BEIJING, Feb. 8 (Xinhua) -- Irrigation has covered 52.7 percent of the wheat farmland in drought-hit provinces in China by Saturday, said the Ministry of Agriculture. A total of 85 million mu (about 5.67 hectares) of wheat land have been irrigated in eight drought-stricken provincial regions, the ministry told a meeting on Sunday. Minister Sun Zhengcai said it is of importance to fully use machines in the fight against drought. People irrigate a wheat field in Laocheng Township of Changge County, central China's Henan Province, Feb. 3, 2009. Henan, one of China's key wheat producing regions, has suffered from drought since Oct. 24, 2008. Some 2.9 million hectares of farmland in Henan were affected He asked local governments to increase subsidies for farmers to buy more irrigation-related and water-saving equipments, and make every effort to expand the irrigation coverage and save water. By Saturday, 152 million mu of wheat farmland, which accounted for 95 percent of the drought-stricken crops in China, was affected in eight provincial regions including Hebei, Shanxi, Anhui, Jiangsu, Henan, Shandong, Shaanxi and Gansu. Rain and snow from Friday to Sunday in the southeastern part of northwest China and the southwestern part of north China has reduced the area of drought-affected farmland by 20 million mu. China experienced the most severe drought for decades. As of Saturday, 299 million mu of crops, 4.42 million people and 2.2 million heads of livestock were affected. The crops affected was 110 million mu more than the average level during the same period in past years. During a visit to central China's drought-hit Henan Province on Saturday and Sunday, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao has urged officials in drought-hit areas to place "top priority" on relief work as agricultural stability concerns China's bid to revive its economy. China has declared the highest level of emergency in response to the drought, employing artificial means to induce rains and allocating 86.7 billion yuan (about 12.69 billion U.S. dollars) as subsidies to farmers. In addition, the central government has decided to earmark 400 million yuan to local governments for drought relief.
BEIJING, March 15 (Xinhua) -- Industrial and commercial authorities across China investigated about 76,500 fake food cases in 2008, which involved 274 million yuan (about 40.3 million U.S. dollars) in value, according to a high-level meeting on consumption held Saturday. Ma Yong, a senior official with the National Food Industry Association, said the major cause of China's food safety problem was the use of illicit substances. Officers from local commerce administration examine commodities at a market in Nanchang, east China's Jiangxi province, March 15, 2009. Lots of events to mark the World Consumer Rights Day were held across China on Sunday.With the theme of "integrity, consumption and development", the meeting was joined by the State Administration for Industry and Commerce and China Consumers' Association. To better deal with the food problem, China adopted the Food Safety Law on Feb. 28, which will go into effect on June 1. The law has been widely seen as a new push to improve food safety in the country through stricter monitoring and supervision, tougher safety standards, recall of substandard products and severe punishment on offenders. Officers (L) from local commerce administration answer people's questions during an event to mark the World Consumer Rights Day in Beijing March 15, 2009. Lots of such events were held across China on Sunday
BEIJING, Feb. 27 (Xinhua) -- China lodged another stern representation to Japan on Friday over Japanese Foreign Minister Hirofumi Nakasone's remarks that the Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security between Japan and United States is applicable to the Diaoyu Islands. According to the reports by the Taiwan-based Broadcasting Corporation of China (BCC), an official of the U.S. State Department, familiar with East Asian affairs, said at a press conference in Washington on Friday that the Diaoyu Islands were always under Japan's administrative jurisdiction and the Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security between Japan and United States was applicable to them. Japanese Foreign Minister Hirofumi Nakasone echoed the U.S. official's remarks afterwards. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Ma Zhaoxu rejected Nakasone's remarks later in a press release, saying the Japan-U.S. Mutual Cooperation and Security Treaty should not harm the interests of third parties, including China. "Any words and deeds that bring the Diaoyu Islands into the scope of the Japan-U.S. Mutual Cooperation and Security Treaty are absolutely unacceptable for the Chinese people," he said. Ma stressed again that the Diaoyu Islands and adjacent islets had been Chinese territories since ancient times and China held "indisputable" sovereignty over the islands. "We have lodged stern representations to Japan again and required the United States to clarify reports on the issue," he said. He also urged the two countries to realize the great sensitivity of the Diaoyu Islands issue and proceed with discretion in word and deed, so as to avoid damage to the general interests of China-Japan and China-U.S. relations and regional stability.
