在瑞典得大病不花钱,那钱从哪来?(2)

大家好!我是陈雪霏,欢迎大家阅读北欧绿色邮报网络版!今天记者带你了解一下瑞典的医疗,如何能做到大病不花钱,到底钱从哪里来?

 

说白了,羊毛出在羊身上,钱还是纳税人的钱。众所周知,瑞典是高税收,高福利的国家。瑞典人的个人所得税在市级单位是30%左右。如果高到一定程度,还要上地区级或国家级的税,因此可以高达50%。

 

有人经常说,这样税太高了。但是,他不想想为什么瑞典的福利好,大病不花钱呢?

 

在瑞典市政府负责幼儿和中小学教育的同时,也就是从摇篮开始,瑞典地区级政府则负责养老和卫生,直到坟墓。说半天,钱到底从哪儿来呢?

 

仔细研究那30%的税收,就发现,其中包括市政收入税,大病保险,生孩父母保险,养老金,失业金,工伤保险和残障保险,教堂费用和安葬费用。

 

这就很明显了,市政的收入税可以给孩子入托教育,大病保险用于两方面,一方面是就业人员生病了,照样开工资。这个要从社保部拿。另一部分就是生大病的老人,他们也要照常享受退休金,来源就是你工作时交的养老金。当然,生孩子了,可以享受爸爸假,妈妈假,失业了享受失业保险,工伤享受工伤保险,残障享受相关福利。不管你去不去教堂,你的税收里有一部分是给教堂的,你死后,既然已经纳税了,到时候肯定在公墓地里有你的一片天地。但到那时也看你是选择一块墓地,还是把骨灰洒在公共地方。墓地花费多一些。撒骨灰有纪念意义,也环保,也反应你的情操吧。在斯德哥尔摩墓地每年税费是你纳税的0.67%左右。不管你多大,只要开始交税了,就开始交这个费。

 

因此,你可以说,从30多岁开始工作,一直到65岁退休,你要交30多年的税,累积起来,等到你七老八十的时候,得了大病,你就可以享受免费治疗了。为什么说小病花钱,大病不花钱呢?

 

其实,无论是谁,每年都有1100克朗的挂号费底线。只要你去看一次医生,就花300克朗,基本上看4次就到定额了。然后就是免费了。如果吃药,1800克朗自己花,之后也是免费了。

 

那么,老人大病需要住院或手术,都是医生来决定。一般是住院三天以后,或一周以后,医生把你送到康复中心,专门有护士帮助你进行体能恢复。

 

所以是医生来决定什么样的病人可以呆在医院里,什么样的病人可以呆在家里治疗。如果稍微轻点的可以在家里治疗,就可以省很多住院费。医生也决定谁可以去养老院享受护士的照顾,谁只需在家里得到帮助,都是根据病人和老人的实际需求。

 

病人不花钱,那么钱都由政府来掏,政府的钱就是你纳税人的税钱。 那么病人多了,政府就需要加税,病人少了,政府也可以减税。

这也是为什么政府积极治理污水,空气污染和土壤污染。因为没有污染,没有加班,人们就很少得病,人们很少得病,政府就省钱了。政府只需要给医生支付工资,也要买药品,因为政府是买方,所以病人是越少越好。公众健康快乐,也会促进生产效率。

 

这样整个社会就形成良性循环。当然,也有人觉得瑞典看病排队时间长。有时在中国人们急着挂吊瓶,但在瑞典有可能不算病。如果你不高烧到38度,医生基本上都不给你开消炎药的。瑞典医生严格控制药品的使用,一般的感冒大多是挺着。头疼脑热都可以买去痛片就行了。因此,很多时候,人们也觉得不是万不得已基本上不去医院。

但如果真有病了,瑞典福利优势突显。最近,一位朋友深有感触地说,她的厨师得了癌症。在他们都感到希望渺茫的时候,他不但得到了很好的治疗,他每月工资照开,而且是社会保障部通过饭店来给病人开工资,目的是让这位厨师感觉他依然有工作,老板对他好,等病好了还可以继续返回原单位工作。这是不是让人感到非常有人情味儿啊!

 

另外,瑞典医生对肥胖和疲劳症也都管。例如可以建议你去美食家那里去讨减肥秘方,这样就花护士的挂号费就行,一般70克朗就可以,这样可以避免血压高。或者让你在休息一天工作四天,来对付疲劳过度的问题。

 

好了,今天,就到这里。下次,绿色邮报带你看看瑞典的养老院是什么样子啊!

