China Industry

China Industry

Power Shortage Spurs New Tourism
Zhu Husheng, domestic tour unit manager of Shanghai Spring International Travel Service Ltd, can't hide his excitement when talking about his firm's unexpectedly bullish business this summer. "The robust business is just beyond our expectations,'' said Zhu, citing company revenue statistics in July that hit some 78 million yuan (US$9.43 million). The sales represents a strong 53 percent growth over the more comparable 2002 figures that take into consideration the impact of SARS (se

Power Shortage Spurs New Tourism
Zhu Husheng, domestic tour unit manager of Shanghai Spring International Travel Service Ltd, cannot hide his excitement when talking about his firm's unexpectedly bullish business this summer. "The robust business is just beyond our expectations," said Zhu, citing company revenue statistics in July that hit some 78 million yuan (US$9.43 million). The sales represents a strong 53 percent growth over the more comparable 2002 figures that take into consideration the impact of SARS (se

Guangzhou-Detroit Flight to Open
A new flight linking Detroit in the United States and Guangzhou, capital of south China's Guangdong Province, will be launched on October 31 this year. The route will also take in Japan's capital, Tokyo, according to US Northwest Airlines. With the opening of the new route, passengers can fly between Guangzhou and some seven port cities in the US, including Honolulu, Los Angeles, Minneapolis/St. Paul Airport, John F. Kennedy Airport in New York, Portland of Oregon, San Francisco and Seatt

Tourism of Tibet Has Great Potential
For a long time the harsh natural conditions in Tibet made it a favorite only destination for adventurers. But in recent years, the improved local infrastructure is opening Tibet up to ordinary travelers. Tibet began to develop a tourism industry in 1980. After twenty-four years, the autonomous region now has more than 100 hotels, 45 travel agents and more than 100 scenic sites. By the end of 2003, more than six million travelers will have visited Tibet, including more than one million fr

European Travel Giant Gullivers Enters China
Gullivers Travel Associates (GTA), the largest independent supplier of global travel products, confirmed Friday it launched its China subsidiary in Beijing Wednesday, becoming the first European travel agency licensed to operate in the country. In a statement made available to Xinhua Friday, Gullivers Travel Associated (China) Ltd. described itself as a privately owned travel company for inbound and domestic travel services. The company said it would utilize its 60-million-dollar i

Hainan Airlines Bid for Hungary's Malev Airline
China's Hainan Airlines (HNA) is considering making a bid for the loss-making Hungarian national airline Malev. HNA hopes to have an opportunity to help rebuild Malev and the two companies are negotiating on related issues, HNA President Chen Feng told a joint press conference this week with Malev's President Laszlo Sandor in Haikou, the capital of South China's Hainan Province. "Malev boasts an abundant flight network and professional air staff and the favourable geological positi

Endangered Ibises to Have More Homes
Ibises, endangered rare birds found only in China, will benefit from several new protection areas in addition to their one current reserve in Yangxian County, in Northwest China's Shaanxi Province. A trial project aimed at sending the birds to different reserves is underway in order to better protect the rare birds from sudden disasters, such as large scale epidemic disease, water pollution and dangerous weather which could send the birds into extinction if the disaster were to strike the

China Holds First Seminar for African Press Officials
The first African Press Officials Seminar held by the Information Office of China's State Council for African press officials opened in Beijing Saturday. Press officials from 17 African countries will participate in the two-week seminar. They will exchange views with Chinese journalists and learn more about China's achievements. This seminar is the first of its kind and a result of the cooperation between the governments of China and African countries. Besides Beijing, the p

Migrants Face Loneliness and Depression
If a man works 12 hours a day, seven days a week, is despised and poorly paid, has no stable relationships, entertainment or social life, what will happen to him A mental breakdown This is the sad reality of many of China's 100 million rural migrant workers who have come to urban areas such as Beijing and Shanghai in search of employment. Experts attending the recently ended 28th International Congress of Psychology are appealing for additional attention to be paid to this

Migrants Face Loneliness and Depression
If a man works 12 hours a day, seven days a week, is despised and poorly paid, has no stable relationships, entertainment or social life, what will happen to him A mental breakdown This is the sad reality of many of China's 100 million rural migrant workers who have come to urban areas such as Beijing and Shanghai in search of employment. Experts attending the recently ended 28th International Congress of Psychology are appealing for additional attention to be paid to this

Migrants Face Loneliness and Depression
If a man works 12 hours a day, seven days a week, is despised and poorly paid, has no stable relationships, entertainment or social life, what will happen to him A mental breakdown This is the sad reality of many of China's 100 million rural migrant workers who have come to urban areas such as Beijing and Shanghai in search of employment. Experts attending the recently ended 28th International Congress of Psychology are appealing for additional attention to be paid to this

Shanxi Sponsors Tourism Festival
North China's Shanxi Province, dubbed as the "heritage museum of China," will hold the Fifth China Datong Yungang & Hengshan Tourism Festival in the city of Datong from August 18 to 28. Located in the north of Shanxi Province, Datong is a 2,300-year-old city with a rich culture, and was the capital city of the Northern Wei Dynasty (386-534 AD) for almost a century. One of Datong's most famous cultural relics is the Yungang Grottoes, listed as a World Heritage Site by the United Nat

Chinese Acrobatics Hails Egypt
Yibin Acrobatics Troupe from southwest China's Sichuan Province has premiered in Egypt. The 75-minute program featured some of the troupe's most exciting performances including "Carrying the Bowl on the Head" and "Jujitsu Performance of Five." As part of the serial activities of "China Culture Tour to North Africa", the Yibin Acrobatics Troupe will visit Mauritania and Sudan after its four performances in Egypt. To promote the traditional friendship between China and North A

Firms Entangled in Duel for Railway Bid
The Beijing-Shanghai high-speed railway is still at approval stage by central government, but international firms are making last ditch efforts to win the order. The designs and schemes of the project are waiting for approval from the State Council, and then for last nod from the National People's Congress, said Sa Shuli, professor with Beijing Jiaotong University and consultant to the Ministry of Railways. But he said it is hard to tell the exact time of the final approval.

Private Funds to Enter Airline Industry
Private capital will soon get legal support to enter the nation's civil aviation sector, a senior official at the General Administration of Civil Aviation of China (CAAC) revealed Monday. A regulation on the introduction of domestic capital into the civil aviation industry will be mapped out within this year, said Ma Zheng, deputy director of the CAAC Department of Policy and Regulations. "The draft version of the regulation has been completed and will be soon submitted to State Co

Private Funds to Enter Airline Industry
Private capital will soon get legal support to enter the nation's civil aviation sector, a senior official at the General Administration of Civil Aviation of China (CAAC) revealed Monday. A regulation on the introduction of domestic capital into the civil aviation industry will be mapped out within this year, said Ma Zheng, deputy director of the CAAC Department of Policy and Regulations. "The draft version of the regulation has been completed and will be soon submitted to State Co

Zoo Park to Open in Northeast China
A host of animals rarely seen in China are set to appear at a new zoo park, one of the largest in the country, in the capital of northeast China's Heilongjiang Province. Around 3,000 creatures will come from abroad to live in the 850-hectare zoo, where they will have specially designed "homes." Exchanges are under way with foreign zoos, and some in China, to bring a wide variety of animals to Harbin. Some 260 animals, belonging to 22 species, such as white tiger, white lion

Int'l Buddhist Culture Festival Opens in Shanxi
More than 3,000 Buddhist monks from South Korea, Japan and China are gathering for a royal Buddhist service in Wutai Mountain, in north China's Shanxi Province. It's reported that the Buddhist service is part of the Wutai Mountain international Buddhist culture festival which will last for a month. Painting and calligraphy, rubbings from stone inscriptions, and photos related to Buddhism will be presented during the culture festival. Wutai Mountain is one of the four major B

Long Walk to Raise Money for Students
The Long March for Education, an unprecedented charity walkathon to raise funds for China's school dropouts, launched a campaign looking for more support and participation from local companies and individuals. The march, which will start on October 15, is aimed at raising at least 20 million Hong Kong dollars (US$2.56 million) to build or rebuild 101 Hope schools to provide education to poor students in rural areas. Twenty-four volunteers, including two foreigners, six from Chinese

HK LegCo Candidate Arrested
Mainland police authorities had "indisputable evidence" to convict Alex Ho Wai-to of the Democratic Party (DP) in a prostitution case. Li Zelin, a spokesman of the Dongguan Municipal Public Security Bureau, said this at a press conference Tuesday. He refuted claims that Ho had been beaten or mistreated prior to giving a confession after he was detained last Friday. Ho, a candidate for Kowloon East constituency in the coming Legislative Council (LegCo) election, was detained

Beijing Court Tightens Judicial Discipline
The Beijing High People's Court Wednesday increased the severity of punishments made against judges that have improper relationships with litigants and their lawyers. Judges at various levels of local courts in Beijing will be immediately dismissed if they violate the six rules, Vice-President of the Beijing High People's Court Li Ke announced Wednesday. The six regulations are: Judges are forbidden to have any financial relationship with litigants and lawyers, including hav

Shanghai Tourism Industry Enters Growth Spurt
Shanghai's tourism sector is developing rapidly as the city prepares to host the 2010 World Expo. On August 12, two foreign-invested travel agencies were launched in the city, the first of many overseas companies to enter the local tourist market, industry analysts believe. The Business Travel International (BTI) of Great Britain set up its first joint venture in China with Shanghai Jin Jiang International. Named BTI Jin Jiang China, the US$6.8 million JV is Shanghai's first travel

