Contents

Roundup of Quarterly News

1.Second Cross-Straits Youth Festival held in the Mainland 

2. “Meet in China”– China’s Youth Exchange with Neighboring Countries (Roundup of Exchanges among China, Japan and ROK, China-ASEAN Young leaders meeting, 100-member Pakistani Delegation’s China Visit)

Quick News

1. Kickoff of People’s Deputies and CPPCC Committee Members Face-to-face Program Series with Youngsters

2. CYLC Enforcement of Minors Protection Law

2. Local Youth Federations Boost Student Employment and Businesses

4. Assessment of Favorite Village English Teachers to Chinese Youngsters

5. First China Original Campus Music TV Awarded

6. Special Train of Love Arrives at Beijing 

Photo News

1. Youth and Current Affairs

2. Youth in Action

3. Local Youth Federations

4. Summer Vacation Programs

5. Counter-down to the Beijing Olympics 2008

6. Folklore Reports

Features on Summer Vacation  

1. Sweat of Youth Yields Good Fruits 

--- Roundup of Students Social Practice in the Countryside

Youth Survey

1.    Environment

--- Excerpts from China Youth Development Report

Youth Story

1.    Gratefully Embracing Life

--- Notes on Starlet Shang Xuefei of Northeast China Electricity University

International Exchanges (July 1 – September 30)

Roundup of Quarterly News

Second Cross-Straits Youth Festival held in the Mainland

July 10 – August 26 saw the successful holding of the 2nd Cross-Straits Youth Festival sponsored by the All-China Youth Federation together with the 8 provincial-level governments. They were governments of Beijing and Shanghai municipalities, and of Hebei, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Fujian, Guangdong and, Hainan provinces. Under the theme of Cross-Straits Youth Gathering Happily in the Mainland and Joining Hands to Build a Better Tomorrow, the program was held in five different routes, attracting nearly 10,000 young participants from both sides of the Straits, including 2,656 Taiwan youth and students. 

During the Beijing period, cross-Straits youth participated in Olympic Day events, which including hearing a report by Beijing Olympic Organizing Committee officials on the preparations of the Games, face-to -face exchange with Olympic application envoys and Olympic champions, signing the same banner greeting the advent of the Olympics, posing withOlympics mascots for pictures and visiting Olympic stadium sites. Taiwan students shared experience with their mainland fellow students. They gained accessing into Tsinghua and other prestigious universities in the mainland to see how they lived and studied. During the Hebei period, youth from both sides of the Straits jointly worshipped the common ancestors of the Chinese nation. They planted trees of common love, signed on a dragon-shaped long scroll and let fly 2007 peace doves. In Jiangsu they paid tribute to the Mausoleum of Dr. Sun Yat-sen, forerunner of the Chinese democratic revolution, in Nanjing. In Shanghai they cruised along the Whampoo River, heard an expertise briefing on preparations for Would Expo 2010 in Shanghai, and personally observed the modernization drive in Shanghai. In Zhejiang they had a long-distance race round the West Lake and visited its beautiful natural surroundings. In Guangdong, they experienced the Lingnan Culture and appreciated martial performances. In Hainan, by gathering the seawaters of Taiwan and Qiongzhou straits, they expressed the common feelings of youth sharing the same Chinese roots. In Fujian they created a wall of aspiration “to link up the Straits emotionally,” voicing their good desire for deeper friendship, closer cooperation and better future. 

“Meet in China”

 – China’s Youth Exchange with Neighboring Countries 

Exchanges among China, Japan and ROK

From August 16 to 22, China, Japan and the Republic of Korea (ROK) sent 100 youngsters each to a tripartite youngster friendly gathering in Beijing and Tianjin. This was a program held on the proposal made by Chinese premier Wen Jiabao on July 1, 2007 during his visit to the 10th ASEAN Summit plus China, Japan and ROK (10+3) and China and ASEAN Summit (10+1) and the 2nd East Asia Summit. 

