- The Chinese press is reporting a statement by Vice-Foreign Minister Zhang Zhijun that greater flexibility may be introduced in the Renminbi's exchange rate. China has already made the exchange rate slightly more flexible after the recession and the People's Bank of China said it was in the process of reforming the exchange rate system a month ago but there is still strong international pressure for further reform.
The statement is in part aimed at the European Union. The 12th China-EU Summit is due to be held in Nanjing next week and exchange rate reform is expected to be the central issue alongside trade and climate-change. EU Central Bank President Jean-Claude Trichet, Luxembourg Prime Minister Lean-Claude Juncker and Joaquin Almunia, EU Commissioner for Economic and Monetary Affairs will hold talks on the issue with Premier Wen Jiabao and central bank officials the day before the summit.
- 'Fog' has delayed at least 280 flights in and out of Beijing today. The 'fog,' often a term used instead of pollution, followed several days of hazardous pollution levels reported by the US embassy's Twittered air quality index.
- Xinhua reports a statement by Li Gao from the National Development and Reform Commission and a key negotiator at the upcoming Copenhagen summit. He says that China will make a 'constructive contribution and 'will not accept that it ends with an empty and so-called political declaration.' The statement follows US President Obama's attempts to dispel widespread pessimism surrounding the summit.
- The BBC reports that web browser Opera has closed a loophole allowing users in China to access government banned websites. Users were asked to upgrade to a Chinese version at the weekend to find that the new version does not allow access to sites such as Facebook. The BBC reports that Opera was not prepared to discuss the 'background for this decision.'
- Xinhua reports that three Chinese policemen have been jailed for torturing a student to death to extract a confession. Xu Gengrong was questioned over the death of a female student in Shaanxi and died on the 8th of March shortly after 'suddenly falling ill.' The police, including a county-level police chief, were jailed for between 1 and 2 and a half years for charges including criminal abuse of power and using torture to extract a confession.
- The People's Daily carries an article on Hu Jintao's elaboration of his Theory of Profound Changes. Stating that the time we live in is full of 'opportunities and challenges' he highlights the importance of science and technology, newly-emerging industries and the knowledge economy for China's future. This seems to be a way of countering the current relationships of power; 'strong north and weak south, strong west and weak east.'
He also points to the issue of global security and make a veiled comment on the US presence in Central Asia, 'certain hot issues can not get resolved for a long time.'
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