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China launches free health programs for poor, rural population

2009-06-30T15:08:00.000-07:00

BEIJING, June 18 (Xinhua) -- China has started health and construction programs to improve rural residents' health, part of a drive to improve the grassroots medical care system, a health official said Thursday.

Zhang Mao, vice minister of health, said the programs, part of the country's ambitious 850-billion-yuan (124 billion U.S. dollars) health care reform plan, ranged from vaccination drives to improved cooking and sanitary facilities in rural areas.

Over three years, Hepatitis B vaccinations will be provided for those who were born between 1994 and 2001 but not inoculated. About 23.3 million people, or 31 percent of the target population, would be given shots, it said.

Also, rural women will get free exams for cervical and breast cancer.

Two million women in 200 counties will be checked for cervical cancer while another 400,000 will benefit from government-sponsored breast cancer examinations, according to the ministry.

The ministry also would strive to get prompt sight-restoration treatment for rural and impoverished cataract patients. About 200,000 operations are expected to be carried out this year, it said.

The ministry will support the upgrading of stoves in 870,000 poor rural households in provinces such as Yunnan and Guizhou to help local residents avoid poisoning from coal fumes. Toilet facilities will be renovated in more than 4.1 million households.

China unveiled a three-year plan on health care reform in April. Under the plan (2009-2011), the government will provide universal access to basic health insurance, introduction of an essential drug system, improve primary health care facilities, equitable access to basic public health services and pilot reform of state-run hospitals.

Children forced into China pickpocket gang return home, some after 4 years

2009-06-30T15:07:00.001-07:00

URUMQI, June 18 (Xinhua) -- Police said 20 children who had been abducted and forced into pickpocket gangs in southern China, where some had been held as long as four years, returned home to China's northwest Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region Thursday.

The children were freed after police broke up the child-abduction gang last month.

Police in the coastal province of Guangdong escorted 17 boys and three girls, aged eight to 16, to Urumqi, the capital of Xinjiang, by train.

The children, wearing new clothes and carrying bags of food, appeared healthy and relaxed at the Urumqi Railway Station. Some parents came to the station, but many children will stay in a local care facility until police locate their families.

Guangdong police broke up a 22-member gang on May 14 in Guangzhou, the provincial capital, said Yaksengyang Ibrayim, commissar of a police detachment of the public security bureau of Guangzhou.

The kidnappers, who have been detained by police, confessed that they promised jobs to the children in impoverished regions in Xinjiang and took them to Guangzhou.

Instead, they trained the children how to steal and forced them to hand in 2,000 yuan (292 U.S. dollars) to 5,000 yuan a day. Those who couldn't bring in that much faced abuse, such as cigarette burns or whippings.

Police have set up ID files for each child and were trying to contact their parents, said Ibrayim.

Chinese police launched a nationwide campaign against the trafficking of children and women in early April, which will run through this year.

According to the Ministry of Public Security, police rescued 196 children and 214 women and broke up 72 human trafficking rings from April 9 to May 4.

Most of these crimes occurred in Guizhou, Jiangsu, Guangdong, Shandong, Henan and Shanxi provinces.

Tropical storm Linfa forms in South China Sea

2009-06-30T15:07:00.000-07:00

BEIJING, June 18 (Xinhua) -- Tropical storm Linfa formed in the South China Sea Thursday afternoon and was forecast to bring heavy rain to parts of Taiwan starting Friday, said China's Central Meteorological Station.

The storm, the third of this year in the area, was 290 kilometers south of the Dongsha Islands at 3 p.m. Thursday with winds of up to 64.8 km per hour at the center, said the station.

It was forecast to linger at its current location for about 12 hours and then move northeast to approach the sea south of Taiwan while gaining strength with maximum winds of up to 82.8 km per hour, the station said.

Strong gales were forecast to sweep the sea east of Taiwan, and rain would hit the south and east areas of Taiwan Friday and Saturday, it said.

The station and the China Maritime Search and Rescue Center have issued a maritime alert.

China maintains official training drive for social stability

2009-06-30T15:06:00.001-07:00

BEIJING, June 18 (Xinhua) -- About 1,000 of China's county-level chief judges will undergo training from September to improve their performance and deal with the public, according to the Supreme People's Court.

The training is part of a nationwide campaign to ensure grassroots officials dealing with the public can tackle problems before they lead to social unrest.

The drive involves hundreds of thousands of county-level chief procurators, court presidents, police chiefs, prison wardens, and county Communist Party secretaries, who have received or will receive training in provincial capitals and Beijing.

"The campaign, both in scale and in form, is almost unprecedented under the Communist Party of China's administration," said Ye Duchu, a professor with the Party School of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC).

The training programs were aimed at improving capabilities of grassroots officials and maintaining long-term stability, said Ye.

"As China is experiencing a transition leading to both opportunities and challenges, the leaders are becoming more concerned about how well their policies are carried out, because, in the end, it's a question of whether the Party can survive better and longer," Ye said.

"The direct training could make the central government's orders reach the grassroots more effectively while the grassroots voice could be heard more clearly," Ye said.

On June 10, the Ministry of Justice started a 10-day training course for 325 prison wardens to improve prison safety and stability, and prevent recidivism. They will be joined by another 356 wardens later this month.

The Ministry of Public Security (MPS) organized courses for almost 3,000county-level police chiefs from February to May, to improve "professional skills such as on-line working, standardizing law-enforcement procedures and enhancing relations with the public."

Controversial cases such as the unrest involving 30,000 people in the southwestern Weng'an County in Guizhou Province last year triggered by the death of a schoolgirl were included in the courses for open discussion.

Meanwhile, about 3,500 grassroots prosecutors will undergo training in Beijing by the end of 2010, according to the Supreme People's Procuratorate (SPP).

In each training session, a senior SPP leader would sit in the class and participate in group discussions on topics of interest to the prosecutors.

"County-level procuratorates handle social disputes directly, giving us a bigger stage to protect social stability and unity, and help maintain smooth economic development," said an SPP spokesman.

Earlier this year, the Party discipline watchdog, the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI), gathered 2,000 county-level CCDI heads to study in Beijing. The action was regarded by observers as a signal the government would root out corruption at grassroots levels.

In addition, the People's Daily reported in May that more than 600,000 village-level Party secretaries had finished training sessions.

"This training mainly focused on enabling local officials to use a scientific way of thinking for development, to control complicated situations and communicate with the masses effectively," said Xie Chuntao, deputy director of the Party history division of the Party School of the CPC Central Committee.

"Thus they can better handle disputes, problems and emergencies," he said.

China has about 16 million grassroots officials, who have daily contact with the public.

E China's Fujian to turn buses, ships "green"

2009-06-30T15:06:00.000-07:00

FUZHOU, June 18 (Xinhua) -- East China's Fujian Province is to substitute gasoline and diesel oil with liquefied natural gas (LNG) as fuel for 2,000 inter-city buses running on its expressways, to make its public transport greener.

According to a contract signed Thursday between Fujian Investment and Development Group Ltd. and Fujian Expressway LLC, the former will invest 320 million yuan (46.85 million U.S. dollars) in building 30 gas filling stations to supply 133,000 tonnes of LNG for the 2,000 inter-city buses.

The move will replace 180,000 tonnes of gasoline and diesel a year, the investment and development company said.

Wang Dongping, general manager of Zhongmin Logistics Company under the investment and development company, said Thursday that as a sort of clean energy, liquefied natural gas could help slash motor vehicle's carbon monoxide, hydrocarbon and sulphur dioxide emissions by 97 percent, 72 percent, and 90 percent respectively.

The "green" energy could also help reduce vehicle noise by 40 percent, Wang added.

The plan will include substituting diesel fuel with liquefied natural gas for more than 1,000 sand-, coal- and cement-carrying vessels on the waterways in the province and along its coast.

Under a related accord, Fujian will buy 2.6 million tonnes of LNG from Indonesia annually in a 25-year period from 2009 to fuel the plan, the local government said.

Authorities rule out foul play in police custody death in south

2009-06-30T15:05:00.001-07:00

Authorities rule out foul play in police custody death inS China

BAISE, Guangxi, June 18 (Xinhua) -- Authorities in south China have ruled out foul play in the death in police custody of a man suspected of running an illegal gambling operation.

Communist Party of China officials in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region confirmed Thursday they had no evidence that force was involved in the death of Huang Jinshui, who died after falling from a fourth floor window.

They also ruled out suspicions that extortion or blackmail being involved in his death.

Officials from the Baise City Party Committee called a press conference late Wednesday to announce the findings of an investigation into the death of Huang, 46.

The press conference lasted for 10 minutes and was attended by journalists from several media organizations, relatives of Huang, including his sister, He Jinfang, and deputies of Tianlin County People's Congress and members of Tianlin County Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC).

A Baise publicity official surnamed Wang said at the conference that Huang died of severe internal injuries caused by a fall from the fourth floor of the police bureau building.

He cited an autopsy report produced by a joint investigative group comprising Guangxi autonomous regional government officials, and prosecutors from Baise City Procuratorate and medical specialists.

Huang, a native of Tianlin County in Guangxi, had allegedly operated a casino known as "Xinxing Playroom".

Acting on tip-offs, police raided Xinxing Playroom on Friday, seizing 61 gambling machines and other items, including three home-made guns, and detaining 24 suspected gamblers. The police also detained three alleged casino managers the same day.

However, police did not detain Huang until early Sunday, when they took him to Baise City Security Bureau. His relatives were informed of his death later that day.

Wang said Huang went to the toilet on the fourth floor during his interrogation on the third floor at about 4 a.m. Sunday. He fell from the toilet window.

Wang would answer no other questions on Huang's death.

Phone calls to He Jinfang's cell phone went unanswered.

15 trapped in SW China coal mine flooding

2009-06-30T15:05:00.000-07:00

Rescuers wait outside the Xinqiao coal
mine in Qinglong County in southwest China's Guizhou Province, June 18,
2009. Fifteen miners were trapped after a flooding occurred at around 4
p.m. June 17 at the Xinqiao coal mine in Qinglong County, when 30 people
were working underground. Rescue work is continuing, and cause of the
accident is being investigated. (Xinhua/Huang Yong)
Photo Gallery

GUIYANG, June 18 (Xinhua) -- The number of miners
trapped in a flooded southwest China coal mine has risen to 15, said work safety
authorities Thursday.

The flooding occurred at around 4 p.m. Wednesday at
the Xinqiao coal mine in Qinglong County, Guizhou Province, when 30 people were
working underground, said an official with the Guizhou Provincial Work Safety
Administration.

Fifteen escaped unharmed.

Rescuers carry a pumping machine to the
Xinqiao coal mine in Qinglong County in southwest China's Guizhou
Province, June 18, 2009. (Xinhua/Huang Yong)
Photo Gallery

Rescuers said the volume of floodwater was estimated
at 1,000 to 3,000 cubic meters.

Rescue work is continuing, and cause of the accident
is being investigated.

The mine has a designed capacity of 150,000 tonnes.

Eastern Chinese province exposes official's jobs-for-money network

2009-06-30T15:04:00.001-07:00

HEFEI, June 18 (Xinhua) -- Chinese prosecutors have untangled a
jobs-for-money network run by a corrupt official in Chaohu City in east Anhui
Province, which led to the dismissal of 14 officials.

Zhou Guangquan, the former Communist Party secretary of Chaohu city, was
accused of accepting bribes worth 5 million yuan (about 735,000 U.S dollars) on
June 3.

Prosecutors then discovered that among the 36 people who bribed Zhou when
he was secretary of the Communist Party of China Chaohu City Committee from 2000
to 2004, 19 were government officials.

The 19 officials were promoted after giving Zhou bribes. Zhou was also
charged with failing to account for the sources of his 3 million yuan of
property. The Anqing City Intermediate People's Court has yet to announce the
verdict.

Among the 19 officials, 14 were removed from their posts ranging from vice
mayor of Chaohu to deputy director of Chaohu city Public Security Bureau.

Dai Longshen, the sacked deputy director of the public security bureau,
told a Xinhua reporter that he sometimes gave Zhou cash out of "brother-like
respect".

However, prosecutors discovered that from 1995 to 2008, Dai gave 46,000
yuan in total to Zhou. He got two promotions with the help of Zhou in 2000 and
2002 as payback.

A network composed of entrepreneurs and officials emerged after Zhou stood
trial. The feature of the network was the exchange of money for personal gains.

Chinese disciplinary organs have punished 2,386 officials at or above
prefectural level for their misconduct from July 2003 to December 2008,
according to the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Commission for
Discipline Inspection (CCDI).

Other 29,905 officials at county level were also punished during the same
period, the CCDI said.

Transnational software pirating case adjudged in Shanghai

2009-06-30T15:04:00.000-07:00

SHANGHAI, June 18 (Xinhua) -- Nine gang members involving an international software counterfeiting scheme valued at more than 80 million yuan (11.7 million U.S. dollars) have gotten different jail terms in the last instance at the Shanghai Municipal Higher People's Court, the court confirmed Thursday.

The court sentenced the main perpetrator, Shanghai native Ma Jingyi (formerly named Ma Kepei), to seven years in jail and fined him 8.6 million yuan on Wednesday. Ma was also deprived of his political right for one year. Other gang members have received sentences of two to six years in jail.

The Shanghai Municipal Public Security Bureau told Xinhua that the software counterfeiting scheme was cracked down upon joint investigations by the bureau, police in southern China's Guangdong Province and their counterparts in the United States. Their joint campaign, dubbed Summer Solstice, began 2005 and lasted 17 months. The gang members were arrested in July 2007.

The gang's software counterfeiting activities happened over the past five years and involved five countries, namely China, the United States, Canada, Britain and Australia, the bureau said.

According to Thursday's China Daily, from 2003 to 2007, the gang, led by Ma, sold 677,000 copies of pirated computer software to U.S. companies and individuals for 10.48 million U.S. dollars. The gang's profit was more than 80 million yuan.

The illegally copied and distributed software was mostly an anti-virus program from Symantec.

Ma's gang, which oversaw the production of 442,000 copies of the pirated program, was convicted of infringing copyright.

Ma sold the pirated version for 15 U.S. dollar, while the authorized version cost about 39 dollars.

24 scammers lose appeal, back in jail

2009-06-30T15:03:00.001-07:00

BEIJING, June 18 -- Twenty-four people have lost a high court appeal over
their involvement in one of the country's largest pyramid schemes, in which more
than 20,000 people were defrauded of 1.68 billion yuan ($246 million).

The criminal mastermind, Zhao Pengyun, 37, from Shenyang, Liaoning province
was jailed for 15 years and fined more than 300 million yuan after the Beijing
municipal high people's court yesterday upheld a March ruling by the Beijing
municipal No.2 intermediate people's court.

He was found guilty of illegal management for organizing the scheme that
promised victims high returns for investment in forestland.

Four of the 28 defendants had criminal sentences quashed or reduced after
they handed over information about the syndicate's activities or returned large
amounts of illicit money, the high court announced.

Zhao's 23 criminal associates received sentences between 1 and 15 years and
fines between 200,000 and 70 million yuan.

The Yilin Wood Company, which Zhao established with a criminal associate in
April 2004, collected about 1.68 billion yuan in revenue until it was reported
to police in May 2005. Most of the cash was spent on luxury items like houses,
cars, jewelry and antiques.

Authorities yesterday said they would trace any remaining assets in order
to compensate victims, who come from 11 provinces and municipalities, including
more than 16,000 people in Beijing.

In an advertisement for the scheme, victims were told that if they invested
55,500 yuan in a 1 ha forest plot they would receive 228,000 yuan within seven
years. That this was in-line with the plot's rising value and represented a 58.7
percent annual rate of return, the scammers said. Victims who bought a lot of
forestland were promised sales representative positions and entry into the
pyramid scheme.

If they then sold 2 ha of forestland, the sales representatives were
promised a promotion to sales manager. Four levels were included in the scheme
and the more senior the position, the more money the person stood to make. The
company signed contracts to buy more than 64,400 ha of forest and sold more than
28,200 ha until May 2005.

The court was told that five high-level managers received more than 10
million yuan and 18 senior managers were paid more than 1 million yuan in
commission. Huang Jinhui, training center senior manager, received more than 50
million yuan in commission over two years.

Meanwhile, the Beijing Lawyers Association said it would handle liquidation
of the forestland ahead any of compensation payouts for victims. They have
established registration offices in Beijing, Chongqing, Shenyang, Shanghai and
Guangzhou to receive victims and verify documents including purchase contracts
and receipts.

Qiu Baochang, dean of the Beijing-based Huijia law firm, said that in cases
of illegal fundraising, the most important effort for authorities is to retrieve
as much of the lost money as possible, and always punish the perpetrators
severely.

"Cases involving pyramid schemes must be handled in a way that promotes
social stability, as they often involve a large number of people and a lot of
money," Qiu told China Daily.

(Source: China Daily)

Shanghai residency rules draw criticism for discrimination

2009-06-30T15:03:00.000-07:00

BEIJING, June 18-- The local government in China's most populous city is cracking the door wider for those wanting to make it their permanent home.

Shanghai unveiled new rules yesterday, elaborating on a policy that, for the first time, offers the option of permanent residency to talents from outside the city of 18 million.

But the rules immediately drew criticism for discriminating against many migrant workers.

The Shanghai municipal government announced in February it would approve permanent residency for qualified talents, easing its strict population control measures for the first time.

Details of who might qualify and who can apply were announced yesterday.

To qualify for permanent residency, applicants must have held a Shanghai residency certificate and have been in the city's social security system for at least seven years. They must also be taxpayers, have obtained a vocational qualification at medium or high levels, have never violated family planning policies, and have clean credit and no criminal record.

Mao Dali, deputy director of Shanghai's municipal human resources and social security bureau, said more than 270,000 people from other provinces have been issued residency certificates since 2002 and 3,000 have held certificates for seven years.

In an online poll garnering opinions from among more than 1.6 million netizens on web portal eastday.com, more than 88 percent disagreed with the rules, saying Shanghai could not afford a bigger population. Nine percent said they were looking forward to finally becoming permanent residents and 1.28 percent said the rules were still too strict.

A netizen from Guangdong province said the drafters of rules were narrow-minded.

"It discriminates against poor people from other provinces," the netizen wrote. "What about the six million migrant workers in Shanghai, who have contributed to the city's fast development?"

A Shanghai netizen complained that "eight out of 10 Shanghai residents around me are out of a job and others earn 1,000 yuan ($146) a month".

"Why are only people from other provinces considered talents?"

Some worried the changes would heap pressure on public services and traffic.

Li Xiaoping, a researcher with Shanghai Institute of Public Administration and Human Resources, said the rules may need to be refined.

"More explanations are needed to stipulate how employees of foreign and privately-owned companies, who are not qualified for technical job titles that are awarded in government institutions only, are handled," he said.

But Zhang Xiongwei, from Qidong of Jiangsu province, said the change gives him, and other migrant workers, hope.

By the end of this year, Shanghai will have a population of 19 million, 6 million of whom will not have permanent residency.

(Source: China Daily)

Cameroon man gets 10-year sentence in east China for fraud

2009-06-30T15:02:00.000-07:00

SHANGHAI, June 17 (Xinhua) -- A Cameroon national was sentenced to a 10-year jail term for fraud in Shanghai, local authorities said Wednesday.

The man, Massango Priso Muna, pretended to be an assistant to an official with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and fraudulently obtained 1.015 million yuan (149,264 U.S. dollars) from a Chinese woman, according to the No. 2 Intermediate People's Court.

The court heard that the victim, surnamed Lin, met a man online in June 2008 who called himself John Lipsky and claimed to be an IMF vice president.

Lin soon fell in love with the man, and the latter proposed marriage.

"Lipsky" told Lin a month later that he planned to invest in China and would send his assistant Samco to meet her. The suspect met Lin at a hotel in Shanghai, giving her a suitcase and telling her that they needed a special chemical to make the money inside useable.

The Cameroonian borrowed 1.015 million yuan from Lin under the pretense of buying this chemical, before leaving China on Aug. 12.Police caught him on Nov. 20 when he returned to China.

Massango Priso Muna was fined 100,000 yuan and will be deported after he is released from jail.

Eight killed in lightning strikes in SW China

2009-06-30T15:01:00.001-07:00

KUNMING, June 17 (Xinhua) -- At least eight people were killed in lightning
strikes during storms since Friday in southwest China's Yunnan Province, the
provincial civil affairs administration said Wednesday.

They were hit by lightning in different prefectures during thunderstorms
that triggered floods from Friday to Tuesday, the administration said.

Maximum precipitation reached 124 millimeters and the average level was 25
mm, forcing the evacuation of 580 people.

More than 140 homes collapsed, about 700 were damaged, and about 7,900
hectares of crops were damaged, incurring losses of 59.29 million yuan (8.67
million U.S. dollars).

Workers are fixing damaged roads and water conservancy facilities. Food,
clothes and other disaster-relief materials are being distributed to those
affected.

Two female pandas fertilized with semen from aged wild panda in NW China

2009-06-30T15:01:00.000-07:00

XI'AN, June 17 (Xinhua) -- Two female giant pandas have been artificially
fertilized with semen from a 21-year-old panda, the equivalent of 60 in human
years, said experts at a giant panda breeding base in northwest China's Shaanxi
Province on Wednesday.

