Taxpayers are not ATMs

Taxpayers are not ATMs
Another tofu-dreg project: part of 14-month-old billion-buck bridge in Harbin collapses, killing 3
China’s Real Estate Industry: Has The Shift From ‘Build & Sell’ To ‘Build & Hold’ Started?
Friday Night Musical Outro: PS I Love You – Sentimental Dishes
Mr Kim Goes To Beijing, Or Not
Up Close and Personal: Talking Football in China with LaDainian Tomlinson
Up Close and Personal: Talking Football in China with LaDainlian Tomlinson
Friday Links: Was Liu Xiang’s inspirational failing at the Olympics a set-up? Ai Weiwei feature and Chinese film suggestions
China finds subsidised eco-fridges hard to shift
The Raid of the Scorned Mongol Woman
Guangzhou pays best
Video: 19-year-old drunk driver w/o license makes out with girlfriend after killing one in crash
Highway Collapse In Harbin Kills Three
Interview: Is Tropical
Are You An Overseas Foreigner Interested In Chinese Politics? This CPC Questionnaire Is For You
This Week in Shanghai Sports
Spectacular scene as Liujiaxia Reservoir discharges flood waters into the Yellow River
Six Things to Salivate Over this Weekend

Posted: 24 Aug 2012 07:47 PM PDT

This is the 1510 Digest, a weekly roundup of recent essays and articles published in Chinese on My1510.cn, with links to translations on the Marco Polo Project.

This week's digest presents three articles exploring questions of social justice from three different perspectives – a call for improving the social security system in the name of freedom, an appeal for developing a responsible culture in the use of public money, and a description of hardships experienced in rural areas.

Reflections on the social security issue
By Su Shi, 06 August 2012
Discussions on freedom in China generally focus on political freedom, voting rights, and censorship. This article takes a different approach, reflecting on the question of social security, and its role in personal freedom. Adopting a Marxist approach against the tenants of economic liberalism, it advocates the development of a stronger social security system in China, out of a sense of justice, but also as a way to increase stability.
At present, economic liberalism dominates Chinese discussions on economic policy and, accordingly, improving the social security system is rejected as 'a road to serfdom'. However, Su Shi argues that the existing system actually favours the rich, putting the poor at a double disadvantage. The result is political opportunism, and the rise of the so-called 'Mao Left' as an outlet for dissatisfaction, which may threaten political stability.
Social security was first rejected as harming competitiveness; more recently, it has been described as harming private property – the cornerstone of liberalism. Yet, based on his reading of Locke, Su Shi argues that the legitimacy of private property is limited, and should not lead to waste. Also, based on the studies of various American theorists, protecting private property costs more to the State than social security – which can be interpreted as the poor paying for the rich to be protected.
Su Shi then argues that economic security is a pre-requisite for actual freedom – giving people the courage to embrace it. Even further, developing social security, by encouraging people to embrace freedom, may limit the powers of the State, something economic liberals should desire. Some critiques argue that social security would encourage laziness, but humans have spiritual aspirations, and the sense of security given by a solid welfare State would be more likely to encourage creativity, and lead to a more skilful population – as happens in Europe. Finally, a solid social security system would lead to a more rational and humane way of dealing with accidents, providing adequate compensation to victims without an undue burden falling on innocent bystanders.
Marco Polo translation: Reflections on the social security issue
Original link: 关于社会保障问题的几点思考

Taxpayers are not ATMs
By Feng Qingyang, 10 August 2012
This article is a meditation on the theme of 'no taxation without representation'. It starts from the following premise: Chinese people bear a heavy fiscal burden, with over a third of the country's revenue going to the government in direct and indirect taxes. Yet most of them are not fully aware of that load, and, more importantly, have not developed a sense of their rights as taxpayers. The government should not treat citizens as ATMs, argues Feng Qingguan, but consider itself a stewart of the public money, and spend it in the most effective and responsible manner. Tax culture should also change, the citizens become more aware that their money should be spent on works that benefit them, and be given a right to monitor government spending.
Marco Polo translation: Taxpayers are not ATMs
Original link: 别把纳税人当自动提款机

Some reflections on rural life in China
By Hang, 16 August 2012
This post focuses on the hardships faced by residents of Chinese rural areas. The author, an educated urban worker, returns to his hometown for a few months, and tells of his experience there. First, he describes the realities of rural life, far from the visions of rural idyll he developed in the city. Farmers are smart, and people have their own philosophy of life, but the dominant feeling is sadness at the hopelessness of the farming condition: bitter toil, meagre rewards. Then, he focused on the question of family planning and its implementation in rural China. Chinese people have traditionally relied on children for security, but family planning has become an important task in the face of decreasing resources and expanding population. Yet, in rural areas, the operations of family planning are first of all an occasion for corruption and bribery – or even practices closer to proper extortion, much worse than the government abuses which urban residents are exposed to.
Marco Polo translation: Some reflections on rural life in China
Original link: 关于中国农村生活的一些感想

All articles in this digest and a large range of other Chinese readings are accessible at Marcopoloproject.org. Some are available in English, French and Spanish translation. (You can join the project if you'd like to help with translations.)

Danwei is an affiliate of the Australian Centre on China in the World at The Australian National University. This posting is a result of one project that is part of that on-going collaboration.

China Heritage Quarterly and East Asian History are two other publications supported by the Australian Centre on China in the World.

