Keywords: China's wealth gap bared in official report; Online ticket-buying plug-ins banned before travel peak season 

China's wealth gap bared in official report

China has finally revealed data confirming the nations' wide wealth gap in an official report on January 18 after stalling to release the figures for over a decade.

According to new data published by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), China's Gini coefficient - a worldwide measure of income inequality - hovered between 0.47 and 0.49 from 2003 to 2012, already above the warning level of 0.4 set by the UN. 

The last NBS data was released in 2000, when China's Gini coefficient was 0.41. The coefficient does not factor in grey income or black market activity.

Although Chinese media praised the data as a step towards greater transparency, the NBS data also caught flak for not reflecting previously released independent studies, such as a report published by Southwest University of Finance and Economics last month pegged China's Gini coefficient for 2010 at 0.61.

Media suggested that publishing the Gini coefficient also must be followed by practical solutions, such as much-needed reform of income distribution policy.

The Beijing News commented that reforms should be carried out as soon as possible so all people can share in the profits of development.
"Publishing the Gini coefficient is an important step in decreasing the wealth gap," read the article.

China should strengthen its social security system in the short term and invest more in education in the long term to adjust income distribution, according to the Southern Metropolis Daily.

"The current income distribution rules assign too many resources to government and State-owned enterprises through tax and monopolies while workers are given less," the paper said.

@李剑宏: I wonder how they worked out these figures. If they calculated without reference to "invisible income" then the index is meaningless. The wealth gap in China is reflected more in inequality resource distribution and squandering public money.

@郑洪升: Though NBS publishing the Gini coefficient for the first time for 12 years is a sign of progress, the greater progress is the fact that citizens have the courage to publicly question and challenge data published by the State.

Online ticket-buying plug-ins banned before travel peak season

The Information Industry Ministry (MIIT) ordered web browser providers to stop sharing plug-ins that snatch up train tickets on January 18 in order to fight shortages during the Spring Festival peak travel season, according to China National Radio.

The browser plug-ins, or small programs that automatically book hard-to-get tickets, slow down the site and put many purchasing tickets through train stations or at ticketing outlets at a disadvantage, an employee with the Railway Ministry website told the Beijing News.

Chinese media largely disapproved of the Railway Ministry's move to ban ticket-buying plug-ins and urged authorities to explore better ways to ease ticket-buying tensions during the Spring Festival.

The Xinhua News Agency commented in an article saying that instead of simply banning the use of plug-ins, the Railway Ministry should break up the monopoly on ticket sales and promote reform.

"The Railway Ministry should invest more in their website to make it both safe and easier for everyone buying tickets online," echoed the Beijing Times.

The Chongqing Morning Post suggested that the Railway Ministry should ban plug-in services to better ensure availability online and offer more tickets to migrant workers.

The Railway Ministry should restrict the use of plug-in software and other unfair ways of buying tickets in order to maintain fair and equal opportunities for all customers, said the Yangcheng Evening News.

The Railway departments should consider outsourcing ticket sales and learning from the advantages of plug-in software, suggested the Beijing News.

"Even if these measures do not correct the difficulties of buying tickets, at least these efforts will earn public support," it added.

@人民日报: The easiest way to help migrant workers get back home is to better distribute train tickets to people who buy from ticket windows. Fair regulation is more useful than just sympathizing with words.

@闾丘露薇: What the Railway Ministry needs to do is improve their website rather than blame people for finding ways to deal with the issue. They should not restrict the market through administrative power.

@羿锟: Booking train tickets online already puts those who can't use the Internet at a disadvantage. People who book tickets online probably know how to use plug-in software.