Face-changing trick hawked online

The secret "Bianlian", or face-changing, Sichuan Opera technique is being sold for only 3,000 yuan (US$385.85) on taobao.com, a major auction website in China, the Beijing Morning Post reported Wednesday.
"Beelzebub Fantasy" claimed he would teach all the tricks involved in the face-changing, but only to Chinese nationals, and only to one person in each city.
The online salesman added that his net store had been launched by three generations of well-known magicians and martial arts practitioners, artists in their 80s, state-level performers and college students who hold many national patents. He even claims that two members of his family have won the Golden Clown Award, the highest prize in international acrobatic and circus competition. "The biggest secret of face-changing is the mask tools," the salesman surnamed Meng (Beelzebub Fantasy) told the Beijing Morning Post. It costs 3,000 yuan for the secrets, he said. "I promise you can learn it, but you have to practice during celebrations because you can't get to the master's level without a lot of practice." "I never studied Sichuan Opera, but I have researched face-changing for five years," Meng said. When asked whether he uses the same props as the real Sichuan Opera, he said he didn't know, but that regular people wouldn't know the difference anyway.

Chines Teapot

The art of drinking and serving tea plays a major cultural role in China. It inspires poetry and songs. Mutual love of tea cements lifelong friendships. For centuries, the ritual of preparing and serving tea has held a special place in the hearts and minds of Chinese aristocracy, court officials, intellectuals and poets. The Chinese tea ceremony emphasizes the tea, rather than the ceremony -- what the tea tastes like, smells like, and how one tea tastes compared to the previous tea, or in successive rounds of drinking. Ceremony doesn't mean that each server will perform the ritual the same way; it is not related to religion. Each step is meant to be a sensory exploration and appreciation. Most teas used in the Chinese tea ceremony are grown in the mountains of Taiwan at around 4,000 feet. These teas are particularly refined, such as oolong teas which are lightly fermented and red teas that can be moderately to heavily fermented. This style of tea-drinking uses small cups to match the small, unglazed clay teapots; each cup is just large enough to hold about two small swallows of tea. These tiny cups are particularly popular in Fujian and Chiujao, in southern coastal China above Canton. In Shanghai and Beijing they use large cups.To Brew Tea Chinese-style After heating water to boiling, the teapot first is rinsed with hot water. Using chopsticks or a bamboo tea scoop, fill teapot approximately 1/3 full with tea leaves and then pour boiling water into the pot. Hold the teapot over a large bowl, letting the overflow run into the bowl. Give the tea leaves a rinse by filling the pot half full with hot water, then draining the water out immediately, leaving only the soaked tea leaves. Now fill the pot to the top with more hot water, cover and pour additional water over the teapot resting in the tea bowl. Do not allow bubbles to form in the pot. When mixed with the tea, bubbles form a foam that is not aesthetically pleasing. Be sure to not let the tea steep too long; the first infusion should be steeped for only 30 seconds. In less than a minute, pour the tea into the cups by moving the teapot around in a continual motion over the cups so that they are filled together. Each cup should taste exactly the same. After steeping, the tea can be poured into a second teapot or tea pitcher to be served at leisure. More water can be added to the teapot, and up to five infusions typically can be made from the same tea leaves. Be sure to add 10 more seconds for the second brewing and 15 additional seconds thereafter. Each pot of tea serves three to four rounds and up to five or six, depending on the tea and the server. The goal is that each round taste the same as the first. Creating consistent flavor is where the mastery of the server is seen.

Spring Festival

Chinese New Year starts with the New Moon（新月）on the first day of the new year and ends on the full moon（满月）15 days later. The 15th day of the new year is called the Lantern Festival（元宵节）, which is celebrated at night with lantern displays and children carrying lanterns in a parade.
The Chinese calendar is based on a combination of lunar and solar movements. The lunar cycle（月运周期）is about 29.5 days. In order to "catch up" with the solar calendar the Chinese insert an extra month once every few years (seven years out of a 19-yearcycle). This is the same as adding an extra day on leap year （闰年）. This is why, according to the solar calendar, the Chinese New Year falls on a different date each year.
New Year's Eve and New Year's Day are celebrated as a family affair, a time of reunion and thanksgiving. The celebration was traditionally highlighted with a religious ceremony given in honor of Heaven and Earth（万物）, the gods of the household and the family ancestors.
The sacrifice to the ancestors, the most vital of all the rituals（仪式）, united the living members with those who had passed away. Departed relatives are remembered with great respect because they were responsible for laying the foundations for the fortune and glory of the family.
The presence of the ancestors is acknowledged on New Year's Eve with a dinner arranged for them at the family banquet table. The spirits of the ancestors, together with the living, celebrate the onset of the New Year as one great community. The communal feast called "surrounding the stove" or weilu. It symbolizes family unity and honors the past and present generations.

