News & Reports 2011-06-04

 Hello and Welcome to News and Reports on China Radio International.

 

In This Edition

 

Chinese Defense¹ Minister Liang Guanglie attends an Asia-Pacific security meeting known as the Shangri-La Dialogue for the first time.

 

The Greek government has reportedly managed to work out a deal for a new bail-out package with its European partners in Vienna.

 

China says it has met its pollution reduction targets in the 11th Five-Year Plan between 2006 and 2010.

 

And the President of WildAid, an NGO dedicated² to wild animals' protection, shares his views with CRI on the challenge of fighting illegal animal trade.

 

 

Hot Issue Reports

 

Chinese DM to Attend Shangri-La Dialogue

Chinese Defense Minister Liang Guanglie is now in Singapore to attend an Asia-Pacific security meeting, known as the Shangri-La Dialogue.

 

As CRI's He Fei reports, this is the first time for a Chinese defense minister to attend this particular meeting.

 

The annual Shangri-La Dialogue attracts defense ministers and senior military leaders from 27 countries and regions in the Asia-Pacific theatre.

 

The meetings have been going since 2002.

 

Chinese Defense Minister Liang Guanglie is set to deliver a speech at the meeting.

 

It's expected his speech will focus mostly on how China is dealing³ with international security.

 

Guan Youfei is a spokesperson for the Defense Ministry⁵.

 

"This is the first time that a Chinese defense minister has attended the Shangri-La dialogue. The visit demonstrates the importance China puts toward the preservation⁶ and improvement of security in the Asia-Pacific region."

 

Organized by the International Institute for Strategic Studies, the Shangri-La Dialogue is said to be one of -- if not THE -- most important security meetings in the Asia-Pacific Region.

 

Even though this is the first time for the Chinese Defense Minister to be at the meeting, China has been represented at the Shangri-La since 2007.

 

This year, the dialogue is set to see a special discussion taking place around "China's international security cooperation".

The Chinese military has been putting itself out more in the region recently.

 

In the last two months, senior officials with the People's Liberation Army have made stops in 6 Asian countries.

 

Senior Colonel Ouyang Wei, a military analyst⁷, says it's important for China to be more involved in the region when it comes to security.

 

"China is paying close attention to multilateral security cooperation. Forums⁸ like the Shangri-La Dialogue are quite important for strengthening the communication between defense ministers and army leaders in the region. China's active participation⁹ in the dialogue also highlights China's need to cooperate on the international stage."

 

Chinese Defense Minister Liang Guanglie will also meet with his counterparts from the United States, Singapore and other countries on the sidelines of the meeting.

 

The meeting with the American side will be the third time in a month that Liang Guanglie will meet with his American counterpart.

 

Military analyst Ouyang Wei says multilateral discussions like the Shangri-La meeting are a good way to set and maintain relationships.

 

"Frequent meetings and communication between defense ministers and army leaders have favorable effects in maintaining peace in the region. What they are looking for is to set up a systematic¹⁰, cooperative relationship."

 

The Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore runs until Sunday.

 

For CRI, I'm He Fei.

 

Russian Arms Depot¹¹ Blasts Kill 2, Wound 42 in Volga Region

A series of large explosions at a military arsenal¹² in Russia has now killed 2 people.

 

42 others have been hurt in the blasts, which have ripped through the military installation in the Volga region of central Russia.

 

Some 28-thousand people have now been evacuated¹³ from the area.

 

"(We were) sleeping. I grabbed the child, and can you see, I myself am in a nightgown? My daughter called in anger - what is going on there, (she asked). I said we are exploding - where are we to go? What to do with the child?"

 

The Russian Defense Ministry says the intensity¹⁴ of explosions has decreased.

 

However, officials are still not able to say when the explosions will stop completely.

 

Local reports suggest the military installation is mainly used to store and dispose ammunition¹⁵.

 

This is the second explosion at an arms depot in Russia in the past two weeks.

 

Greece New Bail-out Package 'Agreed'

Reports indicate that the Greek government has now managed to work out a deal for a new bail-out package with its European partners in Vienna.

 

The new three-year plan is said to supersede¹⁶ Greece's existing 110 billion euro EU and IMF bail-out.

 

The plan will reportedly see Greece cut another 6.4 billion euros from it spending, while at the same time, try to save some 50-billion through privatization.

 

In return, Greece is being offered some form of debt reduction.

