China Airport Hotels

China Airport Hotels

Airport Authority slashes fees to encourage new flights
Spurred by competition from Guangzhou, Bangkok and Singapore, the Hong Kong Airport Authority is offering a 50 per cent cut in landing fees to carriers starting flights to new destinations. Rebates begin on September 8 for the first year, for the second year, a 25 per cent discount will be offered. The Hong Kong International Airport has been facing ever increasing competition with Baiyun airport at Guangzhou opening next month and Bangkok's new international hub scheduled to start

Hangzhou invites Guangdong travelers
The Hangzhou government opened a promotion conference in Guangzhou yesterday (July 8th) to attract more Guangdong people to travel to Hangzhou. The conference promoted the 6th West Lake Exposition Hangzhou to be held from October 16th to November 16th at the West Lake, a famous scenic spot in China. There will be firework displays, a food festival and carnivals, a total of 40 activities. The first expo was held in 1929 in commemoration of the Northern Expedition during China's Civil War. In 2000

100,000 to sing a song at the same time
A Guinness Record is set to be created in September when 100,000 people will sing the same song simultaneously, organizers said. The song, titled "Liuyang River" based on a folk melody in central China's Hunan province, has been popular with generations of Chinese for past decades. The mass singing has been designated as a major event at the opening ceremony of the province's third tourism festival, to be held from Sept. 12 to 14, at Liuyang City, said to be where the song originat

Chinese people to travel in Europe from autumn
Cao Weili, a teacher from the Beijing Language Institute, is planning a trip to Europe in September to celebrate his fifth wedding anniversary. From Sept. 1, Chinese citizens will be allowed to travel to 32 European nations, which has made airlines, local hotels and department stores very busy in order to welcome the first Chinese tourist groups. "We believe China will be another crucial market after Japan and the Republic of Korea (ROK)," said Wolf Sjaeger from Bad Kissingen, who

Beijing Taxis Accept Credit Cards
Residents of Beijing can now pay their taxi fares with their credit cards. A special device that accepts these cards has been installed in 12,000 taxis in the capital. Customers will still have the option to pay in cash. Similar systems are being introduced to Beijing's bus and subway services.

Tour to World Cultural Heritage Relics to Open
With the successful applying for the World Cultural Heritage, many people propose to visit these sites in Liaoning Province. Therefore, travel agencies become busy now to open the touring line to the cultural relics places. It is learned from Shenyang's several travel agencies that since the successful applying for the world cultural heritage, they have received many calls asking about traveling to these places. Many people propose to visit the cultural relics. These are not many b

Biggest tobacco museum opens in Shanghai
The world's largest tobacco museum is to open in Shanghai, providing a look at the history of China's tobacco industry. Situated in Yangpu District, the five-story museum houses around 150,000 exhibits collected from tobacco companies and smokers on the Chinese mainland and abroad. Seven display halls cover tobacco farming, management of the industry, tobacco culture and smoking celebrities. A display on the tobacco industry includes wax figures of tobacco farmers and worker

Airport construction fees not paid independently
Airport construction fees will be included in airfares this year, and passengers needn't pay the fees independently, the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) confirmed. Different airport construction fees will be collected on the basis of different air routes and aircraft models, said an industry analyst with CAAC.
Including airport construction fees into the airfares is technologically difficult, but it can be completed within the year, the analyst added.

Airport construction fees not paid independently
Airport construction fees will be included in airfares this year, and passengers needn't pay the fees independently, the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) confirmed. Different airport construction fees will be collected on the basis of different air routes and aircraft models, said an industry analyst with CAAC.
Including airport construction fees into the airfares is technologically difficult, but it can be completed within the year, the analyst added.

Overseas Study Tour Lures Shenzhen Teenagers
It is estimated that more than 2,000 teenaged students in Shenzhen will go for various overseas study tours in this summer vacation. Overseas study tour, which mainly targets elementary and high school students, involves not only sightseeing, but also visits to foreign prestigious universities and interactive learning courses. Travel agencies and newspaper agencies in Shenzhen have launched various study tours for this summer vacation, many of which are bound for Britain, the Unite

Gov't Cautious with Fate of Best-known Outdoor Market
Beijing has postponed a public hearing planned for Thursday to decide the fate of Xiushui Market, the most famous outdoor garments marketplace in the city haunted by foreigners. Built in 1984 next to the area of foreign embassies to China, the market is actually a commercial street that receives 20,000 to 30,000 visitors a day and generates an annual turnover exceeding 100 million yuan or12 million US dollars. It has become one of the three best-known destinations for foreign touri

Elevated Rail to Link Guangzhou and Its Airport
An elevated railway is expected to start construction soon, linking the city's new Baiyun International Airport to Guangzhou's downtown, Guangdong provincial capital. Lu Guanglin, general manager of Guangzhou Metro Corporation, said the 30-kilometre railway would offer the city's new international airport crucial access to the railway traffic network in the Pearl River Delta which borders the Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions. It will take less than two hours for H

More Buses form Bao'an Airport to HongKong
The number of buses linking Shenzhen's Bao'an International Airport and Hong Kong has increased from 12 to 24 a day. "The increase caters for the peak number of people going through the airport since the summer holidays began," said an airport management company spokesperson surnamed Wen. Many travelers from other cities went directly to Hong Kong after getting off planes at the airport. "They just don't want to take the trouble to go into Shenzhen and then through the crowded chec

China's exit-entry numbers jump 30%
China's exit-entry numbers rose 30.78 percent from last year in the first half of 2004, hitting a record of 129 million, the Border Exit-Entry Administration of the Public Security Ministry said Thursday. More than 7.47 million people from 225 countries and regions entered China during the first six months of 2004. Japan and the Republic of Korea (ROK) represent the largest flow to the Chinese mainland with 19 percent and 16.7 percent respectively. Countries that also had a high pe

Festival in Dalian to feature sandbeach culture
Dalian, a port city and a tourism destination in northeast China's Liaoning province, will hold an international sandbeach cultural festival beginning Saturday, vicemayor Wang Chengmin said. The festival, which is expected to last one month, features a French cultural week, an Italian cultural week, sandbeach footballand volleyball matches and two sand sculpture contests, one for professionals and one for amateurs. The assistant mayor said that officials from the French and Italian

Extreme Weather Takes Toll Across Nation
Residents in most regions of China experienced dramatic weather conditions on Friday. Tropical storm Kompasu slammed into Hong Kong and Guangdong Province on Friday. Strong winds and heavy rainfall first struck the Shenzhen and Zhuhai special economic zones at the mouth of the Pearl River at about 3 pm on Friday. Continuous heavy rain hit Xi'an, the capital of northwest Shaanxi Province, from Wednesday night, bringing an end to high temperatures, but also bringing disaster.

Extreme Weather Takes Toll Across Nation
Residents in most regions of China experienced dramatic weather conditions on Friday. Tropical storm Kompasu slammed into Hong Kong and Guangdong Province on Friday. Strong winds and heavy rainfall first struck the Shenzhen and Zhuhai special economic zones at the mouth of the Pearl River at about 3 PM on Friday. Continuous heavy rain hit Xi'an, the capital of northwest Shaanxi Province, from Wednesday night, bringing an end to high temperatures, but also bringing disaster.

Taste the Beauty of Chongming Island
Well-known for vast green woods, fertile soil, whirling reeds and crossing rivers, Chongming Island is also a paradise for "belly-gods." Hairy crabs are among the island's numerous food products, yet the fresh water crustaceans have, by far, the best reputation. At the mouth of the Yangtze River, Chongming or the "Shangri-la of Shanghai" as it claims to be, has a pleasant climate, loamy land and sufficient water. It's an ideal environment for hairy crabs. Food is abun

Guangdong Hotels Being Reclassified
More than 300 hotels in Guangdong Province classified before 1999 are having reclassification in a nation-wide reclassification campaign, media reported last Saturday. A platinum five-star classification has been created for outstanding five-star hotels. To June, Guangdong had 1,121 star hotels including 34 five-stars, both topping the national figures. According to a new policy of the National Tourism Administration, once classification is approved, a hotel has the right to

Yi Ethnic Group Culture Gala in China
There's good news for Chinese traditional folk lovers. The International Firebrand Festival of the Liangshan Yi ethnic group is to start on August 4th in southwest China's Sichuan Province. This is the fourth year the traditional festival gets its international make over. This time it will focus on the fire culture of the Yi people. A beauty contest, folk song and clothing competitions will be held during the gala. The Yi minority is one of the many ethnic groups in s

DOT Eyes More Chinese Tourists with Beijing Office
The Department of Tourism (DOT) is set to mount an aggressive marketing campaign in China once it unveils its new office in the economic behemoth on July 21 in the hopes of grabbing a larger chunk of that country's outbound tourist market for the Philippines, in the face of stiff competition from more prominent Asian destinations like Thailand and Malaysia. Rising incomes in China, fueled by the communist state's stunning economic growth the past few years have made Chinese one of the lar

Tourists in World Carnival are Fewer than Expected
Two weeks since opening, Beijing World Carnival has received 275 thousand tourists. However, that number is less than what was expected. The lower than expected attendance figure is mostly to do with the rainy weather Beijing has been getting. Another four brand new game machines have passed examination and have now been set up for Carnival goers to try out. Previously, the Carnival had a number of power failures, which made upset for some customers. Organizers say th

