观察性研究能虽然能发现“某些现象经常结伴出现”，但这并不意味着一个导致另一个。这里的关系可以有很多种情况，可以是 A 引起 B 或 B 引起 A；又或者 A 和 B 都是由 C 引起的等情况。就像在小区门口蹲点，发现“拎垃圾袋的人更容易穿拖鞋”，真正的原因是“家里垃圾满 / 要去倒垃圾”，而不是垃圾袋让人换了鞋。
观察性研究能虽然能发现“某些现象经常结伴出现”，但这并不意味着一个导致另一个。这里的关系可以有很多种情况，可以是 A 引起 B 或 B 引起 A；又或者 A 和 B 都是由 C 引起的等情况。就像在小区门口蹲点，发现“拎垃圾袋的人更容易穿拖鞋”，真正的原因是“家里垃圾满 / 要去倒垃圾”，而不是垃圾袋让人换了鞋。
[1]MacLeod, C. M. (2020). Zeigarnik and von Restorff: The memory effects and the stories behind them. Memory & Cognition, 48(6), 1073–1088. https://doi.org/10.3758/s13421-020-01033-5 [2]Zeigarnik, B. (1938). On finished and unfinished tasks. In W. D. Ellis(Ed.), A source book of Gestalt psychology. (300–314). Kegan Paul, Trench, Trubner & Company. https://doi.org/10.1037/11496-025 [3]Marrow, A. J. (1969). The practical theorist: The life and work of Kurt Lewin. New York : Basic Books . [4]Oyama, Y., Manalo, E., & Nakatani, Y. (2018). The Hemingway effect: How failing to finish a task can have a positive effect on motivation. Thinking Skills and Creativity, 30, 7–18. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tsc.2018.01.001 [5]Masicampo, E. J., & Baumeister, R. F. (2011). Consider it done! Plan making can eliminate the cognitive effects of unfulfilled goals. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 101(4), 667–683. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0024192 [6]McGraw, K. O., & Fiala, J. (1982). Undermining the Zeigarnik effect: Another hidden cost of reward. Journal of Personality, 50(1), 58–66. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-6494.1982.tb00745.x
[1]MacLeod, C. M. (2020). Zeigarnik and von Restorff: The memory effects and the stories behind them. Memory & Cognition, 48(6), 1073–1088. https://doi.org/10.3758/s13421-020-01033-5 [2]Zeigarnik, B. (1938). On finished and unfinished tasks. In W. D. Ellis(Ed.), A source book of Gestalt psychology. (300–314). Kegan Paul, Trench, Trubner & Company. https://doi.org/10.1037/11496-025 [3]Marrow, A. J. (1969). The practical theorist: The life and work of Kurt Lewin. New York : Basic Books . [4]Oyama, Y., Manalo, E., & Nakatani, Y. (2018). The Hemingway effect: How failing to finish a task can have a positive effect on motivation. Thinking Skills and Creativity, 30, 7–18. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tsc.2018.01.001 [5]Masicampo, E. J., & Baumeister, R. F. (2011). Consider it done! Plan making can eliminate the cognitive effects of unfulfilled goals. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 101(4), 667–683. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0024192 [6]McGraw, K. O., & Fiala, J. (1982). Undermining the Zeigarnik effect: Another hidden cost of reward. Journal of Personality, 50(1), 58–66. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-6494.1982.tb00745.x
\n \n \n Starting in the autumn semester, primary and middle schools across Beijing will introduce general education on artificial intelligence, with at least eight class hours per academic year, according to a document released by the Beijing Education Commission. Skills related to AI applications will be included in students' comprehensive assessments.\n \n \n
\n \n \n For the new semester, multiple regions across the country have launched special inspections on school bus safety to eliminate potential hazards and ensure the safety of student transportation.\n \n \n
\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Staff members sort out textbooks to be dispatched for the upcoming new semester at a warehouse in Zunhua City, Heibei Province, Aug. 16, 2025. Schools and bookstores across the country are getting textbooks ready for the upcoming new semester. (Photo by Liu Mancang/Xinhua)\n \n \n \n \n
\n \n \n As the new school year approaches, many parents are increasingly concerned about \"back-to-school syndrome.\"\n \n \n
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\n \n \n Heading back to school sparks an upswing in anxiety for many children. The average child's school day is packed with potential stressors: separating from parents, meeting academic expectations, managing peer groups, and navigating loud, crowded school hallways and cafeteria, to name just a few of many challenges. That's why it's typical for children to experience some anticipatory anxiety leading up to the new school year — and for parents to notice a rise in worries.\n \n \n
\n \n \n Back-to-school syndrome presents in various ways. Children may suddenly complain of stomachaches or headaches, lose their appetite or become unusually irritable. Some may have trouble sleeping at night, frequently visit the bathroom without a clear reason, or exhibit tic disorders, such as excessive blinking, throat clearing or repetitive mouth sounds.\n \n \n
\n \n \n Experts advise against scolding children when they resist going to school, as it is ineffective. \"Instead of rushing to resolve their anxiety or forcing them to cope, it's crucial to allow children to manage their feelings at their own pace,\" said Lee Moon-soo, a professor of psychiatry at Korea University Guro Hospital. \"If parents acknowledge their concerns and engage in open conversations, children will feel more emotionally secure.\"\n \n \n
\n \n \n A video of rabbits bouncing on a trampoline has gone viral on social media, garnering millions of views and shares over platforms. It started on July 27 when a TikTok user posted a video with the caption, \"Just checked the home security cam and… I think we've got guest performers out back!\"\n \n \n
\n \n \n First, as the video starts, pay close attention to two bunnies on the left-hand side of the trampoline. What initially looks like two grey rabbits sitting side-by-side, unnaturally warps into a single bunny, which bounds away.\n \n \n
\n \n \n A similar transformation occurs with two other rabbits around the five-second mark.\n \n \n
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\n \n \n To spot the subtle flaw, focus on the leftmost rabbit as it starts to run across the trampoline. The rabbit jumps up and obscures another rabbit sitting on the back edge, which has vanished by the time the first rabbit lands.\n \n \n
\n \n \n \n A fact-checking platform Snopes stated that\n \n \n \n \n the account that posted the video previously shared at least one video (archived) generated by Google's artificial video generator \"\n \n \n \n \n \n Veo\n \n \n \n \n \", as evidenced by a watermark on the footage.\n \n \n
\n \n \n Despite the subtle hints and the account's unusual behaviour, many people still found themselves falling for the clip.\n \n \n
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\n \n \n Some commenters even joked that they had thought only their parents would fall for fake AI content. One wrote: \"A few years ago I was laughing at my mother for believing AI.\" Another joked: \"I'm getting scammed when I'm older.\"\n \n \n
\n \n \n Experts say there are many reasons why this was so believable\n \n \n \n \n , such as surveillance footage providing a sense of authenticity. Before AI became popular, security footage was viewed as a reliable record, according to CBS News Confirmed.\n \n \n
\n \n \n \n \n \n \n 图源：新浪微博@七三一官方微博截图\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n A Chinese historical drama titled\n \n \n \"731,\"\n \n \n which revisits the horrific World War II-era human experiments conducted by Japan's notorious germ warfare unit 731, is set to premiere on Sept 18, sources associated with the film have said.\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n
\n \n \n 二战期间，侵华日军第七三一部队在哈尔滨市平房区以“给水防疫”为名，秘密研制细菌武器，抓捕平民、抗日志士等进行活体实验，成为日本军国主义实施细菌战的铁证。\n \n \n \n \n \n \n Unit 731, a top-secret biological and chemical warfare research base, was established in Harbin, capital of northeast China's Heilongjiang province, and served as the nerve center for Japanese biological warfare in China and Southeast Asia during WWII.\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n 图源：\n \n \n \n \n \n 新浪微博@七三一官方微博截图\n \n \n \n \n \n \n 据新华社报道，主创团队介绍，影片讲述了当地小贩王永章等人被强行抓入“特设监狱”，侵华日军以“配合健康检查与防疫研究即可换取自由”的虚伪承诺，欺骗他们遭受冻伤实验、毒气实验、活体解剖等极端折磨的故事。\n \n \n
\n \n \n According to the film's director Zhao Linshan, it tells the story of Wang Yongzhang, a local vendor, and others who were imprisoned and lured by false promises of freedom in exchange for cooperation with health checks and disease prevention research.\n \n \n
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\n \n \n Instead, they became victims of brutal medical experiments carried out by the occupying Japanese forces -- including frostbite testing, gas exposure and vivisection.\n \n \n
\n \n \n “日本侵略者给中国人民带来了沉重灾难，这是不容忘却的历史。”侵华日军第七三一部队罪证陈列馆馆长金成民说，\n \n 影片展现绝境下中国人不屈的反抗精神，警醒世人铭记历史、捍卫和平。\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \"This is a history that must never be forgotten,\" said Jin Chengmin, a historical adviser for the film and head of the Exhibition Hall of Evidences of Crime Committed by Unit 731 of the Japanese Imperial Army.\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \"The film reveals the inhumane atrocities committed by the invading Japanese army through the eyes of ordinary civilians, while highlighting the unyielding resistance spirit of the Chinese people in the face of despair,\" Jin said. \"It serves as a powerful reminder to safeguard peace.\"\n \n \n \n \n \n 定档消息发出后\n \n \n \n \n 相关话题引发关注\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n 网友：真相不能忘！\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n
\n \n \n \n Dead to Rights\n \n \n \n \n \n ,\n \n \n a film set during the Nanjing Massacre,\n \n \n \n \n \n opened in domestic theaters on July 25\n \n \n \n \n \n .\n \n \n \n \n Marking the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1931-45), the film revisits one of the most barbaric episodes of World War II through the perspective of a group of unsung heroes.\n \n \n
\n \n \n Set against the Nanjing Massacre, the film follows a group of civilians sheltering in a photo studio.\n \n \n
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\n \n \n Forced to develop a Japanese military photographer's film to survive, they accidentally uncover photographic proof of the atrocities. Initially focused on mere survival, they ultimately risk everything to preserve the evidence and expose the war crimes.\n \n \n
\n \n \n The most powerful core of this film lies in its tearing open the veil of history, allowing me an outsider to viscerally empathize wth the unimaginable suffering endured by the Chinese nation during the catastraphe. It doesn't shy away from the darkness, nor does it gloss over the pain. It confronts the nation's scars with immense artistic courage.\n \n \n
\n \n \n China's 2025 summer box office, including presales, exceeded 5 billion yuan on Sunday. Daily box office takings have remained above 100 million yuan for 10 consecutive days. On Saturday alone, ticket sales hit 293 million yuan, setting a new single-day high for this year's summer movie season.\n \n \n
\n \n \n Leading the charts is Universal's \"Jurassic World Rebirth,\" with 541 million yuan in ticket sales, followed by Chinese comedy \"The Lychee Road,\" which has grossed 468 million yuan. Other top performers include Japanese animated movie \"Detective Conan: One-eyed Flashback,\" Peter Chan's crime drama \"She's Got No Name\" and the sports film \"F1 The Movie\" starring Brad Pitt.\n \n \n
\n \n \n Health authorities said all affected children received treatment, with nearly all now discharged after their blood lead levels dropped by around 40 percent on average. The government is covering medical costs and has set up a monitoring program to track the children's recovery.\n \n \n
\n \n \n Seventeen officials have been placed under disciplinary investigation, and 10 others, including senior health and education officials in Tianshui city and its Maiji district, Gansu province, face formal accountability procedures, according to a report released on Sunday.\n \n \n
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\n \n \n Authorities said the kindergarten was operating without a license and that local education and market supervision departments failed to carry out oversight. Some officials are suspected of accepting bribes and favors from the kindergarten's investor. Disciplinary and criminal investigations have been launched against officials, including the head of the provincial health commission and the mayor of Tianshui.\n \n \n
\n \n \n Authorities found that the kindergarten's management had instructed staff to add brightly colored but inedible industrial pigments to foods such as corn rolls and jujube cakes (steamed buns), to make them look more appealing to children and parents.\n \n \n
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\n \n \n Two samples from Peixin — a tricolor red date sponge cake served at breakfast and a corn roll with sausage served at dinner — failed to meet food safety standards. The samples contained lead levels of 1,052 milligrams per kilogram and 1,340 milligrams per kilogram, respectively, far above the national limit of 0.5 milligram per kilogram.\n \n \n
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\n \n \n On Sunday, officials revealed in a report that six had been arrested on suspicion of producing toxic and harmful food.\n \n \n
\n \n 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.\n \n \n \n \n
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\n \n Today, July 7, is etched in history with the Lugou Bridge Incident (1937) in Beijing, when Japanese troops attacked Lugou Bridge (Marco Polo Bridge) and the defending Chinese troops rose to fight the enemy. The event triggered China's full-scale war of resistance against Japanese aggression, also a main Eastern theater of the World Anti-Fascist War.\n \n
\n \n \n Japan has never fully reflected on its aggressive acts and war crimes before and during World War II. Right-wing forces have repeatedly downplayed or glorified this history, promoting revisionist narratives that blur public understanding of World War II.\n \n \n
Visitors enjoy an immersive performance staged on the water in Meishan, Sichuan province, on Wednesday. During the National Day holiday, large numbers of tourists have flocked to scenic spots across the country.
\n
This year's eight-day National Day holiday, which is one day longer than usual and overlaps with Mid-Autumn Festival, has driven greater popularity in the tourism market than previous years, according to industry insiders.
\n
As demand for travel and family reunions overlap, there has been a notable rise in family trips, said Qunar, a Beijing-based online travel agency. This has driven rapid growth in travel volume, and the holiday's overall tourism popularity is expected to surpass that of previous years, the agency said.
\n
Due to high demand, many passengers have been unable to book tickets for high-speed trains, so they have turned instead to flight tickets, which has further fueled an overall increase in holiday airfares, said aviation data provider VariFlight.
\n
Nonetheless, Cai Muzi, a Qunar researcher, said that airfares "saw a drop starting on Oct 2 and reached a relatively low level on Oct 4. Traveling during the offpeak period makes it more cost-effective."
\n
On Oct 1, National Day, the number of air passengers hit a peak, and family travelers were the main force of those embarking on trips, according to Qunar.
\n
On the first day of the holiday period, family travelers accounted for 43 percent of all travelers — 3 percentage points higher than last year — while the number of elderly people and children traveling grew rapidly. The number of children through age 12 traveling by air saw a 31 percent year-on-year increase, while the number of air travelers over age 60 rose 33 percent year-on-year, Qunar found.
\n
In terms of hotel check-ins on Oct 1, Beijing topped the list of the most popular domestic destinations, followed by Shanghai and Chongqing.
\n
In particular, the number of self-driving travelers has increased significantly. On Oct 1, the number of road trip travelers more than tripled over the previous day, according to Tuniu Corp, an online travel agency based in Nanjing, Jiangsu province.
\n
The longer holiday has also enabled more people to travel abroad. Travelers from third-tier and smaller cities have shown more enthusiasm for outbound travel, and the number of people who flew abroad on Oct 1 surged by more than 50 percent year-on-year. The most popular overseas destinations have been Japan, Thailand, South Korea, Malaysia and Vietnam.
\n
Meanwhile, the holidays have attracted more international travelers to experience Chinese culture. On Oct 1, the number of foreign passengers taking domestic flights jumped more than 40 percent year-on-year, with such travelers visiting some 70 cities in China. Foreign travelers have mainly come from South Korea, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand, Qunar found.
\n
Meanwhile, as of Sept 25, the average price of air tickets for the National Day holiday was 819 yuan ($115), up 9.1 percent year-on-year, according to Flight Master, a travel services platform in China.
\n
Lin Zhijie, an independent aviation industry analyst, said: "After adjustments over the past few years, airlines' pricing strategies have undergone significant changes. Their forecasts of market trends have become increasingly accurate and effective, and airfares have also become more closely aligned with market demand."
\n
zhuwenqian@chinadaily.com.cn
\n",
- "content": "
Visitors enjoy an immersive performance staged on the water in Meishan, Sichuan province, on Wednesday. During the National Day holiday, large numbers of tourists have flocked to scenic spots across the country.
\n
This year's eight-day National Day holiday, which is one day longer than usual and overlaps with Mid-Autumn Festival, has driven greater popularity in the tourism market than previous years, according to industry insiders.
\n
As demand for travel and family reunions overlap, there has been a notable rise in family trips, said Qunar, a Beijing-based online travel agency. This has driven rapid growth in travel volume, and the holiday's overall tourism popularity is expected to surpass that of previous years, the agency said.
\n
Due to high demand, many passengers have been unable to book tickets for high-speed trains, so they have turned instead to flight tickets, which has further fueled an overall increase in holiday airfares, said aviation data provider VariFlight.
\n
Nonetheless, Cai Muzi, a Qunar researcher, said that airfares "saw a drop starting on Oct 2 and reached a relatively low level on Oct 4. Traveling during the offpeak period makes it more cost-effective."
\n
On Oct 1, National Day, the number of air passengers hit a peak, and family travelers were the main force of those embarking on trips, according to Qunar.
\n
On the first day of the holiday period, family travelers accounted for 43 percent of all travelers — 3 percentage points higher than last year — while the number of elderly people and children traveling grew rapidly. The number of children through age 12 traveling by air saw a 31 percent year-on-year increase, while the number of air travelers over age 60 rose 33 percent year-on-year, Qunar found.
\n
In terms of hotel check-ins on Oct 1, Beijing topped the list of the most popular domestic destinations, followed by Shanghai and Chongqing.
\n
In particular, the number of self-driving travelers has increased significantly. On Oct 1, the number of road trip travelers more than tripled over the previous day, according to Tuniu Corp, an online travel agency based in Nanjing, Jiangsu province.
\n
The longer holiday has also enabled more people to travel abroad. Travelers from third-tier and smaller cities have shown more enthusiasm for outbound travel, and the number of people who flew abroad on Oct 1 surged by more than 50 percent year-on-year. The most popular overseas destinations have been Japan, Thailand, South Korea, Malaysia and Vietnam.
\n
Meanwhile, the holidays have attracted more international travelers to experience Chinese culture. On Oct 1, the number of foreign passengers taking domestic flights jumped more than 40 percent year-on-year, with such travelers visiting some 70 cities in China. Foreign travelers have mainly come from South Korea, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand, Qunar found.
\n
Meanwhile, as of Sept 25, the average price of air tickets for the National Day holiday was 819 yuan ($115), up 9.1 percent year-on-year, according to Flight Master, a travel services platform in China.
\n
Lin Zhijie, an independent aviation industry analyst, said: "After adjustments over the past few years, airlines' pricing strategies have undergone significant changes. Their forecasts of market trends have become increasingly accurate and effective, and airfares have also become more closely aligned with market demand."
Shoppers browse smart electric cookers at a store in Changzhou, Jiangsu province.
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An AI-powered air conditioner on display during an industry expo in Shanghai earlier this year.
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Air conditioners that automatically control the humidity and temperature of a room, based on artificial intelligence-powered voice interactions and machine learning ability to track consumer habits, have already become part of people's daily lives in China.
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Nowadays, people can play games, engage in physical exercise, make purchases online and have video chats with friends and family members via intelligent televisions.
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Thanks to the rapid development of AI, an increasing number of home appliances can be controlled through voice commands and facial recognition, helping to better understand and satisfy the personalized and diversified demands of users.
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Experts said rapidly evolving artificial intelligence is expected to create new consumption growth drivers and inject strong impetus into China's home appliance industry, as the cutting-edge digital technology spearheads a new wave of technological revolution and industrial transformation.
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AI is not only playing an increasingly pivotal role in boosting productivity and reshaping the competitive landscape in the household appliances market, but also driving the transformation and upgrade of the traditional manufacturing sector, they said.
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The State Council, China's Cabinet, recently issued a guideline on deeply implementing the "AI Plus" initiative. According to the guideline, the country will promote the use of AI in science and technology, industrial development, consumption, people's well-being, governance capability and global cooperation.
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By 2027, China will extensively and deeply integrate AI in six key sectors, with the penetration rate of new-generation intelligent terminals and AI agents surpassing 70 percent, and this figure will exceed 90 percent by 2030, the guideline said.
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The country has recognized AI as essential to fostering new quality productive forces and activating new growth drivers. Leading Chinese consumer electronics and home appliance makers are racing to incorporate AI technology into manufacturing, products and services.
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AI is reshaping the industrial landscape and will be the biggest technological revolution in the next 50 years, said Zhou Yunjie, chairman and CEO of Chinese home appliance giant Haier Group. "At present, the deployment of AI in enterprises is mainly concentrated on manufacturing, research and development, sales, procurement and services."
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Highlighting that every industry will integrate with AI, and any enterprise that does not embrace AI will eventually be weeded out, Zhou noted that the integration of AI models with home service robots and terminal devices will create new growth drivers for the global consumer electronics industry.
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The company has invested heavily in developing large language models and is promoting the adoption of AI in a wide range of fields such as household appliances and industrial internet, he said.
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AI models tailored for the smart home domain represent key infrastructure supporting transformation of the traditional home appliances sector, he added.
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Li Dongsheng, founder and chairman of Chinese consumer electronics manufacturer TCL Technology Group Corp, said, "The application of AI in the high-tech manufacturing sector will bring about greater value than its use in terminal products, as this state-of-the-art digital technology will significantly improve the production efficiency and competitiveness of China's manufacturing enterprises."
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Li said AI is increasingly embedded into intelligent production lines, product research and development, and terminal devices, which will further bolster the development of China's high-tech manufacturing sector.
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"We established an AI research and development center in Poland in 2018. Prior to that, we set up an R&D center in the United States in 2011. As a manufacturing enterprise, we will focus more on the application of AI," Li said.
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He said China's breakthroughs in LLMs, along with the meteoric rise of Chinese AI startup DeepSeek, have enabled it to rapidly catch up with the United States in the AI segment, while surpassing most other developed economies in terms of AI application.
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This year's Government Work Report stated that under the "AI Plus" initiative, the nation will work to effectively combine digital technologies with its manufacturing and market strengths, support the extensive application of large-scale AI models, and vigorously develop new-generation intelligent terminals and smart manufacturing equipment.
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According to a report by China Merchants Securities, the market scale of the smart home devices sector in China will reach 952.3 billion yuan ($133.9 billion) in 2025, with the penetration rate of AI technology exceeding 50 percent. In the next 10 years, smart household appliances will experience explosive growth.
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"We are pushing forward the integration of AI with data and speeding up the industrial use of AI," said Liu Jiang, chairman of Sichuan Changhong Electronics Holding Group Co Ltd.
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The company is leveraging AI to inspect the quality of machines and components to facilitate the automation and intelligent upgrade of equipment and improve the efficiency of production lines, Liu said.
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Changhong has applied AI technology into areas such as manufacturing, operations and products. It has unveiled plans to establish 66 AI-powered intelligent factories worldwide, and has rolled out AI televisions equipped with LLMs that support multimodal interaction functions including voice, gesture and expressions.
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Hisense Group said its Xinghai large language model is deeply integrated with DeepSeek, and with enhanced deep thinking and reasoning abilities, its smart TVs can better understand user demands, and provide them with a more natural interaction experience.
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Statistics from Beijing-based consultancy All View Cloud, which focuses on the home appliances sector, showed that the sales of home appliances in China reached 907.1 billion yuan last year, up 6.4 percent year-on-year, a fresh record.
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China's AI sector will make big strides in the next 10 to 15 years, with its market size reaching 1.73 trillion yuan by 2035, accounting for 30.6 percent of the global total, said market research company CCID Consulting.
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Gree Electric Appliances, a major Chinese home appliance manufacturer based in Zhuhai, Guangdong province, has embedded its own proprietary model framework into DeepSeek R1 and plans to build an industry-specific AI model based on DeepSeek.
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Dong Mingzhu, chairwoman of Gree, said the company will bolster the integration of image and voice recognition and other AI technologies with home appliance products, and expects the application of AI in air conditioners to contribute to energy conservation.
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"The rise of AI technology will offer better human-machine interaction capacities and advance the intelligent transformation of the traditional home appliances sector, while unleashing immense consumption potential," said Liu Fei, research director of the consumer electronics department at All View Cloud.
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Chinese consumers have shown increased demand for high-quality and smart home equipment along with the iteration and upgrade of product functions and technologies, Liu said, adding that the accelerated adoption of AI in household appliances will further stimulate consumers' purchasing appetites, thereby expanding domestic demand and shoring up the economy.
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However, some challenges and difficulties have cropped up in the development of smart home devices, Liu said.
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AI-powered home appliance products made by different manufacturers usually cannot be connected, and they still rely on foreign suppliers for high-end smart chips, Liu said.
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Hong Yong, an associate research fellow at the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation, said the adoption of AI can reduce production costs, improve the quality of products and optimize resource allocation, thus bringing about huge economic benefits.
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He added that the new type of consumption is mainly driven by technological advancements in AI, with a focus on consumers' personalized and diversified needs.
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Midea Group is bolstering the application of AI technology in intelligent manufacturing, smart home, robotic and healthcare segments.
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Zhong Zheng, vice-president of Midea, called for stepping up R&D investment in AI, especially in core technologies in key fields, establishing a data security and privacy protection system, and strengthening the training of high-caliber AI talent.
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Liang Zhenpeng, an independent consumer electronics analyst, said that as smart air conditioners precisely adjust room temperatures and TVs recommend and broadcast programs in accordance with the preferences of consumers, household appliances have turned into people's companions.
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China's smart home industry is developing by leaps and bounds, fueled by advances in cutting-edge technologies represented by AI, Liang said, adding that home appliances are creating a more comfortable and smarter home environment for residents with the help of AI.
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Liang noted, "The emergence of AI technology will better facilitate the conversational interaction between human beings and home appliance products. Along with people's increasing desire for a high-quality life, the AI-enabled smart home sector has a promising future."
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Zhu Keli, founding director of the China Institute of New Economy, stressed on the need for Chinese home appliance enterprises to improve computing power by establishing high-performance computing centers and elevating algorithm design to boost the utilization efficiency of computing power.
Tianjin University President Chai Liyuan (front, third from left) joins faculty members, students and alumni on Thursday in sharing the 130th anniversary cake at the university in Tianjin.
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President Xi Jinping has extended his congratulations to the faculty, students and alumni of Tianjin University on the 130th anniversary of the founding of China's first modern university.
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Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, conveyed his congratulations in a reply dated Tuesday to a letter from all the faculty and students of the university.
\n
Xi described the anniversary as a new starting point for the university, and called on its faculty and students to focus on major national strategic needs.
\n
He expressed his hope that they will deepen reforms in teaching and scientific research, strengthen basic research, and achieve greater breakthroughs in science and technology.
\n
Xi also urged them to improve the quality of talent development and contribute to the country's efforts to build a strong educational system, enhance scientific and technological strength, and advance Chinese modernization.
\n
Tianjin University, which was founded in 1895 as Peiyang University, adopted its current name in 1951.
\n
The university, with about 40,000 full-time students and more than 4,800 faculty and staff members, is known for its specialties in engineering.
\n
Recently, the university's faculty and students wrote a letter to Xi, reporting the university's development over the 130 years and its achievements in recent years.
\n
They also expressed their determination to cultivate talent independently and achieve greater self-reliance and strength in science and technology.
\n
Xi's reply was received with great enthusiasm by the university's faculty and students.
\n
Yang Xianjin, Party secretary of Tianjin University, said the reply was inspiring and encouraging, adding that it has provided fundamental guidance for the university's efforts to build itself into a world-class university.
\n
Liu Congqiang, dean of the School of Earth System Science, said the reply contains strategic guidance for scientific and technological innovation in the new era.
\n
"We feel deeply honored and are deeply aware of the great responsibility we shoulder," Liu said.
\n
The school will work to better align its basic research efforts with the country's major needs, such as those for carbon peak and carbon neutrality, and contribute to the country's efforts to cultivate new quality productive forces, Liu said.
\n
Qi Dehao, a student in the School of Precision Instrument and Opto-Electronics Engineering, said, "In this era, only innovators advance, only innovators become strong, and only innovators win."
\n
"We will bravely climb the peaks of technology and take the lead in overcoming technological 'stranglehold', contributing our youthful energy to the realization of the Chinese Dream of national rejuvenation," Qi said.
\n
Tan Lak Hon, an international student from Malaysia, said that during his three years at Tianjin University, he has gained not only extensive knowledge, but also many unforgettable experiences and memories.
\n
Last year marked the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Malaysia and China, and last month, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim visited Tianjin University.
\n
"These two significant events have converged during my youth, strengthening my future direction — to integrate personal growth into the progress of the times, to transform cross-cultural exchanges into bridges and bonds, and to tell the story of Malaysia-China friendship," he said.
Tianjin University President Chai Liyuan (front, third from left) joins faculty members, students and alumni on Thursday in sharing the 130th anniversary cake at the university in Tianjin.
\n
President Xi Jinping has extended his congratulations to the faculty, students and alumni of Tianjin University on the 130th anniversary of the founding of China's first modern university.
\n
Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, conveyed his congratulations in a reply dated Tuesday to a letter from all the faculty and students of the university.
\n
Xi described the anniversary as a new starting point for the university, and called on its faculty and students to focus on major national strategic needs.
\n
He expressed his hope that they will deepen reforms in teaching and scientific research, strengthen basic research, and achieve greater breakthroughs in science and technology.
