1. Phoenix TV: Hello, I’m from Phoenix TV. As we know, Zhou Zhengyi is under trial, and media outlets are also keeping a close eye on the case. Could you tell us something about the progress of the case, such as when the verdict will be reached? In addition, according to online analysts, Zhou Zhengyi will be sentenced to life imprisonment, can you confirm on it?

Jiao Yang: As you said, the trial is under way. Given that the case is still being handled through legislative procedures, it is inconvenient for the city government to answer this question. Everyone should rest reassured that our legislative authorities will try the case and reach a verdict in a fair manner.

2. Shanghai Securities News: Hello, I’m from Shanghai Securities News. I’d like to ask a question about the Shanghai-Beijing high-speed railway. Yesterday, the State Council published the name list of the officials in charge of the project, including some from the city government. So what role will the city officials play in the project? Is it likely that the city government will invest in the program? If so, what will be the approximate sum?

Jiao Yang: As implied by its name, the program must involve Shanghai. As to its role, Shanghai is to build the railway’s Hongqiao Station, which will be located west of the Hongqiao airport, and between the Shanghai-Hangzhou Railway and the Outer Ring Road. As one of the major stations on the high-speed railway, the facility will serve as a modern transit hub by joining the airport and urban public transport network. The Hongqiao station will help improve the East China high-speed rail network by offering passengers convenient and efficient services. At present, Shanghai is closely cooperating with the Ministry of Railways and other central authorities in the preliminary work. As to the specific sum of the investment, I have no idea.

3. Xinmin Evening News: Thank you. I’m from Xinmin Evening News. I have a specific question. You said the city will finish the renovation of the second-tier water-supply facilities in downtown areas in three years, could you give us a timeframe?

Jiao Yang: The city will take three years, that is, from this year through 2009, to finish the renovation of the second-tier water-supply facilities in the downtown residential complexes. To break down the task, 20%, 40% and 40% of the project will be completed in 2007, 2008 and 2009, respectively, and the water companies will gradually take over the management of the water meters involved in the project.

4. Eastday.com: Hello. Just now you said 20% of the project will be finished in 2007. Since the program has been piloted in some areas, could you tell us how the pilot program is going? I also learned from the press release that 2.76 million water meters will be moved from indoors to outdoors, and why so? In addition, I’d like to know how the scholarship and education aid programs for the secondary vocational schools will contribute to building a fair education system?

Jiao Yang: In fact, authorities have starting piloting the program since 2003. The project aims to improve the tap-water quality as part of the city’s efforts to do good to citizens. Since the program has been mainly piloted in Jing’an District, let’s take the district as an example to show the progress of the renovation project. In March 2007, the district committee of the Chinese Communist Party and the district government decided to include the renovation project in the government’s plan to do good deeds for citizens. District authorities made it clear that the district government will invest in the project where water administrators and water companies will renovate, in stages, the tap-water pipes and roof-top water tanks in residential areas to solve the problem of water quality, which is a chronic headache for residents. The project will cover 60,000 households in the district and is expected to be completed in three years. So far, the district has finished renovating 240 kilometers of water pipes and 734 water tanks for 18,000 households. After the renovation, residents say the water quality has greatly improved, and some say the project has solved some long-standing problems. For example, some residents say seniors used to wear glasses just to pick the rust flushed out of the water pipes into the rice they are washing. Now they no longer need to do so, as the water is safe, and it (washing rice) has become convenient.

You have also asked why we decided to move the water meters from indoors to outdoors. In the past it often happened that a water-meter reader visited a family several times only to find there was nobody in. After the water meters were moved outdoors, no such problems any more. The necessity of moving out the water meters can be summarized as the following three points: one, to show the fair metering in tap-water supply business; two, to get a timely reading of the meters for exact statistics and analysis of water consumed and help water companies improve management efficiency; three, to bring convenience instead of trouble to citizens by minimizing the disturbance by a water-meter reader to the normal life of residents.

You also want to know the benefits of the scholarship and education aid programs in secondary vocational schools. The programs have been established as a major step to promote a fair education system, realize the essential public service and guarantee citizens educational opportunities. By offering scholarships to some majors and assistance to needy students, the city hopes to lure those top graduates from middle school to choose the secondary schools that offer majors badly needed in Shanghai’s urban development to solve the short supply of skilled personnel. Despite the 8% drop this year in the number of middle school graduates over 2006, up to 16,292 fresh graduates applied for a secondary school as their first choice. Meanwhile, the city also helps graduates from needy families to get cultural and career training and find a job as early as possible. The year 2006 saw a record in the ratio of secondary school graduates finding a job, that is 98.55.%. The number of graduates finding a job direct after school rose 3.58 percentage points over the previous year, and 86% of them found jobs in the state-owned work units, foreign and joint ventures and private enterprises. Graduates from 30 majors all found jobs, which shows that secondary school graduates with a special labor skill are very popular in the job market.

