China Trips

China Trips

Shanghai Metro to install safety barriers
Shanghai Metro announced recently it would install the first safety barriers by the end of next year to keep passengers from falling off the platform. The first barrier would be installed between the platform and rails at the Guangzhong Road subway station on an extension of Shanghai Metro's No. 1 line, said a company source. A barrier system at each subway station was part of the original design of Shanghai Metro's No. 1 line, but this was postponed because the company could not a

Largest botanical garden takes root in Northwest China
China will spend nearly 1.4 billion yuan (US$170 million) over 10 years to build the world's largest Qinling Botanical Garden, covering an area of 458 square kilometres, according to the China Daily. The garden -- under construction in Zhouzhi county of Xi'an, capital city of Northwest China's Shaanxi Province -- will protect and maintain the bio-diversity of plant species and the sustainable development of wildlife resources in the region. More than 20 new kinds of plant species h

China Southern Airlines handles over 20 million passenger trips
Guangzhou-based China Southern Airlines claimed on Monday that it had become the country's first airline capable of handling more than 20 million passenger trips annually. According to company statistics and computer estimates, China Southern Airlines would be receiving its 20 millionth passenger on Monday, most likely on one of the flights with a departure time between 9:30 and 10:30 a.m., a company official said. The official also claimed that with 119 aircraft and 385 domestic a

Cause of May 7 air crash identified
The air crash that killed 112 aboard a MD-82 passenger plane on May 7 this year in northeast China was caused by a fire set by a passenger named Zhang Pilin, officials said Saturday (Dec.7). Departments concerned are dealing with the case according to law, said the officials with the State Council leading group in charge of handling the aftermath of the accident. But no further information about Zhang Pilin is immediately available. The officials said that the central authorities h

China protects women's choice on contraception
Chinese women have come to know more about contraception and they are free to choose the contraceptive methods suitable for their own physical conditions. Since 1995, the State Family Planning Commission has carried out a trial program in six provincial areas including Shanghai, Liaoning and Jiangsu to provide good service in contraception for local residents. Now, the program has spread to more than 800 counties or urban districts, about one third of the total number of counties a

Women's shelter opens in NE. China city
A women's shelter called "Yangguang Yizhan" (Sunlight House) has opened in Shenyang City, the capital of Liaoning Province in northeast China. The shelter, the first of its kind in the city, is sponsored by the local women's federation and locates in the Women's Conference Hall of Shenyang. Its purpose is to protect local women suffering from family violence and those from remote villages. The residents will be given legal counseling. The city has launched a series of progra

China hosts first int'l business festival for women pioneers
An international business festival for pioneering women entrepreneurs opened on Nov.26 in Haikou, capital city of south China's Hainan Province. The festival is jointly sponsored by the China Women and Children Services Development Center, Beijing Office of the United Nations Development Fund for Women and the International Exchange Association of Hainan. It is the first event of its kind ever held in China. Around 250 successful female entrepreneurs from China and abroad have gath

Rambling in Fenghuang
Fenghuang is the name of a small ancient town by the Tuojiang River. I remember the name because of Cui Cui, an innocent, kind-hearted girl in a novel by Shen Congwen, a renowned writer in China. It is in the town of Fenghuang that Cui Cui was born and grew up. I had long dreamed of visiting this town. On a morning in early autumn, my dream came true. I had waited for this moment a long time; and perhaps because of this, I rushed into the small town as soon as I arrived. The Tuojiang River was c

Three New Human Genes Discovered Among the Chinese
Three new human hereditary genes among Chinese people have been discovered by the Shenzhen Institute of Transfusion Medicine and formally named by the World Health Organization (WHO), according to a scientific research appraisal meeting held recently in Shenzhen of South China's Guangdong Province. The discovery will effectively improve the survival rate of China's bone marrow and organ transplant. The newly-discovered genes are the allelic genes of Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA). HLA actually is

Golf Tourism to Be Highlighted in Guangdong
Promotion of its under-used golf courses will be the highlight of next year's tourism development in south China's Guangdong Province, said a local tourism official. Zheng Tongyang, head of the Guangdong Provincial Tourism Administration, said he hoped to attract more overseas tourists to Guangdong, already a booming tourist destination and fast-growth economic powerhouse. Of China's 195 golf grounds, with a membership of over 400,000,more than 70 are located in Guangdong, but less than 60 perce

Hope School Provides a Ray of Hope
Despite the freezing winds outside and lack of central heating inside, a 30-square-meter classroom at Sanyuanli Primary School was warm as it was tightly packed with 109 students and their teacher. The children, every five of them sharing a 1-meter-long shabby desk, shout out in unison as the teacher points to Chinese characters she has written on a cracked blackboard. This primary school is located in Kaole Township in the Dongxiang Autonomous County in Northwest China's Gansu Province, one of

Water-gauge Tablet Found at China's Ancient Irrigation System
A stone water gauge was found Monday in southwest China's Sichuan Province during dredging and maintenance at the Dujiangyan Dam, a water conservation scheme that dates back 2,250 years. Li Junzhu, a senior engineer in charge of dam maintenance, said the tablet erected in 1764 was submerged at the bottom of a pool. It was the first time it had seen the light of day for more than 200 years. According to Li, seven water pumps were used to empty the pool which was more than 10 meters deep. Standing

Experts Forecast Warm Winter
While a sudden temperature drop has forced people across China to put on heavy padded overcoat these days, warmer winter days are just around the corner. "Behind all these is a typical El Nino phenomenon," Wang Zhanggui, a leading researcher with the National Marine Environmental Forecasting Center, said yesterday. Because of its influence, unusually warmer weather will persist in China's southern sea areas throughout the winter, leaving the areas vulnerable to a bloom of poisonous algae, known

Providing a Ray of Hope
Despite the freezing winds outside and lack of central heating inside, a 30-square-meter classroom at Sanyuanli Primary School was warm as it was tightly packed with 109 students and their teacher. The children, every five of them sharing a 1-meter-long shabby desk, shout out in unison as the teacher points to Chinese characters she has written on a cracked blackboard. This primary school is located in Kaole Township in the Dongxiang Autonomous County in northwest China's Gansu Province, one of

Auto Industry Forges Ahead after China's WTO Entry
China's automotive industry has survived the gloomy predictions of an influx of cheap foreign vehicles in the first year of World Trade Organization (WTO) membership. As part of its WTO commitments, China agreed to gradually reduce tariffs, eliminate restrictions on foreign investment and open up its market to foreign companies. However, the international auto giants' entry into the market of the world's most populous country has not affected the domestic industry as severely as many feared a ye

Alarm Sounds over College Students' Mental Health
Just two months after the fall semester started, a freshman at a prestigious university in the northern Hebei Province decided to drop out. "College life is too depressing and I just cannot cope with it," said the teenage boy. The reason was simple. The boy used to be a straight A student in primary and secondary schools. At college, however, he met much stronger rivals and failed to keep his top position or his self-esteem when everyone else was just as intelligent and hardworking. Such cases a

Chinese Tourists Favor Southeast Asian Countries
Southeast Asia is becoming one of the most popular destinations for Chinese tourists, stimulating the economies of China's neighbors and enhancing mutual understanding between peoples. "It is quite comfortable to spend the three-day holiday in a much warmer country where you can listen to the sounding of the New Year bell," said Zhang Weiliang, who registered for the Thai tour during the New Year. Zhang has been to Thailand three times, impressed by its unique tropical climate and spicy food. Du

Three New Human Genes Discovered Among the Chinese
Three new human hereditary genes among Chinese people have been discovered by the Shenzhen Institute of Transfusion Medicine and formally named by the World Health Organization (WHO), according to a scientific research appraisal meeting held recently in Shenzhen of South China's Guangdong Province. The discovery will effectively improve the survival rate of China's bone marrow and organ transplant. The newly-discovered genes are the allelic genes of Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA). HLA actually is

Controversial Composer Strikes a Heroic Note
Tan Dun admits that his music is always controversial. Tan's controversial status means that his music always attracts wide attention from both admirers and detractors. As soon as the movie premiered in Shenzhen in south China's Guangdong Province in October, the controversial reviews followed. Some said the music was "too rich," weighing down the movie itself. Some thought the soundtrack sounded similar to that of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. Tan's answer is, "After seeing the movie, you wou

Japanese Testimonies on Nanjing Massacre Published
A book comprising of testimonies of Japanese World War II veterans on their wartime atrocities was published in Chinese in Nanjing, the capital of east China's Jiangsu Province Thursday, the eve of the 65th anniversary of the notorious Nanjing Massacre. The book, titled The Battle of Nanjing -- a Search of Sealed Memories, consists of testimonies from 102 Japanese veterans who participated in Japan's invasion of China from 1937 to 1945, especially the battle of Nanjing. In the book, compiled by

Survey to Solve Tomb Mystery
Scientists will use remote sensing and geophysical techniques to survey the mysterious Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor (259-210 BC), a famous World Heritage Site. Located 36 kilometers east of Xi'an, capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province, the grand mausoleum was the eternal resting place for Ying Zheng, the first emperor of the Qin Dynasty (221-206 BC), who unified China for the first time. According to historical records, it took 700,000 people 36 years to build the luxurious undergr

