Fruit imports

Avocados used to be an exotic fruit that came with a high price tag in China, but no more, thanks to rising trade with Latin America.

In 2017, China imported over 30,000 tons of the fruit, over 1,000 times the amount in 2011. Along with the soaring volume, the price dropped from about 50 yuan (US$7.56) to 10 yuan per avocado on the domestic retail market. China imported 8,800 tons, 16,700 tons, and 6,700 tons of the nutritious* fruit from Mexico, Chile and Peru, respectively last year.

Pilot crew

An Air China pilot crew has been suspended after the actions of a co-pilot, who is believed to have been smoking during the flight, caused a plane to lose cabin pressure* and drop 7 kilometers before stabilizing.

Air China said in a statement on Friday that it has decided to “suspend pilot qualifications* for the pilot crew responsible, and terminate their labor contracts in accordance with the law.”

Cancer drugs

The State Medical Insurance Administration will start a new round of negotiations with pharmaceutical* companies to add more cancer drugs to the insurance list, the administration said on Friday.

Representatives from 10 foreign and eight domestic companies have expressed their willingness to work with the authority to make sure patients have access to and can afford cancer drugs. In a bid to reduce prices and improve the supply of cancer drugs, China has included the majority of the most frequently used and clinically effective cancer drugs on its medical insurance reimbursement* list.

Teacher fired

Sun Yat-sen University in Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, has fired a professor after he was found to have sexually harassed female students and colleagues.

An investigation into the professor, Zhang Peng, was launched after the university received a complaint from a female student accusing him of sexually harassing her on April 8, according to a statement released by the university. The university said it received a complaint from a second female student on May 4.(SD-Agencies)