1. International Finance News: The Shanghai Municipal government decided to hold a hearing in mid-April on the establishment of a mechanism to allow taxi fares to fluctuate with fuel prices. What is the current situation? Such a mechanism is currently being operated in Beijing, so what's the price-adjustment plan for Shanghai?

Jiao Yang: There is a misunderstanding in your question: at present, we are not discussing the price-adjustment plan. Your mentioning the establishment of a mechanism, which allows taxi fares to fluctuate with fuel prices, is the right way of putting it. As for the situation in other cities and provinces, as I don't know the details, I cannot comment.

I gave details of the mechanism at the last press conference. As of March 26, 2006, in accordance with national regulations, Shanghai increased gasoline and diesel prices and adopted a series of measures to soften the blow:

Firstly, the offering of subsidies to those in need and to the public sector; local bus and ferry fares will remain unchanged, with the government subsidizing those industries vulnerable to oil price increases, such as the farming, fishing, forestry and public transport industries.

Secondly, the adoption of comprehensive measures to ensure the stability of the taxi industry; in accordance with national regulations, the city will design a mechanism to allow taxi fares to fluctuate with fuel prices. The specifics of the mechanism are currently under discussion and a hearing will be held in due course. The media has reported it and I think the work is very transparent. At present, the preparetory work for the hearing has been completed and, after full consultation and approval, the details will be released. Until the mechanism is decided upon, the government and taxi companies will subsidize drivers on a temporary basis so as to guarantee that their incomes are not adversely affected. The city will also step-up action against unlicensed cabs, improve the operational environment of taxis, standardize the management of taxi companies and relieve the burden on taxi drivers.

Thirdly, the ensuring of supply and of an orderly market; the city will keep a weather-eye on market trends to ensure the normal supply, production, purchase, storage and transportation of oil products and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), while cracking-down on those disturbing the market by panic-buying, hoarding for purposes of speculation or by rumor-mongering. We will keep the media informed.

2. Central People's Radio Station: Director Qiao has just mentioned that the city would have a team supervising the transparency of government information. Can you tell us what kind of people are on the team? What is the nature of their work?

Qiao Zhigang (deputy director of the Shanghai Informatization Commission): Actually, the city already has a very good team supervising the transparency of government information. Now, we are considering cooperation with the Shanghai supervision commission. While retaining the original team, we are discussing with the commission the addition of new staff, with some from the Shanghai People's Congress and the Shanghai Committee of Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC). We expect the transparency of government information to be evaluated by a third party.

3. Shanghai Morning Post: Director Qiao, do local residents need to pay to access government information? If so, does different information have a different charging standard? It is reported that 80 percent of the applications for the transparency of government information have been completely or partly approved. How about the remaining 20 percent? Can you tell us about the city's early-warning system against natural disasters? What is the local meteorological department's capability in this regard?

Qiao Zhigang: your first question is about charging for access to government information. When we began to promote the transparency of government information, we considered two ways of going about it: either making it completely free of charge or setting the charges in relation to the particular costs involved. Finally, we chose the cost-principle. For instance, copying a sheet of A4 paper costs two jiao (2.5 US cents). We charge the money to avoid abuses. Low-income families can apply for free service. As to your second question, among the nearly 20,000 applications, it is not so much that about 20 percent of them received no reply, but that such information was unavailable, for one of the followiing three reasons: firstly, residents are unsure as to the responsibilities of different government departments. For example, particular information is available in department 'A', but they apply to department 'B', rendering the application fruitless; secondly, the particular information itself is unavailable in government; thirdly, based on the regulations, information involving national or commercial secrets, personal privacy or that forbidden to be released, is unavailable to the public.

Jiao Yang: As to the local early-warning system against natural disasters, over recent years the city has been trying to improve the accuracy of weather forecasts and early-warnings of extreme weather, and also the procedures involved in releasing the signal.

Besides radio and TV broadcasts, methods of releasing extreme weather early-warning signals include the weather forecast telephone numbers 12121 and 969221 which are familiar to the public. Also, in 2004, a text-message platform to release the signals was launched specifically for local construction sites. Last year, 8,000 electronic display panels and mobile TV broadcasting systems were available to release such information. In August last year, a mobile phone text-message platform was launched for the early-warning signals, while in November a platform was launched for property management personnel at more than 8,000 residential quarters. All these efforts represent government initiatives to serve local citizens.

Shanghai posted a total of 56 early-warning signals last year, namely five for typhoons (twice yellow, twice red and once black), five times for rainstorms (four times yellow and once red), 39 times for high temperatures (32 times red and seven times black), three times for heavy fog and four times for low temperatures (twice red and twice black). Especially when typhoon Matsa struck the city in early-August last year, the Shanghai Meteorological Bureau released early-warning signals via radio, TV, electronic display panel and text-message, conveying the information to local residents promptly and effectively. The early-warning system played a positive role in combatting Matsa.

