China
Uncivilized? Chinese City Introduces Shame List
Shopkeepers in Chinese-dominated parts of New York City have long favored a particular form of extra-legal justice in dealing with badly behaving customers: catch the offense (typically shoplifting) on tape, seize the offender’s ID, take a photograph and threaten to paste the picture on the wall–along with the would-be thief’s name and crime–unless he or she agrees to pay a penalty. The approach has its critics but also benefits from a certain logic: Why bother going through the rigmarole and uncertainty of criminal prosecution when shame works so much better? Now a group of local officials in China has decided to apply that approach to an entire city. Wuhan Evening News The March 19, 2010 edition of the Wuhan Evening News displays the Wuhan government’s inaugural “Uncivilized Residents” lists. Frustrated at the inability of traditional propaganda and fines to improve the behavior of its citizens, the government of Wuhan, capital of central China’s Hubei Province, has teamed with local media to produce a city-wide name-and-shame list. The inaugural list–released over the weekend and teased on the front page of the Wuhan Evening News with a blaring headline “City Reveals First Group of ‘Uncivilized Residents’”–verbally tars and feathers 40 people for engaging in one of four unacceptable activities: careless running of red lights, careless parking, jaywalking (“careless crossing of the street”) and littering (“careless throwing around of garbage”). Offenders are named in three of the four lists (jaywalkers appear in photographs but aren’t named). Perpetrators of traffic offenses have their license-plate numbers listed along with the time and location of the infraction, while the list for litterers offers offenders’ ages as well as the punishment received (typically a 50 yuan fine). (The lists and photos have been duly reproduced by Chinese media, including the website of Phoenix TV) The Wuhan Evening News promises a fresh set of lists every week, but the categories could change. Next time, the lists might include “carelessly dumping sediment,” “throwing things from high places” or any number of other inconsiderate activities, Yan Hong, head of the Wuhan Civilization Office, told Xinhua ( in Chinese ) on Wednesday. Public reaction to the new initiative appears sharply divided. A number of online commenters have lauded the lists as a way to improve Chinese people’s character (素质) – a topic of much discussion in the wake of the disaster in Japan, which has produced an outpouring of admiration in China for the discipline and orderliness of regular Japanese people. Others, however, have been less enthusiastic. Many seem to bristle at the idea of government officials, who in China are often assumed corrupt until proven otherwise, labeling other people uncivilized. “Work up a black list for the government, then its fair,” one commenter writing under the name Xiaosi Dake said on the microbbloging site Sina Weibo. Many others worry that the list represents an infringement on privacy, with some questioning whether it’s legal. “Publicizing a list of uncivilized residents is a misuse of power!” Guo Pulong, an account based in the southern city of Shenzhen wrote on his microblog. “What legal basis does this have?” As with the shame tactics employed by the shopkeepers in New York, the answer to the legal question in Wuhan isn’t immediately clear. For his part, the man in charge of the lists suggests people focus more of their attention on the system’s intended goal. “Exposure is just the means, not the end,” the Civilization Office’s Mr. Yan tells Xinhua. “All of this is to build an enduring mechanism for establishing civilization and improving the character of residents on multiple fronts.” – Josh Chin. Follow him on Twitter @joshchin
Shopkeepers in Chinese-dominated parts of New York City have long favored a particular form of extra-legal justice in dealing with badly behaving customers: catch the offense (typically shoplifting) on tape, seize the offender’s ID, take a photograph and threaten to paste the picture on the wall–along with the would-be thief’s name and crime–unless he or she agrees to pay a penalty. The approach has its critics but also benefits from a certain logic: Why bother going through the rigmarole and uncertainty of criminal prosecution when shame works so much better?
Now a group of local officials in China has decided to apply that approach to an entire city.
- Wuhan Evening News
- The March 19, 2010 edition of the Wuhan Evening News displays the Wuhan government’s inaugural “Uncivilized Residents” lists.
