Opinion - China Daily

Columnists - It is time to rethink new CBDs

By Li Xing — 30 Jul 2010 09:31:47 +0800

On Monday, a worker in Beijing dropped dead while delivering bottled water. The cause of death: heat stroke.

Columnists - Greek wage cuts teach grim lesson

By Hong Liang — 28 Jul 2010 09:07:50 +0800

When the credit crisis rocked the world in 2008, many political leaders and prominent economists in the United States and Europe argued with great fervor and conviction for the need to address the global imbalance, which they considered to be the root cause of the financial calamity that pushed the world into a recession.

Columnists - Joint naval drill only benefits militaries

By Chen Weihua — 27 Jul 2010 09:23:41 +0800

The massive joint military drill by the United States and the Republic of Korea (ROK), which began Sunday in the Sea of Japan, is intended to show off its mighty power.

Columnists - Apple of discord between old and young

By Xu Xiaomin — 24 Jul 2010 13:08:28 +0800

Long queues are not a feature of Shanghai's Expo Garden alone. Just a few days ago one was seen in Pudong's Lujiazui financial area. Thousands of people, most of them young, waited in a hundreds of meters long queue in front of a new Apple store, the first in Shanghai.

Ed-Op Contributors - Respect development rights

By Guo JIping — 30 Jul 2010 09:31:47 +0800

While the world is slowly starting to recover from the worst economic recession in over half a century, China, one of the chief contributors to the rebound, is once again being targeted by the politicians and media outlets of some Western nations.

Editorials - Legitimacy issue

China Daily — 30 Jul 2010 09:31:47 +0800

The quasi-official urban law-enforcement squad, or chengguan, is soon going to be supervised by an intermediate-level official from the Beijing Public Security Bureau.

Editorials - Shared identity

China Daily — 30 Jul 2010 09:31:47 +0800

Citizens of Guangdong province in South China are steadfastly defending their local Cantonese dialect after a politician proposed earlier this month that a local TV station broadcast Asian Games related events in Mandarin.

Editorials - Humanitarian deed

China Daily — 30 Jul 2010 09:31:47 +0800

China has shouldered greater responsibilities in the international arena over the past 60 years, chiefly by providing increased humanitarian aid to foreign countries through multilateral channels.

Ed-Op Contributors - Edgy for now but not forever

By Niu Xinchun — 30 Jul 2010 09:31:47 +0800

Sino-American relations have been strained since the US and the Republic of Korea (ROK) announced they would hold a joint military exercise in the Sea of Japan and the Yellow Sea. To top it, the US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has suggested setting up an international mechanism to settle the South China Sea territorial dispute.

Ed-Op Contributors - Luxury goods can't buy happiness

By William Daniel Garst — 30 Jul 2010 09:31:47 +0800

China's National Bureau of Statistics has announced that the country's economic output rose by over 10 percent in each of the past two quarters even as much of the world economy remains mired in slow growth. Another indicator of China's rapid rebound from the global economic crisis is the sale of luxury goods, with the total amount rising to $9.4 billion by the end of last year.

Ed-Op Contributors - Time to counter US ploys

By LI BING — 29 Jul 2010 09:41:09 +0800

The South China Sea is a body of water with rich natural resources and is of strategic significance to China in a geopolitical sense. The current standstill in resolving territorial disputes in the South China Sea is being exploited as needed pretext for outside interference.

Ed-Op Contributors - Taking disaster prevention seriously

By Chen Longxiang — 29 Jul 2010 09:41:09 +0800

A string of natural disasters has ravaged the mainland, from the serious southwestern drought early this year to the Yushu earthquake in April and widespread floods at present. These have tested the will of the Chinese.

Editorials - Blistering days

China Daily — 29 Jul 2010 09:41:09 +0800

On Wednesday, the maximum temperature in Beijing touched 36 C, the 11th consecutive day in July when the mercury hit such a high level and the second longest stretch of warm days since year 2000, when the blistering run lasted 14 days during the same month.

Editorials - Insincere gesture

China Daily — 29 Jul 2010 09:41:09 +0800

Gestures aimed at reviving stalled military level contacts with China seem blatantly insincere on the part of the US, coming, as it does, at a time of heightened tensions in the region.

Editorials - Reassuring review

China Daily — 29 Jul 2010 09:41:09 +0800

The International Monetary Fund's lavish approbation of China's determined policy response to the worst global recession in more than half a century seems well deserved. Had China not reacted so quickly and effectively to the crisis two years ago, the IMF would not have been able to revise upward its world growth forecast, which have been largely underpinned by strong Chinese growth data.

Ed-Op Contributors - Yuan and absurdity of US demand

By Xin Zhiming — 29 Jul 2010 09:41:09 +0800

The conventional wisdom is that once the value of the yuan is increased, the US trade deficit with China would start falling. This rationale has prompted many Americans to push for further, faster revaluation of the yuan even after China changed its currency policy.

Ed-Op Contributors - End of automotive mobility not far off

By Brian Ladd — 29 Jul 2010 09:41:09 +0800

In the modern world, we cherish our freedom and individuality. And, as automobile advertisers have long understood, few experiences make us feel more liberated than a fast ride with the top down.

Editorials - Demographic changes

China Daily — 28 Jul 2010 09:07:50 +0800

Policymakers face an urgent task, and that is, investing more public funds into building a smart social welfare network that is able to meet head on the challenges underlying demographic changes across the nation.

Editorials - Legal propriety

China Daily — 28 Jul 2010 09:07:50 +0800

The Ministry of Public Security has done the right thing to call a halt to the practice of parading prostitutes in public.

Ed-Op Contributors - Building a new economic order

By CHENG SIWEI — 28 Jul 2010 09:07:50 +0800

Before we talk about our role in a new economic order, we have to achieve consensus on what the new economic order will look like after the financial crisis.

Editorials - Private stimulus

China Daily — 28 Jul 2010 09:07:50 +0800

If recent assurances by the government of boosting private investment are adequately fulfilled, it will amount to yet another stimulus as important as the 4-trillion-yuan one that China initiated in 2008 to fight the global recession.

