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- December, 1998
- November, 1998
- October, 1998
- September, 1998
- August, 1998
- July, 1998
- June, 1998
- May, 1998
- April, 1998
- March, 1998
- February, 1998
- January, 1998
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1998---March
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The Central Bank recently
announced its plan to reduce saving rate by 0.16%
and loan rate by 0.6%. The new rates became effective
on March 25.
White pollution, the environmental
term describing the scattering of millions of plastic
snack boxes, is expected to be alleviated with the
introduction of paper-pulp boxes.
A merge between East China
Architecture Institute and Shanghai Architecture
Institute is underway. The two famous giants in
building-designing will form a group company under
the name of Shanghai Modern Architecture (Group)
Co.
It has been 10 years since
the city first issued welfare lottery tickets. So
far it has collected more than US$49 million and
helped thousands of physically challenged people.
Shanghai will tentatively
adopt a new college entrance-examination system
under which the student is required to sit in for
three basic subjects (Chinese, Maths and English)
and additional subject chosen by the student himself.
Shanghai plans to set up
50 industrial projects in provinces throughout China
as part of the city's strategy to promote economic
development in other parts of the country.
The city will launch 10
key projects this year as part of its three- year
program to update local industries which include
the production of air -conditioner compressor, ethylene,
large turbines, power generators, carbon black,
etc.
A recent survey shows that
87% of Shanghai citizens have received at least
a primary school education. This is higher than
the national average of 76%.
This year the senior middle
schools in Shanghai will enrol about 72,000 junior
middle school graduates. And the key senior middle
schools (opposed to ordinary) will enrol 15% students
with recommendations.
Shanghai's New Huangpu Group,
one of the biggest real estate developers, has promised
to exchange its 300 apartments for Fudan University's
achievements in scientific research.
March 22 is the World Water
Day. Government leaders have emphasized the importance
of the reasonable use of water resources.
Premier Zhu Rongji said
in a press conference that the main task of this
administration will be science & technology and
education.
The first phase of 98-kilometer
Outer Ring Road will open to traffic at the end
of this year. The new road is expected to alleviate
the heavy traffic flow between urban areas and the
suburbs.
The weather plunged suddenly,
and the drop reached 10 degrees Centigrade. Snow
started to fell in the afternoon of March 20, which
is a rare sight in the middle part of march.
Zhu Rongji was elected premier
on March 17. A new cabinet was formed the next day.
The vice-premiers include Li Lanqing, Qian Qichen,
Wu Bangguo and Wen Jiabao.
The 5th Stonetech Shanghai
'98 will be held at Shanghai Exhibition Center from
April 1 to 4, which will mainly feature granite
products.
In the first two months
this year, Shanghai's GDP reached US$5.8 billion,
up 7.7% from that of last year.
The country's central family-planning
committee has announced its target of population-control:
within 1.3 billion by the end of 2000 and 1.4 billion
by the end of 2010.
An exhibition called NEPCON
Shanghai '98, which will showcase the latest development
in the electronics industry, will be held on March
23.
Shanghai is leading the
country in the research and production of new medicines,
bio-chemicals and gene products, said the vice-director
of the Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Industry
Office of Shanghai, Mr. Wang Jianping.
The light industry in Shanghai
is pushing reforms of the State-run enterprises,
promoting a shareholding system as well as planning
more mergers and acquisitions.
China elected the central
government leaders on March 16, including the president,
vice-president, chairman of the Standing Committee
of the National People's Congress and chairman of
the Central Military Commission. Jiang Zemin was
re-elected president of the country and chairman
of the Chinese Central Military Commission; Li Peng
was elected chairman of the NPC Standing Committee
and Hu Jintao was elected vice-president of the
country.
March 12 is Tree-planting
Day. Governmental organizations have been organizing
tree-planting activities.
After seven years of development,
Waigaoqiao has gradually taken shape as a free trade
zone. Last year its industrial output reached US$0.78
billion.
As Shanghai-Hangzhou Expressway
is about to complete, passenger trains between the
two cities have accelerated. The fastest train now
only takes about an hour and a half.
