China demands Philippines protect legitimate rights of jailed Chinese fishermen

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China on Wednesday demanded the Philippines guarantee the legitimate rights of 12 Chinese fishermen who were handed long prison terms for illegal fishing in the Philippines."Since they were caught in the Philippine waters in April last year, China has been urging the Philippine side to deal with the case in a just way according to law, and ensure their legitimate rights and a humanitarian treatment," Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said in a statement.A court in Palawan province in the western Philippines on Tuesday convicted the 12 Chinese fishermen of illegal fishing and sentenced the boat captain to 12 years in prison and each crew member to six to 10 years. They were also fined 100,000 US dollars each.The Chinese fishing boat ran aground in Tubbataha Reef, a UNESCO World Heritage site, off Palawan in April last year after it got lost on the way back to China from Malaysia.In Wednesday's statement, Hua said that the Chinese Foreign Ministry and the Chinese Embassy, consulates in the Philippines will continue to offer consular assistance to the Chinese nationals.She also called on Chinese fishermen to respect laws and carry out normal fishing activities. Tags: Rapid Prototyping, Rapid Prototyping China, Plastic Tooling, Plastic Tooling China, Rapid Prototype, Rapid Prototype China, Rapid Tooling, Rapid Tooling China, CNC Prototype, CNC Prototype China, Functional Prototype, Functional Prototype China, Metal Prototype, Metal Prototype China, Plastic Prototype, Plastic Prototype China, Rapid Manufacturing, Rapid Manufacturing China, Low volume production, Stereolithography, Stereolithography China, Vacuum Casting, Vacuum Casting China, whatsapp marketing, wechat marketing, seo, e marketing, �W��OӋ�ṩseo, e marketing, web design by zoapcon

Chinese, Vietnamese youngsters urged to cement friendship

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November 27, 2013 -- Chinese President Xi Jinping and Vietnamese President Truong Tan Sang on Tuesday sent congratulatory letters to the second China-Vietnam Youth Gala, held in Nanning, capital city of south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. In his letter, Xi said China and Vietnam are friendly neighbors bound by mountains and rivers, with their people sharing a deep friendship. He said the friendship, which was forged by older generations of leaders of the two countries, has now been rooted in the hearts of the two peoples. Xi called on the two sides to develop bilateral ties under the guidance of the principles of long-term stability, facing the future, good-neighborliness and all-round cooperation. According to the president, lasting China-Vietnam friendship conforms to the fundamental interests of the two countries and their people. "Youth is the future of a country, and the hope of a nation," he said, adding that young people will determine the future of bilateral friendship. Inheriting bilateral friendship is the mission and responsibility of the youth of China and Vietnam, he said. Xi expressed hope that Chinese and Vietnamese youths will work together to promote bilateral relations and contribute to world peace and development. In his letter, Sang said cementing bilateral friendship is in line with the common interests of both nations and is beneficial to peace, stability and prosperity of the region and the world. He called on youngsters to make joint efforts in enhancing bilateral friendship. Chinese Vice President Li Yuanchao and Nguyen Thien Nhan, president of the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front, also addressed the meeting. The gathering of nearly 10,000 young people from China and Vietnam is jointly sponsored by the International Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Central Committee of the Communist Youth League of China and Guangxi's relevant authorities. Tags: Rapid Prototyping, Rapid Prototyping China, Plastic Tooling, Plastic Tooling China, Rapid Prototype, Rapid Prototype China, Rapid Tooling, Rapid Tooling China, CNC Prototype, CNC Prototype China, Functional Prototype, Functional Prototype China, Metal Prototype, Metal Prototype China, Plastic Prototype, Plastic Prototype China, Rapid Manufacturing, Rapid Manufacturing China, Low volume production, Stereolithography, Stereolithography China, Vacuum Casting, Vacuum Casting China, whatsapp marketing, wechat marketing, seo, e marketing, �W��OӋ�ṩseo, e marketing, web design by zoapcon

