AP Comparative Government China Blog

Tibet monks held over 'bomb plot'

2008-04-15T08:27:00.003-04:00

China has arrested nine Tibetan Buddhist monks who have been accused of a bomb attack, according to the official Xinhua news agency.

Chinese officials said the monks' homemade bomb exploded in a government building in eastern Tibet on 23 March.

Xinhua news agency did not explain why the alleged bomb incident was not reported at the time.
News of the arrests came as Beijing continued to attack overseas critics of its crackdown in the Himalayan region.

Xinhua said the monks confessed to planting the explosive in Gyanbe township.

Beijing's claims that the recent Tibetan protests were part of a violent campaign by the Dalai Lama, the region's exiled spiritual leader, to disrupt Chinese rule in Tibet and sabotage the Beijing Olympics in August.

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This is very significant to china because the monks are accused as being lead in a violet revolt by the dalai lama and very non violent leader, china also claims they are only revolting to disrupt the 2008 beijing olympics i think they picked the best time possible to rise up as the world is watching

Building Ban for Olympics

2008-04-15T08:24:00.003-04:00

All building sites in Beijing will be shut three weeks before the start of the Olympic Games, as the city tries to clear its skies of pollution.

Digging, pouring of concrete and outdoor spray-painting will also be banned under plans announced by the Environmental Protection Bureau.

The move follows mounting concern that athletes may suffer from Beijing's noxious atmosphere.
Olympic chiefs have already voiced concern over the issue.

President of the International Olympic Committee Jacques Rogge had previously warned that he would postpone certain endurance events if pollution levels were excessive.

For more, click here.

Pollution in China has become a very serious problem, and now experts believe it will have an effect on the olympic athletes if the pollution continues to increase. Beijing promised to have a clean enviornment for the olympics but now the pollution has become so bad that it is hard to see from block to block. So China is stopping all building sites three weeks before the Olympics in order to try to fix the problem.

China 'now top carbon polluter'

2008-04-15T08:21:00.003-04:00

The research suggests the country's greenhouse gas emissions have been underestimated, and probably passed those of the US in 2006-2007.

The University of California team will report their work in the Journal of Environment Economics and Management.

They warn that unchecked future growth will dwarf any emissions cuts made by rich nations under the Kyoto Protocol.

The team admit there is some uncertainty over the date when China may have become the biggest emitter of CO2, as their analysis is based on 2004 data.

Until now it has been generally believed that the US remains "Polluter Number One".

Next month's University of California report warns that unless China radically changes its energy policies, its increases in greenhouse gases will be several times larger than the cuts in emissions being made by rich nations under the Kyoto Protocol.

The researchers say their figures are based on provincial-level data from the Chinese Environmental Protection Agency.

For more click here

This is very significant to china because china has now become #1 in polution in the world... because of china's rapid growth this has happen with lack of resrictions and reaction from the world until now. i hope china can figure it out.

Assessment Complete

2008-04-13T18:39:00.001-04:00

Assessment Complete

2008-03-09T12:21:00.001-04:00

2008-03-07T08:35:00.002-05:00

This is how an interesting graph about how china is ruled as you can see the communist party is clearly the strongest and most dominate thing in china but there is power some what sepertated amounst others in china.

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Hamster prices triple in China

2008-03-07T08:27:00.002-05:00

Pet shop owners say stocks are running low - and prices high - as children clamour for a furry friend.

According to the Chinese media, prices have tripled to about 30 yuan ($4.20, £2.10) per hamster across the country.

In the Year of the Rat, this tiny creature has become the most acceptable rodent, a type of animal that is not everyone's first-choice pet.

"Rats and mice have a bad image, but hamsters are gentle. You can hold them in your hand and play with them," Xinhua News Agency reported.

Pet stores are also reporting an increased interest in other, similar-looking creatures, such as chinchillas and squirrels.

But it is the hamster that appears to have caught the imagination at the start of a new lunar year in China.

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This is an interesting little article about how the hampster are being heavly bought and owned as pets because this year is considered the year of the rat so the people are buying rat like animals just a curious little thing i saw....

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China one-child rule "to remain"

2008-03-07T08:23:00.003-05:00

Officials admit the one-child rule is often flouted by richer families The Chinese leadership has denied suggestions that it is about to alter its controversial one-child policy.

Family planning chief Zhang Weiqing said there would be no change in the rule limiting families in cities to one child and those in rural areas to two.

His comments come a week after another family planning official said a policy change was under discussion.

The rule has been blamed for creating a gender imbalance, with families eager to have boys rather than a girls.

for more click here

this is a follow up to a post i made last week. china has come out and said that they will not get rid of the one child rule, this is significant because now china's arms are still flexed on the issue of the one child. so mark one up for the chinese government

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China's Military Spending

2008-03-04T08:30:00.002-05:00

China says it plans to increase military spending by nearly 18% this year, to 417.8bn yuan $59bn; £30bn).

The figure was revealed ahead of China's annual parliamentary session, which begins on Wednesday.

Just before the announcement, the US released a report criticising China's military spending, and voicing concern over advances in space and cyberspace.

China rejected the Pentagon report as a "serious distortion of facts" that could harm its relations with the US.

"It breaks international norms... We do not pose a threat to any country. The US should drop its Cold War mentality," the foreign ministry said in a statement.

For more, click here.