Another tofu-dreg project: part of 14-month-old billion-buck bridge in Harbin collapses, killing 3

Posted: 24 Aug 2012 03:12 PM PDT

From NetEase, Sina Weibo, Sina

At about 5:30 a.m. on August 24, the ramp of a 7-kilometer-long suspension bridge in Harbin collapsed. Four heavy-duty trucks fell from the 130-meter stretch of the bridge. Until press time, four people were killed and five were injured.

Yangmingtan Bridge was a key project of the northeastern city. Its construction started in December 2009 and took 18 months. The total investment is estimated at 1.88 billion yuan, or US$294 million. The bridge was opened for traffic on November 6, 2011, or barely ten months ago. Some Chinese news reports even say that the construction was meant to take three years, but was rushed to meet the deadline set by the Harbin authorities.

Even the spokesperson for China's State Administration for Work Safety was in disbelief. At a press conference after the collapse, Huang Yi said on behalf of the state watchdog, "The incident took place less than a year after it was put into use. I personally think there must be some problem. But as for what the problem is, we need confirmation from the ad hoc investigation team."

However, answers from the authorities in Harbin were far from satisfactory. Huang Yusheng, the deputy secretary of Harbin Municipal Government, blamed the collapse on overloading of the trucks, whereas the city's construction committee even said, "Because the commanding office for the construction of Yangmingtan Bridge dissolved (after the completion of the project), we can't track down the specific work unit that was responsible for this segment of the bridge."

The deadly collapse has renewed public outrage over China's reckless development of its infrastructure and wasteful, unscrutinized spending of taxpayers' money, which often resulted in extravagant tofu-dreg projects. Netizens' unanimously indignant reaction on the news, interlaced with snark and sarcasm, was sorted out by Dou Hanzhang, a media commentator widely perceived as a lapdog for Chinese government, in his Weibo post, oddly enough, critical of the Harbin authorities. He commented, "some party cadres, please use your head. How worrying!"

"It was not overloading (that caused the collapse.) Must be the earth's gravity that was too big. "

"It's caused by overloading, for sure. And it's the kind of overloading that happens only once in a century!"

"I miss Zhaozhou bridge. There were no contractor, no kickback and no tofu-dreg project! The Yangtze River Bridge was a good job as well. People decades ago did have a better heart!"

"If a bridge cannot even bear the weight of a truck, then the imperialistic countries (Western democracies) will really laugh, because in the event of a war, they won't even need to bomb the bridge. Our tank going up the bridge will doom both the tank and the bridge."

"The causes of the collapse of the bridge: 1, truck overloading; 2, a 0.1-magnitude earthquake struck; 3, someone nearby just sneezed; 4, Don't forget, it's 2012."

"Who told you to drive a truck up there? Nothing would have happened if it were a bicycle!"

"I suggest that the three victims killed go find that deputy secretary and talk about overloading at midnight."

"Huang Yusheng, the deputy secretary of Harbin Municipal Government, you are going to become really famous!"

"Right, you are as awesome as that spokesperson for the Railways Ministry. Whether you believe it or not, I certainly do!"

"The owners of these trucks will have to suffer. Corrupt officials will laugh once again. The bridge will be repaired again, and the contractors will also be laughing."

"They've been hoping for the bridge to collapse for a long time. Or else how can the GDP grow? Where can they find an occasion to drink wine? And to spend money?"

"These are the kind of words that come from our officials' mouths. When an accident takes place, they never engage in introspection. Instead, they try their best to find a scapegoat. With something of this magnitude, no official has stepped out and taken responsibility. No one has analyzed the cause from aspects like design, engineering and supervision. The first thing they've come up is overloading. How much more can it possibly load? The truck must have carried an aircraft carrier!"

More photos:

China’s Real Estate Industry: Has The Shift From ‘Build & Sell’ To ‘Build & Hold’ Started?

Posted: 24 Aug 2012 04:08 PM PDT

[Today's WSJ video interview with Soho CEO Zhang Xin is excellent; please hit 'more' and have a look]

In 2006, I attended a China real estate conference where of the speakers, Michael Smith of Goldman Sachs, gave a presentation that alone justified the cost of the conference.

One of his slides showed Asian real estate markets scaled according to structure. At the lower left, 'build and sell'–the quick buck model–to the upper right 'build and hold' supported by sophisticated real estate finance and capital markets tools–the stable, wealth–building model.

Since then I have used this slide in lectures to Chinese developers and investors as a guide to show them their likely future. And, to western real estate professionals as a way to situate China in their Asian strategy. Here's the slide, dated but still valid in concept:

Based on this, the question of China's real estate industry is not really if it will move up and to the right, but at what pace. So far, there has been so much fast wealth in the 'buy and sell' model that most all developers done just that.

But, now with the announcement on August 17 by Soho, one of China's leading and savviest developers, that the company is shifting its strategy to 'buy and hold,' perhaps China's ride up that line is beginning.

A good new strategy? Investors in Soho didn't think so. According to the Wall Street Journal's 'Soho China Transformation Raises Worries,' after the announcement, its share price fell:

Concerns over weaker near-term earnings at Soho China Ltd. following a radical shift in the company's strategy to lease, rather than sell key development properties, sent shares of the Chinese real-estate titan down as much as 8.6% in Hong Kong on Friday.

This makes sense. Not only is a big change from what you thought you were investing in disconcerting, add to this that Soho is the first mover here. And, of course, there is a lot more involved in executing this strategy than just leasing out your office space. There is risk.

