People's Daily Tonight: Podcast News (2/23/2018 Fri.)

This is People's Daily Tonight, your news source from China. 

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2,980 deputies elected to China's top legislature

A total of 2,980 deputies to the 13th National People's Congress (NPC), China's top legislature, have been elected and are awaiting final confirmation.

A report on the qualifications of the new NPC deputies, elected from 35 electoral units across the country, was submitted to the NPC Standing Committee for confirmation.

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India carries out most trade remedy investigations against China

India has carried out eight trade remedy investigations against China in January and February, according to statistics from China's Ministry of Commerce.

As of August 2017, India has launched 212 anti-dumping investigations against China.

China has been urging India to legitimately using trade remedy measures, noting that the abuse of such measures would cast a negative influence on the two nations' trade and economic ties.

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World's first autologous lung stem cell transplant conducted in China

Researchers from the Shanghai-based Tongji University successfully regenerated human lung through stem cell transplantation. The process and results of the research were published in the science journal Protein & Cell on Jan. 17.

Transplantation is believed to be an effective solution for patients with severe lung diseases, but its application is largely limited due to the extreme lack of donor lungs, as well as the severe side effects resulting from immune-rejection.

The success of the clinical trial offers a new option for transplantation therapy.

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China to revise oath of allegiance for officials

China plans to revise the oath of allegiance to the Constitution taken by people in public office to include adjectives of "great" and "modern" before "a socialist country."

The draft revision was submitted to a session of the Standing Committee of the NPC for review on Friday.

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Australian PM: China is no threat to us; it has no 'hostile intent'

China is not a threat to Australia because it has no "hostile intent," Australian Prime Minister Malcom Turnbull told the media on Thursday as he starts his three-day visit to the United States.

According to The Guardian's report, the leader tried to play down a more hostile approach to China by the US, rejecting the idea that the two superpower countries are in competition.

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Two Koreas to talk about DPRK's participation in Paralympics

South Korea and the DPRK will hold talks on Feb. 27 to discuss the DPRK's participation in the Winter Paralympic Games.

South Korea offered Tuesday to hold the working-level talks, and the DPRK accepted the proposal earlier in the day.

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Political settlement is the only way out for Syria: Chinese envoy

A Chinese envoy said a political settlement is the only way out for the ongoing crisis in Syria and called for resuming dialogues and negotiations among relevant parties. 

One of the Chinese permanent representative to the United Nations, expressed concern over the escalated security situation in parts of Syria, including its capital Damascus and the Eastern Ghouta.

China would like to express its profound sympathy to the Syrian people for their suffering, and condemns all acts of violence that target civilians and civilian facilities.

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And that's People's Daily Tonight. Thanks for joining us.

(Produced by Chen Zilin, Wang Yi and Liang Peiyu)