 

读绿色邮报,品绿色生活!

我是陈雪霏和您说下次再见!

瑞典是如何避免医患纠纷的

北欧绿色邮报报道(记者陈雪霏)和瑞典医生或病人说有的国家有个别病人因不满意能把医生砍死的情况,瑞典的病人答,“我们瑞典人性格没有那么激烈,比较有耐心。”

 

但这耐心是怎样炼成的呢?答曰,是长期的相互交流和科学知识练就的,也是抱怨有渠道,大病有保障练就的。

在瑞典使用家庭医生和专科医生分开的制度。

 

家庭医生是固定的。长期给一个家庭成员看病,医生比较了解病人的历史,因此,有利于病人和医生。例如本人的医生每次看病要预约,即使不预约,直接去,也是要保证半个小时的时间。在这半个小时的时间里,医生会不停地给你解释为什么会这样,怎样才能预防等等,医生很耐心地告诉你发生的问题。当然,有时,我也会不满意,感觉我白去医院一趟,什么都没有发现。当然,这是好事。如果有严重的耳鼻喉问题,她再让你去专科去看。

 

这里一上午,医生就看10几个病人。然后下午就专门给预约的病人看病。当然,这里也有急诊,可以直接去医院。

 

因此,避免医患纠纷,首先是医院要保护医生,在这里每个医生一个房间。医生和病人之间,必须是医生来叫病人,很少有病人直接去找医生。就是说,找医生之前有护士或挂号的人招呼你坐在候诊室耐心等着。那里有杂志,有儿童玩具等都可以供不同人群消磨时间。

 

其次,患者有自己的协会。各个患者协会都是由患者自己自发成立的。有的已经有50多年了,有的是刚刚成立的。

 

无论是早成立,还是刚成立,都是为了维护自己的利益。患者协会是为了维护患者的利益。例如,全国疲劳症患者协会,在它的网站上就发布一个医生的信息。原来协会和医生进行了交流,医生认为,在过去8年中他们使用一种免疫的疫苗可以治疗疲劳症。但是,这种疫苗现在不生产了,他呼吁病人和有关人士是否有人知道哪个生产商能继续生产这种疫苗。

 

瑞典肾协会负责人对记者说,他们协会有12个分会,分别从中央政府,地区政府和市政府那里获得一定的资助,同时,他们的4500名会员要每年交200到300克朗的会员费。

 

他们协会会定期开年会,理事会每两个月要开一次会讨论活动情况。他们会收集病人的意见,然后反馈给医生。医生也主动和他们交流,问他们如何对病人治疗比较好。对于很多老患者,都是结合他们自己的意见进行治疗。他们关注各医院有多少捐来的肾,有多少机器设备供患者使用等等。他们还组织和医生配合进行科学研究等。

 

这也是瑞典在各个行业的秘诀,就是交流,不断地寻求反馈。医生和患者能交流,医生态度非常好,就不会发生那种恶性事件。

当然,在任何社会医患纠纷都是不可避免的。看你怎么处理。笔者的一位同行八十岁了,住院做心脏搭桥手术。第一次手术完了,发现埋线一头长,一头短。于是,不得不重新做,结果做了第二次手术。第二次手术做完了,发生抗生素抵抗不发生作用,伤口不愈合。于是,不得不做第三次手术,把不愈合的皮肉全部割掉。就这样,一位老当益壮的老记者,经过三次手术的折腾,真的一下子变老了许多。后来,他妻子写了一封长信叙述他所经历的一切,并抱怨了一下。结果,社保部门给他赔偿了15万克朗。

当然,这也和瑞典的医疗制度有关,在瑞典小病花钱,大病不花钱,一旦到了住院的程度,基本上什么都是免费的,而且,如果是上班的人,工资还要照发。例如,一个中国厨师在这里得癌症了,结果,他被免费治疗治好了,同时,他的工资通过社会保障部门发给他的老板,照常发到他手上。这和一想到住院要花几十万,要卖房子的那种心情肯定没法比。因为看病要卖房子,或者花大笔资金,人也容易上火。

 

但瑞典人长期以来形成了好人为病人牺牲,能劳动的人多交税,为老弱病残多提供福利的社会制度和氛围。

 

“必须有人愿意为维护这样的制度作出牺牲,这样等你老的时候,也能享受这种福利。”工程师雅克塞尔松说。

What my Chiedish Child Teaches Me Every Day (1)

By Xuefei Chen Axelsson

Stockholm, Aug4(Greenpost)–My Chiedish(Chinese-Swedish) daughter Annie was born in December, 2007, my Chinese friend said it was a wonderful Christmas present for me. Indeed, she completely changed my life and I got something new every day.

