SURVEY RESULTS

Less than half of those polled in a government think tank survey believe the country’s anti-corruption efforts this year have paid off. The report, released by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences on Thursday, said 41.7 percent of those polled were content with the country’s anti-graft efforts this year, a rise of 12 percentage points from a similar poll in 2011. The report, which polled 7,388 Chinese residents ages 18 to 69 in 151 counties from 31 provincial areas, found that 37.3 percent believe that the level of corruption in the country is “very grave”. Slightly less than 37 percent said corruption is “relatively grave”. Meanwhile, corruption remains the most resented social problem in China, with 34.6 percent calling corruption the most severe social problem today. The Communist Party of China’s efforts to curb extravagant behavior at work won approval among those polled, with 54.7 percent believing that the frequency of lavish public banquets was reduced. More than 50 percent believe extravagance among officials has been reduced. The Party’s anti-graft efforts also boosted public confidence in officials, with more than 70 percent saying they are confident that the Party’s anti-graft efforts in the next five to 10 years could yield significant results. In 2011, less than 60 percent in a similar poll were confident in the Party’s anti-graft efforts. China may suffer an aggravated labor shortage after the upcoming Spring Festival holiday due to rising living costs in cities, according to the

released on Thursday. Rental prices grew gradually in many cities in China due to local skyrocketing prices for both new homes and secondhand houses. The price of grains, vegetables and fruit also surged in urban areas, it said. “Compared with the current rise of such living costs in cities, the increase in incomes was insignificant for rural migrant workers,” it said. Property prices in 69 of the country’s 70 major cities grew year-on-year in October, according to the National Bureau of Statistics. The number of cities recording strong price gains of more than 10 percent year-on-year increased to 21 in October from 14 in September, it said. In Beijing, the growth in property prices was more than 20 percent year-on-year in October, said Zhang Yi, deputy head of the Institute of Sociology under the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. “Laborers who float in cities have difficult lives since their wages actually have not increased very much. Life, not only for rural migrant workers but also for some white-collar employees, was being affected largely due to the rising living costs,” he said. Nineteen percent of Chinese residents are willing to emigrate to other countries, a recent survey showed. Of the six cities included in the survey, Guangzhou had the highest rate, with 39.9 percent of its people willing to leave China. In Shanghai, 33.7 percent would leave. The survey reported in the

polled 2,000 residents to learn more about their views on China’s current quality of life. Although 90 percent of those surveyed said they are proud of being Chinese, many have a strong willingness to move to another country if are presented with a favorable opportunity, according to the report. “In the previous study, high willingness to emigrate was mainly found in groups with high income, high educational background and high occupational status. But this survey showed that ordinary people also have high willingness to move, depending on circumstances,” said Zhang Haidong, who led the research. The deeper reason for the willingness to move lies in the current low quality of life, Zhang said on Thursday. “Low social security and economic concerns have brought stress into residents’ lives, and they are full of uncertainty about the future,” Zhang said. Other factors such as widespread distrust and social exclusion have reinforced the sense of insecurity, Zhang said.