Highlights from the EO print edition, No. 524, June 20, 2011

China Grain Reserves Corp. To Dominate Summer Procurement

News, cover

~ China Grain Reserves Corporation, which manages the country’s central grain reserves, will dominate China’s grain procurement this year, unlike last year, when three companies competed to buy farmers’ produce, says a local general director of Grain Bureau in Henan Province. 

Original article: Chinese

 Editorial – Ma Yun’s Alipay Dilemma

News, cover

~ Ma Yun was forced to choose between breaking a contract in order to satisfy his business ambition or fulfilling it and endangering the company. Instead of criticizing him, we ought to try to understand his dilemma because others might soon find themselves in the same position.

Original article: Chinese

Developers May Get Cheap Building Materials For Social Housing 

News, cover

~In order to relieve financial pressure on local governments and improve the quality of social housing, the Ministry of Housing plans to set up a central agency supplying discounted building materials. 

Original article: Chinese 

Liberalization of the Service Sector 

News, page 4

~The Outline for Service Sector Growth During the Twelfth Five-Year Plan will be released shortly. The focus will be on exports in five areas: finance, logistics, education, medical treatment and sport.

Original article: Chinese

The Rising Price of a Ton of Coal from Shanxi to Shandong

News, page 5 

   ~ A coal trader Zhou Jin analyses every added cost from the pit to the steel plant: fees for transportation, administration, protective provincial tariffs. The National Development and Reform Commission recently agreed to conduct an investigation into the fees charged at provincial level.

Original article: Chinese

 The Role of Banks  - An Overview of Businesses Short of Cash

Corporation, page 25 

~Both state and private enterprises have turned away from banks, the traditional source of financing, after the central bank raised the required reserve ratio and liquidity became more scarce. 

Original article: Chinese

 New Challenges for China

 Observer page 45

 ~ Xue Litai of Stanford University’s Center for International Security and Cooperation Center discusses the Taiwan election and its influence on the relations with the mainland, as well as the US’s ambiguous position in the tension between China and Vietnam. He also considers the question of national unity within China, the water shortages and pollution.

 The High-Speed Rail Link between Beijing and Shanghai

Nation, page 9

~ Smaller cities between the two metropolises stand to benefit.

Original article: Chinese

 Compiled by Chunling Song