In China, fourteen cities along the border opened to foreigners achieved remarkable economic development
Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, February 12 - The economic development in China's fourteen cities along the border opened to foreigners achieved gratifying results in 1995.
According to statistics, these cities completed a gross domestic product in excess of RMB 19 billion in last year, an increase of more than 90% over 1991 (the year before they were opened).
In 1992, the State Council successively approved fourteen cities along the border to be opened to foreigners, which included Hei He, Pingxiang, Hunchun, Yining and Ruili etc.  At the same time, these cities were also given approvals to set up fourteen border-economic-cooperation zones.
The economy in these cities grew at a rapid rate in the past three years and their economic strength are now noticeable stronger than before; the average annual economic growth is 17%, which is higher than the average growth rate in China.
According to introduction, developments in these fourteen cities as well as their economic cooperation zones are still accelerating.
In the past three years, these cities completed fixed assets investments to the value of RMB 12 billion, which has changed the typical scenario prevailing in border cities in the old days, namely, "no high rise building, uneven roads, no bright lights, murky water and poor telecommunication".
The economic cooperation zones completed a development of 22.6 square kilometers; 287 firms of the "three forms" of capitals were introduced and the actual foreign capital utilized was US$ 890 million.
Furthermore, there are also 5,100 domestic linked enterprises and 175 industrial projects currently in production.
The "Golden Triangle" of Yellow River is turning a new hotspot for investments
Xinhua News Agency, Taiyuan, February 7 (reporter: Shan baohong, and reporter trainee: Hu Jingguo) - The Fenglingdu economic development zone is located at the intersection of China's Shanxi, Shaanxi and Henan provinces.  The area is frequently referred to as the "Golden Triangle" of Yellow River.  Many local and foreign businessmen are keeping their eyes on Fenglingdu as it gradually turns into a new hotspot for investments.
The Fenglingdu economic development zone is the only development zone in China that relies on a small city for its development.  It is also a new gateway to the outside world for the landlocked Shanxi province.
After three years of development, the zone is beginning to take shape.  It now has a comprehensive wholesale market for the distribution of many commercial products including timber, medicine, tobacco, clothing, foodstuff and industrial products etc.
At present, many merchants have gathered in the development zone.  Many new buildings have been constructed and the New Golden Triangle Manor, a modern versatile shopping center with a price tag of RMB 60 million, is near completion.  Two thousand computer controlled telephone lines are now in use.  A 10 kilovolt high-voltage power circuit is in normal operation.  Many investors have been attracted to the zone and more than 30 factories, including a lemon factory, a perfumery and a special paint factory are now shipping their goods to many parts of China.  A new hospital has been built and is currently receiving patients.  It is well equipped and includes orthopedic, gynecology and pediatrics.
The Golden Triangle is emerging quickly and has caught the attention of many foreign businessmen.  At present, there are more than 50 consortium and businessmen from different countries and regions, including U.S.A., France, Japan, and Korea etc., taking part in negotiations for 31 projects.  Total investment amount may reach RMB 320 million.
Township enterprises in southeast Fujian, China, continue their lead in economic development
Xinhua News Agency, Fuzhou, March 10 (reporter: Xu Ting) - The township enterprises in the southeast part of Fujian continue to play a leading role in the overall development of this sector.  Nowadays, township enterprises account for roughly fifty percent of the province's total economy.
Last year, the township enterprises in Fuzhou, Xiamen, Quanzhou, Zhangzhou and Putian accounted for more than seventy percent of the total economy generated by all township enterprises in the province.
According to statistic by Fujian Township Enterprise Bureau, total production value of all township enterprises in Fujian reached RMB 238.15 billion in 1995. Out of this total production, RMB 155.9 billion was industrial production.  The aggregate profit generated by township enterprises was RMB 10.9 billion for the whole year.
Township Enterprises created roughly one-third of the gross national product of the Fujian province.
In the "eighth five-year" period (1991 to 1995), township enterprises in Fujian province paid RMB 18.56 billion in taxes.  They exported goods to the value of RMB 105.5 billion.
Eleven township enterprises in the province were graded as "Township enterprises with the best economic results" in China.
At present, a batch of township enterprises or group of enterprises with higher technology content and better development potential have already emerged in the Fujian province.
According to statistic, more than 50 groups out of the 190 existing township enterprise groups in the province achieved production values of RMB 100 million or more.  In fact, some of them are doing RMB 500 to RMB 1 billion.
Furthermore, the Fuxing Investment Zone at Gushan Zhen, Fuzhou and the Qiaotou Industrial Zone at Anhai, Jinjiang have both become models for all township enterprises in China.
Foreign capital is flowing into Jiangsu's agricultural industries
Xinhua News Agency, Nanjing, December 16 (reporter: Zhou Fang) - Foreign capital is flowing into the agricultural industries of Jiangsu province.
At present, there are eight hundred direct foreign investment projects in Jiangsu's agricultural industries and total investment amount is more than US$ 800 million.
"Since 1994, the agricultural system of Jiangsu province approved more than 500 enterprises of the 'three forms of capital' and the amount of foreign capital utilized exceeded US$ 700 million.  Comparing with 1993, that is a jump of three times in numbers and seven times in value", the officials of the Jiangsu Agriculture and Forestry Department said.
Foreign capital from U.S.A., Japan and Singapore has shown a greater magnitude of increases.  The ratio of foreign ownership in new projects is also getting higher.  In addition, the number of wholly foreign owned ventures has also shown sharp increases.
The rapid growth in foreign capital made up quite a bit for the insufficient input to the agricultural sector in Jiangsu.  More agricultural resources are now usefully employed.
According to statistics, Jiangsu has over 100 agricultural by-product processing enterprises with a production value of more than RMB 100 million.
The Lianyungang Ideal Group utilized loans from Japan Government and direct foreign investments and successfully build the largest vegetables processing / marketing business in China (in terms of export volume and varieties).
Jiangsu has also used foreign capitals to introduce nearly one hundred high quality product types, advance production and processing technologies including barley for beer, California bass, giant river shrimps, fine breed chickens, lean meat pigs, many vegetables and flowers etc.  The productivity in agricultural industries has sharply improved.
Henan province held talks with foreign financial institutions on economic cooperation in Beijing
Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, December 16 (reporter: Yu Haisheng) - The Government of Henan province held an economic cooperation forum with more than one hundred delegates from Beijing offices of 88 foreign financial institutions here in Beijing today.  The objective is to improve the understanding between Henan province and the international financial circles and hence to develop new financing channels to fund the economic developments in Henan.
The congratulatory address to the meeting from Chen Yuan, Deputy Governor of the People's Bank of China, pointed out that the Chinese Government decided to accelerate the development of central and western China regions.  Domestic and foreign enterprises are encouraged to invest in these regions.  The Government has also decided that from now on sixty percent or more of all foreign bank loans and foreign government loans will be used in the central and western regions.
During the meeting, Chief Representative of Beijing Representative Office of Generale Bank, Belgium, who is also Chairman of Beijing Foreign Financial Institutions Association, indicated that foreign financial institutions have intention to contribute in the economic development of Henan province as well as in the development of central and western China.
During the meeting, Li Chengyu, the standing Deputy Head of Henan province made an introduction about natural resources and current economic developments in the province.
"The Henan province possesses not only the hardware needed by foreign merchants.  Actually, it has also developed a set of incentive policy to encourage foreign investment and technology / trade development cooperation in accordance with China's state policy and taking into consideration the province's practical situation ", he said.
During the meeting, the related departments of Henan province also announced a number of economic and technology cooperation projects opened to foreigners.  The related departments held discussions with participating delegates about their intent in these projects.
China's foreign capital utilization up 27 percent in first 11 months of this year
Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, December 17 - Notwithstanding that the number of projects approved to use foreign capital as well as the related contract amounts in the first eleven months of this year are lower than the equivalent in same period last year, the actual amount of foreign capital utilized went up by 27.01 percent over same period last year.
The data revealed today by the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation indicates that the actual foreign capital utilization in China in the first eleven months this year amounted to US$ 46.959 billion and of which US$ 40.007 billion was direct foreign investment.
Up till November this year, China approved 18,644 projects that utilize foreign capitals, 15.43% lower than same period last year.  The total contract amount of foreign capital reached US$ 48.462 billion, a decrease of 27.14%.
Among the recently approved enterprises of the three forms of capital, both Sino-foreign joint ventures and Sino-foreign cooperation enterprises have shown great declines.  However, the number of enterprises wholly owned by foreigners reached to 8,484, an increase of 4.12%.
The actual foreign capital amount utilized increased by more than thirty percent over the same period last year.
Up till November this year, China approved thirteen new development projects with foreigner cooperation, while there were only ten in the same period last year.
The contract amount of foreign capital and the actual foreign capital utilized was US$ 205 million and US$ 311 million respectively, up 14.53% and 61.98% over same period last year.
Domestic and foreign investors have shown interests in Shantou's new technology development zone
Xinhua News Agency, Shantou, December 20 - Both domestic and foreign investors have shown interests in Shantou's new high technology development zone because of a general improvement in the investment environment and also for the zone's excellent development potentials.
Some Chaozhou native scientists, currently residing in U.S. "Silicon Valley", have also expressed desires to come to the development zone to set up new high technology businesses.  The President of Motorola, China, and the staffs concerned at Ericsson have all come to the development zone and are taking part in negotiation for investment projects.  Taiwan manufacturers indicated that they want to set up software development companies in the development zone.
At present, accumulate investment in Shantou new high technology development zone is RMB 1.8 billion.  The zone have completed 370,000 square kilometers of factory spaces.  Supporting infrastructures in the zone, including water, telecommunication, bonded warehouses etc. have been completed and are already in use.
Up till the beginning of November this year, there were 177 projects in the zone and their total investments amounted to RMB 6.4 billion, of which foreign capital accounted for fifty percent.  Among the enterprises heading for the zone, seven of them have been acknowledged as a state level new high technology firm.
The industrial production value of the whole zone amounted to RMB 3.7 billion.  Total income of all technicians amounted to RMB 4.55 billion.  The amount of export was US$ 127.47 million and taxable profits of RMB 360 million were attained.
Meanwhile, the city of Shantou formulated and released over ten sets of rules and regulations to encourage the set up of new technology and knowledge intensive undertakings.
Total foreign import and export by Pudong new district is likely to exceed US$ 9 billion in current year
Xinhua News Agency, Shanghai, December 21 (reporter: Wu Yu, Pudong correspondent) - According to statistics compiled by the Pudong Customs, the total import and export of goods by the Pudong new district (including Waigaoqiao bonded area) amounted to US$ 8.579 billion in the first eleven months of this year, an increase of nearly 25% more than same period last year.
It is estimated that total foreign import and export will exceed US$ 9 billion for the whole year.
A strong and proportionally balanced growth in both import and export has been the key distinguishing feature of Pudong's foreign trade this year.
Among all trades, processing trades have a faster growth.  In the whole district, more than 200 state-owned enterprises have joined the processing trade industry.  As a result, state-owned and foreign owned enterprises each accounts for about half of the value of contracts filed.  The two also have more or less the same number of enterprises now.  Furthermore, the operating models of state-owned enterprises are migrating from the simple processing of supplied materials to intensive processing of high technology and high value added products.
According to introduction, foreign enterprises have increased their import of equipments.  In addition, Pudong is the first district in China where foreign trade is opened to foreigners.  Actually, three trading companies, which are Sino-foreign joint ventures, were established.  As a result, the volume of import and export by foreign enterprises in Pudong increased by 30.74%, reaching US$ 3.86 billion, which accounted for 45% of Pudong's total import and export.
A review of the import product types indicates that mechanical and electrical products have the lion's share of Pudong's imported goods, which are mainly comprised of computers, integrated circuits and micro-electronic components.  Export is mainly mechanical and electrical products, clothing and knitting products etc.
Japan is still the largest trading partners with U.S.A. and Hong Kong at the second and third place.
City construction is a new hotspot for foreign investment in Qinghai
Xinhua News Agency, Xining, December 21 - City infrastructures used to be a burden in any appeal to foreign capitals.  Nevertheless, foreign businessmen have adopted a more positive view on it.  City infrastructure becomes a new area for intense foreign capital utilization in Qinghai, ranking just after the resources exploitation sector.
For a very long time, the construction of city infrastructure in Xining Shi suffered from insufficient investment.  In the 46 years from the formation of the new China up till 1995, the total investment was only RMB 400 million.  The backward city constructions have restricted economic development.
During the past two years, a batch of foreign businessmen expressed their wishes to get involved in Xining's city construction one after another.
The Qinghai provincial government made beneficial use of the situation and brought up the idea of city construction through commercialization of city infrastructures.  At the beginning of this year, the provincial government approved "Certain regulations in the encouragement and guidance to foreign investments in Xining Shi".
When the decision to transfer the operating right of Xining Shi east exit roads for a consideration was announced, more than ten foreign businesses immediately entered into negotiations with the City.  Finally, the price of RMB 50 million was accepted.
The Mojia Street project, an old city renovation, is designed in full compliance with functional requirements of a modern city.  A Hong Kong merchant will invest RMB 50 million and becomes the sole contractor of the project.
The new number six water source works utilize nearly RMB 20 million in foreign capital. The project can supply 150 thousand tons of water each day and will substantially improve the water shortage situation in Xining Shi.
An agreement has been reached with Hong Kong based Tai Hua Company for the construction of exit roads at the north end of the city.  Total investment is about RMB 180 million and several foreign businesses are negotiating with the city for the bypass highway project at the south side of the city.
China has approved the set up of more than 300,000 enterprises with foreign investment
Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, December 25 (reporter: Lu Yongjian) - According to latest information from the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Development, China approved the set up of 302,464 enterprises with foreign investment in the first eleven months of this year.
According to introduction, there are 182,059 Sino-foreign joint ventures amongst these three hundred thousand enterprises with foreign investment and that work out to be about 60% of the total.  There are 44,094 Sino-foreign cooperation enterprises, which is about 15% of the total.  There are 76,161 wholly foreign owned enterprises, which is about 25% of the total.
At present, diversified utilization of foreign capital is taking shape in China.  In fact, foreign capitals have come from more than 170 countries and regions.
Up till end of September this year, the top ten countries and regions, ranked according to the highest investment amount in China, were: Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, U.S.A., Singapore, Korea, England, Germany, British Virgin Islands and France.
These top ten countries and regions collectively account for more than 91% of the actual foreign capital used in China.
Asian countries and regions are the main sources of foreign capital for China.  The capital from Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, Korea and ASEAN collectively account for more than 85% of all foreign capital used in whole China.
Among all these countries and regions, Hong Kong is still the principal source of foreign capital to China and the aggregate recruited amount is more than 55% of the actual total foreign investment.
Nearly 100 enterprises with foreign investment in Tianjin development zone became bonded factories
Xinhua News Agency, Tianjin, December 27- The reporter understood from Tianjin Customs Department that twenty enterprises with foreign investment, including General Semiconductor (China) Ltd. etc., passed the assessment of Customs Department recently and became bonded factories for custom purposes.  They can now enjoy the benefits under Customs Department's preferential policy.
Up to this point, 99 enterprises with foreign investment in Tianjin economic and technology development zone became bonded factories.
According to introduction, Tianjin Customs Department is actively integrating with international practices.  The Department is improving the macro management of enterprises.  It is also refining procedures for customs.  The objective of these efforts is to improve the trading efficiency of enterprises.  The Department is now promoting the bonded system with great efforts.
The economic and technology development zone is a new economic growth point in the area.  Processing trade is growing rapidly.  At present, there are 220 enterprises with foreign investment engaged in processing trade.  Forty one percent of the factories have already become bonded factories.  Hence, a bonded factory system, including electronic, chemical engineering, textile, telecommunication and automobiles etc., is gradually taking shape.  In fact, Motorola, Samsung Electronic and Yamaha etc. are also member of the system.
According to the introduction by the officials of Tianjin Customs Department, bonded factories have lower trading costs because of improved trading efficiency.
After General Semiconductor (China) Ltd. became a bonded factory, they have lowered their daily working capital requirement by US$ 0.5 million.
According to introduction by the company, they are planning an additional investment of US$ 90 million in the next five years.  When the expansion is completed, the forecast annual production may reach US$ 300 million.
Gansu's economy exhibits high growth and low inflation pattern
Xinhua News Agency, Lanzhou, January 6 (reporter: Sun Zhiping) - The Gansu province is situated at northwest part of China.  Last year, the economic development in the province showed an encouraging trend: a "high growth but low inflation" development pattern was gradually taking shape.
In 1997, the total production value of Gansu province was RMB 78.13 billion, an increase of 8.3% over previous year.  The retail price inflation dropped from 6.6% (previous year) to 1.8%.  Resident price inflation dropped from 19.8% to 3%.
The Gansu province adopted an aggressive strategy of using technology to boost the agriculture sector.  It promoted various measures and technologies to enhance productively, including membrane soil cover, water conservative irrigation and precipitation irrigation etc.  As a result, the agriculture sector achieved a better harvest and total grain production reached 7.66 billion kilograms.
