Economy ＆ Nation Weekly

China＇s Judicial Reform
The rule of law is not a strange concept in Chinese history. In recent decades, it has been a guardian for China＇s reform and opening-up, as well as the nation＇s modernization drive. The Fourth Plenary Session of the 18th CPC Central Committee focused on the rule of law to lay a solid foundation for perfecting the country＇s judicial system.     

Studies on Legal Construction of China＇s Religious Affairs

The Regulations on Religious Affairs, adopted by China＇s State Council on November 30, 2004, became effective on March 1, 2005. The regulations are the first specialized legal document in China＇s religious field. Its promulgation and implementation are a major event of the regulations in the country＇s religious work and legal system. To promote the legal construction on religions in China, the following issues should be addressed.     

Romanian Folk Treasure Exhibited in China

The compilation of a collection of five books or book series on China＇s ethnic issues, including China＇s Ethnic Mhaorities; A Brief History of China＇s Ethm＇c Minorities Series, A Brief Language History of China＇s Ethnic Minorities Series, A Brief Introduction to National Autonomous Regions Series, and Journal Series of Sociological and Historical Surveys on China＇s Ethnic Minorities, was organized by the State Ethnic Affairs Commission. The collection is a systematic presentation of the life situations of ethnic minorities in China and the achievements made in ethnic affairs. The now complete collection comprises 419 volumes of 351 kinds, amounting to a total of 100 million Chinese characters.     

Modern Art in an Ancient Setting——Beijing's Red Gate Gallery

A SCENDING the ancient stone steps to Red Gate Gallery reveals the quintessential Beijing pan orama. The gallery is housed in Dongbianmen Watchtower, a Ming Dynasty structure straddling the last crumbling vestiges of Beijing＇s city wall. Like a besieged bastion of the city＇s imperial past, the watchtower is hemmed in by railway lines and Beijing＇s Second Ring Road. The glass and steel edifices of the CBD loom in the distance. It＇s appropriate that this ancient fortress, surrounded by a cornucopia of modern development, houses a gallery that has long been a cultural bastion of a more contemoorary kind.     

Thinking from the Heart!

AN American investment banker and a longtime China observer, Dr. Robert Lawrence Kuhn became a household name in China as the author of The Man Who Changed China： The Life and Legacy of Jiang Zemin, a best-seller in 2005 demonstrating the life of China＇s former president. The success of this book facilitated his subsequent work in this country. His experiences, accumulated over four years of crisscrossing the nation and dozens of interviews with officials at all levels, have been published in his new book： How China＇s Leaders Think.＂ The Inside Story of China＇s Reform and What This Means for the Future.     

Seventy Years Later, James Hilton＇s Shangri-la Rediscovered

WHEN the Beijing Olympic torch relay passed through Shangrila （Zhongdian） County in June, seat of Yunnan＇s Deqen Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture and the likely inspiration for James Hilton＇s book tatso, China＇s first national park on the mainland. The park was the brainchild of - Kyhigyala, secretary of the Communist Party of China （CPC） Deqen Prefectural Committee, who proposed establishing the nature preserve in Shangrila three years ago, and today the park＇s pristine beauty compares favorably with Hilton＇s mythic Shangrila, an imaginary kingdom where no one grows old.     

Fewer Rows, More Reason

The year 2010 concludes with several fresh entries in China＇s book of honor： the Shanghai World Expo set a record of 70 million visitors; China overtook Japan as runner up for the world＇s largest GDP, second only to the U.S.; and the World Bank escalated China＇s voting clout to 4.42 percent, the third largest in the organization. Amid the cheers and plaudits for these achievements are complaints and grumblings that can＇t be overlooked.     

Reflection of feminism in modern China —— Reflection of feminism in modern China

The women＇s liberation movement in China started after the first opium war and it took shape with the aim of protecting the race and salvaging the country. Doubtlessly, the emergence of modern feminism opened the precedent in the theory of women＇s liberation in China and exerted a profound and far-reaching influence on women＇s liberation afterwards. But we must face up to the fact that there was some traps or misunderstanding of modern feminism, which were unfavorable for realizing women＇s rights and such influence was long, so much so that till today we are still seeing its existence. It is, therefore, necessary to have a full reflection of modem feminism, unveil the original meaning of women＇s rights and make women＇s rights return to human rights in order to make the development of women＇s fights continue.     

A Clean Drive

SHANXI is well known as a major source of the energy driving China＇s social and ecorromic development. The province supplies a quarter of the nation＇s coal, two-fifths of its coke and one- 17th of its coalgenerated electricity. And as anywhere in the developing world, the boom of its energy and chemical industries, two of the mainstays of the.local economy, has come at a cost to the environment and the region＇s resources.     

