ecns [expanded by feedex.net]
ecns
Wang Meng wins women's 500m in short-track World Cup
http://www.ecns.cn/2013/02-03/48549.shtml
Feb 3rd 2013, 02:26
2013-02-03 11:26 Xinhua Web Editor: Liu Xian
comment
Four-time Olymic champion Wang Meng claimed her fifth World Cup win coming back from a ban when she won the 500 meters short track speedskating here on Saturday.
The Chinese 28-year-old took the title in 43.231 seconds ahead of Ariana Fontana of Italy and fellow teammate Liu Qiuhong at the Iceberg arena, which will host the short-track and figure skating events during the Sochi Olympics next year.
Wang was banned for 13 months in 2011 as she broke the team curfew and drunkenly punched team manager in the following brawl. Her ban was lifted in September last year.
In other events, Shim Suk-hee of South Korea continued her domination in the women's 1,500m, claiming her fifth victory of the season with a time of 2:26.338. Li Jianrou of China clocked 2:26.518 for second and Elise Christie of Britain came third in 2:26.696.
Double Olympic champion Charles Hamelin claimed his second short-track speedskating World Cup victory of the season by winning a men's 500m race.
The Canadian won in 41.092 and Wu Daijing of China clocked 41.095 for second, while Russia's Vladimir Grigorev was third in 41.165.
Noh Jinkyu led a South Korean sweep of the podium in the men's 1,500m, recording 2:17.482 for his fourth win of the season. Kim Yun-Jae was second and Kwak Yoon-Gy third.
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Saturday, February 2, 2013
ecns [expanded by feedex.net]: Jia's visit will cement China-Malaysia ties
ecns [expanded by feedex.net]
ecns
Jia's visit will cement China-Malaysia ties
http://www.ecns.cn/voices/2013/02-03/48547.shtml
Feb 3rd 2013, 02:13
2013-02-03 11:13 Web Editor: Liu Xian
comment
Malaysia and China's relationship would be taken to a new height when Chinese top political advisor Jia Qinglin visits Malaysia on February 4 to sign a series of cooperative agreements and open a joint industrial park in the east coast Pahang state, Chinese ambassador to Malaysia Chai Xi has said.
Jia, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), is scheduled to launch the Malaysia-China Kuantan Industrial Park, a 7-kilometer square development area as a 'sister park' to the China-Malaysia Qingzhou Industrial Park in Shandong province.
He is also expected to sign a number of documents related to, among others, the setup of Xiamen University's first foreign branch in Malaysia and an expansion of a seaport near the Kuantan industrial park.
China hopes Jia's visit would deepen bilateral education cooperation so as to make China-Malaysia traditional friendship last forever... "further reinforce our coordination and communication on regional and global issues for the sake of regional peace, stability and common development", Chai said.
The forthcoming visit underscores the "good momentum in strategic cooperation" China and the Southeast Asian nation had been keeping in recent years, Chai said.
Chinese President Hu Jintao, Premier Wen Jiabao and top Chinese legislator Wu Bangguo visited Malaysia one after another last year while Malaysian Premier Najib Razak, Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin and Senate Speaker also paid visits to China.
Jia will head a 60-member delegation to visit Malaysia on Feb. 4-7. During his stay, Jia will pay a courtesy call to Malaysian King Abdul Halim and Prime Minister Najib Razak.
Several firms in the steel, aluminum and palm oil producing industry sectors have pledged to invest in the Kuantan industrial park, which entices investors with a 10-year tax break, cheaper land and convenient infrastructure, Chai said.
China-Malaysia trade grew 5.3 percent on an annual basis last year to reach 94.8 billion U.S. dollars.
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ecns
Jia's visit will cement China-Malaysia ties
http://www.ecns.cn/voices/2013/02-03/48547.shtml
Feb 3rd 2013, 02:13
2013-02-03 11:13 Web Editor: Liu Xian
comment
Malaysia and China's relationship would be taken to a new height when Chinese top political advisor Jia Qinglin visits Malaysia on February 4 to sign a series of cooperative agreements and open a joint industrial park in the east coast Pahang state, Chinese ambassador to Malaysia Chai Xi has said.
Jia, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), is scheduled to launch the Malaysia-China Kuantan Industrial Park, a 7-kilometer square development area as a 'sister park' to the China-Malaysia Qingzhou Industrial Park in Shandong province.
He is also expected to sign a number of documents related to, among others, the setup of Xiamen University's first foreign branch in Malaysia and an expansion of a seaport near the Kuantan industrial park.
