Xi calls for public security forces to be loyal to CPC
Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC), Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and Liu Yunshan, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, meet with heroes and role models from public security departments across the country at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, May 19, 2017. (Xinhua/Ju Peng)

Chinese President Xi Jinping met with heroes and role models from public security departments across the country on Friday, stressing loyalty to the Communist Party of China (CPC).

Xi, also general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, called for those working in the country’s public security departments to serve the people, promote impartiality in law enforcement, and remain disciplined.

Premier Li Keqiang and Liu Yunshan, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, also joined the meeting.

Xi said that the heroes and role models are not only models for the public security system, but also the whole of society.

Hailing the public security forces as a team with a glorious tradition and excellent work, Xi said they have made remarkable contributions in safeguarding national security and social stability.

They have forged an “indestructible iron wall” for national security, public security and the safety of people’s lives and property, with their sweat, and even blood and lives, the president said.

Xi said he was deeply moved by stories of public security officers risking their lives when carrying out missions, adding that he also felt sorrow for those who lost their lives during missions.

The great spirit of heroes and role models should be carried forward in the entire country in cultivating and practicing the socialist core values, said Xi.

Xi called on public security forces to devote their utmost efforts to safeguarding national security and social stability, so as to meet the public needs and create a safe and stable social environment for the upcoming 19th National Congress of the CPC later this year.

CPC committees and governments at various levels were also urged to support public security forces and take care of police officers.

A total of 615 public security units and 1,320 individuals were honored at Friday’s meeting.



Radio interview with Banksy & Pinky, Triple M Central Queensland

BANKSY:

Malcolm Turnbull, our Prime Minister is in the area at the moment and is also I believe, on the phone. Good morning Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull.

PINKY:

You’ll just have to pop him through.

PRIME MINISTER:

Good to be with you.

PINKY:

Hello!

BANKSY:

Good to be with you indeed. Now we’ve got several questions here that we want to pose to you, see if you can shed some light on things. But It hasn’t just come from us, we’ve got it from our listeners as well.

PINKY:

Yeah, first things first Malcolm, how do we know you’re not Laurence Moonie, pretending to be Malcolm Turnbull.

PRIME MINISTER:

Well I’ll just have to be convincing.

BANKSY:

I’m still not sure, listening to that voice.

PINKY:

We’re really pleased you’ve joined us this morning. Of course, you’re on the front page of our paper, The Bulletin saying you want to give CQ region a fair go.

BANKSY:

What do you mean by a fair go Prime Minister, in what way?

PRIME MINISTER:

Well what we’re talking about is the City Deals, the greater collaborations between the Federal Government, state Government and local government. One of the big changes I made as Prime Minister was to say that we should work as partners rather than the Federal Government just being an ATM. So you’ve seen, we’ve done this in Townsville, we have a City Deal there, and we’re working closely with the State Government and Local Government. Ewan Jones of course was a big driver, the former Federal Member. We have, we’re supporting the stadium there, the Townsville Eastern Access Rail Corridor, taking the train line out of the center of the city. Really, promoting the development of that city.

But it’s a different quality of engagement you know. As I said, the states and the local governments to some extend have essentially treated Canberra as an ATM. We’ve got to be better than that, we’ve got to be smarter, we’ve got to be more involved.

BANKSY:

So what you’re saying is you’re trying to put more money into this area so that we get a fair go with tall the money that we seem to give to the Government 24/7?

PRIME MINISTER:

But to be real partners. Of course you need partnership. One of the challenges that we have here in Rockhampton in particular, Michelle Landry and I were talking about this last night with people in the Hedrick’s Lane pub, we had a very good ‘politics in the pub’ evening –

PINKY:

Cool.

PRIME MINISTER:

Which was very –

BANKSY:

Mid strength?

PRIME MINISTER:

(Laughter)

Mid strength yeah, plenty of talking from my part, not a lot of drinking but yeah. Plenty of listening.

BANKSY:

Good.

PRIME MINISTER:

A lot of enthusiasm for that Rookwood Weir, and as I was saying to the Premier yesterday, we really urge the Queensland Government to get behind that. We have $130 million dollars on the table. The business case is being completed, it will stack up very well, we’ve no doubt about that. We should get on with it, because for a big water storage enhancement, it is a relatively low environmental impact, because it’s not like building a dam and flooding a whole valley, it’s backing the river up

BANKSY:

Yeah.

