The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) convened a meeting of the Scientific Advisory Group (SAG) on Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS) at its headquarters in Rome on November 24, 2017.

During the meeting, two Chinese sites – the Zhagana Farming, Forestry and Animal Husbandry Compound System in Gansu Province and the Huzhou Mulberry Dyke Fishpond System in Zhejiang Province – were formally designated as GIAHS sites.

Huzhou Mulberry Dyke Fishpond System in east China’s Zhejiang Province. [File photo: Chinanews.com]

Meanwhile, the four rice terrace areas in south and east China (in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Hunan, Fujian, and Jiangxi Provinces) and the Xiajin Ancient Mulberry Wood in Shandong Province were approved in principle, which means they require only an expert’s final confirmation before gaining official designation.

The four additions will bring China to a total of 15 GIAHS sites, the most of any country worldwide.

Launched by FAO in 2002, GIAHS are defined as “remarkable land use systems and landscapes which are rich in globally significant biological diversity evolving from the co-adaptation of a community with its environment and its needs and aspirations for sustainable development.”

“China’s agricultural heritage systems have effectively enhanced the livelihoods of the people in rural areas, bringing both ecological and economic benefits,” said Min Qingwen, member of the SAG.

Min added that these agricultural projects should be under the appropriate protection and effective application.

Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor Saturday praised the Hong Kong Police for maintaining Hong Kong’s rule of law, integrity as well as law and order.

Attending the passing-out parade of the Hong Kong Police College Saturday, Lam said that the police force has contributed greatly to the economic development of Hong Kong which every member of the law enforcement agency should take pride.

A total of 40 probationary inspectors and 176 recruit constables passed out.

Lam said the number of crimes per 100,000 population in 2016 stood at 825 cases in Hong Kong, representing a new low in the past 44 years. It was attributed to the concerted efforts of every member of the police force.

The chief executive also commended the police force for being innovative and striving for excellence in the past years.

On technology-related crimes, it has set up a dedicated team to handle online crimes after noting with foresight that technology-related crime would burgeon and become popular.

In view of the heightened global terrorism situation, it set up a team within a short period of time to ensure that Hong Kong remains one of the safest cities in the world, she added.

Lam encouraged graduates to work with full commitment and passion, and to serve the society and members of the public with empathy. Meanwhile, she hoped that every member of the police force could work together and continue to maintain its professionalism.

Five people are still missing after a fishing boat capsized in waters off Dalian in northeast China’s Liaoning Province Thursday night, local authorities said Saturday.

Dalian maritime research and rescue center received reports at 11 p.m. Thursday, saying a fishing boat carrying five crew members had capsized.

The vessel, registered at Lianyungang of Jiangsu Province, departed from Penglai, Shandong Province, for fishing.

The search and rescue center dispatched rescue ships and helicopters to the scene, and asked nearby ships to join the search.

The rescue search is ongoing.

China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region hired 44,500 pre-school bilingual teachers in 2017, speaking both Uygur and Mandarin.

It brings the total number of pre-school bilingual teachers across the region to 70,000.

In 2017, Xinjiang took measures to tackle a shortage of bilingual teachers especially in Kashgar, Hotan, Aksu and the Kirgiz Autonomous Prefecture of Kizilsu.

It plans to open or expand 4,387 kindergartens this year to serve as bilingual kindergartens in rural areas, including 3,223 in southern areas, in order to extend free three-year bilingual preschool education to the entire region.

There are currently nearly 1.13 million children receiving pre-school education in Xinjiang’s rural areas.

The Djibouti Logistics Support Base of the People’s Liberation Army conducted a live-fire exercise on Thursday with its heavy-duty weapons, according to the Chinese military.

Several wheeled tank destroyers and wheeled infantry fighting vehicles from the base in the Horn of Africa took part in the exercise at a local shooting range and fired dozens of shells, according to a news release published late Friday by the PLA Navy, which administers the logistics support base.

Infantry practiced assault maneuvers with the armored vehicles, it said. It quoted Senior Captain Liang Yang, commander of the base, as saying that the move was intended to verify the combat capability of troops and their weapons and to improve their adaptability in the local environment.

The PLA established its Djibouti Logistics Support Base, the first of its kind for the Chinese military, on July 11 and put it into formal operation on Aug 1.

Located in Djibouti City, the African nation’s capital, the base will support the Chinese military’s naval escort, peacekeeping and humanitarian missions in Africa and western Asia, the Navy said. It will also help China improve its capabilities in international military cooperation, joint exercises, emergency evacuations and overseas rescue.

It will enable the nation to better guard the safety of international strategic maritime passages with other countries, it said.

President Xi Jinping, also chairman of the Central Military Commission, had a teleconference with troops at the Djibouti base this month during an inspection of the CMC Joint Command Headquarters in Beijing. Xi told them to gain a good reputation for Chinese soldiers and to contribute to regional peace and stability.

On Friday, Premier Li Keqiang met with Djiboutian President Ismail Omar Guelleh in Beijing. Calling Djibouti a major partner in East Africa, Li said China is willing to work with the nation to make use of each other’s advantages to foster economic cooperation and to build a regional hub of trade and logistics.