Putin reelected; ‘China-Russia ties to continue to make progress’

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Monday congratulated Vladimir Putin on his reelection as Russian president, as Putin has addressed his supporters and declared his reelection victory earlier on the same day following the victory of presidential election with over 87 percent of the vote in his favor.

Chinese analysts said that several major powers will hold elections this year, and Russia’s presidential election result has provided certainty to a world in turbulence, as Putin’s victory proves that Russian people widely support his governance and Russia’s policies and stances over key issues like the Ukraine crisis and its relations with other major powers will unlikely undergo dramatic change.

Putin’s reelection will bring certainty to the future development of the China-Russia relations, as the consensus reached by the top leaders of the two countries will be implemented and further promoted, according to experts, adding that China maintains its objective stance on the Ukraine crisis and will continue its efforts to help relevant parties to find a solution for political settlement.

Murder of 13-y-o by teenagers triggers reflection on juvenile crime

The brutal bullying and murder of a 13-year-old boy in North China’s Handan has triggered a profound reflection on juvenile crime in Chinese society over the past few days, with many calling for a more effective way to keep teenagers from veering onto the wrong path.

According to media reports, seventh-grade boy Xiao Guang (pseudonym) was killed and buried on March 10 by three of his classmates of the same age in Handan, North China’s Hebei Province. So far, all suspects have been captured and taken into custody, the joint working group responsible for the case said on Sunday night.

An autopsy was conducted on the body in the early hours of Monday. Relatives of Xiao Guang told media that Xiao Guang’s father examined his child prior to the autopsy and saw clear injuries on the boy’s head and back, the Beijing News reported on Monday. Xiao Guang had suffered from long-term school violence, previous media reports said.

Experts on Monday said the murder could become the first case nationwide that applies a new provision under the Criminal Law Amendment, thus serving as an “alarm bell” to warn and educate other potential offenders. The root cause of youth crime lies in the lack of family education and school supervision, with many cases involving left-behind children, they noted.