北欧绿色邮报网报道（编辑陈雪霏）－－据新华社报道， 5月7日，在比利时首都布鲁塞尔举行的世界文化节上，一名小观众情不自禁地加入到街头舞蹈表演中。
当天，一场热闹的世界文化节在这里举行，来自五大洲数十个国家的表演者通过厨艺展示、音乐会、舞蹈表演、艺术展等方式向游客们展示了各国的文化。
Monthly Archives: May 2016
新华社记者龚兵摄Long live to Sino-Swedish relations
By Xuefei Chen Axelsson
Today marks the 66th anniversary of Sino-Swedish relations. In China, when a person becomes 66 years old, we will give a grand celebration with food and wine.
Similar, the relations between China and Sweden is worthwhile to celebrate too.
Recalling the past 66 years, a lot has happened between the two countries.
Sweden was the first western country that established diplomatic relatlions with China. That was May 9, 1950.
According to historical documents, Norway, Danmark, Finland and Sweden all recognized China in January. But due to Mao Zedong and Zhou Enlai’s diplomacy of cleaning up the house first, they decided to accept Swedish offer first and established diplomatic relations with Sweden on May, 9, 1950.
So the former Swedish to China Ambassador said Sweden was chosen to be the first one to establish relations with China. Then Denmark, Finland and Norway established relations with China.
The consideration likely involves the history between China and Sweden. As early as 1700 century, Sweden had sent Gothenburg Ship to China to buy the tea, porshelin and silk. The trade caused a wave of China heat. Even Queen Lovisa was a fan of China.
China Pavillion in Drottningholm was the typical evidence of this craze. It was Lovisa’s gift from the king when she was 33 years old. Inside the pavillion there are a lot of Chinese books. The most impressive thing was the echoing room on the second floor.
Sometimes I feel the down to earth manner and the honesty Swedish people own are the trace of Chinese virtues. Honesty and down to earth are also the virtues Chinese seek.
In the 19th century, Sweden was the first country that signed a business agreement, but didn’t openly invade China or rob China like the other eight western power. But the two sides did sign agreements to divid the antiques people unearthened in Beijing Suburbs. That is why people today can see a whole lot of precious antiques dating back to Xia, Shang and Zhou Dynasty in Fareastern Antiquities Museum.
Swedish explorer Sven Hedin explored a lot along the silk road. Many Swedish like to have adventures in China. Ericsson established its office in Shanghai at the end of 19th century.
Meanwhile, Chinese also visited Sweden. Liang Qichao, one of the six Gentlemen who presented a proposal to the Qing Emperor but faced severe punishment escaped to Sweden and lived here for a year.
When New China was established, General Geng Biao who was also vice premier then became the first ambassador to Sweden. New China sent quite a few generals abroad to become the first ambassador.
Sino-Swedish relations have been so good that they sometimes can criticise each other. But they remain good friends.
Swedish King Carl XVI Gustaf visited China many times. Crown Princess Victoria had her training in China for a month.
Chinese President Hu Jintao visited Sweden in June 2007. President Xi Jinping visited Sweden in 2010 when he was vice president. Premier Wen Jiabao visited Sweden in 2012.
Yu Zhengsheng, Chairman of CPPCC visited Sweden in June 2014.
While about 500 Swedish companies operate in China, many Chinese companies come to Sweden to invest. Volvo car owner now is Chinese Geely. Saab was also bought by Chinese from Shandong province.
Many Chinese investors bought houses in Sweden and like to contribute to Swedish economies.
Meanwhile, Swedish companies are also seeking opportunities in China.
In terms of culture, a new Chinese Culture Center will be established right in the center of the Stockholm City. It is a good present for the 66th anniversary of Sino-Swedish relations.
What will be the future like? In fact, from what I observed, more and more tourists, especially ordinary tourists are visiting Sweden. This is a sign that the Chinese are getting richer and richer. They can spend money from their own pocket to go abroad. They can afford it and they are allowed to do this. There is no lofty slogan going on, but there is still a lot happening on the ground.
In my opinion, it is these down to business kind of relations that can be more sustainable if the embassy can allow this to happen. More freedom to move and more permission to visit, it will be good for both sides, for the common people to exchange and do business.
Without such freedom, without such permission, it is difficult to really get the business booming. Without exchange of people, we cannot talk about exchange of culture and business.
Sweden has advantage in environmental technology and practices, design, water and air and green energy while China is in need of green food, green tech and green energy.
