PEOPLE/POINTS

PEOPLE/POINTS

General Honored

Chi Haotian, former Chinese Defense Minister, received a specially designed trophy from the World Harmony Foundation (WHF) on October 27 for his contribution to promoting a harmonious relationship between China and the world. Sha Zukang, UN Under Secretary General for Economic and Social Affairs, presented the award to Chi.

The award was launched by the WHF earlier this year to mark the 65th anniversary of the UN. The trophy was designed as a crystal dove of peace, symbolizing the UN’s core spirit of “harmony and peace.”

The 81-year-old Chi joined the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) in 1945. He was chief of general staff of the PLA from 1987 to 1992 and minister of national defense from 1993 to 2003. In September 1988 the PLA’s highest military rank, that of general, was conferred upon him.

The WHF is a non-governmental advocacy group, which brings political personages, community and business leaders together with students and educators from around the globe to build a culture of peace and sustainable environments for present and future generations.

Film Awards

Fan Bingbingtook the Best Actress Award for her role in Buddha Mountain at the 23rd Tokyo International Film Festival, which concluded on October 31.Wang Qianyuanwon the Best Actor Award for The Piano in a Factory.

Fan, 29, is one of the most recognized actresses on the Chinese mainland. She started her performing career in 1996 and won the Hundred Flowers Best Actress Award, the top honor in China’s movie world, in 2004 for her role in Cellphone. In 2006, she was nominated in several international film festivals for her performance in Apple, winning international fame and influence. Fan ranks 10th on Forbes’ 2010 China Celebrities list.

Wang, 38, is known to Chinese audience for his performance in many TV series. The Piano in a Factory is Wang’s first movie as leading actor. His persistence in the movie as well as in his own performing career moved people. “This reward is a lollipop for adults. This is the first time I have been in movie festivals and the first time I have been nominated. I felt lucky,” Wang said at the awards ceremony.

New FM Spokesman

Hong Lei,Deputy Director General of the Information Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, held his first press conference as the ministry’s 25th spokesperson on November 2.

Hong, 41, has worked in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs since 1991, mostly in the Information Department. He has also served as third secretary in the Chinese Embassy in the Netherlands and first secretary in the Chinese Consulate General in San Francisco each for three years. Earlier this year, he was promoted to deputy director general of the Information Department.

“Hong has been working for the Information Department for a long time and is familiar with the press and media service in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs,” said Ma Zhaoxu, Director General of the Information Department, on October 28 when Hong made his media debut.

Hong said he would do his best to introduce China to the international community.

“Policies about an issue as complex as emission-cutting have many mathematics [about possibilities, the economic and the human dimensions] behind them. They can’t just change only because some other people want China to. We have 1.3 billion people to whom we are responsible.”

Fu Ying, Chinese Vice Foreign Minister, in an interview with the French newspaper Le Figaro, which was published on October 28

“Chinese enterprises’ outbound investment is good in general because of the active role of the international multilateral trade and investment system.”

Chen Jian, Chinese Vice Minister of Commerce, when refuting allegations China’s state-owned enterprises have received subsidies for outbound investment at a press conference in Beijing on November 1

“Britain and France do share a real interest here. There are many areas where we can work together and enhance our capabilities—and save money at the same time.”

British Prime Minister David Cameron, telling lawmakers on November 1, before Britain and France finalized plans to share defense and security duties

“This tactic carries the hallmarks of methods used previously by terrorist organizations such as Al Qaeda.”

A statement released by the Dubai police on October 30, after the police intercepted a U.S.-bound parcel that contained a bomb hidden in a printer cartridge

“Last spring we took courageous decisions. We won the battle of the euro. Today we show we can draw the lessons of the crisis.”

Herman Van Rompuy, President of the European Council, as the EU held a summit on avoiding future economic calamities on October 28

“Animal performances portray the animals to the public in a humiliating way that does not promote empathy and respect.”

David Neale, Welfare Director of the Animals Asia Foundation, supporting China’s ban on animal performances in zoos