China Cities Tour

China Cities Tour

Inland becomes largest tourist source for Macao
The number of tourists from China's interior to Macao rocketed 72.9 percent year on year in January, making the inland area replace Hong Kong to be the largest tourist provider for the Special Administrative Region (SAR). The latest figures from the Statistics and Census Services show that Macao hosted a total of 987,200 tourists last month and those from the inland made up nearly half -- 47.4 percent -- of the total. Hong Kong has long been Macao's largest tourist market and in Ja

Booming exchanges between Anhui province, Taiwan
Trade and economic cooperation, as well as exchanges in the cultural, academic, scientific and technological fields, between east China's Anhui Province and Taiwan kept growing last year. In 2002 alone, Anhui province established 46 Taiwanese-funded enterprises, involving 124 million US dollars in contractual Taiwanese investment, up 140 percent from the previous year. The used investment from Taiwan was 31 million US dollars in 2002, a rise of 53 percent, according to statistics from the

Mainland tourism official calls for cross-Straits cooperation
Sun Gang, vice-chairman of the China National Tourism Administration (CNTA), has called for the tourism sectors across the Taiwan Straits to share the nation's tourism resources. The mainland had become the first choice of travel and investment for Taiwanese people and the promotion of tourism was the common wish of people and tourism operators across the Straits, said Sun. The number of Taiwanese visiting the mainland was rising every year, but mainland people had to wait in vain

Law on Rural Land Contracts Takes Effect
China's new law on rural land contracts, which for the first time grants farmers long-term, guaranteed rights to use their contracted land, took effect on Saturday. "The law has great significance for the protection of farmers' fundamental interests, the promotion of agricultural development and the maintenance of social stability in rural areas," said Li Peng, China's top legislator. The land is the basic productive material of farmers. Only a long-term and guaranteed right to use the land can

Swan Lake Surfaces in Qinghai-Tibet Plateau
Qinghai Lake, one of China's highest inland lakes, may be transformed into a "swan lake," thanks to local conservation efforts. "If the current environment can be maintained into the future, the lake is sure to become a paradise for whooper swans," said Li Laixing, an ornithologist at the Northwest Plateau Institute of Biology under the Chinese Academy of Sciences. "Birds tend to change their migration routes or destinations if they find attractive spots midway," said Li. Warm springs beneath ri

Chinese Tourists to Visit Maldives and Sri Lanka April
The first Chinese tourist group will leave for Maldives and Sri Lanka on April 2, after the two nations formally gained Authorized Destination Status on Sunday. Chinese tourists can fly with Malaysia Airlines, transfer via Kuala Lumpur to Maldives and then to Sri Lanka. Maldives, with 1,190 small coral islands, has been a popular place for world holiday makers. Sri Lanka is famous for its Buddhism culture, sea and islands. The first tourist group was organized by China Travel International Ltd (

Preserving Mongolian Heritage
Living in brick houses, using yurts as warehouses, raising horses in stables and singing karaoke songs, many of Genghis Khan's descendants in North China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region are changing their traditional lifestyles in the rapid modernization process. To preserve the cultural heritage of China's Mongolian ethnic group, museologists and anthropologists are helping to build a living "eco-museum in the autonomous region. They are now seeking help from international foundations. In th

Building Eco-museums to Preserve Heritage
Living in brick houses, using yurts as warehouses, raising horses in stables and singing karaoke songs, many of Genghis Khan's descendants in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region are changing their traditional lifestyles in the rapid modernization process. To preserve the cultural heritage of China's Mongolian ethnic group, museologists and anthropologists are helping to build a living "eco-museum" in the autonomous region. They are now seeking help from international foundations. In t

Traveling in West China
Ai Sihua and Alexander come from Marseilles, France. They now reside in Yunnan, a province in Southwest China. Alexander is opening a restaurant, and Ai Sihua is a freelance writer and press photographer for a magazine in the province. They are good friends and often travel together in their leisure time. In the past few years, they have traveled around Yunnan and many places outside the province, including the Xinjiang Uygur and Ningxia Hui Autonomous Regions. I have spoken with Ai Sihua much m

Temples in Mount Hengshan(II)
Huangting Taoist Temple It lies in the west part of Nanyue and neighbors White Horse Pool and is under Jixian Peak. Huangting Jing in Taoism is famous and Song Hui Emperor awarded the name. It was built in A.D.618 in Tang Dynasty, and was rebuilt by Ma Xisheng in Five Dynasties called Wei Pavilion with a statue of Madam. Wei Madam is named Wei Huacheng and lived in Rencheng of Shangdong Province. She was long for becoming an immortal. The fame of Huangting Taoist Temple is closely related to her

Sea Life Protection Center Planned in East China
Construction will begin soon on an information and protection center for endangered marine species such as Chinese white dolphins (Sousa Chinensis) on Huoshao Isle near Xiamen, a port city in east China's Fujian Province. The seawater around Huoshao Isle was of high quality and hosts a variety of endangered marine species. Moreover, marine transport around the isle was convenient, enabling the rapid rescue and treatment of injured animals, said an official from the Fishery Administration Section

Rich Geothermal Reserves Found in China's 2nd Largest Oilfield
Prospectors in the Shengli Oilfield, China's second largest oil producer, have discovered abundant geothermal reserves. The new geothermal reserve was discovered 1,400 meters below the surface in the Shanghe County oilfield, part of the Shengli Oilfield in east China's Shandong Province. A reserve of ground water measuring 70 meters and 58 degrees Celsius was discovered, and geologists estimate that the reserve will be able to supply 120 cubic meters of water per hour to a single well. Geotherma

Short message market needs strict rules
Sending short messages via mobile phones has been increasingly popular in China. But the practice has also triggered public concern following reports scores of people have been swamped by unwanted commercial, sexual, and even fraudulent messages. Some experts have called for further regulation of the text message market, along with increasing punishments for people found guilty of sending the "harmful" messages, the Beijing Morning Post reported. During the week-long Lunar new year

China: Handset kingdom in the making
China may strengthen its position as the world's largest mobile phone market this year, producing about one-third of the planet's total mobile phones, said a senior expert with the China Centre for Information Industry Development (CCID) under the Ministry of Information Industry (MII). "With the shifting production patterns of international industry giants and the rise in domestic phone manufacturers, the proportion of made-in-China mobile phones will grow from last year's 27 per cent to

Air China stewardesses help deliver baby aboard
Some Air China stewardesses recently found themselves with an unusual task -- helping a woman to deliver a baby girl mid-flight from Beijing to Milan. Around 4:00 p.m. on Feb. 9, Hu Lifen, a pregnant passenger from Fujian, told a stewardess that she experienced sudden pain though she was 11 days away from her due delivering date. The stewardess found a doctor on the plane. Checking the woman with his stethoscope, the doctor said the woman had normal conditions and she was giving bi

State funds ready to light up rural towns
The central government will invest 2 billion yuan (US$240 million) to help light up hundreds of rural townships with electricity this year. An unnamed official at the State Development Planning Commission (SDPC) said the power infrastructure investment scheme would provide electricity to 362 underdeveloped townships. The investment is part of a central government scheme launched last year. It aims to provide all of the country's rural townships with electricity by the end of

Japanese Group to open new chain stores in Guangdong
Japan-based Jusco Stores (Hong Kong) Co. Ltd. is to open its six and seventh chain stores in Zhongshan City and Foshan City of southern China's Guangdong Province this July and next year respectively. James K.Ishii, Director of Jusco Stores (Hong Kong) Co. Ltd. said recently at a press conference that with the existing 5 general merchandise stores in Guangdong Province, his company has already attended an established market share in the Chinese mainland. Soul M.T.Lam, south China b

Shanghai launches three-year tourism program
Shanghai has launched a three-year program to promote local tourism industry. The municipality is aiming to receive three million overseas visitors this year, bringing in 2.6 billion US dollars in foreign exchange. The city also aims to host 95 million domestic tourists, drawing 99.8 billion yuan (12.06 billion US dollars) in income. Shanghai plans to welcome more than four million overseas tourists, earning 3.3 billion US dollars in foreign exchange, and 100 million domestic touri

China's first travel JV opens in Shanghai
The official opening of the city's first corporate travel joint venture was announced on Feb.26. Formed by China International Travel Service Head Office (CITS) and American Express, CITS American Express Air Services Ltd is expected to expand its reach into the fast-growing Shanghai market. The city is an important market in the CITS-American Express expansion plan. It is the hub for around 300 of the Fortune 500 multinational firms in China. Inward and outward bound air travel ex

Chinese Leaders Join Panel Discussions of NPC Deputies
Chinese leaders Hu Jintao, Li Peng, Wu Bangguo and Wen Jiabao joined panel discussions of deputies to the ongoing First Session of the 10th National People's Congress (NPC), China's top legislature, in Beijing Thursday afternoon. After hearing opinions of deputies from southwest China's Guizhou Province, Hu, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, said cadres at all levels, especially leading officials, should keep pace with the times and display a pioneering s

Coastal Waters of China Cleaner in 2002
China's coastal waters became cleaner in general last year, but the sea pollution of some industrialized and densely-populated areas such as Shanghai and Zhejiang remained serious, according to a new environmental report released Thursday. The State Environment Protection Administration report on the quality of the coastal environment of China in 2002 found the ratio of class-one and class-two waters, which stand for good quality, reached 49.7 percent, a rise of 8.3 percentage points over that o

