IN BRIEF (Page 2)

Forbidden City shares ideas with other museums

Managers from world renowned institutions such as the Louvre Museum in Paris, the State Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, Russia, and the Tokyo National Museum, as well as domestic facilities like the Shanghai Museum and Nanjing Museum, took part in a two-day forum in the Palace Museum, or Forbidden City, in Beijing. The forum on "smarter" protection of relics, which started on Nov 28, was presented by the Palace Museum and internet giant Tencent. Shan Jixiang, the Palace Museum's director, introduced equipment used in its new cultural relic restoration lab. The lab was visited by President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump during Trump's visit to the Palace Museum this month. Shan says restoration work is closely mingled with scientific research. As many as 33 academic study projects are underway with the ongoing restoration of the Hall of Mental Cultivation in the museum, which was the home to the last eight emperors of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911).

Space station device to aid quantum physics

China plans to install a cutting-edge scientific instrument on its future space station, a move likely to revolutionize research into quantum mechanics, one of the most sophisticated and complex areas of physics. The device, called a high-accuracy time-frequency cabinet, is being developed by Chinese scientists and will be used in experiments "related to the fundamentals of physics", according to Gao Lianshan, a senior researcher of atomic clocks at the Beijing Institute of Radio Metrology and Measurement, a major participant in the program. It will be carried by the country's first manned space station, which is expected to be assembled starting in 2019 and enter service around 2022. The 60-metric-ton station will have three parts - a core module attached to two space labs - and will operate for at least 10 years, according to space authorities. The device will be tasked with performing a series of scientific experiments in the space station, including one that will enable scientists to refine their knowledge of quantum mechanics.

CAS admits biggest group of foreigners

The Chinese Academy of Sciences has elected 16 foreign scientists - the largest number ever - to receive China's highest academic honor as foreign academicians in 2017, the academy announced on Nov 28. Poland, the Netherlands and Uzbekistan have one scientist each being accepted into the academy. It is the first time scientists from these countries have joined the CAS, China's top science think tank. Two Nobel laureates, Andre Geim from the Netherlands and James Stoddart from the United Kingdom, are among the 16 top scientists admitted. The scientists' fields of expertise include such areas as particle physics, environmental science and biotechnology. "The academy's entry standard is extremely high, so it is great to see new scientists, especially from countries along the Belt and Road Initiative, join the big family," says Bai Chunli, CAS president. "Now the origin of foreign academicians is more diverse and fair, which can lead to more exchanges and cooperation," he says, adding that the overwhelming majority of current foreign academicians at CAS come from the United States.

Vice-premier boosts Indonesian ties

China and Indonesia signed seven documents on Nov 28 to promote cultural and people-to-people exchanges during Vice-Premier Liu Yandong's visit to the Southeast Asian country. Liu and Indonesian Coordinating Minister of Human Development and Culture Puan Maharani witnessed the signing of the deals after they co-hosted the third meeting of the China-Indonesia people-to-people exchange mechanism at the vice-premier level in Solo, Indonesia. The meeting was held as China has become Indonesia's largest source of foreign tourists, with more than 2 million visits made between the two countries last year.

Platform will help to solve traffic cases

An online platform to help people involved in traffic disputes was put into operation on Nov 28. The platform is being tested in 14 regions, including Beijing, Shanghai and Zhejiang province. After a two-year pilot program, it will be extended across the country, a statement from the Supreme People's Court said. A project of the top court, the Ministry of Public Security, Ministry of Justice and China Insurance Regulatory Commission, the platform "could make it easier for people to solve traffic disputes and help legal workers effectively deal with the rising number of such cases", says Du Wanhua, a senior judge of the top court. In 2016, Chinese courts concluded 922,000 civil cases related to traffic accidents. In addition, the number of traffic disputes solved by mediation has also been rising, according to the Ministry of Justice. People can go to the platform and find out if they have been deemed responsible for a traffic accident by the police, and can choose mediation or a lawsuit to solve the dispute, he says.

