Ex-FM Spokesman's New Challenge

Liu Jianchao, former chief foreign ministry spokesman of China, has been appointed the 13th Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines since the two countries established diplomatic ties in 1975.

Liu, 45, studied international relations at Oxford University from 1986 to 1987. He began to serve as spokesman of the Chinese Foreign Ministry in June 2002 and remained at the post until this January. He is so far the longest-serving spokesman of the ministry.

Liu is known for his communication skills, which are expected to help him deal with the ongoing territorial dispute between China and the Philippines.

Philanthropist Calls for Infrastructure

Chen Guangbiao, a businessman who is on Forbes Asia's recently published "Heroes of Philanthropy" list, has made headlines with a call for the building of 1,000 schools and 2,000 clinics across the country to help the poor, especially those from minority ethnic groups.

Chen, a member of the 11th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, proposed the ambitious poverty-relief program at the annual session of this top advisory body of China.

Chen, 39, Chief Executive of Jiangsu Huangpu Investment Corp., is known as "China's No.1 Philanthropist." He has donated more than 475 million yuan ($68 million) to various charity programs over the past decade, which benefited more than 200,000 needy people.

Top Fencing Coach Stays

French fencing coach Christian Bauer renewed his contract with the China Fencing Association on March 9, which allows him to remain as head coach of the Chinese saber team over the next four years.

According to Bauer, he expects bigger success in China because Chinese fencers still have much room to improve.

Bauer, 58, is one of the most successful foreign coaches in China. Two years after he took over the Chinese saber team in 2006, he led them to gold and silver Olympic medals in Beijing last August. The gold was China's first in the sport in 24 years.

Bauer has trained hundreds of elite fencers. He coached France to world titles in 1997 and 1999. In the Athens Olympics in 2004, his Italian pupil Aldo Montano won a gold.