China hopes Jia's visit would deepen bilateral education cooperation so as to make China-Malaysia traditional friendship last forever... "further reinforce our coordination and communication on regional and global issues for the sake of regional peace, stability and common development", Chai said.
The forthcoming visit underscores the "good momentum in strategic cooperation" China and the Southeast Asian nation had been keeping in recent years, Chai said.
Chinese President Hu Jintao, Premier Wen Jiabao and top Chinese legislator Wu Bangguo visited Malaysia one after another last year while Malaysian Premier Najib Razak, Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin and Senate Speaker also paid visits to China.
Jia will head a 60-member delegation to visit Malaysia on Feb. 4-7. During his stay, Jia will pay a courtesy call to Malaysian King Abdul Halim and Prime Minister Najib Razak.
Several firms in the steel, aluminum and palm oil producing industry sectors have pledged to invest in the Kuantan industrial park, which entices investors with a 10-year tax break, cheaper land and convenient infrastructure, Chai said.
China-Malaysia trade grew 5.3 percent on an annual basis last year to reach 94.8 billion U.S. dollars.
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ecns [expanded by feedex.net]: Cultural confidence shows in owning oddities
ecns [expanded by feedex.net]
ecns
Cultural confidence shows in owning oddities
http://www.ecns.cn/voices/2013/02-03/48546.shtml
Feb 3rd 2013, 01:35
2013-02-03 10:35 Web Editor: Liu Xian
comment
It was reported recently that Legend of Zhen Huan, the hottest Chinese TV drama series of 2012 which depicts a fierce power struggle among a Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) emperor's concubines, will be aired in the US. Chinese netizens have delighted in imagining the English translations of the genteel dialogues in this TV series.
Taking a humorous tack, netizens have enthusiastically proposed some choice Chinglish translations. The dialogue box added on one still from the drama is especially amusing to Chinese Web users. Zhen Huan, the most favored concubine, leans into the arms of a prince, whom she has an affair with. The dialogue box reads: "Huanhuan, how are you?" "Fine, thank you, and you?"
That's a joke that every Chinese who's learned English in China can get. For me, years after I graduated from middle school, hearing a foreigner say, "How are you?" would prompt an alarmingly instinctive response from deep in my mind: "Fine, thank you, and you?"
That is a short dialogue from English textbooks that every Chinese middle school student learns by heart. In morning reading class, deskmates are encouraged to practice with each other. "How are you?" "Fine, thank you, and you?" "I'm fine too!"
The tone of every word is replicated exactly from the voices from the textbook cassettes. The Chinese language, unlike English, has a very strict tone for every single word. Once young students learn to perfectly imitate the tone of words from the textbook cassettes, which were pronounced with no such intent, they stick to it for a lifetime.
That's why 1,000 Chinese students can recite English sentences together with appallingly identical tones - Fine (in the fourth tone - falling - as measured by Chinese linguistic standards), thank (first tone - high and sustained) you (fourth tone), and you (second tone -rising)?
There is a classic joke lampooning Chinese spoken English as mastered through such rote memorization. A Chinese girl takes a tumble on a mountain in the US. A cop arrives and asks: "How are you?" The girl answers feebly but full of determination, "Fine, thank you, and you?" The cop thus leaves, and the girl is never saved.
Nonetheless, the fact that more and more Chinese have begun to mock such awkward usage actually signals a positive change. Chinese who use English in their daily lives and work have learned to use the language more flexibly, like any other pragmatic tool. Even those who don't have to use English regularly have also abandoned the robotic, stiff English they once learned.
On the other hand, the mockery of Chinglish actually denotes a certain cultural confidence. Previously, educated Chinese, holding great reverence toward the language, could perfectly recite the audio lessons from their childhood English classes but had little bravery to go further.
This is partly to blame for the regional distortion of the language, as learning amounted to endlessly repeating lessons to foster an "authentic" American accent, sparking a religion-like enthusiasm. Today, people are more comfortable with the notion that Chinese characteristics have been added to this global language.
Just like "people mountain people sea," the literal translation of a common Chinese saying, Chinglish expressions are growing increasingly popular among the colossal group of modern English speakers in China. Who knows? If netizens' Chinglish translations are adopted in the US broadcast of this red-hot TV drama, once-formal utterances like "Fine, thank you, and you?" may find their way back into common usage.
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ecns
Cultural confidence shows in owning oddities
http://www.ecns.cn/voices/2013/02-03/48546.shtml
Feb 3rd 2013, 01:35
2013-02-03 10:35 Web Editor: Liu Xian
comment
It was reported recently that Legend of Zhen Huan, the hottest Chinese TV drama series of 2012 which depicts a fierce power struggle among a Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) emperor's concubines, will be aired in the US. Chinese netizens have delighted in imagining the English translations of the genteel dialogues in this TV series.
