China and Argentina negotiate bilateral trade disputes and promote mutual investment.

    Students, senior citizens and medical workers receive vaccines for A/H1N1.

    U.S. department of treasury says China did not manipulate its currency to gain a competitive advantage in international trade. Find out more.

    1. Balloon　crash　survivors　

    A surviving Dutch tourist and two Chinese pilots are in stable condition after a hot-air balloon crash in South China Wednesday. The other four people on board died. China News has the latest.

    An initial investigation shows the balloon was flying beyond the distance and height limit set by local authorities. It caught fire and crashed after its gas tank began to leak.

    Five passengers, all from the Netherlands, and two Chinese pilots were aboard when the accident happened in Lipu County of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region- a popular tourist destination.

    Two Dutch men and two women were killed. The surviving tourist has been sent to a hotel after treatment for minor injuries. The pilots are in stable condition.

    Staff with the Dutch consulate arrived in Guilin Wednesday evening. They said they expected the Chinese government to provide a detailed written document on the cause of the accident and return the bodies to the Netherlands as soon as possible.

    SOUNDBITE: Ning Song, Guilin government foreign affairs dept. "The consulate staff visited the injured Dutch tourist first. Then they requested our collaboration in dealing with the deceased's personal stuff. They want to trace their personal files and thus contact the insurance company and international aid organizations so that the remains could be sent back to their home country. "

    Meanwhile, the remaining 13-members of the tour group from the Netherlands who came to China on Sept. 25, left the country early Thursday.

    According to the county's government, all hot-air balloon and similar aviation businesses have been suspended in Yangshuo for a safety overhaul.

    The balloon belonged to the Dongguan Meixiang Aviation Club. It received an aviation management qualification in September 2008.

    2. Drinking　water　shortage

    Earlier this week we told you about a severe drought in southern China's Guangdong province. Now, reports are coming in about drinking water shortages in Fujian Province.

    Friday, local flood control and drought relief authorities said more than 70,000 people were short on water.

    Reservoirs in Zhangzhou city were only 30 percent full.

    Farmland has also been affected.

    The bureau said this is the worst drought in the area since 1993.

    The city's vice mayor is considering restricting or suspending water supplies and increasing rainfall artificially.

    3. Russian　hikers　missing　in　W.　China

    Seven Russian hikers are reported missing in the remote Kunlun Mountain Range in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. A local official says the tourists contacted him by satellite telephone Oct. 13, saying they were in danger and that one of them was sick. A five-member rescue team of doctors and guides was sent into the mountains, but no trace of the hikers was found. There are reports saying that the seven missing have been found, but the news has not yet been confirmed.

    4. China　not　currency　manipulator

    China did not manipulate its currency to gain unfair competitive advantage in international trade.

    That's one conclusion of a report released Thursday by the U.S. Department of Treasury which is pictured here.

    If China had been designated as a currency manipulator, it would trigger negotiations between the two countries and could lead to economic sanctions if the U.S. took a case before the World Trade Organization.

    The Semi-Annual Report to Congress on International Economic and Exchange Rate Policies also alleged China's currency exchange rate showed a lack of flexibility and is undervalued.

    5. Negotiation for Sino-Argentina trade disputes

    China and Argentina negotiated for settling bilateral trade disputes and promoting investment between the two sides in the capital city Buenos Aires, Wednesday.China News has more.

    Chinese Vice Commerce Minister Chen Jian presided over the meeting and signed "minutes of talk" together with Alfredo Chiaradia, Argentine Foreign Ministry's secretary of trade and international Economic Relations. Chen indicated that due to the global financial crisis, the bilateral trade volume, which reached a historical high of 14.4 billion U.S. dollars last year, saw a sharp decrease in this first 8 months. He said Argentina's trade barrier against China had caused adverse effect on bilateral trade.

    Chen also highlighted the significance of the meeting, and urged Argentine businessmen to strengthen ties with their Chinese counterparts to reinforce mutual exchange, which will bring concrete benefits to both countries.

    Alfredo said, its import restriction was not aimed at China, but for coping with the financial crisis. He expressed the willingness to promote trade with China and welcomed Chinese enterprises to invest in Argentina. Moreover, the two countries exchanged views on cooperation in terms of investment, energy, minerals, traffic, health quarantine as well as bio-technology, and reached consensus on infrastructure and mineral cooperation.

    Chinese ambassador to Argentina Zeng Gang, and representatives from the government and enterprises of two countries attended the meeting.

    Tag: It is learnt that the Sino-Argentinian economic and trade relations have been going smoothly in recent years, and China has become the second largest trade partner of Argentina as well as its export destination for agricultural products.

