https://www.scmp.com/rss/31899/feed Premier of China between 2003 and 2013, Wen Jiabao served as vice-premier between 1998 and 2002. Wen, who was born in 1942, spent 14 years working in Gansu province’s geological bureau before being promoted in 1982 to vice-minister of geology and mineral resources. Wen graduated from the Beijing Institute of Geology in 1968 and has a master’s degree in geology. He was a member of the Politburo Standing Committee between 2002 and 2012. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com SCMP SCMP This article was first published on March 11, 2011. By Greg Torode, Martin Wong and Agencies A farm building engulfed in flames as it disintegrated in giant waves; a minibus tumbling end over end, pushed ahead of a 10-metre wall of water - the tsunami triggered yesterday afternoon by the largest earthquake in Japanese history produced scenes of horror along the country’s northeast coast. At least 1,000 people were killed as the wall of water swept away everything in its path. The death toll is... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3346041/japan-hit-worst-earthquake-and-tsunami-its-history-2011-scmp-archive?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3346041/japan-hit-worst-earthquake-and-tsunami-its-history-2011-scmp-archive?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 Mar 2026 02:30:08 +0000 William Zheng William Zheng Tian Xuebin, a State Council veteran who worked under several former premiers, has been placed under investigation by the top anti-corruption agency of China’s ruling Communist Party. The Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI), China’s highest political disciplinary and anti-corruption agency, announced on Monday that Tian, 62, had been detained for “suspected serious violations of discipline and law”, a euphemism for corruption. He last served as vice-minister of water resources... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3338796/china-continues-chase-corrupt-tigers-state-council-veteran-put-under-probe?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3338796/china-continues-chase-corrupt-tigers-state-council-veteran-put-under-probe?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 05 Jan 2026 11:04:41 +0000 Dewey Sim Dewey Sim When US President Donald Trump was about to begin his closely watched summit with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping last month, he wrote a social media post that revived a decades-old concept about the dynamics between the two countries and their role in global affairs. “The G2 will be convening shortly,” he wrote – in all caps – ahead of the talks. The term “G2”, or Group of Two, emerged in the 2000s as a proposal for Washington and Beijing to work together to address global challenges. Over... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3332527/why-donald-trumps-g2-label-prompts-tepid-response-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3332527/why-donald-trumps-g2-label-prompts-tepid-response-china?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 12 Nov 2025 22:00:20 +0000 Stephen Roach Stephen Roach The Chinese planning season is in full swing. Ahead of the formal release of the 15th five-year plan (running from 2026 to 2030) next March, early signs coming out of the just-completed fourth plenum of the Communist Party suggest that it will be more of the same: a focus on continuing China’s extraordinary industrial and technological ascendancy, driven by what President Xi Jinping has called “new productive forces”. That would be a mistake in the following sense: China’s techno-industrial... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3330572/time-china-set-explicit-household-consumption-target?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3330572/time-china-set-explicit-household-consumption-target?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 28 Oct 2025 08:30:08 +0000 Josephine Ma Josephine Ma China crowned a busy week of grand diplomacy with a spectacular military parade on Wednesday, sending a message to the world that it has the determination and strength to champion a multipolar global order as geopolitical challenges rise. Flanked by Russian President Vladimir Putin, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and leaders from 26 countries, President Xi Jinping gave a keynote speech on top of the Gate of Heavenly Peace in Beijing to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the war against... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3324233/china-parades-statecraft-and-hardware-world-faces-critical-choices?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3324233/china-parades-statecraft-and-hardware-world-faces-critical-choices?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 03 Sep 2025 14:01:03 +0000 Shi Jiangtao Shi Jiangtao Ahead of the 80th anniversary of Victory Day, marking the end of the Sino-Japanese war and the global fight against fascism, we look at the profound changes of the post-war period and how they continue to affect China’s place in the world. In the second part of this series, Shi Jiangtao looks at the often contradictory sentiments in relations between the two countries. Eighty years after the end of World War II, a harrowing cinematic portrayal of Japanese wartime atrocities during the 1937... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3323532/love-hate-and-post-war-paradox-china-japan-relations?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3323532/love-hate-and-post-war-paradox-china-japan-relations?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 28 Aug 2025 22:00:28 +0000 SCMP SCMP This article was first published on June 22, 2005. Help me to make a new start: Tsang by Gary Cheung and Dikky Sinn Donald Tsang Yam-kuen on Tuesday (June 21, 2005) called on local people to join him in starting a new chapter for Hong Kong following his appointment as chief executive, saying he would safeguard the overall interests of the city with concrete action. The salesman-turned-leader pledged to engage in dialogue with people from different walks of life and reach out to the public... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3314699/donald-tsang-becomes-hong-kongs-second-chief-executive-2005-scmp-archive?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3314699/donald-tsang-becomes-hong-kongs-second-chief-executive-2005-scmp-archive?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 21 Jun 2025 02:30:07 +0000 While Russian President Vladimir Putin visited China on May 16 and 17, Moscow and Beijing issued a statement about “deepening the comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for the new era”, heralding a further boost to bilateral ties. And the recent headline-grabbing tour by Chinese President Xi Jinping to Europe this month was not just about official visits and state dinners. It marked a strategic deepening of China-Hungary ties to the level of “all-weather comprehensive strategic... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3263798/all-weather-strategic-partnership-or-friendly-relationship-what-look-when-china-names-ties-other?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3263798/all-weather-strategic-partnership-or-friendly-relationship-what-look-when-china-names-ties-other?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 23 May 2024 11:00:09 +0000 The “two sessions”, the annual meetings of China’s top legislative and political advisory bodies, concluded on Monday without the much-anticipated press conference hosted by the country’s premier, discontinuing a customary practice that was established in the early 1990s. According to the official explanation, the press conference at the close of this year’s National People’s Congress (NPC) was cancelled because there was already sufficient information from lawmakers, ministers and policy... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3254965/why-i-miss-chinese-premiers-annual-press-conference-close-countrys-two-sessions?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3254965/why-i-miss-chinese-premiers-annual-press-conference-close-countrys-two-sessions?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 11 Mar 2024 23:00:14 +0000 Debates about the Chinese economy have always been lively. While Beijing has set many red lines for discussions about the country’s political system and ideology, discourse relating to economic affairs has been open and inclusive. Chinese economists are generally not shy about sharing their views on the nation’s economic health and offering advice on what authorities should do. There have been countless seminars, symposia and conferences in places like Beijing and Shanghai focused on China’s... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3226380/why-china-should-maintain-open-and-inclusive-debate-about-its-economy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3226380/why-china-should-maintain-open-and-inclusive-debate-about-its-economy?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 03 Jul 2023 23:00:08 +0000 When his first press conference as premier was over on Monday morning, Li Qiang’s foreign policy footprint appeared even smaller than that of his predecessor Li Keqiang. During the 1½-hour highly choreographed gathering of domestic and international media after the close of the National People’s Congress’ annual session, Li Qiang answered just one question on diplomacy – a query about US-China relations from an Uzbek journalist. Li did not touch on challenging questions such as security or... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3213382/chinese-premier-li-qiang-stays-close-home-his-first-big-turn-national-stage?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3213382/chinese-premier-li-qiang-stays-close-home-his-first-big-turn-national-stage?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 13 Mar 2023 13:00:15 +0000 Since the days of Deng Xiaoping, economic growth has mattered more than anything for China’s leaders. The 10 per cent annualised growth from 1980 to 2010 was seen as the antidote to the relative stasis of the Mao Zedong era, when the economy grew by only about 6 per cent. But under President Xi Jinping, the pendulum has swung back, with 6.6 per cent average growth from 2013 to 2021, closer to the trajectory under Mao than Deng. Some of the slowdown was inevitable as small economies are better... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3189971/how-china-sacrificed-economic-growth-altar-xi-jinping-thought?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3189971/how-china-sacrificed-economic-growth-altar-xi-jinping-thought?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 24 Aug 2022 17:30:19 +0000 Chinese President Xi Jinping paid special tribute to his predecessors and revolutionary leaders in his speech to mark the Communist Party’s centenary on Thursday morning as he urged the younger generation to follow the party in pursuit of the dream of national rejuvenation. Delivering his speech at Tiananmen, the Gate of Heavenly Peace, where Mao Zedong declared the founding of the People’s Republic in 1949, Xi praised the older generations for their contribution to the country. “We owe all... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3139500/chinese-communist-party-centenary-xi-jinping-tries-build?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3139500/chinese-communist-party-centenary-xi-jinping-tries-build?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 01 Jul 2021 14:41:38 +0000 The Communist Party sought to present itself as a beacon for the future at mass centenary celebration at Beijing’s National Stadium on Monday night. President Xi Jinping, the party’s general secretary, was front and centre at the three-hour event at the “Bird’s Nest” stadium, which was the backdrop for the opening ceremony for the Olympic Games 13 years ago. Also among the more than 20,000 people watching on were all seven members of the party’s inner circle, the Politburo Standing Committee;... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3139221/chinas-communist-party-goes-back-future-centenary-curtain?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3139221/chinas-communist-party-goes-back-future-centenary-curtain?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 29 Jun 2021 14:00:12 +0000 Former Chinese premier Wen Jiabao has published a personal reminiscence about his late mother, saying she taught him to live an honest, thrifty life. Whereas personal memoirs are commonplace among Western politicians, it is unusual for a retired Chinese leader to publish such a personal account because the state maintains rigid controls over all narratives relating to state affairs. In an article originally published in a newspaper in Macau, Wen presented both his mother and himself as people... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3130162/former-chinese-premier-wen-jiabao-pays-tribute-late-mother-who?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3130162/former-chinese-premier-wen-jiabao-pays-tribute-late-mother-who?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 19 Apr 2021 12:00:16 +0000 A Chinese court’s decision to punish a nine-year-old girl for failing to repay her dead father’s debts has triggered heated debate about the growing reach and power of the country’s judicial system. The punishment also prompted concerns about the country’s burgeoning social credit system. The social credit system is similar to a credit-scoring system. It punishes individuals and businesses that fail to follow rules and regulations and rewards those who perform actions deemed beneficial to... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/family-relationships/article/3115133/nine-year-old-found-liable-court-dead-fathers-debts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/family-relationships/article/3115133/nine-year-old-found-liable-court-dead-fathers-debts?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 24 Dec 2020 12:45:15 +0000 What’s in a name? For Shanghai Shenhua full back Wen Jiabao, it is a source of consternation for supporters of the Chinese Super League side on social media. Wen shares the same characters as China’s sixth premier Wen Jiabao, who was second in command to Hu Jintao from 2002 to 2012. The similarity to the politician, who was regarded as “the people’s premier” during his time in office, has forced football fans to find a way around falling foul of the censors when discussing the new signing. “A... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3094032/shanghai-shenhuas-wen-jiabao-left-back-whose-name-chinas-football-fans?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3094032/shanghai-shenhuas-wen-jiabao-left-back-whose-name-chinas-football-fans?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 21 Jul 2020 05:20:30 +0000 China’s former premier Wen Jiabao has resurfaced from retirement to teach secondary school pupils in rural Shanxi province. Dubbed “grandpa Wen” by state media, the former official visited four schools in Luliang over four days last week, giving geography lessons and playing chess with pupils, according to a statement on the local government’s WeChat account. Former Chinese premier Wen Jiabao visits more schools to teach climate, weather – and basketball In official photos, Wen, now 74, sported... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/policies-politics/article/2092037/power-play-or-pure-passion-former-chinese-premier-wen?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/policies-politics/article/2092037/power-play-or-pure-passion-former-chinese-premier-wen?