December 30, 2011 Filed under Debate
By Huang Daohen
Fang Yan, 23, from Zhejiang Province, was working for Datang, a Beijing-based mobile firm, when she died suddenly on December 16 – apparently from work-related stress.
According to her doctor Yu Ying, Fang died due to internal bleeding caused by a stomach ulcer, Beijing Youth Daily reported.
Yu said stress and irregular eating habits were to blame for the ulcer. “The ulcer was on the artery and caused massive bleeding that led to the death,” Yu said.
Fang’s symptoms had been diagnosed weeks ago. She complained on her microblog, under name of Aimee_Fang, that she was constantly working overtime and suffering severe stomachaches for the past month.
“Washing my hair before going to bed gives me migraines,” she wrote. “Eating after 9 o’clock each night gives me gastric hemorrhages. I’m only 23, but so unhealthy.”
Datang said in a statement that the company is usually busy at the end of the year, but working overtime is not required. The company said it granted Fang sick leave the day before she died. Fang was found dead later in her apartment by her boyfriend.
Fang’s death has sparked a wave of debate over stress caused by overwork. Recent years have seen an increase in deaths from both physical and mental overwork.
In April, Pan Jie, a 25-year-old female auditor at PricewaterhouseCoopers’ Shanghai branch, died of viral encephalitis, 10 days after she asked for a sick leave because of high fever.
The most notorious case occurred at the manufacturing giant Foxconn, where more than 13 workers attempted suicide, resulting in 11 deaths.
The country’s law states that overtime should not exceed three hours per day, but so-called “voluntary overtime” is common.
A balance of work and health
It’s true that health is important, but in some labor intensive industries, working long hours is the sacrifice people make to earn a great wage.
Would they be willing to take a 50 percent pay cut so the companies can employ more workers to share their pressure and ensure they only work 40 hours a week?
For anyone who has a job, balancing work, life and health has always been and will always be a major concern.
– Lillian Chen, PR consultant
Bosses are responsible
Employers should take some responsibility for their workers’ health. Nowadays, overwork is so common for young people. No doubt these people will suffer aftereffects. And if you’re feeling sick, speak up and get some rest.
– Ren Xianwen, local retiree
Putting the cart before the horse
The incident sparked heated discussions online because many people see themselves facing the young woman’s sad fate: sacrificing health and rest for work and survival, especially those leaving home for work.
Nowadays, office workers are under so much pressure that they push themselves so hard. But many don’t realize that a high salary is just a means of improving living standards. Sacrificing life for income is no more than putting the cart before the horse.
– Paul Minter, American teacher
Care for ourselves
It’s a tragedy to lose someone so young. No one should have to pay such a price for their work, though it is what we live by and live for. However, we should give up our habits of staying up late at night, spending too much time on the Internet, and excessive drinking and smoking. While we think we are making the best of our youth, what we are actually doing is exhausting our health.
Care for ourselves from now on. Health is the most important thing. Without health there is nothing.
– Cao Linlin, host at
Liaoning Radio and Television
Warning to workaholics
Whether Fang’s death is caused by overwork or negligence of her own health, everyone should learn from this. Remember to relax when dealing with high-pressure situations.
It’s also a warning to workaholics that a heavy workload should never be the excuse that keeps you from eating regularly. After all, there is always more work to be finished, but no more life to live. Only when you have good health can you work and live more efficiently and effectively.
– Robert Chen, media editor
By Huang Daohen
Fang Yan, 23, from Zhejiang Province, was working for Datang, a Beijing-based mobile firm, when she died suddenly on December 16 – apparently from work-related stress.
According to her doctor Yu Ying, Fang died due to internal bleeding caused by a stomach ulcer, Beijing Youth Daily reported.
Fang Yan
Yu said stress and irregular eating habits were to blame for the ulcer. “The ulcer was on the artery and caused massive bleeding that led to the death,” Yu said.
