China :: Commentaries

Beijing - Chinese knotting was originally developed not as an art form in itself but was used to attach accessories, such as jade pendants, to clothing.Today, it is considered beautiful in its own right, thanks to people such as Taiwan's Chen Xiasheng. Chen Xiasheng, who has been engaged in promoting Chinese knotting to domestic and Western audiences, receives the Outstanding Fashion Personages Award 2011 in Beijing on Wednesday. [Liu Zhe / for China Daily] Chen, who was born in 1939, has studied Chinese knotting since the early 1970s and was one of the first people to introduce the centuries-old craft -- with the help of books and exhibitions -- to both Chinese and Western audiences, helping it become known around the world as Zhongguojie.On Wednesday, she was honored for her contribution to Chinese knotting at the Outstanding Fashion Personages Award Ceremony 2011, which were held in Beijing."These days, so many domestic designers are scrambling for ideas from Western countr...

SHANGHAI - Police said on Thursday that they have broken a gang of six people who sold fake iPhone4s, iPads and other electronic products worth more than 5 million yuan ($764,000).The fake electronic products, with almost the exact look of the authentic ones produced by Apple Inc, were mostly priced for less than 1,000 yuan each in a market in Shanghai since December 2010, police said. Four of the gang members, who were arrested during a campaign to protect intellectual property rights, stood trial in early March and will hear their verdicts soon. Related readings: Apple's Jobs introduces iPad 2Police were tipped off that several electronic device retailers in a market on Qipu Road had been selling fake products. Police traced the sources of the fake items and discovered the counterfeit products came from two residents, a brother and sister, living on Qipu Road. A team set up to investigate the case launched a surprise check on Dec 14, 2010, and took away the brother and sister and...

SUIJIANG, Yunnan- Authorities of Suijiang county in southwest China's Yunnan Province have calmed a protest by local residents who voiced their discontent over their resettlement to make way for a hydropower station. Related readings: Young volunteers in quake-hit YunnanBy Tuesday afternoon, the protesters had dispersed without violent incidents, according to a spokesman with the government of Suijiang.Since Friday, more than 2,000 people, mostly farmers, had blocked several roads in the county seat to protest the resettlement policy.The protesters dispersed after more than 2,000 officials in the county went to the streets and communities to publicize the resettlement policy and listen to protesters' complaints, said the spokesman."We are studying and finding a solution to their complaints," said the spokesman.A Xinhua reporter saw that life in the county seat had returned to normal after roadblocks were cleared.The construction of the Xiangjiaba Hydropower Station, t...

Full-time volunteer Gao Min. [Photo/szqgjx.org] Forty-five-year old Gao Min came to Shenzhen from Shandong province as a migrant worker 14 years ago. Since 1997, she has donated more than 120 thousand cc of blood for free.Gao is now a voluntary tissue and organ donation coordinator for the Red Cross Society of China Shenzhen Branch. Her work is to help arrange tissue and organ transplants.When I phoned Gao to arrange for an interview in the afternoon, she hesitated, saying she would be contacting tissue donors and their family members by then, so we talked on the phone for forty minutes before she became busy. Related readings: Organ traffickers could get death penaltyThe first call on tissue donation she received came from a mother who had lost her daughter in a traffic accident in 2005. The mother expressed her wish of donating her daughter's tissue and organs. Gao met her in the hospital, made sure she signed an agreement of donation. The donation included the girl's liver, ...

Solar panels are set in Xigaze in the Tibet autonomous region, March 30, 2011. The solar photovoltaic power plant in Xigaze was built by Linuo Group of Shandong province, which is involved in different industries including solar power and medicine, to help the Tibet autonomous region develop its power industry. The total investment of the plant is 800 million yuan ($122 million). The first section of the plant will be put to work by the end of May 2011. The plant can provide electricity for 100,000 families in Xigaze for a year, saving 7,000 tons of coal and reducing carbon emissions of 13,000 tons. [Photo/Xinhua] Solar panels are set in Xigaze in the Tibet autonomous region, March 30, 2011. The solar photovoltaic power plant in Xigaze was built by Linuo Group of Shandong province, which is involved in different industries including solar power and medicine, to help the Tibet autonomous region develop its power industry. The total investment of the plant is 800 million yuan ($122 milli...

