China Great Wall

China Great Wall

China to Explore Sea Route to Disputed Islands
China will open the first sea route linking Xiamen City, east China's Fujian Province, to its disputed territory of the Diaoyu Islands for a trial voyage at the end of March, according to a civilian group defending the islands' sovereignty. Tong Zeng, president of the Federation of Chinese Non-governmental Organizations for Defending Sovereignty over the Diaoyu Islands, said the test navigation would prepare for smooth regular operation of the route in May, which would help many tourists

Ming Dynasty Road Discovered in SW China
A post road built during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) was discovered in southwest China's Guizhou Province. The post road used to connect Huangping, a town of military and commercial importance in the Ming Dynasty, and Guiyang, capital ofGuizhou province, according to experts with the provincial archaeological institutions. The post road runs parallel to south Guizhou's Qingshui River and was about three meters wide, archaeologists said. The post road stretches through a sto

All You Knead Is Dough
Zhao Yanlin, 63, a noted dough figurine (mianren) artist in China, would never have dreamed that the tiny figures she moulds from wheat-flour dough would bring her ties with the outside world and establish a long-term friendship. "Nor could my father, (late dough figurine artist Zhao Kuoming) have foreseen that one of his works made in the late 1930s would travel to the other side of the ocean to the United States, and then be returned to my hands some 40 years later," Zhao marvelled.

Tourists Get Global Options for Traveling
Chinese tourists itching to travel and still frustrated by being kept home in 2003 by the outbreak of SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) are sure to enjoy a growing number of available destinations and domestic and international flights this year.

Downtown Beggars Can Be Choosers
Professional beggars who work fixed hours and earn 'salaries' based on their earnings have become a fixture in the downtown areas of many cities.
You are with friends in a downtown area, whiling away a pleasant few hours when someone suddenly approache

Peony Gala Features Bright Blooms in Luoyang
Luoyang, China's famous city of peony in Henan Province, will hold its grand t'ai chi ch'uan show with some 30,000 performers at the opening ceremony of its annual peony festival between April 10 and 25.
Master Chen Zhenglei, the 11th direct line succe

Call for 5 More Annual Holidays
Nation People's Congress (NPC) deputies from Beijing, Jiangsu and Hong Kong want the government to add some of the country's traditional festivals to the number of annual statutory holidays.
Reporting the proposal, the Beijing Star Daily said that the

WTTC's Miller forecasts Asia's future at HK tourism forum
Richard Miller, executive vice president of the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) will present 2004 travel and tourism economic forecasts for the Pearl River Delta and other Asia/Pacific economies at the Hong Kong Tourism Symposium tomorrow. Miller will forecast whether 2004 will be a year of recovery, and if so how significant and in which parts of Asia. The WTTC forecasts are based on Tourism Satellite Accounting (TSA) research which focuses on travel and tourism demand; visitor exp

China, Kenya sign tourism MOU
The China National Tourism Administration and the Kenya Tourist Board Tuesday signed the Memorandum of Understanding on the implementation plan for organized group travel by Chinese citizens to Kenya. The signing of the MOU indicated the implementation phase of eight African nations which gained Approved Destination Status from the Chinese government at the end of last year. Besides Kenya,the other seven nations are expected to sign similar MOUs with China in the future. Experts sa

Safari Park Starts Trial Reopening
Shenzhen Safari Park will reopen for a trial period Monday (March 15) after being closed for 42 days. The park management anticipates full reopening to the public on Mar. 28. From Monday to April 15, all adult visitors will be given a 50 percent discount on the 100-yuan admission, and all children from 1.1 to 1.4 meters in height will be offered a 75 percent discount on admission. The safari park was closed to the public on Feb. 2, the day after the city government learned o

CNTA appoints TravelWeekly China official daily at Shanghai CITM
The China National Tourism Administration (CNTA) has appointed TravelWeekly China official daily for the China International Travel Mart (CITM) in Shanghai this year. This is the fourth consecutive year for TravelWeekly China to partner with CNTA at China's largest annual inbound travel mart. TravelWeekly China is pleased to partner with CNTA once again this year, Phillip Hong, TravelWeekly's group publisher said. CITM is China's premier travel trade fair, and TravelWeekly China will be t

China poised for low-cost revolution
China will become a major market for low-cost airline development within two years, as regulation of the aviation sector eases and demand for air travel explodes, the Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation said. Peter Harbison, managing director of the Centre, the region's leading aviation consultancy group, expects a combination of internal and external pressures to drive the introduction to China of the low-cost phenomenon that is currently sweeping South-east Asia. All the indicators

BTE broadens its reach to southern China
Paul Robi group event director at Centaur Exhibitions returned to Hong Kong recently, rallying the corporate travel market behind the third annual Business Travel Expo which takes place in Hong Kong at the end of this month. ¡°Last year was a reflection of a market having a tough time. We are working hard to bring in the right people in corporate travel this year. In spite of last year¡¯s turnout of 1,200, we¡¯re happy that in our third year here in Hong Kong, we seem to be a regular fixture

Air seat capacity to China upped
Air seat and cargo capacity between the Philippines and China has been increased as a result of the latest air talk agreement held recently in Beijing. According to the Civil Aeronautic Board, a panel member of the Philippine delegation headed by the Department of Transportation and Communications, the Chinese government has granted the country of an additional capacity of 10,000 seats per week that will be allowed in a staggered basis. Starting this month, an additional 6,000 seat

Beijing repairs ruined section of Great Wall
Beijing began Tuesday repairing a12.4 kilometer section of the Great Wall in a suburban area at cost of 12 million yuan (1.45 million US dollars). Located 29 kilometers northwest of the Chengguan Town of Huairou District, the Huanghuacheng section of the Great Wall was first built in the Northern Qi Dynasty (550-577). The existing ruined Huanghuacheng section of the Great Wall was built in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). It has attracted numerous visitors with its original look of an

Nanputuo Temple -- A Place Close to Heavens
Buddhist temples are common in China, and can be boring sometimes. However, Nanputuo Temple is a must for tourists in Xiamen, a seaside city in East China's Fujian Province. Even if you are not interested in Buddhism, the surroundings of the temple guarantee you a refreshing experience. Built on a mountain and facing the sea, the temple is in such a scenic area that it makes one envy the monks there. One may have a feeling here that Buddhism is not so far away from secular life. Th

Police Website Builds Bridges to Community
The Guangdong Provincial Bureau of Public Security is seeking to establish a better reputation with the launch of a new website to make its work more transparent. Apart from some major criminal cases still under investigation or involving national secrets, the website shows all the information the police are working on within the province, according to Zheng Shaodong, deputy director of the bureau. Addressing a news conference in Guangzhou, capital of South China's Guangdong Provin

Seniors to Get Extra Travel Benefits
Beginning next month, seniors joining tours organized by the Shanghai Great World International Travel Service will sign an additional contract with the company to secure extra benefits. There are two significant changes compared to the basic contract every travel agency signs with clients. The extra benefits that senior citizens will receive include the elimination of a default penalty when the client cannot make the trip due to health reasons and provides advance notice. Previously, sen

Government Relaxes Control of Airfares, Finally
The market may soon play a bigger role in determining the cost of airfares in China.
A new regulation on the pricing of flight tickets, which will take effect on April 20, allows for more fluctuations in pricing depending on market demand. The N

Airlines Get Pricing Flexibility
China's aviation authority is going to relax its control over air fares charged by domestic carriers starting next month, a move which will allow airlines to float ticket prices within a broad range.
As of April 20, airlines will be allowed to raise ti

Seniors to Get Extra Travel Benefits
Beginning next month, seniors joining tours organized by the Shanghai Great World International Travel Service will sign an additional contract with the company to secure extra benefits.
There are two significant changes compared to the basic contract

National Museum to Start Expansion Next Year
The China National Museum (CNM) at Tiananmen Square will start a restructuring and expansion project in the first half of next year, Wednesday's Beijing Morning Post reported.
The paper quoted CNM curator Pan Zhenzhou as saying that the CNM has invited

Relics Protection Programme Highlights Restoration
of Great Wall
To protect cultural relics has long been a task for Chinese archaeologists. This year will see more protection campaigns across the country.
Early this week, Beijing began repairing a 12.4-kilometre section of the Great Wall in a suburban area, which w

China on Show in Song and Story
A varied and interesting journey around China is awaiting tourists in the latter half of 2004. July: For visitors who are interested in acquiring a better understanding of the unconstrained and straightforward character of China's minority nationalities, the Mongolian Naadam Festival, held in July when the days are bright and clear, can be a particularly rewarding occasion. Naadam is a sports festival featuring wrestling, horse riding and archery competitions. When the sun goes dow

Three Dead, Three Missing in Xinjiang Coal Mine Gas explosion
Three miners were confirmed dead and three others still missing in a gas explosion that occurred Friday night in a coal mine in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. The blast happened at around 7:15 p.m. Friday when eight miners were working in the coal mine which belonged to the coal refinery run by the No. 104 regiment of Xinjiang Construction Corps No. 12 Division, said the regiment head Zhao Yuxin. Two miners managed to escape from the explosion and rescue worker