Fang’s symptoms had been diagnosed weeks ago. She complained on her microblog, under name of Aimee_Fang, that she was constantly working overtime and suffering severe stomachaches for the past month.
“Washing my hair before going to bed gives me migraines,” she wrote. “Eating after 9 o’clock each night gives me gastric hemorrhages. I’m only 23, but so unhealthy.”
Datang said in a statement that the company is usually busy at the end of the year, but working overtime is not required. The company said it granted Fang sick leave the day before she died. Fang was found dead later in her apartment by her boyfriend.
Fang’s death has sparked a wave of debate over stress caused by overwork. Recent years have seen an increase in deaths from both physical and mental overwork.
In April, Pan Jie, a 25-year-old female auditor at PricewaterhouseCoopers’ Shanghai branch, died of viral encephalitis, 10 days after she asked for a sick leave because of high fever.
The most notorious case occurred at the manufacturing giant Foxconn, where more than 13 workers attempted suicide, resulting in 11 deaths.
The country’s law states that overtime should not exceed three hours per day, but so-called “voluntary overtime” is common.
December 30, 2011 Filed under Debate
Honoring a traitor
A notorious figure of the Song Dynasty (960-1279), Qin Hui is still courting controversy hundreds of years after his death.
Qin is known for his part in the execution of national hero General Yue Fei. His statue at the Jiangning Museum of Nanjing has divided public opinion.
Unveiled earlier this year, the museum invited an artist to mold statues for Qin Hui and his wife, turning their original posture from kneeling to sitting. The name of the work is “Kneeling for 492 years, Qin Hui wants to stand up for a rest.”
Many argue the statue should depict Qin kneeling because he was a traitor to his country. Others argue even sinners should not be deprived of basic human rights.
Xie Zuoshi, professor at Zhejiang University of Finance and Economics, said the new statue is proper.
Qin was undoubtedly guilty and deserved to be punished, but the museum’s move shows how civilized Chinese society is.
Sai Xiaotao, senior editor at Cenn.cn, said the museum is only using Qin’s name to attract tourists. (Agencies)
A notorious figure of the Song Dynasty (960-1279), Qin Hui is still courting controversy hundreds of years after his death.
Qin is known for his part in the execution of national hero General Yue Fei. His statue at the Jiangning Museum of Nanjing has divided public opinion.
Unveiled earlier this year, the museum invited an artist to mold statues for Qin Hui and his wife, turning their original posture from kneeling to sitting. The name of the work is “Kneeling for 492 years, Qin Hui wants to stand up for a rest.”
Many argue the statue should depict Qin kneeling because he was a traitor to his country. Others argue even sinners should not be deprived of basic human rights.
Xie Zuoshi, professor at Zhejiang University of Finance and Economics, said the new statue is proper.
Qin was undoubtedly guilty and deserved to be punished, but the museum’s move shows how civilized Chinese society is.
Sai Xiaotao, senior editor at Cenn.cn, said the museum is only using Qin’s name to attract tourists.
(Agencies)
December 30, 2011 Filed under Debate
US education system a complete mess?
Peking University president Zhou Qifeng recnetly slammed the American education system, saying it was in “complete mess,” inviting sharp criticism from the country’s microbloggers who termed his comments hypocritical and arrogant.
“The US education system is a complete mess, even the president of the country hasn’t learned to respect others and uses force to get others to follow his will,” Zhou told a audience of students during a speech in Changsha, Hunan Province.
Zhou said China’s education system, on the other hand, is a success. “The reason our country has been making progress is we keep producing talent within our education system,” Zhou said.
Although Zhou later emphasized that his speech was twisted out of context by the media and was not meant as an attack on the US education system, his remarks drew criticism.
“Since US education is bad in your opinion, why did you choose to study in the US for your Master’s and doctorate degrees? As a graduate of Peking University, I am ashamed of your remarks,” one commenter said.
Zhou got his Master’s and Ph.D. from the University of Massachusetts.
