Service robot: Zhou Fengyu (right), director of Shandong University's Cloud Intelligent Robotics Laboratory, displays newly developed robots that can help the elderly detect intruders, gas leaks and other dangers. The robot is expected to be on the market by year's end at an affordable price. Wang Mingming / Xinhua

EU called on to fulfill WTO pledges

Premier Li Keqiang urged the European Union to keep its commitment under the World Trade Organization framework and stop imposing unfair anti-dumping investigations against Chinese exporters. Li called on the EU to follow Article 15 of the accession protocol of China's entry into the WTO, which says all WTO members should stop following subrogate country measures in anti-dumping cases against China by Dec 11, 2016. Under such measures, importers can use production costs in a third country to define the value of exports from a nonmarket economy when calculating the dumping margin.

Li promises Europeans transparent, fair market

Premier Li Keqiang vowed on July 13 to cultivate a fair, transparent and predictable market environment to attract European investors, especially in high-end manufacturing, modern services and infrastructure in western China. The premier also said China would like to expand two-way investment. "European companies are welcome to pour investment into China. ... We will encourage Chinese companies to invest in Europe and hope the EU can facilitate the working visa process," Li said on July 13. He spoke while co-chairing the opening ceremony of the 11th EU-China Business Summit with European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker.

Czech star named football ambassador

The Chinese Super League has signed another famous face to help promote its international image while inspiring greater youth participation. The CSL, China's top-level professional league, announced on July 11 that it has signed retired Czech star Pavel Nedved as its global ambassador in a three-year deal. The former Czech national midfielder will visit China for promotional events and youth training clinics on a regular basis. Nedved is the second high-profile foreigner to represent the CSL internationally after former England and Manchester United captain David Beckham agreed to a one-year deal in an ambassadorial role in March 2013.

Subway emergency plans to be improved

China's firefighting authority and subway operators are mulling rescue plans to handle fires in the underground transportation system, a fire control official said during a regional workshop on emergencies in urban environments on July 13. Detailed plans will be developed, including assessing risks in stations posed by different types of fires, with a focus on stations that have high passenger flow, according to Yang Guohong, director of operational training for the Ministry of Public Security's fire department. The workshop was designed to strengthen links between China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and was organized by the ASEAN Regional Forum.

27 officials tied to illegal demolition

A number of officials in Central China's Hunan province have been investigated and punished after a recent illegal demolition resulted in a woman's death. The publicity authority of Changsha, the provincial capital, posted a statement on its micro blog on July 12 saying that 27 officials in the city's Yuelu district are suspected of wrongdoing in the house removal, which took place last week. Seven are suspected of negligence or abusing power and are under investigation.

Crimes in medical disputes targeted

Nine central governmental departments issued an action plan to crack down on crimes arising from medical disputes in a one-year campaign. The National Health and Family Planning Commission, along with another eight authorities, including the Ministry of Public Security and the Supreme People's Court, launched the campaign this month, hoping to build on achievements in alleviating medical conflicts.

High-tech ship to track spacecraft

China commissioned a new-generation ship on July 12 for tracking and controlling spacecraft. It will soon be used to service the Shenzhou XI manned mission, according to the China Satellite Maritime Tracking and Control Department. The 220-meter-long, 40-meter-high Yuanwang 7, which entered service in Jiangyin, Jiangsu province, has a displacement of 30,000 metric tons. Capable of resisting strong typhoons, the vessel can operate 100 days at the sea at a time, the department said.

Li says he's confident of steady growth

Stable macroeconomic policies will boost the structural transformations and domestic demands that are now pillars of China's economy, Premier Li Keqiang said at a State Council meeting on July 11. China's GDP increased by 6.7 percent year-on-year in the first quarter, which Li said surprised many foreign leaders.

Sports event increased drunken driving arrests

More than 100,000 cases involving driving under the influence of alcohol were reported across the country during the 2016 UEFA European Championship from June 11 to July 11. The Ministry of Public Security said 3,706 people were caught between 6 am and 9 am during the event. Games in later stages of the tournament started at 3 am Beijing time and did not end until 5 or 6 am.

