China's Role in UNESCO

Oriental Outlook
November 14

On November 5, Hao Ping, China's vice minister of education and representative to the UNESCO executive board, was elected president of the 37th General Conference of the UNESCO on a two-year mandate.

So far, this is the highest post a Chinese official has held in the organization, which boasts 195 members states, and indicates approval of China's influence and leading ability in UNESCO affairs.

Hao vowed to thoroughly promote reform during his term in office. He said UNESCO faces various challenges such as a tight budget, and he emphasizes that harmonious co-existence can lead to creativity.

UNESCO may be the international organization most familiar to Chinese people. Forty two years ago, only four days after China retook its UN seat, UNESCO admitted the country into its fold, becoming the first specialized UN agency to do so.

The First UNESCO Creative Cities Beijing Summit was held in the capital on October 20-23. This was the first time the organization has hosted the three meetings—on science and technology, education, and culture—simultaneously in one country.

Keeping pace with its reform and opening up, China has changed from a cautious watcher to a learner, and is now deeply involved with UNESCO. This is a direct reflection of the country's national strength and international status, and indicates continuous adjustment in its relations with the outside world.

Free Preschool Education

The Beijing News
November 10

The Nanjing Municipal Government has put forward a series of reform on education. From 2014, local children attending kindergarten will receive free education for one year before they enter primary school, while families in poverty will receive subsidies toward the early years of their child's education.

As preschool education is not compulsory currently, local governments tend to neglect it. In the past, when it was reported that certain counties and townships extended free education to local preschoolers, large cities unanimously stated that it couldn't work on a larger scale. However, Nanjing, as a provincial capital, has made it a reality.

According to calculations, to cover one year's preschool education for the whole country only requires the state to invest 32.5 billion yuan ($5.16 billion), which is only about 7 percent of the country's newly added expenditure on education. With Nanjing setting a good example, the time is ripe for the rest of the country to follow suit.

Air Force Restriction Dropped

people.com.cn
November 8

China's Civil Aviation Administration and the National Development and Reform Commission jointly issued a notice on November 6, scrapping the requirement for airlines to keep a minimum domestic ticket price for flights.

Domestic airlines in the mainland previously had to set fares at no lower than 60 percent of the base price, according to a 2004 ruling. In recent years, competition from subway and road services has forced the administration to eliminate this price floor for air fares.

By relaxing restrictions, civil aviation is following market trends, with customers set to have better access to discounted prices, as certain flights will be able to compete with high-speed rail routes, raising competitiveness.

However, while consumers may enjoy ticket discounts, they must remain vigilant regarding "discount" services. Nowadays, alterations or refunds for air tickets discounted by 60 percent is not possible. If a flight is missed, or its route changed, passengers receive no refunds. This has long been widely criticized. After air fare reform is carried out, customers will enjoy more discounts, though disputes may simultaneously increase.

To prevent possible price discrimination, supportive measures must be taken to ensure passengers are treated equally, whether they pay for full priced tickets or discounted equivalents.

When to Start English Learning?

Life Weekly
November 4

Hiding behind the children's English training market in China lie the dreams of numerous local families who want to see their children climb the social ladder. Attending English classes to study abroad has become a competitive edge. When this outcome cannot be delivered through exam-oriented education on campus, parents resort to training institutions.

Many families hold the view that if they want their children to hold on to Chinese culture, they should be sent abroad after age 12, after they have completed primary school. This necessitates language leaning from Grade 3, or 9 years old.

Though young Chinese parents are creating better conditions for their children, some find this is still not enough due to increasingly fierce competition, set against declining opportunities.