Month: July 2019

The Chinese and German armed forces are holding a joint exercise on medical support that began on July 3 and will last until July 17 in Germany, in an effort to improve coordination in conducting international humanitarian medical missions.

The drill, dubbed “Combined Aid 2019”, is the first-time a full unit of paramedical forces of the People’s Liberation Army has visited Europe with real combat gear for a joint exercise, according to the health bureau under the logistic support department of China’s Central Military Commission.

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Most of the 91-strong Chinese delegation have had experience in major medical missions such as international peacekeeping, flood emergency rescue and earthquake relief, according to Xinhua News Agency.

Just a century ago, Li Chaoshi (1894-1971), one of the earliest Chinese studying art in Europe, graduated from the historic Ecole nationale superieure des Beaux-Arts in Paris and landed a teaching job at Shanghai Fine Art School. There, not only did he train a generation of home-grown oil painters, but also helped introduce pastel drawings. As a result, Lian Yiqin, who was one of his students, developed a keen interest in the art form.

Lian later passed this passion for pastel art to his son Lian Fang, a Shanghai-based painter.

Now, dozens of Lian Fang’s pastel works, mostly portraits, are being shown at an exhibition, Pastel, at Beijing’s Ici Labas gallery, which runs through July 14.

Lian Fang’s paintings present the special charm of pastel drawing. Also, the painter has incorporated the style of liubai (leaving blanks) from classic Chinese painting into his creations.

The former Derby County boss was frustrated by a late equaliser denying him a maiden victory, but was far from upset with what he saw in Dublin

Frank Lampard was not able to crown his debut on the Chelsea bench with a win – but he believes Wednesday’s rather underwhelming introduction will do his new charges a world of good. 

Chelsea were held 1-1 by League of Ireland side Bohemians in Dublin, just days after Lampard was officially unveiled as Maurizio Sarri’s successor. 

The Blues had taken the lead through Michy Batshuayi after just eight minutes. 

They failed to capitalise on that early advantage, however, and the Gypsies hit back through Eric Molloy to earn a draw from the friendly. 

While the result suggests the former Chelsea playing legend has some work to do in pre-season, Lampard preferred to look at the positives. 

“It was a good run-out, we had good support and thanks for people turning out. It was a tough first game for us as we have not been back for long,” he told reporters after the final whistle. 

“We’ve only been back just a few days so there had been some pressure on the lads and we have been working them very hard. I am pleased with the outcome.

“Fitness was our issue but I wanted to stretch them a bit and put them under pressure.

“This is what pre-season is all about and the quicker we get there, to the level we want, then the better. We wanted to win the game as you always do but it is not about that.

“It is about individuals getting fit and pushing themselves to the limit and I thought some of the performances – particularly from the younger lads – was really good.”

“I have been really happy. We have high standards and we have brought that in. We need intensity in our game and I am pleased with the way their have worked and their attitude.”

One man who did not see action in the Irish capital was Christian Pulisic, away following his participation with the United States in the Gold Cup, which ended on Sunday with final defeat to Mexico. 

“This game was very early but the other players are back other than the injured boys and Pulisic is not with us yet but you will see some of them at the weekend,” Lampard added.

Pre-season preparations will continue in Ireland on Saturday when they take on St Patrick’s Athletic. 

Chelsea will also face the likes of Barcelona, Reading, Red Bull Salzburg and Borussia Monchengladbach before taking on Manchester United in the very first game of the Premier League season on August 11.  

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A former USMNT defender has backed the Chelsea star to rise to the occasion at his new club

Former U.S. national team defender Jonathan Spector has backed compatriot Christian Pulisic to continue his rise, with the young winger now having the opportunity to make a genuine impact at Chelsea following Eden Hazard’s departure.

Pulisic signed for Chelsea in January for £58 million ($74m) before re-joining Borussia Dortmund on loan for the remainder of the 2018-19 campaign.

This summer, he helped guide the USMNT to the final of the Gold Cup, where they fell 1-0 to Mexico.

Pulisic’s focus now finally turn towards Chelsea, as he heads to the club in the wake of Hazard’s massive summer transfer to Real Madrid.

While Pulisic himself has said that he does not see himself as a Hazard replacement, former Manchester United, West Ham and Birmingham City defender Spector says the winger can become exactly that if he continues to develop. 

