3 November 2015

Gentlefolk

This post has the News Summary for October 2015 (see below).  

We are now in Week 9 of this semester, so at the half-way point. Time flies when you are having fun!

The Autumn weather has been exceptional this year.  I was swimming in the ocean until 22 October, much later than other years.  But on 26 October a cooler change came through, and temperatures last week dropped by about 10 C (from max of 24C to 14C).  A couple of wet days, but still generally sunny and quite pleasant.   But colder weather can’t be too far away.

As you know, I compile a monthly summary of news items, with a focus on news on China.  

There is so much competition for space within Western media outlets that usually only the unusual, sensational, or bizarre gets a mention. Hopefully this summary will give you a better idea of some of the things happening in China.

The events/items included are not necessarily the headlines, but rather things which caught my eye.

The second list, international events reported in China, is basically for me.  There are so many things happening around the world (information overload!), that I find it useful to have such a list to look back at. 

These news items were sourced from the China Daily newspaper 1 – 31 October 2015. 

Actual events usually occurred a day or two before they appeared in the China Daily newspaper. 

Currency shown is US$, and the exchange rate used this month is US$1 = Yuan 6.3.

Remember: the China Daily is a government newspaper whose main purpose in life is to make the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the Chinese Government look good.  But if you strip away the propaganda, there is still quite a lot of interesting stuff in the paper. 

