May 9, 2014: New water crisis, China's bigger rice bowl, and more

Environmental Pollution and Health

Culture of secrecy behind China's pollution crisis, Chinadialogue

Powerful interest groups are holding back the transition to a more sustainable model by constraining the role of citizens

Now THAT'S a water cannon: Chinese city unveils mega spray that will squirt smog and pollution out of the sky, Dailymail

Smog and air pollution are lingering environmental problems in China.

Beijing’s DIY Clean Air Movement: If You Can’t Buy an Expensive Air Filter, Build One, Businessweek

On days when Beijing’s heavy air pollution is especially pungent, you can smell and taste the acridity—whether you’re outside on the street or inside most buildings. 

China fertile ground for green progress: report, Reuters

China's massive pollution problems have given rise to a new force of environmental campaigners, different politically from middle class activists in the West and potentially more effective in tackling climate change, new research finds.

China to cut capacity in polluting industries, Xinhuanet

Authorities across China should shut down production capacity in polluting industries, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) said Thursday in a statement on its website.

What’s on Your Plates?

Climate justice, food justice, and diet are all intimately linked: Our food system is one of the largest contributors to climate change — a global transformation that will have the greatest negative impact in areas where people already struggle with food insecurity and where most of an estimated two billion more people will be added to the population by2050. 

Interview: Food industry plays key role in environmental protection: Italian expert, Xinhuanet

The food industry has a responsibility to get involved in environmental protection, an ecology expert told Xinhua during an international food fair that ended Thursday.

Grain, Poultry, Dairy and Food Security

A bigger rice bowl, Economist

A SEED of rice that could transform the developing world saved Asha Ram Pal’s farm in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh in the summer of 2008.

Wheat vs. Rice: How China’s North-South Culinary Divide Shapes Personality， WSJ

In China, as in many countries, the north-south divide runs deep. People from the north are seen as hale and hearty, while southerners are often portrayed as cunning, cultured traders. Northerners are taller than southerners.

Water Crisis

Xinhua Insight: China faces another water pollution crisis, Xinhuanet

Another drinking water crisis emerged on Friday when abnormal water quality was detected in an east China city's Yangtze River water source.

China mulls amending water pollution law, Xinhuanet

China has included an amendment to the Law on the Prevention and Control of Water Pollution in its future lawmaking plan, according to a senior legislative official.

Energy Problems and Management

China to close more steel capacity, though still small fraction, Reuters

China has raised its target to close outdatedsteel smelting capacity to 28.7 million tonnes in 2014, the industry ministry said on Thursday, as it tries to rein in inefficient and polluting industries.

May 7, 2014: Beijing bans BBQ, China's new round of pork stockpiling, China grain export and more

Environmental Pollution and Health

Why China will fight for a global climate deal next year, Chinadialogue

China’s leaders know that an effective treaty on climate change in 2015 is essential to the country’s development, says IPCC China expert Wang Chunfeng

Chinese and US climate interests are converging, Chinadialogue

Bilateral climate change negotiations between China and the US are the most significant development since the Kyoto Protocol

Bottoms Up: Beijing Residents Mock Pollution with ‘Airpocalypse’ IPA, WSJ

Adam Goldstein was checking the Beijing air quality index on his iPad and laptop all day Saturday.

In Air Pollution Fight, Beijing Replaces BBQ With Burning Buses, WSJ

Beijing’s latest attempts to ban summer outdoor grilling as part of a fight against air pollution has claimed an unexpected casualty: buses.

Grain, Poultry, Dairy and Food Security

How WH Group made a pig’s breakfast of its IPO, chinaeconomicreview

Flogging pork to the Chinese should be an easy sell. Demand for the nation's favorite meat is so strong that it has reshaped the global pork trade over the past decade. 

China Launches New Round of Pork Stockpiling, WSJ

China's government opened a new round of buying for its pork reserves Wednesday, its second bid this year to lift prices for the country's favorite meat from their lowest levels in almost four years.

China lifts Virginia poultry ban, Meatpoultry

China is opening its markets to Virginia poultry after a seven-year ban. 

US beef industry eager for China to resume imports, chinadaily

Indications that US beef exports to China may resume this year after a decade-long ban positions US farmers and ranchers for a big windfall, a US beef-industry economist said.

U.S. soybean exports, global market still dependent on finicky China

On a volumetric basis, soybean exports have been the bright spot in an otherwise dismal export picture for grains and oilseeds.

HK bans import of poultry products from South Korea, xinhuanet

Hong Kong's Center for Food Safety of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced on Wednesday that the import of poultry meat and products, including poultry eggs from South Korea will be banned with immediate effect for the protection of Hong Kong's public and animal health.