Prosecutors open investigation into senior economic official

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Prosecutors opened investigation into a former senior official with the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) for bribery, said the Supreme People's Procuratorate (SPP) Friday.Zhang Dongsheng, former head of the employment and income distribution division with the NDRC, was suspected of taking bribe, said a SPP statement.Zhang has been "placed under coercive measures," the statement said.According to China's criminal procedure law, coercive measures include summons by force, bail, residential surveillance, detention and arrest. The SPP did not specify which measures have been taken so far. Tags: Rapid Prototyping, Rapid Prototyping China, Plastic Tooling, Plastic Tooling China, Rapid Prototype, Rapid Prototype China, Rapid Tooling, Rapid Tooling China, CNC Prototype, CNC Prototype China, Functional Prototype, Functional Prototype China, Metal Prototype, Metal Prototype China, Plastic Prototype, Plastic Prototype China, Rapid Manufacturing, Rapid Manufacturing China, Low volume production, Stereolithography, Stereolithography China, Vacuum Casting, Vacuum Casting China, whatsapp marketing, wechat marketing, seo, e marketing, �W��OӋ�ṩseo, e marketing, web design by zoapcon

Flower power backs Zhangzhou growth

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> Workers arrange flowers at a butterfly orchid plantation in Zhangzhou, Fujian province. [Wang Chao / China Daily] Fujian city luxuriates in the beauty and riches of its floral industry Whether by good fortune or good management, the city of Zhangzhou seems to have realized that flowers, like eggs, should not all be put into one basket. Zhangzhou, in Fujian province, is a center for flower nurseries, one of the most cultivated plants being the daffodil. What tulip fields are to the Netherlands and lavender meadows are to Provence in southern France, hectare after hectare of daffodils are to Zhangzhou. That means not only land covered in carpets of speckled white and yellow, but the soft fragrance that they give off mingled with the sweet smell of money. For flowers and big money are very old acquaintances, evidence for that being tulipomania, a surge in tulip prices in the Netherlands in the 1600s that gave the world what is widely regarded as the world's first recorded speculative bubble, and subsequent crash. But Zhanghou's market for daffodils and other flowers looks to be much more firmly rooted. While the daffodil is the floral standard bearer for the city, which styles itself as "the Southeastern capital of flowers", the city's fortunes ride on other flowers, too. Underlining the importance of the floral economy, the city even has a flower office. At the end of last year, the local government said, 11,600 hectares of land in the city were dedicated to growing flowers and plants, bringing in revenue of 7.63 billion yuan ($1.23 billion). Export revenue was worth $55 million. The daffodil, which also labors under the name narcissus, generates revenue of 100 million yuan a year and an additional 400 million yuan for packaging, logistics and fertilizers, the flower office said. With plenty of rain and an average annual temperature of 21 C, Zhangzhou is a natural greenhouse for a huge variety of flowers. More than 2,000 species are said to grow in the city, the most well-known apart from daffodils being camellias, orchids, and crab-apple flowers. Some of the most important counties specialize in different flowers: Zhangpu in butterfly orchids and miniature trees, Nanjing in traditional Chinese orchids and Longhai in daffodils. "Many flowers are marketed to homes, companies and road greening, but not government offices," said the director of the flower office, Lin Biqiang, explaining why Zhangzhou has been little affected by a recent national drive to curb government spending on ostentatious activities such as sumptuous banquets. Daffodils have been part of the Zhangzhou landscape since as early as the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), when they took up residence, encouraged by the perfect growing conditions, and were soon being called lingbo xianzi (fairies walking over ripples). Zhang Wenjiang is secretary-general of the Zhangzhou Daffodil Association and a daffodil sculptor. (In this floral art form, the plants are delicately preened to take on the shape of animals or other life forms or objects.) Born in a small town called Baihuacun (Hundred-flower village), Zhang witnessed the heyday of Zhangzhou daffodil growing 10 years ago when 800 hectares were under cultivation. Every hectare yields about 67,000 daffodil bulbs, and