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Oct 14, 2004 (Far Eastern Economic Review - ABIX via COMTEX) Hong Kong academic, Larry Lang, has earned the nickname 'Mr Corporate Governance'. He has become a champion of minority [...]

The article reports that Chinese sportswear firms Anta Sports Products and Li Ning will use the Beijing 2008 Games to build their brands and share some Olympic exposure. Fujian-based Anta will be the main sponsor of Chinese Basketball Association, a strategy that analysts say is targeted at the huge midtier mass markets. Losing out to Adidas to become the official sportswear sponsor at the games, Li Ning's market presence is expected to strengthen with its acquisition of Shanghai Double Happiness Co., a leading maker of ping-pong tables and equipment.

The article discusses a surplus of bachelors in China. An estimate based on 2005 data found that among single persons under the age of 20, there were 32 million more males than females. The imbalance has spawned chicanery whereby some newly-married wives collect a customary cash payment from the groom, then flee.

The article offers information related to the impact of two-child policy implemented in the China on the economy of the country wherein several expectations were highlighted such as decline in labor force, growth in military retirees, and decline in population.

This article describes the journey and efforts of Liu Jishu and Tang Shuxiu to return home to a village near the sight of a devastating earthquake in China on May 12, 2008 to find their missing daughter. The two are migrant construction workers who had been working eight hundred miles away in Beijing. Many laborers such as Liu and Tang must leave children at home and travel great distances to earn money.

The article details plans made by U.S. Olympics Games corporate sponsors trying to avoid green movement protesters. Activist groups such as Olympic Dream for Darfur are protesting China's support for the Darfur conflict, and the sponsors advertising in the Games. Public relations personnel for corporations such as Johnson & Johnson are offering public service announcements about public health.

The article focuses on the launching of Reebok International's largest ever marketing campaign in China, which was held in September of 2007 and features basketball star Yao Ming. The campaign uses the theme called "Fuel Yao's Unlimited Power" and consists of television and digital advertisements that encourage Chinese consumers to support Ming as he prepares for the 2008 Beijing, China Olympic Games.

The article focuses on the 2007 plans of Chinese talk show host Yang Lan to develop a web site marketed towards women, which will be called HV Love. The site, which is being developed with Canadian singer Celine Dion, will sell diamonds to some 50 million Chinese women who are already readers of a free website which Lan developed at a previous time.

The article focuses on the impact regulations imposed in 2006 in China will have on the country's direct sales industry. China imposed a ban on the sales in 1998. The ban was lifted in 2005 but China then imposed strict regulations on direct sales companies operating in the company. Analysts feel that China's $3 billion direct sales industry, which includes Avon and the Amway Corp, will see a 10.7% annual growth rate from 2006 to 2011 compared to 22% annual growth rate seen from 2001 to 2006.

The article focuses on the construction boom in Beijing, China, in advance of the 2008 Olympic Games. The author discusses the preparations that the city is making for the Olympics. There are over 10,000 building sites in the city as of December, 2006, according to the article. The author discusses the overtime hours that construction workers are putting into completing Olympics-related building projects. The article also discusses the rate of industrial accidents related to the construction boom.

The article discusses a planned clinical trial on stem cell use in spinal cord injury which will be conducted by Wise Young, a Rutgers University professor and well known researcher in the field. The research is to be conducted in China, a country which has come under criticism for its use of stem cell therapy whose effectiveness has not been proven in clinical trials.

The article reports on the development of museums in China, including Beijing's planned International Motor Museum. The Chinese government has launched a plan to construct or renovate 1,000 museums by 2010. The author discusses the political and cultural debates concerning museums in China. According to the author, the museum renovations are in part spurred by the 2008 Olympics, which will be held in Beijing, China.

The article reports that people in China are shunning chicken, in light of fears about avian flu. English teacher Clare Wei says it is risky to eat chicken and does not order food from the KFC restaurant in Beijing. Sales of chicken, duck meat and eggs have been affected. Statistics for Yum Brands Inc. are provided. There have been efforts to influence Chinese consumers, but health officials are concerned about the virus mutating and infecting humans.

Observes that all across China, budget travelers are overnighting at bathhouses. Perception of bathhouse lodgings as clean but affordable accommodations; Role of the bathhouses in catering to the country's growing middle class as they travel for business and pleasure; How the bathhouses are part of a wave of cheap hotels, motels and other travel accommodations that are springing up across China to fill the booming demand; Reference to preparations for the tourist boom leading up to the 2008 Beijing Olympics; Intent of budget-hotel operators to create brand awareness and uniformity of service; Examples of family-friendly bathhouses.

