IN BRIEF (Page 2)

Chinese mark Mandela Day

The Chinese community in South Africa joined the rest of the world on July 18 in commemorating the Nelson Mandela International Day by dedicating themselves to building a united and more caring society.

Mandela Day, which falls on Mandela's birthday on July 18, was officially declared as a globally celebrated event by the United Nations General Assembly in 2009. On this day, people around the world contribute 67 minutes of their time to improve their community in one way or another.

Defence Unlimited, a kung fu school owned by a South African of Chinese descent, hosted a self-defense workshop to mark the event in partnership with the Chinese Association in Gauteng Province.

UN official lauds efforts to combat Ebola

China has been a leading international partner in supporting Africa to fight the Ebola virus and now is assisting the recovery and reconstruction of Ebola-affected countries, Jeanine Cooper, the African Union representative to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.

"China has been a leading international partner not only for affected countries, but also for the African Union since the beginning of the outbreak," she said ahead of a AU-hosted international conference on Africa's fight against Ebola in Malabo.

"China made several donations in kind, in cash, for medical supplies. The Chinese also made one of the first international medical donations to the African Union when they deployed medical workers."

Vehicles donated to prevent poaching

Tanzania's anti-poaching mission received a boost on July 19 when the Chinese government donated 50 special vehicles worth $1.3 million to patrol national parks and game reserves.

Chinese Ambassador to Tanzania Lu Youqing handed over the vehicles to Lazaro Nyalandu, the minister for natural resources and tourism, in Dar es Salaam. China also donated 100 mountaineering jackets, 130 tents, 50 patrol generator sets and 50 interphones.

The support came days after a Chinese delegation visited Tanzania to enhance cooperation between the two countries and share experiences in managing natural resources, including wildlife.

Presidents exchange congratulations

Chinese President Xi Jinping and Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz on July 19 exchanged congratulatory messages to mark the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between their countries.

In his message, Xi said the people of China and Mauritania enjoy a traditional friendship, and that bilateral ties have advanced healthily over the past five decades, with bilateral cooperation in various fields and bringing tangible benefits to both countries.

Azzi said that, over the past 50 years, the Mauritania-China ties have undergone constant development, witnessing frequent high-level exchanges and a continuous deepening of mutual trust. Both countries have also maintained a common stance on international and regional issues, he added.

Official visit cements ties

South African Deputy-President Cyril Ramaphosa has said that his official visit to China, July 13 to 17, successfully cemented bilateral ties.

In a statement on July 19, Ramaphosa said the visit, on which he was joined by a high-powered delegation of government officials and business leaders, had created positive partnership prospects for the future.

China will continue to work with South Africa in implementing the five- to 10-year strategic program of cooperation signed during President Jacob Zuma's state visit in December, he said. The two countries also agreed to implement six priority areas to help the African country in its economic development program. China has also agreed to provide expertise in managing state-owned enterprises.

Zambia eyes investment

Given Lubinda, the Zambian agriculture minister, has urged more Chinese investors to tap into the potential of his country's agricultural sector, citing an array of incentives.

He told Xinhua News Agency that Zambia has abundant arable land that has remained unexploited due to funding constraints and out-dated production capacity, and that the country was only using 15 percent of its 42 million of hectares arable land.

The government, he said, has an ambitious program to open up more than 1.5 million hectares of land in the next two years for agricultural purposes and has selected 10 areas where it intends to develop farming blocks, with each block covering at least 100,000 hectares.

Aid to develop Kenya's industrial capacity

China is ready to assist Kenya to develop a robust industrial sector to further enhance Sino-Kenya cooperation, China's ambassador to the country, Liu Xianfa, said on July 20 at the China-Africa Entrepreneurs Forum in Nairobi.

Over the past three decades, Beijing has developed enormous industrial capacity that has transformed the nation, he said, and "China is willing to assist Kenya with both the industrial capacity and the relevant skills".

More than 100 participants from the business and financial sectors of China and Kenya attended the one-day forum, hosted by the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China and CfC Stanbic Bank Kenya Ltd.

Xi appeals for northeast boost

President Xi Jinping has called for fresh business creation efforts to revive China's flagging northeastern region, once a major heavy industrial hub, while highlighting the importance of state-owned enterprises in the country's development.

Xi made his remarks during an inspection tour of Jilin province from July 16 to 18, urging the region to strive for breakthroughs while adapting to slower economic development.

"More efforts should be made to push forward the innovation drive ... to boost the vigor of the whole of society in innovation and business startups," Xi said.

Abide by judgment or feel pinch

People who refuse to comply with judgments against them, such as debtors, will be subject to more restrictions in daily life and in business operations, the Supreme People's Court has warned.

In the past, people who failed to carry out judgments were limited in their ability to purchase luxuries. But under a rule issued by the court, debtors are limited in their ability to purchase or build houses, rent luxury apartments for work, buy cars, play golf, and eat in hotel restaurants. In addition, they are not allowed to travel or take a vacation, and their children cannot study in high-tuition private schools.

In 2013, the top court made a blacklist of people who refused to comply with judgments. By December last year, the list included more than 700,000 people, with their names and identity card numbers disclosed online.

$56m boost to Xinjiang tourism

China's 13th Five-Year Plan (2016-20) will give a 350 million yuan ($56 million) to boost tourism in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, according to the China National Tourism Administration.