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 01 May 2017 10:00:45 +0000 Escapees still at large after Philippines’ biggest ever jailbreak Philippine authorities captured dozens of inmates who escaped in the nation’s biggest ever jailbreak, but most were still on the run on Friday. Muslim guerrillas stormed a jail in the southern city of Kidapawan, freeing 158 inmates and killing a guard. Warden Peter Bongat said the attackers were believed to be militants who had broken away from the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), a Muslim rebel organisation which is in peace... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/asia-buzz/article/2059994/asia-3-minutes-milf-jailbreak-philippines-apples-block-new-york?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/asia-buzz/article/2059994/asia-3-minutes-milf-jailbreak-philippines-apples-block-new-york?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Jan 2017 11:23:44 +0000 The mainland’s former premier Wen Jiabao was hailed a Taiwanese hero – albeit briefly – yesterday when a local advertising company executive unveiled his statue at an entombment park in the island’s northern port city of ­Keelung. Back to school for Wen Jiabao: Ex-premier jumps rope and teaches class during visit Visitors to the park were taken aback when they saw that a bronze statue of Wen stood in the park with his right hand holding a pair of shoes, Taiwanese media reported. “Wen opened... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/policies-politics/article/1939407/gone-wind-statue-hailing-former-premier-mainland-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/policies-politics/article/1939407/gone-wind-statue-hailing-former-premier-mainland-china?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 27 Apr 2016 21:00:00 +0000 Former premier Wen Jiabao mingled with pupils at a middle school in Chengde in Hebei province, delivered a talk on science and even joined in a round of rope skipping. The visit is the latest in a string of public appearances by retired former top officials, who traditionally shun the limelight after stepping down. Wen stopped by the Liudaohe Middle School on Wednesday, honouring a promise he made on a previous visit in April to return and teach a class. Wen, 71, appeared to be in good physical... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/1521921/ex-premiers-playtime-wen-jiabao-jumps-rope-teaches-geology-class-middle?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/1521921/ex-premiers-playtime-wen-jiabao-jumps-rope-teaches-geology-class-middle?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 30 May 2014 09:00:15 +0000 Former premier Wen Jiabao has again garnered renewed public attention by writing a letter and a poem to scholar Ye Jiaying on the occasion of her 90th birthday. Wen wrote to Ye that "old age is no deterrent to one who is committed", using the ambiguity of the language to suggest he could be talking about himself as well. The former premier praised her contribution to the study of Chinese literature as well as her role in promoting Chinese culture internationally. Ye is a professor of classical... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/1507801/wen-jiabao-ex-premier-pens-90th-birthday-poem-scholar-ye-jiaying?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/1507801/wen-jiabao-ex-premier-pens-90th-birthday-poem-scholar-ye-jiaying?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 08 May 2014 18:45:15 +0000 When Li Keqiang took over as premier early last year, he quickly became known for an economic plan called "Likonomics". According to some economists, it comprised three main parts: no stimulus, deleveraging and structural reforms. Does anyone remember this? Does Li himself remember this? More than a year later and it has become apparent that parts, if not all, of "Likonomics" don't really work. As a result, the government has gone back to its old trick of boosting the economy, which - if you ask... https://www.scmp.com/business/economy/article/1466473/forget-likonomics-its-all-about-economic-stimulus-china-again?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/economy/article/1466473/forget-likonomics-its-all-about-economic-stimulus-china-again?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 06 Apr 2014 20:45:15 +0000 US first lady Michelle Obama is absolutely right about the importance of overseas education, and that is exactly what the sons and daughters of many former and current mainland leaders have already experienced or are eager to experience. Obama just forgot to mention that in her speech at Peking University. Speaking at the prestigious institution on Saturday, Obama said overseas education would allow students from the United States and China to gain a better understanding of the host country and... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/1455672/overseas-study-offers-young-education-foreign-policy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/1455672/overseas-study-offers-young-education-foreign-policy?