winter flowers bearing the Zhangzhou brand can be found all over the country. "The word daffodil is on Zhangzhou's name card, and 98 percent of the national supply comes from here," Zhang said. "Almost every Spring Festival, our daffodils are in short supply because of the huge demand." Daffodils are particularly appreciated by the Chinese during Spring Festival, and exports go to Chinese communities worldwide, Zhang said. Twenty percent of the annual yield is sold overseas, 75 percent of that going to Southeast Asia and the rest to Europe and the United States. The area under cultivation for daffodils has been reined in to less than 500 hectares, making room for flowers with bigger returns. Although daffodils need to be planted for three years before being dug out for sale, a regular bulb is priced at no more than 5 yuan in Zhangzhou. Locals are trying to add more value to the flower by sculpting it into various styles, so its value can soar to more than 50 yuan. But a lack of capital is a serious hindrance the expansion of the flower industry in the city. Most growers have little in the way of fixed assets, so getting bank loans is difficult. To get investment, Zhangzhou government officials have traveled the world showing off flowers and doing other promotional work. The result is encouraging. Zhang said exhibitions have been held in Taiwan every year since 2006 and their annual sales volume has tripled from the original 1 million yuan. More trips to Western countries are planned to attract investment, the government said. Meanwhile, farmers are being given support through tax breaks and special utilities tariffs. Farmers in the Fujian-Taiwan innovation park, for example, enjoy a 30 percent discount on their electricity bills. However, since daffodils grow from a bulb, customs procedures are complicated, something that has hobbled the export drive. Lin from the flower office said there are about 140 flower companies in Zhangzhou each with annual output of more than 5 million yuan, or with more than 7 hectares under cultivation, and many farmers with independent family operations. Most farms fall into the latter category, and the government is encouraging them to set up cooperatives so that they can benefit through economies of scale. Since the 1990s these companies have been exporting flowers in large volumes, but since the financial crisis broke out in 2008, the Western markets have lost their shine and most of the farmers have switched their attention to the domestic market. Zhu Yuening, president of Hongsheng Flower, one of the biggest flower plantations in Zhangzhou, said the overseas market used to account for 80 percent of sales, but that figure is now down to 20 percent. Five years ago, Zhu said, his company exported 300 to 400 containers of flowers every year, valued at up to 80 million yuan. He said: "The domestic market has now become the most important, as people are getting affluent and are willing to spend money on flowers to decorate their homes. "People who own villas, and companies are now big flower plantations' main customers." Small plants for office tables no longer provide the strong revenue stream that they used to, Zhu said, being replaced by big trees and flowers growing in yards, such as podocarpus. One of these from Japan can fetch 70,000 yuan. The Zhangzhou government said that miniature fig trees from the city now account for 90 percent of the Japanese and South Korean markets, and export revenue reached 200 million yuan last year. Cactus used to be the major export to the Middle East, every plant selling for $0.50, but with such a slim return that market has been abandoned. One of Zhangzhou's success stories is that of Chen Zhiyan, who has managed to forge ties between the city and Western flower capitals. His Haixia Bio-Tech Co, which is preparing to be listed on the Shenzhen stock exchange by 2015, is one of the few Chinese flower companies that own an auction seat in the Dutch flower trade market. The company said it had turnover of 270 million yuan last year and profit of 20 million yuan. wangchao@chinadaily.com.cn Tags: Rapid Prototyping, Rapid Prototyping China, Plastic Tooling, Plastic Tooling China, Rapid Prototype, Rapid Prototype China, Rapid Tooling, Rapid Tooling China, CNC Prototype, CNC Prototype China, Functional Prototype, Functional Prototype China, Metal Prototype, Metal Prototype China, Plastic Prototype, Plastic Prototype China, Rapid Manufacturing, Rapid Manufacturing China, Low volume production, Stereolithography, Stereolithography China, Vacuum Casting, Vacuum Casting China, whatsapp marketing, wechat marketing, seo, e marketing, �W��OӋ�ṩseo, e marketing, web design by zoapcon

Paying the price to travel_2

Paying the price to travel

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November 28, 2013 -- Some scenic spots still make visitors pay through the nose despite the nation's new Tourism Law In spite of China's new Tourism Law, which seeks to curb price hikes at scenic spots across the country, many famous sites are still able to get visitors to pay top dollar to gain entry. The law, adopted by China's top legislature on April 25, outlined strict controls on the cost of tickets to enter scenic spots. The National Development and Reform Commission published a list of more than 1,200 scenic spots lowering their entry fees during the May Day holiday from April 29 to May 1. These scenic spots, where prices have fallen by around 20 percent, include 60 5A-level tourist attractions, the highest level, as well as 350 4A-level, and 800 3A-level sites. However, the new policy, which is intended to attract more tourists, has received a muted response. Ji Shubin, an accountant from Nanjing, said that she did not find the list to be very attractive. "The places I am interested in do not offer a lower price," she said. "Five spots in Beijing are on the list, but I have not heard any of them before." The five spots on the list are all in the suburbs of Beijing, while well-known and must-see sites such as the Tian'anmen Rostrum and the Summer Palace are not included. "Instead of going to places with discounts that I have no interest in, I would prefer to go to places I really like, regardless of the price," she added. Some other sites on the list are only offering a discount after the end of the May Day holiday. For example, Famen Temple, a well-known Buddhist place of worship in Shaanxi province, lowered its ticket price from 120 yuan ($20) to 95 yuan, from May 2 to 4. And the scenic area in Zhangjiajie, Hunan province, which is famous for its beautiful forests and mountains, will cut ticket prices by 20 percent as required by the National Development and Reform Commission, but only from May 2 to May 7. Zhan Dongmei, an expert from the China Tourism Academy, said this is an attempt to prevent overcrowding of the sites during public holidays, by encouraging people to visit at other times. "But our vacation ends on May 1," Ji said. "I cannot ask for leave after the vacation." Tags: Rapid Prototyping, Rapid Prototyping China, Plastic Tooling, Plastic Tooling China, Rapid Prototype, Rapid Prototype China, Rapid Tooling, Rapid Tooling China, CNC Prototype, CNC Prototype China, Functional Prototype, Functional Prototype China, Metal Prototype, Metal Prototype China, Plastic Prototype, Plastic Prototype China, Rapid Manufacturing, Rapid Manufacturing China, Low volume production, Stereolithography, Stereolithography China, Vacuum Casting, Vacuum Casting China, whatsapp marketing, wechat marketing, seo, e marketing, �W��OӋ�ṩseo, e marketing, web design by zoapcon

Govt pledges to equalize urban, rural -i-hukou--i- system

Govt pledges to equalize urban, rural hukou system

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Graphics: GT Chinese people will no longer be officially classified as rural or urban dwellers after the government put forward an "unprecedented" reform of the household registration system, or hukou system, the State Council, China's cabinet, announced Wednesday.The reform will also help some 100 million rural residents settle in cities by 2020.The move was seen by many as a bold change that aims to reduce social disparities and will signal the authorities' determination to carry out reform. According to a State Council circular released Wednesday, the government will put an end to the dual-household registration system which has divided people into urban or agricultural households since the 1950s.Currently, citizens without an urban household registration do not have equal access to public services in cities, such as subsidized social services including healthcare, housing, education or pensions.The circular said a residential permit system will be introduced to ensure those services will benefit all residents. "Although pilot programs have been carried out in many local regions, this is the first time hukou reform has been introduced nationwide. It is of such great significance that it could be seen as China's version of Affirmative Action," Hu Xingdou, a law professor with the Beijing Institute of Technology, told the Global Times. Affirmative Action was first initiated in the US in 1961 to fight discrimination against disadvantaged people.China's latest household reform will likely affect the lives of some 174 million migrant workers in China, according to the Xinhua News Agency.Lu Jiehua, a sociology professor at Peking University, told the Global Times that while this reform will bring hope that the Party is aware of social problems and is determined to change the status quo, the mission could prove very difficult. "With so many people moving to cities, paying for public services is a major problem," Lu said. "Phasing out the dual-hukou system is easy. Providing quality healthcare, pensions, housing and education to all residents is the tricky part."The government will also remove limits on household registration in townships and small cities, relax restrictions in medium-sized cities, and set qualifications for registration in big cities.Huang Ming, vice-minister of public security, said Wednesday at a press conference that the household registration reform this time is unprecedented in its scope, impact and the authorities' determination for change. "Anyone who has legal residence [in a city] can register for permanent residence, even temporary tenants," he said.However, people wishing to settle in megacities like Beijing and Shanghai will have to qualify through a "points system" based on their seniority in employment, their accommodation and social security.Beijing has also pledged to push land reforms that would protect farmers' rights to their land, and allow them to lease or sell land when they leave villages. The farmers are also guaranteed rights to get a share of the profits their villages make out of collective properties, the circular said. "Government must rule out the possibilities of land grabs under the name of hukou reform, which will add to the burden of farmers," Hu said. At a State Council meeting Wednesday, Premier Li Keqiang called on all relevant departments to design plausible measures to provide better services to migrant workers."Research has shown China has benefited from the demographic dividend in its decades of rapid development, this dividend was largely contributed by migrant workers," Li said, adding that migrant workers should be welcomed as new members of cities, not second-class citizens.Agencies contributed to this story Tags: Rapid Prototyping, Rapid Prototyping China, Plastic Tooling, Plastic Tooling China, Rapid Prototype, Rapid Prototype China, Rapid Tooling, Rapid Tooling China, CNC Prototype, CNC Prototype China, Functional Prototype, Functional Prototype China, Metal Prototype, Metal Prototype China, Plastic Prototype, Plastic Prototype China, Rapid Manufacturing, Rapid Manufacturing China, Low volume production, Stereolithography, Stereolithography China, Vacuum Casting, Vacuum Casting China, whatsapp marketing, wechat marketing, seo, e marketing, �W��OӋ�ṩseo, e marketing, web design by zoapcon