\n
Xi also urged them to improve the quality of talent development and contribute to the country's efforts to build a strong educational system, enhance scientific and technological strength, and advance Chinese modernization.
\n
Tianjin University, which was founded in 1895 as Peiyang University, adopted its current name in 1951.
\n
The university, with about 40,000 full-time students and more than 4,800 faculty and staff members, is known for its specialties in engineering.
\n
Recently, the university's faculty and students wrote a letter to Xi, reporting the university's development over the 130 years and its achievements in recent years.
\n
They also expressed their determination to cultivate talent independently and achieve greater self-reliance and strength in science and technology.
\n
Xi's reply was received with great enthusiasm by the university's faculty and students.
\n
Yang Xianjin, Party secretary of Tianjin University, said the reply was inspiring and encouraging, adding that it has provided fundamental guidance for the university's efforts to build itself into a world-class university.
\n
Liu Congqiang, dean of the School of Earth System Science, said the reply contains strategic guidance for scientific and technological innovation in the new era.
\n
"We feel deeply honored and are deeply aware of the great responsibility we shoulder," Liu said.
\n
The school will work to better align its basic research efforts with the country's major needs, such as those for carbon peak and carbon neutrality, and contribute to the country's efforts to cultivate new quality productive forces, Liu said.
\n
Qi Dehao, a student in the School of Precision Instrument and Opto-Electronics Engineering, said, "In this era, only innovators advance, only innovators become strong, and only innovators win."
\n
"We will bravely climb the peaks of technology and take the lead in overcoming technological 'stranglehold', contributing our youthful energy to the realization of the Chinese Dream of national rejuvenation," Qi said.
\n
Tan Lak Hon, an international student from Malaysia, said that during his three years at Tianjin University, he has gained not only extensive knowledge, but also many unforgettable experiences and memories.
\n
Last year marked the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Malaysia and China, and last month, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim visited Tianjin University.
\n
"These two significant events have converged during my youth, strengthening my future direction — to integrate personal growth into the progress of the times, to transform cross-cultural exchanges into bridges and bonds, and to tell the story of Malaysia-China friendship," he said.
Customers browse products at a Pop Mart store on Oxford Street in London, on May 21. Collectible toys, which go beyond the practical function of traditional toys by offering greater emotional value, collectibility, and artistic appeal, have gained popularity among overseas consumers recently.
\n
Customers line up at a Heytea store in Times Square, New York, on March 8, as they flock to the newly opened bubble tea brand from China.
\n
People walk past a Luckin Coffee store before its opening in Chelsea in New York on June 8.
\n\n
The global frenzy for the Labubu doll has shone a light on how Chinese brands are crossing borders and growing in popularity worldwide.
\n
Domestic toy company Pop Mart's plush toys took off in 2024 after celebrities like Blackpink's Lisa and superstar Rihanna showcased their collections on social media. People now compete fiercely to buy the popular dolls, which have seen a significant increase in resale value.
\n
Labubu's monster sales have helped Pop Mart, built on the concept of high-quality blind box toys, grow into a billion-dollar business. It now operates over 400 stores and 2,000 vending machines worldwide.
\n
Meanwhile, other Chinese brands have either already proved to be an international success or are in the process of doing so.
\n
Online stores Shein and Temu are both well-known for offering a vast selection of low-cost products shipped directly from China. While Shein has not publicly reported its global earnings, Reuters said the company was valued at $66 billion last year. Temu is owned by Pinduoduo, a major e-commerce platform. The company's market capitalization had reached approximately $184 billion as of Sept 19.
\n
While the rise of e-commerce has caused a decline in many traditional retail stores, lifestyle retailer Miniso has defied the trend.
\n
Miniso was founded in Guangzhou, Guangdong province, in 2016, with the philosophy of "quality, affordability and fashion".
\n
As of 2024, the company had more than 7,500 stores worldwide. It offers a range of products including toys, beauty products, small electronics, stationery, snacks, and household goods. There are over 200 Miniso stores across 40 US states, with membership growing by 250 percent in 2024 to 2 million people, according to the company.
\n
Miniso's global flagship store in New York's Times Square generated nearly $80,000 in revenue on its opening day on May 19, 2023, setting a single-day sales record among its stores globally, according to a media release.
\n
The company is rapidly expanding, launching flagship stores in iconic locations such as Oxford Street in London, the Champs-Elysees in Paris, Seoul's Gangnam District and Tokyo's Harajuku. In July, it opened a 500-square-meter store in Melbourne, Australia.
\n
The NYSE-listed company reported that its revenue last year reached $2.3 billion, a 22.8 percent increase from the previous year. Consumers say they love Miniso products for their cute designs, IP collaborations and affordable prices.
\n
"Brands like Pop Mart have successfully created a 'collectible culture' around their products, using the blind box to tap into psychological drivers like scarcity and the thrill of discovery," Cornell University finance professor Will Cong told China Daily.
\n
"They bypass traditional retail barriers by launching on e-commerce and social platforms like TikTok, building communities and generating viral, user-generated content that provides authentic marketing."
\n
Cong added, "This digital fluency, combined with hyper-agile supply chains that enable rapid product iteration — a 'fast fashion' DNA seen in brands like Miniso and (fashion chain) Urban Revivo — allows them to respond to trends in near real time, keeping their offerings perpetually fresh and relevant."
\n
Beverage bubble
\n
The concept of bubble tea is being taken to the next level — with Chinese beverage companies including Heytea, Chagee, Coco Fresh Tea and Juice, Molly Tea, and Auntea Jenny now operating tens of thousands of stores worldwide.
\n
Heytea can be seen not only in New York's Chinatown. It has outlets in other major traffic areas in the city such as Times Square, Soho, the East Village, and Herald Square, which attract a diverse range of consumers from all backgrounds.
\n
Founded in Guangdong in 2012 by Nie Yunchen, Heytea lays claim to creating the first "cheese tea", which has a top layer of foamy cream cheese added.
\n
Besides offering tea latte, Heytea created a range of beverages that mix fruit with green tea or dairy.
\n
The company has over 4,000 stores worldwide. Its vice-president of overseas strategy and franchising, Yujia Gu, told the Los Angeles Times he believes the US market will be even bigger than China's, due to the rising appreciation of Asian culture.
\n
Yang Jiawen, a professor of international business and international affairs at George Washington University, said Chinese brands are still at an early stage of recognition in the US market. Product quality, effective advertising, competitive prices, and services that emphasize health and safety features will be important for the development of markets in the US and globally, Yang added.
\n
These brands have had huge success in China, and now they are trying to expand their market in the US.
\n
Luckin Coffee is the biggest coffee shop chain in China with its 22,000 stores far surpassing the 6,500 of its US competitor Starbucks.
\n
The company reported that its net revenue last year exceeded $4.7 billion, representing a 38.4 percent year-on-year increase, with much of it due to its rapid expansion. It opened 6,092 new stores, including 6,071 on the Chinese mainland, 21 in Singapore, and five in Hong Kong.
\n
In June, Luckin Coffee ventured into the US and launched its first store in New York.
\n
Sean Brassil, 28, who visited China in April, said he's excited to see the Chinese company in the US, after enjoying the convenience of ordering a beverage each morning from his hotel room and picking it up. "App and pay integration just feels very seamless and the way of the future," he said.
\n
Cotti Coffee — founded by two former Luckin Coffee executives in 2022 — is also experiencing rapid growth with over 14,000 stores worldwide in more than 28 countries and regions.
\n
Unlike Luckin, which is shifting from a price war to focus on quality and brand building, Cotti offers more competitive pricing to attract customers. In China, customers can buy a Cotti beverage for 10 yuan ($1.40). Although Cotti's pricing in the US isn't that competitive, it recently opened its second store in Manhattan.
\n
"The success of the new wave of Chinese brands in the US is driven by a sophisticated playbook that moves beyond the old 'low-cost manufacturing' model. A primary factor is their innovative reengineering of the value proposition," Cong from Cornell University said.
\n
"Brands like Luckin Coffee and Cotti Coffee exemplify a model of 'tech-enabled affordable convenience', using app-based ordering and small-footprint, grab-and-go stores to offer quality products at highly competitive prices. This isn't just a price war; it's a competition of operational efficiency, where technology drastically reduces overheads like rent and labor, allowing them to sustainably offer value that combines affordability with extreme convenience."
\n
Popular clothing brand Urban Revivo, founded in Guangzhou in 2016, is often referred to as the Chinese version of Zara, the Spanish fashion giant.
\n
Urban Revivo has annual sales of around $961 million with 400 stores in China and 19 across the world, mostly in Southeast Asia, according to Forbes. As a major fast-fashion player competing with brands like Zara and H&M, the store adds hundreds of new styles every week. In late February, it entered the US market with a store opening in New York's trendy Soho neighborhood.
\n
Blush of success
\n
In China, more consumers are turning to domestic beauty brands, driving strong growth in local products. At the same time, the country's cosmetics industry is being highly influenced by social media and e-commerce platforms.
\n
In 2022, for example, the sales of domestic Chinese brands on Douyin grew 110 percent year-on-year, according to a Xinhua News Agency report.
\n
From budget-friendly names like Into You and Judydoll to premium brands such as Mao Geping and Florasis, Chinese beauty labels are gaining widespread popularity.
\n
In the first 11 months of 2024, the export volume of Chinese beauty products and toiletries reached 1.19 million metric tons, marking an 18.2 percent increase compared with last year, General Administration of Customs data shows. Export value was $6.53 billion, up 9.4 percent on a yearly basis.
\n
In addition, a growing number of Chinese beauty products have entered the US market. These brands are competing with established international names by offering special pricing while emphasizing design and quality.
\n
Florasis, a cosmetic brand started in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, was praised by US beauty guru and influencer Jeffree Star as "the world's most beautiful makeup" for its designs, which incorporate traditional Chinese elements.
\n
Now available in over 110 countries and regions, the brand earned Marie Claire's 2025 Makeup Award for "Best Luxury Powder Eyeshadow" with one of its palettes.
\n
Another brand, Flower Knows, recognized for its dreamy, fairy-tale-style packaging, quickly went viral in China after launching in 2016, thanks to its unique design concept as well as close collaborations with social media influencers.
\n
Following its success in the domestic market, the brand expanded into Japan, where the company said its products are sold in over 1,000 stores. Flower Knows has also secured a partnership with Urban Outfitters, one of the leading fashion and lifestyle retailers in the US.
\n
The brand has attracted over 2 million followers on Instagram. US pop star Sabrina Carpenter was recently seen holding one of their products on a film set.
\n
Flower Knows is in discussions with major US beauty retailers like Sephora and Ulta Beauty to showcase their products, according to the company's chief marketing officer Gong Fang.
\n
Cong, the finance professor, said the US market could prove to be more profitable than the Chinese market because of its significantly higher household spending. In addition, success in the world market would "confer a powerful 'halo effect' of global prestige" and enhance brand value everywhere, including in China.
\n
He warned, however: "This potential is tempered by significant geopolitical risks, including tariffs and regulatory scrutiny, which add direct costs and uncertainty. Thus, while the US market could become more financially profitable for certain brands, its primary value for many will likely remain strategic."
\n
After the US administration in May eliminated the "de minimis "exemption by imposing duties on packages under $800 coming from China, businesses like Shein and Temu experienced a sharp decline in sales.
\n
In the first week of May, FedEx reported a 35 percent drop in packages arriving in the US from Asia. In response to the policy change, Temu and Shein opened warehouses on US soil to facilitate domestic shipping. They also raised their prices. Shein increased prices by as much as 377 percent, according to Bloomberg.
\n
Brands like Flower Knows emphasize that marketing is more important than ever during this period.
\n
"I have a very strong belief in manufacturing power in China, and we are living proof of that as well," said Fang. "Tariffs force us to innovate and focus more on establishing unique brand positioning. C-beauty should go beyond competitiveness in pricing and agility. We'll turn constraints into chances to redefine 'Made in China'."
\n
bilinlin@chinadailyusa.com
\n",
@@ -26857,28 +25207,6 @@
"hash": "174ebfdfb1e8f40e670642b74871a5e2",
"highlights": []
},
- {
- "title": "001FRONT - Plan to raise rewards for violation tips seen as big market boost",
- "description": "
China's latest move to sharply raise rewards for whistleblowers will effectively improve the integrity and transparency of its securities and futures markets, analysts said, as authorities step up efforts to address misconduct and boost investor confidence.
\n
The China Securities Regulatory Commission, the country's top securities regulator, together with the Ministry of Finance, unveiled a proposal earlier this week to raise cash incentives for individuals providing credible tipoffs on serious violations.
\n
The maximum reward in eligible cases has been raised to 1 million yuan ($140,460) from 100,000 yuan.
\n
The proposal would lift whistleblower rewards to 3 percent of fines and confiscations in each case, up from the current 1 percent, the regulatory commission said in a statement.
\n
By significantly raising the stakes for tipsters, the government aims to deter market malpractice ranging from insider trading to fraudulent disclosures.
\n
Market watchers said the policy will help create a fairer and more disciplined trading environment, ensuring that listed companies and market participants operate under stricter compliance standards.
\n
Hu Guopeng, chief analyst at Sealand Securities, said that in the longer term, this could reduce systemic risks, strengthen investor protection, and support the healthy functioning of China's capital market as it strives to attract more long-term domestic and foreign investment.
\n
Qin Tai, chief macroeconomic analyst at Huajin Securities, said that by offering stronger protection and incentives, China signals that its capital markets are maturing and increasingly compatible with international standards of transparency and accountability.
\n
Highlighting that this move reflects policymakers' intent to empower investors, Qin said it will encourage public participation in market oversight, which will not only strengthen deterrence against misconduct, but also help foster a culture of integrity in which investors feel more protected and engaged in the system.
\n
According to the CSRC, the proposed rules also refine the reward criteria. Major cases that severely disrupt the order of the securities and futures markets, seriously endanger financial security, or gravely infringe upon investors' lawful rights and interests are now included in the scope of rewardable cases.
\n
Anonymous whistleblowers who provide supplementary materials as required, as well as whistleblowers who have played a secondary or assisting role in the violations, may also be granted rewards if they meet the criteria, according to the statement.
\n
Ding Rijia, a professor of economics at China University of Mining and Technology-Beijing, said that while the proposed rules would strengthen deterrence, regulators must also guard against possible overreactions in the market.
\n
"If investors interpret rising whistleblower cases as a sign of hidden risks, it could unsettle sentiment in the short term," he warned, adding that careful communication will be needed to balance strict oversight with market stability.
\n
China has been steadily expanding the institutional opening-up of its capital market during the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25) period. The number of foreign-controlled securities, funds and futures firms has risen significantly, with the CSRC approving 13 new entrants in these sectors.
\n
The number of Qualified Foreign Institutional Investors, or QFIIs, had expanded to 907 by the end of August, with their holdings of Chinese shares valued at 949.3 billion yuan, according to the CSRC.
\n
According to the newly disclosed data for the second quarter of 2025, the total market value of northbound funds, or overseas capital flowing into A shares via stock connect programs linking the Shanghai, Shenzhen and Hong Kong exchanges, has reached 2.29 trillion yuan, up more than 2 percent from the previous quarter.
\n
zhongnan@chinadaily.com.cn
\n",
- "content": "
China's latest move to sharply raise rewards for whistleblowers will effectively improve the integrity and transparency of its securities and futures markets, analysts said, as authorities step up efforts to address misconduct and boost investor confidence.
\n
The China Securities Regulatory Commission, the country's top securities regulator, together with the Ministry of Finance, unveiled a proposal earlier this week to raise cash incentives for individuals providing credible tipoffs on serious violations.
\n
The maximum reward in eligible cases has been raised to 1 million yuan ($140,460) from 100,000 yuan.
\n
The proposal would lift whistleblower rewards to 3 percent of fines and confiscations in each case, up from the current 1 percent, the regulatory commission said in a statement.
\n
By significantly raising the stakes for tipsters, the government aims to deter market malpractice ranging from insider trading to fraudulent disclosures.
\n
Market watchers said the policy will help create a fairer and more disciplined trading environment, ensuring that listed companies and market participants operate under stricter compliance standards.
\n
Hu Guopeng, chief analyst at Sealand Securities, said that in the longer term, this could reduce systemic risks, strengthen investor protection, and support the healthy functioning of China's capital market as it strives to attract more long-term domestic and foreign investment.
\n
Qin Tai, chief macroeconomic analyst at Huajin Securities, said that by offering stronger protection and incentives, China signals that its capital markets are maturing and increasingly compatible with international standards of transparency and accountability.
\n
Highlighting that this move reflects policymakers' intent to empower investors, Qin said it will encourage public participation in market oversight, which will not only strengthen deterrence against misconduct, but also help foster a culture of integrity in which investors feel more protected and engaged in the system.
\n
According to the CSRC, the proposed rules also refine the reward criteria. Major cases that severely disrupt the order of the securities and futures markets, seriously endanger financial security, or gravely infringe upon investors' lawful rights and interests are now included in the scope of rewardable cases.
\n
Anonymous whistleblowers who provide supplementary materials as required, as well as whistleblowers who have played a secondary or assisting role in the violations, may also be granted rewards if they meet the criteria, according to the statement.
\n
Ding Rijia, a professor of economics at China University of Mining and Technology-Beijing, said that while the proposed rules would strengthen deterrence, regulators must also guard against possible overreactions in the market.
\n
"If investors interpret rising whistleblower cases as a sign of hidden risks, it could unsettle sentiment in the short term," he warned, adding that careful communication will be needed to balance strict oversight with market stability.
\n
China has been steadily expanding the institutional opening-up of its capital market during the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25) period. The number of foreign-controlled securities, funds and futures firms has risen significantly, with the CSRC approving 13 new entrants in these sectors.
\n
The number of Qualified Foreign Institutional Investors, or QFIIs, had expanded to 907 by the end of August, with their holdings of Chinese shares valued at 949.3 billion yuan, according to the CSRC.
\n
According to the newly disclosed data for the second quarter of 2025, the total market value of northbound funds, or overseas capital flowing into A shares via stock connect programs linking the Shanghai, Shenzhen and Hong Kong exchanges, has reached 2.29 trillion yuan, up more than 2 percent from the previous quarter.
Chinese scientists have devised "NeuroWorm", an intelligent microfiber capable of navigating freely inside the body, demonstrated through lab tests on mice, providing insights for brain-machine interfaces and neural regulation in treating certain chronic diseases.
\n
Tests showed that the microfiber, which is about 200 micrometers in width and as thin as two strands of human hair, can monitor neural electrical signals and minute tissue deformations across large areas of the body or brain while moving, unlike similar materials from other studies, which remain fixed in one location.
\n
Such advancement could redefine treatments using brain-machine interfaces or neurological disease therapies, the researchers said.
\n
"Unlike traditional Parkinson's disease treatments that require implanting multiple electrodes in different brain regions, the 'Neuro-Worm' is implanted once and can navigate various affected areas, monitoring neural electrical signals and even alleviating symptoms through electrical stimulation," said Yan Wei, a lead scientist on the team and researcher from the College of Materials Science and Engineering at Donghua University in Shanghai.
\n
"For disabled patients who need brain-machine interfaces to help move restricted body parts, this technology is equally beneficial. With a single implantation of this fiber, it can monitor neural electrical signals across a wide range of the body."
\n
Inspired by the segmented body structure of earthworms, which allows for distributed sensory and motion control, the research team led by Liu Zhiyuan, a researcher at the Chinese Academy of Sciences' Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology and Yan developed the "NeuroWorm".
\n
The study was published on the website of the journal Nature on Wednesday.
\n
"This dynamic, soft and stretchable microfiber serves as a neural interface, offering significant advantages over traditional neural interface devices that are static and require invasive procedures for repositioning," Yan said.
\n
The "NeuroWorm" fiber has other advantages over traditional devices, the researchers said. For example, it is embedded with 60 nano-level micro sensors, 15 times the number found in traditional methods. This allows for precise multipoint monitoring of neural electrical and biomechanical signals while navigating within the body after being implanted in the muscle or navigating within the brain after being implanted in the cerebral cortex of mice, said Yan.
\n
Furthermore, the fiber possesses excellent competency in softness. Long-term experiments on mice showed high biocompatibility, with the microfiber remaining in muscles for up to 13 months without adverse reactions, the researchers said.
\n
"A key innovation lies in the fiber's ability to navigate within the body. Using an open magnetic control strategy, we achieved initial controlled movement and steering within tissues, allowing the fiber to move like an earthworm through soil and record neural signals all along the path without the need for additional surgeries," said Yan.
\n
Zhu Meifang, a strategic adviser of the study, who is also director of the State Key Laboratory of Advanced Fiber Materials at Donghua University, said this breakthrough aims to transition bioelectronics from fixed passive recording to mobile intelligent collaboration.
\n
"The team hopes to work with more institutions in the application field to accelerate the practical use of the technology, potentially transforming the landscape of the clinical use of brain-machine interface devices as well as neural disease treatment and monitoring," she said.
China has received more than 36,000 young people from the United States through exchange programs in the past two years, inspired by President Xi Jinping's "50,000 in Five Years" initiative, a senior education official said recently.
\n
At a welcoming dinner hosted by friendly organizations in the US in November 2023, Xi proposed that China was ready to invite 50,000 US young people to China on exchange and study programs over the next five years to boost interactions between the two peoples, especially young people.
\n
Xiong Sihao, vice-minister of education, said at a news conference held by the State Council Information Office that more than 36,000 youths from the US were inspired by Xi's call and traveled to China for exchanges over the past two years.
\n
For example, a US youth pickleball cultural exchange delegation from Maryland forged friendships with Chinese peers during a trip to China in April, Xiong said.
\n
Globally, China has established educational cooperation with 183 countries and regions, signed mutual recognition agreements on academic degrees with 61 and launched joint education programs with 42, he said. Students from more than 190 countries and regions pursue studies in China, while 86 nations have incorporated Chinese language into their national education systems, he added.
\n
Multilevel exchanges enable young people from China and abroad to connect, draw mutual inspiration and grow together, steadily converging their youthful energy into a driving force for building a community with a shared future for humanity, he said.
\n
Minister of Education Huai Jinpeng said China has built the world's largest high-quality education system, providing guarantees for equal access to education for all children.
\n
The enrollment rate in higher education has more than doubled, from 30 percent in 2012 to 60.8 percent, reaching internationally recognized levels, he said.
\n
Meanwhile, China's higher education system has produced more than 55 million graduates — equaling the population of many developed countries — during the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25) period, Huai said.
\n
"While we do not judge our institutions solely by these rankings, it is evident that in internationally comparable indicators, China's universities and disciplines have become a significant force globally," he said.
\n
This progress lays a foundation for accelerating the development of world-class universities and disciplines with Chinese characteristics. The education policies also support national strategies, advancing self-reliance in science and technology, and cultivating innovative talent, he added.
\n
China's basic education has reached the average level of high-income countries, Huai said.
\n
zoushuo@chinadaily.com.cn
\n",
- "content": "
China has received more than 36,000 young people from the United States through exchange programs in the past two years, inspired by President Xi Jinping's "50,000 in Five Years" initiative, a senior education official said recently.
\n
At a welcoming dinner hosted by friendly organizations in the US in November 2023, Xi proposed that China was ready to invite 50,000 US young people to China on exchange and study programs over the next five years to boost interactions between the two peoples, especially young people.
\n
Xiong Sihao, vice-minister of education, said at a news conference held by the State Council Information Office that more than 36,000 youths from the US were inspired by Xi's call and traveled to China for exchanges over the past two years.
\n
For example, a US youth pickleball cultural exchange delegation from Maryland forged friendships with Chinese peers during a trip to China in April, Xiong said.
\n
Globally, China has established educational cooperation with 183 countries and regions, signed mutual recognition agreements on academic degrees with 61 and launched joint education programs with 42, he said. Students from more than 190 countries and regions pursue studies in China, while 86 nations have incorporated Chinese language into their national education systems, he added.
\n
Multilevel exchanges enable young people from China and abroad to connect, draw mutual inspiration and grow together, steadily converging their youthful energy into a driving force for building a community with a shared future for humanity, he said.
\n
Minister of Education Huai Jinpeng said China has built the world's largest high-quality education system, providing guarantees for equal access to education for all children.
\n
The enrollment rate in higher education has more than doubled, from 30 percent in 2012 to 60.8 percent, reaching internationally recognized levels, he said.
\n
Meanwhile, China's higher education system has produced more than 55 million graduates — equaling the population of many developed countries — during the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25) period, Huai said.
\n
"While we do not judge our institutions solely by these rankings, it is evident that in internationally comparable indicators, China's universities and disciplines have become a significant force globally," he said.
\n
This progress lays a foundation for accelerating the development of world-class universities and disciplines with Chinese characteristics. The education policies also support national strategies, advancing self-reliance in science and technology, and cultivating innovative talent, he added.
\n
China's basic education has reached the average level of high-income countries, Huai said.
China has condemned the United States' recent veto of the Gaza ceasefire resolution at the United Nations Security Council.
\n
Fu Cong, China's permanent representative to the UN, said at Wednesday's General Assembly — which was convened in response to the recent Security Council veto in order to address the escalating crisis in Gaza and consider the next steps for peace and accountability — that the US had abused its veto power.
\n
He said that if the US had not repeatedly abused its veto, the Security Council's response to the Gaza crisis would have been more effective, and if Washington had not offered unconditional protection to Israel, Security Council resolutions and international law would not have been violated so recklessly.
\n
On Sept 18, the US vetoed a draft resolution at the UN Security Council for the sixth time. The resolution called for an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Gaza as well as the release of hostages. Although 14 of the 15 Security Council members voted in favor of the draft resolution, the measure was blocked by the US veto.
\n
The US representative said his delegation vetoed the resolution because it "failed to condemn Hamas and it failed to recognize Israel's right to defend itself, amongst other serious defects".
\n
UN General Assembly President Annalena Baerbock told the 193-member organ that "a raised hand", "a simple 'no'" may appear routine when a permanent member of the Security Council casts a veto, but the impact is anything but ordinary.
\n
"A veto can extinguish hope for those trapped in conflict. It falls hardest on those who turn to the United Nations for peace, for relief, for a path out of suffering, for hope. And when it results in constant blockages, it can damage the credibility of this whole institution," Baerbock said.
\n
"The veto is not a privilege. It's a responsibility, entrusted to five nations to be exercised rarely in the spirit of peace and security for all," Baerbock said.
\n
Fu said the tragedy in Gaza must not continue, and an immediate and lasting ceasefire is needed. He added that China welcomes all efforts to de-escalate the current situation.
\n
History has repeatedly shown that military means cannot resolve the conflict, and that no country's security can be built on the insecurity of others. The ongoing war has already claimed the lives of more than 66,000 people in Gaza, and prolonging the violence will only bring more deaths and hatred, Fu said.
\n
China urged Israel, as the occupying power, to comply with its obligations under international humanitarian law, restore full access for humanitarian aid, and support relief efforts by the UN and other agencies.
\n
Fu said the two-state solution is the only viable path, stressing that Gaza and the West Bank are integral Palestinian territory and that postwar arrangements must be "Palestinians governing Palestine". He called for concrete, irreversible steps toward this goal and opposition to unilateral measures.
\n
Meanwhile, organizers of a flotilla heading toward Gaza said on Thursday that Israeli forces had stopped 39 boats carrying foreign activists and aid.
\n
The organizers denounced Israel's action as a "war crime". They said the military used aggressive tactics, including the use of water cannon, but that no one was harmed.
\n
The flotilla's progress across the Mediterranean Sea garnered international attention as nations including Turkiye, Spain and Italy sent boats or drones in case their nationals required assistance.
\n
Italy and Greece urged Israeli authorities on Wednesday to ensure the safety of the flotilla participants.
\n
Colombian President Gustavo Petro ordered the expulsion of Israel's entire diplomatic delegation on Wednesday following the detention of two Colombians in the flotilla. Israel has not had an ambassador in Colombia since last year.
\n
Spain summoned Israel's top representative in Madrid on Thursday. Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares said that 65 Spaniards were traveling with the flotilla.
\n
Agencies and <span class="epaper-contributor">Pan Jie</span> in Beijing contributed to this story.
\n
mingmeili@chinadailyusa.com
\n",
@@ -26945,28 +25251,6 @@
"hash": "0dd591dea389c92a4bff6cf705364ff3",
"highlights": []
},
- {
- "title": "004WORLD - Modernization drive of China draws praise",
- "description": "
China's development path is peaceful and its experiences could benefit many countries, international observers and business leaders said, hailing President Xi Jinping's speech at the reception marking the 76th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China on Tuesday as a message of confidence.
\n
At the event, Xi called on the nation to keep working hard and forging ahead with determination in advancing Chinese modernization, stressing that "achieving the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation is an unprecedented cause".
\n
Carlos Martinez, political commentator and co-founder of the Friends of Socialist China platform, said: "President Xi's speech reflects and reinforces the confidence of the Chinese people and the Communist Party of China in tackling the major challenges of the present era and marching forward toward socialist modernization."
\n
Martinez noted the sharp difference between China's modernization and that of capitalist countries as "peaceful" and "based on common prosperity and harmony between humankind and nature", instead of "war, colonialism, slavery, exploitation and ecocide".
\n
"So the Chinese people are exploring previously uncharted territory, and this has profound significance for the other peoples of the Global South. China's rise holds valuable lessons for the socialist countries and all Global South countries that seek to modernize whilst upholding their sovereignty," he said.
