Universities tied-up
厦大代表团赴马交流



By the kind invitations of the Ministry of Higher Education of Malaysia and the University of Malaya, President of Xiamen University Prof. Zhu Chongshi and his delegation made a goodwill friendly visit to Malaysia recently. A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to undertake joint research and an exchange of students and staff was signed by Prof. Zhu Chongshi(central right) and Prof. Hashim Yaacob, Vice Chancellor of the University of Malaya (central left), the oldest and biggest leading university in Malaysia. Malaysian Higher Education Minister Dr. Shafie Salleh witnessed the event.

This visit to Malaysia by Xiamen University's delegation was made possible through the kind support from the Malaysian government and against the backdrop of long-term friendly relations that Xiamen University has been enjoying with its Malaysian counterparts due to its historical origin and geographical advantages.

In September last year, Xiamen University had the great honor of welcoming the visit of His Excellency Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi. Following the great initiative proposed by His Excellency to set up a Malay Studies Program in Xiamen University, Xiamen University has stressed its full commitment to this proposal.

 

 

Economics

RMB 50 million earmarked to support major technology projects
5000万元支持重大科技项目
An expert panel has recently begun their review of candidate projects for the 2005 Xiamen Science and Technology Program. As many as 140 industry experts and financial specialists will jointly select out of the 465 candidate projects a number of projects eligible for government support next year. The budget from city finances for the support of science and technology projects in 2005 amounts to roughly RMB 66 million, including RMB 50 million for major science and technology projects; the figure was simply RMB 10-20 million in previous years.

Taiwanese enterprises eye Xiamen sports industry
台企瞄准厦体育产业
Taipei Sporting Goods Association will join the 2nd China (Xiamen) Sports & Leisure Goods Exposition scheduled for March 24-27, 2005 and act as a co-organizer of this trade event. The association will bring Taiwanese manufacturers and buyers of sporting goods and leisure products to the exposition.

Business opportunities in India explored
赴印度"淘金"
CCPIT Xiamen Sub-council will lead a number of local enterprises to attend the 2nd South China Commodities (Bombay, India) Fair, which will be held in Bombay, India on December 9-12. The fair has drawn intense attention from businesses based in Xiamen. So far, nine enterprises, including Xiamen Zhuangzaiji Co., Ltd., have expressed interest in showcasing their products and capabilities in India and looking for joint-venture partners.

Cheng Shin Tire recognized as supreme brand
正新轮胎获殊荣
The National Administration of Commerce & Industry recently unveiled a list of 62 accredited supreme brands. Cheng Shin tires from Cheng Shin Rubber (Xiamen) Ind. Ltd. have made it on the list, becoming the fourth Xiamen-based company, after XOCECO, Yinlu, and Huierkang, to win the honorary title.

 

 

Society

Super fire engine serves Xiamen
超级消防车服役厦门
A US-made Hercules CBFP18 heavy-duty foam-tank fire engine has recently been delivered to Xiamen fire brigade. The fire engine, the first one of its kind in Fujian Province, costing more than RMB 4.2 million and weighing 35 tons, is designed for oil and massive regular fires and for supplying water to high-rises and scaling ladders.

Kinmen Red-Cross Society opens liaison office in Xiamen
金门红十字会在厦设联络站
Kinmen Red-Cross Society has recently officially opened its Xiamen liaison office. The office, located in the United Hotel, will become a new bridge connecting compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Strait to the Red-Cross Society.

63 local public restrooms to be barrier-free
63座公厕将实现无障碍
In order to facilitate use by the disabled and the elderly and to vie for the title of one of China's first "barrier-free facilities construction demonstration city (district)", the local authorities have injected over RMB 1 million in the renovation of 47 public restrooms into barrier-free facilities.

 

 

Transport

Xiamen to become a railway hub
厦门将成铁路枢纽
Following the completion of the Fuzhou-Xiamen railway, Xiamen will spare no efforts in speeding up the pace of the construction of the Xiamen-Shenzhen railway. Land requisition for this project will soon begin. With the kickoff of Fuzhou-Xiamen, Xiamen-Shenzhen and Longyan-Xiamen railway projects, Xiamen will become the connection point of four railways including the existing Yingtan-Xiamen railway, thereby joining the ranks of China's major transportation hubs on the grand coastal passageway.

