 |
 |
|
SCHWEIZER
BOTSCHAFT IN BEIJING
EMBASSY OF SWITZERLAND IN BEIJING
AMBASSADE DE SUISSE EN CHINE |
Der wöchentliche
Presserückblick der Schweizer Botschaft in der VR China
The Weekly Press Review of the Swiss Embassy in the People's Republic
of China
La revue de presse hebdomadaire de l'Ambassade de Suisse en RP
de Chine |
 |
|
|
|
| Table of
contents |
|
DPRK and South
Korea
Mongolia
^ top ^
|
| Foreign
Policy |
US Vice-President Biden to visit Beijing (People's Daily Online)
2011-08-08
US Vice-President Joe Biden will visit China later this month to strengthen ties with Beijing. "He will visit China at the invitation of Vice-President Xi Jinping [...]. During his stay in Beijing, Biden will hold talks with his Chinese counterpart and meet with President Hu and Premier Wen Jiabao "to consult on a broad range of bilateral, regional, and global issues". The US vice-president will also visit Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan province. Biden, who is set to leave for Beijing on Aug 16, will also visit Mongolia will go to Japan to reaffirm US support for its key Asian ally in the wake of the country's tsunami disaster and nuclear crisis, according to the statement. Additional details about the vice-president's trip have not been released. Less than two weeks ago, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton paid an unofficial visit to South China's Special Economic Zone of Shenzhen and held talks with State Councilor Dai Bingguo. Analysts say both sides want to make good use of high-level exchanges and meetings to maintain close communication and find ways to narrow differences. Biden will likely arrive in Beijing on Aug 17. That day will mark the 29th anniversary of the August 17 communique, a joint statement made by the two governments in which the United States declared its intent to gradually decrease its arms sales to Taiwan. US attitudes toward arms sales to Taiwan have become the focus of Biden's visit. Rong Ying, a senior research fellow at the China Institute of International Studies, said he thought it was a coincidence, but arms sales is the issue concerning China's core interests [...]. ^ top ^
China's FM to discuss developing ties with Poland (China Daily)
2011-08-08
China's foreign minister is meeting Poland's leaders to discuss developing economic ties and world security issues. Minister Yang Jiechi met with Prime Minister Donald Tusk and Foreign Minister Radek Sikorski on Friday, at the start of his first, two-day, visit to Poland. Jiechi told the Rzeczpospolita daily that Beijing would like to increase economic exchange, mutual investment and imports from Poland. China is interested in Poland's advanced technologies, mainly in environment protection, coal mining and new energy sources. Poland is China's biggest trading partner in central and eastern Europe. In 2010, trade exchange amounted to $11.1 billion, up 24 percent from previous year. Other topics are situation in the Middle East and Afghanistan. ^ top ^
China entitled to demand more transparency in Japan's military (People's Daily Online)
2011-08-09
Like those that came before, Japan's "2011 Defense White Paper," which was released on Aug. 2, paid particular attention to China and has played up the "China threat," sown dissention in China and its neighboring countries, and deliberately creates tension [...]. There are three main reasons behind Japan's actions: The first goal is to transfer domestic public attention, provoke nationalist sentiment and shift domestic trouble to China. The second is to cover up the fact that Japan violated its Pacifist Constitution when it expanded its military capacities, and to make an excuse for its increasing investment in defense. The third is to meet the demand of some hegemonic powers seeking to contain China and attempt to attract neighboring countries to establish an Asian version of a "mini-NATO" [...]. If some Japanese politicians pretend not to understand, China can frankly tell them that China's military development aims to defend its borders and deter enemies. First, China must ensure its sovereignty and territorial integrity and safeguard its territories. Second, China must also prevent the resurgence of the countries that were once sources of catastrophic wars and guard against warmongers [...]. China sticks to the diplomatic policy of building friendships and partnerships with neighboring countries, adheres to a defensive policy and will never pose a threat to any country. An old Chinese saying goes, "Harbor no ill intention against others, but never relax vigilance against evil-doers" [...]. There are many doubts regarding Japan's defense policy. Japan said that it would shift the defense focus to southwestern islands as a preparation for possible security threats. Will the security of its southwestern islands be threatened if it does not make waves first? Japan has expressed heavy criticism that Chinese warships have posed a security threat to it by going through the First Island Chain and conducting military drills. Does the international law stipulate that Chinese warships must not sail in international waters? Since when did Japan own the First Island Chain? Japan has continued to repeat that it will make efforts to protect its over 1,000-nautical-mile coastline. Why does it deploy soldiers in the territorial waters and exclusive economic zones of other countries? Japan has frequently used its security treaty with the United States to threaten other countries despite knowing that it is just a bilateral security agreement [...]. Japan wants China to improve transparency in its aircraft carrier program. There are 20 active aircraft carriers in nine countries in the world, why has Japan never asked these countries to improve transparency? [...]. Regarding the disaster suffered by the People of Japan, the people of China felt the same way they felt and have given them a hand to help them. Some Japanese politicians should not return kindness with ingratitude, but should do self-examinations and focus on Japan's domestic construction. Besides, you have no right to comment on other counties irresponsibly or criticize other countries' national defense policies unreasonably. ^ top ^
Foreign minister pledges China's support for Sudan (SCMP)
2011-08-09
Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi pledged China's ongoing support for Sudan, "whatever... the internal and external changes," [...]. China's policy towards Sudan will not change, whatever the pressure and internal and external changes," Yang was quoted as saying by the semi-official Sudan Media Centre late on Sunday, shortly after his arrival in Khartoum. "China will continue its support for infrastructure projects in the fields of economy and development". A key ally of Sudan, which has suffered from US economic sanctions since 1997, China is also a major military supplier to the regime in Khartoum, as well as one the largest foreign investors and the biggest buyer of Sudanese oil. President Omar al-Bashir, […], travelled to Beijing just before the secession last month of South Sudan - where most of the territory's oil lies - to bolster bilateral ties. On Sunday, Yang urged north and south to find "urgent solutions" to their outstanding differences, two days after a dispute over duty payments caused the authorities in Port Sudan to block a 600,000 barrel shipment of southern oil [...]. Yang was due to meet his Sudanese counterpart Ali Karti yesterday and Bashir after his return from Chad, before travelling to Juba, capital of South Sudan, today. ^ top ^
China, Russia to boost military cooperation (China Daily)
2011-08-09
Russia and China issued a joint statement on bilateral military ties Monday upon the conclusion of a visit by a senior Chinese military official. The two countries have agreed to further enhance military exchanges at various levels and keep strategic coordination so as to better deal with new challenges and threats from regional and global security issues, says the statement. The two sides would continue to hold regular bilateral anti-terror drills and participate in military exercises within the framework of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), it says. The two armies also decided to further improve the top-level strategic consultation mechanism, as the next round of dialogue will be held in Beijing by the end of 2011 [...]. Chen Bingde, chief of General Staff of the People's Liberation Army of China, paid a six-day visit to Russia [...]. ^ top ^