In the whole province, nine hundred and sixteen thousand people can now live with adequate clothing and food throughout the year.
Last year, the operating efficiency of large state-owned enterprises in Gansu started to rebound.  Up till October, the total net losses decreased by RMB 50 million over same period in previous year.
In the whole year, the province completed an industrial value added of RMB 28.71 billion, an increase of 10.3% over previous year.
Meanwhile, fixed assets investments also showed bigger increases.  Total investment amount reached RMB 26 billion, which was an increase of 21% over corresponding period.
In addition, Gansu is opening to foreigners and the progress looks encouraging.
In the whole year, total foreign exchange earned on exports amounted to US$ 400 million.  The import amount was US$ 250 million.
In the whole year, the province utilized US$ 260 million of foreign capital.
According to Gu Yongjiang, China's economic development brings five important opportunities to Hong Kong Special Administrative Zone
Gu Yongjiang indicated that China's economic development brings five important opportunities to Hong Kong Special Administrative Zone and they are:
-- Help ensure long-term prosperity and stability in Hong Kong's economy
China's economy is growing steadily over a long period of time and Hong Kong economy can benefit from a dynamic economy in China.
-- Can provide more commerce opportunities to Hong Kong
After China systematically opens its service sectors, including domestic trades, financial services and retail services etc., Hong Kong's service industries will have greater rooms for development.
-- Help strength Hong Kong's position as a trade and shipping center
China's total foreign export is likely to reach US$ 800 billion by the year of 2010.  This will no doubt increase the demands for transit and transshipment services in Hong Kong, which can strength Hong Kong's position as a trading and shipping center.
-- Promote further developments in Hong Kong's financial markets
As the reform of state-owned enterprises intensify, there will be more joint stock enterprises seeking a public listing outside China.  Hong Kong will be the first choice for state-owned enterprise seeking a foreign listing.
This will in turn enlarge the size of Hong Kong's stock market, enhance market structure and facilitate the development of bond markets in Hong Kong.  There will also be more China funds in Hong Kong.  All these will strengthen and enhance Hong Kong position as a financial center.
-- help improve the competitive position of Hong Kong's products in International markets
China and Hong Kong can work on a complementary economic relationship such that the advantageous positions of two economies can be combined.  This will greatly improve the competitive position of Hong Kong's products in international markets.
Russia premier talked about Russian economy
Xinhua News Agency, Moscow, January 8 - In a government meeting on the 8th, Viktor Chernomyrdin, the Russian premier, said that the main achievement of Russia in 1997 was the successful creation of fundamental prerequisites for economic growth.
According to a report by ITAR-TASS, the Russian news agency, Viktor Chernomyrdin said, "Compare with 1996, Russia's gross domestic product increased by 1.2% last year; industrial production up 3.2%; retail sales up 3.9%; annual inflation rate was 11%, which was half the amount of 1996; and resident income increased 2.5%".
At the same time, Viktor Chernomyrdin also pointed out that there are still many problems inside Russia.  For example, tax revenue was in bad shape; many investments did not complete as planned; surplus in foreign trade decreased; and the fiscal policy adopted by the government was not appropriate etc.
When asked about this year's work, Viktor Chernomyrdin said that the government is drafting a new structural reform together with an economic stipulation plan.  The idea is to submit the draft plan to the enlarged government meeting for discussion on February 26.
According to this plan, the gross domestic product of Russia will increase two percent next year.  The rate of inflation will decline to the range of five to eight percent.
More efforts to promote Fujian-Taiwan economic / trade cooperation this year
Xinhua News Agency, Fuzhou, January 10 (reporter: Xu Ting) -  Fujian province proposed the other day that the province is to strongly promote the economic and trade cooperation between Fujian and Taiwan this year.  The province will further step up its efforts to recruit more Taiwan firms.  The province will also strengthen its contacts with large enterprises and large consortiums in Taiwan such as to win over a batch of large Taiwan funded projects for Fujian.  Furthermore, the province will spend more efforts to expand trades with Taiwan and work on possible cooperation with Taiwan in the area of labor services for the fishing industry.
The related departments of Fujian province already formulated new measures to further accelerate foreign trade some time ago.  The most important works for the province in the area of foreign trade and economic cooperation in 1998 include: intensify the reform of enterprises engaged in foreign trade, maintain a stable increase in exports, and continue to extend the utilization of foreign capital etc.
Fujian is one the province in China's coastal areas that has the best growth in foreign trade and economic cooperation.
Last year, export of the province was US$ 20 billion.  The actual utilization of foreign capital exceeded US$ 4 billion.  Foreign turnkey projects and labor services cooperation reached US$ 355 million.
The main ideas of these new measures are to develop businesses with an appropriate economy in scale.  The province will focus on organizing groups of enterprises.  It will promote strategic reform in the foreign trade enterprises controlled by the province.  It will increase the export of products in key supporting industries.  It will also perfect the work in a promotion conference for foreign investments to be held in Hong Kong and the "China International Fair for Investment and Trade 98".
China will continue to adopt an open policy for financial services
Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, January 16 (reporter: Xu Xingtang, Qian Yuhong) - According to Dai Xianglong, governor of the People's Bank of China, China will continue to adopt an open policy for its financial service industries.
In today's press conference for both domestic and foreign reporters, Dai Xianglong stressed that China will not abandon its existing open policy for financial services because of financial unrest taking place in some Southeast Asia countries.
He said that another batch of foreign banks and insurance companies opened branch offices in China last year.  Up till end of last year, the number of operating foreign financial institutions in China was more than one hundred seventy.
In future, China will continue to add a suitable number of foreign banks and insurance companies.  At the same time, China is preparing to enlarge the tests and will license more foreign banks for Renminbi operations.
Meanwhile, he also stressed that China will be more prudent in processing future applications of foreign financial institutions to set up shops in China.  China will establish proper terms and conditions for their operations; screen qualifications of senior management; and evaluate the legitimacy of their business.
He said that there is never a timetable for free convertibility of renminbi capital items.  Hence, there could never be delays because of the financial crisis in Southeast Asia.
However, China will learn the lessons from the financial crisis in Southeast Asia and adopt a more prudent approach to open policy in capital items.
U.S. transnational corporation to open 300 supermarket chain stores in Fujian
Xinhua News Agency, Xiamen, January 16 (reporter: Yu Yingrui) - Two convenience supermarkets, named "BeiShun", have commenced operations today.
It symbolizes the official opening of Xiamen Fulanpuli Supermarket Ltd., which is sixty percent owned by a giant U.S. transnational group.
Xiamen Fulanpuli Supermarket Ltd. is the first Sino-foreign joint venture in retail industries in Fujian.  Its shareholders include a U.S. transnational, Xiamen Foreign Supply Corporation and a Philippine company.
According to the agreement, the total investment for the project is US$ 26 million.  The investment for the first phase is US$ 10 million.  The company will open a modern logistic center and 20 convenience chain stores as a demonstration.  Thereafter, Fulanpuli will gradually open 300 convenience chain stores in nine cities in Fujian according to market condition.
These shops will be opened in densely populated areas and are about 400 square meters in size.  They will sell articles of daily use, staple and non-staple food items.
The U.S. partner is a large food product company in the States.  Their annual sales exceed US$ 2.1 billion.
China is relatively cautious about opening up its retail industries to foreigners.  At present, China is conducting tests in Beijing, Qingdao, Dalian, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Wuhan and Shanghai one after another.  The U.S. partner's chain store investment plan is one of the more significant movements in China's retail business involving foreign investors.
According to Finance Minister of Republic of Cote d'Ivoire, the West Africa economy resumed growth
Xinhua News Agency, Abidjan, January 18 (reporter: Hu Daocheng)- The Minister of Economy and Finance of Republic of Cote d'Ivoire said on the 17th that the economy in West Africa as well as member countries of West African Economic and Monetary Union ("the Monetary Union") had clearly resumed growth.  The main components in the economy appear healthy.
During an informal discussion meeting organized by Cote d'Ivoire Businessmen Club in Paris, the Finance Minister said that the average annual economic growth rate in West Africa and members of the Monetary Union rebounded to 5.9% in 1996.  In 1997, the growth rate improved to 6.3%, which was much better than the growth rate of 2.6% in 1994.
The West African countries greatly improved the imbalance in import and export as well as the status of government investments.  Trade surpluses improved significantly while fiscal deficits clearly decreased.  The current deficits equal to 1.3% of the total gross domestic products of the countries.
When asked about the possible impact to African franc ("Franc"), given the European Union's intention to adopt a unified currency, the Minister indicated that there is no need to worry about the future of the Franc.
He said, the economy in West Africa as well as member countries of the Monetary Union clearly resumed growth.  Therefore, the 50% devaluation of the Franc in January 1994 is unlikely to repeat in the near future.
The project on insurance supervision started in Beijing, China
Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, January 21 - A research project aimed at providing input to the People's Bank of China started in Beijing recently.  The Bank wants a study on insurance supervision and a look into norms of insurance systems and policies.
Royal & Sun Alliance Insurance Group of England and the Lincoln National Group of U.S.A. jointly sponsor the project.  The actual study is undertaken by U.S. Pricewaterhouse Coopers.  Total investment amount is US$ 1.4 million.
This insurance supervision project will systematically analyze laws and regulations applicable to foreign insurance companies in China as well as the existing laws on insurance supervision.  China will borrow experience from other advanced countries.  China will make constructive proposals that can improve China's insurance supervision and perfects the regulatory framework.
The project will start with People's Bank of China's existing laws and regulations on supervision of foreign insurance institutions in China. In-depth research will be devoted to measures that can strengthen the organizational aspects of foreign institutions, operating procedures management and, in particular, development of an early warning system.
It is understood that the new supervision laws will perfect the current regulatory framework for foreign insurance companies in China.  At the same time, it can help the People's Bank of China to strengthen the whole supervision system for the insurance market.
U.S. ambassador to China appealed for a more constructive policy towards China
Xinhua News Agency, New York, March 6 (reporter: Zhou Xisheng) - In his speech during a luncheon held by National Committee on U.S.-China Relations on the 6th, James Sasser, U.S. ambassador to China, appealed to U.S. for a more constructive policy towards China.  He asked U.S. to "use strategic judgment, adopt a credible, consistent and constructive policy towards China"; use complete and candid dialogue to resolve differences on some problems with China.
Sasser pointed out that U.S. should properly face China's emerge in the international political stage.  It does not matter whether it is the end of this century or in the next century; U.S. should develop a stable and healthy relation with China and this will be an important challenge and opportunity in foreign policy.
On the question of human right and protection of intellectual property in China, the ambassador pointed out that China has made leaps in these two areas.
He thought that the Chinese people are now enjoying more freedom and democracy than before.  China has also adopted a positive and cooperating attitude towards the protection of intellectual property.  U.S. should not ignore these developments.
In addition, James Sasser advocated that U.S. Congress should cancel the annual debate on the renewal of the China's most favored nation status after China's accession to World Trade Organization.  China should be granted permanent most favored nation status.
He pointed out that a U.S. congress debate each year is actually not working in the interest of U.S.  It affects U.S. businesses' confidence to make investments in China, which in turn affect the creation of jobs in U.S.
Steady growth in Sino-Japan trades
Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, March 9 - The statistics compiled by the General Administration of Customs revealed that Sino-Japan trades continued to grow last year.  Total import and export amounted to US$ 60.06 billion, an increase of 4.5% over previous year.  Sino-Japan trades accounted for 20.7% of China's total foreign trades.
Export to Japan was US$ 30.88 billion.  Import from Japan was US$ 29.18 billion.
The surplus on trades with Japan was US$ 1.7 billion.
Japan has been China's largest trading partner for four consecutive years.  Last year, bilateral trades with Japan exceeded Sino-US trades by US$ 17.22 billion.  U.S. is China's second largest trading partner.
According to introduction, as far as China's export of manufactures is concerned, the dependence on the Japan market has increased year after year.  On the other hand, the import of manufactures as a percentage to China's total import from Japan fluctuates irregularly.  The different types of trading methods have different developments.  General trading has decreased but processing trades have increased.  The trading of primary products shows a faster growth.
Last year, China exported US$ 8 billion of primary products to Japan, an increase of 10.9% over previous year.  The import of primary products amounted to US$ 1 billion, an increase of 4.4%.
Enterprises with foreign investment helped fuel the growth of trades with Japan.
Last year, export to Japan by enterprises with foreign investment amounted to US$ 14.9 billion, an increase of 35.4% and accounted for 48% of China's total exports to Japan.  Import from Japan by enterprises with foreign investment amounted to US$ 19.5 billion, an increase of 14.7% and accounted for 67% of China's total import from Japan.
Guangxi employs US$ 150 million of foreign capital to build water transportation infrastructure
Xinhua News Agency, Nanning, March 14 (reporter: Lu Hankui) - The Transport Department of Guangxi Zhuangzu Autonomous Region revealed that Guangxi employs US$ 150 million loans from World Bank, Asian Development Bank, Holland Government and Korea Government for the construction of water transportation infrastructure.
In recent years, the construction of the southwestern China thoroughfare to sea via Guangxi accelerated.
In order to solve the problem of shortage in capital, Guangxi enlarged the extent of the open door policy and stepped up the efforts to attract more foreign capital.
Total investment for the second phase construction of a shipping center on Xijiang is RMB 2 billion.  The project uses US$ 80 millions loans from the World Bank.  At present, the principal part of the project - dredging is 80% completed while civil engineering work is about 50% completed.
Fangchenggang second phase project (including Qinzhou to Fengchenggang highway) uses US$ 52 million loans from Asian Development Bank.  It is expected that the superhighway can be completed and put into use in the second half of this year.
The Beihai supporting facilities construction project uses US$ 10 million loans from the Korea Government.
The Qinzhou supporting facilities construction works employ US$ 13 million loans from the Holland Government.
These construction works are progressing smoothly.
Foreign cooperation growing fast in China's building material industry
Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, March 19 (reporter: Li Jianmin) - China's building material industry has strengthened cooperation with foreign companies as a key measure to speed up development.  The industry has enlarged the scope of foreign capital utilization.  Total foreign capitals attracted to the industry reached US$ 5 billion.
During an interview today, an official in-charge at China Building Material Bureau disclosed to the reporter that many cement projects at Tongling (Anhui), Xiangxiang (Hunan) etc. commenced production one after another.  These projects utilized loans from World Bank and Asian Development Bank.
The scopes of foreign investment are expanding quickly into new building materials as well as high technology or intense processing of building materials etc.
A technology reform project in high-end sanitary ceramics, which utilizes US$ 100 million of preferential export credits from Italy, is actively progressing in Shaanxi, Shandong, Guangdong, Jilin and Hunan etc.
Recently, China's building material industry entered into a number of bilateral cooperation agreements with the government of or transnational corporations in Holland, Germany, Thailand, Greece, Australia, Japan, France, Denmark etc.  The number of foreign cooperation partners has greatly increased.
Last year, total foreign exchange earned by China's export of building materials amounted to US$ 2.1 billion.  The export of cement reached 12 million tons, which was an increase of 46% over previous year and the best in history.
In addition, China recently introduced a pre-composed kiln production line form abroad.  Large-scale modern cement enterprises were built using the technology in east Hebei, Ningguo, Huaihai and Liuzhou etc.  The effort has added an extra cement production capacity of 22 million a year.
Enterprises with foreign investment become a remarkable economic growth point in Shandong
Xinhua News Agency, Jinan, April 2 - As the overall efficiency continues to improve, enterprises with foreign investment become a remarkable economic growth point for Shandong.
At present, there are close to ten thousand operating enterprises with foreign investment in Shandong.  They had total sales of RMB 122.1 billion last year and they realized total profits of RMB 5.3 billion.
According to information from Economic and Trade Committee outside the province, exports by Shandong's enterprises with foreign investment created US$ 5.49 billion of foreign currency revenue in 1996, which accounted for 51% of the total export of the province.  The actual utilization of foreign capital throughout the province accounted for 14.7% of total investment in fixed assets for the whole society.  The number of employees in enterprises with foreign investment reached 1.15 million, which was 10.9% of total employees in industrial production in the province.
Due to the continued improvement in investment environment and the high efficiency achieved in enterprises with foreign investment, many transnational corporations migrated from the testing phase to large-scale investments in Shandong.
Shangdong Samsung Electronic Telecommunication Ltd. increased their investment amount twice and the company is now the third largest production base of the Korea group in China.
In terms of export value, the top enterprise with foreign investment - Qingdao Sanmei Electric Machinery Co., Ltd. increased investment consecutively for five to six times and accumulate investment exceeded US$ 90 million.
The seminar, "World Trade Organization and China's trades and services", will be held in Shanghai
Xinhua News Agency, Shanghai, April 15 (reporter: Xia Ruge and Zhang Jiansong, trainee)  - The seminar, "World Trade Organization and China's trades and services", will be held in Shanghai on April 19.  Ruggiero, Secretary General of World Trade Organization, will deliver a speech on the topic.
