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This is News Plus Special English. I'm Marc Cavigli in Beijing.
China is expanding its presence at the South Pole, with construction to begin to build the country's fourth Antarctic base, the Tai-shan summer field camp.
Site inspections for another research station will be carried out at Antarctica's Victoria Land during a five-month expedition launched in early November.
This is China's 30th mission to the continent since 1984.
China has built three Antarctic research stations. The new base will provide logistical support for scientists. It will further guarantee that Chinese scientists to conduct researches over a wider range and in a safer way.
With climate change being a common global concern, Chinese scientists are striving to find answers in Antarctica.
Now from Antarctica to Northeast China. Shenyang and Dalian in Northeast China's Liaoning Province have launched 72-hour visa-free stays for foreigners starting on January, 1.
To enjoy the policy, travelers should hold a valid passport, a third country visa and a plane ticket leaving for this third country or region within 72 hours.
Travelers from 51 countries include the United States, Australia, South Korea and Japan, enjoy the policy.
They will have to obtain a Chinese visa if they have to prolong their stay in the cities.
Currently, Chinese cities including Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu and Chongqing have 72-hour visa-free service.
The Chinese mainland's luxury goods market has slowed from seven-percent growth in 2012 to around two percent in 2013.
That was the result of a survey conducted by the international consulting firm Bain and Company.
The "2013 China Luxury Goods Market Study" predicts that China's luxury goods consumption will experience similarly slow growth this year.
The Bain study lists several factors which have generated a cooling of this previously exuberant market.
It says the Chinese government's campaign encouraging frugality and cracking down on corruption across the country has had a heavy impact on gifting, which had been one of the major growth engines for the luxury goods market.
The campaign has especially curbed the growth of luxury watches, which had made up over a fifth of the total domestic luxury goods market. The sales of luxury watches have declined by 11 percent last year.
The survey estimates consumption of luxury goods in the Chinese mainland at about 120 billion yuan, or 19 billion U.S. dollars last year.
The survey also reveals that world wide, the Chinese people buy more luxury goods than any other peoples, with their purchases making up 30 percent of the global market. And these Chinese shoppers do two-thirds of their luxury shopping outside of China.
You're listening to News Plus Special English.
