House Slaves

Rising house prices in China's major cities is a major headache for people taking a first step on the property ladder and has led to a growing number sacrificing quality of life just to have a home of their own Closely watching the family's spend- ing and living in fear of another interest rate rise have become reali- ties for many Chinese city dwellers who have taken out mortgages that stretch their finances to the limit.     

Fight Cross-border Trafficking of Women

It is about 9:00 in the morning. The Beilunhe River ("Song Ka Long" in Vietnamese) that borders Dongxing, China, and Mong Cai, Vietnam, turns out to be a hive of activities. Boats loaded with Vietnamese passengers and goods sail across the river to the Chinese side to begin their day's trade.     

Bridge Over Troubled Water

正Consultations offer a way out of China-U.S.trade war After months of rising tensions between the United States and China due to an economic dispute over bilateral trade,the visit by Chinese Vice Premier Liu He,special envoy of President Xi Jinping,to Washington in May signaled a turning point and the possibility of negotiating a way out of the looming trade     

Protecting Your IPR at Chinese Trade Fairs and Exhibitions

One of the main concerns many for- eign investors have when approaching the Chinese trade fair circuit is how to protect their intellectual property while at a fair. Here we examine     

Protecting Your IPR at Chinese Trade Fairs and Exhibitions

One of the main concerns many foreign investors have when approaching the Chinese trade fair circuit is how to protect their intellectual property while at a fair. Here we examine what can be done to protect     

Protecting Your IPR at Chinese Trade Fairs and Exhibitions

One of the main concerns many foreign investors have when approaching the Chinese trade fair circuit is how to protect their intellectual property while at a fair     

MARKET WATCH

Defending the Yuan Recent complaints from the United States about the Chinese yuan have escalated.Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao said China is an advocate of free trade and opposed the idea of taking aggressive measures to force another country's currency to either depreciate or appreciate.     

Yuan Goes Global

Five cities participate in a trial program to settle overseas trade in renminbi, bringing the currency a step closer to becoming global Five of China's key manufacturing cities will launch services allowing the experimental use of the renminbi for international trade settlements. This move, aimed at reducing risks from exchange rate fluctuations, is a boon for Chinese exporters who already have had their profits squeezed at both ends.     

GROWING PARTNERSHIP

Visiting Chinese President Hu Jintao and his Zambian counterpart Levy Patrick Mwanawasa (far right) study a model of the Chambisi Copper Mine after jointly inau-gurating an economic and trade cooperation zone in Lusaka on February 4. The zone, located in Zambia's Copper Belt Province, is designed to form a pro-duction chain with the Chambisi Copper Smelter as the core enterprise. It is the first project of its kind launched by China in Africa. At the Beijing Summit of the Forum of China-Africa Cooperation last November, the Chinese side promised to set up three to five such cooperation zones on the African continent over the next three years to further strengthen bilateral trade exchanges. The establishment of the zone is expected to boost the development of Zambia's light industry, increase local exports and create job opportunities. During his recent eight-nation African tour, President Hu reiterated that the Chinese Government encourages Chinese enterprises to increase their investment in Africa, in particular in those areas that have a direct bearing on the livelihood of African people.     

The journey of the Haigui

The sea turtle - haigui - may be one of the animal kingdom's most endangered species, but in its allegorical sense, it thrives. Each year - just like the haigui - thousands of Chinese set out for distant lands, looking to discover a wealth of knowledge. There's a well-trodden path, trampled out by generations of Chinese students, leading to every one of the planet's top universities. Some never make it - they're caught up in the massive competition, financial restraints or bureaucracy before they ever even leave these shores. But those that do get through either settle in their adopted land, or, as is more popular these days, schools of haigui return to their homeland to share that wealth. Aspiring Chinese academics generally agree that beyond graduate level, universities in their home country simply cannot cut the mustard. So they look to greener pastures, particularly those of the United States, for a learning environment that'll bring out the best of their capabilities. "China lags behind. No mainland     

Heralding a New Era

The year 2010 marks the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Myanmar.The two countries will hold a series of activities to commemorate the anniversary.Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao is scheduled to pay an official visit to Myanmar in early June.It will be another landmark visit,which will further enhance mutual political trust,expand economic and trade cooperation,and deepen the traditional friendship between the two countries.     

