![](\"https://mobile.chinadaily.com.cn/cn/resfile/2025-08-16/001/20250816_001_04_67.png\")
A foreigner participating in the 12th World Games experiences tea art in Chengdu, Sichuan province.
\nAs the 12th World Games in Chengdu, Sichuan province, approach their closing ceremony on Sunday, athletes will take home more than just medals and glory — they will also carry indelible memories of China's profound culture.
\nCecilia Jaques, an athlete from the Brazilian women's fistball team, has paid frequent visits with her teammates to a cultural bazaar in the World Games Village, which exudes the charm of ancient traditions.
\nThere, they can immerse themselves in diverse cultural activities, such as learning Chinese calligraphy and painting, wearing traditional Chinese attire, practicing tai chi or Baduanjin exercises, a traditional Chinese form of aerobics, and experiencing traditional Chinese medical massage.
\nThe interactive workshops also allow them to learn Chinese intangible cultural heritage crafts, including bamboo weaving, embroidery, shadow puppetry and paper-cutting.
\n"There are so many different activities every day, and we enjoyed them," Jaques said, adding that her favorite was a traditional woodblock printing workshop, where she learned to press intricate designs onto paper.
\n"I didn't even know the exact name of the craft, but it was so nice," she said.
\nSu Bo, deputy director of the games executive committee's World Games Village department, said that an average of over 900 people have participated in the interactive cultural activities every day.
\n"All the handmade creations at the interactive workshops can be taken home as special gifts that carry the wonderful memories of the games," he said.
\nThe organizers also set up a "Chinese Bridge" language zone in the games village, which attracts over 600 daily visitors seeking to learn to speak Chinese, write Chinese characters, sing Chinese songs, cook Chinese dishes, and get a Chinese name, Su said.
\nMeanwhile, the night cultural performances, which started on Aug 8, have seen the total participation of over 3,000 people as of Thursday, he added.
\nOutside the games village, athletes and delegation officials have been discovering more cultural offerings in the city's urban area.
\nMarie Stephan, a squash athlete from France, went on a city tour during competition breaks and was amazed by the stunning night views of Chengdu.
\n"We went through an ancient corridor bridge and walked a bit downtown. It was really a nice experience," she said, adding that she also loves the local cuisine.
\nStephan said she is super happy that the games are being held in China this year. "We didn't have much time to do all the tourist activities, but I definitely think I'll come back to China for a tour of the whole country," she said.
\nWang Feng, head of the games executive committee's urban services department, said they offer seven urban cultural experience routes covering a total of 17 spots, with over 2,200 athletes and guests having registered to participate.
\nThe most popular route has turned out to be the one to the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, where more than 200 giant pandas live and visitors get to see them up close, Wang said.
\nAnother popular option is the nighttime tour route, which includes a bus ride to enjoy urban night views and taste hot pot, a cruise on the Jinjiang River for light shows, and finally a Sichuan opera face-changing performance at Wangjianglou Park, he added.
\nGao Yiqiang, deputy director of the games executive committee's publicity department (opening and closing ceremonies department), said that the World Games Plaza in Chengdu Eastern New Area has also been providing diverse cultural offerings since Aug 8.
\nFrom artistic performances and sports demonstrations to technology exhibitions and hands-on experience of intangible cultural heritage crafts, the cultural activities have attracted a total of over 13,000 participants, Gao said.
\n"By hosting all these cultural activities, we aim to facilitate cross-cultural exchanges and foster friendship among participants worldwide," he added.
\npengchao@chinadaily.com.cn
\n", - "content": "A foreigner participating in the 12th World Games experiences tea art in Chengdu, Sichuan province.
\nAs the 12th World Games in Chengdu, Sichuan province, approach their closing ceremony on Sunday, athletes will take home more than just medals and glory — they will also carry indelible memories of China's profound culture.
\nCecilia Jaques, an athlete from the Brazilian women's fistball team, has paid frequent visits with her teammates to a cultural bazaar in the World Games Village, which exudes the charm of ancient traditions.
\nThere, they can immerse themselves in diverse cultural activities, such as learning Chinese calligraphy and painting, wearing traditional Chinese attire, practicing tai chi or Baduanjin exercises, a traditional Chinese form of aerobics, and experiencing traditional Chinese medical massage.
\nThe interactive workshops also allow them to learn Chinese intangible cultural heritage crafts, including bamboo weaving, embroidery, shadow puppetry and paper-cutting.
\n"There are so many different activities every day, and we enjoyed them," Jaques said, adding that her favorite was a traditional woodblock printing workshop, where she learned to press intricate designs onto paper.
\n"I didn't even know the exact name of the craft, but it was so nice," she said.
\nSu Bo, deputy director of the games executive committee's World Games Village department, said that an average of over 900 people have participated in the interactive cultural activities every day.
\n"All the handmade creations at the interactive workshops can be taken home as special gifts that carry the wonderful memories of the games," he said.
\nThe organizers also set up a "Chinese Bridge" language zone in the games village, which attracts over 600 daily visitors seeking to learn to speak Chinese, write Chinese characters, sing Chinese songs, cook Chinese dishes, and get a Chinese name, Su said.
\nMeanwhile, the night cultural performances, which started on Aug 8, have seen the total participation of over 3,000 people as of Thursday, he added.
\nOutside the games village, athletes and delegation officials have been discovering more cultural offerings in the city's urban area.
\nMarie Stephan, a squash athlete from France, went on a city tour during competition breaks and was amazed by the stunning night views of Chengdu.
\n"We went through an ancient corridor bridge and walked a bit downtown. It was really a nice experience," she said, adding that she also loves the local cuisine.
\nStephan said she is super happy that the games are being held in China this year. "We didn't have much time to do all the tourist activities, but I definitely think I'll come back to China for a tour of the whole country," she said.
\nWang Feng, head of the games executive committee's urban services department, said they offer seven urban cultural experience routes covering a total of 17 spots, with over 2,200 athletes and guests having registered to participate.
\nThe most popular route has turned out to be the one to the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, where more than 200 giant pandas live and visitors get to see them up close, Wang said.
\nAnother popular option is the nighttime tour route, which includes a bus ride to enjoy urban night views and taste hot pot, a cruise on the Jinjiang River for light shows, and finally a Sichuan opera face-changing performance at Wangjianglou Park, he added.
\nGao Yiqiang, deputy director of the games executive committee's publicity department (opening and closing ceremonies department), said that the World Games Plaza in Chengdu Eastern New Area has also been providing diverse cultural offerings since Aug 8.
\nFrom artistic performances and sports demonstrations to technology exhibitions and hands-on experience of intangible cultural heritage crafts, the cultural activities have attracted a total of over 13,000 participants, Gao said.
\n"By hosting all these cultural activities, we aim to facilitate cross-cultural exchanges and foster friendship among participants worldwide," he added.
\npengchao@chinadaily.com.cn
\n", - "category": "", - "link": "https://mobile.chinadaily.com.cn/cn/html5/2025-08/16/content_001_689faf28ed50ccabe1517a55.htm#001FRONT", - "creator": "", - "pubDate": "Sat, 16 Aug 2025 00:21:04 +0000", - "enclosure": "", - "enclosureType": "", - "image": "", - "id": "", - "language": "", - "folder": "双语", - "feed": "ChinaDaily", - "read": false, - "favorite": false, - "created": false, - "tags": [], - "hash": "a46f1b8860f3fa185630a0fbc521a955", - "highlights": [] - }, { "title": "002CHINA - New evidence of Japanese germ warfare made public", "description": "New evidence detailing the atrocities committed by Unit 731, the notorious germ warfare detachment of the Imperial Japanese Army, was made public on Friday in Harbin, Heilongjiang province, exposing Japanese germ warfare crimes in detail.
\nThe latest release comprises 3,010 pages of archival documents, 194 minutes of video footage, 312 photographs, 12 postcards, and eight letters, most of which have been shown to the public for the first time.
\nThe materials involve multiple military and medical institutions, including the Imperial Japanese Army Medical School, Unit 731 in Harbin, Unit 1644 in Nanjing of Jiangsu province, and Unit 8604 in Guangzhou of Guangdong province.
\nThey cover a broad range of topics, from personnel rosters and daily life records to pathological dissection manuals, photographic archives, and combat handbooks used during Japan's biological warfare campaigns.
\nAccording to Jin Chengmin, curator of the Exhibition Hall of Evidences of Crime Committed by Unit 731 of the Japanese Imperial Army, the latest evidence is drawn from three main sources, including official Japanese archives, oral testimonies from former Unit 731 members, and evidence collected from Japanese private sources, Xinhua News Agency reported.
\nThe combined textual, photographic, oral and physical evidence offers direct proof of the existence of Unit 731 and its organizational structure, scale, and personnel.
\nIt reveals extensive collaboration between certain government, military, medical and academic sectors of Japan in waging biological warfare.
\nThe new evidence and historical materials reveal further details of Japan's germ warfare system, and prove again that the existence of Unit 731 was a top-down, premeditated and organized state crime, Jin said.
\nFor decades, the Exhibition Hall of Evidences of Crime Committed by Unit 731 of the Japanese Imperial Army has conducted investigations across China and abroad to collect evidence of Japan's wartime biological warfare.
\nIts work has extended to Japan, the United States, Russia and Germany, preserving over 423 hours of oral testimony from former Unit 731 members and amassing more than 300,000 pages of documents.
\nEstablished in Harbin in 1933, Unit 731 served as the nerve center of Japan's germ warfare during World War II.
\nOperating under the guise of "epidemic prevention", it carried out inhumane human experiments, inflicting extreme suffering on victims from multiple countries.
\nTo further expose these crimes, the exhibition hall announced on Friday that it will open a special exhibition showcasing 3,482 pages of documents and 662 artifacts collected over the past decade from China, Japan, the US and Russia.
\nFriday also saw the launch of an illustrated catalogue of the cultural relics from the Exhibition Hall of Evidences of Crime Committed by Unit 731. Published in Chinese, Korean, English, Russian and Japanese, the comprehensive volume compiles decades of archaeological discoveries, field investigations, cross-border evidence collection and artifact donations.
\nFriday marked the 80th anniversary of Japan's unconditional surrender in World War II in 1945, and the 40th anniversary of the exhibition hall's establishment in 1985.
\nContact the writers at guoyanqi@chinadaily.com.cn
\n![](\"https://mobile.chinadaily.com.cn/cn/resfile/2025-08-16/002/20250816_002_03_16.png\")
Rescued nationally protected wild birds are released during an activity in Jinhua, Zhejiang province, on Wednesday. Over 30 birds from 5 different species were released at the event.
\nPolice in China have investigated more than 7,000 criminal cases of harm to birds and other wild animals so far this year, capturing more than 11,000 suspects, the Ministry of Public Security said.
\nThrough continuous campaigns in recent years, police across the country have responded harshly to criminal activities harming wild animals, the ministry said in a statement on Friday, which marked National Ecology Day, and disclosed five typical cases harming wild birds.
\nIn one of the cases, in October 2023, police in Gaizhou, Liaoning province, captured 10 people suspected of hunting wild birds.
\nThe police confiscated from the suspects 31 wild birds under second-class State protection and more than 25,000 wild birds that are of important ecological, scientific and social value.
\nFrom September to October in 2023, these people used nets and other tools to hunt wild birds in no-hunting zones or during hunting moratoriums, and purchased, transported and sold wild birds illegally, the ministry said.
\nIn another case, police in Jianli, Hubei province, captured 50 people suspected of illegal hunting, purchasing and selling of wild birds in October 2024.
\nThe police seized over 2,600 yellow-breasted buntings, which are classified as State first-class protected animals, along with a total of 28,800 protected animals like the yellow-throated bunting and black-faced bunting. Additionally, they confiscated over 40 sets of trapping equipment and more than 150 nets.
\nInvestigations by local public security authorities showed that from June to October in 2024, a suspect surnamed Zeng and another surnamed Zhang had others hunt protected wild birds in Jianli, and shipped the birds outside Hubei province to sell them, the ministry said.
\nA third case was cracked in December 2023 by police in Guangzhou, Guangdong province, where six people suspected of hunting eagles and Chinese hwameis were captured.
\nDespite being fully aware that eagles and Chinese hwameis are wildlife under special State protection, the suspects traveled to different places in the country to purchase, transport and sell them for personal breeding and profit without obtaining permits from relevant authorities, the ministry said.
\nThey were also said to have trained and manipulated eagles to hunt other wild birds, livestreamed Chinese hwamei fighting and organized online gambling.
\nChina has a list of species of wild animals, including birds, which it places under special State protection. Animals on the list are subject to first or second-class State protection.
\nIt also has an extensive list of terrestrial wild animals with important ecological, scientific and social value. Listed animals are also placed under strict protection.
\nIn order to protect biodiversity, the Ministry of Public Security has recently initiated a nationwide campaign aimed at combating criminal activities that harm State-protected wildlife, including birds. This campaign calls for a rigorous crackdown on such illegal activities to ensure the preservation of these species.
\nwangqingyun@chinadaily.com.cn
\n", - "content": "Rescued nationally protected wild birds are released during an activity in Jinhua, Zhejiang province, on Wednesday. Over 30 birds from 5 different species were released at the event.
\nPolice in China have investigated more than 7,000 criminal cases of harm to birds and other wild animals so far this year, capturing more than 11,000 suspects, the Ministry of Public Security said.
\nThrough continuous campaigns in recent years, police across the country have responded harshly to criminal activities harming wild animals, the ministry said in a statement on Friday, which marked National Ecology Day, and disclosed five typical cases harming wild birds.
\nIn one of the cases, in October 2023, police in Gaizhou, Liaoning province, captured 10 people suspected of hunting wild birds.
\nThe police confiscated from the suspects 31 wild birds under second-class State protection and more than 25,000 wild birds that are of important ecological, scientific and social value.
\nFrom September to October in 2023, these people used nets and other tools to hunt wild birds in no-hunting zones or during hunting moratoriums, and purchased, transported and sold wild birds illegally, the ministry said.
\nIn another case, police in Jianli, Hubei province, captured 50 people suspected of illegal hunting, purchasing and selling of wild birds in October 2024.
\nThe police seized over 2,600 yellow-breasted buntings, which are classified as State first-class protected animals, along with a total of 28,800 protected animals like the yellow-throated bunting and black-faced bunting. Additionally, they confiscated over 40 sets of trapping equipment and more than 150 nets.
\nInvestigations by local public security authorities showed that from June to October in 2024, a suspect surnamed Zeng and another surnamed Zhang had others hunt protected wild birds in Jianli, and shipped the birds outside Hubei province to sell them, the ministry said.
\nA third case was cracked in December 2023 by police in Guangzhou, Guangdong province, where six people suspected of hunting eagles and Chinese hwameis were captured.
\nDespite being fully aware that eagles and Chinese hwameis are wildlife under special State protection, the suspects traveled to different places in the country to purchase, transport and sell them for personal breeding and profit without obtaining permits from relevant authorities, the ministry said.
\nThey were also said to have trained and manipulated eagles to hunt other wild birds, livestreamed Chinese hwamei fighting and organized online gambling.
\nChina has a list of species of wild animals, including birds, which it places under special State protection. Animals on the list are subject to first or second-class State protection.
\nIt also has an extensive list of terrestrial wild animals with important ecological, scientific and social value. Listed animals are also placed under strict protection.
\nIn order to protect biodiversity, the Ministry of Public Security has recently initiated a nationwide campaign aimed at combating criminal activities that harm State-protected wildlife, including birds. This campaign calls for a rigorous crackdown on such illegal activities to ensure the preservation of these species.
\nwangqingyun@chinadaily.com.cn
\n", - "category": "", - "link": "https://mobile.chinadaily.com.cn/cn/html5/2025-08/16/content_002_689faf3aed50ccabe1517a59.htm#002CHINA", - "creator": "", - "pubDate": "Sat, 16 Aug 2025 00:21:04 +0000", - "enclosure": "", - "enclosureType": "", - "image": "", - "id": "", - "language": "", - "folder": "双语", - "feed": "ChinaDaily", - "read": false, - "favorite": false, - "created": false, - "tags": [], - "hash": "80cf10b7a38028c1e1794a4daea902b0", - "highlights": [] - }, { "title": "002CHINA - Assistance turns county into top plum producer", "description": "Payzawat county in Kashgar prefecture, Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, has become China's largest plum producer, thanks in part to assistance from South China's Guangdong province.
\n"The county boasts 38,000 hectares of plum orchards, accounting for about half of China's total," said Wu Congying, head of Guangdong's assistance work team, who now works as the deputy secretary of the county Party committee.
\nThe county's annual plum production makes up 70 percent of the country's total, according to the county's data.
\nPlum cultivation in Payzawat has a long history, but was previously unstructured and less profitable. Preserving fresh plums was also once a major challenge for local farmers.
\nIn recent years, assistance programs from Guangdong have helped transform the industry by integrating research, education and production, leading to the establishment of a modern plum industrial park.
\nTo support the growth of the local plum industry, eight research teams have been set up in the park, focusing on the key challenges such as product development and pest control.
\nMeanwhile, a countywide cold chain logistics system has been established to improve storage and distribution.
\n"The abundant sunlight, along with trace elements like calcium, potassium and selenium in land and water, creates an ideal environment for plum cultivation," said Dang Yu, the Party secretary of the development service center of Payzawat's modern agricultural industrial park, where the plum park is based.
\n"The plums are rich in anthocyanins and vitamins, offering antioxidant and digestive benefits, making them highly popular among consumers," said Dang.
\nThe quality plums have attracted 25 enterprises to produce 22 types of products, including juice, dried fruit, wine and jam.
\nCurrently, 70 percent of Payzawat's plums are sold fresh, while the remaining are processed into juices, jams and other goods.
\nToday, the plum industry in the county has evolved from simple plantation into a full-fledged industrial chain covering planting, harvesting, sorting, packaging, processing, cold storage and sales. It has created jobs for more than 150,000 people.
\n"The plum harvest season lasts nearly two months, during which over 300 farmers work daily at our company, earning more than 200 yuan ($28) per day," said Guo Haijun, head of Kashgar Pagoda Anda Smart Agriculture Company.
\nLast year, the company purchased 3,000 metric tons of plums from local growers.
\n"My family planted one hectare of plum trees, and this is the first fruit-bearing year," said Elminur Ablat, a local resident. "The fresh fruit sales have already brought in an income of around 18,000 yuan this year."
\nWith the trees reaching full productivity by the third year, Ablat expects her annual income from the orchard to exceed 80,000 yuan, based on local growers' experience.
\nThe county aims to further expand its plum industry into a national-level modern agricultural cluster, according to the local government.
\nzhaoruixue@chinadaily.com.cn
\n", @@ -7045,28 +7001,6 @@ "hash": "0b057f1a8cf22f5acbcca0338371e486", "highlights": [] }, - { - "title": "004COMMENT - When parental anxiety is sparked by summer break", - "description": "The high temperatures this summer were unbearable — and so was the pressure on many parents. While students enjoy almost complete freedom during summer vacation, their parents and/or guardians are often worried to the core: Who's watching the kids? Are they becoming lazy? Will they fall behind academically? Are they glued to their smartphone/tablet screens?
\nIn their anxiety, some parents eagerly await the reopening of schools or cram courses.
\nBut after China implemented the "double reduction" policy in 2021, in order to ease students' burden by banning excessive homework and off-campus tutoring, the chances of cram courses' revival have largely disappeared. Schools are barred from holding formal classes or special tutorials during holidays, tutoring centers have been shut down, and paid private tutoring by schoolteachers is strictly forbidden. While the policy has been enforced, anxiety continues to plague parents.
\nThe policy was designed with good intentions: to reduce the pressure of academic overload on students, and make families happier.
\nSome researchers, however, said the policy's impact has been far from uniform: while some families welcomed the move, allowing their children to relax or play some sports, some have doubled down on their children, fearing they would lose precious ground. After all, no parents want to see their children falling behind at the starting line.
\nIn such a situation, what should parents do? Giving children total freedom is not the answer nor is constantly pressuring children to keep on making achievements. To deal with the situation, we need balance, wisdom, and a long-term vision.
\nTo begin with, parents must understand the deeper reasons behind the "double reduction" policy, because it is not only about reducing homework, but also about reforming the education system, promoting holistic development, and improving the quality of teaching and after-school support. If parents understand the policy's goals, they can reduce their anxiety.
\nThey also need to recognize the changing nature of the world their children are growing up in. Today's era is marked by rapid technological advancement — artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and tools like GPT are reshaping industries. In such a world, rote learning and doing repetitive drills are not only ineffective but also harmful. They stifle curiosity and could lead to learning fatigue and emotional distress. Parents must shift their focus from their children getting high grades to helping sharpen their problem-solving skills, and increase their scientific knowledge. And the summer break is the perfect time for children to explore society and broaden horizons.
\nAt the same time, physical and emotional wellbeing should not be neglected. Studies have shown a worrying rise in issues such as myopia, obesity, poor posture, and anxiety among children. Reducing academic pressure must be accompanied by efforts to increase children's exposure to music, sports, art, and hands-on activities. Well-rounded development — moral, intellectual, physical, aesthetic and practical — is not a luxury, but a necessity for healthy growth.
\nYet parenting is not easy. Without proper guidance, some parents may feel frustrated and some may retreat entirely, while others could try to offload their responsibilities on others. Since parenting is a special skill, would-be and new parents should seek elders' advice and guidance on how to bring up children. Parents who reflect on their behavior and seek guidance tend to feel more confident. And confidence is an antidote to anxiety.
\nAnother crucial factor in parenting is the role of fathers. In many households, parenting duties are disproportionately shared by mothers. This "widowed parenting" practice leaves children without a strong male role model and mothers feeling overwhelmed. A father's steady presence, quiet authority and long-term influence help shape children's character, and build resilience in them. When both parents share the parenting duties, the family functions better and children benefit from a more balanced, secure upbringing.
\nSo parents must look inward. Parents' high expectations from their children often stem from the unfulfilled dreams of their own. As a saying goes, some birds don't fly, but instead lay eggs in the nest and hope their offspring will excel in all departments. Children sense this pressure. What children need most is not perfection, but a role model. Parents who pursue their own dreams with purpose and integrity inspire in their children admiration and respect. This strengthens the parent-child bond and makes a family more united.
\nThe views don't necessarily represent those of China Daily.
\n", - "content": "The high temperatures this summer were unbearable — and so was the pressure on many parents. While students enjoy almost complete freedom during summer vacation, their parents and/or guardians are often worried to the core: Who's watching the kids? Are they becoming lazy? Will they fall behind academically? Are they glued to their smartphone/tablet screens?
\nIn their anxiety, some parents eagerly await the reopening of schools or cram courses.
\nBut after China implemented the "double reduction" policy in 2021, in order to ease students' burden by banning excessive homework and off-campus tutoring, the chances of cram courses' revival have largely disappeared. Schools are barred from holding formal classes or special tutorials during holidays, tutoring centers have been shut down, and paid private tutoring by schoolteachers is strictly forbidden. While the policy has been enforced, anxiety continues to plague parents.
\nThe policy was designed with good intentions: to reduce the pressure of academic overload on students, and make families happier.
\nSome researchers, however, said the policy's impact has been far from uniform: while some families welcomed the move, allowing their children to relax or play some sports, some have doubled down on their children, fearing they would lose precious ground. After all, no parents want to see their children falling behind at the starting line.
\nIn such a situation, what should parents do? Giving children total freedom is not the answer nor is constantly pressuring children to keep on making achievements. To deal with the situation, we need balance, wisdom, and a long-term vision.
\nTo begin with, parents must understand the deeper reasons behind the "double reduction" policy, because it is not only about reducing homework, but also about reforming the education system, promoting holistic development, and improving the quality of teaching and after-school support. If parents understand the policy's goals, they can reduce their anxiety.
\nThey also need to recognize the changing nature of the world their children are growing up in. Today's era is marked by rapid technological advancement — artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and tools like GPT are reshaping industries. In such a world, rote learning and doing repetitive drills are not only ineffective but also harmful. They stifle curiosity and could lead to learning fatigue and emotional distress. Parents must shift their focus from their children getting high grades to helping sharpen their problem-solving skills, and increase their scientific knowledge. And the summer break is the perfect time for children to explore society and broaden horizons.
\nAt the same time, physical and emotional wellbeing should not be neglected. Studies have shown a worrying rise in issues such as myopia, obesity, poor posture, and anxiety among children. Reducing academic pressure must be accompanied by efforts to increase children's exposure to music, sports, art, and hands-on activities. Well-rounded development — moral, intellectual, physical, aesthetic and practical — is not a luxury, but a necessity for healthy growth.
\nYet parenting is not easy. Without proper guidance, some parents may feel frustrated and some may retreat entirely, while others could try to offload their responsibilities on others. Since parenting is a special skill, would-be and new parents should seek elders' advice and guidance on how to bring up children. Parents who reflect on their behavior and seek guidance tend to feel more confident. And confidence is an antidote to anxiety.
\nAnother crucial factor in parenting is the role of fathers. In many households, parenting duties are disproportionately shared by mothers. This "widowed parenting" practice leaves children without a strong male role model and mothers feeling overwhelmed. A father's steady presence, quiet authority and long-term influence help shape children's character, and build resilience in them. When both parents share the parenting duties, the family functions better and children benefit from a more balanced, secure upbringing.