Other supporting programs include improving the local consumption environment in Xinjiang, helping local businesses design tourism packages, and launching more travel routes along the Silk Road.

President wants more New Zealand trade

President Xi Jinping called for more economic cooperation between China and New Zealand when he met with Jerry Mateparae, the country's governor-general, on July 21 in Beijing.

Both countries should expand cooperation in traditional areas, including agriculture and animal husbandry, and explore cooperation in sectors such as food safety, biological medicine, new energy and infrastructure, Xi said, adding that China wants to work with New Zealand and others to build the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank into a mutually beneficial, professional and efficient lending platform that boosts regional connectivity and development.

New Zealand was the first developed Western nation to start negotiations to set up the China-initiated bank, which is designed to invest in new infrastructure across Asia. It joined the bank as a founding member.

Navy starts exercise in South China Sea

The Chinese navy announced 10 days of military training in the waters near eastern Hainan Island in the South China Sea starting on July 22, amid heightened tensions in the region.

During the training, "no vessel is allowed to enter the designated maritime areas", according to China's Maritime Safety Administration, which released the drill plan on July 20.

Tensions in the South China Sea have worsened in recent months.

Presidents talk on Iran cooperation

President Xi Jinping and US President Barack Obama highlighted their nations' cooperation in resolving the Iran nuclear issue during a telephone conversation on July 21.

Analysts said the Iran case reflects the great potential for Beijing and Washington to jointly push forward solutions to global issues, and it has made Xi's upcoming visit to the United States in September all the more important.

"China and the US had close communication and coordination during the talks on the Iranian nuclear issue - a testimony to the nations' decision to jointly build a new type of relationship between major countries," the Foreign Ministry quoted Xi as saying during the phone call with Obama.

The deal, endorsed by the United Nations Security Council, lifts sanctions on Iran imposed by the US, the European Union and the UN. In return, Iran will curb its nuclear program for a decade and get rid of 98 percent of its stockpile of enriched uranium.

"The agreement sends a positive message to the world that the international community can resolve major disputes through talks," Xi said.

High-tech products face probes

Trade remedy measures against high-tech and high value-added product exports from China rose significantly in the first six months of the year, despite an overall slowdown in the number and value of trade friction cases.

About 37 trade remedy cases were filed against Chinese companies between January and June, including 32 anti-dumping cases. Fourteen countries and regions, mostly G20 members, initiated investigations against Chinese products, down 30 percent year-on-year, the Ministry of Commerce said on July 21.

The US launched six trade remedy probes against Chinese products in the past six months. Countries from Latin America filed about 14 cases, up 27 percent from the same period a year ago.

Shen Danyang, spokesman for the ministry, said because India and the Eurasian Economic Community focused on investigating cases initiated last year, the number of probes decreased in the first half.

Low-level officials targeted in graft fight

National prosecuting departments will boost efforts to investigate corruption among low-level "flies" - government officials at county level or below - to strengthen the grassroots, Song Hansong, director of the Supreme People's Procuratorate's Duty-related Crime Prevention Department, said on July 21.

In recent years, the number of low-level officials investigated for corruption, especially those serving in county, township or village authorities, has risen sharply due to their weak legal awareness and loopholes in supervision, he said. "Graft has directly harmed the public interest and posed a serious threat to the grassroots' political power."

According to the procuratorate, from January 2013 to May this year, national prosecutors investigated 28,894 low-level officials on suspicion of corruption involving agriculture or poverty alleviation, accounting for 22 percent of the alleged graft cases.

IPO freeze causes major quandary

China's sudden halt to a frenzy of initial public offerings came at just the wrong time for underwriters Everbright Securities Co, Guotai Junan Securities Co and China Merchants Securities Co.

The firms have the largest number of IPOs in limbo - approved by regulators but yet to be completed - after the government imposed an indefinite suspension this month, data compiled by Bloomberg show. Each has three on hold.

With 38 companies' share sales blocked before the underwriters could get them out of the door, as much as $386 million in fees has evaporated for now, based on averages for deals in the first six months.

The missing revenue adds to the hit that brokerages face from China's market turmoil, including a decline in the lucrative business of financing customers' stock purchases and the potential for trading volumes to keep falling.

Experts eye underground problems

China's major developer of tactical missiles, China Aerospace Science and Industry Corp, is using its defense technologies to help city administrators and business sectors, according to engineers at the company.

Advanced radar technology, essential to a missile system, has been adapted to detect broken equipment up to 30 meters underground.

"Many underground gas and water pipes, electrical conduits, TV cables and sewers were made many years ago and are often in bad condition. Traditional examination and repair methods require digging up the roads they are buried in, inconveniencing residents and commuters," said Zhang Peng, a chief engineer at Beijing Huahang Radio Measurement Institute.

20 deported over terror videos

Twenty foreigners have been deported from China for illegally watching video clips that advocate terrorism and religious extremism, according to the Foreign Affairs Office in Erdos. Police found that the foreigners first watched a documentary in a hotel room. After some of them left, the others then watched video clips advocating terrorism. All those detained admitted to their illegal acts and apologized. They were deported early on July 18.

(China Daily Africa Weekly 07/24/2015 page2)