“I don’t think he’s quite at that level just yet and there’s no shame in that, Hazard is a brilliant player! But he definitely has the potential if he continues to grow and improve,” Spector said speaking exclusively to AmericanGambler.com.

“But with Hazard leaving it gives him an opportunity, as he needs to play games, especially at that age and at that stage of development. Being a 20-year-old playing for Chelsea is no small feat, so hopefully, he will get that opportunity and there is no telling how good he could be.”

He added: “At 20 years of age, he’s a very, very good player. Incredibly talented, he’s got a great first touch and he just glides past players. From what I’ve seen both in the U.S. and in Germany, he’s a great outlet, so when teams are under pressure you can give him the ball on the wing or in the middle of the pitch and he’s able to get out of trouble.

“He’s very similar to Hazard, but I wouldn’t put him at the same level just yet, and I’m apprehensive to make that comparison as he’s only 20 years of age but he has that ability as a player and if he continues to develop, he’s on the path to becoming the best American player that has ever come through.”

With Pulisic growing into his leadership role with the U.S., the team is currently undergoing a shift as a group of young players begin to make up the foundation.

Weston McKennie is seen as one of those players, having captained the U.S. in the Gold Cup finale against Mexico, and Spector says the Schalke midfielder can reach the same heights as Pulisic with a little bit more consistency.

“He isn’t a utility player but he has played all over the pitch for Schalke in a number of different positions and it would be good to see him lock down a position,” Spector said. 

“I was similar, where I played all across the back four and even as a defensive midfielder, and it’s difficult when you’re getting moved around. It gives you opportunities to play but I think ultimately he wants to lock down a position and play in one position regularly.”

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A former Red Devils defender says that the Portuguese forward needed plenty of fine-tuning when he arrived at Old Trafford

Former Manchester United defender Jonathan Spector says that Cristiano Ronaldo was a “frustrating” player during his initial days at Manchester United, but credited the Portugal star for growing into a player widely considered to be the best in the world. 

Ronaldo arrived in Manchester in 2003 after breaking through with Sporting CP as he went on to score six goals in his first campaign at Old Trafford before scoring nine in his second season.

He’d be a part of three Premier League titles and a Champions League triumph during his time with the club, but it wasn’t until 2008 that he truly rose to individual success by claiming his first of five Ballons d’Or.

Spector, a team-mate of Ronaldo’s from 2003-06, says that the forward’s talent and potential were evident right away, but it took the right environment at Manchester United to truly bring out the best in the Portuguese star.

“He was a frustrating player. You could see that he had so much ability but that he wasn’t a finished product just yet,” Spector said exclusively to AmericanGambler.com.

“I think he owes a lot for the player he is today not just to the manager but the players that were around him. [Sir Alex] Ferguson did a great job of having players in the team that could help the players around them, make everyone around them better players. I think those formative years in his development to make him the finished product; he couldn’t have been at a better place than Manchester United.

“You could see his final ball wouldn’t quite be there, you could see at times Ruud Van Nistelrooy might get really frustrated because he didn’t know how many step-overs Ronaldo was going to do before putting the ball into the box for him but his ability on the ball, to beat players one-on-one, it was clear to see that he was going to be a very special player.”

Spector, who went on to say that Paul Scholes was actually the best player he ever played with, added that Ronaldo was never a player that received the famous “hairdryer treatment” from Ferguson.

The manager’s dressing room tirades have become the stuff of legend, but Spector says there was a lot more than meets the eye to Ferguson’s explosions.

“It’s funny, Ferguson never spoke to me that way either. I think Ferguson was incredibly clever with that because he knew how to speak to players, that they might not all react the same way to criticism,” he said.

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“Some players responded well to an arm around, some players responded well when you got into them and he knew how to speak to players, so he was very clever with that. But I never saw him scream at Ronaldo, but I don’t think it was preferential, he just knew the best way of getting the best out of his players.”

He added: “I do remember a couple of times he got into players, I’ve seen it on a couple of occasions. There was one time with Kieran Richardson in the changing room, after a cup game. We had a number of younger players playing and he was the older player of that group, and I think Fergie was making an example of him rather than him being at fault.

“It was an example that ‘to the rest of you, this is not acceptable’. Again, he picked on him as he was clever, as he knew Kieran Richardson could handle that, and it was an example to us that we don’t want to be on the wrong side of that.”

