Beijing held a grand military parade to mark the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1931-45) and the World Anti-Fascist War on Sept 3, with 26 foreign heads of state and government attending the event. Leaders of parliaments, deputy prime ministers and high-level officials from various countries, along with international organization chiefs, witnessed the parade.
\n
The parade emphasized the principle of nonalignment, in contrast to "bloc politics" that those with the Cold War mentality propagate. Through the parade, China showcased its independent foreign and defense policies, and its goal of helping maintain global peace, while demonstrating its resolve to build a community with a shared future for humanity.
\n
China has always adhered to nonaligned diplomacy, more so after the launch of reform and opening-up. Since the Opium War (that started in 1840), China has learned a valuable lesson: it can only safeguard its core national interests by maintaining its independence and pursuing self-determination.
\n
Unlike the bloc confrontation policy of NATO or the Warsaw Pact and the military parades held by the two blocs during the Cold War, China's parades are not aimed at creating "friend-or-foe" divisions, as they reflect a defense policy that transcends bloc politics.
\n
Victory in the World Anti-Fascist War was achieved through the collective efforts of many countries' people. That's why guests from a diverse array of nations were invited to the parade. The gathering embodied China's approach to international relations in the new era: dialogue over confrontation, partnership over alliance, and win-win cooperation over zero-sum games.
\n
The parade also served as a significant platform for China to demonstrate its transparent defense philosophy. The display of new generation equipment, including advanced tanks, carrier-based aircraft and fighter jets reflects the Chinese military's system-based operational capabilities, while advanced systems such as new types of combat drones, directed-energy weapons, and electronic jamming systems highlighted the People's Liberation Army's strengths in new domains and cutting-edge technologies.
\n
Sophisticated equipment, including hypersonic weapons, air and missile defense systems, and strategic missiles underscored China's strategic capability to strengthen deterrence. But their display was not a "show of force". Instead, it was a demonstration of the practical means to safeguard national security, sovereignty and territorial integrity. Through such open and confident display of defense equipment, China showed its commitment to safeguarding world peace.
\n
China's contribution to the United Nations' peacekeeping missions is evidence of the country fulfilling its global peace-maintenance responsibility. The Chinese "blue berets", which include engineers, carry the legacy of the Northeast Anti-Japanese United Army, and have been deployed on many peacekeeping missions. This not only commemorates the victory in the war of resistance against Japanese aggression but also highlights China's role as a major country.
\n
The Chinese "blue berets" embody China's steadfast commitment to pursue peaceful development and engage in winwin cooperation, emphasizing a vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative, and sustainable security.
\n
For 16 consecutive years, the Chinese escort fleet in the Gulf of Aden has protected both Chinese and foreign vessels. The PLA hospital ship — Peace Ark — has sailed across three oceans, while the maritime cooperation network under the Belt and Road Initiative continues to expand. These efforts demonstrated China's unwavering commitment to collaborate with the international community, safeguard shipping channels, forge international bonds of lifesaving assistance with the hospital ship, and promote shared regional development by improving connectivity.
\n
Since ancient times, harmony and coexistence for a shared future have been the aspirations of the Chinese people. In today's world, China's military parades are part of its efforts to foster a new type of international relations characterized by mutual respect, fairness, justice, and win-win cooperation. The parades have reflected China's firm commitment to advance the cause of global peace and development.
\n
At this critical juncture, when the global landscape is undergoing profound changes and the international order is being restructured, the Sept 3 parade was much more than a ceremony displaying national pride and military strength. It served as a declaration to the world that China's approach to strengthening its military is by no means about expansion, but rather a commitment to peace and development in the new era and the fulfillment of commitments.
\n
That China will never seek hegemony, expansion, or spheres of influence is evidenced in China's voluntary decisions to reduce its troops, peacefully settle its border issues with 12 land neighbors through negotiations, and its implementation of cooperative projects in Africa and other regions without political conditions.
\n
Through the parade, China showed the world that true strength lies not only in having a powerful military but, more importantly, in the ability to safeguard peace without resorting to military means. Dignity is supported not only by the military but also the wisdom of guiding humanity toward a shared future with a peaceful vision. The Sept 3 parade — a magnificent event laden with historical memory and aspirations — is destined to become a lasting symbol of peace in the collective memory of humanity.
