"One country, two systems" best solution for HK: Hu
Chinese President Hu Jintao says advancing the cause of "one country, two systems" is the shared mission of both the central government and the government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.
He made the remarks while attending the 15th anniversary celebration marking Hong Kong's return to China and the inaugural ceremony of the fourth-term government of the Hong Kong SAR and Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying.
"Hong Kong's remarkable achievement proves that the "one country, two systems" is the best solution to the Hong Kong question left over from history and the best institutional arrangement for the long-term prosperity and stability of Hong Kong after its return to the motherland."
Hu adds that since Hong Kong's return to the motherland, the political system and democracy have developed in an incremental and orderly manner, and achieved much progress.
"We firmly believe that with the joint efforts of the China's central government, government of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and people from all walks of life, the practice of One country, two systems will achieve more tangible results. The road to common prosperity and development in the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong will be increasingly broad."
The president also stresses that it is important to keep a balance between adhering to the 'one country' principle and respecting the differences of the 'two systems', between safeguarding the overall national interests and protecting the interests of various social sectors of Hong Kong.
President Hu wraps up HK trip
President Hu Jintao ended his three-day Hong Kong visit today after attending the celebrations for the 15th anniversary of Hong Kong's return to China, and the swearing-in ceremony of the fourth-term chief executive Leung Chun-ying of the Hong Kong SAR.
New HK gov't to promote economy, democracy, livelihood: Leung
Hong Kong's new chief executive Leung Chun-ying says the new government will lead the city to develop the economy, improve people's livelihood, promote democracy and build a more prosperous, progressive and righteous society.
Leung Chun-ying made the pledge in his inaugural speech delivered at the swearing-in ceremony of the fourth-term government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region on Sunday.
He pledged to spare no effort to carry out his election platform and lead Hong Kong in 'seeking change while preserving stability,'"
China speaks positively of Geneva meeting on Syria
Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi says the outcome of the Action Group on Syria ministerial meeting has great significance for a political settlement of the Syrian issue.
He told reporters after ministers concluded a meeting all day long that the participating parties agreed to continue their support for the mediation of UN-Arab League Joint Special Envoy Kofi Annan.
They pledged efforts to back the implementation of his six-point proposal and relevant Security Council resolutions in a bid to establish a transitional governing body in Syria, and set up the Action Group on Syria to coordinate follow-up activities of the international community.
Yang Jiechi said China speaks positively of the meeting in Geneva.
China will continue to take a constructive part in the activities of the Action Group and make unremitting efforts to find a just, peaceful and appropriate solution to the Syrian issue at an early date.
Egyptian military hands over power to Morsi
A few hours after Egypt's new president Mohamed Morsi was sworn in, the ruling military council formally handed over power to the country's first freely elected leader in a military ceremony in Cairo.
Morsi is Egypt's first non-military president since army officers toppled the king in 1952.
Iran ready to confront Western oil embargo: minister
Iran says it is fully ready to confront the West's sanctions on the country's oil industry.
Iranian Oil Minister Rostam Qasemi says Iran's oil has its own markets and the Iranian government has studied all the possible options in confronting the sanctions.
His remarks came as the oil embargo of European Union (EU) on Iran's oil exports takes effect from Sunday.
China patrol ships reach South China Sea reef
A patrol team consisting of four China Marine Surveillance (CMS) ships have reached Huayang Reef in the South China Sea.
The patrol team sailed from south China's coastal city of Sanya on June 26 to the South China Sea to conduct regular patrols. The team is expected to travel more than 2,400 nautical miles (4,500 km) during the patrols.
35 injured, 64,500 people affected in Xinjiang quake
Thirty-five people were injured, and over 64 thousand people have been affected after a 6.6-magnitude quake that jolted northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region early Saturday morning.
The earthquake, which hit a mountainous area along the border of Hejing and Xinyuan counties, was followed by several aftershocks.
According to the preliminary investigation, quakes have killed over 2,000 heads of livestock, and damaged over 30,000 houses.
Railway authorities also stopped 32 passenger and freight trains which were running on the quake-affected regions.
The Ministy of Civil Affairs has dispatched relief goods, which include tents and quilts to quake-hit areas.
4 confirmed dead, 36 remain missing after Sichuan mudslide
Four people have been confirmed dead after a rain-triggered mudslide hit a construction zone in southwest China's Sichuan province.
36 people are still missing.
Rescuers and work teams sent by local governments have rushed to and started to work at the mudslide-hit region.
China's manufacturing growth rate at 7-month low
China's manufacturing sector expanded at its slowest pace in the last seven months, with the purchasing managers index (PMI) for the sector easing further to 50.2 percent in June, according to official survey results published today.
The official PMI data suggested the manufacturing sector is expanding even though the growth has slowed as a reading of 50 percent demarcates expansion from contraction.