Chinese cultural festival showcases "Beautiful China" to Kenyans
With the "Beautiful China" photo exhibition as a prelude, a Chinese cultural festival opened in Kenya's coastal city Mombasa Friday, which also features Chinese food, movies and traditional dances and songs. Chinese Ambassador to Kenya Guo Chongli said at the opening ceremony that "the week-long festival will demonstrate by various means perspectives of a most ancient and magnificent culture in the world," referring to the photographic exhibition, movie shows and a Chinese food festival.<

DOT eyes more Chinese tourists with Beijing office
The Department of Tourism (DOT) is set to mount an aggressive marketing campaign in China once it unveils its new office in the economic behemoth on July 21 in the hopes of grabbing a larger chunk of that country's outbound tourist market for the Philippines, in the face of stiff competition from more prominent Asian destinations like Thailand and Malaysia. Rising incomes in China, fueled by the communist state's stunning economic growth the past few years have made Chinese one of the lar

Prehistoric Village Restored
A prehistoric village has been restored at a Hongshan cultural site in Chifeng City of north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, enabling visitors to learn more about Chinese civilization at least 5,500 years ago. The village, covering more than six hectares of land in Hongshan Forest Park, comprises six old-style houses and a fish pond. The exhibit also includes dozens of sculptures of scenes from daily prehistoric life, including fishing, hunting and production of stone and chinaw

First Beijing World Food Festival Served Up
The first Beijing World Food Festival has opened at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. Over 600 restaurants are taking part in this first organized festival of its kind in Beijing. With its great culinary heritage, this is the first organized festival of its kind to be held in China, and over 600 restaurants are taking part. The festival will present national cuisines, cooking contests and even food forums. The event will last for forty days and straddle two sports eve

Renovation of 'Peking Man' Site to Start
Preservation work is to start at Zhoukoudian, the site of a major archaeological and anthropological find in the 1920's. Repairs will be carried out to the caves where the remains of Peking Man, an ancient ancestor of humans, were found. Some 2 million yuan, or US$240,000 is being spent to protect individual places from the elements. Experts say Beijing's hot-and-cold weather is the biggest risk to fossils. The long-anticipated blueprint of the Zhoukoudian World Relic

Starbucks Outlet in Beijing Airport
Starbucks, the best-known international coffee retailer from the United States, has signed an agreement with the Beijing Capital International Airport to open a new outlet on October 1st. The new outlet in the airport, covering 130 square meters, will be the first Starbucks shop in a Chinese mainland airport. Starbucks, which operates more than 7,600 coffee shops around the world, has opened more than 30 outlets in Beijing. Since it opened its first cafe on the Chinese mainl

Haikou to Build A Large Amusement Park
A Shanghai-based investment management corporation has reached a preliminary agreeement with Haikou Tourism Administration at the First Pan-Pearl River Delta (PPRD) Regional Economic and Trade Fair on holding Haikou Carnival 2005, which will cost 30 million yuan (US$3.6 million). For this, a large Disney-like amusement park will be built in Haikou, capital of southern China's Hainan Province.

ANA And Shanghai Airlines To Launch International-Domestic Alliance
ANA (All Nippon Airways) and Shanghai Airlines (SAL) have applied for government approval to begin a wide-ranging marketing alliance on September 1, ushering in the first domestic code-share flights between a Chinese and Japanese airline, as well as code-share flights between international gateways Subject to the go-ahead from the relevant authorities, from September 1 this year, Shanghai Airlines and ANA will jointly operate 21 flights per week between Shanghai (Pudong) and Tokyo (Narita

Mayors discuss tourism in Xinjiang
30 Mayors of world-famous tourist cities are gathering in west China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region to discuss the development of tourism in the 21st century, reported CRIENGLISH.com. An official of the China Tourism Association says that tourism has seen rapid development since China opened up to the world, and the urban tourism sector has greatly contributed to this. He added, however, that more work should be done to improve the urban environment to create favorable conditio

TAT and China's outbound operators pledge to improve arrivals
The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) yesterday signed pledges of co-operation with 24 of China's leading outbound tour operators in an attempt to stop a massive drop in arrivals. Key executives from major tour companies from Beijing. Guangzhou, Changsha, Kunming, Shanghai and Shenzhen were flown to Bangkok for the signing event which was staged to reverse a fall of 16.72 per cent for the first three months of 2004. Only 182,453 Chinese visited Thailand from January to March this

Airbus: China's Air Transport to up 5 Times by 2022
Airbus predicts that Chinese air transportation is to grow nearly five times its current volume by 2022. Airbus's Vice President of Customer Affairs Division, Adam Brown, made the prediction during a visit to China. Brown says airline traffic volume on the Chinese mainland will see a robust long-term growth. He predicted that passengers carried by airlines from the Chinese mainland would grow at an annual rate of more than 20 percent in both 2004 and 2005, respectively.
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Wuzhizhou Island, a Mecca for Lovers
A dazzling showcase of corals, the crystal-like blue water, white beaches and some green hills mix in for good measure. If you want to spend a really romantic holiday with your loved one, you cannot afford to miss one island in south China's Hainan Province -- Wuzhizhou Island. Wuzhizhou Island made a name for itself as the Valentine's Island with a beautiful legend: One day a young fisherman met a pretty girl on the island. They chatted with each other, gradually fell in love and decided

Carriers Engines Revved for Pact
The landmark Sino-US aviation market-liberalizing accord, which is to be officially sealed later this month in Beijing, will open immediately the cargo air transportation sector and major market players are gearing up to claim a piece of the market. "New China service is needed immediately because travel demand in this market is at record levels. The new agreement represents more liberalized air services between the two nations and will benefit travelers as well as cargo transporters in b

Baishan City to Be Titled 'Int'l Mineral Water City'
Baishan City will be granted the title of "China International Mineral Water City" in August. The International Foundation for the Protection of Drinking Water will grant Baishan City in northeast China's Jilin Province the title of "China International Mineral Water City" in August. The ceremony would be held during China's first festival of mineral water in Baishan, themed "Mineral water of Baishan, the source of health", from Aug. 18 to 20. Meanwhile, the festival would a

Guangzhou New Airport Logo Unveiled
The logo of the new Baiyun International Airport in Guangzhou, capital city of south China's Guangdong Province is released to public to greet the opening of the airport. The logo, selected from final five schemes, is simple in design but rich in meaning. The four blue arcs at the top of the logo symbolize bridges across ocean, rainbows in the sky, and flight lines to all directions, indicating the airport as a linkage connecting Guangzhou, Guangdong and the rest part of the world.

Passengers Get Full Refund for Flight Delay
94 passengers on a Shenzhen Airlines flight from Lanzhou to Shenzhen have been fully refunded for a 13-hour delay. The delay was caused by a mechanical malfunction. The plane was ready to take off at 12:20 pm July 17 from Lanzhou, the capital of Northwest China's Gansu Province, when the captain detected a fault in one of the engines. The crew immediately informed passengers of the problem and began serving lunch. At 2 pm, the 105 passengers went back to the airport lounge t

Number of Mainland Tourists to Macao Continues to Soar
China's Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) recorded 7.73 million visitor arrivals in the first half of the year, an increase of 52.6 percent on the same period last year, according to the latest figures released by the Macao Statistics and Census Bureau. The bureau attributed the strong increase mainly to the growing arrival number of individual mainland Chinese tourists visiting Macao, with an extended implementation of the mainland's facilitated individual travel (FIT) scheme on

Ancient Palace May Be Submerged
An ancient palace in a World Heritage site was at the risk of being submerged by an ambitious water diversion project, the Wuhan Morning Post reported. The 600-year-old Yuzhenggong Palace in the forests of Wudangshan Mountain in central China's Hubei Province, sits in the path of the South-North Water Diversion Project, a 136.5 billion yuan (US$16.5 billion) scheme to divert water from China's rainy south to its parched north. Hubei's cultural relics managers recently revealed the

Village of the Charmed
The growing popularity of so-called folk travel villages around Beijing's suburban districts has prompted the municipal government to establish 35 more this year. These villages aim to offer visitors a taste of authentic traditional customs, countryside sightseeing, animal gardens, fruit-picking opportunities and entertainment. The municipal government says it will invest 10 million yuan (US$1.2 million) to improve facilities and the environment of these villages. Last year,

Experts Muse over Museums
I Have A Dream. Martin Luther King, Jr. The fact is, in everybody's heart, there is often a dream of some sort big or small, spoken or secret, some to be realized, some others well... Chen Yu, 35, a local Beijinger and one of the youngest curators at the National Museum of China, has a dream. But his dream is of a different kind than the dreams most of us have. "I have heard about the wonderful permanent display of artifacts of ancient Greece at the Metropolitan Museum of Ar

Beijingers to Embrace Disney on Ice
People in the Chinese capital Beijing can take a break from the summer heat to enjoy a Disney ice road show from Tuesday to Saturday. The show commemorates the 100th birthday of Walt Disney, founder of the Walt Disney Company, who was born on December 5, 1901, in Chicago, the United States. The man who made Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck the most famous animated characters in the world died in 1966 aged 65. He is remembered as a pioneering animator. Over 60 stars from 12 Disne

Call for Toilets in Business Venues to Open to Public
Beijing has called for business venues to open their toilets to the general public, in an effort to help pedestrians caught short. The business venues mainly include hotels, restaurants, shopping centers and airports, as well as subway, gas, railway and bus stations. Moreover, the local authorities add that business venues which refuse to open their toilets will not be punished, explaining that it is voluntary. One reason for the move is that Beijing will reduce the number o

Ocean Park takes Disney challenge head on
With Hong Kong Disneyland due to open the end of 2005, Ocean Park is not sitting pretty. Chairman Mr Allan Zeman aims to market the attraction as a world-class theme park focusing on marine life. Three American designers who designed US Knott's Berry Farm, Universal Studio and Disneyland are now working on its expansion plan. A two-phase complete facelift over about six years is planned. It includes more sea animals and shows, a new kids' world, a through-mountain train called Funi

