1. Asahi Shimbun: I would like to raise several questions on the recent anti-Japanese demonstrations. At the previous regular government press conference, you mentioned that the Shanghai Municipal government had never approved any assemblies, processions or demonstrations. But unfortunately, during the protest march, a few people threw stones and broke glass at Japanese restaurants. Can you explain how this situation occurred? You have mentioned that the demonstration was not approved, but why was it allowed to take place? Last question, Will the Japanese consulate in Shanghai and some damaged Japanese restaurants receive compensation? Thanks.

Jiao Yang: During the previous press conference and in written papers, I have expressed clearly the Shanghai Municipal government's attitudes. Dissatisfied with Japan's wrong attitudes and actions on a series of issues such as its history of aggression, some students and citizens spontaneously took to the streets to demonstrate and protest.
Shanghai police and other municipal departments have made great efforts to ensure the safety of Japanese organizations and citizens based in the city, and to maintain normal social order. We fully understand the public's and the students' patriotism, and hope the Japanese will seriously consider the Chinese people's concerns and properly deal with the history of Japanese aggression against China and other sensitive issues. However, a few people took the opportunity to engage in destructive actions and have disturbed the social order. These actions are banned by law. As you all see, the Shanghai Public Security Bureau's attitude is very clear: to severely punish those disturbing the public order.
The Law of the People's Republic of China on Assemblies, Processions and Demonstrations stipulates that demonstrations and protests without approval from the public security authority are illegal, including promoting the protests through the Internet and cell phone short messages. Local citizens and students are expected to obey the laws and to not participate in or watch the demonstrations and rallies without approval from authority; they must refuse to believe in rumors or spread rumors, and must avoid being used by those having ulterior motives; they must not act to disturb social stability or harm the image of the country and the city. China is focusing on establishing a harmonious socialist city. Harmony and stability are in tune with the fundamental benefits of the nation and people and every citizen is responsible for enhancing harmony and maintaining the stability of society.

Local citizens and students are expected to believe that the Party and the government are able to cope well with the relationship between China and Japan based on Chinese people's current and future interests; they are expected to attend to the overall situation and express personal emotions in a rational and orderly manner. Patriotism can never be expressed by illegal demonstrations! All of us should consciously maintain social order and turn our strong patriotism into concrete acts of doing a good job in both work and study.

Recently, Chinese President Hu Jintao has put forward five proposals for developing the Sino-Japanese relations. The development of Sino-Japanese relationships proves that harmonious ties will benefit both China and Japan while discordant ties will harm both. Although many problems exist between China and Japan, the Chinese side will not change the guidelines for developing friendly and cooperative relations with Japan. China and Japan are expected to participate in a peaceful coexistence, be friendly for generations, and enjoy mutual cooperation and development based on mutual benefits.
Local Party and government leaders have said many times that Shanghai always follows the decisions and policies of the Chinese central government and has a strong capacity to maintain normal social order and protect the legal rights of the companies, institutions and individuals investing in the city according to the law, with the safety of local expatriates guaranteed.
As to your last question, the responsible quarters have adopted measures to repair the damage to the city's appearance and environment, and they have helped some affected merchants clean their sites and resume business. I have just reiterated that the Shanghai Municipal government is capable of protecting the legal rights and benefits of foreign-invested institutions and individuals, including those from Japan, and also guaranteeing the safety of local expatriates. The local public security authority will strictly punish those infringing on public order and security such as by throwing stones and breaking glass during the protest march, and will investigate and assess their responsibilities of economic compensation.

2. Shanghai Television Station News Channel: Director Mao (Mao Jialiang, director of the Shanghai Urban Planning Administrative Bureau), you have just introduced in detail the local plans for sightseeing on the water systems. Shanghai always wants to develop a yachting industry. What do you think of the future prospects? Mrs Spokeswoman, Shanghai is the last stop during Kuomingtang Chairman Lien Chan's visit to the Chinese mainland. Can you tell me his schedule in Shanghai and how will the city play host to him?

Mao Jialiang: The cruise business develops inevitably with the society's economic growth and the raising of people's living standards. As a cosmopolitan city, Shanghai has welcomed a lot of guests from home and abroad. Locals have also upgraded their demands for travel and leisure sports. The cruise business will develop with our preparations for the coming World Expo. Our plan for cruise, ferry and yacht businesses in the city will see the northern bank along the Huangpu River developed as an international cruise base, the former ferry docks as new bases for city-wide river cruises, and some new yacht docks also being built. The cruise business is expected to be part of local ecomony.

