China

Museum Boom

China is home to 3,589 museums, including 3,054 state-owned and 535 private ones, according to information released by the Minister of Culture at a recent conference on cultural relics. The Chinese Government will further promote free museum admission and improve the quality of displays and public services. In 2011, the Palace Museum in Beijing, also known as the Forbidden City, received 14 million visitors, twice the number of visitors in 2002.

Eritrea

Adult Education Grows

The Ministry of Education of Eritrea said recently that the country's Adult Education Program, launched nationwide in 2000, has gained momentum. More than 600,000 nationals have benefited from the program in the last 10 years, giving rise to the possibility of future accomplishments. Pointing out that the age of the program's target group ranges from 15 to 45, with more focus placed on females, Tiquabo Ayimut, head of curriculum planning and development in the ministry, explained that the government has been making substantial investments in this regard with a view to ensuring restitutions to citizens who did not have access to education when they were younger. 

China

Record High

China's Ministry of Commerce recently announced that China's foreign trade with African countries may have hit a record high in 2012 as a result of favorable trade policies. Trade between China and African countries reached $163.9 billion in the first 10 months of 2012, up 20 percent year on year. China has exempted tariffs on 60 percent of goods imported from 30 African countries since January 2012 to boost trade with the continent. The Chinese Government is also encouraging enterprises to invest in African countries by raising funds and giving preferential loans, said the ministry.

China

More Overseas Talent

China will make an effort to recruit more high-caliber talent from overseas, according to Zhang Jianguo, Director General of the State Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs. He pledged to employ more market-oriented measures in recruiting experts, including cooperation with high-level expert associations and headhunting firms. The recruited professionals will mainly bring into play their expertise in the fields of engineering materials, bioscience and information science, said the official. According to a  10-year program initiated in August 2011, China aims to recruit 500 to 1,000 overseas experts, focusing on the nation's needs in key industries.