Blue book predicts robust shipping
CHINA'S first shipping blue book issued yesterday predicts that the nation's shipping business will be better than last year's as it enters the WTO.
Infrastructure plans for 2000 released
THE city plans to invest 280 billion yuan ($33.8 billion) this year in con-struction to improve its infrastructure.
Festival travellers return
THE number of passengers travelling on trains in areas around Shanghai surged again as the Spring Festival holidays ended after the Lantern Festival last Saturday.
New taxi service: minibuses for the disabled
WITH the 5th National Games for the Disabled in mind, Shanghai Bashi Taxi Company has invested about 6 million yuan ($725,000) in purchasing 30 Pheonix model mini-buses from Zhangjiagang in East China's Jiangsu Province.
Coastal border control tightened
BORDER policemen will have stronger powers to safeguard coastal areas of the city under a new set of coastal border control regulations.
Police raid nabs men in sex blackmail scam
MEN who were caught in the act of buying sex from prostitutes when police raided a hotel in Zhangjiang Procuratorate in Pudong New Area last October, were also the victims of an elaborate plot to extort money, police said.
Bright lights, big city
CHEN Xianpeng, 24, didn't go home for Spring Festival this year, though this was the second consecutive year he has spent the festival away from his hometown.
Spring period wine vessel from Shenshan
DURING the Eastern Zhou (770-256 BC), Qin (221-206 BC), and Han (206 BC-AD 220) dynasties, bronze casting flourished among the minority peoples inhabiting the border areas of China.
Sexism at work
MEN only need apply.
'No worry' on imported meat
By Zeng Min
LOCAL people can enjoy their meat as usual following a reassurance from local authorities they have taken strict measures to bar Listeria bacilli, reportedly tainted food and killed seven people in France, from entering Shanghai. Up to Wednesday, the city found no imports of processed meat products from France as Shanghai Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Bureau, Shanghai's watchdog on imports, is keeping a close eye on the process to make sure that the disease has no chance to slip into Shanghai. "We will continue to keep a track on the goings-on in France and increase efforts in checking, examining and testing import items from France," said He Yuping, director of the bureau's division for Supervision of Health. The bacilli, a bacteria that can destroy the eyesight of those infected and even cause coma or death, surfaced in France last month as French authorities reported two related deaths, and the death toll so far has risen to seven as others in France were reported to have been infected by the dangerous bacilli. He said locals have no need to panic over the disease as Shanghai's meat imports from France are "very paltry" and China is known in the world for its very strict import checks. Shanghai's imports from France are dominated by French wines and make-up products. "The bacilli will not cast a shadow over bilateral trade between Shanghai and France. Business will stay on track," he said. Shanghai has been safe against many disease infiltrations, including England's mad cow disease, Hong Kong's bird flu, France's wine disease and Belgium's dioxins incident, in the past, thanks to local authorities' strong efforts. However, he said the outbreak, once again, gives a warning to people to maintain a healthy lifestyle. "As the standard of living improves, people make changes in their lifestyles. There is a tendency to eat uncooked meat, which will cause some diseases," he said.
Copyright 2000 by Shanghai Star. All rights reserved.