    6. China, US to cement technological cooperation

    China and U.S. will strengthen technological cooperation concerning clean energy, climate change and talent exchange in the future, said Chinese Minister of Science and Technology Wan Gang in Washington Wednesday.

    At a press conference of 13th meeting of Sino-U.S. technological cooperation commission, Wan Gang said support from the two nations would help lay a solid foundation for the future cooperation as U.S. President Obama's government has attached great importance to the technology application in tackling the global problems, such as clean energy and climate change.

    Wan said consensus in exchange of young talents and scientists has also been reached during the meeting.

    John Holdren, director of White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, told Xinhua the bilateral technological cooperation has stood the time testing over the past 30 years, and the two nations will see bright prospect in various cooperation fields, such as clean energy, climate change,construction energy-saving, and Earth monitoring.

    7. China's　largest　trade　fair　opens

    The country' s largest trade fair opened Thursday with exporters remaining upbeat about a market recovery amid improving demands. China News takes you to the 106th Session of the China Import and Export Fair in Guangzhou.

    Pkg: The last time this fair was held was in April. Trade value then slumped 17 percent because of economic downturn. Expectations this time around are much more positive.

    One reason is an increased number of participants. 22,320 Chinese and foreign exhibitors are registered. That's 216 more than in April.

    SOUNDBITE: Chen Chaoren, Session spokesman "The export exhibition area will continue to be divided into15 categories. There are 50 professional exhibition areas, and 55,314 exhibition stands which increased by 225 compared with the last fair. "

    The amount of buyers increased as well. Around 160,000 buyers from more than 200 countries and regions flocked to exhibition halls, hunting everything from home appliances, to machinery, shoes, food and medicine.

    SOUNDBITE: Libyan buyer (Arabic) "I'm going to place 30% more orders than last time. I think the Chinese market is good."

    The event, which started in 1957, has long been a key barometer of global demand for Chinese goods. Tag: The fair will be held in 3 phases. It runs until November 4th.

    8. Overseas　contracts　rise

    China is being contracted to do more and more business overseas.

    Thursday, the Ministry of Commerce said the country reported almost 51 billion U.S. dollars of business volume in overseas-contracted projects in the past three quarters. That's a 34 percent increase from the same period last year.

    The value of new contracts is also up almost 15 percent to 88 billion dollars.

    9. Wind　power　manufacturer　opens

    The world's leading wind power equipment manufacturer inaugurated new facilities for wind turbine control systems and machine parts Thursday in the Tianjin Economic Development Area.

    According to a report in Friday's China Daily, Danish company Vestas spent 366 million US dollars to build production lines for blades, generators and control systems.

    Vestas' president says the company plans to increase its investment by the end of this year.

    According to the National Energy Administration, China now has the fourth largest wind power capacity in the world.

    The country plans to build seven wind power bases, like the one seen here in Inner Mongolia, by 2020.

    10. Labels　for　low-carbon　products

    Environmental authorities are trying to figure out a way to label products based on their carbon imprint.

    Thursday the Ministry of Environmental Protection said it is coming up with standards for certification of low carbon products. It will then label them to help consumers make informed purchases. The move also aims at inspiring manufacturers to develop more environmentally friendly products.

    11. HK　launches　low-carbon　office　program

    Hong Kong has launched it first "Low-Carbon Office Operation Program". China News has the details. The slightest change, such as turning off your PC after work, has a big affect on the environment. Not only that, businesses can also lower their operating costs while reducing global warming - That was the message of the Worldwide Fund for Nature in Hong Kong Thursday, as they launched the city's first "Low-Carbon Office Operation Program", otherwise known as LOOP.

    SOUNDBITE：Eric Bohm, WWF Hong Kong CEO "If we can reduce the carbon footprint in office buildings, it has a two-fold effect: one is it will reduce the cost of commercial enterprises, which should attract them to it. No.2 it will make people aware of the impact of their behavior and their consumption on the carbon footprint. And perhaps the real consideration is we must cut down wastage."

    Project manager Karen Ho says that participating in LOOP will allow organizations to log their carbon release using WWF software. By July next year, the WWF plans to evaluate those carbon reduction efforts.

    LOOP sponsor HSBC bank is the first financial organization in the world to achieve carbon neutrality. Teresa Au is chief of the sustainable developmental department at HSBC Asia-Pacific. She says statistics show that if all PCs were powered off during lunchtime and off-work hours, at least 800 tons of carbon dioxide could be reduced annually.

    LOOP spokesperson and Hong Kong actress Sandy Lam also participated in the launching ceremony.