Taking a humorous tack, netizens have enthusiastically proposed some choice Chinglish translations. The dialogue box added on one still from the drama is especially amusing to Chinese Web users. Zhen Huan, the most favored concubine, leans into the arms of a prince, whom she has an affair with. The dialogue box reads: "Huanhuan, how are you?" "Fine, thank you, and you?"
That's a joke that every Chinese who's learned English in China can get. For me, years after I graduated from middle school, hearing a foreigner say, "How are you?" would prompt an alarmingly instinctive response from deep in my mind: "Fine, thank you, and you?"
That is a short dialogue from English textbooks that every Chinese middle school student learns by heart. In morning reading class, deskmates are encouraged to practice with each other. "How are you?" "Fine, thank you, and you?" "I'm fine too!"
The tone of every word is replicated exactly from the voices from the textbook cassettes. The Chinese language, unlike English, has a very strict tone for every single word. Once young students learn to perfectly imitate the tone of words from the textbook cassettes, which were pronounced with no such intent, they stick to it for a lifetime.
That's why 1,000 Chinese students can recite English sentences together with appallingly identical tones - Fine (in the fourth tone - falling - as measured by Chinese linguistic standards), thank (first tone - high and sustained) you (fourth tone), and you (second tone -rising)?
There is a classic joke lampooning Chinese spoken English as mastered through such rote memorization. A Chinese girl takes a tumble on a mountain in the US. A cop arrives and asks: "How are you?" The girl answers feebly but full of determination, "Fine, thank you, and you?" The cop thus leaves, and the girl is never saved.
Nonetheless, the fact that more and more Chinese have begun to mock such awkward usage actually signals a positive change. Chinese who use English in their daily lives and work have learned to use the language more flexibly, like any other pragmatic tool. Even those who don't have to use English regularly have also abandoned the robotic, stiff English they once learned.
On the other hand, the mockery of Chinglish actually denotes a certain cultural confidence. Previously, educated Chinese, holding great reverence toward the language, could perfectly recite the audio lessons from their childhood English classes but had little bravery to go further.
This is partly to blame for the regional distortion of the language, as learning amounted to endlessly repeating lessons to foster an "authentic" American accent, sparking a religion-like enthusiasm. Today, people are more comfortable with the notion that Chinese characteristics have been added to this global language.
Just like "people mountain people sea," the literal translation of a common Chinese saying, Chinglish expressions are growing increasingly popular among the colossal group of modern English speakers in China. Who knows? If netizens' Chinglish translations are adopted in the US broadcast of this red-hot TV drama, once-formal utterances like "Fine, thank you, and you?" may find their way back into common usage.
You are receiving this email because you subscribed to this feed at http://blogtrottr.com
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ecns [expanded by feedex.net]: Toronto museum beckons Chinese New Year
ecns [expanded by feedex.net]
ecns
Toronto museum beckons Chinese New Year
http://www.ecns.cn/2013/02-03/48548.shtml
Feb 3rd 2013, 02:18
2013-02-03 11:18 Xinhua Web Editor: Liu Xian
comment
One of the most prominent museums in the Canadian city of Toronto was transformed into a galore of Chinese artistry on Saturday, presenting a live snake display, an ethnic costume display and a diverse array of Chinese-themed performances on Saturday.
With the Chinese Lunary New Year just around the corner, the Royal Museum of Ontario (ROM) partnered with the Chinese community to usher in the Year of the Snake with their first annual Chinese Cultural Heritage Day.
The eventful day was not only meant to give families a day of fun through hands-on activities, but also for them to gain an appreciation of the Chinese culture through experiencing various aspects of their heritage.
ROM's CEO Janet Carding believes it's the best way for Canadians of all backgrounds to bridge the cultural gap in a fun and informal setting.
"There are all kinds of things happening so that people coming into Toronto to visit the museum for the day can understand about the Chinese contributions to Ontario," she said. "It's a way of history meeting the future, it's a way of different communities meeting each other, and it's a way of a whole group of people having a lot of fun."
Chinese Consul General Fang Li, along with a number of government officials, attended the opening ceremony to kick off the festivities. Hundreds of Canadians were treated to a number of special performances such as the traditional Chinese lion dance, a Tai Chi demonstration and musical performances.
The ROM has been holding its own Chinese New Year events every year, but this year, it renamed them the Chinese Cultural Heritage Day. Carding said it's a way to widen the scope and engage people in a deeper conversation about the Chinese culture.
"It's allowed us to take the next step to have a bigger and deeper relationship," she said. "So alongside the celebrations of the new year, which we've had in the past years, there is just a great deal more that's actually happening."
