Society

Health authorities in East China's Jiangsu province have begun investigating a false HIV diagnosis made in 2009, Beijing Times reported Monday.

Wu Changdong, 36, who is a native of Pizhou, Jiangsu province, donated 400 cc of blood to a collection station in Changzhou, Jiangsu province, on Nov 5, 2009.

At least 17 people were killed and 118 injured in south China's Guangdong province as of Monday after hailstones, cloudburst and strong wind ravaged the region, flood control authorities said.

A view of the destroyed building after an explosion at a chemical plant in Lamadian Town of Daqing City of Northeast China's Heilongjiang province, April 14, 2011.

At least nine people were killed in an explosion at a chemical plant in Lamadian Town of Daqing City of Northeast China's Heilongjiang province Wednesday night, local officials said early Thursday morning.

The explosion and fire occurred at about 10:10 pm Wednesday at a three-storey building at Fuxing Chemical Plant located in Lamadian Town of Ranghulu District in Daqing.

Fourteen people were inside the building when the accident happened, local government said.

Nine people died on the scene while the other five people fled the building.

The fire has been extinguished by firefighters by press time, but the air near the plant was full of the burnt smell, according to Xinhua's on-the-spot reporter.

Cause of the explosion remained unknown, as investigation and search efforts are still underway.

Chinese President Hu Jintao called for the reform of international monetary and financial systems on Thursday, saying that the say and representation of emerging markets and developing countries should be increased.

"We should establish fair, just, inclusive and well-managed international monetary and financial systems to support global economic development and increase the say and representation of emerging markets and developing countries in these systems," Hu said at the summit which was attended by leaders of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.

"We should set up a a just and equitable international free trade system, oppose protectionism in all its forms, strengthen the multilateral trading regime and push for early attainment of the goals of a development round at the Doha Round negotiation," Hu said.

Hu said the international financial crisis has aroused much thinking and discussion about world economic imbalances.