\nSo parents must look inward. Parents' high expectations from their children often stem from the unfulfilled dreams of their own. As a saying goes, some birds don't fly, but instead lay eggs in the nest and hope their offspring will excel in all departments. Children sense this pressure. What children need most is not perfection, but a role model. Parents who pursue their own dreams with purpose and integrity inspire in their children admiration and respect. This strengthens the parent-child bond and makes a family more united.
\nThe views don't necessarily represent those of China Daily.
\n", - "category": "", - "link": "https://mobile.chinadaily.com.cn/cn/html5/2025-08/16/content_004_689faf5ced50ccabe1517a63.htm#004COMMENT", - "creator": "", - "pubDate": "Sat, 16 Aug 2025 00:21:04 +0000", - "enclosure": "", - "enclosureType": "", - "image": "", - "id": "", - "language": "", - "folder": "双语", - "feed": "ChinaDaily", - "read": false, - "favorite": false, - "created": false, - "tags": [], - "hash": "fca6e6751d565f1420a328c63c76ee74", - "highlights": [] - }, { "title": "005BUSINESS - Trade in services to help drive further growth", "description": "The sustained expansion of China's trade in services will remain a key driver of the country's broader economic growth and has emerged as a new magnet for foreign investment, said market observers and business executives.
\nSuch resilience is underpinned by expanding domestic demand and deeper integration with global markets, they said.
\nIn contrast to goods trade, trade in services refers to the sale and delivery of intangible services such as transportation, tourism, entertainment and professional services, according to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.
\nChina's trade in services maintained steady growth in the first half, with total imports and exports reaching 3.89 trillion yuan ($542.45 billion), up 8 percent year-on-year, Ministry of Commerce data showed in early August.
\nThe continued growth of China's trade in services reflects structural shifts toward higher-value sectors, underpinned by the country's policy support, consumption and industrial upgrading, said Wang Bo, deputy director of the ministry's department of trade in services and commercial services.
\nZhao Jinping, vice-president of the China Association of Trade in Services, said that amid uncertainty created by protectionism and unilateralism, strengthening service trade can be essential for China to cushion against possible headwinds and support its economic growth.
\nPoh-Yian Koh, president of FedEx China, said that China's ongoing efforts to widen opening-up will make trade in services a key driver of fresh competitive advantages in the years ahead.
\nShe added that the company completed the upgrade of its international export services in Shenzhen, Guangdong province, last month.
\nWei Xiang, a researcher specializing in trade in services at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences in Beijing, said that with China's opening-up measures creating new opportunities in modern services, multinational corporations are increasing investment in areas such as entertainment, tourism and bonded maintenance.
\nBonded maintenance refers to activity in which enterprises, operating outside special Customs zones, import goods or transportation tools from overseas that have damaged components, functional failures or quality defects. These items are inspected and repaired and then reexported.
\nBuilding on this momentum, policymakers at both the national and local levels have rolled out targeted measures to accelerate the growth of bonded maintenance, aiming to shorten turnaround times, lower operational costs and strengthen the sector's role as a competitive driver within China's expanding trade in services.
\nMa Tianshi, general manager of Siemens Shenzhen Magnetic Resonance, said, "The new policies enabled us to build a bonded maintenance center in Shenzhen last year, helping us better serve customers worldwide."
\nPreviously, magnetic resonance imaging components and much high-end medical equipment could not be repaired in China, requiring shipment to Germany, with cycles exceeding a month, Ma said.
\nNew bonded maintenance policies now cut turnaround times to five to seven days, enabling companies to meet customer needs far more efficiently, he added.
\nThe German company's bonded maintenance center completed repairs on nearly 2,000 MRI coils and filed bonded maintenance import and export declarations for nearly 6,000 MRI component items in the first half of the year, with a total trade value of about $9.3 million.
\nIn a further vote of confidence in the Chinese market, Sony Interactive Entertainment (Shanghai) showcased eight Chinese-developed games — including yet-to-be-released titles — at the 22nd China Digital Entertainment Expo and Conference, or ChinaJoy, held earlier this month in Shanghai.
\nTatsuo Eguchi, chairman and president of SIE Shanghai, said that driven by the rapid growth of China's gaming industry and the distinctive appeal of its content, Sony is committed to expanding research and development and talent recruitment in China to drive long-term growth.
\nzhongnan@chinadaily.com.cn
\n![](\"https://mobile.chinadaily.com.cn/cn/resfile/2025-08-16/005/20250816_005_03_17.png\")
Shoppers browse air conditioners at a shop in Chongqing.
\nGUANGZHOU — As scorching heat waves grip the globe this summer, air conditioners are fast becoming essential household appliances, fueling a boom in sales both domestically and abroad.
\nA local resident of Panjin in Northeast China's Liaoning province, surnamed Dong, described the summer as a relentless "sweat bath", despite it already being August. "This summer is just too hot. Even electric fans can't provide enough relief," Dong said, noting that he held out all summer but finally gave in and ordered air conditioners a few days ago.
\nThis sentiment is shared across coastal cities in Northeast China and Shandong province in East China, where temperatures have climbed above 35 C, turning air conditioners from an optional comfort for northerners into an almost essential refuge from the heat.
\nData from Chinese e-commerce giant JD reveal a telling trend. Starting from June, overall transactions for air conditioners on the platform increased by over 60 percent year-on-year, with the number of customers placing orders surging by nearly 90 percent. In the first half of July, purchases of air conditioners in Northeast China's Jilin, Liaoning and Heilongjiang — provinces renowned for ice and snow tourism — soared by 25 times, 10 times and eight times, respectively.
\nNotably, the number of first-time buyers in these northeastern provinces has jumped by over 800 percent year-on-year. Similar spikes are evident across North, Central, Northwest and Southwest China.
\nAt the Ouya Shopping Center in Changchun, capital of Northeast China's Jilin province, customers flocked to the home appliance section to learn about the various air conditioner models and inquire about prices.
\nTo meet the high demand, Hisense's production bases in Shandong, Zhejiang and Guangdong are operating at full capacity. Some popular air conditioner models have even sold out in physical stores in North and Northeast China.
\nAs regions that once relied on fans switch to air conditioners, the industry is responding with innovative solutions and strategic supply chains to keep up with the escalating demand.
\nTo ensure timely installations, companies have launched a "South-to-North workforce transfer," dispatching after-sales service teams to the northern regions for emergency support.
\nThe "cooling economy" is also powering air conditioner exports at a pace that has exceeded expectations. In July, temperatures soared above 40 C across much of Europe, upending the long-held belief that summers could be endured without air conditioning.
\nData from the General Administration of Customs show that in the first seven months of this year, China's air conditioner exports amounted to 46.81 billion yuan ($6.52 billion), up 4.9 percent year-on-year, with exports to Europe surging 28.9 percent to 12.92 billion yuan.
\nThis year, Hisense air conditioners have seen strong demand in many key overseas markets, such as Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Latin America. "With our continuous optimization in local marketing, product adaptation and channel layout, Hisense's air conditioner export growth rate reached 17 percent in the first half of 2025," said Yang Xiangxi, brand director of the air conditioning division at Hisense.
\nIn the first half of this year, Midea's air conditioner sales in Europe increased by 35 percent year-on-year. Zhu Zhou, director of the company's European air conditioner division, explained that Midea's Solstice model, featuring AI-powered Ecomaster technology, cuts unnecessary energy use by over 30 percent, and has seen strong sales in Greece, Cyprus, Spain and Italy.
\nTo tackle high installation costs in Europe, Midea developed the innovative PortaSplit air conditioner, designed for easy self-installation. This summer, Google searches for "Midea/PortaSplit" in Germany surged 20-fold year-on-year, with cumulative sales exceeding 80,000 units.
\nChina accounts for nearly 80 percent of the world's air conditioning production capacity, supplying energy-saving, efficient and low-carbon products globally. With climate extremes worsening and demand rising in developing countries, China's air conditioning export potential looks strong for the future, said Zhou Nan, secretary-general of the home appliances branch at the China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Machinery and Electronic Products.
\n", - "content": "Shoppers browse air conditioners at a shop in Chongqing.
\nGUANGZHOU — As scorching heat waves grip the globe this summer, air conditioners are fast becoming essential household appliances, fueling a boom in sales both domestically and abroad.
\nA local resident of Panjin in Northeast China's Liaoning province, surnamed Dong, described the summer as a relentless "sweat bath", despite it already being August. "This summer is just too hot. Even electric fans can't provide enough relief," Dong said, noting that he held out all summer but finally gave in and ordered air conditioners a few days ago.
\nThis sentiment is shared across coastal cities in Northeast China and Shandong province in East China, where temperatures have climbed above 35 C, turning air conditioners from an optional comfort for northerners into an almost essential refuge from the heat.
\nData from Chinese e-commerce giant JD reveal a telling trend. Starting from June, overall transactions for air conditioners on the platform increased by over 60 percent year-on-year, with the number of customers placing orders surging by nearly 90 percent. In the first half of July, purchases of air conditioners in Northeast China's Jilin, Liaoning and Heilongjiang — provinces renowned for ice and snow tourism — soared by 25 times, 10 times and eight times, respectively.
\nNotably, the number of first-time buyers in these northeastern provinces has jumped by over 800 percent year-on-year. Similar spikes are evident across North, Central, Northwest and Southwest China.
\nAt the Ouya Shopping Center in Changchun, capital of Northeast China's Jilin province, customers flocked to the home appliance section to learn about the various air conditioner models and inquire about prices.
\nTo meet the high demand, Hisense's production bases in Shandong, Zhejiang and Guangdong are operating at full capacity. Some popular air conditioner models have even sold out in physical stores in North and Northeast China.
\nAs regions that once relied on fans switch to air conditioners, the industry is responding with innovative solutions and strategic supply chains to keep up with the escalating demand.
\nTo ensure timely installations, companies have launched a "South-to-North workforce transfer," dispatching after-sales service teams to the northern regions for emergency support.
\nThe "cooling economy" is also powering air conditioner exports at a pace that has exceeded expectations. In July, temperatures soared above 40 C across much of Europe, upending the long-held belief that summers could be endured without air conditioning.
\nData from the General Administration of Customs show that in the first seven months of this year, China's air conditioner exports amounted to 46.81 billion yuan ($6.52 billion), up 4.9 percent year-on-year, with exports to Europe surging 28.9 percent to 12.92 billion yuan.
\nThis year, Hisense air conditioners have seen strong demand in many key overseas markets, such as Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Latin America. "With our continuous optimization in local marketing, product adaptation and channel layout, Hisense's air conditioner export growth rate reached 17 percent in the first half of 2025," said Yang Xiangxi, brand director of the air conditioning division at Hisense.
\nIn the first half of this year, Midea's air conditioner sales in Europe increased by 35 percent year-on-year. Zhu Zhou, director of the company's European air conditioner division, explained that Midea's Solstice model, featuring AI-powered Ecomaster technology, cuts unnecessary energy use by over 30 percent, and has seen strong sales in Greece, Cyprus, Spain and Italy.
\nTo tackle high installation costs in Europe, Midea developed the innovative PortaSplit air conditioner, designed for easy self-installation. This summer, Google searches for "Midea/PortaSplit" in Germany surged 20-fold year-on-year, with cumulative sales exceeding 80,000 units.
\nChina accounts for nearly 80 percent of the world's air conditioning production capacity, supplying energy-saving, efficient and low-carbon products globally. With climate extremes worsening and demand rising in developing countries, China's air conditioning export potential looks strong for the future, said Zhou Nan, secretary-general of the home appliances branch at the China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Machinery and Electronic Products.
\n", - "category": "", - "link": "https://mobile.chinadaily.com.cn/cn/html5/2025-08/16/content_005_689faf6eed50ccabe1517a67.htm#005BUSINESS", - "creator": "", - "pubDate": "Sat, 16 Aug 2025 00:21:04 +0000", - "enclosure": "", - "enclosureType": "", - "image": "", - "id": "", - "language": "", - "folder": "双语", - "feed": "ChinaDaily", - "read": false, - "favorite": false, - "created": false, - "tags": [], - "hash": "6486e7c0d9a6507358fc7c60f4cc0d38", - "highlights": [] - }, { "title": "005BUSINESS - EBL system marks leap in quantum technology", "description": "China's first commercial electron beam lithography system (EBL), "Xi Zhi", developed by Zhejiang University, has entered application testing, matching international precision standards and marking significant progress in domestic quantum chip research and development.
\nAt the university's Yuhang institute for quantum innovation, the research team is rigorously testing the large, cabinet-like machine.
\n"This isn't an ordinary machine, but a 'nano-brush' capable of carving the map of an entire city on a single strand of hair!" the team leader said. Developed at a key provincial lab, the 100kV "Xi Zhi" system is now commercially available.
\nThe system is named after Wang Xizhi, a famous Chinese calligrapher. "The difference is that it uses an electron beam instead of a brush, carving circuits on chips," a senior researcher said. Targeting quantum chips and advanced semiconductors, "Xi Zhi" directly "writes" circuits onto silicon wafers with 0.6 nanometer precision and 8 nanometer line width. It enables flexible design modifications without traditional photomasks. "In the early research and development phase, numerous design iterations requiring line-by-line adjustments are common. EBL offers high precision and convenience in 'writing,' greatly boosting efficiency in chip development," the researcher added.
\nThe development of "Xi Zhi" breaks a critical barrier.
\nPreviously, such cutting-edge technology was restricted by international export controls, leaving top institutions like the University of Science and Technology of China and Zhejiang University's own labs unable to procure it.
\n"Xi Zhi" is now in procurement discussions with entities like Huawei HiSilicon and multiple research institutes, priced below the international average.
\nThe success of "Xi Zhi" stems from the "dual-new integration" model put forth by Zhejiang province, which merges technological and industrial innovation.
\nThe application testing of "Xi Zhi" represents a major breakthrough in the localization of core high-end semiconductor equipment. This "graver", independently controlled by China, provides a solid foundation for accelerating the development of domestic high-end chips.
\nYuhang district of Hangzhou is prioritizing integrated reforms in education, science, and talent, with AI as a key driver, to build a demonstration zone for innovation. Future efforts will focus on creating more landmark achievements through high-level platforms, talent, enterprises, projects, and tech finance.
\nchenye@chinadaily.com.cn
\n", @@ -7133,28 +7045,6 @@ "hash": "c270701c16539dc3f6707f25f572110b", "highlights": [] }, - { - "title": "006WORLD - Lancang-Mekong nations pledge unity", - "description": "Foreign ministers from China, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam pledged on Friday to strengthen solidarity, openness and cooperation across various fields in the face of a complex and severe international landscape.
\nAt the 10th Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Anning, Southwest China's Yunnan province, they also vowed to uphold multilateralism, safeguard free trade, step up the fight against cross-border crime, jointly tackle challenges, and work together to maintain peace, stability and prosperity in the region.
\nThe two-day meeting, which concluded on Friday, adopted three outcome documents outlining progress on the LMC's action plan, identifying new projects to be funded in the coming year, and setting out ways to strengthen cooperation on non-traditional security issues.
\nInitiated and launched in 2015, the LMC is an innovative type of regional cooperation mechanism among the Lancang-Mekong countries. The Lancang-Mekong region refers to the countries along the Mekong River, known as the Lancang River in China.
\nAll sides agreed at the meeting that the LMC has assisted the socioeconomic development in all six countries, promoted regional economic integration, improved the well-being of people in the river basin, and contributed to regional peace, stability and sustainable development.
\nChinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said that since the first foreign ministers' meeting held in Yunnan, the LMC has transformed from a seed into "a towering tree" over the past decade, with cooperation focusing on the five priority areas of connectivity, production capacity cooperation, cross-border economy, water resources, and agriculture and poverty reduction.
\nTrade between China and the five Mekong countries reached $437 billion in 2024, up 125 percent from a decade ago.
\nNoting that the world is facing greater instability with hegemonism, power politics, unilateralism and protectionism on the rise, Wang stressed that peace, development, cooperation and mutual benefit remain the common aspirations of the people and the prevailing trend of the times.
\nChina, he said, will continue to follow the principles of amity, sincerity, mutual benefit and inclusiveness, ensuring that Chinese modernization brings more benefits to Mekong countries.
\nLooking ahead, he proposed strengthening top-level planning, promoting innovative development, deepening law enforcement cooperation and enhancing people-to-people exchanges to build version 2.0 of the LMC and usher in a new golden decade.
\nTo hold on to the "steering wheel" of the LMC's institutional framework, Wang called for efforts to strengthen high-level strategic communication, make preparations for the leaders' meeting and promote the establishment of an international secretariat for the LMC.
\nOn the sidelines of the LMC meeting, as proposed by Thailand, the co-chair of the LMC, an informal discussion among the foreign ministers of China, Laos, Myanmar and Thailand was held on Friday.
\nWang said that China, Laos and Thailand, as friendly neighbors of Myanmar, have a better understanding of its unique national conditions and hope even more for Myanmar to return to stability and achieve national reconciliation.
\nHe stressed the importance of supporting a Myanmar-owned and Myanmar-led peace process, promoting dialogue to resolve differences, prioritizing people's livelihoods and being vigilant against external interference that could disrupt regional stability.
\nThe Myanmar side briefed the meeting on the country's domestic situation and preparations for the upcoming elections, noting that tensions have eased since the last such four-party meeting held in August last year.
\nDuring the meeting, the four ministers also exchanged views on joint efforts to combat cross-border crime.
\nWang said that since the previous meeting, the four countries have achieved notable results in tackling cross-border crime by strengthening border control and management, but continued collaboration is still needed given the region's security situation.
\nThe four sides agreed to continue strengthening law enforcement and security cooperation, intensifying efforts to combat online gambling, telecom fraud, drug and arms trafficking, human trafficking, and other cross-border crimes, in order to jointly safeguard regional peace and stability.
\nmojingxi@chinadaily.com.cn
\n", - "content": "Foreign ministers from China, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam pledged on Friday to strengthen solidarity, openness and cooperation across various fields in the face of a complex and severe international landscape.
\nAt the 10th Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Anning, Southwest China's Yunnan province, they also vowed to uphold multilateralism, safeguard free trade, step up the fight against cross-border crime, jointly tackle challenges, and work together to maintain peace, stability and prosperity in the region.
\nThe two-day meeting, which concluded on Friday, adopted three outcome documents outlining progress on the LMC's action plan, identifying new projects to be funded in the coming year, and setting out ways to strengthen cooperation on non-traditional security issues.
\nInitiated and launched in 2015, the LMC is an innovative type of regional cooperation mechanism among the Lancang-Mekong countries. The Lancang-Mekong region refers to the countries along the Mekong River, known as the Lancang River in China.
\nAll sides agreed at the meeting that the LMC has assisted the socioeconomic development in all six countries, promoted regional economic integration, improved the well-being of people in the river basin, and contributed to regional peace, stability and sustainable development.
\nChinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said that since the first foreign ministers' meeting held in Yunnan, the LMC has transformed from a seed into "a towering tree" over the past decade, with cooperation focusing on the five priority areas of connectivity, production capacity cooperation, cross-border economy, water resources, and agriculture and poverty reduction.
\nTrade between China and the five Mekong countries reached $437 billion in 2024, up 125 percent from a decade ago.
\nNoting that the world is facing greater instability with hegemonism, power politics, unilateralism and protectionism on the rise, Wang stressed that peace, development, cooperation and mutual benefit remain the common aspirations of the people and the prevailing trend of the times.
\nChina, he said, will continue to follow the principles of amity, sincerity, mutual benefit and inclusiveness, ensuring that Chinese modernization brings more benefits to Mekong countries.
\nLooking ahead, he proposed strengthening top-level planning, promoting innovative development, deepening law enforcement cooperation and enhancing people-to-people exchanges to build version 2.0 of the LMC and usher in a new golden decade.
\nTo hold on to the "steering wheel" of the LMC's institutional framework, Wang called for efforts to strengthen high-level strategic communication, make preparations for the leaders' meeting and promote the establishment of an international secretariat for the LMC.
\nOn the sidelines of the LMC meeting, as proposed by Thailand, the co-chair of the LMC, an informal discussion among the foreign ministers of China, Laos, Myanmar and Thailand was held on Friday.
\nWang said that China, Laos and Thailand, as friendly neighbors of Myanmar, have a better understanding of its unique national conditions and hope even more for Myanmar to return to stability and achieve national reconciliation.
\nHe stressed the importance of supporting a Myanmar-owned and Myanmar-led peace process, promoting dialogue to resolve differences, prioritizing people's livelihoods and being vigilant against external interference that could disrupt regional stability.
\nThe Myanmar side briefed the meeting on the country's domestic situation and preparations for the upcoming elections, noting that tensions have eased since the last such four-party meeting held in August last year.
\nDuring the meeting, the four ministers also exchanged views on joint efforts to combat cross-border crime.
\nWang said that since the previous meeting, the four countries have achieved notable results in tackling cross-border crime by strengthening border control and management, but continued collaboration is still needed given the region's security situation.
\nThe four sides agreed to continue strengthening law enforcement and security cooperation, intensifying efforts to combat online gambling, telecom fraud, drug and arms trafficking, human trafficking, and other cross-border crimes, in order to jointly safeguard regional peace and stability.
\nmojingxi@chinadaily.com.cn
\n", - "category": "", - "link": "https://mobile.chinadaily.com.cn/cn/html5/2025-08/16/content_006_689faf7fed50ccabe1517a6b.htm#006WORLD", - "creator": "", - "pubDate": "Sat, 16 Aug 2025 00:21:04 +0000", - "enclosure": "", - "enclosureType": "", - "image": "", - "id": "", - "language": "", - "folder": "双语", - "feed": "ChinaDaily", - "read": false, - "favorite": false, - "created": false, - "tags": [], - "hash": "69223ebacd6ddc6b0cb6ddcb941558fd", - "highlights": [] - }, { "title": "006WORLD - US families drowning in debt as prices go up", "description": "![](\"https://mobile.chinadaily.com.cn/cn/resfile/2025-08-16/006/20250816_006_03_49.png\")
\nPeople in the United States were drowning in $18.3 trillion of household debt in the second quarter of the year, a new report from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York shows, just as producer prices edged higher last month, which could mean that businesses will soon start raising consumer prices, warn experts.
\nThe findings in the latest quarterly report by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York's Center for Microeconomic Data, released in August, come amid multiple warnings that families will likely face extra costs due to the US administration's tariffs on imports.
\nArnold P., 55, an economist and financial adviser from Brooklyn, New York, withheld his surname to protect the anonymity of his clients. He revealed that many people he sees are desperate to find ways to lower their outgoings in preparation for higher costs, but are finding it difficult due to debt.
\n"I see a lot of people whose finances are barely above water, mostly due to debt," he told China Daily. "(They have) college loans, a mortgage, some have six-figure credit card debt.
\n"I warn them that when your debt service is 40 percent or more and you have inflation, your necessities are costing you much more and if you have very little savings, then this is a recipe for disaster. I believe this is the case for many working families and individuals who are already complaining about the cost of living."
\nHousehold debt increased by $185 billion (1 percent) in Q2 2025, to $18.39 trillion, the New York Fed found.
\n"This quarter's flow of household debt into serious delinquency was mixed across debt types, with credit card and auto loans holding steady, student loans continuing to rise, and mortgages edging up slightly," Joelle Scally, an economic policy adviser at the New York Fed, said in a statement.
\nThe rise in personal debt comes alongside the release of a separate report on Thursday by the Labor Department, which showed that US wholesale inflation surged unexpectedly last month, in a sign that Trump's tariffs were not only pushing up costs for businesses, but higher prices could soon be a reality for consumers.
\nChristopher Rupkey, chief economist at fwdbonds, a financial markets research firm, wrote in a note that "it will only be a matter of time before producers pass their higher tariff-related costs onto the backs of inflation-weary consumers".
\nThe producer price index measures inflation before it hits consumers, or the final demand goods and services prices. It rose 0.9 percent last month from June, compared with the Dow Jones estimate of a 0.2 percent gain. It was its biggest jump in three years. And compared with 2024, wholesale prices rose 3.3 percent.
\nCarl Weinberg, chief economist at High Frequency Economics, told Reuters: "This is a kick in the teeth for anyone who thought that tariffs would not impact domestic prices in the United States economy. This report is a strong validation of the Fed's wait-and-see stance on policy changes."
\nFinancial markets anticipate that the Fed may cut rates in September.
\nJoao F. Gomes, the Howard Butcher III professor of finance and senior vice-dean of research, centers, and academic initiatives at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, is an expert on the role of financial markets in the macroeconomy.
\nHe told China Daily that the US economy is slowing down, "and this might be driven by some nervousness about hiring and investing by businesses in response to the new administration's changing policies".
\nOverall, the impact of tariffs may mean an average family could pay $2,400 a year, according to the Yale Budget Lab.
\nYet 59 percent of US citizens don't have enough savings to cover an unexpected $1,000 emergency expense, a Bankrate emergency savings report conducted with SSRS and YouGov in January found.
\nAbout 46 percent of adults surveyed by Bankrate, a consumer financial services firm based in New York, had enough emergency savings to cover three months of expenses. But 24 percent had no emergency savings at all.
