Space to fly
I do think the second airport is a good idea, (Beijing lines up second airport, June 22). Nanyuan Airport is way too small and much less convenient, and not so many flights can fly into the airport. If everybody has to count on one single airport, they have to suffer every risk it will have, like delays or flight cancellations. And I do think the expert is right, building a new airport is one thing, but air traffic control is much more important. It also applies to Beijing's road traffic problems; building more flyovers can make the traffic slightly better, but the most important solution is making everybody obeys the rules.
Planet not lonely, by e-mail
Permit to stay
The new hukou proposal is good, but I don't know if it's feasible or not, (Proposed system could grant more hukou, June 22). I know many people are very eager to get a local hukou, especially when they find that you need one to qualify for many things in Beijing, like buying apartments, car number plates and registering their children for schools.
But if they want to use an assessment system, the government should integrate all the institutions and companies' labor hiring and evaluating systems, making sure people's information can be recorded correctly and more importantly, can be tracked. And all the standards should be the same. Also all the institutions authorized to evaluate the criteria should use the evaluation tools. It will be a huge project; I hope they will consider as many elements as possible.
A Beijinger, by e-mail
Degrees of shame
The company bosses who were cheated by the fake degree certificate companies deserve it, (Eight arrested in fake degree certificate scam, June 21). They just want to buy a degree certificate and know some rich people like themselves. But who should be blamed for this? In China, you need a degree certificate everywhere; your salary and bonus differ depending on your academic degree, and people read your resume and judge you, although everybody knows the certificate must be fake. Dropping out from universities is also a shame, they won't think you would be capable of becoming a country's president or a company boss.
Emily, by e-mail
No summer release
It's very disappointing that so many summer blockbusters have been delayed from release in China. I know there are some particular reasons for it, but when you have young children eagerly awaiting the latest Harry Potter, then it's hard to tell them why they won't be able to see it until weeks after the rest of the world. It's not really a way to discourage DVD piracy.
Paula, by e-mail
Dangerous air
I've been watching with dismay the pollution indices climbing ever higher over the last few weeks; as I write the [American Embassy] index reads 461, dangerous levels to all. Shouldn't there be city-wide warnings on days like these? At least children and the elderly in particular should be advised to stay inside and shut the windows and doors.
Tomas, by e-mail