Society

A decision by Beijing authorities to impose tax on mooncakes, a delicacy given as gifts for the Mid-Autumn Festival, has sparked an outcry in the Chinese capital, reports said Monday.

The cakes — heavy pastries containing sweet lotus seed paste — will from this year be considered a non-cash benefit and subject to income tax, the Global Times said, citing the Beijing Local Taxation Bureau.

A poll conducted by the microblogging service Weibo found that 96% of users opposed the tax on the sweetmeat, and many Chinese said they would prefer not to receive them at all.

Passengers stand in line for security checks at Terminal 3, Beijing Capital International Airport, on Sunday afternoon.

Fights broke out among angry passengers at Beijing Capital International Airport on Sunday morning, after the security level for domestic flights was raised from level one to level two.

Long lines formed as passengers were told to remove their shoes and belts and luggage was checked, and tempers flared as passengers pushed and shoved to get through the security gates.

"I have witnessed three fights," said one passenger on his micro blog.

First joint operation by the two countries to tackle cyber crime

The US and China have reportedly joined hands to shut down a network of Chinese child pornography sites.

According to an AFP report, the two countries closed the ring having at least 48 pornographic sites aimed at Chinese Internet users.

Eighteen of the 48 sites contained graphic images of children, China's public security ministry said.

The ministry said the joint operation was "the first successful joint law enforcement campaign by the two nations on online crimes."

"We will continue to strengthen joint judicial cooperation with other nations to tackle international cyber crimes such as online pornography, fraud, gambling and hacking," it added.

Online Gamer in Internet cafe Xi'an China 2008.07.08

A Communist Party leader has told China's Internet companies to tighten control over material online as Beijing cracks down on dissent and tries to block the rise of Middle East-style protests.

The party secretary for Beijing, Liu Qi, issued the warning following a visit this week to Sina Corp., which operates a popular microblogging site, according to the party-published newspaper Beijing Daily.

Internet companies should "strengthen management and firmly prevent the spread of fake and harmful information," Liu was quoted as saying after the visit Monday to Sina. He said companies should "resist fake and negative information."

Communist authorities encourage Internet use for education and business but are uneasy about its potential to spread dissent, especially after social networking and other websites played a key role in protests that brought down governments in Egypt and Tunisia.