\nData from the New York Fed showed that credit card balances rose by $27 billion from the previous quarter to $1.21 trillion. Meanwhile, auto loan balances also increased by $13 billion to $1.66 trillion. Student loan balances went up $7 billion to $1.64 trillion.
\nIn total, non-housing balances rose by $45 billion, a 0.9 percent increase from Q1 2025. Lastly, mortgage balances rose by $131 billion in the second quarter and were $12.9 trillion by June 2025, the Fed said.
\nArnold, the financial adviser, says that households will undoubtedly be affected by higher prices on goods as the US relies on imports "of products from Canada, Mexico and China".
\nHe suggests that any household that is battling debt should focus on ensuring the basics are covered.
\n"I mean, obviously, rent is high," he added. "It absolutely constricts the budget. … That's always your first priority, paying the rent, paying the mortgage, and then everything else, including food, is secondary."
\nbelindarobinson@chinadailyusa.com
\n", @@ -7177,28 +7067,6 @@ "hash": "cfd369659042124b5ecf2fee6d3eb0ec", "highlights": [] }, - { - "title": "006WORLD - Briefly", - "description": "SWITZERLAND
\nNo deal after plastic pollution treaty talks
\nDelegates discussing the world's first legally binding treaty to tackle plastic pollution failed to reach consensus, diplomats said on Friday, voicing disappointment and even rage that the 10-day talks produced no deal. Delegates had been seeking a breakthrough in the deadlocked United Nations' talks in Geneva, but states pushing for an ambitious treaty said that the latest text released overnight failed to meet their expectations. The chair of the negotiations, Ecuador's Luis Vayas Valdivieso, adjourned the session with a pledge to resume talks at an undetermined later date, drawing weak applause from exhausted delegates who had worked into the early hours. UN officials and some countries, including Britain, said that negotiations should resume, but others described a broken process.
\nCANADA
\nFlights canceled as carrier, union clash
\nAir Canada and its unionized flight attendants remained at odds on Friday, despite government pleas for both sides to return to bargaining to avert a strike that would upend travel for tens of thousands of passengers. Canada's largest carrier said that it expected to cancel 500 flights by the end of the day, ahead of the planned strike, leaving some 100,000 passengers scrambling for alternatives. The carrier's 10,000 flight attendants are gearing up to strike on Saturday over stalled contract talks on union demands for higher wages and compensation for unpaid work. On Thursday night, Air Canada and the union clashed over an agreement to avoid stranding thousands of passengers abroad when the strike is expected to begin on Saturday.
\nINDIA
\nModi pushes self-reliance amid tariffs
\nPrime Minister Narendra Modi said on Friday that India is seeking self-reliance in energy independence and the development of its own powerful defense systems, vowing to defend his country's interests "like a wall". Modi delivered his annual Independence Day address from the ramparts of New Delhi's Red Fort, at a time when India faces intense pressure and threats of additional tariffs from the United States. The prime minister urged the country to move toward more self-reliance, manufacture everything from fertilizers to jet engines and EV batteries, and vowed to protect farmers in the face of a trade conflict with Washington. He also announced lower goods and services taxes from October.
\n", - "content": "SWITZERLAND
\nNo deal after plastic pollution treaty talks
\nDelegates discussing the world's first legally binding treaty to tackle plastic pollution failed to reach consensus, diplomats said on Friday, voicing disappointment and even rage that the 10-day talks produced no deal. Delegates had been seeking a breakthrough in the deadlocked United Nations' talks in Geneva, but states pushing for an ambitious treaty said that the latest text released overnight failed to meet their expectations. The chair of the negotiations, Ecuador's Luis Vayas Valdivieso, adjourned the session with a pledge to resume talks at an undetermined later date, drawing weak applause from exhausted delegates who had worked into the early hours. UN officials and some countries, including Britain, said that negotiations should resume, but others described a broken process.
\nCANADA
\nFlights canceled as carrier, union clash
\nAir Canada and its unionized flight attendants remained at odds on Friday, despite government pleas for both sides to return to bargaining to avert a strike that would upend travel for tens of thousands of passengers. Canada's largest carrier said that it expected to cancel 500 flights by the end of the day, ahead of the planned strike, leaving some 100,000 passengers scrambling for alternatives. The carrier's 10,000 flight attendants are gearing up to strike on Saturday over stalled contract talks on union demands for higher wages and compensation for unpaid work. On Thursday night, Air Canada and the union clashed over an agreement to avoid stranding thousands of passengers abroad when the strike is expected to begin on Saturday.
\nINDIA
\nModi pushes self-reliance amid tariffs
\nPrime Minister Narendra Modi said on Friday that India is seeking self-reliance in energy independence and the development of its own powerful defense systems, vowing to defend his country's interests "like a wall". Modi delivered his annual Independence Day address from the ramparts of New Delhi's Red Fort, at a time when India faces intense pressure and threats of additional tariffs from the United States. The prime minister urged the country to move toward more self-reliance, manufacture everything from fertilizers to jet engines and EV batteries, and vowed to protect farmers in the face of a trade conflict with Washington. He also announced lower goods and services taxes from October.
\n", - "category": "", - "link": "https://mobile.chinadaily.com.cn/cn/html5/2025-08/16/content_006_689faf90ed50ccabe1517a6f.htm#006WORLD", - "creator": "", - "pubDate": "Sat, 16 Aug 2025 00:21:04 +0000", - "enclosure": "", - "enclosureType": "", - "image": "", - "id": "", - "language": "", - "folder": "双语", - "feed": "ChinaDaily", - "read": false, - "favorite": false, - "created": false, - "tags": [], - "hash": "305a316c14f0b73c96376cf630a40edf", - "highlights": [] - }, { "title": "007WORLD - Japan urged to reflect on its aggression", "description": "Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Friday called on Japan to confront its wartime past, warning that only by facing history can the country avoid repeating past mistakes.
\nSpeaking at a joint news conference after the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Foreign Ministers' Meeting, Wang reiterated China's stance on historical issues, as Friday marks the 80th anniversary of Japan's surrender in World War II.
\nEight decades ago, Japan was defeated, accepted the Potsdam Proclamation, and announced its unconditional surrender, Wang said.
\nYet today, certain forces in Japan still attempt to whitewash, deny, distort, and even rewrite history, glorifying war criminals — a disgraceful act which Wang said only brings shame upon themselves.
\nHe condemned such actions as a challenge to the United Nations Charter, the post-war international order, human conscience, and all the victorious nations and their people.
\n"Only by facing history can Japan earn respect; only by drawing lessons from the past can it forge a future; and only by remembering history can Japan avoid straying onto the wrong path again," Wang stressed.
\nIn Tokyo on Thursday, officials and experts at a symposium themed "80 Years since the End of the Pacific War, 80 Years since Japan's Defeat: Toward Building a Peaceful World", expressed similar viewpoints.
\nThe symposium was organized on Thursday by the Association for Inheriting and Propagating the Murayama Statement, a Japanese civic group dedicated to upholding the 1995 Murayama Statement that acknowledges Japan's wartime mistakes.
\nFormer Japanese prime minister Yukio Hatoyama pointed out that true "patriotism" means confronting historical facts and acknowledging past mistakes with courage.
\nHe stressed that Japan cannot simply claim that "compensation has been completed and responsibility fulfilled". Responsibility ends only when the victorious countries or former colonies declare they will no longer pursue claims.
\nHe said: "I believe that promoting peace and the development of democracy, based on a profound reflection on past history, is the path Japan should follow."
\nOn Friday, Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba expressed "remorse" over the war, which he called a mistake, restoring the word in a Japanese leader's address for the first time since 2013, when former premier Shinzo Abe shunned it.
\nIshiba, however, did not mention Japan's aggression across Asia or apologize. Earlier in the day, at least one cabinet minister joined thousands of visitors at the notorious Yasukuni Shrine.
\nTakakage Fujita, secretary-general of the Association for Inheriting and Propagating the Murayama Statement, quoted Japanese writer Shuichi Kato: "Distorting history brings absolutely no benefit and causes countless harms."
\nChinese Ambassador to Japan Wu Jianghao said that 80 years after Japan's defeat, the country should fulfill its serious political commitments, thoroughly repudiate any actions that distort, glorify, or deny the history of aggression.
\n"Japan should demonstrate through concrete actions its adherence to peaceful development, thereby earning the trust of the Chinese people, the Japanese people, neighboring Asian countries, and the international community," Wu said.
\nAkira Yamada, a professor at Meiji University, noted that Japan's pacifism has often been framed by the slogan "not to become a new victim", but emphasized that "avoiding becoming a new aggressor" is even more important.
\nYamada stressed that Japan should foster friendly relations with China and warned that hostile rhetoric toward China is extremely dangerous. "Distorting historical understanding will ultimately erode our own politics and society," he said.
\nHajime Takano, director of the East Asian Community Institute, also warned that hostile rhetoric toward China is dangerous and argued that the idea that "a Taiwan emergency is a Japanese emergency" is unfounded. He noted that the Taiwan question is a legacy of the Chinese civil war.
\nTakano also criticized certain Japanese media for reporting on related events without considering the complex background.
\nTomoyoshi Kimura, director of the Northeast Asia Dynamics Study Group, emphasized that most people in Japan today were born after the war. Although they did not directly commit wartime crimes, they still bear a responsibility to humbly inherit and convey historical lessons.
\nhoujunjie@chinadaily.com
\nBoth the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and the Republic of Korea have marked the 80th anniversary of the Korean Peninsula's liberation from Japan's colonial rule, with the ROK leader pledging to reduce bilateral tensions.
\nIn a speech at a celebration event held at the Arch of Triumph Plaza in Pyongyang on Thursday, DPRK's top leader, Kim Jong-un, emphasized the DPRK's resistance against Japanese imperialism and the bloodshed endured to gain independence, and called for steadily and undauntedly overcoming the challenges facing the DPRK.
\nOn Friday, ROK President Lee Jaemyung, in a speech marking the country's Liberation Day, said the ROK will take consistent measures to reduce tensions with the DPRK and restore the Sept 19 military agreement between the two sides to lower military tensions at the border.
\nThe agreement was signed during the 2018 inter-Korean summit in Pyongyang. In June 2024, the ROK's then Yoon Suk-yeol government suspended the deal. "It is time to break free from outdated Cold War mentality and open a new era of peace on the Korean Peninsula," said Lee, at a ceremony held at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts in Seoul.
\nLee said his government respects the DPRK's current political system and will not pursue any form of unification by absorption while asserting that it has no intention of engaging in hostile acts.
\nThe DPRK celebrations were joined by Russian guests led by Russian State Duma Chairman Vyacheslav Volodin. According to the Korean Central News Agency, Volodin, who met Kim on Thursday, read a congratulatory letter from Russian President Vladimir Putin to Kim, expressing his willingness to further develop bilateral relations.
\n"Today, the DPRK-Russia friendship has developed into an unprecedented alliance," Kim, who is general secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea and president of the State Affairs of the DPRK, was quoted as saying by the official Rodong Sinmun newspaper on Friday.
\nKim said the bilateral relationship has been solidified amid their joint struggle against the revival of neo-Nazism and to safeguard sovereignty, security and international justice.
\nThe DPRK has been wary of military exercises to be held by the ROK with the United States.
\n"The United States-ROK joint military drills to be started on Aug 18 will undoubtedly make the hostile nature of the ROK brought to light again," Kim Yo-jong, vice department director of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, said earlier.
\nShe also noted that she believed Seoul's policy toward the DPRK remained unchanged.
\nHong Min, a senior analyst at the Institute for National Unification in the ROK, told Reuters that Pyongyang likely anticipated further conciliatory gestures by the ROK.
\nThe joint military exercise is set to take place from Monday to Aug 28, but the allies said last week that around half of the 40 planned field training drills will be postponed to September.
\nLee said a peaceful Korean Peninsula must be nuclear-free.
\nkelly@chinadailyapac.com
\n", - "content": "Both the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and the Republic of Korea have marked the 80th anniversary of the Korean Peninsula's liberation from Japan's colonial rule, with the ROK leader pledging to reduce bilateral tensions.
\nIn a speech at a celebration event held at the Arch of Triumph Plaza in Pyongyang on Thursday, DPRK's top leader, Kim Jong-un, emphasized the DPRK's resistance against Japanese imperialism and the bloodshed endured to gain independence, and called for steadily and undauntedly overcoming the challenges facing the DPRK.
\nOn Friday, ROK President Lee Jaemyung, in a speech marking the country's Liberation Day, said the ROK will take consistent measures to reduce tensions with the DPRK and restore the Sept 19 military agreement between the two sides to lower military tensions at the border.
\nThe agreement was signed during the 2018 inter-Korean summit in Pyongyang. In June 2024, the ROK's then Yoon Suk-yeol government suspended the deal. "It is time to break free from outdated Cold War mentality and open a new era of peace on the Korean Peninsula," said Lee, at a ceremony held at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts in Seoul.
\nLee said his government respects the DPRK's current political system and will not pursue any form of unification by absorption while asserting that it has no intention of engaging in hostile acts.
\nThe DPRK celebrations were joined by Russian guests led by Russian State Duma Chairman Vyacheslav Volodin. According to the Korean Central News Agency, Volodin, who met Kim on Thursday, read a congratulatory letter from Russian President Vladimir Putin to Kim, expressing his willingness to further develop bilateral relations.
\n"Today, the DPRK-Russia friendship has developed into an unprecedented alliance," Kim, who is general secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea and president of the State Affairs of the DPRK, was quoted as saying by the official Rodong Sinmun newspaper on Friday.
\nKim said the bilateral relationship has been solidified amid their joint struggle against the revival of neo-Nazism and to safeguard sovereignty, security and international justice.
\nThe DPRK has been wary of military exercises to be held by the ROK with the United States.
\n"The United States-ROK joint military drills to be started on Aug 18 will undoubtedly make the hostile nature of the ROK brought to light again," Kim Yo-jong, vice department director of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, said earlier.
\nShe also noted that she believed Seoul's policy toward the DPRK remained unchanged.
\nHong Min, a senior analyst at the Institute for National Unification in the ROK, told Reuters that Pyongyang likely anticipated further conciliatory gestures by the ROK.
\nThe joint military exercise is set to take place from Monday to Aug 28, but the allies said last week that around half of the 40 planned field training drills will be postponed to September.
\nLee said a peaceful Korean Peninsula must be nuclear-free.
\nkelly@chinadailyapac.com
\n", - "category": "", - "link": "https://mobile.chinadaily.com.cn/cn/html5/2025-08/16/content_007_689fafa2ed50ccabe1517a73.htm#007WORLD", - "creator": "", - "pubDate": "Sat, 16 Aug 2025 00:21:04 +0000", - "enclosure": "", - "enclosureType": "", - "image": "", - "id": "", - "language": "", - "folder": "双语", - "feed": "ChinaDaily", - "read": false, - "favorite": false, - "created": false, - "tags": [], - "hash": "2faf67a94223fc262bd26eacd95d5f06", - "highlights": [] - }, { "title": "008LIFE - Themed routes", "description": "The Central Axis Treasure Hunt takes young participants along the city's symbolic spine, visiting the National Museum of China, the historic Peking University Red Building and the Cloisonne Art Museum of China, to uncover cultural treasures along the way.
\nThe Drum Rhythms, New Voices route begins at the iconic Bell and Drum Towers and winds through the hutong neighborhood, the Confucius Temple and Guozijian Museum, inviting visitors to spend a day immersed in the rhythms of Beijing's historic streets.
\nThe Wandering Through Past and Present route connects Zhengyangmen and Arrow Tower to the south of Tian'anmen Square, Qianmen Street and the Natural History Museum of China, showcasing how Beijing's traditions continue in contemporary culture.
\n", @@ -7265,28 +7111,6 @@ "hash": "f1dcdfeb790542a3c4799cc641ba5414", "highlights": [] }, - { - "title": "009LIFE - Reflections of a mastermind", - "description": "![](\"https://mobile.chinadaily.com.cn/cn/resfile/2025-08-16/009/20250816_009_01_57.png\")
\n![](\"https://mobile.chinadaily.com.cn/cn/resfile/2025-08-16/009/20250816_009_01_7.png\")
Shaped like a traditional Chinese stringed instrument, and mirrored in the water to give it a circular appearance, the Music on the River project, designed by Peter Guo-hua Fu in Hengqin, Guangdong province, is a landmark in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.
\n![](\"https://mobile.chinadaily.com.cn/cn/resfile/2025-08-16/009/20250816_009_01_47.png\")
The Stories Behind 100 Designs at the 2025 Shanghai Book Fair.
\n![](\"https://mobile.chinadaily.com.cn/cn/resfile/2025-08-16/009/20250816_009_01_33.png\")
Fu's architectural sculpture Memories of the Valley: Golden Home on display at the Shanghai Oriental Art Center in May last year.
\n![](\"https://mobile.chinadaily.com.cn/cn/resfile/2025-08-16/009/20250816_009_01_40.png\")
Fu received the Shanghai Magnolia Silver Award in September 2021.
\nFor Chinese Canadian architect Peter Guo-hua Fu, his career has always revolved around two passions: designing buildings and promoting the public's understanding of them. Fu has been in charge of design for 100 building projects worldwide since founding KFS Architects Inc Canada in 2001; and in order to promote architecture, he has spent the past decade exploring ways to merge architecture with music, dance, sculpture, painting, and other art forms — creating what he calls "a grand visual art based on architecture design".
\nThis energetic architect is still pushing boundaries to make architecture more accessible. His recent bilingual book, The Stories Behind 100 Designs, and an architecture-themed game titled Image of Space, set to launch later this year, are just the latest examples.
\nThe book, published in July in China, is jointly written by the 62-year-old architect and his son Richard. It depicts the stories behind the architecture of 100 buildings he designed since founding KFS Architects.
\n"You could say I'm a child of my time. I happened to be working during a period of rapid economic growth in China, and I was fortunate to be involved in the design of many airport terminals and office buildings. Since 2001, I have been in charge of the design for 100 architectural projects. If you count each project as five buildings on average, that's about 500 buildings in total," he says.
\nRegarding Shanghai as his muse, Fu says nearly half of these projects, involving more than 200 buildings, are scattered across the city.
\n"Shanghai is my hometown, where I was born and learned my early grounding in architecture. It was in Shanghai that I first developed my passion for the field," he says.
\nFu says his connection with architecture began in childhood.
\n"I would sit by the window, counting the red bricks on the buildings opposite my home. I also fondly remember accompanying my father to meet his business partners near the Bund, where I admired the views both inside and outside those beautiful buildings," he recalls.
\nIt was because of these experiences that, in 1980, he became an undergraduate student at Shanghai's Tongji University, majoring in architectural design and urban planning. After working for two years at Shenzhen University in Guangdong province, he returned to Tongji University as a postgraduate student in 1986, and further pursued a doctorate in architecture in 1989.
\n"Shanghai is truly my blessed place. I came from Shanghai, and finally I returned. I spend most of my time here, and my greatest achievements have happened here too," he says.
\nIn 2021, Fu received the Shanghai Magnolia Silver Award, given to outstanding foreigners for their significant contributions to the city's development and international exchanges.
\n"Maybe it's because I've contributed to shaping Shanghai's skyline," he suggests.
\nIn 1990, he was granted a full scholarship by McGill University's School of Architecture, and started his studying and working in Canada. He founded KFS Architects, operating an architectural design business in both China and Canada.
\nHis contribution to architecture was equally recognized in Canada. In September 2017, McGill University permanently named its School of Architecture, with a history of more than 120 years, as the Peter Guo-hua Fu School of Architecture.
\n"Peter Guo-hua Fu is an outstanding architect, as well as a contributor to the friendship and cooperation between China and Canada," said Peng Jingtao, then consul general of China in Montreal, during the ceremony.
\n"He received good education in both China and Canada. His Canada-based company grew rapidly in China. Fu's success has fully demonstrated the broad prospects for cooperation in education, business and trade between China and Canada," Peng said.
\nAsked about his future plans, Fu says he will continue his pursuits in grand visual art.
\n"The 100 architectural stories are a reflection of my 25-year-long work and a contribution to the idea that cities have warmth. I believed that architecture can be read, and can also be expressed through theater, dance, sculpture and painting. This is the beginning of my journey into grand architecture, grand art, and grand visual storytelling," he wrote in his book's preface.
\nIn the past decade, he has integrated architecture with a variety of art forms. In 2014, 2016, and 2017, he created a series of architecture-themed musicals, including Memories of the Valley, My Albert, and Exchange Students. In 2024, his architectural sculpture Memories of the Valley: Golden Home was displayed at the Shanghai Oriental Art Center.
\nBy the end of this year, he plans to launch an architecture-themed game aimed at reaching a wider audience, especially Generation Z. The game's goal is to popularize architectural design, culture, ideas and creativity.
\n"Honestly, I've probably never done anything else in my life. I've been dedicated to architecture and sharing it with others — and I'm truly happy to have embraced this path," he says.
\nContact the writer at wang_ying@chinadaily.com.cn
\n", - "content": "\nShaped like a traditional Chinese stringed instrument, and mirrored in the water to give it a circular appearance, the Music on the River project, designed by Peter Guo-hua Fu in Hengqin, Guangdong province, is a landmark in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.
\nThe Stories Behind 100 Designs at the 2025 Shanghai Book Fair.
\nFu's architectural sculpture Memories of the Valley: Golden Home on display at the Shanghai Oriental Art Center in May last year.
\nFu received the Shanghai Magnolia Silver Award in September 2021.
\nFor Chinese Canadian architect Peter Guo-hua Fu, his career has always revolved around two passions: designing buildings and promoting the public's understanding of them. Fu has been in charge of design for 100 building projects worldwide since founding KFS Architects Inc Canada in 2001; and in order to promote architecture, he has spent the past decade exploring ways to merge architecture with music, dance, sculpture, painting, and other art forms — creating what he calls "a grand visual art based on architecture design".
\nThis energetic architect is still pushing boundaries to make architecture more accessible. His recent bilingual book, The Stories Behind 100 Designs, and an architecture-themed game titled Image of Space, set to launch later this year, are just the latest examples.
\nThe book, published in July in China, is jointly written by the 62-year-old architect and his son Richard. It depicts the stories behind the architecture of 100 buildings he designed since founding KFS Architects.
\n"You could say I'm a child of my time. I happened to be working during a period of rapid economic growth in China, and I was fortunate to be involved in the design of many airport terminals and office buildings. Since 2001, I have been in charge of the design for 100 architectural projects. If you count each project as five buildings on average, that's about 500 buildings in total," he says.
\nRegarding Shanghai as his muse, Fu says nearly half of these projects, involving more than 200 buildings, are scattered across the city.
\n"Shanghai is my hometown, where I was born and learned my early grounding in architecture. It was in Shanghai that I first developed my passion for the field," he says.
\nFu says his connection with architecture began in childhood.
\n"I would sit by the window, counting the red bricks on the buildings opposite my home. I also fondly remember accompanying my father to meet his business partners near the Bund, where I admired the views both inside and outside those beautiful buildings," he recalls.
\nIt was because of these experiences that, in 1980, he became an undergraduate student at Shanghai's Tongji University, majoring in architectural design and urban planning. After working for two years at Shenzhen University in Guangdong province, he returned to Tongji University as a postgraduate student in 1986, and further pursued a doctorate in architecture in 1989.
\n"Shanghai is truly my blessed place. I came from Shanghai, and finally I returned. I spend most of my time here, and my greatest achievements have happened here too," he says.
\nIn 2021, Fu received the Shanghai Magnolia Silver Award, given to outstanding foreigners for their significant contributions to the city's development and international exchanges.
\n"Maybe it's because I've contributed to shaping Shanghai's skyline," he suggests.
\nIn 1990, he was granted a full scholarship by McGill University's School of Architecture, and started his studying and working in Canada. He founded KFS Architects, operating an architectural design business in both China and Canada.
\nHis contribution to architecture was equally recognized in Canada. In September 2017, McGill University permanently named its School of Architecture, with a history of more than 120 years, as the Peter Guo-hua Fu School of Architecture.
\n"Peter Guo-hua Fu is an outstanding architect, as well as a contributor to the friendship and cooperation between China and Canada," said Peng Jingtao, then consul general of China in Montreal, during the ceremony.
\n"He received good education in both China and Canada. His Canada-based company grew rapidly in China. Fu's success has fully demonstrated the broad prospects for cooperation in education, business and trade between China and Canada," Peng said.
\nAsked about his future plans, Fu says he will continue his pursuits in grand visual art.
\n"The 100 architectural stories are a reflection of my 25-year-long work and a contribution to the idea that cities have warmth. I believed that architecture can be read, and can also be expressed through theater, dance, sculpture and painting. This is the beginning of my journey into grand architecture, grand art, and grand visual storytelling," he wrote in his book's preface.
\nIn the past decade, he has integrated architecture with a variety of art forms. In 2014, 2016, and 2017, he created a series of architecture-themed musicals, including Memories of the Valley, My Albert, and Exchange Students. In 2024, his architectural sculpture Memories of the Valley: Golden Home was displayed at the Shanghai Oriental Art Center.