5. Cti TV: Hello, I’m from Cti TV. I have a question related to Taiwan. Taiwan’s No. 1 fraud suspect Wang Chin Shih-ing entered Shanghai on October 23. Though a US citizen, she can not cover up the fact that she fled with more than 1 million dollars from Taiwan. The Taiwan Straits Exchange Foundation has written to the Association for Relations across the Taiwan Strait in the hope that authorities will extradite him in the shortest time. Does the Shanghai government know her whereabouts in the city? If so, what will your government do? In addition, several other economic crime suspects including Liu Soong-fan also have holed up in Shanghai, and it seems that Shanghai has become an asylum heaven for for economic crime suspects. I wonder what attitude does the city government hold toward these economic criminal suspects?

Jiao Yang: For your first question, we have checked with relevant authorities who said they don’t know about it. As to the conclusive remark in your second question, I don’t agree with you. Shanghai has in no way, quote,“become an asylum heaven for economic crime suspects.”In fact, Shanghai is a city ruled by law, and the city government has always dealt a heavy blow to all kinds of criminals. Meanwhile, Shanghai has at all times strictly followed the relevant international guidelines and cooperated with international organizations to fight and control international criminals. It is no“asylum heaven”as you said. Your remark is absolutely wrong, and I hope all reporters will correct any such remarks you come across.

6. SMG: When you briefed us at last press meeting on the city’s special overhaul program targeting product quality and food safety, you said supervisory teams will check it out in each district. So how is the supervision work going now?

Jiao Yang: Everyone is concerned about product quality and food safety as it is related to so many families. The inspection work goes smoothly and has its due effect. The city government recently sent a supervisory team to the 19 districts and county each, where they worked for two days. The inspection covered eight special categories and 28 targets. The inspection procedures were professional in that each assessment was recorded. The supervisors conducted inspection while offering guidance, praising good points and pointing out weak points, which has won positive response from the public.

The inspection was intended to check the progress of the program, including where the problems and setbacks are, to pave the way for the next stage of the program and ensure the tasks and goals set by the city government and the State Council are met by the year-end. The 19 supervisory teams heard reports on the program made by the district and county governments, examined the relevant documents and records, spot-checked 411 businesses, involving vegetable farms, chemical factories and retailers, food-processing businesses and workshops, food markets, groceries, stalls, restaurants and packaged food operators, supermarkets, slaughterhouses, drug manufacture, wholesale and retail businesses, manufacturers of home appliances and nine other products, and export-food processing centers. The supervisory teams also checked on the program’s promotion by 37 townships and neighborhood committees.

The inspection shows that the program is generally going well and initial effect is achieved thanks to the active promotion, organization and coordination by officials at district and county governments. The inspectors also found problems at some districts, such as the improper handling of the certificates, invoices and accounts, inefficient supervision of these documents; illegal“conversion from resident to non-resident”to operate business and process food; operation of food business without licenses; and inefficient supervision of slaughterhouses.

In the next stage, the city will focus on these problems by making rectifications, conducting research into and solving those hardcore difficulties, establishing a long-term system targeting some recurring problems. By doing that we aim to wrap up this special war in all-round success.

7. China Business News: Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces apparently have been suffering a short supply of gas recently, and has the city taken any precautious measures? Thank you.

Jiao Yang: There have been many news reports about that recently. We also learned that since mid-October a shortage of diesel oil has hit many areas. City authorities have acted accordingly. Thanks to firm support from Sinopec and PetroChina, the finished-oil market is generally stable in Shanghai.

We learned that the Shanghai branch of Sinopec and gas stations both wholely owned and held by PetroChina’s Shanghai retail branch have set no limits on gas supply, but some franchise gas stations and privately operated gas stations (which accounts for only five percent of the total number in the city) have suspended or limited supply at certain periods and certain areas because of shortage of supply.

To tackle the rising shortage of oil supply, city authorities have asked the head offices of Sinopec and PetroChina to increase their quota for Shanghai in the fourth quarter, and their branches in Shanghai have pledged to step up outsourcing to guarantee the supply to the city. Meanwhile, the city’s price inspectiob team will tighten its punishment on gas stations that are found to hoard, short-sell or overcharge, in an effort to regulate the market.

8. ARD: Hello, I’m from ARD. I have two questions. First, Could you possibly brief us on the overall situation of tap-water supply in Shanghai? Will the quantity and quality meet the demand of the whole city? Second, has the city government come up with new policies or measures on sewage treatment? Thank you.

Jiao Yang: It’s for sure the tap-water supply can meet the demand of the whole city. The city’s tap-water draws from the upper reaches of the Huangpu River, the Chenhang Reservoir near the mouth of the Yangtze River, some inland rivers and underground water. The upper reaches of the Huangpu offer 80 percent of the city’s tap-water, and the Yangtze 20 percent. As of the end of 2006, the city had 146 tap-water companies, supplying 11.38 million cubic meters per day, and penetration rate of tap-water reached 99.99 percent. So generally speaking, the city has a balance of supply and demand.

