GEO-SCIENTIST NAMED NAS ASSOCIATE

Veteran geologist An Zhisheng was chosen as a foreign associate of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences （NAS）， a private， nonprofit institution that honors scientific achievements by election to membership， according to an announcement on May 3.

The NAS announced the election of 84 new members and 21 foreign associates from 14 countries in recognition of their distinguished and continuing achievements in original research. Foreign associates are nonvoting members of the academy， with citizenship outside the United States.

An， 75， is a professor with the Institute of Earth Environment of the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Xian， northwest Chinas Shaanxi Province. The renowned geo-scientist is a leading researcher in Asian monsoon dynamics and global climate change， with a focus on the evolution of Asian monsoons and the mechanisms that drive them.

Revitalizing the Northeast

Outlook Weekly May 2

Northeast China， consisting of Heilongjiang， Jilin and Liaoning provinces， has trailed other parts of the country in terms of GDP growth for years. According to a plan unveiled by the central authorities on April 26 to revive the staggering local economy， the regions new growth engines should be in place by 2020 and by 2030 it should become an economic powerhouse.

Based on solid industrial foundations in the region， northeast China will become a manufacturing base for advanced equipment and a strategic hub for technological equipment.

To achieve this revival， local officials must adopt innovative thinking in restructuring the economy. Reforms to streamline the administration and decentralize power to local levels should be accelerated to unleash the markets vitality.

It is a pressing task to replace industries in recession， such as coal and steel， with emerging ones through innovation. For instance， the Shenyang Machine Tool （Group） Co. Ltd. in Liaoning has received a rush of orders for its newly developed intelligent machines， though its traditional products face difficult sales.

The social safety net should also be improved. The recent revival plan specifies targets for social security， employment， housing， public service and environmental protection. The Central Government has pledged financial support for shanty town renovation projects in the region.

When to Marry？

China Newsweek May 2

According to a research report published by the Beijing-based China National Committee for the Wellbeing of the Youth in February， over 70 percent of young people surveyed were urged to get married by their parents. This rose to 86 percent for those between 25 and 35 years old， the highest among all age groups.

In cities such as Beijing and Shanghai， parents would seek potential partners by posting signs in parks， listing their childrens basic information， including their name， height， job title， etc.

The diverging attitudes toward marriage between younger and older generations have resulted in conflicts.

For most parents， love is not necessarily required for a sustainable marriage. Moral integrity from a partner is more important and union lasting till old age is admirable. Therefore， they may regard their offspring who refuse partners due to not having chemistry with him or her as too idealistic.

A large number of parents older than 50 years old lack individuality， owing to their educational background and life experiences. They have rarely considered their personal values and often have few hobbies， being devoted instead to raising their children and taking care of elder family members. Social recognition is attained by enabling their children to receive high-quality education and helping them to establish families.

However， the younger generation places more emphasis on independence. They view marriage as an option rather than an indispensable part of life.

The inadequate social safety net has also contributed to this parental pressure. Many parents believe that having a family is the ultimate source of security for individuals.

To solve this inter-generational gap concerning marriage， youths need to be financially independent in order to make their own decisions， while elders should pay more attention to their own lives， rather than being over-reliant on their children for happiness.

More Diversified Career Choices

China Youth Daily May 4

According to a report jointly published by Shanghai Open University and Fudan University， only 8.6 percent of college graduates regard civil service as their preferred profession. Foreignfunded firms， founding ones own company and public service institutions are the three most popular job options， with 23.4， 21.1 and 20 percent of the respondents regarding them as their top choices， respectively.

Public service has long been regarded as an ideal job by many college graduates for being stable and comfortable.

However， the post-1990s generation is more swayed by their interests and future career prospects when selecting jobs. They care more about personal fulfillment and job satisfaction rather than income and stability.

Its not a good sign if college graduates are scrambling to become civil servants. Young people should be able to showcase their talents in various areas， rather than being limited to one industry.

The drop in the desire to become civil servants reflects increasing job opportunities for graduates. To support them in pursuing diverse professions， the government should offer greater incentives for career development， such as encouraging them start up their own companies.

BAIDU CEO URGES CONFORMITY

Robin Li， CEO of Internet giant Baidu， called on employees to put values before profit in response to a scandal surrounding the death of a student who received experimental cancer treatment at a hospital he found on the companys search website.

In a letter to employees， Li wrote， “If we lose the support of users and lose sight of our values， Baidu will go bankrupt in just 30 days.”

On May 9， the Cyberspace Administration of China required Baidu to rectify its business approach， which influences the impartiality of its search results and may mislead users， after investigations. The company promised to comply with the regulators decision.

Li founded Baidu in 2000 and the company went on to be listed on the Nasdaq stock market in the United States five years later.

“What the Walt Disney Company has achieved in China is a perfect example of cooperation， but it also came after years of building up deep respect for one another and appreciation for each others interests.”

Disney CEO Robert Iger， speaking about the to-be-opened Shanghai Disneyland Resort when meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing on May 5

“We will relocate 10 million impoverished people who live in harsh conditions or fragile environments， where any cultivation can easily cause damage to the environment.”

Liu Yongfu， a top poverty relief official， unveiling a plan to move poor rural people to less disadvantaged areas starting this year， at a press briefing on May 10

“Our economic structural reform is to establish a proper relationship between the government and the market， allowing the market to play an essential role in allocating resources.”

Premier Li Keqiang， urging local governments to streamline the administration in order to spur on the economy at a national teleconference in Beijing on May 9

“Chinese firms and brands are internationalizing to compete in global markets， and this means that they have to attract and integrate foreign experts on critical projects.”

Christine Raynaud， Greater China CEO for Morgan Philips Group， a global recruitment company， commenting on Chinese employers growing demand for imported talent