The article announces the decision of the Chinese government to replace Zhao Huayong, head of China Central Television.

The article reports on the possibility that fashion chain Hennes & Mauritz (H&M) will open a total of 225 new stores in 2009, despite the global economic crisis. Several stores has been acquired by the company from its competitors, according to the company's spokesman. In 2008, H&M opened 234 stores.

The article reports on the views of Prime Minister Wen Jiabao on China's economic stimulus measures. According to Wen, these measures are helping consumer spending and growth. He cited that foreign automobile makers and other manufacturers are already seeing a rebound in sales in the country. It is noted that the resilience of Chinese spending contrasts with cutbacks by U.S. and European consumers.

The article reports on a staff restructuring in China by Wal-Mart Stores Inc. which may result in about 2.5 percent of its local work force relocating or getting pay cuts. The changes will reduce Wal-Mart's management system, by cutting jobs at the middle-manager level. Affected employees will be relocated to other stores in neighboring areas or face reduced salaries. Jonathan Dong, a spokesman for Wal-Mart in China offered a statement about the moves of Wal-Mart.

The article reports that the Clinique brand cosmetics of Estée Lauder were incorporated into the plotlines of "Sufei's Diary," a Chinese version of the Web series "Sofia's Diary." It notes that Sony Pictures Television International, which owns the franchise of the Web series, produce the show and marketed it to Estée Lauder. It states that "Sufei's Diary" has attracted over 20 million views on the Web sites Sina and Youku, and on the Chinese university broadband network Cernet.com.

This article reports on the move of police in China to detain 12 people in connection with the fire that gutted a 44-story building in Beijing, China. Among the people detained is the construction chief for the compound where the building is located and three other employees of the China Central Television. The other eight people are employees of the fireworks company hired for the firework show. The fire occurred during the Lunar New Year celebration when people light firecrackers.

The article reports that China Central Television accepted blame for fire that heavily damaged a 44-story building next to its iconic new headquarters in Beijing, China. According to the state broadcaster, an unauthorized fireworks display organized by one of its employees set off a blaze that damaged the building. It is noted that the admission of culpability is an embarrassment for the state broadcaster.

This articles reports on the plan of the Chinese government to spur consumption of rural residents in the country to offset the decline in demand for Chinese exports abroad. It says that the Ministry of Commerce aims to put up 150,000 stores in the countryside in 2009 to offer rural residents easy access to safe consumer goods. The plan of the government is expected to generate 775,000 jobs. The plan of the government is also aimed at keeping the economic growth which was dented by the global recession. The government will offer subsidies to consumers.

This article reports on the destruction by fire of a 44-storey tower located in the central business district of Beijing, China. According to the city government of Beijing the fire was caused by fireworks from the Lunar New Year celebrations. The brand new tower was supposed to house the flagship hotel in China of Mandarin Orioental International Ltd. The details on the plan for the building are presented.

The article focuses on the coping mechanism of school headmaster Zhou Dexiang after an earthquake destroyed the Dongqi Middle School and killed his wife and daughter in China. Zhou intends to focus his energy on creating change instead of grieving. Some parents consider the principal accountable for the death of their children as he should have known the educational facility was not safe. He also published a book remembering the victims and conducts a counseling session once a week for Chinese students.

The article reports on the decision of GOME Electrical Appliances Holding Ltd. to suspend trading of its shares in November 2008. The move follows news that chairman Huang Guangyu has been detained by authorities investigating alleged financial impropriety. GOME is making necessary inquiries to verify the allegations contained in recent newspaper articles. The company also canceled a conference call scheduled to discuss its third-quarter earnings report.

The article focuses on a plan to achieve universal health care unveiled by the government of Beijing, China in October 2008. The plan's overall goal is to provide health insurance coverage to 90 percent of the population within two years and achieve universal health care by 2020. The plan suggests funneling all revenue raised by public hospitals to state coffers. Critics are pointing out the failure of the plan to address how the government would pay for its nationalization program if hospitals are restrained from earning more.