China to Open Night Flights to and from Tibet
Night flights are expected to be operational for the first time on a major air route that links mountainous Tibet to the other parts of China, according to the carrier, Air China. Air China will open historic night flights between Lhasa, capital of Tibet, and Chengdu, capital of Sichuan Province, just east of Tibet. The Chengdu-Lhasa flight, opened 39 years ago, is the major one to Tibet, and about 85 percent passengers entering or leaving Tibet take it. The annual number of passen

Team to Investigate 'Lake Monster' Story in Xinjiang
China has their very own monster to rival that in Loch Ness, Scotland. A team will explore the Kanas Lake in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region in September, trying to find out whether the reported lake monster exists or not, reports China News Agency. The story about lake monster in Kanas Lake has had a long history. In the past few years, reports have been filed by local people and tourists claiming they have witnessed the monster. Horses and cows have also been reported to hav

Tourism Industry Grows in A Big Way
The tourism sector is developing at a faster pace in Shanghai as it prepares to host the 2010 World Expo. On August 12, the metropolis saw the birth of two foreign-invested travel agencies, which are believed to be the first of many overseas companies trying to enter the local tourist market. The Britain-based Business Travel International (BTI) has set up its first joint venture in China with Shanghai Jinjiang International (Group) Ltd. Named BTI Jinjiang China, the US$6.8 million

Hong Kong Witnesses Boom in Economic Growth
Robust economic growth in the past months has given Hong Kong bright prospects for economic recovery, said an economist from the special administrative region's government. Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR)'s gross domestic product (GDP) leapt 6.8 per cent in real terms in the first quarter of this year over a year earlier -- the highest growth in more than three years, Elley Mao was quoted by Agency as saying Wednesday. The second quarter is expected to witness double-

Mental Woes of Migrants
If a man works 12 hours a day, seven days a week, is despised and poorly paid, has no stable relationship, entertainment or social life - what will happen to him A mental breakdown This is a reality for many of China's 100 million rural migrant workers who come to cities in search of employment. Experts attending the recently concluded 28th International Congress of Psychology in Beijing appealed for more attention to this psychologically vulnerable group as China's urbani

Spotlight Turns on College Admissions Abuse
China's national university entrance examination system has long been hailed as an effective mechanism to ensure equal education opportunities for all students, but a recent admissions scandal has exposed many flaws as well as laying bare its vulnerability to power abuse and corruption. The widely publicized scandal has also triggered serious doubts about the government's call for higher education institutions to become profit-oriented businesses. China Central Television (CCTV) re

Senior Officials, Managers Face Graft Checks
In the wake of staggering revelations of corruption, high-ranking government officials, senior managers of state-owned enterprises (SOEs) and their families will undergo stiff checks when they leave China. A recent report by the Ministry of Commerce estimates that 4,000 corrupt Chinese officials and SOE managers have fled overseas in the past two decades, taking some US$50 billion out of the country. Many of them are thought to have first sent their family members to study or live abroad

Senior Officials, Managers Face Graft Checks
High-ranking government officials, senior managers of state-owned enterprises (SOEs) and their families will undergo stiff checks as they leave China in the wake of staggering corruption cases. A recent report by the Ministry of Commerce estimates 4,000 corrupt Chinese officials and SOEs managers have fled overseas in the past two decades, taking US$50 billion out of the country. Many of them are thought to have first sent their family members to study or live overseas before skipp

For a Nice Trip, Better Give a Good Tip: Not!
The more you tip, the better you are treated. This may be the logic of China's travel authorities. The National Tourism Administration has agreed to a tipping plan for the country's travel agencies. The Guangdong China Travel Service has been listed as a pilot organization for a trial effort. The agency is initiating the plan by allowing the agency to collect tips from Chinese tourists. It is telling all its clients to tip their tour guides freely. Tipping, pop

Senior Officials, Managers Face Graft Checks
High-ranking government officials, senior managers of State-owned enterprises (SOEs) and their families will undergo stiff checks as they leave China in the wake of staggering corruption cases. A recent report by the Ministry of Commerce estimates 4,000 corrupt Chinese officials and SOEs managers have fled overseas in the past two decades, taking US$50 billion out of the country. Many of them are thought to have first sent their family members to study or live overseas before skipp

Grottoes Seminar Opens in China
More than 160 experts from seven countries are attending a two-day seminar on Chinese grottoes. The seminar opened on Thursday at the Mogao Grottoes in northwest China's Gansu Province. During the seminar, participates will discuss the art of Chinese grottoes, archaeological research into grottoes and the art of Buddhism. The seminar covers the Dunhuang, Longmen, Yungang and Maijishan grottoes in China and grottoes in India and central Asia. Grottoes are man-made cave

No Tips for Tour Guides
The Shanghai Tourism Administrative Commission said Friday it forbids travel guides from asking for tips or charging any kind of commission in advance, following the national tourism administration regulation that tourist guides are not allowed to request tips. The administration made the announcement after the China Travel Service in Guangdong Province applied a new policy, saying that customers of its VIP inbound tour groups must pay 20 yuan (US$2.41) a day as tips. Most local tr

China, Russia to Rescue Relics of Ancient Kingdom
A group of Chinese scientists travel to Russia in October to begin a Sino-Russian project repairing of cultural relics belonging to the Xixia Kingdom (1038-1227) of ancient China. Group leader Chen Yuning, dean of the Ningxia University, said that five Chinese archeologists would join their Russian peers to work out a detailed plan on the repair of 1,500 relics collected by the Institute of Eastern Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences at Saint Petersburg. The program was to b

Tipping Tour Guides Sparks Debate
To tip or not to tip Well, it's not a straightforward question in China, where tipping is basically non-existent. That is why Guangdong China Travel Service sparked a public debate when it introduced a tipping system in its domestic package tours on Monday. Wang Jian, a senior manager with the company, defended the decision, insisting that it "is the result of today's competitive market. "It is a way to increase tour guides' incomes when the company's profits are low."
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Tipping Tour Guides Sparks Debate
To tip or not to tip Well, it's not a straightforward question in China, where tipping is basically non-existent. That is why Guangdong China Travel Service sparked a public debate when it introduced a tipping system in its domestic package tours on Monday. Wang Jian, a senior manager with the company, defended the decision, insisting that it "is the result of today's competitive market. "It is a way to increase tour guides' incomes when the company's profits are low."
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Tibetan Fresco Repair in Full Swing
The maintenance project of ruined frescoes in three major monasteries in Lhasa, the capital of Southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region is making headway with more than 1,000 square meters of the relics already repaired. Li Zuixiong, vice-president of the Dunhuang Academy of China, said that the project has been proceeding as planned, carefully restoring the frescoes to their original style. Ruined wall paintings in the Potala Palace, Tibet's holiest shrine, have been repaired and

Tibetan Fresco Repair in Full Swing
The maintenance project of ruined frescoes in three major monasteries in Lhasa, the capital of southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region is making headway with more than 1,000 square meters of the relics already repaired. Li Zuixiong, vice-president of the Dunhuang Academy of China, said that the project has been proceeding as planned, carefully restoring the frescoes to their original style. Ruined wall paintings in the Potala Palace, Tibet's holiest shrine, have been repaired and

World Carnival Closes in Beijing
The World Carnival wrapped up its 52-day spin in Beijing on Sunday, with all the expected thrills, laughter, and fun of the fair. But organizers of the event say the profits were not the blockbuster they had expected. An official of the World Carnival says the final receipts and payments will be balanced, but they didn't make much profits. Organizers blamed the wet summer in Beijing. The park reported a loss of US$2.4 million on August 14 since it started operating on July 2. The c

China Tops 15 Travel Destination For US
China has become one of the fifteen top travel destinations for US tourists. A recent survey of over 2000 US citizens included China on the list of popular tourist destinations for the first time, with a ranking of 15th place. Australia leads the list, followed by Italy, Britain, France, Ireland, and Germany. According to the survey, Europe still enjoys high popularity among US holidaymakers with over 50 percent of those surveyed choosing countries from this continent as the

Olympics-Oriented Phrasebook Hits the Presses
Basic Chinese 100 for Beijing 2008 Olympic Games is the first Chinese-language phrasebook geared specifically toward the Olympics, said Vice Director Zhang Xinsheng of the China State Leading Group for Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language. Zhang was speaking at a Tuesday press conference held in Beijing to announce the official release of the book. The phrasebook utilizes the basic rules of teaching Chinese as a second language and notes in English and French to assist foreign vi

Chinese Mummy to Star on Nat Geo
People all over the world think of Egypt when talking about body preservation and mummies, but how many people know that some of the best-preserved bodies in the world are actually in China According to some scientists, what the ancient Chinese were able to achieve in body preservation leaves the Egyptians in the dust. The body of "Lady Dai" of the Western Han Dynasty (206 BCa AD 25), housed in the state-of-the-art Hunan Museum, attracts flocks of visitors every day. This Septembe

Chinese Lady Dai Leaves Egyptian Mummies for Dead
People all over the world think of Egypt when talking about body preservation and mummies, but how many people know that the best preserved bodies in the world are actually in China According to some scientists, what the ancient Chinese were able to achieve in body preservation leaves the Egyptians in their dust. The body of Lady Dai of the Western Han Dynasty, housed in the state of the art Hunan Museum, attracts flocks of visitors every day. When people gaze at the body, they cannot he

