Taipei - Taiwan Friday opened its 2008 Taipei International Travel Fair with the aim of attracting more foreign and Chinese tourists.

Sixty-two countries and regions have set up 1,206 booths at the four-day fair with Chinese exhibitors occupying 256 booths, nearly four times more than the second-largest exhibitor, Japan, with 69.

China sent a 290-strong delegation to the Taipei World Trade Centre, hoping to boost its own tourism.

Beijing - The global economic crisis is expected to slow China's economy down from previous double-digit growth rates to 9.8 per cent in 2008, Chinese officials said Friday.

After a significant slowdown in the third quarter, caused by the economic crisis, China's economy grew 9.9 per cent in the first nine months of the year, less than expected, China's State Information Centre was quoted as saying by the China Daily newspaper.

The effects of the crisis were expected to increase gradually, the centre said, adding that China's economic planners will have to concentrate on ensuring rapid and stable growth in 2009.

New Delhi, Oct 31 : Most adults discriminate against HIV/AIDS patients, shows a survey based on six major cities in China.

The survey, which covered 6,000 people, was conducted from February to March conducted by Renmin University of China.

The financial and technical support was provided to them by UNAIDS.

In the study, 30 percent said children suffering from HIV/AIDS should not be allowed to attend school, 65 percent were not willing to stay in the same room as a sufferer, and 
48 percent would not share a meal with them, reports the China Daily.

"HIV/AIDS discrimination must be eliminated in order to encourage sufferers to seek treatment," Edwin Cameron, a South African AIDS prevention expert, said.

The first satellite of Venezuela, which was build with Chinese technology and launched from China, recently blasted into orbit, marking Venezuela’s entry into space age. 

This satellite has been named after Simon Bolivar, the hero of South American Independence. Hugo Chavez, The President of Venezuela said, “The communications satellite Venesat-1 is a construction of socialism and a symbol of Latin American integration.” 

Melbourne, Oct 30 : Australian markets have pulled a chocolate-flavoured body sex paint off the shelves as authorities continue the crack down on melamine imports from China.

Six other items, besides the paint, Boxer Lovers Body Pen Set, have already been banned.

The banned items include Lotte Koala Biscuits, Cadbury Eclairs, Kirin Milk Tea, Orion Tiramisu Italian Cake, Dali Yuan brand First Milk, and White Rabbit Creamy Candy.

It had earlier been discovered that Chinese food manufacturers were using melamine, a nitrogen-rich chemical used in the plastics industry, in their livestock feed and baby milk formulas, to give them an appearance of having higher protein content.