Xi stresses development of modern vocational education system

The Chinese president is calling for efforts to speed up the development of the modern vocational education system and cultivate more high-quality technical professionals.

Xi Jinping made the remarks in an instruction on improving the country's vocational education.

The president suggested it's necessary to reform training and schooling modes as well as management and support mechanisms related to vocational education.

He called for promoting bachelor-level vocational education and bringing about a number of quality vocational education institutions and programs.

Official data shows nearly 31 million students are currently acquiring skills in over 11,000 vocational education institutions across China.

Chinese premier calls for healthy China-US ties

The Chinese premier is suggesting China and the United States advance towards the same goal of enlarging common interests and maintaining safety and stability of industrial chains and supply chains.

Li Keqiang has held a virtual dialogue with some U.S. business leaders.

He said China will open its door wider and wider, vowing to continuously release domestic market potential and make China an important magnet for foreign business and investment.

The U.S. representatives said that bringing the bilateral relations back to the constructive track conforms to the two countries' common interests.

China firmly opposes any sort of official relationship between U.S., Taiwan: spokesperson

Beijing has reiterated its opposition against any form of official ties between Washington and Taipei.

The U.S. has revised its so-called "rules" regarding its contacts with Taiwan, which lifts several previously-imposed restrictions on this matter.

Spokesperson Ma Xiaoguang for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council says the three China-U.S. joint communiques are the U.S. government's solid commitment to the Chinese side on adherence to the one-China principle.

He urges the U.S. side to live up to its commitments, stop sending wrong signals to separatist forces seeking "Taiwan independence," and safeguard the peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait through its actions.

He also warns the plot of Taiwan's Democratic Progressive Party authority to rely on the United States to seek "Taiwan independence" is doomed to fail.

HKSAR government unveils draft plan to improve procedures

The Hong Kong government has unveiled a draft plan on changes to the local electoral system. 

This comes after China's top legislature last month adopted a package of legislative changes to improve the region's electoral system. 

Chief Executive Carrie Lam says the Executive Council has approved the local electoral amendment bill. 

The bill will be introduced into the Legislative Council on Wednesday for first reading and second reading.

Lam also says the local Legislative Council (LegCo) election will take place on December 19.

Xinjiang court accepts lawsuit against Adrian Zenz

A court in Xinjiang has accepted a lawsuit against so-called German scholar Adrian Zenz for fabricating "forced labor" rumors.

Adrian Zenz has claimed that there is "forced labor" at a number of textile and clothing companies in Xinjiang.

An enterprise in Kashgar Prefecture says the false claims made by Adrian Zenz has seriously damaged its reputation and caused severe economic losses.

Shache Xiongying Textile Company is demanding Adrian Zenz to stop infringement, eliminate the impact induced by the rumors, tender an apology, and compensate for the losses.

Chinese regulators urge platform enterprises to rectify problems

Chinese regulators are calling for internet platform enterprises to comprehensively rectify problems within time limits and establish a new order in the platform economy.

Representatives from 34 internet platform enterprises have attended a meeting jointly held by the country's top market, cyberspace and taxation authorities.

The enterprises are urged to strictly prevent the disorderly expansion of capital to ensure economic and social security and guard against the formation of monopolies to ensure fair market competition.

China's foreign trade up 29.2 pct in Q1

China's total imports and exports of goods surged 29 percent year on year to 8.5 trillion yuan, or about 1.3 trillion U.S. dollars, in the first quarter of 2021.

Exports jumped 39 percent from a year earlier while imports climbed 19 percent.

The General Administration of Customs has attributed the surge in foreign trade to China's continuous progress in pandemic prevention and control, as well as economic and social development.