IN BRIEF (Page 2)

China Watch expands with Russian edition

China Daily launched its Russian edition of China Watch, the media group's multilingual publication, in partnership with leading Russian newspaper Rossiyskaya Gazeta on June 14. Zhu Ling, publisher and editor-in-chief of China Daily, said 2016 is the Sino-Russian Media Exchange Year, an idea proposed by President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin last year. As a China Daily supplement, China Watch tells China's story in English, French, German and Spanish, Zhu said at the launch ceremony.

Zou hits new high in his US debut

Zou Shiming's victorious overseas debut on June 11 should pave the way for Chinese boxing to join the sport's international mainstream, experts said. The two-time Olympic gold medalist scored a 10-round unanimous decision over 19-year-old Hungarian Jozsef Ajtai at Madison Square Garden, New York, making his career record 8-1 since turning professional after the London Games in 2012.

Tianjin brand updates with smart bikes

Tianjin Flying Pigeon, a time-honored Chinese bicycle company, is producing smart bikes in cooperation with LeEco, a technology startup. The bikes, ranging in price from 3,999 to 39,999 yuan ($607 to $6,074; 539 to 5,390 euros), enable riders to track their motion, communicate with others and lock or unlock the cycles via apps.

NGOs urged to improve public interaction

The Ministry of Civil Affairs said on June 13 that it will push NGOs to hire people to regularly brief the public. NGOs should quickly respond to public concerns about issues related to their work through news conferences or briefings, said An Ning, deputy director of the ministry's NGO division. Many NGOs have not done enough to disseminate information about their activities or to address misunderstandings, An said. The ministry will push big NGOs to hire professionals to give regular briefings by the end of this year.

China to place tsunami buoys in nearby seas

China plans to install tsunami detection buoys in the South China Sea and waters east of the Ryukyu Trench, a deep ocean canyon that spans the gap between Japan and the island of Taiwan. They will be linked to international tsunami warning networks, providing early warnings for China's eastern and southern coasts and nearby countries, said Yuan Ye, director of the State Oceanic Administration's tsunami warning center.

Confucius post office opens in Qufu

The first Confucius post office has been opened in Qufu, the philosopher's hometown, China Post said on June 12. Kong Weike, a 78th-generation descendant of Confucius, has been hired as the honorary head of the post office. Tourists can buy and send Confucius-themed postcards. Related books and literature are on display at the office and on China Post's online store.

School uncovers high chemical levels

An inspection found an artificial surface of a Beijing primary school playground to be safe, but formaldehyde levels in a music room were too high, the Beijing Xicheng district commission of education said on its website on June 12. Parents had suspected chemical odors made their children sick. The investigation will continue, the commission said.

Spokesman denies anti-Taiwan sentiment

A Chinese mainland spokesman on June 15 said what some have taken to be an "anti-Taiwan sentiment" among people on the mainland was actually about rejecting "Taiwan independence". An Fengshan, spokesman for the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, warned that "Taiwan independence" in any form was a flagrant provocation and would sabotage cross-Straits peace and stability.

Beijing reports new case of H7N9

Beijing health authorities confirmed on June 15 that a rural resident is being treated for H7N9. The patient, identified only as Chen, is a 68-year-old farmer from Langfang, Hebei province. She was transferred to Beijing after her symptoms worsened, the capital's health authority said.

Food safety regulation participation urged

Vice-Premier Wang Yang stressed on June 14 that all interested parties should participate in the food safety regulation. The government should accelerate making or revising laws and regulations, as well as improve mechanisms for food safety regulation and information disclosure, Wang said at an event to promote food safety awareness. He called on enterprises to fulfill their responsibilities and obligations stipulated by the law, and ensure supervision over all phases of food production.

Industry preferences of graduates changing

The employment preferences of Chinese college graduates are changing as the country undergoes transformations in its economic and industrial structure, a survey has found. Knowledge-intensive industries such as IT, education and healthcare are hiring more college graduates, while labor-intensive ones such as architecture and manufacturing are losing their appeal, according to the College Graduates' Employment Annual Report. The survey, released on June 12 by education data and consulting company MyCOS, polled more than 250,000 college students who graduated in last year.

Disney CEO says China has 'incredible potential'

China represents "incredible potential" for The Walt Disney Co, while the opening of the Shanghai Disney Resort offers the entertainment giant a chance to boost its brand in the world's most populous film market, Disney Chief Executive Bob Iger said on June 15. Shanghai Disney could help to revive the company's struggling international theme parks business, he said.

Envoy donates blood to Tanzania hospital

Chinese Ambassador to Tanzania Lu Youging on June 14 donated blood at the nation's leading hospital to mark World Blood Donor Day. Speaking at Muhimbili National Hospital in the commercial capital Dar es Salaam, he said he was motivated to donate blood because he understood the need to help children who undergo heart surgery at the Jakaya Kikwete Cardiac Institute. "Tanzania and China are cooperating in many areas. We're good partners. China is giving first priority to supporting the health sector in Tanzania," he said.