It is understood that the main theme of seminar is about China's undertakings made in negotiations to join the World Trade Organization and the potential impacts to services and trades including financial services, insurance, air and sea transportation, consulting, retail, advertising, lawyers and accountants.  It will examine the competitive positions of various trades in international markets and how to control the degree of "open" in trade and services by the Chinese Government in these negotiations.
In addition, the seminar will explore the subject of setting up joint venture enterprises for foreign trade in Shanghai on a test basis.
The seminar is jointly organized by the Shanghai Research Center of the World Trade Organization and Shanghai Foreign Service Co. Ltd. and will last for two days.
Long Yongtu, Deputy Director of Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation, China, will accompany Ruggiero to Shanghai.  He will attend the seminar together with Chen Jiaoren, China's former chief negotiator for General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, and former Deputy Director of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation.
In addition, about two hundred delegates including those from foreign trade and economic cooperation departments, representative from large enterprise, experts and scholars will attended the seminar.
China employs World Bank loans to build railway telecommunication network
Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, April 17 (reporter: Qian Tong) - The Ministry of Railway of China employs metro project loans from the World Bank to build a special purpose telecommunication network that will link all railways in China.
The International Tendering Company of China National Instruments Import & Export Corporation won the bidding process amongst intense competition.  Together with China United Electric Import & Export Corporation, the two will supply program-controlled exchange equipments with a capacity of two hundred twenty thousand lines to the Ministry of Railways.  The contract amount is close to US$ 20 million.
According to the introduction by officials in the Ministry of Railway, the construction of the network is part of the reform on the telecommunication hub that serves all railways in China
When the project is completed and put into use, it can facilitate passengers in different parts of China (including Hong Kong and Macao) as well as owners of cargos to obtain information on the operating status of railways.  It provides advance booking for passenger / cargo and enables tracking of dispatch and arrival of goods in stations.
In recent years, China started to utilize loans from international financial institutions to finance the construction of infrastructures.  China also employed competitive bidding processes for procurements in these projects.
The procurement this time also followed international customary practices.  At the end of the process, program-controlled exchange board product manufactured by Shanghai Bell and distributed by China United Electric Import & Export Corporation won the bid.
This is an important orders for program-controlled exchange board product manufactured in China.
It was reported that all parties to the contract held a signing ceremony yesterday at Beijing's Diaoyutai State Guesthouse.
All equipments will be produced and are to be installed within this year.
Netherlands Trade Promotion Association established a Representative Office in Wuhan
Xinhua News Agency, Wuhan, April 3 (reporter: Tang Weibin)- Netherlands Trade Promotion Association ("the Association") established a Representative Office in Wuhan a few days ago.
This is the first representative office of the Association in China.
According to introduction, the mission of the representative office is to provide timely information on economic developments in Hubei province to Netherlands Government and Netherlands enterprises.  The office will help identify feasible trade and investment opportunities for Netherlands enterprises.  The office provides consultation and help liaison between Netherlands enterprise, China enterprises and government organizations in China.
In the inauguration ribbon-cutting ceremony, Netherlands ambassador to china said that Wuhan was chosen for a representative office because of its excellent geographical location and ready access to water and land transportation.
In addition, Netherlands Government and industries thought that Hubei has a lot of cooperation potentials with Netherlands including transportation, infrastructure, agriculture and energy resources etc.
As early as the beginning of the eighties, Netherlands transnational corporation, Philips Company, established the first joint venture enterprise, Yangtze Optical Fibre and Cable Company Ltd., in Wuhan
In the nineties, the cooperation between the two sides further improved.
Recently, ABN Amro Bank N.V. also officially established an office in Wuhan.
Meng Qingping, Deputy Head of Hubei province said that the Association's representative office in Wuhan symbolizes the elevation of friendship and economic cooperation between Netherlands Government, its commercial and industrial sectors, Wuhan and Hubei province to a new level.
It is hoped that economic cooperation will further develop, which can bring fruitful results to both sides.
China enterprises become the biggest investor in Macao
Xinhua News Agency, Macao, April 3 (reporter: Wang Zhigen, Ju Yuming) - Zhang Xuming, Chairman of Macao China Enterprises Association said that there are now more than two hundred China enterprises in Macao and their total assets exceed 9 billion Macao Dollars.
China enterprises become the biggest investor in Macao.
During the fifth anniversary meeting of Macao China Enterprises Association, Zhang Xuming said that Macao received numerous investments from China.  These investments, from big to small and from weak to the strong, have turned into an important force that drives the Macao's economy.
China enterprises made important contribution to the prosperity and stability of Macao.
According to introduction, China enterprises have participated in a wide range of operations including trading, industrial production, financial services, insurance, tourism, food and beverage, communication and transportation, construction and property investment etc.
In particular, China enterprises now account for about 50% of finance and insurance services, 50% to 70% of travel and tourism, 30% of import and export, and 70% of real estate.
Zhang Xuming indicated that Macao's China enterprises continue to adhere to the concept of "One country two systems" advocated by Deng Xiaoping as well as China's various policies and guiding principles applicable to Hong Kong and Macao regions. They are to maintain the principle: "Some have to be done and some not to be done".  They will continue to cooperate with Macao's commercial and industrial sectors and promote economic stability and social developments in Macao.  They will strive to contribute more.
U.S. admitted an air raid had killed several hundred Iraq civilians; British reporters said bombed area absolutely no military target
Xinhua News Agency, Washington, February 13 - U.S. White House admitted on 13th that several hundred Iraq civilians were killed in an air raid on Baghdad, the capital of Iraq, by the coalition air force.  However, White House insisted that the coalition force hit a military target.
White House spokesman said that the U.S. Government consider "the incidence was a really a tragic ending".
However, he condemned Sadam Hussein, the President of Iraq, for keeping civilians in military facilities and exposed them to hazards.
He said that U.S. believes the target hit is a command and control center of the Iraq army.
The facility was "covered and disguised to avoid reconnaissance but evidence indicated that it was a military target".
According to Xinhua News Agency, London, February 13 report, there was no sign that the bomb shelter destroyed by U.S. bombers was a military bunker of Iraq, BBC reporter at Baghdad, Bowen confirmed.
Bowen delivered this talk during television news hours of BBC, which contradicted U.S. officials' assertion that the bomb shelter was a military disguise.
Bowen conducted interviews at the destroyed bomb shelter and estimated a death toll of about 400 civilians.
France against revision of United Nations charter
This paper, Paris, February 14 (reporter: lV wangda) - Dumas, Foreign Minister of France pointed out that France will not agree to any demand to revise the charter of the United Nations such that the five permanent member seats in the Security Council can be redistributed.
The French Foreign Minister made the declaration during a meeting of the foreign affairs committee of the L'Assemblee Nationale yesterday.
Dumas thought that the United Nations was created after the second Word War, in which France, just like other permanent members, claimed victory.
Germany and Italy were defeated countries.  Notwithstanding they are democratic countries today, he is wondering whether a review to history is sufficient for what happened in the past?
Meanwhile, there are reports that numerous demands have appeared in Germany and Japan, being economic superpowers today, for the redistribution of the permanent member seats in the Security Council.
On the 11th, the Foreign Minister of Germany, Genscher said that the united Germany can play a more significant role in the Untied Nations and should have a stronger voice in United Nations decisions.
The French Foreign Minister responded by emphasizing that the view is "unrealistic".  The permanent member countries are stipulated in the charter of the United Nations.  Any amendment to it requires unanimous agreement by all member countries and France will not agree with the amendment to the charter.
Technology achievement dedicated to the people - Wangma software "open" to users in China
This newspaper, Beijing, January 5 (reporter: Huang Biao) - Wangma Computer Company of Zhongguancun, Beijing held a press conference on January 4 at the Great Hall of the People.  During the conference, the Company announced: in order to satisfy the urgent office automation needs in various departments of the Party, the Government and the Army, Wangma decided to "open" a whole set of "Wangma Software Selection" to the whole China.  The software selection has a profit potential of over 1 million yuans but is now provided free of any technology fees.  The software is available on floppy disks without any encryption.  Users in China can make copies at will and are free to use the software on their microcomputers.
Wangma Computer Company is named after the "Wubi fonts " --- the Chinese character input method developed by the famous computer expert, Wang Yongmin.
The technology is holding a leading position in China because it is simple, easy to use and highly efficient.  At present, over 85% of users in China are using this input method.
In tandem with the rapid developments in the computer industry, many users want to buy the new edition of "Wubi fonts" and the Wangma Chinese operating system.  As more and more computer users came forth, long queue was developed and registration of intention to purchase became necessary.
In order to benefit the society, Wangma Computer Company resolutely and determinedly gave up the opportunity to earn great profits --- they provided floppy disks with no encryption to users such that they can make copies on their own.
With regard to Wangma Computer Company's decision of an unselfish contribution to the society, the leaders, experts and users in the conference had all given their high appreciations.
Zhejiang Wenzhou steps up efforts to fix damages to dams caused by typhoon number 17
Xinhua News Agency, Wenzhou, September 1 (reporter: Hu Hongwei and Xie Yunting, correspondent) - Sources from Wenzhou Command Center for Flood and Droughts Prevention revealed that the City has stepped up efforts to fix damages to water conservancy works caused by typhoon number 17.
Up till August 30, the City committed 158.3 thousand labors each day, accumulated inputs amounted 936.5 thousand labor-days and 730 thousand cubic meters of earth and stone were completed
The head on assault to Wenzhou by typhoon number 17 caused damages to 862 kilometers of dams, of which 357.7 kilometer were totally destroyed by water.
The August 3 and August 15 (Chinese lunar calendar) massive tides are imminent and the torrential rains that accompany the new typhoon may attack anytime.  The dangerous situation is obviously worrying.
At this moment, residents of Wenzhou are mobilized and they rush to fight the danger by building dams to protect their homes.
Emergency repairs for damaged dams commenced work in 91 spots across the city.  Materials for the emergency repair, including vast number of straw bags, knitted bags etc. gradually arrive Wenzhou from different parts of Zhejiang.
It is estimated that most of the damaged dams in the City can be temporarily fixed with earth and stone before the massive tides on August 3.
It is reported that the Government of Wenzhou has already made arrangement and will start larger scale of repair to dams in the coming winter as well as in coming spring.
Ding Hao, the first university student in China brought up in an orphan home
Xinhua News Agency, Hangzhou, September 1 (reporter: Zhu Guoxian and Guan Zhehui, trainee) - Ding Hao, a student with disability and an orphan since a child, was brought up in Hangzhou Institute of Children's Welfare.  Ting received an admission notice from University of Hangzhou a few days ago and has become a student of the philosophy and sociology faculty.
It is understood: the 19 years old Ding Hao is the first university student that is an orphan, with disability and brought up in an institute of children's welfare in China.
"When I receive the admission notice, I really want to jump up", Ding Hao said.  However, he cannot use the word "jump" properly to express the excitement in his heart.
He got a high fever when he was three.  As a serious sequela, he suffers infantile paralysis ever since.  He was admitted to the institute of children's welfare on that year.
Ding Hao attended primary school in the institute of welfare.  He then attended junior high in a nearby rural high school.
At the beginning, the teacher at the Institute escorted him to and fro the high school everyday.  In the second year, he lived in the school and came back to the Institute every Saturday.  He had never missed a single lesson, no matter rain or storm.
This year, he wrote and passed the high school examination and was admitted to University of Hangzhou.
The success of Ding Hao is an agglomeration of painstaking care and efforts of many sectors of the society.
The institute of children's welfare extended care and love to him in the past sixteen years.  Since end of last year, the Institute spent over three thousand renminbi on school fees, tuition notes and nutriments for him.
Many sectors in the society also extended their helping hands.
After the public knew about Ding Hao's admission, Hangzhou Longchang Food & Oil Trading Company donated RMB 20,000 to support his university studies.  Several organizations, including the artificial limbs factory sent him a wheelchair and a walking stick etc.
Primary and high schools in Zhejiang disaster area have resumed normal classes
Xinhua News Agency, Hangzhou, September 2 (reporter: Shen Haixiong, Chen Xiquan) - Typhoon 17 caused serious damages to the education system in Zhejiang disaster area.  One thousand five hundred school buildings or facilities were damaged.
The Government and the residents in the disaster area fought the disaster aggressively and tried their best to help themselves.  At present, most of the primary and high schools in the disaster area have resumed normal classes.
Recently, the Education Department of Zhejiang province dispatched several working teams to Wenzhou and Taizhou etc. to provide guidance and to restore education services in the disaster area.
More than twenty cadres from the Education Committee Organizations, separated into seven groups, embarked for Leqing, Ouhai, Dongtou and Pingyang etc.  They helped school repairs and prepared schools for re-opens.  Twenty thousand yuans were squeezed out from education budgets and earmarked for education disaster relief.
Students in disaster area that can no longer afford to pay schools fees due to impacts of the typhoon can obtain certain assistance from the education administration departments including a reduction in school fees.  This is to ensure student can attend schools as scheduled.
The leaders, teachers and staffs of the schools in disaster areas volunteered to work early.  They seriously cleaned the schools campus; carried out sterilization; and performed repairs to damaged school buildings.
The Education Committee of Wenzhou and the Wenzhou City Committee of the Communist Youth League of China joined force with the students and teachers and launched a campaign, named "Affection to schools in the disaster area", to solicit for funds.  The City has already received more than RMB 1 million in donations.
Bosnia and Herzegovina Serbs want a negotiation on a new peace solution
Xinhua News Agency, Belgrade, August 31 (reporter: Wang Sen) - During an interview by the newspaper, "Serbian Voice", Assembly Chairman of "Serbian Republic" of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Krajisnik emphasized that the referendum rejected the territory division proposal from the liaison subcommittee.  Therefore, the leaders of Bosnia and Herzegovina Serbs "can only negotiate for a new territory division scheme, that is, a new peace solution for Bosnia and Herzegovina".
According to announcement, over 90% of the votes in the referendum held August 27 to 28 rejected the Bosnia and Herzegovina territory division proposal from international liaison subcommittee.
Krajisnik further explained, "We have refused to accept the territory division proposal but that is only part of the peace solution for Bosnia and Herzegovina.
However, the referendum rejected the territory division proposal and that is the end to the whole peace solution".
When asked about the relationship of Bosnia and Herzegovina Serbs with Yugoslavia, Krajisnik said, "The policies of western countries are to separate the Serbian and they have been waiting for this day".  On the other hand, "Our objective is to unite all Serbian".
In his talks with Agence France-presse, the foreign minister of "Serbian Republic" of Bosnia and Herzegovina also indicated, "The Serbs want a new proposal from the international liaison subcommittee such that we can exit the deadlock after the Bosnia and Herzegovina referendum".
Chi Haotain held talks with Tanzania defense department officials
Xinhua News Agency, Dar es Salaam, August 30 (reporter: Pei Shanqin) -  Chi Haotain, China State Councilor and Minister of National Defense held talks with Kinana, Minister of Defense and National Services of Tanzania here today.  The discussion was about stepping up the cooperation between both countries and the two armies and unanimous agreements were reached in the meeting.
Both sides expressed satisfaction with the friendly cooperation between the two armies for over 30 years.
Chi Haotain said that China and Tanzania established diplomatic relations for over 30 years and the relations were excellent all the times.  Both countries have enjoyed fruitful cooperation in many areas including political, economic, military and cultural.
Kinana said Tanzania is glad that the friendship and cooperation relations found by the previous leaders of the two countries, namely Nyerere, Mao Tse-tung and Zhou Enlai, are not only inherited but have secured new developments.
Kinana expressed thanks to the massive aids that China provided Tanzania in the past.
Both sides agreed unanimously to further the cooperation between the two countries and the two armies on equality terms and for mutual benefits.  With better cooperation, the friendly relationship can be elevated to a new level.
Before the talks, Kinana conducted a grand troop parade to welcome Chi Haotain and his party.
Chi Haotain and his party arrived here by flight on the 29th in response to an invitation extended by Kinana and the friendly visit is to last for six days.
IRA declared cease-fire
Xinhua News Agency, London, August 31 (reporter: Li Wenhao) - Irish Republican Army (IRA) declared cease-fire effective from mid-night today.  The organization will stop all military activities completely and carry out "unconditional and indefinite" cease-fire.
In a declaration delivered to British and Ireland news media, IRA said that they wanted to advance the peace process and after taken into consideration the current situations, the organization made the aforesaid decision. The organization had notified all subordinate troops.
The declaration requested the British Government to fulfill its duty, which is to press all relevant parties to firmly and patiently face the new situations after this cease-fire.  A wide range of negotiations should be held with the participations of the British Government, Ireland Government and all major political parties of Northern Ireland such as to find a final resolution to the conflict in Northern Ireland.
IRA declared cease-fire and provides an opportunity for a "fair and permanent resolution" for Northern Ireland's problems, the declaration said.
However, IRA reiterated that it is still abided by its "Republic Objective", which means a united Ireland.
In order to achieve unification between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, the IRA has been engaging violent activities in Northern Ireland for over 25 years.
