When our plane landed on the London Gatwick Airport, all passengers on broad applauded for the successful landed and our captain.
The thick snow on the ground outside the window make me realized I left Africa, left sunshine and beach, backed to the snow world. At the same time, I began to glad that I changed my mind at last minute and decided to go Africa instead of Skiing in Europe for Christmas vacation.
Whole journey backs to London, I was experiencing some turbulence and made me believe the reality of snowing attack in Europe.
EasyJet's Twitter site called for calm from passengers: "We do not intend to make anyone angry we are trying our best to assist." Another post said: "You may not get an answer immediately we are snowed under, excuse the pun!" Ryanair said 35 flights had been delayed, with the major delays taking place at Stansted. Now I could calm down.
After we arrived, the Gatwick airport was almost empty. Few passengers stay at the airport for someone picks them up to home. I could not find lot passengers were waiting for plane. It could be seem that the airport has learned for experiences that how to solved travel chaos caused by bad weather.
However, the Europe does not feel the same lucky. More than 80 people have died across Europe as days of snow storms and sub-zero temperatures swept the continent, causing traffic chaos for millions. At least 42 people have frozen to death in Poland over the last three days and another 27 in Ukraine. Another 13 people died in car accidents in Austria, Finland and Germany, where temperatures fell to -33C (-27F).
British Airways cancelled all European and UK domestic flights leaving Heathrow after seven o’clock 21 December. Channel Tunnel services remain badly affected after Eurotunnel closed its car shuttle service to new passengers.
Opposite the cold weather, we still could feel the warm in these frozen days, a restaurant owner offered tens of thousands of homeless people a hot meal in Krakow's main square. "The food is not the only important thing," restaurateur Janusz Kosciuszko was quoted as telling Euronews. "What is also important is that these people know that someone is thinking about them."
Hope everyone could find a warm to spend this winter!
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Time honors the 'Chinese worker'
In China, they are known as nongmingong, meaning "farmers-turned-workers", a term that likely means more in Chinese than it does in English. And now this important segment of the Chinese workforce have come to world prominence, thanks to Time magazine naming them runners-up to Ben Bernanke in its latest Person of the Year awards.
While the US Federal Reserve chairman scooped the top honor, the fact that the nongmingong were singled out shows their importance on the global stage.
Leaving behind families and homes to migrate to China's cities, they take on largely manual work and are among the country's lowest-paid workers. They often go about their work in relative obscurity, despite numbering around 200 million. But while the nongmingong will garner a good deal of attention, Bernanke will be on the cover of the magazine, in recognition of his maneuvering of US monetary policy that helped steer the world's largest economy out of the financial crisis.
Chinese workers ranked second were the only group named. The magazine described them as "an increasingly influential group in one of the world's most powerful economies."
This year, China's year-on-year gross domestic product (GDP) growth is set to exceed 8 percent. The growth rate means it will contribute about 20 percent of this year's global economic growth, Cheng Siwei, former vice-chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, said last month.
Analysts said the country's nongmingong were an important part of the economic miracle in recent years. "This group will have a great bearing on China's future development," said Chen Gong, chief economist and chairman of Anbound Group, a Beijing-based consulting firm.
"More importantly, they are linking the cities and the rural areas, playing a role in bridging the gap between the two," he said. The important role of migrant workers in the Chinese economy, however, accentuates the fact that China still relies on low-technology manufacturing to support its economic development, said Zhong Jiyin, an economist with the Institute of Economics of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS).
While the US Federal Reserve chairman scooped the top honor, the fact that the nongmingong were singled out shows their importance on the global stage.
Leaving behind families and homes to migrate to China's cities, they take on largely manual work and are among the country's lowest-paid workers. They often go about their work in relative obscurity, despite numbering around 200 million. But while the nongmingong will garner a good deal of attention, Bernanke will be on the cover of the magazine, in recognition of his maneuvering of US monetary policy that helped steer the world's largest economy out of the financial crisis.
Chinese workers ranked second were the only group named. The magazine described them as "an increasingly influential group in one of the world's most powerful economies."This year, China's year-on-year gross domestic product (GDP) growth is set to exceed 8 percent. The growth rate means it will contribute about 20 percent of this year's global economic growth, Cheng Siwei, former vice-chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, said last month.