Some of the things on display included a Chinese Ethnic Costume exhibit that showcased dozens of vibrant traditional clothing. People also got to sample some Chinese tea and learn all about China's national treasure through a collection of photos at Xinhua News Agency's panda photo gallery.
The more adventurous and hands-on guests had the opportunity to pet some live snakes that were brought in as a symbol of the Year of the Snake. They could touch and feel the snake and Komodo dragon skins on display, or otherwise engage in some paper cutting and other crafts with their children.
But besides all the things to see and do, museum-goers also got to talk to Chinese artists who were showcasing their work at the event.
Ken Chui, a Chinese calligrapher, said it's a perfect opportunity for him to spread the craft and get more people interested in the Chinese culture.
"We want to show foreigners our culture. Calligraphy is an integral part of our culture, I hope they can learn more about our culture this way," he said. "Calligraphy is a very healthy form of art. When we write, our body is relaxed, it's very comfortable."
Besides having a variety of exhibits and performances, Carding believes the best way to pique people's interest is by encouraging discussion and conversation.
"The ROM is all about people, our collections are wonderful in their own right, they're wonderful and delightful to look at, but they really come to life when people can tell their story," she said.
"And so what we're seeing in the ROM today are families coming in, looking at our Chinese collections, taking part in the programs, the dance, the ceremony, and it's giving them a whole different perspective on what it is to perhaps have a Chinese heritage."
While there were many Chinese guests in attendance, the event also attracted a number of Canadians who had stumbled into the event coincidentally. Jeff Cutler initially brought his family to the ROM to see the dinosaur exhibit, but was drawn in by all the performances onstage.
"It's been really fun, we're going to watch some dancing and we know there's some music," he said. "It's very interesting to see something new, and I know they have a Chinese portion of the museum, and that we find really interesting, so for us, it was just all new, we're just taking it in as it goes."
And for others, it was a chance for them to instill some Chinese culture in the younger generation. To help his two half-Chinese children understand their culture, Jesse Elve brought his kids to watch some Kung-fu movies and see the live snake display to pique their interests and get them excited about their heritage.
"They're half-Chinese, so we're always trying to teach them about being Chinese," said Elve.
Copyright ©1999-2011 Chinanews.com. All rights reserved.
Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited.
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ecns
Toronto museum beckons Chinese New Year
http://www.ecns.cn/2013/02-03/48548.shtml
Feb 3rd 2013, 02:18
2013-02-03 11:18 Xinhua Web Editor: Liu Xian
comment
One of the most prominent museums in the Canadian city of Toronto was transformed into a galore of Chinese artistry on Saturday, presenting a live snake display, an ethnic costume display and a diverse array of Chinese-themed performances on Saturday.
With the Chinese Lunary New Year just around the corner, the Royal Museum of Ontario (ROM) partnered with the Chinese community to usher in the Year of the Snake with their first annual Chinese Cultural Heritage Day.
The eventful day was not only meant to give families a day of fun through hands-on activities, but also for them to gain an appreciation of the Chinese culture through experiencing various aspects of their heritage.
ROM's CEO Janet Carding believes it's the best way for Canadians of all backgrounds to bridge the cultural gap in a fun and informal setting.
"There are all kinds of things happening so that people coming into Toronto to visit the museum for the day can understand about the Chinese contributions to Ontario," she said. "It's a way of history meeting the future, it's a way of different communities meeting each other, and it's a way of a whole group of people having a lot of fun."
Chinese Consul General Fang Li, along with a number of government officials, attended the opening ceremony to kick off the festivities. Hundreds of Canadians were treated to a number of special performances such as the traditional Chinese lion dance, a Tai Chi demonstration and musical performances.
The ROM has been holding its own Chinese New Year events every year, but this year, it renamed them the Chinese Cultural Heritage Day. Carding said it's a way to widen the scope and engage people in a deeper conversation about the Chinese culture.
"It's allowed us to take the next step to have a bigger and deeper relationship," she said. "So alongside the celebrations of the new year, which we've had in the past years, there is just a great deal more that's actually happening."
Some of the things on display included a Chinese Ethnic Costume exhibit that showcased dozens of vibrant traditional clothing. People also got to sample some Chinese tea and learn all about China's national treasure through a collection of photos at Xinhua News Agency's panda photo gallery.
The more adventurous and hands-on guests had the opportunity to pet some live snakes that were brought in as a symbol of the Year of the Snake. They could touch and feel the snake and Komodo dragon skins on display, or otherwise engage in some paper cutting and other crafts with their children.
