Common Talk Weeklyshuang yu zhou kan
issue date

Economics, sports, society, culture, science
October 22, 2003

Economics

Booming real estate market
房地产市场火爆
Real estate development and investment continued its rapid growth in the first three quarters of this year, with the total floorage completed soaring by more than 80% over the same period last year and the floorage sold and sales revenues rising by around 40%.

Price of edible oil jumps by 10%
食用油涨价一成多
Since the 16th of this month, the price of all brands of edible oil in the local market has gone up by an average 10%. The hike in price is a result of the reduced production of soybeans in the US.

Local commodity sales top RMB 17 billion in first 3 quarters
前三季买单超过170亿元
Statistics recently released by the local statistical bureau indicated that in the first three quarters of the year, local residents paid a total of RMB 17.253 billion for various commodities; top-earning commodities included building materials, air conditioners, mobile phones, and sedan cars.

Sports

Xiamen to reward gold medallists RMB 50K
厦门：城运金牌奖5万
Following the opening ceremony of the 5th City Games, all cities have unveiled their plans of handsome rewards for gold medallists on their teams. As an incentive for better achievements, Xiamen delegation has offered rewards of RMB 50,000, RMB 25,000 and RMB 15,000 for gold, silver and bronze medallists, respectively.

Society

Volunteers to receive payback for service time
志愿者服务时间可返还
Yuandang Street will become the first one in Xiamen to launch a payback system for the service time of volunteers. The duration of the service rendered by community volunteers will be recorded. Volunteers whose cumulative service time exceeds 16 hours will be entitled to a payback in the form of service by other volunteers after submitting an application to the secretary-general of the voluntary organization or the organizer of voluntary services.

Property management wins an owner satisfaction rate of 84.44%
物业管理:业主满意率84.44%
A door-to-door survey by the local consumers’ association of 1,000 property owners in 104 local residential areas showed that in the third quarter of this year, 84.44% of the respondents were basically satisfied, relatively satisfied or very satisfied with the services of property management companies, and only 15.56% of the respondents expressed their dissatisfaction with the services. Major problems that the respondents found annoying included arbitrary fees, use of public lawns for other purposes and noise.

Smuggling of homing pigeons busted
“地下邮局”走私信鸽“折翅”
A shipment of 150 homing pigeons smuggled illegally into Xiamen was intercepted at the wharf nearby Jimei Water Sports Center by Jimei Police Station and Xiamen Administration of Industry and Commerce Jimei Branch on the 15th of this month. So far, the shipper has not been identified.

Huwei Hill to become greener under corporate sponsorship
企业养林造景狐尾山
Three stretches in the Huwei Hill Park have received sponsorship by local enterprises that will provide funds for forestation and landscaping. The participation of local businesses in the urban gardening construction is widely viewed as a good way for the sponsors to repay the patronage of society and to showcase their corporate culture.

Culture

Stamps of manned space flight available
载人航天邮票可购
The stamps in commemoration of China’s first successful manned space flight were unveiled in a ceremony in Beijing Aviation Center on the 16th of this month and were made available on the 17th in Xiamen.

Xiamen Daily meets with readers
到白鹭洲过读者节
On the 18th of this month, the 3rd Readers Festival was held at Bailuzhou, where readers met with famous writers, enjoyed artistic performances, and talked with editors and reporters.

Brazilian revelry dance debuts in Xiamen
巴西狂舞登陆厦门
For two evenings on the 17th and 18th of this month, the National Singing and Dancing Troupe of Brazil presented a fantastic performance at the Xiamen People’s Convention Hall, delivering the most exhilarating listening and viewing experience to the local audience.

Sculpture show to begin in November
青少年，雕塑展上露一手
Whether you’re a professional or amateur, you will have a chance to try your sculpting skills at the China Xiamen 2003 Sea ·Music Sculpture Show. The show, scheduled to kick off on November 25, will showcase a big array of outstanding sculptures by both the youth and prominent sculptors in the Bay Park. Currently, the organizer is soliciting entries to the show from youth sculptors. The closing date for entries is November 10; interested parties can contact Xiamen Educational Art Academy of Calligraphy and Painting (tel.: 2078339, 8527040).

Science

Invention show to kick off in Xiamen on 24th
千余发明亮相厦门
The 14th All-China Invention Show will take place on October 24-28 at Xiamen International Conference && Exhibition Center. The show will bring together more than 1,100 inventions.

New number for dial-up internet access
上网拨号更新了
Netizens, attention please! Effective on the 20th of this month, the original 163 and 8163 numbers for dial-up Internet access will be replaced by the new number 16300. 163 and 8163 will become invalid on October 20 and December 20, respectively. The local telecom company advises netizens to change the dial-up configuration on their computers accordingly.

Tips on infant nutrition provided
婴儿营养老外支招
On the 15th of this month, the China Society of Medical Science Pediatrics Branch and Shanghai Wyeth Nutritional Co., Ltd. jointly provided a lecture on infant nutrition and health here in Xiamen. Dr. Eric Lien, a biochemical expert from the University of Illinois, the USA talked about the latest developments in the research of infant nutrition and how to help infants achieve better digestion and absorption.