Medical and health services in China

Editor's note: The State Council Information Office of the People's Republic of China on Wednesday published a white paper on the medical and health services in China. Following is the full text:

Japan's policy flawed

Though his nation is in East Asia, newly elected Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has driven home the message that he will give diplomatic priority to the Japan-US alliance.

Navy's responsibilities

Since Dec 26, 2008, Chinese naval vessels have escorted more than 5,000 ships in the Indian Ocean, with half of the vessels belonging to foreign owners. According to the People's Liberation Army Naval Headquarters, about 60 percent of vessels escorted by Chinese warships had ties to China's international trade, indicating the important and rising role the navy is playing in safeguarding the country's interests.

Party's positive pragmatism

The 18th Party Congress in November opened a new chapter in China's reform and opening-up drive that will have wide-ranging effects and a global impact.

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Protect personal information online

Everyone has probably experienced the annoyance of being harassed by phone calls informing them they can claim a valuable gift or more worryingly received a subpoena from a local court.

Irresponsible Israel

The United Nations' admission of Palestine as a non-member observer state last month must have brought joy to the thousands of Palestinians who gathered in Bethlehem to celebrate this year's Christmas Eve on Monday. Yet, such joy could be overshadowed by Israel's quickened expansion of Jewish settlements in the occupied territories.

School bus safety

Monday's deadly school bus accident in Jiangxi province is a fresh example of local governments' impotence in implementing a regulation of China's Cabinet aimed at ensuring school bus safety that was promulgated in April.

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.