Chinese News

Paralympics will "change attitudes"

2008-08-28T07:10:00.001-07:00

The Paralympics will provide the ideal opportunity for the Chinese public to improve its awareness and understanding of people with physical disabilities, a senior Beijing official said on Wednesday.

Li Caimao, director of the municipal government's disabled persons' affairs committee, said: "Society's lack of knowledge about disabled people is what leads to misunderstanding."

Two volunteers learn the skill of making handicrafts from a handicapped person at the Warm Family of Xicheng District Handicapped Association, the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games volunteers training base, in Beijing, capital of China, Aug. 22, 2008.
But staging the Paralympic Games, which runs from Sept 6-17, will go a long way to improving that, he said.

Li, who has suffered from polio since the age of 3, said in the past his condition hindered his attempts to win a place at a top university.

"There are no such barriers to getting into college these days. Everyone has equal rights," he said.

"But there is still discrimination."

Changing the attitudes of the public takes time, but the Paralympics will help, he said.

China has 83 million disabled people, about 6 percent of the population, Li said.

About 1 million live in the capital, he said.

More than 200,000 disabled people from Beijing have been or will be involved in Olympic and Paralympic-related activities, and 12,000 applied to work as volunteers, he said.

Sixty-three disabled volunteers will work at Paralympic venues and 680 disabled performers will be involved in the Games' opening and closing ceremonies, he said.

Over the course of the Games, 1,500 disabled artists will take part in events at Beijing's cultural squares, while 10 blind masseurs will provide relief to athletes at sports venues, he said.

One of the advantages of staging the Paralympics is that it brings the needs of disabled people to the fore, Li said.

As part of its preparations for hosting the Games, Beijing has equipped its subways, airports and railway stations with special facilities for the disabled, he said.

Zhao Chunluan, head of the Beijing Disabled Persons' Federation, told a press conference on Sunday that 20,000 disabled people and their families will be invited to watch the Paralympics venues.

Of the 1.66 million tickets on sale, the best seats at the most popular events have all been reserved for disabled people.

Also, every volunteer for the Paralympics, most of whom are able bodied, will undergo about 20 hours of training on how to deal with people with disabilities, he said.

Over the past few years, Beijing has significantly increased the quality and number of services it offers its disabled residents, Zhao said.

In 2006, the Xicheng district government built a service center at a cost of 30 million yuan , he said.

All registered disabled people can use its rehabilitation facilities, as well as enjoy a range of leisure activities, he said.

Source:Xinhua

Olympics stimulates interest in cycling

2008-08-28T07:09:00.004-07:00

For most Chinese, cycling conjures up two very different images: on the one hand, a familiar form of transportation; on the other, an esoteric European sport.

All that is about to change, thanks to the Olympic Games. A record-breaking seven Chinese riders were entered in the Games, and public interest in competitive cycling has never been greater.

"The Olympics is a perfect showcase for Chinese cycling," Chinese Cycling Association president Jiang Guofeng said. "People are seeing that there is much more to cycling than just transportation."

On the opening day of the Games, Chinese Central Television covered the men's road race live. Last Tuesday, the women's sprint, in which Guo Shuang took the bronze medal, attracted national attention.

Tickets for the track and mountain bike events were sold out in April, according to the organizers.

"Cycling hasn't had much public exposure in China, but Chinese fans got to know it through the Olympics," Guo said.

Guo, who is perhaps China's best known cyclist, started cycling competitively when she was 13. In 2002, she was sent to the World Cycling Training Center in 2002 to train with French coach Sebastien Dulcus.

France's gold medal winner Julien Absalon rides through a downhill section in the men's cross country mountain bike race at the Laoshan Cycling venue in Beijing during the Beijing Olympics on August 23. AFP

Guo signaled her progress with a podium finish at the 2006 World Championships. At the Asian Games in Doha later that year, she won two golds. Sports authorities then hired Daniel Morelon - another Frenchman and a four-time Olympic champion in the 1960s and 1970s - who guided Guo to silver medals in the kierin and the sprint at the 2007 World Championships. She placed fourth in the 2008 World Championships in March.

But Guo is the exception to the rule. Most Chinese do not get professional coaching, and few get a chance to compete internationally.

"People treat us like pandas in Europe," said Guo. "I thought we were a cycling country, but in the world of competitive cycling, we are actually outsiders."

Unlike European countries, where children are exposed to cycling at an early age, relatively few Chinese are recruited and trained by local sports academies. A budding Lance Armstrong or Carlos Sastre may never be discovered, since China has limited opportunities for junior cyclists and only two major events, the annual National Championships and National Games, which take place every four years.

But Jiang believes the situation is changing.

"We have nothing to build on, because there isn't any competitive cycling tradition in China," he admitted. "The first thing we are looking to do is to promote the sport nationwide."

According to the International Cycling Union , a ProTour race is likely to take place in China within two years. Also, the sport is starting to catch on at the grass-roots level, thanks to the efforts of the CCA and of major bike companies, which have started to invest in China's colossal but largely untapped market.

The United States manufacturer Trek stages several national amateur races each year and sponsors China's only professional team, Marco Polo.

Since 2005, the CCA has sent more than 20 riders overseas to compete in more than 30 events a year, which enables them to improve their skills faster than if they remained in China.

This effort appears to be paying off. Guo took the bronze in the women's sprint last Tuesday and nearly got the silver; she was disqualified for bumping Anna Meares of Australia in the semifinal.

In addition Li Yan reached the final of the women's point race, finishing 10th, while Zhang Liang became the first Chinese to compete in the men's road race, although he failed to finish.

China's mountain bikers, Ren Chengyuan finished fifth and Liu Ying came 12th in the women's event.

While BMX rider Ma Liyun became the first ever Chinese rider to compete at the Olympics.

"I've seen an all-around improvement in Chinese cycling," Ma said during a press conference held by Nike. "It's just a matter of time before we can be a force in the world."

China's progress is already being acknowledged by elite riders.

"There's no doubt they are moving up," said men's road race gold medalist Samuel Sanchez.

"You have to be patient. It takes a long time to build a cycling tradition. But as long as you have a good foundation, it is just a matter of time before Chinese riders win major events around the world."

Source:China Daily

Ivanovic wins ugly, Federer cruises

2008-08-28T07:09:00.003-07:00

NEW YORK: Ana Ivanovic needed every scrap of her youthful ebullience on Tuesday to narrowly avoid the humiliation of becoming the first top-seeded woman to lose in the opening round of the US Open.

It took the 20-year-old Serbian just over two hours to make her standing as world No 1 count against a valiant Vera Dushevina and she booked her place in round two with a 6-1, 4-6, 6-4 triumph.

Roger Federer may no longer occupy the top spot in the men's rankings after being dethroned by Rafael Nadal last week but he showed he was still the man to beat after handing obscure Argentine Maximo Gonzalez a 6-3, 6-0, 6-3 masterclass.

From 3-3 in the first set, the four-times champion hit cruise control to win 10 successive games and it took him only 82 minutes to complete victory.

"It's been a hard year ... the Olympic doubles gold really gave me a great lift and I'm really inspired to do well here," said Federer, who rescued a less than stellar season by striking gold in Beijing with Stanislas Wawrinka.

Ivanovic also needed some inspiration to stay alive on Tuesday.

Playing as if she had taken a leaf out of Brad Gilbert's tennis manual 'Winning Ugly' or perhaps still troubled by a right thumb injury which ruled her out of the Olympics, Ivanovic randomly misfired her shots to notch up 40 unforced errors.

It led to a fan screaming out in desperation: "You're number one for a reason." She heeded the call to subdue the 57th-ranked Russian on her third match point.

"It was ugly, to put it mildly," summed up John McEnroe, who was commentating on the match for an American network.

Realizing how close she had come to establishing an unwanted record, Ivanovic said: "I really hope I can stick around for some time."

Hot streak

Her potential quarterfinal opponent, sixth seed Dinara Safina, kept up her recent hot streak to beat grand slam debutante Kristie Ahn 6-3, 6-4.

Slovakian 11th seed Daniela Hantuchova, however, fell by the wayside when she was flattened 6-4, 6-2 by qualifier Anna-Lena Groenefeld. Tommy Haas completed a good day for the Germans when he ousted men's 12th seed Richard Gasquet 6-7, 6-4, 5-7, 7-5, 6-2.

Safina made no allowances for Ahn, who at 16 is the youngest woman in the draw, and showed off her repertoire of groundstrokes and thundering serves to get her campaign off to a flying start.

The Russian is one of five players who could topple Ivanovic from the top spot by the end of the tournament should the Serbian trip up early.

French Open runner-up Safina, who has a 16-1 win-loss record since Wimbledon, was joined by her hot-headed brother Marat Safin in the last 64.

Safin raged and ranted at umpire Carlos Bernades after he was controversially foot-faulted on a second serve late in the fourth set against Vince Spadea.

With Bernades refusing to overturn the call - which gave Spadea set point - Safin turned the air blue, incurred a warning and slumped into his chair refusing to play on.

The incident effectively cost the former world No 1 the set but he eventually put a lid on his emotions to carve out a 3-6, 6-2, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 win.

"It's stupid rules that somebody made in 1850 and now they give me the problems with these things and it shouldn't be that way," fumed Safin, the 2000 champion.

"How can a guy see ... a foot fault... with sunglasses from 35 feet away? It doesn't make any sense."

Fourth seed Serena Williams relied on her 20/20 vision as she began her title charge with a 6-1, 6-4 thumping of Kateryna Bondarenko and her sister Venus protected the family reputation with a 6-2, 6-3 win over Samantha Stosur.

Former Australian Open and Wimbledon champion Amelie Mauresmo flirted with danger before she defeated fellow Frenchwoman Nathalie Dechy 4-6, 6-3, 6-2.

After compatriots Li Na and Zheng Jie won their first-round matches on Monday, Peng Shuai continued China's hot run at the US Open, allowing Eleni Daniilidou of Greece only one game before winning 6-1, 6-0.

Source:China Daily/Agencies

FACTBOX: Chinese efforts to assist the diabled

2008-08-28T07:09:00.001-07:00

The torch was lit on Thursday for the nine-day relay for the Beijing Paralympics. The relay begins on Friday; the Paralympics runs from Sept. 6-17.

Here is some key information about China's disabled population. All data from the China Disabled Persons' Federation unless otherwise stated.

DISABLED POPULATION: About 82.7 million, including 12.3 million with visual disabilities, 20 million with hearing disabilities, 1.3 million with speech disabilities, 24.1 million with physical disabilities, 5.5 million mentally retarded, 6.1 million with psychiatric disabilities and 13.5 million with multiple disabilities.

LEGAL STATUS: The Law of the People's Republic of China on the Protection of Persons with Disabilities was adopted at the 17th Meeting of the Standing Committee of the Seventh National People's Congress, the top legislature, on Dec. 28, 1990 and revised on April 24 this year.

At end-2007, there were 2,677 legal aid centers for the disabled that had handled more than 20,000 discrimination cases.

REHABILITATION: In 2007, some 53.6 million people received a wide range of services. These included 800,000 cataract operations, mobility training for more than 12,000 blind people, hearing aids for about 6,000 low-income deaf children, and special training for more than 1,000 autistic children.

Almost 4,000 corrective surgeries were carried out on lepers and 23,000 low-cost artificial limbs were provided to various patients. About 950,000 other devices were supplied.

More than 5,800 rehabilitation centers for the physically disabled were set up and training was provided to 88,000 people. Some 26,000 children aged below 14 with intellectual disabilities were treated.

Community-based rehabilitation services were provided to 5.6 million people.

EDUCATION: There were 1,667 special schools and 2,803 special classes affiliated with mainstream schools for blind, deaf and intellectually disabled children, enrolling 580,000 students.

CULTURE: At end-2007, China had 35 provincial level libraries with Braille and audio reading materials. At the city level, there were 259 libraries with such materials.

NATIONAL DAY FOR THE DISABLED: Since 1991, the third Sunday of May has been designated for this purpose.

Source:Xinhua

Premier Wen lights Beijing Paralympic flame at Temple of Heaven

2008-08-28T07:08:00.002-07:00

The Paralympic torch was lit at the Beijing Paralympic flame lighting ceremony in the Temple of Heaven on Thursday.
Chinese premier Wen Jiabao lit the Beijing Paralympic flame was at the ancient Temple of Heaven in Beijing on Thursday, kicking off the torch relay across China before the 13th Paralympics open on Sept. 6.

In front of the symbolic Hall of Annual Prayer, deaf-mute flamecollector Jiang Xintian lit the flame out of a concave, burnished mirror. The flame was then handed to a wheelchair-ridden girl, before it lit a torch held by Liu Qi, president of the organizing committee of the just concluded Beijing Olympic Games.

Liu passed the torch to Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao, who lit a cauldron and announced the beginning of the 10-day torch relay.

The sacred flame will be sent to Xi'an in Northwest China and Shenzhen in the south, where the relay will be launched on Friday and Saturday respectively.

Speakers at the lighting ceremony included Deng Pufang, chairman of the China Disabled Persons Federation, and President of the International Paralympic Committee Philip Craven.

The Paralympic torch was lit at the Beijing Paralympic flame lighting ceremony in the Temple of Heaven on Thursday.
【1】【2】

Remember the Olympic heroines without gold medals

2008-08-28T07:08:00.001-07:00

1. Under the guidance of Coach Chen Zhonghe, the Chinese women's volleyball team, with their indomitable spirit, tell us they are worthy of the four Chinese characters of "women's volleyball spirit", and finally winning a bronze medal.
The athletes who won the medals at the Olympic Games always win the most applause and good wishes. However, there is a group of people, who perennially work quietly and hard and who do not ultimately get gold medals, but exude an admirable Olympic spirit.

We should not forget all those who struggle for the Olympics, they are also Olympic heroes!

By People's Daily Online

Remember the Olympic heroines without gold medals (2)

2008-08-28T07:07:00.001-07:00

2. Su Li-wen, Chinese Taipei taekwondo fighter: she held on until the end of the game with one good leg. Although women's 57kg class taekwondo competitor Su Li-wen did not get a medal, she had won the hearts of Taiwan people.
The athletes who won the medals at the Olympic Games always win the most applause and good wishes. However, there is a group of people, who perennially work quietly and hard and who do not ultimately get gold medals, but exude an admirable Olympic spirit.