China to develop friendly cooperation with South Sudan: FM (Xinhua)
2011-08-10
Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi said on Tuesday China will continue to develop friendly cooperation with South Sudan, taking its independence and the establishment of the bilateral diplomatic relations as a new start. Yang made the remarks when meeting with the South Sudanese President Salva Kiir Mayardit during his official visit to South Sudan following a two-day official visit to Khartoum. He said China attaches great importance to the development of relationship with South Sudan, and will continue to support its efforts in maintaining sovereignty and independence. The minister said that China will also support South Sudan to play its own role in the United Nations and other international and regional organizations, and will continue to provide aid to South Sudan within its own capability. He stressed that the two sides should enhance cooperation in the fields of oil, mining, agriculture and infrastructure construction, and China will continue to help South Sudan promote development and improve people's living conditions [...]. ^ top ^
China, Ukraine to step up military co-op (China Daily)
2011-08-12
Senior Chinese and Ukrainian military officials agreed during talks here Thursday to advance military exchanges and cooperation between their two countries. Gregory Pedchenko, chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, told Chen Bingde, chief of the General Staff of the People's Liberation Army of China, that although they are far apart in distance, China and Ukraine [...] have maintained very friendly relations, with broad prospects for bilateral cooperation [...]. Speaking on the same occasion, Chen said that since the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Ukraine 20 years ago, political mutual trust between the two countries has kept strengthening while bilateral cooperation has brought about remarkable achievements in all fields, bringing real benefits to the two peoples [...]. The Chinese side will, proceeding from the principle of mutual respect, equality and mutual benefit, take steps to promote multiform and multilevel development of friendly cooperation between the armed forces of China and Ukraine in various fields, Chen said [...]. ^ top ^
Premier Wen meets Sri Lanka president on ties (Xinhua)
2011-08-12
Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao and President of Sri Lanka Mahinda Rajapakse met on Thursday, pledging to enhance the two countries' cooperation. The ever deepening friendship and cooperation between China and Sri Lanka have brought substantial benefits to the two peoples and promoted regional peace and development, Wen said. He added that China is ready to help with Sri Lanka's economic development, promote communication between the two countries with regard to infrastructure construction, enlarge two-way trade and investment, and strengthen cultural and personnel exchanges [...]. ^ top ^
China vows stronger ties with Bolivia as President Morales visits (Xinhua)
2011-08-12
China's top legislator Wu Bangguo and Premier Wen Jiabao met with visiting Bolivian President Juan Evo Morales Ayma on Thursday, respectively, pledging to further cement bilateral cooperation among governments, parliaments and ruling parties. Wu [...], extended a warm welcome to Morales [...]. Wu hailed the achievements of China-Bolivia relations since the establishment of diplomatic ties 26 years ago, citing enhanced political trust, win-win economic cooperation and cultural exchanges, as well as close coordination in global and regional issues [...]. Wu said China is glad to see the remarkable achievements Bolivia has made under the leadership of Morales, calling for joint efforts to boost cooperation between the two governments, parliaments and ruling parties. He also suggested that both sides deepen pragmatic cooperation in trade and cultural areas, share experiences in governance and improve people's livelihoods [...]. During the meeting with Morales, Wen Jiabao called on the two countries to continue to strengthen their bilateral cooperation. China will work closely with Bolivia to expand cooperation in mineral resources exploitation, infrastructure construction and technology, which will promote the two countries' economic development and strengthen Bolivia's self-development capability, Wen said. Calling China as Bolivia's good friend and important cooperative partner, Morales said Bolivia wants to increase exchanges with the Chinese side so as to gain more experience in national development. He also vowed to expand bilateral economic and technological cooperation [...]. ^ top ^
|
| Domestic
Policy |
|
China to promote gender equality in politics (China Daily)
2011-08-09
An official document released on Monday said that local governments above the county level should employ more women in leadership positions to ensure that the country's women are properly represented in political affairs. The Outline for the Development of Chinese Women (2011-2020) issued by the State Council, or China's cabinet, said that the central government will continue to boost women's participation in the management of state and social affairs, stressing that the number of female leaders should be gradually increased over the next decade. The document said that the government has set a target of enshrining the concept of gender equity into more laws over the next ten years. "At least 30 percent of the members of any given villagers' committee should be female, and at least 10 percent of the heads of villagers' committee should be women," the outline said. For members of urban neighborhood committees, the proportion of women should be around 50 percent, it said. The document promised to gradually increase the number of female officials in the leadership of China's central, provincial and city governments [...]. The outline aims to ensure that women equally exercise their democratic rights in accordance with the law, participate in economic and social development and enjoy the fruits of national reform and development. The outline also vowed to eliminate gender discrimination in employment. "Women should account for at least 40 percent of the employed population," the outline said. It also stated that departments at various levels should create conditions of education and training programs for women to ensure that they account for 35 percent of senior professional and technical personnel over the next ten years. ^ top ^
China wages "people's war" against infant-trafficking (Xinhua)
2011-08-09
China has stepped up efforts in the current "people's war" against infant-smuggling crimes, while starting to cooperate with neighboring countries and international organizations in this field, according to a spokesman of the Ministry of Public Security. This year, Chinese police have uncovered two major child-trafficking cases, freed 104 children, and arrested hundreds of smugglers. The ministry detected one of the cases in collaboration with Vietnamese police under a transnational anti-infant-smuggling operation in the Mekong sub-region, […]. Since 2009, when China signed a United Nations pact on fighting human-trafficking crimes, the country has cooperated with the international community by signing anti-human-trafficking pacts with Vietnam and Myanmar and cooperating with international organizations on the issue [...]. Human-smugglers have targeted rural transients working in cities, who are busy earning money and sometimes don't have time to care for their children. This has made these transient families the targets of traffickers. On June 1, the ministry ordered local police to spend six months to collect DNA information from all children whose origin appears suspicious. Furthermore, the police have asked for assistance from people in all circles of society to fight child-trafficking. People have responded enthusiastically, as many have organized their own teams to combat infant smugglers, according to the official. ^ top ^
