Beijing’s air quality target for 2017 is more than double the acceptable standard set by the World Health Organisation (WHO), the mayor announced on Saturday in the wake of weeks of hazardous air pollution in the Chinese capital.

“We will work hard to keep PM2.5 at an annual average of around 60 micrograms per cubic metre,” Beijing mayor Cai Qi said during his delivery of the city’s annual work report at the opening of the Beijing People’s Congress on Saturday.

PM2.5 refers to damaging air particles so small they can pass through humans’ lungs to affect other organs.The acceptable PM2.5 annual average set by the WHO is 20-25 micrograms per cubic metre.

Beijing’s air quality likely improved 9.9 per cent in 2016, the municipal government said in a document, and PM2.5 likely sat at an annual average of 73, better than the 2016 target of around 76.6.

But smog has engulfed Beijing and large swathes of the north and centre of the country for days at a time in recent weeks, disrupting flights, port operations and schools.

Environmental authorities on Saturday said bad air would strike provinces around Beijing in the coming days, the state news agency Xinhua reported.Last week, Beijing said it would establish a police force to deal specifically with environmental offences as part of efforts to clean up its air and crack down on persistent polluters.

A Thai military air show for children was marred by tragedy Saturday when a fighter jet plunged from the sky and burst into flames, killing the pilot.

Families were gathered at the airport in the southern city of Hat Yai to watch the show put on for Thailand’s annual Children’s Day.

Footage of the accident captured shrieks from a startled crowd as the jet took a nosedive and crashed near the airport’s runway, releasing fiery plumes of smoke.

“One pilot was killed in the accident this morning,” defence ministry spokesman Major General Kongcheep Tantravanich told AFP.

The cause of the crash was under investigation, he added.

No one else was harmed in the incident, according to an airport official, as the audience was gathered a considerable distance away from the crash site.

A junta spokesman said the 35-year-old pilot was flying a Swedish-made JAS 39 Gripen jet.

“The Prime Minister has expressed his condolences to (the) pilot, his family and the Royal Thai Air Force,” said Major General Werachon Sukondhapatipak.

Thailand’s national Children’s Day is celebrated yearly on the second Saturday of January.

The holiday sees military bases around the country open up their gates to let youngsters handle guns and climb over tanks and warships.

Many zoos and museums also allow children in for free.

Swiss president says she and Xi share ‘same values’ on trade

President Xi Jinping and his Swiss counterpart, Doris Leuthard, have both expressed strong political will to advocate an open economy and oppose protectionism, shortly before Xi’s arrival in Switzerland.

Xi published a signed article on Friday in Neue Zuercher Zeitung, a leading Swiss daily newspaper, in which he spoke highly of Switzerland’s support for internationalisation of the renminbi, its participation in the founding of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank and mutual visa exemption for diplomatic passport holders.

“We may actively explore the possibility of upgrading the Free Trade Agreement and set a good example of promoting a free and open international trade and investment system,” Xi said in the article.

China will continue to be a huge market supporting world economic growth, a hot destination for foreign investment and a contributor to the well-being of people around the world, Xi wrote.

Leuthard, the Swiss Confederation president, said in an exclusive interview with China Daily on Thursday that Xi shares her philosophy that openness and inclusiveness are necessary to bring win-win results for the countries.

“Only openness and an open economy can have better results, and nowadays we cannot avoid going global,” Leuthard said in Bern, the Swiss capital.

“We fight against protectionism, and President Xi shares the same values and philosophy.”

Leuthard revealed that during Xi’s stay in Switzerland from January 15 to 18, the two countries will send strong signals to drum up global co-operation and fight closed-door policies.

Xi is scheduled to attend the World Economic Forum annual meeting in Davos and visit other international organisations after the state visit.

“I think many countries are on our side, and they know co-operation is much better than isolationism and protectionism,” Leuthard said.

She also said that both countries will announce an upgrade to their free trade agreement, which took effect in July 2014 and helped waive the majority of tariffs in two-way trade.

Leuthard said both sides have decided to reduce or eliminate more tariffs to facilitate trade flow.

She also noted challenges in the global financial market and the economy of Switzerland, the seventh-largest financial market in the world.

She added that she was “keen to learn” Xi’s views on the challenges.

