China This Week: 11th Five-Year Plan; Sino-US Judicial Cooperation; Beijing on Iran and Israel

The Next Five-Year Plan:  China must make "major breakthroughs" in economic restructuring and maintain stable and relatively fast economic growth, as well as advance "vigorous but steady" political reform, Communist Party leaders have said.

Hu Jintao, general secretary of the Central Committee, delivered a report at the four-day Fifth Plenary Session of the 17th Communist Party Central Committee. The meeting examined and approved proposals for formulating the nation's next Five-Year Plan, commencing in 2011.

Navigation in South China Sea: A high-ranking Chinese military officer has responded to Washington's demand for more involvement in the South China Sea, saying that freedom of navigation is never a problem in that region.

"We believe the situation in the region is stable and all the passing ships and planes have a sufficient amount of freedom and security," Ma Xiaotian, deputy chief of general staff of the People's Liberation Army, said at a security forum on Friday.

Ma's remarks came two weeks after US Defense Secretary Robert Gates said that the US has a stake in disputes in the area because of international commerce.

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said in July that sovereignty issues in the South China Sea were a "diplomatic priority" for Washington and proposed dealing with them at the international level.

China, US Seek Global Justice: The US Attorney General, on a visit to Beijing for talks with counterparts, has called for increased cooperation with China in fighting corruption and terrorism by exchanging intelligence and information.

Asked how the US could help China bring back officials suspected of corruption who have fled to the US, Attorney General Eric Holder said that although there is no extradition treaty between the two countries, the US has found ways, including deportation, to return people that the Chinese government is seeking to face justice.

China Urges Japanese Sincerity on Mending Ties: A Chinese official has urged Japan to "show sincerity" in mending strained relations between the two nations by taking substantial steps.

Assistant Foreign Minister Hu Zhengyue made the comments at a press briefing on Premier Wen Jiabao's upcoming attendance at a series of meetings of East Asian leaders in Hanoi, Vietnam, later this month.

Asked whether Premier Wen would meet Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan in Hanoi, Hu said such a meeting would be possible only under "proper conditions and atmosphere".

Hu Calls for joint efforts with Russia: Chinese President Hu Jintao said Tuesday that China and Russia should make joint efforts to achieve common development and combat global challenges.

Meeting the Chairman of the Russian Federation Council, Sergei Mironov, in Beijing, Hu urged the two countries to work for the establishment of a more fair and rational international order.

Mironov and China's top legislator Wu Bangguo co-chaired the fourth meeting of the cooperation committee between China's National People's Congress and the Russian Federation Council.

China-ASEAN Partnership: The strategic partnership between China and the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations has an excellent opportunity to further develop over the next 20 years, the Chinese Ambassador to ASEAN Tong Xiaoling said in Beijing on Monday.

Tong, appointed ambassador to ASEAN this year, said during her tenure she intends to promote the all-round development of the China-ASEAN strategic partnership.

Trade volume in the area was $211.3 billion in the first nine month of 2010, up 44% compared with the same period last year, Tong said.

China, North Korea Enhance Ties: A Chinese military delegation, led by Guo Boxiong, vice-chairman of China's Central Military Commission, paid a four-day official visit to Pyongyang for a series of celebrations on the 60th anniversary of the entry of Chinese People's Volunteers (CPV) into the Korean War.

Chinese military officials on Sunday expressed their firm resolve to advance their longtime friendship with Pyongyang in commemoration of Chinese soldiers who gave their lives during the Korean War.

China, Italy Seek Closer Military Cooperation: Senior Chinese and Italian military officials have said in a meeting in Beijing that they hoped for closer military cooperation.

China and Italy had had frequent exchanges of high-level visits, said Chinese Defense Minister Liang Guanglie in a meeting with visiting Italian Chief of Defense Staff Vincenzo Camporini.

China, Zambia Cooperation:  China and Zambia on Friday pledged to extend their relationship.

China is willing to work with Zambia "to boost pragmatic cooperation and push forward more development of bilateral ties", said Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping in talks with visiting Zambian Vice President George Kunda in Beijing.

Xi highlighted cooperation on trade, agriculture, mining and infrastructure between China and Zambia.

China calls for restarting Iran nuclear talks: China on Tuesday called for parties to restart talks over the Iran nuclear issue after the Iranian President welcomed such a move.

"Under the current circumstances, all relevant parties should increase diplomatic efforts and restart the Iran nuclear talks for a comprehensive, long-term and proper solution," Foreign Ministry spokesman Ma Zhaoxu told a regular news briefing.

"China has always advocated a peaceful resolution of the issue through dialogue and negotiations," said Ma.

"Under the current circumstances, all relevant parties should increase diplomatic efforts and restart the Iran nuclear talks for a comprehensive, long-term and proper solution," Foreign Ministry spokesman Ma Zhaoxu told a regular news briefing.

"China has always advocated a peaceful resolution of the issue through dialogue and negotiations," said Ma.

China "Regret" over Israel's New Settlement Plan: China regrets Israel's plan to build new housing units in East Jerusalem, a Foreign Ministry spokesman said Tuesday.

China is deeply concerned about the ongoing stalemate in the Israeli-Palestinian peace talks, and hopes that Israel will take a responsible attitude and careful action to create conditions for pushing forward the peace talks, Ma Zhaoxu told a regular news briefing.

China "Regret" over Israel's New Settlement Plan: China regrets Israel's plan to build new housing units in East Jerusalem, a Foreign Ministry spokesman said Tuesday.

China is deeply concerned about the ongoing stalemate in the Israeli-Palestinian peace talks, and hopes that Israel will take a responsible attitude and careful action to create conditions for pushing forward the peace talks, Ma Zhaoxu told a regular news briefing.

Israeli President meets Chinese Official: Israeli President Shimon Peres on Sunday met Huang Huahua, Governor of Guangdong Province, on economic and technological cooperation.

Peres said that the evolution of artificial intelligence, the expansion of the scientists group, and the emphasis on the resources of brainpower are the three main trends of the current technological development in the world.

Huang told Peres that there is a good match between Israel's technological innovation capacity and local demand and market in Guangdong.

According to the governor, the trade volume between Guangdong and Israel was $1.38 billion in 2009, more than a quarter of the Sino-Israeli trade as a whole.