China news roundup / Nachrichten 2024-03-11
Two Sessions: China says it's open for business - do we buy it?
""Beijing is changing how it opens to the world," said Neil Thomas, a fellow in Chinese politics at the Asia Society Policy Institute.
He said it is now focused on attracting high-end foreign technology and advanced manufacturing operations to help Chinese companies in key future industries. "
--- That has been a focus for quite some time now & definitely does not show any 'opening' to the world.
China’s congress ends with a show of unity behind Xi’s vision for national greatness
"The nearly 3,000-member National People’s Congress approved a revised State Council law that directs China’s version of the cabinet to follow Xi’s vision. The vote was 2,883 to eight, with nine abstentions. Other measures passed by similarly wide margins. The most nays were recorded for the annual report of the supreme court, which was approved by a 2,834 to 44 vote."
--- True democracy.
China’s consumer prices rise for first time in six months. But it’s too soon to say deflation is over
"The Consumer Price Index (CPI) increased by 0.7% in February from a year earlier, government data showed on Saturday, versus a rise of 0.3% forecast in a Reuters poll.
This was the first time the index has shown prices rising, rather than flatlining or falling, since August 2023. In January, the index fell by the fastest rate in 15 years.
But analysts said the year-on-year gain was partly due to the Lunar New Year holiday, which fell in February this year and in January last year."
--- So, even if we could trust Chinese government data, this wouldn't mean much.
"Producer deflation, meanwhile, intensified last month. The Producer Price Index, which measures wholesale prices at the factory gate, dropped by 2.7% from a year ago.
The drop marked the 17th consecutive month of decline"
--- Still official data. Hence we can be pretty sure that the situation is disastrous.
China’s housing minister says real estate developers must go bankrupt if necessary
"“For real estate companies that are seriously insolvent and have lost the ability to operate, those that must go bankrupt should go bankrupt, or be restructured, in accordance with the law and market principles,” Ni Hong, Minister of Housing and Urban-Rural Development, said at a press conference Saturday"
--- Sounds pretty tough, but then there is the "or be restructured". Which means that, as usual, all options are open.
Leading UK university sidelines teacher after Chinese students’ nationalist callout
"A Chinee student complained against Ms Shipworth, 58, after she highlighted data from the Global Slavery Index which suggested China had the second highest prevalence of modern slavery in the world.
As she delivered the module called Data Detective, which described the Global Slavery Index as “terribly inaccurate”, a Chinese student stood up and accused her of making a “horrible provocation”.
Days later, she received an email from head Professor Neil Strachan of Bartlett School of Environment, Energy & Resources, suggesting she modify how she delivered the course, a request she declined; she then found herself shut out of the software course leaders use to organise materials.
The following week, two colleagues implored her to drop the China section from the module, which she then did. Nevertheless, earlier this year, the issue reared its head again and she was informed she had been accused of being “anti-Chinese” after catching two students from the country cheating in exams in 2018 and 2022. Both were expelled.
These led to Mr Strachan taking action against her because the university needed to “retain a good reputation among future Chinese applicants”, the report said"
--- When Chinese money is more important than education.
Cambodian teen rescued from family home in China after Facebook plea
--- China Uncensored: "China Has a Plan to Screw Over Russia!"
--- CNA: "China concludes 'two sessions' with message of unity and control"
Mehr Macht für die Partei
"Mit 2.883 Stimmen votierten die Delegierten außerdem für eine Gesetzesänderung, die Xis Partei mehr exekutive Kontrolle über das Kabinett, den sogenannten Staatsrat, ermöglicht. Schon in den vergangenen Jahren wurden die Exekutivbefugnisse des Staatsrats unter der Leitung des Ministerpräsidenten, der offiziell die 21 Ministerien sowie die Regionalregierungen beaufsichtigt, schrittweise ausgehöhlt.
Nach Ansicht von Rechtsexperten setzt sich damit die Verlagerung von immer mehr Macht vom Staat in die Hände der Partei fort, so dass die Regierung nur noch die Direktiven der Partei treu umsetzen muss."
--- Quark. Die Partei ist der Staat. Die eigentliche Verlagerung der Macht geht in Richtung Kaiser Xi. Er konzentriert immer mehr Macht auf sich selbst.
Zwangsverkauf von TikTok könnte Hunderte Milliarden Dollar kosten
