January 1, 2009
It’s 2009, the last time that revelers can ring in the New Year while wearing novelty year-themed glasses, seen here on the cover of Xiamen-based Strait Herald.
People’s Daily and other party papers led with an article on President Hu Jintao’s New Year’s address (summarized at the China Daily). Additionally, January 1 is the 30th anniversary of the Message to Compatriots in Taiwan, an overture to Taiwan authorities issued by the Standing Committee of the NPC in 1979 (more information here). President Hu spoke yesterday to mark the occassion, and most papers devoted a front-page headline to that news today.
In addition to putting both of Hu’s speeches on the front page, Southern Metropolis Daily covers the latest development in one of the biggest stories of the second half of 2009: the melamine milk scandal. From 8 in the morning until after 10 at last night, Tian Wenhua and three other Sanlu executives appeared before a three-judge panel, where Tian admitted the company’s misdeeds.
New Express also puts Hu on the cover, but surrounds him with eight major things to watch in 2009 — some national, others local to Guangzhou. In order:
- National Day: There’ll be a military parade this year to observe the 60th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic
- Preserve 8: China’s growth target for 2009
- Employment: A major challenge this year
- 4 Trillion: The stimulus package the goverment announced in November
- Personal Income Tax: The threshold will be increased yet again
- Bus Rapid Transit to expand in Guangzhou
- Subway: Guangzhou Metro line 5 will open
- New Bridge: The Liede Bridge in Guangzhou’s Tianhe district may alleviate congestion
And the entire front page of Chinese Business View is devoted a New Year’s editorial that bids farewell to 2008, with all its tragedies and triumphs, and looks ahead to 2009.
