What I wish for Chinese New Year

The Chinese New Year is a time for making wishes. But unlike in the West, the tradition in China seems to have grown increasingly charged with superstition as more Chinese turn to a myriad of deities to grant them better times ahead.

A gentle rap on Abe's knuckles

Japanese PM's visit to Yasukuni Shrine may have displeased the US but it's unlikely to change the terms of their alliance

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US should eschew interventionist policy

Immediately after the United States-led invasion of Iraq in March 2003, we were told that Washington had got a rare opportunity to spread freedom and democracy in the Middle East. The US cited the successful transformation of postwar Germany and Japan to further its argument. For many, the picture painted by the US was indeed rosy.

Real pension hike needed

The latest increase in pension will be of greater help than it seems for the country's about 74 million retirees from enterprises thanks to the milder-than-expected inflation in 2013. However, to better prepare for the rapid aging society and allow more real pension growth, Chinese policymakers have to keep price hike under control.

No strings attached

Foreign Minister Wang Yi is on a four-nation tour of Sub-Saharan Africa, honoring a 24-year-old tradition of Chinese foreign ministers paying their first foreign visit every year to the continent. This shows China remains committed to maintaining and developing meaningful interaction with Africa.

Is virtual money as good as gold?

Virtual currencies have attracted the attention of both the media and policymakers around the world recently. Although virtual currencies aren't especially new, the attention paid to them has been. Virtual currencies are those used in electronic, generally Web-based transactions. They are not issued by governments, which many view as positive at a time when confidence in governments is low.

A good turning point for Chinese films

Last year can be viewed as a turning point for the domestic film industry, as Chinese films accounted for 58 percent of the year's 21.7 billion yuan ($3.6 billion) box office returns, up from 48 percent in 2012. This was despite the reduced administrative protection for domestic films, with the number of foreign films allowed to be screened in China up since 2012, when the import quota was increased.

Hot words

Yifu Buildings 逸夫楼 (Yifu Lou)

From the Chinese press

Punish 'blackmailers'

Time to stop Abe's evil game

In his written statement justifying his visit to the Yasukuni Shrine, Abe has said he prayed "for the souls of all those who fought for the country and made ultimate sacrifices" and "for the souls of all the people regardless of nationalities who lost their lives in the war". He refuses to differentiate between the dead. But differentiating between groups, between good and evil, convicting the criminals and punishing the culprits are the basic tenets of international justice - the last resort of humanity against savagery.

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