As China's decade-long property market boom cools, policymakers are steering the world's second-largest economy toward a more sustainable alternative — revitalizing aging cities.
\n
By positioning urban renewal as a key strategy to stimulate domestic demand, Beijing is calibrating growth drivers while addressing deep-seated social needs, experts and executives said.
\n
Investment aimed at breathing new life into dilapidated residential areas, obsolete industrial sites, and underutilized public spaces will translate into substantial demand for various industries, increased values for existing assets and a notable upgrade for the urban environment, they added.
\n
Their comments came after the country's top leadership has elevated urban renewal to a systematic growth pillar during high-level tone-setting meetings, prioritizing maximizing the use of existing facilities over large-scale expansion.
\n
President Xi Jinping highlighted that China's urbanization is evolving from rapid growth to stable development, and urban development is shifting from a stage of large-scale expansion to one focused on improving the quality and efficiency of existing urban areas, during the Central Urban Work Conference in mid-July.
\n
Over the past few decades, China has experienced the largest and fastest urbanization process in human history. According to the National Bureau of Statistics, its urbanization rate, which measures the ratio of permanent urban residents relative to the total population, reached 67 percent last year.
\n
Two weeks later, Xi, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, reiterated the need to promote urban renewal in a high-quality manner at a meeting held by the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee when mapping out priorities for economic work in the second half of the year.
\n
The Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development pledged in December to try to complete the renovation of aging urban residential communities built before the end of 2000 by the year 2025.
\n
"By 2030, over 10 billion square meters of residential buildings will be more than 30 years old, and even if we only renovate 10 percent of that each year, that's still 1 billion square meters," said Zhao Yanjing, a professor specialized in urban economics at Xiamen University.
\n
To put this into perspective, the total new construction area nationwide last year, according to data from the National Bureau of Statistics, was less than 740 million square meters, and even at the peak in 2019, it stood at some 1.67 billion square meters.
\n
Even at such a pace, the aging residential buildings would require at least a decade to address, by which time even more properties will come to the stage where reconditioning work is needed, Zhao said.
\n
"This means that as the real estate market shifts from a focus on constructing new houses to enhancing existing ones, the overall market size will likely be fairly large," Zhao said. "These renewal projects will generate substantial economic activity, helping to offset the slowdown in the real estate market, while also improving the living conditions of our citizens."
\n
From 2019 to 2024, China renovated 280,000 aging residential communities, benefiting more than 120 million people, data from the ministry showed.
\n
China's urban renewal initiatives have moved beyond the mere renovation of old residential communities. Abandoned factories become innovation hubs; dormant warehouses are transformed into cultural venues; and urban villages are retrofitted into affordable housing zones.
\n
"As the country moves away from a growth model centered on new construction, the ability to extract value from our existing facilities will become increasingly important," said Yang Baojun, president of the Urban Planning Society of China and former chief economist of the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development.
\n
In Wuxi, Jiangsu province, an urban renewal initiative, which began in 2019, has transformed a patchwork of industrial remnants, including a textile factory and an ironworks, into a multifunctional hub blending tech industry, digital culture and community spaces.
\n
The industrial park has so far attracted over 100 enterprises, generating annual tax contributions exceeding 15 million yuan ($2.1 million), according to local authorities.
\n
"Urban renewal is no longer about demolition," Yang said. It's about reprogramming urban DNA economically, socially and functionally."
\n
Chinese cities are sitting on a gold mine of undervalued assets. The key is to find innovative ways to activate and repurpose these existing resources, rather than constantly pursue new development, Yang added.
\n
In April, the Ministry of Finance pledged fiscal support for urban renewal projects in up to 20 cities this year, prioritizing megacities, superlarge cities and key urban centers along the Yellow and Pearl rivers.
\n
Centrally administered municipalities and cities in the country's western regions qualify for subsidies of up to 1.2 billion yuan each. Cities in central regions may receive up to 1 billion yuan, while those in eastern regions are eligible for up to 800 million yuan.
\n
However, experts cautioned that the scale and complexity of these urban renewal projects are such that government funding alone is simply not enough. Attracting private investment will be crucial to the long-term sustainability of such initiatives.
\n
Dong Yu, executive vice-president of Tsinghua University's China Institute for Development Planning, said: "These projects require substantial up-front investments and can take years to complete. For private enterprises to get involved, there needs to be a viable business model offering reasonable and stable returns."
\n
China issued a guideline in mid-May to increase policy and financial support for urban renewal projects, vowing to establish a sustainable urban renewal model that is government-led, market-driven and publicly engaged.
\n
Localities can explore the "public-private partnership plus concession" approach, in which the government grants private enterprises long-term operating rights over ancillary facilities, such as parking lots and charging stations, in the vicinity of the urban renewal sites, Dong said.
\n
In the Fuli residential community in Pingxiang, Jiangxi province, property management fees and parking fees now serve as a reliable source of income for renewal project developers.
\n
The project has focused on core infrastructure upgrades, such as road paving and utility network renovations, as well as the expansion and enhancement of parking facilities, said Yang Qian, general manager of Boyue Construction and Development Co.
\n
The Jiangxi provincial branch of China Development Bank has been involved from the beginning, providing 10 million yuan in long-term loans to support the project. More importantly, its financing model incorporates user fees as potential revenue sources, Yang said.
\n
wangkeju@chinadaily.com.cn
\n",
- "content": "
As China's decade-long property market boom cools, policymakers are steering the world's second-largest economy toward a more sustainable alternative — revitalizing aging cities.
\n
By positioning urban renewal as a key strategy to stimulate domestic demand, Beijing is calibrating growth drivers while addressing deep-seated social needs, experts and executives said.
\n
Investment aimed at breathing new life into dilapidated residential areas, obsolete industrial sites, and underutilized public spaces will translate into substantial demand for various industries, increased values for existing assets and a notable upgrade for the urban environment, they added.
\n
Their comments came after the country's top leadership has elevated urban renewal to a systematic growth pillar during high-level tone-setting meetings, prioritizing maximizing the use of existing facilities over large-scale expansion.
\n
President Xi Jinping highlighted that China's urbanization is evolving from rapid growth to stable development, and urban development is shifting from a stage of large-scale expansion to one focused on improving the quality and efficiency of existing urban areas, during the Central Urban Work Conference in mid-July.
\n
Over the past few decades, China has experienced the largest and fastest urbanization process in human history. According to the National Bureau of Statistics, its urbanization rate, which measures the ratio of permanent urban residents relative to the total population, reached 67 percent last year.
\n
Two weeks later, Xi, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, reiterated the need to promote urban renewal in a high-quality manner at a meeting held by the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee when mapping out priorities for economic work in the second half of the year.
\n
The Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development pledged in December to try to complete the renovation of aging urban residential communities built before the end of 2000 by the year 2025.
\n
"By 2030, over 10 billion square meters of residential buildings will be more than 30 years old, and even if we only renovate 10 percent of that each year, that's still 1 billion square meters," said Zhao Yanjing, a professor specialized in urban economics at Xiamen University.
\n
To put this into perspective, the total new construction area nationwide last year, according to data from the National Bureau of Statistics, was less than 740 million square meters, and even at the peak in 2019, it stood at some 1.67 billion square meters.
\n
Even at such a pace, the aging residential buildings would require at least a decade to address, by which time even more properties will come to the stage where reconditioning work is needed, Zhao said.
\n
"This means that as the real estate market shifts from a focus on constructing new houses to enhancing existing ones, the overall market size will likely be fairly large," Zhao said. "These renewal projects will generate substantial economic activity, helping to offset the slowdown in the real estate market, while also improving the living conditions of our citizens."
\n
From 2019 to 2024, China renovated 280,000 aging residential communities, benefiting more than 120 million people, data from the ministry showed.
\n
China's urban renewal initiatives have moved beyond the mere renovation of old residential communities. Abandoned factories become innovation hubs; dormant warehouses are transformed into cultural venues; and urban villages are retrofitted into affordable housing zones.
\n
"As the country moves away from a growth model centered on new construction, the ability to extract value from our existing facilities will become increasingly important," said Yang Baojun, president of the Urban Planning Society of China and former chief economist of the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development.
\n
In Wuxi, Jiangsu province, an urban renewal initiative, which began in 2019, has transformed a patchwork of industrial remnants, including a textile factory and an ironworks, into a multifunctional hub blending tech industry, digital culture and community spaces.
\n
The industrial park has so far attracted over 100 enterprises, generating annual tax contributions exceeding 15 million yuan ($2.1 million), according to local authorities.
\n
"Urban renewal is no longer about demolition," Yang said. It's about reprogramming urban DNA economically, socially and functionally."
\n
Chinese cities are sitting on a gold mine of undervalued assets. The key is to find innovative ways to activate and repurpose these existing resources, rather than constantly pursue new development, Yang added.
\n
In April, the Ministry of Finance pledged fiscal support for urban renewal projects in up to 20 cities this year, prioritizing megacities, superlarge cities and key urban centers along the Yellow and Pearl rivers.
\n
Centrally administered municipalities and cities in the country's western regions qualify for subsidies of up to 1.2 billion yuan each. Cities in central regions may receive up to 1 billion yuan, while those in eastern regions are eligible for up to 800 million yuan.
\n
However, experts cautioned that the scale and complexity of these urban renewal projects are such that government funding alone is simply not enough. Attracting private investment will be crucial to the long-term sustainability of such initiatives.
\n
Dong Yu, executive vice-president of Tsinghua University's China Institute for Development Planning, said: "These projects require substantial up-front investments and can take years to complete. For private enterprises to get involved, there needs to be a viable business model offering reasonable and stable returns."
\n
China issued a guideline in mid-May to increase policy and financial support for urban renewal projects, vowing to establish a sustainable urban renewal model that is government-led, market-driven and publicly engaged.
\n
Localities can explore the "public-private partnership plus concession" approach, in which the government grants private enterprises long-term operating rights over ancillary facilities, such as parking lots and charging stations, in the vicinity of the urban renewal sites, Dong said.
\n
In the Fuli residential community in Pingxiang, Jiangxi province, property management fees and parking fees now serve as a reliable source of income for renewal project developers.
\n
The project has focused on core infrastructure upgrades, such as road paving and utility network renovations, as well as the expansion and enhancement of parking facilities, said Yang Qian, general manager of Boyue Construction and Development Co.
\n
The Jiangxi provincial branch of China Development Bank has been involved from the beginning, providing 10 million yuan in long-term loans to support the project. More importantly, its financing model incorporates user fees as potential revenue sources, Yang said.
President Xi Jinping has congratulated David Adeang on his re-election as president of Nauru, and vowed to promote bilateral ties.
\n
In a congratulatory message sent to Adeang on Friday, Xi said that since the two countries resumed their diplomatic ties, the bilateral relationship has made significant progress, with fruitful cooperation in various fields benefiting the people of both countries.
\n
He expressed his appreciation that the Nauruan government led by Adeang adheres to the one-China principle.
\n
Noting that he attaches great importance to the development of China-Nauru relations, Xi expressed his willingness to work with Adeang to elevate the bilateral relationship to new heights to deliver greater benefits to the people of both countries.
\n
Adeang, who has served as Nauru's president since October 2023 and as a member of parliament since 2001, was re-elected as Nauruan president for a second term on Oct 11, Xinhua News Agency reported.
\n
China and Nauru resumed diplomatic relations in January 2024.
\n
caodesheng@chinadaily.com.cn
\n",
- "content": "
President Xi Jinping has congratulated David Adeang on his re-election as president of Nauru, and vowed to promote bilateral ties.
\n
In a congratulatory message sent to Adeang on Friday, Xi said that since the two countries resumed their diplomatic ties, the bilateral relationship has made significant progress, with fruitful cooperation in various fields benefiting the people of both countries.
\n
He expressed his appreciation that the Nauruan government led by Adeang adheres to the one-China principle.
\n
Noting that he attaches great importance to the development of China-Nauru relations, Xi expressed his willingness to work with Adeang to elevate the bilateral relationship to new heights to deliver greater benefits to the people of both countries.
\n
Adeang, who has served as Nauru's president since October 2023 and as a member of parliament since 2001, was re-elected as Nauruan president for a second term on Oct 11, Xinhua News Agency reported.
\n
China and Nauru resumed diplomatic relations in January 2024.
A child poses for a picture with a stone sculpture of the Communist Party of China undercover agent Wu Shi in Fuzhou, Fujian province, on Sunday.
\n
A hit TV series based on the reallife stories of Communist Party of China undercover agents in Taiwan has sparked a wave of remembrance and patriotism across the country.
\n
Silent Honor, which aired on CCTV-8, achieved record viewership, with a peak rating of 3.07 percent, making it the drama to most quickly surpass the 3 percent mark in 2025.
\n
The drama depicts underground struggles in Taiwan before and after the founding of the People's Republic of China, highlighting the sacrifices made by the brave individuals, including Wu Shi, a military strategist who risked his life to provide crucial intelligence to the CPC.
\n
Following the series' popularity, Wu's former residence, a wooden structure in Luozhou township in suburban Fuzhou, capital of Fujian province, has seen an influx of tourists.
\n
Some have left behind photos of China's advanced military equipment, including the DF-5C missile, and a commemorative hat from the aircraft carrier CNS Fujian, as a tribute to the martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the country's reunification.
\n
Wu Zengying, a tour guide at the site, said, "Visitors left these to tell the martyrs that the motherland is growing stronger, just as they wished."
\n
Wu Bo, one of the visitors, said, "Wu Shi could have stayed in Fuzhou — choosing to go to Taiwan meant risking his life. Between personal safety and national duty, he made a heroic choice."
\n
Yang Li, another visitor, added, "My friends are discussing the drama, but many say they can't bear to watch it because the ending is heartbreaking. The general was executed after about a year in Taiwan."
\n
Wang Ying, a volunteer from the Fujian Provincial Martyr Memorial Facilities Protection Center, distributes biographical materials about Wu at the site to help visitors understand his life and contributions.
\n
"The visitors hope for the early reunification of the two sides of the Taiwan Strait, and it's what brings many here with such anticipation," she said.
\n
The TV series has also caught the attention of Taiwan-based media and political commentators.
\n
Around 1949, when the Chiang Kai-shek authorities retreated to Taiwan, the CPC sent about 1,500 members and progressives secretly to the island to work toward its liberation. However, due to informants, more than 1,100 were killed, with many remaining nameless.
\n
Chen Binhua, a spokesman for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, said recently in Beijing that the famous line — "If I shall go there and never return, then let it be," spoken by Wu in the drama, embodies the fearless spirit of Chinese Communists who dedicated themselves without hesitation to the people's liberation and national reunification.
\n
"The unwavering loyalty, relentless struggle, and ultimate sacrifice of these martyrs will never be forgotten by the people or by history," he said, which will inspire compatriots across the Taiwan Strait to strive for the complete reunification of the motherland.
A child poses for a picture with a stone sculpture of the Communist Party of China undercover agent Wu Shi in Fuzhou, Fujian province, on Sunday.
\n
A hit TV series based on the reallife stories of Communist Party of China undercover agents in Taiwan has sparked a wave of remembrance and patriotism across the country.
\n
Silent Honor, which aired on CCTV-8, achieved record viewership, with a peak rating of 3.07 percent, making it the drama to most quickly surpass the 3 percent mark in 2025.
\n
The drama depicts underground struggles in Taiwan before and after the founding of the People's Republic of China, highlighting the sacrifices made by the brave individuals, including Wu Shi, a military strategist who risked his life to provide crucial intelligence to the CPC.
\n
Following the series' popularity, Wu's former residence, a wooden structure in Luozhou township in suburban Fuzhou, capital of Fujian province, has seen an influx of tourists.
\n
Some have left behind photos of China's advanced military equipment, including the DF-5C missile, and a commemorative hat from the aircraft carrier CNS Fujian, as a tribute to the martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the country's reunification.
\n
Wu Zengying, a tour guide at the site, said, "Visitors left these to tell the martyrs that the motherland is growing stronger, just as they wished."
\n
Wu Bo, one of the visitors, said, "Wu Shi could have stayed in Fuzhou — choosing to go to Taiwan meant risking his life. Between personal safety and national duty, he made a heroic choice."
\n
Yang Li, another visitor, added, "My friends are discussing the drama, but many say they can't bear to watch it because the ending is heartbreaking. The general was executed after about a year in Taiwan."
\n
Wang Ying, a volunteer from the Fujian Provincial Martyr Memorial Facilities Protection Center, distributes biographical materials about Wu at the site to help visitors understand his life and contributions.
\n
"The visitors hope for the early reunification of the two sides of the Taiwan Strait, and it's what brings many here with such anticipation," she said.
\n
The TV series has also caught the attention of Taiwan-based media and political commentators.
\n
Around 1949, when the Chiang Kai-shek authorities retreated to Taiwan, the CPC sent about 1,500 members and progressives secretly to the island to work toward its liberation. However, due to informants, more than 1,100 were killed, with many remaining nameless.
\n
Chen Binhua, a spokesman for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, said recently in Beijing that the famous line — "If I shall go there and never return, then let it be," spoken by Wu in the drama, embodies the fearless spirit of Chinese Communists who dedicated themselves without hesitation to the people's liberation and national reunification.
\n
"The unwavering loyalty, relentless struggle, and ultimate sacrifice of these martyrs will never be forgotten by the people or by history," he said, which will inspire compatriots across the Taiwan Strait to strive for the complete reunification of the motherland.
Crew aboard the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy ship Qi Jiguang wave to greet local civilians at Sattahip naval base in Thailand on Thursday. The Navy's 83rd task force began a four-day visit to Thailand.
Crew aboard the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy ship Qi Jiguang wave to greet local civilians at Sattahip naval base in Thailand on Thursday. The Navy's 83rd task force began a four-day visit to Thailand.
China has expressed deep condolences over the passing of former Japanese prime minister Tomiichi Murayama, the first Japanese leader who officially apologized for the country's World War II atrocities, gained trust for Japan and won worldwide acknowledgment.
\n
The 81st prime minister of Japan, also the first from the Japan Socialist Party, died on Friday morning in his hometown city of Oita at 101. Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian also extended sincere sympathy to his family, citing Murayama as a statesman with a sense of justice and a long-standing friend of the Chinese people.
\n
Officials and experts emphasized that inheriting and advancing the Murayama Statement, which explicitly acknowledged Japan's colonial rule and aggression in Asia, is especially important in today's increasingly right-leaning Japan.
\n
Born on March 3, 1924, in Oita Prefecture, Murayama became chairman of the Japan Socialist Party in 1993, and served as prime minister from June 1994 through January 1996.
\n
On Aug 15, 1995, Murayama issued the historic cabinet-endorsed statement. The Murayama Statement declared that "Japan, following a mistaken national policy, advanced along the road to war, only to ensnare the Japanese people in a fateful crisis, and, through its colonial rule and aggression, caused tremendous damage and suffering to the people of many countries, particularly to those of Asian nations." The statement specifically expressed "deep remorse and heartfelt apology".
\n
Lin said the Murayama Statement represents a solemn declaration and commitment by the Japanese government to the people of victim countries in Asia and the international community, which needs to be honored with good faith.
\n
He added he hoped that Tokyo will work with Beijing in the same direction to build a constructive and stable bilateral relationship that meets the demands of the new era.
\n
Takakage Fujita, secretary-general of the Association for Inheriting and Propagating the Murayama Statement, told China Daily that the statement, which acknowledges Japan's colonial and aggressive history, holds significant importance.
\n
He said that Murayama's legacy will continue to be upheld, and efforts would be made to further promote the statement throughout Japan.
\n
Fujita said that he often spoke with Murayama, who was concerned that young Japanese people study history too little and emphasized that schools should teach modern history seriously, especially Japan's invasion of China and colonization of the Korean Peninsula.
\n
Mizuho Fukushima, head of the Social Democratic Party, wrote on social media that Murayama was her "political father" and that his statement had been "of great political significance". "I feel truly saddened."
\n
Murayama had been scheduled to deliver a written address next Tuesday at a symposium titled "Safeguarding Peace and Building the Future Together", commemorating 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
Zhou Yongsheng, a professor at the Institute of International Relations at China Foreign Affairs University in Beijing, said that when Murayama became Japan's prime minister as head of the Japan Socialist Party, he did bring changes to the political landscape.
\n
"Murayama served as a voice for peace, acting as a crucial bulwark against the drift toward remilitarization. Now, as Japan's politics continue to shift to the right, Japanese politicians need to revisit Murayama's legacy, to face history squarely and hold fast to the principles of peace," Zhou said.
\n
The Chinese Foreign Ministry urged Japan to face up to and reflect on the history of aggression, act prudently on historical issues such as the issue of the Yasukuni Shrine and make a clean break with militarism.
\n
Lin, the ministry's spokesman, made the remarks after outgoing Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and head of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party Sanae Takaichi sent ritual offerings to the shrine on Friday, which honors 14 convicted Class-A Japanese war criminals from World War II.
\n
Contact the writers at houjunjie@chinadaily.com.cn
\n",
- "content": "
Tomiichi Murayama
\n
China has expressed deep condolences over the passing of former Japanese prime minister Tomiichi Murayama, the first Japanese leader who officially apologized for the country's World War II atrocities, gained trust for Japan and won worldwide acknowledgment.
\n
The 81st prime minister of Japan, also the first from the Japan Socialist Party, died on Friday morning in his hometown city of Oita at 101. Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian also extended sincere sympathy to his family, citing Murayama as a statesman with a sense of justice and a long-standing friend of the Chinese people.
\n
Officials and experts emphasized that inheriting and advancing the Murayama Statement, which explicitly acknowledged Japan's colonial rule and aggression in Asia, is especially important in today's increasingly right-leaning Japan.
\n
Born on March 3, 1924, in Oita Prefecture, Murayama became chairman of the Japan Socialist Party in 1993, and served as prime minister from June 1994 through January 1996.
\n
On Aug 15, 1995, Murayama issued the historic cabinet-endorsed statement. The Murayama Statement declared that "Japan, following a mistaken national policy, advanced along the road to war, only to ensnare the Japanese people in a fateful crisis, and, through its colonial rule and aggression, caused tremendous damage and suffering to the people of many countries, particularly to those of Asian nations." The statement specifically expressed "deep remorse and heartfelt apology".
\n
Lin said the Murayama Statement represents a solemn declaration and commitment by the Japanese government to the people of victim countries in Asia and the international community, which needs to be honored with good faith.
\n
He added he hoped that Tokyo will work with Beijing in the same direction to build a constructive and stable bilateral relationship that meets the demands of the new era.
\n
Takakage Fujita, secretary-general of the Association for Inheriting and Propagating the Murayama Statement, told China Daily that the statement, which acknowledges Japan's colonial and aggressive history, holds significant importance.
\n
He said that Murayama's legacy will continue to be upheld, and efforts would be made to further promote the statement throughout Japan.
\n
Fujita said that he often spoke with Murayama, who was concerned that young Japanese people study history too little and emphasized that schools should teach modern history seriously, especially Japan's invasion of China and colonization of the Korean Peninsula.
\n
Mizuho Fukushima, head of the Social Democratic Party, wrote on social media that Murayama was her "political father" and that his statement had been "of great political significance". "I feel truly saddened."
\n
Murayama had been scheduled to deliver a written address next Tuesday at a symposium titled "Safeguarding Peace and Building the Future Together", commemorating 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
Zhou Yongsheng, a professor at the Institute of International Relations at China Foreign Affairs University in Beijing, said that when Murayama became Japan's prime minister as head of the Japan Socialist Party, he did bring changes to the political landscape.
\n
"Murayama served as a voice for peace, acting as a crucial bulwark against the drift toward remilitarization. Now, as Japan's politics continue to shift to the right, Japanese politicians need to revisit Murayama's legacy, to face history squarely and hold fast to the principles of peace," Zhou said.
\n
The Chinese Foreign Ministry urged Japan to face up to and reflect on the history of aggression, act prudently on historical issues such as the issue of the Yasukuni Shrine and make a clean break with militarism.
\n
Lin, the ministry's spokesman, made the remarks after outgoing Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and head of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party Sanae Takaichi sent ritual offerings to the shrine on Friday, which honors 14 convicted Class-A Japanese war criminals from World War II.
\n
Contact the writers at houjunjie@chinadaily.com.cn
The 2025 World Internet Conference Wuzhen Summit is expected to create an open platform for international exchanges and cooperation in digital technologies, while helping the global community to seize opportunities brought on by a new round of scientific and technological revolution to benefit humanity, the event's organizer said on Friday.
\n
The summit is scheduled to take place from Nov 6 to 9 in Wuzhen, Zhejiang province, with the theme "Forging an Open, Cooperative, Secure and Inclusive Digital Future — Building a Community with a Shared Future in Cyberspace."
\n
It will focus on new trends in cutting-edge internet technologies and new developments in cyberspace governance, and discuss technology-driven industrial innovation and practices, as well as approaches concerning the governance of cyberspace and frontier technologies, said Ren Xianliang, secretary-general of the WIC.
\n
Ren made the remarks at a news conference in Beijing.
\n
He noted that as this year marks the 10th anniversary of a proposal to build a community with a shared future in cyberspace, the summit will comprehensively summarize the great achievements and vivid practices made over the past decade.
\n
This year's summit will invite business leaders from the "Six Little Dragons" — a group of Chinese tech startups based in Hangzhou, such as DeepSeek and Unitree Robotics, to participate in a dialogue regarding global trends in artificial intelligence innovation and development, and to explore how cross-sector collaboration can help address global challenges, Ren said.
\n
The event will set up 24 sub-forums, while heads and senior representatives from major international organizations, renowned experts and scholars, and executives from leading internet enterprises, including Alibaba, Sohu and 360, have confirmed their attendance.
\n
At present, AI has made breakthroughs with new business models rapidly emerging and innovative applications expanding at an accelerated pace, bringing huge opportunities for the economic and social development of all countries, but AI technologies also bring about risks and challenges, Ren said.
\n
Moreover, a theoretical symposium marking the 10th anniversary of the concept of building a community with a shared future in cyberspace will be held during the event, while specialized committees on e-commerce and cultural heritage digitalization will be established.
\n
AI technologies and industrial development will be under the spotlight during the summit, with five AI-themed sub-forums to be held, said Zhao Cheng, head of the publicity department of the Zhejiang Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China.
\n
This year's Light of Internet Expo will showcase the remarkable achievements of AI in production and people's daily lives, while themed exhibitions featuring the debut of products in embodied intelligence and quantum technology will be held, Zhao added.
\n
Meanwhile, as new problems are emerging along with the rapid development of AI, the forum on AI technology innovation and governance will bring together experts, scholars, and entrepreneurs from around the world to engage in in-depth discussions on improving AI ethical standards and enhancing collaborative governance.
\n
China's AI sector will make big strides in the next 10 to 15 years, with its market size reaching 1.73 trillion yuan ($242.8 billion) by 2035, accounting for 30.6 percent of the global total, according to market research company CCID Consulting.
\n
The nation has solidified its position as a global leader in AI innovation, and released 1,509 AI models to date, ranking first among the 3,755 models launched globally until now, according to the China Academy of Information and Communications Technology.
The 2025 World Internet Conference Wuzhen Summit is expected to create an open platform for international exchanges and cooperation in digital technologies, while helping the global community to seize opportunities brought on by a new round of scientific and technological revolution to benefit humanity, the event's organizer said on Friday.
\n
The summit is scheduled to take place from Nov 6 to 9 in Wuzhen, Zhejiang province, with the theme "Forging an Open, Cooperative, Secure and Inclusive Digital Future — Building a Community with a Shared Future in Cyberspace."
\n
It will focus on new trends in cutting-edge internet technologies and new developments in cyberspace governance, and discuss technology-driven industrial innovation and practices, as well as approaches concerning the governance of cyberspace and frontier technologies, said Ren Xianliang, secretary-general of the WIC.
\n
Ren made the remarks at a news conference in Beijing.
\n
He noted that as this year marks the 10th anniversary of a proposal to build a community with a shared future in cyberspace, the summit will comprehensively summarize the great achievements and vivid practices made over the past decade.
\n
This year's summit will invite business leaders from the "Six Little Dragons" — a group of Chinese tech startups based in Hangzhou, such as DeepSeek and Unitree Robotics, to participate in a dialogue regarding global trends in artificial intelligence innovation and development, and to explore how cross-sector collaboration can help address global challenges, Ren said.
\n
The event will set up 24 sub-forums, while heads and senior representatives from major international organizations, renowned experts and scholars, and executives from leading internet enterprises, including Alibaba, Sohu and 360, have confirmed their attendance.
\n
At present, AI has made breakthroughs with new business models rapidly emerging and innovative applications expanding at an accelerated pace, bringing huge opportunities for the economic and social development of all countries, but AI technologies also bring about risks and challenges, Ren said.
\n
Moreover, a theoretical symposium marking the 10th anniversary of the concept of building a community with a shared future in cyberspace will be held during the event, while specialized committees on e-commerce and cultural heritage digitalization will be established.
\n
AI technologies and industrial development will be under the spotlight during the summit, with five AI-themed sub-forums to be held, said Zhao Cheng, head of the publicity department of the Zhejiang Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China.
\n
This year's Light of Internet Expo will showcase the remarkable achievements of AI in production and people's daily lives, while themed exhibitions featuring the debut of products in embodied intelligence and quantum technology will be held, Zhao added.
\n
Meanwhile, as new problems are emerging along with the rapid development of AI, the forum on AI technology innovation and governance will bring together experts, scholars, and entrepreneurs from around the world to engage in in-depth discussions on improving AI ethical standards and enhancing collaborative governance.
\n
China's AI sector will make big strides in the next 10 to 15 years, with its market size reaching 1.73 trillion yuan ($242.8 billion) by 2035, accounting for 30.6 percent of the global total, according to market research company CCID Consulting.
\n
The nation has solidified its position as a global leader in AI innovation, and released 1,509 AI models to date, ranking first among the 3,755 models launched globally until now, according to the China Academy of Information and Communications Technology.
Employees from State Grid Changji in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region erect a railway-crossing frame for a 220-kilovolt transmission project in Qitai county, aiming to boost power supply in the area.
\n",
- "content": "
Employees from State Grid Changji in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region erect a railway-crossing frame for a 220-kilovolt transmission project in Qitai county, aiming to boost power supply in the area.
Chinese railway operators have intensified efforts to upgrade facilities that will enhance the travel experience for passengers. At Jiexiu Train Service Depot under China Railway Taiyuan Bureau Group, staff members have launched a full-scale facelift of equipment and facilities inside Jiexiudong Station. A specialist task force has carried out a systematic health-check on all critical escalators, ticket vending machines and ticket gates to avoid hidden faults. They also conducted a sweeping check on station buildings, access corridors and platforms, reinforcing the station's safety and ensuring that journeys for passengers are safe and without incident.
\n
Currency swap agreement renewed
\n
The People's Bank of China, the country's central bank, has renewed a bilateral currency swap agreement with the Central Bank of Iceland. The agreement, valid for five years, is worth 3.5 billion yuan ($491.35 million), the PBOC said in a statement. The arrangement will strengthen financial cooperation between China and Iceland, facilitate bilateral trade and investment, and safeguard financial market stability.
\n",
- "content": "
Facility upgrades to lift travel experience
\n
Chinese railway operators have intensified efforts to upgrade facilities that will enhance the travel experience for passengers. At Jiexiu Train Service Depot under China Railway Taiyuan Bureau Group, staff members have launched a full-scale facelift of equipment and facilities inside Jiexiudong Station. A specialist task force has carried out a systematic health-check on all critical escalators, ticket vending machines and ticket gates to avoid hidden faults. They also conducted a sweeping check on station buildings, access corridors and platforms, reinforcing the station's safety and ensuring that journeys for passengers are safe and without incident.
\n
Currency swap agreement renewed
\n
The People's Bank of China, the country's central bank, has renewed a bilateral currency swap agreement with the Central Bank of Iceland. The agreement, valid for five years, is worth 3.5 billion yuan ($491.35 million), the PBOC said in a statement. The arrangement will strengthen financial cooperation between China and Iceland, facilitate bilateral trade and investment, and safeguard financial market stability.
An exhibitor introduces Ethiopian coffee beans to delegates visiting the 3rd Hainan International Tropical Food Supply Chain Expo held in Haikou, capital of Hainan province, from Thursday to Saturday.
An exhibitor introduces Ethiopian coffee beans to delegates visiting the 3rd Hainan International Tropical Food Supply Chain Expo held in Haikou, capital of Hainan province, from Thursday to Saturday.
More than 4,100 domestic and overseas online platforms, including major players such as Pinduoduo, Ele.me, Didi, and international cross-border marketplaces have submitted their first round of detailed tax-related information under a new reporting regulation effective this month, China's top tax authority told China Daily on Thursday.
\n
The State Taxation Administration said the reporting process, which began on Oct 1 under new government regulations, requires internet platforms to provide details of operators and workers active on their sites, including verified identity and income information.
\n
Out of the 6,654 platforms that had reported their basic corporate data as of Wednesday, more than 4,100 platforms submitted detailed tax-related information — covering over 60 percent of those required to report, the STA told China Daily.
\n
The new system covers both domestic and foreign platforms operating in China's vast online marketplace, which includes global e-commerce platforms such as Amazon, Shopee as well as Chinese platforms with large overseas footprints.
\n
Shi Zhengwen, director of the center for research in fiscal and tax law of China University of Political Science and Law, said: "Whether domestic or foreign, all platforms that provide profit-making services to Chinese operators must report tax-related information in accordance with the law. Any attempts to skirt obligations through offshore registration will not work."
\n
The STA emphasized that platforms have until Oct 31 to complete their first filings, warning that those who miss the deadline or submit inaccurate data could "face penalties".
\n
The initiative comes as Beijing seeks to improve tax compliance and ensure a level playing field across the online economy, which has grown increasingly complex with the rise of livestreaming sales, gig work, and cross-border e-commerce.
\n
The administration also warned against schemes that disguise personal income as business income — a tactic used by some gig-economy or influencer platforms to reduce tax burdens.
\n
Some platforms were found to have helped individuals register as self-employed businesses in bulk or set up offshore entities to evade domestic tax obligations, according to the STA.
\n
"These practices — such as splitting income, switching identity, or registering overseas to conceal domestic earnings — seriously disrupt the reporting system," Shi added.
\n
chengyu@chinadaily.com.cn
\n",
- "content": "\n
More than 4,100 domestic and overseas online platforms, including major players such as Pinduoduo, Ele.me, Didi, and international cross-border marketplaces have submitted their first round of detailed tax-related information under a new reporting regulation effective this month, China's top tax authority told China Daily on Thursday.
\n
The State Taxation Administration said the reporting process, which began on Oct 1 under new government regulations, requires internet platforms to provide details of operators and workers active on their sites, including verified identity and income information.
\n
Out of the 6,654 platforms that had reported their basic corporate data as of Wednesday, more than 4,100 platforms submitted detailed tax-related information — covering over 60 percent of those required to report, the STA told China Daily.
\n
The new system covers both domestic and foreign platforms operating in China's vast online marketplace, which includes global e-commerce platforms such as Amazon, Shopee as well as Chinese platforms with large overseas footprints.
\n
Shi Zhengwen, director of the center for research in fiscal and tax law of China University of Political Science and Law, said: "Whether domestic or foreign, all platforms that provide profit-making services to Chinese operators must report tax-related information in accordance with the law. Any attempts to skirt obligations through offshore registration will not work."
\n
The STA emphasized that platforms have until Oct 31 to complete their first filings, warning that those who miss the deadline or submit inaccurate data could "face penalties".
\n
The initiative comes as Beijing seeks to improve tax compliance and ensure a level playing field across the online economy, which has grown increasingly complex with the rise of livestreaming sales, gig work, and cross-border e-commerce.
\n
The administration also warned against schemes that disguise personal income as business income — a tactic used by some gig-economy or influencer platforms to reduce tax burdens.
\n
Some platforms were found to have helped individuals register as self-employed businesses in bulk or set up offshore entities to evade domestic tax obligations, according to the STA.
\n
"These practices — such as splitting income, switching identity, or registering overseas to conceal domestic earnings — seriously disrupt the reporting system," Shi added.
China's centrally administered State-owned enterprises are increasingly seen as not only pioneers in going global but also anchors of industrial security and rule-shaping, with their push into higher-value exports and overseas green-energy investment bolstering resilience across supply chains, experts said.
\n
With the rapid advancement of China's economy and industrialization, more Chinese enterprises are seeking overseas markets.
\n
According to the Planning and Development Bureau of the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council, SOEs now have a presence in more than 180 countries, with over 10,000 projects and institutions.
\n
In parallel, SOEs are going global in collaboration with enterprises under diverse ownership structures, partnering with local State-owned and private firms in industrial parks, energy and power, and communications and information.
\n
Beyond scale, experts noted that the international competitiveness of Chinese products and the resilience of supply chains provide a favorable backdrop for the overseas operations of SOEs. This competitiveness, they said, can support the stability and smooth functioning of global industrial and supply chains amid rising protectionism and unilateralism.
\n
As one of the earliest enterprises to venture abroad since China's reform and opening-up, China Information and Communication Technologies Group has focused on three pillars: strengthening technology innovation for global markets, building localized marketing capabilities, and advancing localized overseas production and manufacturing.
\n
Its international competitiveness and influence have steadily grown. Reviewing CICT's internationalization, He Shuping, president of CICT, said the company must keep refining its products to bolster differentiated advantages.
\n
He added that CICT regards standards development and patent portfolio building as key to competitiveness, having led the formulation and revision of 65 ITU (International Telecommunication Union) standards. Today, CICT ranks among the global top five by market share for core product lines, including optical fiber and cable, optical components, and optical access.
\n
Against a complex external environment, experts also observe an export structure upgrading toward new and higher-quality products. Exports of electromechanical goods and the "new trio" — electric vehicles, solar batteries and lithium-ion batteries — as well as green equipment such as electric locomotives, have maintained solid growth, indicating sustained momentum for industrial upgrading and demand for green, digital infrastructure.
\n
At the same time, policy and market headwinds persist.
\n
According to Lyu Daliang, spokesperson and director of the Department of Statistics and Analysis of the General Administration of Customs, abuses of tariffs by certain countries have undermined the multilateral trading system and disrupted normal production and trade. Even so, China remains committed to supporting and upholding multilateralism and promoting the stability and smooth flow of global industrial and supply chains, Lyu said.
\n
Apart from high-quality exports, China has in recent years emphasized green energy investment and the sustainable development of overseas markets, said Xie Laihui, executive director of the division of Belt and Road studies at the National Institute of International Strategy under the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.
\n
Since declaring in 2021 that it would no longer build new coal-fired power projects abroad, China has progressively shifted its overseas energy investment focus toward supporting developing countries in their green energy transitions.
\n
In Xie's view, Chinese SOEs' overseas green-energy push has distinct features. First, complete supply and industrial chains with a full range of technologies enable end-to-end solutions from production to consumption for partner countries. Second, projects are tailored to local conditions — choosing among solar, wind, and hydropower based on each country's resource endowment — while cooperation structures offer strong price advantages suited to developing countries' fiscal capacity, accelerating technology diffusion.
\n
Xie said both China's traditional and new energy companies, under the Green Silk Road framework, are expanding overseas and using investment to spur energy transitions in Belt and Road partner countries, advancing clean-energy uptake and emission cuts while, to a degree, strengthening energy security.
\n
Such a model offers developing countries cost-controlled, locally tailored pathways for energy development, helping foster a virtuous cycle toward energy transition, energy security, and carbon neutrality, Xie said.
\n
renqi@chinadaily.com.cn
\n",
- "content": "\n
China's centrally administered State-owned enterprises are increasingly seen as not only pioneers in going global but also anchors of industrial security and rule-shaping, with their push into higher-value exports and overseas green-energy investment bolstering resilience across supply chains, experts said.
\n
With the rapid advancement of China's economy and industrialization, more Chinese enterprises are seeking overseas markets.
\n
According to the Planning and Development Bureau of the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council, SOEs now have a presence in more than 180 countries, with over 10,000 projects and institutions.
\n
In parallel, SOEs are going global in collaboration with enterprises under diverse ownership structures, partnering with local State-owned and private firms in industrial parks, energy and power, and communications and information.
\n
Beyond scale, experts noted that the international competitiveness of Chinese products and the resilience of supply chains provide a favorable backdrop for the overseas operations of SOEs. This competitiveness, they said, can support the stability and smooth functioning of global industrial and supply chains amid rising protectionism and unilateralism.
\n
As one of the earliest enterprises to venture abroad since China's reform and opening-up, China Information and Communication Technologies Group has focused on three pillars: strengthening technology innovation for global markets, building localized marketing capabilities, and advancing localized overseas production and manufacturing.
\n
Its international competitiveness and influence have steadily grown. Reviewing CICT's internationalization, He Shuping, president of CICT, said the company must keep refining its products to bolster differentiated advantages.
\n
He added that CICT regards standards development and patent portfolio building as key to competitiveness, having led the formulation and revision of 65 ITU (International Telecommunication Union) standards. Today, CICT ranks among the global top five by market share for core product lines, including optical fiber and cable, optical components, and optical access.
\n
Against a complex external environment, experts also observe an export structure upgrading toward new and higher-quality products. Exports of electromechanical goods and the "new trio" — electric vehicles, solar batteries and lithium-ion batteries — as well as green equipment such as electric locomotives, have maintained solid growth, indicating sustained momentum for industrial upgrading and demand for green, digital infrastructure.
\n
At the same time, policy and market headwinds persist.
\n
According to Lyu Daliang, spokesperson and director of the Department of Statistics and Analysis of the General Administration of Customs, abuses of tariffs by certain countries have undermined the multilateral trading system and disrupted normal production and trade. Even so, China remains committed to supporting and upholding multilateralism and promoting the stability and smooth flow of global industrial and supply chains, Lyu said.
\n
Apart from high-quality exports, China has in recent years emphasized green energy investment and the sustainable development of overseas markets, said Xie Laihui, executive director of the division of Belt and Road studies at the National Institute of International Strategy under the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.
\n
Since declaring in 2021 that it would no longer build new coal-fired power projects abroad, China has progressively shifted its overseas energy investment focus toward supporting developing countries in their green energy transitions.
\n
In Xie's view, Chinese SOEs' overseas green-energy push has distinct features. First, complete supply and industrial chains with a full range of technologies enable end-to-end solutions from production to consumption for partner countries. Second, projects are tailored to local conditions — choosing among solar, wind, and hydropower based on each country's resource endowment — while cooperation structures offer strong price advantages suited to developing countries' fiscal capacity, accelerating technology diffusion.
\n
Xie said both China's traditional and new energy companies, under the Green Silk Road framework, are expanding overseas and using investment to spur energy transitions in Belt and Road partner countries, advancing clean-energy uptake and emission cuts while, to a degree, strengthening energy security.
\n
Such a model offers developing countries cost-controlled, locally tailored pathways for energy development, helping foster a virtuous cycle toward energy transition, energy security, and carbon neutrality, Xie said.
China's accelerating digital transformation is evolving from an internal modernization drive into a global economic force, increasingly shaping the structure and resilience of world supply chains.
\n
"Enterprises must adopt a 'top-down and grounded' vision," said Yao Jianming, professor at Renmin University's Business School. "'Top-down' means influencing entire industries and national systems, while 'grounded' means addressing real challenges through data, networks and computing to power high-quality development."
\n
Yao identified digital technologies, from artificial intelligence and big data to blockchain, as the core of China's new quality productive forces. "Digital transformation isn't about replacing people," Yao added. "It's about empowering them to create greater value." He made the remarks at a parallel session of the 2025 Tongzhou Global Development Forum in Beijing on Friday.
\n
That vision is gaining momentum in the corporate world. Xiamen ITG Group Corp Ltd, a leading trading and supply-chain services company, recently joined forces with a Shanghai-based AI enterprise and a Xiamen supply-chain innovation firm to advance "AI + supply chain" projects.
\n
"Globalization is shifting from efficiency to resilience," said Liu Zhitao, an executive at ITG. "The Belt and Road Initiative is not only cross-border trade but also an industrial collaboration platform. Under the 'dual circulation' strategy, we're building supply chains that connect resources, manufacturing and markets."
\n
The transformation is also visible in small businesses. In Yiwu of Zhejiang province, China's renowned small-commodity hub, a "market procurement trade" model has enabled thousands of micro-exporters to reach global markets. Professor Gu Kejian, also from Renmin University, said that more than 80 percent of Yiwu's exports rely on this system. "It may seem small, but it's a major innovation," he said.
\n
Yiwu's modernization took another step forward on Tuesday, with the opening of the Global Digital Trade Center, a flagship project of the city's sixth-generation market. Working with Tencent, the center has introduced AI navigation and robotic systems for smarter, more interactive trade services.
\n
Recent trade frictions between China and the United States have drawn widespread attention to the stability of global supply chains. Experts say that while China is committed to safeguarding supply chain stability and actively creating new opportunities for global trade and economic development through innovation, the US approach is undermining the multilateral trading system and disrupting global supply chain stability.
\n
On Friday, the Ministry of Commerce released the 2025 Report on WTO Compliance of the United States. The ministry expressed "serious concern" over US actions that it said undermine the multilateral trading system. A ministry official stressed that the WTO-centered multilateral trading system remains the cornerstone of global trade and economic globalization. The report urged the US to correct its wrong practices, withdraw illegal tariff measures such as the so-called reciprocal tariffs, and fulfill its WTO obligations, calling for cooperation among all members to build a fair and inclusive global economy.
\n
Separately, He Yongqian, spokeswoman for the ministry, said the measures of export control on rare earths are "a normal step to strengthen the export control framework" and "not directed at any specific country." Export applications for legitimate civilian use, she added, will continue to be approved.
\n
Contact the writers at lijing2009@chinadaily.com.cn
China's accelerating digital transformation is evolving from an internal modernization drive into a global economic force, increasingly shaping the structure and resilience of world supply chains.
\n
"Enterprises must adopt a 'top-down and grounded' vision," said Yao Jianming, professor at Renmin University's Business School. "'Top-down' means influencing entire industries and national systems, while 'grounded' means addressing real challenges through data, networks and computing to power high-quality development."
\n
Yao identified digital technologies, from artificial intelligence and big data to blockchain, as the core of China's new quality productive forces. "Digital transformation isn't about replacing people," Yao added. "It's about empowering them to create greater value." He made the remarks at a parallel session of the 2025 Tongzhou Global Development Forum in Beijing on Friday.
\n
That vision is gaining momentum in the corporate world. Xiamen ITG Group Corp Ltd, a leading trading and supply-chain services company, recently joined forces with a Shanghai-based AI enterprise and a Xiamen supply-chain innovation firm to advance "AI + supply chain" projects.
\n
"Globalization is shifting from efficiency to resilience," said Liu Zhitao, an executive at ITG. "The Belt and Road Initiative is not only cross-border trade but also an industrial collaboration platform. Under the 'dual circulation' strategy, we're building supply chains that connect resources, manufacturing and markets."
\n
The transformation is also visible in small businesses. In Yiwu of Zhejiang province, China's renowned small-commodity hub, a "market procurement trade" model has enabled thousands of micro-exporters to reach global markets. Professor Gu Kejian, also from Renmin University, said that more than 80 percent of Yiwu's exports rely on this system. "It may seem small, but it's a major innovation," he said.
\n
Yiwu's modernization took another step forward on Tuesday, with the opening of the Global Digital Trade Center, a flagship project of the city's sixth-generation market. Working with Tencent, the center has introduced AI navigation and robotic systems for smarter, more interactive trade services.
\n
Recent trade frictions between China and the United States have drawn widespread attention to the stability of global supply chains. Experts say that while China is committed to safeguarding supply chain stability and actively creating new opportunities for global trade and economic development through innovation, the US approach is undermining the multilateral trading system and disrupting global supply chain stability.
\n
On Friday, the Ministry of Commerce released the 2025 Report on WTO Compliance of the United States. The ministry expressed "serious concern" over US actions that it said undermine the multilateral trading system. A ministry official stressed that the WTO-centered multilateral trading system remains the cornerstone of global trade and economic globalization. The report urged the US to correct its wrong practices, withdraw illegal tariff measures such as the so-called reciprocal tariffs, and fulfill its WTO obligations, calling for cooperation among all members to build a fair and inclusive global economy.
\n
Separately, He Yongqian, spokeswoman for the ministry, said the measures of export control on rare earths are "a normal step to strengthen the export control framework" and "not directed at any specific country." Export applications for legitimate civilian use, she added, will continue to be approved.
\n
Contact the writers at lijing2009@chinadaily.com.cn
'The peoples of China are at their most critical time, Everybody must roar his defiance." These words, immortalized in China's national anthem, capture not just a moment in history but a perennial truth about humanity's struggle against fascism and oppression. On 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, the spirit of that defiance continues to shape the world order — and can still call us to action.
\n
Chairman Mao Zedong reminded the world in 1939 that our enemy is a world enemy, and the war of resistance is a world war. Indeed, China was the first country to raise the banner of armed resistance against fascism. Its 14-year war of resistance was the longest in the World Anti-Fascist War and inflicted the heaviest losses on the Japanese army, which made China the main battlefield of the global war against fascism in the East.
\n
The war was not only a national fight for survival but a valuable contribution to world peace. From the guerrilla campaigns that denied Japan control over China's heartland to the sacrifices of ordinary farmers who rescued US pilots, Chinese people sustained the fight that stopped the advance of fascist forces in Asia.
\n
The significance of China's resistance extends beyond military triumph, because it challenged global inequality that had long subordinated the East to the West, and the countryside to the city.
\n
British historian Rana Mitter has argued that the Chinese people's war of resistance overturned the bourgeois notion that the countryside must bow to the city. By defeating the Japanese forces, which claimed to represent "civilization" and treated China as a backward country, the Chinese people awakened the spirit of national self-reliance. And by preventing the colonization of the Chinese nation and civilization, the Chinese people ensured the continuity of the world's only unbroken cultural tradition.
\n
In this sense, the war of resistance marked a turning point for China: from humiliation toward national rejuvenation, from backwardness toward modernization. The victory in the war of resistance was the first complete victory of the Chinese people against foreign invaders in modern times, reestablishing China as a major global power.
\n
The global significance of this history lies in its enduring lessons. World War II was not just a contest between armies but an existential battle for humanity itself. Auschwitz and Nanjing are searing reminders of fascism's cruelty. Victory against fascism was achieved through solidarity — through John Rabe in Nanjing, through Norman Bethune on China's front lines — and the united front of peoples across nations and ideologies.
\n
The world has once again reached a crossroads.
\n
In today's age of interdependence, no country alone can secure peace. The only path forward is solidarity and mutual respect — what China calls building a community with a shared future for humanity.
\n
The war of resistance embodied this idea long before the term existed. By linking national liberation with global survival, it demonstrated that the fate of nations is inseparable. It forged a spirit of sacrifice and resilience that continues to inspire people to resist imperialism, colonialism, and hegemony even today.
\n
Commemorating the 80th anniversary of the victory in the war of resistance against Japanese aggression and World War II is not about nursing nostalgia, but about keeping the spirit of resistance against injustice and fascism alive. The rise of new forms of extremism, terrorism and xenophobia shows that the poison of fascism remains a threat. Hence, the world must once again use its strongest weapon — unity — against injustice.
\n
As Marx and Engels noted, history becomes "world history" only when the destinies of nations interconnect. Our interconnected age demands that we move beyond cycles of dominance and conflict toward lasting peace and shared prosperity.
\n
The cry of "world unity" that resounded in the 1940s must echo again — not as a distant memory but as a living mission. The victory of the Chinese people against fascism laid the foundation of China's modernization and the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. More important, it left humanity a legacy: that by remaining united, people can defeat the darkest forces, and that only through cooperation can we safeguard civilization's future.
\n
The views don't necessarily represent those of China Daily.
\n",
- "content": "\n
'The peoples of China are at their most critical time, Everybody must roar his defiance." These words, immortalized in China's national anthem, capture not just a moment in history but a perennial truth about humanity's struggle against fascism and oppression. On 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, the spirit of that defiance continues to shape the world order — and can still call us to action.
\n
Chairman Mao Zedong reminded the world in 1939 that our enemy is a world enemy, and the war of resistance is a world war. Indeed, China was the first country to raise the banner of armed resistance against fascism. Its 14-year war of resistance was the longest in the World Anti-Fascist War and inflicted the heaviest losses on the Japanese army, which made China the main battlefield of the global war against fascism in the East.
\n
The war was not only a national fight for survival but a valuable contribution to world peace. From the guerrilla campaigns that denied Japan control over China's heartland to the sacrifices of ordinary farmers who rescued US pilots, Chinese people sustained the fight that stopped the advance of fascist forces in Asia.
\n
The significance of China's resistance extends beyond military triumph, because it challenged global inequality that had long subordinated the East to the West, and the countryside to the city.
\n
British historian Rana Mitter has argued that the Chinese people's war of resistance overturned the bourgeois notion that the countryside must bow to the city. By defeating the Japanese forces, which claimed to represent "civilization" and treated China as a backward country, the Chinese people awakened the spirit of national self-reliance. And by preventing the colonization of the Chinese nation and civilization, the Chinese people ensured the continuity of the world's only unbroken cultural tradition.
\n
In this sense, the war of resistance marked a turning point for China: from humiliation toward national rejuvenation, from backwardness toward modernization. The victory in the war of resistance was the first complete victory of the Chinese people against foreign invaders in modern times, reestablishing China as a major global power.
\n
The global significance of this history lies in its enduring lessons. World War II was not just a contest between armies but an existential battle for humanity itself. Auschwitz and Nanjing are searing reminders of fascism's cruelty. Victory against fascism was achieved through solidarity — through John Rabe in Nanjing, through Norman Bethune on China's front lines — and the united front of peoples across nations and ideologies.
\n
The world has once again reached a crossroads.
\n
In today's age of interdependence, no country alone can secure peace. The only path forward is solidarity and mutual respect — what China calls building a community with a shared future for humanity.
\n
The war of resistance embodied this idea long before the term existed. By linking national liberation with global survival, it demonstrated that the fate of nations is inseparable. It forged a spirit of sacrifice and resilience that continues to inspire people to resist imperialism, colonialism, and hegemony even today.
\n
Commemorating the 80th anniversary of the victory in the war of resistance against Japanese aggression and World War II is not about nursing nostalgia, but about keeping the spirit of resistance against injustice and fascism alive. The rise of new forms of extremism, terrorism and xenophobia shows that the poison of fascism remains a threat. Hence, the world must once again use its strongest weapon — unity — against injustice.
\n
As Marx and Engels noted, history becomes "world history" only when the destinies of nations interconnect. Our interconnected age demands that we move beyond cycles of dominance and conflict toward lasting peace and shared prosperity.
\n
The cry of "world unity" that resounded in the 1940s must echo again — not as a distant memory but as a living mission. The victory of the Chinese people against fascism laid the foundation of China's modernization and the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. More important, it left humanity a legacy: that by remaining united, people can defeat the darkest forces, and that only through cooperation can we safeguard civilization's future.
\n
The views don't necessarily represent those of China Daily.
\n",
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- "title": "004COMMENT - My first glimpse of China and its natural beauty after retirement",
- "description": "\n
Chen Weihua
\n
My friend thought I was crazy for taking a high-speed train, instead of a flight, from Shanghai to Kunming, Yunnan province, because a flight is both faster and cheaper than a high-speed train.
\n
Having not been able to travel much in my own country in the past 16 years, during which time I was posted as a China Daily foreign correspondent in the US and the European Union, I know what I have missed. I have closely followed the rapid development in China from thousands of kilometers away, but now I get to experience them in person.
\n
The ride on the 2,266-km Shanghai-Kunming high-speed rail was cut short by two hours on July 1 to about 9 hours and 30 minutes. The ride used to take more than 30 hours before China's high-speed trains began operating.
\n
Compared with a flight, the train ride from Shanghai to Kunming allowed me to see the different terrains in Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Hunan and Guizhou provinces before reaching Yunnan.
\n
The scenery, both urban and natural, that one enjoys from the train window, is well worth the long ride. Some cities along the route in Hunan and Guizhou are now on my next bucket list. The many train tunnels are truly engineering marvels, with the longest, 14.8-km Bibanpo tunnel, linking Guizhou and Yunnan being the highlight.
\n
China's "lucid waters and lush mountains" campaign has started to pay dividends. I have not seen the dark smoke coming out of chimneys that I saw everywhere 16 years ago. But some farmers are still resorting to the traditional agricultural practice of straw burning in open fields despite government regulations banning or restricting such behaviors across the country. The pollution and health hazards caused by straw burning are widely known.
\n
Kunming is a beautiful city and my favorite spots are two museums and historical sites. The National Southwestern Associated University was established by Peking University, Tsinghua University and Nankai University in 1937 following Imperial Japan's full-scale invasion of China. The Yunnan Military Academy, built in 1907, too, is amazing. Many graduates from the two schools have played vital roles in modern Chinese history.
\n
It's impossible to see everything in Yunnan, roughly the size of Germany, during one visit. My plan now as a retiree includes finding a place to escape the unbearable hot and sultry summer of my home city Shanghai. The one on my mind was Dali, from where I am writing this column. This is my first visit to the place, and I am enjoying the view of the serene Erhai Lake and the gorgeous Cangshan Mountain from the window of my room.
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Over the past two decades, Dali has become home to many foreigners and Chinese people from other places who are charmed by its beauty. Its old town is often more vibrant at night than in the daytime. A couple of my former colleagues have even purchased property here. One runs a bar, the other vacation rentals.
\n
Business is not easy, according to the one who owns homestays on both sides of the lake, but his love for Dali has not diminished.
\n
I don't know if I will end up in Dali, but I, too, have been charmed by its beauty. There are many more cities in Yunnan I intend to explore during this trip, including Lijiang and Shangri-La that I had visited 20 years ago. I had tried to visit Lugu Lake twice then, but failed both times because landslides had blocked the only road leading to the lake. I hope to be lucky this time.
\n
My ancestral hometown is Fuding in Fujian province which is famous for its white tea. But my late father once told me that our ancestors actually moved from central China to Yunnan and then Fujian, all probably in the past 800 to 1,000 years. As such, I have an attachment with Yunnan in a certain sense.
\n
The great thing about traveling in China today is that high-speed rails and highway systems have made once inaccessible places easily reachable. Car rentals are everywhere. And internet connection is great even in many small towns and villages.
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chenweihua@chinadaily.com.cn
\n",
- "content": "\n
Chen Weihua
\n
My friend thought I was crazy for taking a high-speed train, instead of a flight, from Shanghai to Kunming, Yunnan province, because a flight is both faster and cheaper than a high-speed train.
\n
Having not been able to travel much in my own country in the past 16 years, during which time I was posted as a China Daily foreign correspondent in the US and the European Union, I know what I have missed. I have closely followed the rapid development in China from thousands of kilometers away, but now I get to experience them in person.
\n
The ride on the 2,266-km Shanghai-Kunming high-speed rail was cut short by two hours on July 1 to about 9 hours and 30 minutes. The ride used to take more than 30 hours before China's high-speed trains began operating.
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Compared with a flight, the train ride from Shanghai to Kunming allowed me to see the different terrains in Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Hunan and Guizhou provinces before reaching Yunnan.
\n
The scenery, both urban and natural, that one enjoys from the train window, is well worth the long ride. Some cities along the route in Hunan and Guizhou are now on my next bucket list. The many train tunnels are truly engineering marvels, with the longest, 14.8-km Bibanpo tunnel, linking Guizhou and Yunnan being the highlight.
\n
China's "lucid waters and lush mountains" campaign has started to pay dividends. I have not seen the dark smoke coming out of chimneys that I saw everywhere 16 years ago. But some farmers are still resorting to the traditional agricultural practice of straw burning in open fields despite government regulations banning or restricting such behaviors across the country. The pollution and health hazards caused by straw burning are widely known.
\n
Kunming is a beautiful city and my favorite spots are two museums and historical sites. The National Southwestern Associated University was established by Peking University, Tsinghua University and Nankai University in 1937 following Imperial Japan's full-scale invasion of China. The Yunnan Military Academy, built in 1907, too, is amazing. Many graduates from the two schools have played vital roles in modern Chinese history.
\n
It's impossible to see everything in Yunnan, roughly the size of Germany, during one visit. My plan now as a retiree includes finding a place to escape the unbearable hot and sultry summer of my home city Shanghai. The one on my mind was Dali, from where I am writing this column. This is my first visit to the place, and I am enjoying the view of the serene Erhai Lake and the gorgeous Cangshan Mountain from the window of my room.
\n
Over the past two decades, Dali has become home to many foreigners and Chinese people from other places who are charmed by its beauty. Its old town is often more vibrant at night than in the daytime. A couple of my former colleagues have even purchased property here. One runs a bar, the other vacation rentals.
\n
Business is not easy, according to the one who owns homestays on both sides of the lake, but his love for Dali has not diminished.
\n
I don't know if I will end up in Dali, but I, too, have been charmed by its beauty. There are many more cities in Yunnan I intend to explore during this trip, including Lijiang and Shangri-La that I had visited 20 years ago. I had tried to visit Lugu Lake twice then, but failed both times because landslides had blocked the only road leading to the lake. I hope to be lucky this time.
\n
My ancestral hometown is Fuding in Fujian province which is famous for its white tea. But my late father once told me that our ancestors actually moved from central China to Yunnan and then Fujian, all probably in the past 800 to 1,000 years. As such, I have an attachment with Yunnan in a certain sense.
\n
The great thing about traveling in China today is that high-speed rails and highway systems have made once inaccessible places easily reachable. Car rentals are everywhere. And internet connection is great even in many small towns and villages.
'Different strokes for different folks" applies as much to dining as to anything else. Food preferences are not just about flavors; they are also about where the ingredients come from, how they are processed, and what cooking methods are used. Which of these details should be disclosed to consumers is not only a marketing decision for many restaurants but also a regulatory question. Left unchecked, incomplete or misleading information could spark disputes, damage trust and even raise food safety concerns.
\n
The controversy over "pre-made" dishes in China shows just how divisive this issue has become. Some diners welcome convenience, while others reject the lack of wok hei (the smoky freshness of stir-fry). Yet whichever side people are on, one thing is clear: they prefer to be kept "well-informed".
\n
However, there is a sharp perception gap between what consumers seek and what restaurant operators offer. Equally important, legislation on food product labeling has not kept pace with the fast-paced changes in the food and agricultural industries; there isn't even a consensus on what exactly counts as a pre-made dish.
\n
The rising sales of premade dishes in China can be attributed to the rapid industrialization of the dining sector. To meet the demand for speedy service, and a wide variety and scale of dishes, restaurants nowadays increasingly rely on semi-finished dishes sourced from their "central kitchens". These dishes are stored, shipped and reheated in branch outlets. The same model powers meal delivery platforms, where standardized packs dominate. Frozen and/or shelf-stable pre-prepared meals have entered households across the country.
\n
But despite the growing efficiency of the industry, consumer concerns have increased. In practice, restaurateurs tend not to see their offerings as pre-made. But consumers often do, because they focus on how the food is sourced and prepared.
\n
This clash of perspectives matters. A dish that comes out of the kitchen is a "restaurant meal", regardless of whether its sauce was mixed and packaged in a factory. Yet outsourcing preparatory work changes the essence of the meal. It affects price, freshness, and even the cultural meaning of a dish. Globally, food law has increasingly tilted toward this process-oriented approach, demanding transparency in areas from irradiated and genetically modified foods to organic labels.
\n
How, then, should pre-made dishes be regulated? The answer depends on whether we treat them as a product or a process. If they are treated as products, legislators could adopt a "menu-style" approach while drafting regulations, and setting specific rules for each type of pre-made dish. But given the diversity of Chinese cuisine, it would be impractical and stifling. Instead, broad rules on additives, hygiene and labeling, already applied to packaged foods, would be more realistic.
\n
If the focus is on the process, consumers would want to know whether the dishes they ordered were made from scratch or prepared industrially, not because one is inherently safer, but because it reflects values such as sustainability, tradition, taste and price sensitivity. And process transparency allows consumers to make meaningful choices, much like organic or fair-trade labels do.
\n
Both approaches have to follow a common principle: the labels must not be misleading. The government recognizes the importance of pre-made food as an industry. The 2023 "No. 1 central document" explicitly encouraged its growth, and the government is working to set national standards. With the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30) to be implemented next year, some local governments, too, are building industrial bases to boost the production of pre-made dishes. For policymakers, the challenge is to nurture this economic opportunity while safeguarding consumer trust.
\n
To do that, however, the companies need to adhere to the principle of transparency. Voluntary labeling by businesses can help even niche consumer groups, which have higher expectations, make informed choices, and could even allow restaurants to position themselves as different from others.
\n
But bridging the gap between public perception and professional definition requires more than just rules. It calls for sustained communication about what is pre-made food and what is not. Done right, regulations can ensure consumer choice and trust, industrial innovation and cultural confidence all grow together.
\n
The views don't necessarily represent those of China Daily.
\n",
- "content": "\n
'Different strokes for different folks" applies as much to dining as to anything else. Food preferences are not just about flavors; they are also about where the ingredients come from, how they are processed, and what cooking methods are used. Which of these details should be disclosed to consumers is not only a marketing decision for many restaurants but also a regulatory question. Left unchecked, incomplete or misleading information could spark disputes, damage trust and even raise food safety concerns.
\n
The controversy over "pre-made" dishes in China shows just how divisive this issue has become. Some diners welcome convenience, while others reject the lack of wok hei (the smoky freshness of stir-fry). Yet whichever side people are on, one thing is clear: they prefer to be kept "well-informed".
\n
However, there is a sharp perception gap between what consumers seek and what restaurant operators offer. Equally important, legislation on food product labeling has not kept pace with the fast-paced changes in the food and agricultural industries; there isn't even a consensus on what exactly counts as a pre-made dish.
\n
The rising sales of premade dishes in China can be attributed to the rapid industrialization of the dining sector. To meet the demand for speedy service, and a wide variety and scale of dishes, restaurants nowadays increasingly rely on semi-finished dishes sourced from their "central kitchens". These dishes are stored, shipped and reheated in branch outlets. The same model powers meal delivery platforms, where standardized packs dominate. Frozen and/or shelf-stable pre-prepared meals have entered households across the country.
\n
But despite the growing efficiency of the industry, consumer concerns have increased. In practice, restaurateurs tend not to see their offerings as pre-made. But consumers often do, because they focus on how the food is sourced and prepared.
\n
This clash of perspectives matters. A dish that comes out of the kitchen is a "restaurant meal", regardless of whether its sauce was mixed and packaged in a factory. Yet outsourcing preparatory work changes the essence of the meal. It affects price, freshness, and even the cultural meaning of a dish. Globally, food law has increasingly tilted toward this process-oriented approach, demanding transparency in areas from irradiated and genetically modified foods to organic labels.
\n
How, then, should pre-made dishes be regulated? The answer depends on whether we treat them as a product or a process. If they are treated as products, legislators could adopt a "menu-style" approach while drafting regulations, and setting specific rules for each type of pre-made dish. But given the diversity of Chinese cuisine, it would be impractical and stifling. Instead, broad rules on additives, hygiene and labeling, already applied to packaged foods, would be more realistic.
\n
If the focus is on the process, consumers would want to know whether the dishes they ordered were made from scratch or prepared industrially, not because one is inherently safer, but because it reflects values such as sustainability, tradition, taste and price sensitivity. And process transparency allows consumers to make meaningful choices, much like organic or fair-trade labels do.
\n
Both approaches have to follow a common principle: the labels must not be misleading. The government recognizes the importance of pre-made food as an industry. The 2023 "No. 1 central document" explicitly encouraged its growth, and the government is working to set national standards. With the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30) to be implemented next year, some local governments, too, are building industrial bases to boost the production of pre-made dishes. For policymakers, the challenge is to nurture this economic opportunity while safeguarding consumer trust.
\n
To do that, however, the companies need to adhere to the principle of transparency. Voluntary labeling by businesses can help even niche consumer groups, which have higher expectations, make informed choices, and could even allow restaurants to position themselves as different from others.
\n
But bridging the gap between public perception and professional definition requires more than just rules. It calls for sustained communication about what is pre-made food and what is not. Done right, regulations can ensure consumer choice and trust, industrial innovation and cultural confidence all grow together.
\n
The views don't necessarily represent those of China Daily.
WASHINGTON — US President Donald Trump said on Thursday that he will meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Budapest, Hungary, for talks aimed at ending the Russia-Ukraine conflict, following a phone conversation between the two leaders.
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"I have just concluded my telephone conversation with President Vladimir Putin of Russia, and it was a very productive one," said Trump on Truth Social.
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"We also spent a great deal of time talking about trade between Russia and the United States when the war with Ukraine is over," he said.
\n
"I believe great progress was made with today's telephone conversation," he added.
\n
Trump said the two countries agreed to hold a high-level advisers' meeting next week, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio leading the US delegation, adding that the meeting location is to be determined.
\n
"President Putin and I will then meet in an agreed-upon location, Budapest, Hungary, to see if we can bring this 'inglorious' war between Russia and Ukraine to an end," Trump said.
\n
The phone call came one day ahead of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's visit to the White House.
\n
Trump did not give a date for the meeting in Budapest, which would be his second with Putin since returning to office. The pair met in Alaska in August without a breakthrough in ending the conflict in Ukraine.
\n
The Kremlin said it would start "immediately" preparing the summit following the "extremely frank and trustful" call.
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Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will speak in the coming days to prepare a new summit between Trump and Putin, a Kremlin aide said on Thursday.
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The official, Yuri Ushakov, said the timing of the summit would depend on how the preparatory work progressed.
\n
The White House had seemed in recent days to be leaning toward granting Zelensky fresh support and was increasingly frustrated with Putin.
\n
During the call, Putin told Trump that supplying long-range missiles to Ukraine would harm the peace process and damage US-Russia ties, Ushakov told reporters.
\n
"What do you think he's going to say, 'Please sell Tomahawks?'" Trump later joked with reporters. "No, he doesn't want Tomahawks given to Ukraine," Trump added, calling them a "vicious weapon".
\n
Zelensky, already in Washington, said Putin's decision to seek talks showed he was on the defensive. "We can already see that Moscow is rushing to resume dialogue as soon as it hears about Tomahawks," he said on X.
\n
The Hungarian location selected for the Trump-Putin summit has drawn attention.
\n
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said on Thursday that Hungary is ready to host such talks.
\n
He described the planned meeting as "great news for the peace-loving people of the world", adding that Hungary is ready to facilitate the talks.
\n
"Budapest is essentially the only place in Europe today where such a meeting could be held," Orban said. "For three years, we have been the only country that has consistently, openly, loudly, and actively advocated for peace."
\n
Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said on Facebook that he had spoken to US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau and Lavrov late on Thursday.
\n
Kyiv and Moscow have been escalating their fighting with massive attacks on energy infrastructure.
\n
Ukraine wants missiles that would put Moscow and other major Russian cities within its range of fire. In its latest barrage, Russia launched more than 300 drones and 37 missiles to target infrastructure across Ukraine in overnight attacks on Thursday, Zelensky said. Kyiv has ramped up its own attacks on Russian targets, including an oil refinery in the Saratov region on Thursday.
\n",
- "content": "
WASHINGTON — US President Donald Trump said on Thursday that he will meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Budapest, Hungary, for talks aimed at ending the Russia-Ukraine conflict, following a phone conversation between the two leaders.
\n
"I have just concluded my telephone conversation with President Vladimir Putin of Russia, and it was a very productive one," said Trump on Truth Social.
\n
"We also spent a great deal of time talking about trade between Russia and the United States when the war with Ukraine is over," he said.
\n
"I believe great progress was made with today's telephone conversation," he added.
\n
Trump said the two countries agreed to hold a high-level advisers' meeting next week, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio leading the US delegation, adding that the meeting location is to be determined.
\n
"President Putin and I will then meet in an agreed-upon location, Budapest, Hungary, to see if we can bring this 'inglorious' war between Russia and Ukraine to an end," Trump said.
\n
The phone call came one day ahead of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's visit to the White House.
\n
Trump did not give a date for the meeting in Budapest, which would be his second with Putin since returning to office. The pair met in Alaska in August without a breakthrough in ending the conflict in Ukraine.
\n
The Kremlin said it would start "immediately" preparing the summit following the "extremely frank and trustful" call.
\n
Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will speak in the coming days to prepare a new summit between Trump and Putin, a Kremlin aide said on Thursday.
\n
The official, Yuri Ushakov, said the timing of the summit would depend on how the preparatory work progressed.
\n
The White House had seemed in recent days to be leaning toward granting Zelensky fresh support and was increasingly frustrated with Putin.
\n
During the call, Putin told Trump that supplying long-range missiles to Ukraine would harm the peace process and damage US-Russia ties, Ushakov told reporters.
\n
"What do you think he's going to say, 'Please sell Tomahawks?'" Trump later joked with reporters. "No, he doesn't want Tomahawks given to Ukraine," Trump added, calling them a "vicious weapon".
\n
Zelensky, already in Washington, said Putin's decision to seek talks showed he was on the defensive. "We can already see that Moscow is rushing to resume dialogue as soon as it hears about Tomahawks," he said on X.
\n
The Hungarian location selected for the Trump-Putin summit has drawn attention.
\n
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said on Thursday that Hungary is ready to host such talks.
\n
He described the planned meeting as "great news for the peace-loving people of the world", adding that Hungary is ready to facilitate the talks.
\n
"Budapest is essentially the only place in Europe today where such a meeting could be held," Orban said. "For three years, we have been the only country that has consistently, openly, loudly, and actively advocated for peace."
\n
Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said on Facebook that he had spoken to US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau and Lavrov late on Thursday.
\n
Kyiv and Moscow have been escalating their fighting with massive attacks on energy infrastructure.
\n
Ukraine wants missiles that would put Moscow and other major Russian cities within its range of fire. In its latest barrage, Russia launched more than 300 drones and 37 missiles to target infrastructure across Ukraine in overnight attacks on Thursday, Zelensky said. Kyiv has ramped up its own attacks on Russian targets, including an oil refinery in the Saratov region on Thursday.
A view of the severe destruction in a Gaza neighborhood on Thursday following the Israeli army's withdrawal from Gaza City.
\n
The Palestinian prime minister has unveiled a three-phase recovery and reconstruction plan for Gaza, estimated to cost $67 billion and span five years. But both Israel and Hamas are blaming each other for breaking the United States-backed truce, which has raised hopes of ending the conflict and relieving the famine there.
\n
Speaking at a meeting with international partners on Thursday in the West Bank city of Ramallah, Mohammad Mustafa said the government has put in place a unified framework for Gaza recovery and reconstruction. This program builds directly on the Gaza Recovery, Reconstruction & Development Plan, adopted by the Extraordinary Arab Summit in Cairo in March 2025, and is in line with UN relevant resolutions and the New York Declaration.
\n
He outlined that the first phase, focused on meeting urgent humanitarian and infrastructure needs, will last six months at a cost of $3.5 billion, according to WAFA News Agency. The second phase, lasting three years, will require $30 billion, while the final phase will focus on completing reconstruction and long-term recovery.
\n
Mustafa said: "Our message to the international community is clear: Gaza's reconstruction must be Palestinian-led, Arab-backed, and internationally supported, ensuring not only the rebuilding of Gaza but also the restoration of hope, dignity, and stability for its people."
\n
Israel, however, opposes any role for the Palestinian Authority or Palestinian military group Hamas in governing Gaza after the two-year conflict, which has left 68,000 Palestinians dead, more than 170,000 others injured and most Gaza neighborhoods unlivable in rubble.
\n
Under the Israel-Hamas deal, which took effect on Oct 10, the first phase of the ceasefire includes Israeli troop withdrawals from Gaza City, Rafah, Khan Younis and the north, the exchange of hostages and prisoners, and the opening of five crossings for aid. Since last week, Hamas has released 20 Israeli captives alive and handed over 10 hostages' bodies, while Israel has freed around 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and detainees.
\n
But Israel still stations troops in about half of Gaza territory, and has tied the return of deceased hostages to the desperately needed humanitarian aid. It demanded that Hamas return the bodies of the 19 deceased hostages it had not handed over. The group said it has handed over all bodies it could recover. The handover of more bodies would require the entry of heavy machinery and excavating equipment into the enclave, and the withdrawal of Israeli troops in southern Gaza, where the hostages died.
\n
Also on Thursday, a senior Hamas official accused Israel of flouting the deal by killing at least 24 people since Oct 10, and said a list of such violations was handed over to mediators. "The occupying state is working day and night to undermine the agreement through its violations on the ground," he told Al Jazeera.
\n
Related parties are expected to negotiate on the second phase of the ceasefire within days, with Hamas demanding a complete end to the conflict and a full Israeli withdrawal. Israel said the next phase of the 20-point blueprint proposed by US President Donald Trump calls for Hamas to disarm and cede power, which it has so far refused to do.
\n
Trump on Thursday threatened to "go in and kill" Hamas members after a video surfaced showing gunmen allegedly linked to the group carrying out a public execution of Israeli-backed militants in Gaza.
\n
"If Hamas continues to kill people in Gaza, which was not the deal, we will have no choice but to go in and kill them," Trump wrote on social media.
\n
Meanwhile, trucks carrying aid for Gaza were again kept waiting to enter from Egypt on Thursday, with Israel remaining vague on when the Rafah crossing might open.
\n
Israeli government spokeswoman Shosh Bedrosian said only that Rafah would be open "in the future" and that aid was entering Gaza via other routes. Defense Minister Israel Katz went as far as to warn that Israel would resume fighting in Gaza if its demands are not met.
\n
Xinhua and agencies contributed to this story.
\n
cuihaipei@chinadaily.com.cn
\n",
- "content": "\n
A view of the severe destruction in a Gaza neighborhood on Thursday following the Israeli army's withdrawal from Gaza City.
\n
The Palestinian prime minister has unveiled a three-phase recovery and reconstruction plan for Gaza, estimated to cost $67 billion and span five years. But both Israel and Hamas are blaming each other for breaking the United States-backed truce, which has raised hopes of ending the conflict and relieving the famine there.
\n
Speaking at a meeting with international partners on Thursday in the West Bank city of Ramallah, Mohammad Mustafa said the government has put in place a unified framework for Gaza recovery and reconstruction. This program builds directly on the Gaza Recovery, Reconstruction & Development Plan, adopted by the Extraordinary Arab Summit in Cairo in March 2025, and is in line with UN relevant resolutions and the New York Declaration.
\n
He outlined that the first phase, focused on meeting urgent humanitarian and infrastructure needs, will last six months at a cost of $3.5 billion, according to WAFA News Agency. The second phase, lasting three years, will require $30 billion, while the final phase will focus on completing reconstruction and long-term recovery.
\n
Mustafa said: "Our message to the international community is clear: Gaza's reconstruction must be Palestinian-led, Arab-backed, and internationally supported, ensuring not only the rebuilding of Gaza but also the restoration of hope, dignity, and stability for its people."
\n
Israel, however, opposes any role for the Palestinian Authority or Palestinian military group Hamas in governing Gaza after the two-year conflict, which has left 68,000 Palestinians dead, more than 170,000 others injured and most Gaza neighborhoods unlivable in rubble.
\n
Under the Israel-Hamas deal, which took effect on Oct 10, the first phase of the ceasefire includes Israeli troop withdrawals from Gaza City, Rafah, Khan Younis and the north, the exchange of hostages and prisoners, and the opening of five crossings for aid. Since last week, Hamas has released 20 Israeli captives alive and handed over 10 hostages' bodies, while Israel has freed around 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and detainees.
\n
But Israel still stations troops in about half of Gaza territory, and has tied the return of deceased hostages to the desperately needed humanitarian aid. It demanded that Hamas return the bodies of the 19 deceased hostages it had not handed over. The group said it has handed over all bodies it could recover. The handover of more bodies would require the entry of heavy machinery and excavating equipment into the enclave, and the withdrawal of Israeli troops in southern Gaza, where the hostages died.
\n
Also on Thursday, a senior Hamas official accused Israel of flouting the deal by killing at least 24 people since Oct 10, and said a list of such violations was handed over to mediators. "The occupying state is working day and night to undermine the agreement through its violations on the ground," he told Al Jazeera.
\n
Related parties are expected to negotiate on the second phase of the ceasefire within days, with Hamas demanding a complete end to the conflict and a full Israeli withdrawal. Israel said the next phase of the 20-point blueprint proposed by US President Donald Trump calls for Hamas to disarm and cede power, which it has so far refused to do.
\n
Trump on Thursday threatened to "go in and kill" Hamas members after a video surfaced showing gunmen allegedly linked to the group carrying out a public execution of Israeli-backed militants in Gaza.
\n
"If Hamas continues to kill people in Gaza, which was not the deal, we will have no choice but to go in and kill them," Trump wrote on social media.
\n
Meanwhile, trucks carrying aid for Gaza were again kept waiting to enter from Egypt on Thursday, with Israel remaining vague on when the Rafah crossing might open.
\n
Israeli government spokeswoman Shosh Bedrosian said only that Rafah would be open "in the future" and that aid was entering Gaza via other routes. Defense Minister Israel Katz went as far as to warn that Israel would resume fighting in Gaza if its demands are not met.
The September unemployment rate is unavailable due to the federal government shutdown, but the ADP National Employment Report showed that the private sector eliminated 32,000 jobs in September compared to the same period a year ago.
\n
The report was produced by ADP Research, an institute on labor market and employee performance research, and the Stanford Digital Economy Lab.
\n
"Despite the strong economic growth we saw in the second quarter, this month's release further validates what we've been seeing in the labor market, that US employers have been cautious with hiring," Nela Richardson, chief economist at ADP, said in a statement.
\n
Major job posting site Indeed reported that as of Sept 26, the number of job openings had dropped by 2.5 percent compared to August. Its data showed that almost all sectors — with the sole exception of banking and financing — posted fewer jobs than a year ago.
\n
About one-third of all 45 professional sectors declined by more than 10 percent. Scientific research and development showed the largest drop, with almost a quarter fewer jobs available compared to a year ago.
\n
According to BioSpace — a site for life science news and jobs — companies in the biotech and pharma sector are expected to lay off 24,000 employees in the third quarter.
\n
For many individuals looking for a job, the reality on the ground is harsh.
\n
Chuck, whose last name was withheld for privacy, graduated from the University of Texas at Austin last summer with a bachelor's degree in computer science. He is losing hope of finding a job after more than a year.
\n
"I have applied for hundreds and hundreds of positions, but I got only a few responses, three phone interviews, one Zoom interview and zero offers," he told China Daily. "I am considering applying for graduate school instead because so far it has been impossible for me to land a job."
\n
Timothy, whose last name was withheld for privacy, is a computer engineer in his mid-30s in Dallas. He regrets leaving his previous job at the end of last year.
\n
Having never found it hard to land a new position before, he decided to take a break last year as the Christmas season was approaching. He began trying to re-enter the job market in April.
\n
To his surprise and dismay, nothing has materialized.
\n
"I have never experienced a job market this bad. I was in and out of a job a few times, but I was always able to get one within a month or two, often getting multiple offers. Now I feel quite desperate," Timothy said.
\n
What job recruiters are seeing confirms the tough reality for those job hunters.
\n
David Leshowitz, senior vice-president of Management Recruiters in Boston, told Boston's NPR station WBUR that his company is getting fewer calls from companies demanding workers.
\n
"There used to be five, six, seven opportunities for every candidate that we would recruit," Leshowitz told WBUR. "Maybe now there's only one opportunity."
\n
One recruiter posted on Reddit: "We are in a recession. There are fewer jobs than people applying for those jobs. Salaries are decreasing, not increasing, and the options you have are fewer."
\n
"This is one of the worst times since 2008 to be a job seeker," the recruiter wrote.
\n
According to a USA Today report, some states are already in a recession based on Moody's analysis.
\n
The report showed that 21 states and the District of Columbia, which contribute about a third of US economic activity, are already in a recession. An additional 13 states, representing another third of the economy, are treading water. The remaining 16 states, including Texas and Florida, are growing.
\n
The analysis said that as a whole, the US is on the edge of recession, defined as a significant decline in economic activity across the economy, lasting more than a few months.
\n
Economic experts said that economic uncertainty, created by President Donald Trump's tariff policy and his sometimes quick and sudden decisions, has many companies holding off on investment plans and hiring decisions.
\n
"One of my students works in the supply chain for a major manufacturer. They're obviously going to have to make some new investments to save money, but they can't yet because the policy is so vague," Ed Hirs, a lecturer at the Department of Economics at the University of Houston, told China Daily in a previous interview.
\n
mayzhou@chinadailyusa.com
\n",
- "content": "
The September unemployment rate is unavailable due to the federal government shutdown, but the ADP National Employment Report showed that the private sector eliminated 32,000 jobs in September compared to the same period a year ago.
\n
The report was produced by ADP Research, an institute on labor market and employee performance research, and the Stanford Digital Economy Lab.
\n
"Despite the strong economic growth we saw in the second quarter, this month's release further validates what we've been seeing in the labor market, that US employers have been cautious with hiring," Nela Richardson, chief economist at ADP, said in a statement.
\n
Major job posting site Indeed reported that as of Sept 26, the number of job openings had dropped by 2.5 percent compared to August. Its data showed that almost all sectors — with the sole exception of banking and financing — posted fewer jobs than a year ago.
\n
About one-third of all 45 professional sectors declined by more than 10 percent. Scientific research and development showed the largest drop, with almost a quarter fewer jobs available compared to a year ago.
\n
According to BioSpace — a site for life science news and jobs — companies in the biotech and pharma sector are expected to lay off 24,000 employees in the third quarter.
\n
For many individuals looking for a job, the reality on the ground is harsh.
\n
Chuck, whose last name was withheld for privacy, graduated from the University of Texas at Austin last summer with a bachelor's degree in computer science. He is losing hope of finding a job after more than a year.
\n
"I have applied for hundreds and hundreds of positions, but I got only a few responses, three phone interviews, one Zoom interview and zero offers," he told China Daily. "I am considering applying for graduate school instead because so far it has been impossible for me to land a job."
\n
Timothy, whose last name was withheld for privacy, is a computer engineer in his mid-30s in Dallas. He regrets leaving his previous job at the end of last year.
\n
Having never found it hard to land a new position before, he decided to take a break last year as the Christmas season was approaching. He began trying to re-enter the job market in April.
\n
To his surprise and dismay, nothing has materialized.
\n
"I have never experienced a job market this bad. I was in and out of a job a few times, but I was always able to get one within a month or two, often getting multiple offers. Now I feel quite desperate," Timothy said.
\n
What job recruiters are seeing confirms the tough reality for those job hunters.
\n
David Leshowitz, senior vice-president of Management Recruiters in Boston, told Boston's NPR station WBUR that his company is getting fewer calls from companies demanding workers.
\n
"There used to be five, six, seven opportunities for every candidate that we would recruit," Leshowitz told WBUR. "Maybe now there's only one opportunity."
\n
One recruiter posted on Reddit: "We are in a recession. There are fewer jobs than people applying for those jobs. Salaries are decreasing, not increasing, and the options you have are fewer."
\n
"This is one of the worst times since 2008 to be a job seeker," the recruiter wrote.
\n
According to a USA Today report, some states are already in a recession based on Moody's analysis.
\n
The report showed that 21 states and the District of Columbia, which contribute about a third of US economic activity, are already in a recession. An additional 13 states, representing another third of the economy, are treading water. The remaining 16 states, including Texas and Florida, are growing.
\n
The analysis said that as a whole, the US is on the edge of recession, defined as a significant decline in economic activity across the economy, lasting more than a few months.
\n
Economic experts said that economic uncertainty, created by President Donald Trump's tariff policy and his sometimes quick and sudden decisions, has many companies holding off on investment plans and hiring decisions.
\n
"One of my students works in the supply chain for a major manufacturer. They're obviously going to have to make some new investments to save money, but they can't yet because the policy is so vague," Ed Hirs, a lecturer at the Department of Economics at the University of Houston, told China Daily in a previous interview.
A helicopter flies over mourners to disperse the crowd in Nairobi, Kenya, on Thursday, after the arrival of the body of former Kenyan prime minister Raila Odinga, who had been receiving medical treatment in India when he died.
\n",
- "content": "
A helicopter flies over mourners to disperse the crowd in Nairobi, Kenya, on Thursday, after the arrival of the body of former Kenyan prime minister Raila Odinga, who had been receiving medical treatment in India when he died.
Japan's lower house scheduling committee board has agreed to hold a parliamentary vote to select the next prime minister on Oct 21, a senior committee member told Reuters on Friday. While the Liberal Democratic Party, led by its new leader Sanae Takaichi, proposed the date, opposition parties objected to the schedule, citing ongoing coalition talks. The LDP has approached the right-leaning opposition Japan Innovation Party in a bid to secure a majority vote and expand its coalition, which would enable Takaichi to become Japan's first female prime minister. A number of diplomatic events await the new prime minister toward the end of the month, from summits in Malaysia and South Korea to US President Donald Trump's expected visit to Japan.
\n
YEMEN
\n
Houthis say military chief killed in attack
\n
An Israeli attack has killed the military chief of Houthi militants, the group said on Thursday, threatening revenge. Major General Mohammed al-Ghamari died in "honorable battle against the Israeli enemy", a statement said, without giving further details. Ghamari died alongside "companions" and his 13-year-old son, the Houthi statement said, without giving the date of the attack. The general staff headquarters was among the targets of the last major Israeli airstrike on Yemen in late September, Israel said at the time. But Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz posted on X on Thursday that Ghamari "died of his wounds" after a strike in August.
\n
MADAGASCAR
\n
Randrianirina sworn in as president
\n
Colonel Michael Randrianirina, a military officer, was sworn in on Friday as the president of Madagascar in the capital, Antananarivo. Randrianirina said earlier that the military had taken power and dissolved all institutions except the lower house of parliament. He also said that a committee led by the military would rule for up to two years alongside a transitional government.
\n
PAKISTAN
\n
Suicide attack kills 7 soldiers near border
\n
Seven Pakistani soldiers were killed in a suicide attack near the Afghan border on Friday, Pakistani security officials said, amid a fragile ceasefire between Islamabad and Kabul that paused days of intense fighting between the former allies this month. The neighbors engaged in fierce ground fighting, and Pakistan also launched airstrikes across their contested frontier, killing dozens and wounding hundreds, before they reached a 48-hour truce that ended at 13:00 local time on Friday.
\n",
- "content": "
JAPAN
\n
Parliament agrees on next leader vote
\n
Japan's lower house scheduling committee board has agreed to hold a parliamentary vote to select the next prime minister on Oct 21, a senior committee member told Reuters on Friday. While the Liberal Democratic Party, led by its new leader Sanae Takaichi, proposed the date, opposition parties objected to the schedule, citing ongoing coalition talks. The LDP has approached the right-leaning opposition Japan Innovation Party in a bid to secure a majority vote and expand its coalition, which would enable Takaichi to become Japan's first female prime minister. A number of diplomatic events await the new prime minister toward the end of the month, from summits in Malaysia and South Korea to US President Donald Trump's expected visit to Japan.
\n
YEMEN
\n
Houthis say military chief killed in attack
\n
An Israeli attack has killed the military chief of Houthi militants, the group said on Thursday, threatening revenge. Major General Mohammed al-Ghamari died in "honorable battle against the Israeli enemy", a statement said, without giving further details. Ghamari died alongside "companions" and his 13-year-old son, the Houthi statement said, without giving the date of the attack. The general staff headquarters was among the targets of the last major Israeli airstrike on Yemen in late September, Israel said at the time. But Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz posted on X on Thursday that Ghamari "died of his wounds" after a strike in August.
\n
MADAGASCAR
\n
Randrianirina sworn in as president
\n
Colonel Michael Randrianirina, a military officer, was sworn in on Friday as the president of Madagascar in the capital, Antananarivo. Randrianirina said earlier that the military had taken power and dissolved all institutions except the lower house of parliament. He also said that a committee led by the military would rule for up to two years alongside a transitional government.
\n
PAKISTAN
\n
Suicide attack kills 7 soldiers near border
\n
Seven Pakistani soldiers were killed in a suicide attack near the Afghan border on Friday, Pakistani security officials said, amid a fragile ceasefire between Islamabad and Kabul that paused days of intense fighting between the former allies this month. The neighbors engaged in fierce ground fighting, and Pakistan also launched airstrikes across their contested frontier, killing dozens and wounding hundreds, before they reached a 48-hour truce that ended at 13:00 local time on Friday.
Engineers at the Aviation Industry Corp of China are working on at least two new types of new-energy aircraft with vertical takeoff and landing capability, hoping to meet demand for such craft in the market.
\n
Feng Weichao, a senior designer at the China Helicopter Research and Development Institute, an AVIC subsidiary, said in Tianjin on Friday that engineers at his institute have built an unmanned prototype of the AR-E3000 electric-powered vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, and conducted the prototype's maiden flight in July.
\n
"The test flight took place in Jingdezhen, Jiangxi province, and lasted about five minutes. We checked the model's performance in terms of hovering and flying forward and backward," he said, adding that more test flights are planned to examine its overall capability.
\n
The AR-E3000 has advantages such as low carbon emission, adaptability to plateau environment, good operational economy and versatility, and a high safety level. It can meet the needs of air transportation, aerial sightseeing, and emergency response in urban regions. It can also be used for point-to-point delivery in plateaus, islands and other remote areas, Feng told China Daily on the sidelines of the 7th China Helicopter Exposition that opened in Tianjin on Thursday.
\n
According to information published by the institute, the AR-E3000 has a maximum takeoff weight of 2.3 metric tons, a carrying capacity of 450 kilograms, and a top speed of 280 kilometers per hour.
\n
The craft is able to operate for one hour and can fly 200 km when fully loaded.
\n
Another unmanned type, which has yet to be given a name, is still in the midst of design work and will have a larger body.
\n
The new model will be propelled by six electric motors and powered by a hybrid power pack. It will be specifically suitable for operations in plateaus, especially transport tasks.
\n
The drone can carry 600 kg of payloads and fly about 600 km, and will have a maximum cruise speed of 380 km per hour.
\n
"Compared with conventional helicopters, electric or hybrid-power tiltrotor aircraft is less susceptible to high altitudes' impact on engine performance thanks to the use of electric batteries," Feng explained.
\n
He noted that in the future, along with the improvement of batteries and engines, the new aircraft will have big potential in civilian and military fields.
\n
"Currently, both of their prototypes are unmanned. We can develop manned variants if there are market demands. In addition, we can enlarge their size and give them bigger capacity based on users' requirement," the designer said.
\n
zhaolei@chinadaily.com.cn
\n",
- "content": "\n
Engineers at the Aviation Industry Corp of China are working on at least two new types of new-energy aircraft with vertical takeoff and landing capability, hoping to meet demand for such craft in the market.
\n
Feng Weichao, a senior designer at the China Helicopter Research and Development Institute, an AVIC subsidiary, said in Tianjin on Friday that engineers at his institute have built an unmanned prototype of the AR-E3000 electric-powered vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, and conducted the prototype's maiden flight in July.
\n
"The test flight took place in Jingdezhen, Jiangxi province, and lasted about five minutes. We checked the model's performance in terms of hovering and flying forward and backward," he said, adding that more test flights are planned to examine its overall capability.
\n
The AR-E3000 has advantages such as low carbon emission, adaptability to plateau environment, good operational economy and versatility, and a high safety level. It can meet the needs of air transportation, aerial sightseeing, and emergency response in urban regions. It can also be used for point-to-point delivery in plateaus, islands and other remote areas, Feng told China Daily on the sidelines of the 7th China Helicopter Exposition that opened in Tianjin on Thursday.
\n
According to information published by the institute, the AR-E3000 has a maximum takeoff weight of 2.3 metric tons, a carrying capacity of 450 kilograms, and a top speed of 280 kilometers per hour.
\n
The craft is able to operate for one hour and can fly 200 km when fully loaded.
\n
Another unmanned type, which has yet to be given a name, is still in the midst of design work and will have a larger body.
\n
The new model will be propelled by six electric motors and powered by a hybrid power pack. It will be specifically suitable for operations in plateaus, especially transport tasks.
\n
The drone can carry 600 kg of payloads and fly about 600 km, and will have a maximum cruise speed of 380 km per hour.
\n
"Compared with conventional helicopters, electric or hybrid-power tiltrotor aircraft is less susceptible to high altitudes' impact on engine performance thanks to the use of electric batteries," Feng explained.
\n
He noted that in the future, along with the improvement of batteries and engines, the new aircraft will have big potential in civilian and military fields.
\n
"Currently, both of their prototypes are unmanned. We can develop manned variants if there are market demands. In addition, we can enlarge their size and give them bigger capacity based on users' requirement," the designer said.
Visitors view a photo exhibition titled National Exhibition of Outstanding Works of Photography as part of the 14th China Art Festival at the Sichuan Art Museum in Chengdu, Sichuan province, on Thursday. The exhibition features nearly 300 outstanding photographs. Various other art festivals, including the 24th China Shanghai International Arts Festival, are also being held currently.
\n",
- "content": "
Visitors view a photo exhibition titled National Exhibition of Outstanding Works of Photography as part of the 14th China Art Festival at the Sichuan Art Museum in Chengdu, Sichuan province, on Thursday. The exhibition features nearly 300 outstanding photographs. Various other art festivals, including the 24th China Shanghai International Arts Festival, are also being held currently.
China is experiencing the strongest cold front so far in the second half of this year, with most parts of the nation forecast to see a sharp drop in temperatures, experts said.
\n
There is a high possibility that Beijing will see an early start to winter this weekend, and the temperature drop will bring the unusually persistent scorching heat in the eastern and southern provinces to an end, according to the latest forecast by the China Meteorological Administration.
\n
Ma Xuekuan, chief forecaster of the National Meteorological Center, said that a strong cold front will move from the north to the south and continuously affect the nation's central and eastern parts from Thursday to Tuesday, adding that these areas will see temperature drops of 6 to 10 degrees.
\n
Among these provinces and areas, the Inner Mongolia autonomous region and those in the country's central part will see temperatures drop by 10 to 14 degrees, or even over 15 degrees, during the period, Ma noted.
\n
"It's so far the strongest cold front affecting China in the year's second half based on its range and degree of influence," he said, adding that the nation's northern provinces will see the temperature keep falling next week.
\n
He said that China's central part and provinces along the eastern part of the Yellow River and Huaihe River, including Jiangsu, Anhui, Henan and Shandong, will witness the temperature plunge by 10 degrees in five consecutive days from Saturday, with a higher possibility of the onset of winter.
\n
Shi Xinxin, a weather analyst from China Weather TV, said there is a very high possibility of Beijing seeing an early arrival of winter on Saturday, as reported by the People's Daily on Friday.
\n
According to Shi, Beijing will see the average day temperature fall below 10 degrees in continuous 7 days from Saturday. Historically, from 1991 to 2020, the city has seen the start of winter on Oct 31, which will move up now because of the ongoing cold front.
\n
Affected by the strong cold front, provinces and regions south of the Yangtze River and the nation's southern part, such as Shanghai and Zhejiang, will also see a quick temperature change that will end the unusual heat wave there, according to Ma, the chief forecaster.
\n
He added that from Sunday to Friday, the southern provinces will see temperatures 2 to 4 degrees lower than usual in previous years.
\n
The meeting of the cold front and warm air currents also brought torrential rains to southwestern provinces and provinces along the Yellow River and Huaihe River such as Sichuan and Chongqing on Thursday and Friday. The rains will ease from Saturday after the cold front moves southward.
\n
Noting the sharp temperature change, the China Meteorological Administration has reminded the public to be careful of weather-related risks like flu, and to be covered in adequately warm clothing.
\n
chengsi@chinadaily.com.cn
\n",
- "content": "
China is experiencing the strongest cold front so far in the second half of this year, with most parts of the nation forecast to see a sharp drop in temperatures, experts said.
\n
There is a high possibility that Beijing will see an early start to winter this weekend, and the temperature drop will bring the unusually persistent scorching heat in the eastern and southern provinces to an end, according to the latest forecast by the China Meteorological Administration.
\n
Ma Xuekuan, chief forecaster of the National Meteorological Center, said that a strong cold front will move from the north to the south and continuously affect the nation's central and eastern parts from Thursday to Tuesday, adding that these areas will see temperature drops of 6 to 10 degrees.
\n
Among these provinces and areas, the Inner Mongolia autonomous region and those in the country's central part will see temperatures drop by 10 to 14 degrees, or even over 15 degrees, during the period, Ma noted.
\n
"It's so far the strongest cold front affecting China in the year's second half based on its range and degree of influence," he said, adding that the nation's northern provinces will see the temperature keep falling next week.
\n
He said that China's central part and provinces along the eastern part of the Yellow River and Huaihe River, including Jiangsu, Anhui, Henan and Shandong, will witness the temperature plunge by 10 degrees in five consecutive days from Saturday, with a higher possibility of the onset of winter.
\n
Shi Xinxin, a weather analyst from China Weather TV, said there is a very high possibility of Beijing seeing an early arrival of winter on Saturday, as reported by the People's Daily on Friday.
\n
According to Shi, Beijing will see the average day temperature fall below 10 degrees in continuous 7 days from Saturday. Historically, from 1991 to 2020, the city has seen the start of winter on Oct 31, which will move up now because of the ongoing cold front.
\n
Affected by the strong cold front, provinces and regions south of the Yangtze River and the nation's southern part, such as Shanghai and Zhejiang, will also see a quick temperature change that will end the unusual heat wave there, according to Ma, the chief forecaster.
\n
He added that from Sunday to Friday, the southern provinces will see temperatures 2 to 4 degrees lower than usual in previous years.
\n
The meeting of the cold front and warm air currents also brought torrential rains to southwestern provinces and provinces along the Yellow River and Huaihe River such as Sichuan and Chongqing on Thursday and Friday. The rains will ease from Saturday after the cold front moves southward.
\n
Noting the sharp temperature change, the China Meteorological Administration has reminded the public to be careful of weather-related risks like flu, and to be covered in adequately warm clothing.
Attendees exchange ideas during the 2025 Annual General Meeting of the China Council for International Cooperation on Environment and Development in Beijing on Thursday.
\n
Global experts have acknowledged China's efforts, commitment and vision for a green transition and building an eco-friendly economy. At the two-day 2025 Annual General Meeting of the CCICED in Beijing, they called on the country to contribute its wisdom and assume responsibility in leading global environmental governance.
\n
Chinese Vice-Premier Ding Xuexiang said that since the beginning of the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-25), China has treated the promotion of harmony between humanity and nature as an inherent requirement of the Chinese path to modernization. The country has consistently maintained a strategic resolve in building an ecological civilization and has made significant strides toward realizing a "Beautiful China". It has also proactively shouldered its responsibilities and demonstrated the commitments of a major nation, further enhancing its leading role in global environmental governance.
\n
He made the remarks on Thursday at the closing ceremony of the meeting of the China Council for International Cooperation on Environment and Development, which gathered around 400 scholars and experts from home and abroad.
\n
Ding emphasized that China will further accelerate the green transformation of its development model and is willing to strengthen solidarity and cooperation with all parties to build a clean and beautiful world.
\n
He said China is committed to following the path of green and low-carbon development, tailoring green productivity initiatives to local conditions. The country will also uphold multilateralism by fully implementing the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Paris Agreement. By doing so, China aims to collaborate with the international community to address environmental challenges and climate crises, as well as deepen cooperation in areas such as biodiversity conservation and plastic pollution control.
\n
The Chinese government will continue to vigorously support the growth and development of the CCICED, contributing more wisdom to strengthening China's ecological civilization and advancing global sustainable development, Ding added.
\n
Kristin Halvorsen, director of the CICERO Center for International Climate Research in Norway, said this year's draft policy recommendations put forward at the meeting were "both comprehensive and concrete on actions needed for fulfilling the NDC commitments, biodiversity conservation and on instruments for green market developments".
