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Small loans
June 11, 2010, Friday
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ALIBABA opened on Tuesday the first micro finance company in China, providing small loans to entrepreneurs and small businesses.
Ma Yun, CEO of Alibaba, said that small businesses need loans of 500,000 yuan (US$73,190) instead of 20 million yuan, but banks usually want to lend 20 million yuan to big enterprises and ignore needs of small businesses.
Alibaba, headquartered in Hangzhou, will lend as much as 500,000 yuan for business expansion.
Heritage gala
Hangzhou is celebrating intangible cultural heritage this weekend with a gala planned for June 20 in Xihu (West Lake) Stadium.
Saturday is China's 5th National Intangible Cultural Heritage Day.
Eleven Hangzhou arts, crafts and theater arts have been nominated for the national list of intangible cultural heritage. Hangzhou already has 26 national listings.
The new nominees include the legend of Su Dongpo (1037-1101), a scholar-official. Zhen Xing Xiang traditional weaving, Yue Yao celadon, Jingshan tea ceremony and traditional opera.
The heritage examples will be demonstrated this weekend, and there will be lectures and theme shows.
Iodine study
Hangzhou next month will undertake research on iodine and the needs of iodine thyroid patients. Around 12,000 people will be studied.
Iodine is commonly added to salt. But in recent years many people have expressed fears that long-term use of salt with added iodine could increase the number of thyroid patients.
Hangzhou is investing 2 million yuan to research the best use of iodine in the diet.
The investigation will cover five districts and seven counties.
It will involve residents over six years old, who have lived in the area for more than five years.
Research is expected to be completed by the end of October; laboratory work will be completed in December and results are expected to be published in April.
Expo fans
Sixty volunteers for the Zhejiang Province section of the World Expo 2010 Shanghai have started work and will volunteer for half a month.
The oldest volunteer is 56-year-old Jin Peiyu, a legal officer from Yuyao City.
"I know I'm no longer a young man," Jin says, "so I keep working out and spend two hours every day walking."
He is also improving his spoken English since the Expo attracts visitors from around the world. He wants to show China's possibilities to the world.
Zhejiang Province attracted 3,179 candidates for volunteers. After four rounds of selection, 60 candidates were chosen to provide services during Zhejiang Week activities and other times.
Food-free buses
Food and rubbish are big problems on Hangzhou buses and the city has ordered some of them to go food-free and stay clean. No eating breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks and drinks on the bus.
These days there are 50 lines that do not allow eating.
The city just added 39 more "No Food" lines, including Y1-Y4, Y6-Y9, Y13 and lines numbered 8XX.
This is the third expansion of the no-munching program. Results are positive, buses are much cleaner and residents generally support the plan.
The bus transport corporation says trash and food debris have been reduced by 60-70 percent.
After all, cleaner buses make for better city life.
Taiwan tourists
Hangzhou is a major destination for tourists from Taiwan and the city is encouraging more visitors.
The Hangzhou tourism office will cooperate with Taiwan tourism offices and build Hangzhou Tourism (Taipei) Service Centers on the island. The centers will provide information about Hangzhou and answer questions.
Lu Zushan, the governor of Zhejiang Province, headed a delegation visiting Taiwan this week to promote tourism and other cooperation.
Ma Yun, CEO of Alibaba, said that small businesses need loans of 500,000 yuan (US$73,190) instead of 20 million yuan, but banks usually want to lend 20 million yuan to big enterprises and ignore needs of small businesses.
Alibaba, headquartered in Hangzhou, will lend as much as 500,000 yuan for business expansion.
Heritage gala
Hangzhou is celebrating intangible cultural heritage this weekend with a gala planned for June 20 in Xihu (West Lake) Stadium.
Saturday is China's 5th National Intangible Cultural Heritage Day.
Eleven Hangzhou arts, crafts and theater arts have been nominated for the national list of intangible cultural heritage. Hangzhou already has 26 national listings.
The new nominees include the legend of Su Dongpo (1037-1101), a scholar-official. Zhen Xing Xiang traditional weaving, Yue Yao celadon, Jingshan tea ceremony and traditional opera.
The heritage examples will be demonstrated this weekend, and there will be lectures and theme shows.
Iodine study
Hangzhou next month will undertake research on iodine and the needs of iodine thyroid patients. Around 12,000 people will be studied.
Iodine is commonly added to salt. But in recent years many people have expressed fears that long-term use of salt with added iodine could increase the number of thyroid patients.
Hangzhou is investing 2 million yuan to research the best use of iodine in the diet.
The investigation will cover five districts and seven counties.
It will involve residents over six years old, who have lived in the area for more than five years.
Research is expected to be completed by the end of October; laboratory work will be completed in December and results are expected to be published in April.
Expo fans
Sixty volunteers for the Zhejiang Province section of the World Expo 2010 Shanghai have started work and will volunteer for half a month.
The oldest volunteer is 56-year-old Jin Peiyu, a legal officer from Yuyao City.
"I know I'm no longer a young man," Jin says, "so I keep working out and spend two hours every day walking."
He is also improving his spoken English since the Expo attracts visitors from around the world. He wants to show China's possibilities to the world.
Zhejiang Province attracted 3,179 candidates for volunteers. After four rounds of selection, 60 candidates were chosen to provide services during Zhejiang Week activities and other times.
Food-free buses
Food and rubbish are big problems on Hangzhou buses and the city has ordered some of them to go food-free and stay clean. No eating breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks and drinks on the bus.
These days there are 50 lines that do not allow eating.
The city just added 39 more "No Food" lines, including Y1-Y4, Y6-Y9, Y13 and lines numbered 8XX.
This is the third expansion of the no-munching program. Results are positive, buses are much cleaner and residents generally support the plan.
The bus transport corporation says trash and food debris have been reduced by 60-70 percent.
After all, cleaner buses make for better city life.
Taiwan tourists
Hangzhou is a major destination for tourists from Taiwan and the city is encouraging more visitors.
The Hangzhou tourism office will cooperate with Taiwan tourism offices and build Hangzhou Tourism (Taipei) Service Centers on the island. The centers will provide information about Hangzhou and answer questions.
Lu Zushan, the governor of Zhejiang Province, headed a delegation visiting Taiwan this week to promote tourism and other cooperation.
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