Ministries tackle pollution, public housing issues

Ministries under the State Council, China's Cabinet, responded to a series of concerns from media outlets as well as the public in the past week, mainly concerning environmental protection and subsidized public housing.

Policy digest

Country set to reduce fee collection for enterprises

Messages mean more than just a ceremonial exchange of goodwill

In a congratulatory message to the chairman-elect of the Kuomintang in Taiwan, Communist Party of China General Secretary Xi Jinping expressed the hope that both parties will continue to adhere to the 1992 Consensus and resolutely fight against "Taiwan independence" .

A core task for the Party

The Communist Party of China Central Committee, with General Secretary Xi Jinping as the core, is making every effort possible to tighten Party discipline. It is because something has gone wrong with the Party's political culture and that the political ecology of the Party needs to be improved to promote clean politics, a clean government and honest officials.

Breakthrough fuels hopes that fire ice is viable energy source

ON THURSDAY, THE MINISTRY OF LAND AND RESOURCES announced that China had become the first country to viably extract gas from methane hydrates. Xinhua News Agency commented on Friday:

Security guards role model of learning

MORE THAN 500 ON-CAMPUS SECURITY GUARDS at Peking University, one of the most prestigious universities in China, have reportedly managed to gain access to a degree course at the university over the past two decades by taking self-study courses and continuing education examinations for adults. People.com.cn commented on Thursday:

Draft regulation may stop landlords from exploiting tenants

ON FRIDAY, the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development solicited public opinions on a draft regulation that imposes harsher restrictions on landlords to prevent them from arbitrarily increasing rents without good reason. Beijing News commented on Sunday:

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Asian economy prepares for choppy seas

The outlook for Asia and the Pacific is the strongest in the world, but it is shrouded by challenges at home and abroad, according to the latest International Monetary Fund report for the region.

Reducing speed can save thousands of lives

We can save so many lives around the world if we just slow down. Each year, more than 1.25 million people - many of them young people - die in automobile crashes. And a large proportion of these deaths are preventable: about one-third is due to vehicles traveling at excessive speeds. In low- and middle-income countries, that figure is closer to half.

Meeting the rising demand for housing

After the Central Economic Work Conference in December said "houses are for living in, not speculation", the Government Work Report in March reiterated the fact and vowed to accelerate the establishment of a long-term mechanism to promote the steady and healthy development of the real estate sector.