January 9, 2009 – Chinese President Hu Jintao (center) with chemist Xu Guangxian (left) and neurologist Wang Zhongcheng (right), winners of China’s 2008 State Top Scientific and Technological Awards, during a ceremony at the Great Hall of the People, Beijing. by Ju Peng/Xinhua

Science Awards

On January 9, China’s 2008 State Top Scientific and Technological Awards went to neurologist Wang Zhongcheng and chemist Xu Guangxian for their outstanding contributions to technological innovation. Chinese President Hu Jintao presented the two 5-million-yuan (730,000 U.S. dollars) awards to the scientists at the Great Hall of the People.

Known as one of the founders of neurosurgery in China, Wang, 83, is the only neurosurgeon member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering. Xu, 89, is a leading scientist in rare earth chemistry at Peking University. His technological innovations helped China take full advantage of its rich resources, and the country is now the world’s top exporter of rare earth products.

Diplomatic Ball

They are not the typical tools of bilateral relations: several paddles, a few ping pong balls and some table tennis players from China and the United States. But when in 1971 nine American table tennis players were invited to Beijing for exhibition games with Chinese players the diplomatic ice between the two nations was broken.

On January 7, 38 years after those historic games, players from the two nations lined up for a rematch in the Chinese capital. “It (Ping Pong diplomacy) was the first step in the march towards the relations between the two countries. It played a very important role,” said U.S. Deputy Secretary of State John D. Negroponte during the friendly games, a tribute to three decades of China-U.S. diplomatic ties.

January 4, 2009 – Vendors arrange fruit transported from Taiwan at Zhongpu Taiwan Fruit Distribution Center in Xiamen, east China’s Fujian Province. Direct air and sea transport between the Chinese mainland and Taiwan, which commenced last month, reduced the price of fruit grown in Taiwan by 10 to 20 percent in the mainland market. by Zhang Guojun/Xinhua

Cross-Straits Ties

On January 7, mainland representatives stated that efforts will continue to push forward dialogue and consultation with Taiwan in the new year by “firmly holding the main theme of peaceful development of the cross-Straits relations, ” said Yang Yi, spokesman of the State Council’s Taiwan Affairs Office.

Yang spoke highly of the recent speech of Hu Jintao, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, at a December 31 workshop to mark the 30th anniversary of the mainland’s “Message to Compatriots in Taiwan.” Hu’s speech summed up 30 years of experience in developing cross-Straits relations in a comprehensive way, and he presented a series of new proposals to develop the relationship, according to the official.

January 1, 2009 – A tram commences trial operation on Qianmen Street, Beijing. by Luo Xiaoguang/Xinhua

Trams Revisited

Due to the advent of more modern transport options, trams disappeared from Beijing more than 40 years ago. So when two turned up at the renovated Qianmen Street, crowds of curious visitors dropped by to take a look. This time around, the carriages were put to use as vehicles for sightseeing.

“I took the tram back in my childhood. It’s fun, like going back in time,” one rider said. The two trams began their maiden journey at 9:00 a.m. on January 1. Nearby residents were the first to ride.

Credit Crunch

Guangdong Development Bank, the Guangdong-based financial institution that took the pioneering position among its domestic counterparts in launching the first credit card for undergraduate students in 2004, is now turning down student applications, according to a new policy, effective December 2008.

Guangdong Development Bank is not the only commercial bank backing away from the once sizzling market. China Merchants Bank, the country’s leading credit card issuer, began saying “no” to undergraduates applying for credit cards in October 2008, and China Citic Bank stopped marketing credit cards to students at the beginning of 2008.

Chinese banks began to back off the business largely because undergraduates have been deemed as high-risk cardholders, after increasing numbers of borrowers defaulted on their payments in the wake of the financial crisis.

The drug R&D center of Zhongxin Pharmaceuticals, Tianjin. by Xiao Chunhu/CFP

Health Projects

On January 12, China’s Ministry of Health stated that the government had allocated roughly 10 billion yuan (US$1.46 billion) to two projects concerning infectious disease control and new drug research and development.

Ministry spokesman Mao Qun’an said the ministry planned 1,161 research topics in the two primary fields to be carried out by the year 2010.

The ministry’s mid-term R&D outline encourages Chinese medical researchers to develop new drugs and improve the prevention and cure of infectious diseases, such as AIDS and hepatitis, by the year 2020.

January 7, 2009 – A fake banknote including the serial number “HD90.” China’s central bank has stepped up efforts to crack down on counterfeit currency. by Lu Hanxin/Xinhua

Counterfeit Crackdown

China’s central bank has stepped up efforts to crack down on counterfeit currency during the traditional Spring Festival holiday. Fake 100-yuan notes, most starting with the serial number “HD90,” have been reported in more than 10 Chinese provinces and municipalities.

On January 12, the Shanghai Headquarters of the People’s Bank of China (PBOC) said it has strengthened cooperation with the public security and commerce authorities in the fight against crimes on counterfeit Renminbi (RMB).

The headquarters also ordered commercial banks to upgrade their counterfeit detection systems. In addition, it called on nonbanking businesses to check for loopholes and upgrade detectors. It also urged counterfeit detector manufacturers to develop upgraded versions of their products.

Hong Kong Disneyland, China’s first Disney theme park, opened in 2005. by Liu Lianfen/Xinhua

Shanghai Disney

The Walt Disney Company is expected to soon submit plans to the Chinese government to build a theme park in Shanghai. “We worked on a joint application report with the Shanghai government which will soon be submitted to the central government for review,” said Leslie Goodman, executive vice president for public affairs, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts.

Goodman said the discussions about the feasibility of a theme park project in Shanghai are still proceeding. The US-based entertainment giant was working with the Shanghai government to construct a $3.59 billion park, in which Disney planned to hold a 43 percent stake, according to a Wall Street Journal report, citing an unidentified person close to the project.

Disability Website

A three-year, 150-million-yuan program to improve information accessibility for China’s disabled population was launched on January 12.

China Disabled Persons’ Federation, the Ministry of Science and Technology, together with more than 30 research institutes and colleges, joined in the project.

To provide rehabilitation training courses, distance education and entertainment, a website for the disabled will be launched, said Zhang Cheng, official of China Disabled Persons’ Federation.

“For example, there will be puzzles for people with mental retardation diseases, as support for their rehabilitation,” Zhang said. “For the blind there is a channel with a voice service system.” There will also be a database of the country’s 83 million disabled people, detailing their names, ages, addresses and health condition.

“The government can check online the ID information of disabled persons applying for some preferential policies concerning social and medical insurance, or jobs,” Zhang said.

Bracing Steel

On January 14, the State Council approved a stimulus package to help the steel industry weather the international financial crisis.

The salient features of the package are: The government will strictly control the increase in the country’s steel-making capacity and continue closing down low-tech mills; it will adopt a flexible tax policy on steel exports to stabilize the country’s share in the global market; and it will encourage restructuring of steel-makers and cultivate competitive large-scale steel groups.

Other support measures include allocating a special fund for technology upgrades, research and innovation, restoring order in the iron-ore imports sector and increasing steel consumption in the domestic market.

January 9, 2009 – Press conference for the 4th International Solar Cities Congress.

Solar Congress

In September 2010, Dezhou City, Shandong Province, will host the 4th International Solar Cities Congress. The city was chosen because it is China’s first and only “Solar City.” “Dezhou is installing solar heaters on 1 million roofs,” explained Dezhou mayor Wu Cuiyun on January 9.

China follows the Republic of Korea, Great Britain and Australia in hosting the international solar congress. More than 1,000 representatives from 40 countries have applied to attend its forums, panel discussions and fairs.