Boeing to buy $1.3b aircraft materials in China by 2010
Boeing has bought aircraft materials worth 500 million US dollars so far in China and plans to expand this purchase volume to 1.3 billion US dollars by 2010, the company's senior official announced recently. Alan Mulally, chief executive of Boeing Commercial Airplanes, considered the growth an outcome of the win-win cooperation between China and Boeing. According to Mulally, China would participate in the manufacturing of Boeing 7E7s, a fresh new commercial jetliner being promoted

Shanghai set for huge tourism gala
Preparations are well under way for a huge tourism gala expected to attract swarms of visitors from home and abroad. "We are sure to make the city the safest and most pleasant destination for tourists from around the world," said Yao Mingbao, director of the Shanghai Municipal Tourism Administrative Commission. "Every government organ involved is expected to make a contribution to the success of the event," he said. The three-week-long 15th Shanghai Tourism Festival will be

Outbound tourism market becomes spotlight of industry
In the first half of 2004, China's outbound tourism market maintained strong momentum and became the spotlight of the industry, according to a source from National Tourism Conference held Tuesday in Urumqi. China has become the biggest Asian nation in terms of outbound travelers, with the total number of outbound Chinese residents surpassing 13 million in the first half of the year. The increase of outbound tourists indicates China's rapid economic growth and peoples' desire to see

Investors consider island living
Chinese and international investors are looking at Hengqin Island as a place to develop resorts and an entertainment complex. The island is the largest off the coastal Chinese city of Zhuhai on the west bank of the Pearl River. Currently, it is linked to Macau's Cotai strip by the Lotus Bridge and to Zhuhai via Hengqin Bridge. Local Hong Kong newspaper reports said Hong Kong investors such as the Lui family are interested in developing the island. The Galaxy Waldo casino, which is

Chinese agencies get TAT¡¯s quality label
More than 20 mainland Chinese travel agencies received the approval of the Tourism Authority of Thailand¡¯s (TAT) to use its Quality Warranty Logo ¨C an endorsement of Thailand¡¯s high-quality tourism products. TAT see this development as a way of encouraging China¡¯s travel agencies to improve their offerings of Thai tourism products. ¡°Zero-fare tours¡± have been damaging Thailand¡¯s image so we are taking measures to change this,¡± said Satit Nillwongse, executive director of internatio

Singapore Airlines to launch direct services to Cape Town
Singapore Airlines is launching a weekly non-stop service to Cape Town, South Africa, starting from October 31 to cater to year-end holiday demand. The new service will take 12 hours on the flight out of Singapore and clock in at 11 hours and 40 minutes on its return journey. The airline is adding more flights to popular destinations in its Northern Winter schedule to cater to increased travel demand during the year-end holiday season. The airline's Northern Winter schedule

Yi Ethnic Group Culture Gala in China
There's good news for Chinese traditional folk lovers. The International Firebrand Festival of the Liangshan Yi ethnic group is to start on August 4th in southwest China's Sichuan province. This is the fourth year the traditional festival gets its international make over. This time it will focus on the fire culture of the Yi people. A beauty contest, folk song and clothing competitions will be held during the gala. The Yi minority is one of the many ethnic groups in s

N. China province reports record tourism
North China's Shanxi province, one of the country's major popular tourist destinations, registered a record high of 8.2 billion yuan (987 million US dollars) in tourism income during the first half of the year, up 142 percent from the same period in 2003, and 42 percent from the 2002 figure. The figure includes 26.43 million dollars of foreign exchange earned from overseas tourists, who numbered 95,000. Arrivals of domestic and overseas tourists during the six months amounted to 28

Mainland Warns Taiwan on Missing Tourists
Beijing hopes Taiwan will deal appropriately with the case of missing mainland tourists in the island and take action to crack down on organized human smuggling. The mainland blamed Taiwan's tourism policy towards mainlanders for the disappearance, said Xue Guifeng, a senior official from the China National Tourism Administration yesterday in Beijing. Taiwan media reported that the 17 mainland tourists arrived in Taiwan from Fujian Province after having passed through Thailand.

Red Tape Slashed for Foreigners Touring Tibet
Visitors from abroad may now enjoy unrestricted sightseeing in all 70 counties of southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region. More than 1.3 million foreign travelers toured Tibet from 1980 to 2003, with 51,000 visiting in 2003 alone. "We welcome more foreigners to travel in Tibet. No areas are off limits to them," said Wang, an official with the local tourism bureau. Overseas travelers must have confirmation letters issued by the Chinese government before they enter Tibet, in

Village of the Charmed
The growing popularity of so-called folk travel villages around Beijing's suburban districts has prompted the municipal government to establish 35 more this year. These villages aim to offer visitors a taste of authentic traditional customs, countryside sightseeing, animal gardens, fruit-picking opportunities and entertainment. The municipal government says it will invest 10 million yuan (US$1.2 million) to improve facilities and the environment of these villages. Last year,

Beijing Warns Taipei About Missing Tourists
Beijing hopes Taiwan will deal appropriately with the case of missing mainland tourists in the island and take action to crack down on organized human smuggling. The mainland blamed Taiwan's tourism policy towards mainlanders for the disappearance, said Xue Guifeng, a senior official from the China National Tourism Administration Thursday in Beijing. Taiwan media reported that the 17 mainland tourists arrived in Taiwan from Fujian Province after having passed through Thailand.
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Red Tape Slashed for Foreigners Touring Tibet
Overseas tourists have enjoyed unrestricted sightseeing in all the 70 counties of southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region. Altogether 1.34 million overseas sightseers have visited Tibet from 1980 to 2003, with 51,000 in last year alone, according to the official statistics. "We welcome more foreigners to travel in Tibet, and no special forbidden zone would be imposed for them," said Wang, an official of the local tourism bureau. Overseas tourists must have confirmation let

Philippines Opens Its Doors to Chinese Tourists
In a bid to capture its share of 20 million outbound tourists, the Philippine Department of Tourism (DOT) formally opened its doors to tourists from the Chinese mainland with the inauguration of the tourism office at the Philippine Embassy on Wednesday in Beijing. This was announced by Philippine Tourism Secretary Roberto Pagdanganan at the inauguration ceremony. He said that the move was made in preparation to serve the needs of a market that stands to become the largest source of

Air China Flight Hijacked
The jetliner, en route from Beijing to Changsha, landed safely Zhengzhou, central China's Henan Province, an official at that airport was quoted as saying. The man, aged about 30, walked toward the fore compartment and shouted he wanted to hijack the plane to the Republic of Korea. The man speaks a northeast China accent. The flight, CA1343, a Boeing 737-300, landed at around 10:00 am. A Zhengzhou airport official said the passengers had left the aircraft safely. The plane w

Xinjiang Seeks New Silk Road in Air
A tourism boom is reviving the faded splendor of the ancient Silk Road, said Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region tourism official Chi Chongqing in the capital city of Urumqi on Saturday. Some 275,400 visitors traveled to Xinjiang from abroad in 2002, and the region earned US$99.4 million. The figures stand in sharp contrast to those of 1978: a mere 88 visitors and earnings totaling US$46,000. Occupying one-sixth of China's land area, Xinjiang was once a vital connection between East a

Large Aquarium to Open to Visitors Soon
The largest aquarium on the Chinese mainland, which has cost 460 million yuan (US$55.4 million)to build, will be open to visitors in late August in the coastal city of Penglai, eastern Shandong Province. The four-story complex, covering about 50,000 square meters of lands, comprises halls decorate to look like a tropical forest and tanks that accommodate more than 1,000 dolphins, sea lions, turtles, seals, sharks and other marine life. The aquarium will also feature movie houses an

Diverse Hotel Games Feature Art of Peace
The five-star Nanhai Hotel by the sea near Shekou Port has prepared a package of summer holiday games for children and adults. Game number one is a course of Aikido from 6:30 pm-8:30 pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays and from 10:30 am-12:30 pm on Sundays for 60 yuan per person. Aikido tunes the essence of traditional Japanese martial arts and is popular in more than 80 countries. Apart from self-defense, it can help relax people of all ages. The second game is Boxercise. This is

China International Chorus Festival Opens
The 7th China International Chorus Festival made its debut in Wuxi City of east China's Jiangsu Province Monday, with a theme of "for future-peace and friendship." Fifty-nine domestic choral groups will be joined by eight overseas groups, including Poland, Israel, Japan and Indonesia, as well as 59 domestic for week-long contest and festival. Foreign troupes participating in the competitions have been invited to perform both their national song and a Chinese song. Besides formal co

Aviation Pact Benefits Carriers, Consumers
China and the United States signed a landmark pact on Saturday to expand air services between them. The agreement increases the number of weekly flights by nearly five fold over the next six years, from the current limit of 54 round trip flights to 249. Carriers will be permitted to fly to any city in the other country, with unlimited code-sharing between US and Chinese airlines. Previously US carriers were restricted to flying to five Chinese cities and the Chinese could arrive at

Dapeng Fortress: An Ancient Insight
About 55 kilometers from the city center in east Shenzhen's Longgang District is Dapeng Fortress, which has just been listed as one of the city's top eight scenic spots. Many people usually think of Shenzhen as having been a small and backward border town. But Dapeng Fortress contributed much more to Shenzhen's history than most people imagine. "Dapeng Fortress is a place where we took great efforts exploring its tourism potential. When we first saw it, we were really amazed at thi