\n
Martinez also praised his reiteration of China's support for multilateralism despite a complex and unpredictable international environment with a range of threats and challenges. "China remains a force for peace and progress, and its vision of a global community of shared future is a source of inspiration and unity."
\n
For Fiona Sim, co-founder of the Black Liberation Alliance in London, China's modernization means a greater contribution to the fight against poverty on a global level.
\n
"I cannot say China's poverty alleviation can be overstated enough, just the very fact that it contributed to 70 percent of the global poverty decline," she said.
\n
From a business perspective, Bernard Dewit, chairman of the Belgian-Chinese Chamber of Commerce, stressed the opportunities that China's modernization offers.
\n
"For Belgian companies, China remains a key partner and one of the world's most dynamic markets. The emphasis on high-quality development, green transformation, digital advancement, and people's well-being opens new areas for collaboration."
\n
Dewit sees the reaffirmation of multilateralism and global cooperation in the speech aligning with the shared commitment to innovation and sustainability by Europe, which can create opportunities not only for trade but also for joint solutions to global challenges.
\n
"We look forward to deepening our economic partnerships, fostering more exchanges between our people and enterprises, and building bridges of trust and prosperity," Dewit said.
\n
Jack Perry, chairman of the London-based business community 48 Group, said that when unilateralism and protectionism undermine the UN and other multilateral mechanisms, the business community feels the impact and disruption the most.
\n
"Against this backdrop, China has consistently been at the forefront of upholding multilateralism and maintaining a high level of openness to the world," he said, adding that as China prepares for the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30), businesses expect the country's priorities of reform, sustainable growth, and multilateral cooperation to create prosperity not only for China but for the global community.
\n
Contact the writers at xingyi@chinadaily.com.cn.
\n",
- "content": "
China's development path is peaceful and its experiences could benefit many countries, international observers and business leaders said, hailing President Xi Jinping's speech at the reception marking the 76th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China on Tuesday as a message of confidence.
\n
At the event, Xi called on the nation to keep working hard and forging ahead with determination in advancing Chinese modernization, stressing that "achieving the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation is an unprecedented cause".
\n
Carlos Martinez, political commentator and co-founder of the Friends of Socialist China platform, said: "President Xi's speech reflects and reinforces the confidence of the Chinese people and the Communist Party of China in tackling the major challenges of the present era and marching forward toward socialist modernization."
\n
Martinez noted the sharp difference between China's modernization and that of capitalist countries as "peaceful" and "based on common prosperity and harmony between humankind and nature", instead of "war, colonialism, slavery, exploitation and ecocide".
\n
"So the Chinese people are exploring previously uncharted territory, and this has profound significance for the other peoples of the Global South. China's rise holds valuable lessons for the socialist countries and all Global South countries that seek to modernize whilst upholding their sovereignty," he said.
\n
Martinez also praised his reiteration of China's support for multilateralism despite a complex and unpredictable international environment with a range of threats and challenges. "China remains a force for peace and progress, and its vision of a global community of shared future is a source of inspiration and unity."
\n
For Fiona Sim, co-founder of the Black Liberation Alliance in London, China's modernization means a greater contribution to the fight against poverty on a global level.
\n
"I cannot say China's poverty alleviation can be overstated enough, just the very fact that it contributed to 70 percent of the global poverty decline," she said.
\n
From a business perspective, Bernard Dewit, chairman of the Belgian-Chinese Chamber of Commerce, stressed the opportunities that China's modernization offers.
\n
"For Belgian companies, China remains a key partner and one of the world's most dynamic markets. The emphasis on high-quality development, green transformation, digital advancement, and people's well-being opens new areas for collaboration."
\n
Dewit sees the reaffirmation of multilateralism and global cooperation in the speech aligning with the shared commitment to innovation and sustainability by Europe, which can create opportunities not only for trade but also for joint solutions to global challenges.
\n
"We look forward to deepening our economic partnerships, fostering more exchanges between our people and enterprises, and building bridges of trust and prosperity," Dewit said.
\n
Jack Perry, chairman of the London-based business community 48 Group, said that when unilateralism and protectionism undermine the UN and other multilateral mechanisms, the business community feels the impact and disruption the most.
\n
"Against this backdrop, China has consistently been at the forefront of upholding multilateralism and maintaining a high level of openness to the world," he said, adding that as China prepares for the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30), businesses expect the country's priorities of reform, sustainable growth, and multilateral cooperation to create prosperity not only for China but for the global community.
Worshippers stand inside a church under construction that collapsed in Arerti, Amhara region of northern Ethiopia, on Wednesday, killing at least 36 people and injuring over 200 others. The incident occurred at around 7:45 am in the town of Arerti, roughly 70 kilometers east of the capital Addis Ababa, when a group was visiting for an annual Virgin Mary festival.
World-renowned ethologist, primatologist, and conservationist Jane Goodall has died at the age of 91, the Jane Goodall Institute said on Wednesday in a statement. Goodall, a United Nations Messenger of Peace and founder of the institute, passed away from natural causes in California while on a speaking tour in the United States, the statement said. Goodall's discoveries as an ethologist revolutionized science, and she was a tireless advocate for the protection and restoration of our natural world, the statement further said. Born in Britain, Goodall rose to fame for her pioneering research on chimpanzees in Tanzania in the 1960s. Widely regarded as the world's foremost expert on chimpanzees, she devoted more than six decades to studying their social and family interactions in the wild.
\n
UNITED KINGDOM
\n
2 killed in Manchester synagogue attack
\n
Two people were killed after an assailant reportedly drove a car into pedestrians and stabbed a security guard near a synagogue in Manchester in northwest England on Thursday, police said. Greater Manchester Police said officers had been called to Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue in the north Manchester district of Crumpsall after a witness reported seeing a car being driven toward members of the public and that one man had been stabbed. Armed officers responded and a man, believed to be the offender, was shot.
\n",
- "content": "
UNITED STATES
\n
Ethologist Jane Goodall dies at 91
\n
World-renowned ethologist, primatologist, and conservationist Jane Goodall has died at the age of 91, the Jane Goodall Institute said on Wednesday in a statement. Goodall, a United Nations Messenger of Peace and founder of the institute, passed away from natural causes in California while on a speaking tour in the United States, the statement said. Goodall's discoveries as an ethologist revolutionized science, and she was a tireless advocate for the protection and restoration of our natural world, the statement further said. Born in Britain, Goodall rose to fame for her pioneering research on chimpanzees in Tanzania in the 1960s. Widely regarded as the world's foremost expert on chimpanzees, she devoted more than six decades to studying their social and family interactions in the wild.
\n
UNITED KINGDOM
\n
2 killed in Manchester synagogue attack
\n
Two people were killed after an assailant reportedly drove a car into pedestrians and stabbed a security guard near a synagogue in Manchester in northwest England on Thursday, police said. Greater Manchester Police said officers had been called to Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue in the north Manchester district of Crumpsall after a witness reported seeing a car being driven toward members of the public and that one man had been stabbed. Armed officers responded and a man, believed to be the offender, was shot.
Three black-headed gulls hover above Mapam Yumco Lake in Ngari prefecture in the Xizang autonomous region.
\n
A Tibetan nomad herds yaks across the grassland around the lake.
\n
Dradul is a guardian of the lake wetland and wildlife living around it.
\n
For more than a decade, Dradul has worked as a guardian of a wetland near Mapam Yumco Lake, which, nestled at an altitude of over 4,500 meters in Burang county of Ngari prefecture, Southwest China's Xizang autonomous region, is the world's highest freshwater lake.
\n
By mid-morning on a typical working day, the 42-year-old will be circling the lake on his motorcycle, traversing a fixed patrol route spanning nearly 10 kilometers.
\n
"In my bag are a pair of binoculars to scan for waterbirds, a notebook to record each patrol's sightings of wildlife species and numbers, along with details such as the weather and water level, as well as garbage bags to collect litter," he said.
\n
He also carries what he jokingly calls his "life-saving kit": food, usually zanba, a traditional Tibetan staple made of roasted highland barley, along with drinking water, a thick coat, a hat, sun mask, and simple tools in case he comes across any animal in need.
\n
Referred to as the "Mother of Rivers", Mapam Yumco Lake, also known as Lake Manasarovar, feeds the headwaters of the Ganges, Indus, Sutlej, and Yarlung Zangbo, sustaining life far beyond the Himalayas.
\n
Today, Dradul is one of 90 guardians patrolling nearly 99,000 hectares of the wetland, of which the lake itself makes up about 69,000 hectares.
\n
The guardians' tasks are simple: patrol the reserve, record observations and respond to threats. Yet in a fragile ecosystem perched on the "roof of the world", even small actions carry weight.
\n
In February last year, the guardians discovered an eagle with a broken wing. They carefully transported the bird to a rescue center, feeding it and tending to its injuries until it was strong enough to fly again.
\n
This July, after villagers spotted a wild yak trapped in a mudflat, Dradul and his colleagues, together with local forestry and grassland officials, rushed to the scene but failed to directly pull the yak out. The massive animal, weighing hundreds of kilograms, struggled helplessly.
\n
Finally, by looping ropes around the yak's horns, they pulled carefully, inch by inch, until the exhausted animal was free.
\n
"The rescue process took about 20 minutes. But we stood at a distance afterward for half an hour, watching silently until the yak began to walk and graze again," he said.
\n
Changing attitudes
\n
Beyond rescues, much of a guardian's work involves people. Tourists are gently reminded not to litter, not to drive across fragile grasslands, and to carry out their waste.
\n
"In the past, there used to be a lot of trash in the wetland. Once the wind blew, it scattered everywhere, and there were fewer wild animals," Dradul said. With the guardians diligently patrolling and reminding the visitors not to litter, the wetland's ecosystem has steadily improved over the past years.
\n
Today, the wetland is home to 411 species of plants and 157 species of vertebrates, a remarkable level of biodiversity for such a high-altitude region.
\n
"Watching the prayer flags flutter by the lakeshore, bar-headed geese and ruddy shelducks playing on the water while kiangs (Tibetan wild donkeys) gallop along the shore, I know that I have made my contribution to all this and feel a sense of achievement that nothing else can match," Dradul said.
\n
Just a few years ago, his life was very different. Without steady work, he drifted between temporary jobs, uncertain about the future. That changed in 2014, when he became a guardian of the wetland.
\n
The position now provides him with a stable monthly income of 2,000 yuan ($281), and more importantly, a mission.
\n
"I feel proud to protect the holy lake," he said. "It's more than work. It's about keeping the lake alive for the future so that my children and grandchildren will one day see the same clear waters as I do."
\n
Challenges on the plateau
\n
Yet the work is far from easy. Climate change, which is melting glaciers and shifting rainfall patterns, poses the most daunting challenge.
\n
"The altering of the lake's shoreline and degradation of the grasslands, caused by climate change, are beyond the power of guardians like us," Dradul said.
\n
Human pressure is another constant concern. While most visitors respect the rules, some litter, bathe or even wash cars in the lake, forcing rangers into confrontations.
\n
And then there is the vastness of the task: with nearly 99,000 hectares of wetland and only 90 rangers, there are some remote areas that they cannot patrol every day.
\n
"I hope that in the future we can use more technologies, such as drones, to help us better fulfill our duties," Dradul said.
\n
Despite the challenges, Dradul's vision for the future is clear. He dreams of Mapam Yumco Lake remaining eternally pure, with Mount Gang Rinpoche reflected in its blue waters for centuries to come.
\n
To this end, he wishes for more young people to take up the work of protection.
\n
"This responsibility must be passed down," he said. "If our hearts are sincere and our hands are diligent, Mapam Yumco Lake will never grow old."
\n
mojingxi@chinadaily.com.cn
\n",
@@ -27033,28 +25295,6 @@
"hash": "9f9bdeff59fe2ea0a63512843a0139d5",
"highlights": []
},
- {
- "title": "006READ - THEY DANCE WITH THEIR SOULS",
- "description": "
Walawala Deaf People's Dance Group performs at the opening of China Contemporary Dance Biennial at Shanghai International Dance Center on Aug 27.
\n
Walawala Deaf People's Dance Group practices on a weekend.
\n\n
Theirs was just a 10-minute piece but performed with beautifully synchronized movements, perfect coordination and all their heart, which moved even many professionals in the audience to tears. Their performance at the opening of the 2025 China Contemporary Dance Biennial at the Shanghai International Dance Center on Aug 27 showed their four years of practice was worth it.
\n
But what made the performance even more heartwarming is that all the dancers were deaf.
\n
The audience, including industry leaders from 14 countries across four continents, were deeply touched by the dancers, who performed without a hearing conductor.
\n
"I was … touched," said Bruno Heynderickx, ballet director of the Hessian State Ballet from Germany. "I almost cried because … they cannot hear the music. They are trapped in their silence, and they find unity through … dance. I think that is why I do this job. To see performances like this is really, really, really amazing."
\n
But what the experts didn't know is that it took the Shanghai-based Walawala Deaf People's Dance Group four years to create the short piece. The greatest difficulty is that deaf dancers can't follow the beat of the music. "We tried many different measures to help the dancers get the beat," Huang Fei, choreographer of the program, said. "Sometimes one's interior rhythm is not the same as that of the music. We have to find ways to achieve a consistent interior rhythm, or we tend to dance faster and faster."
\n
A hearing conductor standing in front of the dancers is the most convenient way to achieve that, but Huang hopes to help his dancers to "know the beat inside their heart".
\n
"We tried to take advantage of the vibration on the dance floor, and also the stage lighting … we are still working on it, and it takes lots of practice," he said. Deaf people keenly observe things around them and are sensitive to even the slightest changes in the mood of others, which compensate for their part or complete lack of hearing, Huang said.
\n
"That's our strength," he told the dancers during a break in a rehearsal on Sept 7. "I hope we can work together and create dance moves of your own, which speak of your ideas and your feelings. If that happens, no one else can perform those moves better than you." While Huang spoke, his wife Yu Qinxin, who is the founding director of Walawala, sat beside him translating each sentence into sign language.
\n
"I searched about it on the web, and there are hardly any dance troupes of deaf people that can perform lots of synchronized movements without a hearing conductor," Yu said. "We hope to keep dancing together and making progress until we can create a proper dance production of maybe 50 minutes. Then we can give more public performances, be seen by more people, and claim a position for ourselves in the world of contemporary dance."
\n
Yu has been working as a dance teacher at Shanghai Youth Technical School for the Deaf and Mute since 2012, and has headed the school's dance troupe for years.
\n
The first vocational school in China for young people with hearing impairment was founded in 1953. In 1976, one of the first dance troupes of deaf people in China was formed at the school, in order to demonstrate the artistic talents and perseverance and resilience of the hearing-impaired youth.
\n
Dance brought them joy and confidence, and proved to the public that they are just as beautiful and vibrant as any other youth. After graduation, the students chose different career paths — while some worked in bakeries, leather workshops or other establishments, others enrolled in a university. But they missed dancing together. In 2020, Yu and more than 20 of her former students decided to form a dance troupe of their own.
\n
Walawala is a colloquial expression in Shanghai dialect that describes the cacophony of many people talking at the same time. "They may not be able to utter much of a sound, but like other young people, they are eager to express themselves and communicate with each other … They do tell jokes, have heated discussions, and do lots of talking using sign language," she said, explaining the name of the group.
\n
Since then, they have been meeting every week and dancing together. "Many of us are married and have kids. Sometimes, there are toddlers playing on the side while we dance in the studio," Yu said. "After all these years, we have become so close that we are like family. I am the aunt of their children, and they are the aunts and uncles for mine."
\n
Thirty-two-year-old Wu Shenfeng is the captain of Walawala. He and his wife both dance in the troupe. During breaks in the rehearsal on Sept 7, he talked with this China Daily reporter using sign language, with Yu translating it.
\n
"We have been dancing together for almost 10 years," he said, counting in the four years he studied at the school. "Dancing has become a natural part of my life." Wu enjoys listening to music through his hearing aid, sometimes dances to the rhythm. "I hope we could go on dancing as a group till we are old, when we could still dance together in wheelchairs."
\n
But for 33-year-old Pan Liuzhen, dancing was not the most important reason he stayed with the troupe. "I come to dancing practice because they are here," he said, pointing at his old schoolmates sitting on the dance floor. Pan has a busy job as a graphic designer and co-coordinator of initiatives involving people living with disabilities. He tries to take part in the rehearsals as much as he can, even though he often has to work overtime on the weekend.
\n
"We grew up together, and dancing … (helps us) rely on each other, because no one understands us like we do each other," he said.
\n
Walawala performed its first piece, I Will be Thinking of You, at the Lantern Festival Dance Gala at Shanghai International Dance Center in 2021. The dance, a five-minute joyful recollection of school life, got Walawala onto the evening news report of China Central Television. It also won them more than 70,000 yuan ($9,839.55), which has kept the group in black till today.
\n
"Thanks to the support of the school, which allows us to use the dance studio for free, we do not have to pay for the largest chunk of expense," Yu said. They still have some funds for group activities, and they are going to see a great contemporary dance show in November: Pina Bausch's creation of Kontakthof — Echoes of '78 at Shanghai International Dance Center.
\n
Shanghai has about 90,000 people registered hearing impaired. They all benefit from a series of preferential policies and measures, including subsidies and discounts, for people with disabilities. The Walawala troupe members will pay half the price of the tickets for Kontakthof — Echoes of '78.
Walawala Deaf People's Dance Group performs at the opening of China Contemporary Dance Biennial at Shanghai International Dance Center on Aug 27.
\n
Walawala Deaf People's Dance Group practices on a weekend.
\n\n
Theirs was just a 10-minute piece but performed with beautifully synchronized movements, perfect coordination and all their heart, which moved even many professionals in the audience to tears. Their performance at the opening of the 2025 China Contemporary Dance Biennial at the Shanghai International Dance Center on Aug 27 showed their four years of practice was worth it.
\n
But what made the performance even more heartwarming is that all the dancers were deaf.
\n
The audience, including industry leaders from 14 countries across four continents, were deeply touched by the dancers, who performed without a hearing conductor.
\n
"I was … touched," said Bruno Heynderickx, ballet director of the Hessian State Ballet from Germany. "I almost cried because … they cannot hear the music. They are trapped in their silence, and they find unity through … dance. I think that is why I do this job. To see performances like this is really, really, really amazing."
\n
But what the experts didn't know is that it took the Shanghai-based Walawala Deaf People's Dance Group four years to create the short piece. The greatest difficulty is that deaf dancers can't follow the beat of the music. "We tried many different measures to help the dancers get the beat," Huang Fei, choreographer of the program, said. "Sometimes one's interior rhythm is not the same as that of the music. We have to find ways to achieve a consistent interior rhythm, or we tend to dance faster and faster."
\n
A hearing conductor standing in front of the dancers is the most convenient way to achieve that, but Huang hopes to help his dancers to "know the beat inside their heart".
\n
"We tried to take advantage of the vibration on the dance floor, and also the stage lighting … we are still working on it, and it takes lots of practice," he said. Deaf people keenly observe things around them and are sensitive to even the slightest changes in the mood of others, which compensate for their part or complete lack of hearing, Huang said.
\n
"That's our strength," he told the dancers during a break in a rehearsal on Sept 7. "I hope we can work together and create dance moves of your own, which speak of your ideas and your feelings. If that happens, no one else can perform those moves better than you." While Huang spoke, his wife Yu Qinxin, who is the founding director of Walawala, sat beside him translating each sentence into sign language.
\n
"I searched about it on the web, and there are hardly any dance troupes of deaf people that can perform lots of synchronized movements without a hearing conductor," Yu said. "We hope to keep dancing together and making progress until we can create a proper dance production of maybe 50 minutes. Then we can give more public performances, be seen by more people, and claim a position for ourselves in the world of contemporary dance."
\n
Yu has been working as a dance teacher at Shanghai Youth Technical School for the Deaf and Mute since 2012, and has headed the school's dance troupe for years.
\n
The first vocational school in China for young people with hearing impairment was founded in 1953. In 1976, one of the first dance troupes of deaf people in China was formed at the school, in order to demonstrate the artistic talents and perseverance and resilience of the hearing-impaired youth.
\n
Dance brought them joy and confidence, and proved to the public that they are just as beautiful and vibrant as any other youth. After graduation, the students chose different career paths — while some worked in bakeries, leather workshops or other establishments, others enrolled in a university. But they missed dancing together. In 2020, Yu and more than 20 of her former students decided to form a dance troupe of their own.
\n
Walawala is a colloquial expression in Shanghai dialect that describes the cacophony of many people talking at the same time. "They may not be able to utter much of a sound, but like other young people, they are eager to express themselves and communicate with each other … They do tell jokes, have heated discussions, and do lots of talking using sign language," she said, explaining the name of the group.
\n
Since then, they have been meeting every week and dancing together. "Many of us are married and have kids. Sometimes, there are toddlers playing on the side while we dance in the studio," Yu said. "After all these years, we have become so close that we are like family. I am the aunt of their children, and they are the aunts and uncles for mine."
\n
Thirty-two-year-old Wu Shenfeng is the captain of Walawala. He and his wife both dance in the troupe. During breaks in the rehearsal on Sept 7, he talked with this China Daily reporter using sign language, with Yu translating it.
\n
"We have been dancing together for almost 10 years," he said, counting in the four years he studied at the school. "Dancing has become a natural part of my life." Wu enjoys listening to music through his hearing aid, sometimes dances to the rhythm. "I hope we could go on dancing as a group till we are old, when we could still dance together in wheelchairs."
\n
But for 33-year-old Pan Liuzhen, dancing was not the most important reason he stayed with the troupe. "I come to dancing practice because they are here," he said, pointing at his old schoolmates sitting on the dance floor. Pan has a busy job as a graphic designer and co-coordinator of initiatives involving people living with disabilities. He tries to take part in the rehearsals as much as he can, even though he often has to work overtime on the weekend.
\n
"We grew up together, and dancing … (helps us) rely on each other, because no one understands us like we do each other," he said.
\n
Walawala performed its first piece, I Will be Thinking of You, at the Lantern Festival Dance Gala at Shanghai International Dance Center in 2021. The dance, a five-minute joyful recollection of school life, got Walawala onto the evening news report of China Central Television. It also won them more than 70,000 yuan ($9,839.55), which has kept the group in black till today.
\n
"Thanks to the support of the school, which allows us to use the dance studio for free, we do not have to pay for the largest chunk of expense," Yu said. They still have some funds for group activities, and they are going to see a great contemporary dance show in November: Pina Bausch's creation of Kontakthof — Echoes of '78 at Shanghai International Dance Center.
\n
Shanghai has about 90,000 people registered hearing impaired. They all benefit from a series of preferential policies and measures, including subsidies and discounts, for people with disabilities. The Walawala troupe members will pay half the price of the tickets for Kontakthof — Echoes of '78.
Saulebek Kabylbekov (right) personally escorts a patient at Daqing Ophthalmology Hospital in Daqing city, Northeast China's Heilongjiang province, Aug 8, 2025.
\n
Saulebek Kabylbekov (left) eats dumplings with a companion when celebrating the Spring Festival in China in 2002.
\n
Saulebek Kabylbekov (second from the right) greets a patient at Daqing Ophthalmology Hospital in Daqing city, Northeast China's Heilongjiang province, July 17, 2025.
\n
Saulebek Kabylbekov shops for potatoes at a supermarket in Daqing city, Northeast China's Heilongjiang province, July 16, 2025.
\n
Saulebek Kabylbekov (left) examines the eyes of a patient at Daqing Ophthalmology Hospital in Daqing city, Northeast China's Heilongjiang province, July 16, 2025.
\n
Saulebek Kabylbekov pictured at Daqing Ophthalmology Hospital in Daqing city, Northeast China's Heilongjiang province, July 16, 2025.
\n
Saulebek Kabylbekov (centre) talks with patients at Daqing Ophthalmology Hospital in Daqing city, Northeast China's Heilongjiang province, July 16, 2025.
\n
Saulebek Kabylbekov (left) serves Kazakh dishes he cooked to colleagues at the canteen of Daqing Ophthalmology Hospital in Daqing city, Northeast China's Heilongjiang province, July 16, 2025.
\n
Saulebek Kabylbekov works out at a gym of Daqing Ophthalmology Hospital in Daqing city, Northeast China's Heilongjiang province, July 17,2025.
\n
Saulebek Kabylbekov waters green plants at his apartment in Daqing city, Northeast China's Heilongjiang province, July 16, 2025.
\n
Saulebek Kabylbekov is a 66-year-old Kazakh ophthalmologist at Daqing Ophthalmology Hospital who can communicate fluently with patients in a northeastern Chinese dialect.
\n
In the 1990s, as an outstanding young ophthalmologist of Kazakhstan, Saulebek visited China multiple times for work and academic exchanges. In 1998, when Daqing Ophthalmology Hospital was established, he came to provide technical assistance, introducing advanced ophthalmic technologies of the time.
\n
Having worked at the hospital for 27 years, Saulebek has trained dozens of outstanding young doctors and treated more than 200,000 patients with eye diseases. In 2024, Saulebek was awarded the Chinese Government Friendship Award at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.
\n
This year, Saulebek was granted a Foreign Permanent Resident ID Card issued by the National Immigration Administration of China. "When I first arrived in China, my hair and beard were thick and black. Now they have turned white," he said. Determined to uphold his patients' trust, he added, "I will continue to work here as long as I can."
A miniature ceramic building that dates to the Eastern Han Dynasty (25-220) at the Yunmeng County Museum.
\n
A drum of the State of Chu, featuring a lacquered wooden frame made of two phoenixes standing atop tigers.
\n
Xiangyunwan scenic area in Yunmeng county is perfect for a boat trip down a canal at night.
\n
Bamboo slips, which date back over 2,000 years, at the Yunmeng County Museum.
\n
A mask crafted from a single piece of jade, unearthed from a tomb of the State of Chu during the Warring States Period (475-221 BC), is a treasure of Jingzhou Museum.
\n
The 2,600-year-old city wall in Jingzhou, Hubei province, is a major draw for tourists.
\n
Chu culture, which traces back to the State of Chu during the Warring States Period (475-221 BC), is known for its unique imagination and romantic charm.
\n
Traveling in Hubei province's different cities offers a gateway to explore its deep-rooted Chu culture, from exquisitely crafted silk garments, elegant lacquerware, to intricate bronze objects and the melodious chimes that once filled ancient courts.
\n
Bamboo slips and night view
\n
Hopping on a high-speed train at Hankou Railway Station in Hubei's capital city of Wuhan, you'll arrive at Yunmeng county, Xiaogan city, in no more than 40 minutes.
\n
While it ranks as the smallest county in the province, it is home to more than 5,000 cultural relics, including some national treasures, all of which are housed at the Yunmeng County Museum.
\n
Among the must-sees are the precious bamboo and wooden slips, which date back over 2,000 years. They are inscribed with legal codes, mathematical texts and family letters, offering a glimpse into the society and daily lives of people during that era.
\n
In 1975, a total of 1,155 bamboo slips were found in a tomb from the late Warring States Period to the Qin Dynasty (221-206 BC) in Shuihudi, Yunmeng. These artifacts belonged to Xi, a low-ranking official of the Qin era. Experts believe that they are the earliest and most complete law codes discovered in China so far.
\n
Besides detailed regulations on agriculture, warehouse management and tax collection, the slips cover fields such as official ethics and historical events.
\n
Tourists can interact with a digital image of the tomb owner via virtual reality technology, who will patiently introduce the clauses of Qin Dynasty laws. By touching the screen, they can virtually cut their own bamboo slips, inscribe characters on them, and experience the entire process.
\n
Other treasures include a miniature ceramic building, unearthed from a tomb dating to the Eastern Han Dynasty (25-220), which showcases the architectural techniques of that era, featuring a well-designed layout and exquisite structure.
\n
A great option for an evening out is a visit to Xiangyunwan scenic area because of its stunning lighting system. As a benchmark project of the night economy, it has boosted local economic vitality.
\n
The scenic area has relocated 257 ancient buildings at the risk of damage from across China, featuring diverse architecture. These buildings include pavilions, towers, terraces, temples, and ancestral halls. Each was taken apart, numbered piece by piece, then carefully rebuilt by professional craftspeople.
\n
It's like stepping into a living chapter of China's architectural history. Take Huizhou-style mansions for example, they showcase intricate wood carvings and dougong (interlocking brackets). Huizhou refers to the ancient geographic areas in today's Anhui and Jiangxi provinces.
\n
Opened earlier this year, the scenic area offers intangible cultural heritage performances as well as live music that draws youngsters.
\n
Official data revealed that from January to July, tourist visits exceeded 2.4 million, with a maximum of 50,000 visitors received in a single day.
\n
Cultural relics and city wall
\n
As a cradle of Chu culture, Jingzhou served as the capital of the State of Chu for 411 years.
\n
Official data shows that from January to August, the city recorded over 68.91 million tourist visits and a total tourism revenue of about 60.42 billion yuan ($8.5 billion), with year-on-year growth of 14.8 and 16.5 percent respectively.
\n
The second Chu Culture Festival recently kicked off in the city, and will last until Oct 20, with activities such as cultural exchanges, academic seminars, performances and business negotiations.
\n
Jingzhou Museum opened a themed exhibition during the festival on silk textiles unearthed from the Mashan No 1 tomb of the State of Chu in 1982.
