Venezuela crisis highlights welfare trap

The political turmoil in Venezuela has escalated in the past few days with the United States and two Latin American countries recognizing opposition and National Assembly leader Juan Guaido as the "country's leader" after President Nicolas Maduro's government put down a military mutiny.

External interference only adds fuel to fire in Venezuela

Whatever has happened in Venezuela, it is still a sovereign country which has the say over its own fate. No country has the right to dictate to this nation and its people how to settle its own political crisis.

Anti-malaria success deserves recognition

THE BBC is profiling four people in seven different fields of human endeavor in a new history series called Icons. Among the scientists is Tu Youyou, the Chinese scientist who received a Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine in 2015. The three scientists profiled alongside Tu, are Albert Einstein, Maria Curie and Alan Turing. Some are proud of Tu being included in such company, while some doubt whether her achievement deserves that honor. Yuan Lanfeng, a researcher at the Chinese University of Science and Technology whose micro blog has about 2 million followers, comments:

Adequate attention should be paid to the declining number of births

ON JAN 21, the National Bureau of Statistics released official data that show China had 15.23 million newborns in 2018, about 2 million fewer than that of 2017. Beijing Youth Daily comments:

Nation cannot hang all its soccer hopes on famous coaches

Editor's note: After the Chinese national soccer team's 0-3 loss to Iran in the quarterfinals of the AFC Asian Cup on Thursday, Marcello Lippi will leave his position with China as his contract ends after the AFC Asian Cup. Beijing Evening News comments:

Ottawa should realize right decision is to release Meng

The political life of John McCallum, who was the Canadian ambassador to China, took a dramatic turn on Friday after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau forced him to resign for his comments regarding Canada's detention of Huawei's chief financial officer, who is being held by Canada at the request of the United States.

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Peninsula issue calls for sincere actions

Editor's note: US President Donald Trump is scheduled to hold a second summit with Democratic People's Republic of Korea leader Kim Jong-un in late February. The two leaders held their path-breaking summit in Singapore in June last year, though negotiations on the Korean Peninsula's denuclearization seem to have floundered after that. What can we expect from the second summit? And how can the two sides break the current stalemate? Two experts share their views on the issue with China Daily's Liu Jianna. Excerpts follow:

Officials' social dealings must be honest

One of the main duties of disciplinary inspection organs is routine but continuous and strict supervision of leading Party cadres, which requires innovation in mechanisms, as well as the right focus on and improved efficiency in routine work.

Better cross-Straits relations can help island boost its economic growth

A recent online poll showed about 80 percent of the netizens in Taiwan don't believe Su Tseng-chang can significantly promote economic growth after succeeding Lai Ching-te as the island's executive head, according to CTnews, a digital media outlet. The netizens' views are based on the past records of how much positive impact a change in the island's ruling party or "cabinet" leaders has had on economic development.

PBOC steps in to ease lenders' liquidity woes

China's central bank will provide additional liquidity to help commercial banks meet capital adequacy requirements and ease lending concerns.

Survey: Businesses cautiously optimistic about economy

Businesses in China are cautiously optimistic for 2019 despite facing several uncertainties and challenges, as tax reform, innovation and technology policies will continue to sustain the economy, a recent survey said.