News & Reports 2012-03-11

 Hello and Welcome to News and Reports on China Radio International.

In This EditionMourners gather in the Japanese city of Sendai for the one year anniversary of the March 11 earthquake and tsunami 1 which killed nearly 19,000 people in northeastern Japan and set off the worst nuclear crisis since Chernobyl.
Israel says its missile defense 2 system has effectively intercepted 3 some 25 incoming Palestinian rockets from the Gaza Strip.
Thousands of Libyans gather in Tripoli and Benghazi to protest the move by some groups to declare autonomy of the oil-producing east from the rule of National Transitional Council.
And China's top political advisers 5 discuss government's effort to maintain economic growth by boosting domestic demand.
Hot Issue ReportsVigil to Mark Eve of First Anniversary of TsunamiMourners have gathered in the Japanese city of Sendai in remembrance of the March 11, 2011 earthquake and tsunami which killed nearly 19,000 people in northeastern Japan and set off the worst nuclear crisis since Chernobyl.
Those who took part were reminded of how the tsunami roared across the coast, transforming once thriving towns into waterlogged wastelands.
Norie Emori is a resident in Nagano county.
"In the past year, I couldn't do anything to help the people who suffered from the disaster, so I thought the least I could do was to come here to give prayers."Sendai is the biggest industrial city in the region hit by the tsunami and its airport was utterly 7 destroyed one year ago.
While the city is far enough inland that it largely escaped tsunami damage, people there lived without regular services for weeks after the earthquake and tsunami.
Further south, where the tsunami slammed into the Fukushima Daiichi power plant, the some 100,000 people who had been forced to flee their homes fared even worse.
Many still have no idea when they can return.
Motoko Iseki, a mother of three boys, said in hopes for a brighter future.
"If we put in that little effort, dreams do come true and people would be able to return home. Through this disaster, I wish to teach my children that people can overcome hardships if you keep smiling."Some officials have predicted that the completion of reconstruction 9 and rebuilding work would take the next five years to complete in the regions which were hit by the tsunami.
IAEA Chief Comments on Fukushima Nuclear DisasterOn the eve of the first anniversary of the nuclear disaster at the Fukushima Daiichi plant in Japan, chief of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Yukiya Amano, reflects on his experiences.
"I went to Japan one week after the accident. And I went to the Japanese foreign ministry 10. It was during the day, but it was dark. There was no sufficient electricity. I wanted to go to Fukushima Daiichi, but I couldn't buy gasoline. This is the first time I experienced this in Japan."Resources were stretched to breaking point for many Japanese in the immediate 11 aftermath of the quake and the tusnami.
But it was only after he returned to the agency's headquarters in Vienna that he realised how profoundly the impact of the nuclear accident had shaken his fellow Japanese.
"People were worried. After I came back I received emails just saying "thank you". It means - first I didn't understand - but then I understood. They were so desperate. They felt that they were abandoned by others and they were isolated 12. But the head of the international organisation 13 went there and they understood that the world is standing 14 by Japan."While accepting nuclear energy was a necessary option for many countries, Amano now champions the appreciation 15 of safety.
"We have to think of developing countries. China, India need energy and other developing countries also. So I think some countries will phase out from nuclear power after Fukushima Daiichi. Many countries will maintain. But if that is the case, safety is the first. Much more attention should be paid for safety of nuclear power."Since the Fukushima disaster, Amano said the United Nations nuclear agency have prioritised the implementation 16 of new safeguards and measures in their work to prevent an accident like that from happening again.
Defence Minister Says Israel will Strike all Those Who will Target Israeli CiviliansIsrael's defence minister Ehud Barak says Israel will strike all those who target Israeli civilians 18.
"The whole round will continue as long as necessary to make sure that whoever has to be punished for these attempts to initiate 19 terrorist attacks against Israelis as well as those who are trying to launch rockets at us will be punished."Meanwhile the minister says Israel's the country's "Iron Dome 6" missile defence system has effectively intercepted some 25 incoming Palestinian rockets from the Gaza Strip.