Recently the exchange of Ice Hockey becomes frequent too. Several activities have taken place. It is hoped more and more exchange activities will take place with the support from both government and businesses.
中瑞少年冰球队在斯德哥尔摩举行训练比赛
北欧绿色邮报网报道（记者陈雪霏）－－继3月底4月初中国女子冰球队来瑞典进行冰球训练赛之后，深圳飞龙队一行17名队员本周也来瑞典进行了为期一周的紧张训练。大家都感觉训练效果非常好，学到了很多东西。 
这次的队员都是10岁左右的少年冰球队员。
作为组织者之一，北欧可持续发展协会会长张寿庭介绍说，这是北欧可持续发展协会履行社会责任的一个项目，同时，北欧海盗队和Djurgården俱乐部一起组织这项活动。我们希望能够可持续地做下去。例如请瑞典教练到中国去，或者派瑞典队到中国去。要想提高中国冰球的水平，必须从孩子抓起。因为从孩子身上可以找到提高的空间。我们这次把训练和比赛结合起来，白天训练，晚上打比赛，通过比赛发现问题，第二天再训练，然后，再比赛。因此，进步很快。我们请瑞典教练来指导，不仅传递冰球技术，而且传播冰球文化。一周下来，效果非常好，同学们学会了团结友爱，互相传递正能量。
深圳飞龙队总协调深圳大学外国语大学教授和副院长张晓红在接受北欧绿色邮报网记者采访时说，他们这次连家长和教练一共有40人，主要是陪孩子们来瑞典练球。
“我们这些家长都对冰球非常热爱，但是，深圳因为是南方的城市，冰上运动发展的还不是特别好。这些年来我们摸爬滚打，一直都很辛苦。这次来瑞典跟冰球强国来对战，通过一流的教练对我们进行一流的技术指导和训练，尤其是对冰球文化和冰球哲学等更高层面的指导，让我们都觉得收获特别大。完全超出了我们的期待值。我们希望还能再回来。” 张晓红说。
当被问及为什么在很热的深圳要选很冷的冰球运动时，她说，大部分孩子一开始就觉得很酷。但是，练多了，他们觉得这其中的快乐是其它运动不能给他们带来的。
张晓红的儿子陈尔乐接受记者采访：
记者：你叫什么名字，多大了？
陈尔乐：我叫陈尔乐，10岁了。
记者：你打多长时间了？
陈尔乐：已经打了两年多了。
记者：在深圳那么热，你为什么不学游泳呢？
陈尔乐：游泳也学了点儿，但是冰球更好玩儿。
记者：你是怎么开始学打冰球的？
陈尔乐：一开始就是我妈带我去滑冰，然后，就开始打冰球了。
记者：这次来感觉怎么样？
陈尔乐：非常高兴。感觉对手比我们强很多，但是，我们也在慢慢进步，就是这样。
另一位家长任少龙说他带着儿子任俊毅来瑞典主要是来感受一下北欧的冰球文化，来学习，通过几天的学习和与对方的对抗训练，感觉收益很大。
当记者问到在南方那么热为什么还偏偏喜欢冰球的时候，任少龙说：“现在中国冰球文化在普及，在南方大一点的城市都有冰球场，我的小孩已经来了三次了，都是参加冰球夏令营。这一次感觉收获很大。”
10岁的任俊毅说，在这里见到很多湖，挺美的。这里冰球也很厉害。
瑞典家长伍尔夫.替姆格林说他的儿子11岁了，已经玩7年冰球了。他感觉和中国少年一起比赛很有意思。因为现在也几乎是冰球比赛的最后赛季，很快这里就会变成足球场了。
韩子晨的妈妈陈珊对记者说，她感觉这次训练非常好。
“我觉得他们这个训练营做得特别细， 比我们以前参加过的都要好。这边教练安排也非常好，把孩子按每个年龄段来辅导，包括打什么位置，水平在什么层次的都分得很细。我们每天都能感觉到并且看到孩子的进步。以前我们参加一些训练营或比赛没有这么强的感觉，就是孩子们的进步能看到，感觉教练的水平都很高。孩子也非常喜欢这种方式。将来如果他们再组织，我们还会再来”。
在最后一天晚上，飞龙队和瑞典最厉害的Djurgården俱乐部的队员对阵，得到了很好的训练。
Djurgården俱乐部副主席K.G.思道佩尔说，动物园俱乐部是瑞典获得冠军最多的俱乐部，成立于1891年，历史悠久，经验丰富，总共有300多冰球队员，15000多球迷支持他们，是瑞典的最大俱乐部之一。冰球水平世界一流，可以为中国队提供很好的培训。
瑞典队员打完球回来就整齐地坐在那里看其它人打。
冰场上。更多图片如下：
瑞典小队员看到记者给他们照相，竖起了大拇指。很高兴。
集体合影。
每人都得一个奖牌。
图片新闻：首只圈养大熊猫在成都诞生
北欧绿色邮报网报道（编辑陈雪霏）－－2016全球首只圈养大熊猫在成都诞生。新华图片。
China “deserves big credit” for efforts to tackle climate change: Britain’s ex-Labour leader
by Xinhua Writer Zhang Jianhua
LONDON, May 3 (Greenpost) — China “deserves big credit” for its efforts to develop clean energy and work with other countries to tackle climate change, said Ed Miliband, former leader of the Labour Party in Britain.
