Nation

Around China

(China Daily)
Updated: 2010-04-10 07:26

1.Beijing

Beijing airport receives honor

Beijing Capital International Airport became the first four-star airport on the Chinese mainland awarded by Skytrax, a United Kingdom-based airline and airport industry consultancy, on Thursday. The honor was given to the airport for "providing a good standard of product and service delivery".

So far, only Hong Kong International Airport, Seoul Incheon Airport and Singapore Changi Airport have won five-star status. Four other airports - Amsterdam Schiphol, Kuala Lumpur International, Zurich and Frankfurt Main Airport - are four-star airports.

The capital airport handled 65 million passengers last year, becoming the third busiest in the world. The airport expects to handle 72 to 75 million passengers this year.

2.Shanxi

Two more bodies found in mine

The death toll in the flooded Wangjialing Coal Mine in North China's Shanxi province rose to 25 on Friday after two more bodies were found. Rescuers continued the search for 13 miners who are still missing.

About 253,000 cubic meters of water had been pumped out by Friday and rescuers were focusing on two sections where the 13 were believed to be trapped, Liu Dezheng, spokesman of the rescue operation, said at a press conference.

However, the rescue in one section was difficult as the water level had not dropped quickly enough and it was adjacent to a disused shaft full of water and toxic gas, he said.

Rescuers believe the unused shaft caused the initial flood when it was broken into by workers.

3.Sichuan

Domestic high-speed train built

The first domestically made high-speed Maglev train rolled off the production line in Chengdu Aircraft Industrial (Group) Co Ltd on Thursday in the capital city of Sichuan province, making China the third country after Germany and Japan to master the technology.

Using technology transferred from Germany with adjustments made in line with Shanghai Maglev operating company's requirement, the Maglev train can run at 500 km per hour with a lifespan of 35 years.

The 30-km Maglev line leading to Shanghai Pudong International Airport is China's only Maglev line in operation. Since 2002, a Germany-made Maglev train has handled at least 20 million passengers on the line.

4.Jiangsu

American chamber visits Nantong

A delegation of the American Chamber of Commerce in the People's Republic of China (AmCham-China) headed by its new president, Christian Murck, visited Nantong city, Jiangsu province, on Thursday.

The objective of the visit was to evaluate the investment environment of Nantong and to seek new opportunities for US companies, Murck said.

Local government officials held a meeting with the delegation and Ding Dawei, the mayor of Nantong, addressed members of the AmCham-China on his city's business opportunities. Murck said at the meeting that he is pleased to see the local government has provided excellent service to the foreign investors and he will recommend Nantong to more US enterprises.

Flour investigation underway

Law enforcement authorities are investigating reports that an East China food additive maker added pulverized lime, an inedible ingredient, to flour bleaching agents.

The Legal Weekly reported on Wednesday that the lime, which could cause lung damage, accounted for 30 percent of the bleaching agents produced by the Yuzhong Food Additive Co based in Rugao city, Jiangsu Province.

An investigation team ordered the company to suspend production, sealed off its raw materials and products, and sent samples for testing, said a spokesman for the city government on Friday.

Chen Guogui, the company's legal representative, denied the report, saying the company is using calcium carbonate rather than pulverized lime.

China's regulation on food additives allows the use of limited amounts of calcium carbonate in bleaching agents. However, exceeding the limits could damage consumers' health, said Chen Jie, professor of food science and technology at Jiangnan University.

5.Hainan

Former ambassador to run forum

Long Yongtu, secretary-general of the Bo'ao Forum for Asia, announced his resignation on Friday.

The 67-year-old said he would leave the post in the next few months and has recommended former Chinese ambassador to the United States, Zhou Wenzhong, as his successor. Long has been in the position for seven years.

Meanwhile, former US treasury secretary Henry Paulson and former Japanese prime minister Yasuo Fukuda were elected board directors of Bo'ao Forum for Asia.

(China Daily 04/10/2010 page4)