China’s Changan     1    (sign) a deal last week with the Thai authorities to build a vehicle-producing plant in the Southeast Asian country, as     2     state-owned carmaker speeds up efforts to explore overseas markets,     3    (especial) those involved in the Belt and Road Initiative.

The Chongqing-based carmaker said it will invest 8.8 billion baht (around $240 million) in the production facility, initially     4    (design) to produce 100,000 new energy vehicles a year.

The NEVs to be produced in its Thai plant     5     (sell) in the country and exported to other     6     (market) such as Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.

Changan is joining the ranks of other major Chinese carmakers including SAIC, Great Wall Motor as well as BYD,     7    have release d plant plans or are already producing vehicles     8     Southeast Asia.

Their local production can boost the local automotive industry and will allow those Chinese carmakers     9    (become) more competitive in the market, said Yahaya Ahmad, technical leader of the ASEAN New Car Assessment Program.

Ahmad said the     10     (popular) of Chinese branded vehicles is growing thanks to their improved quality.

“I would expect Chinese carmakers to be competitive…they can compete in terms of the safety, in terms of the cost, in terms of the quality,” he said.

To stop inappropriate parking of shared bikes, Beijing’s Dongcheng and Xicheng districts will start a pilot program that sets aside certain areas fit to park,     1     (use) hi-tech assistance to enforce related rules. Dongcheng District will mark nearly 600     2     (site) for parking shared bikes, mainly near bus hubs, subway stations     3     shopping centers. Users will know from     4     (they) mobile phone app where to put them. The project will     5     (possible) start as early as June.

What’s more, Dongcheng and Xicheng districts     6     (plan) to use “electronic fence” to control illegal parking at present. Riders     7     park bikes outside the allowed areas cannot lock them and will continue to be charged.

The capital has increased its management of shared bike parking as they become a popular, cheap     8     (choose) for avoiding traffic jams. Haidian, Xicheng and Shijingshan districts have designed some 2,000 parking areas for     9     (share) bikes recently. Xicheng has also singled out 10 streets where riders     10     (ban) from parking.

CHINA has made ecological and environmental protection a national priority, being acutely aware that the country has to go to war against pollution. “We must     1     (firm) establish the concept of a socialist ecological civilization. We must develop a harmonious relationship between man and nature and     2     (do) everything to protect the environment for future generations,” said President Xi Jinping.

It would be fascinating to see     3    this impacts everyday life in China, in terms of the response of ordinary people, results,     4    the state of ecological awareness.

One of the popular activities is Riding for Kicks.

China’s bike-sharing companies are praised as     5    environmentally friendly alternative to the overcrowded public transportation system in most Chinese cities. The     6     (arrive) of dockless bikes in recent years is an innovation that     7     (welcome) agreeably in urban areas since its launch. Ofo Inc. was one of the first companies     8     (launch) a dockless e-bike-sharing scheme in Beijing. Shortly afterwards, other companies such as Mobike jumped on the bandwagon in major Chinese cities, and many other start-ups emerged. COVID-19 has also contributed    9    the popularity of this means of individual transportation. Hellobike reports that in all Chinese cities     10    it operates, so-called “long-distance” trips have doubled since April.