Third Drilling in New Baiyun International Airport
The new Baiyun International Airport of Guangzhou, capital of south China's Guangdong Province successfully finished the third drilling yesterday morning, making full preparation for its up-coming operation. The one-hour drilling with 1400 "passengers" and 27 "flights" involved all equipment and establishment for an all-round examination of the related operating system. Unlike the first two, this drill, with fewer "passengers" and "flights," aimed to test the modification work and

Rapid Transit Wins Out over Metro
Shenyang, this capital city of Northeast China's Liaoning Province is planning to turn to a bus-rapid-transit (BRT) system after a costly proposed subway project has remained stalled for 10 years, leading government officials say. "There are many successful examples of BRT for us to follow. This is also the first step for Shenyang to become a modern international metropolis," Shenyang's Mayor Chen Zhenggao said at a rapid transit forum held last Tuesday. It was the second such meet

Passengers to Get TV Updates in City Cabs
The taxi authority will install digital TV screens in all cabs in the city, giving passengers information like digital maps and traffic situations once they are connected to a call center to be set up this year. Three hundred of the city's 42,000 taxis already have the screens. But so far they only display reminders to people not to forget their bags or to fasten the seatbelts. "Although these digital TVs are confined to low-end reminder services, they will be upgraded to pr

Cheaper to travel across EU
Shanghai residents will soon be able to buy cheap train tickets to travel across Europe. The prices range from about 100 US dollars to more than 1,000 dollars. The RailEurope Shanghai Agency has started promoting travel packages to the 13 EU member countries officially open to Chinese tourists. Locals can buy train tickets for 10 to 15 percent cheaper than those sold in Europe, while a further 30 percent discount would be available as long as tourists travel in groups. The p

Foreign tourists enjoy free trips in Tibet
Overseas tourists have enjoyed unrestricted sightseeing in all the 70 counties of southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region. Altogether 1.34 million overseas sightseers have visited Tibet from 1980 to 2003, with 51,000 in last year alone, according to the official statistics. "We welcome more foreigners to travel in Tibet, and no special forbidden zone would be imposed for them," said Wang, an official of the local tourism bureau. Overseas tourists must have confirmation let

Ford Plans New China Auto Plant
Ford Motor Co. plans to build a third factory in China, part of an expansion of its partnership with Changan Automobile Group, the U.S. automaker said Thursday.
A deal on the new facility, which was to be signed Thursday, would allow their joint venture Changan Ford to acquire land in the eastern city of Nanjing for the project, said Kenneth Hsu, Ford's China spokesman. Ford and Changan Automobile Group plan to expand investment in their 50:50 joint venture by up to US$1.5 billion over

China to Tout 'Red Tourism' in Anniversary Year
China, treading down the capitalist road, will launch a "red tourism" drive this year to mark the 70th anniversary of the Communist Red Army's epic Long March escape from pursuing Nationalist troops. Tourism authorities will designate 10 "tourism bases," 20 "red tourism cities" and 100 "red tourism classic scenic spots" as the core of the campaign, the Web site of the People's Daily said on Thursday. Nostalgic tourists will be able to choose from themes like "re-experience the Long

Wedding Firms Look to Japanese
Shanghai wedding service companies are looking to Japanese couples as a way to expand their business. According to the Shanghai Wedding Trade Association, it is currently seeking cooperation with its Japanese counterpart to promote the city as an ideal wedding location. Trustworthy local wedding agencies will provide package services, including flight booking, wedding planning, photography and banquet arrangements. "Traditional weddings are considered out-of-date in Japan, a

Protection of Relics to Get Stronger Legal Basis
Two new regulations will set a stronger legal basis to protect cultural relics in Beijing, as well as the historic capital itself. The two regulations discussed by municipal legislators yesterday are the Beijing Regulation for Historic City Protection and the Beijing Implementation Method of the Law for the Preservation of Cultural Relics. Votes on both are expected within a year by the Standing Committee of the Beijing Municipal People's Congress, the capital city's legislative bo

Foreigners Encouraged to Invest in West
China is setting the stage for more foreign investors to enter western and central China. The country hopes to see funds from abroad go into a number of newly expanded sectors, some of which used to be off limits to foreign investment. Mineral exploration, agricultural development and the service industry are government investment priorities. Such measures are included in an updated directory for foreign investors looking to enter western and central China. The directory, issued by

PLA Vet Makes One-Man Long March
Zhang Xikui arrived in Lhasa, the capital of the Tibet Autonomous Region, on Tuesday, but not by one of the usual routes. He left his hometown eight years ago, traveling 110,000 kilometers on foot and wearing out 92 pairs of shoes. Zhang, with his travel bag on his back and a red flag in his hands, ended his expedition to the high country on the square in front of Potala Palace in Lhasa. The characters on the flag read: "Keep in mind the Olympic Games, call for the reunification (o

Foreign Tourists Enjoy Unrestricted Sightseeing in Tibet
Overseas tourists have enjoyed unrestricted sightseeing in all the 70 counties of southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region. Altogether 1.34 million overseas sightseers have visited Tibet from 1980 to 2003, with 51,000 in last year alone, according to the official statistics. "We welcome more foreigners to travel in Tibet, and no special forbidden zone would be imposed for them," said Wang, an official of the local tourism bureau. Overseas tourists must have confirmation let

Travel Cost Rises in Shenzhen
The cost of tours from Shenzhen to popular scenic spots in China rose by 20 percent during the summer holidays. A tour to Jiuzhaigou in Sichuan Province cost 3,288 yuan (US$327), a rise of 500 yuan. The cost of a trip to Xinjiang had risen by about 1,000 yuan with price increases for airfares and hotel charges. Travel agencies said the number of travelers had increased by 20 to 30 percent during the holidays and students and teachers accounted 40 percent of the total. Inside

Anniversary of IVS Highlights Market Success in Macao
On this day last year, the implementation of the Chinese mainland's Individual Visit Scheme (IVS) on Hong Kong and Macao-bound tours came to help boost Macao's economy, which was just hit by the vile effect of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). Since then, over 1.8 million individual travel document holders from the Chinese mainland visited Macao. According to Macao's official market survey, tourists from the mainland are the most lavish spenders on travel and shopping in Macao, wh

Mainland Tourists Buoy HK Retail Profits
Waves of tourists from Chinese mainland would continue to boost earnings for Hong Kong retailers, but profit increases will not match last year's explosive growth, analysts said. One year ago, mainland began allowing residents of some cities in Guangdong Province, as well as Beijing and Shanghai, to visit Hong Kong as individuals instead of requiring them to join tour groups, giving Hong Kong's economy a badly needed boost. The travel scheme has since been extended to 32 cities, wi

China to Tout 'Red Tourism' in Anniversary Year
China, treading down the capitalist road, will launch a "red tourism" drive this year to mark the 70th anniversary of the Communist Red Army's epic Long March escape from pursuing Nationalist troops. Tourism authorities will designate 10 "tourism bases," 20 "red tourism cities" and 100 "red tourism classic scenic spots" as the core of the campaign, the Web site of the People's Daily said on last Thursday. Nostalgic tourists will be able to choose from themes like "re-experience the

Chinese Gymnasts to Warm-up in France
Top Chinese gymnasts have left for France to finish their final preparations for the upcoming Athens Olympics. The 18-member team, with nine male and nine female gymnasts, will set up their training camp in a small French town until Aug 10th. Six men's and six women's gymnasts will be selected after the French drill, who will then travel directly to Athens for the Olympics. China is a traditional powerhouse in gymnastics. And the team is eying at least two golds in the Athen

Japanese Experts to Probe Weapons Mishap
In response to China's solemn representations, the Japanese government will dispatch a team of experts to investigate the latest incident involving chemical weapons abandoned by invading Japanese troops during World War II. The team will travel to Dunhua, Jilin Province, where two schoolboys were injured when they found a canister containing a chemical agent, a Japanese embassy official said Wednesday in Beijing. She did not state when the team would arrive, but said that further action w

Chinese Gymnasts to Warm-up in France
Top Chinese gymnasts have left for France to finish their final preparations for the upcoming Athens Olympics. The 18-member team, with nine male and nine female gymnasts, will set up their training camp in a small French town until Aug 10th, reported CRIENGLISH.com. Six men's and six women's gymnasts will be selected after the French drill, who will then travel directly to Athens for the Olympics. China is a traditional powerhouse in gymnastics. And the team is eying at lea

Air China Opens New Route to Europe
The southwest branch office of Air China opened a new international air route Wednesday, linking Chengdu, capital of southwest China's Sichuan Province, and Paris of France via Beijing. With Airbus-340 planes in service, it is the first direct international airline connecting western China with Europe. The flights are available on every Wednesday and Sunday. The one-way tickets of the 13-hour single trip are priced ranging from 5,200 yuan (about US$626.5) to 6,400 yuan (about US$77

The Lost Horizon
To many people today, Shangri-La is simply the name of a hotel chain. But the mystical name also conjures an image of paradise for others enchanted by the prospect of stumbling across a magical land. It was British writer James Hilton's novel, The Lost Horizon that sparked a legend and brought fame to an unknown and almost untouched place called Shangri-La (or Sem-tsi-ni-da in Tibetan.) The novel describes in great detail the stunning scenery in the area, the azure sky, the

Hainan Airlines to Open New Branch
Hainan Airlines Co, China's fourth largest carrier, said yesterday it plans to establish an airline company with a registered capital of 771.58 billion yuan (US$92.96 million) in southwest China's Yunnan Province. The company will invest 2.93 million yuan (US$353,000) and provide three Fairchild Dornier planes valued at about 374.14 million yuan (US$45.08 million) to the new company, Shilin Airlines Co. Hainan Airlines' affiliate, Shanxi Airlines Co, will invest 47.07 million yuan

