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Showing posts with label China. Show all posts
Showing posts with label China. Show all posts

Monday, July 8, 2013

Cash repatriation in China webcast - 3 April 2012

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According to PwC's 2012 Global CEO Survey, 65% of China and Hong Kong CEOs believe the world will be more open to cross-border capital flows. And in today's investment climate of tightening global liquidity, an increasing number of our clients are asking us, "How do we get our money out of China, to the parts of our business where it's needed most?"

Due to China's stringent foreign exchange red tape, taking cash out of China can still be time consuming, fraught with regulatory hurdles, tax challenges, numerous documentation requirements, and non-unified local practices. In our video podcast series on cash repatriation, PwC China Tax Partners Rex Chan, Anthea Wong and Ray Zhu will address some of potential challenges and possible solutions, walking you through the key concerns of the tax authorities and foreign exchange bureaus, and how you can better prepare to address them in China.wrs_trackpage("DCSext.pwclang=en","DCSext.pwcdb=home","DCSext.pwccountry=cn","DCSext.pwclos=Tax","DCSext.pwcsublos=Tax","DCSext.pwccontype=Services");

Saturday, January 12, 2013

Why Does China Have Such a High Cesarean Delivery Rate? - Susan Hellerstein, MD

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Monday, December 24, 2012

Shadow of Jiang looms over China

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Cheng Li of the Brookings Institute expresses disappointment at lineup of PSCPolitiburo Standing Committee stacked with supporters of former president Jiang ZeminPremier Li Keqiang, part of Hu Jintao's camp, is "quite alone," Li saidLi: "This leadership lineup does not generate an uplifting spirit for the nation"

Hong Kong (CNN) -- When the new names of China's elite political committee were announced Thursday they didn't come as a surprise to one leading China expert. Rather, they reinforced the sense of "a major opportunity lost."

"This Party congress has sent a very clear signal that this leadership is politically conservative," said Cheng Li of the Brookings Institution, who predicted that the lineup wouldn't go down well with the Chinese people who he said were looking for signs of political reform.

"You can imagine the Chinese public may start to express some dissatisfaction with the dominance of princelings (sons of revolutionary leaders), with the elder and retired top leader Jiang Zemin's interference in the process of succession, and also that two liberal leaders Li Yuanchao and Wang Yang are excluded in the new Politburo Standing Committee (PSC)," he said.

As expected, the number of seats on the PSC shrank from nine members to seven and included the names at the top of many speculative lists: Xi Jinping (President), Li Keqiang (Premier), Zhang Dejiang, Yu Zhengsheng, Liu Yunshan, Wang Qishan and Zhang Gaoli.

Cheng Li Read: Profiles of China's new leaders

"Of these seven people, it's really five-versus-two or maybe even six-versus-one because only two people are Tuanpai," Li said.

Tuanpai are Party members who rose through the ranks of the Communist Youth League and typically have ties to outgoing president Hu Jintao.

"One of the Tuanpai members -- Liu Yunshan -- is actually very close to Jiang Zemin. So this lack of balance will potentially be a serious problem in the months or years to come," Li added.

CNN asked Li for his immediate reaction to the lineup and the possible implications for Xi's term as China's new president.

After months of mystery, new leaders revealed

What do you make of the new lineup?

