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Shanghai Municipal Government Press Conference Memo (April 12)
13/4/2007 16:32

1. SMG TV news center: I am a reporter from the TV news center. I want to ask Director Cai several questions. We have noticed that the three-year action plan was from 2003 through 2005 and will be from this year through 2009. Why there is a year between the two periods? In the first round of the three-year action plan, the government invested a total of 4.715 billion yuan. Do you have a budget or plan for the investment in the second round? The spokeswoman just now said that a number of big sport events and significant meetings will take place in Shanghai this year. Has the health system prepared any measures and plans to cope with medical emergencies? Thank you.

Cai Wei: Thank you. Our work went quite well in the first round from 2003 through 2005. The reporter just now mentioned why the year of 2006 was missed. This is because we buried ourselves in doing survey and research during the whole year. Based on the survey and research, we put the aspects believed necessary to adjust and improve in the new plan. It is a coincidence that Shanghai will host the World Expo in 2010 after 2009 when we have finished the three-year action plan. Although the past year was not included in the three-year plan, work was still continuing. We made such an arrangement just for more time to think in order to ameliorate our work. Actually we achieved what we had expected at the end of last year.

The second question is about the total investment. I talked about the principal just now on the issue. It is sure that the government will increase the investment in the public health sector, along with the growth of the national economy. This means that our new round of the three-year action plan will suck in more financial input than the previous one.

The third question talks about the medical service for big events. Every time when Shanghai hosts a big event, we always take an active part in it. For example, on the six nations¡¯summit last year, our social health system contributed a lot. We kept working from the beginning to the end, and also provided service to the nations¡¯leaders. You probably didn¡¯t see it, but we did pre-plan counter-measures to cope with emergencies. We had ambulances and doctors near the meeting venues. We also had a number of hospitals on stand-by. We selected a nearest second-grade hospital for each meeting venue, and also prepared an aid center as back-up. The hospital list included Huashan Hospital and Ruishan Hospital. This was also in line with international practice.

Jiao Yang: More questions are welcome.

2. National Business Daily: I am reporter from the National Business Daily. I have three questions about sports games. A total of 48 sports games will take place in Shanghai this year. One question is what they are? And what are related to the Olympic Games? Shanghai will present the group stage of the Olympic soccer competition next year. The second question is how the preparation is going. The third question is how the ticket sale of the FIFA Women¡¯s World Cup will be conducted.

Jiao Yang: The question raised by the reporter is very good. Pay attention to the Olympic Games. As we all know, the Olympic Games will begin on August 8, 2008. Shanghai will host part of the preliminary games of the Olympic soccer competition. The reporter asked two major questions. I will also answer the questions in two aspects. One is what qualifying games for the Olympic Games will take place in Shanghai. The other is how the preparation of Shanghai, as one of the locations to hold Olympic soccer games, is going, which was also asked by the reporter.

This year, Shanghai will hold a number of qualifying games of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. Here I list six major ones:

1) International men¡¯s and women¡¯fleuret tournament

2) Asia and Pacific regional sailboat qualifying

3) Beach volleyball¡¯s World Tour China Jinshan Open

4) FIG 2007 China World Cup Gymnastics

5) Shanghai Golden Grand Prix

6) 2007 FIFA Women¡¯s World Cup

Firstly, hosting these events can serve the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, expanding its impact in the world. Secondly, hosting these events can serve the country. It will provide a platform to sportsmen and sports teams, giving them opportunities to exchange experience and skills. Also, it will be a very good chance for the country to select and cultivate sports talent reserve. Shanghai will make preparations and hold these games in real earnest.

