UK cargo volumes for worst year in almost 40 years By Target Language Translation Services | Updated: 2021-12-14 11:00 The United Kingdom's exit from the European Union and worldwide disruptions caused by the pandemic are some of the factors blamed for dragging down trade at Britain's port, which is at the lowest level in almost 40 years. Research carried out by Drewry maritime advisers for the UK Major Ports Group－a trade association representing 40 of the nation's biggest ports－found that British terminals handled 450 million metric tons of cargo last year, which was down by 13.5 percent on 2019's total, and the smallest volume since 1983. " (The) shocks of the pandemic have compounded long-term structural change, such as the shift from oil and the impact of decarbonization on the UK economy," said Tim Morris, chief executive of UK Major Ports Group, to the Financial Times. He said the multiple impediments made 2021 a "challenging year". Ironically, the report noted a "bounce back" in demand for some consumer goods and building materials that followed the end of the country's first lockdown did not boost volumes by as much as it was hoped because supply chain issues caused by a shortage of truck drivers led to congestion at some ports. The report also stated the challenges created by additional paperwork and taxes resulting from Brexit and triggered by the pandemic were compounded by a fall in demand for North Sea oil because of a shift away from fossil fuels. North Sea oil is a key component of UK trade quantities and traditionally accounts for around a third of port volumes. The report stated that lockdowns led to a sharp fall in travel, and therefore less demand for oil, but fears about global warming that are causing a long-term shift away from fossil fuels will continue to dent oil cargo volumes. Cargo volumes It said overall cargo volumes should begin to recover in the coming months, but because of the move away from fossil fuels, it will not return to pre-pandemic levels until 2026. Royal Dutch Shell announced last week it was pulling out of the Cambo oilfield project in the North Sea, which will add to the sector's decline. The BBC reported that demand for oil in the UK has been falling since 2005. Most UK ports are privately owned, reported The Guardian. In addition to grappling with sharp falls in cargo volumes, ports must invest in low-carbon infrastructure to move from diesel ships to vessels powered by electricity. Industry publication Seatrade Maritime News quoted Ben Abraham, CEO of global marine business with insurance brokers Willis Towers Watson, as saying that the sector will also need to transition to new technologies, defend against cyberattacks, and deal with a shifting geopolitical situation in the years to come. This article is reprinted from China Daily. If there is a copyright, please inform us in time, we will delete it right the first time.

112 WTO members sign a joint statement on investment facilitation By Target Language Translation Services | Updated: 2021-12-13 11:00 China and 111 other members of the World Trade Organization (WTO) on Friday signed a joint statement on investment facilitation, the Ministry of Commerce said on Saturday. The 112 WTO members, including the EU, Russia and Japan, aim to complete the negotiations on the text concerning investment facilitation by the end of 2022, and push for a final multilateral agreement, the ministry said in a statement on its website. The G20 Guiding Principles for Global Investment Policymaking were established at the 2016 G20 Hangzhou Summit. To translate the outcomes of the summit, China and various other WTO members launched discussions on investment facilitation in 2017. Formal negotiations began in 2020, with Chile currently serving as coordinator. Investment facilitation is about improving investment policy transparency on a global scale, simplifying and accelerating investment approval procedures, and promoting international cooperation. So far, participating parties have reached a preliminary consensus on the framework and main rules of the agreement. Once the agreement is reached, it will create a more transparent, stable and predictable environment for global investors and promote the development of global investment and trade. It will also help Chinese enterprises globalize in a more efficient manner, said Zhou Nianli, a professor at the University of International Business and Economics. This article is reprinted from China Daily. If there is a copyright, please inform us in time, we will delete it right the first time.