Chinese Add Germany to Tourists' 'Must See' List
When the first 215 Chinese tourists returned from Germany last week, they found their luggage 50 percent heavier than when they left. During the 10-day trip, the tourists not only visited famous cities such as Berlin, Munich and Heidelberg, but also spent over 10,000 euros each buying German leather, sports wear and other items. They had paid 10,000 yuan (US$1,250) on average for the trip. Wang Yanguang, an official with China International Travel Service, said he believed Chinese tourists had a

Firm Bids Big for Naming Right
With the bang of the auctioneer's hammer Wednesday afternoon at Longyang Station, Shanghai Sinhoo Real Estate Co Ltd won the right to name China's first maglev train for a price of 20.9 million yuan (US$2.53 million), edging out close rival Shanghai Dazhong Transportation (Group) Co Ltd by a mere 100,000 yuan (US$12,090). Shanghai Sinhoo Real Estate Co Ltd, a property development firm, is a subsidiary of Zhejiang Sinhoo Co Ltd, a listed company based in Hangzhou. As ruled, the winner will enjoy

NPC Deputies Push for New Satellite Launch Center
Building a satellite launch center in China's southern island of Hainan is "just a matter of time," given the huge commercial benefits it will deliver, lawmakers and space authorities said Wednesday in Beijing. Top legislators from Hainan are actively pushing forward the proposed project, that will slash the launch cost of a satellite and help the island prosper, Liu Qi, a deputy to the National People's Congress (NPC) told China Daily. "We have extensively studied the feasibility of such a proj

Chinese Add Germany to Tourists' 'Must See' List
When the first 215 Chinese tourists returned from Germany last week, they found their luggage 50 percent heavier than when they left. During the 10-day trip, the tourists not only visited famous cities such as Berlin, Munich and Heidelberg, but also spent over 10,000 euros each buying German leather, sports wear and other items. They had paid 10,000 yuan (US$1,250) on average for the trip. Wang Yanguang, an official with China International Travel Service, said he believed Chinese tourists had a

Coastal Waters Cleaner in 2002
China's coastal waters became cleaner in general last year, but the sea pollution of some industrialized and densely-populated areas such as Shanghai and Zhejiang remained serious, according to a new environmental report released Thursday.
The State En

Traveling in West China
Ai Sihua and Alexander come from Marseilles, France. They now reside in Yunnan, a province in Southwest China. Alexander is opening a restaurant, and Ai Sihua is a freelance writer and press photographer for a magazine in the province. They are good friends and often travel together in their leisure time. In the past few years, they have traveled around Yunnan and many places outside the province, including the Xinjiang Uygur and Ningxia Hui Autonomous Regions. I have spoken with Ai Sihua much m

Natural Charms Soothe City Stress
Sleeping bag, down jacket, snacks, medicines, toothbrush and tissues... I checked all these things one by one and then put them carefully into the brand-new 45-litre traveling bag. It was three o'clock in the afternoon of February 3 in Nanjing, the capital city of East China's Jiangsu Province. I set out from home, putting on my traveling jacket and carrying my traveling bag, to the railway station, heading to a small village - Guoliang Village in the suburbs of Xinxiang City, Central China's He

Family Violence Becomes Public Evil in China
Family violence occurs in about 30 percent of China's 270 million households and about 90 percent of the abusers are male, according to a survey reported by a recent edition of the China Consumer Journal. The results of another survey conducted in Zhejiang, Hunan and Gansu provinces indicate that about 12.1 percent of husbands kick their wives when they have disputes, 9.7 percent beat them with some kind of instrument and 5.8 percent force them to have sex, said the paper. In one example cited,

E. China City to Reduce Farmers
The coastal city of Xiamen in east China's Fujian Province plans to nearly halve the number of local farmers by the year 2010, as part of efforts to improve the living standards of local dwellers. The reduction in number from 650,000 to 350,000 will enable local farmers to make a per capita net income exceeding 10,000 yuan (US$1,219.5), more than double the 4,722 yuan (US$575.8) they made in 2002. Zheng Lizhong, secretary of the Xiamen City Committee of the Communist Party of China, said at a re

Song Dynasty Shipwreck to Emerge from Water
Last year over 4,000 precious cultural relics made of gold, silver, copper, iron and clay were salvaged from the Song Dynasty "Nanahai-1", a merchant shipwreck located in Yangjiang River waters in Guangdong Province. Based on available information from ex

China to further expand domestic demands: premier
Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji called for continuing to expand domestic demand and achieve a steady and rapid economic growth this year, when he delivered the Report on the Work of the Government at the opening of the First Session of the Tenth National People's Congress Wednesday. Maintaining the good momentum of economic growth is the basis for success in all fields of our work, the report says, adding, "Based on our overall analysis of the situation at home and abroad,we set the target for

China sees remarkable improvements in people's living standard: premier
China has succeeded in improving the people's standard of living and in establishing on the whole are latively affluent society over the past five years, said Premier Zhu Rongji Wednesday. Zhu said the remarks in the Report on the Work of the Government he delivered at the opening of the First Session of the10th National People's Congress. According to the report, the income of urban and rural residents grew continuously in the last five years. The per capita disposable inco

Premier makinga an inventory of Chinese economy
Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji has said that over the past five years, China's national economy has maintained good growth momentum, and important advances were made in the strategic restructuring of the economy. Zhu made this remark when he delivered the Report on the Work of the Government at the opening of the First Session of the Tenth National People's Congress Wednesday. The five years since the First Session of the Ninth National People's Congress have been an extraordinary peri

China to boost sandstorm control program
As spring draws closer and closer, people in the Chinese capital have started to wonder how many sandstorms they will experience in the coming season. To deal with the destructive weather, the Chinese government has spared no efforts over the last few years, the most noteworthy of which is the Beijing and Tianjin sandstorm source control program sponsored by the State Administration of Forestry. The administration recently decided to work out a series of policies to boost the progr

Golden Monkey population soars in NW China province
The golden monkey population in northwest China's Gansu Province has doubled since the mid-1980's, from 5,000 to the present 10,000. Ma Chongyu, a local wildlife protection official, attributed the growth to strengthened nature reserve construction, improved protection awareness and successful artificial breeding efforts. Currently, some 40 nature reserves with a combined land area of 8.5 million hectares, about 18 percent of the province's total land area, have been established.

Dinosaur-age tree fern discovered in central China
Chinese botanists have discovered large areas of alsophila spinulosa, a rare tree species that has survived since the era when dinosaurs dominated the earth, in central China's Henan Province. The wild alsophila trees, numbering nearly 30,000, were discovered in Miping township of Xixia county, located in the Funiu Mountain area in southwestern Henan province. Some of the trees are over 500 years old with a circumference so great that it requires seven people to join hands to encircle the

Ancient stoneware workshop found in S. China
A stoneware processing workshop has been discovered in Gexinqiao Site in Baise City of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. The workshop is, according to archeologists, the largest one from the New Stone Age. The 500-square meter workshop contained thousands of tools, raw materials and pieces of stoneware left by ancient man. "This place was inhabited by people in ancient time," said Xie Guangmao, director of the regional group of archeologists. Two ancient tombs, se

SW China province lists 260 projects for investment
The government of southwest China's Sichuan Province recently listed 260 projects to solicit investment exceeding over 7 billion US dollars. According to Xie Hong, vice-director of the provincial development planning commission, the projects are involved in Sichuan's pillar industries, including infrastructure, manufacturing, agriculture and services. There are 114 projects in six pillar industries of telecommunications, hydropower, mechanical metallurgy, medicine chemistry, bevera

Experts probe relics of nomadic ethnic group in Xinjiang
After three years of surveys and excavation, archeologists have completed unearthing an ancient site of nomadic people in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, the first research on relics of nomadic people in China, reported Sunday's Guangming Daily. According to Prof. Wang Jianxin, director of the archeology center in Northeast China University, more than 100 construction sites, some 200 burial sites and more than 1,000 cliff paintings were unearthed in a 3,000-year-old, 10-sq km area i

Beijing airport industrial zone thriving
The Beijing Tianzhu Airport Industrial Zone has absorbed nearly two billion US dollars in investment over the past decade, administrative sources of the zone announced recently. Li Yousheng, director of the zone's management committee, said 284 Chinese and foreign enterprises had entered the zone by the end of 2002. Sixty multinationals, including 20 of the world's top 500 multinational corporations, are among the enterprises which have set up branches in the zone. One kilom

Preparations for Xiamen-Taiwan export fair go smoothly
Preparations for the seventh Xiamen-Taiwan Export Commodity Fair from April 13 to 16 are going smoothly with applications rolling in from companies and dealers, according to the organizing committee in Xiamen, a port city of southeast China's Fujian Province. The fair would have about 1,200 exhibition stands, including 700 for machinery manufacturers, said Shen Danyang, head of the organizing committee, adding that applications had been received from around 1,000 enterprises from Japan, t