\n
Halvorsen spoke highly of China's new Nationally Determined Contribution commitments for 2035 announced last month, which "show that the green transition is happening right here, based on renewable energy, electric transportation and other low-emission technologies".
\n
"It is a very clear signal that the future is green and there is no return," she said. "The United States is now leaving the Paris Agreement, and we value even more the steady course of China."
\n
Achim Steiner, former administrator of the UN Development Programme, said China is using its everyday decisions to answer what a green transition and future economic pathway look like.
\n
Steiner praised China's green financial system, stressing the importance of practical actions and supporting measures alongside institutional establishment.
\n
"We need to find new platforms through which to demonstrate the shared interest in advancing together on the green transitions — whether it is the vision that China has articulated of ecological civilization or a circular economy," he said.
\n
Inger Andersen, undersecretary-general of the UN and executive director of the UN Environment Programme, expressed appreciation for China's continued commitment to advancing talks of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee on Plastic Pollution.
\n
Andersen highlighted China's strong leadership in nature and biodiversity conservation, noting the ambitious targets set in the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework proposed at COP15 under the Chinese presidency.
\n
She recommended that China consider exploring targets for reducing coal, fossil fuels and methane emissions in its 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30). She added that such moves "could truly help accelerate the green transition, strengthen energy security and drive economic growth, setting a pace that the world can follow".
\n
"We cannot underestimate China's role in multilateral fora, as well as the ongoing work in South-South cooperation that China is leading," Andersen said.
Attendees exchange ideas during the 2025 Annual General Meeting of the China Council for International Cooperation on Environment and Development in Beijing on Thursday.
\n
Global experts have acknowledged China's efforts, commitment and vision for a green transition and building an eco-friendly economy. At the two-day 2025 Annual General Meeting of the CCICED in Beijing, they called on the country to contribute its wisdom and assume responsibility in leading global environmental governance.
\n
Chinese Vice-Premier Ding Xuexiang said that since the beginning of the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-25), China has treated the promotion of harmony between humanity and nature as an inherent requirement of the Chinese path to modernization. The country has consistently maintained a strategic resolve in building an ecological civilization and has made significant strides toward realizing a "Beautiful China". It has also proactively shouldered its responsibilities and demonstrated the commitments of a major nation, further enhancing its leading role in global environmental governance.
\n
He made the remarks on Thursday at the closing ceremony of the meeting of the China Council for International Cooperation on Environment and Development, which gathered around 400 scholars and experts from home and abroad.
\n
Ding emphasized that China will further accelerate the green transformation of its development model and is willing to strengthen solidarity and cooperation with all parties to build a clean and beautiful world.
\n
He said China is committed to following the path of green and low-carbon development, tailoring green productivity initiatives to local conditions. The country will also uphold multilateralism by fully implementing the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Paris Agreement. By doing so, China aims to collaborate with the international community to address environmental challenges and climate crises, as well as deepen cooperation in areas such as biodiversity conservation and plastic pollution control.
\n
The Chinese government will continue to vigorously support the growth and development of the CCICED, contributing more wisdom to strengthening China's ecological civilization and advancing global sustainable development, Ding added.
\n
Kristin Halvorsen, director of the CICERO Center for International Climate Research in Norway, said this year's draft policy recommendations put forward at the meeting were "both comprehensive and concrete on actions needed for fulfilling the NDC commitments, biodiversity conservation and on instruments for green market developments".
\n
Halvorsen spoke highly of China's new Nationally Determined Contribution commitments for 2035 announced last month, which "show that the green transition is happening right here, based on renewable energy, electric transportation and other low-emission technologies".
\n
"It is a very clear signal that the future is green and there is no return," she said. "The United States is now leaving the Paris Agreement, and we value even more the steady course of China."
\n
Achim Steiner, former administrator of the UN Development Programme, said China is using its everyday decisions to answer what a green transition and future economic pathway look like.
\n
Steiner praised China's green financial system, stressing the importance of practical actions and supporting measures alongside institutional establishment.
\n
"We need to find new platforms through which to demonstrate the shared interest in advancing together on the green transitions — whether it is the vision that China has articulated of ecological civilization or a circular economy," he said.
\n
Inger Andersen, undersecretary-general of the UN and executive director of the UN Environment Programme, expressed appreciation for China's continued commitment to advancing talks of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee on Plastic Pollution.
\n
Andersen highlighted China's strong leadership in nature and biodiversity conservation, noting the ambitious targets set in the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework proposed at COP15 under the Chinese presidency.
\n
She recommended that China consider exploring targets for reducing coal, fossil fuels and methane emissions in its 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30). She added that such moves "could truly help accelerate the green transition, strengthen energy security and drive economic growth, setting a pace that the world can follow".
\n
"We cannot underestimate China's role in multilateral fora, as well as the ongoing work in South-South cooperation that China is leading," Andersen said.
In just one month, the COP30 United Nations Climate Change Conference will be held in Belem, Brazil. This year also marks the 10th anniversary of the Paris Agreement on climate change. Amid growing geopolitical conflicts, the rise of unilateralism and protectionism, and challenges such as the United States' withdrawal from the Paris Agreement once again, all parties are paying close attention to this conference. COP30 is seen as a pivotal moment in the 35-year history of global cooperation on tackling climate change, building on past achievements and paving the way for future efforts. The conference should reaffirm support for the Paris Agreement, emphasize the irreversibility of the global energy transition, confirm financial and technological support for developing countries, and ensure a fair and equitable international environment for a just global transition. China will work closely with all parties to actively contribute to the success of COP30.
\n
Liu Zhenmin, China special envoy for climate change
\n
\n
In China, the innovation in new green and low-carbon technologies creates favorable conditions for traditional energy regions to capitalize on their latecomer advantages. We must target key areas of green transformation to promote the dissemination of cutting-edge technologies. This will accelerate the shift from a resource-driven to an innovation-driven development model. Further reforms should be deepened, with pilot projects in areas such as zero-carbon parks, new energy systems, and eco-product value counties. These efforts aim to establish lasting institutional frameworks that ensure a green and equitable transition.
\n
Lyu Wenbin, director of the Energy Research Institute at the National Development and Reform Commission
\n
\n
The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework targets are not just about numbers. They reflect our shared vision of a future where ecosystems are healthy, wildlife thrives and communities flourish alongside the natural world. In this process, China is uniquely positioned to inspire global action and accelerate progress toward a more resilient and sustainable future.
\n
Kirsten Schuijt, director-general at the World Wide Fund for Nature International
\n
\n
China, with its experience in rapid transformation in the green transition, is well-positioned to help other economies explore how similar progress can be achieved. More attention should be given to the governance mechanisms needed to make this happen. It's not only about technology, but also about governance, knowledge, and capacity building. And the transition is not just one for China. It's a transition that must take place in the interconnected global economy.
\n
Miranda Schreurs, chair of climate and environmental policy at the Technical University of Munich in Germany
\n
\n
This meeting has been a needed signal of both hope and confidence — hope and confidence that the high-quality green transition is accelerating in China at a faster rate than anyone had predicted; hope and confidence that ecological stewardship is gaining roots so deep that we're now seeing the opportunity to move to a nature-positive trajectory.
\n
Scott Vaughan, senior fellow at the International Institute for Sustainable Development
\n",
- "content": "
In just one month, the COP30 United Nations Climate Change Conference will be held in Belem, Brazil. This year also marks the 10th anniversary of the Paris Agreement on climate change. Amid growing geopolitical conflicts, the rise of unilateralism and protectionism, and challenges such as the United States' withdrawal from the Paris Agreement once again, all parties are paying close attention to this conference. COP30 is seen as a pivotal moment in the 35-year history of global cooperation on tackling climate change, building on past achievements and paving the way for future efforts. The conference should reaffirm support for the Paris Agreement, emphasize the irreversibility of the global energy transition, confirm financial and technological support for developing countries, and ensure a fair and equitable international environment for a just global transition. China will work closely with all parties to actively contribute to the success of COP30.
\n
Liu Zhenmin, China special envoy for climate change
\n
\n
In China, the innovation in new green and low-carbon technologies creates favorable conditions for traditional energy regions to capitalize on their latecomer advantages. We must target key areas of green transformation to promote the dissemination of cutting-edge technologies. This will accelerate the shift from a resource-driven to an innovation-driven development model. Further reforms should be deepened, with pilot projects in areas such as zero-carbon parks, new energy systems, and eco-product value counties. These efforts aim to establish lasting institutional frameworks that ensure a green and equitable transition.
\n
Lyu Wenbin, director of the Energy Research Institute at the National Development and Reform Commission
\n
\n
The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework targets are not just about numbers. They reflect our shared vision of a future where ecosystems are healthy, wildlife thrives and communities flourish alongside the natural world. In this process, China is uniquely positioned to inspire global action and accelerate progress toward a more resilient and sustainable future.
\n
Kirsten Schuijt, director-general at the World Wide Fund for Nature International
\n
\n
China, with its experience in rapid transformation in the green transition, is well-positioned to help other economies explore how similar progress can be achieved. More attention should be given to the governance mechanisms needed to make this happen. It's not only about technology, but also about governance, knowledge, and capacity building. And the transition is not just one for China. It's a transition that must take place in the interconnected global economy.
\n
Miranda Schreurs, chair of climate and environmental policy at the Technical University of Munich in Germany
\n
\n
This meeting has been a needed signal of both hope and confidence — hope and confidence that the high-quality green transition is accelerating in China at a faster rate than anyone had predicted; hope and confidence that ecological stewardship is gaining roots so deep that we're now seeing the opportunity to move to a nature-positive trajectory.
\n
Scott Vaughan, senior fellow at the International Institute for Sustainable Development
A mountain's inverted reflection ripples across a lake at the Siguniang Mountains in Aba Tibetan and Qiang prefecture, Sichuan province.
\n
A visitor plays a grand piano during a drizzle in a primitive forest in the geopark.
\n
Rivers wrap the valleys like ribbons that flutter beneath the peaks.
\n
Pandas and poets. Adventurers and ape men. Soldiers and snow leopards. A mountain god reborn as four supernatural sisters. This cast of characters, literal and legendary, stars in the saga unfolding on the undulating stone stage of the Siguniang Mountains.
\n
Planetary forces authored an extravagant geology that, in turn, scripted an epic spanning epochs in today's Aba Tibetan and Qiang prefecture, Sichuan province.
\n
Every valley cradles a true tale. Every peak embraces a legend.
\n
The range's very names reiterate the lore of this land. First is the ancient Gyalrong Tibetan name, Skula Rouda — which hails the god of life, birthdays and birthplace — and later, the lyrical transliteration to standard Chinese, Siguniang — which means "four sisters", a reference to its four premier peaks. This wasn't merely a reconsideration of names but a reincarnation of identity.
\n
This penchant for personification extends across the vast range.
\n
The highest peak, at 6,247.8 meters above sea level, Yaomei, is likened to the youngest sister of the quartet and "queen" of the superordinate Qionglai range, whereas the 5,033-meter-high Mount Abi merges with neighboring peaks to sculpt the natural effigy of a humble granny.
\n
Another peak uncannily resembles the grim gaze of the yeren, an apelike cryptid often compared to Bigfoot's Chinese cousin, who is said to stalk the wilds of Shennongjia in Central China's Hubei province.
\n
The 5,271-meter-tall Yueya Mountain's name is inspired by its crescent moon shape, while Potala Peak received its moniker from its resemblance to the palace that crowns Lhasa.
\n
Geologists describe these snaggle-tooth serrations at the Sichuan Basin's edge as a "crocodile's jaw". Geographers venerate the range as the "Heavenly Gate of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau". And climatologists compare Siguniang to a massive meteorological wall that seals out wetter westerly winds fromparching the plateau, high and dry.
\n
It's an eave of the "roof of the world", a boundary delineating the domains of farmer and herder, and an intersection of Han and Tibetan culture.
\n
Luminary poet Du Fu penned prose exalting these eminences 1,300 years ago. Over a millennium later, in our time, novelist Alai, author of Red Poppies: A Novel of Tibet, elevated their stature to even greater heights. Countless other writers have profiled these giants' contours with their words, ensuring these mountains are as much a feature of literary imagination as physical reality.
\n
This cultural landscape is inspired by one of the planet's most idiosyncratic geological terrains. Accordingly, Siguniang is vying for a UNESCO Geopark title to complement its World Heritage site designation.
\n
Over a hundred of Siguniang's thousands of rock stilettos stab more than 5 kilometers into the diluted air, shredding the skyline and siring the world's mostcomprehensive vertical spectrum of biodiversity. A single spectacular view swoops from forest to shrub-land, from desert to snowcaps.
\n
Over 2,000 higher plants — including the world's largest wild Chinese sea buckthorn forests — cling to these slopes that teem with more than 300 vertebrates.
\n
These extreme precipices form a citadel safeguarding elusive yet iconic creatures.
\n
Giant and red pandas waddle through bristling bamboo. Sichuan takins tiptoe up sheer cliff sides. Golden snub-nosed monkeys bounce through leafy canopies. Snow leopards slink across carpets of frost.
\n
The Siguniang Mountains create a natural fortress that shelters these protected organisms. It towers over the limits of imagination, harboring a living paradox of fragility and strength.
\n
This poetic geology is engraved in the stony scar tissue where Earth's crust fights itself from below, and erosive forces assault its surface from above. It's a lyrical diary of this land's grueling growing pains, as it comes of age over successive eras.
\n
Its mutating anatomy is forged by fire and ice, magma and ocean. All conceivable expressions of stone and water have tormented its rocky flesh, which is wrinkled and disjointed by superlatively slow-motion collisions of tectonic plates that regularly rip through the globe's connective tissue.
\n
Conflicting crustal forces shoved and yanked the land skyward hundreds of millions of years ago. Around 350 million years ago, these formations were washed over and partly dissolved by ancient oceans. A hundred million years later, the wounds where the crust was punctured bled magma when a super-scale outbreak of submarine volcanoes burst from its hide like blisters, leaving scabs and welts on the earth's skin.
\n
Then, 65 million years ago, the Himalayan orogeny jolted the landscape upward with a new ferocity, as the Indian and Eurasian plates crashed together. Around 6.5 million years ago, this collision's skyward propulsion accelerated with even greater umph.
\n
About 1.7 million years ago, an ice age scraped and sliced the landforms above 3,000 meters, gradually receding until the glacial sheaths were reduced to elevations exceeding 5,000 meters.
\n
Bygone glacier bite marks linger as an unparalleled compendium of aretes, horns, U-valleys, cirques, ice kilns, hanging valleys, and moraines.
\n
The Minjiang and Dadu Rivers originate and pour forth from the persevering snowcaps' chilly veins. Smaller streams and waterfalls wrap the landscape like ribbons, and glacial lakes bejewel the topography like sequins, shining as iridescent mirrors that reflect the clouds that swim through the air above.
\n
These forces have also tattooed the rocks with a subdued palette. Gray-white sandstone, purple-red slate and light-green basalt streak the mountainsides with what has been nicknamed an "inverted rainbow".
\n
Other colorful appellations include the Red Stone Array, where Changping Valley's mouth gulps scarlet boulders rendered by ruddy algae that daub the rocks, and the "Flaming Corridor", where Sichuan redwoods burn bright like the gods' torches in autumn.
\n
They blaze vibrantly and stand in stark contrast to the bleached skeletons of trees whose dead branches stretch from watery graves, like bony fingers clawing at thin air, in Changping Valley's Withered Tree River Beach. Alluvial spills choked streams, drowning thickets of sea buckthorns and conifers, leaving their gnarled carcasses twisting and writhing in the rippling waves of newborn lakes.
\n
A similar graveyard commemorating another bygone botanical dominion is hidden in Shuangqiao Valley, where trees mummified by calcification form a ghostly sculpture garden.
\n
Ultimately, to ascend Siguniang is to feel time itself rising up from our world — the lethargic tempo of a tectonic pileup and the fleeting flash of a snow leopard's shadow. It reminds us that, beyond books, the most epic stories are engraved into the very body of the Earth.
\n
And so, this stone saga continues to unfold. The sleepless terrestrial forces that have wrenched these peaks skyward also pull at our inner thoughts and push the outer bounds of our imaginations.
\n
The Siguniang Mountains beckon us to tread with deliberation, to eavesdrop on the legends whispered by the winds, and to behold a part of our planet where earth, ice and fire inscribe a chronicle of life and lore.
\n
Contact the writer at erik_nilsson@chinadaily.com.cn
A mountain's inverted reflection ripples across a lake at the Siguniang Mountains in Aba Tibetan and Qiang prefecture, Sichuan province.
\n
A visitor plays a grand piano during a drizzle in a primitive forest in the geopark.
\n
Rivers wrap the valleys like ribbons that flutter beneath the peaks.
\n
Pandas and poets. Adventurers and ape men. Soldiers and snow leopards. A mountain god reborn as four supernatural sisters. This cast of characters, literal and legendary, stars in the saga unfolding on the undulating stone stage of the Siguniang Mountains.
\n
Planetary forces authored an extravagant geology that, in turn, scripted an epic spanning epochs in today's Aba Tibetan and Qiang prefecture, Sichuan province.
\n
Every valley cradles a true tale. Every peak embraces a legend.
\n
The range's very names reiterate the lore of this land. First is the ancient Gyalrong Tibetan name, Skula Rouda — which hails the god of life, birthdays and birthplace — and later, the lyrical transliteration to standard Chinese, Siguniang — which means "four sisters", a reference to its four premier peaks. This wasn't merely a reconsideration of names but a reincarnation of identity.
\n
This penchant for personification extends across the vast range.
\n
The highest peak, at 6,247.8 meters above sea level, Yaomei, is likened to the youngest sister of the quartet and "queen" of the superordinate Qionglai range, whereas the 5,033-meter-high Mount Abi merges with neighboring peaks to sculpt the natural effigy of a humble granny.
\n
Another peak uncannily resembles the grim gaze of the yeren, an apelike cryptid often compared to Bigfoot's Chinese cousin, who is said to stalk the wilds of Shennongjia in Central China's Hubei province.
\n
The 5,271-meter-tall Yueya Mountain's name is inspired by its crescent moon shape, while Potala Peak received its moniker from its resemblance to the palace that crowns Lhasa.
\n
Geologists describe these snaggle-tooth serrations at the Sichuan Basin's edge as a "crocodile's jaw". Geographers venerate the range as the "Heavenly Gate of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau". And climatologists compare Siguniang to a massive meteorological wall that seals out wetter westerly winds fromparching the plateau, high and dry.
\n
It's an eave of the "roof of the world", a boundary delineating the domains of farmer and herder, and an intersection of Han and Tibetan culture.
\n
Luminary poet Du Fu penned prose exalting these eminences 1,300 years ago. Over a millennium later, in our time, novelist Alai, author of Red Poppies: A Novel of Tibet, elevated their stature to even greater heights. Countless other writers have profiled these giants' contours with their words, ensuring these mountains are as much a feature of literary imagination as physical reality.
\n
This cultural landscape is inspired by one of the planet's most idiosyncratic geological terrains. Accordingly, Siguniang is vying for a UNESCO Geopark title to complement its World Heritage site designation.
\n
Over a hundred of Siguniang's thousands of rock stilettos stab more than 5 kilometers into the diluted air, shredding the skyline and siring the world's mostcomprehensive vertical spectrum of biodiversity. A single spectacular view swoops from forest to shrub-land, from desert to snowcaps.
\n
Over 2,000 higher plants — including the world's largest wild Chinese sea buckthorn forests — cling to these slopes that teem with more than 300 vertebrates.
\n
These extreme precipices form a citadel safeguarding elusive yet iconic creatures.
\n
Giant and red pandas waddle through bristling bamboo. Sichuan takins tiptoe up sheer cliff sides. Golden snub-nosed monkeys bounce through leafy canopies. Snow leopards slink across carpets of frost.
\n
The Siguniang Mountains create a natural fortress that shelters these protected organisms. It towers over the limits of imagination, harboring a living paradox of fragility and strength.
\n
This poetic geology is engraved in the stony scar tissue where Earth's crust fights itself from below, and erosive forces assault its surface from above. It's a lyrical diary of this land's grueling growing pains, as it comes of age over successive eras.
\n
Its mutating anatomy is forged by fire and ice, magma and ocean. All conceivable expressions of stone and water have tormented its rocky flesh, which is wrinkled and disjointed by superlatively slow-motion collisions of tectonic plates that regularly rip through the globe's connective tissue.
\n
Conflicting crustal forces shoved and yanked the land skyward hundreds of millions of years ago. Around 350 million years ago, these formations were washed over and partly dissolved by ancient oceans. A hundred million years later, the wounds where the crust was punctured bled magma when a super-scale outbreak of submarine volcanoes burst from its hide like blisters, leaving scabs and welts on the earth's skin.
\n
Then, 65 million years ago, the Himalayan orogeny jolted the landscape upward with a new ferocity, as the Indian and Eurasian plates crashed together. Around 6.5 million years ago, this collision's skyward propulsion accelerated with even greater umph.
\n
About 1.7 million years ago, an ice age scraped and sliced the landforms above 3,000 meters, gradually receding until the glacial sheaths were reduced to elevations exceeding 5,000 meters.
\n
Bygone glacier bite marks linger as an unparalleled compendium of aretes, horns, U-valleys, cirques, ice kilns, hanging valleys, and moraines.
\n
The Minjiang and Dadu Rivers originate and pour forth from the persevering snowcaps' chilly veins. Smaller streams and waterfalls wrap the landscape like ribbons, and glacial lakes bejewel the topography like sequins, shining as iridescent mirrors that reflect the clouds that swim through the air above.
\n
These forces have also tattooed the rocks with a subdued palette. Gray-white sandstone, purple-red slate and light-green basalt streak the mountainsides with what has been nicknamed an "inverted rainbow".
\n
Other colorful appellations include the Red Stone Array, where Changping Valley's mouth gulps scarlet boulders rendered by ruddy algae that daub the rocks, and the "Flaming Corridor", where Sichuan redwoods burn bright like the gods' torches in autumn.
\n
They blaze vibrantly and stand in stark contrast to the bleached skeletons of trees whose dead branches stretch from watery graves, like bony fingers clawing at thin air, in Changping Valley's Withered Tree River Beach. Alluvial spills choked streams, drowning thickets of sea buckthorns and conifers, leaving their gnarled carcasses twisting and writhing in the rippling waves of newborn lakes.
\n
A similar graveyard commemorating another bygone botanical dominion is hidden in Shuangqiao Valley, where trees mummified by calcification form a ghostly sculpture garden.
\n
Ultimately, to ascend Siguniang is to feel time itself rising up from our world — the lethargic tempo of a tectonic pileup and the fleeting flash of a snow leopard's shadow. It reminds us that, beyond books, the most epic stories are engraved into the very body of the Earth.
\n
And so, this stone saga continues to unfold. The sleepless terrestrial forces that have wrenched these peaks skyward also pull at our inner thoughts and push the outer bounds of our imaginations.
\n
The Siguniang Mountains beckon us to tread with deliberation, to eavesdrop on the legends whispered by the winds, and to behold a part of our planet where earth, ice and fire inscribe a chronicle of life and lore.
\n
Contact the writer at erik_nilsson@chinadaily.com.cn
Two Canadian tourists enjoy "slow living" in the bustling streets of Liziba, Chongqing, on Oct 3, as the city has continuously cultivated and developed itself as an international consumption hub.
\n
CHONGQING — Strolling through bustling blocks, relaxing at massage parlors, or killing time at a roadside tea or coffee shop, such leisurely practices of "slow living" are gaining popularity among locals and tourists in Southwest China's Chongqing municipality.
\n
A growing interest in wellness practices among young Chinese people has transformed this city's leisure consumption market, offering diverse experiences such as specialty massages and tea-drinking sessions.
\n
As one of the century-old areas in downtown Chongqing, the Luzumiao block has preserved historical memories amid red-brick and tile-roofed structures, while also serving as a prime location for leisure businesses.
\n
One such business is Lantiya Massage Parlor, which provides authentic Thai-style massage with techniques adapted to local needs. All its therapists are from Thailand and have over eight years of experience.
\n
"We blend Thai techniques with local preferences to create a unique relaxation space," says manager Hu Peng. The parlor offers tailored packages, such as one for tourists aimed at relieving sore feet and another targeted at easing back pain for office workers.
\n
Liu Cong, a tourist from Beijing, visited this massage parlor on two consecutive days. "It was a novel experience. The therapists are professional and attentive, and I feel much more relaxed afterwards," she says.
\n
Beyond massage, Lantiya integrates afternoon tea, allowing customers to immerse themselves in the block's traditional architecture and culture.
\n
Similarly, Golden Impression massage parlor attracts over 2 million annual visitors through diversified services. Marketing head He Renjie notes that over 80 percent of customers are under the age of 35.
\n
"We combine wellness with specialty cuisine such as healthy, low GI (glycemic index) meals and local specialties, HiFi audiovisual systems, and travel services such as luggage storage and overnight accommodation, to meet the demand for personalized experiences," he says.
\n
For a quieter experience, Nianxiang Niancha Tea House in the Shibati scenic area offers a cultural retreat featuring traditional teas and tea-infused rice, a local dish made with tea, vegetables and nuts.
\n
The teahouse's owner, Ma Kun, describes it as a "cultural space", where handmade tableware and informational cards educate visitors on the history of the dishes. This approach is making tea culture trendy among vegetarians and young people.
\n
Chongqing has continuously cultivated and developed itself as an international consumption hub in recent years, and these efforts are paying off.
\n
In the first half of 2025, retail sales of consumer goods exceeded 830 billion yuan ($116.5 billion), achieving sustained growth.
\n
Notably, a thriving leisure sector, coupled with a vibrant night economy, continues to diversify consumption models, enhancing the city's appeal.
Two Canadian tourists enjoy "slow living" in the bustling streets of Liziba, Chongqing, on Oct 3, as the city has continuously cultivated and developed itself as an international consumption hub.
\n
CHONGQING — Strolling through bustling blocks, relaxing at massage parlors, or killing time at a roadside tea or coffee shop, such leisurely practices of "slow living" are gaining popularity among locals and tourists in Southwest China's Chongqing municipality.
\n
A growing interest in wellness practices among young Chinese people has transformed this city's leisure consumption market, offering diverse experiences such as specialty massages and tea-drinking sessions.
\n
As one of the century-old areas in downtown Chongqing, the Luzumiao block has preserved historical memories amid red-brick and tile-roofed structures, while also serving as a prime location for leisure businesses.
\n
One such business is Lantiya Massage Parlor, which provides authentic Thai-style massage with techniques adapted to local needs. All its therapists are from Thailand and have over eight years of experience.
\n
"We blend Thai techniques with local preferences to create a unique relaxation space," says manager Hu Peng. The parlor offers tailored packages, such as one for tourists aimed at relieving sore feet and another targeted at easing back pain for office workers.
\n
Liu Cong, a tourist from Beijing, visited this massage parlor on two consecutive days. "It was a novel experience. The therapists are professional and attentive, and I feel much more relaxed afterwards," she says.
\n
Beyond massage, Lantiya integrates afternoon tea, allowing customers to immerse themselves in the block's traditional architecture and culture.
\n
Similarly, Golden Impression massage parlor attracts over 2 million annual visitors through diversified services. Marketing head He Renjie notes that over 80 percent of customers are under the age of 35.
\n
"We combine wellness with specialty cuisine such as healthy, low GI (glycemic index) meals and local specialties, HiFi audiovisual systems, and travel services such as luggage storage and overnight accommodation, to meet the demand for personalized experiences," he says.
\n
For a quieter experience, Nianxiang Niancha Tea House in the Shibati scenic area offers a cultural retreat featuring traditional teas and tea-infused rice, a local dish made with tea, vegetables and nuts.
\n
The teahouse's owner, Ma Kun, describes it as a "cultural space", where handmade tableware and informational cards educate visitors on the history of the dishes. This approach is making tea culture trendy among vegetarians and young people.
\n
Chongqing has continuously cultivated and developed itself as an international consumption hub in recent years, and these efforts are paying off.
\n
In the first half of 2025, retail sales of consumer goods exceeded 830 billion yuan ($116.5 billion), achieving sustained growth.
\n
Notably, a thriving leisure sector, coupled with a vibrant night economy, continues to diversify consumption models, enhancing the city's appeal.
Pang Zheng, a postgraduate from the Shanghai Theatre Academy, joins the reality show Exciting Offer 7 as an intern, vying for a hosting position on Dragon TV.
\n
Veteran host Chen Luyu acts as a mentor for the interns.
\n
Zhang Shiwen, a postgraduate student of the Communication University of China, is also among the interns on the show.
\n
For 25-year-old Pang Zheng from Hunan province, a cherished childhood memory is dining with her parents while watching News and Science, a program on Hunan Satellite TV that verifies and interprets phenomena through experiments and data.
\n
Inspired by its presenters, Pang decided to pursue the same path. In 2018, she enrolled in the broadcasting and hosting major at the Shanghai Theatre Academy, determined to one day appear on-screen as a professional TV host. Her journey seemed firmly on track when she interned at Hunan Satellite TV and even recorded several episodes for News and Science, the very show she grew up watching.
\n
In 2022, she topped the postgraduate program entrance exams at her university. A career as a TV host seemed within reach.
\n
But her life was soon upended when her father was diagnosed with esophageal cancer. Her mother left her job to care for him full-time.
\n
Pang, then a postgraduate student, chose to shoulder the responsibility of supporting her family as the breadwinner.
\n
She turned to the booming e-commerce sector, taking up part-time livestreaming work to sell products online.
\n
"I accepted every job I could fit into my schedule," Pang recalls, often working until 3 am.
\n
While this work supported her family, it also made her feel that her dream of becoming a TV host was "slipping further away".
\n
As months passed, she grew increasingly unsure about her future — whether she could still enter the television industry, or if she was even suited for the job anymore.
\n
A turning point arrived in July with the recruitment call for the reality show Exciting Offer 7, which gathers aspiring young hosts to compete for a position at Dragon TV through an intensive internship.
\n
"I saw it as a now-or-never moment to chase my dream," Pang says.
\n
The workplace reality show, currently streaming on Tencent Video, offers viewers an insider's view of the hosting profession.
\n
Since its launch in 2019, the show has featured various professionals in fields such as law, medicine and architecture.
\n
Regarding this year's focus on hosting, director Wu Haoyu explains: "In today's media landscape where everyone can access and participate in content creation, the public is already familiar with news programs, interviews and variety shows. Choosing this profession naturally sparks widespread discussion while showcasing the professional competence and charm of hosts."
\n
In the current season, guided by established hosts such as Chen Luyu and Bai Xuxu, the contestants face challenges that test every dimension of professional skill: live reporting, in-depth interviews, and realtime coverage of major events.
\n
To replicate the unpredictability of the newsroom, the production team often introduces unexpected hurdles — a failed teleprompter or a last-minute script change.
\n
Yet, for Pang, who was selected as one of the 10 interns, this high-pressure crucible of diverse challenges gave her a newfound certainty that she was well-suited to the hosting profession.
\n
She discovered that the experience and skills she had honed as an e-commerce livestream host proved invaluable for the challenges on the show.
\n
That preparation was put to the test during a live relay broadcast at a major expo, when the next reporting team failed to arrive on time. Remaining calm before the cameras, Pang filled the airtime with poised, insightful commentary until relief arrived.
\n
She recalls her early e-commerce days speaking to empty virtual rooms for hours, and says: "That experience was invaluable.
\n
"For a period of time, I had no viewers, no sales, not even any comments. I had to keep talking to a silent screen."
\n
That very experience prepared her perfectly for the expo broadcast emergency.
\n
Pang says that after each challenge, veteran mentors offered scores and detailed feedback, which gave her clear insight into both her strengths and areas for improvement. Pang consistently ranked first in the program's initial three rounds.
\n
"The consistent, positive feedback I received on the show helped me develop genuine self-acceptance," she says.
\n
Over time, her focus shifted from chasing the final job offer to valuing the recognition itself. "What truly matters," she reflects, "is that I have been seen."
\n
Emboldened by this new clarity, she is now planning a podcast series featuring interviews with women from diverse professional fields.
\n
But for 23-year-old Zhang Shiwen, a graduate student at the Communication University of China, the program brought mixed feedback. Her debut challenge showed her as organized, resilient and leadership-oriented, but her second task as team leader revealed different qualities.
\n
"Initially, audiences seemed to project an idealized image onto me — they saw an ambitious, highly capable young woman," Zhang reflects.
\n
"But when they discovered I'm also sensitive and sometimes prone to overthinking, their perception shifted."
\n
Critical and even abusive direct messages began to flood her social media accounts, which Zhang believes stem from misunderstandings about who she truly is.
\n
"I'm becoming more aware that I need to accept these different voices," she reflects. "I feel my inner self growing stronger."
\n
The seed of Zhang's media career was sown a decade ago at the Museum of the War of Chinese People's Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, where she — then a middle school student with a passion for history — was taking notes in front of the exhibits.
\n
A man, who she later learned was a Xinhua News Agency journalist, approached to see what she had written and remarked that she had the makings of a reporter.
\n
That casual compliment sparked her career aspirations.
\n
"I wanted to become a witness and recorder of history as a media professional," she recalls.
\n
On the show, Zhang struggled with shifting between different on-screen personas.
\n
"News anchors need authority, interview hosts require calm strength, and variety hosts must entertain," she explains.
\n
Comparing herself with other contestants — some warm and bubbly, others soft-spoken and charming — a "nerdy" Zhang worried she might lack the easy relatability audiences expect.
\n
That was when mentor Chen Luyu offered pivotal advice: "Find your own voice."
\n
Chen, a seasoned broadcaster herself, understands the insecurities of newcomers.
\n
"Many young people entering this profession, being constantly evaluated from the outset, easily lose their anchor point and confidence," she notes.
\n
She says she aims to "provide improvement guidance when they feel they are doing well and offer reassurance when they doubt themselves", conducting multi-hour feedback sessions for the interns.
\n
Encouraged by Chen, Zhang began focusing less on her shortcomings and more on leveraging her strengths, such as her knowledge of history, interest in military affairs and logical thinking capabilities.
\n
"I need to keep exploring," Zhang says. "Through this process, I will definitely find my own voice."
\n
Contact the writer at xingwen@chinadaily.com.cn
\n",
- "content": "
Pang Zheng, a postgraduate from the Shanghai Theatre Academy, joins the reality show Exciting Offer 7 as an intern, vying for a hosting position on Dragon TV.
\n
Veteran host Chen Luyu acts as a mentor for the interns.
\n
Zhang Shiwen, a postgraduate student of the Communication University of China, is also among the interns on the show.
\n
For 25-year-old Pang Zheng from Hunan province, a cherished childhood memory is dining with her parents while watching News and Science, a program on Hunan Satellite TV that verifies and interprets phenomena through experiments and data.
\n
Inspired by its presenters, Pang decided to pursue the same path. In 2018, she enrolled in the broadcasting and hosting major at the Shanghai Theatre Academy, determined to one day appear on-screen as a professional TV host. Her journey seemed firmly on track when she interned at Hunan Satellite TV and even recorded several episodes for News and Science, the very show she grew up watching.
\n
In 2022, she topped the postgraduate program entrance exams at her university. A career as a TV host seemed within reach.
\n
But her life was soon upended when her father was diagnosed with esophageal cancer. Her mother left her job to care for him full-time.
\n
Pang, then a postgraduate student, chose to shoulder the responsibility of supporting her family as the breadwinner.
\n
She turned to the booming e-commerce sector, taking up part-time livestreaming work to sell products online.
\n
"I accepted every job I could fit into my schedule," Pang recalls, often working until 3 am.
\n
While this work supported her family, it also made her feel that her dream of becoming a TV host was "slipping further away".
\n
As months passed, she grew increasingly unsure about her future — whether she could still enter the television industry, or if she was even suited for the job anymore.
\n
A turning point arrived in July with the recruitment call for the reality show Exciting Offer 7, which gathers aspiring young hosts to compete for a position at Dragon TV through an intensive internship.
\n
"I saw it as a now-or-never moment to chase my dream," Pang says.
\n
The workplace reality show, currently streaming on Tencent Video, offers viewers an insider's view of the hosting profession.
\n
Since its launch in 2019, the show has featured various professionals in fields such as law, medicine and architecture.
\n
Regarding this year's focus on hosting, director Wu Haoyu explains: "In today's media landscape where everyone can access and participate in content creation, the public is already familiar with news programs, interviews and variety shows. Choosing this profession naturally sparks widespread discussion while showcasing the professional competence and charm of hosts."
\n
In the current season, guided by established hosts such as Chen Luyu and Bai Xuxu, the contestants face challenges that test every dimension of professional skill: live reporting, in-depth interviews, and realtime coverage of major events.
\n
To replicate the unpredictability of the newsroom, the production team often introduces unexpected hurdles — a failed teleprompter or a last-minute script change.
\n
Yet, for Pang, who was selected as one of the 10 interns, this high-pressure crucible of diverse challenges gave her a newfound certainty that she was well-suited to the hosting profession.
\n
She discovered that the experience and skills she had honed as an e-commerce livestream host proved invaluable for the challenges on the show.
\n
That preparation was put to the test during a live relay broadcast at a major expo, when the next reporting team failed to arrive on time. Remaining calm before the cameras, Pang filled the airtime with poised, insightful commentary until relief arrived.
\n
She recalls her early e-commerce days speaking to empty virtual rooms for hours, and says: "That experience was invaluable.
\n
"For a period of time, I had no viewers, no sales, not even any comments. I had to keep talking to a silent screen."
\n
That very experience prepared her perfectly for the expo broadcast emergency.
\n
Pang says that after each challenge, veteran mentors offered scores and detailed feedback, which gave her clear insight into both her strengths and areas for improvement. Pang consistently ranked first in the program's initial three rounds.
\n
"The consistent, positive feedback I received on the show helped me develop genuine self-acceptance," she says.
\n
Over time, her focus shifted from chasing the final job offer to valuing the recognition itself. "What truly matters," she reflects, "is that I have been seen."
\n
Emboldened by this new clarity, she is now planning a podcast series featuring interviews with women from diverse professional fields.
\n
But for 23-year-old Zhang Shiwen, a graduate student at the Communication University of China, the program brought mixed feedback. Her debut challenge showed her as organized, resilient and leadership-oriented, but her second task as team leader revealed different qualities.
\n
"Initially, audiences seemed to project an idealized image onto me — they saw an ambitious, highly capable young woman," Zhang reflects.
\n
"But when they discovered I'm also sensitive and sometimes prone to overthinking, their perception shifted."
\n
Critical and even abusive direct messages began to flood her social media accounts, which Zhang believes stem from misunderstandings about who she truly is.
\n
"I'm becoming more aware that I need to accept these different voices," she reflects. "I feel my inner self growing stronger."
\n
The seed of Zhang's media career was sown a decade ago at the Museum of the War of Chinese People's Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, where she — then a middle school student with a passion for history — was taking notes in front of the exhibits.
\n
A man, who she later learned was a Xinhua News Agency journalist, approached to see what she had written and remarked that she had the makings of a reporter.
\n
That casual compliment sparked her career aspirations.
\n
"I wanted to become a witness and recorder of history as a media professional," she recalls.
\n
On the show, Zhang struggled with shifting between different on-screen personas.
\n
"News anchors need authority, interview hosts require calm strength, and variety hosts must entertain," she explains.
\n
Comparing herself with other contestants — some warm and bubbly, others soft-spoken and charming — a "nerdy" Zhang worried she might lack the easy relatability audiences expect.
\n
That was when mentor Chen Luyu offered pivotal advice: "Find your own voice."
\n
Chen, a seasoned broadcaster herself, understands the insecurities of newcomers.
\n
"Many young people entering this profession, being constantly evaluated from the outset, easily lose their anchor point and confidence," she notes.
\n
She says she aims to "provide improvement guidance when they feel they are doing well and offer reassurance when they doubt themselves", conducting multi-hour feedback sessions for the interns.
\n
Encouraged by Chen, Zhang began focusing less on her shortcomings and more on leveraging her strengths, such as her knowledge of history, interest in military affairs and logical thinking capabilities.
\n
"I need to keep exploring," Zhang says. "Through this process, I will definitely find my own voice."
Liu Wenhui, a Yuju Opera actress, performs at the launch ceremony of the Hundred Operas Entering Anhui event on Sept 28 in Hefei, Anhui province.
\n
A news conference is held in Beijing on Sept 22 for the 235th anniversary of Anhui Troupes Entering Beijing and the Hundred Operas Entering Anhui-themed series of events.
\n
Wang Yushu (left), a Huiju Opera actor, performs at the launch ceremony.
\n
On the occasion of the 235th anniversary of Huiju Opera's arrival in Beijing, a new generation of performers is stepping forward to carry the centuries-old art form into the future, infusing it with youthful vigor and creative passion.
\n
In 1790, four opera troupes from East China's Anhui province came to Beijing to perform during celebrations marking the 80th birthday of Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). Some troupes stayed on in the capital, and by the early 1800s, they began collaborating with outstanding performers from Hubei province. Their exchanges eventually gave rise to what is now known as Peking Opera.
\n
To mark this milestone, a special performance was held on Sept 22 at Changyin Ge — the Pavilion of Cheerful Melodies — within the Palace Museum. There, young artists born in the 2000s showcased their talent and devotion, signaling a vibrant future for this classical tradition.
\n
The special performance served as a powerful showcase of this renaissance. According to Chi Jun, chief director of the performance and screenwriter at the National Peking Opera Company, the production took over six years to realize, involving in-depth historical research, inspiration from the museum's collections, and the revival of ceremonial music and traditional stagecraft.
\n
"This performance creates a meaningful 'dialogue between centuries'," says Chi. "The Palace Museum stands as a hallowed hall in China's cultural lineage, while Huiju Opera's journey to Beijing 235 years ago marks a pivotal moment in our artistic history. Bringing them together in this sacred place honors both legacies while pointing toward the future."
\n
What made this production particularly remarkable was its youthful cast — predominantly performers born after 2000, who have undergone years of rigorous training to master the intricate art form. Among them, young artist Qiao Chun'er describes the experience as transformative: "We have been practicing in the rehearsal room for months, polishing every detail. As the younger generation, we feel a deep sense of responsibility and mission."
\n
The program carefully curated excerpts from four historic Huiju Opera troupes. These are Chuntai Troupe's Bai Tu Ji (The White Rabbit), Hechun Troupe's Yu Ni He (The River of Sludge), Sixi Troupe's Yu Zhou Feng (Cosmic Blade) and Sanqing Troupe's Long Hu Dou (Dragon-Tiger Battle). Each piece highlighted a distinct aspect of Huiju Opera's artistry, from the refined combination of singing and recitation to its unique tradition of infusing civil plays with martial flair.
\n
Wang Jingxian, rehearsal director of this performance and a first-generation inheritor of Huiju Opera after the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949, says the prominence of young performers signals a vital renaissance. "These artists represent the third generation of Huiju Opera practitioners — our grandchildren's generation. Their energy, dedication and willingness to push creative boundaries ensure the art form will not only survive but thrive in the contemporary cultural landscape."
\n
The anniversary celebrations extend far beyond a single performance. Zhang Jian, president of Anhui Performing Arts Group, announced an ambitious series of initiatives on Sept 22 at a news conference in Beijing. The plan includes a nine-city performance tour retracing the original route of the Anhui troupes' journey to Beijing — covering Beijing, Tianjin, Jinan, Yangzhou, Nanjing, Hangzhou, Anqing, Huangshan and Hefei.
\n
The initiatives also feature publishing historical repertoire collections in collaboration with the Palace Museum, hosting lectures by renowned artists, organizing themed exhibitions, and introducing Huiju Opera in schools through interactive educational activities.
\n
In addition, Anhui province is hosting a national opera festival from late September through the upcoming Spring Festival. The event will bring together leading artists from various traditional opera genres to stage over 100 classic productions, alongside another 100 performances by Anhui's local opera troupes, offering audiences an immersive cultural feast.
\n
Audiences have responded enthusiastically. A native surnamed He from Fuyang city in Anhui says he grew up with Yuju Opera (from Henan province) thanks to his parents' influence. "My hometown sits right on the border between Henan and Anhui provinces. As a child, I often saw my parents listening to Yuju Opera. That's why I specifically brought my child along this time — hoping to let them experience the charm of our excellent traditional culture up close."
\n
Zhang adds that the commemorative activities aim to honor cultural origins, carry forward this rich legacy, and write a new chapter for the tradition in our contemporary era.
\n
"The arrival of the Huiju Opera troupes in Beijing 235 years ago was a milestone in Chinese theater history. It played a pivotal role in the birth of Peking Opera and influenced the evolution of traditional Chinese opera as a whole," he says. "We are not just commemorating history — we're writing its next chapter through these young artists."
\n
Contact the writers at wangsongsong@chinadaily.com.cn
Liu Wenhui, a Yuju Opera actress, performs at the launch ceremony of the Hundred Operas Entering Anhui event on Sept 28 in Hefei, Anhui province.
\n
A news conference is held in Beijing on Sept 22 for the 235th anniversary of Anhui Troupes Entering Beijing and the Hundred Operas Entering Anhui-themed series of events.
\n
Wang Yushu (left), a Huiju Opera actor, performs at the launch ceremony.
\n
On the occasion of the 235th anniversary of Huiju Opera's arrival in Beijing, a new generation of performers is stepping forward to carry the centuries-old art form into the future, infusing it with youthful vigor and creative passion.
\n
In 1790, four opera troupes from East China's Anhui province came to Beijing to perform during celebrations marking the 80th birthday of Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). Some troupes stayed on in the capital, and by the early 1800s, they began collaborating with outstanding performers from Hubei province. Their exchanges eventually gave rise to what is now known as Peking Opera.
\n
To mark this milestone, a special performance was held on Sept 22 at Changyin Ge — the Pavilion of Cheerful Melodies — within the Palace Museum. There, young artists born in the 2000s showcased their talent and devotion, signaling a vibrant future for this classical tradition.
\n
The special performance served as a powerful showcase of this renaissance. According to Chi Jun, chief director of the performance and screenwriter at the National Peking Opera Company, the production took over six years to realize, involving in-depth historical research, inspiration from the museum's collections, and the revival of ceremonial music and traditional stagecraft.
\n
"This performance creates a meaningful 'dialogue between centuries'," says Chi. "The Palace Museum stands as a hallowed hall in China's cultural lineage, while Huiju Opera's journey to Beijing 235 years ago marks a pivotal moment in our artistic history. Bringing them together in this sacred place honors both legacies while pointing toward the future."
\n
What made this production particularly remarkable was its youthful cast — predominantly performers born after 2000, who have undergone years of rigorous training to master the intricate art form. Among them, young artist Qiao Chun'er describes the experience as transformative: "We have been practicing in the rehearsal room for months, polishing every detail. As the younger generation, we feel a deep sense of responsibility and mission."
\n
The program carefully curated excerpts from four historic Huiju Opera troupes. These are Chuntai Troupe's Bai Tu Ji (The White Rabbit), Hechun Troupe's Yu Ni He (The River of Sludge), Sixi Troupe's Yu Zhou Feng (Cosmic Blade) and Sanqing Troupe's Long Hu Dou (Dragon-Tiger Battle). Each piece highlighted a distinct aspect of Huiju Opera's artistry, from the refined combination of singing and recitation to its unique tradition of infusing civil plays with martial flair.
\n
Wang Jingxian, rehearsal director of this performance and a first-generation inheritor of Huiju Opera after the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949, says the prominence of young performers signals a vital renaissance. "These artists represent the third generation of Huiju Opera practitioners — our grandchildren's generation. Their energy, dedication and willingness to push creative boundaries ensure the art form will not only survive but thrive in the contemporary cultural landscape."
\n
The anniversary celebrations extend far beyond a single performance. Zhang Jian, president of Anhui Performing Arts Group, announced an ambitious series of initiatives on Sept 22 at a news conference in Beijing. The plan includes a nine-city performance tour retracing the original route of the Anhui troupes' journey to Beijing — covering Beijing, Tianjin, Jinan, Yangzhou, Nanjing, Hangzhou, Anqing, Huangshan and Hefei.
\n
The initiatives also feature publishing historical repertoire collections in collaboration with the Palace Museum, hosting lectures by renowned artists, organizing themed exhibitions, and introducing Huiju Opera in schools through interactive educational activities.
\n
In addition, Anhui province is hosting a national opera festival from late September through the upcoming Spring Festival. The event will bring together leading artists from various traditional opera genres to stage over 100 classic productions, alongside another 100 performances by Anhui's local opera troupes, offering audiences an immersive cultural feast.
\n
Audiences have responded enthusiastically. A native surnamed He from Fuyang city in Anhui says he grew up with Yuju Opera (from Henan province) thanks to his parents' influence. "My hometown sits right on the border between Henan and Anhui provinces. As a child, I often saw my parents listening to Yuju Opera. That's why I specifically brought my child along this time — hoping to let them experience the charm of our excellent traditional culture up close."
\n
Zhang adds that the commemorative activities aim to honor cultural origins, carry forward this rich legacy, and write a new chapter for the tradition in our contemporary era.
\n
"The arrival of the Huiju Opera troupes in Beijing 235 years ago was a milestone in Chinese theater history. It played a pivotal role in the birth of Peking Opera and influenced the evolution of traditional Chinese opera as a whole," he says. "We are not just commemorating history — we're writing its next chapter through these young artists."
\n
Contact the writers at wangsongsong@chinadaily.com.cn
Zaxee Walnut Tree Winery, located in Dechen county, Yunnan province.
\n
Staff members of Songtsam Cizhong Winery harvest grapes.
\n
Vineyards in Cizhong village in Dechen county.
\n
An employee from Songtsam Cizhong Winery shows off grapes after a successful harvest.
\n
The grape pickers are all local villagers.
\n
Every vine is now cultivated using professional viticultural techniques.
\n
Bertrand Cristau, owner of Xiaoling Estate.
\n
Oak barrels inside Xiaoling Estate.
\n
Vines in Dechen county, Yunnan province.
\n
In the sun-drenched vineyards of Rizui village, nestled along the banks of the Lancang River in Dechen county, five young women move briskly between rows of ripened grapes. The harvest season has arrived, marking the culmination of a year's worth of labor and care.
\n
Among them is Kangzhu, who, together with her four teammates, joined Songtsam Cizhong Winery just over a year ago. Once farmers tending vines in their backyards, they are now professionals cultivating a new livelihood — and a new identity — through winemaking.
\n
Songtsam Cizhong Winery is a young but ambitious addition to the growing Shangri-La wine region. Completed at the end of last year, it is releasing its first vintage — a Chardonnay dry white — later this year.
\n
The winery sits in Cizhong village, a place steeped in more than a century of grape-growing heritage. From the late 19th to early 20th century, French missionaries built the Cizhong Catholic Church here and planted vineyards around it, introducing winemaking to this remote valley.
\n
Today, Songtsam carries that legacy forward with a renewed sense of purpose. "Our goal in making wine is to protect the land beneath our feet," says staff member Zhang Lanxun.
\n
"Here in the valley, people cultivate grapes instead of overgrazing or hunting. Everything grows in balance, the land rests and renews, and together we share in the beauty of our home."
\n
Beyond offering stable livelihoods to villagers like Kangzhu, the winery has expanded its vision to embrace sustainable creativity and experiential tourism. Inside the winery, visitors encounter far more than barrels and bottles. Candleholders made from recycled glass, handmade paper crafted from grape leaves, and sensory workshops that guide guests through the aromas of wine all contribute to an immersive journey.
\n
The winery is housed within Songtsam Cizhong Lodge, which integrates hospitality with agricultural life. "Guests can enjoy lunch right in the vineyard — it's something truly special," Zhang says.
\n
"We don't use pesticides, and the grass between the vines is cut and fed to our cattle and sheep. Visitors often spend hours walking among the vines, and at night we organize stargazing sessions. Next year, we even plan to host nighttime insect-watching events."
\n
Each season brings a different kind of beauty, Zhang adds — from the delicate blossoms of spring to the vivid hues of ripening grapes.
\n
For her, the connection to this land is deeply personal. Born and raised in Yunnan, she grew up hearing stories of the French missionaries who brought grape cultivation to the region. The lan in her name comes from the Lancang River — the same river that flows past the winery today. Standing among the vines, she feels a quiet sense of destiny, as though her life, the river, and the valley's history have all converged in this shared journey of renewal.
\n
The story of Songtsam is also part of a broader transformation sweeping across the Shangri-La region — now one of China's most promising wine-producing areas. With its high-altitude climate, abundant water and diverse soils, Yunnan's vineyards are yielding wines with distinctive character, drawing growing attention from critics and consumers alike.
\n
That evolution is being closely watched by professionals like Liu Ding from the Wynn Signature Chinese Wine Awards, who visited several Shangri-La wineries this year. Some of their wines have already earned recognition at the awards, and Liu wanted to see firsthand how these mountain wineries operate.
\n
To her, Shangri-La's terroir is unlike any other — "one mountain has four seasons, and the weather changes every 10 miles". Each vineyard, she says, expresses its own voice.
\n
"The roads here are steep and winding, but it's precisely this remoteness and high cost of production that drive winemakers to focus on crafting premium wines that can stand out through quality. The diversity of terroir gives Shangri-La immense potential. While most still work with traditional grape varieties, as technology advances and understanding of the land deepens, innovation in styles and varieties will surely follow."
\n
For Liu, the region's promise lies not only in its landscapes but also in its spirit. "Shangri-La is more than a distant frontier — it represents possibility," she says. "It's becoming one of the most exciting highlights in China's wine landscape."
\n
She is particularly impressed by Songtsam's vision that blends winemaking with culture and tourism. "Songtsam is not only making wine; it's using wine as a bridge to promote Tibetan cultural tourism and to share a deep sense of local pride," she says. "That resonates with our mission at Wynn — we both believe that wine is not just a product, but a form of cultural expression and confidence."
\n
Another winery that left a lasting impression on Liu was Zaxee Walnut Tree Winery, founded by Quan Shiping in 2017 in Benzilan township, Dechen county.
\n
Quan's journey into wine began far from Yunnan, in the mountains of Gansu province, where he grew up. In 2006, he entered Northwest Agriculture and Forestry University to study viticulture and enology. After graduation, he moved to Guangzhou in Guangdong province to work in wine sales, but in 2015 he returned to the mountains — this time to Garze county in Sichuan — to become a winemaker. Over time, the highland landscape, culture, and people captured his heart.
\n
Before arriving in Garze, Quan had studied other wine regions across China, but this one struck him as truly unique. "The combination of high altitude, low latitude, local terroir, and deep-rooted beliefs makes this region unlike any other," he says. What began as curiosity turned into connection — and eventually, belonging. Garze became his second home.
\n
Two years later, at the age of 30, he founded Zaxee Walnut Tree Winery — a name rich with meaning. Zaxee (similar to the Tibetan word tashi) was the first Tibetan word he learned after arriving: zaxee delek — a greeting filled with warmth and goodwill. "When you walk into a Tibetan home, elders greet you with tashi delek. When sharing a meal or pouring wine, people say tashi delek. When you leave, they wave and say tashi delek. Each time I heard it, I felt at home," Quan says.
\n
In Tibetan, zaxee means good fortune and auspiciousness. The walnut tree in the winery's name comes from a 500-year-old tree standing proudly at its entrance. "I hope our wines can convey the same pure blessings of the Tibetan plateau," Quan says. "And that our winery, like the walnut tree, will take root here and grow for generations."
\n
To Quan, winemaking is a form of translation — an act of giving voice to the land. "If wine is expressed correctly, if it's translated truthfully, consumers will understand the region behind it," he explains. "In the past, people would say a wine has a Bordeaux style or a Burgundy style. But here in China, in the highlands, we are developing a style of our own."
\n
Liu agrees. "Zaxee Walnut Tree represents the rise of a new generation of Chinese winemakers," she says. "They don't rely on foreign expertise. Instead, with scientific rigor and local wisdom, they're crafting wines that are authentically Chinese."
\n
Together, the stories of Songtsam and Zaxee reflect the quiet confidence of a region coming into its own. In the high valleys of Shangri-La, winemaking is no longer just an imported craft — it is becoming an expression of place, people and pride. Here, amid snow peaks and vineyards, China's new frontier of wine is taking root — one that speaks with a voice unmistakably its own.
\n
Contact the writer at liyingxue@chinadaily.com.cn
\n",
- "content": "\n
Zaxee Walnut Tree Winery, located in Dechen county, Yunnan province.
\n
Staff members of Songtsam Cizhong Winery harvest grapes.
\n
Vineyards in Cizhong village in Dechen county.
\n
An employee from Songtsam Cizhong Winery shows off grapes after a successful harvest.
\n
The grape pickers are all local villagers.
\n
Every vine is now cultivated using professional viticultural techniques.
\n
Bertrand Cristau, owner of Xiaoling Estate.
\n
Oak barrels inside Xiaoling Estate.
\n
Vines in Dechen county, Yunnan province.
\n
In the sun-drenched vineyards of Rizui village, nestled along the banks of the Lancang River in Dechen county, five young women move briskly between rows of ripened grapes. The harvest season has arrived, marking the culmination of a year's worth of labor and care.
\n
Among them is Kangzhu, who, together with her four teammates, joined Songtsam Cizhong Winery just over a year ago. Once farmers tending vines in their backyards, they are now professionals cultivating a new livelihood — and a new identity — through winemaking.
\n
Songtsam Cizhong Winery is a young but ambitious addition to the growing Shangri-La wine region. Completed at the end of last year, it is releasing its first vintage — a Chardonnay dry white — later this year.
\n
The winery sits in Cizhong village, a place steeped in more than a century of grape-growing heritage. From the late 19th to early 20th century, French missionaries built the Cizhong Catholic Church here and planted vineyards around it, introducing winemaking to this remote valley.
\n
Today, Songtsam carries that legacy forward with a renewed sense of purpose. "Our goal in making wine is to protect the land beneath our feet," says staff member Zhang Lanxun.
\n
"Here in the valley, people cultivate grapes instead of overgrazing or hunting. Everything grows in balance, the land rests and renews, and together we share in the beauty of our home."
\n
Beyond offering stable livelihoods to villagers like Kangzhu, the winery has expanded its vision to embrace sustainable creativity and experiential tourism. Inside the winery, visitors encounter far more than barrels and bottles. Candleholders made from recycled glass, handmade paper crafted from grape leaves, and sensory workshops that guide guests through the aromas of wine all contribute to an immersive journey.
\n
The winery is housed within Songtsam Cizhong Lodge, which integrates hospitality with agricultural life. "Guests can enjoy lunch right in the vineyard — it's something truly special," Zhang says.
\n
"We don't use pesticides, and the grass between the vines is cut and fed to our cattle and sheep. Visitors often spend hours walking among the vines, and at night we organize stargazing sessions. Next year, we even plan to host nighttime insect-watching events."
\n
Each season brings a different kind of beauty, Zhang adds — from the delicate blossoms of spring to the vivid hues of ripening grapes.
\n
For her, the connection to this land is deeply personal. Born and raised in Yunnan, she grew up hearing stories of the French missionaries who brought grape cultivation to the region. The lan in her name comes from the Lancang River — the same river that flows past the winery today. Standing among the vines, she feels a quiet sense of destiny, as though her life, the river, and the valley's history have all converged in this shared journey of renewal.
\n
The story of Songtsam is also part of a broader transformation sweeping across the Shangri-La region — now one of China's most promising wine-producing areas. With its high-altitude climate, abundant water and diverse soils, Yunnan's vineyards are yielding wines with distinctive character, drawing growing attention from critics and consumers alike.
\n
That evolution is being closely watched by professionals like Liu Ding from the Wynn Signature Chinese Wine Awards, who visited several Shangri-La wineries this year. Some of their wines have already earned recognition at the awards, and Liu wanted to see firsthand how these mountain wineries operate.
\n
To her, Shangri-La's terroir is unlike any other — "one mountain has four seasons, and the weather changes every 10 miles". Each vineyard, she says, expresses its own voice.
\n
"The roads here are steep and winding, but it's precisely this remoteness and high cost of production that drive winemakers to focus on crafting premium wines that can stand out through quality. The diversity of terroir gives Shangri-La immense potential. While most still work with traditional grape varieties, as technology advances and understanding of the land deepens, innovation in styles and varieties will surely follow."
\n
For Liu, the region's promise lies not only in its landscapes but also in its spirit. "Shangri-La is more than a distant frontier — it represents possibility," she says. "It's becoming one of the most exciting highlights in China's wine landscape."
\n
She is particularly impressed by Songtsam's vision that blends winemaking with culture and tourism. "Songtsam is not only making wine; it's using wine as a bridge to promote Tibetan cultural tourism and to share a deep sense of local pride," she says. "That resonates with our mission at Wynn — we both believe that wine is not just a product, but a form of cultural expression and confidence."
\n
Another winery that left a lasting impression on Liu was Zaxee Walnut Tree Winery, founded by Quan Shiping in 2017 in Benzilan township, Dechen county.
\n
Quan's journey into wine began far from Yunnan, in the mountains of Gansu province, where he grew up. In 2006, he entered Northwest Agriculture and Forestry University to study viticulture and enology. After graduation, he moved to Guangzhou in Guangdong province to work in wine sales, but in 2015 he returned to the mountains — this time to Garze county in Sichuan — to become a winemaker. Over time, the highland landscape, culture, and people captured his heart.
\n
Before arriving in Garze, Quan had studied other wine regions across China, but this one struck him as truly unique. "The combination of high altitude, low latitude, local terroir, and deep-rooted beliefs makes this region unlike any other," he says. What began as curiosity turned into connection — and eventually, belonging. Garze became his second home.
\n
Two years later, at the age of 30, he founded Zaxee Walnut Tree Winery — a name rich with meaning. Zaxee (similar to the Tibetan word tashi) was the first Tibetan word he learned after arriving: zaxee delek — a greeting filled with warmth and goodwill. "When you walk into a Tibetan home, elders greet you with tashi delek. When sharing a meal or pouring wine, people say tashi delek. When you leave, they wave and say tashi delek. Each time I heard it, I felt at home," Quan says.
\n
In Tibetan, zaxee means good fortune and auspiciousness. The walnut tree in the winery's name comes from a 500-year-old tree standing proudly at its entrance. "I hope our wines can convey the same pure blessings of the Tibetan plateau," Quan says. "And that our winery, like the walnut tree, will take root here and grow for generations."
\n
To Quan, winemaking is a form of translation — an act of giving voice to the land. "If wine is expressed correctly, if it's translated truthfully, consumers will understand the region behind it," he explains. "In the past, people would say a wine has a Bordeaux style or a Burgundy style. But here in China, in the highlands, we are developing a style of our own."
\n
Liu agrees. "Zaxee Walnut Tree represents the rise of a new generation of Chinese winemakers," she says. "They don't rely on foreign expertise. Instead, with scientific rigor and local wisdom, they're crafting wines that are authentically Chinese."
\n
Together, the stories of Songtsam and Zaxee reflect the quiet confidence of a region coming into its own. In the high valleys of Shangri-La, winemaking is no longer just an imported craft — it is becoming an expression of place, people and pride. Here, amid snow peaks and vineyards, China's new frontier of wine is taking root — one that speaks with a voice unmistakably its own.
MILAN — In the heart of Milan, just steps from the famous Brera Gallery, a cozy neighborhood restaurant is drawing locals with an unexpected yet delightful combination: Chinese braised dishes paired with Italian wine.
\n
At ZioZio, many Italian food enthusiasts are discovering the flavors and traditions behind Sichuan-style Chinese braised cuisine. The region's humid climate and use of Sichuan peppercorns have shaped a distinctive preference for numbing, spicy and aromatic flavors, often found in dishes meant to be savored slowly.
\n
Diners are often surprised to find how seamlessly these rich, layered flavors complement Italian wines, creating a unique interplay between East and West.
\n
"We wanted to create a restaurant for the local community from the very beginning," says Wang Haoran and Zeng Xiaotang, two young art graduates — one specializing in music and the other in design — who founded ZioZio after completing their studies in Italy. "By pairing Chinese braised dishes with the red wines Italians love, we hope to spark curiosity about new flavor combinations and introduce more people to the richness of China's regional food cultures."
\n
Their concept has resonated with Milan's locals. "In recent years, more authentic Chinese cuisines have appeared in Italy and Europe, offering greater variety and cultural experiences that people truly appreciate," says regular customer Gianluca Corrias.
\n
ZioZio's snug space of 15 square meters often hums with the lively chatter of locals. Some guests drop by after work to enjoy wine with braised beef and bamboo shoots, while others linger to chat with friends. Ahead of the Mid-Autumn Festival, Wang and Zeng prepared mooncakes, inviting Italian customers to taste the traditional treat and learn about the holiday's meaning.
\n
"The dishes here are authentic, not the tourist kind," says customer Caterina Cecconi. "I've never been to China, but now I really want to visit and meet more Chinese people."
\n
In Rome, another small eatery is also winning hearts with authentic Chinese flavors. Jiamo Lab, named after its signature snack roujiamo, a traditional Chinese flatbread stuffed with braised meat, has become a local favorite, even appearing on popular media recommendation lists.
\n
Located near a 460-year-old city wall designed by Michelangelo, Jiamo Lab offers not just food but also stories. The restaurant's walls are lined with information about the origins of roujiamo and its birthplace, the ancient city of Xi'an in Northwest China's Shaanxi province.
\n
"When we dine here, we're drawn to the cultural stories on the walls. They make us want to learn more about Chinese history," says customer Simona Baltieri.
\n
"Chinese cuisine is an ideal way to share our culture," says owner Hu Chenqiang. "With Xi'an roujiamo, we naturally talk about the Qin Dynasty (221-206 BC) and the Terracotta Warriors."
\n
For decades, Chinese cuisine abroad often meant fried rice or sweet-and-sour pork. Now, a new generation of Chinese restaurateurs is changing that perception, introducing authentic regional specialties, from Sichuan snacks to Xi'an street food, across Italy and the rest of Europe.
\n
Hu is determined to stay true to traditional flavors. "The more confidence we have in our own culture, the more interest foreigners will show in it," he says.
\n
Inside Jiamo Lab, visitors can also find information about China's visa-free policies and guidance on using mobile payment apps, part of Hu's effort to help curious diners prepare for future trips to China.
\n
Hu says he hopes his restaurant will become a genuine part of local life, encouraging cultural exchange, especially among young people.
\n
Regular customer Francesca Fatica believes these efforts go beyond food. Authentic Chinese cuisine is more than food, it is a bridge between cultures too, she says. "It's time to showcase more of China's traditions, allowing the world to see the true richness of Chinese culture."
MILAN — In the heart of Milan, just steps from the famous Brera Gallery, a cozy neighborhood restaurant is drawing locals with an unexpected yet delightful combination: Chinese braised dishes paired with Italian wine.
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At ZioZio, many Italian food enthusiasts are discovering the flavors and traditions behind Sichuan-style Chinese braised cuisine. The region's humid climate and use of Sichuan peppercorns have shaped a distinctive preference for numbing, spicy and aromatic flavors, often found in dishes meant to be savored slowly.
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Diners are often surprised to find how seamlessly these rich, layered flavors complement Italian wines, creating a unique interplay between East and West.
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"We wanted to create a restaurant for the local community from the very beginning," says Wang Haoran and Zeng Xiaotang, two young art graduates — one specializing in music and the other in design — who founded ZioZio after completing their studies in Italy. "By pairing Chinese braised dishes with the red wines Italians love, we hope to spark curiosity about new flavor combinations and introduce more people to the richness of China's regional food cultures."
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Their concept has resonated with Milan's locals. "In recent years, more authentic Chinese cuisines have appeared in Italy and Europe, offering greater variety and cultural experiences that people truly appreciate," says regular customer Gianluca Corrias.
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ZioZio's snug space of 15 square meters often hums with the lively chatter of locals. Some guests drop by after work to enjoy wine with braised beef and bamboo shoots, while others linger to chat with friends. Ahead of the Mid-Autumn Festival, Wang and Zeng prepared mooncakes, inviting Italian customers to taste the traditional treat and learn about the holiday's meaning.
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"The dishes here are authentic, not the tourist kind," says customer Caterina Cecconi. "I've never been to China, but now I really want to visit and meet more Chinese people."
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In Rome, another small eatery is also winning hearts with authentic Chinese flavors. Jiamo Lab, named after its signature snack roujiamo, a traditional Chinese flatbread stuffed with braised meat, has become a local favorite, even appearing on popular media recommendation lists.
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Located near a 460-year-old city wall designed by Michelangelo, Jiamo Lab offers not just food but also stories. The restaurant's walls are lined with information about the origins of roujiamo and its birthplace, the ancient city of Xi'an in Northwest China's Shaanxi province.
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"When we dine here, we're drawn to the cultural stories on the walls. They make us want to learn more about Chinese history," says customer Simona Baltieri.
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"Chinese cuisine is an ideal way to share our culture," says owner Hu Chenqiang. "With Xi'an roujiamo, we naturally talk about the Qin Dynasty (221-206 BC) and the Terracotta Warriors."
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For decades, Chinese cuisine abroad often meant fried rice or sweet-and-sour pork. Now, a new generation of Chinese restaurateurs is changing that perception, introducing authentic regional specialties, from Sichuan snacks to Xi'an street food, across Italy and the rest of Europe.
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Hu is determined to stay true to traditional flavors. "The more confidence we have in our own culture, the more interest foreigners will show in it," he says.
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Inside Jiamo Lab, visitors can also find information about China's visa-free policies and guidance on using mobile payment apps, part of Hu's effort to help curious diners prepare for future trips to China.
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Hu says he hopes his restaurant will become a genuine part of local life, encouraging cultural exchange, especially among young people.
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Regular customer Francesca Fatica believes these efforts go beyond food. Authentic Chinese cuisine is more than food, it is a bridge between cultures too, she says. "It's time to showcase more of China's traditions, allowing the world to see the true richness of Chinese culture."
Players of team Taizhou celebrate winning the ZheBA, or the Zhejiang Provincial City Basketball League, against team Jiaxing in Taizhou, East China's Zhejiang province.
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An actor dressed as the ancient poet Li Bai, who traveled to Zhejiang several times in his lifetime, welcomes passengers aboard.
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A train ticket for the special carriage on the Hangzhou-Taizhou high-speed railway.
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The carriage is specially decorated for basketball fans going to the ZheBA games, which will run through February.
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Basketball fans pose for photos in Hangzhou East Railway Station in Zhejiang.
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Fans waving flags and banners arrive at Taizhou Railway Station in Taizhou.
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Wearing team T-shirts and carrying banners, Taizhou fans cheer during the ZheBA game against team Jiaxing.
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Providing a visual treat for the fans, the grassroots event aims to tap into the potential of community-level basketball.
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Ahigh-speed train specially chartered for basketball fans arrived in Taizhou from Hangzhou in Zhejiang province last month, part of a joint initiative by rail and tourism authorities to stimulate regional economic activity through sport.
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More than 60 fans boarded the dedicated train to attend a provincial league game, with passengers donning team jerseys and carrying banners. The carriage was decorated with flags and motivational slogans in anticipation of the evening match between Taizhou and Jiaxing.
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The initiative highlights how local governments are trying to boost consumption.
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The project was organized by the railway operator, local cultural and tourism bureaus, and transport groups. The journey aims to establish a direct consumer link between two cities, using a sporting event to stimulate travel, hospitality, and dining revenue.
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Since the line began operations in January 2022, it has carried over 70 million passengers, reinforcing the one-hour travel connection between Hangzhou and Taizhou. This efficiency was evident when the train arrived in Taizhou in just 74 minutes.
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"The atmosphere is incredible. It feels so ritualistic to head to the game with a group of like-minded fans," says a passenger surnamed Zhang on the train.
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"The efficiency of the line makes attending games easier and in turn, boosts both the popularity of the game and passenger numbers," says Zhang Jianping, deputy director of the operation's management department.
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He says that there has been a 14.2 percent year-on-year growth in passenger volume during the summer travel period, with trains often fully booked during basketball season.
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Since the ZheBA, or the Zhejiang Provincial City Basketball League, began in July, demand for high-speed rail, cross-city spectating and tourism consumption has surged, offering a new model for integrated regional development. Running through February, this grassroots event, initiated by Zhejiang authorities, aims to tap into the potential of community-level basketball.
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To capitalize on this influx of fans, Taizhou's tourism department has offered discounts to over a dozen local attractions, nearly 30 hotels, and multiple restaurants. A special market outside the sports venue has promoted local products and offered chances to win tickets to regional tourist spots. Officials have framed the event as a strategic model for economic stimulus.
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"We are boosting consumption, enhancing our brand, and transforming a basketball event into a cultural tourism economy," says Chen Qiaoqiao, an official from Taizhou's culture, radio, television, tourism and sports bureau.
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This model exemplifies how local governments are blending sporting events with transportation infrastructure to create new consumption chains.
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The fan train in Zhejiang offers an example of how sporting events can serve as multifaceted economic drivers.
\n
By combining sports passion with travel convenience and cultural experiences, cities can attract broader audiences and create sustainable consumption chains.
\n",
- "content": "\n
Players of team Taizhou celebrate winning the ZheBA, or the Zhejiang Provincial City Basketball League, against team Jiaxing in Taizhou, East China's Zhejiang province.
\n
An actor dressed as the ancient poet Li Bai, who traveled to Zhejiang several times in his lifetime, welcomes passengers aboard.
\n
A train ticket for the special carriage on the Hangzhou-Taizhou high-speed railway.
\n
The carriage is specially decorated for basketball fans going to the ZheBA games, which will run through February.
\n
Basketball fans pose for photos in Hangzhou East Railway Station in Zhejiang.
\n
Fans waving flags and banners arrive at Taizhou Railway Station in Taizhou.
\n
Wearing team T-shirts and carrying banners, Taizhou fans cheer during the ZheBA game against team Jiaxing.
\n
Providing a visual treat for the fans, the grassroots event aims to tap into the potential of community-level basketball.
\n
Ahigh-speed train specially chartered for basketball fans arrived in Taizhou from Hangzhou in Zhejiang province last month, part of a joint initiative by rail and tourism authorities to stimulate regional economic activity through sport.
\n
More than 60 fans boarded the dedicated train to attend a provincial league game, with passengers donning team jerseys and carrying banners. The carriage was decorated with flags and motivational slogans in anticipation of the evening match between Taizhou and Jiaxing.
\n
The initiative highlights how local governments are trying to boost consumption.
\n
The project was organized by the railway operator, local cultural and tourism bureaus, and transport groups. The journey aims to establish a direct consumer link between two cities, using a sporting event to stimulate travel, hospitality, and dining revenue.
\n
Since the line began operations in January 2022, it has carried over 70 million passengers, reinforcing the one-hour travel connection between Hangzhou and Taizhou. This efficiency was evident when the train arrived in Taizhou in just 74 minutes.
\n
"The atmosphere is incredible. It feels so ritualistic to head to the game with a group of like-minded fans," says a passenger surnamed Zhang on the train.
\n
"The efficiency of the line makes attending games easier and in turn, boosts both the popularity of the game and passenger numbers," says Zhang Jianping, deputy director of the operation's management department.
\n
He says that there has been a 14.2 percent year-on-year growth in passenger volume during the summer travel period, with trains often fully booked during basketball season.
\n
Since the ZheBA, or the Zhejiang Provincial City Basketball League, began in July, demand for high-speed rail, cross-city spectating and tourism consumption has surged, offering a new model for integrated regional development. Running through February, this grassroots event, initiated by Zhejiang authorities, aims to tap into the potential of community-level basketball.
\n
To capitalize on this influx of fans, Taizhou's tourism department has offered discounts to over a dozen local attractions, nearly 30 hotels, and multiple restaurants. A special market outside the sports venue has promoted local products and offered chances to win tickets to regional tourist spots. Officials have framed the event as a strategic model for economic stimulus.
\n
"We are boosting consumption, enhancing our brand, and transforming a basketball event into a cultural tourism economy," says Chen Qiaoqiao, an official from Taizhou's culture, radio, television, tourism and sports bureau.
\n
This model exemplifies how local governments are blending sporting events with transportation infrastructure to create new consumption chains.
\n
The fan train in Zhejiang offers an example of how sporting events can serve as multifaceted economic drivers.
\n
By combining sports passion with travel convenience and cultural experiences, cities can attract broader audiences and create sustainable consumption chains.
President Xi Jinping has extended congratulations on the 120th founding anniversary of China Agricultural University, calling on it to cultivate more professionals with expertise and passion for agriculture.
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In a reply letter to faculty and students of CAU on Wednesday, Xi, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, expressed hope that they will stay committed to strengthening agriculture to serve the nation, deepening reform in education and teaching, and enhancing innovation in agricultural science and technology, as well as the application and transformation of research outcomes.
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He also called on the university to make new contributions to building up China's strength in agriculture and advancing Chinese modernization.
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Recently, faculty members and students of CAU wrote a letter to Xi, in which they expressed determination to accelerate the building of CAU as a world-class university and to make unremitting efforts for the great cause of building a strong nation and realizing national rejuvenation.
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The history of CAU, as the oldest agricultural higher education institution in China, can be traced back to October 1905, when the College of Agriculture was founded by the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) in the Imperial University of Peking.
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In 1995, CAU was formed by merging Beijing Agricultural University and Beijing Agricultural Engineering University. It now carries out friendly cooperation with more than 260 universities, research institutes and international organizations in over 50 countries and regions.
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Xi has always placed great importance on higher education in agriculture and forestry in the new era, as well as issues relating to agriculture, rural areas and farmers.
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In 2019, he replied to a letter from Party secretaries, presidents and experts of over 50 agricultural colleges, stressing their role in boosting agricultural prosperity.
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In 2023, he replied to a letter from students participating in a program at CAU that sends students to the front lines of agricultural production. The program, known as "science and technology backyards", aims to study and solve practical problems in the development of agriculture and rural areas and train high-level agricultural talent.
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Kang Shaozhong, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and a professor at CAU, said that receiving Xi's reply was immensely encouraging and motivating.
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Kang said that he will further deepen education and teaching reforms, cultivating more new-type talent who understand and love agriculture in the new era.
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Ma Ke, a third-year undergraduate student at the College of Animal Science and Technology at CAU, said that for him, understanding agriculture means diligently studying core knowledge and mastering the real skills for revitalizing agriculture through science and technology.
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"Loving agriculture means harboring the deepest affection for hundreds of millions of farmers," he said.
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Lemi Chala Tamire, from Ethiopia, who is a PhD candidate in development studies at CAU, said the 120th founding anniversary is a milestone, which is a testament to how the university has shaped generations of experts who are changing rural communities and contributing to China's remarkable development.
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"I am proud to be part of this great legacy — we make it, we are in the community," he said.
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China's model of poverty eradication and rural vitalization offers valuable insights that can be adapted to Ethiopia's context, Tamire said.
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"After graduation, I see myself as a proud ambassador of CAU — sharing the university's success stories globally and serving as a bridge between China and Ethiopia," he said.
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Tamire added that he will carry forward the knowledge, values and spirit he gained at the university to promote sustainable development and agricultural cooperation between Ethiopia and China.
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Contact the writers at zhoujin@chinadaily.com.cn
\n",
- "content": "
President Xi Jinping has extended congratulations on the 120th founding anniversary of China Agricultural University, calling on it to cultivate more professionals with expertise and passion for agriculture.
\n
In a reply letter to faculty and students of CAU on Wednesday, Xi, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, expressed hope that they will stay committed to strengthening agriculture to serve the nation, deepening reform in education and teaching, and enhancing innovation in agricultural science and technology, as well as the application and transformation of research outcomes.
\n
He also called on the university to make new contributions to building up China's strength in agriculture and advancing Chinese modernization.
\n
Recently, faculty members and students of CAU wrote a letter to Xi, in which they expressed determination to accelerate the building of CAU as a world-class university and to make unremitting efforts for the great cause of building a strong nation and realizing national rejuvenation.
\n
The history of CAU, as the oldest agricultural higher education institution in China, can be traced back to October 1905, when the College of Agriculture was founded by the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) in the Imperial University of Peking.
\n
In 1995, CAU was formed by merging Beijing Agricultural University and Beijing Agricultural Engineering University. It now carries out friendly cooperation with more than 260 universities, research institutes and international organizations in over 50 countries and regions.
\n
Xi has always placed great importance on higher education in agriculture and forestry in the new era, as well as issues relating to agriculture, rural areas and farmers.
\n
In 2019, he replied to a letter from Party secretaries, presidents and experts of over 50 agricultural colleges, stressing their role in boosting agricultural prosperity.
\n
In 2023, he replied to a letter from students participating in a program at CAU that sends students to the front lines of agricultural production. The program, known as "science and technology backyards", aims to study and solve practical problems in the development of agriculture and rural areas and train high-level agricultural talent.
\n
Kang Shaozhong, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and a professor at CAU, said that receiving Xi's reply was immensely encouraging and motivating.
\n
Kang said that he will further deepen education and teaching reforms, cultivating more new-type talent who understand and love agriculture in the new era.
\n
Ma Ke, a third-year undergraduate student at the College of Animal Science and Technology at CAU, said that for him, understanding agriculture means diligently studying core knowledge and mastering the real skills for revitalizing agriculture through science and technology.
\n
"Loving agriculture means harboring the deepest affection for hundreds of millions of farmers," he said.
\n
Lemi Chala Tamire, from Ethiopia, who is a PhD candidate in development studies at CAU, said the 120th founding anniversary is a milestone, which is a testament to how the university has shaped generations of experts who are changing rural communities and contributing to China's remarkable development.
\n
"I am proud to be part of this great legacy — we make it, we are in the community," he said.
\n
China's model of poverty eradication and rural vitalization offers valuable insights that can be adapted to Ethiopia's context, Tamire said.
\n
"After graduation, I see myself as a proud ambassador of CAU — sharing the university's success stories globally and serving as a bridge between China and Ethiopia," he said.
\n
Tamire added that he will carry forward the knowledge, values and spirit he gained at the university to promote sustainable development and agricultural cooperation between Ethiopia and China.
President Xi Jinping has congratulated the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization on the 80th anniversary of its founding, and expressed China's commitment to supporting the international body in playing an important role in the food and agricultural sector in the world.
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In a congratulatory message sent to the FAO on Thursday, Xi highlighted the significant role the FAO has played in ensuring global food security, promoting rural development and food system transformation, and improving the living standards of people worldwide.
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Noting that the Chinese government attaches great importance to food security, Xi said that the nation is committed to addressing the food needs of its over 1.4 billion population by itself, and has also provided assistance to countries in need within its capacity, thereby contributing its strength toward global food security.
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Xi expressed the country's commitment to continuing its support for the FAO in playing an important role in the international food and agricultural sector. He said that China is willing to work with the international community to implement the Global Development Initiative, advance the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and promote the building of a community with a shared future for humanity, ultimately contributing more to the well-being of people across the globe.
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The FAO was established on Oct 16, 1945. China is one of its founding members.
\n",
- "content": "
President Xi Jinping has congratulated the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization on the 80th anniversary of its founding, and expressed China's commitment to supporting the international body in playing an important role in the food and agricultural sector in the world.
\n
In a congratulatory message sent to the FAO on Thursday, Xi highlighted the significant role the FAO has played in ensuring global food security, promoting rural development and food system transformation, and improving the living standards of people worldwide.
\n
Noting that the Chinese government attaches great importance to food security, Xi said that the nation is committed to addressing the food needs of its over 1.4 billion population by itself, and has also provided assistance to countries in need within its capacity, thereby contributing its strength toward global food security.
\n
Xi expressed the country's commitment to continuing its support for the FAO in playing an important role in the international food and agricultural sector. He said that China is willing to work with the international community to implement the Global Development Initiative, advance the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and promote the building of a community with a shared future for humanity, ultimately contributing more to the well-being of people across the globe.
\n
The FAO was established on Oct 16, 1945. China is one of its founding members.
Outside a consultation room at Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital in Hangzhou, the provincial capital, Liu tightly clutches her husband's medical records, unable to conceal her excitement and anticipation.
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Her husband lost sensation and motor function below the waist after a traffic accident damaged his spinal cord. Liu (not her real name), after learning that the hospital had opened a brain-computer interface and neuromodulation evaluation outpatient clinic on Wednesday, came to the city hoping that the treatment would help ease her husband's suffering.
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Brain-computer interface, or BCI, technology enables interaction between biological and machine intelligence by building information channels between the human brain and machines.
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As the first clinic of its kind in the province, all appointment slots were instantly snapped up.
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"After a spinal cord injury, the disruption of neural pathways is the core challenge. Our brain-computer interface technology can capture the brain's signals of 'intent to move', assisting movement through exoskeletons or functional electrical stimulation.
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"Simultaneously, it incorporates neuromodulation to improve muscle tone and reduce the risk of complications," Ye Xiangming, chief physician in charge of the clinic, told Liu. Neuromodulation is the alteration of nerve activity through electrical stimulation or chemical agents.
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As traditional methods fail in the treatment of some neurological diseases, the use of BCI technology is expected to find new paths to recovery, Ye said.
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Among the first group of patients seeking help at the clinic were those suffering from strokes, spinal cord injuries, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, refractory epilepsy and major depressive disorders, and many of the patients were from outside the province, according to the hospital.
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Patients need to undergo a multidimensional assessment before three experts collaboratively evaluate their rehabilitation potential, feasibility of surgical intervention, and psychological adaptability, in order to determine whether they are suitable for the therapy.
\n
"BCI technology can help patients recover faster and better. For example, many patients who have had a stroke cannot complete precise hand movements. But BCI can shorten treatment time from about three months to one-and-a-half months, also helping them improve their ability in daily life," he said.
\n
Ye added that noninvasive treatment has been proved safe, with infection being the main risk in semi-invasive and invasive treatments.
\n
Furthermore, "since the device is not opened to the wide internet, and the whole process is strictly controlled, there is no access for hackers", he said, adding that there is great potential for expanding applications and improving the therapeutic effects of brain-computer interface technology.
\n
Currently, the clinic serves four categories of patients: those with severe motor dysfunction, hearing loss, refractory neurological and psychiatric disorders, and communication impairments.
\n
Since May, when Beijing Tiantan Hospital opened the country's first BCI clinic, such services have been expanded to more places, including Wuhan in Hubei province and Shenzhen in Guangdong province.
\n
In August, multiple Chinese authorities jointly issued a set of guidelines aimed at promoting the innovative development of the BCI industry, including calls for the accelerated adoption of brain-computer interface products across sectors such as industrial manufacturing, healthcare and consumption by 2027.
\n
The National Medical Products Administration released China's first standards for BCI medical devices in September.
\n
Qu Yan, director of neurosurgery at Tangdu Hospital of Air Force Medical University in Xi'an, Shaanxi province, said: "The establishment of BCI outpatient clinics provides a standardized and professional channel for consultation and assessment to patients with real needs. This not only helps screen for patients who are most suitable for clinical trials or treatment, but also gives direct feedback to the scientific research side."
\n
Qu added that managing the expectations of patients and the public is the greatest challenge. "BCI's clinical application is still in a very early exploratory stage," he said. "Technologically, both invasive and noninvasive methods face bottlenecks such as signal stability, long-term biocompatibility and the accuracy of decoding algorithms," he added.
\n
In addition, he said surgical risks, data privacy and complex ethical issues are hurdles that must be overcome before large-scale promotion can occur.
\n
Contact the writers at chenmeiling@chinadaily.com.cn
Outside a consultation room at Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital in Hangzhou, the provincial capital, Liu tightly clutches her husband's medical records, unable to conceal her excitement and anticipation.
\n
Her husband lost sensation and motor function below the waist after a traffic accident damaged his spinal cord. Liu (not her real name), after learning that the hospital had opened a brain-computer interface and neuromodulation evaluation outpatient clinic on Wednesday, came to the city hoping that the treatment would help ease her husband's suffering.
\n
Brain-computer interface, or BCI, technology enables interaction between biological and machine intelligence by building information channels between the human brain and machines.
\n
As the first clinic of its kind in the province, all appointment slots were instantly snapped up.
\n
"After a spinal cord injury, the disruption of neural pathways is the core challenge. Our brain-computer interface technology can capture the brain's signals of 'intent to move', assisting movement through exoskeletons or functional electrical stimulation.
\n
"Simultaneously, it incorporates neuromodulation to improve muscle tone and reduce the risk of complications," Ye Xiangming, chief physician in charge of the clinic, told Liu. Neuromodulation is the alteration of nerve activity through electrical stimulation or chemical agents.
\n
As traditional methods fail in the treatment of some neurological diseases, the use of BCI technology is expected to find new paths to recovery, Ye said.
\n
Among the first group of patients seeking help at the clinic were those suffering from strokes, spinal cord injuries, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, refractory epilepsy and major depressive disorders, and many of the patients were from outside the province, according to the hospital.
\n
Patients need to undergo a multidimensional assessment before three experts collaboratively evaluate their rehabilitation potential, feasibility of surgical intervention, and psychological adaptability, in order to determine whether they are suitable for the therapy.
\n
"BCI technology can help patients recover faster and better. For example, many patients who have had a stroke cannot complete precise hand movements. But BCI can shorten treatment time from about three months to one-and-a-half months, also helping them improve their ability in daily life," he said.
\n
Ye added that noninvasive treatment has been proved safe, with infection being the main risk in semi-invasive and invasive treatments.
\n
Furthermore, "since the device is not opened to the wide internet, and the whole process is strictly controlled, there is no access for hackers", he said, adding that there is great potential for expanding applications and improving the therapeutic effects of brain-computer interface technology.
\n
Currently, the clinic serves four categories of patients: those with severe motor dysfunction, hearing loss, refractory neurological and psychiatric disorders, and communication impairments.
\n
Since May, when Beijing Tiantan Hospital opened the country's first BCI clinic, such services have been expanded to more places, including Wuhan in Hubei province and Shenzhen in Guangdong province.
\n
In August, multiple Chinese authorities jointly issued a set of guidelines aimed at promoting the innovative development of the BCI industry, including calls for the accelerated adoption of brain-computer interface products across sectors such as industrial manufacturing, healthcare and consumption by 2027.
\n
The National Medical Products Administration released China's first standards for BCI medical devices in September.
\n
Qu Yan, director of neurosurgery at Tangdu Hospital of Air Force Medical University in Xi'an, Shaanxi province, said: "The establishment of BCI outpatient clinics provides a standardized and professional channel for consultation and assessment to patients with real needs. This not only helps screen for patients who are most suitable for clinical trials or treatment, but also gives direct feedback to the scientific research side."
\n
Qu added that managing the expectations of patients and the public is the greatest challenge. "BCI's clinical application is still in a very early exploratory stage," he said. "Technologically, both invasive and noninvasive methods face bottlenecks such as signal stability, long-term biocompatibility and the accuracy of decoding algorithms," he added.
\n
In addition, he said surgical risks, data privacy and complex ethical issues are hurdles that must be overcome before large-scale promotion can occur.
\n
Contact the writers at chenmeiling@chinadaily.com.cn
China's domestically developed AG600 large amphibious aircraft conducts a water drop demonstration on Tuesday during its debut at the 7th China Helicopter Exposition in Tianjin. The expo, which runs from Tuesday through Sunday, will have on display helicopters, electric vertical take-off-and-landing aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles, along with technologies, products and services related to the low-altitude economy.
China's domestically developed AG600 large amphibious aircraft conducts a water drop demonstration on Tuesday during its debut at the 7th China Helicopter Exposition in Tianjin. The expo, which runs from Tuesday through Sunday, will have on display helicopters, electric vertical take-off-and-landing aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles, along with technologies, products and services related to the low-altitude economy.
Major Chinese airlines operating flights between China and the United States have pushed back against a US proposal to bar them from flying over Russian airspace for round-trips to and from the US. The ban, if finalized, could take effect from as early as November.
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Last week, the US proposed the ban through an order claiming that Chinese carriers gain an unfair cost advantage over their US counterparts on such flights, as US airlines are prohibited by Moscow from using Russian airspace.
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In a filing to the US Department of Transportation on Tuesday, seven Chinese airlines requested an extension to seven business days to respond to the order. The US order had initially set an unusually short comment period of just two business days.
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Industry experts said that if implemented, the ban would undoubtedly harm the public's interests. It will disrupt travel for a large number of passengers, drive up airfares and force some travelers to switch to connecting flights via Hong Kong, Japan or South Korea.
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Qi Qi, a senior independent civil aviation industry analyst, described the US demand as highly unreasonable and unprofessional, given that rerouting flights require considerable time for assessment.
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"In contrast, the response of the Chinese airlines has been professional and based on scientific considerations. It is hoped that the US will approach this matter with greater rationality and align its considerations with practical feasibility," Qi said. "Compared to the pre-pandemic period, both demand and supply for China-US flights have declined, with supply dropping at a higher rate. As a result, supply still falls short of demand, which is driven by business travel and exchanges between the two countries."
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The US move comes at a time when tensions in China-US trade and economic relations have been escalating in recent weeks.
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The seven Chinese carriers that filed documents are Air China, China Eastern Airlines, China Southern Airlines, Hainan Airlines, Sichuan Airlines, Xiamen Airlines and Capital Airlines. Of these, Capital Airlines is currently not operating flights between China and the US.
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Air China said that it is assessing the impact of the proposed restriction. It has requested an extension of the comment period to seven business days to complete its assessment and prepare a meaningful response to the order.
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Lin Jian, spokesman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, said at a regular news briefing on Wednesday that the restrictions imposed by the US targeting Chinese airlines were not conducive to people-to-people exchanges between the two countries and will harm the interests of the US itself.
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Lin said that the proposed restriction has been met with strong opposition in the US itself, and the ministry supports Chinese enterprises in safeguarding their legitimate and lawful rights and interests.
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As of September, there were 21 direct China-US routes in operation, served by nine airlines, including six Chinese carriers and three US carriers: United Airlines, American Airlines and Delta Air Lines. Chinese airlines accounted for 50.73 percent of the actual operated services, while US airlines made up the remaining 49.27 percent, according to Flight Master, a travel services platform.
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"If China-US flights were rerouted, travel time would increase by several hours and airfares would rise further. This will undoubtedly take a significant toll on business and trade exchanges between the two countries," said Lin Zhijie, an independent civil aviation industry analyst. "The US government has been resorting to various unreasonable demands, as it intends to disrupt exchanges between the two countries and hinder interactions between the two peoples. If China-US flights are suspended, it would ultimately harm the interests of the public on both sides."
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He further noted that currently, only US airlines are authorized to operate US-China routes with a stopover in Tokyo, the capital of Japan. In this regard, he suggested that in line with the principle of reciprocity, Chinese airlines should also be allowed to operate similar stopover routes between the two countries via Tokyo.
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zhuwenqian@chinadaily.com.cn
\n",
- "content": "
Major Chinese airlines operating flights between China and the United States have pushed back against a US proposal to bar them from flying over Russian airspace for round-trips to and from the US. The ban, if finalized, could take effect from as early as November.
\n
Last week, the US proposed the ban through an order claiming that Chinese carriers gain an unfair cost advantage over their US counterparts on such flights, as US airlines are prohibited by Moscow from using Russian airspace.
\n
In a filing to the US Department of Transportation on Tuesday, seven Chinese airlines requested an extension to seven business days to respond to the order. The US order had initially set an unusually short comment period of just two business days.
\n
Industry experts said that if implemented, the ban would undoubtedly harm the public's interests. It will disrupt travel for a large number of passengers, drive up airfares and force some travelers to switch to connecting flights via Hong Kong, Japan or South Korea.
\n
Qi Qi, a senior independent civil aviation industry analyst, described the US demand as highly unreasonable and unprofessional, given that rerouting flights require considerable time for assessment.
\n
"In contrast, the response of the Chinese airlines has been professional and based on scientific considerations. It is hoped that the US will approach this matter with greater rationality and align its considerations with practical feasibility," Qi said. "Compared to the pre-pandemic period, both demand and supply for China-US flights have declined, with supply dropping at a higher rate. As a result, supply still falls short of demand, which is driven by business travel and exchanges between the two countries."
\n
The US move comes at a time when tensions in China-US trade and economic relations have been escalating in recent weeks.
\n
The seven Chinese carriers that filed documents are Air China, China Eastern Airlines, China Southern Airlines, Hainan Airlines, Sichuan Airlines, Xiamen Airlines and Capital Airlines. Of these, Capital Airlines is currently not operating flights between China and the US.
\n
Air China said that it is assessing the impact of the proposed restriction. It has requested an extension of the comment period to seven business days to complete its assessment and prepare a meaningful response to the order.
\n
Lin Jian, spokesman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, said at a regular news briefing on Wednesday that the restrictions imposed by the US targeting Chinese airlines were not conducive to people-to-people exchanges between the two countries and will harm the interests of the US itself.
\n
Lin said that the proposed restriction has been met with strong opposition in the US itself, and the ministry supports Chinese enterprises in safeguarding their legitimate and lawful rights and interests.
\n
As of September, there were 21 direct China-US routes in operation, served by nine airlines, including six Chinese carriers and three US carriers: United Airlines, American Airlines and Delta Air Lines. Chinese airlines accounted for 50.73 percent of the actual operated services, while US airlines made up the remaining 49.27 percent, according to Flight Master, a travel services platform.
\n
"If China-US flights were rerouted, travel time would increase by several hours and airfares would rise further. This will undoubtedly take a significant toll on business and trade exchanges between the two countries," said Lin Zhijie, an independent civil aviation industry analyst. "The US government has been resorting to various unreasonable demands, as it intends to disrupt exchanges between the two countries and hinder interactions between the two peoples. If China-US flights are suspended, it would ultimately harm the interests of the public on both sides."
\n
He further noted that currently, only US airlines are authorized to operate US-China routes with a stopover in Tokyo, the capital of Japan. In this regard, he suggested that in line with the principle of reciprocity, Chinese airlines should also be allowed to operate similar stopover routes between the two countries via Tokyo.
A woman shops for home decorations at a market ahead of Diwali, the annual Hindu festival of lights, in Ahmedabad, India, on Wednesday. During the festival, people decorate their homes, light earthen lamps, burst firecrackers, distribute sweets among friends and relatives and offer prayers.
\n",
- "content": "
A woman shops for home decorations at a market ahead of Diwali, the annual Hindu festival of lights, in Ahmedabad, India, on Wednesday. During the festival, people decorate their homes, light earthen lamps, burst firecrackers, distribute sweets among friends and relatives and offer prayers.
The world record attendance to see Shanghai Museum's On Top of the Pyramid: The Civilization of Ancient Egypt exhibition came as no surprise to observers of China's growing fascination with museum visits.
\n
After concluding a successful 13-month run, the museum announced on Aug 18 the event was the best attended single paid exhibition among museums globally, with over 2.77 million visits and more than 760 million yuan ($106.75 million) in revenue generated.
\n
While the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25) urged a more robust museum system in China, major achievements in archaeological studies have infused museums with fresh vitality, helping them present dazzling new exhibitions to the public.
\n
China had 7,046 registered museums as of the end of 2024, according to the National Cultural Heritage Administration, recorded nearly 1.5 billion visits in total, and held about 43,000 exhibitions last year.
\n
"During the 14th Five-Year Plan period, the public's demand for museums has become increasingly evident," said Pan Shouyong, a museology professor at Shanghai University. "Visiting museums to explore new exhibitions and 'check in' has become a common phenomenon."
\n
He added that behind the visible surge in numbers of museums, exhibitions and visits is strong support from both the government and broader society.
\n
Upgraded efforts
\n
Over the past five years — to better promote the development of museums — China has stepped up efforts to construct museum echelons by consolidating the museum grading system, according to Pan.
\n
This system regulates three tiers of museums nationwide based on their performance in management and infrastructure; their collection management and scientific research; and their exhibition and social services. All these factors provide direction for further improvements.
\n
Museums including the National Museum of China and the Palace Museum in Beijing and 15 key museums are supported by both the central and local governments. They are strong contenders for becoming world-class museums.
\n
The remaining museums will implement a classification system. Last year, the latest grouping of China's first-, second- and third-tier museums was announced, bringing the total number of such museums in China to 1,660 and meeting different needs of visitors.
\n
A guideline to promote the reform and development of China's museums, which was issued by nine departments in 2021, encouraged the formation of a museum development framework that is well-planned, structurally optimized, distinctive, institutionally sound, and fully functional by 2025.
\n
"At that time, we thought the goal was a bit too ambitious," Pan said. "But looking back, we find the goal has been achieved as a complete museum system has begun forming," he said, adding that work to boost China's museum strength is continuing.
\n
Cities such as Beijing, Taiyuan, Shanxi province and Nanjing, Jiangsu province, have integrated their rich museum resources into city development and each tried to build themselves into "a city of museums", hoping to give full play to the strength of museums to meet people's aspirations for improved lifestyles, said Pan.
\n
Key players
\n
China's museum professionals are also playing increasingly important roles on the international stage in decision-making and contributions to the industry.
\n
"If we say that during the 13th Five-Year Plan (2016-20) China's museums began to be known by the global profession, then in the past five years, we have shown our abilities and strength on the global stage," said Pan.
\n
For example, An Laishun, a professor at Shanghai University, who once worked as vice-president of the International Council of Museums, voted with his peers for the new definition of museum, which was released by the ICOM in 2022.
\n
Zhao Feng, honorary director of China National Silk Museum, is currently a member of the executive board of the ICOM.
\n
More Chinese experts are working in ICOM Regional Alliance of Asia-Pacific countries and other cross-regional projects related to museums and heritage.
\n
"With China's museum professionals gaining international influence … Chinese professionals' voices and opinions are becoming indispensable in making key decisions on big events," said Pan.
\n
"The number of Chinese people learning and working in top overseas universities and institutes cultivating museum professionals has surged in recent years as well."
\n
The achievements of museums are inseparable from the booming archaeology work in China.
\n
Rao Quan, head of the National Cultural Heritage Administration, said at a meeting held in Chengdu, Sichuan province in September that during the 14th Five-Year Plan period, under the high attention of China's top leadership, with strong support from governments at different levels and through the concerted efforts of all cultural relics and archaeological professionals, significant new achievements have been made in archaeological work.
\n
Archaeological progress
\n
Archaeological work is transitioning from the ivory towers of in-depth academic research to becoming a solid support for the national cultural strategy, according to Rao.
\n
In the past five years, for instance, the fifth phase of a major research project to trace the origins of Chinese civilization has been completed, exploring the regional characteristics of the areas where Chinese civilization began and the underlying components.
\n
Progress has also been made on 21 major subjects included in the "Archaeology China" program, which tries to study early Chinese history through well-planned excavations. A total of 1,284 active archaeological projects are well advanced, shedding fresh light on key research areas.
\n
For example, the discovery of a million-year-old human skull in Shiyan, Hubei province, on May 18, 2022, provides key information in the origins of human beings.
\n
The so-called No 3 skull of Yunxian county man was discovered 33 years after No 1 skull was found. With a complete structure, the skull presents features of Homo erectus and provides more information on human beings from the period.
\n
Other discoveries provide key evidence on the origins of agriculture, China's development as a unified country with multiple ethnic groups, and the cultural inheritance of the Xia (c.21st century-16th century BC), Shang (c.16th century-11th century BC) and Zhou (c.11th century-256 BC) dynasties, Rao said.
\n
The deep integration of archaeology with natural scientific methods has been a feature of China's archaeological studies in recent years, said Jia Xiaobing, a researcher at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences' Institute of Archaeology.
\n
DNA analysis of ancient materials, molecular biology and isotopic analysis have been applied in complicated subjects like the migration of ancient people and their subsistence patterns, helping unveil the evolution of civilization.
\n
"The technological means are no longer auxiliary tools, but an indispensable part of explaining archaeological discoveries," said Jia.
\n
Archaeology is also cooperating with other social sciences like history, philology, philosophy, sociology, anthropology and religious studies to advance understanding.
