20140428 BBC_How peeing in public divided China and Hong Kong

There's been a debate in China about children peeing in public

It's a scene familiar to all parents of young children: you're in a busy shopping street and your child decides they just can't hold it in any longer. But one couple's decision to let their child relieve himself has caused a huge schism on Chinese social media.

By now, it seems, the entire Chinese internet is familiar with what happened on a crowded Hong Kong shopping street. A mother holds a nappy while her two-year-old squats and pees. A passerby snaps pictures which then get shared online. Someone else shares a videofrom the scene, which shows a crowd confronting the boy's parents in a physical scuffle, while the boy's mum argues that she couldn't get her son to the toilet in time. The images have drawn more than one million re-posts on Sina Weibo, China's biggest social network, making it the top trending topic.

Why has this one child's act caused so much upset? Allowing a child under 12 to "obey the call of nature in any public street" is illegal in Hong Kong and could land parents with a 2,000 Hong Kong Dollar ($250; £150) fine. But the on-line chatter has focused on the fact that this family were tourists from mainland China, rather than being locals. "For Hong Kongers, people might think from time to time that mainlanders are less mannered," says Martin Yip of BBC Chinese. Charmaine Chui, a UK resident who was born in Hong Kong, told BBC Trending she feels 'ashamed' to have witnessed mainland tourists peeing in shopping centres and restaurants. "Hong Kong is a beautiful, modern city - what do these people think of it?" she says.

In mainland China, there has also been criticism of the parents' behaviour, including from Chinese state media. But there has also been outrage with Hong Kong residents for being so critical. "It's a two-year-old kid who can't hold it... can't you even be considerate on this?" posted one user. One mainland website commissioned a poll of internet users in which 64% said they can understand the need for children to pee in public in certain situations. An anonymous user of the popular Tianya site was so outraged by the reaction in Hong Kong that he's campaigning to stage a mass protest. "Bring your children to Hong Kong and let them urinate in Hong Kong's streets," he urges his countrymen. "Let's see who will come and take photos."

Reporting by Hannah Moore

20140426 BBC_Tiananmen Square protest museum opens in Hong Kong

The events in Tiananmen square remain a taboo in Chinese society

Continue reading the main story

Related Stories

• Museum opens amid controversyWatch
• Remembering the Tiananmen massacre
• Timeline: The Tiananmen protests

The world's first museum dedicated to the 1989 pro-democracy protests in Beijing's Tiananmen Square has opened in Hong Kong.

Organisers hope in particular to attract visitors from mainland China.

The protests are still a taboo topic in mainland China but Hong Kong operates under a more liberal legal system.

June will see the 25th anniversary of the Chinese army's violent suppression of the protests, leading to the deaths of hundreds of people.

The new museum is in the Tsim Sha Tsui district of Hong Kong and has been opened after years of planning and fundraising by pro-democracy activists.

In the past few weeks, the museum itself has become controversial, the BBC's Juliana Liu reports from Hong Kong.

Other occupants of the same building want the museum shut down, citing safety concerns, our correspondent adds.

But the museum's backers believe these efforts are being orchestrated by Communist Party officials.

Beijing considers the weeks of peaceful protest by students and workers to have been a "counter-revolutionary" revolt, and defends the decision to send in tanks and troops to end it on 3-4 June 1989.

The Chinese authorities have never provided an official death toll.

20140427 SCMP_Thousands rally in Taipei against controversial nuclear plant project

A boy takes part in the anti-nuclear sit-in outside Ma Ying-jeou's office yesterday. Photo: Reuters

Thousands of anti-nuclear activists staged a sit-in in front of Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou's office yesterday, in a two-day protest demanding that the government drop a controversial nuclear power plant project that has been hotly debated on the island for decades.

Wearing yellow headbands bearing anti-nuclear slogans, the crowd of activists held position outside the president's office despite heavy rain.

"If the government does not want to take responsibility for stopping the plant project, then it should relax the requirements for a referendum," a protest organiser said. Under current rules, half of all eligible voters must take part in the referendum and half of those who do must approve of the proposal for the project to go ahead.

Masses of demonstrators hold up anti-nuclear banners in the protest that is set to continue today. Photo: CNA

The NT$283 billion (HK$72.2 billion) project, proposed by the Taiwan Power Company in 1980, has triggered waves of protests over the years.