The senior panda, Xiaoming, was a wild panda rescued by wild animal
preservationists in Shaanxi in 2007. He was blind from cataracts and suffered
from nephritis. He became the second giant panda to receive the cataract surgery
in China last December, which helped restored his eyesight.

"Xiaoming has been in good health and had become sexually frisky since
spring. We found 390 million sperm per milliliter of his semen, with 60 percent
of the sperm active for fertility," said Ma Qingyi, head of the veterinary
hospital with the Shaanxi Research Center of Rare Wild Animal Rescue and
Breeding.

Ma said Xiaoming's sperm vitality is as good as young pandas.

"Using sperm from a wild panda can be conducive in avoiding close breeding
among pandas in captivity," he said.

The expert said the fertilization rate of giant pandas is very low, which
is part of the reason for the animal's risk of extinction.

If the two female pandas, nine-year-old Zhu Zhu and six-year-old Yang Yang,
become pregnant, they could be expected to give birth in autumn, as pandas'
pregnancy lasts from 83 to 185 days.

China starts building railway to desolate Lop Nur

2009-06-30T15:00:00.000-07:00

URUMQI, June 17 (Xinhua) -- China Tuesday began building a railway to the
Lop Nur, a former lake area known as "the sea of death" in northwestern Xinjiang
Uygur Autonomous Region.

Construction the 360-kilometer railway from Hami Prefecture on the
China-Mongolia border to the Lop Nur near China's largest desert, the
Taklamakan, started Tuesday and would take about two years, said Nur Bekri,
chairman of the Xinjiang regional government, Wednesday.

The two places are linked by a highway that opened in 2006.

The 3.28-billion yuan (470 million U.S. dollars) railway would provide
easier access to, and speed up exploitation of, the region's potassium salt, one
of China's rarest resources used in fertilizer production, he said. The area has
an estimated 500 million tonnes of reserves, valued at more than 500 billion
yuan.

Without adequate exploitation of the Lop Nur's potassium salt resources,
China's total reserve is about 457 million tonnes, less than 3 percent of the
world total. The country imports at least 4 million tonnes of potassium
fertilizer every year.

"When the railway opens, it will be easier to transport Lop Nur's potassium
salt," said Wang Huisheng, president of State Development and Investment Corp.

The state-owned investment holding giant launched a potassium fertilizer
production base in the Lop Nur at the end of last year, which produces 1.2
million tonnes a year. "The second phase of the production base will be launched
in 2014, with a designed annual output of 3 million tonnes, Wang said.

Along the Hami-Lop Nur railway is also a leading coal base, which has more
than 23 billion tonnes of proven reserves. "The railway will provide strong
logistic support to the building of a huge coal-fired power generation base in
Hami," he said.

The railway is also a boon to adventurers and tourists, most ofwhom used to
hitchhike to the Lop Nur unless they could drive all the way across the desert
region themselves.

"I'm waiting to take my next expedition trip to the Lop Nur by train," said
Wang Baowei, an amateur adventurer based in Urumqi.

At least 11 railways are under construction in Xinjiang. By 2020, the
region's total rail mileage will top 10,000 kilometers compared with the present
3,000 kilometers.

The Lop Nur was the largest lake in northwestern China before it dried up
in 1972 as a result of desertification and environmental degradation.

It once nurtured the civilization of Loulan (Kroraina). The ancient city
was one of the pivotal stops along the famous Silk Road, but mysteriously
disappeared around the third century AD.

Due to its typical geology, geography and historical values, the Lop Nur
has attracted the attention of scientists from home and abroad since the mid
19th century.

In 1980, Peng Jiamu, a noted Chinese scientist, went missing on his fourth
expedition to the Lop Nur and was never found.

Preservationists set up tents to aid Tibetan antelopes in birth season

2009-06-30T14:59:00.001-07:00

GOLMUD, Qinghai, June 17 (Xinhua) -- Preservationists in China's Hoh Xil National Nature Reserve said on Wednesday that they have set up several big tents on the Qinghai-Tibet plateau region, to help pregnant Tibetan antelopes give birth in harsh weather.

Wang Zhoutai, chief of the Protection and Management Office at the reserve, said they have monitored 1,000 pregnant antelopes at the bank of Zonag Lake, where the tents were set up 4,700 meters above sea level to shelter the animals.

"Snow storms were frequent in the area recently. These antelopes have traveled a long way on migration to reach the place to give birth," he said.

About 30,000 Tibetan antelopes gave birth in the reserve in northwest Qinghai Province last year, which is dubbed a "big maternity ward" for the endangered animal, native to the plateau region.

The reserve closed tourist activities in the core area of the reserve in May, in bid to guarantee the pregnant antelopes remain undisturbed by tourists.

Wang said the birth season will end in August. The reserve has reinforced patrols and prepared to tackle armed poachers.

The antelopes have became a target of poachers since the 1980s.International traffickers make luxury shawls, each piece of which requires the pelts of three to five antelopes.

Armed poaching had led to a drastic decline in the antelope population in the 1990s. There were only 20,000 left in Hol Xil when rangers started to fight the illegal practice in February 1998.

The population in the reserve had increased to 60,000 by 2008, said the reserve.

Experts: Gov't websites coming under constant attack

2009-06-30T14:59:00.000-07:00

BEIJING, June 17 -- A green diagram moves across the computer screen until a short message pops up in red like an alarm.

"The scan shows some websites are being hacked at this very moment," said Professor Fang Binxing, a cyber security scientist, as he punched the URL of a government-run Web domain into his Internet browser.

(Photo Source: China Daily)
Photo Gallery

The hacked website that appeared on screen is the State-owned asset administration of Shenyang, capital of Liaoning province. Hackers have planted a black-colored page above the official website and left a set of randomly selected English capitalized letters as their only trace.

"Hacks like this on government websites just aim to find the loopholes in sensitive websites in China," said Fang, whose online scan, which he designed while serving as director of the national computer network emergency response team between 2002 and 2006, trawls the websites of government at all levels in China.

He said it detects from dozens to hundreds of attacks each day.

As many as 60,000 hacks targeting the government are attempted each year, he said, while that are millions more on commercial and individual targets that cost owners billions.

"China has benefited greatly from the world's biggest Web community, but its imbalance in Internet development makes its vulnerable to defend against countless cyber breaches," said Professor Yu Xiaofeng, of Zhejiang University in Hangzhou.

Fang Xingdong, an Internet technology expert, also warned the situation in China makes life easy even for the least-skilled hackers. He said: "It takes little for a hacker to launch an attack, but their assaults cost victims dearly, commercially and legally."

Without a strong cyber defense for government and military institutions, experts say the nation will remain vulnerable for years to come.

In one security breach, four hackers allegedly tried to sabotage rivals' servers, which offered access to illegal online gaming sites, on May 19. But they consequently disconnected Web users in more than 20 provinces for several hours.

It was the worst Internet incident in China after the service interruption caused by damaged undersea cables in the earthquake near Taiwan in 2006. The suspects were detained shortly after the breakdown.

According to an Internet security report on April 15 by Symantec, the California-based anti-virus software maker, of the computers hacked in the Asia-Pacific region during 2008, about 71 percent were in China.

As a result of the sharp rise in hacks in China, its gaps in security have attracted international hackers who buy or rent hacked machines to use in other illegal projects, causing a multi-billion yuan black market to spring up.

A Shenzhen-based hacker, who declined to be named, said hacked computers costing as much as hundreds of yuan are so popular they are often sold or rented in groups.

"Even so, the prices in China are still seven to eight times lower than in the United States," said the hacker, who also added the practice is widely known throughout the information technology industry, with licensed companies also taking a piece from the pie.

The National People's Congress, China's top legislative body, listed hacking as a crime for the first time in February. But experts say more detailed measures and a long-term strategy for cyber security must be implemented.

(Source: China Daily)

Ex-Macao official set to be sole candidate for top job

2009-06-30T14:58:00.001-07:00

MACAO, June 16 (Xinhua) -- Former secretary for social affairs and culture of the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) Chui Sai On Tuesday submitted his candidacy and application form, as he dominantly bagged 286 nominations from the 300-member SAR chief executive (CE) election panel.

Under the SAR's CE Election Law, anyone who intends to run for the CE office must be nominated by 50 of the 300 members of the CE Election Committee, within which the new CE will be elected. Given the rest of the committee members do not meet the basic nomination number required by the law, Chui will become the only CE candidate.

Chui went to the CE election coordination center this afternoon and submitted his candidacy and application form to the authorities. He told the press at the center that he appreciated the support from the committee members and the civilians, promising that he will make all-out effort to run for the CE office, while collecting more civilian opinions.

So far Chui was the only person in the SAR who claimed to garner enough nominations for his candidacy. Macao's Public Prosecutor Ho Chio Meng has denied rumors that he will run for the SAR's top job, according to the Macao Daily News.

The deadline for the submission of candidacy and application form is June 23, and the CE election will take place in July 26.

The official list of the CE candidates will be announced on July 2, according to the CE Electoral Affairs Committee, which oversees the upcoming CE election.

China to publicly expose companies breaching product safety rules

2009-06-30T14:58:00.000-07:00

BEIJING, June 16 (Xinhua) -- China will publicly expose companies that breach product safety regulations, the nation's quality supervisor said Tuesday.

China will set up a comprehensive and efficient quality evaluation and rating system within three years, said Sun Bo, head of the quality control department of the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine.

He said the system would focus on products that have close bearing on people's lives, such as food.

According to Sun, the administration has created files on the quality control practices of 89,699 companies in 17 categories.

Storms in northern China delay, cancel 80-plus flights from Shanghai

2009-06-30T14:57:00.001-07:00

SHANGHAI, June 16 (Xinhua) -- More than 80 flights scheduled todepart from airports in Shanghai were delayed or cancelled by rainstorms that hit northern China on Tuesday, aviation officials said.

The number included about 10 that were cancelled, according to the website of the Shanghai Airport Authority.

Among the 80 flights, more than 50 were headed for Beijing, while the rest were headed for Tianjin and Shenyang, capital of the northeastern Liaoning Province.

Beijing's skies went dark at about 11 a.m. amid an intense thunderstorm.

Average rainfall in the downtown area reached 11 millimeters, said Guo Hu, head of the Municipal Meteorological Station.

More rain has been forecast for Thursday and Friday, he said.

Man wounded during protest over property project in NW China dies

2009-06-30T14:57:00.000-07:00

URUMQI, June 16 (Xinhua) -- A man who police said was accidentally wounded during a protest against a property development in China's far northwest Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region died Tuesday afternoon, local authorities said.

According to the government of Urumqi, Xinjiang's capital, about 60 downtown residents gathered at a construction site at about 9 a.m., where they held a protest over a mixed-use 32-story building that they feared would block much of the sun from their apartment building just 10 meters away.

The project is being built by Guanghui Real Estate Ltd. Co., which is the largest developer in Xinjiang.

Three police went to the scene to restore order, but about 40 workers on the site refused to leave and clashed with the officers.

Kudelet Kurban, the deputy head of a local police station, fired two warning shots to disperse the crowd, but to no avail. While he continued to try to handle the crowd, his gun went off accidentally and the shot hit Yao Yonghai, a supervisor with Guanghui company, in the neck.

Yao died in a hospital at 1:20 p.m.

Local residents have protested several times over the project. More than 60 residents blocked Beijing Road near the site Monday evening, in an earlier attempt to stop the project. In that case, they dispersed quickly.

NW China campaign against dogs highlights legal loophole in animal welfare

2009-06-30T14:56:00.001-07:00

BEIJING, June 16 (Xinhua) -- The dog looked into the
camera innocently, wagging its tail under the shadow of a tree, unaware of the
three men approaching with long bamboo poles in hand.

In the following seconds, it was beaten on the back
and head and left in a pool of blood.

The video, widely circulated online, roused
nationwide anger among animal-lovers but it wasn't a classic case of abuse. It
was a government attempt to stop the spread of rabies.

The video was shot in Hanzhong in the northwestern
Shaanxi Province by an unidentified observer.

On May 23, in response to increasing rabies cases,
the Hanzhong city government ordered that all dogs in rabies-infected villages
be killed. More than 34,000 dogs were killed as of June 11, according to the
local government.

The human stories were no less heart-wrenching.

Li Yajun, 42, died of rabies on May 28 in Li Village,
Yangxian County in Hanzhong.

Working as a security guard in a county hotel, he was
bitten by a pet dog on his finger around April 20 but didn't seek medical
attention. Two weeks later, he began to have stomach- and headaches, nausea,
panic and photophobia.

"He was like a crazy man," said his wife Bi Xiaoxian. "From
May 26, he began to scratch everything, bite hands and the quilt. He
couldn't urinate so his belly was swollen."

The family sent him to the hospital on May 22, three
days after he first showed symptoms, but it was too late.

Since March, rabies has broken out in five counties
of Hanzhong. As of June 12, about 8,600 people had been bitten or scratched by
dogs and 12 had died of rabies.

"Many have gotten hurt and the situation is getting
worse. What else can we do?" said Yang Jian, deputy chief of the agricultural
department of Hanzhong, in an interview with Phoenix TV on June 4.

Hanzhong was not the only place where dogs were
killed. In late May, the government of Heihe in northeastern Heilongjiang
Province announced a ban against dogs in the city and four villages under its
administration. All dogs would be killed and their owners fined up to 200 yuan
(about 29 dollars) if they were spotted in these areas from May 23 on.

Dog killings also took place in Chongqing
Municipality, eastern Shandong Province, southwestern Yunnan Province, southern
Guangxi, Guangdong and Fujian provinces in the past three years, all to control
rabies

But despite the rabies outbreak, people questioned
the local government about the need to kill all dogs.

Hongshiliu Companion Animal Rescue Center, a
Xi'an-based animal rights group, sent 12 volunteers on June 4 to Hanzhong to try
to stop the killing.

The volunteers saw people killing dogs on the streets
of Hanzhong. Even those vaccinated could not survive, said Jiang Hong, in charge
of Hongshiliu. "There must be a more humane and safe way to control rabies."

Fourteen animal protection organizations from Xi'an,
Chengdu of Sichuan Province and Chongqing Municipality jointly wrote to the
Hanzhong government offering technical assistance in controlling rabies.

In Heihe, under increasing public pressure
nationwide, the local government withdrew its death edict but Hanzhong
continued.

China ranks the second in terms of rabies incidence
in the world, right after India, in recent years, according to the Ministry of
Health.

"Rabies broke out mainly because people don't have
their dogs vaccinated. Laws and regulations do require people to vaccinate and
register their dogs and send them for annual health checks but they are not
effectively implemented, especially in rural areas," Sun Jiang, an expert from
the Northwest University of Political Science and Law, told Xinhua Tuesday.

Sun agreed the government should kill infected dogs
in case of a serious epidemic but it was not necessary to kill them all
outright.

"Instead, the government should inform the public of
the epidemic, vaccinate dogs and take humane measures to euthanize infected
animals," he said.

"The root of dog killing is that we lack a
specialized and inclusive law on animal protection. The laws largely focus on
rare wild animals," he said. "Most importantly, we don't have strong punishment
for domestic animal abuse and killing."

Animal abuse is not a new topic in China. It's made
the headlines with such tales as university students abusing pet cats, farmers
cramming pigs into small cages that are so crowded the animals die, and the
illegal sale of cats to restaurants.

Experts are working hard to lobby the legislature for
an animal protection law.

At a seminar held at the Northwest University of
Political Science and Law on Dec. 20, 2008, law experts decided to draft a
version of an animal protection law and submit it to the legislature.

Sun was in charge of the section on companion
animals, covering issues such as compulsory vaccination, annual exams and
sheltering of companion animals.

"People's attitude toward animals reflects a
society's civilization level. Although a law can not solve all problems, it will
make people think again about their attitude and help reduce abuse," he said.

More than two-thirds of countries have animal welfare
laws and China should follow suit, he added.

Five die, 23 injured as bus overturns in S China's Guangxi

2009-06-30T14:56:00.000-07:00

NANNING, June 16 (Xinhua) -- Five people were killed and 23 injured after a long-distance bus veered off a village road and overturned in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region early Tuesday.

The bus with 57 aboard, overturned at about 6:15 a.m. in Shanglin County, Guangxi, while en route from Nanchong, Sichuan Province, to Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, said Wu Ying, a Shanglin county publicity official.

Five died on the scene. All the injured, three seriously, have been hospitalized.

The cause of the accident is still being investigated.

Thunderstorm hits S China's Guangdong Province

2009-06-30T14:55:00.000-07:00

Passengers go off a bus in the rain in
Guangzhou, capital of southern China's Guangdong Province, June 16, 2009.
Guangzhou witnessed a thunderstorm Tuesday. Local authority released a
yellow alert of rainstorms in the afternoon. (Xinhua/Chen
Yehua)
Photo
Gallery

A woman rides a bicycle in the rain in
Guangzhou, capital of southern China's Guangdong Province, June 16,
2009.(Xinhua/Chen Yehua)
Photo
Gallery

Survey: four-fifths urban Chinese say traffic jam haunts their cities

2009-06-30T14:54:00.000-07:00

BEIJING, June 16 (Xinhua) -- Nearly 80 percent of the 15,217 urban Chinese said in an online poll that traffic jam haunts their cities during rush hours, a survey by the China Youth Daily showed.

Those polled, all aged 20-40, are scattered in almost all Chinese provinces and municipalities, the newspaper reported Tuesday. About 42 percent of them complained about crowded underground lines and buses.

Hu Siji, a professor on transport management in Beijing Jiaotong University, told Xinhua Tuesday that the main reason for traffic jam in cities is the high number of people and cars.

Driven by better job opportunities and lives in the cities, China's urban population surged to 607 million by the end of 2008, an increase of 32 percent over 2000, according to a report released by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences on Monday.

For example, Beijing, the nation's capital with some 18 million residents, has long been known among the Chinese as the "capital of traffic jam."

The city has around three million cars on the streets every day. Its eight underground lines and 25,000 buses are jammed like sardines during rush hours.

Those surveyed suggested flexible work hours, more underground lines and buses, and less use of private cars as solutions.

Currently, Beijing has seven more underground lines under construction and six more being planned.

Since the odd-even plate number ban imposed in last year's Olympics, the capital has forbidden its private cars to run off the streets for one day each week based on the last number of their plates.

In another effort, the municipal government said earlier this month that it would encourage flexible work hours and even online offices in "government departments and all companies with suitable conditions." But it did not say when the plan would be applied.

Death toll rises to 8 in E China construction site accident

2009-06-30T14:53:00.001-07:00

NANJING, June 16 (Xinhua) -- The death toll of an accident at an LNG storage tank construction site in east China's Jiangsu Province on Tuesday rose to eight, after six injured ones failed medical treatment, said a hospital source.

The source confirmed that five other injured workers are receiving treatment in the hospital.

The accident happened at 7:50 a.m., when a falling mould killed two construction workers on the spot at the Yangkou Port of Rudong County.

Firefighters said there were a total of 110 workers when the accident happened. The local government has evacuated workers and started an investigation.

The building of the LNG receiving facility is undertaken by the Shanghai Power Construction Engineering Co. at the Yangkou Port. The project has been designed with an annual capacity of handling 6.5 million tons of imported LNG.

Two killed, nine others injured at LNG storage tank construction site in east China

2009-06-30T14:53:00.000-07:00

NANNING, June 16 (Xinhua) -- Two construction workers were killed and nine others injured by a falling mould at an LNG storage tank building area in Yangkou Port of Rudong County, in east China's Jiangsu Province Tuesday.

Firefighters said the accident happened at 7:50 a.m., when there were 110 workers on site.

The injured have been sent to hospital. Ninety-nine workers have been evacuated, as the local government has started an investigation.

Teacher, school officials jailed over students' gas poisoning deaths

2009-06-30T14:52:00.000-07:00

XI'AN, June 16 (Xinhua) -- A court Tuesday said it sentenced three school officials and a teacher to jail over last year's carbon monoxide poisoning in which 11 students at a northwest China school died.

The People's Court in Dingbian County of Shaanxi Province handed down jail terms from three to five years Monday to principal Zhao Binghong and vice principal Han Huilong of Duiziliang School, the dead students' teacher Song Xiaoyan and school official Zhou Wanqi who was in charge of logistics. All four had earlier pleaded not guilty and are to appeal the verdict.

They were convicted of dereliction of duty, as investigators found safety loopholes at the school, including inadequate ventilation in the dormitories and piles of coal that blocked exits.

A total of 12 girls, all fourth-graders of the school, were found in a coma in their dorm on the morning of Dec. 2. The only survivor, Cai Maomao, is still in hospital.

Secondary disasters frequent in SW China landslide site, search continuing for 64 missing

2009-06-30T14:51:00.001-07:00

WULONG, Chongqing, June 16 (Xinhua) -- Ten
small-scale landslides have hit a landslide site in southwest China's Chongqing
Municipality from Friday, and rescuers continued to search for 64 missing for
the 10th day on Tuesday.

Heavy machinery works at the landslide
site in Wulong County, southwest China's Chongqing Municipality, June 15,
2009. The rescue headquarters said that seven potential geological
disaster spots were located that may not only affect the rescue work but
also threat the lives of over 3,000 rescuers at the landslide
site.(Xinhua/Xu Xuzhong)
Photo Gallery

The rescue headquarters said Tuesday that no
casualties had been reported during the rescue. There were 3,000 rescuers aided
by heavy machinery, drilling holes and clearing rubble in a search for the
missing.