USDA-Agribusiness Trade Mission to Northwest China, ESMEF

Places are still available on the U.S.-Northeast China Agribusiness Trade Mission (ATM), May 5-9, 2014, to Dalian, Shenyang, and Changchun. U.S. agribusinesses are invited to apply to participate in the mission.

Water Crisis

Chinese countryside facing more serious drinking water crisis than cities, Chinadialogue

Pollution scandals in Lanzhou and Wuhan have cast fresh doubt on China’s ability to provide clean drinking water to citizens in other parts of the country

  

Global Trade

China Exports to Recover, But Hardly, WSJ

China’s exports will still drop in April, but not as sharply as in March, suggesting modest improvement but no dramatic turnaround in the trade picture, economists said in advance of Thursday’s release of monthly data.

Russia/China Actions Renew Debate on Science-based Trade, USMEF

The big news in the meat industry in recent weeks has involved two of our leading export markets, Russia and China. 

May 6, 2014: Dairy import gets tougher, Water crisis Renewable energy surge slow in China and more...

Environmental Pollution and Health

China on the Mekong: trade and tourism, Chinadialogue

A river freighter flying a Laotian flag chugs gently upstream towards China as the morning sky erupts in colour. It’s the start of another day in the “Golden Triangle” at the nexus of Thailand, Myanmar and Laos, just south of China on the Mekong River.

Beijing Kebab Vendors Among List of Polluters Hit With Fines

China has engaged in a “war against pollution,” as Prime Minister Li Keqiang has said. And in the trenches on the enemy side are legions of roadside kebab vendors, if one takes Beijing officials at their word.

China’s mega-cities are combining into mega-regions, and they’re doing it all wrong

You may never have heard of the southwestern Chinese city of Chongqing, but by some measures it is one of the largest and fastest-growing cities in the world, with an official population of 29 million—about the same as Saudi Arabia—and unofficial population of 32 million or more.

Green funds in Taiwan, China to show upturn, wantchinatimes

As authorities on both sides of the Taiwan Strait are becoming more aware of environmental issues, a ream of new policies on the environment and new energy have sprouted up in China and Taiwan,..

China pays heavy price to become 'world's largest economy', wantchinatimes

Amid the sense of achievement over China's potentially imminent arrival at the No.1 economy in the world this year, many economists in the country are questioning whether it was worth the price after analyzing the figures from the angle of purchasing power parity.

Grain, Poultry, Dairy and Food Security

China Focus: China's dairies facing fierce competition, Xinhuanet

China's dairy enterprises, especially infant formula makers, are bracing themselves for intense rivalry with foreign counterparts following the country's new regulation to streamline imported dairy products.

Related:

China tightens controls on imports of baby formula, Asia@Pacific

 China has tightened controls on imports of infant formula in a move an industry official in New Zealand, a major supplier, said might block some products.

Spat Over ‘Stolen’ GMO Seeds Touches Nerves in China， WSJ

A war of words in China has reignited public debate over just how far genetically modified food — still mostly illegal here — has already infiltrated the country.

Related:

Oversight of GM crop samples to be boosted, chinadaily

Genetically modified food research groups in China will strengthen supervision of GM samples following an alleged case of theft at a research base in Hainan province on April 11.

Water Crisis

China’s Environmental Crisis in a Small Bottle of Black River Water, theepochtimes

Mrs. Chen, a resident of Huaian City, was distinctly out of place on the “Government Hotline” television program broadcast from Jiangsu Province late last month. 

China fights for safe rural drinking water, xinhuanet

China must work harder to ensure safe drinking water in rural areas, where about 110 million people still lack clean drinking water, the Ministry of Water Resources said Tuesday.

Energy Problems and management

Renewable-energy surge slow to wean China off coal, seattletimes

China now leads the world in development of renewable energy sources, such as wind and solar. It’s still unclear whether that will pay off in serious cuts in coal use and a reduction in China’s surging carbon emissions.

May 5, 2014: Pollution travel around the world, Chinese new environmental fines and more

Environmental Pollution and Health

Beijing outer expressway ring to be completed by 2016, wantchinatimes

A 940-km expressway ring surrounding Beijing will be completed by 2016 to reduce pollution of vehicles passing through the Chinese capital and boost regional development.

Southcentral Alaska skies clouded with Chinese pollution

The air over Alaska's largest city was looking all too much like Los Angeles on Saturday thanks to the Chinese.

Tough new pollution law wields big sticks, shanghaidaily

AFTER some twists and turns, China’s so-called “strictest” environmental protection law has finally been adopted.

Beijing ramps up ‘war on pollution’ with record number of fines, scmp

Authorities in the Chinese capital fined 652 industrial facilities for breaching environmental regulations in the first four months of the year as it stepped up efforts to fight pollution.

