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Gaokao essay prompts should be fair to all

Every year, the essay prompts in the gaokao, the national college entrance examination, lead to a carnival of comments and criticism. This year, the prompts included: Does feeding wild animals cause them to lose the ability to find food themselves? Does modern technology deprive people of beauty, such as that of a dark night? Should one follow traditional social norms in Beijing? Why and how do people see different views from their window? Do people have real freedom when they have to cross a desert? Are actors allowed to change scripts?

Exchanges between peoples

THE CURRENT POLITICAL STALEMATE between China and Japan should never shake the conviction of those on both sides that bilateral relations are essential not only to the stability of East Asia but also to the peace and development of the world at large.

New media and copyright

The developer of the Chinese news app Today's Headlines recently announced a fresh injection of capital, including funds from US-based venture capital firm Sequoia Capital, that has raised its value to over $500 million.

Experts suggest ways to ease tension

Editor's note: China Daily and Japan's Genron NPO think tank co-hosted a preparatory meeting on Sunday in Beijing for the 10th Beijing-Tokyo Forum, an annual event which is expected to take place in late September. China Daily talked to six prominent figures at the meeting for their insights on the Sino-Japanese relationship.

Sino-Japan economic ties show signs of improvement

Despite strained political relations between China and Japan, trade is flowing, two-way investments are recovering and the trend is expected to continue in the near future, experts said.

Beijing-Tokyo Forum

When the Beijing-Tokyo Forum first became reality in August 2005, relations between China and Japan were experiencing difficulties. Now, it is amid a new wave of tensions that the two sides are busy preparing for the tenth session of the forum, which will be held in Tokyo in September.

Timeline of ties in the past 10 years

On Aug 15, 2006, Juni-chiro Koizumi, the Japanese prime minister, visited Yasukuni Shrine, where war criminals are honored, on the anniversary of Japan's defeat in World War II. Koizumi visited the shrine for six consecutive years after taking office in 2001.

Who are the new Japanese?

Abe's speech at this year's Shangri-La Dialogue suggesting they will be the stewards of peace in Asia was simply self-serving hypocrisy

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China's road is based on history and reality

The China Road refers to the road of socialism with Chinese characteristics. To understand this road's nature and future, it is necessary to have a thorough understanding of China's past and present, its history and cultural traditions, as well as its development objectives and strategy.

Defend fairness of exams

DIFFERENT PEOPLE HAVE DIFFERENT expectations of the annual national college entrance exams. But for students who sit the exams, high scores are solely what they expect or hope for. The fact that exam results will make a difference to their future, unless there is a reform to subvert its basic model, points to the stupidity of the argument that the current exams are the culprit for the country's lack of first-class scientists and thinkers.