Festival gains from ending of 'grab a red envelope' war

THE SPRING FESTIVAL war between Alibaba and Tencent which has been fought with virtual red envelopes looks to have ended, as there will be no WeChat red envelope promotion for the coming Spring Festival, said Zhang Xiaolong, president of the instant messaging app company that is part of the Tencent Group, on Wednesday. Alipay, the digital red envelope platform owned by Alibaba, says it hasn't decided on its strategy for the coming holiday. Beijing Youth Daily commented on Thursday:

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China leads efforts to realize climate pact

As Confucius taught us, there are three methods to gaining wisdom. "Reflection, which is the noblest. Imitation, which is in essence perhaps the easiest. Experience, which is the bitterest." The climate agreement, approved by nearly 200 states at the United Nations climate change conference in Paris last year, embodies these three elements precisely.

Market needs gradual drop in realty prices

There is no need to cite statistics to show housing prices in China's big cities have been too high for ordinary people to afford. Just ask people around you if they are financially strong enough to purchase a new apartment in Beijing or Shenzhen, and most of them will shake their heads suggesting "no" and might even stare at you as if to ask in response, "why do you ask such odd questions?"

Toward renewed China-LAC cooperation

During his recent trip to South America for the Asia-Pacific Economic Conference leaders' meeting, President Xi Jinping laid out a vision for deeper Chinese engagement with Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) in the context of an increasing Asia-Pacific economic integration. This agenda is an opportunity to strengthen and expand this relationship, as our region's ties with China will be central to our future development strategies.

Abe's no-apology Pearl Harbor visit serves no purpose

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and US President Barack Obama stood side by side at Pearl Harbor on Tuesday, talking about reconciliation between the World War II foes and their growing postwar security alliance. Abe hopes his visit to Pear Harbor in Hawaii will resolve the historical issue, at least between the United States and Japan.

Development of China's transport network

The State Council Information Office published a white paper on Thursday on the development of China's Transport. Following is the full text:

Tsai charting a course that leads nowhere

It is impossible for Taiwan to benefit from normal relations with the mainland while the leader on the island continues to beat about the bush over acknowledging the 1992 Consensus on one China.

People need quality growth

President Xi Jinping recently emphasized that the fundamental purpose of boosting economic growth is to ease people's concerns.

Calls for boycott of Christmas in China rather miss the point

"ALL CHINESE PEOPLE should cherish our traditions and boycott foreign festivals!" On Christmas Day, groups of female college students wearing traditional clothes appeared at several tourist sites in Chengdu, South China's Sichuan province, calling for people to boycott Christmas. Beijing News comments:

Promising start to managing bike sharing

THE AUTHORITIES IN SHENZHEN, South China's Guangdong province, released draft rules on bike-sharing services on Tuesday and solicited public opinions. This marks the first official attempt to manage the emerging industry. Beijing News commented on Wednesday:

Research bases are not places for recreation

THIRTY KILOMETERS from Kunming, the capital of Southwest China's Yunnan province, is a field base of the provincial environmental science research institute established to conduct research on rare and endangered plants. But a resort and golf course have been built on its campus where some people indulge in recreation, Beijing Times commented on Wednesday: