Building to start on road link between Shenzhen and HK
Construction will begin on a new road bridge that will connect Shenzhen City, south China's Guangdong Province, and Hong Kong next year.
A feasibility report on the construction of the road link in western Shenzhen was approved by the State Council, China's highest governing body, late last month.
The project requires the building of a 5,154-meter-long bridge over Shenzhen Bay, customs facilities and other related infrastructure.
The bridge is to be jointly built by Hong Kon
Qinghai-Tibet railway to drive economic development in Tibet
The construction of the Qinghai-Tibet railway will have a positive impact on the development of Tibet's diversified economy.
The railway project, being built in the Tibet Autonomous Region in southwest China, is expected to generate economic returns in the amount of 4 billion yuan (480 million US dollars) for Tibet during the 2001-2005 period, according to predictions made by the local development planning commission.
The construction plan calls for a total investment of 16 billion
First Yangtze railway bridge in dam area breaks earth
Construction began recently on the first railway bridge across the Yangtze River in the Three Gorges Dam area.
The earth was broken on the 1,106-meter-long Wanzhou Yangtze Bridge on the Wanzhou-Yichang Railway between Wanzhou, a district of southwest China's Chongqing municipality, and Yichang, a city in the central Hubei province.
The bridge will connect the Wanzhou-Yichang Railway, regarded as one of the most important sections of the railway network along the Yangtze.
Off
Golf tourism to be highlighted in S. China province
Promotion of its under-used golf courses will be the highlight of next year's tourism development in south China's Guangdong Province, said a local tourism official.
Zheng Tongyang, head of the Guangdong Provincial Tourism Administration, said he hoped to attract more overseas tourists to Guangdong, already a booming tourist destination and fast-growth economic powerhouse.
Of China's 195 golf grounds, with a membership of over 400,000,more than 70 are located in Guangdong, but less
China-made Film Price Drops
The price of a standard Lucky Brand color film, the only Chinese-made film popular in China, has dropped 30 percent since early this month to 10 yuan, about half the price of imported brands. An official of the Lucky Group, based in Baoding City in north China's Hebei Province, said the company could accommodate the price decrease because its production costs had declined annually by six percent in the past four years. The price reduction was a powerful blow against film smuggling and fake produ
Kindergarten Poisoning Perpetrator Sentenced to Death
Huang Hu, 29, the perpetrator of a kindergarten poisoning, was sentenced to death and deprived of political rights for life in Zhanjiang City of south China's Guangdong Province on Tuesday. According to the first ruling of the Zhanjiang Intermediate People's Court, Huang Hu, a self-employed doctor in Da'an village of Wuchuan City in Guangdong Province, snuck into the kitchen of arrival kindergarten on the evening of Nov. 24 and placed raticide in the table salt. On Nov. 25, some 70 kindergarten
China Sets up First Lu Xun Research Center
China's first center for research on Lu Xun, one of the country's greatest thinkers and a man of letters in the 20th century, was inaugurated Monday at Qingdao University in east China's Shandong Province. The research center, to be jointly run by Qingdao University and the Beijing-based Lu Xun Museum, will invite well-known Chinese and overseas experts on Lu Xun as guest researchers, the Guangming Daily quoted Xu Jianpei, president of university, as saying. Lu Xun, born in Shaoxing County of ea
Free Trade Area on the Agenda
About 400 delegates from companies and chambers of commerce in China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries met Monday in Kunming, capital city of southwest China's Yunnan Province, to discuss economic cooperation and the role of
Beijingers mark Nanjing Massacre
Over 300 Beijingers gathered in a museum here Friday (Dec.13) to honor the 300,000-plus Chinese slaughtered by Japanese invaders in 1937 in Nanjing City of China during World War II.
Chen Qigang, curator of the Beijing-based Museum of the War of Chinese People's Resistance Against Japan, briefed those present on the massacre and introduced them to an exhibition showing the Japanese troops' atrocities against the Chinese people during the war and a US-made documentary on the massacre.
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Peace assembly to commemorate Nanjing Massacre
More than 3,000 people Friday (Dec.13) gathered here in the capital of east China's Jiangsu province to commemorate the 65th anniversary of the Nanjing Massacre in which over 300,000 Chinese civilians were slaughtered by invading Japanese troops.
At 10 a.m., a siren was heard across the city in tribute.
People attending the international peace assembly at the Nanjing Memorial in honor of the massacre victims laid wreaths. Among them were massacre survivors, Chinese war veterans and
Candle-lit parade commemorates massacre victims, calls for peace
On December 13, 1937, Nanjing, then capital of China, became a "hell on earth" as the invading Japanese army captured the city and indulged in a spree of killing, raping and looting.
In the following six weeks, more than 300,000 Nanjing civilians and disarmed Chinese soldiers were slain and over 20,000 cases of rape were recorded in the infamous Nanjing Massacre, also known as"the rape of Nanking".
Exactly 65 years later, citizens of this capital city of east China's Jiangsu provin
Chinese folk songs hit the right note abroad
While the Internet makes Western pop music ever more available to Chinese with on-line downloads, a growing number of foreigners are warming to the unique charm of China's diverse folk music.
Van Zuylen, from the Netherlands, made a special trip late last month to the southern Chinese city of Nanning, where an international folk song and art festival was held.
Chinese folk songs had an appealing power, said Zuylen, who hoped to hear more folk music on the trip and said Chinese peop
China, US seek origin of Pacific, Asian island languages
Anthropologists from China and the United States are working at a Neolithic site in east China's Fujian Province aiming to trace the origin of the Austronesian languages spoken across the Pacific Ocean.
Experts from the anthropology department at Harvard University, the University of Hawaii and the Museum of Fujian Province have been working since Nov. 24 at Beiqiu in Dongshan County on China's southeast coast.
Austronesian, or Malayo-Polynesian, is a family of 1,000 to 1,200 langu
Taiwan to return thousand-year stone Buddha head to Chinese mainland
A precious thousand-year-old stone Buddha head will be returned to its historic roots in Chinese mainland's Shandong Province by a Taiwan religious organization next month, according to news reaching here from Taipei.
Master Sheng Yen, founder of the Dharma Drum Mountain (DDM) Foundation located in Peitou, Taipei, explained that "returning this 1,300-year-old Buddhist relic to its historic roots and restoring it to its original dignified completeness is much more important than keeping it
German-made metro coaches fly into China
Two German-made metro coaches arrived in south China's Guangzhou City recently aboard a jumbo jet cargo plane, marking a first in the global aviation history.
Four more such coaches are expected to be delivered in the next two weeks aboard the same An-124-100 cargo plane, one of the world's largest, according to reliable sources.
The six coaches, produced by Bombardier Transport of Germany, will form the first train that will begin operation on the city's No. 2 metro line on Dec. 2
China to hold third international piano competition
China will hold the third China International Piano Competition from April 25 to May 5, 2003, as part of China's international arts gala, "Meet in Beijing," the Ministry of Culture (MOC) announced here recently.
The competition, to be co-organized by the MOC and the China Performing Arts Agency, will invite 13 jury committee members, including those from Poland, the United States, Canada, Germany, Ukraine, Japan, Ireland, Australia, Israel and Britain.
The foreign jury members woul
Chinese cultural relics on photo show at UN headquarters
A Chinese terracotta warrior is greeting diplomats from the world, and the site of Peking Man is telling the history about the Chinese ancestors.
The warrior, who lived in the Qin Dynasty some 2,000 years ago,and the historic site were among the 16 photos on an exhibition, which opened at the UN headquarters in New York recently.
The six photos of Chinese cultural relics are well placed on the World Heritage list for their unique qualities as the best examples of Chinese cultural h
Japanese testimonies on Nanjing Massacre published
A book comprising of testimonies of Japanese World War II veterans on their wartime atrocities was published in Chinese in this capital of east China's Jiangsu province Thursday (Dec.12), the eve of the 65th anniversary of the notorious Nanjing Massacre.
The book, titled "The Battle of Nanjing -- a Search of Sealed Memories", consists of testimonies from 102 Japanese veterans who participated in Japan's invasion of China from 1937 to 1945, especially the battle of Nanjing.
In the b
Nanjing marks 65th anniversary of Japanese massacre
A bronze road of footprints from 222 witnesses to the 1937 Nanjing Massacre during which more than 300,000 Chinese were slaughtered by invading Japanese troops, was added to the Nanjing Memorial on Thursday (Dec.12) to mark the 65th anniversary of the tragedy.
The road, 40 meters long and 1.6 meters wide, is made of bronze blocks cast with the footprints and the handwritten names and ages of those survivors.
The number 300,000 is inscribed in black at the end of the road at the mem
China, US collaborate on digitizing Dunhuang treasures
A project currently underway will make it possible for enthusiasts to access digitized images of frescos, sculptures and documents from China's ancient grottoes at Dunhuang held in libraries and museums worldwide.
The project which began late last year, is known as the Mellon International Dunhuang Archives. It is co-sponsored by the Dunhuang Research Academy of China and the A. W. Mellon Educational and Charitable Trust based in the United States and others.
Under the project, pho
Bridge project to be under feasibility study: Tung
The bridge project linking Hong Kong and the west bank of the Pearl River Delta will be put under a thorough feasibility study, Chief Executive Tung Chee Hwa said recently during his visit to Guangdong Province.
Responding to media questions, Tung said that construction of the bridge is a good thing. However, given the extensive size and scope of the project, Hong Kong and Guangdong both consider it necessary to conduct a thorough feasibility study on various aspects including ecological
BOCOG: Beijing to host an Olympics with its own characteristics
Beijing organizers said on Dec.12 that they would give full display to their own characteristics while drawing on the experiences of past hosts in staging the 2008 Olympic Games.
Addressing a press conference to mark the first anniversary of the launch of the Beijing Organizing Committee for the 2008 Olympic Games (BOCOG), Jiang Xiaoyu, vice president of BOCOG, said that Beijing, a city without experiences of hosting Olympic Games,should learn from past hosts.
