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A bicycle-sharing pack at Qianmen Dong Street in downtown Beijing.
The city will nearly double its number of bicycles available for shared use to 25，000 this year， with plans to add more， in an attempt to cut air pollution and traffic congestion in the city.
Private automobile ownership is estimated to exceed 6 million by the end of 2016 in the Chinese capital.
Beijing’s bicycle-sharing program started in 2011 and has been proven popular during its two-year trial period.
Gov’t Property Ban
China’s central authorities on July 23 introduced a ban on the construction of new government buildings.
The General Office of the Communist Party of China （CPC） Central Committee and the General Office of the State Council jointly issued a directive that calls for an across-the-board halt to the construction of any new government buildings in the coming five years.
The ban also prohibits governments from building expensive structures designated as training centers or hotels.
According to the directive， the construction， purchase， restoration or expansion of office compounds done under the guise of building repair or urban planning is strictly forbidden.
It also bans CPC and government organizations from receiving any form of construction sponsorship or donations， as well as collaborating with enterprises， in developing construction projects.
While allowing restoration proj- ects for office buildings with dated facilities， the directive stresses that such projects must be exclusively aimed at erasing safety risks and restoring office functions.
The directive stipulates that expenditures on office building restoration should be included in CPC and government budgets.
Islands Survey
China will carry out a survey of its territorial islands， the State Oceanic Administration announced on July 23. It will be the country’s second integrated survey of island resources. The survey aims to cover China’s territorial islands， which number around 10，000， in five years， according to the administration.
Data on the distribution， quantity and quality of the islands’resources and the development potential of such resources， as well as the islands’ major environmental and ecological conditions will be collected.
The upcoming survey is also being carried out to formulate a strategic blueprint for maritime development and social construction on the islands in its 13th Five-Year Plan （2016-20）. New Visa Rules
The Chinese Government promulgated a new exit-andentry regulation on July 22 that is intended to standardize the issuance of visas for foreigners， as well as related services and management.
The 39-article regulation will take effect on September 1， replacing the previous regulation promulgated in December 1986.
Based on one’s purpose of entry， the regulation categorizes ordinary visas into 12 types， with the new R-visa to be issued to high-level foreign professionals.
Another new visa type， the Q-visa， is introduced for foreigners who come to China to visit relatives.
According to the regulation， financial， educational， medical and telecommunications institutions， when necessary， can verify foreigners’ identities with the exit-entry management agencies of local public security organs.
The regulation is also designed to address illegal entry， residence and employment in line with the exit-entry law.
Elder Care Lottery
The Chinese Government will allocate 1 billion yuan （$163 million） this year from a special fund raised from lottery sales to improve elderly-care services in rural areas.
The money will be used in 33，300 under-construction and existing nursing homes and other seniorcare facilities in the countryside to provide meals and recreational services for elderly people， according to a statement issued by the Ministry of Civil Affairs on July 24.
Each project will receive 30，000 yuan （$4，884） in allowances to construct， renovate or equip facilities， the statement said.
It added that the program should expand the proportion of rural elderly people who have access to senior-care services by 10 percent.
Farmer Education
The Ministry of Education （MOE） said on July 22 that it will accelerate the development of vocational education for professional farmers in order to safeguard food security and promote agricultural modernization.
Vice Minister Lu Xin said at a symposium that the focus of the work will be training foregoers and production management.
A joint study by the MOE and the Ministry of Agriculture found that China’s rural labor force is both shrinking and aging.
The study also revealed that 70 percent of rural laborers have a primary and junior middle school education. The number of junior and senior high school graduates who choose to study agriculture is declining sharply. Plateau Reserves
A sacsaoul forest on west China’s Qinghai-Tibet Plateau was designated as a national nature reserve， local officials said on July 21.
“The 370，000-hectare forest plays a primary role in stabilizing the ecosystem of the desert in Qinghai Province’s Qaidam Basin，”said Zheng Ze， forestry and animal protection chief of Haixi Mongol and Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture， Qinghai.
Studies show the sacsaoul works efficiently in slowing winds， blocking sand and improving moisture.
The Qaidam Basin covers an area of 258，000 square km and is rich in oil， natural gas and metals.
Save Theaters
China on July 24 announced a program to help endangered traditional performing troupes.
The Ministry of Culture will select 40 troupes this year and sponsor performances and training of their artists over the next five years， said a ministry statement.
The program is aimed to protect traditional drama and musical the- aters that are struggling to survive competition with modern entertainment， the ministry said.
A 1983 survey showed that China had about 370 active traditional theaters， mostly having regional influences.
The number dropped to about 280 in 2012 and 74 of them only have one professional troupe each.
Language Swap
The Chinese mainland and Taiwan are to jointly publish a report on their respective use of the Chinese language and its differences and evolution across the Taiwan Straits， the Ministry of Education said in a statement on July 23.
