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• Australia and China Strengthen Ties - Editor, 10 April 2013

Following months of negotiations between Australia and China, a strategic partnership agreement was concluded between Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on the last day of Ms Gillard's five-day visit to China. Analysts note that the agreement, which commits to annual meetings between the Prime Ministers of China and Australia, is a major achievement for Ms Gillard, bearing in mind that China has this type of arrangement with only two other countries, being Germany and Russia, with the latter being a fellow member of BRICS – the association of emerging national economies consisting of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and since 2010, South Africa.

• China's Solar Energy Supply Outstrips Demand - Editor, 27 March 2013

China's solar panel industry is facing a dilemma as supply continues to outstrip demand, resulting in solar panel prices dropping up to 66 percent over the last two years. Industry estimates reveal that the current global demand for solar power is 30-35 gigawatts (GW), while supply is 50-60 GW, with most of this coming from China.

• China-Qatar Bilateral Trade Up 45% - Editor, 27 February 2013

Recent figures released by Chinese Ambassador to Qatar, Gao Youzhen, reveal that bilateral trade between China and Qatar has increased by an astounding 45 percent, totaling $8.45 bn in 2012. The ambassador noted that China primarily imported oil and gas from Qatar, while exports to Qatar covered a wide range of products, including construction materials, electrical products, furniture and household items. Imports from Qatar amounted to $7.2 bn, while exports to the sovereign Arab state amounted to $1.2 bn.

• China Becomes World's Biggest Trading Nation - Editor, 13 February 2013

Recent data from China has revealed that the country has unseated the United States as the world's biggest trading nation in goods. China's imports and exports reached a total of $3.87 trillion in 2012, compared with the $3.82 trillion trade in goods reported by the US commerce department. This is reportedly the first time since World War II that the United States has not been the world's biggest trading nation.

• Decline in China’s Workforce May Impact Economy - Editor, 30 January 2013

Recent official data has revealed that China's working age population (people between the ages of 15 and 59 years) fell by 3.45 million in 2012, with analysts noting that, in a nation of 1.35 billion the immediate effect is likely to be small, but the cumulative effects in the coming decades may have a devastating impact on the country's economy.

• Jeep to Manufacture in China for Domestic Market - Editor, 16 January 2013

Chrysler Group LLC and Fiat SpA have recently made known their intention to tap into what is currently considered to be the largest automobile market in the world, by entering into an agreement with Guangzhou Automobile Group to increase their presence on passenger car manufacturing and sales in China, including the iconic Jeep. President of the Guangzhou Automobile Group Wang Xia attended the recent North American International Auto Show in Detroit, USA, using the occasion to make the announcement, which was accompanied by joint news releases from the American and Italian automakers.

• Entrepreneurship Thriving in China - Editor, 19 December 2012

Although China is a controlled economy with the public sector accounting for upward of 40% of the country's GDP, entrepreneurship is thriving as innovative individuals overcome the red-tape obstacles to create personal wealth. In a report by the World Bank in 2010 it was noted that of the 183 countries analyzed for being the most difficult to form a business in, China was ranked at number 151, with the United States ranking at number 8. However, according to sociologist Keming Yang, author of Entrepreneurship in China, entrepreneurs in China are generally driven by a desire to be materially prosperous and are prone to compare their standard of life with those around them, striving to lead "an enviable material life".

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