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Byline: Zhang Yajun Xiaojian was on his 10th blind date, and it wasn't going well. A few minutes in, he already found himself rejected. The reason: He was too short. [...]

Byline: Zhang Yajun Contributor to The Christian Science Monitor Beijing -- China has no literary tradition of vampires, aside from a few 17th-century short stories about a blood-sucking variety of [...]

The article looks at the economic impact of the People's Bank of China's (PBOC) decision to cap the yuan, China's currency, against the U.S. dollar. It states that the currency experienced fast appreciation ahead of the November 2012 U.S. presidential election and many investors think the yuan should be allowed to continue its rise. Ensuring financial stability and preventing economic turmoil and social unrest are considered reasons for the decision.

The article discusses the closure of roads, schools, and an airport in northeastern China on October 22, 2013, as a result of heavy smog from coal and crop burning and vehicle emissions. Topics include mounting public pressure for increased air pollution prevention efforts by China's local and central governments, the air quality in Harbin, China, the management of air pollution in Beijing, and the health impact of chronic exposure to particulate matter.

International news briefs are presented as of September 17, 2013, about several topics, including deaths in Mexico by tropical storm Manuel and Hurricane Ingrid, European Union's (EU) international aid to Somalia, and former Colombia President Álvaro Uribe's planned 2014 Senate election campaign.

The article looks at the Chinese economy as of September 2013, reporting on movements in the sales and prices of construction materials, including steel, and construction equipment, and discussing them as an indicator of an increase in economic growth based on infrastructure spending.

The article examines China's plan to reform the country's economic model, which has included an increase to the power of the banking sector market as well as plans to address more domestic demands, end restrictions on land ownership, and provide resources to local governments.

The article discusses figures on factory output in China for July 2013, with commentary presented on an overall 9.7% increase in output, the lagging performance of state-owned businesses, and the inefficient practices of government-owned shipping company China Cosco Holdings Co. Ltd.

The article discusses the views of People's Bank of China (PBC) Deputy Governor Yi Gang and former PBC official Li Daokui that official economic figures understate the proportion of China's gross domestic product accounted for by household consumption.

The article discusses Chinese economic policy involving credit and the banking industry as of June 24, 2013, focusing on a commentary published by the Xinhua news agency and a statement from the Monetary Policy Committee of the People's Bank of China.

The article discusses plans by China's provinces to increase investment spending as a way to encourage economic growth despite uncertainty over the availability of funding, and the central government's caution about such economic-stimulus measures.

The article discusses data on China's economic performance during 2012 that indicate the share of total gross domestic product represented by fixed investment grew during the year, contrary to the central government's stated intention of relying less on capital spending for economic growth and more on consumption.

The article discusses foreign direct investment in China and Chinese investment abroad during the first four months of 2013, with the former rising 1.21% and the latter showing 27% growth on a year-over-year basis.

The article offers figures on automobile sales in China for April 2013 with prior year comparisons and offers forecasts for future sales, citing trends in the country's economic indicators.

The article reports that China disclosed an $884 million trade deficit for March 2013, and discusses how that revelation has exacerbated doubts about the accuracy of China's export figures, which some believe to be exaggerated.

The article discusses China's March 2013 consumer price index (CPI) and the slowing of its consumer price inflation against analysts' expectations, focusing on its impact on the liquidity of China's central bank.

The article reports that China's trade surplus grew in December 2013 due to increased exports, which caused the value of the Australian dollar to rise after a January 10, 2013 report by China's General Administration of Customs.

The article reports that as of January 2013 Japanese automakers were expecting increased sales in China following a fall in sales in 2012 due to a territorial dispute by Japan and China over islands in the East China Sea that prompted nationalist sentiment in China.

The article reports that during October 2012, inflation in China moderated while the country's Consumer Price Index (CPI), which measures changes in the price level of consumer goods and services, increased from 2011, marking the lowest inflation rate since 2009.

This article reports on the unveiling of China's initial cut in its quota for rare-earth exports for 2012.

The article reports on the easing of fears among Chinese capitalists concerning sharp economic slowdown as manufacturing activities improve in China in October 2011.

This article reports on the move of the Chinese government to defend its trade and foreign-investment policies against criticism from the U.S. and other countries in 2011.

This article reports on the decision of the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers to reduce its annual sales growth forecast in 2011.

This article reports on increases in new-home prices in Chinese cities in August 2011.

The article reports on the brief stopover of French President Nicolas Sarkozy in Beijing, China, in August 2011, wherein he urged the Asian country to join international efforts to reconstruct Libya.

This section offers corporate news briefs including the plan of General Growth Properties Inc. to spin off its malls, the plan of China to tighten rules on rare-earth metals exports, and the adoption of poison pill plan by Talbots Inc.

The article reports on the drop in rare-earth metal prices in China in July 2011 from a month earlier as confirmed by Australian mining company Lynas Corp.

The article reports a delay in the completion of affordable-housing projects in China, which threatens the country's economy due to a possible sharp decline in the Chinese property market.

The article reports that automobile sales in China have risen by 5.4% in March 2011 but the growth rate has contracted by 50% compared with sales in March 2010.

This article reports on the criticism by China of the U.S. review of sensitive business deals and wants the U.S. to make its national security reviews of investments more transparent in the wake of issues raised over an acquisition deal by Chinese firm Huawei Technologies Co.

This article reveals that about 75.5 billion dollars in speculative money flowed into China in 2010 based on data from the State Administration of Foreign Exchange (SAFE) which is adding to the challenge of keeping inflation from rising.

This section offers business news briefs including a dispute with the city of Chicago, Illinois by United Continental Holdings Inc. and AMR Corp. on fears of rising cost with the expansion of the O'Hare airport, record sales made by General Motors Co. in China in January 2011 and the resignation of executives Robert Rivet and Marty Seyer from Advanced Micro Devices Inc.

The article discusses plans by the municipal government of Beijing to implement measures to limit the number of automobiles sold in the city.

The article reports on the plan of China to further reduce rare-earth metal exports in 2011 which caused severe frustration among foreign governments.

The China plane crash that killed 42 people late Tuesday night was a rare blot on the country's aviation safety copybook, say experts here. But it highlights the risks of flying in and out of some small regional airports at night, something more airlines are forced to do to meet the demands of China's booming travel industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reports on commercial deals signed by China and South Africa involving mining, finance, nuclear energy and other sectors during a visit by South African President Jacob Zuma on August 24, 2010.

The article focuses on a statement by Anshan Iron & Steel Group Corp. that it has not abandoned its proposed U.S. steel plant project with Steel Development Co.

The article reports on Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi's rejection of a U.S. suggestion that the South China Sea issue must be solved by China and the Association of South East Asian Nations.

The article reports on the merger between Chinese steel manufacturers, Tianjin Pipe (Group) Corp., Tianjin Iron & Steel Group, Tianjin Tiantie Metallurgy Group and Tianjin Metallurgy Group Co. to form the new company Tianjin Bohai Iron & Steel Group Corp.

The article reports on an approved amendment to a law governing state secrets in China which requires government agencies and companies to provide their assistance in protecting sensitive information.

The article reports on a preliminary agreement signed by the East China Mineral Exploration and Development Bureau (ECE) to acquire the iron-ore mining company Itaminas Comercio de Minérios SA for nearly 1.2 billion U.S. dollars.

The article focuses on rules aimed at reducing risk in bank loans issued by the China Banking Regulatory Commission (CBRC) on February 20, 2010.