China Pinpoints Terra-cotta Warriors' Production Site
Chinese scientists have finally solved a long-time riddle: where were the 8,000 terra-cotta warriors made that were unearthed in the 1970s from the tomb of Qin Shihuang, the first emperor who unified China After a three-year joint research project, scientists from Beijing, Zhengzhou and Xi'an cities reached the conclusion that the world-renowned terra-cotta warriors were created close to where they were excavated. Qin Shihuang's tomb has been called "the eighth wonder of the world." Nearly 8,00

Renowned Chinese Architect Granted Prince Claus Award
Wu Liangyong, an internationally renowned Chinese professor of architecture, was honored with the Prince Claus Award from the Netherlands in Beijing Thursday. Wu, a professor of the Civil Engineering Institute of the prestigious Tsinghua University and also an academician of Chinese Academy of Sciences and Chinese Academy of Engineering, received the award from representatives of the Prince Claus Award Foundation in the Dutch embassy. "I was greatly honored," said 80-year-old Wu. The Prince Clau

Folk Arts Fascinate Audiences
The First (Jiangsu) Chinese Folk Arts Festival which ran from December 4-8 in Nanjing, the capital city of east China's Jiangsu Province, brought people into a colorful world of folk art. Hundreds of folk artists, specialists and scholars from about 20 provinces, cities and administrative regions throughout the country gathered to meet, talk, show their work and give special performances. Performances at the festival's grand opening ceremony on December 4 included music played on traditional gon

China, Kyrgyzstan Issue Joint Press Communique
Chinese Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan and Kyrgyz Minister of Foreign Affairs Askar Aitmatov issued a joint press communique in Beijing Thursday. At the invitation of Tang, Aitmatov is on an official visit to China from Dec. 10 to 15. The two ministers held talks and signed an agreement on cooperation in fighting terrorism, separatism and extremism. Chinese Vice-Premier Wen Jiabao, and Minister of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation Shi Guangsheng also met with Aitmatov. The communique says th

The Gu Liangguang 'One Man Band'
When there is no light on Earth I'll set myself ablaze to illuminate the world. When dreams meet with cruel reality, we must try our best to take a stand against the injustices of life, said Gu Liangguang. Gu, whose first name (Liangguang) means "light" in Chinese, has never seen what light is during his half century of life. Gu is a blind actor who performs with the Xinfeng County Folk Art Troupe in Jiangxi Province. He can play up to 12 musical instruments at same time. Using his whole body, h

Peking Man Site of Further Research Value
The Zhoukoudian Peking Man Site had further valuable research potential, a leading Chinese scientist said at a recent celebration of the 15th anniversary of the site's joining the UNESCO World Heritage list.
Wu Xinzhi, academician of the Chinese Academ

Where is the "wolf" one year after China's WTO accession
Hao Guangnian, a freelance writer in Guangzhou, capital of south China's Guangdong Province, has finally bought a Chinese-made car. He had waited for more than half a year for the price of imported cars to fall sharply, but was disappointed. "The local media had strongly predicted a drastic drop in the price of imported cars after China's accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO), but it did not happen at all," said Hao. The auto industry was tipped to be one of the in

China WTO Tribune launched
The Chinese government Wednesday launched a monthly journal on its World Trade Organization-related work to mark the first anniversary of the country's entry to the WTO. The China WTO Tribune is published by the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation (MOFTEC). MOFTEC Minister Shi Guangsheng said the government launched the journal to provide both Chinese and overseas governments with authoritative information and to guide the research. The journal provides information o

WTO Advanced Training Program for Asia-Pacific set up in China
The WTO Advanced Training Program for the Asia-Pacific was launched Wednesday at Beijing University, one of China's most prominent universities. The program is co-sponsored by China's Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation (MOFTEC), the WTO Secretariat and the Asia Development Bank. Shi Guansheng, Minister of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation, told the launching ceremony that the establishment of the program marked China's debut in undertaking a regional role among

Chinese official: WTO talks should tackle developing members' needs
The interests of developing members should be fully considered in the new round of multilateral negotiations of the World Trade Organization (WTO), Chinese Minister of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation Shi Guangsheng said Wednesday. Shi made the remarks while addressing the launching ceremony of the WTO Advanced Training Program in Asia-Pacific held Wednesday at Beijing University, one of China's most prominent universities. A new round of trade talks began last year, said Shi

Chinese couples decide a man's place is in the kitchen
A growing number of Chinese men are taking up cooking, a household chore that has long been considered the preserve of women in a country with a deep tradition of male chauvinism. Sun, a demobilized soldier, became a skilled cook during his three-year service in the People's Liberation Army. Now he cooks dinner for his family every day after work. "He's really mature and considerate," said Sun's mother, a retired worker in Shenyang, a traditional industrial base in the northeastern

China's National Library opens readers' festival
The National Library of China Sunday (Dec.1) opened its annual readers' festival in a bid to encourage readers to read more books and make full use of libraries. Four vice curators of the Beijing-based library -- Zhang Yanbo,Zhang Yafang, Chen Li and Zhang Xiaoxing -- were present at the information desk this morning to welcome readers. The library's new website homepage was also launched Sunday with a new research system for borrowing books. Readers can send their requests from ho

China's largest coke company set up
The Shanxi Provincial Coke Group Co., Ltd. was recently established in Taiyuan, capital of north China's Shanxi Province, becoming the largest of its kind in the country. The group is a result of the restructuring of major coke producers and dealers in Shanxi, the country's largest coal and coke producer, according to official sources. Currently, the group has an annual capacity of 6 million tons, but by 2005 it is expected to become the world's largest coke producer with its capac

Copyright of Nanjing Massacre documentary donated to China
An American producer donated the copyright of the Chinese edition of a documentary on the Nanjing Massacre during World War II to China on Tuesday, followed by the film's debut screening in Beijing. Sherwin Liou, one of the initiators of the documentary and president of the St.Louis Alliance for Preserving the Truth About the Sino-Japanee War, presented the videotape of the film and copyright certification to the Beijing-based Museum of the War of Chinese People's Resistance Against Japan

China to put 200 million into performing arts
China's performing arts are being given a massive fillip with government plans to pour 40 million yuan (4.7 million US dollars) annually into 50 productions by the end of 2006, said Sun Jiazheng, Minister of Culture (MOC) here recently. Sun said the funding was part of a project to promote national artistic performances, which was organized by the MOC and the Ministry of Finance. He said the project would encourage Chinese troupes and artists to produce and recompose good stage per

Beijing has first on-campus Confucius research institute
China's first on-campus research institute on Confucius was set up recently at the Beijing-based People's University of China. The institute will be devoted to studying the great philosopher and educationist of ancient China, his theories and traditional Chinese culture. "We hope to build a bridge between modern and traditional Chinese cultures and help make the best use of traditional Chinese culture," said Ji Baocheng, president of the university and honorary director of the rese

Three Gorges project to receive state-level quality control
An examination panel directly affiliated to the State Council was set up here Friday to oversee a state-level check on the quality of resettlement and dam clear-up work of the Three Gorges Hydropower Project. The examination panel is composed of officials and experts from the Economic and Trade Commission, the Ministry of Land and Resources and the Ministry of Health. The panel will carry out a spot check in the dam area of Three Gorges in December, and expects to deliver the resul

Beijing speeds up digital construction for 2008 Games
Beijing is speeding up digital construction projects for the 2008 Olympic Games, and it is in need of capital, technological and operational help from home and abroad, the China Daily reported. The capital city plans to be able to provide convenient, secure and efficient information services by 2008 to everyone at any time, Beijing's Vice-Mayor Liu Zhihua said at the opening ceremony of the Beijing Forum on IT Development. In the Beijing Olympic Action Programme issued on July 13,

Law passed to protect Dunhuang treasures in northwest China
Local legislature in Gansu province, northwest China, has passed a special law to better protect the Mogao Grottoes in Dunhuang City, one of the country's three major Buddhist art treasures. Underground relics, sites of historical interest and the natural environment around the prestigious Mogao Grottoes are the three protected categories under the new Regulation for Protection of the Gansu Dunhuang Mogao Grottoes passed by the Standing Committee of the Gansu Provincial People's Congress

China outlines next year's economic tasks
Chinese leaders concluded a meeting here Tuesday to review its economic work in 2002 and formulate guidelines for economic development in 2003. At the Central Economic Work Conference jointly held by the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the State Council on December 9 and 10, Vice-President Hu Jintao, who is also general secretary of the 16th Central Committee of the CPC, summed up 2002's economic work, analyzed the domestic and international situation and propo

India Becomes Chinese Tourists' Destination
India has recently gained the Authorized Destination Status (ADS) for Chinese tourists, according to the source from China National Tourism Administration. More details will be discussed by the two sides before organized Chinese tourist groups can finally go there. "Both India and China used to be ancient civilized nations. Currently we are two largest developing nations. I believe tourismwill promote bilateral exchanges in different areas," said Dinesh K. Patnaik, head of commercial division of

Long-awaited Hero Premieres in Beijing
The much-anticipated Yingxiong (Hero), renowned director Zhang Yimou's first martial-arts epic, premiered to reporters at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Saturday. The film, which was produced with costs of record-setting 256 million yuan (US$31 million), has been eagerly awaited by film-lovers and world media over the past year. It boasts the hottest Chinese movie actors and actresses such as Hong Kong super stars Tony Leung Chiu-wai and Maggie Cheung Man-yuk, Hollywood kung fu star

S.E. Asia Big Draw for China Travelers
Southeast asia is becoming one of the most popular destinations for Chinese tourists, stimulating the economies of China's neighbors and enhancing mutual understanding between peoples. "It is quite comfortable to spend the New Year holiday in a warmer climate," said Zhang Weiliang, who has registered for a Thai tour during the New Year holiday. Zhang has been to Thailand three times, impressed by its tropical climate and spicy food. Due to the similar "rice culture" and the Buddhist religion, So

China's First Seismological Base Created for Kids
China unveiled on Sunday its first base to publicize seismological knowledge among youngsters in the seismological station in Nanchang, capital of east China's Jiangxi Province. The station, one of the main digital monitoring stations in China, records earthquakes, groundwater, geomagnetism and geoelectricity changes 24 hours a day. At the base, kids will have free lectures on seismology, earthquake relief and other related activities, according to the station.