Shanghai Airlines Snaps up Carrier
Shanghai Airlines Co yesterday revealed it had agreed to take over China United Airlines at a cost of 70 million yuan (US$8.4 million). The move suggests the country's smaller carriers are trying to become more competitive through acquisitions. Shanghai Airlines, which is competing with the nation's third-biggest airline, China Eastern Airways, has 31 aircraft and reported a turnover of US$546 million and a profit of US$11.11 million last year. Shanghai Airlines is one of th

Shanghai Airlines Snaps up Carrier
Shanghai Airlines Co yesterday revealed it had agreed to take over China United Airlines at a cost of 70 million yuan (US$8.4 million). The move suggests the country's smaller carriers are trying to become more competitive through acquisitions. Shanghai Airlines, which is competing with the nation's third-biggest airline, China Eastern Airways, has 31 aircraft and reported a turnover of US$546 million and a profit of US$11.11 million last year. Shanghai Airlines is one of th

China to Issue New One Yuan Renminbi
The People's Bank of China, China's central bank, issued a new one yuan note Friday. The new bill's principle color is olive green, and measures 130 by 63 millimeters, roughly the size of the previous one yuan note. The front face is designed with a portrait of Mao Zedong, while the back features the scenery of West Lake in Hangzhou, capital city of east China's Zhejiang Province. The newly issued notes have six anti-counterfeiting features, including complicated designs and

The Lost Horizon
To many people today, Shangri-La is simply the name of a hotel chain. But the mystical name also conjures an image of paradise for others enchanted by the prospect of stumbling across a magical land. It was British writer James Hilton's novel, The Lost Horizon that sparked a legend and brought fame to an unknown and almost untouched place called Shangri-La (or Sem-tsi-ni-da in Tibetan.) The novel describes in great detail the stunning scenery in the area, the azure sky, the

Saddam's Day: Gardening, Reading, Eating Muffins
The intriguing glimpse of the former dictator's daily routine as he awaits trial on charges of war crimes and genocide was given to the Guardian yesterday by Iraq's human rights minister, Bakhtiar Amin, who visited Saddam in detention last Saturday. Amin, a longtime Iraqi human rights campaigner who had family members killed by the former regime, said he could not bring himself to speak to Saddam but observed that he was "in good health and being kept in good conditions." However,

IAC Buys Controlling eLong Stake
Chinese online travel service firm eLong has sold its controlling stakes to US counterpart IAC/InterActiveCorp and will be merged into the latter's Asia Pacific operations. The two companies said on Friday in Beijing that IAC Travel will invest US$60 million to buy 30 per cent of the stakes of eLong, one of the two biggest online travel service companies in China together with the NASDAQ-listed Ctrip.com International. IAC also has a warrant to boost its stakes to 51 per cent.
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Top al-Qaida Operative Caught in Pakistan
A top al-Qaida operative, one of the world's most wanted men with a multi-million-dollar price on his head, is resisting questioning by Pakistani interrogators seeking clues to the hiding place of Osama bin Laden, officials said on Friday. Investigators are scouring a computer and several disks seized when they captured Ahmed Khalfan Ghailani and 13 others after a 14-hour gunbattle with security forces at the weekend in the city of Gujarat, 175 kilometers southeast of Islamabad, intellige

Wuhan Planning to Build Seven Rail Lines by 2050
Wuhan, the most important industrial city on the middle reaches of the Yangtze River, will construct seven new rail lines for urban transport in the coming decades. The lines will consist of six subways and one light rail road with a total length of 28.87 km, of which the initial phase of the Huangpu-Zhongguan elevated highway, the city's first light rail that extends 10.234 km in Hankou District, has been finished and put into operation, said Liu Yuhua, board chairman of Wuhan City Track

Tibet Receives More Tourists in 1st Half
Local statistics showed that 505,000 tourists visited the Tibet Autonomous Region in southwest China in the first half of this year, 3.1 times more than the same period last year. Among the tourists, 470,000 were from elsewhere on the Chinese mainland while more than 37,000 were from overseas regions and countries. The tourists brought earnings of 433.34 million yuan (US$52.4 million) to the autonomous region, 2.8 times more than the same period of last year. Overseas tourists cont

Giving Help to Those Who Need It
The Ministry of Civil Affairs has urged aid stations across the nation to provide more effective assistance to the nation's needy as the first anniversary of the introduction of the Measures on Aid and Management of Urban Vagrants and Beggars was marked on August 1. "More effort is needed to make the aid reach the needy more quickly and efficiently," said Zhang Shifeng, vice-director of the Social Welfare and Social Affairs Department with the Ministry of Civil Affairs. A widely re

Ancient City Site Jeopardized by Sand
Heicheng, the largest and best-preserved ancient city site along the Silk Road that linked China with Central and Western Asia, is being devoured by flowing sand. Left photo dated May 28, 2004 shows a section of the eroded wall and a mosque in Heicheng. About 25 km to the southeast of Dalai Hubu Township in north China's Inner Mongolia, the archeological site is well known for its ten-meter-high city walls and a pagoda dating back to the Xixia Dynasty (1038-1227). Given that

Global Esperanto Gathering Concludes in Beijing
China's support for Esperanto was hailed over the weekend at the conclusion of a global gathering of proponents of the global language in Beijing. The 89th Universal Esperanto Conference wrapped up in the Chinese capital with the adoption of the Beijing Declaration, which urged governments across the globe to make the language a part of their educational curricula. Advocates and proponents of Esperanto have over the years popularized Esperanto by making numerous claims about the ed

Individual Travel Easier Throughout Hebei Province
North China's Hebei Province is to invest about 10 million yuan (US$1.2 million) to establish a service system to help tourists who drive by themselves to tourism destinations, according to the provincial government. The system will include establishing 734 signs along the side of main roads and highways in the province, giving out free maps to drivers at toll-stations and providing information about tourism spots and shopping on websites. The new move to promote tourism in the pro

New Baiyun Airport Officially Declared Open
A massive new international airport has been officially declared open for business by Yang Yuanyuan, director of the General Administration of Civil Aviation of China. The new Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport's operation license will begin on Thursday. Three operational rehearsals and an official examination by the authorities have been carried out in readiness for the opening. The existing airport will cease operation when the last flight lands before 12:00 pm tomorro

Locust Plague Strips Inner Mongolian Grasslands
Inner Mongolia is being hit hard by a locust plague that is stripping the areaa s grasslands. Legions of the ravenous insects have attacked some 10 million hectares across the regiona s plains -- 10 percent of the total grassland area in this north China autonomous region -- according to a report by China Central Television Station (CCTV). The locusts began to swarm at the end of July and they are now expanding their territory at a rate of 20,000 hectares every day. They are

Israeli Namma Women's Choir Holds Joint Concert in Beijing
People in Beijing enjoyed a wonderful joint concert last night with the Israeli Naama Women's Choir and the local Chinese Feng Chao Yang Choir. The two choirs thrilled the audience when singing the Chinese songs "Little Cabbage" and "My Country, My Mother" in Chinese and a classical Israeli folk song "Old Tune" in Hebrew together. The concert was held at the Chaoyang Cultural Center in east Beijing. The Namma Women's Choir also sang several folk songs from various parts of the worl

Xi'an Cleans up Coal Boilers in Urban Areas
Coal boilers are to be shifted out of urban areas in this tourist city to clean up the air in the Shaanxi Province capital. Residents and tourists should soon be able to enjoy clear blue skies and fresh air as the carbon monoxide and dust are sent packing with the boilers, says Yang Shu, an official with the city government. Boilers to be replaced It will take until the end of October to replace the remaining 1,074 boilers still in use with gas, oil and electric boilers and

Australian Travel Group Opens JV in Beijing
Flight Center Limited, the largest travel agency group in Australia, opened a joint venture in Beijing yesterday. It is the first international joint venture that the Australian company has opened. The joint venture, Flight Center Comfort Business Travel Service, was established with China Comfort Travel Co Ltd, the third-largest travel company in China. The joint venture, with a registered capital of 18.08 million yuan (US$2.2 million), is 50 per cent owned by the two compa

Volunteer Medical Team Heads for Tibet
The people living in the remote villages of the Tibetan highlands might be close to heaven in location, but their lives could not be further away. In fact it is the high altitudes and remoteness of the villages that put them in need of medical help. Polish doctor Leszek Ratuszniak is joining a team of nine volunteers, including five doctors, who are going to visit some of the poverty-stricken areas in southwest Chinaa s Tibet Autonomous Region to offer free medical care. The

Nanjing to Restore Its Ancient City Wall
Nanjing, in east China's Jiangsu Province, has unveiled plans to connect 12 sections of the Ming Dynasty city wall over the next three years. The project will cost over one and a half billion yuan, or around US$200 million. The wall was originally built more than 600 years ago in the early Ming Dynasty. It was more than 33 kilometers long and stood about 20 meters high. At that time, it was the largest capital city wall in the world, although only about 20 kilometers

Australian Travel Group Opens JV in Beijing
Flight Centre Limited, the largest travel agency group in Australia, opened a joint venture in Beijing yesterday. It is the first international joint venture that the Australian company has opened. The joint venture, Flight Centre Comfort Business Travel Service, was established with China Comfort Travel Co Ltd, the third-largest travel company in China. The joint venture, with a registered capital of 18.08 million yuan (US$2.2 million), is 50 per cent owned by the two compa

