IN BRIEF (Page 10)

Jilin grain up

Jilin province is expected to increase its annual grain output by 5 million tons in about five years and play an important role in the nation's grain safety strategy, says Han Changfu, governor of Jilin province.

Jilin's annual grain output is projected to increase from the present 25 million tons to 30 million tons, indicating Jilin will contribute more than one-eighth of the nation's grain output growth.

According to the national grain safety plan, China's annual grain output is targeted to increase by 40 million tons and reach 540 million tons in 2020.

High-speed railway work

Construction of a high-speed railway between Nanning and Guangzhou started last week. The railway linking Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region and Guangdong province will cut travel time between the two south China cities from almost 13 hours to three.

The railway will be 577.1 km long, of which 61 percent will be in Guangxi, and allows trains to run up to 200 km per hour. It will be completed in about four years and cost about 41 billion yuan.

The cost will be shared by the Ministry of Railways, Guangdong and Guangxi.

Shanghai eco-protection

Shanghai will invest $10 billion in environmental protection in the next three years, says Han Zheng, mayor of Shanghai municipality.

The municipality will launch the fourth round of a three-year plan on environmental protection from next year, with 66 billion yuan to 680 billion yuan of government-initiated investment.

The fund will be mainly used for control and protection of air and water, as well as waste disposal and treatment.

Han also revealed that 500 production lines that cause heavy pollution would stop operating this year, with the use of another 700 lines to be discontinued in 2009.

Coking coal demand falls

Shanxi, China's top coal producing province, plans to cut coking coal production by about 10 percent, due to sharp falls in demand and prices, the provincial government said on its website.

Shanxi will start to make adjustments to coal production capacity and control the amount of coal that is shipped out of the province. But the province vowed to ensure production of thermal coal, which will be in high demand as winter approaches.

Demand for coking coal, a key feed in the steel industry, has fallen sharply in the past two months as output weakens.

Sino-France gas deal

France-based oil major Total SA and PetroChina, the nation's top oil producer, are reportedly close to an agreement to develop a major natural gas block in Sulige field in Inner Mongolia autonomous region.

The deal will become China's latest cooperation with overseas firms on natural gas once obtains go-ahead from the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), China's top economy planner. However, financial details of the deal have not been disclosed.

According to an insider from Total, both sides are still in commercial negotiations on the investment, and the French company has completed a production plan.

Zhaodong five-star hotel

Construction of a new five-star standard hotel started in Zhaodong, Heilongjiang province.

With a total investment of 260 million yuan from the Fuhe Group, the project covers an area of 99,700 sq m, with a construction area of 40,000 sq m. The hotel will include a 16-story building and 200 parking spaces underground, and its construction is scheduled to be completed on Oct 1, 2009.

The hotel will provide 320 rooms and suites including presidential suites, deluxe suites, and executive rooms.

(China Daily 11/17/2008 page10)