China's Ministry of Commerce expressed its understanding that some countries and regions have taken restrictive measures on Chinese dairy products, a MOC spokesman has said.
The spokesman made the remarks on Friday in response to the restrictive measures on Chinese diary products after the scandal of the melamine contaminated milk that killed at least three infants.
He said Chinese government has always attached great importance to product quality and food security, and endeavored to protect people's life and heath.
The spokesman said Chinese food safety watchdogs had strengthened supervision of exported dairy products, stressing that it has taken effective measures and strengthened its surveillance of exported milk and diary products.
Melamine examination was carried on each batch of milk and diary products since Sept. 10, and was expanded to cover milk-containing food since Sept. 20, according to MOC.
China exported more than 130 batches of milk and diary products, weighing over 3,000 tonnes from Sept. 10 to Oct. 6, all of which passed melamine test, the spokesman said.
China calls for unbiased, scientific and fair treatment of Chinese diary products and set up no barriers to normal trade activities.
Source: Xinhua
Saturday, October 11, 2008
Chinese, British FMs talk over phone about ASEM Summit
Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi and his British counterpart David Miliband on Friday exchanged views in a phone conversation on the seventh Asia-Europe Meeting which is scheduled for Oct. 24-25 in Beijing.
The coming ASEM summit is great realistic significance in view of the current international political and economic situations which are undergoing complicated and profound changes, Yang said.
China is ready to work with Britain and other parties concerned to ensure a success of the meeting and make it one that will strengthen consensus, promote cooperation and is oriented toward the future, he said.
Miliband said Britain will be attending the meeting in line with the same spirit and is ready to contribute positively to the success of the meeting.
Source: Xinhua
The coming ASEM summit is great realistic significance in view of the current international political and economic situations which are undergoing complicated and profound changes, Yang said.
China is ready to work with Britain and other parties concerned to ensure a success of the meeting and make it one that will strengthen consensus, promote cooperation and is oriented toward the future, he said.
Miliband said Britain will be attending the meeting in line with the same spirit and is ready to contribute positively to the success of the meeting.
Source: Xinhua
Chinese President appoints new ambassador to United Nations
Zhang Yesui has been appointed China's ambassador to the United Nations, replacing Wang Guangya, it was announced on Friday.
Chinese President Hu Jintao appointed Zhang in line with decisions adopted by the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, China's top legislature, said an official statement.
Source: Xinhua
Chinese President Hu Jintao appointed Zhang in line with decisions adopted by the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, China's top legislature, said an official statement.
Source: Xinhua
Sri Lankan ruling party to strengthen relations with CPC
Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse told a visiting Communist Party of China delegation on Friday that his party will strengthen friendly relationship with the CPC.
Rajapakse, who is also the leader of the ruling Sri Lankan Freedom Party , made the remarks during his meeting with the good-will delegation led by Liu Hongcai, deputy head of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee.
Rajapakse said Sri Lanka and China have been enjoying a solid friendship in the last 50 years.
"We appreciate the massive assistance provided by the Chinese government and the Chinese people to Sri Lanka for its economic and social development," Rajapakse told his Chinese guests.
The president hoped that his party and the CPC could share their governing experience, adding that closer relations should be established between young politicians of the two parties.
Liu said the CPC and the Chinese government attached great importance to the Sino-Lankan relationship.
He said the CPC is ready to strengthen and deepen its relationship with the SLFP and other main parties in Sri Lanka.
Liu and his delegation arrived here Wednesday for a three-day visit at the invitation of the SLFP.
Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickremanayake, main opposition leader Ranil Wickramasinghe and some other senior Sri Lankan politicians also met Liu and his delegation during their stay.
Source: Xinhua
Rajapakse, who is also the leader of the ruling Sri Lankan Freedom Party , made the remarks during his meeting with the good-will delegation led by Liu Hongcai, deputy head of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee.
Rajapakse said Sri Lanka and China have been enjoying a solid friendship in the last 50 years.
"We appreciate the massive assistance provided by the Chinese government and the Chinese people to Sri Lanka for its economic and social development," Rajapakse told his Chinese guests.
The president hoped that his party and the CPC could share their governing experience, adding that closer relations should be established between young politicians of the two parties.
Liu said the CPC and the Chinese government attached great importance to the Sino-Lankan relationship.
He said the CPC is ready to strengthen and deepen its relationship with the SLFP and other main parties in Sri Lanka.
Liu and his delegation arrived here Wednesday for a three-day visit at the invitation of the SLFP.
Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickremanayake, main opposition leader Ranil Wickramasinghe and some other senior Sri Lankan politicians also met Liu and his delegation during their stay.
Source: Xinhua
Farmer wins right to appeal fraud conviction over fake tiger photos
The farmer who faked photographs of the endangered South China tiger in the wild will have his fraud conviction re-examined by a higher court next month, his new legal team announced after their first meeting with him on Friday.
Zhou Zhenglong, 54, was jailed for two and a half years after his conviction at Xunyang County People's Court, in the northwestern province of Shaanxi, on Sept. 27.
Zhou formally contracted two lawyers on Friday afternoon. Gu Yushu, attorney from Beijing Kingdom Law Firm, and Yang Jianjun, lawyer of Shaanxi Jindi Law Firm, promised to defend Zhou for free.
Xunyang County People's Court, where Zhou was also fined 2,000 yuan in the first court hearing, said his appeal application was transferred to Ankang Municipal Intermediate People's Court on Friday morning.
An appeal hearing should be opened in a month or at most one and a half months according to regulations, said a spokesman for his legal team.
Zhou staged the pictures of a South China tiger in order to win an alleged 100,000 yuan in prize money. The tiger is a subspecies that has not been seen in the wild in China for years.
According to court documents, Zhou shot 62 photos of a poster of tiger, which he disguised in foliage on Oct. 3, 2007.
The provincial forestry department announced the news to the public on Oct.12 and gave him a 20,000-yuan reward.
His defense lawyers claimed Zhou was not solely responsible for the bad publicity generated by the case, saying the "cursory release of the news by relevant departments" helped promulgate the fraud.
Thirteen government staff in Shaanxi were sacked or reprimanded as a result of the case.
Source: Xinhua
Zhou Zhenglong, 54, was jailed for two and a half years after his conviction at Xunyang County People's Court, in the northwestern province of Shaanxi, on Sept. 27.
Zhou formally contracted two lawyers on Friday afternoon. Gu Yushu, attorney from Beijing Kingdom Law Firm, and Yang Jianjun, lawyer of Shaanxi Jindi Law Firm, promised to defend Zhou for free.
Xunyang County People's Court, where Zhou was also fined 2,000 yuan in the first court hearing, said his appeal application was transferred to Ankang Municipal Intermediate People's Court on Friday morning.
An appeal hearing should be opened in a month or at most one and a half months according to regulations, said a spokesman for his legal team.
Zhou staged the pictures of a South China tiger in order to win an alleged 100,000 yuan in prize money. The tiger is a subspecies that has not been seen in the wild in China for years.
According to court documents, Zhou shot 62 photos of a poster of tiger, which he disguised in foliage on Oct. 3, 2007.
