Two sessions

China’s top political advisory body started its annual session on Sunday in Beijing, raising the curtain of a key season in the country’s political calendar.

Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, Chinese president and chairman of the Central Military Commission, attended the opening meeting at the Great Hall of the People. Deputies to the 13th National People’s Congress (NPC) gathered on Monday morning at a preparatory meeting to elect the presidium and secretary-general and set the agenda for the second session of the 13th NPC, which began yesterday.

Driverless maglev trains

China will roll out a new generation of self-developed driverless maglev* trains with a designed speed of 200 km per hour in early 2020, according to its lead developer.

Once put into operation, they will be the fastest maglev trains for commercial use in China. CRRC Zhuzhou Locomotive Co. leads the efforts to develop the trains. Zhou Qinghe, chairman of the company, told reporters on Sunday that new technologies are being used to enable the trains to travel faster and have greater hill climbing power. The latest maglev trains are also equipped with a “powerful brain” to realize safe and reliable autonomous* operation.

Great Wall renovation

Local authorities in Beijing said a renovation project will be launched to cover parts of the Jiankou Great Wall, located in the northern Huairou District of the city.

The plan was recently approved by the National Cultural Heritage Administration. A total of 2,772 meters of the Great Wall, with 17 towers, will be involved in the project.

Girl found not guilty

The bail for a female university student in Hebei Province, whose parents killed her harasser* during an attack in August 2018, has been withdrawn, meaning she is not guilty. Her parents remain in custody.

Laiyuan Public Security Bureau said the student with the alias* Wang Xiaoyu shouldn’t be subject to criminal charges in line with the law. Wang Xiaoyu and her parents were detained in July for killing a man surnamed Wang who invaded their home at night.(SD-Agencies)