HAIKOU, Oct. 14 (Xinhua) — The lives of 10 crew members aboard a Vietnamese freighter were under threat as the vessel reported to Chinese maritime authorities on Tuesday afternoon it was sinking in the South China Sea off the Hainan Province.

    The vessel HUE09 sent emergency signals to the Hainan Maritime Safety Bureau at 4:15 p.m., saying it was sinking about 40 nautical miles off Dongfang City, Hainan Island, and calling for help.

    The bureau immediately asked a vessel at a nearby drilling platform to go to the site for rescue efforts.

    ”The Vietnamese freighter is in critical conditions,” a bureau official said.

    It was not known at the moment what caused the Vietnamese vessel to sink.

    The Hainan Meteorological Observatory issued a tropical depression warning at 5 p.m. on Tuesday in the water near Dongfang, saying the wind speed was up to 57.6 km per hour.

    The eye of the tropical depression was moving west-northwestward at a speed of 10 km per hour on Tuesday afternoon and is expected to hit land in Vietnam on Wednesday morning.

    BEIJING, Oct. 14 (Xinhua) — A senior Chinese diplomat said on Tuesday China would devote itself to holding a green summit of the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM), scheduled for Oct. 24 to 25, and has taken measures in this regard.

    ”We have chosen green and environment-friendly materials to make articles for use of the meeting and to arrange the conference hall,” Assistant Foreign Minister Liu Jieyi told a press conference here.

    He said vehicles with zero emissions would be used in the transport between the press center and the conference hall, while signs of advocating energy savings were placed in hotels, such as the sign of encouraging the use of reusable toiletries.

    Liu said the ministries in charge of the organizing work and the Beijing municipal government both attached great importance tominimizing as much as they could the disturbance to Beijing citizens during the summit, mainly to traffic.

    He said relevant departments have prepared very well to take a lot of measures to minimize the time that streets and roads are occupied by vehicles for the meeting. “We have thought out many ways to do this, and I believe we will do a good job.”

    He believed Beijingers would be proud of hosting such a grand international event in the city.

    He added lots of preparation for the summit had been made, among which the protocol, press, security and reception work were all in order. The Chinese side had maintained close cooperation with other members of ASEM for the preparation of the meeting.

    ”A green summit cannot do without the support and coordination of all members. We believe other members will make joint efforts with China in this regard. We hope this summit can further show the determination and efforts of Asia and Europe to respond to climate change and realize sustainable development.”

    Leaders and delegates from 45 Asian and European countries and organizations will gather in the capital for the upcoming seventh ASEM summit.

    BEIJING, Oct. 14 (Xinhua) — The financial crisis and other major issues challenging the world will be discussed in the upcoming summit of the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM), according to Liu Jieyi, China’s assistant foreign minister.

    ”The ASEM summit would be convened under the special international circumstance,” said Liu at a press conference here on Tuesday.

    He added the financial situation was in turbulence and the three major challenges, including food safety, climate change and energy issues, were interwoven.

    Under the theme of dialogue, cooperation, mutual benefit and common prosperity, the summit would touch upon these issues.

    The seventh ASEM summit will be held in Beijing from Oct. 24 to25. At present, most foreign members had confirmed their attendance.

    Liu said all members would focus on disaster-relief cooperation, the promotion of trade and investment, sustainable development and strengthening dialogue.

    Chinese President Hu Jintao will attend the meeting and Premier Wen Jiabao will preside over the meetings and a welcoming banquet.

    Leaders from four coordinators, including China, the EU commission, Brunei and France, would hold a joint press conference after the summit, Liu said, adding several bilateral meetings would also be held.

    ”A chairman’s statement is expected to be passed to reflect all members’ stance on the major issues, outlining the key areas of cooperation in the future.”

    Other documents will also be passed to improve the substantial cooperation on three major areas, including political, economic cooperation as well as social and cultural exchange.

    ”This is another important event for China after the Beijing Olympic Games,” Liu said.

    The 45-member ASEM, established in 1996, is a high-level forum between governments of Asia and Europe. It aims at creating better conditions for cooperation between the two continents through strengthening dialogue and mutual understanding.

    China has long been an ASEM advocator. Chinese premiers have attended all ASEM summits since 1996 and proposed to build up a new-type of Asia-Europe partnership.

