Innholdsfortegnelse for July 2015 i Beijing Review

Home Sweet Kitty Tourists experience various recreation facilities in the Hello Kitty Theme Park in Anji County, east China’s Zhejiang Province. Opened on July 1, the park is first of its kind in China. Covering an area of 1.6 square km and with an investment of 2 billion yuan ($322 million), the park is expected to receive more than 1 million visitors every year. Adjusting to Slower Pace Growth in China is expected to decelerate to 7.1 percent in 2015 and 6.9 percent by 2017, reflecting a growth trajectory that is slower but more balanced and sustainable—a “new normal” for the world’s second largest economy— according to the World Bank’s China Economic Update released on July 1. “In the short run, the slowdown in China’s economic growth means the government…

The coordination between China’s Belt and Road Initiative and the Juncker Plan would stimulate European economic growth through connectivity and the expansion of the European single market to a Eurasian market There is an old Chinese saying that goes, “By the age of 40, one has no doubts about the world.” This proverb can also be applied to the maturing state of China-EU relations, which is ushering in its 40th anniversary this year. From the frequent exchange of visits by top leaders of the two sides to many EU members’ active response to the China-proposed Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) despite of U.S. dissuasion, the present relationship between the two parties appear better than ever. During Chinese Premier Li Keqiang’s most recent European visit, the two sides also agreed to…

Parents are willing to spend for their children, no matter their financial situations. According to a recent survey conducted by the China Research Center for Children’s Industry, an institution specializing in research in children’s industry, spending for children accounts for 30 to 50 percent of 80 percent of families and has become one of the biggest areas of consumption in the Chinese mainland. The family-planning policy put in place over 30 years ago has resulted in a large number of only children, who have been indulged by their parents and grandparents and are often referred to as “little emperors” or “little princesses.” In a society characterized by increasingly fierce competition, parents are sparing no effort to gain advantages for their offspring. Such a mentality has spawned huge opportunities for businesses…

Plant-covered buildings, benches made from paper packaging, solar and wind-powered street lamps and roads equipped with water collection and filtration systems— all these novelties together make up an intriguing scene in the Shenzhen International Low-Carbon City, the first experimental eco-community of its kind in China. Located at the shared border of three cities in south China’s Guangdong Province— Shenzhen, Dongguan and Huizhou, the lowcarbon city covers an area of 53 square km after completion, with 1 square km in its core region as an initiating zone. At present, the low-carbon city registers an annual growth of 27.62 percent and 26.5 percent in gross domestic product (GDP) and industrial valueadded respectively, with hi-tech enterprises making up 40 percent of the total in the initiating zone, reversing the area’s former position as…

Dear Readers, Forum is a column that provides a space for varying perspectives on contemporary Chinese society. We invite you to submit personal viewpoints on past and current topics (in either English or Chinese). yanwei@bjreview.com Please provide your name and address along with your comments In China, children from wealthy families are usually referred to collectively as “the rich second generation.” They are an elite group of young people who wear designer clothes, drive luxury cars and are sometimes prone to ostentatiously flaunting their wealth. It is doubted by some if such mollycoddled generation can successfully take the wheel from their parents at family businesses and manage to keep the enterprises ticking over. The government of Siming District in Xiamen, southeast China’s Fujian Province, recently organized a training program for…

Chinese Finance Minister Lou Jiwei signs the agreement for the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) in Beijing on June 29. Representatives of the 57 prospective AIIB founding countries signed the agreement at the ceremony. The signing wrapped up six months of negotiations and paved the way for establishing the Beijing- headquartered bank before the end of this year. The 60-article agreement specifies each member’s share and role in the AIIB as well as the bank’s governance structure and policy-making mechanism. The bank will have an authorized capital of $100 billion, with China contributing $29.78 billion and owning 26.06 percent of the votes, according to the agreement. India and Russia are the second and third largest shareholders, respectively. China proposed establishment of the bank in 2013 to boost Asia’s infrastructure improvement,…

INDONESIA Search and rescue teams work at the site of a military C-130 Hercules aircraft crash in Medan on June 30. The crashed plane exploded in a residential area, killing at least 142 people on board and on the ground as of July 1 SPAIN A man pours red wine on a woman during the Battle of Wine, part of St. Peter’s Day celebrations, in Haro on June 29 KUWAIT Mourners undergo security checks outside the Sunni Grand Mosque in Kuwait City on June 27, as they arrived to send their condolences to families of victims in a suicide bombing in the city that took place at the Shiite al-Imam al-Sadeq Mosque the previous day PORTUGAL Men sunbathe on a beach in the tourist village of Cascais on the outskirts…

New Menu Launch at Grand Hyatt Beijing If it’s a relaxing, private place you seek for a summer party, you will love what our versatile Japanese bar Redmoon is offering. Chef Alan and his culinary team are introducing a new menu featuring an array of popular items such as sushi, sashimi and, of course, some classic Izakaya favorites, like grilled Xue Long beef and homemade unagi yaki. Starting from June, treat your taste buds with these delicious delights and finest cocktails in a sensational atmosphere created by our international band Mystique. Crystal Jade Restaurants Crystal Jade Culinary Concepts Holding recently appointed Taste.ly Communications as its PR agency in the Chinese mainland, promoting its portfolio of brands that include Crystal Jade Restaurant, Crystal Jade Kitchen, Crystal Jade La Mian Xiao Long…

Cao Yue, a 43-year-old manager of the reception department of a travel agency in Jiayuguan, northwest China’s Gansu Province, said that bananas were not part of her childhood memories for many years, until one day when her father brought back home the fruit with a shape that she thought resembled a human hand. The bananas were distributed to his father as a New Year gift by his factory. In Cao’s city, which is surrounded by the Gobi Desert, fruits such as bananas that grow in south China used to be rare and precious. It was only in the 1980s that fruits from the south became available in the local market, thanks to the development of transportation and logistics systems. This city is home to the famous Jiayu Pass. The ancient…

