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Here is the news. Generous childcare subsidies have been reported across China as part of the country's holistic efforts to boost birth rates, making news headlines and sparking heated discussions.
The policy came on the heels of the recent conclusion of the annual national legislative session, during which a government work report was adopted, and for the first time vowed to provide child care subsidies.
Also, during the legislative session, Director of the National Health Commission, Lei Hai Chao, said the Commission was working with relevant departments to draft a child care subsidy operational plan And the public would see direct beneficiary measures and corresponding policy arrangements in due course.
As one of the world's most populous countries, China faces profound demographic challenges due to a dwindling number of newborns and a growing aging population.
In addition to financial support, other incentive measures include increased child care services, extended maternity leave, and strengthened support in education, housing, and employment.
All aimed at fostering a birth -friendly society.
Childcare services have been improved nationwide to create better situations for parents.
In Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, community -based child care centers launched full -day care, half -day care, temporary care and hourly care for infants and children, providing convenient and reliable childcare options for residents.
Moreover, paternity leave in China has been generally extended to over 158 days, along with spousal paternity leave and parental leave making new mothers feel increasingly supported.
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China's space station is set to introduce a novel participant in its space science experiments.
The planarian a creature renowned for its extraordinary regenerative capabilities.
Planarians, Flatworms, with an evolutionary history spanning over 520 million years, are one of the widely used experimental animal models in biological research. These organisms demonstrate an exceptional capacity for tissue repair when bisected, planarians can regenerate lost muscles, skin, intestines and even an entire brain from each segment.
A process that can be repeated indefinitely.
study, according to the Technology and Engineering Centre for Space Utilisation under the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
The study of planarians holds profound implications for understanding human cellular mechanisms to combat ageing and promote longevity.
Researchers aim to investigate how the space environment affects the regenerative processes and physiological behaviour of planarians, they will also explore the molecular mechanisms behind space -induced effects on planarian regeneration, thereby advancing the understanding of regenerative biology.
This initiative follows the successful inclusion of zebrafish and fruit flies in science experiments conducted aboard China's space station.
Researchers have been employing zebrafish to investigate the impact of microgravity on vertebrate muscle and bone proteins, while also conducting fruit fly experiments to understand their growth, development, as well as locomotor characteristics, and biological rhythms under space microgravity and hypomagnetic conditions.
This is Special English.
A Chinese team has developed a small robot that can operate in the world's deepest sea trench under extremely high pressure.
The robot's operational ability is an engineering marvel that was previously achievable only by large, rigid submersibles weighing several tonnes, drawing inspiration from the movement patterns of the batfish.
Researchers led by Beihang University faculty members designed a 50 -centimetre long robot capable of swimming, gliding and crawling.
According to the study, which has been published in the journal Science Robotics, while swimming the robot generates thrust through its tail fin, reaching a maximum speed of 5 .5 centimetres per second, and, when crawling, it can move at 3 centimeters per second on sandy surfaces using its limbs.
In the 10 ,600 -meter -deep Mariana Trench, pressure can reach 110 million Pa, akin to a one -ton weight being placed on a thumbnail.
The team crafted a flexible actuation device that exploits the stiffening properties of soft silicone materials under high pressure.
Pan Fei, the external high pressure into enhanced speed and amplitude for the actuator, turning the weakness into an asset.
According to Wen Li, the paper's corresponding author from Beihang, This compact robot type has completed field tests in the Mariana Trench and other Deep Sea locations and was later retrieved fully intact.
The team will boost the endurance and efficiency of the small Deep Sea robot to support marine and resource development, archaeology, and environmental monitoring.
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As part of broader efforts to stimulate domestic demand, China has called on cities to further refine their car quota systems to better accommodate households without cars of their own, following a series of favourable policies rolled out across the world's largest auto market.
state." On March 16th, the country made public a plan on special initiatives to increase consumption.
This plan, issued by the General Office of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the General Office of the State Council calls for shifting auto consumption policies from purchased -based controls to usage -based regulation, and ensuring car ownership eligibility for families that have been unsuccessful after long waits as part of the car lottery system.
In January this year, Beijing's transport authorities announced that 100 ,000 car license quotas would be allocated in the Chinese capital in 2025, 80 ,000 of which will be for new energy vehicles.
Notably, Beijing will this year issue an additional 40 ,000 new energy vehicle license quotas aimed specifically at households with no cars of their own.
This selection will be based on a point -based ranking system rewarding those who have been waiting for a long time and prioritizing fairness.
Shanghai in East China, a city which uses an auction system to sell a limited number of license quotas to fossil fuel and hybrid car buyers, is another location which has sought to lower barriers to car ownership.
The Economic Hub's authorities said at the end of last year, that the city would reduce its contribution requirement periods in terms of the Social Security Fund and the paying of individual income tax by non -local residents from three years to one, thereby expanding access to car license quota auctions.
Jia Xinguang, executive director of the China Automobile Dealers Association said that, given the plan released on March 16, related cities can further boost consumption by encouraging citizens to trade in old vehicles.
This is Special English.
The Qingming festival, also known as Tomb Sweeping Day falls on April 4th or 5th each year.
It is a time for Chinese people to pay their respects to their ancestors by visiting and cleaning their graves.
of this, the festival has a long history dating back to ancient times and it is steeped in tradition and symbolism.
Usually during this period of time, a special kind of food becomes popular on Chinese people's dining tables.