PRIME MINISTER:

I think it’s really worth supporting. That will provide, you know, water is water –

BANKSY:

Is life.

PRIME MINISTER:

Its good soil, it’s life and also money and jobs.

BANKSY:

Well look speaking of money and jobs and environmental impact, can I ask you about Adani?

PRIME MINISTER:

Yes.

BANKSY:

We’ve had a question come through from one of our listeners.

PINKY:

Yeah, a groundsman, he wants to know why we need Adani in Rockhampton.

BANKSY:

Are we looking at an economic boost here, or protection of the environmental impact? What’s a bigger priority for you Malcolm Turnbull?

PRIME MINISTER:

Well you’ve got to do both and I think the environmental argument – there are a number of environmental arguments put against Adani. All of the environmental tests and criteria have been approved now. So the project should be able to go ahead, subject to Mr Adani and his company satisfying –

BANKSY:

Without environmental impact?

PRIME MINISTER:

Yes, but can I just make this point to you? A lot of the protesters about Adani seem to either want Indians to go without electricity, or Queenslanders to go without jobs. We’ve got to be very clear about this. India is a poor country, it is growing rapidly, they need to quadruple their electricity production between now and 2033. Yes, they are doing a lot on renewables. They’re building a lot of solar. Adani has got the biggest solar plant in India. They’re building windmills, windfarms, and hydro. They’re going to need to import a lot more coal in absolute terms for many years. Coal will be, in 20-30 years time in India, coal will be a smaller percentage of their electricity mix than it is today, but they’ll still be importing more of it in absolute terms. Now if they don’t buy it from Queensland, they’ll buy if form somewhere else. It won’t be as clean coal, as it is from Queensland, it will be lower quality coal but the relevant thing is they’ll still be burning coal.

BANKSY:

So they’re gonna get it from somewhere, you would prefer them get it from us to increase our economic fortune?

PRIME MINISTER:

Sure. Well why would we want – I mean again, the protestors have got to ask themselves these two questions – are they saying Indians should go without electricity? Because I’ve been there with the Prime Minister and the Energy Minister. They want to reduce their emissions, their greenhouse gas emissions –

BANKSY:

Look I can assume, sorry Prime Minister –

PRIME MINISTER:

But they feel they have to burn more coal.

BANKSY:

I can only assume that the protestors are saying: ‘We don’t want them to go without, we don’t want our economic situation to fail – we just don’t want it to impact the environment in a way that is going to not benefit generations to come.’

PRIME MINISTER:

Well there are two questions there – there is the global environment and the local environment. In terms of the global environment I think I’ve addressed that – that’s the question of greenhouse gas emissions, India will progress to lower emissions but they’ve got to give people access to electricity rapidly and they feel, their considered judgement is they’re going to need to import more coal for some time yet so we may as well export it to them.

As far as the local environment is concerned, the impact on water and the Reef and all of those factors – that’s all been taken into account very carefully by the federal and state government environmental approvals.

BANKSY:

Right. Look, I just want to shift gears for a moment. We’ve had some more questions come through from our listeners. Parents returning to work – there is a big push by the government at the moment to get parents back into the workplace. What we want to know is why aren’t we supporting parents staying at home to be parents? Why are we pushing them back into the workplace?

PRIME MINISTER:

I wouldn’t say they’re being pushed into the workplace.

BANKSY:

You want more parents to return to the workforce though.

PRIME MINISTER:

What we want is – you’re talking about the ParentsNext announcement that we made here in Rockhampton with Michelle Landry yesterday.

BANKSY:

Yes, that’s the one.

PRIME MINISTER:

That is really about parents, typically young parents, typically single mums with small children who have often not completed school or have been disconnected with the work force, have lost their confidence – there is a risk that unless they get the support and the training and the encouragement they need, they could end up being on welfare for the rest of their lives. Now the best form of welfare is a job and it is important for those young parents, and I say they’re mostly mums, to be getting young mums to be getting that support. I met with some of them with Michelle yesterday here in Rockhampton and some great stories.

BANKSY:

And they want to get back into the work place?

PRIME MINISTER:

Well, yes, they want to be in a position to either get back into the workplace or finish school, get the skills, the training they need so that when the kids are older they can get back into-

BANKSY:

They have the skills.

PRIME MINISTER:

Their goal is to be either employed or employable.

PINKY:

Yes.

BANKSY:

Okay.

PRIME MINISTER:

And I think both of those are important objectives.