Related:

China handles 66 environmental violation tip-offs, xinhuanet

Grain, Poultry, Dairy and Food Security

Taiwan seeks radiation tests with Japanese food imports, Wantchinatimes

Taiwan will begin negotiations with Japan to obtain certificates of origin and radiation test results for Japanese food imports, the country's Food and Drug Administration officials said Thursday.

We must be alert to the new age of food crime, theguadian

Food fraud is a growing problem that will prove fatal unless we ask more questions about what we are served

Energy Problems and Management

Slow coal demand dragging down Shanxi economy, ECNS

The sluggish coal market has dragged down the economy of North China's Shanxi Province, the major coal-producing province said on Sunday.

China’s thirsty coal industry guzzles precious water, seattletimes

Plants turning coal into gas, chemicals and electricity are sucking up vast amounts of water in a nation already struggling with serious shortages. That threatens many communities and could crimp the industry’s plans for expansion.

May 2, 2014: China new fossil-fuel plants, tap water crisis and more

Environmental Pollution and Health

Russian gas to clean up China's air?， Chinadialogue

China is set to boost gas imports to help tackle air pollution, but risks inflicting environmental damage in sensitive regions including the Arctic

Energy Problems and Management

China slashes spending on new fossil-fuel power plants, SMH

China added nearly 40 per cent less coal- and gas-fired power capacity in the first quarter than it did a year ago mainly due to stronger pollution controls and slower economic growth, a senior government advisor said on Wednesday.

Grain, Poultry, Dairy and Food Security

50% of China's tap water fails national pollution standards, wantchinatimes

China's water quality continues to deteriorate, with 50% of the tap water in cities across the country not meeting national pollution standards, reports Guangzhou's 21st Century Business Herald.

Tmall Pork Promotion Draws Rave Reviews in China

A recent online promotion for U.S. pork conducted with China’s B2C marketplace Tmall.com drew rave reviews from Chinese consumers and strong results for U.S. pork suppliers.

May 1, 2014: Rapid and unsustainable development caused China face severe environmental problems

Environmental Pollution and Health

Film: How China became the world's rubbish dump, Chinadialogue

A new documentary about plastic reveals how China has become the world’s dumping ground

China says could add big-polluting regions to carbon market, Planetark

China is developing plans to expand its pilot carbon trading schemes into more of its key industrial regions, a top climate official said, as the country continues its drive to curb emissions.

Trade

Will ‘Mega-Trader’ China Turn Into a Free Trader?， WSJ

For more than a decade, China has been accused of one protectionist move after another: subsidizing state-owned firms, blocking imports, manipulating currency. Just yesterday, the U.S. Trade Representative put China, once again, on its “Priority Watch List” for ripping off intellectual property.

Train service boosts China's exports to Europe, Wantchinatimes

A cargo train connection between Chengdu, capital of southwest China's Sichuan province, and Lodz in Poland has become a welcomed logistic route for China's trade with Europe after one year in operation.

Water Crisis

El Nino seen exacerbating drought in south-east Asia, SMH

The most-severe drought in 17 years is threatening supplies of palm oil from Indonesia and Malaysia, the world's biggest producers, and forecasters say an El Nino weather pattern this year may cause even more damage.

Grain, Poultry, Dairy and Food Security

China's food quality at risk from pollution

CHINA released a report on April 17 which disclosed that 16.1 per cent of the country's soil and nearly one-fifth of its arable land was contaminated, largely by heavy metals such as cadmium, nickel and arsenic.

Energy Problem and Cooperation

Mid-West International Mining Forum of Australia kicks off in Perth, Wantchinatimes

 Mid-West International Mining Forum of Australia kicked off in Perth on Thursday and " Partnerships&Possibilities" is the theme for this year.

China slashes spending on new fossil-fuel power plants

China added nearly 40 per cent less coal- and gas-fired power capacity in the first quarter than it did a year ago mainly due to stronger pollution controls and slower economic growth, a senior government advisor said on Wednesday.

April 30, 2014: China's drop in new thermal power pinned on economy, war on pollution and More

Environmental Pollution and Health

Global warming vs Hong Kong. South China Morning Post

A big question hanging over Hong Kong's bid to import mainland power? Climate change. 

China Voice: New environmental law needs thorough enforcement, Xinhuanet

 It's only been a few days since revisions were made to China's environmental protection law, and already questions about how the law will be implemented are being asked.

Relate:

Experts hail revised environmental law, stress enforcement, Xinhuanet

Stronger enforcement won't be enough to solve China's environment and health problems, Chinadialogue

Real progress in improving China's health and environment will take integrated policies that address regional differences and inequalities, say Jennifer Holdaway and Wang Wuyi

How does environmental pollution and management influence supply chain model

China's drop in new thermal power pinned on economy, war on pollution， Reuters

China added nearly 40 percent less coal- and gas-fired power capacity in the first quarter than it did a year ago mainly due to stronger pollution controls and slower economic growth, a senior government advisor said on Wednesday.