2010年4月30日 星期五

中国病社会/社会病/ Stunned China Looks Inward After School Attacks


中国 | 2010.04.30

中国35天内的第5起校园袭击案:社会病还是病社会?

4月30日上午,山东潍坊小学遭一名男子袭击,5名学前班学生受伤,凶手自焚死亡。这是中国35天之内发生的第五起以青少年儿童为主要袭击目标的伤人事件。

据新华社报道,4月30日上午,山东省潍坊一男性村民闯入尚庄小学,用铁锤打伤5名学前班学生,然后点燃汽油自焚死亡。5名受伤学生目前无生命危险。这是中国35天以来媒体报道的又一起校园袭击事件。

在短时间内连续发生此类以青少年儿童为主要袭击目标的恶性伤人事件,中国人民大学社会 学教授周孝正把这种现象称为"社会心理传染病":"这和传媒报道有关,一报道就放大了,很多人就知道了,就产生了传染病的效果,包括心理暗示、诱发等。所 以在报道时一定要掌握好平衡:一是保障公民知情权,但不要过分炒作。"

"社会不公是病源"

周孝正补充说,连续几起伤人案件都发生在校园或幼儿园等青少年集中的地点,案情有相似 性,也是"社会心理传染病"的典型表现。在谈到社会环境对此类袭击事件的发生有何影响时,中国人民大学社会学教授周孝正认为:"中医是治一个得病的人,西 医是治人得的病。原来我们管这个叫'社会病',现在用中医的观点就应该叫'病的社会''问题的社会'。为什么这么说呢?温家宝总理在今年两会上讲到两个' 不公':司法不公和收入分配不公。这两个'不公'就是目前中国大陆越发严重的不公正现象,也就是社会生病了,而且病情越来越重。病症也就要表现出来。"

一个多月以来,中国发生的校园伤人事件屡见报端,用周孝正的话说,"病症"表现频 繁:3月23日福建南平郑民生杀8名小学生;4月12日广西合浦男子砍死一名8岁小学生和一名妇女;4月28日雷州市雷城第一小学发生行凶事件,导致16 名师生受伤;4月29日,一男子在江苏泰兴幼儿园砍伤31人。对于这些案件的制造者背景媒体报道不多,外界只知道部分凶手年龄、性别和职业。中国近期发生 的伤人事件制造者都是成年人。而美国和德国曾发生的校园枪杀案凶犯大不乏青少年,而且多是案发学校的在读或毕业生。

中国各地加强校园安全防护

中国各地目前已经采取各类措施加强校园保安工作,比如北京西城区所有学校将配警用钢 叉,校园监控录像将于公安部门连通;重庆部署校园周边的整治和加强巡逻;福建要求中小学和幼儿园完成保安员配备,重要场所还需安装监控和报警装置;南京市 自5月1日起,将有配备警棍、防身用辣椒水等的专职校园保安将进驻鼓楼区各公办中小学和幼儿园,守护校园平安。

"凶手是预防犯罪的活教材"

制造3月23日"南平惨案"的凶手郑民生已被执行死刑,而周孝正反对将凶手"急急忙忙 处决"的做法:"最关键是预防犯罪,我的观点是不主张急急忙忙把罪犯杀掉,因为他们是预防犯罪的活教材。我们要研究这些穷凶极恶、滥杀无辜的罪犯的心路历 程,他们的生长环境,家庭、学校、社会环境。把这些问题都研究透彻后,希望以后这些事件越来越少,最好杜绝,这样死的孩子也没有白死。如果急忙把凶手杀 了,没有好处,以后这样的案件还要出现。"

作者:谢菲

责编:洪沙





江蘇泰興再現砍殺幼兒事件 已知31傷

希望之聲電台 - ‎1小時之前‎
近來中國學生、幼兒在校園被集體砍殺事件頻頻發生。繼28日廣東湛江雷州一小學發生持刀傷人案後, 29日上午9時40分,江蘇泰興市泰興鎮中心幼兒園發生砍殺幼兒惡性事件,一男子闖入園區,砍殺31人。大陸網友爆料有4人死亡。 據官方新華網報導,泰興一名47歲男子持刀衝入 ...


江苏男子持刀袭击幼儿园 28童受伤 中国近来连续发生袭击小学生和幼儿事件 中国江苏省泰兴市星期四(4月29日)发生砍杀幼儿事件,共有28名儿童和三名成人受袭击。

一名 男子在早晨9时30分左右持刀闯入泰兴市泰兴镇中心幼儿园,将儿童和老师以及门卫刺伤。 新华社报道称有五名幼儿伤势严重。 尽管有媒体称有受伤儿童死亡,但泰兴官员表示,截至下午2时50分,并没有受伤者死亡。 行凶者已经被警方逮捕,目前还不清楚他的动机。 新华社报道引泰兴警方称,凶手是一名47岁男子,名叫徐玉元,是当地一名无业人员。 江苏省公安厅说,徐玉元曾在当地一家保险公司工作,2001年被单位辞退,他此前还曾从事过违法传销活动。 有报道还说,多数受伤的孩子都是四岁大,都是在同一个班级。


同类案件
没有安装Flash播放器 下载Flash 选择其它媒体播放器 这已经是近期发生的第四起类似案件。这类血案频发,到底反映什么社会现象和原因呢?上海复旦大学心理及精神病学教授季建林在接受BBC中文网采访时说,社 会不稳定以及压力不容忽视。 广东省雷州市一所小学星期三发生小学生遭袭击事件。 一名中年男子在下午持刀冲入雷城第一小学,持刀砍伤18名学生和一名教师。 就在星期三上午,上月在福建南平市持刀袭击小学生造成八死五伤的郑民生被执行死刑。 而本月12日,广西合浦县一名精神病人持刀在小学校门口袭击小学生和路人。 凶案共造成两人死亡,五人受伤,其中死者分别是一名八岁小学生和一名老妇,伤者则包括两名小学生,一对中年夫妇和一个尚未入学的幼童。

天時間里﹐中國連續發生兩起校園持刀襲擊案﹐而在此之前的3月23日﹐還曾發生過一次導致八名兒童死亡的襲擊案。

雷州地方政府領導在醫院看望受傷的學生
週三﹐廣東省一名男子持刀狂砍﹐造成15名學生和一名教師受傷﹔週四在江蘇省一所幼兒園﹐又有一名男子持刀砍傷28名兒童和三名成人。

最近這兩起襲擊案的動機還不為人知﹐但它們凸顯了中國如何對待精神病人的問題。在中國﹐精神病人常常得不到任何治療。

江蘇泰興市政府網站上的一條聲明稱﹐週四襲擊案中受傷的三名成人包括兩名教師和一名保安。聲明說﹐到目前為止﹐還沒有人在這起發生於泰興中心幼兒園的襲擊中死亡。

官方通訊社新華社稱﹐週四上午的襲擊發生後﹐有五名兒童情況危急。新華社引用警方一位發言人的話說﹐一名47歲的男子已被控制。泰興警方一名官員證實已逮捕一名嫌疑人。

新華社報道說﹐很多受傷孩子都是同一個班級的四歲兒童。

據當地政府發佈的聲明﹐週三的襲擊案發生在雷州市雷城第一小學﹐當時一名男子持刀沖擊了校園。疑兇已被警方制服﹐受害者被送到了醫院。新華社報道說﹐週四仍有五名傷者情況危急。

當地政府的聲明說﹐疑犯身份被確定為33歲的陳康炳﹐他曾是雷州市白沙鎮的一名小學教師﹐2006年2月以來從學校辦理病休至今﹐警方正在對犯罪動機進行調查。當地官員後來說﹐他們將對聲明進行更新﹐但到發稿前為止還沒有。

當地派出所和雷州市公安局的警官拒絕就這起事件置評。

雷州的另一所學校兩年前也發生了校園血案。2008年2月﹐曾在雷州第二中學就讀的一名學生持刀刺死兩名學生﹐刺傷另外四人﹐之後自殺。

就 在週三血案發生當日﹐中國處決了不久前在中國東部福建省發生的另一起校園慘案的兇手。新華社報導稱﹐3月23日﹐現年42歲的鄭民生持刀刺死了八名學生。 他於三週前被判處死刑﹐週三執行。鄭民生曾是一位醫生。新華社引述當地法院的陳述稱﹐調查發現鄭民生因戀愛失敗感到心灰意冷。國有媒體此前報導他有精神病 史。

哥倫比亞大學研究員和中國精神病醫院的醫生共同在醫學雜志《柳葉刀》(The Lancet) 6月刊上發表研究報告稱﹐中國多達1.73億成年人受到精神疾病的困擾﹐他們當中絕大多數從未接受任何治療。在中國﹐用於精神病治療的醫護設施短缺﹐而且 精神病患者會受到嚴重的社會歧視。

中國政法大學犯罪心理學教授馬皚說﹐媒體對鄭民生一案的關注可能會讓其他人仿照他犯下類似的罪行﹐他們會針對兒童下手以造成更大的社會影響。此類攻擊者發泄他們的仇恨、不滿和不平衡﹐希望社會能夠關注他們。

相對而言﹐嚴重暴力犯罪在中國還較為罕見﹐但隨著對多重兇殺案的報導增多﹐人們也開始關注兇手行兇背後的誘因﹐除了精神疾病外﹐促使他們行兇的因素還有失業及其他社會和經濟問題。中國嚴格管控槍支持有﹐因此大多數襲擊事件的兇器都是刀具。

上個月﹐國有媒體報道稱河北省一名男子向警方投案稱殺死了六名親屬﹐之後被警方拘捕。今年2月﹐北方山西省一名男子因涉嫌捅死一家五口被警方逮捕。

Sky Canaves


Stunned China Looks Inward After School Attacks

Reuters

A guard at a school’s entrance in Jiangsu Province on Friday, the day a man attacked students in Shandong Province.


BEIJING — In the wake of a fourth horrific attack on Chinese schoolchildren — this time by a crazed man who on Friday beat five toddlers with a hammer, then set himself on fire with two other children in his arms — this shocked and bruised nation was of two distinctly different minds.

Related

Alexander F. Yuan/Associated Press

The mother of a child who was wounded by a knife-wielding man in an attack on Thursday in Jiangsu Province.

Associated Press

A student who was wounded Wednesday in an attack in Guangdong Province, where 15 students were stabbed.