Iraq is in need of assistance for shift to clean energy, analysts say By Target Language Translation Services | Updated: 2021-12-10 11:00 Developing nations like Iraq, which are currently dependent on fossil fuel industries, can gain from carbon-cutting technological assistance and participation of the international community, analysts said. Amjed Rasheed, a senior researcher at Iraqi nonprofit Open Think Tank, said though the Iraqi government aims to increase the share of clean energy sources domestically to 33 percent by 2030, Iraq is "not able to provide electricity for the country, let alone clean energy". A founding member of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, Iraq has drawn up a plan to reach 12,000 megawatts of installed solar capacity in 10 years. Though a Nov 24 report by the World Bank stated that Iraq's economic outlook has improved with the recovery of global oil markets, and its GDP is projected to grow from 2.6 percent this year to more than 6 percent in 2023, its recovery was "curtailed by severe water shortages and widespread electricity cuts following record low rainfall" to some extent. The report also stated that this impacted the agricultural and industrial sectors. Healthcare services also deteriorated amid a growing number of COVID-19 cases. Rasheed said it was completely unfair that developing countries are being asked to "pay the price" for the "mess" made by developed countries. Nadim Farajalla, director of the Climate Change and Environment Program at the American University of Beirut in Lebanon, said Iraq has the resources and assets to enable it to meet its green goals, but it would still need help to wean off oil. He said developed countries can provide the scientific and technological knowledge to help developing countries develop clean energy. "It is incumbent upon the United States, first and foremost, and then the Europeans, and then the Arab world to support Iraq," he said. Farajalla said developing countries should also take the responsibility to adopt less polluting practices and should leapfrog, rather than take a step-by-step approach toward sustainable and clean energy. At last month's COP 26 climate conference in Scotland, Iraqi Deputy Minister of Health and Environment Jasim Abdulazeez Humadi called for a "fair" fight in climate action in an interview with the Riyadh-based newspaper Arab News. He said the richest and most developed countries have not fulfilled their commitments to tackle climate issues. Sujata Ashwarya, associate professor at the Centre for West Asian Studies at the Jamia Millia Islamia University in New Delhi, noted that Iraqi authorities have been collaborating with European firms to expand the country's renewable energy capacity. This includes a deal with French oil company TotalEnergies to build a 1-gigawatt solar plant in the Basra region. This article is reprinted from China Daily. If there is a copyright, please inform us in time, we will delete it right the firs...

President congratulated Germany's new chancellor, Olaf Scholz By Target Language Translation Services | Updated: 2021-12-09 11:00 President Xi Jinping congratulated Olaf Scholz on being elected as Germany's chancellor on Wednesday, and he expressed his hope to further enhance China-Germany ties. Being each other's comprehensive strategic partners, China and Germany have been adhering to mutual respect, seeking common ground while accepting existing differences and carrying out win-win cooperation over the years, Xi said in his message to Scholz. In this way, the two countries have accomplished a lot of great work that benefits themselves, their peoples and the world, Xi said. Facing the COVID-19 pandemic and profound changes in the world, China and Germany have shown their sense of responsibility as major countries by strengthening communication and cooperation, jointly supporting the global fight against the pandemic and promoting economic recovery, Xi said, adding that he attaches great importance to China-Germany ties. The two countries will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties next year. Xi said he hopes to work with Scholz to take that as an opportunity to consolidate and deepen political mutual trust and expand bilateral exchanges and cooperation in various fields. Premier Li Keqiang also sent a congratulatory message to Scholz on Wednesday. Pointing out that China-Germany ties have become one of the most important bilateral relationships in the world, Li said he hopes to maintain good contact with Scholz. The Bundestag, the German parliament, elected Scholz as chancellor on Wednesday morning, replacing Angela Merkel, who had been in the post for 16 years. Scholz's Social Democratic Party defeated Merkel's Christian Democratic Union in the September general elections and has since negotiated an agreement to form a coalition government with the Greens and the Free Democratic Party. The three parties signed a formal agreement on Tuesday. Scholz, 63, had served as vice-chancellor and finance minister in Merkel's coalition government. Shortly after the result of the vote was announced in the Bundestag on Wednesday, German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier approved the appointment of Scholz and his Cabinet of 16 ministers, including eight men and eight women. Seven of the ministers are from Social Democratic Party, five from the Greens and four from the Free Democratic Party. Ding Chun, director of the Center for European Studies at Fudan University in Shanghai, said he is "cautiously optimistic about the medium- and long-term prospects for China-Germany relations under the leadership of Chancellor Scholz". Noting that the Social Democratic Party has been participating in the German coalition government for a long time, Ding said that the party has a good understanding of China-Germany relations and China-European Union relations, as well as China's role in the world. "He is pragmatic, but has to balance the int...