Construction for the project began in 2009 and commercial start-up of the plant, now 98 per cent completed, was scheduled for 2016. But the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster in Japan ignited new protests, forcing Ma's government to agree to safety checks.

Ma made further concessions in a meeting with opposition Democratic Progressive Party head Su Tseng-chang on Friday, agreeing to delay starting up the plant pending a referendum.

But the anti-nuclear activists put little faith in the president's promise to resolve the matter.

Anti-nuclear protesters display a placard during an anti-nuclear demonstration in Taipei. Photo: AFP"Without lowering the threshold for the referendum, there is no way the issue can be resolved," said Lin Fei-fan, a student leader of the Sunflower movement, an earlier protest against a trade services pact with the mainland, who was at the anti-nuclear demonstration.

Lin, who led the occupation of parliament to force Ma to withdraw the trade pact, said the president must take into account former DPP chairman Lin Yi-hsiung's opposition to the nuclear project.

The latter, a seasoned politician known for his anti-nuclear stance, began a hunger strike on Tuesday.

The mass protest was set to continue today with organisers planning a march down major avenues in Taipei that will end in front of Ma's office.

Other sit-ins and marches were staged in southern and northern Taiwan yesterday in support of the protest in Taipei.

20140428 SCMP_Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou bows to pressure and halts nuclear plant_KMT leaders push for end to project, despite facility being 98pc complete

Thousands of anti-nuclear protesters stage a sit-in yesterday with some displaying placards reading "Terminate the fourth nuclear power plant". Photo: AFP

Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou yesterday decided to halt construction of the island's fourth nuclear power plant in an attempt to head off yet another political crisis amid growing calls for the project to be scrapped.

The decision was made during a three-hour meeting with 15 ruling Kuomintang (KMT) mayors and magistrates to build consensus and find effective ways to address the issue.

At least three prominent KMT mayors - Taipei Mayor Hau Lung-bin, New Taipei Mayor Eric Chu Li-luan and Taichung Mayor Jason Hu Chi-chiang - have been sceptical about whether the project - 98 per cent completed - should continue. Chu has even called for a change to the rules governing referendums to improve the chances for a successful anti-nuclear result.

"Two resolutions were made during the meeting, including [a halt to] construction on the remaining part of the plant," KMT spokesman Fan Chiang Tai-chi said. He said authorities would first conduct safety inspections of the No 1 generator before sealing off the facility and halting construction of the No 2 generator.

"The second resolution is to hold a national conference on energy in order to ensure [the] normal supply of power" in Taiwan, Fan Chiang said. He said that only when the public called for the start-up of the plant in New Taipei City should a referendum be held.

On Friday, Ma had agreed to delay starting up the plant until a referendum was held, but gave no timetable for the vote.

Fan Chiang stopped short of saying whether a rule change for the referendum was discussed yesterday. Relaxing requirements is a major demand of anti-nuclear activists, who believe the rules concerning the number of eligible voters required to pass any measure are too strict.

Under current rules, half of all eligible voters - about nine million - must take part in the referendum and half of those who do must approve of the proposal for it to pass. Since 2004, national referendums have not attracted the requisite number of voters.

Su Tseng-chang, head of the main opposition Democratic Progressive Party, has proposed that the threshold be lowered to 25 per cent of eligible voters, or about five million.

The meeting took place as thousands of anti-nuclear activists marched from Ma's office to Taipei Railway Station, where they occupied a four-lane avenue despite repeated police calls to disperse. Protesters shouted, "Scrap the fourth nuclear power plant" and "Revoke [the plant's] construction budget", as they rallied in a sit-in organisers vowed to continue until after Premier Jiang Yi-huah officially announced the KMT's resolutions. Other marchers demanded changes to rules on referendums.

But Mayor Hau warned against the illegal occupation, saying he would do all he could to "ensure that Taipei citizens regain their rights to use the road in the morning".

20140326 BBC_What unprecedented protest means for Taiwan

The student protesters say they want to protect Taiwan's future and have their voices heard

The unprecedented student occupation of Taiwan's parliament this month, to oppose the government's attempt to pass a controversial trade agreement with China, is not just a one-off protest.

It is part of a wave of citizen campaigns that have shaken Taiwanese society. At their core are young people disillusioned by both the ruling and opposition parties.

In recent years there have been several similar campaigns, albeit less dramatic.

