FINISH LINE: Luka Mezgec of Team Argos-Shimano celebrates after winning the fifth and final stage of the 2013 Tour of Beijing on October 15. Benat Intxausti of Team Movistar claimed the title (ZHANG YU)

Gov't Going Social

The official website of the Chinese Government, http://www.gov.cn/, opened accounts on two leading microblogging websites and on WeChat, a hugely popular Chinese messaging app with over 400 million users, on October 11. The two microblogging accounts are at xinhuanet.com and qq.com.

The website, run by the General Office of the State Council, or China's cabinet, will publish important government information through the three social networking platforms, according to a statement.

The move followed a WeChat account being opened in September by the Gazette Office of the State Council. The Gazette account was created to publicize administrative laws and orders from the State Council, personnel appointments and removals, and important government rules and documents.

Cross-Straits Talks

On October 16, a spokeswoman from the Chinese mainland announced that both sides of the Taiwan Straits can arrange meetings between their leaders independently, rather than depending on other international events.

"A cross-Straits leaders' meeting is an affair between Chinese people on the both sides of the Straits. It will not necessarily be on the sidelines of an international meeting," said Fan Liqing, a spokeswoman for the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, at a press conference.

Fan was responding to a question about whether Taiwan leader Ma Ying-jeou should attend the informal economic leaders' meeting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation next year in Beijing so as to facilitate a meeting between leaders across the Straits.

Poverty Declining

Southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region is expected to reduce its population living in poverty by 45 percent compared with 2010 by the end of this year, according to sources with the region's Office of Poverty Alleviation and Development.

The number of people living below the national poverty line of 2,300 yuan ($375) annual per-capita income in Tibet's rural and pastoral areas should be reduced to 457,000 at the end of 2013, which is 55 percent of 2010 levels, said Qoi'nyi Yarphel, an official with the office.

So far, central and regional governments have allocated 3.9 billion yuan (640 million) in poverty alleviation funds to the plateau region, with this figure covering aid for education, financing and technology for Tibetans, he said.

Tibet had the highest poverty rate in China in 2010, with 34.42 percent of its rural and pastoral population living below the country's poverty line.

Much of Tibet's success in boosting livelihood has come from improving agriculture.