Tong'an-Anxi express passageway planned
同安至安溪筹建快速道
In the near future, a journey from Tong'an to Anxi will take merely half an hour. The project feasibility study report on the Tong'an-Anxi express passageway, which is planned jointly by Anxi and Xiamen with an estimated cost of RMB 1.2 billion, has recently been completed, with applications for project approval being submitted to the city's Planning Committee for processing.

Thai Food Festival opens
到马哥孛罗享泰国美食
The Marco Polo Xiamen is proud to take Xiamen locals on another exotic food journey -Thai Food Festival on November 12-28, 2004. Thai food is internationally famous. Whether chilli-hot or comparatively bland, it is essentially a marriage of centuries-old Eastern and Western influences harmoniously combined into something uniquely Thai. And the chef specially invited, Mr Montra-Udon Buapha, is presenting an array of authentic Thai dishes.

 

 

City News

Beijing 北京

9/10 of Beijingers to live in suburbs in 2020
九成百姓将迁郊区
By the year 2020, some 89 percent of Beijing residents will live in the suburbs of the Chinese capital, according to experts from a population forum convened in Beijing recently. By 2020, the total population of Beijing will rise to 17.64 million. The urban population will drop to 1.93 million - just 10.94 percent of the total population - while the population in the near suburbs will increase to 10.33 million, about 58.56 percent of the total. Recent urban planning has brought a great impact on the population change.

Making money with words of love
写情书创收
A 22-year-old young man Yi Kang is making a living by writing love letters for other people. The service began early this year when he posted an advertisement on an online bulletin. It did not work too well until a Beijing magazine published a story about him around Valentine's Day.
Many people soon began seeking his help, and his business kicked off. Most of his customers are university students. But his girlfriend issued him with an "ultimatum", warning him that she might dump him unless he lands a proper job.

Guangzhou & Shenzhen 广州和深圳

Guangzhou to build world's tallest TV tower
拟建世界最高电视塔
Guangzhou plans to build the world's tallest TV tower by 2007. Measuring between 580-600 meters, the tower's final design has been selected and will soon be given to the city government for final approval. If all goes well, construction work will begin in December this year.

Shenzhen begins public service reforms
"铁饭碗"不保险
Shenzhen has begun reforming employment in public institutions, which will affect more than 70,000 people. Cadres in the city's 1,931 public institutions will no longer have the security of "iron bowls," according to the reform scheme, which is scheduled to be completed in two years.
They will become employees rather than cadres with lifetime employment.
The new scheme also set an age ceiling for newly-appointed leaders: 55 years for men and 50 for women.

More foreigners buy houses in Guangzhou
老外购房增多
An increasing number of foreigners are buying apartments in Guangzhou, abandoning their previous habit of living in hotels and rented apartments. Real estate prices in Guangzhou are not as high as Shanghai and Beijing, where housing costs have been rising rapidly. Many foreigners believe in the long run, buying an apartment in Guangzhou is much more economical then renting. Other reasons, are the quality of Guangzhou houses, high management standards and a relatively simple purchasing procedure.

El Nino may affect Shenzhen
深圳将迎暖冬
This winter could be warmer than usual under the effects of the phenomenon known as El Nino, the Shenzhen municipal meteorological bureau said. The lasting drought since summer might also be the result of the phenomenon. El Nino, the "little boy" or "Christ Child" in Spanish, occurs when surface water temperatures remain warmer than usual in the Pacific off South America. A weakening of trade winds may add to the problem.
However, individuals might not feel a temperature abnormality, if there is any, because the long-term climate phenomenon would not affect daily weather too much.

Chongqing 重庆

Air defence practice held
空防演习
More than 100 officers and men of the antiaircraft gun regiment stationed at Chongqing took part in city air defense exercises on the 11th of this month, including live ammunition firing, electronic jamming and anti-jamming.

