THIS WEEK

THIS WEEK

WU CHANGRONG

Showcasing Sino-African Ties

Residents of Abidjan, capital of Ivory Coast, look at photos displayed at the Xinhua Photo Gallery, a photography exhibition during the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC).

Hosted by Xinhua New Agency’s Abidjan office, the photo gallery of fi cially opened in Abidjan Cultural Palace on July 17.The photos demonstrate previous FOCAC sessions and the success achieved in China-Africa cooperation under the framework of FOCAC. The exhibition aims to help the African people better understand China-Africa cooperation and enhance mutual understanding and friendship between the Chinese and African people.

Beijing hosted the fi fth Ministerial Conference of FOCAC on July 19 and 20. The conference will usher in a new era of China-Africa cooperation. The two sides vowed to work together to tackle external challenges and inject new vitality into the intensiif ed South-South cooperation.

“Japanese politicians represented by Governor of Tokyo Shintaro Ishihara have attempted to use the Diaoyu Islands issue to win support in future elections and raise nationalism among the Japanese public. This will negatively affect Sino-Japanese relations.”

Liu Jiangyong, an expert on Japanese studies from Tsinghua University, commenting on the heels of Japanese Ambassador Uichiro Niwa’s return to Beijing on July 16 after being summoned to Japan on July 15 by the country’s foreign ministry

“As current economic situations at home and abroad are very complicated, Chinese companies should look for momentum for growth even out of the downward economic pressure.”

Chinese Vice Premier Li Keqiang, during an inspection tour to central China’s Hubei Province from July 13 to 14

“Africa has strong growth momentum and broad prospects for development.China is ready to strengthen cooperation with Africa to bring more bene fi ts to people on both sides.”

Chinese Vice Finance Minister Zhu Guangyao, at the opening ceremony of African Export-Import Bank’s shareholder meeting in Beijing on July 14

“Proposing to increase its presence in the Asia-Paci fi c, the United States is looking for new partners in the region and aims at getting political support from Southeast Asian countries in return for economic cooperation and assistance.”

Yang Baoyun, an expert on Southeast Asian studies with Peking University, commenting in response to the U.S. softening stance toward Myanmar and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s tour of Laos and Viet Nam

“If they decide to do this [to have a vote on the draft resolution]—knowing it would be unacceptable to us—then we will not let it pass.”

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov, in response to a question from the Interfax News Agency about Russia’s stance on the draft resolution to impose sanctions against Syria on July 12

Police Honored

The “highest contribution award” for 2012 was given to the Economic Crime Investigation Department under the Ministry of Public Security by GACG President John Anderson at the awarding ceremony.

In the first five months of the year,Chinese police solved 15,000 forgery cases and apprehended 16,000 suspects during a crackdown, according to figures from the ministry.

From November 2010 to November 2011,a total of 44,000 cases related to IPR infringement and forgery were solved, involving assets of 24.15 billion yuan (about $3.79 billion).

Established in 2002, the award has been presented annually by the GACG to law enforcement organs around the world.

Greenhouse Gas Check

A monitoring system for greenhouse gas concentrations has been launched in north China’s coal-rich Shanxi Province as local authorities hope to better deal with climate change by using fi rst-hand emission data.

It is the fi rst such monitoring system that has been built among provincial-level regions in the country.

Shanxi’s coal output accounts for about one fourth of the country’s total. It is a large energy-consuming province with high carbon emissions.

MEETING ON EARTH Jing Haipeng (center), commander of the Shenzhou-9 spacecraft, Liu Wang (right) and Liu Yang, China’s fi rst woman to enter space, salute in front of the media in Beijing on July 13. After a two-week quarantine and recovery, the three Chinese astronauts who successfully ful fi lled China’s fi rst manned space docking mission appeared in public that day

The system can monitor the concentration of carbon dioxide, methane, ozone, carbon monoxide, sulphur dioxide, oxynitride and particulate matter in the air and publish the data in a timely manner, said the Shanxi Provincial Meteorological Administration.