Now let¡¯s talk about the preparations for the preliminary stage of the Olympic soccer games. The 29th Summer Olympic Games will have its grand opening in Beijing on August 8, 2008. And Shanghai will be one of the competition locations of the Olympic soccer games preliminary stage. The first match of the Olympic men¡¯s soccer competition will kick off at the Shanghai Stadium on August 7, 2008. The 2008 Beijing Olympic Games is a magnificent sport meet for the world and a great event for China. People in Shanghai also expect much of it. Supporting the Olympic Games and serving the Olympic Games have become recognized and are a common voluntary action of all Shanghai citizens. At present, all the work in Shanghai for the Olympic soccer games is going on in an orderly way, as the Olympic organizing committee requires.

Here I can introduce the preparations in Shanghai in three aspects.

Firstly, the city government pays high attention. Leaders of the city have inspected all the preparation work in person, and gave important directions regarding the face-lifting of the Shanghai Stadium.

Secondly, the rebuilding of the competition venue is going smoothly. The Shanghai Stadium, tasked with the soccer games of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, was built in October 2007, with a floor space of 170,000 square meters. The stadium has football and athletics fields that meet international standards. It has been a major venue for many domestic and international football games over the past 10 years. To prepare for the Olympic soccer games, a project to renovate Shanghai Stadium was launched in the second half of 2006. The construction of the project is now on wheels, and is expected to be completed in July this year.

Thirdly, all the preparation work is proceeding in an orderly manner. The competition venue is the¡°hardware¡±to ensure the success of the games. The operation of organizers can be considered the¡°software.¡±In March 2005, the city government approved the establishment of a task force to lead the work in Shanghai for the soccer games of the 29th Olympic Games. Meanwhile, an office in charge of the soccer competition was also set up. Currently, all preparations are moving on methodically. The promotion campaign is gathering steam. A series of promotion activities, featuring the 500 days¡¯countdown to the Olympic Games, have recently been held. The city also cooperated with the Beijing Olympic organizing committee in holding a ceremony in Shanghai to release the Olympic knowledge wall maps and launch the Olympic education tour. The Olympic knowledge wall maps, the Olympic knowledge exhibitions with rich illustrations, volunteers¡¯efforts and abundant performances have greatly helped to popularize Olympic knowledge in Shanghai. The city will continue efforts to prop up the following promotional campaigns, scheduled in the countdown of the Beijing Olympic Games.

The reporter also mentioned the ticket selling of the FIFA Women¡¯s World Cup. The ticket prices will be set by the five host cities themselves. But there is no big difference between them. Emma Ticket is the agent of the Chinese organizing committee to sell tickets in overseas markets and regions outside the five host cities. In Shanghai, East Asia Ticket is the agency general of the ticket selling. Soccer fans in the five host cities can buy tickets at the ticket sales outlets in their home cities. Fans in other cities, including overseas fans, can book tickets through the Internet or the hotlines.

Basically, the ticket prices of the finals have been nailed down. The Chinese organizing committee of the FIFA Women¡¯s World Cup plans to hold press conferences to announce the ticket prices simultaneously in the near future. So I will not make an announcement here. Thank you. More questions please go ahead.

3. Shanghai Morning Post: Thank you. I am a reporter from the Shanghai Morning Post. It was said recently that the Shanghai City Appearance and Environmental Sanitation Administrative Bureau would issue a guideline on the management of stalls set up in the city¡¯s public areas. One of my questions is how the work is going. In addition, the information released today mentioned some sport events to take place in Shanghai this year, including several related to the Olympic Games. I want to ask if there is any change in the number and the size, compared with the international sport events held over the past several years. Thank you.

Jiao Yang: The guideline the reporter talked about is also what many citizens care about. As what we know, the authorities are soliciting opinions on the guideline from experts and related municipal, district and town departments. The contents are still under discussion. The municipal city appearance and environmental sanitation authority plans to publish the draft guideline before May 1, and will implement it on a trial basis in some areas. Based on the test, the authorities will extend the scope of opinion collection. From January 1, 2008, another round of test run will be carried out in applicant districts/county. It will go into effect officially from July 1, 2008. The introduction of a step-by-step manner is expected to help sum up experience so that an improved guideline can satisfy people¡¯s demand better. During the trial period, the areas outside those testing the new guideline will continue applying the original rules.