The danger of muzzling the media (SCMP)
2011-08-09
Over and over since the high-speed rail crash at Wenzhou, the central government has stressed that it is committed to transparency. Premier Wen Jiabao has made the pledge and so, too, has the State Council. Despite the promises, though, much of the mainland's media has been gagged in its coverage of the July 23 disaster. It is lamentable that authorities have still not grasped that such censorship undermines their credibility and guarantees distrust. There is a lesson to be learned from the accident in this respect. For five days after it occurred, the rescue effort and clean-up were in the full media and internet chat room glare with details open to scrutiny [...]. Unusually, the state-run media joined the criticism, with editorials and commentaries lambasting railway and rescue officials and tough questions being posed at press conferences. Wen visited the crash site and called for trust and transparency, but two days later, propaganda officials stepped in. Their order for a scaling back of media coverage to only authorised statements was followed by all but a handful of publications. With the ban still in effect, the State Council's call on Tuesday for more transparent handling of emergencies is difficult to take seriously. Its edict that investigation results and other issues of widespread interest should be publicly disclosed in an objective and timely manner will not be credible unless there is independent scrutiny [...]. Microblog postings deemed sensitive continue to be removed while the infamous "great firewall" blocks words like "Wenzhou" from internet search engines. This only fuels suspicions that a cover-up has taken place - a suggestion rejected by deputy railways minister Lu Dongfu in a recent China Central Television interview. For the government, it seems, criticism equates to a threat to its authority [...]. To calm the anger over the rail crash, officials have promised changes to how investigations are handled. That is a start. But there is also a need for the media to be free to do its job. In that way, lessons can be learned and similar tragedies hopefully avoided in the future. ^ top ^
Bribery websites up and running (China Daily)
2011-08-09
Websites that reveal bribery staged a quiet comeback in China after ending a one-month limbo due to uncertainties about their legal status. The websites, calling themselves various combinations of names to express the idea of "I-made-a-bribe", resumed online services quietly in mid-July after getting permission to register with the Internet regulatory authorities. "I was a little surprised that its registration could be approved," said Xiaoxiaosheng, founder of one of the first bribery-exposing websites, [...]. Xiaoxiaosheng said he did not have too much hope for approval after the site was forced to shut down in late June because of the lack of that very registration. The website was allowed to register with the Internet regulator on July 14, almost a month after its launch. Chen Hong, founder of a similar website, said his site acquired its registration permission on June 24. In mid-June, "I-made-a bribe" websites burgeoned in China, almost all inspired by an Indian website calling itself "I-paid-a-bribe". Like the Indian website, the Chinese sites provided an online space for Internet users to share their experiences of giving bribes in daily life. Wu Yuliang, deputy secretary of the Communist Party of China's Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, said on July 22 that the websites should abide by Chinese laws regulating the Internet. When his website reopened to netizens complaining about pervasive bribery in China, Chen renamed his site "Transparent China" and started to look for volunteers to help run it [...]. ^ top ^
China says hit by 500,000 cyber attacks (SCMP)
2011-08-10
China yesterday said it was hit by nearly 500,000 cyber attacks last year, about half of which originated from overseas countries, including the United States and India [...]. Xinhua said that according to a government report most of the attacks on China came as Trojan software - a malicious programme that masquerades as an application. Nearly 15 per cent of the destructive programmes came from IP addresses in the United States, while another 8 per cent originated in India, said the report by the National Computer Network Emergency Response Co-ordination Centre. China, which has the world's largest online population with 485 million users, has been accused of spearheading online attacks on government agencies and companies, although Beijing denies this. Mainland media lambasted claims China was behind the sophisticated hacking uncovered by McAfee, calling them "irresponsible". According to the US computer security firm, victims of the attack included the governments of Canada, India, South Korea, Taiwan, the United States and Vietnam [...]. ^ top ^
Li Keqiang's HK trip will affirm he'll get Wen's job (SCMP)
2011-08-10
Vice-Premier Li Keqiang begins a three-day visit to Hong Kong that a veteran China watcher says is another gesture to confirm he will succeed Wen Jiabao as the country's premier. Li will arrive from Shenzhen after officiating at the opening of the Universiade, or world university games. It will be his first official visit to Hong Kong. Dr Willy Wo-lap Lam, a China watcher and a senior fellow at the Jamestown Foundation, said the trip was aimed at reaffirming Li's status as the nation's next premier […]. "It is almost certain that Li will succeed Wen after the 18th party congress next March," Lam said. "As Li is a relatively unfamiliar face to Hongkongers, the visit can offer a chance for people here to understand more about the next premier." The vice-premier, who is in charge of economic affairs, will attend a forum in Hong Kong on the nation's 12th five-year plan and economic, trade and financial co-operation between the mainland and Hong Kong [...]. Li will also visit various institutions and community facilities to "inquire about Hong Kong's economic situation and people's livelihoods", the government said. Lam said Li's visit showed Beijing's concern about Hong Kong's economy and social development. While Li's itinerary is expected to include a meeting with local business and political leaders, he has no plan to meet the city's legislators - which some see as a snub. Democratic Party vice-chairwoman Emily Lau Wai-hing said she may write a letter to Li expressing her discontent. "No central government official has ever formally met the Legislative Council. It is not a good practice to marginalise and alienate the legislature," said Lau [...]. ^ top ^
Draft may expand lawsuits against government (China Daily)
2011-08-10
Chinese people may soon be able to challenge unreasonable administrative legislation [...] in an attempt to ease intensified relations between officials and the public, a legal expert said. Wang Xixin, a law professor at Peking University and contributing researcher of China's top legislature, told China Daily that related departments have started to draft the amendment to the Administrative Litigation Law, which will very likely add government regulations such as urban planning to the scope of judicial hearings. "It is a big deficiency in the current litigation regulation which doesn't allow the public to sue regulatory documents, government decisions and other regulations, since such government decisions usually exert a constant and wide-ranging impact on the people and will seriously infringe on civic rights, if ill-drafted," Wang said [...]. "In addition, the Chinese government has to honor promises it made in the World Trade Organization Accession Protocol in 2001, when China agreed to establish an impartial and independent judicial body to review all the WTO-related administrative actions," he said. China's Administrative Litigation Law, which took effect in 1990, stipulates administrative actions subjected to judicial hearings must be "concrete actions", such as administrative punishments, interference with the operations of enterprises, and violations of rights of the person or a property right. Such hearings, carried out in the local people's courts, are not permitted when it involves national defense and foreign affairs, administrative regulations, and the appointment, rewards and punishments of officials [...]. An official from the Legislative Affairs Commission of the National People's Congress, who declined to be named, told China Daily that it might be no earlier than next year until lawmakers are able to read the amendment, due to the complexity of the matter, he said. ^ top ^