var currExpandable="expand112";if(typeof CNN.expandableMap==='object'){CNN.expandableMap.push(currExpandable);}var mObj={};mObj.type='video';mObj.contentId='';mObj.source='world/2012/11/13/pkg-jiang-china-stay-or-go.cnn';mObj.videoSource='CNN';mObj.videoSourceUrl='';mObj.lgImage="http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/dam/assets/121113104252-pkg-jiang-china-stay-or-go-00004514-story-body.jpg";mObj.lgImageX=300;mObj.lgImageY=169;mObj.origImageX="214";mObj.origImageY="120";mObj.contentType='video';CNN.expElements.expand112Store=mObj;var currExpandable="expand212";if(typeof CNN.expandableMap==='object'){CNN.expandableMap.push(currExpandable);}var mObj={};mObj.type='video';mObj.contentId='';mObj.source='world/2012/11/15/velshi-china-transition-economy.cnn';mObj.videoSource='CNN';mObj.videoSourceUrl='';mObj.lgImage="http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/dam/assets/121112073209-hu-jintao-story-body.jpg";mObj.lgImageX=300;mObj.lgImageY=169;mObj.origImageX="214";mObj.origImageY="120";mObj.contentType='video';CNN.expElements.expand212Store=mObj;var currExpandable="expand312";if(typeof CNN.expandableMap==='object'){CNN.expandableMap.push(currExpandable);}var mObj={};mObj.type='video';mObj.contentId='';mObj.source='world/2012/11/15/bts-china-japan-india-reax.cnn';mObj.videoSource='CNN';mObj.videoSourceUrl='';mObj.lgImage="http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/dam/assets/121115061018-bts-china-japan-india-reax-00000000-story-body.jpg";mObj.lgImageX=300;mObj.lgImageY=169;mObj.origImageX="214";mObj.origImageY="120";mObj.contentType='video';CNN.expElements.expand312Store=mObj;It is not a surprise but a disappointment. The disappointment is based on several reasons: First, apparently there was no intra-party multiple-candidate election for the Politburo and its standing committee. They were still selected through the old way of "dark-box" manipulation by departing Politburo Standing Committee members. Also, it's dominated by Jiang Zemin's protégés, especially the so-called princelings.

Despite a profound sense of disappointment, I should say there are some positive things coming out of this leadership transition.

One is that Hu Jintao stepped down as Chairman of the Central Military Commission, making the succession more institutionalized and complete. By and large, this leadership transition is another orderly transition in PRC history. The leadership change follows the rules and norms of age limits, and the turnover rates in all leadership bodies are all very high: 64% for the Central Committee, 77% for the Disciplinary Commission, 68% for the Secretariat, 71% for the PSC.

The size change (from nine to seven members of the PSC), including the elimination of the police czar and the propaganda czar, is a welcome development. These are all positives but, in my judgment, this leadership lineup does not generate an uplifting spirit for the nation; I think this is a major opportunity lost.

Some leaders, particularly the Tuanpai leaders, will be very unhappy. You need to give an explanation to the Chinese public why Li Yuanchao and Wang Yang -- two strong advocates for political reform -- are out.

Opinion: Why China's reforms have hit a wall

Why are they out?

The reason, in my view, Wang Yang is out because he is seen by many conservative leaders as a threat. Particularly as Wang's main political rival Bo Xilai is out, they don't want him to be in -- previously Wang and Bo tended to balance each other in terms of power, influence and policy preference.

In many ways, both are very outspoken, very courageous, very innovative in politics -- they reach out to the public for support -- so in a way, some conservatives are very scared. In my view, this group of seven leaders is very capable in economic and financial affairs, but politically they are quite conservative.

Read more: Bo Xilai stripped of last official title

How long will it take for Xi to make his presence or policies known?

Xi will enter a short honeymoon period despite all the criticism and worries that have already emerged. The criticism may not be against him but rather against Jiang Zemin, against the dominance of princelings.

He needs to demonstrate that he can provide new hope and confidence for the public with new economic policies. He should do so relatively quickly. He can't wait too long because a large number of people are very unhappy with rampant official corruption and growing economic disparity.

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How will Xi rule?

I think he will emphasize economic reform -- to make the middle class happy -- and to promote the private sector, to introduce more economic reform mechanisms, including banking reform and state-owned enterprise reform, basically with the goal to promote private sector development.

Some of his team members, like Wang Qishan, Yu Zhengsheng and Zhang Gaoli, are all pretty capable in that regard. The problem is that economic reform needs serious political reform; otherwise, it can not go too far because of the political bottleneck. This leadership lineup has sent a very clear signal that it is politically conservative.

What can Li Keqiang bring as Premier?

In many ways, he's surrounded by Jiang Zemin's people who will tremendously restrain his power. There were previously a lot of people who wanted to block him from the premiership -- that failed. But now even in the state council, certainly in the standing committee, he's quite alone.

What does it say about the enduring influence of Jiang?