Construction of the monitoring system began in November last year, with an investment of 10.25 million yuan ($1.61 million)for its fi rst phase.

It operates a central monitoring station and three sub-stations in the cities of Taiyuan,Datong and Linyi.

Software Campaign

A senior Chinese copyright official said on July 17 that foreign providers received equal

Heroic Intern

Li Boya, a 20-year-old student at Railway Police College from Zhengzhou in central China’s Henan Province, risked his life in an attempt to save a suicidal man from being hit by a train while working as a summer intern at Changli Railway Station in Qinhuangdao, northern Hebei Province. On July 9, seconds before a train arrived, Li saw a man jump onto the tracks and ran to pull him to safety. Despite making an emergency stop, the train ran over Li, severing his right foot and his left leg below the knee.

Li is in stable condition at the Second Hospital of Qinhuangdao after undergoing surgery. Li’s lower left leg was amputated and his right foot damaged. Doctors are hopeful the right leg can be saved and have his left foot transplanted to the right leg so he will only need one artificial leg in the future.

According to a report byThe Beijing News, his mother, Yin Li, asked her son if he regretted what he did. Li responded he would still try to save others in similar circumstances.

The Beijing railway police authority has rewarded Li with 200,000 yuan ($31,700) for his heroic act and promised him a job when he finishes his studies in Zhengzhou.

Li has also won much admiration and public sympathy.There have been many offers of donations for medical expenses.treatment during a massive government procurement of licensed software.

GOOD JOB, KIDS UN Environment Program Executive Director Achim Steiner presents awards to young Chinese painters in Nairobi, capital of Kenya, on July 16. The recipients are the winners of the Fifth Chinese Children’s Painting Competition with the aim of improving the environmental awareness of schoolchildren in China

From late 2010, Chinese central and provincial governments had spent more than 1 billion yuan ($156.96 million) on 158,823 operating system licenses, 506,693 copies of of fi ce software, plus anti-virus and other special-purpose software in a national anti-piracy campaign which ran till the end of June.

The campaign did not give preference to domestic software providers, said Yan Xiaohong, Deputy Director of the National Copyright Administration, adding that Chinese and foreign companies took similar shares in the project.

Yan said that with regards to operation systems, foreign companies have a notably larger market share, while Chinese domestic fi rms took about two thirds of the of fi ce applications but still earned less than their foreign counterparts due to lower pricing.

The gross income of China’s software sector topped 1.8 trillion yuan ($282.52 billion) in 2011, accounting for about 15 percent of the global market.

Severe Penalties

About 14.21 percent of 1.05 million convicts in criminal cases last year received penalties more severe than five-year imprisonment,according to a report on the development of China’s legal system released on July 17.

The number included the convicts sentenced to life imprisonment and death, said the annual report issued by the China Law Society. It did not give the exact number of people sentenced to death.

Last year, courts at all levels closed about 11.49 million cases, including 840,000 criminal ones.

Criminal cases related to food safety received a higher priority in court last year while corruption cases remained a top priority, the report said.

Vocational Training

China will strengthen vocational training for the disabled population and help them fi nd jobs through a variety of rehabilitation programs, according to a joint notice issued on July 16.

The notice, issued by the China Disabled Persons’ Federation and two ministries, requires relevant government agencies to subsidize training programs and offer free information and employment services for the disabled.

LOW CARBON FUN Visitors watch videos about lowcarbon lifestyles in the newly opened Low Carbon Science and Technology Museum on July 18 in Hangzhou, east China’s Zhejiang Province

Local administrations are urged to formulate mid- and long-term as well as annual training plans for the disabled.

Of fi cial statistics show that China has 85 million people with some form of disability.and Taiwan, as well as the Republic of Korea(ROK) and Japan, it said.

Young Leaders Forum

Outbound Travelers

The number of Chinese mainland residents going overseas reached 38.56 million in the fi rst six months of the year, up 19.75 percent year on year, of fi cial statistics showed.

