IN BRIEF (Page 2)

High hopes voiced for Xi's trip to US

President Xi Jinping's state visit to the United States this month will produce fruitful results, according to China's Ambassador to the US Cui Tiankai.

Cui told reporters that preparations for the visit are moving ahead quickly.

He did not reveal what the fruitful outcomes of Xi's visit would be, but said they would be "a pleasant surprise when made public".

US National Security Adviser Susan Rice visited China a week ago to prepare for the visit. US Assistant Secretary for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Daniel Russel visited Beijing Sept 5 to 6 to discuss issues relating to the president's trip.

The ambassador said he believed that the vast common interests between the two countries mean that both need to make Xi's visit a success. He said both nations are facing the challenge of cyberattacks, and China, as a developing country, is "much more a victim" of such attacks.

Xi: African summit given full support

China will work with African countries to make a China-Africa summit later this year a successful event, President Xi Jinping said while meeting with visiting South African President Jacob Zuma.

The two countries announced that the sixth ministerial meeting of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation will be upgraded to a summit and is scheduled for Dec 4 to 5 in South Africa.

The forum, held every three years since 2000, was upgraded to a summit once before, in 2006 in Beijing, and drew participants from 48 countries.

State leaders of China and South Africa will invite African heads of state to the summit this year, according to Foreign Minister Wang Yi and his South African counterpart, Maite Nkoana-Mashabane.

Xi told Zuma that China-South Africa relations are in a period of opportunity, and that the "Year of China" events this year in South Africa have enhanced mutual understanding and friendship.

Robust growth forecast for outbound tourism

China, the world's biggest outbound tourism market, will continue to make rapid strides with trips and overseas consumption, according to a report.

This is despite a slowdown in the growth of outbound tourist trips in recent years.

The report said the number of Chinese outbound tourist trips reached 109 million last year, up by 11 percent on the previous year and accounting for 9.58 percent of international tourists.

The Market Research Report on Chinese Outbound Tourist Consumption (2014-2015) was released by the Beijing-based World Tourism Cities Federation.

During the period reviewed, tourists spent $165 billion, an increase of 28 percent year-on-year. This consumption comprised 11 percent of international tourism revenues.

Last year's 11 percent growth compared with an expansion of about 60 percent in 1997-98, when policies were introduced to encourage people to travel overseas.

Great Wall safeguarded in united action

Beijing is to unite with the city of Tianjin and Hebei province to protect sections of the Great Wall bordering on the three administrative areas, according to the capital's cultural protection authority.

The united approach forms part of the further integration of the three areas.

Beijing will sign a cooperation framework agreement with Tianjin and Hebei on protecting sections of the Great Wall in the boundary areas, said Shu Xiaofeng, director of the Beijing Department of Cultural Heritage. The agreement will be handed to the State Administration of Cultural Heritage for coordinated implementation.

Officials told to act as anti-graft watchdogs

China's top anti-graft authority is warning officials at all levels that those who turn a blind eye to the corruption of others will be held accountable.

Li Qinggui, an official in Henan province, drew media attention after provincial anti-corruption authorities determined to hold him accountable for his failure to stop corrupt practices by three subordinates.

The case attracted wide public attention because it involved a former Party chief who was demoted, not because he took bribes but because of his failure to prevent corruption.

The discipline of Li followed a rule laid down at a meeting of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China in June. It said that Party chiefs would be banned from leading posts if they were found slacking or malfeasant in their job as the principal official in a jurisdiction.

Russian life is captured in photos

To mark the 70th anniversary of victory over German Nazis and Japanese militarists, China Daily and Rossiyskaya Gazeta jointly launched a photo album in Beijing on Sept 7 that offers a kaleidoscope of compelling glimpses into modern life in Russia.

One Hundred Photographers Focus on Russia, the latest addition to China Daily's Focus series, highlights the intricate creativity of Chinese and Russian photographers. It contains more than 200 photos by more than 140 photographers, comprehensively reflecting Russia's history and culture, the optimism and perseverance of the people and the beauty of the landscape.

A number of selected photos will be on show at the Russian Cultural Center until Sept 12. The center is located on Dongzhimen Nei Street in Beijing's Dongcheng district.

New tech improves lung disease detection

Early detection of lung disease in China is expected to greatly improve in a few years with the application of new technology, contributing to better prevention and treatment.

After five years of research, scientists at the Wuhan Institute of Physics and Mathematics at the Chinese Academy of Sciences obtained several clear images of human lungs displaying gas exchange functions - a vital indication of lung health - the first such images obtained in China.

