Visit to smoothen trans-Pacific trade routes

"Timing isn't everything - it's the only thing" is a mantra I used to hammer into my students and now into my staff. President Xi Jinping is visiting Ecuador, Peru and Chile, during which he will also attend the 24th APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting in Lima on Saturday and Sunday, at a critical time for Sino-Latin American relations. Needless to say his visit may have a lasting impact on China-Latin American relations.

Braving the growing challenges of UN peacekeeping

When the bodies of three Chinese soldiers were taken home from Mali and South Sudan in June and July, the shock waves felt throughout China reminded people how dangerous peacekeeping had become.

A triumph for anti-graft law enforcement cooperation

The surrendering to justice of China's most wanted fugitive Yang Xiuzhu on Wednesday is a major achievement for the country's anti-corruption efforts.

Yuan just self-correcting

The central parity rate of the yuan dropped 97 basis points to 6.8592 against the US dollar on Wednesday, the lowest since Aug 19, 2008.

New regulation on government transparency has welcome details

THE STATE COUNCIL, China's Cabinet, published a detailed regulation on promoting transparency of governmental affairs earlier this week. Compared with similar past regulations, the new one, for the first time, clearly requires local governments and departments to respond to major incidents of concern to the public within five hours, and hold press conferences within 24 hours. Beijing Youth Daily comments:

Survey facilitates targeted help for kids

THE MINISTRY OF CIVIL AFFAIRS said last week that around 9.02 million children aged 16 or under have been left behind in their rural hometowns by their migrant worker parents, marking a major decline compared with the All-China Women's Federation's previous estimation of more than 60 million. Sznews.com commented on Thursday:

Airline lacks care for those in special need

AN AIRLINE rejected a father taking his 13-year-old autistic son onto a plane on Tuesday on the grounds that "the child's behavior was weird". Beijing Youth Daily commented on Thursday that the airline's dogmatic refusal to allow the juvenile passenger to board the aircraft exposes a lack of understanding of autism.

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Toward more resilient and reliable partnership

President Xi Jinping is visiting Latin America for the third time since 2013. The frequency of his high-level visits to the region reflects the priority China gives Latin America in its diplomatic agenda. And that Ecuador, Peru and Chile are the three countries Xi is visiting this time indicates China's continued efforts to diversify its economic exchanges with the region.

Protect students from online lending firms

Despite strengthened control of online lending platforms that target students, college students continue to fall prey to online loan sharks, which points to the failure of regulatory authorities to combat such scams.

HK oath ceremony not a platform for devilry

On Tuesday, the Hong Kong High Court ruled that two legislators-elect have been disqualified for violating the Basic Law of the special administrative region and the local ordinance on the oath-taking process when assuming office.

No use crying over spilt milk, but oh what might have been

There is a Chinese saying, shihou zhugeliang, which means it's easy to prophesize after an event or to be a Monday-morning quarterback, as Americans like to say.