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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.

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.