Chinese president makes four-point proposal on promoting women's rights

Chinese President Xi Jinping delivers a speech at the Global Leaders' Meeting on Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment at the United Nations headquarters in New York, the United States, Sep 27, 2015. Photo: Xinhua Chinese President Xi Jinping on Sunday made a four-point proposal on further advancing women's rights worldwide while addressing a high-level summit at the United Nations (UN) headquarters. Speaking at the Global Leaders' Meeting on Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment, Xi said the pursuit of gender equality is "a great cause," for "a review of history shows that without women's liberation and progress, the liberation and progress of mankind would not be attainable." "On the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations and the 20th anniversary of the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing, it is of great significance for us to convene this Global Leaders' Meeting to reaffirm our commitment to gender equality and women's development and make plans for a better future," he said. The president put forward a four-point proposal on promoting gender equality and women's all-round development worldwide. "First, we should strive for women's development in tandem with social and economic progress," Xi said, pointing to the need for "more well-rounded development strategies" and updated policies to stimulate women's potential, raise their participation and ensure their equal share in social and economic development. Second, countries should protect women's rights and interests, which are basic human rights and must be protected by laws and regulations and integrated into national and social rules and norms, said the president. "We must build up women's capacity of playing their part in the society and economy, involve women in higher levels of decision making and support them in becoming leaders in political, business and academic fields," Xi said. Countries must ensure sufficient basic medical services for women, ensure that school is affordable and safe for every girl, and develop vocational and life-long education for women to help them better adapt to changes in society and the job market, he said. The president also proposed to make joint efforts to build harmonious and inclusive societies, as "a society with less discrimination or prejudice against women is often more inclusive and dynamic." "We must eradicate all forms of violence against women, including domestic violence. We should focus on gender equality and dismiss outdated mentalities and customs inhibiting women's development," Xi said, adding that he appreciates UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's "He for She" Initiative and hopes more men will join in the action. Fourth, Xi called for fostering "a global environment favorable for women's development." "We must stand firmly for peace, development and win-win cooperation, cherish peace dearly and uphold it so that every woman and child will enjoy the sunshine of happiness and tranquility," he said. The president called on women's organizations in different countries to strengthen interactions, urging developed countries to scale up financial and technological assistance to developing countries and narrow the development gap among women in different countries. "As the Chinese people pursue a happy life, every Chinese woman has the opportunities to excel in life and make their dream come true," Xi said, vowing to do more to enhance gender equality as a basic state policy, give play to women's important role as "half of the sky" and support them in realizing their own dreams and aspirations in both career and life. China will, in the coming five years, help other developing countries build 100 "health projects for women and children," send teams of medical experts to provide services, and implement 100 "happy campus projects" to finance the schooling of poor girls and raise girls' school enrollment rate, said the president. China will also host 30,000 women from developing countries for training programs in China and provide 100,000 skills training opportunities in local communities of other developing countries, Xi said. Ban thanked the Chinese government for initiating the meeting, which will be a milestone in the cause of international women's development. He called on governments of all states to take measures to ensure gender equality while implementing the post-2015 development agenda. Around 100 representatives, including 80 heads of state and government, attended the Global Leaders' Meeting, where they exchanged views on the issue of global women's development, reaffirming that gender equality is a precondition for social development. They said the international community should maintain peace to prevent harms on women brought by wars, calling on all countries to make unremitting efforts to ensure safety and dignity of all women, protect women from violence, ensure their rights of education and working, and realize comprehensive and equal participation of women in social and economic activities at an early date.

Tianjin warehouse owner to compensate for losses caused by blasts

Authorities in north China's port city of Tianjin said the wheels have been set in motion to secure compensation from the owner of a warehouse for those affected by two fatal blasts at the site on August 12. More than 120 injured people, including five who are still in a critical or serious condition, remain in hospital, while 673 others have been treated and discharged, said Zhang Yong, head of the Binhai New Area in Tianjin. One-hundred-and-sixty-five people died in the explosions, while another eight have never been found. The dead include 110 firefighters and policemen who were killed during the response operation. The blasts damaged 11,000 houses and affected 414 companies. The compensation process for the affected residents has begun. Zhang said Binhai New Area will launch an improvement campaign focusing on safety at companies that deal with dangerous chemicals and goods. The warehouse is owned by Rui Hai Int. Logistics Co. Ltd., which was founded in 2011. Chinese Premier Li Keqiang last Tuesday urged officials to accelerate the investigation into the blasts, saying that those responsible should be severely punished. Several company executives and local officials have been arrested.

Malaysia shuts schools as Indonesia smog worsens

Thick white smoke from Indonesian slash-and-burn farming enveloped Malaysia's capital and other areas Sunday, triggering school closures for the following day as weeks of choking haze showed no sign of abating. Pollution readings in Kuala Lumpur soared into the "very unhealthy" territory in the Malaysian government's hourly air-quality index. The Ministry of Education ordered schools shut on Monday in the capital and three states due to health concerns, the second time this month it has had to issue such an order. Malaysia, Singapore and large expanses of Indonesia have suffered for weeks from acrid smoke billowing from fires on plantations and peat lands that are being illegally cleared by burning. The fires are located on Indonesia's huge islands of Sumatra and Borneo. The crisis grips the region nearly every year during the dry season, but the current outbreak is one of the worst and longest-lasting in years. Authorities have said tens of thousands of people in the three countries have been forced to seek medical treatment for respiratory problems, and that dozens of flights have been canceled or delayed due to poor visibility. Indonesia has faced pressure from its neighbors to address the problem since it first emerged nearly 20 years ago. But the issue has persisted, especially as plantations expand to meet rising global demand for products like palm oil, a key ingredient in a vast range of everyday consumer products. Singapore on Friday ordered rare school closures across the city-state as air reached "hazardous" levels there, with Environment Minister Vivian Balakrishnan saying the problem has lasted "for far too long." "This is not a natural disaster. Haze is a man-made problem that should not be tolerated. It has caused major impact on the health, society and economy of our region," he said in a statement. The Singapore government also said Friday it had launched legal action against five Indonesian companies blamed for the fires, including multinational Asia Pulp and Paper, which could lead to massive fines. Indonesian National Disaster Management Agency spokesperson Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said Saturday that "fires continue to rage" despite a push to extinguish the blazes by more than 25,000 military, police and other personnel. He said new fires were cropping up, while some that were previously extinguished had flared anew or had been deliberately re-ignited. Nugroho added that pollution readings in several Indonesian cities were at hazardous levels.

Senior leader calls for unity in Xinjiang

Top Chinese political advisor Yu Zhengsheng on Sunday praised local residents for their efforts in fighting terrorism and urged them to cherish stability and unity as he visited Shache County of Kashgar in southern Xinjiang. Yu's visit to Shache came before the 60th anniversary of the founding of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. He was leading a central government delegation to attend festivities marking the event which will last till Oct. 1. When having a discussion with some cadres and local residents, Yu said they have made great efforts in safeguarding stability, referring to Shache as "the front-line of terror." "Having made great sacrifices, they are admirable," said Yu. Highlighting the importance of Shache's strategic position, Yu said only by standing fast here can stability be achieved, and peaceful life be ensured for the residents. Yu noted that cadres and residents here should be prepared for "a protracted war" to fight for social stability. "(We) must do everything we can to bring people together, firmly implement the work of separating religion from extremism, guide different ethnic groups to have candid communications and do more heart-warming and heart-winning deeds," said Yu. Before the discussion, he was given a tour to a village, where he called local residents to cherish the hard-won stability and unity. "Different ethnic groups should be united together like 'pomegranate seeds," said Yu. During his stay in Kashgar, Yu also visited enterprises and a farm of the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps.

