TENNIS STAR RETIRES

Chinas first and only Grand Slam winner Li Na recently announced her retirement due to a serious knee injury.

“Tennis is what I love， so I will try my best to help more children play，” 32-year-old Li said at a press conference in Beijing on September 21. “I wont be a coach of one or two particular players， but work more on the basic training of children at their starting point.” She plans to open a tennis academy after leaving competition.

Li， born in Wuhan， central Chinas Hubei Province， is the most successful tennis player in China. She began playing at the age of 6 and became a professional in 1999. In 2011， she became the first Asian to win a Grand Slam title at the French Open.

Experiencing ups and downs in 2012 and 2013， Li found the top of her game again this year， bagging a second Grand Slam title in the Australian Open in January.

The Revival of Nuclear Power

China Report September

Since a March 2011 tsunami wreaked havoc on Japans Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Plant， approval of the construction of nuclear power plants in China had been suspended. Petitions to restart nuclear power plant construction have been put forth since last year， when 11 members of the National Committee of the Chinese Peoples Political Consultative Conference， the countrys top political advisory body， called on the government to support Chinas nuclear power programs to go global.

Chinas national energy development action plan（2014-20） allows the construction of new nuclear power plants in eastern coastal areas on the precondition of employing the highest safety standards in the world. While many other countries like France and Germany are trying to denuclearize their power production， China must encourage the development of nuclear power production because of its unbalanced energy structure and heightened need for energy security.

China， Time to Speak Up！

World Affairs September 16

Improving Chinas power of discourse in the international community has become vital to strengthening the countrys overall competitiveness. However， striving for this power is a difficult process and poses challenges. Currently， Chinas opinions often get lost in the international system， with international communications dominated by Western countries， as they have distinctly different cultures and ideologies.

China remains a developing country. The living standards of Chinese people havent yet reached the levels of Western countries. However， China is a large country， in both size and population. Its every move draws wide international attention. Therefore， it must speak for itself more effectively. To this end， China must implement three vital changes.

First， it needs to strengthen internal ties. Only by highlighting the countrys cohesion can China gain more confidence when addressing world issues.

Second， the nation must continue to pursue peaceful development. As China is increasingly involved in globalization， the country will face more conflicts with other nations in the future. Currently， Western media outlets often portray China as aggressive.In face of suspicion from the international community， China should continue to follow its peaceful foreign policy by pushing forward cooperation， subduing bilateral conflicts and avoiding the escalation of tensions. Furthermore， it should increase its contributions to world development by providing more humanitarian assistance during emergencies or disasters.

Finally， a greater focus must be placed on truthfully telling Chinas stories. Chinese media outlets targeting international audiences should try to present Chinese values in a way that is relatable to the rest of the world.

Raising Entry Fees Under Scrutiny

Nanfang Daily September 19

Recently， many famous Chinese scenic spots have increased their entrance fee prices. Notable examples are the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain in Lijiang， southwest Chinas Yunnan Province， which increased its ticket price from 105 yuan （$17） to 130 yuan （$21）， and the Danxia Mountain， in south Chinas Guangdong Province， where the entry fee went from 160 yuan （$26） to 200 yuan （$32.50）.

Scenic spots are scarce public resources when compared to Chinas large population. Should they be allowed to follow the rules of the free market when setting prices？ For large theme parks developed and built by privately owned companies with the sole intent of making a profit， the companies can and should set prices according to the supply and demand of the market. But for most other attractions， which are either historical ruins or national parks meant to be enjoyed by all， a desire for high profits should not decide ticket prices. Those should be determined according to the cost of investment and management and following the governments guidelines.

As an increasing number of people choose travel as a way to relax， Chinas related industries are embracing myriad new development opportunities. However， the imprudent act of price-setting only shows that this market is still at its preliminary stages of development.

HISTORICAL TRUTH SEEKER

Song Jinhe， a retiree in Jiamusi， northeast Chinas Heilongjiang Province， has long been committed to educating the public about war crimes Japanese troops committed in China during World War II. Over the past five decades， he has collected 10，000 documents， photographs， letters and other historical materials detailing the cruelty of the Japanese invasion in the 1930s-40s.

The letters written by Japanese soldiers provide chilling firsthand accounts of the brutalities of war. Song has also obtained a secret military order showing that the September 18 Incident—a 1931 rail bombing that Japan used to justify its invasion of northeast China—was premeditated and carefully planned， and was not an act of Chinese sabotage as claimed by the Japanese military.

All this evidence serves as a rebuttal to the Japanese political right wings denials that the Japanese Imperial Army committed widespread atrocities in China. Songs exhibition has attracted more than 60，000 visitors since it opened on August 15， 2009.

“Currently， 174 Chinese medical experts are working in Guinea， Liberia， Sierra Leone， Guinea Bissau and other West African countries. This shows Chinas true friendship with African countries， and the Chinese peoples international humanitarianism.”

Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei， at a press briefing on September 19

“Part of the purpose of this exhibition is to expel the popular narrative that Europe discovered China and China waited to become a globally engaged society. In fact， China was completely engaged at a much earlier period.”

Curator of British Museum Jessica Harrison-Hall， commenting on the September 18 opening of an exhibition on the cultural splendor and diplomatic reach of China during a 50-year period in the Ming Dynasty （1368-1644）

“The artificially bred panda population has reached some 300， compared to just 10 bred in the 1990s. We must continue releasing them to nature， as thats their real home.”

Zhang Hemin， Director of the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda in Wolong， southwest Chinas Sichuan Province， announcing on September 21 that the center will release another two captive-bred giant pandas into the wild this year

“It was not as good as I had expected. It was slower than my time in the first half of this year. But Im happy that Im taking home a gold from the Asian Games.”

Liu Ying， a Chinese swimmer whose 25.83-second time in the womens 50-meter butterfly swim took gold and set a new Asian Games record， speaking with Xinhua News Agency on September 22