China Digest
A graffiti-covered wall on Hongxing Road - a popular business area in Hefei - was suddenly painted grey last week, sparking outrage among local residents and nearby shopkeepers, the reports. The wall was often photographed, and it helped draw shoppers to the area. Local urban management authorities said they were not responsible for removing the graffiti, but they have since set up boards on the walls that will be used for government-approved slogans and adverts.
Anhui took the lead in a pilot programme initiated by the State Council that aims to put chief quality officers in medium-sized to large companies to ensure product safety, China National Radio reports. Three companies in Anhui already have a CQO, and there will be 140 such positions across the mainland by tomorrow. CQOs have the right to veto decisions by the company if they threaten product quality, and the officer will be held accountable if any quality-related accidents occur.
City education authorities have ordered an end to all training programmes designed to prepare young students for a national-level maths olympiad that is no longer held, as the students' performance in the training has still been widely used as a reference for students applying for middle school, reports.
All drinking water resources in suburban areas of the city that were damaged by torrential rain and flooding on July 21 are clean and safe to use, the reports. Additionally, authorities said that all 1,389 people injured during the storm have recovered. At least 78 people died during the freak storm.
1 million yuan in trades.
A new law in Foshan bans beggars and homeless people from public venues such as squares, bus stations, ports, sport centres, theatres and parks, the reports. The move is part of the city's efforts to make the streets look cleaner, but it has also come under fire, with some people saying it shows that the city's legislators don't care about less fortunate citizens.
The driver of a long-haul double-decker bus was killed and five passengers were injured when the bus slammed into the back of a freight truck on Tuesday in Zhengzhou , China News Service reports. Two passengers remain in hospital with serious injuries. The Zhengzhou Transportation Group, which owns the bus, said it was not overloaded, nor was the driver overworked.
A gypsum plant in Jingmen is being accused of exploiting people with mental and physical disabilities, by forcing them to do hard manual labour without pay, the reports. One worker said that more than 10 people who worked at the plant were given only noodles every day, and that most of them were deaf or dumb. However, the plant owner said the workers were there by choice and received 500 yuan a month.
Six people died in an accident at a coal mine near Changji city on Tuesday night, China News Service reports. Details of the accident were not given, but another six people were being treated at a local hospital. The privately owned Hongxing Coal Mine has an annual production capacity of 90,000 tonnes. The owner was detained by police.
Police in Xuanwei recently busted an online-based pyramid scheme involving more than 5 million yuan, China News Service reports. A total of 55 people were detained. Police began investigating after receiving reports in May that people were being recruited to invest 50,000 yuan in an online business venture, with promises of high returns.
Provincial authorities are following through on a plan requiring residents to provide identification when buying cold and flu medicine containing ephedrine, starting September 10, the reports. The ephedrine can be extracted and used to make methamphetamine. Criminals often buy medicines in bulk to produce the dangerous drug.
The Wenzhou government tried to sell 52 pieces of land, totalling 215 hectares, at a recent promotional conference, sparking suspicion that the government was trying to offset declining revenue, China News Service reports. Purchasing agreements for 10 sites were signed at the event on Saturday.