\n
The views don't necessarily reflect those of China Daily.
\n",
- "content": "
Beijing held a grand military parade to mark the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1931-45) and the World Anti-Fascist War on Sept 3, with 26 foreign heads of state and government attending the event. Leaders of parliaments, deputy prime ministers and high-level officials from various countries, along with international organization chiefs, witnessed the parade.
\n
The parade emphasized the principle of nonalignment, in contrast to "bloc politics" that those with the Cold War mentality propagate. Through the parade, China showcased its independent foreign and defense policies, and its goal of helping maintain global peace, while demonstrating its resolve to build a community with a shared future for humanity.
\n
China has always adhered to nonaligned diplomacy, more so after the launch of reform and opening-up. Since the Opium War (that started in 1840), China has learned a valuable lesson: it can only safeguard its core national interests by maintaining its independence and pursuing self-determination.
\n
Unlike the bloc confrontation policy of NATO or the Warsaw Pact and the military parades held by the two blocs during the Cold War, China's parades are not aimed at creating "friend-or-foe" divisions, as they reflect a defense policy that transcends bloc politics.
\n
Victory in the World Anti-Fascist War was achieved through the collective efforts of many countries' people. That's why guests from a diverse array of nations were invited to the parade. The gathering embodied China's approach to international relations in the new era: dialogue over confrontation, partnership over alliance, and win-win cooperation over zero-sum games.
\n
The parade also served as a significant platform for China to demonstrate its transparent defense philosophy. The display of new generation equipment, including advanced tanks, carrier-based aircraft and fighter jets reflects the Chinese military's system-based operational capabilities, while advanced systems such as new types of combat drones, directed-energy weapons, and electronic jamming systems highlighted the People's Liberation Army's strengths in new domains and cutting-edge technologies.
\n
Sophisticated equipment, including hypersonic weapons, air and missile defense systems, and strategic missiles underscored China's strategic capability to strengthen deterrence. But their display was not a "show of force". Instead, it was a demonstration of the practical means to safeguard national security, sovereignty and territorial integrity. Through such open and confident display of defense equipment, China showed its commitment to safeguarding world peace.
\n
China's contribution to the United Nations' peacekeeping missions is evidence of the country fulfilling its global peace-maintenance responsibility. The Chinese "blue berets", which include engineers, carry the legacy of the Northeast Anti-Japanese United Army, and have been deployed on many peacekeeping missions. This not only commemorates the victory in the war of resistance against Japanese aggression but also highlights China's role as a major country.
\n
The Chinese "blue berets" embody China's steadfast commitment to pursue peaceful development and engage in winwin cooperation, emphasizing a vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative, and sustainable security.
\n
For 16 consecutive years, the Chinese escort fleet in the Gulf of Aden has protected both Chinese and foreign vessels. The PLA hospital ship — Peace Ark — has sailed across three oceans, while the maritime cooperation network under the Belt and Road Initiative continues to expand. These efforts demonstrated China's unwavering commitment to collaborate with the international community, safeguard shipping channels, forge international bonds of lifesaving assistance with the hospital ship, and promote shared regional development by improving connectivity.
\n
Since ancient times, harmony and coexistence for a shared future have been the aspirations of the Chinese people. In today's world, China's military parades are part of its efforts to foster a new type of international relations characterized by mutual respect, fairness, justice, and win-win cooperation. The parades have reflected China's firm commitment to advance the cause of global peace and development.
\n
At this critical juncture, when the global landscape is undergoing profound changes and the international order is being restructured, the Sept 3 parade was much more than a ceremony displaying national pride and military strength. It served as a declaration to the world that China's approach to strengthening its military is by no means about expansion, but rather a commitment to peace and development in the new era and the fulfillment of commitments.
\n
That China will never seek hegemony, expansion, or spheres of influence is evidenced in China's voluntary decisions to reduce its troops, peacefully settle its border issues with 12 land neighbors through negotiations, and its implementation of cooperative projects in Africa and other regions without political conditions.
\n
Through the parade, China showed the world that true strength lies not only in having a powerful military but, more importantly, in the ability to safeguard peace without resorting to military means. Dignity is supported not only by the military but also the wisdom of guiding humanity toward a shared future with a peaceful vision. The Sept 3 parade — a magnificent event laden with historical memory and aspirations — is destined to become a lasting symbol of peace in the collective memory of humanity.
