News » China » Donations for sick child star's care arouse mixed reaction

• Donations for sick child star's care arouse mixed reaction
• A young girl's dying wish
• SUV theft baby's body found: Police
• Slower GDP growth 'best option'
• Leaders, lawmakers, advisors discuss gov't work report
• Beijing to control urban expansion: mayor
• Beijing to control urban expansion: mayor
• China holds reception for International Women's Day
• Shanghai Party chief explains most expensive car plates
• Chongqing's Party chief stresses poverty alleviation, development
• CPC leader reiterates fight against corruption
• CPC chief offers condolences over Chavez's death
• China's top legislator sends condolences to Venezuelan counterpart over Chavez's death
• China to cap pollutant emissions in 6 industries
• 'Self-immolation Guide' insanity of the Dalai clique
• China urges restraint after DPRK armistice announcement
• Natural disasters kill 14 in February
• Expert calls for enactment of nuclear safety law
• Xinhua Insight: After 20 years, China hits education expenditure target
• Guangdong Party chief calls development tasks "arduous"

Donations for sick child star's care arouse mixed reaction Posted: 06 Mar 2013 12:28 PM PST A large sum of money has been donated to a young celebrity diagnosed with a critical disease, prompting a heated discussion on the even-handedness of charitable giving. Deng Minghe, a 7-year-old boy famous for his performances on China Central Television's annual Spring Festival Gala for the past two years, is being treated in Beijing Children's Hospital for leukemia. On Tuesday, two cultural companies in Beijing each donated 1 million yuan ($160,000) to the Treatment for Poor Children Foundation, which was founded by the former president of Beijing Children's Hospital in 2003. According to an employee at the foundation, who gave only her surname, Su, the 2 million yuan donation will be exclusively used for Deng's treatment. "We have come to an agreement in which the companies demanded the money be used only for the treatment of Deng Minghe," Su said on Wednesday, adding that she had worked with the foundation for three months. "As far as I know, about 90 to 100 children are registered with us (to receive financial help). But we don't have enough money to pay for all of their treatment." The donation has prompted questions from netizens, who have queried whether the money is going to the most needy. "I think if people want to give money, they should give it to those from poor families who have serious diseases," wrote a netizen on Sina Weibo, the popular micro blog service. "A family that can get their child onto the stage of the Spring Festival Gala can't be poor." Deng's grandfather, 54-year-old Deng Qinghua, said his grandson is in a positive mental state but had lost his appetite after the first course of chemotherapy. He said Deng Minghe had been taken to a hospital in his hometown for a blood test on the third day of the Chinese New Year. The child was taken to Beijing Children's Hospital the same afternoon when the test results were returned. According to Deng, the family chose Beijing Children's Hospital because it is, "the best hospital in the country to treat children". "We haven't used the donations yet. Right now we can afford the medical expense," he said. In 2012, the Ministry of Health asked all provinces to give more financial support to rural families whose children suffered leukemia, and stated that health insurance should reimburse 70 percent of the medical expense. But it is unlikely these families would get as much reimbursement if they visit a hospital elsewhere, because seeking treatment outside the province can make it hard to control treatment standards and how much treatments cost, thus how much their local insurance should cover. Deng Qinghua said his grandson has a rural residential permit in his hometown — Daming county, Hebei province. However, according to an official surnamed Wang in charge of health insurance for the county's rural residents, Deng will get much less reimbursement, and families can get the reimbursement only after their children are treated in the province, according to Wang. "In Deng's case, reimbursement policies for treating less severe diseases apply," he said. "They can get 50 percent of the medical fees incurred during hospitalization reimbursed if it is above 2,000 yuan. The insurance pays at most 90,000 yuan." The complexity of reimbursement policies is a result of variations in national standards determining how much to pay for what disease for rural residents, the official said. "Different provinces, cities and even counties have different levels of economic development, and their own rural health insurance funds vary in financial capacity," he said, explaining why different provinces have different reimbursement policies. Contact the writers at ouhailin@chinadaily.com.cn and wangqingyun@chinadaily.com.cn

