China-EU trade, investment witnessing rapid growth By Target Language Translation Services | Updated: 2022-01-18 10:00 The scale of bilateral trade and investment between China and the European Union has grown rapidly in spite of the COVID-19 pandemic. The EU should continue to stand firm on trade liberalization and multilateralism, thus boosting the confidence of foreign enterprises to continue to invest in the bloc, experts said on Monday. Although the global economy is seeing a slow recovery because of the pandemic headwinds, China-EU business ties have been more enhanced than before. China has become the largest trade partner of the EU, and the EU the second-largest for China. From last January to September, China's direct investment in the EU reached $4.99 billion, growing 54 percent year-on-year, said the Ministry of Commerce. "China has always supported the process of European integration. Still, last year, the trade protectionism in the EU became a more prominent problem, and the business environment there stepped back, which may harm Chinese enterprises doing business in the EU," said Zhao Ping, vice-dean of the Academy of China Council for the Promotion of International Trade. The CCPIT is China's foreign trade and investment promotion agency. She made the remarks while the CCPIT released a report in Beijing regarding EU's business environment in 2021 and 2022. The CCPIT surveyed some 300 companies that have operations in the EU. "Since last year, the EU has raised the market access thresholds of foreign companies, and nearly 60 percent of surveyed companies said the foreign investment screening process has brought a certain negative impact on their investments and operations in the EU," Zhao said. Meanwhile, the EU has treated domestic and foreign enterprises differently in the name of pandemic control measures, and Chinese enterprises are facing increasing discrimination at the law enforcement level in the EU, the report said. The surveyed enterprises regarded Germany, France, the Netherlands, Italy and Spain as five EU countries with the best business environments, while the lowest assessment belongs to Lithuania's business environment. Zhao added China-EU economic and trade cooperation has a broad and solid foundation. The two sides have further cooperation potential in the fields including green economy, digital economy and China-Europe Railway Express. Lu Ming, vice-dean of CCPIT Academy, said the EU should insist on opening-up, further relax restrictions on foreign capital entering the EU, ensure fair participation of Chinese enterprises' public procurement in the bloc, and help strengthen the confidence of Chinese and global businesses to invest in EU markets. This article is reprinted from China Daily. If there is a copyright, please inform us in time, we will delete it right the first time.

Huge Tonga volcanic eruption resulted in “significant damage” By Target Language Translation Services | Updated: 2022-01-17 10:00 A massive volcanic eruption in Tonga that triggered tsunami waves around the Pacific resulted in "significant damage" to the island nation's capital and smothered it in dust, but the full extent was unclear with communications still hampered Monday. The eruption on Saturday was so powerful it was recorded around the world and heard as far away as Alaska, triggering a tsunami that flooded Pacific coastlines from Japan to the United States. The capital Nuku'alofa suffered "significant" damage, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said, adding there had been no reports of injury or death but a full assessment was not yet possible with communication lines down. "The tsunami has had a significant impact on the foreshore on the northern side of Nuku'alofa with boats and large boulders washed ashore," Ardern said after contact with the New Zealand embassy in Tonga. "Nuku'alofa is covered in a thick film of volcanic dust but otherwise conditions are calm and stable." Tonga was in need of water supplies, she said, as "the ash cloud has caused contamination." There has been no word on damage in the outer islands but New Zealand sent an air force reconnaissance aircraft early Monday "to assist in an initial impact assessment of the area and low-lying islands," the country's Defence Force said. Tonga has also accepted Canberra's offer to send a surveillance flight, Australia's foreign office said, adding it is also immediately prepared to supply "critical humanitarian supplies". The United States and the World Health Organization have pledged support, while the United Nations children's agency said it was preparing emergency supplies to fly in. A 1.2-meter wave swept ashore in the Tongan capital with residents reporting they had fled to higher ground, leaving behind flooded houses, some with structural damage, as small stones and ash fell from the sky. "It was massive, the ground shook, our house was shaking. It came in waves. My younger brother thought bombs were exploding nearby," resident Mere Taufa told the Stuff news website Saturday. She said water filled their home minutes later and she watched the wall of a neighboring house collapse. "We just knew straight away it was a tsunami. Just water gushing into our home," Taufa said. "You could just hear screams everywhere, people screaming for safety, for everyone to get to higher ground." Tonga's King Tupou VI was reported to have been evacuated from the Royal Palace in Nuku'alofa and taken by police convoy to a villa well away from the coastline. Dramatic satellite images showed the long, rumbling eruption of the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai volcano spew smoke and ash in the air, with a thunderous roar heard 10,000 kilometers away in Alaska. The eruption triggered tsunamis across the Pacific with waves of 1.74 meters measured in Chanaral, Chile, more than 10,000 kilometers aw...

