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China Daily Europe | Updated: 2015-07-24 08:06
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Nearly 400 metric tons of smuggled meat is dumped at a waste incineration plant in Kunming, Yunnan province. The frozen meat, including pigs' feet and beef, will be burned to create electricity. The meat, mainly from the United States and Spain, was seized by police in the city of Gejiu on July 16. Zhai Jian / China Daily

Xi appeals for northeast boost

President Xi Jinping has called for fresh business creation efforts to revive China's flagging northeastern region, once a major heavy industrial hub, while highlighting the importance of state-owned enterprises in the country's development.

Xi made his remarks during an inspection tour of Jilin province from July 16 to 18, urging the region to strive for breakthroughs while adapting to slower economic development.

"More efforts should be made to push forward the innovation drive ... to boost the vigor of the whole of society in innovation and business startups," Xi said.

Concerns over draft Internet law

A draft law on China's Internet security posted on the nation's top legislature website has sparked heated discussions at home and around the world.

In particular, foreign businesses have expressed concern that their access to the Chinese online market may be restricted if Internet security laws are changed.

There has also been a negative response to regions being given the power to shut down the Internet in the event of a security breach, as outlined in the draft law.

The draft was uploaded on the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress website on July 1 to gather public opinion before the law is debated by the NPC next month.

Cultural relics home at last

After more than two decades overseas, newly returned Chinese treasures were welcomed home with a special exhibition in Lanzhou, Gansu province, on July 20.

The 32 glittering pieces of ornamental gold foil from the Qin State of the Spring and Autumn Period (770-476 BC) went on display in the Gansu Provincial Museum to celebrate their return from France.

Song Xinchao, deputy director of the State Administration of Cultural Heritage, said the pieces of gold foil were among the large number of relics illegally excavated between 1990 and 1993 from the Dabuzi Hill tomb complex in Lixian county, Gansu province.

Beijing concerned over US flights

The Ministry of National Defense expressed its opposition to frequent and close-in US reconnaissance of China on July 20.

The comments followed a top US navy admiral's joining a seven-hour-long surveillance flight over the South China Sea at the weekend.

US aircraft have conducted frequent reconnaissance flights near China for some time, which has gravely undermined Sino-US trust and China's security interests, and is highly likely to cause maritime and airborne incidents, the ministry's press office said.

The ministry made the comments to China Daily after the US Pacific Fleet said its new fleet commander, Admiral Scott Swift, joined the surveillance mission on board a P-8A Poseidon plane on July 18.

President urges strict troop management

President Xi Jinping called for strict management and training of the army to adapt to new situations and tasks and achieve the goal of a stronger army. Xi, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks when he visited the 16th army group on July 18. Xi stressed the army should keep up military training and combat preparedness.

Vital water deal for Kinmen

The days of chronic water shortages in the Kinmen archipelago are coming to an end.

After two decades of negotiations, Fujian Provincial Water Supply Co signed a contract on July 20 with Kinmen County Waterworks, under which the supply company agreed to provide fresh water to Kinmen.

The project will begin in October, and the water supply test is expected to start by the end of next year, sources from the company said.

Taiwan-administered Kinmen, only 2 kilometers from Xiamen, is short of freshwater resources, with a per capita annual supply of only 167.9 cubic meters.

Hebei bombing suspect arrested

A man who police say is a member of the East Turkistan Islamic Movement has been detained in Hebei province on suspicion of planning a bombing.

In video footage broadcast by China Central Television on July 20, the man, named only as Ekber, confessed that he was trained in Syria in 2013 and had lived in Shijiazhuang, provincial capital of Hebei, since returning to China earlier this year.

"I planned to make some money in Shijiazhuang and look for explosive materials. I tried to make enough money to stay in the city. I wanted to bomb a shopping mall, and my plan was to train others when I arrived there and instruct them to bomb other cities," Ekber said.