The provincial forestry department announced the news to the public on Oct.12 and gave him a 20,000-yuan reward.
His defense lawyers claimed Zhou was not solely responsible for the bad publicity generated by the case, saying the "cursory release of the news by relevant departments" helped promulgate the fraud.
Thirteen government staff in Shaanxi were sacked or reprimanded as a result of the case.
Source: Xinhua
Six detained over high-rise fire in NE China
Four heads of project contractors and two electric welders have been detained over a high-rise fire in northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, the local police and firefighting authorities said Friday.
An initial investigation showed alleged improper welding methods by the two workers ignited construction materials and started the fire at around 4 p.m. on the third floor of the "Jingwei360" building in the provincial capital, Harbin. The fire spread to other floors and was put out at 7 p.m..
The 99.8-meter-high structure had 29 floors, including one underground. It was almost completed when the accident happened.
Fire-fighters rescued 61 people, mostly construction workers who were decorating apartments at the time, and no deaths were reported.
Some suffered slight symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning and burns to upper respiratory system. They were hospitalized.
The two welders and the four representatives, from a construction firm and a project supervision company based in Heilongjiang, and two wall decorating companies based in Guangdong Province in southern China, are being interrogated by police.
Source: Xinhua
An initial investigation showed alleged improper welding methods by the two workers ignited construction materials and started the fire at around 4 p.m. on the third floor of the "Jingwei360" building in the provincial capital, Harbin. The fire spread to other floors and was put out at 7 p.m..
The 99.8-meter-high structure had 29 floors, including one underground. It was almost completed when the accident happened.
Fire-fighters rescued 61 people, mostly construction workers who were decorating apartments at the time, and no deaths were reported.
Some suffered slight symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning and burns to upper respiratory system. They were hospitalized.
The two welders and the four representatives, from a construction firm and a project supervision company based in Heilongjiang, and two wall decorating companies based in Guangdong Province in southern China, are being interrogated by police.
Source: Xinhua
China tests find no melamine in new milk powder
The latest tests on Chinese milk powder have found no traces of melamine, the country's top quality control agency said on Friday.
It was the third round of tests for the industrial chemical since the the breaking of the tainted baby formula scandal that left at least three infants dead and sickened more than 50,000 others, according to the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine .
The tests covered 113 batches of baby formula from 20 brands in nine provinces and 267 batches of other milk powder from 72 brands in 18 provinces, the agency said.
At present, 460 batches of baby formula from 50 brands and 576 batches of other milk powder from 133 brands produced after Sept. 14 have been tested and none contained melamine, it added.
Melamine, often used in the manufacturing of plastics, was added to sub-standard or diluted milk to make the protein levels appear higher.
The Ministry of Commerce on Friday said it hoped other countries would treat Chinese dairy products fairly and set up no barriers to normal trade activities.
The AQSIQ has started strict quality checks of dairy exports, the ministry said. Dairy exports after Sept. 10 were safe.
The State Council, or Cabinet, issued a series of quality control regulations for dairy products on Thursday.
The regulations tighten control of how milk-yielding animals are bred, how raw milk is purchased and the production and sales of dairy food.
They promised more severe punishment for people who violated safety standards and quality control departments that failed to fulfil their duties.
Source: Xinhua
It was the third round of tests for the industrial chemical since the the breaking of the tainted baby formula scandal that left at least three infants dead and sickened more than 50,000 others, according to the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine .
The tests covered 113 batches of baby formula from 20 brands in nine provinces and 267 batches of other milk powder from 72 brands in 18 provinces, the agency said.
At present, 460 batches of baby formula from 50 brands and 576 batches of other milk powder from 133 brands produced after Sept. 14 have been tested and none contained melamine, it added.
Melamine, often used in the manufacturing of plastics, was added to sub-standard or diluted milk to make the protein levels appear higher.
The Ministry of Commerce on Friday said it hoped other countries would treat Chinese dairy products fairly and set up no barriers to normal trade activities.
The AQSIQ has started strict quality checks of dairy exports, the ministry said. Dairy exports after Sept. 10 were safe.
The State Council, or Cabinet, issued a series of quality control regulations for dairy products on Thursday.
The regulations tighten control of how milk-yielding animals are bred, how raw milk is purchased and the production and sales of dairy food.
They promised more severe punishment for people who violated safety standards and quality control departments that failed to fulfil their duties.
Source: Xinhua
New traffic restriction takes effect in Beijing
A new traffic restriction went into effect in the Chinese capital Saturday, which is expected to help sustain the hard-won smooth traffic and good air quality during the Olympic Games.
Under the new traffic restriction, 70 percent of government vehicles, as well as all corporate and private cars, will take turns off the roads one out of the five weekdays as of Oct. 11, according to the Beijing Municipal Committee of Communications.
Cars whose number plates end with 1 or 6 will be taken off roads on Monday, while those ending with 2 or 7 will be banned on Tuesday, 3 or 8 on Wednesday, 4 or 9 on Thursday and 5 or 0 on Friday. The ban does not apply on weekends.
The ban will be applicable within the Fifth Ring Road inclusive, from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. for private cars and round the clock for government and corporate vehicles.
Violators will be fined 100 yuan .
The new restriction will be implemented on a trial basis for six months until April 10, but does not apply to police wagons, ambulances, fire engines, buses, taxies and other public service vehicles.
As of Oct. 1, 30 percent of government vehicles have been sealed off.
The new traffic restriction is expected to take some 800,000 cars off the road everyday, according to the Beijing Municipal Committee of Communications.
"It's expected to reduce Beijing's average road traffic flow by6.5 percent and speed up traffic within the Fifth Ring by 8 percent at least," Wang Zhaorong, a senior official with the committee, has said.
Because it is weekend on Oct. 11 and Oct. 12, so the new restriction will actually be applied on Oct. 13.
During the first week, traffic police will only give oral warnings to the violators but not fine them, according to the committee. Traffic authorities will also change the "no car day" based on the last number of license plates every month.
"We will boost public transport service after the new restriction is implemented, such as prolonging operation hours of buses and subway trains and increasing their number," said Zhou Zhengyu, deputy head of the committee.
The latest government statistics show that Beijing has about 3.5 million vehicles. In addition, about 1,200 new vehicles take on the road everyday.
During the Olympics and Paralympics, Beijing imposed a two-month ban on vehicles on alternate days, which took nearly 2 million cars off the roads. Traffic flow within the Fifth Ring was reduced by an average 21.2 percent and the average speed at rush hours increased by 25.8 percent to 30.2 km per hour, according to the Beijing Municipal Committee of Communications.
The Olympic traffic ban helped reduce almost 120,000 tons of pollutants emitted by vehicle, or about 63 percent of the total vehicular pollutant emissions before the ban.
The city returned to its normal congestion after the ban was lifted on Sept. 21.
Source: Xinhua
Under the new traffic restriction, 70 percent of government vehicles, as well as all corporate and private cars, will take turns off the roads one out of the five weekdays as of Oct. 11, according to the Beijing Municipal Committee of Communications.
