Qilu Evening News

Underdeveloped Insurance

September 28, 2010

This past September, an elderly woman in east China's Shandong Province offered to transplant one of her kidneys to her son who is suffering from uremia. The 80,000 yuan ($11,940) operation fee was too high for her family to afford. Media reports did not help. A fortnight passed and only 1,500 yuan ($224) had been collected from two donors.

Some people reportedly said they were reluctant to donate because they did not want to be targeted for other causes in the future. To donate or not to donate is a dilemma, but the real problem is China's underdeveloped medical insurance system. If the social security system is developed enough to cover all, rich and poor, charity is a non-issue.

Changjiang Daily

Criticism Always Bitter

September 26, 2010

The official Xindu District website in Chengdu, Sichuan's capital city, has been praised by Chinese netizens as the "most functional and distinctive" government website. No feedback or post is ever removed, even if it criticizes the local government.

By not removing any posts on its website, the Xindu District Government is telling the public it is open to supervision. Some posts clearly reveal the local government's deficiencies. Compared with some government departments, which either arbitrarily delete or ignore complaint posts, the Xindu District Government is setting a good example.

Legal Daily

Impractical Luxury

September 28, 2010

China's first five-star public toilet triggered heated debate once it was put into use in southwest China's Chongqing in August. A media briefing in September focused on the toilet as a symbol of social progress. Others are asking if the country can afford this kind of luxury. Chongqing still has many denizens who are barely able to make ends meet.

If every 10,000 people share one public restroom, then Chongqing needs 2,417. Factoring intoilets in hotels, hospitals and big shopping malls, there are only about 2,300 in the city. How many ordinary toilets could be built if funds for this excessive bathroom were scrapped? Luxurious toilets are significant for officials wanting to show off, but they have nothing to do with the kind of life ordinary people need.