Chinese Naval Ships in Hawaii for Joint Drill

Chinese Naval Ships in Hawaii for Joint Drill

When a vessel carrying a U.S. Naval observer and interpreter left the Chinese Navys missile destroyer Qingdao off the coast of Hawaii and reached the USS Lake Erie， a five-and-half-hour search-and-rescue drill was successfully completed. The September 9 drill marked the first rendezvous between the Chinese and U.S. navies since 2006， when Qingdao and frigate Hongzehu docked in Pearl Harbor for communication drills.

According to Admiral Wei Gang， chief of staff of the North Sea Fleet， this joint drill carries significant meaning in terms of improving Chinese and U.S. naval ability to deal with non-traditional security issues. “We were impressed by Chinese Navys professionalism，” remarked one American observer. “We consider this joint drill the beginning of a new Sino-American military relationship corresponding to a new overall U.S.-China alliance. We look forward to more joint drills with the Chinese Navy.”（PLA Daily）

Back to Basics

With ridiculously expensive moon cakes， unnecessarily fancy galas and gifts and extravagance funded by public money all banned， the past Moon Festival passed quietly for most Chinese people. Xiao Fang， president of International Asian Folklore Research Center under Beijing Normal University， suggested that this years Moon Festival reflected how a traditional festival should be celebrated by Chinese people， and the ban imposed by the CPC Central Committee actually aimed to crack down on the abuse of public power.

The extravagance and waste of previous Moon Festivals inspired harsh criticism from experts as a divergence from traditional culture. As more and more rural people head to the big cities， they find little more than anxiety. Traditional festivals should help everyone establish a sense of belonging in terms of culture and happiness， which in turn reinforce the spirit and character of ancient China. Paddling upstream against rapid development， Chinese people have been encouraged to use traditional holidays to relieve stress and take a break from the toils of daily life.（Peoples Daily overseas edition）

Yanqing Geopark Joins Global Network

On September 9， Yanqing Geopark was recognized by UNESCO Global Geoparks Network（GGN） at the 3rd Asia-Pacific Geoparks Network Jeju Symposium， which marked a new milestone for Yanqing Geopark.

Located in Yanqing County in northwestern Beijing， Yanqing Global Geoparks area of 620.38 square kilometers consists of four connected scenic zones including Qianjiadian Town， Longqingxia Gorge， Guyaju （Ancient Cliff-Dwellings） and Badaling Great Wall. With pre-cambrian marine carbonates as its core resource， complemented by Mesozoic Yanshanian movement-related geoheritage， Yanqing Global Geopark is a comprehensive geopark integrating tectonic， sedimentary， paleontological， magma geoheritage and North-China-type karst landforms. It was designated a National Geopark of China in 2001.（Xinhuanet.com）

Responsibility for the Elderly

Recently， the State Council promulgated Opinions on Accelerating the Development of the Senior Care Industry. In the document， provisions regarding the reverse mortgage as a source of income after retirement （also known as the “house-for-pension” scheme） brought public scrutiny. Responsible officers in the Ministry of Civil Affairs responded that house-for-pension is only one program for senior care， and that the government intends to take a more proactive role for the elderly rather than shirking responsibility.

China faces intense pressure from its rapidly aging population. According to estimates， China will experience its first rapid expansion of the elderly from now till 2015， when the elderly population will shoot up from 13.3 percent to 16 percent. Meanwhile， senior services are severely lacking， and many senior care facilities need more beds and well-trained caregivers to meet the high demands. Providing care for the elderly has become a heavy burden on the people. Reports indicate that individuals and employers shoulder a disproportionate amount of responsibility in covering social security compared to the government. China has the highest social security contribution rate in the world， approximately twice as much as other BRIC countries and three times as much as countries in northern Europe. The country urgently needs to simultaneously tackle burdens of senior care and lift its standards.（The Beijing News）

Zhang Ziyi

Themed “Dialogue with World Film”， the Chinese Film Development Forum was held on September 22 in Qingdao， a coastal city in Shandong Province. As a guest of the forum， Zhang Ziyi asserted that “l(fā)ife deserves adventures，” when discussing My Lucky Star， her latest film which she not only headlines， but also produced. Working with American director Dennie Gordon， who cant speak a word of Chinese， the film combines a Chinese story， Chinese elements and an international cast to create a never-before-tasted flavor of romantic comedy.

October is the best time of the year to see red leaves. Snow-capped mountains， hot springs， forests， and red leaves are all complemented by the rich culture of Tibetan and Qiang ethnic groups， making a visit to this destination a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Two-for-One Ancient Villages

Designated World Heritage Sites by UNESCO in 2000， Xidi and Hongcun villages in Anhui Province are two exceptionally well preserved traditional Chinese villages from the Ming and Qing dynasties. The most representative local-style communities in southern Anhui Province， both villages are known for their picturesque scenery， wellpreserved ancient layout， and delicate architectural style.

October is an ideal time to visit the two villages. The seasons cool and pleasant weather is optimum for strolling all around. Visitors are recommended to spend the night in the villages because the nighttime tranquility contrasts the bustling daytime scenes so much.