FORMER SUPREME PEOPLE’S COURT PRESIDENT PASSES AWAY

Xiao Yang， former President of the Supreme Peoples Court， died at the age of 81 in Beijing on April 19.

Born in south Chinas Guangdong Province， Xiao graduated from the department of law of Renmin University of China in 1962 and went on to become vice procurator-general of the Guangdong Provincial Peoples Procuratorate in 1983. He then took on the position of Supreme Peoples Court president from 1998 to 2008.

Xiao was a major driver of judicial reform in China after the countrys launch of reform and opening up in the late 1970s. He initiated the founding of Chinas anti-corruption system， supported the introduction of Chinas fi rst Lawyers Law and Prison Law， and promoted reform of the death penalty approval system.

Medical Hierarchy

Yanzhao Evening News April 23

On May 1， a hierarchical system based on the severity of illness was implemented for emergency treatment across 20 hospitals in Beijing. After grading the condition， patients then see a doctor based on how serious their condition is deemed to be.

The plan aims to ensure that patients in critical conditions can seek treatment as soon as possible， which is also the duty of an emergent clinic. Previously， the operation of emergency treatment lacked a standard， so any patient could access treatment after registration regardless of their condition.

In the past， those in urgent need of med- ical attention had to wait while doctors spent their time with those who arrived earlier but with possibly minor conditions. As a result， medical disputes between patients and their families， and doctors were common. The new implementation means patients are divided into endangered， critical， acute and non-emergency.

To dispel worries and doubts of patients toward this hierarchy， safeguards have been applied. A combination of professional doctors and medical equipment is adopted to ensure accurate and fair grading， together with a scientifi c standard. Doctors can adjust the level if the seriousness of the illness changes. In addition， if patients begin to feel seriously uncomfortable， they can inform doctors and nurses who will ensure that they get seen in a timely manner.

Global Benefi ts

Outlook Weekly April 22

The Bank of Beijing announced that it would participate in the establishment of a Chineseforeign equity joint bank on March 21， cooperating with ING Bank N.V.， a wholly owned subsidiary with the Internationale Nederlanden Groep. It will be the fi rst Chinese-foreign equity joint bank in China， marking a step forward in the fi nancial fi eld but also Chinas wider desire to open up.

China is developing a comprehensive opening-up scheme by creating a better combination of “bringing in” and “going out，” with an extended space for the development of the national economy. The Central Government also adheres to the simultaneous opening of both coastal and inland areas in a bid to fuel distribution. Industries are another vital issue for opening up with high quality， as both the manufacturing and service industries can promote the structural adjustment.

From an international perspective， relationships with both developed and developing countries should be cultivated， with unremitting efforts on multilateral and regional openness， China is a contributor to an open global economy. The adoption of the Foreign Investment Law is proof of Chinas willingness to further open up， protect the rights of foreign investors and generate a convenient platform. Issues such as intellectual property rights and technology transfer have been clarifi ed.

Through the opening-up policy， China can develop on a broader platform， taking advantage of worldwide resources. It is also a good opportunity to propel Chinese companies to upgrade under the pressure from international competitors. At the same time， it can also unleash the potential of domestic enterprises on innovation， which plays an essential role in highquality development. In terms of policies， many changes should be made in response to the rules and needs of the market economy， including government functions and the business environment.

In the context of rising trade protectionism， the multilateral trading system is challenged by various factors. But China still strives to promote global peaceful development by sharing its experience， which demonstrates its strong willingness to build a community with a shared future for humanity.

Programming Boom

Peoples Daily April 23

Thirty years ago， a computer tutorial promotion was launched for children in a bid to equip them for the coming era. Today， with the rise of artifi cial intelligence （AI）， the need for computer education at a younger age is growing.

At present， programming has been set as a basic course among primary and middle schools in 20 countries. In China， a plan for AI development was established in 2017， which requires a gradual popularization of programming in schools. It is believed that programming can also help students foster their ability of logical thinking and innovation through analysis， design and optimization.

The popularity of programming has led a surge in the tuition industry. Up to October 2018， the market size of the industry reached nearly 4 billion yuan （$600 million）， with nearly 1.55 million users. However， the industry also lacks a unifi ed standard and evaluation system.

The Ministry of Education has implemented several policies to purify market environment such as special regulations regarding after-school training institutions. While a health growth of the industry also requires concerted efforts by other relevant administrations at all levels.

NEW STATE-OWNED COMMERCIAL BANK CHAIR

Chen Siqing， former Chairman of the Bank of China （BOC） was recently appointed chairman of the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China （ICBC）， according to Beijing Business Today.

Born in central Chinas Hunan Province in 1960， Chen graduated from the Zhongnan University of Economics and Law in 1982. He joined the BOC in 1990 and worked for its provincial branches in southeast Chinas Fujian Province and south Chinas Guangdong Province before becoming vice president of the BOC in 2008 and president in 2014. He was appointed chairman of the BOC in 2017.

Chen has pushed for human resources management reform and attached great importance to fi nancial technology during his tenure as BOC chairman.

Chen will face a number of challenges as ICBC chairman， such as bad loans resulting from deleveraging of state-owned enterprises and competition from new business models driven by fi nancial technology.

“Facts have proven that the Belt and Road Initiative is not a geopolitical tool， but an open platform for cooperation. Facts have also proven that the Belt and Road Initiative is not a ‘debt trap， but an ‘economic pie that benefits the local people.”

Chinese Ambassador to Australia Cheng Jingye， in a signed article published in The Australian Financial Review on April 24

“Measures will be taken to improve doctors pay level， career prospects， working environment and social status， so as to create a proper mechanism to motivate medical doctors and guarantee their interests.”

Ma Xiaowei， head of the National Health Commission， in a report submitted to the National Peoples Congress， Chinas top legislature， for review at its recent bimonthly session

“We are hopeful of reaching an agreement as quickly as possible to allow trade and investment to flow more smoothly， more naturally， more freely between our two countries.”

Craig Allen， President of the United States-China Business Council， speaking to Xinhua News Agency in a recent interview

“It will significantly improve our reach and shorten the supply chain in a way that each brand couldnt achieve alone.”

Nicola ORourke， chairperson of the New Zealand Food Basket Ltd.， commenting on the launch of the New Zealand Country Flagship Store recently on Tmall Fresh under Chinas e-commerce giant Alibaba