We should not forget all those who struggle for the Olympics, they are also Olympic heroes!

By People's Daily Online

Remember the Olympic heroines without gold medals (4)

2008-08-28T07:06:00.002-07:00

. Acclaim for Luan Jujie: not for the gold medal, only for the love of country: Luan Jujie, the 50-year-old mother of three children, spent 15 months training and competing to rank number 42 in the world and number 1 in America after 36 branch matches before qualifying for the Olympic Games. What makes her so persistent? Luan Jujie said: "If the Olympic Games were organized anywhere else, I would not try out. I do so only because it is in Beijing, in my motherland."
The athletes who won the medals at the Olympic Games always win the most applause and good wishes. However, there is a group of people, who perennially work quietly and hard and who do not ultimately get gold medals, but exude an admirable Olympic spirit.

We should not forget all those who struggle for the Olympics, they are also Olympic heroes!

By People's Daily Online

Remember the Olympic heroines without gold medals (5)

2008-08-28T07:06:00.001-07:00

5. Wang Nan : the perfect curtain call accompanied by a silver medal:
On August 22, Wangnan got the silver medal in the women's singles table tennis final at the Beijing Olympic Games. Although she did not finish her career with a gold medal, she is still a 24-time world champion in her 23-year table tennis career.
The athletes who won the medals at the Olympic Games always win the most applause and good wishes. However, there is a group of people, who perennially work quietly and hard and who do not ultimately get gold medals, but exude an admirable Olympic spirit.

We should not forget all those who struggle for the Olympics, they are also Olympic heroes!

By People's Daily Online

Canadian PM cancels governor general's Beijing trip in anticipation of election call

2008-08-28T07:05:00.006-07:00

Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper has cancelled Governor General Michaelle Jean's planned trip to Beijing for the Paralympic Games, amid speculations that an election call will be made in short time.

The Prime Minister's Office announced late Tuesday that OntarioLt.-Gov. David Onley will represent Canada in Jean's place at the Games, which open on Sept. 6.

The decision allows Jean, who was to depart on Sept. 5, to remain in Ottawa, in case Harper asks her to dissolve Parliament, observers say.

The move comes after Harper had suggested strongly that an early election may be called in the near future. At a press conference in Ottawa earlier on Tuesday, he had said his government was being forced into corners by oppositions.

"The country must have a government that can function during a time of economic uncertainty," Harper said.

"I think you really have increasingly in Parliament two different visions of where we should be leading the country, particularly during challenging economic times," he said.

The Liberals "have tabled an economic agenda that stands diametrically opposed to everything this government stands for..."he added.

Harper had set a fixed election date of October 19, 2009 shortly after he came to power in February 2006. But he said Tuesday that the date only applies to a majority government but not to his minority government.

Leader of the biggest opposition the Liberal Party Stephane Dion responded by accusing Harper of creating a "prefabricated emergency" so that he can rush to the polls at a time that is best for his own party.

"This prime minister is panicking, inventing reasons to call an election and break his word," Dion said Tuesday. The Liberals are the only group to have the chances of replacing the Conservatives.

Two other parties, the New Democratic Party and Bloc Quebecois, have both indicated they want an election called.

Source:Xinhua

Shanghai Cooperation Organization playing ever bigger role

2008-08-28T07:05:00.005-07:00

"The Shanghai Cooperation Organization has grown rapidly in the past few years and has become an important link in the contemporary international relations," Tajik President Emomali Rakhmon said in a recent interview with Chinese media.

The SCO, comprising China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, was established on June 15, 2001 in Shanghai.

In the past seven years, it has gradually become an efficient mechanism for maintaining its member states' common benefits and promoting their mutually-beneficial cooperation.

It has also grown into a major force in facilitating the realization of lasting peace, common advancement and has made crucial contributions to the establishment of a more just and rational international order.

"SHANGHAI SPIRIT" LAYS FOUNDATION FOR NEW RELATIONS AMONG COUNTRIES

The SCO's predecessor, the Shanghai Five Mechanism, originated and grew from the endeavor by China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgystanand Tajikistan to strengthen confidence building and disarmament in their border regions.

The Treaty on Deepening Military Trust in Border Regions and the Treaty on Reduction of Military Forces in Border Regions signed during the period of the "Shanghai Five Mechanism" have paved the way for terminating the Cold War in the region and launching regional friendly cooperation.

Last year, heads of state of the SCO inked the Treaty on Long-term Good-neighborliness, Friendship and Cooperation at a summit in Bishkek, putting the notion of "friendship from generation to generation and lasting peace" in a legal framework.

The Shanghai Spirit, which embodies mutual trust and benefits, equality, respect for cultural diversity and a desire for common development, has since been well recognized.

Kazakh Vice Foreign Minister Nurlan Baiuzakovich Yermekbayev said the new model of relations among countries established by theSCO determines the future outlook of the region.

"The SCO has been recognized as our shared home," he added.

NEW SECURITY CONCEPT MAINTAINS REGIONAL HARMONY

Since its establishment, the SCO has always viewed safeguarding security and stability as one of its major missions.

At a summit in 2006, the SCO also listed mutual trust and benefit, equality and mutual respect as the core elements of the framework of the new global security mechanism.

Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiyev said the SCO members have joined hands in cracking down on the "three evil forces" of terrorism, separatism and extremism as well as transnational organized crime, having played a key role in maintaining regional peace and stability.

Moreover, the SCO has demonstrated to the world its ability to address regional and international challenges and serve as a key pillar in the future multipolar world, Bakiyev added.

ECONOMIC AND TRADE COOPERATION ON HIGH GEAR

The Outline of Multilateral Economic and Trade Cooperation Among Member States signed by prime ministers of the SCO at a summit in 2003 holds great significance to the development of the organization, said Sun Zhuangzhi, an expert on central Asia and the SCO.

Sun said the signing of the document indicated that economy and security have become two key areas of cooperation for the SCO members, serving as the "dual wheels" pushing the organization forward.

Tajik President Rakhmon said the establishment of the Entrepreneurs' Committee and the Bank Syndicate was a crucial step for multilateral cooperation.

Apart from fighting terrorism, separatism, extremism, drug-trafficking and illegal immigration, the SCO should expand economic and trade cooperation and tap the potential of business opportunities.

INTERNATIONAL INFLUENCE INCREASING

In recent years, the SCO has accepted Mongolia, Pakistan, Iran and India as observers, established contact group relation with Afghanistan and got observer status in the United Nations General Assembly.

The SCO has also stepped up cooperation with such organizations as the UN Economic and Social Council, the Commonwealth of Independent States and the ASEAN.

The 8th annual summit of the SCO will be held in the Tajik capital of Dushanbe on Aug. 28.

The summit is the most important event for the SCO this year, and is significant for safeguarding regional and international security and stability, maintaining lasting peace and promoting regional prosperity and harmony.

At the upcoming summit, heads of state of SCO member states will sign the Regulations on SCO Dialogue Partner Status, which will be another major step taken by the group in the field of foreign diplomacy since it established the observer mechanism in 2004 and will lay the foundation for the SCO to cooperate with more countries and international organizations.

"I hope that more countries and international organizations would establish close ties with the SCO," Rakhmon said.

"Tajikistan is fully confident in the broad prospects of the SCO," the president added.

Source:Xinhua

Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit opens in Dushanbe

2008-08-28T07:05:00.003-07:00

Leaders from member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization gathered in the Tajik capital of Dushanbe Thursday for a summit, which will focus on security, economic and cultural cooperation among the member states.

Chinese President Hu Jintao and other leaders attending the summit will exchange views on current major international and regional issues and discuss how to resolutely fight the three forces of terrorism, extremism and separatism through intensive coordination, according to Chinese Foreign Ministry officials.

At the meeting, the leaders will also discuss ways to promote the integrity of SCO member nations through free trade and facilitated investment, the officials said.

The leaders are expected to sign a political document on SCO members' common position on a series of major international and regional issues and the regulations on dialogue partner status.

They are also expected to issue a joint communique on the achievements of the summit, and sign some other cooperation documents on security and economy.

"I believe the summit in Dushanbe will effectively promote peace and stability in the region and be an important meeting to expand the organization's influence and deepen practical cooperation in various fields," a senior Chinese Foreign Ministry official has said earlier.

Founded in Shanghai on June 15, 2001, the SCO groups China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. Mongolia, Pakistan, Iran and India are observers of the organization.

The SCO member states cover an area of over 30 million square kilometers, or about three fifths of Eurasia, with a population of1.455 billion, about a quarter of the world's total.

In the past seven years, the SCO has made important contributions to strengthening mutual trust among its members, deepening pragmatic cooperation and safeguarding regional security and stability.

Source:Xinhua

Philippine Senate to ratify ASEAN charter this year

2008-08-28T07:05:00.001-07:00

The Philippines Senate is likely toratify the charter of the ten-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations before the end of the year, possibly in timefor the regional group's annual summit, a lawmaker said on Thursday.

Sen. Miriam Defensor Santiago, chair of the Senate foreign relations committee, said that she will submit next month her committee report recommending Senate concurrence with the ASEAN charter, Philippine TV network ABS-CBN said in an on-line report.

The lawmaker said that she "expects Senate concurrence before the end of the year."

"If all ten member states ratify the charter by December, it will enter into force in 2009. Thus, ASEAN will ratify its constitution even ahead of the European Union, whose charter was rejected by two countries," she said.

Of the ten ASEAN members, seven have already ratified the charter, while three countries, including the Philippines, are in the process of ratification.

The ten ASEAN members are: Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.

"The charter also enshrines the so-called ASEAN Way of settling differences, meaning consultation and consensus. This is the basic decision-making principle in ASEAN," she said.

"The main tangible result of the charter will be the creation of an ASEAN Economic Community. This means the creation of a single market and product base. In the ASEAN Economic Community, there will be free flow of goods, services, investments, and capital. It will also facilitate movement of business persons, professionals, talents, and labor," she said.

"The emergence of China and India as economic powers has created new realities for ASEAN. The ASEAN Economic Community will keep the Philippines competitive alongside these two Asian giants.The ASEAN Economic Community will be established by 2015," Santiago said.

Source:Xinhua

Chinese TV viewers lost, fussy in wake of Olympics

2008-08-28T07:04:00.011-07:00

In the three days since the closing of the Olympics, many Chinese viewers who had been glued to the live broadcast of the Games over the past 17 days were feeling lost and prone to whining, according to psychological and educational experts.

Psychologists noted many viewers, who might still be obsessed with the sporting events, were unable to make a quick shift of their daily focus away from the Olympics to their pre-Games routine after the fast pace of the long-awaited Olympiad.

Lin Ye, a Shanghai-based psychological consultant, said clinical experience showed sports fans were prone to undergo a period of depression in the wake of major international sports events, such as the Olympics and the World Cup.

Through watching the same match, TV viewers and their families shared fun and excitement so that their home atmosphere became better; they temporarily forgot about worries in their work, he said.

When the Olympics ended on Sunday, they had to return to normal life and face the worries in their work, but often they were unable to adjust their mood so quickly, said Ye, who called this phenomenon "the Olympic Syndrome."

Psychological and educational experts said white-collar employees and students were among those seriously affected by the syndrome. These groups had often chosen to spend as much time as possible watching the Games by cutting time for sleep and eating.

Yang Xiaowei, a researcher on primary education at the East China Normal University, suggested those affected by "the Olympic Syndrome" could participate in more outdoor activities and make more friends to turn their attention away from TV.

In addition, they should reschedule their time and have more rest, she said.

Source: Xinhua

Nationwide tourism plan discussed

2008-08-28T07:04:00.009-07:00

The central government said yesterday it is considering a series of fiscal measures to promote tourism, particularly in the less developed interior regions.

The National Development and Reform Commission, in a joint statement with the National Tourism Administration, Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, Ministry of Commerce, Ministry of Finance and the People's Bank of China, said a series of measures will be taken to upgrade the nation's tourism industry, with special focus on the less developed west and central areas and the rust-belt industrial regions in the northeast.

The statement said the government is considering the introduction of tax incentives and subsidized micro-credit loans to companies for the development of tourism and training of professionals.

The government will also provide support to the local governments of less developed areas that have rich tourism resources but poor infrastructures.

The statement emphasized the importance of tourism in job creation.

By 2015, China's tourism industry is expected to employ about 100 million workers, from the current 60 million.

"The tourism industry involves widely different types of services some of which are relatively labor intensive," Yang Chunyan, an analyst at Orient Securities in Shanghai, said.

"Growth in tourism has the potential of benefiting many other related sectors such as retail, catering, entertainment, airlines, and logistics," she said.

Tourism in China has great potential for growth, especially in the western areas of the country, such as Yunnan province and parts of Sichuan province, she said.

Government figures show spending by domestic tourists amounted to 777.6 billion yuan last year, up 47 percent from 2005. Spending by urban residents increased by 51.8 percent to 555 billion yuan and for rural residents by 36.2 percent to 222 billion yuan.

The per capita spending by domestic tourists last year rose 10.6 percent from 2005 to 482.6 yuan.

The per capita spending by urban residents increased by 23 percent to 960.9 yuan and rural residents, fell by 2.2 percent to 222.5 yuan.

Source: China Daily

More people surviving below poverty line

2008-08-28T07:04:00.007-07:00

The World Bank said on Tuesday more people are living in extreme poverty in developing countries than previously thought as it adjusted the recognized yardstick for measuring global poverty to 1.25 U.S. dollars a day from 1 dollars.

The poverty-fighting institution said there were 1.4 billion people - a quarter of the developing world - living in extreme poverty on less than 1.25 dollars a day in 2005 in the world's 10 to 20 poorest countries. Last year, the World Bank said there were 1 billion people living under the previous 1 dollars a day poverty mark.

Impoverished people eat at a community soup kitchen in a neighborhood of Buenos Aires May 23, 2008.
The new figures are likely to put fresh pressure on big donor countries to move more aggressively to combat global poverty, and on countries to introduce more-effective policies to help lift the poorest.

Even so, the new estimates show how progress has been made in helping the poor over the past 25 years. In 1981, 1.9 billion people were living below the new 1.25 dollars a day poverty line.

The new estimates are based on updated global price data, and the revision to the poverty line shows the cost of living in the developing world is higher than had been thought. The data is based on 675 household surveys in 116 countries.