Fossils of dinosaur bones found in Xixia, Henan
Xinhua News Agency, Zhengzhou, April 23 (reporter: Liu Yaming) - Recently, the related experts and scholars found a large number of fossils of dinosaur bones at Yangcheng Xiang, Xixia Xian, Henan province.
This is another important discovery in the area after the discovery of many valuable fossils of dinosaur eggs last year.
At the beginning of April this year, the related experts found several hundred pieces of fossils of dinosaur bones between two gravel layers in a river at Hutou Shan, Yangcheng Xiang, Xixia Xian.  The fossils included rib and phalanx of a dinosaur.
Some of the fossils are already broken because of exposure near the surface of the earth for a long time.
According to stratigraphy, the fossils belong to the Cretaceous period.
According to expert's estimation, there should still be large quantities of fossils of dinosaur bones and probably fossils of other species as well hidden beneath the earth in the fossil spread-out-area.
They thought that the discovery of large quantities of valuable fossil dinosaur eggs in Xixia basin is a rare event in the world and the presence of eggs and bones together is even more rare.
The discovery is important to the research and classification of dinosaurs in Xixia regions.  It is helpful to the exploration of ecological habits and breeding behavior of dinosaurs.  The ability to reproduce the ecosystem prevailing in the dinosaur era has very important meaning -- it can reveal changes occurred in earth crust and related evolution pattern in our environment.
The discovery also provides an important clue to the geographic location pattern and can aid future dinosaur discovery works.
China accelerates the development of talent markets
Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, September 1 - The Organization Department of the Central Committee of Communist Party of China and the State Personnel Department recently issued a circular demanding more efforts be devoted to the planning and development of talent markets.  The objective is to accelerate and to promote healthy development in talent markets.
The circular pointed out that the overall objectives of fostering and development of talent markets are: realize the selection of jobs according to one's own preference; realize the selection of personnel according to an organization's own preference; regulate demand and supply by market force; improve social services; improve social security; and employ macro economic control to affect the allocation of human resources in the market.
The near term objectives for the development of talent markets are: formulate basic laws and regulations that are necessary for the smooth operations of the talent markets; establish market places for talents in most large cities; establish and develop local information network for talents; give support to the development of professional talents; and establish regional talent markets.
Preliminary talent markets should be completed in major areas of China before 2000. These markets should be completed in functions, in systems, in law and regulations and should be capable of providing timely guidance and comprehensive services.
The Organization Department and the Personnel Department request the human resources departments in organizations in various levels of the Government to strengthen the development, management, research and planning of talent markets.  The overall development arrangement of talent markets and related implementation procedures should be established.  Consideration should be given to geographic limitations.  Guidance should be given to different categories of talents.  As a result, faultless talent markets can be gradually built.
China becomes major producer and exporter of down
Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, September 1 (reporter: Zhou Liang) - China's down and related products industry have emerged rapidly in the past 10 years.  It is now one of the important elements in the light industry sector.  The annual export volume and export value account for more than 50% of the world's down trade.  China's down products enjoy favorable comments in international markets.
China's down and related product industry started a rapid growth in middle eighties.  The whole industry made sensible uses of China resources and human talents.  In addition, the industry emphasized on the introduction of advance technology and equipments from abroad.  As a result, both production volume and production quality have greatly improved.
According to incomplete statistics, China has about three thousand down and related products processing enterprises at this moment and six hundred of them are large enterprises.  The industry employs about three hundred thousand employees and produces 50 million pieces of down product a year.  Annual industrial production value is RMB 8 billion.
After more than 10 years of market development, China has become a major down producer and exporter in the world.  The annual export of down is close to 30 thousand tons.  China also exports more than 20 million pieces of down product.  The industry generates a foreign currency revenue of US$ 820 million a year.  Among all down exports, down clothing exports have accounted for more than 50% of the export value.
According to introduction, the quality of China's down products is improving steadily.
In the first half of this year, China has selected 56 down clothing enterprises for inspection and the products of forty-seven enterprises have passed the inspection, which is a pass rate 84%.
Jiangxi Yaya brand, Bejing Yililan brand, Guangdong Gelanshi brand and Sichuan Tiange brand all have a high reputation in the market place.
McLaren held talks with Zou Jiahua
Xinhua News Agency, Toronto, April 22 - McLaren, Minister for International Trade, Canada held talks with China's visiting vice-premier of State Council, Zou Jiahua on 22nd in Toronto.  McLaren said that he just returned from China and the fast economic growth in China deeply impressed him.
He thought Canada and China could become very good partners.
McLaren reiterated Canada's support for China to resume its position as a treaty nation to General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade as well as a member to the World Trade Organization.
Zou Jiahua said that he personally felt the strong wishes of the Canadian Government and different sectors of the society to strengthen cooperation with China during his stay in Canada in the past few days.  He thought the necessary conditions were already there and the timing was right.  Therefore, two countries should accelerate bilateral relations.
McLaren and Zou Jiahua jointly explored the future of trade and technology cooperation between China and Canada.
Both sides believed that notwithstanding the significant development in Sino-Canada trades in recent years, the actual demands and potential between the two countries should be much bigger.
There should be huge potential for further cooperation in energy resources, transportation, water and electricity, telecommunication and other infrastructures.
Both parties held discussion on specific related problems and reached unanimous agreement on a wide range of issues.
After the talks, McLaren held a dinner to honor Zou Jiahua and his party.
Different sides in Cambodia agreed to join round table discussions on national reconciliation
Xinhua News Agency, Phnom Penh, April 23 (reporter: Xing Heping, Cai Ximei) - Information sources here disclosed that the relevant sides agreed to participate in Cambodia's peace and national reconciliation round table discussions proposed by Sihanouk.
This morning, Kingdom of Cambodia's First Prime Minister, Norodom Ranariddh and Second Prime Minister, Hun Sen met the just arrived Cambodia Representative of the General Secretary of United Nations.
After the meeting, the Cambodia Representative and spokesman of the Prime Minister's Office told reporters that different sides agreed unanimously to participate in the round table discussions to be held in Phnom Penh from May 2 to May 7.  This included Chea Sim (Chairman of Cambodian People's Party and National Assembly President), Norodom Ranariddh (Chairman of Funcinpec Party and First Prime Minister), Hun Sen (Second Prime Minister) and Khieu Samphan (Democratic Cambodia).
The proposal was contained in a declaration by Sihanouk released yesterday.
According to introduction, the two sides discussed Cambodia's political, economic and security issues.
The two Prime Ministers of Cambodia would like to request the General Secretary of United Nations to extend the resident period of Cambodia Representatives to six months or even longer.
The Cambodia Representative indicated that he would pass on the opinion to the General Secretary.
The yuhua rock, "rock of China with five unique features", revealed
Xinhua News Agency, Nanjing, September 1 (reporter: Yuan Yanghe) - Professor Liu Yuyi, a renowned painter and the author of famous oil painting, "the enjoyable night", revealed to the world his discovery of one piece of yuhua stone - "rock of China with five unique features".
The size and shape of this piece of yuhua stone resembles a mascot in the civic world, the long life lock.
There is a clear image of the domain of the People's Republic of China in the middle of the yuhua stone.
The two sides of image are raised while the middle is recessed.  The bottom of the right side is protruded as if it is a sounding rooster with its chest thrust out.   Next to the belly of the "rooster" and separated by a piece of "strait" is a long narrow "Taiwan Island".  Beneath the claw of the "rooster" is the round "Hainan Island".
The color and luster of the two "islands" are the same as the "mainland".
The whole image resembles the map of China.
Professor Liu Yuyi said that he got the stone from a yuhua stone-processing factory in suburb area of Nanjing about five years ago.  When he got home, he found the "domain of China" after detail examination of the stone.
At the same time, he also found a giant dragon with a pearl in its mouth, which entrenched from northeast, north China to the northwest border, in the upper part of the domain of China.  Above the giant dragon is a golden facular in the shape of a gold ingot.  In the middle part of the China domain, there are stripes that look like a series of torches, a symbol for the never-burnt-out spiritual fire of the Chinese People.  In addition, the rock has the shape of a long life lock and hence a total of five distinguishing features.
Based on this, Lau Yuyi named it "rock of China with five unique features".
Stronger sub-region economic cooperation between China, Thailand, Vietnam, Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia
Xinhua News Agency, Hanoi, April 23 (reporter: Hu Suojin) - China, Thailand, Vietnam, Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia agreed to strengthen the cooperation among the six countries in areas such as transportation, energy resources, trade, investments, environmental protection, tourism and human resources development etc.
The delegates of these six countries arrived at the common consensus during the third regional economic cooperation conference organized by Asian Development Bank, which was satisfactorily concluded today.
The conference also identified that transportation is the key area for cooperation.
Two highways (from Kunming to Chiang Rai, Thailand and from Kunming to Lashio, Myanmar) and two railways (from Chiang Rai to Vietnam and from Yunnan to Thailand) have been ranked as priority projects.
The Vietnam Government and Asian Development Bank jointly organized the conference.
The government delegates from the previously mentioned countries, representative from some international organizations and institutions attended the meeting.
In 1992, Asian Development Bank proposed the first sub-regional multilateral economic cooperation between China (Yunnan), Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam. In addition, the Bank identified a batch of meaningful cooperation projects for the sub-region.
The first and second sub-region economic cooperation conferences were held in Manila in October 1992 and August 1993.
World Bank decided to provide US$ 250 million aids to Palestinian
A report in the "Jerusalem Mail" today quoted Savilian, Director of Foreign Affairs Department of Israel, as saying that World Bank decided to grant US$ 250 million aids to Palestinian Self-rule Organization before the end of 1994. Savilian is currently in U.S. on visit.
This decision broke the impasse for nearly one year between donor countries and the Palestinian Self-rule Organization.
During an international conference on Palestinian aids held October 1 last year in Washington, the donor countries undertook to provide US$ 2.4 billion development aids to Palestinian within a period of five years.  It was further agreed that the aids in the first year would not be less than US$ 570 million.
However, the donor countries are of the opinion that the Palestinian self-rule region does not have the necessary systems to handle the aids and the accounting thereof.  Therefore, they refused to fully perform their undertaking.
Savilian said that both U.S. and World Bank are still not fully satisfied with the accounting work in the Palestinian self-rule areas.  Nevertheless, they agreed that part of the funds should be paid as soon as possible.
Arafat, Chairman of Executive Committee, Palestinian Liberation Organization as well as other leaders of Palestinians have been criticizing the donor countries for failure to perform their undertaking and provide the funds on time.
It is expected that the chief negotiator of Palestinian Liberation Organization and the chief negotiator of Israel will go to Washington and discuss with U.S. and World Bank about specific implementation details of the aid package.
Sino-U.S. high technology cooperation agreements signed in Shanghai
Xinhua News Agency, Shanghai, August 31 (reporter: Bai Guoliang, Xia Ruge) - The signing ceremonies for several "Sino-U.S. high technology cooperation projects" were held in Shanghai today.
Two projects in knowledge information network (telecommunication technology) and deoxyribonucleic acid (biotechnology) were signed in the morning.  At the same time, a student exchange agreement in language education was also signed.
These three projects are concluded and signed by the Research and Development Center under the State Council, Shanghai Pudong Continuing Education Center and the Knowledge Information Network Company, World Learning and one more U.S. Company.
In the signing ceremony, C.E. McKnight, Chairman of Knowledge Information Network Company said that the conclusion of a Sino-U.S. high technology cooperation project has an important meaning.
He hopes that an electronic high-speed information highway can be built between U.S. and China.  With such a link, the New York Stock Exchange and the Shanghai Stock Exchange can realize the interchange of trades and other information at an earlier date.
Judy Merlo, Chairman of World Learning hopes to set up a joint venture institution in education in Shanghai by the end of this year.
According to U.S. officials, the three projects signed today received the concern and support of Mr. Brown, the former U.S. Secretary of Commerce, who has also come to Shanghai to attend the ceremony.
Fei Xiaotong was conferred the Magsaysay award
Xinhua News Agency, Manila, August 31 (reporter: Xiong Changyi) - Fei Xiaotong, China's famous sociologist and Vice Chairman of Committee of People Congress of China was conferred the Magsaysay "Community Leadership" award this afternoon.
The presentation ceremony was solemnly held at the Philippine Culture Center.
The Philippine President Ramos attended the ceremony and conferred medal, cash award and certificate to the six outstanding awardees of this year's Magsaysay.
In his expression of thanks speech, Fei Xiaotong said, "I will never disappoint our friendly neighbor country, which has given me this encouragement.  It does not matter how many years and months are available to me from this point onward.  I will use every minute cautiously and conscientiously.  I will endeavor to do something good for the Asian people and where ever possible, for the benefit of all people in the world.  I want to see that the knowledge accumulated by mankind can be applied to advance this society and be applied for better developments".
The award, named after the late Philippine President Ramon Magsaysay, is frequently referred to as Asia's equivalent of the Nobel price.
There are five categories of awards, namely government service, public service, community leadership, international understanding, and journalism, literature and creative communication arts.  Awards are given every year to individuals or institutions with outstanding contribution in the relevant area.
Since the award was first presented in 1958, a total of 172 individuals and 14 institutions have been honored.
Jiang Zemin emphasized the importance to perfect the work in the militia and the military reserve
Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, September 1 (reporter: Gai Yu) - Jiang Zemin, General Secretary of the Central Committee of Communist Party of China (CPC), President of People's Republic of China, Chairman of CPC Central Military Commission attended today's working conference of militia (in some parts of China) and military reserves at Zhongnanhai.  He emphasized to the delegates that different levels as well as local party committees, the Government and Military Department should focus on the overall situation in the Party and in China such as to ensure long-term stability and peace.  It is important to perfect the work in the militia and military reserve.
Jiang Zemin pointed out that a militiaman is a civilian and a soldier.  The Militia is not only an important force that can protect the safety of the country and the unification of China.  In addition, the Militia can maintain social stability and promote developments in the two civilizations.
Different levels as well as local party committees, the Government and Military Department should adequately re-deploy the numerous officers and soldiers of the militia and reserve.  It is important to enhance enthusiasm, creativeness and contribute to intensify reforms, promote developments and maintain stability.
All troops should ensure reliable safe protection during the course of reform and development.  Troops should actively participate in local economic construction and promote hard working among different tribes such as to achieve common prosperity.
It is also important to strengthen the unification of the military and the Government as well as the unification of the military and the people.  It is only then we can really achieve true unification among different tribes of our people.  We can then breathe together.  We can then share the same fate and our hearts will be linked together.
Liu Huaqing (Deputy Chairman, CPC Central Military Commission), three Committee Members of CPC Central Military Commission (Zhang Wannian, Yu Yongbo and Fu Quan), the leaders from the three general headquarters of the People's Liberation Army and the leaders from the Office of CPC Central Military Commission attended the meeting.
France studies plan to withdraw troops from Bosnia and Herzegovina
Xinhua News Agency, Paris, September 1 (reporter: Zhang Youhao) - France Minister of Defense Leotard said on the 1st that his country is studying a plan to withdraw troops from Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Leotard made this talking while speaking to a reporter of a French radio station.
He pointed out that the U.S. proposal to lift the arms embargo for Bosnia and Herzegovina might mean "a termination of international aids" as well as "an outbreak of significant open conflicts".  This, in turn, may cause "serious losses and serious consequences".
"Under the circumstance that there is no safety guarantee to United Nation's peace keeping troops, we cannot accept any removal of arms embargo to Bosnia and Herzegovina.
France Foreign Minister, Juppe also clearly indicated, "The prerequisite for lifting the arms embargo is for France to withdraw the blue-helmet troops and the United Nations to withdraw all peace keeping troops".
Since the outbreak of conflicts in February 1992, France has been maintaining about 4,000 officers and soldiers in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Among all western countries, France has the largest number of "blue-helmet" troops in the region.
On August 10, U.S. President Clinton announced: if the Serbs in Bosnia and Herzegovina refuse to accept the five-nation peace solution by October 15, he will ask the Security Council of United Nations to pass a resolution to lift the arms embargo for Bosnia and Herzegovina.  If the Security Council does not pass such resolution, he will seek a U.S. unilateral removal of arms embargo to Bosnia and Herzegovina.
China and Kyrgyzstan signed six documents
Xinhua News Agency, Bishkek, April 23 - The officials in charge from China and Kyrgyzstan signed six documents here today.
Premier Li Peng and Kyrgyz President Askar Akayev have also attended the signing ceremony.
These six documents are:  agreement for China to provide loans to the government of Kyrgyzstan; agreement to establish an economic and trade commission between Chinese and Kyrgyz Government; papers on China's donation of goods and materials to Kyrgyzstan; agreement on cultural cooperation between China and Kyrgyzstan; ratification of the treaty for exchange of consuls between the two countries; and a cooperation agreement between China Trade Promotion Association and Kyrgyzstan Commerce and Industries Association.
After the signing ceremony, President Askar Akayev and Premier Li Peng have responded to questions from reporters individually.
Askar Akayev showed high appreciation of the results of talks with Premier Li Peng.