 

While all this is taking place, employees of the Hellenic Telecommunications Organization are now on a nationwide, 24 hour strike amid fears many of them are going to lose their jobs in the cuts.

 

"This is a national crime, it is the biggest betrayal of the Greek people. It is something that will not have a successful result, because the funds from the sale of OTE will not be enough to solve the huge problem that has been created all these years from bad management and wasteful¹⁷ spending in this country. And now we are the ones who are going to pay for all of this."

 

The privatisation plan is being backed by officials in the EU, though implementing¹⁸ it in the politically-unstable country is another matter.

 

Chinese Companies Listing in the US

To list on one of the US stock exchanges has now become the latest trend among Chinese companies trying to drum up cash from the overseas markets.

 

However, as a number of Chinese companies have discovered, the road to being a public entity¹⁹ in the United States isn't always a smooth one.

 

Recently, US-listed Longtop Financial Technologies has come under US regulatory scrutiny²⁰ for alleged²¹ fraudulent reporting of its financials.

 

For more on the challenges Chinese companies face trying to list, and remain listed, in the US, CRI's Zheng Chenguang spoke⁴ with international lawyer Rocky Lee with Cadwalader.

 

China's Pollution Reduction Meets Targets Set for 11th Five-Year Plan

The central authorities here in China now say that this country has met it's pollution reduction targets in the 11th Five-Year Plan between 2006 and 2010.

 

The authorities have now released new figures show emission²² of sulfur²³ dioxide has been reduced by nearly 14.3 percent.

 

Chemical oxygen demand has been reduced by nearly 12.5 percent since 2005.

 

Vice²⁴ Environmental Protection Minister Li Ganjie is stressing, though, that the next 5-years is still going to bring a lot of environmental challenges with it for China.

 

"The environmental pollution is some areas is very serious. Heavy chemical industry takes up a large part of industrial pollution emission. The new environmental problems, such as electric waste, are emerging. The emergency situation and pollution incident are also at it peak period as social issues triggered by environmental pollution are increasing."

 

Li Ganjie says the Environmental Protection ministry has been making the best preparations it can for the changing environmental situation here in China.

 

"We will protect the drinking water source by improving the protection of key basins area, making out joint²⁵ prevention plans for air pollutions in the next five years, improving the system for preventing vehicle pollutions."

 

Li says several government departments are now working on creating legislation to deal with the pollution caused by heavy metals.

 

The Foremost Task of Building a Comprehensive Children's Welfare System in China

Experts are now suggesting that children need a stronger voice within government.

 

As CRI's Su Yi reports, this suggestion comes in a report designed to try to help the central government here in China put together a new welfare system for children.

 

The report is jointly²⁶ released by the Ministry of Civil Affairs, the United Nations Children's Fund and Beijing Normal University.

 

It suggests that 60 billion RMB, or about 9 billion US dollars' of government investment will be needed to cover the nationwide children's health insurance, handicapped children and pre-school education.

 

Professor Shang Xiaoyuan from Beijing Normal University says to make the utmost use of the investment, a mechanism²⁷ directly linking governmental resources to targeted children is crucial.

 

"The government has allocated²⁸ a special fund giving each orphan²⁹ in the country 600 yuan per month, which addresses the need of a mechanism. Currently in many areas, this money is distributed under the country's basic living allowance system. But more detailed³⁰ works are needed to supervise and ensure that orphans³¹ are the actual beneficiaries."

 

A pilot scheme, launched by the three parties which released the report, is underway in five provinces to cope with the need.

 

Gillian Mellsop, UNICEF Representative to China, tells more:

 

"The key innovation of the program is that in each of the 120 villages there is a child welfare director who looks after vulnerable children to make sure they go to school, their health is ok and they get the right care."

 

Community-based children centers are also to be built in remote and impoverished³² areas under the scheme, according to the UN representative.

 

Such a center can ensure that vulnerable children receive care and support on family, kinship and community bases.

 

"All our research shows is that children develop best within a family sitting, within a community sitting, not in an institutional sitting. And I think that is really what a lot of other countries have now come to, and I think China is well on the way, what social protection and welfare for children is all working toward social cohesion³³, so that we reduce the inequity between the rich and poor so that every child has their opportunities to develop to their full potential and then China will develop its full potential as well."

 

According to the report on China's children's welfare system, the number of children who lost their parents, or who are handicapped, abandoned in rural areas or affected³⁴ by HIV has exceeded 60 million.