"These new estimates are a major advance in poverty measurements because they are based on far better price data for assuring that the poverty lines are comparable across countries," said Martin Ravallion, director of the World Bank's Development Research Group.

While the developing world has more poor people than previously believed, the World Bank's new chief economist, Justin Lin, said the world was still on target to meet a United Nations goal of halving the number of people in poverty by 2015.

Children queue for free rice porridge distributed by student volunteers as a sign of their protest to the state of hunger and poverty in the country during a feeding program at a slum area in Manila July 5, 2008.
However, excluding China from overall calculations, the world fails to meet the UN poverty targets, Lin said.

The World Bank data shows that the number of people living below the 1.25 dollars a day poverty line fell over nearly 25 years to 26 percent in 2005 from 52 percent in 1981, a decline on average of about 1 percent a year, he said.

Lin said the new poverty data meant there was no room for complacency and added that rich donor nations need to keep their promises of stepped-up aid to poor countries.

"The sobering news that poverty is more pervasive than we thought means we must redouble our efforts, especially in sub-Saharan Africa," said Lin, a leading Chinese academic.

While most of the developing world has managed to reduce poverty, the rate in sub-Saharan Africa, the world's poorest region, has not changed in nearly 25 years, according to data using the new 1.25 dollars a day poverty line.

Half of the people in sub-Saharan Africa were living below the poverty line in 2005, the same as in 1981.

China success

Elsewhere, poverty has declined.

In East Asia, which includes China, the poverty rate fell to 18 percent in 2005 from almost 80 percent in 1981, when it was the poorest region. In China, the number of people in poverty fell to 207 million from 835 million in 1981.

In South Asia, the poverty rate fell from 60 percent to 40 percent between 1981 and 2005, but that was not enough to bring down the total number of poor in the region, which stood at 600 million in 2005.

In India, the number of people below the 1.25 dollars a day poverty line increased to 455 million in 2005 from 420 million people in 1981. But the share of the population in poverty fell to 42 percent from 60 percent.

The World Bank noted that better-off countries have higher poverty lines and said it was more appropriate in regions such as Latin America and Eastern Europe to use a 2 dollars a day rate.

The bank has estimated that 100 million people could fall into extreme poverty due to soaring food and energy prices.

Source: China Daily

Bus systems lure riders with plush seats and Wi-Fi

2008-08-28T07:04:00.005-07:00

Think of the typical city bus, and Americans are likely to picture old vehicles with hard seats and noisy brakes that belch diesel fumes as they jerk from stop to stop.

Transit agencies want people to take another look. They are rolling out more attractive and comfortable buses, convenient express routes and even on-board Wi-Fi.

Buses may lack the hipness of subways or light rail, but they are the best hope for accommodating large numbers of new riders quickly and affordably. To harness the increased demand for mass transit, officials are turning to new ways of delivering and marketing their bus service.

Ted Mann, an Arlington, Virginia, resident, has been a regular bus rider since totaling his car a year ago and has noticed the improvements.

Mann, 66, said the Washington area's extensive transit service has meant he has not felt compelled to buy a new car. Still, he can testify to the image problem that buses face.

"The other night I was with a group of people, and the fastest thing to do was to get on the bus. Some of these people had never been on a bus - as if this was some awful low-class way," he said.

Nationally, bus riders tend to be poorer than rail passengers. Metro, the Washington region's transit agency, hopes a makeover will help buses' public relations problem. This month the agency is introducing new buses with a modern red and silver color scheme, cushioned seats and sound-deadening floors for a quieter ride.

"People who wouldn't normally take the bus - they can see this beautiful piece of art here and want to take public transportation," said Milo Victoria, Metro's assistant general manager for bus operations.

Elsewhere, transit agencies from Chattanooga, Tennessee, to Cincinnati to Oakland, California, have introduced Wi-Fi on buses, particularly those on longer commuter routes. Metro plans to make Wi-Fi available at elaborate new bus shelters in Arlington, which will also feature heated seats and electronic signs with bus arrival and departure information.

Source: China Daily/Agencies

IFI heralds the trends in full body workout

2008-08-28T07:04:00.003-07:00

Being a programme that supports the fitness industry to become more inclusive, the Inclusive Fitness Initiative caters for the needs of both disabled and non-disabled people. Through a range of projects and equipment the initiative has supported facilities across the UK to create an inclusive service increasing participation by disabled people.

The aim of the initiative is to make fitness centres and gyms accessible to all people with disability, no matter it's physical, mental or sensory. The IFI's scheme is unique in the world today, absolutely central in the design of physical equipment by many of the leading firms across the world of manufacturing companies.

With the significant support of sport lottery funding, IFI broke the cycling of action that previous existed in fitness industry, and conducted in-depth research to understand why disabled people were not accessible in fitness service in public sector facilities, especially why the participation rates of disabled people were significant lower than the non-disabled people.

With some nine million pounds invested by the government on this initiative, IFI has interacted with the facilities it worked with. It was very important to have areas of intervention to provide a holistic solution. Top of that list was the development of inclusive fitness equipment, because this was the primary initial output from the research: there was no fitness equipment available for disabled people to get full body workout in the gym.

It is very important to make sure that the disabled people understand the benefit of a healthy life style, and many disabled people don't feel at ease when doing physical workout in a gym with non-disabled people. Once the disabled people find the benefit of a healthy life style and enjoy taking part in fitness environment, IFI will also encourage them to take on other complementary physical activities and sports.

Currently, there are 186 facilities in the UK accredited by the IFI. The very positive output from this initiative was that a total of 370,000 disabled people visited those facilities in 2007. With the expansion of the initiative, the figure will be expected to hit 571,000 in 2008. It is worth mentioning that nearly 50 percent of those users never used the gym before.

In the facilities IFI works with, seven percent of all the users in those facilities are disabled people. 12 percent of the new users are disabled people. Another key feature of this initiative is the fact that IFI wishes to welcome all disabled people regardless of their impairment. A very important point to be able to develop facilities for disabled people is to speak to the disabled and take onboard their views, what they require from the equipment.

The positive outcome from this programme is 96 percent of all the disabled people who use the facilities will recommend their experiences to other people. Additionally, 50 percent of all disabled people that use the IFI facilities visit those facilities twice or more a week. And the average of non-disabled people visits 1.3 times a week.

To echo the huge demand from disabled gym users, IFI has trained 5,000 staff for those facilities and 1,500 fitness instructors are confident to deliver exercise programmes, which is important to complement the equipment.

The IFI has been working with equipment suppliers and manufacturers to ensure that the gyms across the UK are fully accessible for disabled and their work will be promoted at Beijing Olympics and Paralympics this summer.

This year, 40,000 people with disability will benefit from the initiative by using 186 accredited facilities in the UK. That number of people using these gyms will hopefully double by the end of 2008 thanks to the strong market excellence, and by 2012, the year when London hosts the Olympics, up to 1,000 will be accredited.

By People's Daily Online

24 NBA professional players won medals

2008-08-28T07:04:00.001-07:00

A total of 24 current and previous basketball players of the U.S. professional league of the National Basketball Association received medal during the Olympic Games of Beijing 2008, NBA said on Wednesday.

These professional basketball players played of the national teams of U.S. , Spain and Argentina , the Communication department of the NBA Latin America & US Hispanic said on Wednesday in its website.

42 NBA players played for 12 national teams in the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, which is the biggest number since 1992.

U.S. defeated Spain and with this victory Jason Kidd extended his record to 56-0, which included the triumphs at the Olympic Games, those of the Olympic qualifying and the international friendly matches.

The Spaniards who won silver were Jose Manuel Calderon from Toronto Raptors, Rudy Fernandez from Portland Trail Blazers, JorgeGarbajosa from Toronto Raptors in 07-08, Marc Gasol from Memphis Grizzlies, Pau Gazol from LA Lakers, Raul Lopez from Utah Jazz and Juan Carlos Navarro from Memphis Grizzlies.

Argentines winner of bronze were Carlos Delfino from Toronto Raptors 07-08 and Detroit Pistons 04-07; Manu Ginobili from San Antonio Spurs, Andres Nocioni from Chicago Bulls, Fabricio Oberto from San Antonio Spurs and Luis Scola from Houston Rockets.

Source:Xinhua

Chinese official reaffirms curbing inflation a priority after Games

2008-08-28T07:03:00.008-07:00

The Chinese government will stick to an economic policy that focuses on curbing inflation for the rest of the year, a senior official on Wednesday told China's top legislature, as slowing output and rising prices loom over the post-Games economy.

Economic planners would exert themselves to increase supplies of necessities, closely track key prices and make price controls more effective, National Development and Reform Commission deputy chief Zhu Zhixin told the fourth session of the Standing Committee of the 11th National People's Congress.

"A lot of factors can drive prices up," said Zhu. "There is a strong demand for primary products, with prices hovering high on international markets, while more expensive land and labor at home will add to costs."

His statements came after China's main inflation indicator showed a deceleration in July and as the world wondered where the already slowing economy would head after the glitz of the Games.

The consumer price index was up 6.3 percent last month over July last year, lower than the 7.1 percent in June and 7.7 percent in May, as tighter monetary policies adopted last year seemed to bite.

Meanwhile, the country's economic output in the first half was 10.4 percent higher, compared with 10.6 percent in the first quarter and 12.2 percent in the first half last year.

Zhu said the output slowdown was "a moderate correction from a high level".

"The national economy is heading in the direction expected by the macro-control policy."

Zhu cited the pressures on some industries and enterprises as one of the major conflicts in the economy, saying it would take time for the latest supportive policies to show an effect and for companies to adjust.

He told the top legislature the government would continue to seek a balance between fighting inflation and maintaining growth.

Tasks for the rest of the year included improving the contribution of domestic consumption to economic growth, boosting agricultural output and increasing aid to small enterprises, he said.

The government had been focusing on preventing the economy from overheating before changing the goal to "keeping steady, rapid growth" in July.

Many analysts foresaw a loosening of the tight monetary policy to provide liquidity for enterprises, especially exporters, that were squeezed by weakening demand, credit controls and rising costs.

Earlier this month, administrators raised the export tax rebate rates for some textiles and garments, while the central bank allowed more credit to small and medium-sized enterprises.

"The fiscal and monetary policies are likely to be eased, if the current trend is a guide," said CITIC Securities analyst Zhu Jianfang. "The central bank is not expected to come up with any big tightening moves after the Olympics."

Source: Xinhua

HK shares rebound 1.94%, led by China Mobile

2008-08-28T07:03:00.007-07:00

Hong Kong's benchmark Hang Seng Index rose 1.94 percent Wednesday, led by heavyweight blue-chip China Mobile following its strong first-half earnings report.

The blue-chip Hang Seng Index recouped 408.06 points, or 1.94 percent, to close at its intraday high of 21,464.72 on Wednesday. Turnover rose to 60.99 billion HK dollars from Tuesday's 47.96 billion HK dollars .

Hong Kong market outperformed the benchmark Shanghai index's 0.3 percent decline Wednesday and the Dow Jones Industrial Average's0.23 percent rise overnight.

Three of the four major sub-indices advanced. The commerce and industry index gained most at 2.34 percent, followed by the property at 2.19 percent, the finance at 1.78 percent. The utility sub-index edged down 0.25 percent.

Heavyweight China Mobile, the largest mobile phone operator in the country and the market's largest stock measured by capitalization, rose 3.5 percent to 96.55 HK dollars after reporting a 45 percent increase in first-half net profit on strong subscriber growth and lower taxes. Analysts said the telecom operator's leading market share will likely attract continued interest from investors.

With International oil futures rallying, China's largest offshore oil producer CNOOC rose 3.7 percent to 11.62 HK dollars ahead of results announcement. PetroChina, the country's largest oil producer, rose 3.4 percent to 10.30 HK dollars despite expectations it would report a drop in first-half earnings. After the market closed, PetroChina said its first-half net profit fell to 53.62 billion yuan from 81.83 billion yuan a year earlier.

On bank stocks side, HSBC, which accounts for the largest weighting of the Hang Seng Index, rose 0.84 percent to 120.80 HK dollars on the rumors that the bank recaptured the market leadership on its mortgage interest rate of as low as the prime rate minus 2.9 points.

On shipping and related stocks front, COSCO Holdings was up 8. 23 percent at 15.78 HK dollars on doubled interim profit.

Source:Xinhua

PetroChina to acquire 51.89% stake in CNPC (Hong Kong)

2008-08-28T07:03:00.005-07:00

PetroChina Company Limited is to buy a 51.89-percent stake in CNPC Limited from its parent company, China National Petroleum Corporation , in a bid to further expand its gas business.

The stake would cost 972 million U.S. dollars in cash, said the company in its half-year report on Wednesday.

PetroChina said it would cooperate with CNPC to develop gas ventures in end-user markets.

The Beijing-based oil producer said the deal, which was still waiting for official approval from government departments and regulatory institutions, was expected to close by the end of this year.

PetroChina reported a first-half net profit of 53.62 billion yuan, down 34.5 percent from the same period last year, pushed down by fuel price caps and windfall taxes.

Crude oil output reached 435 million barrels, up 3.5 percent, while natural gas output increased 15.7 percent to 923 billion cubic feet.

CNPC Limited, also a subsidiary of the CNPC, had 11gas and oil exploration and development projects worldwide by June.

Source:Xinhua

Vanke to issue 5.9b yuan in corporate bonds

2008-08-28T07:03:00.003-07:00

Vanke, China's largest listed property developer, was approved to issue up to 5.9 billion yuan in corporate bonds by the China Securities Regulatory Commission, the company said Wednesday.

As much as 1.5 billion yuan of the proceeds from the bond issuance will be invested to improve the company's debt structure and optimize its debt ratio, and the remainder will supplement its capital flow.

With durations between three and five years, the bonds may have the same or different maturities, said the company.

Vanke's cash balance stood at 15.37 billion yuan at the end of June, according to its half year financial report, while its asset-liability ratio soared to 67.75 percent in the first half, ranking third in the company's history after 76.62 percent in 1990 and 74.91 in 1992.

The 980-billion-yuan fund that was transferred from last year's refinancing fund early this year to supplement the company's liquidity, was returned to its specified account on August 25 in accordance with the developer's commitment, the company also announced today.

