People In The Know

Two promising students, a poisoning, and two irreversible deaths: a seemingly normal criminal case has drawn so much attention that it has left every one of us shivering and reflecting on what happened.Lin Senhao, a medical student at the prestigious Fudan University in Shanghai, dropped a deadly chemical into a water dispenser in the dormitory, which poisoned his roommate, Huang Yang.Lin was sentenced to the death penalty for intentional homicide. Despite a petition letter from his fellow schoolmates calling for leniency, the Supreme People's Court made the final verdict, upholding Lin's death sentence.So was the death sentence too harsh? What's the implication of this case on the criminal code reform?First, PIK talked with Guo Jing, Associate Professor, College for Criminal Law Science, Beijing Normal University.After the tragedy, people have been questioning the place of ethics in our education system. What is missing?For more on this, PIK talked with Gregory Yinnien Tsang, Current af

In the ongoing development of Chinese society, the ageing population presents a looming crisis on a not so distant horizon. Low birth rates, an early retirement age and increasing life expectancy have created a situation with which the current pension system is already beginning to struggle. So what needs to be done? How can we adapt to cope with this demographic transition? And, perhaps the most important question for millions of Chinese workers, how much might the retirement age be raised? Ni hao you are listening to People In the Know, presenting you with insights into the headlines in China and around the world. I'm Zheng Chenguang in Beijing. To find out more, Nick Lanigan spoke to Dr. Lu Bei, Research Fellow at the Australian Research Council's Centre of Excellence in Population Ageing Research, and Mr Stuart Leckie, chairman of Stirling Finance.

This year's annual central economic work conference has concluded, with the Chinese government vowing to continue its structural economic reforms and innovation-driven strategy.The leadership is giving priority to reforms on the supply side, which aim to lift production levels and to use land, labor and capital more efficiently.Several detailed measures have been put forward for the reform, concerning reducing industrial overcapacity, deleveraging, and lowering business costs.Another significant aspect of the measures regards the property sector.A statement issued after the meeting says the government will promote mergers between different property developers, encouraging them to lower housing prices.It also encourages rural residents to relocate to urban areas and to be allowed to register as city residents, enabling them to buy or rent property.The central government has also pledged to populate a low-rent public housing program to cover those without household registration.So will these m

The 10th Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organization has concluded in the Kenyan capital of Nairobi.After five days of intense discussions, the 162 WTO member countries reached a breakthrough agreement for the world trade system.The new Nairobi Declaration includes the elimination of agricultural export subsidies, and further tariff reductions for information and technology products.According to the declaration, developed nations will eliminate their scheduled farm export subsidies immediately, while developing countries will get rid of theirs from 2018.The conference has also approved the accession of Liberia and Afghanistan into the WTO.So how significant is the deal on agricultural exports? Is the WTO still relevant to global trade? In today's program, we are joined by David Morfesi, Principal at Morfesi Stewart Consulting, an international trade and development consulting firm based in Adelaide, Australia. Once a US delegate to the WTO, Mr. Morfesi shared with us his view

After years of negotiations, the free trade agreement between China and South Korea and that between China and Australia have both taken effect on Dec. 20.The China-Australia FTA means that tariffs will be lifted on 95 percent of Australian exports, hurdles will be lowered for Chinese businesses to invest in Australia and more visas will be granted for Chinese visitors.Australia is also a member of the US-led TPP signed earlier this year. How will Australia handle its position of standing in between the US and China?First, PIK talked with Professor James Laurenceson, Deputy Director of the Australia-China Relations Institute, University of Technology SydneyDespite the concerns over employment, the China-Australia FTA is widely popular with the general public, agricultural sectors and service sectors.What about the FTA between China and South Korea? Under this deal, Seoul and Beijing will each eliminate tariffs on more than 90 percent of traded goods within 20 years after the implementation of th

2016 has been declared the 'China-US Tourism Year', a chance for the tourist industries of both countries to engage, interact and learn from one another. So, what can we expect from the coming year? What's the situation for bilateral tourism between the US and China? And is tourism the key to increasing mutual understanding and cooperation? With the new year coming up in just a few weeks, PIK spoke to Dr. Shen Han, Deputy Secretary-General of the International Tourism Studies Association (ITSA) and Associate Professor in the Tourism Department at Fudan University, Shanghai, and Prof. WANG Youcheng, Associate Dean of Academic Affairs and Research at the Rosen College of Hospitality Management, University of Central Florida; the host of an upcoming USA-China Tourism Research Summit.