Century-old Comic Genre Reaches Crossroads
A big black-and-white picture hung high above the stage. It was a portrait of an old Chinese man with thick eyebrows, and bright and piercing eyes, his hands gesturing and a faint smile on his face. He was Hou Baolin (1917-93), a man who generated endless laughter for several generations of Chinese. Once described by the Hong Kong media as having "a comic face," Hou is regarded the most important master of xiangsheng or crosstalk, a traditional Chinese verbal art which typically employs two perf

First Snow in Beijing No Big Deal for Traffic
Snowflakes kept falling on the heads of Beijing residents yesterday but there was no repeat of last year's notorious traffic jam. Before the snow stopped last night, 1.5 millimetres of it fell on the city. Sudden snowfall on December 7 last year turned Beijing into a huge car park as vehicles were forced to a standstill. Many people had to walk home after work because that had become the fastest means of travel. However, there was no traffic standstill yesterday, although buses and cars moved a

First Snow in Beijing No Big Deal for Traffic
Snowflakes kept falling on the heads of Beijing residents yesterday but there was no repeat of last year's notorious traffic jam. Before the snow stopped last night, 1.5 millimetres of it fell on the city. Sudden snowfall on December 7 last year turned Beijing into a huge car park as vehicles were forced to a standstill. Many people had to walk home after work because that had become the fastest means of travel. However, there was no traffic standstill yesterday, although buses and cars moved a

India Becomes Chinese Tourists' Destination
India has recently gained the Authorized Destination Status (ADS) for Chinese tourists, according to the source from China National Tourism Administration. More details will be discussed by the two sides before organized Chinese tourist groups can finally go there. "Both India and China used to be ancient civilized nations. Currently we are two largest developing nations. I believe tourismwill promote bilateral exchanges in different areas," said Dinesh K. Patnaik, head of commercial division of

China's First Seismological Base Created for Kids
China unveiled on Sunday its first base to publicize seismological knowledge among youngsters in the seismological station in Nanchang, capital of east China's Jiangxi Province. The station, one of the main digital monitoring stations in China, records earthquakes, groundwater, and geomagnetism and geoelectricity changes 24 hours a day. At the base, kids will have free lectures on seismology, earthquake relief and other related activities, according to the station.

Chinese Scientists Complete Map of Rice Genome
Chinese scientists have successfully completed the world's first detailed map of indica rice genome.
Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) academician Zhu Zuoyan announced Thursday the task had been achieved by scientists working in the CAS Genomics and Bi

Small loans help laid-off women find new jobs
Over 6,000 laid-off women in the northern port city of Tianjin have found new jobs or started up their own businesses over the past four years with small loans extended to them under a United Nations program. The program, begun in 1998 to encourage laid-off women to re-establish themselves, has been operated by the United Nations Development Program, Australian Agency for International Development and the Tianjin municipal government and will run till the end of this year. Over the

Tibetan women spend more on cosmetics
Tibetan girls used to feel proud of their ruddy cheeks which was a mark of good health and a lively and energetic lifestyle. But today they are turning to cosmetics to give themselves a fair complexion. Qoizhoin, 18, who lives in Lhasa, capital of Tibet Autonomous Region in southwest China, looks as pretty and beautiful as any girl living south of the Yangtze River, where the young women are famed for fair complexions. Only the Lhasa accent indicates that Qoizhoin is Tibetan.

White Ribbons to end violence against women in Beijing
The White Ribbon campaign to end violence against women held activities in Beijing recently, encouraging men and women to work together against domestic violence. The event was sponsored by the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) in collaboration with the Chinese Media Monitor of Women and the China Association for NGO (Non-governmental Organization) Cooperation to commemorate the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women on November 25 and Internation

American tourist impressed by Chinese kindness
An American tourist who suffered foot fractures and underwent corrective surgery in a Chinese hospital while vacationing here returned to her home in the United States on Sunday. Lavada Nelson, 76, a native of Los Angeles, suffered a fall while climbing the Dayan Pagoda in Xi'an, the capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province, on November 20. Onlookers rushed Lavada to a local hospital where she received emergency treatment followed by surgery to correct two fractures to the fee

Ancient Chinese calligraphy on display in Shanghai
Works of three ancient Chinese master calligraphers, who lived about 1,600 years ago, went on display recently in Shanghai. The three superb works include one by Wang Xizhi, who was considered one of the greatest calligraphers in the Chinese history, and one each by his son, Wang Xianzhi, and grandson, WangXun, who were also outstanding calligraphers. The 72 rare calligraphy works and paintings are on display in the Shanghai Museum, 22 of which belong to the Palace Museum in Beijin

China to be ROK's largest investment destination
China may become the largest investment destination of the Republic of Korea (ROK), Laegue Leem, ROK's vice-minister of Commerce, Industry and Energy, said here recently. Speaking at the Korea-China Technomart 2002, Leem said ROK investment in China reached 970 million US dollars last August, and is expected to hit a total of 1.5 billion US dollars this year. Bilateral trade rose to 35.91 billion US dollars in 2001, five times over that of 1992 when China and ROK forged diplomatic

Biggest lake in north China becomes nature reserve
Hebei provincial authorities have designated Baiyangdian, the biggest lake in north China, a nature reserve for the protection of wetlands and birds. The lake, covering 366 square kilometers, is the habitat of 47 kinds of water plants, 54 kinds of fishes, 192 kinds of birds and 14 wild mammal species, according to experts with the provincial forestry authority. At least three kinds of birds and five species of mammal are protected by the state. Persistent draught, pollution

Beijing rally to commemorate Indian doctor
A rally was held in Beijing Friday (Dec.6) to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the death of Indian doctor Dwarkanath S. Kotnis, a great internationalist and a close friend of the Chinese people. Dr. Kotnis joined an Indian medical team which came to China in 1938 to help its people in the war of resistance against Japanese aggression. He worked selflessly and untiringly for the sick and the wounded, and unfortunately died of illness on December 9, 1942 at the age of only 32. Dr.

New Bridge being built over Yangtze River
Yangzhong City of east China's Jiangsu Province, a prosperous island city in the Yangtze River, started construction on its second bridge spanning the Yangtze recently. Sources with the local government said the new 1,761 meter bridge will connect the island to Changzhou City on the southern side of the river. Total investment for the project is estimated at 180 million yuan (about 21.69 million US dollars). The bridge is expected to be opened to traffic by August 2004. With

Dahongpao tea fetches record price at auction
Twenty grams of "Dahongpao," a black tea of unique quality, was sold for a record price of 180,000 yuan (about 21,700 US dollars) at an auction earlier this week in Guangzhou, south China. The tea was purchased by a local restaurant as a collector's item, said a spokesman for the restaurant. "Dahongpao," considered as the "king of Chinese tea," is produced exclusively in Wuyishan City in Fujian Province. It was offered as a tribute or gift to imperial courts in ancient times.

Building to start on road link between Shenzhen and HK
Construction will begin on a new road bridge that will connect Shenzhen City, south China's Guangdong Province, and Hong Kong next year. A feasibility report on the construction of the road link in western Shenzhen was approved by the State Council, China's highest governing body, late last month. The project requires the building of a 5,154-meter-long bridge over Shenzhen Bay, customs facilities and other related infrastructure. The bridge is to be jointly built by Hong Kon

Qinghai-Tibet railway to drive economic development in Tibet
The construction of the Qinghai-Tibet railway will have a positive impact on the development of Tibet's diversified economy. The railway project, being built in the Tibet Autonomous Region in southwest China, is expected to generate economic returns in the amount of 4 billion yuan (480 million US dollars) for Tibet during the 2001-2005 period, according to predictions made by the local development planning commission. The construction plan calls for a total investment of 16 billion

First Yangtze railway bridge in dam area breaks earth
Construction began recently on the first railway bridge across the Yangtze River in the Three Gorges Dam area. The earth was broken on the 1,106-meter-long Wanzhou Yangtze Bridge on the Wanzhou-Yichang Railway between Wanzhou, a district of southwest China's Chongqing municipality, and Yichang, a city in the central Hubei province. The bridge will connect the Wanzhou-Yichang Railway, regarded as one of the most important sections of the railway network along the Yangtze. Off