The worst violence between Israel and the Gaza Strip in nearly a year entered its second day on Saturday, as Israeli airstrikes killed 15 militants 21.
Militants responded by firing nearly 100 rockets, seriously wounding an Israeli civilian 17.
The flare-up began on Friday with a strike on militant 20 commander Zuhair al-Qaissi, whom Israel said was planning an attack from the nearby Egyptian Sinai peninsula into the Jewish state.
Al-Qaissi was the leader of militant group best known for the 2006 abduction of Israeli soldier Gilad Schalit who was freed last year in a prisoner swap 22.
The airstrikes and rocket attacks could drag the area into broader conflict especially if a large number of civilians are killed on either side.
Palestinian militants said they would press on, accusing Israel of shattering the months of relative calm in the area.
Gaza's Hamas rulers condemned 23 the Israeli strike but denied their militants had any involvement in this round of clashes.
Demonstrators Protest Eastern Libya's Autonomy PlanThousands of protesters have gathered in Tripoli and Benghazi, Libya's two biggest cities opposing the move by some groups to declare autonomy of the oil-producing east from the rule of National Transitional Council.
Around 4,000 demonstrators packed central Benghazi protesting against the autonomy plan, which aims to recreate Libya's 1950s constitution when the country was divided into three semi-autonomous provinces.
"The federal announcement in eastern Libya is a negative step backwards 24. It's the beginning of the division of Libya, and it's not in the interests of Libyan people."At Friday prayers in both cities, clerics warned that the autonomy plan could lead to the break up of Libya.
Mahmoud Shmam is a former media minister in the NTC executive office.
"We confirm the unity 25 of Libya and the unity of its land and people. We also confirm that Libya's future should be based on justice, equality, decentralization, and no marginalization; a Libya with a balanced development. This protest is a referendum not just against federalization but also against marginalization and against the domination of any part of Libya."Civic 26 leaders in Benghazi earlier declared the creation of a "Provincial 27 Council" to run the affairs of Cyrenaica, the historic province which runs from the border with Egypt in the east to half way across Libya's Mediterranean 28 coast.
The province is home to Libya's biggest oil fields.
Boosting Domestic Demand, a Challenge to Meet the ChallengeWhile grappling with China's weak external demand, premier 29 Wen Jiabao has outlined the task of fuelling domestic consumption as an important aspect within this year's government work report.
As CRI's Ding Lulu reports, within China's top political advisory 30 body, discussion related to boosting domestic demand is a continuous process.
At a heated group discussion during the ongoing 31 annual session of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, CPPCC, Dong Wenbiao, board Chairman of the China Minsheng Bank, voiced concerns related to the efforts in boosting domestic demand.
"The property market used to support a strong industrial chain, but at present the sales of houses are restricted. The automobile 32 industry used to enjoy fast growth, but now license 33 plates are restricted. Now the central government wants to boost domestic demand; but where is the demand? I'm in the banking 34 industry and I don't even know where the demand is; and the ordinary people certainly don't know. Where is the demand? What is in demand? And how do we boost domestic demand?"China has enjoyed decades of fast economic development that heavily relied upon exports and investment. But as the main markets in Europe dip into recession and as the United States struggles to recover, China is attempting to shift its focus and look for new engines of domestic growth.
Former vice 8 Minister of Commerce, Ma Xiuhong believes that given the current circumstances, the key to effectively boosting domestic demand lies in stimulating 35 consumer spending.
"In dealing 36 with the financial crisis, we implemented 37 policies to promote home appliances in rural areas and trade-in schemes, but now these temporary measures for boosting consumption are set to expire soon. In order to fundamentally boost consumption, the proportion of the people's income as part of the total national income needs to be raised."An official with the Ministry of Commerce explained that the expiration 38 of temporary measures does not mean the end of such a policy. He said government departments are working on new methods aimed at encouraging consumption.
But economist 39 Li Yining questioned if those stimulating measures will effectively work with the ordinary people, since, as he said, the majority of people are low-income earners, and they are nervous about their financial capabilities 40.