\n
The exhibition presents different types of clothing of the Chu people — ranging from robes and skirts to hats and footwear — which established a strict social hierarchy.
\n
The garments also showcase the advanced textile craftsmanship, diversity of embroidery patterns and techniques, and mature dyeing technology of that time.
\n
Notably, two precious cultural relics are making their debut after restoration. One is a purple-red garment embroidered with intertwined dragon and phoenix patterns, the other is a light-yellow silk quilt cover used by the nobility of the State of Chu.
\n
In ancient China, jade ornaments were symbols of status and virtue, serving as both important accessories in daily life and common burial objects.
\n
The museum displays various jade pendants, which are often in the shape of dragon and phoenix patterns.
\n
Among the jade collection is a mask crafted from a single piece of gemstone, engraved with distinctive hair and facial features, which was placed over the tomb owner's face during burial.
\n
Another highlight of the museum is its vast collection of wooden lacquerware, including dining utensils and funeral objects.
\n
A pig-shaped lacquered box, which was used to hold wine utensils, showcases the wine culture of ancient China. A giant drum with a lacquered wooden frame of two phoenixes, which stand on recumbent tigers that serve as the base, is a typical instrument of the Chu people.
\n
Jingzhou is also closely intertwined with the tales of Romance of the Three Kingdoms, a classic novel that depicts heroic figures and events of the Three Kingdoms (220-280) period.
\n
It's pleasant to stroll along Jingzhou's ancient city walls, have a bird's-eye view of the city and enjoy the sunset. It's exciting to think about the city's connections with these historical figures.
\n
More young Chinese are donning Warring States Period-style robes, applying delicate makeup, and posing for photos at the city walls. You might spot local newlyweds taking wedding photos in these garments, too.
\n
The 2,600-year-old, 11-kilometer-long wall has been renovated several times throughout history. Its current form took shape through renovations during the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing dynasties (1644-1911).
\n
Shishou's wildlife
\n
In the 1990s, the Shishou Milu Deer National Nature Reserve introduced 64 milu deer from Beijing's Nanhaizi Park in two batches, and the number has grown to 2,901.
\n
Close to the Yangtze River, the area boasts a well-preserved wetland ecosystem and vast pastureland, which are ideal habitats for milu deer to thrive.
\n
Milu deer, also known as Pere David's deer, are endemic to China. Forty years ago, 22 milu deer were returned to China from the United Kingdom, bringing the species back from the brink of extinction in China.
\n
For those who want to see the milu deer, they can visit the Tian'ezhou Milu Park and learn about the species and the city's conservation efforts through a 2,000-square-meter exhibition hall, with specimens and interactive installations.
\n
Walking along the outdoor wooden path, you can use telescopes to spot milu deer wandering grasslands or playing in the river.
\n
The nature reserve serves as a venue for nature education and eco-tourism, aiming to raise the public's awareness about milu deer's preservation.
\n
At the Yangtze River Finless Porpoise Garden, visitors can watch the creatures leap out of the water to breathe and get to know about the endangered species via exhibitions.
\n
It's truly pleasant to connect with nature and animals — and in doing so, gain an understanding of one's responsibility to protect them.
\n
Contact the writer at xulin@chinadaily.com.cn
\n
If you go
\n
Traveling from Wuhan to Yunmeng, then to Jingzhou, and finally to Shishou is incredibly convenient — whether you choose to drive via smooth highways or take the high-speed railway. Notably, since there is no direct train from Jingzhou to Shishou, you'll have to take a roughly two-and-a-half-hour bus ride instead.
\n",
- "content": "
A miniature ceramic building that dates to the Eastern Han Dynasty (25-220) at the Yunmeng County Museum.
\n
A drum of the State of Chu, featuring a lacquered wooden frame made of two phoenixes standing atop tigers.
\n
Xiangyunwan scenic area in Yunmeng county is perfect for a boat trip down a canal at night.
\n
Bamboo slips, which date back over 2,000 years, at the Yunmeng County Museum.
\n
A mask crafted from a single piece of jade, unearthed from a tomb of the State of Chu during the Warring States Period (475-221 BC), is a treasure of Jingzhou Museum.
\n
The 2,600-year-old city wall in Jingzhou, Hubei province, is a major draw for tourists.
\n
Chu culture, which traces back to the State of Chu during the Warring States Period (475-221 BC), is known for its unique imagination and romantic charm.
\n
Traveling in Hubei province's different cities offers a gateway to explore its deep-rooted Chu culture, from exquisitely crafted silk garments, elegant lacquerware, to intricate bronze objects and the melodious chimes that once filled ancient courts.
\n
Bamboo slips and night view
\n
Hopping on a high-speed train at Hankou Railway Station in Hubei's capital city of Wuhan, you'll arrive at Yunmeng county, Xiaogan city, in no more than 40 minutes.
\n
While it ranks as the smallest county in the province, it is home to more than 5,000 cultural relics, including some national treasures, all of which are housed at the Yunmeng County Museum.
\n
Among the must-sees are the precious bamboo and wooden slips, which date back over 2,000 years. They are inscribed with legal codes, mathematical texts and family letters, offering a glimpse into the society and daily lives of people during that era.
\n
In 1975, a total of 1,155 bamboo slips were found in a tomb from the late Warring States Period to the Qin Dynasty (221-206 BC) in Shuihudi, Yunmeng. These artifacts belonged to Xi, a low-ranking official of the Qin era. Experts believe that they are the earliest and most complete law codes discovered in China so far.
\n
Besides detailed regulations on agriculture, warehouse management and tax collection, the slips cover fields such as official ethics and historical events.
\n
Tourists can interact with a digital image of the tomb owner via virtual reality technology, who will patiently introduce the clauses of Qin Dynasty laws. By touching the screen, they can virtually cut their own bamboo slips, inscribe characters on them, and experience the entire process.
\n
Other treasures include a miniature ceramic building, unearthed from a tomb dating to the Eastern Han Dynasty (25-220), which showcases the architectural techniques of that era, featuring a well-designed layout and exquisite structure.
\n
A great option for an evening out is a visit to Xiangyunwan scenic area because of its stunning lighting system. As a benchmark project of the night economy, it has boosted local economic vitality.
\n
The scenic area has relocated 257 ancient buildings at the risk of damage from across China, featuring diverse architecture. These buildings include pavilions, towers, terraces, temples, and ancestral halls. Each was taken apart, numbered piece by piece, then carefully rebuilt by professional craftspeople.
\n
It's like stepping into a living chapter of China's architectural history. Take Huizhou-style mansions for example, they showcase intricate wood carvings and dougong (interlocking brackets). Huizhou refers to the ancient geographic areas in today's Anhui and Jiangxi provinces.
\n
Opened earlier this year, the scenic area offers intangible cultural heritage performances as well as live music that draws youngsters.
\n
Official data revealed that from January to July, tourist visits exceeded 2.4 million, with a maximum of 50,000 visitors received in a single day.
\n
Cultural relics and city wall
\n
As a cradle of Chu culture, Jingzhou served as the capital of the State of Chu for 411 years.
\n
Official data shows that from January to August, the city recorded over 68.91 million tourist visits and a total tourism revenue of about 60.42 billion yuan ($8.5 billion), with year-on-year growth of 14.8 and 16.5 percent respectively.
\n
The second Chu Culture Festival recently kicked off in the city, and will last until Oct 20, with activities such as cultural exchanges, academic seminars, performances and business negotiations.
\n
Jingzhou Museum opened a themed exhibition during the festival on silk textiles unearthed from the Mashan No 1 tomb of the State of Chu in 1982.
\n
The exhibition presents different types of clothing of the Chu people — ranging from robes and skirts to hats and footwear — which established a strict social hierarchy.
\n
The garments also showcase the advanced textile craftsmanship, diversity of embroidery patterns and techniques, and mature dyeing technology of that time.
\n
Notably, two precious cultural relics are making their debut after restoration. One is a purple-red garment embroidered with intertwined dragon and phoenix patterns, the other is a light-yellow silk quilt cover used by the nobility of the State of Chu.
\n
In ancient China, jade ornaments were symbols of status and virtue, serving as both important accessories in daily life and common burial objects.
\n
The museum displays various jade pendants, which are often in the shape of dragon and phoenix patterns.
\n
Among the jade collection is a mask crafted from a single piece of gemstone, engraved with distinctive hair and facial features, which was placed over the tomb owner's face during burial.
\n
Another highlight of the museum is its vast collection of wooden lacquerware, including dining utensils and funeral objects.
\n
A pig-shaped lacquered box, which was used to hold wine utensils, showcases the wine culture of ancient China. A giant drum with a lacquered wooden frame of two phoenixes, which stand on recumbent tigers that serve as the base, is a typical instrument of the Chu people.
\n
Jingzhou is also closely intertwined with the tales of Romance of the Three Kingdoms, a classic novel that depicts heroic figures and events of the Three Kingdoms (220-280) period.
\n
It's pleasant to stroll along Jingzhou's ancient city walls, have a bird's-eye view of the city and enjoy the sunset. It's exciting to think about the city's connections with these historical figures.
\n
More young Chinese are donning Warring States Period-style robes, applying delicate makeup, and posing for photos at the city walls. You might spot local newlyweds taking wedding photos in these garments, too.
\n
The 2,600-year-old, 11-kilometer-long wall has been renovated several times throughout history. Its current form took shape through renovations during the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing dynasties (1644-1911).
\n
Shishou's wildlife
\n
In the 1990s, the Shishou Milu Deer National Nature Reserve introduced 64 milu deer from Beijing's Nanhaizi Park in two batches, and the number has grown to 2,901.
\n
Close to the Yangtze River, the area boasts a well-preserved wetland ecosystem and vast pastureland, which are ideal habitats for milu deer to thrive.
\n
Milu deer, also known as Pere David's deer, are endemic to China. Forty years ago, 22 milu deer were returned to China from the United Kingdom, bringing the species back from the brink of extinction in China.
\n
For those who want to see the milu deer, they can visit the Tian'ezhou Milu Park and learn about the species and the city's conservation efforts through a 2,000-square-meter exhibition hall, with specimens and interactive installations.
\n
Walking along the outdoor wooden path, you can use telescopes to spot milu deer wandering grasslands or playing in the river.
\n
The nature reserve serves as a venue for nature education and eco-tourism, aiming to raise the public's awareness about milu deer's preservation.
\n
At the Yangtze River Finless Porpoise Garden, visitors can watch the creatures leap out of the water to breathe and get to know about the endangered species via exhibitions.
\n
It's truly pleasant to connect with nature and animals — and in doing so, gain an understanding of one's responsibility to protect them.
\n
Contact the writer at xulin@chinadaily.com.cn
\n
If you go
\n
Traveling from Wuhan to Yunmeng, then to Jingzhou, and finally to Shishou is incredibly convenient — whether you choose to drive via smooth highways or take the high-speed railway. Notably, since there is no direct train from Jingzhou to Shishou, you'll have to take a roughly two-and-a-half-hour bus ride instead.
From his trademark bow-and-arrow pose, to his leisurely victory laps around the track against the backdrop of blaring reggae music, Usain Bolt elevated sprinting into a personality-driven event and gave people a reason to watch.
\n
From his trademark bow-and-arrow pose, to his leisurely victory laps around the track against the backdrop of blaring reggae music, Usain Bolt elevated sprinting into a personality-driven event and gave people a reason to watch.
\n
TOKYO — On the night athletics turned to Jamaica once again to find the world's fastest man, the greatest Jamaican sprinter was in a hospitality box in the stadium — his presence literally hovering over a sport that hasn't been the same since he left.
\n
Oblique Seville might have been crowned the new 100-meter world champion at last month's World Athletics Championships in Japan, but Usain Bolt remains the only track star this century whose fame cascades well beyond sports.
\n
Eight years since his retirement, nobody has come close to matching his times or his presence. In an interview before the final round of races at the track worlds, he said he feels great about that, because "that's what I worked for".
\n
"When I was competing, I was working to break the benchmark," he said. "Now that I've retired, it's a great feeling to know that I'm the benchmark if you want to be the best. You want to be a legend. I wanted to set high standards, and I did. I'm happy about that."
\n
The numbers tell part of this story: He has eight Olympic gold medals, 11 gold medals at world championships and three world records — 9.58 seconds in the 100m, 19.19 in the 200m and 36.84 in the 4x100m relay — that still stand.
\n
No runner has come within .12 seconds of either of his individual marks since he retired.
\n
Asked why that is, despite a world in which shoe and track technology gives runners a bigger boost than 15 years ago when Bolt was in his prime, he offered a glimpse why he remains his sport's most engaging ambassador.
\n
"Do you really want the answer? We're just more talented," he said. "I'm just saying, you can't run faster (just) with brand-new spikes."
\n
Speed, though, is only part of Bolt's story. It was his ability to use his platform to entertain and bring people together — a skill that couldn't be overlooked in an era when the Olympics needed a recharge. It made Bolt one of track's most electrifying characters.
\n
From his trademark bow-and-arrow pose, to his leisurely victory laps around the track against the backdrop of blaring reggae music — from his mile-wide smile, to the joy he so effortlessly exuded, despite the excruciating nature of his work — he elevated the sport into a personality-driven lovefest and gave people a reason to watch.
\n
"It's the personality," he said. "I think a lot of people, they try to be fun, but it comes off different. It's just having a good time. If you try too hard, it's not going to be the same. But I was just having a good time. That's how I looked at it. I tried to engage with fans and that's why they gravitated to it."
\n
Last month's world championships marked Bolt's first appearance at an Olympics or worlds since he exited the sport after the 2017 championships in London.
\n
He is now the father of a five-year-old daughter, Olympia Lightning, and four-year-old twin sons, Saint Leo and Thunder. To them, Bolt is just Dad. But the greatest sprinter of all time said their view might change at the next world championships two years from now, in the place where his career lifted off like a rocket: Beijing.
\n
"I'm excited, because I get to bring my kids and I can tell them: 'Listen, this is where it all happened,'" he said, referring, of course, to the 2008 Olympics, where he set three world records and won three gold medals.
\n
"I've shown my kids videos and stuff like that. They'll be six and seven, and they'll kind of understand the moment, and I can explain to them what their dad has done over the years."
\n",
@@ -27121,28 +25339,6 @@
"hash": "1eb989fb43debe8f66340f854e13e675",
"highlights": []
},
- {
- "title": "012SPORTS - Warriors ready for Kuminga's return after deal is finally stuck",
- "description": "
Forward Jonathan Kuminga has reached a two-year deal with the Golden State Warriors that could be worth up to $46.5 million if the team exercises its option for 2026-27.
\n
SAN FRANCISCO — As soon as Jonathan Kuminga shows up to rejoin the Golden State Warriors, coach Steve Kerr plans an immediate conversation with the dynamic forward to make sure they are on the same page as the season begins.
\n
Kuminga was expected to arrive in the Bay Area on Wednesday and be at Chase Center on Thursday to go through a physical, and likely his first practice, after signing a two-year contract Tuesday that could be worth up to $46.5 million.
\n
"The first thing is a great conversation with JK. To me at the heart of any good team culture is communication," Kerr said Wednesday, when the Warriors also signed 39-year-old center Al Horford. "We have to have a really good sit down."
\n
Kerr said he reached out several times to Kuminga over the summer, as he keeps tabs with all his players, and said that "he and I have always gotten along well".
\n
One message Kerr plans to make clear: The offense will revolve around Stephen Curry and Jimmy Butler, and Kuminga will have to pick his moments while focusing on the defensive end and running the floor to have a better chance of playing. Golden State's first-round draft pick in 2021 will turn 23 on Monday.
\n
"Everybody progresses at a different rate. Things can click, but those are the things I'm going to continue to ask of him," Kerr said. "And I have no doubt, too, there's going to be times this year where we've got to get him the ball and run the offense through him."
\n
With Kuminga finally signed, as well as new additions Horford and Seth Curry, general manager Mike Dunleavy has Golden State's roster intact at last — a process that took more than three months, rather than a matter of days like a normal free agency period.
\n
A restricted free agent, Kuminga received a $7.9 million qualifying offer on June 29, but weighed other multiyear options. Dunleavy hopes Kuminga will be a key contributor, and said, for now, he wasn't weighing a sign-and-trade scenario.
\n
"As far as the negotiations go, it was fair, reasonable, no issues on my end. I think just sometimes these things take time," Dunleavy said. "But by my count, I'm all good with it, feel good about the deal we've done and, really, the deal for JK. I think it's good for both sides. What that means for the contract structure is that we feel like we have a player that can be really good, and I don't feel like there's a need to make a move. Now, we'll see how the season unfolds."
\n
With the drawn-out Kuminga situation resolved, everybody is eager to move forward.
\n
"First of all, I'm happy for Jonathan. It may not be the contract he was hoping for, but that's life-changing money and I'm really happy for him and his family," Kerr said.
\n
"The whole idea is to help him get better, help him become the player that he can become and sign a few more of those contracts. That's what he has to focus on and that's what I have to focus on, the getting better part and where he can help us, because that's really been the thing that's held him back — what we need, versus what he wants to do. There's no denying that it's been an issue, and there's no denying that there's a place for him on this team. We don't have a big athletic wing player like he represents."
\n
Horford, too, is ready to get going with his new team after spending the last four years in Boston, and leaving there "wasn't an easy decision for me to make".
\n
Playing for Kerr and alongside Stephen Curry, Butler and Draymond Green to chase a championship seemed like a great fit.
\n
"If there was one place that I was going to leave for, it's this," Horford said.
\n
So, during all the uncertainty in recent months he focused on his training and making sure his family was ready for the daunting cross-country transition.
\n
As far as the long wait to sign, the five-time All-Star said: "It was definitely odd."
\n",
- "content": "
Forward Jonathan Kuminga has reached a two-year deal with the Golden State Warriors that could be worth up to $46.5 million if the team exercises its option for 2026-27.
\n
SAN FRANCISCO — As soon as Jonathan Kuminga shows up to rejoin the Golden State Warriors, coach Steve Kerr plans an immediate conversation with the dynamic forward to make sure they are on the same page as the season begins.
\n
Kuminga was expected to arrive in the Bay Area on Wednesday and be at Chase Center on Thursday to go through a physical, and likely his first practice, after signing a two-year contract Tuesday that could be worth up to $46.5 million.
\n
"The first thing is a great conversation with JK. To me at the heart of any good team culture is communication," Kerr said Wednesday, when the Warriors also signed 39-year-old center Al Horford. "We have to have a really good sit down."
\n
Kerr said he reached out several times to Kuminga over the summer, as he keeps tabs with all his players, and said that "he and I have always gotten along well".
\n
One message Kerr plans to make clear: The offense will revolve around Stephen Curry and Jimmy Butler, and Kuminga will have to pick his moments while focusing on the defensive end and running the floor to have a better chance of playing. Golden State's first-round draft pick in 2021 will turn 23 on Monday.
\n
"Everybody progresses at a different rate. Things can click, but those are the things I'm going to continue to ask of him," Kerr said. "And I have no doubt, too, there's going to be times this year where we've got to get him the ball and run the offense through him."
\n
With Kuminga finally signed, as well as new additions Horford and Seth Curry, general manager Mike Dunleavy has Golden State's roster intact at last — a process that took more than three months, rather than a matter of days like a normal free agency period.
\n
A restricted free agent, Kuminga received a $7.9 million qualifying offer on June 29, but weighed other multiyear options. Dunleavy hopes Kuminga will be a key contributor, and said, for now, he wasn't weighing a sign-and-trade scenario.
\n
"As far as the negotiations go, it was fair, reasonable, no issues on my end. I think just sometimes these things take time," Dunleavy said. "But by my count, I'm all good with it, feel good about the deal we've done and, really, the deal for JK. I think it's good for both sides. What that means for the contract structure is that we feel like we have a player that can be really good, and I don't feel like there's a need to make a move. Now, we'll see how the season unfolds."
\n
With the drawn-out Kuminga situation resolved, everybody is eager to move forward.
\n
"First of all, I'm happy for Jonathan. It may not be the contract he was hoping for, but that's life-changing money and I'm really happy for him and his family," Kerr said.
\n
"The whole idea is to help him get better, help him become the player that he can become and sign a few more of those contracts. That's what he has to focus on and that's what I have to focus on, the getting better part and where he can help us, because that's really been the thing that's held him back — what we need, versus what he wants to do. There's no denying that it's been an issue, and there's no denying that there's a place for him on this team. We don't have a big athletic wing player like he represents."
\n
Horford, too, is ready to get going with his new team after spending the last four years in Boston, and leaving there "wasn't an easy decision for me to make".
\n
Playing for Kerr and alongside Stephen Curry, Butler and Draymond Green to chase a championship seemed like a great fit.
\n
"If there was one place that I was going to leave for, it's this," Horford said.
\n
So, during all the uncertainty in recent months he focused on his training and making sure his family was ready for the daunting cross-country transition.
\n
As far as the long wait to sign, the five-time All-Star said: "It was definitely odd."
A solemn national flag-raising ceremony is held early on Wednesday morning at Tian'anmen Square in Beijing, celebrating the 76th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China.
Travelers from Russia pose for photographs at a tourist attraction in Chongqing on Sept 16.
\n
Russian consumers check out accessories at a shopping street in Heihe, Heilongjiang province, on Sept 15.
\n
China's visa-free policy for Russian citizens holding ordinary passports sends a strong and positive signal to the business communities on both sides, and such measures will further strengthen economic ties between the two major economies, Russian business leaders said.
\n
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun announced on Sept 2 that the country had decided to trial a visa-free policy for Russian ordinary passport holders starting from Sept 15, 2025, to Sept 14, 2026, allowing stays of up to 30 days for purposes such as business travel, tourism, as well as other private visits, people-to-people exchanges or transit.
\n
"Russian holders of ordinary passports who come to China for business, travel and sightseeing, visiting relatives and friends, exchange visits, and transit for no more than 30 days can enter the country visa-free," Guo said, adding that, under the strategic guidance of the heads of state of both countries, Sino-Russia relations have been consistently healthy.
\n
Two days later, Russian President Vladimir Putin responded to the friendly policy, describing it as "an extremely kind gesture" and claiming Russia would respond in kind.
\n
"Undoubtedly, this will lead to more Russian citizens visiting China and contribute to the development of business, commercial ties and personal exchanges alike," Putin said, according to a release by the Kremlin website.
\n
Pavel Titov, president of the Abrau-Durso Group of Companies, said the news excites the Russian business community as the policy makes it considerably easier for them to foster deeper, more trusting relationships with their Chinese partners.
\n
The company, which is a leader in the sparkling wine market in Russia, has launched a flagship store on China's online retail giant JD. It is focusing on expanding its assortment on JD and deepening its engagement with Chinese wine lovers through livestreams and tastings.
\n
"In our business, a handshake, a shared meal, and tasting wine together build a stronger foundation than any email ever could. Now, we can visit our partners more frequently to strategize, celebrate successes and address challenges face-to-face," Titov said.
\n
The visa-free policy streamlines the logistics of business travel, said Rustem Muratov, CEO of Moscow-based Binnopharm Group, a biopharmaceutical major in the country.
\n
Muratov said the company's subsidiary, Shanghai Binnopharm Chemical Co Ltd, has successfully integrated into the Chinese financial system through the use of banking instruments such as bank acceptance bills, and recently obtained its first corporate loan worth 5 million yuan ($701,825) at a favorable interest rate of 5 percent.
\n
Muratov said the visa-free regime simplifies the logistics of business travel, and is especially important considering the significant number of contacts and projects requiring continuous in-person presence. Regular visits enable business partners not only to conduct negotiations, but also to establish solid, trust-based relationships with partners and take part in key industry events.
\n
The need for Russian company executives and employees to travel to China had been increasing even before the policy was announced. Surana Radnaeva, CEO of Sinoruss, a Russian legal consultancy, said the number of business trips by Russian companies to China increased by 27 percent in the first half. China now accounts for 20 percent of all business trips by Russian businesses, compared to 15 percent a year earlier.
\n
Russian businesspeople primarily visit Shanghai; Beijing; Guangdong province's Guangzhou and Shenzhen; and Harbin, Heilongjiang province, while the most active industry officials traveling to China are from the energy, oil and gas, and high-tech sectors, Radnaeva said.
\n
Business trips by employees in the energy and oil and gas sectors grew by 58 percent, accounting for 43 percent of all trips, while trips by high-tech equipment suppliers saw a 93 percent increase, raising their share to 7 percent. Clearly, these numbers will grow significantly now that the full-fledged visa-free policy with China has been introduced, she said.
\n
Marking China as a key export market, Russian integrated petrochemical company Sibur is jointly implementing large-scale and ambitious projects in the production of synthetic materials with China Petroleum and Chemical Corp, or Sinopec. One of the flagship projects is the Amur Gas Chemical Complex, which is scheduled to be commissioned in 2026.
\n
A spokesperson for Sibur told China Daily that while the visa waiver initiative may not have a direct impact on business operations, it will significantly facilitate interactions between Sibur and its Chinese partners. The removal of visa requirements will make travel easier for Russian experts going to China.
\n
"Thanks to the visa-free policy, a significantly larger number of Russian entrepreneurs will be able to attend global and regional business events in China, like forums, exhibitions, conferences, both industry-specific and general, such as the Canton Fair, China International Industry Fair, Yiwu International Commodities Fair," Radnaeva added.
\n
Business visits from Russian regions to China will also become much easier, and more diverse, Radnaeva said. Last year saw the "Days of the Vologda Region" and "Days of the Irkutsk Region" held in China. At the end of 2025, the "Days of Primorsky Krai" will be held in Liaoning province. Visits by Russian governors and regional delegations of various levels, as well as business missions from industry organizations, will become more frequent. This will give a strong impetus to interregional business cooperation.
\n
In terms of trade volume, China is by far Russia's leading partner, while last year Russia ranked fifth among China's foreign trade partners, according to the Russian leader.
\n
Figures from China's General Administration of Customs released last month showed total trade between China and Russia stood at $19.14 billion in July, up 8.7 percent from June.
\n
Moreover, bilateral trade in 2024 rose to $244.8 billion, making China the largest trading partner of Russia for 15 consecutive years.
\n
Titov said Russian business sectors certainly have higher expectations for bilateral economic activity.
\n
He noted that the visa-free policy is a powerful catalyst for business. Growth, he said, is driven not only by large corporations, but by the thousands of small and medium-sized firms that underpin trade.
\n
"By removing a major barrier, China has enabled entrepreneurs to pursue opportunities more directly. We see this policy as a very pragmatic step that will undoubtedly stimulate economic energy and raise our business prospects in China," he said.
\n
Radnaeva agreed. She said cross-border ties between the regions of the Russian Federation and China will strengthen, boosting trade, investment, industrial cooperation and more.
\n
Russian entrepreneurs are seeking to find business partners in China, and the visa-free regime will greatly facilitate this process. Moreover, there is awareness in Russia of the opportunities and benefits of China's preferential economic zones, and there is a demand from Russian businesses to establish production in them, she added.
Travelers from Russia pose for photographs at a tourist attraction in Chongqing on Sept 16.
\n
Russian consumers check out accessories at a shopping street in Heihe, Heilongjiang province, on Sept 15.
\n
China's visa-free policy for Russian citizens holding ordinary passports sends a strong and positive signal to the business communities on both sides, and such measures will further strengthen economic ties between the two major economies, Russian business leaders said.
\n
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun announced on Sept 2 that the country had decided to trial a visa-free policy for Russian ordinary passport holders starting from Sept 15, 2025, to Sept 14, 2026, allowing stays of up to 30 days for purposes such as business travel, tourism, as well as other private visits, people-to-people exchanges or transit.
\n
"Russian holders of ordinary passports who come to China for business, travel and sightseeing, visiting relatives and friends, exchange visits, and transit for no more than 30 days can enter the country visa-free," Guo said, adding that, under the strategic guidance of the heads of state of both countries, Sino-Russia relations have been consistently healthy.
\n
Two days later, Russian President Vladimir Putin responded to the friendly policy, describing it as "an extremely kind gesture" and claiming Russia would respond in kind.
\n
"Undoubtedly, this will lead to more Russian citizens visiting China and contribute to the development of business, commercial ties and personal exchanges alike," Putin said, according to a release by the Kremlin website.
\n
Pavel Titov, president of the Abrau-Durso Group of Companies, said the news excites the Russian business community as the policy makes it considerably easier for them to foster deeper, more trusting relationships with their Chinese partners.
\n
The company, which is a leader in the sparkling wine market in Russia, has launched a flagship store on China's online retail giant JD. It is focusing on expanding its assortment on JD and deepening its engagement with Chinese wine lovers through livestreams and tastings.
\n
"In our business, a handshake, a shared meal, and tasting wine together build a stronger foundation than any email ever could. Now, we can visit our partners more frequently to strategize, celebrate successes and address challenges face-to-face," Titov said.
\n
The visa-free policy streamlines the logistics of business travel, said Rustem Muratov, CEO of Moscow-based Binnopharm Group, a biopharmaceutical major in the country.
\n
Muratov said the company's subsidiary, Shanghai Binnopharm Chemical Co Ltd, has successfully integrated into the Chinese financial system through the use of banking instruments such as bank acceptance bills, and recently obtained its first corporate loan worth 5 million yuan ($701,825) at a favorable interest rate of 5 percent.