In early 2013 he met a man named Eli, who claimed to know a lot about religion and told Ekber he would go to heaven if he became a martyr for the religion he believed in. Police discovered Eli to be a member of the ETIM after they caught Ekber.

Bank to aid global development

The long-planned BRICS New Development Bank opened in Shanghai on July 21, as preparations for the start of operations at the end of the year or in early 2016 were stepped up.

The bank, launched jointly by Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, will provide financial support for infrastructure construction, mainly in emerging countries.

Decisions will now be made regarding its organizational structure, operating rules, recruitment methods and procedures for selecting investment projects.

Low-level officials targeted in graft fight

National prosecuting departments will boost efforts to investigate corruption among low-level "flies" - government officials at county level or below - to strengthen the grassroots, Song Hansong, director of the Supreme People's Procuratorate's Duty-related Crime Prevention Department, said on July 21.

In recent years, the number of low-level officials investigated for corruption, especially those serving in county, township or village authorities, has risen sharply due to their weak legal awareness and loopholes in supervision, he said. "Graft has directly harmed the public interest and posed a serious threat to the grassroots' political power."

According to the procuratorate, from January 2013 to May this year, national prosecutors investigated 28,894 low-level officials on suspicion of corruption involving agriculture or poverty alleviation, accounting for 22 percent of the alleged graft cases.

Ministry eyes tollways cut

The Ministry of Transport pledged to further cut the number of tollways and enable more private enterprises to invest in roads on July 21.

By the end of last year, the Chinese mainland had 162,600 km of toll highways, including 106,700 km of toll expressways.

Toll highways comprised 3.6 percent of the mainland's 4.46 million km road network last year.

Abide by judgment or feel pinch

People who refuse to comply with judgments against them, such as debtors, will be subject to more restrictions in daily life and in business operations, the Supreme People's Court has warned.

In the past, people who failed to carry out judgments were limited in their ability to purchase luxuries. But under a rule issued by the court, debtors are limited in their ability to purchase or build houses, rent luxury apartments for work, buy cars, play golf, and eat in hotel restaurants. In addition, they are not allowed to travel or take a vacation, and their children cannot study in high-tuition private schools.

In 2013, the top court made a blacklist of people who refused to comply with judgments. By December last year, the list included more than 700,000 people, with their names and identity card numbers disclosed online.

$56m boost to Xinjiang tourism

China's 13th Five-Year Plan (2016-20) will give a 350 million yuan ($56 million) to boost tourism in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, according to the China National Tourism Administration.

Other supporting programs include improving the local consumption environment in Xinjiang, helping local businesses design tourism packages, and launching more travel routes along the Silk Road.

Xi wants more New Zealand trade

President Xi Jinping called for more economic cooperation between China and New Zealand when he met with Jerry Mateparae, the country's governor-general, on July 21 in Beijing.

Both countries should expand cooperation in traditional areas, including agriculture and animal husbandry, and explore cooperation in sectors such as food safety, biological medicine, new energy and infrastructure, Xi said, adding that China wants to work with New Zealand and others to build the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank into a mutually beneficial, professional and efficient lending platform that boosts regional connectivity and development.

New Zealand was the first developed Western nation to start negotiations to set up the China-initiated bank, which is designed to invest in new infrastructure across Asia. It joined the bank as a founding member.

Navy starts exercise in South China Sea

The Chinese navy announced 10 days of military training in the waters near eastern Hainan Island in the South China Sea starting on July 22, amid heightened tensions in the region.

During the training, "no vessel is allowed to enter the designated maritime areas", according to China's Maritime Safety Administration, which released the drill plan on July 20.

Tensions in the South China Sea have worsened in recent months.

Presidents talk on Iran cooperation

President Xi Jinping and US President Barack Obama highlighted their nations' cooperation in resolving the Iran nuclear issue during a telephone conversation on July 21.

