In Brief

thugs attack workers at Hong Kong-owned factory

Police in the town of Zhongtang in Dongguan , Guangdong, have been accused of standing by while more than 100 men launched a pre-dawn attack on Monday on a Hong Kong-owned factory at the centre of an ownership dispute. Newwahpack Paper Products manager Hung Yuen-ming said police had, however, given an assurance that the attack would not be repeated and had asked the factory to reassure workers.

A factory security guard said an alarm went off at about 4am on Monday, waking workers who found more than 100 men breaking down the factory gate. The attackers surrounded security chief Zeng Xiaoyong and beat him to the ground and went on to hit anyone in their way, injuring 17 workers so seriously they had to be sent to hospital for treatment of broken bones, the guard said. Ivan Zhai

contests to spread word about travel manners

China's National Tourism Administration has beefed up its campaign to improve mainlanders' manners in the run-up to the Beijing Olympics, ordering lower-level authorities yesterday to quickly implement two recently issued guidelines.

The Chinese Citizens Civic Behaviour Guide for Travel Abroad and the Chinese Citizens Civic Behaviour Treaty for Home Travel, issued on Monday, should be displayed at hotels, travel agencies, scenic spots and on tourist vehicles, it said.