A geologist with the rescue headquarters, who declined to be identified, said on Sunday that cracks with a span of eight to ten meters and up to 30 meters deep have appeared on the landslide-hit hills. He said under the threat of secondary disasters, the search for the missing may be suspended.

The rescue headquarters said rescuers have basically
brought the risk of a barrier lake under control on Tuesday, when the level of
the water dropped 10 meters below the top of a temporary embankment, thanks to
drainage work.

"If there is no rain in the next three days, the
drainage work would be more effective in preventing the lake's flood risk," said
Zhu Xiansheng, head of the water conservancy bureau of Chongqing.

The landslide site has entered the flood season, and
landslide-induced lakes are likely to trigger mud-rock flows, he said.

Rescuers have found 10 bodies in the 10-day search.
The number of estimated missing people in the landslide was reported as 64 by
the headquarters.

Rescuers refused to estimate the survival chances of
the missing. Bo Xilai, secretary of the Chongqing Municipal Committee of the
Communist Party of China, has ordered rescuers to make their utmost efforts to
save lives and retrieve the bodies.

Rescuers have estimated there were greater survival
chances for 27 miners believed to be trapped in an iron ore mine in the
mountain.

Rescuers have not yet found the mine entrance, which
was buried deep under landslide rubble.

"Hot" day for officials in S China's Guangdong

2009-06-30T14:51:00.000-07:00

BEIJING, June 16 (Xinhua) -- Government officials in southern China's Guangdong province decided to spend a literally "hot" day Tuesday in as energy consumption, including the use of air conditioners, was reduced on so-called "energy-shortfall day".

Officials at all levels had to take public transport to work, minimize power consumption by shutting off some elevators, air conditioning and lighting, and reduce paper consumption for the whole day.

"The campaign aims to let government officials feel for themselves how inconvenient life and work will be when energy is in short supply," Yang Jianchu, director of the provincial economy and trade commission of Guangdong, which launched the campaign, was quoted as saying by Tuesday's China Daily.

"This way they will sharpen their awareness of energy use and set an example for others in regards to saving energy."

As a next step, government vehicles, unless for official purposes, will be taken off the road one day per week according to the last digit of their registration numbers.

Many officials in the provincial capital of Guangzhou support the campaign.

Zhou Weixiong, an official with the provincial cultural department, said his department has planned for the campaign and each official will take the bus or metro, ride a bike or walk to work.

"We will use secondhand envelopes instead of new ones for the internal delivery of documents tomorrow," he said.

"As a matter of fact, we have developed a habit of saving stationery and cutting power consumption at our office," said Liang Tianfen, an official with the provincial construction department.

"In my eyes, it's always meaningful to make people conscious of the urgency and importance of saving energy by any means," she said. However, many citizens in Guangzhou are suspicious of the effect of the campaign.

Killer of township official on trial in C China county

2009-06-30T14:50:00.001-07:00

BADONG, Hubei Province, June 16 (Xinhua) -- A woman accused of stabbing an official to death and injuring another upon alleged sexual assault on May 10 was brought to court Tuesday in Badong County, central China's Hubei Province.

Deng Yujiao, 21, a local pedicurist, was charged by local procurators for intentionally injuring others.

Traffic resumes in east China after furniture dealers' protest on highway

2009-06-30T14:50:00.000-07:00

NANCHANG, June 15 (Xinhua) -- Traffic on the expressway in east China's Jiangxi province resumed on Monday night after hundreds of furniture makers and dealers blocked the road to protest over a proposed tax crackdown, said local police.

Most of the protesters have left by 11:45 p.m., and order was restored in the Nankang section of 105 national high way and the expressway linking the northeastern Heilongjiang province and the southern Guangdong province.

According to an unnamed official with the provincial government, cause of the incident was the new tax rule which was to take effect on Monday, as the city planned to tighten up tax enforcement on furniture makers and dealers.

"Protesters believed it increased their burden," he said.

Hundreds of furniture makers and dealers gathered along the road in the Nankang city, which was four hours drives from the provincial capital Nanchang, cutting traffic and smashing and overturning at least nine police cars at about 10 a.m..

Also, nearly 100 dealers went to the city government building to complain about the rule.

Green algae back in Yellow Sea, giving China's Shandong the blues

2009-06-30T14:49:00.001-07:00

JINAN, June 15 (Xinhua) -- The algae that threatened the Olympic Games sailing venue last year has reappeared in the Yellow Sea off the eastern Chinese province of Shandong, local authorities said Monday.

The algae bloom, covering about 42 square kilometers, was drifting north at 9 km per day and was some 120 km from Dagong island of the coastal Qingdao city by Monday, said an official with the North China Sea Branch of the State Oceanic Administration (SOA).

Algae bloom worried officials in the co-host city of the Games last year. At the peak of the outbreak, the algae covered 32 percent of the sailing venue.

More than 1 million tonnes of algae were cleared by 10,000 troops and volunteers, before the sailing events were held smoothly.

An office tackling algae bloom was set up under the SOA. Three ships have been dispatched since this February to research algae, provide data for clean-up and monitor its spread.

Death toll from weekend storm in east China's Anhui hits 15

2009-06-30T14:49:00.000-07:00

HEFEI, June 15 (Xinhua) -- Seven more people were found dead after a storm swept east China's Anhui Province over the weekend, bringing the death toll to 15, local authorities said Monday.

The deaths were reported from 24 counties of 11 cities. Most of the victims were killed by collapsed houses and fallen trees, according to an official with the provincial civil affairs department who declined to be identified.

The storm affected 1.23 million people, injuring 181 and forcing the evacuation of 10,400.

It damaged 24,300 hectares of crops, toppled 9,690 houses and cut power supply and communications. It caused direct economic losses of 450 million yuan (about 66 million U.S. dollars).

Gales of up to 29 meters per second and hail struck Anhui from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday.

It was the second storm to hit the province this month. The first was from June 3 to 5, affecting nearly 4 million people and killing more than 20.

According to forecasts by the provincial meteorological bureau, high winds are likely within the next couple of days.

The civil affairs department issued an urgent notice ordering local governments to be alert to extreme weather so as to respond quickly and minimize losses.

China's urban population exceeds 600 million; yawning gap with rural income

2009-06-30T14:48:00.001-07:00

BEIJING, June 15 (Xinhua) -- China's urban population surged to 607 million with an urbanization rate of 45.7 percent at the end of 2008, a social researcher revealed Monday.

The urban population had increased by 148 million since 2000, almost level with the rural population in the world's most populous nation with 1.3 billion people, according to Shan Jingjing of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS).

In the early 1980s, the rural population accounted for nearly 80 percent of the total.

The urban surge reflected economic growth and internal labor movements, including 130 million migrant workers who left rural homes to work in the cities, said Shan, who is also vice editor-in-chief of the Blue Book of Cities in China, published by the CASS on Monday.

According to the blue book, China has 118 megalopolises of more than 1 million people, and 39 such as Beijing, Shanghai and Shenyang are super metropolises of more than 2 million residents.

Compared with the 2000 figures derived from China's fifth census, urban citizens covered by basic medical insurance had increased 93.87 million, basic pension insurance participants increased 17.53 million, unemployment insurance participants increased 7.55 million, employment injury insurance participants increased 16.37 million and maternity insurants increased 14.06 million.

Urbanization had not narrowed income gaps. According to the blue book, the urban: rural income ratio averaged about 5 in 2008 by contrast with the gap in 2000 when the ratio was 2.79, said Wei Houkai, co-editor-in-chief of the blue book.

With rapid urbanization, China was also encountering surging challenges amid the global downturn, which has had a serious impact on the economy, the book warned.

"One of the challenges will be unemployment," Shan said. "According to research on 15 enterprises in five provinces, job vacancies have decreased by 5.3 percent since the end of March."

The unemployment situation would be worsened by China's huge labor pool with an annual 15 million new job hunters and some 6 million college graduates this summer, Shan said.

According to the Ministry of Agriculture in March, there were 11 million unemployed migrant workers.

But the book also mentioned that a CASS survey conducted in Jiangxi, Sichuan, Jiangsu and Guangdong Provinces after this year's lunar new year (late January-early February) found that the migrant return rate was not as high as media reports claimed.

Chinese army, police seize thousands of fake military license plates, IDs

2009-06-30T14:48:00.000-07:00

GUANGZHOU, June 15 (Xinhua) -- China's military and police confiscated thousands of counterfeit military vehicle plates in the latest effort to fight abuse of military identities, police said in a press release Monday.

In a joint raid on June 8-10, they said, 37 suspects were arrested and 250 fake military license plates as well as 2,346 semifinished ones were seized in south China's Guangdong Province and eastern Zhejiang Province.

Meanwhile, 1,481 counterfeit materials including driving licenses and military IDs were seized.

This year alone, gangs have counterfeited some 3,000 armed police plates, 5,000 military plates and nearly 10,000 civilian ones and sold them in more than 20 provinces.

In China, cars with military plates, which differ from ordinary vehicle plates in color and numbers, have special privileges, including exemption from road tolls and parking fees.

Last April, the People's Liberation Army said 4,112 fake military vehicles and 6,373 stolen or fake military license plates were seized in a crackdown that started in July 2006.

Earlier reports said annual toll losses in 2006 from the use of fake military plates and vehicles in Chongqing, one of China's four municipal level cities, which has 750 kilometers of expressways, amounted to 40 million yuan (5.63 million U.S. dollars).

An amendment to the Criminal Law passed this February provides for tougher punishment for the counterfeit, theft, illegal supply and use of military license plates. Those convicted of such offenses face three to seven years of imprisonment and fines, according to the amendment.

China's Law on Road Traffic Safety also stipulates that drivers using fake plates could face criminal charges, along with fines of200 yuan to 2,000 yuan, and confiscation of their vehicles.

Chinese police uncover major gambling cases, launching global hunt for seven principals

2009-06-30T14:47:00.001-07:00

WUHAN, June 15 (Xinhua) -- Chinese police said here on Monday they had
busted six serial gambling cases, which involved 50 billion yuan (7 billion U.S.
dollars), and launched a global hunt for seven principals involved in the cases.

Gong Dao'an, chief of the Public Security Bureau in Xianning City, in
central China's Hubei Province, said the bureau had spent over a year on the six
cases.

"We found tens of thousands of gamblers from around the country took parts
in gambling organized by the six gangs between 2004 and 2009. Most of the
gambling funds have flowed to overseas gambling groups through underground money
laundering channels," said the police chief.

He said police have only retrieved 800 million yuan funds through freezing
the gangs' bank accounts.

"We are seeking international cooperation to help cut off the money
laundering channels, which circulated the gambling funds overseas," said the
police chief, without giving details of cooperation.

He said the bureau started to check five gambling websites in 2007, which
offered gambling on football, horse racing and card games, and received stakes
from people in 10 Chinese provinces and cities.

"We found the sites were operated by gang members. Some of the gangs used
leased servers in the United States, Singapore and the Republic of Korea to run
online gambling websites, and others acted as agents for overseas gambling
websites. They developed gamblers in China's mainland for the websites," said
Gong.

He said 27 members of the gangs had been given jail terms, and 30 other
gang members were expected to be charged later this month.

"Through the detection of the five cases, police found clues to another
gambling gang, which organized gamblers in casinos in Macao, Taiwan, the
Philippines, Singapore and Malaysia, and lent out money at high interest rate to
gamblers," said Gong.

The gang leader Liu Qingli surrendered to the police in May. He confessed
that the gang sought customers, mainly rich businessmen, to gamble overseas. The
gang with 18 business development agents and 125 members made business worth 20
billion yuan.

One of the gang's customers, who was only identified as a manager of a coal
mine in north China's Shanxi Province, gambled away 400 million Hong Kong
dollars on a week-long trip to Macao in June last year, said Gong.

He said the cases are still under investigation.

He said gambling criminals are usually given jail terms from three to 10
years, which are not heavy enough to act as a deterrent.

Security forces put to test in "terrorist attack"

2009-06-30T14:47:00.000-07:00

BEIJING, June 15 -- After being alerted by the sound of gunshots, shocked residents of Taiyuan watched as armed security officers, firefighters and paramedics rushed to close off the city's police academy last Thursday night.

Shortly after, authorities at the scene told media reporters the building had been "occupied by terrorists" just before midnight, adding that dozens of hostages had been taken.

Thankfully the city, capital of Shanxi province, was only staging the nation's second anti-terrorism drill as part of security preparations for the forthcoming 60th anniversary celebrations on Oct 1.

The program, which is codenamed "Great Wall No 6," began with an exercise in Inner Mongolia on June 9 and involves simulated attacks or threats from low-grade nuclear weapons and toxic chemicals, as well as hijackings and street shoot-outs.

The third drill will be staged in the city of Zhuozhou, Hebei province, this month.

Experts said the scale of the operation shows that the security level for the Oct 1 celebrations will be even higher than during the Beijing Olympics last summer.

This latest exercise was "aimed at testing the ability of security forces, support agencies and the local population in dealing with an emergency", said the Ministry of Public Security.

The drill ended on Friday afternoon, when security forces "captured and neutralized the terrorists and rescued the hostages", said the ministry.

"The police have long been preparing for this drill," said a man surnamed Wang, 45, who owns a restaurant opposite the police academy. "We ordinary citizens extremely support such exercises, especially as we are aware of the danger of terrorism.

"Though the drill brought some trouble for the city, it will give Taiyuan a precious opportunity to improve its ability to deal with such emergencies."

(Source: China Daily)

China's family planning policy shadowed by violations from rich

2009-06-30T14:46:00.000-07:00

BEIJING, June 15 (Xinhua) -- China's family planning policy was challenged by rich people and celebrities who wanted to have more than one child, warned officials and experts.

Zhang Weiqing, the former director of the State Family Planning Commission, was quoted by Monday's China Daily as saying that the rich and famous who break the rules have cast a huge shadow over the policy, denting social equality and even stability.

Many mainland women gave birth in the Hong Kong special administrative region to skirt the restrictions, experts say.

To address these challenges, the National Population and Family Planning Commission is said to be considering a new policy curbing residents from having second or more babies outside the mainland.

"Due to the rising mobility of Chinese citizens and the social transformation from the country's reform and opening up from the late 1970s, it has become tougher to regulate the policy," Zhang said.

About a fifth of the people breaking the family planning rules are urban families, said Zhai Zhenwu, a sociology professor with Renmin University of China. The remaining are believed to be rural couples or migrant workers in cities.

Two years ago, the government increased the penalties by imposing a fine amounting to 10 times the annual average per capita income of the area the violators live in. The amount varies from 20,000 yuan in the countryside to 200,000 yuan in big cities.

"But this sort of fine is a piece of cake for the rich. So the government had to hit them harder where it really hurt - at their fame, reputation and standing in society," Zhai said.

The rich and famous, who broke the rules, have been stopped from receiving public honors. Pop stars can be barred from public shows or TV programs; and businessmen in the private sector, from government contracts.

Eight killed, 120 injured in east China storm

2009-06-30T14:45:00.001-07:00

HEFEI, June 14 (Xinhua) -- Eight people were killed
and 120 others were injured as storm swept east China's Anhui province, said
local authorities on Sunday.

Gale with the maximum speed of 29 meters per second
ravaged in Anhui with hailstones from 2:15 to 3:40 p.m. Saturday. Eight people
were killed by collapsed houses and fallen trees, while 120 were injured.

Twenty of those described as "seriously injured" were
sent to hospitals, said an official with the disaster relief office of the
province.

Details of the disaster is not available yet.

This is the second storm this month. The first
occurred from June 3 to 5, affecting nearly four million people and killing more
than 20.

A working team has been sent out by the civil affairs
bureau of Anhui to affected areas.

The bureau issued an urgent notice ordering local
governments to be alert of extreme weather so as to make quick response and
minimize losses in the future.

College students, middle school teacher arrested for exam cheating case

2009-06-30T14:45:00.000-07:00

TAIYUAN, June 14 (Xinhua) -- Six people, including four college students and one middle school teacher, were arrested in north China's Shanxi province for allegedly selling hi-tech devices to students to help them cheat in their college entrance exam held from June 7 to 9.

According to police, a 23-year-old college student surnamed Li in the Xinzhou city learned about the devices, before buying six emitters and 25 receivers with two schoolmates, Wang and Liu.

Later, the trio grouped with four other people, including a middle school teacher, to sell the devices among students. Two students preparing for the exam bought the sets while 18 others bought receivers.

The devices were discovered by police in a hotel in the Xinfu district of Xinzhou at 8:18 a.m. on June 7, said an unnamed police officer.

Liu is still at large.

The college entrance exam, known as "gaokao" in Chinese, is considered the world's largest in terms of entrants number.

In a country where a college diploma can help secure a decent job, the annual college entrance exam is considered decisive in determining a student's future career opportunities. Therefore, it was tainted by cheating scandals each year.

Chinese police have earlier detained 34 suspects in the northeastern Jilin province.

Central China province to find new home for all south-to-north project immigrants this year

2009-06-30T14:44:00.001-07:00

WUHAN, June 14 (Xinhua) -- Central China's Hubei province is to have all immigrants in the area where the south-to-north water diversion project was launched sign relocation contracts this year, said local authorities in a plan on Sunday.

According to the plan, 50,000 immigrants shall be relocated by 2010, 30,000 more will be relocated by 2011 and 87,000 others, including 65,000 from the rural areas and 22,000 urban citizens, will move to their new homes by 2012, said Wang Yuanliang, head of the immigration bureau of the province.

Immigration from the Danjiangkou area is a necessary step for construction of the central route of the massive hydro project, which involved 330,000 people, including 180,000 from Hubei and 150,000 from Henan in central China.

Both province started relocation work in November 2008. Hubei has planned to relocate the first batch of 12,000 people by the end of September.

China's south-to-north diversion project is designed to divert water from the water-rich south of the country, mainly from the Yangtze, up to the dry north.

The huge project consists of eastern, central and western routes. The first two routes are already under construction, while the western channel is still at the planning stage.

Police rescue seven trafficked women in south China

2009-06-30T14:44:00.000-07:00

GUANGZHOU, June 14 (Xinhua) -- Police rescued seven women trafficked in south China, including four from Vietnam, said local sources on Sunday.

The Vietnamese women were rescued last Tuesday in the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, where they were sold at 2,000 to 5,000 yuan (294 to 735 U.S. dollars) and forced into prostitution, said Zheng Yu, an officer with the police bureau of Zhongshan city in Guangdong.

Three Chinese women were rescued by police in the Qiongshan district of Haikou city, capital of the island Hainan province last Friday, according to police officer Li Xiaodong from Zhongshan. They had been seduced by men at the name of "making friends" before forced into prostitution.

In the two cases, police nabbed 12 suspects.

The rescued Vietnamese women were currently under protection of police, who are providing medical service to them and trying to contact their families.

The Chinese women were young and migrant workers.

Chinese police launched a nationwide campaign against the trafficking of children and women in early April, which will run through this year.

According to China's Ministry of Public Security, police rescued 196 children and 214 women and broke up 72 human trafficking rings from April 9 to May 4.

Most of these crimes occurred in Guizhou, Jiangsu, Guangdong, Shandong, Henan and Shanxi Provinces.

Two killed, one missing in south China continuing downpour

2009-06-30T14:43:00.001-07:00

GUANGZHOU, June 14 (Xinhua) -- Two people were killed and another one was missing as downpour continued for a week in south China's Guangdong province, said local authorities on Sunday.

Torrential rains triggered flood in the Pingyuan and Jiaoling counties in the Meizhou city in eastern Guangdong, where maximum rainfall in three hours had reached 191.5 millimeters, a record high in 100 years, according to the Guangdong provincial hydrology bureau.

Landslide killed two, injuring one and leaving another one missing. Twenty-eight roads were cut, houses in 157 households were toppled and about 1,287 hectares of crops were ruined. A total of 15,140 people were affected by the rains.

More than 100 soldiers and armed police were involved in repairing the roads, preventing possible landslides and helping with evacuation.

1/4 female job seekers in China experience sex discrimination: report

2009-06-30T14:43:00.000-07:00

BEIJING, June 14 (Xinhua) -- Sex-based discrimination in workplace is widespread in China as one in four female job seekers is denied of employment because of their gender, a study has found.

The research, released by the Center for Women's Law and Legal Services of Peking University, polled 3,000 women over one year's time and came up with the result after data analysis and in-person interviews, the China Youth Daily reported Sunday.

According to the report, one in 25 of the surveyed are forced to sign labor contracts that contain clauses forbidding them to get married or pregnant in a set period of time.

More than 20 percent say employers cut salaries on women who become pregnant or give birth, and 11.2 percent lose their jobs for having a baby.

According to law, Chinese women may take a maternity leave for at least 90 days, while their American peers have just seven days off.

Some 28 percent say employers set different criteria in recruitment and women have to perform much better than their male peers in interviews to get the same job.

More than one third believe male employees have more opportunities than women in getting promoted, and 52.1 percent attribute to it the fact that women have to spend more time taking care of children and family chores.

The research also found one in 20 women experienced workplace sexual harassment.

"The society needs to foster the idea of gender equality in employment," said Guo Jianmei, director of the center. "But legislation is the most effective way to wipe out discrimination from workplaces."

Search for China landslide victims likely to suspend due to safety concern

2009-06-30T14:42:00.001-07:00

WULONG, Chongqing, June 14 (Xinhua) -- Under the threat of falling stones and another landslide, search for the missing in a massive landslide in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality one week ago is likely to be suspended, rescuers said Sunday.