“I am very impressed by China’s leadership on this issue, and when I look at what China is doing, and I think it is quite an amazing initiative that it is taking,” Miliband said in a recent interview with Xinhua.
Miliband was leader of the Labour Party from 2010 to 2015. He previously served as Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, a cabinet post, from 2008 to 2010 under the then-prime minister Gordon Brown.
After resigning from party leadership last year, the politician has continued his role as a member of the Parliament and strived to build a cross-party coalition of lawmakers, businesses, trade unions and NGOs to campaign for tougher environmental policies and legislations in Britain.
Speaking of China’s newly released 13th Five-Year Plan, a national blueprint emphasizing “green development,” Miliband said it is “incredibly ambitious” and “a very important contribution” to tackling climate change.
“China has powered ahead of the renewable energy, but all of the evidence of the 13th Five-Year Plan is that it wants to power ahead ever further,” he said.
“China is planning to invest more in clean electricity generation in the next 15 years than the whole of Europe’s electricity generation, so this is an amazing effort on clean energy,” he added.
The former Labour leader noted that there is “big potential” for UK-China cooperation on climate change and other environmental issues.
The two countries, he said, could learn from each other on renewable energy “where China is obviously driving ahead electric cars.”
“There are all kinds of ways we can collaborate, and one area that I am interested in us collaborating on is Carbon Capture and Storage, so-called CCS, which is a big issue because it’s a way to make some traditional fissile fuel consumption clean. Capturing the carbon is going to be very important as we all lower our emissions,” he further elaborated.
Illustrating the “common but differentiated responsibilities,” a key principle in international environmental law, Miliband said that China and the UK can collaborate on “a wider point” of tackling inequalities in global climate governance.
“We can’t hope to tackle the climate change challenge without a commitment to tackling inequalities — inequalities between countries, and inequalities within countries… that seems to me to be the central part of tackling these challenges,” he stressed.
On broader international cooperation, Miliband pointed out that the most important thing is to begin with mutual understanding, as “every country faces compelling constraints and particular national circumstances.”
“I must say one of the things I welcome most of all has been the cooperation that the presidents of the United States and China have led in terms of their cooperation. The countries are so important to the future that the United States and China cooperating together is incredibly important,” he said.
In April, more than 170 countries signed the Paris agreement, a milestone in the fight against global climate change. The document was adopted last December with no objection by the 196 Parties of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in France.
It sets a goal of keeping global average temperature rise to below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels and aims to limit the increase to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.
Miliband said the Paris agreement marked “the beginning of the beginning,” but it needs more ambitious actions to win “the race against time.”
“Paris is an important milestone, but we look at the science, the rising temperatures, and the way our countries are being affected by immediate issues like air pollution, and we recognize the urgency of moving forward,” he explained.
“We are in a race against time. While there is a lot more ambition from all countries, the science is in a way urging us to be even more ambitious, because it is telling us how difficult and how challenging the situation is,” he warned. Enditem
Russia eyes enhanced agricultural cooperation with China
MOSCOW, May 4 (Greenpost) — Russia hopes to strengthen agricultural cooperation with China, Russian Agriculture Minister Alexander Tkachev said in a recent interview with Xinhua.
“The trade volume in the agricultural sphere between Russia and China has been increasing during the past years, and in 2015 the figure hit 3 billion U.S. dollars,” Tkachev told Xinhua on Monday.
The agricultural development in Russia has demonstrated a strong dynamic with the firm state support and various development projects. And Russia’s export of corn, soybean, sunflower oil and flour to China has all increased in recent years, according to the official.