China says it will increase their military spending by more than 18 percent this year. The U.S. denounced this new spending policy and China responded by saying that the U.S should drop their Cold War mentality. China says the spending will primarily go to the national defense funds but even so, this is a scary thought for the U.S.

Assessment Complete

2008-03-02T14:20:00.001-05:00

Toy Recall

2008-02-29T08:38:00.002-05:00

This is funny because the truth really is that running with scissors is less dangerous than playing with Chinese made goods.

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Pollution turns Chinese river red

2008-02-29T08:33:00.004-05:00

At least three tributaries of the Han river - a branch of the Yangtze - have been affected.

State media reported high levels of chemicals in the water.

China is increasingly concerned about its environment. A recent ban on plastic bags has led to the country's largest bag factory shutting down.

The Xinglong, Tianguan and Dongjing rivers were all affected by the pollution, according to the state news agency Xinhua.

A chemical spill is thought be the cause, but the source has not yet been identified and an investigation has been launched.

Gao Qijin, a water company official in Xinguo, Jianli County, told Xinhua that the water in the Dongjing river had become red with large amounts of bubbles.

Mr Gao said the company had detected the pollution on Sunday and immediately stopped drawing water from the river.

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This is significant to China because it gives a graphic example of China's polution is effecting the enviroment, and if this polution spreads to the Yangtze around 500 Millons peoples water supply will be tainted and unuseable to those people, this is a big deal in china and i plan on fallowing up if something big happens

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China to press North Korea

2008-02-29T08:31:00.003-05:00

Rice urges China to press N Korea

Ms Rice met President Hu Jintao during her visitUS Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has urged Chinese leaders to put pressure on North Korea to move ahead quickly with nuclear disarmament.

She was speaking during a two-day visit to Beijing, her first for over a year.

Ms Rice met President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao, and held talks with foreign minister Yang Jiechi.

She also used the visit to raise the issue of human rights and criticise Taiwan's plans to hold a referendum on UN membership.

Ms Rice told reporters that she had held "very good discussions about a number of issues" with her Chinese counterparts.

For more, click here.

Condoleeza Rice met with Hu Jintao to urge China to press N. Korea to stop their nuclear program. This would be a huge step if China agreed to discourage N. Korea's nuclear program. China holds a huge deal of international influence and power and can be the most deadly force in the world if need be.

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Stories China's media could not write

2008-02-29T08:28:00.003-05:00

By Michael Bristow BBC News, Beijing

When journalists at China's national broadcaster CCTV log on, one of the first things that pops up on screen is a notice about what not to report.

These notices are often short and seldom say who has authorised them, but they all contain strict instructions about how to report a story.

Journalists were recently warned off a health scandal, told how to report the death of Benazir Bhutto and had to steer clear of a Hollywood film story.

Censorship has been an everyday feature of news reporting in China for as long as the Chinese Communist Party has been in power.

But this wide range of so-called sensitive stories shows that, in China, any story on any subject at any time can still fall foul of the censor's red pen.

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This is very significant to china cause this shows how the communist party jumps in and censors may importaint storys because they don't protray china in a good way.

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China Pollution

2008-02-29T08:24:00.002-05:00

China to log its worst polluters

Beijing hopes the survey will give a clear picture of pollution in China. China has begun an ambitious project to survey the country's major sources of pollution.

Factories, farms and other polluters will have to declare how much, and what kind of pollutants, they discharge.

The government admits it will be difficult to get companies to supply accurate data, so it is offering them immunity from fines and prosecution.

But even with this incentive, some say the system has flaws which will make it difficult to get accurate information.

For more, click here.

China is taking the responsibilty of their pollution. This is a very honorable thing for China to do especially after all the controversy about the Olympics and their poisonous dumplings. Maybe this will start a new world trend of logging pollution.

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China thinking of revoking one child rule

2008-02-29T08:23:00.004-05:00

Family planning chief Zhao Baige told reporters she wanted an "incremental" change in the policy.

But there are not yet any specific proposals or a timetable for change, and she said some form of population control would remain in place.

Families in China's cities are restricted to one child, and those in rural areas to two children.
But the BBC's Dan Griffiths in Beijing says many wealthy Chinese are having large families and choosing to pay the standard fines for having more than one child.

Ms Zhao said it was common practice for some families in cities to have two or even three children.

And she expressed concern that China faces a huge disparity in numbers of females to males, as families in rural provinces continue to favour boys over girls.

"[In Henan there are] nearly 100 million people, but strongly influenced by the classical way, they want a son, and they are already very fragile environmentally," Reuters quoted her as saying.

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This is very significant to China because if they change the one child rule, one Chinas' population will grow even faster and second that this rule has been around for years as a sign of communism and it shows how they are begging to change there ways

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Assessment Complete

2008-02-24T15:49:00.001-05:00

Sharp jump in China trade surplus

2008-02-22T08:34:00.003-05:00

China has introduced measures to cool exports China's trade surplus soared 22.7% in January as the economy continued to boom despite efforts to cool the rate of growth, official figures have shown.

The surplus - the gap between what China exports and what it imports - grew to $22.7bn (£11.5bn) last month, compared with $15.9bn a year earlier.

China's exports in January increased 26.7% to $109.7bn, the biggest year-on-year rise in six months.

Imports rose 27.6% to $90.2bn, the biggest increase in almost two years.