China Daily, via Reuters

Zheng Minsheng was sentenced to death in the March 23 killings of eight children in Fujian Province. The attack was the first of four recent ones.

Readers' Comments

On the Internet and in newspapers, people agonized over whether their tightly regimented society, a boiling caldron of change with no pressure valve to let off steam, was blowing its lid.

In the halls of government, however, the emphasis was on preventing the steam from escaping at all.

After the first attack, in which a man stabbed and killed eight children outside an elementary school in Fujian Province on March 23, the Internet and government media bubbled with outrage, and the state-run Xinhua news service issued a lengthy study of the loner who committed the crime.

But on Friday, after three consecutive days of spontaneous and inexplicable assaults on children as young as 3, the media went silent. News of the latest attack, at the Shangzhuang Primary School in Shandong Province, vanished from the headlines on major Internet portals, replaced by an announcement that the government had assembled a team of 22 experts to help the education system set things right.

Posts on social networking sites indicated the change in tone came from the Communist Party’s central propaganda department, which directs and censors coverage of major news events.

If it was a classic response, born of Leninist dogma that dictates that bad news be buried and the state’s heroism trumpeted, it was still understandable after a week of what were apparently copycat crimes.

But it brought little comfort to average citizens, who still wondered what in their society could generate such madness. Online, many of them focused on problems — the growing rich-poor gap or the helplessness of average people in the face of power — that are a backdrop to everyday life.

In Taixing, the city in Jiangsu Province where a knife-wielding man stabbed 28 kindergarten students and three adults on Thursday, critically wounding at least five children, protesting parents took to the streets chanting, “We want the truth! We want our babies back!”

“The three killers wanted to get revenge on society,” one person, Zhang Han, wrote in an Internet chat posting. “They considered themselves as ‘underprivileged,’ and they chose an even more vulnerable group, children, to get revenge. Doubtless their own psychological problems played an indispensable role. But social inequality is obviously the catalyst.”

There likely is no single explanation for the assaults in Fujian, Shandong, Jiangsu and, on Wednesday, in Guangdong Province, where a 33-year-old former teacher stabbed 15 fourth-and fifth-graders. (In China, where access to guns is tightly controlled, knives are one weapon of choice in violent crimes.) Many Chinese might correctly note that their situation is hardly unique; the United States and other nations have also endured violent attacks on students.

Yet some aspects of the assaults — the alacrity with which they were copied by new assailants, to cite one example — raised questions among some Chinese about whether something else was at work here. Curiously, the four attacks in March and April mirror a series of assaults in August and September 2004, in which students in four other schools and a day care center were attacked by knife-wielding men who stabbed dozens of children.

One theme echoed in some Internet postings was the feeling by many Chinese citizens that they had little power in the face of authority, and few ways to right wrongs. One posting compared the attacks to a notorious rampage in July 2008 by a man who said he felt he had been wronged by the police. In a single attack in Shanghai, the man, Yang Jia, stabbed six police officers to death — and he became a national hero by the time he was executed that November.

One person who posted in a chat room pointed out that after the attack in March, a student wrote a letter to the assailant, saying, “If you’ve got hatred, please go to kill the corrupted official.”

“Isn’t it shocking to hear such assertions come from a child?” the poster wrote. “But in fact, this is a collective perception shared by the entire society. That’s why Yang Jia was hailed as a hero after killing innocent police.”

Stan Rosen, a University of Southern California political science professor who leads the university’s East Asian Studies Center, noted that the Cultural Revolution under Mao was so violent in part because it unleashed the bottled rage of a society that had suffered famine, impoverishment and brutal rule — and had no outlet for its grief.

Mao’s days are a distant memory now, and citizen protests, muckraking journalism and open discussion of social problems are accepted parts of Chinese life. But Martin K. Whyte, a Harvard University sociologist whose new book, “Myth of the Social Volcano,” parses the frustrations of average Chinese, said in an interview that a caldron of discontent still bubbled.

That, he argued, is mostly because average citizens still feel they have no steam valve, and the government is still concerned about keeping the lid on.

“The system still very much tries to pretend everything is going fine,” he said, “and it still hushes things up when there are disturbances.”

Zhang Jing and Jonathan Ansfield contributed research.

This article has been revised to reflect the following correction:

Correction: April 30, 2010

An earlier version of this article misidentified the province where Leizhou is located. It is in Guangdong Province, not Shandong. An earlier version of this article also misstated the percentage of mentally ill people thought not to have received professional help in China. The correct figure is 91 percent, not 98 percent.



2010年4月29日 星期四

無風、無雨、倒大樹、起大厝/私了、放水、和稀泥

不私了、不放水、不和稀泥

親民黨主席宋楚瑜已拿回為興票案提存的2.4億元,對此國民黨主席馬英九提出「不私了、不放水、不和稀泥」的三不原則,要求宋將2.4億元歸還國民黨,今天上午立委羅淑蕾為宋叫屈,認為國民黨應該拿出法律證據,證明錢是屬於國民黨的,而不是冤枉宋楚瑜。 ...

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國道三號發生走山事件,造成四死的慘劇,對於政府是否需要主動國賠,交通部長毛治國話說得保守,強調國賠有一定程序,不過立法院長王金平則說出重話,強調這起事件是「無風、無雨、倒大樹」,算不算天災?大家心知肚明!王金平並說,在法律許可範圍內,政府做得到的就該 ...

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10年前的興票案牽動了台灣政壇局勢,回顧2000年總統大選,原本是宋楚瑜最被看好,結果因為爆發興票案,清廉受到質疑,宋楚瑜的聲勢直直落,陳水扁異 軍突起當選總統,促成首次政黨輪替,不過,取得政權的陳水扁,如今卻也因為海角七億身陷牢籠。2000年總統大選,宋楚瑜從國民黨分裂出去,挾著宋省長的 勤政愛民,聲勢如日中天,民調一路領先陳呂配、連蕭配,不過,1999年12月9日,楊吉雄出面踢爆興票案,重創宋楚瑜。

李宋昔日的父子情,早在凍省之後不復見,宋楚瑜指稱這筆錢是奉當時國民黨主席李登輝之命,成立的祕書長專戶,更被李登輝駁斥,興票案成了宋楚瑜競選時的致命傷,和他對打的連戰沒討到太多便宜,倒是陳水扁可以說是漁翁得利。

追打宋楚瑜的興票案,2000年大選,陳水扁以31萬票之差勝出,不過,執政8年,卸任後,陳水扁卻也身陷海角七億的洗錢風暴。

經過10年波折,興票案落幕了,當年李宋反目,如今大和解,而李扁一個民主之父,一個台灣之子,這段父子情也在洗錢案,扁拖李登輝下水而徹底撕破臉,李宋扁三人關係,也應驗了「政治沒有永遠的朋友,也沒有永遠的敵人」這句話。

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江蘇泰興再現砍殺幼兒事件 已知31傷

希望之聲電台 - ‎1小時之前‎
近來中國學生、幼兒在校園被集體砍殺事件頻頻發生。繼28日廣東湛江雷州一小學發生持刀傷人案後, 29日上午9時40分,江蘇泰興市泰興鎮中心幼兒園發生砍殺幼兒惡性事件,一男子闖入園區,砍殺31人。大陸網友爆料有4人死亡。 據官方新華網報導,泰興一名47歲男子持刀衝入 ...


江苏男子持刀袭击幼儿园 28童受伤 中国近来连续发生袭击小学生和幼儿事件 中国江苏省泰兴市星期四(4月29日)发生砍杀幼儿事件,共有28名儿童和三名成人受袭击。

一名男子在早晨9时30分左右持刀闯入泰兴市泰兴镇中心幼儿园,将儿童和老师以及门卫刺伤。 新华社报道称有五名幼儿伤势严重。 尽管有媒体称有受伤儿童死亡,但泰兴官员表示,截至下午2时50分,并没有受伤者死亡。 行凶者已经被警方逮捕,目前还不清楚他的动机。 新华社报道引泰兴警方称,凶手是一名47岁男子,名叫徐玉元,是当地一名无业人员。 江苏省公安厅说,徐玉元曾在当地一家保险公司工作,2001年被单位辞退,他此前还曾从事过违法传销活动。 有报道还说,多数受伤的孩子都是四岁大,都是在同一个班级。


同类案件
没有安装Flash播放器 下载Flash 选择其它媒体播放器 这已经是近期发生的第四起类似案件。这类血案频发,到底反映什么社会现象和原因呢?上海复旦大学心理及精神病学教授季建林在接受BBC中文网采访时说,社会不稳定以及压力不容忽视。 广东省雷州市一所小学星期三发生小学生遭袭击事件。 一名中年男子在下午持刀冲入雷城第一小学,持刀砍伤18名学生和一名教师。 就在星期三上午,上月在福建南平市持刀袭击小学生造成八死五伤的郑民生被执行死刑。 而本月12日,广西合浦县一名精神病人持刀在小学校门口袭击小学生和路人。 凶案共造成两人死亡,五人受伤,其中死者分别是一名八岁小学生和一名老妇,伤者则包括两名小学生,一对中年夫妇和一个尚未入学的幼童。

天時間里﹐中國連續發生兩起校園持刀襲擊案﹐而在此之前的3月23日﹐還曾發生過一次導致八名兒童死亡的襲擊案。

雷州地方政府領導在醫院看望受傷的學生
週三﹐廣東省一名男子持刀狂砍﹐造成15名學生和一名教師受傷﹔週四在江蘇省一所幼兒園﹐又有一名男子持刀砍傷28名兒童和三名成人。

最近這兩起襲擊案的動機還不為人知﹐但它們凸顯了中國如何對待精神病人的問題。在中國﹐精神病人常常得不到任何治療。

江蘇泰興市政府網站上的一條聲明稱﹐週四襲擊案中受傷的三名成人包括兩名教師和一名保安。聲明說﹐到目前為止﹐還沒有人在這起發生於泰興中心幼兒園的襲擊中死亡。

官方通訊社新華社稱﹐週四上午的襲擊發生後﹐有五名兒童情況危急。新華社引用警方一位發言人的話說﹐一名47歲的男子已被控制。泰興警方一名官員證實已逮捕一名嫌疑人。

新華社報道說﹐很多受傷孩子都是同一個班級的四歲兒童。

據當地政府發佈的聲明﹐週三的襲擊案發生在雷州市雷城第一小學﹐當時一名男子持刀沖擊了校園。疑兇已被警方制服﹐受害者被送到了醫院。新華社報道說﹐週四仍有五名傷者情況危急。