Xi reaffirms support for UN authority

Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Saturday at the United Nations headquarters in New York City. Photo: AFP Visiting Chinese President Xi Jinping on Saturday called for global efforts to defend the authority and role of the United Nations, and vowed to deepen cooperation with the world body. Xi's statement highlights China's staunch support of the organization and determination to maintain global peace and security, a key reason the UN was established, analysts said. Xi made the statement during his meeting with UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on the sidelines of the 70th session of the UN General Assembly. As this year marks the 70th anniversary of the founding of the UN, the international community should reaffirm its commitment to multilateralism, defend the principles and purpose of the UN Charter, safeguard the UN's authority and role and strive to promote world peace and common development, Xi said. "China has been a supporter of the UN system. The country believes that disputes should be resolved through dialogue and negotiations. It opposes unilateral actions that ignore the UN framework, especially in the use of force, as the US and some Western countries have done in the Middle East. Such actions run counter to the UN Charter," Jia Qingguo, dean of the School of International Studies at Peking University, told the Global Times. The UN Charter, which was signed in 1945, said it aims at "saving successive generations from scourge of war" and that "armed force shall not be used, save in the common interest." Xi also said that China is committed to developing a new model of international relations, with win-win cooperation as the core. China will stick to a path of peaceful development, dedicate itself to defending the existing international order founded on the UN Charter, continue its support for the global body and deepen cooperation with it, Xi stressed. China's rising role Xi said the UN should play a leading role in addressing global issues, adding that the world body is the ideal platform for international anti-terrorism cooperation. As all parties expect the UN to adhere to political solutions to issues in the coming decade, Xi urged the global institution and its Security Council to draw useful experiences from how the Iran nuclear issue was handled. The Iran nuclear talks involved all five UN Security Council permanent member states and Germany, which is a good example of multilateral negotiations, Jia noted. Ruan Zongze, vice president of the China Institute of International Studies, said that as a permanent member of UN Security Council, China has an increasing role in maintaining global security. "Unlike some Western countries, which toppled the government of certain nations under the name of 'protection,' as in the case with Libya, China has advocated the idea of 'protection with responsibility,' stressing that relevant countries must take responsibility both before and after they get involved," Ruan wrote in the People's Daily. Ban on Saturday welcomed the Chinese leader at the UN headquarters. Ban said China has played a positive role and made remarkable contributions to promoting world peace and development, as well as proper solutions to regional and international issues for a long period of time. China has in the past few years increased its contributions to the UN, including paying an extra 61 percent in UN fees, increasing its share of the budget from 3.19 to 5.15 percent in 2012, and sending more troops to UN peacekeeping missions.

First lady gives English speech at UN

China's first lady, Peng Liyuan, attends the Updated Global Strategy for Women's, Children's and Adolescent's Health on Saturday at the United Nations headquarters. Photo: IC China's first lady Peng Liyuan's English speeches on Saturday at the UN headquarters in New York shows that her new approach would enhance China's soft power, experts said. "In China, the Spring Bud Education Program has helped over three million girls return to school. Many of them have completed college and are doing well at work," said Peng, who delivered a speech in English at a high-level meeting of the Global Education First Initiative as United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization special envoy for the advancement of girls' and women's education. Also Saturday, Peng attended the opening ceremony of a high-level meeting of the "Every Woman, Every Child" global movement, as World Health Organization goodwill ambassador for tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS and at the invitation of UN chief Ban Ki-moon. She displayed her charm and pivotal diplomatic role when she delivered two speeches in English, experts added. Her UN speeches have attracted tremendous attention in China and generated lively discussions on social media. Her video has been viewed millions of times on Sina Weibo, while thousands of netizens praised her. "Gorgeous and elegant, Peng is absolutely the best name card for China," a netizen wrote on Sina Weibo. "Making a speech in English would strike a chord with people from other countries," Steven Dong, a professor from the Academy of Media and Public Affairs at the Communication University of China, told the Global Times. "Unlike previous Chinese first ladies, Peng, who is a famous folk singer in China, has become more prominent in Chinese diplomacy, which can improve China's global image," he said. Peng made her debut on the international stage as China's first lady when she accompanied her husband on his state visit to Russia in 2013. She has since developed her unique style of diplomacy as first lady, making use of her influence as a folk singer to participate in programs for public good and spark a fashion frenzy with her homegrown overcoat. Among her eight visits with Xi, she participated in at least 11 activities involving children or schools. Peng met children with AIDS at an adoption center during a visit to the Republic of Congo in 2013. As China's global status rapidly rises, to convey kindness and goodwill to the world by a first lady like Peng is indispensable, according to a blue book on Chinese diplomacy published by the Social Sciences Academic Press in April. Through her philanthropic efforts to promote women's education and HIV, Peng has become a focal point for Western media, and has therefore played a significant role in China's diplomacy, Steven Dong, a professor from the Academy of Media and Public Affairs at the Communication University of China, told the Global Times on Sunday. Peng has likewise showcased her other talents on several occasions, such as her knowledge of Chinese calligraphy and traditional embroidery. "Promoting the traditional arts and culture is a natural fit for Peng, which makes her quite unique among other first ladies," Dong added. Searches on Chinese e-commerce platforms for "Peng Liyuan style" currently yield hundreds of products, including coats, handbags and shoes, with prices ranging from 30 ($4.7) to 1,200 yuan.

Exiled living Buddha returns, snubs leader

A former senior member of the Dalai Lama clique, formerly exiled in India, has returned, which experts think indicates the declining influence of the group. Achok Rinpoche, the living Buddha, returned to China in May and has settled down in the Aba Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture in Southwest China's Sichuan Province after he gained approval from Sichuan in April, State-owned news site tibet.cn reported Saturday. "It's a brave and praiseworthy move," Xiong Kunxin, an ethnic studies professor at the Minzu University of China, told the Global Times. "Now I am a 'real' Chinese citizen," said Achok when he was visited by Cui Baohua, a member of the Standing Committee of the Sichuan provincial committee of the Communist Party of China. "And all I want to do is to fulfill my duty as a Chinese citizen." He has ignored an invitation from the Dalai Lama to celebrate his birthday in July. The life of a legal citizen is surely different from a life in exile with an illegal identity on a foreign land, Lian Xiangmin, director of the Modern Institute of China Tibetology Research Center, told the Global Times. Born in 1944, Achok fled to India after a Dalai Lama-led uprising in which he participated failed when he was 15. He was appointed as head of a "Tibetan Hospital" and a library director for the Tibetan "government-in-exile." Achok briefly returned to China in 1982 and made several visits to the country thereafter. However, it was not until after he fell and was injured in Nepal in December 2014 that he expressed his wish to return to China permanently. He came back to China partly because China is stronger and more powerful with an increasingly significant position in the world, Xiong said. His return indicates to some degree the futureless end of the Dalai Lama group with a dying momentum, Xiong said, adding that Achok's move also showed his recognition of China's religious policy as correct as well as the influence and breadth of China's policy towards returning Tibetan exiles. Li Decheng, director of the Institute for Religious Studies under the China Tibetology Research Center, told the Global Times that although not many exiled Tibetans have returned, they live very hard lives abroad and have a strong attachment to their homeland. China has formulated and practiced the policy of "free movement" since 1978. It forgives exiled Tibetans and Buddhists of their past misdeeds when they choose to come back to China, saying that "all patriots belong to one big family, whether they rally to the common cause now or later, and bygones can be bygones." A document released by the Tibet regional government has specified supporting policies on housing, employment and other aspects. Many exiled Tibetans and Buddhists were fooled by separatists trumpeting "a better life overseas," while in fact their freedom is strictly limited and they are forced to protest and join in political activities against their will, Lian said.

US to accept more refugees than planned: Kerry

US Secretary of State John Kerry announced on Sunday that the United States would increase the number of worldwide refugees it will take in over the next two years. Kerry made the remarks during a visit to Berlin after meeting with German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier to discuss the current refugee crisis. Kerry said his country was ready to help in dealing with the crisis. According to him, the US will accept 85,000 refugees from around the world next year, up from 70,000, and the number will rise to 100,000 in 2017. The minister did not give further details about the exact number of Syrian refugees that are expected to be accepted. Kerry's announcement came amid a growing call for the US to do more to alleviate the escalating refugee crisis. US President Barack Obama had announced that his administration would let in at least 10,000 Syrian refugees in the coming year.

