Western China - news and development

[ahojunk]

This is the 3rd government-to-government (G2G) project between China and Singapore.

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Singapore and China's third G2G project gets underway in Chongqing
The first Joint Implementation Committee Meeting to discuss the project's next step was also held in the Southwestern Chinese city on Friday (Jan 8).

CHONGQING: Singapore and China deepened their cooperation on Friday (Jan 8) with the opening of an Administrative Bureau Office in Chongqing and a project signing to flag off their third government-to-government (G2G) project.

The initiative, called the China-Singapore (Chongqing) Demonstration Initiative on Strategic Connectivity, aims to enhance modern connectivity and services in the southwestern Chinese city.

Chinese officials have said they hope it will have a positive effect on the government's plan to develop its vast and relatively undeveloped western region. Chongqing is one of four municipalities under the direct control of the Chinese central government. It has been one of the fastest growing cities in China since 2014, with its economy expanding 11 per cent in the first three quarters of last year.

Singapore's Minister in the Prime Minister's Office Chan Chun Sing and Chongqing Mayor Huang Qifan co-chaired the first joint implementation committee meeting for the Chongqing Connectivity Initiative (CCI). This is the first high-level meeting between Singapore and Chongqing since the launch of the G2G project announced by Chinese President Xi Jinping when he visited the city-state last November.

Mr Chan and the mayor endorsed the implementation structure of the CCI, which will be led by a Deputy Prime Minister-level Joint Steering Council, overseeing two ministerial committees which involve the Chinese government at both the central and local levels, said Singapore's Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI).

Both sides discussed potential project collaborations and the next steps for the project as well, MTI stated in a news release.

Mr Chan had called on Chongqing Party Secretary Sun Zhengchai before the meeting. Both sides agreed with the "vision, success factors, the way forward for the project, as well as how Singapore can further complement Chongqing’s development through the CCI", said MTI.

One of the items agreed on was to jointly develop a Chongqing Connectivity Masterplan to meet the city's development priorities. MTI said that through the CCI, Singapore hopes to "value-add to the development of Western China, by enhancing connectivity of Chongqing within China and with the world".

Mr Chan, along with Mr Sun and Mayor Huang also witnessed the signing of 11 MOUs that serve to strengthen collaboration between Singapore and Chongqing in four priority areas: Financial services, aviation, transport and logistics and Info-Communications Technology.

Said Minister Chan: "There are two things we seek to do well in this project, which is to lower the financing costs and to lower the logistic costs. Because if we can do this, they act as a lubricant to allow the rest of the sectors to flourish, so it's quite different in scope and in nature to Suzhou and Tianjin."

The Suzhou Industrial Park is regarded as a model of modern manufacturing based on industrial estates in Singapore, while the Tianjin Eco-city is a model for sustainable development. Both are China-Singapore government-to-government projects as well.

Mr Chan said because the Chongqing project focuses on connectivity, it is not geographically bound and Singapore will help the Chongqing government with different perspectives and process innovations. Singapore can also serve as a launchpad to raise capital for companies in Chongqing and the Western region, he added, but said no targets have been set yet.

"Our definition of success could be how much does it cost to raise funds in the West vis-a-vis the rest of China or benchmark against the coastal region," said Mr Chan." Our benchmark or KPI or success factor could be: If today, the logistical cost for every dollar of a product is say 20 cents, if we are able to have policy innovations, simplification of the rules, coordination of the processes, how much are we able to bring that 20 cents or 20 per cent down? How much closer can we get to coastal regions in China so that we can bring out the potential of Western China?"

Mr Chan's visit to Chongqing comes just days after President Xi opened the year by visiting the metropolis. The Singapore Minister said he got very positive feedback from the Chongqing government on the support President Xi has given to the project and the broader Singapore-China relationship.

Other members of the delegation to China include Minister of State for Health and Communications and Information Chee Hong Tat and Minister of State for Trade and Industry and National Development, Dr Koh Poh Koon.

 

[JSCh]

State Grid's east Junggar-south Anhui UHV project kicked off
Xinhua Finance 2016-01-12 09:39 BEIJING

Construction on the State Grid Corp.'s east Junggar - south Anhui ultra high-voltage (UHV) direct current (DC) power transmission project has been kicked off.​

Involving a total investment of 40.7 billion yuan, this 1,100KV UHV transmission line is so far the longest UHV line running 3,324 kilometers from West to East China with largest transmission capacity in the world. It is expected to start operation in 2018, aiming at delivering electricity out from the Xijiang energy base.