NAIROBI, Feb. 8 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Hu Jintao will pay state visits to the African countries of Mali, Senegal, Tanzania and Mauritius in mid-February, his second trip to the continent in search for closer cooperation since the 2006 Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation. The top-level visit follows a four-nation African tour by Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi in intensified efforts to forge full partnership with Africa. China and African countries have made great achievements in developing a new type of strategic partnership since the Beijing Summit, with more frequent high-level exchanges. Three months after the summit, President Hu Jintao embarked an African tour of eight countries initiating the process of implementing the achievements of the summit to benefit the continent. Some senior Chinese officials also went to Africa on friendly missions in 2008. On African side, more than 20 leaders visited China last year, attending the opening ceremonies of the Beijing Olympics and Paralympics or watching the Olympic Games. African countries have always been supportive on issues concerning China's core interests since the establishment of diplomatic ties decades ago and offered aid and support to China's quake relief efforts last year, showing the deep friendship between the two sides. China cherishes the support from the continent and pledges to further implement the achievements of Beijing Summit by helping African countries maintain political stability and boost economic development. China devised an eight-measure policy to enhance economic and trade cooperation with Africa in 2006 Beijing Summit, including assistance, preferential finance, construction of a conference center for the African Union, debt cancellation, more African market share in China, professional training, and establishment of trade and economic cooperation zones in Africa. The policy has been effectively carried out with remarkable achievements in the past two years. By the end of 2008, the China-Africa Fund had invested nearly 400 million U.S. dollars in 20 projects, generating an investment in Africa by Chinese enterprises to about 2 billion dollars. Bilateral trade hit 106.8 billion dollars in 2008, after exceeding 10 billion dollars in 2000. The made-in-China brand finds its way into African families, while market share for a variety of African commodities in China has also snowballed. China has also cancelled part of debts for the most indebted and least developed countries in Africa, at the same time, lifting tariffs on imports from those countries. In addition, the construction of economic and trade zones or duty free trade zones in Africa is progressing smoothly, including the Zambia-China Economic and Trade Cooperation Zone, the Guangdong Economic and Trade Cooperation Zone in Nigeria and the Lekky Duty Free Trade Zone in Lagos, Nigeria, the Egypt-Suez Economic and Trade Zone and Ethiopian Orient Industrial Park. Cultural exchanges have also been active and fruitful between the two sides. African song and dance have gained their audience in China and China's Confucius Institute has also taken root in Africa since its first landing in the University of Nairobi, Kenya, in December 2005. Cooperation and exchanges between China and Africa have enhanced friendship and understanding between the two peoples. Malian President Amadou Toumany Toure, whose country is the first in sub-Saharan Africa to establish diplomatic ties with China, applauded the Chinese President's upcoming visit, hoping it will bring bilateral cooperation to a new height. Mali will warmly welcome President Hu, Toure said, adding that he will invite Hu to attend the inauguration of a China-aid bridge project in the country's capital Bamako. Senegal is also looking forward to Hu's visit. Abdoulaye Balde, spokesman for the presidential office, said his country was bracing itself for the first visit by a Chinese head of state since the two countries resumed diplomatic ties three years ago. Senegalese President Abdoulaye Wade visited China twice in 2006 in a bid to boost bilateral ties, Balde said, expressing his belief that the top-level exchange would give impetus to the development of strategic partnership between the two countries. Officials in Tanzania and Mauritius also welcome Hu's upcoming visits, hoping to further enhance cooperation with China, which they see as a rising power that will benefit Africa as well as other developing nations.