According to a geologist with the rescue headquarters who declined to be identified, cracks with the span of eight to ten meters wide and up to 30 meters deep have appeared on the landslide-induced hills.

"If the 1.75 million cubic meters of soil and rocks fell down from 80 to 100 meters high, another massive landslide shall occur," he said.

Four remaining big stones that stood on the edge of the mountains are also likely to slip off when it rains, he said.

Two landslides of smaller scale forced suspension of rescue work twice early Friday morning.

The landslide site has entered the flood season, and landslide-induced lakes are likely to trigger mud-rock flows, said Zhu Xiansheng, head of the water conservancy bureau of Chongqing.

One more body was recovered on Saturday, bringing the death toll of the landslide to 10. Sixty two people remained missing as of Sunday.

Rescuers refused to estimate the survival chances of the missing. Bo Xilai, secretary of the Chongqing Committee of the Communist Party of China, has ordered rescuers to make their utmost efforts to save lives and retrieve the bodies.

Gas explosion kills two in east China residential area

2009-06-30T14:42:00.000-07:00

NANJING, June 14 (Xinhua) -- Two people were killed and several others injured in a gas explosion at a residential area on Saturday night in east China's Jiangsu Province, a local official said on Sunday.

The explosion occurred at 8:24 p.m. in a shop on the first floor of the Junyuehaoting Community at Chengxiang Township, Taicang City, an unnamed Taicang publicity official said.

He said an initial investigation showed the explosion was caused by gas.

The injured were rushed to a local hospital and two died there.

The cause of the incident is under investigation and no other details were immediately available.

One more bodies recovered from massive China landslide as rescue continues

2009-06-30T14:41:00.001-07:00

CHONGQING, June 14 (Xinhua) -- The death toll from a massive landslide in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality one week ago has risen to 10 after rescuers recovered one more bodies on Saturday, sources with the rescue headquarters said Sunday.

Among the dead are seven men and three women, an unnamed official with the rescue headquarters said without giving further details.

He said 62 people remained missing as of Sunday.

Two of the eight injured had been discharged from the hospital and the others remained in stable condition, he said.

Rescuers continued their efforts to search for survivors and drain a lake formed by the landslide.

The lake posed great danger to the underground shaft where 27 miners were trapped, said the official.

They are about 150 to 200 meters below ground. The air and a small amount of water in the mine could support them for five to seven days.

Two pumps have been used to drain the lake since Saturday and the lake's water level has lowered.

The landslide buried two entrances of the Jiwei Mountain mine, an iron ore plant, and 12 houses in Tiekuang Township, Wulong County, about 170 kilometers to southeast of Chongqing.

Newly-wedded young couple struck dead by thunder on "Wild Great Wall"

2009-06-30T14:41:00.000-07:00

BEIJING, June 14 (Xinhua) -- A newly-wedded couple, both 27 years old, lost their lives in a thunder stroke Saturday afternoon when climbing a part of the "Wild Great Wall" in suburban Beijing, the Beijing Youth Daily reported Sunday.

The man, surnamed Wei, was a staffer of the State Intellectual Property Office and the woman, surnamed Chen, was a Ph.D candidate of the prestigious Peking University, according to the report.

Phone calls to the local police bureau on Sunday remain unanswered.

A witness surnamed Ji was quoted by the Beijing Times as saying that the two, together with three other tourists, continued climbing toward the peak of the Jiankou part of the Great Wall despite strong rainfall, thunder and lightning.

The two fell off the 50-meter-high wall, Ji said. They already stopped breathing when rescuers arrived about two hours later. The other three tourists, all colleagues of Wei, were slightly injured and are back in the city of Beijing.

This part of the Great Wall, located in the Huairou District, is known for being abrupt and rugged.

"Wild Great Wall", a nickname for sections of the Great Wall that are not officially renovated and open to tourists, scattered in the suburbs of Beijing and have become increasingly hot among venturous tourists.

Shops gutted in midnight shopping mall fire in downtown Beijing

2009-06-30T14:40:00.000-07:00

BEIJING, June 14 (Xinhua) -- Several shops were destroyed in a shopping mall fire early Sunday in downtown Beijing with no casualties reported, sources with the local government said.

The fire broke out at around 1:45 a.m. in a food shop at the first floor of Xidan Shopping Mall, said an unnamed official with the Beijing Municipal Government.

More than 40 fire engines and 260 firefighters rushed to the scene to battle the fire and evacuated 79 workers in the shopping mall. The fire razed an area of 110 square meters and was snuffed out on hour later.

The official said cause of the fire is under investigation.

Tibet starts building 5th civil airport

2009-05-11T14:25:00.000-07:00

XIGAZE, Tibet, April 29 (Xinhua) -- Tibet Wednesday
started construction on its fifth civil airport in the southwest China's
autonomous region, according to local authorities.

The government would invest a total 480 million yuan
(70 million U.S. dollars) in the airport in Xigaze, the second-biggest city in
Tibet, said Xu Bo, head of the Civil Aviation Administration's Tibet Branch.

The inauguration ceremony on construction work of the Peace Airport, Xigaze Prefecture,southwestern Tibet, is held on April 29, 2009. (Xinhua/ Chogo)
Photo
Gallery

Construction work on the Peace Airport, at an
altitude of 3,782meters, would be finished in two years, Xu told Xinhua.

Yan Ping, cheif commander of the construction work,
said the airport was designed to handle 230,000 passengers and 1,150 tonnes of
cargo and mail a year by 2020.

Xu Xueguang, secretary of Xigaze prefectural Party committee, said: "The civil airport will be an air corridor linking Xigaze with the outside world and inject new vigor into local social and economic development."

Photo shows a blueprint of the Peace Airport, Xigaze Prefecture, southwestern Tibet. (Xinhua Photo)
Photo Gallery

Hao Peng, vice chairman of the Tibet regional government, said the airport would allow more people in other parts of the country to take flights to the autonomous region.

The airport, together with more railways and
highways, would help to boost investment and tourism in Xigaze, Hao added.

It would the fifth civil airpot to be operational in
Tibet, after Lhasa, Qamdo, Nyingchi and Ngari, according to Xu.

It also is among the 180 key projects in which the central government invested more than 70 billion yuan (10.3 billion U.S. dollars) in the five years through 2010.

People celebrate theinauguration of construction work of the Peace Airport on opening ceremony, April 29, 2009. (Xinhua/ Chogo)
Photo Gallery

The Bangda Airport of Qamdo is 4,334 meters above sea
level, making it the highest airport in the world.

China is also building a 254-km railway linking
Xigaze with the regional capital Lhasa. Construction on the 11-billion-yuan
Qinghai-Tibet railway's extension line started in 2008 and was expected to be
completed in 2010.

The Qinghai-Tibet Railway, running 1,956 kilometers
from Xining city in Qinghai province to Lhasa in Tibet, was officially put into
operation in July 2006. It is the highest railway in the world and ended Tibet's
history without railway.

Xigaze, in southern Tibet, has an population of
680,000 and is home to such renowned tourist sites as Sagya and Baiqoi
monastories.

China to build regional airport in
largest desert

URUMQI, April
18 (Xinhua) -- An airport for regional flight services will be built in 2015 in
the hinterland of China's largest desert, Taklimakan, in the northwestern
autonomous region of Xinjiang, a source with Xinjiang Airport (Group) Co., LLC,
confirmed Saturday.

The project will cost 290 million yuan (42.46 million U.S.
dollars), Duan Zixin, general manager of the company, said. Full story

Sanjiangyuan Airport to adopt RNP
technology for navigation

BEIJING, April 27 (Xinhuanet) -- The nearly completed Sanjiangyuan Airport,
Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Northwest China's Qinghai Province, will
adopt the technology of required navigation performance (RNP) for airport ground
movement guidance and control.

The RNP technology, most advanced in China, with a Global
Positioning System (GPS) and aviation computers, can ensure accurate flights
according to the preset course, effectively improving flight safety. Full story

Shangri-la Airport to open in May
after extension

BEIJING, April 3 (Xinhuanet) -- The
Shangri-la Airport in Diqing Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China's
Yunnan Province, is expected to open next month.

The extended airport will have an annual handling capacity
of 1.2 million person-time passengers and 9,600 tons of cargo, according to the
airport General Manager's Office Thursday. Full story

Chinese police chief stresses narcotics control

2009-05-11T14:24:00.001-07:00

BEIJING, April 29 (Xinhua) -- China's Minister of Public Security Meng Jianzhu Wednesday called for an intensified battle against narcotics crimes to ensure social stability and harmony in the country.

Prevention work lies in the core of narcotics control, Meng, also head of the National Narcotics Control Commission (NNCC), said during a NNCC meeting.

The police chief hailed the anti-narcotics achievement China made in 2008.

The country's police busted 62,000 drug-related criminal cases involving 74,000 suspects in 2008.

A total of 4.4 tonnes of heroine, 6.2 tonnes of crystal methamphetamine (or "ice"), 2.2 tonnes of marijuana, 1.4 tonnes of opium and 0.8 tonnes of cocaine were seized by the police during the period.

Meng urged continuing to strengthen anti-narcotics education among the public in the country.

Six pandas arrive in Beijing to celebrate China's 60th anniversary

2009-05-11T14:24:00.000-07:00

BEIJING, April 29 (Xinhua) -- Six pandas from China's quake-ravaged Sichuan Province arrived in Beijing Wednesday to start their year-long display to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China in October.

Hua Ao, Jin Yi, Wen Yu, Xiang Ge, Shui Ling and Qing Feng were transported from the China Giant Panda research Center in Ya'an City and arrived at the Beijing Zoo after a flight of two and a half hours.

They arrived at their enclosure at Beijing Zoo at 7 p.m.. Some of them staggered out of the transportation cage and went slowly into the pen and others were dragged out.

"They are in good shape both physically and psychologically," said Zhang Jinguo, vice head of the zoo.

He said the six 2-year-old pandas were carefully selected because they are "lovely, highly adaptable and good looking."

Zhang said the zoo would ensure the pandas had sufficient food of 150 kg fresh bamboos and 12 kg bamboo shoots every day, along with apples, milk powder and carrots.

"They will make their first public debut on May 1," he added.

It is not the first time that pandas from Sichuan have been airlifted to Beijing.

Eight pandas were flown to Beijing last May to add cheer to the Olympics. They returned to Sichuan in March.

Macao to finance another 23 reconstruction projects in quake-hit Sichuan

2009-05-11T14:23:00.000-07:00

Special Report:Reconstruction After Earthquake

MACAO, April 29 (Xinhua) -- After signing an agreement to fund 36
reconstruction projects in Chinese mainland's quake-hit Sichuan province, the
government of the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) Wednesday announced
that it will continue to finance another 23 projects there.

The 23 new projects, including 16 education ones, and four health and three
sports facilities, will cost the SAR government 1.13 billion yuan (166 million
U.S. dollars) and were scheduled to be completed between 2009 and 2011,
according to a press release from the SAR government.

Previously, the SAR government has signed agreements with the Sichuan
provincial government, under which the SAR will pay 2.09 billion yuan (307
million dollars) to fund the 36 reconstruction projects in Sichuan. So far, the
SAR government has announced the funding of some 59 reconstruction projects in
Sichuan, the cost of which amounts to 3.22 billion yuan (474 million dollars).

The magnitude-8.0 quake that occurred in Sichuan last year left more than
69,000 people dead and damaged numerous buildings. The SAR government and the
government-run Macao Foundation have respectively promised to pay five billion
yuan and 500 million yuan in financial assistance to the southwestern Chinese
province.

As for the rest of the promised funds, the Sichuan provincial government is
drawing up the third batch of reconstruction projects and will soon propose them
to the SAR government for financing, according to the press release.

Convicted police killer executed in Beijing

2009-05-11T14:22:00.002-07:00

BEIJING, April 29 (Xinhua) -- A man convicted of the killing of a Beijing
police in 2006 officer was executed by gunshot Wednesday, according to the
Beijing No.1 Intermediate People's Court.

Zhang Xinlei, 24, was sentenced to death in November last year for killing
39-year-old Tang Chengwen, a police officer in the suburban Mentougou district
on Oct. 22, 2006.

Zhang, along with his cousin, Zhang Xinliang, and a third man, Lu Haihong,
accelerated their van laden with stolen cables through a road checkpoint set up
by the police, the court had heard. Tang chased and managed to stop the van, but
was beaten to death by the cousins.

The court meted out death sentences to both the cousins, but gave Zhang
Xinliang a two-year reprieve. The cousins were also found guilty of sabotaging
public telecommunications facilities and theft.

Lu was sentenced to five years in jail.

The three stole 197 meters of telecommunications cables on the night of the
murder. Phone services to 106 households were cut off.

Another four people were given jail terms from 18 to 30 months for
harboring the men, the court said.

The cousins, both from central China's Henan Province, were arrested within
four days of the murder in their hometown.

Zhang Xinlei was sentenced to 10 months imprisonment for theft by a court
in 2005.

Death toll rises to 20 in SW China landslide

2009-05-11T14:22:00.001-07:00

KUNMING, April 29 (Xinhua) -- The death toll from a landslide in southwest
China's Yunnan Province rose to 20 Wednesday as the last five bodies were
recovered, local government sources said.

Two people earlier believed missing have been found as they were not at the
scene when the landslide occurred at 12:40 p.m. Sunday at Xiaoba Village, Weixin
County of Zhaotong, after almost four days of torrential rain.

The landslide destroyed two buildings of the Huajiaba Coal Mine at the
site. Two injured people were in stable condition in hospital.

The four-day search concluded in the late afternoon, Tang Guoqian, head of
the county publicity department, told reporters.

Each family of the victims would get 250,000 yuan (36,500 U.S. dollars) in
compensation, Tang added. The victims were coal mine managers and miners from
Zhaotong, which administers Weixin, and from Sichuan Province and Chongqing
Municipality.

Local government officials said the landslide was the result ofunsafe
quarry production.

Another landslide occurred an hour earlier in Linfeng Township, Weixin
County, killing four passers-by.

One dead, 4 injured in NE China forest fire

2009-05-11T14:22:00.000-07:00

HARBIN, April 29 (Xinhua) -- More than 3,000 people are battling a forest
fire that has killed one person and injured four others in northeast China's
Heilongjiang Province, a spokesman for the provincial government said Wednesday.

The spokesman did not say whether they were professional firefighters or
local people fighting the blaze.

The emergency office of the provincial government said earlier that 3,347
people, including 1,245 forest policemen, were working to control the fire which
was reported on Monday.

The fire engulfed several forest farms in Yichun and Heihe cities.

More than 6,000 hectares of land have been razed in Yichun, said Xu
Zhaojun, the city's Communist Party chief.

The burnt area in Heihe is still being assessed.

At least 30 homes in Shangganling Forest Farm in Yichun have been destroyed
and more than 1,800 residents have been evacuated.

Wang Aiwen, vice mayor of Yichun, said that high temperatures and strong
winds in the next two days in the region are expected to make the fire fighting
more difficult.

Nation mourns quake dead, looks to the future

2009-05-11T14:21:00.000-07:00

Special Report:Reconstruction After Earthquake

BEIJING/MIANYANG, April 29 (Xinhua) - An online plea for the public to
mourn the 80,000 people dead or missing in last year's devastating earthquake is
being spread rapidly among Internet users, less than two weeks before the first
anniversary of the disaster.

"Make sure you plant chrysanthemums in your garden on May 9," reads the
message, posted at kaixin001.com, a Facebook-style social networking website
based in Beijing where office workers enjoy buying virtual property ranging from
slaves to luxury cars and houses, and planting trees and flowers in their
gardens.

"The flower takes 68 hours to bloom, so on May 12, we'll be mourning those
who died in the quake," it says.

It also advised everyone not to steal others' chrysanthemums, as most
members of the free access website enjoy harvesting and selling others' plants
to make virtual money.

The message, which first appeared at kaixin001.com at 9:20 a.m. Wednesday,
had been forwarded to 221,810 people and received 611,600 clicks by 3 p.m.

The nation's memory of the 8.0-magnitude earthquake is still fresh and
overshadows the forthcoming three-day Labor Day holiday starting Friday.

Large crowds of reporters, social workers and volunteers have poured into
the quake zones in the western provinces of Sichuan, Gansu and Shaanxi, hoping
to share local people's woes and give a helping hand, in one way or another.

GUITAR BAND IN WHEELCHAIRS

Every day at 6:30 p.m., Yan Peng and his eight schoolmates begin their
daily guitar course in a makeshift classroom of Changhong Training Center on the
suburbs of Sichuan's Mianyang City, the temporary campus of Beichuan High School
that toppled in the quake.

"I've always loved the guitar, though I never learned to play before the
quake," said Yan, a quiet, bespectacled 17-year-old.

Yan was among the first to flee the ramshackle school building, but soon
returned to save his classmates, and ended up in the ruins himself. He lost his
right leg. The school suffered nearly 1,000 dead.

Four months after the quake, the school received a special gift from
Beijing-based Capital Normal University: 15 guitars and some volunteer teachers
-- all music majors of the university who take turns teaching in Mianyang.

"This is the best we could do to help these students," said Sheng Xue, a
junior student whose volunteer service began two weeks ago.

Yan is among the nine most avid learners who have persisted. All of them
bear injuries. Some are permanently confined to a wheelchair.

Besides music, Liu Min said she also loved volleyball, though she could
only play on wheelchair these days. The 17-year-old recalls with affection a
meeting with Premier Wen Jiabao last November, when she led the band to sing
"You and Me", the theme song of the Beijing Olympics.

"I used to be healthy and sportive," said Liu, who had wanted to be a
police officer but now plans to major in law.

NEW HOMES BUILT ON HORSEBACK

Wei Songping and his horse left at daybreak to carry cement for the
villagers: a fleet of seven horses was all the 17 families in the mountainous
Liangjiashan Village rely on to transport building materials for their new
homes.

"It's not because we don't have manpower or vehicles," said Wei. "But no
vehicle can make it along the only path down the mountain, which is merely a
meter wide."

Liangjiashan was a mountain-top village separated from the county seat of
Wenxian in Gansu Province only by a river. Almost every home was destroyed in
the quake and the whole village had to be relocated to a hillside township
closer to the county seat.

"I can't stand overburdening my mule," said villager Li Zhanlin. "The
animals take turns taking a day off every three days."

In nine months, Li's mule carried 40,000 bricks, 12 tonnes of cement and 20
cubic meters of sand that have now become his family's five new houses.

His neighbor Liang Baocheng, however, lags far behind. "I have to finish
building the new home by the end of June. My son is about to get married this
year." In rural China, parents traditionally hold themselves liable for building
new homes for their adult sons.

"Local authorities held geological surveys and confirmed the new site was
safe from quakes," said Liang, who said the government was doing a "great job".
"They could do better, though, by paving the road. If only the path was two
meters wide, we could have moved into new homes earlier."

In Wenxian, one of the hardest-hit areas in Gansu Province, about 35,000
families are rebuilding homes in the mountains. At least half of them rely only
on horses, according to the county government.

"The horses have to toil for as long as the rebuilding may take," said
Liang. "Our homes are built on horseback."

LOOKING TO THE FUTURE

Flowers are constantly seen these days in the ruins of Beichuan, the
Sichuan county that perished in the quake. The scarlet corn poppies and yellow
and white chrysanthemums seem to be mourning for the dead and welcoming a safer
new Beichuan.

People in Sichuan, young and old, are taking their time to shake off their
nightmarish past.

In Anxian County, Lin Xingcong and his bride are giving finishing touches
to their new home. "We'll plant orchids here," Lin said as he pointed to the
clearing between two houses, "with seeds from my old home."

Nine-year-old Xiao Daipeng, a primary school pupil in Shifang City, forced
a smile as he subconsciously touched the stump of his right leg. "I wish I could
score better in science class," he said when Xinhua reporters asked what was in
his dreams.

"In the future? I wish I could find a good job," said Xiao.

Hong Kong Customs seizes 10 kg of drugs

2009-05-11T14:20:00.001-07:00

HONG KONG, April 29 (Xinhua) -- Hong Kong Customs announced Wednesday that
they seized about 10 kg of met amphetamine in an anti-drug trafficking operation
on Tuesday.

On April 28, customs officers intercepted an incoming private vehicle at
Lok Ma Chau Control Point for clearance and uncovered the drug in the baggage of
the three passengers in the vehicle.

Three of the arrested, two Malaysian men and one Malaysian woman, aged
between 27 and 36, will be charged with trafficking a dangerous drug. The male
driver, a 41-year-old local resident, has been released on police bail pending
investigations.

Under the Dangerous Drugs Ordinance, drug trafficking is a serious offense.
The maximum penalty is life imprisonment and a fine of 5 million HK
dollars.

Chlorine gas leak leaves 23 ill in NW China

2009-05-11T14:20:00.000-07:00

XINING, April 29 (Xinhua) -- Twenty-three workers are ill after a chlorine gas leak at a chemical plant in Qinghai Province on Tuesday, an official with the factory said Wednesday.

The gas leaked for five minutes at about 8 p.m. from a crack in a chlorine pipeline in Tiantai Sodium Manufacturing Co. Ltd. in Huangzhong County, said Jing Yichen, Communist Party of China chief at the company.

The gas spread to a neighboring plant where more than 100 employees were working or having dinner.