WHO has warned of tidal wave of infections in Europe and Central Asia By Target Language Translation Services | Updated: 2022-01-14 9:00 The World Health Organization has warned that more than half of the people in its European region will be infected with COVID-19 in the next two months as several countries report record numbers of new cases. The region, which covers 53 countries in Europe and Central Asia, reported more than 7 million new cases in the first week of 2022, more than doubling over a two-week period. Fifty of the countries have now reported cases of the new Omicron strain, which is quickly becoming the dominant variant in Western Europe and is now spreading in the Balkans, according to the WHO. While the mortality rates remain stable, they are the worst in countries with high COVID-19 cases and lower vaccination rates. "Today, the Omicron variant represents a new west to east tidal wave sweeping across the region, on top of the Delta surge that all countries were managing until late 2021," Hans Kluge, WHO's regional director for Europe, said on Tuesday. He cited a forecast by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation that at this rate, more than 50 percent of the population in the region will be infected with Omicron in the next six to eight weeks. Omicron is highly transmissible because the mutations it has enable it to adhere to human cells more easily and it can infect even those who have been previously infected or vaccinated, according to the WHO, citing data in recent weeks. On Tuesday, France reported a record 368,149 new cases, with the seven-day average staying at 280,000. On Wednesday, Germany reported 80,430 new infections. Belgium, with a population of 11 million, reported an average of 21,874 new cases in the week to Jan 8, a hike of 96 percent from the previous week, according to government health authorities on Wednesday. While countries in Western Europe have higher vaccination rates, 20 countries in the region have vaccination rates below 50 percent, including the lowest of 15.2 percent for Kyrgyzstan, 22 percent for Bosnia and Herzegovina and 24 percent for Armenia. The unprecedented scale of transmission of the Omicron variant has led to rising hospitalizations and threatens to overwhelm the health systems in many countries, according to the WHO. Poland became the latest European nation on Tuesday to record 100,000 deaths related to COVID-19, joining Russia, the United Kingdom, Italy, France and Germany that have hit the number. Maria Van Kerkhove, the WHO's technical lead on COVID-19, said on Tuesday that the agency had to change the epidemic curve in cases reported last week due to the explosive numbers－15 million new cases and 43,461 deaths worldwide. "Omicron is not mild and Omicron is not flu or the common cold, SARS-CoV-2 is not endemic yet. Now is not the time to give up," she said. Greece's health authorities on Tuesday approved an additional fourth injection of a COVID-19 vaccine for people with co...

Green philosophy urged in BRI development By Target Language Translation Services | Updated: 2022-01-13 9:00 In a move to advance green Belt and Road Initiative development, China has updated a guideline on environmental protection in overseas operations, with Chinese companies sticking to environmentally friendly approaches through the entire life cycle of their projects. The guideline, unveiled on Tuesday, was jointly issued by the Ministry of Ecology and Environment and the Ministry of Commerce as a guide for enterprises to "implement the philosophy of ecological civilization", as well as to "promote green and high-quality development". Ecological civilization is a concept promoted by President Xi Jinping for balanced and sustainable development that features harmonious coexistence of man and nature. The document, which updates a 2013 guideline by the two government bodies, has been inscribed with some of the president's new visions and instructions on overseas investment and cooperation, according to the Ministry of Ecology and Environment. While addressing a high-level BRI symposium in Beijing in November, for example, Xi emphasized developing an all-weather, early warning and risk assessment platform for China's overseas projects. With climate change as one of the major highlights, the guideline includes environment-related requirements for wide-ranging procedures in the companies' overseas operations. Before overseas mergers and acquisitions, for example, they should assess environmental risks caused by target companies, including environmental pollution, lawsuits and penalties, it said. Hazardous waste disposal and greenhouse gas emissions should also be given priority in the assessment. In construction projects, companies should enhance their work on pollution control and strive to reduce the emissions of heat-trapping gases. Aside from fixing pollution control facilities and rolling out effective measures to reduce carbon emissions, they should also intensify environmental monitoring work. The guideline explicitly says that environmental protection is not only about pollution control, but also climate mitigation and biodiversity conservation, according to a media release from the Ministry of Ecology and Environment. The media release said the guideline also includes specific clauses on overseas projects involving energy, petrochemicals, mining and transportation, considering that they are key parts of the country's overseas investment and BRI construction. Under the guideline, when energy projects are developed, priority should be given to renewable energy. Companies should avoid building hydropower stations in natural reserves and key animal habitats, and they should take necessary measures to protect aquatic organisms and other wild species. Zhang Jianyu, executive director of the BRI Green Development Institute, lauded the importance that the guideline has attached to climate mitigation and biodiversity conservation, saying it shows ...

