Creating a future for small rural schools

Hengshui High School of North China's Hebei province, known for its large size and success in preparing students for the national college entrance examination (gaokao), recently set up a branch in Zhejiang province, stirring up a heated debate on school sizes and choices. As the big, super schools grow and small rural schools face closure and consolidation, one wonders if such a change means social progress.

Bilateral mechanism can help deepen trust with Australia

International relations experts more or less agree that while Barack Obama was the US president there was strategic mutual distrust between China and the United States largely because of the latter's strategic "pivot" to Asia strategy, which was actually intended at containing China's rise.

Misjudgment of situation biggest risk to peninsula

If the risks surrounding the Korean Peninsula were perceived to be dangerously high, it was because of the fear that anything could happen at any time in the tense standoff that had developed between Washington and Pyongyang.

People need no empty talk

The popularity of the anti-corruption-themed drama In the Name of People can be attributed, to a large extent, to its echoing people's anger at corrupt officials, and those officials who have no motivation to work for the people or do bad things under the pretext of serving the people, and their admiration for those that have the courage to fight corruption.

Astronautics has down-to-earth benefits for people's daily lives

MONDAY MARKS THE SECOND CHINA ASTRONAUTICS DAY, which was approved by the State Council, China's Cabinet, last year. For many people, astronautics is something far removed from their daily lives. But space technology benefits our daily lives, too, writes Tian Yulong, a senior official from China National Space Administration in Guangming Daily:

Phoney articles reflect flawed system

GERMAN PUBLISHER SPRINGER announced on Thursday it was retracting 107 articles that were published between 2012 and 2016 in its medical journal Tumor Biology, due to irregularities in the peer-review process for the articles, most of which were by Chinese researchers. Southern Metropolis Daily commented on Monday:

Learning better than looks for students' future

A HOSPITAL IN TIANJIN is reportedly offering special services for college students in its cosmetic surgery department to satisfy the rising demand from young people. Southern Metropolis Daily comments:

Cartoon

Fears over aircraft carriers uncalled for

Ever since its first aircraft carrier, the CNS Liaoning, was commissioned in 2012 China has been trying to build such vessels using domestic technology. Yet recent media reports saying China may soon launch its first domestically built aircraft carrier have drawn wide national and international attention.

Money should not rule film and TV industry

Editor's note: The veteran actors in the popular TV drama In the Name of the People have given excellent performances but the remunerations they get are low compared with those that younger celebrities get. This pay disparity has sparked a public debate. Two experts share their views with China Daily's Wu Zheyu. Excerpts below:

Reading is a habit and keeps the mind alive

The 22nd annual World Book Day fell on Sunday. Although, on average, Chinese adults read 7.86 books in 2016, 0.02 more than in 2015, the number still lags far behind countries such as Japan or Germany.

Europeans looking to Belt and Road forum to deepen dialogue

As the highly-anticipated Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in Beijing approaches, many Europe-based China observers are thinking of using the May 14-15 forum to deepen dialogue and exchanges, and institutionalize the Belt and Road Initiative (the Silk Road Economic Belt and 21st Century Maritime Silk Road) proposed by President Xi Jinping more than three years ago.