Hourly News updated 08:00 2011/10/23

 Premier¹ Wen expects mutual² trust in Sino-Japanese ties 

Premier Wen Jiabao says the current Chinese-Japanese ties are sound in general, and called for greater understanding, mutual trust and common interests to further the friendship.

Wen Jiabao made the remarks during a meeting in Beijing with 40 members of the China-Japan Friendship Committee for the 21st Century, a consultative body of the two governments. 

The Chinese premier says both sides should...enhance exchange and cooperation in politics, economy, culture and youth fields.

He says he expects the Chinese and Japanese members to offer more suggestions to the two governments and exert vigor⁴ to the growth of bilateral⁵ ties.

 

Senior Chinese legislator calls for enhancing China-U.S. people-to-people exchanges to promote peace 

A senior Chinese legislator has called for enhancing the China-U.S. people-to-people exchanges, which she said will contribute to maintaining peace in the Asia-Pacific region, as well as in the world. 

Yan Junqi, vice⁶ chairwoman of the Standing³ Committee of the National People's Congress, China's top legislative⁷ body, issued the call in a speech to the opening ceremony of the fourth China-U. S. Civil Society Peace Forum⁸ held at the American University in Washington DC. 

She said China will continue to adhere to its peaceful foreign policies, including its good-neighborly policy, and is willing to develop friendly cooperation, on the basis of equal treatment and mutual benefits, with other countries in order to maintain peace and stability in the world.

 

China, EU promote exchange among youth army 

The EU-China Youth Leaders Summit opened in Beijing on Saturday with 92 young people from 27 EU countries gathered to discuss with their Chinese peers topics of climate change, sustainable development and youth development.

The three-day summit is a part of the "flagship events" of the EU-China Year of Youth. 

The EU-China Year of Youth has been the biggest cultural exchange activity since the two sides established diplomatic relations.

 

China airlifts third batch⁹ of flood relief goods to Bangkok 

Three cargo¹⁰ planes of the Air Force of China have arrived in Bangkok to deliver the third batch of flood relief goods to Thai government. 

China has donated 259 hovercrafts, 150 water pumps, 210 water filters and 1,300 tents among others worth about 40 million Chinese yuan (6.3 million U.S. dollars) as well as 1 million U.S. dollars in cash to Thailand, according to the press release of the Chinese embassy.

 

Libyan NTC member raises doubts over official Gaddafi death account 

A member of Libya's National Transitional Council (NTC) has raised doubts over the exact circumstances of former Libyan leader Mummar Gaddafi's death.

Waheed Burshan was quoted by Al-Jazeera as saying that Gaddafi was clearly captured and there should be an investigation¹¹ as to how he ended up dead a short while later.

His remarks, contradicting head of NTC's executive committee Mahmoud Jibril's account that Gaddafi was killed in crossfire¹², came a day after the United Nations called for an investigation into his death.

 

Libya to form interim¹³ government within eight months

A top leader of Libya's ruling National Transitional Council says the Libyan authorities should be allowed to form an interim government after a national congress is elected within eight months.

Mahmoud Jibril, head of the NTC's executive committee, said at the World Economic Forum in Jordan that after voting on the National Congress, the NTC will start to draft a constitution and then form an interim government to manage the country's affairs until the presidential elections are held.

 

Premier Wen stresses efforts to ensure and improve people's well-being¹⁴

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao says ensuring and improving people's well-being must be put at a highly significant position during the process of China's macroeconomic control.

He said this during an inspection¹⁵ tour of south China's city of Nanning.

Wen Jabao says ensuring people's livelihood¹⁶ is closely related not only to social and economic advancement¹⁷, but also to the people's benefits as well as social harmony and stability.

 

China reports improved safety at coal mines in first nine months 

China's top coal mine safety watchdog says the nation has seen improved coal mine safety in the first nine months as casualties had dropped.

The State Administration of Coal Mine Safety says the number of workers who were killed during work at coal mines in the first nine months stood at 1,419 -- down over 27 percent year-on-year. 

Meanwhile, the number of deadly accidents also dropped.

It says the country has not had a severely¹⁸ major accident causing heavy casualties for more than one year.

