Beijing children will have more time to sleep when the new semester begins on Monday, as the city's education authority has ordered primary and middle schools not to begin classes before 8 am.
According to the notice issued on Friday, which postpones the start of the school day by 20-30 minutes, the city's education bureau also stated that pupils should spend no more than eight hours a day in classes.
Shanghai introduced a similar rule at the end of last year ordering primary schools not to start classes before 8:15 am, while secondary schools should not begin lessons before 8 am.
Health experts have said a lack of sleep may damage the brain, especially the part that deals with learning and memory.
"Exhaustion may also affect children's psychological health. It could affect a person's appetite and make them prefer high-calorie foods, so that obesity becomes an issue," said Li Lite, a nutrition professor of China Agriculture University.
To ensure students get enough physical exercise at school, Beijing's education bureau also asked schools to add 10 more minutes a day to the current 60 minutes of sports and recreation time in primary and secondary schools from the beginning of next month.
The Ministry of Education last year called on schools to revise timetables to allow students to get enough sleep - 10 hours for primary school students, nine hours for junior high school students and eight for senior high school students.
A study by the ministry late last year found that teenagers' average physical index, such as endurance, strength and speed, had been declining continuously in recent years.
The number of teenagers with poor eyesight remained high and the number of overweight urban teenagers kept increasing, the study found.
Source: China Daily
Sunday, August 31, 2008
Universities help quake zone students
Soon after his arrival in Beijing on Thursday, Ma Tao realized his university had already resolved the financial difficulties he faced if he wanted to study for a bachelor's degree.
Ma graduated from a high school in Mianyang, one of the cities worst hit by the Sichuan earthquake in May.
Along with 25 other students from quake regions, the 18-year-old has been enrolled at the Beijing Institute of Technology . He will spend the next four years studying special energy engineering.
Before getting aid from his university, financial hardship caused by the earthquake almost stopped Ma from pursuing his dream in Beijing.
"I heard that staying in Beijing was really expensive, so I was initially thinking of going to a university in Chengdu, which would be a lot cheaper," he said.
Ma's family, who live in the countryside of Mianyang, suffered a huge loss in the massive disaster.
Their house and farmland were devastated by the 7.8 quake and subsequent floods.
In order to raise enough money for his university life, Ma had been helping his parents harvest corn - from the family's remaining land - days before boarding a train for Beijing.
"My parents insisted my future was the most important thing, so they stopped me from retreating to plan B," Ma said, adding he decided to go to Beijing after learning that BIT had said, "let no student quit studying for financial reasons or disaster".
At Thursday's enrollment, the university told Ma that he did not have to pay any tuition fees. He was also given a gift pack filled with necessities such as bedding, a backpack, and even toothpaste and a toothbrush.
Shi Lei, director of BIT's office for student financial aid, told China Daily on Friday: "The university has a special fund of nearly 1 million yuan for new students from the quake zones of Sichuan, Shaanxi and Gansu."
The university had also been given a 2.8 million yuan donation from China National Tobacco, he said.
All 221 of the students from quake regions have been given a share of the money, Shi said.
"One of the students, who lost his mother in the quake, got 50,000 yuan, and the rest each received at least 5,000 yuan," he said.
The university will also offer psychological counseling to students who need it, he said.
"All new students will take a mental health assessment test," he said.
Those who need help will be assigned a mental health advisor, he said.
Sixty-seven of BIT's 3,100 new recruits are from Sichuan, he said.
As well as BIT, Tsinghua University has also offered help to 28 students from quake zones, the Beijing Youth Daily reported on Thursday.
Du Huiliang, head of student welfare office at the university, said each of them will receive a 1,000-yuan subsidy, a new bicycle, and a bag of daily essentials.
Source: China Daily
Ma graduated from a high school in Mianyang, one of the cities worst hit by the Sichuan earthquake in May.
Along with 25 other students from quake regions, the 18-year-old has been enrolled at the Beijing Institute of Technology . He will spend the next four years studying special energy engineering.
Before getting aid from his university, financial hardship caused by the earthquake almost stopped Ma from pursuing his dream in Beijing.
"I heard that staying in Beijing was really expensive, so I was initially thinking of going to a university in Chengdu, which would be a lot cheaper," he said.
Ma's family, who live in the countryside of Mianyang, suffered a huge loss in the massive disaster.
Their house and farmland were devastated by the 7.8 quake and subsequent floods.
In order to raise enough money for his university life, Ma had been helping his parents harvest corn - from the family's remaining land - days before boarding a train for Beijing.
"My parents insisted my future was the most important thing, so they stopped me from retreating to plan B," Ma said, adding he decided to go to Beijing after learning that BIT had said, "let no student quit studying for financial reasons or disaster".
At Thursday's enrollment, the university told Ma that he did not have to pay any tuition fees. He was also given a gift pack filled with necessities such as bedding, a backpack, and even toothpaste and a toothbrush.
Shi Lei, director of BIT's office for student financial aid, told China Daily on Friday: "The university has a special fund of nearly 1 million yuan for new students from the quake zones of Sichuan, Shaanxi and Gansu."
The university had also been given a 2.8 million yuan donation from China National Tobacco, he said.
All 221 of the students from quake regions have been given a share of the money, Shi said.
"One of the students, who lost his mother in the quake, got 50,000 yuan, and the rest each received at least 5,000 yuan," he said.
The university will also offer psychological counseling to students who need it, he said.
"All new students will take a mental health assessment test," he said.
Those who need help will be assigned a mental health advisor, he said.
Sixty-seven of BIT's 3,100 new recruits are from Sichuan, he said.
As well as BIT, Tsinghua University has also offered help to 28 students from quake zones, the Beijing Youth Daily reported on Thursday.
Du Huiliang, head of student welfare office at the university, said each of them will receive a 1,000-yuan subsidy, a new bicycle, and a bag of daily essentials.
Source: China Daily
Favorites away from home as Primera Liga kicks off
Reigning Primera Liga Champions Real Madrid could not have chosen a worse place to begin their defense of the Spanish soccer title in week one of the new PrimeraLiga season.
Real travel to Deportivo La Coruna's Riazor Stadium, a ground where they have not won since the 1991-92 season, and they will travel without midfielder Rafael Van der Vaart, who was sent off in the final of the Spanish Supercup and is suspended.
Wesley Sneijder is out for three months with a knee injury. Butcoach Bernd Schuster should be able to call on the services of midfielder Fernando Gago, who was at the Olympic Games with gold medal winners Argentina. They will also be boosted by their 5-3 win over Sporting Lisbon in Wednesday's Santiago Bernabeu Trophy.
A new-look Barcelona kick off their season away to newly promoted Numncia and the side coached by Pep Guardiola will be looking to bounce back following their narrow Champions League defeat in Poland.
Leo Messi will be back following his gold medal win with Argentina in Beijing and he will partner Samuel Eto'o and Thierry Henry in a fearsome Barca attack.
Atletico Madrid will be looking to carry on the momentum from their 4-0 European triumph over Schalke 04 when they entertain Malaga in the Vicente Calderon stadium.
Atletico will once again be led by strike partnership of Kun Aguero and Diego Forlan, while new signing Ever Banega will also be available for his home debut.
Villarreal, who finished second last year, kick off their season with a potentially difficult trip to Pamplona, where Osasuna have Santi Ezquerro returning to the club where he began his career.
Elsewhere Espanyol play the first game of the new campaign at home to Valladolid. Espanyol have new first team coach "Tintin" Martinez in the dugout. Martinez has doubts over the availability of winger Albert Riera and defender Pablo Zabaleta, who are being linked with moves to Liverpool and Manchester City.
Valencia hope to recover from their poor showing last campaign when they entertain a Mallorca side, who this week signed striker Aritz Aduriz in an attempt to replace last year's top scorer Dani Guiza.
There is an Andalusia derby between Betis and Recreativo Huelva, two sides who could again struggle this time around, while Sporting Gijon celebrate their return to the Primera Liga at home to Getafe, where Victor Munoz debuts in the dugout.
Finally Athletic Bilbao aim to put an indifferent pre-season behind them at home to Almeria, who have a new coach in Gonzalo Arconada.
Source: Xinhua
Real travel to Deportivo La Coruna's Riazor Stadium, a ground where they have not won since the 1991-92 season, and they will travel without midfielder Rafael Van der Vaart, who was sent off in the final of the Spanish Supercup and is suspended.
Wesley Sneijder is out for three months with a knee injury. Butcoach Bernd Schuster should be able to call on the services of midfielder Fernando Gago, who was at the Olympic Games with gold medal winners Argentina. They will also be boosted by their 5-3 win over Sporting Lisbon in Wednesday's Santiago Bernabeu Trophy.
A new-look Barcelona kick off their season away to newly promoted Numncia and the side coached by Pep Guardiola will be looking to bounce back following their narrow Champions League defeat in Poland.
Leo Messi will be back following his gold medal win with Argentina in Beijing and he will partner Samuel Eto'o and Thierry Henry in a fearsome Barca attack.
Atletico Madrid will be looking to carry on the momentum from their 4-0 European triumph over Schalke 04 when they entertain Malaga in the Vicente Calderon stadium.
Atletico will once again be led by strike partnership of Kun Aguero and Diego Forlan, while new signing Ever Banega will also be available for his home debut.
Villarreal, who finished second last year, kick off their season with a potentially difficult trip to Pamplona, where Osasuna have Santi Ezquerro returning to the club where he began his career.
Elsewhere Espanyol play the first game of the new campaign at home to Valladolid. Espanyol have new first team coach "Tintin" Martinez in the dugout. Martinez has doubts over the availability of winger Albert Riera and defender Pablo Zabaleta, who are being linked with moves to Liverpool and Manchester City.
Valencia hope to recover from their poor showing last campaign when they entertain a Mallorca side, who this week signed striker Aritz Aduriz in an attempt to replace last year's top scorer Dani Guiza.
There is an Andalusia derby between Betis and Recreativo Huelva, two sides who could again struggle this time around, while Sporting Gijon celebrate their return to the Primera Liga at home to Getafe, where Victor Munoz debuts in the dugout.
Finally Athletic Bilbao aim to put an indifferent pre-season behind them at home to Almeria, who have a new coach in Gonzalo Arconada.
Source: Xinhua
Hungarian President honors top Olympians
Hungarian President Laszlo Solyomon Friday honored top Hungarian Olympians, coaches, physicians and sports officials in the Parliament Building.
Altogether 87 persons were granted state awards on Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsany' proposal.
The president granted the highest honor, Grand Cross of Order of Merit to Denes Kemeny, coach of the Hungarian men's water polo team that won gold medals in three Olympics in a row.
The Middle Cross with a star of Order of Merit was granted to the six water polo players who members of all the three Olympic champion teams.
Ferenc Gyurcsany and Speaker of Parliament Katalin Szili attended the awarding ceremony.
The Hungarian Olympic team won three gold medals, five silvers and two bronzes in the Beijing Olympic Games.
Source: Xinhua
Altogether 87 persons were granted state awards on Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsany' proposal.
The president granted the highest honor, Grand Cross of Order of Merit to Denes Kemeny, coach of the Hungarian men's water polo team that won gold medals in three Olympics in a row.
The Middle Cross with a star of Order of Merit was granted to the six water polo players who members of all the three Olympic champion teams.
Ferenc Gyurcsany and Speaker of Parliament Katalin Szili attended the awarding ceremony.
