"Open House" at Tan Kah Kee College
嘉庚学院首个开放日
By Zhu Zhiqiang and Zhou Fei



Xiamen University's Tan Kah Kee College held its first Open House on June 19, 2005. Over 1,500 visitors, including prospective students and their parents, came to the campus. The college took the opportunity to display the achievements of its educational reform. Visitors commented that this Open House activity is very helpful for decision-making as to which university to choose after taking the national college entrance examination.

 

 

Economics

Torch High-tech Industrial Zone to expand
火炬高新技术产业区将"扩容"
With the approval of the State Council, Xiamen Torch High-tech Industrial Zone will be expanded to 13.75 square kilometers, including Torch (Xiang'an) Industrial Zone, Tongji Industrial Park, and the Information Photoelectric Park. The National Development and Reform Commission announced the expansion.

Matzu Tour for RMB 2, 700
赴马祖游费用约2700元
A tourist group consisting of 90 members organized by China Travel Service of Fujian departed Mawei Port in Fuzhou on June 27 for a three-day-and-two-night tour of Matzu, heralding the official commencement of sightseeing trips by Fujian residents to Matzu. Xiamen travel agencies estimate the cost at RMB 2,700 per tourist.

 

 

Society

Ferry Terminal Bus Stop renovated
轮渡公交站改造
The Ferry Terminal Bus Stop will be completely renovated from June 25 to July 10, according to the city's General Bus Company. Interim bus stops have been arranged for the 26 bus routes starting from, terminating at, or passing by the ferry wharf.

Island Ring Road rated favorite by local residents
市民最爱游环岛路
Results from the "Best Tourist Attraction for Families" questionnaire jointly conducted by the city's planning commission and tourism authorities show that the Island Ring Road captured 45% of the votes to win the title of "Residents' Most Favorite Tourist Attraction", followed by Gulangyu, the Botanical Gardens, and Bailuzhou, in that order.

Internet cafes to be equipped with monitoring software
网吧监测软件将安装
Internet cafes which admit minors and do not close until one o'clock in the morning are giving management agencies a headache. In response to these breach of rules, from this month onward Siming District Government will equip all computers at Internet cafes with monitoring software. This action is the first of its kind in Fujian Province. The software is able to disconnect the network at midnight and reconnect it at 8 a.m.

Hot, dry weather expected for the next 3 months
今后3个月将又热又旱
According to the long-range forecast by the local weather observatory, Xiamen will experience hot, dry weather in the upcoming three summer months, following the end of the rainy season on June 27.

Desilting vessel sails onto Yundang Lake
清淤船驶进筼筜湖
A weird-looking vessel has docked on Yundang Lake. The special vessel, designed for desilting purposes, has completed its equipment installation, and is now being tested. The desilting process will officially begin on July 25.

Xiamen to build China's largest "Water Gardens Expo"
要建中国最大"水上园博园"
The Organizing Committee of the 6th China International Gardens && Flowers Expo has officially announced that the Expo will be held in Xiamen from September 2007 to March 2008. Sponsorship solicitation and engineering work for the event has begun, with construction to kick off during the upcoming China International Fair for Investment && Trade. The 6th annual event aims to build a "Sustainable Development Water Gardens Expo."

Local drug detectors lead the country
查毒仪器领先全国
To strengthen efforts to crack down on drug trafficking, the local police force has acquired a number of sophisticated drug detecting instruments worth more than RMB 1.6 million. They include a second-generation portable detector for detonators and illegal drugs and a second-generation product for "X-ray Detection of Drugs Hidden inside the Human Body." This will be the first application of the new equipment in China.

Smoke spewing vehicles identified
"黑尾巴"被揪
Recently, over 500 photos of vehicles spewing black smoke were handed over to the local Environmental Protection Agency so the EPA can issue rectification and fine notices to the owners of these vehicles. This is the first stage of the campaign to reduce smoke spewing vehicles on the roads. Altogether, local residents took more than 2,000 photos of such vehicles, but only 500 of these have identifiable plate numbers and clearly visible black smoke.

Sub-woofers banned
低音炮被"封嘴"
The ban on the user of sub-woofers in catering and entertainment establishments inside residential buildings has been imposed for one month. So far, the local Administrative Law Enforcement Department has prosecuted 610 sub-woofer annoyance incidents. The Department reiterated its decision not to approve any new catering or entertainment projects based in residential buildings if sub-woofers are to be used.

Nearly half of registered migrant workers covered by social security
近半在册外来工参加社保
Nearly half of registered migrant workers employed in Xiamen have been brought under the social security net. In order to provide schooling opportunities for their children, the local government has increased financial assistance in recent years. Xiamen's successful experience in this regard has attracted interest from the Provincial Authorities.

 

 

City News
Edited by Lily

Beijing 北京

Government departments to cut energy consumption by 8%
政府部门削减8%能耗
Beijing's municipal departments are being asked to cut energy consumption by eight percent this year. Percapita electric power consumption in the municipal government departments is seven times the average amount consumed by non-governmental users, with the per capita energy consumption being four times the city's average level. Leaving the office without turning off the computer and setting the temperature of the air-conditioners as low as 18 centigrade are two examples of energy waste common in the Beijing offices.

Traces of ancient men found
发现古人类遗迹
A large number of fossils of ancient animals, including bulls, sheep, and rabbits, were recently found in a cave in the southwest suburbs of Beijing. The ancient creatures lived some 100,000 years ago, earlier than the Upper Cave Man but later than Peking Man. A two-meter-long belt made of ash, as well as tooth fossils thought to belong to ancient men, were also discovered.

