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US press lauds city
April 22, 2011, Friday
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ONDINE Cohane, an international travel writer, published her travelogue "A New Verse for the Poetry of Hangzhou" in the New York Times on April 10. It was with her recommendation that Hangzhou was ranked 33rd in "The 41 Places to Go in 2011," an article that appeared in the New York Times in January.
In her recent writing, Cohane traced Hangzhou's legendary history to some famed Chinese poets and Venetian traveler Marco Polo. She said the city attracts foreign visitors with new luxury hotels and high-speed trains connecting Hangzhou with Shanghai. She also listed must-see sites at the end of her article, including Lingying Temple, Liuhe Pagoda and Zhejiang Art Museum.
Only two Chinese destinations were listed in the New York Times article in January. Hangzhou and Pingyao, an ancient town in Shanxi Province, joined 39 other cities including London and Milan as the places to go in 2011.
Suspects held
A 26-year-old man who could have been a police officer is facing a dual charge of robbery and murder.
The man surnamed Fu from Anhui Province once received an offer from a police academy in his hometown but refused because of financial problems. He, who recently became unemployed, robbed the driver of an unlicensed car with two accomplices in Kunshan, Jiangsu Province on March 22.
The trio plundered the driver's car as well as stealing cash of more than 200 yuan (US$30.64) from him. They drove the car and the driver to Hangzhou, then killed the driver and threw his body into Fuchun River, Fuyang, Hangzhou.
The victim was a 29-year-old man whose baby was born only four months ago. The car was later sold in Yuhang in Hangzhou.
On April 6, Fu's two accomplices surnamed Sun and Su committed a similar crime against another driver of an unlicensed car in Kunshan. They robbed his car, cash and bank card, and again drove to Hangzhou to sell the car. The driver was badly beaten but not killed.
On Monday, the three suspects were arrested in Anhui by Fuyang and Hangzhou police, while the two stolen cars and three people who received the two cars were also seized.
SMS traffic fines
Short text messages will be sent to drivers in Zhejiang Province if they violate traffic rules. Starting from May 1, SMS notices will replace mailed letters, giving drivers no excuse to default on their fines.
Zhejiang traffic authorities said no more than 30 percent of the 6 million fine notices they mail out each year reach the drivers. The situation is expected to improve with the use of cheap and convenient short messages.
However, only 3 million out of 11 million licensed drivers in the province have a correct mobile phone number registered.
Hangzhou Department of Motor Vehicles is urging drivers to update their phone numbers through its website or by phone calls.
To avoid SMS fraud that may occur with this new notification service, all fines must be paid at the Department of Motor Vehicles.
Drivers can also go to www.hzti.com to confirm their violation records. Those who fail to pay fines five times in a row will have their cars confiscated.
New taxi fleet
More than 350 new taxis have been introduced in Hangzhou.
Half of the taxis are equipped with three cameras. Two cameras are positioned on the ceiling inside the car to monitor possible disputes between the driver and passenger. A third camera is positioned in the trunk to ensure the security of passenger luggage.
The light on top of the taxi shows whether the cab is available, out of service or on its way for a change of driver.
The taxis also have a system so passengers can evaluate the service of the drivers with two choices: satisfied and not satisfied.
Canal tours
Sightseeing tours by boat from the Qiantang River to the Xixi Wetland will be available next month.
Six sightseeing boats modeled on ships that used to ply the Grand Canal to transport rice and cotton during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) will become a regular sight on the waterway.
The 19.8-meter-long boats can carry 45 tourists each and are much bigger than the sightseeing boats that travel on Donghe River and Shangtang River during public holidays.
In her recent writing, Cohane traced Hangzhou's legendary history to some famed Chinese poets and Venetian traveler Marco Polo. She said the city attracts foreign visitors with new luxury hotels and high-speed trains connecting Hangzhou with Shanghai. She also listed must-see sites at the end of her article, including Lingying Temple, Liuhe Pagoda and Zhejiang Art Museum.
Only two Chinese destinations were listed in the New York Times article in January. Hangzhou and Pingyao, an ancient town in Shanxi Province, joined 39 other cities including London and Milan as the places to go in 2011.
Suspects held
A 26-year-old man who could have been a police officer is facing a dual charge of robbery and murder.
The man surnamed Fu from Anhui Province once received an offer from a police academy in his hometown but refused because of financial problems. He, who recently became unemployed, robbed the driver of an unlicensed car with two accomplices in Kunshan, Jiangsu Province on March 22.
The trio plundered the driver's car as well as stealing cash of more than 200 yuan (US$30.64) from him. They drove the car and the driver to Hangzhou, then killed the driver and threw his body into Fuchun River, Fuyang, Hangzhou.
The victim was a 29-year-old man whose baby was born only four months ago. The car was later sold in Yuhang in Hangzhou.
On April 6, Fu's two accomplices surnamed Sun and Su committed a similar crime against another driver of an unlicensed car in Kunshan. They robbed his car, cash and bank card, and again drove to Hangzhou to sell the car. The driver was badly beaten but not killed.
On Monday, the three suspects were arrested in Anhui by Fuyang and Hangzhou police, while the two stolen cars and three people who received the two cars were also seized.
SMS traffic fines
Short text messages will be sent to drivers in Zhejiang Province if they violate traffic rules. Starting from May 1, SMS notices will replace mailed letters, giving drivers no excuse to default on their fines.
Zhejiang traffic authorities said no more than 30 percent of the 6 million fine notices they mail out each year reach the drivers. The situation is expected to improve with the use of cheap and convenient short messages.
However, only 3 million out of 11 million licensed drivers in the province have a correct mobile phone number registered.
Hangzhou Department of Motor Vehicles is urging drivers to update their phone numbers through its website or by phone calls.
To avoid SMS fraud that may occur with this new notification service, all fines must be paid at the Department of Motor Vehicles.
Drivers can also go to www.hzti.com to confirm their violation records. Those who fail to pay fines five times in a row will have their cars confiscated.
New taxi fleet
More than 350 new taxis have been introduced in Hangzhou.
Half of the taxis are equipped with three cameras. Two cameras are positioned on the ceiling inside the car to monitor possible disputes between the driver and passenger. A third camera is positioned in the trunk to ensure the security of passenger luggage.
The light on top of the taxi shows whether the cab is available, out of service or on its way for a change of driver.
The taxis also have a system so passengers can evaluate the service of the drivers with two choices: satisfied and not satisfied.
Canal tours
Sightseeing tours by boat from the Qiantang River to the Xixi Wetland will be available next month.
Six sightseeing boats modeled on ships that used to ply the Grand Canal to transport rice and cotton during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) will become a regular sight on the waterway.
The 19.8-meter-long boats can carry 45 tourists each and are much bigger than the sightseeing boats that travel on Donghe River and Shangtang River during public holidays.
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