China RoundUp June18

• Source: Global Times
• [07:37 June 18 2009]
• Comments

Economy recovering, Wen says

The nation’s economy is at a critical stage as it begins to recover “steadily,” Premier Wen Jiabao said yesterday.

Wen told an executive meeting of the State Council that economic performance had started to show positive changes, favorable factors were increasing, and that the overall situation had stabilized and was moving upward.

The government should continue a proactive fiscal policy and moderately relaxed monetary policy, he said.

Investment growth accelerated, consumption maintained a rapid and steady increase, and domestic demand played a stronger role in boosting economic growth, he said.

It should be noted, however, that the foundations for economic recovery are not stable and uncertainties remain, Wen said.

Sole runner for top Macao job

Chui Sai submitted his candidacy and application form Tuesday for the position of chief executive of the Macao Special Administrative Region, after winning 286 nominations from a 300-member election panel.

Under election rules, anyone who intends to run for the chief executive’s job must gain at least 50 nominations form the panel. As a result, Chui will be the sole candidate.

Chui told the press he appreciated the support he had received from the committee and the people.

The chief executive election will take place on July 26.

8 killed in Yunnan storms

At least eight people have been killed in lightning strikes during storms since Friday in Yunnan, the provincial civil affairs administration said yesterday.

The deaths were reported across the province, it said.

Also, 580 people were evacuated after rainfall hit a maximum of 124 millimeters, it said.

More than 140 homes collapsed, 700 others were damaged, and about 7,900 hectares of crops, with a value of about 60 million yuan ($8.8 million), were lost, it said.

Teams are trying to repair damaged roads and reservoirs, and food, clothes and other relief materials are being distributed to those affected, the administration said.

Jet Li becomes Singaporean

Chinese action star Jet Li has taken Singaporean citizenship and bought a property in the city-state worth nearly 20 million Singapore dollars ($14 million), AFP quoted a local newspaper as saying yesterday.

The Singapore-based Business Times did not say when the Beijing-born star took up his new nationality or bought the property.

Singapore’s Immigration and Checkpoints Authority would not confirm the report for reasons of confidentiality.