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China Cuts Red Tape as Premier Li Shows Stimulus Reluctance

Xin Zhou, Bloomberg News — Fri, 17 May 2013 14:12:59 +0000

Some Chinese investment projects, including those for airports, paper pulp factories and gas fields, will no longer need pre-approval from the nation’s economic planning agency.

In all, 117 “approval items” can go ahead without authorization or be approved by local governments, according to a list published by the State Council on May 15.

Premier Li Keqiang pledged to reduce the government’s role in the world’s second-biggest economy after a new leadership took over in March. In comments published this week, Li signaled authorities are reluctant to use stimulus to counter a slowdown, saying China must rely on market mechanisms to aid growth.

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China’s State Grid in Deal for Australia Power Assets

Ross Kelly, Wall Street Journal — Fri, 17 May 2013 14:11:48 +0000

State Grid Corp. of China, the world’s biggest utility by revenue, is seeking to buy power assets worth billions of dollars in Australia.

In an acquisition bound to face close regulatory scrutiny in Australia, the state-owned utility said Friday it had reached an agreement with Singapore Power Ltd. to purchase listed and unlisted assets that include electricity and gas networks supplying Australia’s two largest cities.

State Grid, or SGCC, is looking to pay an undisclosed amount for 60% of Singapore Power’s unlisted assets—among them, the Jemena utility that manages more than 5 billion Australian dollars (US$4.88 billion) worth of pipelines and transmission networks serving millions of customers on the east coast, including Sydney and Melbourne. The agreement also includes the purchase of 20% of SP AusNet Ltd., a Sydney-listed transmission group, for A$824 million, according to both companies.

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Cultural Attitudes Impede Organ Donations in China

Christopher Bodeen, Associated Press — Fri, 17 May 2013 14:10:37 +0000

China is phasing out its reliance on executed prisoners for donated organs, but an architect of the country’s transplant system said Friday that ingrained cultural attitudes are impeding the rise of donations among the general population.

Almost all donated organs in China used to come from executed prisoners. A growing proportion now come from ordinary people, but the government is seeking to eliminate prisoner donations altogether.

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China Air Traffic Congestion Worsened by Military Controls

Jasmine Wang, Bloomberg News — Fri, 17 May 2013 14:09:39 +0000

China’s skies don’t have enough space.

The country’s air force controls airspace and allots only 20 percent to civil aviation. With China’s three biggest airlines planning to add at least 273 planes in the next three years, traffic congestion that already delays 25 percent of flights is set to worsen.

“At present, the limited airspace resource has restricted the development of civil aviation,” said Li Jiaxiang, the head of Civil Aviation Administration of China. “We will strive to further open up the airspace,” he said in Beijing yesterday.

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China cracks down on over-the-top anti-Japan dramas

Ben Blanchard and Huang Yan, Reuters — Fri, 17 May 2013 14:07:02 +0000

China’s television regulator has ordered a crackdown on dramas about the country’s battles with Japan during and before World War Two and demanded they be more serious, state media said on Friday, following viewer complaints about ludicrous storylines.

Ties have been shadowed for years by what Beijing says has been Tokyo’s refusal to admit to wartime atrocities committed by Japanese soldiers in the country between 1937 and 1945, something taught to every Chinese school child and a staple of television dramas.

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Before Visit, China Downplays Frictions With India

Christopher Bodeen, Associated Press — Thu, 16 May 2013 13:54:42 +0000

China downplayed border tensions with India on Thursday, days before the new Chinese premier visits the neighboring country on his first foreign visit since taking office in March.

Disagreements over the Himalayan frontier can be handled under existing mechanisms and should not affect overall relations, Vice Foreign Minister Song Tao told reporters at a briefing.

“China and India have historical border issues, but these are outweighed by our mutual interests and cooperation,” Song said.

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Beijing Amps up Rhetoric Over EU Trade Disputes

Paul Mozur and Wayne Ma, Wall Street Journal — Thu, 16 May 2013 13:53:24 +0000

China hit out at the European Union on Thursday, ratcheting up its rhetoric as the EU threatens to open more investigations into whether Chinese companies sold goods at below-cost prices and received unfair subsidies.

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said Beijing is closely monitoring EU investigations into China’s solar panel and wireless network products during a meeting with the Greek Prime Minister Thursday, according to state television.

Mr. Li also called for Greece to try to persuade the EU to use caution in applying any trade measures.

At a news conference also on Thursday, Shen Danyang, a spokesman for China’s Ministry of Commerce, said China would take necessary measures to defend its mobile telecommunications equipment companies against any sanctions taken by the EU.

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Residents Shout ‘Protest!’ Over Refinery in China

Artiz Parra, Associated Press — Thu, 16 May 2013 13:52:16 +0000

More than 2,000 people in southern China unfurled banners and shouted “Protest! Protest!” on Thursday to oppose plans for a petroleum refinery, in a large environmental rally that local authorities allowed to go forward in order to let the public vent frustration.

The gathering in downtown Kunming — the second one in the city this month — was largely peaceful, though there were minor scuffles with police. Witnesses said at least two people were briefly detained, though it was noteworthy that authorities — apparently eager to appear open and inclusive — made no effort to shut down the rally.

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China eyes Arctic options in energy, transport

Geoff Hiscock, CNN — Thu, 16 May 2013 13:51:18 +0000

The decision to grant permanent observer status to China and five other nations by the Arctic Council meeting in Sweden Wednesday reflects the heightened interest by some of the world’s most powerful economies in an area rich in oil, gas, minerals, fish and new transport possibilities.

For new observer nations China, Japan and South Korea, shorter shipping routes to Europe through Arctic waters could open up prospects of new energy supply options later this decade, such as liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Russia’s Yamal Peninsula in northwest Siberia.

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China steps up inspection of meat trade after fake lamb scandal

Dominique Patton, Reuters — Thu, 16 May 2013 13:49:24 +0000

China has begun a crackdown on the sales of fake, diseased and tainted meat products after a series of scandals that have further dented public confidence in the food industry, the official Xinhua news agency said on Thursday.

It said the State Council, China’s cabinet, recently ordered local government departments to step up checks on meat and processed meat products, and carry out detailed inspections of rural factories, workshops and warehouses as well as private slaughterhouses.

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