Society

Mass-Line Campaign Helps Build Clean Government

New statistics charting the progress of the anti-graft campaign have been released by the central government， revealing that more than RMB 53 billion （US $8.6 billion） in public funds have been saved since the launch of the drive last June.

More than 100，000 people voluntarily handed over illicit cash or gift cards worth RMB 520 million during the campaign. The public fund earmarked for offi cial trips abroad， offi cial vehicles， and offi cial hospitality has been reduced by RMB 53 billion –more than a quarter. More than 114，000 government vehicles have been taken off the roads and over 96，000 offi cials have been refused overseas visits. In addition， 457 luxury entertainment clubs in historical buildings and parks have been shut down and now seek other business models. Also， about 3，000 offi cials have been restricted from attending expensive training programs and seven training programs have been suspended.

The “mass-line” campaign began in June last year to improve the fl agging relationship between CPC offi cials and the general public， by cleaning up undesirable work styles such as formalism， bureaucracy， hedonism， and extravagance.

Silver Population Opens Golden Business Opportunities

The China Research Center on Aging published Chinas fi rst blue paper on old-age related industries. It concludes that China is now in the early stages of an aging society. The report predicts that the worlds silver population will reach 2.02 billion by 2050， with the largest share — 480 million， nearly a quarter — in China. From 2014 to 2050 the consumption potential of elderly Chinese citizens is projected to soar from RMB 4 trillion to RMB 106 trillion， representing eight percent and 33 percent of its GDP respectively. China is heading toward the worlds largest market for old-age related products and services.

Chinese Soldiers Participate in Joint Military Exercise in Australia

Members of Chinas Peoples Liberation Army （PLA） joined Australian and U.S. troops in the fi rst joint military exercise in Australia — Exercise Kowari， which is hailed as a milestone in defense cooperation between Australia， China and the U.S.

“The exercise demonstrates the willingness of Australia， China and the United States to work together in practical ways，” Australian Defense Minister David Johnston said in a statement.

Ten soldiers from the Australian Army， 10 from Chinas PLA， fi ve from the U.S. Army and fi ve from the U.S. Marine Corps took part， with a further 100 military personnel providing support in roles including liaison and logistics.

Exercise Kowari is focusing on the development of survival skills in northern Australias

Surge in Chinese Demand for Diamonds

The 2014 Diamond Insight Report released by De Beers Group shows that last year global demand for diamond jewelry reached a record high of US $79 billion. China is the fasting growing market for diamond jewelry sales， its share in the global market jumping from three percent in 2003 to 15 percent in 2013. But it is not expected to overtake the U.S.s 40 percent share any time soon. In the latter half of the decade Chinas diamond demand had been climbing two digits yearon-year. Last year， sales of polished diamonds in the country rose by 14 percent over 2012， compared with seven percent in the U.S. According to De Beers CEO Philippe Mellier， Chinese people in London and Paris bought half of the total diamond jewelry on the market.

Yang Liping -- 10th Anniversary of Dynamic Yunnan

Date： November 12-16， 2014

Place： National Center for the Performing Arts

Price： RMB 160/220/280/450/550/600/680/880

Dynamic Yunnan is a stage show featuring traditional beauty， modern power and rich ethnic charisma. Yang Liping travelled to Yunnan to collect representative music and dance elements for their performance. Over the last decade， she and her team have continuously modified and improved the show. Quaint ethnic dance and songs combine with modern artistic concepts to present a unique image of Yunnan.

The Little Prince by the Mannheim Kevin ODay Ballet Troupe

Date： November 1-2， 2014

Place： Shanghai Culture Square

Price： RMB 80/280/480/580/780/980

German National Theatre Mannheim first opened in 1779. For 200 years， it was an important landmark in the history of German and European music， associated with luminaries such as Friedrich Schiller and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. The Little Prince， first published in 1943， is a novella written by French aristocrat， writer， poet and pioneering aviator Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. It tells the story of journey between two planets and a pilot， stranded in the desert， who meets a young prince.