30,000 UDD supporters expected on 12 Mar rally
BANGKOK, 11 March 2011 (NNT) – The Center for the Administration of Peace and Order (CAPO) has expected that about 30,000 supporters would show up in the upcoming mass gathering of the United Front of Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD).
CAPO and National Police Spokesperson Police Major General Prawut Thavornsiri admitted that the CAPO is worrying over the upcoming mass rally since scores of UDD supporters are anticipated to join in the demonstration on 12 March 2011.
The Metropolitan Police Bureau, therefore, has been tasked with negotiating with UDD key leaders on the setting up of police checkpoints around the protest areas in order to prevent ill-intentioned people from bringing weapons into the rally site in a bid to trigger violence.
The UDD has already confirmed that all seven recently released UDD key leaders will speak on stage on 12 March while ex-Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra will be making a video-link talk with his supporters.
On behalf of the CAPO, the spokesperson has advised the UDD co-leaders that they should speak appropriately and avoid breaching bail conditions prescribed by the court; otherwise, their bails could be withdrawn.
Saturday, 12 March 2011
Saturday, 5 March 2011
Foreign Students in China
BEIJING - The number of foreign students in China has risen dramatically, hitting a record high of more than 260,000 in 2010, according to statistics released by the Ministry of Education (MOE) on Thursday.
A total of 265,090 foreign students from 194 countries came that year to study in China's 620 universities, research institutes and educational institutions, the ministry said.
The number had been 240,000 the year before, according to the ministry.
The ministry said it plans to use cooperative educational programs to draw 500,000 foreign students to China by 2020.
The central government provided 800 million yuan ($121.7 million) in scholarships to such students in 2010 and local governments offered about 110 million yuan in scholarships, according to Zhang Xiuqin, director of the department of international cooperation and exchange under the MOE.
The government scholarship benefited a total of 22,390 international students last year. That was 22.7 percent more than had been helped in 2009.
Although the majority of the foreign students enrolled in Chinese schools last year came from Asian countries, the number of students from Western countries increased, official statistics show.
South Korea sent the largest group, followed by the United States, Japan, Thailand, Vietnam, Russia, Indonesia, India, Kazakhstan and Pakistan.
France and Mongolia each sent 5,000 students in 2010.
The Ministry of Education is working with the US to implement a four-year education program initiated by President Hu Jintao and his US counterpart Barack Obama.
US students in China are set to become one of the largest of the foreign groups, as Beijing and Washington work together to bring 100,000 students to China in the next four years, education officials say.
The exchange went both ways.
A total of 265,090 foreign students from 194 countries came that year to study in China's 620 universities, research institutes and educational institutions, the ministry said.
The number had been 240,000 the year before, according to the ministry.
The ministry said it plans to use cooperative educational programs to draw 500,000 foreign students to China by 2020.
The central government provided 800 million yuan ($121.7 million) in scholarships to such students in 2010 and local governments offered about 110 million yuan in scholarships, according to Zhang Xiuqin, director of the department of international cooperation and exchange under the MOE.
The government scholarship benefited a total of 22,390 international students last year. That was 22.7 percent more than had been helped in 2009.
Although the majority of the foreign students enrolled in Chinese schools last year came from Asian countries, the number of students from Western countries increased, official statistics show.
South Korea sent the largest group, followed by the United States, Japan, Thailand, Vietnam, Russia, Indonesia, India, Kazakhstan and Pakistan.
France and Mongolia each sent 5,000 students in 2010.
The Ministry of Education is working with the US to implement a four-year education program initiated by President Hu Jintao and his US counterpart Barack Obama.
US students in China are set to become one of the largest of the foreign groups, as Beijing and Washington work together to bring 100,000 students to China in the next four years, education officials say.
The exchange went both ways.
Friday, 4 March 2011
China Women: Tourism
Three women tourists enjoy a walk by the West Lake in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, on Feb 23. Shi Jianxue / for China Daily
BEIJING - Well-educated and well-paid single Chinese women were at the forefront of a boom in travel by the country's women in 2010.
According to the 2010 Trend Report of Women's Travel, the amount of travel by Chinese women increased by 20 percent last year, with well-educated and well-paid single women becoming the main force in the tourism market.
Travel expenditure per capita by women on the Chinese mainland was 4,300 yuan ($655) in 2010, and the 20-percent year-on-year rise was much larger than the 9- percent increase for men.
Qunar.com, the world's largest online travel search engine in Chinese, released the report. The Beijing-based site was launched in 2005.
According to Dai Zheng, vice-president of Qunar.com, women's growing spending power has led to more of them choosing travel as a way to cosset themselves, especially well-educated and well-paid single women, who travel for relaxation and self-improvement.
Zhang Jing, 31, who works for a consulting company in Shanghai and earns nearly 20,000 yuan monthly, spent 15,000 yuan on travel last year, including a trip to the Tibet autonomous region in Southwest China and another to Singapore.