    BEIJING, Oct.14 (Xinhua)– A reception was held here on Tuesday evening to celebrate the 15th anniversary of China-Macedonia diplomatic ties. Wang Zhizhen, vice-chairwoman of the 11th National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) attended.

    Addressing the reception, she hailed the relationship as one on a stable, healthy and all-around development track.

    Since China forged diplomatic ties with Macedonia, the bilateral high-level contact had been close, the political mutual trust increasingly deepened, cooperation in fields of trade, economy, culture, education and tourism was promoted, and the non-governmental exchange was active, Wang said.

    ”Taking the present as a fresh starting point, China will work together with Macedonia for a more prosperous future, abide by the principles of mutual-respect, equality and mutual benefit.”

    Speaking highly of the friendship, the Macedonian ambassador to China Fatmir Xheladini said friendship “will be continuously promoted in a comprehensive and in-depth way.”

    BEIJING, Oct. 14 (Xinhua) — China on Tuesday reaffirmed its resolve to keep its economy on track amid the global financial turmoil.

    In a meeting with visiting U.S. Senator Chuck Hagel, Vice Premier Wang Qishan said the financial crisis, triggered by the U.S. credit crunch, had exerted a grave impact on the global financial market.

Chinese Vice Premier Wang Qishan(R) shakes hands with visiting U.S. Senator Chuck Hagel in Beijing, capital of China, Oct. 14, 2008. (Xinhua Photo)

    ”As a responsible country, China has always valued the communication and cooperation with other nations to ensure world financial and economic stability.”

    Wang said China would make great efforts to keep its economy on the right track, which would be the country’s greatest contribution to the world.

    China had implemented and would continue measures to ensure the stability of finance, economy and the capital market, he said, referring to a package of new policies to spur economic growth.

    The central bank cut interest rates on Sept. 15 for the first time in six years.

    The People’s Bank of China, the central bank, announced the deposit and lending rates would be lowered by 0.27 percentage points and the reserve-requirement ratio would be reduced 0.5 percentage points starting Oct. 15.

    ”With tools at our disposal, we are confident and capable of prevailing over the overall difficulties and challenges,” Wang told Hagel.

    He added the overall bilateral relations of the two countries had moved forward and become increasingly interdependent since forging diplomatic ties in 1979.

    To promote China-U.S. ties was in the fundamental interests of the two nations, he said.

    Wang proposed the two deepen a strategic trust and take a candid and pragmatic approach in addressing differences. They should work more closely on economy, trade, investment, energy, environment and high-tech.

    He also urged the United States to observe the three joint communiques, refrain from anything harmful to bilateral ties and the stability of the Taiwan Straits, so as to ensure the sound and steady progress of bilateral constructive cooperation.

    As all nations were becoming more connected, Hagel, a Republican senator from Nebraska, said the stronger cooperation between the United States and China would help ensure world financial and economic stability.

    DHAKA, Oct. 14 (Xinhua) — Deputy Speaker of Bangladesh Parliament Akhtar Hameed Siddiqui on Tuesday congratulated the People’s Republic of China over her 59th birthday and spoke highly of China’s achievements.

    Speaking at a discussion meeting here to celebrate the 59th founding anniversary of China, he said China which has rich heritage of civilization has become a great nation in the world under pragmatic policies and wise leadership.

    ”China today is changing fast. But all its changes are directed to the welfare of its people to the advancement of their quality of life,” he said at the meeting titled “Development of Culture and Sports in Modern China.”

    ”China’s development in the arena of sports has been unparallel,” he said, adding that he extended his country’s heartiest felicitation to China for hosting the best Olympic show so far the world has witnessed.

    Zheng Qingdian, Chinese ambassador to Bangladesh, said at the discussion meeting that China has made great achievements and it is remarkable even in history of the world.

    He said, China’s development is a peaceful development and “China devotes to building a harmonious world. China will contribute more to the world’s peace and development.”

    However, he said China remains a developing country, “China still has a long way to go to realize modernization.”

    Bangladesh-China Cultural Economic & Mass Communication Center (BCCEMCC), a local friendly organization to promote the friendship between Bangladesh and China, organized the discussion meeting.

    BCCEMCC, founded in 1984, has about 500 members.