當地政府的聲明說﹐疑犯身份被確定為33歲的陳康炳﹐他曾是雷州市白沙鎮的一名小學教師﹐2006年2月以來從學校辦理病休至今﹐警方正在對犯罪動機進行調查。當地官員後來說﹐他們將對聲明進行更新﹐但到發稿前為止還沒有。

當地派出所和雷州市公安局的警官拒絕就這起事件置評。

雷州的另一所學校兩年前也發生了校園血案。2008年2月﹐曾在雷州第二中學就讀的一名學生持刀刺死兩名學生﹐刺傷另外四人﹐之後自殺。

就 在週三血案發生當日﹐中國處決了不久前在中國東部福建省發生的另一起校園慘案的兇手。新華社報導稱﹐3月23日﹐現年42歲的鄭民生持刀刺死了八名學生。 他於三週前被判處死刑﹐週三執行。鄭民生曾是一位醫生。新華社引述當地法院的陳述稱﹐調查發現鄭民生因戀愛失敗感到心灰意冷。國有媒體此前報導他有精神病 史。

哥倫比亞大學研究員和中國精神病醫院的醫生共同在醫學雜志《柳葉刀》(The Lancet) 6月刊上發表研究報告稱﹐中國多達1.73億成年人受到精神疾病的困擾﹐他們當中絕大多數從未接受任何治療。在中國﹐用於精神病治療的醫護設施短缺﹐而且 精神病患者會受到嚴重的社會歧視。

中國政法大學犯罪心理學教授馬皚說﹐媒體對鄭民生一案的關注可能會讓其他人仿照他犯下類似的罪行﹐他們會針對兒童下手以造成更大的社會影響。此類攻擊者發泄他們的仇恨、不滿和不平衡﹐希望社會能夠關注他們。

相對而言﹐嚴重暴力犯罪在中國還較為罕見﹐但隨著對多重兇殺案的報導增多﹐人們也開始關注兇手行兇背後的誘因﹐除了精神疾病外﹐促使他們行兇的因素還有失業及其他社會和經濟問題。中國嚴格管控槍支持有﹐因此大多數襲擊事件的兇器都是刀具。

上個月﹐國有媒體報道稱河北省一名男子向警方投案稱殺死了六名親屬﹐之後被警方拘捕。今年2月﹐北方山西省一名男子因涉嫌捅死一家五口被警方逮捕。

Sky Canaves

CHINA IN NUCLEAR DEAL WITH PAKISTAN/ 朝鮮女人穿褲子

朝鮮女人穿褲子
在平壤流傳著一則笑話:丈夫與寵物狗有何共同之處?答案是:都不工作也不賺錢﹐但都很可愛﹐待在家里﹐還能嚇跑小偷。



***

CHINA IN NUCLEAR DEAL WITH PAKISTAN

China has agreed to build two new civilian nuclear reactors in Pakistan, according to Chinese companies and officials in Islamabad and Beijing, in a deal that could re-ignite debate about nuclear commerce and proliferation.

The decision to supply reactors to Pakistan, which has a nuclear arsenal and a record of exporting its expertise to North Korea, Iran and Libya, reflects China's growing diplomatic confidence.

It also reflects Beijing's ambition to become a global supplier of nuclear energy technology and underscores its view of Pakistan as a prized south Asian strategic partner.

The new deal with Pakistan, which has yet to be announced, poses a dilemma for the US administration of President Barack Obama, which wants Chinese support for sanctions against Iran but does not want to weaken the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty. Non-proliferation is one of Washington's main foreign policy goals .


China began building a nuclear reactor in Chashma in Pakistan's Punjab province in 1991 and work on a second rector began in 2005 and is expected to be completed next year. Under the new agreement, Chinese companies will build at least two new 650MW reactors at Chashma.

A senior Pakistani government official familiar with the discussions with China said yesterday: “Our Chinese brothers have once again lived up to our expectations.

“They have agreed to continue co-operating with us in the nuclear energy field.”

In a statement on its website, China National Nuclear Corporation said that the Chinese and Pakistan governments had signed an agreement to finance the construction of the two new reactors in February.

Last year, Shanghai Nuclear Engineering Research and Design Institute said it had been hired to design the two new reactors.

Diplomats in China said they had been told that Beijing had given its formal approval to the deal, although they cautioned there could still be last-minute hitches in the bilateral agreement.

Mark Hibbs, of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, said China had decided to go ahead because “for political reasons it felt Pakistan should be compensated in some way for the US-India nuclear deal”.

The deal between Washington and New Delhi facilitated nuclear co-operation even though India has not signed the NPT.

“After the dust settled on the US-India nuclear deal, China gravitated towards a position that it will support nuclear commerce if it benefits Chinese industry,” he added.

据中国相关企业以及伊斯兰堡和北京的官员透露,中国已同意在巴基斯坦新建设两座民用核反应堆。这宗交易可能再度引发有关核贸易及核扩散的辩论。

向巴基斯坦供应反应堆的决定,反映出中国在外交上越来越有自信。巴基斯坦拥有核武,还有把自己的核技术输出至朝鲜、伊朗和利比亚的记录。

此举还反映出中国希望成为核能技术全球供应者的雄心,并突显中国将巴基斯坦视为宝贵的南亚战略伙伴。

中国与巴基斯坦达成的新协议尚未正式宣布。它给巴拉克•奥巴马(Barack Obama)总统领导的美国政府造成一个两难局面:美方希望在制裁伊朗问题上得到中方支持,但又不想削弱《核不扩散条约》(NPT)。防止核武器扩散是华盛顿方面的主要外交政策目标之一。

中国在1991年开始在巴基斯坦旁遮普省的恰希玛(Chashma)建设一座核反应堆,并从2005年起开始兴建第二座反应堆,预期明年完工。根据新协议,中国企业将在恰希玛再建设至少2座新的650兆瓦反应堆。

熟悉与中方洽谈情况的一名巴基斯坦政府高官昨日表示:“我们的中国兄弟再一次没有辜负我们的期望。

“他们同意在核能领域继续与我们开展合作。”

中国核工业集团公司(CNNC)在其网站上的一份声明中表示,中国和巴基斯坦政府在2月份已就两座新反应堆的建设签署了贷款框架协议。

去年,上海核工程研究设计院(SNERDI)表示,该院已受聘设计两座新反应堆。

在中国的外交官们表示,他们已被告知,北京方面已正式批准这宗交易,不过他们告诫称,在签署双边协议之前,仍可能出现最后一刻的小麻烦。

卡内基国际和平基金会(Carnegie Endowment for International Peace)的马克•海布斯(Mark Hibbs)表示,中国决定推进这宗交易,是因为“出于政治原因,它觉得针对美印核合作协议,巴基斯坦应当以某种方式得到补偿”。

美国和印度达成了核合作协议,尽管印度尚未签署《核不扩散条约》。

“在美印核合作协议尘埃落定后,中国倾向于采取这样一个立场,即如果对中国工业有利的话,它将支持核贸易,”海布斯补充说。

英国《金融时报》杰夫•代尔(Geoff Dyer)北京、法尔汉•博哈里(Farhan Bokhari)伊斯兰堡和詹姆斯•拉蒙特(James Lamont)新德里报道

译者/和风


2010年4月28日 星期三

Sarkozy in China, Expo 2000 Revisiting

France's Sarkozy in China to repair ties, push gently on Iran

French President Nicolas Sarkozy is on a three-day visit to China aimed at mending relations and seeking Chinese support for tough new sanctions on Iran. It will require some delicate diplomacy.
-----

Germany | 28.04.2010

Revisiting Hanover 10 years after Expo 2000

With the World Expo 2010 only days away, it's time to reflect on the only expo ever to be held in Germany 10 years ago. But fewer visitors came than expected and the EXPO 2000's legacy has also proved disappointing.

Pride was written all over Gerhard Schroeder's face as he opened the EXPO 2000. After all, Hanover was the then German chancellor's home city and the exhibition came at a momentous juncture at the start of the new millennium and a decade after German reunification.

Former German Foreign Minister Hans-Dietrich Genscher was among the luminaries invited to the opening ceremony. He hailed the unique opportunity to show that reunified Germany was a cosmopolitan and hospitable country.

But visitors did not flock to the fair in the numbers expected. Weeks after its opening, many of the pavilions on the exhibition ground remained gapingly empty. Things only really started to look up after the EXPO managers slashed ticket prices and put on free parking. EXPO Fan Ingrid Waehler likes to recall this time.

"There was a happy atmosphere, a relaxed mood, and a sense of interest in other people. Who is standing next to me in the line, who is in this pavilion, what does this country represent? What are they telling and showing us?" said Waehler.

Keeping the memory alive

EXPO fans Eckhard und Ingrid Waehler with the event's mascot TwipsyBildunterschrift: Großansicht des Bildes mit der Bildunterschrift: EXPO fans Eckhard und Ingrid Waehler with the event's mascot Twipsy

Ingrid Waehler and her husband Eckhard are members of an association called Exposeum that wants to preserve these memories. The retirees regularly show visitors around the former exhibition ground in their free time. But it's not always easy for them. Many of the pavilions are in a state of disrepair. The sight of the Dutch pavilion is hard to bear for Eckhard Waehler.

"During the construction phase, this was the top pavilion as far as I was concerned. I was really enthusiastic about what was being built here. I still like it, but it was expensive. And we would like something to happen here to ensure its survival because it really is something special."

Just a little further on, the Spanish pavilion is also falling apart. And the doors of the Chinese EXPO building are barricaded with wood. The entrance of the Polish pavilion is overgrown with weeds. Several buildings have been torn down completely.

But companies have moved into some of the structures. Designers and marketing staff work in the Finnish pavilion. The carmaker BMW has taken over the French EXPO building and two furniture stores have moved in nearby.

Bad timing?

The dutch pavilion in a state of decayBildunterschrift: Großansicht des Bildes mit der Bildunterschrift: A sad sight - the abandoned Dutch pavilion

It is hardly the sustainable outcome envisioned by the masterminds of the exhibition, which was grandiosely entitled "Humankind, Nature, Technology - A New World Arises." But Gina Memenga, who works for the firm in charge of marketing the real estate, is satisfied.