Analysts said the country's nongmingong were an important part of the economic miracle in recent years. "This group will have a great bearing on China's future development," said Chen Gong, chief economist and chairman of Anbound Group, a Beijing-based consulting firm.
"More importantly, they are linking the cities and the rural areas, playing a role in bridging the gap between the two," he said. The important role of migrant workers in the Chinese economy, however, accentuates the fact that China still relies on low-technology manufacturing to support its economic development, said Zhong Jiyin, an economist with the Institute of Economics of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS).
Monday, December 21, 2009
Monitor critique (4): Copenhagen Conference
The Copenhagen summit is closed in a remarkable chaos and controversy. This is, at least in parts of the world media and public evaluation of the results of the summit, then there would be slightly different as seen.
British media considered that the summit failed to reach the basic legally binding treaty is a complete failure, and the responsibility of failure is due to China. U.S. media mainly focus on the president Obama and the Secretary of State Clinton turn the international climate talks pushed to a "new era" at a critical moment. Mainly the Chinese media, Premier Wen Jiabao intervention is to promote the "Copenhagen agreement" reached the key. Asia, Africa, Europe, rest of American and other national media coverage have different focuses.
The UK
Britain's mainstream media generally agreed that the Copenhagen summit is a complete failure and that the main reason for the failure is China's "stonewalling." British Energy Minister Ed Miliband publicly accused China "veto" a number of mitigation proposals during the summit, leading to the summit into a "chaotic" situation. British Prime Minister Gordon Brown has told the media that some developing countries "kidnapped" climate summit. Only a small number of people in theUK suspect global warming caused by human activities, scholars in the media commented that the results of the summit is not a bad thing now.
Europe
Germany and France media seem to be less intense denounced the outcome of the summit than the British media. Many German media report dissatisfaction on the final agreement is clearly ignored the views of the European countries. In accusing the United States, China and other big polluters failed to fulfill their duties at the same time, many analysts pointed out that the United States, China, India and other powerful countries sign a climate agreement is already a big step forward . While the French media considered that the summit results do not generally satisfactory, but it seems the French commentators take more "gun" to the current plummeting public support for President Nicolas Sarkozy. "Le Monde" published a review article pointed out that the whole summit, Sarkozy has consistently demonstrated outstanding during the period. President ignores the co-ordination with other European countries.
American
Except European media, the United States and Canada, the media reaction to the summit is relatively mild, and some even "positive." U.S. and Canadian media both reported that suspected "man-made climate change”. There is also reported the results of many scholars believe that the fact is "not so bad," "should look at the next" information. South American powerful country Brazil's media are mainly focused on the summit demonstrated a new pattern of world politics further. Brazilian media have reported that the countries which signed the Copenhagen Agreement not only include U.S., China, there are also India, Brazil, Indonesia and even the Sudan and other countries. In addition, the Brazilian media is also generally agreed that the although results of the summit unsatisfactory, but is not a complete failure.
Asia and Africa
Most media in Asian countries responds to the summit is also relatively mild While some Japanese media reported the summit matters, they focus on the summit during the negotiation process between China and the US-led "new world order." Indonesian media reports questioned why Indonesia, the so-called "big country" is out during the summit, or even "was abandoned in the side"? The Caribbean island Grenada media reports that the leaders of great powers unwilling to make "difficult decisions" and therefore the final answer is compromise.
British media considered that the summit failed to reach the basic legally binding treaty is a complete failure, and the responsibility of failure is due to China. U.S. media mainly focus on the president Obama and the Secretary of State Clinton turn the international climate talks pushed to a "new era" at a critical moment. Mainly the Chinese media, Premier Wen Jiabao intervention is to promote the "Copenhagen agreement" reached the key. Asia, Africa, Europe, rest of American and other national media coverage have different focuses.