\n
Muratov said the visa-free regime simplifies the logistics of business travel, and is especially important considering the significant number of contacts and projects requiring continuous in-person presence. Regular visits enable business partners not only to conduct negotiations, but also to establish solid, trust-based relationships with partners and take part in key industry events.
\n
The need for Russian company executives and employees to travel to China had been increasing even before the policy was announced. Surana Radnaeva, CEO of Sinoruss, a Russian legal consultancy, said the number of business trips by Russian companies to China increased by 27 percent in the first half. China now accounts for 20 percent of all business trips by Russian businesses, compared to 15 percent a year earlier.
\n
Russian businesspeople primarily visit Shanghai; Beijing; Guangdong province's Guangzhou and Shenzhen; and Harbin, Heilongjiang province, while the most active industry officials traveling to China are from the energy, oil and gas, and high-tech sectors, Radnaeva said.
\n
Business trips by employees in the energy and oil and gas sectors grew by 58 percent, accounting for 43 percent of all trips, while trips by high-tech equipment suppliers saw a 93 percent increase, raising their share to 7 percent. Clearly, these numbers will grow significantly now that the full-fledged visa-free policy with China has been introduced, she said.
\n
Marking China as a key export market, Russian integrated petrochemical company Sibur is jointly implementing large-scale and ambitious projects in the production of synthetic materials with China Petroleum and Chemical Corp, or Sinopec. One of the flagship projects is the Amur Gas Chemical Complex, which is scheduled to be commissioned in 2026.
\n
A spokesperson for Sibur told China Daily that while the visa waiver initiative may not have a direct impact on business operations, it will significantly facilitate interactions between Sibur and its Chinese partners. The removal of visa requirements will make travel easier for Russian experts going to China.
\n
"Thanks to the visa-free policy, a significantly larger number of Russian entrepreneurs will be able to attend global and regional business events in China, like forums, exhibitions, conferences, both industry-specific and general, such as the Canton Fair, China International Industry Fair, Yiwu International Commodities Fair," Radnaeva added.
\n
Business visits from Russian regions to China will also become much easier, and more diverse, Radnaeva said. Last year saw the "Days of the Vologda Region" and "Days of the Irkutsk Region" held in China. At the end of 2025, the "Days of Primorsky Krai" will be held in Liaoning province. Visits by Russian governors and regional delegations of various levels, as well as business missions from industry organizations, will become more frequent. This will give a strong impetus to interregional business cooperation.
\n
In terms of trade volume, China is by far Russia's leading partner, while last year Russia ranked fifth among China's foreign trade partners, according to the Russian leader.
\n
Figures from China's General Administration of Customs released last month showed total trade between China and Russia stood at $19.14 billion in July, up 8.7 percent from June.
\n
Moreover, bilateral trade in 2024 rose to $244.8 billion, making China the largest trading partner of Russia for 15 consecutive years.
\n
Titov said Russian business sectors certainly have higher expectations for bilateral economic activity.
\n
He noted that the visa-free policy is a powerful catalyst for business. Growth, he said, is driven not only by large corporations, but by the thousands of small and medium-sized firms that underpin trade.
\n
"By removing a major barrier, China has enabled entrepreneurs to pursue opportunities more directly. We see this policy as a very pragmatic step that will undoubtedly stimulate economic energy and raise our business prospects in China," he said.
\n
Radnaeva agreed. She said cross-border ties between the regions of the Russian Federation and China will strengthen, boosting trade, investment, industrial cooperation and more.
\n
Russian entrepreneurs are seeking to find business partners in China, and the visa-free regime will greatly facilitate this process. Moreover, there is awareness in Russia of the opportunities and benefits of China's preferential economic zones, and there is a demand from Russian businesses to establish production in them, she added.
China has issued a regulation on implementing domestic product standards and related policies in government procurement, a move that experts say will help foster a first-class business environment that is market-oriented, law-based and internationalized.
\n
Shu Wenqi, deputy director of the China Institute for Urban Development, said building a unified, open and orderly competitive government procurement market is both an essential component and an inevitable requirement for developing a unified national market.
\n
The General Office of the State Council has newly released the Notice on Implementing Domestic Product Standards and Related Policies in Government Procurement, aiming to ensure equal participation of all types of business entities in purchasing activities.
\n
Taking effect on Jan 1, 2026, it clarifies that the domestic product standard refers to products manufactured within China, with the proportion of the cost of components produced domestically reaching a prescribed threshold. For some products, key components and critical processes must also be manufactured or completed within China.
\n
The notice prohibits designating brands, restricting the place of brand registration or ownership, and imposing differential conditions based on ownership type, organizational form, equity structure or nationality of investors. All regions and departments shall strengthen coordination and refrain from issuing measures that contravene the notice.
\n
Shu noted that the notice is a concrete expression of high-level opening-up and equal treatment of State-owned, private and foreign-invested enterprises.
\n
The standard applies to goods procured under both goods and service projects. In evaluations, a 20 percent price preference shall be granted to domestic products over nondomestic products. Supportive policies shall treat enterprises of different ownership types equally.
\n
Tao Qizhi, professor at the Institute of Chinese Financial Studies at Southwestern University of Finance and Economics, said the policy continues to prioritize support for domestic products while ensuring fair participation by enterprises of all ownerships, reflecting the orientation toward a more unified and open market.
\n
This approach echoes President Xi Jinping's call at the Central Financial and Economic Affairs Commission meeting on July 1 to "advance the building of a unified national market in greater depth", demonstrating China's resolute resolve to promote high-quality development and deepen opening-up. It is expected to spur innovation and expand international cooperation, Tao said.
\n
The notice outlines a path for system building and adjustment. As requested by the State Council, within five years from implementation, the Ministry of Finance, together with relevant industry authorities, will extensively solicit opinions from domestic and foreign-funded enterprises and industry associations and chambers of commerce, set a three- to five-year transition period, and gradually establish a domestic product standard system and a dynamic adjustment mechanism for government procurement.
\n
Shu added that China has for years stuck to its goal of achieving unified institutions and rules for government procurement, integrated sharing of government procurement data and resources, and unified regulation and fair competition in the field of government procurement.
The click of a computer, or the pressing of a TV remote, is now all it takes for a global audience to watch Chinese dramas — and for China to tap into a gushing revenue stream.
\n
During the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-25), the country has seen television and radio programs and related services surge by 40 percent, said Dong Xin, deputy director of the National Radio and Television Administration, at a press conference held by the State Council Information Office on Sept 25.
\n
With the internet versions of Chinese audiovisual platforms reaching more than 200 countries and regions, the country has generated over $63 billion in revenue overseas. Besides, more than 300 apps for micro-dramas have been available for downloading on overseas platforms, added Dong.
\n
Some of the most popular programs include Welcome to Milele, inspired by the true stories of Chinese medical aid teams in Africa; Minning Town, a heartfelt story of a Ningxia village's fight against poverty since the 1990s; and To the Wonder, a poetic portrayal of a young woman's life and romance in Xinjiang's Altay region.
\n
Further exemplifying Chinese content's popularity, when Welcome to Milele was broadcast in Kenya, the audience for Citizen TV — one of Kenya's most-watched channels — surged by over 135 percent, or 2.35 times its previous viewership. Baby-Bus, an animation franchise known for a couple of cute panda siblings and cheerful melody, has reached an audience of 220 million, with its yearly views boasting around 39 billion clicks.
\n
Aside from propelling more Chinese shows to go abroad, the country is also endeavoring to introduce excellent foreign works. For example, shows from more than 30 countries and regions have been broadcast in China from 2021 until this year. Among them, the most popular works include Mr Bates vs The Post Office, about one of the biggest miscarriages of justice in the United Kingdom's history, which has earned 8.5 out of 10 points on China's popular review aggregator Douban.
\n
A huge market with a sizable output, China has produced and distributed over 1,500 dramas and 3,500 animated works, generating revenue of 1.49 trillion yuan ($205.5 billion) from all TV, radio and audiovisual content between 2021 and the end of 2024, surging 61.96 percent compared with the same period during the 13th Five-Year Plan(2016-20), said Cao Shumin, director of the administration.
\n
Micro-dramas, mostly shot vertically and recounting wild plots, are also flexing their muscles overseas, amid their exponential growth at home. Over the past five years, China has produced around 150,000 micro-dramas, reaching a sizable user base of 696 million by July.
\n
"This year, the market's scale is expected to achieve a bigger breakthrough from last year's 50 billion yuan," said Han Dong, deputy director of the administration.
\n
Despite the once niche sector's rapid expansion, with last year's market scale surpassing the film industry's yearly box office for the first time, most micro-dramas have received mixed reviews, criticized for stereotyped plotlines and coarse footage.
\n
However, the situation is changing. With an increase in budgets, a number of acclaimed micro- and short-dramas have surged, with outperforming examples including Contenders, about Chinese immigrants in Singapore in the 1940s, and Finding Home in Blossoms, recounting the striving of a group of young people in the Xizang autonomous region.
\n
Currently, 14 provinces, regions and municipalities have introduced policies to support the production of high-quality micro-dramas. A set of management measures is also being drafted to regulate the industry. These measures will provide legal protection for the sector's development and address common viewer complaints, such as the overuse of stereotypical plots like the "overbearing CEO" — a trope depicting the romance between a wealthy, domineering man and a woman from a humble background.
\n
"High-quality production, mass appeal, and international reach represent the future direction for the micro-drama industry," said Dong.
\n
xufan@chinadaily.com.cn
\n",
- "content": "
The click of a computer, or the pressing of a TV remote, is now all it takes for a global audience to watch Chinese dramas — and for China to tap into a gushing revenue stream.
\n
During the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-25), the country has seen television and radio programs and related services surge by 40 percent, said Dong Xin, deputy director of the National Radio and Television Administration, at a press conference held by the State Council Information Office on Sept 25.
\n
With the internet versions of Chinese audiovisual platforms reaching more than 200 countries and regions, the country has generated over $63 billion in revenue overseas. Besides, more than 300 apps for micro-dramas have been available for downloading on overseas platforms, added Dong.
\n
Some of the most popular programs include Welcome to Milele, inspired by the true stories of Chinese medical aid teams in Africa; Minning Town, a heartfelt story of a Ningxia village's fight against poverty since the 1990s; and To the Wonder, a poetic portrayal of a young woman's life and romance in Xinjiang's Altay region.
\n
Further exemplifying Chinese content's popularity, when Welcome to Milele was broadcast in Kenya, the audience for Citizen TV — one of Kenya's most-watched channels — surged by over 135 percent, or 2.35 times its previous viewership. Baby-Bus, an animation franchise known for a couple of cute panda siblings and cheerful melody, has reached an audience of 220 million, with its yearly views boasting around 39 billion clicks.
\n
Aside from propelling more Chinese shows to go abroad, the country is also endeavoring to introduce excellent foreign works. For example, shows from more than 30 countries and regions have been broadcast in China from 2021 until this year. Among them, the most popular works include Mr Bates vs The Post Office, about one of the biggest miscarriages of justice in the United Kingdom's history, which has earned 8.5 out of 10 points on China's popular review aggregator Douban.
\n
A huge market with a sizable output, China has produced and distributed over 1,500 dramas and 3,500 animated works, generating revenue of 1.49 trillion yuan ($205.5 billion) from all TV, radio and audiovisual content between 2021 and the end of 2024, surging 61.96 percent compared with the same period during the 13th Five-Year Plan(2016-20), said Cao Shumin, director of the administration.
\n
Micro-dramas, mostly shot vertically and recounting wild plots, are also flexing their muscles overseas, amid their exponential growth at home. Over the past five years, China has produced around 150,000 micro-dramas, reaching a sizable user base of 696 million by July.
\n
"This year, the market's scale is expected to achieve a bigger breakthrough from last year's 50 billion yuan," said Han Dong, deputy director of the administration.
\n
Despite the once niche sector's rapid expansion, with last year's market scale surpassing the film industry's yearly box office for the first time, most micro-dramas have received mixed reviews, criticized for stereotyped plotlines and coarse footage.
\n
However, the situation is changing. With an increase in budgets, a number of acclaimed micro- and short-dramas have surged, with outperforming examples including Contenders, about Chinese immigrants in Singapore in the 1940s, and Finding Home in Blossoms, recounting the striving of a group of young people in the Xizang autonomous region.
\n
Currently, 14 provinces, regions and municipalities have introduced policies to support the production of high-quality micro-dramas. A set of management measures is also being drafted to regulate the industry. These measures will provide legal protection for the sector's development and address common viewer complaints, such as the overuse of stereotypical plots like the "overbearing CEO" — a trope depicting the romance between a wealthy, domineering man and a woman from a humble background.
\n
"High-quality production, mass appeal, and international reach represent the future direction for the micro-drama industry," said Dong.
China can purchase more American products and create more business opportunities for the United States, Beijing's top envoy in Washington said on Monday, as bilateral trade, particularly US exports to the world's second-largest economy, has fallen sharply this year.
\n
"We need to deepen the integration of interests, and be partners helping each other succeed," Ambassador Xie Feng said.
\n
"As China grows into the world's most dynamic market, we are able to buy more products we need from the US and bring more business opportunities to the US," Xie said at a reception at the Chinese embassy marking the 76th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China.
\n
In his speech, Xie did not elaborate on the status quo of bilateral trade but cautioned that facts have proven that a tariff or trade war produces no winner.
\n
US media have in recent weeks reported how the Trump administration's trade war with China has taken a toll, including on US agricultural exports. "Each week, the Agriculture Department publishes a summary of the latest exports of American crops. Lately, they have all been missing the same thing: The sale of soybeans to China," The New York Times reported last week.
\n
The US exported just $5.5 billion worth of farm goods to China in the first six months of the year, representing a more than 50 percent drop compared to the same point last year, politicopro.com reported on Aug 5, citing statistics from the US Commerce Department.
\n
Overall, American exports to China shrank drastically in the first seven months of 2025, underscoring the continuing weakness in bilateral trade.
\n
Through July, US goods exports to China totaled $65.3 billion, down nearly 20 percent compared with the $81.8 billion recorded over the same period last year, according to data from the US Census Bureau.
\n
Xie said that China and the US have extensive common interests and vast room for cooperation, as evidenced by the fact that bilateral trade surged from less than $2.5 billion in 1979 when the two countries established diplomatic relations to$688 billion last year.
\n
In addition, areas such as illegal immigration, fentanyl, telecom fraud, financial crimes, infectious diseases and AI have the potential to become "highlights and growth points" in cooperation.
\n
On the other hand, attempts to decouple and disrupt industrial and supply chains would only destabilize the world and benefit no one in the end, he said.
\n
"The positive progress in our economic and trade talks has shown that equal-footed consultation is the right way forward," he said, referring to the de-escalation in trade tensions following four rounds of talks — in Geneva, London, Stockholm and Madrid — since May.
\n
"Our two sides need to keep to the bottom line of non-conflict and non-confrontation, and add more stability to the turbulent world," he added.
\n
In his speech, the ambassador underscored the critical importance of the Taiwan question, which he said, "bears on the political foundation of China-US relations", and if not properly handled, could cause confrontation or conflict.
The introduction of the visa-free policy will greatly facilitate Russian citizens' travel to China by reducing time, cost and procedural hurdles, and will offer strong support — especially for those with high-frequency, short-duration cross-border business travel needs, Russian business executives said.
\n
Last month, direct flights from Wuhan, Hubei province, to Moscow, resumed, boosting bilateral exchanges between the two countries. China Southern Airlines flight CZ8003 was first launched in July 2014. However, it was later suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
\n
The latest move comes after China announced a visa-free policy for Russian ordinary passport holders from Sept 15 this year to Sept 14,2026. Russia has said it will reciprocate the measure.
\n
According to data from major Chinese travel platform Qunar, within the first 30 minutes of the announcement by the Chinese Foreign Ministry, the volume of air ticket searches on the platform for itineraries originating in Moscow nearly doubled compared with the same period a week earlier, with peak instantaneous search volume reaching nearly four times the usual level. Searches for flights from Moscow to Beijing ranked first, with an average, tax-inclusive fare of 1,415 yuan ($199).
\n
Andrey Chikhanchin, first deputy CEO for commerce and finance at Russian airline Aeroflot, said routes between Russia and China remain among the most in-demand and promising. In the first eight months of this year, passenger traffic on routes between the two countries increased by 34 percent, exceeding 660,000.
\n
"Following the announcement of visa-free travel, bookings for flights to China have increased. We expect demand for travel between the two countries to continue growing, especially against the backdrop of simplified entry procedures," Chikhanchin said, adding that this will contribute to an increase in both tourism and business traffic, as well as the strengthening of economic ties between the two neighbors.
\n
As demand grows, Aeroflot said it is ready to increase flight frequencies and expand its route network. Under the current schedule, the company operates regular flights from Russian cities to major destinations in China. From Moscow, direct flights are available to Beijing; Shanghai; Guangzhou, Guangdong province; and Sanya, Hainan province. Direct flights to Hong Kong will resume on Oct 2.
\n
Moreover, for passengers from other Russian regions, there are direct flights to Sanya from eight Russian cities. In addition, Rossiya Airlines, under the commercial management of Aeroflot, operates direct flights from the Siberian city of Krasnoyarsk to Beijing; Harbin, Heilongjiang province; and Sanya, as well as from Vladivostok to Harbin and Shanghai.
\n
Meanwhile, after Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Sept 4 that Moscow would "respond in kind to this friendly act" by Beijing, the Russian tourism industry expects a boost in arrivals from China.
\n
Alexander Biba, president of Moscow-based Cosmos Hotel Group, told China Daily that China remains the traditional leader among the top five source markets for the Cosmos hotel chain.
\n
By the end of the first half, Chinese travelers accounted for 37 percent of all foreign stays at Cosmos hotels, he said.
\n
The decision to introduce a visa-free regime between Russia and China is welcomed by Russian business sectors, Biba said, adding it is an important step which, once a reciprocal arrangement for Chinese citizens is fully in place, will lead to increased tourist traffic and the strengthening of business and cultural ties between the two countries.
\n
"For Cosmos Hotel Group, the Chinese market has traditionally been one of our priorities, as our group is ready to offer a high level of service and comfortable accommodation in all regions where we operate. We see this decision as a new opportunity for the development of domestic tourism," he said.
\n
renqi@chinadaily.com.cn
\n",
- "content": "
The introduction of the visa-free policy will greatly facilitate Russian citizens' travel to China by reducing time, cost and procedural hurdles, and will offer strong support — especially for those with high-frequency, short-duration cross-border business travel needs, Russian business executives said.
\n
Last month, direct flights from Wuhan, Hubei province, to Moscow, resumed, boosting bilateral exchanges between the two countries. China Southern Airlines flight CZ8003 was first launched in July 2014. However, it was later suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
\n
The latest move comes after China announced a visa-free policy for Russian ordinary passport holders from Sept 15 this year to Sept 14,2026. Russia has said it will reciprocate the measure.
\n
According to data from major Chinese travel platform Qunar, within the first 30 minutes of the announcement by the Chinese Foreign Ministry, the volume of air ticket searches on the platform for itineraries originating in Moscow nearly doubled compared with the same period a week earlier, with peak instantaneous search volume reaching nearly four times the usual level. Searches for flights from Moscow to Beijing ranked first, with an average, tax-inclusive fare of 1,415 yuan ($199).
\n
Andrey Chikhanchin, first deputy CEO for commerce and finance at Russian airline Aeroflot, said routes between Russia and China remain among the most in-demand and promising. In the first eight months of this year, passenger traffic on routes between the two countries increased by 34 percent, exceeding 660,000.
\n
"Following the announcement of visa-free travel, bookings for flights to China have increased. We expect demand for travel between the two countries to continue growing, especially against the backdrop of simplified entry procedures," Chikhanchin said, adding that this will contribute to an increase in both tourism and business traffic, as well as the strengthening of economic ties between the two neighbors.
\n
As demand grows, Aeroflot said it is ready to increase flight frequencies and expand its route network. Under the current schedule, the company operates regular flights from Russian cities to major destinations in China. From Moscow, direct flights are available to Beijing; Shanghai; Guangzhou, Guangdong province; and Sanya, Hainan province. Direct flights to Hong Kong will resume on Oct 2.
\n
Moreover, for passengers from other Russian regions, there are direct flights to Sanya from eight Russian cities. In addition, Rossiya Airlines, under the commercial management of Aeroflot, operates direct flights from the Siberian city of Krasnoyarsk to Beijing; Harbin, Heilongjiang province; and Sanya, as well as from Vladivostok to Harbin and Shanghai.
\n
Meanwhile, after Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Sept 4 that Moscow would "respond in kind to this friendly act" by Beijing, the Russian tourism industry expects a boost in arrivals from China.
\n
Alexander Biba, president of Moscow-based Cosmos Hotel Group, told China Daily that China remains the traditional leader among the top five source markets for the Cosmos hotel chain.
\n
By the end of the first half, Chinese travelers accounted for 37 percent of all foreign stays at Cosmos hotels, he said.
\n
The decision to introduce a visa-free regime between Russia and China is welcomed by Russian business sectors, Biba said, adding it is an important step which, once a reciprocal arrangement for Chinese citizens is fully in place, will lead to increased tourist traffic and the strengthening of business and cultural ties between the two countries.
\n
"For Cosmos Hotel Group, the Chinese market has traditionally been one of our priorities, as our group is ready to offer a high level of service and comfortable accommodation in all regions where we operate. We see this decision as a new opportunity for the development of domestic tourism," he said.
Overseas Chinese across North America have voiced strong support for President Xi Jinping's keynote speech at the reception marking the 76th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China on Tuesday, hailing it as a message of confidence, unity and responsibility that resonates deeply with Chinese communities abroad.
\n
At the event, he emphasized China's historic achievements, its firm commitment to national rejuvenation, the safeguarding of sovereignty and the pursuit of global cooperation. The remarks drew widespread praise from overseas Chinese, who highlighted the inspiration they drew from his call for unity and progress.
\n
Edward Cai, president of the All American Chinese Association in Southern California, said these remarks carried "patriotism and national confidence" and highlighted China's tremendous achievements.
\n
"A prosperous motherland is a strong backing for overseas Chinese," Cai told China Daily, adding that the message inspired pride and strengthened the community's resolve to contribute.
\n
Cai noted that Southern California has long served as a vital bridge in China-US exchanges. He emphasized the role of overseas Chinese in high-tech, education and healthcare, noting that China's emphasis on high-quality development aligns closely with California's innovative environment.
\n
"This creates opportunities for cooperation in areas such as new energy, artificial intelligence and biotechnology," he said.
\n
Cai also underscored the need to foster understanding amid complex China-US relations.
\n
"It is crucial to promote people-to-people exchanges and alleviate misunderstandings and barriers through community organizations, chambers of commerce and cultural exchange activities," he said, adding that the region's cultural diversity aligns with the Global Civilization Initiative.
\n
Zhang Yong, chairman of the Roundtable of Chinese American Organizations in Southern California, highlighted Xi's reaffirmation of "one country, two systems" and opposition to "Taiwan independence" separatist forces.
\n
"This is the common will of all Chinese people," Zhang said. "We firmly support the resolute stance of the Chinese government and the Chinese people in safeguarding national sovereignty and territorial integrity."
\n
Proposals welcomed
\n
Zhang also welcomed China's proposals of the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, the Global Civilization Initiative and the Global Governance Initiative, describing them as contributions that "will inject more positive energy into world peace and development".
\n
Looking ahead, he pledged that Chinese American organizations will "continue to serve as a bridge, promote friendly exchanges between China and the United States, and unite the overseas Chinese community to support the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation".
\n
For Betty Yuan, a council member of Chinese for Peaceful Unification-Northern California, the speech served as a reminder of China's resilience and unity over the past 76 years. She noted that this year also marks the 80th anniversary of victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1931-45), which Xi referenced to highlight the spirit of perseverance.
\n
"His emphasis on national unity and the need to uphold 'one country, two systems' while opposing 'Taiwan independence' and external interference is crystal clear, and I fully support this," Yuan said. She stressed that safeguarding peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait remains a top priority for the Chinese both at home and abroad.
\n
Zheng Xiaofeng, secretary-general of the Canadian Chinese Entrepreneurs Council, said the address provided a roadmap that blended domestic priorities with international engagement. He pointed to four key themes: national rejuvenation, deepening reform and high-quality development, safeguarding sovereignty through "one country, two systems," and promoting global cooperation.
\n
"These messages are not only a source of cohesion domestically, but also a clear signal to the world," Zheng said. He contrasted China's vision of multilateral cooperation with what he described as the US reliance on tariffs and confrontation.
\n
He emphasized that the speech "clarified the directions of reform, development and governance, while stressing international cooperation and multilateralism, sending a signal that China is willing to participate in global affairs and take on responsibilities".
\n
For Chinese communities across North America, the address resonated as both a celebration of past progress and a call to action for the future. They expressed a common determination to strengthen ties with their ancestral homeland, support its development and contribute to the broader vision of a community with a shared future for humanity.
Rescuers search for people who were reported missing under the rubble of a collapsed building in Bogo City on Wednesday, after a powerful 6.9-magnitude earthquake jolted the central Philippines, killing dozens on the island of Cebu, with fears the toll could rise.
\n
MANILA — The death toll from a 6.9-magnitude earthquake that hit the central Philippines has risen to 69, a disaster official said on Wednesday as the government mobilized agencies to search for survivors and restore power and water supplies.
\n
In Bogo city in the north of Cebu Province, which was near the epicenter of the shallow quake that struck off the coast just before 10 pm on Tuesday, the hospital has been "overwhelmed", Civil Defense official Raffy Alejandro told reporters.
\n
The death toll of 69 was based on data from the Cebu provincial disaster office and was subject to validation, said Jane Abapo, an information officer at the regional Civil Defense office. Another official said more than 150 people were injured.
\n
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr assured survivors of swift assistance, saying cabinet secretaries were on the ground directing relief operations, as he expressed his condolences to those who lost loved ones.
\n
Cebu, one of the Philippines' most popular tourist destinations, is home to 3.4 million people. Despite the damage, Mactan-Cebu International Airport, the country's second-busiest gateway, remained operational.
\n
Another hard-hit town, San Remigio, was declared a state of calamity to facilitate the response and relief efforts. Vice-Mayor Alfie Reynes appealed for food and water for evacuees, as well as heavy equipment to aid rescue workers.
\n
"It is raining heavily and there is no electricity, so we really need help, especially in the northern part, because there's a scarcity of water after supply lines were damaged by the earthquake," Reynes told DZMM radio.
\n
In the nearby town of Pilar, resident Archel Coraza said most of his family members were asleep when their house began to shake violently.
\n
"I woke them up and we all rushed outside into the street," he told DZMM. Coraza, who lives close to the shoreline, said he saw seawater recede after the tremor.
\n
Local media posted videos of people rushing out of their homes as the ground shook and buildings collapsed, including a church that was more than 100 years old.
\n
Reynes said among the deceased were some people who had been playing basketball in a sports complex in San Remigio when it partially collapsed due to the quake.
\n",
- "content": "
Rescuers search for people who were reported missing under the rubble of a collapsed building in Bogo City on Wednesday, after a powerful 6.9-magnitude earthquake jolted the central Philippines, killing dozens on the island of Cebu, with fears the toll could rise.
\n
MANILA — The death toll from a 6.9-magnitude earthquake that hit the central Philippines has risen to 69, a disaster official said on Wednesday as the government mobilized agencies to search for survivors and restore power and water supplies.
\n
In Bogo city in the north of Cebu Province, which was near the epicenter of the shallow quake that struck off the coast just before 10 pm on Tuesday, the hospital has been "overwhelmed", Civil Defense official Raffy Alejandro told reporters.
\n
The death toll of 69 was based on data from the Cebu provincial disaster office and was subject to validation, said Jane Abapo, an information officer at the regional Civil Defense office. Another official said more than 150 people were injured.
\n
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr assured survivors of swift assistance, saying cabinet secretaries were on the ground directing relief operations, as he expressed his condolences to those who lost loved ones.
\n
Cebu, one of the Philippines' most popular tourist destinations, is home to 3.4 million people. Despite the damage, Mactan-Cebu International Airport, the country's second-busiest gateway, remained operational.
\n
Another hard-hit town, San Remigio, was declared a state of calamity to facilitate the response and relief efforts. Vice-Mayor Alfie Reynes appealed for food and water for evacuees, as well as heavy equipment to aid rescue workers.
\n
"It is raining heavily and there is no electricity, so we really need help, especially in the northern part, because there's a scarcity of water after supply lines were damaged by the earthquake," Reynes told DZMM radio.
\n
In the nearby town of Pilar, resident Archel Coraza said most of his family members were asleep when their house began to shake violently.
\n
"I woke them up and we all rushed outside into the street," he told DZMM. Coraza, who lives close to the shoreline, said he saw seawater recede after the tremor.
\n
Local media posted videos of people rushing out of their homes as the ground shook and buildings collapsed, including a church that was more than 100 years old.
\n
Reynes said among the deceased were some people who had been playing basketball in a sports complex in San Remigio when it partially collapsed due to the quake.
China showcased the unique charm and vibrant vitality of its culture and tourism attractions at the Tourism EXPO Japan held in Aichi Prefecture.
