BEIJING, Oct. 13 (Xinhua) -- Russian Prime Minister Putin said here on Tuesday that Russia and China are working on a huge oil and gas cooperation project. In an exclusive interview with Xinhua, Putin said the two countries have signed a 20-year oil supply agreement and laid more than 2,000 kilometers of crude oil pipelines for this. Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin (L) is interviewed by Peng Shujie (2nd R), deputy chief editor of Xinhua News Agency, Ma Li (3rd R), deputy chief editor of People's Daily, and Shui Junyi, TV host from China Central Television (CCTV), in Beijing, capital of China, Oct. 13, 2009China is also laying on its side the corresponding pipeline, he said, adding the two counties are studying the feasibility of building a refinery in China. Putin said as the world's nuclear power, Russia keeps an open mind towards cooperation in this field. "Russia and China are very active in the nuclear energy cooperation, "Putin said, citing the Tianwan Nuclear Power Plant as a good example. Tianwan Nuclear Power Plant, located in the Lianyungang city in eastern China's Jiangsu Province, is so far the largest nuclear power cooperative program between China and Russia. Putin said Russia is willing to supply coal to China and the supply is increasing rapidly, noting China has good equipment and technology on coal processing. As for natural gas cooperation, Putin said negotiations are underway and would certainly yield satisfactory results. On the specific ways of gas supply and the pricing, he said those issues should be resolved at the enterprise level. "The most important thing is that Russia and China have the need and capacity to enhance cooperation and the two economies are complementary to each other," Putin said, adding such cooperation would last for decades. With regard to the problems and frictions in the bilateral trade, Putin said those small problems would not impact the general strategic cooperation between the two countries. He took the "gray custom clearance" as an example. It was the name given to the illegal practice of getting items across the border without official customs approval. The illegal practice would make the government unable to supervise domestic industries and lead to bankruptcies and unemployment, which might cause more troubles to the society against the backdrop of the financial crisis, he said. Putin called upon the two countries to establish a set of unified rules, which would be obeyed by both sides, so as to achieve a just, sound and civilized mechanism of cooperation.
BEIJING, July 20 (Xinhua) -- China's Central Military Commission (CMC) conferred the rank of general on three senior military officers here on Monday, bringing the total number of generals to 174. CMC Chairman Hu Jintao awarded the officers certificates of command at the promotion ceremony. An order for the promotion was announced by CMC Vice-Chairman Guo Boxiong. The senior officers are deputy chief of the General Staff of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) Ma Xiaotian, political commissar of the PLA's Academy of Military Sciences Liu Yuan, and political commissar of Chengdu Military Area Command Zhang Haiyang. China's Central Military Commission (CMC) Chairman Hu Jintao (C) poses with newly-promoted generals, namely Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Ma Xiaotian (2nd L), Political Commissar of PLA's Academy of Military Sciences Liu Yuan (1st R), and Political Commissar of the Chengdu Military Area Command Zhang Haiyang (1st L) in Beijing, capital of China, July 20, 2009. CMC conferred the rank of general on the three senior military officers here on Monday. China began to confer military ranks to military and police officers in 1955, when Chairman Mao Zedong promoted 10 senior officers to the rank of marshal, a rank which was later abolished. Premier Zhou Enlai then issued a decree conferring the rank of general on 55 officers in 1955 and one each in 1956 and 1958. Only one veteran of the revolution that founded the People's Republic of China who was among the first group of generals is still alive: 104-year-old Lu Zhengcao, former vice-chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference. In 1965, the CMC abolished the system of military ranks and then resumed it in 1988. Since then, 118 senior military and police officers have been promoted to the rank of full general. Hong Xuezhi, who became a member of the CMC in 1988, was the only officer to receive the honor twice in 1955 and 1988. The PLA recognizes 10 military ranks for officers in active service: general, lieutenant general and major general; senior colonel, colonel, lieutenant colonel and major; captain, first lieutenant and second lieutenant.
CHANGCHUN, Sept. 8 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Vice Premier Hui Liangyu has urged more efforts to ensure grain production and improve rural livelihoods to ensure fast and steady rural development. Hui made the remark at an agricultural products fair in Changchun, capital of the northeastern Jilin Province on Tuesday, saying the government will continue to see maintaining a fast and steady rural economic development as a top task. He called for promotion of agricultural technology and products to increase the competitiveness of China's agricultural enterprises and their products in the global market. "The overall situation about the country's agriculture and rural development is good, and China has seen a summer grain output growth for six straight years this year", he said. He also urged more efforts to fight drought in parts of China and "try every means" to ensure harvest this fall and a continuous rise in farmers' income. As of Sept. 8, a severe drought has affected 19.72 million mu (1.31 million hectares) of crops in seven provinces of Hunan, Guizhou, Jiangxi, Hubei, Guangdong, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and Chongqing, according to data from the Office of State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters. About 2.75 million people and about 1.20 million livestock had difficulties getting adequate water supply.