HK, Macao Insurers Warned
The China Insurance Regulatory Commission (CIRC) reiterated on Friday that insurance companies registered in Hong Kong or Macao special administrative regions are not allowed to sell policies on the mainland unless they have a mainland branch. The industry watchdog pledged penalties or even criminal charges on agents who sell policies to local residents on the mainland for insurance firms based in HKSAR and MSAR. Prohibiting such policy sales is "necessary in maintaining order in t

HK, Macao Insurers Warned
The China Insurance Regulatory Commission (CIRC ) reiterated on Friday that insurance companies registered in Hong Kong or Macao special administrative regions (SARs) are not allowed to sell policies on the mainland unless they have a mainland branch. The industry watchdog pledged penalties or even criminal charges on agents who sell policies to local residents on the mainland for insurance firms based in the SARs. Prohibiting such policy sales is "necessary in maintaining order in

China on Show in Song and Story
A varied and interesting journey around China is awaiting tourists in the latter half of 2004.
July: For visitors who are interested in acquiring a better understanding of the unconstrained and straightforward character of China's minority nationalitie

Beauty Chosen for Tourism Queen Final
18-year-old Chao Junnan from Changchun, capital of northeast China's Jilin Province, has experienced her crowning moment. She has been picked out of 32 beauties from around China to become the nation's choice for the final of the Miss Tourism Queen Intern

New Rules to Be Drawn Up on Travelers Cheques
China's State Administration of Foreign Exchange announced on Friday that it'll draw up further rules on the management of travelers' cheques. The move is aimed at improving supervision on the country's forex circulation. Travelers cheques, which have a fixed face value and are exchangeable for currency, are issued by overseas banks and sold by local agents. They can be sold to domestic institutions, overseas institutions based in China, or individuals on the Chinese mainlan

Urumqi to Build China's Largest Ski-Slope
Urumqi, the capital of China's northwest Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, is going to expand its Tianshan ski-slope to become the biggest in the nation. The current ski-slope will be only a small part of the whole project. The enlarged piste has been designed to accommodate one million people, with 60 kilometers of ski runs, and the ability to hold international skiing events. The project will take five to ten yeas to build and the first phrase is costing 50 million yuan, o

RMB Can's Be Used to Buy Foreign TCs
Chinese enterprises and residents cannot use renminbi in cash to buy foreign exchange-denominated traveler's checks, the Chinese forex regulator reiterated recently. Domestic companies and the local operations of foreign firms must use their forex bank accounts or purchase foreign currencies from their renminbi accounts to buy traveler's checks, said the State Administration of Foreign Exchange. Individuals can use their foreign currency in cash and in their accounts to buy travele

The Lord of The Rings Heats up Kiwi Travel
The third and final film of the Oscar winning epic The Lord of the Rings has spurred Beijinger's enthusiasm for travel to New Zealand, where the magic masterpiece was shot. Many local travel agents have introduced "The Ring Trip," which gives travelers the chance to see some of the locations the film used in portraying Middle Earth. The price of the 13-day-trip is nearly one and a half times the cost of usual trips to New Zealand. However, reports suggest that its popularity is inc

More Youth Display Interest in Politics
There's an old saying that goes: "There is no money that Cantonese people won't dare to earn." And in the minds of many people from outside Guangdong Province, local money and fun-loving Cantonese residents care little about politics and the State affairs. But young Cantonese are now showing that they may be wrong. According to a recent survey, an increasing number of the younger crowd in Guangzhou have showed interest in participating in government. The survey of 490

Guangdong Leads China in Tourism Revenue
Guangdong Province, one of the economic powerhouses in south China, raked in 132.5 billion yuan (US$15.96 billion) in tourism revenue last year, placing top in the country. Sources from the provincial tourism bureau said the tourism sector netted US$4.27 billion in hard currency earnings from hosting overseas tourists and created 56.34 billion yuan (US$6.79 billion) in added value in the past year. Guangdong, which borders Hong Kong and Macao, is a major gateway for people to get o

Ancient Mecca Revealed
Documents and other cultural objects unearthed from China's Mogao Grottoes, in northwest Gansu Province, provide evidence that Dunhuang was a flourishing international trade city over 1,000 years ago. That assessment was made by Professor Zheng Binglin, a research fellow with the Dunhuang Studies Institute of the Lanzhou University. Dunhuang City, located in the western part of Gansu, is a famous tourism city because of its Mogao Grottoes and other historical sites. It first became

Education Key to Ending Sex Trade
She is neither a police officer nor a social worker. But she can regularly be found watching alertly at the Jiuyanqiao -- Nine-Arch Bridge -- labor market in Chengdu. Whenever someone offers a job to a young girl, she jumps in, demanding that the so-called employer show his/her ID, phone number and the location of the work place. She acts so protectively you would think that the young girl was her own flesh and blood. The young girls looking for work, often from remote mountain villages,

Migrants Get Better, Cheaper Health Care
Migrant children and pregnant mothers will receive better quality and affordable health services in Shanghai starting this year, according to the Shanghai Health Bureau. Officials said that the goal is to bring the care of migrant children living in the city up to the standards of their Shanghai peers in terms of vaccinations. Children aged 1 to 6 will receive five free inoculations against seven diseases, including tuberculosis, poliomyelitis and measles. According to China's publ

HK Tourism Back to Growth Track
The World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) said in Hong Kong on March 18 that the WTTC is confident that Hong Kong is poised for a return to growth track in 2004.
Richard Miller, executive vice president of the World Travel and Tourism Council, said h

Urumqi to Build China's Largest Ski-Slope
Urumqi, the capital of China's northwest Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, is going to expand its Tianshan ski-slope to become the biggest in the nation.
The current ski-slope will be only a small part of the whole project. The enlarged piste ha

The Lord of The Rings Heats up Kiwi Travel
The third and final film of the Oscar winning epic The Lord of the Rings has spurred Beijinger's enthusiasm for travel to New Zealand, where the magic masterpiece was shot.
Many local travel agents have introduced "The Ring Trip," which gives travelers

Guangdong Leads China in Tourism Revenue
Guangdong Province, one of the economic powerhouses in south China, raked in 132.5 billion yuan (US$15.96 billion) in tourism revenue last year, placing top in the country.
Sources from the provincial tourism bureau said the tourism sector netted US$4.

Fingerprints in Need for American Visa
The American embassy to China is starting to scan and collect fingerprints of non-immigration visa applicants. The entire records will be stored in a database for officials.
The entire records will be stored in a database for officials of US Department

DERTour selects China
Despite China not performing well for it currently, DERTour will take its academy to Beijing in November, the first time ever the multimillion dollar project is heading for an Asian destination in the 30 years the academy has been around. DERTour¡¯s academy is coveted because it could launchpad a destination in Germany, as proven when DERTour did it in South Africa in 2000. The concept involves taking 700 of the ¡°best¡± retail agents to the destination in order to familiarise them with the

Major China rebound projected in 4: WTTC
China's tourism industry is forecast to generate 2.5 percent of GDP and more than 14.8 million jobs, while the broader tourism economy is expected to total 11.4 percent of GDP and create more than 62.3 million jobs this year. Richard Miller, WTTC executive vice president said China will reap the biggest benefits. China will undoubtedly benefit most from tourism. Just look at the domestic travel market. Hong Kong and Macau will do well, but China itself will see travel and tourism a

Peony Gala Features Bright Blooms in Luoyang
Luoyang, China's famous city of peony in Henan Province, will hold its grand t'ai chi ch'uan show with some 30,000 performers at the opening ceremony of its annual peony festival between April 10 and 25. Master Chen Zhenglei, the 11th direct line successor of Chen-style t'ai chi, will lead the performance along with masters of other four major styles of the traditional Chinese shadow boxing. The performance will create a world record in terms of the number of participants and its l

Seniors to get extra travel benefits
Beginning next month, seniors joining tours organized by the Shanghai Great World International Travel Service will sign an additional contract with the company to secure extra benefits. There are two significant changes compared to the basic contract every travel agency signs with clients. The extra benefits that senior citizens will receive include the elimination of a default penalty when the client can not make the trip due to health reasons and provides advance notice. Previously, se

Air Macao to Add More Flights to Taiwan
Air Macao is due to add 36 more flights linking China's mainland and Taiwan from Wednesday to March 22, as the amount of out-and-home passengers across Taiwan Strait is expected to see a leap in mid March, said an executive from Air Macao. Gong Xiaozhuang, manager of Air Macao Public Relations, said the move is aimed at reinforcing Air Macao's flight frequency between Shenzhen and Macao, Macao and Taipei, as well as Shanghai and Macao. On March 19, there will be 18 flights in a sin

Call for 5 More Annual Holidays
Nation People's Congress (NPC) deputies from Beijing, Jiangsu and Hong Kong want the government to add some of the country's traditional festivals to the number of annual statutory holidays. Reporting the proposal, the Beijing Star Daily said that the Spring Festival was the only traditional Chinese festival that was now gazetted as a holiday. Other festivals, such as Grave Sweeping Festival (April 5), Dragon Boat Festival (15th on the fifth lunar month) and Mid-Autumn Festival (15th on t

Tourists Get Global Options for Traveling
Chinese tourists itching to travel and still frustrated by being kept home in 2003 by the outbreak of SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) are sure to enjoy a growing number of available destinations and domestic and international flights this year. Kenya is among a number of foreign countries actively staging promotions and urging Chinese to get up close and personal with wildlife like the giraffe, baboon and zebra and its national folklore this year. China and Kenya have sign

China National Museum to Start Expansion
The China National Museum, or CNM, at Tiananmen Square, will start a restructuring and expansion project in the first half of next year. The project, approved by the State Council, is expected to be finished in 2007, with a total investment of 1.8 billion yuan, or about 220 million US dollars. The CNM was established from the merger of the Museum of Chinese History and the Museum of the Chinese Revolution last year.

