Diversified choices point to changing holiday customs

Long accepted as a time of family reunions and arduous journeys back home, Spring Festival now is open to other choices. During the weeklong holiday that ended on Thursday, Chinese tourists made 6.15 million trips to overseas destinations - an increase of 7 percent year-on-year. Within the country, they made more than 344 million trips, up 13.8 percent year-on-year.

Shake a tail feather to crow about something

Many start a New Year by making New Year resolutions, which often involves dieting or going to the gym or both. But since by the start of Spring Festival, many people usually give up on their resolutions, the beginning of the Lunar New Year provides another opportunity to make a commitment to a goal.

Reducing housing prices proves to be tricky

China started increasing real interest rates by raising the rates of standing lending facility, a liquidity support tool, last week, a move that many say will deal a potentially heavy blow to the real estate market.

Coordinated actions key for progress in AIDS fight

The State Council, or the Cabinet, released its fourth five-year national action plan for HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment on Sunday, outlining the challenges the country faces in the fight against this deadly disease and providing guidelines for targeted actions at both official and grassroots levels.

Tech CEOs like open US door

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, along with executives of other successful US enterprises such as Apple, Google, Microsoft and Uber, has voiced concern about and opposition to the executive orders issued by US President Donald Trump since taking office.

Competition between hospitals must not risk safety of patients

ON SATURDAY, Yang Shaolei, the former head of the mental health department at Guihang Guiyang Hospital in the city of Guiyang, Southwest China's Guizhou province, reportedly brought 64 inpatients to his new employer, Guiyang No 6 People's Hospital, without notifying the former. Thepaper.cn comments:

AI may create, as well as take, jobs

LIBRATUS, an artificial intelligence computer program created by Carnegie Mellon University, beat four top professional poker players in a 20-day poker tournament that ended on Tuesday in Philadelphia of the United States, marking the first victory of artificial intelligence against humans at poker. Beijing News commented on Monday:

Dangers posed by drones need to be addressed

THE FLYING OF unmanned aerial vehicles near Changshui International Airport in Kunming, capital of Southwest China's Yunnan province, have been reported in recent days, along with similar occurrences in other cities such as Shenzhen and Mianyang. Beijing Youth Daily commented on Monday:

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US' withdrawal from TPP creates new challenges

The implications for China of US President Donald Trump's decision to withdraw the United States from the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement has drawn much attention, with many arguing it will enable China to play a bigger role in trade governance in the Asia-Pacific. While this might indeed be so, it also presents China with new challenges.

Golden chance to revive Northeast China

Northeast China, once the industrial engine of New China, is increasingly becoming a rust belt, as the regional economy has lost its traditional advantages.

Spring Festival holiday is just not long enough

Feeling sleepy at work just a few days after the weeklong Spring Festival holiday? If yes, take consolation in knowing that you are not the only one that feels this way. You are just one of the millions of employees who say that the Spring Festival holiday wears them out and they need more time to recuperate.