely unnecessary as he was offering no resistance and was scared out of his mind. The Tibetans should, and could, have just escorted him down the hill and let the authorities deal with him." - Made in China Not Worth Hassle for Small Firms Returning to U.S. – Bloomberg
As costs in China rise and owners consider the challenges of using factories 12,000 miles and 12 time zones away, many small companies have decided manufacturing overseas isn't worth the trouble. American production is "increasingly competitive," says Harry Moser, founder of the Reshoring Initiative, a group of companies and trade associations trying to bring factory jobs back to the U.S. "In the last two years there's been a dramatic increase" in the amount of work returning. - The wrath of Chinese netizens: Journalist resigned for joking about China's first woman astronaut | Offbeat China
- A Video Host Rants Against China's College Entrance Exam, Promptly Goes Viral | Tea Leaf Nation
In this time of tension and anxiety, a 12-minute video of television host Zhong Shan (@我是钟山 ) delivering a passionate rant against the gao kao has gone viral on Weibo, China's Twitter. - 'Red nobility' Yu Zhengsheng navigates China's factional politics｜Politics｜People｜WantChinaTimes.com
As one of the princelings of China — the scions of CCP elites — Yu Zhengsheng maintains a good relationship with two competing party factions: the one that surrounds former president Jiang Zemin, and the other centered around his successor, Hu Jintao.
Yu, Communist Party secretary of Shanghai municipality, is the son of Yu Qiwei, better known as Huang Jing, a party elder. His mother is the journalist Fan Jin. - Big four Chinese banks face decreased savings｜Economy｜News｜WantChinaTimes.com
The four major state-owned banks in China saw the number of money saved in their vaults plunge more than 460 billion yuan (US$72 billion) in early June even after interest rates were raised, forcing them to face tremendous pressure to keep up with government's loan targets. - Magazine – Why Women Still Can't Have It All – The Atlantic
It's time to stop fooling ourselves, says a woman who left a position of power: the women who have managed to be both mothers and top professionals are superhuman, rich, or self-employed. If we truly believe in equal opportunity for all women, here's what has to change.By ANNE-MARIE SLAUGHTER - 清明杂览 -上海书评-东方早报网
one writer claims the hong kong version of "memories are the storm" is more interesting than the mainland version published in 2011
与港版对读后，我发现，不少细节的出入，大有意味可寻。有兴趣的读者还是设法找港版来读吧，反正也方便。 - The Blind, Leading – NYTimes.com–Bi Feiyu
People will do anything to strike it rich. This is a time of shamelessness. Whoever is mindful of the shamefulness becomes a loser. - Petitioner found dead after trying to visit US embassy in Beijing｜Politics｜News｜WantChinaTimes.com
An elderly petitioner from Hebei province in northern China tried to approach the US embassy in Beijing on June 14 and was taken away by police. Two days later, he was dead. - China's Bo Xilai Scandal Fells a Tycoon – WSJ.com
in mid-May, the executive said, the company officials called another meeting to announce they had received a letter from Xu Ming saying he was stepping down as chairman and appointing his older brother, Xu Bin, in his place. "After that, the banks agreed to give us more time," said the executive.
He added that Xu Bin said he had received a call from his brother. "Xu Ming told him he was under investigation but was OK," said the Dalian Shide executive. "That was the last we heard."
The best way to read this blog is to subscribe by email, especially if you are in China, as Sinocism is still mostly blocked by the GFW. The email signup page is here, outside the GFW. You can also follow me on @niubi or Sina Weibo @billbishop. Comments/tips/suggestions/donations are welcome, and feel free to forward/recommend to friends. Thanks for reading. Digest powered by RSS Digest No related posts. |
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