Auto congestion down in big cities

More than one-third of major Chinese cities saw reduced traffic congestion in the third quarter of this year, compared with the same period last year, according to a report released by AMAP, a major online map provider in China, and several other companies and institutes, including bike-sharing company Mobike. Based on traffic data from 100 cities, the report found that 37 of them had become less congested. Traffic in 42 cities was the same, while conditions were worse in the remainder. Jinan, Shandong province, was ranked as the most-congested city, with an index of 2.065 during peak hours - meaning drivers spent more than twice as long on the road on average between 7 and 9 am, and 5 and 7 pm, compared with free flowing traffic. Harbin and Beijing ranked second and third, with indexes of 2.049 and 2.046, respectively. July proved to be the least-crowded month in 63 of the 100 cities. September, when schools opened, was the most crowded month for 84 cities, the report said.

Officials will need to apply for banquets

Officials in Shenzhen, Guangdong province, will have to apply via an online government system if they want to hold wedding banquets or funerals. Starting on Dec 1, all officials in the city will be required to apply 10 days in advance to get approval for such events, according to the city's disciplinary inspection commission. An online application system is being tested. Events for the new system include wedding banquets, birthday parties, housewarming parties, promotion banquets and work transfer banquets for officials, their spouses or close relatives.

University: Li Ka-shing support 'intact'

Shantou University has rebutted rumors that Hong Kong tycoon Li Ka-shing will withdraw funding from the school. "Li Ka-shing's financial support for the university will never come to an end," the school said on Nov 28. A spokesperson for the Li Ka Shing Foundation also denied the rumor. It is estimated that Li will fund Shantou University to the tune of more than HK$8 billion ($1.03 billion) in 2018, the school said in a statement. With support from governments at various levels and the Li Ka Shing Foundation, Shantou University is learning from the world's most prestigious universities to build itself into a world-class school, the statement said. The website tech.ifeng.com reported on Nov 28 that Li would withdraw funding from Shantou University and that the office of the Li Ka Shing Foundation had been delisted at the university.

Land mine removal resumes on border

The clearing of thousands of land mines resumed on Nov 27 near the China-Vietnam border in southeastern Yunnan province. Suspended for 11 months, operations resumed with 67 People's Liberation Army soldiers clearing mines scattered across a 38-square-kilometer area around Dongshan Mountain and sealing off areas where mine removal is too dangerous or difficult. The mission is expected to conclude by the end of 2018. The area was a major battleground during a series of border clashes that flared up sporadically from the late 1970s to 1989. Tens of thousands of mines were left behind when the fighting ended. Two previous operations-1992-94 and 1997-99 - removed mines and unexploded ordnance on one side of the mountain.

New ballistic missile that covers globe nearly ready

The People's Liberation Army will soon have one of the world's mightiest weapons - the DF-41 intercontinental ballistic missile - military experts close to the PLA say. Yang Chengjun, a missile expert with knowledge of the country's ballistic missile programs, says that the DF-41's development has entered its final stage, and the formidable weapon is likely to be delivered to the PLA Rocket Force in the first few months of 2018. Based on the missile's tests so far, development has been proceeding well, he says. All of its test launches so far were successful. The DF-41 is a fourth-generation ballistic missile, having good reliability, mobility, precision, strike range and rapid-launch capability, observers say.

Xi says to keep advancing 'toilet revolution'

China should continue to upgrade the country's toilets as part of its "toilet revolution" aimed at developing domestic tourism and improving people's quality of life, President Xi Jinping said. The construction of clean toilets is an important part of pushing urban and rural civilization, and more effort should be made in cities and rural areas to upgrade toilets, Xi said in a recent instruction on the achievements of the toilet revolution in the tourism sector. Along with the move, China should construct better public facilities and services to boost the tourism industry, Xi said. Xi has long stressed the importance of the toilet upgrades in enhancing the quality of the tourism industry. Officials are urged to make consistent efforts and take tailored measures to tackle longstanding issues and correct bad habits in tourism.