\n
Tourism EXPO Japan, one of the world's largest tourism festivals, saw its latest edition run from Sept 25 to 28 at the Aichi Sky Expo in Tokoname. The first two days were dedicated to trade and media, featuring exhibitions and business meetings among industry professionals, while the final days were open to the public.
\n
This year's China Pavilion, themed "Nihao (Hello), China", was organized by the China National Tourist Office in Tokyo. Featuring more than 60 exhibitors, including 18 regional tourism authorities and five Chinese airlines. The pavilion highlighted China's latest inbound travel services, its UNESCO World Heritage Sites, and the richness of its traditional culture.
\n
For the first time, the pavilion was also invited to perform on the main stage of the expo event. In a 30-minute showcase, traditional lion dance, face-changing, and ethnic songs were performed to present the distinctive charm of Chinese culture.
\n
Takaji Satomi, a member of Japan's House of Councillors, was impressed after receiving a scented sachet at the exhibition area of Yangzhou, Jiangsu province, saying, "These kinds of spices and incense products are not only popular in China, but also make excellent souvenirs for overseas visitors."
\n
Ye Yuan, representing an exhibitor from Hainan province, said that Hainan takes this expo as an important opportunity to showcase the province and introduce it to more people. "Hainan boasts mountains and rivers, along with beautiful natural scenery. Its golf courses are also excellent," she said.
\n
Haruka Nonomura, chief of the tour planning division, Chubu regional sales department, at travel agency HIS, said that China offers not only a wealth of World Cultural Heritage sites but also stunning natural landscapes.
\n
"One trip is never enough — you find new charms every time. Such variety is what makes China so special," she said.
\n
She also mentioned that since the easing of visa policies last year, there has been a noticeable increase in the number of travelers to China.
\n
Policy benefits
\n
Since Nov 30, China has implemented a visa-free policy for ordinary Japanese passport holders, allowing stays of up to 30 days for business, tourism, family visits, exchange programs and transit purposes.
\n
With the simplification of visa procedures, visiting China has become much more convenient for travelers, Nonomura said, adding that this has also made sales and promotional activities for travel agencies "much easier".
\n
An event aimed at enhancing awareness and promoting China's World Cultural Heritage Sites was held alongside the expo, with participants seeking to further strengthen China-Japan exchanges.
\n
Hironobu Nara, deputy commissioner for international tourism at Japan's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, said that tourism promotions from various regions of China, along with exchange meetings between the Japanese and Chinese tourism industries, offer valuable opportunities to appreciate China's rich and diverse cultural charms.
\n
Hiroki Nakamura, director-general of Japan's Chubu District Transport Bureau, sees tourism as an "important bridge" between people and cultures. He hopes that such exchange activities will enhance mutual understanding and deepen friendship between the peoples.
\n
Nakamura also expressed hope that more Chinese tourists will not only visit major Japanese cities but also explore local regions to experience Japan's diverse charms.
\n
"China is ready to work with Japan to boost people-to-people exchanges through tourism and culture, strengthen public support, and promote healthy, stable China-Japan relations," she said.
Pet lawyer Cui Can plays with his cat in a park in Chengdu, Sichuan province.
\n
When lawyer Cui Can recalled his first pet-related case, his tone turned reflective.
\n
It was February this year, and the dispute involved a client who had entrusted two cats, a mother and her offspring, to a pet sitter found on the social media app Xiaohongshu, or RedNote. Just three days into the boarding period, both cats fell from a 19th floor and died.
\n
"The emotional toll on the owner was immense. Those cats had been with him since they were kittens. He was devastated," Cui said. The case never made it to court. Instead, Cui helped negotiate a settlement worth a few thousand yuan, paid out in small monthly installments by the sitter, a recent university graduate who claimed financial hardship.
\n
"In many pet-related disputes, litigation is impractical. The emotional and financial costs often outweigh the compensation," said Cui. "My role usually involves mediation to help parties reach an outcome that acknowledges the loss, not just in monetary terms."
\n
Cui, 27, has been practicing law in Chengdu, Sichuan province, since 2020. After graduating in 2021, he worked at a firm for several years before going independent in 2023.Like many young lawyers, he initially handled a broad range of civil cases. But the intense workload began to take its toll. It was during a late night at his desk, accompanied only by his long-haired cat, Ultraman, that he had an epiphany.
\n
"I was overworked, constantly stressed. Ultraman was there with me; quiet, comforting. That's when I started asking myself what I really wanted to do," he said. "Pets had always been part of my life. Why not focus on legal issues affecting them?"
\n
Earlier this year, Cui decided to specialize in pet-related disputes — a niche few lawyers in China have entered. Since then, he has handled cases involving medical malpractice, sales fraud, custody battles, and wrongful death. He enjoys being called a pet lawyer.
\n
Among the most heart-wrenching was a case from Xi'an, Shaanxi province. A young man's dog died during a routine dental procedure after the clinic failed to conduct pre-anesthesia assessments. The owner, who had raised the dog since high school, developed severe depression afterward.
\n
"That case was never about the money. He wanted an apology, an explanation, some form of accountability," Cui said. "But the clinic wouldn't admit fault. They just said, 'Sue us if you want.'"
\n
Such incidents are occurring against the backdrop of a rapidly expanding pet population. According to a report issued by Goldman Sachs in February 2024, the number of pets in China surpassed that of children under the age of four for the first time that year. By 2030, the pet population is projected to be nearly twice as large as the population of young children.
\n
As pet ownership surges in China, such disputes are becoming more common. Pets are increasingly viewed as family members, yet the legal system has been slow to adapt.
\n
China still lacks a dedicated animal protection law. In cases of abuse or negligence, lawyers often resort to general provisions in the Civil Code or rely on charges like "picking quarrels and provoking trouble". It's a catch-all offense that leads to minimal penalties, according to Cui.
\n
"The legal vacuum is the biggest challenge," Cui said. "Without clear statutes, it's difficult to protect pets or their owners effectively."
\n
Even when laws do apply, practical obstacles remain. Many owners lack crucial evidence — medical records, contracts, transaction details — or struggle to identify the real parties behind pet stores or online sellers. Veterinary forensics is underdeveloped, and judges often lack expert opinions to rely on.
\n
Yet Cui remains optimistic. In March, he founded the Pet Legal Alliance, a WeChat network of more than 1,000 legal professionals nationwide. Members must be practicing lawyers and pet owners themselves, "because you have to understand the emotional bond to do this work," Cui said.
\n
The group shares resources, discusses landmark cases, and pushes for stronger industry standards. Some are already advising local governments on drafting animal protection regulations.
\n
Cui's approach is pragmatic. He prefers mediation to litigation and often encourages clients to consider emotional closure over prolonged legal battles. "Not everyone can endure repeated court hearings, especially when they're grieving," he said. "Sometimes moving forward is more important than fighting on."
\n
Still, he believes change is coming. "Pets are not property. They are life companions. The law should reflect that," he said. "This isn't just a professional shift for me. It's personal."
\n
In his Chengdu office, surrounded by legal texts and a photo of Ultraman, Cui said with determination, "We're building something meaningful, one case at a time."
\n
zhaoruinan@chinadaily.com.cn
\n",
- "content": "
Pet lawyer Cui Can plays with his cat in a park in Chengdu, Sichuan province.
\n
When lawyer Cui Can recalled his first pet-related case, his tone turned reflective.
\n
It was February this year, and the dispute involved a client who had entrusted two cats, a mother and her offspring, to a pet sitter found on the social media app Xiaohongshu, or RedNote. Just three days into the boarding period, both cats fell from a 19th floor and died.
\n
"The emotional toll on the owner was immense. Those cats had been with him since they were kittens. He was devastated," Cui said. The case never made it to court. Instead, Cui helped negotiate a settlement worth a few thousand yuan, paid out in small monthly installments by the sitter, a recent university graduate who claimed financial hardship.
\n
"In many pet-related disputes, litigation is impractical. The emotional and financial costs often outweigh the compensation," said Cui. "My role usually involves mediation to help parties reach an outcome that acknowledges the loss, not just in monetary terms."
\n
Cui, 27, has been practicing law in Chengdu, Sichuan province, since 2020. After graduating in 2021, he worked at a firm for several years before going independent in 2023.Like many young lawyers, he initially handled a broad range of civil cases. But the intense workload began to take its toll. It was during a late night at his desk, accompanied only by his long-haired cat, Ultraman, that he had an epiphany.
\n
"I was overworked, constantly stressed. Ultraman was there with me; quiet, comforting. That's when I started asking myself what I really wanted to do," he said. "Pets had always been part of my life. Why not focus on legal issues affecting them?"
\n
Earlier this year, Cui decided to specialize in pet-related disputes — a niche few lawyers in China have entered. Since then, he has handled cases involving medical malpractice, sales fraud, custody battles, and wrongful death. He enjoys being called a pet lawyer.
\n
Among the most heart-wrenching was a case from Xi'an, Shaanxi province. A young man's dog died during a routine dental procedure after the clinic failed to conduct pre-anesthesia assessments. The owner, who had raised the dog since high school, developed severe depression afterward.
\n
"That case was never about the money. He wanted an apology, an explanation, some form of accountability," Cui said. "But the clinic wouldn't admit fault. They just said, 'Sue us if you want.'"
\n
Such incidents are occurring against the backdrop of a rapidly expanding pet population. According to a report issued by Goldman Sachs in February 2024, the number of pets in China surpassed that of children under the age of four for the first time that year. By 2030, the pet population is projected to be nearly twice as large as the population of young children.
\n
As pet ownership surges in China, such disputes are becoming more common. Pets are increasingly viewed as family members, yet the legal system has been slow to adapt.
\n
China still lacks a dedicated animal protection law. In cases of abuse or negligence, lawyers often resort to general provisions in the Civil Code or rely on charges like "picking quarrels and provoking trouble". It's a catch-all offense that leads to minimal penalties, according to Cui.
\n
"The legal vacuum is the biggest challenge," Cui said. "Without clear statutes, it's difficult to protect pets or their owners effectively."
\n
Even when laws do apply, practical obstacles remain. Many owners lack crucial evidence — medical records, contracts, transaction details — or struggle to identify the real parties behind pet stores or online sellers. Veterinary forensics is underdeveloped, and judges often lack expert opinions to rely on.
\n
Yet Cui remains optimistic. In March, he founded the Pet Legal Alliance, a WeChat network of more than 1,000 legal professionals nationwide. Members must be practicing lawyers and pet owners themselves, "because you have to understand the emotional bond to do this work," Cui said.
\n
The group shares resources, discusses landmark cases, and pushes for stronger industry standards. Some are already advising local governments on drafting animal protection regulations.
\n
Cui's approach is pragmatic. He prefers mediation to litigation and often encourages clients to consider emotional closure over prolonged legal battles. "Not everyone can endure repeated court hearings, especially when they're grieving," he said. "Sometimes moving forward is more important than fighting on."
\n
Still, he believes change is coming. "Pets are not property. They are life companions. The law should reflect that," he said. "This isn't just a professional shift for me. It's personal."
\n
In his Chengdu office, surrounded by legal texts and a photo of Ultraman, Cui said with determination, "We're building something meaningful, one case at a time."
Worldly Land (top) and The Age of Goodbyes (above) by Malaysian author Li Zishu.
\n
Worldly Land (top) and The Age of Goodbyes (above) by Malaysian author Li Zishu.
\n
Malaysian writer Li Zishu has had her novel Liu Su Di (Worldly Land) published on the Chinese mainland, which has sparked interest in Sinophone Malaysian literature.
\n
Recent works by Malaysian authors include A Mother with No Name (top) by Lim Suat Hong (center) and Ren Gong Shao Nyu (Artificial Girl) by Gong Wanhui.
\n
Recent works by Malaysian authors include A Mother with No Name (top) by Lim Suat Hong (center) and Ren Gong Shao Nyu (Artificial Girl) by Gong Wanhui.
\n
Recent works by Malaysian authors include A Mother with No Name (top) by Lim Suat Hong (center) and Ren Gong Shao Nyu (Artificial Girl) by Gong Wanhui.
\n
A bustling restaurant in Ipoh.
\n
Chinese temples are common in Ipoh, a Malaysian city that has inspired Li Zishu's novel Worldly Land.
\n
A long line of enthusiastic readers waits for Li Zishu's autograph during this year's Beijing International Book Fair in June.
\n\n
Four years ago, Malaysian writer Li Zishu published her full-length novel Liu Su Di (Worldly Land) on the Chinese mainland. Its ongoing popularity has sparked much interest in Sinophone Malaysian literature — literary works written in Chinese by Malaysian authors — a niche genre that offers Chinese readers an alternative perspective on their cultural roots and traditions.
\n
Although other Malaysian writers such as Ng Kim Chew and Chang Kuei-hsing have explored themes such as the trauma experienced by the Chinese diaspora, the community's Chinese identity within the multicultural society of Malaysia, and Malaysian history and politics, their works have often adopted a magic realist style, focusing on the tropical country's rainforests, rubber plantations, animals and damp weather.
\n
However, Li, who has been part of the literary circle for three decades and has won major Sinophone Malaysian literary awards, has adopted a more realistic approach that is closer to daily life to write something true to her mind and will. Liu Su Di was completed and published in 2020, a full decade after her previous full-length work, The Age of Goodbyes.
\n
According to Han Jingqun, editor-in-chief of Beijing October Arts and Literature Publishing House, the novel's publisher on the Chinese mainland, more than 250,000 copies have been sold since the release of this simplified Chinese version in 2021. More than 33,000 readers have rated the work 9.2 out of 10 on the review site Douban. Another 100,000 users have expressed their interest in reading it.
\n
Worldly Land tells the story of a visually impaired woman, Gu Yinxia, and the people around her. It is interwoven with the vicissitudes of the Chinese community in Malaysian society over the past half-century. All the characters, from different races and cultural backgrounds, live in a high-rise apartment building of some 300 households in a city called Xidu(City of Tin), modeled after Li's hometown Ipoh, a northern Malaysian mountain city.
\n
Chen Yucheng, one of the book's editors, says Li has delivered a grounded piece of writing that is sincere and authentic. The language is evocative and exudes a rare empathy for the novel's characters, settings and emotions. Half a century flows like a stream, touching the hearts of ordinary folk.
\n
"Each individual's rise and fall is infused with the author's careful reflection on history, a distanced observation of contemporary politics and a complex exploration of the ethnic identity of the overseas Chinese," he says.
\n
Unexpected popularity
\n
David Der-wei Wang, a professor of Chinese literature at Harvard University, writes in the work's preface that Ipoh, known for its tin mines, attracted waves of Chinese immigrants in the mid-19th century, and this gave birth to a rich Chinese culture.
\n
Meanwhile, the city is characterized by its multicultural society where Malays, Indians, Indonesians, Chinese and Bangladeshis live together.
\n
Wang says Li has adopted a gentler style of writing compared to her earlier works to highlight little-known aspects of inclusivity and empathy in her reflections on the Chinese community in Malaysian society.
\n
"Li has injected a rare warmth into contemporary Sinophone Malaysian literature," Wang writes.
\n
Li did not expect her Sinophone work to be so popular in China. She has been traveling frequently to the country to give lectures, attend seminars and exchange ideas with industry insiders.
\n
She serves on the jury of this year's Blancpain-Imaginist Literary Prize, co-organized by Swiss luxury watch brand Blancpain and Chinese publisher Imaginist. The annual award recognizes a Chinese writer under 45 and comes with a cash prize of 300,000 yuan ($42,000) and a Blancpain watch. The winner will be announced in October.
\n
Worldly Land has also inspired enthusiastic readers to travel to Ipoh to visit the places described in the novel and share photos and vlogs on social media platforms. Some of these posts have received thousands of likes.
\n
However, at this year's Beijing International Book Fair in June, Li said her popularity in China did not extend to her home country, where the Chinese language is seldom part of the mainstream.
\n
"If someone decides to write in Chinese in Malaysia, it is purely out of a love for writing and the Chinese language," she says.
\n
"You must write without regret or complaint. Otherwise, you will be consumed by frustration, lamenting the limited readership or the few publishers willing to release your work. We are aware of this situation."
\n
The speech she gave in June was fittingly titled "A Craft on an Ocean: Sinophone Malaysian Literature Through My Eyes", echoing Wang's view that Chinese literature has, amid the anxiety expressed by the Sinophone Malaysian community about the survival and continuity of Chinese culture, demonstrated remarkable resilience despite the impact of new media.
\n
Li says: "Although Worldly Land is not a blockbuster, it continues to sell well even today, several years after its release. This phenomenon brings me great comfort, and I hope this novel will outlast me, the author."
\n
She adds that she is touched by the recognition it has received from readers and their willingness to recommend the book to others. "As a Sinophone Malaysian writer, it often feels like being a lone craft in a vast ocean, with few to hear my calls. Yet, unexpectedly, I have encountered a large ship full of readers who are there to support me, offering (me) a place to dock and a helping hand. I believe this is just the beginning."
\n
Li says she is planning a collection of short stories about immigrant communities.
\n
Meanwhile, the wild popularity of Worldly Land has prompted Li not only to explore ways to increase the exposure of her fellow writers to potential publishers in China, but also to reflect on the literary genre from a broader perspective.
\n
Gaining ground
\n
Recently, more works of Sinophone Malaysian literature have made their way to the Chinese market. Last year, two books by Ho Sok Fong were published on the Chinese mainland.
\n
In July, Gong Wanhui's full-length novel Ren Gong Shao Nyu (Artificial Girl) was released.
\n
In 2024, this work won the grand prize of Sinophone Malaysian literature at the biennial Hua Zong (Floral Trail) Literature Award, one of Malaysia's most prestigious Chinese-language literature awards, given by Sin Chew Daily. Worldly Land was the winner of this prize in 2022.
\n
This August saw the launch of Lim Suat Hong's debut nonfiction work, A Mother with No Name, which tells the story of the arduous life of her mother Tee Kin and her reflections on the mother-daughter relationship — one of the most complex of human connections.
\n
Lim has been living in China for 20 years. After her mother passed away, Lim spent six years documenting Tee's life.
\n
She was born into a large Chinese family in Malaysia, the eldest daughter who was not favored, the mother of five children, the wife of a gambler and the sole breadwinner who kept the family going with her tailoring shop. Yet, at her funeral, she was simply referred to as the nameless "Madame Tee of the Lim Family".
\n
Wang Meng, the book's editor at Horizon Books, a branch of the Shanghai People's Publishing House, says that like Worldly Land, which is a landmark work in its genre, Lim's work focuses on ordinary people's everyday lives in a small town. It presents the experiences and secret family history of a Chinese woman from the working class. Its keenly observed and delicate portrayal of life is set amid descriptions of Southeast Asian customs.
\n
"It is precisely this writing based on real-life experiences, expressed in incredibly honest and sincere language, that I believe will resonate emotionally with Chinese readers," she adds.
\n
Li has publicly lauded the works of both Gong and Lim.
\n
At the Beijing International Book Fair, Li said that in the past Sinophone Malaysian literature may have overly emphasized its identity in an effort to stand out.
\n
"However, a truly capable writer is one who can write about universal life experiences while still conveying the distinctiveness of Sinophone Malaysian writers," she says.
\n
"When I wrote about these ordinary people and their lives in Worldly Land using a certain tone and style, I realized that I was writing about the same group of Chinese people, whether in Malaysia or on the Chinese mainland. Yet, others may not be able to create a novel like Worldly Land. Sinophone Malaysian literature will truly thrive when our writers possess this confidence."
\n
Li encourages young writers from Malaysia to read works by emerging authors from the Chinese mainland, paying particular attention to their writing style and experimental approaches that differ from those of established writers.
\n
"I would recommend that Sinophone Malaysian writers view themselves as part of the broader Chinese-speaking world, learn more about the entire Chinese community, and observe how their contemporaries are creating, both in terms of method and approach," she says.
\n
Contact the writer at fangaiqing@chinadaily.com.cn
\n",
@@ -27385,28 +25471,6 @@
"hash": "999caa0d44fea6462509c2dead905ee1",
"highlights": []
},
- {
- "title": "008TREND - Urban parks turning a new chapter",
- "description": "
Bailupo Book Bar on the Egret Slope of Shenzhen Bay Park is considered one of the most beautiful bookstores in Shenzhen, Guangdong province.
\n
Nanyuanshe is a bookstore hidden in Nanyuan Forest Wetland Park in Beijing.
\n
My Book Heaven in Temple of Earth bookstore attracts many visitors.
\n
During a visit to a park in southern Beijing, Shi Yifan happened to find a bookstore nestled within woodland. Since then, the 30-year-old has come to read every couple of weeks.
\n
Nanyuanshe, the bookstore in Nanyuan Forest Wetland Park in the capital's Fengtai district, is hidden among the lush greenery of locust trees. The wooden building is wrapped in floor-to-ceiling glass and sparrows often gather on the dry grass nearby.
\n
On a sunny day and inside the bookstore, sunlight spills over books, creating a peaceful and enchanting setting for reading.
\n
"On my day off, I usually visit the park to take a walk and relax with a book. I love this bookstore because it's surrounded by nature. The beautiful scenery fills me with energy and vitality and contrasts with bookstores in enclosed commercial areas. Being close to nature helps me find peace while reading," Shi said.
\n
But there is a constant flow of visitors in the bookstore, she admitted. However, this brings a sense of movement, with people constantly coming and going, which she finds quite pleasant.
\n
"I don't mind the noise because when I'm here reading, I can also observe the lively interactions around me such as parents playing with their children, couples enjoying each other's company, and friends taking photos or soaking up the sunlight. It all feels vibrant and full of life," she said.
\n
In recent years, parks across major cities in China have transformed from areas for morning exercises and flower admiring into hubs of cultural and social activity. The aroma of coffee and books, and the lively atmosphere of human interaction have created a new consumer landscape.
\n
In Beijing, numerous parks have enthusiastically adopted this trend, creating vibrant, multifunctional spaces. For example, Beijisi Park features an innovative area that seamlessly integrates a bookstore, cafe, and restaurant, offering visitors a unique blend of relaxation, culture, and dining in one location.
\n
According to the space manager, the average customer stay at the bookstore is five times longer than at typical bookstores in shopping malls, Beijing Youth Daily reported in August.
\n
Similarly, in Wuhan, Hubei province, visitors can enjoy a scenic walk along the shaded path of Guishan Mountain before arriving at a bookshop. From a porch, visitors can take in stunning views of the Yangtze River Bridge and Yellow Crane Tower.
\n
Wang Jianhong, Nanyuanshe founder, said: "My store aims to provide a serene escape from the hustle and bustle of urban life. Visitors can enjoy literature amid the tranquillity of greenery and birdsong. People can find peace and reconnect with their souls through reading.
\n
"The bookstore was designed to integrate cultural and natural spaces, offering outdoor lawns where readers can immerse themselves in books while surrounded by nature. It helps foster a deep connection between readers and their environment."
\n
The new trend brings readers back to physical books and offers a fresh, relaxing way to enjoy reading outside, he added.
\n
According to data from Open-Book, a leading provider of information services for the book industry, the gross sales value in the book retail market, based on list prices, saw a year-on-year decline of 1.52 percent in 2024. Despite this downturn, book sales through short video e-commerce platforms experienced positive growth.
\n
Physical bookstores, meanwhile, are adapting by offering new ways to enjoy reading in natural settings, helping them navigate challenging times.
\n
For visitors like Cao Wei, who often visits the wetland park with his three-year-old daughter, the bookstore provides a unique combination of recreation and learning opportunities.
\n
"We come to play in the park and then relax at the bookstore. It's a perfect spot to cool down with a coffee. I want my daughter to connect with nature and develop a love for reading," the 34-year-old said.
\n
He expressed a desire for more educational events, such as reading lectures or activities related to the park's history and environment.
\n
"I'd love to learn more about the park's past as a royal hunting ground. I hope my daughter can grow closer to nature, moving beyond modern attractions like amusement parks to discover the wonders of plants, animals, and ecology," he said.
\n
Wang, the bookstore owner, is dedicated to preserving the cultural essence of the bookstore. "We're not trying to become a trendy social media hot spot," he said.
\n
"Instead, our focus is on offering a meaningful experience that resonates with visitors. We want this to be a place for thought and reflection."
\n
Despite the challenges of managing a small venue with a large number of visitors, Wang remains undeterred. "It's difficult to meet everyone's expectations, but we strive to create a welcoming space where people feel at home," he said.
\n
Pan Ziliang, founder of the Aosen Bookstore, which stands in Beijing's Olympic Forest Park, said it offers a green landscape enriched by diverse trees and seasonal changes.
\n
"Unlike traditional bookstores, Aosen Bookstore features a year-round plant-based landscape and we host book clubs, painting exhibitions, and activities aligned with the four seasons and 24 solar terms."
\n
In addition, the bookstore regularly holds a wide range of cultural activities such as creative markets and traditional handicraft workshops, Pan said.
\n
"Some of our events center on seasons, festivals, natural science, and art. We provide diverse activities for families with children and enhance the cultural experiences of visitors of all ages," he said.
\n
Situated in the Olympic Forest Park, with an area of 6.8 square kilometers, the bookstore places a special emphasis on Olympic-themed books.
\n
Also located at the northern end of the Beijing Central Axis, the shop offers books on the history, culture, and intangible cultural heritage of this UNESCO World Heritage site, Pan added.
\n
He Qicong, associate professor from Beijing Normal University's Institute of Culture Innovation and Communication, said: "Physical bookstores reflect a city's unique cultural essence, rather than (solely) generating high profits. Parks are vital for social harmony and residents' well-being. Green spaces reduce mental stress. It helps capture the essence of the reading experience by allowing readers to read, sip tea, and relax in a bright, clean bookstore."
\n
Physical bookstores are expanding into parks and scenic areas, creating a blend of culture, tourism, commerce, and wellness. This offers a significant opportunity for the bookstore industry to survive and tackle declining offline sales, she added.
\n
To succeed, bookstores should become trendy destinations. Young readers are the future, and social media check-ins cater to the preferences of Generation Z, born between mid-1990s to early 2010s.
\n
"However, equating social media check-ins with successful bookstore operations is oversimplified. It would be disastrous for the bookstore industry," she said.
\n
lihongyang@chinadaily.com.cn
\n",
- "content": "
Bailupo Book Bar on the Egret Slope of Shenzhen Bay Park is considered one of the most beautiful bookstores in Shenzhen, Guangdong province.
\n
Nanyuanshe is a bookstore hidden in Nanyuan Forest Wetland Park in Beijing.
\n
My Book Heaven in Temple of Earth bookstore attracts many visitors.
\n
During a visit to a park in southern Beijing, Shi Yifan happened to find a bookstore nestled within woodland. Since then, the 30-year-old has come to read every couple of weeks.
\n
Nanyuanshe, the bookstore in Nanyuan Forest Wetland Park in the capital's Fengtai district, is hidden among the lush greenery of locust trees. The wooden building is wrapped in floor-to-ceiling glass and sparrows often gather on the dry grass nearby.
\n
On a sunny day and inside the bookstore, sunlight spills over books, creating a peaceful and enchanting setting for reading.
\n
"On my day off, I usually visit the park to take a walk and relax with a book. I love this bookstore because it's surrounded by nature. The beautiful scenery fills me with energy and vitality and contrasts with bookstores in enclosed commercial areas. Being close to nature helps me find peace while reading," Shi said.
\n
But there is a constant flow of visitors in the bookstore, she admitted. However, this brings a sense of movement, with people constantly coming and going, which she finds quite pleasant.
\n
"I don't mind the noise because when I'm here reading, I can also observe the lively interactions around me such as parents playing with their children, couples enjoying each other's company, and friends taking photos or soaking up the sunlight. It all feels vibrant and full of life," she said.
\n
In recent years, parks across major cities in China have transformed from areas for morning exercises and flower admiring into hubs of cultural and social activity. The aroma of coffee and books, and the lively atmosphere of human interaction have created a new consumer landscape.
\n
In Beijing, numerous parks have enthusiastically adopted this trend, creating vibrant, multifunctional spaces. For example, Beijisi Park features an innovative area that seamlessly integrates a bookstore, cafe, and restaurant, offering visitors a unique blend of relaxation, culture, and dining in one location.
\n
According to the space manager, the average customer stay at the bookstore is five times longer than at typical bookstores in shopping malls, Beijing Youth Daily reported in August.
\n
Similarly, in Wuhan, Hubei province, visitors can enjoy a scenic walk along the shaded path of Guishan Mountain before arriving at a bookshop. From a porch, visitors can take in stunning views of the Yangtze River Bridge and Yellow Crane Tower.
\n
Wang Jianhong, Nanyuanshe founder, said: "My store aims to provide a serene escape from the hustle and bustle of urban life. Visitors can enjoy literature amid the tranquillity of greenery and birdsong. People can find peace and reconnect with their souls through reading.
\n
"The bookstore was designed to integrate cultural and natural spaces, offering outdoor lawns where readers can immerse themselves in books while surrounded by nature. It helps foster a deep connection between readers and their environment."
\n
The new trend brings readers back to physical books and offers a fresh, relaxing way to enjoy reading outside, he added.
\n
According to data from Open-Book, a leading provider of information services for the book industry, the gross sales value in the book retail market, based on list prices, saw a year-on-year decline of 1.52 percent in 2024. Despite this downturn, book sales through short video e-commerce platforms experienced positive growth.
\n
Physical bookstores, meanwhile, are adapting by offering new ways to enjoy reading in natural settings, helping them navigate challenging times.