New Railway to Link China, Europe
Kazakhstan will kick off construction of a new railroad this year to link China up with Europe for facilitating transportation between Asia-Pacific and European countries, a vice-president of Kazakhstan Railway Co., Ltd announced on March 12, who was in Hong Kong raising funds for the project. Six hours needed for changing wheels at borders This planned railway is part of the New Eurasia Land Bridge, which got its name for differentiating itself from the Trans-Siberian Railroad lik

First Group of Hotels for 2008 Olympics Named
Beijing's hotel industry has got itself ready to serve the 2008 Olympic Games as seven five-star hotels signed the Olympic Lodging Agreement with the Beijing Organizing Committee for the 2008 Olympic Games (BOCOG) on Thursday. The seven hotels include Beijing Hotel, China World Hotel, Grand Hotel Beijing, Hong Kong Macao Center Swissotel, Beijing International Hotel, Kunlun Hotel and Crown Plaza Park View Wuzhou Beijing. According to the Olympic Lodging Agreement, the seven hotels

Government Relaxes Control of Airfares, Finally
The market may soon play a bigger role in determining the cost of airfares in China. A new regulation on the pricing of flight tickets, which will take effect on April 20, allows for more fluctuations in pricing depending on market demand. The National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) and the General Administration of Civil Aviation of China (CAAC), the industry's watchdog, Thursday unveiled the long-awaited pricing reform. Documents released by the commission sugges

Airlines Get Pricing Flexibility
China's aviation authority is going to relax its control over air fares charged by domestic carriers starting next month, a move which will allow airlines to float ticket prices within a broad range. As of April 20, airlines will be allowed to raise ticket prices for domestic flights by up to 25 percent above a government recommended price. They will also be allowed to offer discounts of up to 45 percent of that price, the National Development and Reform Commission, a key government body

Mainland continues to be HK's golden tourism goose
Hong Kong will score a huge 30 per cent increase in arrivals this year, according to Financial Secretary, Mr Henry Tang, mainly because of relaxed visa rules which enabled mainlanders to visit as individual travellers. The expected 20 million visitors will pour US$9 billion into the economy paying for 120,000 jobs. Mr Tang said half of all arrivals would be mainland individual travellers, rather than people in tour groups. Although China has proven to be a golden source of tourism,

Incentive travel to be taxed in China
The Chinese government has announced employee benefits such as incentive travel will be subject to taxation. The announcement issued by the Finance Ministry and State Administration of Taxation said in business activities, travelling associated with training sessions, seminars and fact-finding tours offered by businesses and organisations for outstanding employees should be levied as taxable employment income. The announcement has worried business owners who feel it will deter clie

Relics Protection Programme Highlights Restoration of Great Wall
To protect cultural relics has long been a task for Chinese archaeologists. This year will see more protection campaigns across the country. Early this week, Beijing began repairing a 12.4-kilometre section of the Great Wall in a suburban area, which will cost 12 million yuan (US$1.45 million). Located 29 kilometres northwest of Chengguan Town in Huairou District, the Huanghuacheng section of the Great Wall was first built in the Northern Qi Dynasty (AD 550-577). The existing ruine

Urumqi to Build China's Largest Ski-Slope
Urumqi, the capital of China's northwest Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, is going to expand its Tianshan ski-slope to become the biggest in the nation. The current ski-slope will be only a small part of the whole project. The enlarged piste has been designed to accommodate one million people, with 60 kilometres of ski runs, and the ability to hold international skiing events. The project will take five to ten yeas to build and the first phrase is costing 50 million yuan, o

Discoveries Reveal A Once Flourishing Dunhuang
Documents and other cultural objects unearthed from China's Mogao Grottoes, in northwest Gansu Province, provide evidence that Dunhuang was once a flourishing international trade city over 1,000 years ago. Dunhuang city was made a county during the Han Dynasty and gradually became one of the commercial cities along the ancient Silk Road, a trade route that connected China and Central Asia more than 2,000 years ago. By the Tang Dynasty and even earlier, more than 20 kinds of commodi

China to make new rules on travellers cheques
China's State Administration of Foreign Exchange announced on Friday that it'll draw up further rules on the management of travellers' cheques. The move is aimed at improving supervision on the country's forex circulation. Travellers cheques, which have a fixed face value and are exchangable for currency, are issued by overseas banks and sold by local agents. They can be sold to domestic institutions, overseas institutions based in China, or individuals on the Chinese mainland. They can o

Ancient Garrison Villages to Bid for World Cultural Heritage List
Cultural heritage authorities of Guizhou Province, southwest China, are expecting to add a group of 600-year-old garrison villages and houses to the World Cultural Heritage list. Guo Binghong, a cultural official with Anshun city, said they had reported the application plan to and expected approval from the State Administration of Cultural Heritage. In the Yunshan and Benzhai villages, located eight kilometers from the Qiyanqiao Town of Xixiu district, Anshun city, stand a group of

Gorgeous People of Nujiang Gorge
Located in Southwest China's Yunnan Province, Nujiang Gorge is a mysterious area rich in ethnic culture. At the foot of the steep Jianshan and Tuanshan mountains, this 316-kilometre-long river suddenly changes its course and flows as waterfalls over the cliffs. It is in this region that the Lisu minority celebrate their various festivals. The Kuoshi Festival is one of them. The festival starts on the fifth day of the 12th month of the lunar year and lasts until the 10th day

Oil Price Hike Not to Force up Airfares
Domestic airfares will remain unchanged even with fuel oil price hikes caused by the rising costs of crude oil on the international market in recent days, sources from General Administration of Civil Aviation of China (CAAC) said Monday. A CAAC official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, confirmed the information after some foreign airlines said they will elevate their air fares because of the higher costs of aviation fuel. Three Canadian airlines announced they would increa

Ancient Garrison Villages to Bid for World Heritage List
Cultural heritage authorities of Guizhou Province, southwest China, are expecting to add a group of 600-year-old garrison villages and houses to the World Cultural Heritage list. Guo Binghong, a cultural official with Anshun city, said they had reported the application plan to and expected approval from the State Administration of Cultural Heritage. In the Yunshan and Benzhai villages, located eight kilometers from the Qiyanqiao Town of Xixiu district, Anshun city, stand a group of

'Golden Week' Europe Trip Still Out of Reach
People may be itching to go sightseeing in Europe during the "Golden Week" of the May Day holiday, but their enthusiasm may be dampened by the simple fact that tour companies still don't have the green light to organize the trips. The National Tourism Administration approved destination status agreements with 13 European countries earlier this year to simplify the application process for tourism visas. At the same time, Several Beijing-based travel agencies are eager for the first

Golden Week Europe Trip Still Out of Reach
People may be itching to go sightseeing in Europe during the "Golden Week" of the May Day holiday, but their enthusiasm may be dampened by the simple fact that tour companies still don't have the green light to organize the trips. The National Tourism Administration approved destination status agreements with 13 European countries earlier this year to simplify the application process for tourism visas. At the same time, Several Beijing-based travel agencies are eager for the first

Home Airfares Not Rising as Overseas Rates
Domestic airfares will remain unchanged even with fuel oil price hikes caused by the rising costs of crude oil on the international market in recent days, sources from General Administration of Civil Aviation of China (CAAC) said Monday. A CAAC official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed the information after some foreign airlines said they will elevate their air fares because of the higher costs of aviation fuel. Three Canadian airlines announced they would increase t

Ancient Garrison Villages to Bid for World Heritage List
Cultural heritage authorities of Guizhou Province, southwest China, are expecting to add a group of 600-year-old garrison villages and houses to the World Cultural Heritage list.
Guo Binghong, a cultural official with Anshun city, said they had reporte

China to Make Cultural Establishments Free for Minors
China will open its public cultural establishments free of charge for minors, sources with the Chinese Ministry of Culture and the State Administration of Cultural Heritage (SACH) said Tuesday.
Vice-Minister of Culture Zhou Heping said in a press relea

Guizhou to Construct Karst Geology Museum
South China's Guizhou Province is preparing to construct a geology museum featuring its unique Karst geographical features.
South China's Guizhou Province is preparing to construct a geology museum featuring its unique Karst geographical features.
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Thailand Tops Chinese Travelers' Complaint List
Last year, complaints from Chinese tourists traveling overseas mainly concentrated on destinations in Southeast Asia, with Thailand and Hong Kong heading the list.
Many tourists say they paid for everything in advance at home, but when they went to Tha