China, US aim at ‘high-level’ treaty

As Chinese President Xi Jinping begins his first State visit to the US on Tuesday, hopes are high for another breakthrough in the bilateral investment treaty (BIT) negotiation, which analysts say will help both countries safeguard their overseas investments and boost the US manufacturing industry. Chinese Minister of Commerce Gao Hucheng wrote in the People's Daily Monday that the two countries are speeding up the BIT negotiations and have already started negotiation on the negative lists. "The two sides will work to reach a high-level treaty that will benefit both countries as soon as possible to bring benefits to their businesses and people. It will also be an exploration in the improvement of global investment rules," Gao wrote. "Xi's visit comes as Sino-US relations are relatively tense. Ties have been affected by issues concerning Chinese territory and cyber security, so it's more likely that the two countries will see concrete breakthroughs in economic cooperation and climate change, where there are more common interests," Li Wei, a senior research fellow at the National Academy of Development and Strategy under the Renmin University of China, told the Global Times. Revised offers Since 2008, the two countries have gone through 21 rounds of negotiations and have recently exchanged revised offers for the negative lists at the latest meeting. "In order to conclude the BIT negotiations successfully, the two sides will need to reach an agreement on a high standard treaty text and a Chinese negative list that is limited, narrow, and represents a substantial liberalization of the Chinese investment market," a spokeswoman of the US Trade Representative was quoted as saying by Reuters last week. There is no information available on the details of the negative lists, which analysts said would include banned investments in industries involving heavy pollution and national security. "China still expects the US to invest more in high-tech manufacturing, while the US hopes for a more open market in services and the financial sector in China," said Bai Ming, a research fellow at the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation. Zhang Xiangchen, a deputy negotiation representative of the Ministry of Commerce, told news site yicai.com that both sides had made "important and substantial" changes to the lists. He said that the US mechanism of national security review is a key issue in the BIT negotiation and that China will ask the US to improve transparency in security reviews and simplify the procedures to reduce unnecessary burdens and obstacles for potential investors to the US. Boost global economy Analysts said that an investment treaty between China and the US will serve as a strong bilateral bond whose increased liberalization could help push forward reform in China and boost the economies of the US and the world. "We have noticed that the US is speeding up its economic growth model by expanding its exports and encouraging foreign investment … this will offer opportunities for both countries and the world to seek a new economic growth point," Gao wrote on People's Daily. The US needs a BIT with China to safeguard its overseas investments, Li said. "It will also break down China's multiple barriers to overseas investment, as the US finance and service industries have been seeking opportunities to invest in China." Tu Xinquan, an associate director with the China National Institute of the WTO, told the Global Times that China also needs more investment in the service industry to assist with economy restructuring, as the service sector lacks competition. Once China completes a BIT with the US, it will signal another high-level opening-up to the world, Tu added. "Chinese investors will also help boost the US manufacturing industry." "More importantly, as the world's largest investors, China and the US could help set examples to the world in future treaty negotiations, which will also show China's soft power," Li added.

Xi’s entourage shows upgrade in commerce, industry sectors capacities

Experts said the business delegation accompanying Chinese President Xi Jinping on his upcoming US state visit highlights China's upgraded commercial and industrial capacities. The CEOs of 15 top Chinese companies are traveling with Xi to the US. They will meet with 15 executives of top US companies in Seattle on Wednesday, according to the Chicago-based Paulson Institute. The delegation includes well-known business leaders Ma Yun of the Alibaba Group, Ma Huateng of Tencent Holdings, Yang Yuanqing of the Lenovo Group, and Li Yanhong of Baidu Inc. Most of the 15 companies are private firms. The percentage of private firms accompanying leaders on foreign visits is on the rise and the percentage of IT firms has hit a record high. "The executives in the group were chosen either based on their US links or those whose companies will soon launch new projects with partners in the US," He Weiwen, an executive council member of the China Society for WTO Studies, told the Global Times Monday. He said that many deals will be signed during Xi's visit, including some highly anticipated ones, such as Boeing's plan to set up plants in China and Sino-US cooperation on commercializing the fourth generation of nuclear power plant technology. Some projects were announced before Xi's visit. In August, the Wanxiang Group, one of the 15 firms, agreed to invest $10 million in Shanghai-based InnoSpring, which owns the first US-China incubator technology platform in Silicon Valley. Wanxiang currently invests in over 60 real estate projects in the US. The Chinese president's state visit comes at a time when the Chinese economy is shifting from government spending and manufacturing to consumption. After decades of double-digit expansion, China's economy recorded its slowest growth rate in nearly a quarter of a century, when the country readjusted its 2014 economic growth figure to 7.3 percent in September. "In the past, Chinese companies tried hard to expand in the US market through lower prices, but many emerging domestic companies have an edge on their US counterparts, especially in infrastructure, railways and power grids," Wang Yiwei, director of the Institute of International Affairs at the Renmin University of China, told the Global Times Monday. China's Internet companies will meet their US counterparts, as US companies also hope to further expand in the Chinese market, Wang said. China's three major IT companies, Alibaba, Tencent and Baidu, will be part of the delegation for the first time. "Xi's visit to Seattle brings together the three tech giants. While the US remains a leader in IT, China is a rising star," Xu Hongcai, an expert at the China Center for International Economic Exchanges, told the Global Times Monday. With the listing of Chinese tech firms in the US, especially that of Alibaba, the bond between the China and the US markets has grown closer, Xu said. "Although China's technology is not as advanced as that of the US, China is quite good at marketing technologies, which is what US firms need," Wang said.

EU congratulates Tsipras

Tsipras secured his second mandate as prime minister this year at a snap general election on Sunday that should allow him to drive through the unpopular reforms under a third rescue package worth up to 86 billion euros ($97 billion). "The commission congratulates Alexis Tsipras for his victory," European Commission spokesman Margaritis Schinas told reporters. He recalled that under Tsipras's previous leadership, Greece already "committed to an ambitious program of reforms" to revive the country's economy as he led the negotiations that culminated in the bailout deal signed in Brussels in August. "The new government will now have the mandate to carry out those reforms ... There is a lot of work ahead and no time to lose." Schinas said Greece's creditors - the EU, the European Central Bank and the International Monetary Fund - were expected to meet over the next few months to conduct a review aimed at releasing new funds under the bailout deal. With around 90 percent of votes counted, the Syriza party looked set to secure close to an absolute majority in the country's 300-seat parliament, with a smaller nationalist party expected to join forces and push it over the top. The commission also welcomed what it saw as the "ample representation of pro-European parties" in parliament that are committed to a strong Greece within the 19-country eurozone, Schinas said. He added that Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker has already written to Tsipras and will talk to him later in the day. Tsipras was expected to see Juncker in Brussels on Wednesday for an EU summit on the refugee crisis, which is hitting Greece particularly hard. Donald Tusk, the president of the European Council which is hosting the summit, also congratulated Tsipras. "I hope that the elections will now provide the political stability necessary to face all the challenges at hand," Tusk wrote in a letter to Tsipras. "Many of the biggest challenges facing the European Union as a whole are the same as those facing Greece as a country, such as the refugee crisis and the creation of sustainable growth and jobs," he said, adding he expected the new government in Athens "to contribute constructively" to rising to those challenges. Germany will work closely with Greece's new government under left-wing Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, both on its debt troubles and on the migrant crisis, Chancellor Angela Merkel's spokesman said Monday. "Of course the government will work closely and in the spirit of partnership with the new Greek government," said the spokesman, Steffen Seibert.

