http://chinadigitaltimes.net/2009/05/green-lightbulbs-poison-workers/
This should make Americans think again about "going green."
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/02/us/politics
This article was of interest to me because the way China is treating the Uighurs reminded me of the case study we did in trying to take a position on the Falun Gong.
This article was of interest to me because the way China is treating the Uighurs reminded me of the case study we did in trying to take a position on the Falun Gong.
Child labor ring broken up
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/01/world/asia
This is a very heart wrenching article on child labor in China.
This is a very heart wrenching article on child labor in China.
China's angry youths
China’s ‘angry youths’ are novel heroes
By Kathrin Hille in Beijing
Published: March 27 2009 17:47 Last updated: March 27 2009 17:47
China is unhappy. So much is clear as a book stating just this and recommending a confrontation with the west as a remedy has conquered the country’s bestseller lists and triggered a fierce online debate over China’s place in the world and its identity.
Unhappy China argues that the country should stand up to the west to claim its rightful place as a global power, and it looks to a patriotic young generation as a source of national strength and unity.
EDITOR’S CHOICE
New daily aims to improve foreign perception of China - Apr-20Rudd’s pro-Beijing stance is a liability - Apr-20China to dilute state publishing monopoly - Apr-07The press and the party line - Mar-05China tries to improve image in west - Jan-13Legal challenge to China censors - Oct-30This comes just as China’s harassment of a US surveillance ship, which was branded by Washington as “aggressive, troublesome” behaviour, and Beijing’s proposal that the US dollar could be replaced as the main international reserve currency, gave powerful reminders of the country’s potential to become a global power both militarily and economically.
Song Qiang, one of the book’s five authors, says that for a rising power like China, there are only two choices open to it: to become a hegemon or to get cast aside.
“I’d rather choose the first,” he said in an interview.
Wang Xiaodong, another of the authors, argues that the financial crisis has proved that the US has failed in world leadership and that “we can do it better”. Even without the crisis, he believes China must become a superpower.
“For a country as big as China, the need will arise to secure sufficient resources,” he said.
The nationalism of China’s “angry youths” shocked many in the west when they protested against the rejection of their Olympic torch run in Paris, attacked the western media for alleged bias and lies in its coverage of unrest in Tibet and called for a boycott of the French retailer Carrefour’s outlets in their country.
For the book’s authors, they are China’s only heroes and these views sell. Unhappy China jumped to the top of the bestseller list of online bookstore dangdang.com soon after publication on March 12.
As the initial 100,000 copies were selling out quickly, the publisher rushed to print another 50,000 early this week.
In the country’s lively internet blogosphere, the book has created something of a stir.
On Qihoo, a search site, a search for the book title returned more than a million listings.
All major web portals and social networking sites have their own Unhappy China forums where supporters and critics face off.
“The book appeals to the section of this increasingly diverse society which is frustrated that the leadership is not taking a firmer hand in foreign policy,” said Russell Leigh Moses, a Beijing-based political analyst. He added that the treatise represents a challenge for the Chinese government.
“The fact that this book is out means that such ideas have some traction,” said Mr Moses.
“However, it’s a sign of just how divided this society is and how uncertain the future is that it doesn’t sweep the system in a storm but causes so much friction.”
Some bloggers reject the book as the bitter rant of ultra left-wing intellectuals who feel sidelined under Beijing’s policies of reform and opening.
Others agree with the goal but differ on the authors’ view that Beijing should go for it and assert itself right now.
“China is still too weak to seek confrontation with the west,” said an anonymous blogger.
But another blogger said: “These five authors can directly replace the current politbureau members.
“Then they can [make] China a first-rate major power in just a few years!”
Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009
By Kathrin Hille in Beijing
Published: March 27 2009 17:47 Last updated: March 27 2009 17:47
China is unhappy. So much is clear as a book stating just this and recommending a confrontation with the west as a remedy has conquered the country’s bestseller lists and triggered a fierce online debate over China’s place in the world and its identity.
Unhappy China argues that the country should stand up to the west to claim its rightful place as a global power, and it looks to a patriotic young generation as a source of national strength and unity.