Jiang Shuye, a publisher at an educational book company in Beijing, said Zhou might try to find out why more Chinese college graduates are choosing to pursue higher education in the US.
Peking University president Zhou Qifeng recnetly slammed the American education system, saying it was in “complete mess,” inviting sharp criticism from the country’s microbloggers who termed his comments hypocritical and arrogant.
“The US education system is a complete mess, even the president of the country hasn’t learned to respect others and uses force to get others to follow his will,” Zhou told a audience of students during a speech in Changsha, Hunan Province.
Zhou said China’s education system, on the other hand, is a success. “The reason our country has been making progress is we keep producing talent within our education system,” Zhou said.
Although Zhou later emphasized that his speech was twisted out of context by the media and was not meant as an attack on the US education system, his remarks drew criticism.
“Since US education is bad in your opinion, why did you choose to study in the US for your Master’s and doctorate degrees? As a graduate of Peking University, I am ashamed of your remarks,” one commenter said.
Zhou got his Master’s and Ph.D. from the University of Massachusetts.
Jiang Shuye, a publisher at an educational book company in Beijing, said Zhou might try to find out why more Chinese college graduates are choosing to pursue higher education in the US.
December 23, 2011 Filed under Debate
By Zhao Hongyi
Last weekend, the municipal government released new regulations for microblogs that require all users to register with their real names and biographical information.
Officials say those refuse to register with their real names will not be able to open their own accounts, send messages and leave comments.
Those who submit inaccurate personal information are subject to legal penalties, including fines.
Part of the reason for these regulations is to prevent people from “buying” fans. Many celebrities have done just that to boost their popularity, or to make it look like they have more followers than they actually do.
The Press Office, Public Security Bureau, Communications Bureau and Internet Information Office of the municipal government jointly announced the new regulations on Sunday.
They said they will help all websites in Beijing to clear their microblog accounts and implement the regulation in the next three months.
Microblogs are changing the way news gets disseminated. The new regulations are sure to hit China’s users hard.
As of the end of November, China has 320 million registered microbloggers – or 65 percent of Internet users in this country – according to statistics from the National Internet Management Office.
Microblogs have replaced online forums as the second biggest source of information about scandals, after traditional news outlets.
But microblogs have also become the source of rumors and misinformation.
Public security forces have closed down many microblogs in their various campaigns to clean the Internet.
Real-name registration has been used in other areas before, including online forums and blogs, but it always attracts controversy.
Earlier this year, Beijing adopted real-name registration for the purchase of train tickets, a plan that turned out to be a success and is being emulated in other cities.
A positive step
I believe real-name registration is a positive development in our efforts to clear the Internet of false rumors, personal attacks and porn. I believe we’ll find more reliable news, constructive criticism, objective comments and frank communication online.
– Gao Fusheng, commentator, China Youth Daily
Big Brother expanding its reach
The real-name registration will force you to leave your records and backgrounds to the websites. Once anything unusual happens, the police will find you easily. In addition, I can’t believe they want to give these websites our personal information – forever.
– Xiao Qiang, netizen, Beijing
An attack on bad netizens
I don’t think the Chinese government has any intention of tightening its control on netizens. It’s merely a censure of netizens who act irresponsibly, who spread false rumors and pornography, and who use their microblogs for commercial gain. The new regulation will help us to clear the microblog platform and give us a broader space to communicate and exchange ideas.
– Wang Jun,
professor of social sciences, Peking University
The core issue is morality of
our country’s citizens
The core issue and problem here is the failing morality of some people, not only on the Internet but in nearly every aspect of life. I’m not sure this real-name registration system will change anything.
– Chen Yongdong,
editor, soft6.com
Use of microblogs has been growing rapidly in China. Xu Zhengchang/IC Photo
By Zhao Hongyi
Last weekend, the municipal government released new regulations for microblogs that require all users to register with their real names and biographical information.
Officials say those refuse to register with their real names will not be able to open their own accounts, send messages and leave comments.