"Compared with traditionally used lung-detection technologies, such as computed tomography, the new technology can produce images with noninvasive and non-radioactive methods that visualize defects in the gas exchange function of lungs," said a statement released by the institute in Hubei province.

Capital receives water from Yangtze River

Beijing had received more than 500 million metric tons of water from the Yangtze River by Sept 6 through the South-to-North Water Diversion Project, the Beijing Water Authority said on Sept 7.

The project started operation on Dec 12, the authority said. More than 72 percent of the water was allocated for daily life and production, 10 percent was to be stored in capital reservoirs and 18 percent was to be returned to underground water supplies.

Fund to assist poorest minors in lawsuits

A special fund to support financially strapped minors involved in lawsuits and criminal cases was launched by the Shanghai High People's Court and the Children's Foundation of Shanghai.

It was the first attempt in the country to establish a cohesive mechanism involving judicial aid and social assistance to support disadvantaged children who are involved in civil lawsuits or fall victim to crime.

The court found that an issue that has gained prominence in recent years is that of the needs of minors in severe economic difficulty, such as those who have serious diseases or injuries that require long-term treatment and have high medical bills, or those who cannot obtain compensation owed by the accused.

China and Pakistan stage joint air exercise

The Chinese and Pakistani air forces held joint military training in China, a People's Liberation Army Air Force spokesman said.

Code-named Shaheen-IV, which means eagle in Urdu, the drill is the fourth of its kind between the two neighbors. The location was not disclosed.

It comes at a time when both countries have pledged to toughen their fight against threats including terrorism, separatism and extremism.

PLA Air Force spokesman Shen Jinke said: "The Chinese Air Force is ready to expand the scope and domains of cooperation with the air forces of countries around the globe to jointly address various challenges and crises."

Circular boosts dancing in public squares

Four ministerial-level departments, including the Ministry of Culture and General Administration of Sport, issued a circular on Sept 6 regulating dancing in public areas. Dancing in public square is a popular community activity for Chinese people, especially among female senior citizens. The circular said the dancing is encouraged in China and local authorities should provide convenient outdoor venues and facilities for residents. The circular urged local governments to offer free lessons and promote the creation of more dance routines.

Pricey gift cakes out, watchdog warns

High-priced mooncakes are prohibited as gifts for officials during the Mid-Autumn Festival, which falls on Sept 27 this year, according to a notice issued by the Information Office of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, the country's top anti-graft watchdog. The commission solicited help from the media nationwide to perform a watchdog role, detecting and publicizing breaches of austerity rules.

Guidelines issued to promote big data

The State Council has issued guidelines to boost the development and promotion of big data, it announced in a statement released on Sept 5. The framework, ratified by Premier Li Keqiang, aims to forge a new model for social governance in the upcoming five to 10 years while highlighting accurate management and multidimensional cooperation.

Special fund to help poor minors in lawsuits

Shanghai High People's Court and the Children's Foundation of Shanghai have launched a special fund to support cash-strapped minors involved in lawsuits and criminal cases.

It is the first attempt in the country to establish a cohesive mechanism involving judicial aid and social assistance to support disadvantaged children who are involved in civil lawsuits or fall victim to crime.

The court said more attention is being paid to the issue of assisting minors in severe economic difficulty, such as those who have serious diseases or injuries that require long-term treatment and have high medical bills, or those who cannot obtain compensation owed by the accused.

Cargo train returns to SW China from Europe

A cargo train consisting of 41 carriages completed its first laden voyage from the city of Lodz, Poland to Chengdu, capital city of Sichuan province, on Sept 6.

The train, carrying mostly food and beverages including beer and cookies, took 16 days to travel the 9,826-kilometer Chengdu-Europe cargo line.

The Chengdu-Europe express railway service started in April 2013. So far, a total of 106 cargo trains have traveled to Lodz from Chengdu, exporting goods worth $693 million, but all have returned to China empty, according to Wan Wenjun, deputy manager of the Chengdu-Europe express railway company.

A number of cities - including Chongqing in southwest China; Wuhan, Zhengzhou and Changsha in central China; Shenyang and Harbin in northeast China - have rail freight services to Europe.

Chongqing to roll out new services system

Chongqing will usher in a new residential permit system that gives urban and rural residents the same access to social welfare and public services, the city announced at a news conference.

The current hukou, or household registration, system divides residents into urban and rural categories, with unequal benefits in education, social welfare and employment.

"Under the new system, all residents will be registered under the same residential permit and covered by the same basic benefits," said Zhang Zhikui, spokesman for the Chongqing municipal government.

China Daily - Xinhua

(China Daily European Weekly 09/11/2015 page2)