Jiao Yang: Mr Lien Chan's mainland visit is a hot topic now. At the invitation of Hu Jingtao, the KMT Chairman visited  Nanjing, Beijing, Xi'an and Shanghai between April 26 and May 3. Shanghai is the last stop of his visit. This has been the first meeting between the Chinese Communist Party (CPC) and KMT leaders in the last 56 years. Shanghai will warmly welcome Lien and his delegation. Mr Lien Chan plans to give lectures on cross-Strait commerce in Shanghai, and have dinner with local businessmen and the Taiwan business people who are living and doing business in Shanghai now. Lien's delegation plans to visit the city planning exhibition hall, museum and to cruise the Huangpu River.
The Shanghai Party commission has urged the airports, restaurants, travel agencies, hospitals and public security authorities to make good preparations for Lien's visit to secure safety, good hygiene and convenient traffic. 

3 NHK: My question is about the anti-Japanese demonstration. Japanese restaurants in the Hongqiao area said their property management companies had warned them to stop business in case of possible demonstrations which had already been approved by the government between May 1 and 4. I'd like to know whether this message is true.

Jiao Yang: I take it as a rumor. Public security authorities have never granted demonstrations so far. Such rumors, as I mentioned before, aim to disturb social order. Imagine someone saying that the government issues permits for demonstrations. It's rumor.

4 Eastday.com: I've two questions. First, will the traffic during the golden week holidays be affected by the ongoing the 48th World Table Tennis Championships, which starts on April 30? Will there be traffic controls then? Second, how can we common citizens contribute to the championships?

Jiao Yang: I've noticed our media are keen on reporting the championships. As to the details about the championships, I've already mentioned them before. The 48th World Table Tennis Championships will be held in Shanghai between April 30 and May 6. It's a significant national event. With support from the state ministries and the Shanghai people, preparations for the event have been carrying on well. With the motts "Unity, Friendship, Communication, Development," the championships are expected to improve Chinese people's friendship with the peoples of other nations, to better introduce Shanghai and China to the world, to fuel Shanghai's opening-up policy, and its social and economic developments.

The 48th World Table Tennis Championships will be the most significant one in scale and level. More than 1,500 athletes, coaches and assistants from 145 countries and regions will come to compete. Shanghai's event will witness the greatest participation in the history of the championships, and the biggest sports event the city has ever hosted. With the attendance of many reporters from home and abroad, we can safely say that this year's championship lays a good foundation for international exchanges.

As to the traffic arrangements during the championships, we possibly will feel the punch because of the championships, the golden week holidays, KMT Chairman Lien Chan's visit and the MotoGP World Championships. Traffic control will be administered on some roads. I believe that the friendly and warm-hearted Shanghai people will surely understand the problem. The Shanghai people's performances during the past APEC meeting, Forbes, and the poverty meetings prove that they are supportive and cooperative. The government believes in the local citizens and hopes they can act as good hosts for the sake of the national interests and the city's image.

As for the contributions of local people to the 48th World Table Tennis Championship, I think this sporting event, an unprecedented ping-pong championship in scale, will be a test for the city and citizens of Shanghai.  We are required not only to make careful preparations for the event as a good host, but also bring honor to the city, and as well to maintain a united and peaceful social order.  A stable social order and a peaceful social atmosphere are absolutely a must when holding the World Table Tennis Championships in Shanghai.  To ensure a successful game, every citizen must abide by the laws and not do anything that disrupts society or damages the image of China and Shanghai.

Representatives from around the globe will come to Shanghai for the games as well as for friendship.  The Shanghai people will maintain their good tradition that the entire society quickly responds and acts as a good host whenever an important international event is held in the city.  The people fully show Shanghai's hospitality and its healthy and positive image.  With the tennis championship soon to open, we must reinforce the idea of being a good host, behaving well not only outside the game venues as citizens, but also in the venues as spectators and cheering spectators.  To contribute to a successful ping-pong event, every walks of life must represent Shanghai's first-class standards, skills and services by providing excellent services, good order and a beautiful environment.

5.  Shanghai Morning Post: I have two planning questions for Director Mao. In the previous introduction, Director Mao said that, on a trial basis, the municipal government has approved a protection plan for a historical and cultural zone on Hengshan Road.  Can you give more information about the plan?  Second question, the government has drafted trial projects in the Xujiahui area to make comprehensive use of underground spaces. Can you give more information on this topic? Thanks.

Mao Jialiang: Of the two questions, one is about historical and cultural zone protection in the downtown area. 
We are applying a trial project to a zone near Hengshan Road and Fuxing Road, with an area of about 7.5 square kilometers.  We had conducted a thorough research into the current status before planning for this zone.  According to the different conditions of the existing buildings, we will apply either protection, preservation, renovation or demolition. In other words, we will classify buildings in this 7.5-aquare-kilometer area.  Buildings classified for preservation must not be demolished or changed.  For those classified for renovation, we have regulations controlling the facade and height.  For buildings classified for demolition, greenery or services may be added. 
We've obtained approval from the city government for this plan.  When we reported it to the Ministry of Construction, the Ministry officials thought it was the most refined planning proposal nationwide for historical and cultural zones.

