TAIYUAN, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- Rescuers on Thursday had finished searching more than half the mud-covered areas in north China after a mud-rock slide left 128 people dead. Shanxi Provincial Government Secretary-General Wang Qingxian said about 60 percent of the area had been combed. Altogether 2,000-plus rescuers, with the aid of more than 110 excavators, were searching for survivors. He said Internet claims that hundreds of people were missing was mere speculation. "The specific figure of the people missing in the disaster has not been established yet," said Wang at a news conference. "We are still evaluating the situation." He promised timely and transparent updated casualty numbers, adding 36 people had suffered injuries. If the weather conditions allowed, searchers would finish looking for survivors in three to five days, he said. Relatives of the dead will get 200,000 yuan (29,215 U.S. dollars) each as compensation, according to the provincial government. The State Council, China's Cabinet, has set up an accident investigation team, including officials from the State Administration of Work Safety, Shanxi provincial government, Supervision Ministry, Land and Resources Ministry and All China Federation of Trade Unions. Wang Jun, the State Administration of Work Safety director, was heading the team. The government has begun examinations to more than 700 tailing ponds in the province to avoid similar accidents from happening again. There was no epidemic at the area and the injured were receiving treatment, said Gao Guoshun, the provincial health department head, at the news conference. The water there was not polluted after examination, Gao added. The disaster happened when the bank of a pond holding waste oredregs of an unlicensed mine burst. Some reports said hundreds were feared to have been buried underneath the mud, but the local government had released no figures concerning the number of missing. Wang Qingxian said the mine was purchased and transferred to a man named Zhang Peiliang when the local government auctioned it off in 2005. But Zhang did not apply for new licenses after its safety production license was suspended in 2006 and the mining license expired in 2007. "It was an accident of grave responsibility after initial analysis," said Wang Dianxue, the State Administration of Work Safety deputy head and also the investigation team deputy head. The accident occurred around 8 a.m. on Monday in a pond holding waste ore dregs of the Tashan Mine in Xiangfen County, Linfen City, which was soaked by torrential rain. In total, an area of 30.2 hectares was covered by the mud. The mud-rock flow damaged buildings, trade markets and some residences lying downstream.
BEIJING, Aug. 27 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese government will stick to an economic policy that focuses on curbing inflation for the rest of the year, a senior official on Wednesday told China's top legislature, as slowing output and rising prices loom over the post-Games economy. Economic planners would exert themselves to increase supplies of necessities, closely track key prices and make price controls more effective, National Development and Reform Commission deputy chief Zhu Zhixin told the fourth session of the Standing Committee of the 11th National People's Congress. "A lot of factors can drive prices up," said Zhu. "There is a strong demand for primary products, with prices hovering high on international markets, while more expensive land and labor at home will add to costs." His statements came after China's main inflation indicator showed a deceleration in July and as the world wondered where the already slowing economy would head after the glitz of the Games. The consumer price index was up 6.3 percent last month over July last year, lower than the 7.1 percent in June and 7.7 percent in May, as tighter monetary policies adopted last year seemed to bite. Meanwhile, the country's economic output in the first half was 10.4 percent higher, compared with 10.6 percent in the first quarter and 12.2 percent in the first half last year. Zhu said the output slowdown was "a moderate correction from a high level". "The national economy is heading in the direction expected by the macro-control policy." Zhu cited the pressures on some industries and enterprises as one of the major conflicts in the economy, saying it would take time for the latest supportive policies to show an effect and for companies to adjust. He told the top legislature the government would continue to seek a balance between fighting inflation and maintaining growth. Tasks for the rest of the year included improving the contribution of domestic consumption to economic growth, boosting agricultural output and increasing aid to small enterprises, he said. The government had been focusing on preventing the economy from overheating before changing the goal to "keeping steady, rapid growth" in July. Many analysts foresaw a loosening of the tight monetary policy to provide liquidity for enterprises, especially exporters, that were squeezed by weakening demand, credit controls and rising costs. Earlier this month, administrators raised the export tax rebate rates for some textiles and garments, while the central bank allowed more credit to small and medium-sized enterprises. "The fiscal and monetary policies are likely to be eased, if the current trend is a guide," said CITIC Securities analyst Zhu Jianfang. "The central bank is not expected to come up with any big tightening moves after the Olympics."
