China Amending Foreign Business Laws
To match the needs of further opening to the outside world, the Fourth Plenary Session of the 9th Chinese People's Congress is now in the process reviewing the draft amendment to China-Foreign Joint Ventures Law. Together with other two laws including China-Foreign Cooperative Venture Law and Foreign Invested Enterprses Law amended by the Standing Committee of Chinese People's Congress last year, China has so far updated three foreign businesses related laws.
It is reported that the major amendments made to the said three laws include revoking the restriction of foreign exchanges self-balance, revising the stipulation "make the procurement in China in the first place as possible", outdating the rule that the products manufactured by the foreign invested enterprises shall wholly or partially be exported and deleting the stipulation that the enterprises' production plan shall be filed for record and among others. These amendments will make the so-called three-equity enterprises enjoy more rights for selling their goods domestically, more independent raw material procurement and business operation rights.
In addition to the laws on three-equity enterprises, the Standing Committee of the Chinese People's Congress has made the amendments to Patent Law and Customs Law in line with the rules of World Trade Organization and the promise made by the Chinese Government with Copyright Law and Trademark Law in the process of amendment drafting. The Chinese State Council has basically completed the re-examination and house keeping of the existing administrative regulations and by-laws. As shown by the preliminary statistics, 140 and more foreign economy and trade related laws and regulations need be amended and 570 declared obsolete.
It is reported that the Standing Committee of the Chinese National People's Congress is working on by-laws on anti-dumping, anti-subsidizing and associated protective measures. It will in line with China's accession process into WTO formulate and amend relevant laws such as working out anti-TRUST law and revising foreign trade law and import & export commercial goods examination law.
Strict State Rules for Human Sperm Bank
On March 5th, 2001 Chinese Ministry of Health published Methods on Managing Human Reproduction Supporting Technologies and Methods on Managing Human Sperm Bank, both of them call for strict management of human reproduction supporting techniques and human sperm bank. It is briefed that the said two by-laws will come into effect in the country on August 1st, 2001.
The state has stipulated that the human sperm bank shall be physically located at medical institutions and sperm collection and donation shall be on the voluntary basis and in line with popular ethic codes. Any institutions or individuals shall not collect or donate sperms for the purpose of making profit.
The sperm donator shall be the healthy male aged between 22 to 45 years old. A sperm donator is only allowed to deposit his sperms in one human sperm bank. His sperms can be used to fertilize five women to the maximum and the women who receive the sperms from the same donor shall be from different regions. Human sperm banks shall exercise health check and strict screening on sperm donors and inform the donors of the applications of their sperms, sperms keeping methods and possible ethic issues that may arise. The human sperm bank and sperm donator shall jointly sign the agreement to that effect. The human sperm bank shall establish permanent files for sperm donators and exercise computer based management on donators' details and associated sperm applications. In the meanwhile, sperm donators and recipients are legally protected for their confidentiality.
S&T Parks International Week
The 4th China Beijing International Week for S&T Parks' Construction and Development will be held in Beijing on May 11-13, 2001. It is expected that representatives of renowned S&T parks both at home and abroad, well-known economists on S&T parks, 40 and many famed enterprises both from home and abroad who are interested in Chinese market and representatives of investment banking firms will share their views and forge the cooperation ties on the construction and development of S&T parks.
It is briefed that the session will have an in-depth discussion of eight major topics such as the improvement of S&T park's management, S&T parks' investment strategies, the construction of specialized S&T parks, S&T parks and new economy,S&T parks and the west development, S&T parks and digital portal construction, S&T parks and banking industries and S&T industrialization and human resources on the basis of four major fundamentals: S&T parks' policy climate, new economy and specialized S&T parks, S&T parks and banking industries, S&T parks and human resources. The gathering is aiming at stimulating and enlightening the way of thinking through the dialogues between S&T parks and governmental officials, academic people, heads of high tech industries, banking investors and new entrepreneurs, promoting the cooperation between domestic S&T parks themselves and between domestic S&T parks and multinationals, overseas venture capitals, sectional associations and the enterprises created by overseas Chinese students.
