China to strengthen grassland ecology protection

A circular issued by the State Council, China’s Cabinet, has called for more efforts, increased investment and intensified supervision for the country’s grassland ecology protection. The circular told government departments to set up and implement…

3.6 million Chinese affected by Typhoon Muifa

The State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters of China revealed that Typhoon Muifa, the ninth tropical storm of this year, went to the north along the east coast of China and landed in the…

Shark fin soup: The taste of extinction

A pending state bill would prohibit the sale of shark fin and help protect the threatened fish. The ban would affect Chinese Americans disproportionately, but Cantonese culinary culture would easily survive.   I still remember…

Environment ministry shuts battery plants

A total 583 lead battery manufacturing plants were shut down after government authorities conducted a series of inspections earlier this year in an effort to reduce heavy metal pollution. According to a statement issued on…

520,000 suffer water shortages

A lingering drought has left 520,000 people and 390,000 livestock short of drinking water in Hunan Province, authorities there said on Tuesday. The month-long drought has also withered 527,000 hectares of crops, dried up 542…

Heat wave continues to scorch south China

The National Meteorological Center (NMC) Wednesday continued its high temperature alert for south China as the hot weather is expected to persist over the next three days. The weather agency forecast temperatures in south China’s…

Marine team cleared to scour seabed

BEIJING – China became the first country approved by the International Seabed Authority to look for polymetallic sulphide deposits in the Southwest Indian Ridge, authorities said. “The body approved the application from the China Ocean…

Lengthy drought leaves 4m in need of water

GUIYANG – A lingering drought has caused water shortages for 4.28 million people in China, the country’s drought relief authority said on Monday. A farmer looks anxiously on Monday at peanut crops that have been…

Poor air quality hits many big cities

BEIJING – The average air quality in 45 major cities – nearly four out of every 10 major cities in the country – was rated as “poor” in the first half of this year, according…