Heading home for festive fun: A family of three from Jiangxi province head home on a motorcycle for Lunar New Year celebrations in Jinjiang, Fujian province, on Jan 18. Gas stations in the province were refueling motorbikes free of charge for migrant workers and also offering free breakfast. Wang Dongming / China News Service

Country set to make own ballpoint pen tips

State-owned Taiyuan Iron and Steel (Group) Co plans to mass-produce ballpoint pen tips and replace imports in two years, company officials said on Jan 17. The group has spent five years on research and development to acquire the technology, ending a long-term Chinese reliance on imported pen tips. Wang Huimian, TISCO's senior engineer, said the company will invest more financial resources and manpower to develop next-generation ballpoint pen tips in an environmentally friendly way to further compete with rivals in Japan and Switzerland.

Cargo spacecraft to leave factory

China's first cargo spacecraft is set to leave the factory, according to the China Manned Space Agency. A review meeting was convened recently, during which officials and experts unanimously concluded that the Tianzhou I cargo spacecraft met all the requirements to leave the factory. The spacecraft, which is scheduled to be launched in Hainan province in April, will dock with the Tiangong II space lab and refuel it.

China reiterates support for EU integration

China reiterated its support for continued European integration after US President-elect Donald Trump's comments on the process ignited concerns in Europe. Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said at a news briefing in Beijing on Jan 17 that China hopes to see a Europe that is prosperous and open, and which remains united and stable. Hua made the remarks when asked to comment on Trump's hailing of the United Kingdom's decision to exit the European Union, as well as the strong reactions it has stirred up in Europe.

Premier stresses focus on research, innovation

Premier Li Keqiang pledged to grant universities and research institutions more independence in teaching and research, and to raise subsidies for graduate students pursuing master's degrees or doctorates, as part of efforts to boost basic research and innovation. The premier was speaking at a meeting on Jan 16 to solicit suggestions for the annual Government Work Report in March from representatives in the fields of education, science, culture, sports and healthcare as well as startup businesses, according to a statement released on Jan 17. Li vowed to continue the national strategy of innovation-driven development and to implement a policy that gives universities and research institutes more room to make self-determined choices on classes and research.

Abe accused of 'sowing discord' in region

China slammed Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's act of "sowing discord" during his tour of four Asia-Pacific countries, saying it displayed "an extremely unhealthy mentality". Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying made the remarks on Jan 16 after The Philippine Star quoted Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte as saying he had declined an offer by Abe to provide missiles to the Philippines. Abe was quoted by The Associated Press as saying in Manila that "the issue of the South China Sea is linked directly to regional peace and stability, and is a concern to the entire international community". Hua dismissed Abe's behavior as showing "ulterior motives".

Hospital sees medical tourist increasing

An online network of hospitals is turning the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region into an attractive destination for medical tourists from Central Asia, health officials said. The system, launched in the summer, allows patients seeking treatment overseas to consult Chinese doctors for free and book other services, such as flights, airport pickups, accommodation and even city tours. The network is the latest effort by health authorities in Urumqi to boost the lure of the region to tourists through improved medical services.

Additives, contamination are top food concerns

Overuse of food additives and microbial contamination were the primary food safety problems facing China last year, according to the top food authority. The two together accounted for more than 64 percent of all food safety problems found in random inspections by the China Food and Drug Administration, Yan Jiangying, spokeswoman for the administration, announced on Jan 16. In addition, food products manufactured and sold by large companies are less likely to be substandard, Yan said, suggesting consumers buy food from reputable outlets.

IMF fixes projection of nation's growth

The International Monetary Fund revised its forecast for China's economic growth due to expectations of continued policy support, according to the latest IMF World Economic Outlook report released on Jan 16. The IMF forecast 6.5 percent growth in China's economy in 2017, up 0.3 of a percentage point from its October forecast. Global growth for 2016 is estimated to be 3.1 percent, in line with the October forecast.

Rule aimed at promoting home talent

Chinese soccer's governing body has cut the number of foreign players that clubs can field in domestic matches, citing a need to curb "irrational" spending and encourage the development of more homegrown talent. Starting in the new season, which kicks off in early March, clubs in the Chinese Super League and China League One will be allowed a maximum of three foreigners on the pitch, down from five, according to a statement by the Chinese Football Association on Jan 16. The association also said each club is now required to have at least two Chinese players under the age of 23 in their 18-member matchday squad, and at least one in the starting lineup.

Beijing to establish environmental police

Beijing plans to establish an environmental police force by the end of March, amid tightened controls on air pollution, the Beijing Municipal Environmental Protection Bureau said after the capital and other northern cities were engulfed by a new bout of smog. The planned environmental police force will focus on reducing environmental crimes.

World's oldest panda heralds 37th birthday

Basi, the world's oldest panda living in captivity, celebrated her 37th birthday on Jan 18 in Fuzhou, capital of Fujian province. Thirty-seven panda years is thought to be equal to about 140 human years. The typical life span of a giant panda is 18 to 20 years in the wild and 30 years in captivity, according to Guinness World Records. Basi was born in 1980 in Baoxing, Sichuan province. Since 2000, Basi has been suffering from illnesses including cataracts, pancreatitis and epilepsy, according to Chen Yucun, head of the Cross-Straits Fuzhou Panda Research and Exchange Center.