You are concerned about local weather-forecasting capabilities. I have just said that based on the requirement to modernize, the local meteorological department is trying to improve the accuracy of its forecasts. Over the past three years, the Shanghai Central Meteorological Center boasts an accuracy rate of 86.9 percent for its weather forecasts, with the margin-of-error for 24-hour and 48-hour typhoon-paths lowered to about 110 and 220 kilometers respectively, 70 percent accuracy in the forecasting of severe convection weather and an updated forecast issued every 30 minutes on average. Generally, the Shanghai weather-forecast is comparatively accurate, and the accuracy is improving.

4. Shanghai Education Television Station: I have two questions: firstly, can you explain the special regulations concerning media reporting of weather information as set forth in the guidelines for emergency-response to severe weather? Second question: according to the guidelines, are there any requirements on the media relating to the release of early-warning signals and disaster information?

Jiao Yang: Your question is good: it helps citizens to know who releases the information, and how it is released. The guidelines for emergency response to severe weather specify that, according to the procedures of the Shanghai Meteorological Bureau, the Shanghai Central Meteorological Center is responsible for the issuance and release of early-warning signals, updating or canceling the signals and reporting to the authority. It is to say that the Shanghai Central Meteorological Center is responsible for the information release, and under its guidance, the district or county-level meteorological stations will release their own signals. As Shanghai covers a large area, with different weather prevailing in different areas, other organizations or individuals are not allowed to release early-warning signals or related information to the public.

As to the weather information released by the media, there are special regulations in the guidelines. Local media, including print media, radio & TV, Internet and mobile phone text-messaging services, should use uniform names and icons for weather signals and, after receiving information directly from the Shanghai Central Meteorological Center, they should broadcast it promptly, completely and accurately. Radio and TV must broadcast within 15 minutes of receiving the information. Besides the media mentioned above, the weather forecast hotline, individual email, websites and 8,000 electronic display panels and public TV monitors in local streets can also release the information. This year,  TV monitors in local apartment buildings will also release such signals. All these media are required to release the information according to the signals and icons stipulated by the Shanghai Central Meteorological Center.

5. Nihon Keizai Shimbun:  I have three questions.  A year has passed since last year's anti-Japan protests.  We are wondering how the renovation of the defaced Consulate-General of Japan in Shanghai is progressing and when it will be completed.  What punishments have been meted-out to the lawbreakers involved in the protest?  My second question is, as we arrive at the one-year anniversary of the anti-Japan protest, what security measures has Shanghai initiated with Japanese organizations and institutions in mind.  The third question is what compensation has been awarded to the Japanese-style restaurants affected during the protest.

Jiao Yang: The first question. Renovation is underway at the Consulate-General of Japan in Shanghai.  The Chinese side has adopted a serious and responsible attitude toward the renovation work and hopes the work will be completed as soon as possible. Fulfillment of this hope entails active cooperation from the Japanese side, however. So far as I know, progress has been slow due to the Japanese side.
For your second question, the lawbreakers have been punished according to the law.
Now the third question.  We have always paid high attention to the security of all consulates, including that of Japan, and we are continueing to do so.
The fourth question, relating to Japanese-style restaurants, they have quickly reopened for business thanks to the help of local neighborhood business associations.  I hear that all the proprietors have expressed satisfaction.

6. SMG TV news center:  As we all know, in the previous weather warning system the three levels of alert corresponded to different criteria and were represented by different colors.  Does the new system relate to the previous one and is it easy for the public to understand?
My second question is about recent media reports on the proposed maglev line connecting Shanghai and Hangzhou and the high-speed rail link between Shanghai and Nanjing. Can you elaborate on this issue?

Jiao Yang: Under the city's previous system, the particular category of severe weather was represented by a different color, the same as in the new national system.  What I talked about today just involves a few features, not all, of the new local system. The guidelines for emergency response to severe weather, which you will find attached to the information about the new local alert system, give all the details. As I said, reporters can access it or download it for reference from the website of the municipal government or of the city's meteorological bureau.
Generally speaking, it is identical to the state alert system in terms of weather categories, alert colors and icons, but the Shanghai system has been fine-tuned with local weather conditions in mind. For example, following the standard set by the China Meteorological Administration (CMA), alerts for rainstorms are graded as yellow, orange and red.  Shanghai, after obtaining approval from the CMA, has added a blue grade to align the alert system with the local four-level anti-flood response mechanism.
The guideline goes into such details as the grading  of foggy weather being specified according to visibility, say 50 meters, 200 meters or 500 meters and. Specific and detailed regulations are set for alerts which correspond to the different degrees of weather-related disasters.  For more details, please check online. That's all for the first question.

For your second question, concerning the Beijing-Shanghai high-speed railway, the state railway bureau has provided a detailed introduction.  And for the Shanghai-Hangzhou maglev, I gave a briefing at the last press conference. Since then, I have nothing more to add.

7. Metro Express: I have a question concerning government information-disclosure.  As revealed today, with the report on work-in-progress, among the first areas to pilot the reform program are urban planning and housing relocation.  Can you give examples of the pilot-projects undertaken, and of concrete contents? Thank you!

