Highlights

Judging Mao as a Man
By Prof. Mao Yushi

Mao Zedong was once a god. Today, however, with the uncovering of more and more documents and information, he has gradually been returned to the form of a flesh and blood human being. Still, some still view him as a god, and view any critical discussion of him as blasphemous. To say that he made mistakes is still viewed as impermissible. To these people, we will never be able to analyze Chairman Mao, never directly face his legacy, and never question his spirit. They will never see the Mao Zedong who was unable to control his drooling, the Mao Zedong who was unable to speak clearly, the Mao Zedong who required the assistance of others to get into his car, and the Mao Zedong who was consistently bedridden owing to his thin and weak legs. Fortunately, owing to the publication of new materials, the average person is able to form a new impression of Chairman Mao. He was a mere mortal, and although his intellect was formidable, he struggled with the same limitations we all do. He was unable to break free from the natural constraints of existence, and the superstition that now surrounds him is gradually disappearing.

For more details:
http://english.unirule.org.cn/Html/UniruleIdeas/20110712134446340.html

Current Events

Low-Income Housing System Report Released

The Unirule Institute of Economics released its research report on its Low-Income Housing System Research Project in Beijing on June 28th, 2011. The report’s main finding was that the current housing security system increased rather than reduced social unfairness, and certain adjustments should be made to its top level design so that migrant workers in cities could be brought into the target scope of affordable housing system. Moreover, self-built housing by enterprises should be prohibited.

Mr. Zhao Xu, the Director of the CCPPP of Unirule, said that low-income housing should be supplied to low and medium-income groups in cities, rather than being supplied to medium and high income groups. Prof. Mao Yushi, the president of Unirule, said that it's rather unfair that the migrant workers have the greatest difficulty obtatining housing, yet housing security is merely provided to citizens with permanent urban residence certificate.

News

Prof. Feng Xingyuan Attended Caixin Roundtable—Chinese SME Financing: A Closer Look
At the invitation of Caixin Media, Prof. Feng Xingyuan attended and delivered a keynote speech entitled "the Influence of the Emerging Small-sum Loan Business on Private Capital: Integration or Competition?" on the Caixin Roundtable—Chinese SME Financing: A Closer Look in Hangzhou on June 28th, 2011. According to Prof. Feng Xingyuan, rural financial reform and the entry into WTO are the two highlights in China's recent ten-year economic reforms, and the emergence of small-sum loan companies and other new rural financial institutions is changing China's rural financial layout. Small-sum loan companies add new channels for private capital to enter the financial market. By the end of March 2011, there were 3,027 micro-lending companies in total in China with total outstanding loans of 240.8 billion RMB. At present, small-sum loan companies are witnessing fast growth. Political control over micro-lending companies should be further loosened, and policy support for them be strengthened.

Prof. Mao Yushi Attended the World Green Forum
Prof. Mao Yushi attended and gave a brief speech entitled "Green Economy and Social Fairness" at the World Green Forum which was held on May 27th, 2011, in Hong Kong. He proposed the third dimension of evaluation besides economy and environment, that is, social fairness. Some projects are both beneficial to economy and environment, yet are harmful to social fairness. Therefore, it's hard to say if such projects are good or bad. Over thirty official representatives from the Europe, Canada, Australia, and other countries attended the forum. The World Green Forum has its fixed office in Hong Kong and mainly tackles green issues of the Europe and mainland China.

Prof. Feng Xingyuan Attended EADN Annual Conference
Prof. Feng Xingyuan attended and delivered a speech on research methods of Chinese local finance and village finance at the East Asian Development Network Annual Conference by invitation on May 24th and 25th, 2011. The East Asian Development Network is a network of research institutes, centers and think-tanks in developing countries in East Asia aimed at research capacity building and research policy networking. It delivers large amounts of research project tendering information to East Asian countries each year and releases the research results of the successful bidding projects and latest successful bidding information on its annual conferences.

Prof. Mao Yushi Attended the Launching Ceremony of the Collection of Yi Zhongtian
Prof. Mao Yushi attended the Launching Ceremony of the Collection of Yi Zhongtian on May 22nd, 2011, in Majestic Mansion. Over 30 people attended the ceremony, including Zhang Sizhi, Jiang Ping, Wu Jinglian, Zi zhongjun, Ye Fu, Liu Daoyu, He Weifang, Feng Lun, Yu Jianrong, Wu Si, Hu Deping, Tao Siliang, Ma Licheng, Zhang Ming, He Di, Qin Xiao, Yang Dongping, Deng Xiaomang, etc. The collection includes 16 volumes with over 5 million Chinese characters, and was published by Shanghai Art and Literature Publishing House.

