China win silver in womens 4x200m, break Asian record at World Relay

(CNTV)11:06, May 13, 2019

China clinched a silver medal in the womens 4×200-meter final, creating an Asian record of 1:32.76 at the 2019 IAAF World Relay in Yokohama, Japan, on Sunday.

Despite strong line-ups Jamaica and the USA failed to grab the crown due to some worst exchanges.

Jamaica eventually claimed the bronze medal with 1:33.21, while the USA were disqualified because of a foul. France cruised to victory with 1:32.16, a world best this year.

The Chinese four (Liang Xiaojing, Wei Yongli, Kong Lingwei and Ge Manqi) performed well during the transient competition.

Liang and Wei handed over smoothly, and there was a deadly turnover of Jamaicas first-second baton handover which gave the top seed a slim winning chance. Chinas track position was relatively ahead, and inside-running France took a clear advantage. To the fourth baton, Ge Manqi kept the second till the end and nailed a silver medal for China.

FIFA World Cup champions to be awarded Frances Legion of Honor in June

(Xinhua)15:36, May 14, 2019

PARIS, May 13 (Xinhua) — The 23 players from the 2018 FIFA World Cup champions France will be awarded the Legion of Honor at the Elysee Palace on June 4, French sports newspaper LEquipe reported on Monday.

As their predecessors did following the 1998 World Cup victory, the 2018 world champions will receive the honor, which was granted by French President Emmanuel Macron during a reception following their return from Moscow on July 16, 2018.

The French team will train in Clairefontaine for the two Euro 2020 qualifiers on June 8 and 11. They will also play a friendly against Bolivia in Nantes on June 2, and be honored following their return.

The presentation of the Legion of Honor was initially scheduled on November 13, 2018, before being put off to a later date.

The 23 French title-winning footballers appeared among 345 Chevalier of the Legion of Honor receivers in an official list on January 1.

The teams coach Didier Deschamps, already honored as a player in 1998, will be elevated to Officer on the rank of the Legion of Honor.

China set to host 2023 Asian Cup as South Korea scraps bid

(Xinhua)08:32, May 16, 2019

SEOUL, May 15 (Xinhua) — South Korea has withdrawn its bid to host the 2023 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Asian Cup, giving China a free run to stage the quadrennial competition.

In a statement released on Wednesday, the Korea Football Association (KFA) said it had withdrawn its 2023 Asian Cup bid by sending a letter to the AFC earlier that day.

[The KFA] decided to drop the Asian Cup bid to strategically focus on the hosting of the 2023 FIFA Womens World Cup, KFA Secretary General Chun Han-jin said in the statement.

Chun said that both FIFA and the South Korean government will actively support the co-hosting of the 2023 Womens World Cup by South Korea and the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea (DPRK).

The Chinese Football Association (CFA) filed its bid to host the 2023 AFC Asian Cup back in 2013.

With Indonesia and Thailand having previously withdrawn their hosting bids, it appears likely that the 2023 Asian Cup will be held in China, the only country still in the running to stage the tournament.

China last hosted the Asian Cup in 2004, reaching the final of that years tournament. At the most recent edition of the tournament earlier this year, China advanced to the quarterfinals, where they lost 3-0 to Iran.

The host nation for the 2023 Asian Cup will officially be announced on June 4.

China first in Asia to adopt 3D offside technology in football

(Xinhua)11:29, May 17, 2019

BEIJING, May 16 (Xinhua) — The Chinese Football Association (CFA) introduces the Hawk-Eye 3D Offside System to Chinese Super League (CSL), becoming the first country in Asia to implement one of the most advanced 3D offside technology used for VAR.

The 3D offside technology uses a third dimension to triangulate players body parts to ensure correct decisions, which will also improve clarity and credibility of those crucial game-changing ones. The VAR will have immediate access to this technology so that the decisions can be communicated with the referee, broadcasters and fans.

Specific offside cameras are currently being installed in each of the 15 CSL stadiums with expectations for the system to go live in June 2019.

