IN BRIEF (Page 2)

Progress on transplants puts nation in spotlight

Huang Jiefu, a former vice-minister of health and now director of the National Human Organ Donation and Transplant Committee, was invited by the Vatican's Pontifical Academy of Science to speak about the "China model" of organ donation and transplant management at the two-day Summit on Organ Trafficking and Transplant Tourism that opened on Feb 7. This is the first time that China has been invited to a summit on organ transplanting held by an authoritative international organization, according to Huang.

More second-child assistance sought

Cui Li, vice-minister of the National Health and Family Planning Commission, said on Feb 7 that several departments need to introduce measures to help resolve issues that have arisen with the introduction of the second-child policy in January 2016. Families will need help from other government departments to handle some problems, including increased expenses, maternity leave and a shortage of kindergartens. Cui said 18.7 million babies were born in China last year, up by 11 percent from 2015, with 45 percent born to women who already had a child.

Beijing and Canberra to diversify trade

China and Australia agreed on Feb 7 to upgrade economic cooperation and diversify trade amid the turmoil and fears raised by growing protectionist sentiment, especially in the United States and European Union. In a meeting with Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Feb 7 in Australia's capital of Canberra, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull assured Wang that, as a country that has benefited from free trade, Australia will work with China to resolutely oppose protectionism.

Live poultry trade halted over disease

The sale of live poultry has been suspended at several markets in Hunan over bird flu concerns. The province has reported 20 cases of human H7N9 infections, including five fatalities, since the beginning of this year, the provincial center for disease control and prevention said on Feb 7. The center expects more cases to emerge in the following months and, thus, decided to close several markets, including those in Changsha and Yueyang.

Underprivileged to get more funding

China plans to set up county-level coordination for ensuring basic living standards for people in difficulty, according to the Ministry of Civil Affairs on Feb 7. A circular issued by the State Council has called for authorities at the county level - including civil affairs, reform, finance, social security, housing and health agencies - to work together to address the needs of people living with difficulty. Such groups include those in poverty, the disabled, left-behind children, orphans and the homeless.

Rare ibis spotted in wetlands

A group of rare ibis once thought extinct in China have been spotted in the Dianchi Lake wetlands in Kunming, Yunnan province. Ten glossy ibis were first captured by a photographer in late January. The flock has remained there for more than two weeks. The glossy ibis, a close relative of the endangered crested ibis, is under second-class State protection in China. Zoologists used to believe the birds had become extinct in China in the 20th century before a glossy ibis was found in Yunnan in 2012.

Judges to receive better protection

China's top court issued a guideline on Feb 7 aimed at severely punishing those who disturb judicial work or take revenge on legal officers after a judge was killed by one of his litigants at the end of last month. The guideline stipulates that those found guilty of interfering in judicial affairs, including threatening, insulting or harming judges, will face severe punishment, to ensure justice is served and to protect the safety of judges.

Beijing, Tianjin plan monthly train pass

Beijing and Tianjin are planning to issue a monthly pass for high-speed intercity trains linking the cities, as well as canceling expressway toll fees between the two cities, the mayor of Tianjin said on Feb 6. The move will facilitate the integrated development of Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei province, following an outline given in 2015 to improve transportation links in the area, while also moving some of Beijing's low-end industries to neighboring areas.

Ecological zones prioritized

China has issued a guideline calling for an "ecological red line" around areas where development is prohibited, with the nationwide initiative expected to be completed by 2020, the central government said in a statement on Feb 7. The Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region and provinces along the Yangtze River will take the lead in drawing the red line to protect the environment by the end of this year.

China to invest 1b yuan in national park

Construction of the Sanjiangyuan National Park to protect the headwaters of the Yangtze, Yellow and Lancang (Mekong) rivers will start this year with the construction of roads and installation of surveillance cameras to assist in protection work. The park's administrative bureau said on Feb 6 that it would have a budget of 1 billion yuan ($145 million; 135.5 million; 115.8 million) this year for infrastructure construction.

Pangolin dinner prompts calls for protection

Conservation groups have called for governments to increase protection of the Chinese pangolin after a social media post triggered public concern over this critically endangered wild mammal. The Chinese pangolin, one of the eight species of pangolins, has been heavily hunted and trafficked for its meat and scales, which are believed to have medicinal qualities.

Confucius Museum to be opened in Shandong

The Confucius Museum in Qufu, Shandong province - the birthplace of China's most famous sage - will be opened in the second half of this year, a local official said on Feb 8, describing it as the country's first comprehensive museum focusing on Confucius (551-479 BC) and his ideology. The museum complex, with a total investment of 700 million yuan ($102 million), consists of an exhibition center and six subordinate halls, covering a total of 57,000 square meters. The museum is a cultural project showcasing Confucian teachings and relics collected by generations of Confucian scholars, as well as a place to learn about traditional culture, said Yang Jinquan, deputy head of the Qufu bureau of cultural relics.

Birth by surrogacy to remain prohibited

Surrogacy will continue to be banned in China, and violations will be punished, China's top health authority announced on Feb 8. The announcement follows recent discussions on whether to allow surrogacy in China to facilitate the second-child policy. Surrogacy has been a topic of public discussion since China adopted the second-child policy at the start of 2016.

