China media: Vietnam talks amid territorial tensions

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Media discuss Beijing-Hanoi ties as top diplomat Yang Jiechi arrives in Vietnam for talks aimed to ease tension over territorial disputes.

Last month, China moved an oil rig to waters deep into territory claimed by both countries off the Paracel Islands in the South China Sea.

Vietnam reacted angrily, and anti-China riots and attacks on factories left several people dead. China's foreign ministry said Beijing hoped to have a "frank and deep exchange of opinions".

Ruan Zongze, vice-president of the China Institute of International Studies, tells the China Daily that the trip will send "an encouraging signal" that "neither side wants to see bilateral ties being ruined".

He adds that China is trying to clarify its stance with Vietnam that nobody can reap benefits from creating tensions.

The Ta Kung Pao daily also notes that the foreign ministries of China and Vietnam are handling the visit in a "low-profile manner" and did not "formally made any announcement on the trip".

"The low-profile approach shows that the complexity of the issues involved in the meeting. Beijing and Hanoi are trying to resolve the disputes while avoiding nationalistic sentiment to escalate in both countries," it says.

Sun Xiaoying, a researcher with Guangxi Academy of Social Sciences, tells the Global Times' Chinese edition that China is "sincere in joint development" with Vietnam and urges Hanoi to "consider the situation and seize the opportunity".

Meanwhile, papers criticise the British media as "unprofessional" as Chinese Premier Li Keqiang met the Queen on Tuesday.

Several Chinese media outlets published photos of Mr Li's meeting with the Queen and described the UK and China as "representatives of the West and the East civilisations".

Ma Zhen'gang, former Chinese ambassador to Britain, tells the People's Daily that the Queen was "very friendly" with Mr Li.

"Mr Li has been greeted with a very high honour and high standard meeting…showing that Britain attaches great importance to China," he says.

However, the Global Times' Chinese edition notes that some British papers reported that the Queen "was forced to meet Mr Li".

Liu Xiaoming, China's ambassador to Britain, however, has denied such claims, the report adds.

Criticising the British media as "unprofessional", the Global Times editorial says that "this hype only serves to reflect the narrow-mindedness of the British media and even the whole of its society".

"It is completely normal and proper for the Chinese Premier to meet with the British Queen, who should make her own contribution to the success of this diplomatic event. The British media are unprofessional by speculating over the negotiation process," it adds.

Exam cheating

And finally, China's notoriously tough national college entrance (gaokao) exam is back in the spotlight after a "ghost-writer scandal".

The exam was held last week amid heightened security to prevent cheating. Students, along with their parents, feel intense pressure because success in this exam allows them to enter prestigious colleges.

According to the secretly filmed video by the China Central Television, a man hired university students to be the "surrogate exam takers" in exam venues in Henan Province, central China.

In the clip, he was advising a parent on the price of the service and how to deal with the situation if cheating gets exposed.

After the footage was aired, the Ministry of Education announced on Tuesday that those involved in the misconduct will be severely punished "to ensure fairness of the national exam".

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