Cancer, stroke top killers for Chinese (China Daily)

2008-04-30

Cancer and stroke are the top two causes of death for Chinese, a Ministry of Health (MOH) study revealed Tuesday. The report of the third national study (2006-08) on causes of death also ranked respiratory diseases third on the list and heart heart diseases fourth.

The study, which is based on two years of research and covers about 210 million residents of 160 cities and counties, also listed injuries and poisoning as the fifth highest cause of deaths in the country. Of the two previous MOH reports, the first was launched in the middle of the 1970s and the second, the early 1990s.

"The number of Chinese who died from the above five reasons account for 85 percent of the total deaths," MOH spokesman Deng Haihua told a press conference in Beijing yesterday.

The death rate of the country's rural and urban residents, particularly of those who died from chronic diseases, was also higher than world average levels. The incidence of stroke in China, for example, was up to five times higher than the record in Europe and the United States, and 3.5 times higher than in Japan. While China's cancer rate was close to that of the US, Britain and France, it was much higher than other Asian countries like Japan, India and Thailand...

...The five top causes of deaths also ranked differently in urban and rural areas. Cancer was the No 1 killer in cities, followed by stroke. In rural areas, stroke cases outnumbered cancer ones, the report showed. Heart diseases were more common than respiratory diseases in urban areas, while the opposite was true for the countryside...

...To promote health awareness, the MOH released a Chinese diet guide in January, which was an update of a decade-old version.Kong Lingzhi, deputy director of the MOH's disease prevention and control bureau, said it was a timely guide to encourage people to eat healthy to prevent against the worrying trend of chronic diseases.

Currently, the death rate from cancer has increased by 83.1 percent over the mid-1970s and by 22.5 percent over the early 1990s, ministry statistics showed.

In urban areas, deaths from lung, intestine, pancreas and breast cancer are higher, while in rural areas, deaths from liver, stomach, gullet and cervical cancer are higher, Kong said. Cancers related to living environment and lifestyles -lung, liver, colorectal, breast and bladder cancer - are also said to be rising. Among these, lung and breast cancer registered the highest increase of 465 percent and 96 percent in the past 30 years, respectively, the MOH report showed. Lung cancer has also replaced liver cancer to become the top killer among malignant tumors in the country, said Qi Xiaoqiu, the director of the disease control bureau under the MOH...

...To reduce the environmental and occupational factors leading to cancers, the authorities would also continue to promote research in the area, Qi said. The ministry will step up efforts to implement the occupation disease prevention law, to help reduce environment- or work-related cancers, he said.

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A dying turtle breed points to a battered China (IHT)

By Jim Yardley
Published: December 5, 2007

CHANGSHA, China: Unnoticed and unappreciated for five decades, a large female turtle with a stained, leathery shell is now a precious commodity in this city's decaying zoo. She is fed a special diet of raw meat. Her small pool has been encased with bulletproof glass. A surveillance camera monitors her movements. A guard is posted at night.

The agenda is simple: The turtle must not die.

Appreciated at last: The last female giant Yangtze soft-shell turtle on the planet. (Du Bin for The New York Times)

Earlier this year, scientists concluded that she is the planet's last known female giant Yangtze soft-shell turtle. She is about 80. As it happens, the planet also has only one undisputed, known male. He lives at a zoo in the city of Suzhou. He is about 100. They are the last hope of saving a species believed to be the largest freshwater turtles in the world...

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Experts say sex abstinence program doesn't work (Reuters)

Wed Apr 23, 2008 4:33pm EDT
By Will Dunham

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Programs teaching U.S. schoolchildren to abstain from sex have not cut teen pregnancies or sexually transmitted diseases or delayed the age at which sex begins, health groups told Congress on Wednesday.

The Bush administration, however, voiced continuing support for such programs during a hearing before a House of Representatives panel even as many Democrats called for cutting off federal money for so-called abstinence-only instruction.