These include one that successfully pressured the government to turn down construction of a petrochemical plant, a 100,000-strong protest over the death of a conscript mistreated in boot camp, and continuing opposition to the construction of a fourth nuclear power plant.

The movements are spread largely by grassroots groups and social media. The participants tend to be ordinary people who want their voices heard, and want to protect Taiwan's future.

Protesters have been occupying Taiwan's parliament for almost two weeks

Rising young democrats

Accounting student Charlies Liu, who skipped class and drove up to Taipei from Taichung city to join the student protest, echoed the views of many.

"I'm against the government carrying out behind-the-doors negotiations with China," Mr Liu said.

Continue reading the main story

What triggered the protests?

• The immediate trigger was a trade deal that will allow Beijing and Taipei to invest more freely in each other's services markets
• Protesters say the deal will hurt Taiwan's economy and leave it vulnerable to pressure from Beijing, but Taipei says it will benefit Taiwan's economy
• The trade deal was signed last June but it has not yet been ratified by MPs
• Protests began early last week after ruling party MPs said a joint committee had completed a review of the deal
• Students first broke into the Taiwanese legislature last Tuesday and have since defied police efforts to evict them
• Police clashed with more student protesters who occupied government headquarters on Monday
• Almost 60 people were arrested and more than 100 were hurt

"You can't just force the agreements through. They involve the people. They will affect our generation. I'm worried many things are decided by the government, not the people."

Although the students are too young to have lived through the White Terror period of martial law, political suppression and lack of press and other freedoms, they are aware that Taiwan's democracy was hard won and that people power helped bring about legislative elections in the 1980s and the first presidential election in the 1990s.

Along with posting pictures ridiculing President Ma Ying-jeou, the students have put on the wall of the parliament chamber pictures of the previous generation of Taiwan's democracy activists.

They believe it is now up to them to protect Taiwan's democracy.

"In the past, our young people are not active in politics because their parents told them to just quietly go about your studies, because the parents lived through the 228 Incident [a 1947 massacre and political suppression]," said Shane Lee, a political science professor at Chang Jung Christian University.

Continue reading the main story

“Start Quote

The students form a big chunk of the electorate - the parties have to open their minds to the young people”

Shane LeePolitical science professor

"But now the students, through their education or through the free flow of information, tell their parents that 'because you were so afraid of politics, that's why you have suffered what you have suffered. Because we know what's going on, we take matters into our own hands.' "

Over the nearly two-week protest, the students are no longer just asking for the government to cancel the agreement and do a thorough review.

They are insisting the two parties work constructively together to pass a law to supervise all future negotiations with Beijing and not sign any more agreements until such a law is passed.

The question is whether the political power-holders will heed the students' calls. Analysts say both parties risk alienating young people if they do not.

"The students form a big chunk of the electorate. The parties have to open their minds to the young people. They will have to really seriously deal with this situation," Prof Lee said.

Experts say the students today are more politically aware than in the past

Shining example

Mr Ma - who has long touted Taiwan's democracy as a shining example in Asia - has said a supervision mechanism already exists, as many of the agreements signed with China need to be ratified by parliament.

But the ruling Kuomintang party controls a majority of the legislative seats and the president controls the ruling party. The students and others in Taiwan are uncomfortable with this set-up.

The opposition Democratic Progressive Party finds itself sidelined. It has been criticised for unhelpful tactics - criticising without taking constructive action and seizing the podium, which have led to Taiwan's infamous parliament scuffles.

The students, meanwhile, seem organised and determined.

In a statement, they said: "We will not waver. Against an undemocratic and autocratic government, we stand strong and we stand united."

It is safe to assume that Beijing, which still claims the island as a province to be reunified one day, is watching nervously.

If the students succeed, it could mean a further democratisation of Taiwan, with additional safeguards to let the people, not any political party, decide the fate of the island.

20140428 BBC_Clashes as anti-nuclear protests hit Taiwan

Chanting crowds gathered in Taipei over the weekend to protest against a fourth nuclear plant

Police have clashed with protesters demanding construction on Taiwan's fourth nuclear plant be stopped.

Police used water cannon early on Monday to disperse thousands of demonstrators blocking a main traffic route in Taiwan's capital, Taipei.

The governing Kuomintang Party agreed on Sunday to temporarily suspend work on two nuclear reactors but have so far refused to halt the project altogether.

The move comes amid mounting public concern over nuclear safety.

