A senior government official says China’s western development strategy has progressed smoothly, achieving considerable results over the past three years.
Li Zibin, deputy director of the Office of the Leading Group under the State Council for the Development of the Western Regions made this comment at a press conference held at the media centre for the ongoing CPC National Congress.
Li Zibin says the GDP of the western regions maintained a growth rate of 9.6 percent in the first three quarters of this year, higher than the national average.
He says that over the past three years a total of 72 billion USD has been channeled into the region, greatly enhancing the investment inflow to the region. Thanks to correct guidelines and effective measures adopted by the central government, the western regions have enjoyed rapid economic growth.
A wide range of major infrastructure projects, including the mammoth Qinghai-Tibet Railway project and the west-east natural gas pipeline project, have been launched, mainly funded by the central government.
Li Zibin also reveals that in the future, western development will focus the on protection and construction of the ecological environment, and the enhancement of science, technology and education.
***
Iraq's parliament have unanimously recommended rejection of a tough U.N. resolution on arms inspections, but said the final decision would be left to Saddam Hussein.
During a reopened emergency session, the Iraqi parliament unanimously agreed on the recommendation to reject the U.N. resolution 1441, saying this is to answer the aspirations of the people.
It also authorizes President Saddam Hussein to take whatever action he views as appropriate to defend the Iraqi people and Iraq's independence and dignity. The parliament meanwhile pledged its full support for whatever decision Saddam Hussein makes.
An emergency session had been called a day earlier by Saddam, to discuss how to respond to the UN resolutions. The parliament's foreign relations committee had recommended to reject the U.N. resolution but no consensus was reached during that session.
Since the U.N. Security Council passed the resolution 1441, the U.S. and Britain have been urging Iraq to accept and strictly carry out the resolution, saying that this is Iraq’s last chance, and a refusal would be tantamount to suicide. The Arab world as well as the international community also urge Iraq to accept the resolution before the deadline, and continue to cooperate with UN on weapons inspection.
***
Israeli Foreign Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says if elected next Israeli Prime Minister, his first action will be the expulsion of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat.
Netanyahu told a Likud convention in Tel Aviv that removing Arafat is “an essential condition for wiping out terror” and only then, will there be a possibility of peace.
In response to Netanyahu's remarks, UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan has warned the international community will oppose the Israeli move.
Netanyahu and Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon are the major rivals for the upcoming Likud leadership election later this month.
The Israeli general elections will be held early next year.
***
Pyongyang is accusing South Korea of committing military provocation on North Korean waters and in areas close to the Military Demarcation Line.
The official Korean Central News Agency says eleven South Korean warships infiltrated the north's territorial waters and threatened fishing boats. It says South Korean forces also sent armored vehicles into the Demilitarized Zone.
South Korea has rejected the accusations, saying it would be unreasonable for South Korea to take such actions, since the two sides are working together to clear landmines in the Demilitarized Zone for the inter-Korean railways and roads.
***
China's top three State-owned commercial banks, with combined deposits of more than 660 billion US dollars, are considering plans to go public by 2005.
The presidents of the Industrial & Commercial Bank of China, Bank of China and China Construction Bank say they are creating conditions for being listed in the stock market. In doing so, the banks must comply with a central bank directive requiring them to hold in reserve sufficient funds to cover non-performing loans.
But analysts say clearing the legacy of decades of lending to unprofitable state-owned companies under the traditional State planning system may prove difficult.
***
Volkswagen says it plans to start production of its subcompact Gol for the Chinese market in February, ending speculation about which vehicle model the German automaker would introduce here.
The company says the Gol's sticker price will be more than 12,000 US dollars.
In October, Volkswagen said it had decided to introduce one of its exisiting subcompacts in China and hoped to sell 50,000 of them to
maintain its market-leading position in the country.
Though Volkswagen still accounts for four of ten new car sales in China, its long-standing lead in the Chinese market has come under threat following China's accession to the WTO, which is expected to open up the market to a host of other foreign car manufacturers.
The Volkswagen Jetta was the best-selling model in the first half of the year,capturing 12 per cent of the Chinese market share.
Delegates to the on-going Party National Congress all say the inclusion of President Jiang Zemin's “Three Represents” important thinking into the Party Constitution is the biggest aspiration of party members as well as the 1.2 billion Chinese people.
Delegates to the 16th Party Congress believe the incorporation of this new theory developed over the past 13 years into the Party Constitution holds great significance to the consolidation and progress of party building, consolidating the both Party itself and its ties with the people.
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The fourth reconstruction of the Qinghai-Tibetan Highway is under way on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau.
The main task is to repave the asphalt on the road surface, thus enhancing the carrying capability of the highway.
The renovation project is expected to cost more than 133 million US dollars. The 1900-kilometer highway now handles about 90 percent of passenger and freight in and out of the Tibet Autonomous Region.
*****
China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation say final touches are being put to the launch of Shenzhou IV, China's fourth unmanned spacecraft.
The English language newspaper China Daily quotes the company’s President as saying the mission is pushing China's space program closer to manned flights.
Besides the fault-detection and handling system installed in the carrier rocket of the last unmanned spacecraft Shenzhou III, the company’s President says the new one is supported by a search and rescue system based at ground-level to guarantee the safety of astronauts.
*****
Statistics from Customs show China's total imports and exports reached over 500 billion US dollars in the first ten months of this year. This is a 20 percent increase over the same period last year, and almost tops the entire total for 2001.
China's trade surplus during the period reached 24 billion US dollars.
Processing imports and exports rose substantially, as did the exports of both state-owned and foreign-owned enterprises.
1--Do you want black or white coffee?
2--White, please.
1--Look! There's a folk concert tomorrow evening.
Do you want to go?
2--I don't like folk music very much.
1--What kind of music do you like?
2--I like classical music. Do you?
1--Not very much. Classical music sends me to sleep.
2--I don't believe you.
1--It's true.
2--You are funny!
1--So are you! How about another coffee?
===================================
注解：
1）black or white coffee：加糖或加牛奶的称作white
coffee.什么也不加的称作black coffee.
2）folk concert：民间音乐会。folk作“民间的”、
“具有民族传说的”解。如folk dance，folk music,
folk songs, folk tale等。
3）classical：经典的。如classical music, classical
literature等。
4）How about...?（你以为）...怎么样？征询对方的意见时
常用的句型。如，征询关于时间安排的意见时，可以说How
about tomorrow？征询活动内容时可以说How about playing
tennis now?征询人选意见可以说How about Jane?等
Sights and sounds in and around Norway's most famous seaside city
Bergen's Beauty
You'll get the best view of Bergen from the top of Floyen, another of the city's mountains. Ride the cable car up 305 meters (1,000 feet) to the top. Go for a hike around the mountaintop. Then take the 40-minute hike back down to Bergen.
While in Bergen, be sure to enjoy an all-you-
can-eat Scandinavian feast. Bergen's Nordic Hotel offers a good one. But don't pile
everything on your plate at once.
Dine in stages like the locals, taking one course at a time.
If you've had your fill of Bergen's city life, explore the surrounding countryside. Visit Troldhaugen, the former home of Norway's greatest composer, Edvard Grieg. Admire the landscape around the house. You're looking at Grieg's inspiration for his beautiful music. Time your visit right, and take in a concert at Troldhaugen's concert hall.
In and around Bergen, you'll find unbelievable beauty. The country's snow-capped mountains, fjords and glaciers create awe-inspiring views. No doubt you'll want to do what the Norwegians do--spend lots of time in the great outdoors.
Questions for Discussion:
What kind of music inspires you? Why?
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