Ed-Op Contributors - Business is not the same in China

By Wellington K. K. Chan — 28 Jul 2010 09:07:50 +0800

Why has China succeeded so spectacularly in the span of just three decades since the launch of Deng Xiaoping's economic reform? The reasons that are usually cited are China's compelling demographic, geographic and broad cultural factors. What is less understood is that China's success has also depended on its entrepreneurs — and their deeply rooted patterns of activity.

Ed-Op Contributors - Reduced carbon emissions, more growth

By Vinod Thomas and Marvin Taylor-Dormond — 28 Jul 2010 09:07:50 +0800

One of the toughest challenges facing world development is how to promote economic growth and reduce emission of greenhouse gases (GHGs) in the atmosphere, and confronting climate change.

Editorials - Sensible proposal

China Daily — 27 Jul 2010 09:23:41 +0800

The ministries of education and health have jointly issued a proposal to make the country's schools smoke-free. Smoking by teachers and associated staff is to be banned in middle and elementary schools, and kindergartens.

Editorials - Deceptive argument

China Daily — 27 Jul 2010 09:23:41 +0800

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's recent remarks on the South China Sea issue are meant to rekindle the feud among the concerned countries in the region.

Ed-Op Contributors - Reforming public services

By Chi Fulin — 27 Jul 2010 09:23:41 +0800

What should the country focus on in its 12th Five-Year Plan (2011-2015)? This article is part of China Daily's New Roadmap series that brings readers the views of experts on this subject.

Editorials - Stringent rules

China Daily — 27 Jul 2010 09:23:41 +0800

The country's latest move to rein in corruption by stipulating tougher reporting rules on those officials whose immediate family members have emigrated overseas and who are thus dubbed as "naked officials", is a welcome development that was long overdue.

Ed-Op Contributors - The silver lining of wage increase

By Stephen S. Roach — 27 Jul 2010 09:23:41 +0800

Notwithstanding all the hype over rising wages in China, it is entirely premature to declare an end to the global labor cost arbitrage that has long worked in China's favor. China remains highly competitive by international standards, and the recent round of sharp increase in wages is not likely to alter that key conclusion.

Ed-Op Contributors - Asia shouldn't be swayed by West

By Yin Jiwu — 27 Jul 2010 09:23:41 +0800

In a recent column on the US Foreign Policy website, Christian Caryl writes: "The Cold War was scary enough. Now try to imagine a nuclear arms race between China and India." Well, for generations that have grown up after World War II, the Cold War was indeed a nightmare.

Ed-Op Contributors - Working for shared prosperity

By Yuan Wu — 26 Jul 2010 09:36:21 +0800

Even though China failed to qualify for the 19th World Cup in South Africa, it managed to mark its presence through a green energy enterprise, whose advertisements were widely showcased during the first-ever football tourney in the African continent.

Ed-Op Contributors - Protecting society's most vulnerable

By Karen McColl — 26 Jul 2010 09:36:21 +0800

How can we make sure that poor, sick, and marginalized people don't get left behind in the process of economic development? What needs to be done to protect these vulnerable groups in times of crisis? These questions were top of the agenda when Chinese and European counterparts met in Chengdu earlier this month.

Editorials - Muscle flexing

China Daily — 26 Jul 2010 09:36:21 +0800

The timing and unprecedented scale of joint military exercises by the United States and the Republic of Korea (ROK), which began Sunday, could open a Pandora's box, thrusting Northeast Asia and the Korean Peninsula into the centerpiece of contention in yet another great power game.

Editorials - Copycat programs

China Daily — 26 Jul 2010 09:36:21 +0800

The apex regulator for broadcasters may have decided, in principle at least, to deny licenses to copycat television programs, but the move to micromanage what clearly comes under the business purview of non-governmental channels is both unnecessary and a waste of public resources.

Editorials - Flood control

China Daily — 26 Jul 2010 09:36:21 +0800

Severe rainstorms have battered key regions across China over the past weeks. Many lives have been lost and property worth millions destroyed. River water levels have risen to the highest in decades.

Ed-Op Contributors - Peace still has not lost its chance

By Lu Chao — 26 Jul 2010 09:36:21 +0800

The US and the Republic of Korea (ROK) are holding the largest joint military drill since 1976 after blaming the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) for sinking ROK warship Cheonan in March. The DPRK has denied the charge and condemned the military exercise.

Ed-Op Contributors - Draw ROK, DPRK to talks table

By Kim Jin-Young — 26 Jul 2010 09:36:21 +0800

The US-ROK joint military drill, the biggest ever, around the Korean Peninsula has raised China's concerns and made it warn that it could heighten tensions in the region.

Ed-Op Contributors - Realty trouble in the offing

By Zheng Yongnian — 24 Jul 2010 13:08:28 +0800

Housing prices in major Chinese cities apparently increased at a slower pace in June thanks to the central government's strenuous efforts since March to cool the overheated property market. Some government departments have said the slower price rise shows the policies to rein in the property market are working.

Editorials - Population concerns

China Daily — 24 Jul 2010 13:08:28 +0800

According to the blueprint approved By the State Council, the population of Beijing should not exceed 18 million by 2020. But latest local statistics show the city's resident population has already reached 19.72 million. And there is no sign of a slowdown.

Editorials - Hurried lifestyle

China Daily — 24 Jul 2010 13:08:28 +0800

Chinese are in a hurry. They seem like parts of a fast running machine. With China hurtling ahead like the locomotive of the world economy, its people are losing the charm of an easy-paced or, should we say, slow life. The rapid pace of the country's economic progress in recent years has forced many to change gear and live life in the "fast lane."

Editorials - Different disparity

China Daily — 24 Jul 2010 13:08:28 +0800

The first salary survey of all types of enterprises by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) shows an ownership-based fault line in income distribution.

Editorials - Right decision

China Daily — 23 Jul 2010 09:21:31 +0800

The Ministry of Education's latest move to publish a list of more than 400 approved educational programs in the country that are being jointly run with foreign collaborators, is a step in the right direction.

