BEIJING

China and PNG

The Chinese National People's Congress (NPC) is willing to pursue further exchanges and co-operation with the parliament of Papua New Guinea (PNG), according to NPC Standing Committee Chairman Li Peng. In a meeting yesterday with visiting PNG Prime Minister Mekere Morauta, Li noted that parliaments in the two countries have enjoyed a growing relationship in recent years. He cited his meeting with Speaker Bernard Narokobi of PNG's national parliament in China last May as evidence of that relationship.

Slovak guests

Vice-Chairman Jiang Zhenghua of the Standing Committee of China's National People's Congress met yesterday with Robert Fico, chairman of the Slovak Direction Party and a member of the Slovak national parliament.

Heeding reality

The Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), the country's most influential advisory body, decided yesterday to discuss ways to better address actual social situations and public opinion. The decision was made yesterday at the 30th chairperson's meeting of the National Committee of the CPPCC, which was presided over by Li Ruihuan, chairman of the Ninth national committee of the CPPCC.

HONG KONG

Public confidence

Public confidence in Hong Kong's stability and satisfaction with the regional government's performance have improved, according to the latest opinion survey conducted by the Home Affairs Bureau of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.

The bi-monthly survey, conducted recently May 14-18, showed that the number of people who were confident that Hong Kong would continue to be prosperous and stable had risen from 55 per cent in March 2001 to 57 per cent in May.

The percentage of respondents who were satisfied or very satisfied with the performance of the government increased by one percentage point to 34 per cent, according to the survey.

YINCHUAN

Soil erosion

North China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region has invested more than 10 million yuan (US$1.2 million) in studying soil erosion along the Yellow River so far this year.

The projects to plant trees along the river, build new dykes and reinforce older ones are expected to be completed before the coming flood season in June, local water conservancy bureau officials said.

The areas along the middle and upper reaches of the Yellow River suffer the most serious soil erosion in China.

NANJING

Children's Day

Children from the Nanjing Orphanage celebrated International Children's Day yesterday at the Crowne Plaza with local government officials and hotel staff.

A donation ceremony was held and more than 10,000 yuan (US$1,200) was collected to help the orphanage.

In the past few days, about 20 companies joined Crowne Plaza to offer a series of activities designed to financially support the 400 children at the orphanage.

TANGSHAN

Quake victims

A park to commemorate the victims of a 1976 earthquake that killed 240,000 people will be built in Tangshan, a city in North China's Hebei Province.

The 26.6-hectare park is to be located at the southern part of the city and will be completed by the end of July 28, 2002,the 26th anniversary of the earthquake. The disaster also injured some 400,000 people.

The park will have two walls engraved with a list of the names of the 240,000 people who died.