EDITOR’S CHOICE
New daily aims to improve foreign perception of China - Apr-20Rudd’s pro-Beijing stance is a liability - Apr-20China to dilute state publishing monopoly - Apr-07The press and the party line - Mar-05China tries to improve image in west - Jan-13Legal challenge to China censors - Oct-30This comes just as China’s harassment of a US surveillance ship, which was branded by Washington as “aggressive, troublesome” behaviour, and Beijing’s proposal that the US dollar could be replaced as the main international reserve currency, gave powerful reminders of the country’s potential to become a global power both militarily and economically.
Song Qiang, one of the book’s five authors, says that for a rising power like China, there are only two choices open to it: to become a hegemon or to get cast aside.
“I’d rather choose the first,” he said in an interview.
Wang Xiaodong, another of the authors, argues that the financial crisis has proved that the US has failed in world leadership and that “we can do it better”. Even without the crisis, he believes China must become a superpower.
“For a country as big as China, the need will arise to secure sufficient resources,” he said.
The nationalism of China’s “angry youths” shocked many in the west when they protested against the rejection of their Olympic torch run in Paris, attacked the western media for alleged bias and lies in its coverage of unrest in Tibet and called for a boycott of the French retailer Carrefour’s outlets in their country.
For the book’s authors, they are China’s only heroes and these views sell. Unhappy China jumped to the top of the bestseller list of online bookstore dangdang.com soon after publication on March 12.
As the initial 100,000 copies were selling out quickly, the publisher rushed to print another 50,000 early this week.
In the country’s lively internet blogosphere, the book has created something of a stir.
On Qihoo, a search site, a search for the book title returned more than a million listings.
All major web portals and social networking sites have their own Unhappy China forums where supporters and critics face off.
“The book appeals to the section of this increasingly diverse society which is frustrated that the leadership is not taking a firmer hand in foreign policy,” said Russell Leigh Moses, a Beijing-based political analyst. He added that the treatise represents a challenge for the Chinese government.
“The fact that this book is out means that such ideas have some traction,” said Mr Moses.
“However, it’s a sign of just how divided this society is and how uncertain the future is that it doesn’t sweep the system in a storm but causes so much friction.”
Some bloggers reject the book as the bitter rant of ultra left-wing intellectuals who feel sidelined under Beijing’s policies of reform and opening.
Others agree with the goal but differ on the authors’ view that Beijing should go for it and assert itself right now.
“China is still too weak to seek confrontation with the west,” said an anonymous blogger.
But another blogger said: “These five authors can directly replace the current politbureau members.
“Then they can [make] China a first-rate major power in just a few years!”
Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009
Go to www.danwei.org/ and check out the article entitled today's new youth. it is a celebration commemorating the 90th anniversary of the may 4th incident. Very interesting.
Sunday, May 3, 2009
China's neighbors
How should the US view China's developing relations with her neighbors? Should the US modify its foreign policy towards these same nations in light of their changing relations with China?
I believe that the US should view China's developing relations with their neighbors in the most cautious yet realistic way possible. It seems that China truly has an agenda as well as a reasoning behind everything it does. It always has its best interest at heart and economics on the brain. It seems to be written on the wall what is going on, even though China won't or won't ever directly admit to it. China has the means to help smaller countries get on the map economically speaking, while exploiting them for their natural resources so they can fuel their need to grow, build and expand. China also is using the money from these trade deals to finance military growth and weapons purchasing (to the tune of 1 billion dollars according to the essay by Yom. We all also know that the SCO was founded with the Anti Western slant that China is trying to impose on the ASEAN through spins on current affairs or views on other topics.
I believe that the US should view China's developing relations with their neighbors in the most cautious yet realistic way possible. It seems that China truly has an agenda as well as a reasoning behind everything it does. It always has its best interest at heart and economics on the brain. It seems to be written on the wall what is going on, even though China won't or won't ever directly admit to it. China has the means to help smaller countries get on the map economically speaking, while exploiting them for their natural resources so they can fuel their need to grow, build and expand. China also is using the money from these trade deals to finance military growth and weapons purchasing (to the tune of 1 billion dollars according to the essay by Yom. We all also know that the SCO was founded with the Anti Western slant that China is trying to impose on the ASEAN through spins on current affairs or views on other topics.
Sunday, March 29, 2009
the discussion session with Dr. Anderson
I just wanted to bring up one point that I made while on the phone with Dr. Anderson after missing the elluminate session. I was thinking about the economy and its role related to culture in these terms- Mao induced the first Cultural Revolution in an effort to give the masses a diverse life experience and therefor a better understanding of it. I told the professor that a new cultural revolution had occured, this time it is at the hands of the economy (due to politics) and the ability to "market" yourself and make a living (since the central writer's association of China no longer pays very well at all and movie producers can't hope to make money unless they get foreign investors at the risk of losing cultural integrity or are banned by the government which still prevents domestic distribution and/or recognition.) I found that to be a rather interesting point.
