FAA flight tests

China’s homegrown Y-12F versatile aircraft* has passed evaluation flight tests for its automatic flight control system by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) of the United States, the plane’s developer announced on Saturday.

The Y-12F completed the FAA evaluation flight tests for its automatic flight control system on Friday, with its performance meeting the requirements, said AVIC Harbin Aircraft Industry Co.

Investment curbs

The government on Saturday further relaxed restrictions imposed on foreign investment in its free trade zones, in the latest step to fulfill its promise to open up the economy.

Publishing a revised “negative list” for investment in the zones, the National Development and Reform Commission, China’s top economic planner, said curbs in oil and gas exploration*, nuclear fuel production and telecommunications would be eased.

Teacher loses credentials

A high school teacher who was accused of sexually harassing* a female student and whose behavior led to the girl’s suicide last week will have his credentials revoked, according to an announcement by the local education authority on June 27.

The girl, identified only as Li, was allegedly molested by Wu Yonghou, the teacher, two years ago in Qingyang, Gansu Province. On June 20, she jumped to her death from the eighth floor of a department store. She was 19 years old. After an investigation, Wu was banned from teaching for life, a spokesman of the city’s education bureau said.

Key labs

The number of China’s national key laboratories will triple to around 700 by 2020 as a major part of its national innovation system, according to the latest guidelines posted online by the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST).

The guidelines, jointly issued by the MOST and the Ministry of Finance, sets the target to strengthen the systematic* development of the country’s national key laboratories. China has built 220 national key laboratories since 1984. (SD-Agencies)