Global index without A shares 'is incomplete'

A global stock index without Chinese A shares is incomplete, China's securities supervisor said on June 15. The China Securities Regulatory Commission made the remarks just hours after global equity indexes provider MSCI announced it would delay the inclusion of Shanghai- and Shenzhen-listed stocks, or A shares, on to its emerging market index. CSRC said the decision would not affect the opening-up or reform of China's capital market, adding that the country needs to continue to build a stable and healthy capital market.

Students dazzle in Nigerian speech contest

Participants at a Chinese speech contest in Abuja, Nigeria, on June 14 held the audience spellbound as they displayed their proficiency in the language. The event, which had government officials in attendance, was part of this year's graduation ceremony held for Chinese language students by the China Cultural Center. The competition was open to all graduates. Six winners from two categories emerged after the speech contest.

Hero peacekeeper laid to rest in hometown

The ashes of a Chinese peacekeeper killed in a terrorist attack in Mali last month were interred in a hero's cemetery on June 13 in his hometown in Henan province. First Sergeant Shen Liangliang, 29, died in the northern town of Gao on May 31 when a car bomb was detonated at a United Nations camp. He was at a guard post at the time of the attack, and five other peacekeepers were injured. Thousands of people lined the street to pay their respects as Shen's ashes were taken from the funeral home to the cemetery.

China elected to UN economic, social council

China and other countries on June 14 were elected to the United Nations Economic and Social Council, a coordinating body for the work of UN agencies and funds. China won 182 of 185 votes cast in the Asia-Pacific group in the election. Other elected members were Tajikstan, United Arab Emirates and South Korea.

Taoist ideas tied to modern ecology

Ecological thinking included in Tao Te Ching, a Taoist book written by ancient Chinese philosopher Lao Tze, should be adapted to protect the environment in modern times, experts said at a two-day cultural seminar that ended on June 13 in the east-coast city of Qingdao. The event, organized by the Chinese Taoist Association, attracted more than 200 Taoists, officials and scholars from home and abroad at Laoshan Mountain, one of the birthplaces of Taoism that is rich in relics.

IMF official warns of debt risk

China is making progress on its economic rebalancing, but rising corporate debt could pose risks to growth in the medium and long term if the debt problem isn't solved, a senior official at the International Monetary Fund said in Beijing on June 14. "China is making progress in many dimensions on its transition to a sustainable growth path, and the near-term outlook has turned more buoyant due to recent policy support," David Lipton, the IMF's first deputy managing director, said after a discussion with top Chinese officials and regulators in the financial sector.

Astronauts receiving training before mission

Two male astronauts who were selected for the Shenzhou XI manned spacecraft mission are receiving high-intensity training to prepare for the mission, due this coming winter, according to the China Manned Space Agency. Shenzhou XI and the Long March 2F rocket that will lift the craft into space are complete and passed their tests, it said, adding the Tiangong 2 space laboratory, which has two cabins, will be launched in the third quarter, before the Shenzhou XI mission.

Human rights progress reviewed in govt report

The Chinese government released a report on June 14 reviewing the nation's human rights progress between 2012 and 2015, and promised greater efforts in the future. China launched the National Human Rights Action Plan (2012-15) in June 2012, the second of its kind, after one that covered 2009 to 2010. Major targets and tasks set by the plan had been fulfilled as scheduled by the end of 2015, according to the report from the State Council Information Office. About 48 percent of binding targets and more than 50 percent of the targets concerning people's livelihoods had been met ahead of time, realizing the comprehensive implementation of the plan, the report said.

Beijing uses cash to attract talent

Zhongguancun Technology Park in Beijing, known as China's Silicon Valley, has promised millions of yuan to influential, established manufacturers of integrated circuits, the park committee said on June 14. A leading company that moves to Zhongguancun's IC park could be eligible for 100 million yuan ($15.1 million; 13.4 million euros).

High-res satellite to help monitor floods, pollution

The Gaofen 4 high-resolution Earth observation satellite officially started operating on June 13 to facilitate disaster relief and environmental pollution control. Zheng Guoguang, head of the China Meteorological Administration, said Gaofen 4 is at least 10 times more efficient than the Fengyun satellites, which are pillars of the nation's space-based weather observation system. He said the strong capability of Gaofen 4 will substantially improve the administration's detection and response to extreme weather such as typhoons and rainstorms.

New tower shows Beijing's Olympic spirit

Beijing has made good on its commitment to embrace the Olympic spirit and host future Games in a sustainable way by erecting an Olympic tower on the former site of the 2008 Summer Games. Beijing on June 12 officially named the soaring structure at the north end of Olympic Park as the Beijing Olympic Tower, a move endorsed by the International Olympic Committee. The city was authorized to hang the five-ring Olympic icon on top to further promote the Olympic spirit in China.

Homemade bombs hurt four at Shanghai airport

Four people were injured in explosions at Shanghai Pudong International Airport on June 12 after a man threw homemade bombs at a check-in counter. The incident happened at about 2:30 pm at Terminal 2, according to the Shanghai Airport Authority. Four passengers, including a Philippine national, were hurt in the blasts. After throwing the devices, the suspect attempted to cut his throat and had to be hospitalized with a serious neck wound, police said.

(China Daily Africa Weekly 06/17/2016 page2)