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 23 Mar 2014 20:45:00 +0000 The ICIJ this week has revealed that the relatives of a number of current and former members of China's top leadership have offshore bank accounts, in an unprecedented exposure for the Communist Party. While offshore accounts do not imply illegal behaviour per se, the report comes at a crucial moment in China's ongoing debate on the wealth amassed by family members of China's top leaders. It coincides with the trial of Xu Zhiyong, the founder of the New Citizen Movement, a grass-roots campaign... https://www.scmp.com/infographics/article/1412376/symphony-scandal-significance-icij-leaks-timing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/infographics/article/1412376/symphony-scandal-significance-icij-leaks-timing?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 24 Jan 2014 03:00:45 +0000 A lengthy article about former premier Wen Jiabao's family roots written more than a decade ago has reappeared on the website of the Communist Party's mouthpiece. The move is seen as an attempt by Wen to clear his name amid speculation he will become the next target of the leadership's anti-corruption drive. The article originally appeared in a magazine on the party's history in 2003, soon after Wen began his first term as premier, and was reposted to the website of the People's Daily... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/1409976/article-humble-wen-reappears-amid-rumours-he-next-graft-target?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/1409976/article-humble-wen-reappears-amid-rumours-he-next-graft-target?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 20 Jan 2014 20:45:15 +0000 “Who is Lily Chang?” the same question has been repeated again and again on China’s social media since Thursday morning. Yet even without mentioning Wen Ruchun, which according to the New York Times is the real name of the the woman in question and daughter of China’s former prime minister Wen Jiabao, most microbloggers have seen their posts censored within minutes. On Thursday The New York Times revealed investment bank JPMorgan’s ties with a consulting firm run by Wen Ruchun or ‘Lily Chang,’... https://www.scmp.com/news/china-insider/article/1356549/discussions-wen-jiabaos-daughter-censored-china-more-foreign?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china-insider/article/1356549/discussions-wen-jiabaos-daughter-censored-china-more-foreign?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 15 Nov 2013 05:15:30 +0000 To promote its standing in China, JPMorgan Chase turned to a seemingly obscure consulting firm run by a 32-year-old executive named Lily Chang. Chang's firm, which received a US$75,000-a-month contract from JPMorgan, appeared to have only two employees. And on the surface, Chang lacked the influence and public name recognition needed to unlock business for the bank. But what was known to JPMorgan executives in Hong Kong, and some executives at other major companies, was that "Lily Chang" was not... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/1355699/jpmorgan-paid-then-premier-wen-jiabaos-daughters-company?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/1355699/jpmorgan-paid-then-premier-wen-jiabaos-daughters-company?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 14 Nov 2013 04:00:30 +0000 Seven months after Wen Jiabao retired from a decade in office as China’s premier, he this week returned to the limelight to praise the father of President Xi Jinping on national television. Wen praised Xi Zhongxun as China marked the 100th anniversary of the birth of the premier and Politburo member, who died in 2002. “Comrade Zhongxun’s life was full of setbacks, [but] he was honest, generous, straightforward and played square,” said Wen.  “He worried about the party and about the country, but... https://www.scmp.com/news/china-insider/article/1333548/former-premier-wen-jiabao-re-appears-praise-xi-jinpings-father?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china-insider/article/1333548/former-premier-wen-jiabao-re-appears-praise-xi-jinpings-father?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 17 Oct 2013 04:15:00 +0000 Hong Kong dealmaker par excellence Li Ka-shing, fondly known to locals as Superman, says Shanghai's free-trade zone could be Kryptonite to the city in which he built his fortune. Beijing's landmark plan to create a Hong Kong-like free-trade zone in Shanghai - the mainland's biggest economic experiment since the creation of Shenzhen, its pioneering special economic zone - has sparked a debate over whether it would lead to the twilight of Hong Kong. Li, Asia's richest man, joined the debate on... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/1312476/li-warning-heats-hong-kong-shanghai-debate?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/1312476/li-warning-heats-hong-kong-shanghai-debate?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Sep 2013 16:00:00 +0000 China Development Bank (CDB) has agreed to fund massive infrastructure borrowing by three mainland provincial governments in the latest sign of an effort by Beijing to prop up growth with targeted bursts of lending. CDB, a state-owned lender that reports directly to the State Council, China's cabinet, has signed memorandums of understanding (MOUs) separately with the Hebei , Jiangsu and Qinghai governments. The bank will offer financial support for a variety of local projects, ranging from a new... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/1296795/china-development-bank-loans-point-stealthy-economic?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/1296795/china-development-bank-loans-point-stealthy-economic?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 14 Aug 2013 16:00:00 +0000 A reshuffle of senior staff at the mainland bank watchdog offers the clearest signal yet of a shift in the way the new government of President Xi Jinping will promote top officials, sources with ties to the Beijing leadership say. The appointment of Yang Jiacai as assistant chairman of the China Banking Regulatory Commission, announced on Tuesday, saw him leapfrog Liu Chunhang - the son-in-law of former premier Wen Jiabao and the head of the CBRC statistics and research departments and a member... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/1254419/promotion-snub-wen-jiabao-son-law-takes-cue-xi-jinping?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/1254419/promotion-snub-wen-jiabao-son-law-takes-cue-xi-jinping?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 05 Jun 2013 16:00:00 +0000 In his first press conference as premier yesterday, Li Keqiang showed a style that starkly contrasted his predecessor, Wen Jiabao, with almost no references to poetry or any sentimental remarks. The performance gained Li mixed reviews among critics and internet users, with some saying that they preferred his down-to-earth manner to Wen's more florid style, while others said Li's remarks were "flat" and avoided touching on sensitive issues. Li kicked off the two-hour press conference by vowing... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/1193245/mixed-reviews-li-keqiang-takes-centre-stage-chinas-new-premier?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/1193245/mixed-reviews-li-keqiang-takes-centre-stage-chinas-new-premier?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 17 Mar 2013 16:00:00 +0000 Wen Jiabao bowed out of political life yesterday, formally handing the premiership to Li Keqiang after 10 years in the job. Li became the new premier after a ceremonial election at the rubber-stamp National People’s Congress, being chosen by 2,940 deputies and opposed by only three. After Li’s appointment was announced, Wen shook hands and chatted with more than a dozen people on his way out, including Li and new president Xi Jinping. Dr Zhong Nanshan, a leading health expert and environmental... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/1191853/wen-jiabao-bows-out-after-10-years-premier?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/1191853/wen-jiabao-bows-out-after-10-years-premier?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 15 Mar 2013 16:00:00 +0000 As reporters gathered in Beijing last week for the National People's Congress, one of the phrases we heard most was "milk powder". "Almost every friend or official I met [in Beijing] complained about Hong Kong's 'two-cans only' ban on milk powder exports," said one Hong Kong delegate. "I had to explain [the city's] concerns, but the complaints could be a worrying sign," the delegate added. Many of us noticed that Premier Wen Jiabao's remarks about Hong Kong in his last report in the Great Hall... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/1187806/small-issues-could-grow-big-trouble?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/1187806/small-issues-could-grow-big-trouble?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 10 Mar 2013 16:00:00 +0000 Despite the 11 failures China’s outgoing premier Wen Jiabao openly acknowledged in his last work report on Tuesday, sources say he omitted another important one: failing to stop his children doing business in China. Wen confessed his regrets during an inner-party discussion group in January, local reports said. “Failing to persuade my children not to do business [in China] is a significant mistake of mine,” Wen reportedly said. “It’s my biggest regret in life.” Wen also admitted that other areas... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/1182784/wen-regrets-not-preventing-his-children-doing-business-china-reports-say?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/1182784/wen-regrets-not-preventing-his-children-doing-business-china-reports-say?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 06 Mar 2013 06:29:33 +0000 A decade is a long time in politics, particularly for someone put in charge of the day-to-day running of a country as dynamic and diverse as China. Yet outgoing Premier Wen Jiabao has persevered with the task, making the most of his skills as a technocrat while putting himself forward as a man of the people. He has gamely steered the economy and made many grand gestures and promises, most of which remain unfulfilled as he prepares to hand over to Li Keqiang. There are those who will be sorry to... https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1180685/wen-jiabao-era-leaves-promises-keep?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1180685/wen-jiabao-era-leaves-promises-keep?