Also, the reporter showed the interest in the frequency of international sport events and meetings to take place this year in the city, compared with the previous years. Basically, there is no big difference. Shanghai is an international metropolis. A lot of events occurred that were not planned to take place in the year. But the focus of each year is different. If a major event has come to the city for the first time, for instance, the first time to host the Golden Grand Prix, it will draw much attention. When it goes into the second and the third year, it will become a regular big event. So do the Formula One and the Master¡¯s Cup. Having been held for years in succession, these events have now been accepted as conventional. Therefore, compared with the past several years, the focus of this year is different, but the frequency sees nearly no difference. Thank you. More questions are welcome.

4. Radio news center: I notice in the released information that more care will be given to the groups vulnerable to AIDS. This is an issue around the whole world. Shanghai did a very good job. I want to ask how we define the vulnerable groups. How many AIDS patients and HIV carriers are there in Shanghai? How about the vulnerable people? And what are our measures targeting the vulnerable people and the steps to prevent ordinary people from joining the vulnerable groups?

Cai Wei: What you said is very right. This is an issue that needs the public attention. At first, I will report some information about AIDS in 2006 to everybody. Shanghai reported 718 HIV carriers and 53 AIDS patients in 2006, an increase of 54 percent from a year earlier. The figures told us clearly that the number of the infected reached a record high. Since 1987 when the first HIV case was discovered in the city, the number was growing year by year. As of December 31, 2006, Shanghai had reported 2,313 HIV cases accumulatively, including 100 deaths. The reporter just now raised a question what are considered major factors making people vulnerable to the disease. The dangerous factors that lead to the spread of AIDS still exist widely. One is that improper practices are still present in many entertainment venues. In spite of increased efforts to intervene, some behavior is difficult to track down. So we have worked closely with the public security authorities.

The second is that drug addicts are one of the groups vulnerable to AIDS. We also cooperat with the public security authorities. As you know, we opened four new rehabilitation centers for drug addicts last year to introduce methadone treatment as a therapy to prevent AIDS. Now there are five rehabilitation centers in Shanghai. We will add more. The methadone treatment can effectively control this group of people. It can help the addicts reduce the dose of the drug gradually. Then much harm brought by drug addiction will be also alleviated. All these are a result of a close cooperation with the public security authorities.

Another issue is sex. We have beefed up the offering of condoms. A lot of public places now provide condoms, as we all know. We have also strengthened education among students. Middle and high schools have opened health education courses, and these are required courses. We have also introduced a partner education to colleges, giving students more knowledge on health and teaching them how to protect themselves. These are examples of the work we are doing. We hope that our media will help us do better in the job. The prevention and the treatment of AIDS need the concerted efforts of the whole society. Shanghai¡¯s control is comparatively effective compared with the whole country. The infection rate is relatively low. But this doesn¡¯t mean we can lower out alertness. More social intervention is needed.

5. Reuters: Thank you. I am a reporter from Reuters. I want to ask two questions. After Secretary Xi Jinping came to Shanghai, what plans and ideas did the city government have to build Shanghai into an international financial center? In addition, could you release any details about the city¡¯s plan to set up a financial group?

Jiao Yang: Thank you. The reporter is interested in Shanghai¡¯s construction and development, after Secretary Xi Jinping came to the city. Under the leadership of the central committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council and with the support of all the Chinese people, the CPC Shanghai committee and the municipal government, led by the previous leadership teams, have led and united all the city¡¯s residents to accomplish great achievements. Shanghai will continue efforts to realize the goals to take the lead in introducing new economic growth patterns, upgrading innovation capabilities, promoting reform and building a socialist harmonious society, as required by Party Secretary-General Hu Jintao. Shanghai will resort to a scientific development philosophy to build a socialist harmonious society, to speed up the fulfillment of the goals to take the lead in the four aspects and to shore up the national strategy to build the city into an international economic, financial, trade and shipping center. We will concentrate on the work before us to guarantee the success of the city¡¯s 9th Party congress. The city government will be more attuned to the demands of the grass roots and be tougher in crackdowns on corruption. The city government will create a more favorable ambience for work to hail the opening of the CPC 17th Congress. As for the financial group you mentioned, I never heard of the plan. Thank you.

