BEIJING, Nov. 18 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Barack Obama had a taste of Chinese history on Wednesday by visiting the country's most iconic site, the Great Wall. "It's magical," Obama said when walking along the Great Wall in chilly winter wind. "It reminds you of the sweep of history and our time here on earth is not that long. We better make the best of it." Dressed in a dark winter jacket, a smiling Obama broke away from companions and walked alone along the ramp. "I brought back the admiration for the Chinese civilization, I bring here the greetings of American People," Obama said when ascending a watchtower to enjoy a distant view at the Badaling section of the Great Wall. Obama is the fifth U.S. president to visit the manmade wonder. Former U.S. President Richard Nixon visited the Great Wall in 1972,Ronald Reagan in 1984 and Bill Clinton in 1998. In 2002, former U.S. President George W. Bush and his wife Laura toured the same section as Obama did. "I'm inspired by the majesty of the Great Wall and am grateful for the warmth of the Chinese people," Obama wrote on the visitor's book after his half-hour tour. The Great Wall was the second sightseeing program for Obama during his visit to China. He toured the Imperial Palace Tuesday after nearly two hours of talks with President Hu Jintao. Built originally as the biggest defense work in ancient China, the Great Wall today has become one of the must-see places for visiting foreign leaders to the country in the past six decades. The Badaling section, which is in the northwestern suburb of Beijing, runs about 3,741 meters on a mountain of about 700 to 800 meters above sea level, dotted with 19 beacon towers. The wall at the Badaling section averages seven to eight meters in height, six to seven meters in thickness, with a width of four to five meters on top. Over the past six decades, more than 450 heads of state and government have visited the Badaling section. The Great Wall is listed among the UNESCO's World Cultural Heritage sites given its historic status. Separated sections of the Great Wall were built as early as 2,000 years ago by small kingdoms to defend against raids from nomadic tribes to the north. When Emperor Qinshihuang, the country's first emperor, united China for the first time in 221 B.C., he ordered the separate sections linked together, forming a complete military defense system. The Great Wall today was mostly rebuilt during the Ming Dynasty(1368-1644). With its sections stretching from northeast to west China, the Great Wall now runs 6,700 kilometers long and its section at Badaling is the first part that opens to tourists.
JOHANNESBURG, Dec. 24, (Xinhua) -- Legal ties between China and Africa have taken a major step forward with the conclusion of the First Forum on China-Africa Legal Co-operation in Cairo, Egypt on Monday. Under the theme "Strengthen China-Africa Legal Exchange and Promote All Round Development of China-Africa Relationship", this forum was the first time lawyers from the China and Africa had met in such circumstances. Greg Nott, who led the South African delegation, said on his return to Johannesburg on Thursday that he was "terribly excited by this forum and look forward to the implementation of a number of proposals tabled." These included an exchange and cooperation between Chinese and African legal circles and a legal "think tank" to promote a universal and sustainable development of the China-Africa relationship. Nott, who is the legal representative of the China-Africa Development Fund as well other China investor clients, said there were a number of other "ambitious and exciting proposals". These include "the establishment of training and consulting centres as well as training projects for young African lawyers. This goes all hand-in-hand with private sector lawyers driving intellectual and legal support for business activity on both continents." The forum was convened as the first step towards pragmatic cooperation between Chinese and African legal circles. It was attended by delegates from Botswana, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia, as well as a strong delegation from the China Law Society. The agenda included the important role of law in China-Africa cooperation, an introduction to the legal systems of China and African countries and their impact on trade and investment relations. A number of prominent Egyptian and Chinese lawyers presided over the panels. The lawyers have much work to do because while China has one legal system, the 53 nations which make up Africa each have their own systems. Most are based on either the British legal system, with elements of Roman/Dutch law, or the French legal system. There is also a strong legacy of Portuguese influence in former colonies. China's civil law system is based on traditional customs and practices, with Soviet and German influence. Held on Dec. 20 and 21, the forum was hosted at the Cairo Regional Centre for International Commercial Arbitration. The South African delegation included Rajen Ranchhoojee and Sheng Wu of the Johannesburg legal firm Dewey & LeBoeuf, where Nott is the managing partner. The legal forum followed shortly after the meeting of foreign ministers at the fourth Forum on Africa China Cooperation, which was held in for Sharm-El-Sheikh, Egypt from Nov. 8 to 9. At that meeting South African International Relations and Cooperation Minister Maite Nkoana Mashabane said China had played an important role in Africa's renewal. "For instance it has had significant role in peacekeeping in Africa." She said a major strength of Chinese aid was its orientation to recipient priorities such as infrastructure (telecommunications, energy, roads) and productive sector investments (agriculture). "Furthermore, Chinese assistance is considered to be relatively predictable assistance because it is disbursed on schedule within the intended financial year." At that point she said development cooperation between South Africa and China is was regulated by two Agreements, "namely an agreement on Human Resource Development that was signed in 2004 and a February 2007 Agreement on Technical and Economic Cooperation".