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This is very significant, because china is the world's fastest growing economy, now with inflation hitting China at a record rate, it is unclear what china will do to cool the economy with the olympics coming up, but i will fallow up on this one

US 'confident' over satellite hit

2008-02-22T08:28:00.003-05:00

The US is confident that its shooting down of a disabled spy satellite with a missile managed to destroy its potentially toxic fuel tank.

Marine Gen James Cartwright said there was a 80-90% chance that the satellite's tank had been destroyed.

A fire ball, vapour cloud and spectral analysis indicating the presence of hydrazine all indicated that the tank had been hit, he told reporters.

The operation has been criticised by China and Russia.

"We're very confident that we hit the satellite," Gen Cartwright said at a Pentagon briefing hours after the missile was fired.

"We also have a high degree of confidence that we got the tank."

for more click here

This is very significant to this region, not only just china but also russia. China and russia both have been very out spoken on this issue due to the fact that they are affraid that the US will start shooting down China's sattlites, China takes this test as a warning from the US and they say they're not backing down

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China defends arms sales to Sudan

2008-02-22T08:24:00.003-05:00

China's special envoy on Darfur told the BBC that Beijing accounted for just 8% of Sudan's total arms imports.

Liu Guijin said the US, Russia and UK were the biggest arms exporters to developing countries including Sudan.

About 200,000 have died in the five years of conflict between rebels, the army and pro-Khartoum militias.

In an exclusive interview with the BBC's China analyst Shirong Chen, Mr Liu said Chinese weapons were not fuelling the conflict.

"Sudan is the third largest conventional arms producer in Africa next only to South Africa and Egypt.

"And there are seven countries selling arms to Sudan. So even if China stopped its sale, it still won't solve the problem of arms in Sudan," he said.

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This is significant to china because they are defending the sudeninese because china supports and sells them arms, with most all countries giving china greif about the situation in darfur people wish that china would quit selling arms to the sudan.

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Chinese Black Market

2008-02-22T08:23:00.003-05:00

Five men are to appear in court in China charged with producing fake receipts that could have cost the state billions of dollars, state media said.

The men are accused of forging over one million receipts worth a total of $147bn (£72bn) at a factory in Guizhou province.

Police identified the fraud after seizing a batch of the fake receipts in August 2007.

It is the largest such case in over 50 years, a local security official said.

For more, click here.

This definately won't help China's inflation crisis. China has a lot of issues they need to reslove right now with the 2008 Olympics, the Darfur Crisis and the Chinese food crisis. There is an official black market of false reciepts in China and this is something that Chinese law enforcement need to stop.

2008 Olympics

2008-02-21T21:13:00.001-05:00

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Who can trust Chinese food?

2008-02-21T20:47:00.004-05:00

The US delegation has said it is planning to bring its own food for American athletes.

At a news conference in Beijing, a senior official, Kang Yi, said it was a pity that the US had apparently decided not to trust China's food.

Ms Kang insisted that the food served to athletes at the Olympics would exceed international health standards.

For China, a good Olympic Games means cheering spectators, record-breaking performances and athletes and fans all sitting down to enjoy some good Chinese-made food.

For more, click here.

After the incident regarding the toxic Chinese dumplings, America has decided to bring it's own food to the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. Who can blame them? America has enough problem with terrorists as it is. We don't need to get involved with this new form of Chinese bio-terrorism.

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Assessment Complete

2008-02-18T08:29:00.001-05:00

China sends troops to diaster hit areas

2008-02-14T08:49:00.003-05:00

Chinese President Hu Jintao has ordered all of the country's military forces to continue to support the reconstruction work in disaster-hit areas.

Armed forces should actively participate in the reconstruction of disaster-hit areas to help locals get their lives back to normal, according to a circular jointly issued by the General Staff Headquarters and the General Political Department of the People's Liberation Army (PLA).

They should help local government to provide enough food, clothing, shelter and transport to victims, it said. Local troops that were affected by the snow disaster should be helped as well in their own reconstructions.

Nanjing Military Command has sent 10,000 soldiers to the eastern Jiangxi Province to carry out power system maintenance and reconstruction.

Chengdu Military Command has sent 5,000 soldiers and officers, 100 trucks and three helicopters to repair and rebuild power systems and restore transport in the southwestern Guizhou Province.

The Second Artillery Corps currently has 300 electronic engineers repairing the transmission line in the central Hunan Province.

By Feb. 11, China's military had sent 6.43 million soldiers and officers and 18.69 million militia to help in the reconstruction.

For more Click here....

This article is very significant to China because as you could see by the volume of people that China sent to the diaster areas, the government said they sent 6.43 millon troops to the hit areas to help clean up and bebuild all that has been lost, this shows that china responds quickly to major diasters going on inside China.

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Chinese Winter Wonderland

2008-02-14T08:41:00.002-05:00

The severe winter weather that has caused chaos in China in recent weeks has cost the economy more than $15bn (£7.6bn), says the Chinese government.

Homes, businesses and crops across the country have been damaged by the heavy snowfall, which is the worst China has experienced in five decades.

In addition, electricity and water supplies have been cut and rail services have had to be suspended.

The freak snowstorms have killed at least 107 people across the country.

For more, click here.

The severe snow storms in China is expected to cost 15 billion dollars. 107 people died because of the storm, 90,000 square miles of farmland was damaged and millions of insurance claims are pending. Electric workers are struggling to repair power supplies in most of the country.

