周天Since becoming Philippines president in June 2016, Rodrigo Duterte has refused to be used by the US to advance its strategy

何理[Photo/Xinhua]The Chinese Navy's hospital ship Peace Ark is providing humanitarian medical services to the people of Sierra Leone during an ongoing port call in the West African nation, Chinese media reported解人The vessel arrived on Tuesday in Freetown, Sierra Leone's capital and largest city, which is a major port on the Atlantic Ocean

類命運共A nurse from China draws blood as part of an examination of a boy on the Peace Ark on Sept 21,2017同體Sierra Leone is the second destination for Peace Ark in its "Harmonious Mission 2017" tour周天Medical personnel began examining and treating local residents immediately, Xinhua News Agency reported何理It carries a total of 115 doctors and nurses, most of them from the People Liberation Army's Naval Medical University and Navy General Hospital解人Each day hundreds of Sierra Leone residents line up outside Peace Ark waiting for their turn to be diagnosed by Chinese doctors, the report said, noting that at least 2,000 residents would receive medical services during the ship's eight-day stay in Freetown

類命運共The Peace Ark left a naval port in China's Zhejiang province on July 26 to carry out its 155-day goodwill mission同體It docked in Djibouti from August 23 to 31 and treated thousands of locals, Xinhua said, and made stops in Spain and Sri Lanka for resupply周天TOKYO - Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is gearing up to dissolve the lower house of parliament and call a snap general election, Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) Secretary General Toshihiro Nikai confirmed on Tuesday

何理The support rate for Abe's cabinet has improved moderately recently, and the opposition camp has accused the prime minister of taking advantage of this and have slammed the possible general election as being unnecessary and serving Abe's personal, not political objectives解人The application for UNESCO heritage status submitted by more than 10 groups from China, the Republic of Korea and other countries and regions will "allow the world to fully understand the brutality of the war of agrression, remember history, cherish peace and defend human dignity," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lu Kang said at a regular news briefing類命運共BEIJING -- Japan should act correctly towards an application for records of comfort women to be listed as UNESCO heritage, instead of threatening not to pay its UNESCO membership fees, a Chinese spokesperson said Monday同體If the submitted documents are approved for the UNESCO Memory of the World Register next month, domestic pressure for Japan to cancel payment of its UNESCO membership fees will grow, according to Japanese media

"The members of international organizations are obliged to pay their membership fees on time and in fullChina demands Japan reflect on its history of aggression, and take a correct attitude towards and do not smear or meddle with the application," Lu said

The move serves the purposes of the UNESCO, he saidForceful recruitment of comfort women, or sex slaves, was a grave crime committed by the Japanese militarism during WWIIThere is solid evidence and no room for denying that, Lu saidHe said that Japan should handle the issue properly and in a responsible way to gain trust from its Asian neighbors and the international community

People from the DPRK and the ROK belong to the same ethnic group, and China has always supported the two countries in strengthening exchanges, improving ties and promoting reconciliation, he saidLu's comment came after ROK President Moon Jae-in suggested that his country could go ahead with humanitarian aid to the DPRK "regardless of political situations," despite Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's request for consideration of the timing of the proposed aidBEIJING -- China hopes that concerned parities can understand and respect the emotions of the people and support normal exchanges between the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) and the Republic of Korea (ROK), Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lu Kang said Monday"All the UN Security Council resolutions that imposed sanctions on the DPRK, including the newly adopted Resolution 2375, have stated clearly that they are not intended to have a negative effect on the livelihoods and humanitarian needs of the people there," Lu said at a daily press briefing

"I think this is not only good for China, but will also be a positive influence to the whole international system," he saidFor example, Singapore can become a launchpad for Chinese companies to march into international markets, and they can make the best of Singapore's trade and service facilities as a financial center and transport hub

Singapore's cooperation with China concerning the Belt and Road Initiative, Lee said, is focused on infrastructure inter-connectivity, financial projects and third-country programs such as personnel training, which Singapore believes can combine advantages of both sidesThe two sides are expected to exchange views on bilateral ties and issues of common concern, the Chinese Foreign Ministry announced Friday

