China reported 79 fatalities from H7N9 avian flu in January, health authorities said Wednesday. Since the beginning of the year, 16 provincial regions have reported human H7N9 avian flu cases, with 192 cases in January, according to the National Healt… read more
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A design sketch of a floating nuclear power platform. [Photo: sina.com] |
China plans to accelerate the development of afloating nuclear power platform in the 13th Five-Year Plan (2016-2020) period, according to Wang Yiren, vice director of State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense.
Wang told Science and Technology Daily that Chinese authorities have already included the building of a marine nuclear power station into the government’s 13th Five-Year Plan, in an effort to promote ocean oil and gas exploitation and other offshore projects.
Wang said that to become a strong maritime power, exploitation of ocean resources is very significant. However, as the main power source for China’s current offshore operation, diesel generators are both inefficient and harmful to the ocean environment; developing a maritime nuclear power station may solve such problems.
After a range of research and evidence, experts on atomic energy decided to modify the related building schemes based on proven technologies. Wang informed that the small reactors used on land would be applied at sea after necessary improvements have been made.
Currently, China has carried out standard research and begun to tackle key technical problems of building afloating nuclear power platform, including overall design, safety techniques, key equipment tests, and maintenance technology.
The country is doing its own research on the project, as well as seeking cooperation with Russia to hasten the process, Wang said.
read moreZhou Benshun, former Party chief of northern China’s Hebei Province, was sentenced to 15 years in prison for corruption, a court in southeast China’s Xiamen city said Wednesday. According to Xiamen Municipal Intermediate People’s Court, Zhou’s persona… read more
A huge polar-themed ocean park will open in July 2018 in the Lingang area in Shanghai’s southeast — part of a Pudong master plan to revamp the area.
As well as a skiing park and planetarium, the master plan will see two new universities opening and other colleges setting up campuses, officials said.
With these new facilities, the Lingang area in the Pudong New Area aims to attract 450,000 residents and 10 million tourists annually by 2020, according to the Lingang management committee.
Shanghai Polar Ocean World, which is planned to cover 300,000 square meters, will include four marine animal interactive programs, three theaters and a further 15 entertainment facilities, its developer said. Upon completion, the park aims to showcase a broad range of Arctic and Antarctic wildlife. It’s a 90-minute drive from People’s Square in the city center.
Land preparation work has started on the skiing park named WinterStar near the polar park, which is planned to become one of the world’s largest indoor skiing resorts, according to the committee.
Construction has also started on Shanghai Planetarium, which is scheduled to open in 2020 to become the world’s largest planetarium.
Several universities will open campuses in the Lingang area, and two new ones are setting up shop — the Sino-French arts and design management school of the China Central Academy of Fine Arts, and the Sino-British International Low-carbon College. Both will start enrollment in September.
Construction is under way for a new campus for the Shanghai University of Electric Power.
A yacht training base has also been planned in Lingang, the committee added. Construction has also begun on modern office buildings, hotels, shopping malls and convention centers.
The port area of the city aims to develop itself into a new town featuring science and technology, culture, finance, trade and tourism.
The committee has announced that professionals in the area will be encouraged to apply for local hukou, or household registration, in a move aimed at attracting talented personnel to help to realize its ambition.
Such professionals will also enjoy preferential housing prices, low rents and accommodation subsidies.
In the future, Lingang will promote an 18.9 kilometer, medium-capacity traffic system, along with electric buses, as well as vehicle and bicycle sharing programs to create a green and efficient public transport system, the committee said.
read moreChina’s second aircraft carrier is scheduled to be launched later this year and is expected to enter the service by 2020, Xu Guangyu, a retired Chinese military officer and consultant to the China Arms Control and Disarmament Assn, said in an intervie… read more
