CSG news update -- 2007-06-19

[China Study Group <chinastudygroup@gmail.com>]

China Study Group news update

Official media on popular opinion in the Xiamen PX affair
http://www.danwei.org/state_media/xiamen_px_sms_china_newsweek.php
Danwei.org | 2007-06-18
The last issue of China Newsweek (11 June) featured in-depth reports on a number of major events related to government transparency and crisis management - the Xiamen PX demonstrations, the Taihu Lake pollution affair, and the cause of this year's high pork prices.  The cover feature looked at...

What kind of socialism should China uphold?
http://www.chinaelections.org/en/readnews.asp?newsid={A9ECC6D1-D3C7-4BC2-8606-57FDC5B9E2D9}&classname=News%20Highlights
China Elections | 2007-06-18
Jiang Ping
written by Jiang Ping; translated by Nicki Dabney & Guanhui Dai  When researching legal systems, the question of socialism always arises.  In summarizing socialism there are three preconditions.  How we understand socialism should include three levels of analysis.  Only through clarifying these po...

House prices add to Chinese fears
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/5ebaddfe-1daf-11dc-89f7-000b5df10621,dwp_uuid=9c33700c-4c86-11da-89df-0000779e2340.html
Financial Times | 2007-06-18
Richard McGregor and Jamil Anderlini 
Chinese housing prices rose in May by 6.4 per cent, the fastest year-on-year monthly increase in 18 months, in the latest sign that the economy is outpacing both the government's and the market's expectations.  The World Bank and Morgan Stanley in recent days have revised upwards their gro...

China's cheap labor pool running dry
http://atimes.com/atimes/China_Business/IF19Cb01.html
Asia Times | 2007-06-18
Wu Zhong
HONG KONG - China will begin to feel the pain of labor shortages nationwide in the next couple of years - much earlier than previously forecast - as the country's seemingly ample supply of rural migrant workers dries up, according to the latest studies by state think-tanks.  This will make a s...

3m social workers needed: Expert
http://english.people.com.cn/200706/18/eng20070618_385282.html
China Daily | 2007-06-18
At least 3 million professional social workers are needed in the public service, welfare and community sectors to help establish a civic society, experts have said.  Xu Ruixin, director of the China Association of Social Workers, said: "Social work in China is in its infancy. It will take years to...

Bumper summer crop on the cards
http://english.people.com.cn/200706/18/eng20070618_385283.html
 | 2007-06-18
China Daily
Despite the drought that has wrought havoc this year, the country is set to reap a bumper summer grain harvest and see its price stabilize, analysts have said.  China will harvest more summer gain crops this year than last despite many adversities, such as drought, frost and insect pests, Minister...

Helping fellow citizens seek redress leads to jail
http://new.asianews.it/index.php?l=en&art=9585
AsiaNews | 2007-06-18
AsiaNews/Agencies
Helping fellow citizens seek redress leads to jail   In China's "harmonious society” a woman is sent to prison for trying to help petitioners solve a dispute with local authorities. She is thrown in jail despite being appointed as a mediator by a local township Communist Party boss. For exp...

US proposes new export controls against China
http://www.forbes.com/markets/feeds/afx/2007/06/18/afx3830610.html
Forbes | 2007-06-18
Thomson Financial
 WASHINGTON (Thomson Financial) - The Bush administration has issued a controversial new rule requiring US exporters to obtain government approval before shipping high tech goods to China that could bolster the Asian giant's military development.  Previous drafts have been been sharply critici...

 China Mobile huge sell off 'plan'
http://www.cnn.com/2007/BUSINESS/06/18/china.mobile.reut/index.html?section=cnn_latest
CNN | 2007-06-18
Reuters
SHANGAI, China (Reuters) -- China Mobile, the world's largest cellular phone operator, is planning a multibillion-dollar share sale in Shanghai as early as next month to attract domestic investors, sources familiar with the situation said on Monday.  It will likely be the biggest initial publi...

 Resignation calls over China worker abuse
http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/asiapcf/06/17/china.slaves.reut/index.html?section=cnn_latest
CNN | 2007-06-18
Reuters
BEIJING, China (Reuters) -- Chinese police have detained 168 people accused of involvement in slavery that trapped victims in scorching brick kilns, state media said on Monday, as outrage over official complicity rippled through the usually tame press.  Of those held, 48 were caught in Shanxi prov...

China to help push forward WTO trade talks
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20070618/bs_afp/wtochinatradelamy_070618165425
 | 2007-06-18
AFP
BEIJING (AFP) - China Monday told WTO chief Pascal Lamy it would help to push forward the Doha round of trade talks which have been stalled for a year over agricultural subsidies, state media said.   Finance Minister Jin Renqing said China would make further contributions to the Doha talks, and s...

The Death of Huang Ju
http://www.jamestown.org/china_brief/article.php?articleid=2373466
China Brief | 2007-06-13
Willy Lam
On the surface, the recent death of Politburo Standing Committee member and First Vice Premier Huang Ju presents President Hu Jintao with an opportunity to further consolidate his power by marginalizing the influence of the rival Shanghai Faction within the Chinese leadership. A former mayor and Chi...

Social ecology approach needed for China's poor
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/opinion/2007-06/12/content_892118.htm
China Daily | 2007-06-12
Sun Liping
Effective measures have been taken in the last few years to raise the living standards of low-income groups to prevent society from becoming further polarized.  What is more important, however, is to improve the status of the disadvantaged groups in the market and give opportunities for developmen...