\n
The views don't necessarily reflect those of China Daily.
当然，平心而论，任何一门语言，都会有自己的俗语、典故。例如英文、拉丁语中的潘多拉的盒子（Pandora's box）、达摩克利斯剑（the Swords of Damocles）、多米诺骨牌（Dominoes）等等。毕竟，任何文明经过了几百年了，谁家还没几个老祖宗传下来典故啊。只不过咱中国因为历史长了一点，所以咱的“引用库”也就比别家稍微丰富了那么“亿点点”······
当然，平心而论，任何一门语言，都会有自己的俗语、典故。例如英文、拉丁语中的潘多拉的盒子（Pandora's box）、达摩克利斯剑（the Swords of Damocles）、多米诺骨牌（Dominoes）等等。毕竟，任何文明经过了几百年了，谁家还没几个老祖宗传下来典故啊。只不过咱中国因为历史长了一点，所以咱的“引用库”也就比别家稍微丰富了那么“亿点点”······
BEIJING, June 5 (Xinhua) -- China has urged the United States to abandon its generalized and excessive use of the national security concept, and to collaborate with all parties in maintaining a rules-based multilateral trading system, the Ministry of Commerce said on Thursday.
At a regular press conference, He Yongqian, spokesperson for the ministry, made the remarks when asked to comment on the U.S. decision to raise tariffs on imported steel, aluminium and their derivative products from 25 percent to 50 percent.
He said that such U.S. moves not only harm others and itself, but also will severely disrupt the stability of global industrial and supply chains.
The United States should abandon the zero-sum mentality, address respective concerns through equal dialogue, and jointly maintain the stability of global industrial and supply chains, He said.
Source: Xinhua
",
@@ -3631,28 +3587,6 @@
"hash": "4c7ceef36fc19b180fc4279ebaaa5859",
"highlights": []
},
- {
- "title": "007CHINA - Master potter shapes ancient art to suit modern tastes",
- "description": "
Clay teapots made in Yu's workshop.
\n
Yu Dahua works on a pottery jar in his workshop in Yanshantou in Zhongxiang city, Hubei province.
\n
In his workshop in Yanshantou, an area of Zhongxiang city in Hubei province beside the Hanjiang River, Yu Dahua shapes a pottery vessel, his fingers coaxing the clay into a smooth form. Nearby, rows of rustic pots wait to be packed and sent across the country.
\n
For more than three decades, Yu has been molding more than just clay. He is the last master potter in Yanshantou, once a thriving hub whose abundant clay and firewood supported generations of artisans.
\n
The craft of earthenware here dates back to the Shang and Zhou dynasties (c.16th century-256 BC) and flourished for centuries. In the 1960s and 1970s, dozens of family-run kilns lined the area, producing pottery that was sold across the province.
\n
Yu embarked on his journey into pottery in the 1990s, when modernization had already pushed the local industry into decline.
\n
In 1990, he inherited the craft from his foster father and foster brother — both pottery craftsmen themselves. Beyond his enthusiasm about the art and natural talent, he also felt a responsibility to live up to his family's expectations.
\n
"What my foster father told me struck my heart," Yu recalled. "He said people wouldn't be able to find a pot like ours if our generation failed to carry it forward."
\n
That May, Yu built his first kiln. What followed was practice and perseverance for over three decades.
\n
Pottery making is a demanding art. The process involves more than a dozen steps, from selection and refining of clay to shaping, detailing, and firing — each done by a single person with patience, precision, and a readiness to accept failure.
\n
"Making a pot is not just about the technique. It is about experience and feelings," Yu said. "Knowing when the clay is ready and when the fire is right is the hardest part. That takes years of practice."
\n
A single kiln load, which can hold 300 to 600 pieces, takes at least 20 days to complete. The firing alone can last a whole night, with Yu keeping watch beside the flames.
\n
For him, firing is to open a "blind box". Warped and broken pieces scattered around his courtyard are reminders of the cost of mastery. Yet it is in failure that Yu often finds inspiration.