The theme of the program was Olympics and Culture, aiming to deepen the understanding of Japanese and ROK youngsters about China through participating in Olympics voluntary service and experiencing traditional Chinese culture, to further promote the dialogue and communications among youngsters of the three countries, increase their mutual understanding, promote their participation in Northeast Asian regional cooperation and consolidate the social basis for the region’s peace and development. 
　　During the activities, 300 Chinese, Japanese and ROK youngsters visited by groups some universities, rural areas and high and new tech development zones, experienced traditional Chinese culture and toured places of historical interest. Rendering a one-day Olympic voluntary service in three different groups, they were involved in the voluntary service of several Beijing service spots, cleaning up the environment at the Daguanyuan (Grand View Garden, a family garden of the Jias in the classical novel A Dream of Red Mansions), and cheering up the 2007 Good Luck Beijing International Baseball Invitational Tournament.

Representatives of the three countries also joined the ACYF-sponsored 10 +3 ASEAN Youth Communication Night program.

　           China－ASEAN Young Leaders Meeting

From August 15 to 23 the ACYF-sponsored China and ASEAN Youth Summit was held in Manzhouli city of the Inner Mongolian Autonomous Region. Over 300 young leaders from China and the 10 ASEAN countries dialogued on the role of young leaders in social development.

The program was implemented to fulfill Chinese premier Wen Jiabao’s proposal in October 2006 when he signed the Joint Statement of China-ASEAN Commemoration Summit, which marked the 15th anniversary of the founding of the China – ASEAN dialogue relations. The proposal was to strengthen youth exchanges, launch China-ASEAN young leaders meeting, China-ASEAN young entrepreneurs associations and China-ASEAN young public servants exchange programs and other flagship projects. 

During the Beijing period, representatives took part in the 10+3 Youth Communication Night program, visited the Ministry of Commerce, the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and the Institute of Foreign Affairs. They also visited Zhongguancun Science Park, Beijing Economic and Technical Development Area and youth centers. At the Manzhouli meeting, ASEAN participants had deep-going communications with their Chinese youth workers, young entrepreneurs and university students on East Asian cultures, on developing East Asia community, on youth employment, young volunteer development, youngster psychological health, entrepreneur social responsibilities and student employment ideals as well as youth and websites. 

The China Visit of Pakistani Youth Delegation

From September 3 – 10, a 105-member Pakistani youth delegation visited Beijing, Lanzhou and Shanghai. The delegation was invited by the ACYF as President Hu Jintao announced the invitation of 500 Pakistani youths to visit China within the next five years when he visited Pakistan. 

During their stay in China, Mr.Han Qide, Vice-Chairman of the NPC Standing Committee met with the leading members of the delegation. The delegation visited the Ministry of Education and Beijing University of Forestry and had exchange and friendly get-together with the students there. In Lanzhou the delegation visited Northwest University for Nationalities, the Gansu Provincial Museum and Lanzhou Waterwheels Park. They also visited Linxia Hui Ethnic Group Autonomous Prefecture, visited local Muslim families and Hezheng County Ancient Animal Fossil Museum, Linxia municipal eastern residences and attended the Djumah service in a Linxia mosque. In Shanghai, they visited Shanghai Youngster Activity Center and neighborhood communities. 

Quick News

Kickoff of People’s Deputies and CPPCC Committee Members Face-to-face with Youngsters Series Program

Sponsored by CYLC, the activity aims to strengthen ties of people’s deputies and CPPCC committee members with youngsters, smoothen the latter’s appeal channels with the former, and help the latter in solving difficulties and problems, safeguard their legal rights and interests and promote their healthy development. 

The event was organized in many forms, including exchange meetings, symposiums, forums and online communications. People’s deputies at all levels, members of CPPCC committees at all levels, were organized to contact youngsters of varying age groups, in various areas and from all walks of life. Participants included representatives of institutions closely linked with youth development, youngster parents, youngster problem experts, correspondents, and enthusiasts concerned with youth growth and development. They were asked to heed youngster appeals. The settlement of youngster problems was sought after by promoting exchange of opinions between people’s deputies, CPPCC committee members and leaders of departments concerned and by reflecting the conditions to people’s congresses and CPPCC committees at all levels, and by voicing their appeals to the mass media. 

At present, localities are activating the event into communities, schools, families, enterprises, worksites, and rural villages. People’s congresses and CPPCC members at all levels are using their sessions, important commemoration days to hold thematic activities such as employment forums, labor protection symposiums and campus traumas online discussions and psychological health exchange meetings.