Frustrated at the inability of traditional propaganda and fines to improve the behavior of its citizens, the government of Wuhan, capital of central China’s Hubei Province, has teamed with local media to produce a city-wide name-and-shame list.
The inaugural list–released over the weekend and teased on the front page of the Wuhan Evening News with a blaring headline “City Reveals First Group of ‘Uncivilized Residents’”–verbally tars and feathers 40 people for engaging in one of four unacceptable activities: careless running of red lights, careless parking, jaywalking (“careless crossing of the street”) and littering (“careless throwing around of garbage”).
Offenders are named in three of the four lists (jaywalkers appear in photographs but aren’t named). Perpetrators of traffic offenses have their license-plate numbers listed along with the time and location of the infraction, while the list for litterers offers offenders’ ages as well as the punishment received (typically a 50 yuan fine).
(The lists and photos have been duly reproduced by Chinese media, including the website of Phoenix TV)
The Wuhan Evening News promises a fresh set of lists every week, but the categories could change. Next time, the lists might include “carelessly dumping sediment,” “throwing things from high places” or any number of other inconsiderate activities, Yan Hong, head of the Wuhan Civilization Office, told Xinhua (in Chinese) on Wednesday.
Public reaction to the new initiative appears sharply divided. A number of online commenters have lauded the lists as a way to improve Chinese people’s character (素质) – a topic of much discussion in the wake of the disaster in Japan, which has produced an outpouring of admiration in China for the discipline and orderliness of regular Japanese people. Others, however, have been less enthusiastic.
Many seem to bristle at the idea of government officials, who in China are often assumed corrupt until proven otherwise, labeling other people uncivilized.
“Work up a black list for the government, then its fair,” one commenter writing under the name Xiaosi Dake said on the microbbloging site Sina Weibo.
Many others worry that the list represents an infringement on privacy, with some questioning whether it’s legal. “Publicizing a list of uncivilized residents is a misuse of power!” Guo Pulong, an account based in the southern city of Shenzhen wrote on his microblog. “What legal basis does this have?”
As with the shame tactics employed by the shopkeepers in New York, the answer to the legal question in Wuhan isn’t immediately clear.
For his part, the man in charge of the lists suggests people focus more of their attention on the system’s intended goal. “Exposure is just the means, not the end,” the Civilization Office’s Mr. Yan tells Xinhua. “All of this is to build an enduring mechanism for establishing civilization and improving the character of residents on multiple fronts.”
– Josh Chin. Follow him on Twitter @joshchin
Reforms started in the late 1970s with the phasing out of collectivized agriculture, and expanded to include the gradual liberalization of prices, fiscal decentralization, increased autonomy for state enterprises, the foundation of a diversified banking system, the development of stock markets, the rapid growth of the non-state sector, and the opening to foreign trade and investment.
Deterioration in the environment – notably air pollution, soil erosion, and the steady fall of the water table, especially in the north – is another long-term problem.
The People’s Republic of China is the world’s second largest economy after the United States by both nominal GDP ($5 trillion in 2009) and by purchasing power parity ($8.77 trillion in 2009).
Some economists believe that Chinese economic growth has been in fact understated during much of the 1990s and early 2000s, failing to fully factor in the growth driven by the private sector and that the extent at which China is dependent on exports is exaggerated.
The two sectors have differed in many respects.
A report by UBS in 2009 concluded that China has experienced total factor productivity growth of 4 per cent per year since 1990, one of the fastest improvements in world economic history.
The market-oriented reforms China has implemented over the past two decades have unleashed individual initiative and entrepreneurship, whilst retaining state domination of the economy.
China now ranks as the fifth largest global investor in outbound direct investment (ODI) with a total volume of $56.5 billion, compared to a ranking of 12th in 2008, the Ministry of Commerce said on Sunday.
” Although the figure is already “quite amazing,” the volume is “not large enough” considering China’s economic growth and local companies’ expanding demand for international opportunities, Shen said.