China's GDP grows 10.7% in 2006, fastest in 11 years

2007-01-26 06:48
The economy turned in another sparkling performance last year, with gross domestic product (GDP) growing at the fastest clip in 11 years and inflation moving below 2 percent.

The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) yesterday announced that GDP grew by 10.7 percent to reach 20.94 trillion yuan ($2.68 trillion). The consumer price index, a key indicator of inflation, inched up by a mild 1.5 percent.

"In 2006, the economy was in good condition," NBS Director Xie Fuzhan told a press conference organized by the State Council Information Office.

The economy, which overtook Britain in 2005 to become the world's fourth biggest, is moving closer to that of Germany, which is estimated to have grown by 2.2 percent last year to $2.86 trillion.

The World Bank predicts the Chinese economy will grow by 9.6 percent this year; and other mainstream economists put their forecasts at a minimum of 8.8 percent.

That means the nation has a good chance to become the third biggest economic power by 2008 but Xie would only say that he believed "the economy will maintain a momentum of rapid, steady growth this year".

In 2006, the economy grew on the back of strong growth in investment, exports and consumption.

Fixed asset investment expanded by 24 percent, down two percentage points from in 2005.

The government made strenuous efforts to tame investment growth last year to avoid overheating.

The central bank twice jacked up interest rates and thrice raised the proportion of deposits that banks must hold in reserves. On January 15, it raised the required reserve ratio again. The central government cracked down, too, on investments that were against the country's development guidelines.

Xie, who was a senior researcher at the State Council Development Research Centre before joining the NBS in October, said he was worried in 2005 that the economy was heading toward overheating. The cooling-down measures helped avoid that, he said.

However, economists believe the authorities will not relax their tightening measures for credit and investment. In particular, a 2.8 percent growth in the consumer price index last month could well trigger a new interest rate hike or a further rise of the reserve ratio for banks, said Frank Gong, chief economist of JP Morgan. Related opinion
This growth occurred in spite of a spate of tightening measures to keep the pace of expansion in check.

On the external front, the government may need to be more aggressive in dealing with its swelling trade surplus, said Ben Simpfendrer of the Royal Bank of Scotland.

China's exports grew 27.2 percent in 2006 while imports expanded by 20 percent, resulting in a surplus of $177.5 billion, compared to $100 billion the previous year.

The surging trade surplus has increased friction with trading partners. The country's hefty foreign exchange reserves, which can largely be attributed to the huge trade surplus, have also contributed to rapid investment growth by adding to the money available for lending by banks.

"It is not in China's interests to have such a large trade surplus," said David Dollar, the World Bank's country director for China.

China's top policy makers have said curbing the trade surplus will be a focal point for the country's economic endeavors this year.

Stimulating domestic consumption will be another theme, as it has been in recent years.

Growth of retail sales, a key indicator for consumption, accelerated by 13.7 percent last year as compared to 12.9 percent in 2005. But the rate still lagged behind investment growth by a big margin.

Economists generally agree that the country needs to improve education, heathcare and social security systems to reduce the money that citizens have to put aside for these purposes.

But that cannot be achieved overnight, Xie said.

Dollar said China could collect dividends from profitable State enterprises and use the money to improve education and health systems which would reduce investment growth and increase consumption.

Overall, the prospects for the Chinese economy this year are favorable, Dollar said.

"There is no big danger for the Chinese economy in 2007," he said.

Thin Line Paper-cut

Paper cut is a folk art enjoying great popularity among Chinese people. Thin line paper-cut, a distinctive genre of Chinese paper cut, originated from Yueqing, Zhejiang Province. According to local historical records, thin line paper-cut appeared and developed in the Southern Dynasty , thanks to the region's thriving economy and frequent exchanges with the outside world. This paper-cut style has a history of some 700 years. It first appeared as decorations on dragon lanterns during lantern festival celebrations. As colored lanterns emerged and were widely used, thin line paper-cut was further developed.