Nineteen workers who showed symptoms of headaches, nausea, coughing, and eye irritation were taken to hospital Tuesday. Four more workers were hospitalized Wednesday morning.

All are migrant workers from Sichuan Province in southwest China.

Yue Yongping, one of those affected, said he smelt a strong odor at the time and felt pain in his eyes and throat. He also had difficulty breathing.

Zhang Fu, a doctor with the No.1 People's Hospital of the county that treated the poisoned workers, said they were stable and recovering.

Jing said his workers immediately closed the leaking pipeline for repair and the company would pay the medical costs for all the sick workers.

Documentary on Shanghai World Expo presented to BIE

2009-05-11T14:19:00.000-07:00

PARIS, April 28 (Xinhua) -- Representatives of the Shanghai TV Station on
Tuesday presented a DVD of a documentary on the Shanghai World Expo 2010 to
international exposition officials.

The documentary, "World Expo Dream Over a Century," was jointly produced by
the Bureau of Shanghai World Expo Coordination and the Shanghai Media Group.

The documentary explores the relationship between the exposition to be held
in Shanghai next year and the civilization of mankind, especially the link
between China's hosting of the event and the country's overall development.

The documentary was presented to V.G. Loscertales, secretary general of the
Bureau of International Expositions, the organization that sanctions world's
fairs.

Loscertales expressed thanks for the DVD and praised the documentary. He
said it was particularly significant in summarizing the history of the World
Expo.

Moving: Harsh choice for residents in China's mined-out coal base

2009-05-11T14:18:00.000-07:00

by Xinhua writers Yang Bo, Lu Xiaoyu

TAIYUAN, May 10 (Xinhua) -- Zhou Dewen, a villager
from Huairen County of China's north Shanxi Province, has been thinking of
moving for years. In his brick cottage, cracks stretch from the ground to the
roof -- and keep widening.

"Maybe one day, we will be buried in our dream," says
the 38-year-old plowman living with his wife, daughter and son.

In China, the biggest coal producer and consumer in
the world, a quarter of the coal is mined in Shanxi Province, where 9 billion
tonnes of coal has been produced since 1949. Subsidence affects 5,000 square
kilometers and Zhou's village, Wangbianzhuang, is one of the 676 villages
suffering serious problems.

In 2006, cracks emerged in the ground around the
village. "They widen like beasts' mouths," says Zhou, "and some villagers have
hurt their legs getting stuck in them."

Zhou said at least a dozen of houses in the village
bear cracks at the moment. "We have to fill the cracks with cement, but who
knows how long the house will hold out?"

According to the Bureau of Land and Resources of
Shanxi Province showed that 151 people died in 362 geological accidents in the
five years to 2006, and 70 percent of the accidents were blamed on over-mining.

Another problem is the ground water. "Water levels in
the wells get lower and lower. It's not enough for my family, let alone the
crops," says Zhou.

The government has reinforced and built houses as
well as supplied drinking water for 231,000 rural residents since April 2007. A
subsidy of 5,000 yuan (733 U.S. dollars) is given to each rural resident if he
or she relocates.

"I heard that the new houses are very beautiful, and
they are built near the county seat," says Zhou. "But we need to pay another
10,000 to 20,000 yuan (1,466 to 2,932 U.S. dollars) ourselves -- that would pay
for three years' tuition for my two children."

Zhou adds that without a livelihood, he and his wife
could not afford the higher cost of living near the country seat.

Previously, in the slack farming season, Zhou drove
coal trucks for local mines to neighboring Hebei Province, earning an extra
3,000 yuan (440 U.S. dollars) every month.

However, the number of mines in Shanxi Province has
been cut from about 10,000 in the early 1990s to a little more than 2,500, to
modernize production and reduce accidents. The number is expected to fall to
about 1,000 next year.

This means an end to the "second jobs" of many rural
people. "Most of the coal trucks are locked in garages now, and I have been
staying home all this year," Zhou sighed.

Zhang Zhong, head of the Bureau of Land and Resources
of Huairen County, says the county government is working with the rural credit
cooperatives to provide small loans to farmers to help them move into new homes.

Zhang says local officials are also planning to
organize villagers to develop forestry and livestock breeding to create jobs, as
the moving of local residents will start later this year.

The county has also invested 40 million yuan (5.87
million U.S. dollars) to help build houses and wells, as well as enhance
infrastructure in the new residential area.

"With the loan and the government's help, my family
can move while I am looking for a job as a driver in the county seat," says
Zhou.

However, Wang Hongying, head of the energy institute
of Shanxi Academy of Social Sciences, says preventing "ecological migrants"
becoming "jobless migrants" is only a small step in solving the problems of
mined-out area.

"To root out the problems, coal mining enterprises
must have clear responsibilities for ecological protection before they start the
business, and they should make a deposit for this according to their output," he
says.

Coal tar spill pollutes SW China river

2009-05-11T14:17:00.000-07:00

CHONGQING, May 10 (Xinhua) -- Environmental protection and firefighting
staff in southwest China have begun cleaning a river polluted by a coal tar
spill from a local chemical company.

About 80 percent of the spill on a 400-meter-long stretch of the Jiuyuan
River in Tongliang County, Chongqing Municipality, had been cleared as of Sunday
morning, the county government said.

The river is on the upper reaches of the Jialing River, a major tributary
of the Yangtze River, China's longest waterway.

About 50 tonnes of coal tar from a tank of Jiuyuan Waterproof Materials
Company based in Jiuyuan Village, flowed 100 meters into the river at around 5
a.m. Saturday, the county's Environmental Protection Bureau said.

The spill also made air in the area smell bad, but no evacuation was made.

"The strong irritating smell disrupted my sleep," said Xu Zhilan, a
villager.

The bureau said it had banned residents from using water from the river.
Local residents rely on wells for drinking water.

The spill has been blocked with straw, quilts and foam to avoid spreading
downstream.

Environmental protection officers are continuing to investigate the cause
of the leak.

The factory had stopped production before the incident, said Wang Dong, an
official of Hufeng Town. The stored coal tar was due to be transferred to other
areas.

China begins expressway construction linking quake-hit Wenchuan and Yingxiu

2009-05-11T14:16:00.000-07:00

Special Report: 1st Anniversary of Wenchuan
Earthquake

CHENGDU, May 10 (Xinhua) -- China has begun building an expressway that would link two places worst hit by last May earthquake in southwestern
Sichuan Province -- Wenchuan County and Yingxiu Township.

The 52-kilometer expressway, which will allow motor
vehicles to run at 80 kilometers per hour, will have two lanes in each
direction. Construction of the project began Saturday and is scheduled to be
completed by 2012.

The expressway includes 30 bridges and eight tunnels.
Total investment is expected to reach 4.99 billion yuan (730.6 million U.S.
dollars), according to Sichuan Provincial Communications Department head Gao
Feng.

Wenchuan County was the epicenter of the
8.0-magnitude earthquake on May 12 last year and Yingxiu is a town under
Wenchuan's administration.

The two areas are now connected by a 56.6-kilometer
two-lane highway. The expressway is

the second route to link the two places.

Chinese leaders ask for strict anti-flu steps following first confirmed case

2009-05-11T14:15:00.002-07:00

Chinese Vice Premier Li Keqiang (2nd R.
front) gestures while visiting the Chengdu Infectious Disease Hospital,
which accepted Chinese mainland's first confirmed A/H1N1 patient surnamed
Bao, in Chengdu, capital of southwest China's Sichuan Province, May 11,
2009. (Xinhua/Pang Xinglei)
Photo
Gallery

BEIJING, May 11 (Xinhua) -- Chinese leaders, including President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao, Monday called for enhanced vigilance and strict steps against the A/H1N1 influenza after the country's mainland reported its first case.

"We must attach great importance to the fact that the flu epidemic is still spreading in some countries and regions, and that China has discovered one case," Hu said after learning about the latest development of the epidemic.

He ordered governments at all levels to spare no efforts to put all emergency response measures in place in order to curb further spread of the disease.

Chinese Vice Premier Li Keqiang (2nd L) communicates with the confirmed A/H1N1 patient through video at the Chengdu Infectious Disease Hospital, which accepted Chinese mainland's first confirmed A/H1N1 patient surnamed Bao, in Chengdu, capital of southwest China's Sichuan Province, May 11, 2009.(Xinhua/Pang Xinglei)
Photo Gallery

A Chinese mainland male surnamed Bao, who recently returned from the United States, tested positive for the A/H1N1 influenza early on Monday, becoming the first such case reported on the Chinese mainland.

Chinese Vice Premier Li Keqiang visited the flu patient, medical staff and people under medical observation Monday in Chengdu, capital of southwestern Sichuan Province.

Li conveyed the concerns and greetings of President Hu and Premier Wen to them, listened to reports on flu prevention and control by the local health authorities and inspected the treatment, prevention and control work.

He called for enhanced prevention and control of the A/H1N1 influenza "in a spirit of taking responsibility for the mass's health" so as to ensure public health and safety.

The 30-year-old patient was at the Chengdu Infectious Disease Hospital. Those who had close contact with him were isolated for observation.

The patient is currently in a stable condition with a normal body temperature, and is "recovering", the health ministry said.

Li came to the Chengdu Infectious Disease Hospital and saw the patient who lived in a negative pressure isolation room via video.

He asked doctors about Bao's condition and treatment in detail and told medical staff to treat the patient scientifically in line with a preset plan so that he could recover soon.

Li asked medical staff to enhance self-protection and prevent hospital infection and the spread of the disease.

Some medical staff of the Sichuan People's Hospital where Bao went to after getting off the plane, were under medical observation in a hotel as these doctors and nurses had close contact with Bao during his stay in the hospital. Li came to the hospital to see them.

Holding a phone, he had a conversation with the medical staff under observation, asking them about their health and expressing his concern for them.

Li extended his gratitude to them for their "contribution to the flu prevention and control work as "they promptly discovered the flu case." He encouraged them to "maintain an optimistic attitude" and cooperate to complete the quarantine so as to return to work as early as possible.

Some medical staff under isolation said the quarantine measures were "quite necessary" and were "conducive to protecting their and all the people's health."

Visiting the Sichuan Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Li said this first mainland case of the A/H1N1 influenza had been confirmed "in a very short period of time" after "instant diagnosis and consultation."

He told staff to follow the case, promptly analyze the development of the disease, sum up experience and improve emergent measures so as to offer scientific backup to the flu's prevention and control.

Li said after the A/H1N1 flu was found in some countries, the central government took emergency measures to ensure stability.

"Sichuan Province also took effective prevention measures but the overall situation is still arduous," he said.

He asked local authorities to care for the wellbeing of the people under observation and offer psychological consultation to them.

Further measures should be taken to "enhance entry-exit inspection and quarantine and step up technological preparation and material storage."

He stressed that transparent prevention and control work was vital to ensure people's right-to-know and prevent panic.

"Domestic and international studies show that the A/H1N1 flu is preventable, controllable and treatable," Li said, adding "public education should be strengthened to enhance people's ability for disease prevention so as to ensure a normal life order, smooth and relatively fast economic development and a harmonious and stable society.

The State Council held a meeting Monday to discuss further steps for the prevention of the disease.

Officials at the meeting, which was presided over by Premier Wen, agreed that China faces a "complicated and grave" situation as the epidemic has yet been controlled globally and new cases kept emerging.

Strict quarantine will continue to be adopted for people, goods and vehicles entering its border from countries that have reported the A/H1N1 cases.

Epidemic monitoring and reporting systems will also be strengthened for early discovery, early reporting, and timely diagnosis and treatment of patients, if there is any, according to the meeting.

Special Report:
World Tackles A/H1N1
Flu

Beijing seeks passengers on plane that
carried mainland A/H1N1 flu patient

An ambulances carrying the ones isolated
for observation for the A/H1N1 influenza drives into the Guomen Hotel in
Beijing, capital of China, May 11, 2009. Beijing started to quarantine
passengers who had been on the same flight with the first case of A/H1N1
influenza reported in Chinese mainland on Monday. A male surnamed Bao, who
recently returned from the United States, tested positive for the A/H1N1
influenza and was "recovering" in Chengdu according to the Ministry of
Health on Monday. The Beijing health authoroties were seeking 143
passengers who were on the Tokyo-Beijing flight NW029 together with
Bao.(Xinhua/Li Wen)
Photo
Gallery

BEIJING, May 11 (Xinhua) -- Beijing
health authorities are seeking 143 passengers who were on a Tokyo-Beijing flight
with a Chinese man who has become the mainland's first confirmed case of A/H1N1
flu, a government spokesman said here Monday.

The suspected carrier took Northwest Airlines flight
NW029 to Beijing on May 9, after making a transfer in Tokyo from St. Paul,
Minnesota in the United States. Full story

China confirms 1st case of A/H1N1
influenza on mainland

BEIJING, May 11 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese mainland male surnamed
Bao, who recently returned from the United States, tested positivefor the A/H1N1
influenza, the Ministry of Health said Monday.

The 30-year-old patient was at the Chengdu Infectious Disease
Hospital in Chengdu, southwestern Sichuan's provincial capital. Those who had
close contact with him were isolated for observation. Full story

China confirms 1st case of A/H1N1 influenza on mainland

2009-05-11T14:15:00.001-07:00

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¡¤A Chinese mainland male surnamed Bao tested positive for A/H1N1
influenza.
¡¤Those who
had close contact with him were isolated for observation.
¡¤Most of
passengers aboard flight from Beijing to Chengdu with Bao had already been
found.

by Xinhua writer Wang Cong

BEIJING, May 11 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese mainland male surnamed Bao, who recently returned from the United States, tested positive for the A/H1N1 influenza, the Ministry of Health said Monday.

The 30-year-old patient was at the Chengdu Infectious Disease Hospital in Chengdu, southwestern Sichuan's provincial capital. Those who had close contact with him were isolated for observation.

Officials of the Sichuan health department speak at a news briefing in Chengdu, southwest China's Sichuan Province, on May 11, 2009. A Chinese mainland male surnamed Bao who recently traveled back from the United States has tested positive for the A/H1N1 influenza, China's ministry of health said Monday. It is first such case reported in China's mainland.(Xinhua/Chen Jianli)
Photo Gallery

The patient is currently in a stable condition with a normal body temperature, and is "recovering", the Ministry of Health (MOH) said on its website.

It is the first such case reported on the Chinese mainland.

Bao arrived in Beijing on board the Northwest Airlines flight NW029 on May 9, after making a transfer in Tokyo from St. Louis, in the United States. His body temperature was normal when entering China. He then flew from Beijing to Chengdu on Sichuan Airlines flight 3U8882 on the same day.

A student of the University of Missouri in the U.S., Bao was found to have a fever on the flight from Beijing to Chengdu accompanied by sore throats, coughing, a stuffy nose and sneezing.

Zhu Xiaoping (L), a senior official of Sichuan Center for Disease Control and Prevention, answers questions from the media after a news briefing held by the Sichuan health department in Chengdu, southwest China's Sichuan Province, on May 11, 2009. A Chinese mainland male surnamed Bao who recently traveled back from the United States has tested positive for the A/H1N1 influenza, China's ministry of health said Monday. It is first such case reported in China's mainland.(Xinhua/Chen Jianli)
Photo Gallery

He went to the Sichuan People's Hospital after getting off the plane, and was tested "weakly positive" to A/H1N1 virus twice by the Sichuan Center for Disease Control and Prevention. He was then transferred to the Chengdu Infectious Disease Hospital.

Bao's girlfriend and his father who met Bao at the airport, and a taxi driver who drove them to the hospital, have been put into quarantine.

Also isolated were the Sichuan People's Hospital medical staff who had close contact with Bao.

Li Xingwang (2nd L), an expert on the prevention and control of infectious diseases, answers questions from the media after a news briefing held by the Sichuan health department in Chengdu, southwest China's Sichuan Province, on May 11, 2009. A Chinese mainland male surnamed Bao who recently traveled back from the United States has tested positive for the A/H1N1 influenza, China's ministry of health said Monday. It is first such case reported in China's mainland.(Xinhua/Chen Jianli)
Photo Gallery

The country's health authorities of all levels were joining a manhunt Monday for passengers of the two flights that Bao had on board.

The Sichuan Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) clarified that as of 3 p.m. Monday they had contacted and quarantined 128 out of the 150 passengers aboard the flight 3U8882 from Beijing to Chengdu with Bao.

The health ministry confirmed that most of the passengers from the flight had already been tracked down and isolated at local health institutions in 21 provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions.

Beijing health authorities were also seeking 147 passengers who were on the Tokyo-Beijing flight NW029 with Bao, said Sun Hao, spokesman for Beijing's emergency response liaison office. There were 106 foreign nationals on the flight.

As of 2 p.m. Monday, the Beijing municipal health department had contacted 121 out of the 147 people on flight NW029, and were still looking for 26 other passengers, including 24 foreign nationals.

None of the passengers found had shown fever symptoms, and the health department was "persuading them to take quarantine measures," Sun said.

The Beijing CDC also sent text messages asking those who were on the plane with Bao to report to the center.

In a document posted on the MOH website, the ministry ordered health authorities at all levels to remain on standby and step up monitoring of pneumonia and flu cases of no obvious origin. Special attention should be paid to people in close contact with A/H1N1 flu patients or those who had traveled to areas affected by the virus.

Suspected flu cases must be reported to the MOH promptly to ensure instant diagnosis, quarantine and treatment, it said.

Health experts should also be organized to follow the development of the disease and offer advice on preventing it.

Bao was the second confirmed case of A/H1N1 influenza in China, after the World Health Organization expressed concern about an outbreak of the flu in the United States and Mexico late last month.

A 25-year-old male Mexican was confirmed on May 1 in Hong Kong to be infected with influenza A/H1N1, and those who were in close contact with him have been put under quarantine in 19 mainland provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions as well as Hong Kong and Macao.

So far, the A/H1N1 flu has caused 53 deaths worldwide and infected more than 4,500 people in 29 countries, including about 1,626 in Mexico, at least 2,532 in the United States and 280 in Canada.

Haunted by memories of the SARS outbreak in 2003, China has taken tough measures to prevent the virus from spreading in the world's most populous country.

China's flu-prevention measures include bans on pork product imports from countries and areas affected by the A/H1N1 influenza, and suspension of flights from Mexico to Shanghai. The country also placed some travelers from Mexico, who had been on the same flight with a person infected with the A/H1N1 influenza, under a week-long quarantine.

Although the strict measures drew complaints from Mexico, Chinese health and law experts backed the government's efforts, saying they are necessary and in line with China's laws.

A total of 555 passengers entering China were found to have fever and acute respiratory symptoms in half a month, said the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine Monday.

Their cases have been handed to local health departments for further observation or treatment, the ministry said. But there have been no reports indicating these passengers developing A/H1N1flu.

About 5.13 million passengers entering China were screened from April 25 to May 10, it said.

The ministry has been quarantining planes, ships, trains, automobiles and other vehicles from the countries affected by outbreaks of A/H1N1 flu.

According to the Beijing Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Bureau, 17 countries and regions affected by the A/H1N1 influenza have direct flights with Beijing.

More than 120,000 passengers in 763 planes had entered China up to now, it said.

Passengers entering China have been required to fill out health declaration forms so that they could be effectively traced if any A/H1N1 flu cases were found among them.

Cui Baoxiang, the bureau's vice director, said measures including onboard inspection, taking temperatures at customs, luggage disinfection and filling out health declaration forms, were taken at the airport to prevent the flu.

Flights from countries and regions affected by the flu had landed at designated gallery bridges at the airport, said Cui, adding if suspected cases were found in the air, the planes would land at the apron in line with instructions.

There were currently 26 gallery bridges for flights from affected countries and regions to land, up from 15, he said, adding infrared thermometers were added at the airport, and passengers with body temperatures above 37 degrees would be transferred to hospital.

Cui said 54 of the 738 passengers with abnormal temperatures had been sent to hospital since April 25. There have been no reports showing these passengers developing A/H1N1 flu.

Experts said A/H1N1 flu virus has an incubation period from two- to- seven days and patients would not show a fever, headache or cough in the incubation period. This makes it hard for infected passengers to be immediately detected.

Xu Xiaoyuan, vice director of a MOH expert panel of the A/H1N1 influenza said the A/H1N1 flu was "relatively moderate" as its mortality rate was much lower than SARS and avian influenza.

"The mortality rate of SARS in 2003 is 7 to 14 percent, and that of avian flu is 30 to 70 percent. According to current material, the mortality rate of the A/H1N1 flu is about 1.22 percent," Xu said, asking the public not to worry about it much.

Li Dexin, director of the institute of prevention and control of virus disease under the China CDC, said "the biological property of the A/H1N1 flu should not have large difference with other seasonal flu virus."

Deng Haihua, director of the MOH Information Office, said two confirmed A/H1N1 cases in China were all "independent introduced cases" and "China has not found any indigenous, second-generation case.

He added that current emphasis should still be put on tracking down people in close contact with the patient, stepping up epidemic monitoring and reporting and enhancing port quarantine measures.

(Xinhua reporters Wu Jing and Zhou Tingyu also
contributed to this story)

Special Report:
World Tackles A/H1N1
Flu

Beijing seeks passengers on plane that
carried mainland A/H1N1 flu patient

Media reporters gather outside the
Chengdu Infectious Disease Hospital in Chengdu, Sichuan Province of China,
on May 10, 2009. (Xinhua/Chen Jianli)
Photo
Gallery

BEIJING, May 11 (Xinhua) -- Beijing health
authorities are seeking 143 passengers who were on a Tokyo-Beijing flight with a
Chinese man who has become the mainland's first confirmed case of A/H1N1 flu, a
government spokesman said here Monday.