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When she was two years old and three months, we sent her to the kindergarten. There she began to learn the Swedish thinking. Before that I was very proud that she stayed most of the time with me and could be able to speak in Chinese and recite Chinese poems.

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But after going to the kindergarten, she was like a little mirror to vividly imitate the teacher. For example, she could use her little hand to put on my forehead and said, “Alla barn måste sova nu meaning All the children must sleep now.”

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She learnt the rules that man should not use violence and if anybody uses it, the other should not hit back, but say “stop”.

 

One evening I was tired and lay in bed, my husband also lay in bed reading a book. By accident I threw a book to Jan’s hips and he felt the pain and threw the book to the floor angrily.

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Annie cried immediately and said to Dad, “Pappa, du får inte slanga, du kan saja stoppa, (Dad, you shouldn’t throw the book to the floor, if you are not happy, you can say stop)!”

 

We both felt a little bit embarrassing and felt glad that she learnt a good solution from school. It was really a good lesson for me.

 

Of course, I feel she has too much freedom. Not long after she went to the kindergarten she began to talk at the table, I decide. She brought all her rules at the kindergarten to our home table. Anyone who wants to speak must raise his or her hand.

 

This reminds me of my childhood. The only thing I remember is that children should not talk at the dinner table. Only my dad talked a lot loud and sometimes only my mother could criticize him for talking too much and too loud.

 

We learnt to obey whatever Mom and Dad said. But now Annie began to speak what she thinks. There were a few times she cried so fiercely that she said it was always the parents decide and as a child, she never made any decision. Afterwards we have to give in.

 

In Stockholm, any child can find a kindergarten within 500 meters. There is a good website where people can see where a school sits and how it is like. The same rules for primary school. In comparison with Beijing, many parents in Beijing wish their children to go to the best school and in that way it needs a lot of sponsorship from parents. But in Stockholm, it is the city that pays for every child. A school is good or bad, depends on how many students it can recruit.

 

If it has too few students, it will bankrupt. And Annie’s new school came from her own classes and in combination with another bankrupted school.

 

Annie speaks Swedish with Dad and Chinese with Mom. After years of listening to our conversation in English and watching TV, she can speak English too.

 

She is proud of being trialingual, but sometimes she feels it is too much to read and write the Chinese characters.

 

Thus it is still a long way to go to really master the Chinese language, but she has had a good foundation of speaking the language.

News Analysis: China’s economy stabilizing against headwinds

 BEIJING, July 29 (Xinhua) — With industrial profits sliding, factory activity retreating and the stock market on wild swings, China’s economic future seems blurry.

However, positive changes in the fundamentals can not be ignored and are helping the economy embark on a path of stabilizing, analysts say.

China’s economy expanded 7 percent in the second quarter of 2015, the same as in the first quarter.

Recent statistics show profits at major Chinese industrial firms dropped in June and an indicator on manufacturing activities fell in July to the lowest level since last April.

Wild ups and downs in the country’s stock market add to uncertainties. The benchmark Shanghai Composite Index recorded the sharpest daily drop since Feb. 27, 2007, an 8.48 percent plunge, on Monday. It snapped back with a 3.44 percent rebound on Wednesday.

Despite those unnerving figures, an official with the country’s top economic planner said the fundamentals of China’s economy are stabilizing and improving.

Industrial output has continued to recover, new types of businesses have flourished, and the service sector has become an increasing contributor to the national growth, said Li Yunqing, an official at economic operation department of the National Development and Reform Commission.

Surpassing market anticipation, China’s industrial output climbed by 6.8 percent from a year ago for a third straight month of increases in June.

“If we look at the structure of the economy and the quality of growth, the results are more encouraging,” Li said.

For example, six major energy-intensive industries, such as steel and building materials, slowed down significantly in the first half, actually mitigating some growth of emerging industries, he said.

High-tech industries’ output rose 10.5 percent year on year in the first half, with industrial robots surging 130 percent and railway locomotives jumping 91 percent.

While fixed-asset investment continued to soften, its structure is shifting to consumption-linked and emerging industries.

Six major energy-intensive industries recorded a total investment growth of 7.5 percent year on year in the first half, 2.2 percentage points below the overall investment in manufacturing.

Meanwhile, industries like computer and telecommunications equipment, information and software, transport, postal service, cultural and sports goods all posted an investment growth above 20 percent year on year.

