China's Xuzhou City. [Photo/VCG] NAIROBI - China's Xuzhou City was among five winners of the 2018 UN Human Settlements Program (UN-Habitat) Scroll of Honor that were feted on Monday for advancing urban renewal. The city, which is in east China's Jiangsu province, scooped the prestigious award for promoting holistic and broad-based approaches to ecological restoration through intelligent solid-waste management. Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta presented the UN-Habitat Scroll of Honor awards to the five winners at a ceremony to mark the World Habitat Day held in the capital, Nairobi. Other winners of the prestigious UN prize that rewards initiatives that have made remarkable contribution to urban renewal are the Institute of Physical Planning in Cuba, the Mayor of Surabaya City in Indonesia, Chairman of Mathare Environmental Conservation Youth Group from Kenya, and Vice President of the Institute for International Urban Development from the United States. They stood out among about 50 candidates, including individuals, organizations and projects, this year. I am delighted that we are able to meaningfully recognize these extraordinary achievements which have contributed toward improving the lives of those in our cities and towns, said Maimunah Mohd Sharif, executive director of UN-Habitat. Xuzhou, which heavily relies on coal to power its industries, has won accolades for promoting ecological vitality amid economic growth. The city has capitalized on robust leadership at the provincial and national level to promote revitalization of old industrial zones as well as green mobility and waste management. It has posted rapid economic progress as the municipal leadership made deliberate efforts to accelerate transition from fossil fuel-based to clean manufacturing. The UN-Habitat said Xuzhou has become a national pilot city for the recycling and utilization of renewable resources that has been extended to 166 cities in China. The city is now a hub for equipment and intelligent manufacturing, renewable energy, ICT, biomedicine and health, promoting a unique urban renewal model that integrates improved city planning with infrastructure upgrade, robust solid-waste management and pollution fight. The municipal authorities also promoted ecological renewal in the city through clean-up of its waterways and hilly landscapes. Restoration of coal-mining sites and wetlands has also made Xuzhou City stand out as a model for ecological renewal. I hope Xuzhou's best practices can encourage other Chinese cities to move forward in implementing the Sustainable Development Goals, Sharif said. cheap silicone wristbands free shippingrubber jelly bracelets meaningscustom bracelets canadaembossed wristbandscustomized friendship bracelets online
[Photo/VCG] Mainland courts are pledging to improve cross-Straits judicial exchanges, ensure equal protection for Taiwan litigants and offer them better legal services in hearings of Taiwan-related cases. The Supreme People's Court issued a 36-point guideline on Tuesday in which it highlighted the significance of guaranteeing Taiwan litigants' rights, and ordered all mainland courts to help solve their legal difficulties across the board, from case filing to hearing and final verdict delivery. It was the first time for the top court to issue such a comprehensive guideline to safeguard rights of Taiwan residents and its first rule for deepening cross-Straits development by regulating legal services. We hope the document will not only help courts on the mainland effectively process the increasing number of cases involving Taiwan individuals or enterprises but also prompt economic and cultural exchanges, said Jiang Qibo, director of the top court's research office. The guideline was created following a keynote speech by President Xi Jinping at a gathering in January to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Message to Compatriots in Taiwan, he said. In the guideline, mainland courts were told to strengthen property protections of Taiwan people and enterprises to ensure a favorable environment when they create a startup or make an investment in the mainland. Zhou Jiahai, deputy director of the research office, said that when a litigant from Taiwan is found to be at fault, We should be prudent and minimize the negative effects on their businesses when considering sealing up or freezing their property or barring them from leaving the mainland. When a Taiwan litigant is detained or monitored on the mainland, courts are required to inform family members within 24 hours, the guideline said. Jiang, the director, said, Specifying legal measures to regulate the handling of Taiwan-related cases is necessary because such disputes have been rising in mainland courts in the past decade. Figures released by the top court on Tuesday showed that more than 5,000 cases were filed annually on average in mainland courts involving litigants from Taiwan from 2008 to 2018, with the peak reaching 7,000 in 2012. To more efficiently resolve the disputes, the guideline ordered mainland courts, especially those handling a large number of such cases in Fujian, Guangdong and Jiangsu provinces, to set up a special website, hotline or social media account and establish a judge liaison office to provide high-quality legal services to Taiwan litigants. We welcome Taiwan residents from all walks of life, including legal professionals, to visit mainland courts and exchange judicial opinions, Zhou said. Also, a communication platform or internship opportunities will be offered to Taiwan youth who study on the mainland. The top court added it would go to grassroots courts on the mainland to check on enforcement of the guideline and ensure Taiwan litigants know about it.
