Avoiding False Nationalism
By Xiao Gongqin, History Professor at Shanghai Normal University
The "China model" has become venerated in recent years. However, this article argues that this veneration is misplaced.
Although the "China model" has brought a high GDP growth rate to China over the past three decades, it has also caused many problems in Chinese society.
First, the "China model" is characterized by a strong government largely unchecked by a powerless civilian population. For example, China's land ownership system allows the government to obtain land at a very cheap price since all of the land belongs to the state meaning that Chinese farmers and urban citizens tend to be fleeced during the process of urbanization.
Additionally, since the government has absolute power and little accountability for its actions, the quality of social welfare, education and the healthcare are neglected.
Original article: [Chinese]
Getting Rid of State-owned Monopolies is an Uphill Battle
By He Shaoqi, Associate Professor, China University of Political Science and Law and Research Fellow at Changce Think Tank
While state-owned enterprises have made huge profits during the past thirty years, many doubt the real source of their profits.
One indicator is that the four biggest state-owned banks have been accused of overcharging consumers and arbitrarily raising various commission fees. They can do so because the government which relies on them for revenue has neither the power to nor the motivation to check their actions. Also, they have a monopoly on the China market.
Because of state-owned monopolies, there is less competition and Chinese consumers settle for poor-quality products and services at a higher price due to a lack of selection.
To remove state-owned monopolies, the Chinese government has to take a more active role in regulating companies and make sure all market players are treated equally. However, since the government has been benefitting from the current system, this is the last thing it wants to do.
Original article:
[Chinese]Is There a Place for Faith in a Consumer-Driven Society?
By Wei Liming, EO Shenzhen Editorial Office Reporter
Among 23.05 million Chinese Christians, 68.8 percent choose to be converted because they themselves or their family members have fallen ill. This reflects a strange phenomenon in China that, while Chinese people are becoming increasingly better off, they are tending to be poorer and poorer spiritually.
Recently, a well-known Taoist monk called Li Yi appears to have been unmasked as nothing but a con. He used to have popular following that included some well-known celebrities. Another example of using religion to deceive others is Zhang Wuben, who claimed that he was able to cure all diseases by eating mung beans and then received public adoration. Later it turned out that he was also a cheat.
The appearance of Li Yi and Zhang Wuben is not an accident. It is a result of the modern world which is full of material goods while lacking spirituality and faith. As the traditional religions fade away, where should we look to for faith?
Original article: [Chinese]
Population Control Cannot Rely on Administrative Methods
By Huang Xiao Wei, Editor in Chief
Though the State Council has required the Beijing government to restrict its registered population to within 18 million by the end of 2020, at the end of 2009, the population already reached 17.55 million, 40 percent of which are migrants from other provinces.
To curb population growth, the Beijing government has decided to impose more restrictions on migrants who want to get a Beijing Household Registration or hukou (戶口). But this is not the best way to solve the problem.
There are two things Beijing should do. First it should clearly position itself and not try to make Beijing the center of China's political, economic, cultural, financial and industrial life. It can only be one or two of these things. A more simplified city function will help people to make their own choice as to whether they should remian in Beijing or not.
The second thing is Beijing should help promote the economy of cities around it rather than making them sacrifice their own economies to Beijing's growth.
Original article: [Chinese]
Will Chen Xiao Alter the Path of Other Professional Managers?
By Yi Peng, Guest Commenter
The focus of the battle over power between jailed Chinese billionaire Huang Guangyu, founder and former Chairman of the country's largest home appliance retailer Gome, and Chen Xiao, who was hired by Huang to become the chairman of Gome, has now shifted to what impact this battle will have on China's enterprises.
Some experts and industry players think as a professional manager, Chen Xiao plays major shareholders like an instrument, which will arouse distrust between professional managers and the company's major shareholders, and thus affect the development of the role of professional managers in China.
The episode will not have a completely negative outcome and will likely push forward positive development of the occupation of professional manager in China.
Original Article: [Chinese]
More Transparency Needed in China's Land Market
By Yang Hongxu, Guest Commenter
While China's land market is highly regulated, its property market is a less regulated.
At present, many ministries, public institutions, state-owned enterprises and the military possess a considerable amount of land. However, they control the transfer of these plots of land and local land and resource departments only provide rubber stamps. The transparency in the transfer process of this type of land is much lower than the transfer process of land under the management of local governments.
Original Article: [Chinese]
Tracing the Cause of the Airplane Crash
By Anonymous Guest Commenter
The recent crash of a passenger airplane in northeastern China which killed 42 people was caused by its early approach and failure to land on the airport's runway.
Based on reports that there was nothing wrong with the plane and its communication devices, I believe that during landing, the crew may have turned off the plane's ground proximity warning system or neglected its warning in a rush to land.
Pilot error was likely the main cause of the crash.
Original Article: [Chinese]