BEIJING, Nov. 3 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao Tuesday underscored the role of science and technology in promoting the country's sustainable development and weathering the global downturn. Addressing the science and technology community in Beijing, Wen said China should be built into an innovation-oriented country and neo-strategic industries should become the leading force in promoting the social and economic development. He called on scientists to boost research in such neo-strategic industries as the new energy industry, information networking industry, micro-electronics and nanotechnology, life science as well space and ocean exploration. Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao addresses the science and technology community in Beijing, capital of China, Nov. 3, 2009. Wen Jiabao Tuesday underscored the role of science and technology in promoting the country's sustainable development and weathering the global downturn He said those emerging strategic industries would play a key role in building up an innovation-driven economy and promote a comprehensive sustainable development. Wen said the world was experiencing a once-in-a-century financial crisis and human history has proved that technological revolution often occurred during economic crisis. Any country that could take the initiative in making technological breakthroughs would take the lead in economic recovery, he said. Wen also urged scientists to pay more attention to fundamental researches and high-tech researches and be innovative.
NAIROBI, Dec. 5 (Xinhua) -- The UN environmental agency UNEP Saturday hailed China's commitment to the fight against climate change and the recently-announced measure to render assistance to African countries in clean energy development. China's State Council announced on Nov. 26 that China is going to reduce the intensity of carbon dioxide emissions per unit of GDP in 2020 by 40 to 45 percent compared with the level of 2005. "China's announcement has assisted in triggering fresh momentumin the days running up to the crucial UN climate convention meeting in Copenhagen. It underscores China's determination to continue and accelerate the decoupling of CO2 emissions from economic growth," said Nick Nuttall, spokesman for the office of UN Environment Programme (UNEP) executive director. He noted that China's announcement, alongside commitments and pledges by other countries or blocs like the European Union, Brazil, Mexico and the Republic of Korea, is bringing the opportunity of a decisive agreement in the Danish capital this month far closer than perhaps was the case only a few months ago. "China is one among several nations that has increasingly recognized that development in the 21st century and environmental considerations are not a contradiction, but can be mutually supportive in terms of generating growth and jobs for a healthy, prosperous and stable society," said Nuttall in an exclusive written interview with Xinhua. With regards to the new measures announced by China last month to assist Africa with clean energy projects, the spokesman termed it as "timely". "Africa is the continent that is the least one responsible for climate change, yet it remains the most vulnerable and also has an especially important need for energy with many of the two billion people without access to electricity living in Africa," Nuttall stressed. "The decision (of China) to support 100 projects can assist Africa in economic development and diversification in terms of sectors and wider-employment prospects while assisting towards a more sustainable path," said he, "So in terms of fighting poverty, accelerating development and combating climate change, China's announcement to assist Africa is welcome news." At the fourth ministerial conference of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation in the Egyptian resort of Sharm el-Sheikh earlier last month, the Chinese government proposed to establish a China-Africa partnership in addressing climate change, as one of the eight new measures to strengthen the cooperation between the two sides in the next three years. Senior officials' consultations with African countries will be held from time to time in this field, while cooperation will be enhanced on satellite weather monitoring. Development and utilization of new energy sources, prevention and control of desertification and urban environmental protection will also be boosted. China has also decided to build 100 clean energy projects for Africa covering solar power, bio-gas and small hydro-power. The spokesman also expressed optimistic about the upcoming Copenhagen conference, "While there is a great deal to be done in Copenhagen to realize a decisive and equitable agreement, there is now a real chance that the UN climate convention meeting can be a success." He also listed several tests which will be faced with by the participates of the crucial meeting, like whether it can agree on a deal that reflects the science of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, or in other words, whether it can set the stage for a 25 percent to 40 percent emission reduction by 2020 and deeper cuts beyond. The funding was also a bottleneck in the bid to strike a pivotal deal in the meeting. Nuttall elaborated by identifying as a test whether "Copenhagen can develop a global financial partnership in which developing economies are given sufficient resource to adapt to the climate change already underway while being assisted towards a low carbon path". According to UNEP estimates, sums of perhaps 100 billion U.S. dollars a year by 2020 may be needed and there needs to be a quick start fund of several billion dollars almost immediately. Meanwhile, other elements need to be put in place including action that recognizes the mitigation and adaptation role of ecosystems like forests which will be increasingly important in terms of their role in delivering water supplies and stabilizing economically-important soils against extreme weather events, Nuttall told Xinhua. UNEP's recent Blue Carbon report estimated that around half of all the world's transport emissions are being captured and locked away by sea grasses, mangroves and salt marshes. "Copenhagen could and must be the start of a really new and more creative development path for six billion people, rising to nine billion by 2050," Nuttall said determinedly. The Copenhagen climate summit is scheduled for Dec. 7-18, where representatives of about 190 countries are expected to renew greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets set by the Kyoto Protocol, the first commitment period of which is to expire in 2012. It is also expected to outline the post-2012 negotiation path.
PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea, Nov. 3 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Vice Premier Li Keqiang on Tuesday discussed bilateral relations and other issues of common concern with Papua New Guinean Prime Minister Michael Thomas Somare. Li said Papua New Guinea, as the largest developing country in the South Pacific, has great influence over regional issues. He said China attaches great importance to bilateral ties with the Pacific island nation, which China has always regarded as a reliable friend and partner. In recent years, Li said, the two countries have conducted frequent high-level exchanges, deepened political mutual trust, broadened exchanges and cooperation in an extensive number of sectors. Chinese Vice Premier Li Keqiang (R) shakes hands with Papua New Guinean Prime Minister Michael Thomas Somare in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, Oct. 3, 2009. The two countries also have maintained good communication and coordination in multilateral affairs, Li said. China appreciates the Papua New Guinean government's adherence to the one-China policy, Li said. He said China is willing to work with Papua New Guinea to put into practice all of the important agreements reached by leaders from both countries, promote exchanges on various levels and explore the potential for economic and trade cooperation. The vice premier said China has always been supportive of Papua New Guinea's social and economic progress, and would continue to provide assistance to the best of its ability. Somare, on his part, said his government cherishes its cooperative relationship with China and that the past 33 years have witnessed marked development of the relationship. He said, as the country's sixth largest trading partner, China has played an active and significant role in promoting Papua New Guinea's social and economical development. During the talks, Somare reaffirmed his country's continued adherence to the one-China policy. Li said China and Papua New Guinea have economies that are complementary to each other's and there is huge potential for cooperation. Two-way trade totaled 860 million U.S. dollars in 2008. The vice premier said China will continue to encourage more of its enterprises to invest in Papua New Guinea. Both countries, he said, should broaden their areas of cooperation to agriculture, manufacturing and high-tech, apart from energy and resources. Somare said Papua New Guinea would like to strengthen cooperation with China in trade, investment, agriculture, infrastructure, manufacturing, education and healthcare. He also said the preferential loans China has provided to Pacific island nations over the past three years have greatly helped the overall economic and social development of these nations. Li arrived here on Tuesday on an official visit to Papua New Guinea, the last leg of his three-nation tour. Ha has already visited Australia and New Zealand.
BEIJING, Oct. 26 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Vice Premier Li Keqiang's upcoming visit to three nations would help advance bilateral relations between China and the three nations, said a senior official here on Monday. "The visit will cement and promote our political mutual trust and traditional friendship," Chinese Vice Foreign Minister He Yafei told Xinhua. Li will pay an official visit to Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea from Oct. 29 to Nov. 5 at the invitation of governments of the three countries. "This is an important visit paid recently by Chinese leader to the south Pacific region," He said, noting that the three governments attached great importance to the visit. During the visit, Li will meet with the leaders of the three nations, attend the signing ceremony of bilateral agreements and make extensive contacts with officials of local governments, businessmen and peoples from all circles, according to He. The visit would help promote friendly exchanges and pragmatic cooperation between China and the three countries in trade, energy, resources, science, education and other fields, and strengthen bilateral coordination in international and regional affairs, he noted. Hailing the considerable progress in recent years, He said the Chinese government had always attached great importance to developing friendly and cooperative relations with the three countries. "We always grasp the development direction of bilateral relations from a strategic and long-term perspective, adhere to the five principles of peaceful co-existence, and stick to the spirit of mutual benefit to strengthen our dialogue and cooperation," He noted. "Seeking peace, development and cooperation is our common voice," He said, noting that in many ways, China's relations with the three countries faced a huge potential and rare opportunity for development. He also provided detailed statistics to show the growth of bilateral relations, saying that economies of China and the three nations were highly complementary. Australia is China's eighth largest trading partner and an important supplier of energy resources. Bilateral trade volume with Australia in 2008 reached 59.66 billion U.S. dollars. New Zealand is the first developed country which signed and implemented the bilateral free trade agreement with China. Both Australia and New Zealand recognized China's full market economy status. Papua New Guinea for many years is China's largest trading partner and investment destination in the Pacific island region. According to incomplete statistics, at present, there are 130,000 Chinese students studying in Australia, and about 34,870 studying in New Zealand. The people-to-people exchanges between China and Papua New Guinea is also very active. "Facts show that the development of the relationship between China and these countries has a solid foundation, and accords with the common interests of both sides," He noted.