Your second question is about underground space use in the Xujiahui area. 
As I've told you, the Xujiahui area is where Shanghai's three metro lines meet and a transport hub of the city's key elevated roads.  The district government is paying close attention to how to make good use of the underground spaces there.  Meanwhile, several city-level departments, such as the construction commission and the transport administration, have cooperated with us to draft several planning blueprints.  The final planning is nearly completed. 
Since the goal is to provide cross-transfer between the three metro lines under the ground, we think the entire underground spaces should have six floors to meet the demand for facilities like shopping, rail transport, garages and underground pipelines.  We should provide convenient transfer between Metro Line 1, 9 and 11, ensuring proper space use of the latter two metro lines when they are built in the future. 
We will also take the buildings that will be developed (such as the Dayu building) into account when planning the spaces under their ground to improve the space use on and under the ground. 
In the planning, we will maintain the underground traffic ways in the section from Hengshan Road and Caoxi Road, while clearing up the planning for ground traffic network.  More accurately, in the adjustment of the traffic network in the Xujiahui area, we will actually make a thorough clean-up of the entire regional traffic by connecting the above ground and underground traffic networks, recharting the ground traffic network and changing the bus stations. 
We hope this Xujiahui traffic hub, which will provide smooth cross-transfer among the three metro lines, will provide a good model for the city's entire traffic network. Thank you.

6. Oriental Morning Post: Director General Mao, there was one proposal handed over to the municipal People's Congress, about the exploitation and use of underground space.  Deputies of the municipal People's Congress indicated during the meeting that there were no laws defining rights to the underground space, which led to a problem that the property rights of these spaces couldn't be exchanged.  This impacts a lot on the reconstruction of this underground space.  So, I'd like to know if laws on this issue will be established?  And as for the underground space around the Wujiaochang area, what will be the selling points for these spaces upon completion of the reconstruction.

Mao Jialiang: It's a problem that most local people are concerning with.  It's true that the property rights of buildings above ground are easily defined and adhere to certain laws. We are experienced in this.  However, we are still a beginner in the construction of underground spaces.  For example, as for the construction in the central area of the Lujiazui Finance and Trade Zone, it's landscape at that time seemed very advanced.  But the truth is that it doesn't make full use of the underground spaces in that area.  Last year, we worked out a program for the development of the local underground spaces along with the City Construction Committee.  This program serves as a guide line.  The former development of underground spaces adhered to the principle of first detection, first development.  Each building had its own landscape with no communications among other buildings.  We missed several chances to fully develop the underground spaces beneath some prosperous roads, such as the connection of Yan'an Rd and Xizang Rd.   So establishing this program will define the regulations for the development of underground space and its landscape, as well as in some municipal projects.  I believe that the program will improve through the accumulation of more experience during construction and administration in the future.  For example, the Wujiachang area is one of the four minor centers of the city.  It will later be connected with the development of the Yangpu District in the aspects of knowledge innovation, industrial park, community and campus area, with the functions of business, leisure and entertainment.  Transportation in the Wujiachang area will be in the forms of viaducts, underground and on the ground.  I believe that with the development of the city's construction, besides the experiences gained from detailed projects, the city will be improving in the standardizing and establishing of laws for the development of underground space.

7. Dragon TV: I have two questions.  First, about the future landscape of the sighting on the river system in Shanghai that Director General Mao has described.  So I'd like to know if this water system construction has any detailed operational schedule.  And when will the whole project be completed?   My second question is for Madam Jiao Yang.  Can you tell us something about the results of the series of approaches launched by the municipal government to adjust and control the local real estate market.  Thank you.

Mao Jialiang: According to the construction schedule of this water sighting system, the whole project should be finished by the end of 2010.  There are five significant phases in the reconstructions along the Huangpu River.  Some, such as the Northern Bund, will come into basic shape in 2007; buildings for the World Expo fair are to be put into use by 2010; we plan to complete the reconstruction of the Suzhou River by the end of 2010; while that of the Zhongshan Park will be extended to 2007.  So,  the latter four phases, or the "vertical-horizon" project as a whole, along with the constructions of the three rivers, Bailianjing, the west outer ring river, the  island-circling river in Chongming Island, and the Dazhi River in the Minhang District, will be completed before 2010.  Thank you.