Industrial profits keep on growing

Profits of China's industrial enterprises continued their stable growth in October, which, analysts said, can be attributed to rising prices for industrial goods from the country's supply-side structural reform and stabilizing economy. Industrial profits in October rose by 25.1 percent from a year earlier to 745.4 billion yuan ($113 billion), the second-highest monthly rise this year after it jumped by 27.7 percent in September, the National Bureau of Statistics said on Nov 27. In the first 10 months as a whole, those profits increased by 23.3 percent year-on-year, up from 22.8 percent in January to September, the NBS said. The NBS data cover large companies with annual revenues of over 20 million yuan from their main businesses.

Teacher shortage acute in Shanghai's kindergartens

Shanghai continues to report a severe shortage of preschool teachers despite ongoing efforts to increase education and training in recent years. About 200 graduates majoring in preschool education from East China Normal University and Shanghai Normal University, the two main universities in the city that offer a preschool education major, have all been hired. Hundreds of vacancies remain to be filled. According to the Shanghai Education Commission, about 33 kindergartens were established in the autumn of 2017 alone, and those are expected to enroll up to 14,580 preschool children. Based on a benchmark ratio of one teacher for every 15 students, the city needs nearly 1,000 more preschool teachers, it said.

Canadian PM to visit China

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will make an official visit to China from Dec 3 to 7 and attend the second annual prime ministers' meeting between the two countries, Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang announced. The trip will be Trudeau's second visit to China since he was elected. During the visit, Trudeau will also meet with President Xi Jinping and top legislator Zhang Dejiang. Leaders of the two countries will exchange views on issues of common concern, as well as regional and international issues.

90 suspects held in telecom fraud

Police in Hubei province have detained 90 suspects in connection with an alleged telecom fraud case. The suspects were caught at four locations in Enshi. More than 100 computers were confiscated, according to local police. An initial investigation found that most of the suspects are neighbors and classmates who illegally purchased the personal information of members of the public. They extorted money from victims in various provinces using web phones. The group was responsible for more than 4,000 incidents of fraud before being detained, the police said.

Injured snow leopard rescued by herders

An injured snow leopard, a rare species under top-level protection, has been rescued by herders. Four herders in Zadoi county of the Yushu Tibetan autonomous prefecture found the injured animal lying beside a road on Nov 24. Two stayed nearby to protect the animal while the other two drove home to get blankets. The herders took the big cat, wrapped in blankets, to one of their homes. After initial treatment, local doctors and police transferred it to the provincial wildlife rescue and breeding center in Xining. The snow leopard is a female about 10 years old and weighs 25 kilograms. She had a broken leg and a mouth injury.

Safety checks of preschools begin

The Beijing Education Commission says that a thorough safety inspection will be conducted at all kindergartens citywide, with an education inspector assigned to monitor the process. Results will be listed in a database that includes information on the kindergartens' facilities, safety and management systems. Those with potential risks and problems will be improved immediately, it says. All districts in Beijing have been asked to set up a mechanism for kindergartens that will allow parents and communities to communicate in an emergency. The commission will provide overall checks of the qualifications of people running kindergartens, as well the preschools' health and safety status, level of nursing education and management structures.

Gates is added to top-tier Chinese academy

Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates has been elected to the Chinese Academy of Engineering, one of the nation's top scientific think tanks. He is among the 18 newly elected foreign academics at the academy, which already had 48 foreign members, the academy said on Nov 27. The academy and the Chinese Academy of Sciences are China's two top think tanks that advise government and industry on key scientific and technological issues. The academy hosted a ceremony in Beijing on Nov 27 honoring 67 new domestic academicians, with an average age of 56. Gates is the only nonacademic foreign academician elected this year. Among the foreigners to receive China's highest academic honors, 10 come from the US, three from the UK, three from Australia, one from Japan and one from Russia.

(China Daily European Weekly 12/01/2017 page2)