 

China lowers curtain of horticultural expo in home city of terracotta army 

China has lowered the curtain of a 178-day horticultural exposition in northwest Shaanxi Province, making Xi'an the third mainland city that have successfully hosted such event following that of Kunming in 1999 and Shenyang in 2006.

A grand closing ceremony featuring performing arts and the issuing of an expo declaration that advocate low-carbon lifestyle was staged SAturday night to mark the conclusion of the event hosted by Xi'an, the home city of an terracotta army.

1 premier   

adj.首要的；n.总理，首相

参考例句：

• The Irish Premier is paying an official visit to Britain.爱尔兰总理正在对英国进行正式访问。
• He requested that the premier grant him an internview.他要求那位总理接见他一次。

2 mutual   

adj.相互的，彼此的；共同的，共有的

参考例句：

• We must pull together for mutual interest.我们必须为相互的利益而通力合作。
• Mutual interests tied us together.相互的利害关系把我们联系在一起。

3 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

4 vigor   

n.活力，精力，元气

参考例句：

• The choir sang the words out with great vigor.合唱团以极大的热情唱出了歌词。
• She didn't want to be reminded of her beauty or her former vigor.现在，她不愿人们提起她昔日的美丽和以前的精力充沛。

5 bilateral   

adj.双方的，两边的，两侧的

参考例句：

• They have been negotiating a bilateral trade deal.他们一直在商谈一项双边贸易协定。
• There was a wide gap between the views of the two statesmen on the bilateral cooperation.对双方合作的问题，两位政治家各自所持的看法差距甚大。

6 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

7 legislative   

n.立法机构，立法权；adj.立法的，有立法权的

参考例句：

• Congress is the legislative branch of the U.S. government.国会是美国政府的立法部门。
• Today's hearing was just the first step in the legislative process.今天的听证会只是展开立法程序的第一步。

8 forum   

n.论坛，讨论会

参考例句：

• They're holding a forum on new ways of teaching history.他们正在举行历史教学讨论会。
• The organisation would provide a forum where problems could be discussed.这个组织将提供一个可以讨论问题的平台。

9 batch   

n.一批(组，群)；一批生产量

参考例句：

• The first batch of cakes was burnt.第一炉蛋糕烤焦了。
• I have a batch of letters to answer.我有一批信要回复。

10 cargo   

n.(一只船或一架飞机运载的)货物

参考例句：

• The ship has a cargo of about 200 ton.这条船大约有200吨的货物。
• A lot of people discharged the cargo from a ship.许多人从船上卸下货物。

11 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

12 crossfire   

n.被卷进争端

参考例句：

• They say they are caught in the crossfire between the education establishment and the government.他们称自己被卷进了教育机构与政府之间的争端。
• When two industrial giants clash,small companies can get caught in the crossfire.两大工业企业争斗之下，小公司遭受池鱼之殃。

13 interim   

adj.暂时的，临时的；n.间歇，过渡期间

参考例句：

• The government is taking interim measures to help those in immediate need.政府正在采取临时措施帮助那些有立即需要的人。
• It may turn out to be an interim technology.这可能只是个过渡技术。

14 well-being   

n.安康，安乐，幸福

参考例句：

• He always has the well-being of the masses at heart.他总是把群众的疾苦挂在心上。
• My concern for their well-being was misunderstood as interference.我关心他们的幸福，却被误解为多管闲事。

15 inspection   

n.检查，审查，检阅

参考例句：

• On random inspection the meat was found to be bad.经抽查，发现肉变质了。
• The soldiers lined up for their daily inspection by their officers.士兵们列队接受军官的日常检阅。

16 livelihood   

n.生计，谋生之道

参考例句：

• Appropriate arrangements will be made for their work and livelihood.他们的工作和生活会得到妥善安排。
• My father gained a bare livelihood of family by his own hands.父亲靠自己的双手勉强维持家计。

17 advancement   

n.前进，促进，提升

参考例句：

• His new contribution to the advancement of physiology was well appreciated.他对生理学发展的新贡献获得高度赞赏。
• The aim of a university should be the advancement of learning.大学的目标应是促进学术。

18 severely   

adv.严格地；严厉地；非常恶劣地

参考例句：

• He was severely criticized and removed from his post.他受到了严厉的批评并且被撤了职。
• He is severely put down for his careless work.他因工作上的粗心大意而受到了严厉的批评。