China's world status
With all that you have learned from these recent reports about China's current internal problems, do you think that its world power status should be reconsidered? Can China successfully overcome these difficulties to achieve such status on the world stage? I do believe that China's world power status should be reconsidered but maybe not for the most obvious reasons. It seems to me that anyone without any regard for interational opinion or "external conflicts" paired with a singular desire for only economic prosperity should be questioned. Furthermore, when the desired economic prosperity doesn't stem from a desire to see your people succeed or a sense of pride for your country but from a fear of political tyranny at the hands of social unrest, more concern develops. You have a people who have no problems pacifying others in the name of being left alone to do what they wish, but then turn around and persecute and threaten a group of people who wish for nothing more than a formal declaration of the independence that have been, in essence, living for the better part of two decades. This fact really bothers me considering the fact that China was a long time victim of Japan's bullying and they seem to have finally reached the long term stability that they had desired for so long. I believe the government is hypocritical and immoral.
I do however have to use this next paragraph to state that I believe that China can overcome the obstacles to take it's place on the world stage only because they have managed to do so thus far, in the face of opposition and some pretty uncertain circumstances. With all of the possibilites for social unrest and all of the taxing issues constantly on the mind's of China's leaders and students and media (i.e. the environment, public health, unemployment) they have still managed to keep on track with the necessary predicted algorithms and raise the per capita successfully. I do not believe though that China will be able to maintain the same rate of success due to the global economy but I feel by that time, China will have taken it's place in the world, and it may be too late. The rest of the world will be sure to feel the effects of an economic collapse just like I am sure they would if the same thing were to happen in the U.S. A large number of countries are very interrelated with imports/exports, and foreign investments so that statement could be made with confidence about the collapse of many countries in relationship to the rest of the world and its economy.
I do however have to use this next paragraph to state that I believe that China can overcome the obstacles to take it's place on the world stage only because they have managed to do so thus far, in the face of opposition and some pretty uncertain circumstances. With all of the possibilites for social unrest and all of the taxing issues constantly on the mind's of China's leaders and students and media (i.e. the environment, public health, unemployment) they have still managed to keep on track with the necessary predicted algorithms and raise the per capita successfully. I do not believe though that China will be able to maintain the same rate of success due to the global economy but I feel by that time, China will have taken it's place in the world, and it may be too late. The rest of the world will be sure to feel the effects of an economic collapse just like I am sure they would if the same thing were to happen in the U.S. A large number of countries are very interrelated with imports/exports, and foreign investments so that statement could be made with confidence about the collapse of many countries in relationship to the rest of the world and its economy.
Friday, March 6, 2009
A very scary statement
The last statement made by the Premier was what scared me most about the article. It might seem too vague or general but I believe this sums the entire environmental controversy up. How scary it is.
No need for new China stimulus: stats office adviser
Fri Mar 6, 2009 4:41am EST
(Reuters) - China has no need for a huge new economic stimulus, not least because the government has already taken extra steps to boost growth, the former head of the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) said on Friday. Li Deshui, who still...";
BEIJING (Reuters) - China has no need for a huge new economic stimulus, not least because the government has already taken extra steps to boost growth, the former head of the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) said on Friday.
Li Deshui, who still advises the NBS, said market talk of a package that could be twice as large as the 4 trillion yuan ($585 billion) stimulus announced in November was groundless.
Although Wen Jiabao did not announce a second stimulus in his annual address to parliament on Thursday, disappointing overseas investors, the premier did list a series of pro-growth policies that have already been implemented, Li told a news conference.
These included a 500 billion yuan ($73 billion) reduction in the tax burden on firms and individuals; subsidies for affordable housing and for farmers; and help for unemployed migrant workers and college graduates.
"There are so many detailed, feasible measures in Premier Wen's work report. Why are so many people just blind to that?" Li said.
The key risk facing the Chinese economy was slowing external demand, not problems at home, Li said.
But he said China would have no problem hitting the government's goal of 8 percent growth this year and dismissed the possibility that China might ever suffer back-to-back quarters of negative growth.