"The fathers of the EXPO definitely had something else in mind. But due to the slump in the IT sector, it was no longer possible to sell the real estate along these lines and something else developed on the ground," said Memenga of EXPO Grund.

It is also not surprising that potential customers are not lining up, according to Memenga, given that the land-use plan prohibits the development of individual retail stores or apartments. Whoever buys an old EXPO pavilion is also obliged to bring it in line with the latest energy efficiency standards.

False assumptions

Czech pavilion with advertising for hair dye firm seen through the windowBildunterschrift: Großansicht des Bildes mit der Bildunterschrift: A hair dye firm has rather incongruously moved into the Czech pavilion

Little of the original sheen is visible in the former exhibition ground - and things do not look much better on paper. The German government and the state of Lower Saxony ended up sharing losses totalling some 1.2 billion euros ($1.6 billion). This was foreseeable, according to the former finance minister of Lower Saxony, Heinrich Aller.

"We were working on the assumption that 40 million visitors would attend, but there were only 18 million in the end. That was difficult for the entire calculation. In the end we were expected to break even. But I never believed that and always expressed that opinion. But that was the core of the problem: a lot of visitors and high prices to make it profitable. That was one of the mistakes in the arithmetic," Aller said.

But despite the losses and problems with land re-use, the city of Hanover is nevertheless planning to celebrate the EXPO's 10th anniversary in June.

Author: Hilke Janssen (jg)
Editor: Rob Mudge

2010年4月27日 星期二

Ukrainian parliament, Thai Red Shirts disrupt rail


Politics | 27.04.2010

Thai Red Shirts disrupt rail

Thailand's anti-government Red Shirts disrupted a rail line in Bangkok on Tuesday, causing morning rush hour chaos. The government has warned of tougher action against the protesters.

The Red Shirts have further intensified their protests in the Thai capital. On Tuesday they threw tyres onto the railway tracks in the city, forcing the closure of an elevated railway line. As a result Bangkok's Skytrain, which carries almost half a million passengers every day, was halted for at least four hours. Many commuters had to walk to work.

The protestors have also said they plan to start a rally on motorcycles and pick-up trucks from Wednesday to distribute pamphlets to persuade more people to join their campaign for immediate elections. Anti-government protesters pray for their own safety, in BangkokBildunterschrift: Großansicht des Bildes mit der Bildunterschrift: Anti-government protesters pray for their own safety, in Bangkok

They have fortified their makeshift camp in Bangkok's commercial heart, saying they fear an imminent crackdown. The move has forced at least five major shopping centres to close.

The authorities warn of action

The government has meanwhile reiterated that it will not tolerate road blocks by the protesters and warned again of tough action.

Hundreds of soldiers armed with guns have already been deployed to contain the protests in the capital.

"It is clear the protesters are not gathering peacefully. We will not be lenient with these people anymore," said Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban.

Premier Abhisit premier has rejected an offer by the Red Shirts to hold early polls.

Thai King Bhumibol Adulyadej Bildunterschrift: Großansicht des Bildes mit der Bildunterschrift: Thai King Bhumibol Adulyadej

Undermine the monarchy

The Thai authorities have also claimed that they have uncovered a plot to overthrow the kingdom's revered monarchy. They suspect that some senior figures of the Red Shirts are involved in the plot too. The government says it will take legal steps against anyone suspected of involvement.

The Red Shirts have however denied they were involved in any attempt to undermine the monarchy. They have also threatened to sue the government over the accusation.

On Monday, Thailand's revered king spoke on national television for the first time since the protests broke out. He addressed a group of newly appointed judges and spoke of the need for peace. But he did not directly mention the political crisis. The ailing 82 year old king has been hospitalized since last September.

The ongoing political unrest is the worst in Thailand for almost two decades, with 26 people killed and almost 1,000 injured this month.

du/Reuters/AFP/AP/dpa
Editor: Grahame Lucas


scuffling, fights over ratification


Ukraine | 27.04.2010

Ukrainian parliament fights over ratification of Russian deal

“美しき島”台湾での冒険

“美しき島”台湾での冒険が今始まる。「大航海時代 Online ~El Oriente~」,Chapter2「Ilha Formosa」を本日実装
4Gamer.net


 コーエーがサービス中のMMORPG「大航海時代 Online」PC版 / PS3版)にて,本日(4月27日)アップデートが実施された。

新ペット ヤマムスメ

「大航海時代 Online ~El Oriente~」特設サイト


 これは昨年(2009年)12月に発売された拡張パック「El Oriente」PC版 / PS3版)の“Chapter2”にあたるもの。「Ilha Formosa(イラ フォルモサ=美しき島)」と題された今回のアップデートでは,タイトルどおりの“美しき島”「台湾」地域が登場するほか,Chapter1で導入された要素のさらなる拡張や,アイテムをコレクションできる新機能「メモリアルアルバム」などが実装されている。

新街 安平
新衣装
メモリアルアルバム
新船 輸送用広船

 またログイン時のセキュリティを向上させる新サービス「GAMECITY ワンタイムパスワード」も本日より開始となる。105円(税込)/30日間の利用料金はかかるものの,大事なアカウントを守ることができるので,本作のプレイヤーはぜひ利用を検討してみよう。

「GAMECITY ワンタイムパスワード」サービスページ


 そのほか詳細については以下のリリースを参照のこと。甲板戦がスピーディになったり,特殊造船の強化回数が増加したりなど,気になるアップデート項目も多数用意されている。さっそくログインして「台湾」を冒険してほしい。

強化回数増 一等戦列艦
甲板戦 NPCカリブ海賊
甲板戦 突入
新奥義 乱射乱撃
新遺跡ダンジョン 紅毛城

『大航海時代 Online ~El Oriente~』
Chapter2「Ilha Formosa」大規模アップデート概要

■美しき島「台湾」地域の登場!
台湾の新しい街が登場し、独特な衣装や交易品をはじめ、料理や装備品のレシピなども追加します。また、台湾の英雄「鄭成功(ていせいこう)」にまつわるク エストや台湾島の珍しい生物を発見するクエストなどを多数追加します。さらに様々な用途に改良された東アジアの船が新たに登場します。

■「El Oriente」Chapter1 で導入された要素のさらなる拡張!
南蛮貿易が台湾にも広がり、ジパングとの間でも交易できるようになります。台湾では新遺跡ダンジョン“紅毛城”(こうもうじょう)が発見され、ジパングで は素晴らしいお宝が眠る“安土城”(あづちじょう)深階層を追加します。また甲板戦がスピーディになり、海賊NPC と対決できるようになります。さらに、陸上戦における新しい奥義が登場するほか、戦闘テクニックの“パワー”系ダメージが強力になります。ほかにも、特殊 造船の強化回数を増加するアップデートを行います。

■思い出を残す新機能!“メモリアルアルバム”
アイテムを獲得した際に、収集テーマ毎に記録されるコレクション機能を追加します。記録したアイテムや収集テーマは記念アルバムのように綴られるほか、他のプレイヤーとメモリアルアルバムを見せ合うこともできます。新たな思い出づくりをお楽しみください。

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※各種仕様詳細、実施日時、内容については、変更される場合がございます。最新情報は下記公式サイトをご参照ください。

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http://www.gamecity.ne.jp/otp/
『大航海時代 Online』公式サイト
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常用漢字/Shanghai has quick facelift

常用漢字191字増、最終素案を承認 文化審分科会小委

2010年4月23日12時58分


 文化審議会国語分科会の漢字小委員会は23日、「改定常用漢字表」に関する答申の素案を承認した。6月の文化審議会総会で最終決定して文部科学相へ答申し、年末までに内閣が29年ぶりに新しい漢字表を告示する予定だ。

 改定常用漢字表は、1945字からなる現在の常用漢字表に「挨(あい)」「拶(さつ)」など196字を加え、「勺(しゃく)」「匁(もんめ)」など5字を外すため、常用漢字は191字増えて2136字になる。

文化審議会国語分科会の漢字小委員会が13日開かれ、「改定常用漢字表」は、字種について試案通り2136字で固まった。6月の文化審議会で正式に決まり、文部科学相に答申される。

 改定常用漢字表は、1945字からなる現在の常用漢字表に「挨(あい)」など196字を加え、「勺(しゃく)」など5字を外し、2136字になる。

 小委員会では、「障害者」ではなく「障碍(しょうがい)者」と書けるよう、常用漢字入りを望む声が強い「碍」の扱いが集中的に議論されたが、追加は見送 られた。ただし、障害という表記の見直しに取り組む政府の「障がい者制度改革推進本部」が今後、障碍という表記が望ましいと決めた場合は、再検討すること にしている。

 試案に対して一般から寄せられた意見の中で碍と同様に、追加希望が多かった「玻(は)」(95件)と「鷹(たか)」(24件)も追加は見送られた。(白石明彦)