Beijing Translators Association officially approved By Target Language Translation Services | Updated: 2021-12-08 11:00 The founding ceremony of the Beijing Translators Association was held at Beijing International Studies University on Saturday. It is the only academic nonprofit social organization in the field of translation in the capital. Ji Jinbiao, deputy Party secretary and principal of Beijing International Studies University, said the university has been actively conducting translation teaching research and performing social services. "We have gained valuable experiences via these activities," he said. "In the future, Beijing International Studies University will provide solid guarantees for the development of the organization and promote the healthy development of the translation industry in Beijing, making more contributions to the capital as the nation's international communications center." Liu Yuhong, vice-president of the Beijing People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, said the founding of the translators association has provided a professional team for the capital to meet the needs of international communications in the new era. "This organization will play an important role in telling Chinese stories and bringing Chinese voices to the world, as well as enhancing the effectiveness of international communications," Liu said. Xu Hejian, spokesman for the Beijing municipal government, said the association is expected to play a role in telling stories about China and Beijing well. It will cultivate a team of translators with excellent business abilities and the great responsibility to make a professional contribution to major international events. "The organization will play a crucial role in hosting the Winter Olympic Games in Beijing, building up a smooth channel for cultural communications between China and the rest of the world," he said. The Beijing Translators Association was officially approved by the Civil Affairs Bureau in November. This article is reprinted from China Daily. If there is a copyright, please inform us in time, we will delete it right the first time.

Moscow metro features Chinese design elements By Target Language Translation Services | Updated: 2021-12-07 14:00 A new subway station in Moscow featuring a number of Chinese design elements will soon become another landmark for Sino-Russian friendship and cooperation. China Railway Construction Corp has completed construction of the Michurinsky Prospekt station in the southwest of the Russian capital, and it will officially open before the end of the year. The station and the other two on the southwestern section of the Moscow Metro－Prospekt Vernadskogo and Aminevskaya－stand on the third transfer line of the city's subway system. This route, known as the Great Ring Line, was also built by CRCC, and was the first European subway project designed by a Chinese company. In tribute to the Chinese constructors and friendship between China and Russia, Chinese-style designs have been adopted for the platform at the new station, including cloud-shaped lamps, red pillars and a suspended ceiling. The dominant color of the platform design is red, and it also features plum blossom and The Eight Immortals－a group of well-known figures in Chinese folklore and Taoism. The lamps are decorated with auspicious clouds, while the suspended ceiling is in the form of a Chinese checkerboard. As soon as the design proposal was announced, it won a high degree of acclaim from local governments and design management agencies. According to the designers, the style adopted for the new station is "unique and consistent", while the overall concept is modern, with geometric patterns and lines forming the main section, and the exterior decorated with colored glass and metal panels. Photos of the Chinese-style subway platform have appeared on social media platforms, and Russians are eager to see the new station for themselves. Instagram users and social media broadcasters have even created groups to visit the facility after it opens to the public. Chen Zhuang, a manager at CRCC Rus, took part in the design process as well as communicating with the project owner and the authorities about plans. He said design and aesthetic standards in China and Russia differ greatly, as Russia has largely inherited those of the former Soviet Union, but China's design philosophy is based more on traditional elements. "Russia, mainly using standards from the Soviet era, gives more consideration to practicality and protection in its underground design work, and uses a sharper line of design. China, on the other hand, insists that the design is practical, economic, attractive and adopts a green philosophy," Chen said. Combining the different standards of the two countries was one of the toughest tasks for designers each day, Chen added. For example, he cited the plan for Aminevskaya station. Chinese designers initially recommended that it feature a glass ceiling, enabling passengers to see the sky from the platform. This proposal was agreed by the Moscow government, but had to be abandoned, as it fai...

