University starts work on campus
Fudan University launched the second phase of construction of its new campus in Pudong yesterday.
The new Fudan Zhangjiang campus in Zhangjiang High-Tech Park is scheduled to be completed by October next year and put into use at end of next year.
Almost half of the campus will be reserved for teaching buildings, research labs and dormitories for the university's school of pharmacy.
"Focusing on the biomedical and the bio-pharmaceutical industry, we have decided to situate the school of pharmacy in the Zhangjiang High-Tech Park, which has a favorable research, development and incubation environment for new technologies," said Chen Xiaoman, Fudan's vice president.
Founded in 1936, Fudan's school of pharmacy is one of the five most influential pharmacy schools in China. Zhangjiang now houses about 40 multinational pharmaceutical companies and nearly 200 smaller firms.
About 45 percent of the new drugs developed in the city in 2004 came out of Pudong. --(9/29)
City to host 4m tourists during 'golden week'
Shanghai is expected to host 4 million tourists during the week-long National Day holiday, Xinmin Evening News reported today.
Meanwhile, 22,886 local residents will take trips overseas, growing 29.28 percent from a year earlier.
About 64 percent of the rooms in the city's hotels have been booked for the holidays, and 72 percent of the rooms in guesthouses have been booked. October 3 will be the peak day as the booking ratio of hotel rooms reaches 70 percent and that of guesthouse rooms reaches 75 percent.
Many people will fly to Sanya, Hainan Province, and Wuyi Mountain, Fujian Province, on October 1 and 2, with more than 90 percent of the plane tickets already booked.
This year's Middle-Autumn Festival and the Shanghai Tourism Festival both occur during the National Day holiday from October 1 to 7. --(9/28)
Ribbons remind commuters to be polite
A number of commuters across the city started wearing green ribbons yesterday as part of a campaign to improve manners on buses and subway trains.
Thirty volunteers wearing the green ribbons attended a launching ceremony to pass on the ribbons yesterday at the Henan Road M. station along the Metro Line No. 2.
Commuters who accept and wear the ribbons must promise they will behave well on public vehicles and promote civilized behavior among other passengers.
The program was set up and sponsored by the Shanghai Morning Post and supported by traffic authorities. --(9/27)
FIFA team arrives
An official delegation from soccer's world governing body FIFA arrived in town on Sunday for a two-day inspection tour of the city's preparations for the 2007 Women's World Cup.
Shanghai is one of the five Chinese cities designated as venue for the blue-riband event next year, along with Wuhan, Tianjin, Chengdu and Hangzhou.
The 16-nation tournament will open on September 10 at the 35,000-seat Hongkou Stadium, home of Chinese Super League club Shanghai Shenhua, with the final at the same arena on September 30.
The stadium, along with other related facilities, will be subject to scrutiny and some advise by the delegates, led by Alexander Klosterkemper, FIFA's head of senior events execution.
With less than 12 months to go until kick-off, the local World Cup organizing committee is currently fine-tuning its preparations. By drawing upon their immense experience in this area - China was due to host the 2003 edition before FIFA moved the tournament to the US due to the SARS outbreak - the Shanghai hosts are pulling out all stops to ensure the event is a success.
The local organizers have appointed Sun Wen, a former FIFA women's player of the year and one of the most visible celebrity athletes in China, as the image ambassador for the event's Shanghai section. Volunteer recruitment has also gathered pace with more than 500 applicants already enrolled to provide various services during the extravaganza. --(9/26)
Museum reopens after facelift
The Shanghai Children's Museum reopened over the weekend after a year of renovations.
It resembles a smaller version of the Shanghai Science and Technology Museum, which lets children learn about science through hands-on games and exhibits.
The museum was set up to meet children's curiosity about the planet we live on.
It is designed for children from 2 to 14 years old.
It has a total exhibition area of 3,000 square meters - 5 percent of the size of Shanghai Science and Technology Museum - including a space hall, nautical hall, information hall and planetarium.
Children will be able to experience a three-dimensional map of the Earth, computerized ocean, and a look at video-on-demand digital television.
The commission and the Changning District government spent more than 10 million yuan (US$1.25 million) to renovate the facility.
It is located at 61 Songyuan Road near Hongqiao Road and open from 8:30am to 5pm every day except Monday. Admission is 20 yuan.
The museum is one of 40 new museums the government expects to build before 2010. --(9/25)
Liu battles back to claim Shanghai Gold
World record holder Liu Xiang took sweet revenge on American Allen Johnson as the 23-year-old Chinese rallied to win the men's 110m hurdles at the Shanghai Golden Grand Prix yesterday.