Protestors gathered in Taipei over the weekend and have pledged to continue their sit-in until Tuesday. Many have refused to leave without an official government announcement.

Water cannons were used by police on Monday to disperse crowds of protesters

The public fears a repeat of the Japanese Fukushima nuclear disaster

Demonstrators have refused to vacate the protest site

Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou had said the government would hold a referendum on the issue before the plant began operating.

Taiwan relies on nuclear power for about 18% of its energy needs. The remaining three nuclear power plants would have to function longer if the fourth one does not start operations as planned, the economic ministry said.

Taiwan's first nuclear plant is set to be decommissioned from 2018 while the second plant is set to close between 2021 and 2023.

The fourth plant will be located in northern New Taipei City, the most populous city in Taiwan.

Opponents of the fourth nuclear power plant say that it will dangerous given that Taiwan is located in an earthquake zone, reports the BBC's Cindy Sui in Taipei.

Supporters, which include the governing Kuomintang Party, argue that the fourth plant will be much safer than Japan's Fukushima plant, which was crippled by the 2011 earthquake and tsunami.

20140424 BBC_Why is Kim Jong-un always surrounded by people taking notes?

There's a newly released batch of photographs of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un on a series of site visits. The dozens of photos all have one curious detail in common - the leader is surrounded by officials and generals making notes in identical notepads, writes Kathryn Westcott.

In the photographs - from the country's official Central News Agency (KCNA) - Kim Jong-un observes a unit of women conducting a multiple-rocket launching drill. He strides around a fishery station. He gives a pilot on flight training a pep talk. He enjoys the facilities at a renovated youth camp.

But who are those men meticulously taking notes? They're not journalists, but soldiers, party members or government officials, says Prof James Grayson, Korea expert at the University of Sheffield. What is happening is a demonstration of the leader's supposed power, knowledge, wisdom and concern, says Grayson. It's "on-the-spot guidance", something instigated by his grandfather Kim Il-sung in the 1950s. "It's part of the image of the great leader offering benevolent guidance," says Grayson.

What might that guidance be? Well, if Kim's anything like his grandfather it could be practical advice. Very specific practical advice. After Kim Il-sung visited a fishery in 1976, KCNA published this: "Watching a truck at work, the president said that its bucket seemed to be small in comparison with its horsepower. He said the problem of carriage would be solved if the bucket was enlarged. Afterwards the truck's bucket capacity increased to two tons from 800 kg. As a result, 20 trucks were capable of carrying the load to be done by 50 trucks."

Despite the fact that tablets are available in the country, paper notebooks remain the favoured medium. "These are pictures that will be broadcast on television and shown in the state media, so those who are there want to be seen recording Kim Jong-un's every word," says Grayson. "It's about presenting him as having broad knowledge - however, it's ridiculous, he can't possibly know about all of these different things. It's important, however, that the apparatchiks that surround him are seen to be hanging on his every word."

According to Prof Steve Tsang, chair the School of Contemporary Chinese Studies at the University of Nottingham, the note-takers will be writing extremely carefully. "They wouldn't want to write down anything that was, say, politically inaccurate, or it might come back to bite them." The notes are not usually published or available for the public to view, says Tsang. "If anything comes out of them, it would be via the propaganda department. Whether it was what was actually said, or is different to the guidance given at the time, doesn't matter. No-one will ever question it. If you were at the factory and the advice that was released wasn't quite what you had in your notebook - what are you going to do about it?"

20140423 BBC_Philippines and Hong Kong resolve hostage row

A Hong Kong inquest in 2011 criticised Philippine officials for their slow response to the hijacking

The Philippines and Hong Kong have agreed to resolve years of dispute over a 2010 Manila bus hijacking that killed eight Hong Kong citizens.

In a joint statement, the Philippines expressed "its most sorrowful regret" to the victims and their families.

The wording of the apology appeared to fall short of Hong Kong's original demand but its leader CY Leung said the two sides had reached a "consensus".

The seven tourists and their guide were shot dead by a former policeman.

The vehicle was carrying 22 Hong Kong tourists and three Filipinos when it was hijacked by Rolando Mendoza, who was angry at being sacked from his job.

The hostage drama was broadcast live on television and radio and lasted for 11 hours.

It caused diplomatic strain between the Philippines and Hong Kong, with a Hong Kong inquest in 2011 criticising Philippine officials for their slow response to the crisis.

