IN BRIEF (Page 2)

Xi sends condolences over Las Vegas shooting

President Xi Jinping sent a condolence message on Oct 2 to US President Donald Trump over the mass shooting in Las Vegas, in the US state of Nevada. Xi extended deep sympathy to the US government and people, profound condolences to the victims and sincere solicitude to the wounded. The Chinese president also wished a quick recovery to the injured.

Water, woodlands to dominate Xiongan

More than 70 percent of the Xiongan New Area in North China's Hebei province will be covered by water and trees, according to Chen Gang, director of the Xiongan New Area administrative committee. He added that protection of the local ecological environment will be regarded as a top priority during the construction process, which will follow a green development path. Infrastructure, businesses and residential buildings will cover less than 30 percent of the total area, while the remainder will be home to forests and bodies of water, according to a statement published on the area's WeChat account. The aim is to build a livable new area, with plant life, forests and water being the main elements, said Liu Baoling, executive deputy director of the administrative committee. He added that trees are already being planted across a 120,000-square-meter pilot region to provide experience in the cultivation of seedlings, planting technologies and management. Based on that work, a manual about the area's overall afforestation will be produced to guide further planting work. Another forestry project, covering 7 square kilometers, will start by the end of the year. By 2030, the area's woodland coverage rate will surpass 40 percent, more than double the national average, according to Liu.

Chinese peacekeepers honored in S. Sudan

Chinese peacekeepers serving the United Nations in the South Sudanese capital of Juba have been honored for their exemplary service in the war-torn nation. The third Chinese Peacekeeping Battalion with the UN Mission in South Sudan received their medals in a ceremony on Oct 2. Moustapha Soumare, the UN deputy special representative of the secretary-general, pinned the medals on the soldiers. Soumare said the UN mission recognized the "dedication, commitment and professionalism" of the troops. He noted that 13 members of the contingent were women, highlighting the impact of female officers in peacekeeping. Soumare encouraged troop-contributing countries to further strengthen the participation of women in uniform.

Punishment of ex-senior official draws support

The Communist Party of China's recent decision to seriously punish a former senior official was widely supported by the Party's provincial and municipal authorities nationwide, all of whom pledged to maintain a high degree of unity with the Party's central authorities. Sun Zhengcai, former Party chief of Chongqing, was expelled from the Party and dismissed from public office for "serious discipline violations", according to a statement issued after a meeting of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee. The investigation and punishment of Sun, a former member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, shows that the CPC Central Committee, with President Xi Jinping as the core, has firm determination to fight corruption, according to a commentary article in People's Daily. The Party's Chongqing municipal committee held a meeting on Sept 29, soon after the statement was released, at which municipal Party officials vowed to firmly safeguard the leadership of the CPC Central Committee and maintain firm unity with the Central Committee.

Xi foresees 'successful' first visit for Trump

President Xi Jinping said on Sept 30 that he thinks a "special, wonderful and successful" outcome awaits US President Donald Trump on his upcoming state visit to China, which Xi said is "the most important event in the bilateral ties currently". Xi made the remark while meeting with US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. The White House announced on Sept 29 that Trump will travel to Asia in early November, with a stop in China. "His visit will be a major opportunity for the development of China-US relations," Xi told Tillerson.

10 panda cubs make their public debut

Ten of the 11 panda cubs born this year met the public for the first time at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding in Sichuan province on Sept 29. "Visitors can see them being together in a nursery during the National Day holiday," said base chief Zhang Zhihe. Since April 24, the base has witnessed the birth of five male cubs and six female cubs. On Sept 29, keepers held 10 of the 11 cubs to form the number 30, symbolizing the 30th anniversary of the base. In 1987, the base was set up in Futou Hill in Chengdu with six sick and hungry pandas from the wild. Now the base is home to 184 pandas and has loaned pandas to 13 countries and regions in the world. On Sept 28, Xing Bao, a 4-year-old panda born in Zoo Madrid in Spain, returned to the base. Its parents from the base have been loaned to the zoo.

