This is NEWS Plus Special English.
A trial run has begun for China's first domestically designed and manufactured magnetic levitation line in Changsha, the capital of Hunan Province.
The maglev shuttles between Changsha's south railway station and the airport, with one stop in between. It takes around ten minutes to complete the 18-and-half-kilometer journey.
According to the operator Hunan Maglev Transport Company, the line uses the "wind chaser" trains designed and manufactured by railway manufacturing giant CRRC in Hunan's Zhuzhou city.
The 48-meter-long train can carry 363 people in three carriages, and achieve a maximum speed of 100 kilometers per hour.
The domestically produced moderate-speed maglev line costs around 195 million yuan, roughly 30 million U.S. dollars, per kilometer, not including relocation fees. It is highly economical in terms of construction and maintenance costs.
You're listening to NEWS Plus Special English. I'm Liu Yan in Beijing.
An official circular on reforming China's art and literature awards has urged that appraisals from ordinary people be included as an important parameter.
The circular says appraisals from the public, artists and literati should be integrated with commercial indicators, alongside audience rating, box office and circulation.
It notes that public popularity and whether the art or literature works features ordinary people's lives will be important indicators to be factored in during evaluation.
The circular announces that artists or writers with notorious records or reputations will be barred from competing for awards.
It also reveales that the existing 20 national art and literature awards will be reduced to 19, while a large number of their sub-categorized awards are downsized.
The Ministry of Culture in April vowed to streamline the chaotic art and literature awards, blaming too many redundant awards ceremonies and appraisals for having caused irregularities and power-for-money deals.
The ministry also vowes to regulate government officials' participation in competitions and awards and to forbid them for exerting any influence during award appraisals.