As to sewage treatment, every administration in Shanghai’s history has attached great importance to the issue, injecting huge funds, building sewage treatment facilities and taking strict measures. We can offer some documents after the press conference if you need.

9. Oriental Morning Post: Thank you. I’m from Oriental Morning Post. Two questions. One, can high school graduates from Shanghai apply for education loans if they enroll into a university in other provinces? And are non-Shanghai students entitled to Shanghai’s scholarship? The second question is about the renovation project along the Bund. We’ve seen that some overpasses are being pulled down, could you tell us something about the comprehensive renovation project at the Bund?

JiaoYang: Good question about the students, and it is a matter of fair education. I can make it very clear that Shanghai treats students from other areas equally as their Shanghai peers, in that they are entitled to exactly the same state education aid fund and government-sponsored scholarships. To help students from Shanghai’s poor families who are studying in out-of-town universities finish their study and alleviate the burden on these universities for education loans, Shanghai has set up a special state education loan program, which is shortened as Student Source City Education Loan. It is open to all Shanghai students from poor families studying in universities out of Shanghai.

For the second question, We learned from authorities that the city’s urban construction department is organizing the comprehensive face-lift of traffic (facilities) around the Bund and improve the road network in Pudong and Puxi to prepare for the 2010 World Expo in Shanghai. The program follows the basic principal of improving road network while preserving the Bund’s historical image.

10. Shanghai Education TV: Thank you, I’m from Shanghai Education TV. I’d like to know what education aid policies are in place in Shanghai now? What has Shanghai done to implement the state education loan policy?

Jiao Yang: In accordance with the relevant state policies, Shanghai has actively promoted“reward, loan, aid, subsidy, and reduction”programs, and actually Shanghai had begun some of these programs ahead of other provinces.

Firstly, Shanghai established the“Shanghai Government Education Aid Fund and Scholarships.”In December 2005, the city government initiated the program, which falls into three categories:“Shanghai government scholarships,”“Shanghai government education aid fund”and reward for Shanghai college graduates who volunteer to teach at schools in China’s west and the city’s townships. So far, the Scholarship and Education Aid Fund have been awarded for two years, 18 million yuan a year; the reward for volunteer teachers in China’s West awarded for one year, with 200 recipients awarded a total of 1 million yuan, and the reward for volunteer teachers in Shanghai’s townships started this year, with 529 recipients getting 1.058 million yuan.

Secondly, the city has fully implemented the new system of the state education loans. The city’s student aid management center has signed agreements with the Shanghai branches of China’s big-four banks on cooperation from 2006 through 2010, and each university has found a bank partner. As I just mentioned, Shanghai also established the Student Source City Education Loan to help students from Shanghai’s poor families who are studying in out-of-town universities finish their study. The loans have benefited 54 students in 2004, 190 in 2005, and 290 in 2006. Promotion of the loans has increased the number of applicants. Despite its limited number of beneficiaries, the program has won great acclaim from the public.

The new policies on aid to needy students at Shanghai universities have three characteristics:

One, the sum of the financial aids has been increased. The Shanghai government scholarships and aid funds rose from 30 million yuan to 200 million, which excludes funds used in risk compensation and interest subsidies for the state education loans, reward-for-loan fund, cash reward to university graduates volunteering to work in hinterland areas and funds for student part-time job programs.

Two, more aid channels were opened. As I mentioned just now, in addition to the state education loans, Shanghai has established city-level scholarships and cash reward for university graduates working in hinterland areas and increased the sum of the scholarships. Meanwhile, Shanghai also set up the government’s cash reward for volunteer services and initiated a program to help students pay off the state education loans.

Three, more students benefit from the financial aid systems. The city’s aid program for needy students features two“covers,”namely,“covering all students,”and“covering all students from needy families.”By“covering all students,’’I mean the aid systems have fanned out from public universities to cover all those studying the regular undergraduate programs at private and adults universities. By“covering all students from needy families,”I mean that about 18,000 students at local government-funded universities benefited from the earlier scholarships and education aid funds, but the new aid program benefits 64,000, or 17 percent of all students studying at local government-funded universities, which means it covers all needy students at local government-funded universities in 2006.

11. Shanghai Morning Post: Good afternoon, I’m from Shanghai Morning Post. According to the news release, the Shanghai Education Commission will join hands with authorities to establish a databank on state education loans. Could you tell us the purpose. In addition, has the city implemented the policies of helping students pay off bank loans?

Jiao Yang: The data bank is intended to offer information on the breakdown of the borrowers and proportion of students from needy families, which can help us in analysis and research designed to fine-tune our work and push forward the system.

The loan payment help system is a new thing Shanghai is researching into.

OK, that’s all for today’s press conference. Thank you for coming.