Cars whose number plates end with 1 or 6 will be taken off roads on Monday, while those ending with 2 or 7 will be banned on Tuesday, 3 or 8 on Wednesday, 4 or 9 on Thursday and 5 or 0 on Friday. The ban does not apply on weekends.
The ban will be applicable within the Fifth Ring Road inclusive, from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. for private cars and round the clock for government and corporate vehicles.
Violators will be fined 100 yuan .
The new restriction will be implemented on a trial basis for six months until April 10, but does not apply to police wagons, ambulances, fire engines, buses, taxies and other public service vehicles.
As of Oct. 1, 30 percent of government vehicles have been sealed off.
The new traffic restriction is expected to take some 800,000 cars off the road everyday, according to the Beijing Municipal Committee of Communications.
"It's expected to reduce Beijing's average road traffic flow by6.5 percent and speed up traffic within the Fifth Ring by 8 percent at least," Wang Zhaorong, a senior official with the committee, has said.
Because it is weekend on Oct. 11 and Oct. 12, so the new restriction will actually be applied on Oct. 13.
During the first week, traffic police will only give oral warnings to the violators but not fine them, according to the committee. Traffic authorities will also change the "no car day" based on the last number of license plates every month.
"We will boost public transport service after the new restriction is implemented, such as prolonging operation hours of buses and subway trains and increasing their number," said Zhou Zhengyu, deputy head of the committee.
The latest government statistics show that Beijing has about 3.5 million vehicles. In addition, about 1,200 new vehicles take on the road everyday.
During the Olympics and Paralympics, Beijing imposed a two-month ban on vehicles on alternate days, which took nearly 2 million cars off the roads. Traffic flow within the Fifth Ring was reduced by an average 21.2 percent and the average speed at rush hours increased by 25.8 percent to 30.2 km per hour, according to the Beijing Municipal Committee of Communications.
The Olympic traffic ban helped reduce almost 120,000 tons of pollutants emitted by vehicle, or about 63 percent of the total vehicular pollutant emissions before the ban.
The city returned to its normal congestion after the ban was lifted on Sept. 21.
Source: Xinhua
470,000 Tibetan herds people in Sichuan to move into brick houses
The government of southwest China's Sichuan Province plans to help 470,000 Tibetan herds people in the region to settle down in permanent brick houses in the next four years.
The provincial government will input 5 billion yuan into the project to build new houses and villages as well as primary schools, clinics, offices and other public service infrastructure in the villages.
Local authorities will also invite industrial businesses to design and manufacture special tents and other living products tailored to the needs of high and cold areas for the herds people, in a bid to provide a "modern life" in their nomadic life, according to a provincial government meeting held on Friday.
Statistics show that among the total 533,000 herds people in Sichuan, 219,000 still have no fixed residences and 254,000 are living in shanty houses.
Similar housing projects have also been carried out in the neighboring Tibet Autonomous Region and northwestern provinces of Qinghai and Gansu, in a hope to improve the living conditions and public services for the nomadic Tibetan communities.
Source: Xinhua
The provincial government will input 5 billion yuan into the project to build new houses and villages as well as primary schools, clinics, offices and other public service infrastructure in the villages.
Local authorities will also invite industrial businesses to design and manufacture special tents and other living products tailored to the needs of high and cold areas for the herds people, in a bid to provide a "modern life" in their nomadic life, according to a provincial government meeting held on Friday.
Statistics show that among the total 533,000 herds people in Sichuan, 219,000 still have no fixed residences and 254,000 are living in shanty houses.
Similar housing projects have also been carried out in the neighboring Tibet Autonomous Region and northwestern provinces of Qinghai and Gansu, in a hope to improve the living conditions and public services for the nomadic Tibetan communities.
Source: Xinhua
China to launch FY-4 weather satellite around 2013
China plans to launch the first satellite of the Fengyun-4 series, the country's second-generation geostationary meteorological satellites, around 2013, according to the China Meteorological Administration .
The FY-4 project has entered the proposal stage, revealed the first coordination meeting of the FY-4 project on Friday.
After listening to proposals of five major systems of the project at the meeting, leading scientists and engineers believed the FY-4 could be "paralleled to world's most advanced geostationary meteorological satellites" when it was launched.
"It can meet extensive needs in fields such as weather, climate, environment and natural disasters monitoring and forecast."
CMA Vice Director Yu Rucong said FY-4, a successor of FY-2 series, would further boost monitoring capabilities, such as the monitoring of cloud system and atmospherical temperature and humidity.
China will launch another 22 meteorological satellites by 2020,including four more from the FY-2 series, 12 from the FY-3 series and six from FY-4 series
Sun Laiyan, vice director of the State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense, told the meeting that FY series had become a model of remote sensing satellite operations and civilian satellite services.
Source: Xinhua
The FY-4 project has entered the proposal stage, revealed the first coordination meeting of the FY-4 project on Friday.
After listening to proposals of five major systems of the project at the meeting, leading scientists and engineers believed the FY-4 could be "paralleled to world's most advanced geostationary meteorological satellites" when it was launched.
"It can meet extensive needs in fields such as weather, climate, environment and natural disasters monitoring and forecast."
CMA Vice Director Yu Rucong said FY-4, a successor of FY-2 series, would further boost monitoring capabilities, such as the monitoring of cloud system and atmospherical temperature and humidity.
China will launch another 22 meteorological satellites by 2020,including four more from the FY-2 series, 12 from the FY-3 series and six from FY-4 series
Sun Laiyan, vice director of the State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense, told the meeting that FY series had become a model of remote sensing satellite operations and civilian satellite services.
Source: Xinhua
China's auto sales slump for second month as economy slows
China's auto sales fell for the second month running affected by the slowing economy, figures released by the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers showed on Friday.
September passenger car sales shrank 1.44 percent from September last year to 552,800 after the August sales contracted 6.24 percent from a year earlier.
About 5.1 million passenger cars were sold in the year to September, a rise of 11.36 percent from the first three quarters of 2007, but 12.48 percentage points lower than the rise last year.
The falling sales were driven by inflation and the tumbling stock market which drained consumer cash, said Jia Xinguang, an auto industry analyst.
Government policies to limit car use, including raising automobile consumption tax and the traffic restrictions on motorists during the Olympics also dampened sales, he said.
Ford Motors' China sales rose 7.13 percent in the first three quarters, below the 30-percent growth a year earlier. Volkswagen AG registered 13.1 percent rise in China, Hong Kong and Macao, also down from 30 percent a year earlier.
Jia predicted the spreading financial crisis would drag world car sales down by 0.3 percent from 2007 to 58.1 million, the first fall in eight years, as the financial crisis began to affect all business sectors, and the credit squeeze restricted the buyers.
Source: Xinhua
September passenger car sales shrank 1.44 percent from September last year to 552,800 after the August sales contracted 6.24 percent from a year earlier.
About 5.1 million passenger cars were sold in the year to September, a rise of 11.36 percent from the first three quarters of 2007, but 12.48 percentage points lower than the rise last year.
The falling sales were driven by inflation and the tumbling stock market which drained consumer cash, said Jia Xinguang, an auto industry analyst.
