China seesaws between economy & environment

The highly globalized world is witnessing a spillover of the US financial crisis into Europe, Asia and elsewhere. The UK has been warned against a more severe and deeper economic downturn than expected; and Japan has also entered its first depression since 2001.

Job-cutting news is making headlines across the media, and a rising number of businesses are at the risk of collapse, painting a bleak picture.

China fails to escape the donimo effect. Its year-on-year GDP growth for the first three quarters of 2008 displays a falling tendency from 10.7% through 10.1% to 9%. With an 11.9% GDP rise in 2007, China needs its economy to grow by 8%, in order to guarantee jobs and avoid sliding into the depths of a recession, said economy expert Ye Hang.

Official figures show that south China's Guangdong Province saw more than 7,100 enterprises shut down between January and September this year. The majority of them operated in the Pearl River Delta, a key manufacturing base in China's export market. Price rises in raw materials, appreciation in the Chinese currency (RMB) and fund-raising difficulties are the top reasons behind the closure of many companies, local authorities have said.

It is forecast that 1/3 of export-oriented factories in Guangdong will meet the same fate in the next three years. This will result in restructuring the industrial mix locally, and even reshaping the global supply chain.

In response, adoption of economic stimulus measures becomes unavoidably the only remedy, though it is not a panacea for all problems.

Following US' $700 billion banking bailout in October, China recently launched its own economic stimulus package, in which it intends to spend 4 trillion yuan (US$586 billion dollars) over the next two years. Rural infrastructure, water and rubbish treatment are among the 10 major industries which China will invest in heavily. Concerns are growing over whether sustainable conceptions and practices will be incorporated in this large-scale industrial expansion.

The environmental consideration is often the first to be given up when an economy faces difficulties, said Wang Jinnan, Vice President of the Chinese Academy for Environmental Planning of the Ministry of Environmental Protection (MEP).

His concerns are also expressed by environmental groups. Hannah Griffiths, corporates campaigner at Friends of the Earth, said that her organisation had always argued that regulation was needed because when the crunch came, profits would come first. "We always felt that companies do not take CSR as seriously as they claim to and voluntary action does not work."

Wang added that the closure of businesses in Guangdong is helpful, in short term, for regional pollution control. However, he strongly suggested the government implement green practices in the vast national investment, to make the country achieve green GDP growth.

Shen Xiaoyue, Director of the Regulation Office of the Policy Research Centre for Environment and Economy of the MEP, said that there will be an urgent and heavy workload in the assessment of the environmental impact of new projects which are to be launched under the incentive plan.

Opinions are also split when it comes to the impact of the economic crisis upon China's companies involved in green industries.

The global crisis will present more opportunities than challenges for China's green industries, said Shen, which she believes will become a key strength for economic growth in China. She also highlighted that the middle and small-sized green companies should learn from overseas counterparts, and the government should grant them more favourable policies, especially in fund raising, to enable them to fly higher.

Companies, such as those involved in clean energy, wind power and solar photovoltaic industries will slow down as a result of the economic crisis, said Wen Yibo , Chairman of the Board of Beijing-based Sound Group, one of China's largest private green companies specialising in water and waste treatment.

Economic stimulus can only serve as a supplementary solution under such special circumstances, and it won't solve the fundamental problems. On top of funding, support of policies and the public is critical for green industries' development, Wen pointed out.

Over the five years up to 2011, China's investment in environmental protection is expect to reach 1.53 trillion yuan (US$225 billion), accounting for 1.36% of its GDP, a proportion believed to be amongst the highest in the developing world.

Copyright Dongying Wang

Women rising in American politics

The 2008 US election has wrapped up, seeing Barak Obama elected as the 44th President of the United States, but its fascination and uniqueness are still lingering.

The enduring attraction of the political campaign is partly due to the involvement of three women: New York Senator Hilary Clinton, Alaska Governor Sarah Palin and Illinois Senator Barak Obama's wife Michelle.