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China "Regrets" Spielberg Action

2008-02-14T08:30:00.003-05:00

China has expressed regret over film director Steven Spielberg's decision to pull out as artistic adviser to the Beijing Olympics over the Darfur issue.

The foreign ministry said "ulterior motives" may be behind criticism of its links with Sudan.
The director said his conscience would not allow him to continue in his role.

China has strong economic and military ties with Sudan, which campaigners say it should use to put pressure on Khartoum to resolve the Darfur crisis.

A UK newspaper has published a letter from 80 Nobel laureates and artists urging Beijing to help end the conflict.

Mr Spielberg's announcement late on Tuesday is Beijing's first big setback in staging the Olympics, analysts say.

The renowned director, who had been brought in as artistic adviser for the opening and closing ceremonies of the Games, said his conscience would not allow him to continue in the role.

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Steven Spielberg, who was once a strong supporter and even the artistic advisor to the Beijing Olympics, but he has now decided to back out. Due to the fact that China is not doing enough to solve the problem in China's strong economic and military partner Sudan, having to do with Darfur. The Chinese say this is the first set back for the Beijing 2008 Olympics.

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China's dilemma over Darfur

2008-02-14T08:26:00.002-05:00

China has worked hard over the past few months to show it is doing all it can to resolve the humanitarian crisis in Sudan's Darfur region.

It has appointed a special envoy, sent peacekeeping troops to the region and embarked on a publicity campaign to persuade others it is being responsible.

This was done in part to prevent anyone linking China's close relationship with Sudan to the Olympics Games.

But for Steven Spielberg it was still not enough.

His decision to withdraw as artistic adviser to the Games' opening and closing ceremonies will be seen as a huge blow.

For more, click here.

Beijing and Khartoum have always had economic and military ties, and now, there is a crisis in Sudan's Darfur region. China imports two thirds of Sudanese oil estimated at 500,000 barrels a day. China is also Sudan's largest arms supplier, indirectly linking China to this crisis. China wants to be seen as a "responsible" nation because of the upcoming 2008 Olympics in Beijing. However, Steven Spielberg thinks China isn't doing enough to resolve the crisis and has withdrawn as the artistic advisor for the Olympics.

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Assessment Complete

2008-02-10T07:53:00.001-05:00

China dumpling factory exonerated

2008-02-07T22:13:00.000-05:00

Inspectors say they found no problems at a Chinese factory making dumplings which poisoned at least 10 people and put a girl in a coma in Japan.

A group from Japan toured the Tianyang Foods factory in Hebei province on Wednesday and reported that it was clean and well-maintained.

Japan has said the product may have been contaminated deliberately.

A senior Chinese official has said that activists opposed to improved Chinese relations with Japan could be to blame.

The case has caused huge media interest and public alarm in Japan, where dumplings are a popular product.

For more, click here.

An inspection group from Japan toured the manufacturing facilities of the dumplings and confirmed that the place was very clean. The Japanese believe the dumplings may have been deliberately poisoned because of the upcoming of the "eve on the Lunar New Year" in China; a time when millions of Chinese people will eat dumplings. Maybe this actually was an act of terrorism.

China's fear of Inflation!

2008-02-07T20:31:00.000-05:00

Jan 31st 2008

Efforts to cool the economy may undo crucial reforms
Faced with rising consumer prices and signs of runaway growth.

The Chinese Communist Party in November issued a strongly worded statement vowing to stem inflation and slow investment.

At the time market players paid scant attention to it. But as the State Council's increasingly stringent policies show no signs of letting up even in the face of global financial turmoil, players in China's property and equity markets are at last waking up to the harsher reality.

In recent weeks both housing and stock prices have started to retreat from their irrationally exuberant highs.

Chinese policymakers, however, should be careful of what they wish for.

Falling asset prices could bring back an old problem that many thought had been conquered: bad debts in the banking system. Meanwhile, inflation is reviving throwback elements of state economic planning.

For more click here.

As many people know China's economy is in a massive boom and growth had been through the roof, but the chinese government is fearful, they are afraid of inflation, which could set back they're recent economic boom back dramasticly stock prices have begin to fall as well as the housing market inside China, The China blog will be watching this situation very carefully in the coming months and will report back.

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Chinese Take Out

2008-02-05T09:00:00.000-05:00

This is another cartoon about the epic saga of harmful Chinese goods. The goods do a lot more harm than help to the customers as seen above. Examples include choking on toys and being killed by toxins in toothpaste and dog food. While this cartoon may be a little farfetched, the Chinese goods still pose as a serious safety issue. In recent news, Chinese dumplings have caused illness in dozens of Japanese citizens.

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Taiwan set to hold UN referendums

2008-02-05T08:49:00.000-05:00

Taiwan will hold two referendums next month on joining the United Nations, the island's election commission says.
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The commission's secretary-general, Teng Tien-yu, said the votes would be held on 22 March, the same day as the forthcoming presidential election.

The two referendums have been proposed by the ruling Democratic Progressive Party and the opposition Kuomintang.

Taiwan has no seat at the UN, having lost it to China in 1971. Its attempts to regain membership have been blocked.

Beijing has claimed sovereignty over Taiwan since the end of the Chinese civil war in 1949, when the defeated Nationalist government fled to the island as the Communist Party swept to power.

The island's latest attempt to rejoin the UN, for the first time under the name Taiwan, was blocked in September.

For more click Here.