Qiao Zhigang: During the reform of information disclosure, we have carried out the work comprehensively and systematically, and applied it in every aspect.  But, in consideration of the fact that urban planning and housing relocation are of great concern to citizens, we plan to use these two areas as trailblazers to implement the reform. Up to now, the administrative authorities of urban planning and housing resources have commenced deliberation and research of information disclosure in the areas of their responsibilty. Taking urban planning as an example, the authorities are considering implementing the work in four different ways:
Firstly, make it a principle that all information relating to planning work must be publicized on the government websites;
Secondly, gradually advance disclosure of detailed plans covering areas under government control. Plans will be publicized upon approval;
Thirdly, improve the management procedures governing information disclosure in the urban planning area;
Fourthly, draft management regulations for information disclosure by the year-end and apply it to urban planning in its entirety.
As for housing relocation, the land resources authority is undertaking further research.  In a bid to  ensure information disclosure is well-regulated, it will specify the scope, timing and party responsible for information disclosure.

8. Xinhua News Agency: I have two questions. One is about the St.Petersburg Week to be held next week in Shanghai. Can the spokesperson reveal the activities to be staged and who will be among the Russian guests in attendance? How large will  the event be? My second question is for Dean Qiao concerning the evaluation system established for government information disclosure.  As with the evaluation work completed last year, critical letters have been issued to the departments involved, targeting points where they need to improve.  My question is what departments are involved and what are the contents of the letters? If a department has received the letter for a second consecutive year, what further measures will you follow-up with? Thank You!

Jiao Yang: The St.Petersburg Week has attracted the highest attention from all levels of government.  It is scheduled to start from April 17 in Shanghai, with preparations well-underway.  The Week is regarded as a vital project between China and Russia, with the two countries planning to showcase each other's culture this year. It is the first all-round exchange between St.Petersburg and Shanghai since they inaugurated the friendship city relationship.  As the largest activity ever held here by one of Shanghai's friendship cities, in terms of the number of visitors, a delegation of nearly 300 Russian visitors will fly by chartered jet to Shanghai.  Major activities to be staged in the week cover 14 areas, such as official exchange activities (namely inter-governmental exchanges), business/trade forums and promotions, artistic performances and cultural promotions, as well as education and sports. During the four months' preparation, the city's foreign affairs office and press office have allied with over 10 government departments involved in sports, education, business and trade.  They have closely cooperated to overcome difficulties and make the preparations smooth.  In short, the St.Petersburg Week will strengthen the long friendship between China and Russia, promote mutual understanding between the two peoples and further cooperation and exchanges in all areas including business, trade, culture and education.

Qiao Zhigang: As I have said, we use evaluation as a crucial method to push ahead the continuous advance of reform in government information disclosure.  The indexes for each year are not identical, however. There are two of them: one is based on the government regulation; the other tracks the work focus of that year. Because we are only in the second year of the reforms, we decided to focus the evaluation mainly on praise and encouragement.  For district and county governments evaluated and ranked in the worst five and departments ranked in the worst ten, we have privately drafted critical letters to the departments concerned. Even within the government, we haven't published these.  Yes, we will gradually add criticism to the evaluation and publish a list of laggards.  But, currently, at the starting point, the aim is more to encourage the departments to carry out the reform. That is all for the first question.
You also asked what would happen if a department received a poor evaluation for two consecutive years. This is the first year of evaluation.  I find the departments pay high attention to our suggestions, particularly those issued form the supervisory authority.  That means the same mistakes will not occur again, I believe.  I am confident in that.  After one year, or two years, if some departments show no improvement after repeatedly receiving critical letters, we will intensify the evaluation work, including submitting criticism to their leaders and related departments.  I think we will strengthen the work in this area. Thank You!

9. SMG TV news Center: Yesterday the registration proposal for the World Expo 2010 was officially disclosed. According to this proposal, the Shanghai municipal government will finance over 7-billion-yuan out of the total 18-billion-yuan cost envisaged for the construction of the principal venues. By what means will the Shanghai government provide the funding? Meanwhile, how is the progress of the relocation project associated with the Shanghai Expo? When will it be complete?

Jiao Yang: The registration proposal for the World Expo has been publicized online. As for the reporters' concern about where the 7-billion-yuan will come from, we will consult the Shanghai Expo Bureau after the conference for detailed information about the composition and sources of the fund. You may also  contact the spokesperson of the Shanghai Expo Bureau directly or the government departments related to the bureau.
As for the relocation project, the media has given full coverage. So far as I know, the work is progressing smoothly and near-completion.  In Pudong New Area, all affected residents have been relocated, the same being the case in Luwan District.  In Huangpu District, 99 percent of the residents have been removed, a little bit slower due to a late start.  The relocation project has won wide understanding and support from local citizens.  Only a few things remain to be done.  In line with the city government's so-called "sun-shine relocation" principle, the local media and the infrastructure, traffic and expo authorities, as well as related organizations, have  cooperated closely and combined forces to contribute to a successful and memorable World Expo.  Relocation of residents will be completed around June.