What will keep the blogs busy in 2008?
China in 2008
2008 will be another busy year in China. Xinhua provides a preview, highlights of which are below:
“Prevent economic overheating, curb inflation
The economy has grown faster than 10 percent annually for the past five years. The primary task of China’s 2008 economic work has been set: “to prevent the economy from becoming overheated and to guard against a shift from structural price rises to inflation.” …
Host the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games
Beijing will host the 29th Summer Olympic Games starting on Aug. 8 and the Paralympics on Sept. 6. From stadium construction to recruitment of volunteers, China has tackled preparation for the upcoming games…
Mark the 30th anniversary of reform and opening up
This year will be the 30th anniversary of China’s reform and opening up. At the end of 1978, the Third Plenary Session of the 11th CPC Central Committee was held in Beijing, starting an era of reform and opening up…
Implement laws to promote social justice and harmony
New laws are taking effect in 2008 to promote social justice and harmony. The Labor Contract Law, which took effect on January 1, 2008, entitled employees who have at least 10 years’ service in one company to sign contracts that protect them from dismissal without cause. It also required employers to contribute to employees’ social security accounts and set wage standards for probation and overtime.
Also on the same day, a milestone corporate income tax law, the New Income Tax Law, took effect. The law established a unified income tax rate for domestic and foreign companies of 25 percent. This change came after years of criticism that the original dual income tax system, intended to attract foreign investment, was unfair to domestic enterprises.
The Anti-monopoly Law, which aims to ensure fair competition, will take effect on August 1. Lawmakers said the statute will improve market regulation and provide a better environment for domestic and foreign investors.
Launch the Shenzhou VII spacecraft
China’s third manned space mission is scheduled to be launched in 2008. Compared with the previous two manned space flights, the upcoming Shenzhou VII space mission, which includes a space walk, is more complex…
Hu Jintao to visit Japan
Chinese President Hu Jintao will visit Japan this spring, which will be the first visit by a Chinese President to Japan in a decade, since former President Jiang Zemin’s journey in 1998…
Improve people’s livelihood
The government promised to establish a cooperative health care network covering all rural residents by the end of 2008. Also, by the end of 2010, it will extend the medical insurance system for employed urban residents, aiming to provide safe, effective, convenient and low-cost public health and medical services to the entire population…
…China will continue to spend more on education in 2008 and expand free nine-year compulsory education among rural and urban children.
The government has also vowed to curb rising housing prices to help urban low-income families, by expediting the low-rent housing system and improving the affordable housing system…”
These and other contemporary topics will be the subjects of our blog this year. If you have any interest in these or any other current events in China, please let us know.
