News & Reports 2011-06-05（打印版）

Defense ministers and military officials from Asia- Pacific countries gathering at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore agree that dialogue and cooperation, not confrontation, should be the way ahead.

The World Health Organization says a toxic strain of E.coli bacteria that has killed at least 18 people in Europe has not been seen in previous outbreaks.

China and the Southern African Development Community vow to further promote mutually-beneficial trade ties.

And History-making Li Na claimed the first-ever grand slam women's singles title for China and Asia in the French Open final.

US Defence Secretary: Taliban Could Be Included in Afghan Political Process

U.S. Secretary of Defence Robert Gates reassured its Asia Pacific allies that the United States will maintain and enhance its strong presence in the region.

But he also stressed that the principle of resolving conflict without the use of force, and that Cold War turbulence should give way to new partnerships and cooperation.

He said that the United States and China are working together to build a positive, cooperative and comprehensive relationship, and that the military-to-military ties have steadily improved in recent months.

Meanwhile, on the Afghan issue, Gates said the Taliban could be included in Afghanistan's political process.

"The Taliban are probably a part of the fabric of the politics of Afghanistan at this point, and, I think, could potentially have a political role in the future in the country."

But Gates stresses that the U.S.-led NATO alliance should continue to put military pressure on the Taliban for this prospect to happen.

"But my own view is that the political opportunities will flow from military pressure, and only as long as the military pressure is further kept on and there are further gains, will the prospects for political solution will be improved."

The comments follow reports that the U.S. has begun a secret engagement with the Taliban, as it begins to withdraw troops from Afghanistan in July. The U.S. aims to hand over all combat operations to Afghan security forces by 2014.

The Shangri-La Dialogue, or the 10th Asia Security Summit hosted by the London-based think tank International Institute for Strategic Studies, gathers defense ministers and senior military officials from 27 countries and regions this year, making it an important forum for security dialogues.

British Foreign Secretary William Hague visited the Libyan rebel stronghold of Benghazi on Saturday to show support for the opposition fighting to oust Muammar Gaddafi from power.

Hague, who was traveling with Secretary of State for International Development Andrew Mitchell, met leaders of the rebels' National Transitional Council, which the British government sees as the legitimate representative of the Libyan people.

"As long as Gaddafi continues to abuse his people, we will continue and intensify our efforts to stop him from doing so."

A NATO-led military alliance extended its mission to protect civilians in Libya for a further 90 days in the past week, and France said it was stepping up military pressure as well as working with those close to Gaddafi to try to persuade him to quit.

Rare daytime NATO strikes hit the Libyan capital Tripoli, but it was not immediately clear which targets were hit.

The British Ministry of Defence released gun-sight video of what it said were air attacks on two targets in Libya in the early hours of Saturday.

The video was released after British Apache and French attack helicopters were used for the first time in NATO's campaign in Libya.

The action was a significant escalation in NATO's operations and a major boost to Libyan rebels, just a day after rebel fighters forced government troops from three western towns and broke the siege of a fourth in yet another erosion of Gadhafi's power since the eruption in mid-February of the uprising to end his 42-year rule.

Until now, NATO has relied on attack jets, generally flying above 45 hundred metres and pounding Gadhafi targets in relentless overnight bombings.

The World Health Organization says a toxic strain of E.coli bacteria that has killed at least 18 people in Europe has not been seen in previous outbreaks.

"The strain of E. Coli isolated from cases in the infection outbreak in Germany is a rare one but seen in humans before but never in an outbreak."

More than 1,600 people in Europe and the United States have become ill from E.coli, with Germany at the center of the outbreak.

Meanwhile, German doctors say they are attempting to apply a new antibody therapy to treat E.coli victims.

Reinhard Brunckhorst, President of Germany's Nephrology Society, says hospitals across Germany treating E.coli patients are closely cooperating and exchanging data.

"It's very early on for the antibody therapy. In individual cases we clearly have the impression that it works. But it's not the result of a medical study. However, we are very happy that we will evaluate all the data together, all the hospitals treating these patients. We will ultimately know better what is best for our patients."

E. coli bacteria itself is harmless. But the strain that is making people sick in Europe has the ability to stick to intestinal walls where it pumps out toxins, sometimes causing severe bloody diarrhea and other complications.