Vanke posted net profits of 2.06 billion yuan in the first six months, up 23.56 percent year-on-year. The company sold 2.66 million square meters and its total sales value rose to 24.13 billion yuan, up 15 percent and 38.1 percent respectively over the previous year, despite the weakening demand in the domestic real estate market.

chinadaily.com.cn

A dramatic rise in quality of life

2008-08-28T07:03:00.001-07:00

The impact of China's economic reforms in the last three decades has been as awe-inspiring, if not more, than the country's growth rate during the period, according to a leading international economist.

As a result of the Industrial Revolution, living standards increased by 50 to 75 percent in a lifetime , said former president of Harvard University, Lawrence Summers. At the current growth rate in China, living standards rise 100-fold, or 10,000 percent.

Between 1978 and 2007, China's real GDP grew annually at an average of 9.8 percent, increasing more than 13 times in real terms, while per capita GDP rose from 381 yuan to 15,973 yuan.

Budget revenue grew at an average annual rate of 13.45 percent, from 113.226 billion yuan to 5.13 trillion yuan, an increase of more than 700 percent after adjusting for inflation. Over the same period, United States' federal revenue only doubled in real terms.

China's fast economic growth has vastly improved the quality of life for its population. The enrollment rate of primary schoolchildren remained steady at nearly 100 percent between 2000 and 2005, and the gross enrollment rate in junior middle schools increased from 88.6 percent to 95 percent.

The life expectancy data from the World Health Organization show China's average life expectancy was 72.4 years in 2005, compared with the world average of 67. China's overall performance in virtually all health indicators, assessed by the United Nations, surpasses developing country averages by wide margins.

Since 1978, China has implemented a policy package to reduce poverty. Today the nation has 23 million poor people, down from 218 million in 1980.

Some 70 percent of farmers have been covered by a cooperative medical insurance network though they still have to shoulder at least half of the medical costs.

But Zheng Gongcheng, a professor with Renmin University of China, is worried about the gap between rural and urban regions, as income disparity has continued to widen.

China's Gini coefficient, an internationally accepted measure of income inequality, is estimated at 0.47. Anything more than 0.4 is considered "alarming". The coefficient was 0.3 in 1982 and 0.45 in 2002.

There are 21.48 million rural poor still facing food and clothing shortages, and there still are 35.5 million low-income earners. The poor account for 6 percent of the population in rural areas and 13.7 percent in the western regions. And the number for absolute poverty would be around 100 million if the World Bank parameter of $1 a day is taken into account.

The poorest of the poor live in harsh ecological conditions, mostly in remote areas, where natural resources are scarce and public services not widely accessible. They are also being more acutely affected by weather turbulences caused by climate change as half of China's arable land is often affected by natural disasters.

A member of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, China's parliament, Zheng said the definition of decent livelihood itself has changed with the times. In the 1980s or '90s, being better off meant having ample food and clothing. Now it goes beyond that. "At least basic education should become a universal right."

Zheng said the leadership must understand there is much to be gained by pouring money into basic education and social security. "Social gains will come in the long run: we have made the poor potential human capital, and they will now contribute to society, making society more stable. We need to accelerate this process to realize social harmony."

Source:China Daily

Gov't to steer investment into 5 key areas

2008-08-28T07:02:00.001-07:00

The Chinese government will guide investment into five key areas of the economy to help competitive enterprises out of difficulty and ensure steady economic development, an official from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology said on Tuesday.

Hou Shiguo, chief of the ministry's industrial policy department said in an interview with Xinhua News Agency that the five preferred areas are agriculture, economic restructuring, energy saving and emissions reduction, independent innovation and social undertakings.

Meanwhile, the capacity of sectors with high energy consumption and heavy pollution will be restricted from unlimited expansion, Hou said.

Although the nation's industrial restructuring efforts have born fruit in the past decades, problems concerning improper industrial structure still occur and may lead to excessive energy consumption, pollution and unstable economic performance, Hou said.

Therefore, the government should encourage the development of key technologies, equipment, and products which can facilitate industry structural upgrading. In addition, less-developed sectors including agriculture, service industry, environmental protection, as well as resource saving and comprehensive utilization also needs additional investment.

Affected by negative factors both at home and abroad, quite a few small- and medium-sized enterprises in the country have encountered difficulties in their operations since last year, some even closed down.

According to Hou, some enterprises failed to meet upgraded environmental and production standards and were eliminated by market competition. This is in line with the nation's policy target of optimizing industrial structure and cutting emissions.

However, government policies should lean towards enterprises with advanced technologies and sound development foundations, and help them out of temporary difficulties like energy costs and slowing market demand, he noted.

As part of the efforts, the government raised the tax rebate on a range of textiles and garments to 13 percent from 11 percent earlier this month, to help exporters struggling with yuan appreciation, weakening demand and rising costs. Meanwhile, fiscal and taxation supports as well as a credit ease are also in the pipeline, Hou said.

These policies will create a positive environment for SMEs' development and press them for further structural adjustment, he added.

chinadaily.com.cn

Life insurance premiums in China expand 67% in first 7 months

2008-08-28T07:01:00.006-07:00

Life insurance companies in China, both domestic and foreign-funded, collected 481.89 billion yuan in premiums in the first seven months of this year, up 66.7 percent year-on-year, the China Insurance Regulatory Commission said on Thursday.

The growth rate was 2.3 percentage points higher than in the first half alone, it said.

In terms of life insurance premiums, the total included 203 billion yuan for China Life, up 54 percent, 61.4 billion yuan for Ping An's life insurance company, up 30 percent, and 43.7 billion yuan for Pacific Insurance's life assurance branch, up 58 percent.

In July alone, these three collected premiums of 12.8 billion yuan, 7.5 billion yuan and 4.8 billion yuan, respectively, up 98 percent, 48 percent and 55 percent over the year-earlier level.

Luo Yi, an analyst with China Merchants Securities, attributed the fast growth to sales of investment-oriented policies through banks, which could result in risks such as exaggeration of investment returns and weak supervision.

Chen Wenhui, assistant to the CIRC chairman, said earlier at an internal meeting of the commission that sharp fluctuations in the insurance sector should be avoided and steps should be taken to achieve a soft landing of the life insurance business.

Chen's comments were echoed by Jin Wenhong, chairman of Pacific Insurance, who said the rapid expansion of investment-oriented life insurance exposed the entire insurance industry to extreme volatility.

Wan Feng, president of China Life, noted in the second half year, his company would stick to marketing traditional policies and develop investment-oriented products appropriately.

In the remainder of the year, growth in premiums for life insurers would slow, Wang Xiaogang, analyst with Eastern Securities, forecast.

Source:Xinhua

Chinese shares edge up on recovering confidence

2008-08-28T07:01:00.005-07:00

Chinese shares edged up on Thursday, comforted by words the country's top market regulator is considering to cut or cancel the stock dividend tax.

The Shanghai Composite Index was up eight points, or 0.34 percent, to close at 2,350.14. In Shenzhen, the market fell 0.13 percent, or 10.11 points, to close at 7,817.05.

Aggregate turnover reached 43.4 billion yuan , slightly lower than 47.2 billion yuan on Wednesday.

Nearly half of the stocks dropped on the two bourses. In Shanghai, 380 stocks rose while 401 fell; in Shenzhen, 351 issues rose while 296 fell.

Source:Xinhua

China tightens credit control on property projects

2008-08-28T07:01:00.003-07:00

The People's Bank of China and the China Banking Regulatory Commission are urging rigorous credit management on commercial property projects to curb possible risks that could threaten the banking sector.

Analysts said the policy aimed at improving the property credit market with the central bank's resolution and devotion to implement the tight economic policy and the banking regulator's prevention against possible financial risk.

The policy would have significant impact on property developers as financing would be more difficult.

According to the joint-circular issued late on Wednesday evening, no loan would be given to developers to cover land transfer costs. Loans for land reserve acquisition would be secured by property developers through the use of a mortgage and require a legal land use certificate. The amount of the loan should be less than 70 percent of the estimated value of the project. The credit period would be confined to two years.

Provision of credit would be more cautious to government-approved construction projects that hadn't started within a year after a land concession contract was signed.

This would also apply to projects where its developed land area was less than one-third of the total, or where the investment was less than a quarter of the total within a year after starting construction.

No credit of any kind would be offered to projects where land had been idle for two years or more, the statement said.

Analysts said the policy would keep lenders away from risks caused by the possible reform of the country's property sector due to the global economic downturn and China's possible post-Olympics economic slowdown.

In the first half, nationwide credit for commercial real estate amounted to 5.2 trillion yuan , up 22.5 percent year on year, accounting for 15 to 20 percent of the total assets of the banking industry.

Analysts said the rate of non-performing loans was increasing. Stagnation in property sales and capital chain rupture would leave banks subject to high risk, which would in turn put the country's economy in danger.

As of Aug. 23, cash outflow outnumbered cash inflow among 55 developers by 25.5 billion yuan in the first half, up 477.2 percent from a year-earlier level, according to Wind Info, a Chinese financial data provider.

The developers posted their operating income at 58.3 billion yuan, up 37.96 percent year on year. Operating profit was 13.02 billion yuan, up 44.46 percent, while net profit stood at 9.94 billion yuan, up 49.4 percent. The figures were far from the more than 80 percent year-on-year growth rate posted last year.

Due to the credit crunch, property developers had sought to broaden channels of financing. Typically, they shifted some of their attention to trusts, funds and bonds.

The PBOC and the CBRC also called for financial support for indemnificatory housing construction. Strict credit management on rural collective land for construction should be enhanced. Loans would not go to projects in such areas for commercial properties or to rural residents' land purchase for home construction.

Source:Xinhua

To view China in post-Beijing Olympics era

2008-08-28T07:01:00.001-07:00

Editor's note: Visiting Chinese President Hu Jintao made an important address in Seoul, the capital of the Republic of Korea on Monday, or August 26, which was entitled "Deepening Cooperation for Mutual Benefit and Creating a Brilliant Future". Right after the close of Beijing's 2008 Summer Olympic Games, global public opinions give special attention to this speech of the Chinese leader and they hope that they would be briefed or enunciated more distinctly on the trend of Chinese diplomacy and China's role in the contemporary world.

To cope with this objective, People's Daily desk editor Lu Yansong has held a dialogue with some PD reporters accompanying the Chinese president on the current overseas trip and PD resident reporters in Russia, the United States and Belgium on the global reactions of Hu's address and to analyze a trend in China's internal and external policies following the recent Olympic Games.

Desk editor: the address President Hu Jintao delivered at a luncheon with ROK's four major economic groups, which was entitled "Deepening Cooperation for Mutual Benefit and Creating a Brilliant Future" has an vivid, ample connotation. It not only clearly indicate the direction for the substantial cooperation between China and the ROK but has summed up in a highly concentrated way the historic changes in the three decades of reform and opening to the outside world that have wrought to China and once again declared its resolve to continue opening itself to the world.

Reporter: Beijing's Olympic Games has attracted wide global attention and the top Chinese leader's first state visit and first address in the wake of the Games arrests more global attention. What most impressive is that ROK personalities at the luncheon expressed their heartfelt endorsement of Hu's statement that China would unswerving follow a path of peaceful development and a reciprocal win-win strategy in its opening-up process.

President Hu drew an enthusiastic applause when he said China will seek development based on peacefulness, opening up and cooperation, and that the Chinese people are willing to work hand-in-hand with other peoples to develop a harmonious world of lasting peace and shared prosperity." China's development over the past 30 years hinged on the reform and opening up and the nation's future development must also rely on the reform and opening up" – this remark of his is really impressive as it has enabled the people across the world to see the firm belief of the Chinese government in steering and commanding the direction for China's future development.

In term of the fast expanding Sino-ROK bilateral ties, it is also a typical case that China has worked to seek the mutual development with other countries in its process of opening itself to the outside world. The 16-year period following the forging of diplomatic ties between the two nations is precisely the 16 years in which China stepped up its tempo of reform and opening up.

The bilateral trade volume reached nearly 160 billion US dollars last year, a 32-fold increase compared with early days when the two countries established diplomatic relations. Last year, there were reportedly 6 million trips in the bilateral exchange of personnel and the two countries operated more than 800 daily roundtrip flights. Bilateral substantial cooperation has progressed so fast, and this is indeed rare in history, so People in ROK are really in favor of China's opening-up policy.

Desk editor: Viewing from television, figures in the ROK economic circle responded very enthusiastically to President Hu's speech. How ROK friends talked about their impressions on the speech during your coverage on the scene?

Reporter: President Hu's speech is penetrating and to the point, said Kwang Sok Ko, a senior executive director of the Korea International Trade Association said when he was interviewed. The tremendous successes China has scored ever since its reform and opening-up began 30 years ago, he said, can be rated as a "miracle" in human history. Noting that the road of China's own choice is very correct, he said that foreign firms have plucked up their confidence in making investments in China and more firms would hopefully come and invest in China as the nation has adhered to its opening-up approach. Moreover, the 2010 Shanghai World Expo will also provide a good pivot for China to spur its development, Kwang Sok Ko said.

The speech Lee Hee-Beom, the chairman and CEO of the KITA, gave at the luncheon had a wide representation. He congratulated China on its successful hosting of the Olympics 2008. "This is a success not only for China but for the whole of Asia," he said. He also voiced the conviction that there will be greater expansion in bilateral ties, and the goal of topping the bilateral trade volume of 200 billion US dollars in 2010 will certainly be attained, Lee said.

Desk editor: President Hu's address will undoubtedly provide a crucial basis for other nations to increase their understanding of China's stance or position in global affairs. It is precisely for this reason that experts and scholars from various countries have delved into this important address and offer their own explanations and expositions on it.

Reporter: the successful hosting of Beijing Olympics, which fully demonstrated China's strong overall national strength, has not only accorded extensive praises and acclamation globally, but deepened the nation's mutual understanding with the rest of the world, said Dr. Alexander Lukin, a prestigious professor at the Moscow State Institute of International Relations, when he was interviewed by the PD resident reporter. So, he affirmed, China's communication and engagement with the outside world has begun to enter into a new phase of development.

