Under Investigation

(XINHUA)

Ling Jihua, a senior Party official and national political advisor, is now under investigation for "suspected serious disciplinary violation."

 The Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Commission for Discipline Inspection announced the investigation in a brief statement on December 22, 2014.

Ling, 58, is vice chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference National Committee and head of the United Front Work Department of the CPC Central Committee. Between 2007 and 2012, Ling served as head of the General Office of the CPC Central Committee.

Rich Get Richer

Chinese mainland super-rich are closing the wealth-accumulation gap with overseas Chinese millionaires, according to a report released on December 22.

The report compared mainland super-rich and their overseas counterparts in regions of Southeast Asia, Europe, Taiwan and Hong Kong.

From 2008 to 2013, the incomes of the top 180 richest people on the mainland expanded four times faster than that of the top 180 richest overseas Chinese expatriates, said the report, which also referred to research by the Hurun Report and Forbes lists.

The report was first published by Huaqiao University in 2010, this is the fourth time the study has been undertaken.

Railway Standards

The National Railway Administration (NRA) on December 22, 2014, officially unveiled the country's first design specification standards for high-speed rail links.

The administration laid down standards for nearly 20 fields involved in the design and construction of lines for bullet trains running at the speed of 250-350 km per hour.

The NRA's specifications come from domestic experience as well as advice from foreign experts.

China has seen rapid development in the construction of high-speed railways and it is now eyeing selling equipment and technology it has developed to foreign markets.

Taking effect on February 1, 2015, the specifications will lay a solid foundation for railway enterprises to explore the overseas market, according to the NRA statement.

Smartphone Users

China boasts more than half a billion smartphone users, an official with the State Internet Information Office (SIIO) said.

The country has 1.3 billion cellphone users, said Wang Xiangrong, Deputy Director of the website information broadcasting department under SIIO, China's Web regulator.

With smartphones becoming more affordable and improved telecommunication services, three of every 10 smartphone users in the world are Chinese, Wang said on December 18, 2014, at an Internet industry conference held in Beijing.

"More than 40 percent of China's citizens will access the Internet through their cellphones in 2015," said Wang.

New Nature Reserves

China has set up 21 new state-level nature reserves, increasing the country's total conservation area to nearly 10 percent of the country's land territory.

A circular approving the new reserves was issued on December 23, 2014, by the State Council General Office.

The newly established nature reserves, with a total area of more than 6,200 square km, are scattered across 15 provinces and autonomous regions, including Liaoning, Fujian and Henan provinces and Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.

The reserves will become sanctuaries of 35 state-level endangered animal species, such as the Manchurian tiger, giant panda and golden monkey, as well as 12 kinds of rare wild plants.

The number of national nature reserves has now reached 428, covering 930,000 square km.

The reserves are important in protecting biodiversity and implementing international conventions, the circular said.