SAFE CELEBRATION: Law enforcement personnel inspect quality certificates for fireworks at licensed retailers in Beijing on February 7, the day when they went on sale for the Spring Festival on February 14 (ZHANG XU)

GDP Growth

A top Chinese think tank forecasted the nation's economy would experience a mild rebound this year, with its gross domestic product (GDP) expanding by around 10 percent compared to the previous year.

Among the three major economic engines, investment is expected to contribute 6.3 percentage points to GDP growth, while consumption will contribute 4.2 percentage points. Net exports will drag down the growth rate by 0.5 percentage points, the Center for Forecasting Science of the Chinese Academy of Sciences said in a report issued on February 6.

GDP may expand 11 percent in the first quarter of 2010 and see a moderate slowdown throughout most of the remaining year, the report said. China's economy expanded 8.7 percent in 2009.

Dry Land

The worst drought in 60 years has inflicted direct agricultural economic losses of 6.5 billion yuan ($952 million) on southwest China's Yunnan Province, a local official said on February 7.

The province has earmarked 389 million yuan ($57 million) for drought relief, said Zhou Yunlong, head of the provincial water resources bureau.

Efforts to date have helped temporarily ease drinking water shortages for 4.25 million people and 2.42 million livestock, along with irrigating 733,333 hectares of crops, Zhou said.

The drought that began in July 2009 left 4.9 million residents and 3.34 million large livestock with shortages of drinking water.

Scandal Recurring

The Chinese Central Government has recently sent eight inspection teams to 16 provincial areas to prevent milk powder from again being tainted with melamine, as it was in 2008 when it killed at least six children.

A recently revealed case involves the sale of 10 tons of problematic milk powder leftovers from a Shaanxi Province dairy producer in September and October 2009. Three suspects were arrested and local police said all of the company's products had been recalled before they caused serious harm to consumers.

Milk powder leftovers contaminated by melamine were recalled and destroyed in 2008, but some might have been illegally used as raw materials for dairy products in certain areas, police said.

China's food safety authorities on February 1 launched a 10-day national inspection for melamine-tainted milk products.

Receding Pandemic

China reported 13 deaths from A/H1N1 influenza during the last week of January while more than 74 million people have been vaccinated to stem the spread of the epidemic, the Ministry of Health said on February 3.

The number of reported deaths had been decreasing for four straight weeks, according to the weekly report posted on the ministry's website.

The report said the country registered 620 A/H1N1 flu cases on January 25-31, also a marked decline compared with the previous week, when 1,074 people were confirmed infected.

The ministry warned people of the risks of mass infection ahead of February 14's Spring Festival, when Chinese people, mostly migrant workers and students, will travel back home for family reunions.