BEIJING - China on Thursday called on the United States to respect its core interests and major security concerns, as the two countries look to develop bilateral military ties. Related readings: Int'l community questions military intervention in Libya Spokesman with China's Ministry of National Defense Geng Yansheng urged both sides to "properly handle differences and sensitive issues" so as to develop military ties in a sustainable, steady and healthy manner.China is willing to work with the US to increase dialogue and communication on the basis of mutual respect and trust, equality and mutual benefit, he told a press conference.Chief of General Staff of the People's Liberation Army Chen Bingde will visit Washington in May and defense ministries of both countries will hold a work meeting "in the near future," according to Geng.

Two American tourists wearing ancient Chinese costumes learn to write Chinese characters on bamboo slips with brushes in the World Park in Fengtai district on Wednesday. Several foreign tourists participated in a series of cultural activities to mark the traditional Tomb-sweeping Day, which falls on April 5. [Photo/China Daily]

BEIJING - China has pledged to promote ecological preservation and environmental protection on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau during the next two decades.In line with a plan approved on Wednesday at a meeting of the State Council, the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau region, an area covering the Tibet autonomous region and Qinghai province, as well as parts of the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, Sichuan, Yunnan and Gansu provinces, is "key to the country's ecological safety". Related readings: Sweet home on the plateauA statement from the meeting presided over by Premier Wen Jiabao said strengthening environmental protection there will be significant in "maintaining border stability, enhancing ethnic unity and building an affluent society"."The ecological safety of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau is still facing grave challenges due to the fragile and complex natural environment as well as the unbalanced industrial structure of the region," the statement warned.The Qingha...

A model presents a creation for the 16th Cherry Cup China New Fashion Designer Contest show during China Fashion Week in Beijing, March 30, 2011. [Photo/Agencies] Previous Page 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Next Page Previous Page 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Next Page

BEIJING- A meeting of the State Council, or China's cabinet, approved a draft regulation on Wednesday for the country's privately-owned businesses, aiming to develop their role in economic growth and employment. Related readings: Private EducationAccording to a statement from the meeting, which was presided over by Premier Wen Jiabao, the draft regulation was aimed at supporting "healthy development" of individual businesses and "giving full play to their important role in economic and social development as well as in providing employment opportunities."The new regulation eliminates limits on the number of people privately-owned businesses may employ and also pares down restrictions on job applicants.The draft also specifies support measures for privately-owned businesses and their codes of conduct.

BEIJING - China is willing to enhance friendly exchanges with Liberia in a wide range of areas, Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi said here Wednesday. Related readings: China, responsible, faithful member of United Nations During the meeting with his Liberian counterpart, Toga Grayewea McIntosh, Yang said China would continue to support the peaceful reconstruction of Liberia while advancing bilateral ties to a new level.Since China and Liberia resumed diplomatic ties in 2003, both countries have deepened cooperation, maintained close high-level exchanges, supported each other on issues concerning key interests and enhanced mutual political trust, Yang said.The two countries have achieved remarkable results through cooperation in areas such as economy, trade, culture, education and health, Yang added.For his part, McIntosh said Liberia appreciates the contribution China has made to Liberia's post-war reconstruction and economic and social development.Liberia is ready to make joint effort...

BEIJING - A Chinese mainland official said Wednesday that the mainland and Taiwan will hold a forum on economy, trade and culture, the seventh of its kind, on May 6-8 in the southwest city of Chengdu. Related readings: Mainland, Taiwan SME co-op stressedWu Poh-hsiung, honorary chairman of the Kuomintang (KMT), will lead the delegation from Taiwan to attend the forum, said Fan Liqing, spokeswoman for the State Council's Taiwan Affairs Office, at a press conference.Fan said relevant departments of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and KMT decided to hold the forum after consultations.Topics including the mainland's development blueprint for the 12th Five-Year plan period (2011-2015) and Taiwan's plan to embrace a "Golden Decade" of development will be high on the forum's agenda, Fan said.Also, discussions will be held on the implementation of the cross-Strait Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement, cross-Strait educational and cultural cooperation as well as ...