The economy expanded 6.8 percent in the fourth quarter of 2008 from a year earlier, a pace that no other country could match, Li noted. "China's economy does not have and will not have a recession," he said.
Nor was China's financial system facing a crisis.
"Our money will not be spent on dealing with bubbles or cleaning up trash like Western countries; our money will be spent exclusively on promoting economic growth," he said.
(Reporting by Zhou Xin; Writing by Alan Wheatley, Editing by Jacqueline Wong))
No need for new China stimulus: stats office adviser
Fri Mar 6, 2009 4:41am EST
(Reuters) - China has no need for a huge new economic stimulus, not least because the government has already taken extra steps to boost growth, the former head of the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) said on Friday. Li Deshui, who still...";
BEIJING (Reuters) - China has no need for a huge new economic stimulus, not least because the government has already taken extra steps to boost growth, the former head of the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) said on Friday.
Li Deshui, who still advises the NBS, said market talk of a package that could be twice as large as the 4 trillion yuan ($585 billion) stimulus announced in November was groundless.
Although Wen Jiabao did not announce a second stimulus in his annual address to parliament on Thursday, disappointing overseas investors, the premier did list a series of pro-growth policies that have already been implemented, Li told a news conference.
These included a 500 billion yuan ($73 billion) reduction in the tax burden on firms and individuals; subsidies for affordable housing and for farmers; and help for unemployed migrant workers and college graduates.
"There are so many detailed, feasible measures in Premier Wen's work report. Why are so many people just blind to that?" Li said.
The key risk facing the Chinese economy was slowing external demand, not problems at home, Li said.
But he said China would have no problem hitting the government's goal of 8 percent growth this year and dismissed the possibility that China might ever suffer back-to-back quarters of negative growth.
The economy expanded 6.8 percent in the fourth quarter of 2008 from a year earlier, a pace that no other country could match, Li noted. "China's economy does not have and will not have a recession," he said.
Nor was China's financial system facing a crisis.
"Our money will not be spent on dealing with bubbles or cleaning up trash like Western countries; our money will be spent exclusively on promoting economic growth," he said.
(Reporting by Zhou Xin; Writing by Alan Wheatley, Editing by Jacqueline Wong))
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
China is really making an effort to create global economic ties
China set to boost Venezuela ties
Vice President Xi Jinping has already visited Jamaica, Mexico and Colombia
Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping is due in Venezuela as part of a visit to boost Chinese ties in the region.
Mr Xi is expected to sign agreements including joint ventures with Venezuela's state oil company, PDVSA, the Venezuelan foreign ministry said.
China is also set to inject $4bn (£2.8bn) into a joint investment fund that was set up in 2007 with $6bn.
Mr Xi and Vice Premier Hui Liangyu are both touring Latin America - a sign of the region's importance to Beijing.
Mr Xi would be signing accords on joint ventures for "the exploration, exploitation, processing, refining and transportation of crude oil," a Venezuelan foreign ministry statement said.
"Today we have a long-term strategic alliance for the next 100 years for the joint production of oil," Venezuelan Foreign Minister Nicolas Maduro said.
The two sides are also expected to formalise an increase in a joint investment fund set up in 2007 with initial capital of $4bn from China and $2bn from Venezuela, with Beijing now injecting a further $4bn.
"This fund will provide Venezuela with sources of financing for development projects and to maintain economic growth for the next two or three years, amid the global crisis," Mr Maduro said.
Export markets
Mr Xi has visited Jamaica, Mexico and Colombia, and is due to travel on to Brazil, while Vice Premier Hui Liangyu's itinerary includes Argentina, Ecuador, Barbados and the Bahamas.
It is rare for two of China's top leaders to descend on the region almost at the same time, and indicates China's ongoing efforts to strengthen ties with and develop its influence on Latin America and the Caribbean, says BBC China analyst Shirong Chen.
China's export markets in Europe and North America have shrunk substantially in the global financial crisis, so Beijing is desperate to open up and maintain markets in Latin America.
Beijing published its first ever policy document on the region last November before President Hu Jintao visited Costa Rica, Cuba and Peru.
I found this to be interesting because as they stated it is rare for both of China's top leaders to be gone together but I think it is very obvious that China is on track with a specific mission. I believe this is how they are becoming and will remain a global superpower. If you are running out of something, invest with another country to sustain import systems.