Analysts forecast that State Grid would invite tenders for UHV equipment supply soon. The east Junggar-south Anhui UHV project is estimated to create output value of 28.5 billion yuan in power transmission and conversion equipment manufacturing and trigger investment of 101.8 billion yuan in related power source industry.

According to the 2016-2020 development plan of the State Grid Corp, China's largest power grid operator, the company would start construction on 10 alternative current (AC) UHV lines and two DC UHV lines before 2018. Amid the pressure of smog control and clean energy delivery, China has seen faster construction of UHV projects, said PingAn Securities.

 

[AndrewJin]

World's second highest bridge in Southwest China put into operation

Qingshuihe Bridge in Southwest China's Guizhou province. "This is the second highest bridge in the world, with a depth of 406 meters and a length of 2,171 meters," said Zhang Mingshan, chief engineer of the Qingshuihe Bridge in Southwest China's Guizhou province. [Photo/IC]

Zhang, born in 1980, graduated from the Department of Civil Engineering of Northeastern University in 2005. He never expected that he would be in charge of building the second highest bridge in the world. For the past two years, Zhang and his colleagues have worked day and night in the rolling mountains of Guizhou to overcome the most difficult problems, one after another, in the history of bridge construction.

On Dec 31, 2015, the Qingshuihe Bridge was officially put into operation, one full year ahead of schedule. With that, all 88 cities and counties in Guizhou province were linked by highways. [Photo/CFP]

A foreign netizen jokingly commented that if it were his country in charge of the project, they would probably spend ten years on discussion, another five on planning, and five more on construction. He also speculated that the final cost would be four times the budget. In addition to being the world's second highest bridge, Qingshuihe Bridge is also the world's largest single-span plate truss stiffening girder suspension bridge, and Asia's first steel truss girder suspension bridge built in a mountainous area. [Photo/IC]

People may not fully understand such engineering jargon, but Zhang and his colleagues know that, behind the industry expressions, the technical team spent countless hours on discussion, experiments and calculations. "It is the creativity of every team member that supports the bridge," said Zhang. [Photo/IC]

 

[ahojunk]

When I looked at this picture, these words come to my mind:-
- Magnificent!
- Stunning!
- Jaw-dropping!
- Awesome!
- Amazing!

 

[ahojunk]

"Green Corridor" in the Taklimakan Desert
2016-01-13 20:05:43 | CRIENGLISH.com | Web Editor: Guan Chao

Taklimakan Desert, also known as "the sea of death" in ancient times, saw a "green corridor" crossing through it in the modern times.

The "Green Corridor" was a road built in the 1990s, when large oil and gas reserves were discovered in the desert. The road has helped with resource exploration.

However, with a width of seven meters, the road was vulnerable to the sand. Straw fences, which were added later on, temporarily solved the problem. In 2003, China started to renovate the road for protection purposes by planting trees that can stand high temperatures and sandstorms.

Today, the road is lined with the color of life, living up to the title of "Green Corridor".

Jun. 15, 2015. The "green corridor" in the Taklimakan Desert in Xinjiang.

Jun. 15, 2015. Workers taking care of plants along the "green corridor" in the Taklimakan Desert in Xinjiang.

 

[JSCh]

Over 11 million visited Lhasa in 2015
(chinadaily.com.cn) Updated: 2016-01-14 14:18:17

The Potala Palace in Lhasa,Tibet autonomous region.[Photo/Xinhua]​

Statistics from the Lhasa Tourism Bureau shows that the city received 11.79 million tourists in the past year, achieving tourism revenue of 15.49 billion RMB.

To attract tourists to experience more of Tibetan culture, last year Lhasa launched a travel route featuring the Tibetan New Year. It includes a series of activities, such as visiting Tibetan households, tasting "Gutu" (a traditional delicacy in Tibet eaten on Tibetan New Year's Eve. It’s a soup of dough drops with various stuffings), touring the Sera Monastery and observing the creation of butter sculpture. This innovative promotional effort, which caters to visitors' needs to better explore the unique cultural landscape of Tibet, has significantly boosted tourism in Lhasa.

Besides this, a variety of cultural events, like the Lhasa Shoton Festival (a traditional religious occasion, also known as the Yogurt Banquet Festival), and the Tibet International Tourism and Culture Expo also have contributed to drawing domestic and foreign tourists to visit Lhasa.

