Hong Kong needs to end violence, as peace and stability indispensable for prosperity

That the sixth District Council election in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region attracted both a record number of candidates and a record turnout is testament to the vitality of the "one country, two systems" framework and Hong Kong society's evident belief that the city's future hinges on the lawful expression of opinions rather than mindless violence.

China has institutional advantages it can rely on

Editor's Note: At the International Finance Forum in Guangzhou, capital of Guangdong province, Zhou Xiaochuan, former governor of the People's Bank of China, said the negative interest rates adopted by the central banks across the world and the long-term deflation and fiscal imbalance are causing unprecedented policy uncertainty. 21st Century Business Herald comments:

Transnational marriage swindles bitter pill of illegal gender selection

SEVERAL YOUNG MEN IN MINQUAN COUNTY, Henan province, have been swindled out of 160,000 yuan ($22,754) each by fraudsters posing as a transnational matchmaking agency. China Daily writer Wang Yiqing comments:

Negotiators display their faith in a deal

The deadline for the United States and China to reach an agreement is looming ever closer, with further US tariffs set to come into effect on Dec 15. Although the US president could push back that deadline, as he did in October, there has been no indication yet that he will. And with a date and venue for their highly anticipated phase one deal having bitten the dust and no alternatives being forthcoming, there have been growing concerns that the feel-good consensus that some kind of deal was on the cards may prove vulnerable to the ravages of time.

Spy stories show Australia losing the plot

No doubt, a "China threat" storm is building in Australia. If unchecked, this ill wind, which has been blowing steadily in recent years and taken its toll on China-Australia ties, will gain enough force to shatter the foundations of bilateral interaction.

Law can better protect women from domestic violence

YU YA, A COSMETICS LIVESTREAMER, revealed she was the victim of domestic violence in a post on her micro blog on Monday, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. China Daily writer Zhang Zhouxiang comments:

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Eliminating learning poverty a priority

For most children, turning 10 is an exciting moment. They're learning more about the world and expanding their horizons. But too many children - more than half of all 10-year-olds in low-and middle-income countries - cannot read and understand a simple story. We are in the middle of a global learning crisis that stifles opportunities and aspirations of hundreds of millions of children. That is unacceptable.

National identity key to HK's prosperity

What started as a protest against the extradition law amendment in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region more than five months ago soon turned into riots during which the rioters attacked police officers, police stations, ordinary SAR residents, and occupied college campuses throwing normal life out of gear in the city. This is the most serious administrative crisis Hong Kong has faced since its return to China.

Catalyzing change for gender equality

Great strides have been taken to empower women and girls in the Asia-Pacific region since the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing in 1995 adopted an ambitious global agenda to achieve gender equality. The region has achieved gender parity in primary education, and halved maternal mortality. Today, the governments in the region are committed to overcoming the persistent challenges of discrimination, gender-based violence and women's unequal access to resources and decision-making.

Result of district council election skewed by intimidation, dirty tricks

The result of Sunday's district council election marks a setback for Hong Kong's democratic development, as the results were skewed by the illegal activities of the opposition camp to the benefit of their candidates.

Better relations worth cherishing

Every time China and Japan have made substantial progress in their relations, the two neighbors have invariably witnessed large-scale people and cultural exchanges, so there is enough reason to think the first meeting of the China-Japan high-level consultation mechanism on people-to-people and cultural exchanges, attended by State Councilor Wang Yi and Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi, in Tokyo on Monday, will be a marker for a continuing thaw in their ties.