Hu Jintao Stressed Importance of Reform and Innovation in New Year's Day Speech 
 
Chinese President Hu Jintao on Tuesday once again stressed the importance of reform and innovation so as to implement scientific concept of development and promote social harmony in 2008.
He said in a speech that to fulfill all the tasks of 2008, China should "unswervingly stick to the direction of reform and step it up in key areas" and establish a system helpful to scientific development and innovation.
Hu Jintao made the speech at the New Year's Day gathering held by the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC). 
 
China Puts Quota on Grain Powder Exports to Stabilize Domestic Prices 
 
China started a temporary quota policy on the export of wheat, corn and rice powder on Tuesday , in order to guarantee an adequate domestic supply.
According to an announcement on the website of the Ministry of Commerce, the adjustment aims to curb grain exports boosted by climbing international prices, and stabilize domestic food prices. . The details of the quota are unspecified, but it will be implemented through a permit policy.
The period of the policy is yet to be decided by the demand and supply situation of related domestic markets. 
 
5.54 mln Chinese Born on New Year's Day 
 
About 5.5 million Chinese share the same birthday on New Year's Day and over 5,600 were named after it.
According to China's Ministry of Public Security, 1,735 citizens were not only named after Yuan Dan, or New Year's Day in Chinese, but also born on the day. Meanwhile, 618 Chinese share the family name "Yuan" and were named "Dan".
The word "Yuan Dan" has been used by Chinese for more than 4,000 years but it used to refer to the first day of Chinese lunar year. In 1949, the Chinese government first officially announced that Jan. 1, the first day on the Gregorian calendar, is Yuan Dan. 
 
British Paper: China Set To Assert Status as Global Colossus in 2008
 
The British Independent newspaper said on Tuesday, China is set to make 2008 the year as a global colossus by flexing economic muscles on international markets and exhibiting its cultural richness, .
The daily said in an article, quote/unquote, the world's most populous nation will mark the next 12 months with a coming-of-age party that will confirm its transformation in three decades from one of the poorest countries of the 20th century into the globe's third-largest economy, its hungriest consumer and the engine room of economic growth.
The paper also expressed worries about the challenges China faces in social and economic life like the rich-poor gap and inflation.