Editorials - Traffic troubles

China Daily — 23 Jul 2010 09:21:31 +0800

Beijing's urban planners can no longer afford to get complacent regarding the rapidly rising number of automobiles, as it is seriously undermining the city's efforts to turn itself into a better place of living.

Columnists - Getting down to action on climate change

By Li Xing — 23 Jul 2010 09:21:31 +0800

Exceptionally high temperatures from New York to Paris, Berlin, and Moscow to Beijing and Shanghai is making climate change a hot topic these days at forums, workshops and conferences.

Ed-Op Contributors - Transparency in Party affairs

By Deng Yuwen — 23 Jul 2010 09:21:31 +0800

A powerful force is needed to steer Chinese citizens toward modernizing and rejuvenating the nation. In the case of China, the mission naturally falls on the shoulders of the Communist Party of China (CPC). To fulfill that critical objective, building the Party into a modern-day institution is crucial.

Editorials - Expanding bloc

China Daily — 23 Jul 2010 09:21:31 +0800

Inviting the United States and Russia to participate in the East Asia Summit (EAS) may contribute to peace, development, cooperation and prosperity in Southeast Asia.

Ed-Op Contributors - Give anti-Beijing bias a break

By Mei Xinyu — 23 Jul 2010 09:21:31 +0800

So many allegations are being leveled against China and so many rumors doing the rounds that Premier Wen Jiabao has had to deny that the investment environment in the country is worsening. During a meeting with visiting German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Xi'an, capital of Shanxi province, on July 17, he said foreign investment would not pour into a country where the investment environment was deteriorating.

Ed-Op Contributors - West wastes energy by lecturing China

By John Coulter — 23 Jul 2010 09:21:31 +0800

A media report earlier this week said China had overtaken the US as the world's biggest energy consumer. The report was based on an interview with Fatih Birol, chief economist of International Energy Agency (IEA). Although a day later Chinese officials refuted the claim, the Western media were quick to shed crocodile tears over an "energy-hungry dragon".

Columnists - TV programs tailored to satisfy youth

By Hong Liang — 22 Jul 2010 09:23:23 +0800

Television on the mainland is made for older folks like me. I watch TV all the time partly, at least, to learn Mandarin. (If you don't already know, I'm a native Cantonese speaker from Hong Kong.) In time, I have come to appreciate some of the locally-produced TV drama series and become a fan of a few outstanding stars, including Wang Baoqiang and Fan Bingbing.

Ed-Op Contributors - Merkel seals strategic gains

By Yu Xiang — 22 Jul 2010 09:23:23 +0800

German Chancellor Angela Merkel's four-day visit to China, which concluded Sunday, has further consolidated bilateral ties, already robust in recent years.

Editorials - Violent enforcers

China Daily — 22 Jul 2010 09:23:23 +0800

Senior law enforcement officials in Wuhan may have acted quickly to punish the police officers responsible for severely beating up a middle-aged woman in front of the provincial Party headquarters Tuesday.

Editorials - Delayed tension

China Daily — 22 Jul 2010 09:23:23 +0800

Strong opposition from China may have, for now, made Washington and Seoul start Sunday its joint naval exercises from the Sea of Japan instead of holding it as planned from the Yellow Sea.

Editorials - Domestic system

China Daily — 22 Jul 2010 09:23:23 +0800

Efforts to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions through domestic cap-and-trade systems have acquired new urgency, as China is set to become the world's largest emitter and energy user in the coming decade.

Ed-Op Contributors - How charity can begin at home

By He Bolin — 22 Jul 2010 09:23:23 +0800

Officials in China do not hog the spotlight after retirement. But Wang Zhenyao is an exception. He is perhaps a more popular figure now as head of Beijing Normal University's One Foundation Community Research Institute than he was a month ago as the director of the Ministry of Civil Affairs' Social Welfare and Charities Division (SWCD). Does it have anything to do with his transformation from a high-ranking official to a "social activist"?

Ed-Op Contributors - Time to unwind stimulus in East Asia

By Srinivasa Madhur — 22 Jul 2010 09:23:23 +0800

Emerging East Asia is virtually assured of a V-shaped recovery from last year's economic slump. It is still too early to proclaim that the "V" stands for "victory", though. But with the recovery on track, it is now time to unwind the policy stimulus that has helped power the recovery. Whether or not the recovery is sustainable depends heavily on the timing, policy mix and pace at which the economic stimulus is withdrawn.

Ed-Op Contributors - Ratings game up for grabs

By Sun Lijian — 21 Jul 2010 09:28:45 +0800

A recent report by Dagong Global Credit Rating Co Ltd on the sovereign debt status of some 50 countries marks an important first step by a ratings agency from a developing country to come up with a global credit ratings review independent of Moody's, Standard & Poor's (S&P) and Fitch, the world's three ratings giants.

Columnists - Change ways of thinking to progress

By Zhu Yuan — 21 Jul 2010 09:28:45 +0800

What is wrong with us Chinese, I wondered recently.

Editorials - Respect nature

China Daily — 21 Jul 2010 09:28:45 +0800

Controlling the deluge along the Yangtze River would have been far easier if the 56.1 billion cubic meter flood storage capacity — lost due to the shrinkage of lakes over the past five decades — had been carefully preserved.

Editorials - Swelling numbers

China Daily — 21 Jul 2010 09:28:45 +0800

Euromonitor International, a market information provider, recently reported that China's middle class — those earning at least 80,000 yuan ($11,800) annually — would touch 700 million, or 48 percent of the country's population, by 2020. The Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, however, forecasts a much leaner group, accounting for just 23 percent of the total population.

Editorials - Consumer choice

China Daily — 21 Jul 2010 09:28:45 +0800

Chinese officials have been quick (and they may well be right) to reject a preliminary report by the International Energy Agency (IEA) which suggests that China had surpassed the United States as the world's biggest energy consumer last year.

Ed-Op Contributors - Make law work for foreign workers

By Sun Lin and Cui Yana — 21 Jul 2010 09:28:45 +0800

In the new box office hit The Karate Kid, known as The Kung Fu Kid in China, an American boy from recession-hit US city of Detroit moves to China with his mother, who finds a job in a thriving Chinese factory. The plot indirectly reflects Westerners' concern over their economic downturn, as well as China's rise.