"The four demands made by the victims and their families on apology, compensation, sanctions against responsible officials and individuals, and tourist safety measures will be resolved and settled," the statement said.

"The Philippine government expresses its most sorrowful regret and profound sympathy, and extends its most sincere condolences for the pain and suffering of the victims and their families."

The police director general of the Philippines has also written to the victims and their families, the statement added.

The Philippines has also assured Hong Kong that "measures are being undertaken to hold to account those responsible and to see the outstanding proceedings conclude as soon as possible".

The Philippines previously said it would not apologise for the hostage crisis, but instead expressed its "deepest regret" over the incident. The victims and their families had long demanded an apology from the Philippine government.

Hong Kong imposed sanctions against the Philippines over the incident, including the removal of visa-free access for Philippine officials and diplomats in February.

Mr Leung said the sanction would be lifted immediately.

20140425 BBC_Agreement reached on deep sea mining

The project will extract ores of copper, gold and other valuable metals from a depth of 1,500m

A Canadian mining company has finalised an agreement with Papua New Guinea to start digging up an area of seabed.

The controversial project aims to extract ores of copper, gold and other valuable metals from a depth of 1,500m.

However, environmental campaigners say mining the ocean floor will prove devastating, causing lasting damage to marine life.

The company, Nautilus Minerals, has been eyeing the seabed minerals off Papua New Guinea (PNG) since the 1990s but then became locked in a lengthy dispute with the PNG government over the terms of the operation.

Under the agreement just reached, PNG will take a 15% stake in the mine by contributing $120m towards the costs of the operation.

Mike Johnston, chief executive of Nautilus Minerals, told BBC News: "It's a taken a long time but everybody is very happy."

"There's always been a lot of support for this project and it's very appealing that it will generate a significant amount of revenue in a region that wouldn't ordinarily expect that to happen."

The mine will target an area of hydrothermal vents where superheated, highly acidic water emerges from the seabed, where it encounters far colder and more alkaline seawater, forcing it to deposit high concentrations of minerals.

The result is that the seabed is formed of ores that are far richer in gold and copper than ores found on land.

Mr Johnston said that a temperature probe left in place for 18 months was found to have "high grade copper all over it".

Construction of the largest machine - the 310-tonne Bulk Cutter - was completed in the UK

For decades, the idea of mining these deposits - and mineral-rich nodules on the seabed - was dismissed as unfeasible because of the engineering challenge and high cost.

But the boom in offshore oil and gas operations in recent years has seen the development of a host of advanced deep sea technologies at a time when intense demand for valuable metals has pushed up global prices.

The construction of the largest machine, a Bulk Cutter weighing 310 tonnes, has just been completed by an underwater specialist manufacturer, Soil Machine Dynamics (SMD), based in Newcastle, UK.

The plan is to break up the top layer of the seabed so that the ore can be pumped up as a slurry.

The agreement with PNG now clears the way for Nautilus to order a specialist vessel to manage the operation. Mining itself could start within five years.

Environmental campaigners have long argued that seabed mining will be hugely destructive and that the precise effects remain unknown.

Richard Page, oceans campaigner for Greenpeace, said: "The emerging threat of seabed mining is an urgent wake-up call for the need to protect the oceans.

For decades, the idea of mining these deposits was dismissed as unfeasible

"The deep ocean is not yet mapped or explored and so the potential loss of fauna and biospheres from mining is not yet understood.

"Only 3% of the oceans and only 1% of international waters are protected, which makes them some of the most vulnerable places on earth - what we desperately need is a global network of ocean sanctuaries."

According to Nautilus, the mine will have a minimal environmental footprint, covering the equivalent of about 10 football fields and focusing on an area which is likely to be rapidly re-colonised by marine life.

Mr Johnston said: "It's a resilient system and studies show that life will recover in 5-10 years. An active venting site 1km to the southeast has the same bugs and snails and the current will carry the bugs and snails to the mine site. We expect it to recover quite quickly."

But this will be the first attempt to extract ore from the ocean floor, so the operation - and the company's assurances about the impacts - will be watched closely.

So far, 19 licences to search for seabed minerals have been awarded by the International Seabed Authority, the UN body policing this emerging industry.

The International Seabed Authority (ISA), which has welcomed the Nautilus Minerals agreement with Papua New Guinea, is currently drawing up guidelines for the environmental management of future seabed mining.