'Bully tactics' in payout talks (SCMP)
2011-08-11
Survivors of last month's high-speed-rail crash in Wenzhou, Zhejiang province, claim officials are frustrating their fight for compensation and using bullying tactics to force them into deals. Injured survivors [...] complain that Ministry of Railways officials are handling the compensation process in an arbitrary and opaque manner, leaving them unsure of their entitlements and fearful of being underpaid. "I feel they are just trying to pay us as little as they can get away with," Lin Kebo, 45, from Fujian province, said. "Each time my wife meets officials they produce a figure, but they cannot explain how that figure was calculated. Each time they say it is their highest possible offer, but when we don't sign they come back the next time with a higher offer. "The officials can only explain that the increase is due to a new directive from above. Can there really be so many directives?" Lin, like many of the injured, remains bed-ridden in Wenzhou No2 People's Hospital. He said only injured victims' closest relatives were allowed into the negotiating room, leaving them without access to independent advice or the chance to verify consistency in the deals. "Our families have to sneak around hospitals comparing their various offers to see if what we are getting is fair," he said. "There are huge differences in what is being offered, and it seems to have more to do with how much noise people make than the extent of their injuries" [...]. "The doctors aren't authorised to discharge us until we sign the compensation agreement," said Su, 20. "My wife wouldn't agree because they refuse to cover our 800 yuan (HK$970) travel expenses to get back home." Su said the ministry's initial offer to his wife of 10,000 yuan increased to 39,800 yuan at the last meeting on Monday. "The official actually told her, `If you are not happy you can continue living in the hospital'," Su said. "Do they think we enjoy staying in a hospital ward?" [...] . The Shanghai Bureau of Railways did not respond to requests for comment. Relatives of 40 people who died in the crash were offered a one-off payment of 915,000 yuan. According to mainland media reports earlier this week, relatives of all but five of the victims had signed the deal. ^ top ^
China becomes major victim of cyber attacks (People's Daily Online)
2011-08-11
China has become one of the world's biggest victims of cyber attacks, with Chinese Internet operators and users being harassed nearly "every moment," a computer security official said Wednesday. China was hit by nearly 493,000 cyber attacks last year, about half of which appeared to have originated from foreign countries, including the United States and India, according to a report issued on Tuesday by the National Computer Network Emergency Response Coordination Center of China (CNCERT/CC), the country's primary computer security monitoring network. Most of the attacks came in the form of malicious "Trojan" software used by hackers to gain access to target computers, according to Zhou Yonglin, head of the CNCERT/CC's operation and management department [...]. The report said 14.7 percent of the attacks came from Internet Protocol addresses (IPs) located in the United States, with another 8 percent located in India. However, cyber attacks go beyond the boundaries of nations due to the openness of the Internet, making it difficult to truly determine where the attacks are coming from, Zhou said [...]. ^ top ^
Bailed Ai Weiwei breaks media silence (SCMP)
2011-08-11
A state-run newspaper published a feature-length interview with Ai Weiwei yesterday [...] as tax evasion investigations continue into a firm linked to him. Described as an "exclusive" and headlined "Ai Weiwei breaks his silence", the article in the English edition of the Global Times, a paper affiliated with the Communist Party mouthpiece People's Daily, said the six-hour interview took place in Ai's studio in the Caochangdi Art District. Ai confirmed speaking to the Global Times, but denied it was an interview because under the terms of his release he is not allowed to give interviews to domestic or foreign media. Nonetheless, Ai told the South China Morning Post that he welcomed the article, despite saying not all the information in it was "accurate or objective". "The Chinese version of the Global Times had previously written many negative articles about me. And no other mainland media has dared to report about my detention in a normal fashion. I'm glad the English version is now publishing something I say." The article also quoted Ai as saying he had never called for a change in the mainland's form of government. "Overthrowing the regime through a radical revolution is not the way to solve China's problems," Ai reportedly said [...]. But while he plans to be more cautious, Ai will not soften his stance. "I will never avoid politics - none of us can," he was quoted saying [...]. Another dissident was released yesterday into "residential surveillance". Blogger and writer Ran Yunfei was detained in February and charged with inciting subversion. Prosecutors passed the case back to police, resulting in his release. ^ top ^
New vessel is a source of pride at home, but raises concern overseas (SCMP)
2011-08-11
China's first aircraft carrier, which made its maiden run yesterday, is likely to boost patriotic pride at home and concern abroad about Beijing's naval ambitions. The long-awaited debut of the vessel, a refitted former Soviet craft, marked a step forward in China's long-term plan to build a carrier force that can project power into the Asian region, where seas are spanned by busy shipping lanes and thorny territorial disputes. "Its symbolic significance outweighs its practical significance," said Professor Ni Lexiong, an expert on maritime policy at the Shanghai University of Political Science and Law [...]. Mainlanders said the carrier launch showed the country deserved more respect [...]. China's "starter carrier" is of very limited military utility, and will primarily serve to confer prestige on a rising great power, to help the military master basic procedures, and to project a bit of power. But the carrier is just one part of China's naval modernisation drive, which has forged ahead while other powers tighten their military budgets to cope with debt woes. "For many neighbours, it [China's carrier] may symbolise something different and more unsettling," said Pan Chengxin, a lecturer at Deakin University in Melbourne. "It is inevitable that neighbouring countries will react with some alarm, especially given recent disputes in the South China Sea, as well as the maritime incident between China and Japan last year," he said [...]. The country's growing reach at sea is triggering regional concerns that have fed into long-standing territorial disputes, and could speed up military expansion across Asia. In the past year, China has had run-ins at sea with Japan, Vietnam and the Philippines. The incidents have been minor, but the diplomatic fallout often heated. "They want to assert their dominance in East Asia as well as the South China Sea and they have very ambitious plans of asserting their claims over some islands," retired Indian major general Ashok Mehta, a defence analyst in Delhi, said of China […]. But China did not want to rile its neighbours with the carrier debut, said Ni. "A single, solitary aircraft carrier floating on the sea, without the accompanying forces, doesn't constitute a battle force," said Ni. "It would be a sitting duck if you tried to send it out.". ^ top ^
