Gao Hongbo named head coach of Chinese national team

BEIJING, May 4 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese Football Association (CFA) has named former star striker Gao Hongbo as head coach of the national team.

Gao is the first Chinese national team boss that was chosen through an open election procedure, which includes four native candidates. Gao finally beat Wu Jingui, Yin Tiesheng and Shen Xiangfu to take the position.

The 43-year-old is facing a tough task in his debut. China will play European runners-up Germany in Shanghai on May 29.

Gao was a big name in his professional life as a footballer. He was a prolific striker who was famous for his agility in the box and fine ability in finishing.

After hanging up boots in 1998, he started his coaching career with several Chinese clubs, and he was an assistant of Dutchman Arie Haan in the national team between 2002 and 2004. Gao made hisbiggest achievement as a coach in 2007, as he led Changchun Yatai to take the title of the CSL(Chinese Super League).

The CFA has also named Liu Chunming as the head coach of the Olympic team, and Su Maozhen as the U19 side. Zhang Ning will take the U17 team.

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National book trading expo opens

In Jinan city, in East China's Shandong province, the 19th National Book Trading Expo is underway. Braving the stress from the global financial crisis, domestic publishers are seeking new ways to sustain growth.

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Oldtimers are proving to be a formidable presence at the expo. Big names like Commercial Press, People's Literature Publishing House, and Sanlian Publishing House are displaying more than two thousand titles. Among those are heavyweight projects like "The Complete Canon of Chinese Literature," and the latest edition of the "Encyclopedia of China," as well as the two-hundred-volume series of "Commentaries on Chinese Thinkers."

Nie Zhenning, the president of China Publishing Corporation said, "Without the current structural reform and operational innovation, these publishers would not be able to release so many high-quality titles in such a short period. Those titles represent the highest levels of China's publishing industry."

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On display at the expo are more than three-hundred-thousand titles. A great number of them fall into the categories of social sciences, literature and arts, and the 60-year history of the People's Republic of China.

Most evident at this year's expo is the increasing integration of traditional publishing operation with the new media. The newly established Zhongnan Publishing Media Corporation is showcasing its first group of publications, ranging from traditional print books to online audio and video.

According to the State Press and Publication Administration, China's publishing sector has seen an impressive growth rate of more than 20-percent over last year. Current efforts are underway to build a number of multimedia publishing conglomerates by 2015.

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National volleyball squad gets first black player

A rookie ball player caught the media's attention yesterday when the China Volleyball Association released the new training roster for the men's national team. Ding Hui, who turns 20 this June, is the first black player in Chinese history to be chosen for the national squad.

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Ding's father is from South Africa, but he was brought up by his mother in Hangzhou, the capital of east China's Zhejiang Province. He showed early promise as an athlete and was accepted into a special sports school. In 2003, he was became a member of the provincial volleyball team and later progressed to the national junior squad. His selection for the senior squad is the logical progression for the talented youngster who plays in the libero position.

Starring at the Youth World Championships

Ding first grabbed public attention at the World Youth Championships in Mexico in 2007 when the Chinese team took a surprising second place. The 1.85-meter player deeply impressed Zhou Jian'an, head coach of the national team. "I've been watching him play for some time. He is in good physical condition and has great potential, but he is a little young to play at the Beijing Olympics," Zhou said in 2007.

A year later, Zhou recruited Ding for the new national squad that will train for the London Olympics. The coach acknowledged that Ding had brought media attention but denied this was the reason for his selection. "We pick players for their ability and to meet the needs of the team as a whole," said Zhou. "He's no different from the other players. They are all Chinese."

Ding echoed the coach, saying that he didn't want to be treated differently from the other players. But he has suddenly found himself thrust into the spotlight and has to field constant phone calls from the press. "They all want to interview me, maybe just because I have overseas origins," said Ding. "But I want to build my reputation through my performances on the court."

"I am not expecting Ding to become a celebrity. I just want him to be healthy and happy," said Yu Jianxiu, Ding's mother.

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