A golden car glitters on a street in Nanjing city, capital of East Chinas Jiangsu province, March 29, 2011. Parked in the wrong place, the car was towed away by police after several minutes, drawing a huge crowd with its eye-catching design. [Photo/CFP] Previous Page 1 2 Next Page Previous Page 1 2 Next Page

BEIJING - China will strengthen its protection of ancient books written in languages of some ethnic minority groups over the next five years as part of efforts to better conserve ancient written works. Related readings: Words are cheap, art is notAccording to a statement issued by the Ministry of Culture on Tuesday, China will channel greater resources into the protection of ancient ethnic literature. The initiative would include favorable policies, more funds and human resources, and greater technological support.The ministry said it would begin a special program to improve ancient book protection in Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region by focusing on collecting ancient texts and bibliographies and publishing important classics.The ministry will set up a certification system, under which only licensed professionals could be engaged in the work to have ancient books repaired.The ministry also plans to accelerate the digitalization of ancient books by establishing a da...

BEIJING - After a spate of incidents in which toddlers have been assaulted at kindergartens across the country, parents of children at one preschool are welcoming the chance to keep their eyes on their kids with the help of the Internet. A security guard checks surveillance equipment at a kindergarten in Xi'an, in Northwest China's Shaanxi province, earlier this month. Parents can monitor their children at the kindergarten via the Internet with the help of the cameras. Provided to China Daily In a pilot program that is likely to turn the worried heads of parents nationwide, caregivers at a kindergarten in Chongqing will soon be able to monitor the progress of their children through video cameras connected to the Internet.The idea has evoked strong support from both parents and schools. Related readings: 13 kids injured when kindergarten wall collapses "We have paid hefty amounts in school fees. With the help of the cameras and the Internet we will be able to track the prog...

LOW levels of radioactive iodine-131 were detected in the air above Beijing, Tianjin, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region and the provinces of Shandong, Hebei, Henan and Shanxi yesterday. And caesium-137 and caesium-134, again at very low levels, was detected in Anhui and Guangdong provinces, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, China's National Nuclear Emergency Coordination Committee said. The committee said the levels of radioactive material were below one-hundred-thousandth of the average annual exposure level. The findings follow the discovery of iodine-131 in the air above Shanghai on Monday and again yesterday. The Shanghai Environmental Protection Bureau said yesterday's levels were still too low to have any effect on the environment or people's health. The traces could take two to three months to disappear from the city, experts said. The radioactive material from Japan's earthquake-damaged Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear plant spread to the...

GUANGZHOU- As the sky became clear enough to let in sunshine at the moist season, Wang Ding, a retiree living in the south China city of Guangzhou, did not miss the opportunity to take a walk, despite reports that radioactive material had been detected in the air above the city. Related readings: Rush to buy salt ends with a pinch of reason"I'm not scared, because I've learned from media reports that the amount of radiation is very small and experts say no protective measures are needed," Wang told Xinhua while strolling at the People's Park in Guangzhou, capital of Guangdong Province.On Monday, China's National Nuclear Emergency Coordination Committee announced that "extremely low levels" of radioactive isotope iodine-131from the Fukushima nuclear plant in Japan were found in some southern and eastern Chinese regions. However, the agency said that the radioactive material would not harm public health or the environment.The news did not cause disturb...

BEIJING - "Extremely low levels" of radioactive iodine have been detected in the air above several regions of China, but the material poses no threat to public health or the environment, according to an emergency committee.The information was included in a statement issued Tuesday by China's National Nuclear Emergency Coordination Committee. Related readings: More radioactive water spills at Japan nuke plantLow levels of radioactive isotope iodine-131 were recently detected in China's northeastern Heilongjiang Province and southeast coastal areas.According to the statement, no protective measures need to be taken against contamination from the material. The material is believed to have traveled to China by air from the quake-damaged Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant in Japan.The committee said that detected levels of the radioactive material were below one-hundred-thousandth of the average annual exposure level.The committee's conclusion was based on monitorin...

TAIYUAN - North China's coal-rich province of Shanxi announced Tuesday it will raise the minimum pay of workers starting April amid rising consumer prices and labor shortages. Related readings: Hike Beijing minimum wage to 1,600 yuan, advisor suggestsThe minimum monthly salaries, now at 850 yuan ($130), 780 yuan, 710 yuan and 640 yuan in different regions, will be raised by about 15.5 percent, the provincial bureau of human resources and social security said in a statement.Shanxi raised the minimum pay by as much as 18 percent a year ago and is now the latest to join a dozen other regions in announcing further wage hikes this year.Severe labor shortages, sporadic strikes and rising living costs prompted a round of wage hikes nationwide last year and a new round this year.China's consumer price index, a major gauge of inflation, rose 4.9 percent in February from one year earlier as food prices surged 11 percent.

