Briefly

Vice-premier aims to ensure bumper harvest

Vice-Premier Liu Guozhong has called for efforts to minimize the damage to agricultural production caused by recent torrential rains and flooding and to ensure a bumper harvest this autumn and for the year. Liu, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks during an investigation and research trip to Liaoning and Jilin provinces in Northeast China from Saturday to Monday. He urged measures to drain accumulated water, promote the restoration of affected crops and guide farmers in replanting areas where crops were destroyed. Liu also called for efforts to improve the agriculture sector's capacity for disaster prevention and mitigation, and to boost financial support for the restoration of agricultural production.

China to see record air trips in 2024

China is expected to see a record-high number of air passenger trips this year, according to Song Zhiyong, head of the Civil Aviation Administration of China. Speaking at the three-day Asia Pacific Summit for Aviation Safety 2024, which began in Beijing on Tuesday, Song said air passenger trips may reach 700 million this year. Comparing the first half of this year with the first six months of 2019, total transport turnover increased 11.9 percent, passenger trips were up 9 percent, and cargo and mail transport volume rose 18.7 percent, Song noted. In terms of scale, the country's civil aviation transportation has ranked second in the world for 19 consecutive years, and its contribution to global aviation growth has exceeded 20 percent, according to Song.

4 detained over illegal fishing back in Taiwan

The Fujian Provincial Coast Guard released four Taiwan sailors who had been detained for illegal fishing activities and sent them back to Taiwan on Tuesday. The provincial authority said in a news release that it seized a Taiwan-registered fishing vessel, which was carrying 1,335 kilograms of aquatic animals, on July 2 off the coast of Quanzhou and detained five sailors onboard on suspicions of illegal fishing. The China Coast Guard opened an investigation and found four of them had committed minor offenses. It decided not to prosecute them and arranged for their return to Taiwan, according to the release. Another sailor is still under investigation, it noted. Zhu Fenglian, spokeswoman for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, said mainland authorities attach great importance to protecting fishery resources and maintaining order in relevant waters.

Xinhua