1st China-Laos Railway freight train from China to Lao By Target Language Translation Services | Updated: 2021-12-06 11:00 The first China-Laos Railway international freight train from Kunming of southwest China's Yunnan Province arrived in Lao capital Vientiane on Saturday night. At 11:10 pm local time on Saturday, the train fully loaded with dicalcium phosphate in feed grade arrived at Vientiane South Station. "I am delighted and excited to be a practitioner of the Belt and Road Initiative, and an emissary of friendship between China and Laos," said Zhou Yukui, 31, the freight train driver with six years of driving experience. "The China-Laos Railway runs similar to the domestic railways and the railway conditions are even better. But in order to ensure the safety of the first train, since setting off from the Laos-China border at 1539 (GMT 0839), we dare not to take a rest," Zhou said. Li Tongxu, Director of Vientiane South Station with more than 20 years' experience on the railway and over 10 years as a station director in China, came to Laos in July this year. He told Xinhua that the station has been fully prepared to welcome the first train from China. The station currently has 68 staff, including nine Chinese technical and management personnel who have rich work experiences. The rest of the Lao staff, with higher education and high enthusiasm for learning after training in the China-Laos Railway Co., Ltd., have also been competent for their respective positions. "The first train we sent back to China yesterday carried potash produced in Laos," Li said, noting that China's Yunnan province has abundant phosphorus minerals. "Today we are receiving 50 six-meter railway containers of dicalcium phosphate here, which reflecting the complementary relationship of the two markets," added Li. The newly-opened railway is significantly cutting the time and logistics costs for cargo transportation between the two countries, and the cross-border cargo transportation orders of the railway are sufficient. Currently orders bound for China from Vientiane South Station are more than 100,000 tons while shipment orders from China to Laos are also a lot, especially for fertilizer, chemical, mechanical and electrical products. China-Laos Railway was opened to traffic on Friday and the first international freight train from Vientiane loaded with Lao exports arrived in China on Saturday afternoon. This article is reprinted from China Daily. If there is a copyright, please inform us in time, we will delete it right the first time.

Britain's net-zero strategy By Target Language Translation Services | Updated: 2021-12-03 11:00 The United Kingdom has some of the most ambitious emissions reduction goals in the world but lacks a plan to fully implement them, the UK Climate Change Committee has said in a new report, which called for the strengthened delivery of Britain's net-zero strategy. In a report assessing the outcomes of the COP26 climate conference in Glasgow in November, the committee, also called the CCC, recommended that the UK focuses on taking concrete actions toward deliverable and achievable goals, instead of setting ever-tougher targets. In its report titled COP26: Key outcomes and next steps for the UK, the CCC noted that the UK's nationally determined contribution, or NDC, is "one of the most ambitious 2030 targets for reducing emissions in the world". "What the UK doesn't have is all the steps in place to deliver it," Chris Stark, who is chief executive of the CCC, said on Twitter. Stark said that the UK's plans for agricultural and land decarbonization in particular are lacking. He then noted that the UK Net Zero Strategy, which the government published in October, did not lay stress on consumer and behavior change, with little content on diet change and limiting aviation. He also said that the government has not yet agreed with the CCC recommendation of net-zero tests for new buildings, which Stark fears will leave the door open for emissions-intensive development. Stark also suggested that the UK Treasury department might review the role of the tax system in the net-zero strategy. He said that low pricing for fossil fuels is "effectively a subsidy", and that the Treasury should consider "how higher and more consistent carbon prices" can be achieved across the economy. "Some have called for a tougher UK 2030 NDC," Stark added. "UK efforts should focus on strengthening delivery of the net-zero strategy, rather than inflating the gap between ambition and implementation. Steps to complete the strategy need to be brought forward, filling in the gaps." This sentiment aligns with that expressed by Chinese delegates at the COP26 conference in Glasgow, who repeatedly called for "sustained action, not empty slogans" from participating nations, and pointed out that ambitions count for little if they are not implemented successfully. Following a September 2020 commitment to peak CO2 emissions before 2030 and to reach net-zero by 2060, China released five key documents just before the COP26 conference detailing how it will achieve its goals. "Instead of pushing China for more ambitious targets, I think it's probably more effective to try to support China in terms of translating such goals into credible actions," Zhu Xian, vice-president and secretary-general of the Beijing-based International Finance Forum, told China Daily in a previous interview. "China recently announced action plans industry by industry-that probably is more important than trying to place on China a ...