First reading month
首个读书月
As one of the activities of the First Reading Month-November to December in the book-town of Chongqing, nearly one hundred children drew pictures on a 100-meter roll. The purpose of the reading month is to raise the cultural quality of the citizens and to establish a better image of Chongqing.

Shanghai 上海

Shanghai launched new expat website
英文新网上线
The Shanghai Labor and Social Security Bureau has launched a new English service channel on its website. The new channel - www.12333.gov.cn/english -will provide the English version of the city's employment news and policies, the bureau's responsibilities, a work permit application download service for expatriates and tips for working in Shanghai.60,000 expats are now working in the Shanghai area. The number is expected to increase by 20 percent annually.

Fuel hikes may add to taxi price in Shanghai
油贵的士价涨
The municipal government is considering an increase in the price of taxi rides due to rising fuel prices. The city's communications bureau will hold a meeting later this month or early next month with representatives from the government, taxi companies, drivers and other experts to discuss the issue. If the price hikes pass, taxi passengers will pay 10 yuan (US$1.2) for only 2.5 kilometers of travel rather than the current 3 kilometers.
Meanwhile, calling for a taxi online or by telephone will also be subject to a charge.

Obesity weighs down Shanghai's children
小胖墩愁煞人
More than 15 per cent of Shanghai primary school students suffer from obesity. Excessive intake of calories and fat coupled with lack of exercise is the main cause of obesity in most cases, according to the report. A nutrition researcher points out that psychological disorders are another major cause that are too often ignored. He said overweight children often eat when not hungry: some want to eat when feeling bad or when watching TV or before going to bed, others would want to eat simply at the sight of food. Shanghai's obesity rate for children has been among the highest in China for years.

Student tops in world TOEFL scores
托福高分世界纪录
Zhao Zheng, an undergraduate at the Shanghai University of Finance and Economics, said it never occurred to her that she would get the world's top score in TOEFL. The fourth-year law student received 677 points in the TOEFL test in August. Her score for writing was the highest of the six parts.
It is very rare to see double full marks achieved by Chinese students in both TOEFL's total score and the written part.

Taipei 台北

Profit margins to rebound
企业大陆"缓压"
The decline in manufacturers' profit margins could ease up as they move their production bases to the mainland, which may help drive down costs.
"We expect to see the margins rebound slowly from the current 4 percent or so to about 6 percent by the end of next year," a senior researcher said. Signs of steady margins are likely to surface as Taiwanese manufacturers continue moving their production bases to the mainland, which will help drive down costs while beefing up margins, a Taipei-based analyst added.

Strong quake jolts Taiwan
强震袭击台湾东北
An earthquake measuring 6.7 on the Richter scale hit the northeast of Taiwan at midnight recently.
The epicenter of the quake was located at the seabed off the coast of Hualian, and the quake, which lasted about one minute, was felt all over Taiwan.

Hongkong & Macao 香港和澳门

Probe launched into respiratory outbreak in HK
探查支气管炎病因
Hong Kong's Center for Health Protection is liaising closely with the hospital authority in the investigation of an outbreak of respiratory tract infection involving 19 children aging from 4 to 16. The center liaised with the hospital management to conduct an immediate investigation and put all exposed patients and staff under medical surveillance.

HK to set new system for expedited customs enforcement
通关提速有望
An immediate notification system will be established with the Australian and New Zealand customs administrations to expedite enforcement, according to a government press release. An agreement was reached between Hong Kong Customs and the other two customs administrations to set up an immediate notification system, which will enable enforcement officers to track down criminals and suspects at airports and beyond.
The three parties also exchanged views on facilitating customs clearance of goods and passengers.

Macao maintains high hotel occupancy rate
澳门酒店生意红火
The average hotel occupancy rate in the tourist city of Macao pegged at 71.2 percent in September, sustaining a high rate since the beginning of the year.
Three-star hotels were most popular with an averaged occupancy rate of 84.4 percent, as they are most likely to be patronized by individual travelers from China's mainland.