Shanghai plans pilot free trade zone

Shanghai official on Sunday announced plans to set up a pilot free trade zone (FTZ) that would meet international norms in its Pudong New Area, the city’s financial and commercial hub, in 2013.

According to the International Convention on the Simplification and Harmonization of Customs Procedure, FTZ refers to an area within which goods may be landed, handled, manufactured or reconfigured, and reexported without the intervention of customs authorities.

Spring Festival travel rush kicks off across China

Chinese authorities added extra travel contingencies to ensure the smooth kick-off on Saturday of the world’s largest annual migration that starts before the Lunar New Year.

Railway authorities arranged 358 more passenger trains on Saturday to start handling the estimated 5.2 million daily trips over the next 40 days’ peak travel season, said Zhao Chunlei, an official with the Ministry of Railways.

Bond movie prompts call for film review reform

An edited version of the new James Bond film “Skyfall” hit Chinese theaters on Monday, prompting film industry insiders to call for reforms for the country’s movie review system.
Shi Chuan, a professor from Shanghai University’s school of film & TV arts and technology, proposed the enaction of relevant laws and the establishment of norms for movie censors to follow.

Robots enter catering industry

The Haohai Robot Restaurant is like a scene from a film with robots resembling movie characters, such as Optimus Prime and Wall.E, serving customers each day. Around 20 robots work at the restaurant, which has served more than 10,000 customers since it opened in June 2012. The robots operate as entertainers, greeters, cooks and wait on tables. They cook Sichuan cuisine and northeastern food.

China’s 2012 growth eases to 13-year low

China’s economy rebounded in the fourth quarter of 2012 but also recorded its first annual growth rate of less than 8 percent since 1999. China’s gross domestic product grew 7.8 percent year on year to reach 51.93 trillion yuan (8.28 trillion U.S. dollars) last year due to both external and domestic factors,

Jew brings his book to China

“Both of Chinese nation and Jew have long history, with similar family and culture value,” Rosen said, “and Chinese nation’s massive cultural accumulation gives powerful support to the country’s stable and fast development.”

He said he hopes the two nations could learn from each other and make common development.

China’s FDI inflow drops amid economic slowdown

Foreign direct investment (FDI) into China dropped in December for a seventh consecutive month amid economic slowdown in the country and the rest of the world.The Ministry of Commerce said China used 11.7 billion U.S. dollars of overseas investment last month, down 4.5 percent year on year.

China demands more commercial icebreakers

China only has one professional ice breaking vessel for civilian use, the Snow Dragon.The government had long considered sea icing as a natural disaster. However, the problem could be readily solved once an icebreaker slits open waterways between the ice blockage.

China says grain imports “reasonable”

The Chinese government on January 16 dismissed concerns over its grain supply security, saying that grain imports have remained within a reasonable range despite rapid expansion last year.The amount of wheat, corn and rice China imported from January to November 2012 soared 294.5 percent year-on-year.