The number of exit and entry across the Chinese border reached 208 million in the six months, up 6 percent from the same period last year, according to a statement of the Bureau of Exit and Entry Administration of the Ministry of Public Security.

The numbers of mainland residents, Hong Kong and Macao and Taiwan citizens, and foreigners crossing the border during the period was about 76.7 million, 105 million and 26.78 million, respectively, the statement said.

The first five destinations reached by mainland residents are Hong Kong, Macao The Africa-China Young Leaders Forum East African Chapter was established recently by East African delegates who attended the Second Africa-China Young Leaders Forum held on June 18-19 in Beijing.

The East African Chapter aims to enhance practical and mutual understanding in the progress of Africa-China exchanges, as well as cooperation in politics, peace, economy, trade, agriculture, culture, education,science and technology, natural resources,infrastructure, bilateral trade, and China’s investment in Africa.

Delegates hope the chapter will help address the concerns and visions of young East Africans, and that it will emulate the East African Community framework.

Over 100 youth leaders from 38 African countries participated in the Second Africa-China Young Leaders Forum, which ended with the launch of the Beijing Declaration.

ROBOT SHOW Participants from Macao show their robot made from eco-friendly material at the 12th China Adolescent Robotics Competition in north China’s Tianjin Municipality on July 18.The competition attracted more than 3,000 participants from 519 teams all over China

ODI Soars

China’s outbound direct investment (ODI) in the non-financial sector hit $35.42 billion in the fi rst half of 2012, up 48.2 percent year on year, said the Ministry of Commerce.

ODI in the non-financial sector had amounted to $357.5 billion by the end of June.

Domestic investors have invested in 2,163 overseas companies in 116 countries and regions in the fi rst six months.

Of all Chinese fi rst-half ODI, about 33.3 percent went into mergers and acquisitions,worth $11.8 billion.

ODI to Hong Kong, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, the United States and Russia soared in the first half, with growth rates of 58.9 percent, 34.3 percent,28.2 percent and 20.3 percent, respectively.

In comparison, China’s foreign direct investment (FDI) declined 3 percent year on year to $59.1 billion. In June, the country attracted $12 billion in FDI, a drop of 6.9 percent year on year.

Home Prices Rebound

More major cities in China saw home prices rise in June from May as the country’s property sector showed signs of warming over government stimulus for the slowing economy.

In June, 25 cities recorded higher new home prices from a month earlier out of a statistical pool of 70 major cities, a drastic rise from six in May, according to the National Bureau of Statistics.

The number of cities which saw drops in new home prices in June was 21, down from 43 in May, while prices in 24 cities remained the same.

African Business Directory

The launch of theBusiness Directory 2012—Doing Business in China and Africawas held at the Beijing Hotel on July 19. The event was a joint effort byChinAfricamagazine underBeijing Reviewand the Chinese Society for African Studies.

“It is of great significance for the business directory to be published during the Fifth Ministerial Conference of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation,” said Wei Jianguo,Secretary General of the China Center for International Economic Exchanges and Director of the Chinese Society for African Studies.

“Enterprises from China and Africa will definitely find great opportunities to make achievements under the framework of China-Africa cooperation. We hope the reference book will play a great role in these favorable situations of China-Africa cooperation,” he said.

“The publication of the business directory will surely contribute to promoting China-Africa economic and trade cooperation and exchanges,” said Wang Gangyi, President and Editor in Chief ofBeijing Review.

TheBusiness Directory 2012—Doing Business in China and Africais the first comprehensive collection of information on Chinese enterprises in Africa.

Based on experts’ research, it also includes industrial development reports, and laws and regulations concerning Chinese enterprises investing in Africa.

The authoritative contents and reliable statistics make it the only reference book on China-Africa trade and investment to help Chinese enterprises enter the African market.

