There might be "quality problems" with some school buildings which were damaged during the catastrophic earthquakes in southwest China's Sichuan Province in May 12, an official acknowledged on Thursday.
Ma Zongjin, director of the National Wenchuan Earthquake Expert Committee, said this could happen due to a rush of construction of school buildings in recent years.
Source: Xinhua
Friday, September 5, 2008
Strong aftershocks of May 12 quake may continue, over M-6.5 quake not possible
Strong aftershocks of the May 12 quake in southwest China's Sichuan Province may continue, but possibility of over 6.5 magnitude quake is slim, said the National Wenchuan Earthquake Expert Committee here on Thursday at a press conference.
The May 12 quake has caused 12,000 quake-related geological disasters, and there are still 8,700 sites where geological disasters might occur. And more than 30 quake lakes are in danger, according to the committee.
Source: Xinhua
The May 12 quake has caused 12,000 quake-related geological disasters, and there are still 8,700 sites where geological disasters might occur. And more than 30 quake lakes are in danger, according to the committee.
Source: Xinhua
Over 87,000 feared dead in May 12 earthquake, economic losses hit 845 bln yuan
It is feared the death toll in the8.0-magnitude earthquake centered in Wenchuan County on May 12 in the southwestern Province of Sichuan will top 87,000, an expert said here on Thursday.
"The death toll for the quake had topped 69,000 by mid July, with another 18,000 missing," Shi Peijun with the National Wenchuan Earthquake Expert Committee told a press conference Thursday morning.
"Given that it has been three months since the deadly earthquake struck, the hope of survival for those missing is very slim," Shi said.
More than 87,000 are feared dead combining the two figures together, he said.
Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao also said on Tuesday that the death toll for the deadly quake had topped 80,000 at a press conference held in Yingxiu, one of the worst-hit township at the epicenter Wenchuan County.
In addition, direct economic losses for the May 12 earthquake hit 845.1 billion yuan .
The southwestern province of Sichuan where the quake was centered suffered the most, accounting for 91.3 percent of the total direct economic losses, Shi said.
Its neighboring provinces Gansu and Shaanxi accounted for 5.8 and 2.9 percent of the losses, respectively.
More than 70 percent of the losses came from damaged dwelling buildings, school and hospital facilities and infrastructure such as roads and bridges.
Another press conference would be held on Thursday afternoon to provide more specific figures, according to the Information Office of the State Council.
Source: Xinhua
"The death toll for the quake had topped 69,000 by mid July, with another 18,000 missing," Shi Peijun with the National Wenchuan Earthquake Expert Committee told a press conference Thursday morning.
"Given that it has been three months since the deadly earthquake struck, the hope of survival for those missing is very slim," Shi said.
More than 87,000 are feared dead combining the two figures together, he said.
Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao also said on Tuesday that the death toll for the deadly quake had topped 80,000 at a press conference held in Yingxiu, one of the worst-hit township at the epicenter Wenchuan County.
In addition, direct economic losses for the May 12 earthquake hit 845.1 billion yuan .
The southwestern province of Sichuan where the quake was centered suffered the most, accounting for 91.3 percent of the total direct economic losses, Shi said.
Its neighboring provinces Gansu and Shaanxi accounted for 5.8 and 2.9 percent of the losses, respectively.
More than 70 percent of the losses came from damaged dwelling buildings, school and hospital facilities and infrastructure such as roads and bridges.
Another press conference would be held on Thursday afternoon to provide more specific figures, according to the Information Office of the State Council.
Source: Xinhua
World Petroleum Finance Conference to be held in Beijing
The " World Petroleum Finance Conference" jointly sponsored by the China Finance Net, the Asian Finance Reseach Institute, the China Finance Reseach Institute and other well-known institutions will be held in Beijing from 1st to 5th Nov. in 2008.
By then, more than 1,000 people including government leaders from all over the world, transnational oil groups, financial experts will gather in Beijing, to discuss a new proposition of "Global Petroleum Market Tendency And Financial Cooperation".
He Shihong, chairman of the World Petroleum Finance Conference said that the concern point of a new national energy security is increasingly becoming an important part of every counties' energy security strategy, today, the crude oil futures prices in the international financial market, determine the spot price to a great extent, and this futures market is controlled by a small number of overseas magnates, this brings the challenges to China's energy security.
By People's Daily Online
By then, more than 1,000 people including government leaders from all over the world, transnational oil groups, financial experts will gather in Beijing, to discuss a new proposition of "Global Petroleum Market Tendency And Financial Cooperation".
He Shihong, chairman of the World Petroleum Finance Conference said that the concern point of a new national energy security is increasingly becoming an important part of every counties' energy security strategy, today, the crude oil futures prices in the international financial market, determine the spot price to a great extent, and this futures market is controlled by a small number of overseas magnates, this brings the challenges to China's energy security.