The article reports on the institution of new press laws in China which make it easier for foreign media to report within the country. These rules make permanent a relaxing of China's traditional press restrictions that had been put in place in the run-up to the 2008 summer Olympic games in Beijing. Still critics note that the liberalized rules do not apply to Chinese journalists who are not allowed to work as journalists for foreign media organizations and whose works are liable to censorship by the state.

The article reports that as Jamaican sprint gold medalist Usain Bolt set gold records at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, his sponsor, Puma AG remained quiet. Unlike other company sponsors, Puma had no instant television commercials or print advertisements. Puma's chief marketing officer, Antonio Bertone argues that its target customer is hip, young, urban, who perceives the brand as alternative fashion. He says the brand does not like the usual rigid campaign ads. He states that Jamaica, which represents fun and light-heartedness is a brand image in itself.

The article speculates that after the 2008 Beijing Olympics, China's powerful sports programs will undergo changes. Wang Jun of the General Administration of Sport of China says he sees more private-sector participation in it. The author said money is the biggest reason for the change. With the Beijing Olympics over, there is pressure to divert spending to other programs. This opens opportunities for multinational corporations and sports leagues like the National Basketball Association and other entrepreneurs to profit from China's sports program.

The article reports on the increasing number of female Olympians. According to the International Olympic Committee (IOC), of the 10,500 Olympians competing in the 2008 Beijing Olympics, 42 percent are female, up from 34.2 percent at the 1996 Atlanta Games. Under the direction of its president, Jacques Rogge, the IOC has made increasing the numbers of women one of its primary goals, mandating that each national Olympic committee come up with a plan to increase female participation.

The article reports that Chinese sportswear brands Erke and Li Ning's Groups are sponsoring Olympic teams that other big global giants would not outfit. Erke will sponsor North Korea, while Li Ning will sponsor Sudan. This decision has alarmed human rights activist over the brands' association with nations known for human rights violations and genocide. Executives of the sports brands say their sponsorship is about the athletes and not the policies of their rulers. The deals also give their brands international prestige to Chinese consumers.

The article features Chinese weightlifter, Chen Yanqing who won her second gold medal in the 2008 Beijing Olympic games on August 11, 2008. The 29-year old, who was heavily favored to win the event, broke two world records. Chen is a product of China's state-run centralized sports system who has been weightlifting since age 11. At her age, she still dominates her division but admits that lifting weights has become more difficult over time.

The article reports on the victory of the U.S. volleyball team against Venezuela in the Beijing Olympics on August 10, 2008. The team won in the absence of head coach Hugh McCutcheon who was with his wife. McClutcheon's father-in-law was reportedly stabbed to death by a Chinese assailant in a tourist spot twenty four hours before the team's game.

This article presents information on the opening ceremony of the 2008 Beijing Olympics held in Beijing, China. The host city opened the event with a mix of traditional performance and technological wizardry that shows the country's transition into an economic powerhouse. A display of fireworks began the ceremony. The event proceeded with performances in front of the estimated 91,000 spectators, athletes and world leaders.

The article announced that China designated space in three Beijing parks for protests during the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. These areas include the city's main diplomatic area and the university district near the venues but away from main stadiums. According to the security chief of the Beijing games, Chinese law protects legal assembly, but requires protestors to obtain a government permit. The decision came after prodding from the International Olympic Committee who said that Chinese authorities were encouraged to find ways to manage any protests.

The article reports on the plans of authorities in China to reduce the number of automobiles in the roads of Beijing by almost half in a two-month period beginning July 20, 2008. Automobiles will be permitted to run on roads on alternating basis based on even and odd number license plates until September 20. Environmental Protection Bureau spokesman Du Shaozhong stated that the measure would guarantee good air quality in time for the Olympic Games. The air quality in the country was rated at Level 3 or slightly polluted on June 20.

The article focuses on a search for someone to blame for the Sichuan earthquake which led to the collapse of Dongqi Middle School in China in May 2008. The school was operated for years by a subsidiary of state-owned power-generating equipment producer Dongfang Electric Corp. According to government statistics, the country was devoting 2.8 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) to education. It says that it is not clear whether underfunding led to systematic construction problems at schools that exacerbated the death toll across the earthquake zone.

The article reports that Chinese officials stopped protests by parents angry over the deaths of their children in the May 2008 earthquake. The complaints of grieving parents who say poor construction led to their children's deaths is a sensitive issue for the Chinese government. Just two months before the Beijing Olympics, Chinese authorities are balancing the demands of disaster relief work with the need to manage growing unrest among parents. Restrictions were tightest is areas where collapsed schools killed hundreds of students.

