Aug 1, 2013
Translated by Luo Shuqi and Pang Lei

Keep reading below for a translated digests of some of the other stories being reported by mainland Chinese media outlets today.

NDRC Confident of Reaching Annual Growth Target of 7.5%
Beijing News
Xu Shaoshi (徐绍史), the head of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) said in an online live interview on Wednesday that he has confidence that the country's economy will achieve the target of growth by 7.5 percent in 2013. According to statistics released by the National Bureau of Statistics, in the first half of 2013, China's economy grew at a rate of 7.6 percent. Economists are split on whether the growth rate will now slide to 7 percent or maintain its current pace. Xu said that China will continue its strong support for the real economy, as well as its proactive fiscal policies and prudent monetary policies. Xu also expressed the need to encourage consumption and expand domestic demand in order to stabilize economic growth.
Original article: [Chinese]

State Council: Urban Infrastructure Projects to be More Open to Private Capital
National Business Daily
At an executive meeting of the State Council this week, Premier Li Keqiang said that authorities would take a more open attitude towards private capital investing in urban infrastructure projects. The State Council plans to considerably increase investments in areas such as underground piping networks, sewage treatment and public transportation. Experts told the reporter that these areas would require investment worth trillions of yuan and that the share of private capital is expected to grow. Until recently, state-backed firms have monopolized infrastructure construction and controls are only now gradually being relaxed. Jin Yongxiang, head of a consulting firm, remarked that opening up this sector to private capital will reduce costs and increase efficiency as companies will have to engage in competitive bidding in order to win contracts.
Original article: [Chinese]

Shenzhen Introduces Legislation to Protect Good Samaritans
Southern Weekly
A law that aims to protect the legal rights of people who go out of their way to help others officially came into effect today in Shenzhen on Aug 1. The law has ten clauses, for example, if people who have received assistance claim that the person who helped them is guilty of causing the accident, they should collect and submit sufficient evidence or they will be responsible for any negative consequences resulting from the claim. Zhou Chengxin (周成新), a member of the Shenzhen Arbitration Commission (深圳仲裁委员会), says this law references Good Samaritan Laws in the American legal system, which exempt helpers from responsibility for any negative consequences that might occur while voluntary assistance is being offered during an emergency. The law is also said to be linked to the case of Peng Yu (彭宇案). On Nov 20, 2006, an elderly woman was hit by a bus and Peng Yu came to her assistance. However the woman later accused Peng Yu of being the cause of the accidents and asked for a compensation of 130,000 yuan.
Original article: [Chinese]

Hunan Watermelon Vendor's Autopsy Report Revealed
Southern Metropolis Daily
The autopsy of Deng Zhengjia (邓正加), the watermelon vendor who died in a conflict with urban control forces on July 17, was published by local authorities yesterday. According to the analysis conducted by forensic experts at the Center for Medico-legal Expertise of Sun Yat-Sen University (中山大学法医鉴定中心), Deng died of a "rupture in a malformed blood vessel of the brain caused by an external force"
Original article: [Chinese]