Xin Jinag Dance

Sinkiang minority live in the western part of China. They have their own language, traditional culture and florid costumes. Moving neck, quick spin and various wrist actions are Sinkiang folk dance’s typical movements, which make Sinkiang folk dance having its unique style. Sinkiang dance is usually very passion, delight and graceful; but it also has elegant and lyric styles. This dance is combined with those multiform gestures to express the beautiful Sinkiang girls’ elegant posture and fire-passion.

Ｃhina Clay Doll_ Fu

Porcelain became popular at the beginning of the 19th century. Porcelain is made by firing special clays in a kiln at more than 2372 degrees Fahrenheit. Only a few clays can withstand firing at such high temperatures. Porcelain is used generically to refer to both china and bisque dolls. China is glazed, whereas bisque is unglazed. Germany, France, and Denmark started creating china heads for dolls in the 1840s. China heads were replaced by heads made of bisque in the 1860s. Bisque, which is fired twice with color added to it after the first firing, looked more like skin than china did.

Six-Party Talks: US Envoy in Beijing

US chief negotiator Christopher Hill arrived in Beijing on Sunday ahead of talks with Chinese officials on resuming the six-party talks on the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue at an early date.
According to the US embassy in Beijing, Hill will meet his Chinese counterpart, Vice-Foreign Minister Wu Dawei, later in the afternoon, briefing Wu about his Berlin talks with senior DPRK negotiator, Kim Kye-Gwan.
"I will ask him about his thoughts on when we can schedule the next round of six-party talks, because we'd like to do that as soon as possible," Hill told reporters upon arrival at the Beijing airport.
Chinese Foreign Ministry confirmed Wu would meet with the US Assistant Secretary of State in the evening but provided no further details.
Prior to his arrival in the Chinese capital, Hill visited Seoul and Tokyo, exchanging views with his respective counterparts there.
Hill told officials in Tokyo that the United States and the DPRK agreed to restart talks at the earliest possible date and strive for concrete progress.
The United States and the DPRK held unique one-on-one talks in Berlin from Tuesday to Thursday last week. Hill described in Seoul his meeting with Kim Kye Gwan in Berlin as "very useful."
The six-party talks involve China, the DPRK, the Republic of Korea (ROK), the United States, Japan and Russia, with the first round held in 2003. At the latest round of talks held in late December in Beijing, the parties failed to make major progress but agreed to have another session.

Actress Hu Die in the 1930’s

In pre-revolutionary China, Shanghai was known as the Pearl of the Orient. The city was heavily influenced by the many foreign concessions established there. It became the centre of China’s film industry in the 1930’s, run along the same lines as the Hollywood system. For the first half of that decade, Hu Die was China’s top actress. She appealed to a broad audience and her starring roles broke box-office records. In those days, many actors were well-known socialites or came from variety show troupes. Hu Die was one of the few formally trained actresses. In 1924, she enrolled in the China Film School and began her meteoric rise to stardom. Hu Die is often compared with her contemporary, Ruan Lingyu. Just like now, people in the public eye were the subject of gossip. Both actresses suffered from rumours in the press. Unfortunately for Hu Die and Ruan Lingyu, there was a grain of truth in the accusations. In those days, rich and powerful men often took actresses as their playthings. They were even willing to break up a marriage in order to get what they wanted.
Like everyone else, Hu Die was deeply affected by the spread of war in the late 1930’s. After military resistance to Japan’s invasion stepped up, the film industry in Shanghai ground to a halt. The city was the most prosperous on China’s mainland, making it a prime target for Japanese forces. At the same time, the Guomindang secret service head Dai Li had the prominent actress in his sights. There was no way Hu Die could refuse his advances. Unlike Ruan Lingyu, her loving family helped her to overcome the slanders of the press. With Dai Li’s death shortly after the end of the war, Hu Die was finally able to settle down with her husband.