The Hungarian Olympic team won three gold medals, five silvers and two bronzes in the Beijing Olympic Games.
Source: Xinhua
Peruvian disabled athletes left for Beijing
Four Peruvian disabled athletes traveled on Friday to Beijing to compete at the Paralympic Games.
The team is formed by swimmers Jimmy Eulert and Jose Gonzalez, weightlifter Niel Garcia and horse rider Rosa Loewenthal.
Eulert has won medals at the Paralympics in Atlanta 1996 and Sidney 2000.
"I am not under the pressure of winning a gold medal because I'm not the favorite. But we will give everything for Peru," Eulert said.
Source: Xinhua
The team is formed by swimmers Jimmy Eulert and Jose Gonzalez, weightlifter Niel Garcia and horse rider Rosa Loewenthal.
Eulert has won medals at the Paralympics in Atlanta 1996 and Sidney 2000.
"I am not under the pressure of winning a gold medal because I'm not the favorite. But we will give everything for Peru," Eulert said.
Source: Xinhua
Mexican President recognizes the medals were individual efforts
Mexican athletes who won medals during the Beijing Olympic Games achieved the success for their individual efforts, Mexican President Calderon said on Friday.
Calderon met gold medalists Maria del Rosario Espinoza and Guillermo Perez, bronze medalists Paola Espinosa and Tatiana Ortizin Los Pinos.
"Thanks to the performance of these four brilliant youngsters, Mexico advanced from the place 59, won in Athens 2004, to the place 36 in Beijing, however, I reaffirm it, I think has been more for their own and coaches' merits than as for a collective effort," Calderon said.
"The triumph they achieved is completely of them. I know you have won these medals for Mexico, but Mexico owes them to your effort, dedication and personal sacrifice you have made," Calderonsaid.
Calderon said that Mexican sports system needs a deep correction, which allows the country to move forward and grow according the size of its population, so he requested the winner athletes to help reviewing the controversy and correct it.
"I want to ask you four, your coaches, to all the athletes who went to Beijing without exception, to deeply review the national sports system and to correct it with us, that we could detect whatis not working and to reinforce it," Calderon said.
National sports is led by former soccer player Carlos Hermosillo who has been accused by several sportsmen, like Olympicmedal winner Ana Guevara did, of abandoning them to their luck.
Calderon said that the sports must become into a daily practiceof Mexicans and he requested to "make massive" the sports so the triumphs do not arrive in exceptional ways.
"We want these results, the Olympic medals and the championships to be part of a process which integrates the capacities and talent of the Mexican youngsters," Calderon said.
Calderon urged the sports community to "conquer a better place on the medal table" during the Pan American Games of Guadalajara 2011 and The Olympic Games of London 2012.
Source: Xinhua
Calderon met gold medalists Maria del Rosario Espinoza and Guillermo Perez, bronze medalists Paola Espinosa and Tatiana Ortizin Los Pinos.
"Thanks to the performance of these four brilliant youngsters, Mexico advanced from the place 59, won in Athens 2004, to the place 36 in Beijing, however, I reaffirm it, I think has been more for their own and coaches' merits than as for a collective effort," Calderon said.
"The triumph they achieved is completely of them. I know you have won these medals for Mexico, but Mexico owes them to your effort, dedication and personal sacrifice you have made," Calderonsaid.
Calderon said that Mexican sports system needs a deep correction, which allows the country to move forward and grow according the size of its population, so he requested the winner athletes to help reviewing the controversy and correct it.
"I want to ask you four, your coaches, to all the athletes who went to Beijing without exception, to deeply review the national sports system and to correct it with us, that we could detect whatis not working and to reinforce it," Calderon said.
National sports is led by former soccer player Carlos Hermosillo who has been accused by several sportsmen, like Olympicmedal winner Ana Guevara did, of abandoning them to their luck.
Calderon said that the sports must become into a daily practiceof Mexicans and he requested to "make massive" the sports so the triumphs do not arrive in exceptional ways.
"We want these results, the Olympic medals and the championships to be part of a process which integrates the capacities and talent of the Mexican youngsters," Calderon said.
Calderon urged the sports community to "conquer a better place on the medal table" during the Pan American Games of Guadalajara 2011 and The Olympic Games of London 2012.
Source: Xinhua
Paralympic torch starts relay in Hohhot
The Beijing Paralympic torch relay in Hohhot started at 10:10 a.m. on Saturday at Genghis Khan Square in Northern China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.
Source: Xinhua
Source: Xinhua
Beijing Paralympic torch relay in Hohhot concludes
The Beijing Paralympic torch relay in Hohhot concluded at Hohhot Stadium at 10:50 a.m. in northern China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.
Source: Xinhua
Source: Xinhua
Olympian medalists charm Hong Kong
Beijing Olympics gold medal diver Guo Jingjing and table tennis champion Zhang Yining greet their fans as they arrive at the Hong Kong Airport Friday. A delegation of Olympic gold medalists from the mainland will stay in Hong Kong for three days to demonstrate their skills. The Chinese team won a record 100 medals, including 51 golds at the Beijing Games, which wrapped up last weekend.
Beijing Olympics gold medal diver Guo Jingjing shakes hands with her fans in Hong Kong on Aug. 29, 2008.
Cheng Fei , a member of delegation of Olympic gold medalists, shakes hands with her fans in Hong Kong on Aug. 29, 2008.
Beijing Olympics gold medal diver Guo Jingjing shakes hands with her fans in Hong Kong on Aug. 29, 2008.
Cheng Fei , a member of delegation of Olympic gold medalists, shakes hands with her fans in Hong Kong on Aug. 29, 2008.
Chinese college student jailed for spreading online quake rumour
A Chinese college student was sentenced on Friday to 18 months in prison for spreading a rumour about an impending earthquake that caused a panic in northwest China's Shaanxi Province.
Jia Zhipan, 22, a student at Eurasia University in the provincial capital of Xi'an, hacked into the website of the provincial earthquake bureau at about 8:53 p.m. on May 29 and posted false information that a magnitude 6 to 6.5 quake would strike Shaanxi and neighboring Gansu Province at 11:30 p.m., the People's Court of Yanta District in Xi'an heard.
The false information caused a panic and many people called the bureau about the "quake". A lot of people stayed out in rented tents on the city square.
Jia realized how serious the situation was after he found the post had attracted more than 700 hits. He then deleted the information.
Police arrested him on June 4.
The court said Jia did it out of curiosity about the public reaction.
The court took into consideration the fact that he was a naive student and that he had apologized to the public several times.
Source: Xinhua
Jia Zhipan, 22, a student at Eurasia University in the provincial capital of Xi'an, hacked into the website of the provincial earthquake bureau at about 8:53 p.m. on May 29 and posted false information that a magnitude 6 to 6.5 quake would strike Shaanxi and neighboring Gansu Province at 11:30 p.m., the People's Court of Yanta District in Xi'an heard.
The false information caused a panic and many people called the bureau about the "quake". A lot of people stayed out in rented tents on the city square.
Jia realized how serious the situation was after he found the post had attracted more than 700 hits. He then deleted the information.
Police arrested him on June 4.
The court said Jia did it out of curiosity about the public reaction.
The court took into consideration the fact that he was a naive student and that he had apologized to the public several times.
Source: Xinhua
Rising seawaters lapping at windowsills on S China island
Thousands of people living on a south China island fear rising sea levels may soon take their homes and their livelihoods.
The sea is eating into the 25-square-kilometer Weizhou Island, submerging beaches, coastlines and buffer forests.
The 15,000 residents of the island, 20 nautical miles south of Beihai City, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, have seen the seawater creeping inland for the past decade.
"In the bay area were buffer forests, but the seawater has crept 60 to 70 meters into the island," said 76-year-old resident Zhou Ziquan.
Jiang Taile, a restaurant owner, said he once drove his car on the beach up to 40 meters away from the present water line, which is spotted with the stumps of trees that have died in the salt water.
The beach area was full of seawater even at low tide, said Jiang.
Chen Xiangxu, a Weizhou Town construction official, said seawater had made inroads of more than 100 meters at some sites.
The high tides even splashed the windows of homes behind the island's levees, said Chen.
Many residents worried that the island would be eaten away, Chen said, but they were yet to consider moving their homes.
High tides were gradually getting higher according to records, said Li Wuquan, head of the State Oceanic Administration's Beihai Oceanic Environment Monitoring Center.
Global warming was believed by experts to be a key cause of the rising seas, but there were also human factors. The protective coral reef has been destroyed by the taking of coral for money and fishing with explosives. Tourist diving at scenic sites also affected the reefs.
"Little remains of the coral reef, which helped prevent erosion in the shore area around the island," said Jiang.
The official said the township government had banned fishing with explosives near the reef and been cracking down on coral harvesting. Some coastal areas have been listed as special protection areas.
According to a 2007 Sea Level Bulletin released by the State Oceanic Administration earlier this year, the seas rose by 0.09 meter on average around China over the last 30 years, but the rate was accelerating.
Sea levels have been predicted to rise between 9 and 88 centimeters this century due to global warming.
Source: Xinhua
The sea is eating into the 25-square-kilometer Weizhou Island, submerging beaches, coastlines and buffer forests.
The 15,000 residents of the island, 20 nautical miles south of Beihai City, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, have seen the seawater creeping inland for the past decade.
"In the bay area were buffer forests, but the seawater has crept 60 to 70 meters into the island," said 76-year-old resident Zhou Ziquan.
Jiang Taile, a restaurant owner, said he once drove his car on the beach up to 40 meters away from the present water line, which is spotted with the stumps of trees that have died in the salt water.
The beach area was full of seawater even at low tide, said Jiang.
Chen Xiangxu, a Weizhou Town construction official, said seawater had made inroads of more than 100 meters at some sites.
The high tides even splashed the windows of homes behind the island's levees, said Chen.
Many residents worried that the island would be eaten away, Chen said, but they were yet to consider moving their homes.
High tides were gradually getting higher according to records, said Li Wuquan, head of the State Oceanic Administration's Beihai Oceanic Environment Monitoring Center.
Global warming was believed by experts to be a key cause of the rising seas, but there were also human factors. The protective coral reef has been destroyed by the taking of coral for money and fishing with explosives. Tourist diving at scenic sites also affected the reefs.
"Little remains of the coral reef, which helped prevent erosion in the shore area around the island," said Jiang.
The official said the township government had banned fishing with explosives near the reef and been cracking down on coral harvesting. Some coastal areas have been listed as special protection areas.
According to a 2007 Sea Level Bulletin released by the State Oceanic Administration earlier this year, the seas rose by 0.09 meter on average around China over the last 30 years, but the rate was accelerating.
Sea levels have been predicted to rise between 9 and 88 centimeters this century due to global warming.
Source: Xinhua
Beijing enables barrier-free shopping and touring atop Great Wall
Beijing's must-go tourist attractions have been turned accessible for the disabled, as the city woos athletes and visitors to the Paralympic Games and fulfills its pledge to give normal life to its 1 million disabled population.
"We saw more disabled people make shopping here recently, as the Paralympics drew near," said Zhu Maimai, a saleswoman at the Silk Street Market in Beijing.
The popular clothes market now has a 160-meter blind road leading to the entrance way and 16 parking slots for disabled shoppers.
