BEIJING Your Beijing Bible • Insightful and interactive – real voices from the capital’s expat community • Issues, life and style • Culture, eating, nightlife and more Metro Beijing appears in the English edition of the Global Times here in Beijing, Monday to Friday. Nation InDepth Life Business Bites are Ties that matter Uncovered US companies worse for to the world treasure to expand in bark 6 12-13 18 China B1 www.globaltimes.com.cn VOLUME 8 • NO. 2258 • THURSDAY APRIL 6, 2017 PRICE 2 YUAN Govt imposes strict ban on home sales in Xiongan zone By Leng Shumei, Huang Ge and Zheng Ye Authorities have detained sev- en people as the Xiongan New Area in North China’s Hebei Province reiterated its ban on land and property purchases amid soaring home prices. Home prices in Rongcheng county, one of the three coun- ties comprising the Xiongan New Area, were between 5,000 yuan ($726) and 6,000 yuan per square meter a week ago and soared to 20,000 yuan within days, a Rongcheng resi- dent told the Global Times on Wednesday. The Xiongan preparatory committee vowed Tuesday to crack down on the illegal con- struction of new houses and the second-hand housing trade, the Xinhua News Agency reported. The committee said “all forms of illegal trading of property are not protected by law,” adding that it would strictly im- 2 Chinese President Xi Jinping and Finnish President Sauli Niinisto shake hands after a signing ceremony at the Presidential Palace in plement the central Firms Helsinki on Wednesday. Photo: AFP China, Finland eye ‘future-oriented’ partnership Inside Top News: Latest NK missile test further fuels tensions in region 3 Nation: New nuclear power Xi, Niinisto boost free trade deals with Kenya 4 World: Russia stands by Syria amid outcry 7 Asian Review: Democracy By Yang Sheng INFINLAND dent Donald Trump in both sides pledging to enhance political XI Florida, showed China’s mutual trust and deepen pragmatic coop- wrong reason to trap Chinese President Xi Jin- status in global governance eration, the Xinhua News Agency reported. Myitsone 15 ping met with his Finnish is rising as the new US Xi said that both countries’ develop- Forum: Stable Sino-US ties counterpart Sauli Niinisto in Helsinki on administration creates uncertainty among ments are highly complementa- can aid Trump presidency 16 Wednesday, with both leaders agreeing to globalization advocates. 2 ry, and should reinforce the po- advance free trade and fight protectionism. China and Finland agreed Wednesday China litical basis of bilateral ties and Business: Contract signed Experts said the meeting, which came a to establish and promote a future-oriented See also mutually support each other’s for Indonesia high-speed day ahead of Xi’s meeting with US Presi- “new type” cooperative partnership, with Pages B4-5 development, Xinhua reported. train B2 Address: The Global Times English Edition, 2 Jintai Xilu, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100026 • News Dept: (8610) 65367574 [email protected] • Ads Dept: (8610) 65369595 [email protected] • Subscription Dept: (8610) 65369602 [email protected] Marketing Dept: (8610) 65367665 [email protected] 地址：北京市朝阳区金台西路2号环球时报社英文版 ● 邮政编码：100026 ● 国内统一刊号：CN11-0272 ● 国际标准刊号：ISSN 2095-2678 ● 邮发代号：1-181 2 Thursday April 6, 2017 TOPNEWS Colossus container Firms, individuals rush to cash in on Xiongan New Area Govt, from Page 1 authorities’ guideline that states, “Houses are for residential purposes only.” The committee also announced that seven people had been arrested for real estate viola- tions. By April 4, the committee had discovered 765 real estate violations, demolished 125 illegal buildings and shut down 106 real estate agencies, the Hebei Daily reported Wednesday. China announced on Saturday the establish- ment of the Xiongan New Area, a landmark new economic zone about 100 kilometers southwest of Beijing. The new zone is part of a more ambitious plan to jointly develop Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei to improve the region’s development, environment and public services, and bridge the gap between the capital and areas surrounding it, Xinhua said. “Hebei is the least developed area in the Bei- jing-Tianjin-Hebei (Jing-jin-ji) Region. The new strategy is aimed at making use of Hebei’s geo- graphical advantage to develop the province,” The world’s largest container ship, MOL Triumph, docks at the Dalian port, Liaoning Province on Wednesday. The Sheng Guangyao, a research fellow at the Insti- ship has been traveling between China and Europe, a route seen as part of the Maritime Silk Road. Photo: IC tute for Urban and Environmental Studies of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Wednesday. Sheng said that “high home prices are very harmful to the new zone as they prevent people China to send a pair of pandas and companies from moving in.” He stressed that “Xiongan relies on industrial development.” “Most of the Jing-jin-ji region’s