What key leaders will be setting policy at top Chinese government agencies in 2009? In this two-part series, the EO takes a brief look at the people, agencies, and challenges shaping the new year.
A proposed law amendment calls for allowing farmers to transer, rent, and mortage their land-use rights for rural property, and this may pave the way for urban residents to access rural property.
A report released by the government's central auditing bureau has blown the top off of billions in mis-managed, embezzled, and otherwise squandered funds.
Buying big cars in China will cost more after September 1 when the vehicle excise tax will go up by 40% for high engine capacity cars to discourage fuel consumption and carbon dioxide emmission.
The Chinese government is evaluating the possibilty of loosening price controls for certain items listed on the official price-fixing catalog, yet inflationary pressure poses challenges.
Hundreds of billions of yuan later, a special-treatment program by which state-owned Chinese businesses could declare bankruptcy and repay employees first will end with 2008.
After taking over the helm of the National Statistics Bureau from a disgraced official for 19 months, Xie Fuzhan is moving again to head the think tank for Chinese State Council.
The Chinese State Council has issued a strict directive on preventing a potential second-wave disaster arising from endangered dams and landslide-dammed lakes in earthquake-hit Sichuan.
China has insisted on excluding state-owned enterprises and local governments' purchases from open competition by WTO members to avoid what it says would be unbalanced market liberalization.
Chinese officials are striding forward with schemes that would channel more taxes into the central government, with implications for the country's wealth gap and growth-driven environmental damage.
A poverty relief document being drafted proposes to raise China's poverty line, which would potentially double the amount of Chinese below it to 80 million.