A young girl's dying wish Posted: 06 Mar 2013 12:28 PM PST Wu Fan's final wish was that her death would mean saving the life of someone else. The 13-year-old, who passed away on Monday morning after battling leukemia for almost three years, had offered to donate her organs. However, doctors at the No 1 Hospital affiliated to China PLA General Hospital in Beijing said because of her lengthy treatment, only her cornea could be transplanted. "She was my only child," her father Wu Xianyu was quoted as saying by Beijing Evening News. "Although I don't know who the cornea will go to, I feel she is still with us." The teenager was diagnosed with leukemia when she was 11 and, according to nurses at the hospital, had battled the illness bravely and kept a positive attitude. Wu's family, which comes from Chifeng in the Inner Mongolia autonomous region, spent all of their savings on her treatment and at one time owed the hospital more than 100,000 yuan ($16,000) in medical bills. The family was able to pay the bill with the help of a donor who gave them more than 76,000 yuan to cover the medical costs.

SUV theft baby's body found: Police Posted: 06 Mar 2013 12:28 PM PST The body of a baby who was killed and buried in the snow in Northeast China had been recovered, police said on Wednesday . The suspect, Zhou Xijun, turned himself in to police on Tuesday and has confessed, said Dai Renfei, a public security bureau spokeswoman for Changchun in Jilin province. Zhou, 48, a native of neighboring Gongzhuling, is accused of strangling the 2-month-old Xu Haobo on Monday after finding the boy in the back seat of a silver gray Toyota RAV4 he stole in Changchun. Dai said that the body was found on Tuesday. The baby's father, identified as Xu, said he left his son wrapped in a pink blanket in the unlocked SUV outside his grocery store at about 7 am. The vehicle was stolen moments later. Thousands of people gathered in a square in Changchun on Tuesday night to mourn the death of the baby, Xinhua News Agency reported.Many people offered their condolences online, including celebrities. "Rest in peace, baby. There is no bad guy in heaven," actress Yao Chen wrote on Sina Weibo, a leading micro blog service. "I have been following the case, and didn't expect this worst outcome. The killer should be punished," wrote another netizen. More than 8,000 police officers in Changchun took part in a citywide search for the baby. Dai dismissed online rumors that Zhou confessed to the police to protect someone else. "Zhou is the killer and has been detained for criminal investigation," she said. Contact the writers at wangxiaodong@chinadaily.com.cn and hanjunhong@chinadaily.com.cn Liu Mingtai in Changchun contributed to this story.

Slower GDP growth 'best option' Posted: 06 Mar 2013 12:28 PM PST   Zhang Ping, minister of the National Development and Reform Commission, discusses growth targets during the annual session of the National People's Congress on Wednesday. [Zou Hong / China Daily] Target may be better for long-term sustainable development: official Maintaining annual GDP growth between 7 and 8 percent is the best option for China's development, a senior official said on Wednesday. Against this backdrop, lowering the GDP growth rate from 9.3 percent in 2011 to 7.8 percent in 2012 should be seen as a success rather than a setback, said Zhang Ping, minister of the National Development and Reform Commission, the leading economic policy body. China will target this growth rate not only in 2013 but probably in the foreseeable future, he said. In the Government Work Report to the National People's Congress on Tuesday, Premier Wen Jiabao proposed setting the GDP growth target at 7.5 percent in 2013, and the inflation target, as measured by the consumer price index, at 3.5 percent. An engineered slowdown in GDP growth has a number of benefits as the economy enters a transition from being export driven to one with more focus on consumption, Zhang said. China has already seen the benefits of greater consumption as a hedge against declining exports due to the global slowdown, he said. New industries are being established and old ones are being upgraded, as urbanization continues and agriculture is modernized, the NDRC head said. In 2012, GDP growth registered its slowest pace since 2001 but the country was still among the global growth leaders. Li Daokui, an economics professor at Tsinghua University, said that the potential of domestic demand has yet to be fully tapped. China has no need to worry about its future growth, the former central bank adviser said. However, Li said, "we should prepare for the difficulties that may turn up in the next three to five years, and try anything to sustain moderate growth". Zhang also vowed to continue market-oriented reform, especially regarding the twin pillars of consumption and investment. Domestic consumption in 2012 contributed 51.8 percent to GDP growth, according to the National Bureau of Statistics. More measures were promised in the Government Work Report to boost urban and rural consumption. Zhang said that the greatest driving force for domestic consumption will come from urbanization, and announced the NDRC will release a program in the coming months to coordinate it. The movement of more people from rural areas to big cities will lead to a boost in infrastructure investment, an efficient way to ensure growth, said Wang Tao, chief China economist with UBS. "Strong credit demand since the third quarter of 2012 should help push growth up further in the first and second quarters of 2013," Wang said. "We think the government wants policies to support the ongoing recovery but avoid a property bubble or overheating," she said. The credit expansion will help the government increase social security spending, embark on energy and utility price reforms, and implement pilot programs to replace the former business tax with value-added tax, Wang said. Zhang said the NDRC is studying adjusting the pricing system for oil to better reflect the global price. He also pledged to solve excess production capacity by encouraging mergers and acquisitions and helping businesses expand overseas. Contact the writer at chenjia1@chinadaily.com.cn