Prof. Mao Yushi Listed in Cambridge List of the Most Distinguished Chinese People
Prof. Mao Yushi was listed in the Cambridge List of the Most Distinguished Chinese People in the World and attended the awards ceremony held at the Beijing Broadcasting Tower of Beijing People's Broadcasting Corporation on May 21st, 2011. Over five hundred people attended the awards ceremony. Prof. Mao Yushi was once included in Dictionary of International Biography, Cambridge in 1995.

Prof. Sheng Hong Attended the Second Forum on Overall Planning of Urban-rural Development
Prof. Sheng Hong attended and gave a speech entitled "History and Nature of Rural Land Property Rights" on the Second Forum on Overall Planning of Urban-rural Development, which was jointly organized by China Center for Urban Development (CCUD), National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), and the Center for Political Economy, Tsinghua University on May 5th and 6th, 2011 in Zhenggezhuang, Changpin District, Beijing.

Current Researches/Consultings

Research on Water Affairs Business Development Strategy for Shanxi International Electricity Group Co., Ltd.
As the only wholly-owned power industry group set up by Shanxi Provincial Government, Shanxi International Electricity Group Co., Ltd has strong comprehensive strength in funds, investment, and project operation and management. In order to expand its investment fields, the group has decided to seize the opportunity to enter the water market and has planned for long-term cooperation with the Shanxi provincial water resources department. However, due to its long history in the power industry, the group is lacking in deep understanding of the water industry. In addition, the water industry requires enormous prophase financing and sunk capital, and is weak in short-term return ability though it has consistent long-term returns. This lack of understanding makes it hard for the group to make long-term goals with regards to the water industry.

This research will conduct analysis and offer suggestions on the following issues:
1)The water affairs market prospects for the country and Shanxi province;
2)Feasibility of Shanxi International Electricity Group Co., Ltd entering the water affairs industry;
3) Development strategy for the water affairs business of Shanxi International Electricity Group Co., Ltd.

Research on China's Strategy of Breaking Administrative Monopoly
State-owned enterprises have been severely criticized in recent years for their tendency to gradually expand in an existing field rather than to retreat. State-owned enterprises not only solidly occupy the non-competitive fields, but also continue to exist in the field of private goods. China's state-owned enterprise reform has now reached a new turning point after thirty years. More importantly, the problem of administrative monopoly is rather severe in China and requires urgent reform. Until this problem is fixed, there can be no fair competition between state-owned enterprises and the private sector. Unfortunately, China's administrative monopoly reform still has a long way to go.

This research aims to provide a feasible plan for administrative monopoly reform and to help create a fair market environment with deepening economic reform. This research will last for roughly half a year.

Research on the Property Market in China
The Center for International Private Enterprise (CIPE) and the Unirule Institute of Economics will work together to evaluate barriers faced by small enterprises in China's property market. Unirule, with support from a WCC consultant, will gather information on the legal and regulatory barriers to strengthening property rights for small businesses in order to measure the implementation gap - the difference between regulations on paper and their implementation - and develop an advocacy platform to strengthen relevant institutions.

The goal of this project is to identify legal and implementation gaps regarding property markets as relevant to small enterprises, formulate reform recommendations, and develop advocacy plans.

Cooperation Mode and Development Organizations in Lok Ma Chau Loop
Commissioned by King & Wood Law Firm, the Unirule Institute of Economics will participate in a research project entitled the "Cooperation Mode and Development Organizations in Lok Ma Chau Loop," and will provide research on "Public Administration Policies Concerning Promotion of Factor Flow."

Unirule aims to provide recommendations on how to reduce factor flow barriers in Shenzhen, Lok Ma Chau Loop, and Hong Kong, through a thorough review of the existing state of flow of factors, including, people, commodities, funds, information, etc. In turn, this research will help with the realization of a development strategy for the Lok Ma Chau Loop and help promote industrial and social development in the region.

Low-Income Housing System Research Project
The housing conditions of the Chinese people have improved significantly since the welfare-oriented public housing allocation was replaced by market allocation in 1994 and China's housing security system was gradually strengthened. However, considerable problems still exist in China's housing security system, such as the inability to ensure social fairness, resource allocation inefficiency, and an increase in rent-seeking and corruption. Based on full and accurate empirical research, this project aims to propose a feasible housing security system which balances equity and efficiency. This research project has already drawn to an end, and the report release conference was held on June 28th, 2011.

Public Governance
Unirule's "China Public Governance Observation Research Project" was launched in March 2009, aiming at recording and assessing public governance status in different areas of China through the perspective of news reporting. The research team held a Public Governance Index Press Conference at the Beijing Friendship Hotel on April 30, 2009, to promote the rankings of its public governance index (PGI). The press conference generated extensive media coverage, including the at Sina, Phoenix Weekly, China News, Cajing economic newspaper, etc. The initial research achievement "China's Governance in Media Recording" was released in 2010.