Peacekeepers Ready to Leave for Haiti
China's first group of peacekeeping riot police passed their United Nations examinations this week, according to the Ministry of Public Security. They will travel to Haiti in September to participate in the UN peacekeeping mission there. The forces consist of 125 police officers who have undergone three months of special training. They passed exams held by the United Nations on Monday. Zhou Yongkang, state councilor and public security minister, visited the training center on Tuesd

Giant Pandas to Have Larger Habitat
Baoxing County, in southwest China's Sichuan Province, plans to spend 180 million yuan (US$21.8 billion) to build a giant panda protection and tourism zone. With a designated area of 1,200 sq km, the Baoxing Jiajin Mountain Giant Panda Ecological Tourism Zone will comprise the state-level Fengtongzhai giant panda nature reserve, a safari park, a station for panda observation and a state forest park. The official said that expansion of protection zones would play a vital role in avo

Wetlands in Beijing
Hanshiqiao Location: The border between Shunyi District and Pinggu District, 30 kilometers northeast of downtown Beijing. Getting there: drive along Jing-Shun (Beijing-Shunyi) Road and Shun-Ping (Shunyi-Pinggu) Road. The site is half way to Pinggu. Miyun Reservoir The reservoir is a popular destination for downtown residents. Location: Miyun County, 20 kilometres north of Miyun Town and 60 kilometres from downtown Beijing. It will be listed under governm

Travelogue: A Sojourn of A Heroic City ¡§¡é Zunyi
Zunyi is a bit exceptional. One hundred and sixty kilometers away from Guiyang, capital of southwest China's Guizhou Province, the city is richer and has better farm houses. In the city of Zunyi, old-time tobacco tycoons and tea merchants as well as warlords left behind some grand residences, which still stand today. Zunyi has more culture and even a foreign influence. The Catholic missionaries built beautiful buildings there. A church marked as a site once used by the Red Army as

Portrait of An Artist
In 1982, the then student artist Gao Xiaohua embarked on a train journey that was eventually to take him to fame, money and admiration among his peers. His luggage consisted mainly of paintbrushes, oils, an easel and a large canvas. The idea was simple in its conception but would be hard to realize. Gao wanted to capture the atmosphere of his country as it shifted and shrugged off one chapter of its history and prepared to turn a new page. But how does one capture everyday life of the Chi

CITS to Acquire China Duty Free Group
China International Travel Service (CITS) is to incorporate the China Duty Free Group to set up a tourism aircraft carrier that is expected to be officially launched by the end of this year. Zhang Beiying, deputy general manager of CITS Head Office, said the incorporation would help the new group become a world leading tourism giant, taking advantage of both sides in terms of scale of assets, business network, professional personnel and operation experience. The two partners will p

Typhoon Disorders Flight Schedules in Fujian
More than half a million people were evacuated in Fujian Wednesday before Typhoon Aere hit the eastern China's Fujian Province, causing landslides and playing havoc with flight schedules. The Agency reports that Aere made landfall near Fuqing city south of the provincial capital of Fuzhou, in the afternoon, packing winds of about 130 kilometers an hour after lashing Taiwan. Heavy rains and force-14 winds knocked down trees and destroyed fish farms in Fujian. Authorities shut down C

Overseas Chinese Nationals Get Better Support System
To average Chinese citizens, diplomacy used to mean something state leaders did on TV when they shook hands with each other, or a deal signed between two countries. Sometimes, people even connect diplomatic services with James Bond movies believing that retired diplomats all live a good life and profit generously from writing their memoirs. Nowadays, this veil over diplomacy is being removed and people from all walks of life are becoming familiar with the concept of diplomacy and diplomat

Guangzhou Official Faces Bribery Trial
A former district Party secretary is on trial in Guangzhou, charged with accepting almost 2 million yuan (US$240,000) in bribes over a decade. A public trial of Liang Bainan, former Party secretary of Panyu District, started Thursday in the capital of Guangdong Province. Born in July of 1946, Liang was a prefecture-level official and former chairman of the Panyu District Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference. Prosecutors say he accepted bribes valued a

Chekhov Well Remembered in Chinese Plays
July 15, 2004 is the 100th anniversary of the death of Anton Chekhov (1860-1904), the great Russian playwright and short story writer. In September, the National Theater Company of China will present its first international drama festival, called "Forever Chekhov." Opening with Platonov, Chekhov's little known first play directed by Wang Xiaoying, the month-long festival will also run two versions of The Cheery Orchard, one directed by Lin Zhaohua and the other produced by the Russ

Cuba Expects More Chinese Tourists
Cuba, the Caribbean island country with breathtaking scenery, expects more Chinese visitors and is working with China to operate a direct air route between the two countries, said Omar Pereira Hemandez, Cuban embassy official in charge of tourism, Saturday. Cuba, the first outbound tourist destination for Chinese travelers in the western hemisphere, has received more and more Chinese visitors recently. In order to attract more Chinese tourists, the Cuban embassy has endeavored to shorten

Shenyang-Dalian Expressway Opens to Traffic
The Shenyang-Dalian expressway has completed its expansion and it opened to traffic on Sunday. The expanded expressway runs 348 kilometers. Wu Bangguo, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, attended the new expressway's opening ceremony. The expanded expressway runs 348 kilometers and links Shenyang, capital of northeast China's Liaoning Province, and the coastal city of Dalian. The expansion project was completed in 27 months at a cost of 7.2

My Visit to China
To the people of China: I want to tell you a little story. My name is Bev Ohler and I live in Vancouver, B.C., Canada. I am 56 years old. When I was a little girl, I had a board game called "Wide World" and the idea was to travel the world. At that time, Beijing was called Peking. Ever since playing that game, I wanted to go to Peking, China. I had never traveled outside of Canada except to go to Hawaii with my husband and daughter. In 2001, my daughter asked me to go to Chi

Grasslands Stretching
Inner Mongolia, the third largest provincial region in China, usually attracts a crowd of visitors from across China, South Korea and Japan from July to September, the time the traditional Mongolian Nadam Festival is being held. It is also to best time to participate in the lively atmosphere of grassland life. A vast majority of the autonomous region, mostly over 1,000 meters above sea level, is relatively flat, the ideal environment the Mongolians needed to cultivate their horsemanship a

Wood-block Paintings Being Revived
Local cultural officials from this port city in north China said yesterday they will pour more money into protecting Yangliuqing pictures, one of the country's best wood-block New Year paintings. The municipal government of Tianjin is planing to invest 100 million yuan (US$12 million) annually for the next seven consecutive years to protect and develop folk culture and art, said Zhao Wanxiang, deputy director of the Tianjin Municipal Culture Bureau. He spoke yesterday at the openin

Vice Premier Meets Russian Guests
Chinese Vice Premier Wu Yi met with Leonid Drachevsky, chairman of the China-Russia Friendship Committee for Peace and Development, in Beijing Monday. Wu said Sino-Russian relations have developed smoothly in recent years and the mutual-beneficial bilateral cooperation in various fields has produced significant progress. The China-Russia Friendship Committee for Peace and Development has done a lot in promoting the understanding and traditional friendship between the two peoples, s

Rebuilding the Ancient Silk Road
The ancient Silk Road was once unsurpassed in the trade it took across continents, the cultures that were linked by the camel caravans and donkey trucks who wended their way through its dust. Nowadays, as the old thoroughfare falls into disrepair and oblivion, regions along it are also suffering. They are falling victim to poverty, isolation and even terrorism. Luckily there are strategies afoot to rebuild this ancient artery. Instead of roads linking the states and r

Rebuilding the Ancient Silk Road
The ancient Silk Road was once unsurpassed in the trade it took across continents, the cultures that were linked by the camel caravans and donkey trucks who wended their way through its dust. Nowadays, as the old thoroughfare falls into disrepair and oblivion, regions along it are also suffering. They are falling victim to poverty, isolation and even terrorism. Luckily there are strategies afoot to rebuild this ancient artery. Instead of roads linking the states and r

France Seeks to Lure Chinese Tourists
France, the world's top tourist destination, is rolling out the red carpet for a flood of Chinese nationals expected to visit the country from Wednesday, when private tour groups are allowed into Europe. From the Louvre to the Galeries Lafayette department store, the must-see landmarks in Paris are printing up floor maps in Mandarin and teaching personnel a few Chinese phrases in anticipation of the huge influx of visitors, according to a report in today's Shenzhen Daily. "The infr

First Chinese "Official" Tourist Group in France
The first Chinese "official" tourist group arrived in Paris-Roissy airport on Wednesday and was greeted by French Minister Delegate for Tourism, Leon Bertrand. It was "the first delegation to benefit from new accords between China and Europe on tourism," said Bertrand, who declared very happy to receive them in Paris. Liu Zhiming, Chinese minister charge d'affaires in the Chinese embassy to France, also took part in the greeting ceremony with some French officials. France is

Four Points to spearhead Starwood's China expansion
Starwood predicts its Four Points mid-range and upscale brands will spark a major expansion for the group in China, especially in places where it cannot have a grand Sheraton. Speaking at the annual Starwood Expo in Sheraton Hong Kong, Starwood vice-president of Thailand, Hong Kong and Macau, Mr Peter Thompson, said the group aimed to continue expansion in China as a first priority because of its potential and size. Four Points has huge opportunities, especially in secondary cities

Museum Shows Vintage Locomotives
The long-awaited Shanghai Railway Museum opened on the weekend with an exhibition of rare locomotives. Train lovers were treated to a display of more than 1,000 items, a reminder of the history of rail and the importance railways still have in China. Two of the star attractions at the museum, which is located in a 90-year-old railway station, are two locomotives and a carriage that experts believe date back to the 1920s and 1940s respectively. Also on display are tracks buil

No Change in Beijing Fares
The Beijing Public Transport Company says bus fares won't go up in the near future because of the rise in the world oil price. The company admits that operating costs will increase£¬but that they will use liquefied petroleum gas instead of oil. By the end of this year, over 2500 buses in the Chinese capital will run on LPG, which will reduce the company's reliance on oil.