China injects extra $1b in rural education (Xinhua)
2011-08-12
China's Ministry of Finance on Thursday announced an injection of an extra 7.93 billion yuan ($1.24 billion) from the central budget this year to support nine years of compulsory education for all students in the country's rural areas. This was in addition to the 39.24 billion yuan already earmarked this year, the ministry said in a statement on its website. The fund will be used for water, electricity and heating expenses in rural boarding schools, purchases of multimedia distance learning facilities as well as expenses generated from the faculty training in rural schools, according to the statement [...]. ^ top ^
High-speed trains recalled for fixes (SCMP)
2011-08-12
Train maker China CNR Corporation last night announced a recall of 54 trains it supplied for the nation's flagship high-speed railway between Beijing and Shanghai. As a result, daily service on the prestige route will be reduced by a quarter. The state-owned firm is recalling the CRH380BL series train sets to investigate equipment failure and carry out modifications. The company did not elaborate, but the Ministry of Railways had earlier ordered a halt to production of the same model of train by a CNR subsidiary after flaws were discovered in an automated safety system [...]. The move comes just a day after the State Council ordered high-speed trains to run slower while a safety audit of the entire network is conducted, and as investigations continue into the high-speed-train crash in Wenzhou that left at least 40 people dead and nearly 200 injured. On Wednesday, in a move legal experts called unprecedented, ministry representatives were removed from the panel investigating the crash [...]. Premier Wen Jiabao announced the removal of the two senior ministry officials from the investigation at a State Council meeting on Wednesday. That makes the crash [...] the first to be scrutinised without the ministry's direct influence. Deputy rail minister Peng Kaizhou and Chen Lanhua, the ministry's safety director, were removed from the panel, while 11 people, mostly with backgrounds in engineering or electronics, were added, taking its membership to 34. Hu Xingdou, a professor of economics at the Beijing Institute of Technology, said the move was the result of public pressure [...]. The panel is still not as independent as some would like. Most members are officials, retired officials or academics close to the government. "Unless the panel moves out of the shadow of the government, it will not be fully independent or fair," Hu said [...]. ^ top ^
Safety probe of nuclear power plants complete (SCMP)
2011-08-12
A safety inspection of nuclear power plants on the mainland has been completed, raising the possibility that work could resume on an ambitious reactor building programme that was suspended in the wake of the earthquake and tsunami in Japan. According to a notice published on the website of the China Nuclear Energy Association yesterday, safety inspectors finally completed a tour of the country's existing reactors and nuclear construction sites last week [...]. Beijing was originally planning to raise its 2020 nuclear capacity target to more than 80 gigawatts, up from 10.8 gigawatts at the end of last year. Some in the sector said 100GW or more would be within their capabilities. However, the government has promised to "adjust and improve" its nuclear construction programme, and experts have urged it to scale back the target amid concerns about the reliability of new reactor designs, a lack of qualified personnel and the security of uranium supplies. Since March, industry officials have repeated that Beijing's commitment to nuclear power remains unchanged, even if the pace of construction has slowed down as it absorbs the lessons from Fukushima. In May, the National Energy Administration said total nuclear capacity would rise to 40GW by 2015, with another 28 reactor units scheduled to go into operation within the next four years [...]. ^ top ^
|
| Guangdong |
Six prominent companies promise wage negotiations in south China city (Xinhua)
2011-08-10
Six major global companies operating in the southern Chinese economic hub of Guangzhou pledged to conduct wage negotiations with worker representatives in an agreement reached with the city's trade union on Tuesday. The companies, all among the world's top 500 companies listed by Fortune Magazine, are McDonald's, Kentucky Fried Chicken, Trust-Mart, Siemens Transformer (Guangzhou) Co., Sony Electronics Huanan Co., and Matsushita Electric Works Electronic Material (Guangzhou) Co.. They were among the first batch of prominent companies in Guangzhou, [...], to make such a commitment. Within two years, all Fortune Global 500 companies in the city are expected to set up a wage-negotiation mechanism, said Chen Weiguang, head of the city's trade union. Plagued by the recent acute labor shortages and walkouts, the companies have realized they must establish a long-term mechanism to increase workers' wages in a reasonable manner and have an effective platform to discuss the issue, said Jiang Bin, deputy head of the trade union of Matsushita [...]. Walkouts, caused by workers' demand for wage hikes, disrupted the operation of some companies, including Honda and Matsushita, in Guangdong last year. ^ top ^
Shenzhen welcomes world with lockdown (SCMP)
2011-08-12
The airport will close, roads are blocked, banks and public services have been suspended for four days, and helicopters can be seen hovering above 20,000 paramilitary police sent to every corner of Shenzhen. Taking every precaution imaginable, Shenzhen will kick off the World University Games, also known as the Universiade, today. President Hu Jintao arrived in Shenzhen yesterday afternoon to attend the Games' opening ceremony scheduled for today, Xinhua reported. But he may not have a chance to address many locals, as authorities announced that no tickets to the opening and closing ceremonies would be sold to the public […]. Residents of luxurious apartments close to the stadium have been asked to leave their homes for five hours for security reasons during the opening ceremony, but to switch on the lights before they leave [...]. Additionally, more than 80,000 people deemed security risks have been kicked out of Shenzhen, and migrant workers have been warned not to petition, gather publicly or use any "abnormal methods" to seek unpaid salaries during the Games [...].. All these measures are Shenzhen's way of welcoming the rest of the world [...]. Shenzhen Communist Party boss Wang Rong said last month that such measures were vital to ensuring that China was not embarrassed in front of the world, because "any security incident can develop into an international matter during the Games, as people from different countries gather in the city," according to The Southern Metropolis News [...]. About 15,000 paramilitary police were dispatched to the city from Shanghai and across Guangdong province, plus 5,000 from Shenzhen [...]. Last month, 950 people were arrested while trying to enter Shenzhen with banned items, including guns, bullets and explosives, the Nanfang Daily reported [...]. Political analyst Jin Xinyi said that although the World University Games had enabled Shenzhen to swiftly develop the outskirts of Longgang district and upgrade the city's infrastructure, corruption scandals, overspending and the controversial security measures linked with the Games had actually eroded Shenzhen's reputation. "The World University Games' influence in terms of promoting Shenzhen's international image has been overstated," Jin said. Referring to a slew of scandals, Jin said: "Shenzhen can no longer expect the Games to bring much positive value to its image, but rather hope it won't bring too many ill effects.". ^ top ^
|
| Tibet |
We are here to stay, says Tibetan leader-in-exile (SCMP)
2011-08-09