By People's Daily Online
China, Japan and S Korea to build large-scale space observation networks
China, Japan and S Korea have decided to build transnational Very Long Baseline Interferometry network. The network consists of 20 radio telescopes that form a 6,000 km diameter network for a more sophisticated observation of black holes and galaxies.
According to Japan's "Asahi Shimbun" website, 13 radio telescopes of the National Observatory of Japan, Hokkaido University and other institutions will join this observation network; three new telescopes in Korea Astronomical Research Institute in Seoul, Ulsan and Cheju Island are to be completed soon; four telescopes in Beijing, Shanghai, Urumqi and Kunming are also scheduled to participate in the observation network.
VLBI network is the technology to use more than one telescope at the same time to observe the same celestial bodies. To connect telescopes in different locations is like to form a large aperture telescope. Telescopes in the network collect the data and send them to the data processing center; putting the data from different locations together we can get details of celestial bodies. The more telescopes in network, the greater the distance between each other, the clear will the images of celestial bodies be.
This VLBI Network by China, Japan and South Korea has two main observation missions: draw accurate star map of stars in the galaxy and study black holes. The United States has built a 8,000 km diameter VLBI network; in Europe, the diameter of similar network is about 3,000 km. This new VLBI network by China, Japan and South Korea has more telescopes and greater sensitivity, accuracy of observation will be promoted to a new level.
By People's Daily Online
According to Japan's "Asahi Shimbun" website, 13 radio telescopes of the National Observatory of Japan, Hokkaido University and other institutions will join this observation network; three new telescopes in Korea Astronomical Research Institute in Seoul, Ulsan and Cheju Island are to be completed soon; four telescopes in Beijing, Shanghai, Urumqi and Kunming are also scheduled to participate in the observation network.
VLBI network is the technology to use more than one telescope at the same time to observe the same celestial bodies. To connect telescopes in different locations is like to form a large aperture telescope. Telescopes in the network collect the data and send them to the data processing center; putting the data from different locations together we can get details of celestial bodies. The more telescopes in network, the greater the distance between each other, the clear will the images of celestial bodies be.
This VLBI Network by China, Japan and South Korea has two main observation missions: draw accurate star map of stars in the galaxy and study black holes. The United States has built a 8,000 km diameter VLBI network; in Europe, the diameter of similar network is about 3,000 km. This new VLBI network by China, Japan and South Korea has more telescopes and greater sensitivity, accuracy of observation will be promoted to a new level.
By People's Daily Online
China-made regional aircraft ARJ21 to take maiden flight
Recently, Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China, Ltd. held a handover ceremony of ARJ21-700101 airplane in the assembly plant of Shanghai Aircraft Manufacturing Factory. This means that regional aircraft with independent intellectual property rights has entered the final stage of its maiden flight preparation. Experts predict that in one or two months, ARJ21 will be able to complete the first flight.
There are five ARJ21-700 aircraft, among which three to be used for test flight, one for net force test, and one for fatigue test before the test flight.
ARJ21-700 has 78 to 90 seats, and the design flying range is 1,200 to 2,000 sea miles. It is able to provide direct flight services for more than 98% of the domestic lines and meet requirements of complex terrain and the plateau environment of China's western areas.
In fact, last December, ARJ21-700 aircraft has announced it's off the assembly line. According to the original plan ARJ21 aircraft can take maiden flight in March this year, but because key system providers failed to provide test conditions by then, the maiden flight has been delayed. In the previous plan, in September 2009 the first ARJ21 aircraft will be delivered to the first user Shandong Airlines, and in 2009 after been officially approved, ARJ21 will enter mass production stage. But now, it seems Shandong Airlines will have to wait for another six months to use the first ARJ21 aircraft.
Picture shows China's first regional aircraft with independent intellectual property rights ARJ21-700.
By People's Daily Online
There are five ARJ21-700 aircraft, among which three to be used for test flight, one for net force test, and one for fatigue test before the test flight.
ARJ21-700 has 78 to 90 seats, and the design flying range is 1,200 to 2,000 sea miles. It is able to provide direct flight services for more than 98% of the domestic lines and meet requirements of complex terrain and the plateau environment of China's western areas.
In fact, last December, ARJ21-700 aircraft has announced it's off the assembly line. According to the original plan ARJ21 aircraft can take maiden flight in March this year, but because key system providers failed to provide test conditions by then, the maiden flight has been delayed. In the previous plan, in September 2009 the first ARJ21 aircraft will be delivered to the first user Shandong Airlines, and in 2009 after been officially approved, ARJ21 will enter mass production stage. But now, it seems Shandong Airlines will have to wait for another six months to use the first ARJ21 aircraft.
