1. Shanghai Television Station: Last week, China's central government ordered provincial and city authorities to lift highway-use restrictions on small vehicles by the end of March. Will Shanghai adopt appropriate measures? Thanks.

Jiao Yang: Our press liaison team has recently received many calls from reporters. We are aware of the directive and, in tune with the aim of establishing an energy-efficient society, Shanghai is encouraging the use of high-performance and low-emission vehicles. We will follow the country's requirements and implement them here in light of our particular local circumstances.

2. Shanghai Morning Post: Local citizens gave 84.96 out of 100 points as their satisfaction level regarding the 10 "good deeds" the government promised to achieve by the end of last year. Have citizens made any suggestions, and with regard to what? Residents' views are sought in selecting the 10 "good deeds" for this year. What are their suggestions? It is reported that a large traffic center will be established in the city's Hongqiao area, to be operational within five years. Are there any relevant plans or moves for this year? The circular Metro Line 4 is operating in the form of a "C" at the moment. Can you tell me what progress has been made in the repaired 5-kilometer southern section?

Jiao Yang: The evaluation of last year's "good deeds" and selection of those for this year have followed a system whereby the deeds are chosen after an extensive solicitation of resident's views by the authorities. After being implemented by the authorities, the outcomes are evaluated by residents. The evaluation is based on international practices of social surveying and satisfaction evaluation, so can be deemed to represent public opinion. The evaluation shows that residents have a higher level of satisfaction (84.96 points) towards last year's 10 "good deeds", up 4.89 points from the year before. In the light of internationally-recognized evaluation standards, marks above 70 points show higher levels of satisfaction.

Residents made suggestions at the same time as giving their evaluation of last year's, mainly on employment, public transport and food safety.

The selection of the 10 "good deeds" for this year emphasizes those that are closely related to residents' lives. The consultation began in late September last year, and the general office of the Shanghai Municipal government opened a special column on the Shanghai government portal (www. Shanghai.gov.cn) to collect people's ideas, with a total of 577 suggestions received.

Among the ideas submitted, most relate to traffic, housing, environmental protection, public health, social security, urban management, emergency-response and social security. Many ideas are very useful to the selection of the deeds.

Government departments have screened, analysed and demonstrated the ideas, which are considered important starting-points for the selection of the deeds for this year. They have also listened to the ideas from deputies of the Shanghai People's Congress and the Shanghai Committee of Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), cadres of the sub-districts and neighborhood committees and resident's representatives, and they have also liaised with the authorities. Based on the above foundations, this year's 10 "good deeds" are confirmed, and conform to the principal that the selected deeds should be closely related to residents' lives.

The project to establish a traffic center at Hongqiao is being discussed, and will be listed, examined and approved. After these legal procedures have been completed, we will give you the details.

The existing Metro Line 4 is operating in the form of a "C", with the remaining 5-kilometer southern section being worked-on now. In the construction of the line, the top priority is quality.

3. Eastday.com: Would you like to introduce to us in detail this year's project targeting services for the disabled? What's the current situation regarding the "One-Stop" community service centers? What are their objectives?

Jiao Yang: Citizens are becoming more concerned about these things. As for the project covering services for the disabled, the topic might be relatively new to reporters this year because it wasn't previously listed as a government task for the year. Actually, it's really a newly-listed task this year to offer nursing services to seriously paralyzed people without jobs. The disabled are a disadvantaged group in society, among which the seriously paralyzed are the weakest and in greatest need of help. With the development of the economy and society, there have been changes to the social security model. Traditionally, families provided security to the disabled, now, the responsibility is gradually being transferred to society. As a growing metropolis, it's necessary to develop a nursing policy for seriously disabled people without jobs. It also plays an important role in improving the city's social security system. What's more, it evidences that the city is protecting the basic rights of the disabled.

There are now more than 30,000 seriously paralyzed people without jobs in the city , nearly 10,000 of whom need nursing. This year's government project aims to first resolve the nursing problems of 3,500 of these people. Many of them have parents aged over 70, old and frail, their families are poor and needy. Providing these people with proper nursing will ease their parents' worries.