BEIJING, Oct. 9 (Xinhua) -- President Hu Jintao on Thursday urged the Chinese army to carry forward the courageous spirit it had shown in the earthquake relief work earlier this year to better serve the people. Hu, also the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee general secretary and Central Military Commission chairman, made the remark here while meeting soldiers and officers who were recognized for their outstanding contributions to the disaster relief work. On Wednesday, China held a ceremony to honor outstanding organizations and individuals for their contributions to the rescue and relief work after a catastrophic earthquake hit the southwestern Sichuan and some neighboring provinces on May 12, leaving more than 87,000 dead or missing. The People's Liberation Army (PLA) troops and armed police were among the first to provide rescue and relief following the quake. In total, 146,000 troops, armed police, reservists and police were mobilized for the rescue and relief. Chinese President Hu Jintao (1st. Front) meets with officers at a ceremony to honor outstanding organizations and individuals for their contributions to the May 12 earthquake rescue and relief work at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, on Oct. 8, 2008. Hu spoke highly of the army's key role in the arduous work. He said the PLA should draw from the experience to strengthen its capabilities against various threats to the nation's security. Guo Boxiong, CPC Central Military Commission vice chairman, described the army's involvement in the relief as "a large-scale, non-war military action," which tested and tempered the PLA's security-safeguarding abilities. He said strong and unified leadership, high morale and well-planned logistic support in the army were vital to the success of the quake relief.
BEIJING, June 9 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao on Monday said the medical treatment and epidemic prevention tasks in the quake regions were still tough and no relaxation would be allowed. Presiding over a quake relief meeting here, Wen urged bolstering the treatment of the injured to minimize fatalities and disability. Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao speaks during the quake relief meeting in Beijing on Monday, June 9, 2008. He stressed that the medical treatment and epidemic prevention tasks in the quake regions were still tough and no relaxation would be allowed.He urged local governments to resume as soon as possible the prevention and control of endemics and health supervision systems, strengthening epidemic surveillance and reporting, and enhancing the supervision of drinking water and food safety. He said that normal medical services should also be restored as soon as possible to guarantee the basic medical need of quake victims. Under concerted efforts from relevant sides, the epidemic prevention work was progressing in a forceful, orderly and effective way, Wen said. All affected people in all counties, towns, villages and temporary settlements had been covered. No concentrated epidemic outbreaks or emergent public health incidents had been reported, according to the meeting. The 8.0-magnitude earthquake rocked the southwestern Sichuan Province and neighboring regions, including the northwestern Gansu and Shaanxi provinces on May 12. As of Monday noon, it had taken 69,142 lives, injured 374,065 people, left 17,551 missing and 46.25 million affected. The meeting was also briefed on the quake relief work in Gansu and Shaanxi, which also suffered great losses. It directed the two provinces to resume production in the affected areas at the earliest date possible and to rehabilitate the infrastructure. The central government would provide support in policies, capital and material, the meeting said.
GENEVA, July 19 (Xinhua) -- Related parties should enhance diplomatic efforts and show flexibility in order to find a negotiated solution to the Iranian nuclear issue, a senior Chinese diplomat said here on Saturday. "Currently there is a rare opportunity for promoting the resumption of negotiations on the Iranian nuclear issue," said Chinese Assistant Foreign Minister Liu Jieyi, who represented China at a meeting here with Iran's top nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili. "Enhanced diplomatic efforts and flexibility are needed for an early resumption of negotiations so that a long-term, comprehensive and appropriate solution could be found for the nuclear issue," he said. Saturday's meeting was led by EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana and attended by senior diplomats from the United States, Russia, China, Britain, France and Germany. The United States was represented by Undersecretary of State William Burns at the meeting. His participation was seen as a shift of long-standing U.S. policy toward Iran, as Washington had always insisted that it would not talk with Tehran unless it halts its uranium enrichment activities. "It's highly significant that for the first time the political directors of all six countries with Solana were talking with our Iranian colleagues," Liu told reporters. "It was the shared hope of all parties participating in the meeting that we find a negotiated solution to the nuclear issue," he said. Both Solana and Jalili said Saturday's meeting was positive and constructive and promoted understanding of each other's positions. They also agreed to talk again by phone or in person in about two weeks. At the meeting, Iran failed to give a clear answer to a package of incentives presented by the six countries last month over the resumption of nuclear negotiations. "We hope very much we get the answer and we hope it will be done in a couple of weeks," Solana told a press conference following the meeting. The package of incentives suggests that Iran get a temporary reprieve from economic and financial sanctions in exchange for freezing its enrichment activities. Preliminary negotiations over a permanent halt could then begin. "The package is supported by all six powers ... we think if negotiations could be resumed on this basis and finally a negotiated solution could be found, it will be a very good way out," Liu said.