Golf tourism to be highlighted in S. China province
Promotion of its under-used golf courses will be the highlight of next year's tourism development in south China's Guangdong Province, said a local tourism official. Zheng Tongyang, head of the Guangdong Provincial Tourism Administration, said he hoped to attract more overseas tourists to Guangdong, already a booming tourist destination and fast-growth economic powerhouse. Of China's 195 golf grounds, with a membership of over 400,000,more than 70 are located in Guangdong, but less

China-made Film Price Drops
The price of a standard Lucky Brand color film, the only Chinese-made film popular in China, has dropped 30 percent since early this month to 10 yuan, about half the price of imported brands. An official of the Lucky Group, based in Baoding City in north China's Hebei Province, said the company could accommodate the price decrease because its production costs had declined annually by six percent in the past four years. The price reduction was a powerful blow against film smuggling and fake produ

Kindergarten Poisoning Perpetrator Sentenced to Death
Huang Hu, 29, the perpetrator of a kindergarten poisoning, was sentenced to death and deprived of political rights for life in Zhanjiang City of south China's Guangdong Province on Tuesday. According to the first ruling of the Zhanjiang Intermediate People's Court, Huang Hu, a self-employed doctor in Da'an village of Wuchuan City in Guangdong Province, snuck into the kitchen of arrival kindergarten on the evening of Nov. 24 and placed raticide in the table salt. On Nov. 25, some 70 kindergarten

China Sets up First Lu Xun Research Center
China's first center for research on Lu Xun, one of the country's greatest thinkers and a man of letters in the 20th century, was inaugurated Monday at Qingdao University in east China's Shandong Province. The research center, to be jointly run by Qingdao University and the Beijing-based Lu Xun Museum, will invite well-known Chinese and overseas experts on Lu Xun as guest researchers, the Guangming Daily quoted Xu Jianpei, president of university, as saying. Lu Xun, born in Shaoxing County of ea

Free Trade Area on the Agenda
About 400 delegates from companies and chambers of commerce in China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries met Monday in Kunming, capital city of southwest China's Yunnan Province, to discuss economic cooperation and the role of

Beijingers mark Nanjing Massacre
Over 300 Beijingers gathered in a museum here Friday (Dec.13) to honor the 300,000-plus Chinese slaughtered by Japanese invaders in 1937 in Nanjing City of China during World War II. Chen Qigang, curator of the Beijing-based Museum of the War of Chinese People's Resistance Against Japan, briefed those present on the massacre and introduced them to an exhibition showing the Japanese troops' atrocities against the Chinese people during the war and a US-made documentary on the massacre.
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Peace assembly to commemorate Nanjing Massacre
More than 3,000 people Friday (Dec.13) gathered here in the capital of east China's Jiangsu province to commemorate the 65th anniversary of the Nanjing Massacre in which over 300,000 Chinese civilians were slaughtered by invading Japanese troops. At 10 a.m., a siren was heard across the city in tribute. People attending the international peace assembly at the Nanjing Memorial in honor of the massacre victims laid wreaths. Among them were massacre survivors, Chinese war veterans and

Candle-lit parade commemorates massacre victims, calls for peace
On December 13, 1937, Nanjing, then capital of China, became a "hell on earth" as the invading Japanese army captured the city and indulged in a spree of killing, raping and looting. In the following six weeks, more than 300,000 Nanjing civilians and disarmed Chinese soldiers were slain and over 20,000 cases of rape were recorded in the infamous Nanjing Massacre, also known as"the rape of Nanking". Exactly 65 years later, citizens of this capital city of east China's Jiangsu provin

Chinese folk songs hit the right note abroad
While the Internet makes Western pop music ever more available to Chinese with on-line downloads, a growing number of foreigners are warming to the unique charm of China's diverse folk music. Van Zuylen, from the Netherlands, made a special trip late last month to the southern Chinese city of Nanning, where an international folk song and art festival was held. Chinese folk songs had an appealing power, said Zuylen, who hoped to hear more folk music on the trip and said Chinese peop

China, US seek origin of Pacific, Asian island languages
Anthropologists from China and the United States are working at a Neolithic site in east China's Fujian Province aiming to trace the origin of the Austronesian languages spoken across the Pacific Ocean. Experts from the anthropology department at Harvard University, the University of Hawaii and the Museum of Fujian Province have been working since Nov. 24 at Beiqiu in Dongshan County on China's southeast coast. Austronesian, or Malayo-Polynesian, is a family of 1,000 to 1,200 langu

Taiwan to return thousand-year stone Buddha head to Chinese mainland
A precious thousand-year-old stone Buddha head will be returned to its historic roots in Chinese mainland's Shandong Province by a Taiwan religious organization next month, according to news reaching here from Taipei. Master Sheng Yen, founder of the Dharma Drum Mountain (DDM) Foundation located in Peitou, Taipei, explained that "returning this 1,300-year-old Buddhist relic to its historic roots and restoring it to its original dignified completeness is much more important than keeping it

German-made metro coaches fly into China
Two German-made metro coaches arrived in south China's Guangzhou City recently aboard a jumbo jet cargo plane, marking a first in the global aviation history. Four more such coaches are expected to be delivered in the next two weeks aboard the same An-124-100 cargo plane, one of the world's largest, according to reliable sources. The six coaches, produced by Bombardier Transport of Germany, will form the first train that will begin operation on the city's No. 2 metro line on Dec. 2

China to hold third international piano competition
China will hold the third China International Piano Competition from April 25 to May 5, 2003, as part of China's international arts gala, "Meet in Beijing," the Ministry of Culture (MOC) announced here recently. The competition, to be co-organized by the MOC and the China Performing Arts Agency, will invite 13 jury committee members, including those from Poland, the United States, Canada, Germany, Ukraine, Japan, Ireland, Australia, Israel and Britain. The foreign jury members woul

Chinese cultural relics on photo show at UN headquarters
A Chinese terracotta warrior is greeting diplomats from the world, and the site of Peking Man is telling the history about the Chinese ancestors. The warrior, who lived in the Qin Dynasty some 2,000 years ago,and the historic site were among the 16 photos on an exhibition, which opened at the UN headquarters in New York recently. The six photos of Chinese cultural relics are well placed on the World Heritage list for their unique qualities as the best examples of Chinese cultural h

Japanese testimonies on Nanjing Massacre published
A book comprising of testimonies of Japanese World War II veterans on their wartime atrocities was published in Chinese in this capital of east China's Jiangsu province Thursday (Dec.12), the eve of the 65th anniversary of the notorious Nanjing Massacre. The book, titled "The Battle of Nanjing -- a Search of Sealed Memories", consists of testimonies from 102 Japanese veterans who participated in Japan's invasion of China from 1937 to 1945, especially the battle of Nanjing. In the b

Nanjing marks 65th anniversary of Japanese massacre
A bronze road of footprints from 222 witnesses to the 1937 Nanjing Massacre during which more than 300,000 Chinese were slaughtered by invading Japanese troops, was added to the Nanjing Memorial on Thursday (Dec.12) to mark the 65th anniversary of the tragedy. The road, 40 meters long and 1.6 meters wide, is made of bronze blocks cast with the footprints and the handwritten names and ages of those survivors. The number 300,000 is inscribed in black at the end of the road at the mem

China, US collaborate on digitizing Dunhuang treasures
A project currently underway will make it possible for enthusiasts to access digitized images of frescos, sculptures and documents from China's ancient grottoes at Dunhuang held in libraries and museums worldwide. The project which began late last year, is known as the Mellon International Dunhuang Archives. It is co-sponsored by the Dunhuang Research Academy of China and the A. W. Mellon Educational and Charitable Trust based in the United States and others. Under the project, pho

Bridge project to be under feasibility study: Tung
The bridge project linking Hong Kong and the west bank of the Pearl River Delta will be put under a thorough feasibility study, Chief Executive Tung Chee Hwa said recently during his visit to Guangdong Province. Responding to media questions, Tung said that construction of the bridge is a good thing. However, given the extensive size and scope of the project, Hong Kong and Guangdong both consider it necessary to conduct a thorough feasibility study on various aspects including ecological

BOCOG: Beijing to host an Olympics with its own characteristics
Beijing organizers said on Dec.12 that they would give full display to their own characteristics while drawing on the experiences of past hosts in staging the 2008 Olympic Games. Addressing a press conference to mark the first anniversary of the launch of the Beijing Organizing Committee for the 2008 Olympic Games (BOCOG), Jiang Xiaoyu, vice president of BOCOG, said that Beijing, a city without experiences of hosting Olympic Games,should learn from past hosts. "Only if we learn fro

Chinese Aircraft Makes Forced Landing in Jiangxi
Thirteen people were taken to hospital after a China Eastern Airlines plane lost cabin pressure and made a forced landing at Changbei Airport in Nanchang, capital city of east China's Jiangxi Province, Tuesday evening, airport sources said Wednesday. Most of the 65 passengers on board complained of suffering heart palpitations, earache and bleeding from their mouths and 13 were taken to Jiangxi Provincial People's Hospital for treatment after landing, said Wang Qingshan, duty manager at the Jian

Changchun, Capital of Jilin Province
Changchun, the capital of northeast China's Jilin Province, is a relative newcomer, compared with the many ancient cities in China, for it has a history of only 200 years. And it remained a small, undeveloped place until after the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949. Changchun is now one of the leading industrial cities in the country, and enjoys fame as the cradle of China's car industry, because it is here that China's first automobile plant was established. Today the plant has

