Penalizing refusal to do the military service

THE STATE COUNCIL, China's Cabinet, recently issued a guideline on armed forces recruitment which states that refusing to serve in the military or not allowing the military to requisition resources should be noted in people's credit records. Beijing Youth Daily comments:

Cowherds and Weavers happy to stay apart

THERE ARE 200 million single people in China, and they are a big consumption group. As a result, Chinese Valentine's Day on Aug 9 this year has become a celebration of commercialism rather than love. Sznews.com commented on Tuesday:

G20 will help China fulfill global duties

The G20 Leaders' Summit to be held in Hangzhou, East China's Zhejiang province, in September has acquired special importance because of the sluggish global economy. Given its representational nature, members' equal status and flexible arrangement, the G20 is a very important platform for global economic governance. No wonder economic growth and global structural reform are key topics of the Hangzhou G20 summit.

Add war to the effects of climate change

Thanks to the sluggish global economy, rising terrorist attacks and the refugee crisis in Europe, the world has all but forgotten about the effects of climate change. But a new study shows it is precisely for these reasons that we should take seriously the deadly impacts of climate change. Heat waves, droughts, floods and other natural disasters are expected to increase because of climate change, which not surprisingly are also pushing countries and regions, especially those already split along ethnic, religious or sectarian lines, toward conflicts, says a new study by German scientists.

Firms going global have their job cut out

With China's economy entering the "new normal", which requires reducing excess industrial capacity and deleveraging, an increasing number of Chinese enterprises are shifting their focus from domestic to overseas investments in a fresh bid to "go global".

EU needs to regain its reputation as a safe, secure place

In the decade up to 2014, the European Union could claim to be safer than the rest of the world, mainly because the number of terrorist attack victims decreased in the EU even as it increased globally. From 2009 to 2013, according to EU figures, 38 people died in terrorist attacks in the EU. In 2014, the number of terrorist victims within the EU was four, although many Europeans were killed in terrorist attacks in conflict zones outside the union.

Manila and Beijing can make breakthrough

Via unilateral South China Sea arbitration, Benigno Aquino III drove Philippine-China relations into a hopeless cul-de-sac.

Games not cure-all for Brazil

The Rio Olympics is expected to help boost the Brazilian economy at a time when Brazil is suffering an economic slump as a result of low commodity prices, exacerbated inflation and capital flight since 2014.

Strategic misjudgment for Seoul to alienate Beijing and Moscow

THE REPUBLIC OF KOREA is making a historic misjudgment deploying the US' Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense anti-missile system on its soil. Xinhua News Agency commented:

Scenic spots have to improve their toilet facilities

THE CHINA NATIONAL TOURISM ADMINISTRATION announced last week that Orange Isle in Changsha, Hunan province, Central China, and Shenlong Gorge in Chongqing municipality, Southwest China, had lost their 5-A scenic rating, because of security concerns, overpricing, poor management, and poor facility maintenance. Beijing News commented on Monday:

Investigate into financing of bus project

A ROAD-STRADDLING, elevated bus that allows cars to pass underneath was demonstrated on some specially constructed test track in Qinhuangdao, North China's Hebei province last week. Soon after reports emerged that the test had been conducted without approval and might be part of an illicit financing scheme. Thepaper.cn commented:

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