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Tue, Feb 25, 1997

Bombs Blast Urumqi also: stories on Sino-American relations; water in Shandong; putting students out of business; and selling second-hand merchandise Ethnic problems: on Tuesday two bombs exploded in Urumqi, capital of Xinjiang Province in Western China. 60 people were believed to be killed or injured, reports Inside China. The blasts come less than three weeks after riots rocked the northern reaches of the province in the border town Yining. "We suspect that these incidents involve splittist elements," the paper quoted one local official who was "referring to pro-independence activists among Xinjiang's native Uighur population". Troops have been trucked into the city and, according to a local police officer quoted by the paper, "The situation is very tense." People have been told to remain inside. The paper also reports, last year Xinjiang experienced a wave of "bombings and assassination attempts on officials and Muslim leaders regarded as pro-Beijing." More stories pertaining to problems in Xinjiang may be found below under the heading Ethnic problems United States: in a meeting with Secretary of State Madeleine Albright President Jiang Zemin affirmed his willingness to work with President Clinton on improving bilateral relations. According to the paper, Li Peng would be willing to discuss cooperation on matters of environmental protection, energy, and sustainable development, when Vice-President Al Gore arrives in Beijing next month. Jiang Zemin framed Sino-American relations in its historical context: "We should try to find the courage and foresight our past leaders demonstrated when they normalized bilateral relationships," the paper quotes Jiang. Li Peng said, "China is a country stressing principle, responsibility and credit in international affairs," reports the paper. Hong Kong: Hong Kong Salutes Deng on Funeral Day is an Inside China story on how Hong Kong showed their respects to Deng yesterday. Water: Jinan, capital of Shandong Province, faces a water shortage. Education: Chinese students are now banned from engaging in business activities while they are enrolled in school. Students will be denied commercial licences, for they should devote themselves to their studies, reports the China Daily in this short piece. Economy: In an effort to provide low-income Chinese with access to consumer goods, the ministry of internal trade will increase the number of second-hand goods stores, writes the China Daily. These stores will buy second-hand merchandise and resell them. The government predicts that these stores will form a network in major cities across China and will become an important component in the overall commodity distribution system. "The potential is great when you take into account the consumption differences between high and low income earners in cities, the consumption differences between big and small cities and townships," says Chen Bangzhu, minister of internal trade. Risky business: five Chinese government agencies and All-China Federation of Trade Unions have sent notice that mine safety laws in China will be upheld and strengthened and dangerous mines face closure, reports the China Daily

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