Hourly News updated 08:00 2011/10/20

 Chinese vice¹ premier² to visit DPRK, ROK

Chinese Vice Premier Li Keqiang is set to visit both North Korea and South Korea next week.

Li is scheduled to stay in the North for three days before traveling to the South.

Foreign Ministry³ spokesperson Jiang Yu.

"During his visit, Vice premier Li Keqiang will hold talks with leaders of both countries and exchange ideas on bilateral⁴ ties as well as international and regional issues of common concern. We believe the visit will further boost the development of China's relations with the two countries."

The Vice-Premier's trip comes amid heightened multi-lateral diplomacy⁵ in recent weeks connected to North Korea's nuclear program.

 

 

U.S. to have talks with Pyongyang over nuclear program

The US State Department now says it's going to hold nuclear talks with North Korea.

The State Department says next week's planned discussions are a continuation of the exploratory meeting that has been taking place in recent months.

The US side says it wants to see if there has been enough movement toward implementing⁶ an agreement set out in 2005.

If there is, there could be broader talks.

In recent months, North Korea has signaled that it is "unconditionally⁷" ready to return to negotiations⁸ for the potential denuclearization of the Korean peninsula.

 

 

The 2nd China-US Governors Forum⁹ Kicks off in Beijing

Eight Chinese provincial¹⁰ governors, their six American counterparts and hundreds of representatives have gathered in Beijing to attend the second China-US Governors Forum.

As a platform to promote peer-to-peer discussions between US governors and their Chinese counterparts, the forum will explore opportunities in promoting practical cooperation between the two sides, especially with regards to local economic development and job creation

China-US Governors Forum is a reciprocal event, the first of which was held in Utah in the United States last July.

 

 

Nuclear cooperation across the straits

Mainland and Taiwan negotiators have now finished their initial talks on cross-Strait cooperation in nuclear power safety.

The discussions in Tianjin yesterday have paved the way for the official signing of the cooperation agreement later today.

Chiang Pin-kung is the top negotiator from the Taiwan side.

"Confrontation¹¹ has made way for peace, previously¹² closed doors have now been opened, I believe cooperation across the straits will be fruitful and I think this round of talks will continue on the road we have cemented in the past, that is economy comes ahead of politics, easy issues come ahead of hard problems. We are fully¹³ committed to taking our time to consolidate¹⁴ this process and make this round of talks a complete success."

The signing of an agreement on nuclear power cooperation is expected to lead to the establishment of a nuclear safety reporting system between the two sides.

 

 

 

Clinton arrives in Afghanistan for talks

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has arrived in Afghanistan for an unannounced visit.

Clinton is due to meet with Afghan president Hamid Karzai later on this Thursday in Kabul.

It's believed Clinton is there to try to find some way to revive reconciliation¹⁵ efforts with the Taliban.

The Afghan government's reconciliation efforts suffered a major setback¹⁶ last month with the assassination¹⁷ of top Afghan peace negotiator Burhanuddin Rabbani.

Clinton is also expected to talk with Karzai about a long-term strategic framework with Afghanistan, which could be signed sometime before year's end.

 

 

Yemeni president demands international guarantees

Embattled Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh now says that he wants Europe and the United States involved in any transfer of power in his country.

In comments aired on Yemeni television, Saleh says he is ready to sign off on a Gulf¹⁸ Cooperation Council-brokered deal for him to relinquish¹⁹ his power.

However, he now says he wants GCC, European and US guarantees that the deal will be implemented²⁰ by the opposition²¹.

The deal would see him give up his Presidency²² in exchange for immunity²³ from prosecution²⁴.

 

 

China to establish nationwide social credit system

The central government here in China is now pushing to establish a social credit system across this country.

The plan is to create a national record of people's official actions when it comes to things like business deals, applications and academic work.

This way, people across the country would be able to check up on people they're working with to make sure they're reputable.

The central authorities are also planning on setting up a type of social credit rating agency to try to root out cheats.

 

 

Beijing covers more with public rental²⁵ housing program

The Beijing municipal government has brought in new rules to allow more people to have access to low-rent housing.

Starting in December, low and middle-income earners, new employees and people without a Beijing registration²⁶ who have worked in the capital for a number of years are going to be eligible²⁷ to apply for public rental housing.

Successful applicants²⁸ will be able to live in the low-rent apartments for five years.

Under the new rules, the rents will only be slightly lower than their neighbors.

However, successful applicants will get subsidies²⁹ according to their income level and the size of their apartments.