This article is very importaint to China because Taiwan has been claimed by China since the end of the Civil War in 1949 and Taiwan hasn't had a seat in the UN since 1971 due to China blocking it's membership. Taiwan wishes to change this. On March 22 when they vote not only for the president but they also vote to see if want to rejoin the UN.

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Rotten Food: Poisoned on Purpose?

2008-02-05T08:24:00.000-05:00

Dumplings poisoned 'on purpose.'

Chinese dumplings which were laced with pesticide and made at least 10 Japanese people ill were probably poisoned on purpose, Japan's health minister says.
The frozen dumplings were contaminated with a highly toxic organophoshate pesticide methamidophos.

"Judging from the circumstantial evidence, we'd have to think that it's highly likely to be a crime," Yoichi Masuzoe told reporters.

The issue has triggered intensive media coverage and public alarm in Japan. Japanese police say they want to work with their Chinese counterparts to investigate how the dumplings, known as gyoza in Japan, were poisoned.

For more, click here.

Japanese officials now believe that the toxins found in the Chinese made dumplings were put there intentionally because of circumstantial evidence. China, however, still denies that the dumplings are unsafe at all, but they recalled the product anyway. Could this be the beginning of terrorist activities in China? Causing the illness of ten Japanese people could be a very serious biological terrorist attack.

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China Frees Hong Kong Journalist

2008-02-05T08:19:00.000-05:00

A Hong Kong journalist who was jailed in mainland China on spying charges has been released after serving less than half a five-year sentence.

Ching Cheong was detained in 2005 and sentenced to five years in jail in a case that angered human rights groups.

Chinese officials accused him of buying information and passing it to Taiwan - charges his family and his employer, Singapore's Straits Times, rejected.

He is now returning to Hong Kong to spend Lunar New Year with his family.

The Hong Kong Journalists' Association said the terms of his sudden, unexpected release are not yet known, and it is unclear whether he will have his full political rights restored.

"We are glad that Ching Cheong has been released early," said the association's general secretary Mak Yin-ting.

"But we regret that while he was innocent he was still put in jail and we hope it won't happen again."

For more click Here.

This article is significant to China because, as you can see the Chinese held Ching Cheong a journalist for Singapore's Strait Times. They arrested him because he was suspected to be spying on China's political, economical and military affairs and giving that information to the Taiwan government. In reality he was only trying to collect documents on the former leader of China Zhao Ziyang. China has yet to say why he was relesed early but his family is glad to have him home for Chinese new year.

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Assessment Complete

2008-02-04T08:40:00.001-05:00

Terrorists!

2008-01-31T08:48:00.001-05:00

Here we have Bin Laden in a cave scheming a plan of mass terrorism. What better way is there than distributing Chinese made toys the small children in the U.S? Thanks to China, the terrorists are winning.

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Rotten Food

2008-01-31T08:36:00.000-05:00

Japan scare over China dumplings

Dozens of Japanese people say they have fallen ill after eating Chinese-made dumplings, prompting Tokyo officials to launch an inquiry.

The frozen dumplings, known as gyoza in Japan, were made by Tianyang Food in China's Hebei province.

Japanese officials said they contained traces of pesticide, probably added in production or packaging in China.

China said no traces of pesticide had been found in pre-export inspections, but ordered a halt to production.

The issue has triggered intensive media coverage in Japan and sparked public alarm.
Leaders held an emergency cabinet meeting to discuss the problem.

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Dozens of people in Japan have become ill after eating Chinese made dumplings. Officials say they tested positive for pesticides but China denies these assumptions and China stopped production of the dumplings anyway. Recently, Chinese goods have been recalled because of safety reasons, and now the trend continues in food products.

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Meteorologists to Prevent Rain in Olympic Opening & Closing Ceremonies

2008-01-31T08:31:00.000-05:00

Source: CCTV.com

With the Olympics less than 200 days away, Beijing's meteorologists are working hard to ensure the most accurate weather forecasts during the games.

With the Olympics less than 200 days away, Beijing's meteorologists are working hard to ensure the most accurate weather forecasts during the games. (Photo: xinhuanet.com)
The weather authorities say they're applying advanced technologies, scientific methods and their own experiences to help minimize inaccuracies.

Beijing's meteorologists have been perfecting their techniques and say that they are determined to provide the best weather information ever in Olympic games history.

August is Beijing's rainy season, but Organizers have a few tricks up their sleeves to prevent bad weather: the use of Cannons will somehow prevent rain from marring the opening and closing ceremonies

Wang Jianjie, Deputy Director of Beijing Meteorological Bureau said "We are working closely with BOCOG's opening and closing ceremonies department. We are making plans for different weather conditions. Different ways will be worked out to ensure successful ceremonies."

The opening ceremony will start on August the 8th and the closing ceremony on August 24th. Let's keep our fingers crossed for good weather.

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This article is significant to China because, in beijing the rainy season is in full force during august, the time in which the olympics will be going on. The meteorologist have promised the people that there will be no rain during the opening and closing ceremonies. China during august is a lot like florida during the summer, it's hot and sticky till around three o'clock when it rains hard for about two hours then goes right back to being hot and sticky. So to promise that there will be no rain is very far fetched. I plan on fallowing up on this when i find the method they plan to use to stop the rain.

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(Follow Up) Transport Chaos in China Worsen Due to Snow

2008-01-29T08:38:00.000-05:00

Travelers are waiting at railway stations around the region,

The heaviest snow in decades is continuing to cause chaos across China ahead of the busy Lunar New Year holiday, state media have reported.

