Private colleges carve a nicheBEIJING: Statistics indicate that there are more than 1,300 non-governmental higher-learning institutions, including 12 private universities in China, State media reported yesterday.Some 1.5 million students, or 39 percent of all college and university students, pursue higher education at these institutions. However, diplomas from only about 100 non-government universities are recognized by the government.More trade union branchesBEIJING: The number of trade union branches across China will reach 1 million by the end of this year, sources with the All-China Federation of Trade Unions (ACFTU) said. More than 510,000 branches were set up in newly established enterprises last year.20 bodies recovered HEJIANG: Searchers have recovered 20 bodies from a stretch of the Yangtze River in Southwest China where a ferry accident earlier this month left 22 people missing, Xinhua News Agency said yesterday.The passenger boat was carrying 40 people in Hejiang County in Sichuan Province when it collided with a barge and sank Aug. 2, Xinhua said. Three people died at the scene and 15 survived.