Corporate Culture: Multinationals' Key to Success
Corporate culture is what attracts staff, senior officials from multinational companies said in Beijing Tuesday at the three-day 2002 International Human Resources Forum. Francis Tam, vice-president of the People Division of Wal-Mart Asia, cited corporate culture as the soul of a company. It cemented employees with shared values, which influenced the lifestyle, behaviors and values of employees and inspired them to work hard, he said. Tam noted that Wal-Mart, with tens of millions of retail stor

Peony Seeds to Be Launched with Shenzhou IV Spacecraft
Shenzhou IV, China's fourth unmanned spacecraft, will soon be launched. In addition to a variety of expensive instruments for experiments, the spaceship will also take on a group of special "guests"--100 peony seeds. This batch of peony seeds has already been sent to the launch site to "await orders." This is the first time for China to conduct variation tests on peony seeds under a state of weightlessness. According to Jin Zhiwei, head of the Peony Production and Administrative Office of Luoyan

New Oil Reserve Found Near Daqing Oilfield
Chinese oil prospectors have discovered a high-yield oil reserve in the basin near the well-known Daqing Oilfield, in northeast China's Heilongjiang Province. A corporate executive with the Daqing Oilfield Co. Ltd said the newly found reserve, with an estimated 25 million tons, is located in the Hailar Basin outside the Daqing Oilfield. "The oil-bearing stratum extends four sq. km and the density ofoil on each sq. km of the land exceeds 6 million tons," said the executive. According to the compa

Unearthed Ancient Tombs Confirm Historical Records
Chinese archaeologists have discovered a set of ancient tombs in central China's Henan Province which offer substantial proof of references in historical works to "six horses for a king's carriage." Last week's unearthing of a carriage equipped for six horses in a pit in Luoyang City, a political center over 2,000 years ago, provides previously lacking archaeological proof of the carriages' existence and use during the Xia Dynasty (21st century BC-16th century BC), the Shang Dynasty (16th centur

Peony Seeds to Be Launched with Shenzhou IV Spacecraft
Shenzhou IV, China's fourth unmanned spacecraft, will soon be launched. In addition to a variety of expensive instruments for experiments, the spaceship will also take on a group of special "guests"--100 peony seeds. This batch of peony seeds has already been sent to the launch site to "await orders." This is the first time for China to conduct variation tests on peony seeds under a state of weightlessness. According to Jin Zhiwei, head of the Peony Production and Administrative Office of Luoyan

Smuggled Pirated Foreign CDs Nabbed
Officers with Shantou Customs in south China's Guangdong Province last week stopped two vans attempting to smuggle in 902,000 pirated foreign compact discs. According to customs sources, the confiscated CDs are estimated to be worth 2.74 million yuan (US$330,120). On Dec. 8 customs officers in Shantou's Haifeng branch on the eastern coast of Guangdong, were informed that two vans loaded with smuggled pirated CDs were leaving Haifeng. Two groups of customs officers finally tracked down and stoppe

Foreign Languages Press Celebrates 50th Anniversary
The Foreign Languages Press holds an exhibition of its publications in Beijing from December 17 to 20 in commemoration of its 50th founding anniversary.
Up to 1,200 books in more than 40 languages on display, have been selected from among the 20,000 bo

An Economist Who Puts the Village First
Wu Qixiu is Party secretary of Shimen (Stone Gate) Village of Maotang Township, Lianyuan City, Hunan Province. He was one of the deputies who attended the recent 16th CPC National Congress. Wu graduated in 1987 from the Economics Department of Peking University. He gave up the opportunity to get a Beijing hukou, which confers the right of residency in the capital and is the dream of many who come from the countryside. He returned to his poor hometown in south-central China's Hunan Province. Wu Q

Ferry Collides with Cargo Boat on Yangtze River
A passenger ship sank Wednesday morning following a collision with a roll-on-roll-off cargo ship in dense fog in the swift running Chongqing section of the Yangtze River. Of the 47 people aboard the stricken vessel, including a number of local school teachers, 32 are still missing. "The ferry, which was capable of carrying 250 people, had 38 passengers and nine crew on board when it sank this (Wednesday) morning. Eight are confirmed dead in the accident and seven have been saved," said Zhang Cha

Challenging Artistic Tradition
Tradition, please! Generation after generation, Chinese artists are always reminded of the word -- tradition seems to be the utmost important thing to bear in mind if they want to become an artist. But, after being followed for so long and repeated so many times, what is traditional art really like Artist Qiu Zhijie attempts to answer in his peculiar way. For several years, the graduate of the Hangzhou-based China National Academy of Fine Arts repeatedly copied, with a brush and ink on a piece

Turning Life into a Small Screen Drama
In the history of China, the last two decades of the 20th century must be among the most dramatic eras. With the nation's reform and opening-up policy, China gradually reintegrated with the rest of the world after dozens of years of seclusion. Unprecedented great changes took place, having a tremendous impact on the daily lives of ordinary people, as well as their mindset. While it might be an interesting subject for historians in the future to study the Chinese people of the 1980s and 1990s, a

Multi-faceted Artist Shares Story
Wu Hongfei is one of the few to admit that she lives a somewhat double life. "None of my colleagues and bosses know I am a singer," said Wu, who works at a State-owned publishing house in Beijing. Off stage, the 27-year-old has a gentle and quiet look on her face, barely noticeable among a crowd of people. On stage however, she's a different person. "I was almost torn apart by her voice. Finally, her piercing scream filled my eyes with tears. Her voice faded away gradually, giving way to the noi

China Boasts 58 Million Internet Users
The number of Internet users in China would reach 58 million by the end of 2002, second only to the United States, and paid users have also emerged, said a report released by the China Internet Network Information Center (CNNIC) Wednesday. The report also showed that the number has risen by 28.70 million since last year. The characteristics of Internet users in China have also changed, according to a report given the Fourth China Information Port Forum which opened Tuesday in this capital of sou

Macao's Economy Takes on New Look in 2002
Riding on the back of robust tourism and gaming business, Macao's economy is widely anticipated to expand this year at the fastest pace since the hand-over. Chief Executive Edmund Ho Hau Wah has foreseen the Special Administrative Region's gross domestic product to grow between 5 percent and 6 percent in 2002 -- depending on the export figure for the fourth quarter -- as well as another 4 percent increase for the coming year. In his policy address for 2003, he said it is hard for all the industr

East-West Exchanges Began 5,000 Years Ago
Contact between the East and West probably began more than 5,000 years ago, 3,000 years earlier than previously thought, according to Chinese archaeologists. New research on relics unearthed along the famous Silk Road, an ancient commercial route linking China and Central Asia, has lead to the conclusion. Li Shuicheng, a professor of archaeology at Beijing University, said that many people held that East-West exchanges started after the opening of the Silk Road over 2,000 years ago, but archaeol

Yellow River Stone Forest Opens to Visitors
A rare large stone forest, located at the intersections of the Yellow River and the Great Wall in northwest China's Gansu Province opened to tourists recently. Covering an area of 10 square kilometers, the Yellow River Stone Forest is located at Laolongwan (Old Dragon Bay) Village in Jingtai County, Gansu Province. Made of yellow gravel, it was the magic creation of nature in more than 4 million years. Looking from the terrace standing at the entrance, you see a magnificent landscape of river, s

First Chinese Solar Energy-powered Yacht in Use
The first Chinese-made solar energy-powered yacht has received official approval to take to the waters for tourism in Shenyang City, capital of northeastern Liaoning Province. The yacht, which was developed by a local private company and has been granted a state patent, does not produce any noise and pollution. The boat is 6.2 meters in length and 1.9 meters in width, carries nine passengers, and moves at 10 kilometers per hour. It can operate for six consecutive hours in wind force up to modera

Relics to Show Ancient Road
A wind from the Silk Road will rush into Beijing during the upcoming Spring Festival which falls on February 1 -- a special exhibition on relics from the Silk Road in Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region will open at the National Museum of Chinese History from January 15 to April 15. Called "Tianshan Mountain, Ancient Road, Winds from the East and the West," the exhibition will include valuable relics, most of which have never been shown before, such as the Qiemo (Qarqan) Mummies w

Mainland Couples Like Honeymoon Cruise at SuperStar Leo
Chen Zheng, a 27-year-old man from Guangzhou, was longing for an extraordinary and romantic wedding just like those of his age group. He thus chose to hold his wedding ceremony at sea. "Whether to host a large wedding banquet or to join in a honeymoon tour is nothing special and tiring, but it is different to have our wedding ceremony and honeymoon at sea," said Chen after shooting his wedding photos by the porthole at the fore. "We both like the sea," said Lin Lin, the bride of Chen. Like Chen

Snow May Spell Fun but Beijingers Get Warning
As China's capital headed for a white Christmas, resplendent with the second snowfall of winter, Beijingers were cautioned to wrap up in the cold and not overdo the outdoor activities. With forecasters predicting more snow, coupled with overcast or foggy days until at least Monday, it will stay damp and chilly - between zero and minus 4 to 5 degrees centigrade - warned Guo Hu of the Beijing Meteorological Observatory Thursday. People also need to be careful when walking and driving along with sl

