Conspiracy Theories Abound About China’s Gold Purchases

Tom Holland
South China Morning Post
Huge imports of gold have fueled speculation about the mainland’s intentions, including an alleged bid to launch a global monetary system.

China Puts U.S. Businessman on Trial in Mob Crimes

Gillian Wong
Associated Press
Vincent Wu, an American businessman, went on trial in China on Monday for allegedly heading a violent mob that kidnapped rivals and operated illegal casinos, charges he has said he was tortured into confessing. 

China’s Richest Man Eyes Hollywood, Backs Animated Pic ‘Kong’

Pamela McClintock and Clifford Coonan
Hollywood Reporter
Robin Li -- chairman of Chinese search engine Baidu and president of the Chinese Cultural Chamber of Commerce of the Private Sector  -- is backing a new film production venture that intends to release as its first project a Hollywood 3D...

Chinese Official Made Job Plea to JP Morgan Chase Chief

Jessica Sliver-Greenberg and Ben Protess
New York Times
The episode underscores the dual forces driving JPMorgan and other Wall Street banks to hire the family and friends of China’s ruling elite. The banks sought to build good will with Chinese officials, who, in turn, expected favors from the banks...

Feasts for the Eyes, and the Palatte, in Xian, China

Perri Klass
New York Times
On the “Muslim Street” in the Chinese city of Xian stands a bronze tableau in honor of street food.

Designer Seed Thought to Be Latest Target by Chinese

John Eligon and Patrick Zuo
New York Times
The F.B.I. cites agricultural technology theft as an emerging international trend, especially in light of a case in which Chinese agents were accused of trying to steal valuable American corn seeds.

Conversation

02.05.14

What Should the U.S. Do about China’s Barring Foreign Reporters?

Nicholas Lemann, Michel Hockx & more
Last week, the White House said it was “very disappointed” in China for denying a visa to another journalist working for The New York Times in Beijing, forcing him to leave the country after eight years. What else should the U.S. government...

Environment

02.05.14

China’s Future Energy Security Will Depend on Water

from chinadialogue
When we think about water use we think about the water we drink, but we also need water to grow food, generate electricity, make our clothes, and extract minerals. In short, water drives the economy. In China, ninety-seven percent of electricity...

China Crushes Puny US Super Bowl Audience: 704 Million Watch New Year Gala

Clifford Coonan
Hollywood Reporter
Some 814 million watched the Lunar New Year TV extravaganza from China Central Television—way more than the 112 million viewers for the 2014 Super Bowl on Fox in the U.S. 

Taiwan: The Winner in the China-Japan Row?

Jens Kastner
Al Jazeera
Dispute between two powers results in unexpected benefits for tiny Taiwan's fishing industry.

Imax Faces a Threat in China

Michael Cieply
New York Times
Competitors in China could cut into Imax’s potential market share, but the company has charged in several courts that a Chinese system relies on technology that was blatantly stolen.

United Against China?

The Editorial Board
New York Times
Japan invests in India, and the two countries prepare for potential hostility from China. 

“Most Well-Known and Beloved Chinese Role Model”

Jessica Pressler
New York Magazine
Chinese tycoon wants to buy the Times; is he ploy by the CCP, or just crazy?

Baucus Pledges to Press China on Security Issues, Trade in Hearing on Ambassador Post

Anne Gearan
Washington Post
Baucus says he will hold firm on human rights, intellectual property, free trade, and marine navigation. 

Environment

01.29.14

Banned Toxins Found in Kids’ Clothes Made in China

from chinadialogue
Toxic chemicals have been found in children’s clothes sold by Burberry, Adidas, Disney, and nine other brands, according to a report published by the campaign group Greenpeace. These chemicals can be ingested via hand-to-mouth contact, and then...

Mass Slaughter of Vulnerable Shark Species in China, Wildlife Group Says

Didi Kirsten Tatlow
New York Times
600 whale sharks are being slaughtered annually at a factory near Wenzhou for foreign and domestic use. 

Anxiety Rising Over Relations Between Japan and China

Andrew Ross Sorkin
New York Times
A "stealth war" between the second and third largest economies sparks fear amongst international businesses and leaders.

Conversation

01.27.14

China’s Offshore Leaks: So What?

Paul Gillis & Robert Kapp
Two recent stories by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists detailed China’s elite funneling money out of China to tax havens in the Caribbean. We asked contributors to weigh the impact of the revelations.

China Exclusive: Chinese, U.S. Presidents Possibly to Meet on Three Occasions in 2014

Xiong Zhengyan, Bai Jie
Xinhua
Possible meetings on the sidelines of three international conferences will enable more bilateral cooperation. 

Is China really running out of cash?

Leslie Shaffer
CNBC
Citibank fund transfer delays sparks concern over a possible nation-wide liquidity shortage. 

Ilham Tohti’s Arrest Demonstrates China’s Renewed Hard Line on Xinjiang

Michael Clarke
Lowy Institute Interpreter
Economist Tohti was reportedly arrested after 30 police raided his apartment, confiscating documents, books and hard drives. He is most likely to be charged with ‘endangering state security,’ which carries heavy penalties including life imprisonment.

Li Na Beats Cibulkova to Win Australian Open Title in Her 3rd Appearance in the Final

John Pye
Associated Press
Li Na made beat Dominika Cibulkova 7-6 (3), 6-0 the Australian Open final on January 25 to become the oldest woman to clinch the title in the Open era.

Economic Shifts in U.S. and China Batter Markets

Nathaniel Popper
Deal Book
An index of Chinese manufacturing growth released on January 23 showed that the most important cog in the country’s economy, the world’s second-largest, was contracting for the first time in six months.

China Loses its Allure

Economist
Life is getting tougher for foreign companies. Those that want to stay will have to adjust.

Why China Needs to Rethink the Way It Treats the Foreign Press

Evan Osnos
New Yorker
A new report on elite wealth by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists suggests Beijing may need to change its whack-a-mole strategy of removing offending reporters one by one.

Malaria Eradication—Cure All?

Economist
A novel approach, using drugs from a South China company, instead of insecticides, may make it easier to eliminate malaria. But it is not without controversy.

Media

01.23.14

Carpe Coin: Crowdfunding Could Change Chinese Politics

Crowdfunding, which allows web users to contribute small sums of money to fund collective projects like concerts and films, is taking off in China—and just how far it will go is more than a business question. By allowing netizens to vote with their...

Investigative Stories Delve Into the Use of Offshore Companies by Chinese

Edward Wong
New York Times
This year's first big China investigative story has come from the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists.

Amid China’s Anti-Extravagance Sweep

James T. Areddy, Fanfan Wang
Wall Street Journal
Chinese hotels are downgrading to attract business from officials who are limited by “morality” campaigns.

“Chinaleaks” Stories Censored in Mainland China

Michael Hudson, Marina Walker Guevara,...
International Consortium of Investigative Journalists
Chinese authorities blocked online access to news reports exposing the secrecy-cloaked offshore holdings of China's political and financial elites.

Report Says China’s Elite Use Offshore Companies

Andrew Jacobs, David Barboza
New York Times
The report names many of China's wealthiest citizens, as well as relatives of Xi Jinping, Wen Jiabao, and descendants of the CCP's founders.

China Cannot Relax War on Corruption

Financial Times
(Editorial) “We should not dismiss the way Mr. Xi is trying to deal with the problem.”

China’s Scandal-Torn Oil Industry Embraces Tax Havens

Alexa Olesen, Michael Hudson
International Consortium of Investigative Journalists
“If there’s a problem you can just close the company, walk away and deny you ever had anything to do with it.”

Report Links Chinese Elite to Offshore Tax Havens

Joe McDonald
Associated Press
Attention is on President Xi Jinping's family and its wealth at a time when Xi has emphasized fighting corruption.

Epiphanies from Kevin Rudd

Isaac Stone Fish
Foreign Policy
Former prime minister who spent time with Xi Jinping notes the importance of language proficiency. 

More Than Half of China’s Most Powerful Officials Have Links to Tax Havens. Now What?

Heather Timmons
Quartz
Relatively loose cencorship of the recent offshore tax reports has some thinking that the CCP is ready to talk. 

ICIJ Offshore Records Reveal Tax Haven Clients in China, Hong Kong

Marina Walker Guevara, Gerard Ryle,...
International Consortium of Investigative Journalists
More than 50 reporting partners in Europe, North America, Asia and other regions investigated 2.5 million leaked files.

How We Did Offshore Leaks China

Marina Walker Guevara
International Consortium of Investigative Journalists
Chinese, European and Western journalists worked together to successfully leak a highly sensitive and secretive story.

China's Princelings Storing Riches in Caribbean Offshore Haven

James Ball, Guardian US Interactive Team
Guardian
The documents also disclose the central role of major Western banks and accountancy firms who acted as middlemen. 

Secrecy for Sale: Inside the Global Offshore Money Maze

Marina Walker Guevara, Gerard Ryle,...
International Consortium of Investigative Journalists
The data illustrates the outsized dependency of China's economy on tiny islands thousands of miles away. 

China Teams Up with Hollywood for Terracotta Army Superhero Movie

Ben Child
Guardian
"Super Terracotta Warriors" is China's response to the recent slew of Hollywood films based on comic books. 