Thumb economy soars during Spring Festival messaging spree
Millions of Chinese kept their thumbs busy sending and receiving text greetings on their mobile phones during the Chinese New Year, sending a record 7 billion text messages during the week-long holiday period. The country's two mobile phone operators, China Mobile and China Unicom, cashed in 800 million yuan (97 million US dollars) during the Feb. 1-7 Spring Festival period. Short Message Service (SMS), also known as the "thumb economy," has seen a great surge in the world's most p

200,000 people to be relocated for water diversion project
More than 200,000 local residents will be relocated to make way for the construction of the "middle route" of China's massive south-north water diversion project. An investigation group is now verifying the number of would-be displaced people, who are mainly distributed along central China's Hubei and Henan provinces. The massive project, which began construction on Dec. 27, 2002, is to divert water from the Yangtze, China's longest river, to the country's drought-ridden north area

Chinese tourists bring vitality to German market
When the first 215 Chinese tourists in four groups returned from Germany last week, they found their luggage 50 percent heavier than when they left. In the 10-day trip, the tourists not only visited famous cities such as Berlin, Munich and Heidelberg, but also spent over 10,000 euros buying German leather, sports wear and other items. They had paid 10,000 yuan (1,250 US dollars) on average for the trip. Wang Yanguang, an official with China International Travel Service, believed Ch

Traveling in West China
Ai Sihua and Alexander come from Marseilles, France. They now reside in Yunnan, a province in Southwest China. Alexander is opening a restaurant, and Ai Sihua is a freelance writer and press photographer for a magazine in the province. They are good friends and often travel together in their leisure time. In the past few years, they have traveled around Yunnan and many places outside the province, including the Xinjiang Uygur and Ningxia Hui Autonomous Regions. I have spoken with Ai Sihua much m

Subways to Be Prolonged in South China City
A panel of experts in Shenzhen City of south China's Guangdong Province has approved a proposal to prolong two subways being constructed in order to reach two major industrial centers in the city. According to the proposal, the No. 1 subway will be extended from the Shenzhen Special Economic Zone with 15 stops to reach the airport in Bao'an, a major industrial district in Shenzhen. Half of the extended subway's 23 kilometers will be underground and the rest will be elevated above-ground. In the

US Sets Deadline for Iraq, Bush Kicks off Last Diplomatic Battle
US President Bush and his top officials prepared for a final diplomatic scramble, trying to garner support for a US-backed proposal that gives Saddam Hussein until March 17 to disarm or face war. Though Bush called battle with Iraq a "last resort," an increasingly solid impasse at the United Nations makes clear that chances for a peaceful settlement on Iraq are increasingly remote. The new deadline was offered lately by US, Britain and Spain for the UN Security Council to consider, but the measu

Protection, Exhibition Center Planned for World Heritage Mountain
Wuyishan city in east China's Fujian Province is planning to invest 215 million yuan (US$26 million) in building a research and exhibition center to help protect and showcase the world heritage Wuyishan Mountain. Wuyishan, listed as the World Cultural and Natural Heritage site, attracts millions of tourists every year with its beautiful scenery and cultural relics. Local officials said the further potential of Wuyishan, which was listed as one of China's top 10 most popular mountains early this

Three Gorges Truly Gorgeous
Despite making several visits to the Three Gorges on boats along the Yangtze River, I have never felt that I had really discovered the essence of the fantastic scenery until I trekked it recently. The Three Gorges, or Sanxia in Chinese, was named after the Qutang, Wuxia and Xiling gorges. It stretches 192 kilometers - from Baidicheng (White Emperor City) in Chongqing in the west to Yichang in Hubei Province in the east. It has been a source of inspiration for poets and artists and one of the hot

Three Gorges Truly Gorgeous
Despite making several visits to the Three Gorges on boats along the Yangtze River, I have never felt that I had really discovered the essence of the fantastic scenery until I trekked it recently. The Three Gorges, or Sanxia in Chinese, was named after the Qutang, Wuxia and Xiling gorges. It stretches 192 kilometers -- from Baidicheng (White Emperor City) in Chongqing in the west to Yichang in Hubei Province in the east. It has been a source of inspiration for poets and artists and one of the ho

Stem Cell Donors Sought in NE China Province
Healthy citizens aged 18 to 45 in Changchun, capital of northeast China's Jilin Province, are being sought to become hematopoietic stem cell donors. Donor recruitment and testing, which involves would-be donors to fill out some forms and have seven milliliters of blood drawn, has begun at a recently-launched HLA (human leukocyte antigen) coordination lab under the Jilin Branch of China Databank of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Donators, or China Bone Marrow Bank. Jilin started preparatory work for the

Floral Exhibition in Suzhou
Two visitors take a picture during the Huqiu Floral Exhibition held in Suzhou, a city of east China's Jiangsu Province, March 8, 2003. Some 260,000 pots of about 200 varieties of flowers are on display in the three-month exhibition which opened on Saturday. A creation decorated with colorful flowers is exhibited at the Huqiu Floral Exhibition held in Suzhou, a city of east China's Jiangsu Province, March 8, 2003. Some 260,000 pots of about 200 varieties of flowers are on display in the three-mon

Writing a New Chapter in Copyright Trading
Ma Liang doesn't have a magic wand like Harry Potter. But the young hero in Chinese legend possesses a magic brush that makes everything and every living being come alive. Ma uses his brush to help the poor only. When a local despot asks him to paint a crock of gold, he refuses. He later complies with the despot's order, only to paint a golden mountain in the sea and send the despot and other greedy people in a fancy ship on a stormy voyage. Ma Liang and his magic brush have fascinated generatio

Bomber: I Wanted to Be Famous
The young man suspected of the dining hall bombings at two prestigious Chinese universities last month has told police that he carried out the attacks to achieve fame. Huang Minxiang is suspected of having placed the bombs which injured nine people in cafeterias at Peking and Tsinghua universities on February 25. "The reason for choosing these two universities was that they are renowned institutions. I'd be famous if I could make explosions there," Huang told Beijing police on Saturday. Accordin

Farmers Open Exhibition of Royal Treasures
Five farmers from western China cut the ribbon for the opening of an exhibition of ancient bronze ware from the imperial past on Sunday evening in Beijing. The show, Auspicious Bronze ware in the Prosperous Era, is the debut of the inscribed bronze pieces, which provide new clues that might' revise the conclusions of the massive archaeological investigation into the Xia, Shang and Zhou Dynasties (2070-256 BC). In late January, 27 bronze pieces -- now lauded as national treasures -- were unearthe

Blast Kills Five, Injures 23 in South China
An explosion Monday afternoon at a chemical plant in Nanhai City, south China's Guangdong Province, has killed five people and injured 23 others. Twenty-two of the injured are now in good condition, while one is still being treated at the hospital, according to local sources. The explosion, which took place at 5:20 p.m. Monday at the Nanchuan Chemical Plant of Danzao Town, Nanhai, left a pit some 60meters in diameter and about four meters in depth. The blast was heard as far away as two km, loca

Tourism to Revive Zhuhai's Economy
Zhuhai can expect an economic boom with the increasingly popular trend of people spending vacations in the Pearl River Delta region, city planning experts predict. The time that people take away from work indicates the wealth of a nation, according to Li Yiping, professor from University of Hong Kong. More and more Chinese are now having vacations with the fast growing Chinese economy. Sightseeing packages organized by travel agencies have been dominating the domestic tourism market for the past

China's Buddha tooth relic bids farewell to Thailand
China's Buddha tooth relic bid farewell to Thailand and left for Beijing on Mar.1. The holy tooth relic, enshrined in a sacred miniature pagoda and protected by bulletproof glass, was carried by a highly-decorated flatbed truck to Thailand's Royal Airforce Airport at Bangkok early on Mar.1. Escorted by four Chinese monks and several Thai officials, the relic received pious worship all along the 70-kilometer-long way to the airport. "I got up at four o'clock to have a last lo

China's Buddha tooth relic back home after display in Thailand
China's Buddha tooth relic was back home on Mar.1 after having been worshipped in Thailand for 76 days by about five million devotees from southeastern Asian counties. The tooth, enshrined in a golden miniature pagoda and sealed by bulletproof glass, was flown to Beijing in a Royal Thai Air Force plane. Officials with the State Administration of Religious Affairs and about 500 devout followers attended the welcome ceremony held at the airport. During the ceremony, Uraiwan Th

China's Buddha tooth relic back home after display in Thailand
China's Buddha tooth relic was back home on Mar.1 after having been worshipped in Thailand for 76 days by about five million devotees from southeastern Asian counties. The tooth, enshrined in a golden miniature pagoda and sealed by bulletproof glass, was flown to Beijing in a Royal Thai Air Force plane. Officials with the State Administration of Religious Affairs and about 500 devout followers attended the welcome ceremony held at the airport. During the ceremony, Uraiwan Th

Chinese city designates May as Republic of Korea Month
Shenyang, an industrial city in northwest China, has designated May as Republic of Korea (ROK) Month as of this year, local officials said. The move is aimed to facilitate exchanges and cooperation between Shenyang, capital of Liaoning province, and the ROK, they said recently. Shenyang is scheduled to launch a series of cultural, business and trade activities during the month. The city of nearly 7 million people staged a ROK Week last July, during which 124 deals were seale

