No apology from Abe

Comments on the story "Abe won't say sorry again for sex slaves" (China Daily, March 6)

Abe is not facing the truth of his country's atrocious wartime past.

He has therefore proven to the world and to the United Nations that Japan is neither fit nor ready to take a role in world affairs.

Yuen

On China Daily website

All those Japanese leaders who denied the existence of comfort women or claimed that those sex slaves did it "voluntarily" should apologize to all the victim countries.

A passer-by

On China Daily website

The Germans still continue to apologize to the Jews and the rest of Europeans as well for the cause of suffering and still continue to pay compensation to the Jews.

What the Japanese did is inconceivable.

A passer-by

On China Daily website

Traditional festivals

It should be applauded that China will incorporate more traditional festivals into its national holidays. The Dragon Boat Festival, the Mid-Autumn Festival, the Pure Brightness Festival and Chinese New Year's Eve are the most promising ones to be included, according to some experts.

China possesses a culture of more than 5,000 years; however, we fail to explore its core values comprehensively and deeply and make them relevant to today's rapidly changing world.

Most of the time we are just complacent with a slogan without knowing that we are gradually losing our cultural identity in this increasingly globalized era.

The fact that we tend to transplant and copy more Western holidays is worrying.

Though opposing the influx of outside influences is unwise in today's world, the nation can first of all do whatever necessary to preserve our traditions and folk customs.

Chen Xiaguang,

Guangzhou

The name game

Comment on Raymond Zhou's column "Is there Pu'er power in a name?" (China Daily, March 3)

My hat is off to the city that has the strength of mind and will of spirit to change the city moniker from Simao to Pu'er. I do not know the translation or story behind the name Simao, but the history of the tea is not lost on me.

Still, curiosity gets the best of me to wonder what will follow Pu'er to complete the name change or will it be simply the City of Pu'er in the shadow of Pu'er Shan? I will ponder this over my next cup of this fine brewed liquor.

China has the history and culture to withstand these name changes, vis-a-vis Peking to Beijing. What is the city famous for but it's rendition of a roasted duck eaten at a local fanguanr (restaurant) around the corner from the hutong? But changed it was and the powers that be have managed the change well enough.

Beijing is much more than duck.

Steven C. Durborow,

USA

(China Daily 03/08/2007 page10)