The giant Bologna centre-back has agreed a three-year deal with Steven Gerrard’s side, though a transfer fee has yet to be finalised

Rangers are closing in on the signing of Filip Helander after the Bologna defender agreed personal terms with the Scottish Premiership side.

Rangers have been searching for an international centre-back this summer, and sources close to the player have confirmed to Goal that the Swede has agreed to a three-year deal at Ibrox.

The Scottish giants, managed by former Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard, have yet to agree a transfer fee with Bologna for the player, but it is understood that an offer in the region of €4 million (£3.6m/$4.5m) should be enough to get the deal over the line.

A departure from Italy seems all but certain for the 26-year-old, who also has an offer from Turkish Super Lig club Basaksehir.

Fellow Turkish outfit Besiktas are also closely monitoring the situation but are yet to make a concrete offer. However, the 6’4″ defender prefers a transfer to Scotland over Turkey.

Helander has been playing his football in Italy for four years, having first joined Hellas Verona from his first club Malmo in 2015.

After one season at Verona, he then moved onto Bologna where he made 60 Serie A appearances over three seasons, scoring one goal.

However, the giant defender struggled to find consistent playing time last season after Sinisa Mihajlovic replaced Filippo Inzaghi as coach.

Helander has been capped 10 times by his country and was part of Jan Andersson’s squad at the 2018 World Cup after famously eliminating Italy in a qualification play-off. Sweden would end up reaching the quarter-finals in Russia, losing 2-0 to England.

Rangers boss Gerrard admitted on Tuesday evening that Rangers were closing in on a new defender.

“It will be a permanent deal for a defender,” he stated.

“There is still a way to go but we have had some progress in the last couple of days.

“If things progress as they have in the last 48 hours, I’m hoping something will get done by the end of the week.”

Should Helander complete his transfer to Rangers, he would become the club’s eighth signing of the summer.

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The Spaniard put pen to paper on a new two-year deal at Old Trafford last month and insists he always “wanted to commit” his future to the club

Juan Mata says he decided to sign a contract extension at Manchester United because it is a “special club” and he already has his sights on winning major trophies next season.

The Spain international’s future was the subject of much speculation over the last few months, amid reports of an impasse in negotiations over a new deal.

The 31-year-old was due to become a free agent on July 1, but despite rumours of a possible switch to Barcelona, he agreed to fresh terms at the Theatre of Dreams last month and will now remain at the club until 2021.

Mata joined United from Chelsea in 2013 and has since managed to rack up over 200 appearances for the club, scoring 45 goals across all competitions.

The midfielder has picked up FA Cup, Carabao Cup and Europa League winners’ medals during his time at Old Trafford, standing out in a team which has faced a great deal of criticism.

Ahead of the Red Devils’ pre-season tour of Australia, Mata explained his reasons for staying in Manchester, despite facing “difficult moments” in recent years.

“There were many things, the first thing is the feeling of belonging to this club, it’s something special, unique,” he told MUTV.

“We know there are three or four big clubs in Europe and United is one of them. Despite it not being the best moment in our history, even though we have won trophies, that feeling of waking up every day and feeling like a Red Devil is unbelievable so I wanted to keep feeling that.

“I wanted to stay, I wanted to keep giving my best to bring United where it belongs. I’ve been here more than five years and I realise how amazing the supporters are even in the tough moments.

“So I cannot imagine if we win a big trophy how it would be, how the town will change red. I imagine myself in that situation so that is another reason why I wanted to stay.

“I’ve lived difficult moments but I am really looking forward to living great moments with this club.

“Despite all that I wanted to stay. I wanted to commit to the club and keep enjoying wearing this shirt and keep trying my best.”

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side finished sixth in the Premier League last term, missing out on Champions League qualification and silverware after securing only two wins from their final 12 matches.

United have opted to chase young, homegrown talent in the transfer window in order to strengthen, with Welsh winger Daniel James and England defender Aaron Wan-Bissaka drafted in from Swansea and Crystal Palace, respectively.

Solskjaer is expecting to add one or two extra players to his ranks before the market closes and Southampton’s Mario Lemina is among United’s potential targets after expressing his desire to leave St Mary’s.

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The Second China International Import Expo to be held on Nov 5-10 in Shanghai will see bigger exhibition areas and wider participation, government officials said at the CIIE road show in Tianjin on Monday.