Because the move made the market shaky, the brilliant and ever articulate Soho CEO, Zhang Xin, hit the road to reassure key investors. She took time from hand-holding to give the WSJ this interview:

I don't know about Soho investors, but Ms Zhang has certainly reassured me.

In the larger context, if Soho's 'first-mover play' appears to work over the next few years, it will be hailed as a 'first-mover advantage.' Then, other major developers will no doubt follow, and China's real estate industry will be well on its way toward Hong Kong and Singapore's territory on the chart. And, that will, of course, change everything for investors as well as developers.

Friday Night Musical Outro: PS I Love You – Sentimental Dishes

Posted: 24 Aug 2012 08:59 AM PDT

Ontario-based PS I Love You is performing in Beijing on Sunday at Yugongyishan, 100 RMB pre-sale, 120 RMB at the door. They'll be joined by Daniel Hart, DJ Dave Van Buuren, and BJC favorite Residence A. Youku video for those in China after the jump.

Mr Kim Goes To Beijing, Or Not

Posted: 24 Aug 2012 08:28 AM PDT

North Korea's supreme leader, Kim Jong Un, wants to make a state visit to Beijing. He has reportedly asked to be invited around the same time as China will be making its own leadership transition. The world's youngest head of … Continue reading →

Up Close and Personal: Talking Football in China with LaDainian Tomlinson

Posted: 24 Aug 2012 04:17 AM PDT

Date: Aug 24th 2012 6:58p.m.
Contributed by: geofferson

Up Close and Personal: Talking Football in China with LaDainlian Tomlinson

Posted: 24 Aug 2012 04:17 AM PDT

Date: Aug 24th 2012 6:58p.m.
Contributed by: geofferson

Friday Links: Was Liu Xiang’s inspirational failing at the Olympics a set-up? Ai Weiwei feature and Chinese film suggestions

Posted: 24 Aug 2012 05:16 AM PDT

What if I told you there's a man underneath that car, flattened by the truck, and that he survived? [Daily Mail]

We hope you didn't spend Chinese Valentine's Day yesterday wallowing in loneliness and self-pity. Let's face it though, you probably deserved it… because you didn't read enough links.

Our opinion remains the same as when it first happened: the Liu Xiang episode was very strange indeed. "At 1747 on 7 August, countless Chinese people collectively cried out in anguish when Liu Xiang fell on the first hurdle of his Olympic race. Yet the CCTV commentator Yang Jian did not sound at all surprised; in fact, as some Chinese web users have speculated, Yang sounded as if he anticipated that Liu would fall. As if confirming what many people were already suspecting, revelations from a CCTV Olympic report discussion forum yesterday confirmed that CCTV knew before the race the grave extent of Liu Xiang's injury. // According to the story that leaked out from the CCTV discussion board, Yang Jian prepared a contingency version of the commentary should Liu Xiang somehow succeed in the race, but the version he expected to use – and did use – was to describe how Liu Xiang crashed out – hence him not sounding very surprised when it happened." [Danwei]

Corollary: Oriental Guardian headline: "Liu Xiang Knew, CCTV Knew, the Leaders Knew – Only the Masses Waited Stupidly for a Miracle to Happen." [WSJ]

In which Ai Weiwei is compared to Andy Warhol. "So what is it about Ai? What makes him, in Western eyes, the world's 'most powerful artist'? The answer lies in the West itself. Now obsessed with China, the West would surely invent Ai if he didn't already exist. China may after all become the most powerful nation in the world. It must therefore have an artist of comparable consequence to hold up a mirror both to China's failings and its potential." [Smithsonian]

Water splashing gone awry. "The Water Splashing Festival of some of China's ethnic minorities is meant to be a Carnival-like celebration where everyone gets splashed, sprayed or soaked with water, but the one held in a county traditionally inhabited by Miao people in Hainan province on August 23 ended abruptly on an ugly note: not long after the start of the festival was announced at 8:30 a.m., a dozen women were pinned down by a crowd of males, who mauled the women's breasts and stripped off clothes of a few in broad daylight. // Finally the local police intervened and escorted the female victims away, although the wicked smile on one officer's face is pretty self-explanatory." [Ministry of Tofu]

"Involuntary commitment" seems like an anachronism, but apparently isn't. "The abuse of involuntary commitment to psychiatric hospitals is a hot topic in China, with cases like Mr. Chen's gaining widespread media attention. A Hong Kong-based human rights group, the Chinese Human Rights Defenders, in a report this week called on the government to ensure that a long-awaited Mental Health Law — under discussion for over quarter of a century — comply with international norms and protect the rights of both the mentally ill and the non-mentally ill from the power of the state, but also from the power of the family to incarcerate involuntarily, under conditions that are murky at best." [Rendezvous, NYT]

True story: "AIDS without HIV" was a newspaper headline here last year. "Researchers have identified a mysterious new disease that has left scores of people in Asia and some in the United States with AIDS-like symptoms even though they are not infected with HIV. // The patients' immune systems become damaged, leaving them unable to fend off germs as healthy people do. What triggers this isn't known, but the disease does not seem to be contagious." [AP]