常用漢字【じょうようかんじ】

常用漢字とは、1981年に内閣告示公布された「常用漢字表」にある1945種の漢字のこと(音読みは2187、訓読みは1900)。「法令公用文書新聞雑誌放送など、一般社会生活において、現代国語を書き表す場合の漢字使用の目安を示すもの」(内閣告示)である。
対する「新常用漢字表(仮称)」は、従来の常用漢字表から字種が5字減・191字増の2131字(音読み2352、訓読み2033)。情報機器普及した現代に対応することを目的に、28年ぶりの改訂が検討されてきたが、2009年1月16日に文化審議会国語分科会漢字小委員会から公表、同月29日に文化審議会総会で承認された。同年3月に文化庁ホームページなどで公開し一般の意見を募った後、10年2月に文化審議会が文部科学相に答申、同年秋に内閣による名称決定を経て、新漢字表として告示される。
新常用漢字表で追加される191の漢字は次の通り
地名関係では、茨 媛 岡 葛(人) 鎌 韓 畿 錦 埼 栃 那 奈 阪 阜。動植物関係では、亀 熊 虎 鹿 鶴 椎 藤 梨 蜂。身体に関する、顎 咽 蓋 拳 股 喉 尻 腎 脊 腺 唾 爪 瞳 眉 膝 肘 頬 脇。音訓には、「私」の訓「わたくし」に「わたし」、 「中(じゅう)」、「混(こ)む」、「創(つく)る」、「全(すべ)て」などが追加される。他に、挨 曖 宛 嵐 畏 萎 椅 彙 淫 唄 鬱 怨 艶  旺 臆 俺 苛 牙 瓦 潰 諧 崖 骸 玩 伎 臼 嗅 巾 僅 惧 串 窟 詣 憬 稽 隙 桁 鍵 舷 梗 乞 傲 駒 頃 痕 沙 挫 采 塞  柵 刹 拶 斬 恣 摯 餌 叱 嫉 腫 呪 袖 羞 蹴 哨 憧 拭 芯 須 裾 凄 醒 戚 羨 煎 詮 箋 膳 狙 遡(2点しんにょう) 爽 曽  痩 踪 捉 遜(2点しんにょう) 汰 堆 戴 誰 旦 綻 憚 緻 酎 貼 嘲 諜 捗 諦 溺 填 妬 賭 頓 貪 丼 謎(2点しんにょう) 鍋  匂 虹 捻 罵 剥 箸 氾 汎 斑 訃 聘 蔽 餅 璧 蔑 貌 勃 昧 枕 蜜 冥 麺 冶 弥 闇 喩 湧 妖 瘍 沃 拉 辣 藍 璃 慄 侶  瞭 瑠 呂 弄 籠 麓(以上191漢字)。
常用漢字表の前身は、1946年に公布された「当用漢字表」(1850字、音2006、訓1116)。「法令・公用文書・新聞・雑誌およぴ一般社会で、使用する漢字の範囲を示したもの(内閣告示)」とあるように、漢字使用を制限することを目的とした。しかし、当用漢字表にない漢字を使った熟語が「まぜ書き」になるなど不自然不便が生じたため、制限を緩和し強制力を外したのが常用漢字表である。今回の改訂は、常用漢字表をさらに緩和したものとなった。
( 秋津あらたライター)

*****

Shanghai has quick facelift in countdown to World Expo

BY ATSUSHI OKUDERA THE ASAHI SHIMBUN

2010/04/26


photoApartment blocks built more than 30 years ago in the Pudong district are being resurfaced. But inside, little has changed. (ATSUSHI OKUDERA)

SHANGHAI--When the 2010 World Expo opens May 1 in this city, China's showcase metropolis, the world will get its first glimpse of the new Shanghai.

Shanghai flourished in the first half of the 20th century as one of Asia's leading international ports and then faced turmoil in the early decades of the People's Republic of China.

The last two decades, however, have produced a rapid turnaround. Shanghai's economic clout now surpasses that of Hong Kong.

The World Expo aims to show off that prosperity to the world. Ahead of the Expo's opening day, however, a frantic rush is on to make the city presentable to Western eyes.

In a residential area near the Expo site, a construction tarpaulin hides a barren, 1970s-era concrete apartment block. Behind it, migrant workers are slapping a new layer of cement onto the walls.

Meanwhile, a nearby apartment block now bears a Western-style facade of pale brickwork.

"Because of the Expo, even the buildings are getting a cosmetic makeover. We call this work 'face-saving,'" said a 61-year-old resident of yet another block undergoing an outside paint job.

Inside, however, was a different story. The dark apartments have cracked walls and ruptured sewage pipes.

Along the main thoroughfare leading up to the Expo venue, an apartment building was cut in half to allow for road expansion.

On one half, a severed wall exposed its steel beams to the elements. It will be covered over by the time the Expo opens.

Today, Shanghai has surpassed Hong Kong in terms of annual container volume handled at port and stock trading value. The city's gross regional product for 2009 was 1.49 trillion yuan (20.1 trillion yen, or $220 billion), an 8.2 percent year-on-year increase. The gross regional product was greater than Hong Kong's.

Propelling the accelerated growth was the city's winning bid for the World Expo in 2002.

In the past three years, six new subway routes opened, with about 170 new stations.

In mid-March, Hongqiao Airport opened a second runway and a huge new terminal. The Expo aims to show the world how Shanghai has grown since the communist government adopted moves toward "reform and openness."

Not only the infrastructure is receiving a makeover; so too is the populace.

The Shanghai government has imposed new rules about public manners. People living within 1 kilometer of the Expo site can no longer hang their laundry outside. The traditional sight of clothing and underwear hanging out of apartment windows is no longer commonplace.

Other rules govern how people dress and behave: Don't venture outdoors in pajamas. Don't spit in the streets. Form patient lines and keep to your place.

The city has hired a large number of staff to keep an eye on transgressions.

In a community center in the Pudong district, about 40 senior citizens were practicing in accented English. They were repeating, "Good morning, Mr. Smith."

"I can't read the alphabet," Chen Lingling, 59, explained as she squinted through reading glasses at a transliteration of the phrase written in similar-sounding kanji characters. Chen came of age during the Cultural Revolution, and "the only English we learned was 'Long Live Chairman Mao.' That won't help us welcome our guests."

The residents began studying English in February, and lately have taken to greeting each other with "Hello" around their apartment blocks.

The city government, which organized the English lessons, tested the students; 1.18 million passed.

2010年4月26日 星期一

(The Wall Street Journal 209萬份當期發行量

國行業組織發行公信會(Audit Bureau of Circulations)週一公佈的數據顯示﹐截至3月份的6個月﹐美國許多主要報紙發行量繼續下滑。

截至3月31日的6個月﹐美國602份日報的工作日平均發行量較上年同期減少了8.7%﹐截至去年9月30日的6個月為下降11%﹐上年同期的發行量萎縮幅度為7.1%。

報紙行業本就承受著廣告收入持續大幅下滑以及數字媒體競爭的沉重壓力﹐發行量下滑使得這一行業的處境更加艱難。

美國25家最大報紙中﹐約有10家報紙的發行量降幅達到了10%或更高。

報告顯示﹐《華爾街日報》(The Wall Street Journal)仍然是美國平日發行量最高的報紙﹐當期發行量增長0.5%﹐至209萬份。

*****

2010年4月25日 星期日

长安街上海世博诺贝尔和平奖

中国 | 2010.04.25

一周香港媒体报道摘要(2010年4月25日)

本周,香港媒体在报道中国大陆和本地消息时关注的焦点主要有:上海世博近来爆出一些不光彩的事情:先是试运行出现混乱,后是主题宣传曲涉嫌抄袭,上海世博 到底将展示一个怎样的中国?北京长安街上发生近年最大规模请愿活动;刘晓波被确认为诺贝尔和平奖候选人。德国之声摘编如下:

上海世博与中国

上海世博会开幕在即,但上周世博会试运行却出现许多混乱情况,而且上海世博会的主题曲也传出有抄袭日本歌手作品的嫌疑。香港《明报》本周发表社论, 题为《上海世博会,将展示一个怎样的中国?》。社论写道:"在万事俱备欢迎各方来客之际,传出(上海世博会)大会宣传歌曲《2010等你来》涉嫌抄袭日本 歌手冈本真夜15年前的旧作,使上海世博局非常尴尬,此事受害者不仅上海世博局,中国的颜面也受到损害。我们担心的是,除了抄袭歌曲被逮到以外,这次史上 规模最大的世博会,将向世人展示一个怎样的中国。"

《明报》的社评接着写道:"上海世博是历来第三个亚洲国家主办这个盛会,------论展馆规模,设计和建造独特的中国馆被称为"东方之冠",睥 睨世博会场,显露中国在世界定位的自我期许。不过,主观愿望是一回事,除了投射《清明上河图》使人赞叹的5000年灿烂文明、中国馆建筑雄伟显示经济崛起 之财力以外,在政治和科技方面,中国有什么可以说服世人,------透过上海世博会,希望得见端倪。"

文章接着写道:"中国视上海世博为北京奥运之后的国家盛事,许多事情都要让路。据悉今年三月在北京举行的全国人大和政协会议,广东方面曾经明示或 暗示,希望记者不要提及年底在广州举行的亚运会,以免分散对上海世博的注意力。另外,近期的青海玉树地震,全国传媒重点报道过后,据说也要让路了,使上海 世博能够成为焦点云云。中国领导层重视世博是好事,不过一切要就此让路,是否有必要,值得斟酌。老实说,若上海世博有成功的条件,自然成为报道重点,现在 长官意志主导甚为浓烈,反而与世博会所展示的人文精神有出入了。"

数千银行下岗职员长安街请愿

《明报》本周还发表题为《长安街近年最大规模请愿-四大银行2000下岗职员北京抗议》的报道。报道写道:"北京市中心的长安街爆发近年来最大规 模民众聚集抗议事件。来自内地近20个省市2000多名四大国有银行的前职工,因不满早间有关银行改制裁员时对他们的赔偿不足,因此到全国总工会、中国工 商银行总部外请愿,其中数百人被警员驱逐带走。据悉,仍有大批前"四行"职员正从各地赶往北京,准备再赴银监会请愿。"

报道接着写道:"四大国有银行是用"买断工龄"的方式遣散员工。在1980年代改革开放初期,不少国企职工被企业一次性支付一定数额的款项后遣散。一些被遣散的员工,虽获得补偿,但因年龄偏大,多数面临就业难、生活难等困境。以往国企均不办理社会保障中的"三险一金"(养老、医疗、社会保险及住 房公积金),老年并无保障。------现场有人高喊"胡主席,我们要吃饭"、"温总理,我们要工作",人群更唱起"国际歌",但一直未见银行人员出来接 待。不久,公安开来7辆巴士先将人群围起,随后将他们押上巴士。"

刘晓波被正式提名候选诺贝尔和平奖

香港《苹果日报》本周发表消息,称诺贝尔奖委员会确认刘晓波被提名和平奖候选人,刘晓波妻子对此感到欣慰。消息写道:"流亡美国的中国异见人士徐 文立,近日接获诺贝尔和平奖委员会复函,确认已接受刘晓波博士提名为诺贝尔和平奖候选人。徐是本月7日去信和平奖委员会,敬请对方考虑授予刘晓波诺贝尔和 平奖,信中称此奖不但是对刘晓波的褒扬,更是对决心向宪政民主国家和平过渡的中国人民的鼓励。"

报道写道:"刘晓波妻子刘霞接受本报电话访问时,对有关消息感到欣慰:'我想晓波在狱中知道,也会感到高兴,因为这也是对他从事的事业的肯定。'刘霞透露,刘晓波现在还关在北京市看守所,未送监狱服刑,"他们(当局)一直不让我去探监。"

李华 摘编

责编:叶宣

2010年4月24日 星期六

China, Taiwan, Koreas

China Replaces Leader of the Restive Xinjiang Region

BEIJING — Chinese leaders announced Saturday that they had replaced Wang Lequan, the ruling official in the vast western region of Xinjiang, whose capital was engulfed last summer by the deadliest ethnic violence in China in decades.
Ng Han Guan/Associated Press

Wang Lequan devised hard-line policies to rule Xinjiang.

