Odd proposals

Ban foreign language classes in kindergartens

A Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) delegate has suggested banning the teaching of foreign languages at kindergartens, the Beijing Times reports. Ling Zi, deputy director of the Ministry of Education's Chinese Confucian Academy and the daughter of late marshal Ye Jianying, said students experienced their 'golden period' of study in kindergarten and primary school, and should focus on learning their mother tongue and Chinese culture. They could learn foreign languages after primary school, she said.

Luxury-car drivers must foot bill after collision

Zeng Qinghong , a National People's Congress (NPC) deputy from Guangdong, has proposed that the owners of luxury cars be required to pay for some repairs themselves if the drivers of ordinary cars that crash into them cannot afford the bills, the Guangzhou Daily reports. Zeng, general manager of the Guangzhou Automobile Group, suggested improving legislation to protect ordinary car owners, such as by expanding vehicle insurance coverage and setting the maximum compensation that luxury car owners can receive.

Reject proposal for standardised textbooks

CPPCC delegate Tang Sulan has suggested on her blog that the Ministry of Education should drop its plan to order primary and middle schools across the country to adopt the same Chinese, history and politics textbooks. The ministry announced the plan two years ago, saying it would standardise such textbooks in the next few years to promote the correct ideological line. Tang said the move would be a setback for cultural diversity and could stifle creativity.

Entice mainland workers back with tax breaks

Nice Group president Zhuang Qichuan, a CPPCC delegate, wants to entice emigrants back to the mainland to boost its talent pool. He said about a quarter of people he knew had emigrated, and 40 to 45 per cent of the rest were preparing to do so. Most were rich people who were concerned about property rights, food safety, air pollution and education. 'If these people are gone, taking capital with them, it will seriously affect the upgrading of China's industry,' he said. Zhuang suggested the drafting of detailed regulations to protect people's property rights and giving tax breaks to those who returned from abroad.

Cut down on cliched starts in CPCC speeches

Shao Binren, deputy director of the CPPCC's Population, Resources and Environment Committee, has criticised delegates who always start their speeches with the words 'respected leaders' when government leaders attend their meetings, the China Youth Daily reports. He also opposed measuring the CPPCC's performance by looking at whether proposals had been read and commented on by those leaders.

Resurrect centuries-old Nanjing universities

Professor Gao Shu , a CPPCC delegate from Nanjing University, has proposed the reopening of colleges that were renowned during the republican era (1912-1949), but later merged into Nanjing University, Xinhua reports. To mark the university's 110th anniversary this year, Gao suggested reopening the private University of Nanking, founded in Nanjing in 1888 by American churches, and some other colleges with similar backgrounds.

Curb tax evasion by offering receipt rewards

Economist Hong Meixiang, a CPPCC delegate, wants more prizes offered on invoices to cut tax evasion by businesses, Xinhua reports. Hong said some vendors persuaded customers not to claim invoices by charging less as a way to cheat taxes. But Hong noted that the slim chance of winning a prize from a receipt could make some people less keen to demand them. Hong suggested that the government strengthen invoice management and increase public demand for invoices.