Vice President Xi Jinping has already visited Jamaica, Mexico and Colombia
Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping is due in Venezuela as part of a visit to boost Chinese ties in the region.
Mr Xi is expected to sign agreements including joint ventures with Venezuela's state oil company, PDVSA, the Venezuelan foreign ministry said.
China is also set to inject $4bn (£2.8bn) into a joint investment fund that was set up in 2007 with $6bn.
Mr Xi and Vice Premier Hui Liangyu are both touring Latin America - a sign of the region's importance to Beijing.
Mr Xi would be signing accords on joint ventures for "the exploration, exploitation, processing, refining and transportation of crude oil," a Venezuelan foreign ministry statement said.
"Today we have a long-term strategic alliance for the next 100 years for the joint production of oil," Venezuelan Foreign Minister Nicolas Maduro said.
The two sides are also expected to formalise an increase in a joint investment fund set up in 2007 with initial capital of $4bn from China and $2bn from Venezuela, with Beijing now injecting a further $4bn.
"This fund will provide Venezuela with sources of financing for development projects and to maintain economic growth for the next two or three years, amid the global crisis," Mr Maduro said.
Export markets
Mr Xi has visited Jamaica, Mexico and Colombia, and is due to travel on to Brazil, while Vice Premier Hui Liangyu's itinerary includes Argentina, Ecuador, Barbados and the Bahamas.
It is rare for two of China's top leaders to descend on the region almost at the same time, and indicates China's ongoing efforts to strengthen ties with and develop its influence on Latin America and the Caribbean, says BBC China analyst Shirong Chen.
China's export markets in Europe and North America have shrunk substantially in the global financial crisis, so Beijing is desperate to open up and maintain markets in Latin America.
Beijing published its first ever policy document on the region last November before President Hu Jintao visited Costa Rica, Cuba and Peru.
I found this to be interesting because as they stated it is rare for both of China's top leaders to be gone together but I think it is very obvious that China is on track with a specific mission. I believe this is how they are becoming and will remain a global superpower. If you are running out of something, invest with another country to sustain import systems.
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Cultural Revolution... A possibility?
After reading up on some current events and reading some blogs (I especially like Kim's) I have come to the conclusion that a Cultural Revolution is likely to be able to occur again. With the mix of cultural repression, external and internal mistrust, and economic oppression, the writing is on the wall. I believe that another factor that would play into a revolution (which I have to say would be more along the lines of the people vs the government and not so much individual sectors battling one another) comes to us in the form of technology/mass communication. Gittings talked about how the government would try to suppress information during times of wished secrecy and would try to track the technology leaks but the task was almost impossible. The news would spread and cell phones and the internet were to blame. If something of this nature were to occur, I believe it would be expedited with the use of technology. I know that there are still many rural parts to China but those who are linked could make their way to those who weren't and become mobile technology messengers.
The mistrust of all
China's Pusher of Philanthropy
Actor Jet Li is taking time off from films to work on his foundation in China, which has one of the lowest rates of charitable giving of major economies. (One Foundation)
By Ariana Eunjung ChaWashington Post Foreign Service Saturday, January 31, 2009; Page A10
BEIJING Surrounded by mist-covered hills, smiling children in pink costumes and a band playing drums and horns, Jet Li and Donatella Versace looked as if they could be on a movie set.
The Chinese action star and Italian fashion icon were actually in a remote mountain village in December to dedicate a psychological care and trauma center for children who survived the devastating May earthquake in China's Sichuan province. At least 70,000 people were killed, and about 18,000 are missing, according to official figures. Many of the victims were children who were trapped when their schools collapsed on them.
Celebrities jetting off to Africa to help malnourished children or to the Amazon to save rain forests is no longer headline news. But Li is the first to attempt something on this scale in China -- a place where the laws on philanthropy are still being written and where the ruling Communist Party treats charities with the same suspicion it has for any other organization it doesn't directly control.
Li, 45 -- who is known for his graceful martial arts sequences in such movies as "The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor," "Hero" and "Romeo Must Die" -- is taking a break from acting to focus on projects such as this. He has spent two years setting up a charitable foundation and recruiting the world's rich and famous to donate their time and money to help those in need in China.
Bill Clinton, Tony Blair, Jackie Chan, Andy Lau and executives from Disney, Ferrari and Universal have also signed on to help.
