VANVOUVER, Aug. 31 (Xinhua) -- Top Chinese legislator Wu Bangguo stopped over in Vancouver on Monday morning prior to his official visits to Cuba, Bahamas and the United States. Wu Bangguo (R), chairman of the National People's Congress, the legislature of China, meets with Canadian International Trade Minister Stockwell Day in Vancouver, Canada, Aug. 31, 2009. Wu, chairman of the National People's Congress (NPC), the legislature of China, is expected to meet with Canadian International Trade Minister Stockwell Day and Canada's British Columbia Premier Gordon Campbell during his stay. Wu will leave for Havana, capital of Cuba, on Tuesday.
FRANKFURT, Sept. 2 (Xinhua) -- China hopes for early resumption of the international talks on Iranian nuclear issue, Chinese Vice Foreign Minister He Yafei said in Frankfurt on Wednesday. He made the remarks when he attended the six-nation meeting on the Iranian nuclear issue in Frankfurt. Vice foreign ministers from UN Security Council's five permanent members -- the United States, China, Russia, Britain and France, plus Germany met in Frankfurt on Wednesday, aiming to explore the solutions to tackle the thorny issue one day after Tehran said it would table a new package of proposals on the issue. China welcomes Iran's "positive remarks" on seeking dialogue and negotiation on the nuclear issue, He was quoted as saying by a press release issued by the Chinese delegation, adding that China also appreciates the progress of the cooperation between Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Last week, the IAEA, a UN nuclear watchdog, issued a report saying Iran has slowed production of enriched uranium and agreed to tighter monitoring of its enrichment plant. The Chinese vice minister said China hopes that various sides to take advantage of the current favorable chances and to exert more diplomatic efforts to resume the international talks on the issue as soon as possible, so as to seek a comprehensive and long-term solution for the issue. According to Chinese diplomats, Mr. He also met his Russian and U.S. counterparts Sergy Ryabkov and Nicholas Burns at the intervals of the meeting, exchanging views on the Iranian nuclear issue and other international issues of common concern.
MOSCOW, July 28 (Xinhua) -- China and Russia have reached broad consensus on the proper handling of the sudden closure of the Cherkizovsky Market through friendly negotiations, said Chinese Vice Minister of Commerce Gao Hucheng here Saturday. Gao, who arrived here Wednesday, heads a Chinese delegation for talks on the impact of the June 29 closing of the market, where tens of thousands of Chinese vendors had been operating. Local analysts said the shutdown has marked an inevitable transformation of the nongovernmental trade between China and Russia and necessitated a change in mindset and operation mode among Chinese businessmen in Russia. REASONS BEHIND THE ABRUPT SHUTDOWN Cherkizovsky is Russia's biggest wholesale market. Police abruptly shut down the nearly 300-hectare market in northeastern Moscow on June 29 after disclosure by .Russian Federal Supervision Service for Consumer Rights Protection and People Welfare of various illegal and irregular operation in the markets Russian Prosecutor General's Office said the shutdown was due to bad sanitary and fire control conditions, but local media believe many factors have prompted the closure. A June report tendered by Minister of Industry and Trade Victor Khristenko stated that contraband goods not only cost the government great loss in taxation, but also undermine the development of the country's light industry. The report suggested promoting legal, standardized chainstores and cracking down on terminal markets notorious for the sales of counterfeited and shoddy products and goods entered the country through "grey customs clearance". Russian Federal Supervision Service for Consumer Rights Protection and People Welfare, Prosecutor General's Office, Federal Migration Service , Moscow municipal government and other government agencies even proposed shutting down the market for good. The latest poll conducted by research group Levada Center also showed that among 94 percent of Moscow citizens who know about the closure, 67 percent support the move. Another online poll conducted by newspaper Izvestia also showed that over 80 percent of netizens are in favor of the shutdown. "GREY CUSTOMS CLEARANCE" HAMPERS SINO-RUSSIAN TRADE Over the past 20 years, the