China-ASEAN commodity fair to be held in 2005
The China-ASEAN (Association of South-East Asian Nations) commodity fair is to be held in 2005 and will be an annual event, which has been approved by China's Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation in principle. The fair would be held in Kunming, capital of southwest China's Yunnan Province, which borders ASEAN member countries, the provincial foreign trade department said recently. The date of the fair will be fixed at June 6-10 each year. Trade between China an

China's phone users reach 430 million
The number of phone users in the Chinese mainland reached 430 million at the end of last month, China's Ministry of Information Industry (MII) said recently. By the end of January, fixed phone users had reached 218 million and mobile phone subscribers had reached 212 million, respective increases of 3.58 and 5.82 million compared with figures at the end of last year, according to MII. The number of short messages sent via cell phone in January 2003 in China reached 8.193 billion, c

China Eastern joins air travel plan
China Eastern Airlines, one of the country's three major carriers, has joined the Universal Air Travel Plan (UATP) to give its passengers easy payment options and other air services. China Eastern is the first airline in the Chinese mainland to accept payment by UATP cards, which allow customers to pay for air services such as overweight luggage, telephone calls in the air, duty-free commodity purchasing and railway tickets in the United States. Established in 1936, UATP is a globa

Coastal city sets high targets for tourism industry
The coastal city of Dalian, in northeast China's Liaoning province, aims to receive 550,000 tourists from overseas this year, bringing in 363 million US dollars in foreign exchange. The city aims to register more than 16 billion yuan (1.93 billion US dollars) in total tourism income, including that brought by domestic tourists, this year. The total tourism income is expected to be 18.5 percent more than that for 2002 and account for about 10 percent of Dalian's annual GDP. T

Switzerland stages tourism attraction in E. China Province
The colorful alpine scenery and traditions of Switzerland are expected to draw increasing numbers of Chinese tourists, especially from the eastern province of Zhejiang. The country endeavored to explore the Chinese market by holding the Switzerland Travel Experience in Hangzhou, capital of Zhejiang,on Mar.4. The activity, organized by the Swiss Federal Bureau of Tourism, aims to showcase Switzerland's tourism attractions, according to Hans Roth, Consulate General of Switzerland in

E. China province shortens customs clearance procedures
Imported goods can now clear customs within an hour of arriving at three airports in east China's Shandong province. In the past, import companies could apply for clearance only after cargoes arrived at airports, usually in the afternoon, and remove their goods the next day. But Qingdao, Yantai and Jinan international airports have instituted new customs clearance procedures allowing the related companies to apply to customs while their cargoes are still in the air. After es

HK tourism circle supports government measure to strengthen tourism
The Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) expressed support for the proposal announced on Mar.5 by Financial Secretary Antony Leung in his annual budget report that tourism is one of HK's pillar industries. Speaking to the Legislative Council, Leung said the government would continue to improve facilities and work together with the business sector in promoting tourism competitiveness' (HKTB) Chairman Selina Chow said the measures outlined in the budget were of utmost importance to the lon

HK continues to promote tourism industry
The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) government will continue to promote tourism and the tourist attractions are coming on stream, Financial Secretary Antony Leung said in his 2003-2004 budget report on Mar.5. Antony Leung said tourism has been one of the fastest growing services of HK's economy in the past few years and the Hong Kong Tourism Board is forecasting a growth rate in excess of 8 percent this year. He said the government will work together with the business

Beijing in largest bid to protect unique courtyard houses
Beijing has launched a massive project to preserve its typical old-style houses that cover an area of more than two million square meters, a senior city official said recently. It is the Chinese capital's largest protection effort in this regard, according to the official. Siheyuan, or houses built on four sides of courtyards, were the most common residences for Beijing people in the past, but they are in danger of vanishing as modern buildings expand rapidly and require more space

Mongolian yurta on north China prairie becoming hot tourist attraction
The yurt dwellings of nomadic Mongolians on the grand prairie of north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region are attracting more tourists from China and abroad, according to sources with the regional tourism department. Almost all the yurta in Hexigten Banner (county), which is regarded as a miniature Inner Mongolia, were visited by tourists during the past year, said Zhaori Ghetu, a local official. To visit the tent like yurta and experience the life of nomadic Mongolians is th

Lasting glamour of ancient Silk Road kingdom
The site of the ancient Loulan Kingdom, now a legendary for its splendor, has enthralled the world since its discovery at the beginning of the 20th century until the present. The/ heyday of Loulan city, capital of the kingdom also known as Kroraina, has been heralded by scholars as the "dawn of civilization in the Middle Ages". Located at the eastern fringe of the vast, desolate Taklimakan Desert in southern Xinjiang Uigur Autonomous Region, in northwest China, it was one of the 36

Mural paintings discovered at robbed ancient tomb
Chinese archaeologists have discovered large quantities of mural paintings at an ancient Loulan tomb along the famous Silk Road that local media earlier in the month reported as having been robbed. A team of Chinese archaeologists are carrying out field excavations at the historic site of Loulan, located at the eastern fringe of the vast, desolate Taklimakan Desert in southern Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, northwest China. One of their purposes is to investigate the robbed tomb.

Archeologists begin survey of historic Silk Road site
An archeological team left on Feb.20 for the historic site of the Kroraina (Loulan) Kingdom on the Silk Road in west China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. The archeologists will make a field inspection of tombs in a circumference of 50 kilometers around the ruined ancient city of Loulan, which was the capital of Kroraina, according to Zhang Yuzhong, head of the team and also vice president of the Xinjiang Research Institute of Cultural Heritage and Archeology. They will also in

Improving the social status of Tibetan women
The social status of Tibetan women has greatly improved since the peaceful liberation of the region over 50 years ago, according to the statistics released on Mar.8 by the government of Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR). Over the past five decades, the government has made painstaking efforts to upgrade women's living conditions and safeguard their political, economic and cultural rights, said government officials. Statistics show that eight percent of all the leaders of the TAR governm

China enhances protection of rare black-necked cranes
China has established a state-level nature reserve for black-necked cranes in the southwestern Yunnan Province, a move demonstrating its commitment to save the rare bird species from extinction. Covering a total area of 19,200 hectares and located in Zhaotong City, the Dashanbao Nature Reserve accommodates more than1,000 black-necked cranes. Most areas of the reserve are 3,000 meters above sea level. The Qinghai-Tibet Plateau is the major breeding base of black-necked cranes, which

Endangered bird reappears in southern China
The black-faced spoonbill, a kind of migratory bird on the brink of extinction worldwide, has reappeared in Hainan Province in southern China after an absence of more than two decades. Zhang Guogang, a postdoctoral student at the Chinese Academy of Forestry Science, said he and his colleagues had spotted black-faced spoonbills twice during an investigation of the bird's habitat on the island. "We had traveled almost everywhere in Hainan for a joint research conducted by the World W

Rare ancient stele removed from Three Gorges dam area
A 1,900-year-old stone stele has been rescued from being submerged in the huge reservoir of the Three Gorges dam project in Zhongxian county, southwest China's Chongqing municipality. Archeologists completed securing the stele in a safe temple recently. Beside it are two other priceless ancient steles also removed from the designated reservoir area for China's gigantic water conservation project. The 5.65-meter-high stele, dating from the East Han Dynasty (25-220 A.D.), is a unique

China's ibis population expands to 400
The population of the ibis in China, one of the most endangered bird species in the world, has increased to some 400 from only seven in the 1970s, according to latest statistics. Two hundred have been artificially hatched and raised in captivity, and another 200 are living in the wild, said Lei Yinghu, deputy director of the Shaanxi provincial nature reserve and wildlife protection station. Ibises are distinguished by a red crest, gray plumage and hooked beak. Their origin has been

Tianjin begins dredging Haihe river section as part of clean-up project
Water conservancy workers in the northern port city of Tianjin has started dredging the Haihe River section to rid it of silt. The city recently kicked off a two-year major water pollution treatment project, to be carried out along an 18-km stretch of the river, according to Zheng Hongjun, an executive with Tianjin Municipal Water Conservancy Engineering Co. Ltd. The project is expected to remove 2.8 million cubic meters of silt. The municipal water conservancy authorities has used

Beijing strengthens fire safety in subways
Beijing Subway Corporation has strengthened fire-prevention measures in the wake of a subway arson fire in the Republic of Korea (ROK) occurred on Feb.18, according to a corporation source on Feb.20. Addressing the public concern about railway safety in Beijing, the corporation said that it had installed adequate fire-fighting equipment and facilities, made contingency plans and launched several fire-fighting drills. Beijing's subway has so far been equipped with two automatic fire

Cambodia launches flight to HK
Cambodian state-owned Mekong airlines launched a new service on Mar.7 between Phnom Penh and HongKong. The inaugural flight to Hong Kong International Airport landed at 14:45 (06:45 GMT). This new service to the Cambodian capital, Phnom Penh, will link passengers to Angkor Wat with an immediate connection to Siem Reap, the fast-growing tourist area and gateway to the historic Buddhist temple complex. With its elaborate construction and long history, Angkor Wat is one of the

China plans big nature reserve at sources of 3 major rivers
China plans to set up a huge nature reserve in a bid to protect the sources of its three major rivers -- the two longest, the Yangtze and Yellow rivers, and the Lancang River, officials have said in Xining, capital of northwestern Qinghai province. Li Ruofan, director of the nature reserve administration, said recently that the Chinese central government, the State Council, approved a plan earlier this year to establish the reserve in the Qinghai province. The proposed reserve woul