6. 21st Century Business Herald: Thank you. I am from the 21st Century Business Herald. I have a question to ask Director Cai. How much will the government subsidize communities this year? How will you ensure the community hospitals will not find other ways to make money while taking government subsidies?

Cai Wei: Very good question. This shows your concerns about our work in community health system. As you know, we phased the reform in community health system, based on practical conditions. We first carried out the reform in Changning and Songjiang districts on a trial basis. Last year, we extended the move to another nine districts/county. Then, we will introduce the reform to the rest eight districts/county this year to cover all the city¡¯s 18 districts and one county. Our reform is designed to separate income from expenditure. It means the income will have nothing to do with the expenditure. It is the first step of our reform to end the situation that hospitals are sustained by medicines, to prevent them from making improper profits. This requires us to strengthen supervision and evaluation. We have studied and rolled out some examination measures. In future, we will intensify the evaluation of the work of the officials in charge of community health service centers and the officials in charge of district or county health administrations. The government¡¯s duty is to ensure fairness and justice. We will strive to make the public health service system able to better protect the health of citizens and safeguard public health security. Thank you.

7. Nihon Keizai Shimbun: I am a reporter from the Nihon Keizai Shimbun. I want to ask how the relocation of Japanese companies in the Jiading industrial zone is going.

Jiao Yang: From what we have learnt from the Jiading district government, government agencies have communicated with each company involved in the relocation one by one. They are scrupulous in the work. As I know, the local authorities have applied different policies to different companies. And every relocated company has moved to a new location when their new workshops and offices had been built. As the planning and the construction in Jiading District are approved by higher authorities, local authorities have to make communication with each company. The companies also gave their understanding and cooperation. The relocation is in its preliminary phase, and the work is progressing smoothly. For more details of the relocation, you can consult the Jiading district government.

8. Now TV Business News Channel: I am a reporter from Hong Kong¡¯s Now Business Channel. Secretary Xi Jinping has taken the office, and you mentioned just now that Shanghai will continue to fight against corruption. I heard some real estate officials are being investigated. Some recent reports said Chen Shijie, chairman of the Shanghai Real Estate Association, is also under investigation. Can you confirm the news? And are there more measures to clamp down on corruption?

Jiao Yang: I have no information about the first question of yours right now. Anti-corruption measures is something to which the CPC Shanghai committee and the city government have always attached importance. Shanghai will embrace unswerving determinations in two aspects. One is to be determined to step up development. The other is to be determined to fight against corruption. There is no compromise on this issue. The city will strengthen the education on Party officials, especially cadres, improve the mechanism and intensify supervision. In case of any corruption, the city government will punish without leniency.

9. Central News Agency: I am a reporter from Taiwan¡¯s Central News Agency. I want to ask if Xi Jinping has some new ideas on the policy to develop the city¡¯s service industry, as many Taiwan companies having investment in Shanghai are interested in it.

Jiao Yang: I believe that a lot of people are interested in the work of newly-appointed Secretary Xi Jinping. But the question is beyond the authorization given to me, as a spokesperson for the city government.

To step up the development of a modern service industry is what the Party Secretary-General Hu Jintao requires of Shanghai. The CPC Shanghai committee and the city government both lay importance on Shanghai¡¯s modern service industry development. A series of policies and measures have been issued to speed up the adjustment in the economic structure. Shanghai is endeavoring to develop modern service industry into a major one in the economic structure. The efforts will keep increasing. Thank you.

Today¡¯s press conference is over. We thank every reporter, and also thank you, Director Cai.