Road and rail links have been paralyzed, thwarting travelers trying to return home for the festivities.

A blocked rail line has stranded about 500,000 people in the southern city of Guangzhou and officials are working to prevent riots, reports say.

In Guizhou, 25 people died when a bus plunged from an icy road, Xinhua said. The snowstorms, which began on 10 January, have now affected 80 million people across 14 provinces.

The central provinces of Hunan and Hubei have been hardest hit, but eastern provinces are also affected.

Houses and agricultural land have been destroyed, leading to economic losses totaling Y22.09bn ($3bn, £1.5bn), Xinhua said.

At least 24 people have been killed in weather-related accidents, the agency said, but this figure appears not to include traffic accidents.

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As I had reported earlier, China is in a state of emergency. When I last reported the migration had just begun and only around 100,000 people were being stranded (which in China terms isn't that many) but now the BBC is report that 500,000 people were stranded in the city of Guangzhou due to the heavy snow knocking the rail-road offline between there and Beijing. also there also seem to be more trajic issues being reported. 25 have died in Guizhou due to a bus over turning on a icy road, but worse than that is the economic loss. A projected $3bn loss in houses and agriculture. If more on this comes along I will report back.

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Controversy over Olympics in Beijing

2008-01-29T08:34:00.000-05:00

China admits Games worker deaths

China has admitted that six workers have been killed on Olympic Games construction projects since 2003.

Until now, Beijing had denied there had been any fatalities on the building sites being readied for this August's Games.

Officials said the families of the dead workers had been compensated.

Games organisers last week dismissed a report in a British newspaper that at least 10 workers had died building the main Olympic venue.

Officials now say two workers died at the National Stadium in Beijing.

For more, click here.

China is just now disclosing the deaths of 10 workers on the Olympic site since 2003. The officials tried to cover the deaths up but are now finally releasing them. China already has a very poor rating with over 100,000 deaths in the workplace every year.

Snow hampers China New Yeat plans

2008-01-27T19:30:00.000-05:00

Chinese officials have been ordered to 'battle against disaster Chinese authorities have ordered urgent measures to be put in place to fight nationwide transport chaos caused by severe weather conditions.

Ice and snowfall caused power cuts that left 100,000 people stranded at train stations in southern China on Sunday.

Forecasters predict the bad weather will continue for a week, causing travel misery in the run-up to the Lunar New Year holiday on 7 February.

Nearly 18 million people are due to visit relatives during the period.

Click here for more.

This Article is significant to China because Chinese new year is the worlds largest migration of people due to the fact that everyone in the cities go home to there villages to get in touch with family. Due to the largest impact that the snow and bad weather has hampered this process of people moving from the cities nearly 100,000 people were stranded in train stations around southern China, I plan on fallowing up this story at a later date when people begin to migrate back to the cities

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Assessment Complete

2008-01-27T09:45:00.000-05:00

Rise in People's Power

2008-01-24T21:29:00.000-05:00

A nondescript plot of industrial land on the outskirts of the southern Chinese port city of Xiamen has become the focus of a new political movement.

The site was supposed to be the home of a new chemical plant, but protesters have forced the city government to put the project on hold.

It is a rare example of people power in a country where government officials are used to doing exactly what they want, when they want.

Ordinary people elsewhere in the country have taken note. There were similar protests over a railway project recently in Shanghai.

The Xiamen saga began when Taiwan's Xianglu Group said it wanted to build a chemical factory on the Haicang peninsula on the edge of the city.

For more, click here.

China is beginning to look more like the "People's Republic." Suprisingly, residents have persuaded officials to put the building plans for the new chemical plant on hold. This could be the beginning of a rise in power for the people of China, and they deserve a little bit. After all, there is over a billion of them.

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Work Accidents

2008-01-24T20:21:00.000-05:00

China crackdown on work accidents

Dozens of Chinese officials are to be prosecuted or punished over fatal accidents in the workplace - where 100,000 Chinese die each year.

Works Minister Wang Wei announced that prosecutors would consider cases against 78 managers and officials, and 105 had already been disciplined.

The move comes after inquiries into five incidents where 189 people died.
Meanwhile, officials say they are willing to investigate reports that 10 workers have died at an Olympic site.

Senior safety official Li Yizhong said those responsible would be punished severely if the claims - made by UK newspaper the Sunday Times - turned out to be true.

For more, click here.

This is not the first time that China has experience large numbers of the deaths of workers. In fact, more than 100,000 people die in the workplace every year. Reports say that some of the witness's and victims' families have been paid to keep quiet. This is yet another example of corruption in China. Maybe the lesson to be learned here is that when you make ridiculously cheap goods and threaten the economies of other countries, some of your workers will die. I guess this is just the law of economics evening things out.

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China Surpasses U.S. in CO2 Emissions and Exports

2008-01-24T08:45:00.000-05:00

JUST as sports fans care deeply about their team’s position in the league, countries feel the same about their economic ranking. In 2007, there was much leapfrogging in league tables, with America often a loser to China. China's exports exceeded America’s for the first time last year. Yet more table-topping is expected in 2008. However, China may be less proud to overtake America as the world’s largest carbon-dioxide emitter. But measured per person, the average Chinese will be responsible for much lower emissions than the average American.

