China

BEIJING - China's total annual consumption of unconventional water resources is expected to exceed 9 billion cubic meters this year, with recycled water to account for over 80 percent of the amount, said an official with the Ministry of Water Resources. Unconventional water resources include recycled water, desalinated seawater, rain and floodwater. As a country short of water resources, China regards unconventional water resources as important supplements to surface water, underground water and tap water. Over the past few years, the government has promoted the use of unconventional water resources in industries, agriculture and ecological environments in a bid to meet the growing demand for water in water-deficient areas. The potential of unconventional water resources will be further released in the future, the official said. China's total annual water use is currently around 600 billion cubic meters, according to data from the ministry. … [Read more...] about China’s unconventional water consumption to top 9b cubic meters

KUNMING - International organ transplant specialists have applauded China's significant achievements in reforming and standardizing its organ donation and transplantation system. They made the remarks at the 4th China International Organ Donation Conference, which was held from Friday to Sunday in Kunming, capital of Southwest China's Yunnan province. The conference brought together more than 1,000 specialists from home and abroad to discuss the development of organ donation and transplantation in China and how to deepen international cooperation in the area. The Kunming Consensus on International Cooperation and Development in Organ Donation and Transplant under the Framework of the Belt & Road Initiative was released during the conference to advance international cooperation in organ donation and transplantation and to boost people-to-people exchanges among B&R countries. "I have been following what China is doing in organ donation and transplantation," Jose Nunez, a World … [Read more...] about Specialists hail China’s progress in organ donation, transplant

SHIJIAZHUANG - An ancient stone tablet dating back 265 years ago was found in North China's Hebei province, local authorities said. Archaeologists believe the stone tablet was erected in the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) during the reign of Emperor Qianlong, according to the cultural relics protection department of Nanhe county. The tablet, which is 245 cm tall, 92 cm wide and 26 cm thick, was found in Dongguan Village of the county. With a 416-character inscription, the tablet recorded the scale and renovation of the "Kuixing" building, which provided a place for ancient intellectuals to pray for blessings. "The Kuixing building is no longer in existence," said Xiao Lina with the department. Xiao also noted that the discovery of the stone tablet will provide valuable materials for the study of the culture, architectural style and folk customs of the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing dynasties. … [Read more...] about 265-yr-old stone tablet found in North China

LANZHOU -- Another four wild Bactrian camels have been released into the wild in Northwest China's Gansu province, according to the Dunhuang West Lake National Nature Reserve Administration. This is the second time wild Bactrian camels were released into the wild in Gansu. The first four wild camels were released in September 2012. "While the male camels released in the first attempt showed strong fertility and adaptability in the wild, they also caused problems such as destroying monitoring facilities and attacking humans when they come into oestrus," said Sun Zhicheng with the reserve. "So this time we decided to release them further away," Sun added. The four wild camels were released into the mountainous region in the southern part of the reserve, which borders the Kumtag Desert, in late November. GPS data showed they now have reached the hinterland of the desert. The Wild Bactrian camel is listed as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. China … [Read more...] about Wild camels return to wild in Northwest China

CHENGDU -- Residents received pre-warnings and some schools evacuated classes before a 4.6-magnitude earthquake jolted Southwest China's Sichuan province Monday afternoon. No casualties have been reported so far since the quake hit the city of Mianyang at 3:20 pm local time. The China Earthquake Networks Center monitored the depth at 10 km. The provincial earthquake administration said tremors were felt in the cities of Chengdu, Leshan and Meishan. Pre-warnings were broadcast via mobile phone apps, TV channels and public loudspeakers seven seconds before the quake in Mianyang, and 25 seconds before in Chengdu, the provincial capital. Some schools in the two cities arranged evacuations of students and teachers upon receiving the alerts, local authorities said. Railway authorities said they launched an emergency response to impose a speed limit and block off some areas after tremors were felt on two railways, including one high-speed line. Sichuan lies in a major seismic belt in China. … [Read more...] about Pre-warnings, school evacuations before 4.6-magnitude quake hits Southwest China

A senior Chinese official has said that all of the people sent to detention centres in the western region of Xinjiang have now been released.Regional government chairman Shohrat Zakir told reporters those held in what Beijing say are "re-education camps" had now "graduated".It is not possible to independently verify Mr Zakir's claims.Rights groups say the camps are actually high-security prisons, holding hundreds of thousands of Muslims.Beijing has always denied this, despite the prevalence of high-security features, like watchtowers and razor wire, and leaked documents detailing how inmates at the so-called centres are locked up, indoctrinated and punished. What is Beijing saying?Mr Zakir told reporters in the Chinese capital on Monday that everyone in the centres had completed their courses and - with the "help of the government"- had "realised stable employment [and] improved their quality of life". Leak reveals how China 'brainwashes' Uighurs in prison camps 'I spent seven days of … [Read more...] about China Uighurs: Detainees ‘free’ after ‘graduating’, official says