IN BRIEF (Page 12)

Xi's book sets distribution record

More than 6.2 million copies of President Xi Jinping's book - Xi Jinping: The Governance of China - have been distributed worldwide since its debut two years ago, said Jiang Jianguo, minister of the State Council Information Office, on Jan 9. It was a distribution record, surpassing all other Chinese leaders' works since reform and opening-up was undertaken in the late 1970s, Jiang said. A book exhibition, which will last one month, was launched a day before the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced Xi's visit to Switzerland from Jan 15 to 18.

Ex-senior judge admits taking bribes

Xi Xiaoming, former vice-president of the Supreme People's Court, pleaded guilty on Jan 10, during a hearing in Tianjin, to taking more than 114 million yuan ($16.5 million; 15.6 million euros; 13.5 million) in bribes. He was charged by prosecutors with using his position at the court to provide conveniences for individuals or entities in the handling of cases and the public listing of companies, the Second Intermediate People's Court said in an online statement.

Traffic gets worse, but also better

One-third of China's 100 largest cities faced worsening traffic congestion in 2016, according to a survey by AutoNavi Software Co. Beijing lost its 2015 position as the country's most congested city; it was replaced by Jinan, followed by Harbin, capital of Heilongjiang province. In many cases, more cars were to blame. In the 32 cities where traffic worsened, it took almost twice as long to reach a destination during rush hours - from 7 to 9 am and 5 to 7 pm - than it took at off-peak hours, the company said. Traffic in 36 cities was unchanged from the previous year, while 32 cities improved, the report said.

Anti-graft agencies to be realigned

China's four-year anti-corruption fight will produce a new institution - a supervisory commission - to integrate separate and less effective corruption control authorities. Three provincial-level supervisory commissions are being assembled as a test in Beijing, Shanxi and Zhejiang provinces following approval by the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress in December. Whether the program will be extended is uncertain, but the three test commissions are expected to be ready by the end of March, according to the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection. Commissions at city and county levels in the three jurisdictions will be established by the end of June, it said.

Regional equity rules enhanced

China is enhancing regulations for the regional equities market to boost its role in diversifying financing channels for the country's micro, small and medium-sized businesses and to encourage private investment. Updated regulations were approved on Jan 11 at a State Council executive meeting presided over by Premier Li Keqiang. The new regulations make clear the need for the regional equity market as a financing channel for local small businesses, and they provide more specific requirements for market operators and investors. The regional equity market offers financing flexibility for small businesses and technological innovation.

Work begins on Tibet observatory

Construction began this month on an observatory in Southwest China that will look for waves in space created by the Big Bang. The observatory is being built on a plateau 5,000 meters above sea level in the Tibet autonomous region's Ali district, which has been identified as one of the best places in the Northern Hemisphere to observe primordial gravitational waves. It is expected to be finished in five years. Gravitational waves, predicted by Albert Einstein in 1915 as part of his general theory of relativity, are generated when celestial bodies collide.

Code of conduct for sea takes shape

China confirmed on Jan 11 that it will complete a framework with Southeast Asian nations by the middle of the year for a code of conduct governing the South China Sea. Negotiation on the code has entered an important phase, Vice-Foreign Minister Liu Zhenmin said at a news conference at which a white paper was released on China's Asia-Pacific security cooperation and policy. Liu added that heavier work will come after the draft is completed.

Fireworks outlets reduced for festival

Beijing will reduce sales of fireworks during Spring Festival by cutting the number of retail outlets, authorities said on Jan 11. Fireworks will be sold at 511 outlets, down 29 percent from last year, according to authorities. Sales will be allowed from Jan 22 to Feb 1, authorities said. If orange or red alerts are issued for heavy air pollution, delivery and sales of fireworks will be suspended.

Medical reform plan issued

The State Council issued a plan on Jan 9 for medical reform during the 13th Five-Year Plan period (2016-20). Signed and approved by Premier Li Keqiang, the plan addresses diagnosis and treatment systems, hospital administration, medical security, medical supplies and a regulatory system. A multitiered diagnosis and treatment system commensurate with Chinese conditions should be in place by 2020.

Yao Ming to co-lead CBA election group

Retired basketball star Yao Ming's pivotal role in the game's professional reform in China grew on Jan 9 with his involvement in the upcoming election of the new Chinese Basketball Association leadership. Yao, a former NBA All-Star, was named on Jan 9 the co-head of a preparatory group for the general election of the CBA, which is scheduled for March, the CBA said in a statement. According to a report in Basketball Pioneers newspaper on Jan 2, the General Administration of Sport of China, the nation's sports regulator, made 10 proposals during an internal meeting on basketball's future development, two of which involved Yao. The first called for discussion of Yao becoming the new chairman, and the second reportedly was to invite Yao to be head coach of the national men's team.

Endangered birds spotted in Wenzhou

Fifteen Chinese mergansers, an endangered bird species under state Class 1 protection, were spotted in Wenzhou, a bird protection association said on Jan 11. The species can be traced back 10 million years. There are only about 1,000 of the birds worldwide.

'Toilet revolution' comes to Xi'an

Xi'an, Shaanxi province - home to the famed Terracotta Warriors - has created "toilet chiefs" and a leading group to steer public restroom upgrades. Neighborhood office employees will be tasked with regularly checking facilities, according to the city's tourism administration. If a restroom at a tourism spot or attraction does not make the grade, the officials responsible for sanitation, including those at the district level, will fail their annual work assessment, according to Zhang Yongke, director of the administration.