BEIJING, April 30 (Xinhua) -- Jia Qinglin, Li Changchun and Zhou Yongkang, members of the Standing Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee Political Bureau, visited a large-scale theme exhibition, "Tibet, the Past and the Present," on Wednesday. During their separate visits, they were shown around the 160 material exhibits and more than 400 pictures. The exhibition is being held in two halls of the Nationalities Cultural Palace. Jia Qinglin, member of the Standing Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee Political Bureau, visits a large-scale theme exhibition, "Tibet, the Past and the Present," on Wednesday. The exhibition shows the backwardness of Old Tibet and the development and progress of New Tibet, as well as the inseparable, historic links between Tibet and the Chinese nation. Tibet is in its best period in history and the exhibition shows the great changes in the Tibet Autonomous Region in the political, economic, social and cultural fields, said Jia, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC). Li Changchun, member of the Standing Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee Political Bureau, visits a large-scale theme exhibition, "Tibet, the Past and the Present," on Wednesday.Li, who is responsible for the Party's ideological work, said the exhibition exposes the darkness, cruelty and backwardness of Old Tibet and the hypocritical face of the ** Lama as a "human rights guardian," "missionary of peace" and "spiritual leader." The historic materials show that Tibet has been an inseparable part of China since ancient times, as the Chinese central government has exercised effective sovereign rule over Tibet, said Zhou, the secretary of the CPC Central Committee for Political and Legislative Affairs. Zhou Yongkang, member of the Standing Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee Political Bureau, visits a large-scale theme exhibition, "Tibet, the Past and the Present," on Wednesday.The senior Party officials all pledged to safeguard the achievements of New Tibet, the happy lives of Tibetans and prosperity, development, harmony and stability in Tibet. Other senior Party and State officials visiting the exhibition on the same day included Hui Liangyu, Liu Yunshan, Ma Kai, Meng Jianzhu and Du Qinglin. The exhibition is sponsored by the United Front Department of the CPC Central Committee, the State Council Information Office, the State Ethnic Affairs Commission and the regional government of Tibet. It will be open to the public between April 30 and July 25,free of charge.
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BEIJING, Sept. 13 (Xinhua) -- China's State Council, the Cabinet, has started the first-class national food safety emergency response to deal with the tainted Sanlu milk powder incident that has caused kidney stones in at least 432 babies. The State Council has set up a national leading group comprising officials from the Health Ministry, the quality watchdog and local governments for the incident. A preliminary investigation has confirmed the Sanlu baby milk powder contaminated by melamine was the cause of kidney stones in infants, said an official statement released here Saturday evening. The melamine substance found in some of the Sanlu products was deliberately added to increase the protein percentage in raw milk or milk powder, it said. The statement said the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council attached high importance to the issue, urging all-out efforts in treating the affected babies. The patients will be given free medical treatment and the cost will be shouldered by the government. Meanwhile, the State Council urged a thorough overhaul of the milk powder market, directing the Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ) to join other departments to check all the brands of baby formulas circulating in the market, and immediately pull those disqualified products off shelves. The reason why the Sanlu baby formula was contaminated must be found out as soon as possible, the State Council said, directing the local government and relevant departments to overhaul all the links including the milk powder production, cow raising, raw milk collection and dairy processing. Based on the findings, the criminals and all those responsible would be severely punished, it said. Relevant local government and departments should draw lessons from the incident and improve the food safety and quality supervision mechanism to ensure the food safety of the public, it added. The State Council has directed the provincial government of Hebei, where the Sanlu group is based, to halt production of the group. An investigation team set up by the health ministry and other departments is also in the province to probe into the cause, and the quality watchdog AQSIQ is conducting an all-round overhaul of baby milk powder producers across the country