The UK
Britain's mainstream media generally agreed that the Copenhagen summit is a complete failure and that the main reason for the failure is China's "stonewalling." British Energy Minister Ed Miliband publicly accused China "veto" a number of mitigation proposals during the summit, leading to the summit into a "chaotic" situation. British Prime Minister Gordon Brown has told the media that some developing countries "kidnapped" climate summit. Only a small number of people in theUK suspect global warming caused by human activities, scholars in the media commented that the results of the summit is not a bad thing now.
Europe
Germany and France media seem to be less intense denounced the outcome of the summit than the British media. Many German media report dissatisfaction on the final agreement is clearly ignored the views of the European countries. In accusing the United States, China and other big polluters failed to fulfill their duties at the same time, many analysts pointed out that the United States, China, India and other powerful countries sign a climate agreement is already a big step forward . While the French media considered that the summit results do not generally satisfactory, but it seems the French commentators take more "gun" to the current plummeting public support for President Nicolas Sarkozy. "Le Monde" published a review article pointed out that the whole summit, Sarkozy has consistently demonstrated outstanding during the period. President ignores the co-ordination with other European countries.
American
Except European media, the United States and Canada, the media reaction to the summit is relatively mild, and some even "positive." U.S. and Canadian media both reported that suspected "man-made climate change”. There is also reported the results of many scholars believe that the fact is "not so bad," "should look at the next" information. South American powerful country Brazil's media are mainly focused on the summit demonstrated a new pattern of world politics further. Brazilian media have reported that the countries which signed the Copenhagen Agreement not only include U.S., China, there are also India, Brazil, Indonesia and even the Sudan and other countries. In addition, the Brazilian media is also generally agreed that the although results of the summit unsatisfactory, but is not a complete failure.
Asia and Africa
Most media in Asian countries responds to the summit is also relatively mild While some Japanese media reported the summit matters, they focus on the summit during the negotiation process between China and the US-led "new world order." Indonesian media reports questioned why Indonesia, the so-called "big country" is out during the summit, or even "was abandoned in the side"? The Caribbean island Grenada media reports that the leaders of great powers unwilling to make "difficult decisions" and therefore the final answer is compromise.
Sunday, December 20, 2009
Free condom as a gift
Copenhagen summit has started. In order to reduce carbon footprints during the trip, the "green" representative racked our brains for an answer. Some early days, don't go by plane or by bike, but in Denmark. This means of transport, comes from China, India and Africa, lest be unrealistic. Therefore, there is distinguished guest guarantee money to develop clean energy or trees to erase his project, the carbon footprints.
Don't you know? It is a new way to make carbon compensation. That is to buy a box of condom to a poor women of child-bearing age, let them have fewer children than emissions!
"Accidental pregnancy in 80m people"
This is not joke. It is the ideal of the British population think-tank "population trust fund" to put the Copenhagen summit "unprecedented, radical sex" carbon compensation method.
Offsetting Carbon offset (few) refers to the people to calculate daily activities of yourself, and Carbon dioxide emissions of tonnage offset these greenhouse gases needed economic cost, then donating money special enterprise or institution, the organization and emission reduction projects.
Last week, the ideal population trust fund new carbon, encourage rich countries compensation, donation in poor countries, the birth control measures to control population growth, slow global warming.
The popular, said the summer vacation to fly in the Caribbean, or open a four-wheel drive to buy a newspaper, guilt, donate some money. Charity organization took the money to persuade, to help countries of the third world women have fewer children.
The foundation of family planning, global warming is the most effective means of unit cost. Their research suggests that, in the birth of each input on four pounds, can reduce a ton of carbon dioxide emissions. And achieve the same reduction, planting cost is £8, wind, solar and is ￡15 pounds, hybrid cars technology is 56 pounds.
In the foundation of PopOffsets website, has a striking slogan: "the man! = emissions rapid population growth is the global warming is a major factor"! On a calculator website, help you calculate how much their emissions of carbon dioxide, the action to offset the carbon dioxide you need for developing countries to donate money to how contraception. For example, flew from London to Sydney, equal and 10 tons of carbon dioxide emissions, therefore, to donate 40 pounds, or Indian women help Kenyans have fewer children, can erase their carbon footprints.
The Funds said, never forced women contraception, not sponsor abortion, but to help control 80 million people each year against "accidental pregnancy."