Cui Enlei, Deputy Director of CFA Refereeing Department, said: It is a leading technology in the world, and were looking forward to creating a better future for Chinese Football with Hawk-Eyes VAR technology.

China crushes Malaysia 5-0 in their opener at Sudirman Cup

(Xinhua)09:43, May 20, 2019

Li Junhui/Liu Yuchen (L) of China compete during the mens doubles match between China and Malaysia in the group stage at Sudirman Cup 2019 in Nanning, south Chinas Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region on May 19, 2019. China won with 5-0 in total. (Xinhua/Cao Yiming)

NANNING, May 19 (Xinhua) — Hot favourite China swept Malaysia 5-0 to start its Sudirman Cup campaign here on Sunday evening.

In the opening match, third-ranked Chinese Li Junhui and Liu Yuchen rallied from one set down to beat 14th-ranked Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik in the mens doubles 18-21, 21-14 and 24-22 in one hour.

Malaysias mens doubles are the young dark horse, they placed second in the All England Open. So we had full preparation, Chinas head coach Zhang Jun said. We held up ourselvese firmly despite lagging behind, and we made adjustment at the right moments to take the third and decisive set.

And Chen Yufei, the All England Open winner, also conceded one set before overcoming Cheah Solina 21-15, 21-23 and 21-14 in the womens singles, helping China enjoy a comfortable 2-0 lead in their Group 1D which also includes India.

Both my opponent and I had nice performance and the match was quite intense actually, said the No. 3 Chen, but I had full preparation for it.

The mens singles turned out to be a lopsided match as world No. 2 Shi Yuqi downed Lee Ziijia 21-12, 21-11 in 35 minutes to seal the win for China, before debutant Du Yue who paired with Li Yinhui, beat Vivian Hoo and Yap Cheng Wen 21-18, 21-14 in the womens doubles.

Top-ranked Huang Yaqiong and Zheng Siwei completed the rout by winning the mixed doubles 21-16, 21-12 over Lai Pei Jing and Tan Kian Meng, including a 55-shot rally in their second game to help the winning pair lead 14-6 for good.

After one-day rest, China will take on its second and last group rival India on Tuesday, while India meets Malaysia on Monday, to decide the top two sides advancing to the quarterfinals from the group.

The Sudirman Cup 2019 kicked off on Sunday, featuring 31 countries and regions in the biennial world mixed team championship which will run till May 26.

China, ASEAN share experience in social development, poverty reduction

(Xinhua)09:33, June 28, 2019

NANNING, June 27 (Xinhua) — The 13th China-ASEAN Forum on Social Development and Poverty Reduction opened Wednesday in southern Chinas Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.

Over 200 government officials, scholars and business representatives from China and member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) attended the event, discussing and sharing innovative practices in realizing the UN sustainable development goals.

China is willing to join ASEAN countries to promote social development and poverty reduction in a more active, practical and efficient way, said Chen Zhigang, deputy head of Chinas State Council Leading Group Office of Poverty Alleviation and Development.

More than 400 anti-poverty officials from over 70 countries have visited Guangxi since 2007, while several international poverty reduction demonstration projects were launched as part of the cooperation projects, said Chen Wu, chairman of the regional government.

After the two-day forum, delegates will visit Longan County under Nanning, the regional capital, to have a close look at local poverty alleviation industries.

Lancang-Mekong countries discuss on cooperation development

(Xinhua)14:44, June 28, 2019

VIENTIANE, June 28 (Xinhua) — Delegations from Laos, Cambodia, China, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam are meeting in Laos capital Vientiane to share their current ICT (information and communication technologies) development and discuss the technology and digital landscape, with the aim of strengthening cooperation in these fields.

A seminar with the theme of Lancang-Mekong Forum on Sustainable Development for ICT or Sustainable Development of the Lancang-Mekong River Basin is being held on Thursday and Friday.

This forum is aimed to serve as a platform to exchange knowledge and experiences among the Lancang-Mekong countries. The event was funded by the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation (LMC) Special Fund for Laos by China.