Zhu said that salespeople in the market had been trained to give considerate but not too intense service to disabled customers, since too much care would make the disabled feel uncomfortable
"There are over 100 road signs in the shopping market. We also have receptionists at the service desk, who can use sign language to give shopping guide," said Wang Zili, the market's general manager.
Disabled access to Beijing's most famous part of the Great Wall includes two lifts and a wheelchair ramp to ascend people to the Badaling section, which allows one of the best views of the man-made wonder meandering on mountain ridges.
In the 600-year-old Palace Museum, or the Forbidden City, a 1,000-meter long barrier-free pathway allow visitors on wheelchairs go down along the central axis of the palace.
Elevators have been installed in three main buildings in the imperial palace to avoid disabled people from climbing thirty steps to reach top layers for a bird view.
For the past few years, the municipal government has invested about 67 million yuan for building barrier-free facilities in 60 tourist attractions, where 12,028 square meters of wheelchair ramps were built and 3,183 meters of handrail were facilitated.
Tang Xiaoquan, executive vice president of the Beijing Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games said that the work on barrier-free facilities enables the disabled persons from home and abroad to learn more about the social progress of Beijing.
Tang, who is also a senior official of the China Disabled Persons' Federation said that Beijing will add 16 bus routes leading to the Games venues, and put 400 disable-access buses in use during the Sept. 6-17 Games, which will draw about 4,000 disabled athletes from around the world to compete.
Source: Xinhua
"We saw more disabled people make shopping here recently, as the Paralympics drew near," said Zhu Maimai, a saleswoman at the Silk Street Market in Beijing.
The popular clothes market now has a 160-meter blind road leading to the entrance way and 16 parking slots for disabled shoppers.
Zhu said that salespeople in the market had been trained to give considerate but not too intense service to disabled customers, since too much care would make the disabled feel uncomfortable
"There are over 100 road signs in the shopping market. We also have receptionists at the service desk, who can use sign language to give shopping guide," said Wang Zili, the market's general manager.
Disabled access to Beijing's most famous part of the Great Wall includes two lifts and a wheelchair ramp to ascend people to the Badaling section, which allows one of the best views of the man-made wonder meandering on mountain ridges.
In the 600-year-old Palace Museum, or the Forbidden City, a 1,000-meter long barrier-free pathway allow visitors on wheelchairs go down along the central axis of the palace.
Elevators have been installed in three main buildings in the imperial palace to avoid disabled people from climbing thirty steps to reach top layers for a bird view.
For the past few years, the municipal government has invested about 67 million yuan for building barrier-free facilities in 60 tourist attractions, where 12,028 square meters of wheelchair ramps were built and 3,183 meters of handrail were facilitated.
Tang Xiaoquan, executive vice president of the Beijing Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games said that the work on barrier-free facilities enables the disabled persons from home and abroad to learn more about the social progress of Beijing.
Tang, who is also a senior official of the China Disabled Persons' Federation said that Beijing will add 16 bus routes leading to the Games venues, and put 400 disable-access buses in use during the Sept. 6-17 Games, which will draw about 4,000 disabled athletes from around the world to compete.
Source: Xinhua
Interview: French parliamentarian says world knows China better through Olympics
"The Beijing Olympic Games was a window through which people around the world gained a better understanding about China," said Bernard Debre, a member of the French National Assembly, on Friday.
Debre, who attended the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics, told Xinhua that he was overwhelmed by the splendid performances.
"It was an unforgettable night," he said, "the best thing about the opening ceremony was that it combined China's traditional civilization with modernization."
China has impressed the whole world not only with brilliant Olympics opening and closing ceremonies but also the excellent organization of the Games, said the lawmaker.
Beijing has adopted a series of measures to ensure the smooth proceeding of the Games, and the setting aside of special Olympic lanes has particularly facilitated the movement of the athletes around the city, he added.
The unique designs of the Olympic stadiums such as the Bird's Nest and the Water Cube are also very impressive, he said.
"If I am to use one word to describe the organizing work of the Beijing Olympics, I would say it is 'perfect'," said Debre.
Debre, who is also an excellent urologist, has witnessed China's development over the years since he dedicated himself to the medical exchanges between France and China.
"About 20 years ago, many people in Beijing still wore uniforms. But now walking on Beijing streets, you see people wearing fashionable clothes and enjoying a happy life," he said.
"China is opening its door to the world and has shown the world a new image and its unique vitality," Debre said.
With a huge population and various ethnic groups, China has chosen its own way of development and made sustained development, he added.
As for some people's criticism of China's development and skepticism over China's capability to host the Olympics, Debre said: "facts have proved that those opinions were groundless. In facing either problems related to the Olympics or its own development, China has withstood all the tests and achieved success."
Debre, who served as the country's cooperation minister in the 1990s, comes from a distinguished family. His brother Jean-Louis Debre is the president of the French Constitutional Council. His father Michel Debre served as prime minister of De Gaulle's government from 1959 to 1962.
His grandfather, Robert Debre, was a world famous pediatrician and participated in the founding of the United Nations Children's Fund .
Source: Xinhua
Debre, who attended the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics, told Xinhua that he was overwhelmed by the splendid performances.
"It was an unforgettable night," he said, "the best thing about the opening ceremony was that it combined China's traditional civilization with modernization."
China has impressed the whole world not only with brilliant Olympics opening and closing ceremonies but also the excellent organization of the Games, said the lawmaker.
Beijing has adopted a series of measures to ensure the smooth proceeding of the Games, and the setting aside of special Olympic lanes has particularly facilitated the movement of the athletes around the city, he added.
The unique designs of the Olympic stadiums such as the Bird's Nest and the Water Cube are also very impressive, he said.
"If I am to use one word to describe the organizing work of the Beijing Olympics, I would say it is 'perfect'," said Debre.
Debre, who is also an excellent urologist, has witnessed China's development over the years since he dedicated himself to the medical exchanges between France and China.
"About 20 years ago, many people in Beijing still wore uniforms. But now walking on Beijing streets, you see people wearing fashionable clothes and enjoying a happy life," he said.
"China is opening its door to the world and has shown the world a new image and its unique vitality," Debre said.
With a huge population and various ethnic groups, China has chosen its own way of development and made sustained development, he added.
As for some people's criticism of China's development and skepticism over China's capability to host the Olympics, Debre said: "facts have proved that those opinions were groundless. In facing either problems related to the Olympics or its own development, China has withstood all the tests and achieved success."
Debre, who served as the country's cooperation minister in the 1990s, comes from a distinguished family. His brother Jean-Louis Debre is the president of the French Constitutional Council. His father Michel Debre served as prime minister of De Gaulle's government from 1959 to 1962.
His grandfather, Robert Debre, was a world famous pediatrician and participated in the founding of the United Nations Children's Fund .
Source: Xinhua
Chinese gov't to offer subsidies to students from quake zone
China's ministries of finance and education will offer financial aid to poorer students from quake-hit areas to guarantee their schooling over the next two academic terms.
The two ministries call for officials and schools to carry out the policy immediately after finishing enrollment for such students.
A joint circular approved by the State Council on Friday said the aid was targeted at poor students from high schools and universities in the May 12 quake zone covering Sichuan, Gansu and Shaanxi provinces and 51 counties, cities and districts in Chongqing Municipality.
Students will be exempted from tuition fees for the coming fall term and the spring term next year.
An annual subsidy of 2,000 yuan per person will be provided to ordinary high schools and 900 yuan per person to secondary vocational schools that have enrolled such students.
Students in ordinary high schools will get 1,000-yuan subsidies for living expenses. The money is from the public welfare lottery fund.
For students in secondary vocational schools, the current state subsidy policy will continue to offer 1,500 yuan per person annually.
Annual subsidies of 4,200 yuan per person will be given to quake-zone universities and others enrolling a high number of students from quake-stricken regions.
The state subsidy policy will expand to cover 70 percent of quake-zone students in universities with aid of 2,000 yuan per person annually.
The May 12 earthquake has claimed nearly 70,000 lives, and leftalmost 18,340 missing and millions of people homeless.
Source: Xinhua
The two ministries call for officials and schools to carry out the policy immediately after finishing enrollment for such students.
A joint circular approved by the State Council on Friday said the aid was targeted at poor students from high schools and universities in the May 12 quake zone covering Sichuan, Gansu and Shaanxi provinces and 51 counties, cities and districts in Chongqing Municipality.
Students will be exempted from tuition fees for the coming fall term and the spring term next year.
An annual subsidy of 2,000 yuan per person will be provided to ordinary high schools and 900 yuan per person to secondary vocational schools that have enrolled such students.
Students in ordinary high schools will get 1,000-yuan subsidies for living expenses. The money is from the public welfare lottery fund.
For students in secondary vocational schools, the current state subsidy policy will continue to offer 1,500 yuan per person annually.
Annual subsidies of 4,200 yuan per person will be given to quake-zone universities and others enrolling a high number of students from quake-stricken regions.
The state subsidy policy will expand to cover 70 percent of quake-zone students in universities with aid of 2,000 yuan per person annually.
The May 12 earthquake has claimed nearly 70,000 lives, and leftalmost 18,340 missing and millions of people homeless.
Source: Xinhua
Beijing crime rate during Aug 8-24 lowest in 8 years
Beijing's incidence of crime cases in the Aug. 8-24 Olympic period dropped to the lowest in eight years, the city's public security bureau said Friday.
The number of crime cases per day during Aug. 8-24 went down by 72.2 percent year-on-year, and the total number of street crimes in 16 days decreased to the lowest since 2008, the bureau told Friday's press conference.
The police kept intensifying security measures and cracking down on crimes before the Games to guarantee a good public order, an official from bureau said.
Beijing police cracked 930 street crime cases such as theft, robbery and fraud from July 1 to Aug 24, and seized 1,000 suspects, with 40 foreigners included.
All 40 foreign suspects have been detained or expelled from the country. The bureau did not reveal their nationalities or names.
The bureau said Beijing police force would continue their efforts in maintaining public order during the Paralympic Games which will kick off on September 6.
Source: Xinhua
The number of crime cases per day during Aug. 8-24 went down by 72.2 percent year-on-year, and the total number of street crimes in 16 days decreased to the lowest since 2008, the bureau told Friday's press conference.
The police kept intensifying security measures and cracking down on crimes before the Games to guarantee a good public order, an official from bureau said.
Beijing police cracked 930 street crime cases such as theft, robbery and fraud from July 1 to Aug 24, and seized 1,000 suspects, with 40 foreigners included.
All 40 foreign suspects have been detained or expelled from the country. The bureau did not reveal their nationalities or names.
The bureau said Beijing police force would continue their efforts in maintaining public order during the Paralympic Games which will kick off on September 6.
Source: Xinhua
SAFE to check banks' forex business
China will start regular annual checks of banks' foreign exchange operations to make sure they observe relevant rules, the foreign exchange regulator said on Friday.
The move is a concrete step towards implementing the country's newly approved foreign exchange rules that were set earlier this month and curbs cross-border speculative capital flows, analysts said.
The checks will cover the banks' whole-year operation to see if they abide by foreign exchange management rules, the State Administration of Foreign Exchange said in a statement after releasing a new management method. Banks will be required to report relevant data to regulators, which will also examine their internal risk control system.
Banks that are found to have problems will be informed and required to address their wrongdoings, the statement said, without going into further detail of the repercussions for offending organizations.
The new method will come into effect from next month.
