Courcy’s Intelligence Brief

*** China warns of resource shortages in north.  The Chinese Academy of Social Sciences issued a report on 19 March that highlighted resource shortages in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Province region, which has a population of 104m. 

Water is one of the main issues.  Per capita water resources for Beijing were 119 cubic metres in 2011, well below the accepted minimum of 1,000 cubic metres.  Tianjin and Hebei have similar problems. 

Garbage disposal was another problem highlighted in the report.  Beijing has a daily processing capacity of 12,700 tonnes but a requirement for at least 18,300 tonnes.   The population of the region is expected to grow to 112m by 2015.

*** Corruption biggest issue for Chinese public.  On 19 March, the official Xinhua news agency published an opinion poll conducted by the China Youth Daily which highlighted public support for anti-graft measures. 

In a survey of 8,205 people, 53% said that they were most interested in sessions on anti-graft issues at the just-closed National People’s Congress.  The second biggest concern, cited by 52.5% of respondents, is income distribution.  After that come food safety and price increases.

The poll is no doubt far from an impartial exercise and is intended to give support to new president Xi Jinping’s commitment to the NPC to “unswervingly fight against any negative and corruptive phenomenon”.  Nevertheless, it is probably a reasonably accurate reflection of people’s concerns. 

Less convincing is the poll’s finding that 88% of respondents were satisfied with the proposals and bills introduced by deputies to the NPC.

*** Commercial targets set for Xi’s trip to Russia.  China’s new president Xi Jinping will make his first foreign visit as president to Russia, from 22-24 March.  Trade between the two countries reached $88.16bn in 2012, an 11.2% annual increase. 

A spokesman for China’s Ministry of Commerce said on 19 March that it was realistic to expect two-way trade volumes to reach $100bn by 2015 and $200bn by 2020.