Briefs, March 2, 2013

Higher learning urged among party members

Communist Party general secretary Xi Jinping yesterday called on members to enhance their ability to handle new problems and challenges through study and practice. Speaking at a gathering held to mark the 80th anniversary of the founding of the Party School, Xi told officials that it was "basic preparation" to be well versed in Marxist theory, and laws and regulations. "Our learning should be comprehensive, systematic and full of the spirit of exploration," he said. Xinhua

Funds for poor with medical emergencies

The central government will set up funds to subsidise emergency medical fees incurred by the poor, the State Council said in a guideline. The move came amid efforts to help patients whose inability to pay medical bills has resulted in hospitals overlooking them or refusing treatment. The funds will be used to cover emergency treatments for acute illnesses or serious injuries among the poor and patients whose identities have not been confirmed, said Sun Zhigang, director of the State Council's health reform office. Xinhua

Second chance for a woman in space

The crew of three astronauts who will board a Shenzhen spacecraft and dock with the Tiangong space lab module this summer was likely to include a woman, Xinhua reported. Zhou Jianping , chief engineer of China's manned space programme, said crew screenings had begun amid hopes a female astronaut could be chosen. The crew would spend 12 days in the space module - two days longer than the previous flight last year - during their 15-day journey, Zhou said. In a first for Chinese astronauts, the crew would produce live video feeds for high-school students. The launch was scheduled between June and August. Stephen Chen

Union targets staff of global accounting firms

The state-backed trade union plans to expand into yet another bastion of capitalism, targeting the Big Four accounting firms and their 40,000 employees on the mainland, media reports and the companies said. The All-China Federation of Trade Unions made a push into foreign firms four years ago and has a presence in most with a manufacturing or retail base. The push to unionise PriceWater houseCoopers, Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu, Ernst & Young and KPMG came from the ACFTU's Shanghai chapter, which decided in January to extend into all top global firms. Reuters