From our archives

August 23, 1983

Turn swamps into farmland

A four-year program to reclaim 200,000 hectares of swampland in China's northernmost Heilongjiang province was underway, according to the Economic Daily.

The development project will turn swamp area in the Heilong, Songhua and Wusuli River basins in the eastern part of the province into farmland. The World Bank has agreed to loan China $80 million for the project.

When completed in 1986, the land should be able to produce 375,000 tons of wheat and soybeans a year.

Control coal burning

More than 100 Chinese and foreign coal combustion experts gathered in Beijing for an international technology symposium.

A new type of boiler that helps raise coal-burning efficiency and control environmental pollution was the focus of the discussion.

Developed rapidly in the past decade, the new boilers can make full use of low-grade fossil fuels such as gangue and oil shale and reduce nitrogen oxides in the smoke, thus reducing pollution.

Financial hands

The Chinese Ministry of Finance will set up a central college to train financial administrative personnel, according to Economic Daily .

The college is designated for in-service training of personnel in financial and tax departments. Four specialties are offered-finance, taxation, accounting and credit for capital construction.

The college will enroll students with an education of senior middle school or its equivalent, and a service record of five years following entrance examinations.

(China Daily 08/22/2008 page11)