IN BRIEF (Page 2)

High-speed rail runs through Loess Plateau

The new high-speed railway running through the Loess Plateau was opened on July 9, the last piece in the puzzle linking the less-developed northwest region to the rest of the country. The 401-kilometer line links Baoji in Shaanxi province and Lanzhou in Gansu province, connecting the northwestern region to the national high-speed rail network.

Island placed on Cultural Heritage list

Kulangsu, a small island off the coast of Xiamen, Fujian province, was added to the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage list on July 9 as an early witness to globalization. The decision was made at the ongoing 41st session of the World Heritage Committee in Krakow, Poland, which designated Kulangsu a Historic International Settlement. Covering a mere 1.88 square kilometers, the island hosted settlements from 13 countries from the end of the First Opium War (1840-42) to the early 20th century.

Teams target pollution from imported waste

China's environmental watchdog found 484 violations by 177 companies in the first three days of a month-long campaign targeting pollution caused by processing imported waste. The Ministry of Environmental Protection said on July 10 that 60 teams with a total of 420 inspectors found these violations on July 4 to 6. The inspectors had three days of training after the campaign was launched on July 1. Inspectors have suggested placing the violations on file for investigation and prosecution.

Tibet aims to control parasitic disease

A parasitic disease plaguing many parts of the Tibet autonomous region will be controlled by the end of 2020, under a plan released by the regional government. The disease - echinococcosis - is caused by a type of tiny tapeworm and infects people and animals such as dogs and foxes. It damages major organs such as the liver, lungs and brain and can be fatal. About 49,900 people have been infected throughout Tibet, accounting for 1.66 percent of the population, according to a survey by the National Health and Family Planning Commission. Tibet's regional government will intensify prevention and control efforts in the next three years, aiming to bring the incidence of the disease below 1 percent in at least 40 counties by 2020.

Many Beijing residents sign with family doctors

More than a third of Beijing's permanent residents were covered by family doctor services as of the end of last year, according to the Health and Family Planning Commission. The overall health of Beijing's population has improved greatly since 2009, when China launched a series of programs to promote the equalization of basic public health services nationwide, said Liu Zejun, a member of the Beijing commission who is in charge of disease prevention and control, at a news conference on July 10. By the end of last year, 3.84 million households in Beijing, or 7.7 million residents, had signed up for family doctor services at community health centers, accounting for more than 35 percent of the city's permanent population, according to Liu.

Science ship returns after exploratory voyage

The Science ship Xiangyanghong 10 returned to China on July 9 after a voyage of more than 200 days to the southwest Indian Ocean. The ship docked at Zhoushan in Zhejiang province. The mission was to explore polymetallic sulfide in 30,000 square meters of seabed, under a contract between China and the International Seabed Authority, says Li Huaiming, a scientist involved in the project. Scientists used the Chinese unmanned submersible Qianlong 2 to conduct eight dives, reaching a maximum depth of 3,320 meters.

Artificial intelligence looks at legal evidence

Shanghai is testing an artificial intelligence system that helps police, prosecutors and judges check the validity of evidence in criminal cases, as part of an effort to prevent wrongful convictions. Over the past month, the system has reviewed 60 cases including homicides, burglaries and telefraud - and correctly identified 48 flaws in evidence, the Shanghai High People's Court said on July 10. Technicians entered information into the AI system from 17,000 documents related to old cases, such as case files, judgments and notices requesting that police reinvestigate. The system used the information to "learn" how to spot potential problems.

Police crack down on pyramid schemes

Police across Guangdong province detained more than 280 suspects in a crackdown on illegal pyramid schemes in mid-June, according to a senior police officer on July 10. Police shut down more than 70 secret pyramid sales dens in the special campaign code-named Jufeng-23, which was launched simultaneously in 16 Guangdong cities, according to Wu Wuqiang, deputy director of the Guangdong Public Security Bureau's economic criminal investigation division. In a special operation launched in 14 Guangdong cities at the same time, police detained 200 suspects in what they said was a major pyramid sales operation. A special task force was immediately set up to focus on investigating the case after police received reports from residents in March.

Quantum tech to link Jinan governments

Jinan in Shandong province will become the first city in the world to use ultrasecure quantum communication in government by the end of August, scientists say. The network, which cost 120 million yuan ($19.5 million; 17.1 million euros; ￡15.1 million), will connect Party and government offices in the Shandong provincial capital, which has a population of 7 million. The system has passed more than 50 rounds of tests since May and is capable of encrypting more than 4,000 pieces of data every second and transmitting information to 200 terminals in the city.

Effort targets drivers who endanger pedestrians

The Ministry of Public Security initiated a campaign this month to curb the problem of vehicles failing to give way to pedestrians on crosswalks. The action will last until the end of this year, the ministry's traffic management bureau said on July 12. "Vehicles allowing pedestrians to go first is not only a matter of compliance with traffic rules and regulations but an important symbol of city civilization," the bureau said in a statement.

Rules on homeowners who rent to tourists

Beijing will introduce a new tourism regulation on Aug 1 to improve operation and management of private accommodation rented to tourists - or minsu - and better govern day trips, the city government announced. The new regulation clarifies the definition of minsu as "accommodation offered by residents who own or have rights to use the property offered to guests". The regulation states that the city and district governments should guide the development of minsu and encourage the development in suburban areas. The governments should strengthen environmental protection in rural areas and improve infrastructure such as parking and toilets, it states.

Millions barred from flights, railways

A blacklist for those who fail to comply with court orders has blocked 7.28 million people from buying plane tickets and 2.74 million from traveling on high-speed trains, according to the Supreme People's Court, which launched the blacklist in December in cooperation with public security authorities, banks, airlines and railway companies. About 7.49 million defaulters have so far been named and shamed online, according to the top court.