Jiao Yang: As for the results of the series of approaches launched by the municipal government to adjust and control the local real estate market, I think it still needs further observations.  And the conclusions on the changing trends of the local real estate market also needs observations.  The Government will step up its regulation and control efforts with a view to ensuring that the majority of new properties developed are non-luxury residential units to be owner-occupied by Shanghai residents.  Our regulation and control measures will be improved, so as to satisfy consumption demand, regulate investment and curb speculation.  The city will try to maintain the health and balance of the local real estate market, and avoid big swings in this market, striving to keep a balance between the supply and the demand, to keep a reasonable basic frame structure, and to keep a comparatively firm market price.
 
Now, besides further strengthening these approaches, the government is keeping a close eye on the pulse of the local real estate market, taking corresponding measures to adjust and control according to the development of the market.

8. International Finance News: Questions for Director Mao about two topics you have just discussed: underground space and waterfront scenery. First, some scholars are deeply concerned that the city is facing the problem of serious land sinkage, which has incurred losses of tens of billions of yuan. Why does the government prefer to utilize underground space to build a local transport network despite this concern? Secondly, under a plan for the development of Xujiahui, the future metro lines 9 and 11 will meet the existing Metro Line 1 in this area. Could you tell us what the government will react if the land begins to sink? Third, water flows freely, but the city has yet to fulfill its promise to tackle water pollution. What will the city do to catch up with the neighbouring Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces in the treatment of its polluted rivers?

Mao Jialiang (Director of the Shanghai Urban Planning Administrative Bureau): I'm grateful that you have attached great importance and given much attention to this project. We think that the exploitation and utilization of underground space should be conducted step by step. Safety always comes first when we make plans or launch projects. Shanghai has taken various measures (e.g. precautions against the disorganized exploitation of water resources) to prevent the land from sinking. It is a technical problem. As to the utilization of underground space, citizens can set their hearts at rest since the procedures for the examination and approval of any mass transit project are strict.

I have just talked about waterfront scenery. As to problems regarding the water system, Shanghai has paid careful attention to this issue. We will first consider flood prevention and drainage, and the safety of the whole water system. In answer to your third question, considering local bridges and rivers, the local water system is not as good as those of the neighbouring Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces. We are making plans to upgrade local rivers. However, a slight move in one area may affect the whole situation. The upgrading of local rivers will impose new requirements for bridges over them. The department concenrned will take a positive approach toward upgrading the rivers according to the plans. As the contact among cities in the Yangtze River Delta becomes closer, the cities will seek more cooperation in traffic planning. Cities in the Yangtze River Delta are trying to adopt a united approach when making traffic planning for mass transit, highways and shipping.

9. Yangcheng Evening News: Questions for Director Mao. In the interim planning stage, the city will build a communication hub to offer bus transfer services to Longyang Road. Could you give detailed information about this project? Secondly, it was said that some projects planned for Longyang Road were halted because of the uncertainty about the Shanghai-Hangzhou maglev rail line. However, these projects have recently been re-started. Has a final decision been reached on the maglev project? Will the city build the rail line?

Mao Jialiang: Director Tang of my bureau will give detailed information about these issues after the press conference.

10. Radio Shanghai: It is reported that the government will use new techniques to make local floodlights and other external decorative lights more energy-saving. Could the government's spokeswoman tell us what the city will do to relieve summer power shortages this year?

Jiao Yang: Many reporters have expressed concern for this issue. Energy and electricity saving is essential for such metropolises like Shanghai. You were briefed about local external decorative lights last year. We are using new techniques to make local decorative lights more energy-saving. The municipal government places great importance on energy conservation.
The regular legislative session held yesterday heard a report on the issue. Energy and electricity saving is both an essential part of our effort to alleviate power shortages this year, and an important move to build Shanghai into an environmentally-friendly city. Here are the energy conservation measures. First, we will widely publicize the importance of energy and electricity saving. Local media and reporters here, more than anyone, are responsible for this task. Training sessions on energy conservation will be held to raise public awareness and teach necessary skills in this field. Secondly, in order to avoid peak-time overloads, we will try to save electricity on air conditioning. Third, we will popularize the use of energy-saving lights. We will develop demonstration projects to introduce energy-saving lights. Fourth, industries will be ordered to save electricity, shift their production to off-peak hours, and use resources more efficiently. Efforts will be made to save electricity in large buildings. Fifth, government departments shoud set an example by saving energy and electricity. The government will play a leading role in the energy conservation campaign while the coordinated effort of all social groups and the participation of ordinary citizens will also be promoted. We will set up a mechanism for encouraging innovaion, as well as supervisory and market operation mechanisms. We will make sure that energy conservation measures are fully implemented. We will build Shanghai into an environmentally-friendly city and promote the harmonious and sustainable development of the society.