\n
For visitors like Cao Wei, who often visits the wetland park with his three-year-old daughter, the bookstore provides a unique combination of recreation and learning opportunities.
\n
"We come to play in the park and then relax at the bookstore. It's a perfect spot to cool down with a coffee. I want my daughter to connect with nature and develop a love for reading," the 34-year-old said.
\n
He expressed a desire for more educational events, such as reading lectures or activities related to the park's history and environment.
\n
"I'd love to learn more about the park's past as a royal hunting ground. I hope my daughter can grow closer to nature, moving beyond modern attractions like amusement parks to discover the wonders of plants, animals, and ecology," he said.
\n
Wang, the bookstore owner, is dedicated to preserving the cultural essence of the bookstore. "We're not trying to become a trendy social media hot spot," he said.
\n
"Instead, our focus is on offering a meaningful experience that resonates with visitors. We want this to be a place for thought and reflection."
\n
Despite the challenges of managing a small venue with a large number of visitors, Wang remains undeterred. "It's difficult to meet everyone's expectations, but we strive to create a welcoming space where people feel at home," he said.
\n
Pan Ziliang, founder of the Aosen Bookstore, which stands in Beijing's Olympic Forest Park, said it offers a green landscape enriched by diverse trees and seasonal changes.
\n
"Unlike traditional bookstores, Aosen Bookstore features a year-round plant-based landscape and we host book clubs, painting exhibitions, and activities aligned with the four seasons and 24 solar terms."
\n
In addition, the bookstore regularly holds a wide range of cultural activities such as creative markets and traditional handicraft workshops, Pan said.
\n
"Some of our events center on seasons, festivals, natural science, and art. We provide diverse activities for families with children and enhance the cultural experiences of visitors of all ages," he said.
\n
Situated in the Olympic Forest Park, with an area of 6.8 square kilometers, the bookstore places a special emphasis on Olympic-themed books.
\n
Also located at the northern end of the Beijing Central Axis, the shop offers books on the history, culture, and intangible cultural heritage of this UNESCO World Heritage site, Pan added.
\n
He Qicong, associate professor from Beijing Normal University's Institute of Culture Innovation and Communication, said: "Physical bookstores reflect a city's unique cultural essence, rather than (solely) generating high profits. Parks are vital for social harmony and residents' well-being. Green spaces reduce mental stress. It helps capture the essence of the reading experience by allowing readers to read, sip tea, and relax in a bright, clean bookstore."
\n
Physical bookstores are expanding into parks and scenic areas, creating a blend of culture, tourism, commerce, and wellness. This offers a significant opportunity for the bookstore industry to survive and tackle declining offline sales, she added.
\n
To succeed, bookstores should become trendy destinations. Young readers are the future, and social media check-ins cater to the preferences of Generation Z, born between mid-1990s to early 2010s.
\n
"However, equating social media check-ins with successful bookstore operations is oversimplified. It would be disastrous for the bookstore industry," she said.
A statue of a Buddhist guardian deity is enshrined at Tiefo Temple in Jincheng, Shanxi province. The temple has a history of more than 500 years.
\n
Tourists visit Chongqing Temple in Changzhi, Shanxi province.
\n
A poster for Nobody, the blockbuster animation that released on Aug 2.
\n
Visitors admire the spectacular Hukou Waterfall in Linfen, Shanxi, in August.
\n\n\n
The recent animated blockbuster Nobody is setting records and moving audiences to tears. Its retelling of the classic tale Journey to the West, colored with references to real-world locations, is inspiring some to make their own journey.
\n
The story follows a pig and a toad, two overlooked yaoguai(supernatural beings) who run afoul of their boss at Langlang Mountain. Escaping capture, they team up with a weasel and an ape to form a group modeled after the Monkey King and his companions.
\n
Hoping to gain immortality, the quartet sets out to obtain Buddhist scriptures. Along the way, they fight evil, save lives, and come to believe they are true Buddhists. But when unmasked as impostors, they are condemned as frauds. In the end, they sacrificed themselves to save a group of children — yet remain unnamed.
\n
"This is not a cartoon, this is me looking in the mirror," one netizen commented. The film critiques how society favors the privileged, like the heroes of Journey to the West, while marginalizing those of humble origins. It also satirizes the workplace grind and clients' demands, while probing the universal desire to become something greater.
\n
By Sept 18, the film, which premiered on Aug 2, had earned 1.61 billion yuan ($226 million), according to ticketing platform Maoyan, making it the highest-grossing domestic 2D animated film in Chinese history.
\n
Routes on a theme
\n
The film's popularity has sparked renewed interest in the depicted settings, which are based on existing locations. Li Zao, the film's chief producer, drew inspiration from around Shanxi province, including the majestic landscapes of the Taihang Mountain Grand Canyon, the murals at Yong'an Temple, and the architecture of Foguang Temple dating back to the Tang Dynasty (618-907).
\n
Recently, the province's Department of Culture and Tourism partnered with Shanghai Film Infinity, a subsidiary of Shanghai Film Group, to promote the blockbuster. The province has created two travel itineraries inspired by the film that highlight natural and historical sites across the region.
\n
With the theme "Come to Shanxi and find the version of yourself you love", the campaign links the film's IP to 10 real-life Shanxi sites. The itineraries include a three-day northern route focused on temples and grottoes and a four-day southern route highlighting nature.
\n
Tourists can pick up pocket-sized booklets that combine a "role test" with a stamp-collection game. After filling out a questionnaire about travel habits, visitors are matched with characters in the film. Collecting stamps at designated spots earns them co-branded souvenirs and limited-edition seals featuring characters.
\n
In late August, tour guide Lyu Wei from Shanxi Yaowang Travel Agency led the first group of tourists to explore the northern route.
\n
Lyu compared this campaign with traditional tours, saying that it emphasizes a more emotional connection.
\n
"I felt every tourist resonating with the characters," he said. "It's like: 'What if I were a faceless yaoguai? I'd hold my head high and march forward boldly.' Everyone dared to shed prejudices, stay true to themselves and walk their own path without worrying so much about others' opinions. That spirit showed throughout the trip."
\n
Tourist Lu Jianhong, 35, from Jinzhong, Shanxi, said he was impressed by the ancient buildings in the film, and visited Foguang Temple with "a sense of pilgrimage".
\n
"Entering the temple and standing on the central axis, I saw the East Hall towering on the high slope — majestic, ancient and grand. It was a feeling of wonder that words cannot fully capture," he said. "The real temple is even more magnificent and ancient than how it was portrayed in the film. It gave me a feeling of dreaming back to the Tang Dynasty."
\n
Built in 857, Foguang Temple preserves four Tang-era forms: architecture, sculpture, murals and calligraphy. "It is a unique treasure trove of art, history and culture unparalleled anywhere else in the country," said Wang Ning, a relics protection worker at the temple.
\n
According to Wang, it is the largest and best-preserved wooden Tang structure in China, and it was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2009.
\n
Visitor Li Lingxia said the animated film drew her to the Taihang Mountain Grand Canyon in Changzhi city's Huguan county.
\n
"The layered ink-painting style of the mountains and the sense of adventure in crossing mountains and ridges depicted in the animation deeply resonated with me," she said. "When I saw the serene lake at Eight Springs Gorge, the natural caves of the North Gate, and the glass viewing platform, I was captivated by the enchanting atmosphere. Nature felt alive with spirit."
\n
Another traveler, Zhang Jun, met a couple who were also fans of the film.
\n
Zhang said: "We started chatting about the scene where the yaoguai patrol the mountain along the stream, and realized we were all looking for its real-life counterpart. A passing tour guide overheard our conversation and pointed to a nearby peak that looked identical to the one in the film.
\n
"We followed his suggestion and took photos — the rocks matched perfectly. Bonding over a shared IP was far more memorable than any staged interaction."
\n
Cheng Kaixian, general manager of Shanxi Taihang Mountain Grand Canyon Tourism Development, said the site has partnered with several films and TV operas, boosting tourist numbers.
\n
"Directors often use the peril of Eight Springs Gorge's 100-foot abysses to symbolize the challenges faced by characters, and its waterfalls as metaphors for vitality and emotional flow," she said.
\n
The canyon plans to launch a themed route called Journey to the West: Eight Trials at Eight Springs, featuring eight iconic landmarks woven into challenge-based tasks, such as a kayak race.
\n
"Film and television are dynamic calling cards for scenic areas," she said. "The key is linking attractions with storylines and technology so visitors become protagonists, not just spectators."
\n
Source of inspiration
\n
At a roundtable discussion in Taiyuan, the provincial capital, Yu Shui, director of Nobody, explained why Shanxi became the setting: "Because I was born and raised here. Everything I saw, thought, and experienced as a child, including the historical sites my parents took me to, stayed with me."
\n
"Even though I might not have fully understood them back then, as I grew older, I began to feel a deep, almost instinctive resonance with this heritage," he added.
\n
Yu recalled visiting Foguang Temple for inspiration, saying that the weather had been particularly beautiful that day, with clear blue skies and white clouds. As he climbed the steps and saw the East Hall, he had been deeply moved and had truly felt like crying. He said that it gave him a sense of psychological connection, as if he could resonate with the ancient builders and artisans from more than 1,000 years ago.
\n
To forge a uniquely Chinese animation aesthetic, Yu and his team conducted extensive field research across Shanxi to translate its ancient architecture onto the big screen. They even borrowed the name of the real-life village of Beizhang.
\n
He added that integrating Shanxi landmarks and traditional architecture was primarily a narrative choice to add depth and beauty to the project.
\n
Cultural treasures
\n
Shanxi leads China with 531 State-level cultural relic protection units. Around 85 percent of the nation's existing wooden structures that were built in the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368) or earlier are located in the province, according to the Shanxi Cultural Relics Bureau.
\n
"With more than 3,500 ancient villages, Shanxi preserves generations of joys and sorrows within its blue bricks and black tiles," said Wang Aiqin, head of the Shanxi Department of Culture and Tourism. "Every stone slab tells a story of the past. Detachment, tranquility, antiquity and harmony embody the unique charm of Shanxi."
\n
Shanxi has consistently inspired literary and cinematic art, from the classic 1964 animated film Havoc in Heaven to 2024's international hit video game Black Myth: Wukong, both of which similarly adapted Journey to the West.
\n
"The collaboration between Shanxi and Nobody could become a benchmark for integrating cultural tourism IPs in China," said Gan Lu, a researcher at the Hainan Culture and Tourism Integration Product Design and Development Base.
\n
"It merges modern animation with Shanxi's profound historical and cultural heritage," she said. "Across Shanxi, there are numerous temples and grottoes preserving a wealth of vivid and unique sculptures and murals, providing a solid historical and cultural foundation for virtual IP. The shift from sightseeing to immersive experience extends stays and boosts spending."
\n
Gan added that combining film, television and tourism marks the arrival of the experience economy era, in which providing consumers with emotional satisfaction and lasting memories is the core focus. It is a form of advanced content marketing that transforms cultural emotion into economic value, she said.
\n
According to a market report released by travel agency Ctrip in late August, searches for Nobody's featured settings surged 380 percent year-on-year, boosting tourism orders in Datong, home to many ancient temples, by 40 percent.
\n
"Cultural relics inspire animation, games and films, while those works add value and help sustain relics," said Zhang Jin, president of the cultural relics preservation and adaptive utilization division at the Tsinghua Tongheng Planning and Design Institute in Beijing.
\n
"With modern online cultural products being embraced by young audiences, little-known relics gain popularity," she said. "The influence of IP expands to a broader space with more potential for commercialization."
\n
Contact the writers at chenmeiling@chinadaily.com.cn
World No 2 Jannik Sinner of Italy hits a backhand return to Learner Tien of the United States.
\n
Tien, 19, relishes playing in his first Tour-level final in Beijing.
\n
Italy's Jannik Sinner celebrates with his team after winning his second China Open men's singles trophy by beating Learner Tien of the United States in straight sets on Wednesday.
\n
No Alcaraz, no problem — without his toughest foe prowling across the net, Jannik Sinner reigned supreme in Beijing, claiming his second China Open title on Wednesday with an effortless straight-sets win over teen star Learner Tien.
\n
The Italian world No 2, having bagged 500 ranking points and about $750,000 in prize money, stays in hot pursuit of Spain's top-ranked star Carlos Alcaraz, who beat Sinner in last year's final in Beijing, but skipped the ATP 500 tournament this year, in the race to finish 2025 as men's No 1.
\n
With Alcaraz also taking the crown in Tokyo on Tuesday, both men remain in contention to finish the season on top of the world, but the Spaniard's injury-enforced withdrawal from the Rolex Shanghai Masters, a top-tier ATP 1000 tournament, is expected to allow Sinner a shot at significantly narrowing the current 590-point gap.
\n
The Italian three-time major winner will fly to Shanghai to defend his Masters title in the East China metropolis, beginning from the second round.
\n
After Shanghai, he will compete head-to-head against Alcaraz at the two remaining key tournaments — the final Masters in Paris (Oct 27-Nov 2) and the ATP Finals in Turin, Italy(Nov 9-16) — for the season-ending top honor.
\n
"We will try to improve and push as much as we can. Let's see how the end of the season is going to look," Sinner said during his on-court interview after thrashing Tien 6-2, 6-2 in just 73 minutes in front of Beijing's National Tennis Center's packed Diamond Court.
\n
Winning his second title in Beijing, following his first in 2023, gave him his third title of the year and his 21st in total. Sinner attributed his good form in the Chinese capital to the enthusiastic fan support and his freshness going into the end of the season.
\n
"I feel like the crowd here has always been very special to me, already a couple of years ago when I first came," said Sinner, who joins only Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal as a multi-title winner in Beijing.
\n
"When you win, again, a title where you have already won one before, it's a very special place. It was, for sure, a couple of years ago, a turning point for my career, playing some great tennis against great opponents. This, I will always remember.
\n
"The support has been amazing since day one. Seeing a packed stadium for the final, it's amazing. The crowd was very nice. That's why I wrote 'thank you'," Sinner said referring to the note he scribbled on the camera after his final victory.
\n
"I managed to play incredibly well at the end of the season, because I made some choices earlier on by not playing couple of tournaments ... It was not easy.
\n
"But, at the same time, I used the time to work on things. We've been practicing very hard. I feel like, physically, I'm getting slightly better every time."
\n
The 24-year-old Italian, whose two other titles this year came at the Australian Open and Wimbledon, is the fourth player in 2025 to win three or more titles. Alcaraz leads the way with eight on the year.
\n
Learning curve
\n
It was the 19-year-old Tien's first Tour-level final appearance, and the rising star, who was born in California to Vietnamese parents, relished his first trip to Beijing, seeing it as a great learning curve.
\n
"It's been a great week. Obviously, I would have loved to go all the way. Regardless, I'm super happy with the week. It's my first semifinal, my first final, so I'm very happy with the progress I'm making," said Tien, who's expected to move 16 places up the rankings to No 36 next week.
\n
"It's my first time playing here in Beijing, and my second week in China. It's been great. The support I felt every match has been great. I've really been enjoying it.
\n
"I'm learning a lot week to week, just playing more matches. This is my first year on tour, so I think, every week, I'm gaining a lot of experience, playing a lot of new players, playing in different environments; just a lot of different matchups.
\n
"It's all great, all these experiences I'm getting," said Tien, who's been working with new coach Michael Chang, who became the youngest ever men's major champion when he won the French Open at 17 in 1989.
\n
The rich experience brought by Chang, also an American-born player with Asian heritage, was vital for his breakout on the ATP Tour, Tien reckoned.
\n
"I think the experience he has playing and coaching brings a lot, because I'm kind of someone starting off and I don't have that much experience," said Tien, who's gone five for seven against top-10 players in 2025 so far.
\n
"I think just the experience he has from playing and coaching previously has just really helped me a lot.
\n
"It's a new perspective that's really kind of opened my eyes. A fresh face, fresh voice has just been great."
\n
Despite his lopsided win on Wednesday, Sinner predicted that Tien will stick around as a regular, tough opponent for everyone in the top echelon of the game.
\n
"You've shown throughout the whole season what a talent you are," Sinner told Tien during the award ceremony.
\n
"Keep going. You're playing incredible tennis. I wish you all the best for the rest of the season and, obviously, for your whole career. Hopefully, we can share more moments like this in the future."
\n
A total of 13,041 spectators watched the final between Sinner and Tien, reaching a new high in single-day stadium attendance this year at the center court, according to China Open's organizers.
World No 2 Jannik Sinner of Italy hits a backhand return to Learner Tien of the United States.
\n
Tien, 19, relishes playing in his first Tour-level final in Beijing.
\n
Italy's Jannik Sinner celebrates with his team after winning his second China Open men's singles trophy by beating Learner Tien of the United States in straight sets on Wednesday.
\n
No Alcaraz, no problem — without his toughest foe prowling across the net, Jannik Sinner reigned supreme in Beijing, claiming his second China Open title on Wednesday with an effortless straight-sets win over teen star Learner Tien.
\n
The Italian world No 2, having bagged 500 ranking points and about $750,000 in prize money, stays in hot pursuit of Spain's top-ranked star Carlos Alcaraz, who beat Sinner in last year's final in Beijing, but skipped the ATP 500 tournament this year, in the race to finish 2025 as men's No 1.
\n
With Alcaraz also taking the crown in Tokyo on Tuesday, both men remain in contention to finish the season on top of the world, but the Spaniard's injury-enforced withdrawal from the Rolex Shanghai Masters, a top-tier ATP 1000 tournament, is expected to allow Sinner a shot at significantly narrowing the current 590-point gap.
\n
The Italian three-time major winner will fly to Shanghai to defend his Masters title in the East China metropolis, beginning from the second round.
\n
After Shanghai, he will compete head-to-head against Alcaraz at the two remaining key tournaments — the final Masters in Paris (Oct 27-Nov 2) and the ATP Finals in Turin, Italy(Nov 9-16) — for the season-ending top honor.
\n
"We will try to improve and push as much as we can. Let's see how the end of the season is going to look," Sinner said during his on-court interview after thrashing Tien 6-2, 6-2 in just 73 minutes in front of Beijing's National Tennis Center's packed Diamond Court.
\n
Winning his second title in Beijing, following his first in 2023, gave him his third title of the year and his 21st in total. Sinner attributed his good form in the Chinese capital to the enthusiastic fan support and his freshness going into the end of the season.
\n
"I feel like the crowd here has always been very special to me, already a couple of years ago when I first came," said Sinner, who joins only Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal as a multi-title winner in Beijing.
\n
"When you win, again, a title where you have already won one before, it's a very special place. It was, for sure, a couple of years ago, a turning point for my career, playing some great tennis against great opponents. This, I will always remember.
\n
"The support has been amazing since day one. Seeing a packed stadium for the final, it's amazing. The crowd was very nice. That's why I wrote 'thank you'," Sinner said referring to the note he scribbled on the camera after his final victory.
\n
"I managed to play incredibly well at the end of the season, because I made some choices earlier on by not playing couple of tournaments ... It was not easy.
\n
"But, at the same time, I used the time to work on things. We've been practicing very hard. I feel like, physically, I'm getting slightly better every time."
\n
The 24-year-old Italian, whose two other titles this year came at the Australian Open and Wimbledon, is the fourth player in 2025 to win three or more titles. Alcaraz leads the way with eight on the year.
\n
Learning curve
\n
It was the 19-year-old Tien's first Tour-level final appearance, and the rising star, who was born in California to Vietnamese parents, relished his first trip to Beijing, seeing it as a great learning curve.
\n
"It's been a great week. Obviously, I would have loved to go all the way. Regardless, I'm super happy with the week. It's my first semifinal, my first final, so I'm very happy with the progress I'm making," said Tien, who's expected to move 16 places up the rankings to No 36 next week.
\n
"It's my first time playing here in Beijing, and my second week in China. It's been great. The support I felt every match has been great. I've really been enjoying it.
\n
"I'm learning a lot week to week, just playing more matches. This is my first year on tour, so I think, every week, I'm gaining a lot of experience, playing a lot of new players, playing in different environments; just a lot of different matchups.
\n
"It's all great, all these experiences I'm getting," said Tien, who's been working with new coach Michael Chang, who became the youngest ever men's major champion when he won the French Open at 17 in 1989.
\n
The rich experience brought by Chang, also an American-born player with Asian heritage, was vital for his breakout on the ATP Tour, Tien reckoned.
\n
"I think the experience he has playing and coaching brings a lot, because I'm kind of someone starting off and I don't have that much experience," said Tien, who's gone five for seven against top-10 players in 2025 so far.
\n
"I think just the experience he has from playing and coaching previously has just really helped me a lot.
\n
"It's a new perspective that's really kind of opened my eyes. A fresh face, fresh voice has just been great."
\n
Despite his lopsided win on Wednesday, Sinner predicted that Tien will stick around as a regular, tough opponent for everyone in the top echelon of the game.
\n
"You've shown throughout the whole season what a talent you are," Sinner told Tien during the award ceremony.
\n
"Keep going. You're playing incredible tennis. I wish you all the best for the rest of the season and, obviously, for your whole career. Hopefully, we can share more moments like this in the future."
\n
A total of 13,041 spectators watched the final between Sinner and Tien, reaching a new high in single-day stadium attendance this year at the center court, according to China Open's organizers.
President Xi Jinping, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, addresses a reception held on Tuesday at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing to celebrate the 76th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China.
\n
President Xi Jinping has called on the Chinese people to continue drawing on historical experience and forge ahead with determination in advancing Chinese modernization, as the country prepares to mark its National Day on Oct 1.
\n
Xi, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks on Tuesday while addressing a reception held in Beijing to celebrate the 76th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China.
\n
Xi said that over the past 76 years, under the Party's leadership, the Chinese people have relied on self-reliance and unremitting struggle to achieve remarkable accomplishments that will be remembered by history.
\n
"Looking back, the Chinese nation has advanced from the brink of peril to the great journey of rejuvenation. The path has been arduous and filled with hardships, but it has also been full of passion and triumphant progress," he said.
\n
In his address, Xi recalled the grand commemorations hosted earlier in September marking 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.
\n
The events, he said, have greatly inspired the national spirit, motivated patriotic enthusiasm and forged the strength of working hard.
\n
"We must continue to draw on historical experience to build our country better, and to ensure that the cause pioneered by the older generations of leaders and revolutionary martyrs continues to thrive," Xi said.
\n
Highlighting the progress made this year in various undertakings despite complex circumstances, Xi said that China has further deepened reforms across the board, advanced high-quality development, improved people's livelihoods and made new headway in exercising full and rigorous Party self-governance.
\n
As the 20th CPC Central Committee will convene its fourth plenary session in October to discuss major issues related to the formulation of the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30) for national economic and social development, Xi called for efforts on the new journey in the new era to plan and implement the goals, tasks and strategic measures for the period and to secure decisive progress toward the basic realization of socialist modernization.
\n
To fully, faithfully and resolutely implement the "one country, two systems" policy, Xi stressed the importance of supporting the Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions in better integrating into the country's overall development, developing the economy and improving people's well-being.
\n
Xi also called for deepening cross-Strait exchanges and cooperation, firmly opposing "Taiwan independence" separatist activities and external interference, and resolutely safeguarding national sovereignty and territorial integrity.
\n
Facing a rapidly evolving international landscape unseen in a century, he underlined the need to champion the shared values of humanity, practice genuine multilateralism, and advance the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, the Global Civilization Initiative, and the Global Governance Initiative, so as to jointly build a community with a shared future for humanity.
\n
"The great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation is a noble cause unprecedented in human history. Both aspirations and challenges inspire us to forge ahead with a spirit of urgency and perseverance," Xi said.
\n
The reception, held at the Great Hall of the People, brought together dignitaries including Party and State leaders, foreign envoys and recipients of national honors.
\n
mojingxi@chinadaily.com.cn
\n",
@@ -27473,28 +25515,6 @@
"hash": "fccde852530fe261d655edf5265881bc",
"highlights": []
},
- {
- "title": "001FRONT - Continuing the cause of national rejuvenation",
- "description": "
President Xi Jinping's speech at the reception marking the 76th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China on Tuesday reviewed the great transformations of China over the past 76 years and charted the course for advancing Chinese modernization and contributing to global peace and development.
\n
He emphasized that the nation's monumental achievements — through self-reliance and continuous struggle — are fundamentally rooted in the strong leadership of the Communist Party of China and the tireless efforts of all ethnic groups.
\n
This journey has seen the Chinese nation evolve from a state of peril to a path of great rejuvenation. To ensure that the great cause pioneered by the older generations of leaders and revolutionary martyrs continues to flourish, the nation should continue to leverage its historical experience. The nation now has more solid material foundations and stronger institutional underpinnings for its modernization, and as Xi urged, it should firmly adhere to the Party's leadership so it can seize the day and maintain a firm grasp on the country's development and progress.
\n
The country will continue to forge ahead, and not be swayed by fallacies, or cowed by pressure and intimidation, meeting any obstacles and difficulties it encounters head on. The recent commemoration of 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 serves as a reminder of how national spirit and unity can triumph over adversity.
\n
Despite the achievements that have been made, there is still a long way to go to build a modern socialist country in all respects. The 15th Five-Year Plan, which draws on the collective wisdom of the nation, will chart the country's course from 2026 to 2030. The 20th CPC Central Committee will study and formulate proposals for the plan at its fourth plenary session in Beijing later this month, mapping out the goals, tasks and strategic measures to ensure decisive progress toward the basic realization of socialist modernization.
\n
Xi's emphasis on the importance of supporting Hong Kong and Macao in integrating into the overall national development to improve livelihoods and prosperity shows Beijing's intent to give strong support to the two special administrative regions' development in the new era.
\n
Equally firm is China's resolve to deepen cross-Strait exchanges. The rejuvenation of the Chinese nation is now on an irreversible historical course and the country will resolutely safeguard its sovereignty and territorial integrity. That the national unity is the foundation of rejuvenation should be taken as a grave warning to the secessionists that their attempt to separate Taiwan from the motherland is doomed to fail.
\n
In the face of a rapidly evolving international landscape, China will continue to champion the common values of all humanity and practice true multilateralism. By implementing the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, the Global Civilization Initiative, and the Global Governance Initiative, China is actively working to push the reform of the global governance system and build a community with a shared future for humanity.
\n
As the country prepares for the next phase of its modernization journey, Xi's call for the entire nation to unite closely around the Party, forge ahead, and work diligently is a resounding mandate to compose a more splendid chapter in the history of the nation and make fresh contributions to peace, progress and prosperity for all humanity.
\n",
- "content": "
President Xi Jinping's speech at the reception marking the 76th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China on Tuesday reviewed the great transformations of China over the past 76 years and charted the course for advancing Chinese modernization and contributing to global peace and development.
\n
He emphasized that the nation's monumental achievements — through self-reliance and continuous struggle — are fundamentally rooted in the strong leadership of the Communist Party of China and the tireless efforts of all ethnic groups.
\n
This journey has seen the Chinese nation evolve from a state of peril to a path of great rejuvenation. To ensure that the great cause pioneered by the older generations of leaders and revolutionary martyrs continues to flourish, the nation should continue to leverage its historical experience. The nation now has more solid material foundations and stronger institutional underpinnings for its modernization, and as Xi urged, it should firmly adhere to the Party's leadership so it can seize the day and maintain a firm grasp on the country's development and progress.
\n
The country will continue to forge ahead, and not be swayed by fallacies, or cowed by pressure and intimidation, meeting any obstacles and difficulties it encounters head on. The recent commemoration of 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 serves as a reminder of how national spirit and unity can triumph over adversity.
\n
Despite the achievements that have been made, there is still a long way to go to build a modern socialist country in all respects. The 15th Five-Year Plan, which draws on the collective wisdom of the nation, will chart the country's course from 2026 to 2030. The 20th CPC Central Committee will study and formulate proposals for the plan at its fourth plenary session in Beijing later this month, mapping out the goals, tasks and strategic measures to ensure decisive progress toward the basic realization of socialist modernization.
\n
Xi's emphasis on the importance of supporting Hong Kong and Macao in integrating into the overall national development to improve livelihoods and prosperity shows Beijing's intent to give strong support to the two special administrative regions' development in the new era.
\n
Equally firm is China's resolve to deepen cross-Strait exchanges. The rejuvenation of the Chinese nation is now on an irreversible historical course and the country will resolutely safeguard its sovereignty and territorial integrity. That the national unity is the foundation of rejuvenation should be taken as a grave warning to the secessionists that their attempt to separate Taiwan from the motherland is doomed to fail.
\n
In the face of a rapidly evolving international landscape, China will continue to champion the common values of all humanity and practice true multilateralism. By implementing the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, the Global Civilization Initiative, and the Global Governance Initiative, China is actively working to push the reform of the global governance system and build a community with a shared future for humanity.
\n
As the country prepares for the next phase of its modernization journey, Xi's call for the entire nation to unite closely around the Party, forge ahead, and work diligently is a resounding mandate to compose a more splendid chapter in the history of the nation and make fresh contributions to peace, progress and prosperity for all humanity.
China on Tuesday conferred the 2025 Chinese Government Friendship Award on 50 foreign experts working in the country in recognition of their contributions to the nation's development.
\n
State Councilor Shen Yiqin presented the Friendship Award to the honorees at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.
