China media: Pollution woes

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-china-30241682

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Papers welcome the government's decision to bring the "toughest environment protection law" from next year to curb pollution.

The government has promised a "war" against pollution in "every corner" of the land, according to the Xinhua News Agency.

The report adds that the new law requires officers to show "zero tolerance" for those who illegally dispose hazardous waste and fabricate environmental monitoring data.

Media outlets have termed the new environmental law, which will come into effect next year, "the toughest in history".

A report in the Global Times notes that local governments will be required to "scrap rules that hinder environment law enforcement by June 2015".

Wang Canfa, an environmental specialist at China University of Political Science and Law, highlights that the announcement of the new environment law was made by the State Council - China's top policy making body.

"This shows that the state has placed great emphasis on the execution of the law," he tells The Paper.

Staying with environmental news, several media outlets are also discussing a proposal to introduce stricter controls on the use of cars in Beijing.

This comes after Beijing's executive Vice-Mayor Li Shixiang said that the city was studying the feasibility of allowing the use of odd and even number plate cars on alternate days.

A temporary odd-even license plate policy was imposed during the Asia Pacific Economic Co-operation (Apec) Summit earlier this month.

Noting the unhappiness of some car users over the proposed scheme, the Xinhua News Agency says some drivers may feel that they are being asked to "sacrifice their interests".

"The main concern of the public over the restriction is that the authorities should not place all pressure of cleaning up the air on the public," says the news agency.

The commentary urges the government to "lessen the price that the public has to pay" to curb pollution.

'Political adventure'

Turning to other news, some media outlets reiterate that the people in Hong Kong must respect the "mighty central government" which has "comprehensive jurisdiction" over the territory.

Several activists appeared in a Hong Kong court on Thursday to face charges of obstructing bailiffs.

The protesters were detained on Tuesday and Wednesday amid violent clashes over the clearance of the Mong Kok protest site by authorities.

Describing the police action as a "crucial move" to put the city "back on track", the China Daily concludes that the clearing operation "has spelt the defeat" of the street campaign.

"The political adventure supported by outside forces, who are scheming to curb the rise of China, was doomed to fail from the very beginning," says the daily.

And finally, several media outlets are closely following events in North Korea after the younger sister of leader Kim Jong-un was referred to as a senior party official for the first time in state media

Kim Yo-jong, who is in her mid to late twenties, was identified for the first time as a vice-director of a department within the powerful Central Committee, according to North Korea's state media KCNA.

Zhang Liangui, an expert on North Korean affairs at the Central Party School of the Communist Party, tells the Beijing News that the announcement is "not a sudden move" because Ms Kim was seen in various "cultural and educational activities" earlier this year.

"She has appeared in the media for a number of times before the announcement, and Pyongyang had vaguely listed her as a leader," says the pundit.

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