Hao Hao ReportThe best China news and blog posts

In recent years it has become trendy to talk about China’s rise and its impact on democratization in Asia and other developing countries.

BEIJING (AFP) - China's Communist Party on Sunday endorsed Hu Jintao's new economic model for the country, while opening the way for a top leadership reshuffle that will likely see the president consolidate his power.

Following the end of its five-yearly Congress, Hu, 64, is almost certain to be given a second term as party chief on Monday alongside a revamped line-up of leaders in the nation's most powerful political organ.

BEIJING - Corruption costs China more every year than it spends on education and is one of the most serious threats to the country's political stability, according to a new report from the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

The report said graft would continue because the ruling Communist Party is unlikely to carry out the political reforms needed to fight corruption, as a result of fears of losing its grip on power.

PBS's wonderful site on China's rise as a world power. Loads of facts, figures and photos.

"China’s soft power offensive and the lure of the China Model remain, however, entirely official government programs. Where soft power has worked durably and has permeated connections among nations and nationalities, it has also involved civil society and the media, the arts, cultural attraction—the broad range of informal human contacts."

Li Datong, former editor of The Freezing Point, gives his thoughts on how media censorship in China is on its last leg. In translation (via the awesome ESWN blog), the commentary is insightful and gives hope towards media in the Middle Kingdom.

John, of Sinosplice/Chinesepod/ChinaBlogList fame, has hit the big time. Watch out Da Shan, John's more likable and (according to his limited female readership-and mom) much more handsome.

On his own blog John hits on a point about profiles like this and how Chinese English-language media are always gunning to get us laowai "in a corner" and interview us. I applaud John for getting in a good quote or two that don't just "sell up" China and Chinese culture.

How to buy fresh fish, a little demographics of Japanese occupations in China and a slice of Dalian life and troubles.

An interesting and thoughtful post/discussion about Michael Ledeen's recent article for FEER which calls China a "mature fascist state".

Some good debate on whether it is political systems or people that are inherently evil.