This forum is part of the activities of Lao Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications to realize its vision for 2030, the 10-Year Development Strategy (2016-2025) and the second phase of the Five-Year Development Plan (2016-2020).

This forum not only provides the opportunity for the participants to share their current ICT development and discuss the technology and digital landscape but also provides a platform to promote good relations and strong friendship among the Lancang-Mekong countries, according to local daily Vientiane Times reported on Friday.

In his remarks at the opening ceremony on Thursday, the Lao Deputy Minister of Post and Telecommunications Thongsay Xanexaya said, With the fast-growing development and in the era of the digital economy, ICT and digital technology has played a crucial role in social and economic development in every country. We hope to deepen cooperation under the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation (LMC) to achieve inclusive and sustainable development in the sub-region on ICT to contribute to the overall country development.

At the forum, representatives and experts shared lessons and experiences in technology and policy guidelines, legislation that highlighted each countrys ICT use, the direction and plans of each country, including the topics related to sustainable development, digital economy and digital transformation.

There were also panelists from the Ministry of Post and Telecommunications, National Institute for Economic Research and Lao ICT Commerce Association to share their thoughts on sustainable development using ICT.

China opposes U.S. defense bill over negative China-related content

(Xinhua)10:22, June 29, 2019

BEIJING, June 28 (Xinhua) — China on Friday voiced opposition to a U.S. defense policy bill over negative China-related provisions.

The U.S. Senate on Thursday passed the National Defense Authorization Act, which includes China-related provisions such as a ban on cooperation between the U.S. Federal Funds and Chinese state-owned enterprises.

China firmly opposes the passage of relevant bill containing negative China-related content, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang said at a press briefing. China has lodged solemn representations with the U.S. side over this.

He said once the bill becomes law, it will undermine China-U.S. relations, and disrupt bilateral cooperation in some important fields.

Geng urged the U.S. side to abandon outdated Cold War mentality and zero-sum game mindset, and view China and China-U.S. relations in an objective and rational manner.

The U.S. side should grasp the general trend of China-U.S. relations, and never allow a bill with negative China-related content to become a law, to avoid undermining the big picture of bilateral ties, Geng added.

DPRK welcomes Trumps proposed meeting but receives no official proposal yet

(Xinhua)15:00, June 29, 2019

PYONGYANG, June 29 (Xinhua) — A senior foreign ministry official of the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea (DPRK) said Saturday that the proposed meeting between the leaders of DPRK and the United States, if it happens, would serve as a meaningful occasion further deepening their personal ties.

Choe Son Hui, first vice minister of the foreign ministry, made the remarks after U.S. President Donald Trump tweeted Saturday morning that he wishes to meet and exchange greetings with top DPRK leader Kim Jong Un in the Demilitarized Zone when he visits South Korea this weekend.

Trump is expected to arrive in Seoul on Saturday evening for a two-day visit to South Korea after attending the Group of 20 (G20) summit in the Japanese city of Osaka. He is set to visit the Demilitarized Zone bordering with the DPRK on Sunday.

Choe said the meeting, as proposed by Trump, would be a very interesting suggestion, but we have not received an official proposal in this regard from the United States, according to a KCNA report.

Kim has held two summits with Trump over the past year. The first was held in Singapore in June 2018 and the second in Hanoi, Vietnam in late February. The negotiations between the two countries on the Korean Peninsula issues were stalled after the Hanoi summit failed to reach an agreement.

China injects valuable confidence, dynamics to world economy

By RenHuanyu (Peoples Daily)09:50, June 30, 2019

The 14th summit of the Group of 20 (G20) was kicked off in Osaka, Japan on June 28. Chinese President Xi Jinping attended the meeting and delivered a speech titled Working Together to Build a High-Quality World Economy.

Xis speech comes at a time when the global economy is once again at a critical crossroads. It expounded on the current global economic situation and the Chinese schemes to improve global governance, and listedmajor measures for China to open up further, reflecting China鈥檚 sense of responsibility to promote win-win cooperation and common development.