Guangzhou Builds Landmarks
South China's Guangzhou city, the capital of Guangdong province, plans to complete seven city landmark buildings by 2010, when the city is to host the Asian Games. The seven constructions include the Guangzhou Municipal Theater, the Library, the No.2 Children's Palace and two commercial buildings. The seven symbol buildings will drive the city to form its new Central business district, Zhujiang New City. The projects will be funded by Hong Kong business men.

Shenyang-Dalian Expressway Opens to Traffic
The Shenyang-Dalian expressway has completed its expansion and it opened to traffic on Sunday. The expanded expressway runs 348 kilometers. Wu Bangguo, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, attended the new expressway's opening ceremony. The expanded expressway runs 348 kilometers and links Shenyang, capital of northeast China's Liaoning Province, and the coastal city of Dalian. The expansion project was completed in 27 months at a cost

China Southern Seeks to Join Global Alliance
China Southern Airlines (CSA), one of the nation's top carriers, signed an agreement at the weekend that lays the groundwork for its membership in the SkyTeam alliance. CSA is the first Chinese airline to seek membership in an international airline alliance. CSA may officially join the alliance when it fulfills SkyTeam's quality standards. It expects that to occur in about two years. Founded in 2000, SkyTeam is one of the world's leading global airline alliances. It includes Aerome

11th China Arts Expo Curtains up in September
The annual China Arts Expo is to be held from the 15th to the 21st of September at the China Millennium Monument in Beijing. Hundreds of masterpieces from members of China Fine Arts Association branches around China will be on display at this grand event, which is authorized by the Ministry of Culture and promoted by the China Culture and Art Company. Works from Italy, France and other countries will also be on display.

Airline operator profits go sky-high
China's largest airport operator, Beijing Capital International Airport, has tripled profits as travel soared after SARS. Aircraft movements jumped by 47.5 per cent to 144,751 in the first half of 2004 with passengers rising by 69 per cent to 15.6 million. The operator's growth is expected to continue above the present level of 78 flights an hour during peak periods.

Brazil Brings Latin Charms to China
Though halfway across the world from China, Brazil is now getting much closer! On Tuesday, the Brazil Expo opened at the Beijing International Exhibition Center, giving Chinese people a chance to learn more about the country's Latin charms. The Expo is also one of the events celebrating the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Brazil. The flamboyant songs and dances of the Brazilian carnival are perhaps some of the country's features best known t

Hainan Airlines doubles first-half sales
Hainan Airlines, China's fourth largest airline, has doubled sales in the first half of 2004 and made a net US$10.4 million profit. Hainan Airlines carried 4.99 million passengers. Hainan Airlines is expanding overseas to serve Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur and Budapest as new destinations this year. But its fleet of 76 aircraft mainly fly domestic routes. The carrier has set up an offshoot company in north-west Xinjiang province to operate in the huge north-western skies of China and to l

Le Meridien opens Shanghai regional office
Le Meridien Hotels & Resorts is opening a regional sales office (RSO) in Shanghai to oversee key accounts in China, Hong Kong and Taiwan in October, to be headed by Mr Anthony Cheng who recently assumed the post of regional director of sales, China. Mr Cheng was the founding regional director for the Singapore RSO more than five years ago. Meanwhile, Mr Ashley Hansen will assume the position of regional director of sales, Asia, based in Singapore, and is responsible for sales strat

Concert hall opens after relocation
The relocated and renovated Shanghai Concert Hall opened its ticket office yesterday for the first concert series at its new location. The Royal Philharmonic of London will stage the official opening concert on October 1. That show will be followed by a weeklong "Chinese Musicians' Series" featuring composer Tan Dun's multimedia concert "The Map" and Min Huifen's recital on the erhu (a two-string bowed instrument). The newly founded Shanghai Philharmonic, the concert hall's

China Aviation buys 630,000T Q4 jet fuel
China Aviation Oil , has bought via tender 630,000 tonnes of jet fuel for October to December, traders said on Wednesday, raising its total annual volume by 30.2 percent from last year. The latest purchase puts the company's total for this year at 2.588 million tonnes, traders said. China Aviation, which supplies nearly all of China's jet fuel imports, said it bought 1.988 million tonnes in 2003. China's jet fuel consumption could grow about 15 percent next year from an esti

Airport Fees Now Included in Airfares
Starting September 1, carriers will start collecting airport construction fees with the sale of plane tickets. The fee will be listed as a separate item on the tickets, according to an official with the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC). People who booked tickets before August or who bought their tickets in August without paying the fee will be exempt, according CAAC's implementation regulation. The change is primarily administrative, since fee amounts -- 90 yuan (US$11

Guangxi holds lantern river festival
In Ziyuan County of south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, the 10th Lantern River Festival was held Monday night, with lots of fireworks lighting up the skies of this beautiful little town. The festival attracted not only locals but also lots of tourists. Throughout the night, people gathered along the river, placing little lanterns on the water. They would then watch as the lanterns flowed down the river. The festival is an ancient tradition that falls on July 15 of the C

Doors to Europe to open for wealthy Chinese tourists
The doors of 27 European countries will fling open on Wednesday to a new wave of wealthy Chinese tourists, heading for Europe's shops and sites, under an agreement signed between the EU and China last month. France, Switzerland and Italy are the three top destinations, according to travel agents. But the list of countries to which Chinese tourists can now go on officially approved tours is much longer, including all nations of the European Union - save for Britain, Denmark, Ireland

France rolls out red carpet for Chinese tourists
France, the world's top tourist destination, is rolling out the red carpet for a flood of Chinese nationals expected to visit the country from Wednesday, when private tour groups are allowed into Europe. From the Louvre to the Galeries Lafayette department store, the must-see landmarks in Paris are printing up floor maps in Mandarin and teaching personnel a few Chinese phrases in anticipation of the huge influx of visitors. "The infrastructures in France are up to scratch, and the

Groups to set out for Europe
About a dozen package tour groups will leave Shenzhen for European countries in the first week of September. Organized by the city's several major package tour operators, the groups represent the first batch of package tours to 29 European countries from Shenzhen after China opened its citizens' tourist travel to European countries in July. Shenzhen Daily reported Tuesday. According to the new policy, the first Europe-bound groups will not leave the country until Sept. 1. Th

Beijing Gears up for 2008
Although the Beijing Olympics is still four years away, the Chinese capital is already gearing up to host the event. This city of over 12 million is refurbishing ancient landmarks in the hope of attracting visitors in a building frenzy whipped up by Athens fever. Chinese artisans are now giving a facelift to pavilions of the Forbidden City, the former residence of Chinese emperors. Beijing hopes its historical and cultural appeal can match that of Athens. Beijing's tr

Wood-block Paintings Being Revived
Local cultural officials from this port city in north China said yesterday they will pour more money into protecting Yangliuqing pictures, one of the country's best wood-block New Year paintings. The municipal government of Tianjin is planing to invest 100 million yuan (US$12 million) annually for the next seven consecutive years to protect and develop folk culture and art, said Zhao Wanxiang, deputy director of the Tianjin Municipal Culture Bureau. He spoke yesterday at the openin

Night Carnival Proves Profitable
The Jinjiang Amusement Park in Shanghai has achieved a huge turn around in attendances by opening at night. In the past 30 days the park has recorded record turnover, with more than 6,000 people visiting the park each night last weekend. The Jinjiang Amusement Park, founded in 1984, was once regarded as one of the most popular local amusement resorts. With its aging equipment and the flourishing of more fashionable entertainment venues, its popularity died in the 1990s.
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Beijing gets Subway Facelift
Beijing's two oldest metro lines will be renovated ahead of the 2008 Olympic Games. Subway trains and tracks along the No 1 and No 2 lines in the capital city will be upgraded by 2007 at a cost of 3.7 billion yuan or more than 440 million US dollars. The move is aimed at meeting the huge surge in passenger demand during the 29th Summer Olympic Games. A detailed renovation plan has not yet been released, but an expert appraisal was held earlier this month. Sources with

Pilgrimage to Confucius Home
With Teacher's Day being celebrated on September 10, thousands of Chinese teachers and foreign teachers will be invited to attend a trip to the home of Confucius. Sponsored by Beijing Fantasy International Travel Service (BFITS), the event aims to celebrate the 2,555th anniversary of Confucius¡§¡é birth at his hometown of Qufu in east China's Shandong Province. A grand celebration party will be held in Qufu and teachers will also have the chance to tour destinations around the city.<

