Facial recognition has been implemented as a means of identification for traffic issues in Wuhan, central China’s Hubei Province.

The metropolitan traffic management bureau Tuesday updated its online service platform to use a combination of facial recognition and big data technology.

The platform will simplify the procedures of over 130 traffic-related services, including those related to vehicles, driving licenses and traffic offences, so that residents can scan their face instead of providing their ID for identification purposes.

The face scanning technology is safe and takes just a few milliseconds, according to Tan Wei, a traffic management official. It saves a digital photograph so that applicants do not need to provide physical photographs when applying for a driving license.

The platform will also be used for case investigation, as it can help police officers locate suspects.

The population of captive giant pandas has reached 520 worldwide, according to the China giant panda breeding technology committee at its annual conference Tuesday.

As of early October, 63 captive panda cubs had been born in China, France, the United States, Japan, Spain, Belgium and Austria this year, 58 of which survived, bringing the population of captive giant pandas to 520, according to the committee

Besides Chinese scientists, 69 overseas experts from 13 countries participated in panel discussions at the conference, discussing giant panda conservation, breeding and reintroduction to the wild.

“China has achieved initial results in captive-bred pandas’ wildness training and the rejuvenation of sub-populations,” said Xie Zhong, vice chairman of the Chinese Association of Zoological Gardens.

He said that with the creation of giant panda national parks, the release of more pandas into the wild, and further scientific research, the various sub-populations of giant pandas would eventually be restored.

China’s top legislature on Tuesday published the draft law on supervision to solicit public opinion.

The draft of the National Supervision Law will be open for public comment on the National People’s Congress website until Dec. 6.

The draft has made clear regulations on China’s new detention system, which will replace the “shuanggui” system.

Shuanggui was an intra-party disciplinary practice that required a member of the Communist Party of China being investigated to cooperate with questioning at a set time and place. The practice was monitored by Party disciplinary officials, but its largely informal process caused tricky legal issues.

The new detention system will safeguard the rights of those under investigation with several measures.

The draft says family members of detainees or the organizations they work for must receive a timely notice of the detention, usually within 24 hours, and the date and length of the interrogation must be specified to ensure the safety of detainees.

The detention organizations have to provide food, ensure rest and provide medical service to detainees, according to the draft.

The draft also points out that detainees will be able to offset the term of detention against future penalties.

The draft forbids any supervisory body or investigators to insult or maltreat detainees, and the inquiry process must be videotaped.

Supervisory commissions will be set up across the country by the People’s Congresses at national, provincial, city and county-levels within their jurisdiction to supervise those exercising public power.

The commissions will be in charge of three major duties: supervision, investigation and punishment.

In January, China started a pilot for the new supervision system in Beijing, as well as Shanxi and Zhejiang provinces, including establishing supervisory commissions and practicing the new detention system.

The pilot has had strong results. And the reform ensures that supervision covers everyone in the public sector who holds power.

In the first eight months of the year, a total of 183 people were detained by supervision commissions in the three pilot areas.

Since the reform, the number of people under supervision rose from 210,000 to 997,000 in Beijing, from 785,000 to 1.315 million in Shanxi, and from 383,000 to 701,000 in Zhejiang.

China plans to finish its fifth station in the Antarctic in next five years, said Yang Huigen, director of the Polar Research Institute of China, Tuesday.

Icebreaker Xuelong will leave Shanghai Wednesday to begin the country’s 34th Antarctic expedition.

One key objective of this expedition, made up of 334 members, is to start construction of a new year-round research station on Inexpressible Island in Terra Nova Bay of the Ross Sea.

The new base will fill in the blank left in China’s antarctic research since the Great Wall and Zhongshan stations cover different directions, one towards the Atlantic and the other towards the Indian Ocean, Yang said.

The Ross Sea, facing the South Pacific includes the largest ice shelf in the continent and is regarded as the least disturbed marine ecosystem, with a rich marine fauna.

China also has the Taishan and Kunlun stations, two summer stations, in the Antarctic inland ice sheet.

“It took us five years to choose the site,” Yang said, adding that the Inexpressible Island, though having tough weather conditions and rough landscape, has three freshwater lakes.

The new base will have facilities for emergency rescue and fill the working, living and medical needs of staff all year round.

It will be equipped with satellite communication, electricity, water supply, heating and transportation including small planes and helicopters.

During the upcoming expedition, scientists and engineers will start building a temporary dock and shelters, unload machinery and survey the surrounding landscape and waters, Yang said.

A habitat of Adelie Penguins is located north of the chosen site, useful for environmental impact studies.

Southwest China’s Sichuan Province launched its largest ever archaeological excavation project Tuesday, according to the Sichuan Provincial Cultural Archaeology Research Institute.

The excavation project, which is called Wudongde Hydropower Station Cultural Relics Protection Project, will be carried out in Huidong and Huili counties in Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture.

Preliminary excavation has discovered 21 cultural relics sites, including one site above the ground and 20 underground. The sites are from between the Neolithic Age and the Qing Dynasty.

Among the underground sites, 13 date from between the Neolithic Age and Warring States periods, and seven are from between the Ming and Qing dynasties.

Stone implements, stone burial areas and pottery have also been unearthed during preliminary excavation.

The excavation area covers 134,000 square meters, and is expected to be completed in 2021. A total of 270 million yuan (40.7 million U.S. dollars) will be invested in the project.