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China This Week (2) 10-16 September 2007

Fnally, some news from last week in China. Already overdue, I have only commented on there ites here; the rest is added to next week!

Topping the news, literally, is the topping off on Friday of the 101 floor, 492 metre (1614 feet) World Finance Tower in Shanghai. China's Tallest Building Nearly Done  in Time and Final Beams in Place on Tallest Building in the China Daily, and a video report on the BBC.. For more on the tower check and pictures out the World Finance Centre website. Its the tower just right of the middle in the picture below, with the square hole in the top! Just left of it is the Jinmao Tower at 421 metres (1321 feet), previously China's highest building, and at the far left the Oriental Pearl Tower (468 metres / 1525 feet), which is technically a tower, not a building!  The pictures shows the whole family of the Shanghai Pudong "Big Ones".

The economy. Commentary on the tower in many places spoke of its certainty of succes swith the economy so good at present. However in other columns and news items new questions emerged about the Chinese economy in the light of the news that inflation had reached 6.5%. Food prices were an average 18.2% up, with pork (the pig polulation was hit by disease this last year) and poultry 49% ..,

China This Week (1) 2-9 September 2007

The news about China seems to be increasing, especially as the Beijing Olympics comes into focus, not to speak of its growing economic power and the issues of development it still faces. Over the next twelve months we can expect the commentary on China to increase, some positive, some neutral but some critical. Every time I read an article I find myself wanting to comment, but I have now decided to bookmark a number of issues as they come up and develop each week, and comment on them in one go. It will sometimes be a variation on "Back off. Give them a chance!" (While seeking truth, integrity, justice, etc. I want the same principles to be applied to us all, and get upset at the press and our nations appearing to "gang up" on China.) Sometimes I will offer an alternative perspective. Sometimes it will seek to bring understanding. I hope it will be worth reading. (More on the approach I am coming from another time.)

There are a lot of interesting stories to comment on this week!

China Hurting in World Opinion Polls is a worrying story. This version is from a Taiwanese paper, but there have been other articles (that I cannot find just now) that have led with similar thoughts.

"Public opinion surveys taken in the United States and other countries around the world show that China's image has been badly dented in the wake of widespread reports of unsafe food, toxic toothpaste, dangerous toys and poisonous drugs."