Tourist Guilin City Resumes Ancient River Cruises
Guilin, one of China's most famous tourist cities, has just finished a two-year project to clear its waterways and resume scenic cruises.
Guilin, with a history of more than 2,000 years, is renowned for its green mountains, clear water and strangely-shaped limestone formations.
In addition to the two rivers running through the city, Lijiang and Taohua, there are four lakes in its urban area. Cruises along the Lijiang River have been the most important tourist attraction in the city
Rosenbluth, China Comfort Set up Travel Joint Venture
Rosenbluth International, one of the world's leading business-to-business travel companies, and China Comfort, one of China's top travel agencies, announced here on May 16 that their joint venture is now open for business.
The new company, Rosenbluth-Comfort Business Travel Service Company, will tap the booming business travel market and explore new business opportunities in China.
"With China's entry into the World Trade Organization and economic globalization, more and more Chine
Minister Issues Warning on National Ferry Security
Chinese Communications Minister Huang Zhendong on Monday urged China's maritime transport sector to ensure the safety of Chinese soccer fans traveling to the Republic of Korea and Japan during the World Cup.
Huang said that all passenger ferries carrying soccer fans should be checked individually, and overloading should be strictly avoided.
He also warned communications departments at all levels to learn from the air accidents at Pusan, in the ROK, on April 15 and near Dalian of Ch
China's first expressway under expansion
China's first standard expressway linking the northeast cities of Shenyang and Dalian is to become the country's longest eight-lane super highway under an expansion scheme launched in Shenyang on May 18.
The four-lane expressway, with a length of 348 kilometers, will be upgraded to eight lanes when the project is completed in 2004, said Zhang Gongxian, deputy head of the communications department of the Liaoning provincial government.
Twenty-eight construction firms, winners of a n
Anhui Boosting Tourism Sector: CNTA
Officials from several State ministries in Beijing approved a plan recently to develop the tourism industry in the next 20 years in East China's Anhui Province.
Officials from the State Development Planning Commission, the China National Tourism Administration (CNTA) and the Development and Research Centre of the State Council joined experts led by Li Yining, vice-chairman of the Financial and Economic Committee of the National People's Congress, to approve the Overall Plan of Anhui Provi
Purer, Richer as Time Goes by
Anchang Town,located near Shaoxing in East China's Zhejiang Province, is an ideal place for a weekend trip. On the day of our arrival, we were lucky to catch a Shaoxing Opera performance in the square in front of the City God Temple. Anyone familiar with the famous writer Lu Xun will be thrilled to experience this production or "She Xi". Although the players might not be famous names, sitting among the local people, most of them elders of the town, makes this a most special treat. Local people t
Nanxun, Peaceful and Sleepy Ancient Town
Last year's Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation (APEC) leaders' summit not only drew world attention to Shanghai's cutting edge achievements, but also to the traditional beauty of Zhouzhuang with its ancient houses and peaceful waterways. The increased fame of this memorable watertown has brought more and more visitors to the area, which although good for business, has disturbed its usual peace and tranquility. Lucky for informed travellers, there are other towns, offering similar scenic enjoymen
Purer, Richer as Time Goes by
Anchang Town,located near Shaoxing in East China's Zhejiang Province, is an ideal place for a weekend trip. On the day of our arrival, we were lucky to catch a Shaoxing Opera performance in the square in front of the City God Temple. Anyone familiar with the famous writer Lu Xun will be thrilled to experience this production or "She Xi". Although the players might not be famous names, sitting among the local people, most of them elders of the town, makes this a most special treat. Local people t
Nanxun, Peaceful and Sleepy Ancient Town
Last year's Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation (APEC) leaders' summit not only drew world attention to Shanghai's cutting edge achievements, but also to the traditional beauty of Zhouzhuang with its ancient houses and peaceful waterways. The increased fame of this memorable watertown has brought more and more visitors to the area, which although good for business, has disturbed its usual peace and tranquility. Lucky for informed travellers, there are other towns, offering similar scenic enjoymen
Public Awareness on Insurance Shifts After Air Crashes
Within one month, China's aviation industry suffered two disastrous air crashes that shocked the whole world, as well as the China aviation industry. However, far down in the numerous media reports of the tragedies there appeared a small statistic that reveals a big problem that warrants close attention. According to a survey conducted by China Ping An Insurance Company, among 103 passengers involved in May 7 air crash, only 42 had bought flight accident insurance. So far, there isn't a very spe
More Foreigners Trust China's Medical Care in China
An increasing number of foreigners visiting or living in China now are happy to receive the medical care provided by Chinese hospitals, instead of going back to their own country for treatment.
Nearly all major foreign-funded companies or institutes in China are members of the International SOS, the largest international medical organization. The organization has network coordinating services from telephone medical advice to air ambulance evacuation services for corporate and individual t
Beijing Residents Enjoy Crime-free Living
Many Beijing residents are now living in more secure surroundings, thanks to the efforts of the city's police forces.
The municipal public security bureau revealed in the national capital recently that residents of 318 community compounds led extra safe lives in April, without a single crime occurring there during that month.
Since early April the bureau has allocated police resources and mobilized the public to work together to prevent all types of crimes.
The program was l
World's First Temple With Jade Buddha Built in China
The world's first Buddhist temple with all of its figures carved from jade has been unveiled in China.
Some jade works weigh up to 30 tons and stand two-story high among more than 10,000 works at a jade theme park which opened in east China's Zhejiang province this month.
Located in Dayin Township in the port city of Ningbo, the park covers 166 hectares and is divided into six parts, including an exhibition area for sculptures, pavilions and jade products.
The park, which co
Mao Zedong's Unused Superlong Limousine on Show
A superlong six-door Red Flag limousine custom-made for the late Chairman Mao Zedong who died in 1976 before he could use it, recently went on show in Chengde, a tourist city in north China's Hebei Province.
The limousine, the first and last 10-meter-long Red Flag car ever produced in China, was the work of the then First Automobile Works in Changchun, capital of Jilin Province in northeast China, according to its collector, Luo Wenyou.
Chairman Mao personally ordered the car in th
South China subway project given huge bank loan
The No. 3 subway line project in Guangzhou, capital of south China's Guangdong province, has been granted 6.5 billion yuan in loans from a banking syndicate.
An agreement was signed Saturday between the Guangzhou Subway Company and a banking syndicate comprising nine banks.
The nine banks include the country's four biggest State-owned banks, the Bank of Commerce and Industry of China, Agricultural Bank of China, Bank of China and Construction Bank of China.
Experts say this
Forum on China's Culture Industry Opens
China's first forum on cultural industries opened on May 21 here in Nanjing, capital of east China's Jiangsu Province.
The two-day forum focusing on the development of global cultural industries and the new economy has attracted experts from various global cultural enterprises such as Times Warner, Bertelsmann, Broadway, NHK and KBS.
Organizers say that participants will discuss key issues in developing China's cultural industries after the country's accession to the World Trade Or
Young Chinese to Visit Japan
One hundred young Chinese taking part in a Japan-China Youth Friendship Plan, gathered in Beijing on Tuesday on the eve of a three-week visit to Japan.
The program had involved 1,444 young Chinese since it began in 1987, and was warmly welcomed by young people from both countries, said Yukihisa Sakarada, chairman of the Chinese Agency under the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), which runs the program.
He said he hoped the program would promote understanding and friends
New Cultural Movement Memorial Hall Opens
The New Cultural Movement Memorial Hall in the Red Building attached to Beijing University, formerly Peking University, has been opened to the public.
The memorial hall was built by the Museum of the Chinese Revolution.
The five-story building, with a floor-space of 10,000 square meters, is the former seat of the No.1 Institute of Peking University.
On May 4, 1919, over 3,000 university students left Democracy Square north of the building and marched toward Tian'anmen Square
China tightens flight safety nationwide after crashes
China's airport police have tightened security inspection of passengers, following the China Northern Airline jet crash earlier this month.
The measures -- including checking passengers' belongings, clothes and even shoes -- were implemented in Beijing following the September 11 terrorist attacks in the United States, and will now be enforced nationwide.
Sources with the police department under the General Administration of Civil Aviation of China (CAAC) confirmed the move Tuesday.
First International Airlink Opens in Shandong
Jinan, capital of north China's Shandong Province, is expected to have its first international airlink at the end of this month.
A spokesman with China Eastern Airlines, which will operate the first flight, said here Tuesday that it would go to Seoul, capital of the Republic of Korea (ROK), on May 27.
The biweekly route operated by airlines from both countries will take off from Jinan at 11:30 am (Beijing Time) every Monday and Friday and return from Seoul at 1:55 pm (2:55 pm Seoul
China Approves New Border Crossing With HK
Chinese authorities have approved the building of a new border crossing between Shenzhen and Hong Kong.
After a two-day hearing on the project's feasibility study that ended in Shenzen on Saturday, experts organized by China's Ministry of Communications gave the go-ahead.s gave the go-ahead.
This means the design work will be underway soon, says Shenzhen deputy mayor Li Decheng.
The new border crossing, known as the Western Channel, will include a 4,800-meter-long bridge acr
China's Progress in Aerospace Carrier Technology
The latest satellite launches by China mark the giant strides the country has made in its space program and the development of the Long March series of carrier rockets.
On Wednesday morning, two new satellites on a Long March 4B carrier rocket went into orbit from the satellite launch center inTaiyuan, capital of north China's Shanxi Province.
Monitoring statistics show that the error of launch precision with the carrier rocket is less than 1,000 meters, far below the error benchma
China Selects First Generation of Astronauts
All aged around 30, about 1.7 meters tall and weighing around 50 kg, 14 candidates have been singled out from China's air force to be the country's first generation of astronauts, according to a Shanghai newspaper.
Based on the timetable of China's moon exploration program, the first manned space flight will take off in three years.
"The first group of Chinese astronauts will be chosen from the 14 candidates who were selected from elite pilots," said Liu Zongying, designer of the p
China to launch moon exploration mission in 2010
China is dedicated to realizing manned space flights by 2005 and launch its first space exploration of the moon in 2010 and establish a base there, Chinese scientists announced recently.