\n
In addition to exploration work in their homeland, Chinese archaeologists are making contributions to archaeological studies overseas.
\n
Over the past five years, Chinese scholars have carried out six cultural relics restoration projects in four countries and taken part in 49 joint archaeological projects in 28 overseas countries and regions with their foreign counterparts.
\n
"Ancient China always maintained intricate connections with the outside world, with the Silk Road, for example, serving as a channel for these interactions since ancient times," said Wang Wei, a senior archaeologist at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. "Without understanding foreign historical and archaeological materials, it is difficult to conduct in-depth research on the development of ancient Chinese history and culture," he said.
\n
"Chinese archaeological scholars are showcasing our abilities on the global stage. With our strength and advanced technological methods, we have become a significant power worldwide in this field," he added.
\n
wangru1@chinadaily.com.cn
\n",
- "content": "\n\n
The world record attendance to see Shanghai Museum's On Top of the Pyramid: The Civilization of Ancient Egypt exhibition came as no surprise to observers of China's growing fascination with museum visits.
\n
After concluding a successful 13-month run, the museum announced on Aug 18 the event was the best attended single paid exhibition among museums globally, with over 2.77 million visits and more than 760 million yuan ($106.75 million) in revenue generated.
\n
While the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25) urged a more robust museum system in China, major achievements in archaeological studies have infused museums with fresh vitality, helping them present dazzling new exhibitions to the public.
\n
China had 7,046 registered museums as of the end of 2024, according to the National Cultural Heritage Administration, recorded nearly 1.5 billion visits in total, and held about 43,000 exhibitions last year.
\n
"During the 14th Five-Year Plan period, the public's demand for museums has become increasingly evident," said Pan Shouyong, a museology professor at Shanghai University. "Visiting museums to explore new exhibitions and 'check in' has become a common phenomenon."
\n
He added that behind the visible surge in numbers of museums, exhibitions and visits is strong support from both the government and broader society.
\n
Upgraded efforts
\n
Over the past five years — to better promote the development of museums — China has stepped up efforts to construct museum echelons by consolidating the museum grading system, according to Pan.
\n
This system regulates three tiers of museums nationwide based on their performance in management and infrastructure; their collection management and scientific research; and their exhibition and social services. All these factors provide direction for further improvements.
\n
Museums including the National Museum of China and the Palace Museum in Beijing and 15 key museums are supported by both the central and local governments. They are strong contenders for becoming world-class museums.
\n
The remaining museums will implement a classification system. Last year, the latest grouping of China's first-, second- and third-tier museums was announced, bringing the total number of such museums in China to 1,660 and meeting different needs of visitors.
\n
A guideline to promote the reform and development of China's museums, which was issued by nine departments in 2021, encouraged the formation of a museum development framework that is well-planned, structurally optimized, distinctive, institutionally sound, and fully functional by 2025.
\n
"At that time, we thought the goal was a bit too ambitious," Pan said. "But looking back, we find the goal has been achieved as a complete museum system has begun forming," he said, adding that work to boost China's museum strength is continuing.
\n
Cities such as Beijing, Taiyuan, Shanxi province and Nanjing, Jiangsu province, have integrated their rich museum resources into city development and each tried to build themselves into "a city of museums", hoping to give full play to the strength of museums to meet people's aspirations for improved lifestyles, said Pan.
\n
Key players
\n
China's museum professionals are also playing increasingly important roles on the international stage in decision-making and contributions to the industry.
\n
"If we say that during the 13th Five-Year Plan (2016-20) China's museums began to be known by the global profession, then in the past five years, we have shown our abilities and strength on the global stage," said Pan.
\n
For example, An Laishun, a professor at Shanghai University, who once worked as vice-president of the International Council of Museums, voted with his peers for the new definition of museum, which was released by the ICOM in 2022.
\n
Zhao Feng, honorary director of China National Silk Museum, is currently a member of the executive board of the ICOM.
\n
More Chinese experts are working in ICOM Regional Alliance of Asia-Pacific countries and other cross-regional projects related to museums and heritage.
\n
"With China's museum professionals gaining international influence … Chinese professionals' voices and opinions are becoming indispensable in making key decisions on big events," said Pan.
\n
"The number of Chinese people learning and working in top overseas universities and institutes cultivating museum professionals has surged in recent years as well."
\n
The achievements of museums are inseparable from the booming archaeology work in China.
\n
Rao Quan, head of the National Cultural Heritage Administration, said at a meeting held in Chengdu, Sichuan province in September that during the 14th Five-Year Plan period, under the high attention of China's top leadership, with strong support from governments at different levels and through the concerted efforts of all cultural relics and archaeological professionals, significant new achievements have been made in archaeological work.
\n
Archaeological progress
\n
Archaeological work is transitioning from the ivory towers of in-depth academic research to becoming a solid support for the national cultural strategy, according to Rao.
\n
In the past five years, for instance, the fifth phase of a major research project to trace the origins of Chinese civilization has been completed, exploring the regional characteristics of the areas where Chinese civilization began and the underlying components.
\n
Progress has also been made on 21 major subjects included in the "Archaeology China" program, which tries to study early Chinese history through well-planned excavations. A total of 1,284 active archaeological projects are well advanced, shedding fresh light on key research areas.
\n
For example, the discovery of a million-year-old human skull in Shiyan, Hubei province, on May 18, 2022, provides key information in the origins of human beings.
\n
The so-called No 3 skull of Yunxian county man was discovered 33 years after No 1 skull was found. With a complete structure, the skull presents features of Homo erectus and provides more information on human beings from the period.
\n
Other discoveries provide key evidence on the origins of agriculture, China's development as a unified country with multiple ethnic groups, and the cultural inheritance of the Xia (c.21st century-16th century BC), Shang (c.16th century-11th century BC) and Zhou (c.11th century-256 BC) dynasties, Rao said.
\n
The deep integration of archaeology with natural scientific methods has been a feature of China's archaeological studies in recent years, said Jia Xiaobing, a researcher at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences' Institute of Archaeology.
\n
DNA analysis of ancient materials, molecular biology and isotopic analysis have been applied in complicated subjects like the migration of ancient people and their subsistence patterns, helping unveil the evolution of civilization.
\n
"The technological means are no longer auxiliary tools, but an indispensable part of explaining archaeological discoveries," said Jia.
\n
Archaeology is also cooperating with other social sciences like history, philology, philosophy, sociology, anthropology and religious studies to advance understanding.
\n
In addition to exploration work in their homeland, Chinese archaeologists are making contributions to archaeological studies overseas.
\n
Over the past five years, Chinese scholars have carried out six cultural relics restoration projects in four countries and taken part in 49 joint archaeological projects in 28 overseas countries and regions with their foreign counterparts.
\n
"Ancient China always maintained intricate connections with the outside world, with the Silk Road, for example, serving as a channel for these interactions since ancient times," said Wang Wei, a senior archaeologist at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. "Without understanding foreign historical and archaeological materials, it is difficult to conduct in-depth research on the development of ancient Chinese history and culture," he said.
\n
"Chinese archaeological scholars are showcasing our abilities on the global stage. With our strength and advanced technological methods, we have become a significant power worldwide in this field," he added.
Online registration for the 2026 national civil service exam began on Wednesday, continuing to attract significant public interest and intense competition for certain posts.
\n
The country plans to recruit 38,100 civil servants for central government agencies and their subordinate institutions in 2026, according to a notice issued on Tuesday by the State Administration of Civil Service.
\n
Notably, the age limit for applicants has been raised this year.
\n
In general, candidates should be between 18 and 38 years old. For those who will obtain a master's or doctoral degree in 2026, the upper age limit has been extended to 43.
\n
The adjustment is in line with China's progressive approach to delaying the legal retirement age. Previously, the age requirement was 35 for most candidates and 40 for those with postgraduate degrees.
\n
Recruitment continues to prioritize supporting new graduate employment, with about 26,000 positions reserved for fresh graduates.
\n
To strengthen civil service capacity at the grassroots level, more than 28,000 positions are designated for institutions at or below the county level.
\n
According to Huatu Education, a training institution for civil service exams, a total of 189,955 applicants had registered as of 5 pm on Wednesday.
\n
Data from Huatu shows that popular positions are distributed across various regions, including Beijing and the provinces of Shandong and Guangdong.
\n
One notable example is a police officer position with a grassroots unit of the Jinan Railway Public Security Bureau in Shandong. With only one vacancy, it has already attracted 649 applicants, highlighting the fierce competition.
\n
Several positions in Beijing are also highly sought after. Roles in agencies such as the National Healthcare Security Administration and the Beijing Municipal Taxation Service of the State Taxation Administration are among the most popular.
\n
A position at the Zhejiang Bureau of the National Food and Strategic Reserves Administration currently has the highest competition ratio, at 162 to 1. It is followed by a role in the education and employment department of the China Disabled Persons' Federation in Beijing, with a ratio of 130 to 1.
\n
The notice from the State Administration of Civil Service said that political criteria are emphasized throughout the entire recruitment process, and those who fail to meet political standards will be disqualified. The written exam will continue to include a section on political theory, focusing on candidates' ability to analyze and solve problems using the Party's innovative theories.
\n
Professional competency tests have been added for positions requiring specialized knowledge. Fourteen departments will organize specialized written exams, while 56 departments will conduct professional competency tests during the interview phase.
\n
No official exam preparation materials have been published for this recruitment cycle, and no training courses have been organized or authorized. Authorities will strengthen oversight of civil service exam training institutions, regulate commercial promotional activities, and crack down on cheating and other irregularities to protect candidates' rights and ensure a fair examination environment.
\n
The National Civil Service Administration stressed that integrity is a core socialist value, fundamental to personal conduct and professional development, and essential for anyone aspiring to become a civil servant. It reminded candidates to act in good faith throughout the exam process.
\n
Chen Zhekai, a 24-year-old postgraduate student at the Communication University of China, said he decided to take the exam out of a genuine desire to serve the public and contribute to society. He feels his skills and temperament may not fit well with the competitive pressures and work culture in private companies.
\n
Chen plans to apply for positions in Zhangzhou, his hometown, or near Xiamen, both in Fujian province.
\n
"Being close to home aligns with my life goals — family, lower stress and modest career ambitions. Having a clear goal helps me stay calm and determined," he said.
Online registration for the 2026 national civil service exam began on Wednesday, continuing to attract significant public interest and intense competition for certain posts.
\n
The country plans to recruit 38,100 civil servants for central government agencies and their subordinate institutions in 2026, according to a notice issued on Tuesday by the State Administration of Civil Service.
\n
Notably, the age limit for applicants has been raised this year.
\n
In general, candidates should be between 18 and 38 years old. For those who will obtain a master's or doctoral degree in 2026, the upper age limit has been extended to 43.
\n
The adjustment is in line with China's progressive approach to delaying the legal retirement age. Previously, the age requirement was 35 for most candidates and 40 for those with postgraduate degrees.
\n
Recruitment continues to prioritize supporting new graduate employment, with about 26,000 positions reserved for fresh graduates.
\n
To strengthen civil service capacity at the grassroots level, more than 28,000 positions are designated for institutions at or below the county level.
\n
According to Huatu Education, a training institution for civil service exams, a total of 189,955 applicants had registered as of 5 pm on Wednesday.
\n
Data from Huatu shows that popular positions are distributed across various regions, including Beijing and the provinces of Shandong and Guangdong.
\n
One notable example is a police officer position with a grassroots unit of the Jinan Railway Public Security Bureau in Shandong. With only one vacancy, it has already attracted 649 applicants, highlighting the fierce competition.
\n
Several positions in Beijing are also highly sought after. Roles in agencies such as the National Healthcare Security Administration and the Beijing Municipal Taxation Service of the State Taxation Administration are among the most popular.
\n
A position at the Zhejiang Bureau of the National Food and Strategic Reserves Administration currently has the highest competition ratio, at 162 to 1. It is followed by a role in the education and employment department of the China Disabled Persons' Federation in Beijing, with a ratio of 130 to 1.
\n
The notice from the State Administration of Civil Service said that political criteria are emphasized throughout the entire recruitment process, and those who fail to meet political standards will be disqualified. The written exam will continue to include a section on political theory, focusing on candidates' ability to analyze and solve problems using the Party's innovative theories.
\n
Professional competency tests have been added for positions requiring specialized knowledge. Fourteen departments will organize specialized written exams, while 56 departments will conduct professional competency tests during the interview phase.
\n
No official exam preparation materials have been published for this recruitment cycle, and no training courses have been organized or authorized. Authorities will strengthen oversight of civil service exam training institutions, regulate commercial promotional activities, and crack down on cheating and other irregularities to protect candidates' rights and ensure a fair examination environment.
\n
The National Civil Service Administration stressed that integrity is a core socialist value, fundamental to personal conduct and professional development, and essential for anyone aspiring to become a civil servant. It reminded candidates to act in good faith throughout the exam process.
\n
Chen Zhekai, a 24-year-old postgraduate student at the Communication University of China, said he decided to take the exam out of a genuine desire to serve the public and contribute to society. He feels his skills and temperament may not fit well with the competitive pressures and work culture in private companies.
\n
Chen plans to apply for positions in Zhangzhou, his hometown, or near Xiamen, both in Fujian province.
\n
"Being close to home aligns with my life goals — family, lower stress and modest career ambitions. Having a clear goal helps me stay calm and determined," he said.
Ambassadors' spouses from 28 countries observe a live demonstration of the intricate and multilayered shoe-sole-making technique at a shop of the time-honored shoe brand Neiliansheng in Xicheng district, Beijing, on Thursday. The demonstration was part of a special cultural event where attendees immersed themselves in Beijing's rich cultural heritage and experienced authentic traditional craftsmanship.
\n",
- "content": "
Ambassadors' spouses from 28 countries observe a live demonstration of the intricate and multilayered shoe-sole-making technique at a shop of the time-honored shoe brand Neiliansheng in Xicheng district, Beijing, on Thursday. The demonstration was part of a special cultural event where attendees immersed themselves in Beijing's rich cultural heritage and experienced authentic traditional craftsmanship.
The Z-20T helicopter releases flares during its flight demonstration at the 7th China Helicopter Exposition in Tianjin on Thursday.
\n
A senior designer has outlined the capabilities of the Z-20T, the latest variant of China's Z-20 utility helicopter, highlighting its ability to carry out both troop deployment and airstrike missions.
\n
Zhu Minfeng, deputy chief designer at the China Helicopter Research and Development Institute, said in addition to rapid deployment and cargo transportation, the Z-20T can use its own munitions to hit enemy targets or provide fire support to ground troops.
\n
"The helicopter can operate on plains and plateaus, and can use a wide range of munitions such as anti-tank missiles, air-to-air missiles and rockets," he said at the 7th China Helicopter Exposition that opened in the port city of Tianjin on Thursday.
\n
"As China's first domestically developed medium-lift utility helicopter, the Z-20 features big potential for modification, which means it can be easily refitted into various configurations. In fact, we made a plan from the beginning of the Z-20 project to build a family of variants for different tasks," Zhu said.
\n
Compared with the baseline model, the Z-20T has two stub wings that can be equipped with modular weapons pylons, electronic warfare pods or external fuel tanks. It also has an opticalelectronic target detection device capable of scanning for and guiding munitions toward targets.
\n
Wang Yanan, editor-in-chief of Aerospace Knowledge magazine, said the Z-20T will strengthen the combat capability of the People's Liberation Army Ground Force's air assault forces.
\n
"It will be very flexible in operations — it can transport and deploy soldiers, provide escort to transport helicopters, and attack ground enemies and their helicopters.
\n
"With the big load of munitions, the Z-20T can conduct troop transportation and penetration operations on the battlefield and doesn't necessarily need the escort of dedicated attack helicopters," he said.
\n
The Z-20T was first spotted by Chinese weapons enthusiasts in January 2021 when a prototype was photographed during a test flight.
\n
The aircraft was declassified at the 15th China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition in November 2024.
\n
Several Z-20Ts from the PLA Ground Force took part in a grand parade last month in Beijing, marking their first flight performance in public.
\n
At the ongoing helicopter expo in Tianjin, a Z-20T sent by the PLA Ground Force has been participating in demonstrations.
\n
Nearly 400 enterprises from more than 30 countries and regions are taking part in the industry expo, the only helicopter show in the world that features flight performances. Fifty-two aircraft, including 38 helicopters, are on display at the four-day expo.
\n
zhaolei@chinadaily.com.cn
\n",
- "content": "
The Z-20T helicopter releases flares during its flight demonstration at the 7th China Helicopter Exposition in Tianjin on Thursday.
\n
A senior designer has outlined the capabilities of the Z-20T, the latest variant of China's Z-20 utility helicopter, highlighting its ability to carry out both troop deployment and airstrike missions.
\n
Zhu Minfeng, deputy chief designer at the China Helicopter Research and Development Institute, said in addition to rapid deployment and cargo transportation, the Z-20T can use its own munitions to hit enemy targets or provide fire support to ground troops.
\n
"The helicopter can operate on plains and plateaus, and can use a wide range of munitions such as anti-tank missiles, air-to-air missiles and rockets," he said at the 7th China Helicopter Exposition that opened in the port city of Tianjin on Thursday.
\n
"As China's first domestically developed medium-lift utility helicopter, the Z-20 features big potential for modification, which means it can be easily refitted into various configurations. In fact, we made a plan from the beginning of the Z-20 project to build a family of variants for different tasks," Zhu said.
\n
Compared with the baseline model, the Z-20T has two stub wings that can be equipped with modular weapons pylons, electronic warfare pods or external fuel tanks. It also has an opticalelectronic target detection device capable of scanning for and guiding munitions toward targets.
\n
Wang Yanan, editor-in-chief of Aerospace Knowledge magazine, said the Z-20T will strengthen the combat capability of the People's Liberation Army Ground Force's air assault forces.
\n
"It will be very flexible in operations — it can transport and deploy soldiers, provide escort to transport helicopters, and attack ground enemies and their helicopters.
\n
"With the big load of munitions, the Z-20T can conduct troop transportation and penetration operations on the battlefield and doesn't necessarily need the escort of dedicated attack helicopters," he said.
\n
The Z-20T was first spotted by Chinese weapons enthusiasts in January 2021 when a prototype was photographed during a test flight.
\n
The aircraft was declassified at the 15th China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition in November 2024.
\n
Several Z-20Ts from the PLA Ground Force took part in a grand parade last month in Beijing, marking their first flight performance in public.
\n
At the ongoing helicopter expo in Tianjin, a Z-20T sent by the PLA Ground Force has been participating in demonstrations.
\n
Nearly 400 enterprises from more than 30 countries and regions are taking part in the industry expo, the only helicopter show in the world that features flight performances. Fifty-two aircraft, including 38 helicopters, are on display at the four-day expo.
A think tank report released on Thursday hailed the practical achievements the Xizang autonomous region has made in terms of its rural development since its founding 60 years ago.
\n
The achievements can be summarized as rapid economic growth, robust cultural preservation, safeguarding livelihoods, strengthened ecological protection and enhanced ethnic unity, according to the report.
\n
Titled "Harmony Between Tradition and Modernity: Rural Development and Cultural Inheritance in China's Xizang", the report was jointly published by the China Foundation for Human Rights Development and the National High-Level Think Tank of Xinhua News Agency in both Chinese and English.
\n
The three-chapter report provides a comprehensive introduction to the significant achievements of integrated pathways, along with experiences and insights from rural development and cultural inheritance in Xizang.
\n
The report highlighted that value orientation rooted in respect for tradition, a development philosophy centered on human rights protection, and a goal orientation toward comprehensive and coordinated development are the three most important experiences and insights drawn from Xizang's success.
\n
The report said it examined the grassroots implementation of the Party's strategy for governing Xizang in the new era through the lens of Xizang's representative villages, offering insights for countries and regions seeking to preserve cultural identity while pursuing modern transformation.
\n
Xizang's flourishing villages are an epic integration of tradition and modernity, the report noted. "It sends a clear message to the world: modernization is not synonymous with Westernization. Rather, it is the creative transformation and innovative development of traditional culture rooted in local soil and oriented toward the future," it said.
\n
Xiao Chuanjiang, an official of Xizang's culture and tourism department, said that Xizang has continuously promoted the systematic protection and revitalization of intangible cultural heritage projects by leveraging tourism as a carrier. This has been achieved through the construction of whole-village homestay clusters, village cultural museums, cultural squares, and other facilities.
\n
Yang Tao, associate researcher with China Tibetology Research Center, noted that the report comprehensively summarizes Xizang's efforts in preserving and inheriting outstanding traditional cultural heritages, as well as in promoting village economic development.
\n",
- "content": "
A think tank report released on Thursday hailed the practical achievements the Xizang autonomous region has made in terms of its rural development since its founding 60 years ago.
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The achievements can be summarized as rapid economic growth, robust cultural preservation, safeguarding livelihoods, strengthened ecological protection and enhanced ethnic unity, according to the report.
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Titled "Harmony Between Tradition and Modernity: Rural Development and Cultural Inheritance in China's Xizang", the report was jointly published by the China Foundation for Human Rights Development and the National High-Level Think Tank of Xinhua News Agency in both Chinese and English.
\n
The three-chapter report provides a comprehensive introduction to the significant achievements of integrated pathways, along with experiences and insights from rural development and cultural inheritance in Xizang.
\n
The report highlighted that value orientation rooted in respect for tradition, a development philosophy centered on human rights protection, and a goal orientation toward comprehensive and coordinated development are the three most important experiences and insights drawn from Xizang's success.
\n
The report said it examined the grassroots implementation of the Party's strategy for governing Xizang in the new era through the lens of Xizang's representative villages, offering insights for countries and regions seeking to preserve cultural identity while pursuing modern transformation.
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Xizang's flourishing villages are an epic integration of tradition and modernity, the report noted. "It sends a clear message to the world: modernization is not synonymous with Westernization. Rather, it is the creative transformation and innovative development of traditional culture rooted in local soil and oriented toward the future," it said.
\n
Xiao Chuanjiang, an official of Xizang's culture and tourism department, said that Xizang has continuously promoted the systematic protection and revitalization of intangible cultural heritage projects by leveraging tourism as a carrier. This has been achieved through the construction of whole-village homestay clusters, village cultural museums, cultural squares, and other facilities.
\n
Yang Tao, associate researcher with China Tibetology Research Center, noted that the report comprehensively summarizes Xizang's efforts in preserving and inheriting outstanding traditional cultural heritages, as well as in promoting village economic development.
The Long March 8A carrier rocket is launched in Wenchang, Hainan province, on Thursday.
\n
China used a Long March 8A carrier rocket on Thursday morning to place a group of internet satellites into orbit, marking the 600th launch of the Long March rocket family.
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The rocket blasted off at 9:33 am from the Hainan International Commercial Aerospace Launch Center, a coastal spaceport in Wenchang, Hainan province. After a brief flight, it successfully deployed the 12th group of low-orbit satellites for China's State-owned space-based internet network, according to China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp.
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This was China's 63rd rocket launch this year and the fourth flight of the Long March 8A, which made its maiden mission in February from the Wenchang Space Launch Center, another facility in the city.
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Designed and built by the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology, a CASC subsidiary in Beijing, the Long March 8A stands 50.5 meters tall, has a liftoff weight of 371 metric tons and produces about 480 tons of thrust at launch. The model can carry payloads of up to 7 tons to a sun-synchronous orbit about 700 kilometers above Earth.
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The Long March 8A is the 19th operational model in the Long March family, which serves as the backbone of China's space program.
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Of the 600 Long March launches, 352 were conducted by models developed by the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology and 248 by the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology, another CASC subsidiary. The overall success rate of the Long March fleet is about 97 percent.
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China's first carrier rocket — the Long March 1, a modified ballistic missile — was launched in April 1970, sending the country's first satellite, Dongfanghong 1, into orbit. The mission made China the fifth nation capable of developing and launching its own rockets into space.
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It took 37 years for the Long March family to complete its first 100 launches. The second 100 were achieved in seven and a half years. The third 100 launches took just over four years, the fourth 100 took two years and nine months, and the fifth 100 missions were completed in two years. The most recent 100 launches were accomplished in one year and 10 months.
\n
According to a CASC rocket planner, who asked to be identified only as Zhang, the 600 Long March missions account for nearly 86 percent of all Chinese space launches and have successfully sent about 1,400 spacecraft into orbit.
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So far, a total of 24 Long March models have flown, 19 of which remain in active service. Among them, the Long March 2D and Long March 3B are the most frequently used, each having completed more than 100 flights.
\n
"The Long March family has laid a solid foundation for China's major space programs, from the space station to interplanetary exploration," Zhang said.
\n
zhaolei@chinadaily.com.cn
\n",
- "content": "
The Long March 8A carrier rocket is launched in Wenchang, Hainan province, on Thursday.
\n
China used a Long March 8A carrier rocket on Thursday morning to place a group of internet satellites into orbit, marking the 600th launch of the Long March rocket family.
\n
The rocket blasted off at 9:33 am from the Hainan International Commercial Aerospace Launch Center, a coastal spaceport in Wenchang, Hainan province. After a brief flight, it successfully deployed the 12th group of low-orbit satellites for China's State-owned space-based internet network, according to China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp.
\n
This was China's 63rd rocket launch this year and the fourth flight of the Long March 8A, which made its maiden mission in February from the Wenchang Space Launch Center, another facility in the city.
\n
Designed and built by the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology, a CASC subsidiary in Beijing, the Long March 8A stands 50.5 meters tall, has a liftoff weight of 371 metric tons and produces about 480 tons of thrust at launch. The model can carry payloads of up to 7 tons to a sun-synchronous orbit about 700 kilometers above Earth.
\n
The Long March 8A is the 19th operational model in the Long March family, which serves as the backbone of China's space program.
\n
Of the 600 Long March launches, 352 were conducted by models developed by the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology and 248 by the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology, another CASC subsidiary. The overall success rate of the Long March fleet is about 97 percent.
\n
China's first carrier rocket — the Long March 1, a modified ballistic missile — was launched in April 1970, sending the country's first satellite, Dongfanghong 1, into orbit. The mission made China the fifth nation capable of developing and launching its own rockets into space.
\n
It took 37 years for the Long March family to complete its first 100 launches. The second 100 were achieved in seven and a half years. The third 100 launches took just over four years, the fourth 100 took two years and nine months, and the fifth 100 missions were completed in two years. The most recent 100 launches were accomplished in one year and 10 months.
\n
According to a CASC rocket planner, who asked to be identified only as Zhang, the 600 Long March missions account for nearly 86 percent of all Chinese space launches and have successfully sent about 1,400 spacecraft into orbit.
\n
So far, a total of 24 Long March models have flown, 19 of which remain in active service. Among them, the Long March 2D and Long March 3B are the most frequently used, each having completed more than 100 flights.
\n
"The Long March family has laid a solid foundation for China's major space programs, from the space station to interplanetary exploration," Zhang said.
An armored infantry company of the People's Liberation Army Ground Force, whose predecessor was the storied Liulaozhuang Company founded in 1943, was awarded the title of "Role Model of the Times" by the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China Central Committee recently. The department praised the company as "heroic successors of the Liulaozhuang Company" and called on the public to learn from their spirit, according to the Xinhua News Agency. The Liulaozhuang Company's legacy dates back to March 1943, when an 82-member unit of the New Fourth Army fought against more than 1,000 Japanese and collaborating troops in Liulaozhuang village in Huai'an, Jiangsu province. After a fierce battle, all 82 soldiers were killed. Following the battle, local residents quickly formed a new company of 82 young men to carry on their comrades' mission, naming it after the Liulaozhuang Company.
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Event to promote civility in rural life
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China will hold its first National Conference on Social Civility in Rural Areas from Oct 29 to 30 in Yan'an, Shaanxi province, to promote moral progress and cultural vitality in the countryside, officials said on Thursday. The event, themed "Civility Makes Rural Life Better", aims to strengthen public participation, facilitate exchange and showcase achievements made in promoting rural civility, said Hu Kaihong, vice-minister of the Central Office of Cultural and Ethical Progress. Jointly hosted by the office, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs and the Shaanxi provincial government, the conference will include a plenary session and four subforums focused on reforming outdated village customs, preserving rural cultural heritage, and developing local cultural and sports programs. A second segment will feature outstanding cultural and artistic performances.
\n",
- "content": "
PLA company named 'Model of the Times'
\n
An armored infantry company of the People's Liberation Army Ground Force, whose predecessor was the storied Liulaozhuang Company founded in 1943, was awarded the title of "Role Model of the Times" by the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China Central Committee recently. The department praised the company as "heroic successors of the Liulaozhuang Company" and called on the public to learn from their spirit, according to the Xinhua News Agency. The Liulaozhuang Company's legacy dates back to March 1943, when an 82-member unit of the New Fourth Army fought against more than 1,000 Japanese and collaborating troops in Liulaozhuang village in Huai'an, Jiangsu province. After a fierce battle, all 82 soldiers were killed. Following the battle, local residents quickly formed a new company of 82 young men to carry on their comrades' mission, naming it after the Liulaozhuang Company.
\n
Event to promote civility in rural life
\n
China will hold its first National Conference on Social Civility in Rural Areas from Oct 29 to 30 in Yan'an, Shaanxi province, to promote moral progress and cultural vitality in the countryside, officials said on Thursday. The event, themed "Civility Makes Rural Life Better", aims to strengthen public participation, facilitate exchange and showcase achievements made in promoting rural civility, said Hu Kaihong, vice-minister of the Central Office of Cultural and Ethical Progress. Jointly hosted by the office, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs and the Shaanxi provincial government, the conference will include a plenary session and four subforums focused on reforming outdated village customs, preserving rural cultural heritage, and developing local cultural and sports programs. A second segment will feature outstanding cultural and artistic performances.
Workers of Hejiang Xianshi Brewing Food in Hejiang county, Sichuan province, tend soy sauce in jars at the company's open-air fermentation field on the bank of the Chishui River.
\n
Visitors to the workshop of Xianshi Soy Sauce in Hejiang county, Sichuan province, are often surprised to find that this century-old brand now offers innovative products such as soy sauce-flavored ice cream, coffee and beer.
\n
Lin Wei, a visitor from Beijing who tried the ice cream out of curiosity, said it tastes similar to regular ice cream but is less sweet and carries a subtle salty flavor of soy sauce.
\n
"For someone like me who doesn't like overly sweet desserts, this is definitely a pleasant surprise," Lin said.
\n
Pei Jingrong, a staff member at the Hejiang Xianshi Brewing Food, said the innovation in products is part of her company's efforts to introduce the traditional soy sauce brewing craft to the public — especially the younger generations.
\n
Since 1893, the company has been brewing soy sauce at its original location on the bank of the Chishui River, running between Sichuan and Guizhou provinces. It is home to one of China's longest continuously used and best-preserved soy sauce brewing workshops and open-air fermentation fields.
\n
As a living fossil of traditional Chinese soy sauce brewing, "Xianshi Traditional Soy Sauce Brewing Technique" was recognized as a national intangible cultural heritage in 2014.
\n
Pei emphasized that unlike those produced in modern factories, the fully handcrafted Xianshi Soy Sauce uses only four ingredients — soybeans, wheat flour, salt and water — with no chemical additives at all.
\n
"Our workshop uses a natural fermentation method. It involves 13 processes that take more than three years to complete, resulting in the Xianshi Soy Sauce's rich flavor and aroma," Pei said.
\n
She added that the fully handcrafted processes and lengthy brewing cycle significantly increase production costs, resulting in high selling prices.
\n
"While regular soy sauce typically sells for under 20 yuan ($2.8) per kilogram, our handcrafted soy sauce is priced from 120 to 600 yuan per kilogram," she said.
\n
Hou Yunjing, deputy general manager of the Hejiang Xianshi Brewing Food, said the unique natural environment and microbial ecosystem along the Chishui River's banks provide ideal conditions for brewing premium-quality soy sauce.
\n
"There is an old saying that goes, 'The Chishui River flows through the ages. Liquor is brewed in the upper reaches while soy sauce is brewed in the lower reaches,'" Hou said.
\n
Nestled in a river bend, the company's open-air fermentation field houses over 6,000 jars on a 45-degree slope, which maximizes daytime sun exposure for the fermenting paste. At night, the river water that has evaporated into the air condenses into dew and falls into the jars, supplementing the moisture required for microbial fermentation.
\n
To better preserve the traditional brewing technique, the workshop has been hosting various kinds of cultural and tourism activities in recent years, during which visitors cannot only observe the entire production process but also gain hands-on experience.
\n
Hou said a more ambitious project — a new production base with an investment of 2 billion yuan — is currently under construction. Upon full operation, it is expected to achieve an annual output of over 200,000 metric tons of soy sauce, with an estimated output value of approximately 3 billion yuan, he added.
\n
Chen Siwei, the only national-level inheritor of the Xianshi Traditional Soy Sauce Brewing Technique, said despite the adoption of industrial equipment, the core production processes in the new facility will remain consistent with the traditional brewing technique, ensuring that the taste remains identical to that produced using the traditional method.
\n
The most significant upgrade is the use of advanced equipment to replace manual labor in koji-making, a step that is labor-intensive and has extremely strict requirements for temperature, humidity, and timing control, said the 62-year-old.
\n
"At this old base, which annually produces 1,000 tons of soy sauce, the koji-making process alone requires more than 10 workers. The new facility, however, only needs two or three workers for this process," he said.
\n
Chen said the company has employed over 30 university graduates, who will participate in the operation of the new base. All these graduates are required to spend more than a month to learn the entire process of the Xianshi Soy Sauce brewing technique.
\n
"Traditional techniques must be preserved, but innovation is equally important," the inheritor said. "The entry of well-educated university students will inject new vitality into the inheritance and innovative development of Xianshi Soy Sauce."
\n
Contact the writers at pengchao@chinadaily.com.cn
\n",
- "content": "
Workers of Hejiang Xianshi Brewing Food in Hejiang county, Sichuan province, tend soy sauce in jars at the company's open-air fermentation field on the bank of the Chishui River.
\n
Visitors to the workshop of Xianshi Soy Sauce in Hejiang county, Sichuan province, are often surprised to find that this century-old brand now offers innovative products such as soy sauce-flavored ice cream, coffee and beer.
\n
Lin Wei, a visitor from Beijing who tried the ice cream out of curiosity, said it tastes similar to regular ice cream but is less sweet and carries a subtle salty flavor of soy sauce.
\n
"For someone like me who doesn't like overly sweet desserts, this is definitely a pleasant surprise," Lin said.
\n
Pei Jingrong, a staff member at the Hejiang Xianshi Brewing Food, said the innovation in products is part of her company's efforts to introduce the traditional soy sauce brewing craft to the public — especially the younger generations.
\n
Since 1893, the company has been brewing soy sauce at its original location on the bank of the Chishui River, running between Sichuan and Guizhou provinces. It is home to one of China's longest continuously used and best-preserved soy sauce brewing workshops and open-air fermentation fields.
\n
As a living fossil of traditional Chinese soy sauce brewing, "Xianshi Traditional Soy Sauce Brewing Technique" was recognized as a national intangible cultural heritage in 2014.
\n
Pei emphasized that unlike those produced in modern factories, the fully handcrafted Xianshi Soy Sauce uses only four ingredients — soybeans, wheat flour, salt and water — with no chemical additives at all.
\n
"Our workshop uses a natural fermentation method. It involves 13 processes that take more than three years to complete, resulting in the Xianshi Soy Sauce's rich flavor and aroma," Pei said.
\n
She added that the fully handcrafted processes and lengthy brewing cycle significantly increase production costs, resulting in high selling prices.
\n
"While regular soy sauce typically sells for under 20 yuan ($2.8) per kilogram, our handcrafted soy sauce is priced from 120 to 600 yuan per kilogram," she said.
\n
Hou Yunjing, deputy general manager of the Hejiang Xianshi Brewing Food, said the unique natural environment and microbial ecosystem along the Chishui River's banks provide ideal conditions for brewing premium-quality soy sauce.
\n
"There is an old saying that goes, 'The Chishui River flows through the ages. Liquor is brewed in the upper reaches while soy sauce is brewed in the lower reaches,'" Hou said.
\n
Nestled in a river bend, the company's open-air fermentation field houses over 6,000 jars on a 45-degree slope, which maximizes daytime sun exposure for the fermenting paste. At night, the river water that has evaporated into the air condenses into dew and falls into the jars, supplementing the moisture required for microbial fermentation.
\n
To better preserve the traditional brewing technique, the workshop has been hosting various kinds of cultural and tourism activities in recent years, during which visitors cannot only observe the entire production process but also gain hands-on experience.
\n
Hou said a more ambitious project — a new production base with an investment of 2 billion yuan — is currently under construction. Upon full operation, it is expected to achieve an annual output of over 200,000 metric tons of soy sauce, with an estimated output value of approximately 3 billion yuan, he added.
\n
Chen Siwei, the only national-level inheritor of the Xianshi Traditional Soy Sauce Brewing Technique, said despite the adoption of industrial equipment, the core production processes in the new facility will remain consistent with the traditional brewing technique, ensuring that the taste remains identical to that produced using the traditional method.
\n
The most significant upgrade is the use of advanced equipment to replace manual labor in koji-making, a step that is labor-intensive and has extremely strict requirements for temperature, humidity, and timing control, said the 62-year-old.
\n
"At this old base, which annually produces 1,000 tons of soy sauce, the koji-making process alone requires more than 10 workers. The new facility, however, only needs two or three workers for this process," he said.
\n
Chen said the company has employed over 30 university graduates, who will participate in the operation of the new base. All these graduates are required to spend more than a month to learn the entire process of the Xianshi Soy Sauce brewing technique.
\n
"Traditional techniques must be preserved, but innovation is equally important," the inheritor said. "The entry of well-educated university students will inject new vitality into the inheritance and innovative development of Xianshi Soy Sauce."
Research led by Chinese scientists has recently revealed that subtle changes in ocean sulfate concentration can alter the way methane is consumed, acting like a "chemical switch" that regulates global climate, explaining how the Arctic Ocean amplified global warming 56 million years ago.
\n
The team led by Zhang Yige, a researcher with the Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, together with its international collaborative team, published the findings in international academic journal Nature Geoscience on Sept 23.
\n
According to the study, during the extreme heat event, or Paleocene-E-ocene Thermal Maximum (PETM), 56 million years ago, the concentration of seawater sulfate was the key "chemical switch", controlling the methane oxidation pathway.
\n
Earth experienced extreme global warming and ocean acidification during the PETM event.
\n
PETM has long attracted scientific attention due to its many similarities to current climate change. However, the carbon cycle mechanism behind it remains an unsolved mystery.
\n
"Due to a severe shortage of sulfate, just like a lack of fuel, the 'power plant' cannot function properly, and methane can only enter the seawater," said Zhang in Guangzhou, the Guangdong provincial capital.
\n
"At this point, another type of oxygen-loving bacteria begins to 'rapidly oxidize' methane — they directly consume oxygen and release CO2 quickly, similar to how high-temperature combustion releases large amounts of exhaust gas," Zhang said.
\n
In the modern ocean, approximately 90 percent of methane is utilized by microorganisms in sediments under anaerobic conditions.
\n
The process is like a "slow-burning power plant" — using sulfate as "fuel" to efficiently convert methane into energy while producing alkaline substances that mitigate ocean acidification, he said.
\n
However, the sulfate concentration in Arctic seawater during the PETM was less than one-third of that in the modern ocean.
\n
The research team successfully "reconstructed" the methane oxidation process 56 million years ago by detecting a special molecular tracer — the compound hop-17(21)-ene and its carbon isotope composition.
\n
The molecular tracers are like "identity cards" left by ancient bacteria, indicating that during the late stage of the PETM event, the activity of methane-decomposing bacteria that carry out "rapid combustion" increased significantly to a peak, according to the study.
\n
Kim Bum-soo, the first author of the paper from South Korea, said, "By reading these 'identity cards', we can accurately determine which type of microorganisms were active at that time, whether they were 'slow-burning power generators' or 'fast burners', and how intense their activity was."
\n
CO2 concentrations reconstructed from molecular tracers of marine phytoplankton show that during the recovery phase of PETM, CO2 levels in the Arctic Ocean were 200-700 ppm higher than the global average, indicating the Arctic Ocean transformed from a "sponge" that originally absorbed carbon dioxide into a "chimney" that emitted it.
\n
"Due to the freshening of seawater and the reduction of sulfate, methane could only be decomposed through the 'fast-burning' method, directly producing large amounts of CO2," said researcher Shen Jiaheng, a co-author of the study.
\n
"This fundamentally changed the Arctic's role in the global carbon cycle, turning it into a source of greenhouse gas emissions," she said.
\n
Zhang Yige said the study further reveals geological activities, including crustal movement, rock formation, continental weathering and volcanic eruptions, directly affect the sulfate content in the ocean, which in turn determines the way methane is decomposed.
\n
In the ancient oceans from the Mesozoic Era (the age of dinosaurs) hundreds of millions of years ago to the early Cenozoic Era tens of millions of years ago, the sulfate content remained low for a long time — a characteristic that may have had a significant impact on the global carbon cycle and climate.
\n
"This is like Earth's system processes controlling the ocean's 'fuel supply system', which in turn affects the way methane energy is utilized and the entire climate system," Zhang emphasized.
\n
As the modern Arctic Ocean warms and freshens rapidly, similar methane oxidation mechanisms may be reactivated.
\n
The study reminds that when Arctic seawater becomes less salty and its chemical environment changes, the scenario from 56 million years ago may repeat itself — methane shifting from efficient utilization to rapid release — and changes in this region require close attention.
\n
zhengcaixiong@chinadaily.com.cn
\n",
- "content": "
Research led by Chinese scientists has recently revealed that subtle changes in ocean sulfate concentration can alter the way methane is consumed, acting like a "chemical switch" that regulates global climate, explaining how the Arctic Ocean amplified global warming 56 million years ago.
\n
The team led by Zhang Yige, a researcher with the Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, together with its international collaborative team, published the findings in international academic journal Nature Geoscience on Sept 23.
\n
According to the study, during the extreme heat event, or Paleocene-E-ocene Thermal Maximum (PETM), 56 million years ago, the concentration of seawater sulfate was the key "chemical switch", controlling the methane oxidation pathway.
\n
Earth experienced extreme global warming and ocean acidification during the PETM event.
\n
PETM has long attracted scientific attention due to its many similarities to current climate change. However, the carbon cycle mechanism behind it remains an unsolved mystery.
\n
"Due to a severe shortage of sulfate, just like a lack of fuel, the 'power plant' cannot function properly, and methane can only enter the seawater," said Zhang in Guangzhou, the Guangdong provincial capital.
\n
"At this point, another type of oxygen-loving bacteria begins to 'rapidly oxidize' methane — they directly consume oxygen and release CO2 quickly, similar to how high-temperature combustion releases large amounts of exhaust gas," Zhang said.
\n
In the modern ocean, approximately 90 percent of methane is utilized by microorganisms in sediments under anaerobic conditions.
\n
The process is like a "slow-burning power plant" — using sulfate as "fuel" to efficiently convert methane into energy while producing alkaline substances that mitigate ocean acidification, he said.
\n
However, the sulfate concentration in Arctic seawater during the PETM was less than one-third of that in the modern ocean.
\n
The research team successfully "reconstructed" the methane oxidation process 56 million years ago by detecting a special molecular tracer — the compound hop-17(21)-ene and its carbon isotope composition.
\n
The molecular tracers are like "identity cards" left by ancient bacteria, indicating that during the late stage of the PETM event, the activity of methane-decomposing bacteria that carry out "rapid combustion" increased significantly to a peak, according to the study.
\n
Kim Bum-soo, the first author of the paper from South Korea, said, "By reading these 'identity cards', we can accurately determine which type of microorganisms were active at that time, whether they were 'slow-burning power generators' or 'fast burners', and how intense their activity was."
\n
CO2 concentrations reconstructed from molecular tracers of marine phytoplankton show that during the recovery phase of PETM, CO2 levels in the Arctic Ocean were 200-700 ppm higher than the global average, indicating the Arctic Ocean transformed from a "sponge" that originally absorbed carbon dioxide into a "chimney" that emitted it.
\n
"Due to the freshening of seawater and the reduction of sulfate, methane could only be decomposed through the 'fast-burning' method, directly producing large amounts of CO2," said researcher Shen Jiaheng, a co-author of the study.
\n
"This fundamentally changed the Arctic's role in the global carbon cycle, turning it into a source of greenhouse gas emissions," she said.
\n
Zhang Yige said the study further reveals geological activities, including crustal movement, rock formation, continental weathering and volcanic eruptions, directly affect the sulfate content in the ocean, which in turn determines the way methane is decomposed.
\n
In the ancient oceans from the Mesozoic Era (the age of dinosaurs) hundreds of millions of years ago to the early Cenozoic Era tens of millions of years ago, the sulfate content remained low for a long time — a characteristic that may have had a significant impact on the global carbon cycle and climate.
\n
"This is like Earth's system processes controlling the ocean's 'fuel supply system', which in turn affects the way methane energy is utilized and the entire climate system," Zhang emphasized.
\n
As the modern Arctic Ocean warms and freshens rapidly, similar methane oxidation mechanisms may be reactivated.
\n
The study reminds that when Arctic seawater becomes less salty and its chemical environment changes, the scenario from 56 million years ago may repeat itself — methane shifting from efficient utilization to rapid release — and changes in this region require close attention.
People fly kites during the 42nd International Kite Festival in Anqiu, Weifang, Shandong province, on April 19.
\n
JINAN — A golden dragon twists through the blue sky, a rainbow phoenix spreads its vibrant wings, and a string of tiny swallow kites flutter in the breeze.
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On the vast lawn of a kite park in Weifang, East China's Shandong province, known as the "World Capital of Kites", the air is alive with color and motion.
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More than 2,400 years ago, the world's first kite took off from here. As the cradle of kite making, Weifang is renowned for its long-standing kite culture and exquisite craftsmanship.
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Local records show that the city has been making kites for over two millennia. After Cai Lun invented papermaking in the Eastern Han Dynasty (25-220), paper kites began to appear among the people.
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In modern times, Weifang has gained fame both at home and abroad for its distinctive kites, noted for their sound structure, bright colors, stable flight, and strong folk flavor.
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In 2006, Weifang kite making was inscribed on China's first list of national intangible cultural heritage.
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"Making a kite requires 36 procedures, divided into four major techniques — framework making, mounting, painting and flying — each interdependent and closely linked," said Yang Hongwei, a national-level inheritor of the craft.
\n
Born into a kite-making family, Yang apprenticed under her grandfather in 1982 and has honed the skill for over 40 years, creating everything from giant kites 300 meters long to micro kites with a diameter of just two centimeters.
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"Making kites may look easy, but it entails repeating each step day after day, and learning new things in the process," Yang said.
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In recent years, she has devoted herself to passing on the craft, offering kite making classes in schools, and training over 20,000 primary and middle school students.
\n
Attention to detail is a hallmark of Weifang's kite masters.
\n
Wang Yongxun, a city-level inheritor and vice-chairman of the Chinese Kite Association, said he selects bamboo aged between 2 and 3 years for the kite frame, on account of its strength and flexibility.
\n
While kites were once mounted with rice paper or silk, which are difficult to preserve, he has developed a custom-blended fabric that is lightweight, economical and colorfast. He has visited more than 40 countries and regions to showcase Weifang's kite making skills to the world.
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Today, combining traditional craftsmanship with modern science and technology, Weifang continues to create innovative kite designs.
\n
In a local kite factory in Wangjiazhuangzi village, Weifang city, dozens of workers are busy filling orders for dragon, eagle, butterfly and swallow kites bound for countries including the United States, France and Saudi Arabia.
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The village is home to more than 200 kite enterprises, generating over 300 million yuan ($42.16 million) in annual sales. More than half of its 4,700 residents work in the industry, making it the largest kite processing and export base in the city.
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Across Weifang, over 600 kite companies employ approximately 80,000 people, with annual sales exceeding 2 billion yuan and products sold to more than 50 countries and regions.
\n
Each spring, kite enthusiasts from around the world flock to Weifang.
\n
In April, the 42nd International Kite Festival in Anqiu, Weifang, attracted 257 kite teams from 51 countries and regions, including Italy, Portugal, Brazil, Russia and Belgium.
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More than 2,000 colorful kites drew tens of thousands of visitors from home and abroad to enjoy the spectacle.
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With its deep cultural roots and spirit of innovation, the festival has been held for over 40 years, making it one of China's longest-running international events since the start of the reform and opening-up era.
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"China and the Republic of Korea have a long history of friendship. Coming to Weifang this time, I'm pleasantly surprised to see how fast China has developed. In words like 'flying dreams', I can feel China's openness to the world," said a visitor from South Korea.
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Weifang's "kite wings" have already swept across the skylines of every continent. Since last year, delegations have visited countries including France, Germany, Italy, Hungary and Slovakia to promote kite culture through flying events, exhibitions and other activities, creating new opportunities for international cooperation.
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"Kites are an art that crosses cultures, borders and languages. Through the unique charm of kites, people from different countries communicate and share, reflecting the integration of art and culture worldwide," said Hans Peter Boehme, vice-president of the International Kite Federation.
People fly kites during the 42nd International Kite Festival in Anqiu, Weifang, Shandong province, on April 19.
\n
JINAN — A golden dragon twists through the blue sky, a rainbow phoenix spreads its vibrant wings, and a string of tiny swallow kites flutter in the breeze.
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On the vast lawn of a kite park in Weifang, East China's Shandong province, known as the "World Capital of Kites", the air is alive with color and motion.
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More than 2,400 years ago, the world's first kite took off from here. As the cradle of kite making, Weifang is renowned for its long-standing kite culture and exquisite craftsmanship.
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Local records show that the city has been making kites for over two millennia. After Cai Lun invented papermaking in the Eastern Han Dynasty (25-220), paper kites began to appear among the people.
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In modern times, Weifang has gained fame both at home and abroad for its distinctive kites, noted for their sound structure, bright colors, stable flight, and strong folk flavor.
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In 2006, Weifang kite making was inscribed on China's first list of national intangible cultural heritage.
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"Making a kite requires 36 procedures, divided into four major techniques — framework making, mounting, painting and flying — each interdependent and closely linked," said Yang Hongwei, a national-level inheritor of the craft.
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Born into a kite-making family, Yang apprenticed under her grandfather in 1982 and has honed the skill for over 40 years, creating everything from giant kites 300 meters long to micro kites with a diameter of just two centimeters.
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"Making kites may look easy, but it entails repeating each step day after day, and learning new things in the process," Yang said.
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In recent years, she has devoted herself to passing on the craft, offering kite making classes in schools, and training over 20,000 primary and middle school students.
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Attention to detail is a hallmark of Weifang's kite masters.
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Wang Yongxun, a city-level inheritor and vice-chairman of the Chinese Kite Association, said he selects bamboo aged between 2 and 3 years for the kite frame, on account of its strength and flexibility.
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While kites were once mounted with rice paper or silk, which are difficult to preserve, he has developed a custom-blended fabric that is lightweight, economical and colorfast. He has visited more than 40 countries and regions to showcase Weifang's kite making skills to the world.
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Today, combining traditional craftsmanship with modern science and technology, Weifang continues to create innovative kite designs.
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In a local kite factory in Wangjiazhuangzi village, Weifang city, dozens of workers are busy filling orders for dragon, eagle, butterfly and swallow kites bound for countries including the United States, France and Saudi Arabia.
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The village is home to more than 200 kite enterprises, generating over 300 million yuan ($42.16 million) in annual sales. More than half of its 4,700 residents work in the industry, making it the largest kite processing and export base in the city.
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Across Weifang, over 600 kite companies employ approximately 80,000 people, with annual sales exceeding 2 billion yuan and products sold to more than 50 countries and regions.
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Each spring, kite enthusiasts from around the world flock to Weifang.
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In April, the 42nd International Kite Festival in Anqiu, Weifang, attracted 257 kite teams from 51 countries and regions, including Italy, Portugal, Brazil, Russia and Belgium.
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More than 2,000 colorful kites drew tens of thousands of visitors from home and abroad to enjoy the spectacle.
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With its deep cultural roots and spirit of innovation, the festival has been held for over 40 years, making it one of China's longest-running international events since the start of the reform and opening-up era.
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"China and the Republic of Korea have a long history of friendship. Coming to Weifang this time, I'm pleasantly surprised to see how fast China has developed. In words like 'flying dreams', I can feel China's openness to the world," said a visitor from South Korea.
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Weifang's "kite wings" have already swept across the skylines of every continent. Since last year, delegations have visited countries including France, Germany, Italy, Hungary and Slovakia to promote kite culture through flying events, exhibitions and other activities, creating new opportunities for international cooperation.
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"Kites are an art that crosses cultures, borders and languages. Through the unique charm of kites, people from different countries communicate and share, reflecting the integration of art and culture worldwide," said Hans Peter Boehme, vice-president of the International Kite Federation.
NAIROBI — Almost every weekend, Tang Lin and Yuan Lin set out across Kenya's Maasai Mara plains, their vehicle packed with supplies — sneakers, clothes, sweets and daily essentials — destined for the 29 girls under their care.
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On the edge of the world-renowned Maasai Mara National Reserve in Narok county stands the Namunyak rescue center, a modest yet vibrant refuge for girls whose future was once uncertain. Its name, Namunyak, means "happiness" in the Maasai language.
\n
Tang and Yuan, both from Southwest China's Chongqing, first came to Kenya to pursue careers in tourism. As Chinese visitors to the East African country increased, their business grew steadily. In 2019, they took a leap and purchased an eco-lodge in Maasai Mara. What began as an entrepreneurial venture soon blossomed into an unexpected mission of compassion.
\n
Shortly after opening their lodge, a local woman named Mary Silantoi approached them. Volunteering with the county's department for women and children affairs, Silantoi had taken in several girls who had fled early marriage or female genital mutilation. She asked for space to run a small shop at the lodge to support their care.
\n
According to a report released by the local government, girls aged 10 to 19 account for about 30 percent of pregnant women in the area. Many, still children themselves, are married off by their families in exchange for a few cows. "I have a daughter of my own," said 48-year-old Tang. "When I saw children running barefoot and learned that so many were out of school, I couldn't look away."
\n
"The locals helped us establish our business, and we wanted to give something back," Yuan said.
\n
The pair decided not only to support Silantoi's shop but also to help create a permanent, safe home for the girls. That decision led to the founding of Namunyak — a community-based organization dedicated to protecting vulnerable girls.
\n
In June 2023, Tang and Yuan bought about 6 hectares of land near Narok's Aitong town and built what is now the Namunyak rescue center. Though modest, the center gave Silantoi and the girls a place they could finally call their own.
\n
Over the past two years, Tang and Yuan have repaired the girls' housing, installed electricity and a water tower, covered their school fees, and hired security guards and caretakers. Near the center stand newly built classrooms, a kitchen and toilets, along with three traditional thatched huts serving as Silantoi's office and living quarters.
\n
Among the girls is 13-year-old Mitchell Ketere, who joined Namunyak two years ago after her father's death left her family struggling.
\n
"I want to be a chef someday. I love cooking for others," she said with a bright smile.
\n
Silantoi, who devotes herself to teaching them values, resilience and self-respect, said, "These girls have endured difficult pasts, but now they radiate pride, passion and hope." At 56, she dreams of a day when no more girls need rescuing, when every Maasai girl can enjoy a safe and happy childhood.
\n
In March 2024, the local government officially registered Namunyak as a community-based organization, recognizing its contribution to local welfare.
\n
For Tang and Yuan, their journey in Kenya is about more than charity. "We've built a business here, but we also built a family," Tang said. Yuan added, "Happiness means every daughter — whether in Kenya or China — can live a good life."
\n
For the 29 girls of Namunyak, happiness is no longer just a word — it is home.
NAIROBI — Almost every weekend, Tang Lin and Yuan Lin set out across Kenya's Maasai Mara plains, their vehicle packed with supplies — sneakers, clothes, sweets and daily essentials — destined for the 29 girls under their care.
\n
On the edge of the world-renowned Maasai Mara National Reserve in Narok county stands the Namunyak rescue center, a modest yet vibrant refuge for girls whose future was once uncertain. Its name, Namunyak, means "happiness" in the Maasai language.
\n
Tang and Yuan, both from Southwest China's Chongqing, first came to Kenya to pursue careers in tourism. As Chinese visitors to the East African country increased, their business grew steadily. In 2019, they took a leap and purchased an eco-lodge in Maasai Mara. What began as an entrepreneurial venture soon blossomed into an unexpected mission of compassion.
\n
Shortly after opening their lodge, a local woman named Mary Silantoi approached them. Volunteering with the county's department for women and children affairs, Silantoi had taken in several girls who had fled early marriage or female genital mutilation. She asked for space to run a small shop at the lodge to support their care.
\n
According to a report released by the local government, girls aged 10 to 19 account for about 30 percent of pregnant women in the area. Many, still children themselves, are married off by their families in exchange for a few cows. "I have a daughter of my own," said 48-year-old Tang. "When I saw children running barefoot and learned that so many were out of school, I couldn't look away."
\n
"The locals helped us establish our business, and we wanted to give something back," Yuan said.
\n
The pair decided not only to support Silantoi's shop but also to help create a permanent, safe home for the girls. That decision led to the founding of Namunyak — a community-based organization dedicated to protecting vulnerable girls.
\n
In June 2023, Tang and Yuan bought about 6 hectares of land near Narok's Aitong town and built what is now the Namunyak rescue center. Though modest, the center gave Silantoi and the girls a place they could finally call their own.
\n
Over the past two years, Tang and Yuan have repaired the girls' housing, installed electricity and a water tower, covered their school fees, and hired security guards and caretakers. Near the center stand newly built classrooms, a kitchen and toilets, along with three traditional thatched huts serving as Silantoi's office and living quarters.
\n
Among the girls is 13-year-old Mitchell Ketere, who joined Namunyak two years ago after her father's death left her family struggling.
\n
"I want to be a chef someday. I love cooking for others," she said with a bright smile.
\n
Silantoi, who devotes herself to teaching them values, resilience and self-respect, said, "These girls have endured difficult pasts, but now they radiate pride, passion and hope." At 56, she dreams of a day when no more girls need rescuing, when every Maasai girl can enjoy a safe and happy childhood.
\n
In March 2024, the local government officially registered Namunyak as a community-based organization, recognizing its contribution to local welfare.
\n
For Tang and Yuan, their journey in Kenya is about more than charity. "We've built a business here, but we also built a family," Tang said. Yuan added, "Happiness means every daughter — whether in Kenya or China — can live a good life."
\n
For the 29 girls of Namunyak, happiness is no longer just a word — it is home.
Elderly residents chat at a care center in Guqian village in Yiyuan, Shandong province, on Sept 30, 2022.
\n
Seniors collect a free lunch at a canteen in Wangjiaquan village in Yiyuan on Wednesday.
\n
Medical workers offer free health checkups to villagers in Yiyuan in July.
\n
At a small community canteen in the village of Houjiaguanzhuang, tucked away in the mountainous county of Yiyuan in Shandong province, a group of elderly residents gather for their lunchtime meal.
\n
On the menu is braised cabbage with pork and vermicelli, stir-fried shredded potato, millet porridge and steamed buns, all served by red-vested volunteers for the bargain price of just 1 yuan (14 cents).
\n
Many older adults in China live alone and may face difficulty with preparing meals, daily care and health services.
\n
The canteen is one of some 230 "Yiyuanhong" livelihood complexes that have been set up in many remote villages and towns in Yiyuan county to serve its elderly residents.
\n
Yiyuan's large aging population and rugged mountain geography make it a prime example of the challenges facing the nation.
\n
Of the county's 515,000 residents, 26 percent are 60 or above, higher than the national average. In rural areas, 85,000 elderly residents make up 33.7 percent of the rural population.
\n
Launched in 2021, the Yiyuanhong model for elderly care seeks to address the needs of its aging population through a grassroots network of care centers and targeted services.
\n
Enjoying her lunch, 87-year-old Hou Xianhua said having meals prepared for her daily has relieved a burden for her.
\n
"Everything's cooked soft and lightly seasoned, they know our teeth aren't as strong as they used to be," Hou said.
\n
"When I was young, working hard in the fields, I never imagined I'd see days like this," she added.
\n
The canteen serves 70 to 80 seniors from the village daily.
\n
Zhuang Benzhen, Houjiaguanzhuang Party secretary, said an integrated funding model has made the Yiyuanhong model possible.
\n
"The county, the town and the village each contribute to subsidize the meals, keeping the costs to the elderly very low," he said.
\n
For Houjiaguanzhuang, its portion of the funding comes from its 33 hectares of apple orchards.
\n
Many of the elderly villagers, unable to work their farmland, have transferred their land-use rights to a cooperative run by the village Party that now manages the land.
\n
"At the orchard, we've planted new tree varieties that have higher yields," said Zhuang, adding that the profits from the orchard cover most of the care center's operating costs.
\n
Houjiaguanzhuang is one of 446 villages in Yiyuan, a rugged county with over 99 percent hilly terrain. Its main industry is agriculture, specializing in apples, peaches and cherries.
\n
The Yiyuanhong model focuses on "farming for farmers and caring for the elderly", Zhuang said, noting that the county has turned the dual challenges of elderly care and farmland abandonment into an opportunity.
\n
Yiyuan's 230 livelihood complexes and 168 food assistance stations are helping to improve both the county's senior care and sustainable land use.
\n
Solutions in action
\n
Party secretary of Yiyuan county, Zhang Tao, said pressing questions from the people are what drove the creation of the Yiyuanhong project.
\n
"What happens when elderly villagers eat the same meal all day, or even for two or three days?
\n
"How can aging farmers tend their orchards when they can no longer work the land?
\n
"Who will help them shop or see a doctor when they live alone?"
\n
To address the urgent concerns of these seniors, officials conducted door-to-door surveys across every village, eight times, before launching the project.
\n
Spreadsheets at the county civil affairs bureau frequently highlighted questions related to advanced age and isolated elders.
\n
These groups faced hardships such as irregular meals, untreated illnesses and farmland they could no longer maintain.
\n
After three months of surveys, county officials concluded the four core needs of meals, medical care, bathing and shopping.
\n
To meet these needs, the county began repurposing abandoned properties.
\n
Vacant halls, collectively owned buildings and unused homesteads were transformed into livelihood complexes.
\n
In Longziyu village, a complex was developed around the village Party office and the old cultural halls with a canteen, bathing room, clinic, hairdresser and leisure center.
\n
The village has a population of 649, with 191 aged 60 and above.
\n
"I used to wait until my hair was too long before going to town for a haircut," said Dong Jiyun, 66, touching her freshly trimmed hair. "Now I can get a cut anytime — right at my doorstep."
\n
Once a week, doctors from the county traditional Chinese medicine hospital visit Longziyu to provide free acupuncture and blood pressure checks for the villagers.
\n
Efficient operation
\n
In Yihetou village's canteen stock room, sacks of rice and flour are neatly arranged alongside fresh vegetables such as winter melon, cabbage and potatoes. Each item is labeled with the recipient's name, product details, quantity and sorting date.
\n
This supply comes from the county's centralized procurement center located in the urban area of Yiyuan.
\n
Canteen staff place delivery orders via their smartphones to order the food they need.
\n
Behind this operation lies a sophisticated logistics network that works through the night. At 1 am, the procurement center is brightly lit as workers inspect and sort fresh meat, while newly arrived vegetables from local farms are tagged and packed into crates.
\n
By 7 am, these ingredients are loaded onto trucks destined for the central kitchen, also in the urban area, for preliminary processing. At the central kitchen, steamed buns, prewashed and precut vegetables are prepared to be sent out to the canteens.
\n
Operated by Shandong Luzhong Food Supply Chain Co, a county government-supported enterprise, the system ensures that the final stage of cooking is simple.
\n
"We provide food such as washed vegetables to village canteens, which only need to do the final cooking. This significantly reduces labor while maintaining food quality," said Li Xuebin, deputy general manager of Luzhong.
\n
The food supply model connects local farms, processing facilities and elderly care centers, he said.
\n
"We've created over 300 local jobs through this supply chain," said Li. "The standardized meal production has expanded beyond senior care, and now also serves local schools and government offices while contributing to the regional economy through public sales of surplus products."
\n
Sustainable development
\n
By using a tiered meal subsidy program, county, town and village-level authorities can cover at least 80 percent of meal costs.
\n
The subsidy program represents more than just welfare; it's part of a carefully engineered ecosystem where each village's unique economic activities directly support its aging population.
\n
The sustainability of this approach lies in Yiyuan's "one village, one industry" strategy.
\n
"We've moved beyond simple subsidies to create systems where each community develops its own economic engine to support elderly services," said Zheng Jian, deputy Party secretary of Yiyuan.
\n
This philosophy has produced remarkable adaptations across the county's varied terrain, he added.
\n
In the mountainous Shuimetouhenan village, where poor soil once thwarted traditional farming, this challenge has been turned into an opportunity.
\n
"Using poverty alleviation funds and loans, in 2016 we invested millions to become early adopters of photovoltaic energy," said Cui Xueliang, Party secretary of Shuimetouhenan.
\n
By organizing some barren land, Cui introduced three enterprises to build production facilities in the village. These enterprises produce several agricultural goods, including dried vegetables and fruit-based products.
\n
Today, solar panels on hillsides and rooftops generate some 520,000 yuan in income annually for the village, creating a stable funding source for elderly care services.
\n
In Dongan village, fragmented small plots have been consolidated into a thriving 13 hectares of modern grape vineyards.
\n
"Previously, our elders struggled to farm these scattered plots with low yields," said Geng Wei, the village Party secretary.
\n
"Now the vineyards not only solve their farming difficulties but contribute 120,000 yuan yearly to our collective funds," he said.
\n
Perhaps most remarkably, Yiyuan county's elderly aren't just beneficiaries but active participants in this transformation. In Yihenan village, when initial resistance threatened a kiwi fruit plantation, elderly residents like Zhang Xiangmei and Liu Wenmei became its strongest advocates.
\n
"These projects ultimately support our care and we should back him (the village Party secretary)," they persuaded their children and neighbors.
\n
Their endorsement helped Xu Hongliang, the village Party secretary, convince residents to pool land-use rights, leading to a successful 13-hectare plantation that promises further expansion.
\n
Zhang Xiangmei and Liu Wenmei share a 25-square-meter living room at the village's livelihood complex. Every day, they eat at the village's canteen and chat with their fellow villagers.
\n
"Living together with other seniors they know, the elderly can help each other and have a small chat every day, which keeps them in a good mood," said Xu.
\n
A total of 1,308 industry projects have been implemented county-wide, and all 446 villages have achieved annual incomes exceeding 100,000 yuan, with half of the villages surpassing 200,000 yuan. The economic foundation ensures the steady operation of elderly care services.
\n
Behind this model stands the village Party secretaries.
\n
"Village Party secretaries are the 'CEOs' of rural vitalization, who master both governance and entrepreneurship," said county Party secretary Zhang.
\n
"We must train them to be dedicated, capable and responsible leaders," he said.
\n
This year, the county has trained 1,220 rural "CEOs", including both village Party secretaries and farming experts who have consolidated 400 hectares of farmland, and launched 45 agricultural projects, generating 3 million yuan in total collective income.
\n
Zhang attributes their success to "people-centered governance and the integration of human rights protection into every policy".
\n
"It's not just about building the facilities or handing out money. The mechanism has to take root and thrive," he said.
\n
zhaoruixue@chinadaily.com.cn
\n",
- "content": "
Elderly residents chat at a care center in Guqian village in Yiyuan, Shandong province, on Sept 30, 2022.
\n
Seniors collect a free lunch at a canteen in Wangjiaquan village in Yiyuan on Wednesday.
\n
Medical workers offer free health checkups to villagers in Yiyuan in July.
\n
At a small community canteen in the village of Houjiaguanzhuang, tucked away in the mountainous county of Yiyuan in Shandong province, a group of elderly residents gather for their lunchtime meal.
\n
On the menu is braised cabbage with pork and vermicelli, stir-fried shredded potato, millet porridge and steamed buns, all served by red-vested volunteers for the bargain price of just 1 yuan (14 cents).
\n
Many older adults in China live alone and may face difficulty with preparing meals, daily care and health services.
\n
The canteen is one of some 230 "Yiyuanhong" livelihood complexes that have been set up in many remote villages and towns in Yiyuan county to serve its elderly residents.
\n
Yiyuan's large aging population and rugged mountain geography make it a prime example of the challenges facing the nation.
\n
Of the county's 515,000 residents, 26 percent are 60 or above, higher than the national average. In rural areas, 85,000 elderly residents make up 33.7 percent of the rural population.
\n
Launched in 2021, the Yiyuanhong model for elderly care seeks to address the needs of its aging population through a grassroots network of care centers and targeted services.
\n
Enjoying her lunch, 87-year-old Hou Xianhua said having meals prepared for her daily has relieved a burden for her.
\n
"Everything's cooked soft and lightly seasoned, they know our teeth aren't as strong as they used to be," Hou said.
\n
"When I was young, working hard in the fields, I never imagined I'd see days like this," she added.
\n
The canteen serves 70 to 80 seniors from the village daily.
\n
Zhuang Benzhen, Houjiaguanzhuang Party secretary, said an integrated funding model has made the Yiyuanhong model possible.
\n
"The county, the town and the village each contribute to subsidize the meals, keeping the costs to the elderly very low," he said.
\n
For Houjiaguanzhuang, its portion of the funding comes from its 33 hectares of apple orchards.
\n
Many of the elderly villagers, unable to work their farmland, have transferred their land-use rights to a cooperative run by the village Party that now manages the land.
\n
"At the orchard, we've planted new tree varieties that have higher yields," said Zhuang, adding that the profits from the orchard cover most of the care center's operating costs.
\n
Houjiaguanzhuang is one of 446 villages in Yiyuan, a rugged county with over 99 percent hilly terrain. Its main industry is agriculture, specializing in apples, peaches and cherries.
\n
The Yiyuanhong model focuses on "farming for farmers and caring for the elderly", Zhuang said, noting that the county has turned the dual challenges of elderly care and farmland abandonment into an opportunity.
\n
Yiyuan's 230 livelihood complexes and 168 food assistance stations are helping to improve both the county's senior care and sustainable land use.
\n
Solutions in action
\n
Party secretary of Yiyuan county, Zhang Tao, said pressing questions from the people are what drove the creation of the Yiyuanhong project.
\n
"What happens when elderly villagers eat the same meal all day, or even for two or three days?
\n
"How can aging farmers tend their orchards when they can no longer work the land?
\n
"Who will help them shop or see a doctor when they live alone?"
\n
To address the urgent concerns of these seniors, officials conducted door-to-door surveys across every village, eight times, before launching the project.
\n
Spreadsheets at the county civil affairs bureau frequently highlighted questions related to advanced age and isolated elders.
\n
These groups faced hardships such as irregular meals, untreated illnesses and farmland they could no longer maintain.
\n
After three months of surveys, county officials concluded the four core needs of meals, medical care, bathing and shopping.
\n
To meet these needs, the county began repurposing abandoned properties.
\n
Vacant halls, collectively owned buildings and unused homesteads were transformed into livelihood complexes.
\n
In Longziyu village, a complex was developed around the village Party office and the old cultural halls with a canteen, bathing room, clinic, hairdresser and leisure center.
\n
The village has a population of 649, with 191 aged 60 and above.
\n
"I used to wait until my hair was too long before going to town for a haircut," said Dong Jiyun, 66, touching her freshly trimmed hair. "Now I can get a cut anytime — right at my doorstep."
\n
Once a week, doctors from the county traditional Chinese medicine hospital visit Longziyu to provide free acupuncture and blood pressure checks for the villagers.
\n
Efficient operation
\n
In Yihetou village's canteen stock room, sacks of rice and flour are neatly arranged alongside fresh vegetables such as winter melon, cabbage and potatoes. Each item is labeled with the recipient's name, product details, quantity and sorting date.
\n
This supply comes from the county's centralized procurement center located in the urban area of Yiyuan.
\n
Canteen staff place delivery orders via their smartphones to order the food they need.
\n
Behind this operation lies a sophisticated logistics network that works through the night. At 1 am, the procurement center is brightly lit as workers inspect and sort fresh meat, while newly arrived vegetables from local farms are tagged and packed into crates.
\n
By 7 am, these ingredients are loaded onto trucks destined for the central kitchen, also in the urban area, for preliminary processing. At the central kitchen, steamed buns, prewashed and precut vegetables are prepared to be sent out to the canteens.
\n
Operated by Shandong Luzhong Food Supply Chain Co, a county government-supported enterprise, the system ensures that the final stage of cooking is simple.
\n
"We provide food such as washed vegetables to village canteens, which only need to do the final cooking. This significantly reduces labor while maintaining food quality," said Li Xuebin, deputy general manager of Luzhong.
\n
The food supply model connects local farms, processing facilities and elderly care centers, he said.
\n
"We've created over 300 local jobs through this supply chain," said Li. "The standardized meal production has expanded beyond senior care, and now also serves local schools and government offices while contributing to the regional economy through public sales of surplus products."
\n
Sustainable development
\n
By using a tiered meal subsidy program, county, town and village-level authorities can cover at least 80 percent of meal costs.
\n
The subsidy program represents more than just welfare; it's part of a carefully engineered ecosystem where each village's unique economic activities directly support its aging population.
\n
The sustainability of this approach lies in Yiyuan's "one village, one industry" strategy.
\n
"We've moved beyond simple subsidies to create systems where each community develops its own economic engine to support elderly services," said Zheng Jian, deputy Party secretary of Yiyuan.
\n
This philosophy has produced remarkable adaptations across the county's varied terrain, he added.
\n
In the mountainous Shuimetouhenan village, where poor soil once thwarted traditional farming, this challenge has been turned into an opportunity.
\n
"Using poverty alleviation funds and loans, in 2016 we invested millions to become early adopters of photovoltaic energy," said Cui Xueliang, Party secretary of Shuimetouhenan.
\n
By organizing some barren land, Cui introduced three enterprises to build production facilities in the village. These enterprises produce several agricultural goods, including dried vegetables and fruit-based products.
\n
Today, solar panels on hillsides and rooftops generate some 520,000 yuan in income annually for the village, creating a stable funding source for elderly care services.
\n
In Dongan village, fragmented small plots have been consolidated into a thriving 13 hectares of modern grape vineyards.
\n
"Previously, our elders struggled to farm these scattered plots with low yields," said Geng Wei, the village Party secretary.
\n
"Now the vineyards not only solve their farming difficulties but contribute 120,000 yuan yearly to our collective funds," he said.
\n
Perhaps most remarkably, Yiyuan county's elderly aren't just beneficiaries but active participants in this transformation. In Yihenan village, when initial resistance threatened a kiwi fruit plantation, elderly residents like Zhang Xiangmei and Liu Wenmei became its strongest advocates.
\n
"These projects ultimately support our care and we should back him (the village Party secretary)," they persuaded their children and neighbors.
\n
Their endorsement helped Xu Hongliang, the village Party secretary, convince residents to pool land-use rights, leading to a successful 13-hectare plantation that promises further expansion.
\n
Zhang Xiangmei and Liu Wenmei share a 25-square-meter living room at the village's livelihood complex. Every day, they eat at the village's canteen and chat with their fellow villagers.
\n
"Living together with other seniors they know, the elderly can help each other and have a small chat every day, which keeps them in a good mood," said Xu.
\n
A total of 1,308 industry projects have been implemented county-wide, and all 446 villages have achieved annual incomes exceeding 100,000 yuan, with half of the villages surpassing 200,000 yuan. The economic foundation ensures the steady operation of elderly care services.
\n
Behind this model stands the village Party secretaries.
\n
"Village Party secretaries are the 'CEOs' of rural vitalization, who master both governance and entrepreneurship," said county Party secretary Zhang.
\n
"We must train them to be dedicated, capable and responsible leaders," he said.
\n
This year, the county has trained 1,220 rural "CEOs", including both village Party secretaries and farming experts who have consolidated 400 hectares of farmland, and launched 45 agricultural projects, generating 3 million yuan in total collective income.
\n
Zhang attributes their success to "people-centered governance and the integration of human rights protection into every policy".
\n
"It's not just about building the facilities or handing out money. The mechanism has to take root and thrive," he said.
A farmer bags grapes at an orchard in Yiyuan, Shandong province, in July.
\n
Located in the Yimeng revolutionary base area, Yiyuan county in Zibo, Shandong province, features a rugged hilly terrain, and the local agriculture focuses on fruit cultivation — mainly apples, peaches and cherries.
\n
With a total population of about 515,000, nearly 26 percent are aged 60 and above, higher than the national average. In rural areas, 85,000 elderly residents make up 33.7 percent of the rural population.
\n
The challenging geography and aging population make traditional elderly care services difficult to implement.
\n
In recent years, villages in the county have pioneered innovative ways to facilitate rural vitalization and elderly care services.
\n
In Longziyu, blessed with ecological advantages and convenient transportation, cultural tourism has emerged as a new economic model.
\n
Old homes have been transformed into boutique guesthouses, vacant courtyards into art spaces, while its campsite concept attracts young urbanites for weekend getaways.
\n
While Longziyu focuses on cultural tourism, neighboring Liujiapo village showcases a technological approach.
\n
At an orchard, a single worker can monitor real-time data of 15 hectares of orchards, such as irrigation and weeding records.
\n
"By deploying agricultural internet of things systems, we've evolved from 'farming by weather' to 'farming with knowledge'," said Sun Qinghua, the Party secretary of Lucun town, which administrates Liujiapo.
\n
"The orchard, created through land-use rights transfers from two villages, employs over 60 locals, increasing their average annual income by 20,000 yuan," said Sun.
\n
Technology's reach in the county extends to elderly care through smart platforms. In Dongli town, a smart home-based elderly care platform has been established, covering 12 villages and 221 senior households.
\n
When 75-year-old Zhang Shunnan fell and used a voice command, the AI system alerted responders who reached his home and rushed him to a hospital.
\n
"From monitoring to emergency response, smart devices create a safety circle for rural seniors," said Yang Hua, deputy Party secretary of Dongli town, noting plans to expand the system to 48 villages.
\n
Villages in Yiyuan have developed their own ways tailored to their resources and circumstances, said Yu Qing, deputy head of the county government.
\n
"Rural leaders need to be skilled in both public service and entrepreneurial practices. They develop the local economy to generate collective village income, which in turn provides funding support for elderly care services in the village," said Yu.
\n",
- "content": "
A farmer bags grapes at an orchard in Yiyuan, Shandong province, in July.
\n
Located in the Yimeng revolutionary base area, Yiyuan county in Zibo, Shandong province, features a rugged hilly terrain, and the local agriculture focuses on fruit cultivation — mainly apples, peaches and cherries.
\n
With a total population of about 515,000, nearly 26 percent are aged 60 and above, higher than the national average. In rural areas, 85,000 elderly residents make up 33.7 percent of the rural population.
\n
The challenging geography and aging population make traditional elderly care services difficult to implement.
\n
In recent years, villages in the county have pioneered innovative ways to facilitate rural vitalization and elderly care services.
\n
In Longziyu, blessed with ecological advantages and convenient transportation, cultural tourism has emerged as a new economic model.
\n
Old homes have been transformed into boutique guesthouses, vacant courtyards into art spaces, while its campsite concept attracts young urbanites for weekend getaways.
\n
While Longziyu focuses on cultural tourism, neighboring Liujiapo village showcases a technological approach.
\n
At an orchard, a single worker can monitor real-time data of 15 hectares of orchards, such as irrigation and weeding records.
\n
"By deploying agricultural internet of things systems, we've evolved from 'farming by weather' to 'farming with knowledge'," said Sun Qinghua, the Party secretary of Lucun town, which administrates Liujiapo.
\n
"The orchard, created through land-use rights transfers from two villages, employs over 60 locals, increasing their average annual income by 20,000 yuan," said Sun.
\n
Technology's reach in the county extends to elderly care through smart platforms. In Dongli town, a smart home-based elderly care platform has been established, covering 12 villages and 221 senior households.
\n
When 75-year-old Zhang Shunnan fell and used a voice command, the AI system alerted responders who reached his home and rushed him to a hospital.
\n
"From monitoring to emergency response, smart devices create a safety circle for rural seniors," said Yang Hua, deputy Party secretary of Dongli town, noting plans to expand the system to 48 villages.
\n
Villages in Yiyuan have developed their own ways tailored to their resources and circumstances, said Yu Qing, deputy head of the county government.
\n
"Rural leaders need to be skilled in both public service and entrepreneurial practices. They develop the local economy to generate collective village income, which in turn provides funding support for elderly care services in the village," said Yu.
In an ill-judged and unwarranted move that promises to have far-reaching implications on relations between China and the United Kingdom, the British government on Wednesday announced sanctions against 11 Chinese companies for allegedly supporting the Russian energy sector and supplying equipment critical to Russia's defense sector.
\n
London claimed the sanctions will exert more pressure on the Kremlin over the conflict in Ukraine. These measures are nothing more than an attempt to meddle in normal business exchanges between Chinese and Russian companies. The unilateral actions taken by the British government targeting Chinese companies have no basis in international law, and undermine the legitimate rights and interests of these Chinese enterprises. China firmly opposes these sanctions and has lodged stern representations with the UK, a spokesman for the Chinese embassy in London said.
\n
China has consistently maintained an objective and impartial stance on the Ukraine crisis, actively promoted peace talks, and strictly regulated the export of dual-use items in accordance with laws and regulations. Any insinuation otherwise is a blatant attempt at blame-shifting and smearing.
\n
Denigrating the normal exchanges and cooperation between Chinese and Russian enterprises, the UK has targeted Chinese enterprises, primarily those in technology and energy sectors, with multiple rounds of sanctions. These actions have strained bilateral ties, reduced economic cooperation, and had a chilling effect on future China-UK investments and collaborations.
\n
It is imperative that the UK correct its misguided actions and revoke these unwarranted sanctions. China will not stand idly by while its interests are harmed and will respond firmly to any provocation. The rationale behind the UK's sanctions seems to be rooted in aligning itself with the United States at a time when the US has intensified its strategy to contain China in trade and technology globally.
\n
Apart from cracking down on Chinese enterprises, some politicians in London have also tried to depict China as a major national security threat to the UK, alleging it has "highly capable and ... large scale espionage operations" that threaten the economic prosperity of the UK and the integrity of its democratic institutions. Even though prosecutors recently dropped charges against two men who had been accused of spying for China because of a lack of evidence, the anti-China sentiment in the UK does not appear to have subsided, as demonstrated by the latest sanctions against Chinese companies.
\n
The UK's decision is a huge step backward. The sanctions not only threaten the economic interests of Chinese enterprises, but also risk derailing the positive trajectory of China-UK relations. What the UK has done is a betrayal of its previously stated position that it hopes to strengthen dialogue with China and foster exchanges and cooperation.
\n
The fallout from these sanctions could therefore be significant. The long-term impact could see the UK losing out on vital economic opportunities and partnerships that are crucial for its growth and development. By adopting a confrontational stance at the behest of the US, the UK risks alienating a key partner and diminishing its own influence in international affairs.
\n
Despite differences in culture, values and social systems, China and the UK share broad common interests. It is China's consistent stance that both sides should view each other's development rationally and objectively, strengthen strategic communication, and enhance political trust to ensure that China-UK relations remain stable, practical and long-lasting. Moreover, given the two countries have vast potential for cooperation in areas such as trade and investment, clean energy, financial services and healthcare, this cooperation should be continuously expanded, not recklessly curtailed.
\n
The current situation presents a pivotal moment for China-UK relations. The choices made today will shape the future trajectory of their partnership. The UK should show vision and wisdom, forsaking short-term political maneuvers in favor of long-term stability and prosperity. For the sake of bilateral relations and its own interests, the UK should correct its actions and lift the sanctions against the relevant Chinese entities.
In an ill-judged and unwarranted move that promises to have far-reaching implications on relations between China and the United Kingdom, the British government on Wednesday announced sanctions against 11 Chinese companies for allegedly supporting the Russian energy sector and supplying equipment critical to Russia's defense sector.
\n
London claimed the sanctions will exert more pressure on the Kremlin over the conflict in Ukraine. These measures are nothing more than an attempt to meddle in normal business exchanges between Chinese and Russian companies. The unilateral actions taken by the British government targeting Chinese companies have no basis in international law, and undermine the legitimate rights and interests of these Chinese enterprises. China firmly opposes these sanctions and has lodged stern representations with the UK, a spokesman for the Chinese embassy in London said.
\n
China has consistently maintained an objective and impartial stance on the Ukraine crisis, actively promoted peace talks, and strictly regulated the export of dual-use items in accordance with laws and regulations. Any insinuation otherwise is a blatant attempt at blame-shifting and smearing.
\n
Denigrating the normal exchanges and cooperation between Chinese and Russian enterprises, the UK has targeted Chinese enterprises, primarily those in technology and energy sectors, with multiple rounds of sanctions. These actions have strained bilateral ties, reduced economic cooperation, and had a chilling effect on future China-UK investments and collaborations.
\n
It is imperative that the UK correct its misguided actions and revoke these unwarranted sanctions. China will not stand idly by while its interests are harmed and will respond firmly to any provocation. The rationale behind the UK's sanctions seems to be rooted in aligning itself with the United States at a time when the US has intensified its strategy to contain China in trade and technology globally.
\n
Apart from cracking down on Chinese enterprises, some politicians in London have also tried to depict China as a major national security threat to the UK, alleging it has "highly capable and ... large scale espionage operations" that threaten the economic prosperity of the UK and the integrity of its democratic institutions. Even though prosecutors recently dropped charges against two men who had been accused of spying for China because of a lack of evidence, the anti-China sentiment in the UK does not appear to have subsided, as demonstrated by the latest sanctions against Chinese companies.
\n
The UK's decision is a huge step backward. The sanctions not only threaten the economic interests of Chinese enterprises, but also risk derailing the positive trajectory of China-UK relations. What the UK has done is a betrayal of its previously stated position that it hopes to strengthen dialogue with China and foster exchanges and cooperation.
\n
The fallout from these sanctions could therefore be significant. The long-term impact could see the UK losing out on vital economic opportunities and partnerships that are crucial for its growth and development. By adopting a confrontational stance at the behest of the US, the UK risks alienating a key partner and diminishing its own influence in international affairs.
\n
Despite differences in culture, values and social systems, China and the UK share broad common interests. It is China's consistent stance that both sides should view each other's development rationally and objectively, strengthen strategic communication, and enhance political trust to ensure that China-UK relations remain stable, practical and long-lasting. Moreover, given the two countries have vast potential for cooperation in areas such as trade and investment, clean energy, financial services and healthcare, this cooperation should be continuously expanded, not recklessly curtailed.
\n
The current situation presents a pivotal moment for China-UK relations. The choices made today will shape the future trajectory of their partnership. The UK should show vision and wisdom, forsaking short-term political maneuvers in favor of long-term stability and prosperity. For the sake of bilateral relations and its own interests, the UK should correct its actions and lift the sanctions against the relevant Chinese entities.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent's recent remarks on China-US trade relations were not only irresponsible but also dangerously misleading. His suggestion that Washington should rally the rest of the G7 to "counter" China on trade issues exposes a deep-seated obsession with confrontation and a complete disregard for global economic stability. Such words are unbecoming of a senior official, and only serve to betray the United States' own guilt for creating the very tensions it is now trying to pin the blame on China.
\n
Bessent's remarks deny the truth. It is not China but the US that has spent the past months rolling out one discriminatory trade measure after another, undermining the very "rules-based order" it claims to defend.
\n
China's export control measures are legitimate, rational and fully consistent with international practice. As the Ministry of Commerce reiterated on Thursday, the measures are part of China's efforts to improve its export control system in accordance with international requirements. They are aimed at upholding international nonproliferation obligations, safeguarding regional stability and defending world peace. They are not an export ban. Licenses will be granted for eligible applications.
\n
What Bessent said recently has brought the contrast between Beijing's sense of responsibility and Washington's aggressiveness into stark relief — the difference could not be clearer. Since the China-US economic and trade talks in Madrid, in just over 20 days, the US has introduced 20 repressive measures against China, seriously damaging China's interests and undermining the atmosphere for bilateral trade talks. As the Commerce Ministry spokesperson stressed on Thursday, at the end of September, the US issued a so-called penetrating rule on the exports control entity list, effectively extending it with the inclusion of thousands of Chinese companies on the list. At the same time, the US insisted on implementing the port fee investigation measures on Chinese-linked vessels on Tuesday.
\n
These actions have been taken in blatant disregard of the goodwill and sincerity China has demonstrated. To say that it is China that is escalating tensions is calling white black. The blame lies solely with the US administration. Expecting China to accommodate the US' bullying practices without fighting back is simply ridiculous.
\n
Bessent's attempt to mobilize the G7 against China, along with other allies and partners, should serve as a wake-up call. At a time when the global economy is struggling and there are many pressing challenges to be addressed, it is mindless to say the least for countries to allow themselves to be dragged into another Cold-War-style bloc confrontation.
\n
As Foreign Minister Wang Yi emphasized during his meeting with the French president's diplomatic adviser in Hangzhou on Wednesday, when speaking of China-EU relations, cooperation should be the main tone of ties, and partnership the right positioning. Other US allies should also heed Wang's words and see clearly the rights and wrongs behind the new trade frictions between China and the US. They should recognize that toeing the US' line will not spare them from being in the crosshairs of the US administration's trade attacks.
\n
The US narrative that China's export controls are disruptive is simply untenable. China's rare earth controls are measured and transparent. The Chinese government informed relevant countries through bilateral export control dialogue mechanisms before the announcement, and it will continue to grant export licenses for qualified applications. China has every right, and the responsibility, to ensure that its resources are used in ways that promote peace and stability, not military confrontation. Any claim that Beijing is "weaponizing" rare earths flies in the face of reason. It is the US that is guilty of that. It has long been abusing high-tech restrictions to achieve political ends.
\n
Bessent's comments reveal the contradiction at the heart of current US policy. On the one hand, he hinted that Washington might extend the current tariff pause to give time for talks. On the other, he continued to threaten new 100 percent tariffs and new export controls, all while smearing China's normal regulatory adjustments. If the US side truly believes dialogue is the way forward, it knows perfectly well what needs to be done.
\n
Dialogue based on equality, respect and mutual benefit is the only viable path to move forward.
\n",
- "content": "
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent's recent remarks on China-US trade relations were not only irresponsible but also dangerously misleading. His suggestion that Washington should rally the rest of the G7 to "counter" China on trade issues exposes a deep-seated obsession with confrontation and a complete disregard for global economic stability. Such words are unbecoming of a senior official, and only serve to betray the United States' own guilt for creating the very tensions it is now trying to pin the blame on China.
\n
Bessent's remarks deny the truth. It is not China but the US that has spent the past months rolling out one discriminatory trade measure after another, undermining the very "rules-based order" it claims to defend.
\n
China's export control measures are legitimate, rational and fully consistent with international practice. As the Ministry of Commerce reiterated on Thursday, the measures are part of China's efforts to improve its export control system in accordance with international requirements. They are aimed at upholding international nonproliferation obligations, safeguarding regional stability and defending world peace. They are not an export ban. Licenses will be granted for eligible applications.
\n
What Bessent said recently has brought the contrast between Beijing's sense of responsibility and Washington's aggressiveness into stark relief — the difference could not be clearer. Since the China-US economic and trade talks in Madrid, in just over 20 days, the US has introduced 20 repressive measures against China, seriously damaging China's interests and undermining the atmosphere for bilateral trade talks. As the Commerce Ministry spokesperson stressed on Thursday, at the end of September, the US issued a so-called penetrating rule on the exports control entity list, effectively extending it with the inclusion of thousands of Chinese companies on the list. At the same time, the US insisted on implementing the port fee investigation measures on Chinese-linked vessels on Tuesday.
\n
These actions have been taken in blatant disregard of the goodwill and sincerity China has demonstrated. To say that it is China that is escalating tensions is calling white black. The blame lies solely with the US administration. Expecting China to accommodate the US' bullying practices without fighting back is simply ridiculous.
\n
Bessent's attempt to mobilize the G7 against China, along with other allies and partners, should serve as a wake-up call. At a time when the global economy is struggling and there are many pressing challenges to be addressed, it is mindless to say the least for countries to allow themselves to be dragged into another Cold-War-style bloc confrontation.
\n
As Foreign Minister Wang Yi emphasized during his meeting with the French president's diplomatic adviser in Hangzhou on Wednesday, when speaking of China-EU relations, cooperation should be the main tone of ties, and partnership the right positioning. Other US allies should also heed Wang's words and see clearly the rights and wrongs behind the new trade frictions between China and the US. They should recognize that toeing the US' line will not spare them from being in the crosshairs of the US administration's trade attacks.
\n
The US narrative that China's export controls are disruptive is simply untenable. China's rare earth controls are measured and transparent. The Chinese government informed relevant countries through bilateral export control dialogue mechanisms before the announcement, and it will continue to grant export licenses for qualified applications. China has every right, and the responsibility, to ensure that its resources are used in ways that promote peace and stability, not military confrontation. Any claim that Beijing is "weaponizing" rare earths flies in the face of reason. It is the US that is guilty of that. It has long been abusing high-tech restrictions to achieve political ends.
\n
Bessent's comments reveal the contradiction at the heart of current US policy. On the one hand, he hinted that Washington might extend the current tariff pause to give time for talks. On the other, he continued to threaten new 100 percent tariffs and new export controls, all while smearing China's normal regulatory adjustments. If the US side truly believes dialogue is the way forward, it knows perfectly well what needs to be done.
\n
Dialogue based on equality, respect and mutual benefit is the only viable path to move forward.
At the UN80 Initiative briefing on Wednesday, China's Permanent Representative to the United Nations Fu Cong said that before any action is taken the structural reform of the United Nations must be carefully planned, guided in the right direction, and focused on real results. His remarks have hit the nail on the head.
\n
The UN faces unprecedented pressures to adapt to a world of multiplying crises and shifting power dynamics. China's call for prudence reflects a deep understanding of what is at stake.
\n
Structural reform of the UN must be based on comprehensive research, broad consultation, and scientific judgment — not political expediency. Reform driven by haste or by the narrow interests of a few will only weaken the very system it seeks to strengthen.
\n
The UN Secretariat, as Fu urged, should maintain transparency, draw on institutional experience and engage all member states to ensure that any reform plan "stands the test of history". The goal should be to revitalize multilateralism, not replace it with fragmented blocs or exclusive mechanisms.
\n
Only reforms that lead to tangible progress in peace, development and equality can justify the effort and cost of transformation.
\n
Effective reform should be conducive to prioritizing development, reinforcing the UN's Department of Economic and Social Affairs as its development hub, and improving coordination between headquarters, regional offices and country teams. Mandates must be clearly defined: resident coordinators should focus on development, while peace and security issues must remain under the authority of the UN Security Council. The UN's credibility rests on institutions performing their core functions efficiently rather than endlessly expanding their mandates.
\n
Equally important, the reform must produce measurable outcomes. The UN should improve its staff diversity so as to address the underrepresentation of developing countries, and enhance UN agencies' capacity to deliver.
\n
The vision on UN structural reform put forward by China aligns closely with its Global Governance Initiative. The initiative offers a coherent framework for making global governance more just, balanced and effective. Rooted in the principles of adhering to sovereign equality, abiding by international rule of law, practicing multilateralism, advocating the people-centered approach and focusing on taking concrete actions, the GGI seeks to strengthen — not circumvent — the UN-centered international system. It emphasizes that true reform must be inclusive in process — ensuring that developing nations have a real voice in decision-making — and balanced in outcomes.
\n
The GGI and the UN Charter share the same spirit — respect for sovereignty, adherence to the rule of law, and commitment to common progress. At a time when there are voices seeking to instrumentalize the UN for geopolitical competition, China is offering a public good that reinforces the UN's authority while promoting fairness and efficiency in global governance.
\n
Meaningful UN reform cannot be achieved with a unilateral design or coercive pressure. It must emerge from consensus, guided by the shared aspiration for a more equitable and effective multilateral system.
\n
The path forward is not about tearing down institutions but about equipping them to be fit for purpose amid fast-changing realities. The UN's legitimacy lies in its universality; its vitality, in its capacity to deliver. Reform that strengthens these foundations will ensure that the UN continues to serve as the world's cornerstone for peace, development and collective security.
\n
As the UN embarks on its next phase of transformation, its reform should proceed with due prudence, and focus on outcomes that genuinely benefit all humanity. Guided by the GGI, China will continue working with the international community to help promote UN reform to better respond to global challenges for a more just, inclusive and peaceful world.
At the UN80 Initiative briefing on Wednesday, China's Permanent Representative to the United Nations Fu Cong said that before any action is taken the structural reform of the United Nations must be carefully planned, guided in the right direction, and focused on real results. His remarks have hit the nail on the head.
\n
The UN faces unprecedented pressures to adapt to a world of multiplying crises and shifting power dynamics. China's call for prudence reflects a deep understanding of what is at stake.
\n
Structural reform of the UN must be based on comprehensive research, broad consultation, and scientific judgment — not political expediency. Reform driven by haste or by the narrow interests of a few will only weaken the very system it seeks to strengthen.
\n
The UN Secretariat, as Fu urged, should maintain transparency, draw on institutional experience and engage all member states to ensure that any reform plan "stands the test of history". The goal should be to revitalize multilateralism, not replace it with fragmented blocs or exclusive mechanisms.
\n
Only reforms that lead to tangible progress in peace, development and equality can justify the effort and cost of transformation.
\n
Effective reform should be conducive to prioritizing development, reinforcing the UN's Department of Economic and Social Affairs as its development hub, and improving coordination between headquarters, regional offices and country teams. Mandates must be clearly defined: resident coordinators should focus on development, while peace and security issues must remain under the authority of the UN Security Council. The UN's credibility rests on institutions performing their core functions efficiently rather than endlessly expanding their mandates.
\n
Equally important, the reform must produce measurable outcomes. The UN should improve its staff diversity so as to address the underrepresentation of developing countries, and enhance UN agencies' capacity to deliver.
\n
The vision on UN structural reform put forward by China aligns closely with its Global Governance Initiative. The initiative offers a coherent framework for making global governance more just, balanced and effective. Rooted in the principles of adhering to sovereign equality, abiding by international rule of law, practicing multilateralism, advocating the people-centered approach and focusing on taking concrete actions, the GGI seeks to strengthen — not circumvent — the UN-centered international system. It emphasizes that true reform must be inclusive in process — ensuring that developing nations have a real voice in decision-making — and balanced in outcomes.
\n
The GGI and the UN Charter share the same spirit — respect for sovereignty, adherence to the rule of law, and commitment to common progress. At a time when there are voices seeking to instrumentalize the UN for geopolitical competition, China is offering a public good that reinforces the UN's authority while promoting fairness and efficiency in global governance.
\n
Meaningful UN reform cannot be achieved with a unilateral design or coercive pressure. It must emerge from consensus, guided by the shared aspiration for a more equitable and effective multilateral system.
\n
The path forward is not about tearing down institutions but about equipping them to be fit for purpose amid fast-changing realities. The UN's legitimacy lies in its universality; its vitality, in its capacity to deliver. Reform that strengthens these foundations will ensure that the UN continues to serve as the world's cornerstone for peace, development and collective security.
\n
As the UN embarks on its next phase of transformation, its reform should proceed with due prudence, and focus on outcomes that genuinely benefit all humanity. Guided by the GGI, China will continue working with the international community to help promote UN reform to better respond to global challenges for a more just, inclusive and peaceful world.
Editor's note: China's high-quality development is crucial not only for its modernization but also for the stability and growth of the global economy. Wang Yiming, vice-chairman of the China Center for International Economic Exchanges, spoke to the Economic Daily to review the achievements of the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25) and analyze the direction of future development. Below are excerpts from the interview. The views don't necessarily represent those of China Daily.
\n
The smooth progress of the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25) can be attributed to five essential principles. The first is coordinating the relationship between the market and the government. It is essential to leverage an effective market, create a fairer and more dynamic environment and achieve the optimal allocation of resources and maximum efficiency.
\n
The second is coordinating supply and demand. Achieving this requires coordinated efforts on both the supply and demand sides, with a focus on expanding domestic demand while optimizing supply.
\n
As a superlarge economy, China must focus on expanding domestic demand as a strategic objective, particularly addressing the shortfall in consumption.
\n
Additionally, China must stabilize the fundamentals of foreign trade and foreign investment, increase both exports and imports, and build a new development pattern in which domestic and international circulation reinforce each other.
\n
The third is coordinating the fostering of new growth drivers with the upgrading of older ones. Economic development requires a smooth transition from old to new growth drivers. This involves seizing opportunities presented by the technological revolution and industrial transformation, cultivating emerging and future industries and developing new drivers of growth.
\n
It is also essential to upgrade traditional industries through digital empowerment, process improvement and management innovation. Innovation in science and technology should be the cornerstone of fostering new growth drivers. Given the regional disparities in resource endowments and industrial development, the cultivation of new quality productive forces must be tailored to local conditions.
\n
The fourth is coordinating the relationship between supporting incremental growth and optimizing existing resources. Incremental growth creates opportunities for optimizing China's vast existing resources. Integrating these two aspects will allow China to better tap into its development potential.
\n
The fifth is coordinating improvement in quality with increase in quantity. On the one hand, by combining the demand of its massive market with a comprehensive industrial system, China can cultivate more world-class enterprises and expand production. On the other hand, by enhancing innovation, increasing investment in new technologies and promoting digital and green transformation in traditional industries, product and service quality can be improved to enhance market competitiveness, thereby expanding market share and creating conditions for quantitative growth.
\n
The 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30) period will be a time to confront both strategic opportunities and risks. Global industry and supply chains are being reconstructed, with countries shifting focus from cost-efficiency to stability, which increases the risk of fragmentation. For China, it is critical to maintain its strategic resolve and sharpen its focus to gain the strategic initiative in international competition.
\n
Domestically, the contribution of labor to economic growth will weaken, while factors such as aging of the population will lead to a decline in the savings rate. Total factor productivity will play a more prominent role in growth. Industrialization is entering a new phase, with the expansion of heavy industries nearing its end. Traditional industries will peak, even as the digital transformation of industries accelerates. The focus of urbanization will shift from rapid expansion to improving quality and efficiency, while green development will enter a critical stage.
\n",
- "content": "
Editor's note: China's high-quality development is crucial not only for its modernization but also for the stability and growth of the global economy. Wang Yiming, vice-chairman of the China Center for International Economic Exchanges, spoke to the Economic Daily to review the achievements of the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25) and analyze the direction of future development. Below are excerpts from the interview. The views don't necessarily represent those of China Daily.
\n
The smooth progress of the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25) can be attributed to five essential principles. The first is coordinating the relationship between the market and the government. It is essential to leverage an effective market, create a fairer and more dynamic environment and achieve the optimal allocation of resources and maximum efficiency.
\n
The second is coordinating supply and demand. Achieving this requires coordinated efforts on both the supply and demand sides, with a focus on expanding domestic demand while optimizing supply.
\n
As a superlarge economy, China must focus on expanding domestic demand as a strategic objective, particularly addressing the shortfall in consumption.
\n
Additionally, China must stabilize the fundamentals of foreign trade and foreign investment, increase both exports and imports, and build a new development pattern in which domestic and international circulation reinforce each other.
\n
The third is coordinating the fostering of new growth drivers with the upgrading of older ones. Economic development requires a smooth transition from old to new growth drivers. This involves seizing opportunities presented by the technological revolution and industrial transformation, cultivating emerging and future industries and developing new drivers of growth.
\n
It is also essential to upgrade traditional industries through digital empowerment, process improvement and management innovation. Innovation in science and technology should be the cornerstone of fostering new growth drivers. Given the regional disparities in resource endowments and industrial development, the cultivation of new quality productive forces must be tailored to local conditions.
