VOL. XXX No. 2 February 2018 Rs. 20.00 The Chinese Embassy in India held a symposium with The Chinese Embassy in India, ICCR and China some eminent people of India. Federation of Literary and Art Circles co-hosted Guangzhou Ballet Performance. Ambassador Luo Zhaohui met with a delegation from the Ambassador Luo Zhaohui met with students from Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the PRC. Experimental School of Capital Normal University. Minister and DCM Mr. Li Bijian participated in an activity Diplomats of Chinese Embassy attended the in Jindal Global University. International Food Festival in JNU. Celebrating Spring Festival 1. Entering the Year of the Dog 4 2. Old, New Customs to Celebrate China’s Spring Festival 7 3. China Focus: Traditional Spring Festival Holiday Picks up New Ways 10 of Spending 4. China Focus: Spring Festival Travel Mirrors China’s Changes Over 40 Years 13 5. China Holds Spring Festival Gala Tour for Overseas Chinese 15 6. 6.5 Mln. Chinese to Travel Overseas During Spring Festival Holiday 16 7. Time for Celebrating Chinese New Year 17 8. Indispensable Dishes that Served During China’s Spring Festival 19 9. Spring Festival: Time to Show Charm of Diversification with 56 Ethnic Groups 21 External Affairs 1. Xi Jinping Meets with UK Prime Minister Theresa May 23 2. Xi Jinping Meets with King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands 25 3. Working Together to Build a Better World 26 4. Li Keqiang and Prime Minister Theresa May of the UK Hold Annual 31 China-UK Prime Ministers’ Meeting 5. Li Keqiang Meets with Foreign Minister Taro Kono of Japan 33 6. Liu He Attends and Addresses the World Economic Forum Annual 35 Meeting 2018 7. Pursue High-quality Development,Work Together for Global 36 Economic Prosperity and Stability 8. Yang Jiechi Holds Talks with Secretary of State Rex Tillerson of the US 39 9. Wang Yi Attends the Second Ministerial Meeting of the China-CELAC Forum 40 China India Relations 1. Remarks by Ambassador Luo Zhaohui at the Chinese Spring Festival Reception 42 2. Remarks by Ambassador Luo Zhaohui at the Chinese New Year Cultural Show 45 3. Remarks by Ambassador Luo Zhaohui at the Guangzhou Ballet Performance 49 4. Remarks by Ambassador Luo Zhaohui at the Spring Festival Gala for Indian 52 Alumni of China Culture & Life 1. Bigger Role for Traditional Culture 55 2. China creates over 66 Mln Urban Jobs in 5 Years 56 3. China’s Hainan Lures Global Travelers with More than Beaches 58 4. Ecological Tourism, Environment Protection Promoted in Jiande City, East China 61 5. Lantern Fairs Across China 63 6. Plum Blossoms Seen Across China 65 1. Tibet Sees Prospering Economy in 2017 66 2. Tibet Lifts 530 Thousand People out of Poverty in Past Five Years 68 3. Livelihood in Numbers 69 4. Thousand Miles Way Home for Holiday 70 5. China to Intensify Scientific Research on Qinghai-Tibet Plateau 72 6. Dance Drama Highlights Tibetan Culture 74 7. A Tibetan Graduate’s Startup Success 75 Book Review - Xi Jinping - The Governance of China-II 75 Flights Between China and India 76 CRI-CIBN 78 Celebrating Spring Festival Celebrating Spring Festival ENTERING THE YEAR OF THE DOG by Xia Yuanyuan China’s grandest festival arrives of great significance in the lives of as each sign is only celebrated in its with the sound of fireworks, greetings Chinese people. The 12 animals rotate own year every 12 years. of good fortune and glasses clinking in the following order: rat, ox, tiger, in family toasts across the country. It’s rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, Dogs are widely recognized as Spring Festival time on February 16, monkey, rooster, dog and pig, which is clever animals, and they are deemed and the zodiac sign this year features a traditional way to count the years to have the intelligence equal to a man’s best friend. Yes, you guessed it - and record a person’s age. three-year-old child. Therefore, dogs it is the Year of Dog in the Chinese are trained in China for many uses, animal zodiac. Barks of delight will be The Dog occupies the eleventh including leading people who are heard countrywide. position in the Chinese zodiac. If you v i s u a l l y i m p a i r e d . T h e l a w happen to be born in any of the enforcement agencies also train dogs Although the Gregorian calendar following Dog years: 1934, 1946, 1958, to smell out drugs and explosives. is now widely used in China, shuxiang, 1970, 1982, 1994 and 2006, then the a cyclical Chinese zodiac system in Year of Dog in Chinese lunar calendar, Personality symbol which 12 animals represent 12 