"Travel not only releases work pressure, but also opens up my horizon on the world. I like to see and experience how others live," said Zhang, who plans to visit Thailand in May with two female friends who are both around 30 years of age.
"Women are active in all of our travel projects. I definitely feel that it's mostly women who are interested in our products," said Zhao Huijin, who works in the booking center of the E-commerce department of China International Travel Service (CITS).
Zhao's remarks to China Daily were echoed by the report, which said more than 65 percent of decisions about travel products and travel expenditure were made by women.
In addition, women tended to be more demanding of hotels, and preferred to comment and find fault with hotels. On the forum at Qunar.com, women made nearly 70 percent of the comments on hotels.
Women's more active participation in travel means that when the industry's decision-makers develop new travel products they take greater note of women's views about travel.
In recent years, products targeted at women have appeared, such as women's hotels, certain hotel floors especially reserved for women, and travel themed around shopping, healthcare and relaxation.
Le Meridien, a five-star hotel in Xiamen, Fujian province, set up a floor tailored for women customers in July 2010.
Adding to the high quality of certain facilities that women care about most, such as excellent sound insulation, the 32 suites on this floor are also equipped with products especially for women, including fresh fruits, low-calorie food, yoga mats, bath salts, facial masks and hangers for silk clothes.
"These rooms are warmly appreciated by ladies, and we hope to meet women customers' needs both physically and psychologically through appropriate care," said Wang Yan, assistant manager of the hotel's marketing and communication department.
The report also revealed that women's choice of destination is strongly influenced by fashion. They enjoy traveling to scenic spots featured in the latest romantic movies and TV dramas.
Shanghai Life Span
SHANGHAI - The life span of Shanghai residents has surpassed 82 years, the longest in the country, the municipality's health authorities have revealed.
By the end of 2010, the average life span of the city's residents was 82.13 years, eclipsing the figure of 81.73 set in 2009, according to the annual report released by the municipal health bureau on Thursday.
By the end of 2010, the average life span of the city's residents was 82.13 years, eclipsing the figure of 81.73 set in 2009, according to the annual report released by the municipal health bureau on Thursday.
China and India each increase military spending in 2011 by over ten percent
4 March 2011 China says it will boost its defence budget in 2011
China's military power is keeping pace with its growing economic dominance.
China will raise its defence budget by 12.7% in 2011, a government spokesman has said.
Spending will increase to 601.1bn yuan ($91.5bn; £56.2bn) up from 532.1bn yuan last year.
The announcement comes a day ahead of the annual National People's Congress, at which the Communist Party will outline its five-year plan.
China has been building up its military, causing anxiety to a number of countries in the region.
"China's modernisation of its military and increased activity is, along with insufficient transparency, a matter of concern," Yuki Edna, Japan's chief cabinet secretary, said on Thursday.
Relations have been strained between China and Japan over disputed isles in the South China Sea, where there are large potential reserves of oil and gas.
Build-up
China's defence budget was increased by 7.5% in 2010, after double-digit jumps in recent years.
"There's no two ways about the fact that China's military is getting much more powerful," said Duncan Innes-Kerr of the Economist Intelligence Unit in Beijing.
"Its ability going forward to overwhelm opponents is clearly increasing," he added.
However, analysts say there is a low chance of a military conflict over disputed territories in the region.
"Territorial claims are a secondary concern for China compared to domestic economic growth and stability," said Mr Innes-Kerr.
Other countries in the region are also beefing up their military strength.
Last week, India announced an increase of 11.6% in annual defence spending, an increase from 4% last year.
China's military power is keeping pace with its growing economic dominance.
China will raise its defence budget by 12.7% in 2011, a government spokesman has said.
Spending will increase to 601.1bn yuan ($91.5bn; £56.2bn) up from 532.1bn yuan last year.
The announcement comes a day ahead of the annual National People's Congress, at which the Communist Party will outline its five-year plan.
China has been building up its military, causing anxiety to a number of countries in the region.
"China's modernisation of its military and increased activity is, along with insufficient transparency, a matter of concern," Yuki Edna, Japan's chief cabinet secretary, said on Thursday.
Relations have been strained between China and Japan over disputed isles in the South China Sea, where there are large potential reserves of oil and gas.
Build-up
China's defence budget was increased by 7.5% in 2010, after double-digit jumps in recent years.
"There's no two ways about the fact that China's military is getting much more powerful," said Duncan Innes-Kerr of the Economist Intelligence Unit in Beijing.
"Its ability going forward to overwhelm opponents is clearly increasing," he added.
However, analysts say there is a low chance of a military conflict over disputed territories in the region.
"Territorial claims are a secondary concern for China compared to domestic economic growth and stability," said Mr Innes-Kerr.
Other countries in the region are also beefing up their military strength.
Last week, India announced an increase of 11.6% in annual defence spending, an increase from 4% last year.
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