SAFE said that banks have cooperated in implementing relevant foreign exchange rules and played an "active" role in maintaining a stable financial environment and strengthening cross-border capital flow management.
But analysts have expressed deep concerns that large amounts of speculative capital have swarmed into the country, which poses a serious challenge to its financial regulations. People generally estimate that the "hot money", as speculative capital in known, could amount to several hundred billion dollars, with the boldest estimation standing at $1.75 trillion, almost at par with China's foreign exchange reserves.
Some of the capital has managed to flow in through false trade settlement and some through foreign direct investment, analysts said.
The country revised the 11-year old foreign exchange management regulation early this month to strengthen control of speculative capital influx. A month earlier, regulators required that it would be mandatory for traders to park their export receipts in temporary verification accounts till they are cleared as genuine trade revenue.
"The next step should be to strengthen monitoring of bank operations to prevent foreign investment from being used as speculative capital," Zhang Ming, an economist from the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said in a previous interview. "Some of the 'hot money' may come in the form of foreign investment."
The latest rule, according to Sun Lijian, an economist at Fudan University, is to engage banks in the country's fight against speculative capital after regulators issued the monitoring rules targeted at trade companies in July.
"Some banks may fail to report dubious large-scale foreign exchange settlements so that they can continue to profit from such deals," he said. "The new rule would strengthen management of such operation."
Source: China Daily
The move is a concrete step towards implementing the country's newly approved foreign exchange rules that were set earlier this month and curbs cross-border speculative capital flows, analysts said.
The checks will cover the banks' whole-year operation to see if they abide by foreign exchange management rules, the State Administration of Foreign Exchange said in a statement after releasing a new management method. Banks will be required to report relevant data to regulators, which will also examine their internal risk control system.
Banks that are found to have problems will be informed and required to address their wrongdoings, the statement said, without going into further detail of the repercussions for offending organizations.
The new method will come into effect from next month.
SAFE said that banks have cooperated in implementing relevant foreign exchange rules and played an "active" role in maintaining a stable financial environment and strengthening cross-border capital flow management.
But analysts have expressed deep concerns that large amounts of speculative capital have swarmed into the country, which poses a serious challenge to its financial regulations. People generally estimate that the "hot money", as speculative capital in known, could amount to several hundred billion dollars, with the boldest estimation standing at $1.75 trillion, almost at par with China's foreign exchange reserves.
Some of the capital has managed to flow in through false trade settlement and some through foreign direct investment, analysts said.
The country revised the 11-year old foreign exchange management regulation early this month to strengthen control of speculative capital influx. A month earlier, regulators required that it would be mandatory for traders to park their export receipts in temporary verification accounts till they are cleared as genuine trade revenue.
"The next step should be to strengthen monitoring of bank operations to prevent foreign investment from being used as speculative capital," Zhang Ming, an economist from the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said in a previous interview. "Some of the 'hot money' may come in the form of foreign investment."
The latest rule, according to Sun Lijian, an economist at Fudan University, is to engage banks in the country's fight against speculative capital after regulators issued the monitoring rules targeted at trade companies in July.
"Some banks may fail to report dubious large-scale foreign exchange settlements so that they can continue to profit from such deals," he said. "The new rule would strengthen management of such operation."
Source: China Daily
China adopts recycling law, boost sustainable development
China's top legislature passed a law to promote circular economy on Friday at the closing of the fourth session of the Standing Committee of the 11th National People's Congress .
The draft law was ratified after its third reading, and President Hu Jintao signed it into law. It will come into force onJan. 1, 2009.
The aim of the law is to boost sustainable development through energy saving and reduction of pollutant discharges.
"Developing a recycling economy will help the country to achieve a maximal economic efficiency through a minimal energy consumption and emissions," said Ni Yuefeng, NPC Standing Committee member.
It was a significant step in establishing an energy-saving and environment-friendly society, Ni added.
Under the law, the government will launch close monitoring overhigh-consumption and high-emission industries, including the steeland non-ferrous metal production, power generation, oil refining, construction, and printing industries.
Government departments will map out a system for recycling and improve energy-saving and waste-reutilization standards.
Industrial enterprises were required to introduce water-saving technologies, strengthen management, and install water-saving equipment in new buildings and projects.
Crude oil refining, power generation, steel and iron productionplants should stop using oil-guzzling fuel generators and boilers,in favor of clean energy, such as natural gas and alternative fuels.
The law orders enterprises and government departments to adopt renewable products in new buildings, such as solar and geothermal energies.
Meanwhile, enterprises should recycle and make comprehensive use of coal mine waste, coal ash, and other waste materials.
The government encourages farmers and rural departments to recycle maize straw, livestock waste, and farming by-products to produce marsh gas.
Companies and government departments that employ technologies, equipment and material that are prohibited will face fines of 50,000 yuan to 200,000 yuan.
In June, legislators scrapped a draft provision on progressive pricing for household water, electricity and gas consumption because it was too difficult to assess the basic level of consumption in each household.
The government issued a circular in 2002, urging all cities to implement a pricing system on water of household use by the end of2005.
However, only around 80 of the country's 661 cities are using the pricing method, figures from the National Development and Reform Commission show.
The draft law, which was submitted for the first reading in August last year, stipulates governments at all levels should drawup plans on the development of the recycling economy, establish systems to control energy use and pollutant emissions, and make policies to divert capital into environment friendly industries.
According to the law, the central government will allocate funds and capital to enterprises to encourage innovation in recycling technologies.
Enterprises will get tax breaks for introducing and using energy-efficient technologies and equipment.
Ni said administrative measures were sometimes inadequate for implementing laws. "Sometimes incentives and favourable taxation policies are more affective."
China has been facing serious environmental and resources problems with its economic development since the 1980s, mainly dueto inefficient use of resources, according to the NPC Environmental Protection and Resources Conservation Committee.
The government's effort to make energy use more efficient and cut pollution contributed to driving down energy consumption per unit of gross domestic product . Energy consumption for every10,000 yuan of GDP stood at 1.16 tonnes of coal equivalent in 2007,down 3.66 percent from 2006.
The government has set a target of reducing energy consumption per unit of GDP by 20 percent and major pollutant emission by 10 percent from the 2005 levels by 2010.
However, the average energy consumption per unit produced for high-energy-consuming industries, such as steel, electric power and cement was 20 percent higher than the average in developed countries.
Source: Xinhua
The draft law was ratified after its third reading, and President Hu Jintao signed it into law. It will come into force onJan. 1, 2009.
The aim of the law is to boost sustainable development through energy saving and reduction of pollutant discharges.
"Developing a recycling economy will help the country to achieve a maximal economic efficiency through a minimal energy consumption and emissions," said Ni Yuefeng, NPC Standing Committee member.
It was a significant step in establishing an energy-saving and environment-friendly society, Ni added.
Under the law, the government will launch close monitoring overhigh-consumption and high-emission industries, including the steeland non-ferrous metal production, power generation, oil refining, construction, and printing industries.
Government departments will map out a system for recycling and improve energy-saving and waste-reutilization standards.
Industrial enterprises were required to introduce water-saving technologies, strengthen management, and install water-saving equipment in new buildings and projects.
Crude oil refining, power generation, steel and iron productionplants should stop using oil-guzzling fuel generators and boilers,in favor of clean energy, such as natural gas and alternative fuels.
The law orders enterprises and government departments to adopt renewable products in new buildings, such as solar and geothermal energies.
Meanwhile, enterprises should recycle and make comprehensive use of coal mine waste, coal ash, and other waste materials.
The government encourages farmers and rural departments to recycle maize straw, livestock waste, and farming by-products to produce marsh gas.
Companies and government departments that employ technologies, equipment and material that are prohibited will face fines of 50,000 yuan to 200,000 yuan.
In June, legislators scrapped a draft provision on progressive pricing for household water, electricity and gas consumption because it was too difficult to assess the basic level of consumption in each household.
The government issued a circular in 2002, urging all cities to implement a pricing system on water of household use by the end of2005.
However, only around 80 of the country's 661 cities are using the pricing method, figures from the National Development and Reform Commission show.
The draft law, which was submitted for the first reading in August last year, stipulates governments at all levels should drawup plans on the development of the recycling economy, establish systems to control energy use and pollutant emissions, and make policies to divert capital into environment friendly industries.
According to the law, the central government will allocate funds and capital to enterprises to encourage innovation in recycling technologies.
Enterprises will get tax breaks for introducing and using energy-efficient technologies and equipment.
Ni said administrative measures were sometimes inadequate for implementing laws. "Sometimes incentives and favourable taxation policies are more affective."
China has been facing serious environmental and resources problems with its economic development since the 1980s, mainly dueto inefficient use of resources, according to the NPC Environmental Protection and Resources Conservation Committee.
The government's effort to make energy use more efficient and cut pollution contributed to driving down energy consumption per unit of gross domestic product . Energy consumption for every10,000 yuan of GDP stood at 1.16 tonnes of coal equivalent in 2007,down 3.66 percent from 2006.
The government has set a target of reducing energy consumption per unit of GDP by 20 percent and major pollutant emission by 10 percent from the 2005 levels by 2010.
However, the average energy consumption per unit produced for high-energy-consuming industries, such as steel, electric power and cement was 20 percent higher than the average in developed countries.
Source: Xinhua
HK, Singapore sign memo on aircraft service
The Hong Kong Civil Aviation Department Friday signed a memorandum of understanding with its Singapore counterpart to expand mutual aircraft, engine and component maintenance, according to the Hong Kong Information Services Department.
The Hong Kong Civil Aviation Department and the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore signed the Memorandum of Understanding, known as "Technical Arrangement on Aviation Maintenance", in Singapore.
As an extension of the MOU signed by both parties in 2004, the new agreement expands the scope of mutual recognition of approvals of maintenance organizations to cover all aircraft, engine and component maintenance. It allows maintenance organizations in Hong Kong to maintain aircraft registered in Singapore without seeking additional approval from CAAS, and maintenance organizations in Singapore may maintain aircraft registered in Hong Kong without separate approval from CAD.
Speaking in Singapore on Friday, CAD Director-General Norman Losaid mutual recognition would reduce duplication of approvals and auditing activities, maximizing the resource utilization of both regulators and industry partners.
Lo said the use of common airworthiness standards would improve aircraft maintenance quality.
Hong Kong has had similar mutual recognition arrangements on aircraft maintenance with Canada since 2005 and will continue to extend the mutual recognition arrangement to other overseas regulatory authorities.
Source: Xinhua
The Hong Kong Civil Aviation Department and the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore signed the Memorandum of Understanding, known as "Technical Arrangement on Aviation Maintenance", in Singapore.
As an extension of the MOU signed by both parties in 2004, the new agreement expands the scope of mutual recognition of approvals of maintenance organizations to cover all aircraft, engine and component maintenance. It allows maintenance organizations in Hong Kong to maintain aircraft registered in Singapore without seeking additional approval from CAAS, and maintenance organizations in Singapore may maintain aircraft registered in Hong Kong without separate approval from CAD.
Speaking in Singapore on Friday, CAD Director-General Norman Losaid mutual recognition would reduce duplication of approvals and auditing activities, maximizing the resource utilization of both regulators and industry partners.
Lo said the use of common airworthiness standards would improve aircraft maintenance quality.
Hong Kong has had similar mutual recognition arrangements on aircraft maintenance with Canada since 2005 and will continue to extend the mutual recognition arrangement to other overseas regulatory authorities.