Picture shows China's first regional aircraft with independent intellectual property rights ARJ21-700.
By People's Daily Online
Coke offer for Huiyuan triggers widespread worry for famous domestic brand in China
The public was reminded of the sore memories of lost domestic brands when Coca-Cola announced its offer to take over China Huiyuan Juice Group Limited, a Hong Kong-listed company that owns the Huiyuan juice business throughout China.
While Coca-Cola and Huiyuan both seem satisfied with the deal, many ordinary Chinese think otherwise.
In an online poll posted by major portal Sina.com, more than 80 percent of the over 76,000 interviewees voted against the acquisition of the leading domestic juice maker. A similar proportion held the opinion that the acquisition, if successful, would verge on a foreign capital's attempt to wipe out domestic pillar brands.
Established in 1992 in east China's Shandong Province, Huiyuan spent years developing its nationwide network and had raised its annual output capacity to 2.2 million tonnes.
Having just been listed among the top 25 domestic brands last year by China Brand Union Association, Huiyuan had the largest share in the Chinese juice market and was the pride of many Chinese as an example of a domestic brand that competes successfully among its international rivals.
"Huiyuan would become a brand under Coca-Cola, which has achieved a major strategic triumph. It will get not only the top brand in China, but also the market. It would take Coca-Cola back to the top of the Chinese beverage market," said brand marketing expert Li Guangdou.
"But it would mean a heavy loss to Chinese domestic brands, which are under severe crisis now," said Li.
Though the global beverage maker said it would keep the Huiyuan brand after the acquisition, analysts doubted whether it would give support equivalent to its original juice brand Minute Maid.
Their worries are not without reason -- seven years after being sold to multi-national giant Procter and Gamble, the annual production of formerly major domestic brand Panda washing powder was reduced from 60,000 tonnes to 4,000 tonnes, as its new owner set the brand aside and showed more interest in promoting its own labels.
Three major shareholders of Huiyuan are said to have accepted the offer. They held approximately 66 percent of the Huiyuan shares. But the 2.4 billion-U.S. dollar deal still waits government approval.
The application has been sent to the Ministry of Commerce for approval, but the detailed timetable or result has not been disclosed.
According to DLA Piper UK LLP lawyer Liu Cheng, whether the deal would get approval is closely related to its influence in the industry after the acquisition, and whether the Chinese anti-trust law would include the juice market under its regulation.
If the market share of Huiyuan and Minute Maid together exceeds50 percent, it might pose difficulty in winning approval, said Liu.
Source:Xinhua
While Coca-Cola and Huiyuan both seem satisfied with the deal, many ordinary Chinese think otherwise.
In an online poll posted by major portal Sina.com, more than 80 percent of the over 76,000 interviewees voted against the acquisition of the leading domestic juice maker. A similar proportion held the opinion that the acquisition, if successful, would verge on a foreign capital's attempt to wipe out domestic pillar brands.
Established in 1992 in east China's Shandong Province, Huiyuan spent years developing its nationwide network and had raised its annual output capacity to 2.2 million tonnes.
Having just been listed among the top 25 domestic brands last year by China Brand Union Association, Huiyuan had the largest share in the Chinese juice market and was the pride of many Chinese as an example of a domestic brand that competes successfully among its international rivals.
"Huiyuan would become a brand under Coca-Cola, which has achieved a major strategic triumph. It will get not only the top brand in China, but also the market. It would take Coca-Cola back to the top of the Chinese beverage market," said brand marketing expert Li Guangdou.
"But it would mean a heavy loss to Chinese domestic brands, which are under severe crisis now," said Li.
Though the global beverage maker said it would keep the Huiyuan brand after the acquisition, analysts doubted whether it would give support equivalent to its original juice brand Minute Maid.
Their worries are not without reason -- seven years after being sold to multi-national giant Procter and Gamble, the annual production of formerly major domestic brand Panda washing powder was reduced from 60,000 tonnes to 4,000 tonnes, as its new owner set the brand aside and showed more interest in promoting its own labels.
Three major shareholders of Huiyuan are said to have accepted the offer. They held approximately 66 percent of the Huiyuan shares. But the 2.4 billion-U.S. dollar deal still waits government approval.
The application has been sent to the Ministry of Commerce for approval, but the detailed timetable or result has not been disclosed.
According to DLA Piper UK LLP lawyer Liu Cheng, whether the deal would get approval is closely related to its influence in the industry after the acquisition, and whether the Chinese anti-trust law would include the juice market under its regulation.
If the market share of Huiyuan and Minute Maid together exceeds50 percent, it might pose difficulty in winning approval, said Liu.
Source:Xinhua
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