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Making poverty reduction inclusive

During his speech at the opening of the annual sessions of China's top legislature, Premier Li Keqiang said the government would lift 10 million people out of poverty this year alone. This is a tremendous task, yet one I am confident that China can succeed in.

Specific policies needed to raise birthrate

That the National Health and Family Planning Commission will be transformed into the National Health Commission, by also incorporating the elderly care organizations and some health agencies under other ministries, has sparked heated discussions on its far-reaching impact. The decision to set up a new commission to manage family planning and provide public services is a timely response to the demographic changes in the new era.

On way to building a green, healthy future

China has made significant achievements in environmental development, especially in controlling and preventing air pollution, over the past five years. As Premier Li Keqiang said in the Government Work Report he delivered to the on-going first session of the 13th National People's Congress on March 5, the emission of major air pollutants was continuously reduced and smoggy days in major cities were halved from 2013 to 2017. The improved air quality can be attributed to the five-sphere integrated plan.

US witch hunt against China harks back

After some US politicians and news outlets tried to denigrate normal US-China cultural and academic exchanges, a China specialist, speaking at a recent talk in Washington, warned about an undertone of McCarthyism.

US foreign policy set to a hawkish wavelength?

Abrupt as it was, United States President Donald Trump's dismissal of Rex Tillerson as secretary of state came as no real surprise. There has been speculation for a long time about a parting of ways, as the entire world witnessed them differ on Iran, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, and the Paris climate agreement, among other things.

New watchdog good for consumer rights protection

China Central Television marks World Consumer Rights Day on March 15 each year with an annual gala that uses investigative reporting to name and shame unscrupulous retailers. Many brands, both domestic and foreign, have come under fire for either their shoddy goods or poor after-sale service and been forced to apologize and offer customers compensation.

How far will Trump's trade war go?

This year, the Trump administration's trade friction with China escalated. The US sped up the regular trade investigations such as countervailing, antidumping, and Section 337 investigations. At the same time, non-regular trade protection measures, such as Section 301, 201, and 232 investigations, global safeguard measures, and a reciprocal tax directed at trade partners, were also taken. The friction caused by these attempts to "change the imbalance in China-US trade" has become more serious.

Protectionism out of step with the times

The Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, signed by 11 countries on either side of the Pacific Ocean in Santiago, Chile, on March 8, is widely believed to be an antidote to US protectionism. At the least, it is a timely wake-up call to US President Donald Trump that his "America First" policy is not only becoming increasingly unpopular but also making the United States lose benefits rather than increasing them.

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Institutional reform for better governance

The Third Plenary Session of the 19th Communist Party of China Central Committee made the decision to deepen the reform of Party and State institutions, saying the reform will facilitate the modernization of the country's governance system and capability from a strategic and long-term perspective.

Historic move to streamline departments

Editor's note: The deepening of Party and State institutions' reform is a big move initiated at the Third Plenary Session of the 19th Communist Party of China Central Committee. Six scholars share their views with China Daily on the State Council's proposal to reshuffle the institutions. Excerpts follow: