Xiaoshan, China: from a leading county economy to an international urban district

HANGZHOU, China, Nov. 22, 2017 /PRNewswire/ — On November 18, 2017, a special “family gathering” was held in Xiaoshan District of Hangzhou City, one of the most developed urban districts in eastern China. 800 Xiaoshan people, who are leading figures in various sectors across the country and the world, returned home for the reunion under the call of Xiaoshan District government for the first time.

After nearly 40 years of development, Xiaoshan, famed as a city of entrepreneurs and reformers, has transformed into a typical international urban district nowadays from a leading county economy in China with a strong performance of township economy.

Xiaoshan is located on the south bank of China’s Qiantang River. This modern district is home to the main venue of the G20 Hangzhou Summit. It is famous for its economic development and has repeatedly won the first place with the best destination for investment in mainland China. Since the reform and opening up in China, people in Xiaoshan have created a miracle in the flourish of China’s private economy.

Lu Guanqiu, who just passed away, was from Xiaoshan. He is regarded as the “godfather” of Chinese private-owned enterprises. In the late 1970s, he founded Wanxiang Group and developed into the first OEM in China that supplied auto parts and components to General Motors. Its U.S. subsidiary has opened dozens of businesses in 26 U.S. states and has created over 8,000 jobs in the United States. The State of Illinois named August 12 every year as “Wanxiang Day” in recognition of the Chinese company’s contribution to the state.

Since its establishment in 1986 as a chemical company, Chuanhua Group has started to develop into a well-known and diversified modern private enterprise.

In recent years, Xiaoshan, China’s “economic heavyweight,” is shouldering the mission of “propelling an all-round economic and social transition through city transformation.”

The local government realizes that innovation is the number one driver for development.

Hangzhou Bay Information Port, located in Xiaoshan Economic and Technological Development Zone, is an important “incubation” platform for the Internet industry in Xiaoshan. Here have gathered more than 30 well-known Internet companies in China and it has become an important driving force for Xiaoshan to make its leap forward from a manufacturing area to an information economy area.

At present, the new industrial form of Xiaoshan, with intelligent manufacturing as the core, is taking shape. China’s first industrial big data alliance and first industrial big data laboratory were established in Xiaoshan. Internet giants like Alibaba and Netease, as well as leading AI companies all chose to settle down there.

The main venue of the G20 Hangzhou Summit is Hangzhou International Expo Center in Xiaoshan. The block where it is located — Olympic Sports Expo City will also host the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games.

According to statistics, from September 25, 2016 when the center was opened to the present, it has hosted totally over 1,800 conferences and 37 exhibitions with a total exhibition area of more than 3.5 million square meters. Its G20 Summit Experience Hall has received one million visits.

Winning recognition from international conference organizers, the Hangzhou International Expo Center in 2017 successfully joined the ICCA (International Congress & Convention Association), and became the sole member in China of the UIA (Union of International Associations). In the future, there will be more international fairs, conferences and cultural events.

It is understood that Xiaoshan will be built into China’s most dynamic exhibition city and the world’s leading destination for convention and exhibition. It is estimated that by 2019, total exhibition revenue will reach over 15 billion yuan (2.3 billion U.S. dollars) and there will be more than 1,000 international conferences to be held. It can be predicted that Xiaoshan will thus develop a new industry — high-end exhibition.

After the G20 Hangzhou Summit, Xiaoshan has become an important urban district linking Hangzhou with the world. In the future, the district will vigorously develop convention and exhibition industry, and all efforts will be made to build it into an international city of China based on the concept of “Exhibition +”.

Asian Marathon Championships demonstrating a confident city: Dongguan

DONGGUAN, China, Nov. 22, 2017 /Xinhua-AsiaNet/–

On November 26, the 16th Asian Marathon Championships & Dongguan International Marathon 2017 under the theme “Beautiful Dongguan, Thrilling Marathon” will kick off in Dongguan, China. The coming feast draws nearly 30,000 runners, including 49 professional athletes from 22 Asian countries and regions such as Japan, Republic of Korea, DPRK and India.

As Asia’s only intercontinental competition, the Asian Marathon Championships for this year will be held along with the Dongguan International Marathon. The competition consists of 4 events, namely the full marathon, half-marathon, mini-marathon and Carnival Fun Run, open to professional or amateur contestants, spreading joy and passion. While the city has been enhancing its soft power over the past three years, the organizing committee has also shaped a better environment along the tracks. The move is designed to showcase the charm of Dongguan as an international city famed for intelligent manufacturing and ecological balance. “The tracks were officially approved for use by the International Association of Athletics Federations and the Asian Athletics Association. This also shows Dongguan’s abilities to press ahead with ecological development and city management,” said Fu Weibo, deputy director of competition department of Athletics Administrative Center, General Administration of Sport of China.