Those who submit inaccurate personal information are subject to legal penalties, including fines.
Part of the reason for these regulations is to prevent people from “buying” fans. Many celebrities have done just that to boost their popularity, or to make it look like they have more followers than they actually do.
The Press Office, Public Security Bureau, Communications Bureau and Internet Information Office of the municipal government jointly announced the new regulations on Sunday.
They said they will help all websites in Beijing to clear their microblog accounts and implement the regulation in the next three months.
December 23, 2011 Filed under Debate
Teacher fired for demanding printed apology
A teacher at a primary school in Dalian, Liaoning Province has reportedly lost his job after forcing a student to make a public apology to him in a newspaper, eliciting online debate over ethics in the teaching profession.
The apology was posted as a classified ad in Dalian Evening News on Monday: “Teacher Liang, I am XXX. I apologize to you for what I did. I know I’ve hurt you. Please forgive me.”
The teacher had overheard the student call him a fool. He initially asked the student and his parents to apologize to him within two weeks. When this deadline passed, he insisted the apology be printed in the local newspaper.
Liang was subsequently dismissed by the school for his demand.
The incident has drawn different responses. The grandfather of one student at the school in question considered Liang’s dismissal to be too severe. A guard at the school blamed the media attention for the teacher losing his job, saying, “Liang has been teaching for about 20 years. He is a nice man and always greets us when he passes the gate.”
Others disagreed with Liang’s action. A retired teacher surnamed Liu thought the punishment for Liang was appropriate and felt standards had slipped from his day.
(Agencies)
A teacher at a primary school in Dalian, Liaoning Province has reportedly lost his job after forcing a student to make a public apology to him in a newspaper, eliciting online debate over ethics in the teaching profession.
The apology was posted as a classified ad in Dalian Evening News on Monday: “Teacher Liang, I am XXX. I apologize to you for what I did. I know I’ve hurt you. Please forgive me.”
The teacher had overheard the student call him a fool. He initially asked the student and his parents to apologize to him within two weeks. When this deadline passed, he insisted the apology be printed in the local newspaper.
Liang was subsequently dismissed by the school for his demand.
The incident has drawn different responses. The grandfather of one student at the school in question considered Liang’s dismissal to be too severe. A guard at the school blamed the media attention for the teacher losing his job, saying, “Liang has been teaching for about 20 years. He is a nice man and always greets us when he passes the gate.”
Others disagreed with Liang’s action. A retired teacher surnamed Liu thought the punishment for Liang was appropriate and felt standards had slipped from his day.
(Agencies)
December 23, 2011 Filed under Debate
Plans to build a museum devoted to contraceptives in a base where teenagers receive military training has created controversy.
Officials are considering building what would be the National Museum of Contraceptives in Rudong County, Jiangsu Province, reported the local Modern Express.
It would include a 10,000-square-meter hall, an education center and a contraceptive theme park – details of which were not provided.
The proposed museum would tell the story of contraception in the country through the ages and detail the achievements of birth control in Rudong County.
But the proposal has been criticized by some nearby residents who claim it would be inappropriate to locate the museum in a suburban area where young people are sent each year for military training.
“Most of the visitors to the base are teenagers or younger children, and I don’t think a contraceptive museum and theme park is suitable for them,” said one concerned netizen.
However, there were also voices of support for the museum, with some netizens arguing that sex education should start early and that teenagers would learn about protection through visiting the museum.
Plans to build a museum devoted to contraceptives in a base where teenagers receive military training has created controversy.
Officials are considering building what would be the National Museum of Contraceptives in Rudong County, Jiangsu Province, reported the local Modern Express.
It would include a 10,000-square-meter hall, an education center and a contraceptive theme park – details of which were not provided.
The proposed museum would tell the story of contraception in the country through the ages and detail the achievements of birth control in Rudong County.
But the proposal has been criticized by some nearby residents who claim it would be inappropriate to locate the museum in a suburban area where young people are sent each year for military training.