He indicated that the visit of Premier Li Peng helps promote peace, safety and stability of the Central Asia region.
He thought the documents just signed are important for good-neighborliness and friendly cooperation.
Premier Li Peng said that the visit has greatly improved the friendship and understanding between the two sides.  It also becomes a solid foundation for further cooperation between the two countries.
He wished stability, development and better living standard to the people in Central Asia region.
Li Peng wished the Kyrgyz news media could convey the regards from the People of China to the People of Kyrgyzstan.
The third day of the U.S. tennis open tournament
Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, September 1 - According to foreign news report, the U.S. tennis open tournament enters the third day of competition on August 31.  Last year's champion, Sampras recovered from a disturbing pain in his left ankle that lasted for more than a month, easily beat opponent 3:0 and entered the second round of men's singles.
At present, the U.S. player, Sampras is holding the number one position in the tennis world.  However, he has not shown up in any competition court since the middle of July.  Nevertheless, he is in excellent shape in this first match after recovery.  In less than half an hour, he has knocked out the South African player with an identical score of 6:2 in all three games.
Number-eight seeded player, Andrei Medvedev, Ukrainian beat opponent 6:3, 6:4, 6:0 and entered the second round.
The result arrived just in time for his 20th birthday and becomes the best present for the celebration.
In women's competition, number-two seeded Spain's Sanchez was challenged by the French opponent.  Nevertheless, Sanchez won the game by 6:2, 7:6 and entered the third round.
Number-five seeded Japan's Kimiko, number-nine seeded U.S. Mary Fernandez and Argentina's Sabatini, a 1990 champion have all successfully entered the third round.
According to latest news, U.S. player Michael Chang beat opponent 4:6, 6:2, 6:3, 7:6 in the second round and successfully entered the third round.
World Swimming Championships Lan Wei and Chen Yi entered men's 1-meter springboard semi-finals
Xinhua News Agency, Rome, September 1 (reporter: Yang Aiguo, Huang Changrui) - The 7th World Swimming Championships 1-meter springboard preliminary contest was held here this morning.
China's two contestants, Lan Wei and Chen Yi, successfully entered semi-finals.
During the preliminary contest, Lan Wei (26 from Guangdong) demonstrated remarkable talent and is holding the leading position with a total score of 355.35.
Hubei contestant, the nineteen years old Chen Yi, ended in the sixth place with a total score of 342.60.
The German contestant is in the second place with a total score of 355.02, which is only slightly lower than Lan Wei.
Zimbabwe's Evan Stewart is holding the third position with a total score of 354.39.
After the contest, Xu Yiming, chief coach of China's Diving team told the reporter of this Agency: "Chen Yi is a bit nervous today".
He further said: "Our players are not accustomed to contests under strong sunlight.
They have most of their training indoor in China.
It appears that we do need more outdoor training".
He thought that quite a number of China's contestants in this championship are new players.
Hence, they still lack experience in international contests.
Women's 10-meter platform preliminary contest will be held this afternoon.
China's Fu Mingxia, a champion in World Championships and also a champion in the Olympics, and Hebei contestant Chi Bin will be joining the contest.
China's Foreign Minister, Tang Jiaxuan, currently on visit in U.S., held a joint press conference with U.S. Secretary of State, Madeleine Albright, on the 29th at Washington and addressed the issue of Sino-U.S. relations.
Tang Jiaxuan also talked about President Clinton's sex scandal, which he regarded as an internal affair of U.S.  On the other hand, China will never forget President Clinton's contributions in promoting Sino-U.S. relations.
Voice of America reporter, Zhou Youkang, covered the press conference and here is his report:
Dear audience, U.S. president Clinton met China's Foreign Minister, Tang Jiaxuan, currently on an observation visit in Washington, on the 29th at 11:30 A.M. in the White house.
U.S. Secretary of State, Madeleine Albright, held a joint press conference with Foreign Minister, Tang Jiaxuan, on the 29th at noon in the State Department and during which, they announced the meeting of Tang Jiaxuan and President Clinton.
Secretary of State Albright said:
"I would like to tell everybody that Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan have just met President Clinton.  In addition, the Foreign Minister announced that China has decided to sign the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights on October 15 in New York".
In the press conference, the Foreign Minister of China also indicated that his meeting with Clinton has a profound meaning:
"His Excellency, President Clinton and I have met and I think our meeting is very useful".
The President is currently disturbed by scandals.  Many people inside and outside U.S. expressed strong discontent and criticisms against him because of his sex scandal.
Some are proposing an indictment against him and some want him to resign on his own. To make the situation worst, many Democrats in Congress also want a clear line with him.
However, the Chinese Foreign Minister was not ducking the issue.  He greatly acclaimed and praised President for his contribution in promoting Sino-US relations.
During the press conference, a reporter confronted Tang Jiaxuan with the question whether President Clinton's sex scandal is going to affect the Sino-US relations.
Tang Jiaxuan said:
"I think there is no question of impact, the problem is entirely an internal problem of U.S.
I never think this will produce any impact on the development of Sino-US relations.
President Clinton himself has made important and valuable contributions to the development of Sino-US relations and we will never forget these contributions.
As for myself, as for China, I sincerely look forward that Sino-US relations can build on top of the foundation of the three Sino-US joint communiques and the joint declaration by the leaders of the two countries this time; continue to progress forward steadily and with substance.
Chinese officials reiterated many times that Taiwan is a province of China.  Therefore, the Taiwan problem is China's internal affairs.
Tang Jiaxuan, China Foreign Minister, talked about the Taiwan problem several times in open occasions during his recent attendance of United Nations meeting and also in his current Washington visit.
A reporter in the press conference asked Tang Jiaxuan what is the biggest obstacle to current Sino-US strategic partner relations.  Tang Jiaxuan said:
"I think we have talked about this many times.  In this area, we have to pay special attention to and ensure that the Taiwan problem is properly dealt with".
The Taiwan problem has been the most sensitive issue affecting Sino-US relations and that is a reality of life.
Several millions of people in different cities in Russia held demonstration activities against President Boris Yeltsin.  The demonstrators demanded the government to pay their wages, which were in arrears, without any further delay.
However, the actual number of demonstrators is much smaller than the forty million estimated by the organizers.
A small number of demonstrators gathered outside Kremlin in Moscow and many of them were weaving the communist party flags.
Alexander Lebed, the promising president candidate, gave a speech to the crowd gathering in the Siberia city, Krasnoyarsk.
He indicated that investors in Russia and in western countries are already impatient for a real economic reform.
Israel Prime Minister Netanyahu appointed the number one hardliner in Israel government, Ariel Sharon, as foreign minister.
This appointment is made just before a summit meeting to be held in U.S. between Israel and Palestinian leaders about a temporary peace agreement.
The agreement stipulates that Israel is to give more land in West Bank of Jordan River to Palestinian.
Sharon strongly advocates the construction of Jewish settlement in the West Bank of Jordan River.  He is also against a compromise on the issue of troop withdrawal.
On Sunday, Afghan Taliban Sunni militia returned to Iran the corpses of another three Iranian diplomats killed by the Taliban.  This is an attempt by the Taliban to ease the tensed relation with Iran.
At present, Iran has assembled more than two hundred thousand troops along Afghanistan border.
The three corpses were air freighted to Mashhad, Iran.  Last month, the dead bodies of another six Iranians killed in Mazar-e-sharif were also shipped there.
Taliban Sunni militia had ordered the release of another ten Iranians captured in Mazar-e-sharif in August this year.
British Supreme court resumed hearing on Thursday to decide whether the former Chilean dictator, Augusto Pinochet, is to be extradited to Spain, where he will face charges for violations of humanitarianism.
On Wednesday, five Lords of British House of Lords commenced hearing on the appeal of a decision made in lower Divisional Court.
The lower Divisional Court decided that the retired Augusto Pinochet has diplomatic immunity.  However, the Court was of the opinion that diplomatic immunity does not apply to conducts involving genocide, torture and terrorism.
It is estimated that the hearing will last for two days.
Nicaragua Ambassador to U.S. called on creditor nations to reduce or waive the debts owed by countries in Central America.  In addition, creditor countries should provide massive reconstruction aids to help countries in Central America to recover from the damages caused by hurricane Mitch.
The Ambassador indicated to a U.S. television station that the reconstruction of Nicaragua requires about US$ 1 billion.  He urged U.S. and other creditors nations to formulate an integral economic aid package similar to the Marshall Plan that helped rebuild Western Europe after the War.
The delegates continue their works at the United Nations Global Climate Talks in Buenos Aires, capital of Argentina
Meanwhile, U.S. Congress is also debating whether last year's Kyoto (Japan) agreement is to be approved or not.
Another report from Voice of America's correspondent in Buenos Aires: On Tuesday, several members of U.S. Congress brought the Kyoto debate to the meeting hall in Buenos Aires.
Please listen to the details of the story.  Ma Kaiyue is making news this hour.
On Tuesday, U.S. Congress, Democratic Sen. Lieberman and Kerry made a statement in Buenos Aires.  They will urge the Clinton Administration to sign and approve the accord arrived at the Kyoto meeting this week.
Both Senators indicated that the approval could enhance the persuasiveness of U.S. delegates and cause developing countries to make a commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
This is actually the essential condition brought up in the past several bills by the Senate.
Nevertheless, some House Representatives in Buenos Aires said that they are in opposition of any approval by the Clinton Administration.
The Republican House Science Committee Chairman James Sensenbrenner (R-Wisconsin) said that the Kyoto agreement has fatal defects and will definitely be vetoed by U.S. Senate.
Sensenbrenner said:
"The agreement is currently put aside and it will be dead on arrival the Senate.  U.S. Senate will never approve such an agreement.
The question is what can we do now?
Should we try to save it or should we announce the agreement has fatal defects and a new debate is necessary."
Rep. James Sensenbrenner said that the issue is not a fight between the two parties either in U.S. Senate or in U.S. House of Representatives.  Several famous Democratic Congress members also agreed.
Democratic Rep. Ron Klink (R-Pennsylvania) said that he is against the accord because it will reduce job opportunities and cause a de-industrialization in U.S.
However, Democratic Rep. Jim Traficant (R-Ohio) did not agree with Sensenbrenner's view.  He took the global warming phenomenon and compares it as war and peace in the world.
He said the same determination could ensure a victory for the Kyoto accord.
Traficant said:
"I hope the process can continue and we cannot ignore the necessity to reach a global solution just because of a certain stubborn Congress member.  It should continue with or without the participation of U.S. Congress".
In the main conference hall in Buenos Aires, delegates are discussing different types of questions.  However, it is likely that many of these questions have to be left to Wednesday's meeting and to be solved by the Resources and Environmental Ministers of the 160 participating countries.
The U.S. delegates said that some issues of concern to U.S. Congress might have to be delayed to next meeting for solutions.  Nevertheless, this meeting has achieved some progress.
Six Arabian countries in the Gulf area together with Syria and Egypt urged Iraq to comply with United Nations weapon inspection resolution.  They said this is necessary to avoid what they believe to be a confront that will only injure Iraq civilians.
The White House welcomed the declaration and has taken it as another evidence that Iraq's leader, Saddam Hussein, is facing isolation in the world.  However, the majority of the people in Iraq do not appear to care too much about another possible bombing by U.S.
"Tibet Information Network", a human right organization with its headquarter in London, disclosed that Agya Rinpoche, a respected religious leader in Tibet, escaped to U.S. as a protest of China's Tibet policy.
"Tibet Information Network" said that Agya Rinpoche was apparently provoked by Beijing's attempt to reform temples in areas of unrest (in Tibet) and rejected Dalai Lama's choice of Panchen Lama reincarnation boy.
However, "Tibet Information Network" said that it is not known at this moment whether Agya Rinpoche will apply for asylum in the States.
A U.S. arms-control delegation is in Beijing and they want China to join the Missile Technology Control Regime as soon as possible.  China may be exporting missile technology to other countries at this moment.
Please listen to the following comprehensive report by Voice of America reporter, Fang Yuan:
A group of U.S. officials, led by U.S. Undersecretary of State, John Holum, discussed with China Foreign Minister, Tang Jiaxuan, Deputy Chief of Staff of Chinese army, Xiong Guangkai and arms-control experts of the Chinese army about the possibility of China joining the Missile Technology Control Regime.  The meeting lasted for a day and half.
The focus of discussion is how to conclude the indication made by Jiang Zeming, President of the People's Republic of China, this June when President Clinton visited China.
At that time, Jiang Zeming indicated that China would consider joining the Missile Technology Control Regime.  The indication has been taken as the principle result of the meeting between the two State heads.
A member of the U.S. delegation indicated to Associated Press that U.S. suspects China might still be exporting missile parts or missile technology.  Pakistan and Iran are the two beneficiaries for China's missile technology export.
This official said that U.S. would continue to put the issue to China.  Nevertheless, he thought that China is also trying some measures to solve the problem.
China's export of missile technology causes frequent conflicts in Sino-US relations.
Since the two South Asia sub-continent countries, India and Pakistan, conducted nuclear tests one after the other in the first half of this year, U.S. sensed the importance to obtain an undertaking from China on the issue of transfer of missile technology.  Pakistan, one of the competing opponents in the South Asia sub-continent, is a long time alliance of China.
As early as 1993, U.S. imposed an economic sanction on China because China sold missile parts and technology to Pakistan.  The sanction was lifted in 1994 after China stopped the export of surface-to-surface missiles.
U.S. is worrying that missile trades between China and Iran might affect U.S. allies in Middle East and hence a major threat to U.S. interests.
However, the U.S. official disclosing the previously mentioned information did not wish to go into details as to when and as to what sort of missile technology that China had provided Pakistan and Iran.
He said that there is not enough evidence at this point to prove China have indeed exported missile technology to the two countries.
In the past, whenever U.S. had evidence to show that China exported missile technology to these two countries, China usually denied it completely or otherwise suggested the technologies have more than one use and China was exporting them for peace usage.
Up till now, China has not made any open response to comments by officials of the U.S. delegation.
Furthermore, according to Associated Press in Beijing, Washington already determined that North Korea was helping Pakistan in missile development and the launch of Ghauri missile in April this year.
The above-mentioned is the comprehensive report by Fang Yuan, your reporter here in Voice of America.
We already know the effect of climate changes.  The consequences of El Nino phenomenon last year included a huge continuous fire in Indonesia; flooding in barren desert area in Peru; and serious climate abnormity in extensive areas around the world.
For example, there were flooding in California and other southern U.S. states earlier this year and droughts occurred afterwards in many areas in the south.
According to experts, El Nino is turning into a new phenomenon, which is called La Nina.
It is likely that La Nina will cause a new series of astonishing weather phenomenon next year that is comparable to El Nino.
Please listen to the report from Li Lan, Voice of America Chicago.  Qi Zhifeng is making news at this hour.
Chicago used to have freezing winters.  However, last year was much warmer than the years before.  Snowfall was lower than before and next winter may also be something similar.
Meanwhile, El Nino was also raging in Southeast Asia.  Rainfall decreased and drought caused bush fires that were out of control for weeks.
El Nino and La Nina are the results of significant changes in sea surface temperature in East tropical Pacific.
El Nino refers to sea surface temperature that is much higher than normal.  This affects the airflow and wind, which in turn causes changes in climates in different parts of the world.
La Nina refers to the sea surface temperature that is lower than normal in tropical Pacific.  This will cause weather effects that are opposite to El Nino in different parts of the world.
Lafu, an expert of U.S. State Climatology Office, said that there may not be any out of control fire in Indonesia next year because rainfall in that area from December this year to March next year is forecasted to be more than last year.
At the same time, the average temperature in Western Africa and Southeast Africa is a bit lower than normal while the northern part of South America may have more than average rains.
The southern part of U.S. will be drier.  This may mean continuous drought in Texas and New Mexico while the chance of a forest fire in Florida is higher than normal.
El Nino has also caused torrential rains in California and in the southern part of the States this year.
Lafu said that El Nino does not produce torrential rains itself but it creates conditions that facilitate the formation of serious rainstorm.
This year, U.S. has the hottest summer ever known in history.
Many people have linked El Nino phenomenon to global warming.
Lafu thought that such association is possible but there is no way to prove it at this moment.
No matter what the reason may be, it probably means the coming winters in north and central western areas of U.S. will be one colder than the other.  It is also sure that we will have more snow in winters.
Meanwhile, Chinese and local Indonesians are guarding their homes together in Chinatown area in Jakarta, Indonesia.
Since the serious riots in May, the Chinatown is facing the impact of yet another violence.
Please listen to another report from Voice of America's correspondent in Jakarta.
As the curtain of darkness arrived, troops tried to disperse those young men throwing stones at soldiers in the Chinatown areas by firing their guns as warning.
A few hours ago, several thousands of people gathered before a bank, which is not more than one kilometer from the President's palace.  The mob set fire on the bank, which soon spread to nearby shops.
A group of young men forced open the shop gate with the pole of the street lamp.
On Saturday, attacks were targeted at the Chinese.  A crown dragged a Chinese to the street, beat him up and threw him into a water channel.