Ed-Op Contributors - Positive change in US nuke strategy

By Zhang Tuosheng — 21 Jul 2010 09:28:45 +0800

In its 2010 Nuclear Posture Review (NPR), issued in April, the United States has reassessed the changes in the international nuclear security environment and said it would "seek peace and security of a world without nuclear weapons". It has given five key objectives for the coming decade.

Columnists - Be mindful of political correctness

By Chen Weihua — 20 Jul 2010 09:27:09 +0800

I have been an admirer of the US Constitution's First Amendment since my school days.

Editorials - Educational equity

China Daily — 20 Jul 2010 09:27:09 +0800

Students from underdeveloped regions must receive equal access to the best educational facilities — a burning issue that the current educational reform roadmap has to address to help usher in common prosperity for all.

Ed-Op Contributors - Economic traction intact

By Yi Xianrong — 20 Jul 2010 09:27:09 +0800

Macroeconomic data released recently by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) indicate that the Chinese economy is on an upward trajectory despite the pace of growth slowing from that of the previous year.

Editorials - Baseless allegation

China Daily — 20 Jul 2010 09:27:09 +0800

Some foreign business leaders may have recently joined in the rising chorus of complaints regarding China's investment environment, but their allegations remain shaky so long as the fund inflow continues unabated into the country.

Editorials - Fond reminiscence

China Daily — 20 Jul 2010 09:27:09 +0800

Blaming the average citizen for being nostalgic about the good old days seems unfair, especially given the widespread corruption and inequality in present-day society.

Ed-Op Contributors - Economic advice for policymakers

By Ma Jun — 20 Jul 2010 09:27:09 +0800

China has started formulating its 12th Five-Year Plan (2011-2015) by soliciting the advice of officials and economists. The focus of the previous four five-year plans was on setting economic growth targets, which was usually surpassed by growth in real terms.

Ed-Op Contributors - Cheaper green energy, better future

By Bjorn Lomborg — 20 Jul 2010 09:27:09 +0800

Public skepticism about global warming may be growing, but the scientific consensus is as solid as ever: Man-made climate change is real, and we ignore it at our peril. But if that issue is settled (and it should be), there is an equally big and important question that remains wide open: What should we do about it?

Editorials - Brave move

China Daily — 19 Jul 2010 09:34:30 +0800

Well-known Chinese historian and intellectual Zhu Xueqin has publicly responded to charges that he had plagiarized part of his doctoral dissertation, by asking the university concerned to initiate a probe that would clear his name.

Ed-Op Contributors - Double standards in nuke cooperation

By Fu Xiaoqiang — 19 Jul 2010 09:34:30 +0800

The civil nuclear cooperation agreement between Pakistan and Chinese companies has attracted wide attention, with some countries even questioning the legality of the deal. The pact is however a routine development and is a sign of pragmatic cooperation that will in fact be closely supervised by the concerned international authorities.

Ed-Op Contributors - Toward a fair ratings system

By Deng Yuwen — 19 Jul 2010 09:34:30 +0800

A recent report by Dagong Global Credit Rating Co Ltd on the world's sovereign credit status and its risks, is a significant step by a non-Western entity to break the long-established monopoly of Western ratings agencies over the global credit ratings business.

Editorials - Corporate negligence

China Daily — 19 Jul 2010 09:34:30 +0800

Zijin Mining Group Co, which was found releasing pollutants into a local river that killed thousands of tons of fish and rendered its waters unsafe for human consumption, has been ordered to suspend operations. Some of its top managers are in police custody, and the head of the local environmental watchdog has resigned.

Editorials - Just compensation

China Daily — 19 Jul 2010 09:34:30 +0800

If farmers are better compensated for forfeiting their land to the cause of development, many disputes over inadequate monetary relief can be resolved amicably.

Ed-Op Contributors - Put taxpayers' money to better use

By Jia Kang — 19 Jul 2010 09:34:30 +0800

The debate over whether China is a "rich country with many impoverished people" shows the public is paying greater attention to the widening income gap and has made it important for the government to deal with the sensitive issue properly.

Ed-Op Contributors - Build sound public finance system

By Wang Zhanyang — 19 Jul 2010 09:34:30 +0800

China's huge administrative expense shows the government's distribution system is far from reasonable. This makes China a prosperous country but with a large population that lives in poor conditions. The basic reason why some people say China is a "rich country with many impoverished people" is the government's failure to establish a sound public finance system.

Ed-Op Contributors - Equal platform, mutual benefit

By He Wenping — 17 Jul 2010 11:10:57 +0800

The rapidly evolving China-Africa relationship has elicited different types of response from the international community, from accusations such as "China is practicing neocolonialism in Africa" and "China is plundering resources in Africa" to balanced views like "China is promoting Africa's development and creating opportunities".

Ed-Op Contributors - From Expo to Chinese philosophy

By Andrew Sheng — 17 Jul 2010 11:10:57 +0800

I just spent two days at the Shanghai 2010 Expo, enjoying not only cool weather, but also the intense debate on the world in the midst of crisis and the G20 Summit in Toronto.

Editorials - Green temptation

China Daily — 17 Jul 2010 11:10:57 +0800

The report on energy consumption that the statistical and energy authorities issued jointly Thursday showed the economy was much greener than previously thought.

Editorials - Corruption conundrum

China Daily — 17 Jul 2010 11:10:57 +0800

The United States Department of Justice has intensified its investigation into the Control Component Inc (CCI) bribery case and has been nailing more Chinese firms, but its Chinese counterparts have been silent.

Editorials - American intimidation

China Daily — 17 Jul 2010 11:10:57 +0800

It is rare for the Foreign Ministry to vehemently oppose an event five times in less than a month. But that is exactly what it has done to the proposed naval exercise between the United States and the Republic of Korea (ROK).

Ed-Op Contributors - Speed industry restructuring

By Shujie Yao — 16 Jul 2010 10:29:47 +0800

Even though China's leaders prize stability, they may come to look back on recent labor strikes as a healthy and vital turning point on China's twisting path to development.

