This is Quick Take, a round-up of some of the stories from China you may have missed this week.

World Cup fever

As the football World Cup approaches, China's Yiwu export hub is seeing a surge in demand for balls, flags and trumpets.

Known as the "world's small commodities capital," Yiwu is home to hundreds of businesses including Wu Xiaoming's, who has been manufacturing licensed products since the 1998 World Cup and is authorized to produce footballs printed with the flags of this year's 32 competing nations. 

Taiwan urged to resist talk of independence

China's top political advisor Wang Yang told the Straits Forum that Taiwan should "resolutely oppose acts of independence" and outlined opportunities for its citizens to study and work on China's mainland.

Noting the people on both sides of the Strait are members of the same family whose blood runs thicker than water, Wang stressed that the Party has implemented its overall policy for resolving the Taiwan question in the new era.

One bottle, one code
The use of biofertilizers is being praised for their eco-friendly properties and regulators say the new "one bottle, one code" system is keeping illegal pesticides off the market.

China's Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs also called for further reductions in the use of chemical fertilizers, in a recent plan for rural areas.

U.S. destroyer warned

A U.S. destroyer was warned by China's military after sailing less than 300 kilometers off the coast in an act described as "undermining peace and stability in the area."

The Chinese People's Liberation Army said on Wednesday that it had monitored and warned off the USS Benfold after it sailed into waters off the Xisha Islands in the South China Sea without permission from the Chinese government.

Unmanned oil rig complete

China has finished the construction of its first unmanned oil rig that can operate in extreme conditions and be more cost-effective.

China has finished the construction of its first unmanned offshore oil platform on Wednesday at Enping Oilfield in the South China Sea.

The platform does not have any offices or living quarters. As a result, it is much cheaper to build and maintain, enabling oil companies to drill fields that are not cost-effective for traditional rigs. The annual maintenance cost for this platform could be up to $1.49 million cheaper than its manned equivalent.

Police officer's daring flood rescue

Two motorists were trapped inside a submerged vehicle following floods caused by recent torrential rains in northwest China's Gansu Province.

A local police officer managed to balance himself on the back of the car and pry open the boot to allow the passengers to escape. 

Video editors: Steve Chappell and James Sandifer