Butter sculpture.[Photo/Xinhua]

The Potala Palace in Lhasa,Tibet autonomous region.[Photo/Xinhua]

A Tibetan traditional dance during the opening ceremony of the Second China Tibet International Tourism and Culture Expo. [Photo by Palden Nyima/chinadaily.com.cn]​

 

[Tiqiu]

Sichuan province: the so-called "Sky Ladder Highway" after snow

 

[AndrewJin]

View attachment 286741

When I looked at this picture, these are what that come to my mind:-
- Magnificent!
- Stunning!
- Jaw-dropping!
- Awesome!
-Amazing!

Can u teach me more adjectives to describe magnificent scenery?

 

[Tiqiu]

Can u teach me more adjectives to describe magnificent scenery?

superb
suːˈpəːb,sjuː-/
adjective
adjective: superb

1. 1.
   very good; excellent.
   "a superb performance"
   synonyms: excellent, superlative, first-rate, first-class, superior, supreme, outstanding, remarkable, dazzling, marvellous, magnificent, wonderful, splendid, admirable, noteworthy, impressive, fine, exquisite, exceptional, glorious, sublime, perfect, of the first order, of the first water;
   informalgreat, fantastic, fabulous, stellar, terrific, super, supercalifragilisticexpialidocious, awesome, amazeballs, ace, cool, A1, tip-top;
   informalbrilliant, brill, smashing, bosting;
   badass
   "he scored a superb goal"
   antonyms: poor, inferior
2. 2.
   impressively splendid.
   "the Bey of Tunis was building himself a superb mausoleum"
   synonyms: magnificent, majestic, splendid, grand, impressive, imposing, awe-inspiring, breathtaking;
   gorgeous, choice, resplendent, stately;
   sumptuous, opulent, lavish, luxurious, deluxe;
   informalplush, ritzy
   "a superb diamond necklace"

superb
suːˈpəːb,sjuː-/
adjective
adjective: superb

1. 1.
   very good; excellent.
   "a superb performance"
   synonyms: excellent, superlative, first-rate, first-class, superior, supreme, outstanding, remarkable, dazzling, marvellous, magnificent, wonderful, splendid, admirable, noteworthy, impressive, fine, exquisite, exceptional, glorious, sublime, perfect, of the first order, of the first water;
   informalgreat, fantastic, fabulous, stellar, terrific, super, supercalifragilisticexpialidocious, awesome, amazeballs, ace, cool, A1, tip-top;
   informalbrilliant, brill, smashing, bosting;
   badass
   "he scored a superb goal"
   antonyms: poor, inferior
2. 2.
   impressively splendid.
   "the Bey of Tunis was building himself a superb mausoleum"
   synonyms: magnificent, majestic, splendid, grand, impressive, imposing, awe-inspiring, breathtaking;
   gorgeous, choice, resplendent, stately;
   sumptuous, opulent, lavish, luxurious, deluxe;
   informalplush, ritzy
   "a superb diamond necklace"

@ahojunk Sorry mate, I jumped the gun.

 

[AndrewJin]

superb
suːˈpəːb,sjuː-/
adjective
adjective: superb

1. 1.
   very good; excellent.
   "a superb performance"
   synonyms: excellent, superlative, first-rate, first-class, superior, supreme, outstanding, remarkable, dazzling, marvellous, magnificent, wonderful, splendid, admirable, noteworthy, impressive, fine, exquisite, exceptional, glorious, sublime, perfect, of the first order, of the first water;
   informalgreat, fantastic, fabulous, stellar, terrific, super, supercalifragilisticexpialidocious, awesome, amazeballs, ace, cool, A1, tip-top;
   informalbrilliant, brill, smashing, bosting;
   badass
   "he scored a superb goal"
   antonyms: poor, inferior
2. 2.
   impressively splendid.
   "the Bey of Tunis was building himself a superb mausoleum"
   synonyms: magnificent, majestic, splendid, grand, impressive, imposing, awe-inspiring, breathtaking;
   gorgeous, choice, resplendent, stately;
   sumptuous, opulent, lavish, luxurious, deluxe;
   informalplush, ritzy
   "a superb diamond necklace"

@ahojunk Sorry mate, I jumped the gun.

 

[Tiqiu]

No worries.
An US girl told me that some Americans actually use supercalifragilisticexpialidocious in daily life.