"China is expected to complete its first exploration of the moon in 2010 and will establish a base on the moon as we did in the South Pole and the North Pole," Ouyang Ziyuan, chief scientist of China's moon exploration programme, said at an exhibition on space technology, part of the ongoing second Nation
Terror Alerts on Small Planes, Scuba Divers
Americans head into their three-day Memorial Day weekend with alerts about terrorism ringing in their ears. The latest comes from the FBI which warned Friday that terrorists may try to use small aircraft for suicide attacks. Alerts earlier this week involved everything from tall apartment buildings to the Statue of Liberty to scuba divers and subways. "If I took them really seriously I'd be underground someplace," said one woman riding the New York subway. National Transportation Safety Board Ch
50 Chinese Lost Contact with Tourist Group in Japan
Among the 5,000-people group who went to Japan for celebration of the 30th anniversary of normalization of Sino-Japanese diplomatic relations, 50 have been reportedly missing. Now the China National Tourism Administration is busily looking into the case together with the Japan-side Highway Industry Development Organization, and departments such as the Chinese Embassy in Japan and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan are also closely concerned with the matter. Missing Chinese all from non-gov
Amex Tries to Set up Travel JV in City
American Express International Inc., a leading financial services and travel company, says it is in negotiations with potential Chinese partners in Shanghai to set up the city's first joint venture travel agency. "Shanghai is a key business center and the demand for business travel services is growing," said Charles Petruccelli, president of Amex's global travel services division. "We are interested in offering business travel services to both local companies and multinational corporations in Sh
Chinese Fans Ready for World Cup
Tens of thousands of Chinese football fans are eagerly awaiting the May 31 start of the World Cup finals in the Republic of Korea (ROK). Agents with China International Sports Travel, which was designated by the China Football Association to sell tickets to the event that occurs every four years, said 20,000 Chinese fans will likely watch the Chinese national team perform in the ROK. According to FIFA's initial ticket distribution plan, China will get 8 per cent, or 10,749 tickets, for the three
China's Work Well Done, World Bank Official Says
China Development Gateway (www.chinagateway.com.cn), an Internet information portal jointly sponsored by the World Bank Group and the China Internet Information Center, will be officially launched Tuesday in Beijing. What are the objectives of the Global Development Gateway as well as its country development gateways? How are the existing country gateways working? And, in particular, what about the China Development Gateway? These and other questions were recently asked by of Austin C. T. Hu, d
Chinese Fans Ready for World Cup
Tens of thousands of Chinese football fans are eagerly awaiting the May 31 start of the World Cup finals in the Republic of Korea (ROK). Agents with China International Sports Travel, which was designated by the China Football Association to sell tickets to the event that occurs every four years, said 20,000 Chinese fans will likely watch the Chinese national team perform in the ROK. According to FIFA's initial ticket distribution plan, China will get 8 percent, or 10,749 tickets, for the three
50 Chinese Lost Contact with Tourist Group in Japan
Among the 5,000-people group who went to Japan for celebration of the 30th anniversary of normalization of Sino-Japanese diplomatic relations, 50 have been reportedly missing. Now the China National Tourism Administration is busily looking into the case together with the Japan-side Highway Industry Development Organization, and departments such as the Chinese Embassy in Japan and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan are also closely concerned with the matter. Missing Chinese All from Non-gov
Chinese Fans Ready for World Cup
Tens of thousands of Chinese football fans are eagerly awaiting the May 31 start of the World Cup finals in the Republic of Korea (ROK). Agents with China International Sports Travel, which was designated by the China Football Association to sell tickets to the event that occurs every four years, said 20,000 Chinese fans will likely watch the Chinese national team perform in the ROK. According to FIFA's initial ticket distribution plan, China will get 8 percent, or 10,749 tickets, for the three
50 Chinese Lost Contact with Tourist Group in Japan
Among the 5,000-people group who went to Japan for celebration of the 30th anniversary of normalization of Sino-Japanese diplomatic relations, 50 have been reportedly missing. Now the China National Tourism Administration is busily looking into the case together with the Japan-side Highway Industry Development Organization, and departments such as the Chinese Embassy in Japan and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan are also closely concerned with the matter. Missing Chinese all from non-gov
Overseas Investment in Tianjin Surges
Overseas investment in Tianjin, a major industrial city in north China, surged 18.3 percent in the first four months this year to hit 954 million U.S. dollars.
The city approved 226 overseas investment projects in that period, up 20.9 percent year-on-year, the municipal bureau of statistics said.
These projects involve investments totaling 1.765 billion dollars, including 1.618 billion dollars in contracted overseas investment.
The international trade and services sectors re
Tianjin TV Festival Held in Macao
The northern China city of Tianjin, though over a thousand miles away, will not be strange any more to residents in Macao special administrative region (SAR), as the Tianjin TV Festival started here recently.
In the coming fortnight, the Macao residents can enjoy splendid programs provided by Tianjin TV Station and broadcast at a Chinese channel of the Macao Television Broadcasts Limited (TVB), the major TV and broadcasting media in the SAR, every night.
The Macao audience will kno
Tianjin Strives to be North China's Economic Hub
Tianjin, a port city in north China,has been highlighted as a new economic hub expected to emulate the southern center of Shanghai in the 2002 BusinessWeek Forum held here recently.
Tianjin Mayor Li Shenglin told the forum that the modernization drive of the city had entered a new stage since the new century, aiming to turn Tianjin into an advanced international port metropolis.
The city neighboring Beijing has achieved dramatic progress in industry and commerce.
In addition
Overseas Investment in China Soars
The first four months of 2002 saw a year-on-year rise of 29.06 percent in the overseas funds used in China, according to statistics released by the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation (MOFTEC) here recently.
Figures showed that the overseas investment already in use totaled 14.14 billion US dollars during the first quarter, while the contractual overseas investment registered a growth of 5.1 percent at 21.28 billion US dollars.
The setting up of 8,920 overseas-funded
World's Smallest Koran Identified in NW China Ningxia
A copy of the Muslim holy book, the Koran, kept at Ningxia Museum in northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region has been identified as the smallest Koran in the world.
Weighing 1.1g, with a length of 19.6 mm, width of 13.2 mm, and thickness of 6.1 mm, the Koran is covered with mauve kraft paper with ethnic designs, the Egyptian national emblem and Arabic text reading "This is a worshipful Alcoran, only people with clean mind and body can carry it, Islamic Calendar 1312." (1892 A.D.)<
Statue of Nepalese Architect Unveiled in Beijing
The statue of an ancient Nepalese architect, Arniko, has been unveiled at the Baita (White Tower) Temple in Beijing.
A ceremony was held recently to mark the unveiling of the statute as part of a Sino-Nepalese cultural week, at which Nepalese artists performed folk dances and songs and showed their skills in stone-carving.
According to historical records, over 80 Nepalese including Arniko were summoned to build temples in China by the government of Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368) over 730
Int'l Tea Trade Fair Opens in East China Wuhu City
The 2002 China International Tea Exposition and Trade Fair was opened on May 15 in Wuhu city in east China's Anhui Province.
Sponsored by the All-China Federation of Supply and Marketing Cooperatives, the Ministry of Agriculture and the Anhui provincial government, the five-day fair has attracted over 500 enterprises and 1,000 businessmen.
The event was opened to tea growers, traders and manufacturers from home and abroad, who are looking for new business opportunities.
Disp
China to Establish Care Center on Mt. Qomolangma
A care center is to be built at the core area of the protection zone of the world's highest peak, Mountain Qomolangma.
Catering to tourists, the center will be completed later this year and will have an emergency room, oxygen room and provisions room, plus 16 hotel rooms.
Meanwhile, according to an official with the reserve, a real-time environmental monitor center and a mini-museum introducing animals in the area will be included.
The complex building covering 1,050 square
Shaolin Temple to Focus on Roots
The local government of Dengfeng City, where the famous Shaolin Temple is located, has approved a plan to curb the pace of commercialization around the temple.
Qinghua University, based in Beijing, has beaten other competitors to win the bid for designing the blueprint on the future development of the temple area.
Dengfeng, in north China's Henan Province, will implement the plan in the next five to 10 years, which will focus on the temple's original roots -- "Zen (Buddhism)" and "
Customs Officers From Mekong Nations in Joint Training
China's General Administration of Customs and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) jointly hosted a training course for customs officers from the Great Mekong Subregion (GMS) recently.
Entrusted by the Chinese government, the two organizations sponsored the six-day training, according to sources.
Eighteen people from Cambodia, Myanmar, Thailand, Viet Nam, Laos, China and the ADB attended the course in Kunming, capital of southwest China's Yunnan Province.
The gathering offers an
Construction of Guangzhou 2nd Subway Proceeds Swiftly
The first-phase construction on the second subway in Guangzhou, capital of south China's Guangdong Province, would be completed late this year as scheduled.
Sources from Guangzhou Subway Company said that 95 percent of the second subway has been completed, while main structures for 20 of the subway's 22 stops have been put in place.
The tunnel for the subway's first phase, from Sanyuanli to Xiaogang, has also been completed, said an official with the company.
The 22-stop sub
New Port of Entry Opens on China-Kirghizstan Border
A new port of entry opened recently at Arkaxtam in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.
Officials of Xinjiang, Kazakstan and Kirghizstan attended the opening ceremony.
The new crossing point has been a key commercial route between China and central Asian countries since ancient times. It is 250 kilometers from Os, an important economic center in Kirghizstan, serving as a major hub on the western tip of China.
Its annual freight volume will range from 300,000 t
Mainland sends ships to help with rescue work
The maritime rescue centre under the Ministry of Communications Sunday sent two salvage ships to help with rescue work in the Taiwan Straits, at the request of Taiwan's rescue centre.
The two ships left the port city of Xiamen, about 322 kilometres from the crash site, Sunday afternoon.
The ministry said that four more salvage ships were ready to take part in rescue work at any time if Taiwan needed help.
Wang Daohan, president of the Association for Relations across the Tai
Tibetans Pass First Law to Protect Mother Tongue
Tibetan Legislators on May 22 passed a special law to encourage use of the Tibetan language, the first such requirement since the language evolved 1,300 years ago.
The law approved at the 15th session of the Seventh Regional People's Congress of the Tibet Autonomous Region, says that the Tibetan language must have equal emphasis and legal status to the standard Chinese language in the region.
According to its 19 articles, pupils must study the Tibetan language during their nine yea
Int'l Grassland Management Seminar in Tibet
An international seminar on protecting highland pastures ended here recently in Lhasa, capital of Southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region.
An action plan for highland pasture research was adopted at the seven-day seminar, one of the major events in the United Nation's International Year of Mountains (IYM 2002).
The seminar has attracted more than 100 delegates, including 61 from 18 foreign countries.
With sponsorship from the International Center for Integrated Mountain De
Tibet Takes Measures to Control Infection
Tibet is building a medical system for treating and preventing infectious diseases.
The system will be built with economic aid of 30 million yuan (about 3.61 million U.S. dollars) from central China's Henan Province. It includes construction of new laboratories and an information center, purchase of advanced medical equipment and training of medical personnel.
Toinzhub, deputy director of the regional health department, said implementation of the system would help the region enhanc
Thousands Pay Pilgrimage to Sacred Mountain in Tibet
Over 20,000 pilgrims and tourists on May 26 joined in a pilgrimage trek to a Tibetan sacred mountain in Ngari Prefecture of the Tibet Autonomous Region.
It is the anniversary of the birth and achievement of nirvana of the Buddha, Sakyamuni on each 15th day of the fourth month by the Tibetan calendar.
According to local residents, never before did so many people gather here in the pilgrimage event as this time.
It is a tradition for many renowned buddhist monks to travel a lo
Holy Mountain in Tibet Attracts Pilgrims
The Ngari Pilgrimage 2002 began on May 24 in the Ngari Prefecture of Tibet, in an effort to cater for flocks of visitors and pilgrims heading to worship at Tibet's holy Mount Kailash.
Over 100,000 visitors and pilgrims - ten times more than the usual numbers in past years- are expected to arrive at the mountain in this Tibetan Year of the Horse.
It is hoped that the newly-launched pilgrimage festival program will help boost tourism, according to local officials.
Among the 10
Tibet's Ngari Expects 100,000 Tourists this Year
Ngari Prefecture in southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region is expecting this year to host 100,000 tourists ten times more than in the past.
