Secessionist Condemned

Li Weiyi, spokesman for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, on September 12 warned Taiwan leader Chen Shui-bian that he must shoulder "all serious consequences" if he recklessly takes dangerous moves toward "Taiwan independence."

Speaking at a regular press conference in Beijing, Li called Chen "an out-and-out schemer" and "a destroyer" who does not hesitate to ruin peace and stability across the Taiwan Straits and in the Asia-Pacific region.

He said Chen nakedly launched provocations to seek "Taiwan independence" prior to the Taiwan leader election to seek gains for himself and his own party, but totally irrespective of the interests of the 23 million Taiwan compatriots.

Taiwan authorities sent a letter to UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon in July, raising an application to join the United Nations in the name of "Taiwan." Meanwhile, Chen has been pushing for a plan to hold a "referendum" inside Taiwan on its entry into the United Nations.

Ecological Compensation System

China's environment watchdog is to launch a pilot trial for a national ecological compensation system for natural reserves, mineral resources, and rivers, an environmental official said on September 11.

"The ecological compensation system is an important economic policy on environmental protection that adjusts the interest between ecological protection and economic construction," said an official with the State Environmental Protection Administration, who declined to be named.

He said the pilot program was aimed at helping people living around natural reserves to change their lifestyles if necessary so as to reduce the environmental pressure caused by human activity. China has 2,349 nature reserves, covering about 1.5 million square km, or 15 percent of its land area.

An overall evaluation on the impact of surrounding construction on nature reserves would also be conducted, he said.

Animated Fuwa Gets International Award

An Olympic mascot cartoon, The Olympic Adventures of Fuwa, was awarded "Best Production" at the Asian Animation Comics Contest (AACC) on September 10.

According to a recent report from Beijing Times, the Fuwa cartoon and another South Korean animation defeated nearly 120 other competitors to triumph in the final.

The Olympic Adventures of Fuwa was jointly produced by Beijing Television Station and the Kaku Cartoon. Since the first episode was aired on August 8, the animation has done outstandingly well in terms of ratings.

As the highest-level contest in Asia, the AACC is a big event for Asian animations and comics. A total of 2,976 works from 28 countries and regions took part in this year's event.

Problem Drugs Recalled Faster

Potentially hazardous drugs will be withdrawn from the market at the first sign of a problem, according to a draft action plan.

The system would require drug makers to pull problematic products off the shelves even before results of lab examinations are out, said Yan Jiangying, spokeswoman for the State Food and Drug Administration.

Under the current practice, only when laboratory examination results come out and major problems are identified, can authorities seal, seize, or destroy hazardous products.

The draft plan will be posted on the administration's website to solicit public feedback.

The recall system will shorten the period in which potentially dangerous drugs are withdrawn, and lower the risks patients are exposed to, Yan told China Daily.

The Richer, the Poorer in Reputation?

Wealthy Chinese do not have a good reputation, a survey by China Youth Daily and Sina.com has found.

The poll, conducted in early September, showed about 70 percent of 3,990 interviewees believe the well-off are immoral and not worthy of respect. Only 4 percent thought rich people are good, the survey said.

For the rich to become popular they need to do three things, the survey suggested.

First, they need to have a sense of social responsibility. Second, they need to be self-disciplined, and third, they need to have a caring heart.