HONG KONG, Nov. 13 (Xinhua) — The gold price in Hong Kong went down 136 HK dollars to 7,427 HK dollars per tael on Tuesday, according to the Bank of China (Hong Kong).

    The price is equivalent to 801.65 U.S. dollars a troy ounce, down 14.70 U.S. dollars at Tuesday’s exchange rate of one U.S. dollar against 7.773 HK dollars.

    BEIJING, Nov. 13 (Xinhua) — China will accelerate the reform of its administrative system in a bid to improve government efficiency and performance, said Chinese State Councilor Hua Jianmin.

    Hua, also secretary general of the State Council, made the remarks in Beijing on Tuesday at the opening ceremony of the 4th China-Europe Senior Forum on Government Management.

    The Chinese government has always attached great importance to the improvement of its performance, he said.

    He noted that the Chinese government had made obvious progress in transforming the way it governs the country, such as making the switch from a planned to a market economy, streamlining the government structure, ensuring social management on the basis of law and making government affairs public.

    ”A more efficient government will better serve the sustainable development of Chinese society and continue to satisfy people’s surging demand,” he said.

    Hua, also president of the China National School of Administration, said the annual China-Europe Senior Forum on Government Management was initiated in 2004 and had exerted positive impact on bilateral ties.

    The forum this year attracted more than 300 government officials and experts from 10 countries and regions around the world.

    The three-day forum will focus on topics such as reform of the public sector, governing in accordance with law, government performance and management, and government accountability.

    MACAO, Nov. 13 (Xinhua) — Edmund Ho Hau Wah, chief executive of the Macao Special Administrative Region (MSAR), here on Tuesday vowed to enhance the public participation in social affairs.

    The official said in his annual policy address that the MSAR government in the coming year is to set up community bodies to promote the public consultations on the governmental administration.

    He pledged to increase the administrative transparency and to strengthen the information broadcasting capability.

    He also promised to boost the citizen education to cement the base of a healthy society.

    BEIJING, Nov. 13 (Xinhua) — China will take a green approach to developing its energy-devouring mining sector, according to Chinese Vice Premier Zeng Peiyan.

    In a congratulation letter to the 2007 China International Mining Conference that opened in Beijing on Tuesday, Zeng said the country will unveil more measures targeting environmental protection at mines and greater energy savings.

    To achieve this, the nation will boost international cooperation in mining exploration and development, he added.

    Xu Shaoshi, Minister of Land and Resources, addressing the opening ceremony of the three-day meeting, said the government will order all mining firms to put aside funds for environmental restoration around mines.

    ”We will deepen reform of the compensation system for mineral development, promote more advanced technologies and better use mine waste,” he said.

    China’s mining sector has experienced strong growth this year as investment in mining exploration totaled 316.2 billion yuan (42.6 billion U.S. dollars) in the first nine months, said Vice Minister of Land and Resources Wang Min. The figure for investment in mining processing was 653.3 billion yuan during the period.

    BEIJING, Nov. 13 (Xinhua) — China on Tuesday urged the United States to immediately cancel arms sale programs, stop arms sales and military links with Taiwan.

    Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesman Liu Jianchao made the remarks when asked to comment on U.S. Department of Defense’s recent announcement of planning to sell 3 sets of Patriot II anti-missile equipment upgrade systems and affiliated equipments worth of 939 million U.S. dollars to Taiwan.

    China firmly opposes to arms sales by the U.S. government to Taiwan, and had already raised strong objection and solemn representations to the United States, said Liu, noting that this has been a consistent and clear stance of China.

    China urged the United States to take actual actions to carry out the three China-U.S. joint communiqu¨¦s, honor its commitment made to China on the issue of Taiwan, and stop sending any misleading signals to the separatist forces seeking for Taiwan Independence, Liu said, affirming that China reserved rights for taking further measures.

    Regardless of China’s solemn stance and firm opposition, the United States took wrong actions in a row to sell the the P-3C anti submarine warfare aircraft, the Patriot II antimissile equipment upgrade systems and other advanced weapons, Liu said.

    Such wrongdoing severely violated the U.S. government’s commitments made to China in the joint communiqu¨¦ signed between the two countries on Aug. 17, 1982, rudely interfered in China’s internal affairs, endangered Chinese national security and peaceful unification, also disturbed the improvement and development of China-U.S. relations, Liu stressed.

    Noting that the Taiwan situation is highly complicated and sensitive, Liu said Chen Shui-bian’s obstinate promotion of a “referendum” on Taiwan’s bid to enter the United Nations, seeking membership in the UN under the name of Taiwan as well as other separatist activities attempting for Taiwan independence seriously threatened the peace and stability across the Taiwan Straits.

China urges U.S. to cancel arms sales to Taiwan

    BEIJING, Sept. 16 (Xinhua) — China on Sunday voiced its strong dissatisfaction and resolute opposition to the U.S. tentative plans of arms sales to Taiwan and urges the United States to immediately cancel the plans.

    Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu said China firmly opposes the U.S. arms sales to Taiwan. “Our position is consistent and clear,” she said.  Full story

    BEIJING, Nov. 13 (Xinhua) — Lucky Film Co. Ltd., China’s largest photo film producer, has ended its four-year partnership with Eastman Kodak Co., the Chinese company said on Tuesday.

    According to an agreement signed between Kodak and Lucky Film last week, the American photo giant was given a seven percent stake in the Shanghai-listed firm. This offer was promised several years ago by the Chinese company in exchange for an emulsion production line on Nov. 8.

    Kodak sold all its 20 percent share of Lucky Film, including the newly-acquired seven percent stake, to a Chinese venture capital company based in Guangzhou, capital of south China’s Guangdong Province, for 37 million U.S. dollars, Lucky Film announced.

    The Lucky Film Group, the Chinese firm’s parent company who gave out the seven percent, remained Lucky Film’s top shareholder with a 43.16 percent stake, followed by the Guangzhou venture capital company, the announcement said.

    Kodak is now undergoing a lengthy and expensive transformation into a manufacturer of digital cameras and printing services. Since late 2003, the Rochester, New York-based company has focused on the expanding market for digital devices, hoping to outpace the drop in demand for film.

    Lucky film has also seen a sharp drop in its earnings in recent years. Its profits recovered a little last year, primarily from growth in its digital photo business.

    Kodak’s pullout from Lucky allows the Chinese firm to start a long-awaited stock reform that will permit holders of non-listed shares in the company to float their shares on the stock exchange, analysts said.

    The two initially combined forces in 2003 in a cooperation plan worth 100 million U.S. dollars.

    Kodak also announced last month that it will end its Olympic sponsorship after the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. The move is part of a redirection of the company’s marketing strategies from photographic film to digital products.

    The company has been one of 12 top-tier sponsors of the sporting spectacular for some 20 years, linking its logo and advertising with marketing efforts for the Olympics.