Guideline to evaluate firms' tax performance

The nation's top tax authorities issued a guideline on July 12 for evaluating domestic and foreign companies' tax performance in light of incentives. It's the latest step toward a transparent credit reporting system. The new guideline is part of an effort to build a credit reporting system in which all companies and individuals are enrolled in a national credit information database by the end of 2020, according to Wang Lujin, a spokesman for the State Administration of Taxation.

Goal: Erase gap in rural education

The Ministry of Education is set to work with other departments to narrow the education gap between urban and rural areas, according to an education official. The government's goal is to eliminate the gap by 2020, Liu Limin, vice-minister of education, said at a news conference on July 12. Liu said China's urbanization requires development of urban and rural areas, while the reform of the household registration system, the adoption of the second-child policy and the mobility of the population, including students, also pose challenges to basic education in the country.

Ikea recalls chests deemed dangerous

Swedish home furnishings maker Ikea is recalling 1.66 million chests of drawers with potential safety risks that it sold on the Chinese mainland, China's top quality authority announced on July 12. The units were sold between 1999 and this year and involve a variety of types. The chests may tip over and cause death or injury to children if not properly fixed to the wall, according to the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine. Ikea said on July 12 it would help Chinese customers anchor the product to the wall. They can also return the furniture to Ikea for a full refund, it said. The units are safe as long as they are properly fixed to the wall, the company said.

Divorces up 63% in the past decade

Increasing numbers of married couples have sought divorce in China in recent years, according to the Ministry of Civil Affairs. The ministry published China's divorce rates from the past eight years in its latest bulletin on the development of social services in 2015. The index has been steadily climbing each year. In 2008, 1.71 couples per 1,000 population got a divorce. But in 2015, 2.79 couples per 1,000 population divorced, a 63 percent surge in less than a decade. The measurement per 1,000 population is used by the United Nations and others to identify trends.

Dutch soccer stars to cultivate Chinese youth

A legendary Dutch football trio who rocked the football world decades ago has now set their sights on helping the game's development among youth in China. Beijing-based Huaaoqidi Youth Training Academy announced on July 12 at its establishment ceremony that it had signed up an experienced coaching crew, including former Dutch national players Ruud Gullit, Marco van Basten and Frank Rijkaard, to offer youth training programs featuring Dutch expertise at Beijing schools. The program was the highlight of a partnership recently inked between the academy and Beijing Campus Football Association to organize training clinics in about 200 schools in Beijing and train 1,200 physical education teachers specialized in football over three years.

Newborns' privacy breached by videos

Nearly 6,000 newborns are the latest victims of leaked personal information, as video clips were spread online showing them lying in incubators. The babies' faces, names, ages, diseases and admission dates were clearly visible in the videos, which were taken at the neonatal intensive care unit of Anhui Provincial Women and Child Health Care Hospital, Beijing News reported. The hospital said the infants in the videos were admitted from early 2014 to early 2015.

Official: Mind all parties' concerns

The governance of cyberspace should be guided by principles including sovereignty, equality and noninterference in internal affairs, a senior diplomat said on July 11. Qian Hongshan, China's assistant foreign minister, said that necessary cyberspace security supervision should not be sidestepped using the excuse of market and trade liberalization. "It is important to accommodate the concerns of different parties and refrain from imposing certain rules on others," he said.

State Council starts English mobile site

The State Council launched its English-language mobile website based on its main site - english.gov.cn - on July 11. The new display facilitates quick access to news releases and provides new services to the public. What users see is tailored to their specific type of device. The mobile site offers users a personalized experience while browsing web content. The State Council said the launch of the site is evidence of its desire to be innovative in providing information and to increase opportunities for the public to participate in government affairs.

Ex-SOE executive expelled from Party

Chang Xiaobing, 59, former chairman of China Telecommunications Corp, has been expelled from the Communist Party of China and removed from office, the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection announced on July 11. Chang, 59, is suspected of seriously violating Party discipline. He was also found to have obstructed anti-graft inspection and taken advantage of his post to seek promotions for others. Chang was put under investigation by the anti-graft watchdog in December.

Cicadas make delicious snacks, fans say

In Jiangsu province, people with flashlights often spend summer evenings peering into the darkened branches of trees in search of a local specialty - cicadas. The strange looking insects are a popular snack. Cicadas, which develop quickly after hatching, are easy to catch. Su Zhen, a college student in Nanjing, said cicadas are a favorite of his relatives in Xuzhou city.