Michael Lodge of the ISA told the BBC: "This is a very exciting opportunity and we are looking forward to learning from the tests of the new machine, which is a world first and should give us some valuable insights into technical feasibility and environmental impact."

20140423 SunDaily_野生紅斑重現牛尾海環團促納海岸公園保育

野生紅斑野生紅斑在六、七十年代曾是本港婚宴必備菜式，過度捕獲下全球數量大減。

【太陽報專訊】【本報訊】漁農自然護理署前年突把西貢牛尾海納入海岸公園計劃擱置，但有環保團體過去十年在本港進行珊瑚魚普查，發現牛尾海有逾一百五十種珊瑚魚棲息，而被世界自然保護聯盟（IUCN）納入瀕危物種、稀有程度可媲美大熊貓及黑臉琵鷺的「野生紅斑」，前年亦重臨該處，惟該處現時常有人摸蜆、打魚或玩水上單車，促港府重新考慮將牛尾海納入海岸公園，免遭破壞。

位置獨特 海洋資源豐富

野生紅斑的學名是「Epinephelus akaara」，頭、身和鰭滿布橙紅色小點，背鰭的硬棘部分中央有一列暗橙黃色斑點。生態教育及資源中心經理張瑪珊表示，清蒸紅斑是六、七十年代本港婚宴必備菜式，蒸兩條紅斑寓意紅雙囍，前年發現西貢街市出售野生紅斑，每兩叫價五十至八十元，正因紅斑有價有市，招來殺身之禍。

○三年IUCN研究便指，野生紅斑因過度撈捕，二十一年間全球銳減逾六成，現僅中國南部、日本、韓國和台灣等有記錄。中心往年在牛尾海普查時，曾數次發現紅斑蹤迹，相信是香港僅存地點。她指，普查常在牛尾海發現新物種，至今錄得三角倒吊、點斑橫帶蝴蝶魚及高鰭跳岩（魚尉）等八種珊瑚魚首次在港出現，相信因該處位置獨特和海洋資源豐富，受惠於黑潮（俗稱日本暖流）水流優勢，每年將菲律賓一帶的熱帶魚苗帶到牛尾海。

綠色力量科學及自然護理總監鄭睦奇稱，港府於一一年加入《生物多樣性公約》成為締約國，公約要求締約國需在二○二○年將最少一成的沿海和海洋區域，尤其是生物多樣性和具特殊重要性生態的區域，通過有效公平的管理如納入海岸公園或海岸保護區等，但環團審視港府計劃或建議列作海岸公園的項目，即使將牛尾海海岸公園計劃計算在內，亦只佔本港海洋區域不足半成，遠低於公約要求，促港府加快保育。

20140423 【中國財經】李克強：適時啟動新核電項目建設 開發非常規油氣

財華社新聞中心 中國國務院總理李克強在新一屆國家能源委員會首次會議上表示，要積極發展清潔能源，推動改善環境質量；並要開工一批重大項目，適時啟動新的核電重點項目建設、有序開工合理的水電項目等。

中國政府網週日引述李克強指出，中國未來一個時期能源需求還會增長，要立足國內，?力增強能源供應能力，加大陸上、海洋油氣勘探開發力度，創新體制機制，促進頁岩氣、頁岩油、煤層氣、緻密氣等非常規油氣資源開發，加強國際合作，提高優質能源保障水平，在開放格局中維護能源安全。

他強調，當前要開工一批重大項目，這既是穩增長、提高能源保障能力的重要舉措，更是調整能源結構、轉變發展方式的有效抓手。要在採用國際最高安全標準、確保安全的前提下，適時在東部沿海地區啟動新的核電重點項目建設。在做好生態保護和移民安置的基礎上，有序開工合理的水電項目。

此外，加強風能、太陽能發電基地和配套電力送出工程建設。發展遠距離大容量輸電技術，今 年要按規劃開工建設一批採用特高壓和常規技術的「西電東送」輸電通道，優化資源配置，促進降耗增效。

李克強指出，要推動能源生產和消費方式變革，提高能源綠色、低碳、智能發展水平，實施向霧霾等污染宣戰、加強生態環保的節能減排措施，促進改善大氣質量，走出一條清潔、高效、 安全、可持續的能源發展之路，為經濟穩定增長提供支撐。

