Chinese ministry rules out sudden fuel price hike

BEIJING, May 9 -- The government ruled out any immediate increase in fuel prices on Friday despite increasing market speculation about a possible hike, top pricing officials said.

Officials at the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) said the recent oil price rise on the global market indicated that the domestic fuel prices should be raised.

But Xu Kunlin, deputy director of NDRC's pricing department, told a news briefing on Friday that the authorities would only increase prices after further careful consideration.

According to the fuel pricing mechanism announced on Friday, China will adjust its fuel prices when global crude oil costs fluctuate more than 4 percent over 22 straight working days.

The global crude oil price has been increasing since March, rising from 35 U.S. dollars a barrel to around 58 U.S. dollars on Thursday.

This was the first time the government made public its fuel pricing mechanism since it announced last December that it would link domestic gasoline and diesel prices to the international market.

Xu said many oil traders had engaged in speculative dealing in recent days amid rumors of a price hike. "To prevent speculative trading, we will not adjust oil prices exactly in line with the benchmarks set in the regulation."

Artist continues expressionist crusade

The history of Chinese oil painting has its roots in the early decades of the last century. It's a relatively short period of artistic experimentation, yet what we see today in Chinese oil paintings is an awesome range of diverse styles and a major attempt to enter the discourse of the contemporary art world. Among the leading Chinese oil painters is 52-year-old Chao Ge who distinguishes himself with his idealist passion and striking representation of the spiritual world of the Chinese public. We sat down with Chao Ge recently to talk about his new artistic endeavors and aspirations.

China's societal progress and economic development has put the country on a roller coaster of urbanization and globalization. As a result, many Chinese began to feel puzzled and confused, even though they were gaining material wealth.

As an artist and thinker, Chao Ge finds himself constantly finding both inspiration and hope, as well as the torture of doubt and frustration. But he's found an outlet for those complicated emotions - depicting everyday Chinese, their loss, confusion, hopes and boredom in the face of a rapidly changing society.

Oil painter Chao Ge said, "What happens in this era? This changing time is full of contradictions, happiness and bitterness as well as conflicts of different values. They include good against evil, people's openness versus their confinement, and privacy coupled with commonality. From all these perspectives, I feel the abundant complexity of life. And as an artist, I have to speak."

Chao Ge's paintings of ordinary Chinese people are not only portraits of their physical features, but more importantly, portraits of their psychological state and inner spiritual worlds.

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Coming Attractions: Apr.27th - May 4th

Next is our weekly pick of entertainment options in major Chinese cities. We will introduce you to some of the best films, plays, concerts that are sure to leave you spoilt for choice during your leisure time. So why not start marking your calendar, if films and shows are your cup of tea.

"Iron Man" to be released

A model oil worker famous in China during the 1960s has been portrayed in a recent big screen production. The biopic will be released across China during the May Day holiday.

Revolving around the career and life of model oil worker Wang Jinxi, the film tells the story of a group of oil workers in 1960s China who dedicated all their efforts and enthusiasm into the country's oil exploration. The film also chronicles China's oil industry over the past five decades. It was shot at the Tarim oil field in northwest China as well as at the Daqing oil field in the northeast.

Director Yin Li says he hopes his film reflects part of the huge changes in the country after the establishment of the People's Republic of China. And he added that it is a gift to the motherland on it's sixtieth anniversary.

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