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 05 Mar 2013 16:00:00 +0000 The government work report delivered by Premier Wen Jiabao yesterday singled out risks in the mainland's financial sector for the first time. That reflects mounting concerns over the default dangers banks face and the under-regulated yet burgeoning shadow banking system. Talking about the difficulties and problems in economic and social development, Wen told the National People's Congress (NPC) there were "potential risks in the financial sector". China should "strike a balance" between boosting... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/1180663/premier-wen-jiabao-focuses-shadow-banking-risks-first-time?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/1180663/premier-wen-jiabao-focuses-shadow-banking-risks-first-time?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 05 Mar 2013 16:00:00 +0000 Legislation meant to lift farmers' share of profits from land sales, which outgoing Premier Wen Jiabao vowed to introduce before the end of his term, has been left in the hands of the next cabinet. The 2013 draft plan for national economic and social development, submitted to the National People's Congress yesterday, said the government would accelerate reform of rural land expropriation and formulate rules on compensation "as soon as possible". Reviewing the past five years, Wen said in his... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/1180660/wen-jiabaos-land-pledge-farmers-next-cabinet-implement?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/1180660/wen-jiabaos-land-pledge-farmers-next-cabinet-implement?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 05 Mar 2013 16:00:00 +0000 Premier Wen Jiabao gave relatively short shrift to Hong Kong and Macau in his final work report, devoting fewer words to the special administrative regions than in any of the previous nine years. Wen dropped references to "developing the economy", "improving people's livelihoods" and "facilitating democracy" in the two cities, a feature of previous reports. The three paragraphs of the 28-page report devoted to Hong Kong and Macau contained just 113 Chinese characters. Wen stressed the importance... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/1180589/wen-devotes-fewer-words-hong-kong-macau-npc?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/1180589/wen-devotes-fewer-words-hong-kong-macau-npc?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 05 Mar 2013 16:00:00 +0000 Outgoing Premier Wen Jiabao gave his administration mixed marks when reviewing his work over the past five years yesterday in his last annual government work report. He bowed three times after delivering it. While most deputies at the opening of the annual session of the National People's Congress in Beijing praised the retiring leader, the public, and especially internet users and microbloggers, were more critical, with some ridiculing the premier's self-assessment. NPC deputy Han Kang,... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/1180655/premier-wen-jiabao-gives-his-government-mixed-marks-work-report?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/1180655/premier-wen-jiabao-gives-his-government-mixed-marks-work-report?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 05 Mar 2013 16:00:00 +0000 2.33pm Qin Weijiang, lieutenant general of Nanjing Military Region: The increase in military spending is reasonable. It will boost the Chinese nation’s rise, keep our country safe and protect our nation’s interests. 2.08pm Li Lihui, president of Bank of China: The newest measures to curb the housing market have not affected the stocks of banks yet. The real risk in the housing market is the potential bubble created by high prices. If the bubble were to burst, it would have done systematic... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/1178831/live-updates-chinas-annual-npc-meeting-behind-scenes-and-more?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/1178831/live-updates-chinas-annual-npc-meeting-behind-scenes-and-more?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 05 Mar 2013 01:45:29 +0000 NPC begins with work report China's parliament, the National People's Congress, begins its deliberations. The opening day of the meeting commences with the final work report delivered by outgoing Premier Wen Jiabao, one of his last official duties before handing the reins to Li Keqiang. The work report is a review of government activities over the previous year and a look at what the nation can look forward to in the coming year. Wen is also expected to comment on his 10 years in... https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1177329/talking-points?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1177329/talking-points?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 04 Mar 2013 16:00:00 +0000 Premier Wen Jiabao has been a controversial figure of the past decade, winning praise and criticism in equal measure. Sympathisers and admirers say he has been a true reformer and the "people's premier". Opponents question his sincerity because he has often failed to live up to his reformist pledges and meet public expectations. When he was made premier and given custody of the world's largest developing economy a decade ago, Wen was seen as a cautious and skilful technocrat with an uncanny... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/1170831/wen-jiabao-peoples-champion-or-chameleon?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/1170831/wen-jiabao-peoples-champion-or-chameleon?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 02 Mar 2013 16:00:00 +0000 The central government has issued a fresh warning that it will roll out a property tax trial across the nation to rein in any sharp rises in home prices. In the latest sign that it remains determined to keep the lid on prices, the State Council announced yesterday after a meeting chaired by outgoing Premier Wen Jiabao that it would stick with austerity measures to ensure healthy growth of the housing sector. The warning comes in the wake of recent price rises. Among the measures the cabinet... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/1154941/beijing-considers-property-tax-curb-home-market?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/1154941/beijing-considers-property-tax-curb-home-market?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 20 Feb 2013 16:00:00 +0000 After days of being shrouded in heavy smog, Beijing residents woke up on Friday to spectacular blue skies. But they had the heavenly Lord rather than "Grandpa Wen" (the nickname of Premier Wen Jiabao ) to thank for the respite after strong winds overnight blew away the pollutants. A cynical text message conveyed gratitude to the 20 million Beijing residents for sucking up the hazardous brown and grey soot day and night and allowing the sun to come shining through. What an "accomplishment" that... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/1142765/clean-air-breathe-human-right-too?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/1142765/clean-air-breathe-human-right-too?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 03 Feb 2013 16:00:00 +0000 Traffic accidents kill more than 50 More than 50 people have been killed on mainland roads in four major accidents since Friday, as hundreds of millions journey home for the upcoming Lunar New Year holiday. In Sichuan, a bus overturned on Friday, killing 11 people. In neighbouring Guizhou, 13 people died after an overloaded bus tumbled down a 100-metre slope, Xinhua reported. It said the crash in Congjiang county left another 21 people injured. On Friday in the northwestern province of Gansu , a... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/1142199/briefs-february-3-2013?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/1142199/briefs-february-3-2013?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 02 Feb 2013 16:00:00 +0000 Premier Wen Jiabao said yesterday that property tax reform should be studied "in the medium to long run", suggesting a plan to expand a tax trial might be delayed. It's the first time Wen has given a slightly clearer timetable for expanding a property tax trial imposed in Shanghai and Chongqing on a limited basis. Prior to this, government officials repeatedly pledged to study the option of expanding the scheme, sparking controversy partly because they lack the necessary legal foundation to... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/1129019/wen-jiabao-says-property-tax-reform-needs-serious-study?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/1129019/wen-jiabao-says-property-tax-reform-needs-serious-study?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 15 Jan 2013 16:00:00 +0000 In 2012 we spent much of the year raging about illegal car parking, Hong Kong's dirty air, the Shek Kwu Chau incinerator, the legal system, banks and their travails, the politics of illegal structures and local politics. What can we say about the year ahead? Things look mildly promising in that the chief executive is expected in his policy speech later this month to announce measures to reduce roadside pollution, and the ombudsman is to look into the scandal of Hong Kong's lax approach to the... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/1122350/things-are-already-looking-above-and-ground-2013?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/1122350/things-are-already-looking-above-and-ground-2013?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 07 Jan 2013 16:00:00 +0000 China's incoming President Xi Jinping, outgoing premier Wen Jiabao and former central bank governor Dai Xianglong have a couple of things in common. Over the past few months, all three have been embarrassed by articles in the international media detailing the vast fortunes amassed by family members during their periods in high office. The extent of Xi's family business interests were exposed last summer in a 4,000-word investigation published by Bloomberg. From rare-earth minerals and energy... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/1118502/reform-impossible-when-reformers-are-losing-so-much?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/1118502/reform-impossible-when-reformers-are-losing-so-much?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 02 Jan 2013 16:00:00 +0000