People visit the graves of their ancestors at Suzhou martyrs cemetery in Suzhou, East China's Jiangsu province, March 27, 2011. The Qingming Festival, or Tomb-sweeping Day, falls on April 5 this year. [Photo/Asianewsphoto] People visit the graves of their ancestors at Suzhou martyrs cemetery in Suzhou, East Chinas Jiangsu province, March 27, 2011. The Qingming Festival, or Tomb-sweeping Day, falls on April 5 this year. [Photo/Asianewsphoto] Previous Page 1 2 3 Next Page Previous Page 1 2 3 Next Page

A consumer buys medicines with the help of a retailer at a pharmacy in Meishan,Southwest China'sSichuan Province, March 28, 2011. The retail prices of 162 medicines have been adjusted with an average drop of 21 percentsince Monday, a move which will save consumers about 10 billion yuan ($1.5 billion) a year.[Photo/Xinhua] A medicine retailer arranges medicines at a pharmacy in Meishan,Southwest China'sSichuan Province, March 28, 2011.[Photo/Xinhua] Previous Page 1 2 Next Page Previous Page 1 2 Next Page

BEIJING - China Mobile Communications Co said on Monday that the country's top telecom regulator has approved five telecommunication equipment makers to begin construction of the fourth-generation (4G) network. China Mobile, the world's largest telecom carrier by subscriber numbers, obtained approval from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) in December to conduct a commercial trial of the homegrown 4G network TD-LTE (Time Division-Long Term Evolution) in seven major Chinese cities. TD-LTE equipment providers have also been given the green light to provide equipment for the trial. Related readings: China in race to launch 4G Xinhua News Agency said the first approved cities to host the trial network will be Shanghai, Hangzhou, Guangzhou, Nanjing and Shenzhen. According to an earlier statement by China Mobile, Beijing and Xiamen are also on the testing list, but they have yet to receive approval from MIIT.The company said the 4G network will provide connect...

BEIJING - China sent a second batch of humanitarian aid to Japan on Monday to support disaster relief assistance in the country, the Ministry of Commerce said.The relief materials included 60,000 bottles of mineral water and 3.25 million pairs of rubber gloves. The shipment weighed 96 tonnes and was 473 cubic meters in size.The Chinese government sent Japan the first batch of relief materials, including blankets, tents and emergency lights on March 14, three days after the massive earthquake and tsunami hit Japan.The ministry said the last shipment of humanitarian aid, which includes rubber gloves, temporary toilets and shoes, will also be flown to Japan after relevant procedures are completed.

BEIJING - "Extremely low levels" of radioactive material have been detected in the air above China's southeastern coastal areas but the radiation of these levels will not affect public health or the environment, authorities have said.The information was revealed in a statement issued Monday by China's National Nuclear Emergency Coordination Committee. Related readings: Japan: Huge radiation spike at nuke was a mistakeAccording to the statement, experts said no protective measures were needed against the materials, which were believed to have been dispersed by air from the quake-damaged Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant in Japan.The committee said the detected levels of radioactive materials were below one-hundred-thousandth of the natural background radiation."The incident at Japan's Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant hasn't had any impact on the environment and people's health in China thus far," said the statement.The conclusion was base...

SEOUL - South Korean Foreign Minister Kim Sung-hwan left Monday for China for talks with his counterpart over issues including the nuclear program of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).During his three-day visit, Kim is scheduled to meet with his Chinese counterpart Yang Jiechi and pay a visit to Premier Wen Jiabao. The top diplomats' meeting on Tuesday is expected to address issues including bilateral relations, economic and trade cooperation and the DPRK's uranium enrichment program.Seoul and Washington have been seeking to persuade the United Nations Security Council to condemn the uranium enrichment program, which they say breaches Pyongyang's international obligations and alleged commitment to denuclearization.The minister's trip to Beijing will mark the first of his since taking office last fall. Seoul and Beijing agreed last year to regularly hold meetings between top diplomats.