Biking with Nietzsche: "However, what is anticipated is not always what is experienced, and when cycling perhaps more than any other mode of travel we are made aware of that Nietzschean concept of the 'Eternal Recurrence.' For Nietzsche, as with many Buddhists who graced the halls of Yonghegong, what is minimized is the importance of 'ends' and 'purposes,' and what is maximized are 'states of being,' because everything is eternally repeated and there is no end or purpose. Or, as R.J. Hollingdale explained in the introduction to his 1961 translation of Thus Spoke Zarathustra, 'It is as if one were on an unending sea journey. The destination is immaterial, since it is never reached; but whether one is sea-sick for much of the time is very material: it is really all that maters.' And while I never arrived at Yanqi Lake, I would like to think that I managed to develop a deeper appreciation for the 'Eternal Recurrence.'" [Michael Caster]

Unfortunate generalizations, but otherwise…: "Romance in China is often sacrificed to practicality; dating has largely become a commercial transaction. In Beijing parents gather in parks to introduce their children to one another. Singles' clubs set people up according to requirements — height, income, property. And tens of thousands descend on matchmaking events in cities like Shanghai looking for the perfect mate. // For Chinese men today, being the perfect mate means having a car, an apartment, a good salary and, preferably, a tall stature. Women, meanwhile, must be married by 27; after that they are branded sheng nu or 'leftover women.'" [Clarissa Sebag-Montefiore, Latitude]

I guess this is the definition of "mixed reviews." "Bloomberg Businessweek speaks with Peter Navarro, a business professor at the University of California, Irvine, about his new documentary Death By China. The film, based on the eponymous book he co-authored with Greg Autry in 2011, opened in Los Angeles on Aug. 17 and comes to New York on Aug. 24. Reviews have described it as 'a lucid wake-up call' and criticized it for being 'heavy handed' and containing 'xenophobic hysteria.' Navarro reponds, 'The film accurately depicts the devastation China's unfair trade practices are having on Americans. Critics giving bad reviews should get out into the heartland of America more. Viewers are deeply moved by the film if our L.A. opening is any indicator.'" [Bloomberg]

Heartbreaking reality. "A 3-year-old girl named Jiayu was found abandoned at Xi Menkou Station in Guangzhou on the afternoon of August 21… // In her trolley, police found several items of her clothes, some food and a piece of paper which said: We (the parents) have tried years to cure her and we don't have any money to support her anymore. We hope she can meet good people (that can take care of her)." [The Nanfang]

Suicide. "An independent commentator post on his Weibo said the editor of People's Daily Supplemental magazine committed suicide after a longtime depression. Xu Huaiqian, 44, killed himself jumping off from his building on August 22." [Free More News]

Worldwide Nyan cat interlude:

Finally…

Penalties eased on South Korean badminton players. [AP]

Top 10 Chinese language films… lots of suggestions for Chinese movies to watch herein. [dGenerate Films]

Pictures of a former underground nuclear plant in Chengdu. [Go Chengdoo]

More satire of departing and departed expats. [China Daily Show]

Finally, finally…

Authorities: Zhou Kehua really is dead. No, look:

Via Xinhua

China finds subsidised eco-fridges hard to shift

Posted: 24 Aug 2012 01:52 AM PDT

The Chinese government has forked out 26 billion yuan to boost consumption of energy-saving home appliances. But so far the market hasn't reacted as hoped, reports Wang Haotong.

This summer, China launched a new round of subsidies for energy efficient home appliances, allocating 26.5 billion yuan (US$4.2 billion) to promote sales of "green" products in five categories: air conditioners, flat-screen TVs, fridges, washing machines and water heaters. This round of handouts is expected to last a year.

While many commentators have argued these subsidies are more about stimulating consumption than protecting the environment, they nonetheless tally more closely with China's energy-conservation and emissions-reduction goals than the previous two schemes: Home Appliances for the Countryside, and the Home Appliance Replacement Plan, which encouraged people to "replace old with new".

Peng Yu, assistant director at China Market Monitor, a research company focused on the domestic-appliance sector, said: "Stimulating consumption and energy conservation are given roughly equal weight – it's about and half-and-half." Officials predict these new subsidies will boost consumer demand for energy-efficient products by 450 billion yuan (US$70.8 billion), which they say will translate into energy savings of around 11.7 million tonnes of standard coal equivalent.

During the first month the energy-saving policy was in force, however, the market did not give it quite the hearty reception anticipated.

In June, technology brands like TCL Multimedia and Skyworth Digital saw sales growth slow markedly compared to the previous five months. Statistics for June from market research firm AVC suggest the energy-saving subsidies pulled sales of fridges up by 1.5%, washing machines by 1.7% and air-conditioners by 2.5%, though growth may have been driven more by the fact it was the start of the busy season than anything else. And, despite the growing numbers of people doing their shopping on the internet, 360.com is the only online company selling energy-saving brands of televisions and washing machines.

Consumers buying on price

Yi Shui is policy officer at Top10.cn, an internet platform devoted to information on energy efficient products. She said that, over the past two years, the number of people buying energy-saving domestic appliances has slid in line with the slumping property market. Moreover, the home appliance market has reached saturation: the two previous rounds of subsidies have drained consumer spending power on household gadgets. These factors may have affected market reaction to the new subsidies, Yi said.

For consumers watching their wallets, the subsidies don't necessarily provide much of an incentive. Although the subsidised products are now cheaper than they were, energy-saving products remain more costly than their conventional counterparts. A survey of several thousand people carried out by Chinese NGO Green Beagle found price was the top concern for Chinese shoppers when it came to buying appliances for the home. Only a small number of respondents, with relatively high salaries and environmental awareness, said they would choose energy-saving appliances.

