China launches high-level probe after paper says fuel tankers used to carry cooking oil

China launches high-level probe after paper says fuel tankers used to carry cooking oil

State broadcaster CCTV reported on Tuesday that the State Council, China’s cabinet, had set up an investigative team involving several government bodies to tackle the matter. Planning body the National Development and Reform Commission, the ministries of public security and transport, the state administrations of market regulation and grain and reserves, and other departments will … Read more

China must be better prepared for extreme weather and disasters, influential newspaper says

China must be better prepared for extreme weather and disasters, influential newspaper says

An influential financial newspaper in Beijing has warned that China must improve its disaster prevention and mitigation capabilities to counter the impact of more frequent extreme weather events on the country’s agricultural production. “Meteorological disasters are the most important factor in reducing food production,” a commentary published by the state-owned Economic Daily said on Tuesday. … Read more

Opinion | How chilli peppers in China were a substitute for salt before becoming widely popular

Opinion | How chilli peppers in China were a substitute for salt before becoming widely popular

Recently, Denmark recalled three flavours of instant noodles for being too spicy. The country’s food and health authorities had assessed the levels of capsaicin in a single packet of Buldak instant noodles, made by South Korean company Samyang, to be “so high that they pose a risk of the consumer developing acute poisoning”, especially children, … Read more

China’s local governments shut down social media accounts as budgets shrink

China’s local governments shut down social media accounts as budgets shrink

Dozens of cities in the provinces of Guangdong, Sichuan, Yunnan, Hunan, Shaanxi, Shandong and Jiangsu, as well as Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, have announced plans so far this year to cut back on government department websites, social media accounts and smartphone applications, research by the Post shows. One of the latest to do so was … Read more

Beijing steps up calls for disaster preparedness in southern China after dozens die amid severe rainfall

Beijing steps up calls for disaster preparedness in southern China after dozens die amid severe rainfall

Beijing on Thursday ramped up calls for local authorities to step up disaster preparedness after dozens of people died in rain-hit southern Guangdong province. With more downpours expected in the region, central government emergency agencies have asked local departments of the water resources, natural resources and transport ministries to “closely monitor the rain and flood … Read more

China issues ‘once in a century’ flood warning for Guangdong’s Bei River zone

China issues ‘once in a century’ flood warning for Guangdong’s Bei River zone

Northern and western Guangdong have been battered by intense rainstorms since Friday, breaking rainfall records for April in many places. The cities of Qingyuan, Shaoguan, Huizhou and capital Guangzhou have been particularly hard hit, prompting flood alerts and rainstorm warnings for three days in a row. According to the National Meteorological Centre, most of the … Read more

China’s would-be powerhouse Hunan wants officials to ‘emancipate their minds’

China’s would-be powerhouse Hunan wants officials to ‘emancipate their minds’

President Xi Jinping, who came to power in 2013, revived the slogan to call for effective local governance and it was also in evidence on Sunday in the northeastern province of Heilongjiang, where top cadres used it in a pledge to drive growth. Deng Xiaoping, who took over as leader in December 1978, made “emancipate … Read more