China

Preparations for first spacewalk go like clockwork, China says

Beijing - Preparations for China's first spacewalk, scheduled for Saturday, went without a hitch, said Chinese mission control, which confirmed the commander of the mission would get the honour of being the first Chinese to step out into space.

Zhai Zhigang is to leave the Shenzhou VII spacecraft about 4:30 pm (0830 GMT) for a half-hour spacewalk.

Zhai, 41, is to test his 120-kilogram, Chinese-made protective suit, which cost 4 million to 30 million dollars, according to various state media reports.

He was also slated to perform tasks including the retrieval of a 3-kilogram solid lubricant experiment from the rear of Shenzhou VII.

Row with Chinese police leaves 50 Tibetan monks injured

Beijing, Sept. 27 : Fifty monks have been injured and at least four were taken to hospital after clashes between police and Tibetan monks near an ancient monastery that has been under tight security since anti-Chinese unrest swept across the Himalayan plateau in March.

According to a Times report, the incident happened when a monk left the Kirti monastery after obtaining a pass from the authorities.

“The returning monk was beaten so badly by the armed police that he was bleeding when he managed to return to the monastery,” the Free Tibet Campaign said.

Nearly 20% Share In Handset Sales Eyed By ZTE

Thursday saw ZTE, the Chinese handset major, announcing that 20% of its global Nearly 20% Share In Handset Sales Eyed By ZTE sales are being targeted from India and the company soon would be entering the retail market by the end of this year with its own independent brand. 

China is losing investment race, EU's Mandelson warns

Brussels/Tianjin, China - China is failing to attract European investment as effectively as competing economies such as Russia and India and must open its markets if it wants to reverse the trend, the European Union's top trade official said Friday.

"European companies have invested more in both Russia and India since 2003. China is winning a decreasing share of the EU's foreign investment in the emerging economies. These are lost opportunities for China," EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson said.

Airbus to launch assembly plant in China

Airbus to launch assembly plant in ChinaBeijing - Global plane maker Airbus plans to formally launch its assembly plant in the northern Chinese port of Tianjin on Sunday, the company said on Friday.

"The completion of the first assembly line outside Europe, in China, is a visible cornerstone of Airbus internationalization strategy," Airbus said in a statement.

China AIDS survey finds high levels of ignorance, stigma

Beijing - The United Nations said it was concerned by high levels of ignorance and stigma towards HIV/AIDS in China, as it released the results of a survey of 6,000 people on Friday.

More than 48 per cent of respondents in six of China's major cities said they believed they could be infected with HIV through mosquito bites, while 83 per cent had never looked up information on HIV/AIDS and 30 per cent did not know how to use a condom, UNAIDS said in a report.

Nearly 65 per cent said they would not be willing to live with someone infected with HIV, 48 per cent said they were unwilling to eat with an HIV-infected person, and 41 per cent were unwilling to work with an HIV-infected person, the report said.

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