War on Shark Fin

China Economic Weekly

September 3, 2012

In this issue, China Economic Weekly looks at large shark fin market in China. In Beijing alone, about 10 million yuan ($1.58 million) per day will be spent on shark fin-related food.

To protect declining sharks and raise public's awareness of animal protection, more and more campaigns boycotting shark fin consumption are being launched, involving celebrities, entrepreneurs and luxury caterers.

Due to the boycott, trade in shark fin has shrunk, causing a backlash from trade associations. The China Aquatic Products Processing and Marketing Association said that the number of shark species was in balance and refusing to eat shark fin was a waste of resources.

However, Zhang Jie, a research fellow in the Institute of Zoology at Chinese Academy of Sciences, said statistics showed sharks were over fished and numbers were declining. The researcher called for more special institutes on researching the species to better protect them.

Education Conundrum

Xinmin Weekly

September 17, 2012

The topic of education is one that will most probably arouse the most widespread attention nowadays in China. While complaining of the examination-oriented education system that is destroying children's childhood, parents made every effort to burden the children with various extracurricular training classes, only to help them be more competitive for higher education.

Xinmin Weekly reviews the excessive competition in China's education, regarding it as an "education panic." Education mirrors society. The root reason for panic in education can be traced back to social problems like fierce competition in job hunting, inadequate social security and income gaps among different trades. The stereotype view is that jobs requiring physical labor are inferior and vocational and technical schools are discriminated against.

To correct the unhealthy competition in education, people's views on job types should be changed. All occupations should be equally respected and the income gap among them should also be narrowed.

Healthcare Equality

The Beijing News

September 10, 2012

China is mulling over reforming the country's healthcare system by increasing the proportion of personal contributions, as inadequate funding for the system hindered the realization of including all citizens to the healthcare system.

The current situation is that some, like civil servants, didn't have to pay to get reimbursements and urban and rural residents were covered by different healthcare plans. Given this, only increasing individual's contribution will not mature the healthcare system. The key is to establish a fair and unified system where all people, rural or urban, civil servants or those from other walks of life, contribute healthcare fees based on a unified standard and get the same ratio of reimbursement. When that happens, the move will gain widespread supports.

Edible Oil Concern

Oriental Outlook

September 13, 2012

Recently, China has become one of the major consumers for edible oil in the world.

Oriental Outlook looks at the development of the Chinese edible oil industry. As China joined the World Trade Organization, global oil manufacturers entered its domestic market, bringing abundant capital, advanced technology and first-class equipment. Thus China's oil industry experienced a period of prosperity.

However, foreign oil suppliers began to dominate China's domestic market in the process and insiders worry this may hurt the industry in China in the long run. Wang Hanzhong, Director of Oil Crops Research Institute of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, believes that China should be self-sufficient in essential agricultural commodities such as edible oil.

Irrational Patriotism

Changjiang Daily

September 17, 2012

The move by the Japanese Government to "nationalize" the Diaoyu Islands in the East China Sea, a Chinese territory since the 14th century, aroused indignation among Chinese people around the world. People protested, in some cases violently, against the Japanese Government's so called "purchase" of the island. In some places, cars of Japanese brands and other Japanese products were fired or looted.

Showing patriotism by destroying others' legitimate property, even threatening their lives is irrational and illegal. How could those patriots who disrespect their compatriots' life and property be trusted? Those obsessed with looting and smashing others' properties should realize that people working in Japanese restaurants or enterprises are Chinese and destroying their property negatively affects the lives of others. Patriotism that resorts to violence will neither bring dignity to the individual, nor to the nation.