Troops arrived in an armed troop carrier and saved the seriously wounded man.
Tanks were patrolling streets that were full of stones and broken glasses.  Thousands of soldiers carrying rifles and tear gas were guarding local commercial areas and kept the mobs away.
Merchants selling electrical goods there had relocated their shops after the riot in May.
The reporter came across a young man (29 years old) with the family name Min.  He was wearing only shorts and a belt while guarding behind a roadblock made of wire meshes
This young man, working for a computer company, together with his Muslim neighbor were protecting the area throughout the night in order to keep the mobs away from their homes.
Mr. Min said that his neighbor made the wire mesh barrier after the riot in May.  They never thought it could be of use this soon.
Many roadblocks have been set up in different areas and residents are carrying big wooden rods to drive away strangers.
I came across another resident wearing a Muslim head and a Muslim sarong.
The man told this reporter that most of the young robbers rushed here from areas outside the Chinatown after they heard a riot had broken out here.
The mob robbed and destroyed a subway station near the highway.  When troops chased them, they threw away shoes, calculators and coat hangers etc., which scattered all over the road.
The International Court of Justice at Hague found the three defendants guilty of war crimes against the Bosnia Serbs.  Nevertheless, their senior commanding officer was found not guilty.
The International Court of Justice decided that Zejnil Delalic was not responsible for the brutalities against Serb prisoners by officers under his command at Celebici prison camp in 1992.
The other three defendants were sentenced to fixed-term imprisonments because of their role in what was described by prisoners as reign of terror.
Dear audience, let's look at some situations in China.
The Chinese government arrested several dissidents a few days ago in an attempt to stop a get together of the members of China Democracy Party in Zhejiang and Shanghai.
Please listen to the report from the Chinese Division of Voice of America.  Qing Yue is making news at this hour.
According to information from the Hong Kong based China Information Center for Human Rights & Democracy, Hang Zhou Public Security officers took two members of China Democracy Party, namely Zhu Zhengming and Mao Qingxiang, away from their homes on Friday afternoon.
At present, no one knows the where about of these two.
Before that, police already arrested four key democratic advocates closely related to China Democracy Party.  They are Yao Zhenxian, Li Guotao, Wu Yilong and Wang Rongqing.
The China Information Center for Human Rights & Democracy said that approximately twenty members of the Zhejiang and Shanghai branch of China Democracy Party planned to have their first meeting in a hotel in Hangzhou Shi on Friday afternoon.
In light of the forthcoming meeting, the policy made the arrests.
Furthermore, Public Security officers in different cities of Zhejiang warned some democratic movement activists not to leave their home or otherwise will be arrested.
The Chinese Government regards opposition political parties, like China Democracy Party, as illegal organizations.  The government did arrest and interrogated a few dozen supporters and activists of this organization.
However, most of them were released after a short while.
Associated Press, Reuters and Agence France-presse had separately reported the latest situations in China released by China Information Center for Human Rights & Democracy.
Palestinian leader, Arafat, made the first official flight from Gaza International Airport.
The Airport commenced operations from that day onward.
On Wednesday, Israel officials in charge of security affairs stood next to the runway and watched Arafat's private plane took off for Paris.
The security work for this airport is the responsibility of the Israel government.
Israel and Palestinian signed a land for peace treaty, which paved way for the Gaza International Airport.
Palestinian regarded this airport as a symbol of their sovereign rights and stimulation to Palestinian economy.
U.S. President Clinton provided new supports, including more research funding, to stop the deadly disease, AIDS, on the World AIDS Day.
Clinton plans to provide 30% more funding to research institutes of the Department of Health for researches in AIDS.
He is also planning to announce a ten million funding to take care of AIDS orphans.
Clinton indicated that the increase in research funding is the largest one time investment from U.S. public resources for AIDS research.
First, Let's look at Canada in below.
Sergio Marchi, Minister of International Trade of Canada indicated that Canada should export its own concept of values in tandem with the export of trades and products.  This can help improve human right in China as well as other Asian countries.
Marchi made the point in response to the Standing Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs' suggestion that trades should be tied with human rights
Please listen to Yan Ming's report, Voice of America Toronto.
Canada Minister of International Trade, Marchi, made a very positive response to the suggestion detailed in a report by the Standing Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, which says trades should be tied with human rights.
Marchi said that Canada should incorporate a new factor, that is human rights, into Canada's foreign trade policy.
According to the newspaper, Ottawa Citizen, Minister of International Trade Marchi said the above words during a meeting on foreign affairs and international trades in Ottawa on Thursday.
Marchi also indicated that from what he saw whilst attending the APEC summit meeting in Malaysia and then the arrest of dissidents by Chinese Authorities in recent days, he firmly believes Canada should export its own values in tandem with export of its products.  It does not matter whether the export is a provision of economic aid or the export is an international trade.
According to Marchi, Human rights and social justice should be made important contents in Canada's foreign trade policy.
The Canadian Press said that the report from the Standing Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs suggested the Canadian Government to re-examine different types of foreign aids such as to ensure local human right status can be improved simultaneously with any economic development in the receiving country.
According to the Globe and Mail, all sorts of signs indicated that the Canadian Government is attempting to adjust its foreign policy, including policy towards China and other Asian countries.  The Standing Senate Committee report is only one of the many signals.
On Thursday, Canada's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Lloyd Axworthy, expressed high concern to China's arrest of dissidents.
"We must make a response to this matter", He said.
"We have already pointed out to the Chinese Government - arrest of people with different political views violates the United Nations Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
According to Canadian Press, Canada has not made any open criticism against China for more than two years.  However, Canada Prime Minister Jean Chretien completely abandoned the practice and criticized China's human rights records several times in open occasions during his visit to China last month.
The Canadian Prime Minister's unusual course of action actually illustrated that Canada is making changes to its foreign policy.
According to a report in the Globe and Mail, Canadian commercial sectors have different opinions towards Marchi's position of supporting a tie between trades and human rights.
Many are worrying privately that such a tie may affect the business of large Canadian enterprises.
Nevertheless, Zhu Yuchao, Ph. D., of Okanagan University College, British Columbia, has a different view:
"As far as North America capitalists are concerned, investors may go and invest in Southeast Asia.  They can build factory there and they can do trading there.  The most important reason is to make money.  True, they need to make a profit.
However, when they enter these Southeast countries, they can bring some standards to these countries with them.  For example, in the area of labor protection, they can introduce labor protection concepts and standards of fringe benefits etc. to these countries.  In addition, they can bring environmental requirements as well.  All these will benefit both sides to the deal.
Furthermore, the person introducing these concepts plays a demonstration role.  He can help improve the human rights in that country.  Labor rights are concepts that are easy to understand and yet such concepts can have a very direct impact to human rights.
The above is the report from Yan Ming, Voice of America Toronto.
U.S. and North Korea continued talks on Friday about the inspection of a suspected underground nuclear facility near Pyongyang.
The delegates from both sides held talks for two days in New York.  They then moved to Washington and are continuing further discussions there.
Last month, both sides held similar talks in Pyongyang.
At that time, discussions broke down because North Korea made a certain demand.
North Korea requested U.S. to provide them with US$ 300 million in exchange for North Korea's undertaking to let inspection personnel to enter and perform inspections at all relevant locations.
Before this new series of meeting, North Korea launched a series of publicity attack on U.S.
Cheng Huaren, person in charge at State Economic and Trade Commission indicated that the Chinese army and other government departments have to break off their control over subordinate enterprises in the near future.
Notwithstanding that the Chinese Government has issued several similar orders before, it appears the determination this time is much stronger.
Please listen to the report prepared by Voice of America correspondent Ning Xin.
According to Cheng Huaren, person in charge at State Economic and Trade Commission, the Chinese army has to break off all relations with subordinate companies and enterprises before December 20.
All other Party, Government and Judicial Departments must start similar actions at the beginning of next year.
Jiang Zeming, President of China, ordered the army and the police to stop operating enterprises, hotels and other commercial facilities in July this year in order to control corruptions and smugglings that are getting worst everyday inside the army.
According to Cheng Huaren, some enterprises under the control of the army in Shanghai and Tianjin have already been transferred to local governments.  However, he did not say whether the army received any compensation or not.
The army is not alone in this.  Other Party, Government and Judicial Departments must rescind all control and management of subordinate state enterprises.
China's state enterprises have more than 100 million employees.  Many of these state enterprises are actually on the verge of bankruptcy because of serious bad debts, "dead debts", and weakness in export markets due to global economic crisis.
According to Cheng Huaren, many state enterprises are currently employing ten times the number of employees that they actually needed.  This has intensified the loss situation in many state enterprises in the past one-year.
The fact indicates it is an urgent task to improve the competitive position of state enterprises in the market.
In addition, analysts thought that corruptions and poor management are common in Government Departments and Judicial Departments that are currently in charge of these state enterprises.
The most common situation is that many government officials are in charge of a certain industry but at the same time they are also in charge of the operations of enterprises in the same industry.
These officials can then use authority of their offices and supply contracts, loans and preferential tax treatments to enterprises connected to them.
This phenomenon destroyed fair competition in the market and obstructed China's migration from a planned economy to a market economy.
It is understood that the largest state enterprises, actually over 500 of them, formerly under control of Party, Government or Judicial Departments are to be supervised by a newly formed committee in the State Council.  The employees in these state enterprises will be looked after by the State Personnel Department.
Local governments will manage smaller state enterprises.
The Ministry of Finance will centralize the supervision and control of financial and investment companies.
It is not clear at this point in time whether these changes will mean a reduction in loans from the state and hence, for these large state enterprises, a gradual moves towards bankruptcy.
According to some analysts, China may resort to merger rather than bankruptcy to solve the problem of serious losses in state enterprises.  There are concerns that high unemployment may impact the stability of the society.
The above is the comprehensive report by Ning Xin, Voice of America.
State In order to make a response to U.S. and Britain's air strikes on Iraq, Russia's Duma lower house commenced a debate on unilateral removal of sanction against Iraq.
Duma prepares to ignore the eight years' long United Nations sanction against Iraq and is considering to resume political and economic cooperation between Russia and Iraq.
Russia recalled its ambassador in U.S. and Britain earlier as a protest against U.S. and British military actions.
United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean forecasted an economic contraction of 1% next year in that region.
However, the organization admitted the situation could be worst.
Please listen to the report by Mick, South America Division correspondent, Voice of America.  Tian Ye is making news this hour.
Preliminary observation by United Nations Economic Commission suggests that Latin America and Caribbean region may have an economic growth of 2.3% this year, which is a sharp drop from the 5.2% growth last year.
The figure could have been worst if not because of a strong economy in the first half of this year.
The Commission thought that economic performance in the region is relatively good given external unstable factors.
However, bad impacts are gradually surfacing and may continue into next year.
According to United Nations Economic Commission, Brazil's severe economic situation will be mirrored in some countries located in the cone shape region south of Brazil.
Most of these countries are suffering from falling prices in their main exports.
According to the Commission, most of these countries selected to raise interest rates to protect their currencies.
Such measures checked economic growth and caused unemployment to rise.
According to the report, if these countries attempt to devalue their currencies in order to improve their competitive position in the global market, they risk an accelerated inflation and actual wages....
According to the ground controllers for the non-stop around the world hot air balloon attempt, the three flyers on the hot air balloon should fly out of China's air space on Wednesday.  They are heading east to cross the Pacific Ocean.
On Tuesday, the three men team in the highflying hot air balloon deviated from the flying corridor stipulated by China and got themselves in political troubles.
Chinese officials once ordered them to land in Tibet, a region governed by China.  However, China cancelled the order after U.S. and British diplomats took up the issue with Chinese officials.
In east India, a train collided with a bus at a highway and railway crossing near Dhanbad, Bihar state.  Ten people were killed and five injured.
India News Agency and Hindustan Times reported that officials of the Railway Department accuse the passengers of the bus for the accident.
The report said impatient passengers took the keys forcibly from the crossing keeper and opened the gate themselves.
However, when the bus attempted to cross the railway, the train arrived and caused a collision between the train and the bus.
All dead and injured are passengers of the bus.
Notwithstanding the fighting between Serbian security force and Albanian separatist in the past few days, international supervision personnel in Kosovo still hope that a cease-fire can be re-instated.
On Monday in Prishtina, a spokesman of the supervision personnel said that the situation is calm in the province of Kosovo, Yugoslavia.
The fighting last week killed at least 12.
The chairman of Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, Geremek (Polish), condemned both sides to the fighting for causing the violent conflict.
Several key figures of Republicans in U.S. Congress have opposing views about the impeachment proceedings.
According to Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott, the Senate can make a fair judgment based on existing evidence.
The Republican suitor from House of Representatives is thinking of calling 15 witnesses including Lewinsky.
The love affair between Lewinsky and Clinton is the core of this scandal.
Senator Lott hopes that the trial can start from January 11 and be finished within two weeks.
The western tourists just freed in Yemen said that the kidnappers actually used them as a shield when Yemen government troops opened fire on the kidnappers in an attempt to save them.
Four tourists were killed in the gunfire on Tuesday.  Twelve overcame the difficulty and were rescued.
According to Yemen government, Yemen troops attacked the kidnappers because the circumstance indicated that some hostages were going to be killed.
However, rescued tourists said that gunfire commenced only after Yemen troops started their rescue operation.
Indonesian police summoned a reporter over a story on the rape of Chinese women in May riot
(Agence France-Presse, Jakarta) An international press-freedom organization, "Committee to Protect Journalists", expressed alarm at the Indonesian police summons against a reporter over a story on the rape of Chinese women in May riot.
Reporter Goenawan of "Jakarta-Jakarta" magazine has been told to appear at the Police headquarters for questions, the New York based Committee to Protect Journalists said.
According to the Committee, Goenawan published a story in July quoting the words of a Chinese woman who was raped.
The "New York Times" also published a story on June 10 quoting the words of the same victim.
In a letter to Indonesian President Habibie, the Committee said that by issuing a summons, "the police have taken the first step towards prosecution".
The Committee was "concerned that the use of such laws can have a negative impact on freedom of expression".
The Committee was referring to pressure by a group of Indonesian Muslim organizations to the government.  These organizations demanded that Goenawan be arrested under article 156 of the criminal code.
The code prohibits people from defaming a religious group.
The International Alliance of Independent Journalists also protested against the police summons to Goenawan.
This could set "a precedent that could set back the increased freedom enjoyed by the press since the fall of former President Suharto", the Alliance said.
The Committee to Protect Journalists urged Habibie to "stop disturbing Goenawan" and should ask all parities to settle their disputes in a civil court.
The Committee also asked all parties in the society to "work vigorously towards the elimination of criminal defamation articles in Indonesian criminal code".
The majority of Hong Kong residents do not wish to call themselves Chinese
(Agence France-Presse, Hong Kong)  According to a public opinion poll released yesterday, many Hong Kong residents do not wish to call themselves Chinese notwithstanding Hong Kong already reverted to China last year.
The result of the opinion poll indicated that among the 6.5 million Hong Kong residents, 40% called themselves "Hong Kong People"; 22.3% called themselves "Hong Kong Chinese"; and 20.6% called themselves "Chinese residing in Hong Kong".
Social Sciences Research Centre, University of Hong Kong conducted the survey.
Among the 517 interviewed, only 20.6% called themselves Chinese and 1.6% of them had no definite answer or had no opinion.
In a similar research conducted six months after Hong Kong reverted to China, 35.9% called themselves "Hong Kong People" and 18% called themselves "Chinese".
Since the reversion 15 months ago, Hong Kong Government has been trying to remind residents that they are Chinese.
After 150 years governance as a British Colony, many Hong Kong residents feel awkward about their own identity.
In his national day speech the day before yesterday, Tung Chee-hwa, the Chief Executive of Hong Kong Special Administration Zone said, "I feel the honor to be a Chinese and I am proud of the developments in our country".
In order to foster the feeling of a Chinese citizen, Hong Kong Centre for Promotion of Citizenship Education wrote and published a book with excellent pictures and literary, entitled "I am a Chinese".
The Chief of Sarawak thought Anwar might have committed crimes including sodomy
(Agence France-Presse, Sydney) Chief Minister of Malaysia Sarawak Government, Taib Mahmud, thought that the former Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia, Anwar, currently in custody, might have committed all charges against him, including sodomy.
During an interview by an Australian newspaper yesterday, he said that he is "well acquainted" with Anwar.  He thought there is a great possibility that Anwar might be found guilty on all charges.
He said, "I already know the charges that Anwar is facing.
I think there is a great possibility that he will be found guilty on the charges".
Anwar was removed from office in September.  After he organized a series of reform parades, he was arrested on September 20 under Internal Security Law.  He was charged with 10 accusations, including 5 charges of sodomy and 5 charges of corruptions.
On Tuesday, he appeared for the first time before the public after a 9 days detention by the police.  His left eye was swollen and he also had a bruise in his hand; he denied all charges in the court.
Taib Mahmud is attending an international alumni meeting in Adelaide.
He indicated that he had not made any contact with Anwar.  However, he is not worried about the condition of Anwar nor that Anwar may not receive a fair trial.