\n
The fourth is coordinating the relationship between supporting incremental growth and optimizing existing resources. Incremental growth creates opportunities for optimizing China's vast existing resources. Integrating these two aspects will allow China to better tap into its development potential.
\n
The fifth is coordinating improvement in quality with increase in quantity. On the one hand, by combining the demand of its massive market with a comprehensive industrial system, China can cultivate more world-class enterprises and expand production. On the other hand, by enhancing innovation, increasing investment in new technologies and promoting digital and green transformation in traditional industries, product and service quality can be improved to enhance market competitiveness, thereby expanding market share and creating conditions for quantitative growth.
\n
The 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30) period will be a time to confront both strategic opportunities and risks. Global industry and supply chains are being reconstructed, with countries shifting focus from cost-efficiency to stability, which increases the risk of fragmentation. For China, it is critical to maintain its strategic resolve and sharpen its focus to gain the strategic initiative in international competition.
\n
Domestically, the contribution of labor to economic growth will weaken, while factors such as aging of the population will lead to a decline in the savings rate. Total factor productivity will play a more prominent role in growth. Industrialization is entering a new phase, with the expansion of heavy industries nearing its end. Traditional industries will peak, even as the digital transformation of industries accelerates. The focus of urbanization will shift from rapid expansion to improving quality and efficiency, while green development will enter a critical stage.
\n",
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- {
- "title": "009VIEWS - Taiwan's return to China a vital part of post-World War II order",
- "description": "\n
Editor's note: On Oct 15, a seminar marking the 80th anniversary of Taiwan's restoration to China was held at Beijing Union University. Experts reviewed historical documents, reaffirmed the legal basis of Taiwan's return to the motherland, and rebutted the so-called "undetermined status of Taiwan" narrative. Excerpts follow:
\n
UN resolution requires following one-China principle
\n
Taiwan's restoration to China was the outcome of the victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1931-45) and the World Anti-Fascist War. Following their summit in Cairo, Egypt, on Dec 1, 1943, China, the United States and the United Kingdom issued the Cairo Declaration, which unequivocally stated that the three Allied powers will ensure all the Chinese territories captured and occupied by Japan, including Northeast China, Taiwan and Penghu Islands, are restored to China. As a pivotal document in international law, the Cairo Declaration laid the groundwork for the establishment of the postwar world order, especially in the Asia-Pacific region.
\n
On July 26, 1945, the same three countries issued the Potsdam Proclamation, stipulating the terms of Japan's surrender. Article 8 of the proclamation says "the terms of the Cairo Declaration shall be carried out and Japanese sovereignty shall be limited to the islands of Honshu, Hokkaido, Kyushu, Shikoku and such minor islands as we determine".
\n
As an instrument of Japan's surrender, the Potsdam Proclamation has legally binding force in international law. On Aug 14,1945, Japan officially accepted the Potsdam Proclamation. The next month, during the formal Japanese surrender ceremony aboard USS Missouri, the Japanese government's representative signed the Instrument of Surrender while committing to carry out the provisions of the Potsdam Proclamation "in good faith".
\n
Thus a legally interlocking chain was formed by the Cairo Declaration, the Potsdam Proclamation and the Japanese Instrument of Surrender, affirming that Japan must restore all Chinese territories including Taiwan to China. On Oct 25, 1945, the ceremony to accept Japan's surrender in the Taiwan province of the China war theater was held in Taipei, where Ando Rikichi, the Japanese government head on the island, signed the formal surrender document.
\n
The Chinese government announced that Taiwan and the Penghu Islands had been restored to China, and it was resuming the exercise of sovereignty over Taiwan. From that point on, China recovered Taiwan de jure and de facto. And its subsequent administration and governance have been widely accepted and recognized by the international community, constituting an integral part of the international order based on international law.
\n
The Democratic Progressive Party authorities' attempt to use the so-called "San Francisco Peace Treaty" to claim that the two sides of the Taiwan Strait "should not be subordinate to each other" is doomed to failure. The "peace treaty" is a product of a separate treaty between Japan and the US and its allies, which excluded most of the countries that resisted Japanese aggression, particularly China and the Soviet Union. The "peace treaty" violates a series of important international documents issued during and after World War II, making it illegal and invalid.
\n
The island of Taiwan, as part of China, was not, is not and will not be entitled to keep any "diplomatic" relations with other countries. After the PRC was founded in 1949, the central government of the PRC rightfully became the sole legal government of China. China's sovereignty remains indivisible, and Taiwan's status as part of China's territory remains unchanged, both politically and legally. The government of the PRC naturally represents the whole China and fully enjoys and exercises China's sovereignty.
\n
In 1971, the United Nations General Assembly adopted Resolution 2758 with an overwhelming majority. The resolution says the consensus is "to restore all its rights to the People's Republic of China and to recognize the representatives of its Government as the only legitimate representatives of China to the United Nations". Hence, upholding and respecting the authority of the UN requires adherence to the one-China principle.
\n
Wang Shushen is deputy director of the Institute of Taiwan Studies, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.
\n
Cross-Strait bonds are unbreakable
\n
Being a signatory to the Cairo Declaration and the Potsdam Proclamation, the United States never contested the fact that Taiwan is an integral part of China. After 1945, the US embassies and consulates in China repeatedly communicated with the Chinese government, confirming the restoration of Taiwan to China. In fact, until the Korean War broke out in 1950, the US Department of State clearly said that Taiwan is part of China.
\n
However, as the Cold War intensified, the US gradually abandoned its international commitments in order to fulfill its narrow geopolitical goals. By passing legislation such as the Taiwan Relations Act, the US has emboldened "Taiwan independence" separatist forces and fostered the false narrative of "two Chinas" or "one China, one Taiwan".
\n
By reneging on its commitments, the US has not only violated the fundamental principles of international law but also hurt Chinese people's sentiments.
\n
The US is trying to build a narrative of the "undetermined status of Taiwan" by misusing its domestic legislation. For instance, the US has issued reports claiming that the Cairo Declaration is merely a statement of intent and not legally binding.
\n
Such arguments disregard the fundamental principles of international law. The Cairo Declaration's legal force has been affirmed by Articles 3 and 53 of the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties. By deliberately distorting these facts, the US is resorting to double standards to bully other countries and maintain its hegemony.
\n
"Taiwan independence" separatist forces remain the gravest threat to peace in the Taiwan Strait. The Democratic Progressive Party authorities, colluding with external forces, have been de-Sinicizing the island's policies, altering history textbooks, creating higher barriers for cross-Strait exchanges, and even echoing Japan's erroneous "end of war" rhetoric by refusing to acknowledge the end of Japanese colonial rule in Taiwan.
\n
The ultimate aim of the separatist forces on the island is to change the national identity of Taiwan residents. Commemorating Taiwan's restoration from Japanese colonialism serves to tell the world that "Taiwan independence" separatist forces' ploys are unpopular on the island and doomed to failure.
\n
Despite the DPP authorities' evil efforts, the bonds of kinship between compatriots across the Strait are unbreakable. The fact that cross-Strait trade exceeded $300 billion in the first three quarters of this year and Taiwan's investment in the Chinese mainland market increased by 18 percent shows people across the Strait are one family.
\n
Taiwan's restoration to China was the beginning of the advance of integrated cross-Strait development, allowing Taiwan compatriots to share in the glory of national rejuvenation.
\n
Yang Liuchang is chairman of Hong Kong-based China Review Think Tank Foundation.
\n
No one can split Taiwan from motherland
\n
The ridiculous claim that Taiwan has an "undetermined status" is utterly baseless. In accordance with a series of legally binding international documents signed by the Allied powers during and after World War II, Taiwan was restored as an integral part of Chinese territory and the central government resumed effective jurisdiction over it on Oct 25, 1945.
\n
Eighty years have passed since Taiwan's restoration, yet some individuals in the United States persist in recycling the outdated rhetoric of the so-called "undetermined status of Taiwan". Such claims are nothing but absurd.
\n
Taiwan has always been part of Chinese territory. Japan forcibly occupied it following the First Sino-Japanese War (1894-95), and one of China's key objectives during the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1931-45) was to recover Taiwan. This demand was recognized and supported by the Allied powers in the global fight against fascism.
\n
Taiwan's return to China on Oct 25, 1945, was both rightful and inevitable. For the past eight decades, the fact that Taiwan is part of China has been an undeniable historical and political reality.
\n
No one has the right to deny the legality of instruments such as the Cairo Declaration, the Potsdam Proclamation, and the Japanese Instrument of Surrender — legally binding documents that stipulate the return of Taiwan to China. Nor can anyone ignore or dismiss the historical and political reality that Taiwan was restored to China in October 1945.
\n
The so-called "undetermined status of Taiwan" is nothing but fallacy. From former US president Harry Truman to current US politicians, no one has the right to violate or deny the World War II-era legal instruments or refute the fact that Taiwan has always been an integral part of China.
\n
Regardless of what certain individuals claim, Taiwan's status as part of China is unalterable and undeniable.
\n
There has never been, and will never be, any room for the "undetermined status of Taiwan" narrative. The narrative is driven by ulterior motives, and such ill-intentioned attempts will never succeed. A handful of US politicians and anti-China forces seek to use this narrative as a "Taiwan card" to hinder China's efforts to achieve national reunification.
\n
But today's China is no longer the weak, impoverished nation of the 1890s when the country was forced to cede territory and pay indemnities to foreign powers. Tempered by the World Anti-Fascist War and decades of rapid growth, China will not allow any force to separate Taiwan from the motherland.
\n
Just as Truman's promotion of the "undetermined status of Taiwan" theory failed to alter the reality of Taiwan's return to China in the past, anti-China forces' attempt today to split Taiwan from the motherland will also fail.
\n
Any attempt by anti-China forces to play the "Taiwan card" by peddling the "undetermined status of Taiwan" fallacy is doomed to failure.
\n
Li Zhenguang is dean of the Institute of Taiwan Studies, Beijing Union University.
\n
US shouldn't play fire on Taiwan question
\n
The previous and incumbent US administrations have both emphasized dealing with other countries "from a position of strength". At its core, this reflects a belief that "might makes right", that whoever has the bigger fist and stronger arm gets to decide the rules.
\n
The current US administration, in particular, pursues an unabashed "America first "strategy, openly measuring others by how many cards they hold, not according to international law or norms. It pays little attention to the United Nations or the broader international community.
\n
Over the years, the world has repeatedly seen the United States overturn, deny or evade its own international commitments. It invokes international law when it serves its interests, and discards it when it does not. Washington hypes up the rules that benefit it but ignores or tramples those that require it to shoulder responsibilities. It has repeatedly "quit international organizations and torn up treaties", promoting the "rules of its own club" as "international rules". It resorts to double standards in the name of law to infringe on other countries' legitimate rights, interferes in their internal affairs, and imposes sanctions or launches military strikes without UN authorization.
\n
This logic is also evident in how the US handles Beijing-related and Taiwan-related issues. The US frequently breaks its promise — pledging not to play the "Taiwan card "or support "Taiwan independence" — and then turns around to do exactly the opposite. Even when the very documents it is a signatory to or those adopted by the UN General Assembly are crystal clear — such as UN General Assembly Resolution 2758 or the Cairo Declaration — the US distorts or challenges them. It twists the plain meaning of the three China-US joint communiques, trying to justify its failure to honor commitments while continuing to use Taiwan as a tool to contain China and meddle in China's internal affairs.
\n
The authority and seriousness of key legal and political documents, including the Cairo Declaration, the Potsdam Proclamation, the three China-US joint communiques, and UN General Assembly Resolution 2758, must be respected. In the three communiques, the US explicitly recognized that Taiwan is an integral part of China. The wording is clear and has been mutually confirmed in both the English and Chinese versions. Thus it cannot be distorted or treated as a linguistic game by any side.
\n
A major power should act like one. Keeping promises and fulfilling obligations are the basic requirements of a responsible country. If the US claims to be a global power, it should demonstrate that with integrity and accountability, not by resorting to outdated power politics. Such tactics cannot halt the Chinese nation's rejuvenation, cannot prevent China's reunification, and cannot change the legal and factual truth that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China.
\n
Zhu Zhongbo is director of the Department for World Peace and Security Studies, China Institute of International Studies.
\n
US' own words expose its broken promises
\n
An analysis of the United States' handling of the Taiwan question shows that it has repeatedly violated its own commitments, both in words and in deeds.
\n
In January 1950, the then US president Harry Truman publicly acknowledged that Taiwan had been returned to China following Japan's surrender. In his statement, he cited the 1943 Cairo Declaration, in which the leaders of China, the US and the United Kingdom agreed that Chinese territories seized by Japan, including Taiwan, should be restored to China. Truman made it clear that the US had no intention of acquiring special rights in Taiwan, building military bases there or intervening in China's internal affairs.
\n
Former US secretary of state Dean Acheson, later reiterated the US position, stressing that Taiwan had already been handed back to China in accordance with the terms of Japan's surrender, and that no one, including the US, had ever questioned this legitimacy in the years that followed.
\n
These are the original, unambiguous statements of the US government. Even in the aftermath of the war, Washington incorporated the Cairo Declaration, the Potsdam Proclamation, and Japan's Instrument of Surrender into its own official compendium of treaties and agreements, recognizing them as legally binding international documents. By doing so, the US effectively confirmed that Taiwan had been legally returned to China.
\n
When China and the US began normalizing relations in the early 1970s, then US president Richard Nixon and his national security adviser Henry Kissinger also reaffirmed that there is only one China, and Taiwan is an integral part of China. Nixon made this commitment directly to former Chinese premier Zhou Enlai in 1972, stating that the US would not support any "Taiwan independence movement".
\n
The same principle was enshrined in the Shanghai Communique and later in the Joint Communique on the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations between the People's Republic of China and the United States of America when Jimmy Carter was the US president. Both the English and Chinese versions of the documents were jointly confirmed, and under international law, all accepted language versions carry equal authority.
\n
Yet decades later, the US has sought to reinterpret its own words and commitments. It now invokes a so-called "undetermined status of Taiwan", a narrative which it itself rejected in 1950 as a geopolitical tool against China. Such selective amnesia not only undermines the legal and historical basis of US policy but also exposes the US' tendency to weaponize law and history for its strategic convenience.
\n
From Truman and Acheson to Carter, successive US leaders have publicly recognized Taiwan as part of China. Rewriting that history today does not change the facts; it only erodes Washington's credibility. True respect for international law begins not with new declarations, but with honoring one's own words.
\n
Jie Dalei is an associate professor at the School of International Studies, Peking University.
\n
The views don't necessarily represent those of China Daily.
Editor's note: On Oct 15, a seminar marking the 80th anniversary of Taiwan's restoration to China was held at Beijing Union University. Experts reviewed historical documents, reaffirmed the legal basis of Taiwan's return to the motherland, and rebutted the so-called "undetermined status of Taiwan" narrative. Excerpts follow:
\n
UN resolution requires following one-China principle
\n
Taiwan's restoration to China was the outcome of the victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1931-45) and the World Anti-Fascist War. Following their summit in Cairo, Egypt, on Dec 1, 1943, China, the United States and the United Kingdom issued the Cairo Declaration, which unequivocally stated that the three Allied powers will ensure all the Chinese territories captured and occupied by Japan, including Northeast China, Taiwan and Penghu Islands, are restored to China. As a pivotal document in international law, the Cairo Declaration laid the groundwork for the establishment of the postwar world order, especially in the Asia-Pacific region.
\n
On July 26, 1945, the same three countries issued the Potsdam Proclamation, stipulating the terms of Japan's surrender. Article 8 of the proclamation says "the terms of the Cairo Declaration shall be carried out and Japanese sovereignty shall be limited to the islands of Honshu, Hokkaido, Kyushu, Shikoku and such minor islands as we determine".
\n
As an instrument of Japan's surrender, the Potsdam Proclamation has legally binding force in international law. On Aug 14,1945, Japan officially accepted the Potsdam Proclamation. The next month, during the formal Japanese surrender ceremony aboard USS Missouri, the Japanese government's representative signed the Instrument of Surrender while committing to carry out the provisions of the Potsdam Proclamation "in good faith".
\n
Thus a legally interlocking chain was formed by the Cairo Declaration, the Potsdam Proclamation and the Japanese Instrument of Surrender, affirming that Japan must restore all Chinese territories including Taiwan to China. On Oct 25, 1945, the ceremony to accept Japan's surrender in the Taiwan province of the China war theater was held in Taipei, where Ando Rikichi, the Japanese government head on the island, signed the formal surrender document.
\n
The Chinese government announced that Taiwan and the Penghu Islands had been restored to China, and it was resuming the exercise of sovereignty over Taiwan. From that point on, China recovered Taiwan de jure and de facto. And its subsequent administration and governance have been widely accepted and recognized by the international community, constituting an integral part of the international order based on international law.
\n
The Democratic Progressive Party authorities' attempt to use the so-called "San Francisco Peace Treaty" to claim that the two sides of the Taiwan Strait "should not be subordinate to each other" is doomed to failure. The "peace treaty" is a product of a separate treaty between Japan and the US and its allies, which excluded most of the countries that resisted Japanese aggression, particularly China and the Soviet Union. The "peace treaty" violates a series of important international documents issued during and after World War II, making it illegal and invalid.
\n
The island of Taiwan, as part of China, was not, is not and will not be entitled to keep any "diplomatic" relations with other countries. After the PRC was founded in 1949, the central government of the PRC rightfully became the sole legal government of China. China's sovereignty remains indivisible, and Taiwan's status as part of China's territory remains unchanged, both politically and legally. The government of the PRC naturally represents the whole China and fully enjoys and exercises China's sovereignty.
\n
In 1971, the United Nations General Assembly adopted Resolution 2758 with an overwhelming majority. The resolution says the consensus is "to restore all its rights to the People's Republic of China and to recognize the representatives of its Government as the only legitimate representatives of China to the United Nations". Hence, upholding and respecting the authority of the UN requires adherence to the one-China principle.
\n
Wang Shushen is deputy director of the Institute of Taiwan Studies, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.
\n
Cross-Strait bonds are unbreakable
\n
Being a signatory to the Cairo Declaration and the Potsdam Proclamation, the United States never contested the fact that Taiwan is an integral part of China. After 1945, the US embassies and consulates in China repeatedly communicated with the Chinese government, confirming the restoration of Taiwan to China. In fact, until the Korean War broke out in 1950, the US Department of State clearly said that Taiwan is part of China.
\n
However, as the Cold War intensified, the US gradually abandoned its international commitments in order to fulfill its narrow geopolitical goals. By passing legislation such as the Taiwan Relations Act, the US has emboldened "Taiwan independence" separatist forces and fostered the false narrative of "two Chinas" or "one China, one Taiwan".
\n
By reneging on its commitments, the US has not only violated the fundamental principles of international law but also hurt Chinese people's sentiments.
\n
The US is trying to build a narrative of the "undetermined status of Taiwan" by misusing its domestic legislation. For instance, the US has issued reports claiming that the Cairo Declaration is merely a statement of intent and not legally binding.
\n
Such arguments disregard the fundamental principles of international law. The Cairo Declaration's legal force has been affirmed by Articles 3 and 53 of the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties. By deliberately distorting these facts, the US is resorting to double standards to bully other countries and maintain its hegemony.
\n
"Taiwan independence" separatist forces remain the gravest threat to peace in the Taiwan Strait. The Democratic Progressive Party authorities, colluding with external forces, have been de-Sinicizing the island's policies, altering history textbooks, creating higher barriers for cross-Strait exchanges, and even echoing Japan's erroneous "end of war" rhetoric by refusing to acknowledge the end of Japanese colonial rule in Taiwan.
\n
The ultimate aim of the separatist forces on the island is to change the national identity of Taiwan residents. Commemorating Taiwan's restoration from Japanese colonialism serves to tell the world that "Taiwan independence" separatist forces' ploys are unpopular on the island and doomed to failure.
\n
Despite the DPP authorities' evil efforts, the bonds of kinship between compatriots across the Strait are unbreakable. The fact that cross-Strait trade exceeded $300 billion in the first three quarters of this year and Taiwan's investment in the Chinese mainland market increased by 18 percent shows people across the Strait are one family.
\n
Taiwan's restoration to China was the beginning of the advance of integrated cross-Strait development, allowing Taiwan compatriots to share in the glory of national rejuvenation.
\n
Yang Liuchang is chairman of Hong Kong-based China Review Think Tank Foundation.
\n
No one can split Taiwan from motherland
\n
The ridiculous claim that Taiwan has an "undetermined status" is utterly baseless. In accordance with a series of legally binding international documents signed by the Allied powers during and after World War II, Taiwan was restored as an integral part of Chinese territory and the central government resumed effective jurisdiction over it on Oct 25, 1945.
\n
Eighty years have passed since Taiwan's restoration, yet some individuals in the United States persist in recycling the outdated rhetoric of the so-called "undetermined status of Taiwan". Such claims are nothing but absurd.
\n
Taiwan has always been part of Chinese territory. Japan forcibly occupied it following the First Sino-Japanese War (1894-95), and one of China's key objectives during the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1931-45) was to recover Taiwan. This demand was recognized and supported by the Allied powers in the global fight against fascism.
\n
Taiwan's return to China on Oct 25, 1945, was both rightful and inevitable. For the past eight decades, the fact that Taiwan is part of China has been an undeniable historical and political reality.
\n
No one has the right to deny the legality of instruments such as the Cairo Declaration, the Potsdam Proclamation, and the Japanese Instrument of Surrender — legally binding documents that stipulate the return of Taiwan to China. Nor can anyone ignore or dismiss the historical and political reality that Taiwan was restored to China in October 1945.
\n
The so-called "undetermined status of Taiwan" is nothing but fallacy. From former US president Harry Truman to current US politicians, no one has the right to violate or deny the World War II-era legal instruments or refute the fact that Taiwan has always been an integral part of China.
\n
Regardless of what certain individuals claim, Taiwan's status as part of China is unalterable and undeniable.
\n
There has never been, and will never be, any room for the "undetermined status of Taiwan" narrative. The narrative is driven by ulterior motives, and such ill-intentioned attempts will never succeed. A handful of US politicians and anti-China forces seek to use this narrative as a "Taiwan card" to hinder China's efforts to achieve national reunification.
\n
But today's China is no longer the weak, impoverished nation of the 1890s when the country was forced to cede territory and pay indemnities to foreign powers. Tempered by the World Anti-Fascist War and decades of rapid growth, China will not allow any force to separate Taiwan from the motherland.
\n
Just as Truman's promotion of the "undetermined status of Taiwan" theory failed to alter the reality of Taiwan's return to China in the past, anti-China forces' attempt today to split Taiwan from the motherland will also fail.
\n
Any attempt by anti-China forces to play the "Taiwan card" by peddling the "undetermined status of Taiwan" fallacy is doomed to failure.
\n
Li Zhenguang is dean of the Institute of Taiwan Studies, Beijing Union University.
\n
US shouldn't play fire on Taiwan question
\n
The previous and incumbent US administrations have both emphasized dealing with other countries "from a position of strength". At its core, this reflects a belief that "might makes right", that whoever has the bigger fist and stronger arm gets to decide the rules.
\n
The current US administration, in particular, pursues an unabashed "America first "strategy, openly measuring others by how many cards they hold, not according to international law or norms. It pays little attention to the United Nations or the broader international community.
\n
Over the years, the world has repeatedly seen the United States overturn, deny or evade its own international commitments. It invokes international law when it serves its interests, and discards it when it does not. Washington hypes up the rules that benefit it but ignores or tramples those that require it to shoulder responsibilities. It has repeatedly "quit international organizations and torn up treaties", promoting the "rules of its own club" as "international rules". It resorts to double standards in the name of law to infringe on other countries' legitimate rights, interferes in their internal affairs, and imposes sanctions or launches military strikes without UN authorization.
\n
This logic is also evident in how the US handles Beijing-related and Taiwan-related issues. The US frequently breaks its promise — pledging not to play the "Taiwan card "or support "Taiwan independence" — and then turns around to do exactly the opposite. Even when the very documents it is a signatory to or those adopted by the UN General Assembly are crystal clear — such as UN General Assembly Resolution 2758 or the Cairo Declaration — the US distorts or challenges them. It twists the plain meaning of the three China-US joint communiques, trying to justify its failure to honor commitments while continuing to use Taiwan as a tool to contain China and meddle in China's internal affairs.
\n
The authority and seriousness of key legal and political documents, including the Cairo Declaration, the Potsdam Proclamation, the three China-US joint communiques, and UN General Assembly Resolution 2758, must be respected. In the three communiques, the US explicitly recognized that Taiwan is an integral part of China. The wording is clear and has been mutually confirmed in both the English and Chinese versions. Thus it cannot be distorted or treated as a linguistic game by any side.
\n
A major power should act like one. Keeping promises and fulfilling obligations are the basic requirements of a responsible country. If the US claims to be a global power, it should demonstrate that with integrity and accountability, not by resorting to outdated power politics. Such tactics cannot halt the Chinese nation's rejuvenation, cannot prevent China's reunification, and cannot change the legal and factual truth that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China.
\n
Zhu Zhongbo is director of the Department for World Peace and Security Studies, China Institute of International Studies.
\n
US' own words expose its broken promises
\n
An analysis of the United States' handling of the Taiwan question shows that it has repeatedly violated its own commitments, both in words and in deeds.
\n
In January 1950, the then US president Harry Truman publicly acknowledged that Taiwan had been returned to China following Japan's surrender. In his statement, he cited the 1943 Cairo Declaration, in which the leaders of China, the US and the United Kingdom agreed that Chinese territories seized by Japan, including Taiwan, should be restored to China. Truman made it clear that the US had no intention of acquiring special rights in Taiwan, building military bases there or intervening in China's internal affairs.
\n
Former US secretary of state Dean Acheson, later reiterated the US position, stressing that Taiwan had already been handed back to China in accordance with the terms of Japan's surrender, and that no one, including the US, had ever questioned this legitimacy in the years that followed.
\n
These are the original, unambiguous statements of the US government. Even in the aftermath of the war, Washington incorporated the Cairo Declaration, the Potsdam Proclamation, and Japan's Instrument of Surrender into its own official compendium of treaties and agreements, recognizing them as legally binding international documents. By doing so, the US effectively confirmed that Taiwan had been legally returned to China.
\n
When China and the US began normalizing relations in the early 1970s, then US president Richard Nixon and his national security adviser Henry Kissinger also reaffirmed that there is only one China, and Taiwan is an integral part of China. Nixon made this commitment directly to former Chinese premier Zhou Enlai in 1972, stating that the US would not support any "Taiwan independence movement".
\n
The same principle was enshrined in the Shanghai Communique and later in the Joint Communique on the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations between the People's Republic of China and the United States of America when Jimmy Carter was the US president. Both the English and Chinese versions of the documents were jointly confirmed, and under international law, all accepted language versions carry equal authority.
\n
Yet decades later, the US has sought to reinterpret its own words and commitments. It now invokes a so-called "undetermined status of Taiwan", a narrative which it itself rejected in 1950 as a geopolitical tool against China. Such selective amnesia not only undermines the legal and historical basis of US policy but also exposes the US' tendency to weaponize law and history for its strategic convenience.
\n
From Truman and Acheson to Carter, successive US leaders have publicly recognized Taiwan as part of China. Rewriting that history today does not change the facts; it only erodes Washington's credibility. True respect for international law begins not with new declarations, but with honoring one's own words.
\n
Jie Dalei is an associate professor at the School of International Studies, Peking University.
\n
The views don't necessarily represent those of China Daily.
An actor of Cirque du Soleil, a Canadian entertainment group, performs during the Hangzhou X Show in East China's Zhejiang province, on Aug 10.
\n
China's fast-growing meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions, or MICE, industry is drawing renewed attention worldwide, from entertainment companies to luxury cruise lines, as the country cements its reputation as a premier destination for international business events.
\n
The Chinese mainland hosted 3,844 economic and trade exhibitions last year, maintaining steady growth from the previous year, according to industry figures. These show a steady recovery of China's business events sector after the pandemic, backed by strong policy support and a surge in international engagement. The industry research firm Grand View Research of San Francisco said China's MICE market generated about $81 billion last year and is likely to grow nearly 10 percent a year to be worth about $140 billion by 2030.
\n
The growth is attracting international entertainment and hospitality brands eager to tap into China's expanding events industry. Among them is Cirque du Soleil, the Canadian entertainment company known for its artistry and spectacular performances.
\n
"We absolutely intend to come back and do shows in China," Duncan Fisher, chief show operations officer at Cirque du Soleil, said during the Imex America 2025 trade show, held in Las Vegas from Oct 7 to 9. "We're working with a couple of partners right now. We don't have anything confirmed at this moment, but I would imagine that within two to three years, we will be back doing shows in China."
\n
Fisher, who oversees global operations for Cirque du Soleil's 23 running shows, said the company's recent return to Hong Kong was a promising start.
\n
"It went very, very well. It was the first time that we've been in Hong Kong for eight years. A lot of people came over from Shenzhen as well, more than we ever saw before. It was fantastic to be back."
\n
Industry insiders say Cirque du Soleil's plans align with broader trends in China's event sector, in which large-scale entertainment, cultural and business events are becoming key parts of urban tourism and international exchange.
\n
At Imex, Chinese exhibitors and overseas buyers also expressed optimism about deeper collaboration. Alexis Puma, a representative of Century Cruises, a luxury river cruise company operating on the Yangtze River, said the firm is expanding its MICE operations internationally.
\n
"A lot of buyers want to cooperate with us to bring their clients to China," Puma said, adding that the company is dedicating two ships to global itineraries designed to promote inbound travel. "We're just starting out our operation to bring many people to China."
\n
Chinese MICE companies are also extending their international collaboration. Violet Wang from East Star Event Management of Shanghai, said her company recently partnered with Via Licensing Alliance, a global intellectual property organization in San Francisco, to co-organize events in China.
\n
"This deal was made during Imex 2024," Wang said. "We're glad to partner with Via Licensing Alliance for the first time, participating deeply in the event as both planner and organizer."
\n
The partnership built on earlier successes such as the Via Business Summit held in Shanghai in March, which featured cultural and incentive tours combining heritage and modernity, from the city's historic Yu Garden to the futuristic Shanghai Tower, and even a Formula 1 racing experience.
\n
"Incentive travel is a way for companies to reward customer and employee loyalty," said Linda Wang, country director in China of Asia Concierge, which organizes tailor-made travel. "Our clients are often Fortune Global 500 corporations, foundations and associations. As event planners, we help them design meaningful programs and activities in China."
\n
Industry experts say China's appeal lies not only in its infrastructure but also in its ability to integrate culture, innovation and experience into event design. With its unique cultural appeal, advanced infrastructure and expanding international connectivity, China has become one of the world's most dynamic MICE markets.
\n
However, "geopolitics are always going to happen", said Victoria Selano of the agency EvX in Toronto. "But what we're trying to do is build partnerships and build a wealth of connections and cooperation with China."
\n
Joel Walton, senior director of strategic initiatives for Business Events Canada in Vancouver, echoed that sentiment, saying that while the agency's marketing still targets North America and Europe for business events, leisure travel promotions increasingly focus on the Asia-Pacific region, "where China remains an important destination".
\n
renali@chinadailyusa.com
\n",
- "content": "
An actor of Cirque du Soleil, a Canadian entertainment group, performs during the Hangzhou X Show in East China's Zhejiang province, on Aug 10.
\n
China's fast-growing meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions, or MICE, industry is drawing renewed attention worldwide, from entertainment companies to luxury cruise lines, as the country cements its reputation as a premier destination for international business events.
\n
The Chinese mainland hosted 3,844 economic and trade exhibitions last year, maintaining steady growth from the previous year, according to industry figures. These show a steady recovery of China's business events sector after the pandemic, backed by strong policy support and a surge in international engagement. The industry research firm Grand View Research of San Francisco said China's MICE market generated about $81 billion last year and is likely to grow nearly 10 percent a year to be worth about $140 billion by 2030.
\n
The growth is attracting international entertainment and hospitality brands eager to tap into China's expanding events industry. Among them is Cirque du Soleil, the Canadian entertainment company known for its artistry and spectacular performances.
\n
"We absolutely intend to come back and do shows in China," Duncan Fisher, chief show operations officer at Cirque du Soleil, said during the Imex America 2025 trade show, held in Las Vegas from Oct 7 to 9. "We're working with a couple of partners right now. We don't have anything confirmed at this moment, but I would imagine that within two to three years, we will be back doing shows in China."
\n
Fisher, who oversees global operations for Cirque du Soleil's 23 running shows, said the company's recent return to Hong Kong was a promising start.
\n
"It went very, very well. It was the first time that we've been in Hong Kong for eight years. A lot of people came over from Shenzhen as well, more than we ever saw before. It was fantastic to be back."
\n
Industry insiders say Cirque du Soleil's plans align with broader trends in China's event sector, in which large-scale entertainment, cultural and business events are becoming key parts of urban tourism and international exchange.
\n
At Imex, Chinese exhibitors and overseas buyers also expressed optimism about deeper collaboration. Alexis Puma, a representative of Century Cruises, a luxury river cruise company operating on the Yangtze River, said the firm is expanding its MICE operations internationally.
\n
"A lot of buyers want to cooperate with us to bring their clients to China," Puma said, adding that the company is dedicating two ships to global itineraries designed to promote inbound travel. "We're just starting out our operation to bring many people to China."
\n
Chinese MICE companies are also extending their international collaboration. Violet Wang from East Star Event Management of Shanghai, said her company recently partnered with Via Licensing Alliance, a global intellectual property organization in San Francisco, to co-organize events in China.
\n
"This deal was made during Imex 2024," Wang said. "We're glad to partner with Via Licensing Alliance for the first time, participating deeply in the event as both planner and organizer."
\n
The partnership built on earlier successes such as the Via Business Summit held in Shanghai in March, which featured cultural and incentive tours combining heritage and modernity, from the city's historic Yu Garden to the futuristic Shanghai Tower, and even a Formula 1 racing experience.
\n
"Incentive travel is a way for companies to reward customer and employee loyalty," said Linda Wang, country director in China of Asia Concierge, which organizes tailor-made travel. "Our clients are often Fortune Global 500 corporations, foundations and associations. As event planners, we help them design meaningful programs and activities in China."
\n
Industry experts say China's appeal lies not only in its infrastructure but also in its ability to integrate culture, innovation and experience into event design. With its unique cultural appeal, advanced infrastructure and expanding international connectivity, China has become one of the world's most dynamic MICE markets.
\n
However, "geopolitics are always going to happen", said Victoria Selano of the agency EvX in Toronto. "But what we're trying to do is build partnerships and build a wealth of connections and cooperation with China."
\n
Joel Walton, senior director of strategic initiatives for Business Events Canada in Vancouver, echoed that sentiment, saying that while the agency's marketing still targets North America and Europe for business events, leisure travel promotions increasingly focus on the Asia-Pacific region, "where China remains an important destination".
SYDNEY — Australia's tropical rainforests are among the first in the world to start leaking more carbon dioxide than they absorb, scientists said on Thursday as they linked the worrying trend to climate change.
\n
The world's rainforests are typically thought of as crucial "carbon sinks" — sucking huge quantities of planet-heating emissions from the atmosphere.
\n
However, new research has found rainforests in Australia's northern tropics have become net carbon emitters.
\n
The study published in Nature has found that Australia's wet tropics are the first of their kind globally to show this response to climate change, according to a statement issued by Western Sydney University.
\n
"Forests help to curb the worst effects of climate change by absorbing some of the carbon dioxide released from burning fossil fuels, but our work shows this is under threat," said the study lead author Hannah Carle of Western Sydney University's Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, part of an international team including researchers at the Australian National University.
\n
The researchers pored through records charting the growth of Queensland's rainforests over almost 50 years.
\n
Tropical forests, among the most carbon-rich ecosystems on the planet, are expected to absorb more carbon than they release, a process known as a carbon sink, Carle said.
\n
However, the new study has found that the capacity of woody biomass, tree trunks and branches in Australia's tropical rainforests, to continue working as a carbon sink is at risk.
\n
The change is largely due to increased tree mortality driven by climate change, including increasingly extreme temperatures, atmospheric dryness and droughts, Carle said.
\n
"Regrettably, the associated increase in carbon losses to the atmosphere has not been offset by increased tree growth. This is surprising because higher carbon dioxide levels should make it easier for plants to scavenge carbon dioxide from the air, leading to more tree growth and greater carbon sink capacity."
\n
The findings have significant implications for emissions reduction targets, which are partly based on the estimated capacity of ecosystems to continue to absorb emissions and help mitigate climate change.
\n
"Current models may overestimate the capacity of tropical forests to help offset fossil fuel emissions," Carle said, adding that the study also points to cyclones, which suppress the carbon sink capacity of woody biomass in these forests, becoming increasingly severe under climate change and impacting areas further southward.
\n
Researchers say the need to monitor whether similar shifts will occur in other tropical forests globally, highlighting the need for further research.
\n
Despite its growing vulnerability to climate-linked natural disasters, Australia remains one of the world's biggest exporters of gas and thermal coal.
\n
The country's carbon dioxide emissions per person are among the highest in the world, the World Bank says.
\n
Global emissions have been rising, but need to almost halve by the end of the decade to limit warming to safer levels agreed under the 2015 Paris climate agreement.
\n",
- "content": "
SYDNEY — Australia's tropical rainforests are among the first in the world to start leaking more carbon dioxide than they absorb, scientists said on Thursday as they linked the worrying trend to climate change.
\n
The world's rainforests are typically thought of as crucial "carbon sinks" — sucking huge quantities of planet-heating emissions from the atmosphere.
\n
However, new research has found rainforests in Australia's northern tropics have become net carbon emitters.
\n
The study published in Nature has found that Australia's wet tropics are the first of their kind globally to show this response to climate change, according to a statement issued by Western Sydney University.
\n
"Forests help to curb the worst effects of climate change by absorbing some of the carbon dioxide released from burning fossil fuels, but our work shows this is under threat," said the study lead author Hannah Carle of Western Sydney University's Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, part of an international team including researchers at the Australian National University.
\n
The researchers pored through records charting the growth of Queensland's rainforests over almost 50 years.
\n
Tropical forests, among the most carbon-rich ecosystems on the planet, are expected to absorb more carbon than they release, a process known as a carbon sink, Carle said.
\n
However, the new study has found that the capacity of woody biomass, tree trunks and branches in Australia's tropical rainforests, to continue working as a carbon sink is at risk.
\n
The change is largely due to increased tree mortality driven by climate change, including increasingly extreme temperatures, atmospheric dryness and droughts, Carle said.
\n
"Regrettably, the associated increase in carbon losses to the atmosphere has not been offset by increased tree growth. This is surprising because higher carbon dioxide levels should make it easier for plants to scavenge carbon dioxide from the air, leading to more tree growth and greater carbon sink capacity."
\n
The findings have significant implications for emissions reduction targets, which are partly based on the estimated capacity of ecosystems to continue to absorb emissions and help mitigate climate change.
\n
"Current models may overestimate the capacity of tropical forests to help offset fossil fuel emissions," Carle said, adding that the study also points to cyclones, which suppress the carbon sink capacity of woody biomass in these forests, becoming increasingly severe under climate change and impacting areas further southward.
\n
Researchers say the need to monitor whether similar shifts will occur in other tropical forests globally, highlighting the need for further research.
\n
Despite its growing vulnerability to climate-linked natural disasters, Australia remains one of the world's biggest exporters of gas and thermal coal.
\n
The country's carbon dioxide emissions per person are among the highest in the world, the World Bank says.
\n
Global emissions have been rising, but need to almost halve by the end of the decade to limit warming to safer levels agreed under the 2015 Paris climate agreement.
Progress in solving one of Europe's most high-profile unsolved cases remains as far off as ever after Italy's highest court decided that a Ukrainian national suspected of involvement in explosions that damaged the Nord Stream gas pipelines in the North Sea in 2022 should not be extradited to Germany.
\n
This came days after the Polish authorities expressed reservations about the deportation of another suspect who has been in their custody since last month.
\n
The Nord Stream project, which enables Russian gas to bypass eastern European transit routes and leave Germany, was initiated in 2005 by the then-chancellor of Germany, Gerhard Schroder, and Russian President Vladimir Putin. It was controversial from the outset for various reasons, but it took on a whole new aspect with the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine conflict in 2022.
\n
Explosions on the pipeline that same year, close to the Danish territory of Bornholm island, rendered the pipes unusable and led to an international hunt for suspects.
\n
German investigations have identified a Ukrainian cell of five men and one woman as the perpetrators of the blasts.
\n
Serhii Kuznietsov, a 49-year-old man, was arrested while on holiday in Italy this summer.
\n
His deportation to Germany to face charges of causing an explosion and committing anti-constitutional sabotage had been approved by a lower appeals court before the latest legal challenge halted that process. Instead, the Supreme Court of Cassation in Rome sent back the case involving to a new panel for review.
\n
Kuznietsov, who was arrested in Italy in August on a German warrant, has denied participating in the cell that allegedly placed explosives on the underwater pipelines.
\n
At the time of his arrest, German prosecutors said Kuznietsov had used forged identity documents to charter a yacht, which departed from the German city of Rostock to carry out the attacks.
\n
The suspect's defense team argued at the Supreme Court of Cassation in Rome that his rights had been violated during the legal process after his arrest.
\n
The team had argued that even had he been involved, his military service would give him "functional immunity" under international law.
\n
"In light of today's outcome, I will assess in the next few days whether the conditions exist to request my client's release, as the legal basis for his detention has now been removed," Nicola Canestrini, a lawyer.
\n
Under investigation
\n
The attacks remain the subject of separate but connected investigations in several countries, and are hugely politically sensitive.
\n
Poland has held a second suspect, a 46-year-old Ukrainian, since he was detained on an international arrest warrant last month. Prosecutors in Germany are keen for him to be handed over, but his pre-trial detention in Poland has just been extended.
\n
Poland's Prime Minister Donald Tusk has made his feelings over the case clear, saying "The problem with (Nord Stream 2) is not that it was blown up. The problem is that it was built."
\n
Poland faces a dilemma over the issue, though, as Germany is a vital partner for Tusk's center-left government, which is keen to present a more dignified and diplomatic image after years of right-wing rule. Still, the majority sentiment in Poland, as expressed so bluntly by Tusk, is that Nord Stream is contrary to the country's interests and that its hindrance benefits Poland.
\n
During a visit by Lithuania's Prime Minister Inga Ruginiene last week, Tusk doubled down, saying "it is certainly not in Poland's interest, nor in the interest of decency and justice, to prosecute this citizen or extradite him to another country".
\n
However, Poland's actions are also having an impact at the European level, with Peter Szijjarto, foreign minister of the right-wing government in Hungary, calling Tusk's position "shocking" and adding, "One thing is clear: we don't want a Europe where prime ministers defend terrorists."
\n
Agencies contributed to this story.
\n
julian@mail.chinadailyuk.com
\n",
- "content": "
Progress in solving one of Europe's most high-profile unsolved cases remains as far off as ever after Italy's highest court decided that a Ukrainian national suspected of involvement in explosions that damaged the Nord Stream gas pipelines in the North Sea in 2022 should not be extradited to Germany.
\n
This came days after the Polish authorities expressed reservations about the deportation of another suspect who has been in their custody since last month.
\n
The Nord Stream project, which enables Russian gas to bypass eastern European transit routes and leave Germany, was initiated in 2005 by the then-chancellor of Germany, Gerhard Schroder, and Russian President Vladimir Putin. It was controversial from the outset for various reasons, but it took on a whole new aspect with the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine conflict in 2022.
\n
Explosions on the pipeline that same year, close to the Danish territory of Bornholm island, rendered the pipes unusable and led to an international hunt for suspects.
\n
German investigations have identified a Ukrainian cell of five men and one woman as the perpetrators of the blasts.
\n
Serhii Kuznietsov, a 49-year-old man, was arrested while on holiday in Italy this summer.
\n
His deportation to Germany to face charges of causing an explosion and committing anti-constitutional sabotage had been approved by a lower appeals court before the latest legal challenge halted that process. Instead, the Supreme Court of Cassation in Rome sent back the case involving to a new panel for review.
\n
Kuznietsov, who was arrested in Italy in August on a German warrant, has denied participating in the cell that allegedly placed explosives on the underwater pipelines.
\n
At the time of his arrest, German prosecutors said Kuznietsov had used forged identity documents to charter a yacht, which departed from the German city of Rostock to carry out the attacks.
\n
The suspect's defense team argued at the Supreme Court of Cassation in Rome that his rights had been violated during the legal process after his arrest.
\n
The team had argued that even had he been involved, his military service would give him "functional immunity" under international law.
\n
"In light of today's outcome, I will assess in the next few days whether the conditions exist to request my client's release, as the legal basis for his detention has now been removed," Nicola Canestrini, a lawyer.
\n
Under investigation
\n
The attacks remain the subject of separate but connected investigations in several countries, and are hugely politically sensitive.
\n
Poland has held a second suspect, a 46-year-old Ukrainian, since he was detained on an international arrest warrant last month. Prosecutors in Germany are keen for him to be handed over, but his pre-trial detention in Poland has just been extended.
\n
Poland's Prime Minister Donald Tusk has made his feelings over the case clear, saying "The problem with (Nord Stream 2) is not that it was blown up. The problem is that it was built."
\n
Poland faces a dilemma over the issue, though, as Germany is a vital partner for Tusk's center-left government, which is keen to present a more dignified and diplomatic image after years of right-wing rule. Still, the majority sentiment in Poland, as expressed so bluntly by Tusk, is that Nord Stream is contrary to the country's interests and that its hindrance benefits Poland.
\n
During a visit by Lithuania's Prime Minister Inga Ruginiene last week, Tusk doubled down, saying "it is certainly not in Poland's interest, nor in the interest of decency and justice, to prosecute this citizen or extradite him to another country".
\n
However, Poland's actions are also having an impact at the European level, with Peter Szijjarto, foreign minister of the right-wing government in Hungary, calling Tusk's position "shocking" and adding, "One thing is clear: we don't want a Europe where prime ministers defend terrorists."
People visit the exhibition in Kuwait City on Wednesday. The Chinese art exhibition "Distant and Close" opened on Wednesday at Kuwait's House of Islamic Antiquities, a major public museum. The exhibition, running through next year, features 128 artifacts collected by Kuwaitis, highlighting centuries of artistic and cultural exchange between Chinese and Islamic civilizations.
\n",
- "content": "
People visit the exhibition in Kuwait City on Wednesday. The Chinese art exhibition "Distant and Close" opened on Wednesday at Kuwait's House of Islamic Antiquities, a major public museum. The exhibition, running through next year, features 128 artifacts collected by Kuwaitis, highlighting centuries of artistic and cultural exchange between Chinese and Islamic civilizations.
The greatest power of journalism is its power to tell the truth, something that has never been clearer to me than when I attended a history lecture in Sydney recently. There I encountered a man named Harold John Timperley.
\n
On a projector screen a series of faded black-and-white photographs appeared one after another. In them stood Timperley, whose expression was calm, yet whose eyes seemed to carry a weight beyond words.
\n
It was this Australian journalist who, during the 1930s as a foreign correspondent in China, documented the atrocities committed by the invading Japanese army in the city of Nanjing. Through his writing he brought into Western view a historical truth stained in blood.
\n
In late 1937, as Nanjing fell and violence spread, Timperley chose not to flee. Remaining in his post as a correspondent, he gathered firsthand testimony — accounts from letters and reports — and recorded the massacres, looting and rapes carried out by Japanese soldiers in and around the city.
\n
In his writing, Nanjing was turned from simply an exotic geographical name into a stage of human tragedy, one on which countless lives were extinguished.
\n
In 1938 Timperley took his accounts to London. He compiled his observations and evidence into a book, published in London as What War Means: The Japanese Terror in China, and later published in the United States. For the first time the horrors of Nanjing were revealed in full to the world.
\n
On Dec 13, 1937, one of the most barbaric episodes of World War II took place in Nanjing, then Chinese capital, left more than 300,000 civilians and unarmed soldiers dead.
\n
The book was like a stone thrown into a still lake, stirring waves across Western society. Countless Western readers were made aware of the suffering of the Chinese people, and their perception of China was transformed by the words of an Australian correspondent who refused to look away.
\n
"Timperley likely did more than any other individual to shape public opinion of China in Britain, America and Australia during World War II," the Chinese Heritage Association of Australia has said.
\n
As I leafed through Timperley's materials, I imagined those turbulent years. China and Australia, two nations separated by oceans, were bound by a shared commitment to justice.
\n
On the Eastern Front, the Chinese people fought doggedly against Japanese militarism, making immense sacrifices. In the Pacific, Australia defended its homeland with equal determination. This bond across distance was not only a strategic alliance but also a shared moral conviction.
\n
More than 80 years on, Timperley feels far from remote. He remains vivid: a man with warmth and conviction, as though he had just put down his pen, still carrying the smoke and ink of the battlefield he recorded.
\n
Timperley's story was never an isolated legend. In the struggle against fascist aggression, countless ordinary Chinese and Australians stood shoulder to shoulder.
\n
In Australia, the working class found their own ways to support China. In 1938 dockworkers in the port city of Wollongong, outraged by the atrocities in Nanjing, collectively refused to load crude iron onto ships bound for Japan. They risked their livelihoods but chose firmly to stand on the side of justice.
\n
In Hainan island, China, a memorial still stands in honor of Australian prisoners of war and servicemen. From 1942 many Australian soldiers were transferred by the Japanese to prisoner-of-war camps there, and endured immense suffering and death.
\n
After the war, China and Australia each erected "sister memorial plaques" — one in Darwin in Australia's Northern Territory, the other in the city of Dongfang, Hainan province — to commemorate the prisoners of war.
\n
In my mind's eye, I can still see Timperley bent over his desk, writing — calm, yet with a quiet anger that could not be ignored. In those moments, ink was his weapon and paper his battlefield, casting a faint light into history's darkest night.
\n
Timperley wrote down the truth, allowing the world to witness the suffering of the Chinese people in their war of resistance. More than 80 years later, his words continue to remind us: Truth is not only the property of history — it belongs to the present as well.
\n
Contact the writer at xinxin@chinadaily.com.cn
\n",
- "content": "
Xin Xin
\n\n
The greatest power of journalism is its power to tell the truth, something that has never been clearer to me than when I attended a history lecture in Sydney recently. There I encountered a man named Harold John Timperley.
\n
On a projector screen a series of faded black-and-white photographs appeared one after another. In them stood Timperley, whose expression was calm, yet whose eyes seemed to carry a weight beyond words.
\n
It was this Australian journalist who, during the 1930s as a foreign correspondent in China, documented the atrocities committed by the invading Japanese army in the city of Nanjing. Through his writing he brought into Western view a historical truth stained in blood.
\n
In late 1937, as Nanjing fell and violence spread, Timperley chose not to flee. Remaining in his post as a correspondent, he gathered firsthand testimony — accounts from letters and reports — and recorded the massacres, looting and rapes carried out by Japanese soldiers in and around the city.
\n
In his writing, Nanjing was turned from simply an exotic geographical name into a stage of human tragedy, one on which countless lives were extinguished.
\n
In 1938 Timperley took his accounts to London. He compiled his observations and evidence into a book, published in London as What War Means: The Japanese Terror in China, and later published in the United States. For the first time the horrors of Nanjing were revealed in full to the world.
\n
On Dec 13, 1937, one of the most barbaric episodes of World War II took place in Nanjing, then Chinese capital, left more than 300,000 civilians and unarmed soldiers dead.
\n
The book was like a stone thrown into a still lake, stirring waves across Western society. Countless Western readers were made aware of the suffering of the Chinese people, and their perception of China was transformed by the words of an Australian correspondent who refused to look away.
\n
"Timperley likely did more than any other individual to shape public opinion of China in Britain, America and Australia during World War II," the Chinese Heritage Association of Australia has said.
\n
As I leafed through Timperley's materials, I imagined those turbulent years. China and Australia, two nations separated by oceans, were bound by a shared commitment to justice.
\n
On the Eastern Front, the Chinese people fought doggedly against Japanese militarism, making immense sacrifices. In the Pacific, Australia defended its homeland with equal determination. This bond across distance was not only a strategic alliance but also a shared moral conviction.
\n
More than 80 years on, Timperley feels far from remote. He remains vivid: a man with warmth and conviction, as though he had just put down his pen, still carrying the smoke and ink of the battlefield he recorded.
\n
Timperley's story was never an isolated legend. In the struggle against fascist aggression, countless ordinary Chinese and Australians stood shoulder to shoulder.
\n
In Australia, the working class found their own ways to support China. In 1938 dockworkers in the port city of Wollongong, outraged by the atrocities in Nanjing, collectively refused to load crude iron onto ships bound for Japan. They risked their livelihoods but chose firmly to stand on the side of justice.
\n
In Hainan island, China, a memorial still stands in honor of Australian prisoners of war and servicemen. From 1942 many Australian soldiers were transferred by the Japanese to prisoner-of-war camps there, and endured immense suffering and death.
\n
After the war, China and Australia each erected "sister memorial plaques" — one in Darwin in Australia's Northern Territory, the other in the city of Dongfang, Hainan province — to commemorate the prisoners of war.
\n
In my mind's eye, I can still see Timperley bent over his desk, writing — calm, yet with a quiet anger that could not be ignored. In those moments, ink was his weapon and paper his battlefield, casting a faint light into history's darkest night.
\n
Timperley wrote down the truth, allowing the world to witness the suffering of the Chinese people in their war of resistance. More than 80 years later, his words continue to remind us: Truth is not only the property of history — it belongs to the present as well.
China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi (right) talks with Emmanuel Bonne, diplomatic adviser to the French president, in Hangzhou on Wednesday.
\n
China and France have pledged to strengthen strategic mutual trust, deepen cooperation and enhance multilateral coordination, as Emmanuel Bonne, diplomatic adviser to the French president, concluded his two-day visit to China on Thursday.
\n
Vice-President Han Zheng met Bonne in Beijing on Thursday, while Foreign Minister Wang Yi co-chaired on Wednesday the 27th China-France Strategic Dialogue with Bonne in Hangzhou, a historic cultural city and tech hub of eastern China's Zhejiang province. The dialogue took place three months after Wang visited France for the meeting of the China-France high-level dialogue mechanism on people-to-people exchanges.
\n
Wang, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said that China and France should build "a more strategically stable and forward-looking" relationship, adding that Beijing is willing to "enhance high-level exchanges, deepen strategic mutual trust and advance all-round cooperation" with Paris.
\n
He noted that China's next five-year plan for national economic and social development, to be deliberated at the upcoming fourth plenary session of the 20th Communist Party of China Central Committee, will bring new opportunities for cooperation between China and France.
\n
He called for continued cooperation in traditional sectors while exploring new growth areas, such as artificial intelligence, the green and digital economy, new energy, biomedicine and financial services, as well as tapping into the potential of local-level cooperation.
\n
Despite "shocks to the global economic order", bilateral trade and two-way investment have continued to rise, which, Wang noted, demonstrates the "strong resilience and vast potential" of pragmatic cooperation between the two countries.
\n
France is China's third-largest trading partner and source of investment within the European Union, while China remains France's largest trading partner in Asia. In 2024, bilateral trade reached $79.58 billion, up 0.8 percent year-on-year, and two-way investment exceeded $26 billion in total.
\n
Noting the international system is facing "unprecedented challenges", Wang expressed China's readiness to strengthen multilateral coordination and mutual support with France under the UN framework, uphold genuine multilateralism, safeguard the free trade system, and promote a more just and equitable global governance system.
\n
Bonne reaffirmed that France firmly upholds the one-China policy and welcomes Chinese enterprises to invest in the country, while pledging to provide a "safe and predictable" business environment. France, he added, opposes trade wars and bloc confrontation, and stands ready to work closely with China to address global challenges.
\n
On China-EU relations, Wang said that China and the bloc have "no geopolitical conflicts or fundamental clashes of interest". He expressed hope that France will encourage the EU to uphold true strategic autonomy and cultivate an objective perception of China.
\n
The strategic dialogue was the latest in a series of intensified interactions between Wang and senior European officials. Wang concluded his visits to Italy and Switzerland last week and also hosted Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares Bueno in Hangzhou on Wednesday.
\n
Cui Hongjian, director of Beijing Foreign Studies University's Center for European Union and Regional Development Studies, said China and France have maintained close exchanges at all levels, achieving steady progress across various fields.
\n
"As a core EU member, France's strengthened strategic dialogue and mutual trust with China will help set a positive example and elevate overall China-EU relations," he added. He stressed that the EU should avoid imposing artificial restrictions on engagement with Beijing and should work with China to counter deglobalization and unilateral bullying amid rising geopolitical tensions.
\n
Jian Junbo, deputy director of the Center for China-Europe Relations at Shanghai-based Fudan University, said, "The more turbulent the international situation, the more prominent the strategic value of China-France relations becomes."
\n
He noted that, as two permanent members of the UN Security Council and major independent powers, China and France must coordinate closely to prevent the escalation and spillover of regional hotspots while jointly safeguarding global and regional peace and stability.
\n
zhaojia@chinadaily.com.cn
\n",
- "content": "
China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi (right) talks with Emmanuel Bonne, diplomatic adviser to the French president, in Hangzhou on Wednesday.
\n
China and France have pledged to strengthen strategic mutual trust, deepen cooperation and enhance multilateral coordination, as Emmanuel Bonne, diplomatic adviser to the French president, concluded his two-day visit to China on Thursday.
\n
Vice-President Han Zheng met Bonne in Beijing on Thursday, while Foreign Minister Wang Yi co-chaired on Wednesday the 27th China-France Strategic Dialogue with Bonne in Hangzhou, a historic cultural city and tech hub of eastern China's Zhejiang province. The dialogue took place three months after Wang visited France for the meeting of the China-France high-level dialogue mechanism on people-to-people exchanges.
\n
Wang, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said that China and France should build "a more strategically stable and forward-looking" relationship, adding that Beijing is willing to "enhance high-level exchanges, deepen strategic mutual trust and advance all-round cooperation" with Paris.
\n
He noted that China's next five-year plan for national economic and social development, to be deliberated at the upcoming fourth plenary session of the 20th Communist Party of China Central Committee, will bring new opportunities for cooperation between China and France.
\n
He called for continued cooperation in traditional sectors while exploring new growth areas, such as artificial intelligence, the green and digital economy, new energy, biomedicine and financial services, as well as tapping into the potential of local-level cooperation.
\n
Despite "shocks to the global economic order", bilateral trade and two-way investment have continued to rise, which, Wang noted, demonstrates the "strong resilience and vast potential" of pragmatic cooperation between the two countries.
\n
France is China's third-largest trading partner and source of investment within the European Union, while China remains France's largest trading partner in Asia. In 2024, bilateral trade reached $79.58 billion, up 0.8 percent year-on-year, and two-way investment exceeded $26 billion in total.
\n
Noting the international system is facing "unprecedented challenges", Wang expressed China's readiness to strengthen multilateral coordination and mutual support with France under the UN framework, uphold genuine multilateralism, safeguard the free trade system, and promote a more just and equitable global governance system.
\n
Bonne reaffirmed that France firmly upholds the one-China policy and welcomes Chinese enterprises to invest in the country, while pledging to provide a "safe and predictable" business environment. France, he added, opposes trade wars and bloc confrontation, and stands ready to work closely with China to address global challenges.
\n
On China-EU relations, Wang said that China and the bloc have "no geopolitical conflicts or fundamental clashes of interest". He expressed hope that France will encourage the EU to uphold true strategic autonomy and cultivate an objective perception of China.
\n
The strategic dialogue was the latest in a series of intensified interactions between Wang and senior European officials. Wang concluded his visits to Italy and Switzerland last week and also hosted Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares Bueno in Hangzhou on Wednesday.
\n
Cui Hongjian, director of Beijing Foreign Studies University's Center for European Union and Regional Development Studies, said China and France have maintained close exchanges at all levels, achieving steady progress across various fields.
\n
"As a core EU member, France's strengthened strategic dialogue and mutual trust with China will help set a positive example and elevate overall China-EU relations," he added. He stressed that the EU should avoid imposing artificial restrictions on engagement with Beijing and should work with China to counter deglobalization and unilateral bullying amid rising geopolitical tensions.
\n
Jian Junbo, deputy director of the Center for China-Europe Relations at Shanghai-based Fudan University, said, "The more turbulent the international situation, the more prominent the strategic value of China-France relations becomes."
\n
He noted that, as two permanent members of the UN Security Council and major independent powers, China and France must coordinate closely to prevent the escalation and spillover of regional hotspots while jointly safeguarding global and regional peace and stability.
Members of the Pentagon press corps walk out of the Pentagon in Washington after turning in their press credentials, on Wednesday. Dozens of reporters turned in access badges and exited the Pentagon rather than agree to government-imposed restrictions on their work.
\n",
- "content": "
Members of the Pentagon press corps walk out of the Pentagon in Washington after turning in their press credentials, on Wednesday. Dozens of reporters turned in access badges and exited the Pentagon rather than agree to government-imposed restrictions on their work.
WASHINGTON — US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that he has authorized the US Central Intelligence Agency to conduct covert operations in Venezuela, a move that was decried by Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.
\n
Speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump accused Caracas of releasing prisoners and mental patients to cross into the United States illegally and of smuggling large volumes of narcotics.
\n
"They have emptied their prisons into the United States of America," and "allowed thousands and thousands of prisoners" and "people from mental institutions, insane asylums", Trump accused, without offering evidence.
\n
Asked whether he had authorized the CIA to kill Maduro, Trump refused to answer, saying, "I think Venezuela is feeling heat."
\n
Trump added that his administration is considering strikes against Venezuela on land. "We are certainly looking at land now because we've got the sea very well under control," he said.
\n
Shortly after Trump's comments, Maduro decried what he called "coups d'etat orchestrated by the CIA".
\n
According to The New York Times, the new authorization allows the CIA to conduct lethal missions in Venezuela and the Caribbean, as well as to coordinate with broader US military operations in the region.
\n
Officials with the Trump administration "have been clear, privately, that the end goal is to drive Mr Maduro from power," reported the newspaper, adding that roughly 10,000 US troops, eight warships, and one submarine are currently deployed in the Caribbean, mostly based in Puerto Rico.
\n
Since September, the White House has announced five US strikes that destroyed five alleged drug-trafficking boats in the international waters near Venezuela, killing 27 people aboard in total.
\n
Earlier this month, the White House informed Congress that the US is engaged in a "non-international armed conflict" with drug cartels designated as terrorist groups, without naming them.
\n
While some cocaine leaves South America through Venezuela, the country is not a main source of US-bound drugs, according to a 2020 report from the US Drug Enforcement Administration. Maduro has repeatedly condemned Washington's actions.
\n
Historically, the CIA has been involved in numerous coups and covert operations across Latin America.
\n
Venezuela's government said Trump's remarks constituted a violation of international law and said US actions were aimed at legitimizing a "regime change "operation with the goal of seizing the country's oil resources.
\n
"Our Permanent Mission to the UN will raise this complaint with the Security Council and the Secretary-General tomorrow, demanding accountability from the United States government," Venezuela said in a statement released by Foreign Minister Yvan Gil on his Telegram account.
\n",
- "content": "
WASHINGTON — US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that he has authorized the US Central Intelligence Agency to conduct covert operations in Venezuela, a move that was decried by Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.
\n
Speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump accused Caracas of releasing prisoners and mental patients to cross into the United States illegally and of smuggling large volumes of narcotics.
\n
"They have emptied their prisons into the United States of America," and "allowed thousands and thousands of prisoners" and "people from mental institutions, insane asylums", Trump accused, without offering evidence.
\n
Asked whether he had authorized the CIA to kill Maduro, Trump refused to answer, saying, "I think Venezuela is feeling heat."
\n
Trump added that his administration is considering strikes against Venezuela on land. "We are certainly looking at land now because we've got the sea very well under control," he said.
\n
Shortly after Trump's comments, Maduro decried what he called "coups d'etat orchestrated by the CIA".
\n
According to The New York Times, the new authorization allows the CIA to conduct lethal missions in Venezuela and the Caribbean, as well as to coordinate with broader US military operations in the region.
\n
Officials with the Trump administration "have been clear, privately, that the end goal is to drive Mr Maduro from power," reported the newspaper, adding that roughly 10,000 US troops, eight warships, and one submarine are currently deployed in the Caribbean, mostly based in Puerto Rico.
\n
Since September, the White House has announced five US strikes that destroyed five alleged drug-trafficking boats in the international waters near Venezuela, killing 27 people aboard in total.
\n
Earlier this month, the White House informed Congress that the US is engaged in a "non-international armed conflict" with drug cartels designated as terrorist groups, without naming them.
\n
While some cocaine leaves South America through Venezuela, the country is not a main source of US-bound drugs, according to a 2020 report from the US Drug Enforcement Administration. Maduro has repeatedly condemned Washington's actions.
\n
Historically, the CIA has been involved in numerous coups and covert operations across Latin America.
\n
Venezuela's government said Trump's remarks constituted a violation of international law and said US actions were aimed at legitimizing a "regime change "operation with the goal of seizing the country's oil resources.
\n
"Our Permanent Mission to the UN will raise this complaint with the Security Council and the Secretary-General tomorrow, demanding accountability from the United States government," Venezuela said in a statement released by Foreign Minister Yvan Gil on his Telegram account.
WASHINGTON — US President Donald Trump says India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi has pledged to stop buying oil from Russia as Washington intensifies efforts to cut off Moscow's energy revenues.
\n
Trump has recently targeted India for its Russian oil purchases, imposing tariffs on Indian exports to the US to discourage the country's crude buying as he seeks to pressure Moscow to negotiate a peace deal in Ukraine.
\n
"So I was not happy that India was buying oil, and he (Modi) assured me today that they will not be buying oil from Russia," Trump told reporters during a White House event.
\n
The Indian embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to emailed questions about whether Modi had made such a commitment to Trump.
\n
India's foreign ministry said on Thursday that the government's consistent priority was to safeguard the interests of Indian consumers in a volatile energy environment.
\n
"Ensuring stable energy prices and supplies have been the twin goals of our energy policy," Randhir Jaiswal, a ministry spokesman, said.
\n
"This includes broad basing our energy sourcing and diversifying as appropriate to meet market conditions."
\n
India's Trade Secretary Rajesh Agarwal said on Wednesday that India was willing to increase its purchases of US oil and natural gas if prices were competitive.
\n
Russia is India's top oil supplier. Moscow exported 1.62 million barrels a day to India last month, about one third of the country's oil imports.
\n
Some Indian refiners are preparing to cut Russian oil imports, three sources told Reuters on Thursday.
\n
The Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Thursday that Moscow was able to supply high-quality oil at lower prices to countries that Trump is trying to persuade to stop buying Russian oil.
\n
The principles of free trade would be violated if such countries were deprived of the right to buy what they wanted, Peskov said.
\n",
- "content": "
WASHINGTON — US President Donald Trump says India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi has pledged to stop buying oil from Russia as Washington intensifies efforts to cut off Moscow's energy revenues.
\n
Trump has recently targeted India for its Russian oil purchases, imposing tariffs on Indian exports to the US to discourage the country's crude buying as he seeks to pressure Moscow to negotiate a peace deal in Ukraine.
\n
"So I was not happy that India was buying oil, and he (Modi) assured me today that they will not be buying oil from Russia," Trump told reporters during a White House event.
\n
The Indian embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to emailed questions about whether Modi had made such a commitment to Trump.
\n
India's foreign ministry said on Thursday that the government's consistent priority was to safeguard the interests of Indian consumers in a volatile energy environment.
\n
"Ensuring stable energy prices and supplies have been the twin goals of our energy policy," Randhir Jaiswal, a ministry spokesman, said.
\n
"This includes broad basing our energy sourcing and diversifying as appropriate to meet market conditions."
\n
India's Trade Secretary Rajesh Agarwal said on Wednesday that India was willing to increase its purchases of US oil and natural gas if prices were competitive.
\n
Russia is India's top oil supplier. Moscow exported 1.62 million barrels a day to India last month, about one third of the country's oil imports.
\n
Some Indian refiners are preparing to cut Russian oil imports, three sources told Reuters on Thursday.
\n
The Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Thursday that Moscow was able to supply high-quality oil at lower prices to countries that Trump is trying to persuade to stop buying Russian oil.
\n
The principles of free trade would be violated if such countries were deprived of the right to buy what they wanted, Peskov said.
A sharp increase in the fee that the United States charges for its H-1B visa risks shutting the door on African professionals and creating new openings for other countries to attract top talent, experts say.
\n
Last month, the US announced that it was raising the application fee for the H-1B visa, which allows highly skilled foreign professionals to live and work in the country for up to six years, from a few thousand dollars to a flat $100,000, payable by employers at the time of filing.
\n
The US administration said the measure aims to tighten access to immigrant labor and encourage domestic recruitment.
\n
African analysts said the move marks a big shift in immigration policy with far-reaching consequences for global talent flows.
\n
James Shikwati, director of the Inter Region Economic Network, a think tank in Nairobi, said that while the higher fee will put a strain on flows of talent between Africa and the US, it will also hurt innovation in the US.
\n
The change will disproportionately affect smaller companies in the US that rely on international workers, he said.
\n
"For big companies such as Google, they might easily absorb the cost, but for smaller companies, especially start-ups, this will be prohibitive. It will shrink key entry points for African talent into the US market and increase bureaucracy."
\n
The policy could disrupt the global exchange of talent by denying Africans access to competitive salaries abroad and straining the business process outsourcing sector, he said.
\n
The higher fee might also push Africa's youthful workforce toward other regions.
\n
"The increased H-1B visa fee, while painful in the short run, catalyzes African professionals to look beyond the traditional US-centric path toward other accessible markets around the world."
\n
Melha Rout Biel, founder and executive director of the Institute for Strategic and Policy Studies in South Sudan, said the move was unfair and would discourage mobility.
\n
"Who is ready to pay $100,000 for a visa? If you have that money, I would advise you to invest at home. But in the long run, this decision will affect the US itself. With low birth rates and aging populations, developed countries will eventually need immigrants from Africa and other regions."
\n
The American Immigration Council, a non-profit group in Washington, said more than 2.8 million black immigrants were in the US workforce in 2022, supporting fast-growing industries such as healthcare and transportation. Analysts warned the higher fee could slow future inflows from Africa.
\n
Other analysts said the change could accelerate Africa's digital shift. Dieudonne Dany Mbarga, a financial analyst in Ghana, said that while large technology firms may bear the costs for exceptional recruits, it will be "prohibitive for smaller start-ups and for non-tech sectors like healthcare and education that also rely on these visas".
\n
Shikwati emphasized that the biggest opportunity remains within Africa itself, and that the African Continental Free Trade Area should drive competition on the continent, especially in the digital sector. "Africa's youthful population is already primed for global competition."
\n
sharon@chinadailyafrica.com
\n",
- "content": "
A sharp increase in the fee that the United States charges for its H-1B visa risks shutting the door on African professionals and creating new openings for other countries to attract top talent, experts say.
\n
Last month, the US announced that it was raising the application fee for the H-1B visa, which allows highly skilled foreign professionals to live and work in the country for up to six years, from a few thousand dollars to a flat $100,000, payable by employers at the time of filing.
\n
The US administration said the measure aims to tighten access to immigrant labor and encourage domestic recruitment.
\n
African analysts said the move marks a big shift in immigration policy with far-reaching consequences for global talent flows.
\n
James Shikwati, director of the Inter Region Economic Network, a think tank in Nairobi, said that while the higher fee will put a strain on flows of talent between Africa and the US, it will also hurt innovation in the US.
\n
The change will disproportionately affect smaller companies in the US that rely on international workers, he said.
\n
"For big companies such as Google, they might easily absorb the cost, but for smaller companies, especially start-ups, this will be prohibitive. It will shrink key entry points for African talent into the US market and increase bureaucracy."
\n
The policy could disrupt the global exchange of talent by denying Africans access to competitive salaries abroad and straining the business process outsourcing sector, he said.
\n
The higher fee might also push Africa's youthful workforce toward other regions.
\n
"The increased H-1B visa fee, while painful in the short run, catalyzes African professionals to look beyond the traditional US-centric path toward other accessible markets around the world."
\n
Melha Rout Biel, founder and executive director of the Institute for Strategic and Policy Studies in South Sudan, said the move was unfair and would discourage mobility.
\n
"Who is ready to pay $100,000 for a visa? If you have that money, I would advise you to invest at home. But in the long run, this decision will affect the US itself. With low birth rates and aging populations, developed countries will eventually need immigrants from Africa and other regions."
\n
The American Immigration Council, a non-profit group in Washington, said more than 2.8 million black immigrants were in the US workforce in 2022, supporting fast-growing industries such as healthcare and transportation. Analysts warned the higher fee could slow future inflows from Africa.
\n
Other analysts said the change could accelerate Africa's digital shift. Dieudonne Dany Mbarga, a financial analyst in Ghana, said that while large technology firms may bear the costs for exceptional recruits, it will be "prohibitive for smaller start-ups and for non-tech sectors like healthcare and education that also rely on these visas".
\n
Shikwati emphasized that the biggest opportunity remains within Africa itself, and that the African Continental Free Trade Area should drive competition on the continent, especially in the digital sector. "Africa's youthful population is already primed for global competition."
Shadi Abu Sido sits with his wife Hanaa Bahlul and their children at their home in the Gaza Strip after he was released from Israeli detention on Tuesday.
\n
KHAN YOUNIS — Shadi Abu Sido says that when he was in Israeli detention his world was shattered when guards told him his wife and two children had been killed.
\n
"I became hysterical," the Gaza Palestinian photojournalist said.
\n
However, after he was released on Monday, part of the US-mediated ceasefire deal between Hamas and Israel that halted two years of conflict, he discovered that his loved ones were alive.
\n
His wife, Hanaa Bahlul, raced down the hallway of his family's house in Khan Younis and leaped into his arms. He spun her in the air as they clung to each other. Abu Sido kissed his children's cheeks again and again, murmuring "My love" as he held the daughter and son he thought he would never see again.
\n
"I heard her voice, I heard the voice of my children," he said. "I was astonished. It cannot be explained; they were alive. I saw my wife and children alive. Imagine amid death, life."
\n
Abu Sido said he was detained at Al-Shifa Hospital in the northern Gaza Strip on March 18 last year.
\n
He was among 1,700 Palestinians whom Israeli forces detained during the devastating fighting in Gaza and who were released on Monday, along with 250 prisoners convicted or suspected of involvement in deadly attacks, in exchange for 20 Israeli hostages held by Hamas since its cross-border assault in October 2023.
\n
Bahlul said a lawyer from Addameer, a Palestinian human rights group, had told her that Abu Sido was being held under Israel's Unlawful Combatants Law, a form of administrative detention. Omer Shatz, an Israeli international law expert at the Paris Institute of Political Studies, said the law allows Israel to limit access to lawyers, incarcerate people without charge or trial, and arbitrarily detain many Palestinians in Gaza.
\n
According to Addameer, 2,673 Gazans are being held under this law. The Israeli military said in a statement sent to Reuters that its detention policy was "in full alignment with Israeli law and the Geneva Conventions" on legal standards for humanitarian treatment in wartime. Israel's Justice Ministry did not respond to Reuters requests for comment.
\n
Abu Sido said he was severely beaten, handcuffed, blindfolded and forced to kneel for long periods while in detention. His wrists looked raw during his meeting with Reuters, which he said had been caused by the shackles.
\n
He was first held at Sde Teiman military detention camp in Israel, then transferred to Ofer military camp, which is in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, and later to Ketziot prison in Israel, his wife said.
\n
Abu Sido was arrested only for being "a journalist for a Palestinian institution", Bahlul said.
\n
An Israeli military official said last month that about 100 criminal investigations related to the Gaza conflict have been conducted. Two cases have led to indictments, and one soldier was sentenced to 17 months in prison.
\n",
- "content": "
Shadi Abu Sido sits with his wife Hanaa Bahlul and their children at their home in the Gaza Strip after he was released from Israeli detention on Tuesday.
\n
KHAN YOUNIS — Shadi Abu Sido says that when he was in Israeli detention his world was shattered when guards told him his wife and two children had been killed.
\n
"I became hysterical," the Gaza Palestinian photojournalist said.
\n
However, after he was released on Monday, part of the US-mediated ceasefire deal between Hamas and Israel that halted two years of conflict, he discovered that his loved ones were alive.
\n
His wife, Hanaa Bahlul, raced down the hallway of his family's house in Khan Younis and leaped into his arms. He spun her in the air as they clung to each other. Abu Sido kissed his children's cheeks again and again, murmuring "My love" as he held the daughter and son he thought he would never see again.
\n
"I heard her voice, I heard the voice of my children," he said. "I was astonished. It cannot be explained; they were alive. I saw my wife and children alive. Imagine amid death, life."
\n
Abu Sido said he was detained at Al-Shifa Hospital in the northern Gaza Strip on March 18 last year.
\n
He was among 1,700 Palestinians whom Israeli forces detained during the devastating fighting in Gaza and who were released on Monday, along with 250 prisoners convicted or suspected of involvement in deadly attacks, in exchange for 20 Israeli hostages held by Hamas since its cross-border assault in October 2023.
\n
Bahlul said a lawyer from Addameer, a Palestinian human rights group, had told her that Abu Sido was being held under Israel's Unlawful Combatants Law, a form of administrative detention. Omer Shatz, an Israeli international law expert at the Paris Institute of Political Studies, said the law allows Israel to limit access to lawyers, incarcerate people without charge or trial, and arbitrarily detain many Palestinians in Gaza.
\n
According to Addameer, 2,673 Gazans are being held under this law. The Israeli military said in a statement sent to Reuters that its detention policy was "in full alignment with Israeli law and the Geneva Conventions" on legal standards for humanitarian treatment in wartime. Israel's Justice Ministry did not respond to Reuters requests for comment.
\n
Abu Sido said he was severely beaten, handcuffed, blindfolded and forced to kneel for long periods while in detention. His wrists looked raw during his meeting with Reuters, which he said had been caused by the shackles.
\n
He was first held at Sde Teiman military detention camp in Israel, then transferred to Ofer military camp, which is in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, and later to Ketziot prison in Israel, his wife said.
\n
Abu Sido was arrested only for being "a journalist for a Palestinian institution", Bahlul said.
\n
An Israeli military official said last month that about 100 criminal investigations related to the Gaza conflict have been conducted. Two cases have led to indictments, and one soldier was sentenced to 17 months in prison.
United States policy shifts, including higher tariffs and tighter immigration rules, are dimming prospects for global growth, experts say.
\n
"Right now, the US economy, for obvious reasons, is the source of the greatest uncertainty and volatility, probably the biggest change agent in the world," said Adam S. Posen, president of the Peterson Institute for International Economics in Washington.
\n
Discussion in a webcast last week highlighted how US economic turbulence is rippling outward, dampening global investment and trade.
\n
The institute's semiannual forecast, published on Oct 9, painted a picture of a US economy buoyed temporarily by optimism around AI, but facing intensifying drags from trade barriers and reduced labor inflows. The experts warned that these factors could push inflation higher and slow growth, with spillover effects on partners from Europe to emerging markets.
\n
The event preceded this week's International Monetary Fund and World Bank autumn meetings in Washington, in which officials are grappling with similar concerns. The IMF published its World Economic Outlook on Monday, projecting global growth to ease from 3.3 percent last year to 3.2 percent this year and 3.1 percent next year, pointing to headwinds from protectionism and uncertainty.
\n
Recent US actions have amplified these risks, IMF reports and the panelists said.
\n
In February, the US imposed higher import tariffs, sparking retaliatory measures and front-loading of trade that temporarily masked underlying weaknesses. Immigration restrictions have slashed net inflows by an estimated 2 million this year, according to the Congressional Budget Office, straining labor markets. Stock markets have surged on AI hype, with the S&P 500 up about 15 percent this year, though the gains have been concentrated in tech giants.
\n
Karen Dynan, a nonresident senior fellow at the Peterson Institute and a former US Treasury chief economist, upgraded her global GDP growth estimate to 3.1 percent for this year, up 0.4 percentage points from spring, but forecast a dip to 2.9 percent next year.
\n
"Global growth continues despite headwinds and risks," Dynan said. "Incoming data has been stronger than we expected last spring." However, she cautioned that resilience stems from temporary factors such as trade front-loading and inventory buildup, not fundamentals.
\n
" (US) payroll growth has probably come down more than the neutral rate," she said, attributing part of the drop to immigration curbs lowering the benchmark for job gains.
\n
Labor indicators show mixed signals. Unemployment and job openings softened from 2023 to 2024 but have stabilized in 2025. Dynan suggested that reduced immigration is affecting both supply and demand, leaving slack unchanged so far.
\n
Tariffs, now at their highest in 90 years, are poised to lead to more serious results. Effective rates have risen sharply, but the pass-through to consumers has been delayed by front-loading, warehousing and cost absorption by importers.
\n
Unsustainable practices
\n
"None of these practices are sustainable," Dynan said. "We should expect that this good news that we've seen on inflation, tariff-related inflation so far, is not going to be sustained."
\n
Core inflation, which excludes volatile food and energy costs, is hovering about 0.75 percentage points above the Federal Reserve's 2 percent target.
\n
Productivity has surprised on the upside since the pandemic, probably because of better job matches rather than AI, though the adoption of AI is rapid, Dynan said.
\n
This optimism fuels business investment, which is up 4 percent this year, though skewed toward AI-related areas such as software, she said. Stock gains, concentrated in the "Magnificent Seven" firms now accounting for more than 35 percent of S&P capitalization, support consumption via wealth effects. Household net worth relative to income is elevated, implying positive boosts but vulnerability to corrections.
\n
"If stock prices were to, say, decline by 15 percent based on current market capitalization, that's about a $10 trillion loss in wealth," Dynan said. "The standard rules of thumb imply that if that were to occur, there would be a drag, a considerable drag, on consumption growth of about one and one-half percentage points accumulatively."
\n
Globally, large, advanced economies will slow next year, she said. Europe will stabilize unevenly, Japan will receive a fiscal-monetary boost but will retrench later, and the United Kingdom will struggle with restraint and weak productivity.
\n
Emerging markets are being led by India and China, both of which are sustaining growth despite tariffs. Chinese exports held up "surprisingly well", Dynan said.
\n
The IMF echoed this, forecasting emerging growth above 4 percent, with China and India leading. It highlighted China's role in offsetting some global slack, as its surpluses could provide opportunities if markets open more, though fragmentation limits trade gains to 2.9 percent in 2025 to 2026.
\n
Posen said US volatility is the key driver. "What happens in the US in terms of growth, inflation, policy response is probably the biggest driver."
United States policy shifts, including higher tariffs and tighter immigration rules, are dimming prospects for global growth, experts say.
\n
"Right now, the US economy, for obvious reasons, is the source of the greatest uncertainty and volatility, probably the biggest change agent in the world," said Adam S. Posen, president of the Peterson Institute for International Economics in Washington.
\n
Discussion in a webcast last week highlighted how US economic turbulence is rippling outward, dampening global investment and trade.
\n
The institute's semiannual forecast, published on Oct 9, painted a picture of a US economy buoyed temporarily by optimism around AI, but facing intensifying drags from trade barriers and reduced labor inflows. The experts warned that these factors could push inflation higher and slow growth, with spillover effects on partners from Europe to emerging markets.
\n
The event preceded this week's International Monetary Fund and World Bank autumn meetings in Washington, in which officials are grappling with similar concerns. The IMF published its World Economic Outlook on Monday, projecting global growth to ease from 3.3 percent last year to 3.2 percent this year and 3.1 percent next year, pointing to headwinds from protectionism and uncertainty.
\n
Recent US actions have amplified these risks, IMF reports and the panelists said.
\n
In February, the US imposed higher import tariffs, sparking retaliatory measures and front-loading of trade that temporarily masked underlying weaknesses. Immigration restrictions have slashed net inflows by an estimated 2 million this year, according to the Congressional Budget Office, straining labor markets. Stock markets have surged on AI hype, with the S&P 500 up about 15 percent this year, though the gains have been concentrated in tech giants.
\n
Karen Dynan, a nonresident senior fellow at the Peterson Institute and a former US Treasury chief economist, upgraded her global GDP growth estimate to 3.1 percent for this year, up 0.4 percentage points from spring, but forecast a dip to 2.9 percent next year.
\n
"Global growth continues despite headwinds and risks," Dynan said. "Incoming data has been stronger than we expected last spring." However, she cautioned that resilience stems from temporary factors such as trade front-loading and inventory buildup, not fundamentals.
\n
" (US) payroll growth has probably come down more than the neutral rate," she said, attributing part of the drop to immigration curbs lowering the benchmark for job gains.
\n
Labor indicators show mixed signals. Unemployment and job openings softened from 2023 to 2024 but have stabilized in 2025. Dynan suggested that reduced immigration is affecting both supply and demand, leaving slack unchanged so far.
\n
Tariffs, now at their highest in 90 years, are poised to lead to more serious results. Effective rates have risen sharply, but the pass-through to consumers has been delayed by front-loading, warehousing and cost absorption by importers.
\n
Unsustainable practices
\n
"None of these practices are sustainable," Dynan said. "We should expect that this good news that we've seen on inflation, tariff-related inflation so far, is not going to be sustained."
\n
Core inflation, which excludes volatile food and energy costs, is hovering about 0.75 percentage points above the Federal Reserve's 2 percent target.
\n
Productivity has surprised on the upside since the pandemic, probably because of better job matches rather than AI, though the adoption of AI is rapid, Dynan said.
\n
This optimism fuels business investment, which is up 4 percent this year, though skewed toward AI-related areas such as software, she said. Stock gains, concentrated in the "Magnificent Seven" firms now accounting for more than 35 percent of S&P capitalization, support consumption via wealth effects. Household net worth relative to income is elevated, implying positive boosts but vulnerability to corrections.
\n
"If stock prices were to, say, decline by 15 percent based on current market capitalization, that's about a $10 trillion loss in wealth," Dynan said. "The standard rules of thumb imply that if that were to occur, there would be a drag, a considerable drag, on consumption growth of about one and one-half percentage points accumulatively."
\n
Globally, large, advanced economies will slow next year, she said. Europe will stabilize unevenly, Japan will receive a fiscal-monetary boost but will retrench later, and the United Kingdom will struggle with restraint and weak productivity.
\n
Emerging markets are being led by India and China, both of which are sustaining growth despite tariffs. Chinese exports held up "surprisingly well", Dynan said.
\n
The IMF echoed this, forecasting emerging growth above 4 percent, with China and India leading. It highlighted China's role in offsetting some global slack, as its surpluses could provide opportunities if markets open more, though fragmentation limits trade gains to 2.9 percent in 2025 to 2026.
\n
Posen said US volatility is the key driver. "What happens in the US in terms of growth, inflation, policy response is probably the biggest driver."
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- "title": "012WORLD - Too many eggs in one basket: Colombia and Brazil get trade lesson",
- "description": "
A vendor shows off carnations and roses at a fair in Bogota, Colombia, on Oct 1. Colombia's flower exports topped $2 billion last year, with about $1.56 billion worth shipped to the US.
\n
Tariffs imposed by the United States are reshaping trade in Latin America, hitting traditional exports to the US and prompting countries such as Brazil and Colombia to diversify toward China and the European Union.
\n
The value of Colombian exports to the US fell 13.7 percent in August, the sharpest drop this year, Colombia's National Administrative Department of Statistics said on Oct 6. That fall coincided with the 10 percent US tariff on Colombian imports that took effect on Aug 7.
\n
Jose Manuel Restrepo, former finance minister of Colombia, said the recent slump highlights the fragility of Colombia's export recovery and its heavy reliance on the US.
\n
"A 13.7 percent fall is significant and confirms that Colombia's export recovery remains fragile," Restrepo said.
\n
"The contraction reflects both price effects — especially in oil and coal, which still make up nearly half of total exports — and volume adjustments in nontraditional sectors such as textiles, chemicals and the agro-industry."
\n
If the trend continues for the rest of the year it may signal weaker external demand and tighter conditions for foreign exchange inflows, he said.
\n
The tariff imposed on Aug 7 hit manufactured goods hardest, particularly apparel, processed foods, plastics and metals — industries that compete on price rather than scale, he said.
\n
"Small- and medium-sized enterprises are indeed more vulnerable because they have less capacity to absorb cost shocks or relocate production. They face higher logistical and compliance costs, and many depend on single-buyer relationships in the US market."
\n
Large exporters in mining and energy are less directly affected, he said, but still suffer from exchange-rate volatility and weaker trade sentiment.
\n
The current situation, Restrepo said, exposes "the structural concentration risk of Colombia's export model".
\n
About 25 to 30 percent of Colombia's exports go to the US, and more than 70 percent of nontraditional exports are US-bound, he said.
\n
"This dependency magnifies vulnerability to both tariff shifts and changing consumer preferences.
\n
"The broader issue is that Colombia's export diversification index has barely improved in the last decade. This tariff shock could be a wake-up call to accelerate integration with Latin American value chains and expand into Asia-Pacific."
\n
Colombia is seeking to deepen ties with other trading partners, he said, but progress is limited.
\n
"With the European Union, we are leveraging the trade agreement to grow agro-industrial and green-tech exports. With China, we are deepening ties in energy transition and minerals.
\n
"Regional initiatives such as the Pacific Alliance, Mercosur dialogue and digital economy projects offer opportunities for small- and medium-sized enterprises. However, to be credible, Colombia needs a coherent export promotion strategy that integrates innovation, logistics and trade finance — not just new treaties."
\n
The 10 percent tariff was "not purely economic", but "part of a broader protectionist and electoral recalibration in the US, aimed at appealing to domestic manufacturing constituencies", Restrepo said. Colombia is "collateral damage in that agenda", he said.
\n
The tariffs serve as a reminder for Colombia "to strengthen its negotiating capacity and industrial diplomacy, ensuring that environmental or labor-related clauses are not weaponized as trade barriers".
\n
Consecutive decline
\n
Brazil's exports were worth $30.5 billion last month, 7.2 percent more than a year earlier, and the value of shipments to the US fell 20.3 percent, the second month in a row of decline, Brazil's Foreign Trade Secretariat said on Oct 6.
\n
The country's exports to the US have fallen sharply since Washington imposed new tariffs earlier this year, exposing the country's vulnerability in higher-value-added industries, said Jorge Arbache, former chief economist in Brazil's Ministry of Planning.
\n
"The United States is an important trading partner for Brazil — not so much in terms of value, but rather because of the nature of the trade composition," Arbache said.
\n
"Brazilian exports to the US include a significant share of machinery, equipment, aircraft and other high value-added goods, which is quite different from the country's average export pattern to other destinations. Thus, the main concern lies in this aspect."
\n
However, the tariffs could trigger a damaging relocation of factories from Brazil to the US, he said.
\n
He described the tariff policy as unpredictable, saying its continuation depends largely on political calculations in Washington.
\n
" (Change) is always possible, given the rather unstructured way in which the current administration seems to make decisions."
\n
gaoyang@chinadailyusa.com
\n",
- "content": "
A vendor shows off carnations and roses at a fair in Bogota, Colombia, on Oct 1. Colombia's flower exports topped $2 billion last year, with about $1.56 billion worth shipped to the US.
\n
Tariffs imposed by the United States are reshaping trade in Latin America, hitting traditional exports to the US and prompting countries such as Brazil and Colombia to diversify toward China and the European Union.
\n
The value of Colombian exports to the US fell 13.7 percent in August, the sharpest drop this year, Colombia's National Administrative Department of Statistics said on Oct 6. That fall coincided with the 10 percent US tariff on Colombian imports that took effect on Aug 7.
\n
Jose Manuel Restrepo, former finance minister of Colombia, said the recent slump highlights the fragility of Colombia's export recovery and its heavy reliance on the US.
\n
"A 13.7 percent fall is significant and confirms that Colombia's export recovery remains fragile," Restrepo said.
\n
"The contraction reflects both price effects — especially in oil and coal, which still make up nearly half of total exports — and volume adjustments in nontraditional sectors such as textiles, chemicals and the agro-industry."
\n
If the trend continues for the rest of the year it may signal weaker external demand and tighter conditions for foreign exchange inflows, he said.
\n
The tariff imposed on Aug 7 hit manufactured goods hardest, particularly apparel, processed foods, plastics and metals — industries that compete on price rather than scale, he said.
\n
"Small- and medium-sized enterprises are indeed more vulnerable because they have less capacity to absorb cost shocks or relocate production. They face higher logistical and compliance costs, and many depend on single-buyer relationships in the US market."
\n
Large exporters in mining and energy are less directly affected, he said, but still suffer from exchange-rate volatility and weaker trade sentiment.
\n
The current situation, Restrepo said, exposes "the structural concentration risk of Colombia's export model".
\n
About 25 to 30 percent of Colombia's exports go to the US, and more than 70 percent of nontraditional exports are US-bound, he said.
\n
"This dependency magnifies vulnerability to both tariff shifts and changing consumer preferences.
\n
"The broader issue is that Colombia's export diversification index has barely improved in the last decade. This tariff shock could be a wake-up call to accelerate integration with Latin American value chains and expand into Asia-Pacific."
\n
Colombia is seeking to deepen ties with other trading partners, he said, but progress is limited.
\n
"With the European Union, we are leveraging the trade agreement to grow agro-industrial and green-tech exports. With China, we are deepening ties in energy transition and minerals.
\n
"Regional initiatives such as the Pacific Alliance, Mercosur dialogue and digital economy projects offer opportunities for small- and medium-sized enterprises. However, to be credible, Colombia needs a coherent export promotion strategy that integrates innovation, logistics and trade finance — not just new treaties."
\n
The 10 percent tariff was "not purely economic", but "part of a broader protectionist and electoral recalibration in the US, aimed at appealing to domestic manufacturing constituencies", Restrepo said. Colombia is "collateral damage in that agenda", he said.
\n
The tariffs serve as a reminder for Colombia "to strengthen its negotiating capacity and industrial diplomacy, ensuring that environmental or labor-related clauses are not weaponized as trade barriers".
\n
Consecutive decline
\n
Brazil's exports were worth $30.5 billion last month, 7.2 percent more than a year earlier, and the value of shipments to the US fell 20.3 percent, the second month in a row of decline, Brazil's Foreign Trade Secretariat said on Oct 6.
\n
The country's exports to the US have fallen sharply since Washington imposed new tariffs earlier this year, exposing the country's vulnerability in higher-value-added industries, said Jorge Arbache, former chief economist in Brazil's Ministry of Planning.
\n
"The United States is an important trading partner for Brazil — not so much in terms of value, but rather because of the nature of the trade composition," Arbache said.
\n
"Brazilian exports to the US include a significant share of machinery, equipment, aircraft and other high value-added goods, which is quite different from the country's average export pattern to other destinations. Thus, the main concern lies in this aspect."
\n
However, the tariffs could trigger a damaging relocation of factories from Brazil to the US, he said.
\n
He described the tariff policy as unpredictable, saying its continuation depends largely on political calculations in Washington.
\n
" (Change) is always possible, given the rather unstructured way in which the current administration seems to make decisions."
Myanmar's Acting President Min Aung Hlaing places his hand on a ceremonial globe during an event marking the 10th anniversary of the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement in Nay Pyi Taw on Wednesday. He called peace and stability the country's fundamental needs to secure a prosperous future for its people.
\n",
- "content": "
Myanmar's Acting President Min Aung Hlaing places his hand on a ceremonial globe during an event marking the 10th anniversary of the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement in Nay Pyi Taw on Wednesday. He called peace and stability the country's fundamental needs to secure a prosperous future for its people.
Kenya's former prime minister Raila Odinga died on Wednesday from a heart attack at a hospital in India, the presidency confirmed. "It is with deep sorrow that I inform the nation of the passing on of the Right Honorable Raila Amolo Odinga, our former prime minister, Kenya's foremost statesman, and one of Africa's greatest sons," President William Ruto said. "He championed reforms that gave birth to the rights and freedoms we hold dear. His voice spoke for the oppressed, his conviction inspired generations, and his vision shaped the course of our history."
\n
ASIA
\n
Afghanistan, Pakistan urged to end hostilities
\n
The United Nations on Thursday urged Pakistan and Afghanistan to bring "a lasting end to hostilities" to protect civilians, after days of fighting killed dozens of people in both countries and injured hundreds more. Cross-border violence has escalated since Oct 10, with each country saying they were retaliating to armed provocations from the other. On Wednesday, the two sides agreed to a ceasefire. The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan welcomed the truce, saying it "calls on all parties to bring a lasting end to hostilities to protect civilians and prevent further loss of life".
\n
FRANCE
\n
PM Lecornu survives no-confidence votes
\n
French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu survived two no-confidence votes in parliament on Thursday, winning crucial backing from the Socialist Party thanks to his pledge to suspend President Emmanuel Macron's contested pension reform. The two motions presented by the hard-left France Unbowed and the far-right National Rally secured just 271 and 144 votes, respectively, well short of the 289 votes needed to bring down Lecornu's days-old government. Lecornu's offer to mothball the pension reform until after the 2027 presidential election helped sway the Socialists, giving the government a lifeline in the fragmented National Assembly.
\n",
- "content": "
KENYA
\n
Former prime minister Raila Odinga dies at 80
\n
Kenya's former prime minister Raila Odinga died on Wednesday from a heart attack at a hospital in India, the presidency confirmed. "It is with deep sorrow that I inform the nation of the passing on of the Right Honorable Raila Amolo Odinga, our former prime minister, Kenya's foremost statesman, and one of Africa's greatest sons," President William Ruto said. "He championed reforms that gave birth to the rights and freedoms we hold dear. His voice spoke for the oppressed, his conviction inspired generations, and his vision shaped the course of our history."
\n
ASIA
\n
Afghanistan, Pakistan urged to end hostilities
\n
The United Nations on Thursday urged Pakistan and Afghanistan to bring "a lasting end to hostilities" to protect civilians, after days of fighting killed dozens of people in both countries and injured hundreds more. Cross-border violence has escalated since Oct 10, with each country saying they were retaliating to armed provocations from the other. On Wednesday, the two sides agreed to a ceasefire. The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan welcomed the truce, saying it "calls on all parties to bring a lasting end to hostilities to protect civilians and prevent further loss of life".
\n
FRANCE
\n
PM Lecornu survives no-confidence votes
\n
French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu survived two no-confidence votes in parliament on Thursday, winning crucial backing from the Socialist Party thanks to his pledge to suspend President Emmanuel Macron's contested pension reform. The two motions presented by the hard-left France Unbowed and the far-right National Rally secured just 271 and 144 votes, respectively, well short of the 289 votes needed to bring down Lecornu's days-old government. Lecornu's offer to mothball the pension reform until after the 2027 presidential election helped sway the Socialists, giving the government a lifeline in the fragmented National Assembly.
A traffic light shows red in front of the US Capitol in Washington on Tuesday, amid the government shutdown.
\n
WASHINGTON — The two-week-old US federal government shutdown may cost the country as much as $15 billion a week in lost output, a Treasury official said late on Wednesday, correcting an earlier statement by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent that put the cost at up to $15 billion a day.
\n
Bessent used the incorrect estimate in two separate appearances earlier on Wednesday, while urging Democrats to "be heroes" and side with Republicans to end it.
\n
A Treasury official said the cost estimate was based on a report by the White House Council of Economic Advisers.
\n
Bessent told a news conference that the shutdown was starting to "cut into muscle" of the United States economy.
\n
The wave of investment into the US economy, including into AI, is sustainable and is only getting started, but the federal government shutdown is increasingly an impediment, Bessent said.
\n
"There is pent-up demand, but then President (Donald) Trump has unleashed this boom with his policies," Bessent said at a CNBC event held on the sidelines of International Monetary Fund and World Bank annual meetings in Washington. "The only thing slowing us down here is this government shutdown."
\n
Incentives in the Republican tax law and Trump's tariffs would keep the investment boom going and fuel continued growth, he said. "I think we can be in a period like the late 1800s when railroads came in, like the 1990s when we got the internet and office tech boom."
\n
The government shutdown has ground into its third week, with Congress deadlocked in a clash over spending and Trump following through on his threats to take a hatchet to the workforce in response.
\n
On Wednesday, a federal judge in California, Susan Illston, ordered Trump to pause the planned mass layoffs of federal workers after the White House said it expected to fire 10,000 workers.
\n
Illston issued the temporary restraining order in San Francisco in response to a suit filed by labor unions saying that layoffs are illegal and "not ordinary".
\n
Some employees also did not know they were being laid off because notices were sent to government email accounts that cannot be accessed during a shutdown, the seven-page order seen by Agence France-Presse said.
\n",
- "content": "
A traffic light shows red in front of the US Capitol in Washington on Tuesday, amid the government shutdown.
\n
WASHINGTON — The two-week-old US federal government shutdown may cost the country as much as $15 billion a week in lost output, a Treasury official said late on Wednesday, correcting an earlier statement by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent that put the cost at up to $15 billion a day.
\n
Bessent used the incorrect estimate in two separate appearances earlier on Wednesday, while urging Democrats to "be heroes" and side with Republicans to end it.
\n
A Treasury official said the cost estimate was based on a report by the White House Council of Economic Advisers.
\n
Bessent told a news conference that the shutdown was starting to "cut into muscle" of the United States economy.
\n
The wave of investment into the US economy, including into AI, is sustainable and is only getting started, but the federal government shutdown is increasingly an impediment, Bessent said.
\n
"There is pent-up demand, but then President (Donald) Trump has unleashed this boom with his policies," Bessent said at a CNBC event held on the sidelines of International Monetary Fund and World Bank annual meetings in Washington. "The only thing slowing us down here is this government shutdown."
\n
Incentives in the Republican tax law and Trump's tariffs would keep the investment boom going and fuel continued growth, he said. "I think we can be in a period like the late 1800s when railroads came in, like the 1990s when we got the internet and office tech boom."
\n
The government shutdown has ground into its third week, with Congress deadlocked in a clash over spending and Trump following through on his threats to take a hatchet to the workforce in response.
\n
On Wednesday, a federal judge in California, Susan Illston, ordered Trump to pause the planned mass layoffs of federal workers after the White House said it expected to fire 10,000 workers.
\n
Illston issued the temporary restraining order in San Francisco in response to a suit filed by labor unions saying that layoffs are illegal and "not ordinary".
\n
Some employees also did not know they were being laid off because notices were sent to government email accounts that cannot be accessed during a shutdown, the seven-page order seen by Agence France-Presse said.
As China prepares its next five-year economic blueprint, economists widely expect the world's second-largest economy to start relocating the point of collection of its largest single source of tax revenue from where products and services are made now to where they are bought and consumed.
\n
The potential shift in value-added tax collection during its upcoming 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-30) could transform how local governments think about growth, shifting their focus from building massive factories to fostering vibrant consumer markets, and accelerate Beijing's transition to a consumption-led economy, they said.
\n
They made the remarks in the lead-up to the fourth plenary session of the 20th Communist Party of China Central Committee, to be held from Monday to Thursday, when the country's policymakers will gather to map out social and economic development over the next half decade.
\n
"The current VAT system rewards production locations, not consumption hubs," Qiao Baoyun, professor of the China Academy of Public Finance and Policy at the Beijing-based Central University of Finance and Economics, told China Daily in an exclusive interview.
\n
In this context, Qiao said local governments, in pursuit of tax revenue, have a strong incentive to encourage businesses to set up factories and engage in production in their jurisdiction.
\n
Last year, China's VAT revenue came in at 6.67 trillion yuan ($935.6 billion), accounting for over 38 percent of the country's total tax collection, said the Ministry of Finance.
\n
Local governments, eager for economic growth and tax revenue, aggressively court the same favored industries with favorable policies. The result, which is evident in photovoltaic manufacturing over the past years, is a dangerous cycle of redundant construction, vicious internal competition, and ultimately, some oversupply situations.