China's First Art Museum on Conservation Theme
A disused cement factory is being rebuilt as China's first art museum specializing in artworks relevant to environmental protection in south China's Guangdong Province. Artworks to be displayed at the museum included paintings, sculptures, videos, Chinese calligraphy and performance art, said Shu Yong, the museum designer. "The artworks express the unique understanding of artists about environment problems," he said. "They will be more effective than slogans to help improve public awareness of t

Mecca for Big Spenders
To prepare for her wedding ceremony, Yvonne Pu went to Hong Kong with her husband and did some "crazy shopping". "I spent almost 20,000 yuan (US$2,420) there and purchased several pieces of name brand clothes and cosmetics to make myself into a beautiful bride," she said. Though this cost a lot of money, Pu still thought it was worth of it. "The price of first-class brands in Hong Kong is about 15 to 20 per cent lower than in Shanghai, I think it was very worthwhile shopping there," she said. Ac

Sparrows Under Provincial Key Protection
The sparrow, once perceived as a threat to crops and exterminated throughout China, is currently being listed under Hunan's provincial level protection scheme for wild life. "Anyone illegally hunting or trading sparrows will be severely penalized," said Zhang Qixiang, an official from the forestry department in Hunan Province. Based on a wildlife protection list promulgated in 1988, the Catalogue of Wildlife under Hunan Province Key Protection' was revised and publicized by the provincial gover

Liaoning Cuts Use of Phosphor Drastically
The content of phosphor in detergents produced by the factories in northeast China's Liaoning Province has plunged since the province imposed a ban on the sale and use of phosphoric detergents on July 1, 2001. According to the latest survey, 94 percent of detergents sold in local shops do not contain phosphor. Local people annually use 100,000 tons of detergent, such as washing powder, and the ban has led to a 1,500-ton decrease in phosphoric discharge into the sea. Random disposal of phosphoric

China Takes Steps to Rectify Market Order
China took new steps to improve and standardize the market order in 2002, Minister of the State Economic and Trade Commission Li Rongrong said. Speaking at the annual three-day National Economic and Trade Conference in Beijing, Li said the improvements focused on the cultural, construction, and travel industries, and on dangerous chemicals and oil stations. A group of major problem cases including those involving fake goods, had been checked, with business administration departments alone checki

Sparrows Under Provincial Key Protection
The sparrow, once perceived as a threat to crops and exterminated throughout China, is currently being listed under Hunan's provincial level protection scheme for wild life. "Anyone illegally hunting or trading sparrows will be severely penalized," said Zhang Qixiang, an official from the forestry department in Hunan Province. Based on a wildlife protection list promulgated in 1988, the Catalogue of Wildlife under Hunan Province Key Protection' was revised and publicized by the provincial gover

New Metropolitan Areas Created in East China
China Forms Three Metropolitan Areas as Part of Overall Urban Planning Scheme
Three new metropolitan areas have been established along China's long eastern coast in the northern, central and southern regions, respectively. The three metropolitan

Internet business faces wonderful opportunities in China: minister
China's fledgling Internet business is stepping into a new developmental stage full of wonderful opportunities, according to Information Industry Minister Wu Jichuan. Wu made the remark at the first China Internet Conference, which opened recently in Shanghai and ran for three days. Wu said the 16th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, which concluded recently, proposed that "it is necessary to persist in using IT to propel industrialization, which will, in turn, stim

China's Internet users top 54 million
By the end of September this year, China had 54.35 million Internet users, with 20.56 million computers connected to the Internet, and 81,907 WWW websites. The figures were disclosed recently in Shanghai by Su Jinsheng, director of the Telecommunication Administration of China's Ministry of Information Industry, at a national Internet conference. In 2001, business volume in the country's Internet industry totaled 7 billion yuan (about 840 million US dollars), including 4.69 billion

Foreign volunteers build bridges to the world
Foreign volunteers are becoming vital links between China and other countries and international organizations, as they lend their expertise in such fields as farming, forestry, culture, education, health care and sports. Volunteers from overseas can be found nearly all over the country, especially in outlying mountainous regions or depressed areas. "I was attracted by Oolong tea to Fujian about which I knew little before," said Tomio Haneda, with Japan Overseas Cooperation Voluntee

Monkeys on diet at China's southwestern mountain resort
Losing weight is not only fashionable among a growing number of affluent Chinese these days, but is proving necessary for obese monkeys at Mt. Emei,a scenic resort in southwest China's Sichuan province. Food rationing, once common for residents in China during the planned economy era, has been introduced to reduce the monkeys' weight in the 60-hectare Emei Monkey Reserve, according to the reserve management office. As part of a special dieting regime to limit the quantity and varie

Air France plans to expand business in China
Air France is moving to expand its business in China from 2003, after negotiating with the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) on air rights, said Patrick Alexandre, its executive vice-president in charge of international business. Air France planned to add two flights weekly between eastern China's Shanghai and Paris, he noted, assuring one flight a day from March 28, 2003, Alexandre said last week on a visit to Shanghai. The company also intended to inaugurate a schedul

China's oldest jade clothing repaired, put on display
A 2,000-year-old royal jade attire destroyed by grave robbers has been resewn with gold thread and put on display in Xuzhou City of east China's Jiangsu Province. As most of the original gold thread had been removed by the unknown grave robbers when archeologists found it in 1995, the armor-like apparel was nothing but a pile of jade plates. To restore its original look, archeologists with the Xuzhou Museum spent 21 months numbering and cleaning all the jade plates and putting them

Beijing to launch campaign on non-standard English usage
Garbled, misleading or misspelt English-language signs in many tourist spots, which have long confused English-speakers in Beijing, are expected to be changed, according to the China Daily. There are many "Chinglish" words on road signs, public notices, menus and signs describing scenic spots, which often puzzle foreigners, the paper quoted an official with Beijing Tourism Bureau (BTB) as saying. Xiong Yumei, vice-director of BTB, used the popular term "Chinglish" to describe the s

Shanghai Expo to benefit common residents
China's successful bid to host the 2010 World Expo in Shanghai will bring great benefits to local residents, commentators predict. Dr. Chen Wei, researcher with the Economics Institute of Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, said large international activities not only promoted development of host cities, but also enhanced the life styles of citizens due to increased international contact. Zhou Chenggang, president of Shanghai New Oriental School, considered the new fervor for Engl

Macao's tourism industry booming
Macao played host to 10.46 million tourists in the first 11 months of the year, outnumbering the whole year of 2001, the Statistics and Census Services announced Monday. Buoyed by the huge influx of China's inlanders, tourist arrivals in Macao leapt a year-on-year 11.6 percent from January to November, it said. Hong Kong remained the largest tourist source for Macao, bringing in 4.68 million visitors, but the figure dipped a 1.5 percent per annum. China's inland was catching

China to send Buddhist relic for worship in Thailand
China will send an ancient Buddhist tooth relic to Thailand to be enshrined and worshipped under an agreement signed by China and Thailand here Saturday (Dec.14). The relic, or "sheli" in Chinese, is believed to belong to the founder of Buddhism, Sakyamuni, after his attainment of nirvana some 2,500 years ago. It is now treasured in the Lingguang Monastery, in west Beijing. Under the agreement, the tooth will reside in Thailand from Sunday till March 1 next year to celebrate the 75

Shanghai hosts more overseas tourists
Shanghai, China's leading industrial and commercial center, hosted 2.5 million tourists in the first 11 months of the year, up 34.3 percent from the same period last year. Sources from the Shanghai Municipal Tourism Administration said that the foreign tourists were mainly from Japan, the Republic of Korea and the United States. Earnings from tourism for this period are not yet known. An administration official predicted that 1.65 million overseas tourists would visit the Ch

South China island attracts more foreign tourists
The number of foreign visitors to south China's Hainan Province in the past 11 months exceeded those from Hong Kong for the first time. The provincial tourism administration said Monday that so far this year about 139,700 foreign tourists had visited Hainan, also China's second largest island in the South China Sea, 7,200 more than those from Hong Kong. "Hong Kong tourists were the major clients of the hotel for years but the number of European tourists is overtaking them this year

5 million people travel land routes between HK, mainland during coming holiday season
Hong Kong's Immigration Department estimated here Wednesday that people who will cross the land boundary checkpoints to and from the Chinese mainland will rise 10.5 percent from the same period last year. About 5.14 million people will cross the land boundary checkpoints during the coming Christmas and New Year holiday period, said a spokesman with the Immigration Department. The peak period of cross-boundary traffic during the Christmas and New Year holiday period will fall on bet

CAAC's official urges talks on direct charter flight during Spring Festival
An official from the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) Wednesday urged airlines on both sides of the Taiwan straits to discuss the possibilities of establishing a direct charter flight for Taiwanese businessmen in the mainland back to Taiwan for the upcoming Spring Festival. Pu Zhaozhou, in charge of Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan affairs at the CAAC, said the CAAC has always understood and supported the idea of establishing a direct charter flight back to Taiwan for the Spring F

The Great Wall a Pillar of China Travel Industry
The Great Wall has become a pillar resource of China's travel industry, a conclusion drawn by China's Great Wall Investigation Team after two months of inspection from August to September this year. The China Great Wall Investigation Team, organized by China's Great Wall Society, started examinations from Hushan, by the Yalu River, Liaoning Province, in the east, moved through Liaoning, Hebei, Tianjin, Beijing, Shanxi, Shaanxi, Ningxia, Gansu, to Jiayuguan in the west, touring more than 9,000 km