"The laws are fair. ... If he is innocent, I believe he will be freed.
However, if he is found guilty on the charges, he should be punished just like any other Malaysian citizen".
Taib also blamed Anwar for the damages to Malaysia's international image.
"I think the things happening here is not harmful to our image but the talks by Anwar did".
National Front Youth Organization will make the world's largest cloth banner to support Malaysian leaders
(Kuala Lumpur) National Front Youth Organization will make the world's largest cloth banner to express their care and support to Malaysia and its leaders.
This youth organization is going to hold a conference on the 24th this month.  They will submit patriotic letters that they received from fellow Malaysians to the Prime Minister, Mahathir.
In the coming conference, the youth organization will also display patriotic cloth banners, including a giant banner that could be listed in the Guinness World Records.
The giant cloth banner has an area of 150 kilometers by 100 kilometers.  The banner is to be provided by National Front Youth Organization and could be listed in the Guinness Records.
According to the National Front Youth Organization, these activities are intended to express the youth organization's care and support to Malaysian leaders.
"We want everybody to know that whenever anyone tries to overthrow a government properly elected through democratic system using non-democratic or illegal means, Malaysians will never play save and will always protest".
Meanwhile, the National Front Youth Organization said that all foreigners, including foreign governments, foreign leaders or foreign media, should not interfere with Malaysia's internal affairs.
"Although we deeply believe our government has the capability to solve any matter that endanger Malaysia security, the irresponsible acts by some people have challenged our patience time after time.
Therefore, the Youth Organization urged all Malaysian to unite and resist any foreign attempt to damage Malaysia's peaceful environment.
Thailand's elevated railway project will be revived
(Agence France-Presse, Bangkok) Thailand's Ministry of Transport announced yesterday that Thailand is making a demand to the main contractor, Hopewell Group (publicly listed in Hong Kong), seeking a damage of US$ 680 million (approximately 110 million Singapore Dollars) for Hopewell's failure to complete the elevated railway and highway system within the contracted time.
Phataraprasit, deputy transport minister of Thailand said that Thailand Ministry of Transport and the State Railway of Thailand have recourse against Hopewell Group for delays in the project for the amount of US$ 680 million.  Thailand criticizes Hopewell Group, which managed to complete only 12% of the planned works in the past eight years.
Hopewell Group made several negotiations with Thailand Authorities since the economic crisis in Thailand, which devaluated the Thai Baht and intensified financial disputes between the two sides.  The two sides also talked about progress in expropriation of lands but no conclusion has been reached.  As a result, Thailand Government terminated Hopewell's contract in January this year.
For this reason, Hopewell Group already demanded the Thailand Government to pay the company damages to the amount of 100 billion Baht (about 4.2 billion Singapore Dollars) to compensate the company for capital investments and work done in the past eight years.
Thailand is planning to revive the project, estimated to cost US$ 3.2 billion, but may cut down the size of the project, Thailand Government said yesterday.
In any event, Hopewell Group will not be allowed to participate.
Phataraprasit said that the German Government and German Development Bank (KFW) have some interests in this massive project and decided to provide 100 million Baht to do a feasibility study on Bangkok's elevated railway and highway project.
Siemens of Germany is currently co-operating with a Thailand company to lay 23 kilometers of tracks for an electrical railway in Bangkok.
Finance Minister of Thailand, Tarrin, went to Japan for rescue loans
(Agence France-Presse, Bangkok) Finance Minister of Thailand, Tarrin, went to Japan yesterday.  He is going to discuss Thailand's portion in the US$ 30 billion (48.6 billion Singapore Dollars) rescue package that Japan is going to offer to those Asian countries slipped into financial crisis.
He said that in his four days visit to Japan, he is going to hold in-depth discussions with Japan, but he cannot forecast how much money Japan will agree to provide Thailand.
"I have made a report to the Prime Minster Chuan Leekpai about the skeleton utilization of this loan last evening.  However, we have not decided on the amount because Japan has not notify us as yet".
He said that he hopes to obtain low interest rates and generous repayment terms under the initiative.
He said that he is also going to hold separate meetings with officials of Japan's Trade and Industrial Department on the subject of new assistance to reform Thailand's industry and agriculture.
Japan's Finance Minister Miyazawa announced a US$ 30 billion rescue package on October 3 during G-7 meeting.
In the short run, Japan will set aside US$ 15 billion for assistance in areas like trade financing etc.
Japan intends to make loans through the Import and Export Bank of Japan.  Japan is also going to purchase Asian public bonds and provide direct financial assistance, including Yen loans as development assistance to Asian countries.
Japan will also guarantee bank loans for some Asian countries or otherwise guarantee the bonds issued by these countries in order to help them to raise necessary finance in international markets.
Miyazawa's rescue package is important to Thailand because Thailand has just delayed a plan to issue US$ 500 million international bond last month.
Thailand is in need of the money such that it can inject more capital into its economy.
Thailand's economy is hard hit by high borrowing costs and the unrest in emerging markets around the world.
Retail sales index for August dropped 8.3% over same period last year.
The retail sales index for August declined by 8.3% over same period last year.  The index has been slipping for 12 consecutive months.
Since September 97, retail sales indexes versus same month a year earlier have always shown a decline.  This means the local retail industry is still struggling in a difficult period.
Comparing with July this year, the August retail index still showed a decrease of 8.3%.
If car sales were excluded, the index dropped by 3.9%.
The figures from the Statistic Bureau indicated that almost all retail activities were quite in August.
In July, car sales surged by 41.4% but in August it dropped by 19.9%.
Other line of businesses in the retail sector with a decline: appliance and household products (8%), textile and personal products (7.8%), department store and supermarket (2.6%), gas station (1.3%), and grocery store (0.3%).
On the other hand, food and beverage index for August dropped by 4.5% over the same period last year.  Since February 98, the index has been slipping for seven consecutive months.
However, the food and beverage index showed a slight increase of 1.4% if compared with the month of July.
The amount of money that people spent in eating out increased from 245 million dollars in July to 248 million dollars in August.
The principal increase occurred in the turnover in fast food outlets, which reported a 6.6% increase.
Other dining outlets excluding restaurants also reported a 2.5% increase in turnover.
The retail sales index and the food and beverage index are statistics published by the Statistic Bureau every month.  They are designed to help us understand the short-term performance in retail, food and beverage industry in our country.
Detroit building, 25 stories high, reduced to rubble in 30 seconds
(Agence France-Presse, Detroit) The 107 years old Hudson's Building was reduced to a pile of rubble in 30 seconds the day before yesterday.
This steel bar reinforced building was 25 stories high and is the tallest building that can be demolished by plastic explosive.
Hudson's Building was once the world's largest retail shop and a landmark of Detroit downtown.
In the midst of loud explosions produced by the 1215 kilograms of plastic explosive, the building finally turned into 360 million kilograms of rubble.
At 5:45 pm local time, a series of inward explosion started at the Hudson's Building.  The dense and thick dust turned into a huge cloud, which totally covered the surrounding spectators.
"I never thought that I would be made completely black because of the dust", one citizen said.
When the building fell, some spectators shouted in joy while some spectators cried because they can never see this familiar building again.
At its peak in mid-1950s, more than 100 thousand people did their shopping at Hudson's Building everyday.
At that time, some famous movie stars, including Garbo and Parker, also shopped there.
The Detroit Mayor Archer indicated that the authorities were willing to provide the public with the opportunity to operate the detonator in return for a charity donation of 150 thousand U.S. dollars.
However, Hudson's Building is an old glory of Detroit and no one is willing to push the detonator and destroy the building with his or her own hand.
"This is a tragic event", a man, who advocates protection of the building, said.
Portugal to discuss excessive Indonesian troops in East Timor with United Nations official
(Agence France-Presse, Lisbon) According to reliable information, Portugal Foreign Minister Gama is going to meet an official of United Nations in Vienna tomorrow to discuss the report of excessive Indonesian troops in East Timor.
The spokesman for Gama said that the subject of the related report is inconsistent with the guarantee made by Indonesia Foreign Minister Alatas to United Nations Secretary General Annan in August.
The spokesman said that Alatas did guarantee a gradual reduction of Indonesian troops in East Timor.
Information sources revealed that Gama is going to discuss the relevant development with a special envoy of Annan.
According to some documents, which appear to be classified documents of the Indonesian army, now circulating among foreign correspondents, the number of Indonesian troops stationed in East Timor was 17,834 men as at end of July this year.
According to a western embassy, this number is quite close to their estimate.
However, the commander-in-chief of Indonesian armed force, General Wiranto, said that the number of seventeen thousand is a "lie".
However, he did not disclose the actual number.  According to a military official, there were about fifteen thousand soldiers stationed in East Timor in mid-August.
Indonesia dispatched troops to East Timor in 1975 and annexed it in the following year.
However, United Nations still regards Lisbon as the legitimate administrative power in East Timor.
The Secretary General of United Nations has been sponsoring peace talks between Portugal and Indonesia since 1983.
East Timor's leaders, including Belo, a Nobel prize recipient, and Ramos-Horta, East Timor Independence guerrilla leader, who is still in prison at moment, issued pubic statements to support the related report and retorted Jakarta's claim of troops reduction in East Timor.
U.S. Federal Reserve may cut interest rate again
(Reuters, Washington) U.S. Federal Reserve Board vice chairman Rivlin warned on Monday that the global financial crisis might cause a significant slowdown in U.S. economy.  She hinted that U.S. might need more interest cuts in order to avoid an economic recession.
She did not think the U.S. economy is going to collapse, Rivlin said during an interview.  However, she warned that export volume may drop and poor job opportunities may mean a significant slowdown in the economy.
The Federal Reserve Board cut interest rate twice in the past 6 weeks in an attempt to minimize the impacts to U.S. economy because of the most serious financial crisis in the past 50 years.
Federal Reserve's next meeting is on November 17 and will discuss whether it is appropriate to cut interest rate again.
Most people guess the Board will favor another cut to stabilize the economy.
U.S. third quarter growth is 3.3%, which is lower than the 5.5% recorded in first quarter.
Most forecasts anticipate a further slow down in the economy in the next few months.
This is because U.S. is likely to export less to Asia and hence causes an impact to investment and production volume in the manufacturing sector.
Rivlin pointed out that the massive pressure on U.S. financial markets had slightly reduced in the past several weeks.
However, she warned that there still appears to be a credit squeeze.
According to Rivlin, the world economy has not shrugged off the crisis completely.
The recovery in Asia is still in the preliminary stage.
The economy in Japan, the world's second largest economy, has not fully recovered while the economic situation in Russia is "still bad".
Lien Hoe expects to redeem the remaining 65% of the bond before end of the year
(Kuala Lumpur) Lien Hoe Berhad expects to be able to redeem the remaining 65% (Malaysian Ringgit 53.81 million) of the bond before the end of the year through loans to be obtained from banks.
The total issued amount of Lien Hoe Berhad 6% redeemable guaranteed bond was RM 85.74 million and the maturity date was August 17, 1998.
Due to weakness in real estate markets and a contraction in hot money, Lien Hoe Berhad managed to redeem only 35% of the outstanding bond on maturity date.  The maturity date for the remaining 65% was extended to August 17, 2000 at an interest rate of 15%.
Last month, the Securities Trading Commission approved the maturity date extension of Lien Hoe Berhad's bond to August 17, 2000.  This is the first time in Malaysia that a group of companies has successfully obtained a maturity date extension for its bonds.
Given that interest rate is heading down in the markets, Lien Hoe Berhad plans to use bank loans to redeem the remaining bond and avoids paying a high interest rate of 15% to bond holders.
According to the Managing Director of Lien Hoe Berhad, the Company expects to reverse its inferior position recorded in first half of this year.  He cited the current trend of a lower interest rate and the new fiscal budget appears to benefit real estate development as reasons.  He expects the Company to achieve a satisfactory result in the second half of this year.
In Portugal, a member of parliament requested the extradition of Suharto
(Associated Press, Lisbon) Portugal attorney general's office said the day before yesterday that it is examining a member of parliament's request to extradite the former Indonesian President Suharto.
Nuno Correia da Silva, a member of parliament, said in a letter that Suharto should be extradited for his violations of human rights in East Timor.
Indonesia invaded the Portuguese colony in 1975 and annexed East Timor after several weeks.
"We are studying whether it is possible to do so in Portuguese law", said Sara Pina, a spokeswoman for the attorney general's office.
Human rights groups have accused Indonesian troops of numerous violations of human rights in East Timor.
Correia da Silva said that the recent attempt to extradite former Chilean dictator Pinochet to Spain for charges including genocide has strengthened his determination to extradite Suharto.
Pinochet is currently in London awaiting a House of Lords decision on his extradition.
The British Supreme Court rescinded the original arrest warrant against Pinochet on the grounds that Pinochet entitles to immunity from prosecution as a former chief of state.
Correia da Silva is a member of Portugal's right wing Popular Party.
United Nations still regards Portugal as the legitimate administrative power in East Timor and this should help the request to extradite Suharto, he said.
Philippines Foreign Minister: Cambodia has no hope to join ASEAN next month
(Agence France-Presse, Manila) Philippines Foreign Minister Domingo Siazon said the day before yesterday that Cambodia has no hope to join ASEAN in the coming ASEAN summit to be held in Hanoi next month.
Even if the opposing parties in Cambodia manage to form a coalition government before the summit, Cambodia will not automatically become a member of ASEAN, Siazon said.
He said, "Many ASEAN members are still undecided.
There are many questions at this moment.  Cambodia's political development is still in progress.
If we admit them as a new member but then they start to fight again, we will have to solve the problem again".
Earlier this week, Malaysia Foreign Minister Addullah said that the issue of Cambodia's accession to ASEAN is hinged on whether Cambodia can successful form a legitimate government.
"Someone said that we have been burnt once, aren't we?  At that time, we are prepared to accept them but they started to fight again a few days later", Siazon said.
He is referring to the April 1997 incident.  At that time, Cambodia was nearly admitted to ASEAN.
However, Hun Sen used force to overturn Prince Ranariddh and Cambodia's accession to ASEAN turned bubble.
Hun Sen's Cambodia People's Party won the election in July this year but failed to secure the required two-thirds of the seats to form a single party government.
Last week, Hun Sen and Ranariddh made an agreement to form a coalition government but the new government is not established at this moment.
China plans a million-hectare-land-reclamation project to settle 30 million people in next century
(Agence France-Presse, Beijing) "China Daily", English Edition, reported yesterday that China is planning a land-reclamation in coastal areas to settle twenty to thirty million people in the next century.
Experts in a land-fill meeting held at Xiao Shan, Zhejiang province disclosed that the Government hopes to reclaim 1 million hectares of land along the 18 thousand kilometers long coastline in the next forty to fifty years.
Twenty to thirty million of people will live in the reclaimed areas in the next century, "China Daily" said.
The newspaper quoted the words of professor Yu Zhiyi (transliteration), "It is technically feasible for China to reclaim that amount of land.  The question is whether there will be enough capital or not".
Information sources said that notwithstanding the project might cause a lot of environmental problems, "it is still a magic tool to ease up the shortage in land in the next century given the vast population in China".
The related project can also promote new industries and create job opportunities.
China plans to invest in infrastructures such that impacts of the Asian financial crisis can be minimized.
"This is not only a problem for agriculture.  The reclaimed lands have many uses and are suitable for comprehensive development including forestry, industries and tourism etc.", the deputy secretary to the meeting, Zuo Zhongmo (transliteration) said.
Notwithstanding China adopts the "One Child Policy", the country's population will continue to grow until middle of next century and the estimate peak population is 1.6 billion.
At present, China has a population of 1.23 billion.
Over 90% of the population is concentrated in one-third of China's land.
Japan Prime Minister wants Miyazawa to remain in office and continue the economic recovery plan
(Reuters, Tokyo) Japan Finance Minister Kiichi Miyazawa felt the pressure for him to remain in office yesterday.
He announced last week that he intends to resign in the near future.
Miyazawa's departure or stay casts a doubt on the coalition government between Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi's Liberal Democratic Party and Ichiro Ozawa's Liberal Party.
The coalition government faces a new unsettled situation when disagreement among senior officials becomes apparent on the issue whether Liberal Party's cabinet minister positions are part of the agreement.
Outsiders widely speculate Liberal Party secretary general Noda may become finance minister after Miyazawa's resignation.
On Friday, Miyazawa said that he may resign before the end of the year but he did not say the exact date.
He said in the press conference, "I cannot say when".
It is expected that he will act as Finance Minister until the two-week special meeting of the parliament ends.
The parliament meeting is scheduled to end on December 12.
Suzuki, deputy secretary of Keizo Obuchi's cabinet told Nippon Hoso Kyokai Japan Broadcasting Corporation that the prime minister wants the 79 years old Miyazawa to stay.
"I think (Obuchi) wants him to remain in office and continue his economic recovery plan", Suzuki said.
Obuchi and Miyazawa will talk face to face.
Suzuki said, "In consideration of his capability, it is not easy to find a replacement.
