News digest

Expansion of pollution monitoring on the way

China intends to create a monitoring system to oversee all types of pollutants and demand more effective action from protection teams, environmental officials said on Dec 1.

"The focus of reform in ecological and environmental systems will be to build and improve a stringent pollution prevention and control mechanism, environmental evaluation process, administration system and early warning system," said Zhou Shengxian, minister of environmental protection, on Dec 1 in Beijing.

Through reform and innovation, governments will have access to a broad scope of information about pollution through a unified monitoring platform covering pollution in the air, soil, rivers and oceans, regardless of its source, he said.

Stronger regulations will enable environmental protection authorities to supervise more independently of local governments, which often hide their pollution problems in the pursuit of economic growth.

"The environment is a precious resource," Zhou said at the annual session of the China Council for International Cooperation on Environment and Development, which started on Dec 1.

China-Nepal trade port expansion underway

Operations began on Dec 1 at the expansion of the China Gyirong-Nepal Rasuwa Bilateral Port, which will improve trade and relations between China and Nepal.

"It will further help both sides facilitate bilateral trade, and boost tourism and cooperation," said Zhang Hongbo, deputy Party chief of Xigaze prefecture in the Tibet autonomous region, where the port is located.

Gyirong Port was built in 1962. Trade at the port began to drop off in the mid-1980s and continued to decline until 2006. Port staff members were then temporarily moved.

According to the government of the Tibet autonomous region, trade between the countries has been increasing in recent years, and Khasa Port Tibet's biggest land port cannot meet demand.

"Since 2008, preparatory projects to expand the port have been launched, including equipping the port with inspection and supportive services, completion of Shyaphru Road, and operation of the China-Nepal Friendship Bridge," said Penpa, director of the region's department of commerce.

Deposit insurance to improve competition

China will introduce a deposit insurance system to protect depositors and promote fair competition among large and small banks, said the central bank.

The nation started soliciting public opinion on Nov 30 on the establishment of the system, which will be established in six months or a year, according to the People's Bank of China.

The central bank will cap insurance coverage at 500,000 yuan ($81,000; 404,000 euros) for each customer's deposits at each bank. Such coverage will give full protection to 99.6 percent of the depositors in China, said Huang Xiaolong, deputy director-general of the bank's financial stability bureau.

Deposits exceeding 500,000 yuan will be protected under a fund to help well-managed banks buy other banks that have serious problems, thus protecting clients by having their deposits transferred to well-managed banks.

"The deposit insurance system will strengthen the protection of depositors, effectively stabilize their market expectations and increase public confidence in the banking system," Huang said.

More funding for fight against deadly virus

China will allocate more government funds for the prevention of HIV/AIDS, especially for targeted groups, Premier Li Keqiang said during a visit to HIV/AIDS sufferers in Beijing.

He said government investment will continue to increase and will help the most vulnerable groups, particularly homosexuals, to prevent the disease from spreading.

Technologies that can prevent mothers from transmitting HIV/AIDS to their fetuses during pregnancy will be promoted across the country next year to reduce the number of sufferers among newborns.

Li made the remarks during a visit to Beijing You An Hospital, a facility for people with HIV/AIDS, before World AIDS Day, which was on Dec 1.

"Government authorities should take the primary responsibility in the prevention and treatment of HIV/AIDS, but the commitment of medical staff and volunteers in society is also required," he said.

Li said that although the rise of HIV infections has been contained in the country, the situation remains complex and difficult.

Peng Liyuan, wife of President Xi Jinping and a World Health Organization goodwill ambassador for tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS, attended the launch of an AIDS prevention event at Peking University on Nov 30 to promote awareness of AIDS prevention among students.

(China Daily Africa Weekly  12/05/2014 page3)