Arson attack will not harm ties

When the US Federal Bureau of Investigation announced on Monday that a man suspected of carrying out the arson attack on the Chinese consulate in San Francisco, California, had been arrested, those who want relations between the United States and China to go well must have sighed in relief.

Social cost of upbringing needs review

At the end of 2013, the Chinese movie director Zhang Yimou and his wife Chen Ting admitted in a television interview they had breached the family planning regulations by giving birth to three children. The couple said they made a mistake and are willing to correct it by cooperating with the Wuxi Family Planning Committee and paying the social cost of upbringing - she hui fu yang fei - which it is estimated will be a record high of 7 million yuan ($1.15 million).

Letters

Smoking ban needs backing up

From the Chinese Press

User-friendly rail site needed

Moving on the rights track

To promote the rule of law and deepen judicial reforms, the Third Plenary Session of the 18th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China issued a guideline in November that says the country will "strengthen judicial safeguards for human rights". It was the second significant step toward guaranteeing better human rights protection in nine years. In March 2004, the National People's Congress, China's top legislature, passed a constitutional amendment to include "respecting and guaranteeing human rights" as a new clause.

Cartoon

Raising corn output is food for thought

Soybean imports have increased drastically in recent years to make up for the shortfall in domestic production and meet the ever-growing demand of the domestic market.

A rocky restart to IPOs

Chinese shares nosedived to a five-month low on Monday, calling for effective regulatory measures to fix the languishing stock market. And the ongoing reform of initial public offerings (IPOs) to mend a market in which a regulator-guided pricing system failed to prevent consistently excessive offering prices is surely one of them.

Give children true freedom

Last month, the Chinese media reported that an electronics company in Shenzhen, Guangdong province, was suspected of hiring dozens of child laborers and forcing them to work 12 hours a day for a monthly pay of 2,000 yuan ($329.82).

Boosting the global economy

The global economy in 2013 remained suspended between the poles of hope and uncertainty. While recovery gained momentum, particularly in some advanced economies, the world economy is not yet flying on all engines - and is likely to remain underpowered next year as well.

Antarctic rescue efforts show family spirit

The thoughts of all Chinese people are with the 101 scientists and 42 crew stranded on board the Chinese icebreaker Xuelong, or Snow Dragon, which has been stuck in Antarctic ice since Friday. We hope they can brave the adverse weather conditions, maintain their spirits and finally escape their predicament safe and sound. At this critical moment, assistance from any countries able to extend a helping hand is needed and would be welcomed.

Letters

Promote cultural concepts