Curing urban diseases without bitter pills

Strengthening supply-side structural reform in the fields of urban infrastructure and public services can help us sustain economic growth, improve social harmony and maintain a healthy environment. But these three goals can be hardly achieved under an urban population control policy.

Economic corridor to bring prosperity to region

As a pilot project of the Belt and Road Initiative, which focuses on connectivity and cooperation to promote common prosperity, the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor is a win-win proposition for Pakistan and the region. However, the CPEC has faced criticism and negative publicity since its inception from countries that feel threatened by the rise of Pakistan and China. And since investment in future projects depends largely on the assessments of their potential, negative narratives could make it difficult to realize the full potential of the CPEC.

Income tax reform offers a sense of gain

The Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, China's top legislature, is soliciting public opinion on the draft amendment to the Individual Income Tax Law through July 28. The draft amendment responds to not only people's appeal to raise the threshold of individual income tax, but also focuses on gradually building a personal income tax system that is both comprehensive and able to accommodate diversity, which the government has been emphasizing for years.

Trump using cudgel against world trade

Even though Washington helped design the World Trade Organization and the trade body usually rules in favor of the United States when Washington brings cases before it, US President Donald Trump seems intent not only on criticizing the WTO but on sidelining it completely.

Dictatorial bent of US is the real global threat

With US President Donald Trump announcing the United States withdrawal from the Iranian nuclear deal last month and now ratcheting up the pressure on Teheran, confidence that the multilateral deal can survive has been fading day by day.

Dependency on scenic sites' ticket sales is holding back domestic tourism market

THE RESULTS of a recent survey by the National Bureau of Statistics show that 72.3 percent people think the ticket prices for domestic scenic sites are too high, and the National Development and Reform Commission has instructed scenic attractions to markedly lower their entry ticket prices before September. Setting the deadline shows the top economic planner's intention to let the people enjoy the National Day holiday and promote domestic travel and consumption. Legal Daily comments:

Overseas returnees still have key role to play

CHINESE RETURNING HOME after graduating from universities overseas have played crucial roles in multinational corporations in China, using their understanding of both Chinese and foreign culture to help the international companies' localization. Beijing Youth Daily comments:

Protecting rare birds, a firm's loss from which all gain

A CONSTRUCTION COMPANY in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region found a group of rosy starlings, a protected species of bird, nesting at a work site. The company suspended construction for one month to wait for the birds to finish their breeding. Beijing Youth Daily commented on Monday:

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Further opening-up in tandem with WTO

The State Council Information Office released a white paper on Thursday giving a full account of China's fulfillment of its commitments to the World Trade Organization, including advancing higher-level reform and opening-up, supporting the multilateral trading system and contributing to the world economy. It was reiterated by Zhong Shan, minister of commerce, in his commentary on People's Daily in Monday.

Blame the privileged for the anger in US

Many blame today's populist rebellion in the West on the far right, which has won votes by claiming to be responding to working-class grievances, while stoking fear and promoting polarization. But, in blaming leaders who have seized on popular anger, many overlook the power of that anger itself, which is aimed at elites whose wealth has skyrocketed in the past 30 years, while that of the middle-and lower-income groups has remained stagnant.

Nation looks to capitalize on year of vital anniversaries

The first six months of this year have been distressful for the world with the Donald Trump administration hellbent on instigating a trade war, especially against China, and destroying the multilateral trading system.