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(Seven Days Archive)
2010-03-17- Wen Jiabao meets with British Foreign Secretary; China and UK to elevate strategic dialogue to higher level
Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao met yesterday with British Foreign Secretary David Miliband, who is currently in Beijing on an official visit. During the meeting, both sides agreed to elevate the level of strategic dialogue between China and the UK. Miliband also said that China should not be pressured to over the issue of RMB appreciation. Lianhe Zaobao's Beijing correspondent Han Yong Hong reports.
- China to regulate finances of religious sites
China recently announced new provisions to regulate the financial affairs of religious sites in the country. Under the new stipulations, approximately 130,000 religious sites will be regulated as non-governmental organisations and be required to submit regular financial reports to the authorities. Lianhe Zaobao's Yu Zeyuan reports from Beijing.
- Taipei residents complain about soaring home prices
Home prices in the Taipei metropolitan area are the highest in the whole of Taiwan. According to a survey, 65% of mortgage holders in the city feel pressure in paying off their home loans.
- Mobile broadband speed to double starting from second quarter this year
The three local telcos Singtel, StarHub and M1 are currently conducting trials on the Long Term Evolution (LTE) technology in preparation to make the transition into the 4G era. LTE can increase the download data rates fivefold to 100Mbps.
- Nanyang Polytechnic to provide direct Masters programme for students from two diploma courses
Molecular Biotechnology and Food Science graduates from Nanyang Polytechnic will have a chance to enrol directly into a Masters programme at Griffith University in Australia beginning next year. This is the result of a cooperation between both institutions to allow Nanyang Polytechnic graduates who are interested in doing scientific research a faster way to fulfil their dreams.
- HK government puts remaining flats under Home Ownership Scheme onto the market to cool property speculation
The Hong Kong government has decided to launch all the remaining flats under its Home Ownership Scheme in a bid to help cool the sizzling property market. The subsidised apartments are mainly targeted at the low-income group in the territory.
- China's Commerce Ministry: Trade surplus not pressing reason to adjust value of renminbi
Yao Jian, spokesperson of China's Ministry Of Commerce, said yesterday during a routine press conference that the US should not use the bilateral trade surplus as an excuse to force the appreciation of the renminbi. He added that China will maintain its current foreign trade policies to stabilise its currency rate and support the exporters in the country.
- IE Singapore plans to allocate $10 million each year to help 100 SMEs expand overseas
International Enterprise Singapore (IE Singapore) is planning to allocate $10 million each year to assist around 100 small and medium enterprises (SMEs) by covering a portion of the expenditures incurred in their overseas expansion plans. The plan is expected to help these companies achieve an additional $3 billion in overseas revenues over the next three years.
- Singapore optimistic about outlook for exports to BRIC countries
IE Singapore predicts that Singapore's exports of goods and services to Brazil, Russia, India and China will reach more than double last year's figure to hit $133 billion in 2014. It also said that Singapore's direct investments in the four countries are expected to increase by 44% to $75 billion within that time.
- "Singapore Studies" and studying Singapore
In this commentary first published in Sin Chew Daily, Yang Bangni says that Malaysia need only to look at its southern neighbour to learn important lessons, especially in terms of policies involving language and race. Only through studying Singapore can Malaysia achieve the goals of its Vision 2020.
- Steady development of Mainland-Taiwan ties is encouraging
[Editorial] Bolstering economic ties and expanding cross-strait cultural and education exchanges are expected to be the main areas of focus of Mainland China's policy towards Taiwan this year. Closer and more stable relations will not only benefit both sides but also other Asian countries as well as the world at large.
2010-03-16- Chinese official apprehended for fabricating identity
Wang Yali, former deputy chief of the Shijiazhuang city committee of the Communist Youth League, was arrested yesterday for fabricating her identity in order to become a local cadre. Seven other local officials connected to the case are also being investigated. Lianhe Zaobao's Yu Zeyuan reports from Beijing.
- Taiwan academics: Mainland seeking re-unification through cross-strait cultural exchanges
Boosting cultural exchanges is expected to become the next focus for Mainland China and Taiwan as both sides seek to further strengthen ties through the signing of the Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA). A number of Taiwan academics interviewed believe that the Mainland is seeking to achieve its eventual goal of re-unification with Taiwan through these efforts. Lianhe Zaobao's Taipei correspondent Shen Zewei reports.
- Wen Jiabao's female interpreter becomes internet sensation after showcasing superb talent in translating ancient Chinese poetry
Zhang Lu, the chief interpreter for Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao, has become an internet sensation after she showcased her superb talent in accurately translating many ancient Chinese poems cited by Wen into English during his press conference at the conclusion of the Third Session of China's National People's Congress (NPC) recently.
- COE prices expected to only stabilise in 2012
Industry players expect rising COE prices to only stabilise in 2012 as over 90% of the vehicles currently on the road are aged between five and six years and car owners are unlikely to scrap their vehicles soon due to the new COE quota method announced by LTA last week.
- HK government plans to relax rules on resale home transactions
The Hong Kong government is planning to relax rules on transactions in the resale home market to allow more low-income citizens to afford to buy cheaper homes.
- Second round of talks on ECFA may take place next week
The second round of talks on the cross-strait Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA) between Mainland China and Taiwan may take place next week following positive remarks on "giving benefits" to Taiwan by Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao recently.
- CapitaLand distributes shopping vouchers worth between $750 and $10,000 to 700 employees
Around 700 managerial and higher-level staff at CapitaLand have received shopping vouchers worth a total of $1 million redeemable at all CMA malls. A spokesperson for CapitaLand said that the group decided to extend the initiative for another year after receiving positive feedback from retail tenants when it was first launched last year.
- January retail sales up 2.3% on-year boosted by growth in car sales
According to data released by the Department of Statistics (DOS) yesterday, Retail Sales Index for January 2010 increased by 2.3% compared to the same period of last year. A major contributing factor was the growth in car sales for the first time in the last 16 months.
- Academic credentials, character and ability of political candidates
Chen Shiling writes to the Forum page on the recent development where several individuals with high academic credentials joined opposition parties. With the PAP holding an advantageous position in General Elections, would its candidates be more complacent and less hard-driving compared to opposition candidates?
- China biding its time due to domestic livelihood issues
[Editorial] Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao refuted criticisms that China acted in an "arrogant" manner at the recent Copenhagen Climate Change Summit yesterday. One gets a sense from his speech that China is taking a lower profile on the international stage due to the more pressing need of dealing with domestic issues such as the growing income disparity, corruption and inflation.
2010-03-15- China enters into era of equal voting rights
China concluded its Third Session of the 11th National People's Congress (NPC) yesterday. The NPC had earlier passed proposed amendments to the Electoral Law to grant equal representation to China's rural and urban citizens in electing their NPC deputies. Beijing correspondent Chan Cheow Pong reports.
- Wen Jiabao: Measures by other countries to force RMB to appreciate will be counter-productive
Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao said in a press conference yesterday that China is opposed to countries pointing fingers at each other and taking steps to force others to appreciate their currencies. He stressed that such moves would be counter-productive. Lianhe Zaobao's Beijing correspondent Yu Zeyuan reports.
- Wen Jiabao seeks to reassure Taiwan on ECFA with positive remarks
Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao commented on the cross-strait Economic Framework Agreement (ECFA) with Taiwan during a press conference yesterday. He also said that he believes both sides will be able to resolve any differences in the negotiations.
- MDA introduces new pay-TV regulation; academics: Attractive programming is key to pay-TV's success
The Media Development Authority Of Singapore (MDA) has introduced a new regulation which requires pay-TV retailers to cross-carry each other's content to prevent bidding wars over expensive broadcasting rights in order to attract more subscribers.
- Koh Boon Hwee donates $2.5 m to NTU scholarship fund
DBS Group chairman Koh Boon Hwee has donated $2.5 million to NTU to support the University Scholars Award. The endowment fund will be matched dollar-by-dollar by the government and renamed the Koh Boon Hwee Scholars Award.
- China to invest massive funds in purchase of high-speed trains
Wang Zhiguo, Vice Minister of China's Ministry of Railways, announced yesterday that China plans to invest RMB100 billion ($20.8 billion) this year to purchase high-speed trains and relevant equipment.
- Fund managers optimistic about development of Chinese economy
Despite market concerns about an asset bubble forming in China, fund managers at OCBC are still optimistic about the development of the Chinese economy and believe that the country will not face an economic "hard landing".
- Optimistic outlook for palm oil stocks as El Nino weather may affect supply this year
Stocks of palm oil companies such as Golden Agri-Resources, Indofood Agri Resources and Wilmar International have performed well last week by achieving gains of between 2 to 8%. UOB-KH Research predicts that the El Nino weather will be a major factor in influencing palm oil prices this year.
- Chua Thian Poh Public Lecture speaker Jean Pierre Jeannet: Don't put all your investments in China
Professor Jean Pierre Jeannet from Babson College in the US gave a wide-ranging speech which covered business, economy, geography and history in the Chua Thian Poh Public Lecture event last week. The event was organised by The Nanyang Technopreneurship Centre.
- The press, the internet and civic education
Mao Zhaohui, a researcher at the Singapore Centre for Chinese Language, notes how the Jack Neo saga and the controversy surrounding Hubei Governor Li Hongzhong have dominated the print and online discussions in Singapore and China respectively. He sees this as the people exercising their right to speak and carrying out their duty to "regulate" society. He feels that both cases show that civic education efforts in the two countries have borne fruit. To improve our living environment further, a vibrant civil society is necessary, for which civic education is a necessity.
- The future of Thai democracy
[Editorial] Red-shirted protesters supporting former Thai Premier Thaksin Shinawatra begun gathering in Bangkok yesterday for a major protest, demanding that Parliament be dissolved within 24 hours. The political struggle that has occurred following Thaksin's removal has damaged the credibility of the Thai electoral system and delayed recognition o the legitimacy of the present Thai government.
2010-03-14- Edmund Ho chosen as Vice Chairman of CPPCC; Panchen Lama not nominated
The Third Session of the 11th China People's Political Consultative Conference ended yesterday with former Macau Chief Executive Edmund Ho being chosen as Vice Chairman. Contrary to earlier rumours, the 11th Panchen Lama was not nominated for the Vice Chairman post, becoming a National Committee member instead.
- Five CPC veterans call for Hubei governor to make public apology
Five senior members of the Communist Party of China who are also scholars in party organs have jointly called for the National People's Congress leadership to deal firmly with Hubei Governor Li Hongzhong, who recently created a controversy with his rude behaviour towards a female journalist. They have called for him to make a public apology to quell the storm that has erupted. Beijing correspondent Han Yong Hong reports.
- Creative industries soar in Shanghai
UNESCO recently included Shanghai within its Creative City Network, listing it under the "design city" category. Lianhe Zaobao takes an in-depth look at the creative industries in Shanghai in his feature.
- Car dealers see slow weekend business with higher COE prices
The sudden rise in the latest COE prices have led to new car prices going up between $3,000 and $8,000. Coupled with LTA's announcement of changes to the Vehicle Quota System next month, this has dampened car buying sentiment, with many dealers complaining of poor business over the weekend.
- Tour guides should pick up less-common foreign languages to welcome "new" tourists
Singapore has been seeing tourists from different countries in recent years such as Russia and the Western Asia. This has offered up new business opportunities for tour guides who can offer services in these languages.
- Service excellence starts from CEO
Lianhe Zaobao looks at some of the views local CEOs shared at a recent service excellence event organised by the Institute of Service Excellence at SMU. An important point made was that raising service quality means raising productivity.
- Raffles Education CEO Chew Hua Seng builds vocational education "mothership" in China
Raffles Education Corporation CEO Chew Hua Seng is leading the Oriental University City project in Langfang,Hebei, which gathers 14 institutions of higher learning within a mini-city. He acquired this project at the end of 2007 for around $480 million. Lianhe Zaobao looks at this entrepreneur and his plans.
- The implications of making sure
Columnist Goh Sin Hwee wonders what is the best model of interaction between government and people. Can the rapport and trust between the two be raised to a higher level where there is less suspicion and more trust? If society expects the government to be responsible for everything, then it has no right to complain that the government is everywhere.
2010-03-13- Chongqing property tycoon becomes China's richest woman with net worth of USD3.9 billion
Longfor Properties Co. Ltd., a developer of mid- and high-end properties, listed in Hong Kong last November, making its chairman and CEO Wu Yajun the richest woman in China with a net worth of RMB27.3 billion. Lianhe Zaobao's Chongqing correspondent Li Yun Lin reports.
- Shanghai World Expo appoints four more celebrity ambassadors as opening draws near
With fifty days to the opening of the World Expo in Shanghai, organisers have appointed four additional celebrities as ambassadors. They are Yang Lan, Tan Dun, Andy Lau and Li Ning. Existing ambassadors are Yao Ming, Lang Lang and Jackie Chan.
- Western Singapore is a one-stop education hub
Other than being the main site for Singapore's industry, Western Singapore is also home to many of the country's top educational and research institutions. Lianhe Zaobao talks to several property consultants on the characteristic of this area as a one-stop education hub.
- Academics divided on lower threshold for taking Chinese B Syllabus; students welcome move
The decision by MOE to lower the threshold for students to take the Chinese Language B Syllabus has been welcomed by students interviewed. They mentioned their difficulties with the language and said allowing them to take it at a lower level will give them more time to devote their efforts to other subjects. However, academics are divided over the impact of this move.