SOEs face 'red line' on investment

China will draw a "red line" that forbids its 102 major state-owned enterprises from investing overseas in real estate, iron ore, petroleum and nonferrous metal. The State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission released two documents to further clarify SOEs' investment direction, procedures, risk control and accountability in domestic and overseas markets, as part of the country's SOE reforms. Pollution-heavy industries, energy and mining-related businesses that damage the environment or those affected by the fluctuation of global commodity prices will be either prohibited or strictly monitored by regulators.

Beijing gears up for green Winter Olympics

President Xi Jinping pledged on Jan 18 to host an extraordinary Winter Olympic Games in 2022. While meeting with Thomas Bach, president of the International Olympic Committee, at the committee's headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland, Xi said Beijing will host a green, open-minded and corruption-free Olympic event. Gearing up for the 2022 Winter Games shows China's support and proactive participation in the sporting event, the president said. Preparatory work will be a major task for China over the next few years, he added.

Li calls sound jobs the key to momentum

China will maintain a proactive policy on employment by providing diversified skills training, encouraging entrepreneurship and restructuring inefficient industries with the aim of boosting the number of new jobs and overall workforce quality. Unleashing market potential and enhancing policy implementation will be major priorities under a new program on employment for the 13th Five-Year Plan (2016-20) period. The program was approved on Jan 18 at a State Council executive meeting presided over by Premier Li Keqiang.

Swift measures to aid development

Premier Li Keqiang has called on officials to respond quickly and actively to public concerns in order to manage market expectations. Speaking at a State Council plenary meeting on Jan 18, the premier urged more than 30 ministers and local governments to take timely action in the face of changing economic indicators, which should be closely tracked and analyzed to assist in policy-making. Facing increasing uncertainty about the global economy, as well as domestic challenges, the government must enhance its sense of urgency and maintain strategic determination to overcome difficulties, Li said.

China 'attractive' to US companies

China remains a "highly attractive" destination for companies from the United States, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said on Jan 18, refuting a survey report published on the same day by a US business organization. In the 2017 China Business Climate Survey Report, the American Chamber of Commerce in China said that more than 80 percent of its 462 member companies surveyed "feel foreign businesses are less welcome in China than before". More than 60 percent expressed a lack of confidence in the Chinese government's commitment to further opening China's markets. In response, Hua quoted statistics issued by the Ministry of Commerce, showing that the US' actual investment in China witnessed a year-on-year increase of 52.6 percent in 2016.

PLA slashes commercial activities

The People's Liberation Army and the Armed Police Force have halted 40 percent of their commercial activities as part of ongoing military reforms, Xinhua News Agency reported. Decommercialization efforts will now focus on five fields - housing rental, agricultural and livestock production, hospitality services, medical services and research and development - the report said on Jan 17. Governments in provincial-level regions, including Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai, Chongqing and Guangdong, have set up interdepartmental teams to work with military authorities to push forward the efforts, it said, adding that most business owners who rented houses from or used commercial services of the military received local government assistance.

Policies to support private schools

Education authorities will support the development of private schools by issuing a series of preferential policies in areas including finance, taxes and land, the Ministry of Education announced on Jan 18. Private schools in China are either nonprofit and for-profit, and the support offered to the two types of school may differ, according to the ministry. For example, nonprofit private schools will be able to use land allocated by the government, just as public schools are, while their for-profit counterparts will not. But for-profit private schools will be able to set their own tuition fees.

First quantum satellite surpasses expectations

Micius, the world's first quantum satellite, has successfully completed four months of in-orbit tests since China launched it on Aug 16, the Chinese Academy of Sciences announced. "The overall performance has been much better than we expected, which will allow us to conduct all our planned experiments using the satellite ahead of schedule and even add some extra ones," said Pan Jianwei, chief scientist for the satellite project, on Jan 18.

Country to clean up rural pollution

China plans to rid its rural areas of pollution from wastewater and remove refuse from its mountains by 2020, officials said. Special campaigns have been launched in different regions to improve the rural environment, Zhao Hui, chief economic engineer of the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development, told a conference organized by the State Council Information Office on Jan 18. China didn't have the ability to dispose of all newly-produced garbage before 2012, so garbage from urban areas piled up in rural areas, resulting in mountains of trash, Zhao said.

28m received legal aid over 4 years

China has handled more than 5 million legal assistance cases since 2013, providing legal advice to more than 28 million people, the Ministry of Justice said on Jan 15. Stations offering legal services have been established in more than 2,000 detention houses, the ministry said. This year, the ministry will urge lawyers to perform their criminal defense duties in accordance with the law and maintain the legitimate rights of citizens facing difficulties, according to Minister of Justice Wu Aiying.

Official: Focus to be on innovation

As anti-globalization shows signs of gathering force in some parts of the world, China's efforts to explore overseas markets will hit an increasing number of snags, forcing the country to focus on innovation in frontier technologies and emerging industries, said Li Wei, head of the Development Research Center of the State Council, at the eighth China Economic Outlook Forum in Beijing on Jan 15. The event, sponsored by the China Economic Times, had a theme of "innovation-driven development and replacing old drivers of growth with new ones".

Chinese immigrants in Africa rapidly increasing

The number of Chinese immigrants in Africa has risen sevenfold over less than two decades, although most still plan to return home for retirement, according to a recent survey. The Annual Report on Overseas Chinese Study said the African continent was home to more than 1.1 million Chinese immigrants in 2012, compared with less than 160,000 in 1996, adding that 90 percent of the current total arrived after 1970. The study was conducted by researchers at Huaqiao, Peking and Xiamen Universities, and released by the Social Sciences Academic Press, a publisher affiliated with the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.