Foacus

Hu Jintao Congratulates Ma Ying-Jeou on His Election

Ma Ying-jeou was elected chairman of the Kuomintang (KMT) on July 26. On the following morning, Hu Jintao, general secretary of the Chinese Communist Party Central Committee, cabled his best wishes to Ma, expressing the hope both parties “continue to promote the peaceful development of cross-Strait relations and mutual trust in political affairs, for the well-being of compatriots on both sides and the realization of a great renaissance of the Chinese nation.” Ma replied with thanks. Public opinion regards Ma’s election good news for furthering those ends.

Olympic’s Material Heritage Auctioned

Since the Beijing Olympics concluded a year ago, China has held 25 auctions for over 700,000 items used during the Games, including furniture, home appliances, cars, and the fou used to drum open the Games. The Beijing organizing committee (BOCOG) has received RMB189 million in cash through the auctions, achieving an asset appreciation rate of 260 percent. China Beijing Equity Exchange (CBEX), entrusted by the BOCOG to run the auctions, will be holding others for enterprises or individuals who would like to put their Olympic collections on the block.

High Obesity Rate Coexists with Severe Malnutrition

Of the world’s 155 million overweight children, one in every 13 lives in China. According to a 2009 report regarding Chinese children’s nutrition and health, the country has over 12 million children beset with obesity, most of them in cities. The report reveals that fat provides 35.9 percent of energy for children, while the suggested upper limit by Chinese Nutrition Society is 30 percent. The main reasons for super-sized kids appear to be lack of breakfast, excessive Western-style fast food, and inadequate exercise.

Bizarrely, the malnutrition rate is also unusually high. A study on kids aged 6 and under in ten cities, conducted by the Chinese Children’s Center, found that 10.6 percent of that age-group suffer from malnutrition, 5.36 percent from severe malnutrition, and 3.83 percent are actually experiencing growth retardation.

New Chief Executive Prescribes a Policy of Moderate Diversity

Chui Sai On won the election for chief executive of Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) on July 26 and will take office on December 20. Chui said he would continue with the current gaming policy for Macao’s economic development, while stimulating non-lottery entertainment and other potential industries. The aim remains to move towards a moderately diversified economy.

However, experts are not optimistic about his plan. Thus far, 80 percent of Macao’s revenues come from lottery and tourism activity, creating a fragile and dependent economy. Macao has been experiencing negative growth since the last quarter of 2008, a situation which poses a challenge to the new chief executive.

Born in Macao in 1957, Chui graduated from California State University at Sacramento with a Bachelor of Arts (Honors) in Community Health. He then obtained a Master’s and Doctorate of Public Health at the School of Public Health, University of Oklahoma. He has served as the Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture since the Macao SAR was established in 1999.