Leaders, lawmakers, advisors discuss gov't work report Posted: 06 Mar 2013 12:28 PM PST BEIJING - Communist Party of China (CPC) chief Xi Jinping and other senior leaders on Wednesday joined lawmakers and political advisors in panel discussions on the government work report. The report was delivered by Premier Wen Jiabao at the annual legislative session on Tuesday. While joining national legislators from northeast China's Liaoning Province to deliberate on the report during the first session of the 12th National People's Congress (NPC), the top legislature, Xi urged to vigorously implement the strategy of revitalizing old industrial bases in northeast China and improve people's social security and well-being there. Xi, who is general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, also called for the public to learn from model citizens and heroes from all walks of life. Vice Premier Li Keqiang said the development of the central region is of strategic importance in the country's regional development layout while joining a panel discussion with lawmakers from central China's Hunan Province. Li called for better integration of economic development with environmental protection. Yu Zhengsheng, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, said the central government will continue to support the implementation of the "one country, two systems" in Hong Kong and Macao. Yu made the remarks while joining the panel discussion with political advisors from Hong Kong and Macao during the ongoing annual session of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, the country's top political advisory body. Yu said central governments will also support the governments of Hong Kong and Macao to develop their economies, improve people's well-being, and promote democracy and social harmony. Liu Yunshan, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, urged to uphold and improve the socialist system with Chinese characteristics while joining a panel discussion with lawmakers from north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. Liu said the country will deepen reform and opening-up with more political courage and wisdom.  In his discussion with the NPC deputies from north China's Tianjin Municipality, Zhang Gaoli, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, urged to improve the quality and efficiency of economic growth and promote a sustained and healthy development of the economy. Zhang added that urbanization should be carried out in an orderly way.

Beijing to control urban expansion: mayor Posted: 06 Mar 2013 12:28 PM PST BEIJING - Beijing Mayor Wang Anshun on Wednesday said the capital will work hard to cool down rapid urban expansion in order to address traffic congestion, pollution and resource scarcity. "We will make efforts to control Beijing's scale through economic, legal and administrative means," Wang said, without elaborating his plan. "The conflict between rapid population growth and limited resources is our city's growing pain," Wang said at a panel discussion held during the annual parliamentary session in Beijing. Premier Wen Jiabao has said in his government work report on Tuesday that megacities and large cities should be kept at an appropriate scale. "This offers us a guideline for city management," said Wang, who is also a national lawmaker. Beijing's population has reached 20.6 million and is growing by about 600,000 people annually. The capital now has 5.2 million motor vehicles and the number is expected to reach 6.5 million in five years, the mayor said. These have resulted in many "city diseases" such as traffic congestion and air pollution. "The city can not expand in an uncontrolled way," Wang said. Heavy smog has repeatedly hit the capital since January, causing dismay among the public and prompting authorities to issue health warning. Beijing introduced the lottery scheme in January 2011 to reduce car ownership and traffic congestion. One out of 10.6 received a plate after the first draw on Jan. 26, 2011. The number of applicants rose from 187,420 in January 2011 to 1.42 million in February this year. Only one out of 77 applicants were awarded car registration plates in February.