Events which made the news in China in October 2015

(a) Domestic (in China) events and news

1 Oct	New commemoration, Martyr’s Day, was held on 30 September to honour deceased national heroes.
	At a reception to celebrate China’s National Day (1 October), Premier Li Ke Qiang said China is on the way to achieving its goals for this year: 7% GDP growth; 10 m new jobs; international trade up by 6%; energy intensity (units of energy used per unit of GDP) down by 3%.
2	Package bombs exploded at 13 locations in Guangxi.  10 dead, 51 injured. Traced to Wei Yin Yong, 33, who died in one of the blasts. In response, the govt introduced “real name” registration when sending packages by courier or through the post.
	The minimum down-payment by first home buyers was reduced from 30% to 25%, except in Tier 1 cities. Building starts are down 17% so far this year.  Property is estimated to represent 15% of GDP.
5	The Beijing Municipal Govt said that the whole city is now under CCTV surveillance. Beijing has 850,000 volunteer “security guards”, mainly retired folk.
	The Forbidden Palace (aka the Palace Museum) in Beijing has imposed a daily limit of 80,000 visitors (50,000 to be booked online). It has compiled a “blacklist” of 2,500 illegal vendors, guides and scalpers.  Four new areas have been opened – now 65% of the Palace is accessible to the public.
7	China’s population is expected to peak at 1.41 billion in 2025.
8	Several instances of tourists being scammed during the National Day Holidays (1-7 October), such as a restaurant in Qingdao which charged a customer $240 for a plate of prawns ($6 per prawn!); and a bar in Lijiang which charged a customer $795 for drinking wine.
	A new high-speed train line will be built from Hongdao Bay in Northern Qingdao to Jinan at an estimated cost of $9.4 billion.  The journey will take only one hour.
9	The National Statistics Office announced that China will adopt the IMF’s Special Data Dissemination Standard for statistics.
	Governor of Fujian, Su Shu Lin, is under investigation for corruption.  First sitting Governor to be caught in the anti-corruption drive.
10	Respected economist Du Run Sheng, “Father of rural reform”, died aged 102.
	The Govt announced plan to recycle rainwater in urban areas, expected to cost $14 billion.
12	Consumption of dairy products in China increased from 7 kg per person in 2004 to 19 kg in 2014. Forecast is for 10% growth per annum over next 5 years.
	108,654 ‘new energy’ vehicles were sold in China in the first 8 months of 2015.  Aim is to have charging facilities for 5 million electric & hybrid cars by 2020. Older vehicles which do not meet current emission standards will be scrapped.
	Actress Yang Ying (aka Angelababy), 26, married actor Huang Xiao Ming, 37, in a glittering ceremony at the Shanghai Exhibition Center. Estimated cost $31m.
14	During the National Day Holidays (1 – 7 October) and estimated 740 million trips were made, most by road but also by air and sea. Huge traffic jams prompted calls holidays to be spread out, and for employees to take paid leave. Most popular foreign destinations were Japan, Korea, and Thailand. 300 million people have drivers licences in China today.
15	Govt to spend $22 billion on improving internet connections in rural areas.
	Ministry of Transport published quite restrictive draft regulations for the emerging car-hailing industry. Taxi industry concerned about this new competition.
16	According to Greenpeace, only 20% of China’s 367 major cities achieved national PM2.5 standards.
	Hurun’s China Rich List contained 596 billionaires (USA 537). China’s richest man is Wang Jian Lin (Wanda Group - property), followed by Ma Yun (Alibaba - ecommerce), and then Zhong Qing Hou (Wahaha Group – food & beverage). Alibaba announced that it will increase its 18% stake in Youku (China’s YouTube) to a majority shareholding.
	An estimated 70.2 million Chinese live on less than $1 per day.
19	China’s wind power capacity is forecast to reach 120 gigawatts by the end of this year. China has 22 nuclear power reactors (installed capacity of 20 GW); another 26 reactors are under construction.
	Sales of Passenger Motor Vehicles for the first 9 months of 2015 totalled 14.6 million units (up 2.8% on the same period in 2014).
	China’s National Youth Games held in Fuzhou, Fujian Province, 18 – 27 October.
20	China has about 100 million registered pets, 10% of which are in Guangdong Province. One-in-13 Chinese has a pet (62% dogs, 19% cats, others include tortoises, fish, rabbits, birds, etc).
	China’s GDP increased by 6.9% in Q3 2015, the lowest increase since Q1 2009.
21	Investigation into the death of Miao Chun Qi (54, from HLJ) in Hong Kong.  He was on a super-cheap tour and intervened in a brawl related to 'forced shopping'.
	Thick smog blanketed Beijing and other cities – partly due to farmers burning corn stalks.  Also, winter heating is mostly coal-generated and adds about 20% to PM2.5 levels.
22	The Communist Party of China (CPC) has 88 million members (about 10% of the adult population).  New regulations published on ethical behaviour of members.
24	To stimulate the economy, the Central Bank (Peoples Bank of China) “double cut”: cut interest rates by 25 points to 4.35%; and cut Reserve Requirement Ratio of banks. The Shanghai Composite Index closed at 3429 (17% higher than its low on 26 August).
	The 5th Plenary session of the 18th Central Committee of the CPC will be held in Beijing from 26 to 29 October.  Major agenda items: discuss the 13th 5 Year Plan (2016-2020), and fill senior positions of the CPC. Outcomes announced on 30 October included the end of the One Child Policy; in future all couples can have two children. Estimated 90 million couples will be eligible for a second child.  It will take some weeks (or months) for this change to filter down to local levels. 2017 will be “Year of the Monkey”, a popular birth-year in China. The meeting also announced the aim to double GDP from 2010 to 2020.
28	A piece of the skull of Sakymuni, the founder of Buddhism, was installed in the Foding Temple outside Nanjing.
	1.39 million applicants will sit the National Civil Service exam in November, for 27,817 vacancies.
	IELTS cancelled some exam results as it said too many Chinese test-takers were relying on memorising questions & answers.  Some parts of IELTS will be changed, to better measure student’s real English skills.
31	Baidu (China’s Google) Q3 2015 profit $395m, down 36% on Q3 2014 result.
	Tianjin Court ordered ConocoPhillips to pay $266,000 to 21 local fishermen for loss of income due to a major oil spill in the Bohai Sea in 2011.
	Official visit to China by German Chancellor, Angela Merkel; her 8th visit in 10 years.