Innovation key to China's overall development: Chinese vice premier

As China's economic growth has entered a "new normal", the Chinese government attaches great importance to innovation and is eager to deepen and broaden innovation cooperation with Britain, Chinese Vice Premier Liu Yandong said here Friday. Liu said this at the UK-China Innovation and Entrepreneurship Forum held in Cardiff University, where she delivered a keynote speech. She was accompanied by British First Minister of Wales Carwyn Jones. Liu said the Chinese people are good at innovation and that over the past 66 years since the founding of new China, especially during the past 37 years since China's reform and opening-up, China has learned from the advanced experiences of countries like Britain and vigorously pursued the strategy of rejuvenating China through science, education and talent cultivation. The country's innovative ability has been greatly enhanced, sustained China's rapid economic growth for more than 30 years, and has thus made significant contribution to global economic development. "We can say that China's reform and opening-up in itself is an unprecedented large-scale innovative event. We have finished in only a few decades a development journey which took the advanced countries hundreds of years to traverse," said Liu. Liu said innovation and development are crucial to China's modernization drive and the realization of the Chinese dream to rejuvenate the nation. She also said innovation cooperation is an important part of the comprehensive strategic partnership between China and Britain and China-UK people-to-people exchanges. She hoped that both China and Britain could promote mutual-learning of innovative ideas, treat each other equally, deepen cooperation and researches in some important fields such as health, environmental technology, water and food, urbanization, energy and education. China and Britain should also strengthen joint training of innovative talents, share innovation resources, encourage and support their universities and institutions to build laboratories together, and improve coordination mechanism in innovation cooperation to implement important cooperation projects. She believes that Chinese President Xi Jinping's historic state visit to Britain next month will certainly further boost bilateral innovation cooperation.

Xi's US visit to promote bilateral investment treaty negotiation: expert

Chinese President Xi Jinping's upcoming state visit to the United States will push forward the negotiation for a bilateral investment treaty between China and the United States, a Chinese scholar said here Friday. Expanding investment cooperation will propel China-US relations, said Huo Jianguo, a researcher with the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation. Scholars and experts from Chinese and US universities, research institutes and think tanks held talks here to exchange viewpoints on Sino-US relations right ahead of Xi's state visit to Washington. They also discussed such topics as China's reforms, Asian Pacific economic and trade cooperation and climate change. The current Sino-US relations are at a historic stage where they enjoy the broadest cooperation, Wang Wen, executive director of Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies at Renmin University of China told Xinhua. China and the United States are developing a new model of major country relations and are on peaceful and relatively friendly terms without any signs of a "cold war", he said. Xi's visit is an important confirmation of such a relationship. It has historic significance and tests the political wisdom of the two countries' strategy implementation teams, he added. Some American experts said they have acquired a deeper and more comprehensive understanding of China's reforms through dialogues, and become more confident about the prospects of bilateral cooperation in economy and trade, climate change and other issues. Some former US government officials and representatives from business and industrial communities also took part in the meeting. Xi's state visit to the United States, the first since he took office in 2013, will take place on Sept. 22-25.

China NGO vows to join hands with counterparts in achieving sustainable development

A Chinese non-governmental organization association submitted a proposal to the United Nations on Friday, vowing to work with other NGOs in realizing sustainable development agenda. China NGO Network for International Exchanges (CNIE) held a roundtable meeting, titled "Balance and Sustainability: Role of China NGOs in the Global Development Agenda" at the UN Headquarters in New York and submitted a proposal. "We are willing to work together with civil society of other countries to carry out grassroots-oriented projects on medical services poverty reduction and other livelihood projects," said You Jianhua, Secretary-General of CNIE. Governments should focus on issues related to clean drinking water, sanitation, education in the developing countries so as to achieve high-quality and sustainable development, said the proposal. It is important to safeguard the purposes and principles of the United Nations, adhere to the important principle of "common but differentiated responsibilities" and diversification of development modes, said the proposal. Moreover, the proposal highlighted the need for a better global partnership for development and called the UN and national governments to attach more importance to the role of NGOs. Established in 2005, CNIE is a national non-profit social organization, composed of national NGOs and personages from various social fields engaging in research and practices on peace and disarmament, social development, science and education, culture and art, medical and health care, environmental protection, democracy and human rights, poverty alleviation among other fields. From Sept. 25 to 27, leaders from more than 150 nations are expected to attend the Sustainable Development Summit, here at UN Headquarters in New York to formally adopt the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Obama nominates openly gay man to lead US Army

US President Barack Obama on Friday nominated the acting undersecretary of the Army Eric Fanning to be the next Army secretary. If confirmed by the Senate, Fanning will be the first openly gay person to lead a branch of US military services. "Eric brings many years of proven experience and exceptional leadership to this new role," Obama said in a statement. "I look forward to working with Eric to keep our Army the very best in the world." Fanning's nomination is the latest in a series of actions taken by the Obama administration to advance the rights of community throughout the federal government.

8.3-magnitude earthquake rocks Chile, tsunami alert issued for Chile, Peru, Hawaii

An 8.3-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Chile at 7:55 p.m. local time (22:55 GMT), rocking buildings in the capital Santiago and sending people flooding on to the streets. The magnitude of the earthquake was first reported as being 7.2 but was quickly upgraded to 7.9 and then 8.3 by the United States Geological Service (USGS). A tsunami alert was immediately generated by the Chilean Ministry of the Interior and by the US' Pacific Tsunami Warning Center. Chile and Peru are on high alert, although the alert was spread across a wide area reaching as far as Hawaii. The Weather Channel also urged anyone located along the coast to move inland in preparation for the tsunami. Initial estimates from these institutions said that a possible tsunami would make landfall at around 9:37 p.m. The earthquake was felt particularly strongly in the towns of Valparaiso and Coquimbo and lasted for approximately one minute, according to eyewitness statements in local press. Santiago Airport was immediately evacuated with a smaller aftershock of 5.8 magnitude shaking the ground at 8:00 pm. There have been no reports of damage or injuries in the minutes following the earthquake but Chile has dispatched its Minister of the Interior, Jorge Burgos, to the zone to investigate. The Ministry of the Interior also issued a call for Chileans to stay calm and head to established meeting points. According to the USGS, the epicenter was out at sea, 44 miles (70.8 km) northwest of the town of Illapel and 153 miles (246 km) from Santiago. Videos posted on social media networks show the earthquake was felt as far afield as the Argentinean capital of Buenos Aires, over 850 miles (about 1,368 km) to the east of Chile.

Japan's upper house committee passes controversial security bills amid chaos

A special committee under the upper house of the Japanese national Diet passed controversial government-backed security-related bills amid chaos in the chamber. The passage came without a final debate on the bills, paving way for the chamber's plenary session to vote the bills. The Japanese ruling camp led by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe secured the majority in the upper house, meaning that the controversial bills would be approved in the upcoming plenary at earliest on Thursday. The opposition parties said earlier that if the bills were approved by the committee, they are expected to launch accountability resolution against the prime minister and no- confidence motion against Abe's cabinet in a move to delay the vote. The bills, if enacted, will allow the Japanese Self-Defense Forces (SDF) to engage in armed conflicts overseas, even if Japan is not under attack, for the first time in 70 years. However, the Japanese war-renouncing Constitution bans the SDF from using forces abroad. In July, the ruling camp also rammed the unpopular legislation through the Diet's lower house, a move that slashed the support rate for the Abe's cabinet by about 10 percentages. The majority of Japanese public showed their opposition against the bills. Constant demonstrations with thousands of protestors were held daily across the country. Latest poll by the Asahi Shimbun, a major daily here, showed that the support rate for the prime minister's cabinet plunged to about 36 percent, the lowest level since Abe returned to the power since late 2012. While disapproval rate for the cabinet stayed at about 42 percent. The poll released on Tuesday also said that 68 percent of the respondents opposed to pass the controversial bills during the current Diet session through Sept. 27. About 54 percent said that they opposed the bills, compared those of 29 percent who showed their support.