Macao Gets Green Light for RMB Services
Macao and mainland banking officials yesterday signed an agreement which will allow the special administrative region to launch renminbi business. The memorandum was signed in Macao yesterday by People's Bank of China Vice-Governor Li Ruogu and Macao Monetary Authority Chairman Teng Lin Seng. The nation's central bank has also pledged to provide all necessary services to Macao commercial banks approved to provide yuan-denominated services. The move is aimed to meet the need

Macao Gets Green Light for RMB Services
Macao and mainland banking officials Wednesday signed an agreement which will allow the special administrative region to launch renminbi business. The memorandum was signed in Macao Wednesday by People's Bank of China Vice-Governor Li Ruogu and Macao Monetary Authority Chairman Teng Lin Seng. The nation's central bank has also pledged to provide all necessary services to Macao commercial banks approved to provide yuan-denominated services. The move is aimed to meet the need

Roger Moore in China to Raise Funds for AIDS Orphans
UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador Sir Roger Moore will be making his first ever trip to China to attend the Asian Cup Final and a UNICEF fundraiser for AIDS orphans. Sir Roger and Lady Kristina will attend the Asian Football Confederation's 50th Anniversary Gala Evening at the Beijing Grand Hyatt Hotel. Table sales, an auction of football memorabilia and an innovative pledge campaign linked to the number of goals scored in the Asian Cup will raise funds for a UNICEF-assisted project that provide

Macao Gets Green Light for RMB Services
Macao and mainland banking officials yesterday signed an agreement which will allow the special administrative region to launch renminbi business. The memorandum was signed in Macao yesterday by People's Bank of China Vice-Governor Li Ruogu and Macao Monetary Authority Chairman Teng Lin Seng. The nation's central bank has also pledged to provide all necessary services to Macao commercial banks approved to provide yuan-denominated services. The move is aimed to meet the need

China to Build New Rail Links in Northwest
China will begin construction this year on a US$750 million project to expand its rail network in Central Asia. A feasibility study involving the State Development and Reform Commission, the Ministry of Railways and authorities from the Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region was completed at the end of July for the 300-kilometer Jinghe-Ili-Horgos rail line. The project, running through Kazakh and Mongolian ethnic minority prefectures in northwestern Xinjiang near the border with Kazakhs

Ancestor Worship Scheduled in Hunan
Central China's Hunan Province will hold a grand ceremony in October to worship Yandi, the legendary founder of the Chinese nation, reported Crienglish.com. The deceased emperor will be commemorated with songing, dancing and the lighting of a sacred fire at his mausoleum in the city of Zhuzhou. Kindling for the sacred fire will be sent to Zhuzhou from China's five most famous mountains. The event will be open to everyone and overseas Chinese are especially encouraged to atte

Yao Ming Awarded MVP in Olympic Warm-up
Chinese NBA star Yao Ming has been awarded the Most Valuable Player in the Diamond Ball Tournament in Belgrade though China finished fourth in the Athens Olympic warm-up. Yao Ming and Li Nan, Bayi Rockets' ace, scored a game high 17 points apiece for China but Argentina, China's group opponent at the Olympics, eventually pulled away to win the semi-final. China, coached by American Del Harris, committed surprising 36 turnovers in the 84-74 loss to Argentina. Liu Wei, who wil

South Coastal Industries Short of Migrant Labor
Shishi, a coastal city in Fujian Province, has a population of 300,000, some 200,000 of whom are migrant workers, the predominant source of labor for the citya s 5,000 companies. This year, however, the city has been hit by a severe shortage of workers. Scarcely one year ago it was a totally different picture, with numerous workers competing for one job opportunity. Now, to recruit enough workers, the personnel departments of many companies have promised to pay a bounty of 100 yuan (US$12

Airlines Deal with Delay Dilemma
It turned out to be a "black July" for some domestic airlines last month as they were inundated with cries for compensation over delayed flights. Some airlines even met with passengers who refused to leave their seats on the aircraft after their compensation demands were turned down. China Eastern Airlines was one of the hardest hit. Passengers show petitions demanding for compensation and refuse to get off a plane at Ningbo airport after their July 10 flight from Beijing wa

Macao Gets Green Light for RMB Services
The People's Bank of China (PBOC) Vice Governor Li Ruogu and Macao Monetary Authority (MMA) Chairman Teng Lin Seng signed a memorandum on Wednesday that will allow the special administrative region to launch renminbi business. The PBOC -- China's central bank -- has also pledged to provide all necessary services to Macao commercial banks approved to provide yuan-denominated services. The move is aimed to meet the need generated by increasing travel and business exchange between the

Jinxia A Hostoric Water Town
On the border between Jiangsu Province and Shanghai, stands the historic town of Jinxi - a place which awakens long-forgotten memories of how life was lived in the water towns on the lower reaches of the Yangtze River. Foreigners believe Jinxi is a paragon of Yangtze River water towns and that its beauty surpasses that of Suzhou. The late well-known writer Shen Congwen described it as "a dreaming damsel" while Feng Yingzi, quoting an ancient Chinese line, said it "looks as becoming as eve

Brand-new Guangzhou Airport Now Operational
The new Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport began operating yesterday as scheduled. China Southern's CZ3932 made the first take-off at 7 am, journeying to Haikou, capital of South China's Hainan Province. And an international flight with the tail number CZ328 from Los Angeles made the first stop at the new airport. The area's old airport ceased operations when the last flight to Zhanjiang, a city in the south of Guangdong Province, took off right on time at 10:50 pm on We

First Europe-funded Travel Agent in China to Open
The first Europe-funded travel agent in China is set to start operation next week. The company is owned by New Zealand's largest travel group, Gullivers Pacific. The first Europe-funded travel agent in China is set to start operation next week. The company is owned by New Zealand's largest travel group, Gullivers Pacific. The company's registered capital is as much as 46 million yuan or some US$5.5 million. Under agreements between China and the European Union, 29 Eur

Unicom Offers Dual-mode Option
China United Telecommunications Corporation (China Unicom), the country's second-largest mobile operator Thursday officially announced its dual-mode mobile phone service, which displays several differences from its rival China Mobile's service. "We are very confident about the new service as the dual-mode handset provides a new communications experience for both our CDMA and GSM subscribers," said Wang Jianzhou, president of China Unicom. Under the brand name of "World Wind," the d

China Not Primary Terrorism Target in Athens
The September 11 attacks in the United States led to increased awareness, alertness and caution concerning the threat of terrorism. The Greek government has spent 1.2 billion Euros (US$1.5 billion) to ensure security during the Olympic Games this summer. A large number of Chinese will be in Athens during the Olympics. In addition to the 633-member delegation and the Beijing Olympics visiting team, numerous journalists and tourists -- including 1,500 vacationers organized by travel agencie

Naxi Faithful Launch Culture Crusade
The miscellany is abundant. Bells, key rings and an assortment of other ornaments dangle by from walls or from ceiling hangers in the numerous small shops that line the narrow stone streets of the old town of Lijiang. Wood carvings, handbags, purses, scarves and clothes succeed in their purpose to attract the curious eyes of visitors touring the World Heritage site in southwest China's Yunnan Province. Among the ubiquitous bric-a-brac one distinctive design reigns throughout -- Dongba pic

Shen Che and His Affinity with World Folklore Culture
Ambassador for the UNESCO's "Mondialogo", initiator of Humanity Photo Award (HPA) and President of the China Folklore Photographic Association (CFPA), these impressive titles belong to none other but Mr. Shen Che, a true gentleman. As what his given name suggests (Che in Chinese means clear or limpid), Mr. Shen Che has a very clear appearance and a very clear mind. In his late fifties and a bit overweight, Mr. Shen is very healthy, robust and easy-going. Smiling seems to be in his nature.

Naxi Faithful Launch Culture Crusade
The miscellany is abundant. Bells, key rings and an assortment of other ornaments dangle by from walls or from ceiling hangers in the numerous small shops that line the narrow stone streets of the old town of Lijiang. Woodcarvings, handbags, purses, scarves and clothes succeed in their purpose to attract the curious eyes of visitors touring the World Heritage site in Southwest China's Yunnan Province. Among the ubiquitous bric-a-brac one distinctive design reigns throughout - Dongb

Helan Mountain to Rock at Music Festival
Chinese rock fans will be turning on, tuning in and wiping their perspiring brows with the back of their hand when a musical festival opens in the desert this weekend. A grand carnival of rock music -- dubbed the "Glorious Path of Chinese Rock & Roll" -opens today and continues over the weekend on the feral desert floor of Phoenix Valley at the foot of Helan Mountain, 30 kilometers from Yinchuan, capital of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region in Northwest China. The gig of all gigs is to

China Not Primary Terrorism Target in Athens
The September 11 attacks in the United States led to increased awareness, alertness and caution concerning the threat of terrorism. The Greek government has spent 1.2 billion Euros (US$1.5 billion) to ensure security during the Olympic Games this summer. A large number of Chinese will be in Athens during the Olympics. In addition to the 633-member delegation and the Beijing Olympics visiting team, numerous journalists and tourists -- including 1,500 vacationers organized by travel agencie

Unicom Offers Dual-mode Option
China United Telecommunications Corporation (China Unicom), the country's second-largest mobile operator Thursday officially announced its dual-mode mobile phone service, which displays several differences from its rival China Mobile's service. "We are very confident about the new service as the dual-mode handset provides a new communications experience for both our CDMA and GSM subscribers," said Wang Jianzhou, president of China Unicom. Under the brand name of "World Wind," the d

Terracotta warriors draw over 70 mln visitors in past 30 years (www.chinaview.cn 2004-07-28) The world famous terracotta warriors at the Qing Shi Huang Mausoleum have received more than 70 million visitors from both at home and overseas since they were discovered 30 years ago, according to an ongoing academic meeting. "The Museum of Terrocotta Warriors at Qin Shi Huang Mausoleum has received 50 million Chinese and overseas visitors since it was opened to visitors in 1979," said Tian Jing, director of research institute under the museum.