\nBy the end of this year, he plans to launch an architecture-themed game aimed at reaching a wider audience, especially Generation Z. The game's goal is to popularize architectural design, culture, ideas and creativity.
\n"Honestly, I've probably never done anything else in my life. I've been dedicated to architecture and sharing it with others — and I'm truly happy to have embraced this path," he says.
\nContact the writer at wang_ying@chinadaily.com.cn
\n", - "category": "", - "link": "https://mobile.chinadaily.com.cn/cn/html5/2025-08/16/content_009_689fafb3ed50ccabe1517a77.htm#009LIFE", - "creator": "", - "pubDate": "Sat, 16 Aug 2025 00:21:04 +0000", - "enclosure": "", - "enclosureType": "", - "image": "", - "id": "", - "language": "", - "folder": "双语", - "feed": "ChinaDaily", - "read": false, - "favorite": false, - "created": false, - "tags": [], - "hash": "861833e055827af72e0284194e35533d", - "highlights": [] - }, { "title": "010LIFE - FRAMING the PAST", "description": "![](\"https://mobile.chinadaily.com.cn/cn/resfile/2025-08-16/010/20250816_010_01_132.png\")
Mike Emery's photos on display at the exhibition Nice to Meet You in Shanghai offer a panoramic view of the daily lives of Chinese people in 1980. 1. People stroll on the frozen lake at the Summer Palace in Beijing.
\n![](\"https://mobile.chinadaily.com.cn/cn/resfile/2025-08-16/010/20250816_010_01_198.png\")
2. The frozen waterway is a popular playground for Beijing residents.
\n![](\"https://mobile.chinadaily.com.cn/cn/resfile/2025-08-16/010/20250816_010_01_154.png\")
3. Blue is the dominant color of people's clothing, and bicycles are a common sight on the streets.
\n![](\"https://mobile.chinadaily.com.cn/cn/resfile/2025-08-16/010/20250816_010_01_176.png\")
4. A group of children on their way to school in Shanghai.
\n![](\"https://mobile.chinadaily.com.cn/cn/resfile/2025-08-16/010/20250816_010_01_10.png\")
A boy plays with a balloon in Beijing in 1980.
\n![](\"https://mobile.chinadaily.com.cn/cn/resfile/2025-08-16/010/20250816_010_01_82.png\")
Mike Emery's colleague roller-skates across the Waibaidu Bridge in Shanghai in 1980.
\n![](\"https://mobile.chinadaily.com.cn/cn/resfile/2025-08-16/010/20250816_010_01_28.png\")
In front of Emery's camera, children exhibit a mix of curiosity and shyness in their eyes.
\n![](\"https://mobile.chinadaily.com.cn/cn/resfile/2025-08-16/010/20250816_010_01_46.png\")
A boy stretches out his hands with a big smile.
\n![](\"https://mobile.chinadaily.com.cn/cn/resfile/2025-08-16/010/20250816_010_01_64.png\")
Emery meets Lili again in 2019, almost 40 years after he took the girl's photo.
\nIn the early spring of 1980, Mike Emery stepped onto the land of China for the very first time. As a crew member of a cruise ship and a photographer, Emery, 23, wandered with a camera through the streets and captured images of people's daily lives in several major cities such as Shanghai, Beijing and Tianjin, framing many vibrant and colorful moments that are now gradually fading with time.
\nBorn in Staffordshire, England, and later settling down in Sydney, Australia, Emery vividly remembers his first trip to China 45 years ago, which he describes as exciting, lucky, and full of new discoveries.
\nAt that time, Emery got a job on a new cruise ship based in Japan that was heading to China. Over the course of about three months, he participated in seven cruise trips, making him one of the first foreign tourists to visit the nation since its reform and opening-up. He randomly captured scenes of daily lives during China's early transformative era.
\nHis photography book, China 1980, was published in 2019, and an exhibition, Nice to Meet You, running until Tuesday in Shanghai, displays over 100 photos from the book.
\n"When our ship first docked at the port city of Tianjin, we didn't know what to expect, but it was like a carnival. There was an air of excitement, complete with flags, streamers and a marching band to greet us," Emery writes in the book.
\nHe clearly stood out at that time as a foreigner with fair hair, wearing colorful clothes and carrying a strange object — as many people had not seen such a camera before. Emery was curious about the nation and its residents.
\n"Groups of up to 50 people would surround me, wanting to speak English, all supremely curious. They were all invariably polite and would ask, 'Excuse me, may I practice my English?'" writes Emery.
\nYet, language did not stop Emery from exploring the streets or diving into the crowds. He would put on a big smile, pull funny faces, stick his tongue out, or lie on his back in the middle of the street, trying to stimulate some kind of reaction.
\nThat was how Emery captured one of his highlighted photos during the trip — a boy stretching out his hands to the photographer with a big smile as if to say, "nice to meet you".
\nChildren make up a large part of Emery's photos. Through his lens, he captured children playing on the streets, as well as groups of children he encountered at a kindergarten or on their way to school, most giving him a smile and wave.
\n"When you look at the laughing faces of these children, you can see the innocence in their eyes. There is no sense of stress. Life was simple. Pure happiness seems to erupt from the smiles of these beautiful people," says Emery.
\n"They are wonderful subjects to photograph, and their characters shine through these pages. You will see … the way their stance evokes a sense of pride, both personal and cultural."
\nThe photographer noted that children everywhere in 1980 were dressed in brightly colored clothes, a distinct difference to the shades of blue, brown and khaki then worn by their parents and elders.
\nIt was a time when the nation was on the verge of dramatic changes. Emery's evocative imagery not only documents the vibrancy of Chinese street life, but also plays a crucial role in preserving memories of those days and Chinese culture for future generations.
\n"The pace of life in China's cities in 1980, as I observed it, was steady. There was a calmness that was foreign to me. The bicycles weaved along the streets, and the buses meandered slowly. There was no hustle and bustle or sense of rush hour," says the photographer.
\nDuring his trips to China, Emery observed and captured changes in the general appearance of society. He saw people start to become more individual, expressing themselves with new clothes and more adventurous hairstyles. Luxury goods, such as black-and-white TVs, started to appear in the shop windows in Shanghai, all signaling a complete change on the horizon.
\nIt was long after Emery's cruise trip days ended that he realized the significance of these old photos. There are very few photographs — especially in color — available from that period dedicated to people going about their daily lives. He hopes these photos can provide an insight into Chinese society in 1980 and by comparison, help people know how much it has changed since.
\nEmery came back to China in 2019. When he stepped off the plane and got to see the brand-new country, he could hardly believe his eyes. More incredibly, shortly after the publishing of his book, he even unexpectedly reconnected to two girls featured in his photos taken 45 years ago.
\nStill keeping over 300 photos of those trips in 1980, Emery says the people in the photos are the important ones who contributed to building China into what it is today. In a time when cameras or canvas were not common, such photos became the real records of their past and lives.
\n"I think it is important for people nowadays to see these photos and learn about the stories, as they bring back memories that are fading," he says.
\nWith photos as the bond, the Australian photographer also aims to foster a deeper understanding and appreciation between Australian and Chinese people and cultures.
\nShi Hantao, curator of the exhibition, says: "As a traveler, Emery had no obligations for news reporting or publishing, nor did he need to maintain objectivity. His camera served as a tool to greet and converse with the strangers he met in China. In other words, what he captured was more about the encounter itself than any specific object."
\nAfter Shanghai, the photo exhibition will travel to Suzhou in Jiangsu province and then continue to other cities.
\nContact the writer at wangxin2@chinadaily.com.cn
\nIf you go
\n10 am-9 pm, until Tuesday.
\nFujifilm X-Space, 398 Huaihai Road (M), Huangpu district, Shanghai.
\n", @@ -7309,28 +7133,6 @@ "hash": "d1af7e6c50f98b0148c40f5cc878bd13", "highlights": [] }, - { - "title": "011CULTURE - A dream destination", - "description": "![](\"https://mobile.chinadaily.com.cn/cn/resfile/2025-08-16/011/20250816_011_01_8.png\")
Online Scan the code to watch the video.
\n![](\"https://mobile.chinadaily.com.cn/cn/resfile/2025-08-16/011/20250816_011_01_23.png\")
\n![](\"https://mobile.chinadaily.com.cn/cn/resfile/2025-08-16/011/20250816_011_01_33.png\")
A scene from Real and Illusory, one of the three acts in the Unique Dream of Red Mansion complex.
\n![](\"https://mobile.chinadaily.com.cn/cn/resfile/2025-08-16/011/20250816_011_01_34.png\")
A classic moment from the novel A Dream of Red Mansions is recreated.
\n![](\"https://mobile.chinadaily.com.cn/cn/resfile/2025-08-16/011/20250816_011_01_35.png\")
Jia Baoyu's wedding at the Readers' Theater.
\n![](\"https://mobile.chinadaily.com.cn/cn/resfile/2025-08-16/011/20250816_011_01_32.png\")
A performance at the Readers' Theater.
\n![](\"https://mobile.chinadaily.com.cn/cn/resfile/2025-08-16/011/20250816_011_01_30.png\")
Wang Chaoge is the general planner, director, and playwright of the Unique Dream of Red Mansion complex.
\n![](\"https://mobile.chinadaily.com.cn/cn/resfile/2025-08-16/011/20250816_011_01_31.png\")
Visitors can watch the performances while lying in bed at the Bed Theater.
\nYou've heard the phrase: "getting lost in a good book". Well, thanks to ingenious architecture, bold artistic devices and carefully-designed theaters, Unique Dream of Red Mansion in Langfang, Hebei province, enables fans of the eponymous Chinese classic to do — literally — just that.
\nThe novel written by Cao Xueqin, A Dream of Red Mansions, is an epic work that holds a mirror up to Chinese society during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), set against the backdrop of the rise and fall in the fortunes of four influential families. Told from the perspective of a tragic, but wealthy young man, Jia Baoyu, it depicts life through a mixture of reality and dreams.
\nInspired by the novel's philosophy, Wang Chaoge, as general planner, director, and playwright, built Unique Dream of Red Mansion to be a fusion of literature, architecture, technology and memory. She believes there are no words to describe what she has created, adding that even "dreamland" doesn't cover its scope.
\nThe ambitious project, funded by ENN Group, officially opened on July 23, 2023, and is now celebrating its second anniversary. The arts complex is located approximately 40 kilometers southeast of Beijing and is adjacent to the Beijing Daxing International Airport Economic Zone, allowing Wang ample space to make her sprawling vision a reality.
\n"I want to bewilder visitors, and to keep everyone guessing what this place really is. I want to make you feel as if you've never seen anything like it," Wang explains.
\n"I aim to shatter your preconceptions. For here, a new genre is born, one that, unless you witness it, defies all imagination; a place beyond mental sketching. Before its conception, no one ever merged theaters into a drama settlement cluster on such a scale."
\nThe Unique Dream of Red Mansion is a labyrinth of 108 spaces and 21 immersive performances, where audiences drift between reality and illusion, past and present.
\nAccording to the latest figures, the complex has been in continuous operation for 730 days, attracting over 2 million visitors and staging more than 21,000 immersive performances. During this year's summer vacation, visitor traffic sees an increase of about 60 percent.
\nThe scenes and elements are inspired by the novel, with each location given a poetic name from the book, touching the audience's senses through the shifting currents of an epic that has haunted Chinese hearts for centuries.
\nWang spent nearly eight years bringing this project to life. As a keen lover of the novel, Wang believes it's not merely a book to be staged, but an infinite canvas. "Everyone has his own interpretation of A Dream of Red Mansions," Wang adds.
\n"It is the dream you read, but never finish."
\nThe performances within the complex unfold along two intertwined threads: one reimagines the most iconic and climactic moments from the novel itself; the other explores the stories that have emerged throughout the years between readers and the novel. The entire work is divided among three grand theaters and multiple micro-theaters spread over an area of around 150,000 square meters. With 72,000 sq m of constructed performance space, the Unique Dream of Red Mansion feels less like a theater, and more like a living organism. Designed as a maze of "moving views and shifting scenes", it borrows from the aesthetics of Chinese ink painting — suggestion over detail, ambiguity over closure; a constant dance between presence and absence. Visitors wander through intricately crafted gardens, step into chambers alive with projection and sound, or slip into dim alleys, guided by a narrator's whispered voice.
\n"And, I especially hope that, after you leave, a part of you will linger here, immersed for a long, long time. Because throughout the whole place, what we provide is experience," Wang adds, "This experience is my sole top priority. It's not just about plot or story."
\nInside, the unexpected is the norm. There is a Gate Theater, a hall lined with doors from different eras and regions in China, each a potential portal to an untold story. There is also a Bed Theater, where audiences lie down to watch performances. "Why can't you watch a play lying down? Or leaning forward? Or acting yourself? Who set these rules?" Wang says.
\n"You can't impose boundaries on me, and can't set thresholds for me in art design … I consider myself more of a forward-thinking individual. This isn't about my personal recollections, but about resonating with the pulse of our times."
\nWang makes it clear that her intention was never to reconstruct the Daguan Garden from the novel, nor to create replicas of the main characters' homes. "You shouldn't anticipate replicating a storyline from A Dream of Red Mansions. Rather, you should come to collect yourself, encounter yourself, and bear witness to yourself, until finally, you can fall in love with yourself — perhaps even learn to help yourself," says Wang.
\nWang explains that the novel has played an important role in her life and that she has "cried for it" since her teenage years, when she would read it in secret and copy down the poems and couplets that struck her.
\nWhen she finally finished, she recalls, "it felt like a world had left me, and I cried. For a week afterward, I was like a soul not fully here". Returning to it later in life, she was able to see the questions beneath the characters and plot.
\n"Where life comes from? Where death leads? Are the book's Daguan Garden and realm between worlds real? Or is it an illusion? These are the questions that bothered me," says Wang.
\nFor many visitors, the main appeal of the venue's design is its balance between visual richness and deliberate emptiness. Visitors may encounter a plain white wall, or a room left seemingly bare — but never by accident.
\n"In Chinese aesthetics, leaving blank space is not about creating absence — it's about creating larger space for imagination," Wang says, "What you do not see can be greater than what you see. If you fill everything in, it becomes dull."
\nThis technique, known as liubai, or leaving blank, echoes the untouched space in a scroll painting, the pause in a poem, or the silence between musical notes. It invites the audience to step in — to imagine the unseen, and in doing so, make it their own.
\n"We have our own ways of seeing, our own ways of telling," says Wang, "If you leave here and, even for a moment, feel that something inside you has been touched — then I am satisfied. Because the story is not mine. It's yours."
\nContact the writer at tujiayi@chinadaily.com.cn
\n", - "content": "Online Scan the code to watch the video.
\n\nA scene from Real and Illusory, one of the three acts in the Unique Dream of Red Mansion complex.
\nA classic moment from the novel A Dream of Red Mansions is recreated.
\nJia Baoyu's wedding at the Readers' Theater.
\nA performance at the Readers' Theater.
\nWang Chaoge is the general planner, director, and playwright of the Unique Dream of Red Mansion complex.
\nVisitors can watch the performances while lying in bed at the Bed Theater.
\nYou've heard the phrase: "getting lost in a good book". Well, thanks to ingenious architecture, bold artistic devices and carefully-designed theaters, Unique Dream of Red Mansion in Langfang, Hebei province, enables fans of the eponymous Chinese classic to do — literally — just that.
\nThe novel written by Cao Xueqin, A Dream of Red Mansions, is an epic work that holds a mirror up to Chinese society during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), set against the backdrop of the rise and fall in the fortunes of four influential families. Told from the perspective of a tragic, but wealthy young man, Jia Baoyu, it depicts life through a mixture of reality and dreams.
\nInspired by the novel's philosophy, Wang Chaoge, as general planner, director, and playwright, built Unique Dream of Red Mansion to be a fusion of literature, architecture, technology and memory. She believes there are no words to describe what she has created, adding that even "dreamland" doesn't cover its scope.
\nThe ambitious project, funded by ENN Group, officially opened on July 23, 2023, and is now celebrating its second anniversary. The arts complex is located approximately 40 kilometers southeast of Beijing and is adjacent to the Beijing Daxing International Airport Economic Zone, allowing Wang ample space to make her sprawling vision a reality.
\n"I want to bewilder visitors, and to keep everyone guessing what this place really is. I want to make you feel as if you've never seen anything like it," Wang explains.
\n"I aim to shatter your preconceptions. For here, a new genre is born, one that, unless you witness it, defies all imagination; a place beyond mental sketching. Before its conception, no one ever merged theaters into a drama settlement cluster on such a scale."
\nThe Unique Dream of Red Mansion is a labyrinth of 108 spaces and 21 immersive performances, where audiences drift between reality and illusion, past and present.
\nAccording to the latest figures, the complex has been in continuous operation for 730 days, attracting over 2 million visitors and staging more than 21,000 immersive performances. During this year's summer vacation, visitor traffic sees an increase of about 60 percent.
\nThe scenes and elements are inspired by the novel, with each location given a poetic name from the book, touching the audience's senses through the shifting currents of an epic that has haunted Chinese hearts for centuries.
\nWang spent nearly eight years bringing this project to life. As a keen lover of the novel, Wang believes it's not merely a book to be staged, but an infinite canvas. "Everyone has his own interpretation of A Dream of Red Mansions," Wang adds.
\n"It is the dream you read, but never finish."
\nThe performances within the complex unfold along two intertwined threads: one reimagines the most iconic and climactic moments from the novel itself; the other explores the stories that have emerged throughout the years between readers and the novel. The entire work is divided among three grand theaters and multiple micro-theaters spread over an area of around 150,000 square meters. With 72,000 sq m of constructed performance space, the Unique Dream of Red Mansion feels less like a theater, and more like a living organism. Designed as a maze of "moving views and shifting scenes", it borrows from the aesthetics of Chinese ink painting — suggestion over detail, ambiguity over closure; a constant dance between presence and absence. Visitors wander through intricately crafted gardens, step into chambers alive with projection and sound, or slip into dim alleys, guided by a narrator's whispered voice.
\n"And, I especially hope that, after you leave, a part of you will linger here, immersed for a long, long time. Because throughout the whole place, what we provide is experience," Wang adds, "This experience is my sole top priority. It's not just about plot or story."
\nInside, the unexpected is the norm. There is a Gate Theater, a hall lined with doors from different eras and regions in China, each a potential portal to an untold story. There is also a Bed Theater, where audiences lie down to watch performances. "Why can't you watch a play lying down? Or leaning forward? Or acting yourself? Who set these rules?" Wang says.
\n"You can't impose boundaries on me, and can't set thresholds for me in art design … I consider myself more of a forward-thinking individual. This isn't about my personal recollections, but about resonating with the pulse of our times."
\nWang makes it clear that her intention was never to reconstruct the Daguan Garden from the novel, nor to create replicas of the main characters' homes. "You shouldn't anticipate replicating a storyline from A Dream of Red Mansions. Rather, you should come to collect yourself, encounter yourself, and bear witness to yourself, until finally, you can fall in love with yourself — perhaps even learn to help yourself," says Wang.
\nWang explains that the novel has played an important role in her life and that she has "cried for it" since her teenage years, when she would read it in secret and copy down the poems and couplets that struck her.
\nWhen she finally finished, she recalls, "it felt like a world had left me, and I cried. For a week afterward, I was like a soul not fully here". Returning to it later in life, she was able to see the questions beneath the characters and plot.
\n"Where life comes from? Where death leads? Are the book's Daguan Garden and realm between worlds real? Or is it an illusion? These are the questions that bothered me," says Wang.
\nFor many visitors, the main appeal of the venue's design is its balance between visual richness and deliberate emptiness. Visitors may encounter a plain white wall, or a room left seemingly bare — but never by accident.
\n"In Chinese aesthetics, leaving blank space is not about creating absence — it's about creating larger space for imagination," Wang says, "What you do not see can be greater than what you see. If you fill everything in, it becomes dull."
\nThis technique, known as liubai, or leaving blank, echoes the untouched space in a scroll painting, the pause in a poem, or the silence between musical notes. It invites the audience to step in — to imagine the unseen, and in doing so, make it their own.
\n"We have our own ways of seeing, our own ways of telling," says Wang, "If you leave here and, even for a moment, feel that something inside you has been touched — then I am satisfied. Because the story is not mine. It's yours."
\nContact the writer at tujiayi@chinadaily.com.cn
\n", - "category": "", - "link": "https://mobile.chinadaily.com.cn/cn/html5/2025-08/16/content_011_689fafc4ed50ccabe1517a7b.htm#011CULTURE", - "creator": "", - "pubDate": "Sat, 16 Aug 2025 00:21:04 +0000", - "enclosure": "", - "enclosureType": "", - "image": "", - "id": "", - "language": "", - "folder": "双语", - "feed": "ChinaDaily", - "read": false, - "favorite": false, - "created": false, - "tags": [], - "hash": "8143ead6ad3142248f96dac4f1b86323", - "highlights": [] - }, { "title": "012LIFE - Focusing on an old passion", "description": "![](\"https://mobile.chinadaily.com.cn/cn/resfile/2025-08-16/012/20250816_012_01_11.png\")
Wei Wei (first right) sets the backdrop for a family portrait of tourists from Xi'an, Shaanxi province, at Agan Photo Studio in Lanzhou, Gansu province.
\n![](\"https://mobile.chinadaily.com.cn/cn/resfile/2025-08-16/012/20250816_012_01_20.png\")
Agan Photo Studio has seen its appeal rise on social media, attracting numerous tourists to document their memories.
\n![](\"https://mobile.chinadaily.com.cn/cn/resfile/2025-08-16/012/20250816_012_01_38.png\")
Wei, the studio owner, examines negatives the old-fashioned way before choosing which photos to develop.
\n![](\"https://mobile.chinadaily.com.cn/cn/resfile/2025-08-16/012/20250816_012_01_27.png\")
A wall of portraits provides a glimpse of bygone days while nostalgia for another era entices a new generation.
\n![](\"https://mobile.chinadaily.com.cn/cn/resfile/2025-08-16/012/20250816_012_01_45.png\")
In the darkroom, Wei carefully develops photos and makes prints.
\n![](\"https://mobile.chinadaily.com.cn/cn/resfile/2025-08-16/012/20250816_012_01_56.png\")
Wei packs photos before mailing them to customers.
\n![](\"https://mobile.chinadaily.com.cn/cn/resfile/2025-08-16/012/20250816_012_01_67.png\")
Wei Jiexiong, Wei Wei's father, examines a photo in the studio's darkroom in 2023.
\nIn Agan town, 20 kilometers southeast of Lanzhou's Qilihe district in Northwest China's Gansu province, a flicker of magnesium light pierces through 50 years of dust, still glowing in the window of Agan Photo Studio.
\nThis beam illuminates more than just yellowing film negatives — it captures the collective memory of a community shaped by the country's industrial past and digital present.
\nInside the cramped studio, 44-year-old Wei Wei adjusts his father's relic: a wooden large-format Seagull camera older than he is.
\nAs tourists queue for portraits, the vintage device — once used to photograph coal miners' sweat-streaked grins, children's wide-eyed wonder, and labor models' proud gazes — now freezes moments for a new generation seeking nostalgia in the digital age.
\nThough analog photography — photography that uses a progressively changing recording medium that is either chemical-process based or electronic — took a backseat with the rise of digital photography, a renewed interest in the vintage process has since emerged at the photo studio.
\nFounded in 1972 as a state-owned enterprise, the studio became a visual chronicle of its milestones under Wei's father Wei Jiexiong, who joined in 1974. At that time, photographers from the studio were often invited to take photos during festivals or celebrations in town.
\nAt the busiest period, Wei Jiexiong would start at 7 in the morning and work until late at night.
\nWei Wei spent his childhood in the studio with his father.
\nThe young man at that time watched, then learned: mixing chemicals, loading plates, framing shots.
\nHe recalls: "My father would shoot and print more than 100 photos on a busy day.
\n"I'd assist him, then try myself. I wanted to preserve people's stories too, like what my father did," he says.
\nWhen his father passed away last year, Wei Wei inherited both the studio and its analog legacy.
\nFor Wei Wei, this is not only a family trade, but also about safeguarding authentic stories sealed in monochrome.
\nIn recent years, Agan Photo Studio gained popularity on social media, attracting numerous tourists who come to document their memories.
\nThe studio has not only preserved the fondest memories for the town's residents but also borne witness to social development and transformation.
\nAll this through an appreciation for the past.