A business forum between China and Southern African Development Community was held in Beijing Saturday, co-chaired by Chinese vice Premier Wang Qishan and SADC chairperson, Namibian President Hifikepunye Pohamba, to cement ties and boost cooperation.

Addressing the forum, Wang Qishan said China and SADC have made great achievements in many areas like commerce and investment, and China is willing to help the community to strengthen its capacity of self-development.

"China will increase import from SADC, and encourage competent and well-established Chinese companies to invest in the region. Both sides should pursue mutually beneficial cooperation in business, finance, energy resources, infrastructure and so on."

He added that new challenges in cooperation are emerging against the backdrop of China's 12th five-year-plan and SADC's participation in Africa's north-south corridor development, and he stressed that enterprise plays a major role in bilateral cooperation and should create a good business environment.

Pohamba said a lot of Chinese investors have been involved in the construction of many important strategic projects in SADC, such as telecommunications, mining and agriculture.

"We encourage investors and entrepreneurs from China and the SADC region to expand the existing business ties and explore new investment opportunities, and facilitate increased trade and development between the two sides."

SADC is an inter-governmental organization with the goal of further socioeconomic cooperation and integration as well as political and security cooperation among 15 southern African states. China is SADC's largest trading partner, and the forum is believed to enhance China's relations with SADC and promote economic and trade exchanges.

Pohamba added SADC is hopes to increase bilateral trade volume and facilitate technology transfer to further expand the scale of manufacture in the region and upgrade its industrialization level.

China's Li Na has lifted the French Open title at Roland Garros in Paris, to become the first Asian player to win a grand slam singles title.

The Chinese player defeated defending champion Francesca Schiavone of Italy 6-4 7-6.

Li Na held serve comfortably throughout the first set. Schiavone attempted a comeback in the second set, during which a disputed line call favored the Chinese player.

After the match, the 29-year-old Li Na says the victory is a joyous moment for her.

"When I was a young player, I wanted be a grand slam champion. People were saying I'm getting old. So this is a dream come true for an old woman today the dream comes true. This is not easy. It wasn't easy. At 6-0 in the tie-break I was thinking, 'Okay, don't do a stupid thing.' Because I have had many match points before but I never won the match. Of course it is exciting."

Chinese tennis fans in Beijing were delighted with Li Na's historic victory.

"Tennis was basically invented by the people of France and having a Chinese person become number one on French soil, I am extremely happy. Also the Chinese started playing tennis quite recently so this is a great achievement"

"I'm very ecstatic. I didn't really understand people who played tennis before but through Li Na, I have come to like tennis very much. I have come to love it."

Li Na's victory comes just five months after she was also the first Asian to reach the final of a major, at the Australian Open in January, which she lost to Kim Clijsters of Belgium.

Greece is expected to receive the next installment of its 110-billion-euro bailout facility next month, after a nearly month-long inspection of the country's public finances and the reforms it is implementing to meet the terms of the financial rescue plan.

Jean-Claude Juncker, head of the 17 euro zone finance ministers, made remarks following a meeting with Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou on Friday in Luxembourg.

"I expect the Euro group to agree to additional financing to be provided to Greece under, of course, strict conditionality. This conditionality will include private-sector involvement on a voluntary basis, and this private-sector involvement will have to be negotiated with private creditors."

Papandreou said the country has made impressive achievements, but much remains to be done.

"At the same time we have seen that the markets remain skeptical, and this is why we are now discussing about additional financial support."

Meanwhile, thousands of members of Greece's communist-backed labor union marched through Athens on Friday to protest the country's austerity measures.

"We have nothing. They have taken everything from us, even the money from our pockets."

Debt inspectors from the European Union and the International Monetary Fund say Greece should receive the next 12-billion-euro tranche of its existing loan as long as the country's additional austerity and privatization measures are deemed sufficient.

Portugal's main political parties have asked voters to give them strong majorities in parliament ahead of elections on Sunday.

The elections come as Portugal is mired in a debt crisis and has received a 78-billion-euro bailout from the European Union and International Monetary Fund.

A majority in parliament is vital for the incoming Portuguese government to enact urgent and far-reaching social and fiscal reforms to restore fiscal health and spur growth.

Socialist caretaker Prime Minister Jose Socrates says he is confident that his party will win the support of voters.

"Of course, it is a difficult campaign, but ours is a brave party, a strong party and popular party and a party of the people."

Pedro Passos Coelho, leader of the opposition Social Democrats, says Portugal has all the tools it needs to overcome the financial crisis.