But besides all the things to see and do, museum-goers also got to talk to Chinese artists who were showcasing their work at the event.
Ken Chui, a Chinese calligrapher, said it's a perfect opportunity for him to spread the craft and get more people interested in the Chinese culture.
"We want to show foreigners our culture. Calligraphy is an integral part of our culture, I hope they can learn more about our culture this way," he said. "Calligraphy is a very healthy form of art. When we write, our body is relaxed, it's very comfortable."
Besides having a variety of exhibits and performances, Carding believes the best way to pique people's interest is by encouraging discussion and conversation.
"The ROM is all about people, our collections are wonderful in their own right, they're wonderful and delightful to look at, but they really come to life when people can tell their story," she said.
"And so what we're seeing in the ROM today are families coming in, looking at our Chinese collections, taking part in the programs, the dance, the ceremony, and it's giving them a whole different perspective on what it is to perhaps have a Chinese heritage."
While there were many Chinese guests in attendance, the event also attracted a number of Canadians who had stumbled into the event coincidentally. Jeff Cutler initially brought his family to the ROM to see the dinosaur exhibit, but was drawn in by all the performances onstage.
"It's been really fun, we're going to watch some dancing and we know there's some music," he said. "It's very interesting to see something new, and I know they have a Chinese portion of the museum, and that we find really interesting, so for us, it was just all new, we're just taking it in as it goes."
And for others, it was a chance for them to instill some Chinese culture in the younger generation. To help his two half-Chinese children understand their culture, Jesse Elve brought his kids to watch some Kung-fu movies and see the live snake display to pique their interests and get them excited about their heritage.
"They're half-Chinese, so we're always trying to teach them about being Chinese," said Elve.
Copyright ©1999-2011 Chinanews.com. All rights reserved.
Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited.
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ecns [expanded by feedex.net]: Public debate swirls over China's fuel quality
ecns [expanded by feedex.net]
ecns
Public debate swirls over China's fuel quality
http://www.ecns.cn/2013/02-03/48550.shtml
Feb 3rd 2013, 02:35
2013-02-03 11:35 Xinhua Web Editor: Liu Xian
comment
After an unusually smoggy January, Beijingers were happy to see a blue sky on Friday, but it wasn't enough to distract them from the debate over what is causing the putrid air.
The latest round of smog started from Tuesday and covered 1.3 million square kilometers across the country's central and eastern regions.
Xue Manzi, a popular Chinese microblogger who lives in Beijing, said Wednesday that low-quality fuel threatens people's lives and called for immediate action to curb air pollution.
China has no country-wide standard on sulphur content in gasoline, and such standards currently vary by region: 10 parts per million (ppm) or below in Beijing; 50 ppm or below in developed provinces and municipalities like Shanghai and Jiangsu; and 150 ppm or below elsewhere.
Meanwhile, the standards in the United States and Europe are set at 30 ppm and 10 ppm, respectively -- well below China's average.
Chenwen.com, a social networking site for car owners and dealers, conducted sample surveys on the sulphur content of fuel from gas stations in east and suburban Beijing on Jan. 24. According to the survey, nearly one quarter of the gasoline tested failed to meet the city's 10 ppm standard.
The results, which were unveiled on Thursday, prompted calls for action over vehicle emissions and fuel quality, which allegedly contribute to the lingering smog.
Fu Chengyu, chairman of Sinopec Group, said that enterprises involved in oil refinement are responsible for the heavy smog, but he also defended fuel quality and placed blame on the country's low gasoline standards.
On Sina Weibo, China's Twitter-like microblogging platform, netizens quickly jumped on Fu's remarks, largely with censure and sarcasm.
"Yangshiweiping," the microblog account for commentary from China Central Television, the country's state broadcaster, questioned whether Sinopec was excusing itself or apologizing for delays in improving its oil products and the company's weak sense of social responsibility.
Yue Xin, a member of the committee that sets fuel standards, wrote that over 70 percent of the committee's 37 members work for oil companies and its secretariat is located in the Sinopec headquarters.
"Suibianbushuohua" compared Sinopec to Sanlu for using the country's regulations to distract the public. Sanlu became the center of a notorious food safety incident in 2008, when its melamine-tainted protein powder caused the deaths of at least six infants and sickened 300,000 others.
Sinopec responded on Friday, saying its 12 affiliated enterprises will finish the construction of desulphurizers and put them into use by the end of 2013, as well as provide fuel with sulphur content of 50 ppm or below across the nation from 2014.
While some netizens expressed faith in Sinopec's ability to upgrade its equipment and improve its products, they were also worried that the company could pass the costs of these efforts onto consumers.