Dead woman has head ‘frozen,’ hopes to be brought back to life in 50 years

Somebody in China is trying to do an Austin Powers. A middle-aged Chinese woman in Chongqing might experience the same feeling, after dying in May from what killed Steve Jobs - pancreatic cancer. Du Hong, a 61-year-old writer of children's literature, agreed to have her head "frozen" and preserved in the America Alcor Life Extension Foundation after she died, in the hope of being resurrected after 50 years. Du's condition deteriorated in March, but she kept calm. "At that time my mother often joked about freezing my body,"Du's daughter, Zhang Siyao said. Zhang told her mother's idea to her husband, Lu Chen. "I was surprised when I heard it," Lu said. He kept in touch with a Chinese company who already stopped cryonics due to its high cost. Then he contacted Alcor through volunteers and some US classmates. "We think the information they provided is reliable", Lu said. According to its website, Alcor is a nonprofit organization that researches, advocates for and performs cryonics, the preservation of humans in liquid nitrogen after legal death, with hopes of restoring them to full health when new technology is developed in the future. Whole-body cryonics costs more than 2 million yuan ($314,200), while simply freezing the head only costs 750,000 yuan. So Du Hong chose to freeze her head for economic reasons. From a biological perspective, doctors will turn a dead body into a phase of "medical stability." "People do not immediately die," Wei Jingliang, a Ph.D student studying genetic engineering at the China Academy of Agricultural Science, told the Chongqing Evening News on Thursday. A series of measures will be taken, preserving the dead body in a low-temperature condition, said Wei. "We believe it is practical to defrost the body when the time is right," Wei said. Wei said he has paid close attention to Alcor's cryonics since 2011, which has made several breakthroughs in the past ten years. Yue Shanshan, a lawyer from the Yuecheng Law Firm, told the Global Times Thursday there are no laws on cryonics, but laws on freezing eggs exist. Du passed away in the US, so Chinese laws do not apply in her case. "If Du is brough back to life in 2065, it would be unclear how she would deal with the new society," Yue told the Global Times.

MH17 final report to be disclosed on Oct 13

The final report on the cause of the MH17 crash will be made public on Oct 13, the Dutch Safety Board (DSB) announced on Aug 27. Prior to the official publication of the report, the relatives will be informed about the conclusions of the investigation during a closed information meeting. On Sept. 9 last year the DSB already issued its first preliminary report, stating the crash had an external cause, probably as the result of structural damage caused by a large number of high-energy objects that penetrated the aircraft from outside. Malaysian Airlines flight MH17 crashed in eastern Ukraine on July 17 last year on its way from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur. All 298 people on board died, of which 296 have been identified yet. The Dutch Safety Board leads the investigation on the cause of the crash, while the Joint Investigation Team (JIT), led by the Dutch national police and prosecutor, heads the criminal investigation. On Aug. 11 this year the DSB and the Dutch national public prosecutor jointly announced that seven parts from a possible Buk surface-air-missile system were found in the disaster area of the MH17 crash in eastern Ukraine. The parts, which have been found during a previous recovery mission in eastern Ukraine, were secured for investigation. Next month the relatives of the victims will receive an invitation to an information session on the final report containing details of the location, the time and how they can register. At a later date, the Dutch Safety Board will release further information about the location and the way in which the report will be made available to the public and media on Oct. 13.

Syrian FM says no Russian troops fighting in Syria yet

Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem said Thursday that there are no Russian troops fighting alongside the Syrian army in the war-torn country. In an interview with state-run TV, the head of the Syrian diplomacy said the Russian presence in Syria is so far confined to military experts and specialists, refuting media reports that Russian soldiers were fighting alongside the Syrian army. "There is a difference between a Russian military engagement on ground, and providing aid and expertise and training on some sort of weaponry that we have received from the Russian Federation," al-Moallem told the TV. "I say so far there is no Russian-Syrian joint fight on ground, but if we sensed that there is a need for that, we will consider and ask, not only consider, but we will ask (for that joint fight)," the minister stressed. Meanwhile, the minister refused to confirm or deny reports that Russian pilots and experts along with drones and other high-end military equipment have arrived to the Bassel al-Assad International Airport in the coastal city of Latakia. "I can neither confirm nor deny the reports, but I can say that the cooperation between Syria and Russia, between our Armed Forces and their Armed Forces, is a strategic and deep," he said. The remarks came as reports of Syrian army started using newly-received Russian weaponry emerged Thursday. Earlier in the day, the pan-Arab al-Mayadeen TV said "the new weaponry sent by Russia is of high and precise efficiency and the Syrian army has started getting trained to use them." The TV didn't elaborate on where exactly the new weapons were deployed. Russian officials have recently stressed that Moscow will continue providing military aid to Damascus, and that the military support will be accompanied by Russian specialists. "There were military supplies. They are ongoing and they will continue," Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Sunday. "They are inevitably accompanied by Russian specialists, who help to adjust the equipment, to train Syrian personnel to use these weaponry." Russia says the military aid is aimed at combating terrorism in accordance with international law. Syria is reeling under four years of conflict and intense battles between government troops and an array of ultra-radical groups such as the Nursra Front and the IS.

习近平访美有“惊喜” 三大看点值得期待

中国外交部发言人陆慷16日宣布，国家主席习近平将于9月22日至25日对美国进行国事访问，并于9月26日至28日赴纽约联合国总部出席联合国成立70周年系列峰会。这是习近平就任国家主席以来首次对美进行国事访问，是继2013年美国加州“庄园会晤”和2014年北京“瀛台夜话”之后，中美元首再次重量级的面对面互动交流。 有专家认为，习近平对美国进行的国事访问是两国关系处于“关键时期的一次关键访问”，有助于稳定中美关系的未来，料将取得积极成果。那么，此次美国之行有何看点？会带来哪些惊喜？学习大国为您解读。 看点1 中美“新型大国关系”框架更明晰 构建中美新型大国关系是十八大以后，中国对处理中美关系以及和平发展问题的政治宣言。 此前奥巴马对“构建中美新型大国关系”予以积极回应。在2013年9月俄罗斯圣彼得堡会谈、2014年3月荷兰海牙核安全峰会期间和2014年11月北京中南海瀛台共三次的“习奥会”中，奥巴马分别对“构建中美新型大国关系”表示“赞赏”、“同意”和“共同推进”。 十八大以来，中国积极编织“周边”“大国”“发展中国家”及“多边”的全方位的外交经纬。“全方位”的外交布局思路的指导方针概括一句话，即“大国是关键，周边是首要，发展中国家是基础，多边是重要舞台”。而中美关系，无疑是中国对外关系的重要一极。 2012年，时任中国国家副主席的习近平第一次访问美国时，提出了“新型大国关系”。2013年6月，在美国加利福尼亚州安纳伯格庄园同美国总统奥巴马共同会见记者时表示，面对经济全球化迅速发展和各国同舟共济的客观需求，中美应该也可以走出一条不同于历史上大国冲突对抗的新路。双方同意，共同努力构建新型大国关系，相互尊重，合作共赢，造福两国人民和世界人民。此后，习近平在第六轮中美战略与经济对话和第五轮中美人文交流高层磋商联合开幕式、在中南海同美国总统奥巴马举行会晤等多个场合重申了构建中美新型大国关系。 中国现代国际关系研究院世界经济所所长陈凤英表示，习近平主席此次访美可能会在原有中美“新型大国关系”理念的基础上有更深入和具体化的内容。 看点2 中美双方投资协定谈判待“落槌” 习近平主席访美首站将是美国大公司总部聚集的西雅图，在此他将会见美国工商界并发表重要讲话。此前美国工商界领袖10日表示，美国工商界期待习近平主席的到访并关注中美双方投资协定谈判。 据了解，在西雅图，习近平将出席经贸、人文、地方交流合作等活动，会见地方政要、企业家、青年代表。 “美国西部，包括西雅图、洛杉矶等都是科技创新的城市，而西雅图更是微软、波音和星巴克等美国重要企业的总部所在地。”有专家认为，习近平主席访美首站设在西雅图不仅是中美两国科技合作的标志，也是中国政府和美国地方政府合作的象征。 此次访问可能会缔结中美双边投资协议（BIT）。美国总统国家安全事务助理赖斯8月28日访问北京期间，习近平特别指出双方应“加快双边投资协定谈判”，但目前这项谈判仍未至终点。高盛亚太区总裁马克·史华兹（Mark Schwartz）近来也公开表示，BIT能为中国股市带来稳定。而对美国来说，中国的资金对于急切想吸引外国投资的美国企业十分重要。 多位专家接受采访时认为，在习近平正式访美之前，该协议应该会完成主要谈判工作，此次国事访问可能为双方宣布该协议产生突破性进展提供机会。 看点3 中美网络安全领域增信释疑 据媒体报道，白宫正准备就网络安全问题，对中国企业展开制裁，专家指出，美方不太可能在习奥会前做出决定。 在习主席访美前夕，习近平主席特使、中央政法委书记孟建柱率公安、司法、安全、网信等部门负责人访问美国，同美方国务卿及安全等部门负责人进行会谈，在维护互联网安全与打击网络犯罪等领域深入交换意见的基础上，达成了重要共识。 孟建柱在会谈中指出，中美两国都是互联网大国，在当前网络空间事端频发、网络安全威胁不断上升的大背景下，双方加强网络安全领域互信与合作尤为重要。专家认为，这显示中美双方正试图在敏感议题上缩小分歧。 据美国媒体报道，在中国国家网信办主任鲁炜主导下，“中美互联网论坛”也将于9月23日在西雅图举行，届时阿里巴巴、百度、苹果、谷歌、IBM 、FACEBOOK等高科技企业的重要领导都将出席。 在习近平访美前和期间安排如此重要的活动，这充分显示双方对网络安全议题的重视，展示了在这个领域展开对话与合作的决心。 延伸阅读 1选择9月访美有何讲究 专家们认为9月访美主要原因是鉴于习近平主席将在纽约参加联合国成立70周年的纪念活动。另外，秋天访问也能够让中美两国外交官留下足够空间，解决眼下正在讨论的双边协议等细节问题，显示中美双方对此访的高度重视。 2美方率先宣布打破常规 元首的国事访问一般都是双方通过外交途径商议妥当后，在临近访问前一两个月对外宣布。这一次，美方打破常规率先宣布邀请习近平访问美国，今年二月份习近平通过与奥巴马通电话，在短时间内确认了访问。双方提前七个月将访问确定并予以对外公布，这在元首外交中十分罕见。 中国现代国际关系研究院世界经济所所长陈凤英认为，中美两国都是世界上有影响力的大国，虽然存在一些分歧，但这并不妨碍中美两国继续深入交流合作，提前7个月公布访问也是向舆论发出信号，中美两国领导人早就将中美关系放在重要位置考虑。 “这说明，新年一开始，中美两国领导人就把改善两国关系这个盘子摆在桌子上。”资深外交家、外交部公共外交咨询委员会委员陈明明认为，这样可以为两国关系制造好的势头和气氛。可以预见，既然中美两国领导人定好这个目标，那么双方就要努力在一些领域取得重大进展。

