BEIJING, Aug. 28 (Xinhua) -- The China Economic and Social Council(CESC) wants to boost exchanges with Niger's Economic, Social and Cultural Council (CESOC), a senior Chinese official said Friday. Wang Gang, chairman of the CESC and member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, made the remarks when he met with the chairman of the CESOC Amadou Cheiffou in Beijing. Both councils grouped experts in social and economic development, Wang said, and could learn from each other, as they deepened cooperation. Wang Gang (R), member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee,vice-chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference,and chairman of China Economic and Social Council, meets with Cheiffou Amadou, chairman of Niger's Economic, Social and Cultural Council, in Beijing, capital of China, on Aug. 28, 2009 Wang, also vice chairman of the National Committee of Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, said the two nations' relations had developed well since they resumed diplomatic ties 13years ago. He also expressed appreciation to Niger's adherence to the one-China policy and its support on issues related to Taiwan and Tibet. Cheiffou said the CESOC would continue to work to further its traditional relationship with China. Cheiffou began the eight-day visit on Aug. 23. Beijing is the last leg of his tour, which has also taken in Shanghai and Guangzhou.
GUANGZHOU, Oct. 18 (Xinhua) -- Continuous severe drought over the past months has stunted rice crop, threatened reserviors and left hundreds of thousands of people short of drinking water in southern Chinese provinces. In the southern Guangdong Province, where the precipitation in the first 10 months this year has reported a 14 percent drop compared with the average level of the past years, more than 55,000 hectares of cropland are affected and 50,000 people are facing difficulties in getting drinking water because of the drought. Water level in Guangdong's reservoirs continued to drop. According to Guangdong Provincial Flooding and Drought Relief Headquarters, the water conservancy in Guangdong's 32 key reservoirs has reported a year-on-year decrease of 2.34 billion cubic meters. The drought is continuing to take a toll on agricultural production in the province. "I have never seen such a severe drought in my life," said a 73-year-old farmer in Zhoutian Township, Shaoguan City. "A great deal of crops have been damaged." There have also been concerns of further crop damage as drought harms crop's ability to weather the winter. In Nan'ao Island in Shantou City, home to more than 70,000 people, drought has brought inconveniences to local residents' daily bath and laundry. The drought has left more than 70,000 people in Zhangzhou City in the southeastern Fujian Province short of drinking water. Local hydraulic experts attribute the water shortage to the lingering drought as well as the water conservancy facilities' construction which lagged far behind the industrialization and urbanization. In the central Hunan Province, low water level in Dongting Lake, China's second largest fresh water lake, has forced local fishermen into idle. "October used to be a 'golden season' for fishing in the lake," said Gong Jianmin, a local fisherman. "But now we cannot go out to fish since the low water period has come early this year because of the drought." In the eastern Jiangxi Province, the average precipitation since Sep.1 has seen a year-on-year 66-percent drop. Most cities and counties in Jiangxi have reported drought.
BEIJING, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- Most parts of China saw limited rainfall through Saturday as people could get view of a bright full moon in clear meteorological conditions at the traditional Mid-Autumn Festival. Only the southwestern and part of the northwestern regions saw some rainfalls, but starting Sunday, weather in those regions will also clear up for the locals to get view of the full moon, according to China Meteorological Administration. In the coming three days, parts of the northwestern Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region expect a weak rainfall with strong wind. Temperature will drop 4-8 degrees Celsius after the cold front moves over the region. Meanwhile, parts of the northeastern Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region and Heilongjiang Province will also see some weak rainfalls in the next three days. The Administration also warns of twin typhoons Parma and Melor churning in the Pacific Ocean. Typhoon Parma which now is bearing down on the Philippines expects to bring gales and major rainfalls along China's southeastern regions in its course during the coming three days.
BEIJING, Aug. 31 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese Ministry of Commerce said Monday it would extend anti-dumping duties on phthalic anhydride imported from the Republic of Korea, Japan and India for another five years after review investigation. Phthalic anhydride is an important industrial chemical mainly used in the mass production of plasticizers for plastics The imported phthalic anhydride would cause damage to Chinese industries should anti-dumping duties be lifted, said the ministry. The duties took effect Monday. On Jan. 7, China imposed anti-dumping measures on phthalic anhydride to offset negative impact on domestic producers.
