Zhongshan Road lit up
中山路夜间步行街
Photo by Yao Fan



Zhongshan Road has been lit up to make a bright and attractive evening destination. Thousands of semi-conductor LED lights have been installed during the renovations on the road. During the 2005 CIFIT, Siming District conducted a trial operation with Zhongshan Road as a pedestrian only zone during the evening to show off its new look.

 

 

Economics

B&Q to open outlet in Xiamen
百安居将开业
Following a year of intensive preparation, the B&Q Xiamen Store, in Mingfa Commercial Plaza, will open on Sept. 30. The new B&Q outlet, with a floor space of about 10,000 square meters and a total investment of RMB 50 million, will offer 30,000 varieties of building materials and products in nine major categories with "one-stop shopping services."

Kodak moves digital operations to Xiamen
柯达数码产品基地移师厦门
Kodak has recently announced its plan to invest nearly USD 100 million in a computer-to-plate facility in Xiamen and to move part of its digital operations to the city, which means that Xiamen will serve as Kodak's global manufacturing base for digital products.

Xiamen among 10 most popular cities for overseas returnees
入选海归创业10大热门城市
An investigative report entitled The Policies & Environments of the 10 Most Popular Cities for Overseas Returnees' Enterprises in Focus, which has recently been released by government agencies, provides a listing of China's 10 most favored cities for overseas returnees starting up businesses. The 10 cities are Shanghai, Beijing, Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Xiamen, Wuhan, Xi'an, Zhuhai and Dalian. Xiamen, thanks to China's first local legislation aimed at stimulating business startup, its fascinating landscape and high quality services, has attracted nearly 2,000 overseas returneees who have started nearly 300 businesses or taken up employment in Xiamen.

Xiamen accounts for half of Fujian's high-tech output value
全省高新产值厦门占一半
Xiamen's high-tech industry has been growing at an increasingly fast pace. Statistics released by relevant authorities indicate that in 2004, Xiamen-based companies accounted for as much as 49.68% of the aggregate output value of the high-tech industry in Fujian Province, 18 percentage points higher than Fuzhou, which ranked second highest.

Only one local company ranks among China's top 500
全国民企500强厦门仅一家
The All-China Federation of Industry & Commerce has recently unveiled a listing of China's top private enterprises by sales in 2004. Xiamen Zhongsheng Oils & Grains Co Ltd, ranking 299th with annual sales of RMB 1.5 billion, is the only Xiamen-based company which has made it onto the list. Late entry into the market and insufficient support are cited for the poor performance of private enterprises in Xiamen.

CDB provides RMB 44 bil. to support Xiamen's takeoff
国家开发银行440亿元助厦
The China Development Bank (CDB) has pledged a credit worth RMB 44 billion to support the next stage of Xiamen's economic takeoff, clinching the biggest financing deal with Xiamen Municipal Government at the recently-concluded China International Fair for Investment & Trade.

 

 

Society

Tea hostesses battle it out
"十大茶艺小姐"赛事开锣
Following an intense registration procedure, the preliminary round of the "Top 10 Tea Art Hostesses of South Fujian" took place in the Xiamen Daily Building on September 11. A total of 140 perfectly turned out specialists competed to be recognised as one of the "Top 10 Tea Art Hostesses of South Fujian".

Gulangyu Islet to install water-efficient fixtures
鼓浪屿将换上节水器具
To replace residents' old water fixtures with efficient ones is part of the Gulangyu Islet's efforts to build a demonstration site for sustainable living. The replacement is scheduled for completion before October 31 this year. The government, suppliers and consumers will all contribute to the replacement.

Pigeons banned over airport
机场上空禁止放养鸽子
Local authorities have decided to ban the keeping and releasing of pigeons within six kilometers of both sides and 15 kilometers of both ends of the runway of Gaoqi International Airport. Any pigeon caught within this area will be killed. If the release of pigeons is required for a carrier pigeon competition or for celebratory events, the organizers must give three days prior notice to the Safety Supervision Office of the airport.

 

 

Education

Construction of Xiamen University's pedestrian tunnel kicks off
厦大人行隧道开工
The construction of the pedestrian tunnel at Xiamen University has begun without fanfare. Upon the completion of the project, the main part of the campus will be just a 10-minute odd walk away for students living in apartments in the eastern part of the university.

BULATS available in Xiamen
在厦可报考博思英语
The Business Language Testing Service (BULATS), an integrated English examination widely used by employers for recruitment purposes, will be administered in 13 Chinese provinces and cities, including Xiamen, on November 12. Potential examinees may sign up for BULATS with the personnel examination agency in their respective province or city starting from September 17.

 

 

City News
Edited by Lily

Beijing 北京

Actual FDI up 34% by August
八月实际利用外资上扬34%
Beijing's actual foreign direct investment (FDI) reached US$ 2.5 billion in the first eight months of this year, up by 34 per cent year-on-year. The successful bid for the 2008 Olympic Games is behind the rapid growth in the city's foreign investment, although China's total foreign investment dropped this year.

Revision of norms on professional ethics for teachers
将修改中小学教师道德规范
A group of experts and teachers will revise the existing norms on professional ethics for primary and middle school teachers. Lack of team spirit, distraction from their duties and avarice are seen as factors negatively affecting the professional behavior of teachers. The review will also look at responsibilities, supervision and punishment of teachers.

Rare specimens on display
稀有动物展向公众开放
The red ibis, Siberian tiger and giant panda are among the 148 rare animal and plant specimens on public display for the first time in a new hall in the Beijing Museum of Natural History. The new exhibition, composed of five sections on different themes, is open year-round. Visitors can admire wild animal specimens and ancient fossils.