Cuba Anticipates Chinese Influx
Cuba is expecting the arrival of many more Chinese visitors to its shores. Cuba was the first outbound tourist destination for Chinese travelers in the western hemisphere. To attract still more Chinese tourists, the Cuban Embassy has endeavored to reduce the time necessary to issue a tourist visa. The Cuban Tourism Ministry also plans to open a representative office in Beijing to provide better services to Chinese travelers. The civil aviation authorities of the two nations are now

Hainan Airlines Out of Red
Hainan Airlines Co Ltd, China's fourth largest carrier, reported a first-half profit as sales nearly doubled on recovering travel demand. During the first six months of this year, it gained a net profit of 86.08 million yuan (US$10.4 million), the company said in its interim report yesterday. The airline's earnings per share was 0.12 yuan (1.4 US cents) for the January to June period, compared to a loss of 1.34 yuan (16 US cents) per share during the first half of 2003. Turn

Air China Orders Seven Boeing Jets
The Boeing Company said yesterday it has finalized a deal to sell Air China seven 737-700 jetliners worth about US$360 million. Delivery of the planes, which will boost the Air China Boeing fleet to 139, is set to run from November 2005 to mid-2006. The new Boeing 737-700s will be powered by CFM56-7 engines produced by CFMI, a joint venture of General Electric of the United States and Snecma of France. a Our great relationship with Air China goes back to the airlinea s begin

Air China Orders Seven Boeings
The Boeing Company said Thursday it has finalized an order with Air China for seven 737-700 jetliners worth about US$360 million at list prices. Delivery of the airplanes, which will boost the Chinese flag carrier's Boeing fleet to 139 airplanes, is to begin in November 2005, and extend through mid-2006. The new Boeing 737-700s will be powered by CFM56-7 engines produced by CFMI, a joint venture of General Electric Co of the United States and Snecma of France. "Our great rel

Guizhou Discovers 1st Large Coal Deposits
A coal prospecting company found a large concealed coal field with total reserves of 250 million tons and an area of 36 square kilometers in Qianxi County, southwest China's Guizhou Province, the company said Friday. The coal field is the first of its kind found in Guizhou since most are located in northern part of the country, according to the Guizhou Xineng Coal Prospecting and Developing Co. Ltd. Further exploration of the field is underway, said engineers and technicians from t

Switzerland Welcomes Chinese Tourists
Switzerland gave a warm reception in Geneva on Saturday to the first Chinese tourist group which takes advantage of a new Sino-Swiss agreement on tourism. Swiss tourism officials as well as the Swiss ambassador to the United Nations Office at Geneva welcomed the Chinese guests upon their arrival. The Swiss host arranged a special tour for the special tourists, which included visiting and dining at Palais des Nations, the building of the United Nations Office at Geneva. The 1

Switzerland Welcomes Chinese Tourists
Switzerland gave a warm reception in Geneva on Saturday to the first Chinese tourist group which takes advantage of a new Sino-Swiss agreement on tourism. Swiss tourism officials as well as the Swiss ambassador to the United Nations Office at Geneva welcomed the Chinese guests upon their arrival. The Swiss host arranged a special tour for the special tourists, which included visiting and dining at Palais des Nations, the building of the United Nations Office at Geneva. The 1

Listed Companies' Profits Grow Strongly in 1H
In the just competed interim result disclosure season, China's listed companies reported strong profit growth in the first six months of the year, maintaining their upward track since last year, as the Chinese economy continues to boom. By the end of August, all together 1,370 listed companies in Shanghai and Shenzhen had released interim reports. They all together realized net profits of 98.5 billion yuan (US$11.9 billion) during January and June, up 47.6 per cent compared to the

China to Host 2nd PECC Eco-tourism Forum
The 2nd eco-tourism forum of Pacific Economic Cooperation Council (PECC) is scheduled to take place in the Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Diqing in southwest China's Yunnan Province, from Sept. 9-10. The theme of the forum will be eco-tourism, protection of cultural heritage of ethnic minorities and economic development in areas inhabited by ethnic minorities. PECC is a tripartite partnership of senior individuals from business and industry, government, academic circle. Establish

When Diplomats Are Behind Cameras
Renowned French photographer Cartier-Bresson once said: "With one eye closed you see the world within; with the other open, you see the world without." And what might happen when diplomats, who are known for their acute observation, start looking at the world through view-finders At the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' second photo exhibition in Beijing, visitors were given the chance to see over 400 works, with touching messages delicately woven into amazing landscapes and peoples. Y

Listed Companies' Profits Grow Strongly
In the just competed interim result disclosure season, China's listed companies reported strong profit growth in the first six months of the year, maintaining their upward track since last year, as the Chinese economy continues to boom. By the end of August, all together 1,370 listed companies in Shanghai and Shenzhen had released interim reports. They all together realized net profits of 98.5 billion yuan (US$11.9 billion) during January and June, up 47.6 percent compared to the s

Shakeup in Tourist Industry to Prevent Illegal Migration
Domestic travel intermediaries will face tighter controls to prevent illegal emigrants from taking advantage of outbound tours, said a spokesperson with the National Tourism Administration. A cross-boundary tour network management system is to be established by the end of this year to enhance the supervision of domestic travel agencies, the administration said. The administration announced earlier that it will join forces with several other government departments to launch a compre

Free Bus Tours Offered
Local residents now have the opportunity to enjoy free night sightseeing tours around West Lake in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province. In order to attract more tourists from Shanghai, a public transport corporation in Hangzhou initiated the campaign to provide a free bus tour around the lake for 1,000 Shanghai tourists, valid until end of next month.

Blast May Affect Election, Economy
The deadly bomb blast near the Australian Embassy in the Indonesian capital of Jakarta Thursday came during an Australian election campaign in which the war on terror has been a key issue. Australia's government vowed not to be influenced by the attack. "This is not a nation that is going to be intimidated by acts of terrorism," Prime Minister John Howard said. Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said there was no immediate word on who was behind the attack but police in Jakarta susp

Impossible to Turn Lop Nur Back into Permanent Lake
It is impossible to restore a permanent lake at Lop Nur inside Tarim Basin in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, said a Chinese scientist, who also said that it wasn't of much significance. The conclusion was drawn by Xia Xuncheng, a noted researcher with the Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography with the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Xia is one of the 20-member expedition team that has been studying environmental and ecological changes at Lop Nur, which used

Vietnam opens door wider for Chinese tourists
Vietnam will make it easier for Chinese tourists to travel all over Vietnam, ending a restriction that has confined many of them to seven northern areas. From next week, Chinese tourists who arrive with traveller's passes at land borders or on ships on package tours would be allowed to visit any of Vietnam's 64 provinces, the Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper said. Vietnam has eased restrictions for visitors from a number of countries to promote tourism. It has waived visas for tourists f

Holiday travel packages up 20pc
Guangzhou's package tour fees will increase by 20 percent on average during the National Day holidays, the Information Times reported Monday. Most travel agencies had released new pricing policies for the holidays Monday, the report said. Package tours to traditional tourist destinations in China and Southeast Asia will rise by 10 to 20 percent, almost the same as last year's National Day holidays. Popular destinations such as Beijing, East China cities and Hainan will rise

Guangzhou New Airport adapts smoothly
Guangzhou new airport, in South China's Guangdong Province, meets over 1.8 million passengers during its first-month operation statistic shown on Sep. 5th. It is an increase by 10.6% over last year, which says that this airport has smoothly entered into the operational adaptation, source with the Provincial Airport Management Group Ltd. Some problems are being solved, such as the leaking water from the roof of waiting hall, it roused a great concern starting from its operation, according

The south long-distance passenger transportation station to be unveiled
The south long-distance passenger transport station which is one of the hubs in Shanghai on-road passenger transportation is to complete the structure by the end of this year, totally finish then test in August 2005 and put into use along with the South Railway Station during the spring festival in 2006, reported the Labor Post. As an important item approved by the Ministry of Communications and the municipal government, the station is following the national No.1 standard with a total con

No increase in airfares
The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC), watchdog of the country's aviation industry, has refuted a Beijing newspaper report which said that air fares would rise in line with price increase for aviation fuel. "There is no price increase in domestic air tickets because we have already rooted out any 'fuel-price related' increase in our latest regulation published in April," an unidentified CAAC spokesman was quoted by the New Express on Sunday. According to the regulation,

World Carnival Leaves Beijing A Scar
The World Carnival has left Beijing, leaving a scar on the grassland of the International Sculpture Park. To help the settlement of the mobile amusement park, about 55,000 square meters of greenery was removed in the sculpture park, including nearly 200 big trees. Now, the 50-day event has moved away, and taken with it the laughter and huge profits, but it will take an enormous amount of money, manpower and time to regrow the lost parkland.