MOSCOW, July 24 (Xinhua) -- A senior delegation led by Chinese Vice Minister of Commerce Gao Hucheng met with Russian officials on Friday and Saturday over the sudden closure of a market in Moscow. On June 29, some 150 Chinese merchants and a large quantity of their goods were seized in a crackdown on smuggling at the Cherkizovsky Market, Moscow's biggest wholesale market. The market was subsequently closed, causing heavy economic loss to the Chinese merchants who operate businesses there. No word has been given as to when the market will reopen. Gao stressed the China-Russia strategic partnership of cooperation during his consultations with Deputy Director of the Russian Federal Migration Service, Yuri Buriak, Deputy Economic Development Minister, Andrei Slepnyov, and Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Borodavkin. Gao also spoke of the recent state visit of Chinese President Hu Jintao to Russia, the upcoming regular China-Russia Prime Minister's meeting in Beijing in October, and celebrations marking the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries. He said under such circumstances, China and Russia should try to maintain their friendship and mutual trust, and properly handle problems arising from the development of bilateral ties. Non-governmental trade between China and Russia has its complicated historical origins, Gao said, and the remarkable contributions of Chinese merchants to the economic prosperity of Russia, especially during difficult times, should be taken into consideration. He said against the backdrop of the current global financial and economic crisis in particular, to deal with the abrupt shutdown of the Cherkizovsky market appropriately and scrupulously would be mutually beneficial to China and Russia. China has no objections to Russia's crackdown on smuggling, he said, but Moscow should effectively protect the property and dignity of Chinese businessmen. Russian officials from relevant ministries and departments all agreed that the market shutdown would not affect the long-time friendship between the two countries. They also emphasized that the shutdown was aimed at smuggling and not against the Chinese merchants, who make up less than 40 percent of all the merchants there. The Russian side also urged the Chinese merchants to comply with laws, and said the Moscow municipal government had started to help merchants move their goods. Slepnyov said a collective work plan against "grey customs clearances" will soon be studied. Gao, who arrived in Moscow on Wednesday, was accompanied by a delegation comprising of officials from the ministries of commerce and foreign affairs, the General Administration of Customs, and trade officials from Zhejiang and Fujian provinces. The delegation has also held negotiations with the Investigation Committee of the Prosecutor General's Office, the Federal Customs Service and the Moscow municipal government.
海南肌腺症好治吗
BEIJING, July 24 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Hu Jintao Friday called for the whole nation to further promote the development of national defense with the help of the nation's economic development. Hu, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC), made the remarks during a meeting held by CPC Central Committee Political Bureau ahead of the 82nd founding anniversary of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) on Aug. 1. Hu said "the country should take both economic and national defense development into consideration and develop the armed forces featuring an integration of the military and the people." To realize the goal, efforts are needed in establishing sound weapon systems and equipment research and manufacturing, military personnel training and logistics that combine military construction with people's support, he said. Emphasis should be made in scientific exchanges between fields of national defense and civilian use. He further stressed it is the responsibility of both the Party and entire nation to build a powerful and solid armed force and national defense power.
BEIJING, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- Former Chinese ambassador to Brazil Chen Duqing said Saturday China may play a significant role in Riode Janeiro's preparations for the 2016 Olympic Games. "Compared with the other applicants, currently Rio de Janeiro still has a lot to do to improve its sports facilities and other infrastructure, which indicates a special opportunity for Chinese companies," Chen told Xinhua Saturday in an exclusive interview. The costs of preparing for the event in 2016 are estimated at roughly 12 billion U.S. dollars. However, the event is expected to generate 250 billion. Zhou Zhiwei, an expert in Brazil studies with the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, noted that for Rio de Janeiro, traffic and infrastructure are the city's weak points. Beating rivals Chicago, Tokyo and Madrid, Rio de Janeiro won the right to host the world's largest stage of sporting events after three failed attempts. Rio de Janeiro's win also marks the first time that an Olympic Games will be held in South America. Chen said as big third world countries, both China and Brazil have cooperated closely in applying for host cities, making preparations and organizing the Games in the past few years. In 2007, China's General Administration of Sports sent teams to Brazil to draw experiences from the Pan American Games. During last year's Beijing Olympics, the Brazilian Olympic Committee and the Rio de Janeiro bid team came to China to watch the games. Besides the Games, Rio de Janeiro, along with another seven cities, was also expected to host the 2014 World Cup, which required large investments in infrastructures in terms of sports facilities, transportation and reception, Chen said. "Just like their Beijing friends, I believe people in Rio de Janeiro will also enjoy rich benefits brought along by the Olympic Games," he added.