 CYLC Enforcement of Minors Protection Law

To popularize the newly revised Minors Protection Law, and boost the development of minors protection work, the CYLC has adopted a series of measures to carry through the Minors’ Protection Law.

I. Step up publicity of Minors’ Protection Law

The CYLC CC contacted over 20 national mass media including the CCTV and People’s Daily to cover the newly revised Minors Protection Law and the actions to enforce the law, so as to deepen awareness and understanding of the law among all social circles and expand the social impact of the minors protection endeavors.

    League organizations in all localities organized activities to publicize and interpret the Minors’ Protection Law. For instance, Shanghai and other localities sponsored thematic forums to explain minors’ protection knowledge. Jiangsu Province held a forum on the growth of non-ages, inviting psychologists and youngsters to probe into the hot issues of non-ages growth and development and make proposals to take measures. Hunan and other places provided legal aid, self-rescue and self-protection as well as traffic safety information for non-ages and their parents. Inner Mongolia developed narcotics banning and legal education.

II. Greater efforts to protect the non-ages

The CYLC CC is joining hands with 20 state commissions and ministries in implementing an Operation to protect non-ages focusing on ideological and ethical building among non-ages, self-protection education among non-ages, and protection of non-ages families, protection of non-ages from illegal employment traumas, promotion of children’s welfare organs and refugee non-ages relief and protection efforts, and caring for the healthy growth of left behind rural children of migrant workers. 

Youth League organizations in localities are promoting the non-ages protection move in all possible forms. Firstly, they are helping special non-ages such as children of families in need and imprisoned personnel; secondly, they are working to wipe out social malpractices detrimental to non-ages physical and mental health and optimize the environment around them; thirdly, they are bettering the coordination of handling individual cases of safeguarding the rights of non-ages, working hard to properly settle incidents jeopardizing their rights and interests and defend their legal rights and interests.

 Local Youth Federations Boost Student Employment and Businesses

  It is now the peak period of university student employment. Local youth federations at all levels are taking multiple measures to promote their employment and entrepreneurship.

  In the province of Anhui, they organized special student recruitment sessions, encouraging enterprises to hire students. They organized young entrepreneurs access into campus to talk about their entrepreneur experience, exchange business experience and teach the audience the proper conception of employment and business, encouraging potential students to build enterprises of their own. They set up student internship base to provide students internship opportunities. 

In Fujian they made needy students the main target of service, calling upon young business leaders association members to tip the balance in favor of needy graduates. Besides provincial youth federation recruitments included Taiwan-origin students. Over one hundred Taiwan students have been involved.

In Henan, the provincial youth federation helped graduates to get jobs by engaging young entrepreneurs to serve as teachers of employment and business, and by organizing young business leaders to sign agreements with colleges on employment and business.

In Shandong, the provincial youth federation provided policy consultation and employment guidance for college graduates by setting up grassroots employment information desks and issuing student employment policy guide. They provided them more job opportunities by expanding youth business practice bases and post-bachelor mobile stations.

Assessment of Favorite Village English Teachers to Chinese Youngsters

To greet the 23^rd Teachers Day that fell on September 10, the 2007 appraisal and selection of rural English teachers best loved by Chinese youngsters was started. It was open to voting via Internet and mobile phone calls.

　Two hundred nominations came from 25 provinces, autonomous regions and centrally directed municipalities. They were the most outstanding rural English teachers in China. Some of them featured prudent study, brave innovations and contributions to rural English teaching science and researches. Others had been rooted in mountainous villages over the years, devoted to frontline rural education selflessly. Still others are university student volunteers dedicated to the construction of a new countryside. The appraisal and selection committee was composed of those taking charge of the sponsoring organizations and related education organs, media and some local League organizations and English teaching research institutions, experts and representatives. On the basis of public voting results, China’s Ten Top Rural English Teachers and 100 Rural English Teachers Most Loved by Chinese Youngsters were selected.

First China Original Campus Music TV Awarded

  The First China Campus Original Works Concert attracted nearly 20,000 applicants since it was unleashed last March. It aimed to encourage undergraduates to create campus songs, in a bid to roll out a number of Chinese campus singers as well as songs reflecting contemporary campus life and spirit, to enrich campus cultural lives and promote campus music development. The theme was let loose our feelings and challenge our dreams.