\n
On behalf of the Chinese government, Shen extended congratulations to the laureates and expressed sincere greetings and heartfelt thanks to all foreign experts and their families for their support.
\n
She noted that foreign experts, working hand in hand with the Chinese people, have made significant contributions to advancing Chinese modernization and promoting friendship and cooperation between China and the rest of the world, which will always be remembered.
\n
As China maps out its economic and social development plan for the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30) period, she said the country has firm confidence and ample capability to achieve long-term, stable growth and bring new momentum and opportunities to the world.
\n
Shen emphasized that China will remain committed to high-standard opening-up, actively promote innovation-driven cooperation, and deepen reforms in talent-development systems and mechanisms. More high-caliber overseas talent will be welcomed to work, innovate and start businesses in China, she added.
\n
Shen also expressed the hope that foreign experts would fully leverage their expertise in the great endeavor of Chinese modernization and join hands with the Chinese people to write a new chapter of mutual learning and common development between China and the world.
\n
James Healy, an international communication expert and a senior editor at China Daily, is among the winners of the 2025 Chinese Government Friendship Award. Known for his concise yet vivid writing style, Healy offers incisive interpretations of China's proposals and wisdom.
\n
The Friendship Award is the highest honor to commend foreign experts who have made outstanding contributions to China's modernization drive. Since its establishment in 1991, more than 2,000 foreign experts have received the award.
\n
Gordon Trimble, one of the recipients of this year's award, is now a professor at Fujian Hwa Nan Women's College. From his great-grand aunt to himself, four generations of his family have devoted their efforts to promoting the development of science and education in Fujian province.
\n
Trimble's great-grand aunt Lydia Trimble founded the predecessor of Pingtan Experimental Primary School in 1908, while his grandfather Garnet Trimble practiced medicine in Nanping, Fujian, for 14 years following in his aunt's footsteps.
\n
Trimble recalled how his father had returned to China in 1989, carrying old photographs in search of long-lost friends. His father, who was born in China, had left for the United States in 1927 at the age of 12.
\n
When asked why his father still felt such a deep bond with China after so many years abroad, Trimble explained that one difference lies in language: people born in China learn Chinese as their first language, while those born in the US learn English — even if they may look very Chinese.
\n
Contact the writers at zhaojia@chinadaily.com.cn
\n",
@@ -27517,28 +25537,6 @@
"hash": "30181746a704efda77c1f468fd36a14b",
"highlights": []
},
- {
- "title": "002NATION - September manufacturing PMI rises; market demand seen to be recovering",
- "description": "
China's official manufacturing purchasing managers' index for September stood at 49.8, up from 49.4 in August and marking the second consecutive monthly increase, according to data released on Tuesday by the National Bureau of Statistics.
\n
Based on changes in sub-indices and sector-specific indicators, analysts suggest market demand is stabilizing and recovering, with accelerated production expansion and sustained rapid growth in new growth drivers.
\n
Wen Tao, an analyst at the China Logistics Information Center, said market demand has recently shown signs of vitality, with economic growth momentum continuing to solidify.
\n
In September, as the impact of extreme weather conditions — including high temperatures and heavy rainfall — largely subsided, coupled with the continued implementation of policies to expand domestic demand and stimulate growth, manufacturing market demand stabilized and recovered. The new orders index reached 49.7, up from 49.5 in August.
\n
Meanwhile, the decline in export demand has narrowed, driven by factors such as the sustained strengthening of China's "new trio "of exports — electric passenger vehicles, lithium batteries and solar cells, the stable performance of the equipment industry, and the continued advancement of export market diversification strategies. The new export orders index reached 47.8, up from 47.2 in the previous month.
\n
New growth drivers continued to expand at a relatively rapid pace. In September, the PMI for equipment manufacturing stood at 51.9, up from 50.5 in August. High-tech manufacturing also maintained steady expansion, with its PMI at 51.6. Both the production and new orders indices of the sector have been in the expansion zone for eight consecutive months, indicating that high-tech manufacturing is on a sustained upward trajectory.
\n
Driven by the push to achieve economic targets in the final year of the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25) period, macro policies are expected to be further intensified and implemented in the fourth quarter, injecting new momentum and confidence into the market. Additionally, factors such as holidays and promotional seasons will boost consumer demand, while infrastructure development and key projects will drive demand for basic raw materials and equipment, said Wen.
\n
Analysts at Golden Credit Rating International wrote in a report that the manufacturing PMI index rebounded at a relatively fast pace in September. This recovery was driven by several factors: the full dissipation of the impact of hot and rainy weather, the effectiveness of consumption-boosting policies, sustained growth in exports, and the outcome of trade talks between the Chinese and US delegations in Madrid, Spain.
\n
Overall, macroeconomic conditions showed a slight improvement. However, the property market continued its adjustment that month, and consumer spending remained weak, the analysts said in the report.
\n
The main highlight of the September manufacturing PMI was that apart from the high-tech manufacturing PMI — a gauge of new quality productive forces — which stood at 51.6, down slightly from the previous month but still in a relatively strong expansion range, the equipment manufacturing PMI jumped significantly to 51.9, according to the report.
\n
The analysts said they believe that the impact of high US tariffs on global trade and Chinese exports may become more pronounced in the fourth quarter, while the effects of adjustments in the domestic real estate market also warrant continued attention.
\n
However, they pointed out that marked by the accelerated deployment of a 500-billion-yuan ($70 billion) new policy-based financial instrument, a new round of growth-stabilizing policies is expected to be rolled out successively. These measures will focus on bolstering fiscal support, easing monetary policy, and intensifying efforts to stabilize the real estate market. Such actions will provide crucial support for stabilizing macroeconomic operations in the fourth quarter.
\n
Li Chao, a spokeswoman for the National Development and Reform Commission, said on Monday that China will introduce a new policy-based financial instrument worth 500 billion yuan. The NDRC is working with relevant parties to swiftly channel the funds to specific projects, and it will urge local governments to accelerate project construction.
\n
Since September, policies have continued to be introduced in a moderate and steady manner.
\n
Government bond issuance has accelerated, the central bank has injected liquidity through various policy instruments, multiple first-tier cities have eased property market policies, the new policy-based financial instrument has been rolled out more quickly, and measures to support service consumption have been strengthened — all of which have jointly contributed to a marginal improvement in the economy, particularly in manufacturing, said Wen Bin, chief economist at China Minsheng Bank, and Wang Jingwen, director of the Macro Research Center affiliated to the China Minsheng Bank Research Institute, in a research note.
\n
They said that current macro policies are in a phase of "continued effort with timely strengthening", characterized mainly by a gradual and stabilizing approach. Since the pressure to achieve the full-year economic and social development targets is relatively manageable, policies are focused on the dual objectives of stabilizing short-term growth and advancing long-term structural adjustments.
\n
jiangxueqing@chinadaily.com.cn
\n",
- "content": "
China's official manufacturing purchasing managers' index for September stood at 49.8, up from 49.4 in August and marking the second consecutive monthly increase, according to data released on Tuesday by the National Bureau of Statistics.
\n
Based on changes in sub-indices and sector-specific indicators, analysts suggest market demand is stabilizing and recovering, with accelerated production expansion and sustained rapid growth in new growth drivers.
\n
Wen Tao, an analyst at the China Logistics Information Center, said market demand has recently shown signs of vitality, with economic growth momentum continuing to solidify.
\n
In September, as the impact of extreme weather conditions — including high temperatures and heavy rainfall — largely subsided, coupled with the continued implementation of policies to expand domestic demand and stimulate growth, manufacturing market demand stabilized and recovered. The new orders index reached 49.7, up from 49.5 in August.
\n
Meanwhile, the decline in export demand has narrowed, driven by factors such as the sustained strengthening of China's "new trio "of exports — electric passenger vehicles, lithium batteries and solar cells, the stable performance of the equipment industry, and the continued advancement of export market diversification strategies. The new export orders index reached 47.8, up from 47.2 in the previous month.
\n
New growth drivers continued to expand at a relatively rapid pace. In September, the PMI for equipment manufacturing stood at 51.9, up from 50.5 in August. High-tech manufacturing also maintained steady expansion, with its PMI at 51.6. Both the production and new orders indices of the sector have been in the expansion zone for eight consecutive months, indicating that high-tech manufacturing is on a sustained upward trajectory.
\n
Driven by the push to achieve economic targets in the final year of the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25) period, macro policies are expected to be further intensified and implemented in the fourth quarter, injecting new momentum and confidence into the market. Additionally, factors such as holidays and promotional seasons will boost consumer demand, while infrastructure development and key projects will drive demand for basic raw materials and equipment, said Wen.
\n
Analysts at Golden Credit Rating International wrote in a report that the manufacturing PMI index rebounded at a relatively fast pace in September. This recovery was driven by several factors: the full dissipation of the impact of hot and rainy weather, the effectiveness of consumption-boosting policies, sustained growth in exports, and the outcome of trade talks between the Chinese and US delegations in Madrid, Spain.
\n
Overall, macroeconomic conditions showed a slight improvement. However, the property market continued its adjustment that month, and consumer spending remained weak, the analysts said in the report.
\n
The main highlight of the September manufacturing PMI was that apart from the high-tech manufacturing PMI — a gauge of new quality productive forces — which stood at 51.6, down slightly from the previous month but still in a relatively strong expansion range, the equipment manufacturing PMI jumped significantly to 51.9, according to the report.
\n
The analysts said they believe that the impact of high US tariffs on global trade and Chinese exports may become more pronounced in the fourth quarter, while the effects of adjustments in the domestic real estate market also warrant continued attention.
\n
However, they pointed out that marked by the accelerated deployment of a 500-billion-yuan ($70 billion) new policy-based financial instrument, a new round of growth-stabilizing policies is expected to be rolled out successively. These measures will focus on bolstering fiscal support, easing monetary policy, and intensifying efforts to stabilize the real estate market. Such actions will provide crucial support for stabilizing macroeconomic operations in the fourth quarter.
\n
Li Chao, a spokeswoman for the National Development and Reform Commission, said on Monday that China will introduce a new policy-based financial instrument worth 500 billion yuan. The NDRC is working with relevant parties to swiftly channel the funds to specific projects, and it will urge local governments to accelerate project construction.
\n
Since September, policies have continued to be introduced in a moderate and steady manner.
\n
Government bond issuance has accelerated, the central bank has injected liquidity through various policy instruments, multiple first-tier cities have eased property market policies, the new policy-based financial instrument has been rolled out more quickly, and measures to support service consumption have been strengthened — all of which have jointly contributed to a marginal improvement in the economy, particularly in manufacturing, said Wen Bin, chief economist at China Minsheng Bank, and Wang Jingwen, director of the Macro Research Center affiliated to the China Minsheng Bank Research Institute, in a research note.
\n
They said that current macro policies are in a phase of "continued effort with timely strengthening", characterized mainly by a gradual and stabilizing approach. Since the pressure to achieve the full-year economic and social development targets is relatively manageable, policies are focused on the dual objectives of stabilizing short-term growth and advancing long-term structural adjustments.
Wang Xudong (left), director of the Palace Museum in Beijing, introduces a cultural relic on Tuesday to guests at the opening ceremony of an exhibition commemorating the southward evacuation of the museum's artifacts in the 1930s.
\n
It was probably one of the largest wartime rescue missions of cultural relics in history.
\n
In 1933, when invading Japanese forces had advanced to the Great Wall, staff of the Palace Museum in Beijing soon launched a project to evacuate precious cultural relics that were housed in this former Chinese imperial palace as well as other key venues in Beijing via a southward route in case the items fell into the enemy's hands.
\n
Decades later, the bravery and determination of this mission was remembered on the 100th anniversary of the founding of the museum and the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1931-45).
\n
An exhibition commemorating the southward evacuation of the artifacts opened in the museum's Shenwumen (Gate of Divine Prowess) Gallery on Tuesday. Through cultural relics that were part of that trek — including porcelain, paintings and jade as well as related old photos, documents and other exhibits — an epic effort to safeguard the lineage of a country's civilization was unveiled for visitors.
\n
"The arduous southward journey during the war of resistance, marked by numerous twists and turns, reflects the tumultuous national history and collective memory of the Chinese people," Wang Xudong, director of the Palace Museum, said at the opening ceremony of the exhibition.
\n
"These cultural treasures represent the preservation and continuation of the brilliant Chinese civilization," he said. "They not only embody the unity and resilience of the Chinese nation in times of crisis, but also illustrate the enduring appeal of Chinese culture."
\n
Wang said the museum had devoted itself to study relevant historical files and explore the value of the relocated relics, and the exhibition was the fruit of its endeavors.
\n
The first batch of evacuated relics set off on its journey in February 1933 from the square before Shenwumen.
\n
More than 13,400 crates of artifacts from the Palace Museum and around 6,000 crates from other venues, including Guozijian, the former imperial academy, were relocated.
\n
After the evacuation of relics from Beijing to Shanghai and Nanjing — then China's national capital and present-day capital city of Jiangsu province — the relic protectors also built warehouses in Nanjing. Even during the tough years in the 1930s, some of these artifacts were escorted to the United Kingdom and the Soviet Union for exhibitions.
\n
However, as the war spread to East China in 1937, these relocated treasures had to be evacuated again westward to Chongqing, as well as Hunan, Guizhou and Sichuan provinces. Following China's victory in the war in 1945, the relics began traveling again on the journey home.
\n
"We also want to remind people how precious peace is through these relics that once endured the war and remained intact," said Xu Wanling, curator of the exhibition.
\n
A wooden crate that once held the relics is displayed in the center of the Shenwumen Gallery. Covered by various seals through the years of turmoil and being a crucial witness to history, it had already become a key cultural relic as well, the curator noted.
\n
Not a single artifact was lost in the yearslong trek, but not all relics finally returned to Beijing. For instance, about one-fifth of them were shipped to Taiwan in 1948 due to the civil war. They later became the cornerstone of the Palace Museum in Taipei.
\n
"Numerous cultural workers participated in the mission to safeguard national treasures, and they were fearless in the face of difficulties and continued studies of the cultural relics," said Shih Chin-wen, secretary-general of Taiwan-based Sheen Chuen-Chi Cultural & Educational Foundation, a co-organizer of the exhibition.
\n
"It reflected the Chinese nation's perseverance and an unstoppable cultural legacy," she said.
President Xi Jinping and other leaders walk up to the Monument to the People's Heroes at Tian'anmen Square in central Beijing as guards of honor present flower baskets to honor fallen heroes on Tuesday, Martyrs' Day.
\n
President Xi Jinping and other leaders of the Communist Party of China and the State attended a ceremony at Tian'anmen Square in central Beijing on Tuesday to present flower baskets to honor fallen heroes.
\n
The event was held to mark Martyrs' Day, one day ahead of the National Day in China. 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.
\n
Tuesday was the 12th Martyrs' Day. In 2014, China's top legislature approved Sept 30 as Martyrs' Day to commemorate those who sacrificed their lives for the liberation of the Chinese people and the development of the country.
\n
At around 10 am, Xi and other leaders — Li Qiang, Zhao Leji, Wang Huning, Cai Qi, Ding Xuexiang, Li Xi and Han Zheng — arrived at the square. They were joined by representatives from all walks of life.
\n
Among the attendees carrying flowers were veterans, relatives of martyrs, recipients of national medals and honorary titles, role models, students and children.
\n
As the ceremony started, all attendees sang the national anthem, and then paid a silent tribute to the fallen heroes.
\n
Nine large flower baskets, with ribbons that read "Eternal Glory to the People's Heroes", were placed in a line. As the military band played Flower Presenting Melody, 18 guards of honor steadily lifted the baskets, walked slowly to the Monument to the People's Heroes and laid them on the pedestal.
\n
Xi and other leaders approached the foot of the monument, where Xi took a few steps forward and straightened the ribbons on the baskets. They then walked around the monument to pay their respects.
\n
People at the ceremony said they were inspired by the solemn moment and would carry forward the spirit of the martyrs and draw strength from it.
\n
Chen Shuyan, a fourth-grade student from Cuiwei Primary School in Beijing's Haidian district, who presented a flower at the ceremony, said, "Standing in front of the monument, I felt my heart fill with respect."
\n
Expressing her gratitude for the sacrifices of national heroes, Chen said she feels more determined to cherish today's peace and prosperity.
\n
jihaisheng@chinadaily.com.cn
\n",
- "content": "
President Xi Jinping and other leaders walk up to the Monument to the People's Heroes at Tian'anmen Square in central Beijing as guards of honor present flower baskets to honor fallen heroes on Tuesday, Martyrs' Day.
\n
President Xi Jinping and other leaders of the Communist Party of China and the State attended a ceremony at Tian'anmen Square in central Beijing on Tuesday to present flower baskets to honor fallen heroes.
\n
The event was held to mark Martyrs' Day, one day ahead of the National Day in China. 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.
\n
Tuesday was the 12th Martyrs' Day. In 2014, China's top legislature approved Sept 30 as Martyrs' Day to commemorate those who sacrificed their lives for the liberation of the Chinese people and the development of the country.
\n
At around 10 am, Xi and other leaders — Li Qiang, Zhao Leji, Wang Huning, Cai Qi, Ding Xuexiang, Li Xi and Han Zheng — arrived at the square. They were joined by representatives from all walks of life.
\n
Among the attendees carrying flowers were veterans, relatives of martyrs, recipients of national medals and honorary titles, role models, students and children.
\n
As the ceremony started, all attendees sang the national anthem, and then paid a silent tribute to the fallen heroes.
\n
Nine large flower baskets, with ribbons that read "Eternal Glory to the People's Heroes", were placed in a line. As the military band played Flower Presenting Melody, 18 guards of honor steadily lifted the baskets, walked slowly to the Monument to the People's Heroes and laid them on the pedestal.
\n
Xi and other leaders approached the foot of the monument, where Xi took a few steps forward and straightened the ribbons on the baskets. They then walked around the monument to pay their respects.
\n
People at the ceremony said they were inspired by the solemn moment and would carry forward the spirit of the martyrs and draw strength from it.
\n
Chen Shuyan, a fourth-grade student from Cuiwei Primary School in Beijing's Haidian district, who presented a flower at the ceremony, said, "Standing in front of the monument, I felt my heart fill with respect."
\n
Expressing her gratitude for the sacrifices of national heroes, Chen said she feels more determined to cherish today's peace and prosperity.
Students from Beihang University take a group photo after performing in a mass choir during the V-Day parade at Tian'anmen Square in Beijing on Sept 3.
\n
Students clap while listening to a speech at the semester's opening ceremony at Renmin University of China in Beijing.
\n
Sun Yuxuan shares his thoughts with fellow students during the semester's opening ceremony at Beihang University.
\n
When Sun Yuxuan, a doctoral student from the School of Transportation Science and Engineering at Beihang University in Beijing, stood before thousands of freshmen at the school's opening ceremony in early September and sang On the Songhua River, he was channeling history.
\n
The folk ballad recalls the suffering and resilience of Northeast China during the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1931-45).
\n
His performance, part of a broader national commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War, resonated deeply.
\n
"My hometown is on the Songhua River in the northeast, where there are forests and coal mines, and soybeans and sorghum across mountains and fields," he sang with deep emotion.
\n
A video of his singing became very popular online, amassing over 3 million views.
\n
"This song carries the historical memory of my hometown and embodies the national spirit," said Sun, who is from Jilin city in Jilin province. "It's not just a melody — it's an emotional bridge to the past."
\n
With the 80th anniversary of the end of the war coinciding with the new school year, opening ceremonies have featured performances celebrating the great struggle and China's ultimate victory.
\n
In classrooms, auditoriums and galleries nationwide, the new academic year began not only with new knowledge, but with old memories — memories of a war that changed the world, and a spirit that continues to shape China's future.
\n
Sun was also a member of the mass choir that performed at the grand parade held in Beijing on Sept 3. Rehearsing through scorching summer days and chilly rainy nights, he and fellow choir members began to embody the very perseverance they sang about.
\n
During evening rehearsals that stretched late into the night, they worked tirelessly under the stars — an effort he described as "practicing by starlight and moonlight".
\n
"Through our persistence, we hope to prove to the predecessors who fought in the war of resistance that our young generation is capable and responsible," Sun said.
\n
Many may think Red songs are a thing of the past, and that they may not sound as diverse as modern music, he said. But the reason these songs have stood the test of time is that they carry profound historical meaning and deep emotion. Singing Red songs is not just about the melody — it's about telling the stories behind them and passing on their spiritual strength, he said.
\n
Under ordinary circumstances, people might not feel it deeply. But when you truly immerse yourself in the moment — whether at a grand event held at Tian'anmen Square or watching on television — they will be moved, he said. "As Chinese people, when we listen with a heart full of love for our country, we can understand why these melodies remain timeless."
\n
This spirit of perseverance was echoed on university campuses across the country. At Renmin University of China in Beijing, the opening ceremony held in late August served as a profound historical tribute.
\n
Zhang Donggang, the university's Party secretary, welcomed students by underscoring the institution's origins in the revolutionary flames of the war of resistance.
\n
He said RUC is a university that marches courageously on the journey toward national rejuvenation, one that inherits a glorious revolutionary tradition and flows with distinct Red genes, as well as being the first university founded by the Communist Party of China.
\n
He urged the class of 2025 to uphold the spirit of the Shaanbei Public School — the predecessor of the university — and embrace the core values of loyalty that reassure the Party, dedication that serves the people, truth-seeking through practical action, and pioneering through tireless endeavor.
\n
A particularly moving moment came when Chen Hong, a descendant of war martyr Zhao Yiman, appeared alongside a digital avatar of her grandmother to revisit the spirit of the war years in letters.
\n
Chen shared excerpts from her grandmother's family letter, noting that her father — the first student enrolled in the university's diplomacy department — had handwritten a copy of the letter for her.
\n
Chen shared: "Dear student, always remember the arduous years of the war of resistance. Remember those who fought for national survival, for rejuvenation, and for human justice."
\n
She encouraged students to draw strength from the deeds of heroes and grow into pillars capable of shouldering the great task of national rejuvenation.
\n
For Li Zhixuan, an undergraduate student at the university's business school and a former soldier, the ceremony carried deep personal resonance.
\n
"In the army, I learned responsibility and commitment. Today, hearing stories of heroes like Zhao Yiman, I understand that retiring from service doesn't mean retiring from spirit," Li said.
\n
"The war spirit, for me, is the drive to push through academic challenges, to step up as a student leader when tired, and to hold firm in my beliefs."
\n
Another freshman, Yu Ziran from the university's School of Public Administration, was raised on family stories of the war.
\n
His great-grandparents and grandfather were Party members, and tales of heroic war heroes were his childhood bedtime stories. "The seeds of history were planted in me long ago," Yu said.
\n
"Today, at Renmin University, they are reawakening."
\n
At Nanchang University in Jiangxi province, some 3,700 freshmen gathered in the indoor stadium to watch the live broadcast of the Sept 3 commemoration in Beijing.
\n
Among them was Liu Zhen, a postgraduate student in Marxist studies, who had proactively asked his teacher to organize a collective viewing session for his class. "In the resonance, in the veterans' firm gazes, and in the steady march of the People's Liberation Army, I saw the great spirit of the war of resistance," Liu said.
\n
Since arriving to study six years ago, Liu has visited all the major sites of the important revolutionary heartland such as the Nanchang August 1 Uprising Memorial Hall. He got to know how the People's Liberation Army emerged from Jiangxi.
\n
Last August, he became a volunteer teacher in Guizhou province. There, he took students to cinemas, cultural centers and martyrs' cemeteries, sharing stories of revolutionary heroes. In June, he led 29 students from Guizhou to Nanchang to revisit the memorial hall. "I want to pass on the Red spirit to the next generation," he said.
\n
"I will study hard, spread these Red stories, and turn patriotic will into action."
\n
At the Communication University of China, the commemoration of the end of the war took a powerful visual form through an art exhibition, which featured 124 works, including 100 traditional Chinese paintings by doctoral students and 24 oil paintings by Russian artists.
\n
Liao Xiangzhong, the university's Party secretary, framed the exhibition as both an artistic and political endeavor — a "comprehensive exam" evaluating students' political awareness and artistic skill.
\n
The event has shown that students have integrated their artistic pursuits into national cultural development, Liao said.
\n
"These works demonstrate the doctoral students' firm political conviction, deep national sentiment, and strong sense of mission," he added.
\n
Doctoral student Lu Ming presented two ink paintings: Black Mountains, White Waters — Yang Jingyu and Black Mountains, White Waters — Zhou Baozhong, portraying two legendary commanders of the northeast army unit.
\n
Lu depicted General Yang in a critical charge scene, holding a pistol, eyes filled with determination and belief, contrasting the intensity of the combat with the commander's calm decisiveness. For General Zhou, Lu set the scene in a snowy birch forest, highlighting both the harsh environment and the resilience of the troops. "I used gray tones to portray skin, reflecting both the bitter cold and the harshness of the struggle," he explained.
\n
The exhibition not only guides viewers to remember history and honor the martyrs, but also inspires patriotism on a spiritual level, providing robust support for inheriting the Chinese nation's spiritual lineage and promoting cultural development in the new era, he said.
\n
Ding Zhe, another doctoral candidate, described her work White Mountains, Black Waters, Casting Loyal Souls as a "spiritual dialogue "with the past. "Art is how we refuse to forget," she said. "Through ink, I tried to reconstruct the spiritual aura of the land — the steadfastness of the mountains, the vastness of the snow. Behind those simple brushstrokes lie countless unknown heroes who protected the motherland with their lives."
\n
Art is also a universal language for conveying the message of peace to the world. It transcends borders and cultures, directly speaking to the human heart, she said. "Through such creative expression, we are not only looking back at the past but also making a forward-looking statement: May courage be passed down, may sacrifice be remembered, and may peace become a shared vision for the global village."
Floodwaters engulf homes after Typhoon Bualoi swept through Lam Thanh commune in Nghe An Province, Vietnam, on Tuesday. The country's most powerful storm this year unleashed torrential rains and severe flooding across the north, killing at least 26 people and leaving 22 missing, according to state media.
\n",
- "content": "
Floodwaters engulf homes after Typhoon Bualoi swept through Lam Thanh commune in Nghe An Province, Vietnam, on Tuesday. The country's most powerful storm this year unleashed torrential rains and severe flooding across the north, killing at least 26 people and leaving 22 missing, according to state media.
(From left) China Daily reporter Belinda Robinson interviews panelists Alicia Adams, Jindong Cai, Hai-Ye Ni, Beitong Liu, Xiaoyan Luo and Katherine Chernyak at the China Now Music Festival in New York on Sunday.
\n
New York's iconic Lincoln Center hosted the second day of programming for the eighth China Now Music Festival on Sunday, featuring a concert and forum presented by the US-China Music Institute of Bard College and China Daily.
\n
The groundbreaking concert, performed by The Orchestra Now in the Rose Theater at Frederick P.Rose Hall, showcased the legacy of three generations of Chinese composers, from the 1950s through the 1980s, whose seminal works bridged music, dance and opera.
\n
It was conducted by Jindong Cai, director of the US-China Music Institute and a professor at Bard College. An exploration of the China-United States relationship through art was also woven into the programming.
\n
Hai-Ye Ni, principal cellist of the Philadelphia Orchestra, performed the US premiere of The Lonely Camel Calf by Chinese-Mongolian composer Yu Mengshi. She highlighted the orchestra's pivotal role in building US-China relations dating back 50 years.
\n
"The Philadelphia Orchestra was the first American orchestra to visit China in 1973. It was (conductor) Eugene Ormandy and the whole orchestra. We still have a couple of musicians in the orchestra now who were on that tour," she said.
\n
The US-China Music Forum followed the concert, with panelists delving into the value of continuing cross-cultural musical exchange between the two countries and reflecting on the impact of the Bard East/West Ensemble's first tour of China, which took place from June 7 to 21.
\n
Formed in 2022, the ensemble brings together musicians from diverse backgrounds and features performances on 14 Chinese and Western instruments.
\n
"In the past 10 to 20 years, I started to think about how we can introduce music from China to the West," said Cai, artistic director of the ensemble. "So that's how we initially started the US-China Music Institute at Bard College.
\n
"Three years ago, I came up with the idea because of an event at the Kennedy Center (in Washington) … we thought, what if we combine Chinese instruments with Western music. That's how we created the ensemble. After that performance, I thought, 'I want this to continue.'"
\n
Progress made
\n
Alicia Adams, former vice-president of international programming and dance at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, reflected on the progress she helped make in US-China cultural exchange during her time at the center.
\n
"We made a lot of progress," she said.
\n
"I did a China festival at the Kennedy Center in 2005, when we brought over nearly 1,000 artists from China, ranging from the Beijing Opera to the Beijing People's Art Theatre.
\n
"It was before the Beijing Olympics in 2008 and before many of these artists had performed in the US, so there was huge interest in China at the time — and in these artists."
\n
Katherine Chernyak, a member of the Bard East/West Ensemble, described the tour — her first visit to China — as "special", adding that she felt "very lucky to visit and go there".
\n
Panelists also emphasized the importance of continuing to foster US-China ties through the arts.
\n
"Musicians like me and musicians like us love both countries," Cai said. "If you ask all the musicians in China and in America, I think we don't want to depart. We want to continue to work together."
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![](\"https://mobile.chinadaily.com.cn/cn/resfile/2025-10-04/001/20251004_001_02_103.png\")
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