Property investment, the old pillar of investment and growth, is also expected to recover in the second half, with house sales warming up. Fewer cities saw new home prices drop for the fourth consecutive month in June.

The pressure on home prices will continue to ease gradually through 2015, global rating agency Moody’s said in a research note.

RECOVERY EXPECTED, PRESSURE REMAINS

The trend that China’s economy is stabilizing has become more obvious, Jia Kang, a renowned fiscal science researcher at the Ministry of Finance, and his fellow researchers wrote in an article published Wednesday.

As interest rates come down and monetary supply increases, Chinese companies will see the cost of investment brought down effectively and the nation’s fixed-asset investment growth will hopefully rebound in the fourth quarter, according to the article.

Retail growth has basically touched the bottom and will keep stable throughout the year, Jia predicted.

Foreign trade, another growth engine, is likely to return to growth in the second half as global demand improves and de-stocking by companies winds down, he wrote.

China’s economy grew 7 percent year on year in the second quarter of this year, the same as in the first quarter.

Zhu Haibin, chief economist of J.P. Morgan China, attributed growth in the second quarter to the service sector’s performance. Consumption accounted for 60 percent of economic growth in the first half, 5.7 percentage points higher than a year ago and almost double the contribution from investment.

“The economic re-balancing from investment to consumption is really happening,” Zhu said in a research note, predicting the economy will continue to pick up in the third quarter.

However, the degree and duration of recovery is challenged by several factors, including hovering industrial overcapacity, long-standing fiscal restraints, and the latest stock market turmoil, according to Zhu.

Stock price corrections may drag down growth in the financial sector and affect some rapidly expanding industries that have benefited from previous bullish runs, Zhu said. Enditem

China Focus: China’s growing interest in fitness shapes up industry

BEIJING, July 28 (Xinhua) — As grannies “cut a rug” square dancing in public parks, young Chinese prefer breaking a sweat in the gym or with online workouts to burn calories.

Zhang Jianming, a 29-year-old research fellow at East China’s Suzhou Industrial Park, is active at the gym. He works out five to six days a week, and focuses on hitting different body parts each day. For him, typical training programs include an hour of lifting or bodyweight exercises, and half an hour of cardio session.`   After beginning the workout regimen in September, 2013, Zhang’s body fat percentage dropped to 17 percent from 23 percent. He is noticeably bulkier, and feels more confident.

Fitness fanatics like Zhang have been springing up in China over the past two years. An industry report shows that the total number of gym attendees in 70 major Chinese cities has increased by four to five million each year since 2011.

Behind the exercise trend is growing enthusiasm for fitness and health. As wealth accumulates, the country’s increasingly sophisticated middle class increasingly have the urge to disengage from work, relax and move around.

Jogging has taken off in big cities, despite the notorious smog problem. More urbanites wear fitness tracking bracelets or other wearables as a manifesto for healthier lifestyle. Celebrities also actively jump on the fitness bandwagon. They post gym selfies to show off their abs and more importantly, win fans.

Public awareness of fitness generally begins when a nation’s GDP per capita hits 5,000 U.S. dollars. Should it surpass 8,000 U.S. dollars, the fitness industry will become a pillar in the national economy, said Liu Qing, deputy secretary-general at Chinese Association of Sport Industry.

China’s GDP per capita exceeded 5,000 U.S. dollars in 2011 and reached 7,575 U.S. dollars last year, according to official data.

The fitness fanaticism sweeping the world’s second largest economy coincides with the growth of mobile Internet and the boom of social media. Unlike the older generation of gymrats, younger fitness enthusiasts like Zhang are more apt to explore online resources to work out smarter.

Under his WeChat account, China’s biggest social messaging service, Zhang follows a dozen of fitness blogs. Everyday, he will sift through the news feeds to learn about new workout programs or dietary instructions.

Wang Yin, 30, is one of Zhang’s favorite bloggers. In September, 2013, almost the same time when Zhang begun hitting the gym, Wang, a financial professional-turned-fitness guru, started blogging with his wife on WeChat and microblog Weibo.

“I felt like a new man after finishing a two-month workout regimen,” recalled Wang. He was also startled to find how little those who crave a thinner life know about health and fitness.

“Most of them, especially the girls, will hit the dead end circle of ‘diet, give up, get fat’. They simply don’t know how to chisel away body fat through exercise,” he said.