\n", @@ -7353,28 +7155,6 @@ "hash": "7dddbc93fecdc209dc85198e4cc7d85f", "highlights": [] }, - { - "title": "001FRONT - Ready to play", - "description": "![](\"https://mobile.chinadaily.com.cn/cn/resfile/2025-08-15/001/20250815_001_02_62.png\")
A humanoid robot plays the drums during the opening ceremony of the World Humanoid Robot Games at the National Speed Skating Oval in Beijing on Thursday. The four-day event is the world's first multisport competition for humanoid robots. More than 500 humanoids from 16 countries are competing in 538 events, ranging from traditional sports such as track and field events, gymnastics and soccer to newly added events including martial arts performances, free fighting and group dancing. see story, page 5
\n", - "content": "A humanoid robot plays the drums during the opening ceremony of the World Humanoid Robot Games at the National Speed Skating Oval in Beijing on Thursday. The four-day event is the world's first multisport competition for humanoid robots. More than 500 humanoids from 16 countries are competing in 538 events, ranging from traditional sports such as track and field events, gymnastics and soccer to newly added events including martial arts performances, free fighting and group dancing. see story, page 5
\n", - "category": "", - "link": "https://mobile.chinadaily.com.cn/cn/html5/2025-08/15/content_001_689e52a2ed50ccabe15178ed.htm#001FRONT", - "creator": "", - "pubDate": "Fri, 15 Aug 2025 00:21:04 +0000", - "enclosure": "", - "enclosureType": "", - "image": "", - "id": "", - "language": "", - "folder": "双语", - "feed": "ChinaDaily", - "read": false, - "favorite": false, - "created": false, - "tags": [], - "hash": "eff0ef7633559c5f15a4214f79eb5d41", - "highlights": [] - }, { "title": "001FRONT - China rolls out new visa type for young science talent", "description": "China announced on Thursday that it will introduce a new type of visa — a K visa — for young foreign talent in science and technology.
\nThe new visa type was unveiled after Premier Li Qiang signed a State Council decree to promulgate a decision amending the country's regulations on the administration of foreigners' entries and exits.
\nThe decision came as China puts a greater emphasis on building a more proactive, open and effective talent policy.
\nThe K visa is a new addition to the ordinary visa categories and the new rules will take effect on Oct 1, according to the decision, which was drafted by the Ministry of Justice, along with the Foreign Ministry, the Ministry of Public Security and the National Immigration Administration.
\nApplicants for the K visa should be young international professionals in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics who have earned a bachelor's degree or higher from prestigious universities or research institutions.
\nIn addition, it will be available to individuals involved in educational or research activities at prestigious universities or research institutions, according to a joint statement released by the four departments on Thursday night.
\nK visa holders are permitted to engage in activities in fields such as education, science and technology, and cultural exchanges, according to the joint statement.
\nBefore this addition, there were 12 visa types classified based on the purposes of visiting China, including the L visa for sightseeing and tourism, the D visa for permanent residence and the G visa for transit through the country.
\nCompared with other visa types, the K visa will offer holders more convenience in terms of the number of entries, validity period and duration of stay. The eligibility criteria for the K visa are set based on applicants' age, educational background and work experience, without requiring them to have an employer or inviting organization within China, according to the statement.
\nThe application process for this visa is designed to be more convenient, streamlining the steps for eligible applicants, it added.
\nThe Foreign Ministry and the Ministry of Public Security, along with embassies and consulates abroad, will step up collaboration in management of the issuance, extension, renewal and replacement of K visas, as well as the residence and stay of K visa holders. They will provide appropriate assistance to applicants and holders of K visas in accordance with the law, the statement said.
\njihaisheng@chinadaily.com.cn
\n", @@ -7397,28 +7177,6 @@ "hash": "4980dfab77f096bf333a5f6cdd4a0e11", "highlights": [] }, - { - "title": "004CHINA - Joint legal efforts to safeguard Yangtze", - "description": "To improve the systematic protection of the Yangtze River, the Supreme People's Court and 11 other State-level departments have jointly released a guideline aimed at enhancing coordination between law enforcement and judicial bodies, while addressing existing problems and drawing on successful local practices.
\nThe guideline calls for stronger interdepartmental communication and unified law enforcement and judicial standards, focusing on frequently occurring cases and key areas such as pollution prevention, the Yangtze River's 10-year fishing ban and river sand mining management.
\nRegarding enforcement actions, a balanced approach that combines strict law-based case handling with governance improvements should be adopted, according to the guideline. It also supports joint operations across administrative boundaries in ecologically sensitive areas, as well as in regions known for frequent ecological and environmental violations within the Yangtze River Basin.
\nAccording to a case released by the top court in May 2024, three people used a three-layer gill net to fish in a national nature reserve for rare and endemic fish species in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River. Their catch included one Yangtze sturgeon and two rock carp, both of which are nationally protected species.
\nThe Jiangjin district people's procuratorate in Chongqing filed criminal charges and an accompanying civil public interest lawsuit against the three defendants for endangering precious and endangered wild animals. The court found the trio guilty and sentenced each to 15 months in prison, with suspended sentences of 18 months, along with fines ranging from 5,000 to 9,000 yuan ($697 to $1,255).
\nThe guideline also emphasizes strengthening professional and technical support to develop a sound and standardized environmental assessment and appraisal system. This includes improving expertise in investigation and evidence collection, damage assessment and ecological restoration.
\nIt further calls for enhanced cross-departmental information sharing, including promoting big data collaboration in case handling and regular updates, and joint use of ecological and environmental law enforcement and judicial data across the Yangtze River Basin.
\nAnother case cited by the court took place in Fujian province, where a man surnamed Chen illegally logged over 21 cubic meters of timber in a State-owned forest. He was sentenced to 18 months in prison and fined 10,000 yuan after undertaking ecological restoration efforts and compensating for environmental losses.
\nThe court said that restorative justice was applied throughout the case, with close cooperation between courts and forestry authorities to implement a compensation mechanism and valuation methods for losses in forest ecosystem service function.
\nThe guideline also calls for promoting diversified dispute resolution by strengthening coordination between government departments and courts, and ensuring effective integration of environmental and resource-related litigation with non-litigation dispute resolution mechanisms.
\nlishangyi@chinadaily.com.cn
\n", - "content": "To improve the systematic protection of the Yangtze River, the Supreme People's Court and 11 other State-level departments have jointly released a guideline aimed at enhancing coordination between law enforcement and judicial bodies, while addressing existing problems and drawing on successful local practices.
\nThe guideline calls for stronger interdepartmental communication and unified law enforcement and judicial standards, focusing on frequently occurring cases and key areas such as pollution prevention, the Yangtze River's 10-year fishing ban and river sand mining management.
\nRegarding enforcement actions, a balanced approach that combines strict law-based case handling with governance improvements should be adopted, according to the guideline. It also supports joint operations across administrative boundaries in ecologically sensitive areas, as well as in regions known for frequent ecological and environmental violations within the Yangtze River Basin.
\nAccording to a case released by the top court in May 2024, three people used a three-layer gill net to fish in a national nature reserve for rare and endemic fish species in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River. Their catch included one Yangtze sturgeon and two rock carp, both of which are nationally protected species.
\nThe Jiangjin district people's procuratorate in Chongqing filed criminal charges and an accompanying civil public interest lawsuit against the three defendants for endangering precious and endangered wild animals. The court found the trio guilty and sentenced each to 15 months in prison, with suspended sentences of 18 months, along with fines ranging from 5,000 to 9,000 yuan ($697 to $1,255).
\nThe guideline also emphasizes strengthening professional and technical support to develop a sound and standardized environmental assessment and appraisal system. This includes improving expertise in investigation and evidence collection, damage assessment and ecological restoration.
\nIt further calls for enhanced cross-departmental information sharing, including promoting big data collaboration in case handling and regular updates, and joint use of ecological and environmental law enforcement and judicial data across the Yangtze River Basin.
\nAnother case cited by the court took place in Fujian province, where a man surnamed Chen illegally logged over 21 cubic meters of timber in a State-owned forest. He was sentenced to 18 months in prison and fined 10,000 yuan after undertaking ecological restoration efforts and compensating for environmental losses.
\nThe court said that restorative justice was applied throughout the case, with close cooperation between courts and forestry authorities to implement a compensation mechanism and valuation methods for losses in forest ecosystem service function.
\nThe guideline also calls for promoting diversified dispute resolution by strengthening coordination between government departments and courts, and ensuring effective integration of environmental and resource-related litigation with non-litigation dispute resolution mechanisms.
\nlishangyi@chinadaily.com.cn
\n", - "category": "", - "link": "https://mobile.chinadaily.com.cn/cn/html5/2025-08/15/content_004_689e52c1ed50ccabe15178f7.htm#004CHINA", - "creator": "", - "pubDate": "Fri, 15 Aug 2025 00:21:04 +0000", - "enclosure": "", - "enclosureType": "", - "image": "", - "id": "", - "language": "", - "folder": "双语", - "feed": "ChinaDaily", - "read": false, - "favorite": false, - "created": false, - "tags": [], - "hash": "0863e154ab279ae37fcd6a727f4a9145", - "highlights": [] - }, { "title": "004CHINA - United in spirit", "description": "![](\"https://mobile.chinadaily.com.cn/cn/resfile/2025-08-15/004/20250815_004_03_26.png\")
Visitors explore a memorial exhibition on the contribution of overseas Chinese in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and World Anti-Fascist War, themed "united across vast distances", at the Overseas Chinese History Museum of China in Beijing on Thursday.
\n", @@ -7441,28 +7199,6 @@ "hash": "2c20c79ffa237e15b3e719cfe9092a38", "highlights": [] }, - { - "title": "004CHINA - Briefly", - "description": "Shenzhou XX crew to carry out spacewalk
\nThe Shenzhou XX mission crew members aboard the Tiangong space station are scheduled to carry out their third spacewalk in the coming days, the China Manned Space Agency said on Thursday. The three orbital travelers — mission commander Senior Colonel Chen Dong and crew members Colonel Chen Zhongrui and Colonel Wang Jie — have been aboard the station for more than three months since their arrival on April 25. They have conducted a host of assignments, including examinations and maintenance work on instruments, installations of intravehicular devices, monitoring of inner environment, and unpacking and testing new spacewalk suits, the agency said in a media statement.
\nBody of Beijing official lost in flood recovered
\nThe body of Yin Chunyan, Party secretary of Sunhugou village in Beijing's Huairou district, has been found following an intensive search, Beijing Radio and Television Station reported on Thursday. Rescuers discovered her remains on Wednesday afternoon near Baihewan in Baihebei village. Local authorities have set up a committee to handle the funeral arrangements, according to the report. Yin and her husband, Cai Yongzhang, were swept away by floodwaters on July 26 while helping villagers evacuate. Cai's body was recovered on Aug 4, about 300 to 400 meters downstream from where they were last seen.
\nDeath sentence for poisoning upheld
\nThe Hunan High People's Court rejected on Thursday a graduate student's appeal and upheld his death sentence after he poisoned his roommates' food, causing the death of one. The court said that after reviewing Zhou Liren's appeal of the first-instance verdict, it found the facts established at trial to be clear, the evidence conclusive and sufficient and the sentence appropriate. On April 7, the Xiangtan Intermediate People's Court sentenced Zhou to death for intentional homicide and deprived him of his political rights for life. The Xiangtan court determined that Zhou, motivated by personal vengeance, put a highly toxic substance into a can of oatmeal shared by two of his roommates. The Hunan High People's Court has submitted Zhou's death sentence to the Supreme People's Court for approval, as required by law.
\n", - "content": "Shenzhou XX crew to carry out spacewalk
\nThe Shenzhou XX mission crew members aboard the Tiangong space station are scheduled to carry out their third spacewalk in the coming days, the China Manned Space Agency said on Thursday. The three orbital travelers — mission commander Senior Colonel Chen Dong and crew members Colonel Chen Zhongrui and Colonel Wang Jie — have been aboard the station for more than three months since their arrival on April 25. They have conducted a host of assignments, including examinations and maintenance work on instruments, installations of intravehicular devices, monitoring of inner environment, and unpacking and testing new spacewalk suits, the agency said in a media statement.
\nBody of Beijing official lost in flood recovered
\nThe body of Yin Chunyan, Party secretary of Sunhugou village in Beijing's Huairou district, has been found following an intensive search, Beijing Radio and Television Station reported on Thursday. Rescuers discovered her remains on Wednesday afternoon near Baihewan in Baihebei village. Local authorities have set up a committee to handle the funeral arrangements, according to the report. Yin and her husband, Cai Yongzhang, were swept away by floodwaters on July 26 while helping villagers evacuate. Cai's body was recovered on Aug 4, about 300 to 400 meters downstream from where they were last seen.
\nDeath sentence for poisoning upheld
\nThe Hunan High People's Court rejected on Thursday a graduate student's appeal and upheld his death sentence after he poisoned his roommates' food, causing the death of one. The court said that after reviewing Zhou Liren's appeal of the first-instance verdict, it found the facts established at trial to be clear, the evidence conclusive and sufficient and the sentence appropriate. On April 7, the Xiangtan Intermediate People's Court sentenced Zhou to death for intentional homicide and deprived him of his political rights for life. The Xiangtan court determined that Zhou, motivated by personal vengeance, put a highly toxic substance into a can of oatmeal shared by two of his roommates. The Hunan High People's Court has submitted Zhou's death sentence to the Supreme People's Court for approval, as required by law.
\n", - "category": "", - "link": "https://mobile.chinadaily.com.cn/cn/html5/2025-08/15/content_004_689e52d2ed50ccabe15178fb.htm#004CHINA", - "creator": "", - "pubDate": "Fri, 15 Aug 2025 00:21:04 +0000", - "enclosure": "", - "enclosureType": "", - "image": "", - "id": "", - "language": "", - "folder": "双语", - "feed": "ChinaDaily", - "read": false, - "favorite": false, - "created": false, - "tags": [], - "hash": "a2b661d402bdbb83f33645580eef079e", - "highlights": [] - }, { "title": "004CHINA - Galloping glory", "description": "![](\"https://mobile.chinadaily.com.cn/cn/resfile/2025-08-15/004/20250815_004_07_27.png\")
A performer showcases equestrian skills at the opening ceremony of the 16th Gesar Horse Racing Festival in Maqu county, Gannan Tibetan autonomous prefecture, Gansu province, on Wednesday.
\n", @@ -7485,28 +7221,6 @@ "hash": "acde978fe218b2e47f2f57661afd1c67", "highlights": [] }, - { - "title": "005CHINA - Human-machine symbiosis on full display at Beijing games", - "description": "The world's first humanoid robot games opened in Beijing on Thursday, offering a glimpse into what organizers describe as a "new era of human-machine symbiosis".
\nThe 2025 World Humanoid Robot Games began on Thursday evening at the National Speed Skating Oval, known locally as the Ice Ribbon, and will run until Sunday. About 280 teams from 16 countries and regions, bringing together more than 500 robots, are competing in 26 events across 538 matches.
\nThe opening ceremony featured a cultural performance combining Chinese opera, martial arts and robotics, with 60 robots dressed in traditional costumes moving in sync with acrobatic performers.
\nStefan Hensel, supervisor of Germany's Sweaty team, praised the Beijing event as "a nice and open community and an Olympic Games for the industry".
\n"During the games if you have a problem, everybody is ready to help you, and thus the event is set to boost the industry's progress, in particular the software," said Hensel, whose team is a four-time runner-up at the international RoboCup humanoid soccer competition.
\nPreliminary rounds began on Monday.
\nSome viewers online said the humanoid soccer matches lacked excitement, as the robots moved stiffly and made clumsy decisions on the pitch.
\nLyu Ming, an after-sales manager at Booster Robotics, a Beijing-based company providing the robots for the soccer match during the event, explained that in robot sports, the aim was not entertainment but advancing control, perception and decision-making.
\n"The awkward movements, algorithm optimization and lessons from failure are all incremental steps as humanoid robots evolve from the lab to commercial use," he said.
\nBeijing officials said the capital is positioning itself as a national hub for robotics innovation. Jiang Guangzhi, head of the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Economy and Information Technology, said the city has supported the development of 200 innovative robotic products across 12 categories. These innovative products have been tested and applied in 134 scenarios across 11 industries.
\n"Through the implementation of a demonstration project featuring hundreds of application scenarios, we are leveraging Beijing's vast and diverse urban environment to enhance scenario innovation and strengthen the connection between supply and demand."
\nHe added that a robot-themed park is planned, featuring applications for ecological monitoring, disinfection, water cleaning and street sweeping.
\nIndustry leaders said continued investment and collaboration are vital if humanoid robotics is to progress beyond research prototypes.
\nWang Xingxing, CEO of Unitree Robotics, which is reported to hold an estimated 60 to 70 percent share of the global quadruped robot market, said that investment in the embodied robotics industry remained stable, but further breakthroughs were still needed.
\n"Achieving humanlike capabilities in robots could take two to three years of technological advancements, or up to five at a slower pace," he said at the 2025 World Robot Conference, which was held in Beijing recently, adding that the robotics boom "is unlikely to last beyond a decade".
\nAbout half of Unitree's revenue comes from overseas markets, and Wang said global collaboration was key to the company's strategy.
\nyangcheng@chinadaily.com.cn
\nThe world's first humanoid robot games opened in Beijing on Thursday, offering a glimpse into what organizers describe as a "new era of human-machine symbiosis".
\nThe 2025 World Humanoid Robot Games began on Thursday evening at the National Speed Skating Oval, known locally as the Ice Ribbon, and will run until Sunday. About 280 teams from 16 countries and regions, bringing together more than 500 robots, are competing in 26 events across 538 matches.
\nThe opening ceremony featured a cultural performance combining Chinese opera, martial arts and robotics, with 60 robots dressed in traditional costumes moving in sync with acrobatic performers.
\nStefan Hensel, supervisor of Germany's Sweaty team, praised the Beijing event as "a nice and open community and an Olympic Games for the industry".
\n"During the games if you have a problem, everybody is ready to help you, and thus the event is set to boost the industry's progress, in particular the software," said Hensel, whose team is a four-time runner-up at the international RoboCup humanoid soccer competition.
\nPreliminary rounds began on Monday.
\nSome viewers online said the humanoid soccer matches lacked excitement, as the robots moved stiffly and made clumsy decisions on the pitch.
\nLyu Ming, an after-sales manager at Booster Robotics, a Beijing-based company providing the robots for the soccer match during the event, explained that in robot sports, the aim was not entertainment but advancing control, perception and decision-making.
\n"The awkward movements, algorithm optimization and lessons from failure are all incremental steps as humanoid robots evolve from the lab to commercial use," he said.
\nBeijing officials said the capital is positioning itself as a national hub for robotics innovation. Jiang Guangzhi, head of the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Economy and Information Technology, said the city has supported the development of 200 innovative robotic products across 12 categories. These innovative products have been tested and applied in 134 scenarios across 11 industries.
\n"Through the implementation of a demonstration project featuring hundreds of application scenarios, we are leveraging Beijing's vast and diverse urban environment to enhance scenario innovation and strengthen the connection between supply and demand."
\nHe added that a robot-themed park is planned, featuring applications for ecological monitoring, disinfection, water cleaning and street sweeping.
\nIndustry leaders said continued investment and collaboration are vital if humanoid robotics is to progress beyond research prototypes.
\nWang Xingxing, CEO of Unitree Robotics, which is reported to hold an estimated 60 to 70 percent share of the global quadruped robot market, said that investment in the embodied robotics industry remained stable, but further breakthroughs were still needed.
\n"Achieving humanlike capabilities in robots could take two to three years of technological advancements, or up to five at a slower pace," he said at the 2025 World Robot Conference, which was held in Beijing recently, adding that the robotics boom "is unlikely to last beyond a decade".
\nAbout half of Unitree's revenue comes from overseas markets, and Wang said global collaboration was key to the company's strategy.
\nyangcheng@chinadaily.com.cn
\n![](\"https://mobile.chinadaily.com.cn/cn/resfile/2025-08-15/005/20250815_005_03_17.png\")
\nAs the doors swing open at Beijing's new robot-themed restaurant, diners are greeted by humanoid workers who nod and speak in lifelike gestures, while robotic servers glide between tables delivering dishes and a robot band plays drums and guitars, turning a dining experience into a futuristic spectacle.
\n"The restaurant gives me a fresh sense of technology. It's quite an amazing attempt," said Ding Wenjun, a tourist from Jiangxi province.
\nSun Ling, head of the Robot Restaurant, said, "It is not only an immersive dining place integrating cuisine, culture and technology, but also provides a scenario for robot application and data collection."
\nThe tech-savvy restaurant is participating in the E-Town Robot Consumption Festival, running from Aug 2 to Sunday. The event was organized by the administrative committee of the Beijing Economic-Technological Development Area, also known as Beijing E-Town.
\nMaking its debut at the festival is the Robot Mall, a 4,000-square-meter "robot 4S" store. It features more than 50 products across medical, industrial and companion robotics.
\nFor example, the Galbot G1, a wheeled-chassis humanoid robot, can retrieve medications from shelves and deliver them directly to patients.
\n"It can automatically dispense and distribute medications, alleviating the heavy workload of nurses and reducing the risk of human error," said Meng Yanpei, a manager at the mall. "In pharmacies, it serves emergency patients, especially at night, while also lowering operating costs by taking over repetitive tasks."
\nOver 10 pharmacies in Beijing are now operating 24 hours a day with the use of a Galbot G1. The robot is priced at 680,000 yuan ($94,800), a 50,000 yuan discount, at the 4S store during the festival.
\nAs of Tuesday, more than 19,000 robots and related products have been sold during the festival, generating total sales of over 200 million yuan. Meanwhile, the distribution of consumption vouchers has boosted sales by over 60 million yuan, according to the administrative committee of Beijing E-Town.
\nMeanwhile, shopping malls and e-commerce platform JD.com are hosting sales campaigns at the festival. Enterprises can enjoy subsidies of up to 250,000 yuan on robot purchases.
\nTargeting online consumers, JD.com has showcased over 680 robots and related products, including quadruped, biped, exoskeleton, and educational and companion robots, offering a maximum subsidy of 600 yuan for a single product.
\n"In the past, these robots were priced in the millions of yuan, but now they are becoming more affordable," said Xu Lei, head of the Intelligent Robot Business Department under the 3C Digital Business Group of JD.com. "We hope to leverage the advantages of online sales, brand support and supply chains to make robots accessible to more consumers."
\nZhang Hao, chief scientist of ALVA (Beijing) Technology Co, said that robots are still in their infancy and are often used mainly for display. "Even though they may stagger while walking, they captivate us because we can sense their intelligence gradually maturing."
\n"Only when robots help customers make money will they buy and keep buying such machines," said Zhang, adding that such machines must be practical, affordable, versatile and of effective use for consumers.
\nZhang's perspective echoes that of Massimiliano Zecca, a professor of healthcare technology at Loughborough University in the United Kingdom.
\n"Humanoid robots now require an engineering team to look after them," the professor said. "They need to bring real value to form a natural market."
\nDespite the limitations of the robots, Zecca was clearly impressed by a humanoid coffee barista crafting intricate latte art at the 2025 World Robot Conference, which concluded on Tuesday.
\n"I would pay for a cup of coffee with artistic flavor. The evolution of humanoid robots will surely provide more choices to meet personal preferences," Zecca said.
\n", @@ -7529,28 +7243,6 @@ "hash": "e1fb88a56ea7c3bce75f1ea512b9c1c3", "highlights": [] }, - { - "title": "006CHINA - Scientists break ground on DNA synthesis", - "description": "![](\"https://mobile.chinadaily.com.cn/cn/resfile/2025-08-15/006/20250815_006_01_31.png\")
Online Scan the code to watch the video.
\n![](\"https://mobile.chinadaily.com.cn/cn/resfile/2025-08-15/006/20250815_006_01_29.png\")
Yuan Yingjin
\n![](\"https://mobile.chinadaily.com.cn/cn/resfile/2025-08-15/006/20250815_006_01_25.png\")
Industrial biotechnology researchers work in a laboratory affiliated with the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Tianjin in January last year.
\n![](\"https://mobile.chinadaily.com.cn/cn/resfile/2025-08-15/006/20250815_006_01_26.png\")
An artist's impression of DNA information storage technology.
\nA recent breakthrough in synthetic biology in Tianjin could pave the way for new treatments for genetic diseases like sickle cell disease and congenital deafness.
\nA study published in the science methodology journal Nature Methods on July 10 by a team of scientists from Tianjin University claimed to have synthesized a human genome fragment exceeding one million base pairs in length, and successfully transferred it into mice embryos to verify its function.
\nAccording to those involved, this achievement marks a significant advancement in human genome synthesis and transfer technology.
\nThe human genome is closely linked to human life, health and disease. Since the completion of the Human Genome Project in 2003, scientists have been trying to synthesize the human genome, but have long struggled with technological bottlenecks.
\nOver 50 percent of the human genome consists of complex repetitive sequences, posing a considerable challenge to precise synthesis.
\n"It's like a jigsaw puzzle with millions of pieces, many of which look very similar, making the assembly extremely challenging," said Yuan Yingjin, who led the team.
\nYuan, who is also an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and director of the State Key Lab of Synthetic Biology, said that even if long genome fragments are synthesized, validating their genetic function is difficult without transferring them into an animal.
\nYuan's team has developed the SynNICE method to tackle this problem.
\n"Using this method, we have for the first time completed the synthesis of high-repetition human DNA at the million-base-pair level and efficiently transferred this fragment intact into early mice embryos using a yeast nucleus as the transfer shuttle," Yuan said.
\nInternationally, most research teams in human DNA synthesis are still working at the hundred-kilo-base-pair level and find it challenging to efficiently transfer DNA into mammalian embryos.
\nThis makes this latest development a significant leap forward.
\n"For decades, scientists have enhanced their understanding of the human genome through sequencing and reading information. By adopting a bottom-up approach to synthesize genes from basic units, we can more directly reveal causal relationships among genome sequences, functions and diseases," Yuan said.
