Possibility of peninsula progress

The 18th presidential election of the Republic of Korea was held on Dec 19 and Park Geun-hye, the conservative ruling New Frontier Party candidate, is set to become the country's first female president after she defeated her archrival Moon Jae-in of the Democratic United Party.

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Little hope for gun control in US

Reflecting on the recent tragedy in Newtown in the United States and my many years in China, I can definitely conclude that one of the most comforting aspects of living in Beijing is the physical safety people enjoy here. Perhaps with the exception of crossing the street or driving here, which is admittedly always frightening and frequently potentially life threatening, people don't need to worry about being the victim of a violent crime.

Easing tension over islands

Masato Kitera, Japan's new ambassador to China who arrives in Beijing on Tuesday, has a lot of weight on his shoulders.

Online balance crucial

As national legislators deliberate on a decision to regulate the conduct of information service providers and Internet users, expectations are high that new rules will bring better protection of netizens' rights and interests.

Future driver of growth

At a meeting on economic and social development and reform held on Wednesday, Vice-Premier Li Keqiang pointed out that urbanization will be the main driver of China's economic growth in the future and the country should gradually convert migrant workers to urban residents through reform of the hukou, or household residence registration system.

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Sino-Australian ties benefit both

Forty years after China and Australia forged diplomatic relations on Dec 21, 1972, the breadth and depth of their interactions have exceeded many people's expectations. Driven by the mutual desire to benefit from thriving ties, the two countries have every reason to continue to build on this good momentum and deepen reciprocal cooperation.

Rural work plan

Whether the momentum of agricultural production can be maintained, whether surplus rural labor can be turned into urban residents in an orderly manner, and whether their interests and rights can be well protected will be key to the overall success of the country's economic development and social progress.

Double blow to ties

The Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013, which has two amendments relating to China, was passed by the US House of Representatives and the Senate at the end of last week. The amendments, though not legally binding, sent the wrong signal to the Asia Pacific region and could cast a shadow over Sino-US ties.

2013 is still on the brink

The year 2012 turned out to be as bad as I thought. The recession in Europe was the predictable ,and predicted, consequence of its austerity policies and a euro framework that was doomed to fail. America's anemic recovery with growth barely sufficient to create jobs for new entrants into the labor force was the predictable, and predicted, consequence of political gridlock, which prevented the enactment of US President Barack Obama's jobs bill and sent the economy toward a "fiscal cliff".

Sino-US ties need new approach

The United States has a huge and growing stake in the Asia-Pacific region, one that offers great promise for the American economy through trade and investment but one that also poses some of the greatest foreign policy and diplomatic challenges.