Play Green, Win Big

SIYANG County in northern Jiangsu Province, former capital of the mysterious Sishui Kingdom （113 BC-AD 9）, fell into oblivion in subsequent centuries. The area did not return to prominence until 1979, when the People＇s Daily, the leading newspaper in China, carried an article describing Siyang＇s unique ability to produce the nation＇s fastest growing poplar trees.     

Sport Professionalism Viable in China？

THIS year＇s Australian Open Tennis Championship, the first of 2010＇s Grand Slam Tournaments, saw for the first time in its lO0-year history two Asian players advance to the final four. The two athletes, Li Na and Zheng Jie, represent a new level of professionalism in Chinese sports, giving hope to the nation＇s sport reformers.     

Liu Haiying, Captain of China＇s Convention and Exhibition Industry

THE 530,000-square-meter China National Convention Center adjacent to Beijing＇s National Stadium and National Aquatics Center （known respec- tively as the “Bird＇s Nest” and the “Water Cube”） is another recent addition to the capital＇s already imposing skyline. The center will be the site of the Olym- pic main press center and international broadcasting center and also the venue for the fencing and pistol shooting （part of the modern pentathlon） events. The complex encompasses a 6,400-squaremeter conference hall, a 24,000-square- meter exhibition section and a hotel of 443 guest rooms.     

THIS MONTH IN HISTORY DECEMBER

The Yongle Encyclopedia, commissioned by Emperor Yongle （1360-1424）, was finally completed, becoming one of the world＇s earliest, and in the time of the Ming Dynasty （1368-1644）, the world＇s most famous general encyclopedia. The 22,900 volumes were compiled by more than 2,000 scholars between 1403 and 1408. The set incorporated about 8,000 works or pieces from ancient to contemporary times,     

For a Legal Guarantee to Improve People＇s Livelihood and Protect Human Rights--Thoughts on policy concerning Social Insurance Law （draft）

The People＇s Republic of China Social Insurance Law （draft） has undergone three readings at the Standing Committee of the National People＇s Congress. The Law, once promulgated, will be of great significance to implementation of the constitutional principle of ＂respecting and protecting human rights.＂ It will help regulate the various social insurance relationships and the rights and obligations of the parties involved.     

China Seeks Economic Transformation——Consumption Coupons： New Attempt to Expand Domestic Demand

The financial crisis that started in the United States is spreading worldwide, and its impact on China＇s economy is increasing daily. Difficulties and problems that accumulated in China＇s long period of fast economic growth have gradually become apparent Both the Chinese government and enterprises are considering how to transform and upgrade China＇s economy through changing development mode and adjusting the industrial structure, while coping with the tinancial crisis. Therefore. guaranteeing economic growth, expanding domestic demand and making structural adjustments have become China ＇s important economic goals for 2009.     

Taiwan＇s Indigenous Tribes Exhibition in Capital

The Exhibition of the History and Culture of Taiwan＇s Indigenous Tribes opened in the Cultural Palace of Nationalities in Beijing on December. 21, 2009. This, the first large-scale theme exhibit on China＇s mainland, is a systematic and comprehensive presentation of the history and culture of tribes indigenous to Taiwan.     

High Numbers,Low Quality：Chinese TV Dramas

LIKE Prison Break＇s Michael Scofield in the United States, the character Xu San-duo has become something of a household name in China since the top-rating Chinese drama Soldier＇s Sortie debuted in 2007. The 30-episode series follows Xu＇s travails as an ordinary soldier from rural China. In 2007, an average of 40 episodes of TV drama were produced per day in the country. ＂China has become the world＇s largest producer and broadcaster of drama for television,＂ said Hu Zhanfan, deputy director general of the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television.     

THE FIRST,THE TOP,THE LEADING,THE MOST——Garze HAS THEM ALL

The first regional ethnic autonomous prefecture in China
The People＇s Government of Xikang Tibetan Autonomous Region was founded on November 24, 1950. The first regional ethnic autonomous power after the founding of People＇s Republic of China, it was later restructured as a prefecture. Sangjiyuexi （Tianbao） was its chairman, with Xiakedaodeng, Awangjiacuo and Luosangqinba serving as vice-chairmen. Of all the 28 places on the regional committee,     

The Qinghai-Tibet Railway-A Railway Network on the“ROOF OF THE WORLD”

Implementation Measures of the Law of the People＇s Republic of China on the Protection of rights and interests of Women have been approved in Inner Mongolia Autonomous region.The measures will further strengthen protection of ethnic minority women＇s rights and interests,     

Progress in China’s Human Rights in 2009

The Information Office of the State Council, or China＇s Cabinet, issued a white paper on Progress in China＇s Human Rights in 2009 on Sept. 26, 2010. Following is the full text filed by Xinhua News Agency：