Distraction?
Recently, this means in Britain carbon offset not often questioned. Recently, the British provides the Travel company carbon offset flights of responsibility ", "will no longer make had announced carbon offset. Company founder gus, Francis (Francis Justin, said the carbon compensation as "people" and "magic", want to be able to jail, don't change their behavior. Want to fly on the fly, you want to do, and comfort. In fact, everyone needs reduction, compensation, it will make the reduction of "distraction.
The poor, is also the most susceptible to the effects of climate change, any form of helping the poor response to climate change, welcome the funds. However, if the rich countries under the guise of compensation in carbon emissions, it's hard to convince people in poor countries give children the choice of poverty and dreams.
No wonder, the dispute between rich and poor nations, development and reduction of copenhagan between rival, replace the Kyoto protocol a summit of a major obstacle to international conventions.
Who should have fewer children than emissions? Is the developed countries of the middle? The third world is the poor? Do you think?
Don't you know? It is a new way to make carbon compensation. That is to buy a box of condom to a poor women of child-bearing age, let them have fewer children than emissions!
"Accidental pregnancy in 80m people"
This is not joke. It is the ideal of the British population think-tank "population trust fund" to put the Copenhagen summit "unprecedented, radical sex" carbon compensation method.
Offsetting Carbon offset (few) refers to the people to calculate daily activities of yourself, and Carbon dioxide emissions of tonnage offset these greenhouse gases needed economic cost, then donating money special enterprise or institution, the organization and emission reduction projects.
Last week, the ideal population trust fund new carbon, encourage rich countries compensation, donation in poor countries, the birth control measures to control population growth, slow global warming.
The popular, said the summer vacation to fly in the Caribbean, or open a four-wheel drive to buy a newspaper, guilt, donate some money. Charity organization took the money to persuade, to help countries of the third world women have fewer children.
The foundation of family planning, global warming is the most effective means of unit cost. Their research suggests that, in the birth of each input on four pounds, can reduce a ton of carbon dioxide emissions. And achieve the same reduction, planting cost is £8, wind, solar and is ￡15 pounds, hybrid cars technology is 56 pounds.
In the foundation of PopOffsets website, has a striking slogan: "the man! = emissions rapid population growth is the global warming is a major factor"! On a calculator website, help you calculate how much their emissions of carbon dioxide, the action to offset the carbon dioxide you need for developing countries to donate money to how contraception. For example, flew from London to Sydney, equal and 10 tons of carbon dioxide emissions, therefore, to donate 40 pounds, or Indian women help Kenyans have fewer children, can erase their carbon footprints.
The Funds said, never forced women contraception, not sponsor abortion, but to help control 80 million people each year against "accidental pregnancy."
Distraction?
Recently, this means in Britain carbon offset not often questioned. Recently, the British provides the Travel company carbon offset flights of responsibility ", "will no longer make had announced carbon offset. Company founder gus, Francis (Francis Justin, said the carbon compensation as "people" and "magic", want to be able to jail, don't change their behavior. Want to fly on the fly, you want to do, and comfort. In fact, everyone needs reduction, compensation, it will make the reduction of "distraction.
The poor, is also the most susceptible to the effects of climate change, any form of helping the poor response to climate change, welcome the funds. However, if the rich countries under the guise of compensation in carbon emissions, it's hard to convince people in poor countries give children the choice of poverty and dreams.
No wonder, the dispute between rich and poor nations, development and reduction of copenhagan between rival, replace the Kyoto protocol a summit of a major obstacle to international conventions.
Who should have fewer children than emissions? Is the developed countries of the middle? The third world is the poor? Do you think?
Thursday, December 17, 2009
10 Top News in China 2009
1. 60th anniversary of the founding of New China
Looking at China's history over the past 60 years, it is apparent that, despite much suffering, the country has achieved huge political, economic and social success, especially during the past three decades.
A grand parade in Beijing on Oct 1, led by the People's Liberation Army and the People's Armed Police Force, showcased some of China's latest achievements in defense modernization. About 8,000 military officers, along with tanks and other vehicles, formed columns stretching 3 km.