    12.Boeing　opens　new　hangar

    Boeing has opened a new aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul hangar at the Shanghai Pudong International Airport. According to Friday's China Daily, the hangar is capable of housing two B747 airplanes. It is the first such facility at the airport. It is operated by Boeing Shanghai Aviation Services Company. The hangar is expected to improve Pudong airport's service during next year's World Expo in Shanghai.

    13. China's　Top　10　richest　women

    The Hurun list of the richest women on the Chinese mainland was released Thursday. Zhang Yin tops the list with personal wealth of 33 billion yuan. Zhang is the founder and director of Nine Dragons Paper Holdings, which recycles paper into cardboard boxes. She also ranks second on this year's Hurun Rich List of the Chinese mainland's top 1,000 entrepreneurs. Zhang was the first woman to top the list of richest people in China in 2006.

    14. Macao drug users' age as low as 13, says official statistics

    The bi-annual report on drug use in Macao was released Thursday by the Social Welfare Bureau.

    It says 417 drug users were recorded in the first half of 2009. The youngest was only 13 years old.

    It also said 75 percent of users were male.

    The Bureau admits its data is incomplete and the number of cases is likely higher.

    Macau population is estimated to be about 546,200 by the first quarter of 2009.

    15. A/H1N1 Vaccines

    Students, senior citizens and medical workers received vaccines for A/H1N1 Thursday. As China News shows you, its part of a government plan to stop the spread of the virus which just recently claimed its first fatality in China.

    The Chinese mainland is expected to see more serious and even fatal cases of the A/H1N1 virus as the weather cools and people return to work after the eight-day National Day holiday. That's what a Health Ministry spokesman said Saturday. To stop the spread, the mainland has launched a vaccination campaign. According to the State Food and Drug Administration, as of Oct. 9, 17.65 million doses of the A/H1N1 vaccine had been approved for release .

    SOUNDBITE(Chinese): Wang Yi, Children's Hospital deputy dean "There are four procedures during the injection. First, we take receivers' information and ask them to sign the contract. Then they do registration and injection. Finally they are medically observed for 20-30 minutes."

    China was the first country in the world to issue a production license for vaccines against the A/H1N1 flu last month.

    The SFDA gave the go-ahead for mass inoculations Sept. 8 after it approved a vaccine produced by domestic pharmaceutical company Sinovac.

    The plan is to vaccinate 5 million people in Shanghai alone.

    SOUNDBITE(Chinese): Chai Yiming, Doctor (Xinhua: How do you feel after the injection?) "It's like any other vaccine injection, except for a little sorer and there is pain"

    The Ministry of Health says as of Oct. 14, a total of 24,712 cases of A/H1N1 influenza had been reported in Chinese mainland.

    The mainland reported its first death from the virus on October 4th. The victim was an 18-year-old woman from Lhasa.

    16. Agria　buys　share　of　NZ　company

    China's seed and agriculture researcher Agria Corp is to buy a 13 percent stake in New Zealand's PGG Wrightson, with the aim of becoming a major shareholder. The two companies signed an agreement Friday. Agria plans to invest 36 million New Zealand dollars (or 27 million U.S. dollars) in the company and profit from its auction expertise. Agria is a China-based agricultural solutions provider listed on the New York Stock Exchange.

    17. China to redress production overcapacity

    The National Development and Reform Commission will mainly redress production overcapacity in six sectors. So says Chen Bin, director of the Department of Industry. The six sectors include steel, cement, plate glass, coal-chemical, polycrystalline silicon and windpower equipment. Chen said Thursday that overcapacity could lead to bankruptcy, unemployment and bad bank loans.

    18. Chinese VP meets Bulgarian leaders

    Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping met with Bulgarian Prime Minister Boiko Borisov in Bulgaria Thursday. China News has more from the meeting.

    Bulgaria was the second country in the world to forge diplomatic ties with China after the former Soviet Union. Xi Jinping hailed the relationship over the past six decades, saying the two had expanded cooperation in recent years, and promoted coordination in regional affairs. He said China would continue to work with Bulgaria to push the progress of bilateral ties.

    Xi expressed gratitude for Bulgaria's adherence to the one-China policy. He also thanked the country for its invitation last year to children from earthquake-stricken Sichuan Province.

    Xi said that China considers Bulgaria a sincere and reliable partner, a stance that will never change whatever the international situation.

    He encouraged the enterprises of the two countries to increase contacts and mutual investment, and find new areas for cooperation.

    Borisov said Bulgaria and China had shared a traditional friendship. He said no matter which party in Bulgaria took power, it would not change its friendly policy with China. He also said it is the best time to cooperate with China, and encouraged Chinese entrepreneurs to invest in Bulgaria.