Implementing the Far East development program, for instance, is the Russian government’s priority task to increase the country’s investment attractiveness, said Tkachev.
“Our main priority in the Far East is to provide the conditions for investment in agricultural and infrastructure spheres,” Tkachev said, naming several regions such as Primorsky, Khabarovsk, Amur and Sakhalin, which border with or are in the vicinity of China’s northeast.
Those regions have the potential to increase agricultural production, if the government funds the restoration and modernization of agricultural infrastructure in the Far Eastern regions to stimulate investment and to support farmers, Tkachev said.
While domestic policies would help speed up the development of the Far East, Tkachev hoped investors could “produce a strong synergetic effect.”
Russia would like to boost mutual agricultural trade with China, as well as agricultural products’ accessibility to each other’s markets, said Tkachev.
Tkachev told Xinhua the implementation of joint investment projects under multilevel Russian-Chinese commissions on agriculture would be discussed during his working visit to China, which started Tuesday.
Meanwhile, Tkachev said he will discuss the safety of agricultural products during his meetings with Chinese officials. Enditem
Broader tax overhaul to pep up China’s economy
BEIJING, May 4 (Greenpost) — As China waves goodbye to business taxes (BT) with one hand, it is welcoming a fairer business environment with the other.
As of May 1, China now follows a value-added tax (VAT) system, which is set to pep up the broader economy.
Starting on Sunday, the BT-to-VAT transition, which began in 2012 in certain industries, was applied to the remaining four sectors — construction, real estate, finance and consumer services.
Construction and real estate will be subject to 11 percent VAT, while a 6-percent levy will be imposed on finance and consumer services.
VAT is a tax calculated by the difference between a commodity’s price before taxes and its production cost, while BT was a levy on gross revenues. Tangible goods have been subject to VAT for some time, but the levy on services was BT: A crude system that often results in double taxation.
The BT-to-VAT transition has proven to reduce the tax burden of enterprises, most of which are small companies. During it test phase, it had reduced the tax burden of companies by 641.2 billion yuan (99 billion U.S. dollars) by the end of 2015.
These newly-encompassed sectors had a combined BT scale of 1.9 trillion yuan, accounting for some 80 percent of all BT across the board and involving over 11,000 taxpayers, according to data from the State Administration of Taxation.
By 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, 1.36 million VAT invoices had been issued to 147,000 taxpayers across the country, involving 25.86 billion yuan.
Authorities estimate that now VAT has been applied to all sectors, businesses will make savings of more than 500 billion yuan.
Besides, other links in the production chain will also benefit from the overhaul. The unified VAT system will create a fairer environment for businesses as the government seeks to tap growth momentum in the relatively underdeveloped service industry.
China’s service sector is increasingly picking up the slack of manufacturing as the government tries to shift to a more sustainable growth model.
In the first quarter, the service sector grew 7.6 percent year on year, outpacing a 2.9-percent increase in the primary industry and 5.8 percent in the secondary industry. It accounted for 56.9 percent of the overall economy, up 2 percentage points from a year earlier, according to data from the National Bureau of Statistics.
The government is also looking to the broader reform to stimulate mass innovation and create an amicable climate for private enterprises, which play a central role in job creation.
China’s economy expanded 6.7 percent year on year in the first quarter, slowing further from the previous quarter.
In the face of continued economic headwinds, China has made supply-side reform an economic priority, and tax cuts to lower the cost of business are a major policy option.
To cover the tax reductions for enterprises, the government has decided to increase its deficit-to-GDP ratio to 3 percent this year from 2.3 percent last year.
The government deficit for 2016 is projected to be 2.18 trillion yuan, an increase of 560 billion yuan over last year. Enditem
China Voice: No need to overreact to China’s overseas NGO law
BEIJING, May 4 (Greenpost) — Some people appear to have misunderstood China’s new law on overseas NGOs.
They seem to have failed to notice anything beyond the law’s restrictive provisions. News flash: There are few laws that only forbid, and this is not one of them.
When the new law takes effect in January, overseas NGOs will walk out of the shadow they have long stood in. Those with solid reasons to operate in China will have a legal identity, a clear code of conduct and protection of their rights and interests from the government and legal system. They will also be subject to supervision, just like their domestic counterparts are.
One issue that drew much concern is the involvement of the police in the registration and regulation processes.
China is hardly the only country in the world to place trust in law enforcement and, as lawmakers have repeatedly pointed out, the police have the resources and expertise to deal with foreigners. Rather than this being the “hostile setup” espoused by certain parties, it is a pragmatic arrangement to ensure an efficient and professional service.