The military parade was followed by a civilian procession featuring six massive performing groups and 36 formations of about 100,000 people. In addition, 60 floats represented everything from the country's geographic areas to last year's Beijing Olympics.
Everyday life in China is a parade on a grander scale, with citizens now able to enjoy things their ancestors did not dare contemplate 100 years ago, things their grandparents took for luxury 60 years ago, and things their parents did not even know how to attempt 30 years ago.
2. Barack Obama's historic visit to China
Barack Obama became the first United States president to visit China in his first year of taking office when he arrived in Shanghai on Nov 15 as part of his first Asia tour.
During one of his trademark town hall-style meetings with youths at the Shanghai Science and Technology Museum on Nov 16, the 48-year-old president reiterated that the US does not seek to contain China's rise and welcomes China as a "strong, prosperous and successful member of the community of nations".
After the speech, Obama departed for Beijing, where he spent two days in talks with President Hu Jintao, National People's Congress Standing Committee (NPC) Chairman Wu Bangguo and Premier Wen Jiabao.
China and the US signed a joint statement on Nov 17 highlighting joint efforts to combat climate change and promote the clean energy industry. The countries also reiterated a commitment to building a "positive, cooperative and comprehensive relationship in the 21st century".
Obama capped his four-day visit with a trip to the Great Wall in northern Beijing on Nov 18.
3. Climate change
Leaders from about 100 nations, along with thousands of negotiators from almost 200, flocked to Copenhagen, capital of Denmark, for the United Nation's 12-day climate change conference on Dec 7. The talks were intended to seal a deal on the fight against global warming after the Kyoto Protocol expires in 2012.
Premier Wen Jiabao arrived on Dec 16 to join world leaders for the crucial last two days of negotiations, during which he told US President Barack Obama climate change is a global challenge, as well as an important field for cooperation between China and the US. The key to this issue is to stick to the principle of "common but differentiated responsibilities", said Wen.
The Chinese premier said his country has always regarded addressing climate change as an important strategic task and that, between 1990 and 2005, China's carbon dioxide emissions per unit of gross domestic product (GDP) were reduced by 46 percent. "Building on that, we have set a new target of cutting carbon intensity by 40 to 45 percent on the 2005 level by 2020," Wen told delegates.
The conference ended on Dec 19 with the Copenhagen Accord. Although the document was not legally binding, it firmly upheld the basic framework and principles established by the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and its Kyoto Protocol.
4. July 5 riots in Xinjiang
The violence that broke out in Urumqi, capital of the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, on July 5 left 197 people dead and more than 1,700 injured.
Rioters gathered in downtown streets at 8 pm and began beating pedestrians, vandalizing cars and buses, and looting shops. The mayhem quickly spread to other areas. Most of those killed or injured were ethnic Han Chinese, while most of the rioters were Uygurs armed with bricks and batons.
Chinese authorities accused Rebiya Kadeer, leader of the World Uygur Congress who lives in exile in the US, of orchestrating the violence by using mobile phone text messaging and social networking websites. The central government blocked access to the Internet in Xinjiang just 24 hours after the violence, and its Web service to this day remains restricted.
Police asked the local procuratorate to approve the arrests of 575 suspected rioters. The authority granted 430 and, so far, 22 people have been sentenced to death for murder and other crimes during or after the July 5 riot.
5. H1N1 flu
Since the first confirmed case of H1N1 flu on the Chinese mainland on May 11, there have been 326 reported deaths from the virus, which quickly spread across the globe after initial reports in Mexico.
Pregnant women make up almost 14 percent of the victims of H1N1 on the Chinese mainland, while men account for 58 percent, according to official figures. About 90 of the 326 H1N1 deaths were reported between Dec 14 and 20, said Ministry of Health officials. During that period, 6,129 cases were reported.
A vaccine developed in China was approved on Sept 3 and, as of Dec 21, more than 40 million people had been inoculated nationwide.
The Chinese government planned to vaccinate 65 million - 5 percent of the country's population - before the end of 2009. Health workers, public service workers and students are priority groups for the vaccine.
6. Adoption of the Food Safety Law
China's top legislature, the NPC Standing Committee, approved the Food Safety Law on Feb 28, providing a legal basis for the government to strengthen control "from the production line to the dining table".