people-to-people trade between China and Russia has undoubtedly made great contribution to bilateral economic and trade cooperation, said Gao Xiyun, Economic Minister Counselor of Chinese Embassy in Russia. However, it is also an undeniable fact that problems such as "grey customs clearance" had seriously hampered the health development the bilateral people-to-people trade, he said. The so-called "grey customs clearance" is a long-standing practice that involves intermediaries handling customs clearance for bulk commodities loaded in planes or containers trucks. After paying the so-called "customs clearance companies," the consignors of the goods do not have to deal with Russian customs authorities in person. Consequently they receive no official customs declaration documents. In recent years, the Russian government has strived to rectify its domestic market order. For a time, goods that entered the country through "grey customs clearance" were regarded as contraband, and their owners would face penalties, including fines or even outright confiscation. Prior to the market closure, on Sep. 11, 2008, the Investigation Committee at the Russian Prosecutor General's Office sealed up a large part of Chinese merchants' container storehouse in the Cherkizovsky market. CHINESE BUSINESSMEN NEED TO CHANGE MODES OF OPERATION Some 60,000 Chinese are doing business in Cherkizovsky Market, making the market the biggest Chinese business community in Moscow and even the whole Russia, according to figures from the Chinese Chamber of Commerce in Russia. The abrupt closure of the market, in addition to the closedown of the container storehouse, has caused great economic loss to Chinese merchants and their domestic enterprises. Gennady Gudkov, Deputy Chairman of the Security Committee of the Russian State Duma said though the closure of the market is justified, the vendors there should be given advance notice of the closure. Gao Hucheng said China has no objections to Russia's crackdown on smuggling, but the Russian side should protect the personal and property safety of the Chinese citizens without hurting their dignity. While enforcing the law, the Russian side should try its best to keep the economic losses of the Chinese business people to the minimum. Some Chinese analysts noted that Russia's cracking down on smuggling and rectifying domestic markets would help regulate trade channels, improve trade environment, therefore conducive to sustained and sound development of bilateral trade in the long run. Li Huilai, Charge d'Affaires of the Chinese Embassy in Russia, said the only way out for Chinese merchants is to transform their operation mode and do their business in accordance with law and regulations. JOINT EFFORTS URGED TO EXPAND NORMAL TRADE CHANNELS In recent years, China has strengthened export supervision and instructed Chinese enterprises and businessmen in Russia to operate honestly and abide by the laws and regulations there. China and Russia share a common goal in creating a trade environment that is standardized, transparent and convenient. In June, China and Russia established a customs cooperation committee and set up a long-term mechanism to normalize bilateral trade order in a bid to raise the level of customs clearance facilitation and create favorable conditions for the crackdown and eventual eradication of the "grey customs clearance." Gao's delegation, comprising officials from the ministries of commerce and foreign affairs, the General Administration of Customs and trade officials from Zhejiang, Fujian and Hebei provinces reached three consensus with the Russian side on the closure issue. The two sides agreed to further develop the Sino-Russian strategic cooperative partnership, deepen bilateral trade cooperation and properly settle the closure issue through friendly negotiations. The governments of China and Russia attached great importance to their strategic cooperative partnership and had agreed that the sudden closure of the market should not hurt their friendly cooperation, Gao said. The two sides should promptly initiate a customs cooperation mechanism, and develop a work plan to stop illegal activities including "grey customs clearance," regulate customs declaration channels and raise customs clearance efficiency. Analysts believe that with the constant improvement and development of Sino-Russian trade and economic cooperation, the issue of "grey customs clearance" could be fully resolved.