Through implementing the project, we expect to develope a nursing policy for this group of people, which also promotes the city's social and economic development. The project reflects the love and care of the Party and the government for the poorest and most needy in society. It will assist in making social development harmonious, orderly and healthy.

Another part of our service for the disabled is to make information accessible to deaf and dumb people, which is listed eighth in the government's tasks for this year. There are nearly 30,000 registered deaf and dumb in the city. During their work and study and in their daily life, this group of people communicate with each other by hand, and text messages via mobile phone as well. Statistics show a deaf or dumb person sends and receives about 600 SMS messages a month on average. However, as they earn relatively less, it's hard for them to afford SMS expenses. The government plans to offer subsidies on these expenses to ensure their basic communication needs are satisfied. This year's subsidy for individuals will be 600 yuan. Among the beneficiaries, 20,000 live in downtown areas and 10,000 live in the suburbs.

Now the "One-Stop" community service, a brand new mechanism for the complaints received in the community service centers.

Since the expansion of community development, we've merged some departments into the one-stop service center to promote the development of a service-oriented government. The previous city and district-level departmental services will now be managed comprehensively by the community and township administrations. This is the meaning of one-stop service.

To meet the requirements of "reducing the number of visits citizens need to make to solve their problems, the number of requirements they need to meet and the number of procedures," we improved our system relating to problem-solving and the approval process. Based on these basic improvements, we provide one-stop service to citizens through 'electronic' government, on-site service platforms and telephone consultations, and with good collaboration between the people working at the counter and those behind. One-stop community service has improved work efficiency, transparency and closeness to the needs of citizens so as to bring convenience and generate harmony.

There are 135 community service centers already operating in the city, 117 of which need upgrading into one-stop ones. We'll build another 96 new one-stop centers to cover every corner of the city, including the streets, townships, villages and industrial, farming and tourist parks and farms managed by the government.

4.Associated Press: Media reports from South Korea say that DPRK leader Kim Jong Il will arrive in Shanghai today on a visit. Can you confirm the report and disclose the arrangements?

Jiao Yang: Sorry, I can't confirm the report, because I've got no information concerning this issue.

5. News Times: I have two questions. The first one is about medical insurance. Given the fact that medical insurance tops the concerns of many local citizens, could you please outline Shanghai's progress in this area in 2005?
My second question is: on what criteria does the Shanghai municipal government select its major projects? Thankyou.

Jiao Yang: By the end of December 24, Shanghai had thoroughly completed the task -- one of the city's major projects in 2005 -- of speeding up the development of social services and the medical insurance system. It included work in five areas:
1. Complete the construction of 10 district-level medical insurance centers and two city-level medical insurance centers.
2. Complete the expansion to 246 medical insurance service offices at neighborhood-level -- 100 of which are key offices -- with staff increases and facility and network upgrades. Altogether, 200 offices were created and 401 medical insurance staff recruited. Touch-screens wired to the city's medical insurance network have been set up at the 100 key offices to enable local citizens to check their accounts online.
3. Facilitate social services relating to medical insurance. For example, starting October 20, non-cash settlement of medical insurance has been enabled at medical insurance offices, and from December 20 cash settlement has also commenced at these grass-roots facilities. As a result, payment of small-sums can be settled on the spot, while large payments can be settled via transfers using locally issued bankcards or the mail service. In these ways, the simplified procedures have significantly improved the accessibility and convenience of local social medical insurance services.
4. Launch the 24-hour medical insurance hotline 962218.
5. Upgrade the website of the medical insurance department. Services were added to the site such as the facility to search for government policies concerning medical insurance and details of medical bills, as well as being able to log-on to personal accounts.
Thanks to the completion of these tasks, the city's medical insurance program has improved a great deal in terms of the expanded service channels and the broadened and easier access to services. It has contributed to high-quality and convenient services for participants in the medical insurance program. From this base, the city will continue to improve services in 2006.

