FUGITIVE BROUGHT TO JUSTICE

Xu Chaofan， former head of the Kaiping Sub-branch of Bank of China in south Chinas Guangdong Province， has been returned to China from the United States to face trial on charges of embezzlement and corruption， according to the Communist Party of China Central Commission for Discipline Inspection （CCDI） on July 11. Two billion yuan （$300 million） were also recovered.

“The successful repatriation is considered an important achievement in Sino-U.S. anti-corruption law enforcement cooperation，” the CCDI said in a statement. “He is the fi rst corruption fugitive repatriated from abroad since the National Supervisory Commission was set up [in March].”

Xu was accused of corruption and the embezzlement of $485 million in bank funds. He fl ed to the United States in 2001 and Interpol issued a red notice for his arrest.

Xu was detained by U.S. judicial authorities in 2003 and sentenced to 25 years in jail by a court in Las Vegas， Nevada， in 2009 for fraud and money laundering.

Overly Relaxed University Students

Guangming Daily July 5

Minister of Education Chen Baosheng recently instructed universities to increase the difficulty of undergraduate courses. In China， students are often diligent during high school， but begin to relax and study less once admitted to university. According to Chen， this situation needs to change.

The heavy workload during primary and secondary education ensures students a solid academic foundation， but has also been criticized for killing students creativity and interest in learning. Moreover， excessive attention is given to grades while moral and physical education are overlooked.

University is an important time in shaping young peoples personalities and values. However， many students are only concerned with passing exams rather than seizing the opportunity to expand their worldview and enhance their ability to deal with the responsibilities of the real world. Lacking self-discipline， some students indulge in various forms of entertainment such as online games and social networking apps.

Universities should focus on the overall performance of students throughout the semester rather than solely evaluating them based on fi nal exams.

The youth are an important force of social progress. Universities must pay more attention to general education and life skills rather than focusing on the number of diplomas they issue.

Taxation System Reform

China Newsweek July 2

In the latest round of reform of government institutions， the state taxation and local taxation bureaus have been merged， putting an end to the dual track taxation system in place since 1994.

New taxation bureaus at the provincial level and below are subject to the joint jurisdiction of the State Administration of Taxation and the provincial， regional or municipal governments. In addition to tax collection， they are also responsible for processing social security payments such as medical insurance and pensions.

The reform was carried out to solve problems including the inefficiency of the current taxation system caused by overlapping functions of state and local taxation bureaus. The new system aims to better meet the needs of Chinas social and economic development and promote the modernization of national governance.

However， the reform may weaken the f inancial power of local governments as fees previously collected by their finance departments will now be charged by taxation bureaus. More reforms therefore need to be implemented in order to redivide expenditure responsibilities between central and local governments to make them compatible with their financial powers.

Local governments may have concerns in the short term， but if the reform is thoroughly implemented it will benefi t both central and local governments in the long run.

Streamlining the sectors workforce is another challenge， with around 870，000 people working currently for taxation bureaus nationwide. Experts suggest reducing recruitment while waiting for older employees to retire.

The Spirit of Craftsmanship

Peoples Daily July 5

Chinas manufacturing industry has experienced remarkable growth since the start of reform and opening up. However， the size of the industry does not necessarily guarantee its strength. Considering Chinas transition from high-speed to high-quality growth， craftsmanship has become more important than ever in shoring up the manufacturing industry.

Craftsmanship is the spirit of the pursuit for perfection. It not only incorporates meticulous attention to details in the manufacturing of a product， but also the ability to innovate production methods in order to keep abreast of the times. Throughout the history of industrialization， craftsmanship was an indispensable aspect of every single innovation that has led to major industrial transformations.

However， in recent years it has been overlooked as certain local governments and enterprises have chosen profi ts as their priority.

In order to cultivate craftsmanship and strengthen the manufacturing industry， a social value system， in which knowledge， talent and creation are respected， is indispensable.

The training of technical workers should be prioritized， while the social status and fi nancial rewards to technical workers should be improved. An advanced vocational education system must also be established through cooperation between vocational schools and enterprises.

This will produce more high-quality products and iconic Chinese brands. Only with premium products and globally recognized brands can the Chinese manufacturing industry take a global lead. Workers in the manufacturing industry should be encouraged to develop world-renowned products in order to realize their personal value and upgrade the industry.

RECORD-SETTING SWIMMER

Yang Pinghua completed a round trip of the Qiongzhou Strait on July 8 after swimming for 24.5 hours.

The 56-year-old from Mudanjiang， northeast Chinas Heilongjiang Province， became the fi rst woman in the world to successfully complete the challenge.

Starting from Haikou， the capital city of Chinas southernmost Hainan Province， in the early morning of July 7， she swam for nearly 10 hours to reach the turning point in Xuwen County， south Chinas Guangdong Province， and returned to Haikou the evening of July 8.

Due to strong winds and currents， she was unable to reach accompanying vessels for food supplies. Thus during the 57.7-km trip， she only had water and durian fruit at the turning point.

Yang had successfully crossed the strait in May 2017 in less than 10 hours. Her next goal is to take part in a relay swim across the English Channel with fi ve other women in 2020.

“Theres great energy in the entrepreneurial community and growing access to venture capital while the quality of Chinas scientific research is also increasing.”

Sean Randolph， Senior Director of the Bay Area Council Economic Institute， in an interview with Xinhua News Agency regarding Chinas innovative capacity on July 10

“There are still 37 countries in the world which still need food aid. Belt and Road countries have complementary advantages and can promote food trade and cooperation.”

Zhang Wufeng， head of the State Grain and Reserves Administration of China， at an international food cooperation forum that closed in Lanzhou， northwest Chinas Gansu Province， on July 9

“China has attracted a large number of foreign investors and they bring innovation in management know-how. An open attitude is what the Chinese Government is encouraging right now， such as insisting on globalization.”

Chen Hongbing， head of the China offi ce of the World Intellectual Property Organization， commenting on Chinas rise to 17th on the Global Innovation Index （GII） rankings from 22nd in 2017

“In the long run， the cultivated land resources in South America and the Black Sea region have great potential to enhance the global soybean supply chain.”

Yu Xubo， President of COFCO Corp.， Chinas largest agricultural products supplier by revenue， commenting on the nations ability to boost domestic soybean output and broaden its sources of meat， soybeans and meal imports