Public should have faith in course of SOE reform

China's central authorities issued a guideline on Sunday to deepen reforms of the State-owned enterprises (SOEs). The guideline divides SOEs into two categories as for-profit entities and those dedicated to public welfare, and says supervision over State-owned assets should be improved. It proposes differentiated salaries for the executives. The guideline has been highly praised by Chinese academia. However, biased opinions about SOEs have long been popular and some don't believe the latest reforms will result decisive achievements by 2020. Sheng Hong, director of the Unirule Institute of Economics, claimed that the fundamental problem lies in the existence of SOEs and the reforms fail to touch upon the vested interests. Sheng also said SOEs should simply give way to private firms. The latest SOE reforms come under better macro-economic and social conditions than in the 1990s and are unlikely to produce prominent problems such as wide bankruptcy and massive layoff of employees. But given adverse public opinions, the reforms carry different risks from previous ones. The difficulties facing last SOE reforms in the 1990s look unimaginable nowadays. If put in the current backdrop, the layoff of tens of millions of employees could hardly be carried out and the boycott of public opinions may abort the reforms. But back then, the reforms proceeded and the government, society and media worked together to help those laid-off workers. Today's reforms are based on rational thinking and the long-term interests of the society. An analysis of the guideline shows no group will have their interests jeopardized directly. The reduction in executives' salary will help work out specific measures to inspire the managers. The recognition of the role of mixed-ownership makes it possible to address the monopoly and low efficiency of SOEs and form an equitable climate for doing business. But an unfriendly opinion about SOEs seems to have been solidified. Some voices that call for SOEs to exit create bewilderment among the public and anxiety among local SOE watchdogs. The corruption in SOEs has tarnished their reputation, but there is no common resentment of SOEs among the public. Chinese people do not want to see several private conglomerates grip the national economic lifelines. According to the guideline, by 2020 SOEs will hand over 30 percent of their profits to public finances. The increase of the percentage shows the SOEs are truly owned by the people. The important guarantee for pushing forward the latest reforms is that the public restores their trust in SOEs, supports the reforms and tolerates difficulties that may arise. SOEs are the basis of social equity in China. While many worry about the erosion of State-owned assets, the fundamental way to prevent it is to strengthen SOEs through reforms. Admittedly, negative opinions about SOEs are related to their outdated practices in dealing with the public opinion and they have to gain support. SOEs and their watchdogs have to take action on this.

Rule of law discussed at key reform meeting

Guaranteeing lawyers' right to practice and developing professional judges and prosecutors were described at a meeting on Tuesday as crucial for China to advance the rule of law. Lawyer's various rights to practice must be protected, and any infringement upon lawyers rights must be prevented, said a statement issued after the 16th meeting of the Central Leading Group for Deepening Overall Reform presided over by President Xi Jinping. According to the statement, high-calibre lawyers will uphold the leadership of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and socialist rule of law. Legal practice should be regulated and with clear boundaries to their approved activities, the statement said. A professional career path should be established for judges and prosecutors to differentiate them from other civil servants. Pilot projects on remuneration for judges and prosecutors which respect the professional nature of their work will be launched and salaries will be calculated differently from other civil servants, The remuneration system will be based on merit and performance and favor those directly responsible for handling cases. The meeting was also attended by Premier Li Keqiang, senior leaders Liu Yunshan and Zhang Gaoli.

SOE reform fresh signal of economic transformation

The latest round of state-owned enterprise reform measures, announced on Sunday, are a fresh signal of China's commitment to structural transformation. The package of reforms released on the weekend aim to separate direct administrative interference from market operations, while improving efficiency and countering downward pressure on growth. China has about 150,000 state-owned enterprises, which hold over 100 trillion yuan (15.7 trillion US dollars) in assets and employ more than 30 million people. Thus, any reform to the sector will have a significant effect on the economy as a whole. "Our company has been listed on the stock market. Yet we still receive many government orders that ask us to follow certain guidelines. Some of the directives can not be practiced in market competition," said a major state-owned enterprise chief executive, who requested anonymity. The reform package aims to tackle problems such as low efficiency and unclear management structure in some state-owned enterprises. Analysts say the economy can significantly benefit from the reform package as state-owned enterprises will generate more profits because of improved efficiency. A management rejig will make enterprises more efficient. Companies that invest and operate state capital will be created, and state-owned enterprises will be largely regulated through the management of capital instead of the management of companies themselves. State-assets regulators will offer guidance to SOEs via government-backed capital investment and operation platforms, thus, avoiding direct government intervention, according to Xu Hongcai, assistant minister of finance. In Shanghai, state capital operation measures have been tested since last year. "The companies that invest and operate state capital have no authority in administrative regulation. They can only use market tools rather than administrative orders. The reform measure will help the market play a decisive role in allocating resources," said Chen Qingtai, former president of China Association for Public Companies. The State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission said it would not involve itself in market operations that fall out of its authority. According to the reform package, state-owned enterprises will be categorized in two groups, commerce or public interest. "For state-owned companies that are supposed to provide public products and services, regulators should not evaluate them on how much money they make but on the quality of what they provide to the public," said Gao Minghua, director of Beijing Normal University research institute of corporate management and development.