“Most of the visitors to the base are teenagers or younger children, and I don’t think a contraceptive museum and theme park is suitable for them,” said one concerned netizen.
However, there were also voices of support for the museum, with some netizens arguing that sex education should start early and that teenagers would learn about protection through visiting the museum.
(Agencies)
December 16, 2011 Filed under Debate
By Huang Daohen
Commercials during TV dramas can be annoying: your favorite shows can be interrupted by a Toyota ad for what seems like the 100th time, and the McDonald’s ad just isn’t that funny anymore.
But here’s some good news: the government recently ordered a ban on broadcasters airing commercials during TV programs lasting more than 45 minutes. Stations that break the ban could face suspension.
The announcement, effective next month, was made by the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television (SARFT). The country’s media watchdog said the move was in line with the spirit of a recent Politburo meeting and came as part of the country’s reform of the cultural sector.
“TV and radio are the mouthpiece of the Party and the people, an important propaganda front in cultural thought,” said a statement on the ministry’s website.
The commercial ban will ensure the continuity of the audience’s viewing experience and in the long run will “help TV dramas develop in a scientific and healthy manner,” it added.
And indeed, commercial-free drama is welcomed by the public. An online survey on Sina Weibo shows that about 91 percent of 10,000-plus respondents are keen to see an end of TV advertising.
They complained that commercials nowadays are becoming increasingly intrusive and “sometimes it’s more like when you watch ads, a TV drama pops up at a sudden,” wrote a netizen named Skywolf.
Still, about 7 percent of respondents oppose the halt, as many believe administrative regulations should not be too involved in the market.
The ban was SARFT’s latest efforts over the past few months to regulate the nation’s increasing commercial breaks. Last month, the ministry halted sex-related commercials on radio and TV. In September, it also told Hunan Television to suspend its talent contest Super Girl.
While more people are going online for entertainment, how will the government’s latest commercial ban affect business? Yao Yin, research director at the local consulting firm Qingxue, said the ban would deal a heavy blow to the television stations.
According to Beijing Youth Daily, about 30 percent of Internet users in China now no longer watch television, and 40 percent are watching less. In Beijing, a survey found that only 38 households out of 100 now have their TVs on every evening, down from 75 out of 100 three years ago.
When people do watch TV, dramas, like love stories or historical sagas, remain the most popular. Yao said the ban would lead to at least a 20 billion yuan loss for the country’s television stations as ads in the middle of TV dramas bring in about 40 to 50 percent of revenue.
Only about 20 percent of the revenue comes from embedded ads.
But Yao said broadcasters would find a way round the ban.
“Like any government policy, it is a double-edged sword. It affects the ad revenue but brings more people to the TV again,” she said.
One possible solution is for stations to lengthen commercial slots before and after each episode, Yao said. Or they could reduce the time of each episode to 30 minutes so they can legally insert ads between the show.
Watch it online
I wonder whether the ban can really work. Thanks to market power, the ads will return via stealth, perhaps being written directly into scripts. That’s happened in the US. When cable television first came out in the States, it said that you would never have to pay for a program, and less than two years later the commercials started appearing: a so-called 30-minute program is filled with 9-mintue commercials.
The suggestion here is to watch TV on the Internet. You can stop it and replay it at any time, but you will have to pay for it eventually unless you watch pirated copies.
– Ronny Rim,
sales representative
Good for the youth
Finally, the government did something. I rarely watch television that much, but when I do with my husband in the evening, it is very annoying to have so many commercials during the program. They somehow appear just after the theme music.
I am not sure if a total ban should be enacted, but certainly fewer commercials should be shown during the programs. The quality of the commercials nowadays is especially terrible, as there are more sex-related commercials.
– Wang Xinzhi, teacher
Caution for obesity
TV shows without commercials is cool but it’s no good for your health. Without commercials, you would probably stick to the TV set, and that will harm your eyesight, especially for children. It will also cause obesity.