\n
The most satisfactory experience came when an early, high-temperature firing experiment failed and ruined most of the batch. "Still, two pieces came out with natural glazes — one chicken-fat yellow, the other sky-blue. I've kept them," he said. "That's when I saw hope. Even failure can create beauty."
\n
Over the years, Yu has refined his techniques and his designs, blending history with modern needs. While assisting a museum in the city of Jingmen, Hubei, in restoring cultural relics, he deepened his understanding of pottery's cultural roots and expanded his artistic vision.
\n
The market tells what people need. Combining traditional craftsmanship with contemporary tastes, Yu began producing high-fired, unglazed teaware. "Customer feedback also pushed me to improve," he added. "I'd take notes, go back and fix it. That's how my pots become more delicate over time."
\n
Rooted in the ancient summer farming practices, Yanshantou teapots are prized for their rough charm, porous texture, and cooling properties. These are ideal for brewing and storing tea that stays refreshingly cold for days. Some customers also display them as garden decorations.
\n
Yu's handmade, unglazed teapots have gained popularity in the market. But production is seasonal.
\n
Due to the freezing conditions in winter, he works only nine months a year, producing up to 600 teapots a month and selling more than 5,000 annually. Today, his workshop is reaching customers through e-commerce platforms, offering a full range of rustic pottery, from teapots and crockery to vases and planters.
\n
Yu has a team of more than ten practitioners and another three apprentices. Still, the future of the craft weighs on him as it demands mastery of all processes and long-term practice.
\n
"I hope this ancient craft endures and thrives in the future," Yu said. "While keeping the old methods alive, we should also explore new forms and colors that suit modern tastes so that the tradition can continue to live and breathe."
\n
Contact the writers at guoyanqi@chinadaily.com.cn
\n",
- "content": "
Clay teapots made in Yu's workshop.
\n
Yu Dahua works on a pottery jar in his workshop in Yanshantou in Zhongxiang city, Hubei province.
\n
In his workshop in Yanshantou, an area of Zhongxiang city in Hubei province beside the Hanjiang River, Yu Dahua shapes a pottery vessel, his fingers coaxing the clay into a smooth form. Nearby, rows of rustic pots wait to be packed and sent across the country.
\n
For more than three decades, Yu has been molding more than just clay. He is the last master potter in Yanshantou, once a thriving hub whose abundant clay and firewood supported generations of artisans.
\n
The craft of earthenware here dates back to the Shang and Zhou dynasties (c.16th century-256 BC) and flourished for centuries. In the 1960s and 1970s, dozens of family-run kilns lined the area, producing pottery that was sold across the province.
\n
Yu embarked on his journey into pottery in the 1990s, when modernization had already pushed the local industry into decline.
\n
In 1990, he inherited the craft from his foster father and foster brother — both pottery craftsmen themselves. Beyond his enthusiasm about the art and natural talent, he also felt a responsibility to live up to his family's expectations.
\n
"What my foster father told me struck my heart," Yu recalled. "He said people wouldn't be able to find a pot like ours if our generation failed to carry it forward."
\n
That May, Yu built his first kiln. What followed was practice and perseverance for over three decades.
\n
Pottery making is a demanding art. The process involves more than a dozen steps, from selection and refining of clay to shaping, detailing, and firing — each done by a single person with patience, precision, and a readiness to accept failure.
\n
"Making a pot is not just about the technique. It is about experience and feelings," Yu said. "Knowing when the clay is ready and when the fire is right is the hardest part. That takes years of practice."
\n
A single kiln load, which can hold 300 to 600 pieces, takes at least 20 days to complete. The firing alone can last a whole night, with Yu keeping watch beside the flames.
\n
For him, firing is to open a "blind box". Warped and broken pieces scattered around his courtyard are reminders of the cost of mastery. Yet it is in failure that Yu often finds inspiration.
\n
The most satisfactory experience came when an early, high-temperature firing experiment failed and ruined most of the batch. "Still, two pieces came out with natural glazes — one chicken-fat yellow, the other sky-blue. I've kept them," he said. "That's when I saw hope. Even failure can create beauty."
\n
Over the years, Yu has refined his techniques and his designs, blending history with modern needs. While assisting a museum in the city of Jingmen, Hubei, in restoring cultural relics, he deepened his understanding of pottery's cultural roots and expanded his artistic vision.