"Vast sums of federal monies continue to be directed toward these programs. And, in fact, there is evidence to suggest that some of these programs are even harmful and have negative consequences by not providing adequate information for those teens who do become sexually active," Dr. Margaret Blythe of the American Academy of Pediatrics told the committee.

These programs, backed by many social conservatives who oppose the teaching of contraception methods to teenagers in schools, have received about $1.3 billion in federal funds since the late 1990s. Currently, 17 of the 50 U.S. states refuse to accept federal funds for such programs. Experts from the American Public Health Association and U.S. Institute of Medicine testified that scientific studies have not found that abstinence-only teaching works to cut pregnancies, sexually transmitted diseases or the age when sexual activity begins.

The American Psychological Association and American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists also issued statements to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform criticizing the abstinence-only programs. Comprehensive sex education programs should emphasize abstinence as the best way for a teenager to avoid pregnancy or a sexually transmitted disease (STD), Blythe said. "Those adolescents who choose to abstain from sexual intercourse should obviously be encouraged and supported in their decisions by their families, peers and communities. But abstinence should not be the only strategy that is discussed," Blythe said.

HIGH STD RATES

Lawmakers cited government statistics showing that one in four U.S. teenage girls has a sexually transmitted disease and 30 percent of U.S. girls become pregnant before the age of 20.

Republicans said even if some abstinence-only programs do not work, others do, and it would be wrong to end the funding. Rep. John Duncan, a Tennessee Republican, said that it seems "rather elitist" that people with academic degrees in health think they know better than parents what type of sex education is appropriate. "I don't think it's something we should abandon," he said of abstinence-only funding. Charles Keckler of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said the Bush administration believes abstinence education programs send the healthiest message.

Stan Weed, director of the Institute for Research and Evaluation, a Utah-based group that researches abstinence programs, disagreed with the other health experts, saying research cast doubt on the effectiveness of broader, comprehensive sex education programs. Panel chairman Rep. Henry Waxman, a California Democrat, said, "We are showering funds on abstinence-only programs that don't appear to work, while ignoring proven comprehensive sex education programs that can delay sex, protect teens from disease, and result in fewer teen pregnancies. Meanwhile, we have no dedicated source of federal funding specifically for comprehensive classroom sex education," Waxman added.

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Retailers face big fines for violating plastic ban (China Daily)

Updated: 2008-04-10 06:55

Retailers may be fined up to 10,000 yuan ($1,430) for providing free plastic bags to shoppers, the Ministry of Commerce has proposed. The penalty will take effect from June 1, according to a draft regulation published on the ministry's website to solicit public opinion till April 14. The move follows a ban announced in January on the manufacture, sale and use of ultra-thin plastic bags (defined as less than 0.025 mm thick) from June 1 as part of efforts to protect the environment and save energy.

The draft regulation says retailers can set the price for plastic bags, but not below cost. They also have to include the price of the bags on customer receipts, or face fines of up to 5,000 yuan. The regulation does not apply to plastic packaging for frozen or cooked food. Meanwhile, retailers have to allow customers to carry their own bags or baskets; and are encouraged to provide eco-friendly substitutes.

Retailers believe the regulation will help reduce the use of plastic bags. "We have been encouraging customers to bring bags, and we think most of them will choose to do so when we stop providing free bags," said Li Li, head cashier at a Beijing WuMart supermarket.

Most customers interviewed by China Daily at the supermarket welcomed the ban. "I will bring a large fabric bag, and I don't think it will cause any inconvenience. It is a good policy to protect our environment," said a retired worker surnamed Wang.

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China sprays Rudd over Tibet human rights claims (ABC)

By China correspondent Stephen McDonell

Senior Chinese Government officials have publicly attacked Prime Minister Kevin Rudd over his comments on Tibet.

In Washington, Mr Rudd said it was clear that human rights abuses were being committed in Tibet, and today he repeated those claims during a speech at a university in Beijing. But Chinese Government officials say his comments are unfounded.

