http://photoblog.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/10/22/14616767-shooting-fake-japanese-soldiers-or-dressing-up-as-them-is-part-of-the-fun-at-chinese-theme-park?lite
Shooting fake Japanese soldiers (or dressing up as them) is part of the fun at Chinese theme park
Visitors use toy weapons to shoot pictures of Japanese soldiers at a theme park in Wuxiang, Shanxi province, China, on Oct. 20.
Visitors at two Chinese theme parks can participate in performances (complete with actors and professional sound and lighting effects) where they can role play as soldiers from the Japanese army or the Chinese Eighth Route Army, one of the main military forces of the Communist Party during the Second Sino-Japanese War. The parks, located near the former headquarters of the Eighth Route Army, cost the local Wuxiang government around $80 million to construct.
Tensions between China and Japan have escalated in recent months over disputed islands in the East China Sea and anti-Japanese sentiment is on the rise in China.
A woman dressed as a Japanese soldier runs along a trench during a live-action role-playing game at a theme park in China.
A boy dressed as a Japanese soldier pretends to shoot.
Actors dressed as Japanese soldiers pretend to shoot a man dressed as a plainclothes Eighth Route Army soldier during a performance at the Eighth Route Army Culture Park in Wuxiang, Shanxi province, on Oct. 20.
Actors dressed as Japanese military soldiers and Chinese villagers perform during a show at the Eighth Route Army Culture Park.
http://ftalphaville.ft.com/2012/10/24/1225901/china-flash-pmis-are-up-but-theres-a-catch/
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2012-10-22/spot-superpower-redux
The preliminary Chinese Markit manufacturing PMI — 49.1 for October — the best result in three months and a decent jump from September‘s final reading of 47.9. It’s still indicating contraction but is the relative improvement a sign that monetary easing is having an effect and/or stimulus is taking place?
The table which highlights the direction and rate of change shows that the inventories are subsiding and both input and output prices are rising, which is excellent news on the surplus inventories front and suggests demand might indeed actually be picking up. Although “backlogs of work” are also contracting — and faster. It’s a little too early to say manufacturing is really recovering.
More ominous is the line “Employment: Contraction, faster rate”. This trend began toshow up in July and it’s exactly what you (and the Chinese Communist Party) reallydon’t want employment to do…
Even Hongbin Qu, HSBC’s generally upbeat chief China economist, was concerned about the employment component:
October’s flash PMI reading continues to recover for the second month, thanks in part to a gradual improvement in the new orders index which picked up to a six-month high (albeit marginally below 50). This is helped by the filtering-through of the earlier easing measures. However, external challenges are still abound and the pressures on job market are lingering. This calls for a continuation of policy easing in the coming months to secure a firmer growth recovery.
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2012-10-22/spot-superpower-redux
Spot The Superpower - Redux
No, it is not a glitch in the matrix: we previously used the same title about a month ago when showing the relative imports of crude in the US vs China. This time the topic is slightly different, but the players are the same. The premise: "Japan, US call off joint drill to 'retake' disputed islands fearing backlash from China." At least it is now clear who calls the shots from not only a tactical (see China starts drilling for crude in a US-protected Afghanistanyesterday), but strategic standpoint as well.
From the New Orleans Sun:
Japan and the United States have decided to cancel a joint security drill to recapture a remote island in Okinawa Prefecture, according to sources.
Tokyo and Washington were considering holding the drill on the uninhabited island of Irisuna as part of joint military exercise slated for November.
Sources said that the drill could lead to a backlash from Beijing, which has reacted harshly to Japan's nationalization of the Senkaku Islands, which are also claimed by China and Taiwan.
According to the Japan Times, a government source said that the decision to skip the Irisuna recapturing drill 'reflects the opinion of the prime minister's office'.
Another reason was opposition from residents on Okinawa Island, about 60 km away, where sentiment against US bases has flared up following allegations that a Japanese woman was raped by U.S. sailors on Tuesday, the report said.According to the report, the sources said that in light of these factors, the Defense Ministry found it difficult to proceed with the exercise, although it is considering substitute drills.
Uncle Sam: making friends everywhere he goes. In other news, Chinese ships are returning to the vicinity of the contested Senkaku islands, having departed recently, but solely due to a now defunct typhoon.
and.......
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2012-10-23/china-flash-manufacturing-pmi-posts-modest-improvement-even-it-contracts-12-months-r
China Flash Manufacturing PMI Posts Modest Improvement Even As It Contracts For 12 Months In A Row
Those holding their breath that the PBOC will finally relent and join its "developed world" central planning colleagues in easing - something the tech companies of the world, not to mention everyone else, desperately needs - will have to do so for quite a bit longer (and today's earlier latest reverse repo was merely confirmation of this). The reason is that the just released HSBC Flash PMI for October, the first preliminary snapshot of Chinese data, posted a material rise from 47.9 to 49.1. Yes, this was the 12th consecutive print in sub-50 contraction territory in a row, but the direction is one which may give the economy and the people hope that things are getting better. They most certainly are not, but remember: in China every data point is massaged, manipulated, and then massaged some more before it is finally telegraphed to represent only what the Politburo wants it to say. And as a reminder, China, like the US, has elections (in quotes of course) in two weeks. As such neither the economy will tip the boat, nor the PBOC will drive more inflation at a time when everyone else is already easing. In other words:goldilocks goalseeked data... which for the monetarists was the worst possible outcome, as it means no new and free money.
A chart of HSBC vs Official PMI data:
From HSBC:
Output falls at slower pace in October
- Key points
- Flash China Manufacturing PMI™ at 49.1 (47.9 in September). Three-month high.
- Flash China Manufacturing Output Index at 48.4 (47.3 in September). Three-month high.
Data collected 12–22 October 2012.
The HSBC Flash China Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index™ (PMI™) is published on a monthly basis approximately one week before final PMI data are released, making the HSBC PMI the earliest available indicator of manufacturing sector operating conditions in China. The estimate is typically based on approximately 85%–90% of total PMI survey responses each month and is designed to provide an accurate indication of the final PMI data.
Commenting on the Flash China Manufacturing PMI survey, Hongbin Qu, Chief Economist, China & Co-Head of Asian Economic Research at HSBC said:
“October’s flash PMI reading continues to recover for the second month, thanks in part to a gradual improvement in the new orders index which picked up to a six-month high (albeit marginally below 50). This is helped by the filtering-through of the earlier easing measures. However, external challenges are still abound and the pressures on job market are lingering. This calls for a continuation of policy easing in the coming months to secure a firmer growth recovery.”
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