IN BRIEF (Page 2)

Aid offered for Sierra Leone's reconstruction

China plans to help Sierra Leone with economic and social reconstruction and mutually beneficial cooperation, President Xi Jinping said.

In a meeting with Sierra Leone President Ernest Bai Koroma in New York, Xi said his country will support the African nation in establishing and improving its public health prevention and control system, and setting up a research and treatment center on West Africa tropical pathogens, and would send more medical workers to help strengthen its capacity building. After the Ebola epidemic last year, China immediately sent emergency medical support.

In addition, China will broaden cooperation in agriculture and fisheries and on improving food security, Xi said.

Koroma said the Sierra Leone government and people were deeply grateful for China's assistance in its tough battle against Ebola and that his country will continue to safeguard and develop relations as well as cooperation in development, healthcare and infrastructure.

Xi calls for more cooperation with Nigeria

President Xi Jinping met with his Nigerian counterpart Muhammadu Buhari, calling for improved bilateral cooperation and an upgrade of the countries' strategic partnership.

Traditional friendship and win-win cooperation of China and Nigeria have brought substantial benefits for both peoples, said Xi, who was in New York to attend a series of summits marking the 70th anniversary of the United Nations.

The two sides should firmly grasp the general direction of China-Nigeria friendship and promote bilateral ties from a strategic height and a long-term perspective, he added.

Buhari expressed appreciation for China for its long-term support and assistance in safeguarding national security and developing its economy. He said the bilateral cooperation has produced progress in various areas, with infrastructure, agriculture and hydropower development emerging as new highlights.

The Nigerian government will continue to promote the all-around development of the bilateral relations, he said, voicing appreciation for Xi's intended attendance at the summit of the China-Africa Cooperation Forum.

S. Africa to co-host health forum

South Africa will co-host the second Ministerial Forum for China-Africa Health Development, it was announced on Sept 26.

The forum will be held from Oct 4 to Oct 6 in Cape Town under the themes of Promoting the Availability of Healthcare Service in Africa, and Improving China-Africa Cooperation in Public Health in the post-Ebola era, Minister in the Presidency Jeff Radeb said.

"This initiative is a result of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, which places health as an important part of China-Africa cooperation," Radebe said.

The first Ministerial Forum for China-Africa Health Development was held in August 2013 in Beijing.

Health cooperation between China and Africa was further strengthened following the Ebola outbreak in West Africa.

China pledged significant resources to help stem the spread of Ebola outbreak in the region.

The health forum comes two months before South Africa co-hosts the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation Summit, scheduled for Dec 4 and 5 in Johannesburg.

Confucius Institutes Day celebrated in Africa

The University of Abomey-Calavi on Sept 26 hosted its second annual Global Confucius Institutes Day aiming to promote the Chinese language and culture.

Students from the Confucius Institute of Abomey-Calavi, Chinese culture lovers, officials of the Chinese Cultural Center in Cotonou and academic authorities of Benin universities were on the forefront of spectators to cultural and artistic events that occurred as part of the celebration.

For over three hours, students of the Confucius Institute performed music, traditional Chinese dance and martial art demonstrations.

According to Julien Segbo, principal of the Confucius Institute, 493 Confucius Institutes and over 900 classes in 133 countries around the world celebrated this second edition of Global Confucius Institutes Day.

In Benin, the Confucius Institute has developed since its establishment in 2009, counting 21 teachers comprising 13 Chinese and 8 Beninese. It registers more than 3,000 students apportioned in nine lesson locations.

The Confucius Institute Day was also observed in Accra on Sept 26 with a ceremony at the Risingsun Montessori, a privately owned school in Ghana's capital.

New rules set out for prosecutors

Prosecutors who neglect their duties or conduct malpractice that results in miscarriage of justice or major case defects will face severe punishment, even beyond their time in office, amid deepening judicial reform designed to ensure justice, the Supreme People's Procuratorate said on Sept 28.

The top prosecuting department has issued a judicial mandate to clarify and standardize prosecutors' legal responsibilities and punishments "in an effort to ensure fairness" of the judicial system, said Xiao Wei, a spokeswoman for the procuratorate.

Plan in pipeline to save groundwater

China is set to carry out a new plan to protect groundwater resources as authorities try to tackle the challenge of excessive use in most provincial areas, a government official said.

The government will soon publish a national plan on the use and protection of groundwater, said Qi Bingqiang, of the Ministry of Water Resources. The plan will set out how much groundwater should be used in each provincial area and set targets for reducing overuse.

Industrial companies face slower growth

A sudden deceleration in profit growth in August for China's industrial companies will hamper entrepreneurs' investment plans without more government-led growth stabilization projects, economists said.

Industrial profit fell 8.8 percent in August from a year earlier, the sharpest monthly decline since the indicator was first published in March 2012, the National Bureau of Statistics said.

In the first eight months, profits of industrial companies totaled 3.77 trillion yuan ($613 billion; 526 billion euros) - with 448.1 billion yuan made in August - down 1.9 percent compared with the first eight months of last year, the bureau said.

Blasts heard in South China county

Blasts were heard in south China's Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region on Sept 30 afternoon.

The blasts occurred at the seat of Liucheng county and the surrounding areas.

Pictures online showed a building half-collapsed in Dapu township. Witnesses also saw vehicles damaged on the road, and there were people injured in the blasts.

Rescuers have rushed to the scene.

China Daily-Xinhua

(China Daily Africa Weekly 10/01/2015 page2)