Yao's Success Gives NBA a Boost
The two-dozen Shanghai junior high students playing hoops on the outdoor courts at the Nike Basketball Garden share a dream and a hero. They want to play in the NBA, just like Houston Rockets rookie Yao Ming. "Someday, there'll be no Americans left in the NBA," said 12-year-old Xing Tao, who joined his school's team two weeks ago after watching Shanghai's own Yao in a televised NBA game. "The players will all be Chinese, like Yao!" To China, Yao is a homegrown superstar who helped pry open the d

The Great Wall a Pillar of China Travel Industry
The Great Wall has become a pillar resource of China's travel industry, a conclusion drawn by China's Great Wall Investigation Team after two months of inspection from August to September this year. The China Great Wall Investigation Team, organized by China's Great Wall Society, started examinations from Hushan, by the Yalu River, Liaoning Province, in the east, moved through Liaoning, Hebei, Tianjin, Beijing, Shanxi, Shaanxi, Ningxia, Gansu, to Jiayuguan in the west, touring more than 9,000 km

Tornado Hits South China, Leaves Four Dead
The tornado and hailstorm have left 4 dead, 21 missing in Zhejiang, south China's Guangdong Province. From Dec. 19 to Dec. 20, the bad weather struck more than 1,030 villages in Zhanjiang, affecting more than 220,000. The direct economic losses reached 270 million yuan (US$32.5 million). The local authorities continue to search for victims in the hope of saving lives. By Sunday afternoon, the bodies of four victims had been recovered off the coast of Leizhou, another city in Guangdong. Ten fishi

More Chinese Go Skiing
Business is booming on the ski slopes and demand for more winter sports is poised to soar in China. More than 1 million people enjoy skiing and more than 1 billion yuan (US$120 million) is spent on the sport every year. Just a decade ago, it was estimated that only 200 people in China had ever skied, according to the latest statistics released by the State Sport General Administration. "Winter sports," which include skiing and other ice and snow activities, first became a hit in 1996 when the Th

More and more Chinese Go Skiing in Winter
Business is booming on the ski slopes and demand for more winter sports is poised to soar in China, the China Daily reported Monday. According to the latest statistics from the State Sport General Administration, more than one million people spend over one billion yuan (about US$120 million) on skiing every year. However, just a decade ago, only 200 people in China had ever skied. In the last two to three years, ski slopes and resorts have swiftly developed across the country to meet the demand.

China's Second Largest River Now Carries Less Sand
Since 1997, China has stepped up efforts to curb land erosion along its second largest waterway, the Yellow River, according to the Yellow River Water Conservancy Committee under the Ministry of Water Resources. The current sand content in the river water had dropped by 300 million tons a year, compared with the previous annual average of 1.6 billion tons, said the committee, which is based in Zhengzhou,capital of central China's Henan Province. Erosion-affected land in the Yellow River area sto

New System to Reduce Damage to Relics
The preservation of Chinese cultural relics is developing positively, however, sustainable development hinges largely on human resource development. China will therefore begin training and granting accreditation to cultural relics preservation personnel in 2003. Shan Jixiang, director of the State Administration of Cultural Heritage, made the announcement in Beijing on Saturday during a national meeting for personnel. Currently, he said, some local governments use cultural relics administrations

Chinese Scientists Find New Tetrapod -- Sinostega Pani
Chinese scientists have found a new tetrapod fossil called Sinostega pani, a discovery which pushes back the earliest date of the existence of the four-footed reptiles in Asia by nearly 100 million years. Scientists with the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) have published their findings in the British magazine Nature. The earliest tetrapods, or four-limbed vertebrates, date from the late Devonian Period, 370-350 million years ago

China to Train, Grant Accreditation to Cultural Relics Preservation Personnel
The preservation of Chinese cultural relics is developing positively, however, sustainable development hinges largely on human resource development. China will therefore begin training and granting accreditation to cultural relics preservation personnel in 2003. Shan Jixiang, director of the State Administration of Cultural Heritage, made the announcement here on Saturday during a national meeting for personnel. Currently, he said, some local governments use cultural relics administrations as re

Rare Stalagmites Found in North China
Stalagmites, icicle-like deposits of calcium carbonate formed by dripping water, are usually found inside caves, but in the Mount Kongshan area in north China, many can be seen not only inside, but on the outside of the Baiyun (White Cloud) Cave. This rare scene in the Taihang Mountains in Lincheng County, north China's Hebei Province, has drawn the interest of local and overseas experts, some of whom have suggested there might have been a larger cave covering the existing one in the past. The c

Turandot, Mei Lanfang on Pointe
Turandot is no stranger to opera fans around the world, while Mei Lanfang is acclaimed as one of the most renowned masters of the Peking Opera. But imagine both of them danced on the pointe That's what Guangzhou Ballet Company has tried and they are bringing the two productions to Beijing this week. Turandot is to be staged at Tianqiao Theatre on Thursday and Friday, and Mei Lanfang on Saturday and Sunday. And the company's Beijing tour also includes the holiday celebration Nutcracker tonight a

Young Troupe Grows up Fast
China's youngest ballet troupe, the 8-year-old Guangzhou Ballet Company, is in Beijing now from its home city in south China's Guangdong Province for the fourth time. The company debuted Prokvosy's Anna Karenina in Beijing in 1996. In 1999, its original production Xuan Feng (The Celestial Phoenix) won acclaim from the capital's elite ballet fans. Two years ago on Christmas Eve, Guangzhou Ballet, with the other four Chinese ballet companies, jointly presented a gala performance called Strength of

China to have 3,000 museums by 2015
China is expected to have 3,000 museums by the end of 2015, at least one fully-functional museum for every large or medium-sized city, said Shan Jixiang, director of the State Administration of Cultural Heritage (SACH), here on Dec.19. In his work report to the national meeting on the administration of cultural heritage and relics, which opened on Dec.19, Shan said that China will make great efforts in the next10 years to set up more museums featuring diverse characteristics. China

China tries to protect cultural heritage amid fast economic growth
China must rescue and protect its cultural heritage in a time of rapid infrastructure construction, and make use of the heritage under proper management, Chinese officials told a national conference on cultural heritage. Speaking at the conference on Dec.19, Chinese Minister of Culture Sun Jiazheng said the sustained and rapid growth of the Chinese economy provided a more solid base and better conditions for protecting cultural heritage, but the conflict between large-scale exploration an

China establishes 1,405 nature reserves
Sources from the State Forestry Bureau said here recently that, to date, a total of 1,405 nature reserves have been established in China. The nature reserves, covering a combined area of 109 million hectares, have effectively protected 85 percent of China's wildlife species and 65 percent of its wild floral species. Ma Fu, deputy director of the State Forestry Bureau, said China has also made great strides in protecting internationally endangered biological species by signing agree

China sees more overseas students coming back
China is welcoming more students studying overseas back home, after two decades of watching hundreds of thousands of its students heading off to western countries to take higher degrees, the China Daily reported recently. The Western Returned Scholars' Association (WRSA), China's largest organization of its kind, which brings together returned students, is designing a new scheme to help more students better serve their homeland, said the paper. "We're working hard to attract more a

More fossils of Indricotherium discovered in Xinjiang
Chinese archaeologists have found more fossils of Indricotherium, a kind of gigantic rhinoceros that lived more than 25 million years ago, in Shanshan County in the Turpan area of northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. The fossil is only the second of an Indricotherium found in that area of Xinjiang, according to relics authorities of Turpan Prefecture. The first Indricotherium was found in Turpan in 1993. The restored rhinoceros, nine meters long and six meters high,

China, Netherlands cooperate on urban development in west China
The Chinese and Dutch governments will jointly invest nearly 40 million Euros over a five-year period to improve the urban environmental infrastructure in China's western areas. The Chinese Ministry of Construction (CMC) and the Netherlands Embassy in China signed an agreement here recently, targeting the development and application of feasible technologies to aid the environmental infrastructure in western China's small cities. According to the agreement, effective from 2003 to 20

Chinese, Swedish companies to cooperate on Beijing subway construction
A Chinese-Swedish tunnel construction joint venture was set up recently aiming to grab business opportunities brought by subway construction in Beijing. The new company, established by the Beijing Zhuzong Group Corp.and Gammon Skanska Co. Ltd. of Sweden, will bid for the construction of the No. 4 and No. 10 lines of the Beijing subway system next year. Lian Lian, Zhuzong's board chair, said that his company will pour 60 million yuan (7.3 million U.S. dollars) into the new joint ven

Best Chinese Pop Songs List to be restored
The "Best Chinese Pop Songs List," which was suspended in January this year, will be back into operation on Jan. 1, 2003, along with new selection standards. Lu Changhe, president of China National Culture and Art Co. Ltd., announced the news here recently at a press conference. The list was initiated in 1997 by the Chinese Association of Light Music and Music Life, a professional newspaper, as well as more than 200 Chinese radio stations. Once ranked the largest pop song bi

Nobel laureate's work to be translated into Chinese
The works of this year's Nobel Prize for Literature winner are set to appear in Chinese next June, after China's prestigious Shanghai Translation Publishing House won the exclusive rights for translation and publication. The Hungarian writer Kertesz Imre is expected to be as widely known as his compatriot, 19th-century national poet Sandor Petofi, whose celebrated verse "Life is a treasure, Love even dearer; But to win freedom I would throw both away!" became the motto of many young Chine