The suspected carrier took Northwest Airlines flight
NW029 to Beijing on May 9, after making a transfer in Tokyo from St. Paul,
Minnesota in the United States. Full story

China tries to locate all having close
contact with suspected case of A/H1N1 flu

CHENGDU, May 11 (Xinhua) -- More than 130 of 150
passengers aboard the same flight with the Chinese mainland's first suspected
case of A/H1N1 influenza, have been found and put into quarantine, according to
a press conference early Monday.

The 30-year-old man surnamed Bao, who had been tested
"weakly positive" to A/H1N1 virus twice by the Sichuan Center for Disease
Control and Prevention (CDC), was "conscious and in stable condition," according
to a press conference held by the Chengdu Municipal Government hours after a
suspected case of A/H1N1 influenza had been found in southwestern Sichuan
Province. Full story

China, Kuwait pledge cooperation during global financial crisis

2009-05-11T14:15:00.000-07:00

Chinese Premier Wen Jiaobao (R) meets
with Kuwait Emir Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Jaber al-Sabah in Beijing,
capital of China, May 11, 2009. (Xinhua/Liu Jiansheng)
Photo Gallery

BEIJING, May 11 (Xinhua) -- China and Kuwait pledged
to work together to deal with the global financial crisis during a meeting
between Premier Wen Jiabao and Kuwait Emir Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Jaber
al-Sabah on Monday.

Al-Sabah is on his first visit to China since he
became Emir of Kuwait in 2006.

Kuwait was the first Gulf Arab
country to forge diplomatic ties with China. Wen called the bilateral ties
"solid" and cooperation "fruitful".

Chinese Premier Wen Jiaobao (L) meets
with Kuwait Emir Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Jaber al-Sabah in Beijing,
capital of China, May 11, 2009. (Xinhua/Liu Jiansheng)
Photo Gallery

He said that nations with different social systems
and cultural backgrounds could benefit from cooperation as long as they
respected each other.

Wen stressed China valued traditional friendship with
the Arab countries and supported their efforts to safeguard country's
sovereignty, independence and dignity.

Al-Sabah said his visit showed Kuwait's desire to
develop relations with China, vowing to build a long-term, stable, and
sustainable relationship.

He also emphasized the coordination between the two
countries on international issues and issues concerning the Gulf and the Arab
region.

Chinese vice president vows to boost ties with Vietnam

2009-05-11T14:14:00.000-07:00

Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping (R)
meets with Ha Thi Khiet (L), member of the Secretariat and chief of the
Commission for Mass Organization of the Central Committee of the Communist
Party of Vietnam, in Beijing, capital of China, May 11, 2009.
(Xinhua/Huang Jingwen)
Photo Gallery

BEIJING, May 11 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Vice President Xi
Jinping vowed to push forward friendly ties with Vietnam on Monday, and pledged
joint efforts with the country to counter the global slump.

Xi made the pledge in his meeting with a delegation
from the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV), led by Ha Thi Khiet, member of the
Secretariat and chief of the Commission for Mass Organization of the CPV Central
Committee.

Xi said the two countries had stepped up strategic
cooperative partnership under the guidance of the 16-word principle of
"long-term stability, facing the future, good-neighborliness and friendship, and
all-round cooperation".

The two ruling parties had
enhanced exchanges of theories and experience in the building of socialism,
which had injected new vitality to bilateral party-to-party relations, he added.

Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping (R)
meets with Ha Thi Khiet, member of the Secretariat and chief of the
Commission for Mass Organization of the Central Committee of the Communist
Party of Vietnam, in Beijing, capital of China, May 11, 2009.
(Xinhua/Huang Jingwen)
Photo Gallery

China and Vietnam have completed the work of land
border demarcation and erecting border markers, paving the way for further
development of bilateral ties, he said.

As next year marks the 60th anniversary of
China-Vietnam diplomatic ties as well as a year of bilateral friendship, Xi
vowed to take the opportunity to enhance strategic trust with Vietnam and boost
ties.

With regard to the current global downturn, Xi said
China is ready to work closely with the international community including
Vietnam to get over the difficulties.

Ha told Xi it is a firm conviction of the CPV and the
Vietnamese people to maintain and strengthen traditional friendship with China.

Invited by the CPC, the CPV delegation is on a China
visit from May 10-16.

China to commemorate quake in epicenter on anniversary

2009-05-11T14:13:00.001-07:00

Special Report: 1st Anniversary of Wenchuan Earthquake

BEIJING, May 11 (Xinhua) -- China will mark the anniversary of last year's devastating earthquake in the southwestern Sichuan Province Tuesday afternoon with commemorative activities to be held in the epicenter Yingxiu Township.

The activities in Yingxiu, Wenchuan County are scheduled to be broadcast live from 2:20 p.m. in Chinese and English by major state broadcasters including the China National Radio, China Central Television (CCTV) and China Radio International.

Websites of the People's Daily, Xinhua News Agency and CCTV will also cover the activities live.

The 8.0-magnitude quake on May 12 last year left more than 87,000 people dead or missing.

China vows to further military cooperation with Egypt

2009-05-11T14:13:00.000-07:00

Chinese Defense Minister Liang Guanglie
(1st L) hosts a welcoming ceremony for his Egyptian counterpart Mohammed
Hussein Tantawi (2nd L) in Beijing, capital of China, May 11, 2009. Liang
Guanglie held talks with Mohammed Hussein Tantawi in Beijing on May 11.
(Xinhua/Zhang Duo)
Photo Gallery

BEIJING, May 11 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese armed forces
are willing to advance cooperation with Egypt, Chinese Defense Minister Liang
Guanglie said here Monday.

Liang, also a state councilor, made the remarks when
meeting with his Egyptian counterpart Mohammed Hussein Tantawi.

"China and Egypt have enjoyed deep traditional
friendship. Political mutual trust between our two countries remains unchanged
since we forged diplomatic ties in 1956," Liang said.

He said cooperation in the fields of politics,
economics, culture and military affairs had been fruitful.

He said the Chinese armed forces were willing to
extend their ties with Egypt and promote communication and cooperation between
the two armed forces.

Tantawi said the Sino-Egyptian constructive
cooperation had developed smoothly in various fields. Egypt hoped to deepen
military cooperation with China.

Tantawi arrived in Beijing on Friday for an official
goodwill visit as a guest of Liang.

New Macao chief to be elected in July

2009-05-11T14:12:00.000-07:00

MACAO, May 11 (Xinhua) -- The election of the third chief executive (CE) of
the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) will be held on July 26 this year,
according to the latest edition of the SAR's Official Gazette published on
Monday.

The CE election date was confirmed in an executive order promulgated by the
incumbent CE Ho Hau Wah in the Official Gazette.

Under the SAR's relevant election law, the candidates should be nominated
30 days ahead of the election date of July 26, and the nomination period should
last at least 12 days, which means an eligible candidate should be nominated on
June 14 at the latest.

The law also prescribes that eligible candidates should acquire nominations
from at least 50 members of the 300-member CE Election Committee, and current
officials in various governmental departments and legal organs will not be
eligible for candidacy unless they resign their posts before the nomination
process begins.

As it is stated in the SAR's Chief Executive Election Law, Macao's new CE
will be elected within the 300-member CE Election Committee, of which some 254
members of the committee were elected by representatives of the respective
socio-economic sectors, while46 others were picked from local eminent political,
business and religious figures.

Meanwhile, the limit of campaign expenditure for each CE candidate was also
made public in the Official Gazette, which amounts to just over 8.94 million
patacas (1.13 million U.S. dollars), or 0.02 percent of the SAR government's
2009 budget before revision.

The term of the new CE will begin in December this year when the current
CE's second and constitutionally final five-year term comes to an end.

China's top political advisor calls for enhancing regional economic co-op

2009-05-11T14:11:00.001-07:00

BEIJING, May 11 (Xinhua) -- China's top political advisor Jia Qinglin on Monday called for enhancing regional economic cooperation in northern part of the country including Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei, Shanxi and Inner Mongolia.

Jia, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), the country's top political advisory body, told deputies to a regional economic development forum that "coordinated regional development is needed to enhance the country's overall economic level."

He said the forum, jointly organized by local advisory bodies of the five provinces, municipalities and autonomous region, had offered in-depth advises to the Party and government over the past five years on issues such as the move of the Shougang Group, a major steel company, out of the capital, the construction of Hebei's Caofeidian Industrial Zone and Tianjin's Binhai New Area, as well as topics like energy saving and emission reduction and environmental protection.

Jia, also member of the Standing Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee Political Bureau, said the central government had implemented a package of policies to expand domestic demand and promote a stable and relatively fast economic development against a background of international financial crisis.

"These policies have reaped initial fruit and the country's economic development has turned positive and is better than expected," he said, adding, however, the crisis was still spreading and continued to affect the Chinese economy.

"The foundation for economic recovery has not become solid enough and there is still pressure for the economy to descend," he said, adding the role of the CPPCC should be strengthened to promote economic development.

He called on local advisory bodies to offer more contributions to economic development and social harmony and stability.

Efforts should be made to study coordinated regional development so as to narrow wealth gap among regions and improve relations among parties, ethnic groups, religions, social strata and compatriots at home and abroad, he said.

"Patriotism of different parties, social groups, religions and people from all walks of life should be transformed into powerful motive to maintain economic growth, improve people's livelihood and maintain stability so as to build a peace social environment for the 60 anniversary of the New China," he said.

Jia called for innovation of the CPPCC work and bringing its role into full play.

Chinese president thanks int'l support at quake anniversary

2009-05-11T14:11:00.000-07:00

CHENGDU, Sichuan, May 11 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Hu Jintao on Monday expressed his appreciation of the world community for their strong support and valuable aid on the wake of last year's devastating earthquake in southwest China and called for further international cooperation in tackling major natural disasters.

"In face of grave natural disasters, the international community could support each other, enhance cooperation, join hands and jointly tackle the difficulties," Hu told some senior foreign diplomats who were invited to the capital of Sichuan Province on the anniversary of the quake.

The magnitude-8.0 quake that hit southwest China, including many parts of Sichuan, on May 12, killed more than 69,000 people, left nearly 18,000 missing, more than 374,000 injured and millions homeless.

Facing the grave disaster, Chinese armed forces and Chinese people worked as one and struggled in unity in rescue work and disaster relief, Hu told those diplomats during the half-hour meeting.

The international community extended their helping hands as governments, groups and individuals from more than 160 countries and some international organizations offered a large number of fund and material assistance via different channels.

Some countries, such as Russia and Japan, sent rescue teams and doctors to help the Chinese people in the quake-hit areas.

Foreign rescuers, in total, offered medical care to more than 10, 000 injured people, found 52 bodies of the victims and took out one survivor from the debris, Chinese official statistics show.

"The assistance from the international community strongly supported China's disaster relief and reconstruction efforts, showcased grand humanitarianism and sincere friendship with the Chinese people," Hu said.

Hu briefed China's reconstruction work to the diplomats, saying it has been carried out in a strong, orderly and effective manner and recorded staged success.

"After one year of hard working, the quake-hit areas witnessed the resumption of and development in their social and economic construction," Hu noted.

The production and living conditions in those areas were improving and the people were working hard to build better lives and new homes, said the head of state.

Hu thanked the international community for their support and aid, saying the money and materials have been used in various fields such as rebuilding of homes, roads, schools, hospitals and other important infrastructure.

China has carried out "vigorous overseeing" and "effectively used" the donation from the international community, Hu told the 30 diplomats, including those from the United States, Russia, Japan, Pakistan and representatives from the UN International Children 's Emergency Fund and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.

"We will strive to use the international donation in the places most in need," he said, labeling the cooperation between China and the world as "a good example of international cooperation in disaster relief."

"Chinese government and people will step up exchange and cooperation with the world community, jointly tackle various global challenges and push for a harmonious world featuring long-lasting peace and common prosperity," Hu said.

"We came here to show respect to the patriotism and wisdom of the Chinese people," said Nolana Ta Ama, ambassador of the Republic of Togo and dean of the diplomatic corp to China.

The diplomats were also here to show respect to the mechanism Chinese government established in tackling the quake, he said. "China's efforts and success in fighting against the quake and disaster relief were a contribution to the world."

Ama spoke highly of China's "enormous efforts in saving lives and helping the survivors to resume their lives," pledging that the world community will continue support and help the affected regions.

The diplomats will visit some quake-hit spots near Chengdu on Tuesday.

Macao granted better market access to Chinese mainland amid financial crisis

2009-05-11T14:10:00.000-07:00

MACAO, May 11 (Xinhua) -- As an effort to shore up Macao's gaming-centered economy in the face of global financial crisis, and help it diversify in the long run, China's central government has stepped up its move to open the vast mainland market to the Special Administrative Region (SAR) through a series of trade deals and policy measures.

The Supplement VI to the Mainland and Macao Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement (CEPA6), which was signed here on Monday by Tam Pak Yuen, secretary for economy and finance of the SAR government and the central government's Vice Minister of Commerce Jiang Zengwei, was the latest effort by the mainland to support the development of the SAR and forge closer trade ties between the two places, especially that between Macao and the neighboring Guangdong province.

The CEPA between the mainland and the Macao SAR was firstly signed in 2003 and took effect in the following year, after which some six supplement protocols to the trade agreement have been signed so far as a step-by-step effort to open the mainland market to Macao.

Driven by the implementation of CEPA and its supplementary protocols, the liberalization of various sectors in the mainland market to Macao was deepened every year after 2003. In particular, the mainland authorities have exempt tariffs for all products, except for those banned and specially designated, of Macao origin. Statistics from the SAR government also showed that some 500 Macao companies and individually-owned businesses were established in the mainland by the end of last year. The number of Macao residents passing the qualification exams of various professions in the mainland, such as law, medical practice, cooking, hair dressing, etc, was also on the rise in recent years.

The SAR's tourism is one area that benefited the most from the signing of CEPA, as over 30 million mainland visitor arrivals traveling under the "individual visit scheme", a visa arrangement for residents in major mainland cities to make trips to the SAR, have been logged since CEPA took effect in 2004. The "individual visit scheme" is part of the measures included in CEPA.

Figures from the Statistics and Census Service indicated that the SAR's visitor arrivals totaled 22.91 million last year, with the majority of visitors came from the mainland at 11.6 million, of which 57 percent were visitors traveling under the "individual visit scheme".

To further boost the SAR's tourism, mainland residents traveling in group tours to Taiwan will be allowed to enter Macao SAR in transit, under the newly-signed Supplement VI, despite the fact that the mainland authorities has previously tightened the visa arrangement for residents directly traveling to Macao, limiting their trips to the SAR in a year.

The Supplement VI provides more favorable conditions for the SAR to diversify its economy while giving better support for the healthy and sustainable development of local economy, said Tam Pak Yuen after signing the latest supplementary protocol on Monday.

Aside from the tourism sector, the new measures included in the Supplement VI, which will take effect on Oct. 1, 2009, mainly concern industries of MICE (Meeting, Incentive, Convention, Exhibition), and medical services.

In terms of the MICE industry, which is a prominent industry in the SAR's effort to diversify its economy, service providers in the SAR will be allowed to organize exhibitions in the form of cross-border supply in major Chinese municipality, such as Beijing, Tianjin and Chongqing, and provinces including Zhejiang, Jiangsu and Fujian on a pilot basis, in addition to Guangdong province and Shanghai which has already been opened to the SAR.

Meanwhile, the new supplementary protocol also lowers the entrance requirements for medical services sector. Macao service provider will also be allowed to run health clinics and work as pharmacists respectively in the mainland, as long as they acquire relevant licenses.

Before the signing of the Supplement VI, the central government has already launched nine measures concerning six areas, including finance, infrastructure, regional cooperation, funding Macao's small-and-medium-sized enterprises, ensuring Macao's food supply, etc, at the end of last year, which not only were aimed to help Macao tide over the economic downturn, but further promote the integration of the Pearl River Delta region in Southern China, which mainly include the Guangdong province, Hong Kong and Macao.

The central government will "unswervingly support Macao to overcome its difficulties and maintain a stable economic development," said China's Premier Wen Jiabao when meeting the SAR's Chief Executive Ho Hau Wah previously in Beijing.

China to install experimental alert system in quake-prone areas: official

2009-05-11T14:09:00.001-07:00

Special Report: 1st Anniversary of Wenchuan
Earthquake

BEIJING, May 11 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese official said Monday that an
experimental earthquake alert system, capable of sending warnings within seconds
before a quake strikes, would be installed in quake-prone areas.

Du Wei, deputy director of the Department of Earthquake Disaster Prevention
of the China Earthquake Administration, told reporters that the time varied for
warnings to reach population centers depending on the location of the
earthquake.

The system could send warnings to the epicenter area within seconds when
quakes occurred on land, while it took one to three minutes for the signals to
reach populated areas in the case of under-sea quakes, Du said.

The alert system, which would be established "within years," was still
experimental and could not provide fully effective information, he said.

There was a process of operating, experimenting, adjusting and improving,
he said.

The white paper on "China's Actions for Disaster Prevention and Reduction,"
issued by the Information Office of the State Council (cabinet) Monday, said
that a disaster monitoring and early warning system had taken initial shape in
China.

China was building a three-dimensional natural disaster monitoring system,
including land monitoring, ocean and ocean-bed observation, and space-air-ground
observation, it said.

China has built 937 fixed seismic stations and more than 1,000 mobile
seismic stations, enabling quasi-real-time monitoring of quakes above 3.0 on the
Richter scale.

In addition, 1,300 earthquake precursor observation stations have been
established, as well as a mobile observation network of more than 4,000 mobile
observation stations.

Seismological monitoring systems at the national and provincial levels have
taken initial shape. A high-speed seismic data network composed of 700
information nodes has been built. A text message service to provide prompt
earthquake reporting has been launched, according to the paper.

China issues guideline on maintaining agricultural growth

2009-05-11T14:09:00.000-07:00

BEIJING, May 11 (Xinhua) -- China's State Council Monday published a guideline to maintain current agricultural development and promote income for farmers.

The guideline was issued on the Chinese central government's official Web portal www.gov.cn.

It consists of 22 items in eight parts, calling for more efforts to expand domestic demand, promote exports and stabilize grains' prices.

The guideline calls for more support for spring sowing, including pest control, guarding against natural disasters and science and technology services.

It also stresses the importance of granting subsidies to farmers and setting grain prices.

China backs resumption of Middle East peace process, Chinese UN envoy says

2009-05-11T14:08:00.001-07:00

UNITED NATIONS, May 11 (Xinhua) -- China voiced its support for the resumption of the Middle East peace process on Monday, calling upon all the parties concerned to create an environment conducive to the Middle East peace talks.

The statement came as Zhang Yesui, the Chinese permanent representative to the United Nations, was speaking at an open Security Council meeting on behalf of Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi.

"At present, the situation in the Middle East is at a very critical stage," Zhang said. "We hope that parties concerned will stay firm to their conviction of resolving the issue through political negotiations, refrain from moves that may ruin mutual trust and reconciliation so as to create the condition for resumptions of negotiation," Zhang said.

"Political negotiation is the only way to lasting peace in the Middle East. The use of force will not bring about peace. On the contrary, the cycle of violence will only exacerbate hatred," he said.

He said the Security Council Resolution 1860 is the result of arduous efforts by all the parties concerned, and brought about the Israeli-Palestinian cease-fire and created conditions for resumption of Middle East peace process. The resolution, adopted by the Security Council in January, called for mutually respected and last cease-fire in the Middle East following Israel's 22-day military offensive in the Gaza Strip.

It is hoped that the Resolution 1860 could be implemented comprehensively and effectively, said the ambassador.

"At the center of the Middle East problem is the Palestine issue," Zhang said. "The ultimate way out for the Palestinian issue is the realization of two states, Israel and Palestine, living side-by-side in peace."

Therefore, the Chinese ambassador called on parties concerned to continue to act in the spirit enshrined in relevant UN resolutions and adhere to the principle of "the Land for Peace" and "the two-state solution," saying that they should push for the earlier achievement of reconciliation between Israel and Palestine, the establishment of an independent state of Palestine and the peaceful coexistence between Arabs and Jews.

The realization of a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in the Middle East depends on the settlement of all relevant issues in the region, he said.

Describing both the Syria-Israel talks and the Lebanon-Israel negotiations as "important components of the Middle-East peace process," Zhang called for a holistic approach to promote such talks.

Meanwhile, he said other hot-spot issues in the region should also be "properly addressed so as to create a favorable environment for the peace process."

On the other hand, "the Middle East peace process cannot be achieved without the help and support of the international community," Zhang said, calling on the international community to continue to support the development of Palestine and immediately implement its commitment to the reconstruction in Gaza.

"Parties concerned should uphold just and strengthen the mediation efforts and at the same time consider the establishment of a broadly-represented, balanced and effective multilateral mechanism which will provide oversight and support for the peace process in the Middle East," Zhang said.

Zhang said China supports the efforts of the Quartet, a diplomatic group of the United Nations, the European Union, Russia and the United States in search of the Middle East peace, and Russia's proposal to hold an international conference on Middle East in Moscow.