The Shanghai-native then decided to share health, nutrition and fitness knowledge he has learnt with others. His blogs became an instant success. He has garnered about one million followers on Weibo, and nearly 400,000 on WeChat over the past two years.

As the Chinese government has been looking to entrepreneurship and innovation among the bright spots in a slowing economy, Wang also felt he has found a sweet spot to cash in on the booming demand for keeping fit.

He resigned from his post at a private equity firm to launch a startup company called Fit-start in September, 2014, which happened to coincide with the one year anniversary of his blogs.

“The market has immense potential,” said Wang, with over five years of investment experience.

On June 19 this year, Fit-start introduced apps offering custom online workout and dietary plans on the iOS and Android app stores. Wang said there have already been more than 100,000 downloads by now.

However, Wang’s rivals have also been looming large. RJFitTime, another influential blog operated by two twenty-somethings, has attracted two million followers combined across all social media platforms. RJFitTime launched apps earlier this year, streaming a variety of exercise programs to its subscribers.

An estimated 50 health and fitness apps came online in the first half of this year. Most of them eye the same niche market as Fit-start and RJFitTime – the beginners.

“When we start our business, the fitness industry was still a ‘blue ocean’, where the market space is vastly uncontested,’ Wang said, “but now, it’s fairly crowded.”

For users like Zhang, the swarm of fitness apps allows them to get a lot of services for nothing. Zhang said he will not consider trying paid options of those apps, because he thought the free content is already enough.

That mentality is certainly not pleasing to Wang, who has been working hard to bind users with online paid trainers. But the former investment banker is still optimistic about the future of China’s fitness market.

“After all, this is a budding industry. The market is huge, and there is no dominant player at the moment, which means everything is possible, ” Wang said. Enditem

Jiangxi boasts world tallest LED wall

NANCHANG, July 29 (Xinhua) — A twin tower in east China’s Jiangxi Province now has the world’s largest LED wall, exceeding that of the 828-meter-high Burj Khalifa in Dubai,the world’s tallest tower.

The LED wall of the Jiangxi 303 Greenland Center, a 303-meter-high twin tower in the provincial capital Nanchang, has an area of 35,300 square meters, breaking the record of the 32,400 sq m LED wall of the Burj Khalifa.

The Guinness World Records certificated the new record on Tuesday evening.

The LED wall of the Nanchang twin tower, the tallest in Jiangxi, was designed by a lighting company in Shanghai. Enditem

Silk Road economic belt-focus of 2015 Euro-Asia Economic Forum

BEIJING, July 29 (Greenpost) — The 2015 Euro-Asia Economic Forum, scheduled on September 23-26, will be held in Xi’an, capital of northwest China’s Shaanxi Province, with the Silk Road Economic Belt high on the agenda, the organizer said Wednesday.

The forum aims to explore the innovation model of Asian and European countries in building the Silk Road Economic Belt and promote in-depth regional cooperation, said Li Jing, deputy secretary-general of the forum and deputy mayor of Xi’an.

The forum features several main seminars on cultural heritage, ecological safety, economic growth, education, energy development, financial cooperation and tourism development, offering a platform for exchanges between officials, businessman and experts from countries along the ancient Silk Road.

The Silk Road refers to the land trade route opened when Zhang Qian was sent west on a diplomatic mission more than 2,000 years ago. Starting from the city known today as Xi’an, the ancient Silk Road ran through northwest China’s Gansu Province and Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, and Central and Western Asia, before reaching the Mediterranean. Enditem

Source Xinhua

China pledges more reform on tourism development

BEIJING, July 29 (Xinhua) — China will carry out more reforms to boost investment and consumption in tourism industry, the State Council, or China’s cabinet, decided on Wednesday.

Tourism development is significant in fostering the country’s modern service sector, increasing employment and income, as well as improving people’s livelihoods, according to a statement released after an executive meeting of the State Council presided over by Chinese Premier Li Keqiang.

The meeting urged improving tourism consumption. Construction of regional airports, roads to scenic spots, parking lots and washrooms in destinations, especially in less-developed central and western China, should be supported, the statement said.

Personalized tourism products focusing on rural areas will be supported, the meeting decided. The government will encourage college graduates and migrant workers who have returned to home villages to start their own rural tourism businesses, as a way to alleviate rural poverty, the statement said.

New popular tourism consumption choices should be discovered and well utilized, the cabinet said. Internet-related business mode such as online vacation rentals and transport rentals, should be easier to enter. Various tourism products such as for the elders, and for studying purposes, should be developed. Governments at all levels should further implement the paid-leave system, the cabinet said.

