NPC Standing Committee rules out 'civil nomination' for chief executive in 2017 election in the Special Administrative Region of Hong Kong, writes Zhou Bajun.

The downfall of Zhou Yongkang and Xu Caihou is of great practical significance, as it sets a new milestone in China’s deepening anti-graft campaign and clears way for the rule of law, writes Tong Zhiwei.

Although the central authorities have time and again reiterated its promise of introducing universal suffrage in Hong Kong, some people are still skeptical, ignoring even the efforts it has made under the legal framework for the development of democracy in Hong Kong, writes Wang Zhenmin.

Government agencies may contribute little to the already frequent exchanges between peoples of the U.S. and China – but where they can add real value is to help young leaders in both countries focus on more important things, such as climate change, terrorism, disease, and poverty.

The purge of China’s highest-ranking general to be expelled from the party affirms that Xi Jinping’s anti-corruption campaign is the boldest and most serious that China has ever experienced, write Cheng Li and Ryan McElveen.

In the search for corrupt Party officials, Xi Jinping should aim to fulfill three tasks so as to make his ouster of corruption most effective, according to Minxin Pei. In addition to this, Xi Jinping should also exercise caution in what decisions he makes regarding the “super tiger.”

With tensions at a seemingly all time high in the Asia Pacific, cross-straits relations between mainland China and Taiwan remain positive and relatively peaceful. However, Ted Galen Carpenter posits that this quiet period may be coming to an end and the Taiwan issue could prominently reemerge in the near future.

A foreigner who is visiting Beijing or Shanghai, or any other major city in China, will be amazed to see how obsessed the Chinese are about the World Cup despite their national team not playing in the tournament, writes Qin Xiaoying.

Consultation and negotiation are indispensable for the mainland’s ideal of solving the Taiwan issue through peaceful means, writes Zhu Songling.

Examining Chinese culture and Wang Jianlin’s Dalian Wanda Group, Tom Watkins explains that Chinese soft power is expected to grow as its culture is exported through media, film and television.