 China Scene: East
(China Daily)
Updated: 2008-07-01 07:53 Program helps residents kick betel-nut addiction Nearly one in four residents of Hualien County, Taiwan, chewed addictive betel nuts until recently. Because betel nuts have been linked to oral cancer, the health department has launched a program to reduce consumption. Before the program debuted last July, residents of the county chewed some 217 million betel nuts. Officials now claim they have reduced that number by more than 1.3 million nuts. (China News Service) Social skills may outrank academic performance A man surnamed Lin got the job he wanted in Yongjia, Zheijiang province, after he demonstrated his flair for dinner-table conversation. "We think it's a reasonable way to assess a job-seekers' capability for handling human relations at the dinner table," said a human resource manager surnamed Jin. However, many other job applicants criticized the hiring practice. They said greater consideration should be given to past academic performance. (Zhejiang Daily) (China Daily 07/01/2008 page5) |
