Now the news continues.
The State Council, China's Cabinet, has promised greater financial support and "scientific and steady" promotion of bilingual teaching so that education in ethnic regions achieves the national standard by the end of 2020.
A cabinet document states that "education of ethnic minorities lags far behind the country's average, it should be given a more prominent position".
Stressing the educational rights of ethnic minorities and those living in ethnic regions, the document underscored the moral and social influence of education, as well as its role in ethnic unity and national stability.
It says bilingual education should be promoted in a scientific and steady manner, adding that teachers' ideological and political knowledge, and their professional and ethical skills should also be improved.
According to the cabinet, teaching methods should be developed to help promote and implement "socialist core values", and efforts should be made to boost exchange and harmony among students of various ethnic groups.
Researchers from China and Russia have for the first time determined the population of the endangered Amur leopard, which lives along the border of the two countries.
A joint operation this year found that at least 80 adult Amur leopards were living in the nature reserves and surrounding areas in northeast China, as well as the far east of Russia.
The project was conducted by a Chinese team along with Beijing Normal University and a Russian leopard park.
The border area is believed to be the only area in the world where Amur leopards, the world's most endangered feline, live.
The findings exceed previous estimations. Surveys in the early 21th century put the population at between 25 and 35.
The team also discovered an isolated group of Siberian tigers, around 38, living in the border area.
The findings show that the populations of Amur leopards and Siberian tigers are in a stage of rapid expansion thanks to the protective efforts by both countries.
However, the experts noted that the two species were struggling to find enough suitable habitats. If there is not enough space to accommodate the rapidly growing populations, they will face a serious problem of lack of prey, which could lead to a collapse in population.