BEIJING, Aug. 27 (Xinhua) -- China's top legislature concluded its four-day, bimonthly session Thursday, after approving the country's first armed police law and climate change resolution. Top legislator Wu Bangguo told the closing meeting of the 10th session of the Standing Committee of the 11th National People's Congress (NPC) that the new armed police law clarified the nature, command mechanism, responsibilities, duties and rights of the paramilitary force. "It offers solid legal backing for the armed police to complete the country's security tasks, maintain social stability and safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of citizens and organizations," Wu said. Climate change has been an issue of concern among lawmakers. Wu said the newly-approved resolution was an "important achievement" and a significant measure taken by the top legislature to deal with the global challenge. Wu, chairman of the NPC Standing Committee, said the resolution praised the government's work on climate change, emphasized the importance of the issue, clarified guidelines, basic policies, measures as well as China's stance. He said lawmakers proposed many suggestions on a climate change report, presented by the State Council (Cabinet), and a draft of the resolution. Lawmakers agreed climate change was a challenge faced by all humankind and needed international cooperation. Wu said China "as a responsible nation" had been focusing on the issue, set energy efficiency and environmental protection as basic state policies and achieving sustainable development as national strategies. He said the country had made laws and regulations to climate change and set energy saving and emissions reductions as binding targets in the state's medium and long-term development plan. The 10th session of the Standing Committee of the 11th National People's Congress (NPC) is held in Beijing, China, Aug. 27, 2009. The 10th session was closed on Thursday in Beijing. The country had "actively participated international cooperation on climate change and made contributions in mitigating and adapting to climate change." He said the NPC Standing Committee "actively" made and improved laws related to the issue, listened to work reports regularly and conducted law enforcement inspections on resources and environment, which offered great support to the work of the government. The top legislature also agreed Thursday a legislation overhaul with the updating and revision of 141 provisions in 59 different laws. Wu said the collective updating and revision of laws was an important step to ensure a legal system with Chinese features would become "more scientific, unified and harmonious" and form a complete socialist legal system by 2010. "The law revisions at this session solve the problem that some laws and regulations are incompatible with the economic and social development," he said. This was the second legislation overhaul after the NPC Standing Committee in June agreed to abolish eight outdated and redundant laws, including one covering police stations that dated back to 1954. Wu said the next step was to revise laws quickly, and asked government departments to enact regulations to help implement the laws, and streamline local regulations. He said one of the focuses of the NPC's supervision work was to oversee the economy. One of the roles of NPC Standing Committee was supervision of the government. He said due to the complicated domestic and overseas economic situation, the NPC took supervision of the implementation of the government's important decisions as top priority. Each legislative session since April had deliberated work reports of some government departments, he said. The NPC Standing Committee also investigated topics such as affordable housing construction at the suggestion of lawmakers. It would also supervise the implementation of the central government's public investment plan valued at 908 billion yuan (133.5 billion U.S. dollars) this year, part of the 4-trillion-yuan stimulus plan initiated late last year. Wu said the investigation report on low-rent housing would be submitted to a legislative session in October. "Such work plays an important role in promoting the implementation of central government decisions and stable and relatively fast economic development." Wu said this session listened to a routine report on the implementation of the government's plan of economic and social development, as well as a report on economic restructuring and transforming the development model. Lawmakers agreed that although the economy suffered a big drop during the fourth quarter last year, the 7.1-percent GDP growth in the first half of this year showed sound momentum, "which was not easy and a result of the efforts of the whole country." Wu said it showed that the central government's decision of dealing with the impact of the global economic downturn was "completely correct" and the measures taken were "timely and effective." Legislators said efforts should be made to ensure this year's economic and social development goals could be achieved. The top legislature also accepted Thursday the resignation of Cui Mingjie, an entrepreneur of central Henan Province, from his post as NPC deputy, for alleged involvement in "serious economic crimes." It also approved the expulsion of two NPC deputies -- Xu Zongheng, former mayor of south China's Shenzhen City, and Liu Youjun, director of the Guangdong provincial department of labor and social security -- for "serious violations of discipline." According to the Credentials Committee of the NPC Standing Committee, the total number of deputies to the 11th NPC stands at 2,979.