Oil Price Hike Not to Force up Airfares
Domestic airfares will remain unchanged even with fuel oil price hikes caused by the rising costs of crude oil on the international market in recent days, sources from General Administration of Civil Aviation of China (CAAC) said Monday.
A CAAC officia

Foreign Ministry Urges US Not to Fingerprint Chinese
China expressed strong dissatisfaction with the US decision to collect fingerprints of non-immigrant visa applicants from China and warned of reciprocal measures if the United States does not abandon this discriminatory measure. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated on March 23 that the US move to fingerprint non-immigrant visa applicants is discrimination against Chinese citizens and infringes upon their dignity and personal privacy. Beginning on January 5 this year, the United S

Eight-year-old Chinese Boy Sues Airline Company for Overcharging
Lu Zhenyuan, an eight-year-old Chinese boy, did not look young enough to merit an airfare discount, but now he has proven old enough to drag the airline company to court. Lu, a resident of eastern Ningbo city, bought the ticket from China Eastern Airlines to the southwestern city of Kunming during January's Lunar New Year festival, paying the full price, the Qianlong state media website said Monday. It was only when he was airborne that he looked at the back of his ticket to discov

Qualcomm Signs Deal with UTStarcom
The pioneer and world leader of code division multiple access (CDMA) digital wireless technology Qualcomm has signed a commercial CDMA subscriber unit and infrastructure licensing agreement with UTStarcom Inc, a global leader in IP access networking and services. Under the terms of the worldwide royalty-bearing agreement, which was announced Tuesday in Beijing, Qualcomm has granted UTStarcom a patent licence to develop, manufacture and sell subscriber and infrastructure equipment for use

Suzhou Vies for World Cultural Heritage List
The next World Heritage Meeting is drawing nearer, and international attention is focusing on the host city -- Suzhou, a quaint city in east China's Jiangsu Province. Suzhou is hoping to cash in on this golden opportunity to apply for world cultural herit

Foreign Ministry Urges US Not to Fingerprint Chinese
China expressed strong dissatisfaction with the US decision to collect fingerprints of non-immigrant visa applicants from China and warned of reciprocal measures if the United States does not abandon this discriminatory measure.
The Ministry of Foreign

35 New Air Routes to Open for Rush Season
China will open 35 new air routes during the upcoming summer-autumn season, including 20 domestic and 15 international routes.
From March 28 to Oct. 30, over 21,400 domestic flights will be offered every week, providing more than 3.25 million seats, up

Guangzhou to Ban Begging in Some Areas
Guangzhou will implement a regulation to enhance the management of beggars and ban begging in some areas in April.
But the rule will also require police and urban administrators to help those in need. Begging and sleeping in the open will be pro

Airline Loses Suit
Pudong New Area People's Court Tuesday ordered China Eastern Airlines Co Ltd to pay 15,425 yuan (US$1,858) and US$437 in compensation to Ko Shu-To, a Hong Kong native, to cover his losses and legal fees.
Ko filed a lawsuit against the airlines on March

Airbus pushes A380 sales to China carriers
A mainland airline might soon agree provisionally to sign-up for the giant double-deck A380, the long-range aircraft that can carry 555 passengers halfway around the world. Airbus China president Mr Laurence Barron expects agreement this year. This will follow the highly successful political visit to France recently by China president Mr Hu Jintao. He saw an A380 cabin mock-up. Airbus has been negotiating with Air China, China Eastern and China Southern about possible A380 sales.

Air China seeks investors
Air China will seek initial public offerings this year in New York and Hong Kong, according to reliable sources. It is seeking strategic investors including Cathay Pacific, Singapore Airlines and Lufthansa. Then the carrier will seek to raise about US$500 million on the open market. Cathay has refused to comment. Air China wants to sell about a third of its shares to investors.

Hilton to manage new resort in China on Hainan Island
Hilton International is to manage its first resort in China, the Hilton Sanya Resort and Spa on Hainan Island. The 500 guestroom and villa Hilton Sanya Resort and Spa will command a prime position on 746 metres of unspoilt beach front at the western end of Yalong Bay. The resort is expected to open early 2006 and will be based around a stunning concept of a casual low-rise village set in lush tropical gardens with a meandering lagoon running the length of the site. Other facilities includ

The Lord of The Rings Heats up Kiwi Travel
The third and final film of the Oscar winning epic The Lord of the Rings has spurred Beijinger's enthusiasm for travel to New Zealand, where the magic masterpiece was shot. Many local travel agents have introduced "The Ring Trip," which gives travelers the chance to see some of the locations the film used in portraying Middle Earth. The price of the 13-day-trip is nearly one and a half times the cost of usual trips to New Zealand. However, reports suggest that its popularity is inc

China Southern Airlines takes delivery of 10th Boeing 777
China Southern Airlines has taken delivery of its 10th 777 aircraft from Boeing. Today's delivery marks the 6th long-range 777-IGW aircraft in the China Southern fleet and will be primarily used on China Southern's non-stop transpacific service between Los Angeles and Guangzhou. China Southern will be expanding its LAX-Sino 777 service to five times weekly starting March 28 and will be departing Los Angeles' Terminal 5 every Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings. China

Shorter Time from Beijing to Tianjin
A new rail service will soon be established between Beijing and Tianjin, a coastal city about 120 kilometers south east of the capital, which will take less than an hour. The special route cost about 12.3 billion yuan, or some US$1.5 billion, and will begin operating sometime this year. When the project is finished, the journey-time between the two cites will shorten from the current one and a half hours to around 55 minutes. More departure times will also be added, with a t

Free Bus Link to Shekou Wharf
Shekou wharf will launch free bus services Tuesday to Shenzhen and east Dongguan for passengers taking flights from Hong Kong airport. An average of 500 passengers have been using the ferry service between Shekou wharf and the new Hong Kong airport daily since the service opened September 29 last year. Passengers even arrive from Dongguan to use the ferry service to the Hong Kong airport. The free buses will leave Shekou at daily 9:55 am, 11:10 am, 11:55 am, 1:10 pm, 3:30 pm

Guangdong Leads China in Tourism Revenue
Guangdong Province, one of the economic powerhouses in south China, raked in 132.5 billion yuan (US$15.96 billion) in tourism revenue last year, placing top in the country. Sources from the provincial tourism bureau said the tourism sector netted US$4.27 billion in hard currency earnings from hosting overseas tourists and created 56.34 billion yuan (US$6.79 billion) in added value in the past year. Guangdong, which borders Hong Kong and Macao, is a major gateway for people to get o

Inbound tourism resumed in China
With sources from the National Tourism Administration, the once SARS-stricken Chinese inbound tourism has begun to resume since February 2004. According to the latest statistics, China saw 7.533 million inbound tourists in February, 2.13 percent up over last year. With the exception of Taiwan compatriots, tourists from foreign countries, Hong Kong and Macao have all risen. February saw 1.11022 million foreign tourists, 4.6579 million Hong Kong tourists, and 1.5201 million Macao tourists,

HK Tourism Back to Growth Track
The World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) said in Hong Kong on March 18 that the WTTC is confident that Hong Kong is poised for a return to growth track in 2004. Richard Miller, executive vice president of the World Travel and Tourism Council, said here at a press conference that the Chinese mainland, the world economy's second largest locomotive, is expected to become top factor for driving the tourism growth of Hong Kong in 2004. He said Hong Kong travel and tourism industry is

Golden Week Europe Trip Still Out of Reach
People may be itching to go sightseeing in Europe during the "Golden Week" of the May Day holiday, but their enthusiasm may be dampened by the simple fact that tour companies still don't have the green light to organize the trips. The National Tourism Administration approved destination status agreements with 13 European countries earlier this year to simplify the application process for tourism visas. At the same time, Several Beijing-based travel agencies are eager for the first

World's First Outdoor Scene Performance Opens in Guilin
The new concept opera, Impression Liu Sanjie, by renowned Chinese director Zhang Yimou has opened in Guilin city. Well known for its natural landscape, Guilin is the setting of Liu Sanjie's legendary songs. The performance, which took five years to prepare, is about 75 minutes long and contains 5 episodes named after the symbolic colors of Red, Green, Blue, Silver and Gold. The actors in the performance are not professional dancers or stars but villagers from the neighboring counti

China's Comfort Travel to partner Australia's Flight Center
Comfort Travel in China is planning to partner Flight Center, a major player in travel and business travel solutions in Australia. Comfort also entered a joint-venture agreement with Rosenbluth last year. While details have yet to be finalised with Flight Center, Comfort has applied to the China National Tourism Administration for a business license. The new venture, named Flight Center¨CComfort, will begin operations as soon as the license is issued, and the total investment by both parti

Sheraton Shenzhen to open July this year
Starwood Hotels & Resorts and Great China International Enterprises (Shenzhen) are partnering for Starwood to manage the Sheraton Shenzhen Hotel in China. The 320-room Sheraton Shenzhen Hotel is scheduled to open in July 2005. Sheraton Shenzhen Hotel is located in Shenzhen International Exchange Square in Futien
District. It will also have 50 serviced apartments and offer 2,000m2 of meeting and function space, suitable for small- to medium-sized meetings or group activities.