The meeting agreed to promote public-private-partnerships (PPP) in developing tourism projects, with more government investment and individual capital participation. It also urged to widen financing channels for tourism enterprises, and encourage financial institutions to increase credit support for those enterprises.

Better and colorful tourism activities will enrich people’s life, and also boost economic development, the statement said. Enditem

 

China, the kingdom of potatoes in world

Stockholm, Aug. 3(Greenpost)–  China has become the world’s largest potato producer, accounting for 25 percent of global production, according to Xinhua News Agency.

The country grew 5.6 million hectares of potato in 2014, yielding in excess of 95 million tonnes, according to the Ministry of Agriculture .   China’s potato acreage makes the crop the country’s fourth staple after rice, wheat and corn.

Last year, despite enjoying the 11th consecutive year of bumper grain harvests, the country still imported 71.4 million tonnes of soybean and 19.5 million tonnes of rice, wheat and corn, up 12.7 percent and 33.8 percent, respectively.

With a shortage of farmland in China, the ministry stressed that it is difficult to improve the yield of wheat and rice but easier with potatoes.

It’s hoped that the name of Kingdom of bikes will come back one day when the crazy wave of industrialization ebbs.

More for the following, stay tuned.

China becomes biggest potato producers and consumer

 

BEIJING, July 29 (Xinhua) — Planting area and output of potato in China each have accounted for about a quarter of the world’s total, making it the biggest potato producer and consumer in the world, according to the 2015 Beijing World Potato Congress and China Potato Expo on Wednesday.

However, per unit area yield and per capita consumption of potato in China are still low, showing the big development potential.

In 2014, the country’s planting area of potato amounted to 5.57 million hectares, accounting for a quarter of the world’s total.

Meanwhile, China yielded more than 95 million metric tons (tonnes) of potato last year, representing a quarter of the world’s total.

Despite the high yields, per unit area yield of potato in China was only 17.7 tonnes per hectare, far lower than that in developed countries.

According to official statistics, per capita consumption of potato in China was only 41.2 kg at present. Enditem

Xinhua Insight: Producers hope potatoes takes root in China

by Xinhua writers Tan Yixiao, Cheng Lu and Wei Mengjia

BEIJING, July 29 (Xinhua) — Potatoes seem like an unlikely ingredient for ice cream, but the allure of tasting the strange concoction had dozens of visitors lining-up at the China Kitchen exhibition at the 2015 World Potato Congress in Beijing.

The 1,000-square-meter stall was serving up to 100 potato-based foods, from noodles to sweet purple drinks, developed by Xisen Potato Industry Co. Ltd., the country’s biggest potato producer. By combining potatoes with traditional Chinese cuisine, the company is at the congress looking for partners to promote their new products being tested at the China Kitchen.

With China promoting potato acreage and encouraging the vegetable as one of the country’s staple foods, more companies like Xisen want to take a bigger slice of the growing market.

Around 500 km away from Beijing, Linkage Potato Co. Ltd., based in Inner Mongolia, China’s major potato production base, is expanding its product portfolio to satisfy people’s appetite.

With five farms and a 70,000-mu (around 4,667 hectares) high standard planting base, the company produces potatoes and seeds and processes potato flakes.

Yan Hongxin, vice president of Linkage, told Xinhua that the company will set up a new production line in autumn to increase its annual output of potato flakes from current 3,000 tonnes to 15,000 tonnes.

In addition, they are eyeing the frozen French fry market as domestic demand grows, driven by expanding fast food chains.

In March this year, it has established a joint venture with Farm Frites, a Dutch enterprise with over 40 years experiences in potato processing, in Wudan Town, Chifeng City in Inner Mongolia.

The new production line will have a capacity of 70,000 tonnes frozen French fries annually with consumption of 140,000 tonnes of fresh potatoes. The fries will be put into the market by 2017 and expansion will continue after that, Yan said.

NO SMALL POTATO

His confidence in the domestic potato market is justifiable.

China is the largest potato producer in the world with a planting area of 5.5 million hectares. However, average Chinese consumption of potatoes is 41.2 kilograms, far below the consumption level of European and American countries, data from China’s Ministry of Agriculture showed.

“Its nutritious value is often overlooked,” said Bi Yang, professor of Gansu Agricultural University.

He pointed out that an average-size potato contains as much protein as an egg, and 10 times more vitamin C than an apple.

With the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) per person surpassed 7,000 U.S. dollars last year, people’s need for improving food nutrition patterns has grown. Bi said potato is a good option to improve nutrition.

