BEIJING, April 9 (Xinhua) -- The Ministry of Finance has imposed a pay cap for top executives at state-owned financial institutions as the financial crisis eroded earnings of such companies in 2008, the ministry said Thursday in a circular on its website. The new rule, which came out amid rising public grumbles about huge pay packages for top executives at state-owned financial companies, outlined the basic line that pay for executives in 2008should be no more than 90 percent of the level in 2007. As of 9 p.m., two hours and half after the news was posted on the web Sina.com.cn, 584 netizens made comments. Nearly all of them were supportive of the move. The undated photo shows the gate of headquaters of the Ministry of Finance in Beijing. Total executive pay for 2008 at financial institutions - which many are still computing - must not surpass 90 percent of the 2007 levels, the Ministry of Finance (MOF) announced yesterday Under the plan, pay refers to pre-tax income, including salary, bonus, and social insurance. The rule would enhance equal income distribution and push forward reform in pay mechanism, according to the ministry. The circular said it was in line with the current domestic and international situation for executives at some state-owned financial institutions to voluntarily cut their pay despite their companies posted rising profits. Companies which had a declining income last year should slash another 10 percent based on the basic line. Reductions should be deeper if companies suffered steep drop in profits, according to the circular. The ministry demanded to narrow pay gap among executives at companies in the financial sector, calling for bigger cuts for those who received much higher pay than the average in 2007. Caps were also urged to be imposed on pay for staff at financial companies to make a clear difference in posts and performance. It is the second time that MOF had set such pay limits. In an earlier circular in February this year, MOF ordered that the 2008 salary for top executives of state-owned financial institutions should be limited within 2.8 million yuan (about 410,000 U.S. dollars). The new move aimed at avoiding salary competition between some financial institutions when deciding the salaries for their executives in 2008, said Guo Tianyong, a professor at the China Central Finance University. It is necessary to put a cap on executive salaries to prevent unfair distribution of income and a larger gap between the rich and poor, he said. In March, the government ordered a crackdown on government "hospitality" budgets, including a 15-per-cent cut in car-buying and fuel funds as well as an across-the-board halt to the building of any new office compounds before the end of 2010. Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao said the government should take the leading role in promoting frugality and should ensure government spending goes where it is most needed amid the economic crisis.
BEIJING, Feb 7 (Xinhua) -- After some parts of the drought-stricken north China embraced the long-awaited rain on Saturday, more rainfall was expected to come on Sunday, said National Meteorological Center (NMC) on Saturday. Rain or snow is forecast for Sunday and next Monday in parts of the northwest and southwest China. They will also spread to the country's north and central regions, according to the NMC. Photo taken on Feb. 7, 2008, shows raindrops on wheat seedlings in Zhongmou County, Henan Province, central China. The provinces of Gansu, Shaanxi, Shanxi, Hebei, Shandong, Henan, Hubei and Anhui, the country's major wheat-growing areas which are hard-hit by the rare drought will brace rain or snow from Saturday night to Sunday. The rainfall will be less than 10 millimeters, but will help relieve the grim drought moderately.
WUHAN, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari arrived here Friday evening, kicking off his second China visit at the invitation of the Chinese government. During his stay at this capital city of central China's Hubei Province, Zardari was expected to pursue Sino-Pakistani cooperation in agriculture and water conservancy. He will also meet with the local governor. On behalf of the Chinese government, State Councilor Dai Bingguo will meet with Zardari here. Zardari will visit the Three Gorges Project in Yichang city to study its management and technology. Zardari was scheduled to leave Hubei for Shanghai, China's financial hub, on Sunday to continue his China tour. He was particularly interested in finance, banking, large-scale construction and Shanghai's urban development, according to the Ambassador of Pakistan to China. China believed the visit would consolidate the two countries' all-weather friendship and deepen all-round cooperation, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu said earlier. Zardari paid his first state visit to China as guest of President Hu Jintao in October last year.
ISLAMABAD, April 18 (Xinhua) -- A 100-member-strong youth delegation of Pakistan is to leave for China on Sunday on a week-long visit as a program of boosting exchanges between the two friendly countries. "The youths from all walks of life of Pakistan will have the chance to look at China and know more about China," said Charge d'Affairs Yao Jing of Chinese Embassy in Pakistan told youth delegation at a reception. Chinese President Hu Jintao invited 500 young people from Pakistan to visit China within five years when he paid a state visit to Pakistan in November, 2006. The program was launched in 2007. The program is aimed at "increasing mutual understanding" between the two countries and peoples, said Yao. Ullah Saif Shervani, secretary of Pakistani Ministry of Youth Affairs, expressed the hope that the delegation members could take the opportunity to learn from "friendly China" and help enhance "time-tested friendship" between the two countries. "I appreciate the Chinese government for the chance to visit," said Adil Taj, an university student in Islamabad. "We will work hard to make our own contribution to Pakistan-China friendship." The youth delegation is scheduled to visit Beijing, Urumqi and Lanzhou from April 19 to 27.
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CHANGSHA, March 30 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Vice Premier Li Keqiang on Monday called for faster construction of affordable housing. "In the affordable housing projects lie the immediate interests of the people, especially low-income families," said Li at a working conference on the issue in Changsha, capital of the central Hunan Province. He said affordable homes could increase investment and stimulate consumption, and were an important measure to deal with the global financial crisis and to maintain economic growth. The government has pledged that 7.5 million affordable homes will be provided in cities, and 2.4 million in forest districts, reclamation areas, and coal-mining regions by the end of 2011. This year, 2.6 million urban and 800,000 rural homes would be built. Another 800,000 rural homes in poor condition will be renovated.
BEIJING, April 8 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping met on Wednesday with visiting Thai Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn. Xi expressed appreciation for her contribution to Sino-Thai friendship and donation to the country's earthquake-hit areas. During her China trip from April 3-10, Sirindhorn visited southwest China's Sichuan Province, and donated 10 million yuan for the rebuilding of schools damaged by last year's devastating earthquake. Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping (R) shakes hands with Thai Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China, April 8, 2009 Xi said China is ready to make joint efforts with Thailand to raise bilateral strategic cooperation to a new level. Remarkable progress in bilateral cooperation has benefited the two peoples, and contributed to regional peace and stability, Xi said. Sirindhorn told Xi she has a deep affection for China, and she is impressed with the great changes taking place in China whenever she visits the country. The Thai princess said she would contribute more to enhancing Thailand-China friendship and cooperation.
BEIJING, March 23 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping met with visiting Bulgarian Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister of Foreign Affairs Ivailo Kalfin here Monday. The two sides vowed to step up bilateral relations. Xi highlighted growth of bilateral relations in recent years, saying the two nations have witnessed a boom of cooperation in such fields as politics, economy, culture, science and technology. China values the traditional friendship with Bulgaria, Xi said, citing the fact that Bulgaria was the second country to recognize the People's Republic of China in 1949. Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping (R Front) meets with visiting Bulgarian Foreign Minister Ivailo Kalfin (L Front) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 23, 2009 China is willing to join hands with Bulgaria to step up bilateral relations in an effort to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the establishment of the Sino-Bulgarian diplomatic relationship, Xi noted. Echoing Xi's views on bilateral relations, Kalfin said Bulgaria and China share similar views on many international issues, promising his country will continue to adhere to the one-China policy. Bulgaria would work closer with China to promote bilateral relations to a higher level, Kalfin said. Kalfin is on an official visit to China from March 21-25. Besides Beijing, he will also pay a visit to China's economic powerhouse Shanghai.