Their engagement, which resulted in losses or gains, has perfectly displayed a changing face of American politics, a rising voice of female politicians, a mix of criticism and sarcasm of Western media, and deciding qualities to be a national leader in today's America.

All three of the women are charismatic in different capacities. Their participation has enhanced the interest of the electorate in the lengthy and weary campaigns.

As to political careers, Clinton, 61, is superior to Palin and Michelle, both 44. The First Lady of the United States from 1993 to 2001, Clinton was elected as senator for New York State in 2000, becoming the first First Lady running for public office in American history.

This year's Democratic presidential nomination race saw Clinton win more primaries and delegates than any other female candidate in American history, but she lost to Obama in the long and tight campaign.

Though playing the card to compete for the first ever female president helped Clinton win voters, her over-ambitious performance, and especially her personal attacks on Obama spoiled her image and set the tone for her losing out.

It turned to be a surprising and sad result for Clinton, who has appeared to be more determined than her husband in her political ambitions. She has been viewed as having a bright political future, ever since her work in the impeachment inquiry during the 1974 Watergate scandal, which culminated in the resignation of President Richard Nixon. Except for Eleanor Roosevelt, Clinton is regarded as the most openly empowered presidential wife in American history.

Going through investigations including the Whitewater controversy and Lewinsky scandal, Clinton has appeared to be a tough fighter in both career and family. However, her return to the presidential campaign in four years seems to be open to question, especially with regards to her tenacity, her potential to win, and challenges she may face from such candidates as Sarah Palin.

In comparison, Palin seemed to be a better player in campaigning for the first American Vice President. She took centre stage as the second woman to run on a major US party ticket, after Geraldine Ferraro, who was the Democratic vice-presidential nominee in 1984 in the run with Walter Mondale.

British commentator Ian Hislop once said: "She (Palin) is the first good-looking woman politician for a long time" on the BBC TV programme Question Time. Her being young, attractive, energetic and enthusiastic gave hope to the Republican Party and enlivened the election in the beginning, but this magic failed to last longer enough to help John McCain fulfill his goal.

Palin claims to be an expert in energy issues, but her inexperince in foreign and domestic affairs hampered her in making further strides in this political campaign. This is also one of the reasons former Secretary of State General Colin Powell granted his endorsement to Obama.

Palin's poor performance also motivated media to produce several TV parodies in which she became the subject of ridicule. She was also pranked by Canada's CKOI Radio . During a phone call she was duped into believing that she was having a conversation with French President Nicholas Sarkozy.

Palin has become a laughing stock for her interviews and non-sensical dialogue. However, besides her shortfalls, Palin has become a household name. She has pledged to be more than willing and capable to offer assistance to Obama in energy solutions during an interview with Wolf Blitzer on CNN's The Situation Room .
The 2008 election might mean a full-stop for Hillary Clinton's presidential ambition, but a comma for Palin. It was expected that Palin might replace McCain as Commander in Chief, if only by the untimely demise of her senior.
The only woman who eventually made gains in this election was Michelle, Barack Obama's wife. Michelle will become the first African American First Lady of the United States in two months. Aside of being in the same law profession as Clinton, Michelle has revealled another side to her persona; she is an avid hula hooper.She has a reputation as a cool operator, and even her husband has praised her highly saying: "If I ever had to run against her for public office, she would beat me without too much difficulty".

During her speech at a democratic national convention, Michelle sought to portray herself and her family as the embodiment of the American Dream, saying she and her husband believed "that (if) you work hard for what you want in life, that your word is your bond, and you do what you say you're going to do, that you treat people with dignity and respect, even if you don't know them, and even if you don't agree with them."

Before becoming the First Lady in January, Michelle has already stolen the show of the current First Lady Laura Bush during their first meeting in White House. In contrast to Laura's dowdy brown outfit, Michelle shone in her bright red dress.

Copyright Dongying Wang

Photos (left and right ones) by kris kros & rachel_bunting