\n"Scientists are no longer content merely to 'read' and 'edit' the book of life — they now have the ability to 'write' new chapters in it," he added.
\nThe team's research focused on a segment called AZFa on the human Y chromosome, chosen because its deletion is a cause of untreatable male infertility. Synthesizing this segment posed significant challenges, as over 69 percent of its sequence consists of repetitive elements, making it extremely prone to mismatches and recombination, which could lead to failure, Yuan explained.
\nTo overcome this challenge, the team devised a combined assembly strategy. Initially, they divided the sequence into over 200 smaller fragments, which were then assembled into 23 medium-sized components using Saccharomyces cerevisiae, also known as brewer's yeast. These components were further assembled into four larger structures, again utilizing the yeast.
\nFinally, employing the gene-editing technique CRISPR-Cas9 and a yeast mating system, the team successfully assembled all fragments into a single, perfectly integrated artificial synthetic chromosome spanning 1.14 million base pairs.
\nBrewer's yeast was used as it serves as a powerful biological tool equipped with a highly efficient homologous recombination system that automatically recognizes and seamlessly joins matching DNA sequences, said Yuan.
\nThe problem remained of how to safely transfer this large and fragile genome fragment into mice embryos. The team solved this by using yeast nuclei as natural, solid carriers.
\n"If transferring DNA across species is like a moon landing mission on Earth, our use of yeast nuclei is akin to the spacecraft that safely transports astronauts between Earth and the moon, protecting and compressing the synthetic genome," said Yuan.
\nThis method involves isolating the entire yeast nucleus containing the synthetic DNA. This nucleus acts as a natural, sturdy transport capsule, providing perfect physical protection for the genetic material inside, said Liu Yue, a member of the research team.
\nThe research can shed new light on the treatment of diseases related to chromosomal anomalies. In the future, by synthesizing key gene fragments, scientists may be able to correct defects in the AZFa region causing infertility. Understanding the correlation between genomic variations and diseases can also guide treatments for conditions such as cancer.
\nTang Fuchou, a professor at Peking University, said the SynNICE method could potentially extend the functional lifespan of xenotransplantation with humanized pig donor organs in human bodies from two to three years to several decades, offering revolutionary hope for addressing the global organ shortage.
\nYuan said the substantial resources provided for basic research were crucial for the team to be able to tackle such "unclaimed territories" in science, such as repetitive sequence assembly and nuclear transfer.
\nInterdisciplinary collaboration was essential, bringing together experts in synthetic biology, medicine, developmental biology and epigenetics, he said. Gene function validation in the research was carried out by teams from Tianjin University and Tsinghua University, with several hospitals providing real clinical cases for the study.
\n"Humanity is still in the technology development stage for DNA synthesis. While advancing technological innovation, China remains highly attentive to biosecurity," he said.
\nIn 2017, Tianjin University led scientists from over 20 countries across four continents in drafting the "Tianjin Biosecurity Guidelines for Codes of Conduct for Scientists", which the World Health Organization has recognized as a global biosecurity ethical standard.
\nYuan said the ability to synthesize large genomes could spark a medical revolution, potentially curing currently incurable diseases and paving the way for new treatments.
\nThe study report was titled De novo Assembly and Delivery of Synthetic Megabase-Scale Human DNA into Mouse Early Embryos.
\nyandongjie@chinadaily.com.cn
\n", - "content": "Online Scan the code to watch the video.
\nYuan Yingjin
\nIndustrial biotechnology researchers work in a laboratory affiliated with the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Tianjin in January last year.
\nAn artist's impression of DNA information storage technology.
\nA recent breakthrough in synthetic biology in Tianjin could pave the way for new treatments for genetic diseases like sickle cell disease and congenital deafness.
\nA study published in the science methodology journal Nature Methods on July 10 by a team of scientists from Tianjin University claimed to have synthesized a human genome fragment exceeding one million base pairs in length, and successfully transferred it into mice embryos to verify its function.
\nAccording to those involved, this achievement marks a significant advancement in human genome synthesis and transfer technology.
\nThe human genome is closely linked to human life, health and disease. Since the completion of the Human Genome Project in 2003, scientists have been trying to synthesize the human genome, but have long struggled with technological bottlenecks.
\nOver 50 percent of the human genome consists of complex repetitive sequences, posing a considerable challenge to precise synthesis.
\n"It's like a jigsaw puzzle with millions of pieces, many of which look very similar, making the assembly extremely challenging," said Yuan Yingjin, who led the team.
\nYuan, who is also an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and director of the State Key Lab of Synthetic Biology, said that even if long genome fragments are synthesized, validating their genetic function is difficult without transferring them into an animal.
\nYuan's team has developed the SynNICE method to tackle this problem.
\n"Using this method, we have for the first time completed the synthesis of high-repetition human DNA at the million-base-pair level and efficiently transferred this fragment intact into early mice embryos using a yeast nucleus as the transfer shuttle," Yuan said.
\nInternationally, most research teams in human DNA synthesis are still working at the hundred-kilo-base-pair level and find it challenging to efficiently transfer DNA into mammalian embryos.
\nThis makes this latest development a significant leap forward.
\n"For decades, scientists have enhanced their understanding of the human genome through sequencing and reading information. By adopting a bottom-up approach to synthesize genes from basic units, we can more directly reveal causal relationships among genome sequences, functions and diseases," Yuan said.
\n"Scientists are no longer content merely to 'read' and 'edit' the book of life — they now have the ability to 'write' new chapters in it," he added.
\nThe team's research focused on a segment called AZFa on the human Y chromosome, chosen because its deletion is a cause of untreatable male infertility. Synthesizing this segment posed significant challenges, as over 69 percent of its sequence consists of repetitive elements, making it extremely prone to mismatches and recombination, which could lead to failure, Yuan explained.
\nTo overcome this challenge, the team devised a combined assembly strategy. Initially, they divided the sequence into over 200 smaller fragments, which were then assembled into 23 medium-sized components using Saccharomyces cerevisiae, also known as brewer's yeast. These components were further assembled into four larger structures, again utilizing the yeast.
\nFinally, employing the gene-editing technique CRISPR-Cas9 and a yeast mating system, the team successfully assembled all fragments into a single, perfectly integrated artificial synthetic chromosome spanning 1.14 million base pairs.
\nBrewer's yeast was used as it serves as a powerful biological tool equipped with a highly efficient homologous recombination system that automatically recognizes and seamlessly joins matching DNA sequences, said Yuan.
\nThe problem remained of how to safely transfer this large and fragile genome fragment into mice embryos. The team solved this by using yeast nuclei as natural, solid carriers.
\n"If transferring DNA across species is like a moon landing mission on Earth, our use of yeast nuclei is akin to the spacecraft that safely transports astronauts between Earth and the moon, protecting and compressing the synthetic genome," said Yuan.
\nThis method involves isolating the entire yeast nucleus containing the synthetic DNA. This nucleus acts as a natural, sturdy transport capsule, providing perfect physical protection for the genetic material inside, said Liu Yue, a member of the research team.
\nThe research can shed new light on the treatment of diseases related to chromosomal anomalies. In the future, by synthesizing key gene fragments, scientists may be able to correct defects in the AZFa region causing infertility. Understanding the correlation between genomic variations and diseases can also guide treatments for conditions such as cancer.
\nTang Fuchou, a professor at Peking University, said the SynNICE method could potentially extend the functional lifespan of xenotransplantation with humanized pig donor organs in human bodies from two to three years to several decades, offering revolutionary hope for addressing the global organ shortage.
\nYuan said the substantial resources provided for basic research were crucial for the team to be able to tackle such "unclaimed territories" in science, such as repetitive sequence assembly and nuclear transfer.
\nInterdisciplinary collaboration was essential, bringing together experts in synthetic biology, medicine, developmental biology and epigenetics, he said. Gene function validation in the research was carried out by teams from Tianjin University and Tsinghua University, with several hospitals providing real clinical cases for the study.
\n"Humanity is still in the technology development stage for DNA synthesis. While advancing technological innovation, China remains highly attentive to biosecurity," he said.
\nIn 2017, Tianjin University led scientists from over 20 countries across four continents in drafting the "Tianjin Biosecurity Guidelines for Codes of Conduct for Scientists", which the World Health Organization has recognized as a global biosecurity ethical standard.
\nYuan said the ability to synthesize large genomes could spark a medical revolution, potentially curing currently incurable diseases and paving the way for new treatments.
\nThe study report was titled De novo Assembly and Delivery of Synthetic Megabase-Scale Human DNA into Mouse Early Embryos.
\nyandongjie@chinadaily.com.cn
\n", - "category": "", - "link": "https://mobile.chinadaily.com.cn/cn/html5/2025-08/15/content_006_689e52f4ed50ccabe1517903.htm#006CHINA", - "creator": "", - "pubDate": "Fri, 15 Aug 2025 00:21:04 +0000", - "enclosure": "", - "enclosureType": "", - "image": "", - "id": "", - "language": "", - "folder": "双语", - "feed": "ChinaDaily", - "read": false, - "favorite": false, - "created": false, - "tags": [], - "hash": "e90d626e1b0f50246ef67c71346551a7", - "highlights": [] - }, { "title": "007CHINA - Algorithms help grow seedlings on hot days", "description": "![](\"https://mobile.chinadaily.com.cn/cn/resfile/2025-08-15/007/20250815_007_01_18.png\")
A technician (right) checks the growth of seedlings through a monitor in a greenhouse at the Zhixin Digital Seedling Breeding Industrial Park in Raoyang county, Hebei province.
\nIn Raoyang county, Hebei province, a high-tech approach is overturning long-held beliefs that North China's sweltering summers are ill-suited for seedling cultivation.
\nAt the Zhixin Digital Seedling Breeding Industrial Park in Raoyang in Hengshui city, algorithms now replace gut instinct.
\nThe cutting-edge solutions are transforming challenging conditions of high temperatures, heavy rain and intense sunlight into precisely controlled parameters, enabling consistent and high-quality seedling production in the hot season.
\n"In the past, we relied on experience. Now, we rely on algorithms," said Wei Fangcui, the park's director, while navigating the park's cloud-based management platform via a tablet.
\nThe system integrates over a dozen critical parameters, including micro-climate, soil conditions, and crop growth stages, using machines to autonomously optimize irrigation, nutrient delivery, light exposure and ventilation cycles.
\nStepping into the vast complex reveals a scene of quiet efficiency — automated rail-guided seedling beds glide smoothly, precision spray systems deliver moisture, and clusters of internet of things sensors display temperature and humidity data in real time.
\nThis highly integrated "breeding-cultivation-promotion" facility, a model of intelligent agriculture, now produces over 120 million robust seedlings annually, according to the park.
\n"Problems are spotted instantly and solved with a click," said technician Xie Keju, using a mobile app to track seedlings' "body temperature" and "nutritional intake". Sensors in eight vast glass greenhouses — each nearly 10,000 square meters and housing up to one million plants — feed real time data into the system, triggering automatic adjustments to ensure every seedling receives balanced nourishment.
\n"Crucially, the platform also provides early disease and pest warnings and tracks the growth history of individual plants," he said.
\nThe outcomes are compelling. According to Wei, the park achieves a five percent higher rate of strong, viable seedlings and reduces the overall cultivation cycle by five percent.
\n"These tech-based seedlings are the 'chips' of modern agriculture," she said.
\nTechnology is also reshaping productivity. An artificial intelligence-powered precision seeder allows one worker to sow 45 trays in three minutes, work that once took four people almost an hour. Xie now manages 300,000 seedlings singlehandedly, with his monthly income rising from 3,000 to 8,000 yuan ($417 to 1,112).
\nThis transformation stems from Raoyang county's "Science Commissioner plus Local Expert" training program, which has delivered over 100 specialized trainings on smart equipment and pest management, grooming over 10,000 skilled fruit and vegetable technicians, according to local authorities.
\n"Quality must be controlled from the very source," said Li Bingshun, deputy director of Raoyang county's agriculture and rural affairs bureau.
\nThis focus has attracted over 30 prominent breeding enterprises to establish operations in Raoyang. Together with 44 local seedling bases, they form an integrated breeding and promotion network, he said.
\nThe technological journey extends seamlessly from greenhouse to market. In the packaging facility, automated sorting lines place seedlings into custom boxes at a rate of three per second, each affixed with a QR code tracing its origin and journey.
\n"These 500,000 tomato seedlings head to Beijing tomorrow via refrigerated transport, reaching fields within 48 hours," Wei Fangcui said in an interview in July, pointing to live national demand data.
\nSince its February launch, the park has supplied over four million premium seedlings to multiple places, including the Ningxia Hui autonomous region, as well as provinces of Hebei and Henan, Wei said.
\nThe supplies cover over a dozen varieties of common and specialty fruit and vegetable seedlings, she added.
\n"The return on our technology investment is increasing rapidly," Wei said.
\nTheir seedlings, prized for superior genetics and consistent quality, have driven tangible benefits — farmers report average yield increases of 15 to 20 percent per hectare alongside significantly improved produce quality, achieving market satisfaction rates exceeding 90 percent, according to Wei.
\nThis revolution not only supplies premium seedlings nationally but also catalyzes local industry transformation.
\nRaoyang has established Hebei's first High-Quality Fruit and Vegetable Seed Industry Alliance, guiding breeding bases and planning 10,667-hectare demonstration zones. Additionally, it integrates data from the entire industry chain to create a regulatory platform.
\nCurrently, Raoyang has cultivated 28,667 hectares of fruits and vegetables, including 22,667 hectares of protected greenhouse crops, producing 2.4 million metric tons annually and supplying 2,000 tons daily to neighboring Beijing and Tianjin, according to local statistics.
\n"We will amplify our leading role, aiming to bring 40 more bases into the digital fold within two years, creating scale and synergy for shared resources and technology," Wei said.
\nShe added that continuous research& development investment will refine their algorithms and deepen IoT integration, embedding technology into every facet of seedling cultivation.
\nzhangyu1@chinadaily.com.cn
\n", @@ -7573,28 +7265,6 @@ "hash": "530b563fee5c117c4a82adb574c0934c", "highlights": [] }, - { - "title": "007CHINA - Adventure sports make Guizhou a top draw for visitors", - "description": "![](\"https://mobile.chinadaily.com.cn/cn/resfile/2025-08-15/007/20250815_007_03_16.png\")
A tourist enjoys the Super Swing at the Hou'er Tiankeng scenic area in Kaiyang county, Guizhou province.
\nGUIYANG — Karst landscapes, typical in Southwest China's Guizhou province, have emerged as a magnet for adventurers and outdoor sports enthusiasts this summer, drawing crowds with their unique geological wonders.
\n"Come here, and you'll shoot a viral life highlight reel — guaranteed to go trending!" a travel blogger wrote on a short-video platform, describing a scenic area in Guizhou.
\nThe Hou'er Tiankeng scenic area in Kaiyang county, a typical karst collapse sinkhole with a diameter of 300 meters and a depth of 280 meters, has been transformed into an extreme sports park.
\nThe Super Swing, the world's first extreme swing installed inside a sinkhole at the tourist attraction, boasts a vertical drop of 92 meters and has drawn crowds of visitors eager to try it. "We release tickets in the early morning, and some people say they lose sleep over snatching them up," said general manager Wu Canhua. Due to its unique geographical environment, the area has a limited daily capacity and has implemented a reservation system since 2024.
\nWhile visitors walk along the mountain path, vines hang from the sinkhole's cliffs, with winding streams below. The empty space in between is divided by ropes, resembling a spider's web strung inside the sinkhole.
\nOn the jumping platform, tourists, harnessed by two cables, took turns leaping into the sinkhole's depths. A first-person view drone followed tourists closely, while a smartphone and a 360-degree panoramic camera captured moments from multiple angles.
\nSinkhole highs
\nVideos posted on social media by tourists have sparked widespread attention and discussion. On Douyin, China's version of TikTok, related topics about Hou'er Tiankeng have exceeded 2 billion views, with some videos garnering more than 3 million likes.
\n"Long time no see, my brave and passionate self!" "Youth has no price tag — take the leap into the sinkhole." These are among the most popular comments on the trip after visitors challenged themselves.
\n"It was so thrilling. I felt like I was flying!" said Zhou Muning, a tourist from Chengdu in Sichuan province. "I'd seen these extreme sports on short videos before, and I came specifically to try them this time. The experience is unforgettable."
\nWu said: "Among our visitors, Gen Z makes up the largest group. We've catered to current filming and aesthetic trends, satisfying their desire to express themselves. In the past, people traveled for a room or a view; now, they travel for an experience."
\nCentering on visitors' experience, the scenic area continues to enrich its offerings. Beyond the Super Swing, it also provides options like via ferrata (iron path) climbing and cave exploration. "We're adopting a three-dimensional development approach, aiming to offer visitors a layered experience," said Wu. A newly developed high-altitude pipe track project has been completed and is undergoing third-party safety assessments.
\nShang Fajun, chief of the sports section in the county's culture and tourism bureau, said that the county fully leverages its mountain outdoor resources to promote deep integration of sports, culture and tourism.
\nData shows that from January to June this year, the site received 107,000 visitors, with total sales exceeding 67.97 million yuan ($9.47 million).
\nPerfect for rafting
\nIn midsummer, the karst heartland of Southwest China resembles a naturally carved wonderland, where visitors drift with the waves, experiencing the wonder of excitement and tranquility.
\nAt Luobei River in Guiding county, under a blue sky and white clouds, visitors put on life jackets and helmets, grab oars and board rafts to embark on a summer adventure.
\nGuizhou, with its magnificent karst landforms, dense water networks, and steep gorges, ranks among China's top rafting destinations.
\nLuobei River, hailed by netizens as the Tongtian River in the ancient classic Journey to the West — renowned for its mythic perils and iconic episodes — boasts a perfect combination of karst gorges and dynamic hydrology. A rafting journey of over 10 kilometers allows visitors to savor the joy of mountains and waters in a "crack of the earth".
\nThe river, with a relatively wide channel, drops some 88 meters from start to finish. Its course includes seven major rapids — one with an 8-meter drop — making it perfect for rafting.
\nHuang Runcheng, general manager of the raft operator, said that to ensure visitors' safety, the company has deployed 66 lifeguards along both sides of the river and equipped four inflatable rescue boats for rapid response to emergencies. All lifeguards have received training in rapid water and flood rescue and are stationed along the seven major rapids. In the heat of summer, the parking lot at the visitor service center is filled with cars from across the country. Huang noted that since the company reopened for rafting on June 20 this year, it has welcomed 35,000 visitors, a nearly 10-fold year-on-year increase.
\n"The more activities we offer, the better the experience," Huang said. Since resuming rafting in 2023, the site has focused on a "sports+adventure+outdoor" model, using rafting as a pivot to expand diverse outdoor activities and experiences, developing new projects such as water swings, deep-water diving platforms and electric paddle boards.
\nAs rafts reached the endpoint, many visitors, soaked to the skin, still chose to dive into the water even amid light rain.
\nXiong Peng, from Liupanshui city, Guizhou, has been selling local snacks, waterproof bags, sun hats and other items at the rafting starting point since late June. He said that during the summer vacation, as long as the weather is fine, visitors pour in, with weekend sales reaching 3,000 to 4,000 yuan a day.
\nMa Yun, deputy director of the county's culture and tourism bureau, said that from a single rafting project to a composite experience of "rafting+folk customs" and "rafting+research", the county is continuously improving tourism quality to make every visitor's "wave-chasing journey" an unforgettable memory.
\nWith diverse and innovative activities ranging from sky-high adventures to underground explorations, the mountainous province's summer economy is brimming with vitality. From January to June 2025, the total number of tourists across the province increased by 8.2 percent year-on-year, and the total tourism spending grew by 10.6 percent year-on-year.
\n", - "content": "A tourist enjoys the Super Swing at the Hou'er Tiankeng scenic area in Kaiyang county, Guizhou province.
\nGUIYANG — Karst landscapes, typical in Southwest China's Guizhou province, have emerged as a magnet for adventurers and outdoor sports enthusiasts this summer, drawing crowds with their unique geological wonders.
\n"Come here, and you'll shoot a viral life highlight reel — guaranteed to go trending!" a travel blogger wrote on a short-video platform, describing a scenic area in Guizhou.
\nThe Hou'er Tiankeng scenic area in Kaiyang county, a typical karst collapse sinkhole with a diameter of 300 meters and a depth of 280 meters, has been transformed into an extreme sports park.
\nThe Super Swing, the world's first extreme swing installed inside a sinkhole at the tourist attraction, boasts a vertical drop of 92 meters and has drawn crowds of visitors eager to try it. "We release tickets in the early morning, and some people say they lose sleep over snatching them up," said general manager Wu Canhua. Due to its unique geographical environment, the area has a limited daily capacity and has implemented a reservation system since 2024.
\nWhile visitors walk along the mountain path, vines hang from the sinkhole's cliffs, with winding streams below. The empty space in between is divided by ropes, resembling a spider's web strung inside the sinkhole.
\nOn the jumping platform, tourists, harnessed by two cables, took turns leaping into the sinkhole's depths. A first-person view drone followed tourists closely, while a smartphone and a 360-degree panoramic camera captured moments from multiple angles.
\nSinkhole highs
\nVideos posted on social media by tourists have sparked widespread attention and discussion. On Douyin, China's version of TikTok, related topics about Hou'er Tiankeng have exceeded 2 billion views, with some videos garnering more than 3 million likes.
\n"Long time no see, my brave and passionate self!" "Youth has no price tag — take the leap into the sinkhole." These are among the most popular comments on the trip after visitors challenged themselves.
\n"It was so thrilling. I felt like I was flying!" said Zhou Muning, a tourist from Chengdu in Sichuan province. "I'd seen these extreme sports on short videos before, and I came specifically to try them this time. The experience is unforgettable."
\nWu said: "Among our visitors, Gen Z makes up the largest group. We've catered to current filming and aesthetic trends, satisfying their desire to express themselves. In the past, people traveled for a room or a view; now, they travel for an experience."
\nCentering on visitors' experience, the scenic area continues to enrich its offerings. Beyond the Super Swing, it also provides options like via ferrata (iron path) climbing and cave exploration. "We're adopting a three-dimensional development approach, aiming to offer visitors a layered experience," said Wu. A newly developed high-altitude pipe track project has been completed and is undergoing third-party safety assessments.
\nShang Fajun, chief of the sports section in the county's culture and tourism bureau, said that the county fully leverages its mountain outdoor resources to promote deep integration of sports, culture and tourism.
\nData shows that from January to June this year, the site received 107,000 visitors, with total sales exceeding 67.97 million yuan ($9.47 million).
\nPerfect for rafting
\nIn midsummer, the karst heartland of Southwest China resembles a naturally carved wonderland, where visitors drift with the waves, experiencing the wonder of excitement and tranquility.
\nAt Luobei River in Guiding county, under a blue sky and white clouds, visitors put on life jackets and helmets, grab oars and board rafts to embark on a summer adventure.
\nGuizhou, with its magnificent karst landforms, dense water networks, and steep gorges, ranks among China's top rafting destinations.
\nLuobei River, hailed by netizens as the Tongtian River in the ancient classic Journey to the West — renowned for its mythic perils and iconic episodes — boasts a perfect combination of karst gorges and dynamic hydrology. A rafting journey of over 10 kilometers allows visitors to savor the joy of mountains and waters in a "crack of the earth".
\nThe river, with a relatively wide channel, drops some 88 meters from start to finish. Its course includes seven major rapids — one with an 8-meter drop — making it perfect for rafting.
\nHuang Runcheng, general manager of the raft operator, said that to ensure visitors' safety, the company has deployed 66 lifeguards along both sides of the river and equipped four inflatable rescue boats for rapid response to emergencies. All lifeguards have received training in rapid water and flood rescue and are stationed along the seven major rapids. In the heat of summer, the parking lot at the visitor service center is filled with cars from across the country. Huang noted that since the company reopened for rafting on June 20 this year, it has welcomed 35,000 visitors, a nearly 10-fold year-on-year increase.
\n"The more activities we offer, the better the experience," Huang said. Since resuming rafting in 2023, the site has focused on a "sports+adventure+outdoor" model, using rafting as a pivot to expand diverse outdoor activities and experiences, developing new projects such as water swings, deep-water diving platforms and electric paddle boards.
\nAs rafts reached the endpoint, many visitors, soaked to the skin, still chose to dive into the water even amid light rain.
\nXiong Peng, from Liupanshui city, Guizhou, has been selling local snacks, waterproof bags, sun hats and other items at the rafting starting point since late June. He said that during the summer vacation, as long as the weather is fine, visitors pour in, with weekend sales reaching 3,000 to 4,000 yuan a day.
\nMa Yun, deputy director of the county's culture and tourism bureau, said that from a single rafting project to a composite experience of "rafting+folk customs" and "rafting+research", the county is continuously improving tourism quality to make every visitor's "wave-chasing journey" an unforgettable memory.
\nWith diverse and innovative activities ranging from sky-high adventures to underground explorations, the mountainous province's summer economy is brimming with vitality. From January to June 2025, the total number of tourists across the province increased by 8.2 percent year-on-year, and the total tourism spending grew by 10.6 percent year-on-year.
