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BEIJING, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- Drink or drive? This is a dilemma for many Chinese in a society soaked in a centuries-old drinking culture which is now travelling in private motor cars.     For Liu Kun, a 25-year-old media worker in Beijing, the choice is simple and there is only one answer - she won't even have a sip of beer before she drives.     "I didn't treat it (drink driving) seriously before," said Liu, who has been driving for three years. "But now I obey the rules strictly."     Liu is one of many Chinese motorists sobering up and thinking twice about their onetime drinking and driving. This situation has been brought about by a spate of serious drink driving accidents in China, including fatalities. The situation has sparked a public outcry.     Chinese police launched a two-month nationwide crackdown against driving under the influence (DUI) two weeks ago, following a series of shocking cases in which drunk drivers killed pedestrians. By Friday, 28,880 drivers had been caught and punished for DUI, the Ministry of Public Security said.     Kong Linnan, a 25-year-old Beijing resident, said: "Drink drivers should be severely penalized. They are irresponsible about their own lives, let alone others."     Besides changing attitudes, the crackdown has brought about an unexpected boom to once sluggish businesses, such as drive-home services that help carry home drinkers by contracting relief drivers.     He Jin, chief executive of the Beijing Benaoanda Drive-back Company, said his company had carried home more than 110 customers every day in the past week, 20 times more than five years ago when his service was established. The company charges 80 yuan (12 U.S. dollars) for each journey.     Now about seven or eight companies in Beijing are providing similar services, He said.     "Taking a cab is a cheaper way to carry a drinker back home. But many taxi drivers are rather reluctant to do it," said He.     Zhang Changyun, a Beijing taxi driver, said, "They always throw up in my cab. It's nasty. I can't use my cab for the whole day." Zhang always refuses to carry those who have been drinking heavily.     "That's our advantage. Car owners don't have to come back to the restaurants to retrieve cars in next day," He said.     China's population, a large alcohol consumer, is now rapidly becoming mobile, putting more strain on controlling drink driving. In Beijing, a city of more than 15 million people, motor vehicles numbered 3.76 million in July.     "The market potential for a drive-home service is huge," said He.          LIFESTYLE CHANGES     Despite criticism that drive-home services could encourage drink driving, He defended them as necessary because "drinking at banquets is deeply rooted in traditional Chinese culture."     Most of their drive-home contracts are taken out by big companies because "business talks at the dinner table with drinking are also popular business culture in China", He said.     An indispensable part of dining etiquette in China is drinking toasts, by which a lot of business is resolved at a drinking table rather than a negotiating one.     In addition, while declining a drink is deemed as "losing face", driving after drinking is sometimes considered heroic. In the commercial world it is apparently considered the winner is the biggest drinker.     Wang Xiaokun, marketing manager of a real estate consultancy in southwest China's Chengdu City, has cut short the frequency of hosting business banquets since most of his clients who drive are knocking back drinking while dining.     He has mixed feelings toward the crackdown.     "I don't like the drinking sessions," said Wang, "But without them, I must find other ways to buddy up to my clients."     Gao Zhifeng, 29, a government official in Beijing, welcomes the tight controls.     "Thanks to the campaign, I'm now more justified to excuse myself from toast proposals by saying simply 'I drive'," said Gao. He often did not handle drinking well, but often had his arm twisted to drink alcohol at business banquets.     Yi Rong, Gao's wife, said that tighter DUI law enforcement helped lessen the worries of drivers' families.     "I'm so happy that China's alcohol culture is starting to change," said Yi.          BOOMS AND WORRIES     Alcohol-free beer is also doing well because of the crackdown. Many restaurants now sell this beer which contains less ethyl alcohol.     Yu Li, manager of Veganhut, a health restaurant in Beijing's Central Business District, said, "We sell only alcohol-free beer and it's selling well. It's a new trend in dining."     Ding Guangxue, deputy chief executive of the Yanjing Beer Group, said the brewerery's output of alcohol-free beer was more than 4 million bottles this month, registering a 10 percent year-on-year increase.     But alcohol-free beer is not totally free from ethanol. "Two bottles may raise your blood alcohol to the limit," said Ding.     The crackdown is also worrying China's catering industry which makes large profits out of liquor, since beer sold at a restaurant can be priced four times higher than in a supermarket.     Zhang Zhenjiang, general secretary of Beijing Association for Liquor and Spirits Circulation, said, "We're worried that tighter control could dent profits and raise costs."     "Alcohol-free has only a small share of sales. It cannot replace ordinary liquor," said Zhang.     On the Internet, some netizens are suggesting restaurants be obliged to dissuade their driving customers from drinking.     But Fu Guiping, a corporate lawyer with Beijing Huatian Catering Group, said liquor outlets had no power or obligation to manage affairs that should be carried by the law enforcement sector.     "It's unfair to put responsibility on the shoulders of businesses," said Fu. "It calls for efforts from all walks of life."