"Only if we learn fro
Chinese Aircraft Makes Forced Landing in Jiangxi
Thirteen people were taken to hospital after a China Eastern Airlines plane lost cabin pressure and made a forced landing at Changbei Airport in Nanchang, capital city of east China's Jiangxi Province, Tuesday evening, airport sources said Wednesday. Most of the 65 passengers on board complained of suffering heart palpitations, earache and bleeding from their mouths and 13 were taken to Jiangxi Provincial People's Hospital for treatment after landing, said Wang Qingshan, duty manager at the Jian
Changchun, Capital of Jilin Province
Changchun, the capital of northeast China's Jilin Province, is a relative newcomer, compared with the many ancient cities in China, for it has a history of only 200 years. And it remained a small, undeveloped place until after the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949. Changchun is now one of the leading industrial cities in the country, and enjoys fame as the cradle of China's car industry, because it is here that China's first automobile plant was established. Today the plant has
Corporate Culture: Multinationals' Key to Success
Corporate culture is what attracts staff, senior officials from multinational companies said in Beijing Tuesday at the three-day 2002 International Human Resources Forum. Francis Tam, vice-president of the People Division of Wal-Mart Asia, cited corporate culture as the soul of a company. It cemented employees with shared values, which influenced the lifestyle, behaviors and values of employees and inspired them to work hard, he said. Tam noted that Wal-Mart, with tens of millions of retail stor
Peony Seeds to Be Launched with Shenzhou IV Spacecraft
Shenzhou IV, China's fourth unmanned spacecraft, will soon be launched. In addition to a variety of expensive instruments for experiments, the spaceship will also take on a group of special "guests"--100 peony seeds. This batch of peony seeds has already been sent to the launch site to "await orders." This is the first time for China to conduct variation tests on peony seeds under a state of weightlessness. According to Jin Zhiwei, head of the Peony Production and Administrative Office of Luoyan
New Oil Reserve Found Near Daqing Oilfield
Chinese oil prospectors have discovered a high-yield oil reserve in the basin near the well-known Daqing Oilfield, in northeast China's Heilongjiang Province. A corporate executive with the Daqing Oilfield Co. Ltd said the newly found reserve, with an estimated 25 million tons, is located in the Hailar Basin outside the Daqing Oilfield. "The oil-bearing stratum extends four sq. km and the density ofoil on each sq. km of the land exceeds 6 million tons," said the executive. According to the compa
Unearthed Ancient Tombs Confirm Historical Records
Chinese archaeologists have discovered a set of ancient tombs in central China's Henan Province which offer substantial proof of references in historical works to "six horses for a king's carriage." Last week's unearthing of a carriage equipped for six horses in a pit in Luoyang City, a political center over 2,000 years ago, provides previously lacking archaeological proof of the carriages' existence and use during the Xia Dynasty (21st century BC-16th century BC), the Shang Dynasty (16th centur
Peony Seeds to Be Launched with Shenzhou IV Spacecraft
Shenzhou IV, China's fourth unmanned spacecraft, will soon be launched. In addition to a variety of expensive instruments for experiments, the spaceship will also take on a group of special "guests"--100 peony seeds. This batch of peony seeds has already been sent to the launch site to "await orders." This is the first time for China to conduct variation tests on peony seeds under a state of weightlessness. According to Jin Zhiwei, head of the Peony Production and Administrative Office of Luoyan
Smuggled Pirated Foreign CDs Nabbed
Officers with Shantou Customs in south China's Guangdong Province last week stopped two vans attempting to smuggle in 902,000 pirated foreign compact discs. According to customs sources, the confiscated CDs are estimated to be worth 2.74 million yuan (US$330,120). On Dec. 8 customs officers in Shantou's Haifeng branch on the eastern coast of Guangdong, were informed that two vans loaded with smuggled pirated CDs were leaving Haifeng. Two groups of customs officers finally tracked down and stoppe
Foreign Languages Press Celebrates 50th Anniversary
The Foreign Languages Press holds an exhibition of its publications in Beijing from December 17 to 20 in commemoration of its 50th founding anniversary.
Up to 1,200 books in more than 40 languages on display, have been selected from among the 20,000 bo
An Economist Who Puts the Village First
Wu Qixiu is Party secretary of Shimen (Stone Gate) Village of Maotang Township, Lianyuan City, Hunan Province. He was one of the deputies who attended the recent 16th CPC National Congress. Wu graduated in 1987 from the Economics Department of Peking University. He gave up the opportunity to get a Beijing hukou, which confers the right of residency in the capital and is the dream of many who come from the countryside. He returned to his poor hometown in south-central China's Hunan Province. Wu Q
Ferry Collides with Cargo Boat on Yangtze River
A passenger ship sank Wednesday morning following a collision with a roll-on-roll-off cargo ship in dense fog in the swift running Chongqing section of the Yangtze River. Of the 47 people aboard the stricken vessel, including a number of local school teachers, 32 are still missing. "The ferry, which was capable of carrying 250 people, had 38 passengers and nine crew on board when it sank this (Wednesday) morning. Eight are confirmed dead in the accident and seven have been saved," said Zhang Cha
Challenging Artistic Tradition
Tradition, please! Generation after generation, Chinese artists are always reminded of the word -- tradition seems to be the utmost important thing to bear in mind if they want to become an artist. But, after being followed for so long and repeated so many times, what is traditional art really like? Artist Qiu Zhijie attempts to answer in his peculiar way. For several years, the graduate of the Hangzhou-based China National Academy of Fine Arts repeatedly copied, with a brush and ink on a piece
Turning Life into a Small Screen Drama
In the history of China, the last two decades of the 20th century must be among the most dramatic eras. With the nation's reform and opening-up policy, China gradually reintegrated with the rest of the world after dozens of years of seclusion. Unprecedented great changes took place, having a tremendous impact on the daily lives of ordinary people, as well as their mindset. While it might be an interesting subject for historians in the future to study the Chinese people of the 1980s and 1990s, a
Multi-faceted Artist Shares Story
Wu Hongfei is one of the few to admit that she lives a somewhat double life. "None of my colleagues and bosses know I am a singer," said Wu, who works at a State-owned publishing house in Beijing. Off stage, the 27-year-old has a gentle and quiet look on her face, barely noticeable among a crowd of people. On stage however, she's a different person. "I was almost torn apart by her voice. Finally, her piercing scream filled my eyes with tears. Her voice faded away gradually, giving way to the noi
China Boasts 58 Million Internet Users
The number of Internet users in China would reach 58 million by the end of 2002, second only to the United States, and paid users have also emerged, said a report released by the China Internet Network Information Center (CNNIC) Wednesday. The report also showed that the number has risen by 28.70 million since last year. The characteristics of Internet users in China have also changed, according to a report given the Fourth China Information Port Forum which opened Tuesday in this capital of sou
Macao's Economy Takes on New Look in 2002
Riding on the back of robust tourism and gaming business, Macao's economy is widely anticipated to expand this year at the fastest pace since the hand-over. Chief Executive Edmund Ho Hau Wah has foreseen the Special Administrative Region's gross domestic product to grow between 5 percent and 6 percent in 2002 -- depending on the export figure for the fourth quarter -- as well as another 4 percent increase for the coming year. In his policy address for 2003, he said it is hard for all the industr
East-West Exchanges Began 5,000 Years Ago
Contact between the East and West probably began more than 5,000 years ago, 3,000 years earlier than previously thought, according to Chinese archaeologists. New research on relics unearthed along the famous Silk Road, an ancient commercial route linking China and Central Asia, has lead to the conclusion. Li Shuicheng, a professor of archaeology at Beijing University, said that many people held that East-West exchanges started after the opening of the Silk Road over 2,000 years ago, but archaeol
Yellow River Stone Forest Opens to Visitors
A rare large stone forest, located at the intersections of the Yellow River and the Great Wall in northwest China's Gansu Province opened to tourists recently. Covering an area of 10 square kilometers, the Yellow River Stone Forest is located at Laolongwan (Old Dragon Bay) Village in Jingtai County, Gansu Province. Made of yellow gravel, it was the magic creation of nature in more than 4 million years. Looking from the terrace standing at the entrance, you see a magnificent landscape of river, s
First Chinese Solar Energy-powered Yacht in Use
The first Chinese-made solar energy-powered yacht has received official approval to take to the waters for tourism in Shenyang City, capital of northeastern Liaoning Province. The yacht, which was developed by a local private company and has been granted a state patent, does not produce any noise and pollution. The boat is 6.2 meters in length and 1.9 meters in width, carries nine passengers, and moves at 10 kilometers per hour. It can operate for six consecutive hours in wind force up to modera
Relics to Show Ancient Road
A wind from the Silk Road will rush into Beijing during the upcoming Spring Festival which falls on February 1 -- a special exhibition on relics from the Silk Road in Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region will open at the National Museum of Chinese History from January 15 to April 15. Called "Tianshan Mountain, Ancient Road, Winds from the East and the West," the exhibition will include valuable relics, most of which have never been shown before, such as the Qiemo (Qarqan) Mummies w
Mainland Couples Like Honeymoon Cruise at SuperStar Leo
Chen Zheng, a 27-year-old man from Guangzhou, was longing for an extraordinary and romantic wedding just like those of his age group. He thus chose to hold his wedding ceremony at sea. "Whether to host a large wedding banquet or to join in a honeymoon tour is nothing special and tiring, but it is different to have our wedding ceremony and honeymoon at sea," said Chen after shooting his wedding photos by the porthole at the fore. "We both like the sea," said Lin Lin, the bride of Chen. Like Chen
Snow May Spell Fun but Beijingers Get Warning
As China's capital headed for a white Christmas, resplendent with the second snowfall of winter, Beijingers were cautioned to wrap up in the cold and not overdo the outdoor activities. With forecasters predicting more snow, coupled with overcast or foggy days until at least Monday, it will stay damp and chilly - between zero and minus 4 to 5 degrees centigrade - warned Guo Hu of the Beijing Meteorological Observatory Thursday. People also need to be careful when walking and driving along with sl
China's First Art Museum on Conservation Theme
A disused cement factory is being rebuilt as China's first art museum specializing in artworks relevant to environmental protection in south China's Guangdong Province. Artworks to be displayed at the museum included paintings, sculptures, videos, Chinese calligraphy and performance art, said Shu Yong, the museum designer. "The artworks express the unique understanding of artists about environment problems," he said. "They will be more effective than slogans to help improve public awareness of t
Mecca for Big Spenders
To prepare for her wedding ceremony, Yvonne Pu went to Hong Kong with her husband and did some "crazy shopping". "I spent almost 20,000 yuan (US$2,420) there and purchased several pieces of name brand clothes and cosmetics to make myself into a beautiful bride," she said. Though this cost a lot of money, Pu still thought it was worth of it. "The price of first-class brands in Hong Kong is about 15 to 20 per cent lower than in Shanghai, I think it was very worthwhile shopping there," she said. Ac
Sparrows Under Provincial Key Protection
The sparrow, once perceived as a threat to crops and exterminated throughout China, is currently being listed under Hunan's provincial level protection scheme for wild life. "Anyone illegally hunting or trading sparrows will be severely penalized," said Zhang Qixiang, an official from the forestry department in Hunan Province. Based on a wildlife protection list promulgated in 1988, the Catalogue of Wildlife under Hunan Province Key Protection' was revised and publicized by the provincial gover
Liaoning Cuts Use of Phosphor Drastically
The content of phosphor in detergents produced by the factories in northeast China's Liaoning Province has plunged since the province imposed a ban on the sale and use of phosphoric detergents on July 1, 2001. According to the latest survey, 94 percent of detergents sold in local shops do not contain phosphor. Local people annually use 100,000 tons of detergent, such as washing powder, and the ban has led to a 1,500-ton decrease in phosphoric discharge into the sea. Random disposal of phosphoric
China Takes Steps to Rectify Market Order
China took new steps to improve and standardize the market order in 2002, Minister of the State Economic and Trade Commission Li Rongrong said. Speaking at the annual three-day National Economic and Trade Conference in Beijing, Li said the improvements focused on the cultural, construction, and travel industries, and on dangerous chemicals and oil stations. A group of major problem cases including those involving fake goods, had been checked, with business administration departments alone checki
Sparrows Under Provincial Key Protection
The sparrow, once perceived as a threat to crops and exterminated throughout China, is currently being listed under Hunan's provincial level protection scheme for wild life. "Anyone illegally hunting or trading sparrows will be severely penalized," said Zhang Qixiang, an official from the forestry department in Hunan Province. Based on a wildlife protection list promulgated in 1988, the Catalogue of Wildlife under Hunan Province Key Protection' was revised and publicized by the provincial gover
New Metropolitan Areas Created in East China
China Forms Three Metropolitan Areas as Part of Overall Urban Planning Scheme
Three new metropolitan areas have been established along China's long eastern coast in the northern, central and southern regions, respectively.
The three metropolitan
Internet business faces wonderful opportunities in China: minister
China's fledgling Internet business is stepping into a new developmental stage full of wonderful opportunities, according to Information Industry Minister Wu Jichuan.