In the interview, Lee said the Initiative-related cooperation in sectors such as infrastructure investments, trade and tourism can help further "integrate China into regional and international economic systems while greatly boosting the prosperity and development in other countriesThe Belt and Road Initiative, put forward by Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2013, is aimed at building the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road through concerted efforts of all related countries to benefit all participants by promoting unimpeded trade, financial integration, infrastructure inter-connectivity and closer people-to-people exchangesThe Singaporean leader will pay an official visit to China on Sept 19-21 at the invitation of Chinese Premier Li Keqiang"The Initiative will help foster closer cooperation among China and its neighboring countries as well as its trade partners in Europe, Asia and even Africa," he added"We deem the Belt and Road Initiative as positive," Lee said Saturday in an interview with Xinhuanet, Xinhua's official website, noting that China's continuous economic growth has made China an increasingly larger and more important part in the international systemSINGAPORE -- Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has said that the Belt and Road Initiative of China is positive to the world since it can help further integrate China into regional and international economic systems while boosting growth in other countries

" In his opinion, the Initiative can help China make more and better contributions to global economic and trade cooperation as well as the international relationsOne option is to hold a snap election on Oct 22, when three by-elections are scheduled, the sources said

TOKYO - Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is considering calling a snap election for as early as next month to take advantage of his improved approval ratings and disarray in the main opposition party, government and ruling party sources said on SundayOther possibilities are later in October or after an expected visit by US President Donald Trump in early November

"Until now, it appeared the election would be next autumn, butAbe's ratings have recovered to 50 percent in some polls

we must always be ready for battle," domestic media quoted Komeito party chief Natsuo Yamaguchi as telling reporters on Saturday during a visit to RussiaAbe told executives of his Liberal Democratic Party and its junior coalition partner, the Komeito party, that he might dissolve parliament's lower house for a snap poll after the legislature convenes for an extra session from Sept 28, the sources saidAbe will probably make a decision after returning from a Sept 18-22 trip to the United States, the sources saidTop LDP and Komeito officials will meet on Monday to discuss preparations, they added

"We need to be clear that the latest UN resolution not only sanctions the DPRK's nuclear activities but also calls for the reopening of dialogue and resolving the issue through consultations," Cui said"Without implementing these, we also will consider it as noncompliance with the resolution," Nebenzia said, Reuters reported

China's envoy to Washington has urged the US to do more to resolve the nuclear crisis on the Korean Peninsula, while stressing that the UN resolution on Pyongyang also calls for dialogue and peace talksThe ambassador's remarks followed shortly after the DPRK's latest missile launch drew condemnation from the United Nations and refueled fiery rhetoric about a military option from the Trump administration, which also asked China to mount pressure on the DPRK, partly by cutting oil shipments to Pyongyang

"At the UN's headquarters in New York on Friday, Russia's UN Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia also called on the US and others to implement the "political and diplomatic solutions" that are called for in the latest sanctions resolutionCui said the resolution is a shared responsibility for all parties

The UN Security Council unanimously adopted resolution 2375 on Sept 11 in response to the DPRK's sixth nuclear test, conducted on Sept 3"Everybody else will have to do their share; they cannot leave this issue to China alone," Cui said at a reception on Friday night in WashingtonCui: United Nations resolution also calls for dialogue Chinese Ambassador to the United States Cui Tiankai"Cui, however, bluntly said that China will never recognize the DPRK as a nuclear state and opposes nuclear weapons anywhere on the Korean Peninsula and beyond, including Japan and Taiwan

Instead, it should do more to find effective ways to resume dialogue and negotiations, Cui saidHours after the Democratic People's Republic of Korea launched another missile over Japan into the Pacific Ocean on Friday, Chinese Ambassador to the US Cui Tiankai said Washington "should be doing much more than now", so that there's real, effective international cooperation on the Korean Peninsula issue

When asked about the oil cuts, Ambassador Cui told reporters, "We are fully prepared to implement all the Security Council resolutions－no more, no lessChina responded by saying that it has done its best, and the initiators of a problem should resolve it, said Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying

"The resolution should be implemented comprehensivelyHowever, the crisis on the Korean Peninsula has spilled over and endangered regional security and stability, as well as relations between other countries