Ed-Op Contributors - No escape from environmental concerns

By LI XING — 16 Jul 2010 10:29:47 +0800

Two months ago, I shared my experiences covering the Copenhagen Climate Change Conference at a forum that examined the roles and influences of government, the media, and non-governmental organizations.

Editorials - Food safety

China Daily — 16 Jul 2010 10:29:47 +0800

The use of flavoring essence, as an additive in low quality rice, has turned out to be the latest in the series of food safety related scandals — after melamine-tainted milk, recycled edible oil and vegetables contaminated with high levels of pesticide — to rock the nation recently.

Editorials - Growth consolidation

China Daily — 16 Jul 2010 10:29:47 +0800

China's V-shaped rebound from the worst global downturn in more than half a century may be slowing a bit, with growth moderating to 10.3 percent year-on-year in the second quarter from 11.9 percent in the previous one.

Ed-Op Contributors - Trade tops Merkel agenda

By Fraser Cameron — 16 Jul 2010 10:29:47 +0800

German Chancellor Angela Merkel's visit to China is seeking to cement economic ties between the economic powerhouses of Europe and Asia. China's remarkable growth, even when other G20 countries were struggling last year to deal with the worst economic recession in decades, has enabled Asia as a whole to emerge in a much better shape.

Ed-Op Contributors - A fickle river and power of a good idea

By Leong Ching — 16 Jul 2010 10:29:47 +0800

The Yellow River is the lifeblood of China, but it has an inconvenient trait — flooding when it pleases, submerging crops and depositing sediment as high as rooftops. At other times, it can shrink to a trickle, refusing to travel all the way to meet the sea.

Ed-Op Contributors - Cultural desert in corporate courtyard

By Hong Liang — 15 Jul 2010 10:57:33 +0800

Shanghai has got everything it may need to qualify as a modern metropolis of international stature, except a cultural milieu.

Editorials - Scientific system

China Daily — 15 Jul 2010 10:57:33 +0800

Torrential rains have inundated quite a few cities this summer, and the root cause of that lies in today's drainage system, which has proven woefully inadequate in countering downpours of this magnitude.

Editorials - Public program

China Daily — 15 Jul 2010 10:57:33 +0800

The Beijing city administration will disburse 100 million yuan to non-governmental organizations in lieu of services for 300 public welfare programs this year.

Ed-Op Contributors - Time to change wheels

By Ma Hongman — 15 Jul 2010 10:57:33 +0800

Dongfeng Motor Corporation, Shanghai Automotive Industry Co, and First Automobile Works (FAW) Group, the country's three flagship automakers, together reaped billions of yuan in net profit in the first quarter of this year, far more than what international carmakers such as Toyota, Volkswagen and General Motors made in the same period.

Editorials - Cooperation agenda

China Daily — 15 Jul 2010 10:57:33 +0800

German Chancellor Angela Merkel's three-day visit to Beijing starting Thursday may be taken as the clearest indication yet that both nations are keen to push bilateral ties to a higher level.

Ed-Op Contributors - Not yet voice of the people

By Li Tao — 15 Jul 2010 10:57:33 +0800

China's media landscape has changed drastically in recent years in which the country's rapid economic growth has had a major role to play. The reform and opening up and the subsequent relaxation of government regulations saw the birth of market-oriented media in China, after which even flagship Party newspapers began publishing profitable weeklies and dailies.

Ed-Op Contributors - The importance of quality education

By Sally Thomas — 15 Jul 2010 10:57:33 +0800

Education and academic quality can mean different things to different people, depending on their perspective, role and context and, in part because of this, quality is notoriously difficult to evaluate. The question of how to do this has been pursued for many years.

Ed-Op Contributors - Time now to revise your resumé

By Chen Weihua — 14 Jul 2010 10:49:56 +0800

With former Microsoft China head Tang Jun in the spotlight for allegedly getting a fake doctorate from a dubious American university — and not, as he is known, for his business acumen — some officials and business executives may want to revise their resumes now.

Ed-Op Contributors - Tackle issues in shared spirit

By Yu Xiang — 14 Jul 2010 10:49:56 +0800

China and Germany must push forward bilateral ties to better seize opportunities and combat challenges in the post-crisis era.

Editorials - Opaque move

China Daily — 14 Jul 2010 10:49:56 +0800

It is time local governments come clean on the issue of higher entry rates at sites of historical value, as proposed recent hikes — apart from provoking a public backlash — may well serve as yet another opportunity for the corrupt to make some more money.

Editorials - Acceptable rents

China Daily — 14 Jul 2010 10:49:56 +0800

Young college graduates may be moving out of vibrant metros such as Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou, to reside in smaller cities, but rents there are not altogether friendly either.

Editorials - Beneficial message

China Daily — 14 Jul 2010 10:49:56 +0800

Cross-Straits ties seem well on track to touch greater heights following goodwill messages by top leaders on both sides, which has come close on the heels of a historic trade pact inked last month.

Ed-Op Contributors - Cheonan case: UN vague as usual

By Zhang Liangui — 14 Jul 2010 10:49:56 +0800

On July 9, the Security Council issued a statement by its chairman on the Cheonan affair. The statement came more than a month after the Republic of Korea (ROK) submitted the case to the United Nations accusing the People's Democratic Republic of Korea (DPRK) of sinking its warship on March 26.

Ed-Op Contributors - Reform for the benefit of workers

By Ronald C. Brown — 14 Jul 2010 10:49:56 +0800

Events often trigger reforms. Recent labor strikes in China at Honda and Foxconn may present one of those events that provide an opportunity for reflection on China's labor laws and labor relations.

Editorials - Healthy mindset

China Daily — 13 Jul 2010 10:51:30 +0800

A lengthy article on cultivating a "heaL-thy national mindset" in the People's Daily on Monday indicates that the Communist Party of China is worried. The nation's preoccupation with the economy and consequent neglect of the non-material aspects of life has distorted its psyche for far too long.