To the joy of a 40,000-strong home crowd, Liu delivered with a 13.07 seconds, come-from-behind victory, pipping Johnson, who defeated him last week at the World Cup in Athens.
Crossing the finish line, Liu thrust his index finger in the air and let out a yell as the stadium erupted into wild cheers. --(9/24)
Wild Olympics
The Fourth National Animal Olympics will start next Thursday at the Shanghai Wild Animal Park in Nanhui District.
More than 300 animal athletes from all over the country, including dogs, tigers, bears, horses and zebras, will compete in a range of events. The number of athletes is the highest recorded for the biannual games, according to the park.
Ten-year-old elephant Mary will compete in the soccer event, and is also assigned as one of the game's torch carriers.
As part of the opening ceremonies, Mary will carry the torch into the stadium before passing it to 3-year-old chimpanzee Baobao, who will ignite the cauldron.
The event will end on November 30. --(9/22)
Campaign improves lives of women
Reports of domestic violence have dropped over the past five years, and women have more leisure time and play a larger role in the high-tech industry and politics, one of the city's vice mayors said yesterday.
Yan Junqi made the comments at a mid-term review of a campaign to boost the quality of life for Chinese women and children, which will run from 2001 until 2010.
According to a report issued by the Shanghai Working Committee for Women and Children, females now make up 44 percent of executives in the city's key industries, including finance and trade. Women also account for more than 52 percent of employees in the city's high-tech industry, according to the report. --(9/21)
Foreign doctors
Shanghai Health Bureau said local medical facilities are prohibited from allowing foreign doctors to engage in a short-term medical practice if the doctors are not approved and registered by the health authorities, beginning next month.
Officials said there were 420 foreign doctors registered in the city for medical operations last year. The consultation hotline is 52286866*8312. --(9/20)
Shanghai overviews education of legality in the city
Over 180 law offices in Shanghai have signed contracts with 91 neighborhoods in the city and 30 villages in the suburbs to provide law consultation services to locals, the government said yesterday in a statement, upon reviewing its legality education projects for the public.
The law consultation services, which covers employment relationships, inheritance and industrial injuries, will be given regularly in neighborhoods all around the city. This effort made by the municipal government aims to assist locals in how they can afford a lawyer and be better versed in protecting their rights, the statement said.
The statement also hails achievements in offering law aid to some vulnerable minorities, such as those who suffer from spousal abuse. Till July, lawyers in Shanghai have concluded 3,517 cases for these minorities, and 21 lawyers were hired by the city¡¯s Trade Unions to offer services for workers, the statement added.
To improve the government¡¯s administration management, the statement said all the city¡¯s public servants are required to take a month-long training course to get a better understanding of the laws in their field. --(9/19)
Buyers get refund deal on SK-II products
Buyers of SK-II cosmetics in which harmful chemicals were found will be able to get a refund, the product maker, Procter and Gamble, said yesterday.
It said buyers could get a refund of the purchase price by taking the receipt and the product to an SK-II outlet.
Yesterday's statement dropped earlier requirements that people seeking a refund should produce a medical certificate for skin allergy and return at least one-third of the product.
"Though the refund terms were softened, SK-II cosmetics will not be withdrawn from stores for the time being," said Wang Jun, SK-II public relations manager.
Wang said the company was still working with government departments on whether to recall SK-II products.
He insisted SK-II on sale was safe and products in which harmful materials were discovered had not reached the China market.
Last week, Guangdong Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Bureau found SK-II cosmetics imported from Japan contained chromium and neodymium, both of which are banned in cosmetics. --(9/18)
Italian PM visits Shanghai
Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi yesterday called for closer cooperation between Italian port cities and Shanghai.
Prodi made the remarks during a meeting with Shanghai Mayor Han Zheng. He said Italy and China should jointly accelerate the development of the logistics industry and expand sea routes to Europe through Italian ports.
Prodi noted that his trip to Shanghai was to highlight economic, trade, cultural and educational cooperation, strengthen Shanghai's role as an access for Italian businesses to the Chinese markets and at the same time enhance Italy's part in serving as a gateway to the European market for Chinese businesses.
The Italian prime minister also visited the Shanghai World Expo Park now under construction and attended a China-Italy seminar on Shanghai World Expo.
Prodi said he was amazed by the large scale blueprint Shanghai has made for the 2010 World Expo and admired the efficient organization work. He is the first foreign leader to visit the World Expo Park in Shanghai.
According to latest statistics, Italy has directly invested in 341 projects in Shanghai, with a total contractual investment of US$403 million, covering garments, bags, auto parts and building materials.