BEIJING, Oct. 13 (Xinhua) -- China and Russia signed 12 agreements, including agreements on natural gas and oil, as the premiers of the two countries held their 14th regular meeting in Beijing on Tuesday. The signing ceremony was overseen by Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin after their talks in the Great Hall of the People in downtown Beijing. Prior to their talks, Wen hosted a red-carpet welcome ceremony for Putin, who is on his first official visit to China since taking office in May 2008. Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao (R Front) shakes hands with Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin (L Front) after signing the joint communique of the 14th regular prime ministers' talks between China and Russia, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, Oct. 13, 2009The agreements include a framework agreement on Russia's export of natural gas to China, a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on high-speed train and an agreement on mutual notification of ballistic missiles and launch of carrier rockets. Wen and Putin also reached consensus on cooperation in various fields. They agreed to enhance political trust, address each other's core interests and major concerns, and support each other's efforts to safeguard sovereignty, security and territorial integrity. They agreed to deepen trade on machinery and electronic products and oppose trade protectionism. With regard to energy cooperation, they agreed to work together to make sure the oil pipeline, running from Skovorodino, Russia, to China's northeastern city of Daqing, could be completed by the end of 2010 and start stable oil supply in 2011. They said the two countries decided to launch the west and east lines of the gas project simultaneously in a bid to start supplying gas between 2014 and 2015. They agreed to enhance cooperation between localities by implementing an outline of regional cooperation between Northeast China and the Russian Far East Area and Eastern Siberia. The two sides also agreed to step up coordination in international affairs to deal with the global challenges, jointly promote the establishment of a new international financial order and improve representation of the developing countries and emerging economies. During his talks with Putin, Wen said Putin's visit at the 60thanniversary of the establishment of Sino-Russian ties is of great significance. Bilateral relations have become stable and mature since the forging of diplomatic ties 60 years ago and particularly the establishment of the Russia-China strategic cooperative partnership in 1996, Wen said. The level of political mutual trust, strategic and practical cooperation between the two countries has been improved continuously and yielded many achievements, effectively advancing the development of bilateral ties and positively influencing world peace and development, he said. The Sino-Russian relations are role models of relations between neighboring countries and relations between big powers, said Wen, adding that China is willing to work with Russia to make greater achievements in the future. Putin warmly congratulated the 60th anniversary of the founding of New China, saying China has achieved great success in various areas in the past 60 years. Russia and China have become genuine and comprehensive strategic and cooperative partners in recent years, he said. The two sides have carried out cooperation in politics, economy and international affairs with mutual trust, and the bilateral economic cooperation has withstood the test of the global financial crisis, Putin said. Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao (R Front) and Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin (L Front) meet the entrepreneurs' delegates who are here to attend the Fourth China-Russia Economic and Trade Summit Forum at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, Oct. 13, 2009. Later Tuesday, Wen and Putin also met with the business people who attended a China-Russia economic forum. Before the forum, Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Dejiang and his Russian counterpart Alexander Zhukov attended the signing of deals worth 4 billion U.S. dollars between financial institutions and enterprises of the two countries. "China-Russia trade has seen fruitful results and has brought tangible benefits to the two countries," said Wen. Wen hoped the business people from the two countries should take the opportunities and make joint efforts to tackle the global economic downturn. Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao (2nd R) and Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin (3rd L) meet the entrepreneurs' delegates who are here to attend the Fourth China-Russia Economic and Trade Summit Forum at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, Oct. 13, 2009
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BEIJING, July 20 (Xinhua) -- China's Central Military Commission (CMC) conferred the rank of general on three senior military officers here on Monday, bringing the total number of generals to 174. CMC Chairman Hu Jintao awarded the officers certificates of command at the promotion ceremony. An order for the promotion was announced by CMC Vice-Chairman Guo Boxiong. The senior officers are deputy chief of the General Staff of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) Ma Xiaotian, political commissar of the PLA's Academy of Military Sciences Liu Yuan, and political commissar of Chengdu Military Area Command Zhang Haiyang. China's Central Military Commission (CMC) Chairman Hu Jintao (C) poses with newly-promoted generals, namely Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Ma Xiaotian (2nd L), Political Commissar of PLA's Academy of Military Sciences Liu Yuan (1st R), and Political Commissar of the Chengdu Military Area Command Zhang Haiyang (1st L) in Beijing, capital of China, July 20, 2009. CMC conferred the rank of general on the three senior military officers here on Monday. China began to confer military ranks to military and police officers in 1955, when Chairman Mao Zedong promoted 10 senior officers to the rank of marshal, a rank which was later abolished. Premier Zhou Enlai then issued a decree conferring the rank of general on 55 officers in 1955 and one each in 1956 and 1958. Only one veteran of the revolution that founded the People's Republic of China who was among the first group of generals is still alive: 104-year-old Lu Zhengcao, former vice-chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference. In 1965, the CMC abolished the system of military ranks and then resumed it in 1988. Since then, 118 senior military and police officers have been promoted to the rank of full general. Hong Xuezhi, who became a member of the CMC in 1988, was the only officer to receive the honor twice in 1955 and 1988. The PLA recognizes 10 military ranks for officers in active service: general, lieutenant general and major general; senior colonel, colonel, lieutenant colonel and major; captain, first lieutenant and second lieutenant.
