Womb transplant

    A Chinese woman has successfully received a womb donated by her mother after Chinese doctors conducted their first uterus* transplant, giving hope to more women struggling with infertility*, a hospital in Shaanxi Province said on November 26.

    “This is China’s first human womb transplant. Currently, the donor and recipient are in good condition,” said Li Xiaokang, deputy head of the Xijing Hospital in Xi’an, where the surgery was performed. Thirty-eight surgeons took part in the operation, which lasted for around 14 hours. A robot assisted in removing the mother’s uterus before doctors transplanted it into the daughter’s body on November 20, said Chen Biliang, director with the gynecology and obstetrics department of the hospital.

    High-speed loop line

    South China’s island province of Hainan began a trial run on Thursday of a new stretch* of track that completes the world’s first high-speed train line circling an island.

    Up to 20 empty trains will run on the 345-km Western Ring Railway per day in the trial period. Exercises will test responses to emergency situations. The western stretch will be officially put into operation at the end of this year with a designed speed of 200 km per hour, according to its operator, the Guangzhou Railway Corp.

    Pollution reduction targets

    China has achieved the pollution reduction targets for major pollutants outlined* in its 12th Five-Year Plan (2010-2015), six months ahead of schedule, Environment Minister Chen Jining said on Sunday.

    He made the remarks as President Xi Jinping left Beijing for Paris to attend the opening ceremony of the 21st U.N. conference on climate change from November 29 to 30. The president will also pay a state visit to Zimbabwe from Dec. 1 to 2 and South Africa from December 2 to 5.

    S. Korean FTA with China

    South Korea’s parliament on Monday ratified its free trade agreement (FTA) with China, taking an important step toward regional economic integration.

    The ratification bill on the China-South Korea free trade accord was passed through the National Assembly by a majority of 196 to 33 with 36 abstentions*.(SD-Agencies)