NEW DELHI, Aug. 8 (Xinhua) -- The 13th China-India Boundary Talks were held on Friday and Saturday in the Indian capital.     Chinese Special Representative, State Councilor Dai Bingguo and Indian Special Representative, National Security Advisor to the Prime Minister M.K. Narayanan exchanged in-depth views about relevant issues in an atmosphere of frankness and friendliness. Chinese State Councilor Dai Bingguo (R), special representative of China in the China-India Boundary Talks, shakes hands with Indian special representative, National Security Advisor to the Prime Minister M. K. Narayanan, in New Delhi, on Aug. 7, 2009. The 13th round of China-India Boundary Talks kicked off here on Friday.Dai also met with Sonia Gandhi, Chairperson of the Indian Congress Party and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh during his visit in India.     Both sides agreed to press ahead with the framework negotiations in accordance with the agreed political parameters and guiding principle so as to seek for a fair and reasonable solution acceptable to both countries. Prior to that, both sides should work together to maintain peace and tranquility in the border areas. Chinese State Councilor Dai Bingguo (L, front) meets with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in New Delhi, India, Aug. 8, 2009. Dai is Chinese special representative here attending the 13th meeting of special representatives of China and Indian on the boundary issue.During the talks, the two sides exchanged in-depth views on the further development of China-India Strategic Cooperative Partnership, as well as regional, international and global issues of mutual interest.     The Chinese side pointed out that the Chinese Government and people value the strategic and cooperative partnership between China and India, the largest two developing nations with a combined population accounting for 40 percent of the world's total. Indian Congress Party President Sonia Gandhi (R) shakes hands with Chinese State Councilor Dai Bingguo in New Delhi, capital of India, Aug. 7, 2009Friendly co-existence, mutual beneficial cooperation and shared progress between the two neighbors will contribute not only to the people of the two countries but also Asia and the whole world.     The Chinese side also emphasized that China and India have no other option than living in peace and developing side by side. China stands firmly committed to working with India to press ahead with the bilateral ties.     The Chinese side expressed belief that both countries need to promote the relationship with a higher and strategic perspective and continue to uphold the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence. China and India should endeavor to build the strategic mutual trust. Both need to expand the common interests and cooperation bilaterally and on regional and global affairs. Representatives of the two sides attend the China-India Boundary Talks in New Delhi, India, on Aug. 7, 2009.Both countries should take concrete steps to enhance people-to-people and cultural interactions so as to nurture the mutual understanding and friendship between the two peoples, according to the Chinese delegation.     As for the questions left over from history, China believes the two countries should work to seek for a fair and reasonable mutually acceptable solution through peaceful and friendly negotiations. Chinese representatives attend the China-India Boundary Talks in New Delhi, on Aug. 7, 2009.For the future development of the bilateral ties, the Chinese side made the following suggestions:     -- The two countries need to maintain the momentum of high-level exchanges, well celebrate the 60th anniversary marking the establishment of the diplomatic relations between the two countries, especially the China Festival and India Festival in each other's country in 2010;     -- Both countries should strengthen mutually beneficial cooperation in the economic field and trade, fully tap the potential for cooperation and properly handle frictions and questions thereof and stand side by side against trade protectionism so as to ensure the sustained and healthy development of bilateral economic ties.     -- The two neighbors should enhance people-to-people and cultural exchanges, those between the youth, academic institutions, media and localities in particular, and deepen defense cooperation and continue the defense and security talks.     -- China and India should also intensify the coordination and cooperation on major international issues, especially the global efforts in response to world financial crisis, climate change, energy and food security so as to promote evolution of international system that is in favor of developing nations.     The two sides also exchange views on the situation in South and Northeast Asia.

