Worth the wait?

It only took nine years, but the China Securities Regulatory Commission is expected to issue rules for a Nasdaq-style stock market after the NPC comes to a close on March 13. Commence rejoicing now. The Growth Enterprise Market (GEM) could be launched on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange as early as May, surely to the delight of startup tech firms desperate for new funding channels. Hopefully the nine-year wait will be worth it. Anyone waiting for something like normal relations or “peace” between China and a certain renegade island with tasty food will have to wait a bit longer. Taiwan’s President Ma Ying-jeou has ruled out any peace talks with China in the short term, saying that Taiwan will focus only on trade and economic issues with the mainland at present. Ma was responding to comments made Thursday by mainland Premier Wen Jiabao in a speech to the National People’s Congress. Let’s hope his feelings aren’t hurt, you wouldn’t want to see him when he’s angry. And for those of you who have been waiting for the iPhone to arrive in China (as if you don’t already have one) there may be light at the end of the tunnel. China Unicom is reportedly in talks with Apple about bringing the iPhone to the mainland, though analysts doubt it would do much for Unicom’s bottom line given the proliferation of copycat devices and the handsome subsidies the carrier would likely pay to buyers.