積極推進電動車等清潔能源汽車產業化，加快高效清潔燃煤機組的核准進度，對達不到節能減排標準的現役機組堅決實施升級改造，促進煤炭集中高效利用代替粗放使用，保護大氣環境。

還要大力實施節約優先戰略，從生產和消費兩方面?手，加快推進重點領域和單位節能工程，推廣節能發電調度辦法，提高能源利用效率，以較少的能源消耗促進經濟社會較快發展。

李克強並指出，調整能源結構，關鍵要推進能源體制改革。要放開競爭性業務，鼓勵各類投資主體有序進入能源開發領域公平競爭。積極推進清費立稅，深化煤炭資源稅改革。

加快電力體制改革步伐，推動供求雙方直接交易，提供更加經濟、優質的電力保障，讓市場在電力資源配置中發揮決定性作用。要積極創造體制條件，推動先進能源技術裝備「走出去」。

20140423 Apple Daily_擬撥一億研欣澳填海

【本報訊】政府要在欣澳填海興建旅遊娛樂商業設施，昨日在立法會發展事務委員會申請近一億元作工程研究，但是多名立法會議員都批評土地用途過於單一，不能用近百公頃土地只發展旅遊業，而忽視其他產業，議案最終在建制派議員護航之下獲得通過，下月將會交立法會工務小組審議。
多名建制派及泛民議員都不滿政府在欣澳填海，但是只規劃為旅遊娛樂商業用途，其中工聯會麥美娟指出，港珠澳大橋人工口岸上已經打算預留土地發展商業城，質疑欣澳的土地是否有需要只預留作相似用途。
新民黨葉劉淑儀也指，香港應發展高增值產業，因港澳辦主任王光亞早前已表明自由行是「應急」措施不會長久，故香港不應單靠發展旅遊業。

下月交工務小組審議

社民連梁國雄也指，全世界沒有一個國家地區單靠旅遊業便能「發達」，而是靠高科技及環保等高增值產業。新民主同盟范國威認為大嶼山發展要審慎處理，不能再令港人因發展而犧牲生活質素。政府代表指會進行市場定位及分析，評估填海土地用途的潛力。
一班守護大嶼聯盟成員昨午就趁舉行會議期間，到立法會外示威，批評政府大量填海發展大嶼山。委員會其後投票表態是否支持下月將撥款申請交工務小組審議，在建制派護航下獲通過。
此外，政府再就追加蓮塘/香園圍口岸撥款向發展事務委員會闖關，但由於只削減幾億元，仍然要追加逾80億元，多名議員都擔心日後情況再變時要再尋求追加撥款，但當局就指如無意外，日後必不用再申請追加款項，會議未完下月初會繼續討論。

 

一批守護大嶼聯盟成員昨到立會外示威，抗議政府大量填海發展大嶼山。

20140410 ChinaDaily_Sandstorms sweep into Beijing

Urban Beijing is enveloped by sand on April 9, 2014. A sandstorm swept Beijing on Wednesday, lowering the visibility and polluting the air.Beijing will see a poor air quality in the coming three days. A cold front swept into North China on Thursday and will linger in the comingdays, bringing gales and a drop in temperatures. [Photo/icpress.cn]


Beijing is enveloped by sand on April 9, 2014. A sandstorm swept Beijing on Wednesday, lowering visibility and polluting the air. [Photo/icpress.cn]

20140411 ChinaDaily_Gansu village tries to make the desert bloom

Villagers in Linze county, Zhangye city in Northwest China's Gansu province, use nylon mesh on Thursday to press desert sand into a terrace before planting it withdrought resistant plants. The farming method has been proven effective and the sand plants, such as haloxylon ammodendron and cistanche salsa, have broughteconomic benefits to the area. The county has turned 25,333 hectares of desert into terraces using this method, of which 14,666 hectares have been planted. [Photo/Xinhua]


Villagers plant haloxylon ammodendron on Thursday in a desert area separated into terraces by nylon mesh in Linze county of Northwest China's Gansu province. [Photo/Xinhua]


Villagers plant haloxylon ammodendron, a sand-growing plant, in Linze county of Northwest China's Gansu province on Thursday. The county is on the southernmargin of the Badain Jaran Desert and two-thirds of its territory is inside the Gobi desert.[Photo/Xinhua]


A villager uses nylon mesh to fix the sands into blocks. [Photo/Xinhua]