HONG KONG, July 20 (Xinhua) -- A photo exhibition opened here Monday to mark the 30 anniversary of the establishment of China-U.S. diplomatic relations.     The nearly 300 photos on display range in time from as far back as the voyage to China of the American trading ship Empress of China in 1784, to the G-20 Summit in London this year. Guests attend the opening ceremony of a photo exhibition marking the 30th anniversary of the establishment of the China-U.S. diplomatic relations in Hong Kong, south China, July 20, 2009. Nearly 300 photos were displayed in the exhibition.The photos reflect important economic, political and cultural events in the growth of the relations between the two countries, portraying a history of building bridges of understanding and cooperation between the two countries through high-level visits as well as the actions of thousands of individuals, companies, student groups and civic organizations.     "China-U.S. relations have made remarkable progress since 1979,with the joint efforts of four generations of Chinese leaders and seven U.S. presidents as well as the people of both countries," said Tung Chee-hwa, vice chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, at the opening ceremony. Tung Chee-hwa (Front), vice-chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, visits a photo exhibition marking the 30th anniversary of the establishment of the China-U.S. diplomatic relations in Hong Kong, south China, July 20, 2009. Nearly 300 photos were displayed in the exhibition, opened on July 20. He said that the exhibition will provide an opportunity for people to know further about the importance of Sino-U.S. relations so that they will make greater efforts to promote the relations.     Also speaking at the ceremony, U.S. Consul General in Hong Kong and Macao Joseph R. Donovan said that U.S.-China relations had been marked by success and challenges.     "Despite the scale of the task we have faced, each succeeding generation of leaders, diplomats, and individuals has broadened and strengthened the U.S.-China relations," he said, noting that the exhibition offers "snapshots" of their dedication and efforts.   A woman visits a photo exhibition marking the 30th anniversary of the establishment of the China-U.S. diplomatic relations in Hong Kong, south China, July 20, 2009. Nearly 300 photos were displayed in the exhibition, opened on July 20.  "Given Hong Kong's role as one of China's gateways fostering the interplay of culture and ideas between our two nations, it is quite fitting that we come together, in Hong Kong, to celebrate thirty years of cooperation between the U.S. and China," he said.     The exhibition is jointly presented by the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Chinese People's Association For Friendship with Foreign Countries and China-U.S. Exchange Foundation, in association with the Xinhua News Agency and some other media groups.

武汉seo优化排名

WASHINGTON, Aug. 6 (Xinhua) -- Chinese tire producers, who are facing proposed sanctionative tariffs from the U.S. authorities, appeal for "fair ruling" from the U.S. government, a Chinese tire industry representatives told Xinhua in an interview on Wednesday.     "The proposed sanction against Chinese tire export to the U.S. market will cause a lose-lose situation on both countries," said Mary Xu, deputy secretary general of the China Rubber Industry Association and the leading member of a Chinese tire producers delegation in Washington.     "We have filed much evidence demonstrating that Chinese tire imports do not injure the U.S. tire industry. The restriction of the Chinese tires cannot solve any problem faced by the U.S. tire industry, and further would hurt U.S. tire distributors and consumers," the delegation said in a letter to the U.S. President Barack Obama before a government hearing on this issue on Friday.     The U.S. Steelworkers union, which represents workers at major U.S. tire manufacturers, filed a petition against China earlier this year for import relief and won a favorable ruling from the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC).     The panel recommended Obama impose a 55 percent tariff on the Chinese tire imports which would be reduced to 45 percent in the second year and 35 percent in the third before being removed.     The steelworkers asked for protection under Section 421 of U.S. trade law, which only requires petitioners to show that imports from China have disrupted the U.S. market.     "Chinese tires are welcomed by the American consumers who believe that our products have good cost performance," Xu said. "Chinese tires are relatively lower ended and mainly for the replacement of tires. The U.S. tire makers do not produce these types of tires. So our tires are complementary, not competitive to the U.S. products."     Xu said that the tariffs will hurt the American consumers and cause job loss as well.     "This case will influence about 100,000 U.S. employees across the country, including tire sellers, distributors, transporters and logistic companies. More than 25,000 American workers may lose their jobs if the sanction is implemented," Xu said.     "And about 100,000 Chinese workers from 20 tire producers will be influenced by the case," she added.     The ITC said it submitted its investigation report to President Obama and the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Ron Kirk last month.     The USTR hearing would be the final event in the investigation before Obama rules on the ITC recommendation.     The USTR will submit its remedy recommendation to Obama by September 2. He is required to make a decision within 15 days after receiving it.     Xu said that the tariffs proposal are widely opposed by the U.S. consumers and tire distributors.     In a letter to President Obama, the American Tire Industry Association (TIA) opposed petition to limit imports of Chinese-made tires and said that it will hurt the U.S. economy and consumers.     This case also aroused closely watch of trade protectionism since it is seen as a test case for the Obama administration's trade policy.     The president's decision will tell the world if he believes his own rhetoric about the dangers of protectionism in a weak global economy, The Wall Street Journal said in a report Tuesday.     "Chinese tires have fairly traded in the U.S. for years. I think limiting trade in fairly traded goods is protectionism. It would contradict recent pledges by the United States to avoid protectionism and to work in cooperation with China to promote trade," said Xu.     "We cannot predict the result of the case right now," Xu said. "What we expect is a fair ruling from the U.S. government."