China to Hold World Heritage Exhibition
China's Ministry of Construction announced on Monday that a world heritage exhibition will be held in Suzhou, a scenic city of east China's Jiangsu Province, from June 26 to July 15. As part of the 28th Session of the World Heritage Committee, which was scheduled from June 28 to July 7 in Suzhou, the exhibition will exhibit the 754 world heritages in 129 countries around the world, said Wang Fengwu, an official with the ministry. Wang said China will exhibit its 29 world heritage s

Guizhou to Construct Karst Geology Museum
South China's Guizhou Province is preparing to construct a geology museum featuring its unique Karst geographical features. The museum will be located in Anshun City, with the famous Huangguoshuo Falls at the center. Guizhou Province is called China's Karst Kingdom, with about 74 percent of its area is covered by Karst.

Oil Price Hike Not to Force up Airfares
Domestic airfares will remain unchanged even with fuel oil price hikes caused by the rising costs of crude oil on the international market in recent days, sources from General Administration of Civil Aviation of China (CAAC) said Monday. A CAAC official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, confirmed the information after some foreign airlines said they will elevate their air fares because of the higher costs of aviation fuel. Three Canadian airlines announced they would increa

Fingerprints in Need for American Visa
The American embassy to China is starting to scan and collect fingerprints of non-immigration visa applicants. The entire records will be stored in a database for officials. The entire records will be stored in a database for officials of US Department of Homeland Security to identify visa holders who enter the country. The decision was made in line with US policies to tighten visa processing out of concerns for security. However, government officials and businesspeople will

Thailand Tops Chinese Travelers' Complaint List
Last year, complaints from Chinese tourists traveling overseas mainly concentrated on destinations in Southeast Asia, with Thailand and Hong Kong heading the list. Many tourists say they paid for everything in advance at home, but when they went to Thailand they had to pay for tour guides. Another complaint is that prices of electric appliances in Hong Kong are high, but the quality is low. 60 percent of tourists say travel agencies provide services that are inferior to thos

China's Fastest Light Rail on Track in Tianjin
A new light rail in northeastern China's coastal city of Tianjin will begin trial operations on Sunday, March 28th. A light rail line connecting Pinhai new development area to the downtown core of northeastern China's city of Tianjin will begin preliminary trial operations on Sunday, March 28th. The line is the longest and fastest light rail line in China, with 46 kilometers of track and the capability of reaching speeds of up to 100 kilometers per hour. During the test peri

Border Police Nab Thousands of Stowaways
Police have arrested 5,286 stowaways and 444 snakeheads after a five-month, nationwide investigation. More than 16,000 illegal foreign migrants have also been repatriated, sources with the Ministry of Public Security (MPS) said Wednesday in Beijing. "Illegal immigration of Chinese citizens and cross-border crimes, such as smuggling of guns and drugs, began to rebound in last September," said Chen Weiming, director of the MPS' Bureau of Frontier Administration, at a news conference.

Border Police Nab Thousands of Stowaways
Police have arrested 5,286 stowaways and 444 snakeheads after a five-month, nationwide investigation. More than 16,000 illegal foreign migrants have also been repatriated, sources with the Ministry of Public Security (MPS) said Wednesday in Beijing. "Illegal immigration of Chinese citizens and cross-border crimes, such as smuggling of guns and drugs, began to rebound in last September," said Chen Weiming, director of the MPS' Bureau of Frontier Administration, at a news conference.

Stowaways, Snakeheads, Illegal Immigrants Targeted
Police have arrested 5,286 stowaways and 444 snakehead gangsters in a five-month-long nationwide crackdown on cross-border crime. More than 16,000 illegal foreign migrants have also been repatriated, sources with the Ministry of Public Security (MPS) said Wednesday in Beijing. "Illegal emigration of Chinese citizens and cross-border crime, such as smuggling of guns and drugs, began to rebound in last September," said Chen Weiming, director of the MPS' Bureau of Frontier Administrat

Huge Investment to Improve of Yangtze Navigation Conditions
China plans to invest 16 billion yuan (nearly US$2 billion) in the next 17 years to improve navigation conditions in the main trunk water route of the Yangtze River, its biggest waterway, through dredging and building new navigation facilities and other means, officials said Wednesday. An official in charge of the Yangtze Navigation Channel Bureau said the massive clearing will be the largest they had worked on. According to a program on Yangtze navigation development, projects wil

Yangtze Navigation to Be Improved
China plans to invest 16 billion yuan (US$1.9 billion) over the next 17 years to improve navigation conditions on the main trunk of the Yangtze River, its biggest waterway. Extensive dredging will be done and new navigation facilities built, said officials in Wuhan City Wednesday. An official in charge of the Yangtze Navigation Channel Bureau said the massive clearing will be the largest ever. Navigation facilities and equipment such as signs, lights and ports, will be upgraded or built i

Famous Gardens Hot Ticket at Any Price
Ticket prices that are expected to as much as double at the gardens in Suzhou, East China's Jiangsu Province -- a world cultural heritage site, are arousing heated debate. The prices, officials say, will likely be greatly increased before the upcoming World Heritage Conference set for the end of this June. According to an official working in the Suzhou Garden Bureau, who declined to give his name, the readjusted ticket prices will be announced sometime between May and June 30.
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Italian Bridges Cultures
Elio Matacena likes talking about the two scientific projects his company is currently engaged in in China. One of them is the "Enermar Project," which is aimed at exploiting the energy contained within marine currents through the use of an innovative patented turbine. The other, which sounds more fantastic, is called "Archimedes Bridge." It involves the innovative use of a submerged floating tunnel to build permanent crossings to link the shores of lakes, rivers and straits.

US Visa Application Measures Prompt Stiff Fairness Debate
Xiao Wang, who wants to study in the United States for a doctoral degree, approached the Beijing-based US Embassy for an interview on Monday hoping to get a visa. He found that each applicant is required to conduct fingerprint scanning, so he placed his two index fingers on a piece of equipment just as others did, which added a few seconds to his application process. From Monday onwards, the US Embassy and Consulate General in China started the fingerprint scanning for most non-imm

US Urged Not to Fingerprint Chinese
China expressed its strong dissatisfaction with the US move of collecting fingerprints of non-immigration visa applicants from China and warned of reciprocal measures if the United States does not abandon this discriminatory measure. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement on March 23 the US move is a discrimination against the Chinese citizens, and infringes upon the dignity and personal privacy of the Chinese citizens. Beginning from January 5 this year, the United St

US Refuses to Review Fingerprinting Procedure
The United States said it would not accept China's request for a review in the procedure of fingerprinting its citizens applying for non-immigrant visas. US State Department spokesman Adam Ereli rejected China's claim that it was a discriminatory procedure, saying electronic fingerprinting was a global requirement for applicants of US visas. "So the notion that somehow this is either targeted or an invasion of privacy I think is just not true," he told reporters. China said

Famous Gardens Hot Ticket at Any Price
Ticket prices that are expected to as much as double at the gardens in Suzhou, East China's Jiangsu Province -- a world cultural heritage site, are arousing heated debate.
The prices, officials say, will likely be greatly increased before the upcoming

US Rejects China's Request to Review Visa Fingerprinting
The United States says it will not entertain China's request for a review in the procedure of fingerprinting its citizens applying for non-immigrant visas.
The US State Department rejected Beijing's claim that it was a discriminatory procedure, saying

Party Bans Holding of Dual Posts
Party and government officials will not be allowed to take posts in enterprises starting in May, according to a notice released by the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC), nor will business and industry leaders be permitted to hold gov

Huge Investment to Improve of Yangtze
Navigation Conditions
China plans to invest 16 billion yuan (nearly US$2 billion) in the next 17 years to improve navigation conditions in the main trunk water route of the Yangtze River, its biggest waterway, through dredging and building new navigation facilities and other m

Airbus Expecting Further Success
China is expected to demand as many as 1,500 airplanes with more than 100 seats in the next two decades.
Olivier Andries, Airbus senior vice-president in charge of marketing & pricing policies, said the largest demand category will be 100-200 seaters s

David Copperfield to Make Magic in Beijing
World famous magician David Copperfield will soon be making a visit to Beijing for his third performance in the country. American magician David Copperfield made a lasting impression in China with his 2002 Magic Time Space Travel Show. Two years on, people are still talking about it. Now the king of magic is coming back. He's scheduled to dazzle China once again with a total of 38 shows between April and May in Beijing, Shanghai, Hangzhou, Nanjing and Changsha. A magician wh

Birds of Paradise
The birdwatching ban imposed earlier this year to prevent the possible spread of bird flu put many twitchers'plans on hold. But with the ban now lifted in China, it is not too late for a birdwatching trip in Beijing. Many water areas around Beijing entice hundreds of wild birds. Many of these birds typically stay until late April. As an outdoor leisure activity, birdwatching is not yet particularly popular among Beijing people. While the United States has an estimated birdwa

Expats & Foreign Visitors Set for Visa-free Access to Shenzhen
Expatriates and foreign visitors in Hong Kong will soon be given visa-free access to Shenzhen as part of new measures under the Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement, or CEPA, between the mainland and HK. Shenzhen is a border city in south China's Guangdong Province, and became China's first special economic zone in the early 1980s. Shenzhen tourism authorities say about 800,000 foreigners who visit the special economic zone via Hong Kong would benefit from the new measures.
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International Airliners Landing in Haikou
An airliner from Phuket Airlines Co Ltd of Thailand lands at Meilan International Airport in Haikou, capital of south China's Hainan Province March 25, 2004. Arriving from Bangkok, it is the first international flight to this airport since the province opened its airports to international airlines in February.

