TOKYO -- Seven crew members of US Navy's guided-missile destroyer USS Fitzgerald were missing following a collision between the Aegis destroyer and a Philippine container in waters off Japan's central Shizuoka Prefecture early Saturday. The Japan Coast Guard said the collision, which left one person injured on the destroyer, occurred about 100 km southwest of Yokosuka. The collision was first reported by the Philippine container at around 2:30 a.m. local time (1730 GMT Friday), according to the coast guard. The Japan Coast Guard said it believed the Philippine merchant vessel is the ACX Crystal, which, according to Japan's public broadcaster NHK, is 222.6 meters long and weighs 29,060 tons. The USS Fitzgerald is 154 meters long and weighs 8,315 tons. NHK reports said the US guided-missile destroyer had suffered considerable damage to its right side, with helicopter footage revealing an orange hose on the deck of the destroyer. Crew members, according to local media images, could be see on the deck of the Aegis-equipped destroyer assessing the damage while a Japan Coast Guard vessel was in the vicinity of the ship to offer assistance. More patrol vessels and a helicopter would be dispatched to the collision site, Japan's coastguard said. NHK's aerial footage showed that the Philippine ship, which was sailing towards Tokyo, had scrape marks from the collision on the left side of its bow section. According to US Navy personnel, the damaged destroyer was heading towards the Yokosuka Naval Base, located about 50 km southwest of Japan's capital of Tokyo. Neither of the vessels involved in the collision were in danger of sinking, according to the Japan Coast Guard. wristbands with a messagecreate your own wristbandmake rubber braceletsprinted wristbandsrubber bracelet maker
Job applicants (right) consult representatives of an employer at a job fair on the sidelines of the Straits Forum in Xiamen, Fujian province, on Saturday. Chen Lijie / For China Daily Fujian province offers subsidies for those who move to the mainland As the Chinese mainland helps Taiwan residents work or start business on the mainland, Fujian province - the nearest province to the island - is taking the lead in offering favorable policies. Among the 66 measures that Fujian rolled out during the weeklong Straits Forum, which wrapped up on Monday, were 22 dealing with jobs. The Straits Forum is an annual gathering aimed at enhancing people-to-people interaction across the Taiwan Straits. Talent from Taiwan employed in Fujian through registered agencies will be awarded 30,000 ($4,700), 20,000 and 10,000 yuan for doctoral, master and bachelor's degree holders, respectively. Taiwan talent agencies that establish offices in Fujian will receive 30,000 to 60,000 yuan in subsidies, under the new measures. The province will also allow Taiwan residents to work in more sectors, including public institutions and hospitals, and to apply for mainland skilled or professional certificates. Wang Nai-hsien, 30, from Taichung, deputy head of the youth branch of the Xiamen Taiwan Businessman Association, said development on the mainland provides many opportunities, and the new measures give young people a sense of belonging. Xiamen is the first city to create such policies. Taiwan residents starting businesses here will enjoy subsidies for renting apartments and offices, as well as startup funds, said Wang, who helps provide information to people from Taiwan who want to work or start a business in Xiamen. Now, many young Taiwan people are creating restaurant brands in Xiamen, bringing Taiwan cuisine here, including pearl milk tea, which is popular in Xiamen. IT, design and education are also popular, she said. Wang said many cities on the mainland enjoy a promising future, including Chongqing municipality and Chengdu, Sichuan province. She said she would introduce the cities to many young Taiwan people, but most are interested in Xiamen. The city is a good starting point for those who want to try their luck on the mainland, because it has the same dialect, food and living habits as Taiwan, she said. Many will also be willing to leave the city for new opportunities in other mainland cities after they have adapted to mainland life and built their own social relationships, she added. About 2,700 job vacancies from 190 companies, including about 1,300 internships, were provided at a job fair for Taiwan people on Saturday in Xiamen, the local human resources authority said. Taiwan students who accept an internship at a registered Xiamen company will get 2,480 yuan as living support each month for the first year and 2,000 yuan as a transportation subsidy. In March last year, Xiamen Airlines recruited its first batch of air attendants from Taiwan. More than 40 were employed, out of 2,300 applicants, and are capable of speaking English, Southern Fujian or Hakka dialects, as well as local dialects in Taiwan. Li Ching-yen, 24, from Taoyuan, a graduate of National Taiwan Ocean University, said: I had never heard of the air carrier before, but their interview impressed me a lot. They even sent each candidate a gift. They show their consideration in many details. The salary is high, with good welfare benefits, and Xiamen is close to Taiwan, so my parents support my choice, Li said. In May, the company recruited a second batch of attendants in Taiwan, with 156 out of 4,000 applicants passing the first interview. The company said it plans to offer 1,000 jobs for Taiwan residents in fields including IT, infrastructure construction, marketing and hotel management. According to the local government, more than 2,000 young Taiwan residents have accepted internships in Fujian, and more than 14,000 are working or running a business in the province.
