Taiwan has a new Vice President: Former Premier William Lai, known for his pro-independence posture. China won’t be happy, but China is rarely happy these days. The Chinese made two loud omissions in their rhetoric this week. When talking about… Read More ›

National People’s Congress
Prelude to Conflict: Asia, March 16, 2015
A thorough and thoughtful article catches wind, documenting China’s threats against Great Britain over Hong Kong. Based on records declassified in 2013, the Crown wanted independence for Hong Kong long ago, but Beijing threatened invasion. The Hong Kong we know… Read More ›
Claiming to have equalled the west, China says its weapons design is now harder
The following is a translation from Chinese media: During the current annual National People’s Congress (NPC) and Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) sessions, a China Aviation News reporter had a special interview with Wu Guanghui, Tang Changhong and Yang Wei…. Read More ›
China to tighten control of Hong Kong?
In monitoring developments in China, one has to be very careful about any minor change in wording, as it may have quite serious meaning. We Hong Kong citizens are quite worried by the omission of the two key phrases “Hong… Read More ›
Hong Kong braces for protests as China rules out full democracy
Pro-democracy activists vowed on Sunday to bring Hong Kong’s financial hub to a standstill after China’s parliament rejected their demands for the right to freely choose the former British colony’s next leader in 2017. The Standing Committee of the National… Read More ›
Japan says puzzled by new China WWII national days
Tokyo on Friday said it was puzzled over why Beijing approved national remembrance days to commemorate the Nanjing Massacre and its defeat in World War II, after decades of Japanese pacifism. The move is the latest in a vitriolic diplomatic… Read More ›
China’s Bo Xilai to stand trial Thursday
The trial of disgraced senior Chinese politician Bo Xilai will start on Thursday, when he will face charges of bribery, corruption and abuse of power in China’s most divisive and dramatic case in decades. The long-awaited trial of Bo, 64,… Read More ›
China wants fewer curbs in free trade zones to lure foreign investment
China hopes to suspend its laws governing foreign investment in proposed free trade zones, the cabinet said, in a sign the world’s second-biggest economy could open further to foreign competition. The State Council, China’s cabinet, will ask senior members of… Read More ›
China facing widening inequities and corruption
In spite of its spectacular rise as a global economic power, China is now grappling with concerns such as peasant income declining, widening inequity, worker unrest and corruption, farm productivity dwindling, according to Manoranjan Mohanty, political scientist and faculty member at the Council for… Read More ›
Restructuring China’s maritime law enforcement
China has restructured its unwieldy maritime law enforcement apparatus. It is a development that signals Beijing’s intention to push ahead with its heavy-handed approach to territorial disputes and maritime contentions with some of its neighboring countries. Its impact on regional security China deployed a… Read More ›
China’s internet bigwigs turn to politics
China’s Internet bigwigs have taken to politics, becoming the deputies of the main legislative body dominated by the ruling Communist Party. Ma Huateng, Chairman and the CEO of Internet conglomerate Tencent Holdings Ltd, has become deputy of the National People’s… Read More ›
Party cadre pins hopes of China’s food security on overseas farms
Leery of product safety in China, Zhu Zhangjin is urging farmers to invest abroad like he has. Zhu Zhangjin calls himself a farmer, but he has little time or love for mainland farm goods. Nor is he afraid to speak… Read More ›
China parliament delegates speak out against corruption, red tape
Amid praise for China’s Communist Party and the government’s work report is an increasingly common complaint from delegates to annual parliamentary meetings – too much red tape and corruption. The parallel convening of China’s parliament and its main advisory body… Read More ›
China says western-style democracy impossible for CCP Dynasty
In his work report to the current session of the National People’s Congress (NPC, China’s parliament, retiring NPC Chairman Wu Bangguo stressed that China was a socialist country with people’s democratic dictatorship. Note: Wu stressed that China is a dictatorship… Read More ›
China: Lighting three fires or the dead hand of Deng?
As the months have progressed since Xi Jinping became General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party, there has been intense public scrutiny into his current and potential actions. One day you can read an article saying he is not a… Read More ›
Chinese anti-corruption drive nets Politburo member
A senior Chinese official is under investigation, a Hong Kong newspaper reported at the weekend, in a case that could represent the first time a national political figure has been netted in China’s anti-corruption drive. Li Jianguo, a member of… Read More ›
China to reform controversial forced labour camps
China will reform its controversial system of forced labour camps this year, state media reported on Monday, which would mark a first step toward legal reform promised by new Communist Party chief Xi Jinping. China’s “re-education through labour” system, in… Read More ›
China’s anti-corruption drive triggers frantic property dump among officials
Real estate agents in provinces such as Guangdong and Jiangsu have been frantically trying to push deals for a torrent of second-hand flats suddenly released on the market – many of which belong to government officials, the Oriental Morning Post… Read More ›
Are the Chinese happy?
The right to be unhappy A survey called “are you happy” conducted by the China Central Television (CCTV) earlier in October showed that more than 70% of the Chinese being interviewed said they were happy. I have no doubt about… Read More ›
China: Zhou Qiang set for Politburo despite Li Wangyang scandal
The party secretary of a troubled province is regarded as a reformist and a strong bet for the Politburo but he may be too low-key for some. Despite a recent series of scandals in Hunan , provincial party secretary Zhou… Read More ›
China’s reserve of talented leaders: Wang Qishan
In my post yesterday, I quoted Deng Yuwen’s article on the serious problems China faces including “stagnant economic restructuring, pollution, income disparity, the notoriously outdated family planning and household registration polices, a looming energy crisis, moral degradation and the country’s… Read More ›
Conflicting news in China on Bo Xilai’s destiny
According to SCMP‘s report by Shi Jiangtao from Beijing today, entitled Next step this week in Bo’s fall from grace, “NPC Standing Committee may vote to remove fallen Chongqing party chief from legislature, a precursor to his expulsion from the party…. Read More ›
The mystery of China’s security tsar Zhou Yongkang
SCMP reports on China’s security tsar Zhou Yongkang’s speech, carried yesterday in Qiushi Journal, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP)’s political theory magazine. SCMP says that Zhou condemns “the use of torture and the suspicious deaths of suspects” in a speech… Read More ›
No news on Bo Xilai being deprived of immunity
According to Xinhua report, “The National People’s Congress formally removed Wang Lijun, the former police chief of Chongqing, as a deputy to the country’s top legislature, paving the way for formal prosecution.” However, SCMP reported on June 28 that according… Read More ›