HK Exhibition Center to Be Expanded
The Hong Kong Trade Development Council proposes to expand the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center within its existing area, without reclaiming land from Victoria Harbour. The proposal submitted to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government last week would enable Hong Kong's mega fairs to become the biggest in the world. The Council's executive director, Fred Lam, says it plans to add an additional 19,400 square meters, equivalent to 1,000 more standard exhibitor

Macao Residents More Convenience to Visit HK
Hong Kong's Director of Immigration Lai Tung-kwok has signed the Memorandum on "Enhanced Travel Convenience for Macao Residents Traveling to Hong Kong Arrangements." Lai Tung-kwok said with the new arrangements Macao permanent residents would be able to visit Hong Kong by producing their Macao Smart Permanent Identity Cards, together with the declaration form, and without the need to hold other travel documents. According to the memorandum, eligible Macao permanent residents may vi

Western Region to Increase Tourism Cooperation
Representatives attending the West China International Tourism Development Forum vowed to join hands in promoting regional tourism. With 71 percent of China's land space and a population of around 400 million, China's western region is cited as the origin place of the Chinese nation. It has been prestigious as the world's natural and historical museum for its amazing scenery and unique culture. Since China implemented the strategy of developing the west, its tourism has been develo

Outbound Travelers Reach 15.99 Mln in First 7 Months
China's outbound travelers reached 15.99 million in the first seven months of 2004, a 63.7 percent increase from the same period last year, according to statistics from the China National Tourism Administration (CNTA) released on Thursday. China is on its way to becoming one of the world's most powerful tourism nations, He Guangwei, CNTA director said. In 2003, the amount of Chinese overseas travelers surpassed Japan, making it the largest in Asia. Overseas sightseeing was only dre

Yunnan Accelerates Improvement of Plateau Lakes
China's southeast Yunnan Province is accelerating the improvement of its nine lakes by building a man-made wetland and planting more trees. Figures show the total investment in the ecologic improvement in Yunnan Province amounts to 350 million yuan (US$42.3 million) over the past three years. Well known as "Nine Pearls", the lakes in Yunnan play an important role in water reserves, climate adjustment, and ecologic protection. But with the development of agriculture, industry

China's Outbound Travelers Reach 159.9 Million in the First Seven Month
China's outbound travelers reached 15.99 million in the first seven months of 2004, a 63.7 percent increase from the same period last year, according to statistics from the China National Tourism Administration (CNTA) released Thursday. China is on its way to becoming one of the world's most powerful tourism nations, He Guangwei, CNTA director said. In 2003, the amount of Chinese overseas travelers surpassed Japan, making it the largest in Asia. Overseas sightseeing was only dream

Joint Venture Budget Airline to Sart in China
Singapore aerospace component supplier A-Sonic Aerospace Ltd said on Tuesday it had tied up with two Chinese companies to start a low-cost airline based in China's southern Guangdong Province. A-Sonic said in a statement the joint venture hopes to ride on a projected boom in air travel in the world's most populous nation. The partnership will be between A-Sonic's wholly-owned subsidiary JANCO International Pte. Ltd. and the Chinese firms Guangdong China Travel Service (Holdings) Lt

Guangdong Tackles Jobless Issue
South China's Guangdong Province is striving to reach the goal it set to create at least 800,000 jobs in the province this year. The ambition will help Guangdong bring the province's urban unemployment rate to under 3.5 percent, compared with 3 percent at the end of last year. If the goal is reached, 250,000 laid-off workers will be re-employed. The province created more than 638,000 job opportunities between January and July. And more than 140,000 laid-off workers had found

Jobseekers Can Afford to Choose
Recent research in the job market shows that contrary to popular belief, there is actually a shortage of labour in some areas in China, and not a surplus. These areas are claiming that up to 10 per cent of their job needs are not being met. Dreadful working conditions and meagre pay drive many farmer-turned-urban-labourers away. Migrant workers in Guangdong's Pearl River Delta, for example, have witnessed an increase of just 68 yuan (US$8) a month in the past 12 years. When

Britain Eyes Chinese Travelers
Britain is eyeing the North Asian travelers namely from China mainland and Taiwan and South Korea to boost arrivals and tourist expenditure. Keith Beecham, VisitBritaina s regional manager for Asia, identified North Asian regions such as China mainland and Taiwan and South Korea as key markets with good potential for growth. a Currently there is a lot of excitement about the new tourism markets that are emerging and developing in Asia. China is developing very good growth for us. E

GZ to boost expressway flow
Expressway traffic flow in Guangzhou was expected to improve considerably when a networked toll system started operating later this month, authorities said Sunday (Sep. 12th). This follows reports that two new cross-region expressways would be ready next year. The network would also be introduced in all pay expressways throughout the province by the end of the year, the Guangzhou Daily reported Monday. The upgraded system would reduce stopping time at tollgates which were op

Shenzhen Airlines starts another Guangzhou-Changsha flight
The Civil Aviation Administration of China yesterday (September 12th) approved the opening of another direct flight between Guangzhou and Changsha by Shenzhen Airlines starting this Friday (September 17th). The new daily flight is scheduled to depart from Guangzhou at 8:10 A.M. and arrive in Changsha at 9:20 A.M while the return flight will depart at 10:20 A.M. and arrive in Guangzhou at 11:25 A.M. Shenzhen Airlines said the newly opened flight could help better relieve the flight shortag

MAS to continue expansion in China and India
Malaysia Airlines has identified China and India as markets with growth potential and will continue to focus in expanding services to these markets, its managing director Ahmad Fuaad Dahalan has said. He said MAS also welcomes competition from low-cost carrier AirAsia which is planning to fly soon to Kunming, China. Plans were also afoot to fly to Guilin and Shenyang in the future, he told reporters after the company's annual general meeting here yesterday. He said Beijing a

Singapore firm in joint venture for China-based low-cost carrier
Singapore aerospace component supplier A-Sonic Aerospace Ltd said on Tuesday it had tied up with two Chinese companies to start a low-cost airline based in China 's southern Guangdong province. A-Sonic said in a statement the joint venture hopes to ride on a projected boom in air travel in the world's most populous nation. The partnership will be between A-Sonic's wholly-owned subsidiary JANCO International Pte. Ltd. and the Chinese firms Guangdong China Travel Service (Holdings) L

Chile Set to Become Hot Tourist Destination
Sino-Chilean tourism will expand when a landmark agreement is sealed later this year, the Chilean ambassador to China Pablo Cabrera told the opening ceremony of the on-going Chilean tourism trade show. The two countries will sign an agreement to list the South American country as a tourist destination for Chinese travelers during a state visit by President Hu Jintao in November. "After gaining approval destination status, the number of Chinese tourists to Chile is expected to rise

Asian Longest Roller Coaster on the Way
Asia's longest roller coaster has been located in Shijingshan Amusement Park and will open to the public in late September. The ride, called ®Shenzhou ¢ö' covers nearly 900 meters at up to 80 kilometres an hour with the highest point over 30 meters high. To thrill the passengers on the ride they will sit suspended under the carriages rather than in them. The roller coaster costs 50 million yuan, or about six million US dollars with key parts of the ride imported from overseas.

Yunnan Accelerates Improvement of Plateau Lakes
China's southeast Yunnan Province is accelerating the improvement of its nine lakes by building a man-made wetland and planting more trees. Figures show the total investment in the ecologic improvement in Yunnan Province amounts to 350 million yuan over the past three years. Well known as "Nine Pearls", the lakes in Yunnan play an important role in water reserves, climate adjustment, and ecologic protection. But with the development of agriculture, industry, and tourism, the

Festival features international crew
A record number of overseas troupes and performers will participate in the Shanghai Tourism Festival, the organizing committee said yesterday. According to officials, festivities displaying traditional culture will be held in more innovative and vivid ways, revealing the essence of Chinese thoughts. The Mardi Gras Carnival and the Pasadena Tournament of Roses - two well-known US festivals - will highlight, for the first time, the opening ceremony parade on September 18. Ther

2004 Hunan Tourism Festival Opens
The 2004 China Hunan Tourism Festival opened Sunday in Liuyang of central China's Hunan Province. The festival organizers have developed eight new itineraries to help tourists enjoy more of the province's captivating landscapes, historic sites and rich folk culture. During the festival, a series of related activities will be held all across Hunan Province, including tours to local households, farm festivals and the Dongting Lake cultural festival. Every year, scenic spots an

Horrors of Bio-war Haunt WWII Japanese Soldier
Yoshio Shinozuka sits on the wooden steps of an old Buddhist temple just down the road from his home. It is where he will be buried. Surrounded by pine trees and rice paddies, the temple is quiet save for the incessant buzzing of cicadas. Frail and fast approaching his 83rd birthday, he points to a small cemetery guarded by a statue of the Goddess of Mercy that will be his final resting place. "I've already chosen the plot," he says. Shinozuka has had a lot of time to

Oct. Holiday Travelers Will Flood Beijing Railway
During the weeklong national holiday from October 1 to 7, the Beijing's railway sector will transport about 2.4 million passengers, according to the Beijing Railway Bureau. The figure will be 80,000 more than the same period in 2002, and the Beijing Railway Bureau has decided to arrange 16 pairs of temporary direct trains to meet the demand. Because this year's Mid-August Festival (the Moon Cake Festival) falls on Sept. 28, more travelers will flood into Beijing to enjoy an extende

Helping Hand for Investing in HK, Macao
More relaxed rules for mainland enterprises to invest in Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions (SARs) will be implemented soon. The new policy sets out a clear service pledge on handling applications from mainland investors, in order to facilitate approval procedures, said an official from the Ministry of Commerce. The new arrangement will make the application procedure more transparent and hand over most approval duties to provincial authorities, he said. Excep

Beijing to Regulate One-day-tour Service
Visitors to the Chinese capital are often offered one-day-tour services at airports or railway stations, or scenic spots. But these so-called services are all illegal, according to the Beijing Tourism Administration. Beginning from late August, in collaboration with the Beijing Public Security Bureau, the Beijing Tourism Administration has launched a campaign to eliminate such services and punish those illegal organizers. So far, none of regular tourist agencies has operated one-da

