IN BRIEF (Page 3)

Stranded cruise passengers flown home

About 1,120 passengers from the Chinese luxury cruise liner Henna, which was detained on the South Korean island of Jeju, returned to Beijing on Sept 15, the liner's operator said.

China's first luxury cruise ship, which had 2,309 passengers and crew on board, was detained following a court order in Jeju province after a legal dispute between ship operator HNA Group and Shagang Shipping Co Ltd, a Hong Kong-registered shipping services firm. HNA Tourism Holding (Group) Co Ltd is one of the core business sections of HNA Group.

The 223-meter liner left Tianjin last week for a six-day voyage with 1,659 passengers and 650 crew on board. It was due to leave Jeju for Incheon on Sept 13 before it was seized. HNA Tourism Cruise and Yacht Management sent five aircraft to pick up the stranded passengers two days later.

Development

More foreigners get residency permits

A larger number of Chinese permanent residency permits were issued last year than in previous years, a police official said. Zheng Baigang, head of the Ministry of Public Security's Bureau of Exit and Entry Administration, said 1,202 permits were granted last year, up more than 83 percent from the previous year. Of those who received the permits, more than half are family members who came for a reunion and the rest are mostly professionals, executives and professors, the ministry says. Most of them are from the United States, Japan, Canada, Australia and Germany, and mainly live in big cities such as Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou.

"The principle of China's 'green card' regulation is to attract foreign talent to promote economic and social development and enhance international communication," Zheng said. Applicants with higher education backgrounds and business experience are more likely to get the permits, he said.

Economy

World Bank shares green path with China

China is on the right track to push for economic reforms and tackle environmental pollution, and the World Bank will fully support the nation by providing solutions, World Bank President Jim Yong Kim said on Sept 15.

"It's encouraging that, despite growth having slowed, the Chinese government sticks to the reforms... and has a strong commitment to tackling the pollution problem," Kim said in Shanghai, the first stop of a four-day China visit starting on Sept 15, and the city where the World Bank has low-carbon emission projects.

"The Chinese government is doing the right thing," Kim said. "China has a vision of the future that we want to have quality growth that is more driven by consumption and services, and one that is cleaner and more livable."

He also said China is likely to achieve its growth target of 7.5 percent this year amid signs of a stabilizing economy. In the past few months, China has said it will transform its economy by advancing reforms and addressing air pollution after thick and hazardous smog engulfed much of industrial north China, including Beijing. This year, the nation has launched a series of measures to reduce carbon emissions and develop the renewable energy industry.

Education

College students face tougher English tests

Students should pay more attention to using English, and not just consider it as an exam subject, amid changes to the National College English Test, education professionals say.

Undergraduates may face tougher exams before obtaining certificates from the National College English Test, a prerequisite for those entering the job market or applying for higher education. "Students will have to improve their language ability," said Zhao Jiankun, a teacher from New Oriental Education and Technology Group, one of the leading test preparation companies in China.

His remarks followed an announcement by the National College English Test committee last month that it will replace sentence construction in favor of translating paragraphs in its December tests. The tests will ask students to translate a passage with 140 to 200 Chinese characters into English within 30 minutes. The texts will deal with Chinese history, culture, economy and social development, it said. Changes for the dictation and reading tests will place more emphasis on vocabulary and comprehension ability, Zhao said.

Diplomacy

Beijing backs truce push in Syria

China supports Russia's proposal that Syria hand over its chemical weapons to international control for their eventual destruction, President Xi Jinping said on Sept 13.

An observer said the endorsement of Russia's idea by the Shanghai Cooperation Organization on Sept 13 proved that Moscow and Beijing's stance of objecting to military intervention on the Syrian issue has won regional support. Xi said at the 13th summit of the SCO in Bishkek, the Kyrgyz capital, "Beijing supports the international community in seeking a ceasefire and an end to violence and in mediating dialogue and negotiations."

Russia's last-minute initiative led US President Barack Obama to back away from planned military strikes in response to a chemical attack that left hundreds dead last month.

On Sept 12, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad confirmed for the first time that his country plans to relinquish its chemical arms.

Xi urged both sides in the Syrian conflict to find a political solution.

China is ready to enhance communication and coordination through the UN Security Council, and will continue its unremitting efforts to bring about a political settlement, he said.

Xi welcomes talks on Iran nuclear issue

President Xi Jinping said on Sept 12 he welcomed Iran's openness to begin talks with world powers over its nuclear program and said he respects the country's legal rights concerning nuclear energy. Chinese observers said the new Iranian government is showing more flexibility in resolving issues related to its nuclear program but that Teheran will not suspend its right to the civilian use of nuclear energy. Xi made the remarks in talks with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, the first meeting between the two since they took office this year.

The two leaders met in the Kyrgyz capital of Bishkek during the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit. The meeting comes close on the heels of Rouhani's statement that Iran is ready to strike a deal over its nuclear program during negotiations he proposed in New York, where he is due to attend the United Nations General Assembly this month. Rouhani said the upcoming negotiations over the country's nuclear program should lead to a "win-win" outcome.

Aviation

Taiwan invited to global gathering as guest

Taiwan has been invited to attend an international civil aviation session in Canada as a guest this month, part of the "big picture" for improved cross-Straits ties.

Yang Yi, spokesman for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, said the invitation reflects the mainland's sincerity in pushing forward peaceful development across the Straits.

"On the premise of opposition to 'two states' and 'one China, one Taiwan', we believe that cross-Straits exchanges can enhance mutual understanding and are good for addressing each other's concerns," Yang said at a news conference.

China Daily

(China Daily European Weekly 09/20/2013 page3)