Shanghai railway predicting another surge in passenger volume for spring
Shanghai Railway Station, which experienced extremely heavy passenger volume during the recent Spring Festival holiday, is predicting another passenger boom this spring, the season during which Chinese mourn their deceased family members. The station estimates that, during the period beginning 20 days before and ending 20 days after April 5, "Tomb-Sweeping Day", 3.65 million passengers will pass through the station via rail, a figure which would constitute a year-on-year rise of 5.8 perce

Global tourism destinations promoting in China
As spring nears, some of the world's popular tourism destinations have been promoting themselves in China, in the hope of attracting more Chinese tourists and setting up closer ties with China's tourism circle. Nearly 20 tourism companies from northern Europe were in Beijing as the 2003 tourism season nears. Denmark, Norway and Sweden promoted their beautiful scenery and way of living. "Chinese people are familiar with Andersen's fairy tales, the Nobel prize, Ericsson and Nokia mob

Unlocking Nanjing Skull Secrets
She's not beautiful at all, said a visitor while looking at the portrait. "But she is extremely beautiful for an ape-woman," said Xu Hankui, a researcher with the Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, from the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS). The ape-woman -- whose fossilized skull was found in 1992 along with the skull of an ape-man in Nanjing, capital of east China's Jiangsu Province -- has recently demonstrated her beauty to scientists as her existence allegedly proves the "marita

US Airlines: Iraq War Could Slash 70,000 Jobs
US airlines could slash 70,000 more jobs if there were war with Iraq and the US government did not give the industry more help, the biggest domestic carriers said on Tuesday. The Air Transport Association, which represents major airlines, said in a report on airline finances that its members would take aggressive steps to counter any sharp drop in travel demand and an increase in costs caused by an Iraqi war. Big airlines are seeking government assistance to stem rising fuel costs and ease taxes

2,000-year-old Well Discovered in E. China
Construction workers recently unearthed a well dating back more than 2,000 years in the economic and technological development zone of Qingdao in east China's Shandong Province. Archaeologists have verified that the well was a typical Han Dynasty (206 BC - 220 AD) construction after examining potsherds, as well as patterns and designs on the blue and white tiles. The well, the first discovery of its kind in the coastal city, was found 15 meters below ground, and is 2.3 meters in diameter and fiv

Farmers Awarded for Relics Protection
Five farmers from northwest China's Shaanxi Province have been commended and awarded 20,000 yuan (US$2,409) each for relics protection by the Shaanxi Provincial Cultural Relics Bureau and the local authorities. The five farmers from Yangjia Village in Mei county dug up a cave containing numerous bronze wares while digging for earth in the village-run brickyard nearly two months ago. The five, who have a strong sense of relics protection, immediately reported their find to the Cultural Relics Dep

Chinese Plasma Physics Center Recruits Exchange Students
The Institute of Plasma Physics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences has started recruiting overseas exchange students. A Pakistani became the first foreigner studying at the institute based in Hefei, capital of east China's Anhui Province, and is majoring in plasma physics theories. The institute was set up in September 1978 and is one of China's major study centers for plasma physics and nuclear fission. The World Laboratory, an academic organization funded by Italy and based in Switzerland, has

System Stemming Human Tide
A joke popular with Chinese compares hukou, the household registration system, to the human appendix -- useless most of the time, but acutely painful when inflamed. Launched in 1958, China's hukou system classes people as rural or urban residents and requires them to live and work in their places of permanent residence. The policy was strictly observed in past years until about a decade ago, when -- with food security ensured -- the country loosened its restrictions and allowed some peasants to

China to Commemorate Patriot Yue Fei
The hometown of ancient Chinese patriot Yue Fei in central Henan Province will commemorate the 900th anniversary of his birth on March 17, according to sources with the local government. A native of Anyang in Henan, Yue Fei became a general known for his strict discipline and bravery, whose patriotic spirit and integrity have made him a model for Chinese people. "We will propagate his great achievements and promote his spirit via the media, cultural performances and academic speeches," said Jin

A New Picture of the Ancient City of Taiyuan
Taiyuan, in the central part of Shanxi Province, is one of China's 23 metropolises. It borders the Taihang Mountains in the east and the Luliang Mountains in the west, and the Fenhe River runs through the city from north to south. Taiyuan enjoys a pleasant climate with four distinct seasons. Taiyuan has abundant mineral resources. It is a city of industrial importance and has long been known as the Home of Coal and Iron. It has 14 kinds of industries, mostly dealing in energy, metallurgy, machin

China Marks Sun Yat-sen's Death Anniversary
A ceremony marking the 78th anniversary of the death of Dr. Sun Yat-sen was held Wednesday in Nanjing, capital of east China's Jiangsu Province. Born in 1866 in Xiangshan County (now Zhongshan City), Guangdong Province, Dr. Sun was known across the country as a "great revolutionary and a great statesman" who led the Revolution of 1911 -- the Chinese democratic revolution which overthrew the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) and so put an end to China's over-2000-year feudal rule. Dr. Sun founded China's

Green Hotel a Growing Trend in China
As "pollution-free" has become an officially important standard to grade a hotel, the Chinese hotel industry has become increasingly aware of environmental protection. "To acquire the four-star rank, we've made security, health and no pollution as our top priorities in the construction of this hotel," said Gong Ping, manager of a newly opened hotel in Wuhan City of central China's Hubei Province. According to Gong, all decoration materials and equipment in the hotel, including bathtubs, ceramic

Artist to Sail Around Globe
Zhai Mo launched his beloved sailboat, the AOATEA, at Songliao Pier on Monday morning in Dalian of Northeast China's Liaoning Province, in a bid to become the first Chinese sailor to single-handedly navigate the globe. Zhai, 35, an artist from Tai'an in East China's Shandong Province, plans to set sail on March 18 without power or a communication system, packing only about 150 kilograms of water and food. The lone sailor intends to cruise China's coastline for an initial two-month period before

Shanghai's 'Gateway to the World' Under Construction Attracts Luxury Liners
More than 50 international cruise ships are expected to visit Shanghai this year, local official sources revealed. Ocean cruises and Formula One are tipped to become the city's two hot tourism areas in the coming years, said Yao Mingbao, director of the Shanghai Tourism Administrative Commission. For the first half of this year, the registered number of international cruise liners has already reached nearly 30. That figure is expected to rise to over 50 ships in the coming year, said Shen Huixun

Iron Girl of Mao era regaining feminine self
She was once the most popular and prestigious "Iron Girl" in China, but definitely not the type of former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. By toiling and sweating day after day in the terraced cornfields and doing the arduous farm work even men would find too harsh to bear, she became the head of Dazhai, a "pace-setter village" in China, which the late Chinese Chairman Mao Zedong called on the farmers across the nation to learn from the 1960s to mid 1970s, when she was only 16 ye

Marital problems, domestic abuse plague China's women
Unhappy marriage and domestic violence are the two most prevalent problems plaguing today's Chinese women, according to the All-China Women's Federation (ACWF). The ACWF received some 300,000 letters, visits and phone calls seeking assistance during each of the past two years. Half of those complaints were from people suffering from marital and family-related problems. The organization also witnessed an increase in the number of domestic violence complaints. According to sen

From subservient housewife to ambitious professional: changing roles of Chinese women
Chinese girls of the early 1900s, with their feet bound to convert them to subservient housewives, would have found it difficult to imagine their female offspring as soccer stars attracting world-wide attention. While Chinese society witnesses rapid economic expansion, its female members are experiencing unprecedented freedom to enjoy their lives and develop their careers. "May women hold up half the sky" used to be a famous slogan advocating sexual equality in the years after the

WB official: China is a model for poverty reduction
China has set an example internationally for reducing poverty, raising hundreds of millions of people out of poverty in 20 years, said Yukon Huang, chief of the World Bank (WB)'s resident mission in China. The number of persons living in poverty in China was reduced from 250 million at the start of its reform process in 1978, to 80 million by the end of 1993 and to 29.27 million in 2001. "The policy of fighting poverty through development proved very successful," said Huang, who ha

Animals without borders: Mongolian gazelles live by sacrifices of Chinese herdsmen
The gazelles in the People's Republic of Mongolia are not aware there is a border that should keep them from searching for food in Erenhot City of north China's Inner Mongolian Autonomous Region. As the border has not yet been completely blocked, animals on the grasslands can freely roam between the two countries. A flock of gazelles spotted along the way from Erenhot to Sonid Right Banner came from Mongolia, according to Batubate, deputy head of the banner. "They crossed th

Boeing enjoys long-time, growing friendship with China
The rapid development of China's aviation industry will provide more opportunities for Boeing, said David Wang, president of Boeing China, in a recent interview with Xinhua. "China is one of the most important civil aviation markets for Boeing," said Wang. "Boeing is very proud of being a long-term and credible friend to China. We hope to carry out wider cooperation with China, in order to achieve a win-win goal." Boeing's promise to work with China owes to the country's 1.3 billio

