IN BRIEF

Dancers in traditional costume perform during a ceremony at Potala Palace Square in Lhasa on July 19 to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the peaceful liberation of Tibet. Vice-President Xi Jinping, heading a 59-member central government delegation, attended the ceremony. [Zou Hong / China Daily]

China lambasts US over Dalai Lama

China has accused the United States of interfering in its affairs and damaging relations after US President Barack Obama met with the Dalai Lama, despite China's strong objections.

The meeting has "grossly interfered in China's internal affairs, hurt the feelings of Chinese people and damaged Sino-US relations," Foreign Ministry spokesman Ma Zhaoxu said in a statement. "China expresses its strong indignation and resolute objection."

"We demand that the US seriously consider China's stance, immediately adopt measures to wipe out the baneful impact, stop interfering in China's internal affairs and cease to connive and support anti-China separatist forces that seek 'Tibet independence'."

Environment

Nation launches carbon trading

The nation will start a pilot carbon emissions trading project in the hopes of creating a full-fledged carbon emissions trading market, said Xie Zhenhua, vice-minister of the National Development and Reform Commission, the country's top economic planner.

China will establish a standardized system for conserving energy and protecting the environment, and tighten regulations on identifying and labeling low-carbon products.

Xie made the announcement at the Eco-Forum Global Guiyang 2011 in the capital of Southwest China's Guizhou province on July 17.

The government would provide more incentives, such as preferential tax policies, for companies to develop energy-conservation technologies and products. It will also try to boost financial support for green energy efforts and manage growth in energy-intensive industries.

Population

Experts call for population curbs

China's think tanks called on July 18 for stronger steps to control the capital's rapidly increasing population. They said pressures on the population are likely to become greater in the next 20 years.

The rising population will likely be the focus for Beijing administrators during the period covered by the municipality's 12th Five-Year Plan (2011-2015), according to the "Annual Report on Analysis of Beijing Society-Building", which was published by the Social Sciences Academic Press on July 18.

Since 2000, the capital's population has increased by 700,000 residents a year on average, which is

putting strains on economic, social and environmental resources, the report says.

Beijing's population density has surpassed London's - at 5,437 persons per each square kilometer - and Tokyo's - at 5,984 persons per each sq km.

Science

Submersible to make test dive

The ship carrying China's deep-diving submersible Jiaolong reached the northwestern area of the Pacific Ocean on July 16 where the submersible will make a 5,000-meter dive.

The submersible is the world's first manned submersible designed to reach depths of 7,000 meters, said Xu Qinan, the submersible's chief designer.

During the dive, the submersible will undergo several operational tests in which it will take photos, shoot video, survey seabeds and take samples from the ocean floor, said Jin Jiancai, deputy director of the submersible's diving test program team.

Crime

Police kill rioters in Xinjiang

Police killed 14 rioters and captured four others who had attacked a police station in Hotan, a city in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, on July 18, local government officials said on July 20.

Hou Hanmin, chief of the autonomous region's information office, say the incident was "a severe terrorist attack". "It was obviously a long-planned, unprovoked, terrorist attack, aimed at the police station," Hou said.

Eighteen rioters slipped into the city on July 16 and bought or made the knives, explosives and other weapons they would later use in the attack, according to the results of the government's initial investigation.

Policy

New rules committee formed

The Ministry of Commerce is establishing a policy consulting committee to improve the process of drafting and implementing laws and regulations amid an increasingly complex domestic and global economic and trade environment.

The policy consultancy committee, the ministry's first, will have 22 experts specializing in areas such as finance and taxation, macroeconomics, trade, the world economy and foreign affairs.

The panel "will help us draft rules and regulations in a more scientific way and standardize the decision-making process by distilling the brainpower and research of the committee members", said Commerce Minister Chen Deming.

China Daily