The impact of the new subsidies will also be determined by the sales practices of manufacturers and shops. So far, the signs here aren't great. Since the producers have fairly large stocks of conventional appliances hanging around, they are naturally focusing first on clearing these, meaning the subsidised products aren't getting much shelf space, according to reports. Domestic appliance stores often use public holidays and other celebratory events to run special offers. While they continue to do this – offering regular home appliances at bargain rates – the appeal of the subsidised products will stay weak.

Peng Yu believes that, even though the government conducted an extensive evaluation before rolling out these energy-saving subsidies, it still introduced them too quickly after the previous subsidy rounds. The industry didn't have sufficient time to prepare. Appliance manufacturers need a certain period to get ready, whether that's adjusting their product line or preparing distribution logistics or training their sales staff, Peng said.

China's energy saving plans

Even so, the size of these subsidies should make people sit up and take notice. No other country has injected such a large amount of money into boosting the sale of energy-saving appliances. The challenge now is how to promote this generous policy in an effective way that is in line with market rules.

First of all, China's energy-saving domestic appliances are on the expensive side, and even with subsidies it's difficult to attract buyers. Conrad U Brunner, the Swiss chair of Top10, said he bought an ultra-energy efficient fridge in Zurich for about US$1,000 (6,400 yuan). The subsidy was about US$200 (1,300 yuan). Subsidies for other home appliances were even higher. According to Top10, which has researched energy-saving subsidies in dozens of countries, it's only when the subsidy reaches 20% to 30% of the original cost of the appliance that you see a clear shift in consumer choices. And that's when manufacturers actively turn their sights to the best energy-saving technologies. China's new subsidies average less than 10% of the appliance cost. So even once you factor in the subsidy, many energy-saving products remain much more expensive than regular appliances. The majority of Chinese consumers will still choose non-energy saving home appliances.

The finer details of these new subsidies also need attention, Top10 argued. First, it said, subsidies should be restricted to products classified as "level one" energy efficient – the highest category. But the existing subsidies cover "level two" air conditioners and washing machines. This may be partly because there are fewer level one products around. But it's a barrier to the promotion of advanced energy-saving technologies, and therefore to energy efficiency and emissions reduction.

Second, as one of the basic aims of the subsidies is to encourage the most advanced technologies and rid the market of backward products, Top10 believes subsidies should be issued only to technologies with the greatest energy-saving potential and should not be used to support energy-consuming gadgets like plasma TVs. Third, super-size appliances – huge TVs, fridges and washing machines – should not be subsidised, it said. Even if they use the most advanced energy conservation technology, the absolute consumption of energy will still be much higher than regular-sized products carrying the equivalent energy-saving technology. The bigger the model, the greater the subsidy – this is inconsistent with the ideals of green consumerism.

China hopes its huge investment in domestic-appliance subsidies can help the government meet its binding target of cutting energy consumption per unit of GDP by 16% by 2015 compared with 2010 levels. At the same time, it marks a push to upgrade the home appliance sector. Peng Yu said that China's white goods industry is in reform mode. In 2011, the number of colour TVs for every 100 urban households was 134 to 137. The figure for fridges and washing machines was around 100 each, and for air conditioners, it was 117 units. Today, when people buy home appliances, they are "upgrading what they already have", Peng said. And so the industry must find ways to reduce energy consumption while improving the functionality of their products.

On July 1, a tiered electricity pricing system came into force across China, meaning those who consume the most energy now pay higher per-unit prices. The government hopes this policy will encourage consumers to buy energy-saving home appliances.

The new subsidies have been introduced during a slump in the domestic appliance market. Late last year, the gradual withdrawal of the old subsidies caused appliance manufacturers to push sales hard, and the market briefly looked very strong. But in January, the cold arrived: between January and May, the home appliance retail market only made 478 billion yuan (US$75 billion), 10% less than over the same period last year. The new subsidies have not, so far, generated the old levels of heat.

However, it's hoped they will start to make an impact imminently. Over two months of adjustments, the internal structure of the home appliance market has gradually taken shape. Earlier this year, Peng Yu forecast that the market would start to respond in August – we will soon find out if he was right.

Wang Haotong is a Beijing-based journalist.

This article is published as part of our Green Growth project, a collaboration between chinadialogue and The Energy Foundation.

Homepage image by 读我网

The Raid of the Scorned Mongol Woman

Posted: 23 Aug 2012 06:00 PM PDT

This week on Sinica, we take a break from the trial of Gu Kailai, the 18th Party Congress, and the recent flurry of disgruntled expat blog posts to cast our gaze back to the age of Mongol politics, barbarian cross-border raids, and that period in Chinese history which gave us the Great Wall as it currently stands in the mountains north of Beijing.

With Kaiser Kuo abroad on business our show is a more intimate interview this week. Hosting is Jeremy Goldkorn of danwei.com renown, who is speaking with David Spindler, graduate of the Harvard Law School, alumni of the McKinsey consulting company, and now self-motivated and self-funded Great Wall scholar whose research over the past fifteen years has made him one of the foremost experts on the subject not to mention leading him to walk and climb on more parts of the wall than any other living person.

Need to feed your addition to Sinica? Have your computer download new episodes as they're released by subscribing through iTunes. This is as easy as selecting "Subscribe to Podcast" from the Advanced file menu and providing the URL http://popupchinese.com/feeds/custom/sinica when asked. As always, we also welcome people to download copies of our shows as standalone mp3 files.