2,000-year-old iron ax unearthed on Mt Wuyi
A 2,000-year-old iron ax has been found in a Han Dynasty (206 BC-220 AD) tomb at Mt Wuyi, a World Heritage site in east China's Fujian province. This is the first intact object excavated at the tomb since excavations started last December. Archeologists believe that the tomb, which measures 13 meters long by nine meters wide, would be the largest of its kind found in Fujian province so far. The excavation would cost 1.8 million yuan (about 216,870 US dollars) and has entered

China to hold first world summit of commercial organizations
The World Leadership Cooperative Conference of Industrial and Commercial Organizations are scheduled to be held in Beijing on May 9-10. The summit, called "Associations and Economic Globalization", will be the first of its kind in the world, said Lin Zongtang, president of the China Federation of Industrial Economics (CFIE) at a press conference recently. Lin, also chairman of the organizing committee, said that more than 300 commercial organizations from over 60 countries and regi

Rail-laying begins on major railway in SW China
Rail-laying began on Feb.26 in Chongqing Municipality on a major transport artery in southwest China -- the Chongqing-Huaihua Railway. The electrified railway, one of the 10 top priorities listed by the central government for western development, links Chongqing, in southwest China, with Huaihua City in central China's Hunan Province, via Guizhou Province also in the southwest. Construction on the 625-km railway began in 2000 and is expected to be completed in five and a half years

China Regional Aviation Forum to be held in Hainan
The China Regional Aviation Forum will be held in Boao of south China's Hainan province on March 26-28, marking the beginning of China's centennial commemorations of its aviation history. Under a theme of discussing methods to promote the regional jet market in China, the General Administration of Civil Aviation of China and nearly 30 domestic and foreign airline companies, as well as aircraft manufacturers will gather together during the forum. Experts said that 100 years ago huma

China to host international retailing fair
More than 100 transnational retail giants will attend the Second International Retail Group Procurement Fair for transnational retail giants from April 9 to 11 in Xiamen, a coastal city in southeastern China's Fujian Province. About 2,000 enterprises are expected to attend the three-day fair, co-sponsored by China's State Economic and Trade Commission,Xiamen city government and the Fujian Provincial Economic and Trade Commission, according to Zhang Yanhua, a senior official with China's S

HK police to further curb crimes against tourists
Hong Kong police will continue to maintain Hong Kong as one of the safest places in the world and will take effective actions targeting criminals who are active in tourist attractions. Secretary for Security Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee said recently at a Legislative Council meeting that the police all along take a serious view regarding crimes involving tourists. She said to ensure the safety of visitors, uniformed branch officers as well as plain clothed officers are deployed to patrol

Beijing strengthens protection of imperial city
Beijing municipal government has worked out an outline to strengthen protection of the original Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) imperial city. At a meeting on cultural heritage held here Wednesday, Mei Ninghua, director of the municipal bureau of cultural heritage, said the plan was an important part of the project to conserve Beijing as an historic cultural city. The detailed measures include placing six key cultural heritagebuilding groups under total protection, launching

Beijing to target more overseas tourists
Beijing has drawn up an ambitious plan to attract 3.3 million foreign tourists this year, a year-on-year rise of 7 percent. Yu Changjiang, director of the Beijing Tourism Bureau, was quoted by the Beijing Morning Post as saying his bureau intended to invite travel agencies and media from Southeast Asia, Europe and North America to visit Beijing this year. Yu said Beijing would focus on developing the market for organized corporate trips awarded to employees for their excellent perf

World Cartoon Conference to Be Held in Zhengzhou
The Sixth World Cartoon Conference is scheduled to be held in Zhengzhou, capital of central China's Henan Province, from Oct.1 to 3. The world cartoon conference was launched in 1996, based on the former Asia Cartoon Summit, and has become a grand occasion for global cartoon cultural exchanges. Activities including an academic forum, cartoon exhibition, and a concert would be held during the conference, said Hu Changguo, deputy secretary-general of the organizing committee. Hundreds of cartoonis

Computer Planned to Protect World Heritage in China
China is planning to introduce a computer management system to protect the world heritage Mount Wuyi in east China's Fujian Province from too many tourists. So far, a total 32 leading domestic IT companies have bid to build the computer system, said Chen Feng, chief engineer with the administration of the mountain, which was listed as a World Cultural and Natural Heritage site in 1999. According to Chen, computer management will be introduced into ticket selling, booking and relevant office work

Great Wall Museum Built in Liaoning
A museum on the Great Wall has been set up on the site of the easternmost section of this world-renowned architectural wonder. The museum, the fourth of its kind, is located at Hushan in Dandong city in north-east China's Liaoning Province and mainly reflects the history of the Great Wall's defensive role. Exhibits on display include ancient weapons, stoves used by guards and other relics unearthed from the original site of the Hushan stretch of the Great Wall. The eastern end of the Great Wall

Temple Boosts Kung Fu Tradition
Shaolin kung fu has mystified the world for years with its incredible strength, vitality and flexibility. Earlier this year, the 1,500-year-old martial art started an application process to the United Nations' Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to become a "World Intangible Heritage." The Chinese Academy of Arts will evaluate the application over the following few months and present a final submission to the UNESCO at the end of the year. "Most people nowadays barely scra

Parents Blame Video Games Obsession for Boy's Fatal Fall
The parents of a 14-year-old boy, who died after falling from his fourth-floor home, are blaming hallucinations caused by computer games for provoking his death. Police have found no evidence of foul play while investigating the fatal fall that occurred on March 8 in Yuanjiang City in Hunan Province. According to his mother, the boy named He Cheng was obsessed by a popular violent computer game called "Legend" and often came home as late as 2 a.m. and left for the Internet bar again around 5 a.m

Chinese College Students Closely Following NPC, CPPCC Sessions
Lianghui has become one of the most popular Chinese words this spring among college students across China, implying their growing enthusiasm about domestic political affairs. Lianghui refers to the First Session of the 10th National People's Congress (NPC), China's top legislature, and the First Session of the 10th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), the country's top advisory body. Wang Xiaolong, a student with the Hebei Teacher's University in

Sun Yat-sen's Death Anniversary Marked
A ceremony marking the 78th anniversary of the death of Dr. Sun Yat-sen was held Wednesday in Nanjing, capital of east China's Jiangsu Province. Born in 1866 in Xiangshan County (now Zhongshan City), Guangdong Province, Dr. Sun was known across the country as a "great revolutionary and a great statesman" who led the Revolution of 1911 -- the Chinese democratic revolution which overthrew the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) and so put an end to China's over-2000-year feudal rule. Dr. Sun founded China's

Chinese College Students Closely Following NPC, CPPCC Sessions
Lianghui has become one of the most popular Chinese words this spring among college students across China, implying their growing enthusiasm about domestic political affairs. "Lianghui" refers to the first session of the 10th National People's Congress (NPC), China's top legislature, and the first session of the 10th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), the country's top advisory body. Wang Xiaolong, a student with the Hebei Teacher's University i

NE China Man Makes Public Rare Ancient Medicine Books
A citizen has made available to the public his heirlooms of several sets of medicine books in Changchun, capital of northeast China's Jilin Province. The most rare set was printed in 1615 in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and elaborates on 1,000 prescriptions for some 150 kinds of diseases, like coughs, thirst, apoplexy, dropsy, amnesia and weakness, as well as reveals the secret techniques of ancient royalty for both beauty and health care, said the owner surnamed Liu. Liu said the books, titled

Fortunate Find Revealed in Beijing
If you are interested in bronze artifacts and happen to be in Beijing, do not miss the ongoing exhibition at the China Millennium Monument Art Museum. The exhibition, which runs until April 10, features 27 inscribed bronze artifacts recently unearthed in Baoji, in northwest China's Shaanxi Province. The discovery of the bronze items on display was "one of the greatest archaeological finds in China in the past 10 years," said Li Xueqin, a researcher with the Chinese History Research Institute and

Senior Monk a Happy Tour Guide
On February 17 an abbot in Fuyan Temple in the Nayue Mountain was officially given the award of top-grade tour guide for Mount Hengshan by the local district government. The move has prompted a debate about the role that monks should play in society in China. Mount Hengshan, also known as Nanyue, ranks first among the five sacred mountains in China. It is also a famous mountain worshipped by Buddhists in China. The mountain boasts many temples, amongst which is the Fuyan Temple also known as the

Elderly Chinese find new marriage criteria
Mrs. Wang, 65, recently traveled along distance from east China's Jiangxi Province to marry her Mr. Right. Wang's new husband, surnamed Chen, is a senior engineer in Tianjin, the leading port city in north China. Wang had thought of finding a life partner ever since her husband died decades ago. The desire became stronger when her son emigrated to the United States. Though Wang was introduced to several male partners, she was satisfied with none. After some time, the elderly lady f

Beijing Divorces Tend to be More Amicable
More and more couples in Chinese capital city of Beijing are able to keep their coolness when their marriages break up as compared with in the past when many fought over property or other issues, reports Beijing Youth Daily. Li Jin, a judge working for the Eastern District courthouse in Beijing municipality, handled six divorce cases after last week's Spring Festival holiday. Except for one case where the suit was withdrawn, the other five couples amicably reached agreement on divorce and

China will invest 700 billion yuan for scientific development: minister
China will invest 600 to 700 billion yuan over the next five years to support scientific development, said Xu Guanhua, Chinese minister of science and technology, recently. Xu told a press conference held by the State Council Information Office that the central government invested 267 billion yuan in science and technology over the past five years, doubling the figure of five years before. The input has resulted in historic breakthroughs, Xu said, adding that the sci-tech condition

Rare ancient tombstones found in E. China city
Archeologists have found two tombstones bearing epitaphs from the Tang Dynasty (618-907) in Xuzhou, east China's Jiangsu Province. The tomb was a typical boat-shape belonging to the Tang Dynasty and experts presumed it was made for a husband and wife. It is four meters long, three meters wide and 1.5 meters high. One tablet bears the words "epitaph for Yuan Fu in the Tang Dynasty" and the other elaborated on the deceased Yuan Fu, but the exact content was unknown since the stone wa

Rare spirit bottles spotted in ancient tomb
Archeologists have found two rare celadon porcelain bottles in an ancient tomb dating from the Song Dynasty (960-1279), at Liuzhou City in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. The "spirit bottles" were once popular funerary objects in which to "keep" the spirit of the dead person in southern China during the Southern and Northern Dynasties and the Song Dynasty, according to archeologists. The single cell brick tomb is 2.8 meters long, 1.4 meters wide and 1.9 meters high.

