Are firms paying very high rate of tax?

A couple of weeks ago, Chinese auto-glass tycoon Cao Dewang sparked a heated discussion across China. Cao said his recent $600 million investment to establish a manufacturing branch in the United States for his company, Fuyao Glass Industry Group, was driven largely by China's high taxes, which he claimed are 35 percent higher for manufacturers in China than in the US. Has the tax burden on Chinese enterprises really reached economically lethal levels?

E-games get the recognition they deserve

Many considered electronic games a nuisance. Most parents and teachers hated them. They are not good for children, agreed a majority of commentators. Even last year, a Xinhua News Agency commentary said they were "invoking violence among children" and kids' access to them should be restricted.

Tsai's trip will not serve intended purpose

A week before Taiwan leader Tsai Ing-wen travels to Latin America, Zhang Zhijun, head of the mainland's Taiwan Affairs Office, said in his New Year's message that the Chinese mainland will share development opportunities with Taiwan while firmly opposing "Taiwan independence" activities.

Social media seems to be widening the social chasm

An old friend, a retiree, is so concerned about public affairs that he keeps re-transmitting stories, essays, even hearsays, on a lot of things to his WeChat contacts. What is surprising is that he had never seemed interested in many of the things in the past. It is the smartphone and social media tool such as WeChat that seem to have added a lot to the meaning to his otherwise simple and monotonous home-centered life.

Korean Peninsula ball still in the US court

US president-elect Donald Trump has adopted a belligerent tone whenever he talks about China - his equivalent of Pinocchio's nose, perhaps - and his latest bid to tar China with the brush of responsibility for seemingly any and every issue that catches his attention was no exception.

Stabilizing exchange rate

The move by the State Administration of Foreign Exchange to strictly observe the law on foreign exchange purchases by individuals has drawn widespread attention, and it has been interpreted as a signal of China's tightened intervention in the yuan's exchange rate.

Guangdong leads the way in handling contaminated soil

HALF A YEAR AFTER THE STATE COUNCIL, China's Cabinet, issued a national soil pollution prevention action plan, the Guangdong provincial government in South China has published a detailed implementation plan on its website. Southern Metropolis Daily comments:

Fleecing of coach passengers shameful

COACH DRIVERS picking up passengers at an expressway service station in Zibo, East China's Shandong province, reportedly charged 5 yuan ($0.7) to 20 yuan per passenger. Southern Metropolis Daily commented on Tuesday:

Train booking software comes at a high price

SOME SOFTWARE for the online booking of train tickets comes bundled with compulsory purchase items. Beijing News comments on Tuesday:

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China to move closer to centenary goals

This year is significant in China's political calendar as the 19th Communist Party of China National Congress will convene in Beijing in the second half of this year. The whole world will be paying close attention as the 2,300 delegates, chosen by over 88 million Party members, assemble to elect a new Central Committee.

Limits on car-hailing not the best way out

Beijing and Shanghai enacted rules on car-hailing services at the end of December, keeping most of the strict requirements of the previous drafts. Drivers hired by car-hailing platforms such as Didi Chuxing are still required to have local household registration and their vehicles must have local license plates.