CHINA US Focus - Perspectives shaping the world's most important bilateral relationship

Increasing discharge of pollutants and booming offshore human activity, such as oil exploration, are worsening China's fragile marine environment, according to an annual report released by the country’s ocean watchdog. The severely polluted sea area surged to 44,000 square kilometers in China in 2011 from 25,000 sq km in 2003, according to China's 2011 marine [...]

China has decided not to allow local governments to sell bonds directly following a trial program launched last November, on concerns that mounting debts could bring excessive risks. Some economists welcomed the move as a measure to tame local governments' appetite for excessive funds, while others worried the lack of a market mechanism for fundraising [...]

Alibaba.com Limited officially delisted from the Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited on June 20, 2012. Delisting seems incredible but the Alibaba.com Limited was not the only one choosing to withdraw from the stock market. On Nov. 2, 2011, Harbin Electric Inc. officially withdrew from the NASDAQ stock market. On the evening of Nov. 22, [...]

China is planning a new law that will shorten the minimum stay for foreigners who come to China to work to 90 days while the period of validity for a residence permit will range from 180 days to five years. The draft law is being discussed by the National People's Congress Standing Committee, the country's [...]

(Beijing) – Energy companies from Oman to Beijing have been wrangling over one of China's largest natural gas distributors with an unusual bow to state-private sector teamwork. The competition for control began in December when state-run oil company Sinopec and privately held ENN Energy Service Co. Ltd. joined forces in a hostile takeover bid for [...]