\n
The market tells what people need. Combining traditional craftsmanship with contemporary tastes, Yu began producing high-fired, unglazed teaware. "Customer feedback also pushed me to improve," he added. "I'd take notes, go back and fix it. That's how my pots become more delicate over time."
\n
Rooted in the ancient summer farming practices, Yanshantou teapots are prized for their rough charm, porous texture, and cooling properties. These are ideal for brewing and storing tea that stays refreshingly cold for days. Some customers also display them as garden decorations.
\n
Yu's handmade, unglazed teapots have gained popularity in the market. But production is seasonal.
\n
Due to the freezing conditions in winter, he works only nine months a year, producing up to 600 teapots a month and selling more than 5,000 annually. Today, his workshop is reaching customers through e-commerce platforms, offering a full range of rustic pottery, from teapots and crockery to vases and planters.
\n
Yu has a team of more than ten practitioners and another three apprentices. Still, the future of the craft weighs on him as it demands mastery of all processes and long-term practice.
\n
"I hope this ancient craft endures and thrives in the future," Yu said. "While keeping the old methods alive, we should also explore new forms and colors that suit modern tastes so that the tradition can continue to live and breathe."
A doctor of the 27th batch of the Chinese medical team to Benin examines a patient at the Mono and Couffo Departmental Hospital Center in Lokossa, Benin, on Monday.
\n
When Antoine Roger Lokongo returned to the Democratic Republic of Congo after nearly 20 years in Europe and China, he brought back not only academic credentials but also a conviction that Africa could learn from China's resilience in advancing human rights through development.
\n
"My journey has been shaped by two worlds," said Lokongo, director of the department of international relations at Joseph Kasa-Vubu University in DR Congo.
\n
After spending 18 years in England, he moved to China to pursue a doctorate at Peking University. There, he first studied the Chinese language, completed his research and graduated in 2015 before heading home with a determination to contribute to his country's growth.
\n
Speaking at the first China-Africa Human Rights Seminar in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, late last month, Lokongo reflected on the contradictions of history. He recalled how former United States president Joe Biden once visited an Angolan museum, where Africans were baptized before being forced onto slave ships.
\n
"Baptism means liberation, yet those newly baptized were put into bondage," he said. "That contradiction is symbolic of today, where Western powers preach human rights while perpetuating new forms of control."
\n
For Lokongo, the memory of that contradiction — liberation preached, yet bondage imposed — illustrates why many Africans remain skeptical of Western narratives on human rights.
\n
By contrast, he said, China presents Africa with a different model. "China has never colonized any African country," he said. "It offers partnership grounded in solidarity, experience-sharing and win-win cooperation."
\n
Lokongo was among dozens of African voices gathered for the seminar, where officials and experts discussed how the continent could redefine human rights in ways that reflect its own priorities. For them, the debate was not about whether Africa needs human rights — but how human rights are achieved.
\n
Crispin Kugiza Kaheru, a member of the Uganda Human Rights Commission, said Africa had long been subjected to one-sided interpretations.
\n
"For too many years, human rights have been weaponized," he said. "They've been used to justify sanctions, embargoes and interference in sovereign matters."
\n
Kaheru said China offered a different lens, one that ties rights to dignity through development.
\n
"You can talk about modernization and still keep your identity, your culture, your norms. You don't have to import cultures to thrive," he said. He praised China's people-centered approach, which emphasizes subsistence and livelihoods rather than abstract ideals.
\n
This was echoed by Mohamed El Hacen Lebatt, former foreign minister of Mauritania, who said Africa's most urgent rights are tied to daily needs, development, food, healthcare, education and access to technology. "The right to development is the human right Africa cannot ignore," he said.
\n
While comparing partners, he pointed to China's record of development, for instance, building of airports, hospitals and universities across the continent. "We compare the deeds, and China has delivered. While Africa remains open to all partnerships, China is the most helpful, most decisive and most efficient in supporting Africa."
\n
History, several speakers said, continues to shape today's choices. Boniface Lezona, deputy director of the National Human Rights Commission of the Republic of Congo, said China, like Africa, had endured colonization and emerged stronger.
\n
"With China, we are trying to share the same destiny on the right of development," he said. "We take China as a leader because we have a common history and we want to share our common future together."