The open council meeting, chaired by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov whose country holds the rotating presidency of the 15-nation council this month, came at a time when the new Israeli government was headed by hawkish Prime Minister Benjam Netanyahu.

Netanyhu has so far refused to publicly endorse the creation of an independent Palestine state, the key element of an international plan to bring about a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in the Middle East.

Also present at the open debate are UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, British Foreign Minister David Miliband, French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner, Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu and UN ambassadors from other Council members.

Israel, Palestine and Arab states were not invited to address the meeting.

Int'l conference on China's development unveiled in Macao

2009-05-11T14:08:00.000-07:00

MACAO, May 11 (Xinhua) -- With the participation
of world-renowned political figures like Henry A. Kissinger, the
international conference on "China's Peaceful Development: Opportunities and Challenges"
was held here Monday.

Over 50 scholars from Chinese mainland, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macao, and the Republic of Korea (ROK), India and the United States attended the two-day conference organized and held in the Macao Polytechnic Institute, where they will explore the current and past development of China.

The path of peaceful development is fully consistent with China's historical and cultural traditions, said Li Zhaoxing, former Foreign Minister of China, when addressing the audiences at the conference.

That China will follow the path of peaceful development and pursue an independent foreign policy of peace is also stipulated in the Constitution of the People's Republic of China, Li said.

Li, along with Kissinger and Chinese scientist Qin Dahe, were conferred by the Macao Polytechnic Institute with Honorary professorship during the conference opening ceremony Monday, which was witnessed by Ho Hau Wah, chief executive of the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR).

China vows to further relations with Vietnam

2009-05-11T14:07:00.000-07:00

BEIJING, May 11 (Xinhua) -- China vowed to continuously enrich the
comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership with Vietnam, said Vice Chairman
of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) National
Committee Du Qinglin here on Monday.

Du, also head of the United Front Work Department of the Communist Party of
China (CPC) Central Committee, made the remarks at talks with Ha Thi Khiet,
member of the Secretariat and chief of the Commission for Mass Organization of
the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee.

Du said China and Vietnam, as friendly neighbours, are both at the key
stage of the comprehensive and in-depth development of there form and opening-up
process.

Under current world situation, the two countries and two parties should
continue adhering to the 16-word principle of long-term stability, facing the
future, good-neighborliness and friendship, and all-round cooperation as well as
the four-good spirit -- good neighbors, good friends, good comrades and good
partners, said Du.

He hoped that China and Vietnam could further enrich their comprehensive
strategic cooperative partnership and make contribution to the regional and
world peace, stability and development.

Ha Thi Khiet said recent years has witnessed frequent visits of Vietnamese
and Chinese senior officials, the increasing political mutual trust and great
achievements in economic and trade cooperation.

She believed that her visit could further strengthen the bilateral
traditional friendship and cooperation.

Chinese, Canadian FMs pledge to enhance bilateral cooperation

2009-05-11T14:06:00.001-07:00

BEIJING, May 11 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi held talks with his Canadian counterpart Lawrence Cannon here on Monday to discuss relations between their two countries and major international issues of common concern.

Yang said China and Canada, being important nations of the Asia-Pacific region, shared broad interests in developing domestic economies and promoting regional peace, stability and development.

The two countries have maintained high-level exchanges and achieved positive progresses in the cooperation of economy and trade, culture, education, technology, health and environment protection since last year, Yang said.

"We also maintained close communication and coordination on major international and regional issues of common concern," he added.

Yang said China would deepen practical cooperation with Canada and properly handle sensitive issues between the two nations.

Cannon said Canada paid great attention to bilateral ties and adhered to the one-China policy, adding Canada appreciated China's positive role in the international affairs.

Canada would make joint efforts with China to promote cooperation in economy, trade, public health and environmental protection and enhance coordination on global issues in a bid to cement and advance bilateral ties, Cannon said.

Cannon arrived in Beijing on Saturday for an official visit at the invitation of his Chinese counterpart Yang Jiechi.

China gets $6.7 bln of free aid in 30 years

2009-05-11T14:06:00.000-07:00

BEIJING, May 11 (Xinhua) -- China has received about 6.7 billion U.S. dollars of free international aid in 30 years, according to China's Commerce Minister Chen Deming here Monday.

The donations mainly came from about 20 international organizations and governments including the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the United Nation Children's Fund (UNICEF), European Union (EU), Japan, Germany, Australia and Canada, Chen said.

He made the remarks at a meeting to commemorate the 30th anniversary for China to receive international aid and the fist anniversary of international aid to China's earthquake-hit areas.

The international community has been extending help to China's earthquake-affected areas since May 12 last year and China is grateful to the efforts, Chen said.

China signed a technology cooperation agreement with the UNDP in 1979, indicating the start of cooperation with the United Nations on international development aid.

Movie icon Jackie Chan sings with student survivors on eve of quake anniversary

2009-05-11T14:05:00.001-07:00

CHENGDU, May 11 (Xinhua) -- Hong Kong movie star Jackie Chan Monday joined students who survived last year's disastrous earthquake in southwest China's Sichuan Province, singing with them to help boost morale among the teenagers on the eve of the quake's anniversary.

The 55-year-old star, best-known for his martial arts films, came to Beichuan Middle School, one of the worst-hit schools in the quake, to sing a song titled "Nation" with students there.

The song was dedicated to the 60th anniversary of the founding of new China.

Chan and his team have been promoting the song since a music video of it was finished in April.

Chan unfurled a national flag covering 5,000 square meters on the school playground. His shouts of "Go! Beichuan" "Go! China" were echoed by about 1,000 students.

"I really feel the strength of our nation after the quake. The song gives me a better understanding of the relationship between the nation and a family," said Jing Shengxi, a student of the school.

"We would not have such bright smiles today without a strong nation," said schoolmaster Liu Yachun. "I hope every student can make best use of time, remember the love, make a better self and help build a strong nation."

More than 1,000 students and teachers of the school were dead or missing in the quake on May 12 last year.

The new school, mostly funded by donations from Chinese all over the world, will begin reconstruction Tuesday.

The 8.0-magnitude quake left more than 87,000 people dead or missing in all.

China gets 76 bln yuan in donations for Sichuan quake

2009-05-11T14:05:00.000-07:00

BEIJING, May 11 (Xinhua) -- China received about 76.7 billion yuan (about 11.2 billion U.S. dollars) in cash and relief materials from domestic and foreign donors after the massive earthquake last May 12, official sources said Monday.

By April 30, a total of 65.996 billion yuan in cash and relief materials worth 10.716 billion yuan were donated to areas affected by the quake, the Ministry of Civil Affairs said.

Most of the donations have been or will be spent on the construction of new houses, schools, medical institutions, welfare and cultural facilities for local people.

However, some 20 billion yuan of donations has not been transferred to the quake areas, largely because some reconstruction projects have yet been

finalized, the ministry said.

For example, money to be used to build a school

or to sponsor orphans will be allocated in accordance with the development of the project.

The ministry, which oversaw disaster relief work after the earthquake, said the use of the donated money and materials had been closely monitored to ensure a transparent and regulated practice.

There have been no reports of malpractice in the past year, the ministry said, citing latest report of the National Audit Office.

Also on Monday, a government white paper said concerted efforts of the entire country and the people throughout the world played a major role in

helping quake-affected areas to overcome serious consequences of the disaster.

The paper, "China's Actions of Disaster Prevention and Reduction," was published by the State Council Information Office a day ahead of the anniversary of the earthquake.

The magnitude-8.0 quake, with the epicenter in Wenchuan of southwest China's Sichuan Province, left more than 87,000 people dead or missing and more than 374,640 injured.

More than 3 million domestic and foreign volunteers worked in disaster relief, while 10 million others participated in quake relief activities around the country, the paper said.

It said Chinese people, enterprises and social organizations were actively involved in emergency relief work after the quake.

About 1 percent of the population volunteered for quake relief work across China, making it the first large-scale volunteer rescue effort in the country.

The paper noted that the government considered it important to involve the public fully in disaster prevention and relief. It said the country had a tax system that encouraged donations

and had guided volunteers to participate in disaster work.

At the end of 2008, China had 1,531 charity foundations and about 100 million people giving time as volunteers, it said.

School reconstruction starts in southwest China, official vows quake-proof guarantee

2009-05-11T14:04:00.001-07:00

Special Report: 1st Anniversary of Wenchuan
Earthquake

WENCHUAN, Sichuan, May 11 (Xinhua) -- Workers in southwest China's Sichuan
Province started Monday rebuilding a leveled school in the May 12 earthquake
last year on the eve of the disaster's anniversary.

More than 1,000 officials, workers and local residents witnessed the
foundation-laying ceremony for the new buildings of the Yingxiu Township primary
school.

Officials said the project marked the beginning of reconstructing Yingxiu
Township, the epicenter of the 8.0-magnitude quake that left more than 87,000
people dead or missing.

Yingxiu lost about 6,000 of its 16,000 population in the quake. More than
1,000 houses were devastated or collapsed.

The buildings of the primary school were leveled in the disaster, with
about 200 students and teachers crushed to death.

With an investment of 29 million yuan (4.25 million U.S. dollars), the new
school buildings will be completed in five months, said Liao Min, head of
Wenchuan County which administers Yingxiu.

The new school stands in an open area facing its former site across the
Minjiang River.

"The new six-story main building can withstand earthquakes measuring up to
9.0 magnitude on Richter scale," Liao said."Its new playground can hold
residents in case of disasters."

Following the primary school, a kindergarten, a major township road and a
bridge will also be built soon, Liao said. "We will use new materials to ensure
all the projects are quake-proof and environmentally friendly."

Experts and officials spent nearly a year working out the reconstruction
plan for the town. The reconstruction is estimated to cost two billion yuan.

Murder suspect arrested in northern China

2009-05-11T14:04:00.000-07:00

CHANGCHUN, May 11 (Xinhua) -- A man suspected in the May 5 stabbing of four
people in northeastern province of Jilin had been arrested, local police
confirmed on Monday.

Zhang Guoquan, a 36-year-old farmer at Xinglong Village of Tongyu County,
was arrested for allegedly stabbing four people to death. The victims were
Zhang's neighbors, with whom he had quarreled over a farm dispute. The victims
were Jiang Xingguo, 66,his wife, daughter-in-law and his five-year-old grandson,
according to the local police.

Only Jiang's son, who was absent at the time, escaped the murder.

The suspect fled the scene with Jiang's motorcycle after the homicide.

Local police arrested the suspect five days later in a county in northern
China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, which is 2,000 kilometers from the
crime scene.

Andy Lau, Jacky Cheung support opera veteran

2009-05-11T14:03:00.001-07:00

Andy Lau (R) and Jacky Cheung(L) with
Cantonese opera master Hong Xian Nu (C). (Photo:
chinanews.com.cn)
Photo Gallery

BEIJING, May 11 -- Renowned master of
Cantonese opera, Hong Xian Nu, is promoting the world's first Cantonese opera
cartoon in Hong Kong. Entitled "The Obstinate Princess and Her Honest Husband",
the animation features the 85-year-old's singing.

Local celebrities, opera fans and media packed in to
see the premiere of the movie. Singer and actor Andy Lau and superstar Jacky
Cheung also showed up.

Lau and Cheung presented Hong Xian N¨¹ with bouquets
and spoke of their admiration for the veteran star.

At the ceremony, Hong Xian N¨¹ appeared in good
health, showing off her good figure and skin. The master says her heart is as
young as an 18-year-old's. Despite her age, she still works at the Hong Xian N¨¹
Art Center, and continues to practice her singing everyday. She performed a
segment of her repertoire to thank the fans.

(Source: CCTV.com/CRIENGLISH.com)

Premier writes to students in devastated town on China quake's anniversary

2009-05-11T14:03:00.000-07:00

This undated photo shows a letter wrote autographically by Chinese Premier Wen Jiabaoto to elementary and high school students in earthquake-devastated Dujiangyan City, Sichuan Province, on eve of the first anniversary of the May 12 disaster that left more than 80,000 people dead or missing and millions homeless. About 10,000 students from 50 elementary and high schools were undergoing art therapy, with the help of psychiatrists from Shanghai. The organizer of the program chose 150 of their paintings and published them in a collection, "Beautiful Flowers." These were the words Wen wrote on a blackboard when he visited a local elementary school on Sept. 2, 2008. A copy of the book, signed by 156 Dujiangyan students, was sent to Wen on behalf of all local elementary and high school students. This letter is a response to the special gift. (Xinhua/Fan Rujun)
Photo Gallery

BEIJING, May 11 (Xinhua) -- Premier Wen Jiabao has written to elementary and high school students in earthquake-devastated Dujiangyan City, Sichuan Province, on eve of the first anniversary of the May 12 disaster that left more than 80,000 people dead or missing and millions homeless.

Following is the full text of Wen's letter, dated
April 26:

"My dear children,

I have received the album of paintings entitled
'Beautiful Flowers' you signed and sent to me. Thank you very much.

My heart was deeply touched when I saw your elaborate
works. They are unique and authentic depictions of what you experienced in that
solemn and stirring earthquake-relief campaign.

You were brave enough to face the catastrophe and
full of confidence and courage to surmount the difficulties; you have stood up
in the ruins with your backs straight; and you have buried pain and great love
deep in your hearts and turned them into strength to move forward.

Your little hearts have become even more pure,
solemn, staunch and beautiful after all the hardships; you have been aware of
ways to become someone useful who can help others lead better lives, with gritty
will and through great efforts; and you are the most beautiful flowers, which
have blossomed out on this disaster-hit land, and you are the future and hope of
the country and the people.

On eve of the first anniversary of the Wenchuan
Earthquake, we are commemorating people, children in particular, who lost their
lives. The best [we] can do is to do a good job in the post-disaster
reconstruction and build a beautiful home.

Our country is plagued with frequent disasters, and
we can only overcome them with a scientific attitude, practical spirit and
strenuous effort, to enable people, primarily children, to live in peace,
harmony and happiness.

You have expressed your memories of me and I also
miss you, and I miss all the children in the disaster-hit areas. I love you
deeply!"

Officials said that about 10,000 students from 50
elementary and high schools were undergoing art therapy, with the help of
psychiatrists from Shanghai, the city that has assisted Dujiangyan in its
rebuilding efforts.

The organizer of the program chose 150 of their
paintings and published them in a collection, "Beautiful Flowers." These were
the words Wen wrote on a blackboard when he visited a local elementary school on
Sept. 2, 2008.

A copy of the book, signed by 156 Dujiangyan
students, was sent to Wen on behalf of all local elementary and high school
students.

Special Report: 1st Anniversary of Wenchuan
Earthquake

China gets 76 bln yuan in donations for Sichuan quake: white paper

2009-05-11T14:02:00.001-07:00

BEIJING, May 11 (Xinhua) -- China received nearly 76 billion yuan (about 11.2 billion U.S. dollars) in cash and relief materials from domestic and foreign donors after the massive earthquake last May 12, said a white paper published Monday.

The paper, "China's Actions of Disaster Prevention and Reduction," was published by the State Council (cabinet) Information Office a day ahead of the anniversary of the earthquake.

The magnitude-8.0 quake, with the epicenter in Wenchuan of southwest China's Sichuan Province, left more than 87,000 people dead or missing and more than 374,640 injured.

More than 3 million domestic and foreign volunteers worked in disaster relief, while 10 million others participated in quake relief activities around the country, the paper said.

It said Chinese people, enterprises and social organizations were actively involved in emergency relief work after the quake.

About 1 percent of the population volunteered for quake relief work across China, making it the first large-scale volunteer rescue effort in the country.

The paper noted that the government considered it important to involve the public fully in disaster prevention and relief. It said the country had a tax system that encouraged donations and had guided volunteers to participate in disaster work.

At the end of 2008, China had 1,531 charity foundations and about 100 million people giving time as volunteers, it said.

Special Report: 1st Anniversary of Wenchuan Earthquake

Full text: China's Actions for Disaster Prevention and Reduction

2009-05-11T14:02:00.000-07:00

BEIJING, May 11 (Xinhua) -- The Information Office of the State Council, or China's cabinet, published a white paper titled "China's Actions for Disaster Prevention and Reduction" Monday. Following is the full text:

China's Actions for Disaster Prevention and Reduction

Information Office of the State Council of the People¡¯s Republic of China

Contents

Foreword

I. Natural Disasters in China

II. Strategic Goals and Tasks for Disaster Reduction

III. Construction of a Legal Framework, Institutional Setup and Working Mechanism Related to Disaster Reduction

IV. Enhancement of Disaster-reduction Capability

V. Public Participation in Disaster Reduction

VI. International Cooperation in Disaster Prevention and Reduction Concluding Remarks

¡¡¡¡Foreword

In recent years, natural disasters happened frequently around the world and have caused enormous losses of life and property to human society. They pose a common challenge to all the countries in the world.

China is one of the countries in the world that suffer the most natural disasters. Along with global climate changes and its own economic takeoff and progress in urbanization, China suffers increasing pressure on resources, environment and ecology. The situation in the prevention of and response to natural disasters has become more serious and complicated.

Always placing people first, the Chinese government has all along put the security of people's lives and property on the top of its work, and has listed the disaster prevention and reduction in its economic and social development plan as an important guarantee of sustainable development. In recent years, China has been comprehensively implementing the Scientific Outlook on Development, further strengthened legislation as well as the building of systems and mechanisms on disaster prevention and reduction, committed to building on disaster-prevention capacities, encouraged public contribution, and actively participated in international cooperation in this respect.

The devastating Wenchuan earthquake, which occurred on May 12, 2008, caused massive human casualties and property losses, and caused immeasurable sufferings to the Chinese people. In the wake of the disaster, the Chinese government decided to make May 12 "Disaster Prevention and Reduction Day," starting in 2009. This document has been written to mark the first anniversary of the Wenchuan earthquake and greet China¡¯s first "Disaster Prevention and Reduction Day," with a review of the endeavors the Chinese government and people have made in disaster prevention and reduction.

[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8]

¡¡¡¡I. Natural Disasters in China

The natural disasters that China suffers from most have the following characteristics:

1. Diverse types. They include meteorological disasters, earthquakes, geological disasters, marine disasters, biological disasters, and forest and grassland fires. Except for modern volcanic activity, China has suffered from most types of natural disasters.

2. Wide scope of distribution. Natural disasters cause damages in different degrees to all of Chinese provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the Central Government). More than 70 percent of Chinese cities and more than 50 percent of the Chinese population are living in areas vulnerable to serious earthquakes, or meteorological, geological or marine disasters. Two thirds of China's land are threatened by floods. Tropical cyclones often batter the eastern and southern coasts, and some inland places. Droughts often occur in the northeast, northwest and north, with particularly serious ones common in southwest and south China. Destructive earthquakes with a magnitude of 5 or more on the Richter Scale have struck all the country's provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities). The mountainous and plateau areas, accounting for 69 percent of China's total land territory, suffer frequent landslides, mudrock flows and cliff collapses due to complicated geological conditions.

3. High frequency. Its monsoon climate has a strong impact on China, and causes frequent meteorological disasters. Local or regional droughts occur almost every year, while tropical cyclones, seven times a year on average, batter the east coast. As China lies right in the region where the Eurasian, Pacific and Indian Ocean plates meet, it suffers from frequent earthquakes due to still-active tectonic movements. Most of the quakes shaking China are continental, accounting for one-third of global destructive land quakes. Fires often break out in forests and on grasslands.

4. Huge losses. During the 19 years from 1990 to 2008, on annual average, natural disasters affected about 300 million people, destroyed more than 3 million buildings, and forced the evacuation of more than 9 million people. The direct financial losses caused exceeded 200 billion yuan. Floods in the Yangtze, Songhua and Nenjiang river valleys in 1998, serious droughts in Sichuan Province and Chongqing Municipality in 2006, devastating floods in the Huaihe River valley in 2007, extreme cold weather and sleet in south China in early 2008, and the earthquake that shook Sichuan, Gansu, Shaanxi and other places on May 12, 2008 all caused tremendous losses.

Now and for a fairly long time to come, the risks of extreme weather phenomena are increasing along with global climate changes. Owing to imbalanced distribution of precipitation, unusual temperature changes and other factors, the occurrences of floods and droughts, hot weather and heat waves, low-temperature rain, snow and sleet, forest and grassland fires, plant diseases, insect and animal pests may grow in number. The probability of strong and extra-strong typhoons, tempests and other disasters is quite high. The tasks of guarding against and preventing such geological disasters as mountain torrents, landsides and mud-rock flows brought about by heavy rains remain weighty. In addition, as a result of the earth's crustal movements, the danger of earthquakes is increasing.

[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8]

China issues first disaster-relief white paper on quake anniversary

2009-05-11T14:01:00.000-07:00

Full text: China's Actions for
Disaster Prevention and Reduction

BEIJING, May 11 (Xinhua) -- China published a White
Paper Monday on disaster prevention and relief efforts to mark the first
anniversary of the Wenchuan earthquake, as well as the nation's first "Disaster
Prevention and Reduction Day," both of which fall on Tuesday.

The white paper, released by the State Council
Information Office, reviews government work or policies.

"China is one of the countries that experiences the
most natural disasters," the report said.

With climate change, economic growth and
urbanization, China faced increasing pressure on its resources and environment,
it said.

The work of preventing and responding to natural
disasters has become "more serious and complicated," the paper said.