BEIJING - Chinese Ministry of Commerce (MOC) Monday called on the United States to correct its wrongdoing against China's export commodities after the World Trade Organization reversed a previous ruling."We hope the United States implements the WTO ruling as soon as possible for stable and sound development of Sino-US economic and trade relations," said a statement on MOC's website, quoting a spokesman for the Department of Treaty and Laws. Related readings: Former WTO repdefends export limits on rare earth"The (winning of the) case is a great victory for China in using WTO rules to protect the country's rights and will greatly boost WTO members' confidence in multilateral rules," the spokesman said.The MOC official's remarks came after the WTO appellate body in its regular meeting in Geneva last Friday overturned a number of key findings by a WTO panel in October 2010.The WTO panel's findings favored the US anti-dumping and countervailing me...

A woman stirs the freshly cooked five-color glutinous rice in Nanning, capital of South China's Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, March 27, 2011. The colored rice was dyed in the liquid from soaked colorful plants such as purple sweet cane and maple leaves. People in Guangxi use the colored rice to worship their ancestors on Tomb-sweeping Day, which will fall on April 5 this year. [Photo/CFP] Previous Page 1 2 Next Page Previous Page 1 2 Next Page

BEIJING - While the prevalence of breast cancer among women in Asia is lower than it is in much of the world, those who are hit by it in China tend to develop the illness at a much younger age, according to a new epidemiology study.The survey, conducted by the Cancer Foundation of China between 1999 and 2008, found most Chinese women who developed the disease did so between 40 and 49. Related readings: Brisk walkers have lower breast cancer risk: studyThe survey sampled more than 4,200 patients from throughout the mainland.Among them, nearly 40 percent were aged between 40 and 49, which was about 10 years younger than the age most women develop the disease in the West."The findings are significant for more targeted intervention efforts in the country, including raising public awareness, campaigns and breast cancer screening programs," said Professor Zhang Baoning of the Cancer Institute and Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Science.For instance, breast cancer screening sho...

Visitors admire a painting by Huang Zhou on Saturday in the National Museum of China, Beijing. An exhibition of works by Pan Tianshou, Li Keran and Huang Zhou, three famous contemporary painters, was unveiled in the museum on Saturday. After a four-year renovation costing 2.5 billion yuan ($380 million), the museum opened its doors to the public for free on Sunday. [Photo provided to China Daily]

BEIJING - The low levels of radioactive iodine-131 that have been detected in the air above Northeast China'sHeilongjiang province do not post a threat to public health, the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said Sunday.No protective measures are needed as the levels of detected iodine-131 are very low and do not pose a threat, the CDC said in a statement. Related readings: Japan crisis far from end: UN nuclear chiefThe discovery of the radioactive material is a sign that some radioactive material released from Japan's crippled nuclear power plant has reached China, but it will not affect public health, the CDC said.China's authorities are monitoring the situation and are continuing to determine whether Japan's nuclear leak will affect China, the CDC said, adding the government will release information about the situation in a timely manner.China's local health care authorities have designated health care organizations for conducting radioactiv...

BEIJING - Chinese President Hu Jintao has urged all members of local units of the Communist Party of China (CPC) to strive for excellence in promoting scientific development, social harmony and serving the people.Hu, who is also general secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, made the remarks in a recent directive from the CPC's ongoing national campaign of contending for excellence to encourage party members to improve their work."It is necessary to go deep down and get immersed with the reality for CPC local units and all its members in carrying out the campaign to contend for excellence," said Hu, who is also a member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Central Committee's Political Bureau. Related readings: CPC discipline watchdog vows crackdown on graftHu was echoed by Wu Bangguo, Wen Jiabao, Jia Qinglin, Li Changchun, Xi Jinping, Li Keqiang, He Guoqiang and Zhou Yongkang, the eight other members of the Standing Committee of the CPC C...