When China, the most populous nation on earth, has taken a rapid-speed historical leap over the past 30 years, Dr. Lukin said, the fast growth in Chinese economy has propelled the development of the regional economy and played a growing vital role in maintaining the stability of the global economy. The practice has eloquently testified to the truth that China has chosen a correct path of development, and international community also hopes that the nation would play an even more active role in developing a harmonious world.

Desk editor: The media worldwide, while speaking highly of the success of Beijing's Olympics, have recently reached consensuses that the Games is sure to exert a far-reaching impact on China's modernization process. Then, could you inform us on mainstream opinions or view of the U.S. and European nations in this regard?

Reporter: Mainstream media in the U.S. on the whole maintain that Beijing's Olympics has propped up a global stage or platform to demonstrate China's national strength. The "Wall Street Journal" in an analytical article said China has turned increasingly more self-confident; the Associated Press reported that the Beijing Olympics has, since its opening ceremony, shown to the world both an ancient and modern China, and a China without any threat, and that China in years ahead will be even more open to the world, and the Olympic Games has taken a substantial, important step in this regard.

Dr. Cheng Li, a Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution, Washington. D.C., acknowledged that what China had exhibited at its Olympic Games is the cultural prosperity and social progress, and brought hope to the world instead of concern or anxiety.

Reporter：To Stanley Crossick, the founding chairman of the European Policy Center in Brussels, an ace think tank in Europe, China's openness is beyond the imagination of many Westerners. The country has ultimately turned over an unexpected, satisfactory test paper to the world, though it had withstood immense pressures in the process of making preparations for the Olympic Games, he said. It has given an eloquent proof the broad-mindedness of the Chinese people, and also shown their nation's due image as a great nation.

Desk editor: With the irreversible trend of both multilateralism and economic globalization and the acceleration of science and technology revolution in an overall global situation, China's future will be increasingly linked with that of the world, President Hu Jintao is widely and repeatedly quoted as speaking to the Monday luncheon in Seoul. Facing the future, China will unswervingly follow a path of peaceful development and give scope to its vital constructive role in international affairs. This is precisely the strategic choice made by the Chinese government and people on the basis of a development trend of our epoch and in compliance with their own interests.

By People's Daily Online and contributed by Desk editor Lu Yansong, PD reporter Wu Qimin, PD resident reporter in ROK Mang Jiuchen, PD resident reporter in Russia Yu Hongjian, PD resident reporter in U.S. Ma Xiaoning, and PD resident reporter in Belgium Zhang Niansheng

EU proposes cooperation with China and Africa

2008-08-28T06:56:00.003-07:00

The European Union proposed a "triangular partnership with China and Africa" to foster peace, stability and development in Africa.

Before his official visit to Beijing, scheduled on Friday, August 29, Louis Michel, European Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian Aid, described such a partnership as "the opportunity" to address global challenges such as soaring food and oil prices, climate change, and security.

He said that China's growing presence in Africa was a "positive force for the economic development of Africa" and the EU, which is also very active in Africa, is ready to work more closely with China "in a spirit of cooperation with Africa and for Africa." During his visit, he noted that he would discuss with China how the EU and China can cooperate and complement each other in delivering assistance and investments to Africa.

The commissioner recognizes the progress that Africa has made on diversifying its economies, realizing substantial growth rates and integrating its societies into the global economy. However, it remains a fundamental challenge for Africa, he commented, to find a "home-grown model" to drive the continent's development.

He believes that trilateral cooperation would maximize Africa's benefits from trade, investment and new technologies; and as a result, foster peace and stability.

By People's Daily Online

President's Turkmenistan visit to boost bilateral ties

2008-08-28T06:56:00.001-07:00

Chinese President Hu Jintao's upcoming visit to Turkmenistan is seen as a latest effort to boost the friendly and cooperative relations between China and Turkmenistan.

Hu is scheduled to pay a state visit to Turkmenistan on Aug. 28-30 after visiting South Korea and Tajikistan, and after attending the annual summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization in Dushanbe, Tajikistan.

Located in southwestern Central Asia, Turkmenistan, rich in natural resources especially oil and natural gas, has an area of 491,200 square km which borders Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, Iran and Kazakhstan.

As Turkmenian President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov told foreignmedia last year when he took office, Turkmenistan is China's closefriend and reliable partner for good.

Noting Turkmenistan takes a pride in the friendship between the two countries, Berdymukhamedov said the bilateral ties can be traced back to the ancient times when the Silk Road facilitated the close link between the two countries.

The road, serving as an important bridge for the economic and cultural exchanges between the East and the West, spread China's tea, silk and porcelain to the rest of the world and also boosted Turkmenian horses' rise in fame.

On Jan. 6, 1992, China and Turkmenistan established diplomatic ties, and the relationship has since developed healthily with frequent exchange of visits by their top leaders and deepened political mutual trust.

The two sides, sharing identical views on major international issues, also have seen fruitful cooperation in political, economic, trade, transportation, social and cultural fields.

In July 2007, Berdymukhamedov paid a state visit to China, a milestone in bilateral ties as commented by the News Agency of Turkmenistan.

During the visit, Berdymukhamedov signed a communique with Hu which identified a clear way to consolidate and further develop the friendly and cooperative relations between the two countries.

According to statistics from the Chinese Ministry of Commerce, bilateral trade volume hit 379.96 million U.S. dollars in the first half of 2008.

The unprecedented achievement exceeded the figure for the whole2007 and positioned Turkmenistan as China's seventh largest trade partner in the region of Commonwealth of Independent States.

As Berdymukhamedov put it, cooperation in oil and natural gas has been given priority by the two governments.

The two countries have jointly launched a gas pipeline project. The pipeline, starting from Turkmenistan's Amu-darya River region, passing through Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan and winding its way to east and south China, has a designed length of some 10,000 km.

Upon its completion, the pipeline will have an annual transmission capacity of 30 billion cubic meters which will last for 30 years.

Source: Xinhua

222 Olympic champion domains in operation

2008-08-28T06:55:00.001-07:00

The China Internet Network Information Center confirmed on August 26 that the State Sports General Administration has officially opened 222 Olympic champion domain names, linking to the athletes'pages on the Chinese Olympic Committee's official website. They plan to allow athletes to use the domain name themselves in future.

This reporter typed in "guojingjing.cn" and immediately entered the Guo Jingjing's information page on the Chinese Olympic Committee official website. Other champions' domain names such as "lixiaopeng.cn" also link to corresponding pages introducing the Chinese delegation.

At the beginning of the opening of the Beijing Olympic Games, the State Sports General Administration registered all participating athletes that had not been registered in advance. More than 70% of Olympic champions' domain names have been secured.

By People's Daily Online

NCAC begins rewarding informants with cash

2008-08-28T06:43:00.003-07:00

Currently, as a way of making the public enthusiastic about combating piracy, the anti-piracy informant center of the National Copyright Administration of China has officially awarded informants like Mr. Ma, with cash.

It is the first time that the center has rewarded the public with cash since the informant hot-line was released.

On March 17, 2008, the center answered Mr. Ma's phone call. He said there was a warehouse of pirated goods at a specific location in Shanxi province. After the careful investigation, the informant center transferred this case to the Copyright Administration of Shanxi province promptly.

On March 24, Shanxi's Copyright Administration lawfully forfeited more than 3,000 pirated books of Luo, the charged party, and served him with an administrative penalty of 5,000 RMB.

By People's Daily Online

MOFCOM issues reform plan of Canton Fair

2008-08-28T06:43:00.001-07:00

MOFCOM issues reform plan of Canton Fair

On August 27, the Ministry of Commerce of China issued "The Reform Plan of the 104th and future Canton Fairs" which includes establishing a mechanism of mutual supervision and balance; while expanding on the exhibition's scale and mitigating the contradiction of supply and demand.

The contents of the plan are as follows:

——To expend the exhibition scale, mitigate the contradiction of supply and demand and promote specialization. The Canton Fair's two phases will be changed into three phases starting from the 104th session in the fall of 2008. The first phase will focus on machinery and electronics; the second phase will be about daily and festival products; and in the third phase, textile and clothes, bags, sports products, office supplies, medicine and health products, food and local products will be the focus. And the scale will shift from 32,000 exhibitions during the 102nd session to 54,000 exhibition stages.

In addition, exhibition areas will increase from 34 to 50 to promote the specialization. And the original 4 categories, including brands; famous, excellent, brand-new and unique products; investment appeal; and distribution will be simplified to 2 categories of brands and universality.

——To unify methods, normalize operations, and establish the mechanism of mutual supervision and balance.

——To rationalize relationships, suitably divide work, and perform one's duty perfectly.

By People's Daily Online

News Analysis: Chinese economy where to go post-Olympics

2008-08-28T06:42:00.004-07:00

As the 2008 Beijing Olympics ended in a splendor of fireworks, concerns over a post-Games downturn for the Chinese economy re-emerged.

History shows that some host countries had experienced post-Olympic declines because investment dropped, such as Tokyo and Seoul.

Japan witnessed a drastic fall in growth the year after the 1964 Games, down to 5.2 percent from the year-earlier 13.1 percent. The Republic of Korea saw the rate slip from 10.6 percent to 6.7 percent in 1989.

Will China follow the same pattern? The world ponders.

WORRY OVER POST-GAMES ECONOMY JUSTIFIED OR NOT?

The capital''''s gross domestic product was expected to register an average annualized 11.8 percent growth between 2005 and 2008, when the city was investing for the Games, said Chen Jian, the Beijing Olympic Economy Research Association deputy head.

The expected growth was, on average, 0.8 percentage points higher than the average rate for the five-year period from 2001 to2005.

Chen said investment for the Games had driven the city''''s growth by the biggest margin in 2007 -- 1.14 percent.

Official statistics showed organizers had spent 13 billion yuan on construction of venues and another 280 billion yuan on urban infrastructure, such as to upgrade transport and improve the environment.

About 1.5 million new job opportunities were created between 2005 and 2008 along with the investment.

Other host cities, including neighboring Tianjin and Qingdao, also reported higher growth as they geared up for the Games. The sailing events in Qingdao helped boost regional economic growth by0.8 percent annually.

The positive impact of hosting the Games was there, but its leverage among the huge national economy was limited.

Beijing's gross domestic product only accounted for less than 4 percent of the country's total, and Olympic-related factors were not major forces behind the growth in host cities to make a difference after the Games.

The annual investment of Beijing for the Olympics took up only 1 percent of the country''''s total between 2002 and 2007, according to statistics. About 718,300 square meters of Games-related construction was completed in 2007, 0.0139 percent of the total.

Zhang Xiaode, a China National School of Administration professor, depicted the situation in a vivid way. "If the Chinese economy is measured at a scale equal to the sea, the impact of a frog into the sea can almost be ignored."

A J.P. Morgan Chase report said the Chinese economy was not likely to slow in the post-Games period. It argued host countries of large economies that enjoyed fast growth were not vulnerable to such impact.

Justin Yifu Lin, the chief economist and vice president of the World Bank, had long held China would face no post-Olympic recession.

The size of the economy dwarfed the investment on building venues and infrastructure for the 2008 Beijing Olympics, he said in May.

The country had plenty of investment prospects as it was to host the World Expo in Shanghai and the Asian Games in Guangzhou in 2010, among other international events.

President Hu Jintao also openly endorsed the view in a joint interview with overseas journalists a week ahead of the Games.

"Preparations for the Games have undoubtedly boosted Beijing's economic and social development. However, the city's GDP accounts for a tiny part of China''''s total, so people should not overestimate the impact."

News Analysis: Chinese economy where to go post-Olympics (2)

2008-08-28T06:42:00.003-07:00

CHALLENGES REMAIN

However, economists were still concerned of the "post-Games effect," because investment would inevitably drop and consumption that had come along with domestic and overseas tourists would decrease or even come to zero after the Games.

The impact could combine with other uncertainties such as the global slowdown and slack export demands to complicate the prospects of the economy; it was already under huge pressure of slower growth and economic restructuring, said Wang Yiming, a National Development and Reform Commission economist.

In the first half, the national economy expanded 10.4 percent -- 10.6 percent in the first quarter and 10.1 percent in the second. The world''s fourth largest economy was on a track of slowing since the third quarter of last year registered 11.5 percent.

Meanwhile, the country''s inflation rate eased to 6.3 percent in July from 7.1 percent in June, 7.7 percent in May and a peak of 8.7 percent in February. This was due to a series of measures including tightening monetary policies to rein in runaway prices.

But the country''s decision makers are now in a dilemma of trying to seek a balance between fighting inflation and boosting economic growth in the rest of the year to ensure a steady and fast economic development.

Individual investors, who looked to stock and real estate markets to feel the pulse of the economy, were discouraged during the Olympics.

The country''s stock market failed to live up to wide expectations of a bullish run, and reported a more than 15 percent decline in nearly a month before and after the Olympics.

Wang said the performance of the market was not directly linked to the Olympics. He believed share prices would go towards a more reasonable range as investor confidence returned on the back of a strong economy and steady profits revealed in the half-year reports of listed companies.

Property prices, which had been soaring since early 2001, seemed to have had come to a standstill since the end of last year. Many feared there could be a drastic fall in prices post-Olympics.

Olympic researcher Chen said the property market was affected by the Games as it had boosted Beijing housing prices.

He also believed the national market enjoyed good prospects in the long run. "More people will move into cities and create new demands, as the country''s urbanization is below the world average."

STEADY GROWTH ANTICIPATED

Despite the challenges, economists agreed on the future prospects of the Chinese economy.

It would maintain a steady growth this year, economist Wang said. "The overheating risks that once threatened the Chinese economy had been pared following the country''s macro-control measures; three major drivers of growth -- investment, consumption and exports -- would maintain a good momentum."

"The national economy is now on a normal track as overheating risks recede," said Fan Gang, a member of the Monetary Policy Committee under the People''s Bank of China, the country''s central bank.

"Risks of a sudden and drastic fall-off on the stock and real estate markets had already been largely reduced and energy prices had been adjusted. There is not much to worry about the economy after the Games."

Analysts said China was expected to maintain a seven to eight percent growth, or even higher, for at least 15 to 20 years. They made the prediction on robust investment, great potential for further development and proper macro controls.

Source:Xinhua

14,000 Wenchuan students resume classes elsewhere

2008-08-28T06:42:00.001-07:00

Along with Yingxiu primary school resuming classes in the vicinity of its former location, more than 15,000 students from Wenchaun County have all resumed classes. Nearly 14,000 of them have resumed classes at different sites outside Wenchuan County.