(b) International events

1 Oct	In support of President Assad, Russia begins air-strikes in Syria targeting Islamic State.
2	Official ceremony to raise Palestine’s flag at United Nations in New York.
	The number of Chinese students in the USA has increased from about 62,000 in 2005 to 274,000 now.
3	Mass shooting at Umpqua Community College in Roseberg, Oregon by Christopher Mercer.
	US airstrike against Taliban rebels in Kunduz, Afghanistan hit a Doctors Without Borders (MSF) hospital. 22 dead (including 12 MSF staff). Obama apologised.
7	Beijing said it welcomed the Trans Pacific Partnership FTA agreed by 12 countries in Atlanta (Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, NZ, Peru, Singapore, USA and Vietnam).  But each country must still ratify.
	85 year old pharmacologist Tu You You became the first Chinese to win a Nobel Prize for Medicine.  She discovered Artemisinin, an anti-malaria drug.
9	Indonesia agreed to accept international help to fight the fires causing the haze over Singapore and Malaysia.
	FIFA’s Ethics Committee banned Blatter and Platini for 90 days during investigation.
	NBA: LA Clippers and Charlotte Hornets will play two pre-season games in China: 11 Oct in Shenzhen and 14 Oct in Shanghai. Jeremy Lin now plays for the Hornets. The team is owned by Michael Jordan.
10	DPRK celebrated the 70th anniversary of the founding of the Workers Party.  China represented by Politburo member Liu Yun Shan.
	At least 1,400 died in a stampede by Haj pilgrims near Mecca.
12	The China Tennis Open in Beijing. Women Final: Muguruza (Spain) beat Bacsinszky (Swiss) and Men Final: Djokovic (Serbia) beat Nadal (Spain).
	Twin bombings at a Pro-Kurdish rally in Ankara. 128 dead, many injured. Blamed on Islamic State.
	International interest in Chinese language soars.  In 2012 18,000 Chinese teachers were sent abroad; expected to increase to 50,000 teachers by 2020.
14	The Dutch Safety Board declared that a BUK missile caused the MH17 crash in Ukraine.
	AB InBev will take over SAB Miller for $104 billion.  The merged company will produce one-in-three beers worldwide.
17	A Cuban band performed at the White House – historic moment.
	A Chinese consortium will build the Jakarta to Bandung high-speed train for an estimated $5.5 billion.  150 km, the journey will take just 40 minutes.
19	President Xi Jin Ping and First Lady Peng Li Yuan started 4-day official visit to United Kingdom. Stayed at Buckingham Palace. Chinese / British companies signed deals worth $62 billion during visit. Britain eased visa rules for Chinese visitors: now multiple-entry 2 year visas.
21	390 South Koreans travelled to the DPRK for family reunion; to be followed by another 250 next week.
	The Liberal Party won the Canadian general elections. New Prime Minister will be Justin Trudeau, 43 (eldest son of Pierre Trudeau and Margaret Sinclair).
	Oscar Pistorius (“Blade runner”) released on parole after serving 12 months of a 5 year sentence for the manslaughter of Reeva Steenkamp in February 2013.
	Yum Brands (parent of KFC, Pizza Hut, Taco Bell, etc) has a turnover of $31 billion from 41,000 outlets in 125 countries. It will split off its China business into a separate company. It has 6,900 outlets in China which generate 57% of its revenue and 54% of its profit.
24	Thailand is expecting 30 million visitors in 2015 (including 8 m from China).
	Continuing huge migrant flows into Europe mainly from Middle East. Hungary closed its borders. Turmoil in Croatia & Slovenia. European leaders meet to try to find solution.
27	World Health Organisation linked processed meat (sausages, ham, etc) to cancer.
	Lewis Hamilton won the US F1 Grand Prix, and the 2015 Driver’s Championship; his third Championship (2008, 2014, 2015). Mercedes won the 2015 Constructor’s Championship 2 weeks ago.
	NBA: new season started.  GS Warriors beat the NO Pelicans 111 – 95; Steph Curry hot with 40 points. This is Kobe Bryant’s 20th NBA season (all with LA Lakers). He is 37. The Lakers have missed the playoffs for the last 2 seasons.
28	American Navy Missile Destroyer USS Lassen sailed through the 12 nm zone around the Nansha Islands which China claims (also claimed by other countries).  China accused US of “blatant provocation”.
29	Talks on the Syrian crisis held in Vienna, attended by USA, Russia, European and Middle East leaders. Iran invited. The 4 year civil war has created many refugees.
	Apple revenue in July – September 2015 Quarter $52 billion ($13b from China). Apple shares hit $115 in New York. Apple opened its 25th retail store in China – in Dalian.
	Rainy season began in SE Asia; finally, after two months, cleared the haze over Singapore and Malaysia.
31	2015 Rugby World Cup quarterfinals: Australia beat Scotland 35 – 34, and Argentina beat Ireland 43 – 20. Semi-finals: NZ beat South Africa 20 – 18; Wallabies beat Argentina 29-15. Final: NZ beat Australia 34 – 17; South Africa beat Argentina for 3rd place.

Best wishes to you all, keep well and keep smiling.

Alex & Vera Olah

English teachers at the China University of Petroleum, Qingdao

www.upc.edu.cn

Tuesday 3 November 2015.