\n
Mutual respect
\n
Fredrick Mutesa, secretary-general of the Zambia-China Friendship Association, warned of a "heightened campaign to discredit and undermine" China-Africa ties by Western governments. Yet, he said, China's engagement through infrastructure, mining and green development is "unlocking the potential of the African continent", giving it a rare chance to renegotiate its place in the international order on the basis of mutual respect and noninterference.
\n
"The right to development is the most critical human right for Africa today, and China is at the forefront of helping us realize it," Mutesa said.
\n
Jeddi Mowbray Armah, deputy minister for legal affairs at Liberia's Foreign Ministry, said China's human rights philosophy is rooted in practicality. He dismissed claims that China's engagement is political activism, calling it "a strategic partner" whose contributions are visible in development, education, food security and aid.
\n
Armah also drew attention to the cultural dimension of rights. "Universality is not uniformity. Western definitions often come with impositions, but China's approach recognizes cultural diversity in how human rights are realized," he said.
\n
"China believes that once development is taken care of, then human rights can be met. For the West, human rights are more about ideals and definitions. For China, it is about helping people meet their daily needs."
\n
The discussions highlighted that Africa's engagement with China extends beyond trade and infrastructure. It is also about redefining human rights through a lens that ties dignity to development.
\n
A consensus of the seminar affirmed that development is essential to improving the well-being of the people and advancing human dignity.
Women from the Miao ethnic group in Liuzhi special district in Guizhou province don their ethnic costumes to attend a gathering in May.
\n
Twenty eight years ago, John Gjestrum, a Norwegian who was a board member of the International Committee of Museology, traveled to Liuzhi special district in Guizhou province to plant a tree that marked the start of the Sino-Norwegian Friendship Trees.
\n
As editor-in-chief of Nordisk Museologi, he went there to guide the building of the Liuzhi Suojia Miao ethnic ecomuseum in Suojia town. Earlier, in October 1997, the heads of State of China and Norway witnessed a signing ceremony in Beijing that would lead to the establishment of the first ecomuseum in China.
\n
In 1997, construction of the Suojia Ecomuseum Information Center started with the aid of 880,000 Norwegian kroner ($87,950) from the Norwegian government for the construction of the venue and the collection of physical objects. On Oct 31, 1998, the ecomuseum officially opened to the public.
\n
As the first ecomuseum in Asia, the Suojia Miao Community is located in Longjia village at an average altitude of 2,000 meters and some 42 kilometers north of Liuzhi. Situated in high mountains, its natural conditions were extremely challenging and water sources were scarce.
\n
In the neighboring 12 villages, there resides an ancient and mysterious branch of the Miao ethnic group — the Qingmiao branch, also known as the Longhorn Miao branch, with some 5,000 residents. Before the establishment of the ecomuseum, they lived in extremely harsh conditions and were regarded as a living fossil of pre-industrial life.
\n
The Longhorn Miao village was built against the mountains with earthen walls and thatched cottages. With a simple way of life, the villagers worked from sunrise to sunset, spun and wove fabrics, waxed embroidery and used needles and threads to sew beautiful clothes and skirts.
\n
The ecomuseum aims to keep a record of their social structure, housing, dressing habits, production, lifestyles, music and dance, displaying their gradual integration with the outside world.
\n
Unlike a traditional museum, an ecomuseum aims to record a region's community, residents, heritages, cultural memory and public knowledge, instead of the buildings, collections, scientific knowledge and research.
\n
The ecomuseum showcased China's gradual understanding of the importance of ecological preservation, said Yin Shigang, Party secretary of the project department of China Railway No 4 Engineering Group in building the Anshun-Panzhou section of Shanghai-Kunming Expressway, which traverses Liuzhi.
\n
Liuzhi, sitting on the watershed of the Yangtze River and the Pearl River water systems, is a picturesque place with high mountains and more than 40 rivers and streams.
\n
Liu Qiang, head of Liuzhi district government, said earlier this year that the district should continuously optimize its ecological environment.
\n
Protecting the local environment has thus become a top priority while constructing the expressway, Yin said.
\n
Inside Yongfeng village on the banks of Sancha River near his project department, the terraced fields are lush green and the main piers of the Xujiawan Bridge stand on both banks, forming a beautiful ecological picture, Yin said.