A Harvard-trained legal scholar was sworn in yesterday as the new head of the Tibetan government-in-exile, taking over from the Dalai Lama as leader of his people's fight for freedom [...]. Dr Lobsang Sangay, who was elected in April by tens of thousands of Tibetans in exile, was surrounded by hundreds of Buddhist monks and nuns as well as the Dalai Lama as he took the oath of office in the northern Indian city of Dharmsala, where the exile administration is based. Lobsang Sangay has vowed to follow the Dalai Lama's approach of seeking increased autonomy for Tibet within the mainland. Beijing refuses to recognise the authority of Lobsang Sangay [...]. He said he would work to fulfil the vision of the Dalai Lama to create a truly secular democratic society. "Tibetan leadership is far from fizzling out... we are here to stay." He pledged to sustain the movement "until freedom is restored to Tibet", stressing that the fight was "not against the Chinese people or China as a country". "Our struggle is against the hardline policies of the Chinese regime in Tibet... against those who would deny freedom, justice, dignity and the very identity of the Tibetan people," he said. "There is no `socialism' in Tibet. There is colonialism. Chinese rule in Tibet is clearly unjust and untenable" [...]. Jiang Zhaoyong, a commentator on issues in Tibet and Xinjiang said Lobsang Sangay's future actions would be largely shaped by his background as being a second-generation Tibetan in exile. "Since he has weak ties with Tibetans back in Tibet, unlike his predecessors, he might not be able to exert as much influence on them," Jiang said. "Due to his weak roots he might take a different route of action from his predecessors" [...]. Other Tibetan experts had previously said that Lobsang Sangay's lack of experience as an official or in a managerial position might affect his clout over the Tibetans in exile. The Dalai Lama, the 14th in a line of men said to be the living incarnation of Chenrezig, a Buddhist god of compassion, says he needed to resign as political leader because he feared chaos would erupt after his eventual death, when Beijing and Buddhist monks were certain to argue over the identity of his successor. "Now, that danger is no longer there," he said earlier […]. Beijing, which has vilified him for decades as a separatist troublemaker but dislikes the exile government even more, is also forcing him to remain involved. Beijing says it will only hold negotiations [...] with his representatives. In an article published on July 16, the People's Daily commented directly on Lobsang Sangay, calling him a new leader "who learned law in the United States and was promoted by the United States single-handedly". The article dedicated a paragraph to Lobsang Sangay, saying that his so-called adherence to the "middle way" was just tactical and that an independent Tibet was still the aim of the new leader. ^ top ^
Security tight ahead of Panchen Lama's visit (SCMP)
2011-08-12
China has banned foreigners and stepped up security in a sensitive Tibetan region of northwestern Gansu province, ahead of a visit by the Chinese-appointed Panchen Lama, a Tibetan rights group and residents said yesterday. The provincial public security authorities told hotel operators in the Tibetan populated Xiahe county in Gansu that foreigners were prohibited from staying in the region, home to the Labrang monastery that erupted in protests in March 2008 when Buddhist monks confronted police and troops across the region [...]. "Police have ordered us not to receive foreigners to stay in our hotel for today, tomorrow and the day after," a receptionist from the Baoma Hotel, who declined to be named, said [...]. Security in Xiahe was tight, with a higher number of police officers patrolling the streets, residents said. The International Campaign for Tibet said "hundreds of armed police are now stationed around the [Labrang] monastery," citing sources. China has been gradually exposing the Panchen Lama to more public roles in the hope he will achieve the loyalty of Tibetans and international respect commanded by the ageing Dalai Lama, now 76. The Panchen Lama may be preparing to be based in Gannan, instead of Beijing where he lives, according to the International Campaign for Tibet. "This would signal the Chinese authorities' move to enforce his presence on Tibetans as part of their strategy of control and potentially to develop his political role and influence," the group said. The Panchen Lama was selected by Beijing in 1995 after the Dalai Lama announced his own choice of a six-year-old boy, who was taken away by Chinese authorities and has disappeared from public view, creating a crisis of legitimacy for devout Tibetans. ^ top ^
|
| Xinjiang |
Xinjiang's top official vows harsh crackdown on religious extremists (People's Daily Online)
2011-08-09
The top official of far western China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region has ordered a harsh crackdown on religious extremists in the latest clampdown on outbursts of violence. Zhang Chunxian, secretary of Xinjiang regional committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC), made the pledge at a regional government meeting in the wake of a trio of deadly attacks in the region. Zhang ordered cadres and officials to rely on the public to unswervingly curb illegal religious activities and crack down on the use of the religion to incite violence or organize terrorist attacks, local media reported Monday. He said the managing of religious affairs should follow the central government's policy to "protect the legitimate, ban the illegal, fight infiltration, and crack down on crimes." Xinjiang -- with 41.5 percent of its 21 million population Uygurs, a largely Muslim Chinese ethnic group -- is at China's frontline against separatism, extremism and terrorism. Two bloody attacks occurred in the city of Kashgar on the last weekend of July, leaving at least 14 civilians killed and 42 others injured. Police shot dead eight attackers in clashes. The Kashgar violence followed a terrorist attack targeting a police station in the city of Hotan that left 18 people, including 14 attackers, killed. Zhang said the focus of work at present is to stem out the series attacks and unswervingly curb mass incidents triggered by the violence. Local media reports quoted Zhang as saying that the government meeting was held to re-arrange work on maintaining stability in Xinjiang in line with the latest instructions of President Hu jintao and other top leaders. Zhang said the central leadership paid great attention to the stability in Xinjiang and President Hu had made "important instructions" on how to deal with the current complicated security situation in Xinjiang. ^ top ^
Tension won't stop Kashgar's progress drive (SCMP)
2011-08-12
Despite recent ethnic violence, authorities in Kashgar in Xinjiang, say their ambition to transform the western border city into a booming financial hub remains on track and plan to woo talent from major mainland cities [...]. Kashgar's mayor, Maimaiteeming Baikeli, yesterday played down the impact of two deadly attacks in the city late last month, which killed at least 14 and left 42 injured. He described the incidents as "terrorist attacks" and said Beijing's plan to turn Kashgar into a special economic zone, like Shenzhen, remained on course. "Kashgar has a bright future, although this won't be achieved without some tension," he said. With central government support, the mayor said the city had started a nationwide recruitment drive to draw talent from across the mainland, targeting cities like Shanghai, Shenzhen and Beijing in coming years. He refused to disclose more details and declined to say whether most of the migrant professionals would be Han Chinese [...]. The Kashgar government launched a big recruitment campaign last September. It targets top talent in various sectors and promises salaries in the range of 200,000 yuan a year. Under Beijing's master plan, the population of Kashgar will be expanded from the present 600,000 to one million by 2015. The growth will be partly achieved by merging two nearby counties into the city, but it also requires absorbing a large number of migrants [...]. Jiang Zhaoyong, a specialist in Xinjiang issues, also said the area's relative poverty, remoteness and ethnic tension would make it difficult to attract professionals. "Instead of pinning hope on getting talent from other regions, the city should step up efforts to train locals, including the Uygurs," he said. The mayor said the local government did have plans to increase investment on education and vocational training for the Uygurs. The city government unveiled a 100 million yuan joint venture with Citic Carbon Asset Management yesterday to tap into the city's rich natural resources [...]. ^ top ^