CNN, BBC to air Beijing TV shows
CNN和BBC将聚焦北京
CNN and BBC will air worldwide television shows from Beijing over the next four years, featuring modern Beijing and its history, its scientific, technological, and artistic developments, and its scenery, culture, cuisine, and shopping. With the help of this international coverage, Beijing is expecting to embrace 4.6 million overseas tourists in 2008, bringing 4.6 billion US dollars in tourism revenue.

Shanghai 上海

Cheaper than Beijing
上海生活比北京实惠
According to Mercer's Cost of Living Survey (one of a handful of annual reports produced by international consultants), Beijing is the 19th most expensive city in the world. Shanghai came in at number 30. Hong Kong, the most expensive Chinese city, took ninth spot. The three most expensive cities in the world are Tokyo, Osaka, and London.

Red hot alert sounded
拉响红色热浪警报
A heat alert was issued for the second time in Shanghai this summer, as the temperatures topped 36 degrees Celsius. The scorching heat has increased demand for power and tap water, boosted sales of air-conditioners, and sent many seniors and children to hospital.
The red hot alert is issued when temperatures are between 35 and 38 degrees.



Part-time study to be allowed
高校将允许兼职学习
Students attending vocational colleges in the city will be allowed to study part-time and receive credit for working at jobs related to their majors. Currently, all college and university students in the city must study full-time, with the exception of those in MBA programs. Under the new scheme, students' work experience will gain the same number of credits as those earned by classroom work.

Guangzhou & Shenzhen 广州 & 深圳

New rules issued to benefit tourists
游客将受惠于新规定
"West Holiday," a Guangzhou travel agency, issued a new rule stating that if their tour guides take tourists to shopping places without permission, the agency will reimburse each tourist at least 200 yuan. Tourists can quit their tours without providing an excuse, but the agency will retain 10-80% of the total price if they do.

To regulate names of buildings
规范新建筑物名称
Building owners in Guangzhou will need to be more prudent when choosing a name for their structures, since these can only be registered with land and planning departments after the chosen names pass the scrutiny of civil affairs authorities. Only buildings covering more than 2,000 square meters, for example, can use names containing the word "plaza," and a housing estate will require 30 percent green space over its total area to be called a "garden."

To build more 5-star hotels
将增建五星级宾馆
The Guangdong Asia International Hotel was recognized as a five-star hotel, becoming the sixth hotel in Guangzhou to achieve the distinction. Signaling the coming peak period for hotel investment and management due to the 2010 Asian Games, it is expected that by 2010 the number of five-star hotels in Guangzhou will increase to ten or even fifteen.

Chongqing 重庆

Construction of new district in full swing
新区建设在即
Construction of the northern district of Chongqing has been proceeding smoothly over the past four years. The new district was initially developed as a base for the auto industry, as well as manufacturing, processing industries, and modern logistics companies and has drawn investors from both home and abroad. Meanwhile, several educational, sports, cultural, health and recreational facilities are also under construction.

Three 2, 000-year-old tombs unearthed
发现三座2000年古墓
Chinese archeologists have uncovered three 2,000-year-old tombs in Chongqing and excavated over 100 pieces of pottery and other funeral articles from the burial sites. The tombs are believed to have been built in the Eastern Han Dynasty (AD 25-220). The archeologists conjecture that the owner of the third tomb might have been a lord, as the tomb contained pieces of green glazed pottery ware. Other findings at the site include ceramic pigs, dogs, jars and copper coins.



Hong Kong 香港

Science Museum to showcase eight giant robotic animals
科学馆展出八大机器人动物
Eight gigantic and colorful robotic animals went on display at the Hong Kong Science Museum on June 24. They include a robotic giraffe, bat, chameleon, housefly, grasshopper, rhinoceros, platypus, and squid, plus 13 other interactive exhibits. In the Robot Zoo, the giant robots will vividly illustrate the biomechanics of how real animals work within the perspective of nature's engineering and human technology. A "Robot-Animal Design Competition" will also be organized during the exhibition until Oct 25.



2005 Shopping Festival attracts a record high number of merchants
2005购物节吸引客商创新高
With the highest number of participating organizations ever, great support from markets in creating special packages, and extensive overseas media exposure for the "Shopper of the Year" contest, the two-month long 2005 Hong Kong Shopping Festival promises the best of the world's shopping experience for visitors and local residents. The festival has already set a number of new records. Over 6,800 retail and dining outlets have confirmed their participation, and the final number is expected to reach beyond 7,000.

Taipei 台北

Taiwan lagging in renewable energy
再生能源开发滞后
Exploiting green energy is a must for Taiwan, since 97.9 percent of its energy consumption relies on energy imports. Taiwan is lagging behind in the development of its renewable energy sector, and now wants to develop the means for harnessing solar, wind, geothermal, hydroelectric, and biomass energy, to ensure sustainable energy resources.

Taiwan investors plan mainland skyscraper
将在东莞建台湾摩天楼
Taiwan investors plan to spend at least 1 billion yuan (US $120 million) on a skyscraper in Dongguan, Guangdong. The building will be a home for both businesses and residents from the island.
Around 100,000 investors hope the 289-metre-tall office tower will become a landmark building. Taiwan-funded companies engaged in manufacturing will have offices or showrooms in the centre part of the building, while the top part is expected to provide apartments for business travelers. The tower will be shaped like a "sheng," an ancient Chinese musical instrument made of bamboo pipes.

Vocabulary
photoelectric 光电的
breach 违反
desilting 清淤
herald 传达
scrutiny 详细审查
conjecture 推测
rhinoceros 犀牛
platypus 鸭嘴兽
harness 利用