The article reports that the Chinese government is giving an annual sum of $144 to parents who have lost their only child in the May 12, 2008 earthquake in the Sichuan province. Such financial aid is part of the one-child policy of the country and further compensation is expected to be given after the investigation on charges regarding poor school construction that led to the death of many students is completed. Those whose only child was injured during the earthquake will also be given financial assistance.

The article reports on greater government openness and accountability sought by Chinese citizens after the May 12, 2008 earthquake. It notes that enabled by the Internet and domestic media, and fueled by an outpouring of emotions over the earthquake, citizens are asking pointed questions about the devastation. According to China, over 68,500 people had died and 19,350 were still missing as of May 29. Lin Qiang, an official responsible for schools in Sichuan, has admitted that corruption might have contributed to the collapse of schools.

The article reports on the issue of collapsed schools in China as a result of the May 12, 2008 earthquake. On May 26, a photograph was published by the Chinese media showing Communist Party Secretary Jiang Guohua on May 25 pleading with parents whose children died in collapsed schools during the earthquake. Other problems faced by the Chinese government are possible floods from quake lakes, damages to reservoirs and connected dams.

The article reports on the problems faced by hospitals in the Sichuan province of China after the area was hit by an earthquake on May 12, 2008. After thousands of earthquake victims were rushed to various hospitals in the said province, they are said to be refusing to leave even after treatment since their houses have collapsed. Others fear to transfer to other hospitals in Beijing or Shanghai due to high medical fees. Hospital officials state that most healthy patients are taking up rooms that are supposed to be for other patients.

The article reports on migrant workers from Sichuan province in China who are anguished over the plight of family members and relatives back home in the light of the earthquake which struck the area. Natives leave Sichuan for work elsewhere in China because the local economy has not kept pace with the rest of the country. According to official data, 8 million migrant workers come from Sichuan but the number excludes many unregistered workers. Other estimates place the number of Sichuanese migrant workers at 20 million.

The article reports that China would not yet accept international aid for its earthquake-stricken areas in Sichuan province as of May 14, 2008. Wang Zhenyao, head of the department of disaster-relief of the Ministry of Civil Affairs, expressed his government's hesitation to accept aid to reporters. According to the state news agency Xinhua, offers of aid have come from the U.S., Japan and Germany. The disaster-relief activities launched by the government are also cited.

The article focuses on the role of online technologies in broadcasting news about the earthquake in Sichuan, China in 2008. One college student in the province recorded the upheaval at the Sichuan University and posted it online. The proliferation of new communications technologies is said to have helped encouraging greater transparency from the government, which previously keep information about disasters secret. The usefulness of the Twitter online service in emergencies is tackled.

The article reports on how the Olympic torch relay was perceived inside and outside of China. According to observers, the torch relay was a public-relations disaster because of protests, especially on China's policy on its Tibetan population. However, torch relay reportedly received favorably in mainland China when it arrived on May 4, 2008. Views by communications consultants and Beijing Olympic corporate sponsors are offered.

The article reports that the International Olympic Committee (IOC) sent letters to all national Olympic organizing committees stating that athletes should avoid clothes, gestures or actions that demonstrate political, religious or racial propaganda at the various locations of Olympic games in Beijing, China. The letter represents the most explicit pronouncements of IOC as of May 2008, explaining a prohibition on the use of the Olympic Games as a political venue. The move is reportedly an attempt to prevent protests in the most controversial Games.

The article reports on the plan of China to bring the Olympic torch to the summit of Mount Everest in borders of Nepal, Tibet and China to mark its arrival in China in 2008. To avoid protesters, China has reportedly asked cooperation from Nepal to impose a lockdown on the mountain up to May 10, 2008. The preparations undertaken by the Chinese government for the event, protesters' views and pressure on the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to influence Beijing to skip Tibet are also reported.

The article reports on the attempt of Beijing Olympics Organizing Committee in China to resume selling tickets on May 5, 2008. Ticketing center director Zhu Yan cited that organizers have no option but to try selling tickets again on first-come, first-served basis. The demand to watch the Olympics is anticipated to be stronger compared to previous games despite recent controversy over human-rights record of the country. The joint venture Gehua Ticketmaster developed a ticketing platform for the games.