“Although the registration for the exhibitors has been closed, some companies are still trying to achieve an opportunity to join the event,” said Liu Fuxue, deputy head of the CIIE Bureau.

The participation of Fortune 500 companies numbered more than last year and the exhibition area has been expanded by 10 percent to 30,000 square meters.

New exhibition areas on luxury goods, products of artificial intelligence and virtual reality, and elderly care facilities will be added to the world’s top import-themed expo this year.

Liu now expects more buyers from the North China region including Beijing, Tianjin and nearby Hebei province to take part in the event which boasts state-of-the-art products and leading technologies.

He said the event will benefit the industrial structure of the region and the escalating level of consumer spending.

Last year, Tianjin companies invested large amounts of capital in advanced machinery and high-quality agricultural products during the expo.

“A total of 2,417 Tianjin companies joined the event and 62 agreements worth a total of 1.5 billion yuan ($217.9 million) were inked during the fair,” said Zhang Aiguo, director of the Tianjin Municipal Bureau of Commerce.

To date, 54 such agreements have been completed, he said.

This year, more Tianjin companies in aerospace, airplane and intelligent manufacturing are eyeing the opportunity to take part and Tianjin will host an equipment manufacturing seminar during the show.

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Liang Feng, president of the China National Machine Tool Sales and Technical Service Corporation, who will take part in the Tianjin seminar, noted that based on last year’s experience, the firm will lead a group of Chinese machine tool companies to help facilitate trade between domestic buyers and foreign exhibitors.

JAKARTA – Indonesia said on Tuesday it would send more than 210 tons of garbage back to Australia, as Southeast Asian nations push back against serving as dumping grounds for foreign trash.

The eight containers seized in Surabaya city should have contained only waste paper, but authorities also found hazardous material and household trash including plastic bottles and packaging, used diapers, electronic waste and cans, said a spokesman for the East Java customs agency.

Following the inspection, the Indonesian environment ministry recommended “the items be re-exported”, the agency said in a separate statement on Monday.

“This is done to protect the public and Indonesian environment, especially in East Java, from B3 waste,” it added, referring to hazardous and toxic materials.

Australian company Oceanic Multitrading sent the waste to Indonesia with help from Indonesian firm PT. MDI, authorities said.

China decided last year to ban imports of foreign plastic waste. It left many developed nations struggling to find places to send their waste.

Huge quantities of rubbish have since been redirected to Southeast Asia, but opposition to handling exported trash is growing in the region.

Indonesia announced last week it was sending back 49 containers full of waste to France and other developed nations.

In May, neighboring Malaysia announced it was shipping 450 tons of imported plastic waste back to its sources, including Australia, Canada, Japan and the United States.

The Philippines, meanwhile, returned about 69 containers of rubbish back to Canada last month, putting an end to a diplomatic row between the two countries.

Global concern over plastic pollution has been spurred by shocking images of waste-clogged rivers in Southeast Asia and accounts of dead sea creatures found with kilos of refuse in their stomachs.

Around 300 million tons of plastic are produced every year, according to the World Wide Fund for Nature, with much of it ending up in landfills or polluting the seas, in what has become a growing international crisis.

Agence France-Presse

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Students enrolled in the global engagement program launched by Shanghai Jiao Tong University on June 26 will be engaged in tackling typical issues faced by countries involved in China and the Belt and Road Initiative. According to the statement of the university organizers, over 10 countries and regions will be involved in the program that includes 13 projects.

The projects cover research and surveys on specific themes before coming up with solutions to problems related to the environment, medicine and civil engineering.

Ten of the projects will be carried out during the summer, while the remaining three will be held in winter, from December to January next year. Each project will last between two and four weeks.

More than 200 students are expected to join the program, according to the university.

“Every project is challenging as most of the students have never set foot in these areas,” says Cao Yongkang, director of the International Research Center for Architectural Heritage Conservation at the university.

“The program will definitely motivate them to realize their social responsibility in the new era and inspire them to solve the common problems of humankind.”

Cao will lead one of the teams in investigations of villages in Zhejiang province’s Lishui city.

This project will involve setting up furniture and facilities that are urgently needed by residents. The team will later visit villages in the Italian Alps to explore new development models for locals, and compare the practices for these two countries.

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“The project is designed for those majoring in architecture, city planning, sociology, and other related subjects, and will equip them with a comprehensive understanding of rural revitalization,” says Cao.