 

For CRI, this is Su Yi.

 

The World Environment Day

Sunday, June 5th, is World Environment Day.

 

As always, various campaigns hope to use the day to highlight concerns about the environment around the world.

 

One of the NGO's working here in China is called WildAid.

 

It's mandate³⁵ is to try to stop the illegal trade of wild animals and animal parts.

 

Earlier, CRI's Paul James talked with Steve Trent, President of WildAid on the challenge of fighting illegal animal trade.

 

Newspaper Picks

 

Xinhua News: Luxury private clubs here in China are under the spotlight³⁶ as the government says it is launching an investigation³⁷ into illegal clubs run by museums and other cultural heritage sites. It comes hot on the heels of the discovery of the Forbidden City's Jianfu Palace luxury club that cost members 1-million-yuan in fees. It caused public outcry last month when news leaked out online of the secret club being held in one of Beijings oldest and much loved heritage sites. This story is one to keep an eye on in the press and it could be interesting to see what turns up as a result of the investigation.

1 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

2 dedicated   

adj.一心一意的；献身的；热诚的

参考例句：

• He dedicated his life to the cause of education.他献身于教育事业。
• His whole energies are dedicated to improve the design.他的全部精力都放在改进这项设计上了。

3 dealing   

n.经商方法，待人态度

参考例句：

• This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
• His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。

4 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

5 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

6 preservation   

n.保护，维护，保存，保留，保持

参考例句：

• The police are responsible for the preservation of law and order.警察负责维持法律与秩序。
• The picture is in an excellent state of preservation.这幅画保存得极为完好。

7 analyst   

n.分析家，化验员；心理分析学家

参考例句：

• What can you contribute to the position of a market analyst?你有什么技能可有助于市场分析员的职务？
• The analyst is required to interpolate values between standards.分析人员需要在这些标准中插入一些值。

8 forums   

讨论会； 座谈会； 广播专题讲话节目； 集会的公共场所( forum的名词复数 )； 论坛，讨论会，专题讨论节目； 法庭

参考例句：

• A few of the forums were being closely monitored by the administrators. 有些论坛被管理员严密监控。
• It can cast a dark cloud over these forums. 它将是的论坛上空布满乌云。

9 participation   

n.参与，参加，分享

参考例句：

• Some of the magic tricks called for audience participation.有些魔术要求有观众的参与。
• The scheme aims to encourage increased participation in sporting activities.这个方案旨在鼓励大众更多地参与体育活动。

10 systematic   

adj.有系统的，有计划的，有方法的

参考例句：

• The way he works isn't very systematic.他的工作不是很有条理。
• The teacher made a systematic work of teaching.这个教师进行系统的教学工作。

11 depot   

n.仓库，储藏处；公共汽车站；火车站

参考例句：

• The depot is only a few blocks from here.公共汽车站离这儿只有几个街区。
• They leased the building as a depot.他们租用这栋大楼作仓库。

12 arsenal   

n.兵工厂，军械库

参考例句：

• Even the workers at the arsenal have got a secret organization.兵工厂工人暗中也有组织。
• We must be the great arsenal of democracy.我们必须成为民主的大军火库。

13 evacuated   

撤退者的

参考例句：

• Police evacuated nearby buildings. 警方已将附近大楼的居民疏散。
• The fireman evacuated the guests from the burning hotel. 消防队员把客人们从燃烧着的旅馆中撤出来。

14 intensity   

n.强烈，剧烈；强度；烈度

参考例句：

• I didn't realize the intensity of people's feelings on this issue.我没有意识到这一问题能引起群情激奋。
• The strike is growing in intensity.罢工日益加剧。

15 ammunition   

n.军火，弹药

参考例句：

• A few of the jeeps had run out of ammunition.几辆吉普车上的弹药已经用光了。
• They have expended all their ammunition.他们把弹药用光。

16 supersede   

v.替代；充任

参考例句：

• We must supersede old machines by new ones.我们必须以新机器取代旧机器。
• The use of robots will someday supersede manual labor.机器人的使用有一天会取代人力。

17 wasteful   

adj.（造成）浪费的，挥霍的

参考例句：

• It is a shame to be so wasteful.这样浪费太可惜了。
• Duties have been reassigned to avoid wasteful duplication of work.为避免重复劳动浪费资源，任务已经重新分派。