The 2nd World Internet Conference has opened in Wuzhen, in east China's Zhejiang province.At the opening ceremony, President Xi Jinping delivered a keynote speech, urging all countries to jointly build a community with a shared future in cyberspace.Xi put forward five proposals to achieve this goal.He called for efforts to speed up the building of global cyber infrastructure and to promote inter-connectivity.While discussing the construction of an online platform for cultural exchanges and mutual learning, he also highlighted the innovative development of the cyber economy for common prosperity.In addition, Xi called for measures to maintain cyber security and promote its orderly development.To promote equity and justice, the president proposed to build an Internet governance system, which features a multilateral approach with multi-party participation.So what can we read between the lines of President Xi's speech? How hard is it to create a community with a shared future in cyberspace?PIK spoke with&

"A hospital is the last patch of humanity in the chaos of war zones", yet medical facilities and staff are constantly being attacked while they are saving other people's lives.This is a ruthless truth without borders, and this is Doctors without Borders or MSF. The organization has suffered 3 attacks in Afghanistan, Yemen and Syria in just two months. Despite the deaths and dangers, MSF still works on the frontline of conflict zones where medical help is needed the most.So how does MSF respond to these attacks? And what are the stories behind the scenes?PIK talks with Dr. Joanne Liu, MSF's International President.

The world has reached a new agreement on a draft climate change deal after nearly two weeks of negotiations in Paris. The agreement was adopted without any objection by the 196 parties of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.The agreement calls for limiting global temperature increases to below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, but has an ultimate goal of keeping temperature rises below 1.5 degrees. It also has a goal of setting aside 100-billion US dollars a year for developing countries from 2020. Each country's progress, it is suggested, should be reviewed every 5 years.Next, nations must ratify or approve the deal individually. It will only take effect if it is approved by 55 countries. Those countries' greenhouse gas emissions must represent 55% of the world's total.The UN Framework Convention on Climate Change was formed in 1992. Nations were committed to combating climate change, but without a detailed action plan until 1997, when the Kyoto Protocol se

When China first opened up to the outside world in the late 1970s, it presented vast opportunities for Western investors. It also required great vision and courage to invest in this remote, oriental nation, then still mysterious to the West. Switzerland was among the very first Western nations to set foot in China. Their vision and courage paid off. Ranging from industrial manufacturing to food and pharmaceuticals, Swiss companies have today made their presence felt across China. The China-Switzerland FTA, which came into effect in 2014, added a new arrow to the China-Switzerland trade quiver.So, how have China-Switzerland business ties developed from past to present? How can both sides make further advancement in bilateral trade and investment?In today's program, PIK is joined by Kurt Haerri, Senior Vice-president of the Swiss Schindler Corporation, a leading global provider of elevators, escalators and related services. Mr. Haerri is also former president of the Swiss-Chinese Chamber of C

Streamlining the government, transforming its functions -- these are the consensus at a time when China is determined to continue on the path of market-oriented reform.  But wait a second, how can China make sure these promises are more than just lip services? My colleague Ding Heng talks with Dr. Mei Ciqi, Associate Professor at the School of Public Policy & Management, Tsinghua University in Beijing. Good, a small government. But more importantly, a small and high-quality government. So what are the necessary measures the government should take to improve its quality and efficiency? And what is it as in the case of China, Now?  Ding Heng then talks to Dr. Wang Zhengxu, Associate Professor of Contemporary Chinese Studies and Politics, at the University of Nottingham in the UK.

Yet another area of deep reform and again, it affects the quality of life and pockets of all citizens. Yes, we do have various national policies already, as we've done a lot and achieved a lot during the past three decades or more, but they only cater for lower level, basic needs. Things turn critical when dealing with the needs of urban and rural poor, the massive number of inter-provincial migrants seeking better jobs, better income, better education and better health care. As the government has promised to alleviate poverty for the last 70 million people within five years in its endeavor to build a moderately prosperous society, a unified social safety network is a must - bottom line - against all odds. For this and more, my colleague Nick Lanigan speaks to Prof. XIONG Yuegen, Director of the Center for Social Policy Research in the Department of Sociology, Peking University. Different choices with different implications. That needs a balanced approach, to calcul

Tax income is a barometer of the macro-economy. True, but partly true. The tax system also means incentives for economic transformation and industrial restructuring and for social development, depending on who pays what, and pays more. To look ahead at what changes are needed, we first look back at what's already been done in the past five years. That way we may know more precisely the reform measures needed in the two-tiered administrative mechanism, so that tax is more compatible with the national economy now, and with its development tendency. For this and more, my colleague Jingnan talks with Professor Yan Xu, Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Law, and Director of the Center for Financial Regulation and Economic Development, at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. Despite all odds lying ahead, each small step gained in the tax reform helps. But what does it mean to individuals, who may earn a low income, own a property or a small enterprise when they hear top leaders promise to ease