Click here for more:

This graph that was found on the Economist web site talking of China passing the United States in exports, a huge achievement for the country, but it comes at a heavy price and this is why this graph is so significant because China has become the worlds largest producer of CO2 due to its rather large spike of in CO2 omissions, due to its amazing growth during this decade and the Chinese government is not happy about becoming the worlds biggest polluter

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Chinese Economy Boom

2008-01-24T08:30:00.000-05:00

China growth reaches 13-year high

Building and infrastructure projects are fuelling economic growthThe Chinese economy has expanded by 11.4% over the past year, reaching its fastest growth rate in 13 years, officials have announced.

Increased exports and a boom in the construction industry helped the rapid expansion during 2007.

But officials warned that overheating remained a danger, despite a slight slow-down in the fourth quarter.

Inflation is also a serious concern, with many Chinese people hit by recent dramatic increases in food prices.

For more, click here

The Chinese economy has boomed over 11 percent, hitting a high for the last 13 years. It is yet to be determined if China has passed Germany as the 3rd largest economy, however, inflation is still a problem. So watch out America, because the infection of cheap Chinese goods will probably become worse. And so will your company.

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Graph of the predicted population growth and movement from rural to urban!!

2008-01-23T13:33:00.000-05:00

These are graphs showing the predicted population growth in the four major countries (excluding the EU) showing a sharp growth of population in India and China before it begins to decline in China around 2030. In the next graph it shows the changes of the Chinese moving from the rural areas to the urban areas where around 2020 there predict that there will be move living in urban areas than rural.

You can read more here:

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China in power shortage warning!

2008-01-23T13:22:00.000-05:00

China says it is facing serious power shortages as severe winter weather continues to cause unusually high demand for electricity.

Thirteen regions have already started to ration power supplies, the official Xinhua news agency reported.

It said coal reserves were down to emergency levels and stockpiles were only high enough to generate power for the whole country for eight days.

China's economic boom has led to surging demand for electricity.

The coal industry has struggled to keep up, partly because of the government's campaign to close many small mines on safety grounds.

For more Click here

This is significant to China because the shortage of power due to the extreme weather that had hit China the Coal stockpiles have hit emergency levels stating that there is only enough coal to power all of China for 8 days, this also has to do with China closing many small Coal mines due to safety concerns.

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Assessment Complete

2008-01-20T20:22:00.001-05:00

Change in Execution Methods

2008-01-18T08:48:00.000-05:00

A change in technique for the world's busiest executioners?

CHINA'S leaders love talking about all the indicators that show China leading the world. Whether it is growth rates, production figures or trade volumes, officials relish any chance to unleash a barrage of dazzling statistics. They are less gung-ho about another category where China leaves the world trailing: use of the death penalty. Indeed, the number of Chinese criminal executions remains a state secret.

Foreign human-rights groups make valiant efforts to scour local press reports and tally the sums, but reckon they hear about only a fraction of the cases. In 2006 Amnesty International, a human-rights lobbying group, counted 2,790 people sentenced to death in China and 1,010 executed. Other groups put annual executions at 7,500 or more. Even per head, using low estimates, China probably outstrips every country but Singapore. It also has a greater number of capital offences than anywhere else: more than 60. These include murder and other violent crimes, but also smuggling, drug trafficking and many “economic crimes” such as bribe-taking, embezzlement and even tax evasion.

This month it was revealed that China is planning a big change. The traditional method of execution—a single bullet to the back of the convict's head—is to be replaced by a lethal injection. Jiang Xingchang, of the Supreme People's Court, told the press this is because injections are considered “more humane”. The option was first authorised experimentally in China in 1997 and has since been used in many cities, including Kunming, Wuhan, Chengdu and Shanghai. Mr Jiang did not provide a timetable for an end to death by gunshot, but said the newer method has been favourably received by “all quarters of society, including those sentenced to death and their families.”

For more, click here: http://www.economist.com/world/asia/displaystory.cfm?story_id=10498179

China holds the records for the most executions per year, and there method is a single bullet to the back of the head. However, they are changing their method to a more humane treatment of lethal injection. China refuses to reveal their true number of exeutions but it is estimated that in 2006, over 1000 executions happened in China.

Mayfield: Try this method for linking to an article.

Click here.

Much more professional looking than a long URL.

2008-01-18T08:46:00.000-05:00

Capitalist China!

alittle old and alot new!

China carmakers eye US market

2008-01-18T08:32:00.001-05:00

By Jorn Madslien Business reporter, BBC News, Detroit auto show

From a basement at the Detroit auto show, directly below the main show floor, several Chinese auto companies are displaying an impressive array of cars whilst eagerly eyeing the American market.

Cars made in China are set to go on sale in the US within months, industry observers predict.

"You might even see some early guys this year," says Angus MacKenzie, editor-in-chief, Motortrend.

The number of Chinese models on display at the show should be enough to spook the established automotive firms.

The weirdest looking of the lot is the egg shaped Tang Hua from Li Shi Guang Ming Automobile.

BYD Auto (short for Build Your Dreams), meanwhile, is showing a contemporary-looking convertible with a retractable hard top; the first by a Chinese car maker.

Yet it is Chamco, which is showing a couple of 4x4s, that is expected to enter the market first later this year.

"I think the consumers will embrace these sturdy cars," says Chamco chief William Pollack.