The grand contest was open to all college music lovers. All full time students of ordinary and private-run universities were eligible to apply for participation. There would be ten prizes including 1 gold, 2 silvers, 3 bronzes, best male and best female singers, best instrument player and chorus prizes.

Special Train of Love Arrives at Beijing 

After 50 hours of long-distance trip, the special train of love arrived in Beijing on September 5. With this, the dreams of over 1,300 needy students from six provinces and autonomous regions came true.

The program was just one of the items envisaged in 2007 Project Hope, a large-scale public welfare project sponsored by China Youth Development Foundation, CCTV, 33 provincial youth foundations and over 100 mass media. Starting off from Guangxi, the train arrived in Beijing after traveling through Hunan, Hubei, Henan and Hebei provinces, sending over 1,300 needy students en route to their universities free of charge. Apart from free train tickets with free meals aboard, rich and colorful activities were held all along the journey.

Photo News

1. Youth and Current Affairs( Youth participation in publicizing the Civic Ethics Day, and in Energy Conservation Nationwide.)

2. Youth in Action (Narcotic-addicted youngsters under training in a training base and Students honored as honorary city residents)

3. Local Youth Federations (Tibetan and Jiangxi youth federations)

4. Summer Vacation Programs (Summer vacation book reading and summer camping)

5. Counter-down to the Beijing Olympics 2008 (All staff mobilization rally at Olympic Games Center Sites, Kindling YBC Dreams --- Auction of Olympic Carnival)

6. Folklore Reports (Moon Festival)

Features on Summer Vacation

Sweat of Youth Yields Good Fruits 

--- Roundup of Students Social Practice in the Countryside

The 2007 national college and professional high school volunteers have, in the main, completed their summer vacation sanxiaxiang (providing farmers with free farming skills training, free general education, and health checkup) social practice in the countryside. The theme of the year’s program was to implement the idea of scientific development and serve the rural areas by prompting harmony. Millions of college and professional high school students were mobilized to go deep into the rural grassroots and carry out rich and colorful sanxiaxxiang social practice activities.                               

Studying while in practice

In the grand sanxiaxiang classroom, young students learnt things beyond book knowledge and combined book learning with social practice. Under harsh conditions they learnt from farmers modestly and tried their best to do practical things and good things for the farmers and struck their roots of growth deep in practice.

On August 26, the small detachment of “Practice Vanguard” from Henan Agricultural University that had been engaged in the researches of chicken micro-ecology preparation went to the project venue and neighboring areas for promotion. While popularizing science, they found it necessary to further probe the effects of the preparation and learnt something beyond the reach of book learning.

The summer vacation practice brigade of North China School of Science and Technology of Shenyang Aircraft Industry Institute went to the Yimeng Old Revolutionary Area in Shandong Province to study the status quo of rural primary and middle school education. Students came to realize the practical situation at the present stage and planned to suggest corresponding tactics with their knowledge after analysis and summation of the problems they found in the survey.                                           

Opening up future with innovations

For more than a decade, many Chinese young students have upheld the scientific approach of seeking the truth and serving the practical needs, and abided by the principles of serving local economies heart and soul. They have participated in social practice and applied book knowledge to solve realistic problems, providing talents and intellectual support for local economic and social development. 

Earlier this year, to greet the 2008 Olympic Games, the student service corps of Zhejiang Oceanic Institute especially invited foreign teachers to teach the community workers and students some Olympic-related oral English expressions. The classroom was packed. In between there were some small games in the classroom so that the atmosphere was very lively.

On the other hand, Chongqing Post and Telegraph University came up with the “Professional” brand name. They applied its computer professional knowledge to build an Agricultural Information Network for Chonghua Town within its service framework. With this, they displayed the town’s characteristic farm and sideline products, and tourist attractions. Through the network, they timely conveyed advanced science and technology to the farmers and provided them with messages related to farm products, rural policy, agricultural skills, and increased farmer-market communications, much to the acclaim of the local government and masses.