SEIZING THE MOMENT

April is a critical time for stakeholders to hammer out trade differences between China and the U.S.China and the United States have entered a crucial time in their economic relationship, with expectations high leading into two significant events taking place this month. Trade officials from China and the United States were scheduled to meet April 11 for the Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade, while nine davs later. Chinese President Hu     

MARKET WATCH

TO THE POINT: The substantial rise in foreign direct investment (FDI)-10 percent-and fixed assets invest- ment-25 percent-was the last straw that prompted the Chinese Government to take action by instituting a package of policies aimed at taming the overheating economy and excessive liquidity. The Chinese central bank raised lending and deposit interest rates for the second time this year, and the reserve requirement ratio was raised for the fifth time this year. They also allowed the daily yuan exchange rate to float within 0.5 percent from the previous mark of 0.3 percent. Such a monetary policy package is unprecedented and demon- strates the central bank's determination to let air out of the hot markets. In April, foreign trade rebounded and the trade surplus hit $16.68 billion, $10 billion more than what it was in March. However, as a research report revealed, some of the trade surplus was actually driven by fake trade, through which international speculative money flowed to the Chinese mainland. The rising trade surplus contributed to increasing foreign exchange (forex) reserves. The Chinese Government has decided to invest $3 billion of its forex reserves into U.S. private equity firm Blackstone Group LP, demonstrating that the country is finding alternatives for its mounting forex reserves instead of just buying U.S. treasury bonds. The second round of the China-U.S. strategic economic dialogue has achieved positive results. In the financial sector, China agreed to increase the quota QFIIs can invest in the Chinese capital market from $10 billion to $30 billion.     

Tales From a Festival The Dragon Boat Festival, one of China's traditions, has a long history and many legends attached to it

The Dragon Boat Festival is the fifth day of the fifth month according to the Chinese lunar calendar.In 2011,it falls on June 6 of the solar calendar.The festival,which is celebrated by all Chinese,has a history of more than 2,500 years.As a popular ballad in ancient time goes:“The smell of rice dumpling spreads in the kitchen.The fragrance of mugwort leaves fills the whole house.Peach branches are decorated at the gate.Yellow wheat fills the eyes as you step out of the gate,” depicts how Chinese people celebrate the festival.     

World Could Pay For Yuan Appreciation

Debating whether China's yuan is undervalued is a hot topic of conversation between China and its major trading partners, particularly the United States, which has a large trade deficit with China. Soon after the Second Meeting of the China-U.S. Strategic Economic Dialogue focused on this topic in May, some U.S. senators proposed a bill that is widely recog- nized as aiming to force the acceleration of appreciation of the yuan. But Professor Liu Zhibiao, Dean of the School of Economics of Nanjing University, points out one salient fact: With the increase of foreign invest- ment and rising level of trade openness, China is contributing more and more to the world's economic growth, with the benefits of this growth being shared by the whole world. Therefore, the cost of sharp appreciation in the value of the Chinese currency will exert impact on the whole world, he says.     

Should a Lack Of Filial Piety Be Penalized?

Chinese traditionally have viewed the extended family model as an admirable living pattern worthy of acclamation. With the rapid development of a market economy, however, values have been changing in China. Most young people want to lead an independent life, and thanks to the immensely improved living conditions, they are moving out of their parents' homes to pursue their own lives. Family size is     

Preparing Shanghai,Preparing China

<正>China's new leadership made a crucial step in further reform and opening up,with the State Council approving the establishment of a pilot free trade zone in Shanghai.Covering less than 30 square km and built on four existing bonded areas,the zone will be a breakthrough in the deepening of China's opening-up strategy,which began more than 30years ago.Globalization has passed the phase of traditional commodity trade and is now heavily bent toward service trade and cross-border investment.To adapt to the new trend,the Shanghai free trade zone is designed to expand the opening of the service sector in China,especially in finance.It is considered to be another significant move after China's entry to the World Trade     

Frictions over Export Limits on the Rise

FOR many people, free trade is all about free entry of goods and services into other countries. But a crucial condition underpinning this freedom is that countries do not willfully block nor hinder the flow of exports from their own shores. Such a position is hypocritical and contrary to the tenets of free trade.     

China and Doha

China, as the biggest developing country and a trade giant in the world, plays an important role in the global trade system. Because of this dual identity, the country is under the global spotlight Both WTO Director General Pascal Lamy and U.S. Trade Representative Susan Schwab visited Beijing recently to exhort its leaders to strengthen their efforts toward a successful conclusion of the current Doha Round of trade negotiations and play a bigger role in reviving the world's multilateral trade system. Many believe China can help to restart the talks, which were suspended in July. Several experts give their views of the relationship between China and the Doha Round.     

The journey of the Haigui

The sea turtle - haigui - may be one of the animal kingdom‘s most endangered species, but in its allegorical sense, it thrives. Each year - just like the haigui - thousands of Chinese set out for distant lands, looking to discover a wealth of knowledge. There‘s a well-trodden path, trampled out by generations of Chinese students, leading to every one of the planet‘s top universities. Some never make it - they‘re caught up in the massive competition, financial restraints or bureaucracy before they ever even leave these shores. But those that do get through either settle in their adopted land, or, as is more popular these days, schools of haigui return to their homeland to share that wealth.