A Globe-Trotting Serial Entrepreneur Finds Roots in China’s Start-Up Scene

Ron Gluckman
New York Times
From information technology and gaming, to local comedy, Richard Robinson knows what is going on in China. 

A Globe-Trotting Serial Entrepreneur Finds Roots in China’s Start-Up Scene

Ron Gluckman
New York Times
 From information technology and gaming, to local comedy, Richard Robinson knows what is going on in China. 

Caixin Media

01.21.14

How a PLA General Built a Web of Corruption to Amass a Fortune

More than twenty policemen lined up at the gate of a massive mansion in a village in the central province of Henan at midnight on January 12, 2013, loading heavy crates onto two military trucks.Hours later—loaded with twenty crates of expensive...

Books

01.16.14

Debating China

Nina Hachigian (Editor)
America and China are the two most powerful players in global affairs, and no relationship is more consequential. How they choose to cooperate and compete affects billions of lives. But U.S.-China relations are complex and often delicate, featuring a multitude of critical issues that America and China must navigate together. Missteps could spell catastrophe.In Debating China, Nina Hachigian pairs American and Chinese experts in collegial “letter exchanges” that illuminate this multi-dimensional and complex relationship. These fascinating conversations—written by highly respected scholars and former government officials from the U.S. and China—provide an invaluable dual perspective on such crucial issues as trade and investment, human rights, climate change, military dynamics, regional security in Asia, and the media, including the Internet. The engaging dialogue between American and Chinese experts gives readers an inside view of how both sides see the key challenges. Readers bear witness to the writers’ hopes and frustrations as they explore the politics, values, history, and strategic frameworks that inform their positions. This unique volume is perfect for anyone who wants a deeper understanding of U.S.-China relations today.—Oxford University Press{chop}{node, 4406, 4}

China Cloning on an 'Industrial Scale'

David Shukman
BBC
A converted shoe factory in Shenzhen becomes the world's largest cloning centre through "handmade cloning."

China Dwarfs U.S. in Monetary Stimulus

Keith Bradsher
New York Times
Can China slow credit growth and money supply without causing slumps in real-estate and business?

Environment

01.15.14

Why Low-Carbon Innovation Matters

Sam Geall from chinadialogue
It came as little surprise when Beijing’s environmental authorities reported in early January last year that the capital’s levels of PM2.5 (a measure of air pollution) were more than double the national standard. The past year saw no end to the smog...

Foxconn Reportedly Ships Nearly 1.5M iPhone 5s Units for China Mobile launch

Lorraine Luk
Wall Street Journal
Apple sales slow in the face of competition from Samsung, Lenovo, Yulong and Huawei. 

China Pouring Billions into London Real Estate

Zhang Chunyan
China Daily
Chinese investment in London real-estate has risen 1,500 percent since 2010.

Chinese Theme Park Plans Replica Titanic (And Yes, It Will Hit an Iceberg)

David Stout
Reuters
The $165 million project will be completed in two years. 

Is China's Economy Headed for a Crash?

John Aziz
Week
A growth model dependant on financial repression of the household sector has run out of steam. 

China Stocks Fall to Five-Month Low

Weiyi Lim
Bloomberg
Declines for technology and consumer shares have overshadowed a rally for Aluminum Corp. of China Ltd. and raw-material companies.

China Claims Title of World's Top Trading Nation

Joshua Keating
Slate
Despite heavy investments in technology, aerospace, and autombiles, most Chinese trade is still in low-end goods. 

The New York Times Hires Michael Forsythe

Kristen Hare
New York Times
Forsythe left Bloomberg after writing an article that threatened the Publication's presence in China. 

Major Leadership Shake-Up at China Film Group

Clifford Coonan
Hollywood Reporter
La Peikang will take over from Han Sanping as the new head of the all-powerful state-backed film company, in a rare power transition for the Chinese industry.

China Renews Western Journalists’ Visas After Months-Long Standoff

William Wan
Washington Post
Several Western journalists who faced expulsion from China were issued renewed visas by the Chinese government, ending a months-long standoff. But China is still on track to force at least one New York Times reporter to leave for the second year in...

What Could Happen in China in 2014?

Gordon Orr
McKinsey & Company
Gordon Orr predicts corporate focus on driving productivity, increased interest in CIOs, bankrupt shopping malls, and European investment in Chinese soccer clubs. 

Slowly, Asia’s Factories Begin to Turn Green

Mike Ives
New York Times
Despite a lack of legal restriction, foreign companies in Asia are beginning to set up environmentally sustainable factories to their financial benefit. 

Caixin Media

01.08.14

How Shanghai’s Free Trade Zone Works

At a conference table surrounded by bookshelves in his Shanghai office, the city’s party boss Han Zheng recently polished the image of a commercial crown jewel—the China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone—during an exclusive interview with Caixin.Han...