The two sides have agreed to improve the linkage of websites and network resource sharing， enhance the cross-Straits language exchange mechanism， and strengthen cooperation between young people on joint promotion of Chinese-language classic works， the statement said， adding that all these initiatives would be completed within 2013.
With deepening of cross-Straits cultural exchanges， the two sides have jointly worked on compiling Chinese language reference books， including those of technical terms， and opened a Chinese Language Repository website， the statement said.
Seaplane
The first China-made amphibious aircraft， Haiou 300， completed its maiden flight in Jingmen City， Central China’s Hubei Province， on July 24.
The China Special Vehicle Research Institute has independent intellectual property rights for developing the aircraft.
At 8.9 meters long and 12.46 meters wide， the aircraft can achieve a cruising speed of 231 km per hour and is able to take off and land on water or ground at altitudes below 3，500 meters.
Smart Grid
Workers build a smart power grid in an underground tunnel in Chongqing on July 24.
The grid will be completed in October 2014， meeting the power demand of the city’s biggest business center for the next 20 years.
Telecoms Boost
In the first half of the year， telecommunications revenue increased by 8.9 percent year on year， and the number of 3G users reached 319 million， said the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology （MIIT） on July 24.
From January to May， the information consumption scaled up to 1.38 trillion yuan （$224.9 billion）， up by 19.8 percent year on year. The number of WeChat users exceeded 400 million， driving the revenue growth from mobile traffic up by 56.8 percent， said Zhu Hongren， chief engineer of the MIIT.
WeChat is a text and voice message app of the Chinese technology company Tencent.
In the first half this year， the market scale of the e-commerce industry reached 5.4 trillion yuan（$880.04 billion）， surging 38.5 percent. Sales volumes of smart phones and TVs both went up by more than 25 percent. The investment in telecommunications infrastructure was 129.7 billion yuan （$21.14 billion）.
Loosening Controls
China will expedite foreign exchange（forex） transactions in the services trade by cutting more red tape， the State Administration of Foreign Exchange（SAFE） announced on July 24.
Under the new rules， which will be effective from September 1， a forex payment or settlement transaction in the services trade that is equivalent to $50，000 or less can proceed without having its transaction documents verified， the SAFE said in an online statement.
The simplified procedure is expected to benefit about 88 percent of China’s services-trade-related forex transactions， according to the SAFE.
Other measures include allow- ing services trade forex transactions to be handled directly at financial institutions and to permit companies in the services trade to deposit their foreign currency earnings overseas.
More Competition
Upcoming reforms will completely open China’s railway construction market and invite more competition to the sector.
Reforms concerning investment and financing in the sector will be sped up， covering the areas of planning， multi-channel investment， market-based operations and policy coordination， said the State Council. A railway development fund will be established using government investment and social capital while local regions and social capital will have ownership and management rights for inter-city railway links and municipal rail links.
Multiple reforms are being made in the sector following the separation of the Ministry of Railways in March into administrative and commercial arms， a move that was made to reduce bureaucracy and improve efficiency.
Government investment and the railway system’s financing have long been the primary sources of capital for railway construction. However， these limited channels have become increasingly unable to meet demand for capital.
Analysts said the sector should diversify and attract more social capital for construction projects by breaking up monopolies and investment barriers.
Aiding Small Firms
China will suspend the value-added tax （VAT） and turnover tax for small businesses with monthly sales of less than 20，000 yuan （$3，226） starting from August 1， a move aimed at supporting the country’s fledging small businesses amid an economic slowdown.
The move will benefit more than 6 million small companies and boost the employment and income for tens of millions of people， according to a statement from the State Council.
VAT refers to a tax levied on the difference between a commodity’s price before taxes and its cost of production. Turnover tax refers to a levy on a business’ gross revenues.
More efforts should be made to create a fair， open and convenient market environment， motivate market players and enhance construction in weak areas of the economy.
Investment Fair
The 17th China International Fair for Investment and Trade （CIFIT）， themed on Reconstructing Global Value Chain and Innovation， will be held from September 8-11， in Xiamen， southeast China’s Fujian Province.
The annual event has become a pivotal platform to promote a more efficient flow of global capital.
“CIFIT is an effective and globally influential platform to connect investors and potential investment projects，” said MOFCOM spokesperson Shen Danyang. “It used to emphasize the introduction of foreign investment to China， while now it also focuses on booming outbound Chinese investment.”
The U.S. embassy in China will hold an investment promotion activity named Invest in the United States at the 2013 CIFIT. South Africa will also set up its national pavilion to display the country’s investment environment， host an investment matchmaking symposium and showcase its unique culture.
Eco-Travel
A child picks an eggplant at a farm in Haikou， capital of south China’s Hainan Province.
The Happy Farm， located in the city’s suburbs， invited 40 children to ride horses， make toufu and pick vegetables on July 24.