Analysts said the Iran case reflects the great potential for Beijing and Washington to jointly push forward solutions to global issues, and it has made Xi's upcoming visit to the United States in September all the more important.

"China and the US had close communication and coordination during the talks on the Iranian nuclear issue - a testimony to the nations' decision to jointly build a new type of relationship between major countries," the Foreign Ministry quoted Xi as saying during the phone call with Obama.

The deal, endorsed by the United Nations Security Council, lifts sanctions on Iran imposed by the US, the European Union and the UN. In return, Iran will curb its nuclear program for a decade and get rid of 98 percent of its stockpile of enriched uranium.

"The agreement sends a positive message to the world that the international community can resolve major disputes through talks," Xi said.

High-tech products face probes

Trade remedy measures against high-tech and high value-added product exports from China rose significantly in the first six months of the year, despite an overall slowdown in the number and value of trade friction cases.

About 37 trade remedy cases were filed against Chinese companies between January and June, including 32 anti-dumping cases. Fourteen countries and regions, mostly G20 members, initiated investigations against Chinese products, down 30 percent year-on-year, the Ministry of Commerce said on July 21.

The US launched six trade remedy probes against Chinese products in the past six months. Countries from Latin America filed about 14 cases, up 27 percent from the same period a year ago.

Shen Danyang, spokesman for the ministry, said because India and the Eurasian Economic Community focused on investigating cases initiated last year, the number of probes decreased in the first half.

IPO freeze causes major quandary

China's sudden halt to a frenzy of initial public offerings came at just the wrong time for underwriters Everbright Securities Co, Guotai Junan Securities Co and China Merchants Securities Co.

The firms have the largest number of IPOs in limbo - approved by regulators but yet to be completed - after the government imposed an indefinite suspension this month, data compiled by Bloomberg show. Each has three on hold.

With 38 companies' share sales blocked before the underwriters could get them out of the door, as much as $386 million in fees has evaporated for now, based on averages for deals in the first six months.

The missing revenue adds to the hit that brokerages face from China's market turmoil, including a decline in the lucrative business of financing customers' stock purchases and the potential for trading volumes to keep falling.

Experts eye underground problems

China's major developer of tactical missiles, China Aerospace Science and Industry Corp, is using its defense technologies to help city administrators and business sectors, according to engineers at the company.

Advanced radar technology, essential to a missile system, has been adapted to detect broken equipment up to 30 meters underground.

"Many underground gas and water pipes, electrical conduits, TV cables and sewers were made many years ago and are often in bad condition. Traditional examination and repair methods require digging up the roads they are buried in, inconveniencing residents and commuters," said Zhang Peng, a chief engineer at Beijing Huahang Radio Measurement Institute.

20 deported over terror videos

Twenty foreigners have been deported from China for illegally watching video clips that advocate terrorism and religious extremism, according to the Foreign Affairs Office in Erdos. Police found that the foreigners first watched a documentary in a hotel room. After some of them left, the others then watched video clips advocating terrorism. All those detained admitted to their illegal acts and apologized. They were deported early on July 18.

Female candidates to compete for leadership

Taiwan's ruling Kuomintang party endorsed the candidacy of Hung Hsiu-chu on July 19 in the Taiwan leadership election next January.

The party's representatives gathered at the party's congress in Taipei on July 19 and approved Hung's nomination.

Hung, 67, is set to face Tsai Ing-wen, 58, chairwoman of the opposition Democratic Progressive Party, who was nominated in April for the 2016 election.

 

Herdsmen engage in traditional horse-harnessing on July 18 during an event in Xilingol League, a place known for horses in the Inner Mongolia autonomous region. The event attracted a crowd of tourists and photographers to watch the herdsmen work with hundreds of horses. In the traditional event in July every year, ethnic Mongolians walk and race horses as well as wrestle and perform mounted archery to celebrate harvests and pray for good luck. Ren Junchuan / Xinhua

(China Daily European Weekly 07/24/2015 page2)

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