KUNMING, April 8 (Xinhua) -- China Eastern Airlines (CEA) will offer compensation of up to 400 yuan (57 U.S. dollars) to passengers affected in flights where pilots deliberately turned their aircraft around. Passengers whose flights were canceled will get 400 yuan compensation. Those delayed within two hours of departure and without accommodation would get 100 yuan. Those delayed within eight hours of departure would get 200 yuan, said an official with the Yunnan branch of the carrier on Tuesday. The compensation was set according to a guideline notice released by the general Administration of Civil Aviation, the official said. From March 31 to April 1, 21 flights returned to their departure points in Yunnan Province, in southwestern China, leaving more than 1,000 passengers stranded at Kunming Airport, the capital of Yunnan. "The time and energy we have wasted could never be compensated by 400 yuan," said Yu Xiaoyan, a tourist from the northern Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. Yu planned to take the MU5793 flight at 9:50 a.m. on March 31 from Kunming to Xishuangbanna. The plane never came after waiting for seven hours at the airport. She was offered a ticket change at 4 p.m. on April 1 and received 400 yuan compensation. CEA finally admitted on Monday that some pilots on the 21 flights deliberately turned their aircraft around while in flight. It originally said the incidents were due to poor weather. However flights with other airlines flying the same routes landed on schedule during the same period. The airline has suspended the pilots. Further probing is underway, said an announcement on the company's website.
Jia Qinglin (R), chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), arrives in Ljubljana, Slovenia, May 10, 2008. Slovenia is the third leg of Jia's current four-nation Europe tour. (Xinhua/Rao Aimin) LJUBLJANA, May 10 -- China's top political advisor Jia Qinglin arrived in Ljubljana Saturday for an official goodwill visit to Slovenia. During his visit to Slovenia, Jia, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), will meet with Slovenian President Danilo Turk, Prime Minister Janez Jansa and representatives from all walks of life in Slovenian society. Slovenia is the third leg of Jia's current four-nation Europe tour, which has already taken him to Romania and Hungary, and which will also take him to Croatia. In a written speech delivered at the airport, Jia said that the people of China and Slovenia cherish good feelings to each other though the two countries are far apart. Since the two countries established diplomatic relations in 1992, they have maintained regular exchange of visits by high-level officials and achieved rich results in cooperation in such fields as trade, economy and culture. Jia expressed the belief that his visit to Slovenia will contribute to further enhancing understanding and friendship between the two peoples and push forward mutually beneficial cooperation between the two countries in all fields.Jia Qinglin (2nd R), chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), arrives in Ljubljana, Slovenia, May 10, 2008. Slovenia is the third leg of Jia's current four-nation Europe tour.
BEIJING, Aug. 12 (Xinhua) -- Prices of real estate in 70 major Chinese cities rose 7.0 percent in July on the same month of last year, 1.2 percentage points lower than the June level, according to the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) and the National Bureau of Statistics on Tuesday. The NDRC, the country's top economic planning organ, said the growth rate had slowed down for six consecutive months. The price rise was 11.3 percent in January, 10.9 percent in February, 10.7 percent in March, 10.1 percent in April, 9.2 percent in May and 8.2 in June. Visitors view models of apartment buildings in a real estate fair in Jinan, capital of east China's Shandong Province, on April 5, 2008. In July prices of new housing went up 7.9 percent, 1.3 percentage points lower than the month-earlier level. Haikou, Urumqi, Ningbo and Beijing took the lead in price rises. Seventeen cities experienced prices fall compared with the month earlier, including Haikou, Dali, Shenzhen and Chengdu among others. Prices of second-hand houses gained 6.0 percent year on year, 1.5 percentage points lower than June. New housing for non-residential use was priced 4.9 percent higher than last July, with prices of office buildings up 6.7 percent and those of commercial real estate up 4.1 percent.