“五福”迎新年：湖北武當山祈福迎新年

福迎China's envoy to Washington has urged the US to do more to resolve the nuclear crisis on the Korean Peninsula, while stressing that the UN resolution on Pyongyang also calls for dialogue and peace talks

新年湖Hyra described the massive transformation in the U Street/Shaw area, where the city's once most infamous open-air drug market has become a farmers' market now selling grass-fed beef and homemade duck egg ravioli北武當The Wharf residential and business project I visited recently is probably one of the biggest

山祈福The same urban renewal is happening in other parts of Washington迎新年The U Street/Shaw and 14th Street area has fast been turned into an upscale neighborhood in recent years, with many new restaurants and shops opening and new apartment construction福迎Only a short walk from the National Mall, it looks like a good place to live, work and hang out新年湖The area has seen a sharp increase in the white population and skyrocketing property prices, a sign of gentrification in the Washington DC北武當He saw major issues of gentrification and segregation in Washington beneath the surface of rapid urban renewal

山祈福Located in southwest Washington along the waterfront next to the famed Maine Avenue Fish Market, its first phase will open on Oct 12迎新年"An effort to reduce sugary drink intake of teenagers is urgently needed," Liang Xiaofeng, deputy director of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, said福迎President Xi came across as someone who cares for his people, his country, and the world

新年湖That just shows how accepted we have been here in China北武當But what I have found disturbing is that this happens rarely today, as everyone is glued to their phones山祈福She was recently on the stage making the pledge to the Party on behalf of all the students who were receiving honglingjin (the red scarves worn by Chinese Young Pioneers)迎新年But all that is changing for the better due to efforts from the Shanghai government

People moving together as one and with a vision is a great strength to have indeedWhen we arrived from Sydney a few weeks ago and got into a taxi, the driver was talking to us for an hour and a half

What do you feel has been China's biggest achievement in recent years? I read a report that about 95 million people were taken out of poverty in China over the past decade, and that's a really significant achievement that reflects 40 years of amazing achievements in ChinaChina needs to teach other countries how to do thisThe document was struck by China, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), the United States, the Republic of Korea (ROK), Russia and Japan during the fourth round of the six-party talksChinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lu Kang made the remarks at a routine press briefing, saying China is open to all efforts that are conducive to solving the issue peacefully via political and diplomatic means

In return, the United States promised not to use nuclear weapons or conventional weapons to attack or invade the DPRKIn the statement, the DPRK reaffirmed its commitment to abandoning nuclear weapons and existing nuclear programs"We believe if the parties concerned can adhere to those consensus, abide by the spirit of the joint statement and seek ways to address the reasonable concerns of concerned parties, we will find a way out," said the spokespersonLu said the parties concerned should learn from experience in reaching the agreement, which includes holding that the core of the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue is over security issues, the key lies with the United States and the DPRK, and concerns of all parties should be resolved in a balanced way

BEIJING -- China said Tuesday that the six-party talks are still an efficient platform to address the Korean Peninsula nuclear issueLaunched in 2003, the six-party talks were suspended in December 2008

Lu said the joint statement, signed on Sept 19, 2005, is the most important progress in addressing the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue through negotiations, and is of milestone significanceChina also proposed a dual-track approach to denuclearization on the peninsula on the one hand and establishing a peace mechanism on the other

China has put forward the "double suspension" proposal, which requires the DPRK to suspend its missile and nuclear activities in exchange for the suspension of large-scale US-ROK military drillsThe DPRK walked out of the talks in April 2009 in protest against UN sanctionsAbe, who also heads the LDP, is set to provisionally dissolve the lower chamber of Japan's bicameral system of parliament on Sept 28, as this is when the extraordinary Diet session will be convened, according to LDP sources close to the matterHowever, the prime minister has the authority to dissolve the lower chamber and call a general election at willThis scenario would see official campaigning for the national poll kick off on Oct 10, with voters thereafter casting their ballots on Oct 22A lower house election must be held by December 2018 as this is when the four-year terms of current lower house lawmakers expire

