Society

More Green Buildings in China

Vice Minister of Housing and Urban-Rural Development Qiu Baoxing told media representatives that green buildings have developed swiftly in China over the past few years, and public awareness of the benefits of energy-frugal houses has been spreading. If 300 green architectural projects are undertaken every year, China could save 2.55 billion kWh of power and prevent the emission of nearly 2.3 million tons of carbon dioxide over the 2011-2015 period. The definition of technical standards and consistent falls in the prices of Photovoltaic and LED products give impetus to the green building trend. In major cities such as Shenzhen and Xiamen all governmentfunded housing projects for middle and lower-income families are required to meet green requirements. China plans to extend these requirements to municipalities directly under the central government (Beijing, Shanghai, Tianjin and Chongqing), cities specifically designated in the state plan, and provincial capitals. The vice minister made the remarks at the Eighth International Conference on Green and Energy-Efficient Building & New Technologies and Products Expo.

Ancient Mural Returned to China

A Tang Dynasty (618-907) fresco was recently returned to its country of origin by two private collectors from Ningbo, Zhejiang Province, who purchased the piece for RMB 13 million at an auction in Japan. Measuring 106 X 54 cm, the fresco was drawn on a white plaster wall. It portrays a plump maid with her hair piled up high on her head, a splendid silk shawl draped over her shoulders, holding a woven rattan stool. The mural is well preserved and its colors are still vibrant. It is believed to be from the golden age of the Tang Dynasty, and is a valuable resource for studies of the social and economic situation of the period.

Beijing International Film Festival Breaks Records

The Second Beijing International Film Festival took place from April 23 to 28 in the Chinese capital. The festival consisted of seven major events, including spectacular opening and closing ceremonies, film shows, a forum on film, film trade negotiations and a concert, in addition to a number of sideline events on various themes. The activities were staged in Beijings Olympic Park and attended by more than one million people, a big jump from the 100,000 visitors at last years festival. The 2012 session featured 260 films from 54 countries and regions all over the world. More than 640 companies from the film industry, representing over 200 countries and regions, came seeking business opportunities. They signed 21 contracts worth a total of RMB 5.27 billion, up 88.7 percent from 2011. A galaxy of renowned film directors and movie stars trod the red carpet, including James Cameron, of Titanic and Avatar fame. Also present were the heads of film organizations and studios, such as Benoit Ginisty, director general of Fédération Internationale des Associations de Producteurs de Films (FIAPF); Geoff Brown, executive director of the Screen Producers Association of Australia (SPAA); Stefan Laudyn, director of the Warsaw International Film Festival, and Jim Gianopulos, co-chairman of News Corp.s Fox Filmed Entertainment.