Government policies to limit car use, including raising automobile consumption tax and the traffic restrictions on motorists during the Olympics also dampened sales, he said.
Ford Motors' China sales rose 7.13 percent in the first three quarters, below the 30-percent growth a year earlier. Volkswagen AG registered 13.1 percent rise in China, Hong Kong and Macao, also down from 30 percent a year earlier.
Jia predicted the spreading financial crisis would drag world car sales down by 0.3 percent from 2007 to 58.1 million, the first fall in eight years, as the financial crisis began to affect all business sectors, and the credit squeeze restricted the buyers.
Source: Xinhua
China central bank pledges more cooperation to stem global financial crisis
China's central bank on Friday said it will continue international cooperation to tackle the global financial crisis and maintain market stability.
The pledge came two days after the People's Bank of China announced an interest rate cut in a co-ordinated global move to revive solvency in the international financial system.
The PBOC on Wednesday cut the benchmark lending and deposit rates by 0.27 percentage points and the reserve requirement ratio by 0.5 percentage points amid growing fears of a slowing economy and falling equities market.
"The PBOC will continue close contacts and cooperation with counterparts and international financial organizations to jointly maintain stability of global financial market," PBOC spokesman Li Chao told Xinhua.
The PBOC would closely watch the developments and effects of the crisis and take timely and flexibly measures according to changes in the domestic and international situations to guard against financial risks, Li said.
The global economic slowdown reduced demand for Chinese exports and inevitably affected China's economy, he said.
The central bank was fully confident and capable of dealing with the crisis and maintaining stable and relatively fast economic growth.
"China has a huge domestic market and the liquidity is abundant," he said. "As long as we take strong measures to boost domestic demand, the economy has big potential for sustainable growth."
A PBOC statement on the third-quarter meeting of its monetary policy committee said it would take flexible and prudent macro-economic control measures to boost economic growth.
The PBOC was not optimistic in its global economic outlook as intensifying fluctuations in the financial markets had affected the real economy.
It said it would boost coordination between monetary policies and fiscal, industry, export and financial regulation policies to help transform economic growth mode and boost domestic demand to balance international payments.
Source: Xinhua
The pledge came two days after the People's Bank of China announced an interest rate cut in a co-ordinated global move to revive solvency in the international financial system.
The PBOC on Wednesday cut the benchmark lending and deposit rates by 0.27 percentage points and the reserve requirement ratio by 0.5 percentage points amid growing fears of a slowing economy and falling equities market.
"The PBOC will continue close contacts and cooperation with counterparts and international financial organizations to jointly maintain stability of global financial market," PBOC spokesman Li Chao told Xinhua.
The PBOC would closely watch the developments and effects of the crisis and take timely and flexibly measures according to changes in the domestic and international situations to guard against financial risks, Li said.
The global economic slowdown reduced demand for Chinese exports and inevitably affected China's economy, he said.
The central bank was fully confident and capable of dealing with the crisis and maintaining stable and relatively fast economic growth.
"China has a huge domestic market and the liquidity is abundant," he said. "As long as we take strong measures to boost domestic demand, the economy has big potential for sustainable growth."
A PBOC statement on the third-quarter meeting of its monetary policy committee said it would take flexible and prudent macro-economic control measures to boost economic growth.
The PBOC was not optimistic in its global economic outlook as intensifying fluctuations in the financial markets had affected the real economy.
It said it would boost coordination between monetary policies and fiscal, industry, export and financial regulation policies to help transform economic growth mode and boost domestic demand to balance international payments.
Source: Xinhua
China tests micro-insurance for rural poor
Dai Yongheng never imagined he would make history. But he did just that on Sept. 3, 2008. The middle-aged farmer from north China's Shanxi Province procured a fixed-term life insurance for all five members of his family. He paid 150 yuan , becoming the first micro-insurance deal in rural China.
The insurance policy pays 75,000 yuan if something happens to Dai's family in Dongpao Village, Qixian County, China Life Insurance, operator of the policy, said.
One day later, all 1,017 residents from Xishantou, Macha and Huaishu villages of neighboring Qixian County took out a group insurance policy for accidental injury. If anyone in the village gets hurt, there is a total of 50 million yuan to cover expenses. For example, every villager put 10 yuan into the pot. The insurance company guarantees each of them a 5,000 yuan payment. The total is higher because the villagers bought the policy together, the first group policy of its kind in the country.
"The moves are significant because they strengthen our confidence to supply rural areas with group insurance," said Wang Tongchao, county insurance department general manager of China Life Insurance. "They also give us an opportunity to experiment with the micro-insurance mode in rural areas."
Per capita annual income in Xishantou amounts to only 900 yuan. Many villagers there drive farm vehicles along steep roads prone to accidents. In the past, if something happened, such as a death, families would have received nothing. The insurance policy changes that.
By Sept. 20, 112,000 rural Shanxi residents took out micro-insurances in groups with China Life Insurance. Most were low income people from poverty stricken areas. The scheme also covered 106 administrative villages and three townships as a whole.
"Our Shanxi branch experiment of family-based or group-based modes has explored a way for us to promote micro-insurance in rural areas. We will popularize the mode to counties with similar conditions," said Wang Tongchao.
Since China Life Insurance got approval from China Insurance Regulatory Commission to offer a simple life insurance service in rural areas in August, the insurer has launched nine products for experimentation. The service first covers counties and villages in the nine provinces of Shanxi, Helongjiang, Jiangxi,Henan, Hubei, Guangxi, Sichuan, Gansu and Qinghai.
EXPERIMENT
China has a rural population of 737 million, 56 percent of the national total, but few insurance products were designed for them. The market is quite huge there, as many analysts believe.
The government decided to experiment with the micro-insurance scheme this year.
"China will develop a tailor-made, multi-level rural insurance system with wide coverage," said Wu Dingfu, CIRC chairman.
"CIRC will develop various customized property insurance, life insurance and other insurance products and encourage cooperation between the government and insurance companies."
Wu Yan, People's Insurance Company of China president, suggested the government crank up financial payment as premium subsidies of agricultural insurance and benefit farmers via insurance mechanisms.
Pacific Insurance became the second, after China Life Insurance, to pilot micro-life insurance products in rural areas in four provinces.
Taikang Life Insurance, the third to go ahead with the micro-insurance, has tested a 50 yuan premium for 50,000 yuan of accidental injury insurance coverage in 19 counties of seven provinces.
TAILOR-MADE
The group-based micro-insurance products are tailored for low-income people, as they require a relatively lower annual premium compared with insurance products designed for their urban counterparts.
To achieve a sustainable and healthy development of micro-insurance, the CIRC said it would establish an evaluation mechanism for micro-insurance products. It would also explore more distribution channels to promote such products, while at the same time encourage insurers to introduce more of these products.
There were already a range of similar micro-insurance products available on the market, though not group-based, as insurance companies came up with new products to grasp opportunities in the vast rural areas.
By example, a micro-life insurance product developed by China Life Insurance, the country's largest life insurer, offered an eight-time refund on an annual premium of 100 yuan for farmers to guard against fatal accident.
Such products were more affordable for farmers, if compared with regular products that would ask for an annual premium of several thousand yuan or more.
