Xi looking forward to meeting with Obama
Chinese President Xi Jinping says he is looking forward to a meeting with U.S. President Barack Obama in The Hague, Holland. The meeting on the sidelines of the Nuclear Security Summit next week will be the first between the two presidents this year.
He also welcomed Obama to attend the summit of Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) in Beijing in November.
Xi Jinping made the remarks during a meeting with the U.S. First Lady Michelle Obama, in the company of his wife Peng Liyuan, at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in downtown Beijing.
Noting the China-U.S. relations were very important to both countries and the world, Xi Jinping said he cherished "the sound working relationship and personal friendship" he had already established with President Obama.
He added that they keep close communication through meetings, phone calls and letters, and believes bilateral ties would keep moving forward towards a new type of relationship with joint efforts from both sides.
Chinese navy vessels to search south Indian Ocean
Chinese warships were heading for waters of the southern Indian Ocean where debris possibly linked to the missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 was spotted.
Merchant ships and scientific research vessel Xuelong are expected to follow.
Four rescue ships are heading for the 18,000-square-km area southwest of the Sunda Strait as planned, while the previous search mission in the Bay of Bengal was now being conducted by India according to the China Maritime Search and Rescue Center.
Eight merchant ships searched for the missing flight in the Bay of Bengal and areas west of Indonesia and Australia on Friday, while 20 fishing boats covered waters in the central Indian Ocean.
The search for flight MH370 registered its 15th day Saturday after the plane went missing on its way to Beijing on March 8, carrying 227 passengers and 12 crew, including 154 Chinese.
Putin signs law on Crimea accession
Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a federal law completing the accession of the Republic of Crimea and city of Sevastopol into Russia.
The move comes after both houses of Russian parliament approved the law.
Meanwhile, the Constitutional Court of Ukraine has declared Crimea's proclamation of independence from Ukraine unconstitutional.
Earlier, EU leaders signed an accord with Ukraine, giving the country's interim leadership economic and political support.
The EU and U.S. have already expanded sanctions against Russia by slapping more travel bans and asset freezes on officials.
In response, Russia has banned nine U.S. politicians from entering the country.
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who is currently in Kiev, is calling on Russia and Ukraine to sit down for constructive talks.
Ukraine to seek compensation from Russia over situation in Crimea: PM
Meanwhile, Ukraine will sue Russia at the international legal institutions to seek compensations for the damage caused by the crisis in Crimea.
4 dead, 9 missing in coal mine gas outburst
Four miners have died, while nine others remain missing in a colliery gas outburst in central China's Henan Province.
Local authorities say the outburst happened Friday morning in a tunnel in Ruzhou City, where 250 miners were working underground.
The cause of the accident is under investigation.
China draws red line on water use
China has drawn a red line on total water use in the country.
The Ministry of Water Resources says the volume of water used as of 2030 should not exceed 700 billion cubic meters.
Jiao Yong, vice-minister of the department, notes that such a red line is to ensure ecologically-sound water use in lakes and rivers, and guide the use of water by society and industry as a whole.
According to the official, China used some 600 billion cubic meters of water in 2012.
China to launch multi-tier household gas pricing
China's price watchdog says the government will launch a multi-tier pricing mechanism for household natural gas before the end of 2015.
The National Development and Reform Commission says under the new mechanism, the residential natural gas price will increase as consumption above the base amount increases.
The mechanism will have three tiers.
The new move aims to make the household gas pricing system more just and encourage energy saving.
Chinese leaders urge better lives for the disabled
Chinese President Xi Jinping has sent respects to the nation's disabled people and called for greater efforts to improve their lives.
Xi Jinping made the remarks in a letter sent for congratulating the China Foundation for Disabled Persons on the 30th anniversary of its founding on Friday.
He urged the foundation to make greater efforts to let the disabled share China's development fruits and help them realize their dreams along with nation's rejuvenation. |