Wu made the remark at the first China Internet Conference, which opened recently in Shanghai and ran for three days.
Wu said the 16th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, which concluded recently, proposed that "it is necessary to persist in using IT to propel industrialization, which will, in turn, stim
China's Internet users top 54 million
By the end of September this year, China had 54.35 million Internet users, with 20.56 million computers connected to the Internet, and 81,907 WWW websites.
The figures were disclosed recently in Shanghai by Su Jinsheng, director of the Telecommunication Administration of China's Ministry of Information Industry, at a national Internet conference.
In 2001, business volume in the country's Internet industry totaled 7 billion yuan (about 840 million US dollars), including 4.69 billion
Foreign volunteers build bridges to the world
Foreign volunteers are becoming vital links between China and other countries and international organizations, as they lend their expertise in such fields as farming, forestry, culture, education, health care and sports.
Volunteers from overseas can be found nearly all over the country, especially in outlying mountainous regions or depressed areas.
"I was attracted by Oolong tea to Fujian about which I knew little before," said Tomio Haneda, with Japan Overseas Cooperation Voluntee
Monkeys on diet at China's southwestern mountain resort
Losing weight is not only fashionable among a growing number of affluent Chinese these days, but is proving necessary for obese monkeys at Mt. Emei,a scenic resort in southwest China's Sichuan province.
Food rationing, once common for residents in China during the planned economy era, has been introduced to reduce the monkeys' weight in the 60-hectare Emei Monkey Reserve, according to the reserve management office.
As part of a special dieting regime to limit the quantity and varie
Air France plans to expand business in China
Air France is moving to expand its business in China from 2003, after negotiating with the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) on air rights, said Patrick Alexandre, its executive vice-president in charge of international business.
Air France planned to add two flights weekly between eastern China's Shanghai and Paris, he noted, assuring one flight a day from March 28, 2003, Alexandre said last week on a visit to Shanghai.
The company also intended to inaugurate a schedul
China's oldest jade clothing repaired, put on display
A 2,000-year-old royal jade attire destroyed by grave robbers has been resewn with gold thread and put on display in Xuzhou City of east China's Jiangsu Province.
As most of the original gold thread had been removed by the unknown grave robbers when archeologists found it in 1995, the armor-like apparel was nothing but a pile of jade plates.
To restore its original look, archeologists with the Xuzhou Museum spent 21 months numbering and cleaning all the jade plates and putting them
Beijing to launch campaign on non-standard English usage
Garbled, misleading or misspelt English-language signs in many tourist spots, which have long confused English-speakers in Beijing, are expected to be changed, according to the China Daily.
There are many "Chinglish" words on road signs, public notices, menus and signs describing scenic spots, which often puzzle foreigners, the paper quoted an official with Beijing Tourism Bureau (BTB) as saying.
Xiong Yumei, vice-director of BTB, used the popular term "Chinglish" to describe the s
Shanghai Expo to benefit common residents
China's successful bid to host the 2010 World Expo in Shanghai will bring great benefits to local residents, commentators predict.
Dr. Chen Wei, researcher with the Economics Institute of Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, said large international activities not only promoted development of host cities, but also enhanced the life styles of citizens due to increased international contact.
Zhou Chenggang, president of Shanghai New Oriental School, considered the new fervor for Engl
Macao's tourism industry booming
Macao played host to 10.46 million tourists in the first 11 months of the year, outnumbering the whole year of 2001, the Statistics and Census Services announced Monday.
Buoyed by the huge influx of China's inlanders, tourist arrivals in Macao leapt a year-on-year 11.6 percent from January to November, it said.
Hong Kong remained the largest tourist source for Macao, bringing in 4.68 million visitors, but the figure dipped a 1.5 percent per annum.
China's inland was catching
China to send Buddhist relic for worship in Thailand
China will send an ancient Buddhist tooth relic to Thailand to be enshrined and worshipped under an agreement signed by China and Thailand here Saturday (Dec.14).
The relic, or "sheli" in Chinese, is believed to belong to the founder of Buddhism, Sakyamuni, after his attainment of nirvana some 2,500 years ago. It is now treasured in the Lingguang Monastery, in west Beijing.
Under the agreement, the tooth will reside in Thailand from Sunday till March 1 next year to celebrate the 75
Shanghai hosts more overseas tourists
Shanghai, China's leading industrial and commercial center, hosted 2.5 million tourists in the first 11 months of the year, up 34.3 percent from the same period last year.
Sources from the Shanghai Municipal Tourism Administration said that the foreign tourists were mainly from Japan, the Republic of Korea and the United States.
Earnings from tourism for this period are not yet known.
An administration official predicted that 1.65 million overseas tourists would visit the Ch
South China island attracts more foreign tourists
The number of foreign visitors to south China's Hainan Province in the past 11 months exceeded those from Hong Kong for the first time.
The provincial tourism administration said Monday that so far this year about 139,700 foreign tourists had visited Hainan, also China's second largest island in the South China Sea, 7,200 more than those from Hong Kong.
"Hong Kong tourists were the major clients of the hotel for years but the number of European tourists is overtaking them this year
5 million people travel land routes between HK, mainland during coming holiday season
Hong Kong's Immigration Department estimated here Wednesday that people who will cross the land boundary checkpoints to and from the Chinese mainland will rise 10.5 percent from the same period last year.
About 5.14 million people will cross the land boundary checkpoints during the coming Christmas and New Year holiday period, said a spokesman with the Immigration Department.
The peak period of cross-boundary traffic during the Christmas and New Year holiday period will fall on bet
CAAC's official urges talks on direct charter flight during Spring Festival
An official from the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) Wednesday urged airlines on both sides of the Taiwan straits to discuss the possibilities of establishing a direct charter flight for Taiwanese businessmen in the mainland back to Taiwan for the upcoming Spring Festival.
Pu Zhaozhou, in charge of Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan affairs at the CAAC, said the CAAC has always understood and supported the idea of establishing a direct charter flight back to Taiwan for the Spring F
The Great Wall a Pillar of China?Travel Industry
The Great Wall has become a pillar resource of China's travel industry, a conclusion drawn by China's Great Wall Investigation Team after two months of inspection from August to September this year. The China Great Wall Investigation Team, organized by China's Great Wall Society, started examinations from Hushan, by the Yalu River, Liaoning Province, in the east, moved through Liaoning, Hebei, Tianjin, Beijing, Shanxi, Shaanxi, Ningxia, Gansu, to Jiayuguan in the west, touring more than 9,000 km
Yao's Success Gives NBA a Boost
The two-dozen Shanghai junior high students playing hoops on the outdoor courts at the Nike Basketball Garden share a dream and a hero. They want to play in the NBA, just like Houston Rockets rookie Yao Ming. "Someday, there'll be no Americans left in the NBA," said 12-year-old Xing Tao, who joined his school's team two weeks ago after watching Shanghai's own Yao in a televised NBA game. "The players will all be Chinese, like Yao!" To China, Yao is a homegrown superstar who helped pry open the d
The Great Wall a Pillar of China?Travel Industry
The Great Wall has become a pillar resource of China's travel industry, a conclusion drawn by China's Great Wall Investigation Team after two months of inspection from August to September this year. The China Great Wall Investigation Team, organized by China's Great Wall Society, started examinations from Hushan, by the Yalu River, Liaoning Province, in the east, moved through Liaoning, Hebei, Tianjin, Beijing, Shanxi, Shaanxi, Ningxia, Gansu, to Jiayuguan in the west, touring more than 9,000 km
Tornado Hits South China, Leaves Four Dead
The tornado and hailstorm have left 4 dead, 21 missing in Zhejiang, south China's Guangdong Province. From Dec. 19 to Dec. 20, the bad weather struck more than 1,030 villages in Zhanjiang, affecting more than 220,000. The direct economic losses reached 270 million yuan (US$32.5 million). The local authorities continue to search for victims in the hope of saving lives. By Sunday afternoon, the bodies of four victims had been recovered off the coast of Leizhou, another city in Guangdong. Ten fishi
More Chinese Go Skiing
Business is booming on the ski slopes and demand for more winter sports is poised to soar in China. More than 1 million people enjoy skiing and more than 1 billion yuan (US$120 million) is spent on the sport every year. Just a decade ago, it was estimated that only 200 people in China had ever skied, according to the latest statistics released by the State Sport General Administration. "Winter sports," which include skiing and other ice and snow activities, first became a hit in 1996 when the Th
More and more Chinese Go Skiing in Winter
Business is booming on the ski slopes and demand for more winter sports is poised to soar in China, the China Daily reported Monday. According to the latest statistics from the State Sport General Administration, more than one million people spend over one billion yuan (about US$120 million) on skiing every year. However, just a decade ago, only 200 people in China had ever skied. In the last two to three years, ski slopes and resorts have swiftly developed across the country to meet the demand.
China's Second Largest River Now Carries Less Sand
Since 1997, China has stepped up efforts to curb land erosion along its second largest waterway, the Yellow River, according to the Yellow River Water Conservancy Committee under the Ministry of Water Resources. The current sand content in the river water had dropped by 300 million tons a year, compared with the previous annual average of 1.6 billion tons, said the committee, which is based in Zhengzhou,capital of central China's Henan Province. Erosion-affected land in the Yellow River area sto
New System to Reduce Damage to Relics
The preservation of Chinese cultural relics is developing positively, however, sustainable development hinges largely on human resource development. China will therefore begin training and granting accreditation to cultural relics preservation personnel in 2003. Shan Jixiang, director of the State Administration of Cultural Heritage, made the announcement in Beijing on Saturday during a national meeting for personnel. Currently, he said, some local governments use cultural relics administrations
Chinese Scientists Find New Tetrapod -- Sinostega Pani
Chinese scientists have found a new tetrapod fossil called Sinostega pani, a discovery which pushes back the earliest date of the existence of the four-footed reptiles in Asia by nearly 100 million years. Scientists with the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) have published their findings in the British magazine Nature. The earliest tetrapods, or four-limbed vertebrates, date from the late Devonian Period, 370-350 million years ago
China to Train, Grant Accreditation to Cultural Relics Preservation Personnel
The preservation of Chinese cultural relics is developing positively, however, sustainable development hinges largely on human resource development. China will therefore begin training and granting accreditation to cultural relics preservation personnel in 2003. Shan Jixiang, director of the State Administration of Cultural Heritage, made the announcement here on Saturday during a national meeting for personnel. Currently, he said, some local governments use cultural relics administrations as re
Rare Stalagmites Found in North China
Stalagmites, icicle-like deposits of calcium carbonate formed by dripping water, are usually found inside caves, but in the Mount Kongshan area in north China, many can be seen not only inside, but on the outside of the Baiyun (White Cloud) Cave. This rare scene in the Taihang Mountains in Lincheng County, north China's Hebei Province, has drawn the interest of local and overseas experts, some of whom have suggested there might have been a larger cave covering the existing one in the past. The c
Turandot, Mei Lanfang on Pointe
Turandot is no stranger to opera fans around the world, while Mei Lanfang is acclaimed as one of the most renowned masters of the Peking Opera. But imagine both of them danced on the pointe? That's what Guangzhou Ballet Company has tried and they are bringing the two productions to Beijing this week. Turandot is to be staged at Tianqiao Theatre on Thursday and Friday, and Mei Lanfang on Saturday and Sunday. And the company's Beijing tour also includes the holiday celebration Nutcracker tonight a
Young Troupe Grows up Fast
China's youngest ballet troupe, the 8-year-old Guangzhou Ballet Company, is in Beijing now from its home city in south China's Guangdong Province for the fourth time. The company debuted Prokvosy's Anna Karenina in Beijing in 1996. In 1999, its original production Xuan Feng (The Celestial Phoenix) won acclaim from the capital's elite ballet fans. Two years ago on Christmas Eve, Guangzhou Ballet, with the other four Chinese ballet companies, jointly presented a gala performance called Strength of
China to have 3,000 museums by 2015
China is expected to have 3,000 museums by the end of 2015, at least one fully-functional museum for every large or medium-sized city, said Shan Jixiang, director of the State Administration of Cultural Heritage (SACH), here on Dec.19.