The law, implemented on June 1, enhanced monitoring and supervision, and toughened safety standards. It stipulated substandard products must be recalled and promised severe punishments for rule-breakers.
All chemicals and materials not on the list of authorized additives were banned from food production, with the new regulations insisting "only items proved to be safe and necessary are allowed to be listed as food additives".
The NPC Standing Committee gave the nod to the hotly debated draft law following a spate of food scandals triggered vehement calls for an overhaul of China's monitoring system.
Winning 158 from 165 votes, the rules said the State Council would set up a State-level food safety commission to oversee the entire food monitoring system, which due to a lack of efficiency has long been blamed for repeated scandals.
7. China's 8-percent growth rate
The nation's economy grew by just 9 percent this year, the lowest in seven years, which experts blamed on the global financial crisis. It brought to an end a five-year streak of double-digit expansion.
China has been under great pressure to realise 8-percent growth - the target announced by Premier Wen Jiabao in March - as the government has long believed it essential to the populous developing nation.
A massive economic stimulus package featuring a two-year investment plan worth 4 trillion yuan ($586 billion) was implemented in the first quarter. It was originally adopted in November 2008, shortly after the start of the world economic slowdown, along with more pro-growth economic policies such as expanding the "home appliances to the countryside" program.
Official figures show GDP grew 8.9 percent in the third quarter, accelerating from 7.9 percent in the second and 6.1 percent in the first. For the first three quarters, the annualized GDP growth reached 7.7 percent.
8. PLA Navy takes on Somali pirates
China launched its first overseas military mission since 1949 on Dec 26, 2008, when it sent its first fleet of People's Liberation Army warships to the coast of Africa to protect merchant vessels from Somali pirates.
Leaving from Sanya port, Hainan province, they traveled more than 4,500 nautical miles and arrived on Jan 6. By the time they were relieved by the second fleet on April 2 , the Haikou, Wuhan and Weishanhu had escorted 130 vessels, as well as rescued three foreign merchant ships from pirates, according to statistics from the Ministry of Transport.
The mission has included more than 3,300 troops, while figures show the PLA Navy has in 12 months of operations escorted 1,300 merchant vessels, including 405 foreign ships and 18 from Taiwan province.
Four batches of destroyers and frigates have so far been deployed to the Gulf of Aden.
9. Forced demolitions
When Tang Fuzhen was told her home in Chengdu, capital of Sichuan province, was in the way of a highway project and would be demolished, she doused herself in petrol and set fire to herself in protest on Nov 13.
That same month, the media also highlighted the case of a woman in Minhang district, Shanghai, who threw petrol bombs at a demolition crew outside her home in June last year. Officials planned to raze the building to make way for a transportation hub for the 2010 Shanghai Expo.
Both "nail houses" - a term used to describe when people refuse to move out of homes slated for demolition - shocked citizens across China and turned the spotlight onto the rights of homeowners and forced demolitions by local governments. The central government announced on Dec 7 it would look into the issue of housing demolition regulations.
The most famous "nail house" case was in Chongqing in 2007 when a couple stopped developers from demolishing their home for three years until they received suitable compensation.
10. Disneyland in Shanghai
Construction of a Disneyland on the east bank of Huangpu River in Shanghai finally got the green light on Nov 4. The theme park will cost an estimated 25 billion yuan ($3.6 billion) and will open its gates as early as 2014. It is expected to cover an area of 116 hectares, 10 hectares fewer than the Disneyland in Hong Kong.
Walt Disney Co. will reportedly take a 43-percent equity stake in Shanghai Disneyland, while a joint-venture holding company formed by a consortium of Chinese companies owned by the municipal government will own the majority 57 percent.
The park will be the fourth Disneyland outside of the US - the others are in Paris, Tokyo and Hong Kong - and is one of the largest-ever foreign investments in China's mainland.
Looking at China's history over the past 60 years, it is apparent that, despite much suffering, the country has achieved huge political, economic and social success, especially during the past three decades.