This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Guangzhou pays best

Posted: 24 Aug 2012 06:57 AM PDT

by Barry van Wyk on August 24, 2012

The front page of the New Express (新快报) from Guangzhou today reports on new statistics released by China's National Bureau of Statistics showing that Guangzhou in 2011 had the highest average salary among 22 provincial capitals and four municipalities in China, namely 57,473 yuan.

Guangzhou narrowly beat out Beijing, where the average salary is 56,061 yuan; Nanjing came in third place with 54,713 yuan. The statistics also revealed that when private companies are not included, the national urban average salary for China was 42,452 yuan. Average salaries in 11 cities exceeded the national average, namely Guangzhou, Beijing, Nanjing, Hangzhou, Shanghai, Yinchuan, Shenyang, Wuhan, Hefei, Changsha and Taiyuan.

The highest average salaries, New Express points out, are still paid in the eastern part of China; provincial capitals in the central part of China like Chongqing and Chengdu are still towards the end of the list.

The picture on the front page is of a performance by two artists in Wuhan for an event marking Chinese valentine's day.

Links and sources
New Express (新快报) (26省会城市平均工资广州居首)
More Front Page of the Day Stories

Video: 19-year-old drunk driver w/o license makes out with girlfriend after killing one in crash

Posted: 23 Aug 2012 11:35 PM PDT

From Sina Weibo, Anhui Satellite TV, KDNet

On the early morning of August 21, according to a news program on Anhui Satellite TV, a car in Chengdu killed one person and injured two others in a crash. The driver was a 19-year-old man. Police inspection showed that the driver was under influence and does not even have a driver's license. But right at the car crash scene, the man, despite the fact that he killed a person, went on to make out with the woman sitting next to her. When the reporting crew arrived, the woman in red, waved her fists at the camera and yelled, "Shoot me! Yeah yeah yeah! Just shoot me! Keep shooting!" Later, after the driver, identified as Li Yalei, finally sobered up, he said he cannot make it up to the victim and the injured; the only thing he can do is say sorry.

The news was initially listed as one of the top ten trending topics on Sina Weibo, but was soon taken down from the list by the site's moderator probably to avoid sparking public fury.

In March, news of a mysterious Ferrari crash on Beijing's street, which killed one person on the spot, was soon covered up by Internet censors, who took down any related story and blocked search terms such as "Ferrari", "crash", and North 4th Ring Road, the location of the crash. Speculations that the driver was the son of a high-ranking Chinese official arose, although no one really knows the true story.

In October 2010, the pampered son of a district police chief in central China's Baoding city hit and killed a college girl while racing on campus. He allegedly shouted 'My father is Li Gang' as intimidation after the security guards tried to stop him from fleeing the scene, which really touched a sensitive nerve of China's grassroots and further deepened the public resentment of the rich and privileged class and their offspring. The son of Li Gang was later sentenced to 6 years in prison.

Video:

Below is the translation of an angry web post on KDNet, a popular Internet forum, which sums up the news story with snarky commentary.

This is the car crash scene. This road worker died on the spot. A family has been shattered thereafter! I believe this road worker must have had parents to support and children to fend for. So how is his family going to live their life in the future now that they've lost their backbone. How do you think his aging mother, his wife and children are going to handle the sudden heavy blow? The old mother will lay her children to rest, and children are not supposed to die before their parents, for God's sake! Sigh, what else can I add as my comments? Road traffic is treacherous; drive with caution!

Yes, the red circle highlights the moment of the man and woman making out. It seems some really intense emotion is going on! It seems they didn't even know they had killed a person. Must have had a lot of drink. This post-90s handsome guy is going to be really sad.

When the reporter tried to conduct an interview, this man took the drunk driver away from the camera while hurling insults. What an attitude!

This is the woman in red. She did not seem to be sober yet, and when the camera was rolling, she was still yelling "Shoot me! Just shoot me!" She was completely unaware that a person had died! Will she be subject be the human flesh search engine?

The driver was really wasted. 81 in the breath test. A DUI for sure, unless something went wrong. And he has no driver's license. What would be the charge against him? Will he be executed? DUI + driving without a license + one person being killed, any legal expert gives an analysis please?

This is the car involved, a white KIA.

The windshield has been turned into this from the crash. Just imagine how big an impact it was and how fast the speed was!

Selected comments from Sina Weibo (4,414 shares, 1,264 comments)

刘毅_1994：Damn! Such a thing can happen?! That bitch is too damn sick! Bastard! Bitch! 我去！这都可以！那死女人尼玛也太恶心了吧！人渣！死女人！

上海老玩童2012：Why they appeared so calm? Because their parents can help fix it. 为什么能那么淡定?因为家长会帮搞定.

KYLE小梨：Only the second generation of an official or a wealth person has the gall to do this!

兔子脚：Does he have any connection to an official of the Heavenly Kingdom? If yes, then the more powerful (that official is), the lighter the sentence will be. //@江西樟树林: Must be executed!!!!!

跑摊匠：We still firmly believe: Without sharing the news, there won't be harsh punishment. Without sharing the news, there won't be justice. Without sharing the news, there won't be anything.

Joan低调不用实名：Wow, not only is that woman ugly and old, but also her voice sounds horrible, and her conduct is so low and cheap! Any expert to find more about her through human flesh search?…That man deserves this. He has no license, drove under influence, and killed a life. Must have qualified for a death sentence, right? That poor innocent road worker. Rest in peace.