"The most fundamental way to boost domestic demand is to raise the income of low-income earners and dismiss their concerns. At the moment, this group dare not spend their money because they are worried about what if I get sick? How can I afford my child's education if I spend my money now? Who is going to take care of me when I'm old?"Meanwhile, some analysts 41 warn that the level of inflation of the inadequacy 42 of social safety net pose a stumbling block hindering people's ability and willingness to spend. Latest figures by the National Bureau of Statistics show that the Consumer Price Index, CPI, for February fell to 3.5%, representing a 20 month low.
Responding to comments from CPPCC members, vice director of the National Development and Reform Commission, Peng Sen, revealed that the country's top economic regulatory body is launching new measures to lower costs throughout the circulation sector 43 which will hopefully help improve the environment for consumers.
For CRI, this is Ding Lulu.
A Law, Transparency Urged for China's Charity WorkWith charity work in China on the rise in recent years, how charity organizations spend the funds that benevolent 44 people contribute has been at the center of public attention. How should China administer its burgeoning 45 public welfare sector and develop it? A Chinese philanthropist and sociology expert elaborate on their views. CRI reporter Xu Fei has more.
Zhou Sen, curator of the China Three Gorges 46 Calligraphy 47 Studio, is reputed for his inverse 48 calligraphy written with his left hand. But what's won him even more fame is his sense of generosity 49 which drives him to donate a large part of his earnings 50 from the sales of his well-recognized calligraphy to people in need, including orphans 51, students and childless seniors.
Zhou says he has long adhered to a "3-3-3-1 principle" in charity work to raise funds for those in need.
"I usually donate 30 percent of all that I've earn from one piece of my calligraphy. Another 30 percent is used as a development fund for my studio. The last 30 percent goes for business operations, and the remaining 10 percent is used to award calligraphers who are superb in charity work."Meanwhile, Zhou Sen has another identity. He is an NPC deputy. As a lawmaker, he introduced a bill on China's charity work, long before last year's controversy 52 when a 20-year-old calling herself "Guo Meimei Baby" claimed to be a Red Cross worker and showed off her wealth on her microblog. Her action prompted a number of netizens to question whether she financed her lifestyle using funds donated to the Red Cross.
Regarding this, Zhou Sen speaks on his view.
"First, a comprehensive organization should be well in place for charity work. Charity work also requires careful auditing 53. Any charity worker who mishandles donations should be given a penalty in line with the Criminal Law. We should try to raise the cost of committing criminal acts made by charity organizations or individuals. Only when all these have been achieved will more and more members of society understand and be willing to get involved in charity work."Ding Yuanzhu, a sociology professor at the Chinese Academy of Governance, echoes Zhou's opinion. He also believes the government should demand an increasing level of transparency in the operation of charities and their expenditures 55.
"The government should enhance its governance by making relevant laws and regulations. It should demand the operation of donated funds be transparent 56 and that information about their use be made open to the public in an efficient way."Government figures indicate there are only about 2,000 charity foundations in China, which employ more than 10,000 workers.
Wang Zhenyao, director of the Center for Philanthropy Research at Beijing Normal University, believes that the notion of charity in China lags far behind that of many other nations.
"During the year of the Wenchuan earthquake, China received donations exceeding 100 billion yuan. On occasions other than this, donated funds have never exceeded this amount, usually staying around the 50-billion to 70-billion-yuan mark. These figures lag behind those of developed nations such as the U.S. which likely sees 300 billion U.S. dollars' worth of donations on a yearly basis."Without the implementation of relevant laws and policies designed to ensure the interests of groups that receive donations and reestablish trust among donors 57, the question of whether China's charitable sector can develop in a healthy manner will continue to weigh heavily upon the minds of both donors and the public.
For CRI, I'm Xu Fei.
Students in Bogota Demand Better Public TransportationStudent protesters have demanded better public transportation in the Colombian capital of Bogota, after destroying one of the city's rapid bus transit 4 stations.