Ling Jihua’s brother-in-law sacked as deputy mayor

The brother-in-law of Ling Jihua, disgraced former vice-chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference National Committee, has reportedly been removed from his position as deputy mayor of Yuncheng, Shanxi Province. A Yuncheng People's Congress official told news website thepaper.cn on Tuesday that Wang Jiankang, 60, one of five deputy mayors of Yuncheng, has been removed from his post. The official, however, did not say why Wang was removed. Wang was reportedly first taken into custody as part of a graft investigation in summer last year after it was announced that his other brother-in-law, Ling Zhengce, Ling Jihua's elder brother, was being investigated. After an investigation of Ling Zhengce was announced in June 2014, Wang reportedly disappeared from the public eye from June to August, leading to suspicions that he, too, was under investigation and was linked to the Ling brothers. Ling Jihua was placed under investigation by the Party's anti-graft watchdog on December 22, 2014. He was expelled from the Communist Party of China and removed from public office, reported the Xinhua News Agency in July. Ling was found to have "seriously violated" the Party's disciplines on political and confidentiality grounds, sought benefits for others in his position, received bribes for himself and his relatives, illegally accessed confidential information, sought benefits for his wife's business, committed adultery and used his position to illegally solicit sex and sought illegitimate gains for his relatives and friends by taking advantage of his position.

Criticisms of top liaison’s remarks ‘out of context’: Leung

Hong Kong Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying reiterated on Tuesday that criticisms leveled over a top Beijing liaison's remarks about Hong Kong's administrative system were taking his words out of context. Leung's comment came after Zhang Xiaoming, director of the central government's liaison office in Hong Kong, gave a speech on Saturday stating that "the chief executive possesses a special legal position that transcends the executive, the legislature and the judiciary." The remarks quickly sparked wide public debate and criticism from opposition groups, questioning whether Zhang's statement was saying that the power of the chief executive is above the legislature and the judiciary. Leung said on Tuesday, in his first response to the controversy, that Zhang was only referring to the local political and legal system, but not a particular person. "Zhang has not stated that the power of the chief executive is above the judiciary or the legislature … It is misleading to say the chief executive could intervene in the work of the judiciary," Leung said, adding that Zhang had stated twice that the city enjoys judicial independence.

Xi to visit US next week

Chinese President Xi Jinping will pay a state visit to the United States from Sept. 22 to 25 at the invitation of US President Barack Obama, a Foreign Ministry spokesperson announced on Wednesday morning. At the invitation of U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, Xi will visit the U.N. headquarters in New York to attend a series summits to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the establishment of the United Nations from Sept. 26 to 28, according to the spokesperson Lu Kang.

Hangzhou of China selected to host 2022 Asian Games

Hangzhou, capital city of Zhejiang Province in east China, was chosen by the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) to host the 2022 Asian Games on Wednesday. The OCA made the decision at its 34th Congress in Ashkhabad, Turkmenistan. Hangzhou was the only candidate city for the 2022 Asian Games. Its successful bid means the regional games will be staged in China for the third time following Beijing in 1990 and southern Guangzhou in 2010. Beijing was just selected to hold the 2022 Winter Olympics after hosting the Summer Games in 2008. South Korea's Incheon held the last Asian Games in 2014, while Indonesia's Jakarta will play host in 2018. The Asian Games follows the sports program of the Olympic Games.

Govt unveils guidelines to deepen SOE reforms

China on Sunday unveiled a top-down plan to further reform its State-owned sector that will affect 150,000 State-owned enterprises (SOEs), 100 trillion yuan ($15.69 trillion) worth of assets and 30 million employees. The guidelines, jointly issued by the Communist Party of China's Central Committee and the State Council, China's cabinet, will help improve corporate governance and assets management. The government said it expects "decisive results by 2020," according to the Xinhua News Agency. Experts said that the guidelines clearly define the nature of State-owned capital and assets and will help enliven the State sector, a key sector in China's economic transformation and upgrading. The guidelines split China's SOEs into two groups: those that seek commercial interests and those that serve public interests. "This categorization will allow SOEs to better fulfill their duties, which are threefold, with economic, social, and political responsibilities," Zhang Chunxiao, a professor at Peking University, told the Global Times Sunday. "Commercial SOEs will focus on growing its value, maintaining its vibrancy and striving to be leaders in various sectors. Public SOEs will focus on safeguarding people's livelihoods and providing high-quality, affordable public goods and services," Zhang said. Some State-led sectors, such as State-operated highways, grid companies and telecom companies have a duty to build the infrastructure of underdeveloped regions even if they are less-profitable from a business perspective, Zhang noted. The guidelines also call for a shift toward the management of State capital instead of SOEs, giving companies' management full play in running the company. State-owned capital investment companies and State-owned capital management companies will be established. This gives inspectors more chances to supervise, and the management of companies to focus on growing their businesses, Zhang said. Converting some State capital to preferred stocks means that the State would abdicate its management role, and would only require a fixed return, said Tian Yun, editor-in-chief of the Macro China Information Network. The guidelines likewise said as much as 30 percent of the earnings of SOEs will be used to improve people's livelihoods by 2020, and a portion of State capital will be used to beef up social security funds. "It would be a feather in China's cap if this goal is achieved by 2020. And there is still a chance of the share being raised further by 2025 and 2030," Tian said, adding that such a policy will help ease China's problem of over-investment and weak consumption. "Many industries are currently saddled with overcapacity, so their earnings can be used to boost public services and recuperate social security funds," Tian said. More State companies will restructure and prepare for public listing, said the guidelines. In the middle term to long term, the reform provides a chance for the government to stabilize the capital markets and avoid wild fluctuations and speculative trading. The guidelines also said that State firms can invite investors to help diversify their ownership by developing Public-Private Partnerships (PPP). Faced with mounting local government debt and a need to channel funds to urbanization, China released two PPP guidelines in 2014. In July, the Chongqing Municipality in Southwest China rolled out 33 projects worth 130 billion yuan to solicit private capital in the form of PPPs. Both experts said that SOEs are the building blocks of public ownership, and warned that SOE reform should not lead to the loss of State assets and worsen China's income gap.

US insecurity shows in false spying claims

The US Justice Department on Friday dropped the charges against Xi Xiaoxing, a physics professor of Temple University and world renowned expert in the field of superconductivity. Xi had been accused of sharing sensitive technology to China. It turned out that the department has made mistakes over the core evidence. Xi was arrested in May this year and accused of providing China technology for a pocket heater that is prohibited from export. Some physicists later proved that the heater involved in Xi's case is completely different from those banned from export in the US, and Xi's cooperation with China is legitimate. This is yet another false Chinese spy case. After the misjudged case of Lee Wen Ho in the 1990s, there have been constant false accusations to charge ethnic Chinese scientists, who were involved in research of sensitive technology, with being "spies." The false allegation against Xi was resolved, but he will suffer a great loss to his career and reputation, which he won't be able to fully recover. The US is becoming increasingly vigilant toward Chinese spy activities. Given the rise of China and its influence on the strategic landscape, Washington's mentality is understandable. However, after multiple erroneous cases, the US should have realized that it was just too sensitive. Such an emotion without restraint will not only endanger the atmosphere between Beijing and Washington, but will also worsen the racial tension in US society. Be it prejudice of ideology or the fact that the US itself has conducted too many espionage or secret network operations, public opinion in Washington and the entire US tend to think China is the most aggressive country toward the US in terms of spying. Such a "portrait" is making ordinary Chinese people feel like they are being "flattered" in a strange way, because normally they don't quite believe Chinese intelligence agencies are so capable of driving the US crazy. The movie Mission: Impossible Rogue Nation has just opened in China. People are asking why China can't make such a film. Chinese producers and directors respond that if they copy the plot to make similar films about Chinese intelligence agents, Chinese audiences will find it "unreal." Because that is not how Chinese intelligence agencies work in people's imagination. China is not such a villain, and US sense of insecurity has caused its actions to be exaggerated. The US attaches great value to President Xi Jinping's visit, and considers it a valuable chance to solve outstanding problems. But the US should be realistic, and not overstate the issues.