Air China opens new route linking SW China with Europe (www.chinaview.cn 2004-07-28) The southwest branch office of Air China opened a new international air route Wednesday, linking Chengdu, capital of southwest China's Sichuan province, and Paris of France via Beijing. With Airbus-340 planes in service, it is the first direct international airline connecting western China with Europe. The flights are available on every Wednesday and Sunday. The one-way tickets of the 13-hour single trip are priced ranging from 5,200 yuan (a

SriLankan heads for the Middle Kingdom (www.ttgtravelhub.net 2004-07-28) SriLankan Airlines will fly to China in November 2004 and a full-fledged ticket office is planned in Beijing. The thrice-weekly Colombo-Bangkok-Beijing service departs on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays, targeting leisure and business traffic to India, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Middle East and travellers to Europe.

Baiyun airport all set to open next week (www.ttgtravelhub.net 2004-07-28) First phase of the vast new Baiyun (White Cloud) airport US$1.8 billion airport opens on August 5. It has two full length 3.6 km runways and the terminal is designed to handle 27 million passengers annually. But as airport officials pledge blue skies for the opening, there are doubts among many in the travel industry and foreign airlines about baggage handling facilities. Some fear they will not work, a problem which crippled the opening of Che

Starwood to open W Hotels in Hong Kong and Shanghai (www.asiatraveltips.com 2004-07-28) Starwood's W Hotel is to make its debut in the People's Republic of China with a 383-room waterfront hotel in Hong Kong scheduled to open in early 2008. The company has also signed a letter of agreement to develop a W hotel in Shanghai. W is the world's fastest growing collection of world-class design hotels, having announced six new projects this year alone, including new hotels in Barcelona, Spain; Scottsdale, Arizona; Hoboken, New Jersey and the

Tourists swarm HK, Macao (www.peopledaily.com.cn 2004-07-28) Beijing has witnessed a sharp increase in passport applications in the past several months and the number of applicants heading for the Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions has surpassed applicants planning trips to foreign destinations, municipal entry-exit authorities say. In the past, people applying for permits to the two special administrative regions accounted for roughly two-thirds of those heading overseas. But be

New Visa Rules (www.china.org.cn 2004-07-28) The British Consulate General in Shanghai has adjusted the student visa application procedures to handle the growing number of applications in recent months. Effective from yesterday, the new policy requires students to book an appointment for submission of individual visa applications before they come to the visa section to get the results of their request. It is in accordance with the British Embassy's new policy starting this month.

Beijing's Toilet Plan Flushed with Complaints (www.china.org.cn 2004-07-28) Business owners and residents alike in Beijing are crying foul over a plan to demolish thousands of public toilets -- in favor of restaurants, shops and hotels offering their facilities for free. Last week, the city announced a plan to demolish four out of every 10 public toilets in the city as part of massive redevelopment work underway for the 2008 Olympic Games, which Beijing will host. By then, the number of public loos in the city will

Thailand, Singapore and China top Mastercard survey (www.ttg travelhub.net 2004-07-29) SINGAPORE, Thailand and China have emerged as the top Asia-Pacific destinations in MasterCard International's latest MasterIndex of Travel survey. The survey revealed Singapore and Thailand (both with 16 per cent of the respondent base) tied as the top regional destinations for personal travel, followed by China (13 per cent). The most frequently visited countries for business travel were China (23 per cent), Singapore (16 per cent) and Hong K

Potala Palace Gets Face-lift (www.crienglish.com 2004-07-29) The maintenance project of the Potala Palace, the most holy shrine in Tibet, is proceeding as planned with good quality restoration of the original style. A management official says in Lhasa that renovation of two sites has been approved and work on 10 other sites in the palace is in progress. The basement of the red hall, in the upper part of the palace, has turned out to be the most arduous task for the construction workers, archeologist

China to Upgrade Railway (www.crienglish.com 2004-07-29) China has decided to further speed up its railway trains and public tenders are on the way. The aim of the project is to raise the speed of trains on some trunk lines to 200 kilometers per hour. Companies from China, Japan, France and Canada will participate in the bidding and the contract value will reach to 10 billion yuan, or 1.2 billion US dollars. It's the sixth upgrade of China's railway system. The fifth upgrade was completed

Travel Cost Rises in Shenzhen (www.china.org.cn 2004-07-29) The cost of tours from Shenzhen to popular scenic spots in China rose by 20 percent during the summer holidays. A tour to Jiuzhaigou in Sichuan Province cost 3,288 yuan (US$327), a rise of 500 yuan. The cost of a trip to Xinjiang had risen by about 1,000 yuan with price increases for airfares and hotel charges. Travel agencies said the number of travelers had increased by 20 to 30 percent during the holidays and students and teachers account

Anniversary of IVS highlights market success in Macao (www.chinaview.cn 2004-07-29) On this day last year, the implementation of the Chinese mainland's Individual Visit Scheme (IVS) on Hong Kong and Macao-bound tours came to help boost Macao'seconomy, which was just hit by the vile effect of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). Since then, over 1.8 million individual travel document holders from the Chinese mainland visited Macao. According to Macao's official market survey, tourists from the mainland are the most lavish spen

Hainan Airlines to open new branch (www.chinaview.cn 2004-07-29) Hainan Airlines Co, China's fourth largest carrier, said yesterday it plans to establish an airline company with a registered capital of 771.58 billion yuan (US$92.96 million) in southwest China's Yunnan Province, reported China Daily. The company will invest 2.93 million yuan (US$353,000) and provide three Fairchild Dornier planes valued at about 374.14 million yuan (US$45.08 million) to the new company, Shilin Airlines Co. Hainan Airlines'

AsiaInfo Signs Business Intelligence Solution Contract With Air China (www.travelwirenews.com 2004-07-29) AsiaInfo Holdings, Inc., a leading provider of software, solutions and services to telecom operators and enterprises in China, today announced that it has signed a contract with Air China, a leading Chinese airline, to provide a Business Intelligence (BI) solution to its corporate offices in China. AsiaInfo will provide Air China with a comprehensive system to enhance the airline's monitoring of its business performance and to support its str

Mainland and IVS arrivals to Hong Kong surpass Half-Year target (www.asiatraveltips.com 2004-07-29) With the Individual Visit Scheme (IVS) in effect for exactly one year, the Executive Director of the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB), Clara Chong announced at a reception in Lo Wu today that Hong Kong had achieved several new records of visitor arrivals in the first six months of 2004. Both the individual and total number of visitors from Mainland China have surpassed the Board's half-yearly targets, leading total visitor arrivals from markets worldw

GD, GZ boost seamless tourism cooperation (www.newsgd.com 2004-07-30) Guangdong, Guizhou sign tourism cooperation agreement in Southwest China's Guizhou province in July 29th, in a bid to boost regional cooperation under Pan-PRD Regional Cooperation Frame Agreement (regional cooperative agreement between 9 provinces and 2 SARs of china). Guangdong and Guizhou, Shenzhen, Nanzhou and Bijie sign tourism cooperation agreement in the ceremony with the purpose of accelerate the development of tourism in both Guangdong and Gu

Australia looks to China, India for more tourists (www.straitstimes.asial.com.sg 2004-07-30) Australia's tourism industry has been urged to switch its emphasis to attracting travellers from emerging economic superpowers China and India if it wants to see sustainable growth. Tourism Australia chairman Tim Fischer, a former deputy prime minister and trade minister in Prime Minister John Howard's government, told a Queensland Tourism Industry Council seminar yesterday that both countries had huge untapped potential. 'Touri

Starwood, Air China partner up (www.ttgtravelhub.net 2004-07-30) Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide has announced a frequent traveller partnership with Air China. Members of Air China Companion can earn 800km for all qualifying stays at Starwood hotels around the world. Guests who are also members of Starwood's guest loyalty programme, can transfer points to their Air China account. Every transfer of 20,000 Starpoints will enjoy a bonus of 5,000km. As an introductory offer, Starwood is offering dou

2004 Bejing Tourism Expo Ends (www.crienglish.com 2004-07-30) The Beijing International Tourism Exposition (BITE) has just concluded. The Exposition attracted exhibitors and buyers from 50 countries and regions. Our reporter Liu Yudan spoke to the Deputy secretary-general of the organization committee Wang Qing and some exhibitors has the report. Supported by the Beijing Tourism Administration, the three-day event is the first of its kind in Beijing. This is the first time for Beijing to hold

More Tourists Flocking to Tibet (www.crienglish.com 2004-07-30) The Statistics Bureau of Tibet Autonomous Region says some 505,000 visitors travelled to the region, an increase of 3 times over the same period of last year. The bureau says domestic visitors mainly came from Beijing, Shanghai, Guangdong, Jiangsu and Sichuan. Foreign visitors mainly came from the U.S., Japan, Germany, France and Britain. The director of Tibet Tourism Administration says Tibet is attracting more visitors this year due to i

Capital Taste Goes Global (www.china.org.cn 2004-07-30) Open wide. Beijing is planning to build an international food street before the 2008 Olympic Games, according to Beijing News Daily. "It will serve as both a supporting facility for the Olympics and a tourist attraction," said Jiang Huabo, director of the executive committee of the ongoing second annual Beijing Western Food Festival. The festival will last through August 24. The plan to build a 50,000-square-meter international food street b