Communist Party Central Committee spokesman Si Ta has criticised Mr Rudd at a Beijing press conference."The reporter mentioned about the certain politician who expressed concern about China's human rights record. This particular politician should join us in condemning the violent crimes in Lhasa - the crimes that have violated human rights," he said. Tibetan Regional Government chairman Xiangba Puncog also disagreed with Mr Rudd's comments and echoed Mr Si's view on human rights. "Australia, or other countries, should have better appreciation and understanding of the fact that people in Tibet are now enjoying democracy and have wonderful human rights protection, and those remarks are totally unfounded," he said.

But Mr Rudd says he will not be backing away from his plan to raise his concerns with the Chinese leadership. "It's important, as I said in my speech earlier today, to have a relationship that is capable of handling a disagreement and putting views in a straight-forward fashion," he said. "That's what I said I'd be doing in my remarks earlier today, and that's what I will be doing. I stand by the comments I made earlier on this matter."

He has also supported Australians' right to turn their back on the Olympic flame. "You know one thing about Australia [is], it's a robust democracy. We live in a free country - people can express their point of view in any manner that they choose," he said.

'A great impact'

In a speech earlier today to Beijing University students, Mr Rudd said he did not support a boycott of the Olympics, but he risked increasing Beijing's ire by talking about other human rights issues and controversies. "There are still many problems in China. Problems of poverty, problems of uneven development, problems of pollution. Problems of broader human rights," he said. "It is important to recognise that China's change is having a great impact, not just on China, but also the world."

Mr Rudd described China's social transformation as "unprecedented in human history", but warned his audience that its rise was causing anxiety overseas. "When people overseas are faced with big changes and uncertainties like these, they get nervous," he said, referring to jobs that have been transferred from other countries to China.

Mr Rudd, who was posted to Beijing previously as a diplomat, is due to meet Premier Wen Jiabao tomorrow and President Hu Jintao at the weekend at an economic forum on the southern Chinese island of Hainan. He has also said he would seek to work more closely with China on fighting climate change.

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China-Australian ties (China Daily)

2008-04-09 07:27

There could be no one more qualified to speak about Australian perspectives on China than the country's Prime Minister Kevin Rudd. In his first trip to China in the capacity of Australian prime minister, this country, however, is no stranger to him. Rudd served in China as a member of Australia's Foreign Service. He is a scholar of Chinese history. He speaks Chinese fluently. When he became prime minister, Australia had as its head of government a Chinese expert unrivaled in other world capitals.

Though his country historically has had a strong relationship with the United States, Rudd has vowed to seek to rebalance this with a deepening partnership with Asian neighbors including China and India. Australia has now had diplomatic relations with China for 36 years. What began as a narrow relationship, interspersed with the occasional shipment of Australian wheat, has now broadened into an economic relationship, which as of today makes China, Australia's largest trading partner.

The economic potential of the bilateral relations is great. His knowledge of this country has made Rudd a more unbiased and constructive observer: China has achieved great things for its people over the last 30 years, lifting hundreds of millions out of poverty. The opening of its market, together with China's continued high levels of economic growth, has also helped bring further prosperity to the world. A positive partnership between the two countries that strengthens the international order and that makes these achievements possible would benefit us all.

Rudd has claimed to be an optimist, that together with vision, energy, and commitment, we can truly shape a Pacific Century. Australia has, what Rudd describes, as an engaged, creative, middle power diplomacy. The Asia Pacific Region is the third pillar of Australia's foreign policy, after the US and the United Nations. Australian attitudes toward Asia in general, and China in particular, have dramatically matured in recent years. Awareness is growing of the importance of China in the region and of nurturing a healthy China-Australia dialogue.

The annual strategic dialogue between the two countries, with the first in Canberra in February, should add more important dimensions to the bilateral relations. We hope his excellent command of Chinese will help avoid misunderstandings and misjudgments when the two countries interact.