More pilots needed in China
China Southern Airlines (CSA), one of the country's three major air carriers, has announced it will recruit 245 trainee pilots next year. Candidates must be science students aged 23 or under and are required to meet the physical conditions set by the General Administration of Civil Aviation of China and be of good character, said corporate sources. The trainees will receive two years of theoretical study at Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics and another two-year cou

China's Tibetan expedition to climb Mt. Makalu next spring
An expedition from southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region has planned to climb the 8,463-meter Mount Makalu at the Himalayans next spring, the leader of the expedition told Xinhua here recently. Sang Zhu said that his team has eight members including six climbers from the Chinese autonomous region. They will be supported by eight Nepalese helpers. Both Sang Zhu and the expedition's climbing captain Ciren Duoji were members of a Chinese team that climbed to the summit of the worl

Chinese province's Christmas-related exports see strong growth
South China's Guangdong province had exported 620 million US dollars worth of Christmas decorations during the January-November period of this year, up 23.1 percent from the same period last year, according to statistics from the local customs department. The United States is one of the major consumers of the province's decorations for the upcoming Christmas Holiday. The province exported 390 million US dollars worth of Christmas related productions to the United States during the 11 mont

Former residence of China's last emperor to be restored
The garden home where China's last emperor Aisin Giorro Pu Yi lived following his abdication of power will be restored in north China's Tianjin Municipality. The restoration project, with an investment of 50 million yuan (about 6 million US dollars), will begin next year and should be completed in 2005, sources with the city's cultural bureau said. Pu Yi lived in the Jingyuan Garden, built in 1921, on Anshan Road in Heping District between 1929 and 1931, after being evicted from Be

Archaeologists revise age of China's civilization
A group of Chinese archaeologists --revising the orthodox theory that China's civilization originated 5,000 years -- believe the nation's roots can be traced back 8,000 to 10,000 years. They have unearthed China's earliest painting, writing, colored pottery, crop seed strain specimen and buildings showing the development from a rural to an urban society at Dadiwan Ruins in northwest China's Gansu province. These early cultural relics, so far unrecorded in any historical book, belon

China Stages Romance of 2,000-year-old Lady
The 2000-year-old love story of Xin Zhui whose corpse was found well-preserved in a mystery fluid in southern China's Hunan Province in 1972, has been recast in a dance drama. As one of the performances marking the third China Golden Eagle TV Festival, the drama made its debut on Dec. 20 in the Hunan Provincial Great Theater in Changsa, capital of Hunan. Titled The Lady of the Ancient Han Dynasty (206 BC - AD 24), the dance is based on the love triangle between Xin, her husband who served as the

Ancient Tomb Opened, Ownership Unclear
Chinese archeologists Monday opened the coffin in the No.1 tomb of Jiuliandun Tombs, which can be dated back to the Warring States Period (475 BC-221 BC) in Zaoyang City of Hubei Province, central China. Scientists found bones of the ownership and a small quantity of relics. They can only judge the dead to be a senior official about 1.75 meters tall, but the concrete identity and gender is still not clear. By now the tomb has yielded 696 pieces of cultural relics. The opening of the coffin was b

Unique Musical Instruments Reproduce Ancient Dunhuang Music
After years of studying mural paintings and document descriptions, a Chinese expert has managed to reproduce musical instruments that can bring ancient Dunhuang music to today's audience. After determining typical instrumental forms by referring to mural paintings, document descriptions and unearthed relics, Zheng Ruzhong, music educator and Dunhuang expert, sorted his unique instruments into four kinds and 44 categories on the basis of playing methods. The instruments, created after years of te

Christmas Spirit Wraps Beijing
Beijingers will no longer just have to dream of a white Christmas as it has come with a flurry this year. The chilly winter air has even engulfed a Christmas village at the Beijing Exhibition Plaza, which is open free of charge to the public during the festive season. In a bid to introduce some of the Christmas spirit more associated with the season in Western countries, a series of events has been launched at the 1,000-square-meter village. In the village spotlight is a Christmas school where a

Snow Scurried by Winds
As Beijing residents come to terms with living with snow, experts say it is expected to stop falling today and warn icy winds should follow. The mercury is expected to fall to -10 degrees Centigrade today as winds rip through at a speed of about 11 meters per second, said Zhang Mingying from the Beijing Meteorological Observatory. During the previous days of snowfall, which started last Thursday, the lowest temperature was only about -4 degrees Centigrade and there was almost no wind. Residents

China's Media Accelerates Opening-up
In the past, China's television organizations would only exchange TV programs or jointly produce films with their foreign counterparts. Although not a requirement of the country's World Trade Organization (WTO) commitments, China is opening up its television market to the outside world. According to a report from China Daily, Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation signed an agreement on December 19 with Hunan Radio, Film and Television Group to jointly finance and produce television programs in the w

Snow Blown Away by Strong Winds
As Beijing residents come to terms with living with snow, experts say it is expected to stop falling today and warn icy winds should follow. The mercury is expected to fall to -10 C today as winds rip through at a speed of about 11 metres per second, said Zhang Mingying from the Beijing Meteorological Observatory. During the previous days of snowfall, which started last Thursday, the lowest temperature was only about -4 C and there was almost no wind. Residents have been advised to dress for the

Photographer's Love of Grottoes
Feng Fei could not forget the first camera he saw when he was a middle school student in Urumqi, capital of northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. The father of a classmate of his was working as an interpreter for experts from the former Soviet Union. He had a camera and took photos of his son and his classmates. "When I saw the camera and the photos, I thought the camera would work as if by magic," Feng recalled. When he graduated from the middle school, he worked during the summer

CITS Promotes 'Total Travel' Brand
The China International Travel Service (CITS) is promoting its "Total Travel" brand to better cater to the increasing numbers of outbound Chinese travelers. The brand belonging to the country's biggest tourism enterprise, aims to provide good quality service, including flights, hotels, restaurants and guides. "Total Travel" offers different itineraries according to customers' needs and a range of travel charges depending on the season. Although China's outbound tourism industry has been developi

HK issues souvenir cover to mark 140th anniversary of stamps
To mark the 140th anniversary of Hong Kong stamps, Hong Kong Post recently issues a souvenir cover, said HK's Postmaster General P.C. Luk. According to Luk, Hong Kong introduced its first set of definitive stamps -- the "Victoria" Definitive Stamps on Dec. 8, 1862. In the one-and-a-half century that followed, Hongkong Post has given birth to 14 sets of definitive stamps. He said that before 1997 when China resumed exercise of sovereignty over Hong Kong, definitive stamps featured m

Hong Kong's east rail extensions project approved
The Executive Council of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) recently approved in principle the draft East Rail Extensions Project Agreement. The agreement will be executed between the SAR government and the Kowloon-Canton Railway Corporation (KCRC) subject to any drafting changes which may be necessary before execution. The draft Project Agreement sets out the respective rights and obligations of government and the KCRC in carrying out the East Rail Extensions in ter

Chinese leaders' sedans roll into Hong Kong
Three sedans that were specially made for three Chinese leaders -- Mao Zedong, Deng Xiaoping and Jiang Zemin -- rolled into Hong Kong on Dec.7 to meet the exciting audience. The first sedan Chinese developed by themselves in 1958 and two sample sedans after which the reviewing sedans that Deng Xiaoping and Jiang Zemin rode on at the respective occasions of the 35th and 50th National Day military parade were made are presented at Hong Kong's downtown Times Square. Director of Hong K

Hong Kong customs, cargo industry sign MOU of customs clearance
The Hong Kong Customs recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the cargo industry to further enhance the efficiency of customs cargo clearance. Representing the Hong Kong Customs and Excise Department of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR), Assistant Commissioner (Boundary and Ports) Lawrence Wong Sau-pui signed the MOU under the "Watch-Out Program" with 16 representatives from associations and commercial operators of container terminals, air freight terminal

Business leads disabled to self-dependence
Xuan Li founded a small agency providing housekeeping services in February last year in Hangzhou,capital of east China's Zhejiang Province, and now employs 500 full-time and part-time workers. Xuan, 30, who has been wheelchair-bound for years, has two home-study college diplomas, but had found it difficult to get a job before she decided to start her own business. Her housekeeping agency earns her more than 20,000 yuan annually, enabling her to be fully self-dependent. More

China joins international organizations to save tigers
The population of wild Chinese tigers is set for a boost after the Wildlife Research Center of China's State Forestry Administration agreed to work with two foreign organizations on conservation projects. The center has signed an agreement with the London-based Save China's Tigers and Chinese Tigers South Africa of South Africa on the reintroduction of Chinese Tigers into the wild. The agreement is the result of cooperation between the Chinese tiger-protection body and internationa

Sino-Dutch conservation scheme protects Yunnan forests
A Sino-Dutch conservation project to protect the rich biodiversity of tropical forests is making a difference in southwest China's Yunnan Province. Launched in 1999, the five-year program aims to safeguard tropical and sub-tropical forest resources in six west Yunnan nature reserves in Simao Prefecture, Baoshan City, the Lisu Autonomous Prefecture of Nujiang and the Dai-Jingpo Autonomous Prefecture of Dehong. The conservation program is designed to improve forest functions, strengt