|
| Economy |
|
Railways Ministry to issue 20b yuan commercial papers (China Daily)
2011-08-08
China's Ministry of Railways will issue 20 billion yuan ($3.1 billion) of super short-term commercial papers (SCP) with a maturity of 90 days on Monday, a bond depository and settlement agency has announced. The ministry will use the funds to be raised to build railways, buy locomotives and improve liquidity, according to a note on the website of the China Central Depository and Clearing Co., Ltd. (CCDC) [...]. The papers will be the fourth batch of its kind issued this year by the ministry, which has been investing heavily in recent years to fund China's expanding rail network. In July, the ministry issued 20 billion yuan of one-year commercial papers with a coupon rate of 5.18 percent, but only 18.73 billion yuan of the total was bought. Analysts said it has become more difficult for the ministry to borrow money because of inadequate market liquidity and concerns over the ministry's debt burden. The ministry's debts exceeded 2 trillion yuan as of the end of June, raising its debt ratio to 58.53 percent, slightly up from the end of the first quarter of this year. In 2010, the railway ministry reported an after-tax profit of 15 million yuan, slumping 99.45 percent from a year earlier [...]. However, China's four largest state-owned banks have said they will continue to offer loans to the ministry based on market conditions and risk appraisal. The ministry's spokesperson Wang Yongping said in May that the ministry's total investment this year will reach 745.5 billion yuan, with 600 billion yuan going to infrastructure construction. China plans to invest 2.8 trillion yuan in the railway sector in the 2011-2015 period during which the length of its high-speed railways are expected to expand to 45,000 km. ^ top ^
China inflation in controllable range: NDRC (China Daily)
2011-08-10
China's consumer prices are currently within a mild and controllable range after measures to fight inflation have demonstrated some initial effect, a senior government official said Tuesday. Zhou Wangjun, vice director of the National Development and Reform Commission's pricing department, reiterated that the current round of inflation is approaching a turning point after rising 25 months, and price rises will likely ease for the rest of the year. He made the comments after the National Bureau of Statistics said in the morning that inflation escalated to a 37-month high of 6.5 percent year-on-year in July, driven by a 14.8 percent surge in food costs [...]. However, he warned of a big possibility that the United State will introduce a third round of quantitative easing policy to repay debt and boost economic growth, which may push up prices of international commodities and increase pressure of imported inflation. The policy may also trigger influx of more speculative money into China and increase difficulties for the government to stabilize prices, he said. China will continue to reduce circulation fees, improve social security and crack down on the hoarding of goods and speculation to keep prices in check, he said [...]. ^ top ^
Yuan rises to 6.41 per dollar as China pushes back inflows (People's Daily Online)
2011-08-11
China's central bank seems resolute to appreciate the value of the yuan, or renminbi, against the U.S. dollar to stave off torrents of hot money inflows that are creating inflationary bubbles in the world's second largest economy. The People's Bank of China, the central bank, set the official medium trading price at 6.4167 yuan per U.S. dollar on Wednesday, a new high of the Chinese currency against the greenback since Beijing embarked on the yuan's revaluation in July 2005. Wednesday's surge marks a hefty rise of 168 basic points from Tuesday's 6.4335 yuan trading a dollar [...]. ^ top ^
NDRC official rules out China hard landing (China Daily)
2011-08-12
China is not at risk of a hard landing in spite of an economic slowdown, said a senior official at the country's top economic planner, warning that the loose monetary policy by the United States will fuel global inflation. China's economy is generally healthy although economic growth has moderated, said Zhang Xiaoqiang, vice chairman of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) on Thursday. It is not likely that China's economy will see a drastic decline in growth and experience a hard landing, he said, adding that the economy is heading toward expectations under the government's macroeconomic policies. China's economy expanded at 9.6 percent year-on-year in the first half of this year, with the second quarter recording a 9.5-percent rise, down from 9.7 percent in the first quarter [...]. Government officials and economists believe inflation was near its peak in July and will ease for the rest of the year. However, China will face mounting imported inflation due to a continuous depreciation of the US dollar in the medium term, he said. The US policy of continuing a loose monetary policy to boost its economy will exacerbate global inflation, he said, adding that it will also hurt the purchasing power of China's foreign exchange reserves. The spreading debt crisis in the US and Europe will have a large impact on the global economy and thus dampen China's exports, he said. He said it is still too early to tell whether the global economy will retreat to a double-dip recession, but the global economy is, for sure, very fragile and will post a low growth rate this year. He added that protectionism by some developed nations is likely on the rise and will dent the global economy [...]. ^ top ^
|
| DPRK
and South Korea |
Flood-stricken DPRK suffers more serious damage (Xinhua)
2011-08-08
Human and material losses from heavy rains and flooding in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) had risen, the official news agency KCNA reported Friday. Typhoon-5 and heavy rains swept the country from late June to mid-July, claiming the lives of some 30 people so far, said KCNA, citing the results of a latest survey. More than 6,750 houses were destroyed, leaving more than 15,800 people homeless. Over 48,000 hectares of cropland were submerged, buried and washed away in rural areas, seriously affecting this year's grain output, the report said. Some 350 production facilities, public buildings, riverbanks, tide embankments and waterways were destroyed by torrential rains and floods. Subsequent landslides also blocked railways, bridges and roads, making it difficult to supply relief materials to the afflicted areas, according to the report. The Red Cross Society of the DPRK had launched relief activities to victims of the flood, the KCNA reported. ^ top ^
DPRK urges US, ROK to cancel joint drill (China Daily)
2011-08-09
The military of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) has called on the United States and Republic of Korea (ROK) to cancel their joint military exercises scheduled for August 16-26, the official KCNA news agency reported Monday. The war games are part of the "hysteria for a war of aggression" against the DPRK and would be "all-out nuclear war maneuvers, the KCNA quoted the Panmunjom Mission of the Korean People's Army (KPA) as saying in an open letter. The United States and ROK should cancel the planned exercises to show their will for the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, replace the armistice system by a peace-keeping mechanism on the peninsula and show their willingness to normalize DPRK-US relations and the inter-Korean relations, said the KPA mission. "If the other party launches a nuclear war, the DPRK is ready to counter it with nukes," the mission warned in the letter, saying that if war breaks out, the DPRK will lose the military demarcation line and gain national reunification [...]. ^ top ^