Let’s Kindle the Fire of Love

For more than ten years, young students have been proud of the Song of Youth. On the podium they became village teachers. In white robes they became village doctors. And rolling up their trousers, they became typical farmers in the fields…

On the morning of July 23, members of the service team of the Yichun Institute and the Institute of Physical Culture from Jiangxi Province were giving free medical checkups for the farmers on the People’s Government Square of Wanzai County. “Grandpa, your blood pressure is normal.  Take care to keep it so, please.”“Granny, your blood pressure is slightly higher than normal. Take more rest and have less pork and chicken …” The activity went on for nearly two hours. The team members measured blood pressure for over 150 people, and sent out 200 yuan worth of medicine.

The nationwide college and professional high school students’ sanxiaxiang social practice program has been going on for 11 years. It has been jointly sponsored by the CYLC CC and 13 state commissions and ministries including the Ministry of education, the Ministry of science and technology. For the decade and more, young students and social practice teams have been going deep into the rural grassroots, where they carried out social practice activities in helping the locals settle their practical difficulties, including theoretical publicity, science and technical help to agriculture, enterprise assistance, cultural and art performance, legal aid, environmental protection and medical service. They achieved dual social benefits, receiving education and developing their talents while serving rural economic and social development.

Youth Survey

Environment

--- Excerpts from China Youth Development Report

 As a developing country, China is facing the dual tasks of both developing her economy and protecting the environment. During the full-scale promotion of modernization, China has set environmental protection as a basic State policy, established sustainable development as a key strategy, and carried out large-scale campaigns in pollution prevention and ecological protection in the country. Young people constituted an important force in protecting the environment, being the main beneficiary of the environmental protection. Chinese government has attached great importance to issues of youth and environmental protection, formulated various plans and schemes, made great efforts in the promotion and education on environmental protection, and encouraged young people to participate in environmental protection.

Chinese government actively implements the basic State policy on environmental protection

Chinese government set environmental protection as a basic State policy. In March 1994, Chinese government approved the issuance of China 21^st Century Agenda – China White Paper on Population, Environment and Development in the 21^st Century”, which put forward the general strategy, measures and action plans on sustainable development based on the actual situation of the nations’ population, environment and development. China stresses on the updates of its environment law, and has already developed a sound legal system with Constitution of the People’s Republic of China as the basis, and Law of Environmental Protection of the People’s Republic of China as the mainframe. Furthermore, the country has issued various national environmental standards with a wide coverage. China also undertakes her responsibilities in a consistent and rigorous way in all the international environment pacts and conventions that she signed, approved and joined. Chinese government irons her law enforcement procedures and increases enforcement efforts to ensure that environmental laws and regulations be effectively executed. Meanwhile, she attaches great significance to the development of environmental management system and has already established a sound system: the legislative supervision conducted by the National People's Congress, the implementation undertaken by governments at all levels, consistent supervision and administration shouldered by competent environmental protection authorities, and the supervision and monitoring conducted by relevant departments in line with laws and regulations. The government also gradual increases its investment on environmental protection. In 1999, the input for environmental protection constituted an unprecedented 1% of GDP and will increase to 1.5% in 2007. For 12 years, Chinese government has kept a firm grip on environmental protection and stressed on issues like industrial pollution, land improvement and ecological environment protection. Much has been achieved through untiring efforts. It is estimated that in 2010, the input for environmental protection will constitute 1.6% of the GDP.

Chinese government attached great importance to promotion and education on environmental protection, promoted among youth and children knowledge about ecological and environmental protection, spread conception on environmental protection, and carried forward ecological moralities. In 1996, State Environmental Protection Administration of China, Department of Publicity of the Party’s Central Committee, and the former National Committee on Education jointly issued National Guideline for Environmental Promotion and Education , which raised guidelines on how to improve environmental education and promotion among the youth. China called on the whole society to participate in environmental promotion and education. In recent years, departments in charge of environmental protection, education, culture, media, together with youth organization and volunteers associations, etc. held environmental promotion and education in various forms. Each year since the 1980s upon the World Environment Day, Tree-Planting Day, Bird Week, as well as other environment days, the country organizes large-scale awareness-raising events, presenting various programs including contests, painting and calligraphy fairs, nature movie week, street consultation, etc. to promote the knowledge about environmental protection among the young people. In each spring, the All-China Youth Federation would conduct nationwide special activities and promotion campaigns under various themes on environmental protection. The concepts and knowledge on ecological protection has been promoted extensively through various events such as non-profit advertisement, environment consultation, etc. with a consistent subject followed by the whole nation. Chinese government also realizes the importance of media on the promotion of environmental protection among the young people and sufficiently emphasizes the role of the media in colleting public opinion. Since 1993, the China Environmental Protection Century Journey, in which the press agencies were organized to conduct interviews and reports on the law enforcement in environmental protection, attracted 750 news agencies from over 40 provinces and cities. The theme was set each year according to the situations of environmental protection in the country. As many as 6,000 reporters each year took part in this event, which has become a good example of promoting environmental protection through the mass media. By 2002 October, a total of 50,000 reporters have participated in China Environmental Protection Century Journey and issued 150,000 articles (essays). As a result, about 20,000 environmental issues have been properly settled by the government and relevant departments concerned. The program has greatly promoted the national environmental protection and resources conservation.

