Beijing

Top leaders join panel discussion

Vice-Premier Li Keqiang and other senior leaders on Sunday joined lawmakers in panel discussions at the ongoing annual session of the National People's Congress, the top legislature. In a panel discussion with deputies from Jilin province, Li called to resolve the transformation of government functions. He also urged the industrial base and a major agricultural province to make breakthroughs in science and technology to boost agricultural production and energy development.

63 trafficked children rescued

Police have rescued 63 children and 14 women in a cross-provincial campaign against human trafficking, the Ministry of Public Security said on Saturday. Five gangs trafficking children were busted and 368 suspects arrested in a March 1 sweep coordinated by the ministry that involved more than 6,000 police personnel from 20 provincial-level regions.

Organ distribution will be fair: charity The country's largest charity pledged that it will fairly distribute donated organs, Beijing News reported. All patients on waiting lists will be ranked according to the urgency of their need for a transplant, said Zhao Baige, executive vice-president of the Red Cross Society of China. The distribution process will not give higher priority to patients because of their occupation or social status, Zhao said.

Shandong

Bus carrying 20 collides with truck

A bus carrying more than 20 people hit a truck on Yantai-Qingdao highway in Shandong province on Sunday. Casualties from the collision are still unknown, local authorities said. The collision happened around 3 pm, severely damaging the truck. An unknown number of injured passengers were sent to the hospital. The cause of the collision is under investigation.

Zhejiang

Cloud-seeding stops forest fire

Local authorities resorted to cloud-seeding to extinguish a forest fire that raged for about 20 hours in Fuyang in Zhejiang province on Sunday, local media reported. Authorities fired nine chemical-filled rockets into the clouds to bring rain upon a forest fire, which started on Saturday afternoon and was fanned by windy and dry conditions. The fire, which affected more than 200 hectares of forest, was extinguished on Sunday.

Hainan

Helicopter, ships monitor islands

A China Marine Surveillance detachment started a joint ship-helicopter patrol of the Xisha Islands in the South China Sea on Sunday. It is the first time Chinese maritime ships and a helicopter have carried out a joint patrol of the Xisha Islands since Sansha city was officially established in July. This involves three ships and one helicopter. During the nine-day patrol, law enforcement will land on the islands of Zhaoshu and Beidao.

Guangdong

Patrol ensures fishermen's safety

Fishery authorities said on Sunday this year's regular fishery patrols in the South China Sea have been launched to ensure the safety of Chinese fishermen. By Sunday, 21 medium-sized and large patrol ships and over 3,000 personnel were dispatched to key fishery areas. China's fishery patrol ships are currently in waters off the Huangyan Islands, Meiji Reef, Nansha Islands, Xisha Islands and the Beibu Gulf.

China Daily-Xinhua

(China Daily 03/11/2013 page2)