Beijing's Subway to Extend to 200 km by 2008
Beijing plans to extend its subway to 200 kilometers of track by 2008, aiming to ease its traffic pressure, said an official of the Beijing Municipal Committee of Communication (BMCC). With a goal of the Summer Olympic Games in 2008, Beijing has accelerated its improvement of the transportation system, said Liu Xiaoming, deputy director of BMCC Tuesday. With a total length of 86 kilometers, No. 4, No. 5, No. 10 subways and the branch line for the Olympic Games are now under constru

Salt Lake Tourism Project Suspended
The Qinghai provincial government has suspended a planned tourism project on Qinghai Lake, China's largest salt lake, officials confirmed Wednesday. The Xiadu Tourism Co., Ltd., announced in May that it would begin a luxury cruise service on the lake. Billed as a four-star hotel on the water, the 80-meter-long ship was designed with facilities for dining, lodging and entertainment. But the commercial plan met with opposition from scientists at the Chinese Academy of Sciences and th

Self-Service Check-in Lands at Beijing Airport
Four Self-service check-in kiosks will be introduced at Terminal 1 of Beijing's Capital International Airport's next Monday. This is the first time a self-service system has been used in China's airports. The kiosks facilitate the boarding process and make flying a bit less of a hassle for passengers. Electronic ticket users will be able to collect their tickets, select their seat, and go through the boarding check without the usual queues. The kiosks will be located

New SAS flights via Shanghai
SAS is offering a new service to Copenhagen via Shanghai in conjunction with Qantas. Traveltrade reported that the new product has been designed to coincide with the start of Qantas' three weekly flights from Melbourne and Sydney to Shanghai from December 2. This will see SAS's existing three flights a week between Shanghai and Copenhagen increased to six.

Second airport for China's capital to be within Beijing municipality
China Daily reports Beijing will likely build its second airport within the bounds of Beijing Municipality and not, as has been widely speculated, in the nearby city of Langfang in surrounding Hebei Province. Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) airport department director, Mr Zhang Guanghui, was quoted as saying: We have an initial plan to build a new airport in the suburbs of southern Beijing­somewhere up to 90km south-west of the present Beijing International Airport. Be

Beijing and Hong Kong affected by British Airways flight-trimming plans
Hong Kong and Beijing are the only destinations in Asia to be affected by British Airways' (BA) plans to cancel 966 flights in and out of London Heathrow airport for the next three months, with one cancellation per week beginning September and November respectively. Saying the move was necessary to protect the operational performance of the airline, the airline explained cancellations averaged 12 flights out 540 operated daily, just two per cent of its winter flying programme. Chie

Luxurious liner to join Pearl River Night Cruise
Jin Fang Hao, first luxurious cruise ship branded the feature of South China's (lingnan) culture in south China's Guangzhou City, appears at the Dashatou Wharf on September 13. The liner will be put into operation by Mid-Autumn Festival, a Chinese traditional Family Reunion's Day. Some 10 million yuan (US$1.2 million) has been spent on the shipbuilding. It will add up for the Pearl River Night Cruise, the business is to be extended while another still larger ship join in the liner on Nove

New Lines Make Guangdong Rail Hub
South China's Guangdong Province plans to build a railway to link major coastal cities in the province, heralding an ambitious programme to more than double existing rail length for long-term infrastructure needs. The railway will also connect Guangdong's coastal cities with Fuzhou and Xiamen in East China's Fujian Province and Hangzhou and Ningbo in Zhejiang Province farther north. Guangdong's major coastal cities of Shantou, Huizhou, Shenzhen, Zhuhai, Maoming and Zhanjiang will g

Increasing number of tourists flock to Tibet
Unique highland landscapes folklore and the holy and mysterious lamaseries of Tibetan Buddhism all add to the appeal of the Tibet Autonomous Region, southwest China, which has caught the attention of an increasing number of tourists from home and abroad. The region received a record 870,000 domestic and overseas tourists in the first eight months this year, up 98 percent from the same period last year, according to the latest statistics released by the regional tourism administration.

HK expects 400,000 mainland visitors
About 400,000 mainlanders were expected to visit Hong Kong from Sept. 28 to Oct. 7, up 16 percent from the same period last year, said Selina Chow, chairwoman of the Hong Kong Tourism Board. Chow was speaking Wednesday at a ceremony where the Hong Kong Tourism Board and China Union Pay signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on further cooperation. To encourage the use of Union Pay cards in Hong Kong, China Union Pay will stage a promotion offering more than 6,000 prizes during

Shanghai Tourism Festival kicks off
The event kicked off on Nanjing Road, one of Shanghai's busiest commercial streets, China Radio International reported Saturday. During the festival, over 50 elaborate activities will be held across the city, such as a colourful parade, skydiving demonstrations and live street performances. Since Shanghai will host China's first Grand Prix at the end of September, the event will use F1 as one of its central themes. The festival will last close to 20 days and extend into the

Oct. holiday travelers will flood Beijing railway
During the week-long national holiday from October 1 to 7, the Beijing's railway sector will transport about 2.4 million passengers, according to the Beijing Railway Bureau. The figure will be 80,000 more than the same period in 2002, and the Beijing Railway Bureau has decided to arrange 16 pairs of temporary direct trains to meet the demand. Because this year's Mid-August Festival (the Moon Cake Festival) falls on Sept. 28, more travelers will flood into Beijing to enjoy an extend

Outbound travelers reach 15.99 mln in the first 7 month
China's outbound travelers reached 15.99 million in the first seven months of 2004, a 63.7 percent increase from the same period last year, according to statistics from the China National Tourism Administration (CNTA) released here Thursday. China is on its way to becoming one of the world's most powerful tourism nations, He Guangwei, CNTA director said. In 2003,the amount of Chinese overseas travelers surpassed Japan, making it the largest in Asia. Overseas sightseeing was only dr

National Day Marks Tourism Test
The Seventh Beijing International Tourism Culture Festival will be launched on September 20 to celebrate the National Day holidays, which begin on October 1, and the arrival of the Olympic Games banner. The festival, with the themes "Holidays-Jubilation" and "Olympics-Tourism" will welcome participants from 40 countries and regions, says Xiong Yumei, vice-director of Beijing Tourism Administration. The festival will feature five special events, she said. From 9 am to 11 am o

VisitBritain big on Asian MICE markets
VisitBritain is positioning itself as a meetings, incentive, convention and exhibitions (MICE) destination. Speaking at Destination Britain held in Langkawi, VisitBritain's regional manager Asia, Mr Keith Beecham said: We are building on our incentives market and working selectively with key planners. He told buyers the Asian market is a young one, with China's whose leisure travel is controlled by approved destination status (ADS), expected to be granted the status this month. With the A

Beijing Holds Hearing on New Travel Contract Regulation
No more being hustled into expensive souvenir shops for Beijingers travelling with tour groups. That's if the newly released New Contract for Domestic Travel in Beijing goes into force. It stipulates that tourists don't need to follow shopping arrangements given by travel agencies and have the right to go shopping wherever they want. In addition, agencies have to get the tourists' consent to charge for extra items not in the contract. This makes it much fairer, because the old cont

Garden of Gardens: Beauty Restored
Work to restore the beauty of the Yuanmingyuan, China's great imperial garden, has achieved its first success with the western part of the garden excavated from the debris of ages. Renowned heritage expert Wang Shiren, who is an adviser to the project, said the work will protect the garden's present condition, rather than restore it to the splendour of old. Located on the northwestern outskirts of Beijing, Yuanmingyuan was first built in 1709 and underwent 150 years of construction

Comfortable Ride in "TV-Taxi"
Tired of watching the real world pass by Look no further! A taxi company in east China's Nanjing city is now modeling its cars to include passenger-side television sets. The Nanjing-based taxi company has already placed onboard TVs in 30 taxis in an effort to provide passengers with a more comfortable ride. The inclusion of the TV service doesn't cost passengers any extra, even though the TV set is worth 3000 yuan, or 360 US dollars.

Beijing Poised to National Day Holiday
Beijing is gearing up for the one-week National Day holiday, which starts on October 1st. The city has put emergency plans into place to cope with mishaps at large public events and scenic spots. All facilities at amusement parks will be examined to ensure visitors' safety; the parks will be closed if they do not meet safety standards. The crowds expected over the holiday have forced the traffic department to close some underground train stations, for fear the huge number of

Plainclothes Police Guard on Airplanes
China's first 2,000 sky police have started to work on international flights from China and some sensitive domestic air routes. The plainclothes police are primarily drawn from sky security staff and regular police, reported China Radio International. The undercover officials are there to prevent hijackings and bombings and stop passengers' behaving badly on flights. The sky police are entitled to use weapons if necessary and will receive extensive training.