Mr. Wang, who served 15 years as the party secretary of Xinjiang, an extraordinary length of time in such a post, has been replaced by Zhang Chunxian, 56, the party secretary of Hunan Province, according to Xinhua, the state news agency. Mr. Wang, 65, was given a new appointment as deputy secretary of the political and legislative affairs committee of the Chinese Communist Party’s central committee.

Mr. Wang has also served since 2002 on the Politburo, the inner sanctum of party members. The Xinhua report did not mention any change to that role.

For much of his tenure in Xinjiang, Mr. Wang was known as “the stability secretary,” and he occupied a singular position in the hierarchy of party power. He devised hard-line policies for governing Xinjiang, a caldron of ethnic resentment, that became a model for other restive regions of China, particularly Tibet. Mr. Wang put down uprisings by ethnic Uighurs in Xinjiang and began many “strike hard” campaigns against what he called the “three forces” of separatism, terrorism and religious extremism.

But after last summer’s violence, support for Mr. Wang within the party began to falter, leading to private debate among Chinese leaders about his future.

The decision to replace him was announced Saturday morning at a meeting of top regional leaders in Urumqi, the capital of Xinjiang, according to Xinhua. Present at the meeting was Xi Jinping, the national vice president who is the leading candidate to be the next president of China.

Mr. Xi said the party’s decision was “carefully studied” and heaped praise on Mr. Wang. “He has firmly erected the idea that stability overrides everything, unswervingly safeguarded national unity, and struggled with a clear-cut stand against the forces of ethnic separatism,” Mr. Xi said.

Despite Mr. Wang’s recent troubles, the announcement on Saturday still appeared to catch many residents of Urumqi off guard.

“Even some government staff were surprised,” said a Chinese journalist based there.

Last week, Chinese leaders decided at a meeting overseen by Hu Jintao, the Chinese president, to speed up the economic development of Xinjiang, an oil-rich region of desert and mountains that is one-sixth of China, Xinhua reported. Chinese leaders also recently announced a similar drive in Tibetan regions. The policies show that Chinese leaders continue to believe that developing the economies of those two regions will help quell restive ethnic groups.

Mr. Wang’s successor, Mr. Zhang, has little experience dealing with ethnic unrest, but has helped manage aspects of China’s economic and infrastructure development, notably as communications minister from 2002 to 2005. Like Mr. Wang, he is believed to be supported by Mr. Hu, the president.

The policies adopted by Mr. Wang during his long tenure marginalized the language and culture of the Uighurs — a Turkic-speaking people who mostly practice Sunni Islam and are the largest ethnic group in Xinjiang — while encouraging migration to the region by the Han, who by official count make up 92 percent of the 1.3 billion people of China.

The greatest crisis under Mr. Wang’s watch erupted on July 5, 2009, when Uighurs went on a deadly rampage through the streets of Urumqi after security forces tried to put down a protest by Uighurs over perceived legal injustice. At least 197 people were killed and more than 1,700 were injured, most of them Han, according to government reports. Exile Uighur groups say an unknown number of Uighurs were killed and wounded by security forces.

Over the next few days, enraged Han roamed the streets with sticks, pipes and knives, seeking revenge. In interviews, some criticized the government for not preventing the initial violence; many also pointed out the absence of security forces in the hours after the rioting broke out.

The government cut off Internet access and cellphone text messaging, saying that such technologies had helped ignite the initial rioting. The government has only partially restored some of those services.

In early September, Mr. Wang became the direct target of popular resentment when tens of thousands of Han protesters marched through central Urumqi demanding that the government provide better security. Crowds surrounded the regional government headquarters and chanted, “Wang Lequan, step down!”

The protesters were outraged over widespread talk that Uighurs were stabbing Han with needles infected with H.I.V. There was no independent confirmation of the attacks, and the government kept a blackout for weeks on any information, contributing to the paranoia.

The Chinese journalist, who requested anonymity to speak on a delicate subject, said removing Mr. Wang before the first anniversary of the riots was “very smart.”

“The central government,” the journalist said, “has to remove this chip on the people’s shoulder before July 5.”

North Korea Appears to Tap Leader’s Son as Enigmatic Heir

North Korea’s government appears to be trying to build a personality cult around Kim Jong-un, the youngest son of Kim Jong-il.

Tensions Rise Between the Koreas as Ship Is Raised

South Korea salvaged the remaining half of a warship that sank near a sea border with North Korea, as suspicion of a North Korean torpedo attack deepened.



*****
陳致中怒控國防部洩密 【09:57】

〔記者洪定宏/高雄報導〕前總統陳水扁之子陳致中今(25)日上午準時到左營海軍基地參加同心22號演習,但他在文康哨前接受媒體採訪時,滿臉不爽地說,「演習視同作戰,國防部公開日期及地點,就是洩密﹗」
國防部昨天宣稱,因為有媒體詢問,故召開記者會說明,但此舉被高雄市兵役處長趙文男痛批「不厚道」、未保護個人隱私,強調陳致中在第一時間否認,就是維護國防機密。
陳致中為海軍軍法官義務役少尉退伍,因戶籍遷到高雄市,故就近在左營海軍基地的莊敬營區接受2天1夜的教育召集,由海軍左營後勤支援指揮部承辦。
但宋姓後備軍人投訴說,召集令註明的報到地點是「左營區成功路一號」,但根本沒有這個地址,他7點從苓雅區的住處出門,在左營海軍基地外圍問了很久,8點多才找到。
同樣讓媒體不滿的是,堵在海軍左支部宣稱的左營舊火車站及左營公車南站2處報到地點,卻不見陳致中人影,驚呼「被騙了,中了海軍的調虎離山之計」。

Chinese Military Seeks to Extend Its Naval Power

Chinese Military Seeks to Extend Its Naval Power

Bullit Marquez/Associated Press

The strategy reflects China’s growing sense of self-confidence and increasing willingness to assert its interests abroad.

YALONG BAY, China — The Chinese military is seeking to project naval power well beyond the Chinese coast, from the oil ports of the Middle East to the shipping lanes of the Pacific, where the United States Navy has long reigned as the dominant force, military officials and analysts say.

China calls the new strategy “far sea defense,” and the speed with which it is building long-range capabilities has surprised foreign military officials.

The strategy is a sharp break from the traditional, narrower doctrine of preparing for war over the self-governing island of Taiwan or defending the Chinese coast. Now, Chinese admirals say they want warships to escort commercial vessels that are crucial to the country’s economy, from as far as the Persian Gulf to the Strait of Malacca, in Southeast Asia, and to help secure Chinese interests in the resource-rich South and East China Seas.

In late March, two Chinese warships docked in Abu Dhabi, the first time the modern Chinese Navy made a port visit in the Middle East.

The overall plan reflects China’s growing sense of self-confidence and increasing willingness to assert its interests abroad. China’s naval ambitions are being felt, too, in recent muscle flexing with the United States: in March, Chinese officials told senior American officials privately that China would brook no foreign interference in its territorial issues in the South China Sea, said a senior American official involved in China policy.

The naval expansion will not make China a serious rival to American naval hegemony in the near future, and there are few indications that China has aggressive intentions toward the United States or other countries.

But China, now the world’s leading exporter and a giant buyer of oil and other natural resources, is also no longer content to trust the security of sea lanes to the Americans, and its definition of its own core interests has expanded along with its economic clout.

In late March, Adm. Robert F. Willard, the leader of the United States Pacific Command, said in Congressional testimony that recent Chinese military developments were “pretty dramatic.” China has tested long-range ballistic missiles that could be used against aircraft carriers, he said. After years of denials, Chinese officials have confirmed that they intend to deploy an aircraft carrier group within a few years.

China is also developing a sophisticated submarine fleet that could try to prevent foreign naval vessels from entering its strategic waters if a conflict erupted in the region, said Admiral Willard and military analysts.

“Of particular concern is that elements of China’s military modernization appear designed to challenge our freedom of action in the region,” the admiral said.

Yalong Bay, on the southern coast of Hainan island in the South China Sea, is the site of five-star beach resorts just west of a new underground submarine base. The base allows submarines to reach deep water within 20 minutes and roam the South China Sea, which has some of the world’s busiest shipping lanes and areas rich in oil and natural gas that are the focus of territorial disputes between China and other Asian nations.

That has caused concern not only among American commanders, but also among officials in Southeast Asian nations, which have been quietly acquiring more submarines, missiles and other weapons. “Regional officials have been surprised,” said Huang Jing, a scholar of the Chinese military at the National University of Singapore. “We were in a blinded situation. We thought the Chinese military was 20 years behind us, but we suddenly realized China is catching up.”

China is also pressing the United States to heed its claims in the region. In March, Chinese officials told two visiting senior Obama administration officials, Jeffrey A. Bader and James B. Steinberg, that China would not tolerate any interference in the South China Sea, now part of China’s “core interest” of sovereignty, said an American official involved in China policy. It was the first time the Chinese labeled the South China Sea a core interest, on par with Taiwan and Tibet, the official said.

Another element of the Chinese Navy’s new strategy is to extend its operational reach beyond the South China Sea and the Philippines to what is known as the “second island chain” — rocks and atolls out in the Pacific, the official said. That zone significantly overlaps the United States Navy’s area of supremacy.

Japan is anxious, too. Its defense minister, Toshimi Kitazawa, said in mid-April that two Chinese submarines and eight destroyers were spotted on April 10 heading between two Japanese islands en route to the Pacific, the first time such a large Chinese flotilla had been seen so close to Japan. When two Japanese destroyers began following the Chinese ships, a Chinese helicopter flew within 300 feet of one of the destroyers, the Japanese Defense Ministry said.

Since December 2008, China has maintained three ships in the Gulf of Aden to contribute to international antipiracy patrols, the first deployment of the Chinese Navy beyond the Pacific. The mission allows China to improve its navy’s long-range capabilities, analysts say.