LHASA - Rescuers trudged through rugged territory and fought freezing temperatures on Sunday as they continued to search for ten people who were swept away by an avalanche in Southwest China's Tibet autonomous region three days ago.Rescuers have used excavators and other heavy machinery to help evacuate 138 people trapped by the avalanche on a mountain road that links Pome county and Metok county in Nyingchi prefecture, according to Wu Shengbing, an official in charge of the armed police rescue team.The victims were mainly local residents. A construction crew that was working on the unfinished road were also trapped, Wu said.Wu said that those injured by the avalanche had been hospitalized. There have been no reports of serious injuries.Heavy snows have been hitting parts of Tibet since last weekend, trapping vehicles and pedestrians. Traffic on Tibet's Sichuan-Tibet Highway, which leads to neighboring Sichuan province, did not resume until Saturday.

Category: Economy Science & Technology News Singles - The Long March 2F rocket(CZ-3C) carrying Chang'e-2 satellite is successfully launched at China's Xichang Satellite Launch Center. [Photo by Shi Wei / Wuhan Morning Post] Category: Non-war disaster Singles - 20-year-old Gongga tries to comfort his weeping wife Zhuoga on April 17, Zhuoga's aunt died in the Yushu earthquake. [Photo by Zhang Hongwei / Huashang Daily] Category: Daily life singles - Pakistani mentally disabled youth Gilli asks for food as other inhabitants eat in the corridor of the Edhi Home in Karachi on Feb 24. The Edhi Foundation is the largest welfare organization in Pakistan with over 300 centers across the country - in big cities, small towns and remote rural areas - providing medical aid, family planning and emergency assistance. [Photo by Behrouz Mehri / AFP] Category: War & Disaster News Singles - The 2010 Pakistan floods began in July following heavy monsoon rains. At one point, one fift...

PARIS - A Chinese imperial jade seal used by Emperor Qianlong (1736-1795) sold for 12.4 million euros ($17.45 million) on Saturday at an auction in southwest France, setting the highest price for seals.The white jade imperial seal of 9.85-centimeter, with carvings of intertwined dragons on top, was one of a number used by Emperor Qianlong, the fourth emperor of the Qing Dynasty, and was initially valued at 1.5 million euros ($2.1 million). Related readings: Chinese vase fetches record $69m in UK auctionFrench media said the imperial seal was hammered in a Toulouse-based auction house to a Chinese bidder, who refused to give his name.The previous most-paid seal was also a Chinese imperial jade seal used by Emperor Kangxi (1661-1722), who ruled the longest reign in China and the grandfather of Emperor Qianlong.Earlier in the day at another auction house in Toulouse, a Chinese imperial scroll painting was hammered for 22.1 million euros ($31 million) also to an anonymous Chinese bidder.Th...

BEIJING - China launched a database to compile nationwide information about orphans on Saturday, as the country aims to ensure welfare services, especially the timely payment of basic living expenses for orphans.According to the Ministry of Civil Affairs, the database, which would contain information such as photos and identification details, could help compile precise statistics on orphans across the country.The database also makes monitoring the distribution of living allowances paid to orphans more convenient, thereby maintaining fairness and accuracy in welfare coverage.The country's child welfare services would try to cover all children in need, said Dou Yupei, the Vice-Minister of Civil Affairs.

NANJING - More than 60 people, mostly primary school students, were injured in an accident Friday when an escalator in a zoo in east China's Jiangsu Province came to a sudden halt, causing people to tumble down the escalator's steps, local authorities said Saturday.Five students suffered injuries that required hospitalization for further observation, while 56 people suffered minor injures and received treatment before leaving, the Wuxi municipal government said in a statement.The injuries received by the five students are not life-threatening and all of the students are in stable condition, said a local government official.Most of the injured were primary school students who were on a spring visit to the zoo, according to the statement.The students were riding the escalator up a small hill within the zoo when the accident occurred.All escalators in the zoo have since been turned off and are being inspected.An investigation into the accident is under way, said the statement.

A helicopter lands at Dezhou University in this March 19, 2011 photo. [Photo/Zhu Qixi] A helicopter landed at Dezhou University, Shandong province to pick up a female student on March 19, 2011, witha video of the event stirringan online sensation and worries aboutthe low-altitude flight.Thecompany that owns the helicopter has neitherregistered with supervisory body - Shandong bureau of Civil Aviation Administration of China nor filed any application for theflight, meaning the surprising landing atthe universityunauthorized, Xinhua reported.Dezhou University said that the pilot was the student's father and he was picking up his daughter after he finished some pesticide spraying work.Wang Zhongwu, a professor at the School of Philosophy and Social Development, Shandong University, said that using a private helicopter is rare in China and the public has a right to know the details of this event, for safety reasons.