Birds of Paradise
The bird-watching ban imposed earlier this year to prevent the possible spread of bird flu put many twitchers' plans on hold. But with the ban now lifted in China, it is not too late for a bird-watching trip in Beijing. Many water areas around Beijing entice hundreds of wild birds. Many of these birds typically stay until late April. As an outdoor leisure activity, bird-watching is not yet particularly popular among Beijing people. While the United States has an estimated bi

Safety of Embassies, Foreigners Guaranteed
China will take responsible measures to ensure the safety of all embassies and consulates in the country, including the Israeli embassy, Foreign Ministry spokesman Kong Quan said in Beijing Thursday. Kong said at a regular press conference that the Chinese government will also take measures to guarantee the stable life and safety of foreigners as they travel, do business and live in the country.

Panda Eco-park Scheduled for Completion at Year End
China is expected to have its ecological park for giant pandas at the end of this year, according to researchers at the Chengdu Giant Panda Breeding and Research Base in this capital city of southwest China's Sichuan Province. The park is to be built to expand the existing breeding and research base by five times, the researchers said. The 200-hectare park will be used to make specialized research on the conditions and methods for returning artificially bred giant pandas to the wil

Deep Purple is Coming
China's rock 'n' roll fans have got pretty jaded about news touting the arrival of groups like the Rolling Stones, the Eagles and Suede. Suede's two gigs in Beijing's cold February 2003 failed to heat up the audiences' enthusiasm; the Rolling Stones cancelled their China tour because of the SARS epidemic; and the Eagles seemed to have soared past Beijing altogether. So who knows if Deep Purple, unfamiliar to Chinese fans, will be able to satisfy their thirst for terrific riffs

China Opposes Vietnam's Move on Nansha Islands
China has lodged solemn representation with Vietnam over its attempt to open "a tourist route" by boat to the Nansha Islands and launch tourist activities in the upcoming April, Foreign Ministry spokesman Kong Quan said in Beijing Thursday. Kong told a regular news briefing that China has indisputable sovereignty over the Nansha Islands and surrounding waters and the move taken by Vietnam has infringed on China's territorial sovereignty. Kong said it is the important consensus and

Jackie Chan Promotes Hong Kong Tourism
Jackie Chan will travel to Shanghai this Saturday, not to hawk his latest film, but, as the Labor Day holiday peak travel period approaches, to promote the Hong Kong tourism industry. The action star, who is also the Hong Kong tourism ambassador, will promote the many attractions for visitors to Hong Kong. The one-week Labor Day holiday is one of the busiest travel seasons in China, with millions of people heading home or enjoying a tour.

Liu Wei -- Designer Speaking a Floral Language
Born to a family of artists, it isn't surprising that Liu Wei has inherited valuable talents from both sides of her family -- the eye for detail from her oil-and-canvas painter father; and the consciousness of the human form from her dancer mother. But what is surprising is that the then 18-year-old combined these skills and put aside brush and paper in favor of scissors and cloth. Rising from struggling fashion student to head designer of Isunte, China's largest producer of linen textile, Liu s

Embraer Courts China's Airlines
China's air industry not only appeals to aircraft makers like Boeing and Airbus, but also smaller jets to exploit the country's growing charter market.
Brazil-based Embraer, one of the world's two major regional-plane producers, yesterday in Shanghai d

Expats & Foreign Visitors Set for Visa-Free Access to Shenzhen
Expatriates and foreign visitors in Hong Kong will soon be given visa-free access to Shenzhen as part of new measures under the Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement, or CEPA, between the mainland and HK.
Shenzhen is a border city in south China's Gu

Star-Grade Cabs Serving in Nanjing
Passengers are able to enjoy sitting in a more comfortable and cleaner taxis in Nanjing. Once the passengers find the seat covers unclean, they can decline to pay the taxi fee.
Passengers are able to enjoy sitting in a more comfortable and cleaner taxi

Panda Eco-park Scheduled for Completion at Year End
China is expected to have its ecological park for giant pandas at the end of this year, according to researchers at the Chengdu Giant Panda Breeding and Research Base in this capital city of southwest China's Sichuan Province.
The park is to be built t

Safety of Embassies, Foreigners Guaranteed
China will take responsible measures to ensure the safety of all embassies and consulates in the country, including the Israeli embassy, Foreign Ministry spokesman Kong Quan said in Beijing Thursday.
Kong said at a regular press conference that the Chi

China's Fastest Light Rail on Track in Tianjin
A light rail line connecting Pinhai new development area to the downtown core of northeastern China's city of Tianjin will begin preliminary trial operations on Sunday, March 28th. The line is the longest and fastest light rail line in China, with 46 kilometers of track and the capability of reaching speeds of up to 100 kilometers per hour. During the test period, the new line will operate for twelve hours a day. Trains will depart every 25 minutes during regular hours and e

More donations for refitting Yellow Emperor mausoleum
Donations to the tune of 100 million yuan (about 12.1 million US dollars) have been amassed for refitting the mausoleum of Huangdi, or the Yellow Emperor, the legendary founder of the Chinese nation. Located on Qiaoshan Hill in Huangling County, northwest China's Shaanxi Province, the mausoleum is a popular place for people of Chinese origin to worship their ancestors. The renovation, carried out in two stages, started in autumn 1992 to cater to the growing numbers of worshippers a

Suzhou Vies for World Cultural Heritage List
The next World Heritage Meeting is drawing nearer, and international attention is focusing on the host city -- Suzhou, a quaint city in east China's Jiangsu Province. Suzhou is hoping to cash in on this golden opportunity to apply for world cultural heritage status. But local officials say it'll take two or three years before they know whether Suzhou has made it onto the coveted list. Suzhou's 2,500-year history has left a wealth of cultural and historical heritages. What merits special a

Cathay codeshares with Aeroflot
Cathay Pacific Airways signed a codeshare deal with Russian airline Aeroflot in Moscow yesterday, after more than two years of talk. The agreement will put the Cathay flight code on Aeroflot's Boeing 767 flights to Moscow from June 1, subject to final government approval. Industry insiders said it was likely for Cathay to operate its own flight to the Russian capital beginning next year. Aeroflot now operates five weekly services but will increase to six during the summer peak seas

Reviewing Stand on Tian'anmen Square Renovated
The reviewing stand on Tian'anmen Square will start undergoing renovation work later Wednesday. The platform, built in 1954, which is located on both the astern and western sides of Tian'anmen Gate and to the north of the square, covers about 4,000 square meters and can accommodate over 10,000 people. Erected nearly 50 years ago, the platform has suffered from submergence and cracking in some of its walls, which endangers the whole building. The complete reconstruction work

Australia, China in air pact
Australia and China have ratified a new air services agreement, which is expected to swell tourism flows between the two countries. The agreement will allow for unrestricted passenger services between Australia's regional international gateways and all airports in China. The pact is expected to increase significantly the number of visitors from China to Cairns in Tropical North Queensland. Australian airlines have been awarded new rights to carry passengers beyond China.

Weather information on buses starts in Beijing
Buses running on over 70 lines in Beijing, capital of China, began to provide weather information on March 23. Over 2,300 buses distributed within the city zone of Beijing opened the service that provides the latest meteorological information of the city every two minutes on an electronic screen in the bus. According to Li Hui, an official with the Beijing Meteorological Bureau, their cooperation with the Beijing Public Transportation Corporation to provide weather service on buses

35 New Air Routes to Open for Rush Season
China will open 35 new air routes during the upcoming summer-autumn season, including 20 domestic and 15 international routes. From March 28 to Oct. 30, over 21,400 domestic flights will be offered every week, providing more than 3.25 million seats, up 12 percent over the previous year. Nearly 2,000 international flights will be offered every week to over 70 cities in 31 nations and some 42 mainland cities will have air links to Hong Kong and Macao, with the total flights reaching

National Cutural Museums to Admit Minors Free of Charge
All state-owned cultural museums will admit groups of young minors free of charge.
China is making efforts to increase access to cultural education among its young people. All state-owned cultural museums will admit groups of young minors free of charge, while single visitors of a certain age will pay only half the price of the admittance fee. The Government is urging its cultural museums and galleries to implement the system from May 1st. The Palace Museum in Beijing and Shangh

Cultural Exhibition to Open at Dajue Temple
A cultural exhibition titled "Ancient Temple and Yulan Fragrance" will open at Dajue Temple in West Beijing's Yaitai Mountain on April 1st. Organizers say Dajue Temple boasts the oldest Yulan tree in Beijing, which was planted almost 300 years ago. The ancient tree usually blossoms around the 5th of April every year, during the traditional Chinese Qingming festival. Visitors to the exhibition will be able to enjoy a cultural show and drink a local blend of refreshing tea.

