Hao Hao ReportThe best China news and blog posts

Let's face it: China is an environmentalist's nightmare. The air turns your snot black, the water is filled with toxic chemicals, and "litter" is an idiomatic concept.

Now, with Chongqing's taps running dry and 8 million thirsty people up a creek without any water, China's own Al Gore clones are starting to emerge. One possible candidate is water resources minister Wang Shucheng, who gave a bleak assessment of China's ecological future in his address to the National People's Congress

Danwei reports that Beijing's tap water is now drinkable - sort of. Though the city stepped up and is five years ahead of the requirements to meet national drinking water standards, there is some question on whether it's REALLY drinkable.

The problem, as might be guessed, is that though the water is up to the tight standards when it leaves the water processing plant, after it winds its way through a vast network of old piping, it has been contaminated again.

Don't we all have a story to tell like this? This one is pretty ridiculous, though, the lady can't get water sent to her apartment.

A villager posted a message about his village and a party member, Zhang Chunxian read it. Under Zhang's concern, the villagers' dream has gradually become reality. By the end of 2006, more than 100 million yuan were invest to build roads in Lianxing village. Cement roads were paved from door to door in the Village.

As China's skies turn gray and its rivers run black, those water tanks on the roofs of homes may hold the key to future. 80% of China's water is solar heated, and extended that trend to other areas could help the country from choking to death.

In this post The 88s gives to theories on what people generally feel are the core problems (and solutions) in today's China. Though a self-admitted over-simplified example - it does outline much of the popular thought on modern China.

The 88s features this great post about Chinese inlaws experiencing American culture for the first time. For anyone that has Chinese inlaws, or has wanted to see how Chinese people handle themselves when they're the fish out of water, this is a must read.

Arthur Kroeber, the managing director and head of research for Dragonomics and editor-in-chief of the China Economic Quarterly explains the evolution of China's business press, its current existence, and the problems it faces.

The Australian's China correspondent Rowan Callick casts doubt on Beijing's water supply.