A 2009 Pentagon report estimated Chinese naval forces at 260 vessels, including 75 “principal combatants” — major warships — and more than 60 submarines. The report noted the building of an aircraft carrier, and said China “continues to show interest” in acquiring carrier-borne jet fighters from Russia. The United States Navy has 286 battle-force ships and 3,700 naval aircraft, though ship for ship the American Navy is considered qualitatively superior to the Chinese Navy.

The Pentagon does not classify China as an enemy force. But partly in reaction to China’s growth, the United States has recently transferred submarines from the Atlantic to the Pacific so that most of its nuclear-powered attack submarines are now in the Pacific, said Bernard D. Cole, a former American naval officer and a professor at the National War College in Washington.

The United States has also begun rotating three to four submarines on deployments out of Guam, reviving a practice that had ended with the cold war, Mr. Cole said.

American vessels now frequently survey the submarine base at Hainan island, and that activity leads to occasional friction with Chinese ships. A survey mission last year by an American naval ship, the Impeccable, resulted in what Pentagon officials said was harassment by Chinese fishing vessels; the Chinese government said it had the right to block surveillance in those waters because they are an “exclusive economic zone” of China.

The United States and China have clashing definitions of such zones, defined by a United Nations convention as waters within 200 nautical miles of a coast. The United States says international law allows a coastal country to retain only special commercial rights in the zones, while China contends the country can control virtually any activity within them.

Military leaders here maintain that the Chinese Navy is purely a self-defense force. But the definition of self-defense has expanded to encompass broad maritime and economic interests, two Chinese admirals contended in March.

“With our naval strategy changing now, we are going from coastal defense to far sea defense,” Rear Adm. Zhang Huachen, deputy commander of the East Sea Fleet, said in an interview with Xinhua, the state news agency.

“With the expansion of the country’s economic interests, the navy wants to better protect the country’s transportation routes and the safety of our major sea lanes,” he added. “In order to achieve this, the Chinese Navy needs to develop along the lines of bigger vessels and with more comprehensive capabilities.”

The navy gets more than one-third of the overall Chinese military budget, “reflecting the priority Beijing currently places on the navy as an instrument of national security,” Mr. Cole said. China’s official military budget for 2010 is $78 billion, but the Pentagon says China spends much more than that amount. Last year, the Pentagon estimated total Chinese military spending at $105 billion to $150 billion, still much less than what the United States spends on defense. For comparison, the Obama administration proposed $548.9 billion as the Pentagon’s base operating budget for next year.

The Chinese Navy’s most impressive growth has been in its submarine fleet, said Mr. Huang, the scholar in Singapore. It recently built at least two Jin-class submarines, the first regularly active ones in the fleet with ballistic missile capabilities, and two more are under construction. Two Shang-class nuclear-powered attack submarines recently entered service.

Countries in the region have responded with their own acquisitions, said Carlyle A. Thayer, a professor at the Australian Defense Force Academy. In December, Vietnam signed an arms deal with Russia that included six Kilo-class submarines, which would give Vietnam the most formidable submarine fleet in Southeast Asia. Last year, Malaysia took delivery of its first submarine, one of two ordered from France, and Singapore began operating one of two Archer-class submarines bought from Sweden.

Last fall, during a speech in Washington, Lee Kuan Yew, the former Singaporean leader, reflected widespread anxieties when he noted China’s naval rise and urged the United States to maintain its regional presence. “U.S. core interest requires that it remains the superior power on the Pacific,” he said. “To give up this position would diminish America’s role throughout the world.”

Thom Shanker contributed reporting from Washington.

Okinawa base/ Indian Tech Firms/Japan Audit Quality

Japan moves to settle dispute with U.S. over Okinawa base relocation






Indian Tech Firms Bet Big on Rebound India's top technology companies, recovering from the effects of the global economic slowdown, are betting on expected high outsourcing business volumes to offset the impact of recent hefty wage increases on margins.


*****

Audit Quality and Auditor Reputation: Evidence from Japan

Published:April 22, 2010
Paper Released:March 2010
Authors:Douglas J. Skinner and Suraj Srinivasan

Executive Summary:

High-quality external auditing is a central component of sound corporate governance, yet what determines audit quality? Douglas J. Skinner, of the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, and Suraj Srinivasan, of Harvard Business School, study the Japanese audit market, where recent events provide a powerful setting for investigating the effect of auditor reputation on audit quality absent litigation effects. Specifically, Skinner and Srinivasan analyze events surrounding the collapse of ChuoAoyama, the PricewaterhouseCoopers affiliate in Japan that was implicated in a massive accounting fraud at Kanebo, a large Japanese cosmetics company. Taken as a whole, the researchers' evidence provides support for the view that auditor reputation is important in an economy where the legal system does not provide incentives for auditors to deliver quality. Key concepts include:

  • Auditors' reputation for delivering quality is extremely important. A substantial number of clients dropped ChuoAoyama as the extent of its audit quality problems became apparent, but before it became clear that the firm would be forced out of business.
  • The events at ChuoAoyama and particularly the decision by the Japanese Financial Services Agency (FSA) to suspend the firm's operations can be seen as a watershed event in Japanese audit practice. The FSA used these events to send a message to the Japanese auditing community that the old ways of doing business would no longer be tolerated, and that it was serious about reforming audit practice.

Abstract

We study events surrounding ChuoAoyama's failed audit of Kanebo, a large Japanese cosmetics company whose management engaged in a massive accounting fraud. ChuoAoyama was PwC's Japanese affiliate and one of Japan's "Big Four" audit firms. In May 2006, the Japanese Financial Services Agency (FSA) suspended ChuoAoyama's operations for two months as punishment for its role in the accounting fraud at Kanebo. This action was unprecedented, and followed a sequence of events that seriously damaged ChuoAoyama's reputation for audit quality. We use these events to provide evidence on the importance of auditors' reputation for audit quality in a setting where litigation plays essentially no role. We find that ChuoAoyama's audit clients switched away from the firm as questions about its audit quality became more pronounced but before it was clear that the firm would be wound up, consistent with the importance of auditors' reputation for delivering quality. 58 pages.

Paper Information

2010年4月23日 星期五

台法文化獎


「台法文化獎」

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第12屆台法文化獎得獎者「倫敦大學亞非學院台灣文化研究中心」主任Robert Ash致詞

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文建會黃碧端主委頒獎給第12屆台法文化獎得主賈拉杜

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第12屆台法文化獎頒獎會場之一

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第12屆台法文化獎頒獎會場之二

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第12屆台法文化獎頒獎會場之三

台 灣的政治民主自由及社會經濟之高度發展成就廣得世界稱譽,惟台灣在國際上之相對位階開拓,迫於當前國際情勢,仍有所侷限。行政院文建會藉由駐外單位之管 道,如歐洲窗口之巴黎台灣文化中心,經由其多年的文化推廣經驗積累,確認「文化」各種形式的促進發展,此「軟實權」之推動,台灣在國際社會的能見度亦有積 極正面之助益。而其中一種呈現的形式即是「台法文化獎」,由文建會於1996年與法國最高學術機構法蘭西學院所屬之人文政治科學院共同簽署成立,其目標是 鼓勵歐洲人士研究台灣文化,進而加強台灣與歐洲雙邊優質的文化交流與國際關係。

「台 法文化獎」授獎對象為對於台灣文化有關之科學、文學或藝術有特殊貢獻之人士、團體或公私立機構,每屆得獎者係由台、法雙方共同組成之評審委員會遴選,委員 會之成員:人文政治科學院院長及終身秘書為當然成員,行政院文建會選派3位代表,人文政治科學院選派3位代表,合計8人。評審會議由人文政治科學院終身秘 書及行政院文建會代表團團長共同主持,而人文政治科學院終身秘書為評審委員會對外行使權力代表。評審委員會所票選之得獎人選,則需獲得至少三分之二以上票 數通過。

「台法文化獎」於1996年設立後陸續選出相當優 秀傑出之相關德高望重、治學嚴謹之學者與機構,其中第七屆得主巴黎法亞中心,將獎金提供給5位台灣留法學生作為獎學金;第八屆得主法國世界文化館,將獎金 運用於邀請廖文和布袋戲團、漢唐樂府與鍾雲輝客家八音團等三個台灣團隊,他們於2005年3月受邀至法國參加其第九屆「想像藝術節」活動...。為擴大本 獎效益,2005年9月21日台法代表簽署台法文化獎新協議書,除延續辦理本獎外,並將受獎人範圍擴大至歐盟國家、瑞士聯盟、烏克蘭及台灣等地。共設置兩 個獎項,獎金各為25,000歐元。

「台法文化獎」於 1996年舉辦第一屆,本(2008)年邁入第十三屆,先後已頒獎給法國東方語文學院、法國遠東學院、利氏學社、法蘭西學術院高級漢學研究所、漢學家雷威 安、巴黎外方傳教會、巴黎法亞中心、法國世界文化館、普羅旺斯大學東南亞研究學院副主任白尚德女士與法國國家科學研究中心研究組主任高敬文先生、 Francois MENGIN以及台灣法語教師協會、資深表演藝術家班任旅。本年10月27日將在法蘭西學院大廳頒發第12屆台法文化獎予倫敦大學亞非學院台灣文化研究中 心及法國南特三洲影展總監賈拉杜先生。

回顧辦理十四年來的 「台法文化獎」,每屆評審委員會始終本著初衷,或是獎勵透過學術研究、藝術推動來提高台灣文化在法國、歐洲能見度之成績卓著的團體或個人,亦是鼓舞耕耘於 台法、台歐藝術文化之交流與計畫典範。文建會與法蘭西人文政治科學院也總是期待「台法文化獎」在頒發給實至名歸的得獎人之際,能夠持續激勵台灣與法國,甚 至在歐盟各國間更廣闊與多面向之文化合作,冀盼國際友人更深度體認台灣此一優質的國際夥伴。﹙文/圖:文建會駐法國代表處台灣文化中心﹚





 

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台法文化獎頒獎典禮今天在法蘭西學院(FrenchAcademy)舉行,由法蘭西學院人文和政治科學院終身秘書艾柏特(Michel Albert)、學院主席梅納爾(Jean Mesnard)及盛治仁共同主持。