Yangtze Delta Tourism Region to Benefit Huangshan
Huangshan City in East China's Anhui Province, which is part of the Yangtze River Delta Tourism Region, has been promoting tourism. The tourism region, covering East China's Shanghai Municipality, Zhejiang, Jiangsu and Anhui provinces, is a concept that was worked out at the "Summit Forum of '15+1' Tourist Cities in the Yangtze River Delta," held last July in Shanghai. At the forum, 16 cities in the region jointly signed the "Declaration for Cooperation of the Tourism Cities in the

IHG exceeds China target
InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) is having more hotels in China than it expected in 2003, with the Crowne Plaza brand growing well, according to IHG managing director Asia-Pacific, Mr Patrick Imbardelli. Mr Imbardelli said: Around the same time last year, we were looking at 40 hotels in greater China in 2004. We already have 44 hotels in operation now. Another 47 hotels will come on line in China between now and end 2005. Growth was not just for the Holiday Inn brand, already th

Airbus expects China to buy 1,500 planes in next 20 years
European aircraft manufacturer Airbus estimates China will purchase up to 1,500 planes over the next 20 years and hopes to grab a 50 percent market share. As the Chinese economy continues its rapid expansion, the largest demand will be for 100- to 200-seat planes such as the company's A320 model, Olivier Andries, an Airbus senior vice-president told the China Daily. " China is very much in the destination planning of our launch customers," Andries said.
"There is no doubt that t

New classification system for Tibetan heritage
The Tibet Autonomous Region has more than its share of culture. And now there's a new mission to classify the best of Tibet's heritage. This will be the biggest cultural classification effort ever in the region. The mission requires all museums to check their collections and choose the most valuable Tibetan pieces to be classified as exceptional. Experts will authenticate the pieces, and record information including their size, age, and quality. Historical documents and photos will

Huge Investment to Improve of Yangtze Navigation Conditions
China plans to invest 16 billion yuan (nearly US$2 billion) in the next 17 years to improve navigation conditions in the main trunk water route of the Yangtze River, its biggest waterway, through dredging and building new navigation facilities and other means, officials said Wednesday. An official in charge of the Yangtze Navigation Channel Bureau said the massive clearing will be the largest they had worked on. According to a program on Yangtze navigation development, projects wil

Newly Developed Tour Routes of Xining Civil Aviation
To meet the need of tourist peak season market in Qinghai, the airline from Xining to some of the main domestic tourist cities will be resumed or newly opened in a short term. According to the 2004 summer and autumn flight plan made by the national aviation Zhejiang Branch , the "Wenzhou-Hangzhou-Xining-Urumuqi" line will be resumed on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays in the near future; the "Hangzhou-Xining-Urumuqi"line will be available every day. The Taoxian International Airport in S

Visa-free crossing soon possible from Hong Kong to Shenzhen
China will soon let expatriates living in Hong Kong and foreign visitors have visa-free entry to the border town of Shenzhen as part of the Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement (Cepa), the deal that has seen China allow individual travellers to go to Hong Kong. About 800,000 people who make the trip annually should benefit, Shenzhen Tourism chief, Mr Chi Xiongbiao, said. An agreement between Hong Kong and Shenzhen will be signed next month, sources said. At present, expats and f

Space Trip for Chinese Youngsters
Teenagers in Guangzhou, capital of south China's Guangdong province will have an opportunity to take a trip this summer holiday to America to experience being astronauts. The two-week trip, costing close to 26,600 yuan, or about 3200 US dollars is co-sponsored by the municipal tourism bureau and NASA's sub-launch center. During the first week of the trip, the students will learn about space travel, sit in a real rocket, get a better understanding of space and some astronauts will b

Tourist Arrivals in China Resume Rising in February
China's tourist arrivals started to resume rising in February to 7.533 million, up 2.13 percent over the same period last year, sources with the National Tourism Administration said.
Compared to February last year, when China's tourism suffered from SA

Shenyang to Open More International Air Routes
Shenyang city, capital of northeast China's Liaoning province, will open air routes to the United States, Europe and Australia on March 28.
The specific times for departures and arrivals were announced by the government on Friday and given in local tim

Chinese Tourists' Complaints About Overseas Travel on Rise
Chinese travelers' complaints about overseas sightseeing in 2003 increased 1 percent over 2002, according to sources with the National Tourism Administration Friday.
In 2003, 21.8 percent more Chinese tourists went overseas than the previous year, whil

Spain Helps China Develop Tourism
On March 18, a team of travel and tourism professionals dispatched by the Barcelona Tourism Board to Beijing submitted its report to Yu Changjiang, director of the Beijing Tourism Administration. The 35-page report was the culmination of four months of research and discussion. The experts from Barcelona identified public transportation as the most urgent issue to be addressed. In addition to the subway and light rail systems, they suggested, improvements should be made to the public bus s

China's Longest Light Rail Starts Trial Operation
A 45-km light rail line, the longest of its kind in China, was put into trial operation in the northern port city of Tianjin on Sunday. Eight trains each with four cars will travel through the 19 stations along the whole line during the trial operation and 29 trains will be employed during formal operation, with a maximum speed of 100 km per hour. Construction of the line between downtown Tianjin and the Binhai New District began in May 2001 and was completed in September 2003, at

Air China Plane Skids off Runway
An Air China plane veered away from the runway while landing at Shuangliu international airport on Sunday in Chengdu, capital of southwest China's Sichuan Province. No casualties have been reported and the cause of the accident is under investigation. The airport was temporarily closed for about two hours.

Hong Kong Targets Individual Tourists
Residents in all 21 cities in South China's Guangdong Province will be permitted to travel as individuals to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) beginning in May. Hong Kong Tourism Board Executive Director Clara Chong said yesterday in Shanghai. Only residents in eight cities in Guangdong have previously enjoyed that privilege, since last year. Tourists from other cities in Guangdong were only permitted to travel to Hong Kong with tour groups. Beijing an

Longest Light Rail in China Starts Trial Operation
A 45-km light rail line, the longest of its kind in China, was put into trial operation in the northern port city of Tianjin on Sunday. Eight trains each with four cars will travel through the 19 stations along the whole line during the trial operation and 29 trains will be employed during formal operation, with a maximum speed of 100 km per hour. Construction of the line between downtown Tianjin and the Binhai New District began in May 2001 and was completed in September 2003, at

Shenyang Opens Three Overseas Air Routes
A Boeing-737 plane took off from Taoxian International Airport in Shenyang, capital northeast China's Liaoning Province, Sunday morning for Frankfurt, Germany, marking the operation of the city's first direct air route to Europe. Another two air routes connecting Shenyang, one of the leading heavy industrial centers in the country, with Los Angeles in the United States and Sydney in Australia will open later Sunday. According to Air China, operator of the three routes, there will b

Hong Kong to See More Individual Tourists
Hong Kong Tourism Board Executive Director Clara Chong announced Sunday in Shanghai that residents of all 21 cities in south China's Guangdong Province will be permitted to travel as individuals to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) beginning in May. Residents of eight of Guangdong's cities have enjoyed the privilege since last year. Tourists from the other cities were permitted to travel to Hong Kong only with tour groups. Beijing and Shanghai already allow indivi

Beijing's Capital Airport to Be Enlarged
The expansion project of Beijing Capital International Airport was launched Sunday morning as part of the city's preparations for the 2008 Olympic Games.
A key state project listed by the State Council, or the cabinet, the enlarged airport will be able

Boeing Has High Hopes for 7E7
Boeing, the US aircraft manufacturing giant, is talking with major Chinese airlines interested in purchasing 7E7 - the super-efficient long-range jetliner that could help Boeing beat off Airbus to return to the top of the industry.
"Boeing and China ar

Hong Kong Targets Individual Tourists
Residents in all 21 cities in South China's Guangdong Province will be permitted to travel as individuals to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) beginning in May.
Hong Kong Tourism Board Executive Director Clara Chong said yesterday in Sh

World Carnival to Come to Beijing for the First Time
World Carnival is coming to China this summer. The visit will be the first visit to the capital by one of the world's biggest street festivals.
To sample the more than 150 grand performances, street entertainers and gastronomic delights, people can mak

Shanghai Airport Firm Posts Profit
Shanghai International Airport Co Ltd, the operator of the city's two airports, said its profit for the period ended December 2003 rose 6.29 percent from a year earlier as it recovered from the SARS outbreak to handle more passengers and cargo.
Net inc

China Had 10,247 Stowaways in 2001-2003
China's frontier checkpoints have detected 10,247 stowaways in the past three years, according to a national conference on frontier inspection held in Hangzhou on Monday. From 2001 to 2003, the frontier armed force of the public security inspected over 100 million cross-border passengers, among whom 10,247 were stowaways and 29,891 violated other laws and regulations, according to figures revealed at the meeting which was held in Hangzhou, capital of east China's Zhejiang Province.