Government approves island link
The central government recently approved Shanghai's embarking on a 12.2 billion-yuan (US$1.47 billion) project, involving building a tunnel, bridge and elevated highway to connect the Changxing and Chong-ming islands to the city proper. This largest ever urban project for Shanghai will see an 8.5-kilometer-long tunnel built between Pudong and Changxing Island, which is situated to the northeast of the city proper in the Yangtze River. A 9.5-kilometer-long bridge will further link t

Yunnan opens door to pharmaceuticals development
The government of southwest China's Yunnan Province says it welcomes overseas scientists, research institutes, universities and companies to invest in or work with local enterprises in developing its pharmaceuticals sector. Yunnan, known as China's botanical kingdom, boasts 15,000 valuable tree species used in herbal medicine. The province has pledged to give priority to developing biological and natural drugs and traditional Chinese medicine in the 21st century. Under a lon

Memorial hall of prominent Chinese writer renovated
The 30-year-old memorial hall of Lu Xun (18811936), a prominent Chinese writer who died 67 years ago, is being renovated in his hometown of Shaoxing in east China's Zhejiang Province. The Lu Xun memorial is composed of the literary giant's old residence, the residence of his ancestors, the Sanwei Study, the Baicao Garden, and an exhibition hall. As all the buildings except the 1,560-square meter exhibition hall were built in the typical Shaoxing architectural style, the hall will b

Feathers not unique to birds: Chinese scientists
The finding of a variety of feathered dinosaur fossils in China has convinced Chinese scientists that birds evolved from dinosaurs and that feathers are definitely not unique to birds as people have long assumed. Zhou Zhonghe, a leading dinosaur expert, said in the latest issue of the respected Britain-based Nature magazine that feathered dinosaurs were valuable evidence of the origin of feathers and how birds began to fly. The findings also provided important clues on redefining d

NW China county opens wildlife breeding center
The Qinling Mountain Range Wildlife Breeding Center is being set up in Foping county, northwestern Shaanxi province, say sources from its forestry department recently. The center, to cover an area of five hectares, will be built at a total cost of more than 985,000 yuan (118,700 US dollars), the sources said, adding that 1,834 square meters of floor space has already been built for farming and wildlife shelters. The breeding center, the sources noted, will be a comprehensive develo

Tianjin to build new higher education district
Tianjin, the largest port city in north China, will begin building a new higher education district in its southwest this year. Designed to house 200,000 college students, the district will cover about 1,347 hectares, according to the Education Committee of Tianjin. Five of the city's colleges and universities will move into the district when construction is completed in 2010. The first-phase of construction, expected to be completed by 2005, will cover 680 hectares and cost

China to commemorate patriot Yue Fei
The hometown of ancient Chinese patriot Yue Fei in central Henan Province will commemorate the 900th anniversary of his birth on March 17, according to sources with the local government. A native of Anyang in Henan, Yue Fei became a general known for his strict discipline and bravery, whose patriotic spirit and integrity have made him a model for Chinese people. "We will propagate his great achievements and promote his spirit via the media, cultural performances and academic speech

Beijing to invest 7 billion yuan on museums
China's capital is planning to invest seven billion yuan (854 million US dollars) in building and renovating museums, a vice-mayor of the Beijing Municipal Government said recently. Zhang Mao told a conference on cultural relics that the city is renovating several relics sites and building more museums in preparation for the 2008 Olympics. "By 2008, Beijing will have 130 museums," Zhang said. A number of large museums are being renovated and expanded at present, such as the

Senior official: stable RMB beneficial to all
To keep the exchange rates of Renminbi stable is beneficial to China and to Asia and the world as a whole, said a senior government official on Mar.11. During an exclusive interview with Xinhua on the sidelines of the ongoing first session of the 10th National People's Congress and the first session of the 10th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), Guo Shuqing, director general of the State Administration of Foreign Exchange and member of th

Chinese Travel Agencies Suspend Middle East Tours due to War Risk
Most Beijing travel agencies have suspended tourist trips to the Middle East as tension heightens in the Gulf region, Thursday's Beijing Youth Daily reports. Out of security concerns, major travel agencies, including the China International Travel Service, China Travel Service and China Youth Tourism Service, have temporarily suspended tours to Egypt and Turkey for Chinese tourists. According to Dun Jidong of the China Travel Service, once war breaks out between the United States and Iraq, not o

Chinese Travel Agencies Suspend Middle East Tours due to War Risk
Most Beijing travel agencies have suspended tourist trips to the Middle East as tension heightens in the Gulf region, Thursday's Beijing Youth Daily reports. Out of security concerns, major travel agencies, including the China International Travel Service, China Travel Service and China Youth Tourism Service, have temporarily suspended tours to Egypt and Turkey for Chinese tourists. According to Dun Jidong of the China Travel Service, once war breaks out between the United States and Iraq, not o

Zhejiang Active in Exchanges with Taiwan
East China's coastal Zhejiang Province has conducted active cross-strait exchanges with Taiwan over the past years, with personnel exchanges reaching a record high in 2002. Statistics showed that last year more than 3,200 Zhejiang locals from sectors including entertainment, publishing, media and education visited Taiwan. Meanwhile, a record more than 500,000 Taiwan residents visited Zhejiang. The figure is expected to further increase this year, according to predictions by local authorities. Ea

Experts Urging to Label GMO Products
It would seem to be an easy choice. Consumers are able to tell from the label what is in the food they are buying, how much sugar it contains and the amount of fat. But when it comes to the controversial issue of genetically modified organisms (GMOs), things suddenly become a lot more complicated. No such labels have been found in supermarket shelves across China, despite authorities having issued rules requiring special labels for all food products containing GMOs early last year. This has spar

Zoologist Calls for Efforts to Save Antelope Species
A Chinese zoologist has called for greater efforts to save the Procapra Przewalskii, a rare antelope species unique to China, from extinction. Jiang Zhigang, chief research fellow with the zoology institute under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, said that the most effective method to save the rare animal is to build a protection zone for them. Jiang pointed out that the less than 150 remaining of the species are quickly depopulating due to increasing human activities, including the construction

China to Overhaul Scenic Spots
China will soon overhaul 151 major resorts in the country to better protect the scenic spots, an official from the Ministry of Construction said on Friday. Li Dongxu, director of the ministry's Urban Construction Department, said at a working conference held in the southwestern municipality of Chongqing bad management at some national resorts had led to serious damage to natural resources. The illegal construction of economic development zones or holiday villas were not rare in major scenic spot

US, Britain, Spain to Hold Iraq Crisis Summit
Leaders of the United States, Britain and Spain will hold an emergency summit on Sunday in a last-gasp diplomatic effort to bridge deep divisions in the UN Security Council over their troubled resolution authorizing war on Iraq. President Bush will travel to Portugal's windswept Azores islands, 900 miles west of the European mainland, to meet British Prime Minister Tony Blair and Spanish Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar in a "final pursuit" of a UN resolution on disarming Iraq, the White House sa

Pakistan Arrests Alleged Key al-Qaida Member
Building on information from a captured lieutenant of Osama bin Laden, Pakistani authorities captured another suspected key al-Qaida figure Saturday -- a man US government sources say oversees communication among the terror network's operatives. The suspect, Yassir al-Jaziri, was arrested in the eastern city of Lahore, Pakistan's Information Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed told The Associated Press, saying al-Jaziri is among the leading terrorists wanted by the United States. American government so

Traffic Accident Kills Six, Injures One in NW China
Six people were killed and one injured in a traffic accident in the small hours of Friday in Jingtai County, northwest China's Gansu Province, local police confirmed Saturday. Jin Jugui, who is in charge of the local traffic police squad, said that at 1:30 a.m. Friday a truck, overloaded and speeding, rammed into another truck in front of it on a highway near Gaodun Village. The accident-causing truck then rammed into a third truck driving ahead, killing six people instantly and leaving one seri