In his work report to the national meeting on the administration of cultural heritage and relics, which opened on Dec.19, Shan said that China will make great efforts in the next10 years to set up more museums featuring diverse characteristics.
China
China tries to protect cultural heritage amid fast economic growth
China must rescue and protect its cultural heritage in a time of rapid infrastructure construction, and make use of the heritage under proper management, Chinese officials told a national conference on cultural heritage.
Speaking at the conference on Dec.19, Chinese Minister of Culture Sun Jiazheng said the sustained and rapid growth of the Chinese economy provided a more solid base and better conditions for protecting cultural heritage, but the conflict between large-scale exploration an
China establishes 1,405 nature reserves
Sources from the State Forestry Bureau said here recently that, to date, a total of 1,405 nature reserves have been established in China.
The nature reserves, covering a combined area of 109 million hectares, have effectively protected 85 percent of China's wildlife species and 65 percent of its wild floral species.
Ma Fu, deputy director of the State Forestry Bureau, said China has also made great strides in protecting internationally endangered biological species by signing agree
China sees more overseas students coming back
China is welcoming more students studying overseas back home, after two decades of watching hundreds of thousands of its students heading off to western countries to take higher degrees, the China Daily reported recently.
The Western Returned Scholars' Association (WRSA), China's largest organization of its kind, which brings together returned students, is designing a new scheme to help more students better serve their homeland, said the paper.
"We're working hard to attract more a
More fossils of Indricotherium discovered in Xinjiang
Chinese archaeologists have found more fossils of Indricotherium, a kind of gigantic rhinoceros that lived more than 25 million years ago, in Shanshan County in the Turpan area of northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.
The fossil is only the second of an Indricotherium found in that area of Xinjiang, according to relics authorities of Turpan Prefecture.
The first Indricotherium was found in Turpan in 1993. The restored rhinoceros, nine meters long and six meters high,
China, Netherlands cooperate on urban development in west China
The Chinese and Dutch governments will jointly invest nearly 40 million Euros over a five-year period to improve the urban environmental infrastructure in China's western areas.
The Chinese Ministry of Construction (CMC) and the Netherlands Embassy in China signed an agreement here recently, targeting the development and application of feasible technologies to aid the environmental infrastructure in western China's small cities.
According to the agreement, effective from 2003 to 20
Chinese, Swedish companies to cooperate on Beijing subway construction
A Chinese-Swedish tunnel construction joint venture was set up recently aiming to grab business opportunities brought by subway construction in Beijing.
The new company, established by the Beijing Zhuzong Group Corp.and Gammon Skanska Co. Ltd. of Sweden, will bid for the construction of the No. 4 and No. 10 lines of the Beijing subway system next year.
Lian Lian, Zhuzong's board chair, said that his company will pour 60 million yuan (7.3 million U.S. dollars) into the new joint ven
Best Chinese Pop Songs List to be restored
The "Best Chinese Pop Songs List," which was suspended in January this year, will be back into operation on Jan. 1, 2003, along with new selection standards.
Lu Changhe, president of China National Culture and Art Co. Ltd., announced the news here recently at a press conference.
The list was initiated in 1997 by the Chinese Association of Light Music and Music Life, a professional newspaper, as well as more than 200 Chinese radio stations.
Once ranked the largest pop song bi
Nobel laureate's work to be translated into Chinese
The works of this year's Nobel Prize for Literature winner are set to appear in Chinese next June, after China's prestigious Shanghai Translation Publishing House won the exclusive rights for translation and publication.
The Hungarian writer Kertesz Imre is expected to be as widely known as his compatriot, 19th-century national poet Sandor Petofi, whose celebrated verse "Life is a treasure, Love even dearer; But to win freedom I would throw both away!" became the motto of many young Chine
More pilots needed in China
China Southern Airlines (CSA), one of the country's three major air carriers, has announced it will recruit 245 trainee pilots next year.
Candidates must be science students aged 23 or under and are required to meet the physical conditions set by the General Administration of Civil Aviation of China and be of good character, said corporate sources.
The trainees will receive two years of theoretical study at Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics and another two-year cou
China's Tibetan expedition to climb Mt. Makalu next spring
An expedition from southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region has planned to climb the 8,463-meter Mount Makalu at the Himalayans next spring, the leader of the expedition told Xinhua here recently.
Sang Zhu said that his team has eight members including six climbers from the Chinese autonomous region. They will be supported by eight Nepalese helpers.
Both Sang Zhu and the expedition's climbing captain Ciren Duoji were members of a Chinese team that climbed to the summit of the worl
Chinese province's Christmas-related exports see strong growth
South China's Guangdong province had exported 620 million US dollars worth of Christmas decorations during the January-November period of this year, up 23.1 percent from the same period last year, according to statistics from the local customs department.
The United States is one of the major consumers of the province's decorations for the upcoming Christmas Holiday. The province exported 390 million US dollars worth of Christmas related productions to the United States during the 11 mont
Former residence of China's last emperor to be restored
The garden home where China's last emperor Aisin Giorro Pu Yi lived following his abdication of power will be restored in north China's Tianjin Municipality.
The restoration project, with an investment of 50 million yuan (about 6 million US dollars), will begin next year and should be completed in 2005, sources with the city's cultural bureau said.
Pu Yi lived in the Jingyuan Garden, built in 1921, on Anshan Road in Heping District between 1929 and 1931, after being evicted from Be
Archaeologists revise age of China's civilization
A group of Chinese archaeologists --revising the orthodox theory that China's civilization originated 5,000 years -- believe the nation's roots can be traced back 8,000 to 10,000 years.
They have unearthed China's earliest painting, writing, colored pottery, crop seed strain specimen and buildings showing the development from a rural to an urban society at Dadiwan Ruins in northwest China's Gansu province.
These early cultural relics, so far unrecorded in any historical book, belon
China Stages Romance of 2,000-year-old Lady
The 2000-year-old love story of Xin Zhui whose corpse was found well-preserved in a mystery fluid in southern China's Hunan Province in 1972, has been recast in a dance drama. As one of the performances marking the third China Golden Eagle TV Festival, the drama made its debut on Dec. 20 in the Hunan Provincial Great Theater in Changsa, capital of Hunan. Titled The Lady of the Ancient Han Dynasty (206 BC - AD 24), the dance is based on the love triangle between Xin, her husband who served as the
Ancient Tomb Opened, Ownership Unclear
Chinese archeologists Monday opened the coffin in the No.1 tomb of Jiuliandun Tombs, which can be dated back to the Warring States Period (475 BC-221 BC) in Zaoyang City of Hubei Province, central China. Scientists found bones of the ownership and a small quantity of relics. They can only judge the dead to be a senior official about 1.75 meters tall, but the concrete identity and gender is still not clear. By now the tomb has yielded 696 pieces of cultural relics. The opening of the coffin was b
Unique Musical Instruments Reproduce Ancient Dunhuang Music
After years of studying mural paintings and document descriptions, a Chinese expert has managed to reproduce musical instruments that can bring ancient Dunhuang music to today's audience. After determining typical instrumental forms by referring to mural paintings, document descriptions and unearthed relics, Zheng Ruzhong, music educator and Dunhuang expert, sorted his unique instruments into four kinds and 44 categories on the basis of playing methods. The instruments, created after years of te
Christmas Spirit Wraps Beijing
Beijingers will no longer just have to dream of a white Christmas as it has come with a flurry this year. The chilly winter air has even engulfed a Christmas village at the Beijing Exhibition Plaza, which is open free of charge to the public during the festive season. In a bid to introduce some of the Christmas spirit more associated with the season in Western countries, a series of events has been launched at the 1,000-square-meter village. In the village spotlight is a Christmas school where a
Snow Scurried by Winds
As Beijing residents come to terms with living with snow, experts say it is expected to stop falling today and warn icy winds should follow. The mercury is expected to fall to -10 degrees Centigrade today as winds rip through at a speed of about 11 meters per second, said Zhang Mingying from the Beijing Meteorological Observatory. During the previous days of snowfall, which started last Thursday, the lowest temperature was only about -4 degrees Centigrade and there was almost no wind. Residents
China's Media Accelerates Opening-up
In the past, China's television organizations would only exchange TV programs or jointly produce films with their foreign counterparts. Although not a requirement of the country's World Trade Organization (WTO) commitments, China is opening up its television market to the outside world. According to a report from China Daily, Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation signed an agreement on December 19 with Hunan Radio, Film and Television Group to jointly finance and produce television programs in the w
Snow Blown Away by Strong Winds
As Beijing residents come to terms with living with snow, experts say it is expected to stop falling today and warn icy winds should follow. The mercury is expected to fall to -10 C today as winds rip through at a speed of about 11 metres per second, said Zhang Mingying from the Beijing Meteorological Observatory. During the previous days of snowfall, which started last Thursday, the lowest temperature was only about -4 C and there was almost no wind. Residents have been advised to dress for the
Photographer's Love of Grottoes
Feng Fei could not forget the first camera he saw when he was a middle school student in Urumqi, capital of northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. The father of a classmate of his was working as an interpreter for experts from the former Soviet Union. He had a camera and took photos of his son and his classmates. "When I saw the camera and the photos, I thought the camera would work as if by magic," Feng recalled. When he graduated from the middle school, he worked during the summer
CITS Promotes 'Total Travel' Brand
The China International Travel Service (CITS) is promoting its "Total Travel" brand to better cater to the increasing numbers of outbound Chinese travelers. The brand belonging to the country's biggest tourism enterprise, aims to provide good quality service, including flights, hotels, restaurants and guides. "Total Travel" offers different itineraries according to customers' needs and a range of travel charges depending on the season. Although China's outbound tourism industry has been developi
HK issues souvenir cover to mark 140th anniversary of stamps
To mark the 140th anniversary of Hong Kong stamps, Hong Kong Post recently issues a souvenir cover, said HK's Postmaster General P.C. Luk.
According to Luk, Hong Kong introduced its first set of definitive stamps -- the "Victoria" Definitive Stamps on Dec. 8, 1862. In the one-and-a-half century that followed, Hongkong Post has given birth to 14 sets of definitive stamps.
He said that before 1997 when China resumed exercise of sovereignty over Hong Kong, definitive stamps featured m
Hong Kong's east rail extensions project approved
The Executive Council of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) recently approved in principle the draft East Rail Extensions Project Agreement.
The agreement will be executed between the SAR government and the Kowloon-Canton Railway Corporation (KCRC) subject to any drafting changes which may be necessary before execution.
The draft Project Agreement sets out the respective rights and obligations of government and the KCRC in carrying out the East Rail Extensions in ter
Chinese leaders' sedans roll into Hong Kong
Three sedans that were specially made for three Chinese leaders -- Mao Zedong, Deng Xiaoping and Jiang Zemin -- rolled into Hong Kong on Dec.7 to meet the exciting audience.