Dongguan is traditionally well-known as “City of Sports”, specifically a homeland of swimming, weight lifting and dragon boat. With its highly professional strength, the city has fostered an enabling atmosphere for the public to get exercise over years and saw various international sporting events, including FIBA Basketball World Cup, World Cup of Golf and BWF Sudirman Cup. While putting its economy on a fast track, Dongguan has long focused on ecological construction and environmental protection, said Yang Xiaotang, publicity chief of the CPC Dongguan Municipal Committee. Holding marathon championships and other large-scale sport events, he added, will take its sport-for-all program to a higher level. On top of that, it will help citizens appreciate the city’s natural landscapes, cultural heritage and achievements in development when they engage in sports in a scientific way. This is how Dongguan emerges as a magnet of global talents.

By hosting the 16th Asian Marathon Championships, Dongguan will boost its sporting and cultural programs as a more confident and vibrant city. This will attract more attention from all communities on running races and excite further interest in exercise and health. It’s self-evident that the running public will make the city stand confident while promoting fitness and vitality that Dongguan has always enjoyed.

SOURCE: The Organizing Committee of the 16th Asian Marathon Championships

Board of directors meeting of Punjab Cotton Mills Limited

Karachi, Punjab Cotton Mills Limited informed Pakistan Stock Exchange that board of directors meeting of the company will be held on November 28, 2017 at Lahore. The agenda of the meeting will to consider the 1st Quarterly Un-Audited Accounts for the period ended September 30, 2017.

Further, the company has declared the closed period from November 22, 2017 to November 28, 2017

Punjab Cotton Mills Limited is located in Lahore. It is listed on Pakistan Stock Exchange. The symbol “PCML” is being used by the stock exchange for the shares of Punjab Cotton Mills Limited.

Why developers and architects are choosing OpenAire solutions

OpenAire brings its signature retractable enclosure technologies to new projects in the Middle East

OAKVILLE, Ontario, Nov. 22, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — OpenAire is excited to attend the Big 5 Dubai show for the seventh year in a row, this fall beginning November 26. Renowned architects from across the Middle East will be able to see the benefits of letting the fresh air into their designs with OpenAire’s retractable enclosure solutions. 2017 has so far brought several new opportunities for OpenAire to bring its more than 28 years of architectural innovations to the Middle East. OpenAire has three exciting projects in the United Arab Emirates, including the Sharjah Mall in Sharjah and two other projects, one in Abu Dhabi and the other in Dubai.

OpenAire’s custom solutions let in the open skies in fair and cool weather, but also close to provide shelter and insulation when the weather becomes hot, creating an outdoor style space that guests can enjoy year-round. At Sharjah Shopping Mall, OpenAire is building a truly unique elliptical dome skylight that will bring abundant natural light to the heart of the 30-story complex. The dome skylight measures an impressive 74 meters (243 feet) long by 47 meters (154 feet) wide by 21 meters (69 feet) high. OpenAire’s innovative use of steel nodes and aluminum connecting members will let this huge structure provide unobstructed views of the sky to visitors inside, offering a shopping experience like no other.

Exceptional design features such as those at Sharjah, combined with the company’s track record of partnering with many other renowned developers and its ability to adapt its designs to many shapes and sizes, makes OpenAire the ideal choice for venues of every kind. In locations around the world, shopping malls, restaurants, entertainment centers, aquatic parks, and more have seen increased numbers of guests, decreased energy use, and other advantages after choosing OpenAire structures. Retractable roofs let restaurants use their patio seating no matter what the weather outside, effectively doubling their seating capacity. Aquatic attractions can offer an outdoor swimming atmosphere year-round while also saving up to 27% on energy costs annually due to a reduced need for lighting, air conditioning and dehumidification systems. Design advantages such as these make it easy to see why OpenAire gives owners significant returns on investment and lowers maintenance costs. It is also the reason why developers and architects around the world are drawn to OpenAire’s solutions.

About OpenAire
OpenAire has been designing and manufacturing beautiful, high-quality, environmentally conscious retractable roof structures and skylights for over 25 years. We bring unique visions to life from initial design to installation, transforming buildings into sunlit spaces customers love. Headquartered in Oakville, Ontario, OpenAire is approaching 1,000 projects throughout North America, Europe, and the Middle East. Some of our projects include four cruise liners in Royal Caribbean’s new Quantum series of ships; the Rooftop Bar at the Refinery Hotel in New York, NY; Restoration Hardware’s “RH Gallery” in Chicago, IL; Gibson Italia restaurant on the Chicago River by the River Point Tower; Fort Lewis College Observatory for the Geosciences, Physics and Engineering Hall in Durango, CO; Aqua Sferra Aquapark (the biggest aluminum dome in the world) in Donetsk, Ukraine; Kalahari in Pocono Mountains, PA (the largest waterpark under one roof in the USA); Tropicana Waterpark in Stadthagen, Germany;  Jay Peak Ski Resort’s Pump House Indoor Waterpark in Jay, VT; the Palms Casino & Resort in Las Vegas, NV; a pool enclosure at the Hilton Toronto Airport Hotel in Toronto, ON; and a retractable skylight at the new Boston Pizza in downtown Toronto, ON. To learn more about OpenAire Inc.’s projects and capabilities, visit http://www.openaire.com/ and follow us on Twitter. For more details on this project, please e-mail sales@openaire.com.