She also said both sides will deepen co-operation in the energy sector after already having reached agreements dealing with environmental problems.

“I know pollution is quite severe in China and that’s also why we want to share our experiences and technologies in expanding co-operation in energy and environment,” she said.

Noting that some urban regions of China still rely on coal burning for heating, she said affordable replacements and technologies already exist. “It is not about cost but adapting to changes,” she said.

Both sides will also proclaim 2017 as the year of Sino-Swiss tourism promotion, and the Swiss president said that due to China’s rising middle class, more tourists will stay in Switzerland longer.

“We are pleased that many Chinese people buy Swiss watches during their stay here as well,” she said.

Leuthard, who visited China in August, took over from Johann N. Schneider-Ammann as Swiss president on Jan 1.

MORE HEAVY downpours are expected to spread over the flood-hit southern region next week.

Despite the easing of torrential rains in recent days, the Meteorological Department has predicted increased rainfall for the South from Monday to Thursday.

Flooding has causing many deaths and serious damage in southern provinces over the past two weeks. According to the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department (DPMD), the natural disaster has affected more than 1.6 million people. The number of flood-related deaths stood at 36 as of press time, with one person also missing.

“Relevant authorities are closely monitoring the situation,” DPMD director-general Chatchai Promlert said yesterday. “We also watch out for possible dangers from landslides.”

Interior Minister General Anupong Paochinda, in his capacity as head of the country’s disaster prevention and mitigation, said yesterday that all agencies had already been told to prepare necessary measures.

“It’s necessary to identify risk areas, plan emergency response and prepare rehabilitation beforehand, just in case,” he said.

He pointed out that Central provinces and Bangkok would have to be on alert as they may face impacts from storms tomorrow and Monday.

Anupong said early warnings would be issued via local leaders such as village heads, kamnans and local broadcast towers.

He strongly dismissed criticism that residents of Prachuap Khiri Khan’s Bang Saphan district had faced the worst of flash floods earlier this week because relevant officials had failed to warn them in advance.

“Warnings have been issued. Flooding has been a common problem in the district too,” he said.

Up to yesterday, more than 7,000 families in Bang Saphan had struggled without tap water for five consecutive days.

Although flooding subsided in the area, they were still unable to clean damaged houses or shops.

Kiatisak Puengsomsak, head of the Provincial Waterworks Authority’s local branch, said yesterday that some parts of Bang Saphan should be able to get tap-water again.

Officials at Bang Saphan Hospital, which resumed services yesterday, said it had treated more than 100 patients as of press time yesterday. Most people were suffering from athletes’ foot.

In Trang, another flood-hit province further south, many residents remained marooned on the second floor of their homes. Locals in hard-hit areas could only travel around by boats.

Train services from Bangkok to Trang were suspended for almost two weeks because of flooding, but have resumed.

Flights also resumed at Nakhon Si Thammarat International Airport at 6pm yesterday. Passengers have been advised to check with airlines when their flights will depart.

Many say South Korea is a republic of convenience stores, describing the country’s some 30,000 24-hour retailers as being ubiquitous in almost every corner of Korean towns.

Yet few realise that this country of 50 million has over 60,000 playgrounds for children, twice the number of convenience stores.

Despite being in abundant supply, Korean playgrounds have major problems, according to playground designer Pyun Hae-moon. They are almost identical, risk-free to a degree that it is almost no fun and they are not as often used as they should be by their target audience — kids.

“Children not only have the right to learn. They also have right to play,” the 57-year-old play advocate stressed during an interview with The Korea Herald.

Aside from the problems of playground design, Korean kids are too busy to play, spending more time being transported by yellow minibuses from one hagwon to another until their parents get home in the evening. They are also more interested in computer games and mobile phone chatting than outdoor play, Pyun lamented.

Korean kids do lead a busy life, a recent survey showed.

More than 83 per cent of 5-year-olds and 36 per cent of 2-year-olds in South Korea receive private education, either by going to a hagwon or home tutoring. In some cases, 5-year-olds receive up to four hours of extra classes a day after their regular kindergarten programme, revealed data released earlier this week by the Korea Institute of Child Care.

A children’s book author and child education expert, Pyun has studied for the past 20 years the importance of play for children’s development and to create an ideal playground for them. To look for ideas, he travelled to many cities including Berlin, London and Tokyo.