\n", - "category": "", - "link": "https://mobile.chinadaily.com.cn/cn/html5/2025-08/15/content_007_689e5305ed50ccabe1517907.htm#007CHINA", - "creator": "", - "pubDate": "Fri, 15 Aug 2025 00:21:04 +0000", - "enclosure": "", - "enclosureType": "", - "image": "", - "id": "", - "language": "", - "folder": "双语", - "feed": "ChinaDaily", - "read": false, - "favorite": false, - "created": false, - "tags": [], - "hash": "29948e13d7c2845d00a0ee8cbd464098", - "highlights": [] - }, { "title": "008COMMENT - Manila needs to cut loose from Washington", "description": "The USS Higgins, an Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer, "illegally entered China's territorial waters around Huangyan Island without the approval of the Chinese government" on Wednesday, and the People's Liberation Army Navy "tracked, monitored, and warned the vessel to leave", the PLA Southern Theater Command said in a statement that day.
\nSarah Merrill, a spokesperson for the US Seventh Fleet, based in Yokosuka, Japan, to which the USS Higgins belongs, said the warship was conducting a "freedom of navigation operation "in accordance with international law.
\nBut that's not the case. The only reason the US dispatched the vessel to those waters was to show its support for Manila to continue the hazardous game it is playing. A Philippine Coast Guard ship made some dangerous provocative maneuvers on Monday that posed a risk to the Chinese law enforcement ships patrolling in the waters. But US ambassador to the Philippines, MaryKay Carlson, on Tuesday ridiculously pointed the finger of blame at China for "the latest reckless action".
\nThe claim of Merrill that the USS Higgins was upholding the US' right to fly, sail and operate wherever international law allows only exposes the hypocrisy of the US. As the PLA statement said, the US warship "seriously" infringed on China's sovereignty, severely undermined peace and stability in the South China Sea, and violated international law and basic norms governing international relations.
\nThe US Navy spokesperson's dismissal of these remarks — "Nothing China says otherwise will deter us" — reveals the US' intention to constantly escalate tensions in the South China Sea, by emboldening the Philippines. The reason why the US sent the warship to the waters around Huangyan Island is because it realizes the consequences of the Philippines' provocations two days ago might make Manila jittery, waiting for China's response.
\nSince it assumed office over three years ago, the Ferdinand Marcos Jr government has been fully aware of the dangerous position it is putting the Philippines in by acting as a US pawn against China in the South China Sea. It has practiced a brinkmanship policy to try and maximize its gains in the US-orchestrated geopolitical game — reaching for a yard after taking an inch and hiding low to weather the self-created storms.
\nA review of what the Marcos government has done in playing its assigned role in the South China Sea clearly demonstrates that whenever it becomes hesitant and worried after playing with fire, the US will always show its support, usually by sending warships to the waters.
\nManila then has no choice but to continue playing its provocative game. Notably, its incursion into Chinese waters earlier this week came after Marcos' visit to the US late last month. Before that Marcos also made a series of irresponsible remarks on the Taiwan question and tried to drag India into the game it is playing with the US.
\nDuring his visit to the Pentagon, the Philippine president was reassured by his hosts, who reaffirmed the US' commitment to the two countries' mutual defense treaty, which states that an attack on either the Philippines or the US is deemed to be an attack on the other. The treaty is the major source of the Marcos government's confidence that the US will not abandon the Philippines in the case of an emergency. The US is actually taking advantage of that mentality to use the Philippines as a tool in its "Indo-Pacific" strategy, squeezing the space for its autonomy and alienating it from the other countries in the region.
\nBut the US knows it has not yet dispelled Manila's fear of either being discarded by the US or reaping what it has sowed in advancing the US' agenda at its own cost. So whenever Manila thinks it has gone too far, the US has to reassure it. Yet the US' exploitative approach to other hotspot issues incessantly reminds Manila that the US will take its pound of flesh.
\nHaving been pressed to be increasingly provocative, the Marcos government has finally realized that it is not a case of asking what the US can do for the Philippines, but rather what the Philippines can do for the US.
\nThe Philippines will succeed Malaysia as chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations next year, which offers the Marcos government a chance to prove it can contribute to regional peace and stability. In an interview for his podcast on Friday, Marcos confirmed that Manila would "certainly try" to push for a legally binding code of conduct for the South China Sea to maintain stability in the region that regional countries have been negotiating.
\nIt is certainly to be hoped that this is the case.
\n", @@ -7617,28 +7287,6 @@ "hash": "8b3369a4bf354fb052986316bbc4daf9", "highlights": [] }, - { - "title": "008COMMENT - '15 percent cut' is 'unique' only for its unrealistic confidence", - "description": "After Chinese authorities frowned upon security concerns over Nvidia's sales of downgraded H20 artificial intelligence semiconductors to China, the US administration has self-praised its approval of the sales as a "very unique solution" under certain conditions.
\nNvidia and AMD, another US tech company, have been permitted to resume the sales of downgraded AI chips to China on the condition that they share 15 percent of the revenue from sales with the US government.
\nUS Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the Nvidia and AMD deals could serve as a model for others. "I think we could see it in other industries over time," Bessent said in a television interview on Wednesday. "Right now, this is unique, but now that we have the model and the beta test, why not expand it?"
\nYet Bessent's optimism might prove conditional too. To begin with, that Nvidia and AMD accepted the arrangement does not mean other US companies dealing with China will follow suit.
\nThe haste with which the US Treasury chief tried to hail the genius of the move even before the two US companies have started making profit from the arrangement, stems from the US administration's acute need to counter the opposition's charge that its approval of AI chip sales to China will threaten the US' national security.
\nThe administration first highlighted that the chips had been suitably "tailored", leaving no room for security concerns. When that failed to have the desired effect, it threw light on the 15 percent cut, which Bessent emphasized "will go to pay down debt", suggesting it is for the public good.
\n"If we could make a substantial debt" repayment, that would then allow for discussions about a program for sending money to taxpayers, he said.
\nBut China's cautious approach to the US chips has apparently caught those who were calling the sales a seamless deal unprepared. If Chinese companies don't buy the chips — and they have enough reasons not to do so — the "Nvidia deal" might only prove to be a pipe dream.
\nWhen asked about China's wariness, Bessent said "sure, we can discuss that" with the Chinese. "But it also tells me that they are worried about the Nvidia chips becoming the standard in China."
\nWhich is actually not true. Chinese companies have already developed similar AI chips, though with a different structure, which Bessent admitted was what prompted the US administration to revoke the ban on sales of H20 chips to China in the first place.
\nBut Bessent should be reminded why the US' exploitative approach might not work. According to a Reuters report quoting "two people with direct knowledge of the previously unreported law enforcement tactic", US authorities have placed location-tracking devices in targeted shipments of advanced chips they feel have a high risk of being illegally diverted to China.
\nThe tracking devices, typically hidden in the packaging, will detect diversion to destinations that face US exports restrictions, the sources said.
\nThis shows the lengths to which the US is willing to go to enforce its chip exports restrictions on China, even as the US administration seeks to relax some curbs on Chinese access to advanced US semiconductors, as Reuters observed in the report.
\nThe trackers are intended to help build cases against people and companies who profit from violating US exports controls, according to the report.
\nLocation trackers are a decades-old investigative tool used by US law enforcement agencies to track products subject to exports restrictions, such as aircraft parts. They have been used to combat the illegal diversion of semiconductors in recent years, one source said.
\nIf that is true, the US chips' journey to China will certainly become bumpier.
\n", - "content": "After Chinese authorities frowned upon security concerns over Nvidia's sales of downgraded H20 artificial intelligence semiconductors to China, the US administration has self-praised its approval of the sales as a "very unique solution" under certain conditions.
\nNvidia and AMD, another US tech company, have been permitted to resume the sales of downgraded AI chips to China on the condition that they share 15 percent of the revenue from sales with the US government.
\nUS Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the Nvidia and AMD deals could serve as a model for others. "I think we could see it in other industries over time," Bessent said in a television interview on Wednesday. "Right now, this is unique, but now that we have the model and the beta test, why not expand it?"
\nYet Bessent's optimism might prove conditional too. To begin with, that Nvidia and AMD accepted the arrangement does not mean other US companies dealing with China will follow suit.
\nThe haste with which the US Treasury chief tried to hail the genius of the move even before the two US companies have started making profit from the arrangement, stems from the US administration's acute need to counter the opposition's charge that its approval of AI chip sales to China will threaten the US' national security.
\nThe administration first highlighted that the chips had been suitably "tailored", leaving no room for security concerns. When that failed to have the desired effect, it threw light on the 15 percent cut, which Bessent emphasized "will go to pay down debt", suggesting it is for the public good.
\n"If we could make a substantial debt" repayment, that would then allow for discussions about a program for sending money to taxpayers, he said.
\nBut China's cautious approach to the US chips has apparently caught those who were calling the sales a seamless deal unprepared. If Chinese companies don't buy the chips — and they have enough reasons not to do so — the "Nvidia deal" might only prove to be a pipe dream.
\nWhen asked about China's wariness, Bessent said "sure, we can discuss that" with the Chinese. "But it also tells me that they are worried about the Nvidia chips becoming the standard in China."
\nWhich is actually not true. Chinese companies have already developed similar AI chips, though with a different structure, which Bessent admitted was what prompted the US administration to revoke the ban on sales of H20 chips to China in the first place.
\nBut Bessent should be reminded why the US' exploitative approach might not work. According to a Reuters report quoting "two people with direct knowledge of the previously unreported law enforcement tactic", US authorities have placed location-tracking devices in targeted shipments of advanced chips they feel have a high risk of being illegally diverted to China.
\nThe tracking devices, typically hidden in the packaging, will detect diversion to destinations that face US exports restrictions, the sources said.
\nThis shows the lengths to which the US is willing to go to enforce its chip exports restrictions on China, even as the US administration seeks to relax some curbs on Chinese access to advanced US semiconductors, as Reuters observed in the report.
\nThe trackers are intended to help build cases against people and companies who profit from violating US exports controls, according to the report.
\nLocation trackers are a decades-old investigative tool used by US law enforcement agencies to track products subject to exports restrictions, such as aircraft parts. They have been used to combat the illegal diversion of semiconductors in recent years, one source said.
\nIf that is true, the US chips' journey to China will certainly become bumpier.
\n", - "category": "", - "link": "https://mobile.chinadaily.com.cn/cn/html5/2025-08/15/content_008_689e5317ed50ccabe151790b.htm#008COMMENT", - "creator": "", - "pubDate": "Fri, 15 Aug 2025 00:21:04 +0000", - "enclosure": "", - "enclosureType": "", - "image": "", - "id": "", - "language": "", - "folder": "双语", - "feed": "ChinaDaily", - "read": false, - "favorite": false, - "created": false, - "tags": [], - "hash": "74b40ef3be2656cdf3f37a31461119f2", - "highlights": [] - }, { "title": "009VIEWS - Japan must face up to its wartime past", "description": "![](\"https://mobile.chinadaily.com.cn/cn/resfile/2025-08-15/009/20250815_009_01_67003.png\")
\nEditor's note: This year marks 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. Japan should learn from its past and desist from rebuilding its military. In an interview with Li Huixian for Dialogues with Thinkers, China Daily's high-end interview program, Fang Ke, a Japanese affairs expert at the National Defense University of the Chinese People's Liberation Army, said Japan should face up to its history, and stressed that Japanese right-wing forces should not distort history and mislead ordinary Japanese people, especially the younger generation. Excerpts follow:
\nQuestion: Aug 15 marks the 80th anniversary of Japan's unconditional surrender in World War II. How should Japan behave now?
\nAnswer: Japanese invaders in China and other Asian countries killed and wounded millions of people, leaving a trail of destruction across much of East and Southeast Asia. For Japan, adopting a right view of history is imperative. Only by facing up to history can Japan truly atone for its atrocities before and during World War II. Facing up to history is a litmus test of its political sincerity.
\nAlso, Japan must adhere, both in letter and spirit, to the four political documents it has signed with China. It is equally crucial for Japan to enhance communication with China to build strategic mutual trust and better understand each other's legitimate concerns.
\nAmid growing economic turbulence fueled by the United States' tariff war, China and Japan, as the Asia-Pacific's leading economies, have every reason to deepen economic cooperation, because it would not only mitigate economic risks but also bolster regional stability. Effective crisis management is critical, too, for Japan to improve relations with China and other countries in the region. So it should respect Beijing's core interests. Rather than exacerbating tensions, it should adopt a constructive approach to fostering regional stability, particularly bilateral relations with China.
\nQ: To what extent will the far-right forces in Japan continue to influence the country's policies?
\nA: Ever since the Meiji Restoration, militarists and far-right forces have been influencing, to various degrees, Japan's policies, even dragging it into the abyss of war. After World War II, the international community's oversight and the US-engineered democratization reforms temporarily marginalized these elements, even stripped them of political power.
\nHowever, the outbreak of the Korean War in 1950 prompted a US policy reversal. By remolding Japan into an anti-communist linchpin in East Asia, the US helped rehabilitate convicted war criminals and dismissed wartime officials, some of whom became part of Japan's power structure.
\nConsequently, Japan has never truly atoned for its wartime crimes nor has it fully abandoned its militarist views. Although these elements' capacity to fundamentally alter Japan's domestic or foreign policy is constrained, they can still shape public views, especially influence young minds.
\nQ: What sort of impact did the Chinese people's humanitarian act of adopting Japanese war orphans after the end of World War II have on the development of Sino-Japanese relations?
\nA: The sort of treatment Japanese orphans got from kindhearted Chinese people has long been a testament to the friendship between China and Japan. After Japan's defeat in World War II, an estimated 4,000 to 5,000 war orphans were left behind in China. The older generation of Chinese leaders, including Chairman Mao Zedong and Zhou Enlai, treated them with kindness, as did ordinary Chinese people in Northeast China.
\nThis shows that China distinguishes between Japan's militarist clique and the Japanese people. By launching the war, the militarists not only dragged all the Japanese people into World War II but also made them victims of the war.
\nAfter returning to Japan, those orphans acted as a bridge between China and Japan. Many of them formed organizations, revisited their adoptive families in China, and fostered goodwill between the two countries. Their story shows that a genuine people-to-people bond rooted in compassion and mutual understanding is irreplaceable.
\nQ: Will Japan's labeling of China as the \"greatest strategic challenge\" in its recent defense white papers harm bilateral relations?
\nA: Postwar Japan has oscillated between pursuing strategic autonomy to enhance its defense capabilities and relying on the US for national security. Yet by calling China the "greatest strategic challenge", Japan is fabricating stories to justify its militarization and rally domestic public support for it. Japan plans to increase its defense spending beyond 2 percent of GDP by 2027.
\nThe Japanese government argues that its "low defense spending" is inadequate to sustain its status as a major power or counter what it calls "diversified threats", whether from China or other sources. To this end, it seeks to increase defense budgets, expand offensive weapons capabilities, and procure advanced military hardware — all of which require securing public support to ensure smooth approval in both houses of the Diet when these policies are formally proposed.
\nOn the other hand, with the US advancing its "Indo-Pacific" strategy, Japan is concerned about its diminishing role in the alliance due to the US' growing diversified partners. For decades, Tokyo has followed Washington's lead, but it has been working to exercise greater influence and autonomy within the alliance.
\nBy calling China as such a "threat", both countries gain justification to deepen alliance integration, enabling Tokyo to harness US strategic weight for expanded regional influence and leadership. Japan also believes this will make it an indispensable ally of the US in the Asia-Pacific. But Japan should realize that in today's world, national security cannot be safeguarded by hyping up nonexistent threats. And clinging to the beggar-thy-neighbor approach will not help Japan win the support of its neighbors or the wider international community either.
\nQ: Is Japan's strategy of boosting security and the economy sustainable?
\nA: At the end of 2024, Japan was China's fifth-largest trading partner, third largest among individual countries, while China was Japan's largest trading partner and primary source of imports. Sino-Japanese trade has been mutually beneficial for decades. It is the US that has been trying to destabilize the global economic order by launching the tariff war.
\nIt is essential for China, Japan and the Republic of Korea, as major economies in the Asia-Pacific, to deepen cooperation, especially in fields such as cutting-edge technologies and infrastructure development, to ensure the region's continued development.
\nJapan's approach to China is inherently contradictory. Despite continuing to align with the US in matters of security and defense, Japan has been enjoying the economic gains from Sino-Japanese trade.
\nQ: How should we respond to certain US and Japanese politicians' frequent hyping of the Taiwan question?
\nA: This is a matter of serious concern. We should continue to make efforts to achieve the reunification of Taiwan with the motherland, and avoid making the mistake of "strategic overreach".
\nIneffective crisis management could turn a friction into conflict, potentially dragging other countries into it. To prevent this, China and Japan have established effective multi-tier, multi-channel crisis management mechanisms, including hotlines at the defense minister level.
\nIn recent years, through a series of military exercises and demonstrations of advanced weapons systems, China has showcased the modernization of its defense forces, as well as its resolve to safeguard its sovereignty and territorial integrity, and achieve national reunification.
\nIt will again do so at an opportune moment and location to demonstrate its military capabilities to deter hostile forces, and prevent them from exploiting sensitive issues.
\nThe views don't necessarily represent those of China Daily.
\n![](\"https://mobile.chinadaily.com.cn/cn/resfile/2025-08-15/009/20250815_009_03_58003.png\")
Chen Weihua
\n![](\"https://mobile.chinadaily.com.cn/cn/resfile/2025-08-15/009/20250815_009_03_73003.png\")
\nAfter being a foreign correspondent for China Daily for 16 years, I returned home a week ago and began adjusting to life in the fast-changing metropolis of Shanghai. Just a day after my arrival, I received a call from a delivery man asking me whether I would mind if he delivered a parcel a few minutes later than scheduled.
\n"No problem," I said, soon realizing that he could be penalized by his company for being even slightly late.
\nDelivery personnel whizzing past vehicles on their e-bikes, despite the scorching temperatures in summer, torrential rain during monsoon and freezing cold in winter, are a common sight in Shanghai and other Chinese cities. They exemplify the diligence of ordinary Chinese workers.
\nBut their working conditions should be improved, not least because they have made life convenient for nearly 25 million Shanghai residents. Meituan and Ele.me, two of the largest food delivery platforms, together boast more than 11 million employees, many of them part-time workers. That is like the entire population of Belgium.
\nMy experience with courier companies in Brussels, especially Amazon Germany and Amazon Belgium, was often nightmarish. I had no clue when exactly the deliveryman would arrive. Waiting at home for half a day for a parcel to arrive, at times I received a message or two, saying the "delivery attempt" failed because there was no one at home. Clearly, the courier companies are not held to account for their lousy service.
\nIn contrast, the courier service in China is efficient to the other extreme. I believe a balance should be found between the courier services in the European Union and China. Chinese delivery personnel should slow down a bit while those in the EU improve.
\nThe same is true for the healthcare system. I've been a beneficiary of the excellent Belgian medical system for seven years. Doctors and nurses were very professional and the cost was quite low thanks to the mutual medical insurance plan. But fixing an appointment with a doctor was sometimes not easy. Two weeks before my departure from Brussels, I was trying to get an ultrasound test done, as recommended by my doctor. Unfortunately, the next available date was late August in one place and September in another.
\nSo I had to wait for the ultrasound till I returned home. In Shanghai, I got it done within one hour of reaching a hospital on Monday, and that too without an appointment, but after seeing a doctor. All is well, thank God.
\nThere is no doubt that, overall, Belgians enjoy a far better healthcare system than the average Chinese given the huge gap between the medical services in big cities and smaller cities and the vast Chinese countryside.
\nThe next day, I got up early to undergo a thorough medical checkup in a local hospital. Chinese companies usually have provisions for annual medical checkup for their employees. But such one-stop service is hard to find in the United States or the EU, the two places where I served as China Daily's foreign correspondent for 16 years. Such preventive medical services are necessary for the early detection of a disease or potential health problem.
\nMy checklist after arriving in Shanghai is shrinking fast, with an important remaining task being exchanging my Belgian driver's license for a Chinese one. My Chinese driver's license expired years ago. According to a bilateral agreement between Belgium and China, I can exchange my Belgian driver's license for a Chinese driver's license without taking any test. That's how I got my Belgian driver's license years ago. But all online information suggests that I still have to write a test in Shanghai, which could take days to prepare for, because I need to score at least 90 percent to qualify for a driver's license.
\nI hope the information available online applies to countries other than Belgium, which is one of the few EU countries to have bilateral agreements with China.
\nThe comparisons are not to criticize the EU or Belgium, but to learn from each other and make things better.
\nchenweihua@chinadaily.com.cn
\n", - "content": "Chen Weihua
\n\nAfter being a foreign correspondent for China Daily for 16 years, I returned home a week ago and began adjusting to life in the fast-changing metropolis of Shanghai. Just a day after my arrival, I received a call from a delivery man asking me whether I would mind if he delivered a parcel a few minutes later than scheduled.
\n"No problem," I said, soon realizing that he could be penalized by his company for being even slightly late.
\nDelivery personnel whizzing past vehicles on their e-bikes, despite the scorching temperatures in summer, torrential rain during monsoon and freezing cold in winter, are a common sight in Shanghai and other Chinese cities. They exemplify the diligence of ordinary Chinese workers.
\nBut their working conditions should be improved, not least because they have made life convenient for nearly 25 million Shanghai residents. Meituan and Ele.me, two of the largest food delivery platforms, together boast more than 11 million employees, many of them part-time workers. That is like the entire population of Belgium.
\nMy experience with courier companies in Brussels, especially Amazon Germany and Amazon Belgium, was often nightmarish. I had no clue when exactly the deliveryman would arrive. Waiting at home for half a day for a parcel to arrive, at times I received a message or two, saying the "delivery attempt" failed because there was no one at home. Clearly, the courier companies are not held to account for their lousy service.
\nIn contrast, the courier service in China is efficient to the other extreme. I believe a balance should be found between the courier services in the European Union and China. Chinese delivery personnel should slow down a bit while those in the EU improve.
\nThe same is true for the healthcare system. I've been a beneficiary of the excellent Belgian medical system for seven years. Doctors and nurses were very professional and the cost was quite low thanks to the mutual medical insurance plan. But fixing an appointment with a doctor was sometimes not easy. Two weeks before my departure from Brussels, I was trying to get an ultrasound test done, as recommended by my doctor. Unfortunately, the next available date was late August in one place and September in another.
\nSo I had to wait for the ultrasound till I returned home. In Shanghai, I got it done within one hour of reaching a hospital on Monday, and that too without an appointment, but after seeing a doctor. All is well, thank God.
\nThere is no doubt that, overall, Belgians enjoy a far better healthcare system than the average Chinese given the huge gap between the medical services in big cities and smaller cities and the vast Chinese countryside.
\nThe next day, I got up early to undergo a thorough medical checkup in a local hospital. Chinese companies usually have provisions for annual medical checkup for their employees. But such one-stop service is hard to find in the United States or the EU, the two places where I served as China Daily's foreign correspondent for 16 years. Such preventive medical services are necessary for the early detection of a disease or potential health problem.
\nMy checklist after arriving in Shanghai is shrinking fast, with an important remaining task being exchanging my Belgian driver's license for a Chinese one. My Chinese driver's license expired years ago. According to a bilateral agreement between Belgium and China, I can exchange my Belgian driver's license for a Chinese driver's license without taking any test. That's how I got my Belgian driver's license years ago. But all online information suggests that I still have to write a test in Shanghai, which could take days to prepare for, because I need to score at least 90 percent to qualify for a driver's license.
\nI hope the information available online applies to countries other than Belgium, which is one of the few EU countries to have bilateral agreements with China.
\nThe comparisons are not to criticize the EU or Belgium, but to learn from each other and make things better.
\nchenweihua@chinadaily.com.cn
\n", - "category": "", - "link": "https://mobile.chinadaily.com.cn/cn/html5/2025-08/15/content_009_689e5328ed50ccabe151790f.htm#009VIEWS", - "creator": "", - "pubDate": "Fri, 15 Aug 2025 00:21:04 +0000", - "enclosure": "", - "enclosureType": "", - "image": "", - "id": "", - "language": "", - "folder": "双语", - "feed": "ChinaDaily", - "read": false, - "favorite": false, - "created": false, - "tags": [], - "hash": "266534927bc6a063edfa71da8d339581", - "highlights": [] - }, { "title": "010WORLD - Thai experts urge innovation push to counter tariffs", "description": "![](\"https://mobile.chinadaily.com.cn/cn/resfile/2025-08-15/010/20250815_010_02_69978.png\")
An employee handles semiconductor materials at a factory in Bang Pa-In, Ayutthaya Province, Thailand, on Wednesday. The United States has declared plans for a 100 percent tariff on semiconductor imports.
\nThai experts have called for a long-term strategy to offset the negative effects of US tariffs, saying Thailand should strengthen its competitiveness by investing more in innovation and technology while expanding its trade partners, including focusing more on China.
\nThe United States recently announced a new "reciprocal" tariff rate for Thailand at 19 percent, which is significantly lower than the previously proposed 36 percent. The new rate is almost on par with those on several other members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, but lower than the levy on Vietnam.