China issues guideline to deepen SOE reforms

China's central authorities on Sunday issued a guideline to deepen reforms of state-owned enterprises (SOEs), the latest move from the government to invigorate torpid SOEs. China will modernize SOEs, enhance state assets management, promote mixed ownership and prevent the erosion of state assets, according to the guideline released by the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the State Council. The government will improve the competence of SOEs and turn them into fully independent market entities. It will be a key framework document to guide and boost SOE reforms. The government plans to achieve major reforms in key areas by 2020, when SOEs are expected to be more robust and influential and have greater ability to avoid risks. "The government should nurture a group of SOEs that are creative and can face international rivals by that time," the guideline said. According to the guideline, China's SOEs will be divided into two categories, for-profit entities and those dedicated to public welfare. The former will be market-based and stick to commercial operations and should aim to increase state-owned assets and boost the economy, while the latter will exist to improve people's quality of life and provide public goods and services. In terms of mixed-ownership reforms, the government should introduce multiple types of investors so SOEs can achieve mixed ownership and encourage them to go public, the guideline said. No specific agenda on mixed-ownership reform will be set, but the government will promote it gradually, the guideline said. Non-state firms will be encouraged to join the process through various means, including buying stakes and convertible bonds from or conducting share rights swaps with SOEs. SOEs will also be allowed to experiment with selling shares to their employees. SOE boards of directors will have greater decision-making powers, managers will be more tightly supervised, and intervention by government agencies will be forbidden under the new guideline. A flexible and market-based salary system will be established. Salaries of SOE employees will be in line with market levels and decided by company performance. SOEs will also hire more professional managers, the guideline said. China will improve the supervision over state-owned assets to ensure the security of assets and increase capital returns, the guideline said. Supervision will be intensified both from inside and outside SOEs to prevent abuse of power and the erosion of state-owned assets, and a mechanism for accountability will be established to track violations, including corruption and embezzlement.

Beijing to sound sirens for air raid drill

Beijing will conduct an air raid drill on September 19 in ten suburban districts and counties to improve abilities to handle attacks. Sirens will sound next Saturday in outlying districts of the Chinese capital, including Fangshan, Tongzhou, Daxing districts and others, the Beijing civil defense bureau said. They reminded the public to be prepared and not to panic when the sirens sound. In addition to issuing warnings to the public, the drills will include evacuation, shelter and protection of important facilities. Last year, the drill was held in the suburban Mentougou, Fangshan and Yanqing districts.

China, US reach ‘key cyber consensus’

Chinese President Xi Jinping's special envoy has reached "important consensus" on combating cyber crimes with senior US officials, ahead of Xi's upcoming visit to the US in late September, the Xinhua News Agency reported. Analysts said that although the two countries share interests in maintaining cyber security, the US is trying to pressure China by blaming it for hacking US companies. During the meeting from Wednesday to Saturday, special envoy Meng Jianzhu exchanged views on combating cyber crimes with US Secretary of State John Kerry, Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson and US National Security Advisor Susan Rice in Washington, DC. Meng said that China and the US are both countries with highly developed Internet technology and anyone who conducts cyber attacks and commercial cyber espionage in Chinese territory violates the laws of China and will be subject to legal liability. Rice had a "frank and open exchange about cyber issues" in her meeting with Meng, according to a White House statement. The Obama administration is considering targeted sanctions against Chinese individuals and companies over cyber attacks against US commercial targets, several US officials were quoted as saying by media. "The US is trying to pressure China by blaming it for these hacking activities. Cyber security is a divisive issue between the two countries and the US wants China to make compromises in the Xi-Obama talks," Wu Xinbo, director of the Center for American Studies at Shanghai-based Fudan University, told the Global Times on Sunday. The US overstated China's part in the hacking, as it is difficult to trace exactly who is responsible and the US may feel threatened by China's rapid development in network techniques, Wu said. Commercial losses "The US attaches more importance to cyber security because it relies on the Internet more than other countries. Commercial interests will lose out if there are leaks in trade secrets or technology," Jin Canrong, vice-director of the School of International Studies at the Renmin University of China, told the Global Times on Sunday. US President Barack Obama said in his Friday speech that cyber crises are a core national security threat and that if states chose to make it an area of competition, then the US could make this an area in which it "will win if we have to." Obama also said he would raise concerns about China's cyber security behavior when he meets with Xi in Washington, DC. "The two countries share common interests in cyber security, for example cracking down on spreading terror information. And the vulnerability and universality of the Internet call for joint efforts to maintain security," Jin said. During the four-day meeting, Meng also said that against a backdrop of frequent incidents and ever-increasing security threats in cyberspace, it is especially important for the two nations to enhance mutual trust and cooperation in the sphere of cyber security, Xinhua reported. Meng said that communication and cooperation between China and the US on combating cyber crimes serve the common interest of both countries and the wider international community. Since China has the largest group of Internet users and the US has the most advanced technology, interaction between the two countries is important to establish order and maintain balance in the Internet world, Ni Feng, research fellow at the Institute of American Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Sunday. Charges dropped Separately, the US Justice Department was forced to drop charges against a Chinese-born Physics professor, Xi Xiaoxing, who had been accused of sharing sensitive US technology with China, after an "embarrassing" mistake was found in the case's key evidence, Xinhua reported Friday. "Communication and interaction between China and the US have not been smooth," Ni said. China suspended a Sino-US working group on cyber security issues in May 2014 after the US, for the first time, indicted five Chinese military officers for the alleged hacking of US companies. China has denied the accusations. "The first step for the two countries to cooperate is to make an agreement on what they should not do. For example, they need to both agree to not attack power and transportation networks or other civilian infrastructure," said Wu. The second step is to seek more cooperation in less-disputed areas, for example, in combating online financial crimes, noted Wu.

CPC speaks on Party legitimacy for 1st time

The legitimacy of the Communist Party of China (CPC) lies in history, its popular support and is the choice of the people, the anti-graft chief said in a latest international conference. It is for the first time that China's top leaders have expounded on the legitimacy of the ruling party, an important breakthrough in party discourse, analysts said. Wang Qishan, head of the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI), made the remarks at a conference attended by more than 60 overseas politicians and scholars, including former South African president Thabo Mbeki and former Australian prime minister Kevin Rudd, in the Great Hall of the People on Wednesday, the Xinhua News Agency reported. The meeting, called the 2015 dialogue between the Party and the world, kicked off on Tuesday in Beijing with the theme of Party discipline. Wang pointed out that the ruling party's mission is to fulfill its promise to the people and the way to realize it lies in strict discipline. "The legitimacy of the ruling party is derived from history and is the choice of the people," said Wang, adding that whether the government performed good deeds or not is determined by the people's attitudes - whether they are happy with, satisfied with and are willing to approve the moves. The ruling party is on behalf of the people, serves the people and it should establish correct core values and insist on its actions, he stressed. "Legitimacy in this context is a political concept, referring to the validity of the source of the power. The basis of legitimacy is people's approval. Wang's statement affirmed the legitimacy of the Party while stressing its obligations and promises to the people," Wang Zhanyang, a professor with the Central Institute of Socialism, told the Global Times. According to Wang Zhanyang, Chinese top leaders had previously avoided using the word as it was not an issue - legitimacy of the Party should not be questioned or denied. Wang Qishan's reference is a breakthrough in China's political discourse and aims to maintain the continuity of the Party, he said. However, whether this term will be written in official statements remains unknown, Wang Zhanyang said. He added that former Chinese top leaders had already expressed similar ideas in different statements. According to an article from WeChat account xxdaguo, managed by the People's Daily, which gains fame for releasing several incisive features about the Party and top leaders, Wang Qishan's statement at an international conference shows the confidence of the Party. It also reflects the Party's rational recognition of its lasting political stability, its vigilance about its survival as well as its downfall.