If Abe goes ahead with his plan to call a snap election, then three by-elections that have been slated to take place on Oct 22 would be replaced by the general electionThe opposition camp, however, has criticized Abe's move to call a snap election, with some accusing him of merely trying to escape from the influence-peddling scandals he is currently implicated in and engineering his stay in power

"Nikai on Tuesday, during a meeting of ruling LDP executives reportedly conveyed Abe's intentions and relayed the party's determination to get all of its candidates fielded in the racePrior to Abe's departure Monday for a five-day trip to New York to attend the UN General Assembly, Abe told Nikai during a meeting that he "will decide on the timing of the snap election after returning from the UN General Assembly on Friday

Abe last dissolved the lower house of parliament in November 2014 and thereafter led the ruling coalition to a sweeping victory in the following election in DecemberIn addition, the fact that new opposition parties in the process of being formed will not have time to organize themselves and mount a serious challenge to Abe and the LDP in such a short space of time, has made many political watchers question Abe's regard for democracy and the will of the people

TOKYO - Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is gearing up to dissolve the lower house of parliament and call a snap general election, Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) Secretary General Toshihiro Nikai confirmed on TuesdayThe support rate for Abe's cabinet has improved moderately recently, and the opposition camp has accused the prime minister of taking advantage of this and have slammed the possible general election as being unnecessary and serving Abe's personal, not political objectivesThe application for UNESCO heritage status submitted by more than 10 groups from China, the Republic of Korea and other countries and regions will "allow the world to fully understand the brutality of the war of agrression, remember history, cherish peace and defend human dignity," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lu Kang said at a regular news briefingBEIJING -- Japan should act correctly towards an application for records of comfort women to be listed as UNESCO heritage, instead of threatening not to pay its UNESCO membership fees, a Chinese spokesperson said Monday

If the submitted documents are approved for the UNESCO Memory of the World Register next month, domestic pressure for Japan to cancel payment of its UNESCO membership fees will grow, according to Japanese media"The members of international organizations are obliged to pay their membership fees on time and in full

China demands Japan reflect on its history of aggression, and take a correct attitude towards and do not smear or meddle with the application," Lu saidThe move serves the purposes of the UNESCO, he said

Forceful recruitment of comfort women, or sex slaves, was a grave crime committed by the Japanese militarism during WWIIThere is solid evidence and no room for denying that, Lu said

He said that Japan should handle the issue properly and in a responsible way to gain trust from its Asian neighbors and the international communityPeople from the DPRK and the ROK belong to the same ethnic group, and China has always supported the two countries in strengthening exchanges, improving ties and promoting reconciliation, he saidLu's comment came after ROK President Moon Jae-in suggested that his country could go ahead with humanitarian aid to the DPRK "regardless of political situations," despite Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's request for consideration of the timing of the proposed aidBEIJING -- China hopes that concerned parities can understand and respect the emotions of the people and support normal exchanges between the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) and the Republic of Korea (ROK), Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lu Kang said Monday

"All the UN Security Council resolutions that imposed sanctions on the DPRK, including the newly adopted Resolution 2375, have stated clearly that they are not intended to have a negative effect on the livelihoods and humanitarian needs of the people there," Lu said at a daily press briefing"I think this is not only good for China, but will also be a positive influence to the whole international system," he said

For example, Singapore can become a launchpad for Chinese companies to march into international markets, and they can make the best of Singapore's trade and service facilities as a financial center and transport hubSingapore's cooperation with China concerning the Belt and Road Initiative, Lee said, is focused on infrastructure inter-connectivity, financial projects and third-country programs such as personnel training, which Singapore believes can combine advantages of both sides

The two sides are expected to exchange views on bilateral ties and issues of common concern, the Chinese Foreign Ministry announced FridayIn the interview, Lee said the Initiative-related cooperation in sectors such as infrastructure investments, trade and tourism can help further "integrate China into regional and international economic systems while greatly boosting the prosperity and development in other countries