Clusters help boost balanced growth

The National Development and Reform Commission said on July 11 that, by the year's end, it will finish compiling a plan on the development of five interregional city clusters, which analysts said will boost regional economies and contribute to China's balanced development. They include the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and the Western Taiwan Straits Economic Zone, which covers Fujian province and some neighboring areas. They also include the Guanzhong Plain urban cluster, including major cities in Shaanxi province; the Lanzhou-Xining cluster in Gansu and Qinghai provinces; and the Hohhot-Baotou-Erdos-Yulin cluster in the Inner Mongolia autonomous region and Shaanxi province, the NDRC said on its website.

Xinjiang assistance to relieve poverty

Future assistance projects to help develop the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region must focus on poverty alleviation and help local people find jobs nearby, the nation's top political adviser said during a recently concluded three-day conference in the region. The central government implemented a new round of a "pairing assistance" program for Xinjiang in 2011, which requires 19 provinces and municipalities as well as ministries to support the development of different parts of the region. The priority for assistance providers is to ensure that the areas within their responsibility achieve their poverty alleviation goals on time.

Three to be tried in a killing 26 years ago

The Supreme People's Procuratorate has approved the prosecution of three men in Fujian province accused of killing a storekeeper during a robbery 26 years ago, even though the statute of limitations has expired. It is the second time in two months that authorities have used their power to make an exception to the law, which states that suspects will not be prosecuted if a guilty verdict cannot be secured between the time a crime was committed and the end of a sentence they likely would have received.

Invasive water lettuce clogs Yangtze

A large quantity of invasive water lettuce has appeared on the surface of the Yangtze River in Chongqing, clogging waterways and threatening the safety of boats. Large amounts soon gathered in the middle of the river and along the banks. On July 11, the city's maritime department issued a warning and asked boats to avoid the floating plants. The species, introduced from overseas, is among the world's most productive freshwater plants. It is found in nearly all tropical and subtropical freshwater areas.

Navy conducts live-fire drill en route to Baltic

A Chinese naval flotilla carried out a live-fire exercise in the Mediterranean Sea on July 10 en route to the Baltic Sea for a joint drill with the Russian Navy, the People's Liberation Army Navy said on July 11. The flotilla, comprising the CNS Hefei, CNS Yuncheng and CNS Luomahu, fired several rounds at sea targets. Sailors also used small arms to hit nearby targets during the exercise, according to a news release from the PLA Navy. The operation was aimed at honing crew members' skills in attacking small targets, the news release quoted Zhao Yanquan, captain of the Hefei, as saying.

Palestinian president to visit China

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas will make a state visit to China from July 17 to 20, his fourth visit to the country, Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said on July 11. Abbas will meet with President Xi Jinping, Premier Li Keqiang and top legislator Zhang Dejiang, Geng told a daily news briefing. "The two sides will exchange views on the bilateral relationship, the Palestinian issue and other issues of common concern," he said.

Mobike eyeing Washington, DC

Bike-sharing giant Mobike Technology Ltd, which handles 25 million rides a day in China, looks to be preparing to put riders on its bikes in the US capital, based on its hiring plans in the area. One of the jobs Mobike posted on professional networking site LinkedIn is for an operations manager, based in Washington, who would need to get to know "the local environment" and "be the main point of contact for the regional government officials and transport authorities", according to The Wall Street Journal. In the city, Mobike would face competition from Capital Bikeshare, a local company that operates more than 3,700 bikes at 440 stations across five jurisdictions around metropolitan Washington.

Robotic rescue boat to replace lifeguards

An aquatic robot put into use recently in Hefei, Anhui province, is expected to protect people from drowning and replace dozens of human lifeguards. The robot, believed to be China's first unmanned speedboat, was officially launched in Tian'e Lake on July 3 after months of trials. The boat, which is 2.8 meters long, is equipped with cameras, infrared sensors and acoustic sensors to detect "moving targets" in the water, according to Zhang Bao, deputy general manager of Anhui CAS-Huacheng Intelligent Technology, a company affiliated with the Chinese Academy of Sciences' Hefei Institute of Physical Science.

Vice-premier welcomes delegation from Tokyo

Vice-Premier Liu Yandong met on July 12 in Beijing with a Japanese delegation and discussed moving forward with a host of issues, including a consensus reached last week at the G20 Summit and other items. The meeting at the Zhongnanhai leadership compound in downtown Beijing was notable because the Japanese delegation was composed of female lawmakers from the nation's ruling Liberal Democratic Party. Liu noted that this year marks the 45th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations between China and Japan and next year will see the 40th anniversary of the China-Japan Peace and Friendship Treaty. She said the relationship stands at a critical moment.

State Council measure will boost innovation

A guideline was approved at a State Council executive meeting chaired by Premier Li Keqiang on July 12 to further enhance support for overseas entrepreneurs. China will establish an integrated digital business license registry, enabling one-stop registration for foreign and domestic enterprises within a given time frame. The State will simplify work and residential permit application procedures for high-level foreign workers, and test integrated services in housing, schooling and medical care. Overseas students in China who start new businesses can also apply for a residential permit with their diplomas.

Growth in money supply scaled down

Growth in a broad measurement of China's money supply dropped to a record low in June as regulators worked to reduce leverage in the nation's economy. The M2 money supply grew 9.4 percent from a year earlier, after a 9.6 percent growth rate in May, which also was a record low, according to data from the People's Bank of China. That is compared with a 12 percent target for the broad money supply for the whole year.

(China Daily European Weekly 07/14/2017 page2)