The reporter is very diligent as shown in the question she raised of how "major projects" are selected.
Just a couple of days ago, a ceremony was held in Shanghai to make awards to people who've made outstanding contributions to the city's major projects. This ceremony has been held annually for 20 years. Generally speaking, there are three principles by which major projects are selected:
Firstly, the projects should embody the pinnacles of their industries or fields and feature high returns on investment. Projects, in accordance with the city's planning suggestions for economic and social development during the 11th "Five-Year" plan period, should help to ensure Shanghai meets the city party commission and municipal government's development targets by utilising the resources of the strategic and public sectors so as to boost the city's overall sustainable development in terms of both society and economy.
Secondly, the projects should represent the pioneers in their fields, and therefore establish a model in their industry. That will help optimize industrial structures and enhance Shanghai's global competitiveness.
Thirdly, the projects have to pass proper administrative procedures and the conditions must be ripe for construction to commence. They must pass scientific verifications and be the outcome of public policy-making. Their feasibility reports having passed scrutiny and the projects having been verified, they either have already commenced in terms of construction or will do so in the first six months of the year. Only projects such as these are eligible to be listed on the major project investment plan. Thankyou.

6. Shanghai Business: Has the city drafted any detailed plans on the promotion of low-cost hospitals initiated by the State Ministry of Health? Secondly, have you decided against the proposed use of the maglev technique for the railway between Beijing and Shanghai?

Jiao Yang: The report on low-cost hospitals is of great concern. Returning from the recently-held national health conference, the relevant municipal departments are working earnestly on the matters raised and, very soon, the low-cost hospitals will be promoted here in accordance with the situation on the ground. The local CPC committee and government place great emphasis on matters relating to medical treatment and public health.
Two districts here, Changning and Songjiang, are the first experimental sites for the reform of the community health care system, the purpose being to provide residents with good basic medical treatment and public health services at relatively low prices. We have seen the effects in these two districts, and the residents there sincerely welcome the experiment.
Of course, we are still in the early stages of this work. It will be extended to every corner of the city when the reforms have been refined. Several Level Two and Level Three hospitals are undergoing trial operations of these methods. However, we have to tread carefully when managing this complex reform.

As for the construction of the high-speed railway between Beijing and Shanghai, the local government will follow the requirements of the relevant state ministry, as it's a key national project.

7. International Finance News: My question is about Xiangyang Market. It's been said recently that the SHK Financial Group (Hong Kong) is likely to purchase the site, paying 3.6 billion yuan (US$ 435.31m). Do you have any information about this? A few days ago, Shanghai Vice Mayor Zhou Taitong said that Xiangyang Market would be closed rather than relocated. So, do you have any news about this? Thank you.

Jiao Yang: The market itself, rather than the government, will decide which enterprise or company will gain possession of the site and its purchaseprice. I cannot provide any information here.

As for Xiangyang Market, I find it an attractive topic as journalists in this and the previous press conference are all seeking the latest news. The No. 3 plot on Huaihai Rd., where the market is located, is leasehold and its development was delayed in the past for reasons such as the Asian financial crisis. Since 2000, the market has been operated by Shanghai International Mall Development Co., Ltd. All the leases of the retailers in the market will expire during the first six months of 2006, and no extensions will be offered.
In line with the construction of city traffic routes and the schedule for re-developing the plot, the development company will close Xiangyang Market, which is now being used as a temporary business site. At the moment, the relevant administrations of Xuhui District are dealing with the issue and assisting in the relocation of the individual businesses in the market.

8. Oriental Morning Post: You mentioned before that the city would encourage local residents to purchase high-quality compact cars with low emissions and low fuel consumption. Are there any standards for this in the city? The vehicles in Beijing are required to meet the Euro III Standard. Does the city have any standards on emission control? The relevant central departments urge local governments to lift restrictions on small and therefore low-emission vehicles before April. What is the city's response?

Jiao Yang: Shanghai will spare no efforts to carry out the policy and apply it here with full consideration of local conditions.
As stated during the last press conference, the city will ban high-pollution vehicles in the central area. However, I have no idea about the situation in other cities. Referring to Shanghai's efforts to encourage energy-efficient vehicles, the city ear-marked a development program for an environmentally-friendly engine as one of its key municipal projects of last year.
The engine, featuring low fuel consumption and high endurance, meets EU IV emission standards. It is aimed at helping to accelerate China's development of clean vehicles. The first phase construction was completed at the end of last year, and will build-up to an annual production capacity of 180,000 such engines. The second phase will see capacity expanding to 300,000.