Sorceress of Dance: Yang Liping

Yang Liping, of the Bai Ethnic Minority in Dali, Yunnan Province , grew up with her two sisters, brother and mother. Despite her parents' divorce, she developed a positive attitude towards life and art. Although Yang loved to dance since she was very young, she was never officially enrolled in a dance school. She entered the Xishuangbanna Song and Dance Troupe in 1971.
Yang the artist, coming from the deep mountains, has sometimes been dubbed the "sorceress" of dance. In Taiwan and Southeast Asia, she is also known as the "Goddess of Dance." Yang's pure and mellow dance style is a result of her unique figure, intelligence and artistic inspirations from the aboriginal and natural cultural landscape.
Yang won the 1979 Best Performance Award of Yunnan Province in the leading role of the large-scale national dance drama "Peacock Princess." Yang created and performed "The Soul of Birds" in 1986 which helped establish her reputation and acquire various awards. At the closing ceremonies of the Asian Games in 1990, Yang performed the dance again. In May 1992, she became the first dancer from the mainland to Taiwan. In 1993, her "Two Trees" won the first prize in the CCTV (China Central Television) Spring Festival Party. Yang has traveled to Singapore, the Philippines, United States, Canada, Taiwan and Japan to engage in art communications.
The large-scale dance drama "Dynamic Yunnan" choreographed and directed by Yang Liping will be performed in Beijing from April 10 to 16. The detailed information for the performance is as follows:

Wall Painting Awaits Spring Festival

A wall of Nanjing's Sanshanjie Subway Station is decorated with traditional Chinese new year paintings. The wall is some 20 meters long and 3 meters tall, and the paintings not only display the customs of Nanjing as a historic city, but also reflect Nanjinger's warm embrace of the new year. The pictures were taken on January 2, 2007.

China now second largest vehicle market

China surged past Japan to become the world's No. 2 vehicle market after the United States last year as car purchases by newly affluent drivers jumped 37 percent, the Chinese auto industry association said Thursday.
The announcement highlighted China's lightning evolution from a "bicycle kingdom" into a major auto market where foreign producers are racing to open factories and target a growing urban middle class.
Struggling US automakers General Motors and Ford have gotten a boost from double-digit sales growth in China and fledgling Chinese manufacturers are starting to export their own cars, trucks and SUVs.
"There's money here and people spend that money on cars," said Michael J. Dunne, vice president for Asia-Pacific for auto research firm J.D. Power and Associates. "The Chinese government has made no secret of its intention to develop a car culture and a car industry. All of the forces are working together."
China's overall vehicle sales, including trucks and buses, rose 25.1 percent to 7.2 million units last year, China Association of Automobile Manufacturers said. Passenger car sales rose to 3.8 million, it said.
Japan's total vehicle sales last year came to 5.7 million units, a slight decline from 2005, said the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association.
US car and truck sales totaled 16.5 million units last year, down a bit from 2005, according to research firm Autodata Inc.
The Chinese car boom is driven by economic growth that is estimated to have reached 10.5 percent last year.
The car craze has taken a toll in smog and congestion. China has most of the world's 10 dirtiest cities, and air quality is worsening as car exhaust increases. Rush-hour traffic slows to a crawl in Beijing, Shanghai and other urban centers.
China could overtake the United States as the top car market some time after 2015, Dunne said.
"It could happen," he said. "China's annual income per person is just over $1,000, and they're buying 7 million vehicles. Imagine what happens when that goes to $2,000 or $3,000."
Red-hot Chinese sales have brought relief to US automakers, which have seen weak demand at home.
General Motors Corp. said Monday that its total sales in China last year rose 32 percent over 2005 to 876,747 vehicles. Ford Motor Co. said sales of its brands, including Ford, Lincoln, Jaguar, Land Rover and Volvo, rose 87 percent to 166,722 units.
European and Japanese automakers report similar surges. Luxury auto maker Rolls Royce, owned by Germany's BMW AG, says its 2006 sales were up 60 percent. The company is expanding its work force to meet Chinese demand for its $380,000 luxury Phantom.
China's biggest-selling automaker last year was Shanghai General Motors Corp., a GM joint venture, with 365,400 vehicles sold, according to the Chinese industry group.
The top-selling car was the Jetta, made by FAW-Volkswagen Co., one of Volkswagen AG's joint ventures.
The biggest Chinese manufacturer was Chery Automobile Co., with 272,400 units sold. Chery and DaimlerChrysler AG announced a plan last month for the Chinese company to make small cars for sale worldwide under the Dodge, Chrysler or Jeep brands.
China's automakers exported about 325,000 vehicles last year, about 80 percent of them low-priced trucks and buses bound for developing markets in Asia, Africa and Latin America, the government says.
They also are eager to break into the US market, though analysts say they will have trouble meeting safety and environmental standards.
This week at the Detroit Auto Show, China's Changfeng Motor Co. displayed a pair of sport utility vehicles and two pickup trucks ahead of what it said were planned exports to the United States.

Chinese leather silhouette

Chinese leather silhouette is also called shadow play, and in some regions"monkey play" or "paper shadow". The leather silhouette show is an age-old popular folk art of China which even spreads abroad and thus becomes a worldwide art. The main prop of the shadow play is the PIYING (leather silhouette). It demands a superb handicraft to make such a prop.
In our days, numerous foreign artists make PIYING to decorate the display windows. The images painted on the PIYING are usually figures coming from historical theaters or myths. Despite of its difference in style made in divers areas in China, PIYING has the following characteristics in common: sculpture highly precise, simply shaped, decorative patterns exaggerated, which form together an artistic charm. The folk artists form a jingle to describe the skills and the process of making a PIYING: you begin with the sculpture of the head and the cap, followed by that of the eyebrows, the eyes and the pointed nose, you finish preparing the clothing, the hair and the mustache, and then you form the body by putting all together. You color the body and then your PIYING is ready.

CHINESE INK AND INKSTONE

For a traditionally trained Chinese and even many “modern” leaders in government, business and the arts today, the Chinese brush, ink and inkstone used in writing of characters, calligraphy and painting has a much deeper cultural significance than most outsiders would at first appreciate. One of the fascinating and intriguing characteristics of traditional Chinese society is the reverent manner in which a scholar was encouraged to think of all things concerning literature and the library including his writing materials. Over the years numerous rules were developed and popularized in relation to the making of brushes, ink, inkstones and paper. The literature called these four items the “four precious things of the library” and many Chinese even today are taught to give attention to writing of characters in a way very unlike the status of penmanship in this rapidly increasingly technological world.
The Chinese brush is believe to have been invented by one Ming Ti’en in the Third Century B.C. Paper is believed to have been developed at approximately this time although archaeological records show that painting on silk dates from an even earlier date.
The character in Chinese for ink, “mo”, is a combination of two characters, “hei” or black, and “t’u” which means earth. Ink held a fascination for Chinese scholars and there are a plethora of books and treatises on the subject. Some of the classics written over the ages are the “Mo Ch’ing”, which translates as the Ink Classic, which was written in the twelfth century by Chao Kuan-chih. Another is the “Mo pu fu shu” or Handbook of Inkmaking written by Li Hsia-su of the Sung dynasty. Other works written contemporaneously or somewhat later about ink include the “Fang shih mo p’u”, the “Ch’eng shih mo yuan” and the “Mo fu chi yao.”
The chief ingredients of high quality ink according to these works are lampblack and glue. The finest lampblack is supposed to come from the burning of vegetable oils. In ancient times the best soot was made from burning of specially selected pines in an ink furnace that had inverted pottery jars over the smoke. These jars trapped the soot which was then removed with feather brushes. The soot was then mixed with glue, which could be made from horn or animal hides. According to the ink classic, the glue made from the horns of young deer was of the highest quality because of its purity. Good ink depended upon good glue, which gives the ink texture and life.
Because of the laborious process noted above, ink was difficult to make and because of this very expensive. In the tenth century, Li’Ting-kuei of Huichou in Anwei province revolutionized the ink making process so that ink could be made from the soot or lamp black from an oil lamp. This greatly reduced cost and increased availability.
Chinese ink differs significantly from western ink in composition and also in it ability to stand the tests of time. It does not fade to the extent that western ink does when exposed to light and ancient pictures and calligraphy still retain their resilience after centuries of display. Chinese ink in ancient times was sold in solid inksticks or inkcakes, which were most frequently round or rectangular but also often shaped like a canoe. The ink was then ground on an inkstone and mixed with water for use. Ancient or antique inksticks are a collector’s item and are in demand by collectors and fetch high prices at auction. Museums in China and also those overseas collections with larger holdings often have examples of these inksticks, many of which date to the Sung, Yuan and Ming dynasties.
Considering the reverence traditionally educated Chinese scholars had for the brush and ink, their interest in the inkstone was even greater. The inkstone, which was used to grind the ink, was considered the very soul of a scholar’s library. These stones were selected with the greatest of care and were often decorated with elaborate symbols or literary phrases thought to encourage the scholar’s production of higher sentiments. While there are many exceptions, most inkstones are rectangular or rounded. Most are in fact made of stone but examples of pottery also exist. The definitive work on this subject is probably Mi Fu’s “Yen shih” or Account of Inkstones. This work gives the proper name for all portions of the Inkstone and sets out the various characteristics of Inkstones and their use. Later but also fascinating works on Inkstones include the “Yen lin” or Forest of Inkstones by Yu Huai, which was written in the 1600s. This was followed by “Pao yen t’ang yen pien” or Discussion of Inkstones from the Hall of Treasured Inkstones” by Ho Chu’an-yao and “Tuan his yen shih” or Account of Tuan Hi’s Stones by Wu Lan-hsui, both of which were published in the 1830s.
Inkstones are an acquired taste like several other facets of Chinese culture. They are generally black or dark in color and do not draw the attention of the eye. Their beauty oftentimes is not so much in how they look but in how they work together with the ink and the paper and brush to achieve a particular color or texture. However, for those fortunate enough to have learned to master the brush, ink, inkstone and paper, “the four precious things of the library” are a passion. Holding an antique inkstone, it is hard not to feel the power that emanated from the previous painter or scholar who possessed this stone. For this reason, inkstones are avidly collected and treasured by Chinese and some foreigners. Prices vary greatly and are often based on stories as to prior owners, which are difficult if not impossible to verify.