They are still the backbone of the economy. Yet some are losing out in market completion, or failing to cater for public needs. They have undergone reforms. But this time, reforms must go deeper. Welcome to People In the Know. I'm Lin Shaowen, with the second installment of our reform series. China is now mulling over a new round of SOE reforms. Measures include introducing more private capital in areas traditionally dominated by the state sector, and securing state assets so that the market can play a greater role. President Xi Jinping has held several meetings on the future direction of SOE reforms, and stressed the importance of avoiding the erosion of state assets and increasing their value in public service.So what hurdles lie ahead for SOE reforms? How can the private sector forge greater synergy with SOEs in these reforms?  Zheng Chenguang speaks to Dr. Edward Tse, founder and CEO of Gao Feng Advisory Company, based in Hong Kong; and&

Yes it's facing downward pressure both at home and globally. So the five-year blueprint highlights a shift from investment-driven to consumption-led growth, slowing down a bit, but more sustainable and healthier.But what exactly should China do to adjust the traditional relationship of exports, investment and domestic consumption, to make consumption the real pillar of the economy and investment, consumption-driven. My colleague Zeng Liang talks to Dr. Zhao Ping, Research Fellow of Academy of China Council for the Promotion of International Trade. As Dr. Zhao explains, changes have actually started, but there's a lot more to do.So invest more to uplift supplies and boost domestic consumption. But what can China learn from the rest of the world and what does that transformation mean globally? Zeng Liang next talks to Rodger Tooze, former professor of London School of Economics, and now a consultant.

After decades of China opening up to the outside world, the country's public has become familiar with numerous acronyms, and SDR is the latest one.A couple of days ago, the International Monetary Fund announced that the Chinese currency the Yuan is eligible to join the Special Drawing Rights, or SDR, basket.Starting from October next year, the Chinese Yuan will take up a 10.92 percent share in the basket, the third largest among the five currencies.The IMF's SDR basket is a type of international reserve asset that IMF members can turn to in times of need. The basket currently consists of the US dollar, the euro, the British Pound and the Japanese Yen.So, what does this change of structure in the SDR basket mean for China and the world? And what is the next step for the internationalization of China's currency? PIK speaks to Victor Gao, Chairman of China energy security Institute, Liu Baocheng, Professor from the Beijing-based University of International Business and Economics, and Michael Pet

Chinese President Xi Jinping is visiting South Africa this week, where he'll lead the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation Summit in Johannesburg. The meeting will be accompanied by statistics about trade and investment between China and Africa, but what are the stories behind the numbers? PIK speaks with entrepreneurs from both China and Africa: Changbin Xu, the director of the China Mall Group; Grant Horsfield, a South African entrepreneur and founder of the naked Group here in China, and Afua Osei, a co-founder of She Leads Africa.

At the ongoing United Nations Climate Conference in Paris, Chinese President Xi Jinping has assured world leaders that China has the confidence and resolve to fulfill its climate commitments.President Xi also urged developed countries to cooperate on financing and the transfer of technology to combat climate change.Xi Jinping reiterated China's pledge made in June to cut its carbon emissions per unit of GDP by 60-65 percent from 2005 levels by 2030. The pledge also included increasing non-fossil fuel sources in primary energy consumption to about 20 percent and peaking carbon emissions by the same date.So what are the major changes in China's attitude compared with Copenhagen? And what are the possibilities for concrete results coming out of this conference? PIK speaks with Sze Ping Lo, CEO of the World Wildlife Fund China, and Prof. Jiang Kejun, of the Energy Research Institute under the National Reform and Development Commission.

Expectations are high in African nations for the upcoming Forum on China-Africa Cooperation in Johannesburg on December 4th and 5th.As Africa's biggest trading partner and a major sponsor of projects throughout the continent, China is to continue assistance and cooperation. The action is under the name and principle of "Teaching one to fish is better than giving him fish".For now, Chinese President Xi Jinping is in Zimbabwe on the first stop of his Africa tour, which will later take him to South Africa.So what's the significance of this visit? And where do Sino-African relations stand now? PIK talks with He wenping, African studies expert, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and Dr David Dorward, former Associate Professor and Director of the African Research Institute at La Trobe University, Australia.

Representatives from almost 200 countries are gathering in Paris from 30th November to 11th December. They are taking part in the 21st Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, or COP21. The high-profile meeting in the French capital aims to give nations from across the world the opportunity to agree on an international strategy for tackling climate change. Many governments have published their own, national pledges to combat climate change ahead of time, keen to avoid the disappointment of previous climate summits such as the Copenhagen conference of 2009. So, are climate experts optimistic that there will finally be a significant international agreement? What measures will need to be taken to curb greenhouse gas emissions? And what role does China play when it comes to the global climate? PIK speaks with Professor Tim Flannery, Chief Councillor of the Climate Council, an independent, non-profit organization based in Australia, Dr. Qi Ye, Director of the