XI'AN, Aug. 22 (Xinhua) -- Serbian President Boris Tadic on Saturday arrived in the ancient capital Xi'an in northwest China, continuing his week-long visit to the country.     Tadic visited some well-known historic sites in the city, including Emperor Qin Shihuang's Mausoleum and the Terra-cotta Warriors.     The president hailed "Terra-cotta Warriors" as unique, saying those warriors demonstrated Chinese' delicate craftsmanship dating back more than 2000 years.     "They are so well-preserved, thus Serbia should work with China on the protection of cultural relics," Tadic said. Serbian President Boris Tadic visits the Museum of Terracotta Horses and Armored Warriors of the First Emperor of the Qin Dynastry in Xi'an, capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province, Aug. 22, 2009    Zhao Zhengyong, deputy governor of Shaanxi Province, of which Xi'an is the capital, met with Tadic on Saturday.     Tadic said his country will cooperate with Shaanxi as the province boasts abundant resources in petroleum, coal and culture.     Tadic made the week-long visit as a guest of his Chinese counterpart Hu Jintao. He was the first Serbian head of state visiting China since Serbia became an independent state in 2006. Serbian President Boris Tadic (C) visits the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, an ancient building built in China's Tang Dynasty in Xi'an, capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province, Aug. 22, 2009.

BEIJING, Aug. 2 (Xinhua) -- China on Sunday issued a regulation for the country's disabled military personnel to ensure them a guaranteed living after retired from the military.     Jointly promulgated by military authorities and Ministries of Finance and Civil Affairs, the regulation pledges that military personnel who gets disabled because of war, work or illness will be rearranged to other working positions by the government after retirement.     The retired disabled veterans will also be provided with a certain amount of compensation fee according to their different levels of disabilities.     Other welfare include medical care subsidy and a basic housing allowance of at least 100,000 yuan (14.706 U.S. dollars) to each disabled veterans, the regulation said.     Non-commissioned officers at junior grades who are diagnosed as mental illnesses and enlisted soldiers who are diagnosed as disabilities from level I to level IV will be sustained by the government for the rest of their lives, it said.     The regulation is the first of its kind in China.

厦门seo排名

PYONGYANG, Oct. 5 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao and Kim Jong Il, top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), held talks here on Monday and reached important consensus on China-DPRK relations and the promotion of a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula.     Premier Wen extended sincere greetings and best wishes to Kim on behalf of Chinese President Hu Jintao.     The hard-earned friendship and friendly cooperative relations achieved by the joint efforts of several generations of the two countries conform to the aspiration of the two peoples, Wen said, adding that the two nations should pass on the friendship from generation to generation.     China is willing to work with the DPRK to maintain high-level exchanges, deepen pragmatic cooperation, strengthen coordination on major issues, and push forward the good-neighborly and friendly cooperative relations, he added.     Kim asked Wen to relay his greetings to Chinese President Hu. Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao (R) shakes hands with Kim Jong Il, top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), during a meeting in Pyongyang, capital of the DPRK, Oct. 5, 2009. Kim said Wen's official goodwill visit, which coincided with the 60th anniversary of the DPRK-China ties and the China-DPRK Friendship Year, demonstrates the importance that China has attached to developing ties with the DPRK.     The celebrations from both sides have been successful and enhanced the DPRK-China traditional friendship, Kim said.     The DPRK is ready to make joint efforts with China to further consolidate and strengthen the DPRK-China friendly, cooperative relations, Kim said.     Realizing a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula was the instruction of the late DPRK leader Kim Il Sung and the DPRK's commitment to realizing the denuclearization of the peninsula remains unchanged, Kim said.     Through the DPRK-U.S. bilateral meeting, the hostile relations between the two countries must turn into peaceful ones, he said.     The DPRK is willing to attend multilateral talks, including the six-party talks, based on the progress in the DPRK-U.S. talks, he said.     Wen said China appreciated the DPRK's commitment to the nuke-free peninsula and the multilateral dialogues, including the six-party talks, to realizing this goal.     Wen said China is willing to make concerted efforts with the DPRK and other parties concerned to contribute to realizing the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and maintaining peace, stability and development in the Northeast Asian region. 