Doje Cering, secretary of the Ngari Prefectural Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC), told the Beijing's based "China's Tibet" magazine that his prefecture has decided the year 2002 will be the year of tourism.
Many Buddhist believers will make the pilgrimage to Mount Kangrinboqe as this year is the year of the iron horse accordin
China to Issue New Stamps of Five Lighthouses
China would issue a five-stamp set featuring five lighthouses along the country's coast on May 18.
The five beacons are: Maota Lighthouse at Qingpu, Shanghai; Shuangta Lighthouse at Jiangxingyu, Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province; Huaniaoshan Lighthouse at Shengsi, Zhejiang Province; Laotieshan Lighthouse at Lushun, Dalian City, northeast China's Liaoning Province; and Lingao Lighthouse, Hainan Province.
Each of the five stamps will have a face value of 80 fen (about 0.96 U.S. cents), said
University to Build Memorial Hall for Zhang Xueliang
Dongbei (Northeast) University in Liaoning Province plans to build a memorial hall for General Zhang Xueliang (1898-2001), a former president of the school.
In December 1936, Zhang collaborated with the Communist Party of China to force Chiang Kai-shek, who was then head of state, to wage war against the invading Japanese troops. Zhang was later put under house arrest by Chiang.
In 1928, Zhang became president of the university, and during his incumbency, the university was built i
China plans to monitor second largest river
China is to establish a center to monitor the quality and levels of its second largest river, the Yellow River, says the Yellow River Water Conservation Committee.
The center, based in Zhengzhou, the provincial capital of central China's Henan Province, has been working on a feasibility study for the project.
The center will adopt high technologies including advanced monitoring, computer networking and digital information engineering technology, in order to follow the changes of th
Beijing's private autos top one million
Beijing's private automobiles now number 1.065 million, according to statistics released recently by the city's traffic department.
The number of automobiles newly registered between January and April stands at around 78,000, up 43 percent from the same period last year.
And the city's total number of registered automobiles is 1.758million, of which 559,000 are private minibuses.
Along with the rise in private auto ownership comes a drastic hike in the number of people sitti
Concert for Sino-Japanese Friendship Held
A concert of well-known Chinese composer Lu Yuan's masterpieces was held in Beijing on May 24 to mark the 30th anniversary of normalization of Sino-Japanese relations.
The concert was co-sponsored by the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries and the China-Japan Friendship Association.
More than 20 Chinese and Japanese artists joined in songs and dances, which were all translated or produced by Lu with the theme of developing friendship between the two p
Residents to Be Relocated to Protect World Cultural Heritage Site
Pingyao, a well-known ancient city in north China, will move more than 20,000 residents out of the city proper in the next four years to better protect this World Cultural Heritage site.
The city, in Shanxi Province, was built 2,000 years ago. It has well-preserved ancient city walls, residences, government offices, and stores of the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties.
The ancient city was put on the World Cultural Heritage list in1997.
Covering an area of 2.25
Official: Air tragedy marks need for cross-Straits links
The catastrophic crash of a China Airlines plane may turn out to be a new driving force to push forward an ongoing bid from both sides of the Taiwan Straits to end Taipei's five-decade ban on three direct links.
Taiwan affairs officials and experts said Monday that the tragic accident has highlighted the pressing need to open direct trade, transport and postal services -- dubbed "the three direct links" -- between Taiwan and the mainland.
The China Airlines jet, bound for Hong Kong
World Cup Fever Causes Many headaches
Beginning Friday, Shanghai's streets, bars, restaurants and campuses are likely to be filled with shouts of glee, curses of anger and more than a few drunken revelers as the World Cup - soccer's biggest event - kicks off. This being the first time China has qualified for the Cup, local companies, parents and teachers are still trying to deal with the down side of the monthlong tourney. With many of the event's 64 games taking place during normal business hours, local companies are trying to find
Straits Travel Relations Predicted to Recover
The China Airlines air tragedy on Saturday will not have a long-term adverse impact on cross-Straits exchanges, Taiwan affairs experts and travel-industry insiders said Tuesday. Cao Xiaoheng, director of the Institute of Taiwan Economics with the Tianjin-based Nankai University, said: "Catastrophic as it was, the plane crash - as an incidental accident - is not expected to bear a heavy and persistent impact on the general situation of the economies on both sides as well as their economic exchang
Penghu Tourism Affected by CAL Plane Crash
Tourism on the Penghu islands has been greatly affected by Saturday's China Airlines (CAL) plane crash, with business at hotels, restaurants, tourist coaches and sightseeing boats plunging noticeably in recent days, according tonews reaching here from Taiwan Wednesday. As the search continues for the bodies of the passengers and crew in the nearby seas, many travelers have canceled their trips to the archipelago off Taiwan's southwestern coast. A large number of travel agents on Penghu and in Ta
Beijingers Rank Australia Top Holiday Destination
Beijing residents have ranked Australia as their top choice for an overseas holiday, followed by Singapore and Thailand, according to a new survey by Australia's tourism authority. Australian Tourist Commission (ATC) regional general manager Richard Beere said the survey provided a "great vote of confidence" from one of Australia's most important inbound tourism markets. "Importantly, Australia was ranked the number one ideal destination, as well as the destination travellers from Beijing were m
World Bank President Speaks at Peking University
Visiting World Bank Group President James D. Wolfensohn delivered a keynote speech entitled "Implementing a Global Partnership for Poverty Reduction" to students and faculty members at Peking University Wednesday afternoon. Following is the full text of his speech:
IMPLEMENTING A GLOBAL PARTNERSHIP FOR POVERTY REDUCTION
Professor Min, Distinguished faculty and students: I am delighted to be back in China and feel especially honored to deliver a speech at this great University. It w
Yuzhong County Covers Mountains With Peonies in Gansu Province
Yuzhong County in northwest China's Gansu Province has covered two barren mountains with peonies, a new type of afforestation in China.
So far, peonies have been planted on 73 hectares of mountainside. They are growing well and give off a fragrance in wind.
The peony is a hybrid variety developed by Chen Dezhong after three decades' research. Compared with the ordinary species, the peony is thick, tall and cold-resistant. The fully-grown plant is 2 meters in height. It can survive
Wild horses to return to the wild in Nw China Gansu Province
Eighteen Mongolian wild horses will soon be returned to the wild in the Gobi Desert near Dunhuang City in northwest China's Gansu Province.
Mongolian wild horses, which are always brown, originated in China's Junggar Basin and the border areas of China and Mongolia. They were last seen in their northwest China habitat in the 1960s and worldwide there are only about 1,000 left.
Raised in world zoos for generations, the horses are now at risk of the skills and physical condition requ
2,000-Year-Old Crop Seeds Discovered in NW China Gansu Province
A variety of crop seeds, believed to have been planted more than 2,000 years ago, have been discovered by archaeologists in northwest China's Gansu Province.
He Shuangquan, a research fellow with the Gansu Provincial Relics and Archaeological Research Institute, said that the seeds of barley, wheat, millet, broom corn millet and bean were well-preserved and could be grown through proper cultivation.
Archaeologists also discovered seeds of clover, Chinese chive and garlic, as well a
More Frequent Travelers Between HK, Mainland: Survey
Some 496,300 persons usually travelled at least once a week between Hong Kong and the Mainland, according to the results of the second cross-boundary travel survey announced by the Planning Department on May 21.
This represents an increase of 34.7 percent compared with the findings of the first survey conducted in 1999.
The survey also showed that most of the frequent trip makers were travelling for business, amounting to 220,300 persons or 44.4percent.
It was followed by tr
Inland Tourists Rush to Macao in May
An average of 8,600 tourists from China's inland visited Macao each day during a week-long holiday starting May 1, the International Labor Day, a 5 percent rise over the daily average for 2001, according to figures from the Macao Government Tourist Office.
Hotels recorded a rarely-seen high occupancy rate -- 87.5 percent -- on average in the special administrative region (SAR) from May 1 to 7, soaring from 63.8 percent for the first quarter and 62.4 percent for last year. Room charges ros
Tibet Looking to More Border Trade
Southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region is looking for new ways to increase its border trade in the tenth five-year-plan period (2001-2005).
In an interview with journalists from "China's Tibet", a Beijing-based bimonthly magazine, Benba, director of the Border Trade Bureau of the Tibet Autonomous Region, said that they plan to establish new border trade markets in 27 counties and townships and to do their best to open up the whole of Yadong County.
Benba said the autonomous regi
Mainland Ready to Provide More Water to Taiwan
The mainland province of Fujian is still willing to provide water to drought-stricken areas in Taiwan after a shipment of 2,300 tons of running water to Mazu on May 4, a central government official said here recently.
Chen Yunlin, director of the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, reiterated that although Fujian is also partly hit by drought, the province has been ready to ship untreated or tap water to Taiwan's Jinmen (Quemoy), Mazu and Penghu islands.
The mainland welcom
China Ranks First in Telephone Users
The number of fixed telephone users in China totaled 190 million by the end of March this year, roughly the same as the number in the United States, according to the latest issue of Popular Science and Technology News.
China also has the world's biggest mobile phone ownership at more than 160 million. Every 100 people have 15 fixed phones and 12 mobile phones.
More than 37.55 million Chinese surf the net with their families, making China second only to the United States in Internet
Beijing Strives to Improve Investment Environment
Beijing will attach greater importance to improving the investment environment in a bid to attract more foreign investors, said Beijing Mayor Liu Qi recently.
Speaking at the opening of an annual meeting of international consultants to the municipality, Liu said that local government would take various measures to serve foreign businesses more efficiently and further improve living and working conditions.
China's accession into the World Trade Organization and Beijing's successful
Wangfujing Ave. Mixes with Foreign Counterparts
Representatives from 14 world-famous commercial streets such as the Fifth Avenue, Champs Elyseesand Kuhnau gathered in Beijing recently to discuss chances for cooperation with their Chinese counterpart, the Wangfujing Avenue, one of the country's most bustling downtown streets.
The meeting is one of the events during the Fifth China Beijing International Scientific and Technological Fair.
The Wangfujing Avenue was originally formed in the Yuan Dynasty(1271-1368) and has been the co
Chinese Fans Ready for World Cup
Tens of thousands of Chinese football fans are eagerly awaiting the May 31 start of the World Cup finals in the Republic of Korea (ROK).
Agents with China International Sports Travel, which was designated by the China Football Association to sell tickets to the event that occurs every four years, said 20,000 Chinese fans will likely watch the Chinese national team perform in the ROK.