US radio station partners with NCPA to provide classical program By Target Language Translation Services | Updated: 2022-01-12 9:00 This Week from China's National Center for the Performing Arts, a program series and collaboration between a Chicago radio network and China's NCPA, debuted on Thursday night. The series consists of 13 two-hour programs. Starting from Thursday, WFMT Radio Network will broadcast a new program at the same time each week through March 31. The first program features composer Tan Dun's Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon from the Oscar-winning film of the same title. Instead of the familiar cello performance, the version in this program is performed with erhu, or "a two-stringed Chinese violin". Also featured in the first program are Mozart's Piano Concerto No 23, a folk-inspired Chinese composition by Liu Tianhua and Beethoven's Symphony No 6 Pastoral. For the series as a whole, besides works by Mozart and Beethoven, the cultural product also offers works of Ravel, Schubert, Wagner and Verdi from the West, as well as works of Xian Xinghai, Zhao Jiping, Chen Qigang and Guo Wenjing from China. "We hope to share these musical treasures from China and the world with US listeners through the radio waves," says Gong Jicheng, vice-president of the NCPA. "We also hope that the US listeners can have a better understanding of and love for Chinese music and culture through this series." Gong says art has no borders. "We expect the broadcast of the series will further accelerate the exchange and collaboration of performing arts between China and the United States." George Preston, general manager of WFMT and executive producer of the series, says: "Since its founding in 2010, the NCPA Orchestra has established itself as one of the most adventurous and dynamic orchestras in China and earned an international reputation through performances abroad. "The NCPA in Beijing is quickly gaining an international reputation for artistic excellence in its programming. We at the WFMT Radio Network are privileged to share its rich diversity of performances." Preston adds: "It's especially important in turbulent times that we focus on the power of music and art to serve as a bridge to bring people together in celebration of the wonder of human creativity." Many renowned artists have collaborated with the NCPA Orchestra, including Zubin Mehta, Fabio Luisi, Lang Lang, Yuja Wang, Alison Balsom, Sabine Meyer and Renee Fleming. Lorin Maazel used to work closely with the NCPA Orchestra and praised its musicians for their "amazing professionalism and great passion in music". Lyu Jia, NCPA's artistic director of the music and principal conductor who has conducted at the Bayerische Staatsoper in Munich, the Deutsche Oper Berlin and La Scala in Milan, was also the first Chinese conductor to lead the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. "Music is a passion, a beauty," says Lyu. "It's a connection to people without any problem." WFMT is also offering the series to radio sta...

Omicron causes interruptions in US public transit systems By Target Language Translation Services | Updated: 2022-01-11 9:00 As the Omicron variant drives up infection rates in the US with more than 1 million cases recorded, public transit systems across the country and their riders face the grim reality of staffing shortages causing minor to major service interruptions. In New York City, which has the nation's largest public transit system and is one of the hot spots of COVID-19, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) has canceled several bus and subway lines in the past couple of weeks because hundreds of employees have been out sick. An MTA spokesman declined to give a specific number or say how many workers have tested positive for the coronavirus, explaining that the agency doesn't track specific illnesses. New York Governor Kathy Hochul said last week she was against a vaccine mandate for public transit workers because 80 percent were already vaccinated and that a mandate would worsen staffing problems. Ridership on the city's subways is also down due to the reluctance of riders to cram into packed subway cars and risk the Omicron variant, which spreads easily and quickly. And then there is the move by many New Yorkers to buy cars to minimize exposure to the virus, according to The New York Times, clogging already clogged city streets. Total registrations in the city for passenger vehicles has reached 2.2 million through Dec 1, 2021, from 1.9 million in 2019, according to state records. MTA ridership is less than half of the pre-pandemic level, yet the agency has to maintain the same level of service. It serves not only New York City but also suburbs and the neighboring states of New Jersey and Connecticut. Felicia Park-Rogers, director of regional infrastructure projects for the advocacy group Tri-State Transportation Campaign, told MarketWatch that before the pandemic, 38 percent of the MTA's revenue came from riders. With the decline in ridership, Park-Rogers said it is facing a 20 percent deficit in its 2021 operating budget, a problem not limited to the city. "This is a public service that we all need just like fire and police,'' Park-Rogers told Market Watch. "The MTA is facing severe budget shortages, and that is scary and problematic." In Ohio, the Greater Dayton Regional Transit Authority posted an announcement Monday that said starting Jan 10 it will move to Saturday schedules six days a week because of reduced staffing due to COVID-19. The neighboring Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority has had to reduce the frequency of trains on its rapid lines. Trains now arrive every 45 minutes to an hour instead of the normal frequency of every 15 to 30 minutes. In Louisville, Kentucky, the Transit Authority of River City is asking riders with disabilities to limit riding buses. The agency said in an email that it is encouraging only essential trips because there is a significant driver shortage due to COVID-19. The San Die...