RUC congratulated on 80th anniversary

President Xi Jinping extended congratulations and greetings to faculty, students and alumni of Renmin University of China on Oct 3 as the university marks its 80th anniversary. Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks in a congratulatory letter conveyed at an event celebrating the anniversary in Beijing. "The Party and the country are at a crucial stage at present," Xi said. "Never before have we had such a pressing need for higher education, and never before have we so required scientific knowledge and talent." The president encouraged RUC to use its 80th anniversary as a new starting point in becoming a world-class university with world-class disciplines. As the first accredited university set up by the CPC, it has always adhered to the leadership of the Party, the guiding status of Marxism and the mission to serve the Party and the people, Xi said. He spoke highly of the university's achievements in humanities and social sciences and said he appreciated its efforts to train talent for the country's revolution, construction and reform. He asked the university to carry on these fine traditions and make new contributions to higher education, China's two centenary goals and achieving the Chinese Dream of national rejuvenation. Vice-Premier Liu Yandong read Xi's congratulatory letter at the celebration on Oct 3.

PLA documentary wins public praise

A documentary showcasing China's military development has kindled public appreciation of servicemen ahead of the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China on Oct 18. China Central Television began airing the eight-episode documentary Strong Military on Sept 28. As of Oct 3, six episodes focusing on the army's development as well as its anti-corruption endeavors are available online, receiving millions of views. The series is also being aired on a dozen local channels from northeastern Jilin to southern Guangdong provinces. It received strong praise from public and military viewers for its authoritative and systematic portrayal of the People's Liberation Army's development since 2012, according to Xinhua News Agency.

Minister to co-chair China-US dialogue

State Councilor and Minister of Public Security Guo Shengkun will be in the United States from Oct 10 to 13 to co-chair the first round of a China-US dialogue on law enforcement and cybersecurity. Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang announced the trip on Oct 3, adding that the dialogue is being held to implement the important consensus reached by the countries' top leaders. Observers say the China-US dialogue marks the success of Beijing and Washington in convening their first round of meetings for the four high-level dialogue mechanisms built during the meeting between President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump. The reinforced communication between high-level working teams will pave the way for fruitful outcomes during Trump's state visit to China in November, the analysts add.

Long March rocket lifts three satellites

China used a Long March 2C carrier rocket on Sept 29 to lift three satellites, as the nation resumes space launches after a major failure in July. The rocket blasted off at 12:21 pm at the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in Sichuan province, successfully placing three Yaogan 30-1 satellites into orbit, according to a news release from China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp, the major contractor of the country's space programs. Developed by the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the satellites will be used to carry out technological experiments on the electromagnetic environment, the release said. It said that the launch was a battle for "the honor and confidence" of China's space industry, and therefore engineers made thorough checks in accordance with their strictest standards. The mission's success has shown that the company's efforts in rectifying problems and improving its rockets' quality have achieved their goals, and will bring confidence to its workers, the company said. This has been the 251st flight of the Long March family and the first since July 2, when the second mission of China's newest and strongest rocket, Long March 5, failed due to malfunctions.

Interpol assembly ends after agreements signed

Members of law enforcement from 158 countries and regions as well as Interpol officials and representatives of international institutions concluded four days of discussions in Beijing on criminal issues such as online offenses and anti-terrorism. They made agreements to join public and private efforts to fight crime and also agreed to increase information sharing. Interpol's next meeting will be held in the United Arab Emirates in 2018.

S. Africa report looks at poverty, inequality

South Africa's Statistician-General Pali Lehohla has released a report titled "Whither the Demographic Dividend in September". "Decisions we take in the course of political office often have effects, impacts and consequences long after we leave office - the 'construction sites' which require solid foundations, strong walls and impermeable roofs," the report said in the preface. It is therefore of great concern that in the recently released statistics by Statistics SA on poverty and inequality in South Africa, the North West province remains among the most affected, it said. Between 2001 and 2016, the province ranked between number four and seven in terms of levels of equality and development. The leadership of the province has decided to act decisively to change this.

(China Daily Africa Weekly 10/06/2017 page2)