Draft seeks prison for disrespect to anthem

People who show disrespect to China's national anthem will face prison terms of up to three years if a draft amendment to the Criminal Law is adopted by the top legislature. The draft builds on the National Anthem Law, which took effect this month, by providing details of proposed criminal punishments. Anyone who maliciously modifies the lyrics, or plays or sings the national anthem in a distorted or disrespectful way in public, or with other serious disrespectful practices, will be held liable criminally. According to the draft, penalties can include detention, being deprived of one's political rights or a sentence of up to three years. The draft was submitted to the bimonthly session of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress for review on Oct 31.

Science papers gain global credibility

China's academic science papers have moved into second place for global citations, behind the United States, according to a report released on Oct 31. The 2017 edition of Statistical Data of Chinese Science and Technology Papers shows that the nation's science papers have been cited more than 19.35 million times over the past decade, ahead of those from the United Kingdom and Germany. It also shows the number of highly cited Chinese papers rose by 18.7 percent compared with last year's report, reaching 20,131 papers and accounting for 14.7 percent of the global total. The report has been released annually since 1987 by the Ministry of Science and Technology's Institute of Scientific and Technical Information. China is now the world's most cited country in material science research, with eight other research fields ranking second globally. These are agriculture, chemistry, computer science, engineering, environmental science, mathematics, physics and pharmaceuticals.

Social stability remains 'key task'

Guo Shengkun, the new head of the Political and Legal Affairs Committee under the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said on Oct 31 that the committee must fulfill its duties to maintain social stability and make the public feel more secure. Guo, 63, made the remark during a meeting of the committee. It was his first public appearance as the committee's Party secretary. His new appointment was a part of reshuffling among Party officials after the 19th CPC National Congress. Guo added that achieving the great goal of socialism with Chinese characteristics requires a safe and stable social environment and a fair legal environment.

Pollution curbs set to make skies clearer

More than 130,000 polluting companies in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region have suspended production or shut down amid comprehensive controls to curb air pollution in the autumn and winter, environmental authorities said on Oct 31. In response to coping with frequent air pollution in the autumn and winter, environmental authorities in Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei province have pledged to continue strict controls and carry out extra measures to curb pollution. Hebei province has dealt with around 108,500 polluting companies, including closing them down or suspending their production in 2017, Gao Jianmin, head of the Hebei Provincial Environment Bureau, said on Oct 31. In addition, 19,000 polluting companies were found in Tianjin, of which half were shut down completely, said Wen Wurui, Gao's counterpart in Tianjin. Around 6,000 polluting companies were shut down in Beijing. The three heads of the environmental bureaus introduced their measures to tackle with winter smog, showing that coal consumption for heating services is another major target along with restrictions on industrial production.

Changes weighed to protect land rights

China will strengthen its protections of farmers' rights and interests by extending the current round of rural land contracts for an additional 30 years, if a draft revision of the Rural Land Contracting Law is passed by the nation's top legislature. The proposed change aims to maintain the long-term stability and consistency of rural land contracts. It was submitted at a bimonthly session of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress for its first reading on Oct 31. Liu Zhenwei, deputy director of the NPC's Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee, said the current law has played a key role in rural economic development, keeping order in rural areas and increasing the incomes of farmers since it took effect in 2003. "But to meet higher requirements of rural development, it needs a revision," Liu said. The draft revision will better define the rights for use of rural land, so that farmers can enjoy "sufficient and guaranteed protection of their land rights", he said.

World-leading quantum network launched

Wuhan, the capital of Hubei province, launched the world's most advanced civilian quantum communication network on Oct 31, and will soon connect all of the city's government bodies, financial institutions and other entities to allow the secure transmission of classified information, according to project managers. A launch ceremony was held during a laser technology forum in Wuhan hosted by China Aerospace Science and Industry Corp, the major builder of the network. The company mainly develops and produces missiles and carrier rockets but also invests heavily in laser technologies and instruments, which are key components of a quantum communication network. CASIC said in a news release that the network's operation will ensure the "absolute safety" of the transmission of classified information and will boost the efficiency of such communications. Quantum communication systems feature ultra-high security.

Swans arrive in Sanmenxia

About 20 swans have arrived at Sanmenxia Swan Lake Wetland Park in the city of Sanmenxia, Henan province. The park has seen an increase in the number of swans during the annual migration season from November to March. More than 60 percent of all swans that winter in China choose the city, earning it the moniker "city of swans".

Airport opens in famed liquor town

An airport named after China's national liquor, Moutai, opened in the city of Renhuai, Guizhou province, the Moutai Group said. Moutai Airport is located in the city's Moutai township. From the airport, planes connect to cities including Beijing, Tianjin, Chengdu, Fuzhou, Xi'an and Haikou. Construction of the airport cost 2.4 billion yuan ($363 million; 312 million euros; ￡273 million) and took five years. Air routes will be expanded to a total of 18 cities in the near future, the group said.

Laos, Vietnam envoys meet with nation leaders

The new Communist Party of China central leadership will continue to work with the leaders of ruling parties in Vietnam and Laos to further promote bilateral ties, Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, said on Oct 30. Xi made the remark as he met with special envoys sent by Nguyen Phu Trong, general secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee, and Bounnhang Vorachith, general secretary of the Central Committee of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party. The envoys were Hoang Binh Quan, head of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee's Commission for External Relations, and Sounthone Xayachack, head of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party Central Committee's Commission for External Relations.