The per capita net income of farmers reached 4,140 yuan in 2007,according to Chinese officials, however, it still fell short of more than 10,000 yuan on average for urbanites.
China Life Insurance covered 1.2 million farmers with such life insurance in 2007, according to the CIRC.
There were also other micro-insurance products specifically targeting different sectors, such as planting, livestock breeding, farmers' homes, farm machinery and farmers' household property, as well as micro-medical insurance and insurance against micro-loans, a practice adopted in rural areas to provide more financial products there.
"At present, both government agencies and commercial insurance companies are involved to improve insurance coverage in rural areas," said Chen Wenhui, CIRC's chairman assistant.
Currently, more than 90 percent of life insurance products are provided and managed by commercial insurers.
"Joint efforts of government and companies are multilaterally beneficial to parties involved," Chen said. "The government is partly relieved from pressure to extend insurance coverage for low-income people. Insurance seekers are better guaranteed due to the involvement of government agencies. Insurers are able to tap the market potential."
Chen said the commission would also learn from international practices to boost micro-insurance in rural areas.
It's anticipated a series of policies will be rolled out this year to boost the development of agricultural insurance.
"Overall research work will be conducted on the insurance premium in planting and breeding sectors, and efforts will be made to establish a reinsurance system in agriculture and disaster insurance system," said finance minister Xie Xuren.
CIRC will also coordinate with the Legislative Affairs Office of the State Council, China's Cabinet, and other relevant departments to form regulations on agricultural insurance.
Source: Xinhua
The insurance policy pays 75,000 yuan if something happens to Dai's family in Dongpao Village, Qixian County, China Life Insurance, operator of the policy, said.
One day later, all 1,017 residents from Xishantou, Macha and Huaishu villages of neighboring Qixian County took out a group insurance policy for accidental injury. If anyone in the village gets hurt, there is a total of 50 million yuan to cover expenses. For example, every villager put 10 yuan into the pot. The insurance company guarantees each of them a 5,000 yuan payment. The total is higher because the villagers bought the policy together, the first group policy of its kind in the country.
"The moves are significant because they strengthen our confidence to supply rural areas with group insurance," said Wang Tongchao, county insurance department general manager of China Life Insurance. "They also give us an opportunity to experiment with the micro-insurance mode in rural areas."
Per capita annual income in Xishantou amounts to only 900 yuan. Many villagers there drive farm vehicles along steep roads prone to accidents. In the past, if something happened, such as a death, families would have received nothing. The insurance policy changes that.
By Sept. 20, 112,000 rural Shanxi residents took out micro-insurances in groups with China Life Insurance. Most were low income people from poverty stricken areas. The scheme also covered 106 administrative villages and three townships as a whole.
"Our Shanxi branch experiment of family-based or group-based modes has explored a way for us to promote micro-insurance in rural areas. We will popularize the mode to counties with similar conditions," said Wang Tongchao.
Since China Life Insurance got approval from China Insurance Regulatory Commission to offer a simple life insurance service in rural areas in August, the insurer has launched nine products for experimentation. The service first covers counties and villages in the nine provinces of Shanxi, Helongjiang, Jiangxi,Henan, Hubei, Guangxi, Sichuan, Gansu and Qinghai.
EXPERIMENT
China has a rural population of 737 million, 56 percent of the national total, but few insurance products were designed for them. The market is quite huge there, as many analysts believe.
The government decided to experiment with the micro-insurance scheme this year.
"China will develop a tailor-made, multi-level rural insurance system with wide coverage," said Wu Dingfu, CIRC chairman.
"CIRC will develop various customized property insurance, life insurance and other insurance products and encourage cooperation between the government and insurance companies."
Wu Yan, People's Insurance Company of China president, suggested the government crank up financial payment as premium subsidies of agricultural insurance and benefit farmers via insurance mechanisms.
Pacific Insurance became the second, after China Life Insurance, to pilot micro-life insurance products in rural areas in four provinces.
Taikang Life Insurance, the third to go ahead with the micro-insurance, has tested a 50 yuan premium for 50,000 yuan of accidental injury insurance coverage in 19 counties of seven provinces.
TAILOR-MADE
The group-based micro-insurance products are tailored for low-income people, as they require a relatively lower annual premium compared with insurance products designed for their urban counterparts.
To achieve a sustainable and healthy development of micro-insurance, the CIRC said it would establish an evaluation mechanism for micro-insurance products. It would also explore more distribution channels to promote such products, while at the same time encourage insurers to introduce more of these products.
There were already a range of similar micro-insurance products available on the market, though not group-based, as insurance companies came up with new products to grasp opportunities in the vast rural areas.
By example, a micro-life insurance product developed by China Life Insurance, the country's largest life insurer, offered an eight-time refund on an annual premium of 100 yuan for farmers to guard against fatal accident.
Such products were more affordable for farmers, if compared with regular products that would ask for an annual premium of several thousand yuan or more.
The per capita net income of farmers reached 4,140 yuan in 2007,according to Chinese officials, however, it still fell short of more than 10,000 yuan on average for urbanites.
China Life Insurance covered 1.2 million farmers with such life insurance in 2007, according to the CIRC.
There were also other micro-insurance products specifically targeting different sectors, such as planting, livestock breeding, farmers' homes, farm machinery and farmers' household property, as well as micro-medical insurance and insurance against micro-loans, a practice adopted in rural areas to provide more financial products there.
"At present, both government agencies and commercial insurance companies are involved to improve insurance coverage in rural areas," said Chen Wenhui, CIRC's chairman assistant.
Currently, more than 90 percent of life insurance products are provided and managed by commercial insurers.
"Joint efforts of government and companies are multilaterally beneficial to parties involved," Chen said. "The government is partly relieved from pressure to extend insurance coverage for low-income people. Insurance seekers are better guaranteed due to the involvement of government agencies. Insurers are able to tap the market potential."
Chen said the commission would also learn from international practices to boost micro-insurance in rural areas.
It's anticipated a series of policies will be rolled out this year to boost the development of agricultural insurance.
"Overall research work will be conducted on the insurance premium in planting and breeding sectors, and efforts will be made to establish a reinsurance system in agriculture and disaster insurance system," said finance minister Xie Xuren.
CIRC will also coordinate with the Legislative Affairs Office of the State Council, China's Cabinet, and other relevant departments to form regulations on agricultural insurance.
Source: Xinhua
World Forum Lille continues to call real actions to achieve sustainable development
The ongoing World Forum Lille Friday continued to call for real action to protect Earth and achieve sustainable development.
Neither a country nor an individual can be concerned only for itself or himself without the thought of others, as all human beings in the 21st century face an incredible challenge of growing population and fewer resources, Philippe Vasseur, chairman of the forum, told reporters in this northern French city.
Only having commitments and slogans are far from enough to protect the planet, said Vasseur, former French agricultural minister.
Noting everyone should make a contribution, he called on enterprises to take anti-pollution measures in their operations.
The measure may influence an enterprise's profit in a short period of time but will be crucial to its sustainable development, he said.
China's attachment of importance to environmental protection has been enhanced, said Vasseur, who first visited China in 1980. As exchanges between France and China on environmental protection have become more and more frequent, so too have his visits to the Asian nation.
He believed China could make greater progress in environmental protection, said Vasseur.
Initiated by Vasseur, the forum was launched in 2007 to promote collective responsibility to the world economy.
This year's event, scheduled for Thursday to Saturday with the focus on "best practice to preserve our planet's resources," is being staged under the heading, "Think is Good, Act is Better."
Source: Xinhua
Neither a country nor an individual can be concerned only for itself or himself without the thought of others, as all human beings in the 21st century face an incredible challenge of growing population and fewer resources, Philippe Vasseur, chairman of the forum, told reporters in this northern French city.
Only having commitments and slogans are far from enough to protect the planet, said Vasseur, former French agricultural minister.
Noting everyone should make a contribution, he called on enterprises to take anti-pollution measures in their operations.
The measure may influence an enterprise's profit in a short period of time but will be crucial to its sustainable development, he said.
China's attachment of importance to environmental protection has been enhanced, said Vasseur, who first visited China in 1980. As exchanges between France and China on environmental protection have become more and more frequent, so too have his visits to the Asian nation.
He believed China could make greater progress in environmental protection, said Vasseur.
Initiated by Vasseur, the forum was launched in 2007 to promote collective responsibility to the world economy.
This year's event, scheduled for Thursday to Saturday with the focus on "best practice to preserve our planet's resources," is being staged under the heading, "Think is Good, Act is Better."
Source: Xinhua
Indonesian president to focus on climate change at ASEM summit
Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono plans to make a speech on climate change at the 7th Asia-Europe summit in Beijing, the national news agency Antara Friday quoted a foreign ministry official as saying.
"Indonesia is considered able to play a positive, constructive and important role on environment issues. The Chinese government has specifically invited President Yudhoyono to speak about climate change," said Dian Wirengjurit, director of intra-regional cooperation for America and Europe.
He added that the President will also have private meetings with other ASEM member leaders at their request, take part in a working lunch with his counterparts, and may speak on global security and express his concern over the possibility of another Cold War breaking out.
Besides, the President was scheduled to deliver a speech at the Beijing University. China will host the ASEM 7 summit in Beijing from Oct. 24 to 25, with 43 ASEM members, the ASEAN secretary general and the president of the European Commission to be attending.
Source: Xinhua
"Indonesia is considered able to play a positive, constructive and important role on environment issues. The Chinese government has specifically invited President Yudhoyono to speak about climate change," said Dian Wirengjurit, director of intra-regional cooperation for America and Europe.
He added that the President will also have private meetings with other ASEM member leaders at their request, take part in a working lunch with his counterparts, and may speak on global security and express his concern over the possibility of another Cold War breaking out.
Besides, the President was scheduled to deliver a speech at the Beijing University. China will host the ASEM 7 summit in Beijing from Oct. 24 to 25, with 43 ASEM members, the ASEAN secretary general and the president of the European Commission to be attending.
Source: Xinhua
UN official lauds China's achievements in environmental protection
China has reconciled environmental protection with economic development in recent years and achieved a great deal in this regard, a UN environmental official said Friday.
The Chinese government has attached great importance to environmental protection and taken drastic measures to eliminate pollution, said Bakary Kante, director of the Division of Environmental Conventions of the UN Environment Program, on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in the city of Lille.
He told reporters that he had noted during his three visits to China that the Asian country has long realized the importance of a good environment and committed itself to preserving the environment in its drive to build a booming economy.
Kante maintains that members of the international community should accept "common but differentiated" responsibilities in environmental protection.
Developed countries, which started industrialization in the 17th century, are responsible for the accumulated pollution dating back to the period. Meanwhile, developing countries should try their best not to harm the environment in their pursuit of economic benefits as environmental damage is always irreparable, he said.
For developing countries, which are faced with a seemingly difficult choice between development and environmental protection, a good environment is actually a valuable device that could serve as a powerful locomotive for sustainable development, the UN official said.
During the Lille forum, Kante met many young students, "whose strong environmental awareness has given him quite a relief," he said.
"They are willing to make efforts for this purpose," he said, adding that this willingness will make a big difference for the environment in the future.
Source: Xinhua
The Chinese government has attached great importance to environmental protection and taken drastic measures to eliminate pollution, said Bakary Kante, director of the Division of Environmental Conventions of the UN Environment Program, on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in the city of Lille.
He told reporters that he had noted during his three visits to China that the Asian country has long realized the importance of a good environment and committed itself to preserving the environment in its drive to build a booming economy.
Kante maintains that members of the international community should accept "common but differentiated" responsibilities in environmental protection.
Developed countries, which started industrialization in the 17th century, are responsible for the accumulated pollution dating back to the period. Meanwhile, developing countries should try their best not to harm the environment in their pursuit of economic benefits as environmental damage is always irreparable, he said.
For developing countries, which are faced with a seemingly difficult choice between development and environmental protection, a good environment is actually a valuable device that could serve as a powerful locomotive for sustainable development, the UN official said.
During the Lille forum, Kante met many young students, "whose strong environmental awareness has given him quite a relief," he said.
"They are willing to make efforts for this purpose," he said, adding that this willingness will make a big difference for the environment in the future.
Source: Xinhua
HK reports sixth children with kidney stones after drinking tainted milk
Hong Kong health authorities said Friday that a 10-year-old boy had suffered from kidney stones after drinking melamine tainted milk products.
The new case brings to six the total number of children with milk-related kidney stones in Hong Kong.
The Center for Health Protection of the Department of Health of Hong Kong said in a statement that the boy living in Yau Ma Tei had consumed three to four packs of "Yili" brand high calcium low fat milk beverage daily for the past six years.
As there were changes in his urinary frequency, his parents took him to the Kwong Wah Hospital for medical checkup on Oct. 6. Two renal stones were found in his right kidney.
The center said that the boy is now under treatment and no hospitalization is required.
The product concerned was earlier found by the Center for Food Safety of Hong Kong to have been adulterated with melamine, a chemical that could cause kidney stones leading to renal failure.
Source: Xinhua
The new case brings to six the total number of children with milk-related kidney stones in Hong Kong.
The Center for Health Protection of the Department of Health of Hong Kong said in a statement that the boy living in Yau Ma Tei had consumed three to four packs of "Yili" brand high calcium low fat milk beverage daily for the past six years.
As there were changes in his urinary frequency, his parents took him to the Kwong Wah Hospital for medical checkup on Oct. 6. Two renal stones were found in his right kidney.
The center said that the boy is now under treatment and no hospitalization is required.
The product concerned was earlier found by the Center for Food Safety of Hong Kong to have been adulterated with melamine, a chemical that could cause kidney stones leading to renal failure.
Source: Xinhua
Number of sick in S China water poisoning rises to 450
The number of people sickened after drinking contaminated water in south China has risen to 450 as of Friday, including four with arsenic poisoning.
All 647 people in the two villages affected had been tested for arsenic, according to the government of Hechi City, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.
Twenty-three children aged under seven and 32 people aged over 60 were kept in hospital for observation, while the others received outpatient treatment, said Wei Kaizhong, head of the Hechi health bureau.
