THE PREMIER PACE

<正>Practical and hardworking,Premier Li Keqiang talks with his delegation members at the sideline of a flurry of meetings with leaders of Central and Eastern European countries during his visit to Belgrade,Serbia,on December 16-19.     

The Art of Persuasion

French President Emmanuel Macron has recently come under the spotlight. He chose to side with the U.S. and the UK on military action in Syria in April, a decision likely borne of his impulse to cling to America and keep alive his dream of reviving France as a great power. He also visited Washington, D.C. as Europe's envoy in the hope of persuading the U.S. not to forsake the Iran nuclear agreement and to extend Europe's exemption from Trump's steel and aluminum tariffs. Of most concern to Macron at present is the reestablishment of France and Germany's central role in Europe, to push ahead with reform of the euro zone and to revitalize the European Union (EU).     

JCFA New President Koichi Kato and His Party in China

Invited by the China-Japan Friendship Association (CJFA), a 11-member delegation of the Japan-China Friendship Association (JCFA) headed by Koichi Kato, new president of the JCFA and former secretary general of Japan's Liberal Democratic Party, visited China from September 5 to 7, during which they attended the opening ceremony of the Beijing Paralympic Games and other relevant activities. President Hu Jintao met with Koichi Kato and his party. Koichi Kato attended the welcoming banquet President Hu Jintao and his wife hosted in honour of the dignitaries from various countries who had come to China to watch the Paralympics. Koichi Kato and his party made an official call on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Central Committee of the Communist Youth League of China and had a working meeting with the CJFA.     

Painting the Soul of the Yangtze River

Chen Kezhi:a prestigious oil painter and a household name in Chinese fine arts circles,is add- ing luster to the cultural prosperity of the country with his artistic efforts.The latest sensation is over his masterpieces of the Three Gorges area.Since 1996,he has devoted himself to the Three Gorges series.These paintings reproduce the original impression of the Three Gorges area that will never be seen again.The paintings deliver the mystic atmosphere of the orient and the majestic scenery of China.Chen recently sat down with Beijing Review reporter Huang Jun to share his views and experience on these masterpieces.     

The Silence Of the Kids

正At the age of 3,Xiao Jingkang,always known as Kangkang,was supposed to attend kindergarten in Beijing,but he couldn't,because he didn't talk-not to his friends, not to his teachers,not even to his parents.Kangkang was diagnosed with moderate-to-acute autism and unable to communicate with     

Former Japanese Minister of Health and Welfare Keigo Ouchi Visits China

At the invitation of the China-Japan Friendship Association (CJFA), Keigo Ouchi, former Japanese minister of health and welfare and former chairman of the Japanese Democratic Socialist Party, and his wife paid a visit to Shanghai, Hangzhou and Beijing from June 12 to 18, 2004. CJFA President Song Jian met with and entertained Keigo Ouchi and his wife. Wang Zaixi, deputy di-     

Voices

Henry Kissinger on China Again
On June 26, former U,S. secretary of state Henry Kissinger visited the Temple of Heaven with his daughter-in-law and grandson. It was his 15th visit to the temple out of 80 or more trips to Beijing.     

Preface to "Tracking Down the Traes of Gods——Journey to Greece"

"Tracking Down the Traces of Gods-Journey to Greece", a collection of poems written by ChenHaosu, vice-president of the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries(CPAFFC), was published in Athens in December 1995, when he led a CPAFFC delegation to Greece toattend the Third Europe-China International Conference. This collection of his poems in Chinese waswritten two years ago when he paid his first visit to Greece in September 1993, then translated intoGreek by a friend of his, and polished and edited by Mr.Thiyado Patrikarias, well-known Greek poet.The Greek friends think highly of this Chinese-Greek bilingual collection of poems. Mr Patrikariassaid, "This collection of poems reflects the thrill the poet experiences when his soul touches Greece(both ancient and modern Greece), and it vibrates in each of his poems. This shows that Greece hasfound an understanding friend from China, a great country with a longstanding history and culturaltradition." With the consent of the author,     

Forever young

Wang Guocai, 68-year-old rises at daybreak, reaches for his birdcage and heads to one of Beijing's numerous green areas, to get his daily dose of exercise. Arriving at the park, the retired post office worker runs into his peers, where he'll join them in this morning's activity -- an aerobic workout. Some are warming up; others are already bending, stretching and walking around backwards. All are accompanied by their birds, which sing merry tunes as their cages swing from the trees. For audibility, the birds face strong competition -- not far away a group of grey-haired women frolic about, waving large red fans in unison, while percussionists hypnotise them with drums and cymbals. Beijing's old folk are young at heart. Meanwhile, just outside the park, the city's younger inhabitants edge ever closer to a brain haemorrhage as they negotiate the city's crowded ring roads, honking their car horns all the way.     