World First Fully Automatic Robot
Lu Guizhang, Professor of the Institute of Robots and Information Automation, Nankai University has developed a brand new robot able to perform micro-operation. With clicks of mouse, the robot will automatically give a shot to the ox lung cells with a diameter of only a few microns. The injected cells then become fully modified genetically in a minute. The said robot can be the substitute for human hands to perform injections to cells only several microns thick. In addition, it is fully capable of other functions such as chromosome cutting and cell separation and integration, which will play a positive role in the development of biological engineering and animal based genetic modification. It is reported that the robot dedicated to micro biological and medical operations is the first of its kind in the world.
With the help of this mini-giant, researchers will perform the systematic studies of different live cells and establish a demonstration lab for such operations so as to commercialize the results and make it the new generation lab instrument for micro operations. Up to date, the result has been granted with national invention patent and its prototype instrument is used to work on organs' genetic modification at the Urology Institute under Tianjin Academy of Medical Sciences.
China's World Advanced Controlled Nuclear Fusion
Scientists of Plasma Physics Institute under the Chinese Academy of Sciences announce that China's controlled nuclear fusion studies have generally approached the world advanced level with some aspects taking the leading position. Along with the smooth construction of full superconductor HT-7U, a major scientific project listed under the national 9th Five-Year Plan(1996-2000), China's controlled nuclear fusion has stepped onto a new phase. It is reported that the HT-7U under construction is a large scientific project approved by the State Development and Planning Commission with a total investment of RMB 165 million. Started from 1998, the project has attracted the involvement of more than 200 researchers of Plasma Physics Institute. Chinese scientists pointed out that major nations in the world studying nuclear fusion such as US, Japan, France and Russia have not yet constructed the full superconductor Tokamak unit like HT-7U. On the basis of quasi stable running of its regular Tokamak HT-7U that recorded an experimental discharging duration for 10 seconds, the full superconductor Tokamak HT-7U is designed to reach 1000-second stable operation. Their ultimate goals, said these scientists, are the nuclear fusion reactors running for around-clock commercial applications.
Chinese Scientists Discovered Reproduction Genes
Shanghai Institute of Life Sciences under the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Epithelium Biological Research Center of Hong Kong Chinese University have landed a major discovery in their joint studies of sperm maturity related functional genes. The scientists from the two institutions have cloned a new gene of unique expression from rats.
It is briefed that Zhang Yonglian, Chair of the research team of the National Key Lab under Shanghai Institute of Life Sciences has in collaboration with the scientists of Hong Kong Chinese University cloned a new gene, anti-bacteria peptide genes from rats having possible relations with reproduction. The said new gene only finds its expression in the epithelium sitting on the central section of epididymis head. Its expression runs the highest during the reproduction phase and then goes down when seniority hits. Epididymis is believed to be the necessary path for sperm ripening. Scientists have been working hard to locate the genetic "key" that opens and closes the process leading to sperm ripening. Fortunately anti-bacteria peptide genes are born of the said properties. In this context, the research team hope to find corresponding genes in human body, testing the associated reactions and studying its roles in lower animals' cells.
China's New Genetic Chips
Bai'ao Bioinformation S&T Co. Ltd., has recently worked out two genetic chips testing sexually transmitted diseases and genetically modified plants. The one testing sexually transmitted diseases is working on the principle of filling up the missing part of nucleic acid base pair by locating the unique gene sequences of disease pathogens on the chips so as to hybrid them with the marked sample nucleic acid. The number of sample nucleic acid molecules and sequencing data can be derived from testing the intensity of hybrid signals, thus detecting the source microbes causing sexually transmitted diseases on a single sample. The chip is of fine features such as high sensitivity, uniqueness, simple operation, high automation and fast and objective results. It has made up for the shortcoming of the traditional techniques. It is briefed that the chip remains the first of its kind in the country.
The chip testing genetically modified plants is the one that has gathered multiple genetic sections to test if the sample plant is of external genetic sequencing and thus it can tell whether the plant is naturally born or derived from genetically modified process. Comparing with the traditional testing techniques, the chip is of the merits such as simple operation with fast and accurate result, promising for extensive applications in commercial goods examination and agricultural sector.
China's New 3N Technologies
Shenzhen based Yite Information Technology Co. Ltd., has recently made the debut of its new products named 3N. These homemade technologies and facilities have not only found the solution to major technologies and equipment for online data and image transmission in the country and broken the monopoly of the overseas manufacturers on direct broadcasting compressing and flow media server technologies but also provided a reliable guarantee for the national information security.