According to FIFA's initial ticket distribution plan, China will get 8 per cent, or 10,749 tickets,
Hong Kong Travel Expo Draws 450 Exhibitors
The four-day International Travel Expo Hong Kong (ITE HK 2002) starts today at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center. At a news conference held here yesterday, Stanley Chu, chairman of Adsale Exhibition Services Ltd, the organizer of the event, said that the exposition was well supported, with over 450 exhibitors from more than 50 countries and regions worldwide. A remarkable and very positive sign is that more than 400 pre-registered buyers from more than 30 countries and regions will
Penglai, Land of Fairy Tales
Penglai County in East China's Shandong Province is a place of fairy tales. The ancient coastal castle of Penglai, about 65 kilometres northwest of Yantai, is the abode of the gods, according to mythology. The legend of the Eight Immortals Crossing the Sea originated here. And the famous vision or mirage, which locals claim appears every few decades, has given a fascinating and mysterious atmosphere to the place. Ever since I was a child I had dreamed of visiting Penglai. On a sunny morning in M
Thousand-Year-Old Towns Lie Under Lake
Two ancient towns, both more than 1,800 years old, have been discovered under the Qiandao Lake in eastern Zhejiang Province. After a preliminary investigation, experts believe they might be the biggest ancient buildings ever found in perfect condition in China. Located near the Xin'an River, Chun'an and Sui'an started as counties in Eastern Han (25-220). The two towns were buried 40 years ago to make way for a reservoir. Historical records show that the two towns adopted architectural style usin
Penglai, Land of Fairy Tales
Penglai County in East China's Shandong Province is a place of fairy tales. The ancient coastal castle of Penglai, about 65 kilometres northwest of Yantai, is the abode of the gods, according to mythology. The legend of the Eight Immortals Crossing the Sea originated here. And the famous vision or mirage, which locals claim appears every few decades, has given a fascinating and mysterious atmosphere to the place. Ever since I was a child I had dreamed of visiting Penglai. On a sunny morning in M
Thousand-Year-Old Towns Lie Under Lake
Two ancient towns, both more than 1,800 years old, have been discovered under the Qiandao Lake in eastern Zhejiang Province. After a preliminary investigation, experts believe they might be the biggest ancient buildings ever found in perfect condition in China. Located near the Xin'an River, Chun'an and Sui'an started as counties in Eastern Han (25-220). The two towns were buried 40 years ago to make way for a reservoir. Historical records show that the two towns adopted architectural style usin
Qing Tombs Tell Tales
Sun Dianying is perhaps China's most famous grave robber. In the pre-dawn hours of July 8, 1928, the warlord led his army into the Eastern Mausoleum of Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) in Zunhua, Hebei Province. Sun's army blasted the wall of Dowager Empress Cixi's burial chamber.
Zunhua, the final resting place of the Qing emperors and empresses, lies about 120 kilometers from the Forbidden City in Beijing. Once for-bidden itself, the 78-square-kilometer burial site is for five emperors, 15 empr
More Chinese Choose Cremation
Owing to government funeral reforms,the percentage of Chinese choosing cremation has risen to 47.3 percent, up nearly 10 percent since 1997.
According to the Ministry of Civil Affairs, the country now hasa total of nearly 1,500 funeral homes.
Nearly 100 percent of people in the provinces of Shandong, Jiangsu, Liaoning, Jilin and Heilongjiang and municipalities of Beijing, Tianjin and Shanghai were now choosing to be cremated.
Meanwhile, nearly 100 million graves have been re
Beijing to Build International Media Avenue
An avenue where the global media giants gather is planned for southern Beijing.
The 3.2-km "international media avenue" lies in the Xuanwu District, covering a total area of 220 hectares, developers told the Fifth China Beijing Scientific and Technological Industries Fair, which opened on May 22.
An estimated investment of 30 billion yuan (3.6 billion U.S. dollars) would be needed to build the avenue, which is expected to form a large community of international media industries.
Inlanders Spend Most in Macao
China's inlanders were again the most generous tourists in Macao with per capita spending in the special administrative region (SAR) amounting to 2,500 patacas (312.5 U.S.dollars) in the first quarter.
The figure nearly doubled the average for all visitors to Macao, which stood at 1,360 patacas (170 dollars), said the Statistics and Census Services Tuesday.
Visitors from Hong Kong, the largest tourist provider for Macao,spent only 910 patacas (113.75 dollars) in Macao each on avera
Visitors to HK Hits Record in April
Visitors arrivals in Hong Kong in April 2002 hit new record at 1,403,041, representing a 19 percent increase on the same month in 2001, the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) announced on May 29.
HKTB said the strong growth was mainly driven by a surge in the number of visitors from the Chinese mainland.
The mainland arrivals in April totaled 525,498, up 64.8 percent from the same month last year.
This is the first time the mainland, or indeed any single market, has contributed
Monument Erected to Commemorate Tibet Liberation
A grand ceremony was held on May 22 in the Potala Palace in Lhasa to unveil the Tibet Peaceful Liberation Monument.
The monument, named by Chinese President Jiang Zemin, is 37 meters high and built in the shape of Mt Qomolangma.
The inscription on the monument says the People's Liberation Army expelled the imperialist forces from Tibet in 1951, which led Tibet to advancement, prosperity, democracy and opened a new era.
Over 2,000 people attended the ceremony.
Hong Kong Literature Festival to Be Held
The 4th Hong Kong Literature Festival will be held from June 22 to July 14 as part of the celebratory activities for the 5th anniversary of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, the organizers announced recently.
The festival, jointly organized by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department and the Hong Kong Arts Development Council, is aimed to promote reading and the Hong Kong Literature.
One of the highlights of the festival is the thematic exhibition-- "the Literary Bon
China Development Gateway Officially Launched
The China Development Gateway (chinagate.com.cn) which aims to help promote regional development and reduce poverty, was officially launched Tuesday, marking the implementation of information network technology as an important means for poverty reduction and sustainable development.
Prior to the official launch of the website, President of the World Bank (WB) James David Wolfensohn and Chinese Finance Minister Xiang Huaicheng signed a memorandum of understanding on China's joining the Dev
Three Gorges to Maintain Original Beauty, Splendor
The spectacular natural scenery along both sides of China's longest river, the Yangtze, at the Three Gorges will remain unchanged after the massive Three Gorges Dam Project is completed in 2009, experts say.
Construction of the mammoth project began in 1993 and is expected to be completed in three phases. The first phase was carried out from 1993 to 1997 when the mainstream of the Yangtze was dammed at the Three Gorges. The second phase is scheduled to be completed between 1998 and 2003 w
China to Kick Off Nationwide Safety Check
The State Council, China's highest governing body, is to launch a nationwide production safety check during the next two weeks.
A total of 14 teams will be dispatched to across the country, with the first team led by officials with the State Foreign Trade and Economic Commission set to start its work on May 28.
The 14 teams will inspect production safety of the civil aviation sector, railways, the petro-chemical system, electric power, the military industry and the provinces of Gua
Int'l Meeting for Aviation Sector Scheduled in Shanghai
Nearly 1,000 representatives from aviation industries around the world are expected to attend the 58th annual meeting of International Air Transport Association (IATA) from June 2 to 4 in Shanghai.
The meeting will focus on ways to rebuild consumer confidence, issues concerning security and insurance after the September 11 terrorist attacks against the United States, and China's air transport market and its prospects.
The meeting will be hosted by China Eastern Airlines, a Shanghai
Hong Kong travel expo draws 450 exhibitors
The four-day International Travel Expo Hong Kong (ITE HK 2002) starts on May 30 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre.
At a news conference held in Hong Kong on May 29, Stanley Chu, chairman of Adsale Exhibition Services Ltd, the organizer of the event, said that the exposition was well supported, with over 450 exhibitors from more than 50 countries and regions worldwide.
A remarkable and very positive sign is that more than 400 pre-registered buyers from more than 30 c
China ready for World Cup party
Following China's national team winning a berth in the upcoming World Cup finals co-hosted by South Korea and Japan, Chinese football fans and the service sector have been getting prepared for the month-long soccer festival.
Workers are putting finishing touches to three giant television screens set up in a park by the Beijing Western Railway Station, for the benefit of soccer fans in the Chinese capital during the World Cup extravaganza.
The huge TV screens are in Lianhua Park, th
China Receives More Overseas Tourists in Jan-Apr Period: CNTA
China received 30.99 million overseas tourists during the January-April period, up 8.26 percent compared with the same period last year.
The number of foreign tourists increased 17 percent, Hong Kong tourists increased 2.43 percent, Macao tourists increased 27.07 percent, and Taiwan tourists increased 4.69 percent, according to the latest statistics from China National Tourism Administration (CNTA).
The number of tourists from many countries reported two-digit growth, including the
Western Nations Advise Citizens to Leave India
Western governments on Friday urged tens of thousands of their nationals to leave India, fearing war between India and Pakistan. The United States, leading feverish international efforts to bring the nuclear-armed enemies back from the brink, was among those advising foreign residents in the region to prepare for the worst. The U.S. State Department advised Americans to leave. "Tensions have risen to serious levels and the risk of intensified military hostilities between India and Pakistan canno
US to Send Envoy to China to Boost Military Ties
Locked in an open-ended war on terrorism, the United States is sending a high-ranking envoy to China to improve relations between the two countries, which were badly damaged by last year's row over a US spy plane, according to a top defense official from the US. Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs Peter Rodman will travel to Beijing in the middle of June "to talk about the principles on which we can get a military-to-military relationship on a more solid framework w
Macao Well Poised for Inland Tourist Flocks
The Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) is ready to play host to ever-growing influx of tourists from China's inland -- now the second-largest visitor source for Macao.
The SAR has shortlisted 80 tourist services with good reputation, out of 100 in total, as agencies entitled to receive inland tourists, Fernando Chui Sai On, secretary for social affairs and culture, told a panel of reporters recently.
The Macao Government Tourist Office has submitted their names and files to
Macao's Population on Rise
Macao's population reached 437,000 at the end of March, 4,000 more than a year ago, said the Statistics and Census Services.
A total of 712 births and 382 deaths were recorded in the first quarter. Major killers included diseases in the circulator system and malignant tumor.
Also reported were 378 new marriages, keeping the same level of the fourth quarter of last year.
The agency said there were a total of 1,220 legal immigrants from China's inland in the three months and s
HK Aims to Set New Guinness World Record
Hong Kong will hold a concert at 8 p.m. on July 2 to celebrate the fifth anniversary of the establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and set a new Guinness World Record.
The record-breaking program will be a percussion piece to be performed at the beginning of the concert by more than 10,000 young people, said Rosanna Wong, chairman of the Hong Kong Organizing Committee of the Concert, recently.
Six hundred young people from China's mainland, Macao and Taiwan an
PLA Military Band to Celebrate the HKSAR's Birthday
The Military Band of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) will bring to local audience an immense performance featuring marching, music, dance and solos with a military theme to mark the 5th Anniversary of the establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.
According to an official of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department recently, the Hong Kong Garrison of the PLA will also participate in the show by demonstrating its traditional training program "Bayonet Group Drill"
China Uses Home-Grown Technology in Urban Rail Networks
China has successfully developed a core technology in operating railway systems, which will further boost the boom in urban rail transport.
Within recent years, China's major cities have all put the building of urban rail systems at the top of their planning lists.In the next few years, the combined length of urban railways will grow by another 400 km in 15 of China's big cities, involving an investment of 130 billion yuan.
China used to depend heavily on imported equipment and fac
Old Beijing Pictures by Australian Photographer on Show
Eighty-five pictures taken in Beijing by Australian photographer Hedda Morrison between 1934 and 1946 are now on show in the Chinese capital, giving a rare glimpse of the old city.
The pictures were selected from thousands taken by Morrison during her stay in what was Peking city. They record the Forbidden City, the now demolished city wall, street life, parks, customs and ordinary people's lives during the 1930s and 1940s.