New satellite company awaiting approval

China Aerospace Science and Industry Corp, a major space contractor, is considering the establishment of a satellite company to tap the space-based communications market, according to Tan Qianhong, Party chief of China Space Sanjiang Group, a CASIC subsidiary in Hubei province. Tan says Sanjiang has submitted a plan on the proposed satellite company to CASIC and is waiting for approval. The new entity would focus mainly on the research, development and launch of small satellites that would operate in low orbit and provide narrowband communications service, Tan says. "Space-based infrastructure is a pillar of the information industry. The new company would be tasked with forming a satellite constellation to boost space-based communications," he says.

Beijing hopes Seoul acts on THAAD pledge

Beijing attaches great importance to Seoul's latest positions regarding anti-missile issues, and it expects Seoul to translate its fresh pledges into action, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said. Hua made the comment after Republic of Korea Foreign Minister Kang Kyungwha said during a parliamentary audit on Oct 30 in Seoul that the ROK is "not considering any" additional deployment of the US Terminal High Altitude Area Defense anti-missile system, Seoul-based Yonhap News Agency reported. Ties between China and the ROK plunged to a record low after a THAAD battery, which includes six missile launchers, was installed in the southeastern ROK town of Seongju. Kang also stressed that the country won't participate in the US-led missile defense network, adding that trilateral US-Japan-ROK security cooperation would not extend to a trilateral military alliance, Xinhua News Agency reported.

UNESCO recognizes Chinese astronaut

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization awarded the UNESCO Medal on Space Science to the first Chinese national sent to space, Yang Liwei, along with three other prominent international space pioneers, on Oct 27 at the organization's headquarters in Paris. The three other laureates of the 2017 edition - who, with Yang, were the first recipients of the award - are Valentina Tereshkova, a Russian cosmonaut and first woman in space; Arnaldo Tamayo Mendez, the first Cuban in space; and Japanese astronaut Koichi Wakata, the first Japanese commander of the International Space Station.

Shenzhen opens first tram line

Shenzhen opened its first tram line last weekend to help ease traffic pressure. Stretching 11.7 kilometers, the line has 20 stops and passes through Shenzhen's most populated areas, including the Longhua Trade Zone. Each tram car can carry up to 350 passengers, about two to three times the capacity of a bus, according to a source from the Shenzhen Xiandai Tramcar Co, the service provider.

Massacre survivors celebrate festival

Ten survivors of the Nanjing Massacre in the winter of 1937-38 gathered in Nanjing to celebrate Chongyang Festival, which fell on Oct 28 this year. The 10 survivors, each about 90 years old, visited tourist attractions with their families. Chongyang Festival falls on the ninth day of the ninth lunar month and is a day to pay respect to the elderly in China. This year marks the 80th anniversary of the Nanjing Massacre, in which more than 300,000 Chinese were killed by Japanese invaders when Nanjing was occupied in December 1937. There are only 100 living survivors of the atrocity.

Region selects tourism envoys

Tibet's first tourism ambassadors have been selected, the regional tourism development committee said on Nov 1. Shire Zaba and Gasang Wangmo, from Nagqu, and Gesang Yangzom, from Lhasa, were named tourism ambassadors during the first Tibet tourism ambassador competition. Twenty-four people from seven cities in the autonomous region were considered for the top three places in the final competition on Oct 31. The selection process started on Sept 20 across the region.

Qingdao named as a 'City of Film'

Qingdao, Shandong province, was designated by the United Nations Organization for Education, Science and Culture to join the Creative Cities Network as a "City of Film" on Nov 1, joining 13 other cities around the world. Since 2004, the UNESCO Creative Cities Network has highlighted its members' creativity in seven fields: crafts and folk art, design, film, gastronomy, literature, media arts and music.

Controls tightened on solid waste

China has imposed tougher controls on solid-waste imports. More than 800 smuggling suspects have been detained since 2013, according to a report that was submitted to the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, the nation's top legislative body, and read on Nov 1. From June to August, it sent five teams - one of which was led by Zhang Dejiang, the Standing Committee's chairman - to inspect the state of law enforcement in 10 provincial regions and push governments to be more aggressive against illegal solid waste. The report was based on those inspections. Customs officers nationwide have investigated around 400 cases of solid-waste smuggling since 2013. A total of 1.7 million metric tons of the waste has been found and 800 suspects have been detained, according to the report.

Tibet marks progress against poverty

Five districts and counties of the Tibet autonomous region have been lifted successfully out of poverty, with the poverty rate falling below 3 percent, Norbu Dondrub, vice-chairman of the region, announced at a news conference on Nov 1. The five districts and counties are Chengguan district, Dromo county, Nedong district, Dragyib district and Kharub district. The five were on a list of 26 counties named on Nov 1 by the State Council Leading Group Office of Poverty Alleviation and Development as having risen above the official poverty line. "Nearly 2,000 households - 5,323 people - have shaken off poverty in Nedong," says Zhang Wei, head of the district. "The average income per capita has increased by 104 percent from 2,300 yuan ($348; 299 euros; ￡263) to more than 4,600." Zhang said the people in Nedong are encouraged to get involved in industries such as raising pigs or producing concrete, or to take advantage of natural resources by bottling natural mineral water.

Human resources to play key role in advancement

China is drafting specific measures of an action plan to create a more favorable environment for domestic and international human resources companies, with the aim of building an HR market worth 2 trillion yuan ($303 billion; 260 billion euros; ￡228 billion) by 2020. The action plan was published on the website of the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security. Industry revenue has grown by about 20 percent per year on average, Lu Aihong, a ministry spokesman, said at a news conference in Beijing on Nov 1. In addition to fostering a massive HR market, the action plan also envisions having about 100 leading HR enterprises and increasing the number of employees in the industry to 600,000. Last year, the country was home to 26,700 HR service providers, employing about 553,000 people and earning combined revenue of 1.18 trillion yuan, according to the ministry.

(China Daily Africa Weekly 11/03/2017 page2)