Named 3N system, the said new technologies and facilities are able to obtain high quality output on fast moving pictures (320x240x60fps) while improving the picture quality on 640x480x30fps; its world advanced flow media server technology has made a single unit simultaneous supporting 20,000 individual narrow band flows (22kb/s) or 4,000 broadband (100kb/s) flows possible. The technology is able to digitalize pictures and then make them compressed for transmitting to flow media server for direct or ordered broadcasting service. The compressed bandwidth may support ordinary families to access to the broadband network through dial-in system, far more advanced than that offered by foreign technologies of the similar kind.
Experts pointed out that this movie and sound compressing system has not only broken up the monopoly position of the United States in networking technologies but also reached the world leading position, landing a milestone record in networking history.
It is briefed by the experts that the domestic TV broadcasting sector has the strong desire to expand its coverage and make it an economic growth point by taking advantage of online direct broadcasting. Unfortunately the existing technologies in the world has not yet to the point reached a satisfactory direct or ordered broadcasting result. However the new 3N technologies and associated facilities are able to achieve the results comparable to TV pictures. In addition, the said technologies have found world leading applications in picture transmission for the real time monitoring of distance learning, mobile telecommunication and security system. If a multi-points 3N movie and sound broadcasting platform can be established in China by taking advantage of the said advanced technologies and facilities, uncountable visitors all over the world may watch through this platform real-time or interactive high quality digital movies and music. The said development will benefit the TV digitalization process, national information security and networking technology development in the country.
China's Visual Radar
The so-called Multiple Radar and Display Integration System, nicknamed visual radar, developed by the Graphics Institute of Sichuan University has passed the technical verifications by CAAC experts. The said system will change China's existing programmed air traffic control system into a radar based one, which will greatly improve the efficiency and accuracy.
It is briefed that at present stage a single radar coverage in the country onlyranges a little than 300km. Once an aircraft fly out of the range, it will be impossible to be controlled. As a result, the current air traffic control system has to collect different radar data in a manner of relay. Sometimes blind zone could appear for geographic or terrain reasons that attribute to losing air traffic control over aircraft. The so-called visual radar may integrate the information and data collected from different radar over the country in a single system and constitute an extensive radar network on the basis of integration and processing. The new system will help air traffic control people to know the flights all over the country on an extensive and accurate basis and eliminate blind zones. The system will become a good mark in introducing advanced air traffic control system into the country.
China's Integrated Fingerprint Collector
Changchun Institute of Sophisticated Instrument and Physics subordinate to the Chinese Academy of Sciences have recently worked out a live fingerprint collector of integrated optical-electronic-mechanic functions. It is briefed that being the first of its kind in the country, the instrument is of image correction techniques possessing independent intellectual property rights with its performance reaching the internationally advanced level. The said development has marked a major breakthrough in China's information technologies.
The optically-electronically-mechanically integrated live fingerprint collector works by taking advantage of unique human biological properties and fuzzy neuronetworking technology, which has made a big stride in identification telling technology. Applied in computer based fingerprint and image processing, the instrument is able to show the fingerprint images of high resolution and contrast without blurring. It is believed of extensive application perspectives in the fields of public security, defense, safe keeping, banking and computer security.
China's First Magnetic Suspension Vehicle in Shanghai
The eye-catching demonstration project of magnetic suspension locomotives was formally kicked off on March 1st, 2001 in Shanghai Pudong new area. Planned with a total investment of RMB 8.9 billion, the said trunk line will start from Longyang station, Line II of Shanghai Subway in the west and terminate at Pudong International Airport in the east, covering a range of 30 km and running return alternatively from upper to lower tracks. The whole system will contain two terminalstations, two tow transformer substations, one control center and a maintenance base. Designed with a maximum speed of 430 km and a single run at 8 minutes, a nine-compartment train will be able to house 959 passengers. Calculated on 12 runs per hour and 18 hours a day, the annual delivery volume may reach 150 million person-time. The project has won the support of the Chinese State Council, the State Development Planning Commission, the Ministry of Science and Technology and the Ministry of Railways.
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