杭州西风瘦马：Are they still humans? Despite the social development, why are there more and more cold-blooded, shameless people like them? I feel deeply saddened that we mankind have these in our species.

镜子脸：Wine and meat rot behind vermillion gates while at the roadside people get killed in car crashes.

落雪是花博报:That woman in red, do you still have human qualities? Are you still a human? Would you be so happy if it were your family who got killed?

Highway Collapse In Harbin Kills Three

Posted: 24 Aug 2012 01:11 AM PDT

An elevated stretch of highway on Third Ring Road in Harbin, Heilongjiang province collapsed at around 5:30 am today, according to China News, killing two immediately and injuring six others. One of the injured later died at the hospital.

The accident happened about 3.5 kilometers from Yangmingtan Bridge, which we're told was built less than a year ago. Apparently the road collapsed when four full-capacity transport trucks carrying stone and fodder were passing at the same time. All four vehicles went down with the road. The specific cause of the accident is currently under investigation.

The video after the jump was shot by one of the first citizen journalists to arrive on the scene (judging by the angle of the shadows). "Who said you could film?" the first voice you hear asks.

"I can't film?"

"You're not allowed."

"Who doesn't allow?"

"Where are you from?"

"Why do you care? Who doesn't allow filming?"

"We don't allow."

"You don't allow? Why isn't it allowed?"

The authority figure walks away, but the man with the camera persists: "Why don't you allow, might I ask?"

The filming continues for a few more seconds. Another person in a police uniform also tells him to stop, putting a hand to the camera's lens.

UPDATE, 5:55 pm: Some more information according to Xinhua:

It is at least the sixth major bridge collapse across the country since July last year, following one in Beijing and another in the eastern city of Hangzhou. Shoddy construction and over-loading have been blamed.

The Yangmingtan Bridge was only opened to traffic in November. With a total length of 15.42 km, spanning the Songhua River in Harbin, the eight-lane bridge was claimed to be the longest in north China.

Local media reported that its construction cost 1.88 billion yuan (296 million U.S. dollars).

Built by the China Railway First Group Co., Ltd, it was the third bridge erected across the Songhua River in the past four years.

More pictures:

Interview: Is Tropical

Posted: 23 Aug 2012 11:46 PM PDT

Date: Aug 24th 2012 2:19p.m.
Contributed by: ickyrenrut

Are You An Overseas Foreigner Interested In Chinese Politics? This CPC Questionnaire Is For You

Posted: 23 Aug 2012 11:13 PM PDT

The political orgy known as the National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) is forthcoming, and while we have no idea when it'll actually arrive on its great white horse, the relevant organs have begun taking steps to ensure that the resulting lather is a nice white sheen that masks all the ticks and warts. As but a small part of the plan, apparently they're interested in soliciting opinions from foreigners in the form of a survey in which "3000 winners" will be "selected out of the overseas participants." Three thousand?! They will receive "exquisite prizes." Like, an e-card from Blue Mountain?

All you have to do is fill out the following questionnaire and include your email address, which is how they'll notify you if you win. This document appears to be in a draft stage (we can only hope), but I've preserved all the formatting except for a few indents on checkboxes that failed to copy over. (The CPC is too good for Survey Monkey, apparently.) Also, the source is redacted, but everything else remains the same. This is not satire. Welcome your participation!

十八大海外受众关注热点问题调查 Questionaire on the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC)

2012年世界多个国家和地区均有领导人选举,作为最大的发展中国家,其执政党中国共产党将召开第十八次代表大会,产生新一届领导集体,会议将讨论和决定中国共产党和国家今后五至十年的重大问题.

As many countries and regions hold leader elections in 2012, China, the largest developing country in the world, is also to see the leadership change at the 18th national congress of the ruling Communist Party of China (CPC) in October, where polices will be finalized for the development of the party and the nation in the next decade.

[Redacted]对全球受众进行十八大热点话题有奖调查,将从海外参与者中抽取3000名赠送珍贵纪念品,欢迎大家踊跃参与.

Exquisite prizes will be presented to 3000 winners selected out of the overseas participants in the "18th National Congress of the CPC" online survey held by [redacted]. Welcome your participation!

一,个人信息
1.姓名:___________ (空白处请自行填写,以下同)
2. 性别:___________
3.国籍:___________
4. 年龄:□35岁以下 □35-50岁 □50岁以上
5.教育程度:□高中及以下 □大学本科 □硕士 □博士
6. 电子邮箱:___________(中奖后将通过邮箱与您取得联系)

Personal Info.
1.Name; 2.Gender; 3.Nationality; 4. Age: Under 35, 35 – 50, Above 50; 5. Educational Background: High School or below, Bachelor, Master, Doctor; 6. Email Address: (We'll contact winners through email.)

