Development

Joint conference system approved

The State Council, China's cabinet, has approved establishing a joint conference system for social assistance, according to a statement on the government's website on Sept 10.

The inter-ministerial system, to be led by the Ministry of Civil Affairs, is aimed at enhancing coordination to address major social assistance issues.

Responsibilities of the joint conference will include designing and improving key social assistance systems and policies, as well as coordinating policy on medical care, education, housing, minimum living security, employment and poverty alleviation, according to the statement.

The system will cover 23 ministry-level departments, including the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, the National Development and Reform Commission, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, the Ministry of Agriculture and the People's Bank of China.

Aviation

Helicopter makers move into top gear

Helicopters with the ability to fly at speeds twice the current average are being developed by China, a top official of the country's major aircraft maker said.

Lin Zuoming, chairman of the Aviation Industry Corp of China, said his company is developing new-generation helicopters that can achieve speeds of 500 kilometers an hour. "We have been keeping pace with other countries in the research and development of ultra-fast helicopters," he said.

Lin was speaking after models of several new-concept helicopters were presented at the Second China Helicopter Expo, which concluded in Tianjin on Sept 8. His company makes a wide range of helicopters, from ultra-light models to heavy-lift helicopters.

The Blue Whale tilt rotor aircraft being developed by AVIC's Helicopter Research and Development Institute will have a maximum takeoff weight of 60 tons and a payload of up to 30 tons, an engineer at the institute told People's Daily.

He said the Blue Whale would be able to reach speeds of up to 700 km/h. The aircraft will also be able to perform vertical takeoffs and landings in areas with complex geographical conditions and conduct disaster relief supply airdrops and other heavy-lift duties. It also can serve a wide range of military purposes such as battlefield reconnaissance, patrols and air-to-ground strikes.

Society

Top court cautions on lavish spending

Court officials in China have been urged not to use public funds for buying mooncakes, gifts or other entertainment for themselves during the upcoming holidays.

Public spending on extravagant banquets, travel, entertainment or "other perquisites" will be prohibited during the Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day holidays, which fall on Sept 19 and Oct 1, respectively, the Supreme People's Court said in a circular on Sept 10.

Court officials and police have also been told to reject cash, gift cards, banquets or entertainment offered by parties to lawsuits. Leading officials have been asked to set good examples in this regard by abiding to the circular and supervising their relatives.

The promotion of clean governance comes amid a wider campaign to stamp out bureaucracy, formalism and lavish spending of public funds, which was launched by the Communist Party of China leadership in November.

After the new leadership took over, a number of steps, including measures aimed at reducing unnecessary frills, bureaucratic visits and meetings have been formulated. The court circular also called for curbs on government car use for private purposes during the upcoming holidays.

Tech

Apple's low-end phone too pricey

Apple launched its long-awaited new devices iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C on Sept 10 in Cupertino. The iPhone 5C is believed to be a major move by the electronics giant to regain its momentum in emerging markets such as China.

For the first time, China figures among the markets where the new iPhones are being released. The starting price for the iPhone 5S is 5,288 yuan ($858), while the low-end iPhone 5C is available for 4,488 yuan ($728).

For many Chinese users who had been expecting an iPhone for less than 3,000 yuan ($487), the price proved to be disappointing.

In a survey on Sina.com.cn, 88.4 percent or 8,768 people said the price is too high and only 2.6 percent or 254 people said they would buy the iPhone 5C.

Trade

Latin America investment set to rise

China will invest more in Latin America's infrastructure sector to boost growth as it adjusts its trade structure and diversifies investment categories, officials said.

Wang Jianjun, deputy director-general of the foreign investment department of the National Development and Reform Commission, said that the government is negotiating details with the governments of Chile, Argentina and Mexico to establish closer cooperation mechanisms to further promote investment activities, especially in the infrastructure sector.

"Even though Chinese investment in Latin America has been mostly in oil, mining and agricultural sectors for more than a decade, infrastructure projects such as roads, power plants, high-speed railways, ports and manufacturing facilities are now being viewed as hot targets for investment," said Wang.

China's outbound investment in Latin America so far has reached $65 billion since 2001, according to a global investment report released in August by the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade.

"China's moves to strictly control its steel production and cut greenhouse gas emissions have gradually reduced the nation's appetite for large imports of iron ore, copper and other commodities from Latin American countries such as Brazil and Peru in recent years," said Zhu Hongjie, vice-president of the Export-Import Bank of China.

Data

City offers survey incentives

The local government in Shaoyang, Hunan province, has been sending text messages to its residents and urging them to comment favorably in a phone survey on its performance, the Beijing News reported on Sept 10.

City residents who answer questions in the phone survey would get 300 yuan ($50) from the city government as subsidy, the report said. Residents have said that the message sent by the city government means that they can only praise the government's performance and that the subsidy was being used to buy their opinion.

The city's comprehensive management office said that residents can say whatever they want in the survey and the subsidy is being used to encourage them to actively participate, rather than solicit favorable responses.

South China Sea

China reiterates its sovereignty

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei on Sept 11 reiterated that China has undisputed sovereignty over the Huangyan Islands and neighboring sea.

Hong's remarks came at a routine press conference after reports quoted the Philippine side as discussing how to deal with concrete blocks installed by China on the islands.

Stressing that China's activities on the Huangyan Islands and neighboring sea were in accordance with its sovereignty, Hong said "what the Philippine side said is not true."

Hong said China urged the Philippines not to stir up new troubles, adding that China hopes the country will make efforts to maintain peace and stability in the South China Sea and restore bilateral relations.

China Daily

A "god of fortune" extends his good wishes at a ceremony to mark the start of the 17th China International Fair for Investment and Trade on Sept 8 in the coastal city of Xiamen, Fujian province. More than 670 delegations from 100 countries and regions attended the fair, which ended on Sept 11. Zhu Xingxin / China Daily

(China Daily European Weekly 09/13/2013 page3)