Morrison's photographs are being exhibited at the Art Muse
China's Highest Skyscraper Fetches Handsome Profit
Investors in China's tallest building, the 88-storey Jinmao Plaza in Shanghai's Pudong New District, are hoping to recoup their outlay in record time thanks to handsome profits reaped since it opened three years ago.
Wang Baochen, chairman and president of the China Jimmao (Group) Company, the investor and manager of the skyscraper, said the plaza's main business reported a turnover of 680 million yuan and a pre-tax profit of 140 million yuan in 2001, a threefold and twenty-fold increase
Science Park Breathes Life into Wuxi
China's first science theme park - Huishan Life Science & Technology Park - broke ground recently, symbolizing the country's growing focus on the development of the life sciences.
The park has a total investment of 20 billion yuan (US$2.4 billion). It occupies 1,100 hectares of land here in this tourist haven and is expected to be built into a national-level base of research and development of new medicine, tonics and medical equipment.
"The era of exploring life's mysteries is her
Downtown Beijing to Establish Int'l "Movie City"
Chinese geneticists announced in Beijing recently that they have successfully cloned a rare breed of cattle.
The "movie city" is a cooperative project between two Belgium companies and a Beijing real estate company, which will cover 60,000 to 80,000 square meters of floor space, with 25 movie halls, the largest seating an audience of 800. About 11,000 people will be able to watch films at the same time in the movie city.
The movie city will adopt digital technology with satellite t
Penghu Tourism Affected by CAL Plane Crash
Tourism on the Penghu islands has been greatly affected by China Airlines (CAL) plane crash on May 25, with business at hotels, restaurants, tourist coaches and sightseeing boats plunging noticeably in recent days, according to news reaching here from Taiwan on May 29.
As the search continues for the bodies of the passengers and crew in the nearby seas, many travelers have canceled their trips to the archipelago off Taiwan's southwestern coast.
A large number of travel agents on Pe
Beijing's Biggest Taxi Company Underway
A new joint-venture taxi company, with an investment exceeding 250 million yuan (about 30.1 million U.S. dollars), will be launched in Beijing within the year, the "Beijing Morning Post" reports.
An agreement to set up North China Bus-Kowloon, which would be the biggest taxi company in China's capital, was to be signed on May 28 among five bus companies, including Kowloon Bus from Hong Kong and the North China Bus Group, the newspaper said. It will be the second such Beijing company to in
Int'l Education Expo to Be Held in Hebei Province
A total of 58 overseas schools of higher learning and educational organizations have signed up for the first China Hebei International Education Expo, to be held between June 6-9 in Shijiazhuang, capital of north China's Hebei Province, sources in Shijiazhuang said on Monday.
These overseas universities and educational organizations are from 18 countries and regions including Britain, the United States, Russia, France, Germany and Japan. Hebei's 75 universities, key secondary schools and
Zhaoqing A Magnet for Overseas Investors
More than 4,500 businessmen from a dozen countries and regions came to Zhaoqing, a city in South China's Guangdong Province, to attend the first Zhaoqing International Tourism Festival and Economic and Technological Trade Fair, which opened on June 1.
A local government official said that 49 projects are being presented for overseas investment at the fair, and tentative agreements for more than 100 projects will be signed during this period.
Thanks to its excellent ecological surro
Int'l Environmental Protection Forum Opens in Guilin City
An international environmental protection forum opened on June 2 in Guilin, a tourist city in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.
Environmental protection officials and experts from China, Britain, France, the United Sates, Australia and other countries debated on urban sustainable development and other issues.
Qu Geping, head of the National People's Congress subcommittee on environment and resources, delivered a speech on China's environmental protection achievements.
Int'l Cuisine Festival Held in Yantai
An international cuisine festival is being held in Yantai, a coastal tourist city of Yantai in east China's Shandong Province.
The festival opened on June 1 with more than 800 participants including about 100 coming from overseas.
The festival features the display of fine cuisine, seminars on the development of cuisine styles and promotional activities of hotels, restaurants and food and beverage producers. The festival has been an annual event since 1999.
Yantai is the birt
Amex Tries to Set up Travel JV in City
American Express International Inc., a leading financial services and travel company, says it is in negotiations with potential Chinese partners in Shanghai to set up the city's first joint venture travel agency.
"Shanghai is a key business center and the demand for business travel services is growing," said Charles Petruccelli, president of Amex's global travel services division. "We are interested in offering business travel services to both local companies and multinational corporation
China Released New Regulation on Overseas Tourism
China released Monday a new regulation governing Chinese tourists traveling abroad, which will go into effect on July 1.
The 33-article regulation stipulates that foreign tourism destination countries should be decided by China's tourism authorities with the approval of the State Council, China's cabinet.
About 20 destination countries have been selected, including major member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Australia, New Zea
Shandong Province Promotes Hong Kong As Tourist Destination
The coastal province of Shandong, east China, plans to organize 12,000 residents to visit Hong Kong as tourists this year.
Shandong, an economically powerful province with a population of about 90 million, was an important source of tourists for Hong Kong.
The number of visitors from the Chinese mainland to Hong Kong totaled 1.39 million during the first quarter of this year, up 42 percent over the same period of last year, or about 38 percent of all the tourists to Hong Kong.
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Beijingers rank Australia top holiday destination
Beijing residents have ranked Australia as their top choice for an overseas holiday, followed by Singapore and Thailand, according to a new survey by Australia's tourism authority.
Australian Tourist Commission (ATC) regional general manager Richard Beere said the survey provided a "great vote of confidence" from one of Australia's most important inbound tourism markets.
"Importantly, Australia was ranked the number one ideal destination, as well as the destination travellers from
The Best Pagoda on the Yangtze River
Just as the Yellow Mountain is ranked top of all the mountains in China, the Zhenfeng Pagoda in Anqing, Anhui Province, is considered the best of its kind. There is a saying: you need not visit any other tower after seeing the Zhenfeng Pagoda. If you take a ship to the city, which is situated on the Yangtze River, you can see from far away the lofty tower and the temple architecture. The name Anhui is taken from "Anqing" and "Huizhou," the two largest regions in the province. With a glorious his
The Best Pagoda on the Yangtze River
Just as the Yellow Mountain is ranked top of all the mountains in China, the Zhenfeng Pagoda in Anqing, Anhui Province, is considered the best of its kind. There is a saying: you need not visit any other tower after seeing the Zhenfeng Pagoda. If you take a ship to the city, which is situated on the Yangtze River, you can see from far away the lofty tower and the temple architecture. The name Anhui is taken from "Anqing" and "Huizhou," the two largest regions in the province. With a glorious his
Shaolin Temple, Hometown of Chinese Kongfu
People, native or foreign, are easily amazed by Chinese Kungfu performed by Jet Li, a film star now active in Hollywood, or that is shown in "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon". Anyone interested in Kongfu has heard of Shaolin Temple (Shaolin Si), which is worshipped as the birth place of Kungfu. Shaolin Temple, located on the south foot of Songshan Mountain (one of China's five most famous mountains), is 76 kilometres away from Zhengzhou, capital of Central China's Henan Province. Origins of the m
India-Pakistan Tensions Still High
US President Bush appealed to the leaders of India and Pakistan Wednesday to use words rather than guns to resolve their differences. But with feelings still high, the State Department strongly urged Americans in those two nuclear-armed countries to leave and said Americans planning to travel to the region should postpone their trips. Mr. Bush called Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee of India and President Pervez Musharraf of Pakistan, urging them to "take steps that will ease tensions in the
Shaolin Temple, Hometown of Chinese Kongfu
People, native or foreign, are easily amazed by Chinese Kungfu performed by Jet Li, a film star now active in Hollywood, or that is shown in "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon". Anyone interested in Kongfu has heard of Shaolin Temple (Shaolin Si), which is worshipped as the birth place of Kungfu. Shaolin Temple, located on the south foot of Songshan Mountain (one of China's five most famous mountains), is 76 kilometres away from Zhengzhou, capital of Central China's Henan Province. Origins of the m
China to Launch Dredging Project on Lancang River
China will upgrade the channel of the Lancang-Mekong River, which runs through six Asian countries, to pave the way for cross-nation water transport. The project is scheduled to be launched in the spring of 2003 at an estimated investment of 150 million yuan (US$18 million). Springing from the Qinghai- Tibet Plateau, the Lancang-Mekong River runs through Laos, Thailand, Myanmar, Cambodia, Vietnam and China with a total length of 4,880 km. Its lower reaches outside of China are known as the Mekon
Sino-US Military Exchanges Enhance Ties
China will welcome the US Assistant Secretary of Defence for International Security Affairs Peter Rodman when he visits Beijing in mid-June, said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao at Thursday's routine briefing. "Chinese military leaders have confirmed that they will hold working talks with Mr. Rodman at that time,'' said Liu, adding that the details were still under discussion. Rodman will travel to China "to talk about the principles on which we can get our military-to-military r
China to Launch Dredging Project on Lancang River
China will upgrade the channel of the Lancang-Mekong River, which runs through six Asian countries, to pave the way for cross-nation water transport. The project is scheduled to be launched in the spring of 2003 at an estimated investment of 150 million yuan (US$18 million). Springing from the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, the Lancang-Mekong River runs through Laos, Thailand, Myanmar, Cambodia, Vietnam and China with a total length of 4,880 km. Its lower reaches outside of China are known as the Mekong
Hong Kong's Transition over Past Five Years Positive: US Consul-General
US Consul General in Hong Kong Michael Klosson Thursday said the unfolding story of Hong Kong's transition over the past five years has been positive with the successful implementation of "One Country, Two Systems." Klosson made the remarks in a speech entitled One Country, Two Systems, Five Years: US Perspectives on Hong Kong at a luncheon given by American Chamber of Commerce. This was his last major speech in Hong Kong before his scheduled reassignment next month. "Over the past five years, H
Shanghai City to Unveil Old-style Park Near Yuyuan Garden
The work will finish on a 7.4-hectare park the Yuyuan Garden resort designed to preserve the beauty and old flavor of the Yuyuan Commercial Center,Shanghai Morning News reported.
The park is located on the southern section of the Renmin Road in Huangpu District.
The park is believed to largely improve the landscape in the area since it will provide a natural link between the Bund and the Yuyuan resort.With the removal of high-rises and other buildings in the site there is a broad v
China Opens Giant Panda Museum in Panda Reserve
China's first museum devoted to giant pandas opened on May 22 in the Wolong nature reserve, where a research center is based and wild pandas live.
The museum's six halls mainly display the history and current state of this endangered species. Protection measures are also featured, including artificial insemination, nature reserves and international cooperation.
With an investment of 20 million yuan (2.4 million U.S. dollars) by the State Forestry Administration, the museum covers a
World Art Works on Life in China's Western Region Invited to Exhibition
China is planning an exhibition of calligraphy, painting and photographs depicting life and economic development in its vast western region, and artists and amateurs from the world over are invited to submit their works.
The organizer, China International Exhibition Agency under the Ministry of Culture, announced here Tuesday that all artists and amateurs, Chinese or foreign, were welcome, and all art forms were encouraged to participate in the event.
The exhibition is to promote t
China Contest for "Elite Model Look" to Be Held in Tibet
The selection contest for Chinese candidates who will take part in the international professional model contest, the Elite Model Look, will be held in Lhasa, capital of the Tibet Autonomous Region.
