Tackling local government debt

Solution to potential crisis lies in deepening reform of the tax distribution system and expanding revenue sources The total amount of local government debt in China has been a sensitive and contentious issue for a…

WTO ruling not end of road for China

The World Trade Organization (WTO) released a report recently that says China’s export restrictions on nine raw materials – alumina, fluorite, manganese, metallic silicon, carborundum, yellow phosphorus, zinc, coke and magnesium – are inconsistent with…

Baidu in landmark deal with record labels

Baidu Inc (BIDU.O), China’s largest search engine, has agreed with top music studios to distribute licensed songs through its mp3 search service, ending a legal dispute over accusations the company encouraged piracy. Baidu signed the…

Railway ministry in 2-trillion-yuan debt

China’s Ministry of Railways (MOR) was 1.98 trillion yuan ($294.87 billion) in debt at the end of the first quarter of 2011, causing its asset-liability ratio to reach 58.24 percent, CNTV reported Tuesday. The MOR…

Cooling corruption

The execution of the former vice-mayors of Hangzhou and Suzhou on Tuesday for taking huge sums of money in bribes, demonstrates the authorities’ resolution to fight against corruption. But the way both officials extracted bribes…

Holding on to the rains

A rainstorm caused chaos in Beijing on June 23 paralyzing the city’s traffic and turning the city’s underpasses into treacherous hazards for drivers. In the wake of the torrential rains that have hit the city…

Financial industry reports shortage of talent

Lack of skilled workers in Shanghai inhibiting sector’s development, He Wei reports While regulations are being finessed for the launch of the Shanghai international board, which would allow foreign companies to list on the Chinese…

RMB internationalization well underway

2011 marks the 10th anniversary of China’s accession to the WTO and the second anniversary of the official launch of cross-border RMB trade settlement. The country has made rapid progress in opening up in the…