MEDELLIN, Colombia, March 29 (Xinhua) -- China's membership in the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) will broaden cooperation between China and Latin America, China's central bank governor Zhou Xiaochuan said here Saturday. Closer bilateral cooperation will enhance their ability to jointly tackle the ongoing financial crisis, Zhou told an IDB meeting in Medellin. Chinese Central Bank Governor Zhou Xiaochuan attends the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) meeting in Medellin, Colombia, March 28, 2009. Zhou on Saturday urged for international financial reforms in the face of the global economic downturn. He added that China, as a new member, is willing to share development experience and enhance trade relations with Latin America. South-South cooperation is all the more important amid the current financial crisis, and China will expand its trade with and increase its investment in Latin American countries after it joined the IDB, he said. Two-way trade between China and Latin America has grown at an average annual rate of 40 percent in recent years, hitting a record high of 143.3 billion U.S. dollars in 2008. China joined the IDB as its 48th member country in January this year. Zhou is here for the 50th annual meeting of the IDB, scheduled for March 27-31 in the Colombian city of Medellin. The IDB group, founded in 1959 and headquartered in Washington D.C., is the oldest and largest regional inter-governmental development financial institution. It is aimed to promote economic and social development in Latin America and the Caribbean.
BEIJING, March 7 (Xinhua) -- China should speed up reforming its financial system to make the yuan an international currency, said political advisors Saturday. "A significant inspiration to draw from the global financial crisis is that we must play an active role in the reconstruction of the international financial order," said Peter Kwong Ching Woo, chairman of the Hong Kong-based Wharf (Holdings) Limited. The key to financial reform is to make the yuan an international currency, said Woo in a speech to the Second Session of the 11th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), the country's top political advisory body. That means using the Chinese currency to settle international trade payments, allowing the yuan freely convertible on the capital account and making it an international reserve currency, he said. China's yuan, or Renminbi, can be freely convertible on the current account but not on the capital account, preventing it from being a reserve currency or a choice in international trade settlement. China has announced trial programs to settle trade in the yuan, a move analysts say will facilitate foreign trade as Chinese exporters might face losses if they continue to be paid in the U.S. dollar. The dollar's exchange rate has become more volatile since the global financial crisis. Economists say the move will increase the acceptance of the currency in Asia, which will help it become an international currency in the long run. The status of the yuan as an international currency will benefit China by giving it a bigger say in world financial issues and reducing the reliance of its huge foreign reserves on the U.S. dollar, some analysts say. Other analysts argue a fully convertible yuan will hurt China as it would allow massive capital outflow during a financial crisis. Meanwhile, Chinese authorities remain cautious. It's possible that the global financial crisis will facilitate the process of making the yuan internationally accepted, but there's no need to push for that, Yi Gang, vice central bank governor, told Xinhua earlier this month. That process should be conducive to all sides, he said. Xu Shanda, former vice director of the State Administration of Taxation and a CPPCC National Committee member, urged for faster paces in making the yuan an international currency as a way of increasing national wealth. He said the United States and the European Union have obtained hefty royalties from the international use of their currencies while China has become the biggest source of that income. A royalty, or seignior age, results from the difference between the cost of printing currency and the face value of the money. "China's loss due to royalty payment has far exceeded the benefit of not making the yuan an international currency," he said in a speech to the annual session of the CPPCC National Committee, without elaborating. China's State Council, or Cabinet, said last December it would allow the yuan to be used for settlement between the country's two economic powerhouses -- Guangdong Province and the Yangtze River Delta -- and the special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macao. Meanwhile, exporters in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and Yunnan Province will be allowed to use Renminbi to settle trade payments with ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) members.