cooperation to Finland by the end of 2017 focuses on environmental protection. To devel- op the Xiongan New Area, measures should be taken to attract industries considered inappropri- ate in Beijing and Tianjin to the area, which has Xi, from Page 1 eration between the European Union ‘Learn from Finland’ more available land,” Sheng said. and China, he said. Xi also met with On Wednesday, Xi agreed to send Sheng added that “the housing trade restric- After meeting with Xi, Niinisto the Speaker of the Parliament of Fin- a pair of pandas to Finland. The ani- tions are temporary until Xiongan carries out its told media that “The Finnish and land Maria Lohela, and both agreed mals will be loaned for 15 years and own housing policy.” Chinese governments agreed to ad- to enhance communication and ex- are expected to arrive by the end of The Global Times has learned that the govern- vance free trade and fight protec- changes between legislative bodies of the year. ment of Rongcheng had sealed all local estate tionism,” and he also said the two the two countries. During the leaders’ meeting, coop- agencies and rental homes since Sunday, after countries are working on “combating The bilateral relationship shows eration on winter sports and prepara- thousands of people descended on the county to climate change, an area where China both economies are complementary, tions for the Winter Olympics were purchase homes. has shown great leadership,” Helsin- experts say. “After Finland’s prosper- also discussed. The local government also suspended real es- ki-based media Yle News reported on ous ‘Nokia era’ and the Eurozone According to Xinhua’s report on tate agencies in the Xushui district, about 20 kilo- Wednesday. Crisis, Finland’s economic potential Wednesday, both China and Finland meters from Rongcheng. “When the US withdraws from has been damaged, but simultane- have agreed to cooperate on winter The Rongcheng government has been gradu- supporting free trade and overthrew ously, the Chinese economy started sporting events and preparations for ally reducing the housing trade since May 2016, Obama administration’s promise on to connect with the world. In this the Winter Olympics, and make 2019 another local resident surnamed Wang told the climate change, other countries like process, both countries successfully “the year of China-Finland winter Global Times. Finland will turn to cooperation with established a pragmatic and mutually sports.” The government Wednesday announced on China. To some extent, the US un- trusted bilateral relationship,” said Ji- Finland has advantages in some its Wechat account that it had closed 35 real es- certainty will improve China’s image ang Shixue, a professor at Shanghai winter games such as cross-country tate agencies, demolished 48 illegal buildings and advantage in global governance,” University and deputy director of the skiing (for which the country holds and suspended operations at 41 enterprises since Chu Yin, an associate professor at the Institute for European Studies at the 20 Olympics gold medals) and ski March. University of International Relations, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. jumping (10 gold medals), while the told the Global Times on Wednesday. “Currently, both countries are fac- head coach of China’s national cross- Chain reaction According to Xinhua, the Finnish ing new opportunity. Xi’s visit to Fin- country skiing team is currently Fin- Besides home prices, Chinese bourses rallied side hopes to carry out more high- land would be a milestone for the two land’s Mikko Virtanen. Wednesday, with more than 20 shares related to level contacts and exchanges in all countries’ bilateral ties and even the “Beijing’s Winter Olympics will be the new national strategy, mainly in the property, areas with China, and deepen coop- Sino-EU relationship,” Jiang added. a huge opportunity for the Chinese cement, steel and construction sectors, surging to eration in economy and trade, invest- During the meeting between Xi team to build something new,” Vir- the daily limit immediately after trading opened ments, innovation, environmental and Niinisto, both sides also agreed tanen said to Xinhua on February 20, on Wednesday. protection, tourism, winter sports to increase communication and ex- adding that he hopes he could give Concept stocks on the Hong Kong Stock Ex- and Arctic affairs, as well as within changes between governments, leg- something to the team. He believes change also received a massive boost from Xion- the framework of the Belt and Road islative bodies, judicial organs, and China’s cross-country skiing has gan. For instance, BBMG Corp, a construction (B&R) Initiative, Niinisto said. the two countries’ political parties, huge potential. materials producer based in Beijing, surged 34.67 The B&R Initiative was put for- Xinhua reported. “As an Olympic event, cross-coun- percent, closing at HK$4.75 ($0.60) on Monday.