which lasts from February 16, 2018 to consecutive years, is still popular and February 4, 2019, is auspicious for you It is believed that people in the 4 News From China February 2018 Celebrating Spring Festival same zodiac sign also share similar absolutely the best and most the fifth day of the fifth lunar traits in their personality. People born honorable companion on earth. month, as a type of magic act to in the Year of Dog are loyal, faithful drive away evil spirits. Paper dogs and sincere. They are always willing to Dog in Chinese mythology were also provided for protecting help others, righteous and often the the dead. first to speak out against injustice. Dogs are reg arded as the ultimate companion of human Popularity of pet dogs While people of this year are not beings. In Chinese mythology, g ood at socializing, they are Erlang Shen, a Chinese god with a Dogs are used by farmers in the intelligent, caring, faithful and third “truth-seeing” eye on his countryside to guard houses. With honest. In a team environment, they forehead, is said to have had a the rise of China’s modern middle are good listeners and have a faithful dog, Xiaotian Quan, which class and a shift in attitudes toward a profound sense of responsibility. is literally translated to Howling growing trend of pet culture, dogs This makes them good at keeping Celestial Dog, by his side. This dog have become popular pets in China. secrets as these folk do not like gossip helped him subdue evil spirits. In the Pet dogs are a common sight on the and can be counted upon. Chinese epic novel, Journey to the streets of Chinese cities nationwide. West, Xiaotian Quan helps Erlang T h e y a r e a l s o a g r e e a b l e Shen in his fight against the evolved The most popular breeds kept by companions - as long as they are in a monkey king, Sun Wukong, by Chinese include Golden Retriever, good mood. However, rubbed up the critically biting him on the leg. In Toy Poodle, Labrador Retriever, wrong way, the snarling dog can also north China, dog images made by Samoyed, Chow Chow, Poodle, be judgmental, defensive and picky. So cutting paper were thrown in the Pomeranian, Schnauzer and Husky. as long as you know how to pet and water as part of the ritual of the The boom in keeping pet dogs means massage them, the dog makes Dragon Boat Festival, celebrated on the demand for vets is on the rise. In News From China February 2018 5 Celebrating Spring Festival China, the average starting salary for veterinary graduates is 4,000 yuan ($606) a month. After three years, their earnings can surpass 10,000 yuan ($1,500), higher than the salaries of many graduates of other majors. In addition to regular services offered, Chinese pet hospitals also provide traditional Chinese medicine treatment for dogs, where vets treat animals with acupuncture and electro acupuncture. Dog training schools are also popular. Skills such as fetching, hand shaking and greeting people politely are favored. Dogs are taught to become friendly and well-mannered, which better integrates them into society. 6 News From China February 2018 Celebrating Spring Festival OLD, NEW CUSTOMS TO CELEBRATE CHINA’S SPRING FESTIVAL Beijing, Feb. 12 (Xinhua) — The people have different customs. China’s national TV has become Spring Festival, better known as another important activity on New Chinese Lunar New Year among On New Year’s Eve, the biggest Year’s Eve. foreigners, is the most important event is the annual family reunion festival in China and has in recent dinner. In northern China, it is The first day of the New Year is years become an occasion to celebrate customary to make dumplings with the high time to welcome the deities the Chinese culture across the globe. family members to eat around o f t h e h e a v e n s a n d e a r t h , midnight. In the south, however, traditionally by lighting fireworks at In general, celebrations for the people like to make niangao (Chinese midnight. Besides, it is a taboo to use Spring Festival start from the Lunar name for New Year rice cake) and the broom on that day, since this tool New Year’s Eve to the Lantern send some to relatives and friend as is considered to sweep away good Festival on the 15th day of the first gifts. fortune. month, featuring family reunions, feasts, and various cultural activities. Another tradition is to stay up on The first day also features giving New Year’s Eve, known as shousui, and receiving red envelopes with cash CUSTOMS ON SPECIFIC DAYS which is thought to add on to one’s inside, known as hongbao, which are parents’ longevity.