Besides, while everyone is sitting in front of the TV set with no one to do the house work, it might create problems for families.
– Hou Lin, local resident
A dilemma
That’s a dilemma. Advertising is a pain, but you can’t have your shows without it. You cannot ban the commercials because that is what pays the dramas. Without commercials, the TV station will not be able to pay the bills to air good shows or make a reasonable profit.
With no revenue, the viewers will need to pay a higher fee for access to programming. There is no free lunch.
– Shirley Jiang,
account executive
Let the market rule
Let the market do its job. The government should stay out and just keep an eye on it. If the government regulates too much, there won’t be a free market. Then the quality of programming might go down, and stations could possibly shut down – though many are funded by the government. It won’t be good for real art or creativity.
The markets will decide what they should do, and they will do what they want. If the viewer does not like a program due to excessive ads then he or she will simply switch the channel. And if all the channels are popping up with too many ads then they can just turn the TV off.
Still, a perfect market needs to be regulated. Otherwise, like some Western economies, it can become chaos and anarchy.
– Chen Junjie, analyst
Viewers can enjoy commercial-free television dramas starting January 1. IC Photo
By Huang Daohen
Commercials during TV dramas can be annoying: your favorite shows can be interrupted by a Toyota ad for what seems like the 100th time, and the McDonald’s ad just isn’t that funny anymore.
But here’s some good news: the government recently ordered a ban on broadcasters airing commercials during TV programs lasting more than 45 minutes. Stations that break the ban could face suspension.
The announcement, effective next month, was made by the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television (SARFT). The country’s media watchdog said the move was in line with the spirit of a recent Politburo meeting and came as part of the country’s reform of the cultural sector.
“TV and radio are the mouthpiece of the Party and the people, an important propaganda front in cultural thought,” said a statement on the ministry’s website.
The commercial ban will ensure the continuity of the audience’s viewing experience and in the long run will “help TV dramas develop in a scientific and healthy manner,” it added.
And indeed, commercial-free drama is welcomed by the public. An online survey on Sina Weibo shows that about 91 percent of 10,000-plus respondents are keen to see an end of TV advertising.
They complained that commercials nowadays are becoming increasingly intrusive and “sometimes it’s more like when you watch ads, a TV drama pops up at a sudden,” wrote a netizen named Skywolf.
Still, about 7 percent of respondents oppose the halt, as many believe administrative regulations should not be too involved in the market.
The ban was SARFT’s latest efforts over the past few months to regulate the nation’s increasing commercial breaks. Last month, the ministry halted sex-related commercials on radio and TV. In September, it also told Hunan Television to suspend its talent contest Super Girl.
While more people are going online for entertainment, how will the government’s latest commercial ban affect business? Yao Yin, research director at the local consulting firm Qingxue, said the ban would deal a heavy blow to the television stations.
According to Beijing Youth Daily, about 30 percent of Internet users in China now no longer watch television, and 40 percent are watching less. In Beijing, a survey found that only 38 households out of 100 now have their TVs on every evening, down from 75 out of 100 three years ago.
When people do watch TV, dramas, like love stories or historical sagas, remain the most popular. Yao said the ban would lead to at least a 20 billion yuan loss for the country’s television stations as ads in the middle of TV dramas bring in about 40 to 50 percent of revenue.
Only about 20 percent of the revenue comes from embedded ads.
But Yao said broadcasters would find a way round the ban.
“Like any government policy, it is a double-edged sword. It affects the ad revenue but brings more people to the TV again,” she said.
One possible solution is for stations to lengthen commercial slots before and after each episode, Yao said. Or they could reduce the time of each episode to 30 minutes so they can legally insert ads between the show.
December 16, 2011 Filed under Debate
A newly elected academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering who is studying how to reduce toxicity in cigarettes has been accused of promoting smoking.
Xie Jianping was dubbed the “killer academician” after his inclusion on a list of new members attracted a rash of complaints on online forums.