PINKY:

Well, it’s breaking a cycle there too so yeah it’s not all about pushing people away from being parents. Being a parent is not easy!

Hey Malcolm, I was wondering – look, I think you’re in great nick – I want to know how you keep fit? Having the most demanding job that you do – I’d like to know your tips? You’re clearly fitting it all in.

BANKSY:

This comes from the fittest member of the show this morning.

(Laughter)

PRIME MINISTER:

You’re very kind. Well, look, I exercise for at least, I would say, at least half an hour and probably on average three quarters of an hour, or an hour most days.

PINKY:

Wow, and what do you do?

PRIME MINISTER:

It depends where I am. I’ll either walk, I’ll use a rowing machine. If I’m with Lucy, if I’m in Sydney or if Lucy is down in Canberra we’ll often go for a long walk. I swim in the summer.

PINKY:

Oh yep.

PRIME MINISTER:

I paddle a kayak. Ride a bike occasionally. So, you know, I do a variety of things – you’ve gotta mix it up but the important thing is to keep moving. Exercise every day and get your sleep. That’s two good tips to be prime minister.

PINKY:

Yeah, I agree. And have you tried CrossFit yet?

(Laughter)

PRIME MINISTER:

CrossFit? No, I’m not sure-

PINKY:

Put that in your diary.

BANKSY:

What is this cross fit you speak of? (Laughter)

PINKY:

You might like, Malcolm, just to mix things up!

PRIME MINISTER:

Is this like a ‘Netflix and chill’ thing? (Laughter)

PINKY:

No it’s not that. (Laughter)

That’s another thing if you haven’t tried out – you should! No CrossFit is weight bearing so lots of weight lifting activities. It’s really cool.

PRIME MINISTER:

Oh yeah, okay.

BANKSY:

He’s got the weight of the nation on him right now Pinky! (Laughter)

PRIME MINISTER:

You know actually that’s a good reminder because I think I probably don’t do enough weights.

PINKY:

Yeah weights!

PRIME MINISTER:

I do some Pilates occasionally. Lucy is very keen on Pilates.

PINKY:

Oh yeah.

BANKSY:

There you go!

PRIME MINISTER:

I do some of that with her.

PINKY:

Keep your core strength strong.

BANKSY:

And all these things are better than eating a raw onion for health purposes I’ve got to say. (Laughter)

PINKY:

Of course.

BANKSY:

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, we thank you for your time this morning. We know you’re very busy and heading around the regions and spreading the message of getting a fair go.

PRIME MINISTER:

Heading to Emerald yep. Okay, terrific, great to be with you.

BANKSY:

And we’d love to have a fair go here in Central Queensland as well. We appreciate your time, enjoy your visit.

PRIME MINISTER:

I will, thanks a lot.

[ENDS]



Russians seek TCM care across border

The director of a Harbin hospital said she has been glad to see traditional Chinese medicine becoming more popular. But in this case, the new patients are not Chinese, but Russians who cross into the border province of Heilongjiang for treatment.

“Our center received its first patient from Russia in 2001, and since then the number of Russian patients has been increasing,” said Wang Yan, director of the rehabilitation center of Second Hospital Affiliated with the Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine.

“During the peak seasons between April and October they come in groups of 50 or 60, and they sometimes have to make an appointment to be able to see a doctor.”

Many patients are children or teenagers with difficult and chronic conditions such as brain-related illnesses or injuries, she said. Doctors provide comprehensive TCM treatment, such as herbal drugs and acupuncture.

“We found many Russian patients have more confidence in TCM than Chinese patients,” she said. “We have employed some Russians as translators to facilitate communication.”

Iuliia Matreninskaia, 38, from Russia, took her son to the hospital for treatment this month for the fifth time.

She said she first took her 10-year-old son, Daria, who has cerebral palsy, to Wang’s hospital in 2012, and her son’s brain function has since improved and he is able to move better.

Matreninskaia considers the medical facilities better and costs lower in Heilongjiang than at private hospitals in Russia.

Wang Hailin, president of Mishan Cardiovascular Diseases Hospital in Mishan, Heilongjiang, said many Russian patients seen by the hospital have conditions such as arthritis and varicose veins whose symptoms can be worsened by cold weather.

“TCM has proved to be effective in these diseases,” he said. “We plan to work with hospitals in Russia and tourism agencies this year to attract more Russian patients.”

