Tailor-made basketball program will be introduced to 500 schools

Playing like an NBA star won't merely be a fantasy for young hoops fans in China, now that NBA China has extended its partnership with the Chinese Ministry of Education to bring a tailor-made basketball curriculum to 500 schools beginning this autumn.

Famous garden's renovation a sign of stronger ties

Vice-Premier Liu Yandong and US Secretary of State John Kerry visited on Sunday a famous garden in the Forbidden City that, following extensive renovation by specialists from China and the United States, has become a symbol of the two countries' cooperation.

Universities will gain insights through Yale's visit program

Presidents and provosts of Chinese universities will continue to have the opportunity to visit Yale University in the United States to exchange thoughts with teachers and students, according to a memorandum of understanding signed in Beijing on Monday.

Off-limits sectors up for review

More time is needed for the revision of China's "negative list" - sectors that would remain closed to US investment - in the negotiations for a bilateral investment treaty, a senior trade official said on Monday.

China to have timetable by year's end to cease all domestic trade in ivory

China will publish a timetable by the end of the year to halt its domestic commercial trade in ivory, a senior official said on Monday.

What they say

We have taken no position on any of the claims (in the South China Sea). ... The only position we have taken is, let's not resolve this by unilateral action. Let's resolve this by rule of law, by negotiation, by diplomacy.

Suning's Italy soccer deal to be announced soon

Chinese retail giant Suning Commerce Group is expected to announce on Monday that it has reached a deal with Italian soccer club Inter Milan, according to Chinese Football Association head Cai Zhenhua.

IN BRIEF (Page 4)

Chief sends a message of peace ahead of Ramadan

The top official in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region wished the area's Muslims a happy Ramadan, the holy month that started on Monday, during a visit to an Islamic center over the weekend.

Survivor recounts fatal boat incident

Lying on a bed in the Lizhou District No 2 People's Hospital in Guangyuan, Sichuan province, Wang Mingxing, one of three survivors of a boat accident, is calm.

Beijing's support circle grows larger at Dialogue

During a 55-hour period ending Sunday, 64-year-old Admiral Sun Jianguo took part in a whirlwind of military diplomacy comprising 17 two-way meetings on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore.

Weather clears for a moment at meeting

June is already rainy in Singapore, which is bad news for reporters like me who have to commute on foot for 15 minutes between my hotel and the venue for the Shangri-La Dialogue, the annual high-end security forum at the Shangri-La Hotel.