China slams US for considering to accept HK lawbreakers

17:08, February 02, 2021

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  HK liaison office slams Bar chair's comments on national security law

  File photoThe Liaison Office of the Central Peoples Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) on Friday slammed the comments by Paul Harris, chairman of the Hong Kong Bar Association, who clamored for the revision of the national security law and questioned the Standing Committee of the National Peoples Congress (NPC) authority.A spokesperson of the office called his comments "fallacious" and are completely deprived of the spirit and principle of the rule of law. Harris words exposed his arrogance and ignorance, and will drag the Bar Association to the abyss, the spokesperson said in a statement.Since the law on safeguarding national security in the HKSAR was adopted half a year ago, social order has returned normal, and the calmness of the society has been safeguarded, the statement read.The constitutional order in the HKSAR must be protected, the national security law be firmly implemented, and "anyone who goes against the tide will surely go to a dead end," the spokesperson stressed.

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  COVID-19 virus mutations should be closely tracked as new variants pose challenges for China: top epidemiologist

  Zhong Nanshan Photo:VCG.China's top epidemiologist Zhong Nanshan said that COVID-19 virus mutations should be closely tracked, and it is important to consider which strain of the virus to use as a vaccine if the virus mutates. He pointed out that the recent cases caused by the new variants in China

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  Pork supply, acceptance of cash payments to be guaranteed

  A slew of ministry-level departments, including those responsible for commerce, banking, economic planning and meteorology have responded recently to matters of public concern.Photo: China DailyEmerging services help boost online retail salesWith new online shopping outlets booming in the country, China has secured its status as the largest online retail market in the world for eight years in a row, according to the latest figures.Officials noted that emerging, cutting-edge consumption services expanded rapidly last year, and the convergence between online and offline operations has been gearing up in the industry.Chinas online retail sales of goods registered a total of 9.8 trillion yuan ($1.5 trillion) last year, a year-on-year increase of 14.8 percent, the Ministry of Commerce said on Jan 19.Retail sales through online outlets accounted for 24.9 percent of the countrys total retail sales last year, ministry officials said.Online sales promoted by livestreamers have gained great popularity. More than 20 million livestreaming events took place in the country last year, the ministry said.As a result, surging online sales also gave a major boost to the delivery industry, as a total of 83.36 billion parcels were delivered throughout the year.16 entities penalized for refusing cash paymentsThe countrys top banking regulator has stressed the need to safeguard the rights and interests of consumers who want to pay in cash despite the booming usage of cashless payments nationwide.The Peoples Bank of China, the nations central bank, has punished 16 entities for refusing to take cash payments during the fourth quarter of last year.The 16 violators include parks, public service institutions, parking lots and insurance companies who were disciplined as part of a crackdown on the practice of refusing cash payments launched in October, the central bank said in a Thursday release. Such practice is illegal, authorities say.The violators were issued with fi...