Editorials - Difficult road

China Daily — 13 Jul 2010 10:51:30 +0800

Easing housing price pressures indicate that Chinese policymakers have managed to arrest for the moment at least the recent reckless surge seen in property prices.

Ed-Op Contributors - Tough task for DPJ

By Zhang Lili — 13 Jul 2010 10:51:30 +0800

The coalition government led by the ruling Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) has suffered a big loss in the Upper House vote on Sunday, winning only 44 seats out of the contested 121, or half of the total 242 seats in the house. The People's New Party, the DPJ's coalition partner, failed to win any seat.

Ed-Op Contributors - Consumption tax raise hit prospects

By Hu Feiyue — 13 Jul 2010 10:51:30 +0800

The ruling Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) suffered a major blow after winning just 44 seats in the nation's Upper House elections on July 11, far short of Prime Minister Naoto Kan's target of 54. A total of 121 seats were being contested by the party in the election.

Editorials - Exercise restraint

China Daily — 13 Jul 2010 10:51:30 +0800

The pending joint naval exercise by the United States and the Republic of Korea (ROK) on the Yellow Sea is gradually drawing widespread public ire in China.

Ed-Op Contributors - Modernizing navy for self-defense

By Gong Jianhua — 13 Jul 2010 10:51:30 +0800

Reports in some foreign media outlets that Beijing considers South China Sea a part of its "core interests" have caused concern among some countries.

Ed-Op Contributors - EU exchange creates knowledge gap

By Duncan Freeman — 13 Jul 2010 10:51:30 +0800

The European Union-China relationship has many dimensions, almost all of them to some degree controversial. Debates rage around issues of trade, investment, human rights and, more recently, climate change.

Ed-Op Contributors - Navy drill cause for concern

By li jie — 12 Jul 2010 10:35:06 +0800

A joint navy drill by the US and the Republic of Korea (ROK) in the Yellow Sea has aggravated concern among East Asian nations, especially China, over regional peace and stability.

Ed-Op Contributors - Understanding global supply chain

By Andrew Sheng — 12 Jul 2010 10:35:06 +0800

Being a large city in the Western and inland region, Chongqing is less dependent on exports and more on domestic consumption and investment. Having invested in good infrastructure, the city's priorities are now to tackle crime and make the city greener.

Editorials - Diploma mills

China Daily — 12 Jul 2010 10:35:06 +0800

Hundreds of students at the Beijing TV and Broadcasting University were found cheating in exams held Saturday even as supervisors turned a blind eye to their shenanigans.

Editorials - Wrong approach

China Daily — 12 Jul 2010 10:35:06 +0800

Inducting policemen into hospital administrations may effectively deter or quickly resolve conflicts between wronged patients and staff, but will do very little to assuage public perception about the impartiality of law enforcers.

Editorials - Shifting gears

China Daily — 12 Jul 2010 10:35:06 +0800

A sharp decline in the trade surplus during the first half of 2010 indicates that China, the world's fastest-growing major economy, has significantly lifted domestic demand to drive double-digit economic growth.

Ed-Op Contributors - Social justice can reverse the flow

By Xu Youyu — 12 Jul 2010 10:35:06 +0800

The emigration of an increasing number of the social elite from China in the past decade has drawn the attention of the media, the government and the public alike.

Ed-Op Contributors - More emigrants, greater prosperity

By Adam McKeown — 12 Jul 2010 10:35:06 +0800

News and commentary about the increased emigration of wealthy Chinese have been making the rounds in China and Asia. Their numbers are not especially big.

Ed-Op Contributors - It's still a long road out there

By Ding Yifan — 10 Jul 2010 11:12:20 +0800

China's economic performance since the global financial crisis has been in sharp contrast to other countries. It recorded an economic growth of 9.1 percent last year, whereas the economies of the United States, European countries and Japan slowed down.

Ed-Op Contributors - Sensational session with online 'vulgarity'

By Xu Xiaomin — 10 Jul 2010 11:12:20 +0800

Luo Yufeng, a 25-year-old woman from Chongqing, doesn't have the face of a movie star, the figure of a model or the voice of a songbird. In fact, at 1.46 m, she is shorter than normal Chinese women, and is bucktoothed. Against all odds, she became an overnight sensation on television and the Internet by making outrageous comments that viewers found to be either very funny or, well, outrageous.

Editorials - Credential lies

China Daily — 10 Jul 2010 11:12:20 +0800

Scores of Chinese entrepreneurs are in the spotlight for allegedly lying about or faking their academic qualifications. The most prominent among them is Tang Jun, president and CEO of Xin Hua Du Industrial Co.

Editorials - Melamine mess

China Daily — 10 Jul 2010 11:12:20 +0800

In 2008, when Sanlu and its likes poisoned the nation with melamine-contaminated milk, they told us the "severe crackdown" would relieve us of all our worries.

Editorials - Corporate check

China Daily — 10 Jul 2010 11:12:20 +0800

As the world's third largest economy it is no surprise that China boasts 54 of this year's Fortune Global 500 companies in terms of revenue, with three of them being in the top 10.

Columnists - Should 'Harvard girl' be a role model?

By Li Xing — 09 Jul 2010 10:05:32 +0800

The results of the annual college entrance examinations are in, and the media are full of success stories.

Ed-Op Contributors - Party opens democracy window

By Qin Xiaoying — 09 Jul 2010 10:05:32 +0800

It is common knowledge that the Communist Party of China (CPC) is the nation's sole ruling party. Over the past three decades, the Party has led millions of Chinese out of poverty after the reform and opening-up policy led to massive economic development.

Editorials - Criminal folly

China Daily — 09 Jul 2010 10:05:32 +0800

The execution of a former justice chief in Chongqing Wednesday should not stall efforts to ensure that China's public security apparatus is rid of corrupt officials.

Editorials - Plagiarism blight

China Daily — 09 Jul 2010 10:05:32 +0800

Once again, the issue of plagiarism has rocked China's academia.

Editorials - Scuttling investment

China Daily — 09 Jul 2010 10:05:32 +0800

US lawmakers seeking to scuttle Chinese investment in a local steel firm are actually doing a disservice to the moribund American economy, which badly needs to create more jobs to get out of its current financial morass.

