IN BRIEF (Page 2)

PLA restructuring shifts military school focus

The number and type of students recruited by Chinese military schools is to change as part ongoing reforms to the People's Liberation Army, the Central Military Commission has said. Enrollment in courses related to infantry and artillery will be reduced 24 percent in the next academic year, while logistics will be cut by 45 percent. By contrast, those studying in the fields of aviation, missiles and maritime will increase 14 percent, while those in space intelligence, radars and drones will rise 16 percent.

Nation No 1 in poll on child neglect progress

China has topped a Save the Children survey of 18 countries that gauged the people's perception of the work done to reduce discrimination against and neglect of children. Seventy-four percent of Chinese said they had seen an improvement, according an April 26 report. The survey, which also included the United States, India and the United Kingdom, found 77 percent of those who said they were affected by discrimination as a child in China believed the situation in the country had improved.

Dogs 'domesticated first' in South China

Scientists at the Kunming Institute of Zoology in southern Yunnan province have disputed research that concludes domesticated dogs evolved 15,000 years ago in Central Asia. In pieces submitted to science journals, they argue that genetic evidence indicates they were first tamed much earlier in southern China.

Sky's the limit for satellite tourism

The southern city of Wenchang, home to one of China's four space centers, is preparing for an influx of rocket-watching tourists ahead of its first launch, which is scheduled in June. Among the upgrades are improvements to its transportation network and the construction of more parking lots and public toilets.

Tibetan college opens to foreign postgrads

Qinghai University's Tibetan Medical College said on April 26 that it plans to offer international students the chance to study for a master's degree in traditional Tibetan medicine. Five foreign postgraduates will be recruited this autumn for the three-year program, which will be taught in English and Tibetan. Established in 1987, it is one of two colleges in China that trains traditional Tibetan medicine practitioners.

Ancient coffins unearthed in Henan

Three coffins buried 3,000 years ago were unearthed in Henan province on April 25 before being taken to a museum in Anyang. Last month, a villager digging a kiln discovered tombs 10 meters underground that included bronze items and human and animal bones. Experts from the Anyang Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology went on to find 22 tombs from the late Shang Dynasty (c. 16th century-11th century BC).

High-tech equipment taking aim at cancer

China's first heavy-ion medical accelerator could be used in cancer radiotherapy by the end of the year. The cutting-edge therapy kills malignant tumors by irradiating them with high-energy beams produced by a large accelerator. Developed by the Chinese Academy of Sciences' Modern Physics Institute and a company in Gansu province, the accelerator still has to pass a clinical trial.

Study: Gene decides how young we look

Chinese scientists say genes hold the key to why some people look younger or older than their actual age. Research published on April 21 by the Beijing Institute of Genomics said people with one form of MC1R gene, which has been linked to skin health, looked two years younger than those with a different form.

Peking Opera master dies at 82

Mei Baojiu, the Peking Opera master, died in Beijing on April 25 at age 82. He had been in a coma since March 31 after a bronchial spasm. He was the ninth son of Mei Lanfang (1894-1961), who is considered the best Peking Opera artist of all time and is credited with bringing the art form to the US and Europe in the 1930s.

Conference aims to keep radio relevant

The Radio Asia Conference 2016 opened in Beijing on April 25, bringing together 122 broadcasters from Europe, Africa and the Asia-Pacific region to discuss fresh ways to engage audiences in an era of new media. The event, through April 27, was hosted by the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union.

First photos taken of mating snow leopards

Infrared cameras placed in a habitat in northwestern Qinghai province captured two mating snow leopards in January, conservationists said on April 24. It is believed to be the first time mating snow leopards have been photographed.

Draft law eases curbs on foreign NGOs

A draft law to regulate NGOs from outside the Chinese mainland eases restrictions on their operations and activities. The bill had its third reading by China's state legislature between April 25 and 28. Many overseas NGOs have engaged in charity and academic exchanges in China, and have played a positive role since the reform and opening-up drive started in the late 1970s.

School to lift teaching for autistic children

A new training school for teachers and parents of autistic children opened in Beijing on April 24. The Tong Yi Shi Jie Education Institute for Autism aims to train 8,000 certified professionals by 2018 as well as provide online training to more than 50,000 people. A national survey in 2006 by the China Disabled Persons' Federation found about 111,000 children aged up to 6 with developmental disorders. Most of them were autistic, it said.

62 detained over massive telecom fraud

Police have arrested 62 people on suspicion of being involved in the largest-ever telecom fraud case in China. They are suspected of defrauding an economic development zone's construction bureau of 117 million yuan ($18 million; 15.9 million euros) in Duyun, Guizhou province.

Academic translates works of ancient poet

Stephen Owen, a Harvard Sinologist, has completed the first English translation of the complete works of Tang Dynasty (618-907) poet Du Fu. He said he has spent eight years on The Poetry of Du Fu, a 3,000-page translation that has been made free to download. Printed copies are on sale for $210.

Ministry denies military buildup on DPRK border

The Ministry of National Defense on April 22 dismissed a media report that claimed China had sent a large number of troops to its border with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. The ministry said in a statement that the report was inaccurate and that the Chinese military will maintain its regular combat readiness and training status along the border.

Campaign targets economic fugitives

China has announced the launch of Skynet 2016, which will target economic fugitives overseas. The Ministry of Public Security, the Supreme People's Procuratorate, the People's Bank of China and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, among others, will carry out the mission. Underground banks used by corrupt officials to transfer illicit gains abroad will also be closely watched.

(China Daily European Weekly 04/29/2016 page2)