The backlash against Jiang Zemin will be overwhelming. Yes, Jiang's camp wins many seats in the Politburo Standing Committee, but in the future they may pay a huge price for this "victory." The public resentment will be very strong. These leaders are still selected by old-fashioned, behind the scenes deal-making and retired leaders' influence, not really through an intra-party multiple-candidate election. That's a big opportunity missed. That will undermine their legitimacy and credibility.

Read more: Hu warns of enemy within

Why and how is Jiang still able to wield such influence?

Because of the need to protect his interests and his family interests. To a certain extent his protégés also want to have him to help them, in a way. Jiang Zemin is strong largely because his protégés are in important positions. People like Xi Jinping, Zhang Dejiang and Wang Qishan, they're already well-positioned.

Why has Hu failed to be the type of leader who could win out against Jiang's people in the PSC?

It's still too early to give a well-grounded answer due to a lack of reliable information about what happened inside Zhongnanhai (Communist Party headquarters in Beijing).

There are several possible reasons: One is, Hu wants to make a contrast between himself and Jiang Zemin. Jiang stayed in power for two more years after the transition at the 16th Party Congress. But Hu wants to immediately give up that position. So it is an institutional improvement. Secondly, his volunteering to give up that position makes Jiang's activity to promote his protégés in the past few months very problematic.

The balance in the Politburo Standing Committee is broken, but the balance in the Politburo and the Central Military Commission -- between the two camps -- largely stays intact. There are many of Hu's people in the central committee. Consequently, this may create structural tensions between these very important leadership bodies.

Read more: Can Hu retain clout after handover?

ADVERTISEMENT Check out CNN's latest news, commentary, photos, and videos on our China special section. December 14, 2012 -- Updated 0335 GMT (1135 HKT) Here are five key China stories that "On China" host Kristie Lu Stout has her eye on for 2013. December 11, 2012 -- Updated 1359 GMT (2159 HKT) CNN's Anna Coren reports on an entire Chinese family's struggle with HIV after the mother was infected in a hospital.December 3, 2012 -- Updated 1339 GMT (2139 HKT) When James Law looks in the mirror he sees weather reports, e-mails and his heart rate. China is looking to lead tech development in the "Internet of Things" industry.December 11, 2012 -- Updated 1422 GMT (2222 HKT) Without legal or political recourse to address their grievances, Tibetan protestors risk their lives, says the London-based Free Tibet.November 30, 2012 -- Updated 0713 GMT (1513 HKT) For centuries political satire has been a staple for much of Chinese humor, and remains so during the Communist era, writes CNN Beijing bureau chief Jaime FlorCruz.December 1, 2012 -- Updated 0823 GMT (1623 HKT) Prominent human rights advocate Chen Guangcheng told CNN his nephew's conviction in China was retribution for Chen's escape.November 16, 2012 -- Updated 1622 GMT (0022 HKT) As China anointed its new leadership, CNN asked five experts to explain what they see as the country's most pressing challenges.November 26, 2012 -- Updated 0728 GMT (1528 HKT) Mainland Chinese students lead international enrollment across U.S. higher education, including at Harvard, Yale, and Princeton. Share with us your photos and videos of life in China-- the everyday China. The best content could be featured online or on air.Today's five most popular storiesMoreADVERTISEMENT

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China unveils new top leaders

