US accusations show it needs a reality check

Accusing China of "economic aggression", the Donald Trump administration has imposed additional tariffs on large percentage of Chinese imports and threatened to extend them to cover almost every product China exports to the United States. To justify its actions, the Trump administration also accuses China of having used aggressive economic policies to become the world's second-largest economy, which again is totally baseless.

US intimidation won't succeed in bringing nations to their knees

The Donald Trump administration reimposed a first batch of economic sanctions on Iran this week while continuing to wage trade wars against the rest of the world. What the sanctions and punitive tariffs have in common is the belief that the United States, given its economic and military might, can bring other nations to their knees through coercion and bullying.

If US persists in playing hardball, Beijing will too

In a move that intensifies Washington's trade offensive against China, the US Trade Representative's Office said on Tuesday it will go ahead with the previously announced 25 percent tariffs on Chinese goods worth $16 billion.

Canberra should now match its sweet talk with deeds

In a welcome change of tone, high-ranking Australian politicians have begun to talk favorably about Australia's ties with China of late, and displayed a strong desire to maintain a good relationship with China. However, their sweet talking will need to be matched by suitable deeds to ensure the healthy development of bilateral cooperation.

Rising cost of drug chemicals must be managed at the source

THE HEALTH AUTHORITIES of Liaoning have warned that 81 kinds of medicines will be out of supply soon in the province, because the rising cost of raw materials have prompted the pharmaceutical companies to stop manufacturing those medicines. Beijing Youth Daily comments:

Shanghai joining competition for talent

THERE HAVE BEEN rumors that the Shanghai municipal government will grant students of Peking and Tsinghua universities a Shanghai hukou (household registration permit) as soon as they graduate. Beijing News comments:

Painting of relics shows no respect for cultural heritage

ACCORDING TO REPORTS, some Buddhist sculptures in Anyue, Southwest China's Sichuan province, that date back to the Song Dynasty (960-1279), were found painted a gaudy red and green. Gmw.cn comments:

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WTO needed to avoid uncertain future

Global trade is under threat. Whether or not you call the current situation a trade war, certainly the first shots have been fired. This calls for our attention, and most importantly, our action.

Tsai's moves will only backfire

Editor's note: Taiwan authorities are reportedly planning to "punish" the international airlines that have complied with the Chinese civil aviation administration's standard of referring to Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macao as Chinese territories, in order to counter the rising influence of the Chinese mainland. Two experts share their views with China Daily's Yao Yuxin on how the "pro-independence" moves of Taiwan authorities will affect cross-Straits ties and Taiwan compatriots' livelihoods. Excerpts follow:

Scientific research will help policymakers

Some people, including scholars and Tsinghua University alumni, have petitioned the university to fire Hu Angang, head of its Center for China Studies, because of his "absurd" conclusion in a study widely circulated last year that China had overtaken the United States.

Yangtze River valley gleams in ecology protection plan

For two consecutive years, the Changjiang Water Resources Commission of the Ministry of Water Resources, along with the relevant departments of the provinces in the Yangtze River valley, has carried out a series of "physical examinations" to check the health of the river. Based on these tests, the program for the protection and rehabilitation of the Yangtze River valley's ecological environment and the three-year action plan (2018-20) were worked out in March.