Nigerian president vows to secure release of kidnapped Chinese

President Olusegun Obasanjo on Sunday said he himself would assume responsibility for earlier release of the five Chinese telecommunication workers kidnapped Friday morning in southern Nigeria.
Meeting with Chinese Ambassador Xu Jianguo at the presidential villa in the capital Abuja, Obasanjo said the "kidnapping incident would be well solved," adding that he hoped "the incident would not affect the development of Nigeria-China friendly cooperation."
The president also said the Nigerian governments at all levels and the police would do their best to rescue the workers.
According to a reliable source, the five Chinese workers from the Sichuan Telecommunication Company were taken as hostage early Friday morning by a group of unidentified armed gunmen who stormed their residence at Rumuakwunde, Emohua local council government area, Rivers state.
The Chinese company has withdrawn its workers who were working in two others places in the same state to ensure their safety.
The company was involved in the Nigerian rural telephone project which, when completed and put into operation, will help improve telecommunication service in various rural areas in Nigeria, the most populous African country with a population of over 140 million.

Fu - the Chinese word for 'luck'

Fu is a lucky word. It is very easy to say it.
Around the Chinese New Year, people often put up a poster with this word on it - upside down! It's the only time when a Chinese word is posted upside down intentionally.

Outlook for China's major events in 2007

A rundown of the major events in China shows 2007 will be extremely busy, productive and crucial for the country's reforms and development. The year will feature the continued evolution of the government and the turning of a new page for the Communist Party of China.
The agenda is full of great challenges as the country's scientists reach for the moon, its farmers expect greater prosperity and Beijing begins to take center stage in the run-up to the world's largest sporting event.
17th National Congress of the Communist Party of China to Convene
The Communist Party of China (CPC) will convene its 17th national congress in the second half of this year in Beijing.
The Congress, which is held once every five years, is crucial for the CPC as it continues efforts to unite and lead people of all ethnic groups and regions in building a moderately prosperous society benefiting everyone.
The election of 2,220 regional delegates who will attend the congress got underway last November and will continue until June. Officials from the Organization Department of the CPC Central Committee have called for Party members to further enhance inner-Party democracy by holding elections that feature more candidates than there are positions to be filled.
Olympic Preparation Enters Final Stage
Preparation for the Beijing Olympic Games is entering the final stage as the one-year countdown will begin in August.
The Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the 29th Olympics (BOCOG) told Xinhua that construction of all Olympic stadiums will be completed by the end of 2007, and that BOCOG will map out the torch relay route and begin rehearsing the opening and closing ceremonies for the Games as soon as possible.
China has already issued a set of new regulations granting foreign journalists more freedom to report in China in the run-up to and during the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing.
The regulations will come into force on Jan. 1, 2007, and expire on Oct. 17, 2008.
Under the regulations, foreign journalists who are non-residents in China will not necessarily have to be accompanied or assisted by a Chinese official when they report in China.
Foreign journalists also no longer need to apply to provincial foreign affairs offices for permission to report in all provinces of China, but need only obtain prior consent of the organizations or individuals they want to interview
Tenth Anniversary of Hong Kong's Return to China to be Marked
China will mark its tenth anniversary of the return of Hong Kong on July 1, 2007.
The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region will host a series of celebrations from April to September.
"We hope the celebrations will demonstrate the vitality of Hong Kong and Hong Kong people," a Hong Kong SAR government official told Xinhua.