Experts said treatment had begun to be effective and no patients were showing signs of serious illness. All those affected were stable and recovering.
More than 20 medical experts have been sent by the regional government to Hechi to help treat the sick.
The villagers began to show symptoms of swelling around the face and eyes, vomiting and blurred vision on Oct. 3.
"The villagers were slightly poisoned. They can be cured in nine to 15 days with timely treatment," said Ge Xianmin, head of Guangxi regional occupational disease prevention and control institute.
Environmental monitoring measures indicated the villages' water source was polluted by industrial waste from Jinhai Metallurgy Chemical, a branch of the state-owned Liuzhou China Tin Co. Ltd. based in Liuzhou City, Guangxi. The plant has been closed since the contamination was discovered.
The local government and the company will share the medical expenses of those affected.
All metal firms in and around downtown Hechi have been ordered to suspend operations for inspections and rebuilding of waste discharge equipment.
Monitoring of local river sections that could be affected by the contamination showed the water is within quality standards.
The city authorities said Typhoon Hagupit triggered torrential rain on Sept. 25. Waste water containing arsenic overflowed from the company and polluted nearby ponds and wells.
The ponds and wells have been sealed off. The Hechi Municipal Government is trucking clean water into the villages in fire tenders.
Source: Xinhua
All 647 people in the two villages affected had been tested for arsenic, according to the government of Hechi City, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.
Twenty-three children aged under seven and 32 people aged over 60 were kept in hospital for observation, while the others received outpatient treatment, said Wei Kaizhong, head of the Hechi health bureau.
Experts said treatment had begun to be effective and no patients were showing signs of serious illness. All those affected were stable and recovering.
More than 20 medical experts have been sent by the regional government to Hechi to help treat the sick.
The villagers began to show symptoms of swelling around the face and eyes, vomiting and blurred vision on Oct. 3.
"The villagers were slightly poisoned. They can be cured in nine to 15 days with timely treatment," said Ge Xianmin, head of Guangxi regional occupational disease prevention and control institute.
Environmental monitoring measures indicated the villages' water source was polluted by industrial waste from Jinhai Metallurgy Chemical, a branch of the state-owned Liuzhou China Tin Co. Ltd. based in Liuzhou City, Guangxi. The plant has been closed since the contamination was discovered.
The local government and the company will share the medical expenses of those affected.
All metal firms in and around downtown Hechi have been ordered to suspend operations for inspections and rebuilding of waste discharge equipment.
Monitoring of local river sections that could be affected by the contamination showed the water is within quality standards.
The city authorities said Typhoon Hagupit triggered torrential rain on Sept. 25. Waste water containing arsenic overflowed from the company and polluted nearby ponds and wells.
The ponds and wells have been sealed off. The Hechi Municipal Government is trucking clean water into the villages in fire tenders.
Source: Xinhua
China's education expo attracts 650 schools from 30 countries, regions
The China Education Expo 2008 to open on Oct. 18 has attracted 650 schools from 30 countries and regions, said the organizer on Friday.
The China Education Association for International Exchange was the chief sponsor of the expo, which had the theme "Going Global for the Future".
Jiang Bo, secretary general of the CEAIE, said 300 schools of 14 countries, including Britain, Australia, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Switzerland, Holland and Russia, would attend.
Canadian schools would feature as the "guest country group."
Great demand was attracting more foreign schools to the expo, Jiang said. The United States, Canada and Europe were the top three destinations for Chinese students.
Each year since 2002, more than 100,000 Chinese students had gone abroad and the number was thought to be around 200,000 this year.
The annual event was initiated by the CEAIE in 2000 and participants must be approved by their respective countries and regions.
Jiang said the two-day expo in Beijing would feature a forum on international education. The expo would tour six other cities and is expected to attract 100,000 people in total.
Source: Xinhua
The China Education Association for International Exchange was the chief sponsor of the expo, which had the theme "Going Global for the Future".
Jiang Bo, secretary general of the CEAIE, said 300 schools of 14 countries, including Britain, Australia, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Switzerland, Holland and Russia, would attend.
Canadian schools would feature as the "guest country group."
Great demand was attracting more foreign schools to the expo, Jiang said. The United States, Canada and Europe were the top three destinations for Chinese students.
Each year since 2002, more than 100,000 Chinese students had gone abroad and the number was thought to be around 200,000 this year.
The annual event was initiated by the CEAIE in 2000 and participants must be approved by their respective countries and regions.
Jiang said the two-day expo in Beijing would feature a forum on international education. The expo would tour six other cities and is expected to attract 100,000 people in total.
Source: Xinhua
Monfils, Kohlschreiber upset Masters Cup hopes
Eighth-seeded Frenchman Gael Monfils will meet Philipp Kohlschreiber of Germany for the first time in the Vienna Open semifinals after respective quarterfinals wins on Friday.
The 22-year-old Monfils advanced to his fourth ATP semifinal of the year after beating Tennis Masters Cup hopeful Fernando Gonzalez of Chile 6-3, 7-6 in one hour and 42 minutes.
Monfils saved seven of eight break points, won 38 of 49 points on first serve and hit six aces. He improved to 25-14 on the season, highlighted by the semifinal exit at Roland Garros.
Former Vienna finalist Gonzalez, who saved five match points in his second round win over Ernests Gulbis on Wednesday, was attempting to earn valuable points in his bid to qualify for the prestigious circuit-ending championships at Shanghai in November.
Currently No. 11 in the ATP 2008 Race, the 28-year-old dropped to 39-14 on the season. In 2006 he finished runner-up in the event.
World No. 32 Kohlschreiber reached his third ATP semifinal of the season as he surprised Spanish fifth seed and Tennis Masters Cup hopeful Fernando Verdasco 6-2, 6-3.
The German capitalized on four of seven break point chances to improve his head-to-head to 3-1 against Verdasco after 67 minutes.
Kohlschreiber is chasing his second title of the season after lifting the Auckland trophy in January. He also finished runner-up in Halle in June and has a 2-1 career record in ATP finals. The 24- year-old Vienna debutant improved to a 28-17 match record on the season.
Former champion Feliciano Lopez snapped a two-match losing streak against Jurgen Melzer of Austria with a 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 victory in one hour and 59 minutes.
Lopez goes on to meet German qualifier and World No. 125 Philipp Petzschner, who advanced to his maiden ATP semifinal after beating 2003 finalist and former World No. 1 Carlos Moya of Spain 6-4, 6-2 in 62 minutes on Friday.
Source: Xinhua
The 22-year-old Monfils advanced to his fourth ATP semifinal of the year after beating Tennis Masters Cup hopeful Fernando Gonzalez of Chile 6-3, 7-6 in one hour and 42 minutes.
Monfils saved seven of eight break points, won 38 of 49 points on first serve and hit six aces. He improved to 25-14 on the season, highlighted by the semifinal exit at Roland Garros.
Former Vienna finalist Gonzalez, who saved five match points in his second round win over Ernests Gulbis on Wednesday, was attempting to earn valuable points in his bid to qualify for the prestigious circuit-ending championships at Shanghai in November.