Source: Xinhua
Nigeria's former player insists inexperience cost team Olympic gold
A prominent member of the Atlanta '96 Olympic winning squad, Garba Lawal, has hinged the Under-23 team's failure to win gold in the men's soccer event of the just concluded Beijing 2008 Olympic Games on the lack of quality and inexperience in the side.
Lawal graduated from the Olympic team to command regular starting roles in the Super Eagles, insisted that Argentina deserved to win the gold medal after beating Nigeria 1-0 in the final on Saturday in Beijing.
The versatile former Holland-based player said although he expected Nigeria to reach the final, but was not convinced the team could win the competition.
"I wanted us to win but the team lacked the quality and experience to do so, the Argentines were clearly better. Individually, they were better and more organized," he said.
"Our players deserve lots of praise for giving the country silver at the competition. I hope we'll perform better next time," he said.
According to him, the 1996 squad was incomparable to the 2008 team because there was no basis for comparison, adding that the Atlanta '96 squad was stronger and the majority of the team was regulars in the Super Eagles.
He insisted that the Argentine team the country defeated 3-2 to win the Atlanta '96 gold medal was stronger than the 2008 squad.
"We played against the likes of Ariel Ortega, Roberto Sensini, Hernan Crespo, Roberto Ayala, Diego Simeone and Jose Chamot," he said.
Source: Xinhua
Lawal graduated from the Olympic team to command regular starting roles in the Super Eagles, insisted that Argentina deserved to win the gold medal after beating Nigeria 1-0 in the final on Saturday in Beijing.
The versatile former Holland-based player said although he expected Nigeria to reach the final, but was not convinced the team could win the competition.
"I wanted us to win but the team lacked the quality and experience to do so, the Argentines were clearly better. Individually, they were better and more organized," he said.
"Our players deserve lots of praise for giving the country silver at the competition. I hope we'll perform better next time," he said.
According to him, the 1996 squad was incomparable to the 2008 team because there was no basis for comparison, adding that the Atlanta '96 squad was stronger and the majority of the team was regulars in the Super Eagles.
He insisted that the Argentine team the country defeated 3-2 to win the Atlanta '96 gold medal was stronger than the 2008 squad.
"We played against the likes of Ariel Ortega, Roberto Sensini, Hernan Crespo, Roberto Ayala, Diego Simeone and Jose Chamot," he said.
Source: Xinhua
China, Turkmenistan to expand cooperation in various fields
Chinese President Hu Jintao shakes hands with Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov before having talks in Ashgabat August 29, 2008.
Visiting Chinese President Hu Jintao and his Turkmen counterpart Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov have agreed to expand cooperation in various fields so as to push the friendly ties forward, according to a joint statement issued here Friday.
The two leaders noted with satisfaction that bilateral ties have enjoyed sound and steady development and yielded rich fruits in recent years.
They agreed further development and consolidation of bilateral ties will continue to guide the foreign policies of both countries.
COOPERATION IN POLITICS
The two countries will continue to exchange high-level official visits and conduct exchanges at various levels, the statement said, adding that efforts will be intensified to implement bilateral agreements in a bid to boost mutual political trust.
The two nations will strengthen communication between the two parliaments, conduct friendly exchanges and cooperation at various levels and further improve the legal basis for bilateral cooperation, the statement added.
President Hu hailed the remarkable achievements made by Turkmenistan in national construction and social-economic development, reaffirming China's staunch support to the Central Asian country in choosing its own model of development suited to its national realities.
Chinese President Hu Jintao in the company of Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov reviews the honour guard at a welcmoing ceremony in Ashgabat August 29, 2008. Chinese President Hu Jintao met with his Turkmen counterpart Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov Friday in Ashgabat for talks on the promotion of bilateral relations.
President Berdymukhamedov reiterated his country's adherence to the one-China policy, saying that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China, and that Turkmenistan opposes any form of "Taiwan independence" and supports all efforts by the Chinese government to realize national reunification.
Hu thanked Turkmenistan for its unwavering support to China in cracking down on the East Turkistan terrorists and the "three evil forces" of terrorism, separatism and extremism.
The two leaders also pledged to enhance cooperation within multilateral frameworks including the United Nations and intensify coordination on international and regional issues, in an effort to create better external conditions for the development of both countries.
COOPERATION IN ECONOMY & TRADE
According to the joint statement, a Sino-Turkmen cooperation committee is to be founded to comprehensively promote bilateral cooperation in trade, energy, security, culture and education.
Both sides promised to give prominence to win-win economic cooperation, equality and mutual benefit, based on which the two nations will boost bilateral cooperation in energy, transportation, telecommunications, chemical industry, textile and building materials.
Both countries will create favorable conditions to expedite contracted projects and make sure the Sino-Turkmen natural gas pipeline goes into service as scheduled.
Chinese President Hu Jintao shakes hands with Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov after being awarded the "Niyazov" medal by the latter in Ashgabat, capital of Turkmenistan, August 29, 2008.
The two sides will also provide favorable conditions with the permission of law for natural, legal and other economic entities of both countries to engage in investment, trade and economic and technology cooperation.
The legal framework for bilateral economic cooperation will be further strengthened, the statement said.
Both sides are determined to further enhance cooperation in culture, education, arts, sports, education, public health and tourism.
President Hu Jintao arrived in Turkmenistan's capital of Ashgabat on Thursday night for a state visit aimed at pushing forward the friendly and cooperative ties between the two nations.
Source: Xinhua
Visiting Chinese President Hu Jintao and his Turkmen counterpart Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov have agreed to expand cooperation in various fields so as to push the friendly ties forward, according to a joint statement issued here Friday.
The two leaders noted with satisfaction that bilateral ties have enjoyed sound and steady development and yielded rich fruits in recent years.
They agreed further development and consolidation of bilateral ties will continue to guide the foreign policies of both countries.
COOPERATION IN POLITICS
The two countries will continue to exchange high-level official visits and conduct exchanges at various levels, the statement said, adding that efforts will be intensified to implement bilateral agreements in a bid to boost mutual political trust.
The two nations will strengthen communication between the two parliaments, conduct friendly exchanges and cooperation at various levels and further improve the legal basis for bilateral cooperation, the statement added.
President Hu hailed the remarkable achievements made by Turkmenistan in national construction and social-economic development, reaffirming China's staunch support to the Central Asian country in choosing its own model of development suited to its national realities.
Chinese President Hu Jintao in the company of Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov reviews the honour guard at a welcmoing ceremony in Ashgabat August 29, 2008. Chinese President Hu Jintao met with his Turkmen counterpart Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov Friday in Ashgabat for talks on the promotion of bilateral relations.
President Berdymukhamedov reiterated his country's adherence to the one-China policy, saying that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China, and that Turkmenistan opposes any form of "Taiwan independence" and supports all efforts by the Chinese government to realize national reunification.
Hu thanked Turkmenistan for its unwavering support to China in cracking down on the East Turkistan terrorists and the "three evil forces" of terrorism, separatism and extremism.
The two leaders also pledged to enhance cooperation within multilateral frameworks including the United Nations and intensify coordination on international and regional issues, in an effort to create better external conditions for the development of both countries.
COOPERATION IN ECONOMY & TRADE
According to the joint statement, a Sino-Turkmen cooperation committee is to be founded to comprehensively promote bilateral cooperation in trade, energy, security, culture and education.
Both sides promised to give prominence to win-win economic cooperation, equality and mutual benefit, based on which the two nations will boost bilateral cooperation in energy, transportation, telecommunications, chemical industry, textile and building materials.
Both countries will create favorable conditions to expedite contracted projects and make sure the Sino-Turkmen natural gas pipeline goes into service as scheduled.
Chinese President Hu Jintao shakes hands with Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov after being awarded the "Niyazov" medal by the latter in Ashgabat, capital of Turkmenistan, August 29, 2008.
The two sides will also provide favorable conditions with the permission of law for natural, legal and other economic entities of both countries to engage in investment, trade and economic and technology cooperation.
The legal framework for bilateral economic cooperation will be further strengthened, the statement said.
Both sides are determined to further enhance cooperation in culture, education, arts, sports, education, public health and tourism.
President Hu Jintao arrived in Turkmenistan's capital of Ashgabat on Thursday night for a state visit aimed at pushing forward the friendly and cooperative ties between the two nations.
Source: Xinhua
China hands over assisted optical fiber cable project to Nepal
China handed over an optical fiber cable project to Nepal on Friday.
Chinese ambassador to Nepal Zheng Xianglin, on behalf of the Chinese government, and Rameshore Prasad Khanal, secretary at Finance Ministry of Nepal, on behalf of the Nepali government attended the handover ceremony of Zhangmu-Kathmandu Optical Fiber Cable project.
"This over 100 km information express highway has been smoothly completed within seven-month. It is the result of joint efforts and the achievement of China-Nepal friendly cooperation," Zheng said at the ceremony, adding "I would like to extend my sincere congratulations to the completion and utilization of this information express highway."
"This high-tech optical fiber cable has adopted the cutting-edge technology of today and preserved huge room for Nepal's development of information industry in the future," Zheng said.
Currently, the new Nepali government has just taken into shape, and this is the first assisted project being handed over to the new government, according to Secretary Khanal. He also hoped that with joint efforts, there will be more cooperation and projects in the future between the two countries.
Source: Xinhua
Chinese ambassador to Nepal Zheng Xianglin, on behalf of the Chinese government, and Rameshore Prasad Khanal, secretary at Finance Ministry of Nepal, on behalf of the Nepali government attended the handover ceremony of Zhangmu-Kathmandu Optical Fiber Cable project.
"This over 100 km information express highway has been smoothly completed within seven-month. It is the result of joint efforts and the achievement of China-Nepal friendly cooperation," Zheng said at the ceremony, adding "I would like to extend my sincere congratulations to the completion and utilization of this information express highway."
"This high-tech optical fiber cable has adopted the cutting-edge technology of today and preserved huge room for Nepal's development of information industry in the future," Zheng said.
Currently, the new Nepali government has just taken into shape, and this is the first assisted project being handed over to the new government, according to Secretary Khanal. He also hoped that with joint efforts, there will be more cooperation and projects in the future between the two countries.
Source: Xinhua
Chinese special envoy visits Sudan
Special Envoy of the Chinese Government and Assistant Foreign Minister Zhai Jun arrived here Friday for a visit to Sudan.
Zhai told reporters at the Khartoum International Airport that his visit came "in the framework of continuous consultation and coordination between the two friendly countries."
He disclosed that he would hold talks with Sudanese leaders on bilateral relations and other issues of common concern.
The Chinese envoy was received at the airport by Mutrif Sadiq, the undersecretary of the Sudanese Foreign Minister and Li Cheng Wen, the Chinese Ambassador to Sudan.
Source: Xinhua
Zhai told reporters at the Khartoum International Airport that his visit came "in the framework of continuous consultation and coordination between the two friendly countries."
He disclosed that he would hold talks with Sudanese leaders on bilateral relations and other issues of common concern.
The Chinese envoy was received at the airport by Mutrif Sadiq, the undersecretary of the Sudanese Foreign Minister and Li Cheng Wen, the Chinese Ambassador to Sudan.
Source: Xinhua
Tajikistan, Russia to boost strategic partnership
The presidents of Tajikistan and Russia on Friday agreed to further expand friendly exchange and deepen strategic partnership between their two countries.