Ed-Op Contributors - US Treasuries as safe assets

By Zhang Monan — 09 Jul 2010 10:05:32 +0800

European countries' fiscal woes and the poor outlook of US economic recovery have sent investors scurrying to buy US Treasuries.

Ed-Op Contributors - In search of quality education for kids

By Fumiyo Layman — 09 Jul 2010 10:05:32 +0800

I moved with my husband and children to Beijing last summer and started looking for a pre-school/kindergarten for our two-year-old daughter. We did not consider local public schools. Yet I checked out some Chinese private pre-schools and kindergartens. Considering that the average annual income in Beijing is less than 50,000 yuan, I found the tuition to be quite high.

Ed-Op Contributors - Much to lose, everything to gain

By Dan Steinbock — 08 Jul 2010 09:57:52 +0800

In the past few days, the United States and the European Union have imposed importation restrictions on three kinds of Chinese products. How will Europe's turmoil affect EU-China relations? Will it result in increasing cooperation or protectionism?

Columnists - Double-edged austerity programs

By Hong Liang — 08 Jul 2010 09:57:51 +0800

It struck me as highly unusual for a group of European leaders, many of whom were brought up in the cradle-to-grave welfare systems of their respective countries, to talk so passionately about budget cuts in the G20 conference in Toronto.

Editorials - Development focus

China Daily — 08 Jul 2010 09:57:51 +0800

The decision to continue with the pace of developing China's western regions is significant, as it will not only help lift out of poverty people from quite a few ethnic groups there, but will also aid in the balanced growth of the national economy.

Ed-Op Contributors - Low-wage era not over yet

By Qin Xiaoying — 08 Jul 2010 09:57:51 +0800

The State Council recently urged relevant departments to step up efforts aimed at raising the minimum wages of the nation's ordinary workers.

Editorials - Global leader

China Daily — 08 Jul 2010 09:57:51 +0800

The 30-percent hike seen in vehicle sales during the first half of 2010 is sure to cement China's position as the world's largest automobile market.

Editorials - Shameful state

China Daily — 08 Jul 2010 09:57:51 +0800

The death by heatstroke of a 55-year-old sanitation worker on a street in Kaifeng, Henan province, is clearly distressing news.

Ed-Op Contributors - A different take on healthcare

By Wang Yiqing — 08 Jul 2010 09:57:51 +0800

China was fourth from the bottom on the 2006 list of World Health Organization member countries in terms of granting its citizens equal access to and financing healthcare. This is a telling statement on a country that is on way to becoming the world's second largest economy.

Ed-Op Contributors - Rising power of migrants

By Bai Qingfeng — 07 Jul 2010 09:45:27 +0800

Migrant workers make up for a significant portion of China's industrial workforce, and they are key to the nation's modernization drive. They grew in prominence after the reform and opening-up policies the nation undertook three decades back.

Ed-Op Contributors - G8 must make way for new system

By M D Nalapat — 07 Jul 2010 09:45:27 +0800

Over the years, there has been a crescendo of voices from the US and the EU urging that large emerging economies such as India and China be "responsible stakeholders in the international system".

Editorials - Rental concerns

China Daily — 07 Jul 2010 09:45:27 +0800

Property prices have been declining gradually over the first half of the year. Rents, however, have shot up during the same period, triggering debates over whether such a spiral has been reasonable or not.

Editorials - Solo effort

China Daily — 07 Jul 2010 09:45:27 +0800

Han Han's bimonthly magazine "Solo", launched Tuesday, is already getting rave reviews, especially from fans. Though Han is not the first celebrity to have launched a magazine, he has done it with panache.

Editorials - Cementing ties

China Daily — 07 Jul 2010 09:45:27 +0800

Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari's ongoing visit to China will further consolidate the traditional bond between Beijing and Islamabad.

Ed-Op Contributors - US treaty could threaten growth

By Kevin P. Gallagher — 07 Jul 2010 09:45:27 +0800

The US and China discussed a bilateral investment treaty (BIT) at the Sino-American Strategic and Economic Dialogue (SE&D) in May. If the final negotiated text looks like the majority of US BITs it could threaten financial stability and economic growth in China.

Ed-Op Contributors - Is China or India aging better?

By Amitendu Palit — 07 Jul 2010 09:45:27 +0800

Chinese and Indian demographies will be rather different three decades from now. What kind of economic outcomes are the differences expected to create?

Ed-Op Contributors - View China objectively

By Wu Hongbo — 06 Jul 2010 09:37:46 +0800

A recent report published by Germany's Heinrich Boll Foundation shows that more than half of the 8,700 articles on China in the European country's media showed a prejudiced or derogative perspective about the Asian nation.

Editorials - Sustainable urbanization

China Daily — 06 Jul 2010 09:37:46 +0800

China, as the most populous nation in the world, cannot afford to stumble when it comes to its family planning policy. Neither should it chart a development roadmap without taking into consideration its demographic realities.

Editorials - Bigger, greener

China Daily — 06 Jul 2010 09:37:46 +0800

Revised data has shown that the Chinese economy has not only grown bigger than previously reported but has likely made more efficient use of energy in 2009.

Editorials - Heat wave

China Daily — 06 Jul 2010 09:37:46 +0800

The heat wave spreading across the nation has brought into sharp focus labor safety standards, especially for those involved in outdoor work.

Columnists - Overoptimism cause for concern

By Chen Weihua — 06 Jul 2010 09:37:46 +0800

Americans have always been known for their optimism and can-do attitude. But, as the country marked its Independence Day on Sunday, the mood is much less sunny than what the scorching weather would suggest.

Ed-Op Contributors - How can Asia raise its pitch at G20

By Pradumna B. Rana — 06 Jul 2010 09:37:46 +0800

The G20 summit is a process that is evolving and no one can predict exactly where it will end. The group was self appointed as the "premier forum for international economic cooperation", but there remain important questions related to membership, legitimacy, and agenda that need to be addressed.