Strategic Convergence Or Just Optics?

U.S.President Donald Trump’s maiden visit to India on the last leg of his presidency has been a momentous event for both sides.This showcasing of his popularity in a country with the second largest population and fi fth largest economy could improve his popularity in the presidential election with a large number of Americans being of Indian origin.It is certainly going to bring some excitement to India’s economic slowdown in recent times.     

The New Term

Russian President Vladimir Putin secured his fourth term with a land-slide victory in mid-March, winning around 76 percent of the vote. According to Russian law, Putin wil hold the post for another six years until 2024, at which point he wil have ruled the country for 20 years. During his fi rst three terms, Putin has com-mitted to rejuvenating the once powerful country. He likely intends to make several more notable contributions to guarantee his legacy in the history of Russia and the world. In his fourth term, can Putin finally realize his dream of reviving Russia, and what internal and foreign policy will he adopt to crown his long career as the head of the Russian state?     

Talking Free Trade

Last week, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao headed a delegation to New Zealand, which was part of his South Pacific trip, to discuss trade and a potential free trade area between the two countries. Ahead of the visit, Beijing Review spoke with New Zealand Ambassador to China Tony Browne on his country's trade relationship with China.     

One Country,Two Viewpoints The Japanese emperor''''s remorse over non-Japanese victims of World WarⅡdiffers sharply from the prime minister''''s persistent Yasukuni Shrine visits

Against the backdrop of all-time low relations with Asian neighbors, Japan's Emperor Akihito used the occasions of his annual birthday press conference and New Year greeting to talk to his nation about wartime history. The fact that he rarely addresses the     

The Science of happiness

正A maverick Chinese psychologist and his U.S.colleague discuss how to make China happier In the introduction to his 2004 book The Geography of Thought:How Asians and Westerners Think Differently…and Why,U.S.social psychologist Richard E.Nisbett describes how a"brilliant young student"from China prompted him to switch his focus to cultural psychology with the statement:"you know,the     

LOOKING EAST

Britain explores new areas for cooperation with China to substantiate their strategic partnership Gordon Brown paid his first official visit to China on January 18-20,less than seven months after he succeeded Tony Blair to become British prime minister.During his stay in Beijing, he held talks with President Hu Jintao, Premier Wen Jiabao and Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress Wu Bangguo.Wen and Brown had     

German Grapes Flourish in China

正ON March 28,at the invitation of the German Krber Foundation in Berlin,President Xi Jinping delivered a speech on China’s foreign policy.Special mention was given to German winemaker Norbert Gorres."Norbert Gorres is a wine expert who,together with his assistant Hans Beu,made 17 trips to Zaozhuang City in east China’s Shandong Province between 2000and 2009 to share his knowledge of viticulture and grafting technology with local farmers.He also authorized the local winery to make world-class wine under his family business label.In those nine years,Gorres and Beu jointly subsidized eight impoverished students in Zaozhuang to fi nance their studies.In 2007,when Beu’s health deteriorated,he asked Gorres to personally deliver one final donation of     

A Difficult Goodbye

For vegetable vendor Xu, a plastic bag is the most convincing invitation to potential customers. Bundles of white and blue plastic bags dangled from hooks tied to the poles of a big tent sheltering his vegetables from rain or sun. Upon spotting a visitor who stopped and glanced at his vegetables, Xu handed her a new plastic bag. She grabbed it and began to fill it with tomatoes.     

Another Cuppa?--China’s coffee industry is freshly roasted and ready to reach out

Café owner Liu Houjun gained a little online fame with his unique coffee brewing bravura. Formerly the director of a listed company, the coffee lover, in his 50 s, decided to quit his job and open a coffee shop to develop innovative blends.     

Delegation of United Latvian Friendship Societies in China

At the invitation of theCPAFFC,a 46-mem-ber delegation of the UnitedLatvian Friendship Societies(ULFS)with Savicka Inta,chair-person of the Jelgava RegionCouncil as honorary head of thedelegation,paid a goodwill visitto China from May 22 to 29,2006.The delegation visited Beijing,Guilin,Shanghai and Suzhou.CPAFFC President ChenHaosu met with the delegationand expressed his warm welcometo their China visit,and sinceregratitude to Tomase Inese,presi-dent of the ULFS,for his work f…     

TheHomecoming King

<正>Together with success in Cuba and Iran,is bolstering U.S.-Africa relations intended to be the final component of a foreign relations hat trick?Twenty-eight years after his first visit,U.S.President Barack Obama set foot once more on the soil of Kenya,birthplace of his father and a place which some people believe to be more his hometown than his native Hawaii.On the first visit,Obama was met by a half-sister and an aunt in a battered