The city will nearly double its number of bicycles available for shared use to 25，000 this year， with plans to add more， in an attempt to cut air pollution and traffic congestion in the city.
Private automobile ownership is estimated to exceed 6 million by the end of 2016 in the Chinese capital.
Beijing’s bicycle-sharing program started in 2011 and has been proven popular during its two-year trial period.
Gov’t Property Ban
China’s central authorities on July 23 introduced a ban on the construction of new government buildings.
The General Office of the Communist Party of China （CPC） Central Committee and the General Office of the State Council jointly issued a directive that calls for an across-the-board halt to the construction of any new government buildings in the coming five years.
The ban also prohibits governments from building expensive structures designated as training centers or hotels.
According to the directive， the construction， purchase， restoration or expansion of office compounds done under the guise of building repair or urban planning is strictly forbidden.
It also bans CPC and government organizations from receiving any form of construction sponsorship or donations， as well as collaborating with enterprises， in developing construction projects.
While allowing restoration proj- ects for office buildings with dated facilities， the directive stresses that such projects must be exclusively aimed at erasing safety risks and restoring office functions.
The directive stipulates that expenditures on office building restoration should be included in CPC and government budgets.
Islands Survey
China will carry out a survey of its territorial islands， the State Oceanic Administration announced on July 23. It will be the country’s second integrated survey of island resources. The survey aims to cover China’s territorial islands， which number around 10，000， in five years， according to the administration.
Data on the distribution， quantity and quality of the islands’resources and the development potential of such resources， as well as the islands’ major environmental and ecological conditions will be collected.
The upcoming survey is also being carried out to formulate a strategic blueprint for maritime development and social construction on the islands in its 13th Five-Year Plan （2016-20）. New Visa Rules
The Chinese Government promulgated a new exit-andentry regulation on July 22 that is intended to standardize the issuance of visas for foreigners， as well as related services and management.
The 39-article regulation will take effect on September 1， replacing the previous regulation promulgated in December 1986.
Based on one’s purpose of entry， the regulation categorizes ordinary visas into 12 types， with the new R-visa to be issued to high-level foreign professionals.
Another new visa type， the Q-visa， is introduced for foreigners who come to China to visit relatives.
According to the regulation， financial， educational， medical and telecommunications institutions， when necessary， can verify foreigners’ identities with the exit-entry management agencies of local public security organs.
The regulation is also designed to address illegal entry， residence and employment in line with the exit-entry law.
Elder Care Lottery
The Chinese Government will allocate 1 billion yuan （$163 million） this year from a special fund raised from lottery sales to improve elderly-care services in rural areas.
The money will be used in 33，300 under-construction and existing nursing homes and other seniorcare facilities in the countryside to provide meals and recreational services for elderly people， according to a statement issued by the Ministry of Civil Affairs on July 24.
Each project will receive 30，000 yuan （$4，884） in allowances to construct， renovate or equip facilities， the statement said.
It added that the program should expand the proportion of rural elderly people who have access to senior-care services by 10 percent.
Farmer Education
The Ministry of Education （MOE） said on July 22 that it will accelerate the development of vocational education for professional farmers in order to safeguard food security and promote agricultural modernization.
Vice Minister Lu Xin said at a symposium that the focus of the work will be training foregoers and production management.
A joint study by the MOE and the Ministry of Agriculture found that China’s rural labor force is both shrinking and aging.
The study also revealed that 70 percent of rural laborers have a primary and junior middle school education. The number of junior and senior high school graduates who choose to study agriculture is declining sharply. Plateau Reserves
A sacsaoul forest on west China’s Qinghai-Tibet Plateau was designated as a national nature reserve， local officials said on July 21.
“The 370，000-hectare forest plays a primary role in stabilizing the ecosystem of the desert in Qinghai Province’s Qaidam Basin，”said Zheng Ze， forestry and animal protection chief of Haixi Mongol and Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture， Qinghai.
Studies show the sacsaoul works efficiently in slowing winds， blocking sand and improving moisture.
The Qaidam Basin covers an area of 258，000 square km and is rich in oil， natural gas and metals.
Save Theaters
China on July 24 announced a program to help endangered traditional performing troupes.
The Ministry of Culture will select 40 troupes this year and sponsor performances and training of their artists over the next five years， said a ministry statement.
The program is aimed to protect traditional drama and musical the- aters that are struggling to survive competition with modern entertainment， the ministry said.
A 1983 survey showed that China had about 370 active traditional theaters， mostly having regional influences.
The number dropped to about 280 in 2012 and 74 of them only have one professional troupe each.
Language Swap
The Chinese mainland and Taiwan are to jointly publish a report on their respective use of the Chinese language and its differences and evolution across the Taiwan Straits， the Ministry of Education said in a statement on July 23.