得獎人之一的費弗爾達西耶(Bernard Faivred'Arcier)目前擔任里昂雙年展暨麥次公共文化合作機構(EPCC Metz-en-Scenes)主席及諾曼第秋季藝術節藝術顧問。他在擔任亞維農藝術節藝術總監期間,在1998年促成台灣成為藝術節主題國,邀請8個藝 文表演團體,總數超過200名台灣藝術家到亞維農演出。登上亞維農的舞台,增加國際能見度後,其他藝術節接連邀請台灣表演團隊。

費弗爾達西耶受獎後致答謝詞時表示,他不是第1個邀請台灣表演團隊的人,在亞維農藝術節之前,諸如世界文化館前館長Chrif Khaznad及巴黎夏日藝術節總監馬蒂內(Patrice Martinet)都已經邀請過台灣團隊。

他指出,亞維農藝術節在1998年大規模邀請台灣團隊,期望在傳統和創新兩個軸線上對比歐洲和亞洲。而後促成台灣團隊連續受邀到歐洲演出,如里昂雙年舞蹈 節總監達梅(Guy Darmet)在2000年邀請5個台灣團隊;導演漢雷柏(Lukas Hemleb)2006年與漢唐樂府的合作「洛神賦」等。另外,諾曼第秋季藝術節今年有意邀請兩廳院製作的大戲「鄭和1433」。

另1 名得獎人吉耶斯(Jacques Gies)代表居美東方博物館領獎。吉耶斯曾擔任策展人促成台北故宮博物院藏品赴法展出,居美博物館藏品也多次借展台北歷史博物館。他出任館長後,推動當代藝術走進博物館,即邀請台灣藝術家彭弘智的作品進入居美博物館展出。

他致詞時回溯多年來與台灣博物館和大學間的文化和學術交流合作,同時指出目前正與台灣進行商談計畫案,包括策劃2012年推出台灣中國書畫大展;另外,還有敦煌文物交流及與故宮南院洽談的柬埔寨文物展。

盛治仁以「現代馬可波羅」稱呼文化獎得獎者。他表示,歷屆台法文化獎得獎人提高台灣文化在歐洲的能見度,他們都是「搭橋者」。

兩名得獎人分別獲得2萬5000歐元(約新台幣107萬元)獎金。990412

2010年4月22日 星期四

不義之島國

稅制破網 台灣淪為不義之島

作者:賀桂芬  出處:天下雜誌 445期 2010/04

台灣的財政,已是八年來最糟,而減稅大筆仍揮不停,利富政策給不停。「台灣是個不義之島。」一個中產階級的心聲,和《天下》稅改民調,都反映出受薪階級的憤怒。減稅真可救經濟?過去二十年來,從沒發生過。這種說法,諾貝爾經濟學獎得主克魯曼直指「愚蠢、不誠實」。

五月一日,台灣九百萬勞工過節。五月一日,也是報稅的第一天。在台灣,稅與勞工,這兩者的關係令人格外不悅,很多數字足資佐證。這些數字都不是新聞,但過去兩年,情況更糟了。

在台灣,九百萬勞工,負擔全國七二%的所得稅(見表一),比美國的薪水階級苦命很多,他們只負擔國家所得稅的五六%。富國俱樂部OECD的薪水階級,平均更只負擔四九%的所得稅。

在台灣,有七百五十四萬戶家庭,但只有五百三十八萬戶繳稅,至少二九%沒繳稅。「這裡面有很多是高所得者,這些人現在已經一個月只繳六百塊健保費,將來用家戶繳健保,那這三分之一是不是不用繳健保?」一位前中央財金政務官說。

二十年前,美國《新聞週刊》稱台灣是「貪婪之島」。在台北縣新店遠東工業園區一家電子散熱器廠做業務的劉志允說:「要我說,我會說,現在的台灣,是個不義之島。」

玩錢的人不必繳稅?

劉志允和太太八萬多薪水,房貸車貸健保勞保、學費家用、牌照稅燃料稅房屋稅地價稅所得稅繳一繳,所剩無幾。「我連我家門口賣麵線不用繳稅的攤販都不 如,更別說在股市殺進殺出的中實戶、和坐擁土地資產的田僑仔,」尤其這幾年的低利率環境,造就房市、股市吹泡泡,很多人的財富快速膨脹,「這些人的所得, 全都不用繳稅,這公平嗎?」他氣憤地說。

「台灣真正的有錢人,都不是檯面上你看到的這些人,而是住在像帝寶那種地方很多默默無名的人,」前財金官員指出。財政部只公布過一次的資料顯示,五年前,台灣最有錢的四十名巨富,有八人一毛稅都不用繳,十七人平均只繳一%的稅。

1234567


Japan Tries to Face Up to Growing Poverty Problem


MEMURO, Japan — Satomi Sato, a 51-year-old widow, knew she had it tough, raising a teenage daughter on the less than $17,000 a year she earned from two jobs. Still, she was surprised last autumn when the government announced for the first time an official poverty line — and she was below it.

Ko Sasaki for The New York Times

Satomi Sato works mornings making boxed lunches. She said her family’s difficulties began in the late 1990s, when the economic slide worsened on the island of Hokkaido, as it did across much of rural Japan.

Related

Ko Sasaki for The New York Times

Satomi Sato, a 51-year-old widow, delivering newspapers, one of her two jobs. She is raising a teenage daughter on less than $17,000 a year.

“I don’t want to use the word poverty, but I’m definitely poor,” said Ms. Sato, who works mornings making boxed lunches and afternoons delivering newspapers. “Poverty is still a very unfamiliar word in Japan.”

After years of economic stagnation and widening income disparities, this once proudly egalitarian nation is belatedly waking up to the fact that it has a large and growing number of poor people. The Labor Ministry’s disclosure in October that almost one in six Japanese, or 20 million people, lived in poverty in 2007 stunned the nation and ignited a debate over possible remedies that has raged ever since.

Many Japanese, who cling to the popular myth that their nation is uniformly middle class, were further shocked to see that Japan’s poverty rate, at 15.7 percent, was close to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development’s figure of 17.1 percent in the United States, whose glaring social inequalities have long been viewed with scorn and pity here.

But perhaps just as surprising was the government’s admission that it had been keeping poverty statistics secretly since 1998 while denying there was a problem, despite occasional anecdotal evidence to the contrary. That ended when a left-leaning government led by Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama replaced the long-governing Liberal Democratic Party last summer with a pledge to force Japan’s legendarily secretive bureaucrats to be more open, particularly about social problems, government officials and poverty experts said.

“The government knew about the poverty problem, but was hiding it,” said Makoto Yuasa, head of the nonprofit Antipoverty Network. “It was afraid to face reality.”

Following an internationally recognized formula, the ministry set the poverty line at about $22,000 a year for a family of four, half of Japan’s median household income. Researchers estimate that Japan’s poverty rate has doubled since the nation’s real estate and stock markets collapsed in the early 1990s, ushering in two decades of income stagnation and even decline.

The ministry’s announcement helped expose a problem that social workers say is easily overlooked in relatively homogenous Japan, which does not have the high crime rates, urban decay and stark racial divisions of the United States. Experts and social workers say Japan’s poor can be deceptively hard to spot because they try hard to keep up the appearance of middle class comfort.

Few impoverished Japanese seem willing to admit their plight for fear of being stigmatized. While just over half of Japan’s single mothers, like Ms. Sato, are poor — roughly in line with the ratio in the United States — she and her daughter, Mayu, 17, take pains to hide their neediness. They outwardly smile, she said, but “cry on the inside” when friends or relatives talk about vacations, a luxury they cannot afford.

“Saying we’re poor would draw attention, so I’d rather hide it,” said Ms. Sato, who lives in a blocklike public housing project in this small city surrounded by flat, treeless farmland reminiscent of the American Midwest.

She said she had little money even before her husband, a construction machine operator, died of lung cancer three years ago. She said her family’s difficulties began in the late 1990s, when the economic slide worsened here on the northern island of Hokkaido, as it did in much of rural Japan.

Even with two jobs, she says she cannot afford to see a doctor or buy medicine to treat a growing host of health complaints, including sore joints and dizziness. When her daughter needed $700 to buy school uniforms on entering high school last year, a common requirement here, she saved for it by cutting back to two meals a day.

Poverty experts call Ms. Sato’s case typical. They say more than 80 percent of those living in poverty in Japan are part of the so-called working poor, holding low-wage, temporary jobs with no security and few benefits. They usually have enough money to eat, but not to take part in normal activities, like eating out with friends or seeing a movie.

“Poverty in a prosperous society usually does not mean living in rags on a dirt floor,” said Masami Iwata, a social welfare professor at Japan Women’s University in Tokyo. “These are people with cellphones and cars, but they are cut off from the rest of society.”

Years of deregulation of the labor market and competition with low-wage China have brought a proliferation of such low-paying jobs in Japan, economists say. Compounding matters is the fact that these jobs are largely uncovered by an outdated social safety net, created decades ago as a last resort in an era when most men could expect lifetime jobs.

This has opened up a huge crack through which millions of Japanese have fallen. One was Masami Yokoyama, 60, who lost his lifetime job a decade ago as he struggled with depression after a divorce. He held a series of increasingly low-paying jobs until three years ago, when he ended up homeless on Tokyo’s streets.

Still, city welfare officials rejected his application three times because he was still an able-bodied male. “Once you slip in Japan, there is no one to catch your fall,” said Mr. Yokoyama, who finally got limited government aid and found part-time work as a night watchman.

Gaining wide attention here are statistics showing that one in seven children lives in poverty, one reason the new government has pledged to offer monthly payments of $270 per child and to cut the cost of high school education.

Still, social workers say they fear that the poor will not be able to pay for cram schools and other expenses to enable their children to compete in Japan’s high-pressure education system, consigning them to a permanent cycle of low-wage work.

“We are at risk of creating a chronic underclass,” said Toshihiko Kudo, a board member of Ashinaga, a nonprofit group based in Tokyo that helps poor children and orphans.

Ms. Sato expressed similar fears for her daughter, Mayu. Mayu wants to go to a vocational school to become a voice actress for animation, but Ms. Sato said she could not afford the $10,000 annual tuition.

Still, she remains outwardly upbeat, if resigned. She said her biggest challenge was having no one to talk to. While she said she was sure that many other families faced a similar plight in this small city, their refusal to admit their poverty made it impossible to find them.

“In bed at night, I think: ‘How did I fall so far? How did I get so isolated?’ ” Ms. Sato said. “But usually, I try not to think about it.”