BEIJING, Sept. 17 (Xinhua) -- The recent U.S. comments that China poses a military threat to itself is "totally groundless and irresponsible", Spokesman with China's Ministry of National Defense Hu Changming said Thursday.     "China's military development is always a positive factor for both regional and global peace and stability," Hu said in a statement.     The country has always pursued a national defense policy that is defensive in nature and unswervingly follows a road of peaceful development, he said.     The 2009 National Intelligence Strategy document released by the United States listed China as a challenger of the U.S. interests and described China as "very aggressive in the cyberworld."     A senior U.S. defense official also said on Wednesday that China's "investments in cyber and anti-satellite warfare, anti-air and anti-ship weaponry, and ballistic missiles could threaten America's primary way to project power and help allies in the Pacific -- in particular our forward air bases and carrier strike groups."     "We demand the U.S. side to respect the fact, take measures to correct the wrong comments and stop doing things that undermine the military relations between the two countries," he said.

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BEIJING/TAIPEI, Aug. 22 (Xinhua) -- Taiwan has started building homes for hundreds of homeless families left by Typhoon Morakot with assistance from the mainland.     Prefabricated houses with blue roof and white walls, donated by the Chinese mainland, are being set up in Pingtung County in the south of the island.     Local authorities told Xinhua Saturday that so far more than 400 homeless families have applied for the prefab houses, which have been tested safe.     Recovering signs appear in the island as Xinhua reporters saw children in the county studied in a mobile bookstore on rubble, and villages in Kaohsiung County sold homemade handbags to save money for reconstruction.     In addition to the Taiwan authorities' three-year reconstruction budget of about 100 billion New Taiwan Dollars (3.12 billion U.S. dollars), the Chinese mainland has contributed 781.8 million yuan (115 million U.S. dollars) two weeks after the disaster hit Taiwan.     The mainland's donation came from all circles of the country, including people in Sichuan Province who received generous support from Taiwan compatriots and Buddhists and monks who pray for blessings of the typhoon victims in the island.     "We will never forget the Taiwan rescuers who helped us live through the Wenchuan earthquake last year," said a worker of Dongfang Steam Turbine Works in Sichuan's Mianzhu City.     The company donated one million yuan to Taiwan victims with another 500,000 yuan raised by the company's workers.     The mainland has promised to spare no effort and offer medical, rescue, engineering and other available personnel or equipment that Taiwan compatriots need.     On Friday afternoon, 18 tonnes of vegetable was shipped to Kinmen from its closest mainland city Xiamen of Fujian Province as an emergent support to ease the vegetable shortage caused by the typhoon.     "We are contacting the agricultural associations in Taiwan and if they request we can quickly collect large amount of vegetable and send them to help Taiwan compatriots," said Guo Hao, a food company boss in Fujian.     Other disaster-relieving materials from the mainland are on the way to the island. The second batch of prefab houses arrived in Kaohsiung on Saturday afternoon and three mainland engineers headed for Taiwan to help install those houses.     The mainland's ports, maritime and transport authorities have provided favorable procedures for the disaster relief materials to Taiwan.

NANNING, Sept. 2 (Xinhua) -- Authorities in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region announced Wednesday the addition of 20 million yuan (2.94 million U.S. dollars) to a fund financing efforts to fight drought as hot, dry weather maintains its grip on the region.     The Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters in Guangxi simultaneously launched a drought control response mechanism which requires local departments such as weather, water resources and power supply to cooperate closely to guarantee success of the efforts to fight drought.     According to the local weather department, Guangxi suffered its hottest weather in 58 years from Aug.1-30, with the temperature averaging 28.9 degrees Celsius.     The south Chinese region has had 1,152 mm of rainfall in the past eight months, a drop of 12.7 percent from the average level for the same period in normal years. It had rainfall of only 91 mm last month, down 57 percent from the average level for the same month in normal years.     The Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters in Guangxi said 638,500 people, plus 299,200 livestock had been suffering from water shortages.     And 280,850 hectares of cropland affected because of hot weather and less rain, included 598 hectares of crops that died in the arid conditions.     The regional weather service's forecast Monday said Guangxi's drought would continue during the coming week.     Guangxi has already made great efforts in drought control. More than 53.41 million yuan (about 7.86 million U.S. dollars) has been set aside so far.     The region's department of water resources has dispatched five working groups to areas such as Laibin, Chongzuo, Wuzhou, Hezhou, Hechi, all in Guangxi, to supervise or guide drought control efforts.     Zhong Xiangting, the department's chief, said the region had since late August mobilized more than 1.71 million people to fight drought, which has helped irrigate 148,470 hectares of crops and temporarily solve water shortages faced by 390,280 people and 193,110 livestock.