In recent twelve years, the awareness of environmental protection among Chinese youth has been improved greatly.  According to the survey on the public awareness on environmental protection jointly conducted by the State Environmental Protection Administration of China and the Ministry of Education, the awareness of Chinese youth on environmental protection was better developed than adults in terms of the significance attached to environmental protection, values on the nature, environment-friendly behaviors, etc. Publicity and education as well as the media were main reasons for the result. In 1992, the State Environmental Protection Administration of China and the former National Committee on Education jointly held the first national meeting on environmental education and confirmed the guideline of ‘education as the basis for environmental protection’, sufficiently recognizing the importance and role of environmental education, and raising specific requirements on further efforts on environmental education. Through 13 years of continual exploration, the environmental education in China, including elementary education, vocational education, lifelong education and social education, has basically developed a environmental education system with Chinese characteristics, and gradually fitted in the orb it toward popularization, systemization, and institutionalization. The concept of harmonious co-existence of man and nature is becoming one of the basic values of Chinese youth.   

Chinese youth further engaged in the practice of environmental protection

The State Environmental Protection Administration of China and China Association for Science and Technology as well as other organization jointly held Chinese Youth Biology Campaign to encourage the youth to participate in the promotion of scientific invention. A large number of young environmental activists were nurtured in the campaign. The State Environmental Protection Administration of China and All-China Youth Federation jointly held another campaign -“Hand in hand, Recover A hope; Protect the World with Your Hands”– to call on the youth and children to make good use of the capital generated from the recycled rubbish and contribute to the construction of environmental protection elementary school in the poor areas. As a result, the first environmental protection elementary school was set up in Jiangxi province in 1998. In order to motivate billions of youth to make contribution in constructing a resource-saving and environment-friendly society, at the beginning of 1999, the All-China Youth Federation and several other commissions and ministries jointly launched the Mother River Protection Operation (MRPO).   By the end of 2006, the program has raised 560 million RMB, planned and built 2018 projects, occupied 280,807 hectares, mobilized 350 million youth to participate, communicated and cooperated with youth from more than 30 countries, and have become a new approach for youth to participate in the ecological environment construction process of China.

 In China, March 9 is the “Mother River Protection Day”, and October 18 is “Resource Reserving Day”. T The concrete activities of MRPO includes:

Youth Green Concept Activities,which is to bring the idea of green concepts return to life, let young people and the public establish “Green Awareness”, ;Youth Green Home, which is a base for youth to carry out ecological education, work practices and quality-extended training; Youth Environmentalist Society, the main efforts of which include establishing registration filing system of Youth Environmental Protecting Society;  fund the society’s environmental study, ecology research and social practice; carry out theme activities on ecological protection,etc.

By far, 300 million youth and the public have participated in this activity. The MRPO already raised about 250 million RMB Yuan social donations, built 1089 plantation projects along the mother rivers basins, covering a total area of 260,000 hectares. It has already become a new channel for young people to participate in the national ecological and environmental protection.