Beijing to control urban expansion: mayor Posted: 06 Mar 2013 09:08 AM PST Beijing Mayor Wang Anshun on Wednesday said the capital will work hard to cool down rapid urban expansion in order to address traffic congestion, pollution and resource scarcity.

China holds reception for International Women's Day Posted: 06 Mar 2013 09:06 AM PST Chinese and foreign female representatives attended an All-China Women's Federation (ACWF) reception at the Great Hall of People on Wednesday to celebrate the upcoming International Women's Day.

Shanghai Party chief explains most expensive car plates Posted: 06 Mar 2013 08:57 AM PST Shanghai Party chief Han Zheng admitted that vehicle license plates are too expensive in his city, and pledged to use the funds raised from the license bidding for local residents.

Chongqing's Party chief stresses poverty alleviation, development Posted: 06 Mar 2013 08:55 AM PST Chongqing will focus on development and poverty alleviation in building a moderately well-off society in all aspects, the municipality's Party chief Sun Zhengcai said on Wednesday.

CPC leader reiterates fight against corruption Posted: 06 Mar 2013 05:09 AM PST Wang Qishan, the anti-graft chief of the Communist Party of China (CPC), on Wednesday reiterated the significance of the fight against corruption, saying that it is vital to the survival of the Party.

CPC chief offers condolences over Chavez's death Posted: 06 Mar 2013 05:05 AM PST Communist Party of China (CPC) chief Xi Jinping on Wednesday sent a message of condolences to Venezuelan acting President Nicolas Maduro over the death of President Hugo Chavez.

China's top legislator sends condolences to Venezuelan counterpart over Chavez's death Posted: 06 Mar 2013 04:29 AM PST Wu Bangguo, China's top legislator, on Wednesday extended condolences to his Venezuelan counterpart over the death of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez.

China to cap pollutant emissions in 6 industries Posted: 06 Mar 2013 06:02 AM PST The Ministry of Environmental Protection (MEP) said Tuesday that it will impose pollutant emission caps on six industries and coal-fired furnace projects in 47 major cities.

'Self-immolation Guide' insanity of the Dalai clique Posted: 06 Mar 2013 06:02 AM PST The China Tibet Online, a multi-language media website dedicated to providing news stories on Tibetans living in China, has recently published a bylined opinion article on the "Self-immolation Guide," produced by the Dalai Lama clique.

China urges restraint after DPRK armistice announcement Posted: 06 Mar 2013 06:02 AM PST China on Wednesday called for calmness and restraint after Pyongyang's military announced that it would nullify a Korean War armistice with the Republic of Korea (ROK).

Natural disasters kill 14 in February Posted: 06 Mar 2013 04:51 AM PST Natural disasters across China claimed 14 lives and left another five people missing in February, as well as affected nearly 13 million people, the Ministry of Civil Affairs (MCA) announced on Wednesday.

Expert calls for enactment of nuclear safety law Posted: 06 Mar 2013 04:51 AM PST A Chinese nuclear expert has called for the enactment of a nuclear safety law to better supervise the development of nuclear energy and guarantee its safety.

Xinhua Insight: After 20 years, China hits education expenditure target Posted: 06 Mar 2013 03:54 AM PST Premier Wen Jiabao announced on Tuesday that the country's public expenditures on education reached 4 percent of its GDP in 2012, a target set almost 20 years ago.

Guangdong Party chief calls development tasks "arduous" Posted: 06 Mar 2013 03:50 AM PST The Communist Party of China (CPC) chief of south China's booming Guangdong Province said Wednesday that after 30 years of opening up, development work there remains arduous.