The world may be no stranger to green finance—finance that pays special attention to environmental health, but when it comes to China, the country remains—well, green to the concept. In recent years, it has become a hot topic in China, particularly at the Third Shenzhen International Low Carbon City Forum held on June 17-18. “Green finance means that banks establish supporting energy-saving and emission reduction as well as environmental protection as an important part of their business strategies, set up effective green credit promotion systems and sound risk control systems,” said Lin Boqiang, Director of the China Center for Energy Economics Research at Xiamen University. “Compared with traditional finance, green finance emphasizes more on environ-mental benefits of the human society, and stresses protection of ecological environment and development of green…

Can’t beat strolling alongside a spellbinding sunset at Jinshi beach, or going all-out at Beijing’s glitziest shopping malls? Well actually, you can! With fantastic savings of up to 20 percent off Best Flexible Rates, your dream getaway just got better. From July 1 to August 31, sign up to become an Ascott Online Advantage member, book and stay with selected service residences, you will enjoy up to 30 percent off! Participating locations in Ascott North China Ascott Raffles City Beijing No.1-2 Dongzhimen South Street, Dongcheng District, Beijing 100007 TEL: 86-10-84053888 Somerset ZhongGuanCun Beijing No.15 Haidian Zhong Street, Haidian District, Beijing 100080 TEL: 86-10-58730088 Somerset Grand Central Dalian No.128-2 Jinma Road, Dalian Development Area, Dalian 116600 TEL: 86-411-88013888 Somerset Harbour Court Dalian No.55 Remin Road, Zhongshan District, Dalian 116001 TEL: 86-411-39911888…

It’s easy in China, especially Beijing, to go through the motions each day and become just one of 1.3 billion experiencing ordinary daily routines. In a country going through one of the biggest industrial revolutions known to man, things happen so quickly that the ones who just watch it go by get lost along the wayside. One thing I have learnt during my four-and-a- half years in China is to get involved, no matter what it is—a conversation at the local shop, a game of Frisbee in the park, a football club, a roadside game of Chinese chess, an invitation from some locals for dinner, a hike through the mountains on the edge of the city—any activities like these will break up those predictable daily routines and allow you to…

Anniversary Celebration A flag-raising ceremony is held at the Golden Bauhinia Square in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region on July 1 to celebrate the 18th anniversary of Hong Kong’s return to China. Hong Kong Chief Executive Leung Chunying attended the ceremony. Government Flying Service helicopters provided a simultaneous fly-by over the harbor. Local people witnessed the solemn ceremony. CPC Members The Communist Party of China (CPC) had a total of 87.793 million members at the end of 2014, the Organization Department of the CPC Central Committee said on June 29. CPC members increased by 1.1 million compared to 2013, up 1.3 percent. The grassroots Party units increased by 56,000 to 4.36 million, also up 1.3 percent, the department said in a communique published ahead of the 94th anniversary of…

The China-Russia Media Forum was convened in St. Petersburg, Russia, on June 25, resulting in several major Chinese and Russian media organizations signing a number of cooperation agreements. The Chinese organizations included China News Agency, China Radio International (CRI) and China International Publishing Group. The agreements covered pacts to exchange press releases, to conduct interviews together, and share launch duties for certain publications and TV shows. The forum has a solid background. Back in May, the China-Russia Summit held in Moscow saw the two governments sign a declaration to cooperate on the construction of the Silk Road Economic Belt and the Eurasian Economic Union. The Silk Road Economic Belt is a China-driven initiative aimed at strengthening economic cooperation and improving traffic connectivity in the Eurasian region, while the Eurasian Economic…

With drug abuse increasing in China, June 26, International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, saw a wide array of activities across the country to mark the occasion, which signaled an escalated fight against the menace. “By the end of 2014, more than 2.9 million drug addicts had been registered; their actual number exceeded 14 million,” said Liu Yuejin, Deputy Commissioner of the National Narcotics Control Commission (NNCC) and Assistant Minister of Public Security, at a press conference on June 24. It means approximately one out of 100 Chinese may be taking drugs, Liu pointed out. On June 25, President Xi Jinping pledged an unswerving war against drugs, saying there would be “no rest until a sweeping victory.” At a meeting with groups and individuals recognized for their outstanding…

Blissful Summer Afternoons at Peacock Alley Waldorf Astoria Beijing’s new tea time treats make it all better as temperatures soar. When it seems hotter than ever and the hustle and bustle of city life is making you blue, escape to the cool comfort and elegant surroundings of Peacock Alley. Waldorf Astoria Beijing knows how important it is to refresh and re-charge. So relax, let the world go by for a few hours sipping your favorite premium tea, fine roasted coffee and enjoy a sumptuous afternoon tea filled with savory and sweet favorites. The hotel’s chefs have created a summer tea time menu that tantalizes the senses dulled by the hot season with a spread that focuses on freshness by balancing tea time snacks that are light, rich, sweet, tart, cool…

Stretch one arm out for a high angle—look up, smile, bring out your eyes and bring in your chin—click! As the smartphone has become a necessity to many people, it has become a common scene to see people stretching out their phones to take pictures of themselves, and it can almost happen anywhere, anytime. The social network is thus full of people sharing their selfies— tailored to show off their most attractive assets. Hey, pretty you If you always complain that you don’t look pretty in pictures, the front camera of the smartphones might be the solution. You can make a perfect pose and snap a self-approved picture of your face. If you are still not satisfied, no worries—tools are always ready for you. The selfie stick, priced at 10-40…