\n
The existing system, with a heavy reliance on taxes levied on industrial production, has been a cornerstone of China's rapid, investment-led growth model over the past decades. However, as the economy seeks more sustainable, consumption-driven expansion, this model has begun to lose its luster.
\n
Rebalancing China's economy away from investment and exports and toward household consumption has been the stated priority of China's leadership ever since the 2024 Central Economic Work Conference.
\n
"If the collection of VAT were anchored to consumption, the mindset of decision-making for local governments would change dramatically," said Luo Zhiheng, chief economist and president of the Research Institute at Yuekai Securities.
\n
The consumption-based model would create what Luo described as a "self-correcting mechanism "for resource allocation. Regions would compete to attract consumers and boost local spending power rather than offering incentives to manufacturers, Luo added.
\n
Wang Qing, chief macroeconomic analyst at Golden Credit Rating International, said that by creating all these fiscal incentives that reward consumption-friendly policies, the central government aims to stimulate a virtuous cycle where improved commercial environments boost consumer confidence, driving further spending and economic activity.
\n
China's planned restructuring of its VAT system will follow a carefully calibrated implementation timeline, with initial trials likely focused on sectors with more ideal conditions, analysts said.
\n
"In the past, collection of VAT at checkout counters posed challenges due to limited administrative capacity. However, the situation has evolved now. With enhanced data tracking and big data processing capabilities, what was once infeasible is now increasingly achievable," Qiao said, adding that the potential VAT reform could begin with sectors with sound digital tracking systems, and concentrated distribution channels, such as refined oil.
\n
In September, Vice-Minister of Finance Liao Min said at a news conference that China has established a comprehensive implementation plan for deepening its fiscal and taxation reforms and will adopt a measured, step-by-step approach to their rollout, proceeding as conditions permit for each individual policy measure.
\n
This year's Government Work Report prioritized shifting the point of charging certain consumption tax from manufacturers to wholesalers and retailers at a faster pace. Meanwhile, local administrations will gradually be allowed to retain more of the consumption tax, which is currently collected by the central government.
As China prepares its next five-year economic blueprint, economists widely expect the world's second-largest economy to start relocating the point of collection of its largest single source of tax revenue from where products and services are made now to where they are bought and consumed.
\n
The potential shift in value-added tax collection during its upcoming 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-30) could transform how local governments think about growth, shifting their focus from building massive factories to fostering vibrant consumer markets, and accelerate Beijing's transition to a consumption-led economy, they said.
\n
They made the remarks in the lead-up to the fourth plenary session of the 20th Communist Party of China Central Committee, to be held from Monday to Thursday, when the country's policymakers will gather to map out social and economic development over the next half decade.
\n
"The current VAT system rewards production locations, not consumption hubs," Qiao Baoyun, professor of the China Academy of Public Finance and Policy at the Beijing-based Central University of Finance and Economics, told China Daily in an exclusive interview.
\n
In this context, Qiao said local governments, in pursuit of tax revenue, have a strong incentive to encourage businesses to set up factories and engage in production in their jurisdiction.
\n
Last year, China's VAT revenue came in at 6.67 trillion yuan ($935.6 billion), accounting for over 38 percent of the country's total tax collection, said the Ministry of Finance.
\n
Local governments, eager for economic growth and tax revenue, aggressively court the same favored industries with favorable policies. The result, which is evident in photovoltaic manufacturing over the past years, is a dangerous cycle of redundant construction, vicious internal competition, and ultimately, some oversupply situations.
\n
The existing system, with a heavy reliance on taxes levied on industrial production, has been a cornerstone of China's rapid, investment-led growth model over the past decades. However, as the economy seeks more sustainable, consumption-driven expansion, this model has begun to lose its luster.
\n
Rebalancing China's economy away from investment and exports and toward household consumption has been the stated priority of China's leadership ever since the 2024 Central Economic Work Conference.
\n
"If the collection of VAT were anchored to consumption, the mindset of decision-making for local governments would change dramatically," said Luo Zhiheng, chief economist and president of the Research Institute at Yuekai Securities.
\n
The consumption-based model would create what Luo described as a "self-correcting mechanism "for resource allocation. Regions would compete to attract consumers and boost local spending power rather than offering incentives to manufacturers, Luo added.
\n
Wang Qing, chief macroeconomic analyst at Golden Credit Rating International, said that by creating all these fiscal incentives that reward consumption-friendly policies, the central government aims to stimulate a virtuous cycle where improved commercial environments boost consumer confidence, driving further spending and economic activity.
\n
China's planned restructuring of its VAT system will follow a carefully calibrated implementation timeline, with initial trials likely focused on sectors with more ideal conditions, analysts said.
\n
"In the past, collection of VAT at checkout counters posed challenges due to limited administrative capacity. However, the situation has evolved now. With enhanced data tracking and big data processing capabilities, what was once infeasible is now increasingly achievable," Qiao said, adding that the potential VAT reform could begin with sectors with sound digital tracking systems, and concentrated distribution channels, such as refined oil.
\n
In September, Vice-Minister of Finance Liao Min said at a news conference that China has established a comprehensive implementation plan for deepening its fiscal and taxation reforms and will adopt a measured, step-by-step approach to their rollout, proceeding as conditions permit for each individual policy measure.
\n
This year's Government Work Report prioritized shifting the point of charging certain consumption tax from manufacturers to wholesalers and retailers at a faster pace. Meanwhile, local administrations will gradually be allowed to retain more of the consumption tax, which is currently collected by the central government.
Chinese power operators have introduced innovative measures to make electricity more accessible to clients. In Xuzhou, Jiangsu province, staff members of State Grid Jiangsu have leveraged the Online State Grid app, developing a "Rental Electricity Assistant" to address common problems in rental electricity billing — such as cumbersome handovers, high error rates and frequent disputes. Landlords or tenants can log onto the app, input the household electricity account number and name, and within three minutes, accurately estimate the electricity cost for moving in or out. A real estate agent in Xuzhou said this feature largely reduces the workload of verification and speeds up the rental process.
\n
New direct flight links Beijing Daxing to Doha
\n
China Southern Airlines launched a new direct flight linking Beijing Daxing to Doha, capital of Qatar, on Thursday, adding to the air route network between China and the Middle East. The new Beijing-Doha air route is the airline's second direct flight between the Chinese mainland and Qatar.
\n
Campus fully operational in Fuzhou
\n
As a key higher vocational institution specializing in aviation and skills training in Jiangxi province, Jiangxi Aviation Vocational and Technical College's Fuzhou campus has become fully operational since its delivery from State-owned contractor China Railway Construction Corp's 24th bureau earlier this month. The 104-hectare campus accommodates 13,000 students and faculty, and aims to strengthen regional educational capacity and support local aerospace industrial growth.
\n",
- "content": "
New service targets power supply woes
\n
Chinese power operators have introduced innovative measures to make electricity more accessible to clients. In Xuzhou, Jiangsu province, staff members of State Grid Jiangsu have leveraged the Online State Grid app, developing a "Rental Electricity Assistant" to address common problems in rental electricity billing — such as cumbersome handovers, high error rates and frequent disputes. Landlords or tenants can log onto the app, input the household electricity account number and name, and within three minutes, accurately estimate the electricity cost for moving in or out. A real estate agent in Xuzhou said this feature largely reduces the workload of verification and speeds up the rental process.
\n
New direct flight links Beijing Daxing to Doha
\n
China Southern Airlines launched a new direct flight linking Beijing Daxing to Doha, capital of Qatar, on Thursday, adding to the air route network between China and the Middle East. The new Beijing-Doha air route is the airline's second direct flight between the Chinese mainland and Qatar.
\n
Campus fully operational in Fuzhou
\n
As a key higher vocational institution specializing in aviation and skills training in Jiangxi province, Jiangxi Aviation Vocational and Technical College's Fuzhou campus has become fully operational since its delivery from State-owned contractor China Railway Construction Corp's 24th bureau earlier this month. The 104-hectare campus accommodates 13,000 students and faculty, and aims to strengthen regional educational capacity and support local aerospace industrial growth.
Adidas Global CEO Bjorn Gulden interacts with a student at Shanghai Jiao Tong University.
\n
As students at Shanghai Jiao Tong University laced up their sneakers for an afternoon run with Adidas Global CEO Bjorn Gulden, the veteran sports executive spoke about something much larger than athletics — how sports can impact lives and businesses.
\n
"I'm observing encouraging trends in China's fitness landscape. For example, more people are embracing running and outdoor activities, and whether for major sporting events or sports festivals, tickets are often sold out almost immediately," Gulden said.
\n
The view is backed by the performance of sports-related consumption during the just concluded eight-day holiday.
\n
Data from the General Administration of Sport of China show that the country's sports service consumption rose 28 percent year-on-year during the holiday, with subsectors such as event ticketing, sports training, fitness and leisure each recording growth of over 30 percent year-on-year.
\n
"In recent years, many major consumption trends in China have revolved around sports-related spending," said Wang Yuxiong, a professor at the Central University of Finance and Economics.
\n
Wang added that several policy initiatives are expected to further boost market confidence and sustain the rapid growth of sports-related consumption.
\n
For Gulden, who has visited China frequently over the past three decades, the country embodies the vitality of both an open and promising market.
\n
"Every time I come to China, I feel the energy," Gulden said. "The country's economy is still growing, and its focus on health and fitness is very positive for our industry."
\n
Fresh from attending this year's International Business Leaders' Advisory Council for the Mayor of Shanghai (IBLAC), Gulden said China is actively solidifying open discussions by promoting dialogues between global companies and local authorities.
\n
"It (the IBLAC) is one of the greatest platforms to learn from each other. And I actually wish we had the same with other countries and other authorities, because this is the way to actually avoid misunderstandings and also to solve problems," he said.
\n
At the IBLAC meeting, Gulden proposed that the sports industry can serve as both a "shock absorber" and a "propulsion engine" for cities facing rapid development, not only bridging cultures and strengthening cohesion, but also stimulating consumption and innovation.
\n
That message resonates with the country's evolving sports blueprint.
\n
According to a recent guideline issued by the State Council, or China's Cabinet, on unlocking the potential of sports consumption, the nation aims to cultivate a group of globally influential sports enterprises and events, with the total scale of the sports industry exceeding 7 trillion yuan ($981 billion) by 2030.
\n
The move is part of China's broader efforts to boost overall consumption. This year's Government Work Report called for special actions to stimulate consumption and emphasized the need to unlock the potential of cultural, tourism and sports-related spending. This was followed by a policy document jointly issued by nine ministries last month, identifying sports consumption as a key component in expanding overall service consumption.
\n
"Boosting domestic demand is not only an effective way to withstand external shocks and sustain China's economic recovery, but also a strategic move to advance high-quality development and foster a new development paradigm," said Wang Yiming, vice-chairman of the China Center for International Economic Exchanges.
\n
"China is expected to be among the most influential markets for the sports industry in the next 10 years," Gulden said.
\n
The senior executive also noted the recovery momentum of Adidas' China business, which has seen multiple quarters of double-digit growth. "The Chinese market is extremely important to us. It currently contributes about 15 percent of our global performance, representing a highly significant role."
\n
Gulden attributed the growth momentum to the booming and increasingly diverse consumer needs. The company is "doing everything possible" to stay closely connected with consumers through the convergence of three key dimensions: sports performance, fashion and comfort, he said.
\n
Looking ahead, Adidas is gearing up for one of the world's most-watched sporting events — the FIFA World Cup — next year. The brand will roll out an expansive collection of national team and club jerseys, designed not only for the pitch but for the streets.
\n
"Football fashion is breaking out of its traditional box," Gulden noted. "It's no longer just for male fans. More women are embracing jerseys and football-inspired footwear as part of their everyday style."
\n
lijiaying@chinadaily.com.cn
\n",
- "content": "
Adidas Global CEO Bjorn Gulden interacts with a student at Shanghai Jiao Tong University.
\n
As students at Shanghai Jiao Tong University laced up their sneakers for an afternoon run with Adidas Global CEO Bjorn Gulden, the veteran sports executive spoke about something much larger than athletics — how sports can impact lives and businesses.
\n
"I'm observing encouraging trends in China's fitness landscape. For example, more people are embracing running and outdoor activities, and whether for major sporting events or sports festivals, tickets are often sold out almost immediately," Gulden said.
\n
The view is backed by the performance of sports-related consumption during the just concluded eight-day holiday.
\n
Data from the General Administration of Sport of China show that the country's sports service consumption rose 28 percent year-on-year during the holiday, with subsectors such as event ticketing, sports training, fitness and leisure each recording growth of over 30 percent year-on-year.
\n
"In recent years, many major consumption trends in China have revolved around sports-related spending," said Wang Yuxiong, a professor at the Central University of Finance and Economics.
\n
Wang added that several policy initiatives are expected to further boost market confidence and sustain the rapid growth of sports-related consumption.
\n
For Gulden, who has visited China frequently over the past three decades, the country embodies the vitality of both an open and promising market.
\n
"Every time I come to China, I feel the energy," Gulden said. "The country's economy is still growing, and its focus on health and fitness is very positive for our industry."
\n
Fresh from attending this year's International Business Leaders' Advisory Council for the Mayor of Shanghai (IBLAC), Gulden said China is actively solidifying open discussions by promoting dialogues between global companies and local authorities.
\n
"It (the IBLAC) is one of the greatest platforms to learn from each other. And I actually wish we had the same with other countries and other authorities, because this is the way to actually avoid misunderstandings and also to solve problems," he said.
\n
At the IBLAC meeting, Gulden proposed that the sports industry can serve as both a "shock absorber" and a "propulsion engine" for cities facing rapid development, not only bridging cultures and strengthening cohesion, but also stimulating consumption and innovation.
\n
That message resonates with the country's evolving sports blueprint.
\n
According to a recent guideline issued by the State Council, or China's Cabinet, on unlocking the potential of sports consumption, the nation aims to cultivate a group of globally influential sports enterprises and events, with the total scale of the sports industry exceeding 7 trillion yuan ($981 billion) by 2030.
\n
The move is part of China's broader efforts to boost overall consumption. This year's Government Work Report called for special actions to stimulate consumption and emphasized the need to unlock the potential of cultural, tourism and sports-related spending. This was followed by a policy document jointly issued by nine ministries last month, identifying sports consumption as a key component in expanding overall service consumption.
\n
"Boosting domestic demand is not only an effective way to withstand external shocks and sustain China's economic recovery, but also a strategic move to advance high-quality development and foster a new development paradigm," said Wang Yiming, vice-chairman of the China Center for International Economic Exchanges.
\n
"China is expected to be among the most influential markets for the sports industry in the next 10 years," Gulden said.
\n
The senior executive also noted the recovery momentum of Adidas' China business, which has seen multiple quarters of double-digit growth. "The Chinese market is extremely important to us. It currently contributes about 15 percent of our global performance, representing a highly significant role."
\n
Gulden attributed the growth momentum to the booming and increasingly diverse consumer needs. The company is "doing everything possible" to stay closely connected with consumers through the convergence of three key dimensions: sports performance, fashion and comfort, he said.
\n
Looking ahead, Adidas is gearing up for one of the world's most-watched sporting events — the FIFA World Cup — next year. The brand will roll out an expansive collection of national team and club jerseys, designed not only for the pitch but for the streets.
\n
"Football fashion is breaking out of its traditional box," Gulden noted. "It's no longer just for male fans. More women are embracing jerseys and football-inspired footwear as part of their everyday style."
An employee from Taiyuan North Railway Station in Shanxi province inspects rail facilities during an autumn overhaul and assessment drive. Workers have examined 82 shunting devices at 52 stations on six main lines within its jurisdiction, in a bid to ensure safe rail transport.
\n",
- "content": "
An employee from Taiyuan North Railway Station in Shanxi province inspects rail facilities during an autumn overhaul and assessment drive. Workers have examined 82 shunting devices at 52 stations on six main lines within its jurisdiction, in a bid to ensure safe rail transport.
China's General Administration of Customs on Wednesday granted market access to 15 categories of food products from 10 countries, including South Africa and Belarus, paving the way for more food products from Belt and Road countries to reach Chinese dining tables at a faster pace.
\n
The move was announced at a conference on the import and export food safety cooperation mechanism for Belt and Road countries held in Shanghai.
\n
In recent years, food trade has become a new highlight in China's trade with Belt and Road partner countries.
\n
In the first three quarters of this year, China's food trade with these countries reached 915.24 billion yuan ($128.92 billion), up 2.5 percent year-on-year.
\n
Since the establishment of the Import & Export Food Safety Cooperation Mechanism for the Countries of the Belt and Road Initiative in 2023, notable progress has been achieved, said Sun Meijun, head of the GAC, at the conference.
\n
"Thanks to the green channels for fresh and perishable goods, Thai durians can now reach Chinese markets within just 13 hours, while Chinese cold-water salmon can arrive in the Indonesian market in only 39 hours," Sun added.
\n",
- "content": "
China's General Administration of Customs on Wednesday granted market access to 15 categories of food products from 10 countries, including South Africa and Belarus, paving the way for more food products from Belt and Road countries to reach Chinese dining tables at a faster pace.
\n
The move was announced at a conference on the import and export food safety cooperation mechanism for Belt and Road countries held in Shanghai.
\n
In recent years, food trade has become a new highlight in China's trade with Belt and Road partner countries.
\n
In the first three quarters of this year, China's food trade with these countries reached 915.24 billion yuan ($128.92 billion), up 2.5 percent year-on-year.
\n
Since the establishment of the Import & Export Food Safety Cooperation Mechanism for the Countries of the Belt and Road Initiative in 2023, notable progress has been achieved, said Sun Meijun, head of the GAC, at the conference.
\n
"Thanks to the green channels for fresh and perishable goods, Thai durians can now reach Chinese markets within just 13 hours, while Chinese cold-water salmon can arrive in the Indonesian market in only 39 hours," Sun added.
Emerging markets remain a strong growth engine for Chinese export-oriented enterprises, as a record number of overseas buyers preregistered for the China Import and Export Fair, popularly known as the Canton Fair.
\n
The fair, held twice a year in spring and autumn, kicked off its 138th session on Wednesday in Guangzhou, capital of Guangdong province.
\n
More than 240,000 buyers from 218 countries and regions, representing an increase of 10 percent from the previous session, have preregistered for the fair, according to the organizers.
\n
There has been significant growth in the number of buyers from the European Union, the United States and emerging markets, including countries and regions involved in the Belt and Road Initiative, the organizers said.
\n
On the opening day of the fair alone, more than 69,000 overseas buyers were recorded, according to the organizers.
\n
As one of approximately 3,600 high-quality companies participating in the fair for the first time, Zhongshan Songwei Lighting Electrical Appliance Co has set high expectations to expand business in emerging markets.
\n
"Through digital and intelligent transformation, we have continuously enhanced our capabilities, hoping to ship our products to developed and emerging markets," founder Xie Wei said.
\n
The company, based in Zhongshan, Guangdong, was primarily focused on the domestic market and only started exploring foreign trade four years ago.
\n
"We hope to expand into the European and emerging markets such as the Middle East," said Xie.
\n
Showcasing cutting-edge minimalist style ceiling lights and fan lights during the fair, the company has already met with new customers from Germany, Italy, Saudi Arabia and Iran during the fair's first two days.
\n
"We are very confident about securing orders, as customers from emerging markets have shown strong interest by scheduling their visits to our new factory after the fair," said Xie.
\n
According to data from World-First, a cross-border trade payment and account service brand that is part of Ant International, emerging markets saw a 300 percent growth in transaction volume during the first half of 2025.
\n
To address the need for Chinese exporters to expand into emerging markets, WorldFirst has upgraded its cross-border trade safeguard plan to help companies build more robust compliance and fund management capabilities during the fair.
\n
In the first three quarters, China's exports to emerging markets such as ASEAN, Africa and Central Asia increased by 14 percent, 27.3 percent and 11.8 percent, respectively, according to data from the General Administration of Customs.
\n
qiuquanlin@chinadaily.com.cn
\n",
- "content": "\n
Emerging markets remain a strong growth engine for Chinese export-oriented enterprises, as a record number of overseas buyers preregistered for the China Import and Export Fair, popularly known as the Canton Fair.
\n
The fair, held twice a year in spring and autumn, kicked off its 138th session on Wednesday in Guangzhou, capital of Guangdong province.
\n
More than 240,000 buyers from 218 countries and regions, representing an increase of 10 percent from the previous session, have preregistered for the fair, according to the organizers.
\n
There has been significant growth in the number of buyers from the European Union, the United States and emerging markets, including countries and regions involved in the Belt and Road Initiative, the organizers said.
\n
On the opening day of the fair alone, more than 69,000 overseas buyers were recorded, according to the organizers.
\n
As one of approximately 3,600 high-quality companies participating in the fair for the first time, Zhongshan Songwei Lighting Electrical Appliance Co has set high expectations to expand business in emerging markets.
\n
"Through digital and intelligent transformation, we have continuously enhanced our capabilities, hoping to ship our products to developed and emerging markets," founder Xie Wei said.
\n
The company, based in Zhongshan, Guangdong, was primarily focused on the domestic market and only started exploring foreign trade four years ago.
\n
"We hope to expand into the European and emerging markets such as the Middle East," said Xie.
\n
Showcasing cutting-edge minimalist style ceiling lights and fan lights during the fair, the company has already met with new customers from Germany, Italy, Saudi Arabia and Iran during the fair's first two days.
\n
"We are very confident about securing orders, as customers from emerging markets have shown strong interest by scheduling their visits to our new factory after the fair," said Xie.
\n
According to data from World-First, a cross-border trade payment and account service brand that is part of Ant International, emerging markets saw a 300 percent growth in transaction volume during the first half of 2025.
\n
To address the need for Chinese exporters to expand into emerging markets, WorldFirst has upgraded its cross-border trade safeguard plan to help companies build more robust compliance and fund management capabilities during the fair.
\n
In the first three quarters, China's exports to emerging markets such as ASEAN, Africa and Central Asia increased by 14 percent, 27.3 percent and 11.8 percent, respectively, according to data from the General Administration of Customs.
President Xi Jinping has congratulated David Adeang on his re-election as president of Nauru, and vowed to promote bilateral ties.
\n
In a congratulatory message sent to Adeang on Friday, Xi said that since the two countries resumed their diplomatic ties, the bilateral relationship has made significant progress, with fruitful cooperation in various fields benefiting the people of both countries.
\n
He expressed his appreciation that the Nauruan government led by Adeang adheres to the one-China principle.
\n
Noting that he attaches great importance to the development of China-Nauru relations, Xi expressed his willingness to work with Adeang to elevate the bilateral relationship to new heights to deliver greater benefits to the people of both countries.
\n
Adeang, who has served as Nauru's president since October 2023 and as a member of parliament since 2001, was re-elected as Nauruan president for a second term on Oct 11, Xinhua News Agency reported.
\n
China and Nauru resumed diplomatic relations in January 2024.
\n
caodesheng@chinadaily.com.cn
\n",
+ "content": "
President Xi Jinping has congratulated David Adeang on his re-election as president of Nauru, and vowed to promote bilateral ties.
\n
In a congratulatory message sent to Adeang on Friday, Xi said that since the two countries resumed their diplomatic ties, the bilateral relationship has made significant progress, with fruitful cooperation in various fields benefiting the people of both countries.
\n
He expressed his appreciation that the Nauruan government led by Adeang adheres to the one-China principle.
\n
Noting that he attaches great importance to the development of China-Nauru relations, Xi expressed his willingness to work with Adeang to elevate the bilateral relationship to new heights to deliver greater benefits to the people of both countries.
\n
Adeang, who has served as Nauru's president since October 2023 and as a member of parliament since 2001, was re-elected as Nauruan president for a second term on Oct 11, Xinhua News Agency reported.
\n
China and Nauru resumed diplomatic relations in January 2024.
Crew aboard the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy ship Qi Jiguang wave to greet local civilians at Sattahip naval base in Thailand on Thursday. The Navy's 83rd task force began a four-day visit to Thailand.
Crew aboard the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy ship Qi Jiguang wave to greet local civilians at Sattahip naval base in Thailand on Thursday. The Navy's 83rd task force began a four-day visit to Thailand.
The 2025 World Internet Conference Wuzhen Summit is expected to create an open platform for international exchanges and cooperation in digital technologies, while helping the global community to seize opportunities brought on by a new round of scientific and technological revolution to benefit humanity, the event's organizer said on Friday.
\n
The summit is scheduled to take place from Nov 6 to 9 in Wuzhen, Zhejiang province, with the theme "Forging an Open, Cooperative, Secure and Inclusive Digital Future — Building a Community with a Shared Future in Cyberspace."
\n
It will focus on new trends in cutting-edge internet technologies and new developments in cyberspace governance, and discuss technology-driven industrial innovation and practices, as well as approaches concerning the governance of cyberspace and frontier technologies, said Ren Xianliang, secretary-general of the WIC.
\n
Ren made the remarks at a news conference in Beijing.
\n
He noted that as this year marks the 10th anniversary of a proposal to build a community with a shared future in cyberspace, the summit will comprehensively summarize the great achievements and vivid practices made over the past decade.
\n
This year's summit will invite business leaders from the "Six Little Dragons" — a group of Chinese tech startups based in Hangzhou, such as DeepSeek and Unitree Robotics, to participate in a dialogue regarding global trends in artificial intelligence innovation and development, and to explore how cross-sector collaboration can help address global challenges, Ren said.
\n
The event will set up 24 sub-forums, while heads and senior representatives from major international organizations, renowned experts and scholars, and executives from leading internet enterprises, including Alibaba, Sohu and 360, have confirmed their attendance.
\n
At present, AI has made breakthroughs with new business models rapidly emerging and innovative applications expanding at an accelerated pace, bringing huge opportunities for the economic and social development of all countries, but AI technologies also bring about risks and challenges, Ren said.
\n
Moreover, a theoretical symposium marking the 10th anniversary of the concept of building a community with a shared future in cyberspace will be held during the event, while specialized committees on e-commerce and cultural heritage digitalization will be established.
\n
AI technologies and industrial development will be under the spotlight during the summit, with five AI-themed sub-forums to be held, said Zhao Cheng, head of the publicity department of the Zhejiang Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China.
\n
This year's Light of Internet Expo will showcase the remarkable achievements of AI in production and people's daily lives, while themed exhibitions featuring the debut of products in embodied intelligence and quantum technology will be held, Zhao added.
\n
Meanwhile, as new problems are emerging along with the rapid development of AI, the forum on AI technology innovation and governance will bring together experts, scholars, and entrepreneurs from around the world to engage in in-depth discussions on improving AI ethical standards and enhancing collaborative governance.
\n
China's AI sector will make big strides in the next 10 to 15 years, with its market size reaching 1.73 trillion yuan ($242.8 billion) by 2035, accounting for 30.6 percent of the global total, according to market research company CCID Consulting.
\n
The nation has solidified its position as a global leader in AI innovation, and released 1,509 AI models to date, ranking first among the 3,755 models launched globally until now, according to the China Academy of Information and Communications Technology.
The 2025 World Internet Conference Wuzhen Summit is expected to create an open platform for international exchanges and cooperation in digital technologies, while helping the global community to seize opportunities brought on by a new round of scientific and technological revolution to benefit humanity, the event's organizer said on Friday.
\n
The summit is scheduled to take place from Nov 6 to 9 in Wuzhen, Zhejiang province, with the theme "Forging an Open, Cooperative, Secure and Inclusive Digital Future — Building a Community with a Shared Future in Cyberspace."
\n
It will focus on new trends in cutting-edge internet technologies and new developments in cyberspace governance, and discuss technology-driven industrial innovation and practices, as well as approaches concerning the governance of cyberspace and frontier technologies, said Ren Xianliang, secretary-general of the WIC.
\n
Ren made the remarks at a news conference in Beijing.
\n
He noted that as this year marks the 10th anniversary of a proposal to build a community with a shared future in cyberspace, the summit will comprehensively summarize the great achievements and vivid practices made over the past decade.
\n
This year's summit will invite business leaders from the "Six Little Dragons" — a group of Chinese tech startups based in Hangzhou, such as DeepSeek and Unitree Robotics, to participate in a dialogue regarding global trends in artificial intelligence innovation and development, and to explore how cross-sector collaboration can help address global challenges, Ren said.
\n
The event will set up 24 sub-forums, while heads and senior representatives from major international organizations, renowned experts and scholars, and executives from leading internet enterprises, including Alibaba, Sohu and 360, have confirmed their attendance.
\n
At present, AI has made breakthroughs with new business models rapidly emerging and innovative applications expanding at an accelerated pace, bringing huge opportunities for the economic and social development of all countries, but AI technologies also bring about risks and challenges, Ren said.
\n
Moreover, a theoretical symposium marking the 10th anniversary of the concept of building a community with a shared future in cyberspace will be held during the event, while specialized committees on e-commerce and cultural heritage digitalization will be established.
\n
AI technologies and industrial development will be under the spotlight during the summit, with five AI-themed sub-forums to be held, said Zhao Cheng, head of the publicity department of the Zhejiang Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China.
\n
This year's Light of Internet Expo will showcase the remarkable achievements of AI in production and people's daily lives, while themed exhibitions featuring the debut of products in embodied intelligence and quantum technology will be held, Zhao added.
\n
Meanwhile, as new problems are emerging along with the rapid development of AI, the forum on AI technology innovation and governance will bring together experts, scholars, and entrepreneurs from around the world to engage in in-depth discussions on improving AI ethical standards and enhancing collaborative governance.
\n
China's AI sector will make big strides in the next 10 to 15 years, with its market size reaching 1.73 trillion yuan ($242.8 billion) by 2035, accounting for 30.6 percent of the global total, according to market research company CCID Consulting.
\n
The nation has solidified its position as a global leader in AI innovation, and released 1,509 AI models to date, ranking first among the 3,755 models launched globally until now, according to the China Academy of Information and Communications Technology.
Chinese railway operators have intensified efforts to upgrade facilities that will enhance the travel experience for passengers. At Jiexiu Train Service Depot under China Railway Taiyuan Bureau Group, staff members have launched a full-scale facelift of equipment and facilities inside Jiexiudong Station. A specialist task force has carried out a systematic health-check on all critical escalators, ticket vending machines and ticket gates to avoid hidden faults. They also conducted a sweeping check on station buildings, access corridors and platforms, reinforcing the station's safety and ensuring that journeys for passengers are safe and without incident.
\n
Currency swap agreement renewed
\n
The People's Bank of China, the country's central bank, has renewed a bilateral currency swap agreement with the Central Bank of Iceland. The agreement, valid for five years, is worth 3.5 billion yuan ($491.35 million), the PBOC said in a statement. The arrangement will strengthen financial cooperation between China and Iceland, facilitate bilateral trade and investment, and safeguard financial market stability.
\n",
+ "content": "
Facility upgrades to lift travel experience
\n
Chinese railway operators have intensified efforts to upgrade facilities that will enhance the travel experience for passengers. At Jiexiu Train Service Depot under China Railway Taiyuan Bureau Group, staff members have launched a full-scale facelift of equipment and facilities inside Jiexiudong Station. A specialist task force has carried out a systematic health-check on all critical escalators, ticket vending machines and ticket gates to avoid hidden faults. They also conducted a sweeping check on station buildings, access corridors and platforms, reinforcing the station's safety and ensuring that journeys for passengers are safe and without incident.
\n
Currency swap agreement renewed
\n
The People's Bank of China, the country's central bank, has renewed a bilateral currency swap agreement with the Central Bank of Iceland. The agreement, valid for five years, is worth 3.5 billion yuan ($491.35 million), the PBOC said in a statement. The arrangement will strengthen financial cooperation between China and Iceland, facilitate bilateral trade and investment, and safeguard financial market stability.
More than 4,100 domestic and overseas online platforms, including major players such as Pinduoduo, Ele.me, Didi, and international cross-border marketplaces have submitted their first round of detailed tax-related information under a new reporting regulation effective this month, China's top tax authority told China Daily on Thursday.
\n
The State Taxation Administration said the reporting process, which began on Oct 1 under new government regulations, requires internet platforms to provide details of operators and workers active on their sites, including verified identity and income information.
\n
Out of the 6,654 platforms that had reported their basic corporate data as of Wednesday, more than 4,100 platforms submitted detailed tax-related information — covering over 60 percent of those required to report, the STA told China Daily.
\n
The new system covers both domestic and foreign platforms operating in China's vast online marketplace, which includes global e-commerce platforms such as Amazon, Shopee as well as Chinese platforms with large overseas footprints.
\n
Shi Zhengwen, director of the center for research in fiscal and tax law of China University of Political Science and Law, said: "Whether domestic or foreign, all platforms that provide profit-making services to Chinese operators must report tax-related information in accordance with the law. Any attempts to skirt obligations through offshore registration will not work."
\n
The STA emphasized that platforms have until Oct 31 to complete their first filings, warning that those who miss the deadline or submit inaccurate data could "face penalties".
\n
The initiative comes as Beijing seeks to improve tax compliance and ensure a level playing field across the online economy, which has grown increasingly complex with the rise of livestreaming sales, gig work, and cross-border e-commerce.
\n
The administration also warned against schemes that disguise personal income as business income — a tactic used by some gig-economy or influencer platforms to reduce tax burdens.
\n
Some platforms were found to have helped individuals register as self-employed businesses in bulk or set up offshore entities to evade domestic tax obligations, according to the STA.
\n
"These practices — such as splitting income, switching identity, or registering overseas to conceal domestic earnings — seriously disrupt the reporting system," Shi added.
\n
chengyu@chinadaily.com.cn
\n",
+ "content": "\n
More than 4,100 domestic and overseas online platforms, including major players such as Pinduoduo, Ele.me, Didi, and international cross-border marketplaces have submitted their first round of detailed tax-related information under a new reporting regulation effective this month, China's top tax authority told China Daily on Thursday.
\n
The State Taxation Administration said the reporting process, which began on Oct 1 under new government regulations, requires internet platforms to provide details of operators and workers active on their sites, including verified identity and income information.
\n
Out of the 6,654 platforms that had reported their basic corporate data as of Wednesday, more than 4,100 platforms submitted detailed tax-related information — covering over 60 percent of those required to report, the STA told China Daily.
\n
The new system covers both domestic and foreign platforms operating in China's vast online marketplace, which includes global e-commerce platforms such as Amazon, Shopee as well as Chinese platforms with large overseas footprints.
\n
Shi Zhengwen, director of the center for research in fiscal and tax law of China University of Political Science and Law, said: "Whether domestic or foreign, all platforms that provide profit-making services to Chinese operators must report tax-related information in accordance with the law. Any attempts to skirt obligations through offshore registration will not work."
\n
The STA emphasized that platforms have until Oct 31 to complete their first filings, warning that those who miss the deadline or submit inaccurate data could "face penalties".
\n
The initiative comes as Beijing seeks to improve tax compliance and ensure a level playing field across the online economy, which has grown increasingly complex with the rise of livestreaming sales, gig work, and cross-border e-commerce.
\n
The administration also warned against schemes that disguise personal income as business income — a tactic used by some gig-economy or influencer platforms to reduce tax burdens.
\n
Some platforms were found to have helped individuals register as self-employed businesses in bulk or set up offshore entities to evade domestic tax obligations, according to the STA.
\n
"These practices — such as splitting income, switching identity, or registering overseas to conceal domestic earnings — seriously disrupt the reporting system," Shi added.
China's accelerating digital transformation is evolving from an internal modernization drive into a global economic force, increasingly shaping the structure and resilience of world supply chains.
\n
"Enterprises must adopt a 'top-down and grounded' vision," said Yao Jianming, professor at Renmin University's Business School. "'Top-down' means influencing entire industries and national systems, while 'grounded' means addressing real challenges through data, networks and computing to power high-quality development."
\n
Yao identified digital technologies, from artificial intelligence and big data to blockchain, as the core of China's new quality productive forces. "Digital transformation isn't about replacing people," Yao added. "It's about empowering them to create greater value." He made the remarks at a parallel session of the 2025 Tongzhou Global Development Forum in Beijing on Friday.
\n
That vision is gaining momentum in the corporate world. Xiamen ITG Group Corp Ltd, a leading trading and supply-chain services company, recently joined forces with a Shanghai-based AI enterprise and a Xiamen supply-chain innovation firm to advance "AI + supply chain" projects.
\n
"Globalization is shifting from efficiency to resilience," said Liu Zhitao, an executive at ITG. "The Belt and Road Initiative is not only cross-border trade but also an industrial collaboration platform. Under the 'dual circulation' strategy, we're building supply chains that connect resources, manufacturing and markets."
\n
The transformation is also visible in small businesses. In Yiwu of Zhejiang province, China's renowned small-commodity hub, a "market procurement trade" model has enabled thousands of micro-exporters to reach global markets. Professor Gu Kejian, also from Renmin University, said that more than 80 percent of Yiwu's exports rely on this system. "It may seem small, but it's a major innovation," he said.
\n
Yiwu's modernization took another step forward on Tuesday, with the opening of the Global Digital Trade Center, a flagship project of the city's sixth-generation market. Working with Tencent, the center has introduced AI navigation and robotic systems for smarter, more interactive trade services.
\n
Recent trade frictions between China and the United States have drawn widespread attention to the stability of global supply chains. Experts say that while China is committed to safeguarding supply chain stability and actively creating new opportunities for global trade and economic development through innovation, the US approach is undermining the multilateral trading system and disrupting global supply chain stability.
\n
On Friday, the Ministry of Commerce released the 2025 Report on WTO Compliance of the United States. The ministry expressed "serious concern" over US actions that it said undermine the multilateral trading system. A ministry official stressed that the WTO-centered multilateral trading system remains the cornerstone of global trade and economic globalization. The report urged the US to correct its wrong practices, withdraw illegal tariff measures such as the so-called reciprocal tariffs, and fulfill its WTO obligations, calling for cooperation among all members to build a fair and inclusive global economy.
\n
Separately, He Yongqian, spokeswoman for the ministry, said the measures of export control on rare earths are "a normal step to strengthen the export control framework" and "not directed at any specific country." Export applications for legitimate civilian use, she added, will continue to be approved.
\n
Contact the writers at lijing2009@chinadaily.com.cn
China's accelerating digital transformation is evolving from an internal modernization drive into a global economic force, increasingly shaping the structure and resilience of world supply chains.
\n
"Enterprises must adopt a 'top-down and grounded' vision," said Yao Jianming, professor at Renmin University's Business School. "'Top-down' means influencing entire industries and national systems, while 'grounded' means addressing real challenges through data, networks and computing to power high-quality development."
\n
Yao identified digital technologies, from artificial intelligence and big data to blockchain, as the core of China's new quality productive forces. "Digital transformation isn't about replacing people," Yao added. "It's about empowering them to create greater value." He made the remarks at a parallel session of the 2025 Tongzhou Global Development Forum in Beijing on Friday.
\n
That vision is gaining momentum in the corporate world. Xiamen ITG Group Corp Ltd, a leading trading and supply-chain services company, recently joined forces with a Shanghai-based AI enterprise and a Xiamen supply-chain innovation firm to advance "AI + supply chain" projects.
\n
"Globalization is shifting from efficiency to resilience," said Liu Zhitao, an executive at ITG. "The Belt and Road Initiative is not only cross-border trade but also an industrial collaboration platform. Under the 'dual circulation' strategy, we're building supply chains that connect resources, manufacturing and markets."
\n
The transformation is also visible in small businesses. In Yiwu of Zhejiang province, China's renowned small-commodity hub, a "market procurement trade" model has enabled thousands of micro-exporters to reach global markets. Professor Gu Kejian, also from Renmin University, said that more than 80 percent of Yiwu's exports rely on this system. "It may seem small, but it's a major innovation," he said.
\n
Yiwu's modernization took another step forward on Tuesday, with the opening of the Global Digital Trade Center, a flagship project of the city's sixth-generation market. Working with Tencent, the center has introduced AI navigation and robotic systems for smarter, more interactive trade services.
\n
Recent trade frictions between China and the United States have drawn widespread attention to the stability of global supply chains. Experts say that while China is committed to safeguarding supply chain stability and actively creating new opportunities for global trade and economic development through innovation, the US approach is undermining the multilateral trading system and disrupting global supply chain stability.
\n
On Friday, the Ministry of Commerce released the 2025 Report on WTO Compliance of the United States. The ministry expressed "serious concern" over US actions that it said undermine the multilateral trading system. A ministry official stressed that the WTO-centered multilateral trading system remains the cornerstone of global trade and economic globalization. The report urged the US to correct its wrong practices, withdraw illegal tariff measures such as the so-called reciprocal tariffs, and fulfill its WTO obligations, calling for cooperation among all members to build a fair and inclusive global economy.
\n
Separately, He Yongqian, spokeswoman for the ministry, said the measures of export control on rare earths are "a normal step to strengthen the export control framework" and "not directed at any specific country." Export applications for legitimate civilian use, she added, will continue to be approved.
\n
Contact the writers at lijing2009@chinadaily.com.cn
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+ {
+ "title": "004COMMENT - My first glimpse of China and its natural beauty after retirement",
+ "description": "\n
Chen Weihua
\n
My friend thought I was crazy for taking a high-speed train, instead of a flight, from Shanghai to Kunming, Yunnan province, because a flight is both faster and cheaper than a high-speed train.
\n
Having not been able to travel much in my own country in the past 16 years, during which time I was posted as a China Daily foreign correspondent in the US and the European Union, I know what I have missed. I have closely followed the rapid development in China from thousands of kilometers away, but now I get to experience them in person.
\n
The ride on the 2,266-km Shanghai-Kunming high-speed rail was cut short by two hours on July 1 to about 9 hours and 30 minutes. The ride used to take more than 30 hours before China's high-speed trains began operating.
\n
Compared with a flight, the train ride from Shanghai to Kunming allowed me to see the different terrains in Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Hunan and Guizhou provinces before reaching Yunnan.
\n
The scenery, both urban and natural, that one enjoys from the train window, is well worth the long ride. Some cities along the route in Hunan and Guizhou are now on my next bucket list. The many train tunnels are truly engineering marvels, with the longest, 14.8-km Bibanpo tunnel, linking Guizhou and Yunnan being the highlight.
\n
China's "lucid waters and lush mountains" campaign has started to pay dividends. I have not seen the dark smoke coming out of chimneys that I saw everywhere 16 years ago. But some farmers are still resorting to the traditional agricultural practice of straw burning in open fields despite government regulations banning or restricting such behaviors across the country. The pollution and health hazards caused by straw burning are widely known.
\n
Kunming is a beautiful city and my favorite spots are two museums and historical sites. The National Southwestern Associated University was established by Peking University, Tsinghua University and Nankai University in 1937 following Imperial Japan's full-scale invasion of China. The Yunnan Military Academy, built in 1907, too, is amazing. Many graduates from the two schools have played vital roles in modern Chinese history.
\n
It's impossible to see everything in Yunnan, roughly the size of Germany, during one visit. My plan now as a retiree includes finding a place to escape the unbearable hot and sultry summer of my home city Shanghai. The one on my mind was Dali, from where I am writing this column. This is my first visit to the place, and I am enjoying the view of the serene Erhai Lake and the gorgeous Cangshan Mountain from the window of my room.
\n
Over the past two decades, Dali has become home to many foreigners and Chinese people from other places who are charmed by its beauty. Its old town is often more vibrant at night than in the daytime. A couple of my former colleagues have even purchased property here. One runs a bar, the other vacation rentals.
\n
Business is not easy, according to the one who owns homestays on both sides of the lake, but his love for Dali has not diminished.
\n
I don't know if I will end up in Dali, but I, too, have been charmed by its beauty. There are many more cities in Yunnan I intend to explore during this trip, including Lijiang and Shangri-La that I had visited 20 years ago. I had tried to visit Lugu Lake twice then, but failed both times because landslides had blocked the only road leading to the lake. I hope to be lucky this time.
\n
My ancestral hometown is Fuding in Fujian province which is famous for its white tea. But my late father once told me that our ancestors actually moved from central China to Yunnan and then Fujian, all probably in the past 800 to 1,000 years. As such, I have an attachment with Yunnan in a certain sense.
\n
The great thing about traveling in China today is that high-speed rails and highway systems have made once inaccessible places easily reachable. Car rentals are everywhere. And internet connection is great even in many small towns and villages.
\n
chenweihua@chinadaily.com.cn
\n",
+ "content": "\n
Chen Weihua
\n
My friend thought I was crazy for taking a high-speed train, instead of a flight, from Shanghai to Kunming, Yunnan province, because a flight is both faster and cheaper than a high-speed train.
\n
Having not been able to travel much in my own country in the past 16 years, during which time I was posted as a China Daily foreign correspondent in the US and the European Union, I know what I have missed. I have closely followed the rapid development in China from thousands of kilometers away, but now I get to experience them in person.
\n
The ride on the 2,266-km Shanghai-Kunming high-speed rail was cut short by two hours on July 1 to about 9 hours and 30 minutes. The ride used to take more than 30 hours before China's high-speed trains began operating.
\n
Compared with a flight, the train ride from Shanghai to Kunming allowed me to see the different terrains in Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Hunan and Guizhou provinces before reaching Yunnan.
\n
The scenery, both urban and natural, that one enjoys from the train window, is well worth the long ride. Some cities along the route in Hunan and Guizhou are now on my next bucket list. The many train tunnels are truly engineering marvels, with the longest, 14.8-km Bibanpo tunnel, linking Guizhou and Yunnan being the highlight.
\n
China's "lucid waters and lush mountains" campaign has started to pay dividends. I have not seen the dark smoke coming out of chimneys that I saw everywhere 16 years ago. But some farmers are still resorting to the traditional agricultural practice of straw burning in open fields despite government regulations banning or restricting such behaviors across the country. The pollution and health hazards caused by straw burning are widely known.
\n
Kunming is a beautiful city and my favorite spots are two museums and historical sites. The National Southwestern Associated University was established by Peking University, Tsinghua University and Nankai University in 1937 following Imperial Japan's full-scale invasion of China. The Yunnan Military Academy, built in 1907, too, is amazing. Many graduates from the two schools have played vital roles in modern Chinese history.
\n
It's impossible to see everything in Yunnan, roughly the size of Germany, during one visit. My plan now as a retiree includes finding a place to escape the unbearable hot and sultry summer of my home city Shanghai. The one on my mind was Dali, from where I am writing this column. This is my first visit to the place, and I am enjoying the view of the serene Erhai Lake and the gorgeous Cangshan Mountain from the window of my room.
\n
Over the past two decades, Dali has become home to many foreigners and Chinese people from other places who are charmed by its beauty. Its old town is often more vibrant at night than in the daytime. A couple of my former colleagues have even purchased property here. One runs a bar, the other vacation rentals.
\n
Business is not easy, according to the one who owns homestays on both sides of the lake, but his love for Dali has not diminished.
\n
I don't know if I will end up in Dali, but I, too, have been charmed by its beauty. There are many more cities in Yunnan I intend to explore during this trip, including Lijiang and Shangri-La that I had visited 20 years ago. I had tried to visit Lugu Lake twice then, but failed both times because landslides had blocked the only road leading to the lake. I hope to be lucky this time.
\n
My ancestral hometown is Fuding in Fujian province which is famous for its white tea. But my late father once told me that our ancestors actually moved from central China to Yunnan and then Fujian, all probably in the past 800 to 1,000 years. As such, I have an attachment with Yunnan in a certain sense.
\n
The great thing about traveling in China today is that high-speed rails and highway systems have made once inaccessible places easily reachable. Car rentals are everywhere. And internet connection is great even in many small towns and villages.
WASHINGTON — US President Donald Trump said on Thursday that he will meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Budapest, Hungary, for talks aimed at ending the Russia-Ukraine conflict, following a phone conversation between the two leaders.
\n
"I have just concluded my telephone conversation with President Vladimir Putin of Russia, and it was a very productive one," said Trump on Truth Social.
\n
"We also spent a great deal of time talking about trade between Russia and the United States when the war with Ukraine is over," he said.
\n
"I believe great progress was made with today's telephone conversation," he added.
\n
Trump said the two countries agreed to hold a high-level advisers' meeting next week, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio leading the US delegation, adding that the meeting location is to be determined.
\n
"President Putin and I will then meet in an agreed-upon location, Budapest, Hungary, to see if we can bring this 'inglorious' war between Russia and Ukraine to an end," Trump said.
\n
The phone call came one day ahead of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's visit to the White House.
\n
Trump did not give a date for the meeting in Budapest, which would be his second with Putin since returning to office. The pair met in Alaska in August without a breakthrough in ending the conflict in Ukraine.
\n
The Kremlin said it would start "immediately" preparing the summit following the "extremely frank and trustful" call.
\n
Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will speak in the coming days to prepare a new summit between Trump and Putin, a Kremlin aide said on Thursday.
\n
The official, Yuri Ushakov, said the timing of the summit would depend on how the preparatory work progressed.
\n
The White House had seemed in recent days to be leaning toward granting Zelensky fresh support and was increasingly frustrated with Putin.
\n
During the call, Putin told Trump that supplying long-range missiles to Ukraine would harm the peace process and damage US-Russia ties, Ushakov told reporters.
\n
"What do you think he's going to say, 'Please sell Tomahawks?'" Trump later joked with reporters. "No, he doesn't want Tomahawks given to Ukraine," Trump added, calling them a "vicious weapon".
\n
Zelensky, already in Washington, said Putin's decision to seek talks showed he was on the defensive. "We can already see that Moscow is rushing to resume dialogue as soon as it hears about Tomahawks," he said on X.
\n
The Hungarian location selected for the Trump-Putin summit has drawn attention.
\n
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said on Thursday that Hungary is ready to host such talks.
\n
He described the planned meeting as "great news for the peace-loving people of the world", adding that Hungary is ready to facilitate the talks.
\n
"Budapest is essentially the only place in Europe today where such a meeting could be held," Orban said. "For three years, we have been the only country that has consistently, openly, loudly, and actively advocated for peace."
\n
Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said on Facebook that he had spoken to US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau and Lavrov late on Thursday.
\n
Kyiv and Moscow have been escalating their fighting with massive attacks on energy infrastructure.
\n
Ukraine wants missiles that would put Moscow and other major Russian cities within its range of fire. In its latest barrage, Russia launched more than 300 drones and 37 missiles to target infrastructure across Ukraine in overnight attacks on Thursday, Zelensky said. Kyiv has ramped up its own attacks on Russian targets, including an oil refinery in the Saratov region on Thursday.
\n",
+ "content": "
WASHINGTON — US President Donald Trump said on Thursday that he will meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Budapest, Hungary, for talks aimed at ending the Russia-Ukraine conflict, following a phone conversation between the two leaders.
\n
"I have just concluded my telephone conversation with President Vladimir Putin of Russia, and it was a very productive one," said Trump on Truth Social.
\n
"We also spent a great deal of time talking about trade between Russia and the United States when the war with Ukraine is over," he said.
\n
"I believe great progress was made with today's telephone conversation," he added.
\n
Trump said the two countries agreed to hold a high-level advisers' meeting next week, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio leading the US delegation, adding that the meeting location is to be determined.
\n
"President Putin and I will then meet in an agreed-upon location, Budapest, Hungary, to see if we can bring this 'inglorious' war between Russia and Ukraine to an end," Trump said.
\n
The phone call came one day ahead of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's visit to the White House.
\n
Trump did not give a date for the meeting in Budapest, which would be his second with Putin since returning to office. The pair met in Alaska in August without a breakthrough in ending the conflict in Ukraine.
\n
The Kremlin said it would start "immediately" preparing the summit following the "extremely frank and trustful" call.
\n
Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will speak in the coming days to prepare a new summit between Trump and Putin, a Kremlin aide said on Thursday.
\n
The official, Yuri Ushakov, said the timing of the summit would depend on how the preparatory work progressed.
\n
The White House had seemed in recent days to be leaning toward granting Zelensky fresh support and was increasingly frustrated with Putin.
\n
During the call, Putin told Trump that supplying long-range missiles to Ukraine would harm the peace process and damage US-Russia ties, Ushakov told reporters.
\n
"What do you think he's going to say, 'Please sell Tomahawks?'" Trump later joked with reporters. "No, he doesn't want Tomahawks given to Ukraine," Trump added, calling them a "vicious weapon".
\n
Zelensky, already in Washington, said Putin's decision to seek talks showed he was on the defensive. "We can already see that Moscow is rushing to resume dialogue as soon as it hears about Tomahawks," he said on X.
\n
The Hungarian location selected for the Trump-Putin summit has drawn attention.
\n
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said on Thursday that Hungary is ready to host such talks.
\n
He described the planned meeting as "great news for the peace-loving people of the world", adding that Hungary is ready to facilitate the talks.
\n
"Budapest is essentially the only place in Europe today where such a meeting could be held," Orban said. "For three years, we have been the only country that has consistently, openly, loudly, and actively advocated for peace."
\n
Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said on Facebook that he had spoken to US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau and Lavrov late on Thursday.
\n
Kyiv and Moscow have been escalating their fighting with massive attacks on energy infrastructure.
\n
Ukraine wants missiles that would put Moscow and other major Russian cities within its range of fire. In its latest barrage, Russia launched more than 300 drones and 37 missiles to target infrastructure across Ukraine in overnight attacks on Thursday, Zelensky said. Kyiv has ramped up its own attacks on Russian targets, including an oil refinery in the Saratov region on Thursday.
The September unemployment rate is unavailable due to the federal government shutdown, but the ADP National Employment Report showed that the private sector eliminated 32,000 jobs in September compared to the same period a year ago.
\n
The report was produced by ADP Research, an institute on labor market and employee performance research, and the Stanford Digital Economy Lab.
\n
"Despite the strong economic growth we saw in the second quarter, this month's release further validates what we've been seeing in the labor market, that US employers have been cautious with hiring," Nela Richardson, chief economist at ADP, said in a statement.
\n
Major job posting site Indeed reported that as of Sept 26, the number of job openings had dropped by 2.5 percent compared to August. Its data showed that almost all sectors — with the sole exception of banking and financing — posted fewer jobs than a year ago.
\n
About one-third of all 45 professional sectors declined by more than 10 percent. Scientific research and development showed the largest drop, with almost a quarter fewer jobs available compared to a year ago.
\n
According to BioSpace — a site for life science news and jobs — companies in the biotech and pharma sector are expected to lay off 24,000 employees in the third quarter.
\n
For many individuals looking for a job, the reality on the ground is harsh.
\n
Chuck, whose last name was withheld for privacy, graduated from the University of Texas at Austin last summer with a bachelor's degree in computer science. He is losing hope of finding a job after more than a year.
\n
"I have applied for hundreds and hundreds of positions, but I got only a few responses, three phone interviews, one Zoom interview and zero offers," he told China Daily. "I am considering applying for graduate school instead because so far it has been impossible for me to land a job."
\n
Timothy, whose last name was withheld for privacy, is a computer engineer in his mid-30s in Dallas. He regrets leaving his previous job at the end of last year.
\n
Having never found it hard to land a new position before, he decided to take a break last year as the Christmas season was approaching. He began trying to re-enter the job market in April.
\n
To his surprise and dismay, nothing has materialized.
\n
"I have never experienced a job market this bad. I was in and out of a job a few times, but I was always able to get one within a month or two, often getting multiple offers. Now I feel quite desperate," Timothy said.
\n
What job recruiters are seeing confirms the tough reality for those job hunters.
\n
David Leshowitz, senior vice-president of Management Recruiters in Boston, told Boston's NPR station WBUR that his company is getting fewer calls from companies demanding workers.
\n
"There used to be five, six, seven opportunities for every candidate that we would recruit," Leshowitz told WBUR. "Maybe now there's only one opportunity."
\n
One recruiter posted on Reddit: "We are in a recession. There are fewer jobs than people applying for those jobs. Salaries are decreasing, not increasing, and the options you have are fewer."
\n
"This is one of the worst times since 2008 to be a job seeker," the recruiter wrote.
\n
According to a USA Today report, some states are already in a recession based on Moody's analysis.
\n
The report showed that 21 states and the District of Columbia, which contribute about a third of US economic activity, are already in a recession. An additional 13 states, representing another third of the economy, are treading water. The remaining 16 states, including Texas and Florida, are growing.
\n
The analysis said that as a whole, the US is on the edge of recession, defined as a significant decline in economic activity across the economy, lasting more than a few months.
\n
Economic experts said that economic uncertainty, created by President Donald Trump's tariff policy and his sometimes quick and sudden decisions, has many companies holding off on investment plans and hiring decisions.
\n
"One of my students works in the supply chain for a major manufacturer. They're obviously going to have to make some new investments to save money, but they can't yet because the policy is so vague," Ed Hirs, a lecturer at the Department of Economics at the University of Houston, told China Daily in a previous interview.
\n
mayzhou@chinadailyusa.com
\n",
+ "content": "
The September unemployment rate is unavailable due to the federal government shutdown, but the ADP National Employment Report showed that the private sector eliminated 32,000 jobs in September compared to the same period a year ago.
\n
The report was produced by ADP Research, an institute on labor market and employee performance research, and the Stanford Digital Economy Lab.
\n
"Despite the strong economic growth we saw in the second quarter, this month's release further validates what we've been seeing in the labor market, that US employers have been cautious with hiring," Nela Richardson, chief economist at ADP, said in a statement.
\n
Major job posting site Indeed reported that as of Sept 26, the number of job openings had dropped by 2.5 percent compared to August. Its data showed that almost all sectors — with the sole exception of banking and financing — posted fewer jobs than a year ago.
\n
About one-third of all 45 professional sectors declined by more than 10 percent. Scientific research and development showed the largest drop, with almost a quarter fewer jobs available compared to a year ago.
\n
According to BioSpace — a site for life science news and jobs — companies in the biotech and pharma sector are expected to lay off 24,000 employees in the third quarter.
\n
For many individuals looking for a job, the reality on the ground is harsh.
\n
Chuck, whose last name was withheld for privacy, graduated from the University of Texas at Austin last summer with a bachelor's degree in computer science. He is losing hope of finding a job after more than a year.
\n
"I have applied for hundreds and hundreds of positions, but I got only a few responses, three phone interviews, one Zoom interview and zero offers," he told China Daily. "I am considering applying for graduate school instead because so far it has been impossible for me to land a job."
\n
Timothy, whose last name was withheld for privacy, is a computer engineer in his mid-30s in Dallas. He regrets leaving his previous job at the end of last year.
\n
Having never found it hard to land a new position before, he decided to take a break last year as the Christmas season was approaching. He began trying to re-enter the job market in April.
\n
To his surprise and dismay, nothing has materialized.
\n
"I have never experienced a job market this bad. I was in and out of a job a few times, but I was always able to get one within a month or two, often getting multiple offers. Now I feel quite desperate," Timothy said.
\n
What job recruiters are seeing confirms the tough reality for those job hunters.
\n
David Leshowitz, senior vice-president of Management Recruiters in Boston, told Boston's NPR station WBUR that his company is getting fewer calls from companies demanding workers.
\n
"There used to be five, six, seven opportunities for every candidate that we would recruit," Leshowitz told WBUR. "Maybe now there's only one opportunity."
\n
One recruiter posted on Reddit: "We are in a recession. There are fewer jobs than people applying for those jobs. Salaries are decreasing, not increasing, and the options you have are fewer."
\n
"This is one of the worst times since 2008 to be a job seeker," the recruiter wrote.
\n
According to a USA Today report, some states are already in a recession based on Moody's analysis.
\n
The report showed that 21 states and the District of Columbia, which contribute about a third of US economic activity, are already in a recession. An additional 13 states, representing another third of the economy, are treading water. The remaining 16 states, including Texas and Florida, are growing.
\n
The analysis said that as a whole, the US is on the edge of recession, defined as a significant decline in economic activity across the economy, lasting more than a few months.
\n
Economic experts said that economic uncertainty, created by President Donald Trump's tariff policy and his sometimes quick and sudden decisions, has many companies holding off on investment plans and hiring decisions.
\n
"One of my students works in the supply chain for a major manufacturer. They're obviously going to have to make some new investments to save money, but they can't yet because the policy is so vague," Ed Hirs, a lecturer at the Department of Economics at the University of Houston, told China Daily in a previous interview.
A helicopter flies over mourners to disperse the crowd in Nairobi, Kenya, on Thursday, after the arrival of the body of former Kenyan prime minister Raila Odinga, who had been receiving medical treatment in India when he died.
\n",
+ "content": "
A helicopter flies over mourners to disperse the crowd in Nairobi, Kenya, on Thursday, after the arrival of the body of former Kenyan prime minister Raila Odinga, who had been receiving medical treatment in India when he died.
Engineers at the Aviation Industry Corp of China are working on at least two new types of new-energy aircraft with vertical takeoff and landing capability, hoping to meet demand for such craft in the market.
\n
Feng Weichao, a senior designer at the China Helicopter Research and Development Institute, an AVIC subsidiary, said in Tianjin on Friday that engineers at his institute have built an unmanned prototype of the AR-E3000 electric-powered vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, and conducted the prototype's maiden flight in July.
\n
"The test flight took place in Jingdezhen, Jiangxi province, and lasted about five minutes. We checked the model's performance in terms of hovering and flying forward and backward," he said, adding that more test flights are planned to examine its overall capability.
\n
The AR-E3000 has advantages such as low carbon emission, adaptability to plateau environment, good operational economy and versatility, and a high safety level. It can meet the needs of air transportation, aerial sightseeing, and emergency response in urban regions. It can also be used for point-to-point delivery in plateaus, islands and other remote areas, Feng told China Daily on the sidelines of the 7th China Helicopter Exposition that opened in Tianjin on Thursday.
\n
According to information published by the institute, the AR-E3000 has a maximum takeoff weight of 2.3 metric tons, a carrying capacity of 450 kilograms, and a top speed of 280 kilometers per hour.
\n
The craft is able to operate for one hour and can fly 200 km when fully loaded.
\n
Another unmanned type, which has yet to be given a name, is still in the midst of design work and will have a larger body.
\n
The new model will be propelled by six electric motors and powered by a hybrid power pack. It will be specifically suitable for operations in plateaus, especially transport tasks.
\n
The drone can carry 600 kg of payloads and fly about 600 km, and will have a maximum cruise speed of 380 km per hour.
\n
"Compared with conventional helicopters, electric or hybrid-power tiltrotor aircraft is less susceptible to high altitudes' impact on engine performance thanks to the use of electric batteries," Feng explained.
\n
He noted that in the future, along with the improvement of batteries and engines, the new aircraft will have big potential in civilian and military fields.
\n
"Currently, both of their prototypes are unmanned. We can develop manned variants if there are market demands. In addition, we can enlarge their size and give them bigger capacity based on users' requirement," the designer said.
\n
zhaolei@chinadaily.com.cn
\n",
+ "content": "\n
Engineers at the Aviation Industry Corp of China are working on at least two new types of new-energy aircraft with vertical takeoff and landing capability, hoping to meet demand for such craft in the market.
\n
Feng Weichao, a senior designer at the China Helicopter Research and Development Institute, an AVIC subsidiary, said in Tianjin on Friday that engineers at his institute have built an unmanned prototype of the AR-E3000 electric-powered vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, and conducted the prototype's maiden flight in July.
\n
"The test flight took place in Jingdezhen, Jiangxi province, and lasted about five minutes. We checked the model's performance in terms of hovering and flying forward and backward," he said, adding that more test flights are planned to examine its overall capability.
\n
The AR-E3000 has advantages such as low carbon emission, adaptability to plateau environment, good operational economy and versatility, and a high safety level. It can meet the needs of air transportation, aerial sightseeing, and emergency response in urban regions. It can also be used for point-to-point delivery in plateaus, islands and other remote areas, Feng told China Daily on the sidelines of the 7th China Helicopter Exposition that opened in Tianjin on Thursday.
\n
According to information published by the institute, the AR-E3000 has a maximum takeoff weight of 2.3 metric tons, a carrying capacity of 450 kilograms, and a top speed of 280 kilometers per hour.
\n
The craft is able to operate for one hour and can fly 200 km when fully loaded.
\n
Another unmanned type, which has yet to be given a name, is still in the midst of design work and will have a larger body.
\n
The new model will be propelled by six electric motors and powered by a hybrid power pack. It will be specifically suitable for operations in plateaus, especially transport tasks.
\n
The drone can carry 600 kg of payloads and fly about 600 km, and will have a maximum cruise speed of 380 km per hour.
\n
"Compared with conventional helicopters, electric or hybrid-power tiltrotor aircraft is less susceptible to high altitudes' impact on engine performance thanks to the use of electric batteries," Feng explained.
\n
He noted that in the future, along with the improvement of batteries and engines, the new aircraft will have big potential in civilian and military fields.
\n
"Currently, both of their prototypes are unmanned. We can develop manned variants if there are market demands. In addition, we can enlarge their size and give them bigger capacity based on users' requirement," the designer said.
China is experiencing the strongest cold front so far in the second half of this year, with most parts of the nation forecast to see a sharp drop in temperatures, experts said.
\n
There is a high possibility that Beijing will see an early start to winter this weekend, and the temperature drop will bring the unusually persistent scorching heat in the eastern and southern provinces to an end, according to the latest forecast by the China Meteorological Administration.
\n
Ma Xuekuan, chief forecaster of the National Meteorological Center, said that a strong cold front will move from the north to the south and continuously affect the nation's central and eastern parts from Thursday to Tuesday, adding that these areas will see temperature drops of 6 to 10 degrees.
\n
Among these provinces and areas, the Inner Mongolia autonomous region and those in the country's central part will see temperatures drop by 10 to 14 degrees, or even over 15 degrees, during the period, Ma noted.
\n
"It's so far the strongest cold front affecting China in the year's second half based on its range and degree of influence," he said, adding that the nation's northern provinces will see the temperature keep falling next week.
\n
He said that China's central part and provinces along the eastern part of the Yellow River and Huaihe River, including Jiangsu, Anhui, Henan and Shandong, will witness the temperature plunge by 10 degrees in five consecutive days from Saturday, with a higher possibility of the onset of winter.
\n
Shi Xinxin, a weather analyst from China Weather TV, said there is a very high possibility of Beijing seeing an early arrival of winter on Saturday, as reported by the People's Daily on Friday.
\n
According to Shi, Beijing will see the average day temperature fall below 10 degrees in continuous 7 days from Saturday. Historically, from 1991 to 2020, the city has seen the start of winter on Oct 31, which will move up now because of the ongoing cold front.
\n
Affected by the strong cold front, provinces and regions south of the Yangtze River and the nation's southern part, such as Shanghai and Zhejiang, will also see a quick temperature change that will end the unusual heat wave there, according to Ma, the chief forecaster.
\n
He added that from Sunday to Friday, the southern provinces will see temperatures 2 to 4 degrees lower than usual in previous years.
\n
The meeting of the cold front and warm air currents also brought torrential rains to southwestern provinces and provinces along the Yellow River and Huaihe River such as Sichuan and Chongqing on Thursday and Friday. The rains will ease from Saturday after the cold front moves southward.
\n
Noting the sharp temperature change, the China Meteorological Administration has reminded the public to be careful of weather-related risks like flu, and to be covered in adequately warm clothing.
\n
chengsi@chinadaily.com.cn
\n",
+ "content": "
China is experiencing the strongest cold front so far in the second half of this year, with most parts of the nation forecast to see a sharp drop in temperatures, experts said.
\n
There is a high possibility that Beijing will see an early start to winter this weekend, and the temperature drop will bring the unusually persistent scorching heat in the eastern and southern provinces to an end, according to the latest forecast by the China Meteorological Administration.
\n
Ma Xuekuan, chief forecaster of the National Meteorological Center, said that a strong cold front will move from the north to the south and continuously affect the nation's central and eastern parts from Thursday to Tuesday, adding that these areas will see temperature drops of 6 to 10 degrees.
\n
Among these provinces and areas, the Inner Mongolia autonomous region and those in the country's central part will see temperatures drop by 10 to 14 degrees, or even over 15 degrees, during the period, Ma noted.
\n
"It's so far the strongest cold front affecting China in the year's second half based on its range and degree of influence," he said, adding that the nation's northern provinces will see the temperature keep falling next week.
\n
He said that China's central part and provinces along the eastern part of the Yellow River and Huaihe River, including Jiangsu, Anhui, Henan and Shandong, will witness the temperature plunge by 10 degrees in five consecutive days from Saturday, with a higher possibility of the onset of winter.
\n
Shi Xinxin, a weather analyst from China Weather TV, said there is a very high possibility of Beijing seeing an early arrival of winter on Saturday, as reported by the People's Daily on Friday.
\n
According to Shi, Beijing will see the average day temperature fall below 10 degrees in continuous 7 days from Saturday. Historically, from 1991 to 2020, the city has seen the start of winter on Oct 31, which will move up now because of the ongoing cold front.
\n
Affected by the strong cold front, provinces and regions south of the Yangtze River and the nation's southern part, such as Shanghai and Zhejiang, will also see a quick temperature change that will end the unusual heat wave there, according to Ma, the chief forecaster.
\n
He added that from Sunday to Friday, the southern provinces will see temperatures 2 to 4 degrees lower than usual in previous years.
\n
The meeting of the cold front and warm air currents also brought torrential rains to southwestern provinces and provinces along the Yellow River and Huaihe River such as Sichuan and Chongqing on Thursday and Friday. The rains will ease from Saturday after the cold front moves southward.
\n
Noting the sharp temperature change, the China Meteorological Administration has reminded the public to be careful of weather-related risks like flu, and to be covered in adequately warm clothing.
In just one month, the COP30 United Nations Climate Change Conference will be held in Belem, Brazil. This year also marks the 10th anniversary of the Paris Agreement on climate change. Amid growing geopolitical conflicts, the rise of unilateralism and protectionism, and challenges such as the United States' withdrawal from the Paris Agreement once again, all parties are paying close attention to this conference. COP30 is seen as a pivotal moment in the 35-year history of global cooperation on tackling climate change, building on past achievements and paving the way for future efforts. The conference should reaffirm support for the Paris Agreement, emphasize the irreversibility of the global energy transition, confirm financial and technological support for developing countries, and ensure a fair and equitable international environment for a just global transition. China will work closely with all parties to actively contribute to the success of COP30.
\n
Liu Zhenmin, China special envoy for climate change
\n
\n
In China, the innovation in new green and low-carbon technologies creates favorable conditions for traditional energy regions to capitalize on their latecomer advantages. We must target key areas of green transformation to promote the dissemination of cutting-edge technologies. This will accelerate the shift from a resource-driven to an innovation-driven development model. Further reforms should be deepened, with pilot projects in areas such as zero-carbon parks, new energy systems, and eco-product value counties. These efforts aim to establish lasting institutional frameworks that ensure a green and equitable transition.
\n
Lyu Wenbin, director of the Energy Research Institute at the National Development and Reform Commission
\n
\n
The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework targets are not just about numbers. They reflect our shared vision of a future where ecosystems are healthy, wildlife thrives and communities flourish alongside the natural world. In this process, China is uniquely positioned to inspire global action and accelerate progress toward a more resilient and sustainable future.
\n
Kirsten Schuijt, director-general at the World Wide Fund for Nature International
\n
\n
China, with its experience in rapid transformation in the green transition, is well-positioned to help other economies explore how similar progress can be achieved. More attention should be given to the governance mechanisms needed to make this happen. It's not only about technology, but also about governance, knowledge, and capacity building. And the transition is not just one for China. It's a transition that must take place in the interconnected global economy.
\n
Miranda Schreurs, chair of climate and environmental policy at the Technical University of Munich in Germany
\n
\n
This meeting has been a needed signal of both hope and confidence — hope and confidence that the high-quality green transition is accelerating in China at a faster rate than anyone had predicted; hope and confidence that ecological stewardship is gaining roots so deep that we're now seeing the opportunity to move to a nature-positive trajectory.
\n
Scott Vaughan, senior fellow at the International Institute for Sustainable Development
\n",
+ "content": "
In just one month, the COP30 United Nations Climate Change Conference will be held in Belem, Brazil. This year also marks the 10th anniversary of the Paris Agreement on climate change. Amid growing geopolitical conflicts, the rise of unilateralism and protectionism, and challenges such as the United States' withdrawal from the Paris Agreement once again, all parties are paying close attention to this conference. COP30 is seen as a pivotal moment in the 35-year history of global cooperation on tackling climate change, building on past achievements and paving the way for future efforts. The conference should reaffirm support for the Paris Agreement, emphasize the irreversibility of the global energy transition, confirm financial and technological support for developing countries, and ensure a fair and equitable international environment for a just global transition. China will work closely with all parties to actively contribute to the success of COP30.
\n
Liu Zhenmin, China special envoy for climate change
\n
\n
In China, the innovation in new green and low-carbon technologies creates favorable conditions for traditional energy regions to capitalize on their latecomer advantages. We must target key areas of green transformation to promote the dissemination of cutting-edge technologies. This will accelerate the shift from a resource-driven to an innovation-driven development model. Further reforms should be deepened, with pilot projects in areas such as zero-carbon parks, new energy systems, and eco-product value counties. These efforts aim to establish lasting institutional frameworks that ensure a green and equitable transition.
\n
Lyu Wenbin, director of the Energy Research Institute at the National Development and Reform Commission
\n
\n
The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework targets are not just about numbers. They reflect our shared vision of a future where ecosystems are healthy, wildlife thrives and communities flourish alongside the natural world. In this process, China is uniquely positioned to inspire global action and accelerate progress toward a more resilient and sustainable future.
\n
Kirsten Schuijt, director-general at the World Wide Fund for Nature International
\n
\n
China, with its experience in rapid transformation in the green transition, is well-positioned to help other economies explore how similar progress can be achieved. More attention should be given to the governance mechanisms needed to make this happen. It's not only about technology, but also about governance, knowledge, and capacity building. And the transition is not just one for China. It's a transition that must take place in the interconnected global economy.
\n
Miranda Schreurs, chair of climate and environmental policy at the Technical University of Munich in Germany
\n
\n
This meeting has been a needed signal of both hope and confidence — hope and confidence that the high-quality green transition is accelerating in China at a faster rate than anyone had predicted; hope and confidence that ecological stewardship is gaining roots so deep that we're now seeing the opportunity to move to a nature-positive trajectory.
\n
Scott Vaughan, senior fellow at the International Institute for Sustainable Development
Two Canadian tourists enjoy "slow living" in the bustling streets of Liziba, Chongqing, on Oct 3, as the city has continuously cultivated and developed itself as an international consumption hub.
\n
CHONGQING — Strolling through bustling blocks, relaxing at massage parlors, or killing time at a roadside tea or coffee shop, such leisurely practices of "slow living" are gaining popularity among locals and tourists in Southwest China's Chongqing municipality.
\n
A growing interest in wellness practices among young Chinese people has transformed this city's leisure consumption market, offering diverse experiences such as specialty massages and tea-drinking sessions.
\n
As one of the century-old areas in downtown Chongqing, the Luzumiao block has preserved historical memories amid red-brick and tile-roofed structures, while also serving as a prime location for leisure businesses.
\n
One such business is Lantiya Massage Parlor, which provides authentic Thai-style massage with techniques adapted to local needs. All its therapists are from Thailand and have over eight years of experience.
\n
"We blend Thai techniques with local preferences to create a unique relaxation space," says manager Hu Peng. The parlor offers tailored packages, such as one for tourists aimed at relieving sore feet and another targeted at easing back pain for office workers.
\n
Liu Cong, a tourist from Beijing, visited this massage parlor on two consecutive days. "It was a novel experience. The therapists are professional and attentive, and I feel much more relaxed afterwards," she says.
\n
Beyond massage, Lantiya integrates afternoon tea, allowing customers to immerse themselves in the block's traditional architecture and culture.
\n
Similarly, Golden Impression massage parlor attracts over 2 million annual visitors through diversified services. Marketing head He Renjie notes that over 80 percent of customers are under the age of 35.
\n
"We combine wellness with specialty cuisine such as healthy, low GI (glycemic index) meals and local specialties, HiFi audiovisual systems, and travel services such as luggage storage and overnight accommodation, to meet the demand for personalized experiences," he says.
\n
For a quieter experience, Nianxiang Niancha Tea House in the Shibati scenic area offers a cultural retreat featuring traditional teas and tea-infused rice, a local dish made with tea, vegetables and nuts.
\n
The teahouse's owner, Ma Kun, describes it as a "cultural space", where handmade tableware and informational cards educate visitors on the history of the dishes. This approach is making tea culture trendy among vegetarians and young people.
\n
Chongqing has continuously cultivated and developed itself as an international consumption hub in recent years, and these efforts are paying off.
\n
In the first half of 2025, retail sales of consumer goods exceeded 830 billion yuan ($116.5 billion), achieving sustained growth.
\n
Notably, a thriving leisure sector, coupled with a vibrant night economy, continues to diversify consumption models, enhancing the city's appeal.
Two Canadian tourists enjoy "slow living" in the bustling streets of Liziba, Chongqing, on Oct 3, as the city has continuously cultivated and developed itself as an international consumption hub.
\n
CHONGQING — Strolling through bustling blocks, relaxing at massage parlors, or killing time at a roadside tea or coffee shop, such leisurely practices of "slow living" are gaining popularity among locals and tourists in Southwest China's Chongqing municipality.
\n
A growing interest in wellness practices among young Chinese people has transformed this city's leisure consumption market, offering diverse experiences such as specialty massages and tea-drinking sessions.
\n
As one of the century-old areas in downtown Chongqing, the Luzumiao block has preserved historical memories amid red-brick and tile-roofed structures, while also serving as a prime location for leisure businesses.
\n
One such business is Lantiya Massage Parlor, which provides authentic Thai-style massage with techniques adapted to local needs. All its therapists are from Thailand and have over eight years of experience.
\n
"We blend Thai techniques with local preferences to create a unique relaxation space," says manager Hu Peng. The parlor offers tailored packages, such as one for tourists aimed at relieving sore feet and another targeted at easing back pain for office workers.
\n
Liu Cong, a tourist from Beijing, visited this massage parlor on two consecutive days. "It was a novel experience. The therapists are professional and attentive, and I feel much more relaxed afterwards," she says.
\n
Beyond massage, Lantiya integrates afternoon tea, allowing customers to immerse themselves in the block's traditional architecture and culture.
\n
Similarly, Golden Impression massage parlor attracts over 2 million annual visitors through diversified services. Marketing head He Renjie notes that over 80 percent of customers are under the age of 35.
\n
"We combine wellness with specialty cuisine such as healthy, low GI (glycemic index) meals and local specialties, HiFi audiovisual systems, and travel services such as luggage storage and overnight accommodation, to meet the demand for personalized experiences," he says.
\n
For a quieter experience, Nianxiang Niancha Tea House in the Shibati scenic area offers a cultural retreat featuring traditional teas and tea-infused rice, a local dish made with tea, vegetables and nuts.
\n
The teahouse's owner, Ma Kun, describes it as a "cultural space", where handmade tableware and informational cards educate visitors on the history of the dishes. This approach is making tea culture trendy among vegetarians and young people.
\n
Chongqing has continuously cultivated and developed itself as an international consumption hub in recent years, and these efforts are paying off.
\n
In the first half of 2025, retail sales of consumer goods exceeded 830 billion yuan ($116.5 billion), achieving sustained growth.
\n
Notably, a thriving leisure sector, coupled with a vibrant night economy, continues to diversify consumption models, enhancing the city's appeal.
Liu Wenhui, a Yuju Opera actress, performs at the launch ceremony of the Hundred Operas Entering Anhui event on Sept 28 in Hefei, Anhui province.
\n
A news conference is held in Beijing on Sept 22 for the 235th anniversary of Anhui Troupes Entering Beijing and the Hundred Operas Entering Anhui-themed series of events.
\n
Wang Yushu (left), a Huiju Opera actor, performs at the launch ceremony.
\n
On the occasion of the 235th anniversary of Huiju Opera's arrival in Beijing, a new generation of performers is stepping forward to carry the centuries-old art form into the future, infusing it with youthful vigor and creative passion.
\n
In 1790, four opera troupes from East China's Anhui province came to Beijing to perform during celebrations marking the 80th birthday of Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). Some troupes stayed on in the capital, and by the early 1800s, they began collaborating with outstanding performers from Hubei province. Their exchanges eventually gave rise to what is now known as Peking Opera.
\n
To mark this milestone, a special performance was held on Sept 22 at Changyin Ge — the Pavilion of Cheerful Melodies — within the Palace Museum. There, young artists born in the 2000s showcased their talent and devotion, signaling a vibrant future for this classical tradition.
\n
The special performance served as a powerful showcase of this renaissance. According to Chi Jun, chief director of the performance and screenwriter at the National Peking Opera Company, the production took over six years to realize, involving in-depth historical research, inspiration from the museum's collections, and the revival of ceremonial music and traditional stagecraft.
\n
"This performance creates a meaningful 'dialogue between centuries'," says Chi. "The Palace Museum stands as a hallowed hall in China's cultural lineage, while Huiju Opera's journey to Beijing 235 years ago marks a pivotal moment in our artistic history. Bringing them together in this sacred place honors both legacies while pointing toward the future."
\n
What made this production particularly remarkable was its youthful cast — predominantly performers born after 2000, who have undergone years of rigorous training to master the intricate art form. Among them, young artist Qiao Chun'er describes the experience as transformative: "We have been practicing in the rehearsal room for months, polishing every detail. As the younger generation, we feel a deep sense of responsibility and mission."
\n
The program carefully curated excerpts from four historic Huiju Opera troupes. These are Chuntai Troupe's Bai Tu Ji (The White Rabbit), Hechun Troupe's Yu Ni He (The River of Sludge), Sixi Troupe's Yu Zhou Feng (Cosmic Blade) and Sanqing Troupe's Long Hu Dou (Dragon-Tiger Battle). Each piece highlighted a distinct aspect of Huiju Opera's artistry, from the refined combination of singing and recitation to its unique tradition of infusing civil plays with martial flair.
\n
Wang Jingxian, rehearsal director of this performance and a first-generation inheritor of Huiju Opera after the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949, says the prominence of young performers signals a vital renaissance. "These artists represent the third generation of Huiju Opera practitioners — our grandchildren's generation. Their energy, dedication and willingness to push creative boundaries ensure the art form will not only survive but thrive in the contemporary cultural landscape."
\n
The anniversary celebrations extend far beyond a single performance. Zhang Jian, president of Anhui Performing Arts Group, announced an ambitious series of initiatives on Sept 22 at a news conference in Beijing. The plan includes a nine-city performance tour retracing the original route of the Anhui troupes' journey to Beijing — covering Beijing, Tianjin, Jinan, Yangzhou, Nanjing, Hangzhou, Anqing, Huangshan and Hefei.
\n
The initiatives also feature publishing historical repertoire collections in collaboration with the Palace Museum, hosting lectures by renowned artists, organizing themed exhibitions, and introducing Huiju Opera in schools through interactive educational activities.
\n
In addition, Anhui province is hosting a national opera festival from late September through the upcoming Spring Festival. The event will bring together leading artists from various traditional opera genres to stage over 100 classic productions, alongside another 100 performances by Anhui's local opera troupes, offering audiences an immersive cultural feast.
\n
Audiences have responded enthusiastically. A native surnamed He from Fuyang city in Anhui says he grew up with Yuju Opera (from Henan province) thanks to his parents' influence. "My hometown sits right on the border between Henan and Anhui provinces. As a child, I often saw my parents listening to Yuju Opera. That's why I specifically brought my child along this time — hoping to let them experience the charm of our excellent traditional culture up close."
\n
Zhang adds that the commemorative activities aim to honor cultural origins, carry forward this rich legacy, and write a new chapter for the tradition in our contemporary era.
\n
"The arrival of the Huiju Opera troupes in Beijing 235 years ago was a milestone in Chinese theater history. It played a pivotal role in the birth of Peking Opera and influenced the evolution of traditional Chinese opera as a whole," he says. "We are not just commemorating history — we're writing its next chapter through these young artists."
\n
Contact the writers at wangsongsong@chinadaily.com.cn
Liu Wenhui, a Yuju Opera actress, performs at the launch ceremony of the Hundred Operas Entering Anhui event on Sept 28 in Hefei, Anhui province.
\n
A news conference is held in Beijing on Sept 22 for the 235th anniversary of Anhui Troupes Entering Beijing and the Hundred Operas Entering Anhui-themed series of events.
\n
Wang Yushu (left), a Huiju Opera actor, performs at the launch ceremony.
\n
On the occasion of the 235th anniversary of Huiju Opera's arrival in Beijing, a new generation of performers is stepping forward to carry the centuries-old art form into the future, infusing it with youthful vigor and creative passion.
\n
In 1790, four opera troupes from East China's Anhui province came to Beijing to perform during celebrations marking the 80th birthday of Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). Some troupes stayed on in the capital, and by the early 1800s, they began collaborating with outstanding performers from Hubei province. Their exchanges eventually gave rise to what is now known as Peking Opera.
\n
To mark this milestone, a special performance was held on Sept 22 at Changyin Ge — the Pavilion of Cheerful Melodies — within the Palace Museum. There, young artists born in the 2000s showcased their talent and devotion, signaling a vibrant future for this classical tradition.
\n
The special performance served as a powerful showcase of this renaissance. According to Chi Jun, chief director of the performance and screenwriter at the National Peking Opera Company, the production took over six years to realize, involving in-depth historical research, inspiration from the museum's collections, and the revival of ceremonial music and traditional stagecraft.
\n
"This performance creates a meaningful 'dialogue between centuries'," says Chi. "The Palace Museum stands as a hallowed hall in China's cultural lineage, while Huiju Opera's journey to Beijing 235 years ago marks a pivotal moment in our artistic history. Bringing them together in this sacred place honors both legacies while pointing toward the future."
\n
What made this production particularly remarkable was its youthful cast — predominantly performers born after 2000, who have undergone years of rigorous training to master the intricate art form. Among them, young artist Qiao Chun'er describes the experience as transformative: "We have been practicing in the rehearsal room for months, polishing every detail. As the younger generation, we feel a deep sense of responsibility and mission."
\n
The program carefully curated excerpts from four historic Huiju Opera troupes. These are Chuntai Troupe's Bai Tu Ji (The White Rabbit), Hechun Troupe's Yu Ni He (The River of Sludge), Sixi Troupe's Yu Zhou Feng (Cosmic Blade) and Sanqing Troupe's Long Hu Dou (Dragon-Tiger Battle). Each piece highlighted a distinct aspect of Huiju Opera's artistry, from the refined combination of singing and recitation to its unique tradition of infusing civil plays with martial flair.
\n
Wang Jingxian, rehearsal director of this performance and a first-generation inheritor of Huiju Opera after the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949, says the prominence of young performers signals a vital renaissance. "These artists represent the third generation of Huiju Opera practitioners — our grandchildren's generation. Their energy, dedication and willingness to push creative boundaries ensure the art form will not only survive but thrive in the contemporary cultural landscape."
\n
The anniversary celebrations extend far beyond a single performance. Zhang Jian, president of Anhui Performing Arts Group, announced an ambitious series of initiatives on Sept 22 at a news conference in Beijing. The plan includes a nine-city performance tour retracing the original route of the Anhui troupes' journey to Beijing — covering Beijing, Tianjin, Jinan, Yangzhou, Nanjing, Hangzhou, Anqing, Huangshan and Hefei.
\n
The initiatives also feature publishing historical repertoire collections in collaboration with the Palace Museum, hosting lectures by renowned artists, organizing themed exhibitions, and introducing Huiju Opera in schools through interactive educational activities.
\n
In addition, Anhui province is hosting a national opera festival from late September through the upcoming Spring Festival. The event will bring together leading artists from various traditional opera genres to stage over 100 classic productions, alongside another 100 performances by Anhui's local opera troupes, offering audiences an immersive cultural feast.
\n
Audiences have responded enthusiastically. A native surnamed He from Fuyang city in Anhui says he grew up with Yuju Opera (from Henan province) thanks to his parents' influence. "My hometown sits right on the border between Henan and Anhui provinces. As a child, I often saw my parents listening to Yuju Opera. That's why I specifically brought my child along this time — hoping to let them experience the charm of our excellent traditional culture up close."
\n
Zhang adds that the commemorative activities aim to honor cultural origins, carry forward this rich legacy, and write a new chapter for the tradition in our contemporary era.
\n
"The arrival of the Huiju Opera troupes in Beijing 235 years ago was a milestone in Chinese theater history. It played a pivotal role in the birth of Peking Opera and influenced the evolution of traditional Chinese opera as a whole," he says. "We are not just commemorating history — we're writing its next chapter through these young artists."
\n
Contact the writers at wangsongsong@chinadaily.com.cn
MILAN — In the heart of Milan, just steps from the famous Brera Gallery, a cozy neighborhood restaurant is drawing locals with an unexpected yet delightful combination: Chinese braised dishes paired with Italian wine.
\n
At ZioZio, many Italian food enthusiasts are discovering the flavors and traditions behind Sichuan-style Chinese braised cuisine. The region's humid climate and use of Sichuan peppercorns have shaped a distinctive preference for numbing, spicy and aromatic flavors, often found in dishes meant to be savored slowly.
\n
Diners are often surprised to find how seamlessly these rich, layered flavors complement Italian wines, creating a unique interplay between East and West.
\n
"We wanted to create a restaurant for the local community from the very beginning," says Wang Haoran and Zeng Xiaotang, two young art graduates — one specializing in music and the other in design — who founded ZioZio after completing their studies in Italy. "By pairing Chinese braised dishes with the red wines Italians love, we hope to spark curiosity about new flavor combinations and introduce more people to the richness of China's regional food cultures."
\n
Their concept has resonated with Milan's locals. "In recent years, more authentic Chinese cuisines have appeared in Italy and Europe, offering greater variety and cultural experiences that people truly appreciate," says regular customer Gianluca Corrias.
\n
ZioZio's snug space of 15 square meters often hums with the lively chatter of locals. Some guests drop by after work to enjoy wine with braised beef and bamboo shoots, while others linger to chat with friends. Ahead of the Mid-Autumn Festival, Wang and Zeng prepared mooncakes, inviting Italian customers to taste the traditional treat and learn about the holiday's meaning.
\n
"The dishes here are authentic, not the tourist kind," says customer Caterina Cecconi. "I've never been to China, but now I really want to visit and meet more Chinese people."
\n
In Rome, another small eatery is also winning hearts with authentic Chinese flavors. Jiamo Lab, named after its signature snack roujiamo, a traditional Chinese flatbread stuffed with braised meat, has become a local favorite, even appearing on popular media recommendation lists.
\n
Located near a 460-year-old city wall designed by Michelangelo, Jiamo Lab offers not just food but also stories. The restaurant's walls are lined with information about the origins of roujiamo and its birthplace, the ancient city of Xi'an in Northwest China's Shaanxi province.
\n
"When we dine here, we're drawn to the cultural stories on the walls. They make us want to learn more about Chinese history," says customer Simona Baltieri.
\n
"Chinese cuisine is an ideal way to share our culture," says owner Hu Chenqiang. "With Xi'an roujiamo, we naturally talk about the Qin Dynasty (221-206 BC) and the Terracotta Warriors."
\n
For decades, Chinese cuisine abroad often meant fried rice or sweet-and-sour pork. Now, a new generation of Chinese restaurateurs is changing that perception, introducing authentic regional specialties, from Sichuan snacks to Xi'an street food, across Italy and the rest of Europe.
\n
Hu is determined to stay true to traditional flavors. "The more confidence we have in our own culture, the more interest foreigners will show in it," he says.
\n
Inside Jiamo Lab, visitors can also find information about China's visa-free policies and guidance on using mobile payment apps, part of Hu's effort to help curious diners prepare for future trips to China.
\n
Hu says he hopes his restaurant will become a genuine part of local life, encouraging cultural exchange, especially among young people.
\n
Regular customer Francesca Fatica believes these efforts go beyond food. Authentic Chinese cuisine is more than food, it is a bridge between cultures too, she says. "It's time to showcase more of China's traditions, allowing the world to see the true richness of Chinese culture."
MILAN — In the heart of Milan, just steps from the famous Brera Gallery, a cozy neighborhood restaurant is drawing locals with an unexpected yet delightful combination: Chinese braised dishes paired with Italian wine.
\n
At ZioZio, many Italian food enthusiasts are discovering the flavors and traditions behind Sichuan-style Chinese braised cuisine. The region's humid climate and use of Sichuan peppercorns have shaped a distinctive preference for numbing, spicy and aromatic flavors, often found in dishes meant to be savored slowly.
\n
Diners are often surprised to find how seamlessly these rich, layered flavors complement Italian wines, creating a unique interplay between East and West.
\n
"We wanted to create a restaurant for the local community from the very beginning," says Wang Haoran and Zeng Xiaotang, two young art graduates — one specializing in music and the other in design — who founded ZioZio after completing their studies in Italy. "By pairing Chinese braised dishes with the red wines Italians love, we hope to spark curiosity about new flavor combinations and introduce more people to the richness of China's regional food cultures."
\n
Their concept has resonated with Milan's locals. "In recent years, more authentic Chinese cuisines have appeared in Italy and Europe, offering greater variety and cultural experiences that people truly appreciate," says regular customer Gianluca Corrias.
\n
ZioZio's snug space of 15 square meters often hums with the lively chatter of locals. Some guests drop by after work to enjoy wine with braised beef and bamboo shoots, while others linger to chat with friends. Ahead of the Mid-Autumn Festival, Wang and Zeng prepared mooncakes, inviting Italian customers to taste the traditional treat and learn about the holiday's meaning.
\n
"The dishes here are authentic, not the tourist kind," says customer Caterina Cecconi. "I've never been to China, but now I really want to visit and meet more Chinese people."
\n
In Rome, another small eatery is also winning hearts with authentic Chinese flavors. Jiamo Lab, named after its signature snack roujiamo, a traditional Chinese flatbread stuffed with braised meat, has become a local favorite, even appearing on popular media recommendation lists.
\n
Located near a 460-year-old city wall designed by Michelangelo, Jiamo Lab offers not just food but also stories. The restaurant's walls are lined with information about the origins of roujiamo and its birthplace, the ancient city of Xi'an in Northwest China's Shaanxi province.
\n
"When we dine here, we're drawn to the cultural stories on the walls. They make us want to learn more about Chinese history," says customer Simona Baltieri.
\n
"Chinese cuisine is an ideal way to share our culture," says owner Hu Chenqiang. "With Xi'an roujiamo, we naturally talk about the Qin Dynasty (221-206 BC) and the Terracotta Warriors."
\n
For decades, Chinese cuisine abroad often meant fried rice or sweet-and-sour pork. Now, a new generation of Chinese restaurateurs is changing that perception, introducing authentic regional specialties, from Sichuan snacks to Xi'an street food, across Italy and the rest of Europe.
\n
Hu is determined to stay true to traditional flavors. "The more confidence we have in our own culture, the more interest foreigners will show in it," he says.
\n
Inside Jiamo Lab, visitors can also find information about China's visa-free policies and guidance on using mobile payment apps, part of Hu's effort to help curious diners prepare for future trips to China.
\n
Hu says he hopes his restaurant will become a genuine part of local life, encouraging cultural exchange, especially among young people.
\n
Regular customer Francesca Fatica believes these efforts go beyond food. Authentic Chinese cuisine is more than food, it is a bridge between cultures too, she says. "It's time to showcase more of China's traditions, allowing the world to see the true richness of Chinese culture."
President Xi Jinping has extended congratulations on the 120th founding anniversary of China Agricultural University, calling on it to cultivate more professionals with expertise and passion for agriculture.
\n
In a reply letter to faculty and students of CAU on Wednesday, Xi, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, expressed hope that they will stay committed to strengthening agriculture to serve the nation, deepening reform in education and teaching, and enhancing innovation in agricultural science and technology, as well as the application and transformation of research outcomes.
\n
He also called on the university to make new contributions to building up China's strength in agriculture and advancing Chinese modernization.
\n
Recently, faculty members and students of CAU wrote a letter to Xi, in which they expressed determination to accelerate the building of CAU as a world-class university and to make unremitting efforts for the great cause of building a strong nation and realizing national rejuvenation.
\n
The history of CAU, as the oldest agricultural higher education institution in China, can be traced back to October 1905, when the College of Agriculture was founded by the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) in the Imperial University of Peking.
\n
In 1995, CAU was formed by merging Beijing Agricultural University and Beijing Agricultural Engineering University. It now carries out friendly cooperation with more than 260 universities, research institutes and international organizations in over 50 countries and regions.
\n
Xi has always placed great importance on higher education in agriculture and forestry in the new era, as well as issues relating to agriculture, rural areas and farmers.
\n
In 2019, he replied to a letter from Party secretaries, presidents and experts of over 50 agricultural colleges, stressing their role in boosting agricultural prosperity.
\n
In 2023, he replied to a letter from students participating in a program at CAU that sends students to the front lines of agricultural production. The program, known as "science and technology backyards", aims to study and solve practical problems in the development of agriculture and rural areas and train high-level agricultural talent.
\n
Kang Shaozhong, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and a professor at CAU, said that receiving Xi's reply was immensely encouraging and motivating.
\n
Kang said that he will further deepen education and teaching reforms, cultivating more new-type talent who understand and love agriculture in the new era.
\n
Ma Ke, a third-year undergraduate student at the College of Animal Science and Technology at CAU, said that for him, understanding agriculture means diligently studying core knowledge and mastering the real skills for revitalizing agriculture through science and technology.
\n
"Loving agriculture means harboring the deepest affection for hundreds of millions of farmers," he said.
\n
Lemi Chala Tamire, from Ethiopia, who is a PhD candidate in development studies at CAU, said the 120th founding anniversary is a milestone, which is a testament to how the university has shaped generations of experts who are changing rural communities and contributing to China's remarkable development.
\n
"I am proud to be part of this great legacy — we make it, we are in the community," he said.
\n
China's model of poverty eradication and rural vitalization offers valuable insights that can be adapted to Ethiopia's context, Tamire said.
\n
"After graduation, I see myself as a proud ambassador of CAU — sharing the university's success stories globally and serving as a bridge between China and Ethiopia," he said.
\n
Tamire added that he will carry forward the knowledge, values and spirit he gained at the university to promote sustainable development and agricultural cooperation between Ethiopia and China.
\n
Contact the writers at zhoujin@chinadaily.com.cn
\n",
+ "content": "
President Xi Jinping has extended congratulations on the 120th founding anniversary of China Agricultural University, calling on it to cultivate more professionals with expertise and passion for agriculture.
\n
In a reply letter to faculty and students of CAU on Wednesday, Xi, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, expressed hope that they will stay committed to strengthening agriculture to serve the nation, deepening reform in education and teaching, and enhancing innovation in agricultural science and technology, as well as the application and transformation of research outcomes.
\n
He also called on the university to make new contributions to building up China's strength in agriculture and advancing Chinese modernization.
\n
Recently, faculty members and students of CAU wrote a letter to Xi, in which they expressed determination to accelerate the building of CAU as a world-class university and to make unremitting efforts for the great cause of building a strong nation and realizing national rejuvenation.
\n
The history of CAU, as the oldest agricultural higher education institution in China, can be traced back to October 1905, when the College of Agriculture was founded by the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) in the Imperial University of Peking.
\n
In 1995, CAU was formed by merging Beijing Agricultural University and Beijing Agricultural Engineering University. It now carries out friendly cooperation with more than 260 universities, research institutes and international organizations in over 50 countries and regions.
\n
Xi has always placed great importance on higher education in agriculture and forestry in the new era, as well as issues relating to agriculture, rural areas and farmers.
\n
In 2019, he replied to a letter from Party secretaries, presidents and experts of over 50 agricultural colleges, stressing their role in boosting agricultural prosperity.
\n
In 2023, he replied to a letter from students participating in a program at CAU that sends students to the front lines of agricultural production. The program, known as "science and technology backyards", aims to study and solve practical problems in the development of agriculture and rural areas and train high-level agricultural talent.
\n
Kang Shaozhong, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and a professor at CAU, said that receiving Xi's reply was immensely encouraging and motivating.
\n
Kang said that he will further deepen education and teaching reforms, cultivating more new-type talent who understand and love agriculture in the new era.
\n
Ma Ke, a third-year undergraduate student at the College of Animal Science and Technology at CAU, said that for him, understanding agriculture means diligently studying core knowledge and mastering the real skills for revitalizing agriculture through science and technology.
\n
"Loving agriculture means harboring the deepest affection for hundreds of millions of farmers," he said.
\n
Lemi Chala Tamire, from Ethiopia, who is a PhD candidate in development studies at CAU, said the 120th founding anniversary is a milestone, which is a testament to how the university has shaped generations of experts who are changing rural communities and contributing to China's remarkable development.
\n
"I am proud to be part of this great legacy — we make it, we are in the community," he said.
\n
China's model of poverty eradication and rural vitalization offers valuable insights that can be adapted to Ethiopia's context, Tamire said.
\n
"After graduation, I see myself as a proud ambassador of CAU — sharing the university's success stories globally and serving as a bridge between China and Ethiopia," he said.
\n
Tamire added that he will carry forward the knowledge, values and spirit he gained at the university to promote sustainable development and agricultural cooperation between Ethiopia and China.
Outside a consultation room at Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital in Hangzhou, the provincial capital, Liu tightly clutches her husband's medical records, unable to conceal her excitement and anticipation.
\n
Her husband lost sensation and motor function below the waist after a traffic accident damaged his spinal cord. Liu (not her real name), after learning that the hospital had opened a brain-computer interface and neuromodulation evaluation outpatient clinic on Wednesday, came to the city hoping that the treatment would help ease her husband's suffering.
\n
Brain-computer interface, or BCI, technology enables interaction between biological and machine intelligence by building information channels between the human brain and machines.
\n
As the first clinic of its kind in the province, all appointment slots were instantly snapped up.
\n
"After a spinal cord injury, the disruption of neural pathways is the core challenge. Our brain-computer interface technology can capture the brain's signals of 'intent to move', assisting movement through exoskeletons or functional electrical stimulation.
\n
"Simultaneously, it incorporates neuromodulation to improve muscle tone and reduce the risk of complications," Ye Xiangming, chief physician in charge of the clinic, told Liu. Neuromodulation is the alteration of nerve activity through electrical stimulation or chemical agents.
\n
As traditional methods fail in the treatment of some neurological diseases, the use of BCI technology is expected to find new paths to recovery, Ye said.
\n
Among the first group of patients seeking help at the clinic were those suffering from strokes, spinal cord injuries, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, refractory epilepsy and major depressive disorders, and many of the patients were from outside the province, according to the hospital.
\n
Patients need to undergo a multidimensional assessment before three experts collaboratively evaluate their rehabilitation potential, feasibility of surgical intervention, and psychological adaptability, in order to determine whether they are suitable for the therapy.
\n
"BCI technology can help patients recover faster and better. For example, many patients who have had a stroke cannot complete precise hand movements. But BCI can shorten treatment time from about three months to one-and-a-half months, also helping them improve their ability in daily life," he said.
\n
Ye added that noninvasive treatment has been proved safe, with infection being the main risk in semi-invasive and invasive treatments.
\n
Furthermore, "since the device is not opened to the wide internet, and the whole process is strictly controlled, there is no access for hackers", he said, adding that there is great potential for expanding applications and improving the therapeutic effects of brain-computer interface technology.
\n
Currently, the clinic serves four categories of patients: those with severe motor dysfunction, hearing loss, refractory neurological and psychiatric disorders, and communication impairments.
\n
Since May, when Beijing Tiantan Hospital opened the country's first BCI clinic, such services have been expanded to more places, including Wuhan in Hubei province and Shenzhen in Guangdong province.
\n
In August, multiple Chinese authorities jointly issued a set of guidelines aimed at promoting the innovative development of the BCI industry, including calls for the accelerated adoption of brain-computer interface products across sectors such as industrial manufacturing, healthcare and consumption by 2027.
\n
The National Medical Products Administration released China's first standards for BCI medical devices in September.