二,问题 Questions

1.您了解中国共产党吗?
□非常了解 □有所了解 □不了解 □没听说过
How much do you know about the CPC?
A lot, moderately, a little, nothing

2.您是通过哪些途径了解中国共产党的?(可多选)
□本国媒体 □中国媒体 □华人朋友 □其它___________
How did you learn about the CPC? (Multiple choices)
Domestic media, Chinese media, Chinese friends, Others______

3.您知道中国共产党今年将要召开第十八次代表大会吗?
□知道 □不知道
Do you know the 18th National Congress of the CPC opens this year?
Yes; No

4.您希望通过国际台了解中共十八大哪些话题?(可多选)
□选举产生新一届中国共产党领导集体
□中共领导下的中国今后的发展道路与方向
□中共的政策是否保持一贯性,经济增长能否平稳延续
□中共十八大的会议议程和报告内容
□政治建设
□经济建设
□文化建设
□社会建设
□生态文明建设
□其他¬¬___________
What topics to be discussed during the session are you most interested in? (Multiple choices)
New party leadership;
The direction of China's development under the guidance of the CPC;
Whether or not the CPC will adhere to a consistent policy and China can sustain a stable economic growth;
The meeting agenda and the work report to be published at the meeting;
Political construction;
Economic construction;
Cultural construction;
Social construction;
Ecological preservation;
Others______

5.您认为中国共产党十八大后将面临哪些挑战?(可多选)
□政治体制改革 □经济发展方式转变 □与周边国家关系 □台湾问题 □腐败问题 □贫富差距 □生态环境保护 □食品药品安全 □就业问题 □教育改革 □房价调控 □社会保障 □社会道德 □维持社会稳定 □其他¬¬___________
In your opinion, what are the biggest challenges to face the CPC? (Multiple choices)
Political system reform;
Growth pattern adjustment;
Diplomatic relations;
Taiwan question;
Corruption;
Wealth gap;
Environmental protection;
Food & drug safety;
Employment;
Educational reform;
Property prices control;
Social security;
Public morality;
Social stability;
Others___

6. 您认为十八大后中国共产党领导下的中国将对世界产生什么影响?(可多选)
□继续拉动世界经济增长
□维护世界和平,加强同各国的友好交往和互利合作
□承担更多国际责任,积极参与应对主权债务危机,气候变化,核安全等问题的国际合作
□为其他国家提供一种可供借鉴的发展模式
□中国的发展会给其他国家带来威胁
□其他¬¬___________
In your opinion, how will a CPC-led China influence the world after the meeting? (Multiple choices)
Continue to boost global economic growth;
Contribute to the world peace, promote international friendship and mutual cooperation;
Shoulder more international responsibilities, actively join in the cooperation to deal with sovereign debt crisis, climate change, nuclear safety, etc.;
Share its referential experience on development;
China's development is a threat to others;
Others_____

7. 您认为中国共产党领导下的中国哪些方面值得肯定?(可多选)
□中国特色的政治制度适合本国国情
□中共领导中国在经济建设上取得巨大成就
□不干涉别国内政,在国际上主持公道,捍卫和平
□支援第三世界国家经济发展
□面对大灾大难时能集中力量高效救灾
□其他¬¬___________
In your opinion, what achievements of the CPC-led China deserve recognition? (Multiple choices)
The practical political system with Chinese characteristics;
The economic feats achieved under the guidance of the CPC;
The nonintervention policy and the efforts for fairness and peace in the world;
The support for the development of the 3rd-world nations;
The efficiency in disaster relief;
Others______

8.您如何评价中国共产党的执政能力?(可多选)
□制定科学的经济政策符合中国国情
□实行依法执政,不断完善法律体系
□关心民生,给中国人民带来福祉
□对内正确处理社会矛盾,对外坚决维护国家主权
□执政能力有待提高
□其他¬¬___________
Could you assess CPC's ruling capacity? (Multiple choices)
Work out scientific and practical economic policies;
Pursue law-based ruling and unswervingly improve law system;
Focus on improving people's livelihood and welfare;
Properly handle social conflicts and firmly defend the country's sovereignty;
Need to improve ruling capacity;
Others ______

9.在下列的中国共产党领导改革开放后所取得的诸多经济成就中,您觉得哪条最为重要?
□解决了13亿人的温饱问题,贫困人口减少了2亿多
□经济实现了三十多年的长期,持续,快速,平稳增长
□经济大国地位总体确立,国内生产总值居世界第二位
□人民生活消费水平全面提升
□其他¬¬___________
In your opinion, which is the most significant economic feat of the CPC after China's reform took off?
Solve food problem for the 1.3 billion people and help more than 200 million out of poverty;
Maintain a consistent, fast and smooth economic growth in the past 30 years;
Build the country into an influential economy with the 2nd largest GDP in the world;
Improve the people's living standard and increase the consumption level significantly;
Others _______

10.您对中国共产党有何期待?(可多选)
□决策更加民主
□加强监督,反对腐败
□对世界和平做出更大贡献
□有能力克服自身存在的问题,长期健康发展
□加强与其他国家政党交流,提升国际社会对中共了解
□其他___________
What are your expectations with the CPC? (Multiple choices)
Attach more importance to democracy in policymaking;
Enhance supervision against corruption;
Contribute more to the world peace;
Improve ability to overcome its own shortcomings and maintain a sound development in a long term;
Promote exchanges with foreign political parties, help the international community learn more about the CPC;
Others_______

谢谢您的参与!请花些时间填写您对中共十八大还有哪些关注话题:
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________

Thanks for your participation! You can write here any other topic you're interested in about the 18th National Congress of the CPC.

This Week in Shanghai Sports

Posted: 23 Aug 2012 10:28 PM PDT

Date: Aug 24th 2012 12:27p.m.
Contributed by: andrewchin

Spectacular scene as Liujiaxia Reservoir discharges flood waters into the Yellow River

Posted: 23 Aug 2012 11:27 PM PDT

After swelling to a height of 1729m because of incessant rains in the last few days, Gansu's Liujiaxia Reservior has discharged some of its flood water. Here is the spectacular scene that ensued as it released enormous amounts of water running into the Yellow River. [ more › ]