Smog alert for eastern cities

A blue-coded alert was issued on Sunday as smog, forecast to last for two days, will cut visibility and worsen air pollution in central and eastern cities. The National Meteorological Center said visibility in provinces, including Hebei, Henan, Shandong, Jiangsu, Anhui and Zhejiang, was cut to less than 1,000 meters on Sunday. In some cities smog will cut visibility to less than 200 meters.

Interception test successful

China successfully conducted a test for missile interception on its own territory on Sunday, the information office of the Ministry of National Defense announced. The office said the test is defensive and does not target any country.

Graduates favor smaller cities

College graduates prefer to work in second-tier cities and at State-run enterprises, a new report claims. Only 42 percent of those who graduated in 2012 hope to work in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou. Some 53.8 percent of 2011 grads targeted work in these three megacities, according to a report jointly released by a research center affiliated to Peking University and headhunting website zhaopin.com.

Profits suggest economy growing

Profits made by industrial companies climbed for a fourth consecutive month in December, adding evidence that the world's second-largest economy is gaining steam after seeing its lowest growth rate in 13 years. Profits at major industrial companies climbed 17.3 percent year-on-year last month to reach 895 billion yuan ($144 billion), the National Bureau of Statistics said on Sunday.

Yuan rate 'close' to equilibrium: official

The exchange rate of the yuan is "relatively close" to equilibrium level and the supply and demand in the market is generally in balance, Yi Gang, deputy governor of China's central bank, said. "The most convincing evidence to support this is that China's newly added foreign exchange reserve last year was the least over the past five years," Yi said on the sidelines of the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on Saturday.

Food warning as farmers leave land

Farmers leaving their land to settle in the cities may hit food production, an agriculture official warned on Saturday. Chen Xiwen, deputy director of the Leading Group on Rural Work under the Party's central leadership, said consecutive harvests over the past nine years are still insufficient to meet growing demand for grain during rapid urbanization.

Soong Ching-ling anniversary

The 120th birthday of Chinese honorary president Soong Ching-ling was marked on Sunday at her former residence in Beijing. Soong (1893-1981) married Sun Yat-sen, the pioneering revolutionary, in 1915 and fought for China's independence and liberty.

Tianjin

More care centers planned for elderly

The government in Tianjin pledged on Saturday to set up 80 nursing centers in 2013 to provide daytime care for elderly residents. The promise was made at the opening ceremony of the Tianjin People's Congress. Huang Xingguo, mayor of the municipality, said the government will invest in another 5,000 beds to meet the rising demand of seniors.

Xinjiang

Region displays double-digit growth

The Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region showcased its double-digit economic growth on Saturday but also vowed to take pre-emptive action against separatists to maintain social stability. An upcoming release of figures is expected to show that the area's GDP grew by 12 percent year-on-year in 2012 and its registered urban unemployment rate stayed below 3.4 percent, said Nur Bekri, chairman of the regional government.

Hainan

Sales double in duty-free shops

Sales of duty-free products in Hainan province reached nearly 2.4 billion yuan ($381 million) in 2012, about twice that for 2011, the Hainan Statistics Bureau said on Sunday. Hainan now has two duty-free shops: one at Meilan Airport in the provincial capital Haikou and one in the resort city of Sanya.

Guangxi

Advisers demand more male teachers

Political advisers in the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region on Sunday called for more male teachers to be recruited to elementary schools. A current lack of male teachers in kindergartens, primary and middle schools weakens the chances of students receiving balanced education from teachers of both genders, local political advisers said at the annual session of Guangxi's political advisory body.

Sichuan

4.2-magnitude quake hits province

A 4.2-magnitude earthquake jolted Lixian county in Sichuan province at 1:06 pm on Sunday, the China Earthquake Networks Center said. Initial reports said there were no casualties and property was not damaged.

China Daily-Xinhua