Microblog insights

Topic 1: The National Development and Reform Commission raised the price of gasoline and diesel by 300 yuan ($47.6) a ton on Feb 8 - 0.22 yuan a liter for gasoline and 0.26 yuan a liter for diesel. The commission said global oil prices had already risen and it postponed the price until after the Lantern Festival. The price of oil was lowered by 300 yuan a ton on Oct 9 - the first time it was cut over the past 16 months.

ZIYOU_ZHAO: Oh dear! The price of oil went up again in less than half a year since the price was lowered last time.

LAOFANGSHUSHU: Another oil price hike is coming along for those who rejoice about deciding not to buy a car.

TINA-YA: I'd like to see if there are as many motor vehicles on the roads as there were before the price hike.

SUATIE: It's obvious that automobiles are the transportation vehicles of wealthy people.

Topic 2: Recently, the State Council released a document about promoting employment. According to the document, during the period of the 12th Five-Year Plan (2011-2015), China will develop a mechanism for wage increases. The lowest standard for wage growth will be set above 13 percent on average annually. In most regions, the lowest wage will have to be more than 40 percent of local urban employees' average income.

XIAOJUNJUN: I'm wondering whether the policy just applies to civil servants, and employees of foreign enterprises and whether private companies won't enjoy the policy.

SHADOWEVERYWHERE: I don't think the new mechanism of wage increases will help a lot because the growth rate of wages is less than that of commodity prices.

QIANTANGCUNSHE: Wage increase? For my colleagues and me, our wages are experiencing a reduction right now.

All the information is from Sina Weibo.

(China Daily 02/14/2012 page14)