China is expected to have 200 million cars on the road by 2020, increasing pressure on energy security and the environment, government officials said yesterday.
Although China is still a developing country with a relatively low per capita income, it has experienced tremendous economic growth since the late 1970s.
Even with these improvements, agriculture accounts for only 20% of the nation’s gross national product.
In terms of cash crops, China ranks first in cotton and tobacco and is an important producer of oilseeds, silk, tea, ramie, jute, hemp, sugarcane, and sugar beets.
Livestock raising on a large scale is confined to the border regions and provinces in the north and west; it is mainly of the nomadic pastoral type.
Offshore exploration has become important to meeting domestic needs; massive deposits off the coasts are believed to exceed all the world’s known oil reserves.
There are large deposits of uranium in the northwest, especially in Xinjiang; there are also mines in Jiangxi and Guangdong provs.
China also has extensive hydroelectric energy potential, notably in Yunnan, W Sichuan, and E Tibet, although hydroelectric power accounts for only 5% of the country’s total energy production.
Coastal cities, especially in the southeast, have benefited greatly from China’s increasingly open trade policies.
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Uncivilized? Chinese City Introduces Shame List
China
Q1 2024 Brief on Transfer Pricing in Asia
Indonesia’s Ministry of Finance released Regulation No. 172 of 2023 on transfer pricing, consolidating various guidelines. The Directorate General of Taxes focuses on compliance, expanded arm’s length principle, and substance checks. Singapore’s Budget 2024 addresses economic challenges, operational costs, and sustainability, implementing global tax reforms like the Income Inclusion Rule and Domestic Top-up Tax.
Indonesia’s Ministry of Finance (MoF) has released Regulation No. 172 of 2023 (“PMK-172”), which prevails as a unified transfer pricing guideline. PMK-172 consolidates various transfer pricing matters that were previously covered under separate regulations, including the application of the arm’s length principle, transfer pricing documentation requirements, transfer pricing adjustments, Mutual Agreement Procedure (“MAP”), and Advance Pricing Agreements (“APA”).
The Indonesian Directorate General of Taxes (DGT) has continued to focus on compliance with the ex-ante principle, the expanded scope of transactions subject to the arm’s length principle, and the reinforcement of substance checks as part of the preliminary stage, indicating the DGT’s expectation of meticulous and well-supported transfer pricing analyses conducted by taxpayers.
In conclusion, PMK-172 reflects the Indonesian government’s commitment to addressing some of the most controversial transfer pricing issues and promoting clarity and certainty. While it brings new opportunities, it also presents challenges. Taxpayers are strongly advised to evaluate the implications of these new guidelines on their businesses in Indonesia to navigate this transformative regulatory landscape successfully.
In a significant move to bolster economic resilience and sustainability, Singapore’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance, Mr. Lawrence Wong, unveiled the ambitious Singapore Budget 2024 on February 16, 2024. Amidst global economic fluctuations and a pressing climate crisis, the Budget strategically addresses the dual challenges of rising operational costs and the imperative for sustainable development, marking a pivotal step towards fortifying Singapore’s position as a competitive and green economy.
In anticipation of global tax reforms, Singapore’s proactive steps to implement the Income Inclusion Rule (IIR) and Domestic Top-up Tax (DTT) under the BEPS 2.0 framework demonstrate a forward-looking approach to ensure tax compliance and fairness. These measures reaffirm Singapore’s commitment to international tax standards while safeguarding its economic interests.
Transfer pricing highlights from the Singapore Budget 2024 include:
This article is republished from China Briefing. Read the rest of the original article.
China Briefing is written and produced by Dezan Shira & Associates. The practice assists foreign investors into China and has done since 1992 through offices in Beijing, Tianjin, Dalian, Qingdao, Shanghai, Hangzhou, Ningbo, Suzhou, Guangzhou, Dongguan, Zhongshan, Shenzhen, and Hong Kong. Please contact the firm for assistance in China at china@dezshira.com.