 

[ahojunk]

No worries.
An US girl told me that some Americans actually use supercalifragilisticexpialidocious in daily life.

.
@Tiqiu
You jumping the gun? No problems mate and no worries!

This "supercalifragilisticexpialidocious" is so f*cking difficult to pronounce.

I will just say, it's "wonderful".

 

[JSCh]

China sees world's largest potassium sulfate production base in Lop Nur
(People's Daily Online) 17:18, January 14, 2016

The salt field of SDIC Luobupo Potash Co. Ltd. in Lop Nur.(Photo/Xinhua)​

SDIC Luobupo Potash Co. Ltd., the world's largest producer of potassium sulfate fertilizer, has been dedicated to extracting the brine of Lop Nur and producing potassium sulfate fertilizer, promoting the development of west China's Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region.

Before the establishment of this company, China had been seriously lacking in potassium fertilizers; imports made up more than 70 percent of the Chinese potassium fertilizer market.

When agricultural products are deficient in potassium, one of three essential nutrients for crops' growth, they are vulnerable to a number of issues that have a negative influence on the production and quality of crops.

Potassium fertilizer is crucial to the food security of China. However, before the founding of SDIC Luobupo Potash Co. Ltd., foreign companies had firm control over China's domestic potassium fertilizer market. The reserve of potassium salt in Lop Nur accounts for 30 percent of China's proven potassium salt reserves.

At the end of the 1990s, the world's largest potassium sulfate deposit was discovered in Lop Nur, known as the "Lake of Death."

To date, the SDIC Luobupo Potash Co. Ltd. has produced over 9.2 million tons of potassium sulfate fertilizers, and China's potassium fertilizer self-sufficiency rate has increased to 50 percent. The company plans to continue increasing the capacity to 1.5 million tons per annum in 2017.

China now has the lowest price on imported potassium fertilizers across the world. Compared with import prices in India, Southeast Asian countries and Japan, the price of potassium fertilizer imports to China is dozens of dollars cheaper per ton.

(Editor:Ma Xiaochun,Bianji)​

 

[JSCh]

CNPC completes construction of first national-level shale gas pilot zone
Source: Xinhua 2016-01-14 16:53:32

CHENGDU, Jan. 14 (Xinhua) -- China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC), the country's largest oil and gas producer and supplier, has completed construction of its first national-level shale gas pilot zone.

The daily production capacity of Changning-Weiyuan national-level shale gas pilot zone in southwest China's Sichuan Province, exceeded the target of 7 million cubic meters on Wednesday, marking the completion of the zone, according to PetroChina Southwest Oil and Gasfield Company, a CNPC affiliate, on Thursday.

The zone currently has 83 wells in the province's Yibin and Neijiang cities with an annual production of 2 billion cubic meters.

The first well was built in April 2010. The central government approved the construction of the pilot zone in March 2012.

China has recently made breakthroughs in shale gas exploration, both in capacity and drilling techniques, as the country is moving to readjust its energy structure from reliance on coal, which has been blamed for foul air.

Sinopec, China's largest oil refiner, announced in December that its Fuling shale gas project in southwestern Chongqing Municipality achieved an annual production capacity of 5 billion cubic meters.

This makes China one of the world's biggest shale gas developers, second only to the United States.

 

[ahojunk]

Tibet Pilots 20 Distinctive Townships
2016-01-09 15:11:56 | Xinhua | Web Editor: Guan Chao

A file phto of Qamdo City, southwest China’s Tibet Autonomous Region.

Tibet Autonomous Region in southwest China will build 20 distinctive towns in the next three years, making them exemplary areas for comfortable living, work and tourism.

A ground-breaking ceremony was held earlier this week in Jedeshol Town, Gonggar County, marking the start of the pilot project for urban construction in the plateau region.

Town infrastructure, including roads, will also be improved. The showcase project is expected to boost the traditional colored apron weaving in Jedeshol Town, which are garments often worn by Tibetan women.

Zhoigar, deputy head of the Tibet Housing and Urban-Rural Development Department, said the township construction will highlight historical and cultural resources, improve living standards and protect the environment.

The construction of the showcase towns will stick to the principle of prudent cutting of trees, no digging of mountains, no filling lakes and little destruction of houses, according to the project.

The 20 towns are in seven cities or prefectures in Tibet. Most of them have finished their planning. Experts will join the construction and provide technical support.

A file photo of Shigatse City, southwest China’s Tibet Autonomous Region.