December

6

The First National Economic Census concluded and the major results were released from December 6. As an important survey of national strength, it detailed the country's fast expanding secondary and tertiary industries and completed an initial assessment of all legal entities, industrial entities and privately owned businesses in the two sectors. According to preliminary results, China revised its gross domestic product for 2004 to 15.9878 trillion yuan (about US$1.98 trillion), up 2.3 trillion yuan (US$285 million), or 16.8 percent, from the previous announcement. The country overtook Italy as the world's sixth biggest economy.

18

The Sixth Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organization concludes in Hong Kong with the adoption of a ministerial declaration. After more than six days of harsh negotiations, the global trade body's 149 members finally achieved some tangible results on the development issue and the phasing out of agricultural and cotton-export subsidies.

24

The Ministry of Agriculture announces that Chinese scientists have produced the world's first live vaccine against bird flu and Newcastle disease, two killer infections for poultry. Mass production of the new vaccine began after the ministry's approval.

28

A celebration is held in Beijing to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Chinese film industry. Fifty elite filmmakers were honored.

29

The 19th Meeting of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress adopts a resolution to rescind the Regulations on Agricultural Tax beginning January 1, 2006, marking the nationwide abolition of the 2,600-year-old tax.

In 2005, bird flu broke out in various countries, with a few human infections. The Chinese agricultural authorities reported 32 outbreaks in poultry, leaving 154,600 birds dead and 22,571,200 culled. By January 17, 2006, quarantine had been lifted in 31 affected areas in China. Of the 10 confirmed human cases, five were fatal. In light of the Law on Animal Epidemic Prevention and the Animal Epidemic Emergency Regulations, the Ministry of Agriculture publicized all outbreaks in a timely and accurate manner and informed related international organizations as well as countries and regions. In October-December alone, more than 5 billion birds were vaccinated throughout China, accounting for 85 percent of the total requirement.