Hu Zhengan, director of the education bureau of Wenchuan, said that Yingxiu primary school is the last school to resume classes in Wenchuan County.

According to reports, among the more than 15,000 students, 1,600 students from five primary schools have resumed classes near their school's former location; and 2,500 students from two secondary schools have resumed classes in Guangdong Province and Shanxi Province. Local enterprises are supporting and assisting students with 2-3 years of educational costs. Five secondary schools and 14 primary schools have resumed classes in different areas in Sichuan Province, outside Wenchuan County.

By People's Daily Online

China's phone users top 960 million

2008-08-28T06:41:00.006-07:00

The number of phone users in China had exceeded 960 million as of July, including over 600 million mobile phone users, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology said on Wednesday.

More than 290 million mobile users were in the more developed east.

The first seven months saw a net increase of mobile phone users of more than 61 million, averaging a monthly 8.7 million increase, the highest growth yet.

Fixed-line subscribers dropped 10.6 million from January to July, or a reduction of 1.35 million monthly, with the total at 355 million as of July.

Source: Xinhua

PetroChina first-half net profit down 34.5 percent

2008-08-28T06:41:00.005-07:00

PetroChina Company Limited reported on Wednesday that its first-half net profit slid 34.5 percent over the same period last year, pushed down by fuel price caps and windfall taxes.

Net profit totaled 53.62 billion yuan , while earnings per share fell by 0.17 yuan per share to 0.29 yuan, the company said in a statement to the Shanghai Stock Exchange.

Zhou Jiping, PetroChina president, attributed the profit slump to higher payments of a special tax on domestic crude oil sold at more than 40 U.S. dollars a barrel and national ceilings on domestically refined oil products.

PetroChina paid 47.8 billion yuan in windfall taxes for selling domestically produced crude oil in the first half, nearly triple the 14.9 billion yuan paid in the same period last year.

The company witnessed losses of 59 billion yuan in the oil refining and sales sector, while almost 4 billion yuan in profit was made from this sector in the first half of last year.

The fuel price spike also eroded the first-half net profit of Sinopec, China's largest oil refiner, which reported on Sunday a 73.4 percent net profit drop to 9.34 billion yuan.

PetroChina reported government subsidies for losses in refining and selling below-cost fuel of 4.6 billion yuan in the first half.

However, overall PetroChina still performed well in the first half, said Zhou.

Crude oil output reached 435 million barrels, up 3.5 percent, while natural gas output increased 15.7 percent to 923 billion cubic feet.

The exploration and development sector remained the company's major profit maker, with a profit of 130.2 billion yuan, up 35 percent.

PetroChina said it would make exploration and development its top priority in the second half, when an estimated 85 billion yuan will be invested in this sector, compared with 47 billion yuan in the first half.

Listed in Hong Kong and Shanghai, PetroChina is the listed subsidiary of China National Petroleum Corporation , China's largest oil and gas producer.

Source: Xinhua

Eleven dead, 31 injured after bus plunges off bridge in E China

2008-08-28T06:41:00.003-07:00

Eleven people died and 31 were injured when a tire blowout forced a bus to plunge off a highway bridge in east China's Jiangsu Province on Tuesday.

When the right front tire burst, the driver lost control and the bus veered off the Mangdaohe River bridge at midday in Yangzhou City, the press office of the Jiangsu provincial government said on Wednesday.

The injured are receiving treatment in four hospitals.

Police and traffic safety authorities are still investigating the cause of the accident.

Source: Xinhua

Economy to face challenges in second half

2008-08-28T06:41:00.001-07:00

The country's economy has maintained steady and rapid growth in the first half but faces increasing uncertainty for the rest of the year, a senior government official said yesterday.

"Negative impact on the economy will continue," said Zhu Zhixin, vice-minister of the National Development and Reform Commission , China's top economic planner, in a press conference.

The economy expanded 10.4 percent year-on-year in the first half, NDRC figures showed. The growth rate was 1.8 percentage points lower than the same period a year ago, as the government reportedly put in place a series of measures to cool the economy and weakening overseas demand dealt a blow to the export sector.

More than 7.56 million jobs were created in the first seven months, in line with government measures to create 10 million vacancies this year, the NDRC reported.

Still, Zhu said curbing price hikes in the second half of the year will be a difficult task. He added that the cost of primary goods and labor has continued to rise in recent months.

China's consumer inflation gained 7.7 percent year-on-year in the first seven months, as food and oil prices rose to record highs during the period. Although consumer inflation eased to 6.3 percent in July, it was still far short of the government's aim to bring annual inflation within 4.8 percent this year.

The government will maintain "a proper scale" of investment in the second half in a bid to continue the economy's stable growth, Zhu said.

Similarly, the authorities will take measures to enhance the contribution of domestic consumption to economic growth.

In the agriculture sector, the central government paid 102.9 billion yuan in subsidies in the first half. The amount was twice what it had earmarked for the sector in the same period a year ago, the NDRC reported.

As a result, China's grain production amounted to 120.4 million tons, a record high. The authorities also managed to restore pork and vegetable production, despite natural disasters such as snowstorms and earthquake hitting the economy hard, Zhu said.

However, analysts have said that the outlook for the sector is uncertain with extreme weather posing a challenge.

Rising prices of fuel and fertilizer have also eaten into the profits of farmers, which may serve to discourage increases in production in the second half, Zhu said. He added that the government will continue to support the agriculture sector.

Source: China Daily

Fiscal revenue rises 30% in first 7 months

2008-08-28T06:39:00.001-07:00

Rapidly growing fiscal revenue helped the country reduce its central fiscal deficit last year, despite heavy investment in rural and western regions, Finance Minister Xie Xuren yesterday.

In the first seven months, China's fiscal revenue reached 4.09 trillion yuan , up 30.5 percent year-on-year, Xie said.

Despite slowing momentum in July, when annualized fiscal revenue growth was only 16.5 percent, revenue in the January-July period reached almost 70 percent of the national budgeted incomes set at the National People's Congress in March, Xie said.

The stock trading tax also increased 7 percent in the first seven months, Xie said in his report to the fourth session of the Standing Committee of the 11th NPC, China's top legislature. In July, the tax slumped 71.8 percent year-on-year, following a lackluster market that has slumped more than 60 percent from its October peak.

The country's fiscal expenditure amounted to 2.74 trillion yuan in the first seven months, up 29.7 percent year-on-year. The expenditure accounted for 45.1 percent of the budgeted expenditures, Xie said.

The central fiscal deficit decreased to 200 billion yuan last year, from 245 billion yuan in 2006. Its ratio to the country's GDP last year dropped to 0.8 percent from 1.3 percent in 2006.

Since Sichuan and its neighboring provinces suffered the devastating earthquake in May, the State has also earmarked special funding to aid recovery and support post-quake reconstruction in Sichuan province and neighboring regions, Xie said.

By Monday, the finance ministry provided support worth 27.5 billion yuan for quake relief. It also adjusted its annual budget to accommodate a post-quake reconstruction fund of 70 billion yuan.

Last year, the State coffers transferred 712.5 billion yuan to middle and western regions to encourage balanced regional development, up 38 percent year-on-year, the finance minister said.

China formally initiated its "western development" drive in 2000 through capital injection and preferential policies to narrow the development gap between its prosperous eastern provinces and economically backward middle and western regions, with focus on education, social causes, the environment and economic growth.

The State also increased investment last year in the rural cooperative medical system, in which farmers pay a small sum of money to join the system mainly subsidized by central and provincial authorities. To date, 86 percent of China's counties have reportedly put the system in place.

Source: China Daily

4 population zones planned

2008-08-28T06:38:00.010-07:00

China has rolled out a new program for the development of four functional population zones. Its purpose is rational demographic distribution and migration, the National Population and Family Planning Commission said.

"This is the first time China has drawn up a system of crucial measures to comprehensively address the nation's population issue," Li Bin, minister of the NPFPC, said on Saturday at the annual meeting of the China Population Association.

Classifications are based on the resources, environment and social and economic conditions in different areas, Li said.

Correspondingly different family planning, employment, education, medical care, social security and housing security policies will apply to residents of the areas.

The four functional zones comprise the "restriction zone", "dispersion zone", "stable zone" and "accumulation zone".

The restriction zone's harsh natural environment is least suitable for human habitation. It encompasses nature reserves, national forest parks, national geoparks and key scenic spots.

The dispersion zone accommodates 54 percent of the country's population.

The stable zone is agreeable to live in, but has a limited potential capacity for population growth. It includes places such as Lanzhou, Guizhou and Taiyuan.

The accumulation zone covers places that have an agreeable natural environment, a relatively high socio-economic development level and the potential to absorb more residents, such as the city groups Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei, Qiqihar-Shenyang-Dalian, Chengdu-Chongqing and the Pearl River delta.

"The system will promote rational distribution and migration of population, and give the market a key role in allocating human resources," Li said.

China will encounter a sharp conflict between population and land resources in the coming 30 years, according to a survey by the commission earlier this year.

Seventy percent of China's population will live in cities by 2034, and the urban population will rise from its present 560 million to 1 billion, the survey said.

The coming 30 years are critical to the country's adjusting its relationship between people and nature. Urbanization will accelerate and more than 300 million rural residents will migrate to urban areas, the survey said.

Orderly population movement is very important because it "enhances equality of individual development" Chen Li, director of the commission's planning department, said.

China will experience a fourth baby boom between 2005 and 2020, Li Jianmin, professor of Nankai University's Population and Development Institute, said.

"We must take comprehensive measures to address the pressure of growing population on the nation's resources and environment," he said.

Source: China Daily

Priority traffic lanes open from today in Beijing

2008-08-28T06:38:00.009-07:00

Seven of 23 Paralympic traffic lanes will open today on Beijing's roads.

One of which is the highway linking Beijing Capital International Airport to Dongzhimen in the city center, Wang Li, deputy director of the Beijing traffic management bureau, told a briefing yesterday.

All other 16 lanes will open by Sept 5, a day before the Games open, she said

The surface marking on the Paralympic lanes - the five Olympic rings - will be the same as that used for the Olympic lanes, only the traffic logo sign will be different, she said.

"The traffic logo for the Paralympic lanes will be IPC ," Wang said.

Only vehicles with Paralympic permits and police vehicles will be allowed to use the lanes, she said.

Police will patrol the lanes 24 hours a day to ensure they are not used by other motorists.

"A penalty of 200 yuan will be imposed on motorists breaking the rule.

"Any one who ignores police directions and uses one of the lanes will be fined 1,800 yuan and detained," Wang said.

Meanwhile, the Temple of Heaven was closed to the public from 6 pm yesterday until today for the Paralympic torch lighting ceremony.

The ceremony will he held at the temple's park at 10:30 am today.

The torch will then travel through 10 cities in China before arriving back in Beijing for the opening of the Paralympic Games at the National Stadium on Sept 6.

Liu Qi, head of the organizing committee of the Beijing Olympics and Paralympics, said 16 state leaders, government officials, and members of royal families from 13 countries are expected to attend the Games.

Michaelle Jean, governor- general of Canada, will be one of the guests, the Xinhua News Agency reported on Monday.

More than 5,000 athletes and 2,500 coaches from about 150 countries and regions will take part in the Paralympic Games.

Source: China Daily

Jilin expo expected to boost growth

2008-08-28T06:38:00.007-07:00

The fourth China Jilin Northeast Asia Investment and Trade Expo will be held from September 2 to 6 as increasing numbers of investors and companies join in the revitalization of the northeastern province's industries.

Chen Weigen, director of the executive committee of the expo and Jilin vice-governor, said the trade fair aims to promote economic cooperation between China and other Northeast Asian countries.

The expo aims at promoting renewal of the province's aging industries in northeast China, Chen said, and is open to business circles from across the world. The event will include promotion of commodity trading, investment and business forums.

Begun in 2005, the Jilin expo has accelerated investment in the province. Its increasing scale ranked it fifth in forums of its kind in 2006. It joined the top 10 list of government expos in China in the same year.

An influential expo in southern China, the China Import and Export Fair , has now been joined by one in northern China - the Jilin Northeast Asia Investment and Trade Expo, Chen said.

The number of participants in the Jilin fair has increased from about 30,000 at the first event in 2005 to more than 50,000 at the third expo in 2007. The number of foreign participants grew from 4,000 the first year to 7,300 in 2007. More than 10,000 foreign participants are expected this year.

Total foreign trade value grew from $292 million in the first expo to $384 million in 2006 and $410 million last year. The first fair resulted in 132 contracted projects with an investment of 36.79 billion yuan. The number of projects reached 255 with a total investment of 52.39 billion yuan in 2006 and 169 with a total investment of 71.9 billion yuan in 2007.

Growth in the expo is reflected in international participation. Its organizing committee and the United Nations Development Program held forums on northeast Asian economic cooperation for three consecutive years.

Former Vice Premier Wu Yi delivered speeches for the first two expos as senior governmental officials from China and northeast Asian countries gathered in Changchun to discuss new trends in regional cooperation. The expo was highly praised by participants.

The expo this year will continue to provide investment projects and cooperation opportunities at different levels, the vice-governor said.

Jilin has signed agreements with Hong Kong, Singapore and Malaysia that lay a solid foundation for investment and cooperation projects at the coming expo.

The forum is expected to be larger in scale, with many other events planned, he noted.

A concert, evening parties and sports activities will be part of the event. Cultural exchanges among the youth, including Northeast Asia Youth Culture Festival, will enhance the regional culture exchanges, Chen said.

Specific focuses on regions and countries will include a Russian business week.

The expo has become increasingly important in revitalizing industries in northeast China and promoting economic cooperation among Asian countries, Chen said.

Source: China Daily

Big bucks, bad backs await cotton crew

2008-08-28T06:38:00.005-07:00

Liang Fengling from Longxian county, Shaanxi province, is looking forward to making some good money over the next few months, as a cotton picker in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region.

"This will be my second time. Last year, I earned 4,000 yuan for a month's work," the 34-year-old mother told China Daily shortly before boarding a train at Xi'an railway station yesterday.

"Picking cotton is really hard work and I have to leave my children behind, but I can make a lot of money doing it."

As farmers, her family earns a combined salary of just 10,000 yuan a year, she said.