Chinese youth further participated in international cooperation in environmental protection

As a member of the international community, China also actively participate in international environmental issues, while paying attention to domestic environmental protection. All-China Youth Federation is committed to promote international exchanges and cooperation in the field of ecological and environmental protection among the world youth, and strengthen the friendship between the youth in China and the world. Inter-cultural exchanges have been conducted to promote the exchanges and communication among different cultures and civilizations. With the Mother River Protection Operation as the vehicle, programs like Lancangjiang River-Mekong River Youth Friendship Ship and Asia-Europe Youth Explore on Water Resources were initiated to improve regional cooperation on environmental protection. Chinese youth organizations have conducted friendly exchanges on ecological and environmental protection with youth from over 30 countries and regions.  With the initiatives like Obuchi Fund and Sino-Japan Forum on Water Resources, China-Japan Ecological Forest has developed, 26 projects have been established. With an accumulated aid of 1.68 billion Japanese Yen, 35.57 million trees were planted in 16 provinces, cities and autonomous regions, covering an area of 16,900 hectares. In Africa, China-Egypt Youth Friendship Forest has a total of 50,000 trees covering 160 hectare of land. Partnership with United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) has been strengthened to encourage participation in forums and activities on environmental protection organized by the United Nations system and other relevant international organizations. In 2005, UNEP presented the inaugural Champion of the Earth Award to the All-China Youth Federation and its honorary president Mr. Zhou Qiang to recognize the outstanding achievements made by the Chinese youth.

Youth Story

Gratefully Embracing Life

--- Notes on Starlet Shang Xuefei of Northeast China Electricity University

Nobody has ever imagined the name of Shang Xuefei would appear stunningly in the name list of volunteers in the Inner Mongolian Zhalan Red Cross Society.

　　She lost her mother at nine and her father at 15. She had to work to support herself and her younger brother who is going to school. She is now a sophomore in Japanese at Northeast China Electricity University (NCEU). “That’s precisely the girl university student,” confirmed Liu Lei, a Red Cross Society staff, adding, “She came to us of her own accord to become a volunteer. She did it the whole winter vacation last year!”

The 19-year-old was born in the Zhuoerhe Farm of Zhalantun city, Inner Mongolia. The small farm was seething with joy when she received a notice of university admission in 2005. She used to get up before dawn every morning. After feeding the chickens and ducks, she would first prepare the daily food for her younger brother, and then went to do farm work. Under such circumstances, she managed to go on with her studies and get admitted into NCEU.

In the site of new entrants embraced by parents back and forth, the lonely girl was strikingly different. Dragging an outdated leather suitcase, Shang handed in her money, wearing a pair of color-faded cowgirl trousers.  “Here is my only 800 yuan earned from vacation work, I shall pay the balance by taking odd-jobs later.”

Shang Xuefei got economic aid from the Zhalan Red Cross Society and the local Jinbailing Hotel. In the first winter vacation she did not return home, but served as a volunteer at the hotel instead. At the very mention of Shang, Hotel manager Zheng Chengtao showered praise on her, saying, “We asked her to board in the hotel, she rejected the offer on grounds that this would cause us trouble. We told her not to get to work so early as those on the payroll, but she insisted on coming punctually every day. She not only performed her duties perfectly, but was also on best terms with her colleagues. As she did it perfectly, we offered to pay her wages like a formal employee, but she rejected time and again. And she took a French leave just on that account!”

　　Before parting by bus, she phoned Zheng Chengtao, “I was here as a volunteer, not as a claimer from others again. My only hope was to try my best to remunerate those who once helped me.”

　　At ordinary times, when her classmate failed to find a job desired, she would offer her own hard-won job, to serve as a household teacher. When another specialized schoolmate wanted to learn Japanese, she would help in her in taping and teaching her pronunciation. A roommate of hers by the name of Ma Li said, “As Shang Xuefei often says, it is always a pleasure for her to be able to help others.”

　　Apart from working as an odd worker to feed herself and her younger brother, Shang is clear that studying is something more important for her. As her hometown is weak in English teaching, she knows that her English is poor, so she keeps reading in the morning, reciting new words on her way to job, and is apt to be in the self-study room in all her leisure hours.

　　NCEU offers to exempt her for 20,000 yuan in tuition fees, and provides her a work-study post. She got a state scholarship last year because of her outstanding performance. This year she offered to transfer the scholarship to somebody else. In October, the CEO of a local firm offered her a donation of 10,000 yuan. She turned it down, saying, “I can complete my studies with my own efforts.” 

　　“We admire Shang most for her lofty spirits. She is always strong and optimistic when in harsh conditions, and she is always devoted to work and grateful to others,” said a faculty member of NCEU.