China
New Report from Dezan Shira & Associates: China Takes the Lead in Emerging Asia Manufacturing Index 2024
China has been the world’s largest manufacturer for 14 years, producing one-third of global manufacturing output. In the Emerging Asia Manufacturing Index 2024, China ranks highest among eight emerging countries in the region. Challenges for these countries include global demand disparities affecting industrial output and export orders.
Known as the “World’s Factory”, China has held the title of the world’s largest manufacturer for 14 consecutive years, starting from 2010. Its factories churn out approximately one-third of the global manufacturing output, a testament to its industrial might and capacity.
China’s dominant role as the world’s sole manufacturing power is reaffirmed in Dezan Shira & Associates’ Emerging Asia Manufacturing Index 2024 report (“EAMI 2024”), in which China secures the top spot among eight emerging countries in the Asia-Pacific region. The other seven economies are India, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, and Bangladesh.
The EAMI 2024 aims to assess the potential of these eight economies, navigate the risks, and pinpoint specific factors affecting the manufacturing landscape.
In this article, we delve into the key findings of the EAMI 2024 report and navigate China’s advantages and disadvantages in the manufacturing sector, placing them within the Asia-Pacific comparative context.
Emerging Asia countries face various challenges, especially in the current phase of increased volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity (VUCA). One notable challenge is the impact of global demand disparities on the manufacturing sector, affecting industrial output and export orders.
This article is republished from China Briefing. Read the rest of the original article.
China Briefing is written and produced by Dezan Shira & Associates. The practice assists foreign investors into China and has done since 1992 through offices in Beijing, Tianjin, Dalian, Qingdao, Shanghai, Hangzhou, Ningbo, Suzhou, Guangzhou, Dongguan, Zhongshan, Shenzhen, and Hong Kong. Please contact the firm for assistance in China at china@dezshira.com.
China
Is journalist Vicky Xu preparing to return to China?
Chinese social media influencers have recently claimed that prominent Chinese-born Australian journalist Vicky Xu had posted a message saying she planned to return to China.
There is no evidence for this. The source did not provide evidence to support the claim, and Xu herself later confirmed to AFCL that she has no such plans.
Currently working as an analyst at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, or ASPI, Xu has previously written for both the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, or ABC, and The New York Times.
A Chinese language netizen on X initially claimed on March 31 that the changing geopolitical relations between Sydney and Beijing had caused Xu to become an expendable asset and that she had posted a message expressing a strong desire to return to China. An illegible, blurred photo of the supposed message accompanied the post.
This claim was retweeted by a widely followed influencer on the popular Chinese social media site Weibo one day later, who additionally commented that Xu was a “traitor” who had been abandoned by Australian media.
Following the publication of an ASPI article in 2021 which exposed forced labor conditions in Xinjiang co-authored by Xu, the journalist was labeled “morally bankrupt” and “anti-China” by the Chinese state owned media outlet Global Times and subjected to an influx of threatening messages and digital abuse, eventually forcing her to temporarily close several of her social media accounts.
AFCL found that neither Xu’s active X nor LinkedIn account has any mention of her supposed return to China, and received the following response from Xu herself about the rumor:
“I can confirm that I don’t have plans to go back to China. I think if I do go back I’ll most definitely be detained or imprisoned – so the only career I’ll be having is probably going to be prison labor or something like that, which wouldn’t be ideal.”
Neither a keyword search nor reverse image search on the photo attached to the original X post turned up any text from Xu supporting the netizens’ claims.
Translated by Shen Ke. Edited by Shen Ke and Malcolm Foster.
Asia Fact Check Lab (AFCL) was established to counter disinformation in today’s complex media environment. We publish fact-checks, media-watches and in-depth reports that aim to sharpen and deepen our readers’ understanding of current affairs and public issues. If you like our content, you can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram and X.
Read the rest of this article here >>> Is journalist Vicky Xu preparing to return to China?
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