Mandela's lasting legacy

Few politicians have been as respected in life or honored in death as former South African president Nelson Mandela.

Japan creates ominous council

On Dec 4, 2013, Japan officially established its National Security Council, tasked with devising and strengthening the country's foreign and defense strategies. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has said the NSC will enable the government to make strategic decisions on security and diplomacy to suit prevailing situations.

DPRK on the economic reform path

The Democratic People's Republic of Korea has once again grabbed the headlines, this time for two different reasons. The first is the detention (and release on Dec 7) of Merrill E. Newman, an 85-year old American who took part in the Korean War, during his visit to the DPRK. The second is the signing of a decree by Russian President Vladimir Putin on Dec 2 imposing sanctions on the DPRK in compliance with UN Security Council Resolution 2094 of March 7, 2013.

What's the buzz

The Beijing local government recently announced that it would further reduce the number of new license plates for normal cars and increase those for energy-efficient vehicles in the next four years to curb air pollution. The following are the opinions of some of China Daily's mobile phone news readers on the Beijing government's move:

Letters

Japan out to repeat past mistakes

Sharing a great responsibility

President Xi Jinping and US Vice-President Joe Biden have agreed that China and the United States should strengthen dialogue and cooperation to build a new model of major-country relations. During Biden's just concluded two-day visit to China, the two leaders also exchanged in-depth views on a range of international and regional issues of common concern.

Leader, icon, friend and visionary

Of all the leaders I have met in the course of my life, none has made a deeper impression on me than Nelson Mandela. His courage, compassion, humility and wisdom were without parallel on the world stage, and he was an enduring source of inspiration. While he is rightly revered as a hero in the struggle for racial freedom, he also deserves recognition as a champion of economic freedom who set his country and continent on the path to growth.

Corruption calls for drastic reform in universities

Chinese anti-corruption officials daring to catch tigers and flies both may already have new targets in their crosshairs: college officials abusing power for personal gains.

Honor the postwar order

Commitments Japan made when it accepted the provisions of the Cairo and Potsdam declarations must be fulfilled

Cartoon

Careful handling better than knee-jerks

The debate following China's Nov 23 announcement of its East China Sea Air Defense Identification Zone is a solemn reminder that major countries, such as China and the United States, must improve how they handle their differences.

Publicizing officials' assets

The publication of the personal properties of 128 newly promoted officials at the section head level in Banan District of Southwest China's Chongqing municipality recently can be considered a trial balloon before the implementation of a nationwide system in the near future.