PALEONTOLOGIST AWARDED
2018-12-11
Chinese paleontologist and evolutionary biologist Zhang Miman was awarded the Science and Technology Achievement Award of the Ho Leung Ho Lee Foundation, the highest award of the foundation.
Born in Nanjing, east Chinas Jiangsu Province, in 1936, Zhang graduated from Moscow University in 1960 and received her Ph.D. from Stockholm University in 1982. She has since been a research professor at the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS).
She was the director of the institute from 1983 to 1991, president of the International Paleontological Association from 1992 to 1996, and president of the Paleontological Society of China from 1993 to 1997. In 1991, she was elected as an academician of CAS.
Zhang has spent decades examining fi sh fossils, some of which date back to the Devonian period, some 400 million years ago. Her discoveries over the past 50 years have helped explain the causes and timeframe for evolving features in certain species of fi sh.
The Ho Leung Ho Lee Foundation is a Chinese non-governmental organization founded in Hong Kong in 1994.
Industrial Workers Rights
Workers Daily November 2
The Communist Party of Chinas Committee and Government of Minxing District in Shanghai recently released a three-year plan on strengthening public services for industrial workers.
Urban policy dictates whether industrial workers can fi nd a home in cities and how well infrastructure such as transportation, healthcare, entertainment and leisure facilities is working for blue collar employees. Issues such as canteen access, rent cost and transportation links all affect their sense of happiness and security and infl uence their decision to settle in an urban location.
However, public services in many places are inadequate, affecting the stability and develop- ment of industrial workers. Migrant workers, who account for the majority of industrial workers, are particularly eager for equal services.
Developing conditions for such workers requires the government to develop feasible policies and ensure their implementation.
Trade unions at all levels should play an active role in improving public services for workers. They should try to secure support from the government by candidly reporting workers living and working conditions while also gleaning the support of private capital. The trade union of Futian District in Shenzhen of south Chinas Guangdong Province has set up canteens in some industrial parks and offi ce buildings of the district using 20 million yuan ($2.9 million) of private capital.
Only if the government, trade unions, trade associations and enterprises work together will workers be able to enjoy superior services, engendering a preferential quality of life.
Shifting Habits in Consumer Finance
Oriental Outlook November 8
Consumer fi nance has gained popularity in China with Millennials and Gen Z the primary force of credit-based consumption in China.
Unlike the elder generations who refrain from making purchases until they have saved enough money, the younger generations conception of finance and consumption has shifted significantly. They are keen to upgrade their consumption habits and improve their quality of life through consumer loans. Some e-commerce platforms have either established their own consumer fi nance models or collaborated with third parties to provide installment services. Ant Financial, the financial arm of ecommerce giant Alibaba, has set up Ant Check Later in 2015 to provide installment loans for consumers.
Compared with traditional loans offered by banks and credit card services, consumer finance is more flexible with a faster approval process and fewer approval criteria. A bank requires information about a customers educational background, marital status, housing status, job and fi nancial health when de-ciding whether to issue a credit card.
However, companies that provide installment loans for consumers should guide young people to use their services appropriately to prevent risk and ensure personal fi scal stability. Ant Check Later has set a limit for its customers under 22 years old with a maximum spend of 2,000 yuan ($289).
The consumer finance industry will begin to self-regulate as competition eliminates weaker players and new requirements are put in place.
Concerns Over Soil Pollution
Guangming Daily October 30
According to the latest research, 21.49 percent of monitoring stations in grain production regions of China have an excessive amount of heavy metal in their soil. The study was conducted by the Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
Though the pollution is classified as medium in a global context, the problem should not be underestimated and has increased by 2 percentage points when compared to 2014 data. Offi cial statistics show that every year 12 million tons of grain is affected by heavy metal pollution which is potentially harmful to health.
Soil pollution is the result of urbanization, with those living in cities willing to pay a higher price for organic vegetables, free of pesticide and chemical fertilizers. They are paying an infl ated price for the negative impacts brought by urbanization.
Areas with the most serious soil pollution are primarily industrial cities and areas between cities and rural areas where industrial waste is discharged.
The effects of soil pollution may not be evident for decades. Therefore, if enterprises continue to pursue economic benefi ts without paying attention to ecological protection, the environment will ultimately suffer.
Strict law enforcement and punishment are also necessary. No leniency should be given to enterprises pursuing economic benefi ts at the cost of the environment, and relevant government officials should be held accountable for soil pollution.
A long-term perspective should be adopted to attach more importance to soil pollution prevention and treatment to improve soil quality.
ALL-CHINA WOMENS FEDERATION PRESIDENT RE-ELECTED
Shen Yueyue was re-elected president of the All-China Womens Federation (ACWF) on November 1.
The fi rst plenary meeting of the 12th ACWF Executive Committee also elected 14 people as the federations vice presidents and 40 as its standing committee members.
Born in January 1957 in Ningbo City of east Chinas Zhejiang Province, Shen holds a masters degree in economic management from the Party School of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC).
She served as secretary of the Zhejiang Provincial Committee of the Communist Youth League of China from 1991 to 1993. She was deputy secretary of the Hangzhou CPC Committee from 1993 to 1997 and secretary of the CPC Committee of Shaoxing City from 1997 to 1998.
She served as director of the Organizational Department of the Zhejiang Provincial CPC Committee and deputy secretary of the CPC Committee of east Chinas Anhui Province before being appointed as deputy director of the Organizational Department of the CPC Central Committee in 2002. She was fi rst elected president of the ACWF in 2013.
“Economic and trade cooperation is still an anchor and propeller for healthy and stable China-U.S. relations. And the essence of the cooperation should be mutual benefit and win-win.”
Chinese Vice President Wang Qishan, at the New Economy Forum in Singapore on November 6
“China will join hands with Africa to uphold the principle of achieving shared growth through discussion and collaboration and promote construction cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative, so as to consolidate the basis of the China-Africa community with a shared future.”
Wang Yang, Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese Peoples Political Consultative Conference, while meeting a delegation from the Economic and Social Councils Union of Africa on November 6
“China is now working with ADB (the Asian Development Bank) to address challenges and share its rich experience with other countries and development partners in Asia and the Pacific… The two sides will maintain close cooperation to ensure the partnership remains responsive to the evolving needs of China and the region.”
Stephen Groff, Vice President of ADB, during the book launch of A Partnership Transformed, a book demonstrating the 30-year cooperation between China and ADB, on November 6
“China is willing to strengthen cooperation with countries along the Belt and Road in scientific research on environmental and climate change, biodiversity, and epidemics and infectious diseases.”
Bai Chunli, President of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, at a press conference during a two-day forum launching the Alliance of International Science Organizations in the Belt and Road Region on November 5