The first sedan Chinese developed by themselves in 1958 and two sample sedans after which the reviewing sedans that Deng Xiaoping and Jiang Zemin rode on at the respective occasions of the 35th and 50th National Day military parade were made are presented at Hong Kong's downtown Times Square.
Director of Hong K
Hong Kong customs, cargo industry sign MOU of customs clearance
The Hong Kong Customs recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the cargo industry to further enhance the efficiency of customs cargo clearance.
Representing the Hong Kong Customs and Excise Department of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR), Assistant Commissioner (Boundary and Ports) Lawrence Wong Sau-pui signed the MOU under the "Watch-Out Program" with 16 representatives from associations and commercial operators of container terminals, air freight terminal
Business leads disabled to self-dependence
Xuan Li founded a small agency providing housekeeping services in February last year in Hangzhou,capital of east China's Zhejiang Province, and now employs 500 full-time and part-time workers.
Xuan, 30, who has been wheelchair-bound for years, has two home-study college diplomas, but had found it difficult to get a job before she decided to start her own business.
Her housekeeping agency earns her more than 20,000 yuan annually, enabling her to be fully self-dependent.
More
China joins international organizations to save tigers
The population of wild Chinese tigers is set for a boost after the Wildlife Research Center of China's State Forestry Administration agreed to work with two foreign organizations on conservation projects.
The center has signed an agreement with the London-based Save China's Tigers and Chinese Tigers South Africa of South Africa on the reintroduction of Chinese Tigers into the wild.
The agreement is the result of cooperation between the Chinese tiger-protection body and internationa
Sino-Dutch conservation scheme protects Yunnan forests
A Sino-Dutch conservation project to protect the rich biodiversity of tropical forests is making a difference in southwest China's Yunnan Province.
Launched in 1999, the five-year program aims to safeguard tropical and sub-tropical forest resources in six west Yunnan nature reserves in Simao Prefecture, Baoshan City, the Lisu Autonomous Prefecture of Nujiang and the Dai-Jingpo Autonomous Prefecture of Dehong.
The conservation program is designed to improve forest functions, strengt
Muslims in northwest China mark festival of fast breaking
Approximately 1.89 million Muslims in the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, northwest China, who are in festive mood, celebrated the festival of Fast Breaking on Friday (Dec.6).
They gathered in more than 3,000 mosques throughout the autonomous region, one of the major Muslim areas in the country.
Senior government officials in Ningxia, including Chen Jianguo and Ma Qizhi, respectively Party secretary and chairman of the autonomous region, visited Muslims, including imams in a number
Chinese folk music gaining big audience around world
Hundreds of musicians from over 20 countries have performed, enjoyed and reveled in Chinese folk songs during a rare five-day International Folk Songs Festival, in Nanning, capital of south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.
"I don't understand the Chinese, but I very much love the rhythms in the folk songs and the typical ways the singers sang them." said Griffiths Alexandre, a famed folk singer with a French troupe performing at the festival that ended recently.
Van Zuylen
Jurassic dinosaur fossils found on China's southern coast
A day at the seaside ended with an archaeological discovery when beach-goers from Fangcheng stumbled upon dinosaur fossils on the Jiangshan peninsula in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.
Archeologists with the Guangxi Natural Museum said this was the first time that dinosaur fossils of the Jurassic period (145 million and 208 million years ago) had been found on the southern coast of China.
Before that, many dinosaur fossils dating back to the Cretaceous period (135 m
1,700-year-old legal document found in NW province
An incomplete document dating back 1,700 years just has been unearthed in northwest China's Gansu province, providing a valuable clue for archeologists on the long-lost Criminal Law of the imperial Jin Dynasty (265-420).
The hand-written Annotation on the Criminal Law of the Jin Dynasty was pasted on a coffin in the Bijiatan site of Yumen city in Gansu.
Because the coffin was seriously decayed, only more than 5,000 Chinese characters were still recognizable, said Zhang Junmin, asso
China to choose famous tourism brands for first time
China plans to choose famous national brands to promote its tourism industry for the first time.
The brands will include touristic cities, travel agencies, hotels, restaurants and goods.
From December through March next year, candidate brands will be appraised through both public and expert opinions, and finally be judged by the China National Tourism Administration (CNTA).
Experts said China's thriving tourism industry has given rise to a large number of famous tourism bran
China's inbound tourism sets new record
China's inbound tourism set a new record in the first 11 months of the year, according to the latest statistics from the China National Tourism Administration.
The number of inbound travelers reached 89.99 million, up 1.1 percent over last year's total. Foreign visitors reached 12.69 million, up 13.1 percent compared with last year.
From January to November, the number of visitors from five major sources of tourism, namely Indonesia, Malaysia, the Republic of Korea, Thailand and th
China reports higher tourism revenue
China is expected generate 550 billion yuan (66.2 billion US dollars) from the tourist sector by the end of this year, equivalent to one-fifth of the country's annual gross domestic product, the China National Tourism Administration has announced.
Revenue from domestic tourists increased by 10 percent to reach 380 billion yuan (45.7 billion dollars), while revenue from overseas tourists totaled 20 billion US dollars.
The number of tourists visiting China is expected to exceed 97 mi
Macao's Tourism Industry Grows Rapidly in 2002
Macao's tourism industry scored another leap in 2002, buoyed by the huge influx of China's inlanders. The Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) of China saw 10.46 million tourist arrivals in the first 11 months of the year, outnumbering the whole year of 2001. Hong Kong remained the largest tourist source for Macao in the 11-month period, bringing in 4.68 million visitors, but the figure dipped 1.5 percent per annum. China's inland was catching up quickly, with tourists from there now making
Chinese Merrymakers Celebrate Christmas
With the downtown area of China's capital city decorated with smiling Santa Clauses and "Jingle Bells" resounding in many of the metropolis's shopping malls, the imprint of Christmas, traditionally a Western holiday, could be seen on this centuries-old city as well as other parts of the country. The Chinese website Elong.com recently launched an online survey seeking 100 reasons why some Chinese people are now celebrating Christmas. Hundreds of Chinese net-surfers posted their explanations onlin
Ancient Musical Instruments Excavated in Central China
Chinese archaeologists Tuesday unearthed an elevated drum supported by two legendary phoenixes standing atop two tigers in central China's Hubei Province. The find was made in a tomb dating back more than 2,000 years which has been under intense excavation at Jiuliandun in Zaoyang City. Called the "No. 2" tomb, it is just one of nine considered to be from the Chu State during the Warring States Period (475 BC-221 BC), and the "No. 1" tomb is the only other one currently under excavation. At the
Thailand, China to Jointly Promote Tourism in Berlin
Thailand and China will hold a joint press conference at the world's largest travel exposition, the International Tourism Exchange ITB Berlin, to promote themselves as a package destination, the Nation newspaper reported Wednesday. Juthamas Siriwan, governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), noted that next year Thailand would reposition itself by linking its destination with big countries like China in order to stay ahead of its competitors. The joint press conference with China is pa
Smiles on the Roof of the World
When people travel in Tibet, they marvel at the intense and pure colors presented by its mountains, rivers, prayer flags, ornaments, architecture, and dress. What may also impress visitors are the images of gods that are characteristically different from those found in other parts of China. While the statues and paintings of gods found outside the autonomous region usually assume a pondering posture, the Tibetan gods are either smiling with a flower in their hands or glowering with a sword under
On the Cards
Hi, I am accepted as a Chinese like my classmates, said 10-year-old Fu Jiawen with his Shanghai residence card. Even though learning Chinese and remembering the complicated Chinese characters has proven a painful task for the Canada-born boy, he is very excited to be accepted among his Chinese peers at a local primary school. Actually, the boy misunderstands the real meaning of the card, for he is not a Chinese in law, while the direct benefit for him is that he has not been charged an extra 2,0
Pre-Christmas Storm Kills 15 in US
A winter storm rolled through the southwest and central sections of the United States on Tuesday, causing at least 15 deaths and bringing an unexpected White Christmas to parts of the country that seldom see snow. Three people were killed in Oklahoma as a winter storm dumped up to 12 inches of snow in some parts of the state, an Oklahoma Highway Patrol spokesman said. The capital Oklahoma City received about six inches of snow and is likely to have its first White Christmas in over 25 years. "We
China to step up efforts to combat cultural relics crimes
China recently called for enhanced efforts to combat cultural relics crimes, which now combine the rapid theft, carrying away and smuggling of valuable antiques.
This was a shared proposal raised by the heads of China's Ministry of Public Security (MPS), General Administration of Customs (GAC), and State Administration for Industry and Commerce (SAIC), who were in Beijing for the meeting of the cultural heritage administration which opened on Dec.19.
The MPS urged setting up a coop
China moves to protect historic cities
Several Chinese cities, caught up in China's urbanization trend, are carrying out reconstruction that is harming and even destroying their distinctive cultural features, discarding historical value in favor of short-term interests.
Vice-minister in the Chinese Ministry of Construction (MOC) Qiu Baoxing issued the warning here recently at the national meeting on culture heritage administration.
The World Bank predicts that, in 40 to 50 years, China will have an area of 1.5 billion s
Vice premier urges protection of cultural relics
Vice Premier Li Lanqing said that the protection of cultural relics constitutes a historical mission entrusted to the Chinese people in the present period.
Speaking at the national cultural relics work meeting, Li pointed out that a great number of historical and revolutionary relics preserved throughout history have displayed China's rich culture and long history.
The strengthening of preservation efforts with regard to historical and cultural relics will help to disseminate the r
China, Japan launch afforestation program
China and Japan have launched a joint afforestation program with the goal of planting forests over 10,000 to 20,000 hectares in 10 years along China's Yellow River.
The Central Committee of the Communist Youth League of China (CYLC) and the Japan-China Parliamentary League for Tree-planting will implement the program in 2003-2012.
Zhou Qiang, first secretary of the Secretariat of the CYLC Central Committee, and Kamei Shizuka, president of the Japan-China Parliamentary League for Tr
Water-gauge tablet found at China's ancient irrigation system
A stone water gauge was found recently in southwest China's Sichuan Province during dredging and maintenance at the Dujiangyan Dam, a water conservation scheme that dates back 2,250 years.
Li Junzhu, a senior engineer in charge of dam maintenance, said the tablet erected in 1764 was submerged at the bottom of a pool. It was the first time it had seen the light of day for more than 200 years.
According to Li, seven water pumps were used to empty the pool which was more than 10 meter
2003 to be welcomed in style in Beijing
Since China began ringing in the new year with a concert in Beijing's Great Hall of the People in 1997, the musical extravaganza has been turned into a top-quality artistic event and a top choice for Chinese to greet the start of another year.
The 2003 New Year's Concert on Dec. 31 will be performed jointly by Britain's prestigious Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and the Beijing Symphony Orchestra, under noted conductors Barry Wordsworth and Tan Lihua respectively.
The audience will e
Wuhan aims to be booming modern manufacturing center
Wuhan, the capital city of Hubei province, is striving to turn itself into a thriving modern manufacturing center for central China.
To attain the goal, the city would take three essential steps, restructuring its industries in an effort to build a framework for modern manufacturing within a period of five years, said Yin Zengtao, deputy secretary of the Wuhan City Committee of the Communist Party of China.
In the first instance, Wuhan will focus mainly on building five production
Renowned Chinese architect granted Prince Claus Award
Wu Liangyong, an internationally renowned Chinese professor of architecture, was honored with the Prince Claus Award from the Netherlands here recently.
Wu, a professor of the Civil Engineering Institute of the prestigious Qinghua University and also an academician of Chinese Academy of Sciences and Chinese Academy of Engineering, received the award from representatives of the Prince Claus Award Foundation in the Dutch embassy.