The 52-year-old deputy director of the Zhengzhou Tobacco Research Institute studies how to reduce tar and nicotine in cigarettes and uses Chinese herbs to lower toxicity.
Xie has won second prize in the National Science and Technology Progress Award three times. He has also been accredited as an expert making “outstanding contributions” to the tobacco industry and enjoys subsidies from the State Council.
“The election of Xie is a shame to the country’s scientific community and the CAE,” Yang Gonghuan, director of the National Tobacco Control Office, said on her microblog.
“A man who studies how to kill people more efficiently can be an academician?” Yang said. Xie’s studies could mislead the public into believing smoking could be safe and help tobacco producers to sell more, she added.
A newly elected academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering who is studying how to reduce toxicity in cigarettes has been accused of promoting smoking.
Xie Jianping was dubbed the “killer academician” after his inclusion on a list of new members attracted a rash of complaints on online forums.
The 52-year-old deputy director of the Zhengzhou Tobacco Research Institute studies how to reduce tar and nicotine in cigarettes and uses Chinese herbs to lower toxicity.
Xie has won second prize in the National Science and Technology Progress Award three times. He has also been accredited as an expert making “outstanding contributions” to the tobacco industry and enjoys subsidies from the State Council.
“The election of Xie is a shame to the country’s scientific community and the CAE,” Yang Gonghuan, director of the National Tobacco Control Office, said on her microblog.
“A man who studies how to kill people more efficiently can be an academician?” Yang said. Xie’s studies could mislead the public into believing smoking could be safe and help tobacco producers to sell more, she added.
(Agencies)
December 16, 2011 Filed under Debate
Clean up ‘overdue PhDs’
Some 857 PhD students in Chengdu’s Southwest Jiaotong University who have failed to graduate on time are having a difficult time now as school authorities have stepped up roll management for postgraduate students, Chengdu Business reported.
The school has demanded that these students formally apply for extensions. If they still fail to complete their programs on time, they will face expulsion.
According to the university, the candidates had all been enrolled before 2006, with 253, 65 and 2 students having been enrolled in programs for at least 10, 15 and 21 years, respectively.
“I cannot believe this number. How can they not finish their studies in 20 years?” said Liu Ning, a PhD student at the university.
According to the regulations issued by the Ministry of Education in March 2005, the maximum years allowed for completing a degree should be clearly defined by each university.
(Agencies)
Some 857 PhD students in Chengdu’s Southwest Jiaotong University who have failed to graduate on time are having a difficult time now as school authorities have stepped up roll management for postgraduate students, Chengdu Business reported.
The school has demanded that these students formally apply for extensions. If they still fail to complete their programs on time, they will face expulsion.
According to the university, the candidates had all been enrolled before 2006, with 253, 65 and 2 students having been enrolled in programs for at least 10, 15 and 21 years, respectively.
“I cannot believe this number. How can they not finish their studies in 20 years?” said Liu Ning, a PhD student at the university.
According to the regulations issued by the Ministry of Education in March 2005, the maximum years allowed for completing a degree should be clearly defined by each university.
(Agencies)
December 9, 2011 Filed under Debate
By Zhao Hongyi
Beijing Capital International Airport (BCIA) opened 12 of its 36 smoking areas in its three waiting halls over the weekend. The move received mixed responses.
The airport has 36 smoking areas, separated from other public venues by glass and equipped with machines to filter out the smoke.
The purpose of setting up these areas was to prevent people from smoking at the entrances of the halls.
In April, before World No-Tobacco Day, the Beijing Municipal Government launched a campaign to prohibit smoking in public venues. The purpose of the campaign was to end smoking in all public venues by 2014.
The airport shut down its 36 smoking areas in the spirit of the government’s campaign, becoming the first in the country to do so.
But six months later, 12 of the 36 smoking areas have been reopened “under demand from passengers,” said Hou Hongyan, a staff member of the airport management office.
