How urbanization can help the poor

Over the past three decades and a half, China's urban population has risen from less than one-fifth of the total to more than half, which means about 500 million people have been added to the urban population. By 2030, up to 70 percent of China's population is likely to live in cities - that is, one in every six urbanites in the world will live in China.

Safe drinking water becoming scarce

Some recent water pollution-related incidents have roused serious concerns across China. The latest one occurred in Lanzhou, Gansu province, on April 11: excessive levels of benzene were detected in the city's tap water. Local authorities later said crude oil leaking from a pipeline had contaminated tap water supplied to 2.4 million people in the city. Benzene levels in the water returned to normal only on April 14.

Letters

Case study for Sino-African ties

From the Chinese press

He truly represents filial piety

Cartoon

Ending irrational acts in society

At a panel discussion of the annual session of the National People's Congress, China's top legislature, in March, a deputy expressed concerns over the severity of yinao, a term to describe disputes, sometimes violent ones, between patients and medical staff.

Shadow over water sources

THE WATER CONTAMINATION CRISIS IN LANZHOU is drawing to a close, but the psychological shadow it has cast, not only over the city itself but also other parts of the country, will take longer to fade away.

Clean Internet of pornography

The launch of a renewed campaign against pornography on the Internet was announced on Sunday.

Cooperation with China is in US' interests

Many Chinese people think that the real purpose of the United States' rebalancing to Asia-Pacific strategy is to contain China, thus leading to more conflicts between China and the US. And the US' support of its allies in the region in their territorial disputes with China is believed to be the cause of much of the tension and frictions between China and its neighbors, such as Japan and the Philippines.

Ukraine a lesson for the West

'Ukraine Isn't Armageddon." Now, how bold and direct is that?

April could be 'cruelest month' for Abe

The Bank of Japan may have painted a bullish economic picture for Japan, but most economists say the increase in consumption tax from April 1 could drag down the country's economic growth, and lead to high inflation and shrinking domestic consumption.

Letters

Time to make smoking ban real