BUDAPEST, Oct. 17 (Xinhua) -- China wants to achieve balanced trade with Hungary by way of increased economic and trade cooperation, visiting Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping said here Friday. At a symposium with Hungarian and Chinese entrepreneurs, Xi said the two countries should further expand trade and find more complementary products for export. "We will continue to encourage our enterprises to import more from Hungary, and also hope Hungarian companies will make greater efforts to explore the Chinese market and increase exports of those products that meet market demand in China," Xi said. Visiting Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping(L) meets with Hungarian Prime Minister Gordon Bajnai(R) in Budapest, capital of Hungary, Oct. 16, 2009 Xi also called on enterprises of the two countries to enhance cooperation in such areas as new energy, insurance, tourism and environmental protection. He said the two sides should give full play to the role of the joint economic committee as a platform for consultation and properly handle trade disputes that may arise, so as to ensure smooth development of bilateral economic and trade cooperation. Hungary is a good friend and partner of China, and China is ready to work with the East European country to strengthen their communication and cooperation and push forward bilateral trade and economic ties and the China-EU comprehensive strategic partnership, he said. Hungarian Prime Minister Gordon Bajnai said bilateral trade and economic cooperation had expanded rapidly and Xi's attendance at the symposium demonstrated the importance China attaches to its trade relations with Hungary. He said China plays an important role in the global economy and Hungary welcomes Chinese enterprises to seek business and invest in the country. More than 200 business people and officials from the two countries attended the symposium.
BEIJING, Aug. 21 (Xinhua) -- A Senior Chinese official on Friday called for fresh efforts to furnish occupational security for police and take good care of their relatives. Zhou Yongkang, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, made the remarks when meeting with representatives of the relatives of police officers who died on duty. More than 10,000 police officers died on duty with honor in the past 60years, and more than 150,000 more had been injured when protecting the country's social stability, Zhou said. He urged Party, government and police departments at all levels to take into account of the occupational hazards of the police and take measures to provide better treatment for them. The livelihood of the relatives of police officers, especially those who died on duty, must also be secured, Zhou said. He urged the police to live up to the people's expectations and make new contributions to the Party and the people.
BEIJING, Oct. 9 (Xinhua) -- China's retail sales of consumer goods totaled 570 billion yuan (about 83.5 billion U.S. dollars) during the National Day holiday, with average daily sales up 18 percent compared with the same period of last year, the Ministry of Commerce said Friday. Sales of household appliances soared during the eight-day holiday which started from Oct. 1. Among them, high-definition flat screen TV sets, digital cameras, side-by-side refrigerators and 3G mobile phones are consumers' favorites. In the case of Kaiyuan Mall in Xi'an, capital of Northwest China's Shaanxi Province, sales of household appliances gained by 34.7 percent year on year. Customers are seen at a shopping mall in Shanghai, east China, Oct. 8, 2009 Jewelry and cars became hot sellers as well. The sales of jewelry of Caishikou Department Store in Beijing topped 100 million yuan, up 30 percent year on year. Car sales of major car-selling companies in Southwest China's Chongqing Municipality increased by 71.7 percent year on year. The selling boom in the home appliance and car sectors was partly stimulated by a policy approved by the State Council in June this year, aiming to spur domestic consumption by subsidizing buyers of cars and household appliances, according to the ministry. For example, consumers can first sell their old household appliances to recycling companies and obtain a certification card from the recyclers. Card holders then can purchase new appliances with a 10 percent cut in prices when showing retailers the card. Meanwhile, sales promotion in major cities also played an important role in the holiday consumption boom.