“We faced great pressure from our passengers over the past six months,” Hou said. Some heavy smokers ducked into the bathroom to light up or smoked heavily around entrances.
“These smokers put other passengers at risk of dangerous fires and burdened our staff members,” Hou said.
Many airports, such as those in Hong Kong, Singapore and Tokyo, have designated smoking areas in their international waiting halls, as many foreign passengers need to light up.
But passengers and netizens believe the airport has tarnished its reputation by caving in.
“You shouldn’t have followed the authority’s campaign earlier,” a netizen wrote. “I can’t help but wonder if the airport is trying to have it both ways by pretending to meet the demands of both the government and passengers.”
BCIA had only one small waiting hall before the 1990s. The second hall was built in the late-’90s, and a third was added in 2007 for the Olympics. More than 80 million passengers passed through the three halls in 2010. The number is expected to reach 100 million this year.
Unreasonable to forbid smoking
I support the efforts to forbid smoking, but am not optimistic about the results. You can’t completely get rid of smoking. Passengers and customers have various needs and demands. As the government and airport, you can persuade them to reduce smoking, but forbidding it won’t work.
– Laoyanmin, netizen
Determination of airport?
There are non-smoking airports around the world. The reopening of part of the smoking areas might bring trouble. Are you not determined to be a non-smoking airport? Are you meeting the demand of the authorities to shut down all 36 smoking areas?
The airport should have conducted a comprehensive initiative to shut down the smoking areas and come up with some alternative ways to meet the demands of smokers.
– Yang Jie, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention
Embarrassing
The reopening of smoking areas shows what an embarrassment smoking control efforts are in China. The effort requires the help of the government and citizens alike.
The campaign to persuade smokers to give up their habit is a comprehensive task. We should not let “don’t smoke” be merely a slogan.
– Yang Shouqi,
Xi’an Evening News
Binding laws are needed
The difficulty in preventing smoking comes from smokers’ ignorance of the harmful effects. We have many proposals, initiatives and campaigns, but we don’t have a law to forbid and control smoking, which reduces the effects of these proposals and campaigns.
– Xie Zhiyong, director,
Health Laws Research Center, China University of
Political Science and Law
A smoker enjoys a cigarette in the smoking room of Beijing Capital International Airport. Goh Chaihin/IC Photo
By Zhao Hongyi
Beijing Capital International Airport (BCIA) opened 12 of its 36 smoking areas in its three waiting halls over the weekend. The move received mixed responses.
The airport has 36 smoking areas, separated from other public venues by glass and equipped with machines to filter out the smoke.
The purpose of setting up these areas was to prevent people from smoking at the entrances of the halls.
In April, before World No-Tobacco Day, the Beijing Municipal Government launched a campaign to prohibit smoking in public venues. The purpose of the campaign was to end smoking in all public venues by 2014.
The airport shut down its 36 smoking areas in the spirit of the government’s campaign, becoming the first in the country to do so.
But six months later, 12 of the 36 smoking areas have been reopened “under demand from passengers,” said Hou Hongyan, a staff member of the airport management office.
“We faced great pressure from our passengers over the past six months,” Hou said. Some heavy smokers ducked into the bathroom to light up or smoked heavily around entrances.
“These smokers put other passengers at risk of dangerous fires and burdened our staff members,” Hou said.
Many airports, such as those in Hong Kong, Singapore and Tokyo, have designated smoking areas in their international waiting halls, as many foreign passengers need to light up.
But passengers and netizens believe the airport has tarnished its reputation by caving in.
“You shouldn’t have followed the authority’s campaign earlier,” a netizen wrote. “I can’t help but wonder if the airport is trying to have it both ways by pretending to meet the demands of both the government and passengers.”
BCIA had only one small waiting hall before the 1990s. The second hall was built in the late-’90s, and a third was added in 2007 for the Olympics. More than 80 million passengers passed through the three halls in 2010. The number is expected to reach 100 million this year.