Profits Fuel Confidence

Global banks posted record profits from their Chinese operations last year, with many foreign lenders expecting annual growth of about 20 percent up until 2015,according to a survey released on July 17 by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC).

Combined net pro fi ts of 181 foreign banks more than doubled to 16.73 billion yuan ($2.65 billion) in 2011 from 7.78 billion yuan ($1.23 billion) in 2010, boosted by multinationals’investment growth in China, according to the survey, which polled chief executives, senior managers and branch presidents of 41 foreign banks.

“The fundamental challenge for foreign banks over the next three years will be balancing the investment needs of a dynamic and fast-developing Chinese market against the constraints of a slowing economy back home,” PwC Financial Services Advisory Partner William Yung said in the report.

Foreign banks are more dedicated to their Chinese investments now than since 2008, as China continues to liberalize its currency and restrictions on its financial system, said the survey.

WTO Ruling

The Ministry of Commerce welcomed a ruling by a WTO dispute panel set up following accusations by the United States against China’s handling of cross-border electronic payments.

In a report published by the WTO on July 16, the dispute panel dismissed U.S. accusations concerning China UnionPay’s market status at home, ruling that measures by China have not barred foreign service providers from entering the Chinese market, said Shen Danyang, spokesman of the ministry.

The ruling also rejected the U.S. view that foreign service providers can provide crossborder supply of electronic payment services into China. The panel judged that foreign service providers must meet the requirements under China’s Schedule of Specific Commitments on Services, Shen said.

NEW BRIDGE Xiangjiang Bridge on Fuyuan Road of Changsha, central China’s Hunan Province,fi nishes the main body construction on July 18 and will be put into use in October

“However, China takes reservations in the panel’s ruling that the electronic payment service belongs to the ‘all payment and money transmission services’ that China pledged to open up when joining the WTO,” Shen added.

On September 15, 2010, the United States filed a consultation request with the WTO’s dispute settlement body, saying that Chinese measures related to electronic payment services violated its commitment to the General Agreement on Trade in Services.

Filial University Head

Zhou Qifeng, President of Peking University, kneeled down before his mother to show his respect on her 90th birthday in Liuyang,Hunan Province, on July 14. Photos on the Internet show the two embracing each other and bursting into tears. Many were touched by Zhou’s love for his mother, but others were not so easily moved by the display. Some Internet users accused Zhou of using his mother as a tool to deliberately show his filial love in order to gain publicity.

Zhou’s father died when he was young, and it was his mother who brought him up and provided financial support for his schooling through strenuous farm work.

Zhou was born in October 1947 in Liuyang. He received his bachelor’s degree from Peking University in 1970 and his doctor’s degree from Massachusetts University in 1983.He became an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences in 1999.He was appointed president of Peking University in November 2008.

a top award on July 17 from the Global Anti-Counterfeiting Group (GACG) for their “outstanding contributions” in combating forgery.

SYRIA

Journalists and members of the UN Supervision Mission in Syria are seen near the site of a bombing attack at the national intelligence building in Damascus on July 18. Syrian Defense Minister Dawoud Rajiha was killed in the attack

XINHUA/AFP

SPAIN

Protesters march in Madrid on July 13 after the Spanish Government adopted new austerity measures. The new measures included increasing value-added tax and cutting public expenses

NORTH KOREA

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un watches a children’s performance at the Kyongsang Kindergarten in Pyongyang on July 14. During his visit, Kim also inspected the kindergarten’s playground, piano classroom, swimming pool and other facilities

FRANCE

Zoo Manager Sebastien Laurent feeds a slice of cake with his mouth to Major, the oldest captive orangutan in the world,as part of its 50th birthday ceremony on July 17, at the La Boissiere-du-Doree Zoo near Nantes, western France

JAPAN

Residents look out at a vegetable fi eld submerged by foodwaters in Tosu, Saga Prefecture, on July 14. Tens of thousands of people were ordered or advised to evacuate in southwest Japan as heavy rain pounded the area