It is called Qing Tuan, a type of sticky rice cake that is coloured green with mugwort leaves and stuffed with sweet red bean paste or other fillings.
So why do people eat Qing Tuan during the Qing Ming festival?
To answer that question, we turn to a legend that dates back more than 2 ,000 years.
According According to the legend, during the Spring and Autumn period in China, a man named Jie Zetue was known for his loyalty and dedication to his master, Prince Chong 'er.
One day, Prince Chong 'er was forced to flee into the mountains, and Jie followed him into exile.
For many years, Jie lived in the mountains with the prince, providing him with food and shelter.
Years later, the prince eventually returned to power, and became Duke Wen of the Jin State.
He rewarded many of his followers, but he forgot about Jie Zetue. Jie lived a simple life with his mother in the mountains, eating only wild vegetables.
When Duke Wen finally realized his mistake and recalled his loyal follower, he went to the mountains to apologize to Jie Zetue. However, Gia refused to meet him, and retreated even deeper into the mountains and hid.
In order to find Gia, the Duke ordered his soldiers to search the mountain, but they found nothing.
Then, one of the duke's officials suggested that if they set fires on the mountain in three directions at the same time, GA would be forced out of the mountain from the only direction that was left. Duke Wen took the advice and burned the trees and grass.
After After three days of burning, the fire was finally out and failed to flush Jie out of the mountain, as expected.
Later Jie Zetui and his mother were found dead.
There was a note in a hole beside them.
In the note, Jie wrote that he followed his master to pursue a better life for the people and build a stronger state, not for treasure or fame, and he asked Duke Wen to become a good ruler and bring prosperity to his people and state.
To commemorate Jie Zetue's loyalty and sacrifice, the duke ordered that no fires be set on the day of Jie's death, which was also the day of the Qingming festival.
people. Instead, he ordered that people should eat only cold food on that day.
Over time, the tradition of eating cold food evolved into the custom of eating Ching Tuan, which is a type of cold rice cake.
The green colour of Qingtuan is also said to represent the greenery of the mountains where Jie Zetue lived.
Green is also associated with spring a time of renewal Festival and Rebirth.
Eating Qing Tuan during the Qing Ming Festival is therefore seen as a way of celebrating the new life and energy of spring.
Today Qing Tuan remains an important part of the Qing Ming Festival celebration in China.
People enjoy this delicious and symbolic food as a way to honour their ancestors and the traditions of their culture.
By the way, Qing Tuan is made with glutinous rice flour and mugwort leaves, which are both believed to have health benefits.
Mugwort leaves are said to help with digestion and promote blood circulation, while glutinous rice is believed to be good for the spleen and stomach. You're listening to Special English.
That is the end of this edition of Special English.
To recap I'm going to read two of the news items again at normal speed.
Please listen carefully.
China's space station is set to introduce a novel participant in its space science experiments, the planarium, a creature renowned for its extraordinary regenerative capabilities.
Planariums, flatworms with an evolutionary history spanning over 520 million years, are one of the widely used experimental animal models in biological research. These organisms demonstrate an exceptional capacity for tissue repair.
When bisected, planarians can regenerate lost muscles, skin, intestines, and even an entire brain from each segment, a process that can be repeated indefinitely.
According to the Technology and Engineering Center for Space Utilization under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the study of planarians holds profound implications for understanding human cellular mechanisms to combat aging and promote longevity.
Researchers aim to investigate how the space environment affects the regenerative processes and physiological behavior of planarians.
They will also explore the molecular mechanisms behind space -induced effects on planarian regeneration, thereby advancing the understanding of regenerative biology.
This initiative follows the successful inclusion of zebrafish and fruit flies in science experiments conducted aboard China's space station.
Researchers have been employing zebrafish to investigate the impact of microgravity on vertebrate muscle and bone proteins, while also conducting fruit fly experiments to understand their growth, health, development, as well as locomotor characteristics, and biological rhythms under space microgravity and hypomagnetic conditions.
This is Special English.
As part of broader efforts to stimulate domestic demand, China has called on cities to further refine their car quota systems to better accommodate households without cars of their own, following a series of favourable policies rolled out across the world's largest auto market.
On March 16, the country made public a plan on special initiatives to increase consumption.
This plan, issued by the General Office of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the General Office of the State Council, calls for shifting auto consumption policies from purchase -based controls to usage -based regulation, and ensuring car ownership eligibility for families that have been unsuccessful after long waits as part of the car lottery system.
In January this year Beijing's transport authorities announced that 100 ,000 car license quotas would be allocated in the Chinese capital in 2025, 80 ,000 of which will be for new energy vehicles.
Notably, Beijing will this year also issue an additional 40 ,000 new energy vehicle license quotas aimed specifically at households with no cars of their own.
This selection will be based on a point -based ranking system, rewarding those who have been waiting for a long time and prioritizing fairness.
Shanghai in East China, a city which uses an auction system to sell a limited number of licensed quotas to fossil fuel and hybrid car buyers, is another location which has sought to barriers to car ownership.
The economic hubs authorities said at the end of last year that the city would reduce its contribution requirement periods in terms of the Social Security Fund and the paying of individual income tax by non -local residents from three years to one thereby expanding access to car license quota auctions.
Jiaxin Guang, Executive Director of the China Automobile Dealers Association, said that given the plan released on March 16, related cities can further boost consumption by encouraging citizens to trade in old vehicles.
That is the end of today's program.
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