Looking at the bigger picture

In a keynote speech delivered at the opening ceremony of the Forum for Asia Annual Conference 2014 on April 10, Premier Li Keqiang said China will not adopt short-term stimulus policies to address what are temporary economic fluctuations; instead it will focus on the sustainable and healthy development of the economy in the middle and long run.

Restructuring's progress

CHINA'S 7.4-PERCENT ECONOMIC GROWTH IN the first quarter is reassuring not only because it beat market expectations by a shade. More importantly, it signalled desirable progress in the transformation of the world's second-largest economy away from unbalanced and unsustainable growth.

Balance locality interests

Recently some local authorities have had to suspend or abort plans for industrial projects in the face of fierce opposition from local residents.

The Chinese Dream in Western eyes

In China, the Chinese Dream stirs hopes and sets expectations; internationally, it provokes questions and elicits concerns. Here I look outside China - exploring attitudes, suggesting responses and warning of the dangers of self-fulfilling prophecies.

How urbanization can help the poor

Over the past three decades and a half, China's urban population has risen from less than one-fifth of the total to more than half, which means about 500 million people have been added to the urban population. By 2030, up to 70 percent of China's population is likely to live in cities - that is, one in every six urbanites in the world will live in China.

Safe drinking water becoming scarce

Some recent water pollution-related incidents have roused serious concerns across China. The latest one occurred in Lanzhou, Gansu province, on April 11: excessive levels of benzene were detected in the city's tap water. Local authorities later said crude oil leaking from a pipeline had contaminated tap water supplied to 2.4 million people in the city. Benzene levels in the water returned to normal only on April 14.

Letters

Case study for Sino-African ties

From the Chinese press

He truly represents filial piety

Cartoon

Ending irrational acts in society

At a panel discussion of the annual session of the National People's Congress, China's top legislature, in March, a deputy expressed concerns over the severity of yinao, a term to describe disputes, sometimes violent ones, between patients and medical staff.

Shadow over water sources

THE WATER CONTAMINATION CRISIS IN LANZHOU is drawing to a close, but the psychological shadow it has cast, not only over the city itself but also other parts of the country, will take longer to fade away.

Clean Internet of pornography

The launch of a renewed campaign against pornography on the Internet was announced on Sunday.