Prodi arrived in Shanghai on Friday evening. Before coming to Shanghai, he visited Nanjing and Guangzhou. His trip will also take him to Tianjin, a port city in north China, and Beijing. --(9/17)
Huaihai Rd to close for opening of festival
Traffic restrictions will be put into place along Huaihai Road and several nearby streets tomorrow to make space for the opening parade of the 2006 Shanghai Tourism Festival, police said yesterday.
Buses will be banned on Longmen Road between Jinling Road M. and Huaihai Road M. from 10am to 9:30pm.
They will also be banned from 5:30pm to 9:30pm on Huaihai Road M. between Xizang Road S. and Songshan Road, Liulin Road between Jinling Road M. and Shouning Road, Pu'an Road between Jinling Road M. and Taoyuan Road, Taoyuan Road between Xizang Road S. and Pu'an Road, and all of Wangting Road.
Buses will also stop running on Huaihai Road M. between Songshan Road and Shaanxi Road S. from 7:30pm to 9:30pm.
Cyclists and drivers will also be banned from streets in the area at different times during the day.
All vehicles will be banned from driving west on Huaihai Road from Xizang Road for four hours starting at 5:30pm.
From 7pm to 9:30pm no vehicles will be allowed to travel east of Shaanxi Road S. on Huaihai Road. --(9/15)
Carnival to run until Grand Prix
Organizers have decided to extend the ongoing Freiji Carnival at the Shanghai International Circuit in suburban Jiading District until the 2006 Formula One Chinese Grand Prix next month.
The Ferris wheel, bungee jump posts and other amusement facilities will stay in the expansive plaza in front of the main gate of the motorsport venue until October 7, Yu Zhifei, general manager of the Shanghai International Circuit, confirmed yesterday.
The event, which opened in July, was supposed to wrap up last Sunday.
The Chinese Grand Prix runs from September 29 to October 1. --(9/14)
Second sightseeing bus center to open
The Shanghai Sightseeing Bus Center will open a new outlet at the city's South Long Distance Bus Station on October 1.
Buses departing the station will run along 10 routes, many of which are headed to water towns in Zhejiang and Jiangsu provinces. The outlet is expected to cut down on the heavy tourist flow during the October weeklong holiday, and will stay open to the public after that. The new center has three ticket offices and an information booth on the first floor of the South Long Distance Bus Station. --(9/13)
70% expatriates willing to live in Shanghai
More than 70 percent of expatriates are willing to live and work in Shanghai, according to a survey of expatriates' attitude towards the city conducted by the Shanghai Quality Control Association.
It was the fourth survey of its kind, with 412 interviewees from 28 countries and areas, up nine from last time, with a record high of 60 percent of the respondents coming from developed countries such as the US, UK, France, Germany, Japan, Canada and Italy.
Expatriates are comparatively satisfied with Shanghai, with nearly 74 percent of the respondents stating that there isn't much of a gap between Shanghai and global top-grade cities. Some 61 percent of the expatriates said that Shanghai has been rapidly growing, with even more satisfied with the developments in the local service industry. Nearly 40 percent saw improvements in the local traffic situation and nearly 30 percent saw big improvements in the local education and training industries, as well as in public services, entertainment, catering, financial and insurance sectors.
Eighty-percent of expatriates are fond of the local food, with residents' clothing style and warm-heartedness being attractive to them.
However, despite the rapid development in urban construction, local air-quality, greenery and public facilities are not satisfactory enough, according to the survey. Local residents should give top priority to healthy habits, improving their behaviors and complying with public order, expatriates suggested. --(9/12)
China Society of Urban Economy held 20th anniversary in Shanghai
Shanghai will steady its efforts to improve industrial structures and promote more infrastructure projects in the city, Mayor Han Zheng said at a forum marking the China Society of Urban Economy's 20 th anniversary last Friday.
On the way to being an international hub in finance, trade and shipping industries, Shanghai should become more innovative and adopt scientific and economical methods to further boost the economy instead of being resource-consumption based, the mayor said.
The China Society of Urban Economy, set up in the city in 1986 by the former Shanghai Mayor Wang Daohan, is composed of city-level officials, economic experts and entrepreneurs, with a focus of developing cities around the country in areas like public transportation, infrastructures and real estate.
In the last 20 years, the society has devoted itself to developing China's booming economy by tracing its economic developments and exploring new economic theories. --(9/11)
Pooch-powered
A new trolley bus runs along Nanjing Road Pedestrian Mall. Ten new models will carry sightseers along the busy commercial street in the near future. --(9/10)
City announces holiday schedule
City government yesterday announced the holiday schedule for upcoming National Day holiday.