The two sides have agreed to improve the linkage of websites and network resource sharing， enhance the cross-Straits language exchange mechanism， and strengthen cooperation between young people on joint promotion of Chinese-language classic works， the statement said， adding that all these initiatives would be completed within 2013.
With deepening of cross-Straits cultural exchanges， the two sides have jointly worked on compiling Chinese language reference books， including those of technical terms， and opened a Chinese Language Repository website， the statement said.
Seaplane
The first China-made amphibious aircraft， Haiou 300， completed its maiden flight in Jingmen City， Central China’s Hubei Province， on July 24.
The China Special Vehicle Research Institute has independent intellectual property rights for developing the aircraft.
At 8.9 meters long and 12.46 meters wide， the aircraft can achieve a cruising speed of 231 km per hour and is able to take off and land on water or ground at altitudes below 3，500 meters.
Smart Grid
Workers build a smart power grid in an underground tunnel in Chongqing on July 24.
The grid will be completed in October 2014， meeting the power demand of the city’s biggest business center for the next 20 years.
Telecoms Boost
In the first half of the year， telecommunications revenue increased by 8.9 percent year on year， and the number of 3G users reached 319 million， said the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology （MIIT） on July 24.
From January to May， the information consumption scaled up to 1.38 trillion yuan （$224.9 billion）， up by 19.8 percent year on year. The number of WeChat users exceeded 400 million， driving the revenue growth from mobile traffic up by 56.8 percent， said Zhu Hongren， chief engineer of the MIIT.
WeChat is a text and voice message app of the Chinese technology company Tencent.
In the first half this year， the market scale of the e-commerce industry reached 5.4 trillion yuan（$880.04 billion）， surging 38.5 percent. Sales volumes of smart phones and TVs both went up by more than 25 percent. The investment in telecommunications infrastructure was 129.7 billion yuan （$21.14 billion）.
Loosening Controls
China will expedite foreign exchange（forex） transactions in the services trade by cutting more red tape， the State Administration of Foreign Exchange（SAFE） announced on July 24.
Under the new rules， which will be effective from September 1， a forex payment or settlement transaction in the services trade that is equivalent to $50，000 or less can proceed without having its transaction documents verified， the SAFE said in an online statement.
The simplified procedure is expected to benefit about 88 percent of China’s services-trade-related forex transactions， according to the SAFE.
Other measures include allow- ing services trade forex transactions to be handled directly at financial institutions and to permit companies in the services trade to deposit their foreign currency earnings overseas.
More Competition
Upcoming reforms will completely open China’s railway construction market and invite more competition to the sector.
Reforms concerning investment and financing in the sector will be sped up， covering the areas of planning， multi-channel investment， market-based operations and policy coordination， said the State Council. A railway development fund will be established using government investment and social capital while local regions and social capital will have ownership and management rights for inter-city railway links and municipal rail links.
Multiple reforms are being made in the sector following the separation of the Ministry of Railways in March into administrative and commercial arms， a move that was made to reduce bureaucracy and improve efficiency.
Government investment and the railway system’s financing have long been the primary sources of capital for railway construction. However， these limited channels have become increasingly unable to meet demand for capital.
Analysts said the sector should diversify and attract more social capital for construction projects by breaking up monopolies and investment barriers.
Aiding Small Firms
China will suspend the value-added tax （VAT） and turnover tax for small businesses with monthly sales of less than 20，000 yuan （$3，226） starting from August 1， a move aimed at supporting the country’s fledging small businesses amid an economic slowdown.
The move will benefit more than 6 million small companies and boost the employment and income for tens of millions of people， according to a statement from the State Council.
VAT refers to a tax levied on the difference between a commodity’s price before taxes and its cost of production. Turnover tax refers to a levy on a business’ gross revenues.
More efforts should be made to create a fair， open and convenient market environment， motivate market players and enhance construction in weak areas of the economy.
Investment Fair
The 17th China International Fair for Investment and Trade （CIFIT）， themed on Reconstructing Global Value Chain and Innovation， will be held from September 8-11， in Xiamen， southeast China’s Fujian Province.
The annual event has become a pivotal platform to promote a more efficient flow of global capital.
“CIFIT is an effective and globally influential platform to connect investors and potential investment projects，” said MOFCOM spokesperson Shen Danyang. “It used to emphasize the introduction of foreign investment to China， while now it also focuses on booming outbound Chinese investment.”
The U.S. embassy in China will hold an investment promotion activity named Invest in the United States at the 2013 CIFIT. South Africa will also set up its national pavilion to display the country’s investment environment， host an investment matchmaking symposium and showcase its unique culture.
Eco-Travel
A child picks an eggplant at a farm in Haikou， capital of south China’s Hainan Province.
The Happy Farm， located in the city’s suburbs， invited 40 children to ride horses， make toufu and pick vegetables on July 24.