SPACE SCIENTIST RECOGNIZED BY NATURE

Wu Ji， Director of Chinas National Space Science Center in Beijing， has been selected as one of the 10 Science Stars of China featured in Nature magazines online edition published on June 20.

The 10 scientists have made significant impacts in fields ranging from neuroscience and neutrinos to space science and structural biology.

“Wu is hyper-focused on making clear that Chinese research must earn acclaim for its intrinsic value， not just because it is a first for the nation，” says Nature.

Wu， 58， received his bachelors and masters degrees from Beijing University of Post and Telecommunications. He graduated from Technological University of Denmark with a PhD in 1993.

Throughout his career， Wu has been engaged in designing space exploration projects and researching microwave remotesensing technology. He has been involved in Chinas lunar probes， Change-1 （2007）， Change-2 （2010） and Change-3 （2013）， as well as the countrys first Mars probe， Yinghuo-1， which crashed into the Pacific in 2011 along with a Russian launch vehicle.

Tuition Hike Caution

Beijing Times June 20

Since the beginning of this year， educational authorities in several provinces have decided on or are reportedly mulling over a raise in university tuition fees. These moves have caught the publics attention.

Its not to say that university tuition fees cannot be raised， but this should be carried out cautiously. Educational authorities and other relevant government departments must follow explicit rules to ensure the rationality of such increases.

First of all， expenditures in higher learning institutions should be made transparent. This is necessary to prevent extra costs incurred by extravagant or reckless spending from being passed over to students.

In addition， hearings should be held to solicit the publics feedback on possible adjustments to tuition standards.

According to a set of guidelines issued by the Central Government on the management of university tuitions， the government and the school are obliged to cover the majority of a students education costs.

Although higher education is not compulsory in China， most universities are publicfunded and should therefore shoulder more social responsibilities. Universities that have increased their tuition charges should set aside a certain proportion of their revenues to support students from impoverished families.

A Key Economic Policy-Maker

China Newsweek June 13

The Central Leading Group on Financial and Economic Affairs， a key economic policymaking institution that used to keep a lowprofile， has become increasingly open to the public in recent years.

On June 13， 2014， Xinhua News Agency reported on a meeting of the group on energy security strategies. The meeting was presided over by President Xi Jinping， who is also the groups head. Premier Li Keqiang took part in the meeting as deputy head.

This was the first coverage of the groups activities by an official media outlet since its establishment in 1980 and also the first time the identities of the groups leaders were made public.

Since then， the group and its office have frequently appeared in media reports.

The tasks of the Office of the Central Leading Group on Financial and Economic Affairs involve conducting surveys and research， providing policy recommendations on major economic issues， and organizing the annual Central Economic Work Conference that lays out arrangements for the next few years and beyond.

Its most pressing task at present is to push forward and implement various economic reform agendas. For instance， in order to promote the supply-side structural reform proposed by Xi at the end of last year， leading officials of the office conducted three successive field investigations in Jiangsu Province alone from March to April.

The leadership of the office has also expanded from one director and three deputy directors in early 2013 to one director and six deputy directors at present. According to official biographies and media reports， the incumbents are experts in the areas of macroeconomic management， reform， agriculture and finance. It can be expected that the office will play a more prominent role in Chinas economic reform.

Discipline Is Paramount

Beijing Youth Daily June 20

Hong Sheng， a vice mayor of a town in east Chinas Anhui Province， was recently put under investigation for offering paid ride services during work hours.

Hong said that he was working part-time as a driver for a car-hailing company in order to pay the debts of a gout treatment that he took in April. Hong has gotten divorced and provides for his son and parents on a salary of merely 3，000 yuan （$456） a month. The gout treatment cost him 18，000 yuan （$2，736）， tantamount to half of his yearly salary.

After Hongs difficult financial conditions were reported by the media， many people have shown sympathy toward him instead of criticizing his dereliction of duty.

Nevertheless， such opinions have lost sight of the larger picture. Offering paid ride services during work hours undoubtedly violates the rules of civil service. Also， according to an ordinance governing Communist Party of China members effective since January 1， civil servants should attain consent from higher authorities in order to engage in business activities. The vice mayor in question violated that rule too.

The publics sympathy toward Hong actually displays their contempt of corruption. But， this cannot become an excuse that allows him to escape disciplinary sanctions.

On the other hand， the publics aversion to corruption forms the foundation for the anti-graft drive and pushes the campaign forward.

VETERAN DIPLOMAT KILLED BY ACCIDENT

Wu Jianmin， former Chinese ambassador to France， has died at the age of 77. He was killed in a car accident on June 18 in Wuhan， capital of central Chinas Hubei Province.

Wu was on his way to give a lecture. The cause of the accident remains under investigation.

Wu joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1959 after graduating from Beijing Foreign Studies University. He was part of the first delegation sent by the Peoples Republic of China （PRC） to the UN in 1971 when the PRC resumed its legitimate seat at the world body. From 1991 to 1994， he was a spokesman for the ministry. After that， he served as Chinas ambassador to the Netherlands （1994-95）， the UN Office at Geneva and Other International Organizations in Switzerland （1996-98） and France（1998-2003）.

He is also the first Asian to take up the post as president of the International Exhibitions Bureau in 2003-07.

Following his retirement in 2009， Wu was actively involved in facilitating communication between China and the world.

“If we do not take action to preserve the area， we risk losing one of the best astronomical sites on Earth.”

Wang Xiaohua， head of the Chinese branch of the International Dark-Sky Association， on Chinas first dark-sky reserve in Ngari Prefecture， Tibet Autonomous Region， at a news briefing on June 21. The reserve aims to limit light pollution in the area

“It is a human right， where every human person and all peoples are entitled to participate in， contribute to and enjoy development in which all rights and freedoms can be fully realized.”

Martin Khor， Executive Director of the Geneva-based South Center， commenting on the “right to development，” a concept adopted by the UN General Assembly three decades ago， in a recent interview

“His down-to-earth style， wonderful sense of humor， and warm personality served to reinforce his formidable intellect and passion for economics.”

Christine Lagarde， IMF Managing Director， praising Zhu Min， the first Chinese deputy managing director of the fund who is to leave office when his five-year term expires in late July， in a statement on June 21

“More and more countries have shown their support and understanding on Chinas stance after getting a clear picture of the background of the South China Sea issue.”

Hua Chunying， Foreign Ministry spokesperson， pointing out that dozens of countries， including Cambodia， Zambia and Serbia， have expressed their endorsement of Chinas position on the issue at a regular briefing on June 21