SHIJIAZHUANG, Jan. 16 (Xinhua) — Chen Quanguo was elected governor of north China’s Hebei Province Saturday at the third session of the 11th Hebei Provincial People’s Congress.

    Chen, 55, was appointed Hebei’s acting governor on Dec. 15 last year after the local legislature approved the resignation of his predecessor Hu Chunhua.

    Hu earlier was appointed Party chief of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.

    Chen, a native of Pingyu County in Henan, was deputy secretary of the Henan provincial committee of the Communist Party of China between April 2003 and November 2009.

    BEIJING, Jan. 15 (Xinhua) — Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Dejiang said Friday that China would actively promote low carbon transport and build a resource-conserving and environmental friendly transportation system.

    The transportation authorities should issue emission standards and make sure the standarnds were implemented, Zhang said at a national meeting on transportation.

    Energy-saving transport facilities should be widely used, he said.

    He said the government would continue to beef up efforts on transportation infrastructure construction and transport safety in 2010. 

    BEIJING, Jan. 15 (Xinhua) — A senior Chinese official Friday urged departments concerned to actively carry forward the judicial reform to improve social justice, harmony and stability.

    Zhou Yongkang, a Standing Committee member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, told a conference that efforts should be made to push forward the judicial reforms to build a just, efficient and authoritative socialist judicial system and improve social harmony and stability.

    With China’s social and economic development and rapid progress of democracy and the rule of law, Chinese people have higher claims for social equity and justice, he said.

    China’s judicial system and work should adapt to the new situation, new tasks and people’s expectations, said Zhou, who deputy secretary of the Political and Legislative Affairs Committee of the CPC Central Committee.

    He said the central authorities had listed 60 tasks for judicial reforms in 2009 and 17 of them have had enforcement plans, including those on the reform of jury system and judicial examinations.

    Zhou said 2010 was crucial in deepening the judicial reform and the focus should be put on solving social conflicts, social management innovation and promoting just and clean law enforcement.

    He urged departments concerned to improve sense of responsibility and urgency to actively carry forward the reform to boost judicial justice and benefit the public.

¡¤President Hu called on the Chinese people to make sure the Shanghai Expo a success.¡¤Hu visited the Expo site Friday during an inspection tour in Shanghai.¡¤He urged Shanghai to make “all-out efforts” to efficiently complete the preparations.

Hu Jintao (L front), general secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, Chinese president and chairman of the Central Military Commission, shakes hands with workers and personnel who work for the construction of the Shanghai World Expo park in Shanghai, east China, Jan. 15, 2010. Hu Jintao paid a visit here to inspect the preparation of Shanghai World Expo on Jan. 15. (Xinhua/Ju Peng)

    SHANGHAI, Jan. 15 (Xinhua) — Chinese President Hu Jintao Friday called on the Chinese people to pool their strength and resources to make sure the Shanghai World Expo a success.

    With just 106 days to go before the Expo opening on May 1, Hu visited the Expo site Friday during an inspection tour in Shanghai.

    ”Hosting the World Expo is not only a significant event of Shanghai, but also of the whole nation,” he said, noting it was both the responsibility of Shanghai and the whole country to hold a successful Expo.

    He urged Shanghai to make “all-out efforts” to efficiently complete the preparations and be a good host.

    He asked central government departments and local governments to take initiative and make concerted efforts in supporting the event.

Hu Jintao (C), general secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, Chinese president and chairman of the Central Military Commission, inspects the under-construction World Expo park in Shanghai, east China, Jan. 15, 2010. (Xinhua/Ju Peng)

    The Expo’s organizing committee should enhance its leading role and supervision to push forward relevant preparatory work orderly, he said.

    Hu put forward six requirements on the Expo’s preparatory work:

    - To ensure the Expo site’s infrastructure building and exhibition arrangements be completed on time;

    - To ensure sound service and logistics;

    - Security should be fully guaranteed;

    - Foreign affairs work, including receptions of international guests, must be well handled;

    - To ensure efficient and effective publicity work;

    - To create a civilized, happy and peaceful atmosphere.

    Hu said though the Expo was a big challenge, he believed it would be a “successful, brilliant and memorable” event with the support of the Chinese people, especially the contributions of Shanghai officials and residents.

    The Shanghai World Expo, which is expected to receive 70 million visitors, will last from May 1 to Oct. 31.

    So far, 35 of the 42 self-built foreign pavilions have started interior decoration and exhibition arrangement, and 11 joint pavilions have been completed. 

Special Report:  Expo 2010 Shanghai China  

    BEIJING, Jan. 15 (Xinhua) — Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping attended Friday a graduation ceremony of the Party School of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and conferred certificates on graduates.

    Xi, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, is president of the school.

    A total of 777 graduates from the Party School and more than 2,700 graduates from the school’s branches attended the ceremony.

    The Party School of the CPC Central Committee is the highest institution for training high- and middle-ranking party officials and Marxist theoreticians. The school’s history dates back to the school of Marxism and Communism set up in March 1933.

Li Changchun (front), member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, looks at photos at a photo exhibition on the history of the development of the China National Opera House, in Beijing, capital of China, Jan. 15, 2010. Li Changchun inspected the China National Opera House on Friday. (Xinhua/Li Tao)

    BEIJING, Jan. 15 (Xinhua) — A senior Chinese leader on Friday called for deepened reforms and more innovations in the country’s arts sector for greater cultural development.

    Li Changchun, member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the call during an inspection to the China National Opera House.

    Li urged China’s major artistic troupes to bring out competitive products, and cultivate excellent artists by taking part in the market competition.

    He called for innovation in the content and forms of cultural works, as well as in the technologies and means of communication.

    Li urged the troupes to tap the international market, and called for a better system to train more cultural talents including arts producers, music conductors and performers.

    Li also enjoyed performances and rehearsals at the state-level opera house, and solicited opinions of some artists.

Li Changchun (C front), member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, shakes hands with Zheng Xiaoying, a famous conductor, as he inspects the China National Opera House, in Beijing, capital of China, Jan. 15, 2010.(Xinhua/Li Tao)