The students were calling for lower student fare bus tickets on the public transit bus system.
Riot police used tear gas to disperse 58 the demonstrators.
Bogota Mayor Gustavo Petro denounced the disturbances 59.
"With these violent acts, they are not going to prevent the mayor's office from publicly negotiating the conditions of the city's new model of transportation."Despite passengers saying that the transport service is poor, the city has said that the protests are politically charged.
City officials have called on high schools and universities to calm their students who are blamed for leading the demonstrations 60.
China Daily: Protectionism does not PayThe US Congress has recently passed a bill allowing for anti-subsidy duties on Chinese imports.
An editorial in the China Daily newspaper said the move will not only strain trade ties between the two countries but also make the prospects 61 of a global recovery even more uncertain.
The paper says while the United States accuses its trade partners, China in particular, of "not playing by the rules", its lawmakers are blatantly 62 abusing their power to massage 63 its domestic trade.
The article says such outright 64 hypocrisy 65 among US politicians bodes 66 ill in an era when a lack of political will has already prevented most debt-laden Western countries from introducing painful but necessary reforms to address their economic woes 67 in a timely manner.
Worse still, the editorial says the shortsighted bipartisan support for the bill lays bare the fact that more US politicians are eager to cater 68 to and stoke rising protectionism, disregarding the spirit of free-trade which they previously 69 promoted, thus creating a clear threat to the steady growth that the world requires.
The article says it is reasonable to expect US policymakers to try and rebuild US competitiveness in the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis. However, the solution does not lie in protectionism, which will only dig a deeper hole for the US economy.
The article states that it does not require a trade expert to expose the fallacy of selling protectionism as a real long-term solution to the structural 70 problems of the world's largest economy.
The China Daily editorial finishes by stating that before signing the bill into law, US President Barack Obama should ask himself whether protectionism can really save American jobs and help the country escape the quagmire 71 it has got itself into.
***************************People's Daily: Foreign Media Focus on China's Economic TransformationChina's government work report delivered during the annual two sessions of its top legislature and advisory body has always been a focus of international attention.
A summary in the People's Daily looks at a number of major media outlets 73 around the world to find out their interpretation 74 of this year's development plan.
The New York Times focused on the most eye-catching figure regarding the world's second largest economy: the minimum growth target, which has been cut to 7.5 percent from 8 percent previously.
The paper cautiously predicted that "the Chinese economy, after nearly three decades of rapid, almost uninterrupted growth, seems to be settling down to a still strong but less blistering 75 pace."Reuters paid attention to the massive stock market falls immediately triggered by the growth target cut.
And with reasonable reference to China's leadership transition, the agency tried to calm the uneasy market with the insight that such a cut reflects China's focus on delivering economic stability while allowing for economic restructuring.
From another perspective, Japan's Mainichi Shimbun noted 76 the unintended consequences of the huge increases of public expenditure 54 in face of the world economic slow down since 2008, such as corruption 77.
The paper interpreted the target cut as a shift of political focus from ensuring a targeted growth rate to addressing public concerns that have been neglected, such as rampant 78 corruption and a defective 79 social security system.
Dow Jones Newswires and the Kyodo News expressed similar opinions.
In addition, foreign media outlets tend to agree with the content of the work report, that a key part of China's economic transformation 72 is the expansion of domestic demand and less reliance on the existing export-led growth model.
The Associated Press noticed that fueling domestic consumption, including subsidies 80 for social programs and higher spending for businesses, has become a major goal of the Chinese government.
The newswire anticipates that the country will offer increased assistance and programs intended to benefit a wide array of groups, including higher minimum wages, heftier subsidies for education and farmers, more loans for strapped 81 private businesses, and added help for troubled exporters.
BBC, AFP, and even the Hindu Times all cited Premier Wen Jiabao's report and made similar sense of the next year's focus of expanding domestic demand in economic policy makings.
Despite some doubts, foreign media outlets are generally in agreement that China has the political will and the ability to avoid a hard economic landing and they are optimistic about China's economic transformation.