The street-level economy
(retailers, shops and other tertiary industry outlets)
in Hongkou District has grown six-fold in the past
five years.
Beginning next month, taxis
will charge US$1.2 for the first three kilometers
instead of US$1.70 for five kilometers.
The city will begin construction
on the middle section of the elevated highway on
Yan'an Road next month.
The Asian financial crisis
has had a dampening effect on the ongoing '98 East
China Fair, which opened on March 5 and ends on
March 14.
Shanghai aims to become
the core of China's environmental industry. So far
600 of 10,000 environmental protection companies
are located in Shanghai.
After years of explosive
expansion, Shanghai's retail and wholesale businesses
have limited room for further development, says
Shanghai's vice-major in charge of the city's commerce,
Mr. Feng Guoqin.
Regulations aimed at controlling
the rampant use of glass walls for skyscrapers will
take effect soon.
China's largest public telecommunications
provider, China Telecom, has signed an agreement
with Microsoft to jointly develop a special Internet
browser.
The First Session of the
Ninth National People's Congress opened in Beijing's
Great Hall of People on March 5. Premier Li Peng
delivered the annual government work report.
East China Fair was held
at ShanghaiMart and Shanghai International Exhibition
Center on March 5. More than 2,000 exporters from
33 provinces and cities around the country attended
the annual 10-day event.
People from all walks of
life took part in a series of activities that rendered
free services possible for the needy in an effort
to learn from Lei Feng, a soldier who devoted all
his life serving the people heart and soul.
Aforestation has been well
carried out in Shanghai's suburban areas. More than
8 million trees have been planted since the beginning
of the year.
On March 5, more than one
hundred local citizens donated blood without any
compensation. Last year, more than 10,000 people
voluntarily donated blood.
'98 Shanghai Stamp-collecting
Festival started yesterday. At the same time, commemorative
stamp exhibition on the late Premier Zhou Enlai
was also held.
Shanghai's biological and
medicine industries produced US$1.82 billion worth
of goods in 1997, up 20% from the previous year.
Xuhui District, in southwest
Shanghai with Xujiahui shopping area as its center,
has become the most favored area for local property
investors. One third of all the property sold last
year in Shanghai was located in Xuhui.
Shanghai residents are spending
more money on services. The city's per capita expense
on services grew at an annual rate of 29.8% between
1992 and 1997.
The US$1.52-billion Shanghai
General Motors plant under construction in Pudong
is regarded as the No. 1 project in the city this
year by the municipal government.
Local residents will soon
have natural gas for cooking as the first-phase
of an ongoing project is completed. The project
involves a daily extraction of 1.2 million cubic
meters of natural gas from the East China Sea.
The First Session of the
Ninth People's Political Consultative Conference
was held in Beijing's Greet Hall of People on March
4.
Shanghai has drawn up a
two-stage economic program to become an international
metropolis within 13 years. Within the program the
GDP is expected to increase at an annual rate of
10-12%.
The Shanghai Municipal Governemnt
estimates that by the end of this year, 200,000
laid-off workers will still be jobless.
To mark the 100th anniversary
of late Premier Zhou Enlai's birth, a series of
publications have been issued or produced. They
include books, video CDs, video cassettes, etc.
Since its introduction a
couple of days ago, portable breathlysers have helped
the traffic police to identify 10 drunken drivers.
The total sales of Shanghai's
food industry this year is expected to reach US$3.6
billion. Hopefully it will become another pillar
industry for the city.
The Shanghai Education Development
Foundation has invested US$60,000 over the past
four years to subsidize adult-training programs
throughout the city.
Baoshan Iron and Steel Corp.,
the country's largest steel maker, has been recognized
for its efforts in helping clean and protect the
environment.
The city will try to provide
larger appartments this year for 15,000 families
with a per capiat living space less than 4 square
meters.
High school students in
Pudong New Area are required to work up to 48 hours
as community volunteers, according to a new system
that took effect at the beginning of the current
semester.
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