    Xi also met with Bulgarian President Georgi Parvanov.

    On relations between China and the European Union, Xi said it benefits the peoples of both sides, and helps safeguard world peace and development.

    Parvanov agreed with Xi's view, and pledged to further relations between Bulgaria and China.

    Xi also confirmed his attendance of the opening ceremony of the Bulgarian Hall during the 2010 Shanghai Expo.

　　19. China-U.S.　diplomatic　relations　

    A photo exhibition opened Thursday in Chengdu, southwest China's Sichuan Province, to commemorate the establishment of China-U.S. diplomatic relations in 1979.

    It is themed "friendship" and is being held as a part of the 10th Western China International Economy Trade Fair.

    A total of 360 photos depict the development of diplomacy, economics, culture, education and sports over the passed 30 years in bilateral relations.

    20. China,　Vietnam　trade　forum 

    China's Yunnan province and Vietnam have potential to boost trade.

    That was the conclusion from a forum held Thursday by the provincial government and the Vietnamese Industry and Trade Association.

    Bilateral trade between Yunnan and Vietnam reached 649 million U.S. dollars last year.

    Deputy director of the international cooperation department of the Trade Association says he would like that number to increase to 25 billion U.S. dollars next year.

    The areas identified for expansion include mineral exploitation and construction.

    21. Ethnic　and　folk　handicraft　expo

    Also in Yunnan Province Thursday, the "2009 China International Expo of World Ethnic and Folk Handicrafts and Tourism Commodities " opened Thursday.

    Carving, sculpture, weaving, embroidery, clothing, ceramics, folk musical instruments, antique furniture and jade stones were on display.

    Exhibitors were from Yunnan and other provinces, as well as Afghanistan and Sri Lanka. The expo runs until October 19th.

    22. Tibetan　language　TV　channel　

    An 18-hour Tibetan-language satellite TV channel is expected to launch October 28th in southwest China's Sichuan Province.

    Thursday, the head of the Sichuan Provincial Administration of Radio, Film and Television said it will air news, art, weather and dubbed TV soap operas.

    The channel will become the third Tibetan-language satellite TV channel in the country.

    23.Heavenly　lanterns　in　Brussels　

    Check out these pictures from Brussels. Chinese artist Gu Wenda decorated a building downtown with more than 5,000 lanterns. It's called "Heavenly Lanterns--Tea House". The display is part of the ongoing Europalia China Art Festival in Belgium.

    24. Art　for　blind

    23 sculptures including modern Chinese artwork and replicas of classic Western sculptures are on display at the Beijing World Art Museum. As China News explains, this art is meant to be touched and not seen.

    This exhibition called: "From Louvre to Millennium-Learn About Art by Touching" is a way to raise awareness about the 26th International Day of the Blind, also named White Cane Safety Day, which fell on Thursday.

    Soundbite: Zhang Danni, correspondent "October 15th is the International Day of the Blind. Here, people could not only see the sculptures, but they could also feel them by hands and by heart."

    Soundbite: Li Zhijun, China Association of the Blind "I was once confused when my eyes became blind and I think these artworks would never belong to me. However, after touching them today, I could feel the beauty. I know they are existing. Even though I couldn't see it, I could still feel their beauty."

    The statues are divided into five categories by their postures. Among them, the most popular is the sculpture of "Venus".

    Soundbite: Zhou Ya, Volunteer guide "Please touch the abdomen of Venus. You could feel the subtle wave of it. Please also touch your own abdomen now and take a deep breath, do you also feel the wave? So we could feel the wave of Venus. She is not only made out of marble. She has breath."

    According to the Chinese Association of the Blind, there are about 17 million blind people currently in China. Most of them live in the country. That's one reason this exhibition will travel to other cities such as Fuzhou, Wuhan and Hong Kong when it concludes in Beijing on November 1st.

    Soundbite: Li Zhijun, China Association of the Blind I couldn't see but my hands are the eyes of my heart. Therefore, feeling the art by my hands and feeling the beauty out of these artworks is another kind of beauty that I could feel after I became blind. "

    
White Cane Safety Day was first recognized in the United States in 1964. It was then adopted by other countries as way to honor the accomplishments of the blind and visually impaired.

    25. Blind　massage　training

    Also Thursday, China's Association of the Blind or C-A-B launched a one-year, free training program for 300 visually impaired people throughout the country.

    They will become certified in massage.

    The project was jointly launched by the Chinese Red Cross Foundation, the C-A-B and the China Disabled Persons' Federation Employment Service and Administration Center.

    That's all for today's China News. Thank you for staying with us. Bye for now.