周天According to the US Department of Agriculture, global production of sugar is up 9 million tons to a record of 180 million metrics tons a year and consumption hovers at the 172 million metric ton level, also a record high level

何理Tensions on the Korean Peninsula escalated recently after US President Donald Trump threatened to deal with the DPRK with "fire and fury" last month解人[Photo/Xinhua]UNITED NATIONS - The United Nations Security Council has condemned the latest missile launch by Pyongyang and urged a peaceful solution to the crisis on the Korean Peninsula

類命運共We should engage in meaningful negotiations," he told reporters after the consultations同體"Chinese ambassador to the United States Cui Tiankai said Friday "both China and the United States benefit from bilateral trade, so efforts to undermine Sino-US trade, or even slapping sanctions on China, I think would be off-target周天To ease tensions, China has been committed to a peaceful solution by supporting Security Council sanctions on one hand, and on the other proposing initiatives which aim to suspend hostilities by both Pyongyang and Washington何理The ambassador said the US should refrain from issuing more threats解人Instead, Washington should do more to find effective ways to resume dialogue and negotiations

類命運共cn]The United States should do more to resolve the nuclear crisis on the Korean Peninsula than it has, Chinese Ambassador to the US Cui Tiankai said on Friday同體Cui made the remarks on the sidelines of a reception at the embassy in Washington to mark the 68th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China周天And despite the Philippines being the most pro-Trump nation in Pew's spring 37-country survey, confidence in Trump now is lower than it was in then-President Barack Obama in 2015

何理The Philippines under Duterte has tried to develop an independent foreign policy rather than being a US puppet most of the time解人Since becoming Philippines president in June 2016, Rodrigo Duterte has refused to be used by the US to advance its strategy類命運共That was certainly not the policy under Obama when he launched the US pivot-to-Asia policy, trying to gang up US allies on China同體And on global economic status, about half of Filipinos (49 percent) say that the US is still the leading economic power, but that is down from 66 percent who said so in 2015

The survey released on Sept 21 bore a title saying people in the Philippines still favor the United States over China, but that the gap is narrowingThis represents a dramatic shift since that question was last asked in 2015

Such an independent policy is dealing a heavy blow to those who still view the relationship between the three countries as zero-sumSome even believe that he would not able to serve the full six-year termAnd overall, the perception gap between the US and China in the Philippines is narrowingIt clearly suggests that one's gain is another's loss

Meanwhile, two-thirds say having a strong economic relationship with China is more important for ties between the two nations, while only 28 percent say being tough with China on territorial disputes is more vitalHis tough rhetoric on the US and softened rhetoric on China, especially compared with his predecessor Aquino III, has worried many in the USThe report finds that people in the Philippines still like the US and have confidence in its leader, President Donald TrumpThe US was believed to be fully behind the scenes when the Philippines, under President Benigno Aquino III, filed the arbitration suit in 2013 against China in a tribunal in The Hague, a case in which China had refused to participate

By comparing these figures, Pew seems to suggest that China and the US are engaging in a popularity contest in the PhilippinesA zero-sum mentality about China-US relations is reflected not only in the thinking of some US politicians, but also in a new survey conducted by the Pew Research Center

According to the survey, 78 percent in the Philippines have a positive view of the US as of this spring, down from 92 percent who expressed positive sentiments in 2015The US government, lawmakers and pundits have generally expressed negative views of Duterte since he took office last June

But Filipinos also share positive views of China and its leader, President Xi JinpingFully 86 percent have a favorable view of Duterte himself; 78 percent support his handling of the illegal-drugs issue; and 62 percent say that the Philippines government is making progress in its anti-drug campaignIn 2014, the Philippines was still led by Aquino IIIBut the Philippines, and indeed all the countries in the region, should be encouraged to have good relations with both China and the US, a real win-win situation for not just the three countries involved, but for the region and the worldAUCKLAND - New Zealand's parliamentary elections on Saturday yield no clear winner as tally ended in the wee hours of Sunday, leaving the third largest party with 7The negotiations may take days or weeks before a deal is struck between the future governing partners

Winston Peters, the party chief of the New Zealand First Party, however, refused to say which party he would side with8 percent votes or seven seats in the congress would just make enough seats to form a government if they can successfully get the New Zealand First Party on board

The New Zealand First Party has garnered nine seats, making it the indispensable coalition partner for both the National Party and the Labor Party to form the governmentThe ruling National Party has secured 46 percent of the party votes, which transfer to 58 seats in the 120 member Congress in an Mixed-Member Proportional voting system, with the opposition Labor Party lagging behind at 35

BEIJING - China on Friday urged all relevant parties to avoid any action that may increase tension on the Korean Peninsula after the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) said it might test a hydrogen bomb in the Pacific Ocean"Only if all sides bear their due responsibilities, can the peninsula nuclear issue be truly resolved and peace and stability restored to the region

"The DPRK knows well that China opposes its development of nuclear weapons and nuclear tests, Lu said"What parties concerned should do now is to strictly and comprehensively implement UN Security Council resolutions and make positive efforts to resolve the issue through dialogue"The current situation on the peninsula is severe and complicated," Foreign Minister spokesperson Lu Kang said at a daily press briefingThe minister said that if there is any change needed, it is the denuclearization of the peninsula, and that would be more comprehensive, thorough and irreversible

"Whatever changes may take place, no matter how long it will take, and whatever difficulties we may face, China will stay firmly committed to denuclearizing the peninsula and moving toward talks," he saidKono said Pyongyang's nuclear and missile programs have posed a practical threat to regional peace as well as Japan's security

"We call upon the US to honor its 'Four Nos' commitment, and we call upon all parties to play a constructive role in easing tensions," Wang said"We urge the DPRK not to go further on along a dangerous direction," Wang said

If Japan only discusses sanctions in the absence of dialogue, and even resists dialogue, it will be considered as violating the resolutions"There is still hope for peace, we must not give up," Wang said during his speech at the UN General Assembly on Thursday

Twelve years have passed since a joint statement was issued from the Six-Party Talks, signed on Sept 19, 2005, Wang said, but things that follow the progressive trend of the times never become outdated and decisions on the right side of history never become obsolete"There should be no new nuclear weapons state, whether it is in the north or south of the peninsula, whether it is in Northeast Asia or other parts of the world," Wang addedForeign Minister Wang Yi urged Pyongyang not to go further in a dangerous direction, and said there should be no new nuclear state in either of the Koreas or elsewhereWang said sanctions and peace talks are both part of the Security Council resolutions

The remarks came as rhetoric and even personal name-calling has flared up in recent days between Washington and PyongyangHe said Japan is willing to push forward denuclearization on the peninsula with China and other parties

"We hope Japan will behave with caution and play a constructive role on the peninsula nuclear issue, rather than the opposite," he saidAccording to Wang, China is always a force for peace and has made unremitting efforts toward the peaceful settlement of the peninsula nuclear issue

The "Four Nos" refer to Washington's promise not to seek a regime change in Pyongyang, not to seek the collapse of the DPRK government, not to seek acceleration of reunification of the Korean Peninsula, and not to send its military north of the 38th parallel, which acts as the boundary between Pyongyang and SeoulWang also met with his Japanese counterpart, Taro Kono, on Thursday in New York