Supporting Cotton Growers 

Central Africa

China and four African cotton-producing countries - Benin, Mali, Chad and Burkina Faso - recently announced a joint program in Geneva aimed at supporting the four countries' cotton production.

China is a big cotton-growing country, but still imports nearly 2 million tons each year. African cotton-producing countries are main sources of import. 

Corporate Income Tax Halved

China

China's Ministry of Finance said that it would cut corporate income tax by half for micro-and-small-sized enterprises (enterprises with annual corporate income up to $9,500) to facilitate their growth amid financial strains. After the adjustment, their tax base will be cut by 50 percent while the tax rate remains 20 percent. The policy is effective Jan.1, 2012.

IPR Protection

China

China is "taking a serious stance" on improving protection of intellectual property rights (IPR), said Tian Lipu, Commissioner of China's State Intellectual Property Office (SIPO), amid recent criticism from Western media and businesses. The official said China is fully committed to bring its IPR law and administration up to international standards. Admitting that IPR infringement and piracy in China remain a concern, Tian said the growing number of foreign companies willing to file their patent applications with SIPO demonstrates their trust in China's IPR system.

Numbers:

80-130 mm

Rise in sea levels around China over the coming two decades

200

Scholarships to Namibians sponsored by China from 2012 to 2016

No.9

South Africa's global ranking for the number of people in prison

48,000+

Centenarians in China