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BEIJING, March 2 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councilor Ma Kai asked for more active policy to boost employment, guarantee economic growth, people's livelihood and social stability here on Monday. Ma made the comments when addressing the opening ceremony of China National School of Administration. He suggested that policies to boost economic growth and enhance economic structure should be combined more closely with the effort to create job opportunities. Measures should be taken to relieve companies' burdens and maintain existing positions for employees, Ma said. He also encouraged job seekers to start their own businesses, and adjust their job expectations. Ma highlighted the importance of creating jobs for university graduates, migrant workers, veterans and families with no income.
WUXI, Jiangsu, March 28 (Xinhua) -- China's top political advisor has urged the country to press forward the government's stimulus plans and spare no efforts to achieve the 2009 economic and social development targets. All sides in China should combine their strength to boost growth, guarantee people's well being and maintain social stability amid the downturn, said Jia Qinglin, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), during a research tour to Wuxi city of eastern China's Jiangsu Province over the weekend. China aims at an annual economic growth of about 8 percent this year after the global financial crisis slowed the 2008 growth to a seven-year low of 9 percent. Jia Qinglin (C front), member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, investigates Hynix-Numonyx Semiconductor Ltd. in Wuxi, east China's Jiangsu Province, March 28, 2009. Jia Qinglin, together with Chinese Vice Premier Hui Liangyu, who is also a member of the Political Bureau of CPC Central Committee, made an investigation tour in Wuxi from March 27 through 28 Jia reaffirmed that the fundamentals of China's economy and its long-term upward direction has not changed, though 2009 will be "the most difficult year" for the country's economy since the beginning of the 21st century. He told local authorities and entrepreneurs to vigorously develop advanced manufacturing, modern service sector and high-tech industries. Measures should be taken to speed up industrial upgrading, explore international markets and introduce more overseas high-level talents, said Jia. He underscored the urgency of creating more jobs and improving social welfare. He also called for more government investment to rural areas to support agriculture and raise farmers' income. Jia Qinglin (2nd L, front), member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, investigates the Yangshan peach orchard in Wuxi, east China's Jiangsu Province, March 28, 2009
BEIJING, Feb.2 (Xinhua) -- "The wheat grass gets so dry that it catches fire! I've never seen this in my whole life," said 50-year-old Wei Liuding in Baisha village, Muzhong County of North China's Henan Province. Wang Hongwei, a farmer from Putaojia Village of Henan's Lankao County, grievingly held a grasp of wheat grass roots in his hand. "All the wheat in my land is dying like this," he told a Xinhua reporter. Photo taken on Feb. 2, 2009 shows the droughty reservoir in Yiyang County of Luoyang city, central China's Henan ProvinceHenan, China's major grain producer, issued a red alert for drought Thursday. The provincial meteorological bureau said the drought is the worst since 1951. The drought have affected about 63 percent of the province's 78.9 million mu (5.26 million hectares) of wheat. But Henan Province is not the only victim in thirsty northern China. Anhui Province issued a red drought alert Sunday, forecasting a major drought that will plague more than 60 percent of the crops north of the Huaihe River is no rain is reported by next week. Shanxi Province was put on orange drought alert on Jan. 21, as nearly one million people and 160,000 heads of livestock are facing water shortage. Provinces such as Shaanxi, Shandong, Hebei and Jiangsu are also reeling from droughts. According to the Office of State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters on Sunday, the droughts in northern China have affected about 145 million mu (9.67 million hectares) of crops, and have left 3.7 million people and 1.85 million livestock with poor access to drinking water. Secretary of the office E Jingping said the headquarters sent four working teams to eight provinces to supervise the drought relief work. The Ministry of Finance (MOF) has allocated 100 million yuan (14.6 million U.S. dollars) in emergency funding to help ease the drought. E said about 1.38 billion yuan had been used to fund the relief work since the end of December. Some 74.60 million mu (4.97million hectares) of farmland have been irrigated, and drinking water shortages have been eased for about 500,000 people and 280,000 livestock. The irrigation system in the drought area is under a crucial test. The water flow