New Force in Energy

In a fresh but sweeping round of government institutional restructuring, Zhang Guobao, Vice Minister in charge of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), China's top economic regulator, has been appointed to concurrently serve as the head of the newly established energy bureau under the NDRC.

Addressing the 2008 China Development Forum on March 24, the 64-year-old energy chief called for more efforts from the government to streamline management, as well as more technical innovations from enterprises involved to improve energy efficiency or to find alternatives. "There needs to be a transformation from the over-reliance on fossil energy to the exploitation of clean and renewable resources to ensure sustainable development and strategic security," said Zhang.

As the world's second largest oil consumer after the United States, China's energy policy is drawing major concerns worldwide. When being questioned on the reform of China's energy pricing system, which is currently subject to state control, Zhang explained the process must be continued in light of the financial tolerance of the state and consumers. "Market prices will eventually be based on changes of supply and demand," he said, adding that his bureau did not seek to determine energy prices.

Ad Magnate Apologizes for SMS Scandal

Chairman of Focus Media Holding Ltd., Jason Jiang Nanchun, apologized publicly for spreading spam messages through a subsidiary, Focus Wireless, to cellphone users, one week after being exposed by the China Central Television (CCTV) on March 15, International Consumers' Day.

On behalf of the company, Jiang issued a formal apology to annoyed consumers, and pledged to immediately suspend the SMS advertising business of Focus Wireless and investigate into the scandal.

According to CCTV, seven firms, including Nasdaq-listed Focus Media, were found sending commercial text messages to more than 200 million cellphone users, nearly half of the national total, through two operators, China Mobile and China Unicom. Focus Wireless was blamed for being the source of 80 percent of the unwanted messages, but Jiang rejected the accusation.

The 35-year-old Jiang founded Focus Media, now China's largest publicly traded advertising company, in 2003 and currently holds a 40-percent stake in the company. He quit as the company's CEO in early March, but remains as its board chairman.

Women's Soccer Coach Sacked

French Elizabeth Loisel lost her job as head coach of the Chinese National Women's Football Team only six months after she took over last October.

Loisel had been sacked, various local sports media reported on March 24, quoting Executive Vice Chairman Xie Yalong of the Chinese Football Association (CFA). Before the report, the CFA announced a 27-member lineup for the Chinese women's team without mentioning the coaching contingent.

Loisel is the second foreign coach the CFA has signed for the Chinese women's team and was tasked with helping the Chinese side win a medal at the Beijing Olympic Games in August. Her predecessor, Swede Marika Domanski-Lyfors, quit after leading China to the final eight in the 2007 FIFA Women's World Cup.

However, a string of defeats since February and frequent clashes with Chinese colleagues finally destroyed CFA's confidence in Loisel.