New rules to lift ban on fireworks
春节燃放烟花尚未获准
Setting firecrackers off will still be forbidden at midnight on Spring Festival according to the current plans to lift a 12-year ban on fireworks within city limits. The plan forbids lighting firecrackers anytime at seven categories of public places, such as places of cultural interest, airports, filling stations and forests. It is expected that the removal of the ban will take effect ahead of Spring Festival next year.

Shanghai 上海

Foreigners complain about slow net speed
外商抱怨网速慢
US companies doing business in Shanghai are concerned over slow and unreliable internet connections, which are slower than in other Chinese cities and considerably slower than in developed countries. Access to information may hold the key to transforming Shanghai from a manufacturing center into an information and high-tech center.

New metro gets safety partition
新地铁设置安全隔离带
All 17 stations on the Shanghai's Metro Line No. 4 will be equipped with passenger safety screens when the new mass transit link goes into operation at the end of this year. The new screens will be more efficient and more artfully designed than the current installation at the Shanghai Circus Station on the northern extension of Metro Line No. 1.



Professor sues Deloitte for Taiwan imbroglio
"德勤"谬称台湾为"国家"被起诉
A Fudan University professor has filed a lawsuit that accuses Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu-a branch of one of the world's biggest four accounting firms-of listing Taiwan on its website as a separate nation. Professor Xie is asking Deloitte for an apology "to all the Chinese people" and compensation of 100,000 yuan for "spiritual" damages.

Giant panda celebrates 10th birthday
大熊猫"牛牛"10岁了
Having had a big piece of fruitcake for her 10th birthday, the giant panda Niu Niu gave a stretch and shyly wandered away, leaving her audience with the usual happy smiles. Hundreds of people from China and overseas together attended her 10th birthday party on Sep 5, singing songs for her and sharing the large cake with her.



Guangzhou 广州

Mooncakes sell well overseas
月饼海外畅销
As the traditional Mid-Autumn Festival draws nearer, mooncake sales continue to rise. Nearly 1.2 million US dollars in mooncakes were exported via Guangzhou ports between June and August 28, up 30 percent compared with the same period last year. However, mooncakes with dried fruit exported to the European Union need to have an aflatoxin test, while Australia prohibits any mooncakes made with eggs or meat crossing their border.

2, 000 public servants vie for 250 new jobs
2000公务员竞争250个新职位
More than 2,000 civil servants attended a job fair to compete for 250 government positions. This was the first job fair in the city to attract so many civil servants. There would be a decline in the number of positions for civil servants during the district reshuffle, but no compulsory redundancies. However, some will have to retire early or wait before they can find suitable positions.

Traditional cures draw foreigners
老外钟情中医疗法
A recent survey showed that foreigners accounted for more than 40 percent of the patients at Guangzhou's community hospitals specializing in traditional Chinese medicine and therapy. Massage, acupuncture and moxibustion were the most popular treatments among foreign visitors.

Authorization required for hiring experts
雇佣外籍专家需申请认证
Companies and institutions will have to apply to the Guangzhou Foreign Experts Bureau for authorization before they are allowed to employ foreign experts. The new rule applies to all of Guangzhou's educational institutions, scientific research institutes, news media, publishers and cultural and sports organizations.

Chongqing 重庆

Full supply of vegetables for holidays
中秋国庆蔬菜供应充足
Chongqing has ordered more than 1,900 tons of 70 different kinds of vegetables every day from Yunnan, Guizhou, Sichuan, Shandong and other provinces to ensure a good supply in the markets during the Mid-Autumn Day and National Day holidays.

Volunteers practice for Asia Pacific Cities Summit
志愿者为亚太城市峰会演练
It is reported that 280 volunteers for the Asia Pacific Cities Summit went to Chongqing Airport, Liyuan Hotel, Ciqikou Township and the Three Gorges. They learned how to receive guests, to introduce places of interest and to handle emergencies.

Fruit prices down slightly
水果价格本月略降
The price of fruit went down slightly in September. The reason for the fall in prices is that more fruit trees have been planted and more fruit has been ordered from outside Chongqing.

Hong Kong 香港

Mainland shoppers boost HK retail property market
大陆消费者带旺零售市场
The retail property market is entering a new era thanks to the influx of Chinese mainland shoppers brought by the Individual Visiting Scheme. Boosted by strong retail sales, rentals of prime retail shops also increased over the past two years, with retail rents in Central and in Causeway Bay almost doubling. The two places are the most prosperous commercial areas in Hong Kong.

More flights to Guangzhou
穗港航线每日增至九班
Hong Kong Express (HKE) has started services at Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) with four daily scheduled flights to Guangzhou. There are now nine flights a day serving the Hong Kong-Guangzhou route. The Hong Kong-Guangzhou route is one of the fast growing passenger routes at HKIA, with 22 percent year-on-year growth in passenger traffic last year.

Taipei 台北

The myth of multipurpose reservoirs
台风后建多功能水库待证
Most Taiwanese feel that the construction of multi-purpose reservoirs is needed to resolve water shortages after the drinking water has been muddied by a series of typhoons. But geologists and environmental groups in Europe and the US believe that such reservoirs amount to the rape of nature. Taiwan has been struck by both droughts and floods in the past few years. The last 50 years of hillside over-development and construction of large multi-purpose reservoirs have led to this shortage of water resources.

Soldiers killed in explosion
武器库爆炸士兵丧生
At least three soldiers were killed in an explosion at a weaponry factory in Kaohsiung County on September 9. The blast came just two days after a string of explosions rocked an ammunition depot on the island of Matsu. No one was injured in the explosions, and the military is still probing the case.


Vocabulary
ibis 朱鹭
imbroglio 误解
reshuffle 改组
aflatoxin 黄曲霉素