Today's Shanghai | News(1999)

October

People of all walks of life are once again up in arms against the Falun Gong cult which has done great harms to the lives of many innocent people and social order as well.

Legal, financial and educational services companies are flocking to Pudong, doving with the new area's growth as it strives towards its goal of becoming the leader in the country's economic development.

The '99 International Symposium on Communications, held for three days at Shanghai International Studies University, will focus on issues such as the influence of the Internet on the mass media.

The Shanghai International Convention Center received rave reviews from participants at the '99 Fortune Global Forum, including former secretary of the United States Henry Kissinger.

China Photo '99, a specialized exhibition of photographic equipment, is being held in ShanghaiMart and will end on October 30. The exhibition attracted 150 exhibitors from 11 countries or regions.

The first heavy fog this autumn resulted in the closure of Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport for about four hours on October 27, affecting over 30 flights.

The Chinese Government expressed strong resentment over US charges against China's dealing with the Falun Gong cult on October 26.

An influx of funds from the insurance sector into the stock markets is expected to strengthen the growth potential of both sectors, local analysts said.

The target of China's correctional institutions is to reform criminals into law-abiding citizens devoted to the country, a senior Chinese official said recently.

Mayor Xu Kuangdi and visiting Maputo Mayor Artur Hussene Canana met on October 25 and signed an agreement for the establishment of sister ties between the two cities.

The grand ceremony for the Fourth Shanghai International Film Festival was held on the night of October 21 in Pudong. About 224 films will be put on at 13 local cinemas.

Shanghai's economy is growing steadily. Its growth rate in the first three quarters this year is 9.9% more than that of the same period last year.

The largest agricultural exhibition center in the Shanghai rural area opened in Pudong's Sunqiao Modern Agricultural Development Zone.

A concrete step in the city's efforts to popularize online education via the Internet was taken with the official launch on October 20 of the Shanghai Middle and Primary School Education Website (http://www.sheisnet.sh.cn).

Unilever, one of the world's players in household and personal care products, announced on October 19 the launch of two new products and a cut in their retail price in a move to better meet the different needs of Chinese consumers.

The first phase construction of the largest shipyard in China officially started in Pudong's Waigaoqiao Free Trade Zone on October 18.

An Environmental Education Seminar being held at East China Normal University is a highlight of the Lifelong Learning Festival, which is sponsored by the culture and education section of the British Consulate-General, Shanghai.

A grand opening ceremony was held on October 21 for the completion of ShanghaiMart, a US$250 million investment listed as one of the city's "10 Key Municipal Projects". The mart is now reputedly te largest of its kind in Asia.

Electronics production and exports in Shanghai are averaging 5% annual growth, and are expected to rise further in 1999.

Four local companies invested a total of US$96,600 to establish Shanghai Jiaoda Students' Innovation Corporation Ltd. in a bid to turn students' inventions into lucrative products.

Up to 60% of the milk sold in the city's schools to peckish students during course breaks is substandard, according to a recent inspection by the Shanghai Quality and Technical Inspection Bureau.

Shanghai Volkswagen has claimed its capability to manufacture a world-class sedan--the Passat sedan, further advancing Shanghai's drive to keep its auto technology development global at levels.

Since the welfare lottery (computerized type where each stake costs US$0.24) made its debut on October 1, the highest prize has been US$604,000, together with a Buick sedan as an extra reward for the first first-prize winner.

Healthy sales at the '99 Shanghai Television Festival reportedly slowed a long-running price war in the local retail TV industry. Television prices rose about 7% during the month-long festival.

An new system of issuing lifetime identification cards will begin in the Shanghai area on November 1, according to the municipal police.

Shanghai health officials began last week an educational campaign against hypertension--a condition that affects about 15% of city residents over 35.

Two flags bearing the logo and mascot "Lele" of the '99 Shanghai Tourism Festival were hoisted in Pudong Lujiazui Central Greenland to herald the forthcoming gala festival.

The new overall urban construction plan for Shanghai has already been drawn up and is expected to be submitted to the State Council for approval, according to a municipal work conference on October 11.

Morning Twilight, a new, double-deck bullet railway motorcar, offering a more comfortable journey with advanced facilities, is scheduled to carry its first passengers on October 10.

The pedestrian section of Nanjing Road enjoyed a booming market after it was reopened to the public on September 20. The 62 stores on the street garnered a total of US$22 million during the first week.

A downtown 230,000-square-meter forest park is to be built. An official with the Shanghai Garden Bureau said the city needs a balanced ecological environment that favors its economic development and improves the quality of people's lives.

A donation of US$603.800, by a local private enterprise, will alleviate the problem of the Shanghai Television Station Women's Football Club which has been in financial straits for a long time.

Transformation of scientific research results into products will no longer be just a slogan but a reality at the Shanghai Science and Technology Exposition which opened on October 7 at the new Shanghai Everybright Convention Center.

The index for China export containers grew slightly by 0.3% to reach 1,215.13 points, the Shanghai Shipping Exchange announced on October 4.

THe seven-day-long holidays are generating hefty profits for the transport sector and the catering sector. The unprecedented long holidays seem to be delivering just the benefits long coveted by the government--consumer spending.

Nanjing Road will expand its business operations into the cyberspace in a bid to strengthen its leadership as the top shopping street in China.

The three-day Fortune Global Forum in Shanghai has achieved an unexpected success that will exert a tremendous influence on the city's future development.

While most Shanghainese are enjoying the National Day fireworks display this evening, all the officers and firemen of the Shanghai Fire Bureau will spend the night on high alert to guarantee the safety of the city and that of visitors as well.

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