\n
Qu Yan, director of neurosurgery at Tangdu Hospital of Air Force Medical University in Xi'an, Shaanxi province, said: "The establishment of BCI outpatient clinics provides a standardized and professional channel for consultation and assessment to patients with real needs. This not only helps screen for patients who are most suitable for clinical trials or treatment, but also gives direct feedback to the scientific research side."
\n
Qu added that managing the expectations of patients and the public is the greatest challenge. "BCI's clinical application is still in a very early exploratory stage," he said. "Technologically, both invasive and noninvasive methods face bottlenecks such as signal stability, long-term biocompatibility and the accuracy of decoding algorithms," he added.
\n
In addition, he said surgical risks, data privacy and complex ethical issues are hurdles that must be overcome before large-scale promotion can occur.
\n
Contact the writers at chenmeiling@chinadaily.com.cn
Outside a consultation room at Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital in Hangzhou, the provincial capital, Liu tightly clutches her husband's medical records, unable to conceal her excitement and anticipation.
\n
Her husband lost sensation and motor function below the waist after a traffic accident damaged his spinal cord. Liu (not her real name), after learning that the hospital had opened a brain-computer interface and neuromodulation evaluation outpatient clinic on Wednesday, came to the city hoping that the treatment would help ease her husband's suffering.
\n
Brain-computer interface, or BCI, technology enables interaction between biological and machine intelligence by building information channels between the human brain and machines.
\n
As the first clinic of its kind in the province, all appointment slots were instantly snapped up.
\n
"After a spinal cord injury, the disruption of neural pathways is the core challenge. Our brain-computer interface technology can capture the brain's signals of 'intent to move', assisting movement through exoskeletons or functional electrical stimulation.
\n
"Simultaneously, it incorporates neuromodulation to improve muscle tone and reduce the risk of complications," Ye Xiangming, chief physician in charge of the clinic, told Liu. Neuromodulation is the alteration of nerve activity through electrical stimulation or chemical agents.
\n
As traditional methods fail in the treatment of some neurological diseases, the use of BCI technology is expected to find new paths to recovery, Ye said.
\n
Among the first group of patients seeking help at the clinic were those suffering from strokes, spinal cord injuries, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, refractory epilepsy and major depressive disorders, and many of the patients were from outside the province, according to the hospital.
\n
Patients need to undergo a multidimensional assessment before three experts collaboratively evaluate their rehabilitation potential, feasibility of surgical intervention, and psychological adaptability, in order to determine whether they are suitable for the therapy.
\n
"BCI technology can help patients recover faster and better. For example, many patients who have had a stroke cannot complete precise hand movements. But BCI can shorten treatment time from about three months to one-and-a-half months, also helping them improve their ability in daily life," he said.
\n
Ye added that noninvasive treatment has been proved safe, with infection being the main risk in semi-invasive and invasive treatments.
\n
Furthermore, "since the device is not opened to the wide internet, and the whole process is strictly controlled, there is no access for hackers", he said, adding that there is great potential for expanding applications and improving the therapeutic effects of brain-computer interface technology.
\n
Currently, the clinic serves four categories of patients: those with severe motor dysfunction, hearing loss, refractory neurological and psychiatric disorders, and communication impairments.
\n
Since May, when Beijing Tiantan Hospital opened the country's first BCI clinic, such services have been expanded to more places, including Wuhan in Hubei province and Shenzhen in Guangdong province.
\n
In August, multiple Chinese authorities jointly issued a set of guidelines aimed at promoting the innovative development of the BCI industry, including calls for the accelerated adoption of brain-computer interface products across sectors such as industrial manufacturing, healthcare and consumption by 2027.
\n
The National Medical Products Administration released China's first standards for BCI medical devices in September.
\n
Qu Yan, director of neurosurgery at Tangdu Hospital of Air Force Medical University in Xi'an, Shaanxi province, said: "The establishment of BCI outpatient clinics provides a standardized and professional channel for consultation and assessment to patients with real needs. This not only helps screen for patients who are most suitable for clinical trials or treatment, but also gives direct feedback to the scientific research side."
\n
Qu added that managing the expectations of patients and the public is the greatest challenge. "BCI's clinical application is still in a very early exploratory stage," he said. "Technologically, both invasive and noninvasive methods face bottlenecks such as signal stability, long-term biocompatibility and the accuracy of decoding algorithms," he added.
\n
In addition, he said surgical risks, data privacy and complex ethical issues are hurdles that must be overcome before large-scale promotion can occur.
\n
Contact the writers at chenmeiling@chinadaily.com.cn
Major Chinese airlines operating flights between China and the United States have pushed back against a US proposal to bar them from flying over Russian airspace for round-trips to and from the US. The ban, if finalized, could take effect from as early as November.
\n
Last week, the US proposed the ban through an order claiming that Chinese carriers gain an unfair cost advantage over their US counterparts on such flights, as US airlines are prohibited by Moscow from using Russian airspace.
\n
In a filing to the US Department of Transportation on Tuesday, seven Chinese airlines requested an extension to seven business days to respond to the order. The US order had initially set an unusually short comment period of just two business days.
\n
Industry experts said that if implemented, the ban would undoubtedly harm the public's interests. It will disrupt travel for a large number of passengers, drive up airfares and force some travelers to switch to connecting flights via Hong Kong, Japan or South Korea.
\n
Qi Qi, a senior independent civil aviation industry analyst, described the US demand as highly unreasonable and unprofessional, given that rerouting flights require considerable time for assessment.
\n
"In contrast, the response of the Chinese airlines has been professional and based on scientific considerations. It is hoped that the US will approach this matter with greater rationality and align its considerations with practical feasibility," Qi said. "Compared to the pre-pandemic period, both demand and supply for China-US flights have declined, with supply dropping at a higher rate. As a result, supply still falls short of demand, which is driven by business travel and exchanges between the two countries."
\n
The US move comes at a time when tensions in China-US trade and economic relations have been escalating in recent weeks.
\n
The seven Chinese carriers that filed documents are Air China, China Eastern Airlines, China Southern Airlines, Hainan Airlines, Sichuan Airlines, Xiamen Airlines and Capital Airlines. Of these, Capital Airlines is currently not operating flights between China and the US.
\n
Air China said that it is assessing the impact of the proposed restriction. It has requested an extension of the comment period to seven business days to complete its assessment and prepare a meaningful response to the order.
\n
Lin Jian, spokesman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, said at a regular news briefing on Wednesday that the restrictions imposed by the US targeting Chinese airlines were not conducive to people-to-people exchanges between the two countries and will harm the interests of the US itself.
\n
Lin said that the proposed restriction has been met with strong opposition in the US itself, and the ministry supports Chinese enterprises in safeguarding their legitimate and lawful rights and interests.
\n
As of September, there were 21 direct China-US routes in operation, served by nine airlines, including six Chinese carriers and three US carriers: United Airlines, American Airlines and Delta Air Lines. Chinese airlines accounted for 50.73 percent of the actual operated services, while US airlines made up the remaining 49.27 percent, according to Flight Master, a travel services platform.
\n
"If China-US flights were rerouted, travel time would increase by several hours and airfares would rise further. This will undoubtedly take a significant toll on business and trade exchanges between the two countries," said Lin Zhijie, an independent civil aviation industry analyst. "The US government has been resorting to various unreasonable demands, as it intends to disrupt exchanges between the two countries and hinder interactions between the two peoples. If China-US flights are suspended, it would ultimately harm the interests of the public on both sides."
\n
He further noted that currently, only US airlines are authorized to operate US-China routes with a stopover in Tokyo, the capital of Japan. In this regard, he suggested that in line with the principle of reciprocity, Chinese airlines should also be allowed to operate similar stopover routes between the two countries via Tokyo.
\n
zhuwenqian@chinadaily.com.cn
\n",
+ "content": "
Major Chinese airlines operating flights between China and the United States have pushed back against a US proposal to bar them from flying over Russian airspace for round-trips to and from the US. The ban, if finalized, could take effect from as early as November.
\n
Last week, the US proposed the ban through an order claiming that Chinese carriers gain an unfair cost advantage over their US counterparts on such flights, as US airlines are prohibited by Moscow from using Russian airspace.
\n
In a filing to the US Department of Transportation on Tuesday, seven Chinese airlines requested an extension to seven business days to respond to the order. The US order had initially set an unusually short comment period of just two business days.
\n
Industry experts said that if implemented, the ban would undoubtedly harm the public's interests. It will disrupt travel for a large number of passengers, drive up airfares and force some travelers to switch to connecting flights via Hong Kong, Japan or South Korea.
\n
Qi Qi, a senior independent civil aviation industry analyst, described the US demand as highly unreasonable and unprofessional, given that rerouting flights require considerable time for assessment.
\n
"In contrast, the response of the Chinese airlines has been professional and based on scientific considerations. It is hoped that the US will approach this matter with greater rationality and align its considerations with practical feasibility," Qi said. "Compared to the pre-pandemic period, both demand and supply for China-US flights have declined, with supply dropping at a higher rate. As a result, supply still falls short of demand, which is driven by business travel and exchanges between the two countries."
\n
The US move comes at a time when tensions in China-US trade and economic relations have been escalating in recent weeks.
\n
The seven Chinese carriers that filed documents are Air China, China Eastern Airlines, China Southern Airlines, Hainan Airlines, Sichuan Airlines, Xiamen Airlines and Capital Airlines. Of these, Capital Airlines is currently not operating flights between China and the US.
\n
Air China said that it is assessing the impact of the proposed restriction. It has requested an extension of the comment period to seven business days to complete its assessment and prepare a meaningful response to the order.
\n
Lin Jian, spokesman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, said at a regular news briefing on Wednesday that the restrictions imposed by the US targeting Chinese airlines were not conducive to people-to-people exchanges between the two countries and will harm the interests of the US itself.
\n
Lin said that the proposed restriction has been met with strong opposition in the US itself, and the ministry supports Chinese enterprises in safeguarding their legitimate and lawful rights and interests.
\n
As of September, there were 21 direct China-US routes in operation, served by nine airlines, including six Chinese carriers and three US carriers: United Airlines, American Airlines and Delta Air Lines. Chinese airlines accounted for 50.73 percent of the actual operated services, while US airlines made up the remaining 49.27 percent, according to Flight Master, a travel services platform.
\n
"If China-US flights were rerouted, travel time would increase by several hours and airfares would rise further. This will undoubtedly take a significant toll on business and trade exchanges between the two countries," said Lin Zhijie, an independent civil aviation industry analyst. "The US government has been resorting to various unreasonable demands, as it intends to disrupt exchanges between the two countries and hinder interactions between the two peoples. If China-US flights are suspended, it would ultimately harm the interests of the public on both sides."
\n
He further noted that currently, only US airlines are authorized to operate US-China routes with a stopover in Tokyo, the capital of Japan. In this regard, he suggested that in line with the principle of reciprocity, Chinese airlines should also be allowed to operate similar stopover routes between the two countries via Tokyo.
The world record attendance to see Shanghai Museum's On Top of the Pyramid: The Civilization of Ancient Egypt exhibition came as no surprise to observers of China's growing fascination with museum visits.
\n
After concluding a successful 13-month run, the museum announced on Aug 18 the event was the best attended single paid exhibition among museums globally, with over 2.77 million visits and more than 760 million yuan ($106.75 million) in revenue generated.
\n
While the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25) urged a more robust museum system in China, major achievements in archaeological studies have infused museums with fresh vitality, helping them present dazzling new exhibitions to the public.
\n
China had 7,046 registered museums as of the end of 2024, according to the National Cultural Heritage Administration, recorded nearly 1.5 billion visits in total, and held about 43,000 exhibitions last year.
\n
"During the 14th Five-Year Plan period, the public's demand for museums has become increasingly evident," said Pan Shouyong, a museology professor at Shanghai University. "Visiting museums to explore new exhibitions and 'check in' has become a common phenomenon."
\n
He added that behind the visible surge in numbers of museums, exhibitions and visits is strong support from both the government and broader society.
\n
Upgraded efforts
\n
Over the past five years — to better promote the development of museums — China has stepped up efforts to construct museum echelons by consolidating the museum grading system, according to Pan.
\n
This system regulates three tiers of museums nationwide based on their performance in management and infrastructure; their collection management and scientific research; and their exhibition and social services. All these factors provide direction for further improvements.
\n
Museums including the National Museum of China and the Palace Museum in Beijing and 15 key museums are supported by both the central and local governments. They are strong contenders for becoming world-class museums.
\n
The remaining museums will implement a classification system. Last year, the latest grouping of China's first-, second- and third-tier museums was announced, bringing the total number of such museums in China to 1,660 and meeting different needs of visitors.
\n
A guideline to promote the reform and development of China's museums, which was issued by nine departments in 2021, encouraged the formation of a museum development framework that is well-planned, structurally optimized, distinctive, institutionally sound, and fully functional by 2025.
\n
"At that time, we thought the goal was a bit too ambitious," Pan said. "But looking back, we find the goal has been achieved as a complete museum system has begun forming," he said, adding that work to boost China's museum strength is continuing.
\n
Cities such as Beijing, Taiyuan, Shanxi province and Nanjing, Jiangsu province, have integrated their rich museum resources into city development and each tried to build themselves into "a city of museums", hoping to give full play to the strength of museums to meet people's aspirations for improved lifestyles, said Pan.
\n
Key players
\n
China's museum professionals are also playing increasingly important roles on the international stage in decision-making and contributions to the industry.
\n
"If we say that during the 13th Five-Year Plan (2016-20) China's museums began to be known by the global profession, then in the past five years, we have shown our abilities and strength on the global stage," said Pan.
\n
For example, An Laishun, a professor at Shanghai University, who once worked as vice-president of the International Council of Museums, voted with his peers for the new definition of museum, which was released by the ICOM in 2022.
\n
Zhao Feng, honorary director of China National Silk Museum, is currently a member of the executive board of the ICOM.
\n
More Chinese experts are working in ICOM Regional Alliance of Asia-Pacific countries and other cross-regional projects related to museums and heritage.
\n
"With China's museum professionals gaining international influence … Chinese professionals' voices and opinions are becoming indispensable in making key decisions on big events," said Pan.
\n
"The number of Chinese people learning and working in top overseas universities and institutes cultivating museum professionals has surged in recent years as well."
\n
The achievements of museums are inseparable from the booming archaeology work in China.
\n
Rao Quan, head of the National Cultural Heritage Administration, said at a meeting held in Chengdu, Sichuan province in September that during the 14th Five-Year Plan period, under the high attention of China's top leadership, with strong support from governments at different levels and through the concerted efforts of all cultural relics and archaeological professionals, significant new achievements have been made in archaeological work.
\n
Archaeological progress
\n
Archaeological work is transitioning from the ivory towers of in-depth academic research to becoming a solid support for the national cultural strategy, according to Rao.
\n
In the past five years, for instance, the fifth phase of a major research project to trace the origins of Chinese civilization has been completed, exploring the regional characteristics of the areas where Chinese civilization began and the underlying components.
\n
Progress has also been made on 21 major subjects included in the "Archaeology China" program, which tries to study early Chinese history through well-planned excavations. A total of 1,284 active archaeological projects are well advanced, shedding fresh light on key research areas.
\n
For example, the discovery of a million-year-old human skull in Shiyan, Hubei province, on May 18, 2022, provides key information in the origins of human beings.
\n
The so-called No 3 skull of Yunxian county man was discovered 33 years after No 1 skull was found. With a complete structure, the skull presents features of Homo erectus and provides more information on human beings from the period.
\n
Other discoveries provide key evidence on the origins of agriculture, China's development as a unified country with multiple ethnic groups, and the cultural inheritance of the Xia (c.21st century-16th century BC), Shang (c.16th century-11th century BC) and Zhou (c.11th century-256 BC) dynasties, Rao said.
\n
The deep integration of archaeology with natural scientific methods has been a feature of China's archaeological studies in recent years, said Jia Xiaobing, a researcher at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences' Institute of Archaeology.
\n
DNA analysis of ancient materials, molecular biology and isotopic analysis have been applied in complicated subjects like the migration of ancient people and their subsistence patterns, helping unveil the evolution of civilization.
\n
"The technological means are no longer auxiliary tools, but an indispensable part of explaining archaeological discoveries," said Jia.
\n
Archaeology is also cooperating with other social sciences like history, philology, philosophy, sociology, anthropology and religious studies to advance understanding.
\n
In addition to exploration work in their homeland, Chinese archaeologists are making contributions to archaeological studies overseas.
\n
Over the past five years, Chinese scholars have carried out six cultural relics restoration projects in four countries and taken part in 49 joint archaeological projects in 28 overseas countries and regions with their foreign counterparts.
\n
"Ancient China always maintained intricate connections with the outside world, with the Silk Road, for example, serving as a channel for these interactions since ancient times," said Wang Wei, a senior archaeologist at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. "Without understanding foreign historical and archaeological materials, it is difficult to conduct in-depth research on the development of ancient Chinese history and culture," he said.
\n
"Chinese archaeological scholars are showcasing our abilities on the global stage. With our strength and advanced technological methods, we have become a significant power worldwide in this field," he added.
\n
wangru1@chinadaily.com.cn
\n",
+ "content": "\n\n
The world record attendance to see Shanghai Museum's On Top of the Pyramid: The Civilization of Ancient Egypt exhibition came as no surprise to observers of China's growing fascination with museum visits.
\n
After concluding a successful 13-month run, the museum announced on Aug 18 the event was the best attended single paid exhibition among museums globally, with over 2.77 million visits and more than 760 million yuan ($106.75 million) in revenue generated.
\n
While the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25) urged a more robust museum system in China, major achievements in archaeological studies have infused museums with fresh vitality, helping them present dazzling new exhibitions to the public.
\n
China had 7,046 registered museums as of the end of 2024, according to the National Cultural Heritage Administration, recorded nearly 1.5 billion visits in total, and held about 43,000 exhibitions last year.
\n
"During the 14th Five-Year Plan period, the public's demand for museums has become increasingly evident," said Pan Shouyong, a museology professor at Shanghai University. "Visiting museums to explore new exhibitions and 'check in' has become a common phenomenon."
\n
He added that behind the visible surge in numbers of museums, exhibitions and visits is strong support from both the government and broader society.
\n
Upgraded efforts
\n
Over the past five years — to better promote the development of museums — China has stepped up efforts to construct museum echelons by consolidating the museum grading system, according to Pan.
\n
This system regulates three tiers of museums nationwide based on their performance in management and infrastructure; their collection management and scientific research; and their exhibition and social services. All these factors provide direction for further improvements.
\n
Museums including the National Museum of China and the Palace Museum in Beijing and 15 key museums are supported by both the central and local governments. They are strong contenders for becoming world-class museums.
\n
The remaining museums will implement a classification system. Last year, the latest grouping of China's first-, second- and third-tier museums was announced, bringing the total number of such museums in China to 1,660 and meeting different needs of visitors.
\n
A guideline to promote the reform and development of China's museums, which was issued by nine departments in 2021, encouraged the formation of a museum development framework that is well-planned, structurally optimized, distinctive, institutionally sound, and fully functional by 2025.
\n
"At that time, we thought the goal was a bit too ambitious," Pan said. "But looking back, we find the goal has been achieved as a complete museum system has begun forming," he said, adding that work to boost China's museum strength is continuing.
\n
Cities such as Beijing, Taiyuan, Shanxi province and Nanjing, Jiangsu province, have integrated their rich museum resources into city development and each tried to build themselves into "a city of museums", hoping to give full play to the strength of museums to meet people's aspirations for improved lifestyles, said Pan.
\n
Key players
\n
China's museum professionals are also playing increasingly important roles on the international stage in decision-making and contributions to the industry.
\n
"If we say that during the 13th Five-Year Plan (2016-20) China's museums began to be known by the global profession, then in the past five years, we have shown our abilities and strength on the global stage," said Pan.
\n
For example, An Laishun, a professor at Shanghai University, who once worked as vice-president of the International Council of Museums, voted with his peers for the new definition of museum, which was released by the ICOM in 2022.
\n
Zhao Feng, honorary director of China National Silk Museum, is currently a member of the executive board of the ICOM.
\n
More Chinese experts are working in ICOM Regional Alliance of Asia-Pacific countries and other cross-regional projects related to museums and heritage.
\n
"With China's museum professionals gaining international influence … Chinese professionals' voices and opinions are becoming indispensable in making key decisions on big events," said Pan.
\n
"The number of Chinese people learning and working in top overseas universities and institutes cultivating museum professionals has surged in recent years as well."
\n
The achievements of museums are inseparable from the booming archaeology work in China.
\n
Rao Quan, head of the National Cultural Heritage Administration, said at a meeting held in Chengdu, Sichuan province in September that during the 14th Five-Year Plan period, under the high attention of China's top leadership, with strong support from governments at different levels and through the concerted efforts of all cultural relics and archaeological professionals, significant new achievements have been made in archaeological work.
\n
Archaeological progress
\n
Archaeological work is transitioning from the ivory towers of in-depth academic research to becoming a solid support for the national cultural strategy, according to Rao.
\n
In the past five years, for instance, the fifth phase of a major research project to trace the origins of Chinese civilization has been completed, exploring the regional characteristics of the areas where Chinese civilization began and the underlying components.
\n
Progress has also been made on 21 major subjects included in the "Archaeology China" program, which tries to study early Chinese history through well-planned excavations. A total of 1,284 active archaeological projects are well advanced, shedding fresh light on key research areas.
\n
For example, the discovery of a million-year-old human skull in Shiyan, Hubei province, on May 18, 2022, provides key information in the origins of human beings.
\n
The so-called No 3 skull of Yunxian county man was discovered 33 years after No 1 skull was found. With a complete structure, the skull presents features of Homo erectus and provides more information on human beings from the period.
\n
Other discoveries provide key evidence on the origins of agriculture, China's development as a unified country with multiple ethnic groups, and the cultural inheritance of the Xia (c.21st century-16th century BC), Shang (c.16th century-11th century BC) and Zhou (c.11th century-256 BC) dynasties, Rao said.
\n
The deep integration of archaeology with natural scientific methods has been a feature of China's archaeological studies in recent years, said Jia Xiaobing, a researcher at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences' Institute of Archaeology.
\n
DNA analysis of ancient materials, molecular biology and isotopic analysis have been applied in complicated subjects like the migration of ancient people and their subsistence patterns, helping unveil the evolution of civilization.
\n
"The technological means are no longer auxiliary tools, but an indispensable part of explaining archaeological discoveries," said Jia.
\n
Archaeology is also cooperating with other social sciences like history, philology, philosophy, sociology, anthropology and religious studies to advance understanding.
\n
In addition to exploration work in their homeland, Chinese archaeologists are making contributions to archaeological studies overseas.
\n
Over the past five years, Chinese scholars have carried out six cultural relics restoration projects in four countries and taken part in 49 joint archaeological projects in 28 overseas countries and regions with their foreign counterparts.
\n
"Ancient China always maintained intricate connections with the outside world, with the Silk Road, for example, serving as a channel for these interactions since ancient times," said Wang Wei, a senior archaeologist at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. "Without understanding foreign historical and archaeological materials, it is difficult to conduct in-depth research on the development of ancient Chinese history and culture," he said.
\n
"Chinese archaeological scholars are showcasing our abilities on the global stage. With our strength and advanced technological methods, we have become a significant power worldwide in this field," he added.
Ambassadors' spouses from 28 countries observe a live demonstration of the intricate and multilayered shoe-sole-making technique at a shop of the time-honored shoe brand Neiliansheng in Xicheng district, Beijing, on Thursday. The demonstration was part of a special cultural event where attendees immersed themselves in Beijing's rich cultural heritage and experienced authentic traditional craftsmanship.
\n",
+ "content": "
Ambassadors' spouses from 28 countries observe a live demonstration of the intricate and multilayered shoe-sole-making technique at a shop of the time-honored shoe brand Neiliansheng in Xicheng district, Beijing, on Thursday. The demonstration was part of a special cultural event where attendees immersed themselves in Beijing's rich cultural heritage and experienced authentic traditional craftsmanship.
A think tank report released on Thursday hailed the practical achievements the Xizang autonomous region has made in terms of its rural development since its founding 60 years ago.
\n
The achievements can be summarized as rapid economic growth, robust cultural preservation, safeguarding livelihoods, strengthened ecological protection and enhanced ethnic unity, according to the report.
\n
Titled "Harmony Between Tradition and Modernity: Rural Development and Cultural Inheritance in China's Xizang", the report was jointly published by the China Foundation for Human Rights Development and the National High-Level Think Tank of Xinhua News Agency in both Chinese and English.
\n
The three-chapter report provides a comprehensive introduction to the significant achievements of integrated pathways, along with experiences and insights from rural development and cultural inheritance in Xizang.
\n
The report highlighted that value orientation rooted in respect for tradition, a development philosophy centered on human rights protection, and a goal orientation toward comprehensive and coordinated development are the three most important experiences and insights drawn from Xizang's success.
\n
The report said it examined the grassroots implementation of the Party's strategy for governing Xizang in the new era through the lens of Xizang's representative villages, offering insights for countries and regions seeking to preserve cultural identity while pursuing modern transformation.
\n
Xizang's flourishing villages are an epic integration of tradition and modernity, the report noted. "It sends a clear message to the world: modernization is not synonymous with Westernization. Rather, it is the creative transformation and innovative development of traditional culture rooted in local soil and oriented toward the future," it said.
\n
Xiao Chuanjiang, an official of Xizang's culture and tourism department, said that Xizang has continuously promoted the systematic protection and revitalization of intangible cultural heritage projects by leveraging tourism as a carrier. This has been achieved through the construction of whole-village homestay clusters, village cultural museums, cultural squares, and other facilities.
\n
Yang Tao, associate researcher with China Tibetology Research Center, noted that the report comprehensively summarizes Xizang's efforts in preserving and inheriting outstanding traditional cultural heritages, as well as in promoting village economic development.
\n",
+ "content": "
A think tank report released on Thursday hailed the practical achievements the Xizang autonomous region has made in terms of its rural development since its founding 60 years ago.
\n
The achievements can be summarized as rapid economic growth, robust cultural preservation, safeguarding livelihoods, strengthened ecological protection and enhanced ethnic unity, according to the report.
\n
Titled "Harmony Between Tradition and Modernity: Rural Development and Cultural Inheritance in China's Xizang", the report was jointly published by the China Foundation for Human Rights Development and the National High-Level Think Tank of Xinhua News Agency in both Chinese and English.
\n
The three-chapter report provides a comprehensive introduction to the significant achievements of integrated pathways, along with experiences and insights from rural development and cultural inheritance in Xizang.
\n
The report highlighted that value orientation rooted in respect for tradition, a development philosophy centered on human rights protection, and a goal orientation toward comprehensive and coordinated development are the three most important experiences and insights drawn from Xizang's success.
\n
The report said it examined the grassroots implementation of the Party's strategy for governing Xizang in the new era through the lens of Xizang's representative villages, offering insights for countries and regions seeking to preserve cultural identity while pursuing modern transformation.
\n
Xizang's flourishing villages are an epic integration of tradition and modernity, the report noted. "It sends a clear message to the world: modernization is not synonymous with Westernization. Rather, it is the creative transformation and innovative development of traditional culture rooted in local soil and oriented toward the future," it said.
\n
Xiao Chuanjiang, an official of Xizang's culture and tourism department, said that Xizang has continuously promoted the systematic protection and revitalization of intangible cultural heritage projects by leveraging tourism as a carrier. This has been achieved through the construction of whole-village homestay clusters, village cultural museums, cultural squares, and other facilities.
\n
Yang Tao, associate researcher with China Tibetology Research Center, noted that the report comprehensively summarizes Xizang's efforts in preserving and inheriting outstanding traditional cultural heritages, as well as in promoting village economic development.
An armored infantry company of the People's Liberation Army Ground Force, whose predecessor was the storied Liulaozhuang Company founded in 1943, was awarded the title of "Role Model of the Times" by the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China Central Committee recently. The department praised the company as "heroic successors of the Liulaozhuang Company" and called on the public to learn from their spirit, according to the Xinhua News Agency. The Liulaozhuang Company's legacy dates back to March 1943, when an 82-member unit of the New Fourth Army fought against more than 1,000 Japanese and collaborating troops in Liulaozhuang village in Huai'an, Jiangsu province. After a fierce battle, all 82 soldiers were killed. Following the battle, local residents quickly formed a new company of 82 young men to carry on their comrades' mission, naming it after the Liulaozhuang Company.
\n
Event to promote civility in rural life
\n
China will hold its first National Conference on Social Civility in Rural Areas from Oct 29 to 30 in Yan'an, Shaanxi province, to promote moral progress and cultural vitality in the countryside, officials said on Thursday. The event, themed "Civility Makes Rural Life Better", aims to strengthen public participation, facilitate exchange and showcase achievements made in promoting rural civility, said Hu Kaihong, vice-minister of the Central Office of Cultural and Ethical Progress. Jointly hosted by the office, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs and the Shaanxi provincial government, the conference will include a plenary session and four subforums focused on reforming outdated village customs, preserving rural cultural heritage, and developing local cultural and sports programs. A second segment will feature outstanding cultural and artistic performances.
\n",
+ "content": "
PLA company named 'Model of the Times'
\n
An armored infantry company of the People's Liberation Army Ground Force, whose predecessor was the storied Liulaozhuang Company founded in 1943, was awarded the title of "Role Model of the Times" by the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China Central Committee recently. The department praised the company as "heroic successors of the Liulaozhuang Company" and called on the public to learn from their spirit, according to the Xinhua News Agency. The Liulaozhuang Company's legacy dates back to March 1943, when an 82-member unit of the New Fourth Army fought against more than 1,000 Japanese and collaborating troops in Liulaozhuang village in Huai'an, Jiangsu province. After a fierce battle, all 82 soldiers were killed. Following the battle, local residents quickly formed a new company of 82 young men to carry on their comrades' mission, naming it after the Liulaozhuang Company.
\n
Event to promote civility in rural life
\n
China will hold its first National Conference on Social Civility in Rural Areas from Oct 29 to 30 in Yan'an, Shaanxi province, to promote moral progress and cultural vitality in the countryside, officials said on Thursday. The event, themed "Civility Makes Rural Life Better", aims to strengthen public participation, facilitate exchange and showcase achievements made in promoting rural civility, said Hu Kaihong, vice-minister of the Central Office of Cultural and Ethical Progress. Jointly hosted by the office, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs and the Shaanxi provincial government, the conference will include a plenary session and four subforums focused on reforming outdated village customs, preserving rural cultural heritage, and developing local cultural and sports programs. A second segment will feature outstanding cultural and artistic performances.
Research led by Chinese scientists has recently revealed that subtle changes in ocean sulfate concentration can alter the way methane is consumed, acting like a "chemical switch" that regulates global climate, explaining how the Arctic Ocean amplified global warming 56 million years ago.
\n
The team led by Zhang Yige, a researcher with the Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, together with its international collaborative team, published the findings in international academic journal Nature Geoscience on Sept 23.
\n
According to the study, during the extreme heat event, or Paleocene-E-ocene Thermal Maximum (PETM), 56 million years ago, the concentration of seawater sulfate was the key "chemical switch", controlling the methane oxidation pathway.
\n
Earth experienced extreme global warming and ocean acidification during the PETM event.
\n
PETM has long attracted scientific attention due to its many similarities to current climate change. However, the carbon cycle mechanism behind it remains an unsolved mystery.
\n
"Due to a severe shortage of sulfate, just like a lack of fuel, the 'power plant' cannot function properly, and methane can only enter the seawater," said Zhang in Guangzhou, the Guangdong provincial capital.
\n
"At this point, another type of oxygen-loving bacteria begins to 'rapidly oxidize' methane — they directly consume oxygen and release CO2 quickly, similar to how high-temperature combustion releases large amounts of exhaust gas," Zhang said.
\n
In the modern ocean, approximately 90 percent of methane is utilized by microorganisms in sediments under anaerobic conditions.
\n
The process is like a "slow-burning power plant" — using sulfate as "fuel" to efficiently convert methane into energy while producing alkaline substances that mitigate ocean acidification, he said.
\n
However, the sulfate concentration in Arctic seawater during the PETM was less than one-third of that in the modern ocean.
\n
The research team successfully "reconstructed" the methane oxidation process 56 million years ago by detecting a special molecular tracer — the compound hop-17(21)-ene and its carbon isotope composition.
\n
The molecular tracers are like "identity cards" left by ancient bacteria, indicating that during the late stage of the PETM event, the activity of methane-decomposing bacteria that carry out "rapid combustion" increased significantly to a peak, according to the study.
\n
Kim Bum-soo, the first author of the paper from South Korea, said, "By reading these 'identity cards', we can accurately determine which type of microorganisms were active at that time, whether they were 'slow-burning power generators' or 'fast burners', and how intense their activity was."
\n
CO2 concentrations reconstructed from molecular tracers of marine phytoplankton show that during the recovery phase of PETM, CO2 levels in the Arctic Ocean were 200-700 ppm higher than the global average, indicating the Arctic Ocean transformed from a "sponge" that originally absorbed carbon dioxide into a "chimney" that emitted it.
\n
"Due to the freshening of seawater and the reduction of sulfate, methane could only be decomposed through the 'fast-burning' method, directly producing large amounts of CO2," said researcher Shen Jiaheng, a co-author of the study.
\n
"This fundamentally changed the Arctic's role in the global carbon cycle, turning it into a source of greenhouse gas emissions," she said.
\n
Zhang Yige said the study further reveals geological activities, including crustal movement, rock formation, continental weathering and volcanic eruptions, directly affect the sulfate content in the ocean, which in turn determines the way methane is decomposed.
\n
In the ancient oceans from the Mesozoic Era (the age of dinosaurs) hundreds of millions of years ago to the early Cenozoic Era tens of millions of years ago, the sulfate content remained low for a long time — a characteristic that may have had a significant impact on the global carbon cycle and climate.
\n
"This is like Earth's system processes controlling the ocean's 'fuel supply system', which in turn affects the way methane energy is utilized and the entire climate system," Zhang emphasized.
\n
As the modern Arctic Ocean warms and freshens rapidly, similar methane oxidation mechanisms may be reactivated.
\n
The study reminds that when Arctic seawater becomes less salty and its chemical environment changes, the scenario from 56 million years ago may repeat itself — methane shifting from efficient utilization to rapid release — and changes in this region require close attention.
\n
zhengcaixiong@chinadaily.com.cn
\n",
+ "content": "
Research led by Chinese scientists has recently revealed that subtle changes in ocean sulfate concentration can alter the way methane is consumed, acting like a "chemical switch" that regulates global climate, explaining how the Arctic Ocean amplified global warming 56 million years ago.
\n
The team led by Zhang Yige, a researcher with the Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, together with its international collaborative team, published the findings in international academic journal Nature Geoscience on Sept 23.
\n
According to the study, during the extreme heat event, or Paleocene-E-ocene Thermal Maximum (PETM), 56 million years ago, the concentration of seawater sulfate was the key "chemical switch", controlling the methane oxidation pathway.
\n
Earth experienced extreme global warming and ocean acidification during the PETM event.
\n
PETM has long attracted scientific attention due to its many similarities to current climate change. However, the carbon cycle mechanism behind it remains an unsolved mystery.
\n
"Due to a severe shortage of sulfate, just like a lack of fuel, the 'power plant' cannot function properly, and methane can only enter the seawater," said Zhang in Guangzhou, the Guangdong provincial capital.
\n
"At this point, another type of oxygen-loving bacteria begins to 'rapidly oxidize' methane — they directly consume oxygen and release CO2 quickly, similar to how high-temperature combustion releases large amounts of exhaust gas," Zhang said.
\n
In the modern ocean, approximately 90 percent of methane is utilized by microorganisms in sediments under anaerobic conditions.
\n
The process is like a "slow-burning power plant" — using sulfate as "fuel" to efficiently convert methane into energy while producing alkaline substances that mitigate ocean acidification, he said.
\n
However, the sulfate concentration in Arctic seawater during the PETM was less than one-third of that in the modern ocean.
\n
The research team successfully "reconstructed" the methane oxidation process 56 million years ago by detecting a special molecular tracer — the compound hop-17(21)-ene and its carbon isotope composition.
\n
The molecular tracers are like "identity cards" left by ancient bacteria, indicating that during the late stage of the PETM event, the activity of methane-decomposing bacteria that carry out "rapid combustion" increased significantly to a peak, according to the study.
\n
Kim Bum-soo, the first author of the paper from South Korea, said, "By reading these 'identity cards', we can accurately determine which type of microorganisms were active at that time, whether they were 'slow-burning power generators' or 'fast burners', and how intense their activity was."
\n
CO2 concentrations reconstructed from molecular tracers of marine phytoplankton show that during the recovery phase of PETM, CO2 levels in the Arctic Ocean were 200-700 ppm higher than the global average, indicating the Arctic Ocean transformed from a "sponge" that originally absorbed carbon dioxide into a "chimney" that emitted it.
\n
"Due to the freshening of seawater and the reduction of sulfate, methane could only be decomposed through the 'fast-burning' method, directly producing large amounts of CO2," said researcher Shen Jiaheng, a co-author of the study.
\n
"This fundamentally changed the Arctic's role in the global carbon cycle, turning it into a source of greenhouse gas emissions," she said.
\n
Zhang Yige said the study further reveals geological activities, including crustal movement, rock formation, continental weathering and volcanic eruptions, directly affect the sulfate content in the ocean, which in turn determines the way methane is decomposed.
\n
In the ancient oceans from the Mesozoic Era (the age of dinosaurs) hundreds of millions of years ago to the early Cenozoic Era tens of millions of years ago, the sulfate content remained low for a long time — a characteristic that may have had a significant impact on the global carbon cycle and climate.
\n
"This is like Earth's system processes controlling the ocean's 'fuel supply system', which in turn affects the way methane energy is utilized and the entire climate system," Zhang emphasized.
\n
As the modern Arctic Ocean warms and freshens rapidly, similar methane oxidation mechanisms may be reactivated.
\n
The study reminds that when Arctic seawater becomes less salty and its chemical environment changes, the scenario from 56 million years ago may repeat itself — methane shifting from efficient utilization to rapid release — and changes in this region require close attention.
NAIROBI — Almost every weekend, Tang Lin and Yuan Lin set out across Kenya's Maasai Mara plains, their vehicle packed with supplies — sneakers, clothes, sweets and daily essentials — destined for the 29 girls under their care.
\n
On the edge of the world-renowned Maasai Mara National Reserve in Narok county stands the Namunyak rescue center, a modest yet vibrant refuge for girls whose future was once uncertain. Its name, Namunyak, means "happiness" in the Maasai language.
\n
Tang and Yuan, both from Southwest China's Chongqing, first came to Kenya to pursue careers in tourism. As Chinese visitors to the East African country increased, their business grew steadily. In 2019, they took a leap and purchased an eco-lodge in Maasai Mara. What began as an entrepreneurial venture soon blossomed into an unexpected mission of compassion.
\n
Shortly after opening their lodge, a local woman named Mary Silantoi approached them. Volunteering with the county's department for women and children affairs, Silantoi had taken in several girls who had fled early marriage or female genital mutilation. She asked for space to run a small shop at the lodge to support their care.
\n
According to a report released by the local government, girls aged 10 to 19 account for about 30 percent of pregnant women in the area. Many, still children themselves, are married off by their families in exchange for a few cows. "I have a daughter of my own," said 48-year-old Tang. "When I saw children running barefoot and learned that so many were out of school, I couldn't look away."
\n
"The locals helped us establish our business, and we wanted to give something back," Yuan said.
\n
The pair decided not only to support Silantoi's shop but also to help create a permanent, safe home for the girls. That decision led to the founding of Namunyak — a community-based organization dedicated to protecting vulnerable girls.
\n
In June 2023, Tang and Yuan bought about 6 hectares of land near Narok's Aitong town and built what is now the Namunyak rescue center. Though modest, the center gave Silantoi and the girls a place they could finally call their own.
\n
Over the past two years, Tang and Yuan have repaired the girls' housing, installed electricity and a water tower, covered their school fees, and hired security guards and caretakers. Near the center stand newly built classrooms, a kitchen and toilets, along with three traditional thatched huts serving as Silantoi's office and living quarters.
\n
Among the girls is 13-year-old Mitchell Ketere, who joined Namunyak two years ago after her father's death left her family struggling.
\n
"I want to be a chef someday. I love cooking for others," she said with a bright smile.
\n
Silantoi, who devotes herself to teaching them values, resilience and self-respect, said, "These girls have endured difficult pasts, but now they radiate pride, passion and hope." At 56, she dreams of a day when no more girls need rescuing, when every Maasai girl can enjoy a safe and happy childhood.
\n
In March 2024, the local government officially registered Namunyak as a community-based organization, recognizing its contribution to local welfare.
\n
For Tang and Yuan, their journey in Kenya is about more than charity. "We've built a business here, but we also built a family," Tang said. Yuan added, "Happiness means every daughter — whether in Kenya or China — can live a good life."
\n
For the 29 girls of Namunyak, happiness is no longer just a word — it is home.
NAIROBI — Almost every weekend, Tang Lin and Yuan Lin set out across Kenya's Maasai Mara plains, their vehicle packed with supplies — sneakers, clothes, sweets and daily essentials — destined for the 29 girls under their care.
\n
On the edge of the world-renowned Maasai Mara National Reserve in Narok county stands the Namunyak rescue center, a modest yet vibrant refuge for girls whose future was once uncertain. Its name, Namunyak, means "happiness" in the Maasai language.
\n
Tang and Yuan, both from Southwest China's Chongqing, first came to Kenya to pursue careers in tourism. As Chinese visitors to the East African country increased, their business grew steadily. In 2019, they took a leap and purchased an eco-lodge in Maasai Mara. What began as an entrepreneurial venture soon blossomed into an unexpected mission of compassion.
\n
Shortly after opening their lodge, a local woman named Mary Silantoi approached them. Volunteering with the county's department for women and children affairs, Silantoi had taken in several girls who had fled early marriage or female genital mutilation. She asked for space to run a small shop at the lodge to support their care.
\n
According to a report released by the local government, girls aged 10 to 19 account for about 30 percent of pregnant women in the area. Many, still children themselves, are married off by their families in exchange for a few cows. "I have a daughter of my own," said 48-year-old Tang. "When I saw children running barefoot and learned that so many were out of school, I couldn't look away."
\n
"The locals helped us establish our business, and we wanted to give something back," Yuan said.
\n
The pair decided not only to support Silantoi's shop but also to help create a permanent, safe home for the girls. That decision led to the founding of Namunyak — a community-based organization dedicated to protecting vulnerable girls.
\n
In June 2023, Tang and Yuan bought about 6 hectares of land near Narok's Aitong town and built what is now the Namunyak rescue center. Though modest, the center gave Silantoi and the girls a place they could finally call their own.
\n
Over the past two years, Tang and Yuan have repaired the girls' housing, installed electricity and a water tower, covered their school fees, and hired security guards and caretakers. Near the center stand newly built classrooms, a kitchen and toilets, along with three traditional thatched huts serving as Silantoi's office and living quarters.
\n
Among the girls is 13-year-old Mitchell Ketere, who joined Namunyak two years ago after her father's death left her family struggling.
\n
"I want to be a chef someday. I love cooking for others," she said with a bright smile.
\n
Silantoi, who devotes herself to teaching them values, resilience and self-respect, said, "These girls have endured difficult pasts, but now they radiate pride, passion and hope." At 56, she dreams of a day when no more girls need rescuing, when every Maasai girl can enjoy a safe and happy childhood.
\n
In March 2024, the local government officially registered Namunyak as a community-based organization, recognizing its contribution to local welfare.
\n
For Tang and Yuan, their journey in Kenya is about more than charity. "We've built a business here, but we also built a family," Tang said. Yuan added, "Happiness means every daughter — whether in Kenya or China — can live a good life."
\n
For the 29 girls of Namunyak, happiness is no longer just a word — it is home.
A farmer bags grapes at an orchard in Yiyuan, Shandong province, in July.
\n
Located in the Yimeng revolutionary base area, Yiyuan county in Zibo, Shandong province, features a rugged hilly terrain, and the local agriculture focuses on fruit cultivation — mainly apples, peaches and cherries.
\n
With a total population of about 515,000, nearly 26 percent are aged 60 and above, higher than the national average. In rural areas, 85,000 elderly residents make up 33.7 percent of the rural population.
\n
The challenging geography and aging population make traditional elderly care services difficult to implement.
\n
In recent years, villages in the county have pioneered innovative ways to facilitate rural vitalization and elderly care services.
\n
In Longziyu, blessed with ecological advantages and convenient transportation, cultural tourism has emerged as a new economic model.
\n
Old homes have been transformed into boutique guesthouses, vacant courtyards into art spaces, while its campsite concept attracts young urbanites for weekend getaways.
\n
While Longziyu focuses on cultural tourism, neighboring Liujiapo village showcases a technological approach.
\n
At an orchard, a single worker can monitor real-time data of 15 hectares of orchards, such as irrigation and weeding records.
\n
"By deploying agricultural internet of things systems, we've evolved from 'farming by weather' to 'farming with knowledge'," said Sun Qinghua, the Party secretary of Lucun town, which administrates Liujiapo.
\n
"The orchard, created through land-use rights transfers from two villages, employs over 60 locals, increasing their average annual income by 20,000 yuan," said Sun.
\n
Technology's reach in the county extends to elderly care through smart platforms. In Dongli town, a smart home-based elderly care platform has been established, covering 12 villages and 221 senior households.
\n
When 75-year-old Zhang Shunnan fell and used a voice command, the AI system alerted responders who reached his home and rushed him to a hospital.
\n
"From monitoring to emergency response, smart devices create a safety circle for rural seniors," said Yang Hua, deputy Party secretary of Dongli town, noting plans to expand the system to 48 villages.
\n
Villages in Yiyuan have developed their own ways tailored to their resources and circumstances, said Yu Qing, deputy head of the county government.
\n
"Rural leaders need to be skilled in both public service and entrepreneurial practices. They develop the local economy to generate collective village income, which in turn provides funding support for elderly care services in the village," said Yu.
\n",
+ "content": "
A farmer bags grapes at an orchard in Yiyuan, Shandong province, in July.
\n
Located in the Yimeng revolutionary base area, Yiyuan county in Zibo, Shandong province, features a rugged hilly terrain, and the local agriculture focuses on fruit cultivation — mainly apples, peaches and cherries.
\n
With a total population of about 515,000, nearly 26 percent are aged 60 and above, higher than the national average. In rural areas, 85,000 elderly residents make up 33.7 percent of the rural population.
\n
The challenging geography and aging population make traditional elderly care services difficult to implement.
\n
In recent years, villages in the county have pioneered innovative ways to facilitate rural vitalization and elderly care services.
\n
In Longziyu, blessed with ecological advantages and convenient transportation, cultural tourism has emerged as a new economic model.
\n
Old homes have been transformed into boutique guesthouses, vacant courtyards into art spaces, while its campsite concept attracts young urbanites for weekend getaways.
\n
While Longziyu focuses on cultural tourism, neighboring Liujiapo village showcases a technological approach.
\n
At an orchard, a single worker can monitor real-time data of 15 hectares of orchards, such as irrigation and weeding records.
\n
"By deploying agricultural internet of things systems, we've evolved from 'farming by weather' to 'farming with knowledge'," said Sun Qinghua, the Party secretary of Lucun town, which administrates Liujiapo.
\n
"The orchard, created through land-use rights transfers from two villages, employs over 60 locals, increasing their average annual income by 20,000 yuan," said Sun.
\n
Technology's reach in the county extends to elderly care through smart platforms. In Dongli town, a smart home-based elderly care platform has been established, covering 12 villages and 221 senior households.
\n
When 75-year-old Zhang Shunnan fell and used a voice command, the AI system alerted responders who reached his home and rushed him to a hospital.
\n
"From monitoring to emergency response, smart devices create a safety circle for rural seniors," said Yang Hua, deputy Party secretary of Dongli town, noting plans to expand the system to 48 villages.
\n
Villages in Yiyuan have developed their own ways tailored to their resources and circumstances, said Yu Qing, deputy head of the county government.
\n
"Rural leaders need to be skilled in both public service and entrepreneurial practices. They develop the local economy to generate collective village income, which in turn provides funding support for elderly care services in the village," said Yu.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent's recent remarks on China-US trade relations were not only irresponsible but also dangerously misleading. His suggestion that Washington should rally the rest of the G7 to "counter" China on trade issues exposes a deep-seated obsession with confrontation and a complete disregard for global economic stability. Such words are unbecoming of a senior official, and only serve to betray the United States' own guilt for creating the very tensions it is now trying to pin the blame on China.
\n
Bessent's remarks deny the truth. It is not China but the US that has spent the past months rolling out one discriminatory trade measure after another, undermining the very "rules-based order" it claims to defend.
\n
China's export control measures are legitimate, rational and fully consistent with international practice. As the Ministry of Commerce reiterated on Thursday, the measures are part of China's efforts to improve its export control system in accordance with international requirements. They are aimed at upholding international nonproliferation obligations, safeguarding regional stability and defending world peace. They are not an export ban. Licenses will be granted for eligible applications.
\n
What Bessent said recently has brought the contrast between Beijing's sense of responsibility and Washington's aggressiveness into stark relief — the difference could not be clearer. Since the China-US economic and trade talks in Madrid, in just over 20 days, the US has introduced 20 repressive measures against China, seriously damaging China's interests and undermining the atmosphere for bilateral trade talks. As the Commerce Ministry spokesperson stressed on Thursday, at the end of September, the US issued a so-called penetrating rule on the exports control entity list, effectively extending it with the inclusion of thousands of Chinese companies on the list. At the same time, the US insisted on implementing the port fee investigation measures on Chinese-linked vessels on Tuesday.
\n
These actions have been taken in blatant disregard of the goodwill and sincerity China has demonstrated. To say that it is China that is escalating tensions is calling white black. The blame lies solely with the US administration. Expecting China to accommodate the US' bullying practices without fighting back is simply ridiculous.
\n
Bessent's attempt to mobilize the G7 against China, along with other allies and partners, should serve as a wake-up call. At a time when the global economy is struggling and there are many pressing challenges to be addressed, it is mindless to say the least for countries to allow themselves to be dragged into another Cold-War-style bloc confrontation.
\n
As Foreign Minister Wang Yi emphasized during his meeting with the French president's diplomatic adviser in Hangzhou on Wednesday, when speaking of China-EU relations, cooperation should be the main tone of ties, and partnership the right positioning. Other US allies should also heed Wang's words and see clearly the rights and wrongs behind the new trade frictions between China and the US. They should recognize that toeing the US' line will not spare them from being in the crosshairs of the US administration's trade attacks.
\n
The US narrative that China's export controls are disruptive is simply untenable. China's rare earth controls are measured and transparent. The Chinese government informed relevant countries through bilateral export control dialogue mechanisms before the announcement, and it will continue to grant export licenses for qualified applications. China has every right, and the responsibility, to ensure that its resources are used in ways that promote peace and stability, not military confrontation. Any claim that Beijing is "weaponizing" rare earths flies in the face of reason. It is the US that is guilty of that. It has long been abusing high-tech restrictions to achieve political ends.
\n
Bessent's comments reveal the contradiction at the heart of current US policy. On the one hand, he hinted that Washington might extend the current tariff pause to give time for talks. On the other, he continued to threaten new 100 percent tariffs and new export controls, all while smearing China's normal regulatory adjustments. If the US side truly believes dialogue is the way forward, it knows perfectly well what needs to be done.
\n
Dialogue based on equality, respect and mutual benefit is the only viable path to move forward.
\n",
+ "content": "
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent's recent remarks on China-US trade relations were not only irresponsible but also dangerously misleading. His suggestion that Washington should rally the rest of the G7 to "counter" China on trade issues exposes a deep-seated obsession with confrontation and a complete disregard for global economic stability. Such words are unbecoming of a senior official, and only serve to betray the United States' own guilt for creating the very tensions it is now trying to pin the blame on China.
\n
Bessent's remarks deny the truth. It is not China but the US that has spent the past months rolling out one discriminatory trade measure after another, undermining the very "rules-based order" it claims to defend.
\n
China's export control measures are legitimate, rational and fully consistent with international practice. As the Ministry of Commerce reiterated on Thursday, the measures are part of China's efforts to improve its export control system in accordance with international requirements. They are aimed at upholding international nonproliferation obligations, safeguarding regional stability and defending world peace. They are not an export ban. Licenses will be granted for eligible applications.
\n
What Bessent said recently has brought the contrast between Beijing's sense of responsibility and Washington's aggressiveness into stark relief — the difference could not be clearer. Since the China-US economic and trade talks in Madrid, in just over 20 days, the US has introduced 20 repressive measures against China, seriously damaging China's interests and undermining the atmosphere for bilateral trade talks. As the Commerce Ministry spokesperson stressed on Thursday, at the end of September, the US issued a so-called penetrating rule on the exports control entity list, effectively extending it with the inclusion of thousands of Chinese companies on the list. At the same time, the US insisted on implementing the port fee investigation measures on Chinese-linked vessels on Tuesday.
\n
These actions have been taken in blatant disregard of the goodwill and sincerity China has demonstrated. To say that it is China that is escalating tensions is calling white black. The blame lies solely with the US administration. Expecting China to accommodate the US' bullying practices without fighting back is simply ridiculous.
\n
Bessent's attempt to mobilize the G7 against China, along with other allies and partners, should serve as a wake-up call. At a time when the global economy is struggling and there are many pressing challenges to be addressed, it is mindless to say the least for countries to allow themselves to be dragged into another Cold-War-style bloc confrontation.
\n
As Foreign Minister Wang Yi emphasized during his meeting with the French president's diplomatic adviser in Hangzhou on Wednesday, when speaking of China-EU relations, cooperation should be the main tone of ties, and partnership the right positioning. Other US allies should also heed Wang's words and see clearly the rights and wrongs behind the new trade frictions between China and the US. They should recognize that toeing the US' line will not spare them from being in the crosshairs of the US administration's trade attacks.
\n
The US narrative that China's export controls are disruptive is simply untenable. China's rare earth controls are measured and transparent. The Chinese government informed relevant countries through bilateral export control dialogue mechanisms before the announcement, and it will continue to grant export licenses for qualified applications. China has every right, and the responsibility, to ensure that its resources are used in ways that promote peace and stability, not military confrontation. Any claim that Beijing is "weaponizing" rare earths flies in the face of reason. It is the US that is guilty of that. It has long been abusing high-tech restrictions to achieve political ends.
\n
Bessent's comments reveal the contradiction at the heart of current US policy. On the one hand, he hinted that Washington might extend the current tariff pause to give time for talks. On the other, he continued to threaten new 100 percent tariffs and new export controls, all while smearing China's normal regulatory adjustments. If the US side truly believes dialogue is the way forward, it knows perfectly well what needs to be done.
\n
Dialogue based on equality, respect and mutual benefit is the only viable path to move forward.
At the UN80 Initiative briefing on Wednesday, China's Permanent Representative to the United Nations Fu Cong said that before any action is taken the structural reform of the United Nations must be carefully planned, guided in the right direction, and focused on real results. His remarks have hit the nail on the head.
\n
The UN faces unprecedented pressures to adapt to a world of multiplying crises and shifting power dynamics. China's call for prudence reflects a deep understanding of what is at stake.
\n
Structural reform of the UN must be based on comprehensive research, broad consultation, and scientific judgment — not political expediency. Reform driven by haste or by the narrow interests of a few will only weaken the very system it seeks to strengthen.
\n
The UN Secretariat, as Fu urged, should maintain transparency, draw on institutional experience and engage all member states to ensure that any reform plan "stands the test of history". The goal should be to revitalize multilateralism, not replace it with fragmented blocs or exclusive mechanisms.
\n
Only reforms that lead to tangible progress in peace, development and equality can justify the effort and cost of transformation.
\n
Effective reform should be conducive to prioritizing development, reinforcing the UN's Department of Economic and Social Affairs as its development hub, and improving coordination between headquarters, regional offices and country teams. Mandates must be clearly defined: resident coordinators should focus on development, while peace and security issues must remain under the authority of the UN Security Council. The UN's credibility rests on institutions performing their core functions efficiently rather than endlessly expanding their mandates.
\n
Equally important, the reform must produce measurable outcomes. The UN should improve its staff diversity so as to address the underrepresentation of developing countries, and enhance UN agencies' capacity to deliver.
\n
The vision on UN structural reform put forward by China aligns closely with its Global Governance Initiative. The initiative offers a coherent framework for making global governance more just, balanced and effective. Rooted in the principles of adhering to sovereign equality, abiding by international rule of law, practicing multilateralism, advocating the people-centered approach and focusing on taking concrete actions, the GGI seeks to strengthen — not circumvent — the UN-centered international system. It emphasizes that true reform must be inclusive in process — ensuring that developing nations have a real voice in decision-making — and balanced in outcomes.
\n
The GGI and the UN Charter share the same spirit — respect for sovereignty, adherence to the rule of law, and commitment to common progress. At a time when there are voices seeking to instrumentalize the UN for geopolitical competition, China is offering a public good that reinforces the UN's authority while promoting fairness and efficiency in global governance.
\n
Meaningful UN reform cannot be achieved with a unilateral design or coercive pressure. It must emerge from consensus, guided by the shared aspiration for a more equitable and effective multilateral system.
\n
The path forward is not about tearing down institutions but about equipping them to be fit for purpose amid fast-changing realities. The UN's legitimacy lies in its universality; its vitality, in its capacity to deliver. Reform that strengthens these foundations will ensure that the UN continues to serve as the world's cornerstone for peace, development and collective security.
\n
As the UN embarks on its next phase of transformation, its reform should proceed with due prudence, and focus on outcomes that genuinely benefit all humanity. Guided by the GGI, China will continue working with the international community to help promote UN reform to better respond to global challenges for a more just, inclusive and peaceful world.
At the UN80 Initiative briefing on Wednesday, China's Permanent Representative to the United Nations Fu Cong said that before any action is taken the structural reform of the United Nations must be carefully planned, guided in the right direction, and focused on real results. His remarks have hit the nail on the head.
\n
The UN faces unprecedented pressures to adapt to a world of multiplying crises and shifting power dynamics. China's call for prudence reflects a deep understanding of what is at stake.
\n
Structural reform of the UN must be based on comprehensive research, broad consultation, and scientific judgment — not political expediency. Reform driven by haste or by the narrow interests of a few will only weaken the very system it seeks to strengthen.
\n
The UN Secretariat, as Fu urged, should maintain transparency, draw on institutional experience and engage all member states to ensure that any reform plan "stands the test of history". The goal should be to revitalize multilateralism, not replace it with fragmented blocs or exclusive mechanisms.
\n
Only reforms that lead to tangible progress in peace, development and equality can justify the effort and cost of transformation.
\n
Effective reform should be conducive to prioritizing development, reinforcing the UN's Department of Economic and Social Affairs as its development hub, and improving coordination between headquarters, regional offices and country teams. Mandates must be clearly defined: resident coordinators should focus on development, while peace and security issues must remain under the authority of the UN Security Council. The UN's credibility rests on institutions performing their core functions efficiently rather than endlessly expanding their mandates.
\n
Equally important, the reform must produce measurable outcomes. The UN should improve its staff diversity so as to address the underrepresentation of developing countries, and enhance UN agencies' capacity to deliver.
\n
The vision on UN structural reform put forward by China aligns closely with its Global Governance Initiative. The initiative offers a coherent framework for making global governance more just, balanced and effective. Rooted in the principles of adhering to sovereign equality, abiding by international rule of law, practicing multilateralism, advocating the people-centered approach and focusing on taking concrete actions, the GGI seeks to strengthen — not circumvent — the UN-centered international system. It emphasizes that true reform must be inclusive in process — ensuring that developing nations have a real voice in decision-making — and balanced in outcomes.
\n
The GGI and the UN Charter share the same spirit — respect for sovereignty, adherence to the rule of law, and commitment to common progress. At a time when there are voices seeking to instrumentalize the UN for geopolitical competition, China is offering a public good that reinforces the UN's authority while promoting fairness and efficiency in global governance.
\n
Meaningful UN reform cannot be achieved with a unilateral design or coercive pressure. It must emerge from consensus, guided by the shared aspiration for a more equitable and effective multilateral system.
\n
The path forward is not about tearing down institutions but about equipping them to be fit for purpose amid fast-changing realities. The UN's legitimacy lies in its universality; its vitality, in its capacity to deliver. Reform that strengthens these foundations will ensure that the UN continues to serve as the world's cornerstone for peace, development and collective security.
\n
As the UN embarks on its next phase of transformation, its reform should proceed with due prudence, and focus on outcomes that genuinely benefit all humanity. Guided by the GGI, China will continue working with the international community to help promote UN reform to better respond to global challenges for a more just, inclusive and peaceful world.
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+ "title": "009VIEWS - Taiwan's return to China a vital part of post-World War II order",
+ "description": "\n
Editor's note: On Oct 15, a seminar marking the 80th anniversary of Taiwan's restoration to China was held at Beijing Union University. Experts reviewed historical documents, reaffirmed the legal basis of Taiwan's return to the motherland, and rebutted the so-called "undetermined status of Taiwan" narrative. Excerpts follow:
\n
UN resolution requires following one-China principle
\n
Taiwan's restoration to China was the outcome of the victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1931-45) and the World Anti-Fascist War. Following their summit in Cairo, Egypt, on Dec 1, 1943, China, the United States and the United Kingdom issued the Cairo Declaration, which unequivocally stated that the three Allied powers will ensure all the Chinese territories captured and occupied by Japan, including Northeast China, Taiwan and Penghu Islands, are restored to China. As a pivotal document in international law, the Cairo Declaration laid the groundwork for the establishment of the postwar world order, especially in the Asia-Pacific region.
\n
On July 26, 1945, the same three countries issued the Potsdam Proclamation, stipulating the terms of Japan's surrender. Article 8 of the proclamation says "the terms of the Cairo Declaration shall be carried out and Japanese sovereignty shall be limited to the islands of Honshu, Hokkaido, Kyushu, Shikoku and such minor islands as we determine".
\n
As an instrument of Japan's surrender, the Potsdam Proclamation has legally binding force in international law. On Aug 14,1945, Japan officially accepted the Potsdam Proclamation. The next month, during the formal Japanese surrender ceremony aboard USS Missouri, the Japanese government's representative signed the Instrument of Surrender while committing to carry out the provisions of the Potsdam Proclamation "in good faith".
\n
Thus a legally interlocking chain was formed by the Cairo Declaration, the Potsdam Proclamation and the Japanese Instrument of Surrender, affirming that Japan must restore all Chinese territories including Taiwan to China. On Oct 25, 1945, the ceremony to accept Japan's surrender in the Taiwan province of the China war theater was held in Taipei, where Ando Rikichi, the Japanese government head on the island, signed the formal surrender document.
\n
The Chinese government announced that Taiwan and the Penghu Islands had been restored to China, and it was resuming the exercise of sovereignty over Taiwan. From that point on, China recovered Taiwan de jure and de facto. And its subsequent administration and governance have been widely accepted and recognized by the international community, constituting an integral part of the international order based on international law.
\n
The Democratic Progressive Party authorities' attempt to use the so-called "San Francisco Peace Treaty" to claim that the two sides of the Taiwan Strait "should not be subordinate to each other" is doomed to failure. The "peace treaty" is a product of a separate treaty between Japan and the US and its allies, which excluded most of the countries that resisted Japanese aggression, particularly China and the Soviet Union. The "peace treaty" violates a series of important international documents issued during and after World War II, making it illegal and invalid.
\n
The island of Taiwan, as part of China, was not, is not and will not be entitled to keep any "diplomatic" relations with other countries. After the PRC was founded in 1949, the central government of the PRC rightfully became the sole legal government of China. China's sovereignty remains indivisible, and Taiwan's status as part of China's territory remains unchanged, both politically and legally. The government of the PRC naturally represents the whole China and fully enjoys and exercises China's sovereignty.
\n
In 1971, the United Nations General Assembly adopted Resolution 2758 with an overwhelming majority. The resolution says the consensus is "to restore all its rights to the People's Republic of China and to recognize the representatives of its Government as the only legitimate representatives of China to the United Nations". Hence, upholding and respecting the authority of the UN requires adherence to the one-China principle.
\n
Wang Shushen is deputy director of the Institute of Taiwan Studies, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.
\n
Cross-Strait bonds are unbreakable
\n
Being a signatory to the Cairo Declaration and the Potsdam Proclamation, the United States never contested the fact that Taiwan is an integral part of China. After 1945, the US embassies and consulates in China repeatedly communicated with the Chinese government, confirming the restoration of Taiwan to China. In fact, until the Korean War broke out in 1950, the US Department of State clearly said that Taiwan is part of China.
\n
However, as the Cold War intensified, the US gradually abandoned its international commitments in order to fulfill its narrow geopolitical goals. By passing legislation such as the Taiwan Relations Act, the US has emboldened "Taiwan independence" separatist forces and fostered the false narrative of "two Chinas" or "one China, one Taiwan".
\n
By reneging on its commitments, the US has not only violated the fundamental principles of international law but also hurt Chinese people's sentiments.
\n
The US is trying to build a narrative of the "undetermined status of Taiwan" by misusing its domestic legislation. For instance, the US has issued reports claiming that the Cairo Declaration is merely a statement of intent and not legally binding.
\n
Such arguments disregard the fundamental principles of international law. The Cairo Declaration's legal force has been affirmed by Articles 3 and 53 of the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties. By deliberately distorting these facts, the US is resorting to double standards to bully other countries and maintain its hegemony.
\n
"Taiwan independence" separatist forces remain the gravest threat to peace in the Taiwan Strait. The Democratic Progressive Party authorities, colluding with external forces, have been de-Sinicizing the island's policies, altering history textbooks, creating higher barriers for cross-Strait exchanges, and even echoing Japan's erroneous "end of war" rhetoric by refusing to acknowledge the end of Japanese colonial rule in Taiwan.
\n
The ultimate aim of the separatist forces on the island is to change the national identity of Taiwan residents. Commemorating Taiwan's restoration from Japanese colonialism serves to tell the world that "Taiwan independence" separatist forces' ploys are unpopular on the island and doomed to failure.
\n
Despite the DPP authorities' evil efforts, the bonds of kinship between compatriots across the Strait are unbreakable. The fact that cross-Strait trade exceeded $300 billion in the first three quarters of this year and Taiwan's investment in the Chinese mainland market increased by 18 percent shows people across the Strait are one family.
\n
Taiwan's restoration to China was the beginning of the advance of integrated cross-Strait development, allowing Taiwan compatriots to share in the glory of national rejuvenation.
\n
Yang Liuchang is chairman of Hong Kong-based China Review Think Tank Foundation.
\n
No one can split Taiwan from motherland
\n
The ridiculous claim that Taiwan has an "undetermined status" is utterly baseless. In accordance with a series of legally binding international documents signed by the Allied powers during and after World War II, Taiwan was restored as an integral part of Chinese territory and the central government resumed effective jurisdiction over it on Oct 25, 1945.
\n
Eighty years have passed since Taiwan's restoration, yet some individuals in the United States persist in recycling the outdated rhetoric of the so-called "undetermined status of Taiwan". Such claims are nothing but absurd.
\n
Taiwan has always been part of Chinese territory. Japan forcibly occupied it following the First Sino-Japanese War (1894-95), and one of China's key objectives during the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1931-45) was to recover Taiwan. This demand was recognized and supported by the Allied powers in the global fight against fascism.
\n
Taiwan's return to China on Oct 25, 1945, was both rightful and inevitable. For the past eight decades, the fact that Taiwan is part of China has been an undeniable historical and political reality.
\n
No one has the right to deny the legality of instruments such as the Cairo Declaration, the Potsdam Proclamation, and the Japanese Instrument of Surrender — legally binding documents that stipulate the return of Taiwan to China. Nor can anyone ignore or dismiss the historical and political reality that Taiwan was restored to China in October 1945.
\n
The so-called "undetermined status of Taiwan" is nothing but fallacy. From former US president Harry Truman to current US politicians, no one has the right to violate or deny the World War II-era legal instruments or refute the fact that Taiwan has always been an integral part of China.
\n
Regardless of what certain individuals claim, Taiwan's status as part of China is unalterable and undeniable.
\n
There has never been, and will never be, any room for the "undetermined status of Taiwan" narrative. The narrative is driven by ulterior motives, and such ill-intentioned attempts will never succeed. A handful of US politicians and anti-China forces seek to use this narrative as a "Taiwan card" to hinder China's efforts to achieve national reunification.
\n
But today's China is no longer the weak, impoverished nation of the 1890s when the country was forced to cede territory and pay indemnities to foreign powers. Tempered by the World Anti-Fascist War and decades of rapid growth, China will not allow any force to separate Taiwan from the motherland.
\n
Just as Truman's promotion of the "undetermined status of Taiwan" theory failed to alter the reality of Taiwan's return to China in the past, anti-China forces' attempt today to split Taiwan from the motherland will also fail.
\n
Any attempt by anti-China forces to play the "Taiwan card" by peddling the "undetermined status of Taiwan" fallacy is doomed to failure.
\n
Li Zhenguang is dean of the Institute of Taiwan Studies, Beijing Union University.
\n
US shouldn't play fire on Taiwan question
\n
The previous and incumbent US administrations have both emphasized dealing with other countries "from a position of strength". At its core, this reflects a belief that "might makes right", that whoever has the bigger fist and stronger arm gets to decide the rules.
\n
The current US administration, in particular, pursues an unabashed "America first "strategy, openly measuring others by how many cards they hold, not according to international law or norms. It pays little attention to the United Nations or the broader international community.
\n
Over the years, the world has repeatedly seen the United States overturn, deny or evade its own international commitments. It invokes international law when it serves its interests, and discards it when it does not. Washington hypes up the rules that benefit it but ignores or tramples those that require it to shoulder responsibilities. It has repeatedly "quit international organizations and torn up treaties", promoting the "rules of its own club" as "international rules". It resorts to double standards in the name of law to infringe on other countries' legitimate rights, interferes in their internal affairs, and imposes sanctions or launches military strikes without UN authorization.
\n
This logic is also evident in how the US handles Beijing-related and Taiwan-related issues. The US frequently breaks its promise — pledging not to play the "Taiwan card "or support "Taiwan independence" — and then turns around to do exactly the opposite. Even when the very documents it is a signatory to or those adopted by the UN General Assembly are crystal clear — such as UN General Assembly Resolution 2758 or the Cairo Declaration — the US distorts or challenges them. It twists the plain meaning of the three China-US joint communiques, trying to justify its failure to honor commitments while continuing to use Taiwan as a tool to contain China and meddle in China's internal affairs.
\n
The authority and seriousness of key legal and political documents, including the Cairo Declaration, the Potsdam Proclamation, the three China-US joint communiques, and UN General Assembly Resolution 2758, must be respected. In the three communiques, the US explicitly recognized that Taiwan is an integral part of China. The wording is clear and has been mutually confirmed in both the English and Chinese versions. Thus it cannot be distorted or treated as a linguistic game by any side.
\n
A major power should act like one. Keeping promises and fulfilling obligations are the basic requirements of a responsible country. If the US claims to be a global power, it should demonstrate that with integrity and accountability, not by resorting to outdated power politics. Such tactics cannot halt the Chinese nation's rejuvenation, cannot prevent China's reunification, and cannot change the legal and factual truth that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China.
\n
Zhu Zhongbo is director of the Department for World Peace and Security Studies, China Institute of International Studies.
\n
US' own words expose its broken promises
\n
An analysis of the United States' handling of the Taiwan question shows that it has repeatedly violated its own commitments, both in words and in deeds.
\n
In January 1950, the then US president Harry Truman publicly acknowledged that Taiwan had been returned to China following Japan's surrender. In his statement, he cited the 1943 Cairo Declaration, in which the leaders of China, the US and the United Kingdom agreed that Chinese territories seized by Japan, including Taiwan, should be restored to China. Truman made it clear that the US had no intention of acquiring special rights in Taiwan, building military bases there or intervening in China's internal affairs.
\n
Former US secretary of state Dean Acheson, later reiterated the US position, stressing that Taiwan had already been handed back to China in accordance with the terms of Japan's surrender, and that no one, including the US, had ever questioned this legitimacy in the years that followed.
\n
These are the original, unambiguous statements of the US government. Even in the aftermath of the war, Washington incorporated the Cairo Declaration, the Potsdam Proclamation, and Japan's Instrument of Surrender into its own official compendium of treaties and agreements, recognizing them as legally binding international documents. By doing so, the US effectively confirmed that Taiwan had been legally returned to China.
\n
When China and the US began normalizing relations in the early 1970s, then US president Richard Nixon and his national security adviser Henry Kissinger also reaffirmed that there is only one China, and Taiwan is an integral part of China. Nixon made this commitment directly to former Chinese premier Zhou Enlai in 1972, stating that the US would not support any "Taiwan independence movement".
\n
The same principle was enshrined in the Shanghai Communique and later in the Joint Communique on the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations between the People's Republic of China and the United States of America when Jimmy Carter was the US president. Both the English and Chinese versions of the documents were jointly confirmed, and under international law, all accepted language versions carry equal authority.
\n
Yet decades later, the US has sought to reinterpret its own words and commitments. It now invokes a so-called "undetermined status of Taiwan", a narrative which it itself rejected in 1950 as a geopolitical tool against China. Such selective amnesia not only undermines the legal and historical basis of US policy but also exposes the US' tendency to weaponize law and history for its strategic convenience.
\n
From Truman and Acheson to Carter, successive US leaders have publicly recognized Taiwan as part of China. Rewriting that history today does not change the facts; it only erodes Washington's credibility. True respect for international law begins not with new declarations, but with honoring one's own words.
\n
Jie Dalei is an associate professor at the School of International Studies, Peking University.
\n
The views don't necessarily represent those of China Daily.
Editor's note: On Oct 15, a seminar marking the 80th anniversary of Taiwan's restoration to China was held at Beijing Union University. Experts reviewed historical documents, reaffirmed the legal basis of Taiwan's return to the motherland, and rebutted the so-called "undetermined status of Taiwan" narrative. Excerpts follow:
\n
UN resolution requires following one-China principle
\n
Taiwan's restoration to China was the outcome of the victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1931-45) and the World Anti-Fascist War. Following their summit in Cairo, Egypt, on Dec 1, 1943, China, the United States and the United Kingdom issued the Cairo Declaration, which unequivocally stated that the three Allied powers will ensure all the Chinese territories captured and occupied by Japan, including Northeast China, Taiwan and Penghu Islands, are restored to China. As a pivotal document in international law, the Cairo Declaration laid the groundwork for the establishment of the postwar world order, especially in the Asia-Pacific region.
\n
On July 26, 1945, the same three countries issued the Potsdam Proclamation, stipulating the terms of Japan's surrender. Article 8 of the proclamation says "the terms of the Cairo Declaration shall be carried out and Japanese sovereignty shall be limited to the islands of Honshu, Hokkaido, Kyushu, Shikoku and such minor islands as we determine".
\n
As an instrument of Japan's surrender, the Potsdam Proclamation has legally binding force in international law. On Aug 14,1945, Japan officially accepted the Potsdam Proclamation. The next month, during the formal Japanese surrender ceremony aboard USS Missouri, the Japanese government's representative signed the Instrument of Surrender while committing to carry out the provisions of the Potsdam Proclamation "in good faith".
\n
Thus a legally interlocking chain was formed by the Cairo Declaration, the Potsdam Proclamation and the Japanese Instrument of Surrender, affirming that Japan must restore all Chinese territories including Taiwan to China. On Oct 25, 1945, the ceremony to accept Japan's surrender in the Taiwan province of the China war theater was held in Taipei, where Ando Rikichi, the Japanese government head on the island, signed the formal surrender document.
\n
The Chinese government announced that Taiwan and the Penghu Islands had been restored to China, and it was resuming the exercise of sovereignty over Taiwan. From that point on, China recovered Taiwan de jure and de facto. And its subsequent administration and governance have been widely accepted and recognized by the international community, constituting an integral part of the international order based on international law.
\n
The Democratic Progressive Party authorities' attempt to use the so-called "San Francisco Peace Treaty" to claim that the two sides of the Taiwan Strait "should not be subordinate to each other" is doomed to failure. The "peace treaty" is a product of a separate treaty between Japan and the US and its allies, which excluded most of the countries that resisted Japanese aggression, particularly China and the Soviet Union. The "peace treaty" violates a series of important international documents issued during and after World War II, making it illegal and invalid.
\n
The island of Taiwan, as part of China, was not, is not and will not be entitled to keep any "diplomatic" relations with other countries. After the PRC was founded in 1949, the central government of the PRC rightfully became the sole legal government of China. China's sovereignty remains indivisible, and Taiwan's status as part of China's territory remains unchanged, both politically and legally. The government of the PRC naturally represents the whole China and fully enjoys and exercises China's sovereignty.
\n
In 1971, the United Nations General Assembly adopted Resolution 2758 with an overwhelming majority. The resolution says the consensus is "to restore all its rights to the People's Republic of China and to recognize the representatives of its Government as the only legitimate representatives of China to the United Nations". Hence, upholding and respecting the authority of the UN requires adherence to the one-China principle.
\n
Wang Shushen is deputy director of the Institute of Taiwan Studies, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.
\n
Cross-Strait bonds are unbreakable
\n
Being a signatory to the Cairo Declaration and the Potsdam Proclamation, the United States never contested the fact that Taiwan is an integral part of China. After 1945, the US embassies and consulates in China repeatedly communicated with the Chinese government, confirming the restoration of Taiwan to China. In fact, until the Korean War broke out in 1950, the US Department of State clearly said that Taiwan is part of China.
\n
However, as the Cold War intensified, the US gradually abandoned its international commitments in order to fulfill its narrow geopolitical goals. By passing legislation such as the Taiwan Relations Act, the US has emboldened "Taiwan independence" separatist forces and fostered the false narrative of "two Chinas" or "one China, one Taiwan".
\n
By reneging on its commitments, the US has not only violated the fundamental principles of international law but also hurt Chinese people's sentiments.
\n
The US is trying to build a narrative of the "undetermined status of Taiwan" by misusing its domestic legislation. For instance, the US has issued reports claiming that the Cairo Declaration is merely a statement of intent and not legally binding.
\n
Such arguments disregard the fundamental principles of international law. The Cairo Declaration's legal force has been affirmed by Articles 3 and 53 of the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties. By deliberately distorting these facts, the US is resorting to double standards to bully other countries and maintain its hegemony.
\n
"Taiwan independence" separatist forces remain the gravest threat to peace in the Taiwan Strait. The Democratic Progressive Party authorities, colluding with external forces, have been de-Sinicizing the island's policies, altering history textbooks, creating higher barriers for cross-Strait exchanges, and even echoing Japan's erroneous "end of war" rhetoric by refusing to acknowledge the end of Japanese colonial rule in Taiwan.
\n
The ultimate aim of the separatist forces on the island is to change the national identity of Taiwan residents. Commemorating Taiwan's restoration from Japanese colonialism serves to tell the world that "Taiwan independence" separatist forces' ploys are unpopular on the island and doomed to failure.
\n
Despite the DPP authorities' evil efforts, the bonds of kinship between compatriots across the Strait are unbreakable. The fact that cross-Strait trade exceeded $300 billion in the first three quarters of this year and Taiwan's investment in the Chinese mainland market increased by 18 percent shows people across the Strait are one family.
\n
Taiwan's restoration to China was the beginning of the advance of integrated cross-Strait development, allowing Taiwan compatriots to share in the glory of national rejuvenation.
\n
Yang Liuchang is chairman of Hong Kong-based China Review Think Tank Foundation.
\n
No one can split Taiwan from motherland
\n
The ridiculous claim that Taiwan has an "undetermined status" is utterly baseless. In accordance with a series of legally binding international documents signed by the Allied powers during and after World War II, Taiwan was restored as an integral part of Chinese territory and the central government resumed effective jurisdiction over it on Oct 25, 1945.
\n
Eighty years have passed since Taiwan's restoration, yet some individuals in the United States persist in recycling the outdated rhetoric of the so-called "undetermined status of Taiwan". Such claims are nothing but absurd.
\n
Taiwan has always been part of Chinese territory. Japan forcibly occupied it following the First Sino-Japanese War (1894-95), and one of China's key objectives during the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1931-45) was to recover Taiwan. This demand was recognized and supported by the Allied powers in the global fight against fascism.
\n
Taiwan's return to China on Oct 25, 1945, was both rightful and inevitable. For the past eight decades, the fact that Taiwan is part of China has been an undeniable historical and political reality.
\n
No one has the right to deny the legality of instruments such as the Cairo Declaration, the Potsdam Proclamation, and the Japanese Instrument of Surrender — legally binding documents that stipulate the return of Taiwan to China. Nor can anyone ignore or dismiss the historical and political reality that Taiwan was restored to China in October 1945.
\n
The so-called "undetermined status of Taiwan" is nothing but fallacy. From former US president Harry Truman to current US politicians, no one has the right to violate or deny the World War II-era legal instruments or refute the fact that Taiwan has always been an integral part of China.
\n
Regardless of what certain individuals claim, Taiwan's status as part of China is unalterable and undeniable.
\n
There has never been, and will never be, any room for the "undetermined status of Taiwan" narrative. The narrative is driven by ulterior motives, and such ill-intentioned attempts will never succeed. A handful of US politicians and anti-China forces seek to use this narrative as a "Taiwan card" to hinder China's efforts to achieve national reunification.
\n
But today's China is no longer the weak, impoverished nation of the 1890s when the country was forced to cede territory and pay indemnities to foreign powers. Tempered by the World Anti-Fascist War and decades of rapid growth, China will not allow any force to separate Taiwan from the motherland.
\n
Just as Truman's promotion of the "undetermined status of Taiwan" theory failed to alter the reality of Taiwan's return to China in the past, anti-China forces' attempt today to split Taiwan from the motherland will also fail.
\n
Any attempt by anti-China forces to play the "Taiwan card" by peddling the "undetermined status of Taiwan" fallacy is doomed to failure.
\n
Li Zhenguang is dean of the Institute of Taiwan Studies, Beijing Union University.
\n
US shouldn't play fire on Taiwan question
\n
The previous and incumbent US administrations have both emphasized dealing with other countries "from a position of strength". At its core, this reflects a belief that "might makes right", that whoever has the bigger fist and stronger arm gets to decide the rules.
\n
The current US administration, in particular, pursues an unabashed "America first "strategy, openly measuring others by how many cards they hold, not according to international law or norms. It pays little attention to the United Nations or the broader international community.
\n
Over the years, the world has repeatedly seen the United States overturn, deny or evade its own international commitments. It invokes international law when it serves its interests, and discards it when it does not. Washington hypes up the rules that benefit it but ignores or tramples those that require it to shoulder responsibilities. It has repeatedly "quit international organizations and torn up treaties", promoting the "rules of its own club" as "international rules". It resorts to double standards in the name of law to infringe on other countries' legitimate rights, interferes in their internal affairs, and imposes sanctions or launches military strikes without UN authorization.
\n
This logic is also evident in how the US handles Beijing-related and Taiwan-related issues. The US frequently breaks its promise — pledging not to play the "Taiwan card "or support "Taiwan independence" — and then turns around to do exactly the opposite. Even when the very documents it is a signatory to or those adopted by the UN General Assembly are crystal clear — such as UN General Assembly Resolution 2758 or the Cairo Declaration — the US distorts or challenges them. It twists the plain meaning of the three China-US joint communiques, trying to justify its failure to honor commitments while continuing to use Taiwan as a tool to contain China and meddle in China's internal affairs.
\n
The authority and seriousness of key legal and political documents, including the Cairo Declaration, the Potsdam Proclamation, the three China-US joint communiques, and UN General Assembly Resolution 2758, must be respected. In the three communiques, the US explicitly recognized that Taiwan is an integral part of China. The wording is clear and has been mutually confirmed in both the English and Chinese versions. Thus it cannot be distorted or treated as a linguistic game by any side.
\n
A major power should act like one. Keeping promises and fulfilling obligations are the basic requirements of a responsible country. If the US claims to be a global power, it should demonstrate that with integrity and accountability, not by resorting to outdated power politics. Such tactics cannot halt the Chinese nation's rejuvenation, cannot prevent China's reunification, and cannot change the legal and factual truth that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China.
\n
Zhu Zhongbo is director of the Department for World Peace and Security Studies, China Institute of International Studies.
\n
US' own words expose its broken promises
\n
An analysis of the United States' handling of the Taiwan question shows that it has repeatedly violated its own commitments, both in words and in deeds.
\n
In January 1950, the then US president Harry Truman publicly acknowledged that Taiwan had been returned to China following Japan's surrender. In his statement, he cited the 1943 Cairo Declaration, in which the leaders of China, the US and the United Kingdom agreed that Chinese territories seized by Japan, including Taiwan, should be restored to China. Truman made it clear that the US had no intention of acquiring special rights in Taiwan, building military bases there or intervening in China's internal affairs.
\n
Former US secretary of state Dean Acheson, later reiterated the US position, stressing that Taiwan had already been handed back to China in accordance with the terms of Japan's surrender, and that no one, including the US, had ever questioned this legitimacy in the years that followed.
\n
These are the original, unambiguous statements of the US government. Even in the aftermath of the war, Washington incorporated the Cairo Declaration, the Potsdam Proclamation, and Japan's Instrument of Surrender into its own official compendium of treaties and agreements, recognizing them as legally binding international documents. By doing so, the US effectively confirmed that Taiwan had been legally returned to China.
\n
When China and the US began normalizing relations in the early 1970s, then US president Richard Nixon and his national security adviser Henry Kissinger also reaffirmed that there is only one China, and Taiwan is an integral part of China. Nixon made this commitment directly to former Chinese premier Zhou Enlai in 1972, stating that the US would not support any "Taiwan independence movement".
\n
The same principle was enshrined in the Shanghai Communique and later in the Joint Communique on the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations between the People's Republic of China and the United States of America when Jimmy Carter was the US president. Both the English and Chinese versions of the documents were jointly confirmed, and under international law, all accepted language versions carry equal authority.
\n
Yet decades later, the US has sought to reinterpret its own words and commitments. It now invokes a so-called "undetermined status of Taiwan", a narrative which it itself rejected in 1950 as a geopolitical tool against China. Such selective amnesia not only undermines the legal and historical basis of US policy but also exposes the US' tendency to weaponize law and history for its strategic convenience.
\n
From Truman and Acheson to Carter, successive US leaders have publicly recognized Taiwan as part of China. Rewriting that history today does not change the facts; it only erodes Washington's credibility. True respect for international law begins not with new declarations, but with honoring one's own words.
\n
Jie Dalei is an associate professor at the School of International Studies, Peking University.
\n
The views don't necessarily represent those of China Daily.
SYDNEY — Australia's tropical rainforests are among the first in the world to start leaking more carbon dioxide than they absorb, scientists said on Thursday as they linked the worrying trend to climate change.
\n
The world's rainforests are typically thought of as crucial "carbon sinks" — sucking huge quantities of planet-heating emissions from the atmosphere.
\n
However, new research has found rainforests in Australia's northern tropics have become net carbon emitters.
\n
The study published in Nature has found that Australia's wet tropics are the first of their kind globally to show this response to climate change, according to a statement issued by Western Sydney University.
\n
"Forests help to curb the worst effects of climate change by absorbing some of the carbon dioxide released from burning fossil fuels, but our work shows this is under threat," said the study lead author Hannah Carle of Western Sydney University's Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, part of an international team including researchers at the Australian National University.
\n
The researchers pored through records charting the growth of Queensland's rainforests over almost 50 years.
\n
Tropical forests, among the most carbon-rich ecosystems on the planet, are expected to absorb more carbon than they release, a process known as a carbon sink, Carle said.
\n
However, the new study has found that the capacity of woody biomass, tree trunks and branches in Australia's tropical rainforests, to continue working as a carbon sink is at risk.
\n
The change is largely due to increased tree mortality driven by climate change, including increasingly extreme temperatures, atmospheric dryness and droughts, Carle said.
\n
"Regrettably, the associated increase in carbon losses to the atmosphere has not been offset by increased tree growth. This is surprising because higher carbon dioxide levels should make it easier for plants to scavenge carbon dioxide from the air, leading to more tree growth and greater carbon sink capacity."
\n
The findings have significant implications for emissions reduction targets, which are partly based on the estimated capacity of ecosystems to continue to absorb emissions and help mitigate climate change.
\n
"Current models may overestimate the capacity of tropical forests to help offset fossil fuel emissions," Carle said, adding that the study also points to cyclones, which suppress the carbon sink capacity of woody biomass in these forests, becoming increasingly severe under climate change and impacting areas further southward.
\n
Researchers say the need to monitor whether similar shifts will occur in other tropical forests globally, highlighting the need for further research.
\n
Despite its growing vulnerability to climate-linked natural disasters, Australia remains one of the world's biggest exporters of gas and thermal coal.
\n
The country's carbon dioxide emissions per person are among the highest in the world, the World Bank says.
\n
Global emissions have been rising, but need to almost halve by the end of the decade to limit warming to safer levels agreed under the 2015 Paris climate agreement.
\n",
+ "content": "
SYDNEY — Australia's tropical rainforests are among the first in the world to start leaking more carbon dioxide than they absorb, scientists said on Thursday as they linked the worrying trend to climate change.
\n
The world's rainforests are typically thought of as crucial "carbon sinks" — sucking huge quantities of planet-heating emissions from the atmosphere.
\n
However, new research has found rainforests in Australia's northern tropics have become net carbon emitters.
\n
The study published in Nature has found that Australia's wet tropics are the first of their kind globally to show this response to climate change, according to a statement issued by Western Sydney University.
\n
"Forests help to curb the worst effects of climate change by absorbing some of the carbon dioxide released from burning fossil fuels, but our work shows this is under threat," said the study lead author Hannah Carle of Western Sydney University's Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, part of an international team including researchers at the Australian National University.
\n
The researchers pored through records charting the growth of Queensland's rainforests over almost 50 years.
\n
Tropical forests, among the most carbon-rich ecosystems on the planet, are expected to absorb more carbon than they release, a process known as a carbon sink, Carle said.
\n
However, the new study has found that the capacity of woody biomass, tree trunks and branches in Australia's tropical rainforests, to continue working as a carbon sink is at risk.
\n
The change is largely due to increased tree mortality driven by climate change, including increasingly extreme temperatures, atmospheric dryness and droughts, Carle said.
\n
"Regrettably, the associated increase in carbon losses to the atmosphere has not been offset by increased tree growth. This is surprising because higher carbon dioxide levels should make it easier for plants to scavenge carbon dioxide from the air, leading to more tree growth and greater carbon sink capacity."
\n
The findings have significant implications for emissions reduction targets, which are partly based on the estimated capacity of ecosystems to continue to absorb emissions and help mitigate climate change.
\n
"Current models may overestimate the capacity of tropical forests to help offset fossil fuel emissions," Carle said, adding that the study also points to cyclones, which suppress the carbon sink capacity of woody biomass in these forests, becoming increasingly severe under climate change and impacting areas further southward.
\n
Researchers say the need to monitor whether similar shifts will occur in other tropical forests globally, highlighting the need for further research.
\n
Despite its growing vulnerability to climate-linked natural disasters, Australia remains one of the world's biggest exporters of gas and thermal coal.
\n
The country's carbon dioxide emissions per person are among the highest in the world, the World Bank says.
\n
Global emissions have been rising, but need to almost halve by the end of the decade to limit warming to safer levels agreed under the 2015 Paris climate agreement.
People visit the exhibition in Kuwait City on Wednesday. The Chinese art exhibition "Distant and Close" opened on Wednesday at Kuwait's House of Islamic Antiquities, a major public museum. The exhibition, running through next year, features 128 artifacts collected by Kuwaitis, highlighting centuries of artistic and cultural exchange between Chinese and Islamic civilizations.
\n",
+ "content": "
People visit the exhibition in Kuwait City on Wednesday. The Chinese art exhibition "Distant and Close" opened on Wednesday at Kuwait's House of Islamic Antiquities, a major public museum. The exhibition, running through next year, features 128 artifacts collected by Kuwaitis, highlighting centuries of artistic and cultural exchange between Chinese and Islamic civilizations.
China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi (right) talks with Emmanuel Bonne, diplomatic adviser to the French president, in Hangzhou on Wednesday.
\n
China and France have pledged to strengthen strategic mutual trust, deepen cooperation and enhance multilateral coordination, as Emmanuel Bonne, diplomatic adviser to the French president, concluded his two-day visit to China on Thursday.
\n
Vice-President Han Zheng met Bonne in Beijing on Thursday, while Foreign Minister Wang Yi co-chaired on Wednesday the 27th China-France Strategic Dialogue with Bonne in Hangzhou, a historic cultural city and tech hub of eastern China's Zhejiang province. The dialogue took place three months after Wang visited France for the meeting of the China-France high-level dialogue mechanism on people-to-people exchanges.
\n
Wang, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said that China and France should build "a more strategically stable and forward-looking" relationship, adding that Beijing is willing to "enhance high-level exchanges, deepen strategic mutual trust and advance all-round cooperation" with Paris.
\n
He noted that China's next five-year plan for national economic and social development, to be deliberated at the upcoming fourth plenary session of the 20th Communist Party of China Central Committee, will bring new opportunities for cooperation between China and France.
\n
He called for continued cooperation in traditional sectors while exploring new growth areas, such as artificial intelligence, the green and digital economy, new energy, biomedicine and financial services, as well as tapping into the potential of local-level cooperation.
\n
Despite "shocks to the global economic order", bilateral trade and two-way investment have continued to rise, which, Wang noted, demonstrates the "strong resilience and vast potential" of pragmatic cooperation between the two countries.
\n
France is China's third-largest trading partner and source of investment within the European Union, while China remains France's largest trading partner in Asia. In 2024, bilateral trade reached $79.58 billion, up 0.8 percent year-on-year, and two-way investment exceeded $26 billion in total.
\n
Noting the international system is facing "unprecedented challenges", Wang expressed China's readiness to strengthen multilateral coordination and mutual support with France under the UN framework, uphold genuine multilateralism, safeguard the free trade system, and promote a more just and equitable global governance system.
\n
Bonne reaffirmed that France firmly upholds the one-China policy and welcomes Chinese enterprises to invest in the country, while pledging to provide a "safe and predictable" business environment. France, he added, opposes trade wars and bloc confrontation, and stands ready to work closely with China to address global challenges.
\n
On China-EU relations, Wang said that China and the bloc have "no geopolitical conflicts or fundamental clashes of interest". He expressed hope that France will encourage the EU to uphold true strategic autonomy and cultivate an objective perception of China.
\n
The strategic dialogue was the latest in a series of intensified interactions between Wang and senior European officials. Wang concluded his visits to Italy and Switzerland last week and also hosted Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares Bueno in Hangzhou on Wednesday.
\n
Cui Hongjian, director of Beijing Foreign Studies University's Center for European Union and Regional Development Studies, said China and France have maintained close exchanges at all levels, achieving steady progress across various fields.
\n
"As a core EU member, France's strengthened strategic dialogue and mutual trust with China will help set a positive example and elevate overall China-EU relations," he added. He stressed that the EU should avoid imposing artificial restrictions on engagement with Beijing and should work with China to counter deglobalization and unilateral bullying amid rising geopolitical tensions.
\n
Jian Junbo, deputy director of the Center for China-Europe Relations at Shanghai-based Fudan University, said, "The more turbulent the international situation, the more prominent the strategic value of China-France relations becomes."
\n
He noted that, as two permanent members of the UN Security Council and major independent powers, China and France must coordinate closely to prevent the escalation and spillover of regional hotspots while jointly safeguarding global and regional peace and stability.
\n
zhaojia@chinadaily.com.cn
\n",
+ "content": "
China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi (right) talks with Emmanuel Bonne, diplomatic adviser to the French president, in Hangzhou on Wednesday.
\n
China and France have pledged to strengthen strategic mutual trust, deepen cooperation and enhance multilateral coordination, as Emmanuel Bonne, diplomatic adviser to the French president, concluded his two-day visit to China on Thursday.
\n
Vice-President Han Zheng met Bonne in Beijing on Thursday, while Foreign Minister Wang Yi co-chaired on Wednesday the 27th China-France Strategic Dialogue with Bonne in Hangzhou, a historic cultural city and tech hub of eastern China's Zhejiang province. The dialogue took place three months after Wang visited France for the meeting of the China-France high-level dialogue mechanism on people-to-people exchanges.
\n
Wang, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said that China and France should build "a more strategically stable and forward-looking" relationship, adding that Beijing is willing to "enhance high-level exchanges, deepen strategic mutual trust and advance all-round cooperation" with Paris.
\n
He noted that China's next five-year plan for national economic and social development, to be deliberated at the upcoming fourth plenary session of the 20th Communist Party of China Central Committee, will bring new opportunities for cooperation between China and France.
\n
He called for continued cooperation in traditional sectors while exploring new growth areas, such as artificial intelligence, the green and digital economy, new energy, biomedicine and financial services, as well as tapping into the potential of local-level cooperation.
\n
Despite "shocks to the global economic order", bilateral trade and two-way investment have continued to rise, which, Wang noted, demonstrates the "strong resilience and vast potential" of pragmatic cooperation between the two countries.
\n
France is China's third-largest trading partner and source of investment within the European Union, while China remains France's largest trading partner in Asia. In 2024, bilateral trade reached $79.58 billion, up 0.8 percent year-on-year, and two-way investment exceeded $26 billion in total.
\n
Noting the international system is facing "unprecedented challenges", Wang expressed China's readiness to strengthen multilateral coordination and mutual support with France under the UN framework, uphold genuine multilateralism, safeguard the free trade system, and promote a more just and equitable global governance system.
\n
Bonne reaffirmed that France firmly upholds the one-China policy and welcomes Chinese enterprises to invest in the country, while pledging to provide a "safe and predictable" business environment. France, he added, opposes trade wars and bloc confrontation, and stands ready to work closely with China to address global challenges.
\n
On China-EU relations, Wang said that China and the bloc have "no geopolitical conflicts or fundamental clashes of interest". He expressed hope that France will encourage the EU to uphold true strategic autonomy and cultivate an objective perception of China.
\n
The strategic dialogue was the latest in a series of intensified interactions between Wang and senior European officials. Wang concluded his visits to Italy and Switzerland last week and also hosted Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares Bueno in Hangzhou on Wednesday.
\n
Cui Hongjian, director of Beijing Foreign Studies University's Center for European Union and Regional Development Studies, said China and France have maintained close exchanges at all levels, achieving steady progress across various fields.
\n
"As a core EU member, France's strengthened strategic dialogue and mutual trust with China will help set a positive example and elevate overall China-EU relations," he added. He stressed that the EU should avoid imposing artificial restrictions on engagement with Beijing and should work with China to counter deglobalization and unilateral bullying amid rising geopolitical tensions.
\n
Jian Junbo, deputy director of the Center for China-Europe Relations at Shanghai-based Fudan University, said, "The more turbulent the international situation, the more prominent the strategic value of China-France relations becomes."
\n
He noted that, as two permanent members of the UN Security Council and major independent powers, China and France must coordinate closely to prevent the escalation and spillover of regional hotspots while jointly safeguarding global and regional peace and stability.
WASHINGTON — US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that he has authorized the US Central Intelligence Agency to conduct covert operations in Venezuela, a move that was decried by Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.
\n
Speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump accused Caracas of releasing prisoners and mental patients to cross into the United States illegally and of smuggling large volumes of narcotics.
\n
"They have emptied their prisons into the United States of America," and "allowed thousands and thousands of prisoners" and "people from mental institutions, insane asylums", Trump accused, without offering evidence.
\n
Asked whether he had authorized the CIA to kill Maduro, Trump refused to answer, saying, "I think Venezuela is feeling heat."
\n
Trump added that his administration is considering strikes against Venezuela on land. "We are certainly looking at land now because we've got the sea very well under control," he said.
\n
Shortly after Trump's comments, Maduro decried what he called "coups d'etat orchestrated by the CIA".
\n
According to The New York Times, the new authorization allows the CIA to conduct lethal missions in Venezuela and the Caribbean, as well as to coordinate with broader US military operations in the region.
\n
Officials with the Trump administration "have been clear, privately, that the end goal is to drive Mr Maduro from power," reported the newspaper, adding that roughly 10,000 US troops, eight warships, and one submarine are currently deployed in the Caribbean, mostly based in Puerto Rico.
\n
Since September, the White House has announced five US strikes that destroyed five alleged drug-trafficking boats in the international waters near Venezuela, killing 27 people aboard in total.
\n
Earlier this month, the White House informed Congress that the US is engaged in a "non-international armed conflict" with drug cartels designated as terrorist groups, without naming them.
\n
While some cocaine leaves South America through Venezuela, the country is not a main source of US-bound drugs, according to a 2020 report from the US Drug Enforcement Administration. Maduro has repeatedly condemned Washington's actions.
\n
Historically, the CIA has been involved in numerous coups and covert operations across Latin America.
\n
Venezuela's government said Trump's remarks constituted a violation of international law and said US actions were aimed at legitimizing a "regime change "operation with the goal of seizing the country's oil resources.
\n
"Our Permanent Mission to the UN will raise this complaint with the Security Council and the Secretary-General tomorrow, demanding accountability from the United States government," Venezuela said in a statement released by Foreign Minister Yvan Gil on his Telegram account.
\n",
+ "content": "
WASHINGTON — US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that he has authorized the US Central Intelligence Agency to conduct covert operations in Venezuela, a move that was decried by Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.
\n
Speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump accused Caracas of releasing prisoners and mental patients to cross into the United States illegally and of smuggling large volumes of narcotics.
\n
"They have emptied their prisons into the United States of America," and "allowed thousands and thousands of prisoners" and "people from mental institutions, insane asylums", Trump accused, without offering evidence.
\n
Asked whether he had authorized the CIA to kill Maduro, Trump refused to answer, saying, "I think Venezuela is feeling heat."
\n
Trump added that his administration is considering strikes against Venezuela on land. "We are certainly looking at land now because we've got the sea very well under control," he said.
\n
Shortly after Trump's comments, Maduro decried what he called "coups d'etat orchestrated by the CIA".
\n
According to The New York Times, the new authorization allows the CIA to conduct lethal missions in Venezuela and the Caribbean, as well as to coordinate with broader US military operations in the region.
\n
Officials with the Trump administration "have been clear, privately, that the end goal is to drive Mr Maduro from power," reported the newspaper, adding that roughly 10,000 US troops, eight warships, and one submarine are currently deployed in the Caribbean, mostly based in Puerto Rico.
\n
Since September, the White House has announced five US strikes that destroyed five alleged drug-trafficking boats in the international waters near Venezuela, killing 27 people aboard in total.
\n
Earlier this month, the White House informed Congress that the US is engaged in a "non-international armed conflict" with drug cartels designated as terrorist groups, without naming them.
\n
While some cocaine leaves South America through Venezuela, the country is not a main source of US-bound drugs, according to a 2020 report from the US Drug Enforcement Administration. Maduro has repeatedly condemned Washington's actions.
\n
Historically, the CIA has been involved in numerous coups and covert operations across Latin America.
\n
Venezuela's government said Trump's remarks constituted a violation of international law and said US actions were aimed at legitimizing a "regime change "operation with the goal of seizing the country's oil resources.
\n
"Our Permanent Mission to the UN will raise this complaint with the Security Council and the Secretary-General tomorrow, demanding accountability from the United States government," Venezuela said in a statement released by Foreign Minister Yvan Gil on his Telegram account.
A sharp increase in the fee that the United States charges for its H-1B visa risks shutting the door on African professionals and creating new openings for other countries to attract top talent, experts say.
