High-speed train to prosperity for SE Asia

One after another, Southeast Asian countries are joining hands with China to build high-speed railways. The latest such project is a 688-kilometer high-speed railway along the eastern coast of Malaysia, for which the groundbreaking ceremony was held on Aug 10. Last week, media reports said China and Thailand will sign a contract on a railway project linking Kunming, capital of Southwestern China's Yunnan province, and Bangkok during Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha's official visit to China next month. And work on the project is expected to start in October.

A tale of 22 women preyed on by Japan army

Twenty Two has already set many records for a documentary film. When the film's financer withdrew because its failure was almost "predictable", the director took the baton. When the filmmakers couldn't pay the distribution and publicity expenses, 32,099 people crowdfunded it through the internet. When it was not faring well on the cinema circuit, netizens "crowdfunded" it again, making it the fourth-most popular summer release, and raising its box office revenue to about 150 million yuan ($22.51 million) in 10 days.

Opportunity for easing peninsula tension

The annual joint military exercises between the United States and the Republic of Korea have always been seen with suspicion and criticized by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. The 10-day Ulchi Freedom Guardian drills, which ROK President Moon Jae-in described as "defensive in nature", have been dismissed by Pyongyang as a "reckless" rehearsal for invasion amid rising tensions on the Korean Peninsula.

US' trade policy shows it seeks to be both player and referee

The United States launched a Section 301 investigation into China's technology transfer and intellectual property policies and practices last week, raising more concerns about the trade policy of the Donald Trump administration, which is increasingly unilateral, protectionist and rules-breaking.

ROK can revive ties by reversing THAAD decision

Thursday marks the 25th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and the Republic of Korea, an occasion that should have been observed with lots of fanfare and the extending of mutual best wishes.

Sanctions not a silver bullet

The US Treasury Department announced sanctions on Tuesday on 16 entities and individuals, mostly Chinese and Russian, for alleged business ties with the nuclear/missile programs of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

People right to reject stickers for being insensitive and exploitative

A MEDIA COMPANY PARTNERING WITH TENCENT, one of the largest social media companies in China, has made stickers of the facial expressions of the "comfort women" interviewed in the documentary Twenty Two, drawing much criticism. Thepaper.cn comments:

India becoming quasi US ally

INDIA AND THE UNITED STATES will conduct the "Yudh Abhyas" joint exercise in the United States from Sept 14 to 27. Beijing News commented on Wednesday:

Volunteer programs should benefit needy, not travel agencies

MANY INTERNATIONAL volunteer programs have been welcoming Chinese students to apply for enrollment this summer. However, China Youth Daily has found that some volunteer programs are just overseas trips. They charge the applicants tens of thousands of yuan per week, and organize travel without the participants actually helping those in need. Thepaper.cn comments:

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Trade war not likely despite US probe

Editor's note: The Ministry of Commerce on Monday termed US investigation into Chinese intellectual property practices "irresponsible" and "biased". Washington's protectionist, unilateral approach to bilateral trade issues, it said, risks undermining the progress made by both sides during earlier negotiations and sending out the "wrong signals". Three experts shared their views on the issue with China Daily's Cui Shoufeng. Excerpts follow:

India's trespassing both illegal and unwise

I am sure you must know or have heard of someone who has made a serious error in life, paid dearly for it, and yet after many years seems to be on the verge of making exactly the same mistake. This is the case with India, which seems intent on repeating the colossal mistake it made in 1962. There is still time for it to remedy its error, however.