Young monks play table tennis at a Buddhist temple in Ruili, Yunnan province. After watching a ping-pong game from the London Olympics on TV, they decided to organize a match themselves. The prize for the champion is 3 kg of bananas. Ren Chenming / China News Service

Society

Fresh rules for charities

Charity organizations in China will be required to publish regular financial reports and tighten their internal management, according to the new rules announced by the Ministry of Civil Affairs that seeks to improve transparency.

Under the new regulations, charity foundations will have to provide detailed reports on donations and spending. If a charity project extends beyond three months, then it must publish quarterly financial reports, and a comprehensive report for public scrutiny at the end of the project. Donors may also seek information on how their money has been spent.

Defense

Advanced patrol vessel launched

China launched its largest and most advanced patrol vessel Haixun 01 in Wuhan, Hubei province, on July 28, to step up the efforts being taken to protect China's marine sovereignty and improve rescue efficiency in coastal waters.

The new flagship is the first patrol vessel capable of completing both maritime surveillance and rescue missions, according to a statement from the Shanghai Maritime Bureau, which will manage the ship.

The vessel is responsible for cruising China's territorial waters, searching and saving lives at sea, investigating maritime disputes, monitoring oil spills and conducting emergency disposal, the statement said, adding that the vessel can also tow ships and put out fires on other boats.

The 5,418-ton ship is 128.6 meters long. It can sail 37 km an hour, and has a maximum sailing distance of 18,520 km without refueling. It is expected to be in service by the end of the year.

Technology

Satellite imaging improved

China's first high-resolution, remote-sensing satellite for civilian use, Ziyuan III, was put into service on July 30, marking a breakthrough in the country's drive to map the Earth from outer space.

Launched on Jan 9, the satellite was delivered to its primary subscriber, the National Administration of Surveying, Mapping and Geoinformation, on July 30.

Unlike the Ziyuan I and II satellites, which produce only two-dimensional images, the new satellite can produce three-dimensional images thanks to three cameras attached to it at different angles.

Environment

Desertification threatens railway

The Qinghai-Tibet Railway, the world's highest rail system, is being threatened by desertification on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau as a result of global warming, experts said. About 440 km of the 1,956-km railway is in areas affected by desertification, Wang Jinchang, a senior engineer with the Qinghai-Tibet Railway Co, said. Research has shown that soil erosion threats have risen sharply in the rivers and wetland from Golmud and Lhasa, and the amount of affected track has almost doubled from 2003 to 2009.

Half of the Qinghai-Tibet Railway was built in areas at an elevation of about 4,000 meters.

China Daily

(China Daily 08/03/2012 page2)