This year, pickers will earn 1.2 yuan for every kilogram of cotton they bag, up 20 percent on last year.

Liang was among a group of 104 workers leaving for Xinjiang yesterday. Tens of thousands more are set to follow.

Xu Min, who works at Xi'an railway station, said: "More than 1,500 farmers have left to work as cotton pickers in Xinjiang over the past week.

"By the end of the season about 300,000 people will leave from this station."

The Lanzhou railway bureau, which manages all the railways and stations in Gansu, Xinjiang, Qinghai and Ningxia, told the Xinhua News Agency that between Sunday and Sept 20, about 110,000 people from Gansu, Shaanxi, Sichuan and Henan will go to work as cotton pickers.

The Xinjiang government said earlier that it might need as many as 1 million migrant workers over the course of the season.

More than 1.3 million hectares of cotton were planted in the region this year, and these are expected to yield about 2.5 million tons, Ma Ying, director of the rural economy department of the Xinjiang regional development and reform committee, said.

As China's largest cotton producer, the region's annual output has risen from 1.35 million tons in 1999 to more than 2.7 million tons last year, he said.

"Last year, we contributed almost 40 percent of the country's total cotton output," he said.

The reason why so many people are needed is because machines are too expensive and hand-picking leads to better quality, Ma said.

The cotton-picking season usually runs from August to November, he said.

With so much cotton to prick, it has become standard practice for farmers to recruit workers from neighboring provinces and regions.

Zhang Cunliang, a Xinjiang farmer with 4 hectares of cotton, said: "Employing lots of migrant workers means we can get our harvest into the warehouse before the bolls fall and ruin."

Source: China Daily

Shenzhen looks to fill 560,000 jobs

2008-08-28T06:38:00.003-07:00

Authorities here are looking to attract 560,000 workers from rural areas of Guangdong over the next five years in a bid to counter rising labor costs, a provincial official said on Tuesday.

"Shenzhen's ambitious plan is part of the province's double transfer strategy," Lin Yingwu, deputy director of the Guangdong labor and social security department.

"Other cities in the delta region will follow suit," he said

The aim of the strategy is to attract workers to the manufacturing centers of the Pearl River Delta, as well as relocating some production bases to areas with large workforces in a bid to reduce soaring labor costs, he said.

Four industrial parks, funded by the Shenzhen and local governments, have already been built in rural areas of Guangdong, the Nanfang Daily reported recently.

Shenzhen has signed labor cooperation agreements with 14 rural cities, and on Monday, 128 employers from the city offered about 40,000 vacancies, with monthly salaries ranging from 1,300 yuan to 2,500 yuan, Lin said.

Labor departments in Shenzhen and the 14 cities will work together to improve communications and facilitate the movement of workers, Guan Lingen, director of the Shenzhen labor and social security bureau, said.

Also, online interviews will be held wherever possible to eliminate travel costs, he said.

Li Qingqing, an associate professor of economics at South China Normal University, said the double transfer strategy will be beneficial to all the cities involved.

"Under the plan, delta boomtowns will no longer need to worry about the shortfall of laborers, while the growing rural population will be able to find better ways to make a living," she said.

Source: China Daily

$660m fund misused or embezzled

2008-08-28T06:38:00.001-07:00

Central government departments and their subordinate units misused or embezzled about 4.52 billion yuan last year, for which 14 officials have been detained, the country's top auditor said yesterday.

A total of 88 people have been arrested, prosecuted or sentenced, and 104 people handed administrative punishments for the violations in 2007, Auditor-General Liu Jiayi said in his annual report to the national legislature.

More than 41.7 billion yuan of central funds were mismanaged, too, the National Audit Office said.

The NAO found 588 million yuan had been misused after auditing the accounts of 53 central government departments. And the audit of 368 subordinate units revealed the misuse of 3.93 billion yuan .

The NAO has named 10 central departments, including the education and commerce ministries, the National Bureau of Statistics, State Administration of Taxation and the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television, as the violators.

The NAO noted "managerial irregularities" in the handling of 41.7 billion yuan by the departments and subordinate units.

In his report to the National People's Congress Standing Committee, Liu said such departments and units squandered or wasted another 171 million yuan .

Misused funds in 2005 and 2006 amounted to 5.51 billion yuan and 7 billion yuan , the NAO said. But about $4.2 billion yuan of the funds misused in 2006 has been retrieved.

Investigations into land use fees in 11 cities, including Beijing, Tianjin and Shanghai, last year showed 8.4 billion yuan had been misused, while audit of 25 railway construction projects revealed 1.4 billion yuan "problematic funds".

Auditors in 133 cities found 2 billion yuan had been misappropriated from housing funds, and 2.2 billion yuan had been loaned out improperly.

Audit of nine financial institutions, including the Agricultural Bank of China, showed 14.2 billion yuan had been used illegally, the report said, and about 140 suspects from these institutions were handed over to judicial departments.

Though central government departments have become more adept at handling budgets, more steps need to be taken to better manage allocations, Liu said.

Liu assumed the auditor-general's post in March and this is his first report to the NPC Standing Committee. He succeeded Li Jinhua, known for his courage in revealing the government departments' fund mismanagement and raising an "audit storm" every year since 1999.

Source:China Daily

Macedonian president congratulates China on Beijing Olympics

2008-08-28T06:37:00.005-07:00

Macedonian President Branko Crvenkovski has extended his congratulations to China on the successful Beijing Olympic Games, news from Skopje reported Wednesday.

"The world was greatly impressed by the perfect organization of the event and the outstanding achievements of athletes," Crvenkovski said in a letter to his Chinese counterpart Hu Jintao.

"The Olympic Games in Beijing have set new standards and written new chapters in the history of the Olympic movement," he said.

Crvenkovski also congratulated China on its historic success in the medals table.

Chinese athletes have won 100 medals, which include 51 gold, 21silver and 28 bronze, at the 16-day Games, which ended Sunday.

Source:Xinhua

ASEAN, China make substantive progress on investment pact

2008-08-28T06:37:00.003-07:00

The Southeast Asian bloc and China announced here Wednesday that they made substantive progress in the negotiations on the bilateral investment pact which is expected to be signed at the Bangkok Summit in December this year.

On the Day Two of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Economic Ministers' Meeting, ministers from 10 member states held consultations with their dialogue partner China's Vice Commerce Minister Chen Jian, discussing bilateral economic and trade cooperation.

"The ministers welcomed the substantive progress made in the negotiations on the ASEAN-China Investment Agreement and underscored the importance of concluding the Agreement by the 12th ASEAN-China Summit in December 2008," said a joint statement released here Wednesday.

The investment pack is one of the three components of the bilateral free trade agreement . The other two are the Trade in Goods Agreement and the Trade in Services Agreements which were concluded in 2004 and 2006 respectively.

The conclusion of negotiations on the investment agreement will pave the way to the finish of talks on FTA, said the statement.

According to ASEAN statistics, the trade value between the ASEAN and China increased from 59.6 billion U.S. dollars in 2003 to 171.1 billion U.S. dollars in 2007, growing at an annual rate of 30 percent.

At the meeting, ASEAN and China also finalized two Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation on intellectual property and technical barriers to trade, according to the statement.

China also proposed to develop the Pan Beibu Gulf Rim region and to conduct of a feasibility study on the regional economic cooperation. The ASEAN ministers said they welcomed this initiative and agreed to study the proposal in detail.

They also discussed other on-going cooperation projects between ASEAN and China.

ASEAN, a market of over 550 million people boasting total trade of 1.6 trillion U.S. dollars and a gross regional product of 1.1 trillion U.S. dollars, has been negotiating on FTA with other dialogue partners at various levels.

The FTAs between ASEAN and India, New Zealand and Australia respectively are expected to be finalized this week.

Source: Xinhua

President: Mongolia to maintain stable, good-neighborly, cooperative ties with China

2008-08-28T06:37:00.001-07:00

Mongolia is committed to maintaining stable, good-neighborly and cooperative relations with China, Mongolian President Nambaryn Enkhbayar said here Wednesday.

Enkhbayar made the remarks during a meeting with Chen Xiaogong, assistant chief of the General Staff of China's People's Liberation Army.

The good-neighborly partnership of mutual trust between China and Mongolia has been developing smoothly and achievements have been made in bilateral military cooperation, he said.

The president also congratulated China on its successful hosting of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.

Chen, who is in Ulan Bator for the third Sino-Mongolian Defense Security Consultation, conveyed Chinese President Hu Jintao's sincere regards to Enkhbayar.

Chen said China attaches great importance to the development of a good-neighborly partnership of mutual trust between the two countries.

China is willing to work together with Mongolia to push forward mutual trust in security, and strengthen military exchanges and cooperation, he added.

Chen, who arrived here Tuesday for a four-day visit, also congratulated Mongolian athletes on their excellent performance in the Beijing Olympics.

China and Mongolia held their third Defense Security Consultation here Wednesday. The first such consultation was held in 2004.

Source: Xinhua

China, Tajikistan to boost economic ties

2008-08-28T06:36:00.003-07:00

China and Tajikistan are to strengthen cooperation in the economic, trade and several other fields, according to a joint statement issued here Wednesday.

Earlier, visiting Chinese President Hu Jintao and his Tajik counterpart Emomali Rakhmon held a meeting in which both agreed that economic and trade cooperation bears special significance for the all-round development of bilateral ties.

They agreed to intensify the work of the inter-governmental trade commissions, improve the investment environment and further optimize the structure of bilateral trade.

China and Tajikistan will also expand cooperation in transportation, telecommunications, mineral exploration and processing, as well as agriculture and infrastructure, based on principles of equality and mutual benefit, the statement said.

The two sides will tap cooperation potential in road transportation and transit transportation, providing each other with favored policies in road, railway and air transportation.

Measures will be taken to boost border trade so as to promote pragmatic cooperation in border areas, the statement said.

The two neighbors will also create favorable conditions for each other to carry out technical cooperation and business activities such as investment, and ensure the safety and rights of citizens from the other side.

In addition, China and Tajikistan will step up efforts to broaden cooperation in education, culture, science and technology, media, tourism, sports, health and social security.

Exchanges between universities, research institutions, youths groups and NGOs from the two sides will also be bolstered, the statement said.

Source: Xinhua

China, Tajikistan pledge to continue cooperation in combating terrorism, drug-related crime

2008-08-28T06:36:00.001-07:00

China and Tajikistan agreed on Wednesday to continue cooperation in combating terrorism and drug-related crime, the two sides said in a joint statement following a meeting between the presidents of both countries.

In the statement, both sides agreed that cracking down on the East Turkistan terrorists is a significant part of the international struggle against terrorism.

China and Tajikistan have signed the multilateral Shanghai Convention on Combating Terrorism, Separatism and Extremism, and a convention on bilateral cooperation in combating the three forces.

Based on the conventions, the two countries will maintain close cooperation in security and take strong measures to jointly combat terrorism in various forms, including the "East Turkistan" group, to protect regional peace and stability.

The two sides also pledged to combat drug-related crime, saying such crimes have seriously affected national security and social stability of the countries in the region, the statement said.

Both sides are determined to further strengthen coordination in combating such crimes including drug production and trafficking, it said.

Visiting Chinese President Hu Jintao and his Tajik counterpart Emomali Rakhmon met here Wednesday to discuss furthering bilateral ties. Hu arrived here on Tuesday for a state visit and the SCO summit slated for Thursday.

Source: Xinhua

Moroccan king congratulates Hu on successful Olympics

2008-08-28T06:34:00.003-07:00

Moroccan King Mohammed VI sent a congratulation message to Chinese President Hu Jintao on the success of the 29th Olympic Games held in Beijing on Aug. 8-24, local MAP news agency reported on Wednesday.

"In my name and in the name of the Moroccan people, to express to you my warmest congratulations," the monarch said, adding that "your great country has given the best example in terms of organization."

The sovereign said he has followed with great interest and admiration the different phases of the Olympics, including the opening and closing ceremonies which reflected the genius of the Chinese people and its splendid civilization.

The message also highlighted the solid links and fruitful cooperation between the two countries, pledging to continue to work together with President Hu to further bilateral ties in all fields.

Source: Xinhua

China, Tajikistan agree to enhance good-neighborly, cooperative relations

2008-08-28T06:34:00.001-07:00

Visiting Chinese President Hu Jintao and his Tajik counterpart Emomali Rakhmon have agreed to enhance the good-neighborly and cooperative relations between the two neighbors, said a joint statement issued in Dushanbe Wednesday.

According to the statement, the two sides agreed that the Chinese-Tajik Good-Neighborly and Friendly Cooperation Treaty signed last year bears historic and realistic significance by forging a solid legal basis for the development of bilateral ties.

The two countries pledged to abide by the guidelines and principles formulated in the treaty and to carry out the implementation of all political documents signed since the establishment of diplomatic relations, the statement said.

Both leaders spoke highly of the current development of bilateral good-neighborly and cooperative relations and believed the rapid development of cooperation in various fields has brought tangible benefits to the two peoples.

China and Tajikistan will maintain frequent high-level visits and exchange views on bilateral ties and key international issues, the two leaders pledged in the statement.

They also made a commitment on furthering exchanges and cooperation between China's National People's Congress and the Tajik Parliament, as well as among special committees and friendly groups, in order to improve the legal basis for bilateral ties, consolidate traditional friendship and enhance understanding between the two peoples.

The settlement of border issues is of great significance, the two neighbors said, adding they will strictly follow all the treaties and documents signed on border issues and are determined to maintain long-term peace and make the friendship continue for generations in the border regions.

The two sides pledged mutual support for important issues concerning each others' sovereignty and territorial integrity.

The statement has Tajikistan reiterating its adherence to the one-China policy, saying Taiwan is an inalienable part of China.

Tajikistan will never establish official ties or carry out official exchanges of any form with Taiwan, the stance China highly appreciates, it said.

The two sides held that the Shanghai Cooperation Organization has developed smoothly and become an important platform for member states to deepen neighborly ties on the basis of mutual trust and benefit.

The SCO has played an important and constructive role in stabilizing the Central Asian region, and in boosting the common development of its member nations.

The two sides will go on to make joint efforts to continuously deepen practical cooperation in security, economic, cultural and other fields under the SCO framework, the statement said.