Chinese language lecture captivates young young Ethiopian students By Target Language Translation Services | Updated: 2022-01-10 10:00 Waving Chinese and Ethiopian flags with laughter and feeling, young school children at the Dimond Academy in Ethiopia's capital Addis Ababa sing Chinese songs manifesting the blossoming Ethiopia-China friendship. One of the joyful students attending their first-ever Chinese language session at the Dimond Academy was Yonatan Henok, a 9-year-old third-grade student at the academy. "Today, we learned two Chinese language songs: one about the friendship between China and Ethiopia and another song about a famous place in the Chinese capital Beijing called Tian'anmen Square," Yonatan says. The event was organized by the school administration in partnership with the 22nd batch of the Chinese Medical Team in Ethiopia. The rare opportunity was provided to the school children on Wednesday by He Yang, a professor of English language from China's Henan University of Chinese Medicine, presently serving as an interpreter to the Chinese Medical Team in Ethiopia. During the interactive lecture, he taught students simple Mandarin words, the long-standing Ethiopia-China friendship and famous Chinese places. The lecture captivated the young Ethiopian students who are keen to learn more about Chinese culture. Darik Yonas, another third-grader student at the academy, spoke highly of her first-ever experience in learning Chinese. "I am very happy today. It was a very good experience and I was lucky to be able to learn Chinese songs. I wish to one day meet Chinese children and make friends," Darik says. Yilfashewa Mengistu, a teacher at the Dimond Academy, spoke highly of the event introducing the Chinese language to students. "Learning the Chinese language at a young age is vital as it facilitates students' capabilities to learn the language easily," Mengistu says. "Teaching these young children the language will certainly play a crucial role in boosting the already excellent relations between the two countries," she adds. Mengistu, however, argues for the need to provide Chinese language education on a regular basis if school children are to be able to master the language at the desired level. "It is very good to introduce the language to these children at a young age. However, they need to get continuous education. Apart from the positive impression they will develop to the Chinese language, they will not be able to grasp it through such limited engagement,"Mengistu says. Tesfaye Tetemke, Dimond Academy School director, emphasized the need to boost language education to further strengthen the people-to-people ties between the two countries. "These children were lucky as they were able to get a rare Chinese language lesson, which is not easily accessible at their age in our country," Tetemke says. "Given the fact that China is a global power and a very good partner of Ethiopia, it is beneficial for our children and country to be able ...

UN chief appeals for calm to address the volatile situation in Kazakhstan By Target Language Translation Services | Updated: 2022-01-07 11:00 UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called on parties in Kazakhstan to refrain from violence and promote dialogue so as to address the volatile situation, said his spokesman on Thursday. The world body continues to follow the situation in Kazakhstan very closely and there have been several contacts between the United Nations and the national authorities, including a call on Thursday morning between the secretary-general's special representative for Central Asia, Natalia Gherman, and Deputy Foreign Minister Akan Rakhmetullin of Kazakhstan, said Stephane Dujarric, the spokesman. "During these exchanges, appeals to exercise restraint, refrain from violence and promote dialogue to address the situation were reiterated by Natalia Gherman on behalf of the secretary-general," Dujarric told a daily press briefing. On reports of casualties, he said it is hard for the United Nations to confirm them. "But what is clear is that all demonstrations need to be peaceful. People have a right to express their grievances. It needs to be done peacefully. And security forces need to protect that right and show and act with restraint," he said. On the arrival of troops from the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) in Kazakhstan, Dujarric said the United Nations was informed on Thursday morning by the CSTO of the troop deployment. "I think, for us, the important thing is that security forces, whether they are Kazakh or whether they are non-Kazakh troops, need to uphold the same human rights standards, which is to show restraint and protect people's rights to demonstrate peacefully," said the spokesman. Up to 101 international personnel and 530 national staff fall under the UN security arrangements in Kazakhstan. Everyone is safe and accounted for, said Dujarric. This article is reprinted from China Daily. If there is a copyright, please inform us in time, we will delete it right the first time.