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"Man if every Chinaman drove an SUV, the world's oil supply would be gone in a day! Think of all the money I could make, if that happened..."a remark made by Zacheria Taylor Wootherspoon, oil tycoon
From the People's China Daily April 22, 2002 China to Step Up Overseas Oil Exploitation To ease the country's increasing oil shortage, China has planned to increase exploitation of overseas oil resources while continuing to tap its own oil reserves. Tian Fengshan, minister of Land and Resources, said at
the first national symposium on the selection of strategic oil
and natural gas resources Sunday that China should make better
use of overseas oil and natural gas resources. It's natural for China to increase efforts in this regard, which will help ease shortage in domestic resources, He said. "To participate in the exploitation of international oil resources could reduce the risk of excessive dependence on oil imports," "Statistics indicate that on average each person in China uses 1.3 barrels of oil and 18 cubic meters of natural gas a year, far below the world per-capita level. China's oil imports have been rising for years. In 2001, imports exceeded 65 million tons, nearly 30 percent of the year's total oil consumption." Author's note: The average North American uses X barrels of oil and X cubic meters of natural gas a year. If the Average Chinese person consumes at that rate, the World's known reserves of fossil fuel will be depleted within a year. From Hubbert's Peak, The Impending World Oil Shortage, by Prof. Kenneth S. Deffeyes Princeton University, Global oil production will probably reach a peak sometime during this decade. After the peak, the world's production of crude oil will fall, never to rise again. Beijing Time Friday, January 04, 2002 Remains of Three World War II US Planes Discovered in China The remains of three US planes which crashed during World War II have been discovered within a distance of less than 30 kilometers in the area of the border between China and Myanmar. It has been determined that the three planes were members of the Flying Tigers, which made great contributions to the Chinese War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression. The six pieces of wreckage were found in Yingjiang County,
southwest China's Yunnan Province, neighboring Myanmar. "Zhongdian is called "Jiantang" in Tibetan language, which means " broad flatland ". Surrounded by mountains, the vast flat meadows are watered by the Longtan and Naizi rivers which wind across the flatlands. It is the capital of Diqing Tibetan Ethnic Minority Autonomous Prefecture. At 3,300 metres of elevation, it covers over 11,600 square kilometres and lies about 700 kilometres from Kunming. The Central Town of Zhongdian City is called "Dukezong" by Tibetans, which means a castle on stone mountains. Within Zhongdian County, there are 470 snow capped mountains above 4,000 metres above sea level. the highest mountains, peaks and mountain ranges in Yunnan. The strong crustal stress and the rapidly rising earth crust created magnificent natural scenery here. The highest peak is the Kagebo Peak of the Meili Snow Mountain in the Nushan Mountain Range. It stands at 6,740 metres above sea level. Around it are over 20 snow-capped peaks all over 5,000 metres above sea level.These high mountains and deep gorges have provided the vertical geological distribution which is the ideal habitat for numerous animals and plants. Two national nature preserves have been formed here: the Baimang Snow Mountain Nature Preserve and the Gaoligong Mountain Nature Preserve. From 3,000 metres to 4,500 metres above sea level, several mysterious ice-covered lakes lie in the mountains among precipitous snow peaks and boundless forests like shining pearls. In the east of the area where the three rivers run side by side,is Diqing Tibetan Ethnic Minority Autonomous Prefecture. To its east is the Nujiang River Gorge which is known as the "Giant Gorge of the Orient". The area has a cultural history which spans thousands of years. Ethnic groups such as the Tibetan, the Lisu,the Nu, the Dulong, the Bai, the Pumi and the Naxi have lived among these mountains and gorges for centuries and created their own unique cultures. and deep gorges, it also has the climatic changes from frigid zone to temperate and subtropical zones." |