"I was greatly honored," said 80-year-old Wu.
T
Peking Man Site of further research value
The Zhoukoudian Peking Man Site had further valuable research potential, a leading Chinese scientist said at a recent celebration of the 15th anniversary of the site's joining the UNESCO World Heritage list.
Wu Xinzhi, academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS),said that Zhoukoudian site was still the forefront of international research for paleoanthropology, Paleolithic archeology and geology.
The first skull of Peking Man dating back 500,000 years was discovered at the
NE Dalian city reports tourism earnings rise
Dalian, a port city in northeast China's Liaoning Province, earned 12.86 billion yuan (about 1.55 billion US dollars) from tourism in the first 11 months of the year.
The city hosted 458,000 overseas tourists from January to November and earned 310 million US dollars from related services, said Liu Changde, vice mayor of Dalian.
The fast growth of the tourism industry has created more job opportunities for Dalian. More than 100,000 people have found new jobs in Dalian this year, of
Yunnan tourism income set to top 400 million dollars
Yunnan Province, one of China's top tourist destinations, is expected to earn 410 million US dollars from tourism this year.
Tourist arrivals from out of the Chinese mainland numbered 1.1 million in the first 10 months of this year. The figure is expected to top 1.25 million for the whole year, said Luo Mingyi, director of the provincial tourism bureau.
Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan provided the largest source of tourists to Yunnan, followed by Thailand, Japan, the Republic of Korea,
China can accommodate more Disneylands: company director
China can support a number of Disneylands due to the potential of its huge market, but the second Disneyland will not appear until 2010, said the Walt Disney Company (Asia Pacific) Limited recently.
Irene Chan, the corporate communications regional director of the Walt Disney Company in Asia Pacific, revealed the company's business plan during a news conference to announce the facilities of the Hong Kong Disneyland due to be operational in the years 2005/06 in Penny's Bay on Lantau Island
SW China railway boosts tourism along its line
The once isolated but resource-rich regions near the Nanning-Kunming railway, spanning southwest China, have received a greatly increasing number of tourists since the railway began operation in 1997.
The 898.7-km railway, China's largest poverty-alleviating project, runs from Nanning, capital of south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, to Kunming, capital of southwest China's Yunnan province, through Guizhou province.
Although the regions near the railway were rich in touri
China's biggest travel agency promotes "Total Travel" brand
The China International Travel Service (CITS) is promoting its "Total Travel" brand to better cater to the increasing numbers of outbound Chinese travelers.
The brand belonging to the country's biggest tourism enterprise,aims to provide good quality service, including flights, hotels, restaurants and guides.
"Total Travel" offers different itineraries according to customers' needs and a range of travel charges depending on the season.
Although China's outbound tourism indust
Chinese Embrace Open Road
When hua Qiren first applied for a passport 15 years ago, he stood in long lines to get approvals from police and other officials. After three months of frustration and still no passport, he gave up. He tried again last April, after Shanghai introduced simplified procedures of issuing passport. The oxblood-red Chinese passport arrived in the mail just 10 days later. The 45-year-old hotel manager celebrated by taking his first trip overseas - a week in Thailand. "Getting a passport used to be the
Using a 'Third Eye' to Find Hidden Treasures
Only until a couple of years ago, remote sensing was such a remote concept that many Chinese archaeologists would only associate it with land surveying and prospecting, without thinking that it would have something to do with the detection of lost civilizations. They used to look to historical writings and rely on shovels and brushes to carry out archaeological excavations, which have remained their primary investigative methods for centuries. But things have changed greatly in the last couple o
Ancient Mausoleums to Come to Light
For China's archaeologists, the Western Zhou Dynasty (c. 11th century - 771 BC) represents a golden era rich with cultural wealth as well as archaeological enigmas. One of the most intriguing enigmas is about the mausoleums of the 12 emperors of the 257-year-long dynasty. History suggests these emperors were buried after their death in areas around the city of Xi'an in today's Shaanxi Province in northwest China, but none of their mausoleums have been found, despite thousands of years of efforts
Thailand, China to Jointly Promote Tourism in Berlin
Thailand and China will hold a joint press conference at the world's largest travel exposition, the International Tourism Exchange ITB Berlin, to promote themselves as a package destination, the Nation newspaper reported Wednesday. Juthamas Siriwan, governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), noted that next year Thailand would reposition itself by linking its destination with big countries like China in order to stay ahead of its competitors. The joint press conference with China is pa
Bamboo Slips Found in Bulk in Ancient Tomb
Chinese archeologists Wednesday unearthed more than 1,000 bamboo slips bearing official records over 2,000 years old, in the No. 2 tomb at Jiuliandun Tombs in Zaoyang City, Hubei Province, in central China. This was the largest number of bamboo slips ever found in the ancient tombs belonging to the Chu State which dates back to the Warring States Period (475 BC-221 BC), said Wang Hongxing, director of the provincial archeological institute. The bamboo slips are in a sound condition though black
Carrier Takes off with New Fashions
People travelling aboard a newly established Air China Group flight will not only get service with a smile, but soon get a glimpse of French flair from their cabin crew. Stewards from the former Air China, China Southwest Airlines and Zhejiang Airlines - which merged into the Air China Group in November - will gradually be introduced wearing the new uniforms in the first half of next year. "This visual signal will tell our passengers clearly that our services have been formally combined," said L
Carrier Takes off with New Fashions
People traveling aboard a newly established Air China Group flight will not only get service with a smile, but soon get a glimpse of French flair from their cabin crew. Stewards from the former Air China, China Southwest Airlines and Zhejiang Airlines - which merged into the Air China Group in November - will gradually be introduced wearing the new uniforms in the first half of next year. "This visual signal will tell our passengers clearly that our services have been formally combined," said Li
Liaoning Relocates Mining Families
Dozens of mining families have been giving a new start in life after being relocated away from their mine-blighted hometown. A total of 330 households from the city of Fuxin have moved south to Dalian's Paotai County, an economically more developed coastal city in the Northeast Liaoning Province. The resettled residents are all laid-off workers and their families from heavily deep-mined areas of Fuxin, which is rich in coal resources. The families had lived in Fuxin for more than a decade before
Ice Threatens Yellow River
Travel along a key river artery is becoming increasingly hazardous as huge chunks of ice threaten to bring shipping to a standstill. Tens of thousands of people are on alert for possible flooding that may be caused by piled-up ice blocks in river courses. Plunging temperatures have led to the build-up of ice along 111.39 kilometers in 33 sections of the Yellow River in east China's Shandong Province. Statistics from the Shandong Yellow River Anti-Flood Office show ice blocks to be floating along
Gansu Province Proves to Have Been Dinosaur Kingdom
Gansu Province Museum's Nature Department recently discovered a fossilized dinosaur egg. Experts say the discovery, together with the many fossilized prehistoric bones and footprints found before it, proves that many dinosaurs once roamed Gansu Province. Gansu may reasonably be called a dinosaur kingdom of that time. According to Zhang Xing, a researcher at the Gansu Museum, says it's the first time a whole dinosaur egg has been found in Gansu. The egg is almost perfectly complete, expect for a
Water Diversion Project to Relieve China's Thirsty North
The long-awaited South-to-North water diversion project kicked off Friday to bring relief to China's drought-ridden north. It took 50 years of planning to get to this starting point, and the project is expected to take another 50 years to be completed. The massive project is expected to require investment of about 486 billion yuan (about US$59 billion), twice as much as the cost of the Three Gorges Dam project. The cities suffering severe water shortage are mostly located in the parched north of
Ice Pile-up Threatens Yellow River
Travel along a key river artery is becoming increasingly hazardous as huge chunks of ice threaten to bring shipping to a standstill. Tens of thousands of people are on alert for possible flooding that may be caused by piled-up ice blocks in river courses. Plunging temperatures have led to the build-up of ice along 111.39 kilometers in 33 sections of the Yellow River in East China's Shandong Province. Statistics from the Shandong Yellow River Anti-Flood Office show ice blocks to be floating along
Bengal Tigers Find New Home in Hainan Island
A total of 100 Bengal tigers and 2,000 crocodiles traveled by a Boeing 747 jumbo jet on Wednesday from Thailand to their new home in the tourist city of Sanya in south China's Hainan Province. According to Beijing Youth Daily's report, the live cargo will go to a new tiger and crocodile breeding center in Sanya. The center was set up by a Sino-Thai venture and will form part of a wildlife park where tourists can visit the animals from next October. The tigers and crocodiles were imported from Si
Orphan Finds a Home at Achool
A national campaign to return girls to school has given Yexe Zhoige, a nine-year-old ethnic Tibetan orphan, opportunities she never would have had otherwise -- an education and a family. The girl is now a third grade primary school student in Maqu County, Northwest China's Gansu Province. She attends classes offered by the "Spring Bud" programme, which helps girls like her, orphans and those from poor families who have had to drop out of school. For Yexe Zhoige, her teachers have become the pare
Ice Pile-up Threatens Yellow River
Travel along a key river artery is becoming increasingly hazardous as huge chunks of ice threaten to bring shipping to a standstill. Tens of thousands of people are on alert for possible flooding that may be caused by piled-up ice blocks in river courses. Plunging temperatures have led to the build-up of ice along 111.39 kilometres in 33 sections of the Yellow River in East China's Shandong Province. Statistics from the Shandong Yellow River Anti-Flood Office show ice blocks to be floating along
1,700-year-old terracotta warriors unearthed in E. China
Chinese archaeologists have unearthed more than 100 terracotta warriors dating back to the imperial Han Dynasty (206 BC-220 AD) in east China's Shandong province.
Cui Dayong, a chief archaeologist with the excavation task force, described the pit containing the warriors as the fourth largest of its kind found in China.
The three biggest pits include those in northwest China's Shaanxi province, where life-size terracotta warriors unearthed in the 1970s from the tomb of Emperor Shihu
China pinpoints terra-cotta warriors' production site
Chinese scientists have finally solved a long-time riddle: where were the 8,000 terra-cotta warriors made that were unearthed in the 1970s from the tomb of Qin Shihuang, the first emperor who unified China?
After a three-year joint research project, scientists from Beijing, Zhengzhou and Xi'an cities reached the conclusion that the world-renowned terra-cotta warriors were created close to where they were excavated.
Qin Shihuang's tomb has been called "the eighth wonder of the world
China's family planning thwarts gender prejudice
For thousands of years, Chinese women were full-time baby-bearing workers while their husbands, rich or poor, habitually just sat back and enjoyed the growing family.
Such gender prejudice, which developed in feudal China and stressed the absolute authority of the male, has been challenged fiercely over the past three decades, thanks to the country's family planning policy.
State Family Planning Commission statistics reveal the rate for male sterilization in China had remained abov
Pigeons keep hovering over Beijing skyline
From the days of imperial emperors to a booming market economy, the skyline of the capital of Beijing has kept changing, but not the soaring flocks of pigeons dashing higher over head and their soft cooing are dear to Beijingers for generations.
The centuries-old Bell Tower to the north of the Forbidden City has been to generations of Beijingers the best and most ideal site to enjoy the birds, known to many as the "city's angels".
As the pigeons hover above the ancient tower and th
Chinese publish more science and technology papers
Papers on science and technology published overseas by Chinese scholars in 2001 totaled 64,526, jumping from the eighth highest in the world to sixth, figures released recently show.
Those nations which published more papers were the United States, Japan, Britain, Germany and France.
