The Hainan International Ship Registration Administration was inaugurated at the Yangpu Port in the southern island province of Hainan on Friday, to boost the high-quality development of China's shipping industry.
As China's first-ever registration and management authority for international ships, the Hainan International Ship Registration Administration is mainly responsible for the registration, comprehensive quality management, inspection and supervision, policy research and other related work for international ships with registries under China's Yangpu Port.
The inauguration of the administration is an important step in accelerating the construction of a world-class free trade port with Chinese characteristics, as well as a concrete practice of promoting the high-quality development of the country's shipping industry.
Since the release of the Master Plan for the Development of Hainan Free Trade Port on June 1, 2020, nearly 700 new shipping entities have been established across the island, while 47 ships have been newly registered under or transferred to the Yangpu Port, said the administration, adding that they have created an additional 5.33 million deadweight tonnes of international shipping capacity for Hainan, making it rank among the top in China.
Thanks to favorable policies issued by the government for the Yangpu Port, Hainan's shipping industry has experienced vigorous growth, with various essential sectors of the industrial development rapidly converging there.
China unveils its first int'l ship registration administration in Hainan
The Japanese society should do soul-searching regarding its history of aggression and adhere to the pacifist constitution, said Shiradori Hiroshi, a professor of the Hosei University, in an interview with China Central Television (CCTV) in Tokyo on April 30.
He said the government's recent move to discuss revising the three security documents deserve particular attention as the country's foreign and security policies have already witnessed major changes.
"People outside of the country hold that Japan's post-war image as a 'peace state' is now facing a major shift. Against the backdrop of tremendous changes in its foreign and security policies, the revision of the three security documents deserves particular attention. There lacks public debate in terms of the procedure, with policy changes decided unilaterally at Cabinet meetings. It is necessary to fully explain to the public as to whether such a practice is proper," said Hiroshi.
The Japanese government held its first expert panel meeting to discuss revisions to the three security documents at the Prime Minister's Office on April 27, local media reported.
Japan's current National Security Strategy and two related documents, formulated in 2022, were designed to cover the next 10 years, but the government led by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has decided to move up the timetable to accelerate the revision process.
Increasing defense spending is one of the key topics of the meeting, according to Kyodo News.
Hiroshi said this year marks the 80th anniversary of the opening of the International Military Tribunal for the Far East, or Tokyo Trials, and the Japanese society must do soul-searching regarding its history of aggression in WWII, when it brought enormous catastrophes on Asian countries.
"Eighty years have passed since the opening of the Tokyo Trials. Japan inflicted enormous suffering on Asian countries during WWII, which should serve as an opportunity for the soul-searching. It is exact on the basis of countless sacrifices that Japan's post-war pacifism and its identity as a 'peace state' took shape. On this 80th anniversary, it is necessary for Japan to re-examine and do soul-searching regarding its history," said Hiroshi.
The Japanese government's effort to revise the pacifist constitution is widely opposed by the public.
On Sunday, around 50,000 people gathered at Tokyo Rinkai Disaster Prevention Park, chanting slogans and holding banners against the government's push for constitutional revision and military expansion, the largest turnout of its kind in recent years.
Japan should adhere to pacifist constitution: scholar