Shao Zongbo, a manager at Mishan Qianshou Tourism Agency, said more than 200 Russians have used to agency to arrange for healthcare visits to the province every week this year. Most of them come from Russia’s eastern areas, such as Vladivostok and Ussuriysk, he said.

“In the beginning, most of them came here for treatment of diseases, but now many of them also come for other health-related services such as massage,” he said.

TCM institutions across China provided 910 million services in 2015, accounting for 15.7 percent of all medical services in China, compared with 14.3 percent in 2009, according to a report released by the State Council Information Office in December.



China succeeds in mining combustible ice in S. China Sea

Photo taken on May 16, 2017 shows the flames spouting from the trial mining site in the Shenhu area of the South China Sea. [Photo/Xinhua]

China has succeeded in collecting samples of combustible ice in the South China Sea, a major breakthrough that may lead to a global energy revolution, Minister of Land and Resources Jiang Daming said Thursday.

This is China’s first success in mining flammable ice at sea, after nearly two decades of research and exploration, the minister said at a trial mining site in the Shenhu area of the South China Sea Thursday.

Combustible ice usually exists in seabed or tundra areas, which have the strong pressure and low temperature necessary for its stability. It can be ignited like solid ethanol, which is why it is called “combustible ice.”

One cubic meter of “combustible ice”, a kind of natural gas hydrate, is equal to 164 cubic meters of regular natural gas.

China found flammable ice in the South China Sea in 2007.

International scientific circles have predicted that the natural gas hydrate is the best replacement for oil and natural gas.

According to Zhong Ziran, head of the China Geological Survey Bureau, combustible ice is more environmentally friendly and large reserves exist.

Mining of combustible ice started in the 1960s, but China began research in 1998.

Trial mining of combustible ice in the Shenhu sea, about 320 kilometers southeast of Zhuhai City in Guangdong, started on March 28. Experts first tapped the natural gas hydrate at a depth of 1,266 meters underwater last Wednesday.

An average of 16,000 cubic meters of gas with high purity was extracted each day.

Experts believe that the success shows China has mastered combustible ice mining technology.

Natural gas hydrate is an efficient, abundant and clean energy and is also strategically important for future global energy development, the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the State Council said in a congratulatory letter.

The success marks a historic breakthrough after nearly two decades of continuous efforts and independent innovations by China in theory, technology, engineering and equipment for natural gas hydrate exploration and exploitation, according to the letter.

It is a great technological breakthrough in accessing the deep sea, deep-sea exploration and exploitation, said the letter.

It is another landmark achievement by Chinese people to bravely scale new heights of science and technology, and will have a profound impact on driving the revolution in energy production and consumption.

However, this is merely a critical step in a very long journey, with a daunting task ahead, said the letter, encouraging the staff to promote the industrialization of natural gas hydrate exploration and exploitation.

“Many countries along the Maritime Silk Road have a demand for combustible ice mining,” said Qiu Haijun, director of the trial mining commanding headquarters.

“With the advanced technology we could help resolve the energy resource problem and boost economic development and exchanges between countries,” Qiu said.



Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region to suffer from ozone pollution

Beijing, Tianjin, and parts of Hebei Province will suffer from moderate to heavy levels of air pollution on May 18 and 19, with O3 as the primary pollutant. [File Photo/Xinhua]

Heavy air pollution, including high ground level ozone (O3) levels, is likely to hit Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei and some of its neighboring areas in the coming days, the Ministry of Environmental Protection (MEP) said Thursday.

Beijing, Tianjin, and parts of Hebei Province will suffer from moderate to heavy levels of air pollution on May 18 and 19, with O3 as the primary pollutant, the MEP said in an online statement.

Days of high temperatures have contributed to the formation of O3, a pollutant that can be harmful when reaching a certain density.

According to the National Meteorological Center, the country’s northern region is likely to see temperatures above 35 degrees Celsius on May 19.

China has been imposing controls on air pollution in Beijing and nearby regions this year to combat heavy smog, caused mainly by fine particulate matter PM2.5.

The density of O3 tends to rise as PM2.5 falls, according to the Chinese Academy of Sciences, as less particulate matter creates a favorable environment for the formation of O3.

China has simultaneously rolled out measures to control the levels of PM2.5 and O3, while further research will be targeted on O3 formation mechanisms to better contain the pollutant.

A weak cold front is expected from May 20 to 23, improving air quality in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, although some areas will still face moderate levels of pollution made up primarily of O3 and PM10, MEP said.