Russian President Dmitri Medvedev arrived here Friday for an official visit at the invitation of his Tajik counterpart Emomali Rakhmon, according to Rakhmon's website which posted a joint statement issued by the two presidents.
During their talks, Medvedev and Rakhmon discussed the Russian-Tajik relations and their prospects and exchanged views on regional and international issues of common concern.
They spoke highly of the development of bilateral trade, which grows 50 percent annually on the average, saying hydropower would be a priority of their future cooperation.
The two countries will also cooperate in natural gas explorations in the Tajik territory, said the statement.
The two presidents said the two countries hold similar positions on important international issues, and agreed to expand their constructive bilateral cooperation and work with each other within the framework of the Commonwealth of Independent States, the Eurasian Economic Community, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization , the United Nations, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe and other regional and world organizations.
Tajikistan and Russia highly value their cooperation in the framework of the SCO, which they believe plays a vital role in safeguarding security in central Asia and promoting trade and cultural cooperation among its member nations.
Source: Xinhua
Russian President Dmitri Medvedev arrived here Friday for an official visit at the invitation of his Tajik counterpart Emomali Rakhmon, according to Rakhmon's website which posted a joint statement issued by the two presidents.
During their talks, Medvedev and Rakhmon discussed the Russian-Tajik relations and their prospects and exchanged views on regional and international issues of common concern.
They spoke highly of the development of bilateral trade, which grows 50 percent annually on the average, saying hydropower would be a priority of their future cooperation.
The two countries will also cooperate in natural gas explorations in the Tajik territory, said the statement.
The two presidents said the two countries hold similar positions on important international issues, and agreed to expand their constructive bilateral cooperation and work with each other within the framework of the Commonwealth of Independent States, the Eurasian Economic Community, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization , the United Nations, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe and other regional and world organizations.
Tajikistan and Russia highly value their cooperation in the framework of the SCO, which they believe plays a vital role in safeguarding security in central Asia and promoting trade and cultural cooperation among its member nations.
Source: Xinhua
Hu: Sino-Turkmen cooperation needs support from legislatures
Chinese President Hu Jintao meets with Chairwoman of the Turkmen Assembly Akdzha Nurberdyeva in Ashgabat, capital of Turkmenistan, August 29, 2008.
The promotion of cooperation between China and Turkmenistan requires the support of their respective legislatures, Chinese President Hu Jintao said here Friday.
Hu, who is on a state visit to the Central Asian country, made the remarks at a meeting with Akdzha Nurberdyeva, chairperson of the Majlis, or the Turkmen parliament.
"China hopes Turkmenistan's Majlis will continue to nurture and support the growth of bilateral ties," President Hu said.
He hailed the smooth growth of bilateral relations since the two countries forged diplomatic relations 16 years ago.
"China's economy is complementary to that of Turkmenistan, and bilateral economic cooperation has much potential to move forward," he said.
With the launching of key energy projects like a major gas pipeline, China and Turkmenistan can boost cooperation in many fields, the Chinese leader added.
However, the promotion of meaningful bilateral cooperation needs the strong support of both countries' legislatures, Hu said.
In response, Nurberdyeva said the friendship between Turkmenistan and China goes back a long way and the two nations have a long history of people-to-people exchanges.
"The social and economic development of both countries has seen rapid growth with huge potential remaining to be tapped," she said.
She emphasized that the Turkmen parliament firmly supports "the growth of friendly and cooperative bilateral relations."
Hu also expressed hope that the Chinese National People's Congress and the Turkmen parliament would increase exchanges to enable them to contribute further to bilateral ties.
On Friday afternoon, Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov hosted a ceremony to honor President Hu with a "Niyazov" medal, the highest medal of the country awarded to foreign leaders for their great achievements in safeguarding world and regional peace and promoting the relations with Turkmenistan.
Turkmenistan is the last stop of President Hu's three-nation Asian tour.
He has already visited the Republic of Korea and Tajikistan, where he attended the annual summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization .
Source: Xinhua
The promotion of cooperation between China and Turkmenistan requires the support of their respective legislatures, Chinese President Hu Jintao said here Friday.
Hu, who is on a state visit to the Central Asian country, made the remarks at a meeting with Akdzha Nurberdyeva, chairperson of the Majlis, or the Turkmen parliament.
"China hopes Turkmenistan's Majlis will continue to nurture and support the growth of bilateral ties," President Hu said.
He hailed the smooth growth of bilateral relations since the two countries forged diplomatic relations 16 years ago.
"China's economy is complementary to that of Turkmenistan, and bilateral economic cooperation has much potential to move forward," he said.
With the launching of key energy projects like a major gas pipeline, China and Turkmenistan can boost cooperation in many fields, the Chinese leader added.
However, the promotion of meaningful bilateral cooperation needs the strong support of both countries' legislatures, Hu said.
In response, Nurberdyeva said the friendship between Turkmenistan and China goes back a long way and the two nations have a long history of people-to-people exchanges.
"The social and economic development of both countries has seen rapid growth with huge potential remaining to be tapped," she said.
She emphasized that the Turkmen parliament firmly supports "the growth of friendly and cooperative bilateral relations."
Hu also expressed hope that the Chinese National People's Congress and the Turkmen parliament would increase exchanges to enable them to contribute further to bilateral ties.
On Friday afternoon, Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov hosted a ceremony to honor President Hu with a "Niyazov" medal, the highest medal of the country awarded to foreign leaders for their great achievements in safeguarding world and regional peace and promoting the relations with Turkmenistan.
Turkmenistan is the last stop of President Hu's three-nation Asian tour.
He has already visited the Republic of Korea and Tajikistan, where he attended the annual summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization .
Source: Xinhua
FM: Chinese president's Asian tour of strategic significance for regional peace, stability
Chinese President Hu Jintao's three-nation tour to Central Asia has strategic significance for regional peace and stability, Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi said Friday.
The president has engaged in extensive exchange of views with the leaders of Turkmenistan, South Korea, Tajikistan and Russia on bilateral ties and major international and regional issues of common concern, reaching broad consensus, said Yang, who is accompanying Hu during the tour.
TO DEEPEN COOPERATION, STRENGTHEN TIES
After China's establishment of diplomatic ties with South Korea, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan 16 years ago, its ties with the three countries have enjoyed rapid development, and the fields of bilateral cooperation have witnessed continuous expansion.
During President Hu's visit, China issued a joint communique with South Korea and released joint statements with Tajikistan and Turkmenistan. Over 30 bilateral cooperative documents have been inked between China and the three nations.
In Seoul, Hu said China's ties with South Korea should aim at achieving common development of long term, and the two countries should share development opportunities, face challenges together, deepen comprehensive cooperation and enhance coordination and cooperation in dealing with major international and regional issues.
During his visit to Tajikistan, Hu said it's China's set policy to further develop the Chinese-Tajik relations of lasting friendship, equality and trust, mutual benefit and win-win outcome.
In the Turkmen capital of Ashgabat, Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov called China as one of its main and reliable partners.
Both sides agreed to strengthen exchanges at various levels, deepen coordination and dialogue, promote cooperation in infrastructure and energy.
South Korea, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan all reiterated their adherence to the one-China policy on the Taiwan and Tibet issues, and their support to China's efforts to safeguard sovereignty and territorial integrity.
TO PROMOTE SCO DEVELOPMENT
After years of development, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization has become an important organization to safeguard peace and stability in Central Asia, push forward economic growth and strengthen cultural exchanges, Yang noted.
In a keynote speech at the SCO summit Thursday in Dushanbe, President Hu presented an in-depth analysis of the regional security situation and the threats and challenges confronting the SCO member states.
Appealing to member states to further relations and implement the Treaty on Long-term Good-neighborliness, Friendship and Cooperation, Hu called on all sides to consolidate political mutual trust, enhance cooperation in security, economy and culture, and work together to build up regional harmony, Yang said.
The Dushanbe summit of the SCO culminated with the signing of several important documents such as the SCO Dialogue Partnership Protocol and a joint declaration, the Chinese foreign minister said.
On the sidelines of the summit, President Hu held meetings with his Russian and Kyrgyz counterparts and exchanged views on bilateral ties and international and regional issues of common concern, cementing bilateral understanding and trust, and furthering mutually beneficial cooperation, Yang said.
TO CLARIFY DEVELOPMENT PATH
Throughout his tour and at the SCO summit, President Hu elaborated on China's domestic and foreign policies, emphasizing that his country's achievements in the past 30 years had sprung from its reform and opening-up policy and that its future development will also rely on the same.
The Chinese people will unswervingly continue the reform and opening-up, strive for a moderately well-off society and accelerate modernization, said Hu.
China will persistently follow the path of peaceful development and a reciprocal win-win strategy in its opening-up policy, he reiterated.
Hu noted that China seeks peaceful, open and cooperative development, and endeavors to construct a harmonious world of lasting peace and common prosperity.
President Hu's three-nation tour lived up to initial expectations and was deemed as a successful visit of sticking to good-neighborliness, deepening solidarity and mutual trust and seeking mutual benefit and win-win outcome, Yang said.
Hu's tour will have a significant and far-reaching influence on upgrading China's relations with the three countries, promoting a long-term, healthy and stable development of the SCO and building up regional and international harmony, Yang concluded.
Source: Xinhua
The president has engaged in extensive exchange of views with the leaders of Turkmenistan, South Korea, Tajikistan and Russia on bilateral ties and major international and regional issues of common concern, reaching broad consensus, said Yang, who is accompanying Hu during the tour.
TO DEEPEN COOPERATION, STRENGTHEN TIES
After China's establishment of diplomatic ties with South Korea, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan 16 years ago, its ties with the three countries have enjoyed rapid development, and the fields of bilateral cooperation have witnessed continuous expansion.
During President Hu's visit, China issued a joint communique with South Korea and released joint statements with Tajikistan and Turkmenistan. Over 30 bilateral cooperative documents have been inked between China and the three nations.
In Seoul, Hu said China's ties with South Korea should aim at achieving common development of long term, and the two countries should share development opportunities, face challenges together, deepen comprehensive cooperation and enhance coordination and cooperation in dealing with major international and regional issues.
During his visit to Tajikistan, Hu said it's China's set policy to further develop the Chinese-Tajik relations of lasting friendship, equality and trust, mutual benefit and win-win outcome.
In the Turkmen capital of Ashgabat, Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov called China as one of its main and reliable partners.
Both sides agreed to strengthen exchanges at various levels, deepen coordination and dialogue, promote cooperation in infrastructure and energy.
South Korea, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan all reiterated their adherence to the one-China policy on the Taiwan and Tibet issues, and their support to China's efforts to safeguard sovereignty and territorial integrity.
TO PROMOTE SCO DEVELOPMENT
After years of development, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization has become an important organization to safeguard peace and stability in Central Asia, push forward economic growth and strengthen cultural exchanges, Yang noted.
In a keynote speech at the SCO summit Thursday in Dushanbe, President Hu presented an in-depth analysis of the regional security situation and the threats and challenges confronting the SCO member states.
Appealing to member states to further relations and implement the Treaty on Long-term Good-neighborliness, Friendship and Cooperation, Hu called on all sides to consolidate political mutual trust, enhance cooperation in security, economy and culture, and work together to build up regional harmony, Yang said.
The Dushanbe summit of the SCO culminated with the signing of several important documents such as the SCO Dialogue Partnership Protocol and a joint declaration, the Chinese foreign minister said.
On the sidelines of the summit, President Hu held meetings with his Russian and Kyrgyz counterparts and exchanged views on bilateral ties and international and regional issues of common concern, cementing bilateral understanding and trust, and furthering mutually beneficial cooperation, Yang said.
TO CLARIFY DEVELOPMENT PATH
Throughout his tour and at the SCO summit, President Hu elaborated on China's domestic and foreign policies, emphasizing that his country's achievements in the past 30 years had sprung from its reform and opening-up policy and that its future development will also rely on the same.
The Chinese people will unswervingly continue the reform and opening-up, strive for a moderately well-off society and accelerate modernization, said Hu.
China will persistently follow the path of peaceful development and a reciprocal win-win strategy in its opening-up policy, he reiterated.
Hu noted that China seeks peaceful, open and cooperative development, and endeavors to construct a harmonious world of lasting peace and common prosperity.
President Hu's three-nation tour lived up to initial expectations and was deemed as a successful visit of sticking to good-neighborliness, deepening solidarity and mutual trust and seeking mutual benefit and win-win outcome, Yang said.
Hu's tour will have a significant and far-reaching influence on upgrading China's relations with the three countries, promoting a long-term, healthy and stable development of the SCO and building up regional and international harmony, Yang concluded.
Source: Xinhua
Chinese president concludes three-nation trip
Chinese President Hu Jintao left the Turkmen capital of Ashgabat for home on Friday, concluding his three-nation trip that had earlier taken him to South Korea and Tajikistan.
During the visit to Turkmenistan, Hu held talks with his Turkmen counterpart Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov on the expansion of friendly cooperation between the two countries, and both pledged to make joint efforts to push forward bilateral ties.
They also exchanged views on major international and regional issues.
Chinese diplomats say that President Hu's visit has fulfilled the goal of strengthening friendship and enlarging mutually-beneficial cooperation between the two countries.
Since China and Turkmenistan established diplomatic relations 16 years ago, bilateral ties have progressed rapidly with both countries witnessing frequent high-level exchanges, strong political trust and remarkable cooperation in trade, energy, transport and culture.
The Chinese president arrived in Ashgabat on Thursday evening. He began his three-nation trip on Monday.
In the Tajik capital of Dushanbe, President Hu attended the summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.
Source: Xinhua
During the visit to Turkmenistan, Hu held talks with his Turkmen counterpart Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov on the expansion of friendly cooperation between the two countries, and both pledged to make joint efforts to push forward bilateral ties.
They also exchanged views on major international and regional issues.
Chinese diplomats say that President Hu's visit has fulfilled the goal of strengthening friendship and enlarging mutually-beneficial cooperation between the two countries.
Since China and Turkmenistan established diplomatic relations 16 years ago, bilateral ties have progressed rapidly with both countries witnessing frequent high-level exchanges, strong political trust and remarkable cooperation in trade, energy, transport and culture.
The Chinese president arrived in Ashgabat on Thursday evening. He began his three-nation trip on Monday.
In the Tajik capital of Dushanbe, President Hu attended the summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.
Source: Xinhua
Chinese president back in Beijing after three-nation visit, SCO summit
Chinese President Hu Jintao arrived in Beijing Saturday morning following state visits to the Republic of Korea , Tajikistan and Turkmenistan since August 25.
Hu also attended the eighth annual summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization held on August 28 in Dushanbe, Tajikistan's capital.
Source: Xinhua
Hu also attended the eighth annual summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization held on August 28 in Dushanbe, Tajikistan's capital.
Source: Xinhua
Chinese offical highlights public fiscal system and budget management
The Chinese government should improve budget management and public fiscal system construction, said an official with the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress on Friday.
Zhu Zhigang, director of the Budgetary Work Commission of the NPC Standing Committee, made the remarks in a lecture, which was hosted by Chairman of the NPC Standing Committee Wu Bangguo.
A public fiscal system was a major component of China's market-oriented economy, said Zhu.
He suggested the government improve its fiscal and taxation system, speed up fiscal-related legislation, and ensure an open, fair and transparent fiscal mechanism.
The NPC should closely monitor revenues and expenditure, and supervise fiscal deficits.
China's fiscal revenue was 5.13 trillion yuan in 2007, up 32.4 percent over the previous year, while fiscal expenditure rose 23.2 percent to 4.98 trillion yuan.
Source: Xinhua
Zhu Zhigang, director of the Budgetary Work Commission of the NPC Standing Committee, made the remarks in a lecture, which was hosted by Chairman of the NPC Standing Committee Wu Bangguo.
A public fiscal system was a major component of China's market-oriented economy, said Zhu.
He suggested the government improve its fiscal and taxation system, speed up fiscal-related legislation, and ensure an open, fair and transparent fiscal mechanism.
The NPC should closely monitor revenues and expenditure, and supervise fiscal deficits.
China's fiscal revenue was 5.13 trillion yuan in 2007, up 32.4 percent over the previous year, while fiscal expenditure rose 23.2 percent to 4.98 trillion yuan.
Source: Xinhua
More fund support set for Hong Kong elite athletes
Hong Kong Home Affairs Bureau announced Friday that an additional 8 million HK dollars will be provided annually to the Hong Kong Sports Institute to help more athletes receive full-time training.
Half the recurrent fund is for direct financial support for athletes and the rest is for strengthening the institute's elite training program.
The bureau currently allocates 130 million HK dollars in recurrent funding to the institute for elite training.
In July the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government invested 8.5 million HK dollars as a one-off start-up fund for the Sports Federation and Olympic Committee of Hong Kong to implement the Hong Kong Athletes Career and Education Program, which provides athletes support to pursue higher education and vocational development when they retire.
Together with other sponsorships, the fund has now reached 14 million HK dollars .
The bureau has also reached consensus with eight University Grants Committee funded institutions to strengthen their academic support for elite athletes.
Shue Yan University, the Institute of Vocational Education and the Chu Hai College of Higher Education will also provide assistance.
The HKSAR government will spend 1.8 billion HK dollars in the redevelopment of the sports institute. More than 1 billion HK dollars has been spent on new venues and upgrading facilities for the East Asian Games next year.
The total operational expenditure for the games is 240 million HK dollars . A total of 63 million HK dollars sponsorship has so far been received.
Source: Xinhua
Half the recurrent fund is for direct financial support for athletes and the rest is for strengthening the institute's elite training program.
The bureau currently allocates 130 million HK dollars in recurrent funding to the institute for elite training.
In July the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government invested 8.5 million HK dollars as a one-off start-up fund for the Sports Federation and Olympic Committee of Hong Kong to implement the Hong Kong Athletes Career and Education Program, which provides athletes support to pursue higher education and vocational development when they retire.
Together with other sponsorships, the fund has now reached 14 million HK dollars .
The bureau has also reached consensus with eight University Grants Committee funded institutions to strengthen their academic support for elite athletes.
Shue Yan University, the Institute of Vocational Education and the Chu Hai College of Higher Education will also provide assistance.
The HKSAR government will spend 1.8 billion HK dollars in the redevelopment of the sports institute. More than 1 billion HK dollars has been spent on new venues and upgrading facilities for the East Asian Games next year.
The total operational expenditure for the games is 240 million HK dollars . A total of 63 million HK dollars sponsorship has so far been received.
Source: Xinhua
Police arrest three over Xinjiang killings
Police in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region have killed six people and arrested three others during their investigation into the killings of five police and security staff this month.
Police encountered nine suspects in a corn field in Ying'erlike Township, Shule County, Kashi Prefecture, on Friday evening, said a spokesman with Kashi police department.
The knife-wielding suspects tried to resist the police and put up a "desperate struggle", injuring a militia man and an armed soldier, the spokesman said.
The police fought back and shot and killed six people. The other three were injured and arrested, he said.
Initial investigations showed the suspects were linked with two attacks on Aug. 12 and 27, he added.
Four security staff were attacked at a road checkpoint in Yamanya Town, Shule County, on Aug. 12. Only one of the four survived, but with injuries. The assailants fled after the attack.
Two police staff were killed and five others were injured in a knife attack on Wednesday as they were investigating Aug. 12 attack in a corn field in Kizilboyi Town, in Kashi's Jiashi County.
Source: Xinhua
Police encountered nine suspects in a corn field in Ying'erlike Township, Shule County, Kashi Prefecture, on Friday evening, said a spokesman with Kashi police department.
The knife-wielding suspects tried to resist the police and put up a "desperate struggle", injuring a militia man and an armed soldier, the spokesman said.
The police fought back and shot and killed six people. The other three were injured and arrested, he said.
Initial investigations showed the suspects were linked with two attacks on Aug. 12 and 27, he added.
Four security staff were attacked at a road checkpoint in Yamanya Town, Shule County, on Aug. 12. Only one of the four survived, but with injuries. The assailants fled after the attack.
Two police staff were killed and five others were injured in a knife attack on Wednesday as they were investigating Aug. 12 attack in a corn field in Kizilboyi Town, in Kashi's Jiashi County.
Source: Xinhua
Beijingers give Olympics almost unanimous "successful" rating
An official survey has found 98.6 percent of the Beijing residents consider the Olympics "successful".
The Beijing Bureau of Statistics questioned by telephone 3,032 people from the capital's 18 districts and counties on their views on the Olympic Games from Aug. 8-24.
Of the respondents, 82 percent said the Games was "very successful", and 16.6 percent regarded it as "quite successful", the bureau said Friday.
The survey found 97.7 percent attributed the success to the government's strong organization and coordination, 97.2 percent to the volunteers' enthusiastic service and 96.8 percent to the general public's active involvement.
Meanwhile, 90 percent of the respondents said bad habits such as littering decreased during the Games, 89.6 percent found more people offered seats to those in need on public transport, and 87 percent said fewer people jumped queues or quarreled in public places during the Games.
The Olympics helped enhance public awareness of environmental protection, according to 42.6 percent of those surveyed.
Asked what concerns the Beijing people most now the Olympics were over, most respondents said environmental protection was their top concern, followed by commodity prices, transport, the national economy, incomes, housing and employment.
Source: Xinhua
The Beijing Bureau of Statistics questioned by telephone 3,032 people from the capital's 18 districts and counties on their views on the Olympic Games from Aug. 8-24.
Of the respondents, 82 percent said the Games was "very successful", and 16.6 percent regarded it as "quite successful", the bureau said Friday.
The survey found 97.7 percent attributed the success to the government's strong organization and coordination, 97.2 percent to the volunteers' enthusiastic service and 96.8 percent to the general public's active involvement.
Meanwhile, 90 percent of the respondents said bad habits such as littering decreased during the Games, 89.6 percent found more people offered seats to those in need on public transport, and 87 percent said fewer people jumped queues or quarreled in public places during the Games.
The Olympics helped enhance public awareness of environmental protection, according to 42.6 percent of those surveyed.
Asked what concerns the Beijing people most now the Olympics were over, most respondents said environmental protection was their top concern, followed by commodity prices, transport, the national economy, incomes, housing and employment.
Source: Xinhua
Chinese vice president urges more efforts on Beijing Paralympics
Chinese Vice-President Xi Jinping examines a traffic control and command system for the Beijing Paralympic Games during an inspection in Beijing August 29, 2008.
Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping on Friday urged more efforts in preparing for next month's Beijing Paralympic Games, during an inspection tour of Games venues and Paralympic village.