Central Asian countries have unique traditions in history and culture, and the international community should respect the countries' own development paths, which are independently chosen by their peoples in accordance with the situation of their countries, it added.

The two sides pointed out that they have maintained the same or similar stances on a series of major international or regional issues, and will strengthen cooperation under the framework of the United Nations and other international organizations.

The two sides advocated that international disputes should be solved through peaceful means and the United Nations should play a leading role in maintaining world peace and security.

Finally, President Hu thanked President Rakhmon and the Tajik government for the warm and friendly reception of the Chinese delegation, and extended his invitation to Rakhmon for an official visit to China, which Rakhmon accepted.

President Hu arrived here Tuesday for a state visit and the SCO summit. The Chinese leader is currently on a three-nation tour, which took him to the Republic of Korea and will also bring him to Turkmenistan.

China, Tajikistan reach broad consensus on furthering bilateral cooperation

2008-08-28T06:32:00.006-07:00

China and Tajikistan have reached broad consensus on deepening bilateral cooperation in politics, economy, trade and their efforts to combat terrorism, according to a joint statement issued in Dushanbe Wednesday following a meeting between the presidents of both countries.

TO ENHANCE NEIGHBORLY COOPERATION

According to the statement, the two sides agreed that the Chinese-Tajik Good-Neighborly and Friendly Cooperation Treaty signed last year forged a solid legal basis for the development of bilateral ties.

Both sides spoke highly of the current development of bilateral ties and believed the rapid development of cooperation in various fields has brought tangible benefits to the two peoples.

Visiting Chinese President Hu Jintao meets with his Tajik counterpart Emomali Rakhmon in Dushanbe, capital of Tajikistan, Aug. 27, 2008.
They also made a commitment on furthering exchanges and cooperation between China's National People's Congress and the Tajik Parliament, as well as among special committees and friendly groups, in order to improve the legal basis for bilateral ties, consolidate traditional friendship and enhance understanding between the two peoples.

The two sides hailed the settlement of border issues and pledged to seek long-term peace. They also voiced mutual support for important issues concerning each others' sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Visiting Chinese President Hu Jintao reviews the honour guard with his Tajik counterpart Emomali Rakhmon during the welcoming ceremony held by Emomali Rakhmon in Dushanbe, capital of Tajikistan, Aug. 27, 2008.
The statement has Tajikistan reiterating its adherence to the one-China policy, saying Taiwan is an inalienable part of China.

The two sides held the point that the Shanghai Cooperation Organization has developed smoothly and become an important platform for member states to deepen neighborly ties on the basis of mutual trust and benefit.

Central Asian countries have unique traditions in history and culture, and the international community should respect the countries' own development paths, the statement said.

The two sides pointed out that they have maintained the same or similar stances on a series of major international or regional issues, and will strengthen cooperation under the framework of the United Nations and other international organizations.

Visiting Chinese President Hu Jintao and his Tajik counterpart Emomali Rakhmon hold joint press conference after meeting in Dushanbe, capital of Tajikistan, Aug. 27, 2008.
TO BOOST ECONOMIC TIES

China and Tajikistan agreed that bilateral economic and trade cooperation bears special significance for the all-round development of bilateral ties.

They agreed to intensify the work of the inter-governmental trade commissions, improve investment environment and further optimize the structure of bilateral trade.

China and Tajikistan will also expand cooperation in transportation, telecommunications, mineral exploration and processing, as well as agriculture and infrastructure, the statement said.

The two sides will tap cooperation potential in road transportation and cross-border transportation, and boost pragmatic cooperation in border areas by adopting policies encouraging trade.

The two neighbors will also create favorable conditions for each other to carry out investment, trade, and technical and economic cooperation.

In addition, China and Tajikistan will step up efforts to broaden cooperation in education, culture, science and technology, media, tourism, sports, health and social security.

Visiting Chinese President Hu Jintao meets with Tajik Prime Minister Akil Akilov in Dushanbe, capital of Tajikistan, Aug. 27, 2008.
TO COMBAT TERRORISM, DRUG-RELATED CRIME

Both sides agreed that cracking down on the East Turkistan terrorists is a significant part of the international struggle against terrorism.

China and Tajikistan have signed the multilateral Shanghai Convention on Combating Terrorism, Separatism and Extremism, and a convention on bilateral cooperation in combating the three forces.

Based on the conventions, the two countries will maintain close cooperation in security and take strong measures to jointly combat terrorism in various forms to protect regional peace and stability.

The two sides also pledged to fight against drug-related crime, saying such crimes have seriously affected national security and social stability of the countries in the region, the statement said.

Visiting Chinese President Hu Jintao and his Tajik counterpart Emomali Rakhmon met here Wednesday to discuss furthering bilateral ties. Hu arrived here on Tuesday for a state visit and the SCO summit slated for Thursday.

Turkish parliamentary speaker praises success of Beijing Olympic Games

2008-08-28T06:32:00.005-07:00

Turkish Parliamentary Speaker Koksal Toptan on Wednesday praised the success of the just-ended Beijing Olympic Games.

During his meeting with the outgoing Chinese Ambassador to Turkey Sun Guoxiang, Toptan said that with their flawless organization and arrangement, the Chinese people proved to their whole world their ability to host the world's greatest sports event, dispelling the doubts raised by some Western media before the games which he himself witnessed during his visit to China in April.

He also congratulated the Chinese team on their outstanding performance during the games, saying that they have fully exhibited their capacity. That, along with the great organization work, showcased China's great national strength, stressed Toptan.

The Turkish people had followed the games closely all along, he said, especially noting that the opening ceremony, which was so wonderful and unforgettable, is tantamount to a miracle.

Source: Xinhua

China becomes Israel's second largest exporter in 2007

2008-08-28T06:32:00.003-07:00

Chinese exports to Israel surpassed Germany's in 2007, making China Israel's second largest importing country, Israel's Central Bureau of Statistics said on Wednesday.

Imports from China grew to 4.6 billion U.S. dollars in 2007 from 3.2 billion dollars in 2006, the bureau said.

In 2006, Germany was the second largest exporter of goods to Israel excluding diamonds. Its exports to the Jewish country rose to 3.3 billion dollars in 2007 from 3.1 billion dollars in 2006.

Analysts said that the increase in Chinese imports was part of a trend of growth that would include a wider variety of products over time.

"The big difference is that Israel will start importing an increasing amount of high-tech equipment, not just consumer equipment," Amos Yudan, Chairman of the Israel China Chamber of Commerce, told Xinhua.

"The Israeli market will understand that China is not only supplying cheap materials but also items which are really high-tech," Yudan said, noting that some Chinese high-tech equipments were already being imported.

"This is a trend that is likely to change the trade between Israel and China," he said.

Yudan noted that Israeli exports to China would also witness a yearly increase of 15 to 20 percent, noting that the exports of some products, including fertilizer and potash from the Dead Sea, will surely grow.

Israeli exports of medical apparatus and communications technology to China were also likely to rise, he said.

Over the past five years, Chinese exports to Israel have more than quadrupled while the imports from the United States, the top exporter to Israel, were nearly unchanged between 2002 and 2006.

In 2007, U.S. exports to Israel rose to 8.1 billion dollars from 6.2 billion dollars in 2006.

Israel's total imports, 43 percent of which were from Europe, were up at 56.6 billion dollars in 2007 from 47.8 billion dollars in 2006. Excluding diamonds, Israeli imports rose to 46.6 billion dollars in 2007 from 38.8 billion dollars in 2006.

Countries from which Israel imported more than a billion dollars worth in goods, excluding diamonds, included Italy, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, France, Turkey, Japan, and South Korea.

Including diamonds, Belgium ranked third after China with four billion dollars in exports to Israel, while Israel's imports from Russia, Switzerland and India were all above one billion dollars.

However, some analysts downplayed the effect of the increase in Chinese exports to Israel, saying it did not carry any immediate importance for the Jewish country.

"It is simply part of the global trend of China's growth and is not just specific to Sino-Israeli relations. The fact that Chinese exports surpassed Germany's doesn't really mean much for the Israeli economy," Inon Dafni, chief economist of the Israel Discount Bank said.

But Yudan noted that the increase in Chinese imports to Israel was not paralleled by the increase in Israeli exports to China, saying that the balance of trade has become more difficult than before with the disparity.

Source: Xinhua

Beijing promises integrated subway service for disabled

2008-08-28T06:32:00.001-07:00

Beijing subway staff and volunteers will provide an integrated help service for the disabled during the Paralympics, said the Beijing Subway Operation Co. Ltd. on Wednesday.

The company said disabled travelers would be able to call the subway service center with information on their routes, times of travel and transfer stations.

The center would then inform stations, which would arrange staff and volunteers to help the traveler all the way from buying tickets to getting out of the subway.

The company has installed obstacle-free ramps in each of the 123 stations. Disabled travelers can leave the stations in lifts, wheelchair elevators and stairlifts. It has also installed Braille information boards in all stations.

Source: Xinhua

Macao's water supply remains safe after chemical plant blast in South China

2008-08-28T06:30:00.004-07:00

Tuesday's explosion at a chemical plant in South China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region did not affect the quality of water supply to Macao Special Administration Region , the SAR's Port authority said in a press statement released on Wednesday.

The fatal explosion occurred at Yizhou, a city of Guangxi, which is 700 km away from Macao, and the chemicals spilled from the plant might contaminate the Longjiang River, a tributary of Xijiang River, which was 15 km from the spot where Macao draws its water, according to the statement.

The pollutants mainly comprised highly volatile and degradable organic matters. "The accident dose not very much affect the water supply to Macao and Zhuhai ," the Port Authority said in the statement.

Explosion ripped through an organic compound workshop inside the plant, owned by Guangxi Guangwei Chemical Co., at 6 a.m. local time on Tuesday, which led to further explosions in containers storing flammable substances such as formaldehyde, acetylene.

The Port Authority said that the SAR government has been closely monitoring the quality of Macao's water supply, and the Authority and Macao Water, which monopolizes local water supply, will establish a well-knit notification system with relevant departments in the Chinese mainland, forming an emergency response plan, in a bid to secure Macao's water supply.

Source: Xinhua

China advocates proper product packaging

2008-08-28T06:30:00.003-07:00

The China Consumers' Association , on Wednesday called for the promotion of appropriate packaging in commercial goods in effort to curb a wastage of resources.

Producers, retailers and consumers were all encouraged to fight excessive packaging.

With the approach of next month's traditional Mid-Autumn Festival , a normal consumer would not want to buy the seasonal delicacies packed in layers of wrappings, or ornamented with luxurious elements that made the cakes more expensive than ordinary people could appreciate.

A CCA survey showed 78.8 percent of those polled voiced disapproval toward excessive packaging, and 69.3 percent said it was an infringement of their rights, as such goods were more expensive.

According to CCA, mooncakes, cosmetics, tea and nutritious goods are mostly likely to be over-packaged.

The promotion of proper packaging and the usage of environmental friendly packaging materials was also supported by other organizations in the China General Chamber of Commerce, China Packaging Technology Association and the China Health Care Association.

Source: Xinhua

20 confirmed dead in south China chemical plant blast

2008-08-28T06:30:00.001-07:00

Twenty people were confirmed dead from Tuesday's explosion at a chemical plant in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, rescue headquarters said on Wednesday.

At 4:30 p.m., rescuers found the last two bodies of the 20 listed missing after the explosion. All were plant employees in Yizhou City.

Around 470 special rescue personnel left the scene after the rescue operation ended. All the 11,000 evacuated company staff and nearby villagers returned to their homes on Wednesday afternoon.

The initial explosion ripped through an organic compound workshop inside the plant, owned by Guangxi Guangwei Chemical Co., at 6 a.m. on Tuesday. The cause of the explosion still hasn't been determined.

The blast caused additional explosions in containers of flammable substances such as formaldehyde and acetylene.

A tally compiled as of 11 a.m. on Wednesday showed that 60 people were injured and hospitalized, with 10 discharged so far. Five of these people were residents of a nearby village or motor vehicles riders who were passing the factory. The injured mostly suffered burns and fractures.

The explosions persisted until almost 1 p.m. on Tuesday. The fire at one point covered 10,000 sq m, said a firefighter who took part in the rescue operation. The blaze was put out on Tuesday evening.

The regional Department of Environmental Protection said that samples taken after the explosion showed no contamination.

More than 100 chemical emergency specialists were sent to the site to assess the situation, and regional work safety authorities began an investigation.

The plant mainly produces polyvinyl acetate , which is used in adhesives, calcium carbide, and vinyl acetate monomer , which is used in paints, adhesives and coatings.

With assets of 340 million yuan , the plant manufactures products worth about 300 million yuan a year, and its largest shareholders are state-owned companies.

Source: Xinhua

China to further mining, agricultural co-op with Tajikistan

2008-08-28T06:23:00.000-07:00

China will expand cooperation with Tajikistan in such fields as mining and agriculture in a bid to further bilateral ties, visiting Chinese President Hu Jintao said here Wednesday .

Sino-Tajik economic and trade cooperation is progressing in an all-round way and relevant government institutions on both sides have played important roles in directing such work, said President Hu, who is on his first state visit to the Central Asian country.

During his meeting with Tajik Prime Minister Akil Akilov, President Hu said the two sides should continue working closely so as to ensure the quality and timely completion of major cooperation projects.

The Chinese president also suggested that the two sides further such cooperation in the future.

Hu also expressed hope that Tajikistan would improve the investment and business environment for Chinese companies.

On agricultural cooperation, the Chinese leader offered to help Tajikistan by establishing agricultural technology centers and training experts.

For his part, Akilov thanked China for its economic support, saying cooperation in major projects involving transportation and electricity facilities was progressing well, with some of these already becoming important parts of the regional infrastructure system in Central Asia.

Tajikistan hopes to enhance cooperation with China in railway and road construction, mine exploration and personnel training, Akilov said, vowing to intensify efforts to improve the investment environment in his country.

Source: Xinhua

Welcome to apenaseueosmeusbotoes.blogspot.com!

2008-08-18T21:00:00.000-07:00

Welcome to apenaseueosmeusbotoes.blogspot.com!

We are pleased and we do appreciate your visit on our website, as well as your interest in Chinese Music. In this section you will find Chinese Music information.

If you have any questions, pls. do not hesitate to send us your queries to: radiphib@gmail.com.

Enjoy :)