Others, however, gave Sinopec the benefit of the doubt, calling it a massive state-owned conglomeration under great pressure to coordinate its business around the country. They continued to hold climate change responsible for the lingering smog.
Copyright ©1999-2011 Chinanews.com. All rights reserved.
Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited.
You are receiving this email because you subscribed to this feed at http://blogtrottr.com
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ecns
Public debate swirls over China's fuel quality
http://www.ecns.cn/2013/02-03/48550.shtml
Feb 3rd 2013, 02:35
2013-02-03 11:35 Xinhua Web Editor: Liu Xian
comment
After an unusually smoggy January, Beijingers were happy to see a blue sky on Friday, but it wasn't enough to distract them from the debate over what is causing the putrid air.
The latest round of smog started from Tuesday and covered 1.3 million square kilometers across the country's central and eastern regions.
Xue Manzi, a popular Chinese microblogger who lives in Beijing, said Wednesday that low-quality fuel threatens people's lives and called for immediate action to curb air pollution.
China has no country-wide standard on sulphur content in gasoline, and such standards currently vary by region: 10 parts per million (ppm) or below in Beijing; 50 ppm or below in developed provinces and municipalities like Shanghai and Jiangsu; and 150 ppm or below elsewhere.
Meanwhile, the standards in the United States and Europe are set at 30 ppm and 10 ppm, respectively -- well below China's average.
Chenwen.com, a social networking site for car owners and dealers, conducted sample surveys on the sulphur content of fuel from gas stations in east and suburban Beijing on Jan. 24. According to the survey, nearly one quarter of the gasoline tested failed to meet the city's 10 ppm standard.
The results, which were unveiled on Thursday, prompted calls for action over vehicle emissions and fuel quality, which allegedly contribute to the lingering smog.
Fu Chengyu, chairman of Sinopec Group, said that enterprises involved in oil refinement are responsible for the heavy smog, but he also defended fuel quality and placed blame on the country's low gasoline standards.
On Sina Weibo, China's Twitter-like microblogging platform, netizens quickly jumped on Fu's remarks, largely with censure and sarcasm.
"Yangshiweiping," the microblog account for commentary from China Central Television, the country's state broadcaster, questioned whether Sinopec was excusing itself or apologizing for delays in improving its oil products and the company's weak sense of social responsibility.
Yue Xin, a member of the committee that sets fuel standards, wrote that over 70 percent of the committee's 37 members work for oil companies and its secretariat is located in the Sinopec headquarters.
"Suibianbushuohua" compared Sinopec to Sanlu for using the country's regulations to distract the public. Sanlu became the center of a notorious food safety incident in 2008, when its melamine-tainted protein powder caused the deaths of at least six infants and sickened 300,000 others.
Sinopec responded on Friday, saying its 12 affiliated enterprises will finish the construction of desulphurizers and put them into use by the end of 2013, as well as provide fuel with sulphur content of 50 ppm or below across the nation from 2014.
While some netizens expressed faith in Sinopec's ability to upgrade its equipment and improve its products, they were also worried that the company could pass the costs of these efforts onto consumers.
Others, however, gave Sinopec the benefit of the doubt, calling it a massive state-owned conglomeration under great pressure to coordinate its business around the country. They continued to hold climate change responsible for the lingering smog.
Copyright ©1999-2011 Chinanews.com. All rights reserved.
Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited.
You are receiving this email because you subscribed to this feed at http://blogtrottr.com
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ecns [expanded by feedex.net]: Rich find spirit of generous giving
ecns [expanded by feedex.net]
ecns
Rich find spirit of generous giving
http://www.ecns.cn/2013/02-02/48510.shtml
Feb 2nd 2013, 01:42
2013-02-02 10:42 China Daily Web Editor: Liu Xian
comment
China's rich showed increasing enthusiasm about making big donations to the nonprofit sector and most of their donations, including pledges, went to universities in 2012, according to a new report.
Last year saw charitable gifts of 4.9 billion yuan ($787 million) and pledges of 60 billion yuan from the country's top 100 individual donors, according to the China Philanthropy Research Institute of Beijing Normal University.
The total value was five times that of the previous year, it said.
Huang Nubo, chairman of Beijing Zhongkun Investment Group, a private company, topped the list as the most generous donor with a pledged gift of 50 billion yuan to Peking University over 10 years.
Huang, alumnus of Peking University, donated 900 million yuan to the university and another 20 million yuan to another two higher education institutions in 2011.
Yang Xiu, a real estate developer in Nanjing, Jiangsu province, ranked third on the list with a generous donation of 400 million yuan to Nanjing University.