Li considers recruiting the easy part. Now he is turning his attention to residents of China, which has one of the lowest rates of charitable giving of the world's major economies, despite its newfound wealth. In the United States, giving represents about 2.1 percent of gross domestic product; in China, it's closer to 0.35 percent.
"The role we played is more like a pusher of philanthropic culture," Li said in an interview. "Right now, people still have a fuzzy recognition about philanthropy and volunteerism. . . . My dream is to change the concept of philanthropy in China from simply helping others into responsibility."
The core idea of Li's One Foundation is that in a country the size of China, if everyone gave a little, the impact would be enormous. Li is urging everyone to donate one yuan -- about 15 cents -- a month. "We set the lowest entrance barrier," Li said. "Nobody can say no.
"This kind of small amount of donation is very important. During bad economic times, getting an enterprise to donate 100 million yuan is not realistic. But getting 100 million of 1.3 billion people to donate a little is easy to achieve," he said.
Many of the donations used to assist victims of the earthquake, for example, came from individuals who had never donated before. In all, the foundation has received 500 million yuan from a million people. The foundation had raised the equivalent of $13.7 million by July.
Li spent two years traveling to study the world's most effective charities and trying to find a model that would work in China. He teamed with the Red Cross Society of China, an aid agency with close ties to the Chinese government, to create an "uber-charity" that would aggregate donations and pick the most worthy projects in the areas of education, health, environment and poverty.
Li modeled his foundation on a publicly traded business accountable to its shareholders -- in his case, donors. Transparency is essential. The charity issues quarterly reports and is audited by international accounting firm Deloitte & Touche.
It is sad that even a charity could be mistrusted by the Chinese government. I believe it s a reflection of past thought because Mao was very mistrusting and was always replacing and questioning those in positions of authority. (When he called the young to question the local cadres during the Cultural Revolution.) I believe it is also still a reflection of the resentment held towards outside help which threatens China's self sufficient image that they are always trying to project to the outside world.
Actor Jet Li is taking time off from films to work on his foundation in China, which has one of the lowest rates of charitable giving of major economies. (One Foundation)
By Ariana Eunjung ChaWashington Post Foreign Service Saturday, January 31, 2009; Page A10
BEIJING Surrounded by mist-covered hills, smiling children in pink costumes and a band playing drums and horns, Jet Li and Donatella Versace looked as if they could be on a movie set.
The Chinese action star and Italian fashion icon were actually in a remote mountain village in December to dedicate a psychological care and trauma center for children who survived the devastating May earthquake in China's Sichuan province. At least 70,000 people were killed, and about 18,000 are missing, according to official figures. Many of the victims were children who were trapped when their schools collapsed on them.
Celebrities jetting off to Africa to help malnourished children or to the Amazon to save rain forests is no longer headline news. But Li is the first to attempt something on this scale in China -- a place where the laws on philanthropy are still being written and where the ruling Communist Party treats charities with the same suspicion it has for any other organization it doesn't directly control.
Li, 45 -- who is known for his graceful martial arts sequences in such movies as "The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor," "Hero" and "Romeo Must Die" -- is taking a break from acting to focus on projects such as this. He has spent two years setting up a charitable foundation and recruiting the world's rich and famous to donate their time and money to help those in need in China.
Bill Clinton, Tony Blair, Jackie Chan, Andy Lau and executives from Disney, Ferrari and Universal have also signed on to help.
Li considers recruiting the easy part. Now he is turning his attention to residents of China, which has one of the lowest rates of charitable giving of the world's major economies, despite its newfound wealth. In the United States, giving represents about 2.1 percent of gross domestic product; in China, it's closer to 0.35 percent.
"The role we played is more like a pusher of philanthropic culture," Li said in an interview. "Right now, people still have a fuzzy recognition about philanthropy and volunteerism. . . . My dream is to change the concept of philanthropy in China from simply helping others into responsibility."
The core idea of Li's One Foundation is that in a country the size of China, if everyone gave a little, the impact would be enormous. Li is urging everyone to donate one yuan -- about 15 cents -- a month. "We set the lowest entrance barrier," Li said. "Nobody can say no.
"This kind of small amount of donation is very important. During bad economic times, getting an enterprise to donate 100 million yuan is not realistic. But getting 100 million of 1.3 billion people to donate a little is easy to achieve," he said.
Many of the donations used to assist victims of the earthquake, for example, came from individuals who had never donated before. In all, the foundation has received 500 million yuan from a million people. The foundation had raised the equivalent of $13.7 million by July.