A representative of the contest's agency firm said here on May 27 that 40 to 50 models will enter the selection contest to be staged in front of the Potala Palace in Lhasa.
The selection contest in China will turn out 15 rewards, which fall into five categories in preparations for the fi
HKSAR, Greece Air Services Agreement Signed
Secretary for Economic Services Sandra Lee, on behalf of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government, signed an air services agreement with the Greek government here on May 31.
Representing the government of the Hellenic Republic at the signing ceremony was Consul-General of Greece to the HKSAR George Veis.
"The air services agreement we signed is an important milestone in our aviation relationship with Greece. It provides a legal framework for the establishment
U.N., China Mark World Environment Day in Shenzhen
Leaders of the United Nations and China called for global campaigns to deal with environmental problems and the pursuit of sustainable development on the eve of the annual World Environment Day (WED).
In a message to an international WED conference in Shenzhen Tuesday, U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan called the Earth "a planet still in need of intensive care."
"Poverty, pollution and population growth; rural poverty and rapid urbanization; wasteful consumption habits and growing
Shanghai Tourism Festival Enjoys Int'l Popularity
After more than 10 years of development, the annual Shanghai Tourism Festival is enjoying growing international popularity, Deputy Shanghai Mayor Zhou Muyao said Wednesday.
Speaking at a work conference on the municipality's tourism, Zhou said the planned Shanghai Tourism Festival in 2002 has received letters from eager participants from tourist agencies and firms in many countries and regions.
So far, government institutions and enterprises from 10 countries and regions, including
Decoration on Main Gate of Ancient Beijing Coming off
Zhengyangmen, located at the south of Tian'anmen Square known as the main entrance to ancient Beijing, has seen part of its ornamentation falling off.
The white cement decoration was on the two side walls of the embrasured watchtower close to Zhengyangmen, according to Beijing Youth Daily. It was designed and added to the watchtower by a German architect in 1916.
There are also some crevices on the side walls, but they are normal, the head of a Beijing institute of ancient architec
Three Gorges Project Causes No Yangtze Pollution: Official
The water quality of China's biggest river -- the Yangtze -- has not been worsened by the ongoing Three Gorges Dam project, thanks to effective pollution-control measures, according to Chinese environmental authorities.
The massive project on the middle section of the Yangtze will eventually form a huge artificial lake as the water from the river 's upper reaches and tributaries is blocked by the dam.
The project, begun in 1993, has aroused concern that the reservoir water could be
Japan Airlines Launches Xiamen-Tokyo Route
Japan Airlines (JAL) launched flights between Tokyo and Xiamen, east China's Fujian Province, on June 2, bringing the number of China-bound JAL routes to 17.
Flights will be available on this new route every Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday.
Boeing 767-300 passenger planes will be used for flight JL608 from Xiamen to Tokyo and the return flight JL607 from Tokyo to Xiamen.
At present, six Japanese and seven Chinese cities are linked by direct air routes.
Another leading Ja
Airline alliance eyes China link
Star Alliance, the world's biggest airline network, said on June 1 at a semi-annual CEO conference that it is very interested in having a Chinese airline join the aviation alliance.
"China is a white spot and we know it is a very, very important market, definitely one of the major markets for our industry in the future," Juergen Weber, Lufthansa chief executive, told a press conference.
So far China's three main airlines - flag carrier Air China, China Eastern and China Southern -
SAS to expand Chinese mainland service
Scandinavian Airlines Systems (SAS) has vowed to further enhance its presence in the Chinese market in the coming few years in a bid to meet the rapidly growing demand of Chinese travellers and rising volume of cargo shipments on the Beijing-Copenhagen route.
"China is now one of the most important foreign markets for SAS," Jorgen Lindegaard, SAS president and CEO, said in Beijing last week.
At present, about 32 per cent of the passengers on the SAS Beijing-Copenhagen route are Chi
Int'l aviation community confident in China's potential
Despite a disappointing slowdown in global business, the international aviation community is still confident in China's increasingly important role in the world's airline industry.
China's industry has enormous growth potential, said world airline leaders at the industry's first major gathering since the September 11 terrorist attacks.
Leaders are in Shanghai for the 58th Annual General Meeting of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) which began on Monday.
Inte
CAAC: Air crashes won't deter reform
China is set to continue its planned reforms in its civil aviation sector, despite recent air crashes in April and May involving two major Chinese airlines, senior government officials said.
"The reshuffling is to go on as scheduled,'' said Bao Peide, vice-minister of the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC), which oversees the domestic airline industry.
However, Bao added that some reforms have been influenced by the accidents, which, he said, is understandable.
CA
Fujian Passes Regulation on World Heritage Protection
Fujian Province in east China has adopted a law to protect Wuyi Mountain, which is on the United Nations' World Cultural and Natural Heritage list. A spokesman for Fujian provincial legislature said the regulation passed recently would help protect the mountain and regulate commercial development. The mountain was put on the UN list in 1999 for its resources of endangered plants and animals for ancient relics dating back 3, 000 years. According to the law, protection of the mountain should come
Flexible Fair Bounces into View
The 16th International Exhibition on Plastics and Rubber Industries - or "Chinaplas 2002" - will take place from June 25 to 29 at the Shanghai New International Expo Center in Pudong. More than 500 exhibitors are expected to display their advanced technology and products at the mega trade show, aiming to grasp business opportunities brought by China's accession to the World Trade Organization. The show occupies an exhibition area of 36,000 square meters, 80 percent larger than the last event. Pr
Macao to Build Technology Hall
China's Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) has mapped out a plan to build a grand science and technology hall, which will not only be a showcase of technological advances and fruits, but a spot to lure tourists. Authorities from the Macao Foundation, a sponsor of the scheme, told Xinhua Monday that a research group will soon leave for Europe to look at renowned technology halls scattered in various countries so as to "draw upon their idea and make Macao's hall perfect." The Macao technolo
Single-stop Tours Gain Credence
Jerry Chen, an office worker, is planning a romantic trip with his girlfriend to Redang Island in Malaysia next month, where their favorite movie "Summer Holiday" was shot. "I would rather enjoy the sunshine and sea shore at leisure on Redang than hop from one country to another in frenzied travel," said 30-year-old Chen. The trend of choosing a single leisure destination overseas has been catching on lately with locals like Chen turning away from the traditional comprehensive package tours to t
Indian Sees Hope
A senior Indian official said Sunday that a "promising process" had begun to diminish the military crisis with Pakistan, and a top State Department official stated that "tensions are down measurably." The Indian official credited Pakistan's with ordering a halt to the infiltration of Islamic militants into Indian Kashmir, and acknowledged that these orders are being carried out on the ground. That begins to fulfill the most important condition India had set for stepping back from the brink of wa
Macao to Build Technology Hall
China's Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) has mapped out a plan to build a grand science and technology hall, which will not only be a showcase of technological advances and fruits, but a spot to lure tourists. Authorities from the Macao Foundation, a sponsor of the scheme, told Xinhua Monday that a research group will soon leave for Europe to look at renowned technology halls scattered in various countries so as to "draw upon their idea and make Macao's hall perfect." The Macao technolo
China wins international environmental awards
The United Nations has honoured the Chinese industrial boomtown of Shenzhen and a desert-prone county in Inner Mongolia for their efforts in defending the environment.
Shenzhen, in southern China's Guangdong province, and Aohanqi, in north China's Inner Mongolia region, were officially added to the UN Environment Programme's (UNEP's) "Global 500 Roll of Honour for Environmental Achievement" on June 4.
The awards were part of the 30th international World Environment Day, which is be
China's Third Longest River to Meet Sea Again
China's third longest river, the Huaihe, is to resume flowing directly into the sea this year, ending its notorious eight hundred year history of frequent flooding.
A 164-km waterway will be completed towards the end of the year and the river, deprived of its access to the Bohai Sea during a flooding of the Yellow River, will no longer empty into the country's longest river, the Yangtze, but will be diverted mainly into the Yellow Sea by a new waterway.
Historical data show that in
Gathering Commemorates Relocation of Xibe People
Nearly 2,000 people of the Xibe ethnic minority group attended a gathering in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region recently to celebrate their traditional festival and commemorate the 238th anniversary of the group's relocation from northeast China to Xinjiang.
In 1764, more than 4,000 Xibe people living in Shenyang, northeast China's Liaoning Province, were sent by the government to guard the frontier at Ili, Xinjiang. Their descendants live there still.
An official
Natural Stone Bust of Chairman Mao Found in Anhui Province
A brown-black stone vividly resembling the late Chinese leader Mao Zedong's head has been found by tourists in a scenic spot in east China's Anhui Province.
The granite rock about four meters in diameter is naturally shaped with Mao's back-combed hair, round forehead, protruding cheekbones, relatively long philtrum, and a perfectly round lower jaw.
The rock is located not far from the entrance to the Zhangshan Gorge, which has been partly developed into a tourist site.
Accor
China to Build First Movie Museum in Beijing
China will open its first movie museum in 2005, a place to celebrate the centenary year for China's movie history, according to sources with the Beijing Architecture Institute.
The project has been approved by the State Development Planning Commission, the Beijing Evening News reported.
In 1958, the then Premier Zhou Enlai proposed such a museum but the plan was delayed for economic reasons.
Work on building the museum, a center for movie culture, is expected to start at the
Cave-Hotel Welcomes Visitors to Revolutionary Base
A hotel comprising 248 cave dwellings in eight rows is expected to earn a place in the Guinness Book of Records as the world's largest structure of its kind.
The cave hotel opened to tourists recently in Yan'an, once the revolutionary base of Chinese Communists.
Local officials say the hotel, in Yan'an Prefecture of Shaanxi Province, is even bigger than the current world record-holding cave-dwelling, Yan'an University, which has 226 cave houses in six rows.
The cave hotel is
Int'l Handicrafts Expo to Be Held in Xiamen
An exposition of handicrafts from Asia, Africa and Latin America will run from June 22 to 26 in Xiamen City in southeastern China's Fujian Province.
As the first exposition of its kind ever held in China, it will also serve as a trade fair for participating enterprises.
The China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Light Industry and Artwork, the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade and its local branch in Xiamen are co-hosting the event.
Organizer
Beijing raises car parking fee
Car owners in Beijing will be reaching deeper into their pockets when they park their vehicles, as the city raises parking fees on June 6, 2002.
Authorities say the city is taking the measure to ease parking disorder and raise money for future development.
Depending on the size of their vehicles, time and place, car owners will be paying up to 10 yuan (US$1.2) an hour.
Under the new fee schedule, parking lots inside the Fourth Ring Road will be charging up to 4 yuan (48 US c
Int'l film festival opens in Shanghai
The Sixth Shanghai International Film Festival opened in Shanghai on June 8. A total of 410 films are scheduled for the event, including the Academy Award Best Film winner "A Beautiful Mind."
Screening in the city's 11 cinemas are a range of internationalfilms, including "Charlotte Grey" from Britain, "All About Lily Chou Chou" from Japan, "Station" from Poland, "Hart's War" from the United States, "Lovers of the Nile" from France and two Chinese films "Life Show" and "Meeting Life and De
Cultural Relics From Henan Province to Be Exhibited in HK
Cultural relics unearthed from Henan Province in northern China will be presented at an exhibition at the Hong Kong Museum of Art to commemorate the fifth anniversary of the establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.
