Shanghai Pod

A really interesting piece about modern China from the Economist The recent glimpses of a snarling China should scare the country's government as much as the world. CHINA is in a frightening mood. The sight of thousands of Chinese people waving xenophobic fists suggests that a country on its way to becoming a superpower may turn out to be a more dangerous force than optimists had hoped. But it isn't just foreigners who should be worried by these scenes: the Chinese government, which has encouraged this outburst of nationalism, should also be afraid. For three decades, having shed communism in all but the name of its ruling party, China's government has justified its monopolistic hold on power through economic advance.  Many Chinese enjoy a prosperity undreamt of by their forefathers. For them, though, it is no longer enough to be reminded of the grim austerity of their parents' childhoods. They need new aspirations. The government's solution is to promise them t...

China's largest coal-fired power plant, equipped with four 1,000-megawatt generating units, went into operation on Thursday, sources with the China Huaneng Group told Xinhua. The project, located in east China's electricity-deficient Zhejiang Province, cost an investment of 15.6 billion yuan (US$2.1 billion). The first two generating units kicked off production in December 2006. This is also believed to be the world's largest coal-fired power plant built with ultra-supercritical technologies, the highest global standards of the industry, according to the country's leading energy conglomerate. If all the coal-fueled power plants could be substituted with this type of generating units, 200 million tons of coal could be saved and 540 million tons of carbon dioxide emission could be reduced each year. The Chinese government has pledged to reduce energy consumption per unit of GDP by 20 percent and emission of major pollutants by 10 percent by 2010. Official statistics showe...

Shanghai's Metro network is expanding at an astonishing pace and is expected to cover 1.56 million square meters by 2010. City planners envisage a world-class service, integrating the airport, expressway, rail, Metro and magnetic levitation line (Maglev), geared to handle a daily capacity of 1.1 million people. The subway now occupies 320,000 square meters of space in Shanghai, experts said yesterday at the 2007 Forum on Chinese City Under-Space. Urban construction experts and scholars from across the country discussed plans and hot issues on developing underground infrastructure at the forum's opening in Shanghai. According to Ying Minghong, chairman of Shanghai Shentong Metro Group, by the end of this year the Metro will occupy 680,000 square meters of underground space in the city. "Shanghai has five Metro lines in operation, but by the end of this year there will be eight lines covering more than 230 kilometers with 163 Metro stations," Ying said. "By 2010, ...

Aston Martin wants a piece of China's booming economy. Aston Martin has moved into China for the first time in the company's 94-year history. In a bid to cash in on the booming economy the company has awarded a franchise to GruppeM, led by CEO Kenny Chen, who has previous experience of the luxury sports car market in China. The first new showroom will be in Shanghai's Xin Tian Di District, with an area designed to accommodate five cars. The Shanghai Aston Martin Retail Centre will be the country's flagship dealer space. There will also be an Aston Martin service facility located close to Hongqiao airport. In Beijing, a showroom for three cars will be located in the city's Central Business District. The market for luxury goods in China was said to be worth $6bn in 2004, and has developed rapidly since. However Dr Ulrich Bez, Aston Martin's Chief Executive Officer, said that it was important to wait until the right partner was found. Aston Martin has been caref...

Shanghai will start the construction of its own Fisherman's Wharf next month. Unlike its namesake in San Fransico with sea views and sea lions, the local FW will be built on the banks of the Huangpu River in Yangpu District, according to the district officials. Taking a ground area of 16 hectares, the wharf will comprise various entertainment and commercial outlets. It is met by the Yangshupu Port in the east, Yangshupu Water Plant in the west, Yangshupu Road in the north and the Huangpu River in the south. It will be built on a waterfront area of 700 meters along the city's "mother river." The outlook of its main buildings will resemble various kinds of fish to commemorate the city's history. Shanghai was evolved from a small fishing village about 1,500 years ago. The short name of Shanghai is "Hu" which means an ancient fishing tool in Chinese. Project managers hope that the wharf will become a major tourist attraction for visitors to World Expo 2010. ...

A South China tiger was born at a wildlife reserve in South Africa, conservationists said Tuesday the first such birth outside China. Only about 60 South China tigers exist in captivity, and fewer than 30 survive in the wild, according to Li Quan, founder of Save China's Tigers. The male cub was born Friday and weighed more than 2 1/2 pounds, Li said in a statement from the Laohu Valley Reserve in central Free State province. "Although his eyes have not yet opened, he is already quite vocal, especially at feeding time," Li said. She said the cub was "healthy and strong," but had to be separated from his mother, 4 1/2-year-old Cathay, because of the unseasonably cold weather. The cub's father is 3 1/2-year-old TigerWoods, Li said. Eventually, the cub will join its parents on the reserve. "The rewilding program of these highly endangered South China Tigers has taken a major step forward with the birth of this cub," Li said. "The tigers brought t...