The vacation will run from October 1 to 7, but locals will have to work on Saturday on September 30 and Sunday on October 8. This year, the weeklong holiday also includes the Mid-Autumn Festival, which falls on October 6. --(9/8)
Cool down
Today's temperature will reach 28 degrees Celsius with a low of 22 degrees, according to the Shanghai Meteorological Bureau yesterday.
Rain is expected to return to the city tomorrow evening, said the bureau. Yesterday's top temperature dropped to 26 degrees Celsius after a low of 20.9 degrees which was the lowest since August 7. --(9/7)
Potted vegetables for sale
Residents can plant and pick their own vegetables, as a new fully grown potted vegetable plant will be entering both the local wet markets and supermarkets from next month.
The potted vegetable, in a 54cm x 28cm plastic pot, has 50 holes for each plant or seedling, and it can hold a weight of up to 1 kilogram.
After all the vegetables are picked, residents can buy seeds to plant themselves.
The vegetables, mainly ordinary varieties, can stay fresh for at least three or four days, while common vegetables usually wither in less than one day.
The potted vegetable, for around 6 yuan (US$0.76), is no more expensive than the ordinary pre-picked variety. --(9/6)
Fudan cancels program, draws students' protest
Students and their parents began to leave the gate of Chinese elite Fudan University in Shanghai yesterday after protesting over the weekend the university's cancellation of an off-campus study program.
More than 100 students and their parents protested at the university's gate after it announced on Friday the cancellation of the program, which was jointly managed by the university and a private supplementary school in Yangpu District.
The university said it decided to cancel the program after the school had received reports of irregularities in recruitment and teaching.
"There were breaches of contract and regulations in regard to exceeding the scope and plans and blindly recruiting students," Fudan said in a statement.
It promised to enroll the students who wanted to continue to study at the university
By yesterday afternoon, half of the 739 students in the canceled program had received a refund of their tuition from the university.
Some students, though, still registered with the university.
The gathering of students and their parents also disrupted the campus, said the university.
The incident was caused by some university teachers who had carried out irregular recruitment in the name of the university, the university said. --(9/5)
Swedish ship invites city to walk its planks
Shanghai landlubbers will get a long-awaited close-quarter look at a Swedish tall ship docked along the Bund when the vessel lowers its gangplank to the public on Wednesday and Thursday.
But with only two opening days scheduled so far, and a limit of 2000 visitors a day, residents will have to be quick to book their place on the trading ship replica.
The Gotheborg sailed into the city last Tuesday to a warm welcome from residents and officials.
The ship has since received visits from Sweden's Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Carl Philip, but only now will locals be allowed to walk the decks.
On Wednesday the ship will be open from 10am to 2pm and on Thursday from 12pm and 3pm. The ship will be closed to the public on Friday to Sunday with organizers saying they will give details of further opening times soon.
Boarding tickets, which can be bought at Gaoyang Quay on the northern Bund where the ship is docked, or online at www.shanghai.chinaticket.com and www.renhu.net, will cost 30 yuan, with children less than 1.20 meters tall allowed in free. During the October National Day holiday the price will rise to 50 yuan.
The ship will be on the Bund until October 29, when it begins its return trip to its home port of Gothenburg.
Residents who want to buy boarding tickets must show their identity cards, which will be returned after they leave the ship.
Organizers said foreigners who want to board the ship can use their passport in place of an identity card.
Children under 18 must be accompanied by an adult.
The ship tours are part of a month-long festival celebrating the Gotheborg's arrival. The Bund will also host from Wednesday a two-month long navigation culture and history exhibition. --(9/4)
Train travel
About 34.14 million passengers left the city by train during the 62-day summer holiday, an increase of about 106,000 people compared with a year earlier, the Shanghai Railway Administration said yesterday.
Officials also said they put into service 2,565 extra trains to meet record demand in the period. --(9/3)
Arts festival signs up music greats
Top music artists including opera singer Jessye Norman and pianist Lang Lang will grace the stage at the upcoming Eighth Shanghai International Arts Festival from October 18 to November 18.
The organizing committee has announced 74 performances and 12 exhibitions for the festival, with highlights including concerts by the BBC Symphony Orchestra and Sachsische Staatskapelle Dresden, a dance show from the Sydney Dance Company and contemporary dance from the Jin Xing Dance Company.
A rainbow of talents including South Korean conductor Chung Myung-whun and Chinese ballet dancer Tan Yuanyuan will take part in the annual event. A Mexican Cultural Week will feature five Mexican performances. --(9/1)
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