The exhibition, named "Origins of Chinese Civilization", will display 108 groups of antiquities including bronzes, ceramics, jades, stone wares and oracle bones.
To outline a comprehensive picture of the cultural development of ancient China, the exh
US Disrupted Dirty Bomb Plot-official
A US citizen has been arrested in connection with an "unfolding terrorist plot" to explode a radioactive dirty bomb in the United States, Attorney General John Ashcroft announced Monday. Ashcroft said Abdullah Al Muhajir, also known as Jose Padilla, of Chicago, trained with al Qaeda and was planning an attack in the United States. "We have disrupted an unfolding terrorist plot to attack the United States by exploding a radioactive dirty bomb," Ashcroft said, adding that Muhajir was being treated
Russian "Aero-Ballet" to Make Scene at China's Airshow
A Russian acrobatic team of five MIG-29s, globally known for its thrilling "aero-ballet" performance, is expected to rule the skies of Airshow China 2002, which will be staged in the south China city of Zhuhai between November 4 and 11.
China Daily on May 24 said that the performance by the team under the Russian Air Force will last 28 minutes and feature difficult formations including the pyramid, hammer, Polaris, arrow and cross.
"Different from other acrobatic teams that fly spo
Airshow China 2002 Attracts 40 Big Names
More than 40 world-famous names in the field of aviation and aerospace have applied to attend the 4th China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition (Airshow China 2002), to be held from November 4 to 11 in Zhuhai, in south China's Guangdong Province.
Exhibitors include such big names as Boeing, Airbus, European Aeronautic Defense and Space Company (EDAS), Rolls Royce, Sukhoi and Rosvoorouzhenie of Russia.
Seeing the great market potential of the previous exhibitions held in
Glacier flooding alarms Himalayas
Potential floods from rapidly melting glaciers in the Himalayan region are alarming Chinese researchers who believe the surge could be capable of causing extensive human havoc.
Concerned Chinese researchers are considering sharing satellite monitoring resources and air-borne remote-control surveys with neighbouring nations like Nepal and India.
Ren Jiawen, a top Chinese glacial researcher with the Chinese Academy of Sciences, said: "We have been watching and monitoring the movement
China to set up first Arctic research station
China will set up its first ever arctic scientific research station in Longyearbyen, capital of the Svalbard Islands in Norway in July, Gao Dengyi, director of the China Yilite-Mornring Arctic Scientific Expedition and Research Team said in Beijing recently.
The station will be a temporary one and will be used for two years by Chinese scientists carrying out research on the islands, Gao said.
The research team visited Svalbard in October last year, when the site of the station was
China issues annual report on environment
China issued its 2001 annual report on the state of environment recently, saying the general situation was "far from optimistic" even though total amount of pollution was reduced.
The 2001 report issued by the State Environmental Protection Administration (SEPA) said the overall state of environment last year almost remained unchanged compared with that of 2000, naming pollution in rivers, lakes and seas, air pollution in cities, and acid rain as major problems across the country.
China Working on Development of New Aircraft
China has been financing a research project that might help develop a new type of aircraft capable of unrestricted take-offs and landings, as well as flying in outer space.
Beijing Youth Daily recently quoted Zhuang Fenggan, member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, as saying that intense research was underway on core issues concerning key technology for building the aircraft.
"The new aircraft should take off like ordinary planes after a propeller is added," said Zhuang, who also
NEWS ANALYSIS: Macao's Aviation Industry to Fly Higher
Macao's aviation industry is tipped to fly higher on anticipation of continuos influx of large numbers of Taiwan travelers and expanding tourism business.
Air Macao expects its 2002 profits to rise as much as 40 percent from the 9.46 million U.S. dollars it reported for 2001.
The growing trend of tourism will give an impetus to the aviation sector. According to statistics, the special administrative region (SAR) played host to a record of more than ten million tourists last year, w
Thousand-Year-Old Towns Lie Under Lake
Two ancient towns, both more than 1,800 years old, have been discovered under the Qiandao Lake in eastern Zhejiang Province.
After a preliminary investigation, experts believe they might be the biggest ancient buildings ever found in perfect condition in China.
Located near the Xin'an River, Chun'an and Sui'an started as counties in Eastern Han (25-220). The two towns were buried 40 years ago to make way for a reservoir.
Historical records show that the two towns adopted arc
Tianjin to Build World's Biggest Military Theme Park
A company in north China's port city of Tianjin plans to build a military theme park with a retired Kiev aircraft carrier as its big drawcard.
A spokesman for the Tianjin Beiyang Maritime Pleasure Ground Co. said the park, which is believed to be the world's biggest of its kind, will cost 5 billion yuan.
With an area of seven sq. km., including 3.3 sq. km. of waters,the park will have a range of weapons on display, said the spokesman.
The company is in the process of applyin
Shanghai Transfers Flights at Hongqiao to Pudong
Shanghai started early Monday morning to transfer another 60 flights at the Hongqiao International Airport to the Pudong Airport to make way for the maintenance of a parking apron at the Hongqiao, Beijing Morning Post reported Monday.
The maintenance will last six months. However, some flights handled by Hongqiao will be permanently transferred to Pudong, which is further away from the city's downtown area.
All the international flights currently handled by Hongqiao Airport will be
China's Service Sector to Be Further Developed: Official
Chinese government was urged to better develop local service sector by gradually opening fields such as foreign trade, tourism, banking and insurance,China Daily reports on June 7.
Participants at a service-sector workshop being held by the State Development Planning Commission (SDPC) on June 6 said that administrative restrictions concerning service sector should be eased in a bid to foster the growth of service sector and tackle unemployment problems.
According to SDPC's vice min
Coffee Break, McChina Style
Most of the foreigners travel to China not to make it like their home, but to experience the rich culture, the beautiful sights, and the warm, fascinating people. As a matter of fact, they usually get exactly what they came for, and a whole lot more. But once in a while it's "just easy" to sit at a table at McDonald's, to pretend for just a few moments that they're not so far away from home. I have recently adopted one rule to regulate my life - never say never. At some point, usually when you'r
Climate in China
Q: What is China's weather like and when is the best time to visit China? China has a continental and seasonal climate. Most parts are in the temperate zone but southern areas are in the tropical or subtropical zone while northern areas are in the frigid zone. Climates in different areas are complicated. Deciding when to visit China depends on which places you wish to visit, what type of weather you enjoy, and how much a bargain you want. April, May, September and October are the peak tourist mo
Coffee Break, McChina Style
I have recently adopted one rule to regulate my life - never say never. At some point, usually when you're young, you adopt a set of routines as to how you'll live your life. But for me, nearing the two-month mark of a six-month stay in China, I'm lamenting on how far I have deviated from that initial set of guidelines. I am sitting in front of a cup of the cheapest coffee in the city of Chongqing. It is hot, and strong, and tastes wonderful to me, mixed with a packet of powdered cream and a who
China to Hold 1st Chinese Language Competition
China will hold the first Chinese Language Proficiency Competition for Foreign College Students in 21 countries worldwide, including the United States, Britain, France, Germany, Russia, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Australia and Egypt.
As the inaugural competition for foreign students learning Chinese, the "Chinese Bridge" aims to promote Chinese culture and strengthen exchanges and cooperation between China and other countries.
The competition, sponsored by the National Office fo
Chinese classic The Art of War sells 16,000 copies a month in US
The Art of War by Sun Tzu, a Chinese military strategist already dead 2400 years, tops the Oxford University Press selling list - selling 16,000 copies a month, with an extra printing of 25, 000 to meet the high demand for the book.
"The Art of War" was written as a guide for outwitting and conquering the enemy in a war. The treatise, a classic in military annals, was written by a beleaguered Chinese warlord in the time when the pharaohs ruled Egypt and Zeus was worshipped in Greece.
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Beijing restaurant owner jailed for buying rare wild animals
Beijing restaurant owner Tan Hualiang was sentenced five and a half years in prison and fined 5, 000 yuan (US$120) on June 4 for illegally purchasing rare wild animals to serve in his Guangdong-style eating house.
On November 13 last year, Tan, the owner of a restaurant in Beijing's eastern Chaoyang district bought four cobras, two pangolins and two lizards which were on a national list of protected species.
Chen Kejin, the man who was selling the animals, was sentenced five years
China on Track for Manned Space Mission
China's leading spaceship designer said in Beijing recently that the successful launch and return of the unmanned "Shenzhou III" gave him full confidence in a manned mission into space in the near future.
Qi Faren, chief designer of the Chinese Research Institute of Space Technology, said that the tests of "Shenzhou III" on scientific research and life-support systems have made the manned launch possible.
After the launch of "Shenzhou III" on March 25 in Jiuquan, in northwest China
Beijing Continues Relocating Industrial Enterprises
Another 40 polluting industries will be moved out of central Beijing this year, a fresh move of the city government's efforts that began in mid 1980s to create a better environment in the downtown area.
The relocation is expected to release about two million square meters of land for the development of other businesses, which will contribute to the city's industrial restructuring, according to Feng Hai, deputy director of the Beijing Municipal Economic Committee.
Under the governme
Tibet Gets Help With Highway Construction
More than 50 engineers and administrative personnel from China's transport departments will head to Tibet Autonomous Region on June 5 to help with highway construction, a senior Ministry of Communications official said in Beijing recently.
Deputy Minister of Communications Hu Xijie was at a ceremony marking the launch of aid for Tibet's highway construction.
The personnel would take charge of nine highway construction projects, which will be launched within the year, he said.
Tourist Arrivals Soar in Macao
A surging number of tourists took advantage of good weather and beautiful scenery in Macao to visit the special administrative region (SAR) in April.
Figures released Monday by the Statistics and Census Services showed the tourist mecca saw 206,000 visitor arrivals in group that month -- a sharp rise of 56.6 percent from a year earlier.
This brought the January-April total up to 724,000, leaping nearly 60 percent.
China's inland was again the largest tourist source with grou
Protection of Local Operas Urged in China
Experts are calling for efforts to rescue China's outstanding local operas, especially those on the verge of extinction.
Despite the efforts of theatrical circles, they urge government support and planning that are also vital for the health and survival of local operas.
hese experts suggest that local governments give preferential treatment to supporting superb operas, which are of high artistic value and popular with the masses of local residents.
Moreover, they stressed th
Tombs of Ancient Eunuchs Discovered in Beijing
Three tombs of court eunuchs of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) have been discovered by archaeologists at Beijing Industry and Commerce University recently, Beijing Daily reports on June 5.
According to the tomb epitaph, the three brick-built tombs belonged to Zhao Fen, and two other eunuchs surnamed Dong and Hua.
Archaeologists unearthed a bronze Lei, a kind of drinking vessel, some funeral objects like porcelain pots, two purple clay kettles, four purple clay cups and more than 1,00
China to Open More Forests to Tourists
China is expected to open up 14 million hectares of land to ecological tourism by 2005, the English-language newspaper China Daily said Tuesday.
Zhu Lieke, deputy director of the administration, said the number of forest parks is expected to total 1,450 in three years' time.