Leading Taiwan Food Producer Expands Investment in Mainland
The 46th instant noodle factory funded by Taiwan's President Enterprise Corp on the mainland went into production in Mawei of eastern China's Fujian Province on Saturday. With an investment of US$25 million, the factory has five production lines. Established in 1967, the President Enterprise Corp, currently the largest food producer in Taiwan, has invested in many parts around the world, including the United States, Canada and some Southeast Asian countries. Its annual business volume exceeds US

WHO Warns of Contagious, Deadly Pneumonia-like Illness
The World Health Organization warned Saturday that a contagious and deadly pneumonia-like illness of unknown cause is fast becoming a worldwide health threat. In a rare "emergency travel advisory," the health agency said it has received more than 150 reports of what it called "Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome" in the past week alone, mostly in Southeast Asia. At least three people have died -- an American businessman and two people who arrived in Canada recently from Hong Kong. "Health official

A Day Immersed in Dai Hospitality
A sudden breaking sound and a harsh horn woke me on a rainy afternoon last month after a seven-hour ride in an Iveco from Simao to Menglian, in southwest China's Yunnan Province. But the fresh, warm air with the fragrance of the earth floating in through the window and the bright leaves on the trees lining the roads -- both of which are rare in the wintry North China where I am from -- immediately sobered me up and compensated for the sleep distraction. Nestled in the southwestern corner of Yunn

Experts Inspect Resettlement in Three Gorges Area
A work team composed of more than 100 experts arrived at the Three Gorges reservoir area on Saturday to start a location check of the resident relocation work completed under the second phase of the Three Gorges Project. According to Gao Jinbang, vice-director of the Three Gorges Project Construction Committee Office (TGPCCO), the experts have come from the TGPCCO, the Ministry of Land and Resources, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Communications, the State Environmental Protection Admin

Short Message Service Changes Youth Culture
Jia Li, a white collar worker in the northwestern province of Gansu, received four short messages on her mobile phone -- and made prompt replies to each in just five minutes. "This has become an important means of communication with my friends," she said as her fingers worked nimbly on the keypad. "In fact, we cannot do without short messages these days." The short message service has drawn a growing number of mobile phone subscribers in recent years, particularly young people who are always lea

Sino-UN AIDS Prevention Project Launched in NW China
A project designed to spread awareness of AIDS among the young people in rural China was launched Monday in Yinchuan, capital of northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. The AIDS Prevention and Care Cooperation Project was jointly initiated by the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and relevant Chinese departments including the ministries of Health, Justice and Public Security and the Center for Disease Control. At the project's launching ceremony, Dr Christian Voumard, a representa

China's Travel Agencies Suspend Mid-east Routes
As clouds of war are looming large over the Middle East, tourism industry in this region is affected to some extent. So far, some major travel agencies have suspended the Mid East routes, while others that are still operating trips to Egypt and Turkey have raised the quotation by 500 to 600 yuan. As learned, majority of Beijing-based travel services including China International Travel Service (CITS), China Travel Service (CTS) and China Youth Travel Service (CYTS) has temporarily cancelled Egyp

Education Law Revision Urged
Legislators attending the current First Session of the 10th National People's Congress in Beijing have called for a revision of the existing law on compulsory education. A total of 376 deputies to the NPC, China's top lawmaking body, have jointly signed a motion on revising the 17-year-old law on compulsory education. They include government officials, private entrepreneurs, experts and scholars, as well as farmers and workers, and constitute nearly one eighth of the total NPC deputies. "In my m

China's Travel Agencies Suspend Mid-east Routes
As clouds of war are looming large over the Middle East, tourism industry in this region is affected to some extent. So far, some major travel agencies have suspended the Mid East routes, while others that are still operating trips to Egypt and Turkey have raised the quotation by 500 to 600 yuan. As learned, majority of Beijing-based travel services including China International Travel Service (CITS), China Travel Service (CTS) and China Youth Travel Service (CYTS) has temporarily cancelled Egyp

Balance School Budgets: Experts
Primary schools in China's rural areas need more central government funding, especially in the wake of tax-for-fee reforms which have cut local education budgets, top legislators and political advisers said. Dozens of motions on the shortfall in rural education funding and on revisions to the Compulsory Education Law have been received by the 10th National People's Congress. Wu Zhengde, a member of the 10th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, said the St

The Naked Ape: Human Behavior in a Zoologist's Eyes
Human behavior is animal behavior, says Dr. Desmond Morris. Every behavior -- anger, attack, protection -- can be found in the jungle. His groundbreaking book, The Naked Ape, the first in a trilogy on human behavior, has just been translated into Chinese, and its insights into the bloodline between man and animal are as relevant today as they were when it was first published in 1967. "There are 193 species of monkeys and apes, 192 of which are covered with hair. The sole exception is a naked ape

Large Group of Ancient Tombs Unearthed in Central China
Chinese archaeologists have excavated 41 ancient tombs built from the Spring and Autumn Period (770 BC-476 BC) to the Western Han Dynasty (206 BC-24 AD) in central China's Hunan Province. The archaeologists unearthed a total of 303 relics including bronze swords, daggers, spears, clusters of arrows, bronze mirrors, pottery jars and pots, as well as jade rings and agate pipes from these ancient tombs located in the downtown area of Yiyang City. Fu Futian, a relics expert with the Yiyang City Cult

China to Establish Comprehensive Legal System by 2010
Senior legal scholars claimed the country is well on track to complete a comprehensive legal system, with specific Chinese characteristics, by 2010. To that end the efforts of the 10th National People's Congress (NPC) are critical.
"It is possible for

Computer planned to protect world heritage in China
China is planning to introduce a computer management system to protect the world heritage Mount Wuyi in east China's Fujian Province from too many tourists. So far, a total 32 leading domestic IT companies have bid to build the computer system, said Chen Feng, chief engineer with the administration of the mountain, which was listed as a World Cultural and Natural Heritage site in 1999. According to Chen, computer management will be introduced into ticket selling, booking and releva

Protection, exhibition center planned for world heritage mountain
Wuyishan city in east China's Fujian Province is planning to invest 215 million yuan (26 millionUS dollars) in building a research and exhibition center to help protect and showcase the world heritage Wuyishan mountain. Wuyishan, listed as the World Cultural and Natural Heritage site, attracts millions of tourists every year with its beautiful scenery and cultural relics. Local officials said the further potential of Wuyishan, which was listed as one of China's top 10 most popular

China: major improvements in standard of living in past 5 years
Gone forever are the days when three generations shared a shabby, crowded one-room house, and when mobile phones, cars and overseas trips were luxuries that most only dreamed about. Although some are dissatisfied with their incomes, most Chinese are enjoying the dramatic changes in their lives produced during the last five years. According to official statistics, the per capita disposable income of urban residents was 5,160 yuan (620 US dollars) in 1997 and 8,000 yuan (964 US dolla

Free website for English study opens in China
An English study website with Sino-British cooperation was launched on Feb.27 to provide free information and materials to Chinese English learners. Learning materials provided on the website include reading comprehension, listening, grammar, vocabulary and spoken English, and were designed for teaching, business, daily life and children. Games, songs and stories are provided in the children's section, while written tests, local accent recordings and on-line reading are available f

Beijing Customs seizes 5,759 smuggled relics in last five years
Beijing Customs officers have dealt with 291 smuggling cases involving historic Chinese relics in the past five years. They seized 5,759 individual relics including porcelain, calligraphy and paintings, coins, bronzes, books, wooden ware and fossils, according to the Beijing Daily. Most of the relics were bound for southeast Asian countries and regions, or countries like Britain, Germany and Canada, the paper quoted customs officers as saying. The number of relics smuggled b

Carrier theme park underway in Tianjin
North China's Tianjin city on Feb.27 began work on a carrier theme park which will feature a retired Kiev Ukrainian carrier. The city will invest 6 billion yuan (726 million US dollars) on creating the "KIEV Theme Park", expected to serve as China's largest defense education and oceanic sciences education base, according to an official in charge. Land-based construction would cover an area of 160,000 square meters, including business facilities, parking lots, theme sculpture and a

Macao builds gym for 2005 East Asian Games
A ground-breaking ceremony was held here on Feb.27 for the construction of a gymnasium to be used for the 2005 East Asian Games. The six-storey gym, covering an area of 45,000 square meters, will be built at a total cost of 640.07 million patacas (80 million US dollars). Located at an area reclaimed from the sea between Macao's Taipaand Coloane islands, the gym will become operational in 660 days, said Ao Man Long, Secretary for Transport and Public Works of the Special Administrat

New China-made turbo fan regional jet to take off in 2005
China's new domestically-made turbo fan regional ARJ21 jet, which has independent intellectual property rights, is scheduled for take-off in 2005. The ARJ21 program was formally approved in 2002. The jet will be capable of reaching speeds rarely seen in the history of global aviation, said Chen Jin, vice president of Commercial Aircraft of China Aviation Industry Corporation I. Chen expected the jet to acquire air worthiness certificates from the Chinese government and from the Fed

Four out of 100 Beijing households automobiles
Last year there were 4.1 cars for every 100 households on the average in China's capital city, the latest edition of the China Consumer Journal reported. According to figures released by the city's statistics bureau, the local household automobile market expanded 70.8 percent in 2002 over the previous year. Meanwhile,