HK Expects 400,000 Mainland Visitors
About 400,000 mainlanders were expected to visit Hong Kong from Sept. 28 to Oct. 7, up 16 percent from the same period last year, said Selina Chow, chairwoman of the Hong Kong Tourism Board. Chow was speaking Wednesday at a ceremony where the Hong Kong Tourism Board and China UnionPay signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on further cooperation. To encourage the use of UnionPay cards in Hong Kong, China UnionPay will stage a promotion offering more than 6,000 prizes during Oct

Chinese Outbound Travel Soars 63.7%
The number of travelers outbound from China reached 16.0 million in the first seven months of 2004, soaring 63.7 percent from the same period last year, the China National Tourism Administration (CNTA) reported on Thursday. CNTA Director He Guangwei said that China is on its way to becoming one of the world's most powerful tourism nations. In 2003, the number of Chinese traveling abroad surpassed that of Japan, making it the largest in Asia. Sightseeing in foreign lands was once on

China's First Flight Delay Insurance Issued
Two tourism insurance clauses have just been issued to cover compensation for flight delays, the first of their kind in China. Passengers who are delayed for more than six hours because of bad weather, mechanical problems, strikes or hijacking can receive 300 to 1,800 yuan (36 to 210 US dollars) in compensation for every six hours delayed. Delays caused by faults in flight schedules and services are not covered in the insurance clauses. One of the clauses, insurance for poss

Travelers to Flood Beijing Subway on Oct. Holiday
The Beijing's subway sector will transport about 2.4 million passengers during the week-long National Day holiday from October 1 to 7. The Beijing Railway Bureau will arrange 16 pairs of temporary direct trains to meet the demand. September 30 and October 1 will be peak days as an estimated 250-thousand people will be travelling by subway. The other peak could occur from October 5 to 7 when most travellers are returning to work.

Increasing number of tourists flock to Tibet
Unique highland landscapes folklore and the holy and mysterious lamaseries of Tibetan Buddhism all add to the appeal of the Tibet Autonomous Region, southwest China, which has caught the attention of an increasing number of tourists from home and abroad. The region received a record 870,000 domestic and overseas tourists in the first eight months this year, up 98 percent from the same period last year, according to the latest statistics released by the regional tourism administration.

National Day Marks Tourism Test
The Seventh Beijing International Tourism Culture Festival will be launched on September 20 to celebrate the National Day holidays, which begin on October 1, and the arrival of the Olympic Games banner. The festival, with the themes "Holidays -- Jubilation" and "Olympics -- Tourism" will welcome participants from 40 countries and regions, says Xiong Yumei, vice-director of Beijing Tourism Administration. The festival will feature five special events, she said. From 9 am to 1

Tourists Being Lured Ahead of Holiday
Days ahead of China's National Day, the country's tourism market is already heating up. To attract more visitors during the "golden week", which starts on October the 1st, some destinations not on the typical tourist map are stepping up their promotions. Gushi County in central China's Henan Province has launched a promotion in the capital, hoping to lure Beijingers still undecided about their holiday plans. The county wants to offer something different with its "back to primitive nature"

Overseas Tourism Attracts Chinese Holidaymakers
As the weeklong National Day holiday is around the corner, tourism officials from several countries and regions have flocked to China, in hopes to draw larger crowds of Chinese holidaymakers. "The growing potential of China's tourism market is most lucrative not only to Egypt but also to the whole world," said Dr.Nasser Abdel-Aal, tourism affairs consul of Egyptian Embassy in China. Dr. Abdel-Aal is to attend a Yangtze Delta tourism fair in Wuxi, a scenic city in east China's Jiang

Night cruises for festival
A record 21 cruise ships will operate on the Guangzhou section of the Pearl River during the Mid-Autumn Festival, a traditional Chinese family reunion day which falls next Tuesday. The ships feature Lingnan (South China) culture, with traditional architecture such as archways and pavilions. Officials from the city's construction committee said some 10 million yuan (US$1.2 million) had been spent on the ships. Costing 38 yuan to 88 yuan, the Pearl River night cruise was a new

Banyan Tree plans Tibetan village in Yunnan
Banyan Tree Hotels & Resorts will add a new property called Ringha ¨C Tibetan Village by Banyan Tree in China's Yunnan province bordering Tibet next year. The resort is made up of Tibetan farm houses which the Banyan Tree has bought, taken down and reconstructed in the traditional style of piling the logs one top of another in a new site at Ringha Valley. The property will feature nine Tibetan Chambers and 11 lodges. Each room comes with a handcrafted wooden bathtub. The lobby will

Spain sets sights on China
Spanair plans to start two weekly direct flights between Barcelona's El Prat airport and the Chinese cities of Beijing and Shanghai, according to a Spanair spokesperson.
It is looking to capitalise on the recent Approved Destination Status agreement with China that opens 22 European countries to Chinese tourists. Spain's national carrier, Iberia, has been given permission to open direct routes to China's two largest cities but has not done so out of concern for weak demand. Air Europa,

Incentive to avoid Golden Week travel
China Youth Travel Service (CYTS) is offering financial incentives to tour groups to travel before or after the upcoming China National Day holiday, from October 1 to 7. The initiative, a first by a domestic travel agency, is targeted at encouraging travel without overburdening China's rail and air transportation infrastructure during the peak period. According to The Beijing News, CYTS will pay each traveller RMB2,000 (US$240) for up to two working days to compensate for lost wage

Overseas tourism attracts Chinese holidaymakers
As the week-long National Day holiday is around the corner, tourism officials from several countries and regions have flocked to China, in hopes to draw larger crowds of Chinese holidaymakers. "The growing potential of China's tourism market is most lucrative not only to Egypt but also to the whole world," said Dr.Nasser Abdel-Aal, tourism affairs consul of Egyptian Embassy in China. Dr. Abdel-Aal is here to attend a Yangtze Delta tourism fair in Wuxi, a scenic city in east China's

New Roads to Capital Airport
With the expansion of Beijing's Capital International Airport, the municipal government will build three new roads and a rail link to better connect the transportation hub with the city center. The four new links will allow passengers to easily shuttle between the second and sixth east ring roads, the Beijing-Shenyang and Beijing-Chengde Express Highways, and the airport. The new links are to join the existing road network around the airport. After its completion in 2007, the airpo

Shanghai Has Subway Police Volunteers
More than 100 volunteers have been recruited to keep order in nearly 30 subway stations in Shanghai. During rush hour, the volunteers will ensure commuters wait for the train behind the yellow line, get on the train in an orderly fashion and don't spit on the platform or in the train. More than 700 people have put their name down for the program.

Beijing Capital Airport Terminal 1 Reopens
Terminal One of the Beijing Capital International Airport has officially reopened. The terminal will be jointly operated by Beijing Airport and China Southern Airlines. The newly upgraded terminal now boasts 50 check-in counters, 13 boarding gates and six baggage pick-up points. The Terminal will help relieve the pressure from Terminal 2 and is expected to have around 35 million arrivals and departures a year. The airport also boasts passenger-friendly lounges with In

Skies Open Wider for Civil Flights
The northeastern, central and southern regions of China were appointed early this year by the General Administration of Civial Aviation of China (CAAC) as the pilot places to explore the civil-use markets. China was once very strict with the approval of civil helicopter flight requests partly out of public security concerns. The use of general light planes for other than usual purposes required the submission of a request to the administration and routes had to be clearly defined.<

3.67m Guangzhou Travelers to Hit the Road
More than 3.67 million Guangzhou residents will go traveling during the mid-Autumn festival and the 7-day National Day holidays. They will spend an estimated 1.94 billion yuan (US$230 million), according to a survey by the Guangzhou Municipal Tourism Administration. The survey of 1972 people in 600 Guangzhou families indicated that 70 percent of Guangzhou dwellers intended to travel, 20 percent more than the same period last year. An average of 1,556 yuan would be spent by each hou

2.5 Million to Travel by Air During National Day Holiday
Chinaa s Civil Aviation Administration says it is estimated up to 2.5 million passengers will travel by air during the coming National Day Holiday, a 15 percent growth over the same period of last year. Airline companies have been authorized to add a total of 2,400 temporary flights for the upcoming travel peak. Most of these extra flights will be added to help deal with the surge of passengers in tourist areas and large cities. The National Day Holiday will start October 1s

Skies Open Wider for Civil Flights
When 14-year-old Fang Haiyan and her three-year-old niece were badly scalded in a home accident, their initial hospital appointment was made for a few weeks' hence. But thanks to a new air ambulance service, travel time to the nearest hospital from their mountainous village in Liannan has been slashed from five or six hours to just one. This meant the two children, members of the Yao ethnic minority, could be treated and discharged at Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital two week

Huangguoshu Waterfalls -- China's Smoke that Thunders
Huangguoshu Waterfalls are no stranger to most Chinese. Many learn about the natural wonder during geological classes in middle school. Situated in Southwest China's inland province of Guizhou, the falls are the largest in Asia. The region is also unique as it is host to a diversified cultural heritage of minority groups which make up 30 percent of the province's 30 million population. In Huangguoshu alone, Bouyei, Miao, Gelao and Yi people have live cheek-by-jowl with the Han. And

Russia Seeks UN Terrorist Asylum Abuse Crackdown
Russia on Thursday proposed a UN crackdown on the abuse of political asylum for terrorist purposes, raising pressure on Western states to hand over wanted Chechen activists. Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov announced the initiative in a speech to the UN General Assembly following a spate of bloody Chechen attacks including the bombing of two civil airliners and the deadly Beslan school siege. Without naming states such as Britain and Qatar that have given asylum to Chechen rebels and

China Southern secures access to Beijing airport terminal
The Beijing Capital Airport has completed the renovation and reconstruction of its Terminal One, and China Southern has signed an agreement with Capital Airport to jointly manage and to use this facility exclusively. All China Southern flights will also have their boarding procedures completed here. Terminal One features two satellite islands, 13 boarding gates and 50 check-in desks and will be able to handle a quarter of total passengers at the airport. In its 2004 winter-s