In addition, potato is more resistant to the cold and the drought compared with wheat and rice. China is boosting its acreage to make potato as one of the country’s staple foods to better ensure its food security under the pressure of less farmland, water, labor and chemicals.

After years of research, steamed buns made from potato flake made their debut in more than 200 supermarkets in Beijing last month, one step closer to make it a centerpiece of people’s dining table.

LONG WAY TO GO

Seed quality, production cost and eating habits all pose a challenge for potato companies.

Kiremko, a food processing equipment company from the Netherlands, has cooperated with 15 Chinese potato companies for over 30 years.

Joost Miltenburg, area sales manager of Kiremko, said two kilograms of European potato can make one kilogram of French fries with the company’s processing equipment, but some Chinese potatoes fail to produce the same amount of French fries owing to poor quality.

He sees a lot of potential in China but also a lot of waste in potato storage and transportation, inefficient planting and irrigation.

Companies are also seeking ways to lower cost. The potato yield per hectare is 16 tonnes in China, while the number is around 50 tonnes in developed countries, making potato flakes three times more expensive than wheat flour, said Lu Xiaoping, director of International Potato Center’s branch in Asia and the Pacific area.

“Only by establishing a high-tech breeding base and producing in a mechanized way can we guarantee high-quality seeds,” said Liang Xisen, chairman of Xisen Potato Industry Co. Ltd.

But the most difficult problem facing potato companies is to change Chinese people’s long-standing diet habits and give potatoes similar role as rice and wheat.

Miltenburg said Chinese potato noodles and steamed buns are new for him. Although it takes time to change people’s habit, he believes that providing more choices can earn potato fans sooner or later. Enditem

Congratulations to Beijing for winning the right to hold 2022 Winter Olympics

By Xuefei Chen Axelsson

Stockholm, Aug. 4(Greenpost)-Chinese people all over the world are happy for Beijing and Zhangjiakou to win the right to host 2022 Winter Olympics.

   Vice Premier Liu Yandong, head of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics bidding delegation returned to Beijing on August 2 and welcomed by various circles of the people in Beijing. Photo by Xinhua, Yao Dawei.

The news came out on July 31st. Immediately after that I saw my Wechat friends circle spread out this news.

I sat in front of my computer and watched Swedish SVT finding out that they got an one hour and 22 minutes live broadcasting program to specially live cover the voting site in Kuala Lumpur Malaysia.

I felt very excited when I heard the news and tears almost came out of my eyes. It was as if I won the world championship or in other words that I could feel the happiness of a winner in sport.

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Liu Yandong with delegates in Lausanne for Beijing’s bidding briefing for 2022 Winter Olympics Games.

It was such a short notice type of happiness. I heard the news last month that my former colleague Yang Binyuan who was a project leader during 2008 Oympic Games in Beijing were in Lausanne to participate in the bidding process with Chinese Vice Premier Liu Yandong, famous TV host Yang Lan, Sport star Yao Ming,  Beijing Mayor Wang Qishan and many others.

 

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The tallest in the middle is Yao Ming and the third from left Yang Binyuan. Photo from Yang Binyuan’s facebook.

According to SVT, Sweden also bid for 2022 Winter Olympics, but when it heard China also bid for it, it withdrew hoping for 2026. In fact, many countries withdrew at the news that China wanted to bid.

This time China seemed to prepare for the bidding not that long time ago, however many work has been done long time before thinking of bidding for Olympics. For example the skiing site was built many years ago just for people’s sports recreation so that people around Beijing can enjoy the pleasure similar to that in Northeast China’s Heilongjiang and Jilin provinces.

But I think this bid has great to do with the support of President Xi Jinping’s idea of cleaning the environment in Beijing, developing the surrounding areas. So he said if Beijing and Zhangjiakou can hold 2022 Olympic Games, it will drive a consumption population of 300 million. That is a great business opportunity.

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His words moved many people.

“Beijing is like a vampire absorbing all the talented people and various resources while the surrounding province was deprived of these resources. It is time to help the surrounding city to develop. I believe the 2022 Winter Olympics will help Zhangjiakou to develop for the better, congratulations,” said Huang Nan, an independent English  language professor in his Wechat circle.

Professor Wu Wenzhong from Beihang University also congratulated Beijing.

“Talking about Olympics, I was the English judge for 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics judges. I will be 68 years old by 2022, I like to be a volunteer for the 2022 Winter Olympics if possible,” said Professor Wu in his Wechat friends circle.

