Visa Problems

Life Weekly
October 28

With China's big middle class able to afford overseas trips, complaints about difficulties facing local passport holders during visa processing have increased. This poses questions as to the value of a Chinese identity.

Chinese seldom enjoy visa-free treatment. Such status is usually conferred by the Cannikin Law, which pertains to the degree of development and comprehensive quality of a country's lowest social hierarchy. However, the gap between the rich and poor as well as imbalanced economic development are currently major problems in China, and the situation can't be changed in the short term. This means, as long as these two major problems are not solved, it is hardly for Chinese people to enjoy wider scope of visa-free treatment. At the same time some countries that had granted landing visa or visa-free treatments to Chinese canceled that preferential treatment because of illegal detention of some Chinese.

However, there is also good news. To attract Chinese with strong consumption capabilities, more countries are providing conditional visa-free visits, while this year, certain states have also simplified visa procedures for Chinese tourists.

Shame of CNN

Global Times
November 4

Recently, CNN published an article on its website, commenting over the terrorist attack on Beijing's Tiananmen Square on October 28. The piece reviewed the so-called Chinese Government's "suppression" of the Uygur ethnic group in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region and questioned the Chinese police conclusion of events, asking "whether Monday's alleged attack was a well-prepared terrorist act or a hastily assembled cry of desperation from a people on the extreme margins of the Chinese state's monstrous development machine?"

This time, CNN has gone too far. Usually, Western media interviews East Turkistan terrorist leaders such as Rebiya Kadeer, expressing their sympathy and support. But this time, CNN's website published comments written by an assistant professor of George Washington University, showing its attitude directly.

This article may reflect the opinion of quite a number of Americans. But, even though some think this way, it is still quite bad for a media organization to present such a stance as a mainstream opinion of American society.

When the September 11 event occurred in the United States, all Chinese mainstream media fiercely condemned the acts of Al Qaeda organization and stood with the American Government and its people.

We believe that, despite disputes between countries, when it comes to terrorism, all forces loving justice and peace should unite. It is really double standards to call it terrorism when it causes loss to your own home, while call it "cry of desperation" when it occurred in others' yards.

Speaking of "desperation" and "hatred," no suicide attackers lack these. Didn't Al Qaeda members who attacked the United States and Europe reveal it? Didn't the Palestinian female suicide bomber who attacked Israel show it? Without extreme religious brainwashing, how could the killing of innocent people be regarded as "justice" or "jihad"?

Since ancient times, differences have existed between civilizations, nationalities and ethnic groups. This problem has never been solved. The West is certainly no model. Both the United States and Europe have suffered ethnic conflicts from time to time.

Some Western elites hold double standards regarding China and Russia on issues of terrorism. This is no good for counter-terrorism causes. This time, CNN couldn't help but release its schadenfreude, though it ruined the image of itself in the eyes of Chinese people.

On the contrary, French President Francois Hollande immediately condemned the terrorist attack on Tiananmen and expressed condolences to the victims' families. While this boosted the French image, CNN has presented some American media gradually kidnapped by dark psychology.

More Attention to Bus Drivers

The Beijing News
November 3

Dong Hongnian, a bus driver in Suzhou, east China's Jiangsu Province, suffered from a sudden cerebral hemorrhage while on duty. During the incident, and while enduring great pain, he managed to pull the hand brake and stop the bus, just in time to save the lives of more than 20 passengers and keep the vehicle from plunging from a bridge with a 3-meter slope at its side.

Dong's actions have won him great honor. However, he has not been the only bus driver to suffer a sudden onslaught. Bus drivers work long hours and under great pressure, which over time, takes a toll on health and could negatively affect the safety of passengers.

It is essential to organize regular physical examinations for all bus drivers and assess their health conditions.