Given that many kinds of wide-ranging disasters
frequently hit China and caused huge losses, China's main tasks were to
strengthen its ability to manage potential risks of natural disasters, to
monitor and forecast natural disasters, to prevent them and conduct rescue and
relief, the report said.

"Based on the lessons we learned and problems found in rescue and relief work for winter storms in south China in early 2008 andthe May 12 earthquake, we have made efforts to improve the country's disaster management system," Zou Ming, director of the disaster relief department under the Ministry of Civil Affairs, told a press conference here Monday.

China published a white paper on disaster-prevention efforts on May 11, 2009, to mark the first anniversary of the devastating Wenchuan earthquake, as well as the nation's first "Disaster Prevention and Reduction Day," both of which fall on Tuesday. (Xinhua/Zhang Liyun)
Photo Gallery

The magnitude-8.0 quake, with an epicenter in
Wenchuan in southwest China's Sichuan Province, left more than 87,000 people
dead or missing and more than 374,640 injured.

The country is amending its state-level contingency
plan for natural disaster relief and will ask local governments, rural and urban
communities to make corresponding plans, he said.

A government regulation on disaster relief, now
publicized for public comment, was drafted to set standard rules for disaster
relief as most of the existing laws and regulations only apply to a certain type
of disaster.

China also planned to increase the number of
state-level storage facilities for relief materials, such as tents, blankets,
medicines and rescue devices, from 10 to 24 so that it will react faster in face
of a serious disaster, he added.

China has developed a disaster control and response
system, which covers leadership from the State Council and central government
departments as well as disaster control departments at different levels, the
document said.

Since 2005, 17.54 billion yuan (2.54 billion U.S.
dollars) has been invested nationwide in renewing and building 5.8 million
houses for 6.5 million needy people so that their residences would be disaster
proof.

In light of school building quality in the Wenchuan
earthquake, China launched a three-year program in April that aims to examine
every school building for safety flaws and reinforce those in earthquake-prone
areas.

It will receive a subsidy of 8 billion yuan (1.16
billion dollars) from the central budget.

Sichuan provincial government announced last
Wednesday that 5,335 students were dead or missing in the province, after
thousands of schools collapsed in May 12 earthquake.

An amendment to the Law on Precautions Against
Earthquake and Relief of Disaster, taking effect on May 1, also required school
buildings to stand quakes of at least 8 magnitude.

The country is also working on a three-dimensional
natural disaster monitoring system on land, sea and from space, made up of
satellites, radar and ground stations, according to the document.

China attaches great importance to public
participation in disaster prevention and reduction and encourages individual
volunteers to take part, it said.

By the end of 2008, there were 1,531 charity
foundations in China, 162 more than the previous year. The authorities also
registered about 430,000 volunteer organizations, such as volunteer organization
under the Chinese Communist Youth League, with an estimated 100 million members.

With an open and cooperative attitude, China took an
active part in international efforts in disaster relief, including building
international cooperative disaster-reduction mechanisms and providing mutual aid
with other countries in major natural disasters, the document said.

After the Indian Ocean tsunami in December, 2004,
China provided the largest emergency aid in its history, totaling 687.63million
yuan, to the affected countries and related UN agencies. It also promptly
dispatched an international rescue team and a medical team to Indonesia.

Year after quake, survivors restart in new homes

2009-05-11T13:57:00.001-07:00

CHENGDU, May 11 (Xinhua) -- Bathing in the first sun rays of the day, Wang Quan was having his breakfast in his new two-storey home in Chaping Village of Dujiangyan City in southwest China's Sichuan Province on Saturday.

Wang's old home, built with years of savings, was devastated in the 8.0-magnitude earthquake that struck Wenchuan County, Sichuan, on May 12 last year. He was among millions rendered homeless in the disaster.

He said he never thought he would be able to move into a new house so soon. "My wife and I had prepared for the worst, to stay in prefabricated houses for three to five years, before we can build our own new home," said the farmer in his thirties, who is father of two.

In his village, more than 100 families, among the total 146, have also moved into new houses. The rest dozens of families are waiting for the completion of collectively built houses.

China has pledged to offer new houses as utmost tasks for quake survivors, with promises of government subsidies, tax reduction for building new homes, and easy access to bank loans.

In Sichuan, the center of last May quake, farmers who lost their homes in the disaster are getting 20,000 yuan (2,941 U.S. dollars) each household to build new houses.

In Wang's case, his family and another one jointly built a two-storey building, with Wang offering his right in land use and Zhang, the cooperator, providing the funds. Such practice are allowed by Dujiangyan City after the quake to promote reconstruction.

The new building, with a total floor space of 408 square meters, is jointly owned by the two families. Wang's 238-sq m apartment has five bedrooms and a bathroom.

Construction started on July 4 last year and was completed at the end of September. Wang said he could wait no longer and moved into the new house the next month.

He used the 20,000 yuan in government subsidies to decorate the new home, and bought a set of reddish brown sofa, a LCD TV and a solar generator.

Almost at the same time when Wang was enjoying his breakfast in his new home, Fei Shuming, a Tibetan farmer, was busy carrying his belongings to his new house in Heba Village in Sanjiang Township of Wenchuan County, more than 30 km away from Wang's village.

Fei's new house was a two-storey Tibetan-style building, and his neighbors were moving into similar buildings in a residential zone, featured by Tibetan architectural styles.

The buildings in the residential zone were built with the assistance of Huizhou City in south China's Guangdong Province, which is arranged by the central government to provide one-to-one support for reconstruction in Sanjiang.

Huizhou City helped farmers of Heba Village purchase construction materials from manufacturers in the city at a price lowered by a third.

Fei, a father of three in his fifties, said it saved him 50,000 to 60,000 yuan for his 200-square-meter home, so he had no difficulty gathering the fund for the new house with his savings, government subsidies and bank loans.

Donations are also giving a helping hand in building new homes for quake survivors.

Zhong Rong, from Penghua Village of Mianzhu City, was found making traditional pictures for the New Year in his 130-square-meter new house. He told Xinhua half of 100,000 yuan used in building the house was from a charity organization in Shenzhen, a boomtown in southern Guangdong Province.

The Sichuan provincial government said construction had begun on 1.24 million new homes for rural households, or 98.8 percent of the total that needed to rebuild their homes in Sichuan, and construction has been completed on 1 million homes by May 4.

In all the quake-affected regions, up to 95.7 percent of the reconstruction for rural houses had started, 76.6 percent of which had been finished, according to the National Development and Reform Commission, the country's top economic planner.

However, construction on new homes for urban residents is falling behind those for farmers because of multiple reasons, such as diversified demands among residents in the same building.

Reconstruction of only 40.1 percent of the destroyed urban houses had begun, with 8.9 percent finished, said the planner.

Therefore, more than 500,000 families still have to live in the temporary makeshift houses in Sichuan.

The Sichuan provincial government said last week it aimed to finish rebuilding of rural houses by the end of September this year and those in cities by next May.

The central government planned to complete reconstruction in the quake zone before September 2010, a year earlier than previously expected.

It had already invested 360 billion yuan in post-quake reconstruction as of April, one-third of the planned budget.

Tuesday marks the first anniversary of the earthquake, which left 68,712 people dead and another 17,921 missing.

Wang said he was now living right in an unexpected dream nearly a year after the disaster, and smiles crept back onto his face.

Special Report: 1st Anniversary of Wenchuan Earthquake

One dead, 8 missing from fishing boat after crash with ship in E China

2009-05-11T13:57:00.000-07:00

HANGZHOU, May 11 (Xinhua) -- One person was confirmed dead and eight others remained missing after their fishing boat collided with a ship and sank near the Yangtze River estuary in Shanghai early Monday, maritime authorities confirmed.

All 11 people on board the fishing boat, coded 04637 from the eastern Zhejiang Province, fell into the water after it capsized and sank at about 3:40 a.m., the provincial maritime bureau said.

Three people were rescued at about 4:10 a.m., but one died from serious injuries. The search for the missing continued as of noon.

At least 30 rescue vessels and a helicopter have joined the rescue operation.

Maritime authorities were investigating the cause of the accident and pursuing the other vessel, which fled after the accident.

After the quake, there is love, there is hope

2009-05-11T13:56:00.001-07:00

BEIJING, May 11 -- The Deyang Earthquake Museum opens tomorrow to mark the first anniversary of the May 12 quake. Among its exhibits will be a painting, There is Love, There is Hope, by a student of Hongbai Primary School.

The painting's journey began three days after the Sichuan earthquake. There was chaos and suffering all around, with Deyang city resembling a battlefield.

Our photographer and I were looking for signs of life among the two school buildings' debris when we saw some paintings by kids, themed "Green Earth" and "World Full of Love". While we were retrieving the paintings, and idea struck me: "Why not auction the paintings and donate the proceeds as relief for the survivors?"

All the journalists and photographers covering the quake were overwhelmed by the devastation and human suffering. And all of them have contributed something to help the survivors. The kids' paintings gave me a chance to contribute my humble share.

It'll be a further humbling experience to see There is Love, There is Hope displayed in the museum. "It's not an ordinary painting but one that carries tremendous love," says Zhang Kailian, deputy head of Deyang education bureau. That's a tribute to the sprit of the students.

Chinese-American James Jao became the first person to buy one of the retrieved paintings, paying 100,000 yuan at a charity dinner in Beijing in October. The J.A.O. Design International president's gesture didn't end there. We agreed to set up a micro-fund in his name to improve the standard of English-language teaching in the school.

Our efforts prompted former British prime minister Tony Blair to sign three of the paintings, immensely increasing their auction value.

Last week, Peng Xiancheng, general manager of Decision Chemical, a leather chemical company in Sichuan, bought another of the paintings, and set up a micro-fund to provide medical help to the survivors.

A Chinese female artist and a British painter have emailed us, saying they are going to fly to the quake zone and participate in a sit and draw program to help the kids overcome the trauma.

Jao, who is currently in Beijing, is "very happy to see our efforts attract so much attention and support" from across the world. He wants to "open a new window for the teachers and kids in the mountains".

With help from the micro-fund and its local partner Decision Chemical, about 10 volunteer teachers from the mainland, Hong Kong, the US and the UK taught English at the school, and held classes in public speaking, presentation and debating skills, and even singing, late last month.

School headmaster Cheng Shilin welcomed the volunteers, saying they're helping build confidence among the traumatized kids.

Guo Weiqing, a professor in Guangzhou's Sun Yat-sen University and one of the volunteers, says all the teachers were well educated. They offered a "cultural recipe" to the about 500 students, almost half of who were pulled out of debris of the school. About 300 students were not as lucky, and perished in the quake.

It's to them that There is Love, There is Hope dedicated.

(Source: China Daily)

Late mother's day blessing: quake-flattened Beichuan wails on anniversary

2009-05-11T13:56:00.000-07:00

BEICHUAN, Sichuan Province, May 11 (Xinhua) -- To say "happy mother's day" to mom has become a mission-impossible luxury for 45-year-old Hu Qian.

On last year's mother's day which fell on May 11, Hu's husband reminded her to call and say hello to her mother but Hu thought of visiting her mother the next day and did not say any blessing to her mom.

Her mom, killed by a massive earthquake that rocked southwestern China's Sichuan Province a year ago, could not hear Hu's voice any more. Hu even could not find her mother's house as it had been wiped out by quake-triggered landslides.

"Mom, happy mother's day," Hu murmured when she mourned at the ruins of Beichuan with her sister.

The two came to the ruins of the quake-flattened Beichuan County in the early hours Sunday to send a regretful mother's day blessing.

The local government reopened old Beichuan County on Sunday afternoon one year after the 8-magnitude quake that killed more than 69,000 Chinese people and leaving nearly 18,000 missing.

The ruins of the county have been reopened four times after the quake. The previous three were at times of 100 days after the quake, spring festival in January and the tomb-sweeping festival on April 4.

More than 80 percent of the building in Beichuan collapsed during the quake and only 4,000 out of more than 10,000 living in the county seat escaped death, according to the local authority.

More than half of the county was covered by landslides and was "unnecessary to be reconstructed", so local government decided to transform this part into a "quake ruin museum."

On the cloudy Sunday afternoon, endless vehicles lined up on the road to Beichuan. Former Beichuan residents, with identification cards in hand, waited silently to be checked at the entrance of the former county.

Sound of firecrackers, as a way of mourning the dead, and women's cry, mixed in the devastated county.

Hu and her sister knelt down in front of a pile of stones to mourn their 64-year-old mother.

Waste papers of firecrackers, paper money, apples, oranges and loquats, as well as chrysanthemum and lilies were scattered on dilapidated walls and stones.

Crowds of people swarmed into the newly built roads leading to the old county seat, which situated between mountains and required at least half an hour to reach.

Han Guangying spent more than six hours to arrive here from her home in a remote mountainous village, only to "say something to my son".

Fifty-six-year-old Han did not know Sunday was the mother's day. His son had worked in a barbershop in Beichuan. Han and his husband only knew of his son's death a week after the quake due to telecommunications failure.

Han had a tearful face every day after his 30-year-old son's death.

Finally came to the day when the old county was reopened. The family had to scrimp and save to pay the traffic bill of nearly 200 yuan (29.4 U.S. dollars).

"No matter how much money the travel cost, we will definitely come here because my son is here," Han said.

After her son died, the daughter-in-law remarried and took the six-month grandson together with her. Han and her husband still lived on their small cornfield in the deep mountain.

The village government gave them 5,000 yuan to strengthen their house. During the first three months after the quake, each of Han's family could gain 300 yuan in monthly subsidies.

Han's fellow villager Wang Tianfen cried again when she learned that Sunday was the mother's day. "I want to tell my daughter, 'we did not give you enough love. We are greatly indebted to you,'" said 36-year-old Wang.

Wang's daughter Deng Xingqiong had studied in the Beichuan Middle School and had an excellent school record.

After Deng's death, the government gave the family nearly 70,000 yuan and an insurance company settled the claims of more than 4,000 yuan against Deng's sudden death.

Such amount of money was large enough for a poor family like Wang who mainly live on raising pigs and growing corn.

Dang Jiangbo, a 27-year-old sculpture teacher with the Mianyang Fine Arts Academy, was stopped by security guards at the entrance of the old county because he did not have a Beichuan identity card, which means he was not a Beichuan resident.

Dang begged a security guard and said although he did not have relatives or friends in Beichuan, he only wanted to burn some josssticks for quake victims. The guard of the ruins finally allowed him in.

Dang's home in Mianyang, 60 kilometers away from Beichuan, was also in danger when the quake rocked the region. "I can deeply fell the ruthless earthquake and vulnerability of lives although my family members did not suffer much from the disaster."

Old people who were not able to squeeze through the crowd into the county ruins, only overlooked the old Beichuan at a terrace from which they could see their hometown in the distance.

They burned joss sticks and choked with sobs at the terrace.

The overcast sky was getting clear when we were about to leave. Several vendor's stands along crowded roads at the county entrance were selling special local products such as dried beancurd, corn wine, walnut and preserved ham as well as embroidery of the Qiang ethnic group.

Exhibition opens in PLA Navy's birthplace to mark anniversay

2009-05-10T14:25:00.001-07:00

Special
Report:China Marks 60th
Anniversary of Navy

TAIZHOU, Jiangsu, April 29 (Xinhua) -- An exhibition on the history of the
Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy opened in east China's Taizhou City
Wednesday, where the CPC-led force announced the establishment of its own naval
force on April 23, 1949.

Liu Xiaojiang, political commissar of the PLA Navy, and Jiangsu provincial
Communist Party of China chief Liang Baohua and Governor Luo Zhijun attended the
opening ceremony on Wednesday.

A large photo showing President Hu Jintao, general secretary of the
Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, state president and chairman
of the Central Military Commission, at an international fleet review at Qingdao
Port, Shandong Province, on April 23 is on display.

Over the past 60 years, the PLA Navy has fought more than 1,200battles,
sunk, damaged or captured over 400 enemy warships, and downed or damaged more
than 500 enemy planes, said Lu Jialing, hall curator.

The PLA Navy was based on a surrendered fleet of the Kuomintang (KMT)
warships in Taizhou 60 years ago.

Taizhou has named local schools and public sites after the PLA Navy, and in
2002, the PLA Navy named one of its missile destroyers after the city.

The venue of the exhibition is Taizhou's PLA Navy memorial hall, which was
built by the city government in 1996, with an investment of 11.5 million yuan
(1.7 million U.S. dollars).

5 killed in coal mine flooding in central China

2009-05-10T14:25:00.000-07:00

CHANGSHA, April 29 (Xinhua) -- Five miners were killed in a colliery
flooding in central China's Hunan Province, a local official said Wednesday.

A shaft of Pijing Coal Mine in Anhua County flooded at about 11a.m. Monday
when 10 miners were working underground, said Zou Xiongbin, deputy magistrate of
the county.

Four workers escaped, but six were trapped.

Rescuers had been removing water using eight pumps.

Xiang Fuquan was rescued Tuesday night after being trapped for 36 hours.
His was conscious and in a stable condition under medical observation.

Three bodies were recovered early Wednesday and the last two were found at
about 6 p.m..

An initial investigation showed that workers dug through a discarded shaft
by accident, where the water flooded in, said Zou.

Death toll rises to 17 in SW China landslide

2009-05-10T14:24:00.001-07:00

KUNMING, April 29 (Xinhua) -- The death toll from a landslide in southwest China's Yunnan Province rose to 17 Wednesday as two more bodies were recovered, local government sources said.

Rescuers are still searching for the five people believed missing more than three days after the disaster. The landslide occurred at 12:40 p.m. Sunday at Xiaoba Village, Weixin County of Zhaotong, after almost four days of torrential rain.

The excavation work was more risky due to more possible landslides, county officials said, adding they were still verifying the list of the missing as there were few survivors.

Tang Guoqian, head of the county publicity department, had earlier said there was little hope of finding the missing alive.

The victims and the missing people were coal mine managers and miners from Zhaotong, which administers Weixin, and from Sichuan Province and Chongqing Municipality.

The landslide destroyed two buildings of the Huajiaba Coal Mine at the site. Two injured people were in stable condition in hospital.

Local government officials said the landslide was the result of unsafe quarry production.

Another landslide occurred an hour earlier in Linfeng Township, Weixin County, killing four passers-by.

22 people recover in suspected food poisoning case in NW China

2009-05-10T14:24:00.000-07:00

LANZHOU, April 29 (Xinhua) -- Local health authorities said 22 people have been discharged from hospital by Wednesday after they recovered from suspected food poisoning in northwest China's Gansu Province.

A total of 94 people in four villages have developed
symptoms such as nausea, vomiting and diarrhea as of 11 a.m. Wednesday,
according to the health bureau of Yuzhong County, the worst-hit in the incident.

An initial investigation showed that most of the
patients, aged between 3 and 71, became ill after eating a local wheat snack
sold by a street vendor.

So far, 28 villagers are in hospital and 44 under
medical observation, said doctors with the Yuzhong County Hospital, which was
designated to treat most of the sick.

Lu Binzhong, who was receiving an intravenous drip in
the hospital, said he began to suffer from diarrhea Monday after eating
"niangpi" sold by a motorcycle vendor on the streets Sunday.

Other patients said they all ate niangpi from the
same peddler, who carried about 100 kg of the food in two boxes on the
motorcycle, and then felt sick.

The county's food safety supervision bureau began to
conduct tests on samples of niangpi early Wednesday morning and the result is
expected to be announced Friday.

The police were looking for the vendor.

Niangpi is popular in the northwest, including Gansu
and Qinghai provinces.

China public sector urban employees' average pay growth slows in Q1

2009-05-10T14:23:00.001-07:00

Special Report:Global Financial Crisis

BEIJING, April 29 (Xinhua) -- China reported a slowdown in the growth of
average wages for urban employees in the public sector to 13.4 percent
year-on-year growth in the first quarter, said the National Bureau of Statistics
on Wednesday.

The growth was 4.9 percentage points lower than the same period of last
year.

In the January-March period, urban employees' pay averaged 7,399 yuan
(about 1,057 U.S. dollars), 875 yuan more than the same period last year.

The average pay in the finance sector topped the list with 16,048 yuan. The
information technology sector came second with 13,972 yuan and scientific
research, technology service and geological survey sectors ranked third with
11,604 yuan.

The construction industry was at the bottom of the list with 5,109 yuan on
average.

Compared with the first quarter of 2008, pay growth in all sectors dropped.
For instance, the growth rate in the finance sector was 19.9 percent in the
first quarter of 2009, down 10.4 percentage points from a year earlier.

The NBS said urban employees in the statistics did not include workers in
private companies and self-employed businessmen. The average salaries were
calculated before taxes and included pension funds, medical insurance and legal
reserves of housing acquisition.

4 killed in road accident in E China, including 2 nationals of ROK

2009-05-10T14:23:00.000-07:00

FUQING, Fujian, April 29 (Xinhua) -- At least four
people, including two nationals of the Republic of Korea, were killed in a road
accident in Fujian Province Wednesday, the local publicity authority said.

A minibus collided with a passenger bus at about 9:15
a.m. at a section of the No. 305 road in Fuqing City.

Four passengers aboard the minibus, including two
Koreans, were killed at the scene and two other Koreans were injured, according
to the publicity department of the municipal government of Fuzhou, the
provincial capital.

The injured have been sent to hospital. No more
information was available so far.

The driver of the passenger bus has been detained by
police for questioning.

The local police, work safety supervision and health
authorities have set up a team to investigate into the
accident.