Restructuring of govt depts involves more than adding, subtracting powers

CHINA PLANS to replace its Ministry of Environmental Protection with a new Ministry of Ecological Environment, according to a government restructuring plan approved by the top legislature on Saturday. Southern Metropolis Daily comments:

End misfortune of fakes in countryside

THE COUNTERFEIT GOODS sold in village groceries are mostly articles of everyday use and food products, which directly threaten the health and wellbeing of about half of the national population. Beijing Youth Daily comments:

No need to fuss about the lives chosen by others

A SECURITY GUARD in Changsha, Central China's Hunan province who graduated from Tsinghua University with a bachelor's degree in biological science and technology has been criticized by many for wasting his education. Beijing News comments:

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Boosting Yangtze belt's economic power

In the Government Work Report he delivered to the National People's Congress on March 5, Premier Li Keqiang highlighted the importance of implementing coordinated regional development and the new urbanization strategy, citing the Yangtze Economic Belt as an example, and promised that further progress would be made in these areas.

Patience, wisdom can drive e-cars forward

The pace of growth of new energy vehicles in China last year was beyond market expectations with production and sales reaching 794,000 and 777,000 units, up 53.8 and 53.3 percent year-on-year. With 449,000 units sold, electric cars contributed to 80.7 percent of the total sales of new energy vehicles, an increase of 81 percent year-on-year. And the number of new energy vehicles has crossed 1.8 million, accounting for more than half of the 3.4 million such vehicles in the world.

Reform has greatly improved medical service

Over the past five years, people's living standards have improved, and the basic health insurance plan now covers 1.35 billion people, making it the largest social safety program in the world, Premier Li Keqiang said at this year's annual sessions of China's top legislature and political advisory body.

Doctored paper scandal spells more trouble for rattled Abe

A cronyism scandal is damaging the credibility of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and his Cabinet members. The Japanese finance ministry has admitted that its documents related to the sale of a plot of state-owned land in Osaka prefecture to private school operator Moritomo Gakuen, which the ministry's officials called a "special deal" in the original files, were altered. The edited parts include the names of several politicians and Abe's wife Akie Abe who had visited Moritomo Gakuen several times.

Beer prices rise on higher costs

The average price of beer in China has gone up sharply as consumers demand higher-quality products, boosting sales for medium - and high-end beers, according to industry observers.

Asian property sector to benefit from Belt & Road

Property markets in major Southeast Asian and South Asian countries will benefit from China's Belt and Road Initiative in the coming five years, with Indonesia and the Philippines likely becoming the biggest winners, a Colliers International report said.

Small investors shift focus to value stocks

More individual investors in the Chinese stock market prefer a value investment strategy than engaging in speculative trading, according to a recent report released by the Shenzhen Stock Exchange.

Wedding expo expands online

China Wedding Expo, the world's largest wedding exposition in terms of scale and revenue, is expanding its online presence.