seo排名教程
BEIJING, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- Drink or drive? This is a dilemma for many Chinese in a society soaked in a centuries-old drinking culture which is now travelling in private motor cars. For Liu Kun, a 25-year-old media worker in Beijing, the choice is simple and there is only one answer - she won't even have a sip of beer before she drives. "I didn't treat it (drink driving) seriously before," said Liu, who has been driving for three years. "But now I obey the rules strictly." Liu is one of many Chinese motorists sobering up and thinking twice about their onetime drinking and driving. This situation has been brought about by a spate of serious drink driving accidents in China, including fatalities. The situation has sparked a public outcry. Chinese police launched a two-month nationwide crackdown against driving under the influence (DUI) two weeks ago, following a series of shocking cases in which drunk drivers killed pedestrians. By Friday, 28,880 drivers had been caught and punished for DUI, the Ministry of Public Security said. Kong Linnan, a 25-year-old Beijing resident, said: "Drink drivers should be severely penalized. They are irresponsible about their own lives, let alone others." Besides changing attitudes, the crackdown has brought about an unexpected boom to once sluggish businesses, such as drive-home services that help carry home drinkers by contracting relief drivers. He Jin, chief executive of the Beijing Benaoanda Drive-back Company, said his company had carried home more than 110 customers every day in the past week, 20 times more than five years ago when his service was established. The company charges 80 yuan (12 U.S. dollars) for each journey. Now about seven or eight companies in Beijing are providing similar services, He said. "Taking a cab is a cheaper way to carry a drinker back home. But many taxi drivers are rather reluctant to do it," said He. Zhang Changyun, a Beijing taxi driver, said, "They always throw up in my cab. It's nasty. I can't use my cab for the whole day." Zhang always refuses to carry those who have been drinking heavily. "That's our advantage. Car owners don't have to come back to the restaurants to retrieve cars in next day," He said. China's population, a large alcohol consumer, is now rapidly becoming mobile, putting more strain on controlling drink driving. In Beijing, a city of more than 15 million people, motor vehicles numbered 3.76 million in July. "The market potential for a drive-home service is huge," said He. LIFESTYLE CHANGES Despite criticism that drive-home services could encourage drink driving, He defended them as necessary because "drinking at banquets is deeply rooted in traditional Chinese culture." Most of their drive-home contracts are taken out by big companies because "business talks at the dinner table with drinking are also popular business culture in China", He said. An indispensable part of dining etiquette in China is drinking toasts, by which a lot of business is resolved at a drinking table rather than a negotiating one. In addition, while declining a drink is deemed as "losing face", driving after drinking is sometimes considered heroic. In the commercial world it is apparently considered the winner is the biggest drinker. Wang Xiaokun, marketing manager of a real estate consultancy in southwest China's Chengdu City, has cut short the frequency of hosting business banquets since most of his clients who drive are knocking back drinking while dining. He has mixed feelings toward the crackdown. "I don't like the drinking sessions," said Wang, "But without them, I must find other ways to buddy up to my clients." Gao Zhifeng, 29, a government official in Beijing, welcomes the tight controls. "Thanks to the campaign, I'm now more justified to excuse myself from toast proposals by saying simply 'I drive'," said Gao. He often did not handle drinking well, but often had his arm twisted to drink alcohol at business banquets. Yi Rong, Gao's wife, said that tighter DUI law enforcement helped lessen the worries of drivers' families. "I'm so happy that China's alcohol culture is starting to change," said Yi. BOOMS AND WORRIES Alcohol-free beer is also doing well because of the crackdown. Many restaurants now sell this beer which contains less ethyl alcohol. Yu Li, manager of Veganhut, a health restaurant in Beijing's Central Business District, said, "We sell only alcohol-free beer and it's selling well. It's a new trend in dining." Ding Guangxue, deputy chief executive of the Yanjing Beer Group, said the brewerery's output of alcohol-free beer was more than 4 million bottles this month, registering a 10 percent year-on-year increase. But alcohol-free beer is not totally free from ethanol. "Two bottles may raise your blood alcohol to the limit," said Ding. The crackdown is also worrying China's catering industry which makes large profits out of liquor, since beer sold at a restaurant can be priced four times higher than in a supermarket. Zhang Zhenjiang, general secretary of Beijing Association for Liquor and Spirits Circulation, said, "We're worried that tighter control could dent profits and raise costs." "Alcohol-free has only a small share of sales. It cannot replace ordinary liquor," said Zhang. On the Internet, some netizens are suggesting restaurants be obliged to dissuade their driving customers from drinking. But Fu Guiping, a corporate lawyer with Beijing Huatian Catering Group, said liquor outlets had no power or obligation to manage affairs that should be carried by the law enforcement sector. "It's unfair to put responsibility on the shoulders of businesses," said Fu. "It calls for efforts from all walks of life."
