IN BRIEF

Sports

Skating body denies age fraud

Chinese skating authorities denied allegations of age-limit violations against 2006 Winter Olympic pairs silver medalists Zhang Dan and Zhang Hao - among others - but said further investigations are under way.

"The Chinese Skating Association opposes all kinds of age cheating. According to our investigation, the ages of Zhang Dan and Zhang Hao that were registered for international events were their real ages," it said in a statement.

The Associated Press reported on Feb 15 that nine Chinese figure skaters may have violated competition age-limit rules, by competing where they were either too young or too old.

WildLife

Drug firm targeted for bear bile

Animal protectionists are trying to prevent a pharmaceutical company in East China's Fujian province from getting publicly listed, arguing that any company that makes a profit from using bear bile is inhumane and is acting against the protection of black bears.

The foundation was quoted by AFP as saying that the pharmaceutical company, Guizhentang, is hoping to raise 70 million yuan (7.8 million euros) through a public listing to increase production of bear bile.

The group has appealed to the Fujian's securities regulator to block the listing, it said.

An official with the environment protection department in Fujian has confirmed that the Quanzhou-based Guizhentang had passed the environmental protection inspection in 2010 for issuing stocks, Beijing Youth Daily reported.

Regulation

New rule for conferences

International conferences held in China will be subject to stricter approval procedures and sterner budgetary oversight, according to a joint notice issued by the ministries of finance and foreign affairs.

Any bid to hold international conferences must be approved by the relevant authorities, the notice said, and events lacking substantial content will not be permitted, it added.

The notice also forbids conferences being held purely under reciprocal arrangements by domestic or foreign partners.

Events held under this arrangement, where, for example, a meeting is held in China after being held in another country the year before, must be evaluated for their importance and sustainability, the notice said.

China Daily