Loans to Venezuela are relatively safe

With Venezuela facing a deep economic crisis and political stalemate, Beijing's loans to Caracas have become a heated topic of discussion at home and abroad, especially after the Western media reported that China recently sent an "unofficial envoy" to meet with Venezuela's opposition party. Such reports are not confirmed by Chinese Foreign Ministry.

Blockchain forges business links in Chinese market

Imagine a financial system that is far more efficient than the one we presently have. One that is less expensive to run and less costly to use, yet at the same time more robust and much harder to abuse. One that gives individuals more control over their financial transactions while better protecting their privacy.

Cartoon

Cartoon

Public dancing needs support as elderly need to keep fit

SQUARE DANCING, which often involves many elderly women dancing collectively outdoors to loud music, is one of the forms of exercise that should be promoted in the government's fitness drive, said Liu Peng, head of the General Administration of Sport of China. Gmw.cn commented on Saturday:

Chinese buying no concern

According to data from French media and Thomson Reuters, Chinese companies spent $27.7 billion on the acquisition of European enterprises, brands or shares in 2015, and such kind of spending soared to $62.4 billion in the first half of this year.

SOE subsidiaries not free from pollution control responsibilities

YUNNAN XIANFENG CHEMICAL INDUSTRY CO LTD, Southwest China's Yunnan province, was recently fined 100,000 yuan ($15,000) for failing to take effective measures to curb its pollution. This means the company, co-sponsored by two State-owned enterprises (Yunnan Coal Chemical Industry Group and China Three Gorges Corporation), has received such a punishment for three consecutive years. Beijing New commented on Friday:

Abe looking to build consensus for change to pacifist Constitution

With Japan's upper house election just two weeks away, the country's media outlets are busy taking the public's pulse.

Brexit entails review of investments in UK

The referendum leading to the United Kingdom's exit from the European Union is a lose-lose outcome because the UK and the EU both will be weaker. China will have a less reliable partner as for the next two-three years as the UK will be totally preoccupied with the lengthy and complicated legal process to extricate itself from 80,000 pages of EU legislation.

Obsession with employment rate wrong

MORE THAN 500 GRADUATES OF NORTHWEST NORMAL UNIVERSITY IN LANZHOU, capital of Northwest China's Gansu province, were reportedly registered as employed although they have not landed a job. Southern Metropolis Daily commented on Saturday:

West's worries about closer Sino-Russian ties groundless

To some in the West, that China and Russia are becoming closer is reason to worry. So the two joint declarations that Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin signed on Saturday in Beijing may cause them even more concern.

China and EU contribute to each other's success

I am in China this week to meet with the Chairman of the National Development and Reform Commission to work on further improving the connectivity between China and the European Union. I am also attending the Annual Meeting of the New Champions - World Economic Forum in Tianjin.