The Nature, Performance and Reform of State-owned Enterprises: Research on Reform of State-owned Enterprises Under the "Guo Jin Min Tui" Background
The phenomenon of "Guo Jin Min Tui" (the expansion of state-owned enterprises at the expense of the private sector) has become a topic of wide debate recently, especially with in the steel and coal sectors. This phenomenon has sparked a heated debate in academic circles and throughout society. The purpose of this research is to clarify the normative nature of state-owned enterprises; secondly, to give a description of the performance of current state-owned enterprises through data and case studies, and to judge their impact on society and government. Finally, this research will offer suggestions on ways to reform existing state-owned enterprises. This research project was completed in March 2011, and the press release conference and academic seminar was successfully held in Beijing Jade Palace Hotel on Mar. 2nd, 2011.
Revised Research Report

Upcoming Events

The Unirule Summer Camp 2011
The Unirule Institute of Economics has been dedicated to advocating the idea of "spreading knowledge among the common people." The first Unirule summer camp is organized according to this idea, with the hope to spread in the study tour the most updated economic ideas in China's economic reform, namely, economic liberalism ideas and new institutional economics, to give the trainees a deeper understanding and apprehension of current economic phenomenon in China while relaxing themselves in tours.
After the completion of the summer camp, we will include members of the summer camp in Unirule's talent database and volunteer database. In the future, we will invite them to take part in our activities, as well as invite them to work as interns or volunteers.
ⅠFeatures
A. Face-to-face contact with the Unirule experts, namely, Prof. Mao Yushi, Prof. Sheng Hong, Prof. Zhao Nong, and Prof. Zhao Xu;
B. Colorful interaction activities;
C. Opportunities to become interns of the Unirule;
D. "The Most Potential Future Economics" will be selected and given certificate autographed by Prof. Mao Yushi, and will be awarded the opportunity to join in the Unirule's next summer camp free of any charge.
ⅡTarget Participants
Undergraduates and postgraduates majoring economics and management;
Other young people interested in economics and sociology.
Ⅲ Time and Place
Time: August 20th to 25th, 2011.
Place: Kunming, Dali, Lijiang
Ⅳ Charge
4500 RMB/person (outside Yunnan Province)
1500 RMB/person (within Yunnan Province)
Contact Information:
Contact Person: Yang Hua 13717769431; Zhao Xing 15810235598
Tel: 010-87935778 82571544-8000
E-mail: zhaoxing@unirule.org.cn yanghua@unirule.org.cn
Receipt

Unirule Biweekly Symposiums
Unirule’s Biweekly Symposiums are known in China and throughout the world for their long history of open and in-depth discussions and exchanges of ideas in economics and other social sciences. Over 380 sessions have been held and over 15,000 scholars, policy makers, and students, as well as countless readers on the web, have directly and indirectly, and participated in the Biweekly Symposium for close to 20 years.

Biweekly Symposiums begin at 2 pm every other Friday and are free and open to the public.

Schedule
Biweekly Symposium No. 434: July 22nd, 2011
Biweekly Symposium No. 435: Aug. 5th, 2011
Biweekly Symposium No. 436: Aug. 19th, 2011

Previous Biweekly Symposiums

Biweekly Symposium No. 430
Time: May 27th, 2011
Topic: Price and Development of Chinas Capital Market in Post-crisis Era
Lecturer: Prof. Cao Honghui (CASS)

Prof. Cao Honghui primarily discussed asset prices and China’s capital market development in the Post-crisis Era. He considered the major reasons for the increased fluctuation of global stock market might be that the market was entangled between the tightening fiscal and monetary policy and the deteriorating inflation expectation. He also summarized four directions for development of China’s capital market. Firstly, the structure of capital market should be improved. Secondly, the functions of capital market should be improved. Thirdly, issue price should be reformed. Last but not the lease, capital market order should be regulated.

Biweekly Symposium No. 429
Time: May 13th, 2011
Topic: Competition and Entrepreneurship by Israel M. Kirzner
Lecturer: Prof. Liu Yejin

Prof. Liu Yejin drew three inferences from Kirzner’s theory, namely, the impossibility of central planned economy, re-examination of anti-monopoly policies, and the economics reason for justice. He also emphasized that entrepreneurship was very important for market development, and institutional constraints are the mortal enemy of entrepreneurship.

Biweekly Symposium No. 428
Time: April 29th, 2011
Topic: Viewing Judicature and the Media from Several Recent Cases
Lecturer: Prof. He Weifang

Prof. He Weifang investigated the relationship between judicature and the media from several recent cases. He mainly emphasized three aspects. Firstly, news freedom is of vital importance to a fair judicial system. Secondly, the media should cautiously avoid intervention of judicial independence. Thirdly, efforts of the court are needed in expanding the space of new freedom in China.

Editor: Jiang Hong
Revisor: Jude Blanchette