Currently No. 11 in the ATP 2008 Race, the 28-year-old dropped to 39-14 on the season. In 2006 he finished runner-up in the event.
World No. 32 Kohlschreiber reached his third ATP semifinal of the season as he surprised Spanish fifth seed and Tennis Masters Cup hopeful Fernando Verdasco 6-2, 6-3.
The German capitalized on four of seven break point chances to improve his head-to-head to 3-1 against Verdasco after 67 minutes.
Kohlschreiber is chasing his second title of the season after lifting the Auckland trophy in January. He also finished runner-up in Halle in June and has a 2-1 career record in ATP finals. The 24- year-old Vienna debutant improved to a 28-17 match record on the season.
Former champion Feliciano Lopez snapped a two-match losing streak against Jurgen Melzer of Austria with a 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 victory in one hour and 59 minutes.
Lopez goes on to meet German qualifier and World No. 125 Philipp Petzschner, who advanced to his maiden ATP semifinal after beating 2003 finalist and former World No. 1 Carlos Moya of Spain 6-4, 6-2 in 62 minutes on Friday.
Source: Xinhua
Russia's Olympic medalists join Jankovic in semis in Moscow
Defending champion Elena Dementieva secured a hard-fought win over Nadia Petrova on Friday to advance to the semifinals of the Kremlin Cup.
The Beijing Olympic gold medalist's opponent in the last four will be Jelena Jankovic, who was tested for a set-and-a-half of her quarterfinal against Flavia Pennetta before striding through to the penultimate stage of a tournament for the eleventh time this season.
The other semifinal will be an all-Russian affair, with Dinara Safina taking on Vera Zvonareva after both subdued tricky rivals.
Although Petrova moved ahead 4-3 with a break in the seventh game of the first set, No.3 seed Dementieva responded by taking three consecutive games to capture the opener. The Olympic gold medalist appeared to be cruising to victory as she established a 4-1 lead in the second set but Petrova, runner-up in Moscow two years ago, rallied to win five games on the trot and send the match to a decider.
Once again Dementieva surged to a 4-1 lead, but unseeded Petrova leveled at 4-4 and the match moved inexorably towards a tie-break. But although Petrova drew first blood with a mini-break, Dementieva, who was also taken to a final set tie-break by Katarina Srebotnik in the second round, held her nerve to take the match on her third opportunity, 6-4, 4-6, 7-6.
"She changed tactics in the second set and started to play more aggressively," said the 26-year-old, who also beat Petrova in the quarters at Wimbledon. "It was not an easy match. There were many missed chances for me."
Dementieva will need to be firing on all cylinders against world No.1 Jankovic, who beat the Russian in the semis at Flushing Meadows early last month and holds a 5-3 edge in their rivalry.
The top-seeded Serb was lucky to escape with a 7-6, 6-3 win over Pennetta. The Italian got an early break in the first set, and although she would lose the advantage - and the ensuing tie-break - repeated the feat in the second. But her service game at 3-2 assumed the proportions of a Chekhovian drama - going to deuce no fewer than 18 times - and when Jankovic finally secured the break back, all resistance crumbled.
Like Pennetta, No.5 seed Svetlana Kuznetsova was left to rue lost chances after her 6-4, 7-5 defeat at the hands of second- seeded Safina. A break against the Kuznetsova serve at 4-4 was enough to hand the Beijing silver medalist the first set, but Kuznetsova brushed aside the disappointment to break her younger rival in the first game of the second. Kuznetsova served for the second set at 5-3 but Safina broke back, held to love for 5-5, broke her unsettled opponent again for 6-5 and served it out with ease in the next game.
No.7 seed Zvonareva was also fortunate to advance in straight sets against Slovak teen Dominika Cibulkova, conqueror of Ana Ivanovic in the second round. Cibulkova held a set point on the Olympic bronze medal winner's serve at 5-4 in the first set, but was unable to capitalize and was duly broken by the Russian.
With the first set in the bag - and a first Moscow semifinal in her sights after four quarterfinal losses - Zvonareva broke twice more to race to a 3-0 lead in the second. Cibulkova fought valiantly, retrieving one break and coming within a point of clawing back the other, but Zvonareva kept her nose in front for a7-5, 6-4 win.
Source: Xinhua
The Beijing Olympic gold medalist's opponent in the last four will be Jelena Jankovic, who was tested for a set-and-a-half of her quarterfinal against Flavia Pennetta before striding through to the penultimate stage of a tournament for the eleventh time this season.
The other semifinal will be an all-Russian affair, with Dinara Safina taking on Vera Zvonareva after both subdued tricky rivals.
Although Petrova moved ahead 4-3 with a break in the seventh game of the first set, No.3 seed Dementieva responded by taking three consecutive games to capture the opener. The Olympic gold medalist appeared to be cruising to victory as she established a 4-1 lead in the second set but Petrova, runner-up in Moscow two years ago, rallied to win five games on the trot and send the match to a decider.
Once again Dementieva surged to a 4-1 lead, but unseeded Petrova leveled at 4-4 and the match moved inexorably towards a tie-break. But although Petrova drew first blood with a mini-break, Dementieva, who was also taken to a final set tie-break by Katarina Srebotnik in the second round, held her nerve to take the match on her third opportunity, 6-4, 4-6, 7-6.
"She changed tactics in the second set and started to play more aggressively," said the 26-year-old, who also beat Petrova in the quarters at Wimbledon. "It was not an easy match. There were many missed chances for me."
Dementieva will need to be firing on all cylinders against world No.1 Jankovic, who beat the Russian in the semis at Flushing Meadows early last month and holds a 5-3 edge in their rivalry.
The top-seeded Serb was lucky to escape with a 7-6, 6-3 win over Pennetta. The Italian got an early break in the first set, and although she would lose the advantage - and the ensuing tie-break - repeated the feat in the second. But her service game at 3-2 assumed the proportions of a Chekhovian drama - going to deuce no fewer than 18 times - and when Jankovic finally secured the break back, all resistance crumbled.
Like Pennetta, No.5 seed Svetlana Kuznetsova was left to rue lost chances after her 6-4, 7-5 defeat at the hands of second- seeded Safina. A break against the Kuznetsova serve at 4-4 was enough to hand the Beijing silver medalist the first set, but Kuznetsova brushed aside the disappointment to break her younger rival in the first game of the second. Kuznetsova served for the second set at 5-3 but Safina broke back, held to love for 5-5, broke her unsettled opponent again for 6-5 and served it out with ease in the next game.
No.7 seed Zvonareva was also fortunate to advance in straight sets against Slovak teen Dominika Cibulkova, conqueror of Ana Ivanovic in the second round. Cibulkova held a set point on the Olympic bronze medal winner's serve at 5-4 in the first set, but was unable to capitalize and was duly broken by the Russian.
With the first set in the bag - and a first Moscow semifinal in her sights after four quarterfinal losses - Zvonareva broke twice more to race to a 3-0 lead in the second. Cibulkova fought valiantly, retrieving one break and coming within a point of clawing back the other, but Zvonareva kept her nose in front for a7-5, 6-4 win.
Source: Xinhua
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