\n
"During our construction work, we tried our best to maintain the original natural terrain and set up retaining walls and other engineering structures in areas with steep slopes and poor geological conditions to bolster their safety and stability, reducing the risk of soil erosion and minimizing the impact of construction on the environment," he said.
\n
On both sides of the Xujiawan Bridge are terraced fields for farmers, which are a main source of income for the villagers, and Yin's project department has thought of scientific means to reduce damage to young crops in the construction area.
\n
He said as the natural vegetation in Guizhou is dense, with large mountains, deep ditches and rugged roads, there is a severe shortage of basic farmland, and they need to stick to strict forest protection.
\n
"As we are building an expressway, we need to set up a prefabrication yard to precast beams, which may occupy some 7 hectares of land traditionally," Yin recalled. "But following the principle that 'lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets', we finally decided to increase investment and build our smart beam yard in the mountains."
\n
This not only helped reduce the land by nearly half, but also minimized the damage to the ecological environment, he added.
\n
For Yin from CREC4 Fourth Engineering, his life during the past two years in building the expressway has been fruitful and rewarding.
\n
He worked with over 2,400 employees, including 142 local ethnic minority workers who are glad to have the motorway in their hometown.
\n
During traditional Miao festivals, the villagers of Yongfeng often invited Yin's colleagues to participate in cultural activities, enjoying art performances and Miao dances, expressing their sincere thanks to the builders with long-table banquets.
\n
"The CREC4 employees have enabled our villagers to learn skills and steadily increase their income at their doorsteps. From building roads and helping impoverished students, they have truly built a bridge of friendship, injecting strong momentum into the rural vitalization in Longhe," said Wang Yongyue, Party secretary of Longhe town, adding that "the locals have come to recognize this".
Women from the Miao ethnic group in Liuzhi special district in Guizhou province don their ethnic costumes to attend a gathering in May.
\n
Twenty eight years ago, John Gjestrum, a Norwegian who was a board member of the International Committee of Museology, traveled to Liuzhi special district in Guizhou province to plant a tree that marked the start of the Sino-Norwegian Friendship Trees.
\n
As editor-in-chief of Nordisk Museologi, he went there to guide the building of the Liuzhi Suojia Miao ethnic ecomuseum in Suojia town. Earlier, in October 1997, the heads of State of China and Norway witnessed a signing ceremony in Beijing that would lead to the establishment of the first ecomuseum in China.
\n
In 1997, construction of the Suojia Ecomuseum Information Center started with the aid of 880,000 Norwegian kroner ($87,950) from the Norwegian government for the construction of the venue and the collection of physical objects. On Oct 31, 1998, the ecomuseum officially opened to the public.
\n
As the first ecomuseum in Asia, the Suojia Miao Community is located in Longjia village at an average altitude of 2,000 meters and some 42 kilometers north of Liuzhi. Situated in high mountains, its natural conditions were extremely challenging and water sources were scarce.
\n
In the neighboring 12 villages, there resides an ancient and mysterious branch of the Miao ethnic group — the Qingmiao branch, also known as the Longhorn Miao branch, with some 5,000 residents. Before the establishment of the ecomuseum, they lived in extremely harsh conditions and were regarded as a living fossil of pre-industrial life.
\n
The Longhorn Miao village was built against the mountains with earthen walls and thatched cottages. With a simple way of life, the villagers worked from sunrise to sunset, spun and wove fabrics, waxed embroidery and used needles and threads to sew beautiful clothes and skirts.
\n
The ecomuseum aims to keep a record of their social structure, housing, dressing habits, production, lifestyles, music and dance, displaying their gradual integration with the outside world.
\n
Unlike a traditional museum, an ecomuseum aims to record a region's community, residents, heritages, cultural memory and public knowledge, instead of the buildings, collections, scientific knowledge and research.
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The ecomuseum showcased China's gradual understanding of the importance of ecological preservation, said Yin Shigang, Party secretary of the project department of China Railway No 4 Engineering Group in building the Anshun-Panzhou section of Shanghai-Kunming Expressway, which traverses Liuzhi.
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Liuzhi, sitting on the watershed of the Yangtze River and the Pearl River water systems, is a picturesque place with high mountains and more than 40 rivers and streams.
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Liu Qiang, head of Liuzhi district government, said earlier this year that the district should continuously optimize its ecological environment.