WASHINGTON, Sept. 9 (Xinhua) -- Visiting top Chinese legislator Wu Bangguo met U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Wednesday to exchange views on bilateral ties as well as international and regional issues of common concern. Speaking to reporters before their talks, Wu, chairman of the Standing Committee of China's National People's Congress, said he was pleased to visit the United States at the invitation of Speaker Pelosi, noting that the visit was the first by a top Chinese legislator over the past 20 years. "The purpose of my visit is intended to promote further growth of China-U.S. relations," Wu said, describing the relationship as one of the most important, dynamic and promising bilateral ties in the world. He expressed the belief that his U.S. trip will inject new impetus to the growth of China-U.S. relations. Wu Bangguo (3rd L), chairman of the Standing Committee of China's National People's Congress, and U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi (2nd L) look at a Chinese painting which Wu presents to Pelosi, before their meeting in Washington, the United States, Sept. 9, 2009Pelosi, for her part, recalled her visit to China in May. "When I was in China, I had the opportunity to see so much China has done to address global climate change. It's an important issue of our visit." "Clearly we can learn a great deal from what China has done. Hopefully, we can learn from each other," she said. On the occasion of Chairman Wu's visit, she said, both sides will discuss climate change as well as other issues, such as the global economic crisis. Pelosi said it is important for China and the United States to come to some kind of understanding on the subject of climate change. "Our countries are great, significant and large, their decisions would affect the whole world," the speaker said. "The U.S.-China relationship is very important one, economically, politically, culturally and environmentally, to both our countries and to the world," she added. Apart from Pelosi, Wu is also expected to meet U.S. President Barack Obama, Vice President Joe Biden and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton during his stay in Washington. Wu is here on a week-long official goodwill visit to the United States, the final leg of his three-nation America tour which also took him to Cuba and the Bahamas. Wu Bangguo (2nd R), chairman of the Standing Committee of China's National People's Congress, talks with U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi (1st L) in Washington, the United States, Sept. 9, 2009
BEIJING/TAIPEI, Aug. 22 (Xinhua) -- Taiwan has started building homes for hundreds of homeless families left by Typhoon Morakot with assistance from the mainland. Prefabricated houses with blue roof and white walls, donated by the Chinese mainland, are being set up in Pingtung County in the south of the island. Local authorities told Xinhua Saturday that so far more than 400 homeless families have applied for the prefab houses, which have been tested safe. Recovering signs appear in the island as Xinhua reporters saw children in the county studied in a mobile bookstore on rubble, and villages in Kaohsiung County sold homemade handbags to save money for reconstruction. In addition to the Taiwan authorities' three-year reconstruction budget of about 100 billion New Taiwan Dollars (3.12 billion U.S. dollars), the Chinese mainland has contributed 781.8 million yuan (115 million U.S. dollars) two weeks after the disaster hit Taiwan. The mainland's donation came from all circles of the country, including people in Sichuan Province who received generous support from Taiwan compatriots and Buddhists and monks who pray for blessings of the typhoon victims in the island. "We will never forget the Taiwan rescuers who helped us live through the Wenchuan earthquake last year," said a worker of Dongfang Steam Turbine Works in Sichuan's Mianzhu City. The company donated one million yuan to Taiwan victims with another 500,000 yuan raised by the company's workers. The mainland has promised to spare no effort and offer medical, rescue, engineering and other available personnel or equipment that Taiwan compatriots need. On Friday afternoon, 18 tonnes of vegetable was shipped to Kinmen from its closest mainland city Xiamen of Fujian Province as an emergent support to ease the vegetable shortage caused by the typhoon. "We are contacting the agricultural associations in Taiwan and if they request we can quickly collect large amount of vegetable and send them to help Taiwan compatriots," said Guo Hao, a food company boss in Fujian. Other disaster-relieving materials from the mainland are on the way to the island. The second batch of prefab houses arrived in Kaohsiung on Saturday afternoon and three mainland engineers headed for Taiwan to help install those houses. The mainland's ports, maritime and transport authorities have provided favorable procedures for the disaster relief materials to Taiwan.