Today's Shanghai | News(2000)

December

The net income per capita for farmers in Shanghai's suburban districts this year is expected to reach RMB5,590 yuan (about US$673.5), and this will be a 2% increase over that of last year.

Shanghai University Online Library (http://www.lib.sh.edu.cn), the first of its kind in China, was open to students at six local universities that include Fudan University, Jiaotong University, East China Science and Technology University, Shanghai University and the Second Medical University.

The latest statistics shows that the city's exports are expected to surpass US$25 billion this year, a 33% increase over last year.

The annual throughput of the Shanghai Port has reached 200 million tons, making it the third largest port in the world, after Rotterdam and Singapore.

"New Year Concert--2000 Today" by Tan Dun should be among the city's most interesting concerts during the holiday season. The New Year's Eve concert is actually one of the four to be held at the Shanghai Grand Theater on December 31 and January 1.

Pearl Line 1, the first elevated light rail nationwide, is to come into trial operation on December 26, two days earlier than expected. The light rail, which is 25-km long, starts from Shanghai South Railway Station in Xuhui District and terminates at Jiangwan in Baoshan District.

Shanghai Rules for the Donation of Remains was approved by the 24th session of the standing committee of Shanghai People's Congress last Friday, making the city the first in China to pass such laws.

Golden Apple Bilingual School, a privately-run school with the largest investment of any primary school, will begin its academic year next September.

The oldest Internet surfer in Shanghai, Mr. Chen Ruzhen, 102, has found a new way to contact his relatives overseas through the Internet, Shanghai Morning Post reported.

Shanghai's bid to become a leading diamond exchange center in Asia is facing an acid test as heavy taxes on diamonds push foreign dealers' plans for trading at Shanghai Diamond Exchange into limbo.

Emergency clinics of Shanghai hospitals have seen a sharp rise in the number of patients during the last week due to the cold weather.

The First Shanghai Internet Exhibition was recently held at Shanghai Exhibition Center. More than one hundred famous websites, especially portal sites nationwide participated in the event, trying to lure web surfers to their respective site.

The Standing Committee of Shanghai's People's Congress recently passed the Regulations for Body Donation in Shanghai. It is the first such legislation in China.

20 scientists became members of a "scientific think tank" of Zhangjiang High-tech Park. Many of them are academicians with the Chinese Science Academy.

The city's 2.33 million retired people received 100% of their old-age pension in the first 11 months this year despite the fact that the city has been carrying out pension reform.

US Northwest Airlines has become the first foreign airline in China to place its code on Chinese flights bound for eight cities including Shanghai through a code-sharing agreement with Air China.

The largest disco hall in the city, 4000-square-meter Storm of Shanghai, made its debut on December 15 at Metro Tower in Xujiahui.

Suzhou Creek, once known as the river that reeked, has now taken on a brand-new appearance after the city's efforts in cleaning it up. In the past 10 years, the city invested more than US$7.47 billion in environmental protection.

The municipal government has released a new regulation about prohibiting setting off fireworks during the Spring Festival. The prohibition area is expanded to include Lujiazui Financial Center and Waigaoqiao Free Trade Zone in Pudong.

Many second-hand automobiles owned by companies or government sectors will go to auction on December 20. It will be the first time for non-private-owned vehicles with plates to be auctioned.

Local residents now can heave a sigh of relief when buying rice as the local government has ensured that the rice around the city has been carefully inspected. The case of the poisonous rice caused by industrial oil was discovered in Guangzhou on December 4.

Local law offices warned people to be on alert against a group of thugs who use outdated Peruvian currency to cheat people.

Although the price of film tickets is still US$2.40 to US$3.60, which is high for ordinary people, local cinemas have debuted low-price films with US$0.6 tickets once a week.

The model franchised business of the US-based PostNet, a one-stop postal/business/communications center, may soon suffer a heavy blow from local authorities for suspected trespass on State-controlled postal services and misleading advertising.

Nearly 10,000 counterfeit one-yuan coins were found in Shanghai in the first six months of the year by the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China Shanghai Branch.

Although Shanghaiese have started to pay more attention to physical exercises, expenditures on sports goods amount to only US$0.85 per capita monthly.

At least two out of 100 children of primary school age in Shanghai are precocious. The normal mature age were 10 for boys and nine for girls two years ago, while the standard has been earlier to nine and eight years old respectively.

In a historical step to open its tightly controlled telecom market to foreign competition, China has landed AT&T, the largest US telecom operator, in a US$25 million broadband Internet joint venture in Shanghai.

Chewing gum that is spit out along the streets have become a great menace to the city's appearance. China is the biggest consuming market of chewing gum in the world and Shanghai accounts for 6% of the country's market.

Local retired people will receive more money under the new pension system, from US$4.7 to US$8.2. This amount is about 7% of their income.

Video and audio product dealers in Shanghai recently signed a cooperative agreement with the International Recording Industry Association to strengthen the fight against pirated products.

Nanpu Bridge, the suspension bridge that spans the Huangpu River, is getting a facelift in time for the Asian-Pacific Economic Co-operation (APEC) summit which will be held in Shanghai next year.

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