Ministry: Textbooks should be revised

The Ministry of Education urged education departments across the country to revise textbooks for primary and secondary schools by extending the official period of the war from eight to 14 years. In previous textbooks, the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression lasted for eight years beginning on July 7, 1937, when Japanese troops bombed Lugou Bridge and Wanping county in southwest Beijing; and it ending on Aug 15, 1945, when Japan declared its unconditional surrender. In the revised version, the start of the war would be Sept 18, 1931, when Japanese troops blew up a section of railway in Shenyang, Liaoning province, and attacked the Chinese garrison quartered in the city - marking the beginning of its occupation of China's northeastern region.

Beijing's subway going full bore

Two more new lines will connect with the massive matrix of Beijing subway construction projects in 2017, adding to the 20 projects already in progress, officials announced on Jan 11. Line 28, also known as the CBD Line, will run through eight stations under Beijing's central business district, as well as the Beijing East Railway Station in Chaoyang district. The Yanfang Branch Line connects Zhoukoudian, the site of the Peking Man Relics Site, to the city-center-bound Yanfang main line, which is expected to open this year. The two new lines are expected to open no later than 2021.

Organs to have airline priority

Donated organs will have priority when it comes to boarding airplanes at all civil airports in China, according to a regulation released by the Civil Aviation Administration of China on Jan 11. Medical staff transporting donated organs should apply to an airline at least four hours before departure, if possible, the regulation says. If they fail to apply in advance or fail to arrive at an airport on time, airlines should carry out emergency plans and arrange priority passage for them so they can complete security checks and boarding procedures as quickly as possible, it says.

New PLA Navy ship unveiled

The People's Liberation Army Navy has commissioned a new reconnaissance ship, a PLA Navy media outlet reported on Jan 11 in a rare move that also made public the composition of the nation's electronic intelligence fleet. The CNS Kaiyangxing, or Mizar, with hull code 856, was delivered to a combat support flotilla of the North Sea Fleet on Jan 10 in Qingdao, Shandong province, the report by Modern Navy said. The Kaiyangxing is capable of all-weather, round-the-clock reconnaissance on multiple targets, the report said, adding that the ship is so sophisticated that only a few other countries, such as the United States and Russia, are capable of matching it.

National tobacco law has positive effect

It is estimated that about 10 percent of the population of China - the world's biggest tobacco consuming country, with more than 300 million smokers - now enjoy legal protection against secondhand smoke as a result of tobacco control regulations, according to a recent report. The report - A Civil Society Perspective on Tobacco Control in China 2016 - was published on Jan 10 by the ThinkTank Research Center for Health Development, one of the country's most outspoken NGOs committed to tobacco control. To date, only three Chinese cities - Beijing, Shanghai and Shenzhen - have introduced smoking bans in public places, while some smaller cities have local laws on tobacco control.

More ethanol from corn encouraged

China will further encourage the use of corn to make ethanol this year as part of an effort to reduce its huge grain stocks. Authorities are also considering adjustments to the floor prices for wheat and rice this year. Xu Shaoshi, head of the National Development and Reform Commission, told an annual work conference on grain recently that the commission will allow a moderate increase in corn-based ethanol and expand its use in other areas to help absorb corn stocks. Instead of subsidizing storage facilities, it is better to use the corn, he said.

Rankings to aid career prospects

A reform of the ranking system for Chinese and foreign professionals, to be launched within three years, is expected to boost the career prospects of millions by removing outdated requirements. Professionals across most industries are currently placed in one of three categories - junior, midlevel or senior - which limits their opportunities for promotion. The reform will see a greater emphasis on ethics, social contributions and innovation, the general offices of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the State Council said in a notice. More than 55 million Chinese and foreign professionals will be affected, it said.

Guideline issued for disaster relief

The central government has issued a guideline on disaster prevention and relief to upgrade the country's ability to cope with natural disasters. The document, released on Jan 10, said greater efforts should be made to balance the relationship between humans and nature, and to properly handle the relationship between socioeconomic growth and disaster prevention and relief.

Efforts aim to prevent spread of avian flu

China's health authority has called for more efforts to prevent and control the spread of the H7N9 avian flu virus. The National Health and Family Planning Commission made the statement on the heels of reports that people had been infected with H7N9 in Jiangxi and Hunan provinces.

1,315 firms in Shanxi fined for pollution

A total of 1,315 companies have been punished after a three-month campaign in Shanxi province, which has experienced some of the worst smog in China this winter. The campaign started in mid-December, according to the provincial Environmental Protection Department. Fines totaling 21.5 million yuan ($3.1 million; 3 million euros; 2.6 million) have been meted out, and 33 people have been punished.

Students detained over muggings

Fifteen middle school student were held in criminal detention in Beijing on suspicion of carrying out a series of muggings in early December in the Sanlitun area, a popular commercial district in the capital's downtown area. Police said the gang operated late at night and targeted multiple victims in the district, which is known for its bars and shopping centers. All of the suspects study at a nearby middle school. The youngest is 13, the police said.

Flight delays still a pressing issue

The punctuality rate of China's major airports is still far from satisfactory, according to a recent report published by local aviation statistics company VariFlight.Although the average punctuality rate of the surveyed airports rose 7 percent year-on-year to 70.4 percent in 2016, the average delay was 33 minutes. July saw the lowest punctuality rate of 62.3 percent, with delays during that month averaging 42 minutes.

(China Daily European Weekly 01/13/2017 page12)