Liu Xiaoli, secretary-general of the Nanjing University Education Development Foundation that received Yang's donation, said that Yang signed a contract with the university, promising a fund of 100 million yuan to support history studies and the rest to help the university set up a department of engineering.
"In the past, we received small donations from entrepreneurs or alumni who simply asked us to provide scholarships for students from poor family backgrounds. Spending that money was an easy job for us," Liu said.
"Now, we need to establish a foundation and make long-term plans to ensure that the large donations can be used effectively," she said.
The report also showed that more than 80 percent of the giving went to the education sector.
The mainland's new tycoons from the property, energy, high-tech, construction and financial sectors made the most contributions in large donations.
Deng Guosheng, director of the NGO Research Center at Tsinghua University, said large charitable giving became a significant trend in China after the devastating earthquake in 2008 aroused public passion to donate for disaster relief work.
"However, our research also found that many rich Chinese people assumed philanthropy was a simple task and few have a clear strategy in charitable giving or making sustainable efforts to help solve some social problems such as aging," he said.
"It resulted in overlapping donations in a few fields, including education," he said.
Wang Zhenyao, director of the China Philanthropy Research Institute at Beijing Normal University, said that rapidly accumulated wealth in the charitable sector also calls for better management and transparency in spending.
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ecns
Rich find spirit of generous giving
http://www.ecns.cn/2013/02-02/48510.shtml
Feb 2nd 2013, 01:42
2013-02-02 10:42 China Daily Web Editor: Liu Xian
comment
China's rich showed increasing enthusiasm about making big donations to the nonprofit sector and most of their donations, including pledges, went to universities in 2012, according to a new report.
Last year saw charitable gifts of 4.9 billion yuan ($787 million) and pledges of 60 billion yuan from the country's top 100 individual donors, according to the China Philanthropy Research Institute of Beijing Normal University.
The total value was five times that of the previous year, it said.
Huang Nubo, chairman of Beijing Zhongkun Investment Group, a private company, topped the list as the most generous donor with a pledged gift of 50 billion yuan to Peking University over 10 years.
Huang, alumnus of Peking University, donated 900 million yuan to the university and another 20 million yuan to another two higher education institutions in 2011.
Yang Xiu, a real estate developer in Nanjing, Jiangsu province, ranked third on the list with a generous donation of 400 million yuan to Nanjing University.
Liu Xiaoli, secretary-general of the Nanjing University Education Development Foundation that received Yang's donation, said that Yang signed a contract with the university, promising a fund of 100 million yuan to support history studies and the rest to help the university set up a department of engineering.
"In the past, we received small donations from entrepreneurs or alumni who simply asked us to provide scholarships for students from poor family backgrounds. Spending that money was an easy job for us," Liu said.
"Now, we need to establish a foundation and make long-term plans to ensure that the large donations can be used effectively," she said.
The report also showed that more than 80 percent of the giving went to the education sector.
The mainland's new tycoons from the property, energy, high-tech, construction and financial sectors made the most contributions in large donations.
Deng Guosheng, director of the NGO Research Center at Tsinghua University, said large charitable giving became a significant trend in China after the devastating earthquake in 2008 aroused public passion to donate for disaster relief work.
"However, our research also found that many rich Chinese people assumed philanthropy was a simple task and few have a clear strategy in charitable giving or making sustainable efforts to help solve some social problems such as aging," he said.
"It resulted in overlapping donations in a few fields, including education," he said.
Wang Zhenyao, director of the China Philanthropy Research Institute at Beijing Normal University, said that rapidly accumulated wealth in the charitable sector also calls for better management and transparency in spending.
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ecns [expanded by feedex.net]: Chongqing urges preservation of relics
ecns [expanded by feedex.net]
ecns
Chongqing urges preservation of relics
http://www.ecns.cn/2013/02-02/48511.shtml
Feb 2nd 2013, 01:43
2013-02-02 10:43 China Daily Web Editor: Liu Xian
comment
Chongqing, the provisional capital when China fought invading Japanese forces from 1937 to 1945, needs to preserve its wartime relics, political advisers said.
The Chongqing branches of two non-Communist parties — the China Association for Promoting Democracy and the Jiu San Society — have proposed that the municipality step up efforts to protect its legacy from the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression.
"The cultural legacy from the war against Japanese aggression is one of the municipality's most valuable historic assets. However, it is also among the least well-protected aspects of the historic cultural heritage in the municipality," said Zhang Kemin, deputy chairwoman of the Chongqing branch of CAPD, during an annual session of the Chongqing committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference.
Chongqing gained political prominence after the Japanese invasion. After Nanjing fell to the Japanese in 1937, Chong- qing became the provisional capital.