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By Jaime A. FlorCruz and Jethro Mullen, CNNNovember 16, 2012 -- Updated 0630 GMT (1430 HKT)if (typeof cnnArticleGallery=="undefined"){var cnnArticleGallery={};if(typeof cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList=="undefined"){cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList=[];}}var expGalleryPT00=new ArticleExpandableGallery();expGalleryPT00.setImageCount(25);expGalleryPT00.setAdsRefreshCount(3);//cnn_adbptrackpgalimg("China\'s top leaders meet", 1);After months of speculation, China unveiled the elite group of leaders who will set the agenda for the country for the next decade, including new Communist Party General Secretary and presumptive next president Xi Jinping. After months of speculation, China unveiled the elite group of leaders who will set the agenda for the country for the next decade, including new Communist Party General Secretary and presumptive next president Xi Jinping. cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":true,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":1,"title":"China\'s top leaders meet"}Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping and Chinese Vice Premier Li Keqiang, two of the members of the new seven-seat Politburo Standing Committee, greet the media at the Great Hall of the People on November 15. Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping and Chinese Vice Premier Li Keqiang, two of the members of the new seven-seat Politburo Standing Committee, greet the media at the Great Hall of the People on November 15. cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":2,"title":"China\'s top leaders meet"}From left, Zhang Gaoli, Liu Yunshan, Zhang Dejiang, Xi Jinping, Li Keqiang, Yu Zhengsheng and Wang Qishan greet the media at the Great Hall of the People on November 15. China's ruling Communist Party revealed the new Politburo Standing Committee after its 18th congress. From left, Zhang Gaoli, Liu Yunshan, Zhang Dejiang, Xi Jinping, Li Keqiang, Yu Zhengsheng and Wang Qishan greet the media at the Great Hall of the People on November 15. China's ruling Communist Party revealed the new Politburo Standing Committee after its 18th congress. cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":3,"title":"China\'s top leaders meet"}Xi Jinping delivers a speech as the rest of the new Politburo Standing Committee looks on. Xi Jinping delivers a speech as the rest of the new Politburo Standing Committee looks on.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":4,"title":"China\'s top leaders meet "} A paramilitary guard stands outside the Great Hall of the People as journalists leave the unveiling ceremony of a new Politburo Standing Committee on November 15. A paramilitary guard stands outside the Great Hall of the People as journalists leave the unveiling ceremony of a new Politburo Standing Committee on November 15.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":5,"title":"China\'s top leaders meet "} Hostesses pose before the gate to Tiananmen Square as delegates arrive at the Great Hall of the People for the start of the closing ceremony of the Communist Party Congress on November 14. The week-long congress will end with a transition of power within the party, most notably, introducing new members of the Politburo Standing Committee, which effectively runs China. Hostesses pose before the gate to Tiananmen Square as delegates arrive at the Great Hall of the People for the start of the closing ceremony of the Communist Party Congress on November 14. The week-long congress will end with a transition of power within the party, most notably, introducing new members of the Politburo Standing Committee, which effectively runs China.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":6,"title":"China\'s top leaders meet"} Thousands of members of China's Communist Party are meeting in the immense Great Hall of the People in Beijing's Tiananmen Square. Thousands of members of China's Communist Party are meeting in the immense Great Hall of the People in Beijing's Tiananmen Square. cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":7,"title":"China\'s top leaders meet"}Tibetan delegates carry party documents as they leave the closing ceremony of the Party Congress at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on November 14. Tibetan delegates carry party documents as they leave the closing ceremony of the Party Congress at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on November 14.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":8,"title":"China\'s top leaders meet"} Members of a Chinese SWAT team wait outside the closing ceremony of the Party Congress at the Great Hall of the People on November 14. Members of a Chinese SWAT team wait outside the closing ceremony of the Party Congress at the Great Hall of the People on November 14.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":9,"title":"China\'s top leaders meet"} A paramilitary police officer stands guard during the flag-lowering ceremony at Tiananmen Square on November 13. A paramilitary police officer stands guard during the flag-lowering ceremony at Tiananmen Square on November 13.