Ed-Op Contributors - Japan should reciprocate moves

By Dennis V. Hickey — 06 Jul 2010 09:37:46 +0800

Sino-Japanese relations have improved substantially since Junichiro Koizumi stepped down as prime minister in 2006. For starters, the pilgrimages to the controversial Yasukuni Shrine appear to have stopped. But the potential for trouble continues to plague this important bilateral relationship.

Ed-Op Contributors - Towards new financial order

By Zhang Monan — 05 Jul 2010 09:18:02 +0800

Global recovery is moving into a more complicated phase in the post-crisis era. The top priority of the G20 summit held recently in Toronto was to strengthen the recovery and laying the foundation for sustainable and balanced growth.

Ed-Op Contributors - Quality psychiatric care is needed

By Maurice Preter — 05 Jul 2010 09:18:02 +0800

The recent spate of attacks on schoolchildren and the workers' suicides at the Foxconn factory in Shenzhen have again highlighted China's urgent need to balance economic progress with care for those left behind, and unable to cope with, the lightning speed of development.

Editorials - Moribund market

China Daily — 05 Jul 2010 09:18:02 +0800

The Chinese stock market has hobbled along for the most part of six months compared to fellow Asian or the wider global share market and the decline does not seem to have touched bottom as yet.

Editorials - Vicious circle

China Daily — 05 Jul 2010 09:18:02 +0800

Setting up an accumulation fund to reward clean officials may actually be a good idea — at least, it is not as bad as is being perceived by citizens in Jiangmen, Guangdong province.

Editorials - Heritage value

China Daily — 05 Jul 2010 09:18:02 +0800

Intangible historical value is at the heart of cultural heritage conservation. Tourism, on the other hand, is all about making profits.

Ed-Op Contributors - Rich must fulfill responsibility

By Zhang Tianpan — 05 Jul 2010 09:18:02 +0800

A local website has been in the news for organizing a special seek-a-partner program for 18 millionaire bachelors, who would select their partners from the thousands of woman participants from across China and abroad.

Ed-Op Contributors - Onus on us to improve women's lot

By Yi Yangang — 05 Jul 2010 09:18:02 +0800

The beauty contest held simultaneously in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen on June 20 drew about 50,000 woman candidates not only from China, but also from abroad. The finalists, selected on the basis of their looks, figures, educational qualifications and values, will get the "chance" to date 18 millionaire bachelors.

Ed-Op Contributors - One more way of choosing a partner

By Huang Yunxiang — 05 Jul 2010 09:18:02 +0800

A recent program in four major Chinese cities to seek life partners for 18 rich bachelors has drawn the attention of the public. Tens of thousands of women applied to take part in the contest out of which 18 would be able to date the young millionaires.

Ed-Op Contributors - The high cost of cheap fashion

By Naomi Wolf — 03 Jul 2010 11:34:35 +0800

I confess: I do it, too. Like most Western women, I do it regularly, and it is a guilty pleasure every time. It is hard to listen to one's conscience when one is faced with so much incredible temptation.

Ed-Op Contributors - Counterfeit market blues

By Han Qi — 03 Jul 2010 11:34:35 +0800

A report in the South China Morning Post last month quoted a United Nations official as having said that Chinese producers, some with the influence of organized criminal gangs, control Europe's $8.2-billion counterfeit goods market. Citing a UN report, the newspaper said Chinese mainland sources account for about 55 percent, or $4.51 billion, of Europe's fake products market.

Editorials - Forced farewell

China Daily — 03 Jul 2010 11:34:35 +0800

One after another, Beijing's traditional snacks bid farewell to Qianmen Avenue, one of the oldest shopping streets in China last month. With rows of shops selling Beijing's time-honored snacks and other products, the area is supposed to be symbolic of the local culture.

Editorials - Environmental knot

China Daily — 03 Jul 2010 11:34:35 +0800

At least 40 percent of environmental impact assessment agencies, the teeth of the environmental watchdog, do not bite. That is what a Ministry of Environmental Protection report issued last week revealed.

Editorials - Blaming game

China Daily — 03 Jul 2010 11:34:35 +0800

General Electric's chief executive Jeffrey Immelt, in spite realizing the importance of China's market, has reportedly criticized the Chinese government for being increasingly hostile toward multinationals.

Ed-Op Contributors - Getting economic recipe right

By Fan Gang — 02 Jul 2010 09:57:25 +0800

China's GDP growth this year may approach 10 percent. While some countries are still dealing with economic crisis or its aftermath, China's challenge is – once again – how to manage a boom.

Columnists - Coordinate to counter budgetary fix

By Hong Liang — 02 Jul 2010 09:57:25 +0800

The Greek sovereign debt crisis has apparently set the tone at the G20 meeting in Toronto, Canada.

Editorials - Party regulation

China Daily — 02 Jul 2010 09:57:25 +0800

For the Communist Party of China (CPC), celebrating the 89th anniversary of its founding is certainly going to be a gargantuan affair, what with the 78 million members on its rolls far surpassing even the population of many nations on the planet!

Editorials - Retain talent

China Daily — 02 Jul 2010 09:57:25 +0800

China is trying to attract people of exceptional ability from abroad. The country has just released a blueprint to develop talent in the medium to long-term, and recruiting them from overseas is an important component of that design. More should be done, however, to persuade Chinese college graduates to stay and work here.

Editorials - Address disparity

China Daily — 02 Jul 2010 09:57:25 +0800

The sweeping hike in minimum wages that quite a few provinces and cities unveiled Thursday has come as a godsend for many Chinese workers.

Ed-Op Contributors - Coming face to face with Facebook

By Esther Dyson — 02 Jul 2010 09:57:25 +0800

Long ago, when Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg was in grade school, I wrote a book in which I lauded something called "P3" (now p3p), the platform for privacy preferences. I was sure that people would start using P3 or something like it to control access to data on themselves. Of course, I was wrong ... for about 10 years.

Ed-Op Contributors - West all at sea over China's navy

By Yang Danzhi — 02 Jul 2010 09:57:25 +0800

The United States has said it expects to hold previously announced military exercises with the Republic of Korea (ROK) in the Yellow Sea off the western coast of the Korean Peninsula in July.