9. Shanghai Business: Has the city government formulated any plans to control the over-packaging of commodities and oblige hotels to stop providing complementary toiletries?

Xu Zuxin: The control over heavily-packaged items has been introduced on a trial basis during the city's second-round of the Three-Year plan, mainly involving the mooncake industry. In the third-round of the Three-Year plan, the trial will be expanded to include tonics and cosmetic products.
As everyone is a consumer, it's understandable that some commodities are bought for use by the purchaser with others for use as gifts. Packaging of items to be used by ourselves is usually preferred in simple form, while that for gifts often demands a flourish.

As to the trial in hotels to reduce consumption of disposable products while maintaining convenience to customers, we are still listening to expert opinion before working out the details. But one point that is clear is that products like shampoo and shower lotion, which now come in small bottles, will start to follow international practice and be dispensed from large containers fixed to the wall and refilled as needs be. Guests will be encouraged to take their own toothpaste with them. They can use the hotel's, but will have to pay for it. In short, free and disposable items will not be totally removed, but their range will be limited. While continuing to provide conveniences to their guests, they will charge for the items as well.

10. China Culture Daily: Could you elaborate upon the major cultural projects being funded by the municipal government? Secondly, a "family-based online classroom" was open to the public last year. How can households without internet access participate? It is said that the city plans to provide government-funded education and training to millions of families this year. Could you give more details?

Jiao Yang: I'd like to point out that the "cultural project" mentioned here is a general term rather than a specific one. All the cultural projects that I talked about just now (e.g. the close cooperation among universities, high-tech parks and residential communities in Yangpu District, the projects undertaken by Fudan University, Shanghai Maritime University and Tongji University, etc.) are based on the concept of "culture" in its broadest sense.

In answer to your second question, since only part of the training programs are based on the internet, having computer equipment is not an entry requirement to receive training. In preparation for Expo 2010, the city has devised a training scheme to teach the norms of good public etiquette. The training programme is based on households as a unit and millions of local families will participate in it. Why is the programme based on households? Because the family is the most basic social unit, and family members tend to have stronger interaction and can usually communicate in a more effective way.

It is expected that the training project will teach 200,000 people how to conduct themselves with propriety through community schools, online classrooms and adult education. The city will also launch campaigns to encourage the participation of citizens, publicize the training project and create an atmosphere which will encourage people to be well-mannered. We will take advantage of Expo 2010 to improve the image of local households. The training project will be undertaken by local women's federation and the office for the advocation of good practice in public behaviour.

11. South China Morning Post: You have just reviewed the progress in construction of the national research center of tissue engineering in Shanghai. What do you hope to achieve by building the center? When will it be completed and become operational? Thank you.

Jiao Yang: The phrase "tissue engineering" doesn't refer to neighbourhood communities or grassroots organizations. It is a new high-tech biotechnology industry with huge un-tapped demand and thus potential for vigorous growth. Tissue engineering is the use of a combination of biomaterials, scaffolds (upon which cells are grown to form the tissue construct), artificial organs and differentiated cells to develop tissue-engineered products in an effort to meet the huge potential market. As a biotechnology which uses living tissues to make products for specific use, tissue engineering is dedicated to research into the formation and revival of human tissues and organs. It is a revolutionary approach compared to traditional surgical treatment for organ injuries and physical handicaps.

Shanghai has occupied a position at the leading edge of global research on tissue engineering. Here are the principal goals set for the national research center of tissue engineering: a) to promote research and development in the biotechnology industry and explore its market potential. b) to help develop the industry in a vertically integrated way suitable for the country's economic development and responsive to medical demand. c) to promote the development of the city's and the country's tissue engineering research and biochemical industries. We will strive to build the center into a R&D hub which will play a leading role in Asia and exert worldwide academic influence within the foreseeable future.

The center will occupy an area of 50 mu (1/15 of a hectare) and have 10,000 square meters of floor space. As a world-class research facility, the center will be comprised of a R&D department, a manufacturing plant and a hospital. The center will be developed into a platform for scientific research, industrial production and clinical testing, and serve as the R&D hub of the country, able to make all kinds of tissue-engineered products.