"We have good workers, good business leaders, good entrepreneurs, young people that are having success around the world. We have the intellect to add value and wealth to Portugal."

Opinion polls have indicated that the Social Democrats are likely to unseat the governing Socialists in the election.

Portugal is one of the euro zone's smallest members, accounting for less than two percent of the bloc's economy.

But its fate is of concern to European leaders trying to hold the euro zone together amid severe financial strain caused by excessive debt.

The elections were called after Socrates resigned in late March when lawmakers rejected his austerity package.

He has since headed a caretaker government, which was forced to request a bailout package from the EU and IMF.

Some Israelis Urge Netanyahu to Support Palestinian State Based on 1967 Borders

An estimated 4,000 Israelis have staged a demonstration calling on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to support the establishment of a Palestinian state based on the 1967 borders.

Adam Keller is a spokesperson of the Israeli peace block "Gush Shalom", who took part in the demonstration.

"Israel should recognise the state of Palestine. Israel should make peace with the Palestinians. Israel should accept the 67' borders as the basis of peace. We think that the government is leading us to disaster, that Netanyahu is leading us to disaster."

Netanyahu has rejected any withdrawal to the borders existing before Israel captured the West Bank in a 1967 war, insisting such a frontier would be "indefensible."

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has cautiously welcomed a French proposal to convene Israeli and Palestinian negotiators in Paris by next month to renew collapsed peace talks.

The Palestinians have said that unless a breakthrough is achieved, they will unilaterally seek U.N. recognition of statehood in September - a step Israel strongly opposes.

Israel fears such a move would leave it isolated and the United States has already said it also opposes the plan.

Meanwhile, Israeli forces were deployed along the country's northern borders with Syria and Lebanon on Saturday, in anticipation of rallies to mark "Naksa Day".

On June 5, 1967, Israeli warplanes destroyed more than 400 military aircraft belonging to Egypt, Syria, Jordan and Iraq, most of them sitting on the tarmac at various airfields.

Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei says Iran backs all Muslim uprisings except those stirred up by Washington.

Khamenei made the remark while addressing a ceremony, commemorating the death of Iran's 1979 Revolutionary leader, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini.

Iran relished the fall in February of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, a U.S.-backed secularist who made peace with Israel.

Khamenei urged regional nations not to accept the help of the U.S. administration, saying that will harm their freedom.

"It is from the path of these hand-outs and dollars that the U.S. has exerted its domination over various nations. They enforce their expectations on them. They place a nation that has gained freedom, under their paws of authority and aggression."

Tehran has voiced support for certain protest movements in the Muslim world, especially Bahrain, where the Sunni monarchy was aided by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

But the Islamic Republic has not expressed backing for similar protests in Syria, where president Bashar al-Assad is a key regional ally.

The draft amendment to the Personal Income Tax Law has drawn fierce debate in China after being submitted to the top legislature in late April. People are now concerned about whether or not it will reflect mainstream public opinion after a month-long process of gathering public feedback.

The tax threshold is to be raised to a proposed 3,000 yuan, or $460 US dollars a month from the current 2,000 yuan. The current nine brackets of the rating system could be reduced to seven. Over 230,000 responses have been collected so far, a record high for a single draft law.

An article from China Daily argues that the active public response represents progress in China's democratic legislation. Transparent assessment of public opinion is vital to the legitimacy of new laws.

The article says the National People's Congress invited 16 public representatives, either selected from netizens, or recommended by trade unions for face-to-face talks in May with relevant officials from government departments to further interact with the public.

According to media reports, "a majority" of the 16 representatives spoke in favor of the proposed tax threshold, which in the author's opinion, would be in serious contradiction to a general impression that most people disapprove of it.

The author analyzes that it is counterintuitive to believe that millions of people would take all the trouble to submit their opinions to the NPC just to express their endorsement for the proposed amendments.

The article goes on to say a recent poll conducted by the NetEase website of over 100 domestic economists shows 69 percent think the 3,000-yuan tax threshold is still too low.

The article notes that people criticize the draft amendment's failure to reduce the tax burden, especially on middle-income groups. The current tax system cannot effectively regulate the gap between the rich and the poor either. The slight rise in the tax threshold is a shortsighted move, which may soon be offset by the rising consumer price index.

News & Reports 2011-06-05（在线收听）