BEIJING, Aug. 1 (Xinhua) -- The major part of China's armed forces, Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA), has targeted on building up a defense might capable to handle threats in multidimensional battlefields. Celebrating the PLA's 82th founding anniversary which falls on August 1, military experts told Xinhua that an ongoing significant reform inside the 2.3-million strong might will take much more attentions to modernization of the navy and air force.Among the three PLA's senior officers who were promoted to full generals on July 20, Deputy Chief of General Staff Ma Xiaotian was awarded three-star insignias on shoulder of his original Air Force blue uniform. The PLA's officers from different services used to change to the Army's green uniforms if they are promoted to positions in the PLA's four headquarters, a symbol of the Army's dominance in the PLA's construction and development. Chinese soldiers perform during a vocal concert marking the 82nd anniversary of the establishment of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA), in Hefei, capital of east China's Anhui Province, Aug. 1, 2009 For example, General Liu Huaqing abandoned his white uniform as the Navy's commander after being promoted to Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC) in 1987. General Ma is just a new symbol that the PLA's officers from navy and air force keep their original uniforms as the effort to pay more attentions to the voices from other services. In the current China's top military authority, commanders of the PLA's Navy, Air Force and the Second Artillery Corps for the first time become members of the CMC.
LONDON, Sept. 5 (Xinhua) -- Britain hopes to further expand cooperation with China in economic, financial and trade sectors, Business Secretary Lord Mandelson said Saturday. In a written interview with Xinhua on the eve of his visit to China, Mandelson, also the First Secretary of State, said economic and political relations between Britain and China are very strong. The High-Level Economic & Financial Dialogue would lead to collaboration in areas such as the development of financial services, the protection of intellectual property rights, and the establishment of a comprehensive social security system in China, Mandelson said. During Mandelson's visit, which begins Monday, he will give a speech at a low carbon business solution event in Beijing attended by about 250 British and Chinese companies. He will also sign a "Sustainable City" memorandum of understanding with Changsha, the capital of south central China's Hunan province. "The UK is keen to share its low carbon technology," Mandelson said, noting that Britain would like to export even more high-tech goods to China. Mandelson said the UK, by far, is the largest European investor in China and transfers much of its technology to the country through wholly owned subsidiaries and joint ventures. The business secretary expressed hope that China would improve its regulations to facilitate British companies' participation in its hi-tech sectors. China, Mandelson said, has taken every measure possible to mitigate the impact of the global financial crisis, which also has contributed to the recovery of the world economy. He called China's huge stimulus package "a very impressive commitment to rebuilding its economy and the welcome effects are already being felt." China has contributed to the rebalancing of the world economy by re-orienting its own growth model to stimulate domestic consumption, the business secretary said. Meanwhile, Mandelson also expected China to play a bigger part in pushing forward multilateral trade talks "I hope China will play an important role in achieving a conclusion to the Doha Development Round and I hope that the global recession has provided a sense of renewed urgency for this agreement", he said. As the former EU Trade Commissioner, Mandelson has never shied from voicing his objections to protectionism. Imposing tariffs on imports, he said, creates distortions in the global economy, which result in poverty and inequality. Trade is essential to the prosperity of the world economy and remains one of the main avenues open to increase productivity and growth, he said. "I hope that UK and China's joint efforts to foster closer trade and investment links in China's rapidly developing regional business centers will stimulate and serve to support new business partnerships," the business secretary said. Mandelson said China's process of gradually opening its capital market would deepen the capital and expertise available to Chinese companies as they increasingly look to expand overseas. "We are equally keen to work with the Chinese authorities and markets to enable foreign firms to list on its exchanges," he said. "We are very supportive of the State Council's desire for Shanghai to develop into a truly international financial center over the next 10 to 15 years and believe that an important step to building this profile will be the continued growth and diversification of China's capital markets." Mandelson also emphasized that there are many benefits from an internationalized Chinese yuan, which would promote greater stability in global foreign exchange markets. "A more widely traded Chinese currency will help Chinese companies win business in overseas markets," he said, "And a more market-oriented exchange rate will help China re-orient its economy towards domestic consumption, which would be in China's own interests." When it comes to the climate change issue, Mandelson noted that China is making strong efforts to reduce the growth of its greenhouse gas emissions. He pointed out that China currently aims to reduce consumption of energy per unit of GDP by 20 percent between 2005 and 2010. "Tackling climate change is a win-win business opportunity for both the UK and China," he said. Mandelson also called for international cooperation to deal with the world's other thorny issues. The global downturn has powerfully illustrated how important it is to have constructive engagement at the international level, he said. "We need international solutions to financial regulation, to tackling pollution and in fighting proliferation and terrorism. These are global challenges that require a global response," Mandelson said.