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Thousands arrested in drugs blitz

Some 7,800 people have been arrested for alleged drug offenses in Beijing since January during a police crackdown.

Of these, just over 70 percent are under the age of 35, the Beijing Public Security Bureau said.

Eighty-two percent allegedly used crystal methamphetamine, or "ice", followed by those who used heroin and marijuana, police said, adding that most of those arrested were jobless.

The problem of young people taking drugs has become a hot issue, with a series of young celebrities involved.

On Aug 18, Beijing police said that actor Jaycee Chan, 32, the son of kung fu movie superstar Jackie Chan, and Kai Ko, 23, an actor from Taiwan, had been detained on suspicion of taking drugs.

Li Wenjun, associate professor of drug prohibition studies at People's Public Security University of China, said: "More young people are using drugs or have become involved in drug-related cases in recent years, because more new-style synthetic drugs have entered the mainstream market."

Xi hails close ties with Uzbekistan

Top leaders from China and Uzbekistan mapped out the future of the countries' relationship on Aug 19 by signing a joint declaration in Beijing, ratifying a five-year plan and witnessing the sealing of seven agreements, covering various areas including economic and technical cooperation, energy and financing.

President Xi Jinping told Uzbek President Islam Karimov that the bilateral relationship being enjoyed is the best in their history, and the newly inked documents will "lay a foundation" for the sides to deepen cooperation.

Xi called for both sides to boost trade and investment, saying that China encourages its enterprises to increase investment and participate in industrial park construction in Uzbekistan.

He added the countries should work together for the construction of the Silk Road Economic Belt, and strengthen cooperation in energy, financing, agriculture and transportation.

He also highlighted the construction of Line-D of the China-Central Asia natural gas pipeline, and the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway project.

A gas pipeline already links the countries.

City brings balance to public information

Shanghai is bringing more transparency to its procuratorates via a "negative list" system, in a bid to guarantee the public's right to know and protect the interest of litigants.

The list developed by the Changning district procuratorate regulates 34 categories of information that are unsuitable for release, while any other information not on the list should be made public.

"Development of the negative list is to protect the victim, the defendant, the witness and juveniles," said Liu Jing, deputy chief procurator of the Changning district procuratorate.

Classified information regulated by the list includes trade secrets, rape cases, cases involving underage defendants, and "information that may bring pain and pressure to the litigants" if made public.

According to Chen Ming, chief procurator of the Changning district procuratorate, only selected information could be made public in the past, and much of this information was passively released under pressure.

Antitrust probes 'won't deter investors'

Antitrust investigations into foreign companies in China are unlikely to scare away foreign investors, despite the inflow of overseas spending in July hitting a two-year low, according to a top Commerce Ministry official, who added the country still expected FDI for the whole year to remain at the same level as last year.

"Just a few antitrust probes will not scare away foreign investors," insisted Shen Danyang, a spokesman for the Ministry of Commerce.

"As for China stepping up economic restructuring, it's normal to have some monthly fluctuations in foreign direct investment figures.

"This does not represent the overall FDI trend and should not be connected with antitrust probes into foreign companies. Groundless speculation is completely unnecessary," he said.

"We expect FDI for the whole year to remain at the same level as last year."

From January to July FDI flowing into China, excluding the financial sector, dropped by 0.35 percent from a year earlier to $71.14 billion, the ministry said. Total FDI last year was $117.59 billion.

In July alone, FDI slumped by 16.95 percent year-on-year to $7.81 billion, the lowest since July 2012, according to the ministry.

Licenses needed for foreign media

Foreign media organizations must obtain a license, as their Chinese counterparts are required to, if they want to open a public account and publish news on instant messaging tools in China, an official said on Aug 18.

Under a new rule, only the public accounts of news agencies, news websites and institutions with online news and information service licenses can publish and forward political news.

The rule, which was issued by the State Internet Information Office and took effect on Aug 7, also applies to foreign media, said Xu Feng, head of the office's mobile Internet department.

Foreign news providers must obtain a license to publish or forward political news on instant messaging products, such as WeChat, Xu said.

Liu Ruisheng, an associate researcher specializing in journalism at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said the rule is aimed at regulating instant messaging tools instead of restricting them.

"Foreign agencies, especially those publishing political news, should comply with the procedures to open a public account. It's reasonable and necessary," Liu said.

Smuggled rare turtles returned to Pakistan

Customs officers from the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region have returned more than 200 endangered black pond turtles that had been smuggled into the country from Pakistan.

It is the first time China has sent back smuggled rare animals to their source country.

The animals were handed over to Pakistani officials on Aug 18 in the Khunjerab Pass that links the two countries and they will be set free in a national park near Karachi.

The turtles were smuggled through the Khunjerab land port by a Pakistani businessman on June 13, it is alleged. Customs officers, who had received a tipoff, stopped the suspect's pickup at a checkpoint and found the turtles.

Five suspected buyers from China and a Pakistani middleman were caught later. All are being prosecuted.

Pakistan is one of the main habitats of the black pond turtle. The animal is listed on the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species and has first-degree national protection status in China.

Hospitals to offer suicide intervention

Psychological counseling and suicide intervention help will be available in Shanghai hospital emergency rooms, ahead of World Suicide Prevention Day on Sept 10.

Organized by Shanghai Xinsheng Psychological Crisis Intervention Center, the service will be run by 10 experts and a group of volunteers.

"Suicide can be prevented. Most suicide cases can be detected through some early signs, and nearly 90 percent of suicides can be prevented through comprehensive intervention," said psychological expert Shan Huaihai, who has been working in suicide intervention for more than 10 years.

The center plans to work with hospital emergency rooms to provide early treatment for unsuccessful suicides.

About 287,000 Chinese people commit suicide each year, and another 2 million attempt it, according to the country's health administration.

(China Daily European Weekly 08/22/2014 page2)