Author: westermann

A major challenge to China developing a modernized commercial airline industry is the lack of availability of commercial airline pilots in China. The profitability of this industry is being threatened by long delays due to a shortage of pilots. This is further compounded by the fact that the high speed railway system is beginning to… Continue reading China is trying to scoop up the world’s airline pilots to cope with its own shortfall →

On the eve of the Qingming Festival, the Chinese government is encouraging burials at sea. The Qingming Festival is one where people visited the graves of deceased relatives. The offer of free sea burials by the Chinese government is part of an effort to preserve land for more economically productive uses, rather than use it… Continue reading China Offers Freebies to Promote Burials at Sea →

Liu Han, former board chairman of the Sichuan Hanlong Group, was accused of running a mafia style operation in order to make colossal amounts of money. The Group is involved with mining, real estate, electricity, energy and finance. Han was charged with several crimes including, “murder, financial crimes, operating casinos and gun-running, according to state news… Continue reading Chinese mining tycoon Liu Han charged with murder, running ‘mafia-style’ gang →

According to recent gauging of Indian public opinion, the general attitude of the Indian people is greater sympathy with the United States than with China. “Indians were somewhat skeptical about their massive neighbor China, a country that more than half of Indians view as a major threat to the country. Roughly a third of the public has… Continue reading China or America? Indians pick U.S. →

The director of the China office of the United States Food and Drug Administration has said that the United States is increasing oversight of the production of certain pharmaceutical drugs in China. To accomplish this task, the office is increasing the number of investigators to monitor the drug production process. With the delay of visas… Continue reading US to bolster inspections of China drug production facilities amid safety concerns →

President Obama’s leading diplomat for Asia, Daniel Russel has warned China to peacefully resolve territory conflicts with its neighbors. The warning comes in the wake of Russia’s annexation of Crimea. The threat that America poses to China for not complying with this request is mainly economic retaliation. Given the interdependence of the Chinese and American… Continue reading U.S. warns China not to attempt Crimea-style action →

The monthly minimum wage will increase by about 12% in Beijing, Shanghai and Tianjin. This increase in minimum wage is part of a government push to increase domestic consumer demand, the theory being that higher wages for local workers will increase consumption spending. “wages will increase the most in Shanghai by 12.3 percent to 1,820… Continue reading China raises minimum wage in Beijing, Shanghai, Tianjin →

Around 1,700 couples in Shanghai have received approval for a second child. This occurrence comes after Shanghai recently relaxed the one child policy on March 1st of this year. The requirement for the second child approval in this case is that at least one of the spouses in the relationship must be an only child.… Continue reading Shanghai couples Receive Second-child Approval →

The Philippines are challenging China before a court at the Hague claiming that China’s “nine-dash-line” is not legitimate. The nine-dash-line is a U-shaped boundary dividing Chinese and Philippine naval territory. The dispute has been marked by episodes of encroaching on the boundary by both Chinese and Philippine vessels. The Philippine foreign minister argued that China’s… Continue reading Philippines sues China over sea claims →