Taiwan delicacies wow Xiamen
两岸美食 鹭岛飘香
Photo: Xinhua News Agency



The 4th China (Xiamen) International Food Procurement Fair opened on June 24 at Xiamen International Conference & Exhibition Center. Thousands of local people swarmed into the exhibition hall to try the various delicacies on offer. Taiwanese fruit and vegetables remain the biggest highlight of the fair, which is larger and more sophisticated than in previous years. The fair closed on June 26 and admission was free.

 

 

Big numbers

Nearly 70% in the red
漳州渔船近七成亏本
With rising oil prices, bad weather and limited commercial fish stocks, Zhangzhou's fishing industry has posted a poor financial performance in the first half of this year. Nearly 70% of fishing boats lost money. Industry insiders predict that reduced catches in Zhangzhou will have a noticeable effect on the supply of seafood to Xiamen.

35 care sites
35家医院定点救治流浪乞讨病人
Local authorities in Fujian have worked together to designate 35 hospitals which will provide medical care for homeless and impoverished patients. The patients will be treated at the nearest location rather than being sent to another authority. Terminally ill patients and psychiatric patients who pose a risk to other people or public order will be immediately transferred to the designated hospitals for treatment. No designated hospital will be able to refuse to provide them with medical care.

30, 000 decks of cards
厦门印制三万副禁毒扑克
In preparation for the International Day against Drug Abuse on June 26, Xiamen Municipal and Siming District Offices against Drug Abuse have spent nearly RMB 50,000 on producing 30,000 packs of playing cards printed with anti-drug laws and useful information. The cards will be distributed to residential communities, schools, businesses, public institutions, and at-risk groups. It is hoped that they will help to raise awareness even as people enjoy themselves.

 

 

Society

Five more typhoons on the way
今年还有5次台风影响闽
A higher than usual number of typhoons are predicted to hit Fujian this year according to the Fujian Flood Prevention Office, and some coastal areas may suffer severe droughts. Following Typhoon Chanchu, which caused serious damage to Fujian last month, five more typhoons will strike the province this year, with two forecast for July, two for August and one for September. Of these, one or two are likely to be serious.

Skillful skateboarders glide across Fuzhou
滑板高手巡游榕城
To mark the third World Skateboarding Day on June 21, dozens of skillful skateboarders in Fuzhou performed in the city center after organizing via the internet. They hoped that their skateboarding performance would attract more people to the sport, which is not yet popular in Fuzhou.

Senior citizens show their stuff
榕展示老年人健身活动
On June 24, more than 5,000 retired employees of Fujian provincial government institutions sang and danced in Fujian Gymnasium. The event was the annual Mass Senior Citizens' Fitness Show, organized to show off the results of the exercise that the senior citizens have been doing. The show has become an annual fixture since 2001, and this year's show featured a record number of events and participants. Similar shows are to be held throughout the province.

Cabdrivers receive free gifts
的哥的姐免费获礼品
Between 8:00 and 10:00am on June 23, cab drivers converged on the Xiamen Sheraton Hotel, where they received goodwill gift packages from service desks next to the entrance. The packages contained T-shirts and dim sum. This was the hotel's second goodwill gesture for local people after a similar event on June 1.

 

 

Economics

Fresh vegetables delivered to Kinmen
厦门放心菜直供金门
On the morning of June 22, a shipment of 19.7 tons of fresh vegetables left Xiamen's Dadeng Wharf bound for Kinmen. The supplies were sent to alleviate vegetable shortages in Taiwan caused by the persistent heavy rains. To expedite the loading of the vegetables onto the vessel, Xiamen Customs gave the shipment advance clearance, opened an express channel, and sent in officers to inspect the shipment onboard.

King Long among China's most valuable brands
大金龙获中国最具价值品牌第88
The 2006 World Brand Summit was recently held in Beijing. Events included the publication of China's 500 Most Valuable Brands 2006 by the World Brand Lab and World Managers Weekly. Xiamen-based King Long, a passenger vehicle producer, was ranked 88th on the list, with a brand value of RMB 6.213 billion.

Industrial Bank among top 10
兴业银行进入国内银行10强
The Banker, an authoritative international financial journal, has recently published its first list of China's top 100 banks. Industrial Bank, headquartered in Fuzhou, is listed in the top 10 in terms of its core capital and total assets. It is listed top three among all national banks in China for its rates of return on capital. Industrial Bank has developed rapidly in recent years, with total assets of RMB 474 billion at the end of 2005.

 

 

Education

Needy high school graduates resign
个别贫困生上岗就弃岗
Three female high school graduates resigned on their first day at jobs arranged by the Xiamen Charity Society (XCS) as part of a student aid program. The XCS has decided to reclaim the RMB 1,500 given in aid to the three students and to exclude them from future student aid.

Xiamen Daily cartoon appears in test
厦门日报漫画"走"进中考试卷
This year's politics paper in the Xiamen Senior Middle School Admission Tests contained an eye-catching question using a cartoon from Xiamen Daily with the title "Ah Rong explains honor and disgrace". On July 5, the Xiamen Admission Test Center will broadcast a TV program to help students to apply to the right senior middle school. Students will be able to watch it at school.

 

Vocabulary
in the red 亏本
eye-catching 抢眼的
drug abuse 滥用毒品
industry insiders 业内人士