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Protecting the local environment has thus become a top priority while constructing the expressway, Yin said.
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Inside Yongfeng village on the banks of Sancha River near his project department, the terraced fields are lush green and the main piers of the Xujiawan Bridge stand on both banks, forming a beautiful ecological picture, Yin said.
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"During our construction work, we tried our best to maintain the original natural terrain and set up retaining walls and other engineering structures in areas with steep slopes and poor geological conditions to bolster their safety and stability, reducing the risk of soil erosion and minimizing the impact of construction on the environment," he said.
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On both sides of the Xujiawan Bridge are terraced fields for farmers, which are a main source of income for the villagers, and Yin's project department has thought of scientific means to reduce damage to young crops in the construction area.
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He said as the natural vegetation in Guizhou is dense, with large mountains, deep ditches and rugged roads, there is a severe shortage of basic farmland, and they need to stick to strict forest protection.
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"As we are building an expressway, we need to set up a prefabrication yard to precast beams, which may occupy some 7 hectares of land traditionally," Yin recalled. "But following the principle that 'lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets', we finally decided to increase investment and build our smart beam yard in the mountains."
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This not only helped reduce the land by nearly half, but also minimized the damage to the ecological environment, he added.
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For Yin from CREC4 Fourth Engineering, his life during the past two years in building the expressway has been fruitful and rewarding.
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He worked with over 2,400 employees, including 142 local ethnic minority workers who are glad to have the motorway in their hometown.
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During traditional Miao festivals, the villagers of Yongfeng often invited Yin's colleagues to participate in cultural activities, enjoying art performances and Miao dances, expressing their sincere thanks to the builders with long-table banquets.
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"The CREC4 employees have enabled our villagers to learn skills and steadily increase their income at their doorsteps. From building roads and helping impoverished students, they have truly built a bridge of friendship, injecting strong momentum into the rural vitalization in Longhe," said Wang Yongyue, Party secretary of Longhe town, adding that "the locals have come to recognize this".
Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba addresses a press conference where he announced his decision to resign, on Sunday in Tokyo, Japan.
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Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba announced on Sunday that he will step down as the head of the Liberal Democratic Party, amid growing calls for him to take responsibility for the party-led ruling coalition's election setback in both houses of parliament.
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Addressing a news conference at the prime minister's office in Tokyo, Ishiba said he has "made the painful decision to resign despite still having unfinished tasks", emphasizing that the LDP must undergo genuine renewal and remain a tolerant and inclusive force.
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He added that he would not stand as a candidate in the expected LDP leadership election triggered by his resignation.
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Ishiba's announcement came a day before the LDP was scheduled to decide whether to hold an early party leadership election, which would essentially be demanding his resignation, according to Japanese media platform Nikkei Asia.
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It also followed a formal agreement reached on Thursday with the administration of United States President Donald Trump on 15 percent reciprocal tariffs on Japanese exports to the US.
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At Sunday's news conference, Ishiba said he had long considered tariff negotiations with the US a responsibility of his administration. With the signing of a memorandum of understanding last week, Ishiba said the negotiations reached a milestone, which made him decide to make way for his successor.
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In September 2024, Ishiba was elected president of the LDP for a term of three years. In October last year, the LDP and its junior coalition partner, the Komeito, lost their majority in the House of Representatives, the lower house of the National Diet of Japan. In July this year, the ruling coalition also lost its majority in the House of Councillors, or the upper house.
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In postwar Japan, the head of the LDP — the country's dominant political force since the party's founding in 1955 — has almost always become the prime minister, because the party commands the largest share of seats in the Diet. When an LDP president resigns or is replaced, the post of prime minister typically changes hands as well.
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According to the LDP's rules, a new leadership election can be held before the incumbent president's term expires. A majority of LDP members in the Diet and a majority of representatives in the LDP's prefectural branches can jointly request an election for a new president.
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Following Ishiba's formal resignation announcement, the LDP is expected to hold an extraordinary executive meeting on Monday morning, at which it will likely decide to cancel the submission of documents for an early party leadership election, according to TBS News, a commercial broadcasting company based in Tokyo.
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The Associated Press reported that the LDP is expected to set a date for a party leadership election, likely to be held in early October.
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