\n"The reduced tariff attributed to the government's negotiation efforts is not over yet," said Wichai Kinchong Choi, a business development expert at Kasikorn Bank in Bangkok. "What's more important is to strengthen the country's own risk resistance capacity amid the future global challenges through building a robust economy."
\nA cautiously optimistic attitude should be held as the US has not yet revealed its additional conditions, Wichai said. According to the agreement, for example, Thailand must fully open its domestic agricultural product market and exempt agricultural products imported from the US from tariffs.
\n"The move will pose risks to Thailand's domestic fruit market," he said.
\nIn the long term, he said, Thailand should further expand into new markets to diversify risk and enhance its production processes to reduce costs while further strengthening its partnership with ASEAN countries and major trade partners such as China.
\n"As the global trade will deepen, Thailand should urge its major sectors to accelerate reform by leveraging innovation and technology," Wichai said. "We need to adapt and enhance our own competition by investing more in industries such as clean energy, artificial intelligence and electric vehicles that contribute to the kingdom's industrial upgrading and sustainable development."
\nAfter the announcement of the reduced tariff rate, Kasikorn Research Center in Bangkok released a report estimating that the Thai economy is expected to grow by 1.5 percent this year, an improvement from the prior projection of 1.4 percent.
\nPornchai Thiraveja, director-general of the Fiscal Policy Office at the Thai Finance Ministry, said in a recent interview with the Bangkok Post that the ministry plans to implement stimulus measures to spur domestic spending and investment to support the economy.
\nStimulus measures
\nMeasures may include accelerating the disbursement of public investment budgets for infrastructure projects, introducing tax policies to encourage consumption, and supporting the tourism and service sectors.
\nIn addition, the government has established a Competitiveness Enhancement Fund with a budget of 10 billion baht ($308 million), targeting vulnerable industries or those requiring urgent adaptation, which can also aid local businesses in adapting to changing trade conditions.
\nApart from solving the internal problems, experts said Thailand should join hands with Southeast Asian countries to open up further and improve market facilitation, as well as improve trade rules and regulations for deepening cooperation with more partners, including China.
\nPiti Srisangnam, executive director of the ASEAN Foundation, said Thailand has so far joined several regional agreements, such as the ASEAN Trade in Goods Agreement, which are crucial for it to strengthen cooperation with more partners.
\nHe urged the Thai government to upgrade regulations and agreements with other trade partners and enlarge existing cooperation frameworks, such as the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership.
\n"Apart from that, we also need to access the larger market, such as BRICS Plus, which will provide Thailand with access to a larger market, facilitating trade and investment opportunities," Piti said. "Being part of BRICS can elevate Thailand's political status on the global stage, providing it with a platform to voice its interests and contribute to global economic and political discussions."
\nThe tariff policy initiated by the US can be a good chance for Thailand to reshape its industry and economy, said Suthiphand Chirathivat, a professor emeritus of economics and former director of the ASEAN Studies Center at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok.
\n"Moreover, the trade war will very likely bring ASEAN and China even closer," Suthiphand said.
\nyangwanli@chinadaily.com.cn
\n", @@ -7705,28 +7331,6 @@ "hash": "f32f92a3a468f4bebed2242c49936b77", "highlights": [] }, - { - "title": "010WORLD - Briefly", - "description": "SOUTH ASIA
\nFloods kill 34 in India-controlled Kashmir
\nAt least 34 people died and more than 200 were missing following sudden, heavy rain in India-controlled Kashmir, officials said on Thursday, the second such disaster in the Himalayas this month. The incident occurred in Chasoti town of Kishtwar district, a stopover point on a popular pilgrimage route. It comes a little over a week after heavy floods and mudslide engulfed an entire village in the Himalayan state of Uttarakhand. India's deputy minister for science and technology, Jitendra Singh, said the floods were triggered by a cloudburst and "could result in substantial casualties".
\nDPRK
\nPyongyang says won't remove loudspeakers
\nThe Democratic People's Republic of Korea has never removed loudspeakers installed along the border with the Republic of Korea and is not willing to remove them, the Korean Central News Agency reported on Thursday, citing a statement from a senior official. Kim Yo-jong, vice-department director of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, in a statement, criticized the ROK for spreading misleading narratives that the DPRK has removed loudspeakers installed on the southern border area, and creating a public opinion that bilateral relations are being "restored".
\nSOUTH ASIA
\nFloods kill 34 in India-controlled Kashmir
\nAt least 34 people died and more than 200 were missing following sudden, heavy rain in India-controlled Kashmir, officials said on Thursday, the second such disaster in the Himalayas this month. The incident occurred in Chasoti town of Kishtwar district, a stopover point on a popular pilgrimage route. It comes a little over a week after heavy floods and mudslide engulfed an entire village in the Himalayan state of Uttarakhand. India's deputy minister for science and technology, Jitendra Singh, said the floods were triggered by a cloudburst and "could result in substantial casualties".
\nDPRK
\nPyongyang says won't remove loudspeakers
\nThe Democratic People's Republic of Korea has never removed loudspeakers installed along the border with the Republic of Korea and is not willing to remove them, the Korean Central News Agency reported on Thursday, citing a statement from a senior official. Kim Yo-jong, vice-department director of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea, in a statement, criticized the ROK for spreading misleading narratives that the DPRK has removed loudspeakers installed on the southern border area, and creating a public opinion that bilateral relations are being "restored".
\n![](\"https://mobile.chinadaily.com.cn/cn/resfile/2025-08-15/011/20250815_011_02_38925.png\")
Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva (second from right) and other government officials pose for a group photo during a signing ceremony to enact the Sovereign Brazil Plan, an aid program to support companies affected by the US tariffs, at the Planalto presidential palace in Brasilia, Brazil, on Wednesday.
\nBRASILIA — Brazil's government unveiled on Wednesday a long-awaited aid package for companies hurt by steep US tariffs, centered on credit lines for exporters and government purchases of products that face greater hurdles in finding alternative markets.
\nUS President Donald Trump hiked duties on several goods from Brazil to 50 percent from 10 percent earlier this month. Although some sectors were exempted from the steeper levies, the move is still set to hurt industries such as coffee, beef, seafood, textiles, footwear and fruit.
\nBrazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva had already signaled his administration would not immediately retaliate against the tariff hike, instead prioritizing support for the most affected sectors.
\n"We will insist on negotiating …but our sovereignty is untouchable," Lula told an event in Brasilia, saying he was open to talks on topics such as ethanol trade.
\n"We are not announcing reciprocity measures. We don't want, at first, to do anything that could justify worsening our relations," the leader added.
\nThe centerpiece of the aid plan is a 30 billion-real ($5.55 billion) credit line via the existing Export Guarantee Fund, which is managed by state development bank BNDES, according to a statement.
\nThe government will also make additional contributions totaling 4.5 billion reais to strengthen some funds supporting aid for smaller companies, it added.
\nThe measures are part of an executive order signed by Lula, which takes effect immediately but must be approved by Congress within four months to remain in force.
\n'Palliative but necessary'
\nRicardo Alban, the chairman of the Brazilian industry confederation, said he hopes "this plan is behind us as quickly as possible".He described it as "palliative, but necessary".
\n"Nothing justifies us being on the lowest of tariffs to going to the highest of tariffs," Alban said.
\nBrazil was among the nations hardest hit by Trump's tariffs.
\nWashington exempted key goods such as aircraft, orange juice, oil and pulp from the higher rate, but products like coffee and beef, of which Brazil is a major US supplier, are now subject to the full rate, which took effect last week.
\nTrump imposed the levies on US imports from Brazil largely in response to a Brazilian legal case he has accused of being a "witch hunt "against former president Jair Bolsonaro, who is on trial for allegedly plotting to overturn the 2022 election after his supporters overran government buildings.
\nSupreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes, who is overseeing the case, said that he would continue to do his job and that Brazil's top court would not submit itself to foreign coercion and that it would guard the country's constitution.
\nBrazil's new aid program also eases the tax burden on exporters to help them remain competitive in the US, a measure in place through the end of next year that the government estimated would cost 5 billion reais in foregone revenue.
\nThe plan extends the timeframe for using tax credits under the "drawback" regime, which reimburses import taxes on inputs used in the production of exported goods.
\n", @@ -7749,28 +7353,6 @@ "hash": "6fd266806aaae5851790a1a71d9f4c4c", "highlights": [] }, - { - "title": "011WORLD - At least 27 dead as boats carrying migrants sink off Italy", - "description": "LAMPEDUSA, Italy — Rescue vessels resumed a desperate search on Thursday for migrants missing at sea after two crowded boats sank off the Italian island of Lampedusa, with 27 dead already confirmed.
\nSixty survivors were brought to shore on Wednesday, two of them taken by helicopter to Sicily for treatment and the others held in the reception centre on the island, according to the Red Cross.
\n"Of the 58, 21 are minors. They spent a quiet night and are generally in good health," said Imad Dalil, the Red Cross official who runs the reception centre.
\nThe majority are Somali, with a few Egyptians, he added.
\nAuthorities have started efforts to identify the bodies found so far.
\nAround 95 people were on the boats according to the UN, with the number of confirmed dead rising to 27 overnight, suggesting around eight people were missing.
\n"At least 27 people have drowned in a tragic shipwreck near Lampedusa," said Filippo Grandi, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, in a social media statement.
\n"Over 700 refugees and migrants have now died in 2025 in the Central Mediterranean," he said. "All responses — rescue at sea, safe pathways, helping transit countries and addressing root causes — must be strengthened."
\nFirst port of call
\nLampedusa, just 145 kilometers off the coast of Tunisia, is often the first port of call for people trying to reach Europe in leaky or overcrowded boats.
\nAn Italian helicopter spotted a capsized boat and several bodies in the water on Wednesday, about 14 nautical miles off Lampedusa, the coastguard said.
\nThe boats had left Tripoli, Libya, earlier in the day, it said.
\nAccording to survivors, one of the boats started taking on water, causing people to climb onto the other boat, which then capsized.
\nA newborn baby was among the dead, according to Italian news reports.
\nFive vessels searched for survivors, including one from the EU's Frontex border agency, alongside a helicopter and two aircraft.
\nDespite the tragedy, the boats kept coming, with four others intercepted off Lampedusa overnight, according to the Red Cross.
\nA total of 240 people are currently being held in the reception centre waiting for processing, Dalil said.
\nItalian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni offered her "deepest condolences "to the victims and vowed to step up efforts to tackle migrant traffickers.
\nHer government took office in October 2022, vowing to cut the number of migrants crossing the Mediterranean to Europe.
\nAs part of this, it has cut deals with North African countries from which migrants embark, providing funding and training in exchange for help in stemming departures.
\nMeloni said stepping up rescue efforts was not enough to tackle the scourge of trafficking, saying this could be done only by "preventing irregular departures and managing migration flows".
\nMore than 38,500 people have arrived on Italian shores so far this year, according to interior ministry figures.
\nThis is slightly up on last year, but significantly less than the 100,000 reported by the same time in 2023.
\n", - "content": "LAMPEDUSA, Italy — Rescue vessels resumed a desperate search on Thursday for migrants missing at sea after two crowded boats sank off the Italian island of Lampedusa, with 27 dead already confirmed.
\nSixty survivors were brought to shore on Wednesday, two of them taken by helicopter to Sicily for treatment and the others held in the reception centre on the island, according to the Red Cross.
\n"Of the 58, 21 are minors. They spent a quiet night and are generally in good health," said Imad Dalil, the Red Cross official who runs the reception centre.
\nThe majority are Somali, with a few Egyptians, he added.
\nAuthorities have started efforts to identify the bodies found so far.
\nAround 95 people were on the boats according to the UN, with the number of confirmed dead rising to 27 overnight, suggesting around eight people were missing.
\n"At least 27 people have drowned in a tragic shipwreck near Lampedusa," said Filippo Grandi, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, in a social media statement.
\n"Over 700 refugees and migrants have now died in 2025 in the Central Mediterranean," he said. "All responses — rescue at sea, safe pathways, helping transit countries and addressing root causes — must be strengthened."
\nFirst port of call
\nLampedusa, just 145 kilometers off the coast of Tunisia, is often the first port of call for people trying to reach Europe in leaky or overcrowded boats.
\nAn Italian helicopter spotted a capsized boat and several bodies in the water on Wednesday, about 14 nautical miles off Lampedusa, the coastguard said.
\nThe boats had left Tripoli, Libya, earlier in the day, it said.
\nAccording to survivors, one of the boats started taking on water, causing people to climb onto the other boat, which then capsized.
\nA newborn baby was among the dead, according to Italian news reports.
\nFive vessels searched for survivors, including one from the EU's Frontex border agency, alongside a helicopter and two aircraft.
\nDespite the tragedy, the boats kept coming, with four others intercepted off Lampedusa overnight, according to the Red Cross.
\nA total of 240 people are currently being held in the reception centre waiting for processing, Dalil said.
\nItalian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni offered her "deepest condolences "to the victims and vowed to step up efforts to tackle migrant traffickers.
\nHer government took office in October 2022, vowing to cut the number of migrants crossing the Mediterranean to Europe.
\nAs part of this, it has cut deals with North African countries from which migrants embark, providing funding and training in exchange for help in stemming departures.
\nMeloni said stepping up rescue efforts was not enough to tackle the scourge of trafficking, saying this could be done only by "preventing irregular departures and managing migration flows".
\nMore than 38,500 people have arrived on Italian shores so far this year, according to interior ministry figures.
\nThis is slightly up on last year, but significantly less than the 100,000 reported by the same time in 2023.
\n", - "category": "", - "link": "https://mobile.chinadaily.com.cn/cn/html5/2025-08/15/content_011_689e534aed50ccabe1517917.htm#011WORLD", - "creator": "", - "pubDate": "Fri, 15 Aug 2025 00:21:04 +0000", - "enclosure": "", - "enclosureType": "", - "image": "", - "id": "", - "language": "", - "folder": "双语", - "feed": "ChinaDaily", - "read": false, - "favorite": false, - "created": false, - "tags": [], - "hash": "31a9ff2d34a67cf2a9cbfbc984e9b31b", - "highlights": [] - }, { "title": "012ADVERTORIAL - Capital maps humanoid future at 2025 World Robot Conference", "description": "![](\"https://mobile.chinadaily.com.cn/cn/resfile/2025-08-15/012/20250815_012_02_64997.png\")
\n![](\"https://mobile.chinadaily.com.cn/cn/resfile/2025-08-15/012/20250815_012_02_13997.png\")
Visitors interact with an intelligent robot imitating Confucius at the 2025 World Robot Conference in Beijing on Aug 8.
\nSince robots are a crucial driving force in developing new quality productive forces and shaping an intelligent lifestyle, Beijing has been leveraging its technological and talent strengths to accelerate the development of common technologies, expand application scenarios, build industry exchange platforms, and continuously enhance the supply of essential resources in this field.
\nAs a result, the city's robotics industry ranks among the top in China, Beijing Mayor Yin Yong said at the opening ceremony of the 2025 World Robot Conference.
\nThe event, held from Aug 8 to 12, was jointly hosted by the Chinese Institute of Electronics and the World Robot Cooperation Organization in the Beijing Economic-Technological Development Area, also known as Beijing E-Town.
\nIt featured an exhibition area of approximately 50,000 square meters, comprising three main halls focused on innovation, application, and technology.
\nOver 200 domestic and international robotics companies showcased more than 1,500 exhibits, with over 100 new products making their debut. Among the participants were 50 humanoid robot companies, the highest number among similar exhibitions worldwide.
\nIn the exhibition area of the Beijing Innovation Center of Humanoid Robotics, different models of heterogeneous robots carried out cross-scenario collaborative operations through the coordination of Huisi Kaiwu, the world's first general embodied intelligence platform.
\nExperts noted that this breaks the traditional barrier of "one machine for one post", marking an evolution from individual intelligence to group intelligence.
\nJeff Burnstein, president of the Association for Advancing Automation in the United States, witnessed remarkable changes at this year's conference, one of the most noticeable being the significant increase in international participants. He added that since its inception, the conference has now grown into a truly global event.
\nToday, the robotics industry is on the verge of large-scale industrialization. The guiding opinions on the innovative development of humanoid robots, released by China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, state that by 2027, the humanoid robot industry is expected to achieve larger-scale growth, with related products deeply integrated into the real economy and becoming an important engine for economic growth.
\nIn response, Beijing aims to build an internationally influential hub for robotics innovation. It will collaborate with Tianjin and Hebei to strategically position key components, promoting the gradual development of high-level, large-scale production capabilities for humanoid robots.
\nIt also plans to establish the first national-level testing and verification platform for humanoid robots, continuously enhance the brand influence of major events such as the World Robot Conference and the World Humanoid Robot Games, and take the lead in setting up specialized robot service institutions to become a global benchmark city for human-robot collaboration.
\nAs for the World Humanoid Robot Games, Beijing is hosting the event at the National Speed Skating Oval, known as the "Ice Ribbon". A total of 280 teams from 16 countries, featuring over 500 humanoid robots, will compete in 487 events, including running, basketball, dance, martial arts, and industrial material handling.
\nThe "Panda Eye" training base — the world's first professional venue for humanoid robot football — was recently officially unveiled. Guo Yonghao, executive deputy director of the Games' organizing committee, said its semi-transparent design allows precise control of temperature, humidity, and cleanliness.
\nThe base can create a laboratory-level stable competitive environment for robots while allowing natural sunlight, moonlight, and starlight to shine through, he added.
\nLocated on the southwestern side of the "Ice Ribbon", the ROBOLAND camp is expected to become a future hub for the humanoid robot industry. It is designed to promote domestic and international industrial cooperation and exchange, supporting the sustainable development of the robotics sector.
\n", @@ -7793,28 +7375,6 @@ "hash": "2e988ea2eafc2b801b772bf4b16f3222", "highlights": [] }, - { - "title": "013BUSINESS - Space info sector hitting new orbits", - "description": "![](\"https://mobile.chinadaily.com.cn/cn/resfile/2025-08-15/013/20250815_013_01_10869.png\")
A view of the booth of Geovis Technology Co Ltd during an expo in Nanchang, Jiangxi province.
\nChina is accelerating investment in the new and fast-growing space information — or "space computing" — sector which it sees as a future trillion-yuan driver of economic growth, with leading firms joining forces to develop the futuristic technology, which aims to process massive volumes of satellite and aerial data while in orbit.
\nGeovis Technology Co Ltd, a Chinese geospatial services provider, recently signed a framework agreement with supercomputer manufacturer Sugon to jointly build what they call an "open and inclusive space computing network". The planned network will connect users' devices to satellites, space-based infrastructure and ground platforms, forming a space-ground integrated intelligent computing architecture.
\nShao Zongyou, president of Geovis, said in a recent interview with China Daily that computing in space could soon move from concept to reality. "Once the space computing network is completed, it will enhance global internet access capacity and stability, supporting applications such as remote work, telemedicine, online education, emergency communications and rural digital development," Shao said.
\nThe ambition is driven in part by the rapid expansion of satellite constellations and the rising sophistication of payloads.
\n"With tens of thousands of satellites planned in the coming years and ever-higher payload and resolution demands, massive data — and thus computing needs — will surge," Shao said.
\n"Transmission methods like microwaves are slower than many home networks, while laser communication is too weather-dependent. The ideal is to compute in space, then send only the processed results back to earth," he added.
\nThe space information sector, which spans navigation, weather forecasting, urban planning and resource exploration, has been developing rapidly under policy support, alongside China's push into the low-altitude economy and commercial spaceflight.
\nOver the past year, China has introduced a group of policies to stimulate low-altitude industries. These include regulations on unmanned aircraft flight management that took effect in January and a roadmap released in March for upgrading general aviation equipment through 2030.
\nWu Yirong, academic dean and researcher at the Aerospace Information Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, said: "China's aerospace information industry is integrating into all aspects of social production and everyday life at an unprecedented speed and depth. It is creating enormous economic value and social benefits."
\nFor Geovis, the deal with Sugon marks a strategic shift from its established strengths in digital earth, AI, big data and cloud integration into the more technically demanding realm of space-based computation.
\nThe two companies plan to develop high-performance, low-power high-reliability core components, build a space computing network, and integrate with China's national computing platforms. They will also explore industry standards and work to coordinate an ecosystem of partners.
\nShao said the aim is to upgrade the current one-way satellite "data collection service" into a two-way "computing-as-a-service" model. This would allow for in-orbit intelligent processing linked to deep ground-based applications, potentially opening new commercial opportunities in areas such as real-time Earth observation, emergency disaster response and global broadband coverage.
\nYet the road ahead is challenging. Shao said that deploying the same computing power in space could cost up to 1,000 times more than on the ground. Moreover, "space weather", including high-energy particles, radiation and temperature extremes, can damage electronic components and degrade performance over time.
\nDespite these difficulties, Geovis sees space computing as a strategic imperative with long-term returns. "Three to five years may yield no returns," Shao said. "But for national capability and the future of space industries, this must be done."
\nDeng Maicun, former secretary-general of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, said China's role in the field has transformed. "In recent years, China's aerospace information sector has made a remarkable leap from a follower to a front-runner, and in some areas even a leader, becoming a new engine for the development of the digital economy."
\nchengyu@chinadaily.com.cn
\n", - "content": "A view of the booth of Geovis Technology Co Ltd during an expo in Nanchang, Jiangxi province.
\nChina is accelerating investment in the new and fast-growing space information — or "space computing" — sector which it sees as a future trillion-yuan driver of economic growth, with leading firms joining forces to develop the futuristic technology, which aims to process massive volumes of satellite and aerial data while in orbit.
\nGeovis Technology Co Ltd, a Chinese geospatial services provider, recently signed a framework agreement with supercomputer manufacturer Sugon to jointly build what they call an "open and inclusive space computing network". The planned network will connect users' devices to satellites, space-based infrastructure and ground platforms, forming a space-ground integrated intelligent computing architecture.
\nShao Zongyou, president of Geovis, said in a recent interview with China Daily that computing in space could soon move from concept to reality. "Once the space computing network is completed, it will enhance global internet access capacity and stability, supporting applications such as remote work, telemedicine, online education, emergency communications and rural digital development," Shao said.
\nThe ambition is driven in part by the rapid expansion of satellite constellations and the rising sophistication of payloads.
\n"With tens of thousands of satellites planned in the coming years and ever-higher payload and resolution demands, massive data — and thus computing needs — will surge," Shao said.
\n"Transmission methods like microwaves are slower than many home networks, while laser communication is too weather-dependent. The ideal is to compute in space, then send only the processed results back to earth," he added.
\nThe space information sector, which spans navigation, weather forecasting, urban planning and resource exploration, has been developing rapidly under policy support, alongside China's push into the low-altitude economy and commercial spaceflight.
\nOver the past year, China has introduced a group of policies to stimulate low-altitude industries. These include regulations on unmanned aircraft flight management that took effect in January and a roadmap released in March for upgrading general aviation equipment through 2030.
\nWu Yirong, academic dean and researcher at the Aerospace Information Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, said: "China's aerospace information industry is integrating into all aspects of social production and everyday life at an unprecedented speed and depth. It is creating enormous economic value and social benefits."
\nFor Geovis, the deal with Sugon marks a strategic shift from its established strengths in digital earth, AI, big data and cloud integration into the more technically demanding realm of space-based computation.
\nThe two companies plan to develop high-performance, low-power high-reliability core components, build a space computing network, and integrate with China's national computing platforms. They will also explore industry standards and work to coordinate an ecosystem of partners.
\nShao said the aim is to upgrade the current one-way satellite "data collection service" into a two-way "computing-as-a-service" model. This would allow for in-orbit intelligent processing linked to deep ground-based applications, potentially opening new commercial opportunities in areas such as real-time Earth observation, emergency disaster response and global broadband coverage.
\nYet the road ahead is challenging. Shao said that deploying the same computing power in space could cost up to 1,000 times more than on the ground. Moreover, "space weather", including high-energy particles, radiation and temperature extremes, can damage electronic components and degrade performance over time.
\nDespite these difficulties, Geovis sees space computing as a strategic imperative with long-term returns. "Three to five years may yield no returns," Shao said. "But for national capability and the future of space industries, this must be done."
\nDeng Maicun, former secretary-general of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, said China's role in the field has transformed. "In recent years, China's aerospace information sector has made a remarkable leap from a follower to a front-runner, and in some areas even a leader, becoming a new engine for the development of the digital economy."
\nchengyu@chinadaily.com.cn
\n", - "category": "", - "link": "https://mobile.chinadaily.com.cn/cn/html5/2025-08/15/content_013_689e535bed50ccabe151791b.htm#013BUSINESS", - "creator": "", - "pubDate": "Fri, 15 Aug 2025 00:21:04 +0000", - "enclosure": "", - "enclosureType": "", - "image": "", - "id": "", - "language": "", - "folder": "双语", - "feed": "ChinaDaily", - "read": false, - "favorite": false, - "created": false, - "tags": [], - "hash": "2f9d1f8675add404e48065afecbf47b9", - "highlights": [] - }, { "title": "在线视频搜索与观看MCP服务maccmsv10-api-mcp", "description": "maccmsv10-api-mcp 是一个免费的在线视频搜索与观看 MCP 服务。",