Swedish Olympic Committee President Stefen Lindberg said in a telephone interview that Beijing’s winning is not unexpected.

“It’s not unexpected. Beijing has the basis from 2008 Olympic Games and Zhangjiakou can be a good place for skiiing. Sweden will be preparing for 2026,” said Lindberg.

photo (31)In Beijing, Lin Mei sent me a photo saying that she and Swedish Ice Hocky Coach were invited to celebrate the victory of bidding.

Geely Group P.R. chief Michael Ning said Volvo made a good decision to choose Zhangjiakou as one of its production bases. The 2022 Winter Olympics will definitely be beneficial for them.

Of course the greatest benefit for Beijing will be the blue sky. It is a dream for many to have the blue sky and white cloud.  Beijing has created Olympics blue and Apec blue. Unfortunately it is very difficult to keep it for the long term.

According to British Stern report, China’s greenhouse gas emission is expected to decrease by 2025. With the efforts to hold 2022 Winter Olympics, the blue sky is expected to be able to continue by then.

 

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China economy under downward pressure: finance minister

BEIJING, July 29 (Greenpost) — The country’s economy is stabilizing and recovering, but still facing significant downward pressure, Chinese Finance Minister Lou Jiwei said on Wednesday.

Speaking at a national financial work conference, Lou said the ministry will continue to ensure funds to the construction of major projects to offer fiscal support, while cutting tax and administrative fees to lower companies’ costs.

China’s economy posted a better-than-expected growth of 7 percent in the second quarter of the year. The growth, though unchanged from the first quarter, was its lowest level since the global financial crisis.

Lou said the ministry will continue to promote a public-private partnership (PPP) model for investment, regulate local government debt and promote “market-oriented transformation” of local government financing vehicles in order to turn these local government-backed investment bodies into independent entities.

He also urged further advances in the country’s tax reforms, which includes replacing turnover tax with value-added tax and implementing consumption tax and resource tax reforms. Enditem

“The bid alone will boost participation in winter sports across the country,” Zhang said. Enditem

Source Xinhua

Editor Xuefei Chen Axelsson

Tibet to build 6.4 bln USD natural drinking water industry

LHASA, July 29 (Greenpost) — The Tibet Autonomous Region will tap its high quality, abundant fresh water reserve to establish a 40 billion yuan (6.44 billion U.S. dollars) natural drinking water industry in the next three to five years, the autonomous region’s government said at a forum on Wednesday.

Tibet has the most abundant water resources in China, reaching 439.4 billion cubic meters, 60 times the country’s per capita level. Its clean, uncontaminated water is also considered among the world’s best.

Authorities have evaluated water quality at 27 water sources in the autonomous region and have found 190 million cubic meters of surface drinking water, around 22 percent of which is exploitable, according to Xiang Tongliang, deputy director of Tibet’s water resources bureau.

Production of natural drinking water rose 60 percent in 2014 to 153,000 tonnes and authorities hope it will grow 30 times in the next three to five years, with production value reaching 40 billion yuan.

Losang Jamcan, chairman of the regional government, said at the forum that developing the natural drinking water industry in Tibet should not come at the cost of the region’s natural environment.

He added that the autonomous region should adhere to a stringent process for extracting water and mete out harsh punishment against violations and improve real-time monitor of water sources being exploited. Enditem

Source Xinhua

Editor Xuefei Chen Axelsson

 

陈育明大使会见瑞典战略问题、未来事务和北欧合作大臣佩尔松

北欧绿色邮报报道(记者陈雪霏)据中国驻瑞典使馆消息:

近日,驻瑞典大使陈育明会见了瑞典战略问题、未来事务和北欧合作大臣佩尔松,就中瑞双边关系发展深入交换意见。

陈大使高度评价佩尔松大臣积极推动对华合作,表示当前中瑞关系发展势头良好,两国高层互访频繁,勒文首相成功访华,两国领导人从战略高度绘制了双边关系发展蓝图并达成一系列重要共识,有力推动了双边关系发展。中瑞在经贸、投资、卫生、科技、教育等领域交流与合作硕果累累。双方应抓住有利时机推动双边合作更上层楼,继续通过高层互访加强对双边关系的规划和引领,不断拓宽合作领域,努力使合作成果更多惠及两国民众。

佩表示,本届政府高度重视发展对华关系,视中国为重要合作伙伴,中瑞合作发展很快,成果喜人。瑞方愿与中方互学互鉴,携手合作,为两国人民的福祉与世界和平发展做出更大贡献。