Photos accompanying this announcement are available at:

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For more information contact:
Sales, OpenAire
T: 905-901-8535   TF: 1800-267-4877
E: sales@openaire.com

Pakistan Court Orders Release of Cleric Wanted by US for Terrorism

ISLAMABAD � A court in Pakistan has ordered authorities to release from house arrest an Islamist cleric whom the United States accuses of plotting the 2008 attacks on India’s financial capital of Mumbai.

In January, Hafiz Saeed, head of the Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) organization, was placed under house arrest for 90 days in Lahore, the capital of Pakistan’s most populous province of Punjab. Provincial authorities have since extended Saeed’s detention several times.

Saeed’s attorneys have been telling the court his detention is unlawful and there is no proof of his involvement in terrorist activities.

The provincial government had asked for another 60-day extension to the cleric’s detention, but, during Wednesday’s court proceedings, judges turned down the request and ordered that Saeed be freed from his house arrest. The court ruled the government could not produce sufficient evidence to justify his detention.

The religious leader is likely to be released later this week, said his counsel.

US reward

Washington has offered a $10 million reward for information leading to Saeed’s arrest and conviction. The U.S. has also declared JuD a global terrorist organization, condemning it as a front for the outlawed Pakistani Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) group blamed for carrying out the Mumbai carnage that left 166 people dead.

Despite U.S. sanctions on Saeed, the cleric has been living freely in Pakistan and delivering anti-U.S. speeches. His actions have been a major irritant in Pakistan’s traditionally uneasy relations with the U.S. and a major source of sustained tensions with India.

New Delhi has linked resumption of normal ties with Islamabad to putting Saeed on trial for planning the Mumbai bloodshed. Pakistani officials maintain India has not shared evidence to substantiate the charges.

Source: Voice of America

US, Afghan Airstrikes Destroy 9 Taliban Drug Labs in Afghanistan

ISLAMABAD U.S. and Afghan airstrikes have destroyed nine Taliban drug factories and labs, killing 44 suspected traffickers in a border area of southern Helmand province.

The combined offensive is aimed at targeting the revenue streams of terrorists, according to officials.

Regional military corps commander, General Wali Mohammad Ahmadzai, told VOA that bombings of drug-producing centers started late Tuesday and continued into Wednesday morning.

He said the airstrikes focused on a narcotics market run by the Taliban in Bahramcha, a remote, divided village on the border with Pakistan, which serves as a main center for shipping drugs from Afghanistan. The general described Bahramcha as the biggest narcotics market in Asia.

He confirmed an unspecified number of Taliban militants and drug traffickers were killed but did not share any exact figures. Sources, however, told VOA the death toll stood at 44.

Bahramcha is one of the villages on the largely porous border between Afghanistan and Pakistan. The region is notorious for facilitating the movement of local and foreign militants in both directions.

Taliban insurgents and their leaders also use the area to get medical aid in alleged sanctuaries on Pakistani soil, say Afghan officials.

U.S. Army General John Nicholson told reporters earlier this week the counternarcotics campaign began Sunday when strikes destroyed seven Taliban drug labs in another part of Helmand, an opium-poppy producing region and Afghanistan’s largest province.

Villagers in Pakistan could also see destroyed mud houses and a vehicle on the Afghan side of the border where the overnight airstrikes took place.

Spokespeople for the Afghan Taliban, however, in statements sent to media Wednesday, rejected as propaganda accusations the insurgent group is running drug producing labs and factories in Helmand or elsewhere in Afghanistan.

They said the air raids hit civilian homes and those killed were civilians with no link to the Taliban.

General Nicholson said Monday the U.S. military has for the first time engaged F-22 fighter jets in the newly launched war on Afghan drugs. It is also the first time, he said, the U.S. military is using new authority, granted by U.S. President Donald Trump in August, to curb terrorists and their revenue streams in Afghanistan.

The United States has spent $8.6 billion on narcotics eradication in Afghanistan since 2002, but critics say there was record-breaking poppy production in 2017.

The United Nations announced last week that narcotics production almost doubled this year in Afghanistan to around 9,000 tons, with a 63 percent increase in cultivation areas compared with 2016.

The Taliban has expanded its control or influence to more than 40 percent of Afghan territory since international combat forces withdrew from Afghanistan in 2014.

The U.S. military estimates income generated from illicit drugs is providing 60 percent of the Taliban’s funding.

Source: Voice of America

Zubair reviews progress on Green Line Metro Bus project in Karachi

Governor Sindh Muhammad Zubair says all out efforts are being made to turn Karachi into a model city.

He was talking to newsmen after reviewing progress of work on Green Line Metro Bus project in Karachi on Wednesday.

The Governor said Chinese company Shanghai will soon take over the managing control of K-Electric.

He said law and order situation has improved in Karachi, and foreigners are frequently visiting the metropolitan to attend international seminars, expos and other events.

Replying to a question the governor said that Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, during his recent visit to Karachi, has assured that the reservations regarding Karachi Circular Railway will be addressed.

Radio Pakistan Karachi correspondent said the governor visited different areas of Karachi and reviewed the progress on ongoing development projects funded by the federal government.

Source: Radio Pakistan