Two Koreas trade artillery fire (SCMP)
2011-08-11
North Korea fired artillery shells into waters near a disputed border yesterday, provoking South Korea to return warning shots and raising tensions between the rivals just as they had restarted talks. South Korean military officials said it appeared the North was conducting drills off the west coast of the divided peninsula. They said some of its shells had landed close to the Northern Limit Line, the disputed maritime border. The South responded with verbal warnings and fired warning shots of its own. In the first incident, the North fired three shots at about 1pm, and the South returned three artillery rounds towards the same area about an hour later. At dusk, the North fired three more shots, at least one of which landed near the border triggering more return fire from the South, a military official said [...]. "It is our assessment that [the shelling] was part of a training exercise by the North," a South Korean military official said of the first incident. "Three shots were heard. Our assessment is one shell landed near the NLL. Accordingly, we fired three shots back" [...]. Another military official later said a similar incident occurred at about 8pm. The North fired three artillery shells, triggering the South to fire warning shots in return. No further action ensued, he said. Fishing boats in the area were called to port and Yeonpyeong residents were evacuated to emergency shelters, media reports said. The South Korean military officials said it was unclear if any of the North Korean shells landed on the South's side of the line [...]. ^ top ^
|
| Mongolia |
Int'l meeting of Mongolists begins (Montsame)
2011-08-09
The 10th international meeting of Mongolists kicked off Tuesday in the Government House It has been dedicated to several important dates such as the 2220th Anniversary of the Founding of Mongolia's Statehood-- Hun Empire, the 805th anniversary of the Great Mongol Empire, the 100th anniversary of the National Revolution of Freedom, the 90th anniversary of the People's Revolution and the 50th anniversary of Mongolia's joining the UN. Held under auspices of the President of Mongolia, this year's meeting has brought together some 200 Mongolists from Austria, the Great Britain, the USA, Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark, Spain, Italy, Kazakhstan, Canada, Norway, Russia, Poland, the Republic of Korea, Chinese Taipei, Turkey, Hungary, Finland, France, China, the Czech Republic, Sweden, Switzerland, India and Japan. Some 100 Mongolian scholars are taking part in the meeting to deliver reports on research works. The key topic of the 10th meeting is “External relations of Mongolia and historical experiences”. Five sub-meetings will run under themes “Pre-historic and historic periods of Mongolia and outer world”, “Urgent problems facing Mongolian language and culture”, “Mongolian economics and politics”, “Mongolian foreign relations and diplomacy” and “Mongolia's independence and revolution”. They gathered aim to pay a special attention to such issues as historical tradition of Mongolia's external relations, the revolution of national freedom, the national independence, state policy, Mongolia's ancient and modern history, Mongolian socio-economics, language, literature, citizenship and cultural researches. The State Head Ts.Elbegdorj has addressed the meeting. He has proposed to prepare next generation of Mongolists, to create a fund for Mongolian studies and to found the University of Mongolian Studies and Academic Center for Mongolian Studies. As a dedication to this meeting, a secretary-general of the Association of Mongolian Studies Mr Sh.Bira has published a book named “Tengerism of Mongolia”. The academician began dealing with this topic from 1980s. “I spoke about it at a meeting on Altai studies in 1986. Also, I delivered a report themed 'Mongolian Tengerism and Globalization' when receiving a prize of the Royal Society of Britain in 2002,” Sh.Bira has said. “Tengerism originates from shamanism that admires Eternal Heaven. In times of the Great Empire, Tengerism was developed as a state concept. It was a basis of the policy that united the world under Tengerism. The globalization is not a modern phenomenon. I consider that the globalization was a concept maintained by Chingis Khaan and Khubilai, and the Tengerism is a father of globalization. Motherland of Tengerism must be Mongolia,” Sh.Bira has said. ^ top ^
Introduction of Cambridge Standards is beginning (Montsame)
2011-08-10
The Minister of Education, Culture and Science Yo.Otgonbayar gave Tuesday a report to media on a program of introducing standards of Cambridge in Mongolia. The government of Mongolia is cooperating with the Cambridge University in reforming the standards and programs of general education system matching it with the internationally-accepted Cambridge program and introducing the bilingual system in training programs through the Cambridge international program. The Ministry of Education will conduct experimental works for reforming standards and programs of primary and secondary schools in the academic years of 2011-2012. One school from each aimag and nine schools of the capital city will be chosen for the works. Thus, training programs on mathematics, English language, natural sciences, chemistry, physics, geography, biology and historical science for fifth and tenth grades will be renovated within the testing period that will last for three years. The reformed training program will be introduced in all and primary and secondary schools from the academic years of 2014-2015. In conjunction with it, some measures will be taken for enrolling teachers in re-training, reforming the training programs of pedagogical universities and textbooks of secondary school and others. Apart of the report, a training-seminar has been held in the UB hotel. It has been co-organized by the Ministry of Education and the Cambridge University attracting directors and teachers of secondary schools of the city and aimags. Focused on the training program of the Cambridge, the seminar has been conducted by Jill Johnson, a specialist of the Cambridge University. ^ top ^
Minister hits the last nail to mark fitting work on Narnii Bridge (News.mn)
2011-08-11
Minister for Road, Transportation and Urban Development Kh.Battulga yesterday ceremonially hit the last nail to mark the completion of the fitting work of the Narnii Bridge (Bridge of the sun). Deputy Mayor B.Baatarzorig, Japanese Ambassador T.Kidokoro and representatives of JFE LLC, in charge of the project, took part at the ceremony. B.Baatarzorig noted that residents of the capital are eagerly waiting to use the bridge and hoped it would be finished in time. The bridge is being built by Japanese workers with Japanese Government money. The fitting work has taken three months. The cost of the total project is 3.7 million yen. ^ top ^
About preparation of hay and fodder (Montsame)
2011-08-11
Summer conditions are favourable in 90 per cent of the country's territories, only some places in Khentii and Dornod provinces are a bit droughty. Some MNT 1.5 billion has been placed in the budgetary package of the Minister of Food, Agriculture and Light Industry for preparing harvest through supporting programs and projects of facilities. This year, Mongolia plans to gather over one million tons of natural hay, to prepare 40.0 thousand tons of hand fodder and 130.0 thousand tons of fodder produced by factories. From the last year's reserves, 25 thousand tons of hay and 1,900 tons of green fodder have remained untouched. If to sell them in packages 1,000 togrog per one, the government can earn 1.2 billion togrog. ^ top ^
|
|
Jean Binder
Embassy of Switzerland
|
The Press review is a random selection
of political and social related news gathered from various media
and news services located in the PRC, edited or translated by
the Embassy of Switzerland in Beijing and distributed among Swiss
Government Offices. The Embassy does not accept responsibility
for accuracy of quotes or truthfulness of content. Additionally
the contents of the selected news mustn't correspond to the opinion
of the Embassy.
|
|
|
|