The police have not been handed unrestricted power, and systems will be in place to assure accountability and, should they fail in their duty, suitable punishments.
When comparing previous drafts of the law, which went through three readings, it is clear that great effort has been made to develop a balanced and comprehensive law.
Gathering opinions from different parties including foreign NGOs that already operate in China, the top legislature made notable changes through every reading.
For instance, the adopted law removed a provision in the original draft that limited foreign NGO offices on the Chinese mainland to one, and deleted the five-year operational limit on representative offices. Restrictions on staff and volunteers were also lifted.
The draft had required a permit for NGOs that wanted to operate temporarily on the mainland. In the adopted law this has been changed to a compulsory report with the regulator 15 days before the program begins.
The Ministry of Public Security has promised to work out detailed protocols and publish this code of conduct as quickly as possible so that overseas NGOs will have enough time to prepare for registration.
China is still in the process of modernization, not only economically but also in governance. It is in its best interest to have a dynamic NGO sector, which features both domestic and foreign entities. From education, environmental protection to poverty relief, NGOs have an important part to play.
The law may not be perfect but it is a good beginning. It is likely that problems may emerge as it is enforced but, with the support and cooperation of NGOs, these problems can be properly addressed.
The law was drafted to give NGOs a more stable and positive environment in which to work in China. It will be a mutually beneficial relationship, better than letting the good and bad mix into the grey. Enditem
China to crush cyber fraud service providers
BEIJING, May 3 (Greenpost) — China will launch a nation-wide campaign to eliminate online services and materials that help fraudsters, according to the Ministry of Public Security (MPS) on Tuesday.
During the campaign, which will run until September, police will search for services such as those that offer the account-stealing Trojan virus; information exchange or information on hacking; trade of ID and bank account information; and falsified certification, among others.
The MPS, said cyber scams and cyber theft had become rampant in recent years, and offenders often go online to obtain the tools needed.
Moreover, police will also remove information pertaining to cyber fraud off the Internet. Enditem
Sanya, Xiamen and Kunming were top three tourist destinations during May Day
BEIJING, May 3 (Greenpost) — China’s main tourist destinations welcomed record numbers of visitors during the long weekend for May Day.
A total of 1.58 million visits were recorded Saturday to Monday at 26 monitored tourist attractions in Hubei Province, up 12.18 percent year on year, while the number of visitors to Chengdu in southwest China surpassed 8.2 million, up 6. 2 percent year on year, according to the China National Tourism Administration (CNTA).
In Beijing, the number of visits to 11 monitored parks and a garden museum on the second day of the holiday hit a single-day record of 750,000, according to the city’s park management center.
The Beijing Zoo, Temple of Heaven, and Summer Palace were the most popular spots in the city.
The number of domestic and overseas tourists in Shaanxi Province during the three-day holiday hit a record 20.89 million, up 29.21 percent year on year, generating about 8.5 billion yuan in revenue (1.3 billion U.S. dollars), up 30.83 percent year on year, according to the provincial government.
In Shandong, the number of tourists surpassed 30 million for the first time, up 11.3 percent year on year. Tourist income reached 24.38 billion yuan, up 15.2 percent year on year, according to provincial tourist authorities.
The southern Chinese city of Sanya saw 128,600 visitors, with those from abroad up 52.11 percent year on year, according to the city’s tourist authority.
Sanya, Xiamen and Kunming were the top three tourist destinations in China during the holiday, said the CNTA on its website. Enditem
Source Xinhua
President Xi holds talks with Lao Leader to enhance ties
BEIJING, May 3 (Greenpost) — President Xi Jinping held talks with visiting Lao President Bounnhang Vorachit on Tuesday.
This is Bounnhang’s first visit to China since he became General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party in January and was elected president of Laos in April.
Xi, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC)Central Committee, said the visit showed the Lao side attached great importance to Laos-China ties. He called on both sides to seize opportunities to improve bilateral comprehensive strategic cooperation.
The traditional friendship between the two countries is their shared treasure, Xi said, stressing that China was ready to work with Lao new leadership to build a community with a shared future.
Xi called on the two socialist countries to enhance high-level contact, maintain a high level of political mutual trust, improve exchanges between the two ruling parties and promote mutual learning in governance.
The two sides can integrate their development strategies, strengthen pragmatic cooperation, expand people-to-people exchanges and enhance collaboration on security affairs, according to Xi.
