New rocket sent

    China on Sunday launched a new, smaller type of rocket* from its “Long March” family, which will be primarily used for carrying satellites aloft.

    The Long March-6, a newly developed carrier rocket which uses liquid propellant*, took off from a launch base in the northern province of Shanxi carrying 20 “micro” satellites.

    One Chinese official suggested that the smaller rocket will make China more competitive in the market for commercial satellite launches.

    Fugitive repatriated from US

    One of China’s most-wanted fugitives* is back in Beijing. Accused of corruption and bribery*, Yang Jinjun became the first to be returned to China from the United States under the high-profile Sky Net initiative after fleeing overseas 14 years ago.

    Yang, 57, was the general manager of a company in Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province. He is a brother of Yang Xiuzhu, former vice mayor of Wenzhou, who was on top of the 100-person list and fled China in 2003.

    TW’s dengue fever cases

    The public has been called on to prevent dengue fever* in Taiwan as the number of cases break 10,000 across the island.

    From the start of summer, the number of dengue fever cases has climbed to 10,384, with 9,103 cases reported in the southern city of Tainan and another 1,108 in neighboring Kaohsiung.

    The number of deaths has reached 54 since May 18.

    Farm chemicals controled

    China plans to curb the use of fertilizers and pesticides* by 2020 because of the damage done to China’s ecosystem and the array of food safety issues they have caused.

    The northeastern province of Heilongjiang produces about 10 percent of China’s grain but problems with the soil are raising costs while reducing yields.

    Farmers blame overuse of fertilizers and pesticides but face a dilemma in that cutting down on chemicals will cause an even sharper fall in yields.

    (SD-Agencies)