Teen applauded with her victory in poetry contest

Wu Yishu, a 16-year-old student from Shanghai, has become an overnight sensation after winning the final round of China Central Television's Chinese Poetry Competition on Feb 7. The show featured more than 100 contestants from across China who competed based on their knowledge and memorization of classical Chinese poems. To win the title, Wu beat more mature and credentialed contestants, including award-winning reality TV star Peng Min and doctoral candidate Chen Geng.

Fees will be cut to spark businesses

A State Council executive meeting held on Feb 8 decided to tighten regulation to eliminate fees improperly levied on businesses, promising easier operating conditions and extra room for innovation in the year ahead. Decisions were also made to help the construction industry with upgrades, promote high-quality farmland and improve pesticide management. Industry associations will be strictly prohibited from forcing enterprises to join and pay fees and agencies will not be allowed to charge fees based on their connections with governmental departments.

Fake data to be punished, official says

Vice-Premier Zhang Gaoli on Feb 8 urged local governments to improve the credibility of statistics, because falsified data can mislead policymakers in their plans for economic development. His comments were made during a visit to the National Statistics Bureau and followed Liaoning province's admission in its annual government report in January that it falsified statistics from 2011 to 2014.

British Prime Minister plans China visit

British Prime Minister Theresa May is expected to visit China this year in a move meant to cement ties with Beijing as she negotiates Britain's departure from the European Union. The visit is an indication of the importance of China in Britain's foreign policy, and its growing significance to London with Brexit talks coming up soon, observers said. May's aides confirmed that she would visit China this year to discuss trade ties, the latest in a series of foreign trips to strengthen relations with major powers, Reuters reported.

School racetracks to get new standards

Beijing will issue new standards on the quality of synthetic racetracks in primary and high schools this year after children were reported to have fallen sick from exposure to toxic running tracks last year. Construction of new synthetic running tracks will be suspended until the enforcement of the new standards, which have been included in the top agenda of the Beijing Municipal Education Commission this year. Makeshift racetracks, such as water permeable brick or concrete ones, will be adopted with the new standards.

Smuggled trash, coal targeted

China's customs authorities will launch a yearlong crackdown on smuggling, with a focus on imported garbage and natural products. Industrial waste, electronic scrap and plastics will be in the crosshairs of the watchdogs, the General Administration of Customs said on Feb 7. Those convicted of smuggling could face a maximum penalty of the death sentence, according to China's Criminal Law. Customs investigated 2,633 smuggling cases last year, up 17 percent year-on-year, according to the GAC.

Search continues to save finless porpoise

Search efforts are underway to save an injured finless porpoise, an endangered mammal similar to the dolphin, in Poyang Lake, China's largest freshwater lake. On Feb 7, hydrobiology experts from the Chinese Academy of Sciences joined the search team consisting of local volunteers and fisheries staff. Using a long-focus lens, several volunteers on Feb 5 discovered a large fishhook on the back of the porpoise, but it disappeared before they could help.

Family robbed, shot in S Africa

Three Chinese tourists who were injured in a robbery in Johannesburg, South Africa, on Feb 4 have been sent to a hospital and are all in stable condition. The victims - a woman and her parents - were with a tour group organized by an agency in Liuzhou, the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region. They were checking in when four gun-wielding assailants stormed into the hotel and robbed them of their suitcases and handbags. The mother suffered a head injury from a sandblasting gun, the father's chest and legs were scratched by bullets, and the daughter's head was slightly bruised as they tried to fight back.

Taiwan urged to improve tourists' safety

The mainland office responsible for cross-Straits relations has urged Taiwan to improve safety across its whole tourism sector and to take measures to ensure the safety of mainland travelers. According to local media reports, the island's transportation authority will raise the daily quota for mainlanders from 5,000 to 6,000 and allow them to stay for 30 days rather than 15. The move comes after statistics showed a drop in the number of mainland tourists visiting over the Spring Festival holiday.

PLA drill features advanced missile

The People's Liberation Army has released a video of a recent exercise employing the advanced DF-16 medium-range ballistic missile, a weapon seen as filling a gap in the nation's arsenal. Several launch vehicles carrying the ballistic missiles were seen in the footage published by the PLA its video website, released to show the training of Rocket Force missile brigade soldiers around the Spring Festival holiday. Two types of DF-16 that appeared in the exercise are the bullet-shaped missile that is considered the original DF-16, and a new variant that features a maneuverable warhead and several extra fins.

Authority to get tough on economic crimes

The Supreme People's Procuratorate has issued a statement promising severe punishments for economic crimes that affect the interests of large numbers of people, including illegally absorbing public deposits and fundraising fraud. It also urged procuratorates to place a higher priority on the prevention of financial risks, cracking down on crimes such as money laundering and underground banking, and taking an active part in online financial risk management.

Nation impedes rise of telecom fraud

Police solved 83,000 cases of telecom and internet fraud last year, up 49.6 percent year-on-year, according to the Ministry of Public Security. The ministry noted that the number of cases has dropped significantly since September. The increase in telecom and internet fraud has been contained, the ministry said, adding that economic losses caused by telecom and internet fraud last year decreased by 10.9 percent year-on-year.

(China Daily European Weekly 02/10/2017 page2)