BEIJING, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- China vows to strengthen the prevention and control of the A/H1N1 flu virus in the run-up to the National Day celebrations, amid fears that the situation will worsen through autumn. According to a statement released after a meeting held by the State Council here Monday, schools are currently the key places in the country's fight against the virus and classes should be suspended "properly" to avoid mass infection when an outbreak occurs. "Currently the global epidemic situation is getting worse. As autumn comes, the number of domestic cases in China is also on the rise... The prevention and control work faces fresh obstacles," said the statement. Primary and secondary schools in Urumqi, capital of northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, remained closed Monday in the wake of a recent outbreak of 43 A/H1N1 influenza cases. Similar outbreaks have also been reported at schools in other regions, including the provinces of Henan, Hunan, Jiangsu, Anhui and Hainan, as well as the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. The State Council urged railway and aviation departments to improve their emergency plan against possible epidemic outbreak in crowded situations. According to the statement, medical staff, technical equipment and materials should be ready at any moment in case of an emergency -- especially around the National Day, which falls on Oct. 1. In addition, the State Council urged medical companies to stock vaccine and other medicines and ensure vaccine safety for human use. The meeting was presided over by premier Wen Jiabao. By last Friday night, 4,415 cases of A/H1N1 flu had been reported on the Chinese mainland, of which 3,577 have recovered. There have been no deaths from A/H1N1 in main land China.
BEIJING, July 20 (Xinhua) -- China's Central Military Commission (CMC) conferred the rank of general on three senior military officers here on Monday, bringing the total number of generals to 174. CMC Chairman Hu Jintao awarded the officers certificates of command at the promotion ceremony. An order for the promotion was announced by CMC Vice-Chairman Guo Boxiong. The senior officers are deputy chief of the General Staff of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) Ma Xiaotian, political commissar of the PLA's Academy of Military Sciences Liu Yuan, and political commissar of Chengdu Military Area Command Zhang Haiyang. China's Central Military Commission (CMC) Chairman Hu Jintao (C) poses with newly-promoted generals, namely Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Ma Xiaotian (2nd L), Political Commissar of PLA's Academy of Military Sciences Liu Yuan (1st R), and Political Commissar of the Chengdu Military Area Command Zhang Haiyang (1st L) in Beijing, capital of China, July 20, 2009. CMC conferred the rank of general on the three senior military officers here on Monday. China began to confer military ranks to military and police officers in 1955, when Chairman Mao Zedong promoted 10 senior officers to the rank of marshal, a rank which was later abolished. Premier Zhou Enlai then issued a decree conferring the rank of general on 55 officers in 1955 and one each in 1956 and 1958. Only one veteran of the revolution that founded the People's Republic of China who was among the first group of generals is still alive: 104-year-old Lu Zhengcao, former vice-chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference. In 1965, the CMC abolished the system of military ranks and then resumed it in 1988. Since then, 118 senior military and police officers have been promoted to the rank of full general. Hong Xuezhi, who became a member of the CMC in 1988, was the only officer to receive the honor twice in 1955 and 1988. The PLA recognizes 10 military ranks for officers in active service: general, lieutenant general and major general; senior colonel, colonel, lieutenant colonel and major; captain, first lieutenant and second lieutenant.
ANCHORAGE, Sept. 12 (Xinhua) -- Top Chinese legislator Wu Bangguo on Saturday met with Alaska Governor Sean Parnell here before winding up his week-long official goodwill visit to the United States. Wu, chairman of the Standing Committee of China's National People's Congress, said he was glad to have Alaska as the final stop in his visit to the United States. Apart from meeting with U.S. government and parliament officials, Wu said he also conducted comprehensive contacts with people from all walks of life in the U.S. during his stay. The major topics included how to strengthen the Sino-U.S. cooperation, how to join hands to face challenges and how to realize common development of the two countries, Wu said. Wu Bangguo (1st R), chairman of the Standing Committee of China's National People's Congress, meets with Governor of Alaska Sean Parnell, in Anchorage, Alaska of the United States, on Sept. 12, 2009. Wu noted that, Alaska, a state with rich natural resources and a closest U.S. state to China, enjoys incomparable advantages in cooperation with regions of China. He wished that the Alaska state will further encourage its entrepreneurs to take the opportunities and expand new cooperation scopes in economy and trade with China, and boost exchanges and cooperation in the fields such as renewable energy, climate change, science and technology, and education. During the meeting, Parnell said he was pleased that Chairman Wu and the delegation chose to stop over in Alaska during their visit to the United States. China is an important market for Alaska, Parnell said. He and Wu had a good conversation on topics ranging across renewable energy, environmental conservation, natural resources development, Alaska seafood and tourism opportunities, he added. At the invitation of U.S. Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi, Wu started to visit the U.S. on Sept. 6. His trip to the United States was the first official visit to America by a top Chinese legislator in the past two decades. Wu met with U.S. President Barack Obama, Vice President Joe Biden and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton during the stay. Before visiting the Unites States, Wu has visited Cuba and the Bahamas.