- PCCW suspended from buying land in Beijing
Hong Kong tycoon Richard Li's PCCW has been penalised by the Chinese government for land-hoarding. It has been suspended from conducting land transactions in Beijing and fined. Lianhe Zaobao's Tai Hing Shing reports.
- Zhou Libo finds financial success through comedy
Lianhe Zaobao features Shanghai-based comedian Zhou Libo, who has achieved immense success in China with his performances, DVD sales and book sales.
- Bayer Schering Pharma sees fastest growth in Asia-Pacific operations
Richard Nieman, Head of Global Medical Affairs Asia, Bayer Schering Pharma Asia Pacific, said yesterday that Asia-Pacific sales of the group grew by more than 13% last year to $2 billion. The company will be investing 100 million Euros over the next five years on research and development in Asia.
- More shops and shoppers at Northpoint following revamp
After a 20-month revamp, Northpoint, located across from the Yishun MRT station, has not only increased the number of stores from 90 to 168 but has been seeing a significant rise in the number of shoppers to the current 2.4 million visits per month.
- Chinese-educated middle-aged unemployed face job woes
Reader Xie Ruilian writes to the Forum page to express her concern that the Singapore College of Insurance would be terminating its Chinese-language examinations for people who wish to become qualified agents. She feels this will leave the middle-aged Chinese-educated unemployed with even less job options than they currently have.
- The cost issue in keeping coffeeshop toilets clean
[Editorial] Poor hygiene in coffeeshop toilets may be due to insufficient inspectors, neglect on the part of coffeeshop operators, and the fact that users come from diverse backgrounds. Efforts will need to be made in all three areas to address this problem.
2010-03-12- 26,226 corrupt officials apprehended in China last year
During the "Two Meetings" yesterday, President of China's Supreme People's Court Wang Shengjun and Procurator-General Cao Jianming delivered their reports on justice and law enforcement efforts for the past year. The reports show that the authorities have stepped up the crackdown on corrupt officials and triad members. Lianhe Zaobao's Beijing correspondent Han Yong Hong reports.
- Taiwan's Justice Minister resigns over death penalty row
Taiwan's Minister of Justice Wang Ching-feng yesterday resigned over the controversy ignited by her article written recently to voice her opposition against the death penalty. Premier Wu Deng-yih has accepted her resignation. The death penalty is supported by the majority of Taiwanese.
- SMRT to add 150 more trains to shorten commuter waiting time
SMRT and the Land Transport Authority (LTA) said in a joint statement yesterday that the number of train trips for certain time periods will be raised starting from March 22. This is expected to shorten the waiting times of commuters by 0.5 to 2.5 minutes.
- Government to allocate $190m to launch Workfare Training Scheme in July to help raise salaries of low-income workers
The government will allocate $190 million to fund the Workfare Training Scheme (WTS) starting from July of this year. The scheme is aimed at providing training to 30,000 low-income workers each year to help them upgrade their skills and achieve better pay.
- China's inflation rate hits 16-month high
China's National Bureau of Statistics announced yesterday that China's CPI for February rose 2.7% on year, exceeding forecasts and hitting a 16-month high. This has exacerbated fears that the economy is becoming overheated.
- American companies in South China to invest at least USD9.4 billion in China this year
Harley Seyedin, president of the American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham) in South China, announced yesterday that the investments of the chamber's members will grow by 44% this year, reaching at least USD9.4 billion (approximately $13.14 billion). Members of the chamber include over 1,650 US businesses in Guangdong, Fujian, Guangxi and Hainan.
- India's largest hospital chain acquires Parkway stake for $960 million
Fortis Healthcare, India's largest hospital chain, has agreed to acquire the 23.9% stake in Parkway Holdings held by TPG Capital for $959 million. Fortis' chairman Malvinder Mohan Singh will be appointed as the new chairman of Parkway's board.
- Other than China Fishery, more companies plan to list in Norway
More local companies other than China Fishery have plans to list on the Oslo Bors following an MOU signed between the stock exchange and SGX in July last year. The local bourse has also seen Norwegian company Golden Ocean do its secondary listing here.
- How should China push ahead with reform of its income distribution system?
The reform of the income distribution system in China has become one of the core issues discussed at this year's National People's Congress (NPC) and Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) sessions. This commentary by Zhou Zixun, a researcher at an IT company in Beijing, explains why China should press ahead with the reform regardless of the challenges as this will directly affect social stability in the country.
- Family matters sometimes require government intervention
[Editorial] Social stability suffers if the number of dysfunctional families increase. As modern citizens, Singaporeans have the right to be protected and cared for by the state. Victims of dysfunctional family arrangements need to learn how to use the laws and mechanisms in place to protect the rights they are entitled to.
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