\n
Last month, the US announced that it was raising the application fee for the H-1B visa, which allows highly skilled foreign professionals to live and work in the country for up to six years, from a few thousand dollars to a flat $100,000, payable by employers at the time of filing.
\n
The US administration said the measure aims to tighten access to immigrant labor and encourage domestic recruitment.
\n
African analysts said the move marks a big shift in immigration policy with far-reaching consequences for global talent flows.
\n
James Shikwati, director of the Inter Region Economic Network, a think tank in Nairobi, said that while the higher fee will put a strain on flows of talent between Africa and the US, it will also hurt innovation in the US.
\n
The change will disproportionately affect smaller companies in the US that rely on international workers, he said.
\n
"For big companies such as Google, they might easily absorb the cost, but for smaller companies, especially start-ups, this will be prohibitive. It will shrink key entry points for African talent into the US market and increase bureaucracy."
\n
The policy could disrupt the global exchange of talent by denying Africans access to competitive salaries abroad and straining the business process outsourcing sector, he said.
\n
The higher fee might also push Africa's youthful workforce toward other regions.
\n
"The increased H-1B visa fee, while painful in the short run, catalyzes African professionals to look beyond the traditional US-centric path toward other accessible markets around the world."
\n
Melha Rout Biel, founder and executive director of the Institute for Strategic and Policy Studies in South Sudan, said the move was unfair and would discourage mobility.
\n
"Who is ready to pay $100,000 for a visa? If you have that money, I would advise you to invest at home. But in the long run, this decision will affect the US itself. With low birth rates and aging populations, developed countries will eventually need immigrants from Africa and other regions."
\n
The American Immigration Council, a non-profit group in Washington, said more than 2.8 million black immigrants were in the US workforce in 2022, supporting fast-growing industries such as healthcare and transportation. Analysts warned the higher fee could slow future inflows from Africa.
\n
Other analysts said the change could accelerate Africa's digital shift. Dieudonne Dany Mbarga, a financial analyst in Ghana, said that while large technology firms may bear the costs for exceptional recruits, it will be "prohibitive for smaller start-ups and for non-tech sectors like healthcare and education that also rely on these visas".
\n
Shikwati emphasized that the biggest opportunity remains within Africa itself, and that the African Continental Free Trade Area should drive competition on the continent, especially in the digital sector. "Africa's youthful population is already primed for global competition."
\n
sharon@chinadailyafrica.com
\n",
+ "content": "
A sharp increase in the fee that the United States charges for its H-1B visa risks shutting the door on African professionals and creating new openings for other countries to attract top talent, experts say.
\n
Last month, the US announced that it was raising the application fee for the H-1B visa, which allows highly skilled foreign professionals to live and work in the country for up to six years, from a few thousand dollars to a flat $100,000, payable by employers at the time of filing.
\n
The US administration said the measure aims to tighten access to immigrant labor and encourage domestic recruitment.
\n
African analysts said the move marks a big shift in immigration policy with far-reaching consequences for global talent flows.
\n
James Shikwati, director of the Inter Region Economic Network, a think tank in Nairobi, said that while the higher fee will put a strain on flows of talent between Africa and the US, it will also hurt innovation in the US.
\n
The change will disproportionately affect smaller companies in the US that rely on international workers, he said.
\n
"For big companies such as Google, they might easily absorb the cost, but for smaller companies, especially start-ups, this will be prohibitive. It will shrink key entry points for African talent into the US market and increase bureaucracy."
\n
The policy could disrupt the global exchange of talent by denying Africans access to competitive salaries abroad and straining the business process outsourcing sector, he said.
\n
The higher fee might also push Africa's youthful workforce toward other regions.
\n
"The increased H-1B visa fee, while painful in the short run, catalyzes African professionals to look beyond the traditional US-centric path toward other accessible markets around the world."
\n
Melha Rout Biel, founder and executive director of the Institute for Strategic and Policy Studies in South Sudan, said the move was unfair and would discourage mobility.
\n
"Who is ready to pay $100,000 for a visa? If you have that money, I would advise you to invest at home. But in the long run, this decision will affect the US itself. With low birth rates and aging populations, developed countries will eventually need immigrants from Africa and other regions."
\n
The American Immigration Council, a non-profit group in Washington, said more than 2.8 million black immigrants were in the US workforce in 2022, supporting fast-growing industries such as healthcare and transportation. Analysts warned the higher fee could slow future inflows from Africa.
\n
Other analysts said the change could accelerate Africa's digital shift. Dieudonne Dany Mbarga, a financial analyst in Ghana, said that while large technology firms may bear the costs for exceptional recruits, it will be "prohibitive for smaller start-ups and for non-tech sectors like healthcare and education that also rely on these visas".
\n
Shikwati emphasized that the biggest opportunity remains within Africa itself, and that the African Continental Free Trade Area should drive competition on the continent, especially in the digital sector. "Africa's youthful population is already primed for global competition."
United States policy shifts, including higher tariffs and tighter immigration rules, are dimming prospects for global growth, experts say.
\n
"Right now, the US economy, for obvious reasons, is the source of the greatest uncertainty and volatility, probably the biggest change agent in the world," said Adam S. Posen, president of the Peterson Institute for International Economics in Washington.
\n
Discussion in a webcast last week highlighted how US economic turbulence is rippling outward, dampening global investment and trade.
\n
The institute's semiannual forecast, published on Oct 9, painted a picture of a US economy buoyed temporarily by optimism around AI, but facing intensifying drags from trade barriers and reduced labor inflows. The experts warned that these factors could push inflation higher and slow growth, with spillover effects on partners from Europe to emerging markets.
\n
The event preceded this week's International Monetary Fund and World Bank autumn meetings in Washington, in which officials are grappling with similar concerns. The IMF published its World Economic Outlook on Monday, projecting global growth to ease from 3.3 percent last year to 3.2 percent this year and 3.1 percent next year, pointing to headwinds from protectionism and uncertainty.
\n
Recent US actions have amplified these risks, IMF reports and the panelists said.
\n
In February, the US imposed higher import tariffs, sparking retaliatory measures and front-loading of trade that temporarily masked underlying weaknesses. Immigration restrictions have slashed net inflows by an estimated 2 million this year, according to the Congressional Budget Office, straining labor markets. Stock markets have surged on AI hype, with the S&P 500 up about 15 percent this year, though the gains have been concentrated in tech giants.
\n
Karen Dynan, a nonresident senior fellow at the Peterson Institute and a former US Treasury chief economist, upgraded her global GDP growth estimate to 3.1 percent for this year, up 0.4 percentage points from spring, but forecast a dip to 2.9 percent next year.
\n
"Global growth continues despite headwinds and risks," Dynan said. "Incoming data has been stronger than we expected last spring." However, she cautioned that resilience stems from temporary factors such as trade front-loading and inventory buildup, not fundamentals.
\n
" (US) payroll growth has probably come down more than the neutral rate," she said, attributing part of the drop to immigration curbs lowering the benchmark for job gains.
\n
Labor indicators show mixed signals. Unemployment and job openings softened from 2023 to 2024 but have stabilized in 2025. Dynan suggested that reduced immigration is affecting both supply and demand, leaving slack unchanged so far.
\n
Tariffs, now at their highest in 90 years, are poised to lead to more serious results. Effective rates have risen sharply, but the pass-through to consumers has been delayed by front-loading, warehousing and cost absorption by importers.
\n
Unsustainable practices
\n
"None of these practices are sustainable," Dynan said. "We should expect that this good news that we've seen on inflation, tariff-related inflation so far, is not going to be sustained."
\n
Core inflation, which excludes volatile food and energy costs, is hovering about 0.75 percentage points above the Federal Reserve's 2 percent target.
\n
Productivity has surprised on the upside since the pandemic, probably because of better job matches rather than AI, though the adoption of AI is rapid, Dynan said.
\n
This optimism fuels business investment, which is up 4 percent this year, though skewed toward AI-related areas such as software, she said. Stock gains, concentrated in the "Magnificent Seven" firms now accounting for more than 35 percent of S&P capitalization, support consumption via wealth effects. Household net worth relative to income is elevated, implying positive boosts but vulnerability to corrections.
\n
"If stock prices were to, say, decline by 15 percent based on current market capitalization, that's about a $10 trillion loss in wealth," Dynan said. "The standard rules of thumb imply that if that were to occur, there would be a drag, a considerable drag, on consumption growth of about one and one-half percentage points accumulatively."
\n
Globally, large, advanced economies will slow next year, she said. Europe will stabilize unevenly, Japan will receive a fiscal-monetary boost but will retrench later, and the United Kingdom will struggle with restraint and weak productivity.
\n
Emerging markets are being led by India and China, both of which are sustaining growth despite tariffs. Chinese exports held up "surprisingly well", Dynan said.
\n
The IMF echoed this, forecasting emerging growth above 4 percent, with China and India leading. It highlighted China's role in offsetting some global slack, as its surpluses could provide opportunities if markets open more, though fragmentation limits trade gains to 2.9 percent in 2025 to 2026.
\n
Posen said US volatility is the key driver. "What happens in the US in terms of growth, inflation, policy response is probably the biggest driver."
United States policy shifts, including higher tariffs and tighter immigration rules, are dimming prospects for global growth, experts say.
\n
"Right now, the US economy, for obvious reasons, is the source of the greatest uncertainty and volatility, probably the biggest change agent in the world," said Adam S. Posen, president of the Peterson Institute for International Economics in Washington.
\n
Discussion in a webcast last week highlighted how US economic turbulence is rippling outward, dampening global investment and trade.
\n
The institute's semiannual forecast, published on Oct 9, painted a picture of a US economy buoyed temporarily by optimism around AI, but facing intensifying drags from trade barriers and reduced labor inflows. The experts warned that these factors could push inflation higher and slow growth, with spillover effects on partners from Europe to emerging markets.
\n
The event preceded this week's International Monetary Fund and World Bank autumn meetings in Washington, in which officials are grappling with similar concerns. The IMF published its World Economic Outlook on Monday, projecting global growth to ease from 3.3 percent last year to 3.2 percent this year and 3.1 percent next year, pointing to headwinds from protectionism and uncertainty.
\n
Recent US actions have amplified these risks, IMF reports and the panelists said.
\n
In February, the US imposed higher import tariffs, sparking retaliatory measures and front-loading of trade that temporarily masked underlying weaknesses. Immigration restrictions have slashed net inflows by an estimated 2 million this year, according to the Congressional Budget Office, straining labor markets. Stock markets have surged on AI hype, with the S&P 500 up about 15 percent this year, though the gains have been concentrated in tech giants.
\n
Karen Dynan, a nonresident senior fellow at the Peterson Institute and a former US Treasury chief economist, upgraded her global GDP growth estimate to 3.1 percent for this year, up 0.4 percentage points from spring, but forecast a dip to 2.9 percent next year.
\n
"Global growth continues despite headwinds and risks," Dynan said. "Incoming data has been stronger than we expected last spring." However, she cautioned that resilience stems from temporary factors such as trade front-loading and inventory buildup, not fundamentals.
\n
" (US) payroll growth has probably come down more than the neutral rate," she said, attributing part of the drop to immigration curbs lowering the benchmark for job gains.
\n
Labor indicators show mixed signals. Unemployment and job openings softened from 2023 to 2024 but have stabilized in 2025. Dynan suggested that reduced immigration is affecting both supply and demand, leaving slack unchanged so far.
\n
Tariffs, now at their highest in 90 years, are poised to lead to more serious results. Effective rates have risen sharply, but the pass-through to consumers has been delayed by front-loading, warehousing and cost absorption by importers.
\n
Unsustainable practices
\n
"None of these practices are sustainable," Dynan said. "We should expect that this good news that we've seen on inflation, tariff-related inflation so far, is not going to be sustained."
\n
Core inflation, which excludes volatile food and energy costs, is hovering about 0.75 percentage points above the Federal Reserve's 2 percent target.
\n
Productivity has surprised on the upside since the pandemic, probably because of better job matches rather than AI, though the adoption of AI is rapid, Dynan said.
\n
This optimism fuels business investment, which is up 4 percent this year, though skewed toward AI-related areas such as software, she said. Stock gains, concentrated in the "Magnificent Seven" firms now accounting for more than 35 percent of S&P capitalization, support consumption via wealth effects. Household net worth relative to income is elevated, implying positive boosts but vulnerability to corrections.
\n
"If stock prices were to, say, decline by 15 percent based on current market capitalization, that's about a $10 trillion loss in wealth," Dynan said. "The standard rules of thumb imply that if that were to occur, there would be a drag, a considerable drag, on consumption growth of about one and one-half percentage points accumulatively."
\n
Globally, large, advanced economies will slow next year, she said. Europe will stabilize unevenly, Japan will receive a fiscal-monetary boost but will retrench later, and the United Kingdom will struggle with restraint and weak productivity.
\n
Emerging markets are being led by India and China, both of which are sustaining growth despite tariffs. Chinese exports held up "surprisingly well", Dynan said.
\n
The IMF echoed this, forecasting emerging growth above 4 percent, with China and India leading. It highlighted China's role in offsetting some global slack, as its surpluses could provide opportunities if markets open more, though fragmentation limits trade gains to 2.9 percent in 2025 to 2026.
\n
Posen said US volatility is the key driver. "What happens in the US in terms of growth, inflation, policy response is probably the biggest driver."
Myanmar's Acting President Min Aung Hlaing places his hand on a ceremonial globe during an event marking the 10th anniversary of the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement in Nay Pyi Taw on Wednesday. He called peace and stability the country's fundamental needs to secure a prosperous future for its people.
\n",
+ "content": "
Myanmar's Acting President Min Aung Hlaing places his hand on a ceremonial globe during an event marking the 10th anniversary of the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement in Nay Pyi Taw on Wednesday. He called peace and stability the country's fundamental needs to secure a prosperous future for its people.
A traffic light shows red in front of the US Capitol in Washington on Tuesday, amid the government shutdown.
\n
WASHINGTON — The two-week-old US federal government shutdown may cost the country as much as $15 billion a week in lost output, a Treasury official said late on Wednesday, correcting an earlier statement by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent that put the cost at up to $15 billion a day.
\n
Bessent used the incorrect estimate in two separate appearances earlier on Wednesday, while urging Democrats to "be heroes" and side with Republicans to end it.
\n
A Treasury official said the cost estimate was based on a report by the White House Council of Economic Advisers.
\n
Bessent told a news conference that the shutdown was starting to "cut into muscle" of the United States economy.
\n
The wave of investment into the US economy, including into AI, is sustainable and is only getting started, but the federal government shutdown is increasingly an impediment, Bessent said.
\n
"There is pent-up demand, but then President (Donald) Trump has unleashed this boom with his policies," Bessent said at a CNBC event held on the sidelines of International Monetary Fund and World Bank annual meetings in Washington. "The only thing slowing us down here is this government shutdown."
\n
Incentives in the Republican tax law and Trump's tariffs would keep the investment boom going and fuel continued growth, he said. "I think we can be in a period like the late 1800s when railroads came in, like the 1990s when we got the internet and office tech boom."
\n
The government shutdown has ground into its third week, with Congress deadlocked in a clash over spending and Trump following through on his threats to take a hatchet to the workforce in response.
\n
On Wednesday, a federal judge in California, Susan Illston, ordered Trump to pause the planned mass layoffs of federal workers after the White House said it expected to fire 10,000 workers.
\n
Illston issued the temporary restraining order in San Francisco in response to a suit filed by labor unions saying that layoffs are illegal and "not ordinary".
\n
Some employees also did not know they were being laid off because notices were sent to government email accounts that cannot be accessed during a shutdown, the seven-page order seen by Agence France-Presse said.
\n",
+ "content": "
A traffic light shows red in front of the US Capitol in Washington on Tuesday, amid the government shutdown.
\n
WASHINGTON — The two-week-old US federal government shutdown may cost the country as much as $15 billion a week in lost output, a Treasury official said late on Wednesday, correcting an earlier statement by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent that put the cost at up to $15 billion a day.
\n
Bessent used the incorrect estimate in two separate appearances earlier on Wednesday, while urging Democrats to "be heroes" and side with Republicans to end it.
\n
A Treasury official said the cost estimate was based on a report by the White House Council of Economic Advisers.
\n
Bessent told a news conference that the shutdown was starting to "cut into muscle" of the United States economy.
\n
The wave of investment into the US economy, including into AI, is sustainable and is only getting started, but the federal government shutdown is increasingly an impediment, Bessent said.
\n
"There is pent-up demand, but then President (Donald) Trump has unleashed this boom with his policies," Bessent said at a CNBC event held on the sidelines of International Monetary Fund and World Bank annual meetings in Washington. "The only thing slowing us down here is this government shutdown."
\n
Incentives in the Republican tax law and Trump's tariffs would keep the investment boom going and fuel continued growth, he said. "I think we can be in a period like the late 1800s when railroads came in, like the 1990s when we got the internet and office tech boom."
\n
The government shutdown has ground into its third week, with Congress deadlocked in a clash over spending and Trump following through on his threats to take a hatchet to the workforce in response.
\n
On Wednesday, a federal judge in California, Susan Illston, ordered Trump to pause the planned mass layoffs of federal workers after the White House said it expected to fire 10,000 workers.
\n
Illston issued the temporary restraining order in San Francisco in response to a suit filed by labor unions saying that layoffs are illegal and "not ordinary".
\n
Some employees also did not know they were being laid off because notices were sent to government email accounts that cannot be accessed during a shutdown, the seven-page order seen by Agence France-Presse said.
Chinese power operators have introduced innovative measures to make electricity more accessible to clients. In Xuzhou, Jiangsu province, staff members of State Grid Jiangsu have leveraged the Online State Grid app, developing a "Rental Electricity Assistant" to address common problems in rental electricity billing — such as cumbersome handovers, high error rates and frequent disputes. Landlords or tenants can log onto the app, input the household electricity account number and name, and within three minutes, accurately estimate the electricity cost for moving in or out. A real estate agent in Xuzhou said this feature largely reduces the workload of verification and speeds up the rental process.
\n
New direct flight links Beijing Daxing to Doha
\n
China Southern Airlines launched a new direct flight linking Beijing Daxing to Doha, capital of Qatar, on Thursday, adding to the air route network between China and the Middle East. The new Beijing-Doha air route is the airline's second direct flight between the Chinese mainland and Qatar.
\n
Campus fully operational in Fuzhou
\n
As a key higher vocational institution specializing in aviation and skills training in Jiangxi province, Jiangxi Aviation Vocational and Technical College's Fuzhou campus has become fully operational since its delivery from State-owned contractor China Railway Construction Corp's 24th bureau earlier this month. The 104-hectare campus accommodates 13,000 students and faculty, and aims to strengthen regional educational capacity and support local aerospace industrial growth.
\n",
+ "content": "
New service targets power supply woes
\n
Chinese power operators have introduced innovative measures to make electricity more accessible to clients. In Xuzhou, Jiangsu province, staff members of State Grid Jiangsu have leveraged the Online State Grid app, developing a "Rental Electricity Assistant" to address common problems in rental electricity billing — such as cumbersome handovers, high error rates and frequent disputes. Landlords or tenants can log onto the app, input the household electricity account number and name, and within three minutes, accurately estimate the electricity cost for moving in or out. A real estate agent in Xuzhou said this feature largely reduces the workload of verification and speeds up the rental process.
\n
New direct flight links Beijing Daxing to Doha
\n
China Southern Airlines launched a new direct flight linking Beijing Daxing to Doha, capital of Qatar, on Thursday, adding to the air route network between China and the Middle East. The new Beijing-Doha air route is the airline's second direct flight between the Chinese mainland and Qatar.
\n
Campus fully operational in Fuzhou
\n
As a key higher vocational institution specializing in aviation and skills training in Jiangxi province, Jiangxi Aviation Vocational and Technical College's Fuzhou campus has become fully operational since its delivery from State-owned contractor China Railway Construction Corp's 24th bureau earlier this month. The 104-hectare campus accommodates 13,000 students and faculty, and aims to strengthen regional educational capacity and support local aerospace industrial growth.
An employee from Taiyuan North Railway Station in Shanxi province inspects rail facilities during an autumn overhaul and assessment drive. Workers have examined 82 shunting devices at 52 stations on six main lines within its jurisdiction, in a bid to ensure safe rail transport.
\n",
+ "content": "
An employee from Taiyuan North Railway Station in Shanxi province inspects rail facilities during an autumn overhaul and assessment drive. Workers have examined 82 shunting devices at 52 stations on six main lines within its jurisdiction, in a bid to ensure safe rail transport.
Emerging markets remain a strong growth engine for Chinese export-oriented enterprises, as a record number of overseas buyers preregistered for the China Import and Export Fair, popularly known as the Canton Fair.
\n
The fair, held twice a year in spring and autumn, kicked off its 138th session on Wednesday in Guangzhou, capital of Guangdong province.
\n
More than 240,000 buyers from 218 countries and regions, representing an increase of 10 percent from the previous session, have preregistered for the fair, according to the organizers.
\n
There has been significant growth in the number of buyers from the European Union, the United States and emerging markets, including countries and regions involved in the Belt and Road Initiative, the organizers said.
\n
On the opening day of the fair alone, more than 69,000 overseas buyers were recorded, according to the organizers.
\n
As one of approximately 3,600 high-quality companies participating in the fair for the first time, Zhongshan Songwei Lighting Electrical Appliance Co has set high expectations to expand business in emerging markets.
\n
"Through digital and intelligent transformation, we have continuously enhanced our capabilities, hoping to ship our products to developed and emerging markets," founder Xie Wei said.
\n
The company, based in Zhongshan, Guangdong, was primarily focused on the domestic market and only started exploring foreign trade four years ago.
\n
"We hope to expand into the European and emerging markets such as the Middle East," said Xie.
\n
Showcasing cutting-edge minimalist style ceiling lights and fan lights during the fair, the company has already met with new customers from Germany, Italy, Saudi Arabia and Iran during the fair's first two days.
\n
"We are very confident about securing orders, as customers from emerging markets have shown strong interest by scheduling their visits to our new factory after the fair," said Xie.
\n
According to data from World-First, a cross-border trade payment and account service brand that is part of Ant International, emerging markets saw a 300 percent growth in transaction volume during the first half of 2025.
\n
To address the need for Chinese exporters to expand into emerging markets, WorldFirst has upgraded its cross-border trade safeguard plan to help companies build more robust compliance and fund management capabilities during the fair.
\n
In the first three quarters, China's exports to emerging markets such as ASEAN, Africa and Central Asia increased by 14 percent, 27.3 percent and 11.8 percent, respectively, according to data from the General Administration of Customs.
\n
qiuquanlin@chinadaily.com.cn
\n",
+ "content": "\n
Emerging markets remain a strong growth engine for Chinese export-oriented enterprises, as a record number of overseas buyers preregistered for the China Import and Export Fair, popularly known as the Canton Fair.
\n
The fair, held twice a year in spring and autumn, kicked off its 138th session on Wednesday in Guangzhou, capital of Guangdong province.
\n
More than 240,000 buyers from 218 countries and regions, representing an increase of 10 percent from the previous session, have preregistered for the fair, according to the organizers.
\n
There has been significant growth in the number of buyers from the European Union, the United States and emerging markets, including countries and regions involved in the Belt and Road Initiative, the organizers said.
\n
On the opening day of the fair alone, more than 69,000 overseas buyers were recorded, according to the organizers.
\n
As one of approximately 3,600 high-quality companies participating in the fair for the first time, Zhongshan Songwei Lighting Electrical Appliance Co has set high expectations to expand business in emerging markets.
\n
"Through digital and intelligent transformation, we have continuously enhanced our capabilities, hoping to ship our products to developed and emerging markets," founder Xie Wei said.
\n
The company, based in Zhongshan, Guangdong, was primarily focused on the domestic market and only started exploring foreign trade four years ago.
\n
"We hope to expand into the European and emerging markets such as the Middle East," said Xie.
\n
Showcasing cutting-edge minimalist style ceiling lights and fan lights during the fair, the company has already met with new customers from Germany, Italy, Saudi Arabia and Iran during the fair's first two days.
\n
"We are very confident about securing orders, as customers from emerging markets have shown strong interest by scheduling their visits to our new factory after the fair," said Xie.
\n
According to data from World-First, a cross-border trade payment and account service brand that is part of Ant International, emerging markets saw a 300 percent growth in transaction volume during the first half of 2025.
\n
To address the need for Chinese exporters to expand into emerging markets, WorldFirst has upgraded its cross-border trade safeguard plan to help companies build more robust compliance and fund management capabilities during the fair.
\n
In the first three quarters, China's exports to emerging markets such as ASEAN, Africa and Central Asia increased by 14 percent, 27.3 percent and 11.8 percent, respectively, according to data from the General Administration of Customs.
As China's decade-long property market boom cools, policymakers are steering the world's second-largest economy toward a more sustainable alternative — revitalizing aging cities.
\n
By positioning urban renewal as a key strategy to stimulate domestic demand, Beijing is calibrating growth drivers while addressing deep-seated social needs, experts and executives said.
\n
Investment aimed at breathing new life into dilapidated residential areas, obsolete industrial sites, and underutilized public spaces will translate into substantial demand for various industries, increased values for existing assets and a notable upgrade for the urban environment, they added.
\n
Their comments came after the country's top leadership has elevated urban renewal to a systematic growth pillar during high-level tone-setting meetings, prioritizing maximizing the use of existing facilities over large-scale expansion.
\n
President Xi Jinping highlighted that China's urbanization is evolving from rapid growth to stable development, and urban development is shifting from a stage of large-scale expansion to one focused on improving the quality and efficiency of existing urban areas, during the Central Urban Work Conference in mid-July.
\n
Over the past few decades, China has experienced the largest and fastest urbanization process in human history. According to the National Bureau of Statistics, its urbanization rate, which measures the ratio of permanent urban residents relative to the total population, reached 67 percent last year.
\n
Two weeks later, Xi, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, reiterated the need to promote urban renewal in a high-quality manner at a meeting held by the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee when mapping out priorities for economic work in the second half of the year.
\n
The Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development pledged in December to try to complete the renovation of aging urban residential communities built before the end of 2000 by the year 2025.
\n
"By 2030, over 10 billion square meters of residential buildings will be more than 30 years old, and even if we only renovate 10 percent of that each year, that's still 1 billion square meters," said Zhao Yanjing, a professor specialized in urban economics at Xiamen University.
\n
To put this into perspective, the total new construction area nationwide last year, according to data from the National Bureau of Statistics, was less than 740 million square meters, and even at the peak in 2019, it stood at some 1.67 billion square meters.
\n
Even at such a pace, the aging residential buildings would require at least a decade to address, by which time even more properties will come to the stage where reconditioning work is needed, Zhao said.
\n
"This means that as the real estate market shifts from a focus on constructing new houses to enhancing existing ones, the overall market size will likely be fairly large," Zhao said. "These renewal projects will generate substantial economic activity, helping to offset the slowdown in the real estate market, while also improving the living conditions of our citizens."
\n
From 2019 to 2024, China renovated 280,000 aging residential communities, benefiting more than 120 million people, data from the ministry showed.
\n
China's urban renewal initiatives have moved beyond the mere renovation of old residential communities. Abandoned factories become innovation hubs; dormant warehouses are transformed into cultural venues; and urban villages are retrofitted into affordable housing zones.
\n
"As the country moves away from a growth model centered on new construction, the ability to extract value from our existing facilities will become increasingly important," said Yang Baojun, president of the Urban Planning Society of China and former chief economist of the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development.
\n
In Wuxi, Jiangsu province, an urban renewal initiative, which began in 2019, has transformed a patchwork of industrial remnants, including a textile factory and an ironworks, into a multifunctional hub blending tech industry, digital culture and community spaces.
\n
The industrial park has so far attracted over 100 enterprises, generating annual tax contributions exceeding 15 million yuan ($2.1 million), according to local authorities.
\n
"Urban renewal is no longer about demolition," Yang said. It's about reprogramming urban DNA economically, socially and functionally."
\n
Chinese cities are sitting on a gold mine of undervalued assets. The key is to find innovative ways to activate and repurpose these existing resources, rather than constantly pursue new development, Yang added.
\n
In April, the Ministry of Finance pledged fiscal support for urban renewal projects in up to 20 cities this year, prioritizing megacities, superlarge cities and key urban centers along the Yellow and Pearl rivers.
\n
Centrally administered municipalities and cities in the country's western regions qualify for subsidies of up to 1.2 billion yuan each. Cities in central regions may receive up to 1 billion yuan, while those in eastern regions are eligible for up to 800 million yuan.
\n
However, experts cautioned that the scale and complexity of these urban renewal projects are such that government funding alone is simply not enough. Attracting private investment will be crucial to the long-term sustainability of such initiatives.
\n
Dong Yu, executive vice-president of Tsinghua University's China Institute for Development Planning, said: "These projects require substantial up-front investments and can take years to complete. For private enterprises to get involved, there needs to be a viable business model offering reasonable and stable returns."
\n
China issued a guideline in mid-May to increase policy and financial support for urban renewal projects, vowing to establish a sustainable urban renewal model that is government-led, market-driven and publicly engaged.
\n
Localities can explore the "public-private partnership plus concession" approach, in which the government grants private enterprises long-term operating rights over ancillary facilities, such as parking lots and charging stations, in the vicinity of the urban renewal sites, Dong said.
\n
In the Fuli residential community in Pingxiang, Jiangxi province, property management fees and parking fees now serve as a reliable source of income for renewal project developers.
\n
The project has focused on core infrastructure upgrades, such as road paving and utility network renovations, as well as the expansion and enhancement of parking facilities, said Yang Qian, general manager of Boyue Construction and Development Co.
\n
The Jiangxi provincial branch of China Development Bank has been involved from the beginning, providing 10 million yuan in long-term loans to support the project. More importantly, its financing model incorporates user fees as potential revenue sources, Yang said.
\n
wangkeju@chinadaily.com.cn
\n",
+ "content": "
As China's decade-long property market boom cools, policymakers are steering the world's second-largest economy toward a more sustainable alternative — revitalizing aging cities.
\n
By positioning urban renewal as a key strategy to stimulate domestic demand, Beijing is calibrating growth drivers while addressing deep-seated social needs, experts and executives said.
\n
Investment aimed at breathing new life into dilapidated residential areas, obsolete industrial sites, and underutilized public spaces will translate into substantial demand for various industries, increased values for existing assets and a notable upgrade for the urban environment, they added.
\n
Their comments came after the country's top leadership has elevated urban renewal to a systematic growth pillar during high-level tone-setting meetings, prioritizing maximizing the use of existing facilities over large-scale expansion.
\n
President Xi Jinping highlighted that China's urbanization is evolving from rapid growth to stable development, and urban development is shifting from a stage of large-scale expansion to one focused on improving the quality and efficiency of existing urban areas, during the Central Urban Work Conference in mid-July.
\n
Over the past few decades, China has experienced the largest and fastest urbanization process in human history. According to the National Bureau of Statistics, its urbanization rate, which measures the ratio of permanent urban residents relative to the total population, reached 67 percent last year.
\n
Two weeks later, Xi, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, reiterated the need to promote urban renewal in a high-quality manner at a meeting held by the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee when mapping out priorities for economic work in the second half of the year.
\n
The Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development pledged in December to try to complete the renovation of aging urban residential communities built before the end of 2000 by the year 2025.
\n
"By 2030, over 10 billion square meters of residential buildings will be more than 30 years old, and even if we only renovate 10 percent of that each year, that's still 1 billion square meters," said Zhao Yanjing, a professor specialized in urban economics at Xiamen University.
\n
To put this into perspective, the total new construction area nationwide last year, according to data from the National Bureau of Statistics, was less than 740 million square meters, and even at the peak in 2019, it stood at some 1.67 billion square meters.
\n
Even at such a pace, the aging residential buildings would require at least a decade to address, by which time even more properties will come to the stage where reconditioning work is needed, Zhao said.
\n
"This means that as the real estate market shifts from a focus on constructing new houses to enhancing existing ones, the overall market size will likely be fairly large," Zhao said. "These renewal projects will generate substantial economic activity, helping to offset the slowdown in the real estate market, while also improving the living conditions of our citizens."
\n
From 2019 to 2024, China renovated 280,000 aging residential communities, benefiting more than 120 million people, data from the ministry showed.
\n
China's urban renewal initiatives have moved beyond the mere renovation of old residential communities. Abandoned factories become innovation hubs; dormant warehouses are transformed into cultural venues; and urban villages are retrofitted into affordable housing zones.
\n
"As the country moves away from a growth model centered on new construction, the ability to extract value from our existing facilities will become increasingly important," said Yang Baojun, president of the Urban Planning Society of China and former chief economist of the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development.
\n
In Wuxi, Jiangsu province, an urban renewal initiative, which began in 2019, has transformed a patchwork of industrial remnants, including a textile factory and an ironworks, into a multifunctional hub blending tech industry, digital culture and community spaces.
\n
The industrial park has so far attracted over 100 enterprises, generating annual tax contributions exceeding 15 million yuan ($2.1 million), according to local authorities.
\n
"Urban renewal is no longer about demolition," Yang said. It's about reprogramming urban DNA economically, socially and functionally."
\n
Chinese cities are sitting on a gold mine of undervalued assets. The key is to find innovative ways to activate and repurpose these existing resources, rather than constantly pursue new development, Yang added.
\n
In April, the Ministry of Finance pledged fiscal support for urban renewal projects in up to 20 cities this year, prioritizing megacities, superlarge cities and key urban centers along the Yellow and Pearl rivers.
\n
Centrally administered municipalities and cities in the country's western regions qualify for subsidies of up to 1.2 billion yuan each. Cities in central regions may receive up to 1 billion yuan, while those in eastern regions are eligible for up to 800 million yuan.
\n
However, experts cautioned that the scale and complexity of these urban renewal projects are such that government funding alone is simply not enough. Attracting private investment will be crucial to the long-term sustainability of such initiatives.
\n
Dong Yu, executive vice-president of Tsinghua University's China Institute for Development Planning, said: "These projects require substantial up-front investments and can take years to complete. For private enterprises to get involved, there needs to be a viable business model offering reasonable and stable returns."
\n
China issued a guideline in mid-May to increase policy and financial support for urban renewal projects, vowing to establish a sustainable urban renewal model that is government-led, market-driven and publicly engaged.
\n
Localities can explore the "public-private partnership plus concession" approach, in which the government grants private enterprises long-term operating rights over ancillary facilities, such as parking lots and charging stations, in the vicinity of the urban renewal sites, Dong said.
\n
In the Fuli residential community in Pingxiang, Jiangxi province, property management fees and parking fees now serve as a reliable source of income for renewal project developers.
\n
The project has focused on core infrastructure upgrades, such as road paving and utility network renovations, as well as the expansion and enhancement of parking facilities, said Yang Qian, general manager of Boyue Construction and Development Co.
\n
The Jiangxi provincial branch of China Development Bank has been involved from the beginning, providing 10 million yuan in long-term loans to support the project. More importantly, its financing model incorporates user fees as potential revenue sources, Yang said.
President Xi Jinping has congratulated David Adeang on his re-election as president of Nauru, and vowed to promote bilateral ties.
\n
In a congratulatory message sent to Adeang on Friday, Xi said that since the two countries resumed their diplomatic ties, the bilateral relationship has made significant progress, with fruitful cooperation in various fields benefiting the people of both countries.
\n
He expressed his appreciation that the Nauruan government led by Adeang adheres to the one-China principle.
\n
Noting that he attaches great importance to the development of China-Nauru relations, Xi expressed his willingness to work with Adeang to elevate the bilateral relationship to new heights to deliver greater benefits to the people of both countries.
\n
Adeang, who has served as Nauru's president since October 2023 and as a member of parliament since 2001, was re-elected as Nauruan president for a second term on Oct 11, Xinhua News Agency reported.
\n
China and Nauru resumed diplomatic relations in January 2024.
\n
caodesheng@chinadaily.com.cn
\n",
+ "content": "
President Xi Jinping has congratulated David Adeang on his re-election as president of Nauru, and vowed to promote bilateral ties.
\n
In a congratulatory message sent to Adeang on Friday, Xi said that since the two countries resumed their diplomatic ties, the bilateral relationship has made significant progress, with fruitful cooperation in various fields benefiting the people of both countries.
\n
He expressed his appreciation that the Nauruan government led by Adeang adheres to the one-China principle.
\n
Noting that he attaches great importance to the development of China-Nauru relations, Xi expressed his willingness to work with Adeang to elevate the bilateral relationship to new heights to deliver greater benefits to the people of both countries.
\n
Adeang, who has served as Nauru's president since October 2023 and as a member of parliament since 2001, was re-elected as Nauruan president for a second term on Oct 11, Xinhua News Agency reported.
\n
China and Nauru resumed diplomatic relations in January 2024.
A child poses for a picture with a stone sculpture of the Communist Party of China undercover agent Wu Shi in Fuzhou, Fujian province, on Sunday.
\n
A hit TV series based on the reallife stories of Communist Party of China undercover agents in Taiwan has sparked a wave of remembrance and patriotism across the country.
\n
Silent Honor, which aired on CCTV-8, achieved record viewership, with a peak rating of 3.07 percent, making it the drama to most quickly surpass the 3 percent mark in 2025.
\n
The drama depicts underground struggles in Taiwan before and after the founding of the People's Republic of China, highlighting the sacrifices made by the brave individuals, including Wu Shi, a military strategist who risked his life to provide crucial intelligence to the CPC.
\n
Following the series' popularity, Wu's former residence, a wooden structure in Luozhou township in suburban Fuzhou, capital of Fujian province, has seen an influx of tourists.
\n
Some have left behind photos of China's advanced military equipment, including the DF-5C missile, and a commemorative hat from the aircraft carrier CNS Fujian, as a tribute to the martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the country's reunification.
\n
Wu Zengying, a tour guide at the site, said, "Visitors left these to tell the martyrs that the motherland is growing stronger, just as they wished."
\n
Wu Bo, one of the visitors, said, "Wu Shi could have stayed in Fuzhou — choosing to go to Taiwan meant risking his life. Between personal safety and national duty, he made a heroic choice."
\n
Yang Li, another visitor, added, "My friends are discussing the drama, but many say they can't bear to watch it because the ending is heartbreaking. The general was executed after about a year in Taiwan."
\n
Wang Ying, a volunteer from the Fujian Provincial Martyr Memorial Facilities Protection Center, distributes biographical materials about Wu at the site to help visitors understand his life and contributions.
\n
"The visitors hope for the early reunification of the two sides of the Taiwan Strait, and it's what brings many here with such anticipation," she said.
\n
The TV series has also caught the attention of Taiwan-based media and political commentators.
\n
Around 1949, when the Chiang Kai-shek authorities retreated to Taiwan, the CPC sent about 1,500 members and progressives secretly to the island to work toward its liberation. However, due to informants, more than 1,100 were killed, with many remaining nameless.
\n
Chen Binhua, a spokesman for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, said recently in Beijing that the famous line — "If I shall go there and never return, then let it be," spoken by Wu in the drama, embodies the fearless spirit of Chinese Communists who dedicated themselves without hesitation to the people's liberation and national reunification.
\n
"The unwavering loyalty, relentless struggle, and ultimate sacrifice of these martyrs will never be forgotten by the people or by history," he said, which will inspire compatriots across the Taiwan Strait to strive for the complete reunification of the motherland.
A child poses for a picture with a stone sculpture of the Communist Party of China undercover agent Wu Shi in Fuzhou, Fujian province, on Sunday.
\n
A hit TV series based on the reallife stories of Communist Party of China undercover agents in Taiwan has sparked a wave of remembrance and patriotism across the country.
\n
Silent Honor, which aired on CCTV-8, achieved record viewership, with a peak rating of 3.07 percent, making it the drama to most quickly surpass the 3 percent mark in 2025.
\n
The drama depicts underground struggles in Taiwan before and after the founding of the People's Republic of China, highlighting the sacrifices made by the brave individuals, including Wu Shi, a military strategist who risked his life to provide crucial intelligence to the CPC.
\n
Following the series' popularity, Wu's former residence, a wooden structure in Luozhou township in suburban Fuzhou, capital of Fujian province, has seen an influx of tourists.
\n
Some have left behind photos of China's advanced military equipment, including the DF-5C missile, and a commemorative hat from the aircraft carrier CNS Fujian, as a tribute to the martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the country's reunification.
\n
Wu Zengying, a tour guide at the site, said, "Visitors left these to tell the martyrs that the motherland is growing stronger, just as they wished."
\n
Wu Bo, one of the visitors, said, "Wu Shi could have stayed in Fuzhou — choosing to go to Taiwan meant risking his life. Between personal safety and national duty, he made a heroic choice."
\n
Yang Li, another visitor, added, "My friends are discussing the drama, but many say they can't bear to watch it because the ending is heartbreaking. The general was executed after about a year in Taiwan."
\n
Wang Ying, a volunteer from the Fujian Provincial Martyr Memorial Facilities Protection Center, distributes biographical materials about Wu at the site to help visitors understand his life and contributions.
\n
"The visitors hope for the early reunification of the two sides of the Taiwan Strait, and it's what brings many here with such anticipation," she said.
\n
The TV series has also caught the attention of Taiwan-based media and political commentators.
\n
Around 1949, when the Chiang Kai-shek authorities retreated to Taiwan, the CPC sent about 1,500 members and progressives secretly to the island to work toward its liberation. However, due to informants, more than 1,100 were killed, with many remaining nameless.
\n
Chen Binhua, a spokesman for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, said recently in Beijing that the famous line — "If I shall go there and never return, then let it be," spoken by Wu in the drama, embodies the fearless spirit of Chinese Communists who dedicated themselves without hesitation to the people's liberation and national reunification.
\n
"The unwavering loyalty, relentless struggle, and ultimate sacrifice of these martyrs will never be forgotten by the people or by history," he said, which will inspire compatriots across the Taiwan Strait to strive for the complete reunification of the motherland.
Crew aboard the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy ship Qi Jiguang wave to greet local civilians at Sattahip naval base in Thailand on Thursday. The Navy's 83rd task force began a four-day visit to Thailand.
Crew aboard the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy ship Qi Jiguang wave to greet local civilians at Sattahip naval base in Thailand on Thursday. The Navy's 83rd task force began a four-day visit to Thailand.
China has expressed deep condolences over the passing of former Japanese prime minister Tomiichi Murayama, the first Japanese leader who officially apologized for the country's World War II atrocities, gained trust for Japan and won worldwide acknowledgment.
\n
The 81st prime minister of Japan, also the first from the Japan Socialist Party, died on Friday morning in his hometown city of Oita at 101. Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian also extended sincere sympathy to his family, citing Murayama as a statesman with a sense of justice and a long-standing friend of the Chinese people.
\n
Officials and experts emphasized that inheriting and advancing the Murayama Statement, which explicitly acknowledged Japan's colonial rule and aggression in Asia, is especially important in today's increasingly right-leaning Japan.
\n
Born on March 3, 1924, in Oita Prefecture, Murayama became chairman of the Japan Socialist Party in 1993, and served as prime minister from June 1994 through January 1996.
\n
On Aug 15, 1995, Murayama issued the historic cabinet-endorsed statement. The Murayama Statement declared that "Japan, following a mistaken national policy, advanced along the road to war, only to ensnare the Japanese people in a fateful crisis, and, through its colonial rule and aggression, caused tremendous damage and suffering to the people of many countries, particularly to those of Asian nations." The statement specifically expressed "deep remorse and heartfelt apology".
\n
Lin said the Murayama Statement represents a solemn declaration and commitment by the Japanese government to the people of victim countries in Asia and the international community, which needs to be honored with good faith.
\n
He added he hoped that Tokyo will work with Beijing in the same direction to build a constructive and stable bilateral relationship that meets the demands of the new era.
\n
Takakage Fujita, secretary-general of the Association for Inheriting and Propagating the Murayama Statement, told China Daily that the statement, which acknowledges Japan's colonial and aggressive history, holds significant importance.
\n
He said that Murayama's legacy will continue to be upheld, and efforts would be made to further promote the statement throughout Japan.
\n
Fujita said that he often spoke with Murayama, who was concerned that young Japanese people study history too little and emphasized that schools should teach modern history seriously, especially Japan's invasion of China and colonization of the Korean Peninsula.
\n
Mizuho Fukushima, head of the Social Democratic Party, wrote on social media that Murayama was her "political father" and that his statement had been "of great political significance". "I feel truly saddened."
\n
Murayama had been scheduled to deliver a written address next Tuesday at a symposium titled "Safeguarding Peace and Building the Future Together", commemorating 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
Zhou Yongsheng, a professor at the Institute of International Relations at China Foreign Affairs University in Beijing, said that when Murayama became Japan's prime minister as head of the Japan Socialist Party, he did bring changes to the political landscape.
\n
"Murayama served as a voice for peace, acting as a crucial bulwark against the drift toward remilitarization. Now, as Japan's politics continue to shift to the right, Japanese politicians need to revisit Murayama's legacy, to face history squarely and hold fast to the principles of peace," Zhou said.
\n
The Chinese Foreign Ministry urged Japan to face up to and reflect on the history of aggression, act prudently on historical issues such as the issue of the Yasukuni Shrine and make a clean break with militarism.
\n
Lin, the ministry's spokesman, made the remarks after outgoing Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and head of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party Sanae Takaichi sent ritual offerings to the shrine on Friday, which honors 14 convicted Class-A Japanese war criminals from World War II.
\n
Contact the writers at houjunjie@chinadaily.com.cn
\n",
+ "content": "
Tomiichi Murayama
\n
China has expressed deep condolences over the passing of former Japanese prime minister Tomiichi Murayama, the first Japanese leader who officially apologized for the country's World War II atrocities, gained trust for Japan and won worldwide acknowledgment.
\n
The 81st prime minister of Japan, also the first from the Japan Socialist Party, died on Friday morning in his hometown city of Oita at 101. Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian also extended sincere sympathy to his family, citing Murayama as a statesman with a sense of justice and a long-standing friend of the Chinese people.
\n
Officials and experts emphasized that inheriting and advancing the Murayama Statement, which explicitly acknowledged Japan's colonial rule and aggression in Asia, is especially important in today's increasingly right-leaning Japan.
\n
Born on March 3, 1924, in Oita Prefecture, Murayama became chairman of the Japan Socialist Party in 1993, and served as prime minister from June 1994 through January 1996.
\n
On Aug 15, 1995, Murayama issued the historic cabinet-endorsed statement. The Murayama Statement declared that "Japan, following a mistaken national policy, advanced along the road to war, only to ensnare the Japanese people in a fateful crisis, and, through its colonial rule and aggression, caused tremendous damage and suffering to the people of many countries, particularly to those of Asian nations." The statement specifically expressed "deep remorse and heartfelt apology".
\n
Lin said the Murayama Statement represents a solemn declaration and commitment by the Japanese government to the people of victim countries in Asia and the international community, which needs to be honored with good faith.
\n
He added he hoped that Tokyo will work with Beijing in the same direction to build a constructive and stable bilateral relationship that meets the demands of the new era.
\n
Takakage Fujita, secretary-general of the Association for Inheriting and Propagating the Murayama Statement, told China Daily that the statement, which acknowledges Japan's colonial and aggressive history, holds significant importance.
\n
He said that Murayama's legacy will continue to be upheld, and efforts would be made to further promote the statement throughout Japan.
\n
Fujita said that he often spoke with Murayama, who was concerned that young Japanese people study history too little and emphasized that schools should teach modern history seriously, especially Japan's invasion of China and colonization of the Korean Peninsula.
\n
Mizuho Fukushima, head of the Social Democratic Party, wrote on social media that Murayama was her "political father" and that his statement had been "of great political significance". "I feel truly saddened."
\n
Murayama had been scheduled to deliver a written address next Tuesday at a symposium titled "Safeguarding Peace and Building the Future Together", commemorating 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
Zhou Yongsheng, a professor at the Institute of International Relations at China Foreign Affairs University in Beijing, said that when Murayama became Japan's prime minister as head of the Japan Socialist Party, he did bring changes to the political landscape.
\n
"Murayama served as a voice for peace, acting as a crucial bulwark against the drift toward remilitarization. Now, as Japan's politics continue to shift to the right, Japanese politicians need to revisit Murayama's legacy, to face history squarely and hold fast to the principles of peace," Zhou said.
\n
The Chinese Foreign Ministry urged Japan to face up to and reflect on the history of aggression, act prudently on historical issues such as the issue of the Yasukuni Shrine and make a clean break with militarism.
\n
Lin, the ministry's spokesman, made the remarks after outgoing Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and head of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party Sanae Takaichi sent ritual offerings to the shrine on Friday, which honors 14 convicted Class-A Japanese war criminals from World War II.
\n
Contact the writers at houjunjie@chinadaily.com.cn
The 2025 World Internet Conference Wuzhen Summit is expected to create an open platform for international exchanges and cooperation in digital technologies, while helping the global community to seize opportunities brought on by a new round of scientific and technological revolution to benefit humanity, the event's organizer said on Friday.
\n
The summit is scheduled to take place from Nov 6 to 9 in Wuzhen, Zhejiang province, with the theme "Forging an Open, Cooperative, Secure and Inclusive Digital Future — Building a Community with a Shared Future in Cyberspace."
\n
It will focus on new trends in cutting-edge internet technologies and new developments in cyberspace governance, and discuss technology-driven industrial innovation and practices, as well as approaches concerning the governance of cyberspace and frontier technologies, said Ren Xianliang, secretary-general of the WIC.
\n
Ren made the remarks at a news conference in Beijing.
\n
He noted that as this year marks the 10th anniversary of a proposal to build a community with a shared future in cyberspace, the summit will comprehensively summarize the great achievements and vivid practices made over the past decade.
\n
This year's summit will invite business leaders from the "Six Little Dragons" — a group of Chinese tech startups based in Hangzhou, such as DeepSeek and Unitree Robotics, to participate in a dialogue regarding global trends in artificial intelligence innovation and development, and to explore how cross-sector collaboration can help address global challenges, Ren said.
\n
The event will set up 24 sub-forums, while heads and senior representatives from major international organizations, renowned experts and scholars, and executives from leading internet enterprises, including Alibaba, Sohu and 360, have confirmed their attendance.
\n
At present, AI has made breakthroughs with new business models rapidly emerging and innovative applications expanding at an accelerated pace, bringing huge opportunities for the economic and social development of all countries, but AI technologies also bring about risks and challenges, Ren said.
\n
Moreover, a theoretical symposium marking the 10th anniversary of the concept of building a community with a shared future in cyberspace will be held during the event, while specialized committees on e-commerce and cultural heritage digitalization will be established.
\n
AI technologies and industrial development will be under the spotlight during the summit, with five AI-themed sub-forums to be held, said Zhao Cheng, head of the publicity department of the Zhejiang Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China.
\n
This year's Light of Internet Expo will showcase the remarkable achievements of AI in production and people's daily lives, while themed exhibitions featuring the debut of products in embodied intelligence and quantum technology will be held, Zhao added.
\n
Meanwhile, as new problems are emerging along with the rapid development of AI, the forum on AI technology innovation and governance will bring together experts, scholars, and entrepreneurs from around the world to engage in in-depth discussions on improving AI ethical standards and enhancing collaborative governance.
\n
China's AI sector will make big strides in the next 10 to 15 years, with its market size reaching 1.73 trillion yuan ($242.8 billion) by 2035, accounting for 30.6 percent of the global total, according to market research company CCID Consulting.
\n
The nation has solidified its position as a global leader in AI innovation, and released 1,509 AI models to date, ranking first among the 3,755 models launched globally until now, according to the China Academy of Information and Communications Technology.
The 2025 World Internet Conference Wuzhen Summit is expected to create an open platform for international exchanges and cooperation in digital technologies, while helping the global community to seize opportunities brought on by a new round of scientific and technological revolution to benefit humanity, the event's organizer said on Friday.
\n
The summit is scheduled to take place from Nov 6 to 9 in Wuzhen, Zhejiang province, with the theme "Forging an Open, Cooperative, Secure and Inclusive Digital Future — Building a Community with a Shared Future in Cyberspace."
\n
It will focus on new trends in cutting-edge internet technologies and new developments in cyberspace governance, and discuss technology-driven industrial innovation and practices, as well as approaches concerning the governance of cyberspace and frontier technologies, said Ren Xianliang, secretary-general of the WIC.
\n
Ren made the remarks at a news conference in Beijing.
\n
He noted that as this year marks the 10th anniversary of a proposal to build a community with a shared future in cyberspace, the summit will comprehensively summarize the great achievements and vivid practices made over the past decade.
\n
This year's summit will invite business leaders from the "Six Little Dragons" — a group of Chinese tech startups based in Hangzhou, such as DeepSeek and Unitree Robotics, to participate in a dialogue regarding global trends in artificial intelligence innovation and development, and to explore how cross-sector collaboration can help address global challenges, Ren said.
\n
The event will set up 24 sub-forums, while heads and senior representatives from major international organizations, renowned experts and scholars, and executives from leading internet enterprises, including Alibaba, Sohu and 360, have confirmed their attendance.
\n
At present, AI has made breakthroughs with new business models rapidly emerging and innovative applications expanding at an accelerated pace, bringing huge opportunities for the economic and social development of all countries, but AI technologies also bring about risks and challenges, Ren said.
\n
Moreover, a theoretical symposium marking the 10th anniversary of the concept of building a community with a shared future in cyberspace will be held during the event, while specialized committees on e-commerce and cultural heritage digitalization will be established.
\n
AI technologies and industrial development will be under the spotlight during the summit, with five AI-themed sub-forums to be held, said Zhao Cheng, head of the publicity department of the Zhejiang Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China.
\n
This year's Light of Internet Expo will showcase the remarkable achievements of AI in production and people's daily lives, while themed exhibitions featuring the debut of products in embodied intelligence and quantum technology will be held, Zhao added.
\n
Meanwhile, as new problems are emerging along with the rapid development of AI, the forum on AI technology innovation and governance will bring together experts, scholars, and entrepreneurs from around the world to engage in in-depth discussions on improving AI ethical standards and enhancing collaborative governance.
\n
China's AI sector will make big strides in the next 10 to 15 years, with its market size reaching 1.73 trillion yuan ($242.8 billion) by 2035, accounting for 30.6 percent of the global total, according to market research company CCID Consulting.
\n
The nation has solidified its position as a global leader in AI innovation, and released 1,509 AI models to date, ranking first among the 3,755 models launched globally until now, according to the China Academy of Information and Communications Technology.
Employees from State Grid Changji in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region erect a railway-crossing frame for a 220-kilovolt transmission project in Qitai county, aiming to boost power supply in the area.
\n",
+ "content": "
Employees from State Grid Changji in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region erect a railway-crossing frame for a 220-kilovolt transmission project in Qitai county, aiming to boost power supply in the area.
Chinese railway operators have intensified efforts to upgrade facilities that will enhance the travel experience for passengers. At Jiexiu Train Service Depot under China Railway Taiyuan Bureau Group, staff members have launched a full-scale facelift of equipment and facilities inside Jiexiudong Station. A specialist task force has carried out a systematic health-check on all critical escalators, ticket vending machines and ticket gates to avoid hidden faults. They also conducted a sweeping check on station buildings, access corridors and platforms, reinforcing the station's safety and ensuring that journeys for passengers are safe and without incident.
\n
Currency swap agreement renewed
\n
The People's Bank of China, the country's central bank, has renewed a bilateral currency swap agreement with the Central Bank of Iceland. The agreement, valid for five years, is worth 3.5 billion yuan ($491.35 million), the PBOC said in a statement. The arrangement will strengthen financial cooperation between China and Iceland, facilitate bilateral trade and investment, and safeguard financial market stability.
\n",
+ "content": "
Facility upgrades to lift travel experience
\n
Chinese railway operators have intensified efforts to upgrade facilities that will enhance the travel experience for passengers. At Jiexiu Train Service Depot under China Railway Taiyuan Bureau Group, staff members have launched a full-scale facelift of equipment and facilities inside Jiexiudong Station. A specialist task force has carried out a systematic health-check on all critical escalators, ticket vending machines and ticket gates to avoid hidden faults. They also conducted a sweeping check on station buildings, access corridors and platforms, reinforcing the station's safety and ensuring that journeys for passengers are safe and without incident.
\n
Currency swap agreement renewed
\n
The People's Bank of China, the country's central bank, has renewed a bilateral currency swap agreement with the Central Bank of Iceland. The agreement, valid for five years, is worth 3.5 billion yuan ($491.35 million), the PBOC said in a statement. The arrangement will strengthen financial cooperation between China and Iceland, facilitate bilateral trade and investment, and safeguard financial market stability.
An exhibitor introduces Ethiopian coffee beans to delegates visiting the 3rd Hainan International Tropical Food Supply Chain Expo held in Haikou, capital of Hainan province, from Thursday to Saturday.
An exhibitor introduces Ethiopian coffee beans to delegates visiting the 3rd Hainan International Tropical Food Supply Chain Expo held in Haikou, capital of Hainan province, from Thursday to Saturday.
More than 4,100 domestic and overseas online platforms, including major players such as Pinduoduo, Ele.me, Didi, and international cross-border marketplaces have submitted their first round of detailed tax-related information under a new reporting regulation effective this month, China's top tax authority told China Daily on Thursday.
\n
The State Taxation Administration said the reporting process, which began on Oct 1 under new government regulations, requires internet platforms to provide details of operators and workers active on their sites, including verified identity and income information.
\n
Out of the 6,654 platforms that had reported their basic corporate data as of Wednesday, more than 4,100 platforms submitted detailed tax-related information — covering over 60 percent of those required to report, the STA told China Daily.
\n
The new system covers both domestic and foreign platforms operating in China's vast online marketplace, which includes global e-commerce platforms such as Amazon, Shopee as well as Chinese platforms with large overseas footprints.
\n
Shi Zhengwen, director of the center for research in fiscal and tax law of China University of Political Science and Law, said: "Whether domestic or foreign, all platforms that provide profit-making services to Chinese operators must report tax-related information in accordance with the law. Any attempts to skirt obligations through offshore registration will not work."
\n
The STA emphasized that platforms have until Oct 31 to complete their first filings, warning that those who miss the deadline or submit inaccurate data could "face penalties".
\n
The initiative comes as Beijing seeks to improve tax compliance and ensure a level playing field across the online economy, which has grown increasingly complex with the rise of livestreaming sales, gig work, and cross-border e-commerce.
\n
The administration also warned against schemes that disguise personal income as business income — a tactic used by some gig-economy or influencer platforms to reduce tax burdens.
\n
Some platforms were found to have helped individuals register as self-employed businesses in bulk or set up offshore entities to evade domestic tax obligations, according to the STA.
\n
"These practices — such as splitting income, switching identity, or registering overseas to conceal domestic earnings — seriously disrupt the reporting system," Shi added.
\n
chengyu@chinadaily.com.cn
\n",
+ "content": "\n
More than 4,100 domestic and overseas online platforms, including major players such as Pinduoduo, Ele.me, Didi, and international cross-border marketplaces have submitted their first round of detailed tax-related information under a new reporting regulation effective this month, China's top tax authority told China Daily on Thursday.
\n
The State Taxation Administration said the reporting process, which began on Oct 1 under new government regulations, requires internet platforms to provide details of operators and workers active on their sites, including verified identity and income information.
\n
Out of the 6,654 platforms that had reported their basic corporate data as of Wednesday, more than 4,100 platforms submitted detailed tax-related information — covering over 60 percent of those required to report, the STA told China Daily.
\n
The new system covers both domestic and foreign platforms operating in China's vast online marketplace, which includes global e-commerce platforms such as Amazon, Shopee as well as Chinese platforms with large overseas footprints.
\n
Shi Zhengwen, director of the center for research in fiscal and tax law of China University of Political Science and Law, said: "Whether domestic or foreign, all platforms that provide profit-making services to Chinese operators must report tax-related information in accordance with the law. Any attempts to skirt obligations through offshore registration will not work."
\n
The STA emphasized that platforms have until Oct 31 to complete their first filings, warning that those who miss the deadline or submit inaccurate data could "face penalties".
\n
The initiative comes as Beijing seeks to improve tax compliance and ensure a level playing field across the online economy, which has grown increasingly complex with the rise of livestreaming sales, gig work, and cross-border e-commerce.
\n
The administration also warned against schemes that disguise personal income as business income — a tactic used by some gig-economy or influencer platforms to reduce tax burdens.
\n
Some platforms were found to have helped individuals register as self-employed businesses in bulk or set up offshore entities to evade domestic tax obligations, according to the STA.
\n
"These practices — such as splitting income, switching identity, or registering overseas to conceal domestic earnings — seriously disrupt the reporting system," Shi added.
China's centrally administered State-owned enterprises are increasingly seen as not only pioneers in going global but also anchors of industrial security and rule-shaping, with their push into higher-value exports and overseas green-energy investment bolstering resilience across supply chains, experts said.
\n
With the rapid advancement of China's economy and industrialization, more Chinese enterprises are seeking overseas markets.
\n
According to the Planning and Development Bureau of the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council, SOEs now have a presence in more than 180 countries, with over 10,000 projects and institutions.
\n
In parallel, SOEs are going global in collaboration with enterprises under diverse ownership structures, partnering with local State-owned and private firms in industrial parks, energy and power, and communications and information.
\n
Beyond scale, experts noted that the international competitiveness of Chinese products and the resilience of supply chains provide a favorable backdrop for the overseas operations of SOEs. This competitiveness, they said, can support the stability and smooth functioning of global industrial and supply chains amid rising protectionism and unilateralism.
\n
As one of the earliest enterprises to venture abroad since China's reform and opening-up, China Information and Communication Technologies Group has focused on three pillars: strengthening technology innovation for global markets, building localized marketing capabilities, and advancing localized overseas production and manufacturing.
\n
Its international competitiveness and influence have steadily grown. Reviewing CICT's internationalization, He Shuping, president of CICT, said the company must keep refining its products to bolster differentiated advantages.
\n
He added that CICT regards standards development and patent portfolio building as key to competitiveness, having led the formulation and revision of 65 ITU (International Telecommunication Union) standards. Today, CICT ranks among the global top five by market share for core product lines, including optical fiber and cable, optical components, and optical access.
\n
Against a complex external environment, experts also observe an export structure upgrading toward new and higher-quality products. Exports of electromechanical goods and the "new trio" — electric vehicles, solar batteries and lithium-ion batteries — as well as green equipment such as electric locomotives, have maintained solid growth, indicating sustained momentum for industrial upgrading and demand for green, digital infrastructure.
\n
At the same time, policy and market headwinds persist.
\n
According to Lyu Daliang, spokesperson and director of the Department of Statistics and Analysis of the General Administration of Customs, abuses of tariffs by certain countries have undermined the multilateral trading system and disrupted normal production and trade. Even so, China remains committed to supporting and upholding multilateralism and promoting the stability and smooth flow of global industrial and supply chains, Lyu said.
\n
Apart from high-quality exports, China has in recent years emphasized green energy investment and the sustainable development of overseas markets, said Xie Laihui, executive director of the division of Belt and Road studies at the National Institute of International Strategy under the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.
\n
Since declaring in 2021 that it would no longer build new coal-fired power projects abroad, China has progressively shifted its overseas energy investment focus toward supporting developing countries in their green energy transitions.
\n
In Xie's view, Chinese SOEs' overseas green-energy push has distinct features. First, complete supply and industrial chains with a full range of technologies enable end-to-end solutions from production to consumption for partner countries. Second, projects are tailored to local conditions — choosing among solar, wind, and hydropower based on each country's resource endowment — while cooperation structures offer strong price advantages suited to developing countries' fiscal capacity, accelerating technology diffusion.
\n
Xie said both China's traditional and new energy companies, under the Green Silk Road framework, are expanding overseas and using investment to spur energy transitions in Belt and Road partner countries, advancing clean-energy uptake and emission cuts while, to a degree, strengthening energy security.
\n
Such a model offers developing countries cost-controlled, locally tailored pathways for energy development, helping foster a virtuous cycle toward energy transition, energy security, and carbon neutrality, Xie said.
\n
renqi@chinadaily.com.cn
\n",
+ "content": "\n
China's centrally administered State-owned enterprises are increasingly seen as not only pioneers in going global but also anchors of industrial security and rule-shaping, with their push into higher-value exports and overseas green-energy investment bolstering resilience across supply chains, experts said.
\n
With the rapid advancement of China's economy and industrialization, more Chinese enterprises are seeking overseas markets.
\n
According to the Planning and Development Bureau of the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council, SOEs now have a presence in more than 180 countries, with over 10,000 projects and institutions.
\n
In parallel, SOEs are going global in collaboration with enterprises under diverse ownership structures, partnering with local State-owned and private firms in industrial parks, energy and power, and communications and information.
\n
Beyond scale, experts noted that the international competitiveness of Chinese products and the resilience of supply chains provide a favorable backdrop for the overseas operations of SOEs. This competitiveness, they said, can support the stability and smooth functioning of global industrial and supply chains amid rising protectionism and unilateralism.
\n
As one of the earliest enterprises to venture abroad since China's reform and opening-up, China Information and Communication Technologies Group has focused on three pillars: strengthening technology innovation for global markets, building localized marketing capabilities, and advancing localized overseas production and manufacturing.
\n
Its international competitiveness and influence have steadily grown. Reviewing CICT's internationalization, He Shuping, president of CICT, said the company must keep refining its products to bolster differentiated advantages.
\n
He added that CICT regards standards development and patent portfolio building as key to competitiveness, having led the formulation and revision of 65 ITU (International Telecommunication Union) standards. Today, CICT ranks among the global top five by market share for core product lines, including optical fiber and cable, optical components, and optical access.
\n
Against a complex external environment, experts also observe an export structure upgrading toward new and higher-quality products. Exports of electromechanical goods and the "new trio" — electric vehicles, solar batteries and lithium-ion batteries — as well as green equipment such as electric locomotives, have maintained solid growth, indicating sustained momentum for industrial upgrading and demand for green, digital infrastructure.
\n
At the same time, policy and market headwinds persist.
\n
According to Lyu Daliang, spokesperson and director of the Department of Statistics and Analysis of the General Administration of Customs, abuses of tariffs by certain countries have undermined the multilateral trading system and disrupted normal production and trade. Even so, China remains committed to supporting and upholding multilateralism and promoting the stability and smooth flow of global industrial and supply chains, Lyu said.
\n
Apart from high-quality exports, China has in recent years emphasized green energy investment and the sustainable development of overseas markets, said Xie Laihui, executive director of the division of Belt and Road studies at the National Institute of International Strategy under the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.
\n
Since declaring in 2021 that it would no longer build new coal-fired power projects abroad, China has progressively shifted its overseas energy investment focus toward supporting developing countries in their green energy transitions.
\n
In Xie's view, Chinese SOEs' overseas green-energy push has distinct features. First, complete supply and industrial chains with a full range of technologies enable end-to-end solutions from production to consumption for partner countries. Second, projects are tailored to local conditions — choosing among solar, wind, and hydropower based on each country's resource endowment — while cooperation structures offer strong price advantages suited to developing countries' fiscal capacity, accelerating technology diffusion.
\n
Xie said both China's traditional and new energy companies, under the Green Silk Road framework, are expanding overseas and using investment to spur energy transitions in Belt and Road partner countries, advancing clean-energy uptake and emission cuts while, to a degree, strengthening energy security.
\n
Such a model offers developing countries cost-controlled, locally tailored pathways for energy development, helping foster a virtuous cycle toward energy transition, energy security, and carbon neutrality, Xie said.
China's accelerating digital transformation is evolving from an internal modernization drive into a global economic force, increasingly shaping the structure and resilience of world supply chains.
\n
"Enterprises must adopt a 'top-down and grounded' vision," said Yao Jianming, professor at Renmin University's Business School. "'Top-down' means influencing entire industries and national systems, while 'grounded' means addressing real challenges through data, networks and computing to power high-quality development."
\n
Yao identified digital technologies, from artificial intelligence and big data to blockchain, as the core of China's new quality productive forces. "Digital transformation isn't about replacing people," Yao added. "It's about empowering them to create greater value." He made the remarks at a parallel session of the 2025 Tongzhou Global Development Forum in Beijing on Friday.
\n
That vision is gaining momentum in the corporate world. Xiamen ITG Group Corp Ltd, a leading trading and supply-chain services company, recently joined forces with a Shanghai-based AI enterprise and a Xiamen supply-chain innovation firm to advance "AI + supply chain" projects.
\n
"Globalization is shifting from efficiency to resilience," said Liu Zhitao, an executive at ITG. "The Belt and Road Initiative is not only cross-border trade but also an industrial collaboration platform. Under the 'dual circulation' strategy, we're building supply chains that connect resources, manufacturing and markets."
\n
The transformation is also visible in small businesses. In Yiwu of Zhejiang province, China's renowned small-commodity hub, a "market procurement trade" model has enabled thousands of micro-exporters to reach global markets. Professor Gu Kejian, also from Renmin University, said that more than 80 percent of Yiwu's exports rely on this system. "It may seem small, but it's a major innovation," he said.
\n
Yiwu's modernization took another step forward on Tuesday, with the opening of the Global Digital Trade Center, a flagship project of the city's sixth-generation market. Working with Tencent, the center has introduced AI navigation and robotic systems for smarter, more interactive trade services.
\n
Recent trade frictions between China and the United States have drawn widespread attention to the stability of global supply chains. Experts say that while China is committed to safeguarding supply chain stability and actively creating new opportunities for global trade and economic development through innovation, the US approach is undermining the multilateral trading system and disrupting global supply chain stability.
\n
On Friday, the Ministry of Commerce released the 2025 Report on WTO Compliance of the United States. The ministry expressed "serious concern" over US actions that it said undermine the multilateral trading system. A ministry official stressed that the WTO-centered multilateral trading system remains the cornerstone of global trade and economic globalization. The report urged the US to correct its wrong practices, withdraw illegal tariff measures such as the so-called reciprocal tariffs, and fulfill its WTO obligations, calling for cooperation among all members to build a fair and inclusive global economy.
\n
Separately, He Yongqian, spokeswoman for the ministry, said the measures of export control on rare earths are "a normal step to strengthen the export control framework" and "not directed at any specific country." Export applications for legitimate civilian use, she added, will continue to be approved.
\n
Contact the writers at lijing2009@chinadaily.com.cn
China's accelerating digital transformation is evolving from an internal modernization drive into a global economic force, increasingly shaping the structure and resilience of world supply chains.
\n
"Enterprises must adopt a 'top-down and grounded' vision," said Yao Jianming, professor at Renmin University's Business School. "'Top-down' means influencing entire industries and national systems, while 'grounded' means addressing real challenges through data, networks and computing to power high-quality development."
\n
Yao identified digital technologies, from artificial intelligence and big data to blockchain, as the core of China's new quality productive forces. "Digital transformation isn't about replacing people," Yao added. "It's about empowering them to create greater value." He made the remarks at a parallel session of the 2025 Tongzhou Global Development Forum in Beijing on Friday.
\n
That vision is gaining momentum in the corporate world. Xiamen ITG Group Corp Ltd, a leading trading and supply-chain services company, recently joined forces with a Shanghai-based AI enterprise and a Xiamen supply-chain innovation firm to advance "AI + supply chain" projects.
\n
"Globalization is shifting from efficiency to resilience," said Liu Zhitao, an executive at ITG. "The Belt and Road Initiative is not only cross-border trade but also an industrial collaboration platform. Under the 'dual circulation' strategy, we're building supply chains that connect resources, manufacturing and markets."
\n
The transformation is also visible in small businesses. In Yiwu of Zhejiang province, China's renowned small-commodity hub, a "market procurement trade" model has enabled thousands of micro-exporters to reach global markets. Professor Gu Kejian, also from Renmin University, said that more than 80 percent of Yiwu's exports rely on this system. "It may seem small, but it's a major innovation," he said.
\n
Yiwu's modernization took another step forward on Tuesday, with the opening of the Global Digital Trade Center, a flagship project of the city's sixth-generation market. Working with Tencent, the center has introduced AI navigation and robotic systems for smarter, more interactive trade services.
\n
Recent trade frictions between China and the United States have drawn widespread attention to the stability of global supply chains. Experts say that while China is committed to safeguarding supply chain stability and actively creating new opportunities for global trade and economic development through innovation, the US approach is undermining the multilateral trading system and disrupting global supply chain stability.
\n
On Friday, the Ministry of Commerce released the 2025 Report on WTO Compliance of the United States. The ministry expressed "serious concern" over US actions that it said undermine the multilateral trading system. A ministry official stressed that the WTO-centered multilateral trading system remains the cornerstone of global trade and economic globalization. The report urged the US to correct its wrong practices, withdraw illegal tariff measures such as the so-called reciprocal tariffs, and fulfill its WTO obligations, calling for cooperation among all members to build a fair and inclusive global economy.
\n
Separately, He Yongqian, spokeswoman for the ministry, said the measures of export control on rare earths are "a normal step to strengthen the export control framework" and "not directed at any specific country." Export applications for legitimate civilian use, she added, will continue to be approved.
\n
Contact the writers at lijing2009@chinadaily.com.cn
'The peoples of China are at their most critical time, Everybody must roar his defiance." These words, immortalized in China's national anthem, capture not just a moment in history but a perennial truth about humanity's struggle against fascism and oppression. On 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, the spirit of that defiance continues to shape the world order — and can still call us to action.
\n
Chairman Mao Zedong reminded the world in 1939 that our enemy is a world enemy, and the war of resistance is a world war. Indeed, China was the first country to raise the banner of armed resistance against fascism. Its 14-year war of resistance was the longest in the World Anti-Fascist War and inflicted the heaviest losses on the Japanese army, which made China the main battlefield of the global war against fascism in the East.
\n
The war was not only a national fight for survival but a valuable contribution to world peace. From the guerrilla campaigns that denied Japan control over China's heartland to the sacrifices of ordinary farmers who rescued US pilots, Chinese people sustained the fight that stopped the advance of fascist forces in Asia.
\n
The significance of China's resistance extends beyond military triumph, because it challenged global inequality that had long subordinated the East to the West, and the countryside to the city.
\n
British historian Rana Mitter has argued that the Chinese people's war of resistance overturned the bourgeois notion that the countryside must bow to the city. By defeating the Japanese forces, which claimed to represent "civilization" and treated China as a backward country, the Chinese people awakened the spirit of national self-reliance. And by preventing the colonization of the Chinese nation and civilization, the Chinese people ensured the continuity of the world's only unbroken cultural tradition.
\n
In this sense, the war of resistance marked a turning point for China: from humiliation toward national rejuvenation, from backwardness toward modernization. The victory in the war of resistance was the first complete victory of the Chinese people against foreign invaders in modern times, reestablishing China as a major global power.
\n
The global significance of this history lies in its enduring lessons. World War II was not just a contest between armies but an existential battle for humanity itself. Auschwitz and Nanjing are searing reminders of fascism's cruelty. Victory against fascism was achieved through solidarity — through John Rabe in Nanjing, through Norman Bethune on China's front lines — and the united front of peoples across nations and ideologies.
\n
The world has once again reached a crossroads.
\n
In today's age of interdependence, no country alone can secure peace. The only path forward is solidarity and mutual respect — what China calls building a community with a shared future for humanity.
\n
The war of resistance embodied this idea long before the term existed. By linking national liberation with global survival, it demonstrated that the fate of nations is inseparable. It forged a spirit of sacrifice and resilience that continues to inspire people to resist imperialism, colonialism, and hegemony even today.
\n
Commemorating the 80th anniversary of the victory in the war of resistance against Japanese aggression and World War II is not about nursing nostalgia, but about keeping the spirit of resistance against injustice and fascism alive. The rise of new forms of extremism, terrorism and xenophobia shows that the poison of fascism remains a threat. Hence, the world must once again use its strongest weapon — unity — against injustice.
\n
As Marx and Engels noted, history becomes "world history" only when the destinies of nations interconnect. Our interconnected age demands that we move beyond cycles of dominance and conflict toward lasting peace and shared prosperity.
\n
The cry of "world unity" that resounded in the 1940s must echo again — not as a distant memory but as a living mission. The victory of the Chinese people against fascism laid the foundation of China's modernization and the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. More important, it left humanity a legacy: that by remaining united, people can defeat the darkest forces, and that only through cooperation can we safeguard civilization's future.
\n
The views don't necessarily represent those of China Daily.
\n",
+ "content": "\n
'The peoples of China are at their most critical time, Everybody must roar his defiance." These words, immortalized in China's national anthem, capture not just a moment in history but a perennial truth about humanity's struggle against fascism and oppression. On 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, the spirit of that defiance continues to shape the world order — and can still call us to action.
\n
Chairman Mao Zedong reminded the world in 1939 that our enemy is a world enemy, and the war of resistance is a world war. Indeed, China was the first country to raise the banner of armed resistance against fascism. Its 14-year war of resistance was the longest in the World Anti-Fascist War and inflicted the heaviest losses on the Japanese army, which made China the main battlefield of the global war against fascism in the East.
\n
The war was not only a national fight for survival but a valuable contribution to world peace. From the guerrilla campaigns that denied Japan control over China's heartland to the sacrifices of ordinary farmers who rescued US pilots, Chinese people sustained the fight that stopped the advance of fascist forces in Asia.
\n
The significance of China's resistance extends beyond military triumph, because it challenged global inequality that had long subordinated the East to the West, and the countryside to the city.
\n
British historian Rana Mitter has argued that the Chinese people's war of resistance overturned the bourgeois notion that the countryside must bow to the city. By defeating the Japanese forces, which claimed to represent "civilization" and treated China as a backward country, the Chinese people awakened the spirit of national self-reliance. And by preventing the colonization of the Chinese nation and civilization, the Chinese people ensured the continuity of the world's only unbroken cultural tradition.
\n
In this sense, the war of resistance marked a turning point for China: from humiliation toward national rejuvenation, from backwardness toward modernization. The victory in the war of resistance was the first complete victory of the Chinese people against foreign invaders in modern times, reestablishing China as a major global power.
\n
The global significance of this history lies in its enduring lessons. World War II was not just a contest between armies but an existential battle for humanity itself. Auschwitz and Nanjing are searing reminders of fascism's cruelty. Victory against fascism was achieved through solidarity — through John Rabe in Nanjing, through Norman Bethune on China's front lines — and the united front of peoples across nations and ideologies.
\n
The world has once again reached a crossroads.
\n
In today's age of interdependence, no country alone can secure peace. The only path forward is solidarity and mutual respect — what China calls building a community with a shared future for humanity.
\n
The war of resistance embodied this idea long before the term existed. By linking national liberation with global survival, it demonstrated that the fate of nations is inseparable. It forged a spirit of sacrifice and resilience that continues to inspire people to resist imperialism, colonialism, and hegemony even today.
\n
Commemorating the 80th anniversary of the victory in the war of resistance against Japanese aggression and World War II is not about nursing nostalgia, but about keeping the spirit of resistance against injustice and fascism alive. The rise of new forms of extremism, terrorism and xenophobia shows that the poison of fascism remains a threat. Hence, the world must once again use its strongest weapon — unity — against injustice.
\n
As Marx and Engels noted, history becomes "world history" only when the destinies of nations interconnect. Our interconnected age demands that we move beyond cycles of dominance and conflict toward lasting peace and shared prosperity.
\n
The cry of "world unity" that resounded in the 1940s must echo again — not as a distant memory but as a living mission. The victory of the Chinese people against fascism laid the foundation of China's modernization and the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. More important, it left humanity a legacy: that by remaining united, people can defeat the darkest forces, and that only through cooperation can we safeguard civilization's future.
\n
The views don't necessarily represent those of China Daily.
\n",
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+ {
+ "title": "004COMMENT - My first glimpse of China and its natural beauty after retirement",
+ "description": "\n
Chen Weihua
\n
My friend thought I was crazy for taking a high-speed train, instead of a flight, from Shanghai to Kunming, Yunnan province, because a flight is both faster and cheaper than a high-speed train.
\n
Having not been able to travel much in my own country in the past 16 years, during which time I was posted as a China Daily foreign correspondent in the US and the European Union, I know what I have missed. I have closely followed the rapid development in China from thousands of kilometers away, but now I get to experience them in person.
\n
The ride on the 2,266-km Shanghai-Kunming high-speed rail was cut short by two hours on July 1 to about 9 hours and 30 minutes. The ride used to take more than 30 hours before China's high-speed trains began operating.
\n
Compared with a flight, the train ride from Shanghai to Kunming allowed me to see the different terrains in Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Hunan and Guizhou provinces before reaching Yunnan.
\n
The scenery, both urban and natural, that one enjoys from the train window, is well worth the long ride. Some cities along the route in Hunan and Guizhou are now on my next bucket list. The many train tunnels are truly engineering marvels, with the longest, 14.8-km Bibanpo tunnel, linking Guizhou and Yunnan being the highlight.
\n
China's "lucid waters and lush mountains" campaign has started to pay dividends. I have not seen the dark smoke coming out of chimneys that I saw everywhere 16 years ago. But some farmers are still resorting to the traditional agricultural practice of straw burning in open fields despite government regulations banning or restricting such behaviors across the country. The pollution and health hazards caused by straw burning are widely known.
\n
Kunming is a beautiful city and my favorite spots are two museums and historical sites. The National Southwestern Associated University was established by Peking University, Tsinghua University and Nankai University in 1937 following Imperial Japan's full-scale invasion of China. The Yunnan Military Academy, built in 1907, too, is amazing. Many graduates from the two schools have played vital roles in modern Chinese history.
\n
It's impossible to see everything in Yunnan, roughly the size of Germany, during one visit. My plan now as a retiree includes finding a place to escape the unbearable hot and sultry summer of my home city Shanghai. The one on my mind was Dali, from where I am writing this column. This is my first visit to the place, and I am enjoying the view of the serene Erhai Lake and the gorgeous Cangshan Mountain from the window of my room.
\n
Over the past two decades, Dali has become home to many foreigners and Chinese people from other places who are charmed by its beauty. Its old town is often more vibrant at night than in the daytime. A couple of my former colleagues have even purchased property here. One runs a bar, the other vacation rentals.
\n
Business is not easy, according to the one who owns homestays on both sides of the lake, but his love for Dali has not diminished.
\n
I don't know if I will end up in Dali, but I, too, have been charmed by its beauty. There are many more cities in Yunnan I intend to explore during this trip, including Lijiang and Shangri-La that I had visited 20 years ago. I had tried to visit Lugu Lake twice then, but failed both times because landslides had blocked the only road leading to the lake. I hope to be lucky this time.
\n
My ancestral hometown is Fuding in Fujian province which is famous for its white tea. But my late father once told me that our ancestors actually moved from central China to Yunnan and then Fujian, all probably in the past 800 to 1,000 years. As such, I have an attachment with Yunnan in a certain sense.
\n
The great thing about traveling in China today is that high-speed rails and highway systems have made once inaccessible places easily reachable. Car rentals are everywhere. And internet connection is great even in many small towns and villages.
\n
chenweihua@chinadaily.com.cn
\n",
+ "content": "\n
Chen Weihua
\n
My friend thought I was crazy for taking a high-speed train, instead of a flight, from Shanghai to Kunming, Yunnan province, because a flight is both faster and cheaper than a high-speed train.
\n
Having not been able to travel much in my own country in the past 16 years, during which time I was posted as a China Daily foreign correspondent in the US and the European Union, I know what I have missed. I have closely followed the rapid development in China from thousands of kilometers away, but now I get to experience them in person.
\n
The ride on the 2,266-km Shanghai-Kunming high-speed rail was cut short by two hours on July 1 to about 9 hours and 30 minutes. The ride used to take more than 30 hours before China's high-speed trains began operating.
\n
Compared with a flight, the train ride from Shanghai to Kunming allowed me to see the different terrains in Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Hunan and Guizhou provinces before reaching Yunnan.
\n
The scenery, both urban and natural, that one enjoys from the train window, is well worth the long ride. Some cities along the route in Hunan and Guizhou are now on my next bucket list. The many train tunnels are truly engineering marvels, with the longest, 14.8-km Bibanpo tunnel, linking Guizhou and Yunnan being the highlight.
\n
China's "lucid waters and lush mountains" campaign has started to pay dividends. I have not seen the dark smoke coming out of chimneys that I saw everywhere 16 years ago. But some farmers are still resorting to the traditional agricultural practice of straw burning in open fields despite government regulations banning or restricting such behaviors across the country. The pollution and health hazards caused by straw burning are widely known.
\n
Kunming is a beautiful city and my favorite spots are two museums and historical sites. The National Southwestern Associated University was established by Peking University, Tsinghua University and Nankai University in 1937 following Imperial Japan's full-scale invasion of China. The Yunnan Military Academy, built in 1907, too, is amazing. Many graduates from the two schools have played vital roles in modern Chinese history.
\n
It's impossible to see everything in Yunnan, roughly the size of Germany, during one visit. My plan now as a retiree includes finding a place to escape the unbearable hot and sultry summer of my home city Shanghai. The one on my mind was Dali, from where I am writing this column. This is my first visit to the place, and I am enjoying the view of the serene Erhai Lake and the gorgeous Cangshan Mountain from the window of my room.
\n
Over the past two decades, Dali has become home to many foreigners and Chinese people from other places who are charmed by its beauty. Its old town is often more vibrant at night than in the daytime. A couple of my former colleagues have even purchased property here. One runs a bar, the other vacation rentals.
\n
Business is not easy, according to the one who owns homestays on both sides of the lake, but his love for Dali has not diminished.
\n
I don't know if I will end up in Dali, but I, too, have been charmed by its beauty. There are many more cities in Yunnan I intend to explore during this trip, including Lijiang and Shangri-La that I had visited 20 years ago. I had tried to visit Lugu Lake twice then, but failed both times because landslides had blocked the only road leading to the lake. I hope to be lucky this time.
\n
My ancestral hometown is Fuding in Fujian province which is famous for its white tea. But my late father once told me that our ancestors actually moved from central China to Yunnan and then Fujian, all probably in the past 800 to 1,000 years. As such, I have an attachment with Yunnan in a certain sense.
\n
The great thing about traveling in China today is that high-speed rails and highway systems have made once inaccessible places easily reachable. Car rentals are everywhere. And internet connection is great even in many small towns and villages.
'Different strokes for different folks" applies as much to dining as to anything else. Food preferences are not just about flavors; they are also about where the ingredients come from, how they are processed, and what cooking methods are used. Which of these details should be disclosed to consumers is not only a marketing decision for many restaurants but also a regulatory question. Left unchecked, incomplete or misleading information could spark disputes, damage trust and even raise food safety concerns.
\n
The controversy over "pre-made" dishes in China shows just how divisive this issue has become. Some diners welcome convenience, while others reject the lack of wok hei (the smoky freshness of stir-fry). Yet whichever side people are on, one thing is clear: they prefer to be kept "well-informed".
\n
However, there is a sharp perception gap between what consumers seek and what restaurant operators offer. Equally important, legislation on food product labeling has not kept pace with the fast-paced changes in the food and agricultural industries; there isn't even a consensus on what exactly counts as a pre-made dish.
\n
The rising sales of premade dishes in China can be attributed to the rapid industrialization of the dining sector. To meet the demand for speedy service, and a wide variety and scale of dishes, restaurants nowadays increasingly rely on semi-finished dishes sourced from their "central kitchens". These dishes are stored, shipped and reheated in branch outlets. The same model powers meal delivery platforms, where standardized packs dominate. Frozen and/or shelf-stable pre-prepared meals have entered households across the country.
\n
But despite the growing efficiency of the industry, consumer concerns have increased. In practice, restaurateurs tend not to see their offerings as pre-made. But consumers often do, because they focus on how the food is sourced and prepared.
\n
This clash of perspectives matters. A dish that comes out of the kitchen is a "restaurant meal", regardless of whether its sauce was mixed and packaged in a factory. Yet outsourcing preparatory work changes the essence of the meal. It affects price, freshness, and even the cultural meaning of a dish. Globally, food law has increasingly tilted toward this process-oriented approach, demanding transparency in areas from irradiated and genetically modified foods to organic labels.
\n
How, then, should pre-made dishes be regulated? The answer depends on whether we treat them as a product or a process. If they are treated as products, legislators could adopt a "menu-style" approach while drafting regulations, and setting specific rules for each type of pre-made dish. But given the diversity of Chinese cuisine, it would be impractical and stifling. Instead, broad rules on additives, hygiene and labeling, already applied to packaged foods, would be more realistic.
\n
If the focus is on the process, consumers would want to know whether the dishes they ordered were made from scratch or prepared industrially, not because one is inherently safer, but because it reflects values such as sustainability, tradition, taste and price sensitivity. And process transparency allows consumers to make meaningful choices, much like organic or fair-trade labels do.
\n
Both approaches have to follow a common principle: the labels must not be misleading. The government recognizes the importance of pre-made food as an industry. The 2023 "No. 1 central document" explicitly encouraged its growth, and the government is working to set national standards. With the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30) to be implemented next year, some local governments, too, are building industrial bases to boost the production of pre-made dishes. For policymakers, the challenge is to nurture this economic opportunity while safeguarding consumer trust.
\n
To do that, however, the companies need to adhere to the principle of transparency. Voluntary labeling by businesses can help even niche consumer groups, which have higher expectations, make informed choices, and could even allow restaurants to position themselves as different from others.
\n
But bridging the gap between public perception and professional definition requires more than just rules. It calls for sustained communication about what is pre-made food and what is not. Done right, regulations can ensure consumer choice and trust, industrial innovation and cultural confidence all grow together.
\n
The views don't necessarily represent those of China Daily.
\n",
+ "content": "\n
'Different strokes for different folks" applies as much to dining as to anything else. Food preferences are not just about flavors; they are also about where the ingredients come from, how they are processed, and what cooking methods are used. Which of these details should be disclosed to consumers is not only a marketing decision for many restaurants but also a regulatory question. Left unchecked, incomplete or misleading information could spark disputes, damage trust and even raise food safety concerns.
\n
The controversy over "pre-made" dishes in China shows just how divisive this issue has become. Some diners welcome convenience, while others reject the lack of wok hei (the smoky freshness of stir-fry). Yet whichever side people are on, one thing is clear: they prefer to be kept "well-informed".
\n
However, there is a sharp perception gap between what consumers seek and what restaurant operators offer. Equally important, legislation on food product labeling has not kept pace with the fast-paced changes in the food and agricultural industries; there isn't even a consensus on what exactly counts as a pre-made dish.
\n
The rising sales of premade dishes in China can be attributed to the rapid industrialization of the dining sector. To meet the demand for speedy service, and a wide variety and scale of dishes, restaurants nowadays increasingly rely on semi-finished dishes sourced from their "central kitchens". These dishes are stored, shipped and reheated in branch outlets. The same model powers meal delivery platforms, where standardized packs dominate. Frozen and/or shelf-stable pre-prepared meals have entered households across the country.
\n
But despite the growing efficiency of the industry, consumer concerns have increased. In practice, restaurateurs tend not to see their offerings as pre-made. But consumers often do, because they focus on how the food is sourced and prepared.
\n
This clash of perspectives matters. A dish that comes out of the kitchen is a "restaurant meal", regardless of whether its sauce was mixed and packaged in a factory. Yet outsourcing preparatory work changes the essence of the meal. It affects price, freshness, and even the cultural meaning of a dish. Globally, food law has increasingly tilted toward this process-oriented approach, demanding transparency in areas from irradiated and genetically modified foods to organic labels.
\n
How, then, should pre-made dishes be regulated? The answer depends on whether we treat them as a product or a process. If they are treated as products, legislators could adopt a "menu-style" approach while drafting regulations, and setting specific rules for each type of pre-made dish. But given the diversity of Chinese cuisine, it would be impractical and stifling. Instead, broad rules on additives, hygiene and labeling, already applied to packaged foods, would be more realistic.
\n
If the focus is on the process, consumers would want to know whether the dishes they ordered were made from scratch or prepared industrially, not because one is inherently safer, but because it reflects values such as sustainability, tradition, taste and price sensitivity. And process transparency allows consumers to make meaningful choices, much like organic or fair-trade labels do.
\n
Both approaches have to follow a common principle: the labels must not be misleading. The government recognizes the importance of pre-made food as an industry. The 2023 "No. 1 central document" explicitly encouraged its growth, and the government is working to set national standards. With the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30) to be implemented next year, some local governments, too, are building industrial bases to boost the production of pre-made dishes. For policymakers, the challenge is to nurture this economic opportunity while safeguarding consumer trust.
\n
To do that, however, the companies need to adhere to the principle of transparency. Voluntary labeling by businesses can help even niche consumer groups, which have higher expectations, make informed choices, and could even allow restaurants to position themselves as different from others.
\n
But bridging the gap between public perception and professional definition requires more than just rules. It calls for sustained communication about what is pre-made food and what is not. Done right, regulations can ensure consumer choice and trust, industrial innovation and cultural confidence all grow together.
\n
The views don't necessarily represent those of China Daily.
WASHINGTON — US President Donald Trump said on Thursday that he will meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Budapest, Hungary, for talks aimed at ending the Russia-Ukraine conflict, following a phone conversation between the two leaders.
\n
"I have just concluded my telephone conversation with President Vladimir Putin of Russia, and it was a very productive one," said Trump on Truth Social.
\n
"We also spent a great deal of time talking about trade between Russia and the United States when the war with Ukraine is over," he said.
\n
"I believe great progress was made with today's telephone conversation," he added.
\n
Trump said the two countries agreed to hold a high-level advisers' meeting next week, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio leading the US delegation, adding that the meeting location is to be determined.
\n
"President Putin and I will then meet in an agreed-upon location, Budapest, Hungary, to see if we can bring this 'inglorious' war between Russia and Ukraine to an end," Trump said.
\n
The phone call came one day ahead of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's visit to the White House.
\n
Trump did not give a date for the meeting in Budapest, which would be his second with Putin since returning to office. The pair met in Alaska in August without a breakthrough in ending the conflict in Ukraine.
\n
The Kremlin said it would start "immediately" preparing the summit following the "extremely frank and trustful" call.
\n
Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will speak in the coming days to prepare a new summit between Trump and Putin, a Kremlin aide said on Thursday.
\n
The official, Yuri Ushakov, said the timing of the summit would depend on how the preparatory work progressed.
\n
The White House had seemed in recent days to be leaning toward granting Zelensky fresh support and was increasingly frustrated with Putin.
\n
During the call, Putin told Trump that supplying long-range missiles to Ukraine would harm the peace process and damage US-Russia ties, Ushakov told reporters.
\n
"What do you think he's going to say, 'Please sell Tomahawks?'" Trump later joked with reporters. "No, he doesn't want Tomahawks given to Ukraine," Trump added, calling them a "vicious weapon".
\n
Zelensky, already in Washington, said Putin's decision to seek talks showed he was on the defensive. "We can already see that Moscow is rushing to resume dialogue as soon as it hears about Tomahawks," he said on X.
\n
The Hungarian location selected for the Trump-Putin summit has drawn attention.
\n
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said on Thursday that Hungary is ready to host such talks.
\n
He described the planned meeting as "great news for the peace-loving people of the world", adding that Hungary is ready to facilitate the talks.
\n
"Budapest is essentially the only place in Europe today where such a meeting could be held," Orban said. "For three years, we have been the only country that has consistently, openly, loudly, and actively advocated for peace."
\n
Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said on Facebook that he had spoken to US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau and Lavrov late on Thursday.
\n
Kyiv and Moscow have been escalating their fighting with massive attacks on energy infrastructure.
\n
Ukraine wants missiles that would put Moscow and other major Russian cities within its range of fire. In its latest barrage, Russia launched more than 300 drones and 37 missiles to target infrastructure across Ukraine in overnight attacks on Thursday, Zelensky said. Kyiv has ramped up its own attacks on Russian targets, including an oil refinery in the Saratov region on Thursday.
\n",
+ "content": "
WASHINGTON — US President Donald Trump said on Thursday that he will meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Budapest, Hungary, for talks aimed at ending the Russia-Ukraine conflict, following a phone conversation between the two leaders.
\n
"I have just concluded my telephone conversation with President Vladimir Putin of Russia, and it was a very productive one," said Trump on Truth Social.
\n
"We also spent a great deal of time talking about trade between Russia and the United States when the war with Ukraine is over," he said.
\n
"I believe great progress was made with today's telephone conversation," he added.
\n
Trump said the two countries agreed to hold a high-level advisers' meeting next week, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio leading the US delegation, adding that the meeting location is to be determined.
\n
"President Putin and I will then meet in an agreed-upon location, Budapest, Hungary, to see if we can bring this 'inglorious' war between Russia and Ukraine to an end," Trump said.
\n
The phone call came one day ahead of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's visit to the White House.
\n
Trump did not give a date for the meeting in Budapest, which would be his second with Putin since returning to office. The pair met in Alaska in August without a breakthrough in ending the conflict in Ukraine.
\n
The Kremlin said it would start "immediately" preparing the summit following the "extremely frank and trustful" call.
\n
Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will speak in the coming days to prepare a new summit between Trump and Putin, a Kremlin aide said on Thursday.
\n
The official, Yuri Ushakov, said the timing of the summit would depend on how the preparatory work progressed.
\n
The White House had seemed in recent days to be leaning toward granting Zelensky fresh support and was increasingly frustrated with Putin.
\n
During the call, Putin told Trump that supplying long-range missiles to Ukraine would harm the peace process and damage US-Russia ties, Ushakov told reporters.
\n
"What do you think he's going to say, 'Please sell Tomahawks?'" Trump later joked with reporters. "No, he doesn't want Tomahawks given to Ukraine," Trump added, calling them a "vicious weapon".
\n
Zelensky, already in Washington, said Putin's decision to seek talks showed he was on the defensive. "We can already see that Moscow is rushing to resume dialogue as soon as it hears about Tomahawks," he said on X.
\n
The Hungarian location selected for the Trump-Putin summit has drawn attention.
\n
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said on Thursday that Hungary is ready to host such talks.
\n
He described the planned meeting as "great news for the peace-loving people of the world", adding that Hungary is ready to facilitate the talks.
\n
"Budapest is essentially the only place in Europe today where such a meeting could be held," Orban said. "For three years, we have been the only country that has consistently, openly, loudly, and actively advocated for peace."
\n
Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said on Facebook that he had spoken to US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau and Lavrov late on Thursday.
\n
Kyiv and Moscow have been escalating their fighting with massive attacks on energy infrastructure.
\n
Ukraine wants missiles that would put Moscow and other major Russian cities within its range of fire. In its latest barrage, Russia launched more than 300 drones and 37 missiles to target infrastructure across Ukraine in overnight attacks on Thursday, Zelensky said. Kyiv has ramped up its own attacks on Russian targets, including an oil refinery in the Saratov region on Thursday.
A view of the severe destruction in a Gaza neighborhood on Thursday following the Israeli army's withdrawal from Gaza City.
\n
The Palestinian prime minister has unveiled a three-phase recovery and reconstruction plan for Gaza, estimated to cost $67 billion and span five years. But both Israel and Hamas are blaming each other for breaking the United States-backed truce, which has raised hopes of ending the conflict and relieving the famine there.
\n
Speaking at a meeting with international partners on Thursday in the West Bank city of Ramallah, Mohammad Mustafa said the government has put in place a unified framework for Gaza recovery and reconstruction. This program builds directly on the Gaza Recovery, Reconstruction & Development Plan, adopted by the Extraordinary Arab Summit in Cairo in March 2025, and is in line with UN relevant resolutions and the New York Declaration.
\n
He outlined that the first phase, focused on meeting urgent humanitarian and infrastructure needs, will last six months at a cost of $3.5 billion, according to WAFA News Agency. The second phase, lasting three years, will require $30 billion, while the final phase will focus on completing reconstruction and long-term recovery.
\n
Mustafa said: "Our message to the international community is clear: Gaza's reconstruction must be Palestinian-led, Arab-backed, and internationally supported, ensuring not only the rebuilding of Gaza but also the restoration of hope, dignity, and stability for its people."
\n
Israel, however, opposes any role for the Palestinian Authority or Palestinian military group Hamas in governing Gaza after the two-year conflict, which has left 68,000 Palestinians dead, more than 170,000 others injured and most Gaza neighborhoods unlivable in rubble.
\n
Under the Israel-Hamas deal, which took effect on Oct 10, the first phase of the ceasefire includes Israeli troop withdrawals from Gaza City, Rafah, Khan Younis and the north, the exchange of hostages and prisoners, and the opening of five crossings for aid. Since last week, Hamas has released 20 Israeli captives alive and handed over 10 hostages' bodies, while Israel has freed around 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and detainees.
\n
But Israel still stations troops in about half of Gaza territory, and has tied the return of deceased hostages to the desperately needed humanitarian aid. It demanded that Hamas return the bodies of the 19 deceased hostages it had not handed over. The group said it has handed over all bodies it could recover. The handover of more bodies would require the entry of heavy machinery and excavating equipment into the enclave, and the withdrawal of Israeli troops in southern Gaza, where the hostages died.
\n
Also on Thursday, a senior Hamas official accused Israel of flouting the deal by killing at least 24 people since Oct 10, and said a list of such violations was handed over to mediators. "The occupying state is working day and night to undermine the agreement through its violations on the ground," he told Al Jazeera.
\n
Related parties are expected to negotiate on the second phase of the ceasefire within days, with Hamas demanding a complete end to the conflict and a full Israeli withdrawal. Israel said the next phase of the 20-point blueprint proposed by US President Donald Trump calls for Hamas to disarm and cede power, which it has so far refused to do.
\n
Trump on Thursday threatened to "go in and kill" Hamas members after a video surfaced showing gunmen allegedly linked to the group carrying out a public execution of Israeli-backed militants in Gaza.
\n
"If Hamas continues to kill people in Gaza, which was not the deal, we will have no choice but to go in and kill them," Trump wrote on social media.
\n
Meanwhile, trucks carrying aid for Gaza were again kept waiting to enter from Egypt on Thursday, with Israel remaining vague on when the Rafah crossing might open.
\n
Israeli government spokeswoman Shosh Bedrosian said only that Rafah would be open "in the future" and that aid was entering Gaza via other routes. Defense Minister Israel Katz went as far as to warn that Israel would resume fighting in Gaza if its demands are not met.
\n
Xinhua and agencies contributed to this story.
\n
cuihaipei@chinadaily.com.cn
\n",
+ "content": "\n
A view of the severe destruction in a Gaza neighborhood on Thursday following the Israeli army's withdrawal from Gaza City.
\n
The Palestinian prime minister has unveiled a three-phase recovery and reconstruction plan for Gaza, estimated to cost $67 billion and span five years. But both Israel and Hamas are blaming each other for breaking the United States-backed truce, which has raised hopes of ending the conflict and relieving the famine there.
\n
Speaking at a meeting with international partners on Thursday in the West Bank city of Ramallah, Mohammad Mustafa said the government has put in place a unified framework for Gaza recovery and reconstruction. This program builds directly on the Gaza Recovery, Reconstruction & Development Plan, adopted by the Extraordinary Arab Summit in Cairo in March 2025, and is in line with UN relevant resolutions and the New York Declaration.
\n
He outlined that the first phase, focused on meeting urgent humanitarian and infrastructure needs, will last six months at a cost of $3.5 billion, according to WAFA News Agency. The second phase, lasting three years, will require $30 billion, while the final phase will focus on completing reconstruction and long-term recovery.
\n
Mustafa said: "Our message to the international community is clear: Gaza's reconstruction must be Palestinian-led, Arab-backed, and internationally supported, ensuring not only the rebuilding of Gaza but also the restoration of hope, dignity, and stability for its people."
\n
Israel, however, opposes any role for the Palestinian Authority or Palestinian military group Hamas in governing Gaza after the two-year conflict, which has left 68,000 Palestinians dead, more than 170,000 others injured and most Gaza neighborhoods unlivable in rubble.
