China is set to begin a strict spot-check campaign to prevent local government liaison offices in Beijing that have been shut down from reopening or relocating.

The move is aimed at consolidating the country's anti-corruption efforts and eliminating local government offices in the capital, many of which have been criticized for allegedly bribing central government officials and wasting public funds, according to a press release from the Government Offices Administration of the State Council. 

A total of 625 of the 971 offices have been shut down as of last November. Two hundred and ninety-six offices representing major cities, as well as 50 offices representing China's provinces and special economic zones, have remained open. 

The administration will strengthen its supervision of the office closures, adding that local governments should establish a self-auditing mechanism to prevent the reopening of the offices, according to the press release.

 

Shanghai subway to resume normal operation after crash injures hundreds

Shanghai's Line 10 subway will resume normal operation on Sunday after a rear-end collision on Sept. 27 injured nearly 300 passengers.

Subway authorities say a speed limit on the subway's trains will be lifted after a thorough inspection has been conducted.

 

Over 17,000 arrested in crackdown on illegal food production, gambling, drug trafficking

Over 36,000 cases were investigated and more than 17,000 suspects detained during the first 45 days of a nationwide crackdown on illegal food production, gambling, drug trafficking and other offenses, according to public security authorities.A statement issued by China's Ministry of Public Security summarized the "preliminary progress" of the campaign, stating that over 7 thousand venues used for illegal activity have been shut down so far. 

The campaign was launched in late Aug. to eliminate illegal food producers and vendors, factories producing counterfeit goods and markets built for the disposal of stolen goods, pornography, gambling and drug trafficking.

 

Number of Chinese security engineers to rise to 250,000 by 2015: work safety watchdog

China’s work safety watchdog says the country aims to boost its total number of certified security engineers (CSEs) to 250,000 by the end of 2015.

It says in a statement China has registered a total of 153,000 CSEs since the establishment of a professional qualification system in 2002.

 The government aims to raise the number of CSEs and assistant CSEs to 250,000 and 500,000 by 2015, an increase of 70 percent and 25 percent from 2010, respectively.The statement says a greater number of CSEs will help improve the country's work safety management.

 

China's rail transport sees greater-than-expected increases in first three quarters: MOR

China's Ministry of Railways (MOR) says it transported more travelers and goods than it expected during the first three quarters of this year.

The ministry says it carried more than 1.4 billion travelers in the first nine months, up over 11 percent year-on-year. The figure accounted for over 75 percent of the ministry's full-year target. 

The ministry attributes the increase to the operation of newly-built high-speed railways, optimized operating schedules and improved services.

 

U.S. Senate apologizes for discriminating laws targeting Chinese

The U.S. Senate has apologized for the country's discriminating laws targeting Chinese immigrants at the turn of 20th century, and the Chinese American community said it brings a sense of closure and justice to their community. 

The Senate passed the resolution with unanimous consent. It acknowledged the contributions made by Chinese immigrants to U.S. economic growth in the late 19th century and the start of 20th century, and recounted injustices, including the Chinese Exclusion Laws, done to the Chinese community.

 

Chinese experts working on new ways to "inject" hepatitis vaccines 

Chinese scientists are developing new methods like spraying or dropping hepatitis vaccines into people's noses to replace traditional injections, according to a leading expert on immunology.

Such researches were sponsored by a key national science project, according to Wen Yumei, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, also the chairwoman of the 14th International Symposium on Viral Hepatitis and Liver Disease, which is scheduled to be held in Shanghai next July.