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BEIJING, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) -- Chinese central authorities have stressed the promotion of honesty and uprightness among the public, especially government officials, in enhancing clean governance and anti-corruption drive. It is imperative to foster and carry forward the merit of honesty and uprightness, and officials should have the awareness of using power justly and pursue clean-fingered work style, according to suggestions on clean governance put forward by six central government departments. The six departments also urged to strengthen education on the public about the value of honesty and cleanness combining social morality, professional ethics, family virtues and personal moral character. It is stressed that anti-corruption should be a subject that is reflected in literature works, films and TV dramas, as well as newspapers and magazines, books, and electronic products. The suggestions were jointly issued by the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, the Ministry of Supervision, Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee, the Ministry of Culture, State Administration of Radio, Film and Television and the General Administration of Press and Publication.
WUHAN, Nov. 28 (Xinhua) -- A senior leader of the Communist Party of China (CPC) has urged officials and governments at all levels to serve the people by addressing their concerns. He Guoqiang, member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Central Committee, made the remarks during his visit in Chibi City of central China's Hubei Province on Saturday. He said officials and governments must solve well the problems that concern people's immediate interests to ensure social harmony and stability. When visiting a local village and urban community of the city, He urged local officials to help residents increase their incomes and answer the needs required by the people. He asked the officials to improve their ability of resolving practical problems to bring about more tangible benefits to local people. He, also secretary of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection of the CPC, also called on local Party organs to improve their organizational construction, promote intra-party democracy and strengthen the struggle against corruption.
BEIJING, Nov. 17 (Xinhua) -- China and the United States will more vigorously promote cultural exchanges between the two nations and their people, and send more students to each other's country to study, a joint statement said here on Tuesday. "The two sides noted the importance of people-to-people and cultural exchanges in fostering closer China-U.S. bilateral relations and therefore agreed in principle to establish a new bilateral mechanism to facilitate these exchanges," the statement said. In recent years, the number of students studying in each other's country keeps rising. Currently there are nearly 100,000 Chinese students studying in the United States. "The U.S. will receive more Chinese students and facilitate visa issuance for them," the statement said. In China, there are about 20,000 American students studying. The United States will launch a new initiative to encourage more American students to study in China. "Over the coming four years, the U.S. will send 100,000 students to China, and the Chinese side welcomed this decision," it said. China and the U.S. agreed to expedite negotiations to renew in 2010 a cultural exchange accord, and jointly hold the Second China-U.S. Cultural Forum in the United States at an appropriate time, the statement added.
HOHHOT, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- Police said Tuesday they had shot and killed an escaped prisoner and apprehended three others in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. The four escaped on Saturday from the No. 2 Prison in Hohhot, capital of Inner Mongolia, after killing a prison guard, said a spokesman from the regional public security department. Acting on information from local residents, police surrounded the men in Helin County early Tuesday, after they had hijacked a motor tricycle and taken the woman driver hostage. Police shot dead Gao Bo, who resisted arrest and injured a police officer with knife, said the spokesman. Policemen escort an escaped prisoner in Hohhot, capital of north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Oct. 20, 2009. Police said Tuesday they had shot and killed one escaped prisoner and apprehended three others in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region Another man, Qiao Hai, was shot and injured. He had tried to kill himself by cutting his throat with knife and jumping off a building before being captured, the spokesman said. The hostage suffered minor injuries, he said. Police began to hunt for the four, aged from 21 to 28, soon after their escape and the prison management issued an appeal through a local television station for information leading to their arrest. Two of the men were serving suspended death sentences and two were serving life prison terms, said the spokesman without giving details of their convictions. The public security department of Inner Mongolia said 12,300 police and armed police officers had been deployed to search for the escapees, who were regarded as dangerous. Police searched thousands of hotels, nightclubs and Internet bars, questioned 47,500 people and stopped 24,600 vehicles. The four prisoners were on the run for only 66 hours before they were apprehended. "We appreciate the local residents' help in hunting the prisoners," said Zhao Liping, head of the public security department of the region." It's a successful people's war against the criminals."