18 implementing   

v.实现( implement的现在分词 )；执行；贯彻；使生效

参考例句：

• -- Implementing a comprehensive drug control strategy. ――实行综合治理的禁毒战略。 来自汉英非文学 - 白皮书
• He was in no hurry about implementing his unshakable principle. 他并不急于实行他那不可动摇的原则。 来自辞典例句

19 entity   

n.实体，独立存在体，实际存在物

参考例句：

• The country is no longer one political entity.这个国家不再是一个统一的政治实体了。
• As a separate legal entity,the corporation must pay taxes.作为一个独立的法律实体，公司必须纳税。

20 scrutiny   

n.详细检查，仔细观察

参考例句：

• His work looks all right,but it will not bear scrutiny.他的工作似乎很好，但是经不起仔细检查。
• Few wives in their forties can weather such a scrutiny.很少年过四十的妻子经得起这么仔细的观察。

21 alleged   

a.被指控的，嫌疑的

参考例句：

• It was alleged that he had taken bribes while in office. 他被指称在任时收受贿赂。
• alleged irregularities in the election campaign 被指称竞选运动中的不正当行为

22 emission   

n.发出物，散发物；发出，散发

参考例句：

• Rigorous measures will be taken to reduce the total pollutant emission.采取严格有力措施，降低污染物排放总量。
• Finally,the way to effectively control particulate emission is pointed out.最后，指出有效降低颗粒排放的方向。

23 sulfur   

n.硫，硫磺（=sulphur）

参考例句：

• Sulfur emissions from steel mills become acid rain.炼钢厂排放出的硫形成了酸雨。
• Burning may produce sulfur oxides.燃烧可能会产生硫氧化物。

24 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

25 joint   

adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合

参考例句：

• I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。
• We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。

26 jointly   

ad.联合地，共同地

参考例句：

• Tenants are jointly and severally liable for payment of the rent. 租金由承租人共同且分别承担。
• She owns the house jointly with her husband. 她和丈夫共同拥有这所房子。

27 mechanism   

n.机械装置；机构，结构

参考例句：

• The bones and muscles are parts of the mechanism of the body.骨骼和肌肉是人体的组成部件。
• The mechanism of the machine is very complicated.这台机器的结构是非常复杂的。

28 allocated   

adj. 分配的 动词allocate的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• The Ford Foundation allocated millions of dollars for cancer research. 福特基金会拨款数百万美元用于癌症研究。
• More funds will now be allocated to charitable organizations. 现在会拨更多的资金给慈善组织。

29 orphan   

n.孤儿；adj.无父母的

参考例句：

• He brought up the orphan and passed onto him his knowledge of medicine.他把一个孤儿养大，并且把自己的医术传给了他。
• The orphan had been reared in a convent by some good sisters.这个孤儿在一所修道院里被几个好心的修女带大。

30 detailed   

adj.详细的，详尽的，极注意细节的，完全的

参考例句：

• He had made a detailed study of the terrain.他对地形作了缜密的研究。
• A detailed list of our publications is available on request.我们的出版物有一份详细的目录备索。

31 orphans   

孤儿( orphan的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The poor orphans were kept on short commons. 贫苦的孤儿们吃不饱饭。
• Their uncle was declared guardian to the orphans. 这些孤儿的叔父成为他们的监护人。

32 impoverished   

adj.穷困的，无力的，用尽了的v.使（某人）贫穷( impoverish的过去式和过去分词 )；使（某物）贫瘠或恶化

参考例句：

• the impoverished areas of the city 这个城市的贫民区
• They were impoverished by a prolonged spell of unemployment. 他们因长期失业而一贫如洗。 来自《简明英汉词典》

33 cohesion   

n.团结，凝结力

参考例句：

• I had to bring some cohesion into the company.我得使整个公司恢复凝聚力。
• The power of culture is deeply rooted in the vitality,creativity and cohesion of a nation. 文化的力量，深深熔铸在民族的生命力、创造力和凝聚力之中。

34 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

35 mandate   

n.托管地；命令，指示

参考例句：

• The President had a clear mandate to end the war.总统得到明确的授权结束那场战争。
• The General Election gave him no such mandate.大选并未授予他这种权力。

36 spotlight   

n.公众注意的中心，聚光灯，探照灯，视听，注意，醒目

参考例句：

• This week the spotlight is on the world of fashion.本周引人瞩目的是时装界。
• The spotlight followed her round the stage.聚光灯的光圈随着她在舞台上转。

37 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。