Li spent two years traveling to study the world's most effective charities and trying to find a model that would work in China. He teamed with the Red Cross Society of China, an aid agency with close ties to the Chinese government, to create an "uber-charity" that would aggregate donations and pick the most worthy projects in the areas of education, health, environment and poverty.
Li modeled his foundation on a publicly traded business accountable to its shareholders -- in his case, donors. Transparency is essential. The charity issues quarterly reports and is audited by international accounting firm Deloitte & Touche.
It is sad that even a charity could be mistrusted by the Chinese government. I believe it s a reflection of past thought because Mao was very mistrusting and was always replacing and questioning those in positions of authority. (When he called the young to question the local cadres during the Cultural Revolution.) I believe it is also still a reflection of the resentment held towards outside help which threatens China's self sufficient image that they are always trying to project to the outside world.
Beijing's Bird's Nest to anchor shopping complex
The area around Beijing's massive Bird's Nest stadium will be turned into a shopping and entertainment complex in three to five years, a state news agency said Friday.
BEIJING —
The area around Beijing's massive Bird's Nest stadium will be turned into a shopping and entertainment complex in three to five years, a state news agency said Friday.
Officially known as the Beijing National Stadium, the showpiece of the Beijing Olympics has fallen into disuse since the end of the games. Paint is already peeling in some areas, and the only visitors these days are tourists who pay 50 yuan (about $7) to walk on the stadium floor and browse a pricey souvenir shop.
Plans call for the $450 million stadium to anchor a complex of shops and entertainment outlets in three to five years, Xinhua News Agency reported, citing operator Citic Group. The company will continue to develop tourism as a major draw for the Bird's Nest, while seeking sports and entertainment events.
The only confirmed event at the 91,000-seat stadium this year is Puccini's opera "Turandot," set for Aug. 8 - the one-year anniversary of the Olympics' opening ceremony. The stadium has no permanent tenant after Beijing's top football club, Guo'an, backed out of a deal to play there.
Details about the development plans were not available. A person who answered the phone at Citic Group on Friday said offices were closed for the Chinese New Year holiday.
A symbol of China's rising power and confidence, the stadium, whose knickname described its lattice of exterior steel beams, may never recoup its hefty construction cost, particularly amid a global economic slump. Maintenance of the structure alone costs 60 million yuan (about $8.8 million) annually, making it difficult to turn a profit, Xinhua said. New York Times
It seems as if it's another case of China showing potential for growth and exercising a means to do so but only thinking of the immediate outcome and not long term economic responsibilities. It's like the have the will and the way to better their country, but not so much the fine tuning of the know how to maintain longeavity.
The area around Beijing's massive Bird's Nest stadium will be turned into a shopping and entertainment complex in three to five years, a state news agency said Friday.
BEIJING —
The area around Beijing's massive Bird's Nest stadium will be turned into a shopping and entertainment complex in three to five years, a state news agency said Friday.
Officially known as the Beijing National Stadium, the showpiece of the Beijing Olympics has fallen into disuse since the end of the games. Paint is already peeling in some areas, and the only visitors these days are tourists who pay 50 yuan (about $7) to walk on the stadium floor and browse a pricey souvenir shop.
Plans call for the $450 million stadium to anchor a complex of shops and entertainment outlets in three to five years, Xinhua News Agency reported, citing operator Citic Group. The company will continue to develop tourism as a major draw for the Bird's Nest, while seeking sports and entertainment events.
The only confirmed event at the 91,000-seat stadium this year is Puccini's opera "Turandot," set for Aug. 8 - the one-year anniversary of the Olympics' opening ceremony. The stadium has no permanent tenant after Beijing's top football club, Guo'an, backed out of a deal to play there.
Details about the development plans were not available. A person who answered the phone at Citic Group on Friday said offices were closed for the Chinese New Year holiday.
A symbol of China's rising power and confidence, the stadium, whose knickname described its lattice of exterior steel beams, may never recoup its hefty construction cost, particularly amid a global economic slump. Maintenance of the structure alone costs 60 million yuan (about $8.8 million) annually, making it difficult to turn a profit, Xinhua said. New York Times
It seems as if it's another case of China showing potential for growth and exercising a means to do so but only thinking of the immediate outcome and not long term economic responsibilities. It's like the have the will and the way to better their country, but not so much the fine tuning of the know how to maintain longeavity.
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