The annual statistical work, undertaken by the Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China, aims to count the number of published papers of Chinese science workers and the occurrences of
Qinghai-Tibet railway faces toughest challenge
Construction of the most difficult section of the world's longest and highest railway across the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau will begin next year.
The leading panel of the construction of the Qinghai-Tibet railway decided recently that 190 kilometers of track will be laid through the Dangla Mountains in the east of Tibet in 2003. The highest spot on the railway will be 5,072 meters above the sea level.
The track to be built will run through a 550-kilometer stretch of permafrost earth kno
Famous beach in S. China to return to original beauty
Too much tourism can be a bad thing, and administrators of the popular "Silver Beach" in Beihai, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, now know that.
They are ordering the demolition of the numerous facilities built on the beach in the beginning of the 1990s, partly out of the belief that tourists would prefer to see it in its natural beauty.
Another worry is that after a field study, specialists reported the beach has shrunk and the sand become slightly tainted in recent
China to lower general tariff level by one percentage point in 2003
China's State Council has approved a reduction in the country's general tariff level from 12 percent to 11 percent, effective Jan. 1, 2003, with more than 3,000 tariff items involved.
The reduction will be carried out as part of China's commitments to the World Trade Organization and also in order to restructure both tariff items and rates, the Tariff Policy Commission of the State Council said Sunday.
A total of 129 new items will be added to the import tariff item list, which wil
China to train, grant accreditation to cultural relics preservation personnel
The preservation of Chinese cultural relics is developing positively, however, sustainable development hinges largely on human resource development. China will therefore begin training and granting accreditation to cultural relics preservation personnel in 2003.
Shan Jixiang, director of the State Administration of Cultural Heritage, made the announcement here recently during a national meeting for personnel.
Currently, he said, some local governments use cultural relics administra
Some 469 million bank cards in use in China
China's banking sector had issued a total of 469 million bank cards by the end of September since the first was issued in 1985, official figures showed.
Experts with China UnionPay Company Limited, a Shanghai-based national payment network sponsored by many of China's major banks, said there had been 130,000 banking outlets on the Chinese mainland capable of handling bank cards by late June this year.
Bank cards can also be used at 270,000 points of sale (POS) in approximately 200,
Exhibition industry to take off in China: Expert
The exhibition industry is taking off in China, providing vibrant opportunities for overseas businesses, Michael Duck, chairman of the Union des Foires Internationale (UFI) Asia-Pacific Region said at the China International Convention and Exhibition Forum.
China's exhibition industry had been developing rapidly in a positive direction, especially since its entry into the World Trade Organization (WTO), Duck said.
The benefits of the industry lay not only in the contracts signed th
Macao's tourism industry grows rapidly in 2002
Macao's tourism industry scored another leap in 2002, buoyed by the huge influx of China's inlanders.
The Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) of China saw 10.46 million tourist arrivals in the first 11 months of the year, outnumbering the whole year of 2001.
Hong Kong remained the largest tourist source for Macao in the 11-month period, bringing in 4.68 million visitors, but the figure dipped 1.5 percent per annum. China's inland was catching up quickly, with tourists from th
Chinese merrymakers celebrate Christmas
With the downtown area of China's capital city decorated with smiling Santa Clauses and "Jingle Bells" resounding in many of the metropolis's shopping malls, the imprint of Christmas, traditionally a Western holiday, could be seen on this centuries-old city as well as other parts of the country.
The Chinese website Elong.com recently launched an online survey seeking 100 reasons why some Chinese people are now celebrating Christmas. Hundreds of Chinese net-surfers posted their explanation
Chinese to make a billion journeys during Spring Festival
Official estimates show Chinese people will make more than 1.8 billion journeys during the traditional Lunar New Year, the Spring Festival, which begins on February 1, China Daily reported recently.
Among them, 1.65 billion journeys are to be by railway, a four percent increase compared with the same peak period last year. The majority of passengers will be students, migrant laborers and tourists.
To help relieve the pressure of getting a ticket, the Beijing Railway Bureau has star
2002 Sample Investigation on Inbound Tourist Expense
The work of "Sample Investigation on the Expense of Inbound Tourists in 2002" has been completed, announced the State Tourism Administration. Following are the main data collected and calculated by the National Bureau of Statistics. Composition of Inbound Tourists' Expense There is little change in inbound tourists' expense on the mainland of China during the period from January to October in 2002 compared with that of 2001. Among the overnight travelers, tourists from Hong Kong and Taiwan spent
24-hour Border Crossing to Be Open Between HK, Mainland
Lok Ma Chau-Huanggang checkpoints between Hong Kong and Chinese mainland will be open for traffic 24 hours per day soon, Hong Kong media reported Friday. The round-the-clock arrangement is timed to start shortly before the Chinese Spring Festival, which falls on Feb. 1 next year when border-crossings are expected to boom. Analysts forecast that tourism and real estate both in Shenzhen and Hong Kong will benefit from the 24-hour border-crossing. "Without the time limit, the mainland tour groups d
2002 Sample Investigation on Inbound Tourist Expense
The work of "Sample Investigation on the Expense of Inbound Tourists in 2002" has been completed, announced the State Tourism Administration. Following are the main data collected and calculated by the National Bureau of Statistics. Composition of Inbound Tourists' Expense There is little change in inbound tourists' expense on the mainland of China during the period from January to October in 2002 compared with that of 2001. Among the overnight travelers, tourists from Hong Kong and Taiwan spent
Water Diversion Project Launched
Fifty years after then President Mao Zedong put forward the idea, work began yesterday on a massive project to divert water from the Yangtze River to drought-plagued northern areas. The scheme, which is expected to cost US$59 billion, twice as much as the massive Three Gorges Dam project in southwestern China, will provide water to Beijing, Tianjin and the provinces of Jiangsu and Shandong. Ceremonies marking the start of the project were held in Beijing and at the construction sites in Jiangsu
China Railways Gear up for Peak Festival Time
An estimated 130 million persons will travel by train in China between Jan. 17 and Feb. 25 next year, a Chinese railway official has predicted. The figure will be 1.66 million persons, or 1 percent, more than the number of passenger flow in the similar festival railway traffic this year, said Hu Yadong, director of the Transport Bureau of China's Ministry of Railways. The majority of passengers will be students, migrant workers and tourists, he said. The Spring Festival for 2003, the Chinese New
Reception Greets Foreign Experts' New Year
The China International Publishing Group (CIPG), China's prime international news-publishing house, hosted a New Year's reception for its foreign employees on December 27 at the Great Wall Hotel in Beijing. The group has a tradition of extending New Year's greetings to its foreign expert employees during the period between Christmas and China's Spring Festival. The upcoming Spring Festival falls on February 1, 2003. The reception gathered over 40 foreign experts and delegates from publishing hou
Railway Sector to Open up Wider: Rail Minister
China's railway industry will open wider to global investment, including private investment from Chinese enterprises, top railway officials said. The Ministry of Railways is drafting a series of investment policies to secure fair market conditions for healthy competition. Rail minister Fu Zhihuan told the industry's annual working conference in Beijing at the weekend: "All the fields that the Chinese Government promised to open to foreign investors in its commitments to the World Trade Organizat
Gas Explosion Kills Three in Changchun
An explosion ripped through a high-rise residential building in Changchun, capital of Northeast China's Jilin Province on Saturday afternoon, killing three people and injuring 11. Casualties, including passers-by were sent to the local hospital for emergency treatment. Most wounds were facial, said a newspaper, citing a doctor named Pan. Initial investigations have concluded that a gas leak was to blame for the tragedy, but local public security sources said they had not ruled out criminal inten
Modern Know-how Guards Relics
While heroes of the Warring States (475-221 BC) in Zhang Yimou's movie fascinate the public, the finding of a true hero of the period is filling the archaeological world with ecstasy. The excavation of the Jiuliandun Tombs in Zaoyang, Central China's Hubei Province, which began on December 20, has been widely hailed as the greatest archaeological find of the year. "The tomb's owner could be the greatest general of the Chu Kingdom at the end of Warring States Period," said Guo Dewei, researcher o
Copyright of Folk Song Under Protection
The Beijing No. 2 Intermediate People's Court ruled Saturday that the music of "Wusuli River Chantey", a popular folk song in China, is an adaptation from traditional melodies rather than a new composition. The case arose from the '99 Nanning International Folk Song Festival, at which Guo Song, a prestigious folk song performing artist, sang the chantey. Afterwards, an anchor from China Central Television (CCTV) interviewed veteran singer Guo and announced that Guo and his partners had composed
Thai's Spending Increases
Bangkok residents will spend about 11 billion baht (US$254 million) on travel and shopping in the New Year holiday, according to a survey. Residents of the Thai capital will spend about 3.5 billion baht on domestic travel during the holidays, said the survey by Thai Farmers Research Center, a unit of the nation's third-largest bank. They will spend another 2 billion baht on overseas trips to China, Singapore, Australia and other countries. The survey said the spending will increase from the same
Railway Sector to Open up Wider
China's railway industry will open wider to global investment, including private investment from Chinese enterprises, top railway officials said. The Ministry of Railways is drafting a series of investment policies to secure fair market conditions for healthy competition. Rail minister Fu Zhihuan told the industry's annual working conference in Beijing at the weekend: "All the fields that the Chinese Government promised to open to foreign investors in its commitments to the World Trade Organizat
Stories of Mao Zedong inspire China's movie, TV directors
The far-reaching influence of his charisma and great insights about Chinese people justify making films and TV plays about Mao Zedong, says a Chinese director on the 109th anniversary of the late leader's birth.
Every year, China produces films and TV programs about its great men like Mao, founder of the People's Republic of China. Wang Xuexin, director of the film Mao Zedong and Edgar Snow, said such films were shot not to meet government demands but from the choice of producers and dire
Mao Zedong's birthday celebrated in hometown
While Westerners are immersed in the joys of the Christmas holidays, villagers at Shaoshan in Hunan Province are traditionally celebrating the birthday of Mao Zedong, the greatest man who ever emerged from their small village.
Dec. 26 this year is the 109th anniversary of the birth of Mao Zedong, the founder of the People's Republic of China.
People in Shaoshan, Mao's hometown, placed various offerings including firecrackers and food, at the former house of the late leader and in t
Mountain areas in line for development
The economic and social development of China's mountain areas is to be accelerated with careful consideration for ecological conservation, said a Chinese lawmaker and a forestry official.
The role of mountain areas, which made up almost 70 percent of China's land area, was very important because they were home to over half of the 1.3 billion population, said Jiang Chunyun, Vice-Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress.
Most of the nation's forestry, wate
Guangzhou arboretum to be expanded
The suburb of Guangzhou, capital of south China's Guangdong Province will soon be home to the southern hemisphere's largest arboretums.
The Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), the Guangdong provincial government and the Guangzhou municipal government signed an agreement here recently to spend five to ten years and a total of 300 million yuan (36.1 million US dollars) to expand the existing South Arboretum, which attached to a local research institute of the CAS, into a first-class Asian ar
China put birds at risk under protection
The Chinese government recently launched a week-long campaign against the illegal hunting, killing and trading of birds in China, the China Daily reported.
Government officials said that the illegal hunting of birds was rampant in some areas of China, with many creatures ending up on the dinner plate. The problem was particularly bad in southern China, where people often eat birds.
Officials warned that national ecosystems and biodiversity were under threat and the illegal behavior
Endangered black-capped gibbon population on rise in China
The number of endangered black-capped gibbons, found only in south China's Hainan Island province, has risen to 24.
The growing population was resultant from China's intensified efforts to protect the species, said an official with the 64-sq km heavily forested Bawangling state nature reserve, where the primates live.