The city suffered many casualties and losses as the Japanese army attacked the city with its air force from 1938 to 1943 during the Bombing of Chongqing.
The city now has more than 600 relics from the period, half of which have been destroyed, according to another proposal by the Chongqing branch of the Jiu San Society.
Only 18.5 percent of the relics are well protected, the proposal said.
In the municipality's Ba-nan district, a prisoner-of-war camp for Japanese soldiers was used as a pigsty by local farmers, Chongqing Evening News reported. A graveyard for pilots who fought in the Bombing of Chongqing period was also beyond recognition.
"Those relics are priceless. However, now local residents cannot even find a place to mourn that historic period," said Han Ziyu, author of several books on wartime cultural relics in Chongqing.
The Jiu San Society proposal said: "The protection of those relics requires concrete plans and measures by authorities. Currently, the funding and staff devoted to the protection is far from adequate."
Zhang said promoting the municipality's wartime heritage will not only boost tourism but also enhance international cultural exchanges.
Kuang Youzhi, head of the municipality's archives bureau, said Chongqing and Taiwan will expand archives exchanges covering wartime heritage.
The municipality's archives will host one exhibition on wartime culture and land reform in Taiwan in September. It is also preparing for two more exhibitions in Taiwan in the next two years.
The municipality has already reconstructed some cultural relics in the past few years.
In November, a street that depicts life during Kuomintang times was opened in the Liangjiang New Area. It was also the location for the filming of the blockbuster Back to 1942.
The street received thousands of local visitors on the first day it opened, creating traffic congestion in the area, according to a news statement by the Liangjiang New Area.
"The popularity of the street also demonstrates that the wartime culture and reconstruction of cultural relics during that period has huge business potential as well, and it will certainly help boost tourism," the CAPD's Zhang said.
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ecns
Chongqing urges preservation of relics
http://www.ecns.cn/2013/02-02/48511.shtml
Feb 2nd 2013, 01:43
2013-02-02 10:43 China Daily Web Editor: Liu Xian
comment
Chongqing, the provisional capital when China fought invading Japanese forces from 1937 to 1945, needs to preserve its wartime relics, political advisers said.
The Chongqing branches of two non-Communist parties — the China Association for Promoting Democracy and the Jiu San Society — have proposed that the municipality step up efforts to protect its legacy from the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression.
"The cultural legacy from the war against Japanese aggression is one of the municipality's most valuable historic assets. However, it is also among the least well-protected aspects of the historic cultural heritage in the municipality," said Zhang Kemin, deputy chairwoman of the Chongqing branch of CAPD, during an annual session of the Chongqing committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference.
Chongqing gained political prominence after the Japanese invasion. After Nanjing fell to the Japanese in 1937, Chong- qing became the provisional capital.
The city suffered many casualties and losses as the Japanese army attacked the city with its air force from 1938 to 1943 during the Bombing of Chongqing.
The city now has more than 600 relics from the period, half of which have been destroyed, according to another proposal by the Chongqing branch of the Jiu San Society.
Only 18.5 percent of the relics are well protected, the proposal said.
In the municipality's Ba-nan district, a prisoner-of-war camp for Japanese soldiers was used as a pigsty by local farmers, Chongqing Evening News reported. A graveyard for pilots who fought in the Bombing of Chongqing period was also beyond recognition.
"Those relics are priceless. However, now local residents cannot even find a place to mourn that historic period," said Han Ziyu, author of several books on wartime cultural relics in Chongqing.
The Jiu San Society proposal said: "The protection of those relics requires concrete plans and measures by authorities. Currently, the funding and staff devoted to the protection is far from adequate."
Zhang said promoting the municipality's wartime heritage will not only boost tourism but also enhance international cultural exchanges.
Kuang Youzhi, head of the municipality's archives bureau, said Chongqing and Taiwan will expand archives exchanges covering wartime heritage.
The municipality's archives will host one exhibition on wartime culture and land reform in Taiwan in September. It is also preparing for two more exhibitions in Taiwan in the next two years.
The municipality has already reconstructed some cultural relics in the past few years.
In November, a street that depicts life during Kuomintang times was opened in the Liangjiang New Area. It was also the location for the filming of the blockbuster Back to 1942.
The street received thousands of local visitors on the first day it opened, creating traffic congestion in the area, according to a news statement by the Liangjiang New Area.
"The popularity of the street also demonstrates that the wartime culture and reconstruction of cultural relics during that period has huge business potential as well, and it will certainly help boost tourism," the CAPD's Zhang said.
Copyright ©1999-2011 Chinanews.com. All rights reserved.
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