under Xiaolangdi Dam on the Yellow River reached 550 cubic meters per second as of 2 p.m. Saturday, to help soothe the drought in Henan Province. "The water in my well is very deep today," Wei Liuding told Xinhua reporter Sunday. "Although we were informed that the government's subsidies will be soon handed out to households, I decided not to merely rely on the government, and I am now irrigating the lands for four hours a day at my own expense." But with a family of five, Wang Hongwei was more worried. "Though we irrigate the lands now, the production will surely see a big drop. Like many other people in our village, I am thinking about doing odd jobs in the town to earn some extra cash." Li Xin, an advocate for the income and rights of farmers and migrant workers who opened a company to sue false seed producers, said, "Even if the farmers go to towns and cities to work, their pays will wane as the financial crisis continues to loom." Duan Aiming, head of the Irrigation Research Center of the Chinese Academy of Agriculture Sciences, said the current drought has "sound an alarm to the water resource utility in northern China". "Much water is being wasted, because many mature irrigation technologies cannot be put into practice for lack of funds, and the input on irrigation infrastructure is not enough," said Duan. "Only by a long-term improvement of the irrigation system can the government realize its goal of increasing the grain yield and the farmers' income," said Li. In the first document of the year issued jointly by the State Council and the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China on Sunday, local authorities were urged to take measures to avoid declining grain production, ensure the steady expansion of agriculture and rural stability. "The foundation for securing steady and relatively fast economic growth is based upon agriculture; the toughest work of securing and improving people's livelihoods stays with farmers," it said.
WUHAN, March 31 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao has called for realizing healthy and rapid economic growth through technical innovation and industrial upgrading during a visit to the country's central regions. More government support should go to high technology industries such as electronic information, software service and bio-medicines, Wen said during a visit to enterprises in Hubei Province from Sunday to Tuesday. Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao (C) visits the Wuhan Dongfeng Motor Corporation in Wuhan, capital of central China's Hubei Province, March 30, 2009. Wen Jiabao, also member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, inspected Hubei Province from March 29 to 31.Wen emphasized importance of possessing intellectual property rights and encouraged companies to strengthen research and development and make breakthroughs in core technologies. The country's future lay in innovation, and all challenges would be conquered if China adhered to innovation in its development, Wen said. Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao (L front) talks with a shopkeeper at a market in Sanfutan Town, Xiantao City in central China's Hubei Province, March 29, 2009.Visiting automobile, shipbuilding and steel companies in Wuhan, the provincial capital, Wen encouraged the manufacturing sector to make full use of government support plans. "We must have confidence in ourselves and work hard during times of hardship so as to take the country's manufacturing industry to a new level," Wen said. Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao (C) visits the Jiang Toon Animation Co., Ltd. at the Wuhan Optical Valley Software Park in Wuhan, capital of central China's Hubei Province, March 30, 2009The State Council, the Cabinet, has issued a series of support plans for 10 key industries such as automobile, steel, textile and garment sectors since January in a bid to stimulate China's economy, whose year-on-year growth slowed to a seven-year low of 9percent in 2008. Wen said agricultural production was stable and urged officials to give priority to the rural economy and raise farmer's incomes, as rural development played an important role in guarding against the impact of the global financial crisis. Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao (R front) talks with local residents in Minsan Village, Huchang Town, Xiantao City in central China's Hubei Province, March 29, 2009. Governments at all levels should prevent prices of economic crops dropping by national purchase and price protection, give more agricultural subsidies and enlarge the rural market through policies such as subsidizing rural residents in buying household electric appliances, Wen said. Wen also urged governments to take measures improve employment and raise living standards. Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao (2nd R) talks with local residents at their home in Hekou Village, Huchang Town, Xiantao City in central China's Hubei Province, March 29, 2009.