In the 1950s, about 2,000 black-headed gibbons roamed the primitive tropical forests on Hainan island's central and western parts. But the figure had dropped to seven
Macao SAR issues 12 sets of stamps this year
The Postal Services of the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) has issued 12 sets of stamps this year.
On Friday (Dec.13), the agency began issuing the 12th series of stamps for 2003, called "I Ching, Pa Kua," which reflects the Chinese ways of good behavior since ancient times.
The new set includes 8 stamps designed in hexagon and a total of 500,000 sets will be issued. Other postal products such as souvenir sheet, first-day cover and introduction paper will also be availabl
Website launched to mark massacre
A website to commemorate the massacre carried out by Japanese military forces 65 years ago in Nanjing, capital of east China's Jiangsu province, was set up recently.
The Website (http://njdts.china1840-1949.net.cn), sponsored by the Central Committee of Chinese Communist Youth League and Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, commemorates the over 300,000 Chinese civilians killed in the massacre, exposes the vicious crime committed by Japanese military forces and calls for awareness to maint
China Southern Airlines makes world's top 20
China Southern Airlines has grown to be one of the world's 20 biggest airline companies, according to sources with the company's Shanghai office.
Just days ago, Southern Airlines flew its 20 millionth passenger this year. The Guangzhou-based carrier is China's first aviation company on the mainland to handle more than 20 million passengers annually.
The milestone ranked Southern Airlines among Asia's top five airlines.
The company recorded 5.69 million passengers in 1991, th
Chinese Jingdezhen ceramics exhibition opens in Myanmar
A 12-day exhibition of fine ceramic products of China's Jiangxi Jingdezhen opened at the Yangon Trade Center on Dec.23.
Attending the inaugural ceremony were Myanmar Minister of Commerce Brigadier-General Pyi Sone, Chinese Ambassador to Myanmar Li Jinjun, Economic and Commercial Counselor of the Chinese Embassy Jin Honggen, Chairman of the Myanmar China Huanyu Thama (Group) (MCHTG) Co Ltd Zhao Jidong and Deputy General Manager of the China Jingdezhen International Economy and Technique Co
India becomes Chinese tourists' destination
India has recently gained the Authorized Destination Status (ADS) for Chinese tourists, according to the source from China National Tourism Administration.
More details will be discussed by the two sides before organized Chinese tourist groups can finally go there.
"Both India and China used to be ancient civilized nations. Currently we are two largest developing nations. I believe tourism will promote bilateral exchanges in different areas," said Dinesh K. Patnaik, head of commerc
Ancient imperial garden to undergo restoration
Restoration of Yuanmingyuan, or the ancient imperial garden ruins in northwest Beijing, is set to begin, the site's administration has announced.
The restoration would start with Zhengjue Temple outside the Qichun Garden of Yuanmingyuan, also known as "Garden of 10,000 Gardens", and the work would be done by Beijing Ancient Architecture Restoration Company, said Wei Baoshan, director of Yuanmingyuan Administration, at a function recently to announce the winning tender.
Located in n
China to launch gigantic water diversion project
Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji announced on Dec.27 the start of a gigantic project to divert water from the Yangtze River to the country's thirsty northern areas.
The premier made the announcement at a ceremony held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.
Involving an investment of 59 billion US dollars, the project could cost twice as much as the ongoing Three Gorges project. Major beneficiaries include Beijing and Tianjin cities, and Jiangsu and Shandong provinces in east China.<
US Condemns Killings of Missionaries in Yemen
The United States on Monday vowed to hunt down "any and all" of those responsible for the murder of three American missionaries in Yemen, which has been blamed on at least one suspected Islamic extremist. Washington also asked Yemeni authorities to provide more protection for Americans after a doctor and two other medical workers were shot and killed at Jibla Baptist hospital, 105 miles (170 km) south of the capital Sanaa. Yemeni officials said the gunman belonged to the Islamic opposition Islah
Ancient DNA Recovery in Progress
Scientists at a Chinese DNA laboratory are working hard to extract DNA from bones selected from the skeletal remains of a woman whom scientists believe was the wife of a duke during the Western Han Dynasty (206 BC - 24 AD). The 2,000-plus-year-old remains were unearthed in August of the year 2000 by the Yongding river near Laoshan Hills in Beijing's western Shijingshan district and moved to Changchun, the capital city of Jilin Province on October 3 this year under the escort of several archeolog
Mecca for Big Spenders
To prepare for her wedding ceremony, Yvonne Pu went to Hong Kong with her husband and did some "crazy shopping". "I spent almost 20,000 yuan (US$2,420) there and purchased several pieces of namebrand clothes and cosmetics to make myself into a beautiful bride," she said. Though this cost a lot of money, Pu still thought it was worth of it. "The price of first-class brands in Hong Kong is about 15 to 20 per cent lower than in Shanghai, I think it was very worthwhile shopping there," she said. Act
Literary Genius Acclaimed
History is welcoming the centennial celebrations of the birth of a generation of brilliant Chinese writers. Among them there are Ba Jin (real name Li Yaotang), who had his 99th birthday on November 25, and the late Shen Congwen. When Shen Congwen died on May 10, 1988, Ba Jin was saddened to think that his dear friend's passing went relatively unnoticed by the world. Over a decade on things have changed dramatically when it comes to recognizing worth, as it was when the 100th anniversary of Shen'
Backgrounder: China's previous three unmanned spaceships
China launched its fourth unmanned spacecraft, the "Shenzhou IV", early Monday at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwestern Gansu Province.
The first experimental spacecraft "Shenzhou" was launched by "Long March" carrier rocket on Nov. 20, 1999, at the same launch center, and touched down in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region the next day.
Chinese engineers for the first time assembled and tested the rocket and spaceship in a vertical way. Meanwhile, they used a newly-
China launches fourth unmanned spacecraft
China launched its fourth unmanned spacecraft "Shenzhou IV" early Monday morning with a "Long March II F" carrier rocket, a move that could soon lead to its manned space voyage.
Leading scientists in charge of China's manned space program said the successful launch of the "Shenzhou (divine vessel) IV" laid a solid foundation for the country's future task of sending Chinese astronauts to outer space.
The "Long March II F" rocket blasted off at 00:40 a.m. (BeijingTime) from the Jiuqu
Impotence still a taboo subject for men
Just the mention of the word raises eyebrows or prompts crude jokes for despite the sexual revolution and Viagra, impotence is still a taboo subject.
It affects about one in 10 men and the numbers increase with age. But because of the sensitivity and embarrassment surrounding it, nearly 50% of men do not seek advice about the problem and some suffer silently for decades.
Yet 95% of cases can be successfully treated.
"It has a huge effect on their feelings. It makes them feel
Chinese rural women speak up on sex
Chinese women who had traditionally kept their personal lives a secret are now much braver in speaking up as their knowledge of reproductive health keep growing.
Liu Xiaohong, a 34-year-old woman farmer in Lujiang county of east China's Anhui province, feels at ease about confiding to a gynecologist and soliciting advices on women's diseases.
In the past, she regarded such discussions as taboo and would hesitate to do so.
"Would it be appropriate to go to gynecologists, and
China, Singapore sign 2nd plan on TCM cooperation
The second plan on traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) cooperation between health ministries of China and Singapore was signed here recently.
Chinese Vice Minister for Health and Director General of the State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine (SATCM) She Jing and Singaporean State Minister for Health and Environment Balaji Sadasivan signed the document, under which China will share with Singapore its expertise in developing and regulating practice,and Singapore will share with
Mobile phone users top 200 million in China
The number of mobile subscriptions in China passed 200 million by the end of November this year, according to statistics from the Ministry of Information Industry.
By the end of last month, the total number of telephone users in China reached 412.99 million, among whom 212.68 million are fixed line subscribers. The number of fixed line subscribers and mobile users increased by 32.31 million and 55.09 million respectively from last year.
The telephone has become a common part of eve
Beijing sees better air quality
China's capital city Beijing has had 201 days so far this year with fairly good or excellent air quality, 19 days more than last year.
Vice-Mayor Liu Jingmin told a press conference on Dec.27 that the days with air quality of level II or better accounted for 55.1 percent of the whole year. The city had fulfilled the goal set at the beginning of this year to clean the air.
China classifies air quality in urban areas in five levels: level I or excellent (pollution reading: not exceed
Beijing to hold three motor vehicle exhibitions next year
Beijing will hold three motor vehicle exhibitions next year.
These include the 2003 Beijing International Commercial Vehicle Exhibition and the 2003 Beijing International Automotive Parts and Related Products Show (AMS 2003), both scheduled from September 25 to 28, and the Beijing International Motorcycle Exhibition (Motorcycle Expo 2003) which is scheduled from November 6 to 9.
The Commercial Vehicle Exhibition will focus on developing transportation and protecting the environment
Sichuan begins construction of 1 billion US dollar expressway
Construction of a major expressway in China's western region got underway recently in Sichuan Province. Total investment for the project is 8.8 billion yuan (1.1 billion US dollars).
The expressway is China's largest road-traffic project funded by loans from the Asian Development Bank (ADB), which total 300 million US dollars.
The expressway, which will connect Xichang and Panzhihua, both in the west of the province, in southwest China, is a major part of one of eight planned expre
Only "air bridge" linking west China with Europe to reopen
Chongqing-Germany Airlines, the only so far to connect western China with Europe, is set to reopenin the first quarter of 2003 after being shut down for two years.
The airline, connecting Chongqing municipality in west China with Munich in Germany, was opened in May 2000. About 6,000 European passengers came to Chongqing on business or tourism on the airline. Many cities in west China set up offices in Chongqing to attract more Europeans.
The line was closed only half a year later.
Taiwan airlines apply for Taipei-Shanghai charter flights
Three Taiwan airlines have applied to launch Taipei-Shanghai charter flights during the upcoming Chinese New Year holidays, Taipei media reported on Dec.29.
Airlines filed the application with the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) are China Airlines (CAL), Mandarin Airlines and Far East Air Transport Corp.
According to CAL's plan, a Boeing 747-400 will be used to launch the charter flights. A representative from CAL said there are some 300,000 Taiwan businessmen in Shan
24-hour border crossing to be open between HK, mainland
Lok Ma Chau-Huanggang checkpoints between Hong Kong and Chinese mainland will be open for traffic 24 hours per day soon, Hong Kong media reported here on Dec.27.
The round-the-clock arrangement is timed to start shortly before the Chinese Spring Festival, which falls on Feb. 1 next year when border-crossings are expected to boom.
Analysts forecast that tourism and real estate both in Shenzhen and Hong Kong will benefit from the 24-hour border-crossing.
"Without the time limi
China railways gear up for peak festival time
An estimated 130 million persons will travel by train in China between Jan. 17 and Feb. 25 next year, a Chinese railway official has predicted.
The figure will be 1.66 million persons, or 1 percent, more than the number of passenger flow in the similar festival railway traffic this year, said Hu Yadong, director of the Transport Bureau of China's Ministry of Railways.
The majority of passengers will be students, migrant workers and tourists, he said.
The Spring Festival for
China to remote sense mysterious tomb of first emperor
Chinese scientists and archaeologists will survey the Mausoleum of Emperor Qinshihuang (259 BC-210 BC), the first emperor of China's feudal dynasties, using remote sensing and geophysical techniques in a bid to unravel the historical mystery, the China Daily reported recently.
As a key project of the National High Technology Research and Development Program, the survey is by far the most comprehensive research ever on the mausoleum and set to end by Sept. 2003, the newspaper said.
