Across China: Zhejiang

Tea Olympics staged

The 10th International Tea Culture Seminar was held in Changxing of Zhejiang province on Wednesday.

The biennial event, dubbed the "Olympics" of the tea industry, draws more than 800 delegates from China, South Korea, Japan, Estonia, and other countries.

The first forum was hosted by Hangzhou in 1990.

Pilots to pay for leave

Six pilots from major carrier Air China will pay a total of 9.65 million yuan ($1.4 million) to leave the company before their contracts formally expire on September 8.

The five captains and a first officer will pay 1.29 million yuan to 1.7 million yuan each to Air China's Zhejiang branch, following an arbitration session in the Xiaoshan District People's Court yesterday, a court official said.

The pilots sought to quit last October, but when the carrier refused, they sued its Zhejiang branch, which then demanded more than 35 million yuan in compensation.

(China Daily 05/30/2008 page6)