The Chinese president also hoped the two countries will further coordinate in international affairs, including cooperation between China and ASEAN.
Echoing Xi, Bounnhang said he believed this visit will improve high-level mutual trust and that the new leadership of Laos will continue to push forward relations between the two parties, the two countries and the two peoples.
Bounnhang thanked China for its support to Laos’ holding the ASEAN’s rotating chair this year.
Speaking highly of China’s development, Bounnhang said he believed China will continue to contribute to peaceful regional and world development.
The two leaders witnessed the signing of a series of cooperative documents. Enditem
Beijing to release frozen pork to ease market pressure
Beijing to release frozen pork to ease market pressure Beijing’s pork prices have been rising since the Lunar New Year due to tight supply, with raw pork prices surging 50.6 percent month on month in April, according to the Beijing municipal government. The decision, which comes into effect on Thursday and will last until July 4, will see 50,000 kg of pork sold cheaply to 121 major supermarkets on a daily basis. The government will also provide subsidies of up to 9 yuan (1.4 U.S. dollars) per kilogram of pork sold to encourage vendors to decrease prices. The government will encourage slaughterhouses to increase the pork supply through subsidies, with 20 percent more pigs to be slaughtered during the 61-day period.
It is the first time the Beijing government has allocated reserve pork to the market since a “life necessity reserve mechanism” was launched in 1992 to create reserve systems to stabilize prices of key goods. Enditem
German firms upbeat on Chinese market growth: report
BEIJING, May 3 (Greenpost) — German firms in China are still optimistic about their local sales growth despite the economic slowdown, a report showed Tuesday.
About 90 percent of the surveyed 189 German firms, based in China, planned to continue business in China despite the economy seeing the weakest quarter-on-quarter expansion in the first quarter since 2011, according to the report released by the German Chamber of Commerce in China.
Over one third of the surveyed German firms have taken steps such as rolling out new products and services to adapt to market changes, the report showed.
Meanwhile, most German firms look forward to the opportunities brought about by China’s development plan for the next five years. Over half of the surveyed firms regard China’s growing sales market to be their biggest opportunity as more Chinese firms upgrade their systems and equipment.
“One important area of business we see from the 13th Five-Year Plan is the focus on innovation — this carries the potential for ample Sino-German business cooperation,” said Alexandra Voss, North China executive director with the German Chamber of Commerce in China.
China is Germany’s largest trade partner outside Europe. There are more than 5,000 German companies in China. Sentiment is high among the firms as they have been encouraged by China’s efforts in the areas of environmental protection and innovation, according to the report.
They also expected more agreeable market environment thanks to continuous opening up and easier market access, the report said. Enditem
China to simplify approval process for gold imports, exports
BEIJING, May 4 (Greenpost) — China will test a new policy that aims to make the import and export of gold a lot easier, according to a statement jointly issued by the People’s Bank of China and the General Administration of Customs.
The new policy, set to be tested from June 1, will allow gold companies to clear customs up to 12 times with one permit, the statement said.
Previously, gold companies had to apply for a permit for every import or export consignment.
The new measure will simplify the approval procedures and improve the gold trade environment, according to the statement.
The policy will be tested in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Nanjing, Qingdao and Shenzhen.
China remains one of the world’s biggest consumers of gold, with total consumption amounting 985.9 tonnes last year. Gold output stood at 450.05 tonnes in 2015, according to data from the China Gold Association. Enditem
Uber, Alipay allow tourists abroad to pay fares in Chinese yuan
BEIJING, May 4 (Greenpost) — Chinese tourists will be able to pay for Uber rides in Chinese yuan through Alibaba’s mobile payment services when travelling outside China, Uber said on Tuesday.
Uber and Alipay teamed up earlier this year to offer yuan payment options for Uber rides in Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan. The option has been expanded to more than 400 cities in 68 countries and regions in which Uber operates.
China has emerged as the world’s biggest source of outbound travellers. This has prompted Chinese bank card association China UnionPay and mobile payment services such as Alibaba’s Alipay to work with retailers and merchants in popular destinations to offer the option of paying their bills in Chinese yuan, rather than in the foreign currency.
Uber also wants to tap China’s travel boom by encouraging Chinese tourists to book rides using its service in foreign countries.
Previously, Chinese riders had to pay Uber fares in U.S. dollars.
Uber rival Didi said last month that it has allowed Chinese tourists using its mobile app to access ride-hailing services through its partner Lyft in the United States, with bills payable through mobile payment services from China’s Alibaba and Tencent. Enditem