Workers work at a bamboo shoot factory in Quzhou of East China's Zhejiang province, March 20, 2011.Vegetable factories increased their output to meet the demand in the quake-hit Japan. [Photo/Xinhua] A journalist from NHK (Japan Broadcasting Corporation) shoots as the workers work on the production line at a food factory in Jiashan of East China's Zhejiang province, March 24, 2011. Vegetable factories increased their output to meet the demand in the quake-hit Japan. [Photo/Xinhua] Previous Page 1 2 3 Next Page Previous Page 1 2 3 Next Page

BEIJING - Premier Wen Jiabao on Friday renewed his call to combat corruption, saying he believes corruption could destabilize social stability if it is not properly handled.At a meeting of the State Council, China's cabinet, Wen mapped out a series of priorities in China's anti-graft efforts for 2011, as the government strives to prevent officials from committing misconduct, such as abuse of power and dereliction of duty.Officials, along with their families and aides, are not allowed to interfere in or manipulate tenders and bid activities, according to Wen.They are required to report their assets and the employment of their family members. Officials will also be held accountable if they accept bribes, either in cash, securities, or payment cards, he said.Further, leaders from state-owned enterprises are not allowed to seek illicit gains through operating relevant businesses or trade, Wen noted.China has made progress in addressing the complaints of citizens and reducing admini...

A record 24 sportsand 306 events will be held at 41 venues in the upcoming 26th Shenzhen Universiade to be held in China in August, Shenzhen Special Zone Daily reported following a meeting about the game's preparation work.Some 8,889 athletes from 113 countries and regions have applied to attend the 12-day world students' games in the first application round, according to the newspaper. More are expected to participate.The Universiade organizing committee will hold different test events from May to July in order to check up on the preparation for the games including security, organization, facilities and volunteers.

Zhang Weikang (R) and his younger brother, Zhang Yongkang, work on a piece of sand sculpture at the martyr park in Changsha, Hunan province on March 24, 2011. The twin brothers have created many sand sculptures at the park, reflecting the developments in economy, culture and fairy tales of the city, in March. Their early masterpiece "Lying Buddha" won them reputation as China's first professional sand sculptors when they were still carpenters at home. Now the Zhang brothers have their own sand sculpture team dubbed "Brother Sand Sculpture" and website to promote the art. They went from city to city and spent months turning plain sand into a fancy sand world. "Where there is sand, there are our footprints," they said. [Photo/Xinhua] The Zhang brothers work on creating a sand sculpture at the martyr park in Changsha, Hunan province on March 24, 2011. [Photo/Xinhua] Previous Page 1 2 3 Next Page Previous Page 1 2 3 Next Page

China is facing a severe shortage of construction land, and projects including road and rail expansion plan to illegally grab 700,000 hectares of protected farmland in 2011 to meet their needs. According to a survey by the Ministry of Land and Resources, China's provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities are planning to use 1.1 million hectares of land for construction in 2011. Around 40 percent is needed for roads and railways, said Vice-Minister Yun Xiaosu during a national video conference on Thursday. The State Council, though, has approved the use of only 400,000 hectares because it wants to protect the country's precious arable land resources. That means use of about 700,000 hectares of land that is wanted for construction projects has not been approved by the central government. Because illegal land use for road and railway construction has become a serious problem, China is planning to launch a national crackdown and will be taking a close look at all ongoing roa...

FOSHAN, Guangdong - A controversy has arisen among residents in this Pearl River Delta industrial city in response to local authorities' plan to spend a lot of money to plant trees along two major streets in the city's Chancheng district. Related readings: Planting biodiverse ideas in kids' heads The district's bureau of environmental protection, traffic and urban management is now soliciting bids for the planting of 601 maple, kapok and camphor trees along Jihua Road and Foshandadao Avenue, both busy thoroughfares. The planned planting along the two roads will cost local government about 14 million yuan ($2.13 million), which comes out to more than 23,000 yuan for each tree. According to the bid documents, any winning bidder will be responsible for planting the trees and ensuring that they survive. When planted, the trees are to have trunks with diameters of 40 centimeters to 79 centimeters and heights of 7 meters to 11 meters. The project has stirred up controversy am...