Southwest China’s Sichuan Province reported two human H7N9 avian flu cases Tuesday, bringing the total number of infections in the province this year to six. One of the patients is a 60-year-old man surnamed Huang, in Pengxi county, while the other is… read more
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A farmers market, called “Farm to Neighbors” on the Lantern Festival, Feb. 11, 2017. [Photo/Wang Zhe] |
Besides shopping in supermarkets, people in Beijing can buy fresh vegetables from farmers’ markets, which are located in shopping malls. The initiative is called “Farm to neighbors”.
Lantern Festival Market
The Lantern Festival Market was held from February 11 to 12 for the traditional Chinese festival when people eat Yuanxiao, or rice dumplings, and other dishes to celebrate the first full moon after the Chinese New Year with their families.
Many locals came to this farmers’ market to purchase food or enjoy interesting activities.
An elderly couple made Yuanxiao with two different fillings on-site, attracting many customers. Many families also painted lanterns under the guidance of a Chinese folk maestro.
Vegetables, meat, noodles, bread and sauces are sold by their producers, who own their own farms or factories. Most of them just produce organic food.
“Because our Yuanxiao are made of organic glutinous rice flour, they are more expensive than those in supermarkets. In fact, the numbers of Yuanxiao I rolled can’t meet the demand, and many locals, especially foreigners prefer this healthy food,” said the Yuanxiao roller.
Located in the embassy area, the farmers’ market is popular with foreigners who live in Beijing. James, an American, always takes his Chinese wife to shop here.
“We come here twice a month, it has a lot of stuff that can be guaranteed and every time you can find new things,” said James.
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Starting from Feb. 15, light-duty gasoline-powered cars that fail to meet the National Emission Standard III will be banned from entering Beijing’s fifth ring on weekdays. [Photo: CRI] |
Beijing will ban high-emission vehicles from its urban areas starting Wednesday, authorities said Monday.
Starting from Feb. 15, light-duty gasoline-powered cars that fail to meet the National Emission Standard III will be banned from entering Beijing’s fifth ring on weekdays.
Violators will be fined 100 yuan (US$14.50) for every four hours that they drive on the road. Substandard cars will also be taken off the road through annual inspections or spot checks.
The Chinese capital currently requires new cars to comply with the “Beijing VI” emission standard, which is higher than the widely-used National Emission Standard V and equivalent to the Euro VI standard, the strictest in China.
The National Emission Standard I was introduced in 1999 and the National Emission Standard II followed in 2004.
“After weeding out yellow-labeled cars [outdated and heavy-polluting vehicles], vehicles consistent with the National Emission Standards II and III release most of the pollutants on the roads,” said Yu Jianhua, chief engineer of the Beijing Municipal Environmental Protection Bureau.
Higher-polluting gasoline vehicles account for less than 10 percent of vehicles on the road, but discharge over 30 percent of nitrogen oxide and 25 percent of volatile organic compounds, according to Yu.
Beijing’s 5.7 million vehicles produce 500,000 tonnes of various pollutants annually and account for 31 percent of locally-generated PM 2.5, a particulate matter associated with hazardous smog, making it the prime source of PM2.5, according to the environmental authority.
Plagued by smog over the past decade, the capital city has initiated a series of regulations to improve its air quality.
It has moved out high-polluting industries, pulled outdated cars off the road, continued to improve the public transportation system and rolled out policies to support new energy vehicles.
Average density of PM 2.5 in the capital was 73 micrograms per cubic meter in 2016, down 9.9 percent from the previous year, according to the Beijing Municipal Reform and Development Commission.
read moreChina’s top disciplinary body has discovered the weakening of Party leadership and promotion of corrupt officials during inspections of four provincial-level regions, according to a statement released Monday. The Central Commission for Discipline Insp… read more
China’s health authority has ordered a nationwide medical security campaign following five incidents of HIV transmission due to staff negligence at a hospital in the eastern province of Zhejiang. Agencies and individuals involved in the incident will … read more