I personally hope that he can stay and revive the national economy".
Obuchi's official comment for Miyazawa's departure is that he has already read the related news reports and he plans to talk with the Finance Minister.
Information Minister Mohamad Rahmat: demonstrators taking part in the "Raging fire never die" movement should be careful not to become a puppet of foreign power
(Kuala Lumpur) Malaysia Information Minister Mohamad Rahmat said that people taking part in the "Raging fire never die" movement should be careful not to become a puppet of foreign power and help destroy their own country.  They should use more sensible means to express their wishes.
He said that people should use rational ways to express their thoughts, which are more effective than methods employing violence and chaos.
As reported by Malaysia National News Agency, Mohamad Rahmat indicated to media, after joining the Ministry of Information's family day activities, that the government has already adopted measures to let people express their thoughts.  Malaysia will set up 500 "make a statement center" in different parts of Malaysia.  People can use this proper channel to express their views and opinions about their country.
The government will study the opinions and thoughts of the people and try the best to improve itself such as to meet the widespread need of the people.
He stressed that this is the normal way in a democratic country.
He also advised those taking part in demonstration to re-consider the consequence of such action.  Since Malaysia gained independence 41 years ago, it is through diligent works of the people, enthusiastic development and contribution by the people before Malaysia can flourish today.
He said that the demonstrators are supported by foreign power.  They are resisting the government with all their efforts but they never realize they are betraying the dignity of their own country.
"If foreigners want to come and invest in Malaysia, we always welcome them.  If they pay money to demonstrators, we will certainly protest", he said.
Australia will send a military officer to East Timor to monitor Indonesian troops redeployment
(Reuters Canberra) Australia Minister for Defense, McLachlan, said yesterday that Australia is preparing to send a military officer to East Timor to monitor Indonesian troops redeployment.
In a television show on Channel 9 on Sunday, McLachlan said that he mentioned Australia's concerns on East Timor to Indonesian President Habibie the day before yesterday.
McLachlan said, "We had frankly discussions on East Timor and related problems.
We mentioned problems that Australia has concerns, for example, the human rights in East Timor and the issue of sending a military officer to East Timor".
McLachlan had a meeting with Indonesia's Minister for Defense Wiranto last Friday and he had another meeting with Habibie the day before yesterday in Surabaya.
Australia's military officer at Jakarta will arrive East Timor tomorrow and he is free to conduct investigations there, McLachlan said.
McLachlan pointed out that the military officer is going to assess the number of troops, troop organization and the troops' relationship with civilian there.  On return to Australia, the military officer will report to him on any sensitive issue found.
U.S. expressed concern to the riots in East Timor and quoted reliable information source, which said there were civilian deaths in recent wipe out actions by the military.
However, Habibie refused to let Sherman, the former head of Australian Criminal Investigation Bureau, to go to Timor and investigate the case of five reporters killed in East Timor in 1975.
A new witness accused the then commander of Indonesian Special force and the current Indonesian Information Minister, Yosfiah, of personally giving the order to kill the Australian reporters in 1975.  In consideration of this, Australia Government decided to re-investigate the case.
Several thousands of British immigrants left Australia because they felt discriminated by the locals
(Agence France-Presse, Sydney) A survey released yesterday discovered that several thousands of British immigrants left Australia because of the "hate Britain psychology" and the discrimination against them by local people.
The British Immigrants Association urged the Government to face the problem for the benefit of local immigrants and also for Australia's economy.
Many British are of the opinion that Australians have "hate Britain psychology", the Chairman of the Association pointed out.  This may cause the Australian economy to lose several million dollars each year.
The Chairman said that it is disappointing to see so many British leaving Australia.  Most of them are skilled workers and are usually financially independent as well.
He told the reporter, "According to the immigration rules here, they are not the type of immigrants that you want to get rid of".
Fourteen percent of the Australia population is British.
Statistic by the Immigration Office indicated an arrival of 11,978 British immigrants during 1996 to 1997 but 3,737 British immigrants left in the same period of time.
"The Association conducted a survey in Melbourne using its own resources and found that one-fourth of all British believe they are being discriminated in Australia", he said.
Nearly 40% of the interviewed thought local people show an undue favor towards non-British.
While 37% pointed out that the complaints by British immigrants are not dealt with as seriously as complaints from other ethnic groups.
Approximately 35% of the interviewed blamed the media for causing the prejudice against British immigrants in Australia.
Keating, former Prime Minister of Australia, also has anti-British standpoint and hence not a good example to the locals, he said.
The Opposition party wants Minister for Defense to resign after several incidents involving Korea's military force
(Reuters, Seoul) Korea's opposition party requested Chon Yong-taek, Minister for Defense, to resign yesterday after several incidents involving the military.  These incidents included firing armed missile and flare bomb into residential areas.
According to Korea officials, the latest incident is an error during a military maneuver at daybreak yesterday.  The shell of a flare bomb penetrated through two walls of an old women's home.
The old woman's home is quite close to a location where the splinters of an exploded missile fell to ground two days ago.
A military officer said that the flare bomb fired by Korea marines traveled much farther than anticipated and ended up in a civilian home in Gimpo.
Gimpo is located on the west side of Seoul.
The opposition party, Grand National Party, released a declaration saying that: "Minister for Defense, Chon Yong-taek, must resign immediately otherwise (President Kim Dae Jung) must fire him.
A government that is not afraid of the people cannot be a People's government".
The declaration said, "Chon Yong-taek is trying to keep his job.  He only expressed regrets....  That is too arrogant".
The Ministry for Defense has apologized for the missile shooting incident the day before yesterday.
A marine official said that the shell of the flare bomb managed to penetrate two walls and entered the bathroom.
The 83 years old woman was too frightened and is receiving treatment in a nearby hospital, he said.
Last Friday, Korea military fired a surface-to-air missile by mistake.  The missile exploded in sky and caused injuries to at least three civilians.
Ministry of Defense official said that military technicians at the air base in Inchon, a southwest harbor city, were performing arms checks but fired the missile by accident.
Inchon is about 40 kilometers from the Korea border.
Chuan Leepai: early election for Thailand
(Bangkok comprehensive report) Thailand Prime Minister, Chuan Leepai, said the night before yesterday that he is going to call an early election before the expiry of seven party coalition government's term of office.
However, he added, the coalition government is stable at this moment and has the capability to carry through the economic reform plan.
This type of reform is important for an economic recovery and a necessary condition to achieve sustainable growth, he said.
In a speech delivered in a dinner meeting held by Thailand Overseas Correspondent Club, Chuan Leepai said, "The confidence of foreign investors is obviously tied with sustained government policies and the stability of a government.  We always remember this."
"We do not plan to stay in office up till the expiry of our term.
We use whatever time available to us and do our best to implement economic reform for Thailand such as to create a solid foundation for a sustainable economic development (in the future)."
Chuan Leepai indicated that he has not yet decided the exact date to dissolve the congress and calls the early election.
Thailand has not completely got out of crisis.
In addition, Chuan Leepai also warned in his speech that Thailand has not completely got out of crisis.
He pointed out that the current situation is still "fragile" and global factors may cause Thailand to deviate from the objective of reviving the economy by the second half of 1999.
Nevertheless, he pledged to carry through the economic reform, which is going to cover a wide range of areas, and also to put an end to corruptions that has been harming the economy.
Dole in commercials for Viagra -- he urged the world to take impotence seriously
(Associated Press, New York) Dole, the Republican who ran for president in 1996, is starting a new campaign.  This time, he is in Pfizer's commercials to promote Viagra, a drug for impotence that caught the attention of the world.
Dole will appear in television commercials that focus on erectile dysfunction and general health education for men.
Pfizer refused to disclose the amount of compensation for Dole.  Dole will not mention the name, Viagra, in the commercials.
The commercials will be broadcasted at the beginning of next year.
Dole's commercials are the first attempt by Pfizer to promote Viagra through television.
Pfizer is considering whether to make any commercials that directly mention Viagra.
In May this year, Dole admitted that he tried Viagra.  After using the drug, he described it as a "miraculous cure."
The 75 years old Dole said in a declaration, "I believe this campaign can help men to attach importance to a health problem that they are afraid to discuss."
Since the impotence drug was launched in April this year, American doctors had already handed out over 6 million prescriptions.
U.S. has ten to twenty million of male with erectile dysfunction but only 10% of them have sought medial advice.
Dole has appeared in discussion programs.  He has also advocated in Congress that U.S. should urge fellow countrymen to diagnose and treat prostate cancer as early as possible.  In addition, he wants people to understand the side effect of prostate cancer -- erectile dysfunction.
In 1991, Dole was diagnosed positive of prostate cancer.  Doctor said that he recovered after surgical operation.
Two soldiers captured by North Korea during Korean War escaped after 45 years in prison
(Reuters, Seoul) South Korea National Security Planning Bureau said the day before yesterday that two South Korean soldiers escaped from North Korea after being held captive for 45 years.  Both men had been listed as killed in action.
National Security Planning Bureau's statement said that Kim Bok-ki, 67, and Park Dong-il, 71, (all names are transliterations) have returned to South Korea through a third country.
The statement said that both men were captured by Chinese troops while fighting northeast of the border during the Korean War.
The statement said that both men were forced to work in a coal mine in North Korea until they escaped.
After the Korean War (1950-53), South Korea's Ministry of Defense had listed about twenty thousand missing soldiers as killed in action.  Kim Bok-ki and Park Dong-il were two of them.
The two Koreas finally signed an armistice but no official peace treaty.
South and North Korea are still technically at war.
Unexpectedly, these two men became relatives by marriage while captive in North Korea.
The statement said the second son of Kim Bok-ki married the fourth daughter of Park Dong-il in April 1991.
The statement did not give any further details.
An official of South Korea National Security Planning Bureau said both Kim Bok-ki and Park Dong-il are currently under detention and interrogation.
According to the Ministry of Defense, about twenty thousands soldiers had not returned after the Korea War and the Ministry believes there are still survivors.
In April this year, an escaped prisoner of war said that he is aware of fifty-to-sixty South Korea soldiers held captive in North Korea at this moment.
Wong See Wah: create a favorable environment next year; Malaysia wants to retain the 10 billion foreign capitals in the stock market
(Kuala Lumpur) According to Deputy Finance Minister of Malaysia, Wong See Wah, foreign exchange control measures are due to expire on September 1 next year (after put into force for one full year).  It is estimated that about 10 billion Malaysian Ringgit of foreign capitals may withdraw from the stock market.  Therefore, the government will adopt different measures to create a favorable investment environment in order to encourage foreign capitals to continue their stay in Malaysia.
Judging from the economic growth in the third quarter, Malaysia's economy has already showed some signs of recovery and hence, the economy should be more stable by next September, he said.  When the market becomes actively again, foreign businessmen may decide to invest in Malaysia again.
Wong See Wah delivered this speech during a current economic synopsis and communication meeting held by the Associated Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Malaysia.
He stressed that the Malaysian government has decided to fix the exchange rate of 1 U.S. Dollars to 3.8 Malaysian Ringgit.  The measure enables investors to do some long term planning about their investment.  Investors do not need to worry about fluctuations in exchange rates and can make a more accurate investment decision.
Foreign exchange control measure will continue in the short run until such time that international monetary markets stabilize, he said.  It is important for the world to set up proper mechanism to control speculative activities and make currency transactions more transparent.  Southeast Asia areas need such systems to avoid future speculative attack by capitalists.
Meanwhile, after receipt of complaints from companies, the Ministry of Finance has made some coordination and, as a result, about 20% of the previously rejected loan applications have now been approved.
He said the Ministry of Finance is going to provide further consultation and assistance to companies that failed to secure necessary loans.  The objective is to ensure that their developments can be carried out as soon as possible and help stimulate economic activities in domestic markets.
Supporting countries include Japan, Australia, New Zealand and Korea: U.S. has no other choice
(Comprehensive report from Tokyo) Japan, Australia, New Zealand and Korea support "Operations Desert Fox" and they think U.S. has no other choice.
Japan Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi supports the air raid action and he urged Baghdad to accept United Nations weapon inspection program without any condition.
Obuchi said in a statement that Iraq failed to provide "enough" support after the weapon inspection program resumed.
"Based on the past state of affairs, our country supports the actions by U.S. and Britain".
Korea also supports the joint air raid by U.S. and Britain.
Australia Prime Minister John Howard said that he has read the report from Butler, chief of delegation, weapon inspection team of United Nations and believes U.S. and Britain have no other choice but to initiate the attack.
France and Germany expressed regret and grief.
The New Zealand Prime Minister Jenny Shipley said in a special statement that the world couldn't sit back and ignore Saddam Hussein's continuing intransigence of a United Nations resolution.
In addition, France expressed regret that U.S. and Britain were compelled to an action.
France Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that leaders of Iraq refused to co-operate with United Nations and have caused this deeply regretted outcome.
Germany is grieved by the military action.  A government spokesman said that Germany has warned Iraq the international community cannot watch Iraq violates an undertaking to United Nations with their arms folded.
Philippines alleges Malaysia trying to occupy a coral reef
Manila correspondent, Fernandez, reports.
According to Philippines officials, Malaysia is another country, apart from China, that posed potential threat to Philippines in Spratly Islands.
A document from Philippines Military Intelligence Bureau indicated that Malaysia had attempted to occupy a coral reef belonging to Philippines.
The document said that Malaysia's attempt to occupy the coral reef is a threat to Philippines security because the geographic location of the reef is quite close to Philippines' Palawan Island.
The document did not mention the date of the incident nor whether the Malaysian army's attempt had succeeded.
In an earlier interview with reporters, Philippines officials said that Malaysia's attempt to occupy the coral reef occurred in August or several months before Philippines found out that the Chinese navy were operating at Mischief reef in November.
They explained that Philippines authority managed to "convince" Malaysia in time and had stopped them from carrying out their plan in the area.  However, the official from Philippines Ministry of Defense did not explain the matter in any further details.
Before Philippines military disclosed the occupation attempt, Philippines President Joseph Estrada refused the army's proposal to control the coral reefs belonging to Philippines.
In the same report, the military called China's facilities in Mischief reef a "spring board", which could be China's preparation work for a final occupation of nearby corals and then to explore oil there.
Yunnan Garden is selling fast -- over half of the 44 units already sold
The Yunnan Garden was launched last weekend and sales have been encouraging.
Up till the day before yesterday, over half of the 44 units were sold.  Actually, 25 units found a buyer.
Nineteen of them are townhouse (in middle of a row) and the average price is 1.06 million dollars.  In addition, six townhouses with a corner lot were sold and the average price is 1.4 million dollars.
Yunnan Gardens is developed by Fujian Guild Hall.  The project has 313 residential units with lots.
All houses have freehold titles.  The project is situated at upper Jalan Jurong within the vicinity of Nanyang Technological University and it occupies an area of 1.3 million square feet.
Before the sale this time, the developer had already launched 139 units before in three different phases.
Phase one was launched in 1991.  The first three phases were all completed and buyers had moved in already.
Last week, the developer appointed Daiyuxiang Property Consulting Company as sales agent and launched 66 units in phase 4.
This phase includes 60 townhouses, two semi-detached houses, one detached house and three shops with residence.  They are section one and two of phase 4 developments.
Compared with phase 3, phase 4 prices are 30% cheaper.
Actually, phase 4 developments consist of 4 sections with 174 units including detached, semi-detached, townhouse, and shops with residence.
The development of first two sections should be completed by March 2000.
According to Daiyuxiang Property Consulting Company, the distinguishing feature of Yunnan Garden dwelling houses is the wide street frontage.
Even the smallest townhouse has space to park two cars.
Thailand welcomes the surrender of Khieu Samphan
Here is the report from our Bangkok correspondent.
Thailand government welcomes the surrender of two key members of Khmer Rouge, namely Khieu Samphan and Nuon Chea, to Phnom Penh.
The spokesman of Ministry of Foreign Affairs said: "The surrender of Khieu and Nuon is an important event for reconciliation of Cambodia and an end to internal conflicts.  This will bring peace to Cambodia and stabilize the region's state of affairs.
Thailand will never support any side of Cambodia that attempts to use Thailand as subversion base, the spokesman reiterated.
As soon as Thailand finds any foreign-armed personnel within the territory of Thailand, the authority will confiscate their weapons and prosecute them.
He said that Thailand signed an extradition agreement with Hun Sen government.  In pursuant to the agreement, Thailand can hand over any criminal wanted by Phnom Penh and let them be tried in Cambodia.
According to information sources in Phnom Penh, Thailand Foreign Minister Dr. Surin Pitsuwan has invited Cambodia Foreign Minister Hor Nam Hong to visit Bangkok early next year. They will discuss security issues along the common border of the two countries; the problem of more than thirty thousand Cambodia refugees stuck in Thailand; and the possibility to resume human resources training assistance.
The ASEAN summit meeting to be held in the middle of this month will decide whether Cambodia is to be admitted as the tenth member of ASEAN.  If that is the case, the summit will authorize the ASEAN Foreign Minister to prepare for an official welcome ceremony at Hanoi.