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":10,"title":"China\'s top leaders meet"} Cars for delegates to the party congress are pictured near the Great Hall of the People, mostly black Audis. Cars for delegates to the party congress are pictured near the Great Hall of the People, mostly black Audis. cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":11,"title":"China\'s top leaders meet"}Chinese President Hu Jintao (seen at the very bottom) addresses delegates on November 8. Chinese President Hu Jintao (seen at the very bottom) addresses delegates on November 8.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":12,"title":"China\'s top leaders meet"} In his address, Hu warned that corruption could bring down the Communist Party and the state it controls. "If we fail to handle this issue well, it could prove fatal to the party, and even cause the collapse of the party and the fall of the state," Hu said. In his address, Hu warned that corruption could bring down the Communist Party and the state it controls. "If we fail to handle this issue well, it could prove fatal to the party, and even cause the collapse of the party and the fall of the state," Hu said.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":13,"title":"China\'s top leaders meet"} Hu helps former Chinese president Jiang Zemin to stand up as Prime Minister Wen Jiabao looks on at the opening of the 18th Communist Party Congress. Hu helps former Chinese president Jiang Zemin to stand up as Prime Minister Wen Jiabao looks on at the opening of the 18th Communist Party Congress. cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":14,"title":"China\'s top leaders meet"}Attendants serve tea during the 18th Communist Party Congress. Attendants serve tea during the 18th Communist Party Congress.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":15,"title":"China\'s top leaders meet"} A man adjusts a television screen showing a live broadcast of Hu speaking at the Party Congress at a supermarket in Wuhan, Hubei province on November 8. A man adjusts a television screen showing a live broadcast of Hu speaking at the Party Congress at a supermarket in Wuhan, Hubei province on November 8.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":16,"title":"China\'s top leaders meet "} Workers gather to watch Hu's address to the Communist Party Congress. Hu called for stepped-up political reform and a revamped economic model on the first day of the congress. Workers gather to watch Hu's address to the Communist Party Congress. Hu called for stepped-up political reform and a revamped economic model on the first day of the congress.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":17,"title":"China\'s top leaders meet "} A woman watches the Party Congress on television from her cigarette shop in Shanghai. A woman watches the Party Congress on television from her cigarette shop in Shanghai. cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":18,"title":"China\'s top leaders meet"}Chinese hostesses jump for the cameras before the Party Congress' opening session in Beijing. Chinese hostesses jump for the cameras before the Party Congress' opening session in Beijing.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":19,"title":"China\'s top leaders meet"} Members of the press gather inside the Great Hall of the People for a briefing on November 7. Members of the press gather inside the Great Hall of the People for a briefing on November 7.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":20,"title":"China\'s top leaders meet"} Congress spokesman Cai Mingzhao answers a question during a news conference at the Great Hall of the People. Congress spokesman Cai Mingzhao answers a question during a news conference at the Great Hall of the People.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":21,"title":"China\'s top leaders meet"} Attendants pose for a picture in Tiananmen Square on November 7. Attendants pose for a picture in Tiananmen Square on November 7.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":22,"title":"China\'s top leaders meet"} A soldier tries to prevent photos being taken in Tiananmen Square on November 7. A soldier tries to prevent photos being taken in Tiananmen Square on November 7.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":23,"title":"China\'s top leaders meet"} Chinese paramilitary policemen march through Tiananmen Square on November 7. Chinese paramilitary policemen march through Tiananmen Square on November 7.cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":24,"title":"China\'s top leaders meet"} Towers covered in flowers were on display in Beijing ahead of the Party Congress. Towers covered in flowers were on display in Beijing ahead of the Party Congress. cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList.length]={"currentPicture":false,"x":0,"y":0,"pos":25,"title":"China\'s top leaders meet "}Event.observe(window,'load',function(){if(typeof(cnn_adbptrackpgalimg) == 'function' && typeof(cnnArticleGallery) != 'undefined'){cnn_adbptrackpgalimg(cnnArticleGallery.currentImageList[0].image,"Photos: China's top leaders meet");}});The Chinese Communist Party faces "severe challenges," Xi saysChina's new elite group of leaders are presented to the news mediaXi Jinping becomes head of the powerful Central Military CommissionThe event follows months of secretive deal-making and rumors