1 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。

2 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。

3 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

4 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。

5 diplomacy   

n.外交；外交手腕，交际手腕

参考例句：

• The talks have now gone into a stage of quiet diplomacy.会谈现在已经进入了“温和外交”阶段。
• This was done through the skill in diplomacy. 这是通过外交手腕才做到的。

6 implementing   

v.实现( implement的现在分词 )；执行；贯彻；使生效

参考例句：

• -- Implementing a comprehensive drug control strategy. ――实行综合治理的禁毒战略。 来自汉英非文学 - 白皮书
• He was in no hurry about implementing his unshakable principle. 他并不急于实行他那不可动摇的原则。 来自辞典例句

7 unconditionally   

adv.无条件地

参考例句：

• All foreign troops must be withdrawn immediately and unconditionally. 所有外国军队必须立即无条件地撤出。
• It makes things very awkward to have your girls going back unconditionally just now! 你们现在是无条件上工，真糟糕！ 来自子夜部分

8 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。

9 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。

10 provincial   

adj.省的，地方的；n．外省人，乡下人

参考例句：

• City dwellers think country folk have provincial attitudes.城里人以为乡下人思想迂腐。
• Two leading cadres came down from the provincial capital yesterday.昨天从省里下来了两位领导干部。

11 confrontation   

n.对抗，对峙，冲突

参考例句：

• We can't risk another confrontation with the union.我们不能冒再次同工会对抗的危险。
• After years of confrontation,they finally have achieved a modus vivendi.在对抗很长时间后，他们最后达成安宁生存的非正式协议。

12 previously   

adv.以前，先前（地）

参考例句：

• The bicycle tyre blew out at a previously damaged point.自行车胎在以前损坏过的地方又爆开了。
• Let me digress for a moment and explain what had happened previously.让我岔开一会儿，解释原先发生了什么。

13 fully   

adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地

参考例句：

• The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。
• They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。

14 consolidate   

v.使加固，使加强；(把...)联为一体，合并

参考例句：

• The two banks will consolidate in July next year. 这两家银行明年7月将合并。
• The government hoped to consolidate ten states to form three new ones.政府希望把十个州合并成三个新的州。

15 reconciliation   

n.和解，和谐，一致

参考例句：

• He was taken up with the reconciliation of husband and wife.他忙于做夫妻间的调解工作。
• Their handshake appeared to be a gesture of reconciliation.他们的握手似乎是和解的表示。

16 setback   

n.退步，挫折，挫败

参考例句：

• Since that time there has never been any setback in his career.从那时起他在事业上一直没有遇到周折。
• She views every minor setback as a disaster.她把每个较小的挫折都看成重大灾难。

17 assassination   

n.暗杀；暗杀事件

参考例句：

• The assassination of the president brought matters to a head.总统遭暗杀使事态到了严重关头。
• Lincoln's assassination in 1865 shocked the whole nation.1865年，林肯遇刺事件震惊全美国。

18 gulf   

n.海湾；深渊，鸿沟；分歧，隔阂

参考例句：

• The gulf between the two leaders cannot be bridged.两位领导人之间的鸿沟难以跨越。
• There is a gulf between the two cities.这两座城市间有个海湾。

19 relinquish   

v.放弃，撤回，让与，放手

参考例句：

• He was forced to relinquish control of the company.他被迫放弃公司的掌控权。
• They will never voluntarily relinquish their independence.他们绝对不会自动放弃独立。

20 implemented   

v.实现( implement的过去式和过去分词 )；执行；贯彻；使生效

参考例句：

• This agreement, if not implemented, is a mere scrap of paper. 这个协定如不执行只不过是一纸空文。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• The economy is in danger of collapse unless far-reaching reforms are implemented. 如果不实施影响深远的改革，经济就面临崩溃的危险。 来自辞典例句

21 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

22 presidency   

n.总统(校长，总经理)的职位(任期)

参考例句：

• Roosevelt was elected four times to the presidency of the United States.罗斯福连续当选四届美国总统。
• Two candidates are emerging as contestants for the presidency.两位候选人最终成为总统职位竞争者。

23 immunity   

n.优惠；免除；豁免，豁免权

参考例句：

• The law gives public schools immunity from taxation.法律免除公立学校的纳税义务。
• He claims diplomatic immunity to avoid being arrested.他要求外交豁免以便避免被捕。

24 prosecution   

n.起诉，告发，检举，执行，经营

参考例句：

• The Smiths brought a prosecution against the organizers.史密斯家对组织者们提出起诉。
• He attempts to rebut the assertion made by the prosecution witness.他试图反驳原告方证人所作的断言。

25 rental   

n.租赁，出租，出租业

参考例句：

• The yearly rental of her house is 2400 yuan.她这房子年租金是2400元。
• We can organise car rental from Chicago O'Hare Airport.我们可以安排提供从芝加哥奥黑尔机场出发的租车服务。

26 registration   

n.登记，注册，挂号

参考例句：

• Marriage without registration is not recognized by law.法律不承认未登记的婚姻。
• What's your registration number?你挂的是几号？

27 eligible   

adj.有条件被选中的；(尤指婚姻等)合适(意)的

参考例句：

• He is an eligible young man.他是一个合格的年轻人。
• Helen married an eligible bachelor.海伦嫁给了一个中意的单身汉。

28 applicants   

申请人，求职人( applicant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• There were over 500 applicants for the job. 有500多人申请这份工作。
• He was impressed by the high calibre of applicants for the job. 求职人员出色的能力给他留下了深刻印象。

29 subsidies   

n.补贴，津贴，补助金( subsidy的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• European agriculture ministers failed to break the deadlock over farm subsidies. 欧洲各国农业部长在农业补贴问题上未能打破僵局。
• Agricultural subsidies absorb about half the EU's income. 农业补贴占去了欧盟收入的大约一半。 来自《简明英汉词典》