"With the Games only a week away, we should try our best for the preparation, organization and security work at this final phase," Xi said.
The Beijing Games would have more participating countries and regions than any previous Paralympics, he said.
The success of Beijing Olympics provided good experience in presenting an excellent, successful and passionate Paralympics, he said.
Xi said the country's attention to the rights of handicapped people was a remarkable feature of China's human right cause.
"A successful Paralympics would further promote the development of the country's cause of the disabled," he said.
Chinese Vice-President Xi Jinping shakes hands with a blind Chinese sportsman during an inspection of the gymnasiums for the Beijing Paralympic Games in Beijing August 29, 2008.
Source: Xinhua
Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping on Friday urged more efforts in preparing for next month's Beijing Paralympic Games, during an inspection tour of Games venues and Paralympic village.
"With the Games only a week away, we should try our best for the preparation, organization and security work at this final phase," Xi said.
The Beijing Games would have more participating countries and regions than any previous Paralympics, he said.
The success of Beijing Olympics provided good experience in presenting an excellent, successful and passionate Paralympics, he said.
Xi said the country's attention to the rights of handicapped people was a remarkable feature of China's human right cause.
"A successful Paralympics would further promote the development of the country's cause of the disabled," he said.
Chinese Vice-President Xi Jinping shakes hands with a blind Chinese sportsman during an inspection of the gymnasiums for the Beijing Paralympic Games in Beijing August 29, 2008.
Source: Xinhua
China, Turkmenistan pledge to intensify bilateral co-op
Visiting Chinese President Hu Jintao and his Turkmen counterpart Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov have agreed to expand cooperation in various fields so as to push the friendly ties forward, according to a joint statement issued here Friday.
The two leaders noted with satisfaction that bilateral ties have enjoyed sound and steady development and yielded rich fruits in recent years.
Chinese President Hu Jintao and Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov shake hands after signing a joint statement in Ashgabat, capital of Turkmenistan, August 29, 2008.
They agreed further development and consolidation of bilateral ties will continue to guide the foreign policies of both countries.
The two countries will continue to exchange high-level official visits and conduct exchanges at various levels, the statement said, adding that efforts will be intensified to implement bilateral agreements in a bid to boost mutual political trust.
The two nations will strengthen communication between the two parliaments, conduct friendly exchanges and cooperation at various levels and further improve the legal basis for bilateral cooperation, the statement added.
Chinese President Hu Jintao shakes hands with Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov after being awarded the "Niyazov" medal by the latter in Ashgabat, capital of Turkmenistan, Aug. 29, 2008.
President Hu hailed the remarkable achievements made by Turkmenistan in national construction and social-economic development, reaffirming China's staunch support to the Central Asian country in choosing its own model of development suited to its national realities.
President Berdymukhamedov reiterated his country's adherence to the one-China policy, saying that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China, and that Turkmenistan opposes any form of "Taiwan independence" and supports all efforts by the Chinese government to realize national reunification.
The two leaders agreed that the international community should respect the choice of development models among the Central Asian countries, which have their unique history and cultural traditions.
It is the common aspiration of all people living in Central Asia to maintain regional stability and peace while pushing forward economic development, the two presidents said.
China lauded Turkmen efforts to promote regional security, stability and development, the statement said.
Hu thanked Turkmenistan for its unwavering support to China in cracking down on the East Turkistan terrorists and the "three evil forces" of terrorism, separatism and extremism.
The two leaders pledged to enhance cooperation within multilateral frameworks including the United Nations and intensify coordination on international and regional issues, in an effort to create better external conditions for the development of both countries.
Source: Xinhua
The two leaders noted with satisfaction that bilateral ties have enjoyed sound and steady development and yielded rich fruits in recent years.
Chinese President Hu Jintao and Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov shake hands after signing a joint statement in Ashgabat, capital of Turkmenistan, August 29, 2008.
They agreed further development and consolidation of bilateral ties will continue to guide the foreign policies of both countries.
The two countries will continue to exchange high-level official visits and conduct exchanges at various levels, the statement said, adding that efforts will be intensified to implement bilateral agreements in a bid to boost mutual political trust.
The two nations will strengthen communication between the two parliaments, conduct friendly exchanges and cooperation at various levels and further improve the legal basis for bilateral cooperation, the statement added.
Chinese President Hu Jintao shakes hands with Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov after being awarded the "Niyazov" medal by the latter in Ashgabat, capital of Turkmenistan, Aug. 29, 2008.
President Hu hailed the remarkable achievements made by Turkmenistan in national construction and social-economic development, reaffirming China's staunch support to the Central Asian country in choosing its own model of development suited to its national realities.
President Berdymukhamedov reiterated his country's adherence to the one-China policy, saying that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China, and that Turkmenistan opposes any form of "Taiwan independence" and supports all efforts by the Chinese government to realize national reunification.
The two leaders agreed that the international community should respect the choice of development models among the Central Asian countries, which have their unique history and cultural traditions.
It is the common aspiration of all people living in Central Asia to maintain regional stability and peace while pushing forward economic development, the two presidents said.
China lauded Turkmen efforts to promote regional security, stability and development, the statement said.
Hu thanked Turkmenistan for its unwavering support to China in cracking down on the East Turkistan terrorists and the "three evil forces" of terrorism, separatism and extremism.
The two leaders pledged to enhance cooperation within multilateral frameworks including the United Nations and intensify coordination on international and regional issues, in an effort to create better external conditions for the development of both countries.
Source: Xinhua
More world leaders congratulate China on success of Beijing Olympics
More world leaders and parliament speakers have warmly congratulated China on the complete success of the Beijing Olympic Games.
Vietnamese President Nguyen Minh Triet, who had attended the opening ceremony of the Games in Beijing, said in his congratulatory message that the Beijing Olympiad, themed "One World, One Dream", was not only a global sports event, but a rare opportunity to share and promote unity, friendship and peace -- the common values of all humankind.
The successful hosting of the Games served as an opportunity for the whole world to deepen its understanding of China's social customs and culture, showcase China's ever growing international status and prestige, as well as its capability to host grand activities, Triet said.
Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda said the huge success of the Beijing Olympics will be carved into people's memories along with the image of fearless Chinese rescuing survivors after the devastating 8.0 magnitude earthquake in China's southwestern Sichuan province.
During the opening ceremony, China sent the world a strong message of "peace," which is not only China's goal, but also the direction that the whole world should take, Fukuda said.
He expressed hope of consolidating and enhancing the strategic and mutually beneficial relations between Japan and China, and together making a gesture of peace to the world.
Describing the Beijing Olympics as one of the most splendid sporting events, Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, the president of the Maldives, said the Games showcased China's recent rapid development, and promoted the spirit of friendship, unity and cooperation.
The king of Saudi Arabia, Abdullah bin Abdul-Aziz, said China achieved "unprecedented" success in organizing the Beijing Olympic Games.
The achievements made at the Games reflected the wishes of all humanity for peaceful coexistence, and increased friendship and cooperation, he said.
Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan highlighted the hospitality of the Chinese, the well-organized Olympics, the excellent facilities, and the opening ceremony coherent with Chinese culture and modern technology, all of which had left an indelible impression on the audience.
Nigerien President Mamadou Tandja congratulated China on the successful conclusion of the Beijing Olympics and expressed appreciation of the friendship between the two countries.
President Thomas Boni Yayi of Benin said the people of China were earnest and willing to be devoted to the Olympics, and the Chinese government had shown great foresight and brilliant leadership, all of which contributed to the success of the Beijing Games.
President Emanuel Mori of the Federated States of Micronesia said he had left China with the full understanding of the "One World, One Dream" theme and appealed for the building of a better world for everyone.
Argentine Vice President Julio Cobos said the marvelous opening ceremony of the Beijing Games had amazed the world. China's perfect organization had allowed the athletes to participate in the sports gala without worries and compete for good results.
The speaker of the Lithuanian parliament or Seimas, Ceslovas Jursenas, said China had revealed its features, potential and long history to the world during the Olympics and wished the country success in its future comprehensive development.
Dimitris Sioufas, the president of the Greek parliament, praised China's historic contribution to the development of the Olympic Games and the great achievements of its reform and opening up policy. He expressed the belief that the China's development would inspire the whole world.
Jean Ping, the African Union Commission chairperson, said China had provided favorable conditions for the athletes which helped them achieve repeated successes. The foreign guests were all satisfied with the reception and the Beijing Olympics had gained world recognition, he added.
Source: Xinhua
Vietnamese President Nguyen Minh Triet, who had attended the opening ceremony of the Games in Beijing, said in his congratulatory message that the Beijing Olympiad, themed "One World, One Dream", was not only a global sports event, but a rare opportunity to share and promote unity, friendship and peace -- the common values of all humankind.
The successful hosting of the Games served as an opportunity for the whole world to deepen its understanding of China's social customs and culture, showcase China's ever growing international status and prestige, as well as its capability to host grand activities, Triet said.
Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda said the huge success of the Beijing Olympics will be carved into people's memories along with the image of fearless Chinese rescuing survivors after the devastating 8.0 magnitude earthquake in China's southwestern Sichuan province.
During the opening ceremony, China sent the world a strong message of "peace," which is not only China's goal, but also the direction that the whole world should take, Fukuda said.
He expressed hope of consolidating and enhancing the strategic and mutually beneficial relations between Japan and China, and together making a gesture of peace to the world.
Describing the Beijing Olympics as one of the most splendid sporting events, Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, the president of the Maldives, said the Games showcased China's recent rapid development, and promoted the spirit of friendship, unity and cooperation.
The king of Saudi Arabia, Abdullah bin Abdul-Aziz, said China achieved "unprecedented" success in organizing the Beijing Olympic Games.
The achievements made at the Games reflected the wishes of all humanity for peaceful coexistence, and increased friendship and cooperation, he said.
Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan highlighted the hospitality of the Chinese, the well-organized Olympics, the excellent facilities, and the opening ceremony coherent with Chinese culture and modern technology, all of which had left an indelible impression on the audience.
Nigerien President Mamadou Tandja congratulated China on the successful conclusion of the Beijing Olympics and expressed appreciation of the friendship between the two countries.
President Thomas Boni Yayi of Benin said the people of China were earnest and willing to be devoted to the Olympics, and the Chinese government had shown great foresight and brilliant leadership, all of which contributed to the success of the Beijing Games.
President Emanuel Mori of the Federated States of Micronesia said he had left China with the full understanding of the "One World, One Dream" theme and appealed for the building of a better world for everyone.
Argentine Vice President Julio Cobos said the marvelous opening ceremony of the Beijing Games had amazed the world. China's perfect organization had allowed the athletes to participate in the sports gala without worries and compete for good results.
The speaker of the Lithuanian parliament or Seimas, Ceslovas Jursenas, said China had revealed its features, potential and long history to the world during the Olympics and wished the country success in its future comprehensive development.
Dimitris Sioufas, the president of the Greek parliament, praised China's historic contribution to the development of the Olympic Games and the great achievements of its reform and opening up policy. He expressed the belief that the China's development would inspire the whole world.
Jean Ping, the African Union Commission chairperson, said China had provided favorable conditions for the athletes which helped them achieve repeated successes. The foreign guests were all satisfied with the reception and the Beijing Olympics had gained world recognition, he added.
Source: Xinhua
Monday, August 4, 2008
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