\n
Under the Israel-Hamas deal, which took effect on Oct 10, the first phase of the ceasefire includes Israeli troop withdrawals from Gaza City, Rafah, Khan Younis and the north, the exchange of hostages and prisoners, and the opening of five crossings for aid. Since last week, Hamas has released 20 Israeli captives alive and handed over 10 hostages' bodies, while Israel has freed around 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and detainees.
\n
But Israel still stations troops in about half of Gaza territory, and has tied the return of deceased hostages to the desperately needed humanitarian aid. It demanded that Hamas return the bodies of the 19 deceased hostages it had not handed over. The group said it has handed over all bodies it could recover. The handover of more bodies would require the entry of heavy machinery and excavating equipment into the enclave, and the withdrawal of Israeli troops in southern Gaza, where the hostages died.
\n
Also on Thursday, a senior Hamas official accused Israel of flouting the deal by killing at least 24 people since Oct 10, and said a list of such violations was handed over to mediators. "The occupying state is working day and night to undermine the agreement through its violations on the ground," he told Al Jazeera.
\n
Related parties are expected to negotiate on the second phase of the ceasefire within days, with Hamas demanding a complete end to the conflict and a full Israeli withdrawal. Israel said the next phase of the 20-point blueprint proposed by US President Donald Trump calls for Hamas to disarm and cede power, which it has so far refused to do.
\n
Trump on Thursday threatened to "go in and kill" Hamas members after a video surfaced showing gunmen allegedly linked to the group carrying out a public execution of Israeli-backed militants in Gaza.
\n
"If Hamas continues to kill people in Gaza, which was not the deal, we will have no choice but to go in and kill them," Trump wrote on social media.
\n
Meanwhile, trucks carrying aid for Gaza were again kept waiting to enter from Egypt on Thursday, with Israel remaining vague on when the Rafah crossing might open.
\n
Israeli government spokeswoman Shosh Bedrosian said only that Rafah would be open "in the future" and that aid was entering Gaza via other routes. Defense Minister Israel Katz went as far as to warn that Israel would resume fighting in Gaza if its demands are not met.
The September unemployment rate is unavailable due to the federal government shutdown, but the ADP National Employment Report showed that the private sector eliminated 32,000 jobs in September compared to the same period a year ago.
\n
The report was produced by ADP Research, an institute on labor market and employee performance research, and the Stanford Digital Economy Lab.
\n
"Despite the strong economic growth we saw in the second quarter, this month's release further validates what we've been seeing in the labor market, that US employers have been cautious with hiring," Nela Richardson, chief economist at ADP, said in a statement.
\n
Major job posting site Indeed reported that as of Sept 26, the number of job openings had dropped by 2.5 percent compared to August. Its data showed that almost all sectors — with the sole exception of banking and financing — posted fewer jobs than a year ago.
\n
About one-third of all 45 professional sectors declined by more than 10 percent. Scientific research and development showed the largest drop, with almost a quarter fewer jobs available compared to a year ago.
\n
According to BioSpace — a site for life science news and jobs — companies in the biotech and pharma sector are expected to lay off 24,000 employees in the third quarter.
\n
For many individuals looking for a job, the reality on the ground is harsh.
\n
Chuck, whose last name was withheld for privacy, graduated from the University of Texas at Austin last summer with a bachelor's degree in computer science. He is losing hope of finding a job after more than a year.
\n
"I have applied for hundreds and hundreds of positions, but I got only a few responses, three phone interviews, one Zoom interview and zero offers," he told China Daily. "I am considering applying for graduate school instead because so far it has been impossible for me to land a job."
\n
Timothy, whose last name was withheld for privacy, is a computer engineer in his mid-30s in Dallas. He regrets leaving his previous job at the end of last year.
\n
Having never found it hard to land a new position before, he decided to take a break last year as the Christmas season was approaching. He began trying to re-enter the job market in April.
\n
To his surprise and dismay, nothing has materialized.
\n
"I have never experienced a job market this bad. I was in and out of a job a few times, but I was always able to get one within a month or two, often getting multiple offers. Now I feel quite desperate," Timothy said.
\n
What job recruiters are seeing confirms the tough reality for those job hunters.
\n
David Leshowitz, senior vice-president of Management Recruiters in Boston, told Boston's NPR station WBUR that his company is getting fewer calls from companies demanding workers.
\n
"There used to be five, six, seven opportunities for every candidate that we would recruit," Leshowitz told WBUR. "Maybe now there's only one opportunity."
\n
One recruiter posted on Reddit: "We are in a recession. There are fewer jobs than people applying for those jobs. Salaries are decreasing, not increasing, and the options you have are fewer."
\n
"This is one of the worst times since 2008 to be a job seeker," the recruiter wrote.
\n
According to a USA Today report, some states are already in a recession based on Moody's analysis.
\n
The report showed that 21 states and the District of Columbia, which contribute about a third of US economic activity, are already in a recession. An additional 13 states, representing another third of the economy, are treading water. The remaining 16 states, including Texas and Florida, are growing.
\n
The analysis said that as a whole, the US is on the edge of recession, defined as a significant decline in economic activity across the economy, lasting more than a few months.
\n
Economic experts said that economic uncertainty, created by President Donald Trump's tariff policy and his sometimes quick and sudden decisions, has many companies holding off on investment plans and hiring decisions.
\n
"One of my students works in the supply chain for a major manufacturer. They're obviously going to have to make some new investments to save money, but they can't yet because the policy is so vague," Ed Hirs, a lecturer at the Department of Economics at the University of Houston, told China Daily in a previous interview.
\n
mayzhou@chinadailyusa.com
\n",
+ "content": "
The September unemployment rate is unavailable due to the federal government shutdown, but the ADP National Employment Report showed that the private sector eliminated 32,000 jobs in September compared to the same period a year ago.
\n
The report was produced by ADP Research, an institute on labor market and employee performance research, and the Stanford Digital Economy Lab.
\n
"Despite the strong economic growth we saw in the second quarter, this month's release further validates what we've been seeing in the labor market, that US employers have been cautious with hiring," Nela Richardson, chief economist at ADP, said in a statement.
\n
Major job posting site Indeed reported that as of Sept 26, the number of job openings had dropped by 2.5 percent compared to August. Its data showed that almost all sectors — with the sole exception of banking and financing — posted fewer jobs than a year ago.
\n
About one-third of all 45 professional sectors declined by more than 10 percent. Scientific research and development showed the largest drop, with almost a quarter fewer jobs available compared to a year ago.
\n
According to BioSpace — a site for life science news and jobs — companies in the biotech and pharma sector are expected to lay off 24,000 employees in the third quarter.
\n
For many individuals looking for a job, the reality on the ground is harsh.
\n
Chuck, whose last name was withheld for privacy, graduated from the University of Texas at Austin last summer with a bachelor's degree in computer science. He is losing hope of finding a job after more than a year.
\n
"I have applied for hundreds and hundreds of positions, but I got only a few responses, three phone interviews, one Zoom interview and zero offers," he told China Daily. "I am considering applying for graduate school instead because so far it has been impossible for me to land a job."
\n
Timothy, whose last name was withheld for privacy, is a computer engineer in his mid-30s in Dallas. He regrets leaving his previous job at the end of last year.
\n
Having never found it hard to land a new position before, he decided to take a break last year as the Christmas season was approaching. He began trying to re-enter the job market in April.
\n
To his surprise and dismay, nothing has materialized.
\n
"I have never experienced a job market this bad. I was in and out of a job a few times, but I was always able to get one within a month or two, often getting multiple offers. Now I feel quite desperate," Timothy said.
\n
What job recruiters are seeing confirms the tough reality for those job hunters.
\n
David Leshowitz, senior vice-president of Management Recruiters in Boston, told Boston's NPR station WBUR that his company is getting fewer calls from companies demanding workers.
\n
"There used to be five, six, seven opportunities for every candidate that we would recruit," Leshowitz told WBUR. "Maybe now there's only one opportunity."
\n
One recruiter posted on Reddit: "We are in a recession. There are fewer jobs than people applying for those jobs. Salaries are decreasing, not increasing, and the options you have are fewer."
\n
"This is one of the worst times since 2008 to be a job seeker," the recruiter wrote.
\n
According to a USA Today report, some states are already in a recession based on Moody's analysis.
\n
The report showed that 21 states and the District of Columbia, which contribute about a third of US economic activity, are already in a recession. An additional 13 states, representing another third of the economy, are treading water. The remaining 16 states, including Texas and Florida, are growing.
\n
The analysis said that as a whole, the US is on the edge of recession, defined as a significant decline in economic activity across the economy, lasting more than a few months.
\n
Economic experts said that economic uncertainty, created by President Donald Trump's tariff policy and his sometimes quick and sudden decisions, has many companies holding off on investment plans and hiring decisions.
\n
"One of my students works in the supply chain for a major manufacturer. They're obviously going to have to make some new investments to save money, but they can't yet because the policy is so vague," Ed Hirs, a lecturer at the Department of Economics at the University of Houston, told China Daily in a previous interview.
A helicopter flies over mourners to disperse the crowd in Nairobi, Kenya, on Thursday, after the arrival of the body of former Kenyan prime minister Raila Odinga, who had been receiving medical treatment in India when he died.
\n",
+ "content": "
A helicopter flies over mourners to disperse the crowd in Nairobi, Kenya, on Thursday, after the arrival of the body of former Kenyan prime minister Raila Odinga, who had been receiving medical treatment in India when he died.
Japan's lower house scheduling committee board has agreed to hold a parliamentary vote to select the next prime minister on Oct 21, a senior committee member told Reuters on Friday. While the Liberal Democratic Party, led by its new leader Sanae Takaichi, proposed the date, opposition parties objected to the schedule, citing ongoing coalition talks. The LDP has approached the right-leaning opposition Japan Innovation Party in a bid to secure a majority vote and expand its coalition, which would enable Takaichi to become Japan's first female prime minister. A number of diplomatic events await the new prime minister toward the end of the month, from summits in Malaysia and South Korea to US President Donald Trump's expected visit to Japan.
\n
YEMEN
\n
Houthis say military chief killed in attack
\n
An Israeli attack has killed the military chief of Houthi militants, the group said on Thursday, threatening revenge. Major General Mohammed al-Ghamari died in "honorable battle against the Israeli enemy", a statement said, without giving further details. Ghamari died alongside "companions" and his 13-year-old son, the Houthi statement said, without giving the date of the attack. The general staff headquarters was among the targets of the last major Israeli airstrike on Yemen in late September, Israel said at the time. But Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz posted on X on Thursday that Ghamari "died of his wounds" after a strike in August.
\n
MADAGASCAR
\n
Randrianirina sworn in as president
\n
Colonel Michael Randrianirina, a military officer, was sworn in on Friday as the president of Madagascar in the capital, Antananarivo. Randrianirina said earlier that the military had taken power and dissolved all institutions except the lower house of parliament. He also said that a committee led by the military would rule for up to two years alongside a transitional government.
\n
PAKISTAN
\n
Suicide attack kills 7 soldiers near border
\n
Seven Pakistani soldiers were killed in a suicide attack near the Afghan border on Friday, Pakistani security officials said, amid a fragile ceasefire between Islamabad and Kabul that paused days of intense fighting between the former allies this month. The neighbors engaged in fierce ground fighting, and Pakistan also launched airstrikes across their contested frontier, killing dozens and wounding hundreds, before they reached a 48-hour truce that ended at 13:00 local time on Friday.
\n",
+ "content": "
JAPAN
\n
Parliament agrees on next leader vote
\n
Japan's lower house scheduling committee board has agreed to hold a parliamentary vote to select the next prime minister on Oct 21, a senior committee member told Reuters on Friday. While the Liberal Democratic Party, led by its new leader Sanae Takaichi, proposed the date, opposition parties objected to the schedule, citing ongoing coalition talks. The LDP has approached the right-leaning opposition Japan Innovation Party in a bid to secure a majority vote and expand its coalition, which would enable Takaichi to become Japan's first female prime minister. A number of diplomatic events await the new prime minister toward the end of the month, from summits in Malaysia and South Korea to US President Donald Trump's expected visit to Japan.
\n
YEMEN
\n
Houthis say military chief killed in attack
\n
An Israeli attack has killed the military chief of Houthi militants, the group said on Thursday, threatening revenge. Major General Mohammed al-Ghamari died in "honorable battle against the Israeli enemy", a statement said, without giving further details. Ghamari died alongside "companions" and his 13-year-old son, the Houthi statement said, without giving the date of the attack. The general staff headquarters was among the targets of the last major Israeli airstrike on Yemen in late September, Israel said at the time. But Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz posted on X on Thursday that Ghamari "died of his wounds" after a strike in August.
\n
MADAGASCAR
\n
Randrianirina sworn in as president
\n
Colonel Michael Randrianirina, a military officer, was sworn in on Friday as the president of Madagascar in the capital, Antananarivo. Randrianirina said earlier that the military had taken power and dissolved all institutions except the lower house of parliament. He also said that a committee led by the military would rule for up to two years alongside a transitional government.
\n
PAKISTAN
\n
Suicide attack kills 7 soldiers near border
\n
Seven Pakistani soldiers were killed in a suicide attack near the Afghan border on Friday, Pakistani security officials said, amid a fragile ceasefire between Islamabad and Kabul that paused days of intense fighting between the former allies this month. The neighbors engaged in fierce ground fighting, and Pakistan also launched airstrikes across their contested frontier, killing dozens and wounding hundreds, before they reached a 48-hour truce that ended at 13:00 local time on Friday.
Engineers at the Aviation Industry Corp of China are working on at least two new types of new-energy aircraft with vertical takeoff and landing capability, hoping to meet demand for such craft in the market.
\n
Feng Weichao, a senior designer at the China Helicopter Research and Development Institute, an AVIC subsidiary, said in Tianjin on Friday that engineers at his institute have built an unmanned prototype of the AR-E3000 electric-powered vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, and conducted the prototype's maiden flight in July.
\n
"The test flight took place in Jingdezhen, Jiangxi province, and lasted about five minutes. We checked the model's performance in terms of hovering and flying forward and backward," he said, adding that more test flights are planned to examine its overall capability.
\n
The AR-E3000 has advantages such as low carbon emission, adaptability to plateau environment, good operational economy and versatility, and a high safety level. It can meet the needs of air transportation, aerial sightseeing, and emergency response in urban regions. It can also be used for point-to-point delivery in plateaus, islands and other remote areas, Feng told China Daily on the sidelines of the 7th China Helicopter Exposition that opened in Tianjin on Thursday.
\n
According to information published by the institute, the AR-E3000 has a maximum takeoff weight of 2.3 metric tons, a carrying capacity of 450 kilograms, and a top speed of 280 kilometers per hour.
\n
The craft is able to operate for one hour and can fly 200 km when fully loaded.
\n
Another unmanned type, which has yet to be given a name, is still in the midst of design work and will have a larger body.
\n
The new model will be propelled by six electric motors and powered by a hybrid power pack. It will be specifically suitable for operations in plateaus, especially transport tasks.
\n
The drone can carry 600 kg of payloads and fly about 600 km, and will have a maximum cruise speed of 380 km per hour.
\n
"Compared with conventional helicopters, electric or hybrid-power tiltrotor aircraft is less susceptible to high altitudes' impact on engine performance thanks to the use of electric batteries," Feng explained.
\n
He noted that in the future, along with the improvement of batteries and engines, the new aircraft will have big potential in civilian and military fields.
\n
"Currently, both of their prototypes are unmanned. We can develop manned variants if there are market demands. In addition, we can enlarge their size and give them bigger capacity based on users' requirement," the designer said.
\n
zhaolei@chinadaily.com.cn
\n",
+ "content": "\n
Engineers at the Aviation Industry Corp of China are working on at least two new types of new-energy aircraft with vertical takeoff and landing capability, hoping to meet demand for such craft in the market.
\n
Feng Weichao, a senior designer at the China Helicopter Research and Development Institute, an AVIC subsidiary, said in Tianjin on Friday that engineers at his institute have built an unmanned prototype of the AR-E3000 electric-powered vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, and conducted the prototype's maiden flight in July.
\n
"The test flight took place in Jingdezhen, Jiangxi province, and lasted about five minutes. We checked the model's performance in terms of hovering and flying forward and backward," he said, adding that more test flights are planned to examine its overall capability.
\n
The AR-E3000 has advantages such as low carbon emission, adaptability to plateau environment, good operational economy and versatility, and a high safety level. It can meet the needs of air transportation, aerial sightseeing, and emergency response in urban regions. It can also be used for point-to-point delivery in plateaus, islands and other remote areas, Feng told China Daily on the sidelines of the 7th China Helicopter Exposition that opened in Tianjin on Thursday.
\n
According to information published by the institute, the AR-E3000 has a maximum takeoff weight of 2.3 metric tons, a carrying capacity of 450 kilograms, and a top speed of 280 kilometers per hour.
\n
The craft is able to operate for one hour and can fly 200 km when fully loaded.
\n
Another unmanned type, which has yet to be given a name, is still in the midst of design work and will have a larger body.
\n
The new model will be propelled by six electric motors and powered by a hybrid power pack. It will be specifically suitable for operations in plateaus, especially transport tasks.
\n
The drone can carry 600 kg of payloads and fly about 600 km, and will have a maximum cruise speed of 380 km per hour.
\n
"Compared with conventional helicopters, electric or hybrid-power tiltrotor aircraft is less susceptible to high altitudes' impact on engine performance thanks to the use of electric batteries," Feng explained.
\n
He noted that in the future, along with the improvement of batteries and engines, the new aircraft will have big potential in civilian and military fields.
\n
"Currently, both of their prototypes are unmanned. We can develop manned variants if there are market demands. In addition, we can enlarge their size and give them bigger capacity based on users' requirement," the designer said.
Visitors view a photo exhibition titled National Exhibition of Outstanding Works of Photography as part of the 14th China Art Festival at the Sichuan Art Museum in Chengdu, Sichuan province, on Thursday. The exhibition features nearly 300 outstanding photographs. Various other art festivals, including the 24th China Shanghai International Arts Festival, are also being held currently.
\n",
+ "content": "
Visitors view a photo exhibition titled National Exhibition of Outstanding Works of Photography as part of the 14th China Art Festival at the Sichuan Art Museum in Chengdu, Sichuan province, on Thursday. The exhibition features nearly 300 outstanding photographs. Various other art festivals, including the 24th China Shanghai International Arts Festival, are also being held currently.
China is experiencing the strongest cold front so far in the second half of this year, with most parts of the nation forecast to see a sharp drop in temperatures, experts said.
\n
There is a high possibility that Beijing will see an early start to winter this weekend, and the temperature drop will bring the unusually persistent scorching heat in the eastern and southern provinces to an end, according to the latest forecast by the China Meteorological Administration.
\n
Ma Xuekuan, chief forecaster of the National Meteorological Center, said that a strong cold front will move from the north to the south and continuously affect the nation's central and eastern parts from Thursday to Tuesday, adding that these areas will see temperature drops of 6 to 10 degrees.
\n
Among these provinces and areas, the Inner Mongolia autonomous region and those in the country's central part will see temperatures drop by 10 to 14 degrees, or even over 15 degrees, during the period, Ma noted.
\n
"It's so far the strongest cold front affecting China in the year's second half based on its range and degree of influence," he said, adding that the nation's northern provinces will see the temperature keep falling next week.
\n
He said that China's central part and provinces along the eastern part of the Yellow River and Huaihe River, including Jiangsu, Anhui, Henan and Shandong, will witness the temperature plunge by 10 degrees in five consecutive days from Saturday, with a higher possibility of the onset of winter.
\n
Shi Xinxin, a weather analyst from China Weather TV, said there is a very high possibility of Beijing seeing an early arrival of winter on Saturday, as reported by the People's Daily on Friday.
\n
According to Shi, Beijing will see the average day temperature fall below 10 degrees in continuous 7 days from Saturday. Historically, from 1991 to 2020, the city has seen the start of winter on Oct 31, which will move up now because of the ongoing cold front.
\n
Affected by the strong cold front, provinces and regions south of the Yangtze River and the nation's southern part, such as Shanghai and Zhejiang, will also see a quick temperature change that will end the unusual heat wave there, according to Ma, the chief forecaster.
\n
He added that from Sunday to Friday, the southern provinces will see temperatures 2 to 4 degrees lower than usual in previous years.
\n
The meeting of the cold front and warm air currents also brought torrential rains to southwestern provinces and provinces along the Yellow River and Huaihe River such as Sichuan and Chongqing on Thursday and Friday. The rains will ease from Saturday after the cold front moves southward.
\n
Noting the sharp temperature change, the China Meteorological Administration has reminded the public to be careful of weather-related risks like flu, and to be covered in adequately warm clothing.
\n
chengsi@chinadaily.com.cn
\n",
+ "content": "
China is experiencing the strongest cold front so far in the second half of this year, with most parts of the nation forecast to see a sharp drop in temperatures, experts said.
\n
There is a high possibility that Beijing will see an early start to winter this weekend, and the temperature drop will bring the unusually persistent scorching heat in the eastern and southern provinces to an end, according to the latest forecast by the China Meteorological Administration.
\n
Ma Xuekuan, chief forecaster of the National Meteorological Center, said that a strong cold front will move from the north to the south and continuously affect the nation's central and eastern parts from Thursday to Tuesday, adding that these areas will see temperature drops of 6 to 10 degrees.
\n
Among these provinces and areas, the Inner Mongolia autonomous region and those in the country's central part will see temperatures drop by 10 to 14 degrees, or even over 15 degrees, during the period, Ma noted.
\n
"It's so far the strongest cold front affecting China in the year's second half based on its range and degree of influence," he said, adding that the nation's northern provinces will see the temperature keep falling next week.
\n
He said that China's central part and provinces along the eastern part of the Yellow River and Huaihe River, including Jiangsu, Anhui, Henan and Shandong, will witness the temperature plunge by 10 degrees in five consecutive days from Saturday, with a higher possibility of the onset of winter.
\n
Shi Xinxin, a weather analyst from China Weather TV, said there is a very high possibility of Beijing seeing an early arrival of winter on Saturday, as reported by the People's Daily on Friday.
\n
According to Shi, Beijing will see the average day temperature fall below 10 degrees in continuous 7 days from Saturday. Historically, from 1991 to 2020, the city has seen the start of winter on Oct 31, which will move up now because of the ongoing cold front.
\n
Affected by the strong cold front, provinces and regions south of the Yangtze River and the nation's southern part, such as Shanghai and Zhejiang, will also see a quick temperature change that will end the unusual heat wave there, according to Ma, the chief forecaster.
\n
He added that from Sunday to Friday, the southern provinces will see temperatures 2 to 4 degrees lower than usual in previous years.
\n
The meeting of the cold front and warm air currents also brought torrential rains to southwestern provinces and provinces along the Yellow River and Huaihe River such as Sichuan and Chongqing on Thursday and Friday. The rains will ease from Saturday after the cold front moves southward.
\n
Noting the sharp temperature change, the China Meteorological Administration has reminded the public to be careful of weather-related risks like flu, and to be covered in adequately warm clothing.
Attendees exchange ideas during the 2025 Annual General Meeting of the China Council for International Cooperation on Environment and Development in Beijing on Thursday.
\n
Global experts have acknowledged China's efforts, commitment and vision for a green transition and building an eco-friendly economy. At the two-day 2025 Annual General Meeting of the CCICED in Beijing, they called on the country to contribute its wisdom and assume responsibility in leading global environmental governance.
\n
Chinese Vice-Premier Ding Xuexiang said that since the beginning of the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-25), China has treated the promotion of harmony between humanity and nature as an inherent requirement of the Chinese path to modernization. The country has consistently maintained a strategic resolve in building an ecological civilization and has made significant strides toward realizing a "Beautiful China". It has also proactively shouldered its responsibilities and demonstrated the commitments of a major nation, further enhancing its leading role in global environmental governance.
\n
He made the remarks on Thursday at the closing ceremony of the meeting of the China Council for International Cooperation on Environment and Development, which gathered around 400 scholars and experts from home and abroad.
\n
Ding emphasized that China will further accelerate the green transformation of its development model and is willing to strengthen solidarity and cooperation with all parties to build a clean and beautiful world.
\n
He said China is committed to following the path of green and low-carbon development, tailoring green productivity initiatives to local conditions. The country will also uphold multilateralism by fully implementing the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Paris Agreement. By doing so, China aims to collaborate with the international community to address environmental challenges and climate crises, as well as deepen cooperation in areas such as biodiversity conservation and plastic pollution control.
\n
The Chinese government will continue to vigorously support the growth and development of the CCICED, contributing more wisdom to strengthening China's ecological civilization and advancing global sustainable development, Ding added.
\n
Kristin Halvorsen, director of the CICERO Center for International Climate Research in Norway, said this year's draft policy recommendations put forward at the meeting were "both comprehensive and concrete on actions needed for fulfilling the NDC commitments, biodiversity conservation and on instruments for green market developments".
\n
Halvorsen spoke highly of China's new Nationally Determined Contribution commitments for 2035 announced last month, which "show that the green transition is happening right here, based on renewable energy, electric transportation and other low-emission technologies".
\n
"It is a very clear signal that the future is green and there is no return," she said. "The United States is now leaving the Paris Agreement, and we value even more the steady course of China."
\n
Achim Steiner, former administrator of the UN Development Programme, said China is using its everyday decisions to answer what a green transition and future economic pathway look like.
\n
Steiner praised China's green financial system, stressing the importance of practical actions and supporting measures alongside institutional establishment.
\n
"We need to find new platforms through which to demonstrate the shared interest in advancing together on the green transitions — whether it is the vision that China has articulated of ecological civilization or a circular economy," he said.
\n
Inger Andersen, undersecretary-general of the UN and executive director of the UN Environment Programme, expressed appreciation for China's continued commitment to advancing talks of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee on Plastic Pollution.
\n
Andersen highlighted China's strong leadership in nature and biodiversity conservation, noting the ambitious targets set in the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework proposed at COP15 under the Chinese presidency.
\n
She recommended that China consider exploring targets for reducing coal, fossil fuels and methane emissions in its 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30). She added that such moves "could truly help accelerate the green transition, strengthen energy security and drive economic growth, setting a pace that the world can follow".
\n
"We cannot underestimate China's role in multilateral fora, as well as the ongoing work in South-South cooperation that China is leading," Andersen said.
Attendees exchange ideas during the 2025 Annual General Meeting of the China Council for International Cooperation on Environment and Development in Beijing on Thursday.
\n
Global experts have acknowledged China's efforts, commitment and vision for a green transition and building an eco-friendly economy. At the two-day 2025 Annual General Meeting of the CCICED in Beijing, they called on the country to contribute its wisdom and assume responsibility in leading global environmental governance.
\n
Chinese Vice-Premier Ding Xuexiang said that since the beginning of the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-25), China has treated the promotion of harmony between humanity and nature as an inherent requirement of the Chinese path to modernization. The country has consistently maintained a strategic resolve in building an ecological civilization and has made significant strides toward realizing a "Beautiful China". It has also proactively shouldered its responsibilities and demonstrated the commitments of a major nation, further enhancing its leading role in global environmental governance.
\n
He made the remarks on Thursday at the closing ceremony of the meeting of the China Council for International Cooperation on Environment and Development, which gathered around 400 scholars and experts from home and abroad.
\n
Ding emphasized that China will further accelerate the green transformation of its development model and is willing to strengthen solidarity and cooperation with all parties to build a clean and beautiful world.
\n
He said China is committed to following the path of green and low-carbon development, tailoring green productivity initiatives to local conditions. The country will also uphold multilateralism by fully implementing the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Paris Agreement. By doing so, China aims to collaborate with the international community to address environmental challenges and climate crises, as well as deepen cooperation in areas such as biodiversity conservation and plastic pollution control.
\n
The Chinese government will continue to vigorously support the growth and development of the CCICED, contributing more wisdom to strengthening China's ecological civilization and advancing global sustainable development, Ding added.
\n
Kristin Halvorsen, director of the CICERO Center for International Climate Research in Norway, said this year's draft policy recommendations put forward at the meeting were "both comprehensive and concrete on actions needed for fulfilling the NDC commitments, biodiversity conservation and on instruments for green market developments".
\n
Halvorsen spoke highly of China's new Nationally Determined Contribution commitments for 2035 announced last month, which "show that the green transition is happening right here, based on renewable energy, electric transportation and other low-emission technologies".
\n
"It is a very clear signal that the future is green and there is no return," she said. "The United States is now leaving the Paris Agreement, and we value even more the steady course of China."
\n
Achim Steiner, former administrator of the UN Development Programme, said China is using its everyday decisions to answer what a green transition and future economic pathway look like.
\n
Steiner praised China's green financial system, stressing the importance of practical actions and supporting measures alongside institutional establishment.
\n
"We need to find new platforms through which to demonstrate the shared interest in advancing together on the green transitions — whether it is the vision that China has articulated of ecological civilization or a circular economy," he said.
\n
Inger Andersen, undersecretary-general of the UN and executive director of the UN Environment Programme, expressed appreciation for China's continued commitment to advancing talks of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee on Plastic Pollution.
\n
Andersen highlighted China's strong leadership in nature and biodiversity conservation, noting the ambitious targets set in the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework proposed at COP15 under the Chinese presidency.
\n
She recommended that China consider exploring targets for reducing coal, fossil fuels and methane emissions in its 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30). She added that such moves "could truly help accelerate the green transition, strengthen energy security and drive economic growth, setting a pace that the world can follow".
\n
"We cannot underestimate China's role in multilateral fora, as well as the ongoing work in South-South cooperation that China is leading," Andersen said.
In just one month, the COP30 United Nations Climate Change Conference will be held in Belem, Brazil. This year also marks the 10th anniversary of the Paris Agreement on climate change. Amid growing geopolitical conflicts, the rise of unilateralism and protectionism, and challenges such as the United States' withdrawal from the Paris Agreement once again, all parties are paying close attention to this conference. COP30 is seen as a pivotal moment in the 35-year history of global cooperation on tackling climate change, building on past achievements and paving the way for future efforts. The conference should reaffirm support for the Paris Agreement, emphasize the irreversibility of the global energy transition, confirm financial and technological support for developing countries, and ensure a fair and equitable international environment for a just global transition. China will work closely with all parties to actively contribute to the success of COP30.
\n
Liu Zhenmin, China special envoy for climate change
\n
\n
In China, the innovation in new green and low-carbon technologies creates favorable conditions for traditional energy regions to capitalize on their latecomer advantages. We must target key areas of green transformation to promote the dissemination of cutting-edge technologies. This will accelerate the shift from a resource-driven to an innovation-driven development model. Further reforms should be deepened, with pilot projects in areas such as zero-carbon parks, new energy systems, and eco-product value counties. These efforts aim to establish lasting institutional frameworks that ensure a green and equitable transition.
\n
Lyu Wenbin, director of the Energy Research Institute at the National Development and Reform Commission
\n
\n
The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework targets are not just about numbers. They reflect our shared vision of a future where ecosystems are healthy, wildlife thrives and communities flourish alongside the natural world. In this process, China is uniquely positioned to inspire global action and accelerate progress toward a more resilient and sustainable future.
\n
Kirsten Schuijt, director-general at the World Wide Fund for Nature International
\n
\n
China, with its experience in rapid transformation in the green transition, is well-positioned to help other economies explore how similar progress can be achieved. More attention should be given to the governance mechanisms needed to make this happen. It's not only about technology, but also about governance, knowledge, and capacity building. And the transition is not just one for China. It's a transition that must take place in the interconnected global economy.
\n
Miranda Schreurs, chair of climate and environmental policy at the Technical University of Munich in Germany
\n
\n
This meeting has been a needed signal of both hope and confidence — hope and confidence that the high-quality green transition is accelerating in China at a faster rate than anyone had predicted; hope and confidence that ecological stewardship is gaining roots so deep that we're now seeing the opportunity to move to a nature-positive trajectory.
\n
Scott Vaughan, senior fellow at the International Institute for Sustainable Development
\n",
+ "content": "
In just one month, the COP30 United Nations Climate Change Conference will be held in Belem, Brazil. This year also marks the 10th anniversary of the Paris Agreement on climate change. Amid growing geopolitical conflicts, the rise of unilateralism and protectionism, and challenges such as the United States' withdrawal from the Paris Agreement once again, all parties are paying close attention to this conference. COP30 is seen as a pivotal moment in the 35-year history of global cooperation on tackling climate change, building on past achievements and paving the way for future efforts. The conference should reaffirm support for the Paris Agreement, emphasize the irreversibility of the global energy transition, confirm financial and technological support for developing countries, and ensure a fair and equitable international environment for a just global transition. China will work closely with all parties to actively contribute to the success of COP30.
\n
Liu Zhenmin, China special envoy for climate change
\n
\n
In China, the innovation in new green and low-carbon technologies creates favorable conditions for traditional energy regions to capitalize on their latecomer advantages. We must target key areas of green transformation to promote the dissemination of cutting-edge technologies. This will accelerate the shift from a resource-driven to an innovation-driven development model. Further reforms should be deepened, with pilot projects in areas such as zero-carbon parks, new energy systems, and eco-product value counties. These efforts aim to establish lasting institutional frameworks that ensure a green and equitable transition.
\n
Lyu Wenbin, director of the Energy Research Institute at the National Development and Reform Commission
\n
\n
The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework targets are not just about numbers. They reflect our shared vision of a future where ecosystems are healthy, wildlife thrives and communities flourish alongside the natural world. In this process, China is uniquely positioned to inspire global action and accelerate progress toward a more resilient and sustainable future.
\n
Kirsten Schuijt, director-general at the World Wide Fund for Nature International
\n
\n
China, with its experience in rapid transformation in the green transition, is well-positioned to help other economies explore how similar progress can be achieved. More attention should be given to the governance mechanisms needed to make this happen. It's not only about technology, but also about governance, knowledge, and capacity building. And the transition is not just one for China. It's a transition that must take place in the interconnected global economy.
\n
Miranda Schreurs, chair of climate and environmental policy at the Technical University of Munich in Germany
\n
\n
This meeting has been a needed signal of both hope and confidence — hope and confidence that the high-quality green transition is accelerating in China at a faster rate than anyone had predicted; hope and confidence that ecological stewardship is gaining roots so deep that we're now seeing the opportunity to move to a nature-positive trajectory.
\n
Scott Vaughan, senior fellow at the International Institute for Sustainable Development
A mountain's inverted reflection ripples across a lake at the Siguniang Mountains in Aba Tibetan and Qiang prefecture, Sichuan province.
\n
A visitor plays a grand piano during a drizzle in a primitive forest in the geopark.
\n
Rivers wrap the valleys like ribbons that flutter beneath the peaks.
\n
Pandas and poets. Adventurers and ape men. Soldiers and snow leopards. A mountain god reborn as four supernatural sisters. This cast of characters, literal and legendary, stars in the saga unfolding on the undulating stone stage of the Siguniang Mountains.
\n
Planetary forces authored an extravagant geology that, in turn, scripted an epic spanning epochs in today's Aba Tibetan and Qiang prefecture, Sichuan province.
\n
Every valley cradles a true tale. Every peak embraces a legend.
\n
The range's very names reiterate the lore of this land. First is the ancient Gyalrong Tibetan name, Skula Rouda — which hails the god of life, birthdays and birthplace — and later, the lyrical transliteration to standard Chinese, Siguniang — which means "four sisters", a reference to its four premier peaks. This wasn't merely a reconsideration of names but a reincarnation of identity.
\n
This penchant for personification extends across the vast range.
\n
The highest peak, at 6,247.8 meters above sea level, Yaomei, is likened to the youngest sister of the quartet and "queen" of the superordinate Qionglai range, whereas the 5,033-meter-high Mount Abi merges with neighboring peaks to sculpt the natural effigy of a humble granny.
\n
Another peak uncannily resembles the grim gaze of the yeren, an apelike cryptid often compared to Bigfoot's Chinese cousin, who is said to stalk the wilds of Shennongjia in Central China's Hubei province.
\n
The 5,271-meter-tall Yueya Mountain's name is inspired by its crescent moon shape, while Potala Peak received its moniker from its resemblance to the palace that crowns Lhasa.
\n
Geologists describe these snaggle-tooth serrations at the Sichuan Basin's edge as a "crocodile's jaw". Geographers venerate the range as the "Heavenly Gate of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau". And climatologists compare Siguniang to a massive meteorological wall that seals out wetter westerly winds fromparching the plateau, high and dry.
\n
It's an eave of the "roof of the world", a boundary delineating the domains of farmer and herder, and an intersection of Han and Tibetan culture.
\n
Luminary poet Du Fu penned prose exalting these eminences 1,300 years ago. Over a millennium later, in our time, novelist Alai, author of Red Poppies: A Novel of Tibet, elevated their stature to even greater heights. Countless other writers have profiled these giants' contours with their words, ensuring these mountains are as much a feature of literary imagination as physical reality.
\n
This cultural landscape is inspired by one of the planet's most idiosyncratic geological terrains. Accordingly, Siguniang is vying for a UNESCO Geopark title to complement its World Heritage site designation.
\n
Over a hundred of Siguniang's thousands of rock stilettos stab more than 5 kilometers into the diluted air, shredding the skyline and siring the world's mostcomprehensive vertical spectrum of biodiversity. A single spectacular view swoops from forest to shrub-land, from desert to snowcaps.
\n
Over 2,000 higher plants — including the world's largest wild Chinese sea buckthorn forests — cling to these slopes that teem with more than 300 vertebrates.
\n
These extreme precipices form a citadel safeguarding elusive yet iconic creatures.
\n
Giant and red pandas waddle through bristling bamboo. Sichuan takins tiptoe up sheer cliff sides. Golden snub-nosed monkeys bounce through leafy canopies. Snow leopards slink across carpets of frost.
\n
The Siguniang Mountains create a natural fortress that shelters these protected organisms. It towers over the limits of imagination, harboring a living paradox of fragility and strength.
\n
This poetic geology is engraved in the stony scar tissue where Earth's crust fights itself from below, and erosive forces assault its surface from above. It's a lyrical diary of this land's grueling growing pains, as it comes of age over successive eras.
\n
Its mutating anatomy is forged by fire and ice, magma and ocean. All conceivable expressions of stone and water have tormented its rocky flesh, which is wrinkled and disjointed by superlatively slow-motion collisions of tectonic plates that regularly rip through the globe's connective tissue.
\n
Conflicting crustal forces shoved and yanked the land skyward hundreds of millions of years ago. Around 350 million years ago, these formations were washed over and partly dissolved by ancient oceans. A hundred million years later, the wounds where the crust was punctured bled magma when a super-scale outbreak of submarine volcanoes burst from its hide like blisters, leaving scabs and welts on the earth's skin.
\n
Then, 65 million years ago, the Himalayan orogeny jolted the landscape upward with a new ferocity, as the Indian and Eurasian plates crashed together. Around 6.5 million years ago, this collision's skyward propulsion accelerated with even greater umph.
\n
About 1.7 million years ago, an ice age scraped and sliced the landforms above 3,000 meters, gradually receding until the glacial sheaths were reduced to elevations exceeding 5,000 meters.
\n
Bygone glacier bite marks linger as an unparalleled compendium of aretes, horns, U-valleys, cirques, ice kilns, hanging valleys, and moraines.
\n
The Minjiang and Dadu Rivers originate and pour forth from the persevering snowcaps' chilly veins. Smaller streams and waterfalls wrap the landscape like ribbons, and glacial lakes bejewel the topography like sequins, shining as iridescent mirrors that reflect the clouds that swim through the air above.
\n
These forces have also tattooed the rocks with a subdued palette. Gray-white sandstone, purple-red slate and light-green basalt streak the mountainsides with what has been nicknamed an "inverted rainbow".
\n
Other colorful appellations include the Red Stone Array, where Changping Valley's mouth gulps scarlet boulders rendered by ruddy algae that daub the rocks, and the "Flaming Corridor", where Sichuan redwoods burn bright like the gods' torches in autumn.
\n
They blaze vibrantly and stand in stark contrast to the bleached skeletons of trees whose dead branches stretch from watery graves, like bony fingers clawing at thin air, in Changping Valley's Withered Tree River Beach. Alluvial spills choked streams, drowning thickets of sea buckthorns and conifers, leaving their gnarled carcasses twisting and writhing in the rippling waves of newborn lakes.
\n
A similar graveyard commemorating another bygone botanical dominion is hidden in Shuangqiao Valley, where trees mummified by calcification form a ghostly sculpture garden.
\n
Ultimately, to ascend Siguniang is to feel time itself rising up from our world — the lethargic tempo of a tectonic pileup and the fleeting flash of a snow leopard's shadow. It reminds us that, beyond books, the most epic stories are engraved into the very body of the Earth.
\n
And so, this stone saga continues to unfold. The sleepless terrestrial forces that have wrenched these peaks skyward also pull at our inner thoughts and push the outer bounds of our imaginations.
\n
The Siguniang Mountains beckon us to tread with deliberation, to eavesdrop on the legends whispered by the winds, and to behold a part of our planet where earth, ice and fire inscribe a chronicle of life and lore.
\n
Contact the writer at erik_nilsson@chinadaily.com.cn
A mountain's inverted reflection ripples across a lake at the Siguniang Mountains in Aba Tibetan and Qiang prefecture, Sichuan province.
\n
A visitor plays a grand piano during a drizzle in a primitive forest in the geopark.
\n
Rivers wrap the valleys like ribbons that flutter beneath the peaks.
\n
Pandas and poets. Adventurers and ape men. Soldiers and snow leopards. A mountain god reborn as four supernatural sisters. This cast of characters, literal and legendary, stars in the saga unfolding on the undulating stone stage of the Siguniang Mountains.
\n
Planetary forces authored an extravagant geology that, in turn, scripted an epic spanning epochs in today's Aba Tibetan and Qiang prefecture, Sichuan province.
\n
Every valley cradles a true tale. Every peak embraces a legend.
\n
The range's very names reiterate the lore of this land. First is the ancient Gyalrong Tibetan name, Skula Rouda — which hails the god of life, birthdays and birthplace — and later, the lyrical transliteration to standard Chinese, Siguniang — which means "four sisters", a reference to its four premier peaks. This wasn't merely a reconsideration of names but a reincarnation of identity.
\n
This penchant for personification extends across the vast range.
\n
The highest peak, at 6,247.8 meters above sea level, Yaomei, is likened to the youngest sister of the quartet and "queen" of the superordinate Qionglai range, whereas the 5,033-meter-high Mount Abi merges with neighboring peaks to sculpt the natural effigy of a humble granny.
\n
Another peak uncannily resembles the grim gaze of the yeren, an apelike cryptid often compared to Bigfoot's Chinese cousin, who is said to stalk the wilds of Shennongjia in Central China's Hubei province.
\n
The 5,271-meter-tall Yueya Mountain's name is inspired by its crescent moon shape, while Potala Peak received its moniker from its resemblance to the palace that crowns Lhasa.
\n
Geologists describe these snaggle-tooth serrations at the Sichuan Basin's edge as a "crocodile's jaw". Geographers venerate the range as the "Heavenly Gate of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau". And climatologists compare Siguniang to a massive meteorological wall that seals out wetter westerly winds fromparching the plateau, high and dry.
\n
It's an eave of the "roof of the world", a boundary delineating the domains of farmer and herder, and an intersection of Han and Tibetan culture.
\n
Luminary poet Du Fu penned prose exalting these eminences 1,300 years ago. Over a millennium later, in our time, novelist Alai, author of Red Poppies: A Novel of Tibet, elevated their stature to even greater heights. Countless other writers have profiled these giants' contours with their words, ensuring these mountains are as much a feature of literary imagination as physical reality.
\n
This cultural landscape is inspired by one of the planet's most idiosyncratic geological terrains. Accordingly, Siguniang is vying for a UNESCO Geopark title to complement its World Heritage site designation.
\n
Over a hundred of Siguniang's thousands of rock stilettos stab more than 5 kilometers into the diluted air, shredding the skyline and siring the world's mostcomprehensive vertical spectrum of biodiversity. A single spectacular view swoops from forest to shrub-land, from desert to snowcaps.
\n
Over 2,000 higher plants — including the world's largest wild Chinese sea buckthorn forests — cling to these slopes that teem with more than 300 vertebrates.
\n
These extreme precipices form a citadel safeguarding elusive yet iconic creatures.
\n
Giant and red pandas waddle through bristling bamboo. Sichuan takins tiptoe up sheer cliff sides. Golden snub-nosed monkeys bounce through leafy canopies. Snow leopards slink across carpets of frost.
\n
The Siguniang Mountains create a natural fortress that shelters these protected organisms. It towers over the limits of imagination, harboring a living paradox of fragility and strength.
\n
This poetic geology is engraved in the stony scar tissue where Earth's crust fights itself from below, and erosive forces assault its surface from above. It's a lyrical diary of this land's grueling growing pains, as it comes of age over successive eras.
\n
Its mutating anatomy is forged by fire and ice, magma and ocean. All conceivable expressions of stone and water have tormented its rocky flesh, which is wrinkled and disjointed by superlatively slow-motion collisions of tectonic plates that regularly rip through the globe's connective tissue.
\n
Conflicting crustal forces shoved and yanked the land skyward hundreds of millions of years ago. Around 350 million years ago, these formations were washed over and partly dissolved by ancient oceans. A hundred million years later, the wounds where the crust was punctured bled magma when a super-scale outbreak of submarine volcanoes burst from its hide like blisters, leaving scabs and welts on the earth's skin.
\n
Then, 65 million years ago, the Himalayan orogeny jolted the landscape upward with a new ferocity, as the Indian and Eurasian plates crashed together. Around 6.5 million years ago, this collision's skyward propulsion accelerated with even greater umph.
\n
About 1.7 million years ago, an ice age scraped and sliced the landforms above 3,000 meters, gradually receding until the glacial sheaths were reduced to elevations exceeding 5,000 meters.
\n
Bygone glacier bite marks linger as an unparalleled compendium of aretes, horns, U-valleys, cirques, ice kilns, hanging valleys, and moraines.
\n
The Minjiang and Dadu Rivers originate and pour forth from the persevering snowcaps' chilly veins. Smaller streams and waterfalls wrap the landscape like ribbons, and glacial lakes bejewel the topography like sequins, shining as iridescent mirrors that reflect the clouds that swim through the air above.
\n
These forces have also tattooed the rocks with a subdued palette. Gray-white sandstone, purple-red slate and light-green basalt streak the mountainsides with what has been nicknamed an "inverted rainbow".
\n
Other colorful appellations include the Red Stone Array, where Changping Valley's mouth gulps scarlet boulders rendered by ruddy algae that daub the rocks, and the "Flaming Corridor", where Sichuan redwoods burn bright like the gods' torches in autumn.
\n
They blaze vibrantly and stand in stark contrast to the bleached skeletons of trees whose dead branches stretch from watery graves, like bony fingers clawing at thin air, in Changping Valley's Withered Tree River Beach. Alluvial spills choked streams, drowning thickets of sea buckthorns and conifers, leaving their gnarled carcasses twisting and writhing in the rippling waves of newborn lakes.
\n
A similar graveyard commemorating another bygone botanical dominion is hidden in Shuangqiao Valley, where trees mummified by calcification form a ghostly sculpture garden.
\n
Ultimately, to ascend Siguniang is to feel time itself rising up from our world — the lethargic tempo of a tectonic pileup and the fleeting flash of a snow leopard's shadow. It reminds us that, beyond books, the most epic stories are engraved into the very body of the Earth.
\n
And so, this stone saga continues to unfold. The sleepless terrestrial forces that have wrenched these peaks skyward also pull at our inner thoughts and push the outer bounds of our imaginations.
\n
The Siguniang Mountains beckon us to tread with deliberation, to eavesdrop on the legends whispered by the winds, and to behold a part of our planet where earth, ice and fire inscribe a chronicle of life and lore.
\n
Contact the writer at erik_nilsson@chinadaily.com.cn
Two Canadian tourists enjoy "slow living" in the bustling streets of Liziba, Chongqing, on Oct 3, as the city has continuously cultivated and developed itself as an international consumption hub.
\n
CHONGQING — Strolling through bustling blocks, relaxing at massage parlors, or killing time at a roadside tea or coffee shop, such leisurely practices of "slow living" are gaining popularity among locals and tourists in Southwest China's Chongqing municipality.
\n
A growing interest in wellness practices among young Chinese people has transformed this city's leisure consumption market, offering diverse experiences such as specialty massages and tea-drinking sessions.
\n
As one of the century-old areas in downtown Chongqing, the Luzumiao block has preserved historical memories amid red-brick and tile-roofed structures, while also serving as a prime location for leisure businesses.
\n
One such business is Lantiya Massage Parlor, which provides authentic Thai-style massage with techniques adapted to local needs. All its therapists are from Thailand and have over eight years of experience.
\n
"We blend Thai techniques with local preferences to create a unique relaxation space," says manager Hu Peng. The parlor offers tailored packages, such as one for tourists aimed at relieving sore feet and another targeted at easing back pain for office workers.
\n
Liu Cong, a tourist from Beijing, visited this massage parlor on two consecutive days. "It was a novel experience. The therapists are professional and attentive, and I feel much more relaxed afterwards," she says.
\n
Beyond massage, Lantiya integrates afternoon tea, allowing customers to immerse themselves in the block's traditional architecture and culture.
\n
Similarly, Golden Impression massage parlor attracts over 2 million annual visitors through diversified services. Marketing head He Renjie notes that over 80 percent of customers are under the age of 35.
\n
"We combine wellness with specialty cuisine such as healthy, low GI (glycemic index) meals and local specialties, HiFi audiovisual systems, and travel services such as luggage storage and overnight accommodation, to meet the demand for personalized experiences," he says.
\n
For a quieter experience, Nianxiang Niancha Tea House in the Shibati scenic area offers a cultural retreat featuring traditional teas and tea-infused rice, a local dish made with tea, vegetables and nuts.
\n
The teahouse's owner, Ma Kun, describes it as a "cultural space", where handmade tableware and informational cards educate visitors on the history of the dishes. This approach is making tea culture trendy among vegetarians and young people.
\n
Chongqing has continuously cultivated and developed itself as an international consumption hub in recent years, and these efforts are paying off.
\n
In the first half of 2025, retail sales of consumer goods exceeded 830 billion yuan ($116.5 billion), achieving sustained growth.
\n
Notably, a thriving leisure sector, coupled with a vibrant night economy, continues to diversify consumption models, enhancing the city's appeal.
Two Canadian tourists enjoy "slow living" in the bustling streets of Liziba, Chongqing, on Oct 3, as the city has continuously cultivated and developed itself as an international consumption hub.
\n
CHONGQING — Strolling through bustling blocks, relaxing at massage parlors, or killing time at a roadside tea or coffee shop, such leisurely practices of "slow living" are gaining popularity among locals and tourists in Southwest China's Chongqing municipality.
\n
A growing interest in wellness practices among young Chinese people has transformed this city's leisure consumption market, offering diverse experiences such as specialty massages and tea-drinking sessions.
\n
As one of the century-old areas in downtown Chongqing, the Luzumiao block has preserved historical memories amid red-brick and tile-roofed structures, while also serving as a prime location for leisure businesses.
\n
One such business is Lantiya Massage Parlor, which provides authentic Thai-style massage with techniques adapted to local needs. All its therapists are from Thailand and have over eight years of experience.
\n
"We blend Thai techniques with local preferences to create a unique relaxation space," says manager Hu Peng. The parlor offers tailored packages, such as one for tourists aimed at relieving sore feet and another targeted at easing back pain for office workers.
\n
Liu Cong, a tourist from Beijing, visited this massage parlor on two consecutive days. "It was a novel experience. The therapists are professional and attentive, and I feel much more relaxed afterwards," she says.
\n
Beyond massage, Lantiya integrates afternoon tea, allowing customers to immerse themselves in the block's traditional architecture and culture.
\n
Similarly, Golden Impression massage parlor attracts over 2 million annual visitors through diversified services. Marketing head He Renjie notes that over 80 percent of customers are under the age of 35.
\n
"We combine wellness with specialty cuisine such as healthy, low GI (glycemic index) meals and local specialties, HiFi audiovisual systems, and travel services such as luggage storage and overnight accommodation, to meet the demand for personalized experiences," he says.
\n
For a quieter experience, Nianxiang Niancha Tea House in the Shibati scenic area offers a cultural retreat featuring traditional teas and tea-infused rice, a local dish made with tea, vegetables and nuts.
\n
The teahouse's owner, Ma Kun, describes it as a "cultural space", where handmade tableware and informational cards educate visitors on the history of the dishes. This approach is making tea culture trendy among vegetarians and young people.
\n
Chongqing has continuously cultivated and developed itself as an international consumption hub in recent years, and these efforts are paying off.
\n
In the first half of 2025, retail sales of consumer goods exceeded 830 billion yuan ($116.5 billion), achieving sustained growth.
\n
Notably, a thriving leisure sector, coupled with a vibrant night economy, continues to diversify consumption models, enhancing the city's appeal.
Pang Zheng, a postgraduate from the Shanghai Theatre Academy, joins the reality show Exciting Offer 7 as an intern, vying for a hosting position on Dragon TV.
\n
Veteran host Chen Luyu acts as a mentor for the interns.
\n
Zhang Shiwen, a postgraduate student of the Communication University of China, is also among the interns on the show.
\n
For 25-year-old Pang Zheng from Hunan province, a cherished childhood memory is dining with her parents while watching News and Science, a program on Hunan Satellite TV that verifies and interprets phenomena through experiments and data.
\n
Inspired by its presenters, Pang decided to pursue the same path. In 2018, she enrolled in the broadcasting and hosting major at the Shanghai Theatre Academy, determined to one day appear on-screen as a professional TV host. Her journey seemed firmly on track when she interned at Hunan Satellite TV and even recorded several episodes for News and Science, the very show she grew up watching.
\n
In 2022, she topped the postgraduate program entrance exams at her university. A career as a TV host seemed within reach.
\n
But her life was soon upended when her father was diagnosed with esophageal cancer. Her mother left her job to care for him full-time.
\n
Pang, then a postgraduate student, chose to shoulder the responsibility of supporting her family as the breadwinner.
\n
She turned to the booming e-commerce sector, taking up part-time livestreaming work to sell products online.
\n
"I accepted every job I could fit into my schedule," Pang recalls, often working until 3 am.
\n
While this work supported her family, it also made her feel that her dream of becoming a TV host was "slipping further away".
\n
As months passed, she grew increasingly unsure about her future — whether she could still enter the television industry, or if she was even suited for the job anymore.
\n
A turning point arrived in July with the recruitment call for the reality show Exciting Offer 7, which gathers aspiring young hosts to compete for a position at Dragon TV through an intensive internship.
\n
"I saw it as a now-or-never moment to chase my dream," Pang says.
\n
The workplace reality show, currently streaming on Tencent Video, offers viewers an insider's view of the hosting profession.
\n
Since its launch in 2019, the show has featured various professionals in fields such as law, medicine and architecture.
\n
Regarding this year's focus on hosting, director Wu Haoyu explains: "In today's media landscape where everyone can access and participate in content creation, the public is already familiar with news programs, interviews and variety shows. Choosing this profession naturally sparks widespread discussion while showcasing the professional competence and charm of hosts."
\n
In the current season, guided by established hosts such as Chen Luyu and Bai Xuxu, the contestants face challenges that test every dimension of professional skill: live reporting, in-depth interviews, and realtime coverage of major events.
\n
To replicate the unpredictability of the newsroom, the production team often introduces unexpected hurdles — a failed teleprompter or a last-minute script change.
\n
Yet, for Pang, who was selected as one of the 10 interns, this high-pressure crucible of diverse challenges gave her a newfound certainty that she was well-suited to the hosting profession.
\n
She discovered that the experience and skills she had honed as an e-commerce livestream host proved invaluable for the challenges on the show.
\n
That preparation was put to the test during a live relay broadcast at a major expo, when the next reporting team failed to arrive on time. Remaining calm before the cameras, Pang filled the airtime with poised, insightful commentary until relief arrived.
\n
She recalls her early e-commerce days speaking to empty virtual rooms for hours, and says: "That experience was invaluable.
\n
"For a period of time, I had no viewers, no sales, not even any comments. I had to keep talking to a silent screen."
\n
That very experience prepared her perfectly for the expo broadcast emergency.
\n
Pang says that after each challenge, veteran mentors offered scores and detailed feedback, which gave her clear insight into both her strengths and areas for improvement. Pang consistently ranked first in the program's initial three rounds.
\n
"The consistent, positive feedback I received on the show helped me develop genuine self-acceptance," she says.
\n
Over time, her focus shifted from chasing the final job offer to valuing the recognition itself. "What truly matters," she reflects, "is that I have been seen."
\n
Emboldened by this new clarity, she is now planning a podcast series featuring interviews with women from diverse professional fields.
\n
But for 23-year-old Zhang Shiwen, a graduate student at the Communication University of China, the program brought mixed feedback. Her debut challenge showed her as organized, resilient and leadership-oriented, but her second task as team leader revealed different qualities.
\n
"Initially, audiences seemed to project an idealized image onto me — they saw an ambitious, highly capable young woman," Zhang reflects.
\n
"But when they discovered I'm also sensitive and sometimes prone to overthinking, their perception shifted."
\n
Critical and even abusive direct messages began to flood her social media accounts, which Zhang believes stem from misunderstandings about who she truly is.
\n
"I'm becoming more aware that I need to accept these different voices," she reflects. "I feel my inner self growing stronger."
\n
The seed of Zhang's media career was sown a decade ago at the Museum of the War of Chinese People's Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, where she — then a middle school student with a passion for history — was taking notes in front of the exhibits.
\n
A man, who she later learned was a Xinhua News Agency journalist, approached to see what she had written and remarked that she had the makings of a reporter.
\n
That casual compliment sparked her career aspirations.
\n
"I wanted to become a witness and recorder of history as a media professional," she recalls.
\n
On the show, Zhang struggled with shifting between different on-screen personas.
\n
"News anchors need authority, interview hosts require calm strength, and variety hosts must entertain," she explains.
\n
Comparing herself with other contestants — some warm and bubbly, others soft-spoken and charming — a "nerdy" Zhang worried she might lack the easy relatability audiences expect.
\n
That was when mentor Chen Luyu offered pivotal advice: "Find your own voice."
\n
Chen, a seasoned broadcaster herself, understands the insecurities of newcomers.
\n
"Many young people entering this profession, being constantly evaluated from the outset, easily lose their anchor point and confidence," she notes.
\n
She says she aims to "provide improvement guidance when they feel they are doing well and offer reassurance when they doubt themselves", conducting multi-hour feedback sessions for the interns.
\n
Encouraged by Chen, Zhang began focusing less on her shortcomings and more on leveraging her strengths, such as her knowledge of history, interest in military affairs and logical thinking capabilities.
\n
"I need to keep exploring," Zhang says. "Through this process, I will definitely find my own voice."
\n
Contact the writer at xingwen@chinadaily.com.cn
\n",
+ "content": "
Pang Zheng, a postgraduate from the Shanghai Theatre Academy, joins the reality show Exciting Offer 7 as an intern, vying for a hosting position on Dragon TV.
\n
Veteran host Chen Luyu acts as a mentor for the interns.
\n
Zhang Shiwen, a postgraduate student of the Communication University of China, is also among the interns on the show.
\n
For 25-year-old Pang Zheng from Hunan province, a cherished childhood memory is dining with her parents while watching News and Science, a program on Hunan Satellite TV that verifies and interprets phenomena through experiments and data.
\n
Inspired by its presenters, Pang decided to pursue the same path. In 2018, she enrolled in the broadcasting and hosting major at the Shanghai Theatre Academy, determined to one day appear on-screen as a professional TV host. Her journey seemed firmly on track when she interned at Hunan Satellite TV and even recorded several episodes for News and Science, the very show she grew up watching.
\n
In 2022, she topped the postgraduate program entrance exams at her university. A career as a TV host seemed within reach.
\n
But her life was soon upended when her father was diagnosed with esophageal cancer. Her mother left her job to care for him full-time.
\n
Pang, then a postgraduate student, chose to shoulder the responsibility of supporting her family as the breadwinner.
\n
She turned to the booming e-commerce sector, taking up part-time livestreaming work to sell products online.
\n
"I accepted every job I could fit into my schedule," Pang recalls, often working until 3 am.
\n
While this work supported her family, it also made her feel that her dream of becoming a TV host was "slipping further away".
\n
As months passed, she grew increasingly unsure about her future — whether she could still enter the television industry, or if she was even suited for the job anymore.
\n
A turning point arrived in July with the recruitment call for the reality show Exciting Offer 7, which gathers aspiring young hosts to compete for a position at Dragon TV through an intensive internship.
\n
"I saw it as a now-or-never moment to chase my dream," Pang says.
\n
The workplace reality show, currently streaming on Tencent Video, offers viewers an insider's view of the hosting profession.
\n
Since its launch in 2019, the show has featured various professionals in fields such as law, medicine and architecture.
\n
Regarding this year's focus on hosting, director Wu Haoyu explains: "In today's media landscape where everyone can access and participate in content creation, the public is already familiar with news programs, interviews and variety shows. Choosing this profession naturally sparks widespread discussion while showcasing the professional competence and charm of hosts."
\n
In the current season, guided by established hosts such as Chen Luyu and Bai Xuxu, the contestants face challenges that test every dimension of professional skill: live reporting, in-depth interviews, and realtime coverage of major events.
\n
To replicate the unpredictability of the newsroom, the production team often introduces unexpected hurdles — a failed teleprompter or a last-minute script change.
\n
Yet, for Pang, who was selected as one of the 10 interns, this high-pressure crucible of diverse challenges gave her a newfound certainty that she was well-suited to the hosting profession.
\n
She discovered that the experience and skills she had honed as an e-commerce livestream host proved invaluable for the challenges on the show.
\n
That preparation was put to the test during a live relay broadcast at a major expo, when the next reporting team failed to arrive on time. Remaining calm before the cameras, Pang filled the airtime with poised, insightful commentary until relief arrived.
\n
She recalls her early e-commerce days speaking to empty virtual rooms for hours, and says: "That experience was invaluable.
\n
"For a period of time, I had no viewers, no sales, not even any comments. I had to keep talking to a silent screen."
\n
That very experience prepared her perfectly for the expo broadcast emergency.
\n
Pang says that after each challenge, veteran mentors offered scores and detailed feedback, which gave her clear insight into both her strengths and areas for improvement. Pang consistently ranked first in the program's initial three rounds.
\n
"The consistent, positive feedback I received on the show helped me develop genuine self-acceptance," she says.
\n
Over time, her focus shifted from chasing the final job offer to valuing the recognition itself. "What truly matters," she reflects, "is that I have been seen."
\n
Emboldened by this new clarity, she is now planning a podcast series featuring interviews with women from diverse professional fields.
\n
But for 23-year-old Zhang Shiwen, a graduate student at the Communication University of China, the program brought mixed feedback. Her debut challenge showed her as organized, resilient and leadership-oriented, but her second task as team leader revealed different qualities.
\n
"Initially, audiences seemed to project an idealized image onto me — they saw an ambitious, highly capable young woman," Zhang reflects.
\n
"But when they discovered I'm also sensitive and sometimes prone to overthinking, their perception shifted."
\n
Critical and even abusive direct messages began to flood her social media accounts, which Zhang believes stem from misunderstandings about who she truly is.
\n
"I'm becoming more aware that I need to accept these different voices," she reflects. "I feel my inner self growing stronger."
\n
The seed of Zhang's media career was sown a decade ago at the Museum of the War of Chinese People's Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, where she — then a middle school student with a passion for history — was taking notes in front of the exhibits.
\n
A man, who she later learned was a Xinhua News Agency journalist, approached to see what she had written and remarked that she had the makings of a reporter.
\n
That casual compliment sparked her career aspirations.
\n
"I wanted to become a witness and recorder of history as a media professional," she recalls.
\n
On the show, Zhang struggled with shifting between different on-screen personas.
\n
"News anchors need authority, interview hosts require calm strength, and variety hosts must entertain," she explains.
\n
Comparing herself with other contestants — some warm and bubbly, others soft-spoken and charming — a "nerdy" Zhang worried she might lack the easy relatability audiences expect.
\n
That was when mentor Chen Luyu offered pivotal advice: "Find your own voice."
\n
Chen, a seasoned broadcaster herself, understands the insecurities of newcomers.
\n
"Many young people entering this profession, being constantly evaluated from the outset, easily lose their anchor point and confidence," she notes.
\n
She says she aims to "provide improvement guidance when they feel they are doing well and offer reassurance when they doubt themselves", conducting multi-hour feedback sessions for the interns.
\n
Encouraged by Chen, Zhang began focusing less on her shortcomings and more on leveraging her strengths, such as her knowledge of history, interest in military affairs and logical thinking capabilities.
\n
"I need to keep exploring," Zhang says. "Through this process, I will definitely find my own voice."
Liu Wenhui, a Yuju Opera actress, performs at the launch ceremony of the Hundred Operas Entering Anhui event on Sept 28 in Hefei, Anhui province.
\n
A news conference is held in Beijing on Sept 22 for the 235th anniversary of Anhui Troupes Entering Beijing and the Hundred Operas Entering Anhui-themed series of events.
\n
Wang Yushu (left), a Huiju Opera actor, performs at the launch ceremony.
\n
On the occasion of the 235th anniversary of Huiju Opera's arrival in Beijing, a new generation of performers is stepping forward to carry the centuries-old art form into the future, infusing it with youthful vigor and creative passion.
\n
In 1790, four opera troupes from East China's Anhui province came to Beijing to perform during celebrations marking the 80th birthday of Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). Some troupes stayed on in the capital, and by the early 1800s, they began collaborating with outstanding performers from Hubei province. Their exchanges eventually gave rise to what is now known as Peking Opera.
\n
To mark this milestone, a special performance was held on Sept 22 at Changyin Ge — the Pavilion of Cheerful Melodies — within the Palace Museum. There, young artists born in the 2000s showcased their talent and devotion, signaling a vibrant future for this classical tradition.
\n
The special performance served as a powerful showcase of this renaissance. According to Chi Jun, chief director of the performance and screenwriter at the National Peking Opera Company, the production took over six years to realize, involving in-depth historical research, inspiration from the museum's collections, and the revival of ceremonial music and traditional stagecraft.
\n
"This performance creates a meaningful 'dialogue between centuries'," says Chi. "The Palace Museum stands as a hallowed hall in China's cultural lineage, while Huiju Opera's journey to Beijing 235 years ago marks a pivotal moment in our artistic history. Bringing them together in this sacred place honors both legacies while pointing toward the future."
\n
What made this production particularly remarkable was its youthful cast — predominantly performers born after 2000, who have undergone years of rigorous training to master the intricate art form. Among them, young artist Qiao Chun'er describes the experience as transformative: "We have been practicing in the rehearsal room for months, polishing every detail. As the younger generation, we feel a deep sense of responsibility and mission."
\n
The program carefully curated excerpts from four historic Huiju Opera troupes. These are Chuntai Troupe's Bai Tu Ji (The White Rabbit), Hechun Troupe's Yu Ni He (The River of Sludge), Sixi Troupe's Yu Zhou Feng (Cosmic Blade) and Sanqing Troupe's Long Hu Dou (Dragon-Tiger Battle). Each piece highlighted a distinct aspect of Huiju Opera's artistry, from the refined combination of singing and recitation to its unique tradition of infusing civil plays with martial flair.
\n
Wang Jingxian, rehearsal director of this performance and a first-generation inheritor of Huiju Opera after the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949, says the prominence of young performers signals a vital renaissance. "These artists represent the third generation of Huiju Opera practitioners — our grandchildren's generation. Their energy, dedication and willingness to push creative boundaries ensure the art form will not only survive but thrive in the contemporary cultural landscape."
\n
The anniversary celebrations extend far beyond a single performance. Zhang Jian, president of Anhui Performing Arts Group, announced an ambitious series of initiatives on Sept 22 at a news conference in Beijing. The plan includes a nine-city performance tour retracing the original route of the Anhui troupes' journey to Beijing — covering Beijing, Tianjin, Jinan, Yangzhou, Nanjing, Hangzhou, Anqing, Huangshan and Hefei.
\n
The initiatives also feature publishing historical repertoire collections in collaboration with the Palace Museum, hosting lectures by renowned artists, organizing themed exhibitions, and introducing Huiju Opera in schools through interactive educational activities.
\n
In addition, Anhui province is hosting a national opera festival from late September through the upcoming Spring Festival. The event will bring together leading artists from various traditional opera genres to stage over 100 classic productions, alongside another 100 performances by Anhui's local opera troupes, offering audiences an immersive cultural feast.
\n
Audiences have responded enthusiastically. A native surnamed He from Fuyang city in Anhui says he grew up with Yuju Opera (from Henan province) thanks to his parents' influence. "My hometown sits right on the border between Henan and Anhui provinces. As a child, I often saw my parents listening to Yuju Opera. That's why I specifically brought my child along this time — hoping to let them experience the charm of our excellent traditional culture up close."
\n
Zhang adds that the commemorative activities aim to honor cultural origins, carry forward this rich legacy, and write a new chapter for the tradition in our contemporary era.
\n
"The arrival of the Huiju Opera troupes in Beijing 235 years ago was a milestone in Chinese theater history. It played a pivotal role in the birth of Peking Opera and influenced the evolution of traditional Chinese opera as a whole," he says. "We are not just commemorating history — we're writing its next chapter through these young artists."
\n
Contact the writers at wangsongsong@chinadaily.com.cn
Liu Wenhui, a Yuju Opera actress, performs at the launch ceremony of the Hundred Operas Entering Anhui event on Sept 28 in Hefei, Anhui province.
\n
A news conference is held in Beijing on Sept 22 for the 235th anniversary of Anhui Troupes Entering Beijing and the Hundred Operas Entering Anhui-themed series of events.
\n
Wang Yushu (left), a Huiju Opera actor, performs at the launch ceremony.
\n
On the occasion of the 235th anniversary of Huiju Opera's arrival in Beijing, a new generation of performers is stepping forward to carry the centuries-old art form into the future, infusing it with youthful vigor and creative passion.
\n
In 1790, four opera troupes from East China's Anhui province came to Beijing to perform during celebrations marking the 80th birthday of Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). Some troupes stayed on in the capital, and by the early 1800s, they began collaborating with outstanding performers from Hubei province. Their exchanges eventually gave rise to what is now known as Peking Opera.
\n
To mark this milestone, a special performance was held on Sept 22 at Changyin Ge — the Pavilion of Cheerful Melodies — within the Palace Museum. There, young artists born in the 2000s showcased their talent and devotion, signaling a vibrant future for this classical tradition.
\n
The special performance served as a powerful showcase of this renaissance. According to Chi Jun, chief director of the performance and screenwriter at the National Peking Opera Company, the production took over six years to realize, involving in-depth historical research, inspiration from the museum's collections, and the revival of ceremonial music and traditional stagecraft.
\n
"This performance creates a meaningful 'dialogue between centuries'," says Chi. "The Palace Museum stands as a hallowed hall in China's cultural lineage, while Huiju Opera's journey to Beijing 235 years ago marks a pivotal moment in our artistic history. Bringing them together in this sacred place honors both legacies while pointing toward the future."
\n
What made this production particularly remarkable was its youthful cast — predominantly performers born after 2000, who have undergone years of rigorous training to master the intricate art form. Among them, young artist Qiao Chun'er describes the experience as transformative: "We have been practicing in the rehearsal room for months, polishing every detail. As the younger generation, we feel a deep sense of responsibility and mission."
\n
The program carefully curated excerpts from four historic Huiju Opera troupes. These are Chuntai Troupe's Bai Tu Ji (The White Rabbit), Hechun Troupe's Yu Ni He (The River of Sludge), Sixi Troupe's Yu Zhou Feng (Cosmic Blade) and Sanqing Troupe's Long Hu Dou (Dragon-Tiger Battle). Each piece highlighted a distinct aspect of Huiju Opera's artistry, from the refined combination of singing and recitation to its unique tradition of infusing civil plays with martial flair.
\n
Wang Jingxian, rehearsal director of this performance and a first-generation inheritor of Huiju Opera after the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949, says the prominence of young performers signals a vital renaissance. "These artists represent the third generation of Huiju Opera practitioners — our grandchildren's generation. Their energy, dedication and willingness to push creative boundaries ensure the art form will not only survive but thrive in the contemporary cultural landscape."
\n
The anniversary celebrations extend far beyond a single performance. Zhang Jian, president of Anhui Performing Arts Group, announced an ambitious series of initiatives on Sept 22 at a news conference in Beijing. The plan includes a nine-city performance tour retracing the original route of the Anhui troupes' journey to Beijing — covering Beijing, Tianjin, Jinan, Yangzhou, Nanjing, Hangzhou, Anqing, Huangshan and Hefei.
\n
The initiatives also feature publishing historical repertoire collections in collaboration with the Palace Museum, hosting lectures by renowned artists, organizing themed exhibitions, and introducing Huiju Opera in schools through interactive educational activities.
\n
In addition, Anhui province is hosting a national opera festival from late September through the upcoming Spring Festival. The event will bring together leading artists from various traditional opera genres to stage over 100 classic productions, alongside another 100 performances by Anhui's local opera troupes, offering audiences an immersive cultural feast.
\n
Audiences have responded enthusiastically. A native surnamed He from Fuyang city in Anhui says he grew up with Yuju Opera (from Henan province) thanks to his parents' influence. "My hometown sits right on the border between Henan and Anhui provinces. As a child, I often saw my parents listening to Yuju Opera. That's why I specifically brought my child along this time — hoping to let them experience the charm of our excellent traditional culture up close."
\n
Zhang adds that the commemorative activities aim to honor cultural origins, carry forward this rich legacy, and write a new chapter for the tradition in our contemporary era.
\n
"The arrival of the Huiju Opera troupes in Beijing 235 years ago was a milestone in Chinese theater history. It played a pivotal role in the birth of Peking Opera and influenced the evolution of traditional Chinese opera as a whole," he says. "We are not just commemorating history — we're writing its next chapter through these young artists."
\n
Contact the writers at wangsongsong@chinadaily.com.cn
Zaxee Walnut Tree Winery, located in Dechen county, Yunnan province.
\n
Staff members of Songtsam Cizhong Winery harvest grapes.
\n
Vineyards in Cizhong village in Dechen county.
\n
An employee from Songtsam Cizhong Winery shows off grapes after a successful harvest.
\n
The grape pickers are all local villagers.
\n
Every vine is now cultivated using professional viticultural techniques.
\n
Bertrand Cristau, owner of Xiaoling Estate.
\n
Oak barrels inside Xiaoling Estate.
\n
Vines in Dechen county, Yunnan province.
\n
In the sun-drenched vineyards of Rizui village, nestled along the banks of the Lancang River in Dechen county, five young women move briskly between rows of ripened grapes. The harvest season has arrived, marking the culmination of a year's worth of labor and care.
\n
Among them is Kangzhu, who, together with her four teammates, joined Songtsam Cizhong Winery just over a year ago. Once farmers tending vines in their backyards, they are now professionals cultivating a new livelihood — and a new identity — through winemaking.
\n
Songtsam Cizhong Winery is a young but ambitious addition to the growing Shangri-La wine region. Completed at the end of last year, it is releasing its first vintage — a Chardonnay dry white — later this year.
\n
The winery sits in Cizhong village, a place steeped in more than a century of grape-growing heritage. From the late 19th to early 20th century, French missionaries built the Cizhong Catholic Church here and planted vineyards around it, introducing winemaking to this remote valley.
\n
Today, Songtsam carries that legacy forward with a renewed sense of purpose. "Our goal in making wine is to protect the land beneath our feet," says staff member Zhang Lanxun.
\n
"Here in the valley, people cultivate grapes instead of overgrazing or hunting. Everything grows in balance, the land rests and renews, and together we share in the beauty of our home."
\n
Beyond offering stable livelihoods to villagers like Kangzhu, the winery has expanded its vision to embrace sustainable creativity and experiential tourism. Inside the winery, visitors encounter far more than barrels and bottles. Candleholders made from recycled glass, handmade paper crafted from grape leaves, and sensory workshops that guide guests through the aromas of wine all contribute to an immersive journey.
\n
The winery is housed within Songtsam Cizhong Lodge, which integrates hospitality with agricultural life. "Guests can enjoy lunch right in the vineyard — it's something truly special," Zhang says.
\n
"We don't use pesticides, and the grass between the vines is cut and fed to our cattle and sheep. Visitors often spend hours walking among the vines, and at night we organize stargazing sessions. Next year, we even plan to host nighttime insect-watching events."
\n
Each season brings a different kind of beauty, Zhang adds — from the delicate blossoms of spring to the vivid hues of ripening grapes.
\n
For her, the connection to this land is deeply personal. Born and raised in Yunnan, she grew up hearing stories of the French missionaries who brought grape cultivation to the region. The lan in her name comes from the Lancang River — the same river that flows past the winery today. Standing among the vines, she feels a quiet sense of destiny, as though her life, the river, and the valley's history have all converged in this shared journey of renewal.
\n
The story of Songtsam is also part of a broader transformation sweeping across the Shangri-La region — now one of China's most promising wine-producing areas. With its high-altitude climate, abundant water and diverse soils, Yunnan's vineyards are yielding wines with distinctive character, drawing growing attention from critics and consumers alike.
\n
That evolution is being closely watched by professionals like Liu Ding from the Wynn Signature Chinese Wine Awards, who visited several Shangri-La wineries this year. Some of their wines have already earned recognition at the awards, and Liu wanted to see firsthand how these mountain wineries operate.
\n
To her, Shangri-La's terroir is unlike any other — "one mountain has four seasons, and the weather changes every 10 miles". Each vineyard, she says, expresses its own voice.
\n
"The roads here are steep and winding, but it's precisely this remoteness and high cost of production that drive winemakers to focus on crafting premium wines that can stand out through quality. The diversity of terroir gives Shangri-La immense potential. While most still work with traditional grape varieties, as technology advances and understanding of the land deepens, innovation in styles and varieties will surely follow."
\n
For Liu, the region's promise lies not only in its landscapes but also in its spirit. "Shangri-La is more than a distant frontier — it represents possibility," she says. "It's becoming one of the most exciting highlights in China's wine landscape."
\n
She is particularly impressed by Songtsam's vision that blends winemaking with culture and tourism. "Songtsam is not only making wine; it's using wine as a bridge to promote Tibetan cultural tourism and to share a deep sense of local pride," she says. "That resonates with our mission at Wynn — we both believe that wine is not just a product, but a form of cultural expression and confidence."
\n
Another winery that left a lasting impression on Liu was Zaxee Walnut Tree Winery, founded by Quan Shiping in 2017 in Benzilan township, Dechen county.
\n
Quan's journey into wine began far from Yunnan, in the mountains of Gansu province, where he grew up. In 2006, he entered Northwest Agriculture and Forestry University to study viticulture and enology. After graduation, he moved to Guangzhou in Guangdong province to work in wine sales, but in 2015 he returned to the mountains — this time to Garze county in Sichuan — to become a winemaker. Over time, the highland landscape, culture, and people captured his heart.
\n
Before arriving in Garze, Quan had studied other wine regions across China, but this one struck him as truly unique. "The combination of high altitude, low latitude, local terroir, and deep-rooted beliefs makes this region unlike any other," he says. What began as curiosity turned into connection — and eventually, belonging. Garze became his second home.
\n
Two years later, at the age of 30, he founded Zaxee Walnut Tree Winery — a name rich with meaning. Zaxee (similar to the Tibetan word tashi) was the first Tibetan word he learned after arriving: zaxee delek — a greeting filled with warmth and goodwill. "When you walk into a Tibetan home, elders greet you with tashi delek. When sharing a meal or pouring wine, people say tashi delek. When you leave, they wave and say tashi delek. Each time I heard it, I felt at home," Quan says.
\n
In Tibetan, zaxee means good fortune and auspiciousness. The walnut tree in the winery's name comes from a 500-year-old tree standing proudly at its entrance. "I hope our wines can convey the same pure blessings of the Tibetan plateau," Quan says. "And that our winery, like the walnut tree, will take root here and grow for generations."
\n
To Quan, winemaking is a form of translation — an act of giving voice to the land. "If wine is expressed correctly, if it's translated truthfully, consumers will understand the region behind it," he explains. "In the past, people would say a wine has a Bordeaux style or a Burgundy style. But here in China, in the highlands, we are developing a style of our own."
\n
Liu agrees. "Zaxee Walnut Tree represents the rise of a new generation of Chinese winemakers," she says. "They don't rely on foreign expertise. Instead, with scientific rigor and local wisdom, they're crafting wines that are authentically Chinese."
\n
Together, the stories of Songtsam and Zaxee reflect the quiet confidence of a region coming into its own. In the high valleys of Shangri-La, winemaking is no longer just an imported craft — it is becoming an expression of place, people and pride. Here, amid snow peaks and vineyards, China's new frontier of wine is taking root — one that speaks with a voice unmistakably its own.
\n
Contact the writer at liyingxue@chinadaily.com.cn
\n",
+ "content": "\n
Zaxee Walnut Tree Winery, located in Dechen county, Yunnan province.
\n
Staff members of Songtsam Cizhong Winery harvest grapes.
\n
Vineyards in Cizhong village in Dechen county.
\n
An employee from Songtsam Cizhong Winery shows off grapes after a successful harvest.
\n
The grape pickers are all local villagers.
\n
Every vine is now cultivated using professional viticultural techniques.
\n
Bertrand Cristau, owner of Xiaoling Estate.
\n
Oak barrels inside Xiaoling Estate.
\n
Vines in Dechen county, Yunnan province.
\n
In the sun-drenched vineyards of Rizui village, nestled along the banks of the Lancang River in Dechen county, five young women move briskly between rows of ripened grapes. The harvest season has arrived, marking the culmination of a year's worth of labor and care.
\n
Among them is Kangzhu, who, together with her four teammates, joined Songtsam Cizhong Winery just over a year ago. Once farmers tending vines in their backyards, they are now professionals cultivating a new livelihood — and a new identity — through winemaking.
\n
Songtsam Cizhong Winery is a young but ambitious addition to the growing Shangri-La wine region. Completed at the end of last year, it is releasing its first vintage — a Chardonnay dry white — later this year.
\n
The winery sits in Cizhong village, a place steeped in more than a century of grape-growing heritage. From the late 19th to early 20th century, French missionaries built the Cizhong Catholic Church here and planted vineyards around it, introducing winemaking to this remote valley.
\n
Today, Songtsam carries that legacy forward with a renewed sense of purpose. "Our goal in making wine is to protect the land beneath our feet," says staff member Zhang Lanxun.
\n
"Here in the valley, people cultivate grapes instead of overgrazing or hunting. Everything grows in balance, the land rests and renews, and together we share in the beauty of our home."
\n
Beyond offering stable livelihoods to villagers like Kangzhu, the winery has expanded its vision to embrace sustainable creativity and experiential tourism. Inside the winery, visitors encounter far more than barrels and bottles. Candleholders made from recycled glass, handmade paper crafted from grape leaves, and sensory workshops that guide guests through the aromas of wine all contribute to an immersive journey.
\n
The winery is housed within Songtsam Cizhong Lodge, which integrates hospitality with agricultural life. "Guests can enjoy lunch right in the vineyard — it's something truly special," Zhang says.
\n
"We don't use pesticides, and the grass between the vines is cut and fed to our cattle and sheep. Visitors often spend hours walking among the vines, and at night we organize stargazing sessions. Next year, we even plan to host nighttime insect-watching events."
\n
Each season brings a different kind of beauty, Zhang adds — from the delicate blossoms of spring to the vivid hues of ripening grapes.
\n
For her, the connection to this land is deeply personal. Born and raised in Yunnan, she grew up hearing stories of the French missionaries who brought grape cultivation to the region. The lan in her name comes from the Lancang River — the same river that flows past the winery today. Standing among the vines, she feels a quiet sense of destiny, as though her life, the river, and the valley's history have all converged in this shared journey of renewal.
\n
The story of Songtsam is also part of a broader transformation sweeping across the Shangri-La region — now one of China's most promising wine-producing areas. With its high-altitude climate, abundant water and diverse soils, Yunnan's vineyards are yielding wines with distinctive character, drawing growing attention from critics and consumers alike.
\n
That evolution is being closely watched by professionals like Liu Ding from the Wynn Signature Chinese Wine Awards, who visited several Shangri-La wineries this year. Some of their wines have already earned recognition at the awards, and Liu wanted to see firsthand how these mountain wineries operate.
\n
To her, Shangri-La's terroir is unlike any other — "one mountain has four seasons, and the weather changes every 10 miles". Each vineyard, she says, expresses its own voice.
\n
"The roads here are steep and winding, but it's precisely this remoteness and high cost of production that drive winemakers to focus on crafting premium wines that can stand out through quality. The diversity of terroir gives Shangri-La immense potential. While most still work with traditional grape varieties, as technology advances and understanding of the land deepens, innovation in styles and varieties will surely follow."
\n
For Liu, the region's promise lies not only in its landscapes but also in its spirit. "Shangri-La is more than a distant frontier — it represents possibility," she says. "It's becoming one of the most exciting highlights in China's wine landscape."
\n
She is particularly impressed by Songtsam's vision that blends winemaking with culture and tourism. "Songtsam is not only making wine; it's using wine as a bridge to promote Tibetan cultural tourism and to share a deep sense of local pride," she says. "That resonates with our mission at Wynn — we both believe that wine is not just a product, but a form of cultural expression and confidence."
\n
Another winery that left a lasting impression on Liu was Zaxee Walnut Tree Winery, founded by Quan Shiping in 2017 in Benzilan township, Dechen county.
\n
Quan's journey into wine began far from Yunnan, in the mountains of Gansu province, where he grew up. In 2006, he entered Northwest Agriculture and Forestry University to study viticulture and enology. After graduation, he moved to Guangzhou in Guangdong province to work in wine sales, but in 2015 he returned to the mountains — this time to Garze county in Sichuan — to become a winemaker. Over time, the highland landscape, culture, and people captured his heart.
\n
Before arriving in Garze, Quan had studied other wine regions across China, but this one struck him as truly unique. "The combination of high altitude, low latitude, local terroir, and deep-rooted beliefs makes this region unlike any other," he says. What began as curiosity turned into connection — and eventually, belonging. Garze became his second home.
\n
Two years later, at the age of 30, he founded Zaxee Walnut Tree Winery — a name rich with meaning. Zaxee (similar to the Tibetan word tashi) was the first Tibetan word he learned after arriving: zaxee delek — a greeting filled with warmth and goodwill. "When you walk into a Tibetan home, elders greet you with tashi delek. When sharing a meal or pouring wine, people say tashi delek. When you leave, they wave and say tashi delek. Each time I heard it, I felt at home," Quan says.
\n
In Tibetan, zaxee means good fortune and auspiciousness. The walnut tree in the winery's name comes from a 500-year-old tree standing proudly at its entrance. "I hope our wines can convey the same pure blessings of the Tibetan plateau," Quan says. "And that our winery, like the walnut tree, will take root here and grow for generations."
\n
To Quan, winemaking is a form of translation — an act of giving voice to the land. "If wine is expressed correctly, if it's translated truthfully, consumers will understand the region behind it," he explains. "In the past, people would say a wine has a Bordeaux style or a Burgundy style. But here in China, in the highlands, we are developing a style of our own."
\n
Liu agrees. "Zaxee Walnut Tree represents the rise of a new generation of Chinese winemakers," she says. "They don't rely on foreign expertise. Instead, with scientific rigor and local wisdom, they're crafting wines that are authentically Chinese."
\n
Together, the stories of Songtsam and Zaxee reflect the quiet confidence of a region coming into its own. In the high valleys of Shangri-La, winemaking is no longer just an imported craft — it is becoming an expression of place, people and pride. Here, amid snow peaks and vineyards, China's new frontier of wine is taking root — one that speaks with a voice unmistakably its own.
MILAN — In the heart of Milan, just steps from the famous Brera Gallery, a cozy neighborhood restaurant is drawing locals with an unexpected yet delightful combination: Chinese braised dishes paired with Italian wine.
\n
At ZioZio, many Italian food enthusiasts are discovering the flavors and traditions behind Sichuan-style Chinese braised cuisine. The region's humid climate and use of Sichuan peppercorns have shaped a distinctive preference for numbing, spicy and aromatic flavors, often found in dishes meant to be savored slowly.
\n
Diners are often surprised to find how seamlessly these rich, layered flavors complement Italian wines, creating a unique interplay between East and West.
\n
"We wanted to create a restaurant for the local community from the very beginning," says Wang Haoran and Zeng Xiaotang, two young art graduates — one specializing in music and the other in design — who founded ZioZio after completing their studies in Italy. "By pairing Chinese braised dishes with the red wines Italians love, we hope to spark curiosity about new flavor combinations and introduce more people to the richness of China's regional food cultures."
\n
Their concept has resonated with Milan's locals. "In recent years, more authentic Chinese cuisines have appeared in Italy and Europe, offering greater variety and cultural experiences that people truly appreciate," says regular customer Gianluca Corrias.
\n
ZioZio's snug space of 15 square meters often hums with the lively chatter of locals. Some guests drop by after work to enjoy wine with braised beef and bamboo shoots, while others linger to chat with friends. Ahead of the Mid-Autumn Festival, Wang and Zeng prepared mooncakes, inviting Italian customers to taste the traditional treat and learn about the holiday's meaning.
\n
"The dishes here are authentic, not the tourist kind," says customer Caterina Cecconi. "I've never been to China, but now I really want to visit and meet more Chinese people."
\n
In Rome, another small eatery is also winning hearts with authentic Chinese flavors. Jiamo Lab, named after its signature snack roujiamo, a traditional Chinese flatbread stuffed with braised meat, has become a local favorite, even appearing on popular media recommendation lists.
\n
Located near a 460-year-old city wall designed by Michelangelo, Jiamo Lab offers not just food but also stories. The restaurant's walls are lined with information about the origins of roujiamo and its birthplace, the ancient city of Xi'an in Northwest China's Shaanxi province.
\n
"When we dine here, we're drawn to the cultural stories on the walls. They make us want to learn more about Chinese history," says customer Simona Baltieri.
\n
"Chinese cuisine is an ideal way to share our culture," says owner Hu Chenqiang. "With Xi'an roujiamo, we naturally talk about the Qin Dynasty (221-206 BC) and the Terracotta Warriors."
\n
For decades, Chinese cuisine abroad often meant fried rice or sweet-and-sour pork. Now, a new generation of Chinese restaurateurs is changing that perception, introducing authentic regional specialties, from Sichuan snacks to Xi'an street food, across Italy and the rest of Europe.
\n
Hu is determined to stay true to traditional flavors. "The more confidence we have in our own culture, the more interest foreigners will show in it," he says.
\n
Inside Jiamo Lab, visitors can also find information about China's visa-free policies and guidance on using mobile payment apps, part of Hu's effort to help curious diners prepare for future trips to China.
\n
Hu says he hopes his restaurant will become a genuine part of local life, encouraging cultural exchange, especially among young people.
\n
Regular customer Francesca Fatica believes these efforts go beyond food. Authentic Chinese cuisine is more than food, it is a bridge between cultures too, she says. "It's time to showcase more of China's traditions, allowing the world to see the true richness of Chinese culture."
MILAN — In the heart of Milan, just steps from the famous Brera Gallery, a cozy neighborhood restaurant is drawing locals with an unexpected yet delightful combination: Chinese braised dishes paired with Italian wine.
\n
At ZioZio, many Italian food enthusiasts are discovering the flavors and traditions behind Sichuan-style Chinese braised cuisine. The region's humid climate and use of Sichuan peppercorns have shaped a distinctive preference for numbing, spicy and aromatic flavors, often found in dishes meant to be savored slowly.
\n
Diners are often surprised to find how seamlessly these rich, layered flavors complement Italian wines, creating a unique interplay between East and West.
\n
"We wanted to create a restaurant for the local community from the very beginning," says Wang Haoran and Zeng Xiaotang, two young art graduates — one specializing in music and the other in design — who founded ZioZio after completing their studies in Italy. "By pairing Chinese braised dishes with the red wines Italians love, we hope to spark curiosity about new flavor combinations and introduce more people to the richness of China's regional food cultures."
\n
Their concept has resonated with Milan's locals. "In recent years, more authentic Chinese cuisines have appeared in Italy and Europe, offering greater variety and cultural experiences that people truly appreciate," says regular customer Gianluca Corrias.
\n
ZioZio's snug space of 15 square meters often hums with the lively chatter of locals. Some guests drop by after work to enjoy wine with braised beef and bamboo shoots, while others linger to chat with friends. Ahead of the Mid-Autumn Festival, Wang and Zeng prepared mooncakes, inviting Italian customers to taste the traditional treat and learn about the holiday's meaning.
\n
"The dishes here are authentic, not the tourist kind," says customer Caterina Cecconi. "I've never been to China, but now I really want to visit and meet more Chinese people."
\n
In Rome, another small eatery is also winning hearts with authentic Chinese flavors. Jiamo Lab, named after its signature snack roujiamo, a traditional Chinese flatbread stuffed with braised meat, has become a local favorite, even appearing on popular media recommendation lists.
\n
Located near a 460-year-old city wall designed by Michelangelo, Jiamo Lab offers not just food but also stories. The restaurant's walls are lined with information about the origins of roujiamo and its birthplace, the ancient city of Xi'an in Northwest China's Shaanxi province.
\n
"When we dine here, we're drawn to the cultural stories on the walls. They make us want to learn more about Chinese history," says customer Simona Baltieri.
\n
"Chinese cuisine is an ideal way to share our culture," says owner Hu Chenqiang. "With Xi'an roujiamo, we naturally talk about the Qin Dynasty (221-206 BC) and the Terracotta Warriors."
\n
For decades, Chinese cuisine abroad often meant fried rice or sweet-and-sour pork. Now, a new generation of Chinese restaurateurs is changing that perception, introducing authentic regional specialties, from Sichuan snacks to Xi'an street food, across Italy and the rest of Europe.
\n
Hu is determined to stay true to traditional flavors. "The more confidence we have in our own culture, the more interest foreigners will show in it," he says.
\n
Inside Jiamo Lab, visitors can also find information about China's visa-free policies and guidance on using mobile payment apps, part of Hu's effort to help curious diners prepare for future trips to China.
\n
Hu says he hopes his restaurant will become a genuine part of local life, encouraging cultural exchange, especially among young people.
\n
Regular customer Francesca Fatica believes these efforts go beyond food. Authentic Chinese cuisine is more than food, it is a bridge between cultures too, she says. "It's time to showcase more of China's traditions, allowing the world to see the true richness of Chinese culture."
Players of team Taizhou celebrate winning the ZheBA, or the Zhejiang Provincial City Basketball League, against team Jiaxing in Taizhou, East China's Zhejiang province.
\n
An actor dressed as the ancient poet Li Bai, who traveled to Zhejiang several times in his lifetime, welcomes passengers aboard.
\n
A train ticket for the special carriage on the Hangzhou-Taizhou high-speed railway.
\n
The carriage is specially decorated for basketball fans going to the ZheBA games, which will run through February.
\n
Basketball fans pose for photos in Hangzhou East Railway Station in Zhejiang.
\n
Fans waving flags and banners arrive at Taizhou Railway Station in Taizhou.
\n
Wearing team T-shirts and carrying banners, Taizhou fans cheer during the ZheBA game against team Jiaxing.
\n
Providing a visual treat for the fans, the grassroots event aims to tap into the potential of community-level basketball.
\n
Ahigh-speed train specially chartered for basketball fans arrived in Taizhou from Hangzhou in Zhejiang province last month, part of a joint initiative by rail and tourism authorities to stimulate regional economic activity through sport.
\n
More than 60 fans boarded the dedicated train to attend a provincial league game, with passengers donning team jerseys and carrying banners. The carriage was decorated with flags and motivational slogans in anticipation of the evening match between Taizhou and Jiaxing.
\n
The initiative highlights how local governments are trying to boost consumption.
\n
The project was organized by the railway operator, local cultural and tourism bureaus, and transport groups. The journey aims to establish a direct consumer link between two cities, using a sporting event to stimulate travel, hospitality, and dining revenue.
\n
Since the line began operations in January 2022, it has carried over 70 million passengers, reinforcing the one-hour travel connection between Hangzhou and Taizhou. This efficiency was evident when the train arrived in Taizhou in just 74 minutes.
\n
"The atmosphere is incredible. It feels so ritualistic to head to the game with a group of like-minded fans," says a passenger surnamed Zhang on the train.
\n
"The efficiency of the line makes attending games easier and in turn, boosts both the popularity of the game and passenger numbers," says Zhang Jianping, deputy director of the operation's management department.
\n
He says that there has been a 14.2 percent year-on-year growth in passenger volume during the summer travel period, with trains often fully booked during basketball season.
\n
Since the ZheBA, or the Zhejiang Provincial City Basketball League, began in July, demand for high-speed rail, cross-city spectating and tourism consumption has surged, offering a new model for integrated regional development. Running through February, this grassroots event, initiated by Zhejiang authorities, aims to tap into the potential of community-level basketball.
\n
To capitalize on this influx of fans, Taizhou's tourism department has offered discounts to over a dozen local attractions, nearly 30 hotels, and multiple restaurants. A special market outside the sports venue has promoted local products and offered chances to win tickets to regional tourist spots. Officials have framed the event as a strategic model for economic stimulus.
\n
"We are boosting consumption, enhancing our brand, and transforming a basketball event into a cultural tourism economy," says Chen Qiaoqiao, an official from Taizhou's culture, radio, television, tourism and sports bureau.
\n
This model exemplifies how local governments are blending sporting events with transportation infrastructure to create new consumption chains.
\n
The fan train in Zhejiang offers an example of how sporting events can serve as multifaceted economic drivers.
\n
By combining sports passion with travel convenience and cultural experiences, cities can attract broader audiences and create sustainable consumption chains.
\n",
+ "content": "\n
Players of team Taizhou celebrate winning the ZheBA, or the Zhejiang Provincial City Basketball League, against team Jiaxing in Taizhou, East China's Zhejiang province.
\n
An actor dressed as the ancient poet Li Bai, who traveled to Zhejiang several times in his lifetime, welcomes passengers aboard.
\n
A train ticket for the special carriage on the Hangzhou-Taizhou high-speed railway.
\n
The carriage is specially decorated for basketball fans going to the ZheBA games, which will run through February.
\n
Basketball fans pose for photos in Hangzhou East Railway Station in Zhejiang.
\n
Fans waving flags and banners arrive at Taizhou Railway Station in Taizhou.
\n
Wearing team T-shirts and carrying banners, Taizhou fans cheer during the ZheBA game against team Jiaxing.
\n
Providing a visual treat for the fans, the grassroots event aims to tap into the potential of community-level basketball.
\n
Ahigh-speed train specially chartered for basketball fans arrived in Taizhou from Hangzhou in Zhejiang province last month, part of a joint initiative by rail and tourism authorities to stimulate regional economic activity through sport.
\n
More than 60 fans boarded the dedicated train to attend a provincial league game, with passengers donning team jerseys and carrying banners. The carriage was decorated with flags and motivational slogans in anticipation of the evening match between Taizhou and Jiaxing.
\n
The initiative highlights how local governments are trying to boost consumption.
\n
The project was organized by the railway operator, local cultural and tourism bureaus, and transport groups. The journey aims to establish a direct consumer link between two cities, using a sporting event to stimulate travel, hospitality, and dining revenue.
\n
Since the line began operations in January 2022, it has carried over 70 million passengers, reinforcing the one-hour travel connection between Hangzhou and Taizhou. This efficiency was evident when the train arrived in Taizhou in just 74 minutes.
\n
"The atmosphere is incredible. It feels so ritualistic to head to the game with a group of like-minded fans," says a passenger surnamed Zhang on the train.
\n
"The efficiency of the line makes attending games easier and in turn, boosts both the popularity of the game and passenger numbers," says Zhang Jianping, deputy director of the operation's management department.
\n
He says that there has been a 14.2 percent year-on-year growth in passenger volume during the summer travel period, with trains often fully booked during basketball season.
\n
Since the ZheBA, or the Zhejiang Provincial City Basketball League, began in July, demand for high-speed rail, cross-city spectating and tourism consumption has surged, offering a new model for integrated regional development. Running through February, this grassroots event, initiated by Zhejiang authorities, aims to tap into the potential of community-level basketball.
\n
To capitalize on this influx of fans, Taizhou's tourism department has offered discounts to over a dozen local attractions, nearly 30 hotels, and multiple restaurants. A special market outside the sports venue has promoted local products and offered chances to win tickets to regional tourist spots. Officials have framed the event as a strategic model for economic stimulus.
\n
"We are boosting consumption, enhancing our brand, and transforming a basketball event into a cultural tourism economy," says Chen Qiaoqiao, an official from Taizhou's culture, radio, television, tourism and sports bureau.
\n
This model exemplifies how local governments are blending sporting events with transportation infrastructure to create new consumption chains.
\n
The fan train in Zhejiang offers an example of how sporting events can serve as multifaceted economic drivers.
\n
By combining sports passion with travel convenience and cultural experiences, cities can attract broader audiences and create sustainable consumption chains.
President Xi Jinping has extended congratulations on the 120th founding anniversary of China Agricultural University, calling on it to cultivate more professionals with expertise and passion for agriculture.
\n
In a reply letter to faculty and students of CAU on Wednesday, Xi, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, expressed hope that they will stay committed to strengthening agriculture to serve the nation, deepening reform in education and teaching, and enhancing innovation in agricultural science and technology, as well as the application and transformation of research outcomes.
\n
He also called on the university to make new contributions to building up China's strength in agriculture and advancing Chinese modernization.
\n
Recently, faculty members and students of CAU wrote a letter to Xi, in which they expressed determination to accelerate the building of CAU as a world-class university and to make unremitting efforts for the great cause of building a strong nation and realizing national rejuvenation.
\n
The history of CAU, as the oldest agricultural higher education institution in China, can be traced back to October 1905, when the College of Agriculture was founded by the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) in the Imperial University of Peking.
\n
In 1995, CAU was formed by merging Beijing Agricultural University and Beijing Agricultural Engineering University. It now carries out friendly cooperation with more than 260 universities, research institutes and international organizations in over 50 countries and regions.
\n
Xi has always placed great importance on higher education in agriculture and forestry in the new era, as well as issues relating to agriculture, rural areas and farmers.
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In 2019, he replied to a letter from Party secretaries, presidents and experts of over 50 agricultural colleges, stressing their role in boosting agricultural prosperity.
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In 2023, he replied to a letter from students participating in a program at CAU that sends students to the front lines of agricultural production. The program, known as "science and technology backyards", aims to study and solve practical problems in the development of agriculture and rural areas and train high-level agricultural talent.
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Kang Shaozhong, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and a professor at CAU, said that receiving Xi's reply was immensely encouraging and motivating.
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Kang said that he will further deepen education and teaching reforms, cultivating more new-type talent who understand and love agriculture in the new era.
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Ma Ke, a third-year undergraduate student at the College of Animal Science and Technology at CAU, said that for him, understanding agriculture means diligently studying core knowledge and mastering the real skills for revitalizing agriculture through science and technology.
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"Loving agriculture means harboring the deepest affection for hundreds of millions of farmers," he said.
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Lemi Chala Tamire, from Ethiopia, who is a PhD candidate in development studies at CAU, said the 120th founding anniversary is a milestone, which is a testament to how the university has shaped generations of experts who are changing rural communities and contributing to China's remarkable development.
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"I am proud to be part of this great legacy — we make it, we are in the community," he said.
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China's model of poverty eradication and rural vitalization offers valuable insights that can be adapted to Ethiopia's context, Tamire said.
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"After graduation, I see myself as a proud ambassador of CAU — sharing the university's success stories globally and serving as a bridge between China and Ethiopia," he said.
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Tamire added that he will carry forward the knowledge, values and spirit he gained at the university to promote sustainable development and agricultural cooperation between Ethiopia and China.
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