Focus

Children help spread environmental protection awareness.

Two More Chinese World Heritage Sites

Participants in the 30th session of the World Heritage Committee have agreed to add another 18 sites into the world heritage list, including two in China: the giant panda habitat in Sichuan Province and the Yin Ruins in Henan Province. So far there are 33 world heritage sites in China, including 24 cultural heritages, five natural heritages and four of dual titles.

Sichuan has the world largest - 9,245 sq km -- habitat for giant pandas, which is also home to 30 percent of the world’s endangered animal species. The Yin Ruins in Anyang City, Henan Province, is the site of the capital of the Shang Dynasty (1600-1100 B.C) and bears witness to the height of China’s bronze age. Bronze wares found on the site are of inestimable value for their skilled production techniques and wide range of use. Also found at the Yin Ruins were oracle bone inscriptions --- the earliest Chinese characters carved on animal bones and tortoise shells - which, according to ICOMOS (International Council on Monuments and Sites) are incontestable proof that Chinese is one of the four ancient written languages of the world. The council concluded that the civilization of the Yin Ruins reveals is comparable to those of Egypt, India and Babylon.

China’s middle class is swelling.

Living Costs in Beijing the Highest on the Mainland

According to the latest survey of urban living costs, Beijing has moved to 14th place among 144 cities around the world. It takes the lead in China’s mainland, followed by Shanghai, which is 20th on the world list. Moscow, Seoul, Tokyo and Hong Kong are the top four most expensive places on earth. Conducted by U.S. Mercer Human Resources Consulting, the poll makes analyses on the basis of 200-odd price indexes, including housing, transportation, food, clothing, consumption goods and recreation. For example, the price of a cup of coffee, plus service charge, is US $4.24 in Beijing, US $3.96 in New York and US $2.57 in Tokyo.

30 Million More Chinese Develop Myopia Each Year

The fifth New Clinical Technologies of Ophthalmology Exhibition announced that 400 million people suffer from myopia in China, and that their number increases by 30 million each year. Of these, less than two million have received treatment. There is an alarming incidence of near-sightedness among school students. Girls and residents of urban areas and bigger cities seem to be more susceptible than boys and inhabitants of rural areas and smaller cities. Experts attribute this phenomenon to excessive homework, pressure to enter good schools and insufficient preventive measures for children. At present fewer than 1,000 hospitals in China, less than five percent of the national total, have Lasik departments that offer treatment for myopia.

Nineteen Chinese Businesses Enter Fortune 500 List

In the latest Fortune 500 Company list, nineteen are from China’s mainland. Those at the top of the list are mostly state-owned. They are: are Sinopec (23rd), the State Gird (32nd) and the CNPC (China National Petroleum Corporation) (39th). Others are the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, the Bank of China, the China Construction Bank, the Agricultural Bank of China, China Mobile, and China Telecom. In addition to the 19 from the mainland are one from Hong Kong company, and three from Taiwan.

China slashes import tariff on autos and auto parts.

Confucius Schools Number 80 Worldwide

To date, China has built 80 Confucius schools in 37 nations and regions, and more than 30 million people around the world are studying Chinese. The aim of the schools is to teach everyday Chinese language and promote Chinese culture worldwide. Since the first Confucius school was built in the ROK in 2004, more have sprung up in Europe, America, Africa and Australia in the past two years.

China experiencing timber supply shortage.

Chinese Netizens Swell to 123 Million

According to the 18th Statistical Report on Chinese Internet Development by CNNIC (China Internet Network Information Center), Internet growth has reached a new high in China. As at June 30, 2006, there were 123 million netizens in China, 77 million of whom use broadband, and the number of websites hit 788,400. Among the nation’s 200 million students at primary and middle schools, 30 million, or 15.4 percent, regularly get on line, and in excess of 50 percent of high school students go cyber surfing. Each netizen spends an average 16.5 hours a week online. Surveys reveal that 15 million people frequent Internet education websites, 25 million seek jobs on line, 28 million use blogs, and 30 million are regular on-line shoppers.