Shanghai’s Transformation

ON April 29, 2009, the Chinese government announced that by the year 2020 Shanghai will have become an international center of finance and shipping compatible with China’s economic strength and the international standing of the RMB.     

The Piano in a Factory: A People’s Film Pick

FOR a whole year one Chinese film has stood out in the minds of the media and critics. The Piano in a Factory won leading actor Wang Qianyuan the Best Actor award at the 23rd Tokyo International Film Festival in October 2010; in June 2011, it won a series of awards at the 14th Shanghai International Film Festival, and in September 2011 it also won the Huabiao Film Award. What astonishes everyone is that the total production cost was only RMB 6 million, a triumph that hints at what a nightmare the shooting was. At one point, director Zhang Meng had only RMB 47 in his pocket. He called on friends backstage to loan him money and walked out a minute later shouting "Ready, start!" as if everything was OK.     

China’s Economy Fueled by Domestic Demand and Foreign Trade in 2012

IN 2012, the effects of the world financial crisis are still lingering.China’s economic rise continues to draw worldwide attention; and the appreciation of the RMB, the country’s large stockpiles of foreign reserves and its export strength are all perennial topics of debate among media commentators.With many countries around the world still ne- gotiating the rapids of economic recovery, will China avoid the tumult and chart its own smooth course of growth over the next couple of years?