Bus Crashes into Office, Leaving 9 Dead in Jiangsu
A tourist bus crashed into a company's reception office by the roadside Sunday in east China's Jiangsu Province, killing nine people and injuring some 30 others. The accident happened in Changshu City at 7:45 p.m., when a bus carrying 42 students and five teachers was returning to Zhangjiagang City from the provincial capital Hangzhou for spring sightseeing. It suddenly crashed into a reception office at the gate of the Wuyue printing and dyeing company. Six people were killed at the scen

China Northern Airlines Opens New Flight to Tokyo
China Northern Airlines (CNA) opened a new passenger air route linking Changchun, capital of northeast China's Jilin Province, to Tokyo, capital of Japan, on Sunday. The flights are once a week on Sunday, taking off from Changchun at 8:45 a.m. and leaving Tokyo at 12:25 p.m. and shortening the travel time between the two cities from more than five hours to less than three hours, said Liu Chun, an official with the CNA. Passengers will be provided with services in three languages, C

More Dust Storms to Hit North China
More dusty weather will sweep north China in the next few days, after Beijing was hit Monday by its strongest sandstorm so far this year. The Central Meteorological Station says dust-laden winds are going to hit north China in the next ten days, and some regions will see sandstorms. Beijing was struck Monday by its worst duststorm so far this year, while strong sandstorms reduced visibility to less than 300 meters in the Inner Mongolia and north China's Shanxi Province. Drou

China Had 10,247 Stowaways in 2001-2003
China's frontier checkpoints have detected 10,247 stowaways in the past three years, according to a national conference on frontier inspection held in Hangzhou on Monday.
From 2001 to 2003, the frontier armed force of the public security inspected over

China Northern Airlines Opens New Flight to Tokyo
China Northern Airlines (CNA) opened a new passenger air route linking Changchun, capital of northeast China's Jilin Province, to Tokyo, capital of Japan, on Sunday.
The flights are once a week on Sunday, taking off from Changchun at 8:45 a.m. and leav

Shanghai-Copenhagen Air Route Launched
An Airbus A340 from Scandinavian Airlines arrived in Shanghai at 7:35 a.m. Monday, opening a directflight linking this eastern metropolis with Copenhagen of Denmark.
Danish and Chinese celebrities such as Princess Alexandra, Danish Transportation Minis

Few Visitors to Museums in Beijing
Compared with the bustling springtime parks, most museums in Beijing have seen a quiet season with fewer locals paying visits.
Statistics shows that there are over 120 registered museums in the city. But barely 30 are well managed. Unlike the Qi

More Dust Storms to Hit North China
More dusty weather will sweep north China in the next few days, after Beijing was hit Monday by its strongest sandstorm so far this year.
The Central Meteorological Station says dust-laden winds are going to hit north China in the next ten days, and so

Star-grade Cabs Serving in Nanjing
Passengers are able to enjoy sitting in a more comfortable and cleaner taxis in Nanjing. The city introduces 60 star-grade cabs providing the passengers with a tidy environment and good service such as carsick medicine, umbrellas and city maps. Once the passengers find the seat covers unclean, they can decline to pay the taxi fee. Additionally, when it's raining, the customers can borrow the umbrellas with 10 yuan deposit and return them to designated places within ten days.

Yun Ju Temple Applies To Be World Heritage
Yunju Temple has held a ceremony to kick off its application for being formally recognized as a World Heritage. The millennium Yunju Temple in Southwest Beijing has held a ceremony to kick off its application for being formally recognized as a World Heritage. With an over 1,400 years history, Yunju Temple contains more than 10 thousand blocks of sutra inscriptions. Over 4,000 inscriptions carved in Sui and Tang Dynasty are still kept in the initial caves. Experts say the rel

Aeroflot to launch Guangzhou flights, open office next year
Aeroflot Russian Airlines intends to launch flights out of Guangzhou and open a Guangzhou office next year, once its code-share flights with Cathay Pacific Airways get off the ground in June. Alexey Sumchenko, general manager for Hong Kong, Macau and the Philippines told TravelWeekly at today's Guangzhou International Travel Fair that Guangzhou is in need of an Aeroflot office, and the recent partnership with Cathay will serve as an important, initial base for southern Chinese travelling

Spain Helps China Develop Tourism
On March 18, a team of travel and tourism professionals dispatched by the Barcelona Tourism Board to Beijing submitted its report to Yu Changjiang, director of the Beijing Tourism Administration. The 35-page report was the culmination of four months of research and discussion. The experts from Barcelona identified public transportation as the most urgent issue to be addressed. In addition to the subway and light rail systems, they suggested, improvements should be made to the public bus s

Tourist Arrivals in China Resume Rising in February
China's tourist arrivals started to resume rising in February to 7.533 million, up 2.13 percent over the same period last year, sources with the National Tourism Administration said. Compared to February last year, when China's tourism suffered from SARS, China this year saw a rise in tourist arrivals from Hong Kong, Macao and foreign countries, but not Taiwan. According to the statistics, the number of tourists from foreign countries, Hong Kong and Macao reached 1.1022 million, 4.

World Carnival Comes to Beijing for the First Time
World Carnival is coming to China this summer. The visit will be the first visit to the capital by one of the world's biggest street festivals. To sample the more than 150 grand performances, street entertainers and gastronomic delights, people can make their way to Beijing International Sculpture Park between June 22nd and August 26th. The show looks likely to be held in Beijing every year in the run up to the Olympics in 2008.

Jackie Chan Promotes Hong Kong Tourism
Jackie Chan will travel to Shanghai this Saturday, not to hawk his latest film, but, as the Labor Day holiday peak travel period approaches, to promote the Hong Kong tourism industry. The action star, who is also the Hong Kong tourism ambassador, will promote the many attractions for visitors to Hong Kong. The one-week Labor Day holiday is one of the busiest travel seasons in China, with millions of people heading home or enjoying a tour.

International Airliners Landing in Haikou
An airliner from Phuket Airlines Co Ltd of Thailand lands at Meilan International Airport in Haikou, capital of south China's Hainan Province March 25, 2004. Arriving from Bangkok, it is the first international flight to this airport since the province opened its airports to international airlines in February.

Calling Air France
Air France has opened a call centre in Guangzhou, the airline's first in China. The call centre will handle all information, reservations and ticket sales calls coming from mainland China and Hong Kong. Later the centre will also handle all enquiries related to customer service and the frequent flyer programme. The number is 4008-808-808 and callers will be charged the cost of a local call.

Local toilets graded
The Shanghai Public Sanitation Bureau vowed yesterday to improve public toilets service, and more than 3,000 public toilets in downtown will be graded by both local residents and government authorities. According to its two-year work plan, workers at star-grade public toilets should be able to speak English and use sign language.

Beijing to Expand the Capital Airport
Beijing is going to expand its Capital Airport to become a new landmark building in the city. The international transport hub, costing 4.8 billion yuan, or about 580 million US dollars, will take some three years to complete and construction will start in a few days. The new car-park will have space for around 10 thousand vehicles and the chaotic post-baggage reclaim rush for taxis will soon become a distant memory after a designated areas for taxis is built. After the proje

Silversea focuses on Asia with more GSAs
High-end cruise liner Silversea Cruises has expanded its distribution network in the Philippines from two general sales agents (GSA) to five. The three new GSAs are American Express Adventure International Tours, Rajah Travel and Travel Enterprise. Silversea vice-president for sales and marketing, Mr Steve Odell, said: Business from the Asia Pacific makes up seven per cent of total revenue. The goal in the next 18 months is to make Asia 10 per cent of our total market. He sa

Singapore Airlines to launch service to Nanjing in China
Singapore Airlines said on Friday it will launch a thrice-weekly flight to China 's eastern city of Nanjing, the capital of Jiangsu province. The service will start Sunday, making Nanjing the fifth Chinese city serviced by SIA.
It will also be the only Southeast Asian airline to fly to the city. The carrier's total number of weekly flights to China will also increase to 88. SIA said Nanjing, with a population of 2.7 million people, is home to some of China 's most famous

Chinese Tourists' Complaints About Overseas Travel on Rise
Chinese travelers' complaints about overseas sightseeing in 2003 increased 1 percent over 2002, according to sources with the National Tourism Administration Friday. In 2003, 21.8 percent more Chinese tourists went overseas than the previous year, while the number of overseas tourists coming to China decreased 6.38 percent and the number of Chinese sightseers traveling in the country dropped 0.9 percent, figures show. Mainland travelers are dissatisfied mainly with tours to southea

Emirates connects Shanghai with Dubai
Emirates, the Dubai-based international carrier, will launch a new route between Shanghai and Dubai next month ¨C the first direct passage between two of the world's fastest-growing markets. Emirates will initially operate thrice weekly from April 10, on Mondays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. Daily flights will start from May 15. Emirates' senior vice president, Commercial Operations East Asia and Australasia, Mr Richard Vaughan, notes that Shanghai is not only an international commerce

Tourism operators eye May Golden Week
Tourism operators in China are gearing up for the May Golden Week, although it's still a month away. Timed to coincide with Labor Day on May 1, the Golden Week holiday is a popular time for travel, especially with Spring in full bloom. Already, tourists are flocking to the country's most popular spots. At the same time, the number of Chinese going abroad for holidays continues to increase. Travel agency operators say the cost of going abroad for the May Golden Week should be less than for

Twin Towers in Shanghai to Open in 2005
The main structures of the Ganghui Twin Towers in Shanghai have been completed. The commercial complex is located in Shanghai's Xuhui District. The 53-storey building will be yet another landmark building in the