Beijing

Dust heaps to become green

Beijing's city administration bureau has vowed to clean up 279 blocks of bare land covering more than 5,800 hectares that have turned into refuse dumps due to poor management. After one month of inspection, the Beijing Commission of City Administration and Environment found 220 deserted parcels of land downtown and 59 in suburban areas and counties in the capital, some of which are part of dilapidated housing projects. The commission said the dust heaps would soon be made green.

Entrepreneurs to show innovation

The Second China Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition was launched in Beijing on Friday, and registration will be open through mid-July. All the technological businesses and entrepreneurial teams that take part will receive assessments from venture capital institutions and a few will be selected to enter the next round. Businesses and teams that stand out in the national finals in November will get professional instruction, as well as support on policy, management, financing and marketing.

1,500 participate in Fun Run Carnival

More than 1,500 runners took part in the 2013 Fun Run Carnival at Beijing's Chaoyang Park on Saturday. Celebrated musicians, including Joanna Wang, Da Zhang Wei, Jeffrey Kung and the rock band Guowei VC, attended and lent their voices to the event, calling for citizens to get involved in outdoor sports. The carnival was initiated by China's sportswear giant Li-Ning in 2009.

Ships expel Japanese vessels

Three Chinese maritime surveillance ships expelled Japanese vessels found in the territorial waters of China's Diaoyu Islands on Sunday, the State Oceanic Administration said on its website. The flotilla monitored the Japanese vessels and took evidence of their violations, the administration said.

Hubei

Police break up drug workshop

Police in Hubei province broke up a drug workshop, arresting 12 suspects and seizing more than 300 kilograms of drugs. The suspects in Xishui county made use of an abandoned chicken farm to make and sell drugs, which was discovered by local police in November 2012. On Friday night, police captured the suspects and seized tools and materials that they used to make drugs.

Guangxi

Calls for more fossil protection

Fossils need more protection, according to experts at an ongoing paleontology conference in Guilin, Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region. China's fossils are being damaged by illegal excavation, said Shan Huachun, deputy director of the China Fossil Preservation Foundation. A regulation that requires government approval before excavating fossils took effect in January 2011, but Shan said it falls short and the government should learn from the international community to make a more comprehensive legal system for fossil preservation.

Fujian

Energy demand to peak in 20 years

China will see its energy demand peak between 2030 and 2035 on the back of expanding industrialization and urbanization, Zhong Ziran, chief engineer of the Ministry of Land and Resources, forecast on Saturday. The country's energy consumption will grow at an annualized pace of 4.5 percent in the next 20 years, with the accumulative demand for coal, oil and natural gas at 82.6 billion tons, 12 billion tons and 5.8 trillion cubic meters, respectively, Zhong said at a work conference.

Jiangxi

Explosion in gas pipeline injures 2

A section of China's second natural gas pipeline in Jiangxi province exploded on Sunday, injuring at least two people. The explosion occurred at an industrial zone in Shangli county, 300 meters from a highway service station. A shock wave from the explosion knocked over several people hundreds of meters away. Government agencies are investigating.

Shandong

Mine flood caused by coal theft

A preliminary investigation has found that illegal mining of coal caused the flooding in a clay mineral mine that killed nine people on Thursday in Zhangqiu, Shandong province. A government spokesperson said on Sunday that they are still searching for one missing miner. People involved in the accident have been detained by police and a further investigation is ongoing, it was reported.

Henan

Teacher suspected of sexual assault

A schoolteacher has been detained on suspicion of sexually assaulting girls in Henan province. Yang Shifu, 54, a primary school teacher in Tongbai county, is suspected of sexually assaulting schoolgirls during breaks on the excuse of reviewing their schoolwork since the spring of 2012, the Tongbai government said on Sunday. After receiving reports on Thursday, police interviewed the girls involved and their parents that day. Hospital examinations found that nine of the 16 girls' hymens were ruptured, local media reported.

Shanghai

Regulation to stop illegal taxi bidding

Shanghai will issue a regulation on taxi services to prohibit drivers from charging extra when people compete for a ride with mobile phone applications, said Sun Jianping, director of the Shanghai Municipal Transport and Port Authority. Some apps allow passengers to bid for a ride, which goes against an orderly market, and the authority will crack down on such foul play, he said on Sunday. However, these apps will not be rooted out, because they relieve the headache of hailing a taxi during rush hour and optimize the allocation of taxi resources, Sun said.

Xinhua-China Daily

(China Daily USA 05/27/2013 page3)