Beijing (CNN) -- China on Thursday unveiled the elite group of leaders who will set the agenda for the country for the next decade, the culmination of months of secretive bargaining and a carefully choreographed performance of political pomp.

The seven members of the powerful committee that sits atop the Chinese system strode out onto a stage in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. They were led by Xi Jinping, who takes over from Hu Jintao as head of the Communist Party, which has ruled China for more than 60 years.

Xi is joined on the new Politburo Standing Committee, the party's top decision-making body, by Li Keqiang, who is expected to replace Wen Jiabao as premier early next year, and five other veteran party officials.

Although the committee's lineup is new, analysts said it appeared to be predominantly conservative and unlikely to bring about meaningful political changes in the world's most populous nation and second largest economy.

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Xi also succeeded Hu as head of China's powerful Central Military Commission, which oversees major national security and military affairs. That makes for a cleaner transition than in the past two power handovers, when the former party chiefs held onto the key military role for years afterward, using it to keep exercising considerable power and influence.

A far cry from the relentless media campaigns and frequent public appearances of U.S. presidential candidates, the efforts to determine who ended up in China's most powerful posts have taken place behind closed doors, part of a once-in-a-decade leadership transition.

The focal point of the process has been the party's 18th National Congress that has unfolded amid heavy security in Beijing over the past week.

Shadow of former president looms over China's new leaders

Despite the spectacular economic and social changes China has undergone in recent times, the party has maintained a tight grip on power and upheld its obscure methods for selecting its top leaders.

The consequences of the leadership handover are significant for the nation's 1.3 billion citizens, its neighbors in Asia and the United States, which is warily watching China's economic and military rise.

Standing in front of a huge landscape painting on Thursday, Xi brought a touch of cordiality to the start of his speech before a packed room of reporters, apologetically acknowledging that he and his party colleagues had kept their audience waiting by appearing later than scheduled.

But he quickly turned to serious matters, warning of the "many severe challenges" that the party faces.

He singled out corruption, remoteness from the general public, as well as undue emphasis on formalities and bureaucracy as particular concerns.

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The secrecy and exclusivity of the procedure by which China's top leaders are selected, involving maneuvering and deal-making among senior party figures, leaves a lot of the country's citizens feeling detached from the process.

"Many ordinary people don't feel so excited or joyful about what's happening," said Lijia Zhang, a Beijing-based author. "People say, 'Oh, it's the party's business, nothing to do with us -- and we do not have a say in selecting the leader or the policy.' "

But Xi's speech had more of a human touch than many of those delivered by Chinese officials, and he addressed subjects close to the heart of many Chinese people and others around the world.

"Our people have great enthusiasm in life," he said. "They hope for better education, more stable jobs, more satisfactory income, more reliable social security, medical services with higher standards, more comfortable living conditions and a more beautiful environment."

What kind of changes Xi, 59, and those joining him on the party's most powerful committee are likely to usher in over the coming years remains shrouded in mystery.

"Xi Jinping is in many ways an unknown commodity," said Mike Chinoy, a former CNN correspondent and now a senior fellow at the University of Southern California's U.S.-China Institute. "He's risen to the top of the Chinese system by being very careful not to disclose what he really thinks."

The son of one of Mao Zedong's top lieutenants, Xi is considered a "princeling" because of his family's place in the Communist Party aristocracy. He is also believed to be close to the Chinese military.

Married to a popular folk singer for the People's Liberation Army, he has climbed through the party hierarchy, at one point holding the top job in the eastern metropolis of Shanghai. He is expected to inherit the title of president from Hu, 69, early next year.

Some observers have expressed hope that the next decade could bring a degree of political reform as Chinese leaders seek to bolster their legitimacy, which has been eroded by widespread corruption and the dramatic scandal this year involving the former senior party official Bo Xilai.

China's young talent: To stay or to go?

But many analysts are skeptical about the willingness of leaders to adopt significant changes, noting the concentration of power and money at the top of the party. The new set of leaders appears set to uphold the status quo, according to Willy Lam, a history professor at the Chinese University of Hong Kong.

"By and large, we have a conservative team," Lam said following the announcement of the new Standing Committee. "We can expect no substantial or meaningful movement toward political reform."

The new leaders are likely to be "in favor of staying the course, maintaining political stability and defusing challenges to the party's authority," he said.

The new Standing Committee is more streamlined than its previous incarnation, dropping for nine members to seven. The smaller committee may help bring about greater unity and efficiency at the top of the party, some experts say.

Besides Xi and Li, the members of the elite committee are Zhang Dejiang, Yu Zhengsheng, Liu Yunshan, Wang Qishan and Zhang Gaoli.

The new lineup shows that Jiang Zemin, the 86-year-old former party chief who preceded Hu, still maintains heavy clout in the Communist hierarchy, said Cheng Li, director of research at the John L. Thornton Center at the Brookings Institution.