Beijing Gets Tough on Relics Protection (www.china.org.cn 2004-07-30) Films and TV series shot in ancient palaces and temples are becoming increasingly popular in China these days, and some commercial performances have used them as outdoor theatres. But Beijing's draft regulation on the implementation of the national law on the protection of cultural relics will make it more difficult for filmmakers to shoot at such sites. Mei Ninghua, director of the Beijing Municipal Administration of Cultural Heritage, explained on July

High-flying Southeast Asian budget carrier sets sights on China (www.channelnewsasia.com 2004-08-01) Southeast Asia's pioneer no-frills carrier AirAsia has set its sights on the lucrative Chinese market after opening talks with mainland aviation authorities about two new routes. The Malaysian-based company hopes the expected deal on the new destinations in China 's south will fuel strong interest in its upcoming share sale exercise, which is now likely to be held in October. AirAsia chief financial officer Raja Mohamad Azmi told AFP

Wuhan planning to build seven rail lines by 2050 (www.chinaview.cn 2004-07-31) Wuhan, the most important industrial city on the middle reaches of the Yangtze River, will construct seven new rail lines for urban transport in the coming decades. The lines will consist of six subways and one light rail road with a total length of 28.87 km, of which the initial phase of theHuangpu-Zhongguan elevated highway, the city's first light rail that extends 10.234 km in Hankou District, has been finished and put into operation, said Liu Y

Watch Television in A Taxi! (www.crienglish.com 2004-07-31) Taxi passengers in Beijing may soon be able to watch television, besides listening to the radio. Ten thousand cabs in the capital are expected to install televisions soon. Televisions on buses and subway trains are already quite common. 2,000 of Beijing's buses now have TVs, and the number will double by the end of the year.

IAC Buys Controlling eLong Stake (www.china.org.cn 2004-07-31) Chinese online travel service firm eLong has sold its controlling stakes to US counterpart IAC/InterActiveCorp and will be merged into the latter's Asia Pacific operations. The two companies said on Friday in Beijing that IAC Travel will invest US$60 million to buy 30 per cent of the stakes of eLong, one of the two biggest online travel service companies in China together with the NASDAQ-listed Ctrip.com International. IAC also has a warrant

Shandong launches Qingdao-Singapore service (www.ttgtravelhub.net 2004-08-02) Shandong Airlines has introduced twice-weekly services between Qingdao and Singapore, via Shenzhen. The flight departs Qingdao at 17.05 every Monday and Friday, and arrives in Singapore at 00.40 hours the following day. The Qingdao-bound flights depart Singapore every Tuesday and Saturday at 04.40 hours and arrive in Qingdao at 12.00 the same day. Shandong Airlines first flew to Singapore in late May, connecting the citystate to Jinan in

Hong Kong passes 10 million arrivals mark for the first time (www.ttgtravelhub.net 2004-08-02) Visitors to Hong Kong leapt 68.3 per cent in the first half of this year, passing the 10 million mark for the first time. Hong Kong Tourism Board figures showed 1.6 million arrivals in June. More than half the arrivals were from the mainland, up 75 per cent over last year. The Special Administrative Region is well on its way to hit the 20.5 million milestone. In addition to the tidal wave from China, there has been uplift in arrivals fro

New Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport to open this week (www.asiatraveltips.com 2004-08-02) The new and much anticipated Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport is slated to open this week. After four years of intense construction, the dazzling new Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport will soon be unveiled to the world. This new airport will instantly become one of China's three largest gateway airports, serving as a window to the world of Guangzhou's unrelenting modernization and future visage of air transportation in the booming

Nanjing to Restore Its Ancient City Wall (www.crienglish.com 2004-08-02) Nanjing, in east China's Jiangsu Province, has unveiled plans to connect 12 sections of the Ming Dynasty city wall over the next three years. The project will cost over one and a half billion yuan, or around 200 million US dollars. The wall was originally built more than 600 years ago in the early Ming Dynasty. It was more than 33 kilometers long and stood about 20 meters high. At that time, it was the largest capital city wa

Beijing Earmarks Big Bucks for Public Toilets (www.crienglish.com 2004-08-02) Beijing has announced plans to spend some 100 million yuan a year on the construction and maintenance of public toilets. The move aims to help pedestrians find toilets within 8 minutes on Beijing's streets. WCs in hutongs and one-storey housing blocks will receive special attention. The Chinese capital should have 4,700 public toilets by 2008.

China Southern Airlines names new GSA for Southeast US Cargo Representation (www.asiatraveltips.com 2004-08-02) China Southern Airlines has appointed Miami-based Global Air Cargo, Inc, as its new General Sales Agent (GSA). With more than 20 years experience in International freight sales, Global Air Cargo will be China Southern's professional general sales agent company in Texas, Florida, Louisiana, Arkansas, Tennessee, South Carolina and Alabama. Global Air Cargo will have a dedicated sales team to focus on China/USA cargo in major metropolitan

Ancient City Site Jeopardized by Sand (www.china.org.cn 2004-08-02) Heicheng, the largest and best-preserved ancient city site along the Silk Road that linked China with Central and Western Asia, is being devoured by flowing sand. About 25 km to the southeast of Dalai Hubu Township in north China's Inner Mongolia, the archeological site is well known for its ten-meter-high city walls and a pagoda dating back to the Xixia Dynasty (1038-1227). Given that the dynasty established by Dangxiang, a branch of the Qi

Large aquarium to open to visitors soon (www.chinaview.cn 2004-07-26) The largest aquarium on the Chinese mainland, which has cost 460 million yuan (55.4 million US dollars) to build, will be open to visitors in late August in the coastal city of Penglai, eastern Shandong Province. The four-story complex, covering about 50,000 square meters of lands, comprises halls decorate to look like a tropical forest and tanks that accommodate more than 1,000 dolphins, sea lions, turtles, seals, sharks and other marine life.

Cool response to extended FIT scheme for Chinese (www.ttgtravelhub.net 2004-07-26) Many Hong Kong travel professionals are scratching their heads over the apparent lack of interest among Chinese to take advantage of the newly-extended individual travel scheme, where they no longer have to travel with tour groups. When first introduced, the relaxed regulations spurred a tidal wave of visitors over the border from nearby cities. But when it was extended this month to nine mainland cities with a total population of 43 million pe

SRS-WORLDHOTELS targets 50 properties in China (www.travelweeklyeast.com 2004-07-26) SRS-WORLDHOTELS plans to have 50 hotels in China soon, spreading its wings into the secondary cities. ¡°We have 17 hotels in China now and have an ambitious plan to have 50 hotels within three years,¡± chief executive officer Michael Ball (pictured) said at the SRS-WORLDHOTELS Asia/Pacific conference in Beijing last month. The opportunities in the secondary cities ¨C like Hangzhou, Chengdu, Chongqing, Xiamen, Wuxi ¨C are huge, he said.

Star Cruise first foreign agency in Shanghai (www.travelweeklyeast.com 2004-07-26) Star Cruise has been granted approval to run Shanghai's first foreign sole proprietorship travel agency. A Star Cruise spokesman told TravelWeekly that the license had been approved by the Chinese government. The license enables Star Cruise to operate inbound and domestic tours in Shanghai. This is the first step, Star Cruise is the first foreign company granted the license of running inbound tours and domestic tours as a sole

SZ Metro ready for test run (www.newsgd.com 2004-07-26) Shenzhen Metro is expected to test-run two subway trains Aug. 1, the Shenzhen Evening News said Sunday (July 25th). Among the 20 Phase 1 Metro subway stations, 18 had been basically completed, the paper said. This indicated Phase I was proceeding on time for the scheduled launch at the end of the year. The Shenzhen Metro inauguration trip would start from Luohu station, the paper said. The building contractor for the station was schedul

Railways to Allow Private Investment (www.crienglish.com 2004-07-26) China will, for the first time, allow private investment in the country's rail network. The state will retain control of the biggest routes, but allow outside investment in branch lines. It will help finance its expansion and introduce greater competition and efficiency into the industry. Daily demand for railway cars has surged to 300,000, though the rail network can handle fewer than 100,000 rail cars a day. China needs 241

Easier Airport Fees Expected (www.china.org.cn 2004-07-26) The inclusion of airport construction fees in the price of fares would be introduced September 1, the Beijing News reported Sunday, quoting sources from China's aviation watchdog. The newspaper said the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) had drafted a circular saying the airlines would collect the fees and later hand the money over to the government. According to the circular, children under 12 years old will be exempted from airp

Civil Aviation Infrastructure to Expand (www.china.org.cn 2004-07-26) One new cargo and one passenger airline will be chosen over the next year to provide US-China flights as existing carriers increase their service levels. To deal with the growing number of flights, China is working to strengthen its civil aviation infrastructure. The growth of the domestic aviation industry and the increasing number of foreign airlines in the country are putting great pressure on existing airport facilities, said Yang Yuanyu

Wetland forest park to be built (www.newsgd.com 2004-07-27) The dispute over the fate of the 10,000-hectare Nansha wetland has been settled satisfactorily. The area, known as the Kidney of Guangzhou, is expected to be built this year to become one of the first wetland forest parks in China. But, based on a blueprint for the Nansha economic development zone drawn up in 2002, a petrochemical plant and an iron and steel works will be built near the 10,000-hectare park at the southern tip of Nansha.

Softly, softly suits Australia in China (www.travelweeklyeast.com 2004-07-27) Australia will not be rushed into accelerating its marketing in C