Zhu made the remarks at the opening ceremony of China's first Forest Scenery Resources Exposition and Tianmu Mountain Forest Tourism Festival.
The event began on June 8 in Lin'an, a city some 90 kilomete
Technological Innovation to Lead China's Highway Development
As world communications march towards high technology and information, technological innovation will take the lead in China's highway development in the 21st century, said Zhang Chunxian, deputy minister of communications.
Zhang made the remarks in Beijing recently at a national forum on technological innovation for highway construction, saying that it is vital for the communications sector to apply information technology to achieve technological progress and boost national economic growt
Chinese Entrepreneurs Gather to Push Technology Innovation
Chinese entrepreneurs from around the world gathered recently in Hanzhou, capital of eastern Zhejiang Province to promote cooperation and the exchange of technology innovation.
Professionals from the business sector including 300 overseas Chinese from the United States, Japan, Canada, Singapore and the Philippines are scheduled to make discussions from June 2 to 4 with more than 1,200 technological experts, economists and government officials in the mainland.
The event is sponsored
Private Garden of Teapots and Buddhas
If you are worried about the crowds at Yuyuan Garden, the Baifu (Hundred Buddhas) Garden in northwest Shanghai is a good alternative for a peaceful weekend day with friends and family. Some 1,000 statues of Buddhas, some dating back to the West Jin Dynasty (265-316 AD), greet you in the two-hectare garden. The owner, Xu Sihai, is a chubby man who looks like a farmer. So if you meet a gardener-like man in his 50s, it may be the legendary Xu, a famous ceramic artist and collector who spent part of
Inspectors Examine City's Water Quality
The capital's health authorities launched a 10-day inspection on Tuesday on the hygiene of potable water, especially the secondary water supplies in high-rise buildings. "The hygiene of potable water is as vital, if not more so, as food safety is to people in daily life," said Wei Xiangdong, an official with the Beijing Health Supervisory Office. With fast urbanization, more and more water supply facilities have been built, extended or reconstructed, which have brought many potential hazards to
Sky's the Limit
I absolutely love what I do here. I consider myself very fortunate. I love the work, I love Shanghai. The people we have here are an absolute delight to work with The passion Jonathan Harding, general manager of Virgin Atlantic in Shanghai, feels towards his work is instantly projected. The energy of his enthusiasm envelops the room as he talks about the company which in just 18 years has evolved into the second largest long-haul international airline, flying to 21 destinations worldwide includi
Beijing Speeds up Building Public Transport Centers
Beijing, China's national capital,plans to construct eight public transport centers to improve its passenger handling capacity and ease traffic congestion in the city. At present, three communication centers are being built at Xizhimen, Dongzhimen and near the Beijing Zoo. Five others are planned in major districts including Beijing's western railway, according to Thursday's Beijing Youth Daily. Upon completion, these projects will increase the city's bus traffic to 4.1 billion passengers annual
Floods Kill 200, Affect 30 Million
At least 205 persons have died and 30 million people have been affected by heavy rain and severe flooding in five provincial areas of China since early June, civil affairs officials said Wednesday. Officials with the Ministry of Civil Affairs say the five affected provincial areas are Shaanxi Province in northwest China, Sichuan Province and Chongqing Municipality and Guizhou Province in southwest China, and Hubei Province in central China. In Shaanxi, heavy rainfall from June 8 to 10 led to sev
Beijing Speeds up Building Public Transport Centers
Beijing, China's national capital, plans to construct eight public transport centers to improve its passenger handling capacity and ease traffic congestion in the city. At present, three communication centers are being built at Xizhimen, Dongzhimen and near the Beijing Zoo. Five others are planned in major districts including Beijing's western railway, according to Thursday's Beijing Youth Daily. Upon completion, these projects will increase the city's bus traffic to 4.1 billion passengers annua
Private Garden of Teapots and Buddhas
If you are worried about the crowds at Yuyuan Garden, the Baifu (Hundred Buddhas) Garden in northwest Shanghai is a good alternative for a peaceful weekend day with friends and family. Some 1,000 statues of Buddhas, some dating back to the West Jin Dynasty (265-316 AD), greet you in the two-hectare garden. The owner, Xu Sihai, is a chubby man who looks like a farmer. So if you meet a gardener-like man in his 50s, it may be the legendary Xu, a famous ceramic artist and collector who spent part of
Sky's the Limit
The passion Jonathan Harding, general manager of Virgin Atlantic in Shanghai, feels towards his work is instantly projected. The energy of his enthusiasm envelops the room as he talks about the company which in just 18 years has evolved into the second largest long-haul international airline, flying to 21 destinations worldwide including Shanghai, Delhi and all over the United States. In December 1999, they formed a "unique global partnership" with Singapore Airlines and continue to excel. With
Health & Hygiene
Q: As a foreigner living in China, what should I be wary of in terms of health and hygiene? China is a remarkably healthy country despite its relative poverty and climatic variations. Standards of hygiene varies from place to place so all visitors must be aware of potential hazards and act cautiously. Tap water is not safe; all water consumed must be boiled or filtered unless it is bottled mineral water. Boiled water is available in all Chinese hotels and restaurants. Although food is prepared f
Inspectors Examine City's Water Quality
The capital's health authorities launched a 10-day inspection on Tuesday on the hygiene of potable water, especially the secondary water supplies in high-rise buildings. "The hygiene of potable water is as vital, if not more so, as food safety is to people in daily life," said Wei Xiangdong, an official with the Beijing Health Supervisory Office. With fast urbanization, more and more water supply facilities have been built, extended or reconstructed, which have brought many potential hazards to
World Cup Debut Exposes Gap Between China and Soccer Elites
Three straight defeats, with nine goals conceded while not a single one scored, has recorded China's World Cup debut. Yet the Chinese soccer has gained far more than that from the soccer's premier tournament. For the world's most populous nation, it has been an excellent chance to realize exactly how far China lags behind the global elites. China learned a lot despite defeat "We've learned a lot from these three matches," said coach Bora Milutinovic after China crashed out of the World Cup follo
Hong Kong Air-cargo Exports Surge 32.7% in May
Exports from Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) jumped 32.7 percent year-on-year in May, underlining a gradual pick-up in the sector. "We are witnessing recoveries in our major markets," David Pang, chief executive officer of the Hong Kong Airport Authority, said in a statement yesterday. The authority said the recovery in exports has been underway since December, and was most significant in Asian export markets such as Korea, Japan, and Taiwan, then spreading to North America and Europe. Ca
Plan Puts Trains on Track for High Speed
A top railway official said yesterday that China will modify 3,000 kilometres of track by 2005 to make the line suitable for even faster trains. In three years, high-speed trains will be able to travel at 120 to 160 kilometres per hour along 16,000 kilometres of China's tracks. Wang Linshu, general engineer of the Ministry of Railways, said at the Modern Railways 2002 Exhibition yesterday that the ministry was well prepared in terms of both having the technology and putting it into practice. The
CPC Congratulates Congress of Mozambique's Ruling Party
The Communist Party of China (CPC) extended on Thursday congratulations to the 8th national congress of Mozambique's ruling Mozambique Liberation Front Party which opened in Maputo June 14. In a message to the conference, the CPC Central Committee said it believed the conference would pave the way for further economic development in the southeast African country. The CPC praised the unremitting efforts by Mozambique's ruling party to safeguard national independence and promote economic developme
Beijing Speeds up Building Public Transport Centers
Beijing, China's national capital, plans to construct eight public transport centers to improve its passenger handling capacity and ease traffic congestion in the city. At present, three communication centers are being built at Xizhimen, Dongzhimen and near the Beijing Zoo. Five others are planned in major districts including Beijing's western railway, according to Thursday's Beijing Youth Daily. Upon completion, these projects will increase the city's bus traffic to 4.1 billion passengers annua
Macao bids to host 8th WCEC
A delegation of the Macao Chamber of Commerce left Macao on June 9 for Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore to lobby for Macao playing host to the Eighth World Chinese Entrepreneurs Convention (WCEC) in 2005.
An official application will be submitted to the WCEC's secretariat in Singapore for scrutiny, as well as a recommendation letter from chief executive Edmund Ho Hau Wah of the special administrative region (SAR), the chamber said.
"The SAR government believes that Macao is fully c
Macao Prepares for Third Cross-Sea Bridge
Preparatory work is going smoothly on the third bridge linking Macao peninsula up with Taipa island, according to the Office for Development of Infrastructure.
The new bridge, scheduled to begin the contruction by the end of this year, will lie between the western part of Macao peninsula and Taipa island, with a length of no more than 1.2 kilometers, and be built at a cost of 200 million to 300 million patacas (25 million to 37.5 million U.S. dollars).
In line with a plan, the most
Macao to Build Technology Hall
China's Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) has mapped out a plan to build a grand science and technology hall, which will not only be a showcase of technological advances and fruits, but a spot to lure tourists.
Authorities from the Macao Foundation, a sponsor of the scheme, told Xinhua Monday that a research group will soon leave for Europe to look at renowned technology halls scattered in various countries so as to "draw upon their idea and make Macao's hall perfect."
The
Macao Applying for World Cultural Heritage
Macao has submitted an official application to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) for the listing of its 12 cultural relic sites as the World Cultural Heritage.
A UNESCO task force plans to come here to scrutinize the sites next year, an official from the Cultural Institute of the special administrative regional government told Xinhua Tuesday.
The shortlisted sites, including the A-Ma Temple, the Ruins of St. Paul Church and the Mandarin's
2020 goal: Shanghai citizens will drink best water in the world
The quality of drinking water in Shanghai will meet European Union standards by 2010 and, a decade later, citizens in Shanghai will drink the best water in the world.
These were the goals set out by the Shanghai Water Authority. With the city's population expected to increase only marginally and the economy to boom by 2020, Chen Yin, an official with the water authority, claimed Shanghai's water consumption will not increase from its present volume.
Zhang Yue, director of the Urban
Boeing to Set up Maintenance Company in China
The American aircraft manufacturer Boeing has pledged to set up a large maintenance plant in Shanghai in cooperation with two local companies.
According to a letter of intent signed recently between Boeing and Shanghai Airlines Co. and Shanghai Airport Group Co., the three companies will invest a total of 80 million U.S. dollars during the initial phase.
The local companies will provide land and cash, but the exact proportion of investment from each of the investors has yet to be d
China to Produce "Dragon and Phoenix" Opera
Chinese artists this year will produce China's first opera with a dragon and phoenix theme, in the world-famous scenic spot of Zhangjiajie, in central China's Hunan Province.
The opera will be made into a 1,000-minute TV series in 20 parts, assembling more than 200 folk songs and dances from ethnic groups in Zhangjiajie, including Han, Tujia, Miao, Dong, Bai, Mongolian and Tibetan. The script will draw on local proverbs and legends, and background music will feature musical instruments fr
Repair of Ancient Defense Completed
The project to restore the capital's ancient defense site at Wanping Township was completed on June 5,Beijing Daily reports.
Built in 1640 during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), the walled township is located in the southwestern part of Beijing, some 15 kilometers away from the city center in Tiananmen Square. Nearby stands the 800-year old Lugou Bridge (Marco Polo Bridge).
In 1937, the township and the bridge withstood the attack of Japanese aggression troops. Experts say that the W