In his opinion, a playground should be a place where children have fun, learn how to make friends and freely explore the world.

“Adults, specifically public officials, design and construct playgrounds in towns without a single chance of hearing children’s opinions. Isn’t it ironical that the main users of playgrounds are not ever heard?” Pyun asked.

He also pointed out the problem of playground standardization in Korea.

“Playgrounds should be for all children from kindergarten age to elementary school age. But as you can see, playgrounds in Korea look like they are just for kindergarten kids,” he said.

In May last year, he made the maiden step toward his long-held goal of presenting kids with an alternative playground.

His first “Miracle Playground,” in Suncheon, South Jeolla Province, bears no similarity to the ones already existing.

It has no swings, seesaws or slides. Instead of rubber turf, which has become almost a norm for Korean playgrounds, the ground is filled with sand or covered with grass. Tree trunks and stones resemble how they would look in the wild. Children can climb and jump on them, strip a bark off a tree or even just roll down a grassy hill.

Since its opening, an average of 2,000 children and parents have visited the playground each week. In October, it was given an award for the country’s best public construction by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, for its creative and eco-friendly design.

“Miracle Playground serves to allow children to play creatively and nurture the spirit of adventure, unlike normal playgrounds which all look the same,” said Pyun.

He plans to build 10 more of them over the next five years.

No risk, no fun

When Pyun visited Northern European countries, he found that playgrounds there not only had varying designs and different kinds and sizes of play equipment, but they are frequented by fathers who bring their children out to play.

“These fathers are called ‘Latte Papa,’ as they bring a cup of coffee and just wait until their children are done with playing, unlike in South Korea where mothers stick to their kids to teach them how to use the slide and where to step on the climbing wall,” he said.

Pyun criticised many Korean parents as overly protective. Without realizing it, they often block their kids from any chance of exploring their world freely and nurturing an adventurous spirit.

“Korean parents are typically very worried about all sorts of potential risks outside. But public playgrounds are the best place for children to learn about risks, like how to detect and overcome risks,” he said, stressing that children grow by experiencing healthy risks.

Risks are different from hazards, he went on.

“Risks are like passing through a shaking bridge and hazards are broken glass pieces on the ground. But parents sometimes mistake the two.”

By crossing shaky bridges at playgrounds, children can learn to ask themselves, “Will it be safe to cross this bridge?” and learn to hold onto something that is stable.

In European countries, such as the UK, playgrounds are required to include pre-designed “risk items,” Pyun said.

The boom in such playgrounds started in the mid-1940s in Europe and 1970s in Japan, while the number of adventurous playgrounds around the globe has surged to over 1,300, mostly in Europe.

Following the trend growing outside Korea, the Seoul Metropolitan Government for the first time in Seoul began test operating a new type of public playground called Adventure Park — filled with wooden poles and hills — in a Northeastern town in Dobong-gu last week.

Just let them play freely

Korean parents also need to redefine children’s play, said Pyun who has authored books on the topic including “Play is Food for Children.”

Quoting Austrian-British philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein, he said that parents should not approach children’s play with a certain purpose. Letting children play is not about helping them release mental stress or becoming smarter, more creative or any certain type of person.

“It is rather a concept of freedom for children,” said Pyun, who is himself a father of two children.

Many young parents trying to be “good parents” feel obliged to take their kids out to fun places and allow them to have educational experiences, such as amusement parks, exhibition halls and aquariums.

“Remember that children do not find it fun only when they visit amusement parks or theme parks. Parents do not need to visit or create special spaces for playing, as children simply mimicking their mother’s cooking in the kitchen could become a good play activity for them.”

The No. 1 virtue for parents in Korea is a sense of balance, not to be easily tempted to buy expensive new toys for their kids or send them to hagwon, simply because many others parents do.

“Children learn at each and every stage of life what joy is and what fun is. It is important for parents to let them fully experience all these stages through unstructured play, especially when they are young.”

Pyun’s wife Park Bo-young, who was also present at the interview, added, “As a mother, I also find myself controlling my children from A to Z. I think it is partly because I never got to know the freedom of play when I was a child.”

“Now I am a parent, but I am still learning how to communicate with children, nurture inner balance in them and help them experience freedom through play,” the cartoonist added.