The composition of the committee is "not a surprise but a disappointment," he said, adding that it was dominated by people loyal to Jiang.

He said some Chinese people would be disappointed about the decision not to include Liu Yuanchao and Wang Yang, senior officials who he described as "strong advocates for political reform."

Blind Chinese dissident's family bears scars

The next chance to refresh the Standing Committee's membership will occur in five years, when the Communist Party's next National Congress takes place.

For the time being, the committee remains a men's club with no woman among its new members. Since the Standing Committee's creation in 1949, no woman has ever held a position on it.

Despite speculation that Liu Yandong, the lone female member of the wider Politburo, might be tapped for the elite group, she was not among the seven members who marched across the stage Thursday.

Her age may have been a disadvantage in her candidacy, according to the Hoover Institution, which is based at Stanford University. Liu was born in 1945 and has been a member of the Politburo since 2007.

Women lag in political representation in China. Only 2.2% of working women were in charge of the state offices, party organizations and other enterprises or institutions, according to the Third Survey on Chinese Women's Social Status, a national survey released last year.

The number of women on the 25-member Politburo has increased, though, from one to two: Sun Chunlan, the party secretary of Fujian province, joins Liu, who was already a member.

The reaction from China's neighbors to the unveiling of the new leadership reflected its complicated relationships in the Asia-Pacific region.

Japan, which is locked in a tense territorial dispute with China over a group of small islands in the East China Sea, said it hoped "the mutually beneficial relationship based on common strategic interest will be further developed and enhanced with the new leadership."

Kim Jong Un, the young leader of North Korea, sent a message congratulating Xi on his new position, according to the state-run Korean Central News Agency.

Kim's message stressed the long "friendship" between the two countries. China is the reclusive North Korean regime's main ally, providing it with vital economic support.

N. Korean defectors' faint hope for China

CNN's Jaime FlorCruz reported from Beijing, and Jethro Mullen from Hong Kong. Steven Jiang and Stan Grant in Beijing, and Kevin Voigt, Hilary Whiteman, Madison Park and Elizabeth Yuan in Hong Kong contributed to this report.


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Saturday, December 22, 2012

China lands first jet on aircraft carrier

AppId is over the quota
AppId is over the quota
China's J-15 jet completed its first landing on the aircraft carrier Liaoning, Xinhua saysThe Liaoning is built in the shell of an abandoned Soviet carrierThe Liaoning aircraft carrier will be able to carry 30 J-15 fighter planes, Chinese media reportsThe U.S. predicts it will be years before China's carrier has a minimal level of combat capabilityRead a version of this story in Arabic.

(CNN) -- China announced Sunday that it had landed a fighter jet on the deck of an aircraft carrier for the first time, but it may be years before the ship is fully operational.

China's "first generation multi-purpose carrier-borne fighter jet," known as the J-15, successfully completed its first landing on the Liaoning, an aircraft carrier China built using an abandoned Soviet hull, according to China's official news agency Xinhua.

The J-15's capabilities are comparable to the Russian Su-33 jet and the U.S. F-18, Xinhua reported. The Chinese-designed jet can "carry multi-type anti-ship, air-to-air and air-to-ground missiles, as well as precision-guided bombs, the report said.

The U.S. military, in its latest annual assessment of China's military capability, predicted "it will still take several additional years for China to achieve a minimal level of combat capability for its aircraft carriers."

The Liaoning will be able to carry 30 J-15 fighter planes and will have a crew of 2,000, according to a People's Daily Online report published when it completed its first sea trials in August 2011.

China bought the shell of the carrier, then called the Varyag, from Ukraine in 1998. Its construction was begun under the Soviet military before the breakup of the Soviet Union.

The Pentagon report said another carrier, one made from components made in China, may already be under construction and ready to sail in 2015.

"China likely will build multiple aircraft carriers and associated support ships over the next decade," the U.S. assessment said.

The United States, Britain and Japan launched the first aircraft carriers nearly a century ago. The U.S. Navy, with 11, is the only fleet that currently operates more than one.

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