Chinese FM holds talks with Myanmar counterpart

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Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Monday held talks with his Myanmar counterpart U Wunna Maung Lwin in Nay Pyi Taw.China-Myanmar relations have witnessed a good trend of development, Wang said, adding that the two economies are highly complementary and enjoy great cooperation potential, while both considered development as an important strategic responsibility.China wishes to practically implement the common consent reached by leaders of the two countries and launch all-sided cooperation to boost common development to bring wealth to the two peoples, he said.Wang called on the two sides to make good preparations for the two countries' high-level exchanges in the next phase to push forward China-Myanmar relations.In accordance with demand of the Myanmar side, Wang called for practically pushing ahead the two countries' economic and trade cooperation and further enhancing the role of major cooperation projects in strategically supporting bilateral ties, which would practically boost employment and improve people's livelihood.He also expressed China's wishes to jointly push forward the construction of Silk Road economic belt and Bangladesh-China-India- Myanmar economic corridor to strengthen mutual link.China would like to encourage Chinese enterprises to come to Myanmar to establish businesses, develop industrial zones and actively take part in Kyaukpyu Special Economic Zone projects, as well as to study and develop the construction of transnational economic zones, he said.He also said the Chinese side would like to deepen agricultural cooperation with Myanmar to support its agricultural modernization.China wishes to make joint efforts with Myanmar in pushing this year's China-ASEAN summit to achieve more outcome and further promote China-ASEAN comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership, he added.Minister U Wunna Maung Lwin said for a long period, Myanmar and China enjoyed a neighborly and close relationship. The cooperation between the two countries has enhanced Myanmar's socio-economic development.Noting that China has become Myanmar's top foreign investor, he hoped to enhance cooperation with China in industrial and agricultural sectors and launch more major projects.He added that Myanmar wishes to play the roles of geographical and bridge link between ASEAN countries and China and actively take part in the construction of Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar economic corridor to enhance China-ASEAN mutual link and strengthen ASEAN-China strategic cooperation. Tags: Rapid Prototyping, Rapid Prototyping China, Plastic Tooling, Plastic Tooling China, Rapid Prototype, Rapid Prototype China, Rapid Tooling, Rapid Tooling China, CNC Prototype, CNC Prototype China, Functional Prototype, Functional Prototype China, Metal Prototype, Metal Prototype China, Plastic Prototype, Plastic Prototype China, Rapid Manufacturing, Rapid Manufacturing China, Low volume production, Stereolithography, Stereolithography China, Vacuum Casting, Vacuum Casting China, whatsapp marketing, wechat marketing, seo, e marketing, �W��OӋ�ṩseo, e marketing, web design by zoapcon