The Osaka summit has received high attention from the world, as protectionism and unilateralism are spreading, and trade and investment tensions are on the rise, bringing disruptions to the global industry landscape and financial stability. Besides, the world economy also is confronting more risks and uncertainties.

G20 members represent 2/3 of the global population, nearly 90 percent of the world鈥檚 GDP and nearly 80 percent of the global trade. They shoulder a great responsibility for world economic growth.

At the critical moment, how can G20 truly help stabilize the world economy, drive global growth and enhance global economic governance to bring more benefits to the people of all countries?

With economic globalization facing headwinds, the world economy is in a transition from old to new drivers of growth. Innovation provides the driving force for long-term global growth. A review of historical experience shows that the dynamism and creativity unleashed through institutional reform and the new industries and products enabled by the advances in science and technology have been essential for the world economy to turn the corner and recover from previous major crises.

In today鈥檚 world, when global economy is becoming digital, Xi proposed to build a high-quality world economy.

鈥淲e must find the best way to advance structural reform. We must develop a future-oriented industry structure, policy framework and management system through promoting the digital economy, enhancing connectivity and improving social security, so as to enhance the efficiency and resilience of our economies.鈥?Xi鈥檚 remarks exactly reflected how the world should strive for high-quality development.

Partnership is the most valuable treasure of G20. 鈥淲e, as the leaders of major economies, are duty bound to re-calibrate the direction of the world economy and global governance at this critical juncture, work together to boost market confidence, and bring hope to our people.鈥?Xi called on G20 members to always promote their partnership and treat each other with respect and trust, and in that spirit, engage in consultation as equals, manage differences while seeking common ground, and build greater consensus. What he said showcased the vision of the leader of a major country.

The G20 Leaders Summitmechanism was established 11 years ago to maintain the stability and development of the world economy. It was because unity defeated disputes and win-win cooperation replaced private profits, G20 members have braced difficulties together, navigated the global economy out of recession and brought it back to the track of recovery and growth. When the world economy is at a crossroad today, such partnership is of special importance.

Xi鈥檚 speech responded to the expectation of each party and has won wide applause from the international society. Experts said that the strong voice made by him when global economy was at a critical moment would bring strong support for the sustainable development of world economy, and China has become a source of stability for world economy and global governance.

As the world鈥檚 second largest economy, China has made important contribution to promoting world economic growth and improving global governance, fulfilling its responsibilities as a major country.

It has held twice the Belt and Road Forum on International Cooperation to promote the high-quality development of the Belt and Road construction, took the initiative to establish the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank to inject positive energy to global economic governance, and proposed the vision of consultation, cooperation and benefit for all in global governance and the concept to build a community with shared future for mankind to realize win-win results and common progress.

By proposing new governance ideas, building new cooperation platforms and developing new driving forces, China is highly consistent with the goal of G20. When the world is encountering rampant trade protectionism and unilateralism, China鈥檚 concepts and practices have a profound meaning.

鈥淢ore will be done to open up the Chinese market wider鈥? 鈥済reater initiative will be demonstrated in expanding imports鈥? 鈥渕ore steps will be taken to improve the business environment鈥? 鈥渆qual treatment will be extended to all foreign investment鈥? 鈥済reater efforts will be made to advance trade talks鈥?

The five major measures of opening-up declared by Xi at the summit signaled that China will constantly fulfill its solemn promises with concrete actions, and guide G20 members to form a strong team to jointly build a high-quality world economy.

鈥淐hina has full confidence in following its path and running its own affairs well. At the same time, China will work in the spirit of peaceful co-existence and win-win cooperation with all other countries to build a community with a shared future for mankind and to tirelessly pursue a brighter future of the global economy,鈥?Xi remarked.

The certainty and positive energy from China became the largest highlight of the G20 Osaka summit, injecting valuable confidence and dynamics to the world economy.