A grand parade in Beijing on Oct 1, led by the People's Liberation Army and the People's Armed Police Force, showcased some of China's latest achievements in defense modernization. About 8,000 military officers, along with tanks and other vehicles, formed columns stretching 3 km.
The military parade was followed by a civilian procession featuring six massive performing groups and 36 formations of about 100,000 people. In addition, 60 floats represented everything from the country's geographic areas to last year's Beijing Olympics.
Everyday life in China is a parade on a grander scale, with citizens now able to enjoy things their ancestors did not dare contemplate 100 years ago, things their grandparents took for luxury 60 years ago, and things their parents did not even know how to attempt 30 years ago.
2. Barack Obama's historic visit to China
Barack Obama became the first United States president to visit China in his first year of taking office when he arrived in Shanghai on Nov 15 as part of his first Asia tour.
During one of his trademark town hall-style meetings with youths at the Shanghai Science and Technology Museum on Nov 16, the 48-year-old president reiterated that the US does not seek to contain China's rise and welcomes China as a "strong, prosperous and successful member of the community of nations".
After the speech, Obama departed for Beijing, where he spent two days in talks with President Hu Jintao, National People's Congress Standing Committee (NPC) Chairman Wu Bangguo and Premier Wen Jiabao.
China and the US signed a joint statement on Nov 17 highlighting joint efforts to combat climate change and promote the clean energy industry. The countries also reiterated a commitment to building a "positive, cooperative and comprehensive relationship in the 21st century".
Obama capped his four-day visit with a trip to the Great Wall in northern Beijing on Nov 18.
3. Climate change
Leaders from about 100 nations, along with thousands of negotiators from almost 200, flocked to Copenhagen, capital of Denmark, for the United Nation's 12-day climate change conference on Dec 7. The talks were intended to seal a deal on the fight against global warming after the Kyoto Protocol expires in 2012.
Premier Wen Jiabao arrived on Dec 16 to join world leaders for the crucial last two days of negotiations, during which he told US President Barack Obama climate change is a global challenge, as well as an important field for cooperation between China and the US. The key to this issue is to stick to the principle of "common but differentiated responsibilities", said Wen.
The Chinese premier said his country has always regarded addressing climate change as an important strategic task and that, between 1990 and 2005, China's carbon dioxide emissions per unit of gross domestic product (GDP) were reduced by 46 percent. "Building on that, we have set a new target of cutting carbon intensity by 40 to 45 percent on the 2005 level by 2020," Wen told delegates.
The conference ended on Dec 19 with the Copenhagen Accord. Although the document was not legally binding, it firmly upheld the basic framework and principles established by the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and its Kyoto Protocol.
4. July 5 riots in Xinjiang
The violence that broke out in Urumqi, capital of the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, on July 5 left 197 people dead and more than 1,700 injured.
Rioters gathered in downtown streets at 8 pm and began beating pedestrians, vandalizing cars and buses, and looting shops. The mayhem quickly spread to other areas. Most of those killed or injured were ethnic Han Chinese, while most of the rioters were Uygurs armed with bricks and batons.
Chinese authorities accused Rebiya Kadeer, leader of the World Uygur Congress who lives in exile in the US, of orchestrating the violence by using mobile phone text messaging and social networking websites. The central government blocked access to the Internet in Xinjiang just 24 hours after the violence, and its Web service to this day remains restricted.
Police asked the local procuratorate to approve the arrests of 575 suspected rioters. The authority granted 430 and, so far, 22 people have been sentenced to death for murder and other crimes during or after the July 5 riot.
5. H1N1 flu
Since the first confirmed case of H1N1 flu on the Chinese mainland on May 11, there have been 326 reported deaths from the virus, which quickly spread across the globe after initial reports in Mexico.
Pregnant women make up almost 14 percent of the victims of H1N1 on the Chinese mainland, while men account for 58 percent, according to official figures. About 90 of the 326 H1N1 deaths were reported between Dec 14 and 20, said Ministry of Health officials. During that period, 6,129 cases were reported.
A vaccine developed in China was approved on Sept 3 and, as of Dec 21, more than 40 million people had been inoculated nationwide.