Since its return to China, Hong Kong has pulled through the Asian financial crisis that hit the region in 1997 and the outbreak of SARS in 2003. It has remained a "free port", an international metropolis that has developed into an financial, trade and transport center with the full support from the Central Government and the Chinese mainland.
People's Liberation Army to Celebrate 80th Anniversary
China will commemorate the 80th anniversary of the founding of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) on Aug. 1, 2007.
The PLA has played a historic role in the founding of New China under the leadership of the CPC. The Army continues to hold a special place in the hearts of the vast majority of the people.
The PLA's past exploits and victories and its continuing international peace keeping efforts are helping promote the country's development and to build a harmonious society.
The newly-released white paper on China's national defense said "China pursues a national defense policy which is purely defensive in nature."
The white paper says China's national defense and military modernization is required to keep pace with new trends and technology in order to maintain China's national security and development.
The People's Liberation Army (PLA) currently has 2.3 million troops, said the white paper.
National Economy to Realize "Efficient and Rapid" Growth
China's economy has maintained double-digit growth for numerous years, and this year China will improve its economic macro-control policies to maintain good economic development momentum.
Although it appears to be a mere flip in words, it is important to note the change of requirement for economic growth from "rapid and efficient" to "efficient and rapid". The wording change demonstrates that in 2007, China will pay more attention to the quality and efficiency of its economic growth and put more efforts into structural readjustment and the transformation of its mode of economic growth.
China's economic macro-controls will also remain consistent and stable and policies will be changed in a timely manner after new issues and challenges are deeply researched and examined. NPC Session to Discuss Drafts of Property Law, Corporate Income Tax Law
The fifth full session of the Tenth National People's Congress (NPC), which will convene in March, will deliberate the drafts of Property Law and Corporate Income Tax Law.
The draft of Property Law will adhere to the rule of equally protecting all kinds of ownership and is expected to solve problems which urgently need to be regulated while safeguarding the fundamental interests of the overwhelming majority of people.
The Corporate Tax Law is expected to set a unified income tax rate for both domestic and foreign companies at 25 percent. Modern Agriculture, Prime Task for New Countryside Construction
According to the plan set out at the National Agricultural Work Meeting, building a modern agriculture system will become the prime task for the country's new countryside construction drive in 2007.
The task of pushing forward the construction of modern agriculture is very arduous, as China is still moving from traditional agriculture methods to a more modern agriculture system.
With the brisk economic development and accumulating financial revenues, the Chinese government will continue to consolidate and improve its agricultural policies and increase its capital input for farmers and agriculture and in rural areas.
The Chinese government is also striving to realize its national grain security, sharpen agricultural competitiveness and increase farmer's income by introducing more modern agricultural science and technologies, bringing modern production tools to rural areas and implementing modern agricultural management models in countryside. Chang'e I Moon Orbiting Project to Be Fulfilled
China will launch this year its first satellite to orbit the moon, according to China's lunar exploration program.
Work on the Chang'e I satellite will be completed in early 2007 but no launch date has been set.
Sun Laiyan, director of the China National Space Administration said the Chang'e I satellite has four objectives; to obtain three-dimensional images of the lunar surface, analyze the content of elements and materials on the lunar surface, verify the depth of the lunar soil and study space environment as it travels between the earth and the moon.