Monthly Archives: August 2010
Hu Tells Kim (Yes, He Was There) To Open Up
Xinhua has confirmed the somewhat badly kept secret that North Korean leader Kim Jong Il was in China last week, if not that his youngest son and presumed heir, Kim Jong Un, was with him, even though seven North Korean … Continue reading
Filed under China-Koreas
Russia Looks East To China’s Energy Markets
The oil pipeline from Siberia to Skovorodino on the Chinese border that Russia’s prime minister, Vladimir Putin, opened on Sunday, is a further sign of how Russia, like everyone else, is looking east for its trade as China’s economy becomes … Continue reading
Filed under China-Russia, energy
Kim Jong Il Reportedly Back In China
North Korea’s leader Kim Jong Il is reported to be paying his second visit to China this year. South Korean news reports say he arrived early on Thursday by train with his youngest son and presumed heir Kim Jong Un … Continue reading
Filed under China-Koreas
China’s Rains Will Abate By November, But A Harsh Winter Is Close Behind
The U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has just updated its Asia regional map of natural disasters it is monitoring, including its weather forecast into November. Snapshot below; full map here. Heavier than normal rainfall is expected … Continue reading
Filed under Environment
Cracking Down On Illegal Land Use: The BYD Case
A deadline is drawing near in a case of illegal land use involving BYD, the fast-growing compact automaker in which American investor Warren Buffett has a 10% stake, and which is being widely watched for a potential shift in policy. … Continue reading
Filed under Economy, Environment, industry, Politics & Society
New Flood Surge Threat To Three Gorges Dam
The recent heavy rain in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River is posing a second flood surge threat to the Three Gorges Dam. On Tuesday, the water level in the dam was more than 7 meters higher than the … Continue reading
Filed under Environment
A Doozy Of A Traffic Jam
Road works and accidents cause traffic jams the world over, and motorists in China are no strangers to traffic congestion, but Xinhua is reporting a jam that has lasted nine days over a 100 kilometer stretch of National Expressway 110, … Continue reading
China To Reduce Number Of Capital Offences To 55
China executes more convicted criminals every year than any other country. The exact number is a state secret but is estimated to be in the thousands. Adding up Amnesty International’s figures, this Bystander reckons that China executes more than the … Continue reading
Filed under Politics & Society
North Korea Says Flooding ‘Severe’, China On New Alert
State media in North Korea are now saying that 5,000 people have been evacuated from in and around the northwestern border town of Sinuiju following the breaching of a dike on the Yalu River, which marks the border with China, … Continue reading
Filed under Environment
Large Scale Evacuation Follows Yalu River Dike Breach
The feared flooding of the Yalu River along the border with North Korea has led to a further 50,000 people being evacuated from Dandong at the river’s mouth after the waters breached a dike on the outskirts of the city. … Continue reading
Filed under Environment