The Chinese government planned to vaccinate 65 million - 5 percent of the country's population - before the end of 2009. Health workers, public service workers and students are priority groups for the vaccine.
6. Adoption of the Food Safety Law
China's top legislature, the NPC Standing Committee, approved the Food Safety Law on Feb 28, providing a legal basis for the government to strengthen control "from the production line to the dining table".
The law, implemented on June 1, enhanced monitoring and supervision, and toughened safety standards. It stipulated substandard products must be recalled and promised severe punishments for rule-breakers.
All chemicals and materials not on the list of authorized additives were banned from food production, with the new regulations insisting "only items proved to be safe and necessary are allowed to be listed as food additives".
The NPC Standing Committee gave the nod to the hotly debated draft law following a spate of food scandals triggered vehement calls for an overhaul of China's monitoring system.
Winning 158 from 165 votes, the rules said the State Council would set up a State-level food safety commission to oversee the entire food monitoring system, which due to a lack of efficiency has long been blamed for repeated scandals.
7. China's 8-percent growth rate
The nation's economy grew by just 9 percent this year, the lowest in seven years, which experts blamed on the global financial crisis. It brought to an end a five-year streak of double-digit expansion.
China has been under great pressure to realise 8-percent growth - the target announced by Premier Wen Jiabao in March - as the government has long believed it essential to the populous developing nation.
A massive economic stimulus package featuring a two-year investment plan worth 4 trillion yuan ($586 billion) was implemented in the first quarter. It was originally adopted in November 2008, shortly after the start of the world economic slowdown, along with more pro-growth economic policies such as expanding the "home appliances to the countryside" program.
Official figures show GDP grew 8.9 percent in the third quarter, accelerating from 7.9 percent in the second and 6.1 percent in the first. For the first three quarters, the annualized GDP growth reached 7.7 percent.
8. PLA Navy takes on Somali pirates
China launched its first overseas military mission since 1949 on Dec 26, 2008, when it sent its first fleet of People's Liberation Army warships to the coast of Africa to protect merchant vessels from Somali pirates.
Leaving from Sanya port, Hainan province, they traveled more than 4,500 nautical miles and arrived on Jan 6. By the time they were relieved by the second fleet on April 2 , the Haikou, Wuhan and Weishanhu had escorted 130 vessels, as well as rescued three foreign merchant ships from pirates, according to statistics from the Ministry of Transport.
The mission has included more than 3,300 troops, while figures show the PLA Navy has in 12 months of operations escorted 1,300 merchant vessels, including 405 foreign ships and 18 from Taiwan province.
Four batches of destroyers and frigates have so far been deployed to the Gulf of Aden.
9. Forced demolitions
When Tang Fuzhen was told her home in Chengdu, capital of Sichuan province, was in the way of a highway project and would be demolished, she doused herself in petrol and set fire to herself in protest on Nov 13.
That same month, the media also highlighted the case of a woman in Minhang district, Shanghai, who threw petrol bombs at a demolition crew outside her home in June last year. Officials planned to raze the building to make way for a transportation hub for the 2010 Shanghai Expo.
Both "nail houses" - a term used to describe when people refuse to move out of homes slated for demolition - shocked citizens across China and turned the spotlight onto the rights of homeowners and forced demolitions by local governments. The central government announced on Dec 7 it would look into the issue of housing demolition regulations.
The most famous "nail house" case was in Chongqing in 2007 when a couple stopped developers from demolishing their home for three years until they received suitable compensation.
10. Disneyland in Shanghai
Construction of a Disneyland on the east bank of Huangpu River in Shanghai finally got the green light on Nov 4. The theme park will cost an estimated 25 billion yuan ($3.6 billion) and will open its gates as early as 2014. It is expected to cover an area of 116 hectares, 10 hectares fewer than the Disneyland in Hong Kong.
Walt Disney Co. will reportedly take a 43-percent equity stake in Shanghai Disneyland, while a joint-venture holding company formed by a consortium of Chinese companies owned by the municipal government will own the majority 57 percent.
The park will be the fourth Disneyland outside of the US - the others are in Paris, Tokyo and Hong Kong - and is one of the largest-ever foreign investments in China's mainland.
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