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Laos Fears China's Footprint (Associated Press)

By DENIS D. GRAY

VIENTIANE, Laos (AP) — A high-rise Chinatown that is to go up by Laos' laid-back capital has ignited fears that this nation's giant northern neighbor is moving to engulf this nation. So alarmed are Laotians that the communist government, which rarely explains its actions to the population, is being forced to do just that, with what passes for an unprecedented public relations campaign.

The "Chinese City" is a hot topic of talk and wild rumor, much of it laced with anxiety as well as anger that the regime sealed such a momentous deal in virtual secrecy. The rumblings are being heard even among some government officials, and foreign organizations operating in Laos are being told to refer to the venture as a "New City Development Project" rather than a "Chinese city."

Deputy Prime Minister Somsavat Lengsavad insists the deal poses no threat. "This is not unusual. Almost every country in the world has a Chinatown, so why shouldn't Laos have one?" he told Laotian reporters.

According to an artist's impression in state-run media, it will have a Manhattan-like skyline. There is no word on how many Chinese will live there. The figure of 50,000 families is widely speculated but Somsavat denied any such number had been agreed upon. The idea of 50,000 newcomers to a city of 460,000 is one factor causing unease. Another is location: The complex is to go up on the That Luang marsh, an area pregnant with nationalist symbolism and also ecologically important.

It comes at a time when China is rapidly becoming the No. 1 foreign economic and political power in Laos. As migrants, money and influence roll across the frontier, northern areas of the country are beginning to look like a Chinese province. According to Somsavat, a Chinese company last fall was granted a renewable, 50-year lease to transform 4,000 acres of "rice fields into a modern city," thus stimulating the business and investment climate of one of the world's poorest nations.

Somsavat, an ethnic Chinese-Laotian with close ties to Beijing, explained that when Laos fell short of funds to build a stadium for the Southeast Asian Games it will host next year, it turned to the China Development Bank. The bank offered a Chinese company, Suzhou Industrial Park Overseas Investment Co., a loan to build the stadium in exchange for the lease. The deal was signed last September, according to official media, with no known prior notice to the public. The company, contacted in Suzhou, declined to answer questions.

At a news conference, Vientiane Mayor Sinlavong Khoutphaythoune said three Chinese companies were involved in the project. Even some aging revolutionaries are critical, saying they fought to keep out the United States and others during the Vietnam War and now are seeing their own government opening the floodgates to foreigners. "The Lao people are not strong so they are afraid the Chinese will come in and expand their numbers and turn our country into China. We will lose our own culture," said Sithong Khamvong, a middle-class Vientiane resident and former Communist Party member.

There has been no official word on the conditions under which the Chinese might be allowed to settle in the new suburb. By unofficial estimate, some 300,000 Chinese live in Laos but true figures are impossible to obtain since many have acquired false documentation much as they have done in another of China's Southeast Asian neighbors, Myanmar. The north of that country is taking on a Chinese character.

Also irking many is the site of the planned city — near both the Parliament and the golden-spired, 16th century That Luang monastery, the most important symbol of national sovereignty and a sacred Buddhist site. The area is now a mix of marshes, rice fields and creeping urbanization despite substantial international aid to preserve it as a wetland. A 2003 study by the Switzerland-based World Wide Fund for Nature said the marsh is the main runoff for flash floods, a "sewage tank" for a city with no central waste water system, and a source of edible fish and plants for the poor. "My major concern is that the new city will have an impact on these three factors," says the study's author, Pauline Gerrard. The mayor counters that the marsh is already polluted and that proper development will improve the environment. Some reports say the area is designed to attract upmarket buyers and will be modeled on the Chinese city of Suzhou, famed for its canals and greenery.

But longtime foreigners in Vientiane can't recall the middle class ever being so angry."Lao journalists would like to write about this but they cannot. There is no protest except in coffee shops — in our 'coffee parliaments,'" Sithong said. Martin Stuart-Fox, an Australian author of books on Laos, says the old generation knew how to balance China's influence and Vietnam's and avoid being crushed between its powerful neighbors.But this generation has passed, he said in an interview from Australia, and now "it seems to me that the balance is being lost."

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