Read more on Chinese cars here:http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/7188848.stm

Citroen regrets Mao ad "Insult"

2008-01-17T08:48:00.000-05:00

French carmaker Citroen has withdrawn an ad featuring a doctored portrait of former Chinese leader Mao Zedong, after complaints it was an insult.

In the ad, carried in Spanish newspaper El Pais, Mao scowls at a hatchback.

"It's true, we are leaders, but at Citroen the revolution never stops," reads the text below the portrait.

Citroen apologised for the "inappropriate" ad, which Chinese chatroom users had complained "hurts our national pride".

"This is no small thing," said one visitor to a chatroom about the ad - based on the famous portrait of Mao which hangs in Beijing's Tiananmen Square.

"It has an influence on the whole country. It damages the whole Chinese people."

This Article that was found on the BBC, spoke of an ad that was run by the French car maker Citroen in a spanish newpaper showing Mao intreged at the new El Pais, the people of china aren't too happy about this image, stating that it is offencive and wrong to alter the image of Mao.

You can read more on this issue at:http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7190249.stm

Chinese Journalist Beat to Death

2008-01-17T08:43:00.000-05:00

BEIJING, China (CNN) -- Wei Wenhua was a model communist and is now a bloggers' hero -- a "citizen journalist" turned martyr.

Wei Wenhua was beaten to death after he took pictures of a streetside fracas between villagers and authorities.

The construction company manager was driving his car when he witnessed an ugly scene: a team of about 50 city inspectors beating villagers who tried to block trucks from unloading trash near their homes.

Wei took out his cell phone and began taking pictures. The city inspectors saw Wei and then attacked him in a beating that lasted five minutes. By the time it was over, the 41-year-old Wei was slumped unconscious. He was rushed to the hospital but was dead on arrival.

His death earlier this month continues to stir controversy. In China's mainstream media and in the blogosphere, angry Chinese are demanding action.

After the Web site sina.com published news of Wei's beating, readers promptly expressed their outrage. In one day alone, more than 8,000 posted comments. Bloggers inside and outside China bluntly condemned the brutal killing.

For more, click here: http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/01/16/china.blogger/index.html

Citizens are claiming that the city inspectors are worse than the mafia, and corruption seems to be the main problem. These inspectors, tasked with dealing with petty crimes, have recently been seen chasing away street vendors and confiscating their goods. Now they have taken it too far, killing an innocent citizen who was just watching the city inspectors attempt to dump trash in neighbors's yards.

Yangtze hit by drought in China

2008-01-17T08:29:00.000-05:00

Yangtze hit by drought in China!

More than 40 ships have been stranded in the Yangtze, China is facing its worst drought in a decade, with water in parts of the Yangtze River at the lowest level in 142 years, state media has reported.

Millions of people were short of water, and dozens of ships had run aground in the river since October, reports said.

Officials said low water levels in the Yangtze were not linked to construction of the massive Three Gorges Dam.

China faces droughts and floods annually but has seen a recent increase in extreme weather conditions.

In the major Yangtze port city of Hankou, water levels fell to 13.98m (46ft) in early January - the lowest level since records began in 1866, China Daily said, citing local media.

"This year's drought is rare," the daily quoted a local farmer as saying.

"Just days ago, I saw ship after ship running aground. I have never seen that before."

Supporters say the dam will prevent flooding and generate electricity
Water levels in other rivers and reservoirs in China are also reported to be at record lows.
Officials said that an earlier than expected dry season was to blame for the drought.
Authorities have already warned that climate change could make weather conditions in China much tougher in the years ahead.

Large amounts of water were also stored behind the Three Gorges Dam last month, causing a 50% reduction in the flow volume of the Yangtze, China Daily said.
But the Yangtze River Water Resource Commission said this was not the cause of the problem, the daily added.

Supporters of the dam say it will prevent devastating floods and provide much-needed hydroelectric power but there are concerns over its environmental impact.

For more please visit: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7193252.stm

This basically told us of an extreme drought that the Chinese are dealing with the Yangtze river, some claim that this is because of the building of the massive Three Gorges Dam that has blocked the flow of 50% of the Yangtze, but the state claims that this is not the case but rather that climate change. This drought is very similar to the drought that we have experienced here in Georgia other than the Yangtze is an important shipping lane for inland china as well as it provides millions and millions of people with food and water.

Corruption in China

2008-01-16T21:01:00.000-05:00

China in anti-corruption struggle
Mr Hu has warned that corruption threatens the party's survivalTackling corrupt practices that have become widespread among Chinese officials will be a very tough task, President Hu Jintao has acknowledged.

Addressing the problem would be a "long-term, complicated and difficult struggle", he told the Communist Party's anti-corruption watchdog.
The practice is prevalent throughout the ranks of China's bureaucracy.

Mr Hu warned last year that the party's "very survival" depended on how it tackled the issue. The all-pervasive corruption is seen as a major source of social discontent across the country - which the authorities fear could develop into unrest.

For more click here: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7191021.stm

Chinese public is concerned with the corruption in their government. The corruption has become a serious issue and in recent months, several government officials have been suspected including Shanghai's Communist Party boss. Several reforms were made such as better education, tougher punishment for corrupt officials and more checks and balances.

2008-01-15T09:00:00.000-05:00

Chairman Yao

China

2008-01-15T08:58:00.001-05:00

Helpful Suggestions and Constructive Criticisms

2008-01-08T14:29:00.000-05:00

I will post stuff here to help you from time to time.