Xiamen delegation returns with award
厦门代表团载誉归来
Photo by Zheng Xiaodong



On October 8, the delegation from the Xiamen Municipal Government returned with the UN Habitat Scroll of Honor Award after attending the global observances for the 2004 World Habitat Day in Nairobi, capital of Kenya. The Habitat Scroll of Honor Award was launched by the United Nations Human Settlements Programme in 1989 and is currently the world's most prestigious award in the area of global human settlements. Xiamen is the year's only city to win this award. Xiamen was cited by the United Nations Human Settlements Programme for enabling its residents to have decent homes in a healthy environment.

Economics

Xiamen spends heavily to procure services of foreign experts
厦门聘请洋专家舍得花钱
The year 2004 has witnessed a significant increase in the number of foreign experts admitted to Xiamen and the local government's spending in the procurement of services of foreign experts. The expert admission scheme funded by the State Foreign Experts Administration Bureau and Xiamen Finance Bureau covers a wide variety of industries, including electronics, environmental protection, agriculture, public health, machinery, and software, with nearly 100 foreign experts admitted and more than 3 million yuan granted to local enterprises to bring in foreign experts.

Imports and exports of Xiamen-based FIEs go up
我市外企外贸进出口上升
In the first eight months of this year, the aggregate imports and exports of foreign-invested enterprises (FIEs) based in Xiamen amounted to USD 9.97 billion, jumping 24.4% over the same period last year and accounting for 64% of the city's total foreign trade. During this particular period of time, exports and imports by locally-based FIEs totaled USD 5.53 billion and USD 4.44 billion respectively, up 23.8% and 25.1% respectively.

Society

Local civil servants to take mandarin Chinese test
普通话考验厦门公务员
Civil servants in Xiamen will soon be subjected to mandarin Chinese training and testing. The city's Language & Script Working Committee and Personnel Bureau are currently working together to come up with a timetable for such trainings and tests for civil servants from all government departments. The nearly 20,000 civil servants will complete mandarin Chinese training and testing by the end of next year. Under the rules implemented by the Ministry of Personnel, the Ministry of Education and the National Language & Script Working Committee, civil servants must meet designated mandarin language proficiency levels.

Imported Viagra hits local market
"洋伟哥"上柜零售
On October 1, US-made Viagra, a drug used to treat erectile dysfunction (ED), officially became available in drugstores in Xiamen. At present, doctor's prescription is required for the purchase of Viagra tablets.

Gulangyu scenic area to charge visitors for admission
鼓浪屿景区将收门票
The Xiamen Municipal Government recently announced that starting on December 20 this year, visitors to the Gulangyu scenic area will be required to buy an admission ticket, thus putting an end to the history of free access to the islet. The admission ticket is set at 80 yuan but visitors need to pay only 50 yuan each for the trial period; the admission ticket covers the 3 yuan ferry fare and the visit to the Bright Moon Garden. Tourists are required to buy separate tickets at the existing rates for admission to the Sunlight Rock, the Shuzhuang Garden, and the Underwater World.

XIS granted extension to accreditation
厦门国际学校再度获认证
Xiamen International School was recently revisited by a visiting team of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) and was granted by the WASC Accrediting Commission a full, three year extension to its three year accreditation authorized by WASC in May, 2001. WASC is one of six regional associations in the U.S. that accredit public and private schools, colleges, and universities in the United States. Upon graduation, XIS students may enter colleges and universities with full acceptance of all records and academic credits.

Historic villas on Gulangyu solicit sponsorship
鼓浪屿老别墅等你领养
The Administrative Committee of Gulangyu has recently unveiled a list of 42 representative historic architectures for sponsorship by all sectors of society. This move is intended to encourage public involvement in the preservation, development and utilization of historic architectures on Gulangyu. The newly renovated villa located at 9, Bishan Road, Gulangyu will be used by the Canada-headquartered Ports International Fashion Co., Ltd. as its design center under an agreement reached between the fashion company and the local authorities. Two other historic buildings (at 11 and 16, Bishan Road, respectively) have also attracted new sponsors, with one building rented by a foreign national and the other bought by an investor for residential use. Media reports indicate that many major international businesses and overseas investors have expressed strong interest in the historic architectures on the islet.

Tap water becomes universally available in Xiang'an by year's end
翔安年底村村开通自来水
On October 1, the project kicked off to bring tap water to all homes in the remaining 132 villages in Xiang'an District which so far have no access to tap water. All homes in these villages can expect to have tap water by the end of this year.

Xiamen to present handsome rewards to technology developers
厦将重奖科技功臣
The municipal government has recently decided to present a reward of 150,000 yuan to each of the 10 highest-achieving personnel in technology development. This will be the first time for Xiamen to handsomely reward personnel with major contributions to the advancement of science and technology. Eligible candidates for the rewards are encouraged to submit their information to the city's Science & Technology Rewards Office by October 30. The appraisal process will be completed by the end of the year.